POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Merced County officials warn voters of possible unofficial ballot drop boxes
abc30
The Merced County Elections Office warned voters of groups promoting unofficial, illegal ballot drop boxes on Thursday morning.
Stanislaus County elections office issues alert about unofficial ballot drop boxes
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County election officials are alerting the public about unofficial ballot boxes and has issued warnings about use of the unauthorized boxes.
Modesto 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.
Stanislaus announces 389th death, 30 new positive tests
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County announced its 389th death and 30 new cases on its first full day of relaxed COVID-19 rules.
Central SJ Valley:
Thousands of Fresno County voters have already returned ballots. Here’s the latest
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Registrar of Voters Office has already counted 71,792 ballot envelopes in what has been a record year for early voting in the state.
Fresno Bee
Make informed choices in upcoming local elections with our Voter Guide. Enter your full address to display the races and candidates that will appear on your ballot.
Fresno voters overwhelmingly support police reform, new survey results show
Fresno Bee
Registered voters in Fresno overwhelmingly support police reform, according to a new survey conducted by the Fresno County Civic Engagement Voter Table and UC Merced Community and Labor Center.
‘Incredibly exclusive’: Turlock Police revises advisory board qualifications after input
Modesto Bee
The Turlock Police Department widened eligibility for its community advisory board after some residents called initially listed qualifications restrictive.
Will Tulare County Board of Supervisors form a sheriff’s oversight committee?
Visalia Times Delta
The bill, championed by Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy (D-Sac), allows a county to create a sheriff oversight board comprised of citizens to help the board of supervisors with its duties. This can be done either by supervisors or through a vote of county residents.
COVID-19 cases rise in Fresno, Tulare; data show counties moving through reopening tiers
Fresno Bee
Fresno County added more than 70 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus to its growing total on Thursday, while neighboring Tulare County’s total increased by nearly 60 cases.
See Also:
● Coronavirus update for Oct. 15: How more Fresno-area businesses could soon reopen Fresno Bee
Is Fresno embracing ‘cancel culture’ or anti-racism? City to review buildings, streets
Fresno Bee
A Fresno committee will review the names on city assets in a move that could see the links to people deemed racist removed from street signs and other places.
Clovis City Council Vote “No” on Campaign Contribution Limit
Clovis Roundup
The first item on the agenda discussed by the council was a consideration to change municipal ordinance on campaign contribution limits, because of the new state law that would go into effect next year.
County warns about unofficial ballot drop off boxes
Porterville Recorder
With Voting Day right around the corner, the Tulare County Registrar of Voters released a few announcements and important reminders for the November 3, 2020 General Election.
South SJ Valley:
How party registration in Kern has changed since last presidential election
Bakersfield Califn
As Election Day draws near, party registration in Kern County appears to be nearly the same as it was in the presidential election four years ago; however, the Democratic Party’s share of voters fell for the first time in two decades.
Some faith leaders won’t bring back indoor services just yet
Bakersfield Califn
Despite being able to resume indoor services at a limited capacity under Kern County’s newest COVID-19 prevention classifications, various local faith leaders are electing not to return indoors and instead continue being creative with how they serve their congregants.
Recovery money still available for local businesses, nonprofits
Bakersfield Califn
Economic stimulus efforts may have slowed on the national stage but thanks to local efforts Bakersfield businesses are still receiving grants and forgivable loans to help them through the pandemic.
Bakersfield conservatives leave for less liberal states
Bakersfield Califn
Signs are mounting locally that growing numbers of conservatives fed up with homelessness and what they see as Calif’s increasingly leftward tilt are heading for other states they see as having more sensible laws and policies.
State:
Fresno Bee
Unofficial ballot boxes are legal, Calif Republican leaders said Wednesday, saying they will continue to use them despite cease and desist orders from the Calif Attorney General and Secretary of State.
