POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Modesto looks to spend $7.5M from CARES Act to pay for cops and firefighters
Modesto Bee
Modesto expects to spend $7.5 million from the CARES Act — the roughly $2 trillion federal stimulus meant to help the unemployed, businesses, government and others cope with the new coronavirus pandemic — to help balance its 2019-20 budget, which ended June 30.
Hundreds of Stanislaus businesses have had COVID-19 complaints filed. What were they for?
Modesto Bee
In frustrated emails and even tearful phone calls, Stanislaus County residents have reported hundreds of businesses for allegedly violating coronavirus health orders. Community members submitted more than 1,300 complaints against at least 680 businesses from late March through mid-August, according to public records from Stanislaus County.
Foster Farms reopens Livingston plant
Turlock Journal
Foster Farms’ Livingston poultry plant was allowed to reopen on Monday, after being shut down for a week due to coronavirus concerns.
Despite economic hardships, almond industry continues to thrive
Turlock Journal
A recent report published by the Almond Board of Calif shows that despite a currently challenging trade environment, global shipments of almonds continue to increase as the industry navigates through tough times.
Hear the candidates: Ceres Mayor contenders Durossette, Lopez debate the issues
Modesto Bee
The two candidates running for the mayor of Ceres, Bret Durossette and Javier Lopez, squared off in a debate on Tuesday. The two, vying to replace the outgoing Chris Vierra, discussed such topics as the Ceres City Council performance, whether the city should contract with the Modesto Fire Department and the shooting death of a teenage boy at the hands of a Ceres Police Officer.
Central SJ Valley:
The Creek Fire continues to burn east of North Fork
Fresno Bee
As fire crews clear fuel, such as brush and tree limbs, the Creek Fire continues to burn hillsides east of North Fork, Tuesday afternoon.
See Also:
● Creek Fire grows to 162,833 acres, with 365 structures damaged or destroyed Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire in Calif partially burns China Peak, destroys several Huntington Lake cabins Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire growth Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire consumes half the homes in tiny town. ‘Words cannot describe the devastation’ Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire live updates: New evacuation orders near Humphrey’s Station; What Shaver looks like Fresno Bee
● 100 people evacuated from Creek Fire by military helicopters Fresno Bee
● Cressman’s Store, a landmark in Fresno County mountains since 1904, destroyed by Creek Fire Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire: ‘We Didn’t Used To Have These Kinds of Fires.” Logger Blames Poor Forest Management GVWire
● UPDATE: 142-plus people rescued near Lake Edison, China Peak Visalia Times Delta
● A Huge Airlift, Mass Evacuations: Creek Fire Explodes In Size VPR
● Creek Fire live updates: Auberry a concern for firefighters; Humphrey’s Station evacuation orders Modesto Bee
● ‘Ground zero’ for dead trees. How Calif mega-drought turned Creek Fire into inferno Sac Bee
● Daring escapes, wrenching devastation as ‘the fire is blowing up everywhere’ LA Times
● ‘You Couldn’t See Anything’: Harrowing Helicopter Rescues as Calif Wildfires Rage NY Times
● George: Creek Fire is ‘in a class by itself’ as it continues to destroy Calif homes and businesses Fresno Bee
● Warszawski: Why did Creek Fire get so large, so fast? Ideal conditions took 100 years to create Fresno Bee
● EDITORIAL: Flying into raging Creek Fire to save others? These brave teams deserve our gratitude Fresno Bee
Fresno County sheriff’s detective, 44, dies after being diagnosed with COVID-19
Fresno Bee
A 20-year veteran of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office who was diagnosed with the coronavirus shortly after returning from a job-related trip has died, the department announced Tuesday night. Jose Mora, a homicide detective, died Monday at Community Regional Medical Center. He was 44.
Coronavirus: Tracking Central Calif COVID-19 cases
abc30
We’re tracking the cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in Central Calif.
See Also:
● COVID-19 update: Considerable decline in case rate per 100,000 Porterville Recorder
Fresno County DA at odds with state over citing restaurants during pandemic
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file criminal charges against four Fresno County restaurants who were accused by the state of failing to comply with Calif’s mandated regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also:
· Foster Farms reopens; Outdoor dining gets boost in Tower District Fresno Bee
Join us for Fresno Voices: How the city failed its Black residents — and the path forward
Fresno Bee
In Fresno, Black residents lag behind other races in all spheres of life — education, employment, economic participation, wealth, housing, health and even life expectancy. This is despite powerful efforts by individuals and community leaders.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County Public Health reports 23 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday
Bakersfield Califn
Free webinar will look at government business loan programs
Bakersfield Califn
The director of Cal State Bakersfield’s Small Business Development Center will provide updates and tips Wednesday on the government’s response to economic damage caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
Urban hens one step closer to reality for most Bakersfield residents
Bakersfield Califn
The Bakersfield City Council took one step closer to legalizing backyard hens during a committee meeting on Tuesday. The three-person Legislation and Litigation Committee reviewed a potential ordinance that would allow hens in most properties throughout the city.
