Maddy Institute – August 5, 2021

A Fresno County Superior Court judge has cleared the way for lawyers to represent thousands of northeast Fresno residents who accused the city in 2016 of ruining their pipes and contaminating their drinking water.

Former Fresno police officer with links to Proud Boys sues City of Fresno over firing

abc30

The former Fresno police officer who was fired after his associations with the Proud Boys came to light is now suing the City of Fresno.

Valley bars and restaurants feeling impact of worker, supply shortage amid pandemic

abc30

Restaurants and bars are hungry for help. Across the country, businesses have reported difficulty securing staff. At Vino Grill and Spirits in northeast Fresno, co-owner Chuck Van Fleet is looking for experienced cooks and bartenders.

Your Comments: West Fresno Plans & Projects Under Review

City of Fresno

The City of Fresno makes every effort to encourage public participation, while simultaneously informing the public of projects that are under review. The following is a list of projects currently under review and reports prepared on behalf of the City.

Fresno gets weed dispensaries five years after California legalization. What took so long?

Fresno Bee

Last week, the city of Fresno gave preliminary approval to three businesses to begin retail cannabis sales. It also granted four licenses for cannabis cultivation and non-retail micro businesses.

Clovis PD Receives ABC Grant

Clovis Roundup

The Clovis Police Department announced the department is receiving a $47,000 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) on Wednesday, July 28. Clovis PD Chief Curt Fleming said the grant would go toward addressing alcohol-related harm in the community.

Clovis Rezone Decision

Clovis Roundup

The Clovis City Council rezoned 3.54 acres of land near the northeast corner of Shaw and Locan Avenues from a public facilities zone district to single-family residential at its Monday, Aug. 2 meeting.

Chukchansi Tribe and Madera County reach agreement to expand services

Madera Tribune

The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians celebrated the execution of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Madera County that will expand Sheriff and fire services to Chukchansi tribal land and the surrounding community.

Nunes sues MSNBC, alleging Rachel Maddow defamed him

The Hill

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) is suing NBCUniversal for defamation, citing comments made by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow in March regarding his dealings with an individual sanctioned by the U.S. government.

Editorial: Nunes, McCarthy are scamming America about the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol

Fresno Bee

On Feb. 15, barely a month after Americans witnessed broadcasts of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in which demonstrators busted their way into the halls of Congress, Rep. Devin Nunes of Tulare figured out who was to blame: Nancy Pelosi.

● Opinion: Pelosi Undermines the Jan. 6 Committee Wall Street Journal

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Valley healthcare facilities feel effects of Delta variant's spread abc30

● Kern Public Health reports 1 new coronavirus death, 263 new cases Wednesday Bakersfield Californian

Wasco City Council votes to remove Alex Garcia as mayor

Bakersfield Californian

The Wasco City Council voted to remove Mayor Alex Garcia from his position at a meeting Tuesday, a move which Garcia said was in retaliation for his unsuccessful attempt earlier this year to raise the Pride flag at City Hall.

Leading Republican recall candidate Larry Elder makes his case to Bakersfield

Bakersfield Californian

Republican candidate Larry Elder visited Bakersfield on Wednesday, where he hopes his message of reversing many of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s policies will help propel him into office.

State:

COVID Update:

● California sees significant rise in vaccinations as employers issue mandates Los Angeles Times

● Stores and restaurants are bringing back mask mandates as COVID surges. What to know Fresno Bee

COVID vaccine mandate begins for California state workers despite objections from SEIU

Sacramento Bee

The Newsom administration is proceeding with plans to require state workers to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or else submit to regular weekly testing over the objections of its largest public employee union.

Judge's tentative ruling says Newsom may link recall to GOP

Bakersfield Californian

A judge indicated Wednesday she is likely to allow California Gov. Gavin Newsom to refer to the recall against him as a Republican effort in the state’s official voter guide.

