September 22, 2020

22Sep

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

From a reservoir to development, where do Patterson City Council candidates stand?

Modesto Bee

Two political newcomers are vying for the Patterson City Council District A seat: Shivaugn Alves, an educator, and Shawun Ruth Anderson, a nonprofit organization executive. The candidates looking to succeed outgoing Councilman Joshua Naranjo in representing west Patterson hold different views and priorities on a proposed reservoir and economic development.

Four experienced candidates seek to represent northwest Modesto on City Council

Modesto Bee

Four candidates with a lot of public policy experience seek to represent Modesto City Council District 1 — which covers the northwest part of the city — in the November election.

Central SJ Valley:

Rally held at Fresno City Hall to safely open all local businesses

Fresno Bee

Hundreds gathered in front of Fresno City Hall to protest orders from the state of California to stay closed until COVID-19 cases come down. Most in attendance were owners and employees of local small businesses like restaurants, salons and gyms.

See also:

●      ‘We’re not asking.’ Fresno rally organizer, others say they will open shops on Oct. 1 Fresno Bee

●      1,000 rally to reopen businesses in Fresno County, many say they will open again Oct. 1 abc30

California Republican lawmaker said his party asked for state pay cuts. It didn’t

Fresno Bee

Assemblyman Devon Mathis of Visalia made the claim after someone identifying herself as a union leader responded to a Labor Day post on his Facebook page asking if he would “stand in solidarity with laborers” and request the 9.23% reduction that was imposed on state workers in July.

The City of Fresno may owe you money. Here’s how to claim it

abc30

The City of Fresno says they have $467,374 in uncashed utility refunds that have gone unclaimed. The refunds are from an excess of customer’s deposits or fees over the last several years.

South SJ Valley:

Kern Democrats launch voter registration campaign for Black residents

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County’s Democratic Party has launched a campaign to spur African-American residents to register to vote by the deadline of Oct. 19. The local Democratic Central Committee unveiled the plan in a news release on Monday, saying the party hoped to encourage more residents to register to vote before the Nov. 3 general election.

Valadao’s invocation of Obama shows delicate ‘dance’ in race against Cox

Bakersfield Californian

It was probably the most talked about campaign ad in one of the nation’s hottest political contests, the tight race for California’s 21st Congressional District seat. The name of former U.S. President Barack Obama was featured in a positive light as part of a TV ad for dairyman David Valadao, the Hanford Republican running against Democratic incumbent T.J. Cox of Selma.

Group seeks to delay Wednesday’s City Council vote to legalize backyard hens in Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

This might come as a shock to many Bakersfield residents, but the City Council is on the verge of allowing the vast majority of homeowners to raise hens in their backyards.

Election 2020: Long odds for Solis in contest against Fong in the 34th Assembly

Bakersfield Californian

California’s 34th Assembly District is a Republican stronghold, a so-called “safe district” for the GOP — and that means Democrats who run for office in the 34th know almost certainly that they will be sent packing on Election Day.

Local congressional district race not just about McCarthy, Mangone

Bakersfield Californian

Only at its most basic level is California’s 23rd Congressional District race about the choice between incumbent Kevin McCarthy, one of the nation’s most powerful Republicans, and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Air Force veteran Kim Mangone.

Kern Public Health teams up with CSUB for COVID-19 webinar

KBAK

College campuses are feeling the wrath of COVID-19 with many students testing positive from the novel virus across the U.S. but here, CSUB took steps early on to start the academic year with distant learning.

State:

California unemployment agency does less with more

Fresno Bee

The California unemployment agency’s two call centers to field questions about jobless benefits had two major problems as millions of people sought help due to the pandemic: One had nobody on site to answer calls and the other had hundreds of untrained new hires who didn’t know how to help callers.

See also:

●      Gavin Newsom defends pause on new unemployment claims: ‘I didn’t want to wait another day.’Fresno Bee

●      Unemployment claims paused for 2 weeks as report reveals 600K awaiting benefits in EDD backlogabc30

●      Gov. Gavin Newsom explains how EDD’s 2-week reset will change California unemployment systemabc30

●      Newsom Offers A Rosy Outlook For Beleaguered EDD System Capital Public Radio

●      Newsom defends his actions to fix California’s troubled unemployment agency Los Angeles Times

●      10,000 unemployment claims backlogged per day — claims paused for 2 weeks CalMatters

●      Report: California unemployment agency does less with more SFGate

●      Opinion: Gov. Newsom buried EDD ‘strike team’ report. Can he fix California’s unemployment mess?Fresno Bee

●      What to Know About the Unemployment System ‘Reset New York Times

Wildfires Impacted California COVID-19 Testing, But Newsom Confident As Hospitalizations Decrease

Capital Public Radio

California Gov. Gavin Newsom gave an update on the wildfires burning throughout the state Monday, but also touched on testing rates, employment issues, homelessness and combating climate change. 