Online survey aims to guide local improvements to make cycling and walking safer
Bakersfield Califn
Avid Bakersfield cyclist Peter Wollesen spent a day in Grand Junction, Colo., a couple of weeks ago, and came away impressed by that city’s bike-friendly streets. “This is a city of less than 70,000 people,” Wollesen said, “but they have a cycling infrastructure that is in many ways superior to ours.”
State:
Watch: Gov. Gavin Newsom gives update on Calif fires, COVID-19
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom gave an update on fires burning in Calif and the COVID-19 pandemic during a press conference Tuesday. You can watch a replay of the livestream here.
See also:
· Trying Again: A Plan for Reopening Calif NY Times
WALTERS: Legislature ignores fire insurance crisis
CalMatters
As wildfires of record magnitude swept through Northern Calif last week, destroying thousands of homes and other structures, the Legislature closed its 2020 session without doing something about the fire insurance crisis that afflicts fire-prone areas.
In legislative shuffle, Calif prioritizes safety gear and sick leave during crisis
San Francisco Chronicle
Calif lawmakers convened this year with big plans to tackle soaring health care costs, expand health insurance coverage, and improve treatment for mental health and addiction. But the pandemic abruptly reoriented their priorities, forcing them to grasp for legislative solutions to the virus ripping through the state.
On the Record with Governor Newsom: Census 2020: Get Counted by Sept 30
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
All Californians can help their communities secure these resources and more by participating in the 2020 Census before September 30. It’s as simple as answering nine easy questions online or on the phone.
See Also:
● Cutting Census Staff in Wildfire Zones Threatens Accurate Count, Workers Warn KQED
● Census Bureau stops layoffs for door knockers after order Bakersfield Califn
Federal:
Wash Post
President Trump’s head popped up during his top-secret intelligence briefing in the Oval Office on Jan. 28 when the discussion turned to the novel coronavirus outbreak in China.
See also:
· US is still ‘knee-deep’ in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Fauci says Hanford Sentinel
U.S. Justice Department asks to defend Trump in rape accuser’s defamation lawsuit
LA Times
The U.S. Justice Department is seeking to take over President Trump’s defense in a defamation lawsuit from a writer who has accused him of rape, and federal lawyers asked a court Tuesday to allow a move that could put the American people on the hook for any money she might be awarded.
See Also:
● Justice Dept. intervenes on behalf of Trump in defamation case brought by woman who accused him of rape Wash Post
Trump, recasting a dubious record, declares himself ‘the great environmentalist’
LA Times
President Trump signed a largely symbolic proclamation Tuesday urging Congress to expand a moratorium on oil and gas drilling off America’s southeastern coastline, touting his controversial environmental record in a state in the crosshairs of climate change and electoral politics.
See Also:
● Trump, Calling Himself ‘the No. 1 Environmental President,’ Green Washes His Record NY Times
White House directs agencies to relax enforcement
LA Times
A memo produced by the White House and sent to agency heads last week instructs them to make significant changes to how and when they bring enforcement cases, telling them not to open multiple investigations into the same company and urging them to seek political appointees’ approval before proceeding with an inquiry.
Congress returns from its August recess with America on mute
Roll Call
“Dang, this is weird,” Sen. Doug Jones yelled Monday night, saying what nearly every politician in America is thinking this year, as the Alabama Democrat looked out over a sea of parked cars and headlights instead of the usual faces and eyeballs at his latest campaign event, a car rally in a drive-in movie theater in Leeds, Alabama. “This is different, but we’re in a different world, folks.”
Patients may have seen ‘significant’ delays in medicine deliveries by USPS, Senate report finds
Wash Post
Patients who rely on the U.S. Postal Service for their prescription drugs may have experienced “significant” delays in their deliveries, according to a Senate report released Wednesday, which accused Postmaster General Louis DeJoy of jeopardizing the “health of millions of Americans.”
Senate Republicans Push Bill to Weaken Liability Shield for Online Platforms
WSJ
Three influential GOP senators introduced legislation Tuesday that would make social-media platforms more responsible for their online content, an initiative likely to face fierce resistance from Silicon Valley. The legislation takes aim at Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which gives online companies broad immunity from legal liability for user-generated content on their platforms.
