POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
After racist social media posts, Calif Democrats thought this race was locked up. Is it?
Fresno Bee
Democratic Rep. Josh Harder didn’t make the list of the GOP’s top targets for 2020. The freshman Calif congressman looked practically safe in a purple district just two years after unseating four-term Republican Rep. Jeff Denham.
See also:
● Can Ted Howze unseat Josh Harder? Modesto Bee
● EDITORIAL: Stanislaus and San Joaquin voters should send this man to Congress Modesto Bee
County provides alternatives to mailing in ballots
Turlock Journal
A number of satellite offices, drop-off boxes and drive-thru options are popping up in Turlock throughout the course of October and into November to ensure that every ballot is counted come election day.
Merced Co moves to COVID-19 ‘red tier.’ What local businesses can reopen now?
Merced Sun-Star
Many Merced County businesses — including movie theaters, tattoo parlors and gyms — can now reopen with limited capacity, as state officials Tuesday gave the go ahead for the county to move into a less restrictive status during the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus update, Oct. 7: Stanislaus County records just 8 new cases
Modesto Bee
The state provides updates each Tuesday on whether counties can move amid the four levels for COVID-19. Stanislaus is most restrictive.
See also:
● Stanislaus meets COVID criteria to move tiers. Getting to red at least a week away Modesto Bee
● COVID-19 woes hit these major Modesto, valley chains; but one mall retailer opening Modesto Bee
EDITORIAL: COVID policies require new look at these Bee endorsements for Stanislaus leaders
Modesto Bee
A newspaper changing its endorsements from the March primary to the November election, under normal circumstances, would be quite unusual. But “normal circumstances” does not accurately describe anything about 2020.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno State
Costa will be the featured speaker for a first-ever virtual version of the President’s Lecture Series at Fresno State, less than a month before the 2020 presidential election. The President’s Lecture with Costa is scheduled from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. It’s free to participate, by visiting Zoom at the time of the event.
COVID-19 updates: Fresno Co doctors to provide tests, business reopenings at risk
Fresno Bee
The Calif Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported 71 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 29,136 confirmed infections in Fresno County. The county announced 7 new deaths, bringing the total to 406 since the pandemic began.
See also:
● COVID-19: Tulare County faces ‘definite setback’ Visalia Times Delta
● Why are Madera, Tulare and Kings County still in the ‘purple tier’? abc30
● Fresno Co may need return to dining, health club closures as COVID-19 cases rebound Fresno Bee
● Longtime Fresno restaurant is starting a GoFundMe campaign to survive COVID-19 pandemic Fresno Bee
● Fresno’s Tower District loses two restaurants — but a new one is already on the way Fresno Bee
Fresno County options for voting in the 2020 Presidential Election
Fresno Bee
Brandi Orth, Fresno County Clerk and Registrar of Voters, talks about options for voters in the 2020 United States presidential election, including the ease and safety of using ballot drop boxes.
See also:
● Mail-in or in-person? Here are tips for voting in Fresno County during COVID-19 pandemic Fresno Bee
Democrat Arballo gains on Devin Nunes: internal poll
The Hill
Democrat Phil Arballo has cut Rep. Devin Nunes’s (R-Calif.) lead in half and trails the incumbent by only 5 points with a month to go before Election Day, according to internal polling conducted on behalf of Arballo’s campaign.
Fresno election mailer called ‘racist’ falsely depicts Black politician in jail clothes
Fresno Bee
A political mailer that criticizes a candidate up for re-election on the Fresno-area community college district board has been denounced as racist over objections from the man behind the campaign material.
City Council Condemns Racism with Proclamation
Clovis Roundup
After a locally black-owned business in Old Town Clovis was broken into and vandalized with hate messages, the city council wanted to condemn such acts of racism in the community and held a proclamation doing so.
