26Mar

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Stanislaus County now has 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases

Turlock Journal

Stanislaus County officials continue to ask for people to follow the statewide stay at home order as the number of COVID-19 cases grows locally, across the state and around the world.

● Editorial: How Stanislaus County might reach more people with coronavirus message Modesto Bee

Stockton, SJ close all parks amid coronavirus pandemic

Stockton Record

San Joaquin County and the city of Stockton have temporarily closed public parks in response to COVID-19. On Wednesday, the city announced its 66 parks are now closed to community use until further notice.

Central SJ Valley:

Coronavirus: Fresno mayor extends shelter-in-place order for two more weeks

Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand announced Thursday he has extended the city’s shelter-in-place order for another two weeks.

Clovis Mayor Addresses Community

Clovis RoundUp

Clovis Mayor Drew Bessinger addressed price gouging and racism against the Asian community in a March 24 video released by the City of Clovis.

Commentary: Fresno area is sicker and has a doctor shortage. So the coronavirus poses a huge threat, experts warn

CalMatters

Fresno has a physician shortage. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, health experts say it’s only a matter of time before the problem gets worse.

South SJ Valley:

KCSOS recommends schools stay closed until May 1

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County Superintendent of Schools Mary C. Barlow announced Wednesday she is recommending Kern County’s 47 school districts extend public school closures through at least May 1 to help contain the spread of COVID-19, according to a news release.

Kern County Public Health answers questions on COVID-19, testing

Bakersfield Californian

As COVID-19 takes hold in Kern County, many are seeking more information about the confirmed cases in our community. The Californian reached out to Kern County Public Health Department spokeswoman Michelle Corson to better understand what information is being made publicly available and shed light on other issues related to testing.

See also:

● Cases in Kern County now at 24 Bakersfield Californian

State:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California

Covid19.ca.gov

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.

● Tracking coronavirus in California Los Angeles Times

● Coronavirus Tracker San Francisco Chronicle

● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count New York Times

● How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico

● John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University

● Coronavirus Daily NPR

● California coronavirus cases continue to grow, reaching rate on par with New York Los Angeles Times

● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Financial Times

● Coronavirus in California by the numbers CalMatters

● Here’s how fast COVID-19 deaths are happening in California compared to other hotspotsFresno Bee

Gov. Newsom: Many banks agree to 90-day grace period for mortgages

abc30

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said many banks have agreed to a 90-day grace period for mortgage payments for Californians impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

● California governor: 5 big banks suspend mortgage payments Bakersfield Californian

● Many Banks To Waive Mortgage Payments, Foreclosures For Californians Impacted By CoronavirusCapital Public Radio

● Banks agree to coronavirus mortgage relief in California amid push for eviction ban CalMatters

● Calif Homeowners get mortgage assistance amid high unemployment claims Los Angeles Times

● Gov. Newsom Reaches Deal With Major Banks to Suspend Mortgage Payments, Foreclosures for 90 Days KQED

Walters: Newsom veers off the rails

CalMatters

During his first couple weeks of managing California’s COVID-19 crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s words and actions were impressively cool-headed and measured.

● Why Our Leaders Fail to Learn Pandemic Lessons Bloomberg

California DMV saw an 82% drop in visits since coronavirus outbreak. Is it still ‘essential’?

Fresno Bee

Despite the lack of activity, DMV locations remain open, and thousands of state workers are going into offices that some consider unsafe. The new coronavirus has already struck one major call center, and some fear more of their colleagues could soon test positive.

Cities, Legislatures Learn to Govern by Conference Call

Pew Trusts

Policymakers around the country are quickly learning how — or whether — they can cast votes remotely, a method that could prove crucial to responding to the pandemic while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

New coronavirus warning: Don’t visit family; exercise only in your area

Los Angeles Times

A health officer in California is urging people to exercise only in their own immediate neighborhoods, and to stop visiting family in other households, as local authorities across California urge people to avoid worsening the coronavirus outbreak.

Federal:

U.S. deaths from coronavirus top 1,000, amid incomplete reporting from authorities and anguish from those left behind

Washington Post

It began as a mysterious disease with frightening potential. Now, just two months after America’s first confirmed case, the country is grappling with a lethal reality: The coronavirus has killed more than 1,000 people in the United States, a toll that is increasing at an alarming rate.