Control of Senate to Ride on Trump’s Fortunes
WSJ
Democrats appear to have a firm grasp on retaining the House while the Republican-controlled Senate remains up for grabs as the campaign hits the home stretch, with both sides expecting the results to be heavily influenced by how President Trump fares with voters buffeted by the coronavirus pandemic and protests over policing.
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
CBSNews
New data out Tuesday shows that more than 500,000 children in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic started, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The group said children represented 9.8% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S., where more than 6.3 million total cases have been reported, per a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Elections 2020:
Calif hits highest voter registration rate since 1940
Sac Bee
Calif has registered a record-high of 21 million voters this year, recording the highest rate of registration since the election of 1940, according to a report from voter data firm Political Data Inc.
‘Whatever It Takes’: President Trump Says He May Spend His Own Money For Reelection
VPR
Nearly a week after Joe Biden’s campaign and the Democratic Party announced they had raised a blockbuster $364 million in August, the Trump campaign and Republican Party still haven’t released their numbers, and President Trump is talking about putting in his own money.
See also:
● How Trump’s Billion-Dollar Campaign Lost Its Cash Advantage NY Times
Campaign of contrasts: Trump’s raucous crowds vs. Biden’s distanced gatherings
Wash Post
When the announcer at President Trump’s recent rally here urged a packed airplane hangar of supporters to don their masks, a cacophonous round of boos erupted, followed by defiance. No matter that the attendees’ chairs were inches apart, their temperatures had not been taken and masks were required by the state.
See also:
· Blowout for Biden or Narrow Win for Trump? Politico
· The Deadline That Could Hand Trump the Election The Atlantic
· GOP attacks Harris amid battle for Catholic voters’ support AP News
· Commentary: How important is Trump’s lead on the economy? AEI
· Commentary: The tax burden on business investment under Joe Biden’s tax proposals AEI
Column: Trump attacks Biden and Harris as anti-vaccine, but he’s the one with the anti-vaxx record
LA Times
Donald Trump’s habit of projecting his own failings onto his adversaries reached a new level of absurdity on Labor Day, when he attacked the Democratic ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for “reckless anti-vaccine rhetoric” and accused them of a position that “undermines science.”
Trump’s travel ban motivated Muslims to participate in politics. Now, they’re eyeing local office
LA Times
The five young Muslim Americans huddled around a table inside the Yemeni coffee shop, pouring adeni chai into curved red and gold glasses. Voice by voice the discussion turned to why they must make their presence felt on Nov. 3, and the need to hold politicians’ feet to the fire on issues like immigration, racial justice and foreign policy.
Nine ways Joe Biden and Kamala Harris aim to make the U.S. like Calif
CalMatters
With Democrats holding all the political power in Calif for nearly the last decade, the Golden State has evolved into a laboratory of big blue ideas. Put a price on carbon? We’ve done it. Ban assault weapons? We’ve done that too. Gun control, minimum wage hikes and two years of free community college are also realities here.
CalMatters
Come rain, shine, pandemic or crippling recession, Calif voters can always count on one thing: a very long, very complicated ballot. Though the presidential race will gobble up most of the attention, the choice between GOP President Donald Trump and former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden will be an easy one for most Calif voters.
See Also:
● Your guide to the 2020 election CalMatters
How Greater Vote-by-Mail Influences Calif Voter Turnout
PPIC
With COVID-19 threatening the November election, many states are working to increase voting by mail. In Calif, 15 counties have already expanded alternatives to in-person voting, and while overall voter turnout was higher, groups such as foreign-language and young voters sometimes saw declines.
See also:
· Column: Election day could become election month LA Times
· Running an Election in a Pandemic, in 10 Steps PEW
Endorsement: No on Prop 23. It would raise costs and not improve kidney patients’ care
LA Times
For the second time in two years, Calif voters will be asked to play the role of healthcare regulators and set rules for how dialysis clinics operate in this state. And once again, they’ll be offered a seemingly appealing way to make clinics safer. But just as they smartly rejected a ballot measure in 2018 that sought to increase clinics’ spending on nurses and technicians, they should reject an initiative this year to increase clinics’ spending on doctors.
Commentary: Death Throes for AB 5?
Fox & Hounds
The exemption arrows have found their mark in the Achilles heel of AB 5, the controversial and highly contested worker classification law. On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2257by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez adding many more exemptions to the law that now total over 100.
