Maddy Institute – November 12, 2020

12Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

Valley Air District’s Emissions Bank Likely To Change Following Damaging State Review

VPR

Later this month, the SJV Air Pollution Control District is set to release a report detailing how well its clean air programs are meeting federal requirements for reducing emissions. It’s called an equivalency demonstration, and it’s released annually every November.

North SJ Valley:

Still 6,000+ votes to count in Merced County’s election. Here are the numbers as of Tuesday

Merced Sun-Star

It’s been exactly one week since the election in Merced County, though the results are anything but final in some races. The Merced County Registrars Office on Tuesday said they’ve counted 4,627 additional ballots, bringing the total count to 83,040.

Stanislaus County’s move to coronavirus purple tier was a mistake, officials say

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County was among three counties in California that were reassigned Tuesday to the most restrictive tier of the state’s blueprint for slowing the coronavirus pandemic.

See also:

● County plans to appeal COVID status Turlock Journal

● Coronavirus update: Daily case count blows past desired level for Stanislaus Modesto Bee

● More grim infection totals for Stanislaus County Modesto Bee

How is Turlock spending CARES Act money? This coronavirus relief application is one way

Modesto Bee

Turlock businesses facing financial hardship because of COVID-19 can apply for grants this month through one of several city programs designed to provide relief to the community.

Editorial: Something smells funny about City of Patterson’s plan to build houses instead of industry

Modesto Bee

Patterson leaders better think twice before starting down a road that could drop off a $20 million cliff.

Central SJ Valley:

Fresno County stays in red COVID-19 reopening tier. What will it take to keep that status?

Fresno Bee

Fresno County’s businesses will keep operating under red Tier 2 of California’s coronavirus restrictions for a seventh consecutive week following Tuesday’s update on the risks of COVID-19 spread in each of the state’s 58 counties.

● Fresno County adds nearly 300 COVID-19 cases in single day. More restrictions looming Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer tests positive for COVID-19 after election night dinner

Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer received notice Tuesday morning he tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a dinner with Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau on election night. Brandau announced late last week he tested positive for coronavirus.

● Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer's message after COVID-19 diagnosis: 'Be considerate, wear a mask' abc30

● Editorial: Let Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer’s COVID-19 case be a lesson: Avoid social gatherings Fresno Bee

Is Fresno County Republican or Democrat? Here’s our 30-year voting record in big races

Fresno Bee

Over the past 30 years, Fresno County voters have gone back and forth between voting Republican and Democrat in presidential elections.

Kings County vote-counting paused after COVID-19 exposure

abc30

Vote counting in Kings County is at a standstill after a COVID-19 exposure within the Elections Department. The department has been shut down and all vote tabulation has been stopped for nearly two weeks.

City Council Vote to Acquire Property for Bike Lane Project

Clovis RoundUp

On Monday, Nov. 9 city council meeting, one of the items discussed was the acquisition of a property through eminent domain for public purposes. This property, which is approximately 109 square feet, is located on the west side of Sunnyside Avenue near Highway 168, north of Herndon Avenue.

COVID-19 update: Still stuck in purple haze; PUSD moves closer to opening K-6

Porterville Recorder

What was expected on Tuesday became reality: Tulare County is going to be stuck in the purple tier for a while. The state released its latest update on Tuesday as far as which counties were in which tiers and as expected Tulare County moved further away from moving the most restrictive tier, purple, to the next least restrictive tier, red.

South SJ Valley:

Kern County 'on notice' most severe COVID-19 restrictions could return

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County is now officially “on notice” that tighter economic restrictions could return if coronavirus trends continue for another week. In the California Department of Public Health weekly update, Kern County exceeded one of the metrics state officials use to determine the level of social and business activity that can take place locally.

See also:

· Kern Public Health: 143 new COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday Bakersfield Californian

Kern County, coronavirus, slim margins: Why this California House race doesn’t have results

Fresno Bee

Elections officials still have tens of thousands of ballots to count in the race between Democratic Rep. TJ Cox and former Republican Rep. David Valadao. Valadao is currently up in the ballot count, but it’s far from over.

