April 13, 2021

13Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

 

What does leadership look like in your community?

James Irvine Foundation

The James Irvine Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Leadership Awards – a $250,000 grant for California leaders.​​ Accepting nominations at​​ IrvineAwards.org​​ through May 7, 2021.

 

Citizens Redistricting Commission Redistricting Basics Presentation

California Citizens Redistricting Commission​​ 

Join the California Citizens Redistricting Commission for a Redistricting Basics presentation with a live question and answer period on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Local Schools Update:

 

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Stanislaus County women much harder than men. Here’s why.

Modesto Bee

The pandemic has caused more California women than men to lose their jobs, a discrepancy that persists as California’s economy improves, the latest state data show.

 

Opinion: Former city councilman envisions how police review board might work in Modesto

Modesto Bee

An April 6 front page Modesto Bee story (“Survey Shows about 75 percent support for law enforcement in Stanislaus County”) indicates that a majority of citizens support our local police. But, about 25 percent disagree. Since the police mission is to protect and serve all citizens, the goal should be 100 percent support.

 

Editorial: How do we spend $435 million in Stanislaus COVID rescue money?

Modesto Bee

Spending hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID-19 stimulus money is a task to be undertaken with some joy, much gratitude and a significant measure of thoughtful wisdom.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Local Schools Update:

 

Spring 2021 Sustainable Communities Strategy Survey

Plan Fresno

The Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) is asking residents of Fresno County to help plan our community’s Sustainable Communities Strategy, a plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our region, by responding to an online survey.​​ 

 

‘You are garbage.’ Anti-mask protester verbally attacks Fresno official at Paso Robles brewery

Fresno Bee

In an apparent coincidence, Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias and Fresno anti-masker Ben Martin had a run-in Sunday at a Paso Robles brewery in which Martin shouted accusations at the elected official.​​ 

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Far from being a pandemic event, LA home buyers have steadily streamed into Kern for years

Bakersfield​​ Californian

It is no secret the coronavirus pandemic has brought new residents from Los Angeles to Kern County.​​ 

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

California re-opens enrollment for health insurance coverage

Fresno Bee

California on Monday re-opened enrollment for its state health insurance exchange, hoping more people will buy coverage now that the federal government is offering new assistance that could lower monthly premiums by $1,000 or more in some cases.

See also:

 

California lifting capacity limits at churches after legal rulings

abc30

California has lifted all capacity limits on churches and other places of worship. This comes after a lengthy legal battle between the state and religious leaders and a recent court ruling.

 

Delta tunnel authority changes leaders​​ as Newsom fights the recall by turning to billionaire champions of the project

Sacramento News & Review

The little-known Joint Powers Authority charged with getting the embattled Delta tunnel across its finish line recently changed executive directors.

 

Video:​​ A Conversation with US Senator Alex Padilla

PPIC

As part of our Speaker Series on California’s Future, PPIC invites elected leaders from across the political spectrum to participate in public conversations, to give Californians a better understanding of how our leaders are addressing the challenges facing our state.

 

No initiatives on California recall ballot, campaigns say

Politico

Pending state ballot initiatives will go before voters in 2022 as planned rather than during a likely 2021 recall election, according to campaign representatives who have heard from elections officials.

 

Commentary: How to expand internet access for Californians

CalMatters

With case numbers declining, vaccination rates rising and businesses reopening, California is slowly returning to a sense of normalcy and turning the page on a dark chapter of history.​​ 

 

Walters: California ‘job killer’ list reignites old conflict

CalMatters

In publishing its annual list of “job killer” bills, the California Chamber of Commerce ignites a new phase of a perpetual political conflict.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

White House issues reports on states’ infrastructure needs

Los Angeles Times

The Biden White House is amplifying the push for its $2.3-trillion infrastructure package with the release of state-by-state breakdowns that show the dire shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing affordability.

See also:

 

Democrats, led by Biden, are aiming big on health care

Axios

Democrats are​​ exploring adding a huge array of health policies to upcoming spending legislation, ranging from further enhancing Affordable Care Act subsidies to allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.​​ 

See also:

 

White House Convenes Summit To Address Supply Shortage Crippling Auto Plants​​ 

VPR

President Biden, joined by top foreign and domestic policy advisers, met virtually with 19 CEOs Monday, as his administration tries to deal with a critical supply crunch that is slowing U.S. automobile manufacturing and threatens other sectors, including national security, according to experts.

