POLICY & POLITICS
In California’s agricultural heartland, thousands of wells could soon run dry
PBS
One day last month, water in the community of Teviston, about 66 miles south of Fresno, suddenly stopped flowing.
See also:
● California drought: List of water systems facing some of the worst shortages in the state Mercury News
● California drought: Dozens of communities are at risk of running out of water Mercury News
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus deaths near 1,100. Hospital cases rise again Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus County stays course with masks as COVID-19 cases, deaths start climbing Modesto Bee
● Vaccine sites open as Stanislaus County numbers lag Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County to celebrate completion of Turlock Library
Turlock Journal
Stanislaus County officials will be touting all the new features and additions to the newly constructed Turlock Library at a dedication ceremony on Aug. 9.
Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen takes to Facebook to urge residents to get vaccinated
Modesto Bee
In a video post on the City of Modesto’s Facebook page, Mayor Sue Zwahlen urged residents to get vaccinated. Stanislaus County’s rate of infection and deaths tied to the coronavirus pandemic have risen in the last few weeks with the emergence of the Delta variant.
Modesto school leaders ask for local control over COVID-19 plans. But what would change?
Modesto Bee
Modesto school and county leaders called for local control over school reopening plans this week, but that doesn’t mean coronavirus safety policies are changing.
See also:
● Will other Stanislaus districts follow Modesto’s lead? Heed science, not politics, one says Modesto Bee
Public ‘begging’ for help. What’s the holdup with Turlock road repairs?
Modesto Bee
The City Council on Tuesday approved requests for consultants to propose plans to achieve them.
Here’s one rental category where Modesto ranks among country’s most affordable
Modesto Bee
Some good news for renters in Modesto who are looking for more space: The city is among the least expensive in the nation to upsize an apartment, according to data from RentCafé.
Puff-puff, pass it on. Visit Modesto launches cannabis tourism, education campaign
Modesto Bee
Modesto is going up in smoke, safely and responsibly, thanks to a new cannabis educational campaign from the city’s convention and visitors bureau.
Editorial: The Modesto Bee recommends this Ceres City Council special election candidate
Modesto Bee
Like all cities, Ceres is emerging from a life-altering pandemic. The short-handed City Council has suffered from lack of a tie-breaking fifth member, preventing important work from getting done in 2-2 voting deadlocks.
Los Banos Unified School District candidate filing period for vacant seat ends Aug. 6
Merced Sun-Star
The deadline to file for candidacy for the vacant District 1 seat for the Los Banos Unified School District is fast approaching. Candidates must file at the Registrar of Voters by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6. The office is located at 2222 M Street in Merced.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Younger COVID patients ‘driving this new surge,’ Fresno doctor says. Why he’s worried Fresno Bee
● Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Mask guidance, delta variant, booster shots & more Fresno Bee
● Fresno bars set to require proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to enter abc30
● Fresno County health officials seeing an increase of Covid cases in people ages 10-30 abc30
Clovis Unified parents given option to fill out forms for children regarding masks
abc30
The continued spread of the Delta variant has local health officials very concerned. It comes at the same time many students are ready to go back to school.
Apartment rents keep rising in the Fresno area. Here’s how much they’ve gone up
Fresno Bee
The average cost to rent an apartment in the Fresno market keeps going up month after month – a continuous climb to prices not seen before in the region, whether you rent a small studio apartment or a larger four-bedroom unit.
See also:
● City’s partnership with local non-profit turns empty lots into housing for families Madera Tribune
● Editorial: New program is a game-changer for Fresno renters who are facing illegal evictions Fresno Bee
Fresno County’s recall ballots coming soon. Here are dates and details you need to know
Fresno Bee
California’s registered voters are about two weeks away from getting their mail-in ballots for the recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Fresno's Tower District gets biggest makeover in 60 years
abc30
Construction had shut down a stretch of the road between Yosemite and Roosevelt Avenues for the last 10 weeks.
Fresno resolution aims to increase broadband in underserved communities
abc30
The Fresno City Council passed a resolution supporting increased broadband access for underserved communities.
Study: Fresno enjoying second-strongest economic recovery in nation
Business Journal
A new study ranks Fresno among the top US cities with the strongest economic recoveries from Covid-19. In fact, Fresno comes in at No. 2 on the list of 49 of the largest American cities, with its economy bolstered by increased consumer spending and uptick in job postings.
