Maddy Institute – November 9, 2020

09Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

Looking Back On The 2020 Election And Its Impact On The San Joaquin Valley

VPR
Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock speaks with Jim Boren, Amanda Renteria, and Clint Olivier about how California voters decided some key issues, and how political divisiveness is affecting local politics.

North SJ Valley:

Turlockers vote in new Council members, sales tax

Turlock Journal

Along with two new City Council members, it looks like the City of Turlock will have a new revenue stream to help fill its budget shortfalls as election results as of Friday show Measure A — a ¾ cent citywide sales tax — received enough votes to pass.

Local legislators keep seats at state, federal level

Turlock Journal

Turlock will continue to have bipartisan representation at the state and federal level following Tuesday’s election, as both of the incumbents representing Congressional District 10 and State Assembly District 12 held on to their seats.

Did Ceres elect newcomers over City Council veterans? Candidates react to early results

Modesto Bee

Even with final voting results pending, longtime Ceres City Council Member Bret Durossette said he did not expect to catch up to a substantial lead by political newcomer Javier Lopez in the race for mayor.

Rising Democratic star Michael Tubbs risks reelection defeat, thanks in part to a Stockton blog

Los Angeles Times

Stockton Mayor Tubbs, a Democratic rising star with a national reach, is trailing in a reelection bid to an upstart Republican contender — a potential upset driven in part by a local social media page that has become a kingslayer in this San Joaquin Valley city.

EDITORIAL: Stanislaus County is becoming more blue, but conservatives still pack a punch

Modesto Bee

Politically, is Stanislaus County moving to the left? We prefer Joe Biden to Donald Trump by 3 percentage points, according to returns released on Friday. That gap is a little bigger than the last presidential election.

Coronavirus update: Stanislaus County awaits tier designation as rates climb

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County recorded its highest single-day number of infections in nearly two months and its highest infection rate in recent weeks, according to data released by the state.

Central SJ Valley:

California Democrat Jim Costa in running to lead House Agriculture Committee

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s Rep. Jim Costa has thrown his hat in the ring to be the head of the House Agriculture Committee in the next Congress, a position with huge influence over federal policies affecting farmers and food supply in the U.S.

Election Update: Fresno County voters add to Valadao’s lead. Where the numbers stand

Fresno Bee

The latest Fresno County ballot count update on Friday showed David Valadao has increased his lead in the District 21 congressional race.

Warszawski: See that blue belt around California’s midsection? That’s us, Fresno County

Fresno Bee

California’s midsection, for decades a Republican stronghold in a heavily Democratic state, has changed colors. Take a look at the map showing how each of California’s 58 counties voted in the presidential election.

Latest update on Fresno-area school board races, bond measures

Fresno Bee

Several board seats in Fresno County’s largest school districts and community college district are on the ballot this election, along with million-dollar school bond measures. Ballots are still being counted, but here are the results as of 3:30 p.m. Friday.

New Faces Join CUSD Board of Trustees

Clovis RoundUp

New faces will be joining the Clovis Unified School District School Board, and some will be saying goodbye. In Area 2, the seat was up for grabs as Ginny Hovsepian, a board member since 1991, decided to retire and not run for re-election.

New Fresno city manager, ABC30 reporter will be on Dyer’s mayoral staff

Fresno Bee

Fresno Mayor-elect Jerry Dyer announced late Friday his executive staff when he assumes office in January, including a new city manager and a current ABC30 reporter as communications director.

‘It was a shock.’ Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau tests positive for coronavirus

Fresno Bee

Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau has tested positive for coronavirus, the county announced Friday morning. Brandau is following doctor’s orders to self-quarantine for 10 days and county health officials are tracing everyone who came in contact with him.

● Coronavirus update: Fresno County leaders quarantined; nearly 100 new cases reported Fresno Bee

● Warszawski: Now that Steve Brandau has COVID-19, will Fresno County supervisor stop downplaying it? Fresno Bee

32,000 cases and rising: Fresno County’s coronavirus infections climb, death toll mounts

Fresno Bee

More than 100 new coronavirus infections were reported Friday in Fresno County, and seven additional deaths were also blamed on COVID-19 by county medical officials.