Supervisors approve plan to raise cost of fire services for cities

Bakersfield Californian

Nine cities across Kern County could face increased costs for fire services after a vote by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

Leader McCarthy Warns of Democrats' Attempt to Expand 'Proxy Voting Scheme'

Townhall

Vote-by-text? Is that really how our representatives are going to be conducting business from now on? It seems so, if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has her way. She insisted on proxy voting during the coronavirus pandemic because she said it would be too dangerous for members to travel to Washington.

State:

As virus cases rise, more of California shuts down

Fresno Bee

More areas of California must impose restrictions on businesses to try to curb a resurgence of the coronavirus that has hospitalizations rising as they did in June when the state imposed a statewide mask requirement, state officials said Tuesday.

● More than half of California counties may move to more restrictive tiers, health secretary says abc30

● Newsom warns some Calif. counties will move back to more restrictive tier this week SFGate

● California’s hospital total has biggest one-day jump since July Fresno Bee

● California Seeing Biggest Jump In Virus Cases In Months Business Journal

● COVID-19 Hospitalizations Are Surging. Where Are Hospitals Reaching Capacity? VPR

● New coronavirus surge pushes California to the brink of 1 million cases Los Angeles Times

● A winter surge in COVID-19 cases seems inevitable. Can we stop it? Los Angeles Times

● High Number Of Bad Test Results At California Governor Gavin Newsom’s New $120M Coronavirus Testing Lab Deadline

● New daily coronavirus cases in U.S. rise to 145,000, latest all-time high Washington Post

● Record Covid-19 Hospitalizations Strain System Again Wall Street Journal

California told the Supreme Court to uphold Obamacare. Here’s how those arguments went

Fresno Bee

Justices delivered mixed messages at a Supreme Court oral argument that will determine the fate of the Affordable Care Act, with multiple justices expressing doubts that they had the authority to strike down the whole law in this case.

● Supreme Court justices appear ready to uphold Obamacare Los Angeles Times

● How Might the Supreme Court ACA Case Affect California? PPIC

● Supreme Court appears poised to uphold most of Obamacare Roll Call

● Supreme Court Justices Question GOP States’ Case Against ACA Wall Street Journal

● Commentary: The ACA returns to the Supreme Court AEI

What California Republicans are saying about whether Donald Trump should concede

Fresno Bee

California Republicans in Congress are not calling on President Donald Trump to concede, at least not yet.

California went big for Biden. Now its cities, counties and schools are seeking relief

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has high hopes for a Joe Biden presidency, saying it could bring the region more money for public transit and an end to overseas trade wars.

Democrats poised to expand their control of the California Legislature

Los Angeles Times

There is optimism — and some finger-crossing — among Democrats in the California Senate as they wait for final tallies in four races that could flip from the Republican Party but remain too close to call. If won, the victories would further pad the supermajority status Democrats hold in both the Senate and Assembly.

Prop. 15, which would have loosened California’s business property tax rules, is defeated

Los Angeles Times

California voters have rejected Proposition 15, a ballot measure that sought to force large businesses to pay higher property taxes but likely fell victim to concerns about its economic impact on employers and consumers amid the pandemic-sparked recession.

● What Prop. 15’s defeat means for California schools CalMatters

California’s gig worker initiative blew a giant hole in its landmark labor law

Sacramento Bee

Despite the passage of Proposition 22, which exempts hundreds of thousands of gig drivers from the act that regulates who gets to be an independent contractor, supporters say they will protect what’s left.

In liberal California, election shows Prop. 13 tax revolt is alive and well

CalMatters

With the failure of Proposition 15, the $140 million campaign to hike property taxes on businesses across the state finally comes to a close. Now begins a new statewide competition to explain what the results really mean.

Progressives Suffered Big Losses on California Ballot Issues

New York Magazine

California progressives entered the 2020 election cycle with high hopes for success in the state’s famously expensive and complex landscapes for ballot initiatives.