Fresno airport says fuel shortages may be a problem again. How to check for delays
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Yosemite International airport warned passengers Saturday to check with their individual airlines about delays related to fuel shortages, a problem that has dogged the West this month.
Fresno’s heatwave last month ‘was pretty bad,’ but was it the hottest July ever?
Fresno Bee
Fueled by average low temperatures that were nearly five degrees above normal, Fresno set a record for its hottest month of July in a recorded history that goes back to the 1890s.
Flash flood watch for popular recreation areas near Fresno through Saturday
Fresno Bee
The National Weather Service on Friday issued a flash flood watch for the Sierra Nevada, including popular mountain recreation areas near Fresno.
Chukchansi Tribe, Madera County reach deal to boost fire protection and sheriff’s patrols
Fresno Bee
Fire protection and law enforcement presence will increase on Chukchansi lands including the Tribe’s casino and the surrounding community under a new agreement with Madera County.
Warszawski: ‘It’s crazy up here.’ Millerton Lake residents fed up with crime, fires, drugs, trash
Fresno Bee
David Peck could feel his heart thumping as he approached a car parked in a dark turnout near his home overlooking Millerton Lake. One whose driver ignored the overnight “No Stopping” and “No Parking” signs.
Investigation shows City of Hanford was aware of complaints against Brieno for two years
Hanford Sentinel
The evidence in an investigation into complaints against City Councilmember Art Brieno details a 20-month period during which City officials knew of Brieno's allegedly inappropriate and potentially illegal behavior involving a staff member, but did little about it.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health reports 145 new coronavirus cases Friday Bakersfield Californian
Affordable housing project shows new approach to growing problem
Bakersfield Californian
A new affordable housing project in Bakersfield is an attempt to tackle two city issues at once. Golden Empire Affordable Housing Inc. partnered with the Housing Authority of the County of Kern to open 12 units of affordable housing on L Street.
See also:
● Why are key California affordable housing bills bottled up? CalMatters
Lawsuit targets county easements on valley farmland
Bakersfield Californian
Nine years after Kern government agreed to seek out foraging habitat for hawks displaced by an Antelope Valley solar energy project, the county is still fending off accusations it mishandled the task and should never have gotten involved in the first place.
State:
COVID Update:
● More people in California are getting vaccinated for COVID, especially in these counties Fresno Bee
● Fourth COVID wave upends California CalMatters
● Editorial: The CDC’s Delta Variant Panic Wall Street Journal
Additional $1.5B now available to businesses via state’s Covid relief program
Business Journal
California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) announced three additional rounds for the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program after Gov. Newsom signed the state budget, which includes the biggest economic recovery package in state history.
Did Gavin Newsom do anything wrong? It wasn’t just the French Laundry that led to the recall
Fresno Bee
TJ Bruce owns nine bars, including the gay dance club Badlands in midtown Sacramento. Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued COVID-19 restrictions to slow the coronavirus’ spread, and Bruce had to shut his doors.
See also:
● Has Gavin Newsom followed through on high campaign promises? We take a look Fresno Bee
● Some just love to dislike Newsom. Well, recall this: ‘I don’t think he’s a bad guy’ Fresno Bee
● Gavin Newsom’s turnout problem: Democrats aren’t paying attention to recall election Sacramento Bee
● Will Vaccine Requirements Help or Hurt Newsom In His Recall Election? Capital Public Radio
● Is Gov. Newsom in trouble? New poll finds likely recall voters nearly split Mercury News
● Here are some of the big-name Democrats Gavin Newsom will lean on to help save his job Mercury News
● Recall money wars: What do Newsom’s million-dollar donors want? CalMatters
● Navarrette: Newsom shows you can be a great politician and a terrible leader Las Vegas Review-Journal
● Opinion: California’s Progressive Fall Guy Wall Street Journal
● Newsom recall: GOP challengers see parents as ‘consumers’ CalMatters
● California Democrats warn of low turnout in recall election The Hill
● Opinion: Could Larry Elder Really Replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom? Wall Street Journal
● GOP recall candidate says he wants Californians to get vaccinated - but won’t require it Sacramento Bee
● Is Trump a liar? California recall candidate says ‘I’m not going to go there’ Fresno Bee
● Will Trump be spoiler as California GOP seeks Newsom recall? abcNews
● Opinion: California should not dismiss the recall election as a joke Sacramento Bee
Will California corporate diversity laws last? Lawsuits challenge anti-discrimination mandates
Sacramento Bee
Two recent California laws directing public corporations to appoint more diverse leaders to their boards of directors are facing tough legal challenges, raising questions about whether they’ll endure.
