POLICY & POLITICS
Where To Find The Latest San Joaquin Valley Election Results
VPR
While voting has ended, the tabulation of ballots continues through the end of this month. County election clerks have until December 4 to send results to the Secretary of State, which means in some particularly close races, a winner may not be obvious for a few weeks.
North SJ Valley:
Coronavirus cases again exceed key threshold for Stanislaus
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County added 75 new cases Wednesday, nearly twice the level needed to stave off tighter restrictions. The number should average 40 if the county is to avoid moving back into the purple tier in the state ranking system.
See also:
● Coronavirus update: Daily case total returns to desired range in Stanislaus Modesto Bee
Want free money? $1 million in COVID-19 relief funds to help Stanislaus businesses
Modesto Bee
A massive injection of taxpayer-supported COVID-19 relief money is going into a program designed to help area restaurants and other retailers struggling during the pandemic.
Merced County vote count continues, as some races hang in the balance
Merced Sun-Star
As of Thursday morning, many Merced County races still remained too close to call. The Registrar of Voters on Wednesday said it still had thousands of votes to count, thus the outcome of some races could still change
Stanislaus County elections office getting ready to count 75,000 additional ballots
Modesto Bee
Some local elections have not been decided yet, as the Stanislaus County elections office still has more than 73,000 mail ballots to process and count.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID-19 update: Tulare County further away (again) from red tier
Porterville Recorder
After it looked like Tulare County may be moving back toward the red tier again earlier in the week, the county moved further away from removing itself from the purple tier on Thursday.
Fresno County Board of Supervisors forced to quarantine after positive COVID-19 test
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors and its staff were told to quarantine after someone at the downtown administrative building tested positive for coronavirus.
There still are thousands of ballots to count in Fresno County. These races could change
Fresno Bee
Close to 90,000 ballots still remain to be counted in Fresno County, leaving several central San Joaquin Valley races too close to call.
Fresno awards alcohol license, despite policy to decrease liquor stores. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council policy to reduce liquor stores in already saturated areas got its first test Thursday as the council approved a new license.
Fresno County adds nearly 100 new coronavirus cases. Valley counties not far behind
Fresno Bee
The California Department of Public Health on Thursday reported that Fresno County added 96 new COVID-19 cases.
See also:
● Coronavirus update: As cases increase, can Fresno move closer to more reopenings? Fresno Bee
South SJ Valley:
Former BPD Chief Martin concluding role as DA bureau of investigations chief
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer announced that Lyle Martin, district attorney bureau of investigations chief, will conclude his role with the DA’s office and a new chief will assume Martin’s responsibilities next week.
Planning Commission approves housing project for homeless women near Panama bluffs
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the Casa Esperanza Transitional Home for Women & Children on Thursday night.
State:
California forbids insurance carriers from leaving fire-prone communities for 1 more year
Fresno Bee
The state insurance commissioner on Thursday issued an order forbidding insurance companies from canceling or declining to renew property insurance policies for one year in communities hit by wildfires.
See also:
● California protects homeowners from having fire insurance dropped — again CalMatters
Second Input Session on State Broadband Action Plan Taps Community-Based Concerns
CAFwd
A new plan being formulated to address California’s broadband crisis was the centerpiece of a second virtual listening session hosted by California Forward on Thursday, October 29.
Federal:
McConnell Says Congress Should Pass Economic Relief Bill This Year
Wall Street Journal
Congress should pass a new economic-relief package this year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday, as prospects for Democrats’ multi trillion-dollar stimulus bill faded along with their chances for full control of the government.
See also:
● Coronavirus relief bill, omnibus spending on tap, McConnell says Roll Call
● Democrats’ ambitious agenda for 2021 runs into unexpected obstacle — McConnell’s resilience Washington Post
Pelosi announces big expansion of Covid testing for lawmakers
Politico
House Democratic leaders will dramatically expand Covid testing for lawmakers as the coronavirus pandemic enters its possibly deadliest phase this fall.
Barrett asks about precedent in case involving LGBTQ discrimination and religious rights
American Bar Association Journal
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked questions that appeared to favor both sides during oral arguments Wednesday in a case involving LGBTQ discrimination and religious liberty.
