Maddy Institute – November 4, 2020

04Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Congressman Josh Harder ahead against GOP challenger in Calif battleground

Modesto Bee

Rep. Josh Harder jumped to a lead in early returns Tuesday for his reelection bid against Republican challenger Ted Howze, with 62% of the votes recorded as of 9:20 p.m. favoring the Democratic incumbent.

● Harder edges Howze in early CA-10 election results Turlock Journal

Latest local results for Modesto, Stanislaus County in the 2020 general election

Modesto Bee

Unofficial results for Modesto-area races in the Nov. 3, 2020, general election from the county Registrar of Voters’ Office and Calif’s Secretary of State’s Office.

Zwahlen, Ridenour lead in early returns in Modesto mayoral race; runoff ahead

Modesto Bee

Former Modesto City Schools board member Sue Zwahlen was leading among the eight mayoral candidates in early returns Tuesday, with council members Doug Ridenour and Kristi Ah You in a close race for second.

Turlock sales tax measure too close to call, early election results show

Modesto Bee

Whether Turlock voters passed a three-quarter cent general sales tax measure will be a close call, early voting results Tuesday night showed. But the “yes” votes were leading.

Larry Byrd leads challenger Suzy Powell Roos in contest for MID board

Modesto Bee

Larry Byrd was leading the challenger for his Modesto Irrigation District board seat in early returns Tuesday night.

Condit cousins hold the lead in two supervisor races in Stanislaus County

Modesto Bee

Election returns Tuesday night pointed to Matthew “Buck” Condit and Channce Condit joining the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors in January.

Modesto mayor refuses to hold meeting over disciplining, dismissing city clerk

Modesto Bee

The Modesto City Council did not consider disciplining or dismissing its city clerk as expected Monday after Mayor Ted Brandvold refused to convene Monday’s special meeting, saying the council member who called for it did not follow the rules for holding the meeting.

Announcement delayed for state’s coronavirus tier system. Stanislaus cutting it close

Modesto Bee

Citing Tuesday’s national election, Calif health officials postponed an update on coronavirus tier assignments until Wednesday. The weekly updates assigning counties to different levels of COVID-19 restrictions are usually released on Tuesdays.

Is Merced rushing its search for a new city manager? Some critics question the process

Merced Sun-Star

On the cusp of the Nov. 3 election, Merced City Council candidates Monday night publicly took issue with the current council’s handling of city employee hiring practices.

Central SJ Valley:

How Fresno County voted in presidential, Congress races

Fresno Bee

Fresno County voters overwhelmingly favored former Vice President Joe Biden over President Donald Trump in unofficial election results, while races for central San Joaquin Valley congressional seats in District 21 and District 22 were much closer.

Devin Nunes pulls ahead in reelection bid against Phil Arballo for Calif district

Fresno Bee

Election officials had not declared a winner in the congressional race between Republican Rep. Devin Nunes and Democrat Phil Arballo on Election Night. Early returns showed a thin margin between the two candidates.

Former Rep. David Valadao takes slight lead in Calif rematch against Democrat TJ Cox

Fresno Bee

Former Rep. David Valadao held a slight lead on election night in his bid to unseat Rep. TJ Cox, D-Fresno, in a rematch of their 2018 race.

Will Fresno County voters support school improvements? Here’s how 3 bond measures are faring

Fresno Bee

With nearly half of ballots counted Tuesday night, most Fresno, Clovis, and Sanger voters favored approving school bond measures.

● Turlock Unified school board races tight as early results released Turlock Journal

Clovis City Council Votes to Pass District-Based Elections and New Flag Design

Clovis Roundup

With all councilmembers in attendance, the Clovis City Council held the first meeting of the month on Monday, Nov. 2. Several items were discussed and voted on during the meeting including the consideration of district-based elections and the design of a city flag.

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.

Monez, Franco lead Turlock City Council races

Turlock Journal

Early election results point to a historic first female majority on the Turlock City Council and support for a city sales tax measure.

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.

Coronavirus update, Nov. 3: Calif won’t release critical report on Election Day

Fresno Bee

Due to Tuesday’s presidential election, state health officials won’t release an update on Fresno County’s progress on curbing coronavirus infections per Calif’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, according to a statement released Tuesday morning.