See Also:
● Calif GOP defiant in face of illegal ballot harvesting charges Visalia Times Delta
● Calif Republicans spark national feud over ‘harvesting’ ballot boxes Politico
● Calif GOP pushes back against state election officials on unofficial ballot boxes LA Times
● Standoff over GOP ballot drop boxes hits House races in Calif Roll Call
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom has just three days left to sign or veto some of the most high-profile and controversial bills of the legislative session — including a spate of proposals to police the police, a bill that would establish a state reparations committee, and a bill that would mandate the racial makeup of corporate boards.
See Also:
● If voters raise taxes on corporate landlords, will small biz foot the bill? CalMatters
● Creating a Homelessness Czar CalMatters
● Creating a Student Loan Bill of Rights CalMatters
● Expanding Mental Health Parity CalMatters
● SB-132 Corrections. Calif Legislative Information
‘Death spiral’: What happens in Calif if the Supreme Court invalidates Obamacare?
Fresno Bee
Nearly 17 million Califns with pre-existing conditions could face higher health costs or loss of benefits. Five million Califns could lose health insurance coverage completely.
See Also:
● Calif’s Health Coverage Gains under the Affordable Care Act: What’s at Stake in Calif v. Texas? UC Berkeley Labor Center
● Overturning the ACA would reverse health coverage gains for low-income Califns UC Berkeley Labor Center
● Racial and ethnic health coverage inequities in Calif would widen if ACA is overturned UC Berkeley Labor Center
● Calif could lose 269,000 jobs if the ACA is overturned UC Berkeley Labor Center
What no Trump stimulus means for Calif schools, unemployment and more
CalMatters
An Oct. 15 state deadline to restore $11 billion in funding for education, housing and state workers looks likely to pass with no more financial help from Wash. Is there still hope for a reprieve, and could deeper cuts follow?
See Also:
● Austerity nor Federal Policymakers Will Save Us, Calif Needs Serious Public Investment Calif Budget & Policy Center
● Pelosi, Mnuchin cite progress in economic relief talks but eye obstacles with Senate Republicans Wash Post
For many Californians, the pandemic marks the end of ‘barely making it’
CalMatters
The pandemic is accelerating the demise of the middle class, leaving many unable to sustain financial independence. In Silicon Valley and elsewhere, middle-class workers have found themselves unable to make rent.
Federal:
Trump administration blocks Calif wildfire relief
LA Times
The Trump administration has rejected Calif’s request for disaster relief funds aimed at cleaning up the damage from six recent fires across the state.
See Also:
● Creek Fire: FEMA denies individual and public assistance, leaving residents worried and frustrated abc30
● Trump administration rejects Calif on disaster assistance for Creek Fire, others Sac Bee
● Trump administration rejects emergency aid for Calif fires, including biggest blaze in state history Wash Post
● In Rare Move, Trump Administration Rejects Calif’s Request for Wildfire Relief NY Times
Takeaways From Amy Coney Barrett’s Judiciary Confirmation Hearings
VPR
Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, sat for nearly 20 hours of questioning by 22 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee over two days.
See Also:
● 4 major takeaways from the Amy Coney Barrett confirmation hearings ABA Journal
● Dianne Feinstein faces calls to step aside after Amy Coney Barrett hearing SF Chronicle
● Democratic senators make final pitch to slow Amy Coney Barrett confirmation hearing LA Times
● Amy Coney Barrett’s Character, Qualifications Discussed by Witnesses WSJ
● OPINION: Amy Coney Barrett Opens Up WSJ
Wash Post
U.S. Postal Service employees and supervisors have routinely falsified data on package deliveries, likely so they are not penalized for tardiness, according to postal workers and internal data obtained by The Wash Post.
Pelosi, Mnuchin cite progress in economic relief talks but eye obstacles with Senate Republicans
Wash Post
Pelosi and Mnuchin have been discussing a new spending deal between $1.8 trillion and $2.2 trillion, although President Trump has said he would support even more.
White House Agrees to Democrats’ National Coronavirus-Testing Strategy
WSJ
White House and Democratic negotiators agreed Thursday on including a national coronavirus-testing strategy in broader economic-relief legislation.