Judge Orders SBA to Release Names of All PPP Borrowers, Precise Loan Amounts
Wall Street Journal
The Small Business Administration must release detailed information for all Paycheck Protection Program loans, including names of borrowers and precise loan amounts, a federal judge ruled Thursday.
Presidential Election:
When will we know election results for Pennsylvania? Here’s where things stand
Fresno Bee
The outcome of the presidential election remains up in the air Thursday afternoon, and all eyes are on the few states yet to be called — including Pennsylvania.
See also:
● 2020 Presidential Election Results: Live updates as Trump, Biden race to 270 electoral votes abc30
● 2020 Nevada election results by county, NV electoral college votes abc30
● 2020 Election: Why is it taking so long to count votes? The answer is simple abc30
● An electoral tie? What happens if Donald Trump and Joe Biden both get 269 electoral votes abc30
● Explaining Race Calls: Presidential race too early to call Bakersfield Californian
● Biden moves closer to victory, as Trump camp responds defiantly Los Angeles
● Joe Biden Makes Gains in Pennsylvania, Georgia as Election Vote Count Continues Wall Street Journal
USPS processed 150,000 ballots after Election Day, jeopardizing thousands of votes
Washington Post
More than 150,000 ballots were caught in U.S. Postal Service processing facilities and not delivered by Election Day, agency data shows, including more than 12,000 in five of the states that have yet to be called for either President Trump or challenger Joe Biden.
See also:
● Postal Service ignores judge's time frame to sweep mail facilities for remaining ballots American Bar Association Journal
● U.S. Postal Service says 1,700 ballots found in Pennsylvania facilities Reuters
● Postal Service Is Ordered by Judge to Search for Remaining Ballots Wall Street Journal
2020 election legal action: Judges dismiss Trump claims in Georgia, Michigan
abc30
Judges in Georgia and Michigan quickly dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits Thursday, undercutting a campaign legal strategy to attack the integrity of the voting process in states where the result could mean President Donald Trump's defeat.
See also:
● Trump Launches Broad Legal Gambit Paired With Moves To Raise Public Doubts On Results VPR
● Trump’s narrowly focused election suits unlikely to make anydifference Roll Call
● Opinion: 2020’s Biggest Election Losers Wall Street Journal
● Trump campaign brings legal challenges in several battleground states with success in 1 suit American Bar Association Journal
● Election 2020: Trump’s Lawsuits Are Getting Mixed Results Wall Street Journal
Biden urges calm, Trump falsely claims election stolen as Democrat moves closer to victory
Los Angeles
The presidential race dragged on Thursday as Joe Biden hoped to clinch the White House by winning just one more state, and Democrats expressed confidence that will be vote-rich Pennsylvania, the state of his birth.
See also:
● In Torrent of Falsehoods, Trump Claims Election Is Being Stolen New York Times
● No, California Is Not Sending Mail-In Ballots “To Anyone In The State,” As Trump Falsely Claimed PolitiFact
● Opinion: The Covid-19 Election Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Dear Trump, Enough Is Enough U.S. News
Washington Post
Although some of the events say the goal is to be peaceful, some of the commentary that spilled forth in the “STOP THE STEAL” group veered into planning for armed conflict.
See also:
● Facebook Imposes Limits on Election Content, Bans ‘Stop the Steal’ Group Wall Street Journal
● 'Count Every Vote!' Large Postelection Protests Seen In Several U.S. Cities VPR
● As America waits, demonstrators demand to count (or stop counting) the votes Los Angeles
● No, President Trump, ‘ballot dumps’ in key states were not a magical surprise PolitiFact
How Latino voters helped, and hurt, Trump
Roll Call
As voting totals continued to trickle in Wednesday, one result became crystal clear: Latinos are not a single electorate.
Latino voters tired of being taken for granted by baffled Democratic campaigns
Los Angeles
Why didn’t more Latinos vote for Biden and why did so many, relatively speaking, vote for Donald Trump, a president with a history of denigrating Mexicans and other immigrants and for being callous toward fellow Americans in a hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico?
Once counting ends, questions about polling need to be answered
Roll Call
Based on everything else that has happened this year, it is fitting that the fights for the White House and Senate continue on past Election Day.
Local Elections:
There still are thousands of ballots to count in Fresno County. These races could change
Fresno Bee
Close to 90,000 ballots still remain to be counted in Fresno County, leaving several central San Joaquin Valley races too close to call.
