July 6, 2021

06Jul

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

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COVID Update:

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‘It is unsettling.’ Central Valley mayor reacts to death threats sent through social media

Merced Sun-Star

Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen awoke during the 5 o’clock hour Sunday morning to find two disturbing messages sent to her mayoral Facebook page.

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Stanislaus County Superior Court launches online dispute resolution process

Turlock Journal

Settling small claims or reaching a compromise in family court got a little easier with Stanislaus County Superior Court's launch of Modria, a new online dispute resolution platform.

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While Turlock still won’t talk, emails confirm Amazon fulfillment center is coming

Modesto Bee

While Turlock officials, the developer and others have refused to confirm Amazon is opening a million-square-foot fulfillment center employing hundreds in the city’s industrial park, emails from the city leave no doubt the e-commerce giant is coming to town.

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State is closing its youth prisons, shifting the burden to counties like Stanislaus

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County is assuming responsibility for reforming juvenile offenders under legislation that will close the state’s youth detention facilities.

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Oakdale police chief Scott Heller set to retire in August, department announces

Modesto Bee

Oakdale Chief of Police Scott Heller plans retire at the end of August after five years in the position, the department announced Friday.

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Merced city attorney hired by Riverside. Local leaders to discuss plan to fill interim role

Modesto Bee

After nearly three years as the City of Merced’s attorney, Phaedra Norton is moving south to serve in the same role with the City of Riverside beginning July 20.

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Central SJ Valley:

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COVID Update:

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Fresno fireworks started fires and ruined air quality. A heat wave will bring more issues

Fresno Bee

Fourth of July fireworks started vegetation fires in Fresno County and ruined air quality. “We went off the chart,” said Jaime Holt, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, about particulate matter (PM 2.5) in Fresno’s air Sunday night.

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This week in Fresnoland: Have we learned from the last drought?

Fresno Bee

Cassandra reported on the latest in the fight by residents at the Trails’ End Mobile Home Park to improve living conditions after two fires this spring left one resident dead.

See also:

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Wells are failing in southeastern Madera County. What to know about the water situation

Fresno Bee

From Madera Acres to the Bonadelle Ranchos, private wells are running dry at an alarming rate. Self-Help Enterprises, an organization that supports communities with water challenges, has been tracking the problem.

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Worried about being priced out as new growth comes to Fresno? Here’s how to weigh in

Fresno Bee

Fresno residents have the opportunity to weigh in on policies that aim to curb displacement from Chinatown, downtown and southwest Fresno as the city experiences rent hikes, an increased need for affordable housing and skyrocketing demand for building permits.

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Transforming Fresno’s infamous ‘Motel Drive?’ Inside the city’s multimillion-dollar effort

Fresno Bee

State-funding efforts to shelter unhoused residents in converted motels could be a game-changer for Motel Drive, an area of Fresno that city leaders say has long been overrun by drugs, human trafficking, and prostitution.

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Fresno County Board Of Supervisors Budget Approved

Fresno Bee

Before the next Board meeting, Brandau and Magsig, without other Board members, will hold a private meeting with James Kus, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters and a group of “local people” who are “interested” in the local election process.

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City council set to fill open seat

Porterville Recorder

The possible administering of the oath of office for a new District 1 board member, the continuation of the Porterville College Foundation Swap Meet at the Porterville Fairgrounds.

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South SJ Valley:

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COVID Update:

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Bakersfield Woman Among 250,000 Undocumented Californians Gaining Access to Medi-Cal

VPR

This week, state lawmakers approved the budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year. It includes funding for the extension of full-scope Medi-Cal to low-income undocumented residents ages 50 and older.

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Witt says he made 'unpopular decision' but laid foundation for future success as KCFD prepares for new chief

Bakersfield Californian

The two years David Witt served as Kern County Fire Department chief proved to be among the most challenging the department has ever faced.

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Momentum grows for creating locally based lender to small businesses

Bakersfield Californian

Efforts are advancing in Kern to establish a locally based financial institution that would help an underserved part of the county's economy by making modest-size loans available to young and very small businesses that often struggle to get the financing they need.