Other:
How Fantasy Triumphed Over Reality in American Politics
NY Magazine
As America enjoyed the glories of a postwar boom, what had been a serious, hardworking nation began a radical transfiguration. The characteristic sobriety was fading, the center of gravity shifting away from New England and NY to the dream world of Calif. By 1955 America could feel pride in a young coterie of writers and artists it might finally call its own.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, September 13, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: pre-empted
Sunday, September 13, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: “Poverty and the Economic Situation of Calif Latinos?” – Guests: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of Calif and Mindy Romero, Director of USC Price School of Public School. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Foster Farms reopens Livingston plant
Turlock Journal
Foster Farms’ Livingston poultry plant was allowed to reopen on Monday, after being shut down for a week due to coronavirus concerns.
Harvest of shame: Farmworkers face coronavirus disaster
Politico
President Donald Trump may have made railing against undocumented immigrants central to his political brand, but during the pandemic even his administration has been forced to acknowledge the essential work they do, particularly in keeping the country fed during a crisis.
Despite economic hardships, almond industry continues to thrive
Turlock Journal
A recent report published by the Almond Board of Calif shows that despite a currently challenging trade environment, global shipments of almonds continue to increase as the industry navigates through tough times.
Turlock Journal
While local senior citizens may not be able to gather together for a midday meal due to the coronavirus, box lunches are available for pickup or delivery.
‘Children Are Going Hungry’: Why Schools Are Struggling To Feed Students
VPR
Six months into schools’ pandemic-driven experiment in distance learning, much has been said (and debated) about whether children are learning. But the more urgent question, for the more than 30 million kids who depend on U.S. schools for free or reduced-price meals, is this: Are they eating?
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno County DA at odds with state over citing restaurants during pandemic
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has declined to file criminal charges against four Fresno County restaurants who were accused by the state of failing to comply with Calif’s mandated regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thousands rallied at the Capitol, but CHP didn’t enforce COVID-19 rules. Here’s why
Sac Bee
Part rally, part concert and part worship session, the gathering that brought thousands to the west steps of Calif’s Capitol building over Labor Day weekendflew in the face of pandemic-related mask and social distancing requirements, as seen in photos and video clips circulating online.
Police ‘Pretext’ Traffic Stops Need to End, Some Lawmakers Say
PEW
On a family vacation in Virginia in 2017, Democratic Maryland state Del. Charles E. Sydnor III was driving in the left lane on a nearly empty, unfamiliar highway when a state trooper pulled him over. Sydnor’s wife and three daughters — ages 9, 10 and 13 — were in the car. “Are you going to jail?” one of his girls asked.
Public Safety:
Modesto looks to spend $7.5M from CARES Act to pay for cops and firefighters
Modesto Bee
Modesto expects to spend $7.5 million from the CARES Act — the roughly $2 trillion federal stimulus meant to help the unemployed, businesses, government and others cope with the new coronavirus pandemic — to help balance its 2019-20 budget, which ended June 30.
Fire:
The Creek Fire continues to burn east of North Fork
Fresno Bee
As fire crews clear fuel, such as brush and tree limbs, the Creek Fire continues to burn hillsides east of North Fork, Tuesday afternoon.
See Also:
● Creek Fire live updates: 163,000 acres burned; concerns remain for fire’s southern area Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire grows to 162,833 acres, with 365 structures damaged or destroyed Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire in Calif partially burns China Peak, destroys several Huntington Lake cabins Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire live updates: North Fork, Bass Lake evacuations; fire at 135,523 acres Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire growth Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire consumes half the homes in tiny town. ‘Words cannot describe the devastation’ Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire becomes ‘unprecedented disaster’ for Fresno County as it grows to 135,500 acres Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire live updates: New evacuation orders near Humphrey’s Station; What Shaver looks like Fresno Bee
● 100 people evacuated from Creek Fire by military helicopters Fresno Bee
● Cressman’s Store, a landmark in Fresno County mountains since 1904, destroyed by Creek Fire Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire: ‘We Didn’t Used To Have These Kinds of Fires.” Logger Blames Poor Forest Management GVWire
● UPDATE: 142-plus people rescued near Lake Edison, China Peak Visalia Times Delta
● A Huge Airlift, Mass Evacuations: Creek Fire Explodes In Size VPR
● Creek Fire live updates: Auberry a concern for firefighters; Humphrey’s Station evacuation orders Modesto Bee
● ‘Ground zero’ for dead trees. How Calif mega-drought turned Creek Fire into inferno Sac Bee
● Daring escapes, wrenching devastation as ‘the fire is blowing up everywhere’ LA Times
● ‘You Couldn’t See Anything’: Harrowing Helicopter Rescues as Calif Wildfires Rage NY Times
● George: Creek Fire is ‘in a class by itself’ as it continues to destroy Calif homes and businesses Fresno Bee
● Warszawski: Why did Creek Fire get so large, so fast? Ideal conditions took 100 years to create Fresno Bee
● EDITORIAL: Flying into raging Creek Fire to save others? These brave teams deserve our gratitude Fresno Bee
SQF Fire surpasses 60,000 acres with 7% containment, new evacuation orders
abc30
Another massive wildfire continues burning in our backyard Tuesday morning. Two fires, the Castle Fire and the Shotgun Fire, make up the SQF Complex in the Sequoia and Inyo National Forests. Together, they’ve burned more than 60,000 acres and are just seven percent contained.
