November 2, 2020

02Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Modesto City Council expects Monday to discuss discipline, dismissal of city clerk

Modesto Bee

The Modesto City Council is scheduled to hold a special meeting Monday to consider the discipline, dismissal or release of longtime City Clerk Stephanie Lopez related to an investigation of her city emails.

 

Modesto council candidates not hauling in huge amounts of cash as election nears

Modesto Bee

The 11 candidates running for three seats on the Modesto City Council in the Nov. 3 election have not raised huge sums in their campaigns for elected office.

 

Modesto Bee recommends these CA propositions and local candidates

Modesto Bee

These recommendations on Calif state propositions are intended to inform readers as they arrive at their own voting decisions.

 

City Council candidate’s residency called into question

Turlock Journal

One candidate in the Turlock City Council District 2 race is defending her residency after an official complaint was filed with the City Clerk.

 

Turlock voters returning ballots as election day nears

Turlock Journal

Although Tuesday’s general election is still a few days away, nearly half of Turlock voters have already returned their ballots in Calif’s first all vote-by-mail election.

 

Coronavirus update, Nov. 2: Hospitalizations continue to grow in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee

Most recent numbers.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno County dips under 100 new COVID-19 cases. Here’s where daily average stands

Fresno Bee

For the first day in over a week, Fresno County reported less than 100 cases of COVID-19 to the state. Fresno County had 99 new infections on Thursday, according to the Calif Department of Public Health, which brings the 14-day average to 110 cases.

See also:

     Coronavirus update: Fresno averaging more than 100 cases daily as winter approaches Fresno Bee

     Coronavirus update: Fresno, Valley report fewer COVID-19 deaths in October Fresno Bee

     Coronavirus updates: Four new deaths in Fresno County as positivity rate grows Fresno Bee

     Coronavirus update: Fresno, Valley report fewer COVID-19 deaths in October Fresno Bee

 

Fresno commission on police reform finalized its report. What happens now?

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s commission on police reform adopted its final report nearly unanimously on Thursday evening, leaving it up to the City Council to weigh the 73 recommendations.

See also:

     Fresno Police reform commission recommends taking officers off some mental health calls abc30

 

Check Before You Burn: What Californians need to know as pollution control season begins

Fresno Bee

The Sac Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is urging residents to Check Before You Burn as pollution control districts across the state kick off the annual declaration season Sunday.

See also:

     Residents should expect fewer days to use wood-burning fireplaces Turlock Journal

     Warszawski: Had enough smoky air, Fresno? Too bad, it’s almost (cough, cough) fireplace season Fresno Bee

 

Bredefeld says council’s garbage company vote was corrupt. Here’s what we found out

Fresno Bee

Tensions haven’t lifted between Garry Bredefeld and his Fresno City Council colleagues following recent accusations he made of public corruption over the approval of a no-bid contract.

See also:

·       Fresno repeals fee refund program, as council clashes again over corruption allegations Fresno Bee

 

COVID-19, Homelessness, The Election: What We Learned From Our Valley Votes Survey

VPR
With the election coming up next Tuesday, we wanted to delve into what brings voters to the polls. What do they want changed? What do they want candidates to address in their neighborhoods?

 

'We couldn't stand it any more': why disaffection with Devin Nunes is growing among his constituents

The Guardian

Paul Buxman remembers how excited he was to meet his new congressman, Devin Nunes, when Nunes showed up at his organic fruit farm in Calif’s central valley in the early 2000s.

 

Ghost Golf owner sues governor over restrictions

Business Journal

A mini-golf business in Fresno is filing a lawsuit again Gov. Newsom.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID-19 hit Kern's rural ag towns hardest

Bakersfield Californian

According to an analysis of COVID cases by ZIP code, The Californian found that areas such as Arvin, Lamont and east Bakersfield, and the northwestern swath of the county that​​ includes Wasco, Shafter and McFarland, have seen the highest concentrations of the virus in Kern.

See also

     Kern Public Health reports 79 new coronavirus cases Sunday Bakersfield Californian

 

Kern's Latino Task Force makes inroads to communities with higher rates of COVID-19

Bakersfield Californian

To Jay Tamsi, it’s not a coincidence that Kern County’s coronavirus metrics have dropped at the same time that the Latino COVID-19 Task Force has started to build momentum.