Is Amazon coming to Visalia? Rumors swirl
Visalia Times Delta
Visalia Mayor Bob Link announced that an “Amazon project” was headed to northwest Visalia during a recent city council meeting.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County could move into red tier next week if COVID metrics hold
Bakersfield Califn
Some local businesses could begin to expand indoor operations as early as Tuesday after Kern County’s coronavirus metrics fell below state benchmarks for seven consecutive days.
See also:
● Kern meets metrics to move tiers; State will make final decision Bakersfield Now
State:
Coronavirus in Calif: Map shows which counties can, can’t reopen under Newsom’s new 4-tier system
abc30
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Calif is moving away from the “watch list” system of tracking coronavirus trends and instead moving to a four-tier, color coded classification system that will determine which counties can move forward with reopening businesses.
See also:
· To Tackle Racial Disparities In COVID-19, Calif Enacts New Metric For Reopening VPR
Newsom picks moderate justice for Calif Supreme Court
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom made his first appointment to the Calif Supreme Court on Monday, nominating retired Justice Martin Jenkins to fill the seat vacated in August by the court’s most conservative member, Justice Ming Chin.
See also:
● Governor names first openly gay justice to the Calif Supreme Court LA Times
Federal:
Pres. Trump halts COVID-19 relief talks until after 2020 election
abc30
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has instructed aides to stop negotiating on another round of COVID-19 relief until after the election.
See Also:
● No extra $300 jobless benefits, no $1,200 stimulus checks — at least any time soon
● Sacramento Bee
● Trump halts COVID-19 stimulus talks until after election LA Times
● Trump ends coronavirus relief talks amid stalemate with Pelosi Politico
● Calif suffers harsh budget blow as Trump ends coronavirus stimulus talks San Francisco Chronicle
● Trump Sends Mixed Messages Over Covid-19 Stimulus WSJ
● Trump cuts off stimulus relief talks until after election, upending prospects for aid WSJ
● Half of US states are reporting increased Covid-19 cases and some leaders push new measures CNN
● Trump killed stimulus talks hours after Fed urged more economic aid Business Insider
● Opinion: Pelosi’s Taxpayer Ransom Demand WSJ
Another top aide tests positive for COVID-19: List of those in Trump orbit to contract coronavirus
abc30
The White House announced on Oct. 2 that President Donald Trump was suffering “mild symptoms” of COVID-19, as the virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans spread to the highest reaches of the U.S. government just a month before the presidential election.
See Also:
● Trump aide Stephen Miller says he has tested positive for COVID-19 Fresno Bee
Trump’s touting of ‘racehorse theory’ tied to eugenics and Nazis alarms Jewish leaders
LA Times
President Trump alarmed Jewish leaders and others with remarks appearing to endorse “racehorse theory” — the idea that selective breeding can improve a country’s performance, which American eugenicists and German Nazis used to buttress their goals of racial purity.
Trump Took $70,000 in Tax Deductions for Hair Care. Experts Say That’s Illegal.
NY Times
There were many bombshells in The NY Times’s exposé last week about President Trump’s taxes. He has paid basically zero federal income tax for years. His much-ballyhooed businesses are on the ropes. And that was just the headline.
Opinion: Amy Coney Barrett: A Role Model for Mothers and Young Women
National Review
If confirmed, Judge Amy Coney Barrett would be the only mother sitting on the Supreme Court, and she’d be the first mother of school-aged children ever to do so.
Commentary: Is Trump getting the medical advice he wants rather than the advice he needs?
AEI
A few years before he died, my friend Charles Krauthammer, a psychiatrist turned Pulitzer-winning political commentator, told me that the quality of healthcare you receive tends to rise in tandem with your income — up to a point.
See Also:
● Opinion: Trump, Covid and Reason WSJ
● Commentary: Trump has the coronavirus — that doesn’t mean he’ll take it more seriously AEI
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
Elections 2020:
● Check voter registration status
● Online Voter Guide and Printable Voter Guide
● List of county elections offices
Vote by mail underway in Calif: How many get rejected?
abc30
Election Month is officially underway in Calif as county elections offices opened for early voting and drop boxes are now accepting ballots. This year’s election will lean heavily on mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus.