● Coronavirus update: Here’s how many COVID-19 cases have been reported locally since March Fresno Bee

● Fresno County adds nearly 100 new coronavirus cases. Valley counties not far behind Fresno Bee

EDITORIAL: Fresno restaurants, closed by pandemic, still paid fees. Gov. Newsom should refund them

Fresno Bee

A recent survey by the California Restaurant Association found that only 41% of restaurants could remain open if they were limited to half their normal amount of customers — a reality brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and California’s response to it.

Fresno State receives record $46.7M for research in 2019-20

Fresno State Campus 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.

South SJ Valley:

Three weeks after denying group a contract for COVID-19 outreach, Kern's supervisors plan no action

Bakersfield Californian

Weeks after Kern County supervisors declined to approve a $1 million contract to a grassroots coalition for COVID-19 outreach in vulnerable communities, the board will meet again with no plans to publicly discuss the issue or award the money to another group.

See also:

● Kern Public Health: 189 more coronavirus cases tallied Sunday Bakersfield Californian

More than half of Kern's ballots remain uncounted

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County residents voted in droves in this week's election,but so many of the ballots cast were uncounted heading into the weekend that the outcome of many local races remained uncertain.

Price: If a former adversary tries to pass you some candy, take it

Bakersfield Californian

Can we be friends again now? No, I suppose not. Certainly not this week, and probably not anytime soon. Those more sophisticated than I — and that’s a serious chunk of the population — will insist it can never happen.

CSUB ranked No. 21 on Best Value Schools by California State University, Bakersfield

CSUB News

California State University, Bakersfield was recently ranked as No. 21 by Best Value Schools. CSUB and California State University, Lose Angeles were the only California State Universities to make this list.

State:

Who Gavin Newsom might pick for a U.S. Senate seat to replace Kamala Harris

Fresno Bee

Now that California Sen. Kamala Harris is set to become the next vice president, Gov. Gavin Newsom has a big decision to make.

● Newsom’s pick? Here’s who might fill Kamala Harris’ Senate seat CalMatters

● Newsom: Deluge of lobbying for Harris seat 'not something I'd wish on my worst enemy' Politico

● Win by Biden and Harris opens up California Senate seat Roll Call

California women smash ceilings in national politics — not so much in state politics

CalMatters

California is home to the first woman vice president-elect, Kamala Harris, and first female House speaker, Nancy Pelosi. So why does it lag on women holding power in the statehouse?

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.

Black California state employees find racial slurs written on cards on their desks

Fresno Bee

Three California state employees found racial slurs written on cards on their desks when they arrived at work Friday morning at their West Sacramento office.

California Republican’s chief of staff rebuked after sexual harassment complaint

Sacramento Bee

The chief of staff to a Republican lawmaker was reprimanded by the California Assembly speaker on Wednesday after a workplace investigation substantiated claims that the aide sent “unwelcome messages of a sexual nature and solicitations” to an unidentified person.

California JPIA shares insight on Assembly Bill 992: The Brown Act & social media

Roll Call

AB 992 clarifies what kinds of communications elected and appointed officials can have on social media and what kinds of communications on social media could violate the Brown Act.

Walters: How long will Newsom have one-man rule?

CalMatters

California has been a one-party state for the last decade, with Democratic governors and supermajorities in both legislative houses doing pretty much as they pleased without paying any attention to the relative handful of Republican legislators.

Federal:

Shortened Census Led to an Incomplete Count in Some Areas

Pew Trusts
The early end to the 2020 census has some areas complaining they needed more time to count residents in a chaotic environment of coronavirus shutdowns and storm evacuations.

Dueling coronavirus relief bill visions cloud lame-duck outlook

Roll Call

Republicans and Democrats are moving in opposite directions on another coronavirus relief package, lowering the odds of a deal this year.

See also:

● Stimulus Fight Reboots After Election Day Wall Street Journal

Biden Is Expected to Review Trump’s Trade Tariffs

Wall Street Journal

President-elect Joe Biden will inherit a U.S. trade policy characterized by tariffs on global imports—on steel and aluminum from most of the world, on wine and cheese from Europe, and on nearly three-quarters of everything the U.S. buys from China.