‘A very big deal’: What the Biden-Senate infrastructure plan would do for California
Sacramento Bee
The infrastructure deal churning its way through the Senate could mean billions of new dollars aimed at fixing and rebuilding California’s roads and bridges.
Catalytic converter thefts in California: Why they are everywhere, and how you can protect yourself
Los Angeles Times
A 12-year-old Oakland boy was at home with his family last month when he heard a noise outside.
California’s complicated history with assault weapons
San Francisco Chronicle
How Sacramento has been playing legislative whack-a-mole with gun manufacturers for decades.
Podcast: A closer look at the competing interests of California’s housing crisis
CalMatters
Housing is one of California’s most complex and persistent problems, and the pandemic has only made it worse. There are complicated and often conflicting political interests between legislators, regardless of their party lines, and key powerful interest groups.
Walters: California now criticized from the left
CalMatters
California being what it is – a very large state with a complex social and economic matrix and a unique political structure – it generates an endless stream of analysis and criticism.
Doug Ose: Bring common sense back to California
Daily Breeze
Sacramento is broken — fractured by years of mismanagement by career politicians who are detached from the real-life challenges facing everyday Californians.
California’s political future lies in how voting maps are redrawn
CalMatters
As consequential as the outcome of the recall election is, whose voices will be heard in the halls of power for the next 10 years is of paramount importance. The name of the game between now and the 2022 elections will be redistricting.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● COVID surge for unvaccinated people is only beginning, experts warn abc30
● CDC director blames COVID setbacks in spread of delta variant on unvaccinated people Sacramento Bee
● Vaccine ‘obstinance’ is fueling Delta variant’s spread across America Los Angeles Times
● COVID vaccinations lag for people on Medi-Cal CalMatters
● Vaccine mandates are popular Axios
● What Makes the Delta Variant of Covid-19 So Dangerous for Unvaccinated People Wall Street Journal
● Delta Variant Fears Spur More Americans to Get Covid-19 Vaccine Wall Street Journal
● New CDC Mask Guidance Spurs Criticism Over Messaging Wall Street Journal
● How Contagious Is the Delta Variant? Wall Street Journal
● Anthony Fauci Warns on Covid-19 That ‘Things Are Going to Get Worse’ Wall Street Journal
● CDC releases data behind latest mask guidelines Politico
● CDC Urges Vaccinated People To Mask Up Indoors In Places With High Virus Transmission NPR
● CDC Tells The Vaccinated To Mask Up In Some Settings. Our Questionnaire Can Guide You NPR
Opinion: Biden's quick-trigger COVID problem
Axios
The Biden administration's handling of the Delta surge has left Americans confused and frustrated, fueling media overreaction and political manipulation.
See also:
● Opinion: Time for Covidnomics The Atlantic
● Opinion: ‘Freedom’ Is the Only Argument That Might Work With Vaccine Holdouts The Atlantic
● Where a Vast Global Vaccination Program Went Wrong New York Times
Senators hope to wrap up draft of infrastructure bill Sunday
Los Angeles Times
The Senate will reconvene in a rare weekend session Sunday as negotiators work on the text of a bipartisan infrastructure bill that calls for $550 billion in new spending.
See also:
● Senate advances nearly $1 trillion infrastructure plan Business Journal
● House moderates may oppose budget without infrastructure vote Roll Call
● Schumer seeks infrastructure bill passage ‘in a matter of days’ Roll Call
● Senate unveils details of roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure proposal, as Schumer eyes passage before summer recess Washington Post
● Karl Rove: The American Jobs Plan Is a Call to Arms for the GOP Wall Street Journal
● Path to Infrastructure Deal Shows Promise and Pitfalls of Bipartisanship Wall Street Journal
● Senators Push to Wrap Up Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill This Week Wall Street Journal
● The Infrastructure Plan: What’s In and What’s Out New York Times
● Over half of the latest infrastructure plan is 'paid for' by 'repurposing' deficit spending AEI
● Opinion: Biden's $3.5 Trillion Budget Bill Should Die in August Bloomberg
● $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Is In. Next Up: Amendments & Votes NPR
Opinion: The Rental Evictions Fiasco
Wall Street Journal
The eviction moratorium was perhaps justifiable amid the early lockdowns that threw millions out of work, but it’s now a cautionary tale of how bad policies distort behavior and are difficult to end.
