POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Stanislaus County to use antibody tests in COVID-19 fight. Initial costs are questioned.
Modesto Bee
Use of sheriff’s helicopter for exploratory trip is examined.
Diocese announces when Modesto region Catholics can return to Mass in churches
Modesto Bee
Catholics in the greater Modesto region can return to Mass in limited numbers beginning in mid-June according to the Diocese of Stockton.
Central SJ Valley:
Coronavirus updates: Fresno Nurse honored with vigil; Tulare County reaches 80 deaths
Fresno Bee
The United State has now seen 100,000 die from COVID-19 across the county, including 3,800 in Calif., according to numbers released by Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday. Nearly 1.7 million people have tested positive in the U.S. There have been more than 100,000 positive cases in the state.
See also:
● Nurses Still Waiting for Masks After 100 COVID RN Deaths Capital & Main
Fresno County’s top health official says church restrictions make sense amid coronavirus
Fresno Bee
Fresno County’s top health official said Wednesday the state’s guidelines to restrict the number of people inside a place of worship are sound and church leaders would do well to follow them. Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra was asked during a Zoom call about gathering places during the coronavirus pandemic.
See Also:
● When will Fresno-area Catholic churches resume in-person Mass? Here’s what we know Fresno Bee
● Cornerstone Church Pastor Says He Will Defy State Rules To Limit Attendance VPR
● Supreme Court weighs Calif.’s limits on church crowds during pandemic Los Angeles Times
When COVID-19 Hit, Firebaugh United to Squash It
GV Wire
In early April, Firebaugh was a COVID-19 hot spot for positive cases and deaths. Now the west-side farming town of 8,300 people is being cited by Fresno County health officials as a success story.
More Tulare County businesses can now reopen with state approval. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
The Calif. Department of Public Health approved Tulare County’s petition to move forward in reopening. Retail stores and dine-in restaurants will be allowed to reopen, with some modifications. Barbershops and hair salons can also reopen.
See Also:
● Tulare County approved by state for further reopening of businesses abc30
● Is it safe to get a haircut right now? Experts weigh in Fresno Bee
Coronavirus: Tulare County reports some good news
Visalia Times Delta
Health officials say it’s important to remain cautious and vigilant in order to keep the number of new cases down and recovered cases up.
South SJ Valley:
Fong, fellow assemblyman unveil bill to shift high speed rail funding to education
Bakersfield Californian
Assembly Transportation Committee Vice Chair Vince Fong and Assembly Education Committee Vice Chair Kevin Kiley announced legislation Thursday to stop High-Speed Rail funding for two years. In a news release, the two said such a move would free up more than $3 billion, staving off cuts to education. It would also allow the High-Speed Rail project to be reassessed in light of alternative emerging transportation technologies, the release stated.
See also:
Kern officials concerned over COVID-19 case numbers at skilled nursing facilities
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County officials expressed frustration and concern at the growing number of novel coronavirus cases in local skilled nursing facilities during a Thursday press conference.
State:
abc30
Santa Clara County’s top public health official says she understands the economic and other frustrations residents are feeling throughout the prolonged shelter-in-place orders, but urges caution as the state reopens.
See Also:
● Coronavirus updates: What can reopen, what can’t as Calif. hits 100,000 cases Sacramento Bee
● ‘We’re entering the unknown:’ Here’s what happened when these N. Calif. counties reopenedSacramento Bee
● Coronavirus cases spiked after these counties reopened. Now, officials are scaling back Los Angeles Times
● Calif. is reopening too quickly, posing ‘very serious risk,’ health officer warns Los Angeles Times
Calif. calls for virus testing at all nursing homes
Stockton Record
Calif. is calling for all residents and health care workers at skilled nursing facilities to be tested for the new coronavirus to try to slow the spread of the illness. The state’s Department of Public Health issued a letter saying facilities should draft testing plans for all residents in settings without cases and all residents who have been exposed to the virus, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
Calif.’s coronavirus budget crisis leaves Newsom and lawmakers at odds
Los Angeles Times
A sharp political and public policy rift emerged Thursday between Gov. Gavin Newsom and his fellow Democrats in the Calif. Legislature over how to navigate the bleak economic road ahead after a state Senate panel rejected more than half of the spending cuts in the $203.3-billion proposed budget he unveiled two weeks ago.