See also:

· Opinion: California’s Progressive Thumping Wall Street Journal

California's most intense campaign: The private pursuit of Harris' Senate seat

Politico

California political icon John Burton emailed Gov. Gavin Newsom soon after Sen. Kamala Harris vaulted to the party's presidential ticket. The colorful former Democratic congressman and state legislative leader nodded toward what looms as the biggest appointment of Newsom's career — replacing Harris for possibly decades in the Senate.

Walters: Winners celebrate while losers rationalize

CalMatters

It’s been a week since election day, and while there’s a modicum of doubt about some outcomes as ballots continue to be counted, overall results are pretty well settled.

Federal:

Biden says 'nothing going to stop' transition process after 2020 election

abc30

Vowing "to get right to work," President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday shrugged off President Donald Trump's fierce refusal to accept the election outcome as "inconsequential," even as Democrats elsewhere warned that the Republican president's actions were dangerous.

● Biden calls Trump’s attempts to cling to power ‘embarrassing’ and says he’ll push on Los Angeles Times

● Biden picks longtime advisor Ron Klain to be White House chief of staff Los Angeles Times

● President-Elect Joe Biden Selects Ron Klain as His White House Chief of Staff Wall Street Journal

● Biden’s choice of Ron Klain to run White House signals rejection of Trump-era chaos Washington Post

● Biden, Beware: The Nationalist Moment Hasn’t Passed Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: How Bidenomics can unite a divided nation Brookings

Census Bureau denies fake data allegations by census workers

Bakersfield Californian

The U.S. Census Bureau denied any attempts to systemically falsify information during the 2020 head count used to determine the allocation of congressional seats and federal spending, even as more census takers told The AP they were pressured to do so.

● Can President-Elect Biden Redo The 2020 Census? It's Complicated NPR

Trump Election Lawsuits Have Mostly Failed. Here's What They Tried

VPR

Despite calls from many for a concession this weekend, President Trump and his campaign say they are pushing on to fight the election results tooth-and-nail. Practically speaking, that means lawsuits.

● Head Of DOJ's Election Crimes Unit Steps Down After Barr OKs Election Inquiries VPR

● Poll: 70% of Republicans don't believe election was free and fair The Hill

● As states press forward with vote counts, Trump advisers privately express pessimism about heading off Biden’s win Washington Post

● Trump’s election challenge looks like a scam to line his pockets Washington Post

● Election officials in states across the country report no evidence of widespread voter fraud The Hill

● Editorial: Trump lost. Republicans need to stop indulging his denial of reality Los Angeles Times

● What Is Trump’s Legal Strategy? Try to Block Certification of Biden Victory in States Wall Street Journal

● Few Courts Have Intervened in Elections in Ways Sought by Trump Campaign Wall Street Journal

● How Hard Is It to Overturn an American Election? Lawfare Blog

● Opinion: This Election Result Won’t Be Overturned Wall Street Journal

● Leader McCarthy Warns of Democrats' Attempt to Expand 'Proxy Voting Scheme' Townhall

Esper’s firing raises concerns about Trump’s plans for the Pentagon in final weeks

Los Angeles Times

President Trump’s decision to fire Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Monday raised concerns that he may be planning far-reaching military moves in his final weeks in office — and is putting in place new leadership more inclined to go along.

● Chaotic presidential transition brings vulnerability, security risks to nation Washington Post

A new coronavirus stimulus package looks unlikely until Biden administration

Los Angeles Times

Hopes that Congress would move swiftly after the election to provide more coronavirus relief for Americans are fading as Senate Republicans continue to resist large spending measures and pressure from President Trump to take action has waned.

● Trump hasn't met with COVID-19 task force in months, sources say meetings lacks substance CBSNews

Senate GOP lays out priorities in fiscal 2021 spending showdown

Roll Call

The Senate Appropriations Committee released its dozen spending bills on Tuesday after a monthslong stalemate sidelined the process.

● Opinion: How Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell can help each other Washington Post

House Democrats will have fewer members but still a majority next Congress

Roll Call

Democrats will have a smaller majority in the House next year after a campaign in which they tried to expand the battlefield deeper into Republican territory only to see districts won two years ago snap back to their GOP leanings.

