POLICY & POLITICS
Check Before You Burn Program Begins Amid Wildfire Season
Clovis RoundUp
Starting Nov 1, the SJV Air Pollution Control District will begin the Check Before You Burn program. The program runs through the end of February. The purpose is the reduction of PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns and smaller) emissions from residential wood smoke.
North SJ Valley:
Election Day in Merced County is almost here. What you need to know to vote
Merced Sun-Star
Election Day is almost here! Whether you are tired of the campaigning or loving every minute of it, Nov. 3 offers us the opportunity to play a role in picking the people and laws that govern us.
See Also:
● An Election Day like Stanislaus County has never seen before finally arrives Modesto Bee
● Live Update: Stanislaus County voters off to an early voting start in downtown Modesto Modesto Bee
● Haven’t voted yet? Here’s what to do with your Calif mail-in ballot today Modesto Bee
Coronavirus update: Stanislaus tops 18,000 cases, resumes demographic details
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County reported another death to the virus Monday, after yet another weekend break from such announcements.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno council member touts increased police funding amid national defund movement
Fresno Bee
Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi on Monday touted the latest city budget that increased police funding amid calls for defunding that echoed much of the summer.
It’s not too late to vote in Fresno County. Here’s what you need to know
Fresno Bee
The Nov. 3 general election is in the final stretch and has already seen record early voting in Fresno County, but it’s not too late for procrastinators to cast ballots.
See Also:
● Fresno County Voting Centers Are Open Clovis RoundUp
COVID-19 update: Tulare County moving (slowly) again to red tier
Porterville Recorder
At least for the weekend, Tulare County moved back into the right direction as far as moving into the red tier. Tulare County realized more encouraging numbers over the weekend when it came to its case rate and overall numbers for what it will take for it to move into the red tier.
See Also:
● Fresno County adds 55 new COVID-19 cases. How is the rest of the Central Valley doing? Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus update: Fresno averaging more than 100 cases daily as winter approaches Fresno Bee
South SJ Valley:
Map: Election Day poll sites in Kern County
Bakersfield Califn
This election isn't like any other: all registered voters in Calif have already been mailed a ballot. But that doesn't mean that poll sites don't serve a valuable role on Election Day.
See Also:
· What to expect now that Election Day is here Bakersfield Califn
106 new COVID-19 cases in Kern reported Monday
Bakersfield Califn
Kern County Public Health Services announced 106 new confirmed coronavirus cases Monday morning, and no new deaths. That brings Kern's case total to 34,573 since the pandemic began. A total of 424 people have died.
Kern looks to seize economic benefits of carbon management
Bakersfield Califn
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.
State:
Newsom is worried about what comes after Election Day as US braces for late results
Sac Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom has spent months preparing for Election Day in Calif — steering state funding to the Secretary of State’s office, sending every registered voter a mail-in ballot during the coronavirus pandemic and encouraging them to vote early.
See Also:
● ‘What will happen?’ Among an anxious electorate, some plan to move, others buy guns LA Times
● Counties, cops making sure you’re safe at the polls CalMatters
● Voter intimidation complaints grow on the eve of Election Day Roll Call
Walters: Election tests depth of Calif’s blueness
CalMatters
Credit Donald Trump with one achievement in Calif: His presidency has encouraged record numbers of Califns to become registered voters and cast ballots.
Calif leaders urge AAPI voters to pass Prop 16 for affirmative action
Sac Bee
Several Calif elected officials on Monday called for Asian American and Pacific Islander voters to vote yes Proposition 16, a November ballot measure that, if passed, could restore affirmative action practices in college admissions and hiring in public offices.
Judge limits Calif governor’s powers during pandemic
Fresno Bee
A Northern Calif county judge on Monday preliminarily ordered Gov. Gavin Newsom to stop issuing directives related to the coronavirus that might interfere with state law.
See Also:
● Gov. Newsom overstepped his power with executive order on election, Calif judge says Modesto Bee
● Gov. Newsom rebuked by Sutter County court for use of executive power amid COVID-19 pandemic LA Times
The young Republican lawyer taking on Calif’s governor
CalMatters
Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, a 35-year-old Rocklin Republican with degrees from Harvard and Yale, left a promising law career to run for a state Legislature so heavily dominated by Democrats as to render Republican votes almost meaningless.