● Newsom can call recall proponents ‘Republicans and Trump supporters,’ judge rules Los Angeles Times

● Judge: OK for Gov. Newsom to brand recall ‘Republican’ Mercury News

● Four things to know about the Newsom recall debate CalMatters

● Newsom recall basics: How to vote in California’s election CalMatters

● Larry Elder leads GOP field in race to replace Newsom in recall, poll finds Los Angeles Times

● First Republican debate for California's recall election won't feature leading candidate Spectrum News 1

● GOP candidates bash Newsom on every topic at first recall debate Politico

● Will looming blackouts during California’s wildfire season seal Newsom’s recall fate? Modesto Bee

● ‘Overreach.’ Republican recall candidates say they wouldn’t require masks in California schools Sacramento Bee

● Newsom and his allies raise tens of millions more than recall backers and GOP candidates Los Angeles Times

● Newsom’s biggest recall danger: Complacent Democrats who don’t turn out to vote Los Angeles Times

● How much will California’s EDD scandal cost Gov. Newsom in the recall election? CalMatters

Walters: California tests populist vision of ‘direct democracy’

CalMatters

California’s great reformer, former Gov. Hiram Johnson, envisioned that “direct democracy” would be an effective curb on special interest influence. The next 15 months will be an especially busy test of Johnson’s direct democracy.

Drought prompts California to limit some water diversions

abc30

Some farmers in one of the country's most important agricultural regions will have to stop taking water out of major rivers and streams because of a severe drought that is rapidly depleting the California reservoirs and killing endangered species of fish.

How would the federal infrastructure bill impact California? A look at the estimates

Sacramento Bee

California stands to gain at least $39.4 billion in federal funding over the next five years to help rebuild roads, expand the state’s electric vehicle network, improve public transportation and more under the infrastructure bill now moving through the Senate.

6 in 10 Californians See Racism as a Big Problem

Public Policy Institute of California

According to the latest PPIC Statewide Survey, more than eight in ten Californians see racism as either a big problem (55%) or somewhat of a problem (29%) in the United States today; 10% say it is a small problem, and 6% say it is not a problem at all.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● 72,000 COVID cases reported among US children, teens last week, a 'substantial' spike abc30

● Serious Cases Remain Rare, But Coronavirus Infections In Children Are On The Rise VPR

● Fauci: If community spread doesn't get under control, US 'may sooner or later get another variant' abcNews

● Are people in US willing to follow CDC’s updated mask guidance? What a new poll found Fresno Bee

● Head of UN health agency seeks vaccine booster moratorium Fresno Bee

● Should wealthy nations forgo boosters until COVID vaccination improves worldwide? WHO says yes Los Angeles Times

● WHO Calls for Halt to Covid-19 Booster Shots to Tackle Shortfall in Developing World Wall Street Journal

● US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers Fresno Bee

● Fauci fears that a variant worse than delta is coming, says COVID-19 cases may double Fresno Bee

● You’re vaccinated. You got COVID. How sick will you feel? Mercury News

● Global COVID-19 cases surpass 200 mln as Delta variant spreads Reuters

● Most unvaccinated Americans believe coronavirus vaccine poses greater health risk than the disease, poll finds Washington Post

● What you should know about indoor dining amid the delta variant Washington Post

● Moderna says its vaccine is 93 percent effective six months after full immunization Washington Post

● Should you cancel travel plans because of the coronavirus’s delta variant? Ask these questions. Washington Post

● Delta Variant Increases Demand and Wait Times for Covid-19 Tests Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: Eradication of Covid Is a Dangerous and Expensive Fantasy Wall Street Journal

Biden coronavirus response approval slips in new poll

The Hill

Approval of President Biden’s handling of the coronavirus has slipped in recent weeks, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by Quinnipiac University, found that 53 percent of Americans approve of Biden's handling of COVID-19.

Conservatives take aim at infrastructure bill in Senate

Roll Call

Though up to 17 GOP lawmakers have signaled tentative support for the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure measure being debated in the Senate, conservatives urged on by former President Donald Trump are making it clear that to them, the “bipartisan deal” is no deal at all.

Senate appropriators warn of year-end train wreck

Roll Call

Senior senators on both sides of the aisle raised warning flags Wednesday about the path ahead for spending bills in the absence of a bipartisan agreement on subcommittee allocations for defense, domestic and foreign aid programs.