See also:

     Newsom Pledges More COVID-19 Testing Capacity With New Lab Capital Public Radio

     What to Know About Calif’s Coronavirus Testing Expansion NY Times

 

ROBERT PRICE: History says Kern County will prefer Trump on Tuesday, just like it has preferred 13 consecutive Republicans before him

Bakersfield Californian

You’ve heard this metaphor already, probably many times: Kern County is a red island in a sea of blue. Blue Calif is one of the nation’s most liberal states and red Kern County its most stubbornly conservative outlier.

 

State:

 

Crossing state lines for the Democratic cause: Gavin Newsom stumps for Biden in Nevada

Fresno Bee

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom left Calif on Sunday to pump up crowds of election volunteers in Reno, traveling from a state sure to vote for former Vice President Joe Biden to one that’s considered a battleground in the presidential race.

 

Democrats Look To Expand Their Supermajority In Calif’s Statehouse

Capital Public Radio

Democrats have controlled Calif’s legislature for decades, but the Nov. 3 election offers a chance for the party to cement its supermajority and take its power in the state Capitol to a new level.

See also:

·       Election could move Calif further left on taxes, race Bakersfield Californian

·       Walters: Election tests depth of Calif’s blueness CalMatters

 

Cash blitz: Who’s spending the most to influence your vote for Calif’s Legislature?

CalMatters

State law caps the amount donors can give to a legislator’s campaign — but these special interests can spend as much as they like mounting their own campaigns to praise or trash candidates.

 

Chief of Calif’s unemployment agency to retire as EDD works through claim backlog

Sac Bee

The director of the department that handles unemployment insurance claims is retiring at the end of the year. Employment Development Department Director Sharon Hilliard’s​​ retirement will be effective Dec. 31, according to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

 

What Cal/OSHA has — and hasn’t — been doing for workers?

CalMatters

During the pandemic, the short-staffed Calif Occupational Safety and Health Agency has raced to triage a mounting tsunami of about 7,300 workplace complaints and investigations into hundreds of illnesses and deaths related to the virus.

 

Calif at crossroads over district attorney role

CalMatters

Beyond the criminal justice propositions on Calif’s November ballot, the upcoming election will also serve as a barometer for the role Californians think district attorneys should play in the aftermath of historic protests against police brutality.

 

Why President Trump’s attacks on voting by mail could backfire for Calif GOP

CalMatters

Republican political operatives aren’t accustomed to chasing down last-minute voters this close to Election Day. But, in yet another reflection of what a strange year 2020 has been, they are. And they aren’t happy about it.

 

Federal:

 

Judges nominated by Pres Trump play key role in upholding voting limits ahead of Election Day

Wash Post

Federal judges nominated by President Trump have largely ruled against efforts to loosen voting rules in the 2020 campaign amid the coronavirus pandemic and sided with Republicans seeking to enforce restrictions, underscoring Trump’s impact in reshaping the judiciary.

See also:

     Trump half as successful as predecessors in rules challenges, even with Republican-appointed judges - report Reuters

 

White House sidestepped FDA to distribute hydroxychloroquine to pharmacies, documents show. Trump touted the pills to treat covid-19.

Wash Post

Over a span of four days in early April, the White House ordered the distribution of 23 million hydroxychloroquine tablets from the stockpile to a dozen states.

 

Internal Documents Reveal COVID-19 Hospitalization Data the Government Keeps Hidden

VPR

Knowing which hospitals in which communities are reaching capacity could be key to an effective response to the growing crisis. That information is gathered by the federal government — but not shared openly with the public.

 

‘A whole lot of hurt’: Fauci warns of covid-19 surge, offers blunt assessment of Trump’s response

Wash Post

Fauci, a leading member of the government’s coronavirus response, said the United States needed to make an “abrupt change” in public health practices and behaviors.

See also:

     Fauci rips White House coronavirus approach The Hill

     Trump suggests he’ll fire Fauci ‘a little bit after the election’ Wash Post

     Trump threatens to fire Fauci in rift with disease expert AP News

 

Dishonesty Has Defined the Trump Presidency. The Consequences Could Be Lasting.

NY Times

Born amid made-up crowd size claims and “alternative facts,” the Trump presidency has been a factory of falsehood from the start, churning out distortions, conspiracy theories and brazen lies at an assembly-line pace that has challenged fact-checkers and defied historical analogy.

