POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Modesto voters get seven choices for next mayor to lead city in tough times
Modesto Bee
Modesto voters will pick among seven mayoral candidates in the Nov. 3 election, the largest number of office-seekers in at least four decades. And they range in experience from a church pastor to a community organizer.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: Modesto can overcome City Hall dysfunction with this mayoral candidate Modesto Bee
Fire district billing for calls is an issue in Stanislaus County supervisors race
Modesto Bee
The person elected to represent the Oakdale-Riverbank area on Stanislaus County’s Board of Supervisors will spend time dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.
Want to advise Turlock police? Department seeks diverse applicants for community board
Modesto Bee
The Turlock Police Department is accepting applications for an advisory board designed to build community trust and bring diverse perspectives.
Debate provides heated discussion despite lack of crowd
Turlock Journal
For the first and only time before voters make their decision come Nov. 3, incumbent Congressman Josh Harder and his Republican challenger Ted Howze made their case for representing District 10 during the Journal’s livestreamed debate Wednesday night.
Stanislaus Co readies move to lower COVID-19 tier. Here are changes you’ll see
Modesto Bee
If Stanislaus County can slow the spread of COVID-19 enough to move out of the most restrictive tier of closures this week, as the numbers strongly suggest, business owners and customers won’t have to guess what reopenings will be like.
Calif’s hardest-to-count census tract confronts politics, pandemic and fear
LA Times
The crowd formed a line alongside the taco truck parked near Fremont Park in Stockton and waited for the free fare they’d earned for filling out their census forms.
Central SJ Valley:
Is the Fresno region still a Republican stronghold in Calif? Here’s what we found out
Fresno Bee
Sixteen years ago, when President George W. Bush was elected to his second four-year term in the White House, the voting population in the central San Joaquin Valley looked quite different than it does today.
Unofficial ballot drop boxes popping up throughout the state worry elections officials
Orange County Register
The Calif Secretary of State has received reports in recent days about possible unauthorized ballot drop boxes in Fresno, LA and Orange counties, agency spokesman Sam Mahood said Sunday evening.
See also:
● Calif GOP put up unofficial ballot drop-off boxes that may be illegal, state officials say Wash Post
● Mobile voting center opens Madera Tribune
● Your Calif mail ballot is coming. 5 things to do to make sure it gets counted Sac Bee
● Will your Calif ballot be rejected if your signature doesn’t match? Here’s what to know Fresno Bee
● When should you mail your ballot? Answers to your Calif election questions Fresno Bee
● More than 7 million general election ballots cast so far abc30
Will Devin Nunes agree to a debate? He hasn’t accepted one since 2002
Fresno Bee
Rep. Devin Nunes has not responded to an invitation to debate his Democratic challenger, Phil Arballo, continuing his longstanding practice of not engaging with his opponents in forums.
See also:
● Arsonist torches Nunes, Trump signs 2nd time Visalia Times Delta
Whiplash As Fresno County Businesses Face Closures, Again – COVID-19 Update
VPR
Last week, Fresno County businesses celebrated that the county had advanced into the red, less restrictive tier of the state’s COVID-19 reopening plan.
See also:
● Fresno council votes to advance Blackstone project funding Business Journal
COVID-19 update: County gradual trend to red; Rockford gets provisional approval
Porterville Recorder
Tulare County continues its positive gradual trend as far as eventually making it into the red tier. The county also saw a decrease in active cases on Friday.
Fresno City College breaks ground for its new West Fresno Campus
Fresno Bee
Fresno City College broke ground for its West Fresno Campus, with construction to begin this month on the new 39-acre, 110,000 square foot state-of-the-art academic and career technical satellite campus. Completion is slated for Aug. 2022.
Fresno State expands nursing program to South Valley
abc30
The fall 2020 cohort is the first of its kind in the region, which helps students in Tulare and Kings counties obtain their Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing while staying local.
2020 Transportation Needs Survey
Fresno Council of Governments
Have a say in how future transportation dollars are spent. The Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) is looking for transportation project suggestions that could become part of its 20-year Regional Transportation Plan or RTP.
South SJ Valley:
These businesses could reopen if Kern County enters the red tier on Tuesday
Bakersfield Califn
With Kern County on the verge of entering into the more lenient red tier, a slew of businesses and public gathering places could potentially reopen or expand operations next week.