· Opinion: How the Pandemic Will End The Atlantic

Senate unanimously passes $2 trillion economic stimulus package

Fresno Bee

The Senate has passed an unparalleled $2.2 trillion economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic.

● Senate passes $2 trillion stimulus deal to curb effects of coronavirus Visalia Times Delta

● President Trump Urges Swift Passage Of Coronavirus Relief Bill Capital Public Radio

● Lawmakers have negotiated a $2-trillion coronavirus stimulus package. What happens next? Los Angeles Times

● Coronavirus relief package includes aid for just about everyone, including California interests Los Angeles Times

● Coronavirus-safe election changes left out of $2 trillion stimulus bill San Francisco Chronicle

● Senate Approves Roughly $2 Trillion in Coronavirus Relief Wall Street Journal

● 7 things to know about the coronavirus stimulus package The Hill

● What’s in the Senate’s $2 trillion economic package? Brookings

● What’s in the $2 Trillion Senate Coronavirus Bill Wall Street Journal

● Senate passes $2 trillion coronavirus relief package in effort to address economic trauma caused by the pandemic The Washington Post

● Where is the US government getting all the money it’s spending in the coronavirus crisis? Brookings

● Here's what’s in the $2 trillion stimulus package – and what’s next Politico

● Billions in stimulus bill would aid hospitals, schools and public transit Roll Call

● States get what they sought in coronavirus stimulus, but say it’s not enough Roll Call

● The US Response to COVID-19: What’s in Federal Legislation and What’s Not, but Still NeededCenter for Economic and Policy Research

● Pelosi lays out Democrats’ priorities for next round of coronavirus legislation Roll Call

Trump’s Easter goal in war on virus a nod to faith, business

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump’s “beautiful” idea to reopen the U.S. economy by Easter Sunday and pack church pews that day was dreamed up during a conference call among business leaders desperate to get the country back up and running.

Opinion: NPR member station wisely bails on live coronavirus briefings

The Washington Post

Seattle NPR member station KUOW has issued a statement to explain its editorial decision to refrain from broadcasting live daily briefings hosted by President Trump and including members of the White House coronavirus task force

● Trump team failed to follow NSC’s pandemic playbook POLITICO

● Trump’s push to open economy could come at cost of lives Fresno Bee

● Trump’s faux facts on Fox News The Washington Post

● Opinion: Trump's deadly optimism on the coronavirus pandemic Los Angeles Times

Deborah Birx, AIDS researcher, takes a prominent role in coronavirus messaging for Trump administration

Los Angeles Times

How does a tough-minded, data-driven scientist and AIDS researcher like Deborah Birx navigate a Trump orbit often riddled with misinformation and mixed messages?

EDITORIAL: Dr. Anthony Fauci is the coronavirus truth teller we need. Let him do his work

Los Angeles Times

One of President Trump’s smartest moves in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was naming Dr. Anthony Fauci to the White House’s coronavirus task force.

● Will coronavirus be a seasonal illness? Here’s what top health expert Fauci says Fresno Bee

Opinion: Battle against coronavirus poses threat to our democratic institutions

CalMatters

As states and the federal government wage a battle against the spread of the coronavirus, we also face a real threat to our democratic institutions.

● Hiltzik: GOP policy will magnify the coronavirus death toll Los Angeles Times

Elections 2020:

Joe Biden’s inner circle: No longer a boys club

Fresno Bee

Weeks before Joe Biden launched his 2020 presidential campaign, he released a social media video to address allegations from women who said his uninvited displays of affection had made them uncomfortable.

● Biden rejects April debate as Sanders says he wants a face-off Fresno Bee

● Joe Biden wants to bring young voters to his campaign. What do they want? Los Angeles Times

As Coronavirus threatens general election, California could be example for states expanding vote-by-mail

Mercury News

The coronavirus cases spreading across the country have already overturned the 2020 presidential campaign, forcing multiple states to postpone their primaries and raising fears that the November general election could be marred by the pandemic. Now states are rushing to expand the use of vote-by-mail, laying the groundwork for an unprecedented shift in voting procedures.