The Affordable Care Act returns to the Supreme Court in the shadow of a pandemic

Washington Post

When the Supreme Court hears a case Tuesday that could abolish the ACA, the stakes will be higher than ever, coming amid a historic health and economic crisis that has deprived millions of Americans of insurance and cast a neon light on health care’s importance.

See also:

● Affordable Care Act Faces Latest Test in Supreme Court Wall Street Journal

Republicans already racing to fill Trump power vacuum

Politico

President Donald Trump’s defeat has set off a flurry of activity as would-be successors start to position themselves for 2024 and a battle to lead a Trump-less Republican Party begins to take shape.

Presidential Election:

Biden claims victory, calls for ‘era of demonization in America’ to end

Los Angeles Times

Joe Biden was elected the nation’s 46th president Saturday in a stinging repudiation of Donald J. Trump, a fiercely fought victory that sparked joy and pent-up celebration in a country reeling from economic hardship, the ravages of a deadly pandemic and deep-seated racial and political animosities.

● Hope, Healing And 'Better Angels': Biden Declares Victory And Vows Unity Capital Public Radio

● Long a deep-red state, Arizona flips to Biden for first Democratic win in 24 years Los Angeles Times

● As Biden inches closer to victory, U.S. allies cautiously weigh outreach amid Trump threats Washington Post

● Biden Promises Strong Response to Covid-19 as Cases Surge Wall Street Journal

● How Biden Could Turn a Fractured Picture to His Advantage Wall Street Journal

● Biden’s Economic Challenge Rests on Sustaining Pace of Recovery Bloomberg

● Where Joe Biden Stands on Key Issues Wall Street Journal

● Election 2020: What Biden’s Win Means for Key Industries and Business Issues Wall Street Journal

● Hiltzik: Biden's path forward to save healthcare Los Angeles Times

● How Joe Biden Won the Election: Votes From Blue America With Few Gains in Trump World Wall Street Journal

● Commentary: Five thoughts on the election results AEI

● Opinion: Joe Biden’s ‘Time to Heal’ Wall Street Journal

What Joe Biden’s victory means for California in Washington

Fresno Bee

California’s relationship with the federal government appears poised to shift dramatically, a change that could mean more federal money for coronavirus response and unemployment backlogs as well as legal victories on greenhouse gas emissions.

● Who from California will President-elect Biden pick for his administration? Sacramento Bee

Biden seeks to move quickly and build out his administration

Fresno Bee

President-elect Joe Biden signaled on Sunday he plans to move quickly to build out his government, focusing first on the raging pandemic that will likely dominate the early days of his administration.

● Biden to name coronavirus transition team among first acts Fresno Bee

● President-elect Biden appoints COVID-19 task force, taking first step toward new administration Los Angeles Times

● Biden readies transition as most senior Republicans stand by Trump’s refusal to concede Los Angeles Times

● Biden Charts Course for New Administration Wall Street Journal

● A little-known Trump appointee is in charge of handing transition resources to Biden — and she isn’t budging Washington Post

● President-elect Joe Biden promotes unity, turns to business of transition abc30

● Biden-Harris Transition Announces COVID-19 Advisory Board Biden-Harris Transition

● Meet the contenders for Biden’s Cabinet Politico

● President-elect Joe Biden unveils COVID-19 task force. It includes a Trump whistleblower. USAToday

Racism, sexism and a victory. How Kamala Harris made history as Joe Biden’s vice president

Fresno Bee

Kamala Harris will become the nation’s 49th vice president, making her the first woman of color to hold the second highest office in an increasingly diverse nation.

● Harris pays tribute to Black women in 1st speech as VP-elect Bakersfield Californian

● Joy mixes with wariness as Black Americans savor the election of Biden and Harris Los Angeles Times

● A Biden win is great, but some women are even prouder to see Kamala Harris make history Los Angeles Times

● Home State Advantage: What a Vice President Kamala Harris means for California CalMatters

● Kamala Harris Makes History as First Woman and Woman of Color as Vice President New York Times

● ‘A Long Time Coming’: Black Women Celebrate Harris’s Ascension New York Times

● Column: Why Kamala Harris could become an unapologetically Black vice president Los Angeles Times

● Opinion: For women, Kamala Harris’ victory means ‘the highest offices in our country are in their reach’ Sacramento Bee

● Opinion: California Had a Curse. Kamala Harris Just Broke It. New York Times

Fresnans celebrate Biden victory on Tower District streets: ‘A new era in our democracy’

Fresno Bee

Even as the revelers celebrated, they acknowledged that the election was not the landslide for Biden that many had hoped for. More than 70 million Americans voted for Trump, more than polls had predicted in some states.