Biden calls for half of new cars to be electric or plug-in hybrids by 2030

Washington Post

President Biden on Thursday is set to unveil a far-reaching, multipronged plan to make U.S. cars and light trucks more fuel-efficient and to begin a shift to electric vehicles over the coming decade.

See also:

● U.S. to Set Electric-Vehicle Sales Goal of 50% by 2030 Wall Street Journal

● Biden Shifts Away From Trump Rules With New Emissions Standards For Cars VPR

Biden told White House chief to seek Harvard legal scholar’s guidance, leading to reversal on evictions

Washington Post

After White House legal advisers found he could not extend a national eviction moratorium, President Biden told Chief of Staff Ron Klain to seek the advice of Harvard law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe about whether an alternative legal basis could be devised.

Ahead of midterms, Democrats feel pressure to pass citizenship

Roll Call

Democrats have pinned their hopes on passing a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants through the budget reconciliation process, which would allow them to deliver long-promised revisions to the immigration system on a party-line vote.

Scoop: Inside a Kamala Harris crisis dinner

Axios

A group of the Democratic Party's most influential women met for dinner at a home in the nation’s capital last month to game out how to defend Vice President Kamala Harris and her chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, against a torrent of bad press.

Majority of Americans in new poll say it would be bad for the country if Trump ran in 2024

The Hill

A majority of Americans in a new poll think it would be bad for the country if former President Trump runs for office in 2024. The survey found that 60 percent of respondents said it would be bad for the country if Trump were to launch a bid for president in 2024.

‘The stuff of which violent insurrections are made:’ Federal judge punishes Colorado lawyers for 2020 election lawsuit

Washington Post

A federal judge in Colorado has disciplined two lawyers who filed a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election late last year, finding that the case was “frivolous,” “not warranted by existing law” and filed “in bad faith.”

Opinion: ‘Punching down,’ the political weapon of so-called tough guys

Roll Call

The late great stand-up, actor and occasional philosopher George Carlin was known to cross the lines of what polite society would call good taste, but he himself drew a few lines when it came to his theory of funny.

Justice Kavanaugh is the best known, least popular Supreme Court justice, poll finds

Los Angeles Times

The Supreme Court is viewed favorably by a majority of Americans, including equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans, according to a nationwide poll conducted last month by the Marquette University Law School.

Other:

NYU Researchers Were Studying Disinformation On Facebook. The Company Cut Them Off

NPR

Facebook has blocked a team of New York University researchers studying political ads and COVID-19 misinformation from accessing its site, a move that critics say is meant to silence research that makes the company look bad.

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

Fresno gets weed dispensaries five years after California legalization. What took so long?

Fresno Bee

Last week, the city of Fresno gave preliminary approval to three businesses to begin retail cannabis sales. It also granted four licenses for cannabis cultivation and non-retail micro businesses.

Bacon may disappear in California as pig rules take effect

Los Angeles Times

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.

Wracked by drought, California will cut water for many farmers.

New York Times

Facing an acute and growing drought, California will reduce the amount of water that farmers in the state’s agricultural heartland are allowed to draw from its largest rivers, officials announced this week.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Former Fresno police officer with links to Proud Boys sues City of Fresno over firing

abc30

The former Fresno police officer who was fired after his associations with the Proud Boys came to light is now suing the City of Fresno.

Calif. fintech, founders settle SEC crypto fraud claims

Reuters

A California-based fintech company with an app aimed at "under-banked" communities settled claims by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it misrepresented the technology and illegally sold unregistered digital tokens.

Public Safety:

Chukchansi Tribe and Madera County reach agreement to expand services

Madera Tribune

California prison overseer calls for mandatory COVID vaccines for all guards, staff

Sacramento Bee

The federal receiver overseeing medical care inside California’s prisons asked a federal judge Wednesday for a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination order for guards and staff at the prisons, saying the delta variant of the virus “poses enormous risks.”

Inside Gavin Newsom’s push to remake California prisons — Will a European approach work here?

Sacramento Bee

Through Valley State Prison’s metal detector and double gates, beyond an electrified fence and an expanse of pavement, a garden filled with bright flowers greets new arrivals.