Horowitz says he was harassed over cannabis permit views

Porterville Recorder

David Horowitz, owner of Horowitz Jewelers and an outspoken critic over the process in which cannabis dispensary permits will be awarded, said he was harassed on Saturday for his views.

South SJ Valley:

Challenger Trujillo wins Arvin mayoral race

KGET
Olivia Trujillo has won the Arvin mayoral race against Jose Gurrola. With all precincts reporting, Trujillo garnered 58.3 % of the vote, or 716 votes, while Gurrola earned 509, or 41.4 %. Gurrola was elected mayor in 2012. Trujillo served on the Arvin City Council since 2018.

State:

Gov. Newsom overstepped his power with executive order on election, Calif judge says

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom overstepped his executive authority when he issued an executive order in June specifying how counties should carry out a mostly vote-by-mail election, a Sutter County judge said in a preliminary decision on Monday.

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.

Calif’s progressive — and expensive — health care ambitions rely on Biden win

Visalia Times Delta

For deep blue Calif, where first-in-the-nation health care proposals regularly flood the Democratic agenda, there could not be more at stake in the presidential race.

Eight Calif mayors sign off on letter asking Gov. Newsom for reopening of theme parks

abc30

Calif Mayors in eight cities, including Fresno, Anaheim, LA, San Jose, Bakersfield, Riverside, Santa Ana and San Diego are pushing Gov. Gavin Newsom to consider allowing larger theme parks to reopen sooner than state guidelines allow.

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:

Justice Barrett Joins Supreme Court Arguments For The First Time

VPR

New Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett heard her first oral arguments at the Supreme Court on Monday. Participating by phone with the other justices, she asked questions in turn in a set of cases that presented procedural questions but no headlines.

Presidential Election:

Trump, Biden locked in closer race than expected. What to take away from the results so far.

Fresno Bee

A tumultuous night of vote counting yielded no definitive result between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, with both candidates locked in razor-thin races in a slate of battleground states that were expected to continue tallying votes into Wednesday and possibly beyond.

● Trump can win the election despite his lagging poll numbers, experts say McClatchy

● Trump, Biden Locked in Close Election Contest WSJ

● When Elections Are Transformative WSJ

● Where votes are still being counted Wash Post

● Tight American election transfixes world, fuels fears over U.S. democracy Wash Post

● Race for White House appears to be coming down to 'blue wall' The Hill

Don’t be surprised or alarmed if presidential election is not decided Tuesday night

Fresno Bee

People across the U.S. should be prepared to not know the winner of the presidential election Tuesday night, and perhaps for days after — a likely scenario that may stoke partisan tensions but does not necessarily signal breakdowns in democratic systems.

● When will we know the winner of the 2020 presidential election? These are the 3 likely scenarios abc30

● Election Night Viewer's Guide: Why You May Need To Be Patient VPR

● Here’s what we’ll know — and what we won’t — on election night in Calif Modesto Bee

● Now, More Than Ever, Election Week Is a Time for Patience WSJ

● How Trump or Biden could win, mapped Wash Post

Trump falsely claims ‘we have already won’ election and threatens to go to the Supreme Court

LA Times

President Trump delivered a hazy claim of victory early Wednesday morning over Democrat Joe Biden even as millions of votes remained to be counted, calling on the Supreme Court to “stop a major fraud on our nation” and hand him the presidential election.

● Trump has attacked democracy’s institutions, but never so blatantly as he did overnight Wash Post

● Confusion and conflict stir online after Trump’s premature claim of victory Wash Post

● Trump falsely and prematurely claims 2020 presidential victory PolitiFact

● Opinion: Win or lose, Trump has once again left the elites flabbergasted Wash Post

Amid high anxiety, voting systems proved resilient

LA Times

In an election unlike any other, the most remarkable thing may have been how unremarkable voting was. Fears that militias would block entrances to polling places or armed, self-deputized poll watchers would intimidate voters did not materialize.

● Live Updates: Stanislaus Election Day went smoothly, even with high voter turnout Modesto Bee

● Trump or Biden? Big turnout, few hiccups as voters choose Bakersfield Califn

● All things considered, it’s been a relatively peaceful day of voting (so far) LA Times

● What you should know about how and when Calif counts ballots LA Times

● GOP Lawsuit in Pennsylvania Questions Validity of Some Mail-In Ballots WSJ

● How Coronavirus Changed Election 2020 Voting and Polling Stations WSJ

● We still don’t know much about this election — except that the media and pollsters blew it again Wash Post

● Lots of States Start Ballot Counting Process Early This Year Pew Trusts

A few glitches, but election day has generally gone smoothly in Calif

LA Times

Despite a few hiccups, Calif has largely breezed through election day with brisk lines, peppy poll workers and rave reviews from voters, many of whom are calling it “the best voting experience” of their lives.