 

Biden begins to fill out hollowed Homeland Security department — but no ICE pick

Los Angeles Times

President Biden began to fill the top posts at the Homeland Security Department on Monday, ranks hollowed out by his predecessor amid unprecedented politicization and record vacancies. Almost all have California ties.

 

Biden nominates California workplace safety chief to head OSHA

Reuters

President Joe Biden has tapped Doug Parker, the director of California’s workplace safety agency, to lead​​ the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as it is expected to pivot to more aggressive enforcement amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

What’s in the Democrats’ Voting-Rights Bill​​ 

Wall Street Journal

Democrats are pushing a sweeping voting bill that would make many changes to rules regarding voting and campaign finance. The bill is facing a tough battle in the evenly divided Senate in coming weeks, after the House version of the bill passed 220-210 with no Republican support.

 

Vote-by-Mail and Voter Turnout in the Pandemic Election

PPIC

Many states changed their policies to increase voting by mail and reduce the risk from COVID-19 during the 2020 election. In California, officials took extra steps to facilitate vote-by-mail and accommodate in-person voting.​​ 

 

Opinion: A Free Exercise of Religion Supreme Court

Wall Street Journal

The first significant distinction of the newly constituted Supreme Court concerns the free exercise of religion from government control. The latest evidence is the 5-4 ruling late Friday slapping down another California pandemic diktat on the freedom of worship.

See also:

 

Other:

 

‘Real journalism.’​​ Inside the battle to save local newspapers.

Christian Science Monitor

There was something about the item on the police blotter that puzzled Larry Hobbs, a former farmhand and store clerk turned local newspaper reporter.

 

Quarterly Gap in Party Affiliation Largest Since 2012

Gallup

In Gallup polling throughout the first quarter of 2021, an average of 49% of U.S. adults identified with the Democratic Party or said they are independents who lean toward the Democratic Party.​​ 

 

Opinion: Why corporate America is declaring independence from the GOP

Washington Post

If you want a sense of the endgame in the ongoing showdown between aggrieved Republicans and corporate leaders willing to criticize the party’s efforts to roll back voting rights, just flip on your TV and watch the ads.

See also:

 

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Today’s breakfast is brought to you by pollinators and farmers

Modesto Bee

Today at breakfast, you have most likely eaten something brought to you by​​ two of America’s hardest workers – pollinators and California farmers.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Can California fix long waits in jail? These bills may help

CalMatters

A CalMatters investigation found that at least 1,300 people have been locked in county jails for longer than three years awaiting a trial or sentencing. The findings are “surprising and embarrassing,” said State Sen. Tom Umberg, chair of the Judiciary Committee.

 

Editorial: Here's a crime California can take off the books

San Francisco Chronicle

Jaywalking is one of those criminal offenses that many of us don’t think twice about committing. We need to cross the street, any approaching cars are a safe distance away, so off we trot from one side to the next mid-block.

 

Public Safety:

 

Public Webinar: Informing Remote and Linguistically Diverse Communities About Court Language Access Services

California Courts Newsroom

April 22 webinar will explore resources and services employed by courts in different regions to reach linguistically diverse and rural communities and build public trust and confidence in the courts.

 

Opinion: Former city councilman envisions how police review board might work in Modesto

Modesto Bee

An April 6 front page Modesto Bee story indicates that a majority of citizens support our local police. But, about 25 percent disagree. Since the police mission is to protect and serve all citizens, the goal should be 100 percent support.

 

Commentary: Gun violence researchers need data to find solutions

CalMatters

Gun violence is America’s other epidemic. While the deadly coronavirus has our full attention, gun violence still rages on, claiming nearly​​ 40,000 American lives​​ a year – nearly 3,000 here in California.​​ 

 

Fire:​​ 

 

Storytelling Project Collects Accounts Of Devastating Creek Fire​​ 

VPR

In the wake of the damage that last year’s Creek Fire brought to the Central Sierra, an effort is underway to keep the fire from claiming yet another casualty, that of​​ memory.