Walters: Incompetence could be GOP’s opportunity
CalMatters
Calif’s ever-shrinking Republican Party will receive little, if any, good news from this year’s elections. The inevitable question will once again rise: Could the GOP, which once dominated the state, ever regain relevance?
Federal:
President Trump suggests he'll fire Dr. Fauci after election
abc30
President Donald Trump suggested to a Florida crowd he may fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading expert on infectious diseases, after the election.
See Also:
● Will Trump fire Fauci? President gives a hint at Miami rally while hearing the chants Fresno Bee
● Trump Hints He Might Fire Fauci After Election As Coronavirus Cases Rise VPR
Wash Post
A top White House coronavirus adviser sounded alarms about a new and deadly phase in the health crisis, pleading with top officials for “much more aggressive action,” even as Trump continues to assure rallygoers that the nation is “rounding the turn” on the pandemic.
See Also:
● Covid-19: Birx Delivers Stark Warning to White House on Eve of Election Day NY Times
Fact Check: Trump’s false claim that doctors inflate COVID-19 deaths to make more money
PolitiFact
A few weeks ago, President Donald Trump had praise for doctors on the frontlines of treating coronavirus patients.
Coronavirus Trackers:
Coronavirus: U.S. Cases Tick Upward
WSJ
New confirmed coronavirus infections continue to climb in a majority of U.S. states, with Pennsylvania, Kansas, Connecticut and Rhode Island all reporting record-high daily figures. Hospitalizations, meanwhile, have reached their highest level since mid-August.
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 LA 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:
● Check voter registration status
● Online Voter Guide and Printable Voter Guide
● List of county elections offices
11 million Californians have already voted, political data expert says
Fresno Bee
As of Monday, more than half of all mail ballots have been returned, according to Political Data Inc., which tracks mail ballots. The 11 million ballots returned have already surpassed the total number of mail ballots returned in 2016 — about 8.4 million.
See Also:
● CA early voting shatters records, points to historic overall turnout ahead of Election Day abc30
● Here’s what record early returns mean for speed of Calif’s vote tally CalMatters
● High early turnout of voters eases tech and security worries on Election Day Roll Call
● How Early Votes Are Tallied Is Likely to Cause Shifts in Election Night Results WSJ
● The million-dollar question on the election’s eve: Who is left to vote? Wash Post
5 things to know about the Calif election
Bakersfield Califn
Turnout has been heavy during the early voting period as Califns cast ballots for president, the state Legislature, local offices and on a dozen statewide propositions.
See Also:
● A procrastinator’s guide to the 2020 Calif general election Sac Bee
● Here’s what we’ll know — and what we won’t — on election night in Calif Sac Bee
● You can track your ballot in Calif. Here’s how Sac Bee
● What you should know about how and when Calif counts ballots LA Times
● Billions have been spent on Calif’s ballot measure battles. But this year is unlike any other LA Times
● Ziplocked: Last look at Calif’s presidential money race, by zip code CalMatters
● How not to freak out: A user’s guide to Calif’s election night results CalMatters
● Live: Calif Election Results 2020 CalMatters
● Election Day and Calif’s Future PPIC
● Races to Watch in Calif NY Times
● Google algorithms blamed for giving Calif voters a biased look at ballot initiatives Politico
Opinion: Far-left groups partner with police to oppose Prop. 25, Calif’s bail reform bill
Fresno Bee
Amid this year’s protest cries of “defund the police,” you would expect Proposition 25 to be popular with Calif’s far-left social justice groups. But that’s not uniformly the case.
The Most Consequential Election In A Lifetime (And This Time They Mean It!)
VPR
Almost every election cycle, someone on one side or the other is claiming that this is the most important election in their lifetime. Well, this one actually probably is — and it appears voters think so, too.
See Also:
● Trump’s greatest challenge was a pandemic he couldn’t wish away before Election Day Fresno Bee
● Over half of Americans say election will be most stressful day of their lives, poll finds Sac Bee
● Election 2020: Seven Episodes That Defined the Most Unusual Campaign of Modern Times WSJ
● Trump, Biden Pitch Dueling Visions in Final Campaign Sprint WSJ
● Trump signals chaotic stretch after election Wash Post
● With hours until polls close, here are the data that will shape the night Wash Post
● PolitiFact’s guide to watching election night results PolitiFact
● Commentary: What to watch for on election night 2020 Brookings
● Opinion: What Pollsters Miss About Trump WSJ
What It's Like For Asian American Candidates During A Pandemic Marked By Racism
VPR
In April, Yuh-Line Niou, a member of the NY State Assembly, was passing out KN95 masks in front of a Kosher deli in her district when she was verbally harassed by a stranger who approached her on the street.