Anxious voters in Kern County play it safe by dropping off ballots early, in person
Bakersfield Califn
A steady stream of voters, mostly in face coverings to guard against the spread of COVID-19, hand-delivered their ballots directly to the Kern County Elections Division and the box outside the office in downtown Bakersfield.
BPD puts more officers in the streets after first full fiscal year of Measure N
Bakersfield Califn
Two months into the first full year of Measure N’s 1 percent sales tax increase, the Bakersfield Police Department says noticeable improvements have begun to take place.
CHP: Dramatic increase of high speed violations observed locally, statewide
Bakersfield Califn
Speeding violations, particularly those over 100 mph, have as much as doubled in parts of Kern County and throughout the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Workout workaround: How gyms are getting themselves reclassified as ‘essential’
CalMatters
In Kern County, gyms are avoiding prohibitions against indoor workouts by citing membership in an association for medical fitness centers.
Kern Public Health announces upcoming free coronavirus testing
Bakersfield Califn
Kern County Public Health Services announced the schedule for this week’s free federal mobile COVID-19 testing that is making its way through the county. The tests are the less invasive self-swab type.
Kern oil permitting review hits delay
Bakersfield Califn
An environmental document central to Kern’s push to reinstitute streamlined local oil permitting will be revised and put back out for public comment no later than early November, the county announced Friday.
How Calif expats are helping turn Texas into a battleground state
CalMatters
Pushed by the soaring cost of living, more than 700,000 Califns have moved to the Lone Star state since 2008. It’s part of the reason historically bright red Texas has turned surprisingly purple in 2020.
See also:
· Bakersfield conservatives leave for less liberal states Bakersfield Califn
State:
Want to see your friends? Calif issues new COVID-19 guidelines for small gatherings
Stockton Record
The Calif Department of Public Health has issued new guidelines for small, short group gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, adding formal rules to possible gray areas.
Unofficial ballot drop boxes popping up throughout the state worry elections officials
Orange County Register
The Calif Secretary of State has received reports in recent days about possible unauthorized ballot drop boxes in Fresno, LA and Orange counties, agency spokesman Sam Mahood said Sunday evening.
See also:
● Calif GOP put up unofficial ballot drop-off boxes that may be illegal, state officials say Wash Post
● More than 279,000 votes in the first week LA Times
Republicans in Calif are already a minority. They could lose another 4 Senate seats
Sac Bee
Three incumbents this year are fighting for their political lives in purple districts once considered conservative strongholds. The state party is also working hard to keep a currently red open seat from turning blue.
Calif Latinas earn less and are laid off first. A new initiative wants to change that
Sac Bee
The “Unseen Latinas Initiative,” an effort by the Calif Latino Legislative Caucus led by Gonzalez, is a two-year initiative that is planned to lead to solutions to address the opportunity gaps Hispanic women face.
Public CEO
Renne Public Policy Group directors analyze how policy has changed because of the events of 2020.
Walters: Another vague decree from Newsom
CalMatters
Calif Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued another sweeping order on climate change but again, it lacks specificity.
Federal:
President Trump’s doctor says he is no longer at risk of transmitting COVID-19
abc30
President Donald Trump’s doctor said Saturday the president is no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus.
See also:
● Trump’s doctor says he can resume campaign rallies, but not that he’s free of coronavirus LA Times
● Trump insists he’s free of coronavirus and ready for the campaign trail LA Times
● New Scrutiny On Trump’s Gold Star Family Event After COVID-19 Outbreak NPR
● Trump claims he no longer has COVID-19 as White House dodges questions on whether he has tested negative USA Today
● No, the Regeneron drug Trump received is not a Covid-19 “cure” Vox
● Trump Isn’t a Transmission Risk, White House Physician Says WSJ
● Opinion: Trump, Covid and Reason WSJ
Trump’s Swamp: Taxes Trace Payments to Properties by Those Who Got Ahead
NY Times
A businessman-president transplanted favor-seeking in Washington to his family’s hotels and resorts — and earned millions as a gatekeeper to his own administration.