 

Warszawski: Creek Fire silence and recreation area closures. Do better, Sierra National Forest

Fresno Bee

The Sierra National Forest has a management problem. As in, its management of 1.3 million acres on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite and Kings Canyon national parks has become a problem for those who live, work and recreate there.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Powell Sees Pickup in Economic Growth Ahead

Wall Street Journal

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the U.S. economy appears to be at an inflection point, with output and job growth poised to accelerate in the months ahead as long as the Covid-19 pandemic retreats.

 

Consumer prices rise as White House, Fed monitor inflation

Washington Post

Consumer prices in the United States jumped 2.6 percent in March compared to a year ago, fueled by a strengthening economy and comparisons to last spring when the coronavirus pandemic threw the country into desperate straits.

 

U.S. government spent $660 billion more in March than it collected in revenue, the third-largest monthly deficit on record

Washington Post

The federal government spent $660 billion more than it collected in tax revenue this March, the Department of Treasury said Monday, as the Biden administration’s stimulus package pushed the U.S. monthly deficit near record highs.

 

White House Convenes Summit To Address Supply Shortage Crippling Auto Plants​​ 

VPR

President Biden, joined by top​​ foreign and domestic policy advisers, met virtually with 19 CEOs Monday, as his administration tries to deal with a critical supply crunch that is slowing U.S. automobile manufacturing and threatens other sectors, including national security, according to​​ experts.

 

Both Merced Regal theaters set reopening dates, though county remains in COVID purple tier

Merced Sun-Star

Although Merced County is one of the last places in California still subject to that state’s strict purple tier COVID rules, local movie houses are still planning to open back up next month.

 

Jobs:

 

Paying $2,000 a month to keep a career: How the COVID pandemic set back California women

Fresno Bee

The pandemic has caused more California women than men to lose their jobs,​​ a discrepancy that persists as California’s economy improves, the latest state data show.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

For moms, back to school is not back to normal

CalMatters

School grounds are filling up at recess again as more students ditch virtual learning and return to brick-and-mortar classrooms. But for the many mothers who had to cut back on work during the pandemic as kids stayed home, back to school has not meant back to normal.

 

Walters: Pandemic has damaged California’s school children

CalMatters

A comprehensive history of the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on California would surely conclude that the state’s school children have been treated shamefully.

 

Higher Ed:

 

The Central Valley has a college graduate​​ problem. Can this Fresno State program help?

Fresno Bee

When Allison Howard began attending Fresno State straight from high school in 2005, she always planned to finish. But life got in the way, said Howard, now an American Sign Language interpreter for Clovis Unified School District.

 

UC explains admissions decisions in a record application year of much heartbreak, some joy

Los Angeles Times

The Burbank mother knew her high school senior would have a tough time competing for a freshman seat at a University of California campus in a year of record-shattering applications — more than 200,000 students were vying for about 46,000 spots.​​ 

 

California’s community colleges​​ at critical crossroads as more students opt not to attend

EdSource

California’s community colleges face a difficult path forward. Across the state, from San Diego to counties on the northern border, enrollments at many community colleges have plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic.

See also:

 

US colleges divided over requiring student vaccinations

Sacramento Bee

U.S. colleges hoping for a return to normalcy next fall are weighing how far they should go in urging students to get the COVID-19 vaccine, including whether they should — or legally can — require it.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

States are growing fewer trees. Forest owners say that’s a problem

Merced Sun-Star

When wildfires ripped through Oregon last Labor Day, they burned huge swaths of forest, including 63,000 acres of smaller, private lands.

 

Salmon swimming past Oakdale could get better spawning habitat. How to weigh in

Modesto Bee

The city of Oakdale aims to restore salmon habitat on a stretch of the Stanislaus River in the northeast part of town. The public can offer input at an open house Thursday evening, April 15, at a downtown site.

 

Unwelcome and tough to evict: California’s costly, uphill battle against invasive species

CalMatters

Like house guests overstaying their welcome, foreign crabs have been nearly impossible to boot out of California. A new strategy, born of failure, may help combat armies of invasive plants and animals that are preying on vulnerable native creatures.