Polls underestimated Trump’s support, but not by as much as you might think

Los Angeles Times

As returns from quick-counting states like Florida and Texas flowed in Tuesday night, pollsters quickly became targets in America’s easily triggered political culture.

● Commentary: Confronting the enduring appeal of fascism Brookings

Many Republicans Back Trump on Challenges to Election Result

Wall Street Journal

As Joe Biden prepares his White House transition plans and President Trump continues to fight the election results, many Republican lawmakers are sticking with Mr. Trump for now and declining to call the Democratic winner the president-elect.

● No landslide for Biden? California Democrats dismayed by the power of Trump love Sacramento Bee

● President Trump could learn, but probably won’t, from these past concession speeches Los Angeles Times

● Trump is not conceding, and is likely to fire foes, pardon friends Los Angeles Times

● Voter fraud claims are aimed in part at keeping Trump base loyal Los Angeles Times

● GOP splits over Trump’s false election claims, unfounded fraud allegations Washington Post

● How Trump’s erratic behavior and failure on coronavirus doomed his reelection Washington Post

● AP fact check: Trump’s errant assault on election integrity PBS

● The Next 2020 Election Fight? Convincing Trump's Supporters That He Lost NPR

● No modern presidential candidate has refused to concede. Here’s why that matters. National Geographic

● Opinion: The Presidential Endgame Wall Street Journal

● Commentary: Last Hundred Days? Lawfare

Faithless electors? Safe harbor date? What to know about the electoral college

Los Angeles Times

The American voters have spoken, and in a few days we’ll know...which slate of electors each state will appoint to choose the next president. What’s that? You thought you voted for president?

Commentary: Is it time to get rid of election night?

Brookings

The art of political forecasting, the speed of vote counting and tabulating, and the enormous resources news organizations pour into covering elections have spoiled us—we’ve become accustomed to instant gratification.

California Propositions:

With Some 4 Million Ballots To Go, What Are The Odds That Big California Races Swing?

Capital Public Radio

Buried in the mountain of yet-to-be-deciphered popular will of Californians lie the fates of too-close-to-call statewide propositions and dozens of congressional and legislative races.

Why This Year’s Ballot Propositions Show California Isn’t As Progressive As Some Might Think

Capital Public Radio

No surprise — unofficial election results show California voters going for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden over President Donald Trump by a 2-to-1 margin. Democrats dominate state government, too.

Powerful, wealthy interest groups keep tight grip on California proposition system

Los Angeles Times

California voters were first empowered to govern by ballot measure in 1911. But it took almost 7 decades and the anti-tax crusade of a cantankerous, fist-shaking businessman to reveal the political strength of a direct democracy tool that has come to redefine the state’s politics.

California voters pass most school construction bonds, parcel taxes on ballot

EdSource

While voters statewide likely defeated Proposition 15, which would raise taxes on commercial property to increase funding for schools, voters in dozens of districts agreed by wide margins to raise their own taxes to support local schools.

California’s teen voters more engaged, want to make a difference

CalMatters

More California teens are registered to vote this year than in 2016, reflecting higher engagement and a determination to make a difference.

Opinion: Prop. 13 is still third rail of California politics

Daily Breeze

2020 was supposed to be the year – the year when Proposition 13’s enemies finally inflicted a near fatal wound on the iconic property tax reduction initiative adopted by voters more than 40 years ago. As of this writing it appears that they have come up short.

Federal Elections:

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 Wednesday 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 Trump or Joe Biden.

Could California make vote-by-mail for everyone permanent? Yes, at a cost

DesertSun

When Henry Brown got his ballot in the mail last month, the 74-year-old California musician didn't agonize over his decision. He filled it out and mailed it back on the same day. "It's more convenient, less stressful," he said.