See also:
● He’s Part Of The 1%. And He Thinks His Taxes Aren’t High Enough NPR
Amy Coney Barrett will tell senators laws should be applied as written, not as judges would like
LA Times
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, whose confirmation hearings begin Mon, will tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that “policy decisions and value judgments” should be made by elected officials, not the courts, according to her opening statement released Sunday.
See also:
● Pressure on Kamala Harris, Dianne Feinstein at Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearing SF Chronicle
● Feinstein wants to derail Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation. Here’s what she can do Sac Bee
● Barrett confirmation hearing may pressure Feinstein, Harris to subdue their political instincts LA Times
● What does it mean to ‘pack’ the Supreme Court? Has it been done before? ABC
● What you need to know about Amy Coney Barrett’s 2017 confirmation hearing Wash Post
● Watch Live: Amy Coney Barrett Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings Begin WSJ
● ‘Courts Are Not Designed To Solve Every Problem,’ Barrett To Say In Opening Statement NPR
● Supreme Court confirmation hearing starts under 2020 cloud Roll Call
● Republicans, Democrats Clash at Confirmation Hearing for Amy Coney Barrett WSJ
● Opinion: Amy Coney Barrett’s Intellectual Firepower, Conservative Mentors Propelled Career WSJ
● Opinion: Bigoted Attacks on Amy Coney Barrett Will Backfire WSJ
● Opinion: The Supreme Court and the Election Returns WSJ
● Opinion: Ballot Deadlines and the Supreme Court WSJ
● EDITORIAL: Whether or not Amy Coney Barrett gets on the Supreme Court, abortion rights should stand LA Times
Stimulus talks: Republicans, Democrats give White House COVID-19 aid offer bad reviews
abc30
A new White House coronavirus aid offer got bad reviews from both ends of the political spectrum on Saturday.
See also:
● White House ups virus aid offer, resumes talks with Pelosi Business Journal
● Coronavirus Stimulus Talks With White House at Impasse WSJ
● White House Draws Up New $1.8 Trillion Virus-Relief Proposal WSJ
Coronavirus Trackers:
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 San Francisco 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
Tiny Changes Let False Claims About COVID-19, Voting Evade Facebook Fact Checks
NPR
Something as simple as changing the font of a message or cropping an image can be all it takes to bypass Facebook’s defenses against hoaxes and lies.
Elections 2020:
● Check voter registration status
● Online Voter Guide and Printable Voter Guide
● List of county elections offices
Anxious voters in Kern County play it safe by dropping off ballots early, in person
Bakersfield Califn
A steady stream of voters, mostly in face coverings to guard against the spread of COVID-19, hand-delivered their ballots directly to the Kern County Elections Division and the box outside the office in downtown Bakersfield.
See also:
● Mobile voting center opens Madera Tribune
● Your Calif mail ballot is coming. 5 things to do to make sure it gets counted Sac Bee
● Will your Calif ballot be rejected if your signature doesn’t match? Here’s what to know Fresno Bee
● When should you mail your ballot? Answers to your Calif election questions Fresno Bee
● More than 7 million general election ballots cast so far abc30
Post-ABC poll: Biden maintains lead nationally over Trump
Wash Post
With little more than three weeks remaining until Election Day, President Trump is in a race against the clock as he continues to trail former vice president Joe Biden by double digits, his standing driven down by distrust on the issue of the coronavirus pandemic.
See also:
● Dr. Bill Atwood: Politics three weeks before presidential election: crazy times Sierra Star
● Amid Campaign Turmoil, Biden Holds Wide Leads on Coronavirus, Unifying the Country Pew Research Center
● NPR Electoral Map: Biden Expands Lead Over Trump In Swing States NPR
● Opinion: Why Trump is losing Wash Post
● Opinion: Democrats and Republicans Aren’t Watching the Same Pandemic Time
● Opinion: The Gamble Cook Political Report
Second presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump canceled
Visalia Times Delta
The Commission on Presidential Debates on Friday canceled next week’s second presidential debate planned for Miami, one day after President Donald Trump refused to take part when it was moved to a virtual format.