Merced County vote count continues, as some races hang in the balance
Merced Sun-Star
As of Thursday morning, many Merced County races still remained too close to call. The Registrar of Voters on Wednesday said it still had thousands of votes to count, thus the outcome of some races could still change
Where To Find The Latest San Joaquin Valley Election Results
VPR
While voting has ended, the tabulation of ballots continues through the end of this month. County election clerks have until December 4 to send results to the Secretary of State, which means in some particularly close races, a winner may not be obvious for a few weeks.
Stanislaus County elections office getting ready to count 75,000 additional ballots
Modesto Bee
Some local elections have not been decided yet, as the Stanislaus County elections office still has more than 73,000 mail ballots to process and count.
California Propositions:
What We Know About California Proposition Results
Capital Public Radio
Early results are in for California’s 12 state ballot measures. They are based on approximately 12 million votes counted as of 6:40 a.m. Thursday of the 15 million to 16 million total ballots that are expected to be counted altogether, according to projections from Political Data Inc.
Voters help big business override California lawmakers
CalMatters
Asking voters to repeal or overhaul a law passed by the Democratic-controlled Legislature is becoming a common strategy for corporations financially threatened by progressive policies coming out of Sacramento.
California voters killed Legislature’s more liberal ideas — and gave Democrats a reality check
Fresno Bee
California’s state Capitol is home to some of the most liberal lawmakers in America. But Election Day issued a reality check to the Democratic supermajority in the Capitol, where Republicans are outnumbered four to one.
See also:
● Opinion: California: Not as Crazy as We Thought? National Review
● California proves it’s not as liberal as you think Politico
What California’s new gig worker initiative means for Uber, Lyft drivers — and your fares
Sacramento Bee
Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart bet $206 million that voters would let them out of a new state labor law requiring them to pay drivers more in wages and benefits. The wager paid off spectacularly on Tuesday, Nov. 3, when voters approved Prop. 22.
See also:
● After gig companies’ Prop. 22 win, labor groups vow challenges CalMatters
● Prop. 22 battle reaches fever pitch CalMatters
What the failure of Prop. 25 means for racial justice in California
CalMatters
California voters rejected the Legislature’s decision to end cash bail. While it doesn’t mean the end of criminal justice reform, it does signal more work ahead.
Prepared for the worst, California’s election went OK
CalMatters
Businesses that boarded up windows because they feared looting and rioting instead mostly saw calm. Poll workers were trained in how to handle voters who showed up without masks, but were mostly met with people who wore their masks and socially distanced.
Federal Elections:
Questions for Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Democrats underperform in House races
San Francisco Chronicle
Democrats were expected to maintain their House majority after Tuesday’s election — but the surprising loss of several front-line Democrats in battleground seats raised questions for Speaker Nancy Pelosi about her leadership of the caucus.
See also:
● Pelosi Faces Lawmakers Frustrated Over Loss of House Seats Wall Street Journal
● Democrats’ Blue Wave That Never Came U.S. News
● Opinion: A Democratic Flop in the States Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: America Chooses Divided Government Wall Street Journal
Republicans Fend off Democrats in Statehouse Fights
PEW
Democrats failed to break the GOP’s grip on state legislatures Tuesday, bolstering conservative policy priorities and giving Republicans increased power leading into the crucial redistricting process in 2021.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
KHSD now offers a weekend's worth of meals to children on Fridays
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern High School District announced that starting Friday, its meal distribution program will begin offering an additional two days' worth of meals for the weekend every Friday.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Sentenced to prison, stuck in jail: CDCR starts clearing backlog blamed for violent crime surge
abc30
The backlog of sentenced inmates is one of the reasons often cited for overcrowding, forcing the local zero-dollar bail policy, and blamed for an uptick in local violence.
No criminal charges filed after hundreds of Madera child abuse reports were discarded
Fresno Bee
Madera County prosecutors won’t file criminal charges against a former social worker accused of intentionally discarding hundreds of child abuse reports.
Experts: It’s a Mayor’s Policies, Not Politics, That Influence Crime Rates
U.S. News
President Donald Trump's claims tying a crime spike in cities to Democratic leadership have become commonplace during the election season.
Opinion: Crime issue isn’t what it used to be in California
Visalia Times Delta
Once upon a time, only three decades ago, crime and punishment were a powerful political message in California. No more. Results of the November election indicate that voters are looking for different avenues to deal with crime and punishment issues.