How California’s Wildfires Are Changing

Public Policy Institute of California

This year’s fire season has already set records in number of acres burned, with months left to go. We asked fire scientist Crystal Kolden of UC Merced how California’s “firescape” is changing, and what we can do about it.

See also:

●      Climate change has turned California from a marvel of infrastructure ingenuity into ground zero for disasters. New York Times

●      California May Need More Fire to Fix its Wildfire Problem Pew Trusts

●      Can California Recover From Wildfires Without Leaving Its Most Vulnerable People Behind? Mother Jones

Federal:

Pentagon used taxpayer money meant for masks and swabs to make jet engine parts and body armor

Washington Post

A $1 billion fund Congress gave the Pentagon in March to build up the country’s supplies of medical equipment has instead been mostly funneled to defense contractors and used to make things such as jet engine parts, body armor and dress uniforms.

See also:

●      Pentagon redirected pandemic funds to defense contractors: report The Hill

Kamala Harris was tough on Kavanaugh. How will she approach hearings on RBG’s successor?

Fresno Bee

Kamala Harris is likely to get a unique chance to question a Supreme Court nominee uninterrupted before a national audience as Americans head to the polls — an opportunity supporters see as an important boost for the Democrats’ presidential ticket.

Trump Says He Plans To Announce Supreme Court Pick ‘Probably Saturday’ 

VPR

President Trump said on Monday that he plans to announce his nominee for the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the end of this week. “I think it will be on Friday or Saturday, and we want to pay respect,” Trump said in an interview on Fox & Friends.

See also: 

●      GOP appears to have the votes to act as Trump weighs Supreme Court pick Los Angeles Times

●      A top SCOTUS contender, Amy Coney Barrett is likely to draw scrutiny for decisions on abortion, campus sex assault ABA Journal

●      Supreme Court front-runner hailed by right, feared by left ABC

●      Trump to announce SCOTUS pick Saturday, with Senate GOP expected to move ahead Roll Call

●      Democrats One or Two Votes Shy of GOP Support Needed to Block Trump’s Supreme Court NomineeNewsweek

●      Trump fires back after Dems indicate impeachment could be used to block court nominee: ‘If they do that, we win’ Fox News

●      Professor explains Supreme Court nomination process KGET

●      With Romney’s Support, GOP Likely Has Votes To Move Ahead With Ginsburg’s Replacement VPR

●      Opinion: Democrats largely powerless to stop GOP from confirming Trump’s court choice Washington Post

●      Opinion: The GOP traded democracy for a Supreme Court seat and tax cuts. It wasn’t worth it.Washington Post

What is ‘court packing’ and could it happen following Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death?

Sacramento Bee

In the days following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, some Democrats have returned to the idea of “court packing” as a potential response if President Donald Trump gets another appointee on the bench.

See also:

●      Will Democrats add seats to the Supreme Court? They’ll need Dianne Feinstein’s support Fresno Bee

Supreme Court fight could reshape Senate races

Los Angeles Times

The debate over the Supreme Court vacancy is hardening partisan lines in the fight for control of the Senate, damaging the prospects for incumbents counting on support from ticket-splitting voters to keep their seats.

See also:

●      No evidence JFK suggested postponing an election indefinitely PolitiFact

●      What Now For The Affordable Care Act In A Supreme Court Without RBG? NPR

●      Brownstein: Fight over Ginsburg succession poses stark question: Can majority rule survive in US?CNN

●      Opinion: Why No Justice Has Been Confirmed in the Fall of a Presidential Election Year National Review

●      Opinion: How the GOP is trying to justify its Supreme Court reversal Washington Post

Trump Census Plan Might Leave Out Some Legal Residents

Pew Trusts

A Trump administration plan to use the census to exclude from congressional representation immigrants who are living here illegally might inadvertently exclude many U.S. citizens living under the radar in states such as Alaska, New Mexico and West Virginia.

Partisan stopgap funding bill set for House vote Tuesday

Roll Call

The House will vote Tuesday on a short-term funding bill written by majority Democrats without support from Republicans, increasing the odds of a partial government shutdown in less than 10 days when current spending authority expires. 

Stopgap Spending Bill Hits Snag Over Farm Aid Days Before Shutdown Deadline

VPR

Republicans are rejecting a short-term spending bill released Monday after Democrats chose not to include federal farm assistance in the legislation which is meant to avert a government shutdown at the end of September.