 

Federal agencies fall short of Trump forest protection goals

Fresno Bee

Nearly two years ago, President Donald Trump stood amid the smoky ruins of Paradise, Calif, where he blamed the deadliest wildfire in the state's history on poor forest management.

 

McConnell: ‘We’re going to clean the plate’ on judges

Roll Call

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed Friday to continue confirming both U.S. circuit and district court nominees through the lame-duck session and right up to the end of the 116th Congress, which must adjourn Jan. 3.

 

Threats and border walls are destroying the United States’ biggest strategic advantage

AEI

Restoring a common purpose with Canada and Mexico is the lowest-hanging fruit in U.S. foreign policy.

 

Coronavirus Trackers:

 

U.S. Hits New Coronavirus Record With More Than 88,500 New Cases

VPR

Record high.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Calif

Covid19.ca.gov

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 (COVID-19) CDC

     Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic - WHO

     John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University

     Tracking coronavirus in Calif Los Angeles Times

     Coronavirus Tracker SF Chronicle

      Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count NY 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 Fin Times

     Coronavirus in Calif by the numbers CalMatters

 

Elections 2020:

 

     Register to vote

     Check voter registration status

     Online Voter Guide and Printable Voter Guide

     List of county elections offices

     “Where’s My Ballot?” tool

 

Amid pandemic, in-person voting underway in Calif

Fresno Bee

In-person voting started for most Calif counties this weekend as local election officials — many for the first time — opened polling places days early in hopes of avoiding crushing crowds on Election Day.

See also:

     Here’s what you need to know as Election Day nears in Fresno, Tulare counties Fresno Bee

     ‘Make a plan to vote, and then vote early’ to avoid pandemic voting lines in Fresno Fresno Bee

     Youth voter turnout is way up in Calif. What does that mean for close races? Fresno Bee

     2020 election: How to vote in Central  Calif, voting information, locations abc30

     93 million and counting: Americans are shattering early voting records NPR

     With Many Campuses Closed, Will College Students Turn Out To Vote? VPR

     Election Day in Merced County is almost here. What you need to know to vote Merced Sun-Star

     Share of first-time voters is much higher than in the past Los Angeles Times

     What To Know Before Voting In-Person In Calif Capital Public Radio

     Pandemic slows legal voting from Calif jails CalMatters

     50% of Calif ballots already returned CalMatters

     More than 91 million ballots cast as of Saturday, as hopes and tensions magnify ahead of Election Day Wash Post

     Millions of Mail-in Ballots at Risk in Battleground States With Looming Deadlines WSJ

 

Trump And Biden Make 11th Hour Election Appeals Across Key States

VPR
President Trump makes five stops in five different swing states Sunday, while his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, focuses on Pennsylvania just days before Election Day.

See also:

     As his reelection path narrows, Trump seeks to undermine vote Los Angeles Times

     Is the election over when it’s over? Fears Trump vs. Biden could go into overtime Los Angeles Times

     Joe Biden leads President Trump by double digits nationally, USC poll suggests Los Angeles Times

     President Pelosi? What would happen if the electoral college deadlocked? Los Angeles Times

     Rating changes: Election outlook continues to swing toward Democrats Roll Call

     Flipping the script, swing states’ rural, suburban, and white voters could power key Biden victories Brookings

     Trump allies, largely unconstrained by Facebook’s rules against repeated falsehoods, cement pre-election dominance Wash Post

     Comparing the Biden and Trump tax plans: Will you pay more? CBSNews

     Election 2020 live updates: Trump to stage another five rallies; Biden focusing heavily on Pennsylvania Wash Post

     'The virus is kind of tough to talk down': Trump can't shake Covid in final sprint Politico

     Trump’s cascade of falsehoods about voting by mail PolitiFact

     Opinion: To win, Trump must focus on the economy in campaign’s remaining days Roll Call

     Opinion: The Biden Contradiction WSJ

     Opinion: The Trump Referendum WSJ

     Opinion: The Coming Assault on Red States WSJ

 

Super-spreading Trump rallies led to more than 700 COVID-19 deaths, study estimates

Los Angeles Times

A rigorous attempt to gauge the after-effects of 18 of the president’s reelection rallies, all held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests they have led to more than 30,000 additional cases and at least 700 additional deaths.