See Also:
● Sequoia Complex up to nearly 63,000 acres Porterville Recorder
Aggressive winds feared as Calif battles biggest wildfire season
LA Times
Calif’s record-breaking fire season could get much worse in the coming days as powerful winds heighten the danger of more blazes while firefighters continue to struggle with destructive conflagrations across the state.
See Also:
● ‘We are in uncharted territory’ CalMatters
● How Calif’s ‘Demonized’ Winds Shape Wildfire Season NY Times
● ‘Extremely dangerous’ fire threat in West after historic weekend heat while the Rockies await freak snow Wash Post
● Wildfires Lead to Helicopter Rescues in Calif and Destruction in Wash NY Times
Inside Calif’s race to contain its devastating wildfires
National Geographic
In Southern Calif, A Massive Wildfire Has Scorched More Than 10,000 Acres Of Land Since Saturday Morning. Caused By A Smoke-generating Pyrotechnic Device Set Off During A Gender Reveal Party In El Dorado Ranch Park In Yucaipa, The Fire Intensified Amid Weekend Temperatures That Soared Above 110 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Calif prison camp inmates battle Creek Fire. Dangerous job pays a few dollars a day
Fresno Bee
State prisoners are providing a key source of labor on the out-of-control Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera counties, as well as dozens of other fires around the state. Inmate “hand crews” have for decades been used to fight Calif’s wildfires, but, lately, they’ve become controversial as the nation debates criminal justice reforms.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
No Charges for Local Restaurants Cited by ABC During COVID-19
GVWire
Three restaurants cited for failure to comply with state mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic won’t face criminal charges from the Fresno District Attorney’s Office. Recently, agents with the Calif Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control cited restaurants for operating indoors. The restaurants were Pismo’s (twice), Culichi Town on West Shaw Avenue, and The Local on Clovis Avenue.
Hundreds of Stanislaus businesses have had COVID-19 complaints filed. What were they for?
Modesto Bee
In frustrated emails and even tearful phone calls, Stanislaus County residents have reported hundreds of businesses for allegedly violating coronavirus health orders. Community members submitted more than 1,300 complaints against at least 680 businesses from late March through mid-August, according to public records from Stanislaus County.
CETF Director Says It’s Up To ISPs To Lead And Deliver
Calif Emerging Technology Fund
In a recent op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle: Internet Providers Must Take The Lead On Closing Digital Divide, CETF Board Member Dr. Barbara O’Connor and Calif Forward Co-Chair John Chiang offer prescriptive steps for ISPs to improve their current reduced-cost, home Internet service plans: a targeted affordable offer marketing plan; a simplified sign-up process provided by telephone; and lastly form genuine public-private partnerships by joining forces with policymakers and other regulators.
NPR Poll: Financial Pain From Coronavirus Pandemic ‘Much, Much Worse’ Than Expected
NPR
In America’s four largest cities, at least half of people say they have experienced the loss of a job or a reduction in wages or work hours in their household since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. That’s the finding of a new poll published Wednesday by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Jobs:
abc30
Starting Monday, Calif begins sending $900 in federal benefits to people who lost their job due to the pandemic. This comes after the federal government approved the state’s application for funding for the program after a $600 weekly payment expired last month.
Face Coverings, Vaccines, and the ADA, Part I: What Employers Need to Know
Ogletree Deakins
In part one of our two-part series focused on workplace rules and accommodation issues in the COVID-19 era, Jim Paul and Andrew Metcalf discuss face-covering mandates and the potential employment and customer access concerns raised by masking orders at the local, state, and federal levels. The speakers address the requirements of Title I and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and consider how employers can better deal with the balancing of interests that the ADA requires.
Column: Uber and Lyft just made their campaign to keep exploiting workers the costliest in history
LA Times
Let’s doff our hats to Uber, Lyft and their fellows in the gig economy. Having created a model of exploiting workers and obnoxiously browbeating local officials to get their way, they have now set a record for spending on a self-interested ballot proposition.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Some Stanislaus Co students will be returning to campus after waiver approvals
Modesto Bee
Eight private schools received approval Monday from Stanislaus County Public Health Services Agency to reopen in-person education for children in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade.