Joe Biden wins Calif, heads toward historic margin in the state

Sac Bee

Former Vice President Joe Biden has won the state of Calif. The Associated Press made the call almost immediately after polls closed on Tuesday. Preliminary results showed the Democratic candidate leading 66% to 32%.

Mail-in ballots flagged for rejection hit 21,000; Black, Latino voters rejected at higher rate

LA Times

In Nevada, about 4,000 votes cast by mail so far won’t be counted unless voters can explain discrepancies between their ballot signatures and registration forms.

See also:

● Barriers to the Ballot Box Pew Trusts

2020 presidential election had highest turnout rate in 120 years

The Hill

Preliminary estimates indicate the 2020 presidential election had the highest turnout rate since 1900, according to the United States Elections Project.

How Do the Electoral College Votes Work?

WSJ

The Electoral College is an anomaly in the American voting system. In almost every case, voters directly elect a candidate such as a governor or U.S. senator. But in a presidential election, voters are selecting delegates, or electors, to the Electoral College.

Calif Propositions:

Where the dozen Calif ballot measures stand so far on election night

Fresno Bee

Calif voters faced 12 ballot measures in the general election on a range of issues, from property taxes to the gig economy and cash bail.

See also:

● What propositions in Calif are passing, failing? Visalia Times Delta

● Here’s what happened in Calif’s election while you were sleeping Sac Bee

● Calif props and hot races results: What we know and don’t know CalMatters

● Election could move Calif further left on taxes, race Business Journal

Uber, Lyft win approval of Calif gig worker measure

Sac Bee

With the initiative’s passage, drivers will be independent contractors, while getting some of the benefits given to employees – including payments toward their health insurance if they drive a certain number of hours in a week.

See also:

● Uber, Lyft prevail to keep Calif workers independent Bakersfield Califn

● Uber and Lyft Drivers in Calif Will Remain Independent NY Times

● Calif Proposition 22 Election Results: Define App-Based Drivers as Contractors

Calif gives the right to vote to former felons

Sac Bee

Calif will expand voting rights to nearly 50,000 parolees following a large victory for Proposition 17. The ballot measure, which would restore the right to vote for people who have completed their prison sentence, passed.

● Calif passes measure allowing felons on parole to vote Bakersfield Califn

Calif rent control initiative fails with voters rejecting Prop. 21

Sac Bee

Calif rent control initiative Proposition 21 failed Tuesday, with 59.3% of the 10.1 million votes recorded rejecting the measure before the Associated Press called the race around 10:45 p.m.

See also:

● Calif voters reject measure to expand rent control Bakersfield Califn

Tax hike for business too close to call as Calif counts its votes

Sac Bee

A major tax hike for Calif businesses hung in the balance Tuesday as voters considered an effort to raise money by overhauling the state’s property tax system. The measure trailed narrowly in Tuesday returns, with 51% opposed and 49% supporting.

Election Day and Calif’s Future

PPIC

In a year of unprecedented crises, the most important issues on Califns’ minds include COVID-19, the economy, global warming, housing affordability, homelessness, and wildfires, according to the October PPIC survey.

Commentary: Unions Struggle with Ballot Measures

Fox & Hounds

Public and private sector unions are strong political forces in Calif. While they may have once again supported candidates to their liking up and down the ballot, as this is written they have not been as successful wielding their influence on voters through ballot measures.

Federal Elections:

GOP pins hopes on 4 Calif congressional district seats

LA Times

As the results continue to roll in, Republicans remain locked in tight races for four key Calif congressional seats lost to Democrats in 2018 as they seek to turn around their party’s diminished influence in the Golden State.

Republicans, Democrats Battle for Control of Suburbs in U.S. House Races

WSJ

House Republicans stacked up wins in the suburbs, diminishing the ability of Democrats to add to their majority in the 2020 election.

● Democrats push to extend control of House for two more years Bakersfield Califn

Republicans Win Senate Seats in Texas, Iowa; Democrats Flip Colorado, Arizona

WSJ

Republicans scored key Senate victories in Tuesday’s elections, with wins in Iowa and Alabama, while Democrats flipped two seats.