See also:

     The Effects of Large Group Meetings on the Spread of COVID-19: The Case of Trump Rallies Stanford University

     Stanford Study Seeks to Quantify Infections Stemming From Trump Rallies NY Times

     18 Trump rallies have led to 30,000 COVID-19 cases: Stanford University study The Hill

 

2020 propositions shatter Calif fundraising records

Los Angeles Times

Wealthy individuals, corporations, organized labor and other well-funded interests have poured more than $785 million into the 12 yes-or-no questions on this year’s ballot, a record-breaking sum.

     Editorial: Prop. 22 only helps app-based companies like Uber, Lyft Fresno Bee

     Opinion: Can Proposition 15’s big tax hike fix Calif’s schools? Sac Bee

     Opinion: Calif voters: Don’t be fooled by law enforcement and the bail industry in 2020 Fresno Bee

 

Voting at 17: Ballot measure would give Latino teens biggest share in new voting rights

CalMatters

If approved, the measure would extend voting rights to more young Latinos than any other demographic group. Latinos make up the majority of youth under 18, reflecting a generational divide that is shaping the state.

See also:

     Affirmative action divides Asian Americans, UC’s largest overrepresented student group LA Los Angeles Times

     Challenging the model minority myth: Asian-American students divided over affirmative action CalMatters

 

What Politicians Get Wrong About Latinx Voters

VPR
With just days to go in this election season, one key group has been drawing a lot of attention - Latinx voters. And their impact on elections is particularly important here in Calif, given that they make up the state’s largest ethnic group.

See also:

     These Gen Z Latinos are casting a ballot for the first time. What’s on their minds? Fresno Bee

     America wakes up to politics: 2020 brings a tsunami of voting and activism Los Angeles Times

     Trump Poised to Match 2016 Latino Support, Poll Shows WSJ

     Black And Latino Voters Flooded With Disinformation In Election's Final Days VPR

     Opinion: What will happen to Latino political power and momentum after the election? CalMatters

 

With Election Day looming, an anxious nation hears rumblings of violence

Wash Post

From federal and local law enforcement to analysts who track radical groups, concern is high about the possibility that violence could erupt, especially if the vote count drags on for days without a clear winner.

See also:

     Fears of election violence are widespread, poll finds Los Angeles Times

     How embattled police plan to guard polling stations on election day Los Angeles Times

     In red Calif, election tests friendships, worsens divisions. ‘You can feel the tension’ Los Angeles Times

     Counties, cops making sure you’re safe at the polls CalMatters

     Politics pit neighbor against neighbor as Election Day looms Wash Post

 

What counts as voter intimidation?

Wash Post

It’s illegal to intimidate voters in America. But what counts as voter intimidation? It’s sometimes a know-it-when-you-see-it situation, which makes it complicated to enforce.

See also:

     As police unions endorse Trump, some worry officers displaying bias could be intimidating at the polls, affect voting Wash Post

 

Key House races to watch on Election Day

CBSNews

Although Democrats are in little danger of losing their majority in the House, there are several close elections in critical districts which could indicate which way the presidential race will swing.

 

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Many Calif farmworkers fear a winter of hunger and homelessness amid the pandemic

Los Angeles Times

Familiar with the seasonal nature of farm work, most field laborers conserve earnings from earlier months to plan for the cold season when fewer people are needed for tasks such as pruning. But this year, there has not been enough work and many are dreading a winter of scarcity.

 

Assemi Brothers score wins against Wonderful Pistachio & Nuts. But lawsuit’s not over

Fresno Bee

The Assemi Brothers, one of the region’s leading nut growers, scored a legal victory this week in their lawsuit against the biggest player in the industry, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds.

 

How Calif’s history was shaped by Larry Itliong and other Filipino Americans

Fresno Bee

Larry Itliong was one of the most important Filipino American activists and a founding figure in the Calif labor movement. Yet his influence on the Central Valley is one that often gets lost in popular retellings of Calif history.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Potential transfers out of San Quentin raise dire concerns for inmates

SF Chronicle

State prison officials are planning to transfer dozens of young men to the Valley State Prison in Chowchilla — a facility that is already overcrowded, at 139% of its design capacity, and where 27 prisoners have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past two weeks

 

Police Pin a Rise in Murders on an Unusual Suspect: Covid

NY Times

Criminologists studying the rise in the murder rate point to the effects the pandemic has had on everything from mental health to policing in a time of social distancing.

 

Public Safety:

 

Fresno commission on police reform finalized its report. What happens now?