Pandemic Raises, Lowers Hurdles for Voters with Disabilities
PEW
Penny Shaw, 77, who lives in a long-term care facility in Braintree, Massachusetts, normally votes at a polling place she can get to easily in her electric wheelchair. This year, Shaw had to come up with a new plan.
See Also:
● Barriers to the Ballot Box PEW
An Election Day history lesson: Americans often waited days or weeks for the outcome
Wash Post
Americans accustomed to learning on election night who their next president will be may mistakenly think, along with President Trump, that the law requires a winner to be proclaimed that evening.
See Also:
● Election Night Viewer's Guide: Why You May Need To Be Patient VPR
● 'Be Patient.' Why Early Election Results Will Likely Be Misleading Time
● Opinion: Don’t let Trump subvert democracy on election night Roll Call
What to Expect From Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on Election Day
NY Times
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were misused by Russians to inflame American voters with divisive messages before the 2016 presidential election. The companies have spent the past four years trying to ensure that this November isn’t a repeat.
See Also:
● How Facebook and Twitter plan to handle election day disinformation LA Times
Other:
Opinion: Democracy Is Tearing Us Apart
WSJ
A good test of your political sanity is to see if you can think of a reason to vote for the other guy. Try it. We all have our preferences. Most of us make up our minds before the campaigns start. But it’s still a worthwhile exercise. If you can’t think of a single reason, ask yourself why.
Opinion: No matter who wins, it’s time to get rid of the electoral college
Wash Post
Something’s happening in Texas. Before today’s election, 9.7 million Texans had already voted — 108 % of total ballots cast there in the last presidential election.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Walnut buying starts Monday in Tulare County. Here's what you need to know…
Visalia Times Delta
Monday is the start of Tulare County's walnut-buying period and the county’s nut theft ordinance will be strictky enforced, Agricultural Commissioner Tom Tucker said.
Federal Aid Mostly Goes to Bigger Farms
WSJ
As federal aid to the U.S. Farm Belt surges, a fraction of farmers are reaping a big portion of the government largess. The Trump administration is expected to pay farmers more than $37 billion this year, a historic sum.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
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.
Opinion: Calif, the Shoplifting State
WSJ
Progressives in Calif in recent years have strengthened property rights—to other people’s property. Shoplifting has essentially been decriminalized, and retailers that apprehend thieves can be sued.
Public Safety:
‘We would not have had a lost generation.’ Fresno group issues its own report on policing
Fresno Bee
Raul Rangel. Joseph Pulido. Freddy Centeno. David Zapata. Isiah Murrietta. The paint-brushed faces of the men sat together as dusk fell Monday on the steps of the federal courthouse in downtown Fresno.
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.
Black employees allege racial bias in hiring, promotions at Calif prisons
Fresno Bee
Inspired by a similar complaint at a state’s air pollution agency, a group of Black employees is airing complaints of racial discrimination at the Calif Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Fire:
Check Before You Burn Program Begins Amid Wildfire Season
Clovis RoundUp
Starting Nov 1, the SJV Air Pollution Control District will begin the Check Before You Burn program. The program runs through the end of February. The purpose is the reduction of PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns and smaller) emissions from residential wood smoke.
Creek Fire update: Here’s when major Fresno-area fires will be fully contained
Fresno Bee
It’s been nearly two months since the Creek Fire and SQF Complex Fire broke out in the Sierra Nevada mountain range and dry brush and dead trees continued to fuel the flames on Monday.
See Also:
● Creek Fire: 380,663 acres burned, 70% contained; date for expected full containment pushed back abc30
Sequoia complex: Containment still strong, but fire activity could increase
Porterville Recorder
Containment lines remain strong on the Sequoia Complex but fire activity was expected to increase with dry, windy conditions.
Calif wildfire victims in line for $25,000 payments from PG&E trust this month
Modesto Bee
Victims of the 2017 and 2018 wildfires blamed on Pacific Gas and Electric Co. can expect preliminary cash payments of up $25,000 each this month.