● Democrats’ path to Senate majority narrows with GOP wins Roll Call

● Congressional Democrats’ high hopes dashed as GOP clings to Senate majority, scores unexpected gains in the House Wash Post

Opinion: This Election Highlights How Divided the Nation Remains

WSJ

The precise outcome of the presidential race was undetermined late Tuesday night, but this much was clear: Any thought that the political picture would look vastly different after a year of bitter debate and national reflection, and as a result of a cathartic presidential election, seemed to be fading away.

● Opinion: Election will be meaningless if we don't change our ways Detroit Free Press

Other:

Exit polls show pandemic not the top priority for many voters as hospitals sound alarm

Wash Post

More than a dozen states shattered records for hospitalizations, and a new study showed an unprecedented surge in infections among children.

US Postal Service blows court-ordered deadline to check for missing ballots. About 300,000 can't be traced

USA Today

The U.S. Postal Service blew a court-ordered deadline Tuesday to sweep mail-processing facilities in more than a dozen states for missing election ballots that could number in the hundreds of thousands.

Opinion: The Story of Our Mad King Will Live on Well Past the Election

The Atlantic

Donald Trump will never really go away, even if he is resoundingly defeated on Tuesday. Not on November 4, not on January 20, not when he dies, not in a hundred years. He may well be what future generations remember most about our era.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Farmer Optimism Is Record High In A Pandemic Year Of Extremes

Successful Farming

Farmer confidence is the highest in the five-year history of the Ag Economy Barometer, said Purdue University on Tuesday.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Catholic church accuses Fresno-area priest of violence, gang ties, court documents show

Fresno Bee

A restraining order filed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno accuses a Selma priest of physical abuse, street-gang ties, and marijuana use.

Election 2020: Cities And Businesses Prepare For Post-Election Unrest, Violence

VPR
Phil Brach spent the weekend putting huge sheets of plywood up over the massive glass windows of the Wash, D.C., store where he works, Rodman's Food and Drug, in preparation for Election Day.

Phone and email scammers have pivoted during the pandemic. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Wash Post

If there has been any upside to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s that robocalls practically stopped for a time. Unfortunately, the ringing has returned.

Opinion: Calif must take these two steps to better combat labor trafficking

CalMatters

The Little Hoover Commission calls on Calif to improve efforts to prosecute labor traffickers and prioritize victim services.

Editorial: The state Supreme Court should take this chance to end Calif’s death penalty

LA Times

In Calif, every death sentence handed down gets an automatic appeal to the state Supreme Court, one of many steps intended to ensure that justice has been reached and that the innocent have not been wrongfully convicted and even that the guilty have been treated fairly.

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.

Fire:

Creek Fire update: Here’s what firefighters are up against, how to get help

Fresno Bee

With containment at 70% and active fire activity reduced, teams battling the Creek Fire on Tuesday planned to focus on repairing the damages made by the fireline.

Please don't burn wood at home, air officials beseech residents in 'worst wildfire season'

Bakersfield Califn

It's been a tough time for local air quality, thanks to lung-choking smoke drifting into the valley from wildfires up and down the state. Valley air officials are asking Bakersfield-area residents to refrain from adding to the problem by burning their own wood fires in hearth and home.

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 to $25,000 each this month.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Stanislaus County downtown business program doubles customers’ spending dollars

Turlock Journal

A downtown business program that started in Modesto and pays customers for shopping local has been expanded to include Turlock and all cities in Stanislaus County.

Stocks rally again worldwide as election day arrives

LA Times

Stocks powered higher Tuesday after a bruising U.S. presidential campaign that sent markets spinning because of the uncertainty it sowed finally reached its end.

Jobs:

Calif offered a lifeline when their hours were cut — then payments froze

CalMatters

Delays at the Employment Development Department’s Work Sharing layoff-prevention program have left some struggling workers out thousands of dollars. Economists say that fixing the problems fast could help ease the state’s jobs crisis.

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino hiring about 80 workers. Here’s how to apply

Fresno Bee

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino is hosting a job fair Thursday, looking to hire 80 part-time and full-time positions.

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.