Summer of Protest Prompted Spring Flurry of Policing Bills

Pew Trusts

Lawmakers ultimately understood one thing—the people are in the street and the voting booth and their communities using the word ‘demand.’ Everybody started working in understanding the 2021 legislative session was absolutely critical to meeting the demands.

Fire:

Hot, gusty weather could mean explosive fire growth in West

Fresno Bee

California's largest wildfire continued to grow Wednesday while thousands of firefighters prepared for a tougher fight as dangerous weather returns.

Illegal firework use dropped from 2020 numbers as fines go up

Visalia Times Delta

During a recent Visalia City Council Meeting, Fire Marshal Corbin Reed gave a presentation summarizing the results of efforts to reduce the use of dangerous fireworks in the city. One of the major takeaways was the decrease in calls for service.

Wildfire updates: Dixie Fire explodes in size, crews prepare for ‘critical’ and ‘eventful’ day

Sacramento Bee

The massive Dixie Fire exploded heading into Wednesday morning, expanding over 20,000 acres and causing officials to issue new evacuation orders as crews struggled to contain the fire.

● Raging Dixie fire burns homes, businesses in Greenville amid ‘critical’ conditions Los Angeles Times

● 'Hard days ahead': Red flag warnings prompt more wildfire fears; Dixie Fire jumps perimeter lines USA Today

● Dixie Fire leaps into California’s top 10 biggest wildfires Mercury News

Gov. Newsom’s Wildfire 'Priority Project' Didn’t Contain The Lava Fire, Leaving Evacuees Stuck in Traffic

Capital Public Radio

April Williams was asleep when she heard a bang, bang, bang on her door. She lifted her head and peaked out the window, nestled among single-story ranch-style houses and ponderosa pine trees in Lake Shastina, a small town in the shadow of Mount Shasta.

Forest Service changes ‘let it burn’ policy following criticism from Western politicians

Los Angeles Times

Facing criticism over its practice of monitoring some fires rather than quickly extinguishing them, the U.S. Forest Service has told its firefighters to stop using the strategy for now, to help prevent small blazes from growing into uncontrollable conflagrations.

Fighting Wildfires With Night-Flying, Water-Siphoning Helicopters

Bloomberg

The fire began shortly before dawn on Oct. 26, when a spark from a telecommunications line landed in the scrubby grass and sagebrush of Santiago Canyon.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Valley bars and restaurants feeling impact of worker, supply shortage amid pandemic

abc30

Inflation Is A Big Political Test For President Biden's Economic Agenda

VPR

As the U.S. economy continues to recover from the pandemic, prices have also been rising — on everything from groceries to used cars to airline tickets. In July, the Labor Department said that consumer prices saw the largest one-month increase since 2008.

CBO report finds income inequality has grown in the US in 40 years

The Hill

Income inequality in the United States grew between 1979 and 2018, a recent report on the distribution of household income released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found.

Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis

Pew Trusts

Over the past decade, population nationally grew at its slowest rate since the Great Depression, though only three states lost residents. Population trends are tied to states’ economies and government finances and are therefore useful for understanding both.

The post-pandemic economy has already arrived

Axios

With the recession officially ending in April 2020, we're now 16 months into the recovery and the contours of the post-pandemic economy have taken shape.

U.S. Trade Deficit Widened to a Record $75.7 Billion in June

Bloomberg

The gap in trade of goods and services grew 6.7% to $75.7 billion, according to Commerce Department data released Thursday. That exceeded the median estimate for a shortfall of $74.2 billion in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

Jobs:

CVS will raise its minimum wage for hourly workers to $15

abc30

CVS will raise its minimum wage for hourly workers to $15 by next summer, becoming the latest large US chain to pledge a $15 starting rate as companies compete for workers in a

tight labor market.

Growth in U.S. services sector hits record high in July

Los Angeles Times

Growth in the U.S. services sector, where most Americans work, increased to a record pace in July even as businesses continued to face supply-chain challenges and problems in finding enough available workers.

U.S. Jobless Claims Remain at Elevated Level After Steady Declines

Wall Street Journal

U.S. jobless claims fell slightly to 385,000 last week, as worker filings for new unemployment benefits settled this summer at a level that is nearly double the pre-pandemic average.

Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates Split Corporate America

Wall Street Journal

Business leaders broadly agree they need to get more workers vaccinated to keep the U.S. economy humming in the face of the fast-spreading Delta variant. But they’re split over how best to do that.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Parents, health officials weigh in on Clovis Unified's face mask policy

abc30

As school districts get set to welcome back students for in-person learning, the Clovis Unified School Board agreed to give parents a unique option for face coverings.

Can kids develop long COVID? Study offers clues as new school year looms

Fresno Bee

Now, a new analysis of data of nearly 7,000 kids who tested positive for COVID-19 and experienced symptoms, part of the U.K.’s ZOE COVID Symptom Study, may quell some parents’ fears.

Making up for lost time, local districts discuss curriculum plans for upcoming school year

abc30

School districts across the Valley are working to make sure students are back on track this year.

See also:

● KHSD, BCSD share back-to-school safety plans Bakersfield.com

Like Modesto, Turlock school district pursues local control over mask requirements

Modesto Bee

The Turlock Unified School District is following in the footsteps of Modesto City Schools, which last week sent a letter to the California Department of Public Health seeking local decision-making power on COVID-19 protocols including masks.

The $200 billion question: How much of federal COVID-19 relief funding for schools will go to COVID-19 relief?

AEI

Between March 2020 and March 2021, Congress appropriated nearly $190 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding for K–12 schools, by far the largest federal infusion ever provided to schools.

How a Turbocharged Child Tax Credit Could Electrify School Choice

Outline

These dollars are part of the $110 billion in expanded child tax credits legislated by this spring’s $1.9 trillion ARPA. While these funds are not targeted at education, the program has opened a temporary window that could help vastly expand school choice.

Higher Ed:

Are Fresno-area community colleges requiring the vaccine? Here’s what’s new for the fall

Fresno Bee

When classes start at Fresno City College on Monday, vaccinations won’t be required to come onto campus, but masks will, college officials announced this week.

Fresno State sets COVID safety rules at Bulldog Stadium. Here’s what fans are asked to do

Fresno Bee

Fresno State will ask fans to mask up when the Bulldogs open the 2021 football season in accordance with state and county guidelines, and in effort to protect those in attendance from COVID-19 and a Delta variant that has been driving new cases across the country.

Students: Need cash? Free textbooks? Here's how a COVID-19 vaccine can help with both

Visalia Times Delta

While the University of California and California State University have both mandated vaccination for students, faculty and staff who spend time on campus, most of California’s 73 community college districts are choosing instead to encourage or incentivize vaccination.

New tribal colleges offer ‘sense of belonging’ for Native students but hit roadblocks

CalMatters

Tribal colleges provide culturally relevant education for Native students. But in California, they face an uphill battle because of lack of funding and a lengthy accreditation process.

Compromise is in the air for higher education policy

AEI

Pelosi rejected the idea that the White House could act unilaterally to cancel any or all student debt. Her comments seemed to mark a turning point in the debate on higher education reform, which has been dominated by radically progressive ideas in recent years.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Fresno saw its hottest July ever on record last month

abc30

Summers in Central California always bring some scorching temperatures, but officials say Fresno saw the warmest July ever last month.

California’s climate nomads: The 2018 Camp fire left them homeless, struggling to survive

Los Angeles Times

The nomads of Butte County must hide or keep moving — scope out a little wooded draw to park a trailer unnoticed, head down the mountain to rotate between driveways in Chico, or bivouac in tents deep in the Cascade foothills.

That recycling symbol doesn’t always mean what you think it does

CalMatters

At least 85% of single-use plastic items don’t get recycled, even if they carry the familiar triangular symbol. A California bill would restrict which plastics can bear the mark.

The Greenland ice sheet experienced a massive melting event last week

Washington Post

Last week, a heat wave spurred Greenland’s biggest melting event of the 2021 season so far. The Polar Portal, run by Danish research institutions, stated that enough water melted to cover all of Florida with two inches of water.