The Search for Environmental Hope

 

Opinion: The Search for Environmental Hope

Washington Post

Climate news is relentlessly, objectively grim. Should we ever allow ourselves to feel optimism?

 

Energy:

 

Apple to build battery-based solar energy storage facility in California

The Manufacturer

Planned energy storage facility in California is Apple's latest step towards eliminating carbon emissions from its supply chain by 2030.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

U.S. Seeks to Pause J&J Covid-19 Vaccine Use After Rare Blood-Clot Cases

Wall Street Journal

U.S. health authorities recommended a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson ’s Covid-19 vaccine in order to investigate rare but severe cases of blood clots.

See also:

 

Tweaked COVID vaccines in testing aim to fend off variants

Sacramento Bee

Dozens of Americans are rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine -- this time, shots tweaked to guard against a worrisome mutated version of the virus.

 

How the decline in COVID-19 testing could blind California to​​ new problems

Mercury News

As new and more contagious variants of the COVID-19 virus emerge in California at a troubling rate, testing for the pathogen has plummeted, challenging the state’s effort to trace their spread, discover outbreaks or detect whether they are eluding our vaccines.

 

Antibody cocktail ‘rapidly’ prevents and treats COVID, study finds. Here’s how

Sacramento Bee

New results from a multi-stage clinical trial show that a cocktail of special antibodies can reduce risks of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 81% if someone is not already infected with the virus.​​ 

 

How Long Do Covid-19 Vaccines Provide Immunity?

Wall Street Journal

How long does protection from Covid vaccines last? It’s a question that’s becoming more important as some​​ of the first people to be vaccinated approach four months post-inoculation.

 

Commentary: Setback measure for oil and gas extraction sites are this doctor’s prescription

CalMatters

As a doctor treating patients suffering the effects of toxic pollution, I’m calling on California officials to address this public health crisis.

 

Editorial: A golden opportunity to narrow California’s racial health disparities

Los Angeles Times

The COVID-19 pandemic brought into sharp relief one of the maladies of the U.S. healthcare system: White patients routinely fare better than nonwhite ones.

 

Opinion: The Case for Vaccine ‘Passports’

Wall Street Journal

The idea of a “vaccine passport,” which would let people prove they’re inoculated against Covid, has been swept up in a political debate over personal liberty. But this misunderstands how these apps are likely to be used. Passports would empower consumers by giving them more control over their own health information.​​ 

 

Human Services:

 

California re-opens enrollment for health insurance coverage

Fresno Bee

California on Monday re-opened enrollment for its state health insurance exchange, hoping more people will buy coverage now that the federal government is offering new assistance that could lower monthly premiums by $1,000 or more in some cases.

See also:

 

Would You Use An App To Verify Your Vaccine Status? The Idea Is Here To Stay​​ 

VPR

A political debate has erupted over the idea of requiring​​ proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry into certain settings. While politicians argue over equity and privacy concerns, some businesses and institutions are moving ahead and developing apps for people to prove their status easily and securely.​​ 

 

How California's 'deeply flawed' vaccine rollout failed Latino and Black communities

CNN

Dr. Jerry Abraham is determined to ensure California's most vulnerable communities have access to the Covid-19 vaccine.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Biden begins to fill out hollowed Homeland Security department — but no ICE pick

Los Angeles Times

President Biden began to fill the top​​ posts at the Homeland Security Department on Monday, ranks hollowed out by his predecessor amid unprecedented politicization and record vacancies. Almost all have California ties.

 

Trump Border Critics to Be Nominated to Immigration Posts by White House​​ 

Wall Street Journal

The White House will nominate two critics of the Trump administration’s border policies to lead key immigration agencies inside the Department of Homeland Security.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Yosemite reservations are coming back to enter national park. Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

Day-use reservations will again be needed to enter Yosemite National Park​​ this summer, park staff announced Thursday morning. Yosemite will sell a limited number of ticketed entry passes via​​ recreation.gov​​ – required in addition to normal park entrance fees – to reduce visitation due to COVID-19.