Ahead Of Contentious Presidential Election, Calif Adds 3 Million Registered Voters
Capital Public Radio
Weeks before a contentious presidential election, Calif’s voter rolls are swelling, with a substantial increase in new registrations not seen in recent elections, having added just under 3 million new voters since this time in 2016.
Planning to vote in person for the 2020 election in Calif? Here’s what to expect
Sacramento Bee
Every Calif voter has the opportunity this year to return their ballot for the Nov. 3. election by mail.
More than 4 million Americans have already voted, suggesting record turnout
Reuters
Americans are rushing to cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election at an unprecedented pace, early voting numbers show, indicating a possible record turnout for the showdown between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
See also:
● More than 60% of Democrats plan to vote early, just 28% of Republicans: poll The Hill
Gig worker pay: What to know before voting on Prop. 22
CalMatters
No, the ballot measure won’t ban Uber and Lyft in Calif. But it would overhaul how drivers get paid.
See also:
● Lawmakers want to amend this prop? It’ll take a “super, super, super-duper majority” CalMatters
100+ Mayors, local leaders join Gov. Newsom in opposing Prop 21, the “housing freeze”
Public CEO
More than 100 elected officials from throughout Calif today announced their opposition to Proposition 21, the November measure that opponents say will reduce affordable housing in the state and require cuts in community services.
Prop 25 would end bail in Calif. Here’s how it works — and who’s fighting it
Sacamento Bee
Calif could become the first state in the nation to abolish money bail.
Polls 2020: Despite surprise news, a stable race with Trump behind in key states
LA Times
The last few weeks have heaped surprise after surprise onto an already-contentious race for the White House.
See also:
● Tight Senate Races Take New Turn After Trump’s Covid-19 Diagnosis WSJ
● Republican fears grow over rising Democratic tide TheHill
Biden says cancel next debate if Trump remains sick with COVID-19
LA Times
As the coronavirus outbreak at the White House spun further out of control Tuesday, Joe Biden suggested that the presidential debate next week in Miami should be canceled if President Trump is still sick with COVID-19.
See also:
· Trump Plays Down Coronavirus, Plans to Debate Joe Biden Next Week WSJ
· Biden delivers a closing argument: ‘Revive the spirit of bipartisanship’ LA Times
· Fact Check: Biden inflated the number of clemency actions by Obama Politifact
Opinion: In an October filled with surprises, can President Trump still win?
Fresno Bee
It didn’t take long for this election’s first official October surprise to occur. Less than 22 hours into the new month, President Donald Trump tweeted that he and his wife, Melania, had tested positive for COVID-19.
See also:
● Opinion: Trump doesn’t need Russian trolls to spread disinformation. The mainstream media does it for him Wash Post
VP debate: Kamala Harris and Mike Pence meet. Here’s what to expect
LA Times
President Trump’s brief hospitalization for COVID-19 could raise the stakes for Wednesday’s debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Calif Sen. Kamala Harris.
See Also:
● Pence team agrees to plexiglass barrier on his side of debate stage Wash Post
● Who is Susan Page? Meet the moderator for the vice presidential debate LA Times
● ‘Out of his mouth will come these wild Trumpisms’: Harris preps to take on Pence Politico
● Kamala Harris’s Record Shows Courtroom-Honed Approach, Complicated Ideology WSJ
● Pence Vs. Harris: A Guide To The VP Debate NPR
● Opinion: Don’t Underestimate Mike Pence WSJ
● Opinion: Job One for the Veep: Explain Covid WSJ
● Commentary: The most important vice president debate in American history Brookings
● 5 Questions Ahead Of The Pence-Harris Vice Presidential Debate VPR
Michelle Obama accuses Trump of racism, urges Americans alienated by politics to vote
LA Times
Michelle Obama, in a video released Tuesday, accused President Trump of racism and of lying to the American people about the deadliness of COVID-19, and she encouraged young voters and people of color to make a plan to cast their ballots.