See also:
● Calif. Senate plan would reject most of governor’s cuts Stockton Record
● No mandatory pay cuts for Calif. lawmakers, other leaders. Commission freezes salariesSacramento Bee
Tom Steyer on Calif.’s Economic Recovery & What He Learned on Campaign Trail
KQED
Tom Steyer, chair of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, talks with Scott and Marisa about the work ahead to rebuild Calif.’s economy. He also discusses what he learned on the presidential campaign trail and shares the story behind his bulk purchase of tartan ties.
Calif. students to wear masks, get daily temperature checks under Newsom rules
Politico
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reopening guidelines for schools include recommendations that students and teachers wear face coverings and receive daily temperature checks, according to a summary of the not-yet-released state guidance.
See also:
● Opinion: Distance learning shows technology can’t replace teachers Los Angeles Times
OPINION: Angry white crowds prove that anti-health COVID-19 protests are not about the economy
Fresno Bee
“Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.” The haunting lyrics of “Me and Bobby McGee,” made famous by Janis Joplin, defined the aspirational attitude of a young generation of Baby Boomers optimistically looking to change the world.
Federal:
Trump signs executive order targeting social media companies after fact checks applied to his tweets
abc30
President Donald Trump escalated his war on social media companies Thursday, signing an executive order challenging the liability protections that have served as a bedrock for unfettered speech on the internet.
See Also:
● Trump signs order targeting social media companies Los Angeles Times
● The facts about Section 230, the internet speech law Trump wants to change Los Angeles Times
● Trump’s order on social media meets swift resistance Roll Call
● Twitter adds ‘glorifying violence’ warning to Trump tweet AP News
● Trump tough talk in tweets on protests quickly rebuked CBS News
● Twitter Flags Trump’s Tweet About Shooting Minneapolis Looters for Glorifying Violence Time
● Twitter adds fact-checking labels to hundreds of tweets despite Trump attacks TheHill
● Trump signs order targeting social media firms’ legal protections TheHill
● Trump signs order that could punish social media companies for how they police content, drawing criticism and doubts of legality Washington Post
● The Twitter Fairness Doctrine Wall Street Journal
Supreme Court under pressure to make live audio of arguments permanent
CBS News
“Oyez, oyez, oyez.” When Supreme Court marshal Pamela Talkin kicked off the court’s session on May 4 with her cry, the high court projected an aura of business-as-usual despite the uncertainty that the coronavirus pandemic thrust on the rest of its term.
Pence Chief Of Staff Owns Stocks That Could Conflict With Coronavirus Response
NPR
Marc Short, the chief of staff to Vice President Pence, owns between $506,043 and $1.64 million worth of individual stocks in companies doing work related to the Trump administration’s pandemic response — holdings that could run afoul of conflict of interest laws.
Coronavirus Trackers:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Calif.
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.
See also:
● Calif. Department of Public Health
● Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO
● John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University
● Tracking coronavirus in Calif. 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
● Coronavirus Daily NPR
● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Financial Times
● Coronavirus in Calif. by the numbers CalMatters
Elections 2020:
FEC commissioner: ‘No basis’ for Trump claims voting by mail leads to fraud
TheHill
Federal Election Commission (FEC) Commissioner Ellen Weintraub on Wednesday strongly hit back at claims from President Trump that mail-in voting leads to high levels of fraud, asserting that there is “no basis” for such allegations and that the falsehoods “may well undermine the American people’s faith in our democracy.”
U.S. News
President Trump won seniors in 2016 but concerns over the economy and coronavirus are pushing the group to Joe Biden.