See also:
● Trump, Biden clash over format and timing of next presidential debates LA Times
● Trump could still be infectious with the coronavirus at the next debate LA Times
Trump campaign twists Fauci comment to suggest praise of the president
Wash Post
There is a certain irony in the Trump campaign using Fauci as a validation, as the president frequently is quite critical of the infectious-disease expert. But the biggest problem is that Fauci was not talking about Trump at all.
See also:
● Fact Check: Trump ad takes Fauci out of context PolitiFact
Biden is ‘a healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old,’ according to his doctor
Politico
Former Vice President Joe Biden has an “irregularly irregular” heartbeat and is taking medication to control cholesterol but is otherwise in good shape and ready to serve as president, according to medical records released on Tuesday.
See also:
● Biden Woos Working-Class White Voters Who Backed Trump WSJ
Kamala Harris faces sexism and racism as online commenters label her ‘Black Hillary’
Fresno Bee
Despite all the fury on social media about the fly on Mike Pence’s head and Kamala Harris’ demeanor, analysts say the vice presidential debate is unlikely to alter the state of the presidential race.
See also:
● Why Joe Biden, Kamala Harris are dodging court-packing question SF Chronicle
● Biden, teaming with Harris in Arizona after her debate, sidesteps court-packing question LA Times
● Fact-checking Pence’s claim on Democrats and abortion ‘up to the moment of birth’ PolitiFact
● Trump Calls Harris A ‘Monster,’ Reviving A Pattern Of Attacking Women Of Color NPR
● Opinion: Pence exposed Democrats’ lurch to the left Wash Post
● Opinion: Mike Pence’s Re-Election Case WSJ
List: The Bee’s editorial endorsements for the 2020 general election in November
Modesto Bee
Well-informed voters make the best choices. Before going to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3, or sending in your mail ballot, check out endorsements by The Modesto Bee’s editorial board.
See also:
● In 2020, Californians can fight systemic racism, uphold justice reforms. Here’s how Sac Bee
● Opinion: Voters have a opportunity to move the needle on these three crises CalMatters
● Opinion: What’s At Stake When Voters Decide On Propositions 14, 23 and 25 VPR
Poynter
Join this online public forum for leading journalists and the citizens they serve to demystify the elections process and combat misinformation.
See also:
● From Consensus to Conflict: Understanding Foreign Measures Targeting U.S. Elections RAND
How Calif expats are helping turn Texas into a battleground state
CalMatters
Pushed by the soaring cost of living, more than 700,000 Califns have moved to the Lone Star state since 2008. It’s part of the reason historically bright red Texas has turned surprisingly purple in 2020.
See also:
● Bakersfield conservatives leave for less liberal states Bakersfield Califn
Other:
Pew Research Center
The public is about evenly split on whether the increased focus on issues of race and racial inequality in the country in the past three months will lead to major policy changes to address racial inequality (48% say it will and 51% say it will not).
See also:
● How important is climate change to voters in the 2020 election? Pew Research Center
● 5 facts about the Supreme Court Pew Research Center
Calif Forum: Young Calif Native and Indigenous people must reconnect with their tribal homes
Sac Bee
As a proud member of Wilton Rancheria near Elk Grove, my youth was spent around influential tribal leaders from my own tribe, across Calif and the nation.
QAnon is tearing families apart
Wash Post
QAnon can be traced back to a series of 2017 posts on 4chan, the online message board known for its mixture of trolls and alt-right followers.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 18, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz: Valley Roots” – Guests: UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 18, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “The Valley’s Public Universities: An Update” – Guests: Fresno State President Joseph Castro; Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn; CSU Bakersfield President Lynnette Zelezny. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
The Value of Honey Bees in Self-Pollinating Almonds
Calif Ag Network
Almond growers have a lot of inputs to consider to produce their crop. They must balance the cost of labor, pest management, water, and bees for pollination. Those costs are not fixed year-after-year, especially renting the bees.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
BPD puts more officers in the streets after first full fiscal year of Measure N
Bakersfield Califn
Two months into the first full year of Measure N’s 1 percent sales tax increase, the Bakersfield Police Department says noticeable improvements have begun to take place.
‘Unconscionable.’ How a surge in domestic violence is saving the bail bond industry
Sac Bee
Domestic violence is keeping the bail bond industry alive in Sacramento. Roughly 42% of all of the people who bonded out of jail since April were released while facing at least one charge related to domestic violence.