Here’s where Modesto City Schools stands on reopening amid coronavirus pandemic
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County’s largest school district is grappling with questions about reopening schools for young students in a county where coronavirus infections have slowed down but are still considered “widespread.”
Liability or Not? Schools Reopen With Questions on the Table
EdNote
As schools and districts continue to negotiate the safest mode of learning this year, the question of whether schools can be held liable for infections to students or staff looms large. This issue has been gaining a lot of attention lately with various news outlets reporting on the topic, and state and congressional action.
See also:
· Editorial: What’s happening with COVID in schools? We don’t know LA Times
EdSource
Many high school seniors are scrambling to schedule SAT and ACT tests this fall even though most private and public colleges, including both of Calif’s massive state university systems, say they are not required during the pandemic.
With schools closed, public libraries are being used as day-care centers, angering some people
Wash Post
As the school year begins entirely online for millions of students across the country, local leaders are facing a child-care crisis for their employees. In some places, a controversial solution has emerged: repurposing public libraries as day-care centers for the children of essential workers.
Fresno Bee
Angie Barfield worked hard and earned good grades as a top student in the late 1970s at Gibson Elementary School in Fresno. The racism she faced made her school years the worst experiences of her life.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Creek Fire: Air quality impacted as fire continues to grow
abc30
Smoke from the fast-moving Creek Fire was expected to continue to pour into the valley for the next few days. Large pieces of ash have been visible. This latest fire has added to our poor air quality.
See Also:
● Calif’s air quality is the worst in the nation right now. How to protect yourself Fresno Bee
● Creek Fire, High Winds Bring Poor Air Quality Business Journal
● Air quality unhealthy as wildfires continue to burn Turlock Journal
● With change in the wind, Bakersfield could see a brief respite from wildfire smoke Bakersfield Califn
Record Heat Wave Creates ‘Kiln-Like’ Conditions In Calif
VPR
At 121 degrees, LA County hit its highest temperature ever recorded this weekend, as the state swelters in a heat wave that has helped intensify the most devastating wildfire season Calif has experienced in years.
Cooler days ahead for Modesto region, but air quality, winds still health, fire risks
Modesto Bee
Triple-digit temperatures for Modesto and surrounding areas are in the rearview mirror, at least for the next week and hopefully for good this summer. The National Weather Service forecast even includes a high in the 80s, which we’ve seen only five times since July 1.
The Climate Connection to Calif’s Wildfires
NY Times
What do Calif’s wildfires have to do with climate change? The connections are very strong, scientists who have studied the issue say. While Calif’s climate has always made the state prone to fires, the link between human-caused climate change and bigger fires is inextricable, said Park Williams, a bioclimatologist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
See Also:
● Much of the American West is on fire, illustrating the dangers of a climate of extremes Wash Post
● Newsom: ‘No patience for climate change deniers’ amid historic wildfires Politico
● Editorial: Wildfires and soaring temperatures — the hellscape scientists warned us about is here LA Times
Energy:
PG&E trying a new tactic in power cuts to prevent wildfires
Bakersfield Califn
The nation’s largest utility said Tuesday it is executing smarter and shorter power shutoffs after receiving widespread criticism last year when it turned off electricity to 2 million people to prevent its equipment from sparking wildfires.
See Also:
● PG&E warns of possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs in Kern Bakersfield Califn
● PG&E imposes blackouts on 172,000 Calif customers as Diablo winds raise fire risk Sac Bee
● Why does Calif’s power grid keep flirting with disaster? We’ve got answers LA Times
● New PG&E shut-offs escalate Calif’s record-setting wildfire season San Francisco Chronicle
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fresno County sheriff’s detective, 44, dies after being diagnosed with COVID-19
Fresno Bee
A 20-year veteran of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office who was diagnosed with the coronavirus shortly after returning from a job-related trip has died, the department announced Tuesday night. Jose Mora, a homicide detective, died Monday at Community Regional Medical Center. He was 44.
Coronavirus: Tracking Central Calif COVID-19 cases
abc30
We’re tracking the cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in Central Calif.
See Also:
● COVID-19 update: Considerable decline in case rate per 100,000 Porterville Recorder
● Kern County Public Health reports 23 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday Bakersfield Califn
● Coronavirus updates: Sac COVID-19 hospitalizations cut in half since late July Sac Bee
Doctors Studying Why Obesity May Be Tied To Serious Covid-19
Business Journal
In the early days of the pandemic, doctors noticed something about the people severely ill from COVID-19: Many were obese. The link became more apparent as coronavirus swept across the globe and data mounted, and researchers are still trying to figure out why.