See also:
● With evictions looming, Congress strains to extend ban The Business Journal
Census Data Change to Protect Privacy Rattles Researchers, Minority Groups
Wall Street Journal
A plan to protect the confidentiality of Americans’ responses to the 2020 census by injecting small, calculated distortions into the results is raising concerns that it will erode their usability for research and distribution of state and federal funds.
Wall Street Journal
Migrant families continue to be released with instructions to check in with immigration authorities.
Other:
6 key takeaways about the state of the news media in 2020
Pew Research Center
Every two years, Pew Research Center updates its series of fact sheets on the U.S. news media industry, tracking key audience and economic indicators for a variety of sectors. Here are some key findings about the state of the industry in 2020.
See also:
● Hispanic and Black News Media Fact Sheet Pew Research Center
Combating Foreign Disinformation on Social Media
Rand Corporation
How are state adversaries using disinformation on social media to advance their interests? What does the Joint Force—and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in particular—need to be prepared to do in response?
Washington Post
Over the past two months, several Republican state legislatures have considered laws that would restrict how teachers could discuss race and racism, usually phrased as banning “critical race theory.”
America’s Hidden Crisis of Power and Place
Washington Post
Our country’s path to political influence involves defecting from your hometown and congregating in one of a handful of wealthy neighborhoods. It’s undermining trust in government — and corroding our democracy.
Abortion, Race, Gender: State Republicans Wage Culture Wars
PEW
Not since the Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide in 1973 has there been a year in which states approved so many abortion restrictions.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, August 8, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Fracking: Energy Bridge or a Dead End?"- Guest: Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President - Western States Petroleum Association; John Cox - Bakersfield Californian. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, August 8, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Fracking in the Valley: Pros and Cons"- Guests: Dr. Liaosha Song, Assistant Professor of Geology - CSU Bakersfield; Dr. Anthony Rathburn, Interim Director - California Energy Research Center. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Lawsuit targets county easements on valley farmland
Bakersfield Californian
Nine years after Kern government agreed to seek out foraging habitat for hawks displaced by an Antelope Valley solar energy project, the county is still fending off accusations it mishandled the task and should never have gotten involved in the first place.
Almond industry cracks market for orchard byproducts
Bakersfield Californian
The most valuable part of an almond tree is still the nut. But the rest is slowly catching up.
Bacon may disappear in California as pig rules take effect
Fresno Bee
At the beginning of next year, California will begin enforcing an animal welfare proposition approved overwhelmingly by voters in 2018 that requires more space for breeding pigs, egg-laying chickens and veal calves.
See also:
● California may lose almost all of its bacon supply as pig rules take effect abc30
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Axios
Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are working to win Senate passage of a big criminal justice reform package this Congress.
Public Safety:
Chukchansi Tribe, Madera County reach deal to boost fire protection and sheriff’s patrols
Fresno Bee
Fire protection and law enforcement presence will increase on Chukchansi lands including the Tribe’s casino and the surrounding community under a new agreement with Madera County.
Police shootings continue daily, despite a pandemic, protests and pushes for reform
Washington Post
On Oct. 27, an Uber driver in Pompano Beach, Fla., reported that he had been carjacked. A passenger attacked him, slashing his hand with a knife and stealing his Mercedes-Benz.
Rise in Car Crash Deaths Prompts New Seat-Belt Push
Wall Street Journal
More drivers have engaged in risky behaviors, like speeding and driving under the influence, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Compounding the problem, safety officials say, these drivers often leave their seat belts unbuckled, raising the potential for deadly consequences.
Fire:
California wildfire flares but within line crews have built
Fresno Bee
California’s largest wildfire so far this year was flaring up Friday but it was because the flames were chewing through unburned islands of vegetation within a perimeter that firefighters have built, authorities said.
See also:
● California’s 2020 fire siege: wildfires by the numbers CalMatters
● Researchers paint bleak picture of forest fires beyond 2030 The Hill
Gavin Newsom asks Biden for more ‘boots on the ground’ in fighting California wildfires
Sacramento Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded with President Joe Biden for more federal support in combating forest fires Friday during a virtual White House meeting with Western governors.
