September 23, 2020

23Sep

POLICY & POLITICS

Fresno State president named chancellor of California State University

Fresno Bee

Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro will leave his post in January to become the eighth chancellor of the California State University system, he announced Wednesday morning.

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North SJ Valley:

Seven Merced County workplace locations removed from coronavirus outbreaks list

Merced Sun-Star

With the confirmation of one additional novel coronavirus-caused fatality of a Merced County resident, the local death toll since the pandemic’s start rose to 134 on Friday, according to County Public Health. The most recently deceased resident was a male with underlying health conditions between the ages of 50-64, County Public Health reported.

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Pop-up coronavirus testing coming to Modesto, Ceres as nail salons are allowed to reopen

Modesto Bee

Tuesday brought the news that Stanislaus County remains in the most restrictive “purple” tier of California’s coronavirus reopening plan. There was a breakthrough for nail salons, which are now allowed to open with indoor service while taking precautions, state health officials said.

Stanislaus County supervisor moved out of the district. Did she violate the law?

Modesto Bee

Kristin Olsen, chairwoman of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, was elected in 2016 to represent a district that includes Riverbank and Oakdale, and for three years lived inside the district in compliance with state law.

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. Rosa Escutia-Braaton, 52, serves on the city’s Planning Commission and worked in the administrations of governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Central SJ Valley:

Fresno reaches mark, awaits go for expanded reopening from coronavirus limits

Fresno Bee

Fresno County’s continued improvement in reducing the number of new coronavirus cases, and a shrinking percentage of people who are testing positive for the virus, have put the county on the brink of being able to reopen or expand operations at a greater number of businesses as soon as next week.

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Council approves third dispensary, despite appeal

Turlock Journal

Turlock’s third of four dispensaries to participate in the City’s cannabis pilot program received approval from the City Council Tuesday night, but not without some pushback from a former Councilman appealing its location. 

South SJ Valley:

Kern supervisors approve resolution demanding Newsom stop moving COVID-19 goalposts

Bakersfield Califn

Kern County Supervisors approved a resolution demanding Gov. Gavin Newsom institute a number of changes to the state’s coronavirus monitoring system that would bring more clarity and participation to counties across California.

Local African American leaders call for increased government representation, economic development

Bakersfield Califn

A group of local African American leaders has started a petition and penned a letter to the Bakersfield City Council and the Kern County Board of Supervisors for the purpose of improving the well-being of the local African American community.

Wonderful Co. awards grants to nonprofits, schools

Bakersfield Califn

The Wonderful Co., known for its Wonderful brand pistachios, Halos mandarins, POM Wonderful juice and other products, announced Tuesday in a news release that it has chosen 15 nonprofit organizations and schools in the Central Valley to receive support from its COVID-19 relief fund.

State:

California may have undercounted COVID-19 deaths in Black, Latino and Asian communities

Fresno Bee

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.

California reverses course on nail salons, announces they can resume indoor operations soon

Fresno Bee

California nail salons will be allowed to resume indoor operations soon, according to the state’s top health official. “We are announcing a move and we will be working with our counties and local sector leaders around nail salons being able to move into the purple tier, so statewide nail salons allowed to begin operations.

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California reopens more widely as infections hit lowest rate

Bakersfield Califn

More of California was cleared to reopen additional businesses Tuesday, including most of the San Francisco Bay Area and one of Southern California’s largest counties, as coronavirus infection rates have fallen to their lowest level of the pandemic.

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California marijuana taxes won’t go up for a year under new bill signed by Gavin Newsom

Sac Bee

The California cannabis industry is getting a bit of a tax break, courtesy of the California Legislature. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill late last week into law that prohibits the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration from adjusting the cannabis excise tax markup amount until July 1, 2021.

How a breastfeeding lawmaker exposed what moms have to balance in the California Capitol

Sac Bee

In California, Democrats routinely fight for gender equity for women in the workplace by passing laws that prohibit unfair pay disparities, enhance sexual harassment protections and bar corporations from having a male-only board.