Kamala Harris, a Political Fighter Shaped by Life in Two Worlds
NY Times
Kamala Harris’s first act as a political candidate was knocking out a former boxer: the progressive San Francisco district attorney who had been her boss.
See Also:
● A Few Facts About Kamala Harris NY Times
● Kamala Harris on the Issues: Race, Policing, Health Care and Education NY Times
● Why Kamala Harris has been so quiet as Biden’s No. 2 Politico
● Democrats doubted Kamala Harris was liberal enough. Now Mike Pence calls her radical. What’s true? Sacramento Bee
● Opinion: Kamala Harris’s American Example WSJ
Tracking Viral Misinformation Ahead of the 2020 Election
NY Times
Every day, Times reporters will chronicle and debunk false and misleading information that is going viral online.
Other:
Facebook institutes sweeping ban on QAnon. Will it work?
LA Times
In its most sweeping content policy decision to date, Facebook implemented a comprehensive ban on QAnon-related pages, groups and Instagram accounts Tuesday.
See Also:
● Facebook bans QAnon across its platforms NBCNews
● Facebook imposes major new restrictions on QAnon, stepping up enforcement against the conspiracy theory Wash Post
Commentary: Socially distant: How our divided social networks explain our politics
AEI
In the midst of a heated presidential election, health pandemic, and social unrest, it is more important than ever to understand how our personal attributes and identities shape our thinking and influence our behavior.
Op-Ed: The latest threat to same-sex marriage — Clarence Thomas
LA Times
The Constitution protects religious beliefs. It does not protect a person’s right to discriminate based on religious belief. But on Monday, two Supreme Court justices — Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito — indicated they see things quite differently.
Opinion: A Dialogue With Pope Francis
WSJ
On Sunday Pope Francis released his encyclical “All Brothers”, meant to point a world reeling from Covid-19 in a more hopeful direction. The document repeats his earlier indictments of capitalism.
Commentary: Trump Thinks America Should Go It Alone. Americans Disagree.
AEI
After nearly four years of President Donald Trump, are Americans still broadly committed to a globally engaged foreign policy? Or have they become dangerously polarized on issues of how the U.S. should approach the world — and even of how the country should see itself?
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 11, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Telemedicine: Path to Better and More Affordable Health Care?” – Guests: Dr. Casey Gray, Kaiser; Laurence Du Sault, Mercury News/CalMatters; Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula; Barb Yellowlees, CETF. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 11, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Will Telemedicine Cure the Valley’s Doctor Shortage?” – Guests: Dr. John Kinnison, Medical Director of Telemedicine at Valley Children’s Medical Center; Dr. Syed Ali, Family Medicine Physician with Gould Medical Group; Dr. Judi Binderman, Vice President, Chief Medical Informatics Officer at Community Medical Centers. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
President to sign Harder’s nutria bill into law
Turlock Journal
Rep. Josh Harder’s legislation to help eradicate nutria from Calif is set to be signed by the President.
Food Crisis Grows Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
WSJ
Humanitarian experts say hundreds of millions face food shortages
San Diego schools remove Trump letter from food boxes due to mask statements
Politico
The San Diego Unified School District is removing letters from President Donald Trump that his administration placed inside food boxes as part of a federal coronavirus relief program for families in need.
See also:
● Food banks throw out signed Trump letter in aid boxes Fresno Bee
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety:
Fresno groups want schools to cut campus police funding. Will the district go for it?
Fresno Bee
As Fresno-area students struggle with what public health experts describe as “crisis fatigue,” a movement of local parents and activists hopes to push schools to invest more money in mental health services for young people.