Public Safety:
California goes big on criminal justice reform, setting a more progressive path
Los Angeles
California voters expressed a clear appetite for criminal justice reform on election night, supporting a series of ambitious changes after a summer of mass protests sparked a painful reckoning around racial injustice and debate over the role of policing.
See also:
● No return to lock ’em up — California voters stick with less punitive justice CalMatters
Fire:
Creek Fire update: Snow and rain are coming. Why firefighters are worried
Fresno Bee
Fire managers on the Creek Fire prepared for strong winds on Thursday night that, coupled with critically dry fuels, could worsen the ongoing fire.
Sequoia Complex: Snow showers could help firefighters; first sizeable storm could be Sunday
Porterville Recorder
Fire personnel working the nightshift continue to monitor the southern edge of the Sequoia Complex for smoke and heat. The monitoring is being done around the Ponderosa, Camp Nelson, Belknap, Alpine Village and Redwood areas.
California protects homeowners from having fire insurance dropped — again
CalMatters
The state extends temporary protection from insurance cancellations to 2.1 million Californians living in wildfire-prone regions, but long-term solutions to stabilize the market remain elusive.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Stocks rally again as investors look past election uncertainty
Los Angeles
Stocks rallied again on Wall Street as a post-election wave of buying continued, keeping the Standard & Poor’s 500 index on track for its biggest weekly gain since April.
Bankruptcy filings decreased by 21% in the past year, but trouble might lie ahead
American Bar Association Journal
Bankruptcy filings decreased by 21.1% in the year ending Sept. 30, largely driven by a decrease in nonbusiness bankruptcies.
Fed Says Virus Poses Considerable Risks, Maintains Low-Rate Pledges
Wall Street Journal
The Federal Reserve said the coronavirus pandemic poses considerable risks for the U.S. economy despite recent gains, and officials made no changes on Thursday to their commitment to provide sustained stimulus.
Commentary: Red state recovery, blue state recession
AEI
A review of current state unemployment rates reveals a stark partisan divide between the states with the highest and lowest unemployment rates.
Jobs:
China Peak holding job fair in Fresno to hire seasonal workers
abc30
China Peak Mountain Resort is looking to hire dozens of workers to help them prepare for the upcoming ski season. Interested applicants can attend a job fair at Sequoia Brewing in northeast Fresno on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, from 9 am to 4 pm.
Economy added 638,000 jobs in October as growth slows
Washington Post
The U.S. economy added 638,000 jobs in October, the latest sign that the economic recovery has slowed, compared with earlier in the summer amid rising coronavirus cases that continue to weigh on the recovery.
See also:
● Unemployment Data Update: March through November 5, 2020 California Center for Jobs & The Economy
● Drop in Jobless Rate Shows Healing U.S. Labor Market Wall Street Journal
● Tracking the mounting challenges among those who have lost their jobs Brookings
EDUCATION
K-12:
Teachers in Placer County school district file lawsuit, grievance over COVID safety concerns
Sacramento Bee
The Rocklin teachers union filed a lawsuit and a class-action grievance with the Public Employment Relations Board against the RUSD for what they claim is a change of policy on how the district handles students and staff who may have COVID-19 symptoms.
More KHSD students to return to campuses Monday
Bakersfield Californian
Kern High School District administrators presented more details about the district’s plan to bring students onto campuses for in-person learning over the next month.
Opinion: Prioritizing the needs of our Dual Language Learners in the time of COVID-19
CalMatters
California’s Dual Language Learners are at particular risk of falling behind. But, this is not inevitable if we take action now.
Commentary: Election results raise questions about education’s racial narrative
AEI
While writing about the topic of “anti-racist” education over the past six months, I’ve readily noted that its champions are pointing out some real problems that need to be addressed.
Higher Ed:
Inside Higher Ed
Relatively few colleges have released guidance for student travel over Thanksgiving, even though the COVID-19 pandemic is surging nationwide and the holiday is less than four weeks away.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Expected snow closes roads in Yosemite. When will first winter storm hit the Valley?
Fresno Bee
The National Weather Service said Central California would have one last day of unseasonably warm weather before a trough of low pressure brings the year’s first winter storm through the area.