I Do: California Domestic Partnerships Surge After More Opposite-Sex Couples Allowed To File

Capital Public Radio

For most of their years as a couple, Kristy Snyder and Michael Halverson weren’t interested in marriage. But after 12 years together, they decided they wanted some way to legally formalize their commitment to each other. 

Federal:

With 95% homes hit, feds say no need for census extension

Bakersfield Califn

With the number of U.S. households counted topping 95%, there is no reason for a judge to order the U.S. Census Bureau to extend by a month the head count of every U.S. resident, government attorneys said Tuesday.

Democrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court

The Hill

Senate Democrats are tamping down talk of expanding the Supreme Court if Republicans fill the seat held by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Progressive activists and some lawmakers have raised the idea since Ginsburg’s death was announced on Friday night, arguing the party needs to be ready to take bold steps if they have the Senate majority and the White House next year while facing a 6-3 conservative court.

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House Democrats’ leadership races reflect coming generational change

Roll Call

Only one House Democrat in the caucus’s 14-member elected leadership team is exiting the chamber next year, but that opening has created a competitive race for assistant speaker and cleared opportunities for other ambitious Democrats to run for the lower-ranking positions those candidates are vacating.

House Democrats unveil reforms to ‘prevent future presidential abuses’

Wash Post

House Democrats unveiled a sweeping package of reforms Wednesday morning designed to strengthen Congress’s ability to check the executive branch and prevent abuses of power, especially by the president.

Trump calls 200,000 coronavirus deaths in U.S. ‘a shame’ 

Wash Post

The coronavirus death toll in the United States surpassed 200,000 on Tuesday, marking another milestone of loss at a time when many have become numb to the rising fatality count. The tally represents the upper boundary of a fatality range that President Trump in March said would signal that his administration had “done a very good job” of protecting Americans from the coronavirus.

House Passes Short-Term Spending Bill to Keep Government Funded Through Dec. 11

WSJ

The House Tuesday night passed a short-term spending bill keeping the government funded through Dec. 11, after Democrats reached a deal with the White House over farm aid and food assistance. The bipartisan agreement between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, reached just hours before the vote, is expected to smooth the bill’s passage in the GOP-controlled Senate and avert a partial shutdown when the government’s funding expires next Thursday.

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.

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Elections 2020:

Californians have 3 ways to vote on Election Day. Only 1 requires a visit to a poll

Fresno Bee

California residents will be able to vote in three different ways this year, according to representatives from seven California counties who gathered on Tuesday to announce their multi-county partnership to increase voting access.

RSVP to ‘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.

What is Prop. 16? Here’s how it will impact affirmative action in California

abc30

Should affirmative action be restored in California? That’s the question at the heart of Proposition 16 on the November statewide ballot. The measure brings back affirmative action to California, allowing race, ethnicity and gender to once again be considered in admissions to state colleges and universities, state contracts and public jobs.

Are You An Undecided Voter? Tell Us What You’re Considering This Election 

VPR

Americans will get their first chance to see Joe Biden and Donald Trump onstage together during next week’s presidential debate. If you’re just starting to pay attention to the race, or if you’ve been feeling ambivalent about your choices this election, what questions or concerns do you have about the two major party candidates? What’s keeping you from being enthusiastic about either one?

Can Joe Biden save California unions? Here’s what they want to see if he’s elected

Sac Bee

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is courting union members with what California Labor Federation spokesman Steve Smith described as “the strongest platform to support workers since FDR.”

Supreme Court confirmations are a political minefield. Few know that better than Joe Biden

LA Times

The start of the confirmation hearings to put Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court was nowhere to be found on the New York Times’ front page. Joe Biden couldn’t have been more thrilled.

A dummy’s guide to California 2020 ballot measures

SFGate

You’ve seen the ads. But you’re not sure what any of these California ballot measures actually do. Fear not! Here’s a handy, simple guide to each of the 12 propositions on the California ballot for the November general election. From affirmative action to overturning the highly controversial gig worker bill (AB-5), there are plenty of significant measures California residents will be voting on this fall. 