See also:
· Given The Choice Between Prison Life And Fighting Wildfires, These Women Chose Fire Capital Public Radio
Dixie Fire may expand after relative calm; new fires rage in Trinity County
Sacramento Bee
The Dixie Fire, which has grown to over 220,000 acres by July 28, 2020, burned buildings to the ground, as this video shows.
California says federal ‘let it burn’ policy is reckless as wildfires rage out of control
Los Angeles Times
Volunteer fire chief Kathy Catron wants answers about why the Sugar fire ever grew large enough to burn her town, why it wasn’t put out before it exploded and turned uncontrollable.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
U.S. consumer spending rises 1% in June as inflation remains high
Los Angeles Times
American consumers increased their spending by 1% in June — a dose of energy for an economy that is quickly rebounding from the pandemic recession but is facing new risks led by the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
Payday loans dropped during pandemic, but Californians are ‘not out of the woods’
CalMatters
A new report found a dramatic decrease in Californians’ reliance on payday loans as a direct result of pandemic-related government assistance, including unemployment benefits, rent relief, eviction moratoriums, stimulus checks and loan forbearance.
‘Is something around the corner?’ Small businesses reopen to find new challenges
CalMatters
California’s economy is no longer at its nadir. But small businesses are still working to get back to normal, and are struggling with hiring, childcare for their workforce and the uncertainty of future outbreaks.
Fed Chairman Powell’s Approach to Regulation Has Drawn Criticism From Some Democrats
Wall Street Journal
President Biden’s looming decision about who should be the next Federal Reserve chairman is prompting reviews of the current chief’s record on bank regulation.
Jobs:
Back To The Office? Not Yet. Companies Scramble To Adjust To Delta Variant
VPR
For awhile there, it seemed like things were finally heading back to normal. Now, not so much. In the span of just a week, plans for a September return-to-the-office have been pushed back.
See also:
· Walmart, Disney to Require Vaccines for Some U.S. Staff Wall Street Journal
Companies Pay New Workers Higher Wages, and Current Employees Ask, ‘What About Us?’
Wall Street Journal
Companies across the U.S. economy are raising pay to recruit workers in a tight labor market, increases that are rippling through firms and prompting employers to rethink pay for existing staffers.
See also:
· Employers bow to tech workers in hottest job market since the dot-com era Los Angeles Times
· CA lawmaker wants to make the 4-day week a reality for US workers Insider
aalrr
Seventeen years ago, in 2004, the California Legislature enacted the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (“PAGA”).
EDUCATION
K-12:
‘Game time.’ Fresno’s Central Unified debuts school named for coach lost to cancer fight
Fresno Bee
Regina Garza described the moment as “game time,” a fitting phrase for the debut of the school named for her late husband.
See also:
● Central Unified to open new high school in northwest Fresno abc30
Clovis Unified parents given option to fill out forms for children regarding masks
abc30
The continued spread of the Delta variant has local health officials very concerned. It comes at the same time many students are ready to go back to school.
Los Banos Unified School District candidate filing period for vacant seat ends Aug. 6
Merced Sun-Star
The deadline to file for candidacy for the vacant District 1 seat for the Los Banos Unified School District is fast approaching. Candidates must file at the Registrar of Voters by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6. The office is located at 2222 M Street in Merced.
Will other Stanislaus districts follow Modesto’s lead? Heed science, not politics, one says
Modesto Bee
Among school districts in Stanislaus County, it looks like Modesto City Schools may be going it alone in pushing the state for local control over some COVID-19 safety measures.
See also:
● Modesto school leaders ask for local control over COVID-19 plans. But what would change? Modesto Bee
https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1jNm_4VNv-8wlr-nHYwzWo6ZjFD6rjc0K3KO5naWQ0ow/edit
AEI
The $350 billion of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, a new program under the American Rescue Plan, provides unprecedented flexible funding to help state and local governments respond to their communities’ public health challenges and economic needs created by the pandemic.
California cuts required testing for teaching credential
BakersfieldNow
As part of California's new budget, the state is no longer requiring the California Basic Skill Test (CBEST) or the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET).
Higher Ed:
Lawmakers aim to boost student voting power on UC, community college boards
CalMatters
If a bill pending in the California Legislature passes, all three of the state’s higher education governing boards will have two voting student members. Advocates say the student representatives provide an important firsthand perspective on issues like campus safety and basic needs.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Fresno’s heatwave last month ‘was pretty bad,’ but was it the hottest July ever?