Opinion: Democrats, the party of government, are torn over coronavirus relief

Roll Call

While Republicans stonewalled Barack Obama, they had no crisis of conscience. But Democrats, as the party that believes government can make a positive difference in people’s lives, are more conflicted about how and when to work with Donald Trump.

Coronavirus Trackers:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California

Covid19.ca.gov

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.

See also:

●      California Department of Public Health

●      Coronavirus (COVID-19) CDC

●      Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO

●      John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University

●      Tracking coronavirus in California Los Angeles Times

●      Coronavirus Tracker San Francisco Chronicle

●      Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count New York 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 Financial Times

●      Coronavirus in California by the numbers CalMatters

Elections 2020:

Wanted: Poll Workers Able to Brave the Pandemic

Pew Trusts

Election officials in many states are hoping more people like sign up because they are anticipating severe shortages of people to run the polls on Nov. 3. The shortage may lead to long lines or even numerous poll locations being closed.

Disinformation in Local Elections: How to spot it and what you can do

Fresno Bee

America’s architects viewed the press as essential to our democracy, including it in the first article of our Bill of Rights. And yet today we are faced with consistent attacks on credible news and information. Factual, accurate reporting is literally being replaced by Russian bots feeding us false information via our social media feeds.

California propositions: A voter’s guide to the 2020 ballot measures

abc30

On (or before!) Nov. 3, 2020, you won’t just be casting your vote for president. In California, there are 12 ballot propositions that voters will be asked to consider. But many of the ballot measures are dense and, at times, confusing. To help you sort out where you stand, we’ve put together an interactive guide to the 2020 propositions in California.

See also:

●      Virtual Event: 2020 Speaker Series on California’s Future: Assessing Proposition 15 Public Policy Institute of California

●      Walters: Forty-two years later, another property tax battle CalMatters

Poll: Most Young Americans Prefer Biden, But Trump Backers Are More Enthusiastic

NPR

Young Americans favor Joe Biden over President Trump, according to a new survey, but Trump’s supporters appear more enthusiastic about that choice.

See also:

●      Trump Is Gaining Ground … With Minorities OZY

Supreme Court fight could elevate Kamala Harris’ profile

Bakersfield Californian

Kamala Harris is poised to become a leading figure in the Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick, with her status as both a lawmaker and vice presidential nominee putting her in the center of the fight.

See also:

●      Fact Check: Biden’s False and Exaggerated Supreme Court Claims Fact Check

Judge dismisses Trump campaign’s challenge to Nevada mail voting law

Los Angeles Times

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit from President Trump’s reelection campaign challenging Nevada’s new vote-by-mail law, saying the campaign failed to show how it could be harmed by the law.

Biden can thank Californians for his big lead in the money race

Los Angeles Times

With the help of lots of cash from Californians, including past Republican donors, Joe Biden is eclipsing President Trump in fundraising as they head into their race’s final stretch.

Commentary: Abolish the Electoral College or award electors on a proportional basis

CalMatters

Here’s why California, with our 55 electoral votes, is largely useless when it comes to picking the president of the United States.

Step Aside Election 2000: This Year’s Election May Be The Most Litigated Yet

VPR

“Dozens and dozens” of lawyers are at the ready, Riemer says, both in-house at the RNC and other party committees. Lawyers have also been retained around the country.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, September 27, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: California Utility-Caused Wildfires: Who Pays? – Guests: Dr. Ross Brown, California Legislative Analyst Office. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler. 

Sunday, September 27, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “California Wildfires: Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later” – Guests: Pedro Nava, Chair of California Little Hoover Commission and Dr. Ross Brown, California Legislative Analyst Office. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler. 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Tulare County leads nation in milk production

Porterville Recorder

When it comes to dairy production in the nation, Tulare County is second to none. Tulare County was the nation’s top dairy producer in the nation in 2019, with a gross value of $1.61 billion.

MLK CommUNITY Initiative marks one year with monthly food giveaway

Bakersfield Californian

The MLK CommUNITY Initiative celebrated its one-year anniversary by living out its essence: continuing to support southeast Bakersfield. On Monday, the initiative held its monthly free food giveaway to support many residents experiencing tough times as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This giveaway featured live music and a chance to recognize community volunteers that have made the efforts a reality over the past year, according to founder Arleana Waller.

Why extend Pandemic EBT? When schools are closed, many fewer eligible children receive meals.

Brookings

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, food insecurity has remained persistently elevated at record levels.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Fresno Police see dramatic rise in shootings, homicides

abc30

So far, they’ve had 475 shootings in Fresno, more than 200 more shootings than this time last year. The number of lives being lost is also on the rise – at least 35 people have been killed this year.