See also:

● Confusion occurs over ballot tracking website Turlock Journal

● States Expanded Voting Access for the Pandemic. The Changes Might Stick. Pew Trusts

● Amid pandemic, the long decline of in-person voting on Election Day is likely to accelerate this year PEW

In past elections, U.S. trailed most developed countries in voter turnout

Pew Research
If early voting trends are any indication, a record number of Americans could vote in the 2020 presidential election. As of this writing, more than 100 million early votes have been cast by mail or in person – more than two-thirds of the total number of votes cast in 2016.

Don’t look now: The fight for the Senate continues into 2022

Roll Call

While all the votes have yet to be counted and there’s no clear winner in this year’s fight for the Senate, the battle will continue into the 2022 midterms. Similar to 2020, Republicans will start on the defensive, and Democrats are initially poised to make gains once again.

Other:

Trump’s power on Twitter, Facebook will outlive his presidency

Washington Post

President Trump will leave the White House with a massive social media following that he could use to shape the nation’s politics throughout his successor’s administration and beyond.

As the Trump era comes to an end, what happens to Big Tech?

Los Angeles Times

As the incumbent tweeted through the slow vote-tallying process that would ultimately end in his loss, Twitter had covered much of Trump’s timeline with warning labels cautioning that the president’s posts contained disputed and potentially misleading information.

Commentary: Do Democrats have an s-word problem?

AEI

If President Trump wanted the Cuban community in Florida to worry that the Biden Democrats were soft on socialism, it seems to have worked. Cuban-Americans helped the president defy the polls and win the state. And Team Biden may have seen it coming.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

California Democrat Jim Costa in running to lead House Agriculture Committee

Fresno Bee

Southwest Fresno group aims to help local youth gain interest in agriculture

abc30

A group in southwest Fresno is helping youth gain interest in agriculture while also teaching them important life lessons. The Sweet Potato Project held its latest gathering on Saturday, and dozens of teens came together to harvest more than 3,000 pounds of sweet potatoes.

On America’s Farms, Worries About Regulation, Hope for Trade Deals Under Biden

Wall Street Journal

Joe Biden’s election as president raises new questions for a U.S. farm sector whipsawed by turbulent years under President Trump.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

California’s far-left activists shocked they beat Prop. 25. What’s the future of bail now?

Sacramento Bee

Lex Steppling and his team of criminal justice activists knew they wanted to undo California’s law abolishing cash bail. They said it would merely replace one oppressive system with another, worsen racial inequities and give too much power to algorithms and judges.

Opinion: California must reduce jail and prison populations to fight COVID-19 — and racism

Fresno Bee

The court cited the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment in concluding that these conditions were “morally indefensible and constitutionally untenable.”

Gallup: Support in U.S. to legalize marijuana reaches all-time high

UPI
A record share of Americans want to see marijuana legalized in the United States, according to a Gallup survey. The new poll showed that 68% of respondents favored making the substance legal, the highest mark recorded. Last year, 66% favored legalizing pot.

Public Safety:

Madera County Sheriff's Office unveils new substation

abc30

The Madera County Sheriff's Office unveiled its brand new substation to the public on Saturday. Deputies and employees came together to celebrate the new Ranchos Substation on Berkshire and Fernwood.

ACLU: BPD appears to violate Constitution in video showing confrontation between Trump supporters, BLM

Bakersfield Californian

A video of Trump supporters threatening a group of Black Lives Matter activists in Bakersfield raised eyebrows across the country when it went viral earlier this week.

Fire:

Creek Fire update: First real rain hits Fresno area. What it means for firefighters

Fresno Bee

Fresno and the Valley awoke Saturday morning to the first significant rain since April. Rain hit Fresno around 7 a.m. and was centered over the western side of the Valley, moving to the southeast, according to National Weather Service meteorologist David Spector.

California forbids insurance carriers from leaving fire-prone communities for 1 more year

Sacramento 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.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

In Mendota, Latinx Businesses Struggle To Survive In The Pandemic

VPR
The TV station Univision plays in the background at Las Morenitas, a small Salvadorian restaurant on Mendota's main street. Maria Morena has owned the place with her husband, Francisco, for 12 years.

What a Joe Biden Presidency Will Mean for Markets

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. presidency is set to change in January—but the two powerful forces that have driven financial markets this year will likely remain the same: the Federal Reserve and the pandemic.