● EDITORIAL: Congress has to immunize election day against fear of the coronavirus Los Angeles Times

Walters: Virus attacks California ballot measures

CalMatters

As the coronavirus pandemic was clobbering California — and the rest of the known world — this month, local government officials in Sacramento County enthusiastically decided to ask voters to approve a hefty sales tax increase for transportation improvements.

Other:

Bankruptcy judge approves McClatchy funding, rejects challenges from government trustee

Fresno Bee

McClatchy Co. won a series of court decisions in a hearing Wednesday that cleared the way for short-term financing and kept alive the local news organization’s hope for a fast exit from bankruptcy.

Audio shared on Facebook Messenger spreads false information about coronavirus prevention

Politifact

An audio message lists 10 ways people can avoid contracting COVID-19. We fact-checked five of the most questionable claims.

See also:

● H ow to spot fake news during this uncertain time Fresno State News

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Chukchansi casino aiding Madera County residents during coronavirus pandemic

Fresno Bee

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino is helping Madera County residents with food distribution during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The casino made the announcement Wednesday.

Fresno farmers market still seeing business during COVID-19 outbreak

abc30

It's business as usual at the Vineyard Farmers Market as they remain open, but both vendors and shoppers are taking precautions. Vendors are wearing gloves, while signs ask shoppers to be quick in getting what they need.

These Modesto, Valley restaurants are open for pickup, delivery during coronavirus crisis

Modesto Bee

While you can’t sit down to eat at Modesto or Central Valley restaurants because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, most will still happily make you a meal to enjoy at home.

Farmworkers Can’t Pick Crops Remotely. How Can They Stay Safe?

KQED

Although farming and food production are considered “essential businesses” exempt from California’s statewide shelter-in-place order, agricultural employers are having a hard time navigating guidance from public health officials on how to keep workers safe.

State grocers association president: Plenty of food in stock, customers should stop overbuying

Bakersfield Californian

California grocery stores will be stocked and ready to go for the foreseeable future, according to the president of the California Grocers Association.

California eases cannabis and alcohol rules amid coronavirus

CalMatters

California authorities want to keep some vulnerable businesses from collapsing during what is likely to be the worst economic crisis since the Great Recession.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / FIRE / PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Beware These Coronavirus Scams

Forbes

Coronavirus scams are on the rise. Fake vaccines, empty promises and too-good-to-be-true financial offers are front and center during the coronavirus public health emergency.

See also:

● Scams On the Rise Amid COVID-19 Crisis Clovis RoundUp

Public Safety:

A coronavirus case now has reached a central San Joaquin Valley prison

Fresno Bee

An employee at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran tested positive for COVID-19, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) revealed on its website Wednesday.

● Judges asked for emergency order releasing California inmates as coronavirus spreads Fresno Bee

● Federal judges urged to free thousands of California inmates Fresno Bee

● Employee at Corcoran prison tests positive for coronavirus abc30

● Fresno Co. Jail won't send inmates to prison during coronavirus crisis abc30

● Defense Attorney Wants To Get Vulnerable Inmate Out Of Fresno Jail VPR

● Judges asked for emergency release of California inmates amid outbreak San Francisco Chronicle

Fears for civil rights mount amid fight against coronavirus

Fresno Bee

The orders seem prudent in the bid to thwart the spread of the novel coronavirus: Don't go out, don't gather with others and keep your stores closed. But growing segments of the U.S. population say state and federal governments are trampling on freedoms central to American life in the name of protecting public health.

Merced Co. deputies offer extra patrols to protect closed businesses

abc30

Many businesses throughout Merced County are being hit hard with closures or cutbacks since the state issued a 'shelter in place' order to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Tulare County Superior Court suspends jury trials

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare County Superior Court will follow a statewide order to suspend all jury trials amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

California correctional officers shouldn’t get a raise before the Legislature compares salaries: analyst

Sacramento Bee

An office that reviews state worker pay is urging the California State Legislature to stop giving raises to correctional officers until the Legislature can find out how the officers’ pay compares to similar jobs in local government.

Fire:

PG&E's falling stock price worries fire victims eyeing deal

Bakersfield Californian

The stock market turmoil triggered by the coronavirus pandemic is raising worries that Pacific Gas & Electric's $13.5 billion settlement with victims of catastrophic wildfires may be worth far less by the time the beleaguered company emerges from bankruptcy.