New California law strikes criminal court fees charged by sheriffs, police

Modesto Bee

A new California law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed late last week forbids counties from charging criminal defendants a number of fees that can keep people in debt long after they leave the judicial system.

No, This Man Wasn’t Arrested For Lighting 32 Wildfires On The West Coast

Capital Public Radio

Conspiracy theories about the dangerous wildfires burning in California, Oregon and Washington have thrived on social media. A new rumor on Facebook suggests that environmental factors connected to climate change, like severe heat and drought, have nothing to do with the fires. Instead the post pins much of the destruction on one man.

COVID-19 and the Criminal Justice System: A Guide for State Lawmakers

Pew 

COVID-19 has affected the lives of individuals all around the globe. The American criminal justice system is an area that has seen significant impact. Every point of the system has been touched by this virus and states have taken a variety of actions to address the risks. These changes have been undertaken to protect everyone who touches the justice system, whether they are justice-involved individuals or those who work in the justice system.

Public Safety:

FirstEnergy Launches Public Safety Campaign Focused on Protecting the Public from Electrical Safety Hazards

PR Newswire

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has launched its new “Stop. Look. Live.” safety campaign to educate the public about staying safe around electricity and near FirstEnergy’s power lines and equipment.

Fire:

Creek Fire evacuees anxious to see their homes

Fresno Bee

Many Creek Fire evacuees are still being kept away from their homes, not knowing if they are still standing or not. But fire officials say they are working hard to remove dangerous trees and improve road conditions so residents can return soon.

See also:

●      Creek Fire at 27% containment with aerial operations planned Fresno Bee

●      Creek Fire live updates: Containment at 30%; some residents gain temporary access Fresno Bee

●      Creek Fire: 280,425 acres burned with 30% containment, latest evacuations issued for Fresno, Madera, Mariposa counties abc30

●      Creek Fire Burns 278K Acres, 27 Percent Contained Clovis Roundup

●      Creek Fire climbs the ranks among biggest California wildfires as it tops 280,000 acres Fresno Bee

Fire officials declare progress in fight against SQF Complex

abc30

Lightning strikes ignited a pair of fires in the remote Golden Trout Wilderness last month. Since then, one of the blazes, the Castle Fire, has consumed tens of thousands of acres of land and flattened 150 homes and cabins in small Tulare County mountain communities.

See also:

●      SQF Complex Fire: 137,508 acres burned, 18% contained, latest evacuation orders abc30

●      SQF Complex Fire: 138,000 acres, 18% containment. ‘We are still in a battle’ Visalia Times Delta

●      Sequoia Complex up to 33 percent contained Porterville Recorder

●      Three weekend COVID-19 deaths reported in Merced County. Outbreaks continue to decrease Merced Sun-Star

How California’s Wildfires Are Changing

Public Policy Institute of California

This year’s fire season has already set records in number of acres burned, with months left to go. We asked fire scientist Crystal Kolden of UC Merced how California’s “firescape” is changing, and what we can do about it.

See also:

●      Climate change has turned California from a marvel of infrastructure ingenuity into ground zero for disasters. New York Times

●      California May Need More Fire to Fix its Wildfire Problem Pew Trusts

●      Can California Recover From Wildfires Without Leaving Its Most Vulnerable People Behind? Mother Jones

Prescribed Burning Saved This Beloved Tulare County Park From Fire Devastation

VPR

Multiple fires continue to ravage forests in the Sierra. However, one area in the Sierra National Forest escaped major destruction because of prescribed fires done over a year ago.

Smoke from West Coast wildfires crosses Atlantic Ocean to reach Finland

Fresno Bee

Smoke in the upper atmosphere from wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington has crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Finland, satellite images show.

California bill gives hope of employment to formerly incarcerated firefighters — but will it work?

San Diego Union-Tribune

While AB 2147 was hailed as correcting a ‘historic wrong,’ prisoner reentry experts question whether the legislation will have its intended effect.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Application deadline for Fresno’s small business loan program coming up on Tuesday

Fox 26

The application deadline for Phase 3 of the City of Fresno’s “Save Our Small Businesses” Program is set for 11:59 p.m., September 22, 2020. The program was established by Mayor Lee Brand and Fresno City Council as an economic relief action to help small businesses in Fresno affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bakersfield launches B-CARES grant program to support local businesses

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has launched its new B-CARES program, which provides economic relief for small businesses within the city as economic shutdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic continue. The city’s business assistance grant program makes $3 million in CARES Act funding available to small businesses and sole proprietors impacted by COVID-19.