Jobs:

Unemployed in California? You could see your benefits extended through the holidays

Fresno Bee

Qualified jobless independent contractors, business owners and others not eligible for regular state unemployment benefits can now get seven more weeks of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments.

New Guidance Clarifies Protections For California Workers With Criminal Records

Forbes

Initially enacted in 2018, the Fair Chance Act prohibits most employers with at least five employees from inquiring into a candidate's criminal record before a conditional offer of employment has been made.

Unemployment Drops To 6.9%, But Pandemic Surge Clouds Recovery

VPR
U.S. employers added 638,000 jobs last month as the economy continued its slow recovery from the coronavirus recession. Job growth slowed for the fourth month in a row.

● Commentary: Unemployment rate keeps falling faster than projected AEI

EDUCATION

K-12:

Changes to ethnic studies in California include expansion on Asian American lessons

Fresno Bee

The state on Friday released the latest recommendations for the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, notably expanding Asian American studies and an appendix to offer sample lessons on several ethnic groups.

Will Fresno schools cut funding for police officers on campus? It’s up for discussion

Fresno Bee

Police reform advocates and Fresno school leaders are gearing up for a lengthy discussion over a push to cut funding for police officers on city school campuses, a month after Fresno Unified postponed a key budget vote.

Should your child repeat a grade amid COVID-19 learning challenges?

abc30

Students have endured countless changes and adjustments over the last several months, and there may be some warning signs that it's all starting to have a negative impact on grades and learning.

Denair Unified announces plan to reopen campuses Monday

Turlock Journal

Moving quickly to avoid possible COVID-related state restrictions, the Denair Unified School District decided Thursday night to begin a phased reopening of all school campuses after more than six months of distance learning only.

Higher Ed:

Fresno State receives record $46.7M for research in 2019-20

Fresno State Campus News

CSUB ranked No. 21 on Best Value Schools by California State University, Bakersfield

CSUB News

Affirmative action failed on California’s ballot — but colleges commit to diversity goals

Sacramento Bee

After California voters rejected a measure to repeal the state’s ban on affirmative action last week, higher education leaders reiterated a commitment to diversify their student population by providing outreach and support to Latino and under-represented students.

College-Admissions Season Was Already Stressful. Pandemic Made It Chaotic.

Wall Street Journal

This college admissions season is shaping up to be the most uncertain in recent memory for high-school seniors as well as the universities looking to enroll them.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Winter weather: After fire and ash, Shaver Lake and Yosemite get first snowfall

Fresno Bee

It’s not quite winter yet, but it was a white wonderland in Shaver Lake and Yosemite on Sunday with snow powdering the area that saw fire and ash from the summer’s Creek Fire.

Five things Joe Biden can do to fight climate change — without Congress’ help

Los Angeles Times

Climate change is fueling record-breaking fires, hurricanes and floods. Global emissions of greenhouse gases are returning to pre-pandemic levels. And America has just become the only country to quit the Paris climate agreement.

Climate change had mixed showing in 2020 elections

Axios

Climate change got more attention this election cycle than ever, but the (political) science is mixed on whether it helped or hurt candidates who ran on it.

Energy:

Building Our Zero-Emissions Future

NPR

Fighting climate change is a big, messy task that will take a lot of work. This hour, TED's Science Curator David Biello joins Manoush to share some promising and fascinating solutions.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

32,000 cases and rising: Fresno County’s coronavirus infections climb, death toll mounts

Fresno Bee

More than 100 new coronavirus infections were reported Friday in Fresno County, and seven additional deaths were also blamed on COVID-19 by county medical officials.

● Coronavirus update: Here’s how many COVID-19 cases have been reported locally since March Fresno Bee

● Fresno County adds nearly 100 new coronavirus cases. Valley counties not far behind Fresno Bee

● Coronavirus update: Stanislaus has multiple deaths for first time in 3 weeks Modesto Bee

● Kern Public Health: 189 more coronavirus cases tallied Sunday Bakersfield Californian

New record high for U.S. coronavirus cases

Los Angeles Times

The country reported more than 126,000 positive cases and more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, according to the most recent data from Johns Hopkins University.