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Bakersfield's apartment market sets two new records

Bakersfield Californian

Evidence continues to mount that Kern County's rental-housing market has entered uncharted territory.

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McCarthy: Completion of environmental review for new Lake Isabella visitor center critical step for region

Bakersfield Californian

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, has called the selection of a new location for a new Forest Service visitor center in Lake Isabella as a "critical step" forward.

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State:

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COVID Update:

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Thousands of Californians could get an extra $100 a week in unemployment pay. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

An estimated 350,000 Californians who are self-employed but also work salaried jobs part-time can now potentially qualify for an extra $100 a week in unemployment payments – and get them retroactively.

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Commentary: California’s progressive tax system proved its worth during the pandemic

CalMatters

With revenue abundant, we can expect to hear more about the problem of California’s volatile revenue. This is the time to recognize that volatility is not a problem — it is the price the state pays for a progressive tax system. That system emerged as a positive this past year.

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Gavin Newsom failed homeless Californians, opponents say. Here’s what GOP wants to do

Sacramento Bee

Standing under Highway 160 in north Sacramento on Tuesday, amid discarded clothes, boxes and other random litter, gubernatorial hopeful Kevin Faulconer gave his pitch for fixing homelessness in California.

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Walters: California budget favors left side in crime culture war

CalMatters

California’s new budget makes it clear that Newsom and the Legislature’s dominant Democrats are favoring a cadre of local district attorneys who favor leniency and rehabilitation for lawbreakers in their political duel with traditional, punishment-oriented prosecutors.

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New, Earlier Date Puts GOP at A Disadvantage In California Recall Election

Capital Public Radio

California voters will decide whether to keep or boot their governor, Democrat Gavin Newsom, on Sept. 14 of this year.

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Bipartisan resolution would study California’s antitrust laws

Paso Robles Daily News

Last week, Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks announced that they have introduced a bipartisan resolution asking the California Law Revision Commission to study the 114-year-old Cartwright Act

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July 2021 Newsletter: Calif Redistricting Commission

California Citizens Redistricting Commission

Ten years ago, in July 2011, the first Commission had already received the 2010 Census data and had already issued its first draft maps. With the unprecedented six-month delay to the 2020 Census data, the present Commission still awaits the new population numbers needed to start its mapping work.

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Capitol Weekly Podcast: The Master of Disasters, Mark Ghilarducci

Capitol Weekly

We are joined this episode by California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services chief Mark Ghilarducci. Ghilarducci leads the state response to disasters of all kinds.

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Drought: The end of California’s groundwater free-for-all

Mercury News

Long opposed, now meters are measuring farmers' water use and changing cultivation in the Golden State's thirsty fields.

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Walters: Koch brothers win legal duel with California

CalMatters

Industrialists David and Charles Koch won their duel with California’s attorney general when the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a regulation aimed at forcing the brothers’ non-profit political group, Americans for Prosperity, to reveal its donors.

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Federal:

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COVID Update:

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Post-ABC poll: Biden earns high marks for handling the pandemic, but many Republicans resist vaccination

Washington Post

President Biden has earned high marks for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, but the government’s effort to vaccinate as many Americans as possible continues to face hurdles, including resistance among people who identify as Republicans.

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‘We have a deal’: Biden, lawmakers reach tentative bipartisan infrastructure agreement

Los Angeles Times

President Biden and a bipartisan group of senators agreed on a nearly $1-trillion infrastructure plan Thursday, the culmination of months of negotiation over a proposal to fortify the nation’s roads, bridges and broadband internet access.

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Biden allies brace for GOP attacks when southern border reopens

Politico

The White House is expected to reopen the U.S.-Mexico border in the coming weeks, and even President Joe Biden’s allies are worried he’s not ready for the logistical and political impact, including an avalanche of Republican attacks that will follow.

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Biden’s Bloated White House Payroll Is Most Expensive In American History

Forbes

If the White House payroll is a leading indicator of the president’s commitment to expand government then taxpayers have a reason for concern.

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AP FACT CHECK: House GOP falsely blames Biden for gas prices

AP News

Heading into the Memorial Day travel weekend, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and other members of his party are falsely blaming President Joe Biden for higher gasoline and lumber costs.