Wall Street falls, S&P 500 down 1.2% as global markets swoon

Los Angeles Times

Wall Street slumped Monday as markets tumbled worldwide on worries about the pandemic’s economic pain, though the S&P 500 had pared its losses by the end of the day. The drops began in Asia as soon as trading opened for the week, and they accelerated in Europe on worries about the possibility of tougher restrictions there to stem rising coronavirus counts.

A New Contract with the Middle Class

Brookings

The U.S. is a middle-class nation. Since our nation’s founding, the American dream has always been based on an implicit understanding–a contract if you will–between individuals willing to work and contribute, and a society willing to support those in need and to break down barriers in front of them.

See also:

●      U.S. Household Net Worth Hits Highest Level Ever Wall Street Journal

Momentum for Basic Income Builds as Pandemic Drags On

Pew Trusts

When the idyllic upstate city of Hudson, New York, launches its basic-income pilot program in late September, it will become one of the smallest U.S. cities to embrace a policy once seen as far-fetched or radical.

Jobs:

California unemployment agency does less with more

Fresno Bee

The California unemployment agency’s two call centers to field questions about jobless benefits had two major problems as millions of people sought help due to the pandemic: One had nobody on site to answer calls and the other had hundreds of untrained new hires who didn’t know how to help callers.

See also:

●      Gavin Newsom defends pause on new unemployment claims: ‘I didn’t want to wait another day.’Fresno Bee

●      Unemployment claims paused for 2 weeks as report reveals 600K awaiting benefits in EDD backlogabc30

●      Gov. Gavin Newsom explains how EDD’s 2-week reset will change California unemployment systemabc30

●      Newsom Offers A Rosy Outlook For Beleaguered EDD System Capital Public Radio

●      Newsom defends his actions to fix California’s troubled unemployment agency Los Angeles Times

●      10,000 unemployment claims backlogged per day — claims paused for 2 weeks CalMatters

●      Report: California unemployment agency does less with more SFGate

●      Opinion: Gov. Newsom buried EDD ‘strike team’ report. Can he fix California’s unemployment mess?Fresno Bee

●      What to Know About the Unemployment System ‘Reset New York Times

He earned a big salary while collecting a CalPERS pension. His penalty could set new standard

Fresno Bee

Most everyone agrees the former City of Industry controller shouldn’t have been able to return to work at twice the pay while also collecting a retiree’s pension. Yet a proposal from CalPERS attorneys to standardize the former controller’s penalty is meeting resistance from some local government groups and pension board members.

This store hired more than 50K employees despite COVID-19

abc30

In March, 7-Eleven, Inc. made the call to employ 20,000 new store employees. Since then, the company estimates the organization and independent 7-Eleven franchise owners have hired more than twice that many, over 50,000.

California job growth is sluggish — and experts say it may get worse

Los Angeles Times

California’s job market improved slightly in August, but the state has regained just a third of the jobs it lost since the COVID-19 pandemic forced thousands of businesses to close.

See also:

●      Walters: California’s job numbers aren’t good CalMatters

Robots, Veterans, Apprenticeships: What’s Next For California’s Job Market

Capital Public Radio

It’s just one facet of California’s economic recovery, but the state’s unemployment rate is starting to drop after an unprecedented spike during coronavirus lockdowns. The state’s jobless rate fell to 11.4% in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, down from a record 16.4% unemployment this spring.

EDUCATION

K-12:

VUSD to answer Visalia residents’ concerns during an online Q&A session

Visalia Times Delta

The Visalia Unified School District will host a live stream to answer questions from the community on Wednesday. A panel of VUSD staff will participate in the virtual Question and Answer session, which starts at 4 p.m.

CUSD Give Updates on School Reopenings

Clovis Roundup

On Friday, Sept. 18, CUSD Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell posted a message to the Clovis Unified Facebook that there could be expectations for students returning to school.

Kings Canyon Unified School District submitting waiver to bring students back in person

abc30

Kings Canyon Unified School district is ready for kids to return to the classroom. Janie Chiasson’s classroom at Great Western Elementary is ready for her third grade students, but in-person learning will look very different.

California schools launch anti-racism plan, flouting Trump’s threats

Politico

The California Department of Education announced new anti-racism lessons and teacher training for school districts on Monday, days after President Donald Trump decried the notion of teaching slavery as a founding tenet of the U.S. and called for a more “patriotic education.”

Students of all ages begin in-person instruction at Rocklin district’s 17 schools

Sacramento Bee

Rocklin Unified School District reopened classrooms Monday, and more than 10,000 students returned to their campuses — the first time since closures were ordered in March. All students from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade are able to return to the district’s 17 campuses in some capacity.

The hurdles facing California kids, explained

CalMatters

California is home to more than 9 million children, many of them hungry, poor and struggling to access health care and quality education.