See also:

 

Creating a Place for Nature in the San Joaquin Valley

PPIC

The quest for groundwater sustainability will result in large amounts of irrigated farmland being retired in the San Joaquin Valley. We talked to Scott Butterfield of The Nature Conservancy about how some of these lands could be restored to natural areas that bring multiple benefits.

 

Housing:

 

Living in unsafe Fresno rental housing? Have issues that aren’t fixed? How to get help

Fresno Bee

A majority of Fresno residents — 54% — are renters, according to census data, and that statistic is likely growing as the average home price is $291,000 and out of reach for the majority who live in the city.​​ 

 

With homes selling at a record pace, buyers frustrated with being outbid

abc30

With record-breaking demand and homes in short supply, it's triggering bidding wars around the country.​​ Google searches for "should I buy a house" and "should I sell my house" are at all-time highs in the U.S.

 

Far from being a pandemic event, LA home buyers have steadily streamed into Kern for years

Bakersfield Californian

It is no secret the coronavirus pandemic has brought new residents from Los Angeles to Kern County.​​ 

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Rich Californians have most to gain if Congress lifts cap on local tax deductions, report says

Sacramento Bee

California’s rich will get a lot richer next year if the cap on state and local income deductions from federal income tax is lifted, a new study has found.

 

Almost two months later, child care providers still waiting for relief checks

CalMatters

It could be mid-May or later before some child care providers get state stipends promised to them as part of a coronavirus​​ relief package. Providers worry they may not be able to hold out that long.​​ 

 

Some states require amended tax returns for $10,200 unemployment tax break refunds

CNBC

Some states are requiring workers who received a federal tax break on unemployment benefits to file an amended tax return to get their refund.

 

Designing a universal child allowance: Who can claim which kids?

Brookings

For the first time since the Clinton welfare reforms, a major cash benefit – the Child Tax Credit (CTC) – will support children growing up in the lowest-income families, including those without ties to the formal labor market.

 

Value-added tax could restrain long-term federal debt

AEI

In June 2019, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that the federal government’s debt under current law would rise from 78 percent of annual gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019 to 144 percent in 2049.

 

Commentary: What’s conservative about a $3,600 child allowance?

AEI

This year, most households with children will receive​​ $3,600 for each child under 6 years old and $3,000 for each older child. The Joe Biden administration wants to make this child allowance permanent.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

California’s embattled high-speed rail could get a lift from Biden plan, Buttigieg says

Fresno Bee

The sweeping $2.3 trillion infrastructure-investment program put forth by President Joe Biden doesn’t have a lot in the way of specifics, but his transportation secretary said Friday that California’s ambitious – and embattled – high-speed rail project is something that may stand to benefit.

 

White House issues reports on states’ infrastructure needs

Los Angeles Times

The Biden White House is amplifying the push for its $2.3-trillion infrastructure package with the release of state-by-state​​ breakdowns that show the dire shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing affordability.

 

WATER

 

Biden Administration Declares California Drought Disaster. What Is Newsom Waiting For?

GVWire

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack designated 50 California counties as natural disaster areas last month because of the drought.

 

Kings River runoff forecast at just 33%

Hanford Sentinel

Dry conditions that have prevailed in the Sierra Nevada and the San Joaquin Valley since fall have sliced into the Kings River’s runoff outlooks for this spring’s annual snowmelt period, April-through-July.

 

Tensions rise in water battle along Oregon-California line

AP News

One of the worst droughts in memory in a massive agricultural region straddling the California-Oregon border could mean steep cuts to irrigation water for hundreds of farmers this summer to sustain endangered fish species critical to local tribes.

 

“Xtra”

 

Stanislaus County Fair will go on in July, but COVID-19 will bring major changes

Modesto Bee 

The board of the Stanislaus County Fair voted Monday evening to go on​​ with a pandemic version of the annual July event.

 

Knott's Berry Farm to reopen to guests on May 21

abc30

Another California amusement park has announced its reopening date. Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park in Southern California will open its doors to the general public on May 21.

See also:

 

Robert Price: It was only two months in dog years, but 2020 was a happy one for canines

Bakersfield Californian

We humans won’t be looking back on it with much fondness, but to our four-legged companions, last year was a canine utopia. High demand. Plenty of attention. Increased opportunities for dog-appropriate people food.