Clovis Fire Department Receives $4M Grant
Clovis Roundup
The Clovis Fire Department Fire Chief John Binaski was in attendance at the city council meeting on Monday, Oct. 5. He spoke about the items which included two grants that the fire department received last month.
Fire:
Creek Fire updates: Fire grows east; no structure loss at Mono Hot Springs so far
Fresno Bee
The Creek Fire has now been burning for just over one month. The wildfire grew by close to 4,000 acres on Monday, according to Cal Fire. As of Tuesday morning, the fire had burned 326,706 acres and was 49% contained.
See Also:
● Creek Fire updates: Shaver repopulated; backfires near Edison Lake resort; air improvement Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire evacuees apply for federal funds to help rebuild their homes abc30
Glass Fire 50% contained after destroying 600 homes in Napa-Sonoma area
Fresno Bee
The devastating Glass Fire burning in Napa and Sonoma counties is now halfway contained, with evacuation orders remaining in place for thousands while damage inspection teams continue to assess the wildfire’s extensive destruction, authorities say.
SQF Complex Fire: 158,945 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 Tuesday, the blaze was 158,945 acres with 65% containment.
The frightening implications of Calif’s first million-acre fire
LA Times
It was mid-August and Calif was experiencing yet another bout of extreme weather. In Death Valley, the thermometer at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center displayed one of the hottest — if not the hottest — temperatures ever recorded on Earth: 130 degrees.
CalMatters
A CalMatters review reveals that the systems that warn Califns about emergency evacuations have dangerous drawbacks. Millions of residents are relying on alerts that may never arrive because they didn’t know they needed to sign up for them.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Fresno Bee
The coronavirus pandemic has been rough on restaurants all over Fresno. One longtime local restaurant, BJ’s Kountry Kitchen, has had such a tough go of it, the owner has started a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to pay her bills and keep the doors open.
How Coronavirus Changed the Retail Landscape
WSJ
E-commerce sales in the second quarter rose by 44.5% compared with the same period in 2019 and they now make up 16% of all U.S. retail sales, according to the Commerce Department.
Trump Sends Mixed Messages Over Covid-19 Stimulus
WSJ
President Trump pulled the plug on ongoing bipartisan coronavirus relief talks in an abrupt move that jolted Wall Street and surprised lawmakers of both parties, but hours later called on Congress to approve a bill providing another direct check to many Americans.
See also:
● Fed’s Powell Says U.S. Faces ‘Tragic’ Risks From Doing Too Little to Support Economy WSJ
House Panel Says Big Tech Wields Monopoly Power
WSJ
Democratic-led report concludes after 16-month probe that Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple stifle competition
See also:
● House Democrats back antitrust overhaul of Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple Roll Call
Leaked: Confidential Amazon memo reveals new software to track unions
Vox
Amazon has long opposed the idea of its warehouse employees forming a union, though much of its anti-union strategies have stayed under wraps.
Jobs:
Furloughed EDD workers could have processed thousands more Calif unemployment claims
Fresno Bee
As desperate Califns sought help with unemployment insurance claims over the summer, hundreds of employees who could fix their problems were missing work under a state-imposed leave program, according to payroll data.
See Also:
● CA EDD employee speaks out, says thousands losing unemployment benefits by mistake abc30
● Employer Demand for Workers Weakens as Pandemic Passes Half-Year Mark WSJ
● Calif resumes taking unemployment applications, with new ID verification tool San Francisco Chronicle
Trump Administration Announces Overhaul of H-1B Visa Program
WSJ
The Trump administration announced an overhaul of the H-1B visa program for high-skilled foreign workers that will require employers to pay significantly higher wages, narrow the qualifications and shorten the length of visas for certain contract workers.
See also:
● DHS, Labor Dept. tighten restrictions for migrant workers on H-1B visas UPI
Opinion: Middle-Class Jobs: Regulation Kills Employment of Certain Workers
National Review
Although blue-collar wages and employment in manufacturing experienced a substantial bump over the past three years, the middle class has been hollowed out: Workers in the middle of the skill distribution have seen the weakest growth in wages and jobs.