Why extend Pandemic EBT? When schools are closed, many fewer eligible children receive meals.

Brookings

Typically, measures of household food insecurity overstate the extent to which children experience food insecurity because parents try to shield their children from want. But today, household measures understate the extent to which food hardship has increased among its most vulnerable members: children.

Higher Ed:

UC San Diego tries to avoid the coronavirus chaos that has upended San Diego State

Los Angeles Times

With 882 students testing positive or likely to be positive, San Diego State University is reeling from an outbreak of COVID-19. Is the same thing about to happen at UC San Diego? The answer will begin to emerge as 7,500 undergraduates start to move into meticulously cleaned dorms on the sprawling La Jolla campus for the start of the fall quarter.

Kern Public Health teams up with CSUB for COVID-19 webinar

KBAK

College campuses are feeling the wrath of COVID-19 with many students testing positive from the novel virus across the U.S. but here, CSUB took steps early on to start the academic year with distant learning.

Coronavirus, Trump Chill International Enrollment at U.S. Colleges

Pew Trusts

Chittawan Boonsitanon started junior year at Michigan State University last week from his home in Bangkok, 8,500 miles and half a world away. Boonsitanon said many international students decided months ago to take classes online, before Michigan State administrators in mid-August urged all undergraduates to stay home. 

Fewer students attending California community colleges, early fall numbers show

EdSource

California’s community college system is experiencing a systemwide decline of student enrollment this fall, with some campuses reporting double-digit losses.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Broken record: SJV saw a hotter than normal summer in 2020

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield is always hot in the summer — scorchingly hot. Unfortunately, it seems to be getting even hotter, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Kevin Dupree.

9 California condors died in Dolan Fire. Juvenile birds will soon join survivors

Fresno Bee

The Dolan Fire’s fast-moving flames roared through the Big Sur condor sanctuary on Aug. 21, killing nine California condors. A September search of the scorched sanctuary revealed that two of five missing condor chicks (No. 1022 and No. 1029) are now known to have perished.

Enjoying the clean air in Fresno? Here’s why it may not last long

Fresno Bee

After weeks of living in a smoky haze, people in the Fresno area likely rejoiced Friday and Saturday when they awoke to healthy air quality, sunshine and patches of blue sky. Enjoy it, because it’s probably not going to last.

See also:

●      Weekday weather in Modesto is looking good. Beyond that, do you really want to know? Modesto Bee

●      Fires continue to take a toll on California air quality Los Angeles Times

Broken record: SJV saw a hotter than normal summer in 2020

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield is always hot in the summer — scorchingly hot. Unfortunately, it seems to be getting even hotter, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Kevin Dupree. “Five of the past eight Augusts rank among the Top-10 hottest Augusts in Bakersfield,” Dupree said. And last month was one of seven Augusts that reached the top-10 since 2005.

Warming shrinks Arctic Ocean ice to second-lowest level on record

Los Angeles Times

Ice in the Arctic Ocean melted to its second-lowest level on record this summer, triggered by global warming along with natural forces, U.S. scientists reported Monday. The extent of ice-covered ocean at the North Pole and extending farther south to Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia reached its summertime low of 1.4 million square miles last week before starting to grow again.

See also:

●      ‘A Climate Emergency Unfolding Before Our Eyes.’ Arctic Sea Ice Has Shrunk to Almost Historic Levels TIME

Energy:

Environmentalists plan lawsuit challenging Newsom over oil and gas drilling permits

Los Angeles Times

A national environmental organization on Monday threatened to sue Gov. Gavin Newsom to halt all new permits for gas and oil wells in the state, saying the governor has failed to protect Californians and the environment from hazards and pollutants released by the state’s billion-dollar petroleum industry.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Fresno County adds more than 100 new COVID-19 infections. Total cases nearing 30,000

Fresno Bee

The California Department of Public Health on Monday reported Fresno County added an additional 101 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing its total to 27, 769 total infections since the pandemic began.

See also:

●      Coronavirus: Tracking Central California COVID-19 cases abc30

●      COVID-19 update: Active cases remain about the same Porterville Recorder

●      Coronavirus update, Sept. 21: County numbers decline as tier announcement nears Modesto Bee

California’s Deadliest Spring in 20 Years Suggests COVID Undercount

Kaiser Health News

The first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic in California rank among the deadliest in state history, deadlier than any other consecutive five-month period in at least 20 years.

●      Coronavirus updates: California records 15,000th death as US nears 200,000 Sacramento Bee

●      California’s COVID-19 positivity rate drops below 3% for the first time Los Angeles Times

Visalia Medical Clinic offers rapid COVID-19 testing for patients

Kaweah Delta

Last month, Visalia Medical Clinic became the first Kaweah Delta Health Care District location to launch rapid testing on the Quidel Sofia-2 platform. The District recently acquired 20 analyzers in partnership with the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency using CARES act funds.