● US sets record for cases amid election battle over virus Fresno Bee

● New Daily U.S. Coronavirus Cases Jump Nearly 20%, Hitting Almost 122,000 VPR

● Coronavirus is again stalking California, but there is still time to prevent a third wave Los Angeles Times

● New record high for U.S. coronavirus cases Los Angeles Times

● Coronavirus updates: New U.S. cases surpass 128,000, setting record for third straight day Washington Post

● Coronavirus Live Updates: New U.S. Cases Near 106,000 Wall Street Journal

● U.S. Shattered Records For New Coronavirus Cases This Week As Hospitalizations Climb NPR

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.

Cough droplet spread could impact children, short adults more, study says. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Droplets from coughing can travel more than 6 feet outdoors and have the potential to be a greater transmission risk for shorter adults and children, a new simulation study found.

Large coronavirus outbreak at Clovis skilled nursing facility

abc30

Willow Creek Healthcare Center in Clovis is dealing with a COVID outbreak among patients and staff members. Family members say they're very concerned after getting updates about nearly 60 residents and several staff members testing positive for coronavirus this week.

Pfizer Soars as Vaccine Prevents 90% of Covid Cases in Study

Bloomberg

A vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE protects most people from Covid-19, according to a study whose early findings sent stock prices surging and were hailed by the top U.S. infectious-disease specialist as “extraordinary.”

● Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in first analysis, company reports Washington Post

● Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine Proves 90% Effective in Latest Trials Wall Street Journal

Human Services:

Local tech entrepreneur's invention takes aim at coronavirus

Bakersfield Californian

Science has known for a while that ultraviolet light can destroy viruses and bacteria, and so now the process is used to sanitize air conditioners and hospitals. But what about a portable breathing apparatus as protection against the novel coronavirus?

Three weeks after denying group a contract for COVID-19 outreach, Kern's supervisors plan no action

Bakersfield Californian

CDC Report: Officials Knew Coronavirus Test Was Flawed But Released It Anyway

VPR

On Feb. 6, a scientist in a small infectious disease lab on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campus in Atlanta was putting a coronavirus test kit through its final paces.

IMMIGRATION

A Biden Immigration Policy: New Hope For Immigrants And Businesses

Forbes

Joe Biden is the next president of the United States. Unless Democrats win two runoff elections in Georgia, Biden may not have a Democratic majority in the Senate, making ambitious immigration legislation more challenging.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Bakersfield Planning Commission approves transitional care facility for contentious Coffee and Stockdale intersection

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield Planning Commission approved a proposal to develop a transitional care facility on the corner of Coffee Road and Stockdale Highway late Thursday night.

Urban greening project to get started on Kentucky Street

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield will soon begin work on a $903,481 Kentucky Street Urban Greening Project.

Housing:

Fresno renters, homeowners: Behind on payments? City Council increases cash assistance

Fresno Bee

For Fresno renters and homeowners struggling to keep up with housing-related payments due to the pandemic, more help is on the way.

Fresno County Grand Jury Report Calls for Coordination Among Groups Tackling Homelessness

VPR
Street2Home was announced in 2018 as an initiative by the city and county of Fresno to coordinate homelessness mitigation across organizations. But in a report released Monday, the Fresno County Grand Jury found it doesn’t have a staff, or board yet.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Evidence of PPP Fraud Mounts, Officials Say

Wall Street Journal

The federal government is swamped with reports of potential fraud in the Paycheck Protection Program, according to government officials and public data, casting a shadow on one of Washington’s signature responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

TRANSPORTATION

What an ‘Amtrak Joe’ presidency means for transportation

Politico

With Pennsylvania pushing him over the edge, former VP Joe Biden is now President-elect Joe Biden. The man with a railroad in his nickname can now start planning for a presidency that could be shaped — in more ways than one — by transportation and infrastructure.

WATER

Valley Water builds a new wetland and restores portion of Llagas Creek

California Water News Daily

Valley Water is putting the finishing touches on new wetland habitat in south Santa Clara County. Located at Lake Silveira, they are planting more than 9,100 native trees, shrubs, and wetland vegetation to support the area’s natural environment and wildlife habitat.

“Xtra”

Hues of bravery: Merced mural honors America’s veterans of color

Merced Sun-Star

The ethnic diversity and contributions of America’s military heroes from a rainbow of cultures and experiences is being celebrated with a new mural in Merced — and just in time for Veterans Day.