‘I was looking for someone like me’ – Is peer counseling the answer?
CalMatters
A bill headed to the governor would certify ‘peer providers,’ with their own histories of mental illness, to help Califns with similar challenges. While 48 states certify peer counselors, Calif does not.
See Also:
● Will Calif certify peer mental health providers? CalMatters
CBSNews
New data out Tuesday shows that more than 500,000 children in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic started, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The group said children represented 9.8% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S., where more than 6.3 million total cases have been reported, per a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Human Services:
Companies Testing Vaccines Pledge Safety, High Standards
Business Journal
The top executives of nine drugmakers likely to produce the first vaccines against the new coronavirus signed an unprecedented pledge meant to boost public confidence in any approved vaccines.
See Also:
● 9 Drugmakers Sign Safety Pledge In Rush To Develop Coronavirus Vaccine VPR
Companies working on coronavirus vaccines pledge to put science above politics
LA Times
The chief executives of nine drugmakers leading the race to produce vaccines against the coronavirus signed a joint pledge Tuesday in an effort to boost public confidence in any vaccines that are ultimately approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or similar agencies around the world.
Whipsawed: Calif faces shifting federal messages over coming COVID vaccine
CalMatters
Just a few weeks ago, Calif was among four states and one city tapped early by federal health officials to help plan for the massive rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.
See Also:
● AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine tests paused after participant becomes ill
● LA Times
● Live updates: A major human trial for a coronavirus vaccine stops for an ‘unexplained illness’ Wash Post
● AstraZeneca Pauses Covid-19 Vaccine Trial After Illness in a U.K. Subject WSJ
State Watchdogs Plan to Monitor COVID-19 Data Accuracy
PEW
Concerned about the accuracy and uniformity of COVID-19 data, a bipartisan coalition of fiscal watchdogs have banded together to try to help make sure states are compiling and tracking information the same way.
Virus Imperils Health Care Safety Net
PEW
Even as the coronavirus has exposed and deepened racial health disparities, it also has imperiled the health care providers that many minority and poor communities rely on for the medical care they receive.
Trump assertions of lower drug costs mask truth for many consumers
Roll Call
President Donald Trump campaigns on the message that he’s done more to lower drug prices than any other president, but the reality is more complicated. The administration contends that drug prices are rising at a slower pace after years of hikes, while research supports the idea that increases for brand-name drugs have moderated.
Consumer Reports
To help contain COVID-19, one of the most important things you can do is wear a mask. Especially when paired with physical distancing, wearing masks is “the single best way, short of a lockdown, to slow the spread of the virus,” says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn.
LA Times
One of the greatest fears about the pandemic was that COVID-19 would run rampant through the homeless population and kill hundreds of people. Already burdened with medical problems and physically beaten down by the hardships of living outside, the most vulnerable homeless people would seem to be no match for an invasive virus that has attacked young and old, killing some 186,000 in the U.S., more than 13,000 of those in Calif.
Commentary: How to make telehealth more permanent after COVID-19
Brookings
The coronavirus outbreak, or COVID-19, has fundamentally transformed our lives and communities, contributing to economic declines, disruptions in schooling, and distressed hospital systems. However, the pandemic has generated some silver linings, including the widespread adoption of telehealth that has helped to mitigate the risk of community spread by reducing unnecessary hospital visits and ensuring real-time access to medical providers for millions of Americans.
IMMIGRATION
Why this group of Californians is especially vulnerable to wildfires, pandemics
Fresno Bee
A deadly 2017 wildfire on Calif’s Central Coast underscored the vulnerability of the state’s undocumented immigrants and migrant workers, according to a new study that assessed who received help first from emergency response organizations.
Newsom weighs aid for undocumented Californians weathering pandemic with no safety net
CalMatters
Out of work for months in the spring, Mariana, who cleans houses, and her husband Gerardo, who is a door-to-door salesman, paid their landlord just $300 of their $1,200 rent for a one-bedroom apartment they crowd into with their 2-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter, in National City.
Citizenship delays may keep many immigrants from fall vote
Roll Call
When Juliana Ximenes Coutinho Dias submitted her naturalization application last December, the possibility of finally becoming a U.S. citizen and getting to vote in the country she has called home for the past six years electrified the Brazil native.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
‘Sunset on Mars.’ Smoke from Calif fires gives national parks ‘apocalyptic’ glow
Fresno Bee
Yosemite National Park — the nation’s fifth “most visited” national park — has taken on the qualities of an alien world as a 143,929-acre Creek Fire burns out of control 60 miles to the south. The blaze has been growing out of control since Sept. 4, generating a blanket of smoke and ash that has displaced colors and transformed day into dusk at nearby state and national parks.