Obama says Trump is a “symptom of” and “accelerant to” misinformation
CBSNews
Former President Obama criticized President Trump this week on the popular political podcast “Pod Save America,” calling the sitting president an “accelerant to” misinformation.
See Also:
● White House was warned Giuliani was target of Russian intelligence operation to feed misinformation to Trump Wash Post
CalMatters
Many of us involved in the Census remain optimistic that the relationships built over the past two years have not been in vain.
Opinion: Six post-Trump reforms to help protect the rule of law
Wash Post
President Trump’s four-year effort to manipulate the Justice Department to protect himself and serve his political ends has suffered some spectacular failures. The department’s investigation into possible wrongdoing related to “unmasking” has ended without incident.
Commentary: Priorities for 2021
AEI
Whether it’s a re-elected Donald Trump or a newly elected Joe Biden, the person who takes the presidential oath of office next year will face some extraordinary governing challenges. Of course, our president doesn’t govern alone.
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 SF Chronicle
● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count NY Times
● How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico
● Coronavirus Daily NPR
● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads FinTimes
● Coronavirus in Calif by the numbers CalMatters
When False Information Goes Viral, COVID-19 Patient Groups Fight Back
VPR
For decades, people struggling with illnesses of all kinds have sought help in online support groups, and during 2020, such groups have been in high demand for COVID-19 patients, who often must recover in isolation.
Elections 2020:
● Check voter registration status
● Online Voter Guide and Printable Voter Guide
● List of county elections offices
Your Calif mail ballot is coming. 5 things to do to make sure it gets counted
Sac Bee
Calif has hit a record number of registered voters this year, and thanks to an executive order issued this year from Gov. Gavin Newsom, all 21 million of them will be receiving a ballot in the mail starting Oct. 5.
Over 1.5 million Vote-by-Mail Ballots Already Returned
Calif Secretary of State
As of this morning, over 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots have already been returned by Calif voters. This is a massive increase compared to approximately 150,000 ballots returned at this same point in the 2016 General Election.
See Also:
● More than 1 million Calif ballots already cast, shattering records LA Times
● Early Voting: A 2020 Success Story U.S. News
● States Shatter Early Voting Records as Democrats Drive Turnout Bloomberg
2020 November General Election VoteCal VoteBy Mail (VBM) statistics as of 10/13/2020
Calif Secretary of State
5 takeaways from the dueling Trump and Biden town halls
Wash Post
President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden held dueling town halls Thursday night — forums that took the place of the presidential debate originally scheduled for the same night and which Trump pulled out of when it went to a virtual format.
See Also:
● Split-screen reveals jarring differences in tone and substance ABC30
● Trump Pressed on Coronavirus Response in Town Hall, Biden Asked to Outline Alternative Plan WSJ
● NBC Actors, Producers Protest Decision to Host Trump Town Hall at Same Time as Biden Event WSJ
● President Trump and Joe Biden clash in distant, dueling town halls Wash Post
● Trump refuses to disavow QAnon The Hill
● OPINION: Dueling Town Halls Revealed There’s No Substitute for Tough Questions Politico
● Commentary: How Biden blew it on the court-packing question and how he could have avoided the fuss AEI
Kamala Harris leaves campaign trail after positive COVID test on staff. Will it hurt her ticket?
Fresno Bee
The latest October surprise — Kamala Harris is off the campaign trail because two people involved in her campaign tested positive for COVID-19 — has both positives and negatives for Democrats, political experts said Thursday.
See Also:
● Kamala Harris suspends travel after staffer tests COVID-19 positive abc30
● Kamala Harris’ Travel Suspended After 2 People Near Her Test Positive For Coronavirus VPR
● Two people involved in Biden, Harris campaign test positive for COVID-19 Fresno Bee
● Positive coronavirus test for staffer upends Biden-Harris campaign travel LA Times
Fact check: Where does Kamala Harris stand on abortion?
Fresno Bee
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris support taxpayer funding of abortion all the way up to the moment of birth, late term abortion,” Vice President Mike Pence said at last week’s vice presidential debate.