Fresno Bee
Fueled by average low temperatures that were nearly five degrees above normal, Fresno set a record for its hottest month of July in a recorded history that goes back to the 1890s.
CNN
The dire drought that has been smothering much of the West for months got even worse this week, with areas in California and the Pacific Northwest seeing an expansion of drier conditions, which have fueled menacing wildfires across the region.
The case for climate change realism
Axios
It’s getting harder and harder to communicate the two essential realities of human-caused climate change.
See also:
· Opinion: How California can lead the way on climate-protecting technologies Silicon Valley
· Vulnerable people need to be front and center in state’s climate crisis plans CalMatters
· Biden’s Climate Plans Are Stunted After Dejected Experts Fled Trump New York Times
· Reaching Back To The New Deal, Biden Proposes A Civilian Climate Corps NPR
· UN climate chief: CO2 savings plans submitted for global summit fall short Sacramento Bee
Energy:
Supervisors reevaluate solar power amid tension over Sacramento energy policies
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors is reevaluating its approach to permitting new solar projects partly in response to state energy policies members say disproportionately hurt Kern County.
Wary of blackouts, Newsom offers cash for conservation as California faces energy squeeze
Sacramento Bee
Acknowledging the risk of rolling blackouts as California’s hot summer drags on, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a state-funded cash-incentive program Friday to encourage big industrial customers to curtail electricity consumption during crunch times.
See also:
● Newsom issues emergency proclamation to free up extra sources of power Los Angeles Times
● CalChamber Applauds Governor’s Action on Energy; Threats to Supply Created by High Temperatures and Wildfires Addressed Through Emergency Proclamation CalChamber
Opinion: Temporary use of phased-out power plants could help keep the lights on
CalMatters
The state water board is considering a two-year extension for ocean-cooled power plants that are due to be shut down. Given the effects of the climate crisis, legislators should support it.
Towns Trying to Ban Natural Gas Face Resistance in Their Push for All-Electric Homes
Wall Street Journal
Massachusetts is emerging as a key battleground in the U.S. fight over whether to phase out natural gas for home cooking and heating, with fears of unknown costs and unfamiliar technologies fueling much of the opposition to going all-electric.
Two U.S. Companies Seek Continued Tariffs on Imported Solar Panels
Wall Street Journal
Two small U.S. solar companies plan to petition the government to extend tariffs on solar cell and panel imports, reigniting a fight that has split the industry—and one that could force the White House to choose sides.
Utilities Eye Mini Nuclear Reactors as Climate Concerns Grow
Wall Street Journal
U.S. utilities are looking to miniature nuclear reactors, as they seek a steady energy source that can help reduce the carbon emissions linked to climate change.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Blacks more susceptible to Valley fever dissemination, data show
Hanford Sentinel
The death of Paula Massey's son, Jeffrey Hamilton, doesn’t just pose the question “Why?”, but “What if?”
Delta's threat: CDC reveals data on why masks are important for the vaccinated and unvaccinated
Visalia Times Delta
The CDC has had a busy week. Only a few days after announcing updated mask guidelines, the agency on Friday released new scientific data on the delta variant that gives a snapshot of how the highly contagious strain triggered a wave of coronavirus cases.
See also:
● A CDC Document Gives New Details On Just How Dangerous The Delta Variant Really Is VPR
● Vaccinated people can carry COVID-19 virus, CDC’s report shows: Here’s what we know Mercury News
● Delta spreads 'like wildfire' as doctors study whether it makes patients sicker Reuters
● Chart: Less than 0.1% of vaccinated Americans tested positive for COVID-19
● CDC study shows three-fourths of people infected in Massachusetts coronavirus outbreak were vaccinated but few required hospitalization Washington Post
Vaccinated people are ready for normalcy — and angry at the unvaccinated getting in their way
Washington Post
A return to their carefree, pre-pandemic visits appeared within reach, tantalizing Stacey Graves and her boyfriend with promises of coffee in the cafe and sunshine on the patio.
See also:
● ‘A rush to get shots’ Washington Post
● Many parents still haven’t gotten their adolescent kids vaccinated. What are they waiting for? Washington Post
● They Spurned the Vaccine. Now They Want You to Know They Regret It.New York Times
Washington Post
The newly resurgent coronavirus could spark 140,000 to 300,000 cases a day in the United States come August, fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant and the widespread resumption of normal activities, disease trackers predict.