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s commission on police reform adopted its final report nearly unanimously on Thursday evening, leaving it up to the City Council to weigh the 73 recommendations.

See also:

     Fresno Police reform commission recommends taking officers off some mental health calls abc30

 

8th inmate dies from COVID-19 complications at Avenal State Prison

abc30

An eighth inmate at Avenal State Prison has died due to complications from the coronavirus, Kings County health officials say. Officials said the inmate died at an outside hospital on Saturday. Their name has not been released.

 

Turlock police implement body cameras

Turlock Journal

After months of testing the Turlock Police Department has begun using the body camera system approved by the Turlock City Council in June 2019.

 

Fire:

 

Creek Fire update: Full containment weeks away; increased smoke expected

Fresno Bee

While full containment of the Creek Fire had been expected by Halloween, officials are now saying that won’t happen for several more weeks.

See also:

     Creek Fire update: Alaska team on scene; air worsens; Sierra National Forest still closed Fresno Bee

 

Why stubborn Sierra wildfires continue to burn in Fresno, Madera and Tulare counties

Fresno Bee

Critically dry fuels and an abundance of dead trees continue to fuel the Creek Fire and SQF Complex Fire in the Sierra Nevada range on the east side of the central San Joaquin Valley.

 

SQF Complex Fire: 170,165 acres burned, 80% contained, latest evacuation warnings

abc30

Firefighters have held the line on the SQF Complex Fire, which as of Sunday morning, has burned 170,165 acres and is 80% contained. All mandatory evacuation orders for the fire have been downgraded, but warnings are still in place for several areas.

See also:

     Sequoia Complex: Progress continues to be made Porterville Recorder

 

Consumer agency wants PG&E fined $166 million for botching Calif wildfire blackouts

Fresno Bee

Calif’s official advocate for utility ratepayers wants to have PG&E fined $165.7 million for mishandling a series of deliberate wildfire-safety blackouts last fall.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Kern looks to seize economic benefits of carbon management

Bakersfield Californian

Momentum is building in the push to make Kern nationally competitive in carbon management, the emerging field of trying to slow climate change by removing or reducing greenhouse gases.

 

US Consumer Spending Rose a Moderate 1.4% in September

Business Journal

U.S. consumers increased their spending by 1.4% in September, a modest gain but far less than the big increases of late spring, adding to concerns that Americans remain cautious with the viral pandemic resurging across the country and impeding the economy.

 

The Only Consensus on Wall Street Is Tuesday’s Election Will Be Felt for Years to Come

WSJ

Many money managers and strategists are reluctant to project confidence after being caught off guard by a number of market-jolting shocks.

See also:

     U.S. economy faces severe strains after election with Wash potentially paralyzed Wash Post

     The Good and the Bad of the U.S. Economy on Eve of Election Day Bloomberg

 

As COVID-19 cases surge, the country’s economic recovery is losing steam

Brookings

Economic recovery across U.S. metropolitan areas is one of tepid and uneven progress, and as COVID-19 infections break records, the already tentative recovery could be further derailed

See also:

     Economy’s Big Rebound Leaves a Shortfall as Progress Slows NY Times

     The U.S. economy rebounded sharply in the third quarter, but the resurgent pandemic is threatening the economic recovery Los Angeles Times

 

Jobs:

 

Popular unemployment programs could end abruptly on Dec. 31. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

By Dec. 31, millions of Californians could see their weekly unemployment benefits disappear, unless Congress and President Trump keeps them going.

 

Gig companies are threatening to eliminate thousands of jobs if Prop 22 doesn’t pass

Visalia Times Delta

Cherri Murphy, a Lyft driver, hasn’t gotten behind the wheel of her car since the pandemic began, faced with what she called a “devil’s choice” – driving and risking her health, or staying home and filing for unemployment without a W2 form, which is only given to employees in CA.

 

Union membership rates drop among Calif state workers during COVID-19 pandemic

Sac Bee

Union membership among Calif state workers declined slightly this year as recruitment has gone remote due to the coronavirus, according to state data and interviews with union leaders.

 

The COVID-19 hazard continues, but the hazard pay does not: Why America’s essential workers need a raise

Brookings

As we begin this even deadlier phase of the pandemic, the country’s 50 million frontline essential workers are among the most vulnerable. Are they receiving fair compensation for the worsening hazards they face on the job?