See Also:
· Can You Handle The Truth?: PolitiFact Calif Fact Checks Claims About
· Kamala Harris And Planned Parenthood Capital Public Radio
How Quickly Will Your Absentee Vote Be Counted? A State-by-State Timeline
NY Times
Some states begin this work weeks in advance and others are only allowed to begin on Election Day. States that begin early may have a lot more results counted by election night.
Commentary: Latinos must vote early this election: our democracy depends on it
CalMatters
2020 marks the first time that Latinos will make up the largest ethnic voting group in the country. In Calif alone, there are 7.9 million eligible Latino voters – the largest Latino voting bloc in the nation.
OPINION: Calif’s 40 Million People Are Sick of Being Ignored
NY Times
Because I’m in Calif, the country’s most populous state and its biggest economy, my vote in The Most Important Presidential Election of Our Lifetime is hardly worth the paper it’s printed on.
Fear of election chaos and civil unrest stokes stockpiling of food, guns and ammunition
Sac Bee
At the Katadyn North America foods plant in Rocklin, where freeze-dried and canned foods are processed and packaged for sale around the West, the rush to meet demand is becoming increasingly intense.
Election Officials Prepare for Voter Intimidation Threat
PEW
Election officials across the country have begun reviewing security plans at early and Election Day voting sites, strengthening ties with local law enforcement and training poll workers to prepare for voter intimidation tactics.
Other:
Experts: Disinformation poses greatest threat to the election
Roll Call
While federal and state officials have taken significant steps since 2016 to address cybersecurity and physical security, the absence of a strong federal effort to combat disinformation about elections remains the biggest concern, experts said.
See also:
· Black scholars form effort to fight trolls, disinformation NBC Montana
Facebook and Twitter take unusual steps to limit spread of NY Post story
Wash Post
Facebook and Twitter took unusual steps Wednesday to limit readership of an article by the NY Post about alleged emails from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s son, one of the rare occasions they have sanctioned a traditional media outlet.
See also:
· Hunter Biden’s alleged laptop: An explainer Wash Post
· Russian Propaganda Hits Its Mark Rand Corporation
· Commentary: A dispute resolution program for social media companies Brookings
Now Is the Time for Digital Citizenship Education
EdNote
In today’s technology-rich world, preserving the American democracy involves ensuring that digital tools facilitate the productive and equitable exchange of information and opportunity, rather than misinformation and division.
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
Lawsuit accuses Trump Admin of hurting Calif farmworkers during coronavirus
Fresno Bee
A new federal lawsuit filed in Fresno seeks to stop the Trump Admin from making changes to a longstanding program critics say could ultimately lead to pay cuts for migrant farmworkers and undercut domestic workers already struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
UFW sues feds over change in collection of ag wage data
Bakersfield Califn
A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by the United Farm Workers labor union and UFW Foundation says a recent Trump administration move to stop collecting certain wage data will lead unfairly to lower wages paid to the nation’s agricultural workforce.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno voters overwhelmingly support police reform, new survey results show
Fresno Bee
Registered voters in Fresno overwhelmingly support police reform, according to a new survey conducted by the Fresno County Civic Engagement Voter Table and UC Merced Community and Labor Center.
Purported ‘Lords of Bakersfield’ victim files claim with Kern County, prompting investigation
Bakersfield Califn
A law firm has launched an investigation partly involving one of Kern County’s most notorious urban legends, the Lords of Bakersfield, after one of the men said to be victimized by the alleged underage sexual trafficking ring initiated legal action against the county.
Public Safety:
Fresno voters strongly favor coronavirus protections and police reforms, survey shows
abc30
Fresno voters sent clear messages in support of coronavirus public health protection and police reform in a new survey conducted by a policy center at UC Merced.
Fact Check: Biden wrong to say COPS funding has been ‘eliminated’
PolitiFact
In an exchange with host George Stephanopoulos in the Oct. 15 town hall, Biden lamented that “they eliminated the funding for community policing.” Biden was vague about who eliminated the funding, and when. Either way, he’s wrong about the elimination of funding.