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Democrats Hope to Pass Climate Bill After Failing a Decade Ago

Wall Street Journal

Democrats are once again hoping to use their control of the House, Senate, and White House to pass a major climate bill—and warning that they need to avoid the pitfalls of their last effort.

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Democrats search for sweet spot on ‘SALT’ deduction

Roll Call

The party has yet to find a solution to its “SALT” problem, but Democrats on both sides of the debate over the deduction for state and local taxes are ready to compromise.

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‘Yes, I do belong here’: AAPI staffers on a tough year working for Congress

Roll Call

For the past year, AAPI staffers have been doing their jobs while also dealing with the emotional toll of a nationwide rise in discrimination. In dozens of recent interviews, current and former staffers described what it’s like for them to work for Congress.

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House creates committee to investigate Jan. 6 Capitol attack

Los Angeles Times

The House voted largely along party lines Wednesday to create a special committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by supporters of President Trump.

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Republicans have more friends across the political divide than Democrats, study finds

Washington Post

When David Huzzard’s friend posted some QAnon conspiracy theories on Facebook in the fall, Huzzard first assumed the best of intentions. He recalls thinking: “Maybe they just got tricked.”

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Supreme Court sidesteps controversy in term punctuated by politics and pandemic

Roll Call

The justices avoided most major moves that would intensify political scrutiny on the newly expanded 6-3 conservative majority — but also set up potential blockbuster decisions on abortion and gun rights next year as congressional races are underway.

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Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2020

United States Census Bureau

The P20 detailed tables are released every two years following national level elections.

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Other:

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An NPR Tradition, Here's the Reading Of The Declaration Of Independence

VPR

Over the past 32 years, Morning Edition has broadcast a reading of the Declaration of Independence by NPR staff as a way of marking Independence Day.

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Americans more likely to get news on digital devices from news websites, apps and search engines than from social media

Pew Research Center

More than 8/10 Americans get news from digital devices. Online, most turn to news websites except for the youngest, who are more likely to use social media. Those under 50 turn more frequently to digital devices for news. News websites most preferred way to get digital news.

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Designing digital services for equitable access

Brookings

In 1995, the U.S. National Telecommunications Infrastructure Administration was the first government body to empirically document the existence of the “digital divide”—the gap between those who do and do not have ready access to internet service.

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People Power

New Yorker

Revisiting the origins of American democracy.

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Courts may see spike in people wanting to serve on juries

Axios

Fewer Americans are trying to get out of jury duty, and legal experts say this may reflect people's growing desire to combat systemic racism.

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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

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Sunday, July 25, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “U.S. Senator Alex Padilla” - Guest: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, (D-CA). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

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Sunday, July 11, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “How Prepared is California for Natural Disasters, Generally and Forest Fires, in Particular?"- Guests: Christina Curry, Cal OES Deputy Director of Planning, Preparedness and Prevention and Pedro Nava, Chair of California Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

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AGRICULTURE/FOOD

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Fresno food business pivots to farm fresh boxes to survive pandemic

abc30

Fresh nectarines and peaches are coming to the line inside Food 4 Thought LLC's warehouse in central Fresno. "The fact that they know they're getting it right out of the field without a sticker. That makes a huge difference.

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Scaling back their herds through the drought, ranchers continue on faith

Bakersfield Californian

Business has been good lately at the Western Stockman's Market cattle auction in McFarland. Too good.

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Chicken recall: Tyson recalls 8.5 million pounds of frozen poultry for possible listeria contamination

Visalia Times Delta

Tyson Foods is recalling approximately 8.5 million pounds of frozen, cooked chicken products for possible listeria contamination.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

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Crime:

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California hate crimes surged 31% in 2020 with Black community remaining most targeted, report shows

abc30

A stunning new report says hate crimes in California spiked during the pandemic, more than doubling against those in the Asian community and nearly twice pre-pandemic levels for Black residents of the state.

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Public Safety:

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Witt says he made 'unpopular decision' but laid foundation for future success as KCFD prepares for new chief

Bakersfield Californian

The two years David Witt served as Kern County Fire Department chief proved to be among the most challenging the department has ever faced.