See Also:
● PG&E fire victim trust will start paying out bankruptcy settlement funds SF Chronicle
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Factories Bounce Back as Consumers Snap Up Goods
WSJ
Factories across the globe bounced back strongly in October, as manufacturers hired more people and ramped up production of consumer goods in hot demand despite rising coronavirus infections.
S&P 500, Dow Industrials Close Higher as Election Looms
WSJ
U.S. stocks rose Monday ahead of an election that will shape the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 423.45 points, or 1.6%, to 26925.05, rebounding after its worst week since March.
See Also:
● Wall Street Rallies Ahead Of A Potentially Turbulent Week Business Journal
Bethany Clough: New Fresno area restaurants: At least 30 have opened since COVID-19 pandemic started
Fresno Bee
It may seem counter-intuitive to talk about restaurants opening in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic. Some have shut their doors for good.
Jobs:
Popular unemployment programs could end abruptly on Dec. 31. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
By Dec. 31, millions of Califns could see their weekly unemployment benefits disappear, unless Congress and President Trump keeps them going.
AEI
A recent report from the US Department of Labor (DOL) Inspector General (IG) spotlights why it’s far too easy to rip off the temporary federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Clovis parents rally to bring back in-class education
Fresno Bee
A group of parents and students gathered outside Clovis High School on Monday to bring awareness and support for in-class instruction around the Clovis Unified School District.
BCSD settles lawsuit regarding cancellation of summer school in 2019
Bakersfield Califn
Bakersfield City School District recently settled a lawsuit regarding two students who challenged the district’s cancellation of summer school in 2019, according to a news release from Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance.
What we know so far about school reopenings in Calif
CalMatters
Despite limited testing requirements, Calif schools that have reopened for in-person instruction have largely avoided COVID-19 outbreaks. Some teachers and legislators say large scale surveillance testing is necessary and that lack of data is a problem.
Commentary: Calif needs a statewide system for measuring kindergarten readiness
CalMatters
The ongoing debate over whether and how to reopen schools this year has cast a necessary light on inequities among schoolchildren.
Commentary: How Congress can get kids back to class
AEI
The ABC Science Collaboratives, supported by Duke University researchers, are working with school boards, superintendents, principals, teachers, health departments and the state of North Carolina to share data and best practices among more than 50 districts.
Commentary: What will the 2020 elections mean for education?
AEI
The 2020 election cycle has been unprecedented, disrupted by a worldwide pandemic and marked by a heated, controversial, and socially distanced presidential election.
Higher Ed:
How new law requiring ethnic studies at Calif State University will affect community colleges
EdSource
A new law requiring an ethnic studies class in order to graduate from the Calif State University will likely have far-reaching implications for the state’s 115 degree-granting community colleges.
Opinion: Woke Universities Lead America to a Primitive State
WSJ
People nationwide have been physically assaulted and even threatened with loss of their livelihoods for no other reason than that they plan to vote as one half of the country does, and political goals are now commonly pursued by violent means.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
New National Climate Change Guide Focuses On Impact In San Joaquin Valley Communities
VPR
A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists outlines wide-reaching environmental impacts affecting the health and economy of San Joaquin Valley communities from extreme heat to water scarcity and pollution.
Check Before You Burn Program Begins Amid Wildfire Season
Clovis RoundUp
Starting Nov 1, the SJV Air Pollution Control District will begin the Check Before You Burn program. The program runs through the end of February. The purpose is the reduction of PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns and smaller) emissions from residential wood smoke.
Commentary: With transportation, we should stay focused on the prize of clean air
CalMatters
How long should Califns wait for clean air? At first glance, it appears that Calif is once again leading by example in battling climate change and providing clean air to those that need it most.
Energy:
Renewable Energy: Calif Dept of Toxic Substances Control Classifies Solar Panels as Universal Waste
JDSupra
The Calif Department of Toxic Substances Control (“DTSC”) announced in an October 26th news release that it was classifying hazardous waste (i.e., discarded) solar panels as universal waste.