EDUCATION
K-12:
No link seen between Calif school openings, virus cases
Fresno Bee
Calif has not seen a link between the reopening of K-12 schools for in-person learning and increased coronavirus transmission, the state’s top public health official said Tuesday.
See Also:
● So far, so good. Calif school openings aren’t driving COVID-19 spread Fresno Bee
● Calif sees no link from school openings to virus spread Bakersfield Califn
More Central Valley elementary schools can now hold in-person classes
abc30
A total of 43 elementary schools in the Central Valley have been given the green light to reopen campuses after being closed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
KHSD board OK’s bringing back small cohorts of students beginning Oct. 26
Bakersfield Califn
The Kern High School District board voted to grant district officials the authority to reopen schools and bring back students once Kern County’s coronavirus numbers improve and it moves into the next tier, which governs how a county’s economy can reopen.
See also:
● Edison School District has waiver approved for in-person learning Bakersfield Califn
● Kern High District aiming to bring sports back ‘in pieces’ Bakersfield Califn
KHSD board approves creation of employee medical center with purchase of Stockdale office
Bakersfield Califn
The Kern High School District board took a major step toward the creation of an employee medical center by approving the purchase of a medical facility on Stockdale Highway on Monday night.
Modesto City Schools board to hear reopening update next week. Forums bring questions
Modesto Bee
The Modesto City Schools proposal for reopening elementary schools will be presented Monday at a Board of Education special workshop, participants in online community forums were told this week and last.
Funding Calif Schools When Budgets Fall Short
PPIC
Even as districts prioritize safety amid COVID-19, they face hard choices as they try to maintain services and balance budgets.
Opinion: Are Clovis, Central school district bonds worth supporting?
Fresno Bee
There are good reasons to back the bonds this time.
Opinion: Sikhs — important in Stanislaus and CA — should appear in ethnic studies
Modesto Bee
Like members of many communities across the state, Sikh Califns are deeply disappointed to see that the revised draft of the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum still omits any meaningful representation of our community.
Higher Ed:
Project Rebound flourishes in first year at Stan State
Turlock Journal
Working to give other incarcerated individuals and their families better outcomes fuels Bravo’s work as coordinator of Stanislaus State’s Project Rebound, which offers services and support to the formerly and currently incarcerated who are, or would like to be, students.
Bakersfield College to continue mostly online instruction in spring 2021 due to COVID-19
KGET 17
Bakersfield College will continue to offer mostly online courses in the spring 2021 semester due to COVID-19.
See also:
● Kern Community College District schools, including BC, will remain virtual spring semester Bakersfield Califn
Calif colleges tried to prepare for COVID-19 outbreaks. It didn’t work
LA Times
This fall, as colleges around the country wrestled with how to reopen amid the coronavirus crisis, officials in Calif required a cautious approach.
SATs? Out. Pandemic Essays? In. How To Apply For College In 2020
LAist
College application season is in full swing for the high school class of 2021 and anyone else hoping to start a 4-year college next fall. But instead of SAT cram sessions, road trips to visit campuses and essay-writing workshops at the library, we have … Zoom.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Calif unprepared for brutal ‘heat storm’ that caused blackouts, officials tell Newsom
Modesto Bee
The managers of Calif’s electricity network Tuesday blamed a pileup of poor planning and bad luck for the two nights of rolling blackouts in August that plunged hundreds of thousands of residents into darkness during an oppressive heat wave.
Judge throws out EPA decision on Calif salt ponds
Fresno Bee
A federal judge on Monday blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from allowing the dredging and filling of salt ponds near San Francisco without going through a permitting process that could stall redevelopment of the area.