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Campaigning During COVID: Practical Solutions for Fielding an Election & Running a Campaign During COVID

Institute for Local Government

Effective elections and transfers of power in decision-making are key to maintaining public trust in local government. During this webinar, local government elections officials and experts from the Fair Political Practices Commission will share best practices from the field about elections and campaigning during COVID-19.

Latinos’ clout has Democrats fretting over Biden’s outreach

Roll Call

Some Democrats are fretting over polls suggesting that Joe Biden’s presidential campaign isn’t reaching Latino voters, missing an opportunity to connect over the response to the coronavirus pandemic that the group identifies as its biggest campaign issue. Or just to connect. Others are telling the worriers to relax. 

Poll: 51 % of voters want to abolish the electoral college

The Hill

A slight majority of voters say the electoral college should be abolished, a new Hill-HarrisX poll finds. Fifty-one percent of registered voters surveyed in the Sept. 10-14 poll said the current electoral college system should be abolished so that whoever wins the nationwide popular vote wins the presidency.

Mike Bloomberg raises $16 million to allow former felons to vote in Florida

Wash Post

Former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg and his team have raised more than $16 million to pay the court fines and fees of nearly 32,000 Black and Hispanic Florida voters with felony convictions, an effort aimed at boosting turnout for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Post-ABC polls: Trump and Biden in tight races in Florida, Arizona

Wash Post

President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden are locked in close races in Florida and Arizona, according to a pair of Washington Post-ABC News polls in two Sun Belt battlegrounds that the president won in 2016 that are crucial to his hopes for reelection in November.

‘Birtherism’ Lies About Kamala Harris Exceed Those About Obama

NY Times

Toxic misinformation has continued reaching new heights in 2020. One sign of that? “Birtherism” misinformation about Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, now exceeds that about President Barack Obama at its peak in 2017, according to a new analysis.

GOP senators’ anti-Biden report repackages old claims

Politico

But an interim report, issued by Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) less than six weeks before the presidential election and released publicly on Wednesday, is largely a compilation of previously public information — some of it rehashed anew by witnesses who already testified during the House’s impeachment inquiry last year — as well as news articles and strongly worded insinuations with little evidence to back them up.

Tom Steyer meets with Biden officials, interested in a role in administration 

Politico

Tom Steyer, the billionaire environmentalist and former Democratic presidential candidate, is interested in serving in Joe Biden’s administration and has discussed the possibility with Biden’s advisers.

Fact check: Trump campaign posts another dishonestly snipped Biden quote to make him sound confused

CNN

There is a pattern: President Donald Trump’s campaign and its allies keep dishonestly snipping, editing or describing video clips of former Vice President Joe Biden to try to make the Democratic presidential nominee seem confused or senile.

Opinion: Debating the Trump-Biden debates: Will they matter this time?

Fresno Bee

Exactly 60 years ago this week, a senator and another former vice president launched a new American political tradition: presidential candidate debates. Next week, the first of this cycle’s three debates is scheduled between President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden.

Opinion: Hispanic Voters May Provide the Margin in November

WSJ

President Trump has said he will nominate a replacement for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg later this week, and it’s no surprise that Judge Barbara Lagoa is high on his short list. Judge Lagoa was nominated in 2019 to serve on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and confirmed by the Senate with bipartisan support. 

Other:

Facebook Removes Chinese Accounts Posting About Foreign Policy, 2020 Election 

VPR

Facebook says it has taken down a network of China-based fake accounts whose posts included content about the U.S. presidential election. Most of the activity by the more than 180 fake accounts, groups and pages was focused on Southeast Asia, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of security policy, said in a blog post Tuesday.

What is socialism? And what do socialists really want in 2020?

CBSNews

It’s a buzzword in the 2020 election season, having sprung up dozens of times during campaign, particularly during the Republication National Convention. Conservative leaders depict the idea as a democracy-killing bogeyman.