 

Out of Work in America

NY Times

For months, journalists at The Times and 11 other news outlets catalogued how the dual blows of joblessness and the pandemic were changing the lives of a dozen Americans.

See also:

     Unemployment rolls continue dropping rapidly AEI

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Visalia Unified gets approval to reopen elementary schools for in-person learning

abc30

Visalia Unified has received an approved waiver from Tulare County and state health officials allowing elementary schools to bring back students for in-person learning.

See also:

     State approves VUSD's revised waiver clearing path for elementary students to return Nov. 30 Visalia Times Delta

 

COVID-19 update: Burton schools move closer to reopening K-6

Porterville Recorder

Tulare County didn't move really move any closer to the red tier on Friday, but the number of new cases reported did provide a little encouragement.

 

Doctor advice for kids as Calif schools open: Masks or face shields? Soap or sanitizer?

Modesto Bee

Thousands of Calif parents are preparing to send their children back to school campuses in the weeks ahead.

 

How Congress Can Get Kids Back to Class

WSJ

Schools don’t appear to be a major source of spread, and the government can pass out N95s to teachers.

 

Web Event: What will the 2020 elections mean for education?

AEI

Join us the morning after Election Day as a panel of savvy observers takes stock of the results and explain what they mean for early childhood, K–12, and higher education going forward.

 

Can public education return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic?

Brookings

After being broken apart by COVID-19, will public education be like Humpty, or can it be put back just as it was?

 

Walters: Does more money mean better schools?

CalMatters

That said, it would provide a relatively small down payment on the long-standing desire of the state’s educational establishment for a massive increase in spending that’s needed, advocates say, to improve Calif’s rather dismal K-12 educational outcomes.

 

Opinion: Here are solutions to close the digital divide and give our students a chance

CalMatters

Calif can take a page from the WPA’s playbook during the Depression and develop broadband infrastructure to close the digital divide.

 

The Importance of Teaching Civic Responsibility in America

Rand

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.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno native named to Calif State University Board of Trustees

abc30

A Fresno native has been appointed to the Calif State University Board of Trustees. Diego Arambula has a lengthy history in the education field, including holding multiple positions at Summit Public Schools from 2005-2015.

 

Fresno State Receives Record $46.7M for Research in 2019-20

Fresno State News

Research and innovation is growing at Fresno State. For the second consecutive year, the University received a record amount in research grants and contracts to fund projects across campus from cancer research to art programs, and student and faculty success.

 

Fresno State honors professor who helped launch Black and ethnic studies programs in ’60s

Fresno Bee

Fresno State president Joseph Castro ordered the tribute as a way to honor Keyes’ “visionary leadership in the development of Black studies and ethnic studies at Fresno State, at a time when such programs were just beginning throughout the country.”

 

Court: UC can’t Waffle in Phasing out SATs in Admissions

Business Journal

Student applicants to the University of Calif can’t submit their standardized test scores with their admissions as the system works to phase out the exam requirements, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.

 

COVID-19 Altered College Plans for Most Students

PPIC

COVID-19 has become a major disruption to colleges and universities across the country, with most institutions canceling in-person classes and/or moving to online instruction.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Check Before You Burn: What Californians need to know as pollution control season begins

Fresno Bee

The Sac Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is urging residents to Check Before You Burn as pollution control districts across the state kick off the annual declaration season Sunday.

See also:

     Residents should expect fewer days to use wood-burning fireplaces Turlock Journal

     Warszawski: Had enough smoky air, Fresno? Too bad, it’s almost (cough, cough) fireplace season Fresno Bee

 

 

New trees being planted in Fresno as part of initiative

abc30

Dozens of new trees are going up across Fresno, and it's all part of the "Keep Fresno Beautiful" initiative.

 

Deadly disease decimates San Joaquin Valley kit foxes, but efforts continue to save them

Bakersfield Californian

Wildlife research ecologist Erica Kelly says Bakersfield residents have changed their tune regarding the San Joaquin kit fox. "People used to ask us, 'Kit foxes are everywhere. Why are they endangered?'" Kelly said.

 

Trump signs law to give Calif more help eradicating giant swamp rodents

Modesto Bee

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a law giving Calif a potential boost in federal funding for its campaign to eradicate a giant swamp rodent that has made its way into Central Valley waterways, threatening the region’s irrigation network.