See also:
● Does Biden have a problem with African American voters? AEI
Is Your Campus Ready For The 2020 Election?
Forbes
We, as students, are feeling powerless. Our nation is in crisis, and rightfully so, we’re being told to stay inside. But when fall comes, the Ivy League will be ready to vote at groundbreaking rates. Our campuses are familiar with battling for rankings, competing on the sports field, and collaborating on research. Inspired by our peers at other schools, we want to take on democracy. And, we are challenging student leaders across the country to join us in getting their campuses voter ready in 2020.
Other:
In information age, many Calif.ns struggle to stay informed
CALmatters
In communities across Calif., many residents still rely on word-of-mouth for much of their information about staying safe during the pandemic. Local efforts to establish trusted news sources are helping to bridge that digital divide.
America’s Supply Chain Needs High-Skilled Migrants
Wall Street Journal
Trump’s proposed restrictions on programs like H-1B would short-circuit attempts to bring advanced semiconductor manufacturing back.
Zakaria: The pandemic’s second stage is here — and it’s getting ugly
Washington Post
In much of the developed world, the coronavirus curve is slowly flattening, but this obscures a tragic reality — the second phase of the crisis has begun as the novel virus spreads to the developing world. Ten of the top 12 countries with the largest number of new confirmed infections are now from the ranks of emerging economies, led by Brazil, Russia, India, Peru and Chile. The resulting devastation would likely reverse years, if not decades, of economic progress.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Masks and essentials reach area farmworker communities
Fresno Bee
Lilia Becerril and Education & Leadership Foundation distribute masks and other essential items to farmworker communities Saturday, May 9, 2020 near Rolinda west of Fresno.
See also:
● McConnell urges people to wear masks: ‘There’s no stigma’ TheHil
● Opinion: The War of the Masks TownHall
SUSD will begin summer meal service June 1
Stockton Record
Stockton Unified School District will begin summer meal pickups beginning Monday, June 1, at six locations. The pickups for any child 18 and younger will be available from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays at these locations.
Millions of people can’t afford food right now. How to help with coronavirus relief
CNET
How to help people, restaurants, food banks and more.
OPINION: Keeping the facts straight about Calif.’s poultry industry and COVID-19
Modesto Bee
Recent commentary in The Modesto Bee inaccurately casts aspersions on the record of the Calif. poultry industry in proactively responding to COVID-19, and on the steps the industry has taken to protect its workforce.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno police chief speaks out about Minneapolis officers. ‘They should be held accountable.’
Fresno Bee
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall on Thursday took to Fresno Police Department’s Facebook page to speak out against the Minneapolis officers who killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck.
See Also:
● Protesters, law enforcement clash in downtown L.A. during protest over George Floyd’s death Los Angeles Times
Cops can’t require fees for editing body cam videos, Calif. Supreme Court says
Fresno Bee
The Calif. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that public agencies cannot require fees for redacting police body camera video before releasing it under a public records request.
See Also:
● Court: Calif. agencies can’t charge to edit police video Bakersfield Calif.n
Public Safety:
Second inmate at Fresno County jail tests positive for the coronavirus
Fresno Bee
An inmate at the Fresno County Jail has tested positive for the coronavirus, Fresno County Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti said. The sheriff’s office received the positive test results on Thursday. It’s the second inmate to test positive.
See Also:
● Fresno County Jail inmate tests positive for COVID-19 abc30
Avenal State Prison Outbreak Second Largest Among State Correctional Facilities
VPR
The Avenal State Prison now has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases among the state’s correctional facilities. The prison reported 198 cases as of Tuesday. No visitors have been allowed at the prison for months, said Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon. He said he thinks a staff member had the virus.
Gavin Newsom wants to close prisons as coronavirus shreds Calif.’s budget
San Francisco Chronicle
The coronavirus pandemic and state budget woes are pushing Calif. toward its first prison closures in nearly two decades. In a revised budget plan unveiled this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed shuttering two state prisons within the next three years, ultimately saving the state about $400 million annually.