Commentary: Who is a terrorist, actually? 

Brookings

When I write about the threat of white supremacist terrorism, I often receive complaints from readers that I am focusing on the wrong problem and that my articles are ill-informed and misleading (I’m putting the complaints politely). Instead of focusing on white supremacists, they argue, I should instead write about the “real” terrorists like antifa and Black Lives Matter.

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

Almonds dethrone grapes as Kern’s top-grossing crop

Bakersfield Califn

Almonds finally overtook grapes as Kern County’s most valuable crop, according to a new report that contained a few surprises pointing to fundamental shifts in local farming.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

California bail industry makes itself invisible opposing Prop. 25, ending cash bail

SF Chronicle

Proposition 25, one of the most hotly contested issues on the Nov. 3 ballot, would abolish cash bail statewide, allow tens of thousands of low-level defendants to remain free while awaiting trial, and require judges, with computer assistance, to decide whether others charged with crimes can be released safely.

Opinion: An Anti-Asian Proposition

WSJ

It was supposed to be a rout. Yet only six weeks from the election, a progressive piety is now withering on California’s November ballot. The Los Angeles Times summed up the startling news in a headline: “New poll finds shaky support for Proposition 16 to restore affirmative action in California.”

Public Safety:

California sees steep drop in reports of child abuse since school campuses closed

EdSource

No group in California reports more suspected cases of child abuse than teachers. And with teachers no longer seeing students in-person every day in most parts of the state, advocates say thousands of cases of child abuse may be going unreported.

Changing Views of Police and Race Relations

PPIC

Californians’ perceptions of police treatment and race relations have shifted—dramatically, in some cases—in the wake of nationwide protests over police brutality and systemic racism. But these changes are far from uniform and reflect deep cleavages in public opinion today.

Fire: 

Creek Fire area residents who lost homes being allowed to see damage

Fresno Bee

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department is working with various agencies to allow residents who lost their homes in the Creek Fire to return to survey the damage and salvage any items.

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SQF Complex Fire: 141,600 acres burned, 33% contained, latest evacuation orders

abc30

The SQF Complex Fire has grown to 141,600 acres as of Tuesday morning and is 33% contained. The Castle and Shotgun fires combined destroyed 150 structures and leave more than 3,000 threatened. Fifteen firefighters have been injured while battling the blaze.

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Few resources, old-growth forest allowed for fire’s growth

Bakersfield Califn

A lack of firefighting resources in the hours after it was sparked allowed a fast-moving wildfire to make an unprecedented run through Southern California mountains and eventually find fuel in old-growth trees to become one of Los Angeles County’s largest fires ever, an official said Tuesday.

California’s Coastal Range Fires Are Getting Significantly Worse Every Decade, Experts Say

Capital Public Radio

Sherree Brose has lived in the hills west of Vacaville for a quarter of a century. Last month a lightning sparked fire surrounded her small acreage. That fire, the LNU Lightning Complex, although nearly contained, spans across five counties and has burned over 360,000 acres. 

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Pismo’s owner claims discrimination by city of Fresno, aims to sue over COVID-19 rules

Fresno Bee

An outspoken Fresno restaurateur will file a lawsuit against the city of Fresno and the state, claiming discrimination against his businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to his attorney.

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County’s small business assistance program nears end of phase 1

Hanford Sentinel

Just five weeks into its launch, Kings County’s small business assistance program has gone above and beyond its limits. Lance Lippincott, CEO of Kings County Job Training Office and Kings County Economic Development Corporation, presented an update on the program to the Kings County Board of Supervisors at its meeting Tuesday.

Planet Fitness obtains ‘essential business’ classification, reopens ahead of other gyms

Bakersfield Califn

After obtaining certification as essential businesses, Planet Fitness franchises in Kern County have been allowed to open for indoor workouts, even as other gyms are restricted to outdoor activity only.