 

The Trump Administration Is Reversing Nearly 100 Environmental Rules. Here’s the Full List

NY Times

Over four years in office, the Trump administration has dismantled major climate policies and rolled back many more rules governing clean air, water, wildlife and toxic chemicals.

See also:

     EPA limits enforcement of pesticide application boundaries The Hill

     The Trump administration has dropped the gray wolf from the endangered species list Los Angeles Times

     Gray Wolves To Be Removed From Endangered Species List VPR

     What COVID-19 has cost the climate Brookings

     4 Reasons Why the U.S. Election Matters So Much For Climate Change Forbes

 

Energy:

 

Kern releases latest oilfield environmental review for public comments

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County rereleased an extensive environmental review of local oil and gas activity Friday, the latest move in its effort to put back in place a streamlined permitting system after an earlier version of the document was shot down in court in February.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Fresno County dips under 100 new COVID-19 cases. Here’s where daily average stands

Fresno Bee

For the first day in over a week, Fresno County reported less than 100 cases of COVID-19 to the state. Fresno County had 99 new infections on Thursday, according to the Calif Department of Public Health, which brings the 14-day average to 110 cases.

See also:

     Coronavirus update: Fresno averaging more than 100 cases daily as winter approaches Fresno Bee

     Coronavirus update: Fresno, Valley report fewer COVID-19 deaths in October Fresno Bee

     Coronavirus updates: Four new deaths in Fresno County as positivity rate grows Fresno Bee

     Coronavirus update: Fresno, Valley report fewer COVID-19 deaths in October Fresno Bee

     Kern Public Health reports 79 new coronavirus cases Sunday Bakersfield Californian

     Coronavirus update, Nov. 2: Hospitalizations continue to grow in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee

     U.S. Hits New Coronavirus Record With More Than 88,500 New Cases VPR

 

 

How Are Americans Catching the Virus? Increasingly, ‘They Have No Idea’

NY Times

New outbreaks used to be traced back to crowded factories and rowdy bars. But now, the virus is so widespread not even health officials are able to keep up.

 

Doctors Begin to Crack Covid’s Mysterious Long-Term Effects

WSJ

Nearly a year into the global coronavirus pandemic, scientists, doctors and patients are beginning to unlock a puzzling phenomenon: For many patients, including young ones who never required hospitalization, Covid-19 has a devastating second act.

 

Covid-19 Burden Falls Heavily on Middle-Aged Men

WSJ

Men’s underlying health problems, weaker immune systems might be fueling higher mortality.

 

Staffing at Some Nursing Homes Plummeted During Early Covid-19 Outbreaks

WSJ

Newly released federal data show some hard-hit facilities were strapped for health care workers when needed most

 

Guide to Going Out Safely During the Pandemic

Consumer Reports

Months into the pandemic, it can feel like our isolated lifestyle may never end. If you’re yearning to go out and do, well, something you haven’t done in a while, should you?

 

During the 1918 flu pandemic, masks were controversial for "many of the same reasons they are today"

CBSNews

As Election Day nears, the role of masks during the coronavirus pandemic has become highly politicized; while health experts have emphasized how masks can reduce spread, mask rules across the country have varied and so has the response from Americans.

 

Human Services:

 

Californians can start shopping for health insurance coverage for 2021 starting Sunday

Fresno Bee

Covered Calif will launch open enrollment for 2021 health insurance coverage starting Sunday and will continue accepting applications for coverage until Jan. 31.

See also:

     Health Care in Spotlight as ACA Enrollment Begins Days Before Election WSJ

 

CVS Health says flu shot is critical this year

Hanford Sentinel

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to be a prevalent issue, CVS Pharmacy is currently offering flu shots and encouraging consumers to get theirs.

 

Kern's Latino Task Force makes inroads to communities with higher rates of COVID-19

Bakersfield Californian

To Jay Tamsi, it’s not a coincidence that Kern County’s coronavirus metrics have dropped at the same time that the Latino COVID-19 Task Force has started to build momentum.

See also:

     Covid's Hidden Toll PBS

 

State to allow visitors inside nursing homes in most Calif counties

CalMatters

The pandemic had limited loved ones to window or patio visits – if at all – but new guidance lifts restrictions in those 46 counties with better virus control.

 

Public-Health Experts Are Rewriting Pandemic Rules for Governments—and Their Gyms

WSJ

The vague and bitterly contested public health messaging from governments during the pandemic has created a dilemma for the scientists who are shaping the response: How do you work out when you know the dangers of working out?