Science group issues valley-focused advice on climate change
Bakersfield Californian
The SJV has received a specially addressed message from the Union of Concerned Scientists about what it thinks people across the region should be doing about looming water shortages, worsening air quality and generally more volatile weather in the years ahead.
Newsom can put his stamp on California's world-leading air board
Politico
Newsom has an opportunity to put his stamp on the Golden State's pioneering environmental policies by appointing the influential chair of California's leading policymaking body on climate change and air pollution.
Energy:
Natural-Gas Drillers Outshine Oil Peers as Covid-19 Surges
Wall Street Journal
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: 2 new coronavirus deaths, 194 cases reported Thursday
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County Public Health Services announced two new coronavirus cases and 194 new confirmed cases Thursday morning. That brings Kern's total deaths to 428 and total cases to 34,973 since reporting on the virus began in mid-March.
See also:
● US sets record for cases amid election battle over virus Fresno Bee
● U.S. Sets Coronavirus Record With Daily New Cases Pushing Past 100,000 VPR
● Fresno County adds nearly 100 new coronavirus cases. Valley counties not far behind Fresno Bee
How long do COVID antibodies last? This study says they disappear after about 4 months
Fresno Bee
A new U.K. study of more than 3,000 health care workers says that coronavirus antibodies decline by half in just under three months and disappear after about four and a half.
Clots, Strokes And Rashes. Is COVID-19 A Disease Of The Blood Vessels?
VPR
Whether it's strange rashes on the toes or blood clots in the brain, the widespread ravages of COVID-19 have increasingly led researchers to focus on how the novel coronavirus sabotages the body's blood vessels.
Human Services:
Dignity Health offering additional free flu vaccine drive-thru clinics
Bakersfield Californian
Dignity Health Mercy & Memorial Hospitals will be hosting additional free drive-thru flu vaccine clinics throughout Kern County in the coming weeks.
Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force will host additional testing sites
Bakersfield Now
The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force, Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Kern County Public Health are holding additional free COVID-19 testing sites as it continues to work toward increasing Kern County’s testing numbers.
Covid-19 Vaccine Safety Efforts to Feature App Tracking of Vulnerable Groups
Wall Street Journal
Government health officials and drugmakers plan to roll out extra tools to detect whether Covid-19 vaccines cause any serious side effects once the shots are cleared for widespread use.
IMMIGRATION
Trump immigration rule takes effect again during appeal
AP News
A federal appeals court has allowed a Trump administration rule that would deny green cards to immigrants who use public benefits like food stamps to go back into effect while it considers the case.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
State Parks Announces Recommendations for $5.6 Million in Local Recreational Trail Projects
California Department of Parks and Recreation
California 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:
Residents Feared Low-Income Housing Would Ruin Their Suburb. It Didn’t.
New York Times
President Trump told suburban voters that affordable housing would hurt property values and increase crime. The story of one Wisconsin community challenges those assumptions.
Planning Commission approves housing project for homeless women near Panama bluffs
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the Casa Esperanza Transitional Home for Women & Children on Thursday night.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Massive Federal Stimulus Fueled Personal Incomes in States in the Second Quarter
U.S. News
Personal Income Soared in every state in the second quarter, driven by nearly $2.5 trillion in federal assistance designed to blunt the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
How U.S. states tax wage income may be forever changed by remote work
CNBC
The Covid-19 remote work shift could lead to successful legal and legislative challenges against states which have relied on out-of-state workers for income tax payments.
TRANSPORTATION
How Electric Buses Are Hailing the Future of City Transport
Bloomberg
Across the world, cities are looking to early adopters such as Santiago as they seek to slash carbon emissions and cut air pollution by switching to electric buses.
WATER
Repairs set to begin on local portion of Friant-Kern
Porterville Recorder
After years of efforts to provide needed repairs of the Friant-Kern Canal, the first stage of those repairs is on the verge of finally happening. And the repairs will be done to the canal in Southeastern Tulare County.
“Xtra”
Downtown Fresno parking lot turning into pop-up drive-in movie theater this weekend
abc30
A new pop-up drive-in movie theater in downtown Fresno is opening this weekend with a bit of a modern twist, including a DJ and food trucks. The owners of Barb's Soul Food are behind the event, leasing a downtown parking lot between the Crest Theatre and Chukchansi Park.