EDUCATION

K-12:

If Fresno-area COVID-19 cases spike again, these local schools could still reopen classrooms

Fresno Bee

Fresno County has remained in the red-tier according to Calif’s color-coded Blueprint for a Safer Economy, meaning schools can start to re-open.

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.

New technology helps Merced Union High School District return to in-person learning

abc30

Thousands of students returned to campuses across the Merced Union High School District on Monday for their first day of in-person learning since mid-March.

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. Still, some teachers and legislators say large scale surveillance testing is necessary to the rest of the state’s schools.

Leading school superintendents ask Gov. Newsom to impose a ‘common standard’ for reopening schools in Calif

EdSource

Seven urban Calif school districts, including the state’s four largest, have called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to adopt and pay for more stringent, uniform health and safety requirements they say should be in place before bringing students back to school during the pandemic.

Higher Ed:

With Presidency Uncertain, an Anxious Higher Ed Braces for What’s Next

Chronicle of Higher Education

Will colleges have another four years of jousting with Trump, or a return to the Obama-era policies Biden embraced as vice president?

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.

2020 election will shape global warming as U.S. exit from Paris climate pact looms

LA Times

What happens on election day will, to some degree, determine how much hotter and nastier the world’s climate is likely to get, experts say.

Federal agencies fall short of Trump forest protection goals

Business Journal

They treated a combined 6,736 square miles (17,446 square kilometers) — just over half of the 13,203 square miles (34,196 square kilometers) the president sought, according to government data.

Energy:

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:

Kern Public Health reports 1 new coronavirus death, 113 new cases Tuesday

Bakersfield Califn

Kern County Public Health Services announced one new coronavirus death and 113 new confirmed cases Tuesday morning. That brings Kern's total deaths since the pandemic began to 425, and there have been 34,676 cases.

Virus hospitalizations surge as pandemic shadows US election

Bakersfield Califn

Americans went to the polls Tuesday under the shadow of a resurging pandemic, with an alarming increase in cases nationwide and the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 reaching record highs in a growing number of states.

11 dead as Calif senior facility fights second coronavirus outbreak since July

Fresno Bee

A skilled nursing facility in Northern Calif has been ravaged by two separate coronavirus outbreaks, with at least 11 residents dead and dozens still sick.

● Virus hospitalizations surge as pandemic shadows US elections Business Journal

Human Services:

The fight that jeopardized top care at Fresno hospital appears to end. What we know

Fresno Bee

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.

Will Americans trust a COVID-19 vaccine? Not if politicians tell them to.

Brookings

And now, as with all aspects of COVID-19, politics has crept into the vaccine conversation in ways that threaten to derail public confidence in a potential treatment key to halting the pandemic. Without trust in the efficacy of a vaccine, it is far less likely that society will reach herd immunity through vaccination.

Minority US contact tracers build trust in diverse cities

Business Journal

When a contact tracer called the Iraqi woman to say her 18-year-old daughter tested positive for the coronavirus and could quarantine for free in a hotel, the woman panicked — recalling the family’s terror of risking separation forever during their flight from Baghdad after a bomb killed her brother.

IMMIGRATION

US judge blocks Pres. Donald Trump's immigration rule on public benefits

abc30

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.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Calif State Parks Announces Recommendations for $5.6 Million in Local Recreational Trail Projects

Sierra Sun Times

Calif State Parks announced recommendations for $5.6 million in funding for eight local non-motorized trail projects under the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

Housing:

Housing project for homeless women, children slated for Panorama bluffs draws opposition from neighbors

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

Pension perk for Calif telemedicine doctors is improper and costly, audit says

Fresno Bee

Recently the state has been offering pension benefits to a set of psychiatrists who never have to step into a prison or a state hospital to meet their patients, according to a Calif State Auditor report published Thursday.

See the numbers: Calif state worker union membership dips amid pandemic

Fresno Bee

Membership rates for Calif state unions have dropped slightly amid the pandemic, according to an analysis by The Sac Bee of State Controller’s Office data.

TRANSPORTATION

COVID-19 travel: Which countries can Americans visit?

LA Times

Dozens of countries in Europe and Asia remain off-limits for American travelers as the world continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic. Other countries do remain open, with and without quarantine, to Americans who can meet certain conditions.

WATER

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. Let’s face it, our climate is changing rapidly and becoming more unpredictable – wildfires are larger and more frequent, the seas are rising, droughts are lasting longer and storms are fiercer.

“Xtra”

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.