JPMorgan Pledges to Push Clients to Align With Paris Climate Agreement
WSJ
The bank, long under pressure from climate activists, says lowering emissions can help a company attract capital and stay relevant
Energy:
Bakersfield Califn
Bakersfield College will be hosting a short virtual conference Wednesday with local political and industry leaders to discuss the economic potential of renewable energy in Kern County.
What caused Calif’s rolling blackouts? Climate change and poor planning
LA Times
Calif suffered its first rolling blackouts in nearly 20 years because energy planners didn’t take climate change into account and didn’t line up the right power sources to keep the lights on after sundown, according to a self-evaluation released Tuesday by 3 state agencies.
Bakersfield Califn
In hopes of pointing out the disparate treatment between the oil and renewable energy industries, Kern County Supervisors have embarked on a plan to study the taxes that go unpaid by solar power companies each year.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Kern County reports one new death, 87 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday
Bakersfield Califn
Kern County Public Health Services reported one new coronavirus death and 87 new cases Tuesday morning. That means Kern County has seen 387 deaths from the virus, and 32,619 cases, since reporting on the pandemic began in mid-March.
See Also:
● COVID-19 update: County suffers setback, mental health of youth a concern Porterville Recorder
● COVID-19 spread easing in Stanislaus County Turlock Journal
● True COVID-19 Death Toll May Surpass Official Counts, Especially In San Joaquin Valley VPR
● Coronavirus update: Stanislaus County records just 8 new cases Modesto Bee
● True COVID-19 Death Toll May Surpass Official Counts, Especially In San Joaquin Valley VPR
Kern public health reports first human case of West Nile virus this year
Bakersfield Califn
The Kern County Public Health Services Department reported the first human case of West Nile virus in 2020 on Tuesday. According to the health department, West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and often spreads during the summer and early fall.
Donald Trump’s false claim that COVID-19 is less deadly than the flu
PolitiFact
President Donald Trump’s fight with COVID-19 has left him striking a defiant tone. When he headed back to the White House from the hospital, he advised people on Twitter, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.”
See also:
● New U.S. Coronavirus Cases Cross Back Above 40,000 WSJ
● Fauci predicts US could have 300-400k COVID-19 deaths ABC News
● As Trump tweets false flu claims, here are the facts about the ‘twindemic’ that could be coming MSN
New CDC report shows effectiveness of wearing masks and closing bars in stemming coronavirus
The Hill
New data suggest public health mitigation techniques are critical to containing the coronavirus.
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.
Commentary: How will CRISPR and gene-editing change the world? My long-read Q&A with Kevin Davies
AEI
In the last 8 years, geneticists have figured out how to edit humanity’s genetic code using an innovation known as CRISPR. As a result, humanity is approaching the ability to cure genetic diseases and to genetically engineer plants and livestock to improve food supplies.
Human Services:
Adventist Health Bakersfield offering free breast cancer screenings on Friday
Bakersfield Califn
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Adventist Health Bakersfield is offering free breast cancer screenings from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday. According to a flier from the hospital, the screening are for those without insurance.
Calif Makes Certain Human Resources Professionals and Supervisors Mandated Child Abuse Reporters
Littler
Now, effective January 1, 2021, certain Calif human resources professionals and front-line supervisors will also be identified as mandated reporters.
Easier-to-Use Coronavirus Saliva Tests Start to Catch On
Calif Healthline
As the coronavirus pandemic broke out across the country, health care providers and scientists relied on the standard method for detecting respiratory viruses: sticking a long swab deep into the nose to get a sample.
America’s Medical Supply Crisis
PBS
Why was the United States left scrambling for critical medical equipment as the coronavirus swept the country? FRONTLINE investigates the fragmented global medical supply chain and its deadly consequences.
Trump Administration to Penalize Hospitals for Pandemic Data Gaps
WSJ
Expanded federal Covid-19 response will also require hospitals to report flu patients and deaths, as flu season begins
FDA releases high coronavirus vaccine standards despite White House resistance
Roll Call
The Food and Drug Administration issued long-awaited guidance Tuesday on the data it expects from drug companies seeking emergency authorization of COVID-19 vaccines, overcoming White House pressure for lower standards to push out vaccines quickly.