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Opinion: Gun shows don’t belong on California’s fairgrounds

CalMatters

Our state contributes to gun violence by allowing the sale of guns and ammunition on taxpayer-owned property, a practice SB 264 would halt.

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Low-Income People of Color Bear Brunt of Rising Pedestrian Deaths

Pew Trusts

The fatality rate in the nation’s lowest-income neighborhoods was nearly twice that of middle-income census tracts and nearly three times that of higher-income areas, the survey found.

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Fire:

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Crews battle fires along Kings River near Piedra area of Fresno County; evacuation ordered

Fresno Bee

Firefighters battled two wildland fires Sunday near Wonder Valley Ranch and the Fresno County community of Piedra.

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Firefighters battle destructive blazes in California

Fresno Bee

Californians celebrating the Fourth of July have been warned against illegal fireworks and untended campfires as firefighters battle blazes that have destroyed homes in the tinder-dry state where the threat of more wildfires is high.

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FEMA Rejected 95% Of Aid Applicants During California's Last Wildfire Disaster. Why?

VPR

California's 2020 wildfires set a record: the most acres burned in a single year. Thousands of people lost their homes, and the smoke from the fires up and down the West Coast stretched all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

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One Year After PG&E Left Bankruptcy, Spending By The Fire Victim Trust Remains A Mystery

VPR

It’s been a year since Pacific Gas and Electric Company left Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. That exit deal included a promised $13.5 billion settlement to pay victims of wildfires that were caused by the company’s equipment.

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Gavin Newsom oversold California’s fire prevention efforts. A journalist uncovered the truth

The Guardian

California leaders have often touted the state’s wildfire prevention efforts, which have taken on a new urgency as fire seasons continue to set grisly records.

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ECONOMY/JOBS

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Economy:

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Momentum grows for creating locally based lender to small businesses

Bakersfield Californian

Efforts are advancing in Kern to establish a locally based financial institution that would help an underserved part of the county's economy by making modest-size loans available to young and very small businesses that often struggle to get the financing they need.

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After months of tepid news, White House hopeful ‘rip-roaring’ economy is here

Washington Post

June’s jobs report showed a big jump in the proportion of Americans aged 25 to 54 in the labor market — rising to a level not seen since the early days of the pandemic.

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Stocks Were Unusually Quiet in June. Traders Think That Is About to Change.

Wall Street Journal

Traders are gearing up for a pickup in volatility following an unusually sleepy stretch for the stock market.

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Remittances: One more thing that economists failed at predicting during COVID-19

Brookings

The largest remittance-sending country in the world is the United States (sending over $70 billion as of 2019), whose economy was predicted to shrink significantly due to reduced mobility as people, businesses, and policies responded to COVID-19.

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Op-Ed: Joe Biden’s reckless deficit spending could mean economic disaster

American Enterprise Institute

With interest rates still at very low levels, the MMT proponents assure us that governments can spend and borrow with abandon, without having to fear adverse economic consequences.

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Jobs:

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U.S. hiring accelerated last month as workers see pay gains

Business Journal

In an encouraging burst of hiring, America’s employers added 850,000 jobs in June, well above the average of the previous three months and a sign that companies may be having an easier time finding enough workers to fill open jobs.

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Business Should Be Booming — If Only There Were Enough Workers For The Job

VPR

The Labor Department said Friday that U.S. employers added 850,000 jobs in June, including 194,000 in bars and restaurants. But overall payroll employment is still 6.8 million below its pre-pandemic level.

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The boomerang-worker boom

Axios

"Boomerang workers" — those who've returned to their home towns to do remote work — rose with the pandemic, but the phenomenon shows signs of sticking around beyond it.

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EDUCATION

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K-12:

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KHSD unveils plan to implement ethnic studies

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern High School District unveiled its plan to implement ethnic studies in the district at its board meeting last Monday.

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Back in classrooms, students energized to learn at Modesto City Schools’ summer sessions

Modesto Bee

Tuesday morning, at a desk surrounded by plexiglass barriers, Jose Mondragon finished the last assignment he needed to graduate Peter Johansen High School. It was the last day of Modesto City Schools’ summer session.