Fresno doctor, who for years provided care for disadvantaged patients, dies from COVID-19

Fresno Bee

A renowned Fresno doctor who spent years serving those from disadvantaged communities died of COVID-19. Robert Shankerman was the chief medical officer at United Health Centers of the San Joaquin Valley, in charge of all of the doctors at its medical facilities.

In Rural Communities, Dialysis Can Be Difficult To Access. Could Proposition 23 Make It Harder?

Capital Public Radio

For the second time in as many years, Californians will vote on a ballot measure this November proposing new regulations for dialysis clinics. But this year’s Proposition 23, SEIU labor union’s second attempt at changing how dialysis clinics operate, focuses on a new set of requirements compared to 2018’s Proposition 8. 

New U.S. COVID-19 cases rise 17% in past week, deaths up 5%

Reuters

New cases rose 17% to about 287,000 for the week ended Sept. 20, while deaths rose 5.5% to about 5,400 people after falling for the previous four weeks, according to a Reuters analysis of state and county reports.

See also:

●      Nearly 200,000 Are Dead From Coronavirus As Health Care Workers Struggle NPR

●      Why our minds can’t make sense of COVID-19’s enormous death toll National Geographic

●      As U.S. Nears 200,000 Dead, Hospital Staff Reflect On Those Lost NPR

●      Fresh Surge in U.S. Coronavirus Cases Feared, as Death Toll Nears 200,000 Wall Street Journal

●      ‘Enormous And Tragic’: U.S. Has Lost More Than 200,000 People To COVID-19 VPR

Bill Gates: it’s ‘outrageous’ Americans can’t get COVID-19 test results in 24 hours

The Hill

During an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Gates said the turnaround time for COVID-19 test results in the U.S. is still inadequate more than six months into the pandemic that has infected more than 6.8 million people and left nearly 200,000 dead across the country.

Herd immunity and COVID-19 (coronavirus): What you need to know

Mayo Clinic

Curious as to whether herd immunity against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might slow the spread of the disease? Understand how herd immunity works and what experts are saying about its potential impact on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sweden has escaped a second coronavirus wave so far. The question is why

Los Angeles Times

Now, as coronavirus infection numbers surge again in much of Europe, Sweden — a country of 10 million people — has some of the lowest numbers of new cases and only 14 COVID-19 patients in intensive care.

Human Services:

CDC abruptly removes new guidance on coronavirus airborne transmission 

abc30

The Centers for Disease Control updated a document Friday without fanfare that states the agency’s position on how the coronavirus spreads, then removed the new guidance Monday saying it was posted in error.

See also:

●      CDC acknowledges risk of coronavirus aerosols in new guidelines, then reverses course Los Angeles Times

●      CDC removes new guidance on airborne coronavirus transmission, alarming 

Bay Area experts San Francisco Chronicle

●      CDC causes new storm by pulling coronavirus guidance The Hill

●      CDC Publishes — Then Withdraws — Guidance On Aerosol Spread Of  Coronavirus NPR

●      CDC Removes Guidelines Saying Coronavirus Can Spread From Tiny Air Particles Wall Street Journal

CDC Publishes — Then Withdraws — Guidance On Aerosol Spread Of  Coronavirus

NPR

A federal vaccine advisory committee will put off a vote on recommending who should get initial limited doses of any Covid-19 vaccine in the U.S., until committee members learn more about the vaccines that could become available first, according to people familiar with the matter.

Rural Hospitals Teeter On Financial Cliff As COVID-19 Medicare Loans Come Due

VPR

The money lent from the federal government is meant to help hospitals and other health care providers weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet some hospital administrators have called it a payday loan program that is now brutally due for repayment at a time when the institutions still need help.

Many feel greater global cooperation would’ve limited COVID-19, Pew Research poll shows

UPI

A new global survey Tuesday showed that nearly 60% of people in more than a dozen nations believe that greater international cooperation would’ve helped stem the COVID-19 outbreak.

IMMIGRATION

A federal court may have declared immigration arrests unconstitutional

The Hill

When police arrest people for suspected crimes, the U.S. Constitution requires them to show probable cause to a judge within 48 hours. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not do that. When ICE arrests people, it typically holds them for weeks before any judge evaluates whether ICE had a valid legal basis to make the arrest.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Highway 1 is reopening after Dolan Fire closure

Fresno Bee

Highway 1 is reopening on Monday after several weeks of wildfire-related closures. Caltrans announced Monday that the popular roadway will reopen through Big Sur in Monterey County at 6 p.m.