‘Incredibly exclusive’: Turlock Police revises advisory board qualifications after input
Modesto Bee
The Turlock Police Department widened eligibility for its community advisory board after some residents called initially listed qualifications restrictive.
Will Tulare County Board of Supervisors form a sheriff’s oversight committee?
Visalia Times Delta
The bill, championed by Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy (D-Sac), allows a county to create a sheriff oversight board comprised of citizens to help the board of supervisors with its duties. This can be done either by supervisors or through a vote of county residents.
Fire:
Creek Fire updates: More smoke expected; vehicle retrieval planned for Florence, Edison lakes
Fresno Bee
More smoke is expected in the central San Joaquin Valley on Thursday and Friday as a high pressure system parks over the Creek Fire, causing the wildfire to continue its burn in high elevations and pushing smoke into lower elevations and more populated areas.
See Also:
● Creek Fire: 341,722 acres burned, 55% contained, latest evacuations orders abc30
● Creek Fire update: Complete containment projection pushed back; financial relief rejected Fresno Bee
Wildfire Smoke In Us Exposes Millions To Hazardous Pollution
Business Journal
Smoke at concentrations that topped the government’s charts for health risks and lasted at least a day enshrouded counties inhabited by more than 8 million people across five states in recent weeks, AP’s analysis shows.
Sequoia Complex still at 70 % contained
Porterville Recorder
The Sequoia Complex Fire which began in the Golden Trout Wilderness remained at 70 % contained as of Thursday morning.
Trump administration blocks Calif wildfire relief
LA Times
The Trump administration has rejected Calif’s request for disaster relief funds aimed at cleaning up the damage from six recent fires across the state.
See Also:
● Creek Fire: FEMA denies individual and public assistance, leaving residents worried and frustrated abc30
● Trump administration rejects Calif on disaster assistance for Creek Fire, others Sac Bee
● Trump administration rejects emergency aid for Calif fires, including biggest blaze in state history Wash Post
● In Rare Move, Trump Administration Rejects Calif’s Request for Wildfire Relief NY Times
New Maps Show How Climate Change is Making Calif’s “Fire Weather” Worse
ProPublica
As Calif continues battling its worst wildfire season on record, new research shows that fall fire weather days — days with high temperatures, low humidity and high wind speeds — will double in parts of the state by the end of the century and will increase 40% by 2065.
Editorial: Prop. 19 closes a tax loophole and helps fund more firefighters. That’s a win-win
Fresno Bee
Proposition 19 would be good for seniors who want to downsize, for local government coffers ravaged by COVID-19 and for anyone worried about wildfires. That’s plenty of reasons to vote yes.
Commentary: Calif’s Boom Collapses as Fires Add $1.1 Billion Toll
Bloomberg
The wildfires, power outages and extreme weather that have ravaged Calif are setting the stage for a deepening economic crisis for an engine of U.S. growth.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
For many Californians, the pandemic marks the end of ‘barely making it’
CalMatters
The pandemic is accelerating the demise of the middle class, leaving many unable to sustain financial independence. In Silicon Valley and elsewhere, middle-class workers have found themselves unable to make rent.
See also:
· Recovery money still available for local businesses, nonprofits Bakersfield Califn
Fact Check: Trump’s dubious statement about presiding over ‘the greatest economy’ in history
PolitiFact
When the novel coronavirus appeared, Trump said, “I had to close the greatest economy in the history of our country.” The U.S. economy prior to the coronavirus was strong. But it was not the best in the nation’s history, economists say.
Pandemic hammers small businesses vital to economic recovery
AP News
In a normal year, hundreds of book lovers would have descended on Winchester this summer for Shenandoah University’s annual children’s literature conference.
Ninth Circuit Allows Arbitrator to Rule on Postmates’ Challenge to Mass Arbitration Tactics
National Law Review
In response to the increased use and enforcement of class and collective action waivers, plaintiffs’ attorneys are now relying on a new strategy to gain leverage over businesses.