Two fire victims resign key roles in PG&E bankruptcy

San Francisco Chronicle

“It’s all a financial shell game, a financial joke that they built this thing on,” Camp Fire victim Kirk Trostle told The Chronicle.

How pandemic is crippling California's efforts to prevent wildfires

San Francisco Chronicle

Fire experts warn that scaled-back wildfire mitigation will undercut the state’s plan to avert the type of catastrophes seen in Paradise and Wine Country.

ECONOMY / JOBS

Economy:

Fresno businesses are hurting over coronavirus. Here’s how some can get relief

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council set up a small business relief fund Wednesday — the latest move to help those that have closed down due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

● Many businesses cautious about restarting economy amid virus Fresno Bee

Fresno expands list of businesses that can be open during the coronavirus. Here’s the latest

Fresno Bee

The city of Fresno updated its list of businesses that will be allowed to operate during the novel coronavirus threat being felt around the country.

See also:

● Sporting goods stores are reopening around town. Here’s what city of Fresno is saying Fresno Bee

Stocks have first back-to-back gains since sell-off began

Fresno Bee

Asian stocks were mixed Thursday after Wall Street gained as U.S. lawmakers wrangled over a proposed $2 trillion virus aid package.

● Unemployment claims surge in California as coronavirus outbreak stalls US economy Sacramento Bee

● Opinion: The High Price of Coronavirus Relief Wall Street Journal

California isn’t ready to increase unemployment benefits in coronavirus crisis, analyst warns

Merced Sun-Star

If California wants to increase unemployment insurance benefits to help workers cope with the economic fallout from the new coronavirus, the higher payments could be delayed up to a year because the state employment department isn’t prepared for the job.

A Regional Look at the Industries Hit Hardest by COVID-19 Economic Shutdown

California Budget & Policy Center

These Industries Employ Large Numbers of Californians in the State’s Largest Metropolitan Areas.

How Coronavirus Has Upended Economics in Just a Few Weeks

Bloomberg

In the heat of a global crisis more sudden and severe than anything in living memory, economic orthodoxies are getting tossed aside at a furious pace. Some of them may be gone for good.

The places a COVID-19 recession will likely hit hardest (see where Valley cities rank)

Brookings

At first blush, it seems like the coronavirus pandemic is shutting down the economy everywhere, equally, with frightening force and totality.

Jobs:

Update: Frito-Lay is reopening Modesto plant after cleaning prompted by coronavirus

Modesto Bee

The Frito-Lay chip plant in Modesto was expected to reopen Wednesday, March 25, after a deep cleaning prompted by coronavirus. The company had closed the Garner Road plant earlier in the week, after an undisclosed number of employees showed symptoms of the virus.

California could lose 1.6 million jobs by summer. Here’s where unemployment will hit hardest

Modesto Bee

California could lose 1.6 million jobs by summer, taking the state from record-low unemployment to a dismal economic picture that could rival or exceed the Great Recession in a matter of weeks.

● EDITORIAL: People are out of work due to coronavirus. That’s a tough reality we have to acceptFresno Bee

A record 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits as the coronavirus slams economy

Washington Post

Last week saw the biggest jump in new jobless claims in history, surpassing the prior record of 695,000 set in 1982, as the United States shut down much of the economy to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

‘We live paycheck to paycheck’: Undocumented workers struggle as economy grinds to a halt

CalMatters

More than 2 million undocumented workers, who do not quality for many state and federal benefits, are among the hardest hit Californians as the economy is battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Column: How coronavirus turned supermarket workers into heroes

Los Angeles Times

Today supermarkets are playing a ground-zero role in our struggle to adapt to restrictions imposed by COVID-19. And grocery workers are bearing much of the the brunt of our anxiety and frustration, as we descend on depleted stores.

Federal DOL Issues Initial FAQ Guidance Regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo

This Alert summarizes the key points of the federal Department of Labor (“DOL”) guidance relating to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”).

EDUCATION

K-12:

Madera school giving kids emotional resources as they learn from home

abc30

Saint Joachim School is making sure their students don't feel socially isolated during the COVID-19 closure, calling families individually to check in.