● Smaller House Majority Poses Headaches for Democrats Wall Street Journal

● Congress’s New Faces Include Ex-Astronaut, Citadel’s First Female Grad Wall Street Journal

Opinion: Blacks are supposed to reconcile with Trump supporters? Nah, not this time. You first

yahoo!news

Allow me to explain. On Thursday night as a Biden victory was beginning to look inevitable, I had a brief Twitter exchange with a Republican blogger who complained that, in cheering the fall of Donald Trump, the “media elite” were “insulting those who supported him.”

Supreme Court appears ready to uphold Affordable Care Act over latest challenge from Trump, GOP

Washington Post

Two key members of the court — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh — said that Congress’s decision in 2017 to zero out the penalty for not buying health insurance did not indicate a desire to kill the entire law.

Other:

2020 turnout is the highest in over a century

Washington Post

More Americans voted in the 2020 election than in any other in more than 100 years. Nearly 65 percent of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot — a figure that will increase as more votes are tabulated.

Social-Media Companies Took an Aggressive Stance During the Election. Will It Continue?

Wall Street Journal

The 2020 election spurred social-media giants to adopt aggressive changes to how they police political discourse. Now the questions are whether that new approach will last and whether it should.

See also:

● Facebook and Google Extend Bans on Political Ads Wall Street Journal

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Ag Industry Resilient Amid Seismic Shifts

Business Journal

Now that the dust from pandemic uncertainty appears to be settling and growers have a better idea of what to expect, the outlook of experts and growers alike in the agricultural industry has shifted from extreme pessimism to hesitant optimism for the future.

MID’s next general manager now runs the water and power utility for a Minnesota city

Modesto Bee

The next general manager for the Modesto Irrigation District comes from a water and power utility in Minnesota. Bill Schwandt will take over Dec. 1 at MID, following 28 years as GM at Moorhead Public Service. It serves a city of about 45,000 people, just across the Red River from Fargo, N.D.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Scammers are sending texts about fake COVID-19 trials. Don’t click on link, BBB warns

Fresno Bee

The fake messages sent through text, email or social media claim recipients may be eligible to help researchers study COVID-19, the Better Business Bureau said last week in a news release.

Public Safety:

ACLU Says Bakersfield Police Demonstrated Biased Policing At Rally

VPR

In a letter to Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Terry, the ACLU is accusing the Bakersfield Police Department of biased policing during a Nov. 1 demonstration that included both Black Lives Matter protesters and Trump supporters.

Fire:

Creek Fire update: Weather hampering some efforts as firefighters work to reopen roads

Fresno Bee

On Tuesday morning, the Creek Fire continued to remain stable, with the acreage pegged at 379,729 acres and 70% containment.

● Creek Fire: 379,729 acres burned, 70% contained; date for expected full containment pushed back abc30

● Creek Fire: Snowfall Over the Weekend Slowed Fire Clovis RoundUp

Sequoia Complex meets Winter Wonderland

Porterville Recorder

The winter wonderland has begun in the backcountry of the Sequoia Complex. A reconnaissance mission was done to scout access and opportunity to remove structure protection wrapping from some of the historical cabins.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

This 74-year-old Fresno company is growing, despite COVID-19 and layoffs. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

While other companies are taking an economic hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, one Fresno-based manufacturer says it’s experiencing a boost in business.

Here’s why Modesto tech company hopes its shiny new downtown office will inspire others

Modesto Bee

Like so many businesses, Modesto tech company Datapath saw its world upended when the coronavirus struck in March.

California Business Roundtable Responds to Governor's Action to Close More Businesses

California Business Roundtable

Despite the governor and public health officials citing family gatherings as the main cause of the increase in COVID cases, it’s once again the workers and small business owners that is paying the price. We have repeatedly asked the governor and his administration for contact tracing data that would show how business openings have affected COVID rates and transmission.

CDC now says face masks protect the wearer — and the economy

MarketWatch

Wearing a face mask doesn’t just protect others from catching the coronavirus — it protects the wearer too, and even the economy, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Tuesday, in its most explicit endorsement yet of masks.