Jobs:
‘Stressed is an understatement.’ Calif unemployment workers testify about troubled agency
Fresno Bee
The Calif state Senate took the unusual step Wednesday of calling front-line state workers to talk about a historic backlog of unemployment claims that accumulated at the Employment Development Department during the coronavirus outbreak.
See also:
· Insiders say Calif EDD unemployment benefit scam was get-rich-quick scheme abc30
· Unemployment Data Update: March through October 15 Calif Center for Jobs and the Economy
· Pandemic Aid Swelled Savings of the Unemployed, Study Shows. Now They Are Running Low. WSJ
· U.S. Jobless Claims Rose to 898,000 Last Week WSJ
Still undecided about Calif’s gig economy law? Five things to know about Prop. 22
Sac Bee
Should gig workers for companies such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart be paid as independent contractors or employees of the tech giants?
EDUCATION
K-12:
Is your student struggling with online learning? Fresno schools add helpful new feature
Fresno Bee
Fresno schools recently unveiled a new tool that will help students with their academics. The district partnered with the Princeton Review to make available Tutor.com, a 24-hour tutoring service Fresno Unified’s 73,000 students can use for free.
Clovis schools win COVID-19 waiver to reopen elementary schools for in-person classes
Fresno Bee
Clovis Unified schools won a waiver late Wednesday to reopen elementary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the district announced in a news release.
See Also:
● State Approves CUSD for In-Class Learning Clovis Roundup
Fresno elementary schools cleared to reopen regardless of county’s COVID-19 status
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Unified School District was granted a waiver Wednesday afternoon to reopen elementary schools, officials announced.
See Also:
● Fresno Unified gets approval to bring students back for in-person learning abc30
Calif teacher unions fight calls to reopen schools
LA Times
Two influential Calif teachers unions are pushing against growing momentum to reopen schools in many communities, saying that campuses are not yet safe enough amid the pandemic.
Higher Ed:
‘We still need teachers’: UC Davis may pause its teachers program. Will it harm schools?
Fresno Bee
UC Davis, administrators are considering suspending the teacher education master’s degree and credential program beginning in fall 2021, allowing the university to redesign it and prepare it for a stronger social justice lens.
Black students in Calif offered CSU, UC alternatives at HBCU virtual college fair
Sac Bee
President and CEO Dr. Alan Rowe and his wife, Donna, founded the U-CAN foundation in 1988 when looking to enroll their son in a four-year college or university.
Taft College gets $2.1 million to help students with disabilities transition to living independently
Bakersfield Califn
Taft College has been awarded $2.1 million for its program that helps students with intellectual disabilities transition to independent living.
Is your college in a severe wildfire zone?
CalMatters
Of Calif’s nearly 150 public colleges and universities, 18 are within areas Cal Fire deems at high risk from wildfires. In addition to evacuation plans, colleges have different fire mitigation tactics they can employ to minimize risk.
Supporting Student Parents in Community College CalWORKs Programs
PPIC
Many Califns face difficulties connecting to good jobs because of limited education. This is especially true for poor families who receive cash assistance from the state’s CalWORKs (Calif Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) program
The Pandemic’s Effect on Community College Enrollment
PPIC
As early as April, students at Calif community colleges cited increased anxiety, mental distress, and income loss as factors affecting their ability to enroll in and complete planned courses.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
The World’s Largest Tropical Wetland Has Become an Inferno
NY Times
This year, roughly a quarter of the vast Pantanal wetland in Brazil, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, has burned in wildfires worsened by climate change. What happens to a rich and unique biome when so much is destroyed?
Energy:
PG&E blackout update: 40,000 in Northern Calif without power, with more to come
Fresno Bee
About 40,000 homes and businesses across Northern Calif were without power Thursday as PG&E Corp. shut the lights off to curtail wildfire risks during severe winds.
See Also:
● Power Cut To Thousands In Calif To Prevent Wildfires Business Journal
● Power cut to thousands in Calif to prevent wildfires Bakersfield Califn
● As extreme heat strains Calif’s energy grid, flex alert issued LA Times
The End Of Oil? Battle Lines Drawn As Industry Grapples With Energy’s Future
VPR
Oil is facing an existential crisis. There has never been so much uncertainty about the future of a commodity that keeps the global economic engine running.