San Joaquin, Calaveras counties extend school closures

Stockton Record

San Joaquin County pushes school closures to April 17 and Calaveras County extends closures as “long as California Governor Gavin Newsom’s ‘Stay at Home Order’ is in effect.”

VUSD board cuts jobs, reduces classified staff hours

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia Unified School District trustees unanimously approved classified employee layoffs during a Tuesday meeting that the public could not physically attend as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

KCSOS recommends schools remain closed until May 1

Bakersfield Californian

When Will Stanislaus County schools open? Top health official weighs in.

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County schools would resume around May 1 under a rough timeline laid out by the county health officer on Wednesday night.

Despite assurances of flexibility, educators fear liability in online instruction of special ed students

EdSource

State and federal education leaders have assured school districts they would have flexibility in serving out-of-school special education students, but some districts are still afraid of lawsuits if they are unable to appropriately educate those students amid the coronavirus crisis.

Breton: How kids learn at home in coronavirus shutdown depends on their school and where they live

Sacramento Bee

The coronavirus outbreak exacerbates inequality among kids because when schools closed and all of us began to shelter in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, some kids were positioned to begin learning immediately and without missing a beat while others weren’t.

California school lessons on hold as districts negotiate with teachers union

Politico

Nearly two weeks after schools across California closed without warning due to the coronavirus, many districts are stuck in neutral until labor negotiations get hashed out. Teachers unions across the state are demanding rules for distance learning obligations, holding up at-home lessons for students — especially in districts that already had fractured labor relationships.

Higher Ed:

List of cancelled/postponed events at Fresno State

Fresno State News

Fresno State is following evolving guidance from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, as well as state and local public health agencies. Here is a list of some events that have been canceled or postponed at this time.

All SCCCD Classes Online-Only Through Summer

Sierra News

State Center Community College District (SCCCD) officials have announced the district will continue to offer all classes online-only through the remainder of the spring and summer semesters.

Increased anxiety and depression top college students’ concerns in coronavirus survey

Los Angeles Times

More than 500 students who filled out a survey from Rise, a college affordability advocacy group, on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. The survey found that 75% of college students who responded are dealing with higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress, and 52% have been laid off or had their work hours cut.

Opinion; California Prop. 209 Repeal Would Harm Asian-American Students

National Review

Passed in 1996, Prop. 209 prohibits, among other things, racial discrimination in college admissions.

ENVIRONMENT/ ENERGY

Environment:

Kern environmentalists sue Air District over allegedly weak air monitoring rules

Bakersfield Californian

A collection of several Kern County environmental groups have sued the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, claiming a new regulation exempts many local oil refineries from testing for toxic emissions.

Energy:

Oil producers brace for sustained slowdown as outlook dims

Bakersfield Californian

Despite receiving a privileged designation from the state during the coronavirus pandemic, Kern County oil producers are hunkering down as dismal market conditions make it unlikely that investment and hiring in local oil fields will return anytime soon.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Health officials: Fresno County at risk of becoming a coronavirus ‘hot spot.’ Now 19 cases

Fresno Bee

One new coronavirus (COVID-19) case was reported in Fresno County on Wednesday, bringing the county’s total up to 19.

● Madera County Reports 7th Case of COVID-19 Sierra News

● Second Merced County resident tests positive for coronavirus, officials say Merced Sun-Star

● What we know…Tulare County hits 18 case including public service worker Visalia Times Delta

● 9 more coronavirus cases brings Kern's total to 24 Bakersfield Californian

● California coronavirus cases continue to grow, reaching rate on par with New York Los Angeles Times

The coronavirus case now has reached a central San Joaquin Valley prison

The Fresno Bee

Will California’s coronavirus crisis look like Italy’s soon?

Los Angeles Times

It begins each day in the early afternoon: Patients stream into hospitals with fevers, shakes, chills and breathing problems. In Italy, the country hardest hit by the new coronavirus, it’s been happening seemingly like clockwork.

Suicide hotline calls soar as coronavirus spreads. ‘There is a flood coming’

Modesto Bee

Isolation and anxiety over the coronavirus pandemic are taking a toll, with calls to a National Suicide Prevention Hotline call center rising 300 percent, KVLY reports.