Opinion: Preventable Violence in Calif.
National Review
Once he refused treatment, local authorities were effectively left without recourse to inpatient commitment, and Rocha was allowed to deteriorate to the point of violence.
Fire:
Regulators approve PG&E bankruptcy plan despite safety fears
Bakersfield Calif.n
Calif. power regulators on Thursday unanimously approved Pacific Gas & Electric’s $58 billion plan for getting out of a bankruptcy caused by a series of deadly wildfires, despite ongoing worries about the utility’s ability to safely operate its crumbling electrical grid.
See Also:
● PG&E bankruptcy plan wins OK from Calif. regulators, clearing hurdle for wildfire victimsSacramento Bee
● PG&E takes a big step toward emerging from bankrupty as regulators OK the utility’s overhaul Los Angeles Times
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
COVID-19 financial hit threatens closure of doctors’ offices in Modesto area
Modesto Bee
CARES Act funding is buying time for primary doctors to survive the financial impact of office closures due to the coronavirus. But, will the money be enough for local doctors?
PPIC
The unemployment rate has at least doubled in all but nine counties during the COVID-19 pandemic, and job loss has affected every sector of the state’s economy.
See also:
● The American way – How the world’s most powerful country is handling covid-19 The Economist
White House Won’t Issue Economic Projections This Summer, Official Says
Wall Street Journal
Projections wouldn’t provide a ‘meaningful snapshot’ of economy because of uncertainty caused by pandemic.
House passes bill giving small businesses leeway on COVID-19 loans
Roll Call
The House passed by an overwhelming 417-1 margin Thursday a bill to cut small businesses more slack in how they use coronavirus lifeline loans offered under the so-called Paycheck Protection Program. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was the lone ‘no’ vote on the measure.
See also:
● County of Fresno Helping Underserved Business (HUB) Grant
The Covid Political Earthquake
Wall Street Journal
Subsidies will soon end. Americans will then feel the economic pain—and revolt.
Reopening America: How to save lives and livelihoods
Brookings
The pandemic’s effects on public health, the economy, governance, and social well-being have been dramatic. In the first part of a new series, Brookings experts analyze the situations in key industries and discuss how to reopen America in ways that address fundamental problems.
Fresno Bee
“Welcome back friend,” read the sign inside the entrance to Fashion Fair mall. “We missed you.” Can’t say the feeling’s mutual. Indoor shopping malls and I are not particularly chummy – not since the 1980s – and over time we’ve seen less and less of each other.
Jobs:
Another Fresno Amazon employee positive for coronavirus, 9th worker at site
Fresno Bee
Two more employees at Fresno’s Amazon warehouse tested positive for COVID-19 this week, bringing the total to at least nine cases of COVID-19 in the south Fresno facility. Fresno’s Amazon facility reported its eighth case Tuesday and ninth case Wednesday in text messages to employees.
40.8 Million Out of Work In The Past 10 Weeks — 26% Of Labor Force
VPR
More than 1 in 4 U.S. workers have lost their jobs since the coronavirus crisis shut down much of the economy in March. Just last week, another 2.1 million people filed for unemployment benefits, the Labor Department said Thursday.
See Also:
● 41 million have lost jobs since virus hit, but layoffs slow Modesto Bee
● Rising US job losses stir fears of lasting economic damage Sacramento Bee
● 2.1 million U.S. workers sought jobless aid last week Los Angeles Times
● More than 3 million Americans filed for unemployment last week, but claims are falling CBS News
● Inspector general warns new federal unemployment program at significant risk of abuse AEI
Should Gavin Newsom delay a minimum wage hike? Calif. businesses ask for reprieve
Sacramento Bee
The Calif. Chamber of Commerce is urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to postpone a minimum wage increase to ease the expenses of businesses struggling to emerge from the coronavirus outbreak.