A critical ocean system may be heading for collapse due to climate change, study finds

Washington Post

Human-caused warming has led to an “almost complete loss of stability” in the system that drives Atlantic Ocean currents, a new study has found — raising the worrying prospect that this critical aquatic “conveyor belt” could be close to collapse.

Editorial: Green New Deal, Part I

Wall Street Journal

The press seems bored with the Senate’s 2,700-page infrastructure bill since it’s destined to pass. But the bill is more consequential than the coverage, and one theme in particular deserves more attention. The bill’s a major down payment on Biden’s Green New Deal.

Energy:

Trial opens in Midway-Sunset oil dispute

Bakersfield Californian

Competing accusations of negligence marked Tuesday's opening statements in a long-brewing legal battle over years of lost oil production in the Midway-Sunset Oil Field in southwest Kern County.

Editorial: California must get serious about potential PG&E takeover

Mercury News

It’s becoming clearer every day that Pacific Gas & Electric cannot meet the safety standards established by the California Public Utilities Commission for the utility company’s emergence from bankruptcy.

Oil producers used Facebook to counter President Biden’s clean energy message, a study shows.

New York Times

Soon after Joseph R. Biden Jr., then a presidential candidate, released his $2 trillion climate plan last year that promised to escalate the use of clean energy in the United States, the world’s major oil and gas dialed up their presence on Facebook.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Delta Is Surging. Here's What You Need To Know To Stay Safe

VPR

With the highly contagious delta variant surging ferociously, Americans are once again grappling with pandemic anxiety. The surge has prompted a flurry of new mask mandates, vaccine mandates and other steps to try to get the coronavirus back under control.

Surgeon General: 'Odds are high' vaccine for kids under 12 will be approved in upcoming school year

The Hill

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy this week said there's a high likelihood that a vaccine for children under the age of 12 will be approved during the next school year.

See also:

● FDA Weighs Faster Timeline for Approving Pfizer Vaccine Wall Street Journal

● F.D.A. Aims to Give Final Approval to Pfizer Vaccine by Early Next Month New York Times

The Pandemic Has Devastated the Mental Health of Public Health Workers

PEW Trusts

Even as frontline health workers have been celebrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, many others working to track the virus, stem its spread and help Americans avoid infection have found themselves under siege.

Opinion: As bad as covid-19 has been, a future pandemic could be even worse — unless we act now

Washington Post

Coronavirus vaccines can end the current pandemic if enough people choose to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting vaccinated. But in the years to come, we will still need to defend against a pandemic side effect: collective amnesia.

Alcohol use linked to more than 700K cancer cases last year: study

The Hill

In a new study published in the latest edition of The Lancet medical journal, alcohol consumption was found to be a cause in more than 700,000 new cancer cases worldwide last year.

U.S. health-care system ranks last among 11 high-income countries, researchers say

Washington Post

The United States has the worst health-care system overall among 11 high-income countries, even though it spends the highest proportion of its gross domestic product on health care, according to research by the Commonwealth Fund.

Human Services:

Editorial: State lawmakers are fumbling the chance to improve patient safety

Los Angeles Times

The lobbying group for state physicians is having its way with the state Legislature this year, neutering two bills aimed at improving patient safety.

Why vaccine passports are still just a dream

Axios

Several practical and technological hurdles will stand in the way of widespread "vaccine passports."

IMMIGRATION

Thousands of Border Patrol agents and officers to soon begin wearing cameras

Los Angeles Times

Federal officials announced Wednesday that thousands of Border Patrol agents and officers will soon begin wearing body cameras as they patrol the southwestern and northern borders, a move that immigration advocates said would improve oversight of the agency.

Some 100,000 Green Cards at Risk of Going to Waste in Covid-19 Backlog

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. government is at risk of wasting about 100,000 employment-based green cards this year as the federal agency in charge of their issuance faces historic application backlogs related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Opinion: If Biden Is Serious About Covid, He’ll Protect the Border

Wall Street Journal

If it’s unfair to lay all blame for the mess on the southern border at the feet of President Biden, his administration certainly deserves the lion’s share.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Your comments: West Fresno Plans & Projects Under Review

City of Fresno

Friant-Kern Canal repair process continues with repayment contract

Porterville Recorder

Another hurdle has been cleared in the pending and much needed repairs of a 33-mile stretch of the Friant-Kern Canal.