How to care for someone with COVID-19

Los Angeles Times

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends five steps for caring for a person with COVID-19: monitor the person for worsening symptoms, prevent the spread of germs, treat their symptoms and, finally, decide when to end home isolation.

● Can you get the coronavirus from touching or eating food? San Francisco Chronicles

● Quarantine: How to prepare for possible coronavirus infection CNN Health

Human Services:

Fresno-area gets $2 million to help homeless residents during coronavirus pandemic

Fresno Bee

Fresno-area leaders late on Wednesday announced a “regional approach” to protect and help the homeless population through the coronavirus pandemic.

● City, council leaders making extra efforts to house homeless during COVID-19 outbreak abc30

● California giving Stanislaus providers $720K to keep homeless safe during pandemic Modesto Bee

More Fresno nurses are nearly ready to help fight coronavirus. So what’s stopping them?

Fresno Bee

California’s nursing shortage is poised for another setback as nursing students are turned away from the hospitals they need to complete their training amid the coronavirus pandemic.

● Fresno has a doctor shortage. Coronavirus will make it worse CalMatters

Fresno-area translators race to get coronavirus info to Hmong, Punjabi, Spanish speakers

Fresno Bee

For the tens of thousands of people in the central San Joaquin Valley who don’t speak English at home, bilingual experts have become a critical resource in a world where life-saving public health information in a native language is either unavailable, distorted, or released too late.

Big Fresno Fairgrounds could soon be used to treat COVID-19 patients

abc30

The Big Fresno Fairgrounds could soon be doubling as a hospital to treat COVID-19 patients. Fresno County officials are preparing for the transformation -- just in case hospitals become overwhelmed by rising cases of the virus.

EDITORIAL: How Stanislaus County might reach more people with coronavirus message

Modesto Bee

The informed message of a medical expert in a medical crisis can warn when warning is needed, and reassure when our nerves are fraying

Kaiser needs donations to fight coronavirus

abc30

Kaiser Permanente has released a guide for people or businesses who want to donate gloves, masks, and other essential items for its healthcare workers during the coronavirus crisis.

● Tim Cook Says Apple Has Sourced 10 Million Masks Bloomberg

● In California, protective equipment shortage pushes nurses to consider drastic action NBC

● What are surgical masks and respirators, and why are they important in the fight against COVID-19? PBS NewsHour

● Ventilators and Coronavirus: Amid Desperation, Calls Grow for Federal Intervention New York Times

● San Jose Kaiser hospital run over with coronavirus patients Los Angeles Times

Coronavirus testing more than doubles in California. It’s still not enough

San Francisco Chronicle

The number of coronavirus tests conducted in California more than doubled Wednesday to nearly 67,000, up from 27,000 on Monday as dozens of new testing sites reported numbers to the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday.

● KDMC expands drive-up coronavirus testing Visalia Times Delta

● 48,600 coronavirus test results still pending in California CalMatters

ICU Bed Capacity Varies Widely Nationwide. See How Your Area Stacks Up

Capital Public Radio

An NPR analysis of the nation's 100,000 ICU beds finds some communities can accommodate far more critically ill patients than others, signaling potential disparities in care in the COVID-19 pandemic.

● Hospital Capacity Crosses Tipping Point in U.S. Coronavirus Hot Spots Wall Street Journal.

IMMIGRATION

Trump administration urged to free migrants as virus surges

Bakersfield Californian

Pressure was mounting on the Trump administration Wednesday to release people from immigration detention facilities where at least one detainee has tested positive for COVID-19 and advocates fear tight quarters and overall conditions could cause rapid spread of the virus.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park closes to visitors amid COVID-19 concerns

abc30

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is closed to visitors until further notice to avoid further spread of COVID-19, park officials announced Wednesday. The order begins effective immediately.

Housing:

Open houses stopped. For sale signs gone. How coronavirus is hurting California real estate

Fresno Bee

The California and Sacramento housing markets are in a slump due to the coronavirus, COVID-19 outbreak. Realtor association says agents should cancel open houses. Will home prices and values go down?

● Local real estate industry begins to feel virus impacts Bakersfield Californian

Construction Industry Stays Open Amid Virus Outbreak To Combat A Different Crisis: California’s Housing Shortage

Capital Public Radio

Gov. Gavin Newsom designated the construction industry an essential service that builds critical infrastructure — but workers are adapting to some new safety measures.