Fire danger shuts down Calif.’s forests, Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove
SFGate
As Calif’s most devastating fire season in history continues to worsen, government agencies responsible for the some of the nation’s most beloved forests are attempting to prevent more damage.
Next step for EMC relocation is for land to be put in trust
Porterville Recorder
One final hurdle essentially remains for Eagle Mountain to relocate its casino to Porterville. The next step for the Eagle Mountain Casino to be relocated near the Porterville Municipal Airport is for the U.S Department of Interior to approve the Tule River Tribe’s Fee-To-Trust application for the project.
Housing:
Why the bid to allow duplexes in Calif’s single-family home neighborhoods failed
LA Times
Last week, Calif lawmakers turned away legislation to allow for duplexes in neighborhoods now reserved only for single-family homes, the latest failure following multiple unsuccessful efforts in recent years.
See Also:
● Podcast: Buffy Wicks on the eviction deal and the duplex debacle CalMatters
PUBLIC FINANCES
No stimulus checks for Americans in slimmed-down GOP coronavirus relief package
LA Times
Senate Republicans plan to vote later this week on another economic relief package for Americans dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but the slimmed-down plan — which does not include new checks for individuals — is already a deal-breaker for Democrats, ensuring that the stalemate will continue.
See Also:
● Republicans Roll Out ‘Skinny’ Stimulus Bill as Talks With Democrats Remain Stalled WSJ
Moving out of Calif, even temporarily? Here’s what you need to know about taxes
San Francisco Chronicle
Califns who worked part of this year in another state — to save money, be closer to family or for a change of scenery during the pandemic — may be in for a surprise next year when they file their taxes.
CalPERS proposal would force next investment chief to sell stocks before taking job
Fresno Bee
CalPERS board members will consider forcing the pension system’s next chief investment officer to sell personal stocks before taking the job, according to a proposal posted to the board’s website.
Local Governments Add Some Jobs in August, But State and Local Payrolls Still Way Down
Route Fifty
Local governments added 95,000 jobs in August and state employment remained relatively flat, as the coronavirus continued to strain public budgets, according to figures the Labor Department released Friday.
See also:
· Commentary: The COVID-19 pandemic and the revenues of state and local governments: An update AEI
TRANSPORTATION
Delays plague high-speed rail bridge near Madera. What’s gone wrong in construction?
Fresno Bee
For some residents in the Madera Acres neighborhood north and east of the BNSF Railway freight tracks, what would ordinarily be a rather straightforward 3 1/2-mile daily trip down Road 27 / Lake Street into downtown Madera for work or school has, for much of the past several years, required a detour that for a time stretched to almost 11 miles.
See Also:
● Calif’s scaled-back high-speed rail plan faces doubts amid financial crunch LA Times
● Is Calif’s bullet train doomed? CalMatters
Online survey aims to guide local improvements to make cycling and walking safer
Bakersfield Califn
Avid Bakersfield cyclist Peter Wollesen spent a day in Grand Junction, Colo., a couple of weeks ago, and came away impressed by that city’s bike-friendly streets. “This is a city of less than 70,000 people,” Wollesen said, “but they have a cycling infrastructure that is in many ways superior to ours.”
WATER
Visalia firefighters demonstrate new water-saving device
Visalia Times Delta
The Visalia Fire Department will have a step up in training thanks in partnership with Calif Water Service. Cal Water awarded VFD a grant worth $102,000, which allowed for the purchase of a 10-foot mobile pump pod for the fire agency.
Video: Making the Most of Water for the Environment
PPIC
Decades of water and land management practices have altered Calif’s rivers and substantially changed their flow patterns, with devastating effects on native fish and wildlife. Current river management practices have failed to reverse this decline.
“Xtra”
CASA of Kern County holding virtual ‘Spooktacular’
Bakersfield Califn
CASA of Kern County will hold a virtual run “Spooktacular” in October in support of abused and neglected children. It will take place Oct. 1 to 31 and people are encouraged to run in their superhero costumes. CASA is offering both a “Run Anywhere” Virtual run and a “Solo Run,” which is a guided course at The Park at River Walk with themed music and directions played from your iPhone or Android device.
EDITORIAL: Want to see live music and theater in Fresno again? Tell Congress to pass the SOS Act
Fresno Bee
The Tower and Warnors theaters in Fresno. The Fox theaters in Visalia and Hanford. These are entertainment venues that for decades have enriched their communities with live music and theater presentations. But today they are silent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of Calif’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe: mjeans@csufresno.edu