See also:
● Vaccine official who filed complaint against Trump administration resigns from NIH Wash Post
● White House Agrees to FDA’s Guidelines for Vetting Covid-19 Vaccines WSJ
● Trump Says FDA Pulled ‘Political Hit Job’ With Vaccine Rules Bloomberg
● Trump’s antibody drug out of reach for all but ‘rare’ cases Roll Call
● Supreme Court hears drug benefits case with wide-ranging impact Roll Call
Commentary: CBO presents options for covering the uninsured
AEI
In two recent reports, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) took up the complex topic of the uninsured in the United States. The first report breaks down the population into meaningful subcategories; the second outlines what it will take to reduce their ranks.
IMMIGRATION
Some Kern Co Farmers Are Worried Trump’s Immigration Policies Affect Their Workforce
VPR
Kern County is known for Big Agriculture and traditionally leans to the right. Many of the farmers there support Donald Trump. But when it comes to immigration—one of the President’s signature themes—not all the farmers there line up behind him.
Trump administration to sharply limit skilled-worker visas
LA Times
The Trump administration announced plans Tuesday to sharply limit visas for skilled workers, a move officials said was a priority amid job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also:
● Trump administration to impose new rules targeting H-1B visas The Hill
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Housing:
Construction begins on Sugar Pine Village, an affordable housing community in Madera
Fresno Bee
A ceremonial groundbreaking was held as work begins on 52 high-quality, affordable apartment-style rental homes. Many of the homes will be available for individuals and families struggling with housing insecurity and homelessness.
Home market strengthens as high-end buyers head out
Bakersfield Califn
Bakersfield’s home market continues to strengthen in one key measure and local real estate agents say it’s partly because people with higher-end houses are selling to newcomers and then leaving the state.
CA Budget & Policy Center
Measure Narrows Property Tax Inheritance Loophole, Does Little to Help Calif’s Housing Affordability Crisis
PUBLIC FINANCES
No extra $300 jobless benefits, no $1,200 stimulus checks — at least any time soon
Fresno Bee
Millions of unemployed Calif residents will have to wait at least another month — and probably longer — before an extra $300 a week or more is available in supplemental jobless benefits from the federal government.
Didn’t get a stimulus check? Deadline extended for millions of Americans, IRS says
Fresno Bee
People who never received a $1,200 stimulus check under the CARES Act and don’t typically file tax returns will have more time to submit their information to the IRS to get their payment.
Stimulus check update: IRS extends deadline to register for non-filers
abc30
Thousands of Americans still waiting for their stimulus checks now have an extended deadline to register for payment. The IRS needs people who typically don’t file a tax return to submit information. The Oct. 15 deadline was pushed back to Nov. 21.
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.
Clovis eliminates bus fares due to coronavirus, accepts FEMA firefighter grant
Fresno Bee
The council unanimously voted Monday night to eliminate transit fees for bus riders. The council also accepted a $3.9 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that is expected to bring nine more firefighters to the Clovis department.
See also:
● City of Clovis’ Transit Services Now Free Clovis Roundup
● $0 fares: Clovis’ Stageline and Round Up bus services are now free to ride YourCentralValley.com
● Clovis Votes to eliminate fares for public transit Business Journal
WATER
Inclusion of WIFIA in water resources package urged
Porterville Recorder
On Monday, U.S. Rep. T.J. Cox and CA Rep. John Garamendi, sent a letter urging leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to include water infrastructure financing in the biennial bill.
Recession Safety Net Needed for State’s Small Water Systems
PPIC
Calif has many small water systems that serve economically disadvantaged communities. We talked to experts at the State Water Board about what can be done to keep them from falling off a financial cliff.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
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