555 workers at Tyson Foods facility in Iowa test positive for coronavirus
TheHill
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) confirmed the cases out of the Storm Lake pork processing plant Thursday.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Passing through Highway 99? You could see these Central Valley 2020 graduates in lights
Fresno Bee
As the clock struck noon Wednesday and the sun beat down on the parking lot near the Selma Auto Mall, Balery Dominguez and her mom looked toward the sky. Overhead on the mall’s digital readerboard, Balery’s name and picture appeared in lights for just a few seconds, along with the names of hundreds of other 2020 Selma High School and Heartland Continuation School graduates.
Planning for the unknown: Schools prep for fall semester despite COVID-19 uncertainties
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County educators were thrust into the world of distance learning practically overnight in March, as the novel coronavirus prompted sudden school closures across the country.
Preparing for students’ return, Modesto school board hears of summer facility projects
Modesto Bee
What learning will look like when Modesto City Schools starts its next academic year in August remains very much up in the air. One thing for sure, though, is how a good number of campuses will look when kids return: better.
Local districts consider various back-to-school scenarios for fall
Bakersfield Calif.
As local districts eye August as the start of the next academic year, one thing is certain: schools will likely look much different for Kern County students.
Calif. students to wear masks, get daily temperature checks under Newsom rules
Politico
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s reopening guidelines for schools include recommendations that students and teachers wear face coverings and receive daily temperature checks, according to a summary of the not-yet-released state guidance.
See also:
● Opinion: Distance learning shows technology can’t replace teachers Los Angeles Times
Higher Ed:
Bakersfield College launches free immigration clinics
Bakersfield Calif.n
Bakersfield College is partnering with the Calif. Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Foundation for Calif. Community Colleges, the Calif. Department of Social Services and the UFW Foundation to provide virtual immigration clinics for Bakersfield College students, staff and faculty.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Calif. Reforestation Efforts During COVID-19
Capital Public Radio
Forest fires have cost Calif. millions of trees and dollars in funding in recent years. The state is already in the midst of fire season as the coronavirus pandemic continues on, making reforestation and reseeding efforts far more challenging.
See Also:
● Climate change and deforestation harm old-growth forests, study finds Sacramento Bee
Pandemic. Heat. And for the most vulnerable, no A/C
Los Angeles Times
Welcome back to Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment. I’m Sammy Roth. I was scrolling through Twitter last week when I came across a new study from the University of Southern Calif., highlighted in a news release titled, “Urban heat waves imperil L.A.’s most vulnerable communities.”
Trump’s fossil fuel agenda gets pushback from federal judges
Los Angeles Times
Federal courts have delivered a string of rebukes to the Trump administration over what they found were failures to protect the environment and address climate change as it promotes fossil fuel interests and the extraction of natural resources from public lands.
Calif., two dozen other states, cities sue over federal rollback of fuel economy standards
San Francisco Chronicle
Calif. and more than two dozen other states and cities sued the Trump administration Wednesday for its sweeping rollback of fuel economy standards, claiming the new rules will increase air pollution, harm the economy and risk lives when the nation can least afford it.
Calif.’s Cap-and-Trade Program Generates Severely Reduced Revenue
KQED
With demand for fossil fuels down across the state, Calif.’s latest quarterly cap-and-trade auction generated very little money for the state to spend on key environmental programs.
Energy:
BLM reapproves local oil producer’s Carrizo Plain drilling project
Bakersfield Calif.n
The local office of the federal Bureau of Land Management has again approved a Bakersfield company’s plan to drill an oil well at the Carrizo Plain National Monument despite the objections of two environmental groups.
Hiltzik: Chevron shareholders demand info on climate lobbying Los Angeles Times
At the big oil company’s annual meeting, held Wednesday in a virtual format, a majority of shares were voted in favor of a proposal that the company issue an annual report disclosing its lobbying expenditures on climate change and explaining how they align with the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
PG&E Wins Calif. Approval of Bankruptcy Plan
Bloomberg
Calif. regulators approved PG&E Corp.’s $58 billion reorganization plan, bringing the power giant another step closer to exiting the biggest utility bankruptcy in U.S. history.