Fiscal Matters & Labor Negotiations Amidst COVID: Practical Solutions For Public Agencies Navigating COVID

Institute for Local Government

Cities, counties and special districts are facing numerous challenges in 2020. From protecting the public’s health and safety to providing consistent essential and administrative services, local government leaders have many decisions to make during these difficult days.

Experts Think The Economy Would Be Stronger If COVID-19 Lockdowns Had Been More Aggressive

FiveThirtyEight

Back in the early days of the coronavirus in the U.S., many economists believed that aggressive lockdowns would be the best long-term solution for managing the pandemic, despite the short-term economic pain they would cause. Six months later, we wanted to know: Did that logic hold up?

Jobs:

Thought no one was answering calls at California’s EDD? You were nearly right, report says

Sac Bee

If you thought it was impossible to reach a human being about your California unemployment insurance claim in the last six months, you were nearly right, according to a recent report released by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration.

California halting new unemployment claims for 2 weeks during ‘reset’ with staff, technology

Sac Bee

California will not accept new unemployment claims over the next two weeks while the state’s Employment Development Department adopts new fraud prevention technology and works to clear out a backlog, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration announced late Saturday.

Extra $300 unemployment money is gone. How will people survive without it?

Sac Bee

Losing $300 a week in unemployment benefits means Pearl Jow has to live off $110 a week. It means Stephanie Hannah’s family could run out of money in three months. and Angelo Sebazzo is going to find it tougher to pay off his credit cards.

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

Sac 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.

Californians not sold on treating Uber, Lyft drivers as independent contractors, new poll shows

LA Times

Despite amassing the largest campaign war chest in California history, Uber, Lyft and other app-based companies are in danger of coming up short with voters on a ballot measure that would allow them to again classify their workers as independent contractors, a new statewide poll shows.

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New California Labor Code Section 6409.6 Imposes COVID-19 Workplace Exposure Notice Requirements

Ogletree Deakins

On September 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 685into law, enacting California Labor Code Section 6409.6 and amending other state statutes. As explained further below, Section 6409.6 obligates employers to notify employees, the employees’ exclusive representative (such as a union), and subcontractors, within one business day of an employer’s receiving notice of a potential COVID-19 workplace exposure from a “qualifying individual.”

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Labor Department proposes definition for independent contractors for the first time ever

yahoo!finance

The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday announced a proposed rule that would define by way of a test whether workers are employees or independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Dozens of schools in Fresno County area granted COVID-19 waivers to reopen campuses

Fresno Bee

More than two dozen elementary schools in the central San Joaquin Valley area have been granted COVID-19 waivers to reopen campuses, according to a list updated Tuesday by the California Department of Public Health.

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TUSD clarifies community questions on school reopening

Turlock Journal

After the first draft of Turlock Unified School District’s reopening plan was presented to the Board of Trustees last week, a virtual community forum held Monday night saw administrators answer a variety of questions from those both for and against returning to in-person instruction.

Without candidates running, Patterson Unified seeks school board member applications

Modesto Bee

The Patterson Joint Unified School District is accepting applications to fill two board member seats because no candidates filed to run for election. While the board has experienced high turnover with more than 20 trustees in the past 12 years, Superintendent Phillip Alfano said this election cycle marks the first time no one ran for openings in that same period.

Why bother with school bonds amid a pandemic? Four Stanislaus districts offer reasons

Modesto Bee

Four school districts in Stanislaus County have bond measures on the Nov. 3 ballot, hoping that pandemic-stressed voters will consider the big picture. The measures are in the Salida Union, Stanislaus Union, Waterford Unified and Newman-Crows Landing Unified school districts. 

Closing California’s Digital Divide: One Rural Teacher’s Fight to Get Her Students Connected

KQED

Third grade teacher Alena Anberg cruised down Highway 99 in her Ford F-150, past acres of almond orchards that split the terrain just outside her hometown of Arbuckle in Colusa County. She grew up in this town of 3,000 and knows the back roads well, which helped as she made several stops to deliver iPads, laptops and old smart phones with SIM cards installed to turn them into Wi-Fi hot spots.