Prescribed Burning Saved This Beloved Tulare County Park From Fire Devastation 

VPR

Multiple fires continue to ravage forests in the Sierra. However, one area in the Sierra National Forest escaped major destruction because of prescribed fires done over a year ago. Balch Park is a Tulare County park known for its grove of Giant Sequoias. Karine Hunt, a forestry assistant 2 with Cal Fire, said a collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service saved the area from being devastated by the SFQ Complex Fire. 

Housing:

Rental and mortgage assistance now available for Kern County residents

Bakersfield Californian

A new rental and mortgage assistance program has launched in Kern County, providing those struggling with making payments due to the coronavirus pandemic with up to $5,000 in relief.

Escalon moderate-income housing project is what Valley needs; What’s taking so long?

Modesto Bee

Everyone should know by now we have an affordable housing crisis in California. And, most people would agree one of the solutions is to build more moderate-income housing across the state and especially in the Central Valley.

Californians moved to Oregon for affordable housing. Wildfires left them homeless

Los Angeles Times

In Oregon, about 40,000 people initially evacuated and thousands were still at emergency shelters or hotels on Friday. As fire officials assessed damages, they said it wasn’t clear how many would be permanently displaced. 

Modesto’s housing market is ‘one to watch.’ Here’s what that means for buyers and sellers.

Modesto Bee

Zillow, the national real estate database, has ranked Modesto as one of its top dozen mid-sized markets to watch in 2020. Modesto is ranked 8th in the nation, and highest in California.

Column: She tried to rent motel rooms for homeless people. A NIMBY hospital stopped her

Los Angeles Times

There is no shortage of excuses in California about why we continue to let tens of thousands of people live — and often die — in filthy encampments on street corners, in alleys and under freeways year after year.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Program will provide laptop, weekly pay and digital job skills to Sacramento residents

Sacramento Bee

The city of Sacramento, the Greater Sacramento Urban League and the Greater Sacramento Economic Council on Monday announced the Digital Upskill Sacramento Program. Started in partnership with General Assembly and Merit America, is intended to provide new job skills to those affected by the coronavirus pandemic through full-time, virtual learning and projects.

CBO: $900B a year needed to stabilize post-crisis debt

The Hill

A fiscal plan to restore the nation’s debt to pre-coronavirus levels will require spending cuts and revenue increases amounting to $900 billion a year for a quarter century, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

See also:

●      CBO Downgrades Long-Term Projections of Economic Growth Wall Street Journal

Fed Moves to Overhaul Lending Rules for Poorer Communities

Wall Street Journal

The Federal Reserve, following an earlier split between banking regulators, took an initial step to rewrite rules for hundreds of billions of dollars in lending and investment in lower-income neighborhoods.

TRANSPORTATION

Sacramento buses and light rail are up and running. Is it safe to hop on transit again?

Sacramento Bee

She put on her mask and rode one bus to downtown Sacramento, then another to Winters in Yolo County. She lunched outdoors at the Putah Creek Cafe, window-shopped Main Street, had a sidewalk coffee and bused home.

U.S. drivers’ mileage in July falls to lowest for the month since 2012: Department of Transportation

AMNY

U.S. motorists drove 11% fewer miles in July than a year ago as drivers stayed home due to the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said Tuesday in a monthly report.

WATER

Feds release environmental review for Friant-Kern Canal project

Business Journal

The federal government has taken another step toward fixing the Friant-Kern Canal. The Bureau of Reclamation Friday released the environmental impact review on what it would take to fix a 33-mile stretch of canal.

Drought-Hit Mexicans Assert Demands That Water Sharing With U.S. Ends

U.S. News

Protesters gathered on Sunday in drought-hit northern Mexico in an attempt to retain control of a dam key to government efforts to diffuse tensions over a water sharing pact with the United States.

Walters: Three lessons for California’s water funding challenges in today’s recession

CalMatters

COVID-19 and climate extremes brought major challenges to water managers in California, and nimble fiscal solutions are needed.

“Xtra”

Bethany Clough: A coffee shop inspired by a Mexican artist – and her iconic style – is opening in Fresno

Fresno Bee

A new coffee shop inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is opening inside a downtown business Monday. Frida Caféopens at 7 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21 inside Los Panchos Mexican Restauranton Fulton Street near Tulare Street.

Another Modesto company cancels live performances due to pandemic, makes other cuts

Modesto Bee

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra has canceled its live concerts through March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has shut down all large live indoor gatherings in the state. That’s led to the closing through at least February of the Gallo Center for the Arts, where the symphony is a resident company.

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