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How to support student mental health? Turlock-based foundation starts with superintendents

Modesto Bee

Superintendent Brenda Smith said she was conscious of how her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic would affect staff and students at Hughson Unified School District.

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New California law gives students a do-over for failing grades in COVID-19 year

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed a law to help alleviate the pandemic’s effect on grades and graduation credits by giving California students an opportunity to redo a grade level.

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Special ed and high-needs students get windfall in budget deal

CalMatters

A historic boost in state funding will allow educators to make investments in high needs students, special education and early childhood education.

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What is critical race theory, and why are conservatives blocking it?

PolitiFact

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, is pushing forward on a reworked civics education curriculum for K-12. For DeSantis, the new plan is as much on what it bans, as what it promotes.

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Higher Ed:

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Have life experience? Program coming to Madera Community College rewards that

Business Journal

Madera Community College (MCC) has kicked off its new Competency-Based Education (CBE) program within the business department.

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This California university wants the Cal Poly designation. Here’s what has to happen first

Sacramento Bee

Humboldt State University is on track to become the state’s third polytechnic school, thanks to an infusion of $433 million in California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget. But when, and how, will the university officially gain that designation?

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Supreme Court, NCAA Decisions Embolden Advocates For College Athlete Compensation In California

Capital Public Radio

Advocates for college athlete compensation in California are on a hot streak. First the state passed a first-in-the-nation law allowing players to sign paid endorsement deals, and 20 states followed its example.

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Opinion: Why the GOP should be supporting public higher education

American Enterprise Institute

If the GOP truly cares about viewpoint diversity and economic and social mobility, Republicans should help public institutions of higher education thrive.

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ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

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Environment:

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Fresno fireworks started fires and ruined air quality. A heat wave will bring more issues

Fresno Bee

Fourth of July fireworks started vegetation fires in Fresno County and ruined air quality. “We went off the chart,” said Jaime Holt, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, about particulate matter (PM 2.5) in Fresno’s air Sunday night.

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McCarthy: Completion of environmental review for new Lake Isabella visitor center critical step for region

Bakersfield Californian

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, has called the selection of a new location for a new Forest Service visitor center in Lake Isabella as a "critical step" forward.

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Escaping the heat and landing in a heatwave not ideal, but still unforgettable

Bakersfield Californian

When they planned their road trip, Bakersfield residents Christina Pellettera and her fiancé, Joshua White, hadn't expected hotter — sometimes much hotter — than normal temperatures in states where escaping the heat from southern climes has long been a pull for travelers.

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California is betting $61 million that new highway crossings will keep wildlife safe

CalMatters

It’s part of a larger nationwide push to build special bridges and tunnels that help animals safely cross busy roads and freeways. The goal is two-fold: to give species at risk the space they need to find mates, and to reduce the number of car crashes that imperil both wildlife and humans.

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Capping methane-spewing oil wells, one hole at a time

Washington Post

Across the U.S., abandoned wells are belching the powerful greenhouse gas. This nonprofit aims to plug them to fight global warming.

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Climate change has gotten deadly. It will get worse.

Washington Post

Researchers say they are ‘virtually certain’ that warming from human greenhouse gas emissions played a pivotal role in recent fatalities.

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Democrats Hope to Pass Climate Bill After Failing a Decade Ago

Wall Street Journal

Democrats are once again hoping to use their control of the House, Senate, and White House to pass a major climate bill—and warning that they need to avoid the pitfalls of their last effort.

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Protecting forests: Are early warning systems effective?

Brookings

Forests play an indispensable role in bolstering biodiversity, supporting a stable climate, and providing sustainable livelihoods. Yet, the earth is rapidly losing its forests. In the last 30 years, the world has lost 180 million hectares of forest—greater than the total area of Libya.

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Energy:

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One Year After PG&E Left Bankruptcy, Spending By The Fire Victim Trust Remains A Mystery

VPR

It’s been a year since Pacific Gas and Electric Company left Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. That exit deal included a promised $13.5 billion settlement to pay victims of wildfires that were caused by the company’s equipment.