See also:
● Proposition 25 Would End Cash Bail. So Why Are Some Progressive Groups Against It? KQED
● Opinion: To reform Calif’s unfair and racist bail system, vote yes on Proposition 25 Sac Bee
EDITORIAL: Two props let voters improve the fairness of Calif’s justice system
Fresno Bee
Two of the state propositions on the November ballot bring fairness that has been lacking in the justice system. Proposition 25 deals with the state’s unfair cash-bail system.
Public Safety:
Calif strips voting rights from parolees. Prop 17 will fix this injustice
Sac Bee
The right to vote is sacred for every American. Under current Calif law, people convicted of felonies are stripped of the right to vote until they finish their parole.
Prop. 20 is a retrograde & racist prison spending scam. Californians should vote no
Sac Bee
Should Calif abandon its historic criminal justice reforms and return to the bad old days of overcrowded prisons full of Black and brown people?
CHP: Dramatic increase of high speed violations observed locally, statewide
Bakersfield Califn
Speeding violations, particularly those over 100 mph, have as much as doubled in parts of Kern County and throughout the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fire:
Creek Fire update: Containment grows, but weather could be a factor by midweek
Fresno Bee
Fire crews continued to gain on the Creek Fire with containment of the largest single-incident wildfire in Calif history at 55% Sunday, up from 49% on Saturday.
See also:
● Creek Fire updates: Firefighters aided on Fresno County side as blaze grows Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire: 333,880 acres burned, 55% contained, latest evacuations orders abc30
SQF Complex Fire: 167,846 acres burned, 65% contained, latest evacuation orders
abc30
Fire crews are continuing to make progress on the SQF Complex Fire, which is now the largest wildfire in Tulare County’s modern history. As of Sunday, the blaze was 167,846 acres with 65% containment.
See also:
● Sequoia Complex: Some residents allowed to return this weekend to see damage Porterville Recorder
August Complex fire burns record-breaking 1 million acres
LA Times
In an already unprecedented fire year, another record has been shattered: The August Complex fire has burned 1 million acres, the first wildfire in Calif history to have destroyed such a vast swath of land.
PG&E under investigation for causing September wildfire that killed 4 in Calif
Fresno Bee
PG&E Corp., laboring to get past a history of causing major wildfires, said Friday it’s under investigation in connection with the start of the deadly Zogg Fire in Shasta County.
See also:
● PG&E equipment suspected as cause of deadly Zogg fire LA Times
● PG&E warns of potential blackouts this week as winds return, temperatures climb into 90s Sac Bee
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Workout workaround: How gyms are getting themselves reclassified as ‘essential’
CalMatters
In Kern County, gyms are avoiding prohibitions against indoor workouts by citing membership in an association for medical fitness centers.
Fresno gives $25,000 grants to businesses to provide outdoor dining
abc30
Local restaurants that would otherwise have to close because of COVID-19 restrictions are getting a lifeline thanks to City of Fresno. They’re moving outdoors, turning parking spaces into patios, and this creative program will stay put even after the health restrictions pass.
See also:
● Fresno County businesses eligible for free PPE Business Journal
Will Calif’s property tax initiative hurt small business? What you need to know
Fresno Bee
Depending on which ad you see, a property tax initiative on the November ballot would either drive small businesses into the ground or actually cut their taxes.
See also:
● Opinion: Small businesses in Calif need financial relief now CalMatters
Movie theaters ‘at a crisis point’ as Regal shutdown dampens recovery hopes
LA Times
In the latest sign of the movie industry’s poor condition amid a lack of new films, Regal Cinemas parent company Cineworld dropped a bombshell over the weekend that the British exhibitor would temporarily close operations at all 536 of Regal’s U.S. theaters on Thursday.
The 50 Richest Americans Are Worth as Much as the Poorest 165 Million
Bloomberg
The 50 richest Americans now hold almost as much wealth as half of the U.S., as Covid-19 transforms the economy in ways that have disproportionately rewarded a small class of billionaires.
Jobs:
Fact check: Do Uber, Lyft drivers want out of Calif’s gig economy law?