Cybercriminals Strike Schools Amid Pandemic 

PEW

Just days before the Aug. 3 scheduled start of school, officials at the Athens Independent School District in East Texas received a shock. Cybercriminals had attacked the district’s entire computer network, encrypting all the data and demanding $50,000 in ransom for its release. Access to everything from teacher communications to student assignments was blocked.

As Schools Go Remote, Finding ‘Lost’ Students Gets Harder

NY Times

One month into the school year, Linnet Early, a social studies teacher outside St. Louis, has an anxious new ritual: scanning the Zoom squares on her computer screen at the beginning of each class to see which of her sixth-grade students are missing. It is usually quite a few.

Higher Ed:

Fresno State president named chancellor of California State University

Fresno Bee

Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro will leave his post in January to become the eighth chancellor of the California State University system, he announced Wednesday morning.

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UC donors’ children were inappropriately admitted to Cal and UCLA, audit finds

Fresno Bee

Four University of California campuses unfairly admitted at least 64 students between academic years 2013-14 and 2018-19 because of their connections to donors and university staff, according to a report released by the California State Auditor on Tuesday.

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ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Poor air quality to return to Kern County, air district says

Bakersfield Califn

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has announced air quality will worsen in a number of regions, including Kern County, as the week progresses.

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Rising Temperatures From Climate Change And Extreme Wildfires Go ‘Hand-In-Hand,’ Scientist Says 

VPR

The average area burned by wildfires in California is five times greater than it was nearly 50 years ago, according to a paper written by climate scientists at Columbia University.bWhile wildfires are commonplace on the West Coast of the U.S., scientists say the formation of megafires is a recent phenomenon relative to the modern period.

Watch live: Gavin Newsom to make climate change announcement

Sac Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom this morning is expected to make an announcement regarding climate change. One the press conference begins, you can watch it here.

Energy:

In Slumping Energy States, Plugging Abandoned Wells Could Provide an Economic Boost 

PEW

It’s rare for Tom Brooks to say no to work. Which is why, in the middle of a pandemic and a worldwide slump in oil prices, Brooks mustered up a crew to plug a 42-year-old oil well for the state of North Dakota.

Red County Blue County: Oil is still king in Kern, but renewables on the rise

KCRW

In the final run-up to the 2020 election, KCRW is taking a look at a pair of neighbors that couldn’t be more different — at least on the surface. Listen to more installments of KCRW’s series exploring life and politics in California’s Central Valley. 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

COVID-19 update: Fresno adds 74 new cases, Valley reaches 900 deaths

Fresno Bee

The California Department of Public Health on Tuesday reported Fresno County added 74 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and seven deaths, bringing the total to 27,843 infections and 362 deaths since the pandemic began.

See also:

Does The Coronavirus Spread Easily Among Children?

Business Journal

Does the coronavirus spread easily among children? It appears the virus can spread among children and teens, but how easily may vary by age. Research is still underway, but children under age 10 seem to be less likely than older kids to transmit the virus to other children and adults.

Can a flu vaccine make you more likely to catch COVID-19? Study eases some worries

Sac Bee

As flu season nears, some may be wondering whether receiving a flu vaccine can influence your chances of contracting or being hospitalized by the novel coronavirus, but a new study puts some of those worries to rest.

Babies born to mothers with COVID-19 ‘generally do well,’ UCSF study says

SF Chronicle

Babies born to mothers infected with COVID-19 generally do well, according to a new UCSF study that examined infants during their first eight weeks of life. The study found “few adverse outcomes” and no reports of pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infection through the first eight weeks of age for babies born to women with COVID-19, UCSF officials said in a statement on Tuesday.

Human Services:

Mental health drives held at Valley high schools to educate families

abc30

Whether you’re adjusting to working from home and socializing at a distance because of a national pandemic or feeling the impacts of the Creek fire, it’s important to know you’re not alone.