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California pleads for more power as summer blackout threat grows, hydro supplies fade

Sacramento Bee

Acknowledging the increasing threat of rolling blackouts this summer, managers of California’s electricity grid issued a rare call for additional power supplies Thursday.

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Can Californians Charge Electric Cars During Summer Heat?

Capital Public Radio

As Californians grapple with the increasing impacts of climate change, few things have come to be dreaded more than summer heat waves.

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HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

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Health:

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Fauci: Even Vaccinated Travelers Should Wear Face Masks In These U.S. Destinations

Forbes

It’s too soon for travelers, even those who have been vaccinated, to throw their face masks away if they heading to areas where relatively few people are vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the country’s top infectious disease expert.

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How dangerous is the new Delta Plus variant? Here’s what we know.

National Geographic

The latest coronavirus variant has spread to about a dozen countries—including India, the U.S., and the U.K.—while scientists scramble to figure out if the strain is more deadly or transmissible.

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These Black Moms Gave Birth Early. They Don't Want Their Experiences To Be Normal

VPR

Like many Black women, Shantay Davies-Balch and Sabrina Beaversdelivered their babies earlier than they'd hoped. The two friends came to StoryCorps in 2019 to speak about the challenges they each faced during pregnancy.

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Human Services:

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Thirty Patients Died At Coalinga State Hospital In 2020. Some Question The Facility’s Medical Care

VPR

Earlier this year, Jeff Gambord realized he couldn’t remember the last time he had a physical exam. So he requested his medical record from Coalinga State Hospital, the psychiatric facility where he’s been a patient since 2006.

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Unprecedented Lobbying Effort Scores Big Win for California Public Health

California Healthline

Democratic lawmakers have secured a landmark agreement that promises $300 million a year in new state funding to fortify and reimagine California’s hollowed-out public health system, a complex network of services shouldered largely by the state’s 61 local health departments.

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Hospitals Have Started Posting Their Prices Online. Here's What They Reveal

VPR

Long hidden, such price variations are supposed to be available in stark black and white under a Trump administration price transparency rule that took effect at the start of this year.

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Opinion: What should ‘care infrastructure’ for working families look like?

American Enterprise Institute

Policymakers should pursue targeted expansions to federal assistance for the neediest families that maximize flexibility and control costs to the taxpayer.

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IMMIGRATION

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Bakersfield Woman Among 250,000 Undocumented Californians Gaining Access to Medi-Cal

VPR

This week, state lawmakers approved the budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year. It includes funding for the extension of full-scope Medi-Cal to low-income undocumented residents ages 50 and older.

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Biden allies brace for GOP attacks when southern border reopens

Politico

The White House is expected to reopen the U.S.-Mexico border in the coming weeks, and even President Joe Biden’s allies are worried he’s not ready for the logistical and political impact, including an avalanche of Republican attacks that will follow.

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LAND USE/HOUSING

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Land Use:

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Transforming Fresno’s infamous ‘Motel Drive?’ Inside the city’s multimillion-dollar effort

Fresno Bee

State-funding efforts to shelter unhoused residents in converted motels could be a game-changer for Motel Drive, an area of Fresno that city leaders say has long been overrun by drugs, human trafficking, and prostitution.

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City of Fresno begins collecting Measure P sales tax

abc30

The City of Fresno is now officially collecting Measure P sales tax to pay for parks projects. Back in February, the city council voted to certify the results of the 2018 election where 52% of voters approved it.

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Housing:

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Worried about being priced out as new growth comes to Fresno? Here’s how to weigh in

Fresno Bee

Fresno residents have the opportunity to weigh in on policies that aim to curb displacement from Chinatown, downtown and southwest Fresno as the city experiences rent hikes, an increased need for affordable housing and skyrocketing demand for building permits.

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Race is on to get rental assistance out to avert evictions

Fresno Bee

More than $7,000 behind on rent, Tyesha Young had hoped a program in Louisiana would bail her out and allow her family to avert eviction in the coming weeks.

  • See also:

Where Are Tenants Falling Through The Cracks Of California Eviction Ban? Bakersfield Californian

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Bakersfield's apartment market sets two new records

Bakersfield Californian

Evidence continues to mount that Kern County's rental-housing market has entered uncharted territory.