See also:
● Regulators approve PG&E bankruptcy plan despite safety fears AP
● Calif. Regulators Back PG&E Bankruptcy Plan New York Times
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Most Fresno County COVID-19 deaths, 350 Tulare illnesses have been nursing home patients
Fresno Bee
State data about skilled nursing facilities in Calif. now includes cumulative COVID-19 cases and deaths per nursing home. The Calif. Department of Public Health list, which changed its format again Wednesday, had been updated with total facility deaths, but previously had only active cases over a span of 24 hours, making totals hard to count.
See Also:
● Fresno County adds 4 new COVID-19 deaths. Almost 100 new cases of coronavirus reportedFresno Bee
● Fresno County records two new coronavirus deaths and 27 additional cases Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus: Tulare County adds more than 100 recoveries, 39 cases and 1 death Visalia Times Delta
● Coronavirus update: 1835 cases, 80 deaths in Tulare County Porterville Recorder
● 37th Kern County COVID-19 death reported Thursday; total cases reported top 2,000 Bakersfield Calif.n
● Seven new deaths from COVID-19 announced Wednesday, bringing total to 36 Bakersfield Calif.n
Will there be a 2nd wave of COVID-19 infections? WHO warns of ‘immediate 2nd peak’
abc30
Health officials have long been warning of a second wave of coronavirus cases to come sometime in the fall, but a global spike may come even sooner. While new infections may be on the decline in Europe, Asia and North America, the World Health Organization’s Dr. Mike Ryan warned that trend may change with loosened restrictions.
See Also:
● Reopening Calif. could easily backfire into second wave without masks and distancing, officials warn Los Angeles Times
Is there any safe way to socialize during the coronavirus pandemic?
TIME
In a perfect infectious-disease-fighting model, everybody would stay home and socialize only with their cohabitants. But the realities of human existence are messier.
Human Services:
Adventist Health partners with business to expand domestic PPE production
Hanford Sentinel
Adventist Health has partnered with Premier Inc, a leading healthcare improvement company, to acquire a minority stake in Prestige Ameritech, the largest domestic manufacturer of face masks, including N95 respirators and surgical masks.
How COVID-19 will permanently change Central Calif. healthcare
Visalia Times Delta
As the coronavirus crisis persists, local hospitals strive to adapt in real-time. But, officials say, it’s unclear what hospital protocols and care will look like in the medium and long term. The future of COVID-19’s impacts on the system is as murky as the virus itself.
Stanislaus County to use antibody tests in COVID-19 fight. Initial costs are questioned.
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County is putting together an antibody testing program to help with measuring the spread of the coronavirus disease. The county plans to start testing in June, with additional testing in October, in hopes of bolstering public health surveillance and estimating how many residents have been infected.
Adventist Health DRMC resuming essential surgeries, procedures
Bakersfield Californian
Adventist Health’s Delano Regional Medical Center in Delano is resuming surgeries and procedures with additional safety measures to protect patients, staff and visitors, according to a news release from Adventist Health.
Three local CVS Pharmacy’s to open COVID-19 testing sites
Bakersfield Californian
CVS has announced 91 additional Calif. COVID-19 test sites at CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations, including three in Bakersfield. The three local locations will be at 6500 South Union Avenue; 2690 Mt. Vernon Avenue; and 6601 Stine Road.
See Also:
● Three CVS sites in Merced County to offer coronavirus testing, starting Friday Merced Sun-Star
● Some COVID-19 tests may miss 20% of cases, experts say. Why the false negatives? Sacramento Bee
Calif. hospitals struggle financially after preparing for COVID-19 surge that never came
Reuters
As the novel coronavirus tore through Italy and then New York in March, Calif., anticipating a deadly surge in cases, ordered hospitals to shut down routine procedures and called in thousands of health care workers to help patients.