Housing:

Will the new CDC eviction moratorium keep tenants housed?

abc30

After a federal eviction moratorium was allowed to lapse this weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new moratorium Tuesday on evictions that would last until Oct. 3.

● The CDC’s new eviction moratorium: Is it legal? PolitiFact

● Opinion: The CDC’s eviction moratorium is almost certainly illegal Washington Post

● Editorial: President Biden’s Lawless Eviction Ban Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: The Coming Eviction Crisis Wall Street Journal

● Legal Battle Looms Over New Eviction Moratorium Wall Street Journal

California spending billions to house homeless in hotels

Bakersfield Californian

When homeless outreach workers first visited her encampment under a Los Angeles highway overpass last fall, Veronica Perez was skeptical of their offer of not just a bed, but a furnished apartment complete with meals, counseling and the promise of some stability in her life.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Wealthy people are renouncing American citizenship

Axios

The number of Americans who renounced their citizenship in favor of a foreign country hit an all-time high in 2020: 6,707, a 237% increase over 2019.

'Unprecedented' fraud penetrated rollout of COVID-19 small business loans, watchdog warns

ABC News

The veteran internal watchdog says he participated in meetings with Trump administration officials and SBA program analysts that were laced with "testy exchanges" about how to expeditiously dispense funds without leaving them vulnerable to fraudulent claims.

TRANSPORTATION

How would the federal infrastructure bill impact California? A look at the estimates

Sacramento Bee

Half of new U.S. car sales would be electric by 2030 in goals set by Biden order

Sacramento Bee

President Joe Biden will sign an executive order Thursday to target making half of all new cars sold in 2030 zero-emission vehicles.

● U.S. to Set Electric-Vehicle Sales Goal of 50% by 2030 Wall Street Journal

Real Refunds for Canceled Flights—and Four Other Ways to Fix Flying

Wall Street Journal

Biden issued an executive order to get the wheels turning at the Transportation Department on several airline issues. And more than a dozen consumer advocates met last week with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to plead their case for what’s wrong with air travel.

Opinion: The International Travel Restrictions Make Little Sense

The Atlantic

The haphazard, unilateral way that countries have designed, imposed, and upheld travel restrictions—often because they are an easier option than taking action at home to stop the virus—should concern everyone.

WATER

Thousands of Fresno residents with contaminated water can sue city as group, judge says

Fresno Bee

Drought prompts California to limit some water diversions

abc30

Drought update: State Water Board will make the call on refilling Don Pedro reservoir

Modesto Bee

A state board approved a drought regulation Tuesday that puts irrigation districts in Stanislaus County in the precarious position of trusting a state agency they have battled with in the recent past.

Friant-Kern Canal repair process continues with repayment contract

Porterville Recorder

Another hurdle has been cleared in the pending and much needed repairs of a 33-mile stretch of the Friant-Kern Canal.

Facing "Dire Water Shortages,” California Bans Delta Pumping

Capital Public Radio

In an aggressive move to address “immediate and dire water shortages,” California’s water board unanimously approved emergency regulations to temporarily stop thousands of farmers, landowners and others from diverting water from from the Sac-SJ Delta watershed.

Drought, Water Supply Are Top Environmental Concerns in California

PPIC

As the state copes with yet another severe drought and a challenging fire season, a new PPIC survey on Californians and the Environment finds that Californians are increasingly concerned about drought and water supply.

“Xtra”

New sandwich spot planning to open three more Fresno-area restaurants — including Clovis

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.

Bethany Clough: These 14 new restaurants are coming to this part of Fresno. From Indian food to ramen

Fresno Bee

Northwest Fresno is getting a big influx of new restaurants. From Indian food and boba tea to barbecue, the restaurants range from big chains to locally-owned restaurants. A wave of openings will happen over the next few months.

Fresno Art Museum to partially reopen to general public next week

abc30

The Fresno Art Museum announced a partial reopening after months of pandemic closures. According to the museum's website, not all galleries will open, but there are plenty of new exhibits for guests to see, including "Delicious: The Art of Food."

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

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