Fresno Bee
Jim Pyatt and Carlos Ramos both live in the Central Valley and drive for gig companies in the Bay Area. But their thoughts on Prop. 22, which would keep gig workers such as Uber and Lyft as independent contractors, are worlds apart.
See also:
● Uber, Lyft push Prop. 22 message where you can’t escape it: your phone LA Times
Calif Latinas earn less and are laid off first. A new initiative wants to change that
Sac Bee
Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, announced a new initiative Friday with a “laser focus” to address economic and educational disparities impacting Latinas, who represent one in every five Califns.
See also:
● The COVID-19 recession hit Latino workers hard. Here’s what we need to do. Brookings
Calif kept prison factories open. Inmates worked for pennies an hour as COVID-19 spread
LA Times
While much of Calif shut down this spring, Robbie Hall stitched masks for 12 hours a day in a sewing factory at a women’s prison in Chino. For several weeks, Hall and other women churned out masks by the thousands but were forbidden from wearing them.
Calif work safety agency’s response to COVID complaints: letters, not inspections
CalMatters
A CalMatters analysis shows that Cal/OSHA dispatches inspectors in just 5% of COVID complaint cases. Non-COVID complaints were more than twice as likely to result in on-site inspections — but that’s still far below the pre-pandemic share.
See also:
● Changes at Calif’s unemployment agency don’t do enough to address problems, lawmakers say LA Times
● Many unemployed Calif workers are about to get a $300 payment — but it won’t continue Sac Bee
● Freeze first, verify second: Unemployed Califns get a fright from EDD CalMatters
EDUCATION
K-12:
More Fresno-area schools are allowed to reopen. Here’s which ones got the green light
Fresno Bee
More elementary students in the San Joaquin Valley will be able to go back to in-person classes this month, even though school districts haven’t been cleared to reopen for all grades.
See also:
● These Fresno-area schools could still reopen if coronavirus cases get worse again Fresno Bee
● Some Fresno Unified kids to return to campus starting Monday abc30
● CUSD Board Discuss Reopening Plans Clovis Roundup
Fresno is getting a brand new school — but which students will attend Garza High?
Fresno Bee
For the first time in nearly a century, residents in northwest Fresno’s Central Unified School District are preparing to open a new high school.
It’s Complicated: School Reopenings, Hybrid Learning Look Different Across Calif
Capital Public Radio
The night before the first day of in-person instruction for elementary students in San Diego County’s Poway Unified School District, principals sent families detailed instructions on how to drop off their children.
See also:
● When should schools reopen fully in-person? Brookings
Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country
NPR
Comprehensive national data aren’t available yet, but reporting by NPR and our member stations, along with media reports from around the country, shows enrollment declines in dozens of school districts across 20 states.
The US role in advancing gender equality globally through girls’ education
Brookings
a fuller commitment to girls’ education through a U.S. feminist foreign policy could help reinvigorate global progress toward gender equality.” Christina Kwauk writes about girls’ education ahead of International Day of the Girl.
Higher Ed:
Fresno City College breaks ground for its new West Fresno Campus
Fresno Bee
Fresno City College broke ground for its West Fresno Campus, with construction to begin this month on the new 39-acre, 110,000 square foot state-of-the-art academic and career technical satellite campus. Completion is slated for Aug. 2022.
Fresno State expands nursing program to South Valley
abc30
The fall 2020 cohort is the first of its kind in the region, which helps students in Tulare and Kings counties obtain their Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing while staying local.
Fresno Pacific University awarded nearly $1M by Lilly Endowment
Business Journal
Fresno Pacific University has received a sizable grant to help with the creation of a new, church-related program.
$3.7 million in grants awarded to UC Davis, to expand testing for COVID-19
Fresno Bee
The National Institutes of Health awarded $3.7 million in grants to the University of Calif, Davis, to expand testing for COVID-19 among Central Valley farmworkers
Report: More than 100,000 low-income Calif college students lack internet access
CalMatters
More than 100,000 low-income college students in Calif, like Lira, lack access to the technology they need in order to participate in online classes, according to a new report from the non-profit education equity organization The Education Trust–West.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Gov. Newsom establishes framework to protect 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030
Environment Calif
Joining a movement embraced by countries and cities around the world, Calif Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Wednesday for his state to protect “30 by 30,” conserving 30 percent of its land and coastal waters by 2030.