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PUBLIC FINANCES

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Thousands of Californians could get an extra $100 a week in unemployment pay. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

An estimated 350,000 Californians who are self-employed but also work salaried jobs part-time can now potentially qualify for an extra $100 a week in unemployment payments – and get them retroactively.

​​ 

Commentary: California’s progressive tax system proved its worth during the pandemic

CalMatters

With revenue abundant, we can expect to hear more about the problem of California’s volatile revenue. This is the time to recognize that volatility is not a problem — it is the price the state pays for a progressive tax system. That system emerged as a positive this past year.

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Opinion: The Fed Is Underestimating the Risk of Inflation

Wall Street Journal

The inflation outbreak has come as a shock to many economists. The latest numbers have undoubtedly required top officials and researchers at the Federal Reserve to revise their thinking.

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Biden’s Bloated White House Payroll Is Most Expensive In American History

Forbes

If the White House payroll is a leading indicator of the president’s commitment to expand government then taxpayers have a reason for concern.

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Opinion: Defund Joe Biden’s IRS

Wall Street Journal

Joe Biden may be mistaken about many things, but he’s right about the Internal Revenue Service. If the IRS is to become the agency he wants it to become, it needs the $80 billion in extra funding he is now proposing.

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Democrats search for sweet spot on ‘SALT’ deduction

Roll Call

The party has yet to find a solution to its “SALT” problem, but Democrats on both sides of the debate over the deduction for state and local taxes are ready to compromise.

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TRANSPORTATION

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Valley Voices: Climate change shows that it would be foolish to expand freeways around Fresno

Fresno Bee

Metaphorically speaking, Highway 168 is the fuse that lit the Creek Fire, an immense warning flare from our 21st century, rapidly warming world.

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Multiple flights delayed, canceled at Fresno airport due to lack of fuel

abc30

Passengers heading out of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport have been dealing with cancellations or delays because of a fuel supply issue.

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California is restoring electric car rebates, but some environmentalists aren't happy

San Francisco Chronicle

California is slated soon to reinstate funding for subsidies that encourage drivers to buy electric cars, a program advocates say will help the state prepare for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

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GM shakes up lithium industry with California geothermal project

Reuters

General Motors Co (GM.N) is investing in a U.S. lithium project that could become the country's largest by 2024, making the automaker one of the first to develop its own source of a battery metal crucial for the electrification of cars and trucks.

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INVEST in America Act passes House with $109 billion for transit

Mass Transit

The surface transportation reauthorization and water infrastructure bill also includes $32 billion for Amtrak.

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Everything travelers need to know about vaccine passports

Washington Post

What they are, where they’re already in use — and why you may need one for travel soon

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Low-Income People of Color Bear Brunt of Rising Pedestrian Deaths

Pew Trusts

The fatality rate in the nation’s lowest-income neighborhoods was nearly twice that of middle-income census tracts and nearly three times that of higher-income areas, the survey found.

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WATER

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This week in Fresnoland: Have we learned from the last drought?

Fresno Bee

Cassandra reported on the latest in the fight by residents at the Trails’ End Mobile Home Park to improve living conditions after two fires this spring left one resident dead.

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Wells are failing in southeastern Madera County. What to know about the water situation

Fresno Bee

From Madera Acres to the Bonadelle Ranchos, private wells are running dry at an alarming rate. Self-Help Enterprises, an organization that supports communities with water challenges, has been tracking the problem.

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Drought: The end of California’s groundwater free-for-all

Mercury News

Long opposed, now meters are measuring farmers' water use and changing cultivation in the Golden State's thirsty fields.

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“Xtra”

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Raw Earth Juicery opens new shop in Clovis

abc30

Raw Earth Juicery is expanding into Fresno County. A new shop opened in Clovis at Temperance and Alluvial Avenues, next to Starbucks.

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CenterStage Clovis Announces Auditions

Clovis RoundUp

As we cautiously transition back to pre-pandemic life, CenterStage Clovis is excited to launch another much anticipated season.

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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?

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

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The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’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.

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