April 13, 2020

13Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Coronavirus mostly spreading among household members in Stanislaus County, expert says

Modesto Bee

Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, county public health officer, shed more light on the gradual, yet steady increase of confirmed coronavirus cases in Stanislaus County.

 

EDITORIAL: Coronavirus pain is here, in Modesto & Stanislaus County, and it’s real

Modesto Bee

More than 200 local companies have either suspended operations or closed their businesses altogether, and as many as 99,000 local jobs are at risk, Stanislaus County leaders say. Some experts believe that 80% of small businesses had cash reserves to stay afloat without income for three weeks. That period has come and gone.

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Central SJ Valley:

 

Coronavirus cases top 500 in Central San Joaquin Valley, Tulare County deaths highest

Fresno Bee

The number of people confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19, and deaths related to complications from the novel coronavirus, both continued to rise in the central San Joaquin Valley, with significant increases in cases reported Friday by counties across the region.

 

Firebaugh urges residents to take COVID-19 seriously

abc30

Leaders in Firebaugh are urging residents to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously and follow stay at home orders. Although it's a small community, Firebaugh has the third most cases in Fresno County, behind only Fresno and Clovis.

 

City Announces Penalties for Emergency Order Violations

Clovis RoundUp

The City of Clovis announced April 10 that it would penalize individuals and businesses who violate the governor’s shelter-in-place order or the city’s emergency orders.

 

Fresno's new 'shelter in place' order goes into effect

abc30

A new 'shelter in place' order is now in effect in the city of Fresno - mandatory this time. Under the new order, people are still allowed out for essential services and exercise, but they can no longer have gatherings outside their home.

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Fresno churches and parks empty amid threat of virus, fines for Easter gatherings

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s faithful largely celebrated the cornerstone holiday of Christianity at home, leaving churches empty on Easter Sunday.

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Opinion: Activists sue Fox News for spreading coronavirus lies. Should Devin Nunes be worried?

Sacramento Bee

Ten people in Tulare County – where I was born and raised – have died from COVID-19 so far. Tulare County is also the home of Rep. Devin Nunes.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Former Kern County resident urges Bakersfield to heed South Korea in effort to stamp out COVID-19

Bakersfield Californian

Weeks into self-isolation, many in Bakersfield are wondering when the new coronavirus pandemic will be over and life can return to normal. With that said, cases continue to rise both locally and nationally, and COVID-19 hasn't shown signs of slowing down.

 

Price: As Bakersfield chills, its new city manager diagrams a recovery

Bakersfield Californian

One of California’s most distinct, up-trending cities, teeming with challenge and personality, beckoned. His predecessor, also an outsider, had built a life and a legacy here. Perhaps he would, too.

 

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy blasts mail voting. Most of his district does it

San Francisco Chronicle

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy complained Thursday that there’s “a lot of fraud” when it comes to voting by mail. If that’s true, he might want to be worried about his first-place finish in his San Joaquin Valley district’s primary March 3.

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State:

 

Lenny Mendonca, Gov. Newsom’s business adviser, steps down

Sacramento Bee

Lenny Mendonca, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top business adviser and chairman of the High-Speed Rail Authority, is leaving the administration to focus on his family and personal business.

 

Here Are Some Ways To Help Californians Impacted By COVID-19

Capital Public Radio

From where to find housing to how to support restaurant workers, here’s a one-stop shop for providing assistance, and finding help, during COVID-19.

 

Opinion: BFF’s? Trump Pours On The Praise For Newsom — Lenny Mendonca Resigns — Sf Mayor London Breed Getting Raves — Kamala High On Biden’s Vp List

Politico

THE BUZZ — BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: Hell has frozen over, for real.

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Curve is flattening, Newsom team reports

Visalia Times Delta

California officials are urging people to stay home as the shelter-in-place orders appear to be slowing the spread of the coronavirus compared to what transmission would look like with no intervention.

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California to move seniors to Navy ship to cope with nursing home infections

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Navy Ship Mercy will take on senior nursing home patients that have not tested positive for coronavirus, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday. The Navy ship will lend assistance “specific to the challenges within our nursing facilities and nursing homes,” Newsom said in his Friday noon press conference.