Biden Faces Choice on Trump’s Economic Sanctions

Wall Street Journal

Among the foreign-policy challenges facing President-elect Joe Biden will be the question of what to do with an array of punitive economic sanctions that have been President Trump’s primary tool for confronting U.S. rivals.

Commentary: Biden-voting counties equal 70% of America’s economy. What does this mean for the nation’s political-economic divide?

Brookings

Even with a new president and political party soon in charge of the White House, the nation’s economic standoff continues.

Opinion: The Economy Can’t Wait Until January

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. economy has recovered from the coronavirus shock faster than most economists expected. Unfortunately, things aren’t where they should be and additional progress is becoming harder—even without the complications of the resurgent virus.

Jobs:

Ruiz Foods To Host Drive -thru Job Fair In Dinuba

Business Journal

The Dinuba-based food processor announced it is hiring for a variety of positions on Saturday. Positions include sanitation generalist, line runners, production roller, packers, pre bath coordinators, mechanics, cooks, sanitation supervisor and quality assurance supervisor.

California’s job market looks weak, no matter how you count it

Orange County Register

No matter how you slice the data, California’s job market looks weak in the pandemic era. Only two states suffered bigger jumps in unemployment in the past year, and just 12 states lost more job opportunities since COVID-19 clobbered the economy.

U.S. Unemployment Claims Slip but Hold at High Levels

Wall Street Journal

New applications for unemployment benefits fell sharply last week, suggesting layoffs are easing as the broader economy flashes signs of improvement. Initial claims for jobless benefits, a proxy for layoffs, declined to 709,000 last week from 757,000 a week earlier, the Labor Department said Thursday.

EDUCATION

K-12:

As Fresno’s COVID-19 cases spike, these local schools could still reopen classrooms

Fresno Bee

As Fresno County reports a spike in COVID-19 cases this week, elementary schools may soon have to rely on waivers from the California Department of Health if they want to welcome students back.

Does Fresno’s new high school favor rich families on the north side? Here’s the map

Fresno Bee

The winning map divides the district into a north/south pattern but was controversial because some trustees worried about income disparity.

Date chosen for junior high, high school students in Modesto to return. Here’s the plan

Modesto Bee

Seventh- and eighth-graders will return to Modesto City Schools classrooms starting Jan. 19 if Stanislaus County has been in the red tier on the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list for two consecutive weeks.

Fact-checking Crabtree on masks, tuberculosis

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia residents were troubled by misleading claims made by John Crabtree, a Visalia Unified School District board member.

Biden’s education transition team gets California leader: Linda Darling-Hammond

Los Angeles Times

Linda Darling-Hammond, a leading figure in California education policy, is heading the education transition team for President-elect Joe Biden, where she is expected to emphasize support for teachers and traditional public schools.

The Importance of Teaching Civic Responsibility in America

Rand Corporation

Závon Billups spends his days fighting for truth, struggling against apathy, and doing his best to counter the snarling partisanship that has consumed American politics. He is, in other words, a civics teacher. He describes his students as the change agents of the 21st century.

Higher Ed:

How former inmates are getting a fresh start on life through Stan State program

Modesto Bee

A series of burglaries landed Henry Romero in prison for three years, at an age when many people are going to college. Eight years later, the Turlock resident has redirected his life with help from a program at California State University, Stanislaus.

Higher Education and Economic Opportunity in California

PPIC

Higher education could be one of California’s most effective tools for combating economic and social inequities. College graduates experience large wage gains and their jobs offer more benefits than those of workers without bachelor’s degrees.

Commentary: Dept. of Education’s College Scorecard shows where student loans pay off...and where they don’t

Brookings

Where does all that student debt come from? Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loans. Many struggle under the burden of those loans. But not all student loan borrowers struggle. Indeed, many thrive because of the education financed with their loans.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Valley Air District’s Emissions Bank Likely To Change Following Damaging State Review

VPR

How Biden aims to amp up the government’s fight against climate change

Washington Post

President-elect Joe Biden is poised to embed action on climate change across the breadth of the federal government, from the departments of Agriculture to Treasury to State — expanding it beyond environmental agencies to speed U.S. efforts to mitigate global warming and to acknowledge that the problem touches many aspects of American life.