La Niña may signal scant relief from Calif’s seemingly endless loop of hot, dry weather
LA Times
After a brief interlude of mild temperatures Saturday, a warm-up is forecast to begin Sunday as upper-level high pressure builds into Calif, the National Weather Service said. High temperatures will climb by several degrees on Sunday.
Smoky Skies Are The New Normal. Are They Making Us Sick?
Capital Public Radio
Ariel Kinzinger had a headache. Clark Brinkman coughed and wheezed. LaNesha Collins, feeling physically fine, was frustrated by another day mostly trapped inside looking out at a sepia sun, in Portland, Ore.
Energy:
Kern oil permitting review hits delay
Bakersfield Califn
An environmental document central to Kern’s push to reinstitute streamlined local oil permitting will be revised and put back out for public comment no later than early November, the county announced Friday.
Can Calif ban fracking? Newsom’s bold plan to fight climate change faces skepticism
LA Times
When Gov. Gavin Newsom promised last month to phase out gas-powered vehicles and called for an end to fracking in Calif, his announcement drew national attention and thrust him to the forefront of the fight against climate change.
Opinion: Utilities commission must act to encourage clean energy microgrids
CalMatters
We need the CPUC to formalize a regulatory framework for microgrids and what could be a clean and reliable energy future.
See also:
● Opinion: Calif’s energy system should be resilient, flexible and affordable CalMatters
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
COVID-19 cases, deaths fall in Fresno and the Valley. Data charts show the trends
Fresno Bee
For the first time in more than three months, Fresno County reported no additional COVID-19 deaths in its Friday update on the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also:
● Coronavirus update: 97 new cases; Fresno allows small parties, some schools to reopen Fresno Bee
● Kern Public Health: 1 new coronavirus death, 88 new cases reported Sunday Bakersfield Califn
● Coronavirus update: Stanislaus County surpasses 17,000 positive test results Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus County seeing slight drop in infection rate Modesto Bee
● New U.S. Coronavirus Infections Fall but Remain Elevated in Midwest WSJ
As Election Day nears, COVID-19 spreads further into red America
Brookings
While COVID-19’s impact on the nation’s health and economy has been a continuing issue in the upcoming election, President Donald Trump’s recent bout with the virus has made it personal for many Americans.
Lessons for the Next Pandemic—Act Very, Very Quickly
WSJ
Scientists and public-health leaders are working on new ways to find infections before they spread: smarter lung scans and screening blood samples.
Human Services:
Kern Public Health announces upcoming free coronavirus testing
Bakersfield Califn
Kern County Public Health Services announced the schedule for this week’s free federal mobile COVID-19 testing that is making its way through the county. The tests are the less invasive self-swab type.
San Joaquin Valley’s health will depend on research, partnerships — and funding
Merced Sun-Star
UC Merced is proud to be a part of the Valley community and has a vested interest in the health of our region. While we recognize there are great challenges, we also know that this campus was placed here to help with those challenges.
RAND
Insulin prices have increased dramatically over the past decade in the United States. In this report, the authors compare international prices for insulins using a price index approach.
Opinion: The secret Republican health-care plan, revealed
Wash Post
There has been a good deal of talk lately about how Republicans want to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, which would revoke the protection for those with preexisting conditions that ACA created for the first time in U.S. history.
See also:
● Opinion: Six ways Trump has sabotaged the Affordable Care Act Brookings
IMMIGRATION
Immigrant Rights Advocates Hope Court Rules Against The Expansion Of Mesa Verde In McFarland
VPR
The Ninth Circuit Court heard oral arguments for the expansion of immigration detention centers in McFarland on Friday and immigrant rights advocates are hopeful the court will rule against the case.
Trump immigration restrictions expected to impact economy long after he leaves White House
LA Times
President Trump’s four-year crusade against immigration has pushed the number of foreign workers and other immigrants arriving on American shores down to the lowest level in decades.
See also:
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Opinion: City Trees Need to Be Future-Proofed
The Atlantic
Arborists are planting trees today that must survive decades of global warming. The health, comfort, and happiness of city dwellers hang in the balance.