Energy regulators signal support for carbon pricing in electricity markets
The Hill
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announced the bipartisan proposal in a press release Thursday. Text of the proposal has not yet been released.
The Downside of a Lean Electric Grid
Rand Corporation
The electric grid is central to U.S. national security. It is also an extremely complex and expensive system that costs around $750 per customer annually.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Grim stats on COVID-19 continue to climb in Kern as deaths exceed 400
Bakersfield Califn
Kern County reached another grim milestone in the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday as deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 400.
See Also:
● Coronavirus update: Fresno County to update death toll as cases spike nationally Fresno Bee
● Kern reports 80 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday Bakersfield Califn
● Coronavirus update: Stanislaus announces 389th death, 30 new positive tests Modesto Bee
● COVID-19 update: Tulare County lags behind as Kings, Kern, Fresno counties move tiersCOVID-19 update: Tulare County lags behind as Kings, Kern, Fresno counties move tiers Visalia Times Delta
● Coronavirus live updates: New single-day cases in U.S. reach highest level since late July Wash Post
● U.S. tops 60,000 daily coronavirus infections for first time since early August Wash Post
● U.S. Virus Cases Climb Toward a Third Peak NY Times
● America’s Pandemic Death Rate Is Far Higher Than Other Countries And It’s Not Coming Down Forbes
● Why Covid-19 Is Spreading Again: Fatigue, Colder Weather, Eased Restrictions WSJ
● New U.S. Coronavirus Cases Top 60,000 for First Time in More Than Two Months WSJ
● Key coronavirus model predicts nearly 80 % rise in deaths by February The Hill
Pandemic disruptions indirectly killed 75,000 more Americans than reported, study says
Fresno Bee
This means that nearly 75,000 more people may have indirectly died from the coronavirus pandemic than official death counts reported in that time, researchers with the Virginia Commonwealth University said
Nevadan believed to be first in US reinfected with COVID-19, doctors say in report
Sac Bee
The person believed to be the first in U.S. to contract COVID-19 two times is a western Nevada man who suffered more severe symptoms during his second battle with the virus just weeks after the first, according to a newly published study.
Young and healthy? You may have to wait until 2022 for a covid-19 vaccine, experts warn.
Wash Post
Young and healthy people should be prepared to wait their turn for immunization, experts warned this week. The World Health Organization’s chief scientist suggested that the delay could last well over a year for some among the young and healthy.
Regarding using a public bathroom in the middle of a pandemic
Wash Post
As the holiday season approaches, Americans preparing to travel hundreds of miles to see family or friends may notice a green mile marker off in the distance: Public restrooms are ahead.
Wash Post
When the new disease first arrived, little was clear beyond the fact that it killed with terrifying speed. Near-certain death trailed the first symptoms by four days or less. The doctors were helpless.
Should you get a coronavirus test if you think you have a cold? There may be ‘no right answer.’
Wash Post
This year, with covid-19 added to the mix of look-alike winter maladies, it’s more important to know which virus is causing your illness, because the coronavirus is so contagious and can result in such serious outcomes.
Human Services:
Dr. Fauci warns Thanksgiving gatherings pose high risk for COVID-19
abc30
Dr. Anthony Fauci says Americans should rethink their usual plans for Thanksgiving gatherings, citing increased coronavirus infections and hospitalizations.
See Also:
● Fauci calls for some Americans to ‘bite that bullet’ and avoid Thanksgiving gatherings Fresno Bee
Exclusive: Kaiser cited for failing to treat COVID-19 as airborne
CalMatters
Calif workplace safety officials cite Kaiser Permanente for failing to treat COVID-19 as an airborne disease. Kaiser says it will appeal the citation against its psychiatric facility in Santa Clara.
Fact Check: Tucker Carlson distorts new CDC report, makes false mask claim
PolitiFact
Fox News host Tucker Carlson misrepresented the findings of a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, amplifying misinformation from social media as he claimed on his TV show that the study showed masks don’t work like experts say.