Operation Warp Speed advisers held investments in COVID vaccine firms, records show

Sac Bee

Several top officials leading the administration’s effort to develop a coronavirus vaccine at record speed had financial ties to the pharmaceutical companies now competing to develop the much-needed drug, according to disclosures released Tuesday.

No matter what the CDC says, here’s why many scientists think the coronavirus is airborne

Wash Post

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday removed language from its website that said the novel coronavirus spreads via airborne transmission, the latest example of the agency backtracking from its own guidance.

See also:

FDA poised to announce tougher standards for a covid-19 vaccine that make it unlikely one will be cleared by Election Day 

Wash Post

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to spell out a tough new standard for an emergency authorization of a coronavirus vaccine as soon as this week that will make it exceedingly difficult for any vaccine to be cleared before Election Day.

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IMMIGRATION

How future Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer plans to take on Latino issues like immigration

Fresno Bee

September 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and that’s especially important in a city like Fresno, where more than half of the population identifies as Latino/a/x.  Fresnoland Lab Engagement reporter Dayana Jiselle and Latino Communities reporter Nadia Lopez interviewed Jerry Dyer, Fresno’s mayor-elect and its former police chief for 18 years, about Latino issues in the city. 

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

California accepts petition to protect western Joshua tree

Fresno Bee

The western Joshua tree will be considered for protection under the California Endangered Species Act because of threats from climate change and habitat destruction, the state Fish and Game Commission decided Tuesday.

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Housing:

California’s median home price just broke a record. Here’s how much it is

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus recession isn’t cooling California’s real estate market. The median home price in California for the firs time exceeds $700,000, according to a report released Tuesday by the state Department of Finance.

Fresno to get millions from California to convert this motel into homeless housing

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday the Fresno Housing Authority will receive over $7.6 million to purchase and rehabilitate a motel to house people experiencing homelessness.

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. The other California city to make the ranking was Visalia (No. 10). Leading the list are Boise, Idaho; Huntsville, Alabama; Ogden, Utah; and Spokane, Washington.

Commentary: An eviction moratorium without rental assistance hurts smaller landlords, too

Brookings

As the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have grown increasingly dire for millions of Americans, the federal government, along with a growing number of state and local governments, have taken measures to protect homeowners and tenants from the threat of foreclosure and eviction.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Wonderful Co. awards grants to nonprofits, schools

Bakersfield Califn

The Wonderful Co., known for its Wonderful brand pistachios, Halos mandarins, POM Wonderful juice and other products, announced Tuesday in a news release that it has chosen 15 nonprofit organizations and schools in the Central Valley to receive support from its COVID-19 relief fund.

Nearly half of voters polled back Prop. 15, a property tax overhaul aimed at California businesses 

LA Times

Nearly half of California voters in a new statewide poll support Proposition 15, a November ballot measure that would loosen tax limits on commercial and industrial properties and spend the resulting revenues on local governments and schools.

TRANSPORTATION

Face masks on flights ‘critically important’ to prevent COVID-19 spread, Harvard study finds

SFGate

To fly today, airlines require all passengers (except kids under 2) to wear face coverings. This requirement is being enforced: Major airlines have reportedly banned more than 700 fliers for non-compliance. Issues of “personal freedom” aside, are the airlines being overly cautious or is that mask policy important in protecting the traveling public?

WATER

District to Begin Temporary Removal of Kangaroo Rat from the Santa Ana River Wash

California Water News Daily

San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District (SBVWCD) recently announced they have been awarded a Safe Harbor Agreement by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to temporarily remove the kangaroo rat and the Santa Ana River woolly star from its degraded habitat in order to restore it and save the local population.

“Xtra”

National Night Out 2020 canceled

Hanford Sentinel

Visalia’s annual National Night Out was canceled last week after previously being postponed. The event typically takes place the first Tuesday of August or October. The cancelation was announced on the Visalia Police Department’s Facebook page. “… Due to the public health threat of COVID-19, we have made the decision to cancel National Night Out this year,” it read in part.

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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

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