1 million Californians file for unemployment; homeowners hurt by coronavirus will get a break

Los Angeles Times

Several major banks and other financial institutions have agreed to delay foreclosures and provide mortgage relief to California homeowners who are struggling to make their monthly payments due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday.

California tenant advocates say statewide rent break is needed

San Francisco Chronicle

While California homeowners affected by the coronavirus outbreak are set to receive mortgage relief, tenant advocates say Gov. Gavin Newsom has not done enough to protect renters at risk of losing their homes.

EDITORIAL: If you can’t work, you can’t pay rent. Gov. Newsom must halt coronavirus evictions

Fresno Bee

This is especially true when all Californians are under a stay-at-home order issued by the state’s top executive. You can’t issue a central mandate that forces people to forfeit their paychecks and then wash your hands of any responsibility to protect them from the consequences.

PUBLIC FINANCES

How much money could you get from Uncle Sam for coronavirus relief? Find out with our calculator

Fresno Bee

Congress and the White House have been wrangling for days over the details of a $2 trillion package of legislation to come to the rescue of an economy ravaged into recession by the global coronavirus pandemic and the stay-at-home measures urged by medical experts to prevent the spread of the contagion.

● Relief coming for Californians with lost paychecks, looming mortgage bills San Francisco Chronicle

● The U.S. government is about to send coronavirus relief to most Americans. Use our tool to calculate how big your payment will be. Washington Post

Advocates Say CalEITC Should Be Expanded Through Emergency COVID-19 Funds

VPR

Advocates are pushing to expand a cash back tax credit program that would provide more money to people who may be employed, undocumented, and still living in poverty.

California governor says virus likely to curb state spending

AP News

With nearly 40 million people stuck at home because of the coronavirus, California’s governor on Tuesday warned state agencies to prepare for less money from the government that will likely postpone many of the state’s ambitious spending plans.

Supreme Court ruling may let big business hide what it does with public money

San Francisco Chronicle

Will taxpayers be able to figure out how the money given to big businesses gets used? The answer: Maybe not, given a ruling last year by the John Roberts Supreme Court.

TRANSPORTATION

Airlines cut in-flight food and drinks to slow coronavirus’ spread

Los Angeles Times

Airlines have taken hundreds of planes out of service and parked them in remote desert airports until they can be returned to the air after the crisis subsides.

Airlines would get billions in bailout; airport workers could get none

San Francisco Chronicle

Major airlines would receive billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal bailout money in the coronavirus stimulus package working its way through Congress, but many of the estimated 4,000 noncitizens who work at San Francisco International Airport might not get a dime.

Private Train to Las Vegas Moves Closer to Bond Approval

Bloomberg

California may allocate a portion of its limited tax-exempt financing allotment to a proposed private train to Las Vegas even as it grapples with the expanding fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

WATER

COVID-19: Not a Threat to California’s Water Supply

PPIC

The virus is not a danger to our public water supplies, and buying bottled water in response to it is unnecessary.

Thunderstorms, hail hit central San Joaquin Valley

Fresno Bee

Active weather popped up Wednesday afternoon in the central San Joaquin Valley. Small hail and locally heavy rainfall fell on the Valley floor, meteorologist David Spector with the National Weather Service in Hanford reported.

Storm to bring snow to mountains, may close I-5 at Grapevine

Los Angeles Times

A cold Pacific storm is chugging toward Southern California, bringing relatively limited moisture expected but dropping snow levels into mountain passes, including the 5 Freeway over the Grapevine, the National Weather Service said.

“Xtra”

Coronavirus got you down? Here are five good things happening in Fresno to cheer you up

Fresno Bee

From free pizzas delivered to hospitals to a stranger helping a mom buy milk, acts of kindness are happening all over the Fresno area.

Seeking entertainment during stay-at-home order? Check out these Fresno-based livecasts

Fresno Bee

Artists taking to Facebook, Instagram to connect with fans.

· Virtual tastings, online sales: Here’s how SLO County wineries are adapting to coronavirus Fresno Bee

Helping Hotline: Kern River Valley man creating volunteer network

KBAK

The plan for the money from the Gofundme is to buy gas cards to cover the travel costs of volunteers making grocery deliveries.