Commentary: Why has COVID-19 been especially harmful for working women?
Brookings
After decades of struggle, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave women in the United States the right to vote. This hard-won right foretold the increasing presence of women not only in the voting booth, but also in the workplace.
The Teen Birth Rate: Are Record Lows Low Enough?
U.S. News
Like most teachers, freelance educator Lindsay Fram had to make an abrupt pivot to distance learning when the coronavirus pandemic shut down public schools in March. She did research and connected with her colleagues, leaning into the challenge of teaching in a virtual class.
Drug Price Controls Endanger Seniors
National Review
In a pre-election frenzy, the Trump administration has issued a raft of executive orders on drug pricing. One is particularly dangerous: It would deter future development of live-saving medicines such as the treatments President Trump received for COVID-19.
IMMIGRATION
Trump’s immigration changes will affect Calif long after he’s gone
LA Times
It was a Monday morning in Wash less than three weeks from the November presidential election, and with the first day of Senate hearings for his Supreme Court pick and more than 210,000 Americans having died from COVID-19, President Trump tweeted.
Donald Trump’s false claim of DACA changes ‘because of the pandemic’
PolitiFact
His administration began making changes to DACA in 2017, his first year in office. DACA also benefits people who have been in the United States for many years, not those arriving during the pandemic.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Fresno wants to shrink number of liquor stores. Here’s how city plans to do it
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council adopted a new policy Thursday touted as a way to water down liquor store-saturated areas and encourage new grocery markets.
See Also:
● Fresno Restricts New Liquor Licenses For Stores Business Journal
Housing:
Fact Check: Will rent control initiative spare Calif landlords with a rental or two?
Fresno Bee
Included in a Calif ballot measure to let cities establish rent control on more housing is an exemption for small landlords who own up to two single-family homes.
See Also:
● Fact Check: Can landlords hike rent by 15% if Calif voters pass Prop 21?
Sac Bee
PUBLIC FINANCES
With no federal aid package, Calif state worker pay cuts are here to stay
Fresno Bee
It’s official: Pay cuts for Calif state workers are here to stay. Thursday was the deadline for the federal government to send financial aid that could have undone cuts that took effect in July.
Tax Burden Equal to 70% Rate Crushes Americans Unable to Pay
yahoo!finance
Millions of low-income Americans are locked into poverty thanks to U.S. tax policy, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta researchers say.
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.
Study: COVID-19 transmission risk on airplanes ‘virtually non-existent’ when passengers wear masks
abc30
A new study released Thursday shows that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is “virtually non-existent” during air travel when passengers wear masks.
Calif High-Speed Rail Authority
The CA High-Speed Rail Authority is responsible for planning, designing, building and operating the first high-speed rail in the nation. CA high-speed rail will connect the mega-regions of the state, contribute to economic development and a cleaner environment, create jobs and preserve agricultural and protected lands
WATER
MID candidates spar over selling water beyond district boundaries in a dry year
Modesto Bee
The challenger for a Modesto Irrigation District board seat criticized incumbent Larry Byrd for suggesting water sales beyond its boundaries in April.
Just How Bad Is Calif’s Water Debt Problem? The State Isn’t Sure
Capital Public Radio
A statewide water shutoff moratorium has kept the tap on for Califns who haven’t been able to pay their water bill in the midst of the pandemic-driven economic crisis. Ratepayer debt has been accruing for months now, leading to revenue losses for water providers across the state.
“Xtra”
Kings County shares Halloween guidelines
Hanford Sentinel
The goal of “COVID-19 Halloween Guidance” is to “keep our community members as safe as possible while still enjoying the holiday.” The press release was broken up into three sections: Permitted and recommended, not recommended and safer alternatives, and not permitted.
Viva Via Arte! Festival to bring community together safely
Bakersfield Califn
This has been a trying year for event organizers with many activities forced to cancel due to safety guidelines. So that’s all the more reason to celebrate the ones that can adapt to our current situation, like the Via Arte Italian Street Painting Festival, which returns to The Marketplace this weekend.
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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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