● How Biden aims to amp up the government’s fight against climate change Washington Post

● Here’s How Scientists Want Biden to Take on Climate Change Scientific American

● Rebecca Grant: Biden wrong to have US rejoin Paris climate accords — rise of China created a climate monster Fox News

Energy:

How you can safely lower your PG&E bill this winter

abc30

People across the Valley are getting ready to feel the first freeze of the year. A freeze warning will go into effect early Tuesday morning, meaning 'home heaters' will get turned up. And as temperatures go down, heaters are being turned up.

Renewable Energy Will Overtake Coal As Top Power Producer In Next 5 Years, International Energy Agency Says

Forbes

Solar and wind power are set to overtake coal as the largest producer of global electricity by 2025, the International Energy Agency said in a report that forecasts a massive increase in renewable energy investment.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Fever, symptom screening misses many coronavirus cases

Fresno Bee

Temperature and COVID-19 symptom checks like the ones used at schools and doctor’s offices have again proved inadequate for spotting coronavirus infections and preventing outbreaks.

Kern Public Health: 143 new COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County Public Health Services announced 143 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday. That brings total cases in Kern to 35,610 since the pandemic began. There have been 429 COVID-19-related deaths in that same time.

● California Seeing Biggest Jump In Virus Cases In Months Business Journal

● Coronavirus update: More grim infection totals for Stanislaus County Modesto Bee

● COVID-19 Hospitalizations Are Surging. Where Are Hospitals Reaching Capacity? VPR

● New coronavirus surge pushes California to the brink of 1 million cases Los Angeles Times

● A winter surge in COVID-19 cases seems inevitable. Can we stop it? Los Angeles Times

● High Number Of Bad Test Results At California Governor Gavin Newsom’s New $120M Coronavirus Testing Lab Deadline

● New daily coronavirus cases in U.S. rise to 145,000, latest all-time high Washington Post

● Record Covid-19 Hospitalizations Strain System Again Wall Street Journal

Vaccine Trial Raises Hopes, But Distribution Will Challenge States

PEW

States have worked vigorously for months on their COVID-19 vaccine plans but still face a long list of substantial uncertainties, even as hopes rise that the first vaccines could receive federal approval before the end of the year.

CDC issues new guidance for Thanksgiving gatherings

The Hill

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week released updated recommendations for Thanksgiving as many Americans weigh how they will celebrate the family-focused holiday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

● Avoid these ‘high-risk’ behaviors as COVID rates rise, California health officials warn Sacramento Bee

● Opinion: Case for Mask Mandate Rests on Bad Data Wall Street Journal

Tracking virus mutations reveals success of stay-at-home orders

University of Wisconsin-Madison

A family tree of more than 200 variations in the virus that causes COVID-19 helps explain why two Wisconsin counties — just 75 miles apart, but far from the origins of the virus — had such different early experiences with the pandemic, and shows how well public health orders initially slowed the rate of infection.

One In Five Covid-19 Patients Diagnosed With A Mental Illness Within Three Months Of Testing Positive, Study Finds

Forbes

In another worrying set of findings for the long-term impact of Covid-19, a new study has confirmed links between psychiatric illness and Covid-19, with nearly 1:5 Covid-19 patients developing a mental illness within 3 months of testing positive for the virus and those with pre-existing mental conditions being 65% more likely to be diagnosed with Covid-19, even accounting for other risk factors.

Human Services:

Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley offers drive-thru flu shots Friday

Bakersfield Californian

Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley will give free flu shots this Friday. Those getting a shot do not need to make an appointment, but they are asked to wear a mask. The shots are intended for those ages 18 and over.

CDC now says face masks protect the wearer — and the economy

MarketWatch

Biden Wants To Lower Medicare Eligibility Age To 60, But Hospitals Push Back

VPR

Of his many plans to expand insurance coverage, President-elect Joe Biden's simplest strategy is lowering the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 60. But the plan is sure to face long odds, even if the Democrats can snag control of the Senate in January by winning two runoff elections in Georgia.