Housing:
Fresno to get millions from Calif to convert another motel into homeless housing
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that Fresno County and local developers will receive $15.3 million to purchase and rehabilitate a motel complex on Blackstone Avenue to house people experiencing homelessness.
See also:
● Fresno County receives $15.3 million to support long-term housing Public CEO
Calif Will Keep Burning. But Housing Policy Is Making It Worse.
ProPublica
There are ways to keep people and homes safer from wildfires. Then, there’s what Calif does.
Wash Post
Millions of U.S. renters face the renewed threat of eviction, according to housing advocates, who say the government has weakened its protections in response to recent lawsuits.
EDITORIAL: Calif needs affordable housing, but rent control won’t help. No on Proposition 21
Sac Bee
Calif has the second-highest rents in the nation, just behind Hawaii. Calif’s median rent as of 2016 was $1,297 per month. Median rental costs in the Bay Area and coastal Southern Calif are even higher.
See also:
● How Calif’s Prop. 21 is different from the rent control initiative two years ago LA Times
● Opinion: Part of the solution to Calif’s housing crisis LA Times
● Opinion: Prop. 21 modernizes rent control while incentivizing new housing construction CalMatters
● Opinion: When legislators delay on housing reform, people of color lose CalMatters
PUBLIC FINANCES
Wash Post
While millions of Americans wait anxiously to see if another stimulus package will ever see the light of day, a federal judge in Calif has rapped the knuckles of Treasury and the IRS for withholding and requiring the return of relief money from incarcerated people.
Prop. 19 would raise property taxes for some, cut them for others. Here are the details
SF Chronicle
Proposition 19 would expand one property tax break and rein in another, with the net result being an increase in taxes that would go to public schools, state and local governments and firefighting agencies in Calif.
TRANSPORTATION
2020 Transportation Needs Survey
Fresno Council of Governments
Have a say in how future transportation dollars are spent. The Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) is looking for transportation project suggestions that could become part of its 20-year Regional Transportation Plan or RTP.
WATER
This Week in Fresnoland: Industrial Farms vs. Domestic Wells
Fresno Bee
Domestic wells aren’t regulated by the state, and they’re hardly regulated by county governments.
West Valley Water Approves Infrastructure Upgrades
Calif Water News Daily
West Valley Water District (WVWD) has announced that due to population growth in communities served by the district, the WVWD Board of Directors approved a series of critical water infrastructure improvements for North Fontana.
Unsafe to drink: Wildfires threaten rural towns with tainted water
CalMatters
The damage to water systems can linger for years. The cost in just one small town: as much as $150 million.
“Xtra”
Bakersfield Califn
Employees of Bakersfield’s Recreation and Parks Department don’t exactly expect recognition for their work. So it was a huge surprise when NBCUniversal selected a Bakersfield parks employee to recognize on the national stage.
This year’s Big Fresno Fair is now open. What you need to know about drive-thru food event
Fresno Bee
It’s just before noon on day one of The Big Fresno Fair’s Drive Thru-Eats event and already a steady stream of cars makes its way through the fairgrounds.
See also:
● Cinnamon rolls, BBQ, corn dogs: Big Fresno Fair back as drive-through dining experience abc30
Hobb’s Grove haunted attraction opens in Sanger with new guidelines
abc30
This is the moment Slappy the clown has been waiting for. “Screams, crying, everything,” he said. “I live for this.” It’s opening weekend at Sanger’s haunted attraction, Hobb’s Grove.
Want to get Halloween pumpkins and help first responders? Here’s where to go
Modesto Bee
“The real sheriff?” 8-year-old George Bogetti exclaimed Wednesday morning when he learned Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse would be visiting the pumpkin stand he and his family put together to help first responders.
Annual Christmas parade cancelled due to COVID concerns
Turlock Journal
For the first time in the event’s 40-plus year history, the City’s annual Christmas Parade in downtown Turlock has been cancelled.
Want a newspaper rack? The Bee is giving away used boxes for lending libraries and more
Sac Bee
For sentimental ink-stained wretches of a certain age, it’s a memento. To readers of The Sac Bee looking for cool home projects, it’s an opportunity. Full disclosure: For this reporter and others connected to the 163-year-old institution, it’s a little bit of both.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of Calif’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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