In addition to Covid, more children are getting a respiratory virus more commonly seen in winter.
New York Times
U.S. health officials have expressed concern over a simultaneous rise in Delta infections and cases of respiratory syncytial virus, a highly contagious seasonal flulike illness that is more likely to affect children and older adults.
Human Services:
Kern Medical to host free back-to-school vaccinations, physicals
Bakersfield Californian
Free vaccinations and school physicals will be offered for children from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 7 and Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 at Kern Medical’s Columbus Clinic, 1111 Columbus St. in Bakersfield.
See also:
· You’re going to be asked to prove your vaccination status. Here’s how to do it. Washington Post
· FDA Under Pressure to Grant Full Approval to Covid-19 Vaccines Wall Street Journal
California learns costly pandemic lesson about hospitals
Fresno Bee
California spent nearly $200 million to set up, operate and staff alternate care sites that ultimately provided little help when the state's worst coronavirus surge spiraled out of control last winter, forcing exhausted hospital workers to treat patients in tents and cafeterias.
National: Federal Health Agencies Get Good Marks, But Give Mixed Messages On Covid
Monmouth University
A bare majority of Americans, driven by Democrats, support bringing back masking and social distancing guidelines, according to a Monmouth University Poll conducted before the CDC announced its revised recommendations last week.
IMMIGRATION
Immigrants in U.S. experienced higher unemployment in the pandemic but have closed the gap
Pew Research Center
As businesses across the United States return to near-normal operations, public attention has shifted to reports of labor shortages and rising prices. But even as hiring picks up in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the labor market is not fully healed.
Washington Post
The Biden administration carried out its first fast-track deportation flights to Central America, but many families were abruptly removed from passenger manifests after testing positive for coronavirus or having been exposed to an infected person.
See also:
· A 10-year immigration ban? Here’s the impact that would have on the U.S. population. Washington Post
· Ur Jaddou confirmed as immigration agency director Roll Call
Opinion: Can Democrats Go It Alone on Immigrant Amnesty?
Bloomberg
There’s a strong case that Congress should give legal status to millions of immigrants who are here illegally, at least under certain conditions.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Fresno's Tower District gets biggest makeover in 60 years
abc30
The wait is finally over. Olive Avenue in Fresno's Tower District is officially open once again.
Housing:
Apartment rents keep rising in the Fresno area. Here’s how much they’ve gone up
Fresno Bee
The average cost to rent an apartment in the Fresno market keeps going up month after month – a continuous climb to prices not seen before in the region, whether you rent a small studio apartment or a larger four-bedroom unit.
Pandemic eviction crisis leads to greater tenant protections
Fresno Bee
In a mostly empty conference room at a Virginia cultural arts center, Tara Simmons was looking for someone who might help her stave off eviction.
See also:
● Editorial: New program is a game-changer for Fresno renters who are facing illegal evictions Fresno Bee
More than 3.6 million Americans at risk of eviction as Congress, Biden fail to extend moratorium
abc30
A nationwide eviction moratorium is set to expire Saturday night after Biden and Democrats in Congress worked furiously but ultimately failed to align on a long-shot strategy to prevent millions of Americans from being forced from their homes during a COVID-19 surge.
See also:
● Tenants prepare for unknown as eviction moratorium ends Los Angeles Times
Affordable housing project shows new approach to growing problem
Bakersfield Californian
A new affordable housing project in Bakersfield is an attempt to tackle two city issues at once. Golden Empire Affordable Housing Inc. partnered with the Housing Authority of the County of Kern to open 12 units of affordable housing on L Street.
Here’s one rental category where Modesto ranks among country’s most affordable
Modesto Bee
Some good news for renters in Modesto who are looking for more space: The city is among the least expensive in the nation to upsize an apartment, according to data from RentCafé.
Podcast: A closer look at the competing interests of California’s housing crisis
CalMatters
Housing is one of California’s most complex and persistent problems, and the pandemic has only made it worse. There are complicated and often conflicting political interests between legislators, regardless of their party lines, and key powerful interest groups.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Welfare rolls decline during the pandemic despite economic upheaval
Washington Post
The number of Americans receiving financial help through the nation’s welfare system ebbed last year, even as economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic gripped the nation.
Families paying off rent, food, debts with child tax credit
PBS
Christina Darling finally replaced her 2006 Chevrolet Equinox after it broke down several times while picking her children up from day care. But the 31-year-old mother of two was struggling to keep up with the car payments.