Natural-Gas Drillers Outshine Oil Peers as Covid-19 Surges
WSJ
A split reality is emerging for U.S. shale drillers: Those that primarily pump oil are still struggling to survive, while those that produce natural gas are slowly seeing signs of recovery.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
106 new COVID-19 cases in Kern reported Monday
Bakersfield Califn
Kern County Public Health Services announced 106 new confirmed coronavirus cases Monday morning, and no new deaths. That brings Kern's case total to 34,573 since the pandemic began. A total of 424 people have died.
See Also:
● Fresno County adds 55 new COVID-19 cases. How is the rest of the Central Valley doing? Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus update: Fresno averaging more than 100 cases daily as winter approaches Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Cases Tick Upward WSJ
COVID-19 is spreading faster in our homes and more often than we thought, study says
Fresno Bee
A study based on families in Tennessee and Wisconsin found that the coronavirus spreads much faster within households than previously thought — 51% of individuals living with an infected person contracted the virus themselves.
Human Services:
The fight that jeopardized top care at Fresno hospital appears to end. What we know
Fresno Bee
Community Medical Centers and a medical group on Saturday signed a new long-term agreement following months of negotiations that in September led to the interruption of neurosurgical trauma services for more than a week.
Hospitals competing for nurses as US coronavirus cases surge
Bakersfield Califn
As the coronavirus pandemic surges across the nation and infections and hospitalizations rise, medical administrators are scrambling to find enough nursing help — especially in rural areas and at small hospitals.
Newsom pledges more COVID-19 testing capacity with new lab
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom met a self-imposed Nov. 1 deadline to expand Calif’s daily COVID-19 testing by opening a new laboratory in Santa Clarita on Friday.
Public CEO
Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the opening of an innovative new laboratory in Calif that will increase the state’s COVID-19 testing capacity, reduce test turnaround time and create hundreds of new Calif jobs.
More Rapid Tests Are Here. There's No National Strategy to Use Them.
Pew Charitable Trust
Instead, most states say they expect to use the 15-minute tests to diagnose symptomatic people in prisons, police and fire departments, health clinics and other places that already are set up to conduct testing.
Commentary: Hospital allocation and racial disparities in health care
AEI
We develop a framework to measure the role of hospital allocation in racial disparities in health care and use it to study Medicare patients who are treated for heart attacks – a condition where everyone receives care that is highly effective and quality has been validated.
IMMIGRATION
U.S. judge blocks Trump immigration rule on public benefits
Bakersfield Califn
A federal judge in Chicago struck down a key immigration rule Monday that would deny green cards to immigrants who use food stamps or other public benefits, a blow to the Trump administration on the eve of the election.
U.S. detained migrant children for far longer than previously known
LA 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
City Council discusses homelessness in community
Hanford Sentinel
Selma's City Council met for over three hours on Oct. 19 in a Zoom meeting at Selma City Hall. Much of the meeting centered on the homelessness problem.
Bakersfield Califn
Plans to convert a single-family home overlooking the bluffs of northeast Bakersfield into a transitional residence for homeless women and children has drawn opposition from neighbors but received an endorsement from the city's planning department last week to proceed.
PUBLIC FINANCES
New 2021 IRS Income Tax Brackets And Phaseouts
Forbes
Each year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) makes rounded inflationary adjustments to the federal income tax brackets and the income phase-outs for various tax deductions and tax credits.
Union membership rates drop among Calif state workers during COVID-19 pandemic
Fresno 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.
TRANSPORTATION
CDC has new framework on resuming cruise ship sailing
abc30
The cruise industry was one of the first and hardest hit when COVID-19 hit America. Passengers were stranded on vessels and outbreaks became frequent. For months, major cruise lines have sat dormant, waiting for Americans to get a hold on the virus.
Commentary: With transportation, we should stay focused on the prize of clean air
CalMatters
How long should Califns wait for clean air? At first glance, it appears that Calif is once again leading by example in battling climate change and providing clean air to those that need it most.
WATER
Improving Water Resilience for Cities and Farms with Water Partnerships
Public Policy Institute of Calif
In a new report, we explore partnership opportunities to boost water resilience in both regions. By creating more flexible supplies, such partnerships can help water agencies adapt to the changing conditions expected under climate change.
“Xtra”
Sunset falls on a historic season for the drive-in
Bakersfield Califn
Julia Wiggin was still shivering after running out to hang up the weekend’s marquee — “Ghostbusters,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” — at her Northfield Drive-in near Hinsdale, New Hampshire.