Vaccine Trial Raises Hopes, But Distribution Will Challenge States

PEW

IMMIGRATION

Churches shut down by coronavirus offer refuge to immigrants released from detention

Los Angeles Times

Before Tsegai fled Eritrea and made the months-long journey to the United States to seek asylum, his image of this country was colored by what he’d seen on TV. America, he thought, was the kind of place where people could be welcomed in with nothing and manage to turn their lives around.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

City to host community planning meetings for possible park project

Hanford Sentinel

The city of Hanford Parks and Community Services Department will hold a series of community-based planning meetings to gather public input for the conceptual design of a new 40-acre community park.

Housing:

Fresno Mission needs your donations to provide warmth, shelter to homeless

abc30

Valley residents are bracing for plummeting temperatures on Monday night. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Hanford issued a freeze warning for early Tuesday morning, with temperatures they say are unexpected this time of year.

New home construction could be on the rise as Bakersfield reports five-year record in processed permits

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield’s housing market continues to display signs of strength even as the coronavirus pandemic shows little sign of abating.

PUBLIC FINANCES

California Says Who Gets Taxed During COVID Work In State

Forbes

What state taxes apply if you are stuck in California or stuck in another state during the pandemic? Do you pay taxes where you are sheltering in place, even if you don’t normally live there?

CalPERS weighs price hikes of up to $270 for cheaper health plans to save its best offerings

Sacramento Bee

Prices for some of the cheapest health insurance plans California state workers can buy would increase by up to $270 per month under a CalPERS proposal to stabilize rates.

Editorial: California had the chance to start fixing its broken tax system. It balked

Los Angeles Times

Proposition 15, the “split roll” measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, was always going to be a tough sell. The measure would have raised taxes on commercial and industrial property as much as $11.5 billion a year by exempting those parcels from the tax breaks in Proposition 13, which was enacted in a 1978 taxpayer revolt.

TRANSPORTATION

PG&E employee killed in crash in eastern Fresno County. Vehicle went 150 feet down mountain

Fresno Bee

A PG&E employee was killed on Monday when his vehicle fell 150 feet down a mountainside near the Kings River at Balch Camp in Fresno County. He was identified Tuesday by the coroner’s office as Scott Ramsey, 48, of Auberry.

Meadows Field Airport leads California in air transportation recovery

KGET

According to new data released by the Kern County Department of Airports, Meadows Field Airport (BFL) leads California in air transportation recovery.

WATER

Worried about your private well water in San Joaquin Valley? What you need to know

Fresno Bee

Private wells in the central San Joaquin Valley are at risk of water quality issues, failing equipment and declining groundwater levels. Is your drinking water safe? What will you do if the well goes dry?

Priorities for California’s Water

PPIC

“Volatile” doesn’t begin to describe the past year. The monumental impacts of the coronavirus health emergency and resulting economic fallout have affected virtually every aspect of modern life, including how water is managed.

WET Center Webinar Series: Navigating the State of the Irrigation Industry with Aric Olson, President of Jain Irrigation Inc.

The Water, Energy, and Technology Center

Join us on November 20 at 10:00 am to discuss the current and future state of the irrigation industry with Aric Olson, President of Jain Irrigation, Inc. We will be covering topics such as where irrigation innovation is needed in the areas of permanent crops and how technology could fill the gaps.

“Xtra”

Virtual parades and digital exhibits mark Veterans Day in Fresno, Clovis this year

Fresno Bee

The streets of downtown Fresno will be relatively quiet Wednesday without the revelry of the city’s annual Veterans Day parade. Still, organizers consider the event, in its 101st year, the “last Veterans parade standing.”

● President Trump emerges from White House to mark Veterans Day Los Angeles Times

Children's Christmas Parade, Tree Lighting Ceremony canceled

Porterville Recorder

COVID-19 has now had its impact on the Christmas season in Porterville as two long-standing traditional events in the community have been canceled. There will be no Porterville Children's Christmas Parade this year.