 

What tests to use, when, why—and why not? Pitfalls of mass testing for COVID-19

Brookings

An ongoing public health debate centers on whether we should use sub-optimal tests on a massive scale, testing frequently to overcome their analytical shortcomings.

See also:

     Newsom Pledges More COVID-19 Testing Capacity With New Lab Capital Public Radio

     What to Know About Calif’s Coronavirus Testing Expansion NY Times

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Under Trump, citizenship and visa agency focuses on fraud

Fresno Bee

The head of the agency handling citizenship and visa applications was surprised when he faced blowback for cutting a reference to the U.S. being a “nation of immigrants” in its mission statement. He added language about “protecting Americans” instead.

 

U.S. detained migrant children for far longer than previously known

Los Angeles Times

In early June, a 17-year-old girl from Honduras got what she’d desperately wanted since she was 10: freedom from U.S. custody.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Will Oceano Dunes open to vehicles? Snowy plover lawsuit seeks to block park from reopening

Fresno Bee

The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit Thursday morning against the Calif Department of Parks and Recreation to protect threatened shorebirds at the Oceano Dunes — one day before vehicles were set to return to the popular state park.

See also:

     Oceano Dunes reopens to vehicles: Riders ‘ecstatic,’ while others are ‘disappointed’ San Luis Obispo Tribune

 

Housing:

 

These Fresno motels will be converted to homeless housing with millions from the state

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday the Fresno Housing Authority, in partnership with the city of Fresno, will receive nearly $16.5 million to purchase and rehabilitate three more motels to house people experiencing homelessness.

 

Rent is up and jobs are scarce in Fresno, as people struggle to make ends meet in COVID-19

Fresno Bee

The average cost to rent an apartment in Fresno went up since March, putting even more financial pressure on cash-strapped residents during a pandemic.

 

Wave of foreclosures may follow housing market boom

AEI

While the housing market looks rosy now, conditions will sharply deteriorate when mortgage forbearance provisions in the CARES Act expire in the spring of 2021.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Calif got the smallest tax cut from 2017 tax law, report says

SF Chronicle

As predicted, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced taxes for most Americans, but Calif got the smallest cut of all, according to an analysis by tax expert Martin Sullivan of recently released 2018 federal tax return data.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Cruise Lines Can Sail Again From The U.S., But It's Not Clear How Soon

VPR
Cruise lines may begin sailing again from U.S. ports under rules released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal agency is allowing a "No Sail" order to expire at midnight Saturday.

 

Airlines’ New Pricing Strategy: Buy One, Get One Free

WSJ

Airlines give away seats as they try to stop the cash burn and make travelers feel comfortable flying again.

 

WATER

 

Just who has rights to water from the Fresno River? A legal battle is about to be waged

Fresno Bee

Following the Oct. 20 adjudication vote by the Water Board, staffers must now investigate all claims for Fresno River water. Then they’ll do a physical inspection of every diversion on the river, including canals, ditches and pumps.

 

Commentary: Delta tunnel project would secure Calif’s water future

CalMatters

The Delta Conveyance Project is a necessary investment to secure Calif’s water future. With our climate changing rapidly, becoming more unpredictable, the need for this project has never been clearer. 

 

New Report Underscores the Risks of Lead in Water, Especially to Bottle-Fed Babies

Consumer Reports

Not long after Peter and Erica Finin moved from Michigan to Pittsburgh, they had the tap water in their new home tested for lead. It was 2017, and “the whole [lead] situation in Flint was very much in the news,” Peter says.

 

“Xtra”

 

Huge Chinese New Year parade in SF canceled due to coronavirus concerns

Fresno Bee

Fears of a coronavirus surge have canceled plans for the 2021 Chinese New Year parade in downtown SF, which normally draws hundreds of thousands of people.

 

Dining bubbles are popping up everywhere, but are they safe? Experts weigh in.

Wash Post

While infectious-disease experts warn that careless use of these bubbles could facilitate transmission of the coronavirus, they also say it is possible for dining in them to be relatively low-risk, as long as certain precautions are taken.

 

Holiday craft fairs take hit from pandemic in Modesto region. Which ones will be held?

Modesto Bee

If your holiday traditions include browsing the craft fairs that normally take place in the region in November, options will be limited this year.