COVID-19 clouds early health insurance premium requests
Roll Call
Health insurance premium requests are beginning to trickle in from states with early filing deadlines, but the potential impacts from the coronavirus pandemic are still largely speculative.
Essential but undervalued: health care workers amid the pandemic
Brookings
In the United States, there are nearly 7 million low-wage health workers that are playing essential roles during the coronavirus crisis. Molly Kinder shares perspectives from these unsung heroes, many of whom remain underpaid and undervalued.
See also:
· Sacramento nursing home workers move to strike over ‘continued negligence’ with PPE, testingSacramento Bee
IMMIGRATION
OPINION: The federal government could end Calif.’s reckless immigration stance
The Hill
Calif. has gone off the fiscal cliff. The coronavirus crisis nudged the state over the precipice, but the state got right up to the very edge all by itself. According to projections by the state’s Department of Finance, Calif. is facing a budget shortfall of $53.4 billion, which represents a staggering 37 % of its $147.8 billion budget.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
National parks, beaches face long road to re-opening for Central Calif. tourists
Visalia Times Delta
Families hoping to escape their homes on the Valley floor and take in the mountain air will have to wait at least another couple weeks as the Golden State’s biggest tourist attractions begin to map out “the new normal” for responsible recreation.
Housing:
How to search for and find a new rental during coronavirus
Los Angeles Times
This statistic should drive home the idea that finding the right apartment is more important than ever: “People have spent more time in their apartments during this pandemic than they normally would have in a year,” said Frances Williamson, director of SEO and content for Apartments.com. That was a finding shared at a recent company meeting. “Isn’t that crazy?”
Housing Bill to Boost Land Supply for Homes Moves Forward
CA FWD
Lawmakers in committee today unanimously approved a bill aimed at streamlining the process of converting retail and commercial spaces into much needed housing.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Calif. Senate balks at Newsom’s ‘draconian’ budget cuts, proposes more borrowing instead
Sacramento Bee
Dentist appointments for low-income Calif.ns. A black infant health program. Housing for Calif.’s foster youth.
CALmatters
Given the precipitous drop in economic activity caused by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the increase in demands on state resources, Calif. now finds itself in a budget crisis, despite having built up a $20 billion reserve.
Walters: Tax hikes for Calif. in the midst of recession?
Mercury News
It’s the multi-billion-dollar question of the moment: In the midst of a sudden recession that has erased, at least temporarily, millions of jobs, would Calif.ns support a batch of new taxes to prop up state and local government services?
IRS proposes guidance for expanded carbon capture tax credit
TheHill
The IRS late Thursday provided guidance for expanding a tax credit that encourages the use of still-developing technology to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
TRANSPORTATION
DMV reopens 46 more field offices across Calif., including 3 in Central Valley
abc30
The Calif. Department of Motor Vehicles reopened dozens of their field offices on Thursday, but your next visit to the DMV will no doubt look very different. 71 field offices are now serving drivers across the state after the DMV reopened 46 more locations Thursday, including three in the Central Valley: Clovis, Visalia and the Fresno office on Blackstone.
Calif. High-Speed Rail slashing millions in spending as it plows ahead
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration plans to cut millions of dollars in spending from the state High-Speed Rail Authority even as the costly project continues to move forward in the San Joaquin Valley.
WATER
What’s at the heart of Calif.’s water wars? Delta outflow explained
CALmatters
The latest dustup In Calif.’s water wars, as noted in Dan Walters’ commentary, revolves principally around the federal government’s efforts to increase the amount of water supplied to farms and cities by the Central Valley Project, and a breakdown in cooperation between the state and federal government.
“Xtra”
The Hub grant recipients bring arts out into the community
Bakersfield Calif.n
Along with the bread baking and TikTok challenges, this pandemic has fueled some real creativity. With an eye on supporting local creatives at a difficult time, The Hub of Bakersfield chose 13 projects to help fund through its Cash for the Arts grant program.