Americans’ views about billionaires have grown somewhat more negative since 2020
Pew Research Center
A growing share of U.S. adults say it’s a bad thing for the country that some people have personal fortunes of a billion dollars or more, though a majority continue to say it is neither good nor bad, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
TRANSPORTATION
Fresno airport says fuel shortages may be a problem again. How to check for delays
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Yosemite International airport warned passengers Saturday to check with their individual airlines about delays related to fuel shortages, a problem that has dogged the West this month.
‘A very big deal’: What the Biden-Senate infrastructure plan would do for California
Sacramento Bee
The infrastructure deal churning its way through the Senate could mean billions of new dollars aimed at fixing and rebuilding California’s roads and bridges — projects that could proceed quickly.
See also:
● Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg On Wins, Losses, Future Of Infrastructure Deal WUWM
Biden poised to ramp up mileage rules for cars and trucks
NBCNews
The Biden administration plans to slowly ramp up pollution and mileage requirements for cars and trucks over the next five years as it works to cut the biggest U.S. source of greenhouse gas emissions and hasten the shift toward electric vehicles.
Editorial: How Uber and Lyft Can Save Lives
Wall Street Journal
The value of ride-sharing apps has been proven in the marketplace, and now here’s a remarkable safety bonus: Uber “has decreased US alcohol-related traffic fatalities by 6.1% and reduced total US traffic fatalities by 4.0%.”
Metro Moves to Revive Canceled High Desert Freeway Project
StreetsBlog LA
Metro’s $8 billion, 63-mile High Desert Corridor freeway was supposed to connect Palmdale/Lancaster to Victorville/Apple Valley/Adelanto in San Bernardino County.
WATER
LOIS HENRY: Thousands of water rights holders could be cut off from rivers
Bakersfield Californian
California water regulators are preparing to do what they’ve been warning about for months — cut the spigot to thousands of water rights holders.
Tribe-City authority to oversee water treatment projects proposed
Porterville Recorder
An agreement between the City of Porterville and the Tule River Tribe to form the Porterville Area Development Authority has been proposed.
Capital Public Radio
Drought conditions have prompted the building of a 750-foot wide rock barrier to prevent saltwater intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
See also:
● Will Delta Water Users Sue — Again — To Stop California’s Drought Rules? Capital Public Radio
In California’s agricultural heartland, thousands of wells could soon run dry
PBS
One day last month, water in the community of Teviston, about 66 miles south of Fresno, suddenly stopped flowing.
See also:
● California drought: List of water systems facing some of the worst shortages in the state Mercury News
● California drought: Dozens of communities are at risk of running out of water Mercury News
How Water Agencies Could Catalyze Headwater Forest Management
PPIC
Forest managers, community and environmental stakeholders, and policymakers alike have called for an increase in the pace and scale of proactive forest management.
Congress Takes Steps to Regulate PFAS in Water
Consumer Reports
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would require the EPA to swiftly enact limits on some PFAS chemicals in drinking water and declare them hazardous substances, a move that could allow for the cleanup of contaminated sites across the country.
“Xtra”
Clovis sprinter Jenna Prandini again matches season best. How she fared in Olympics 100
Fresno Bee
Before heading off to Tokyo, Edrick Floreal, who coaches Clovis sprint star Jenna Prandini, said that the 100 meters could be unpredictable. “She has run some unbelievable times in practice,” he said, “but, something about the 100 is kryptonite for Jenna.”
Fresno Bee
West Coast Sourdough, a sandwich shop that recently opened its first Fresno location, is expanding into the Valley with at least three more new restaurants in the works. The restaurant sells sandwiches, salads, and soups, and is known for its sourdough bread.
Gas Stations Can Be Sued for Selling to Drunken Drivers
PEW
The July ruling could have major ramifications for service stations and other kinds of businesses, industry representatives say.
Brookings
The unfulfilled promise of land ownership remains just as essential for the descendants of survivors of American slavery.
Treat Iraq’s Iran-aligned militias like ISIS
Brookings
Shiite militia groups tied to Iran routinely assassinate civilians and activists, and use rockets and drones to attack U.S. personnel, Iraqi military forces, and U.S.-aligned actors.
How ‘race-norming’ was built into the NFL concussion settlement
Washington Post
The NFL and lawyers for former players blame the controversial practice on doctors. But both sides negotiated a settlement that guaranteed race would affect payouts.
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