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New signs suggest coronavirus was in California far earlier than anyone knew

Los Angeles Times

Researchers still unsure how long the virus lurked are now turning to blood banks and other repositories to see if lingering antibodies can show them what was missed.

 

What if California faces a disaster during the pandemic?

Bakersfield Californian

California has evacuation plans for earthquakes, floods, mudslides and, of course, wildfires, but what if one of those disasters occurs as the state is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak when everyone is being urged to stay home?

 

California Bill Could Offer Help to Parents Missing Work to Care For Kids

Capital & Main

By now it’s a common story. Your kids are home from school, perhaps for the duration of the school year. You face a daunting challenge: Skip work and sacrifice money that you​​ need in order to stay home and care for them, or report to your job and leave your children in an uncertain or vulnerable situation.

 

Democrats push to cut federal strings on state election grants

Roll Call

Democrats’ push to eliminate a state match requirement for federal grants meant to help election officials deal with coronavirus-related problems is resonating with state officials of both parties and adding another layer of intrigue to the latest COVID-19 aid talks.

 

Opinion: A court challenge to California's racial gerrymandering mandate

Washington Examiner

With the nation's attention elsewhere, the U.S. Supreme Court petitioned recently to take up Higginson v. Becerra, a case that challenges the constitutionality of the California Voting Rights Act.

 

Federal:

 

US surpasses Italy for highest COVID-19 death toll

ABC 30

The United States has surpassed Italy for the highest national death toll from COVID-19. More than 19,700 people have died in the US from the coronavirus, according to the Johns Hopkins University tally. Earlier today, Italy reported a total of 19,468 deaths nationwide.

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Signs missed and steps slowed in Trump’s pandemic response

Fresno Bee

By the time President Donald Trump first spoke publicly about the coronavirus, it may already have been too late.

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Trump says he'll use 'facts and instincts' to guide decision on when country safe to reopen

Politico

President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would use “facts and instincts” to make a decision on whether to recommend opening up areas of the country for working life to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Next potential shortage: Drugs needed to run ventilators

AP News

As hospitals scour the country for scarce ventilators to treat critically ill patients stricken by the new coronavirus, pharmacists are beginning to sound an alarm that could become just as urgent: Drugs that go hand in hand with ventilators are running low.

 

Trump administration has many task forces — but still no plan for beating covid-19

Washington Post

The Trump administration still has no clear plan for ending the coronavirus crisis, but it does have many task forces. In theory, the task forces are all working toward the same goal: defeating the novel coronavirus and getting the nation back to work .

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Trump retweets call to fire Anthony Fauci after the coronavirus expert says earlier measures ‘could have saved lives’

Washington Post

President Trump retweeted a call to fire his top infectious disease specialist Anthony S.​​ Fauci on Sunday evening, amid mounting criticism of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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As the going gets tough, America returns to experts for help

Fresno Bee

An invisible enemy is killing thousands and forcing people worldwide to cower behind closed doors. Unfounded conspiracy theories and miracle “cures” abound on social media. Politicians and pundits send mixed messages about how to protect yourself. Who are you gonna call?

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Congressional stalemate deepens as Pelosi, Schumer say they won’t budge on coronavirus funding demands

Washington Post

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said Monday that they won’t agree to the Trump administration’s insistence on more money for small business loans unless their demands are met for additional funding for hospitals, state and local governments and food stamp recipients.

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Americans start to see relief payments; some face a wait

abc3340

Americans are beginning to see the first economic impact payments hit their bank accounts.

The IRS tweeted Saturday that it had begun depositing the funds into taxpayers' bank accounts and would be working to get them out as fast as possible.

 

Coronavirus May Stall Key Supreme Court Rulings

Wall Street Journal (WSJ)

High court has been unable to hear arguments amid pandemic, delaying some heated and politically charged decisions

 

Coronavirus Trackers:

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California

Covid19.ca.gov

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.

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Elections 2020:

 

Will voters want a president who feels their pain?

Fresno Bee

Voters may again be seeking solace, as well as solutions, in this year’s presidential race, one still being reshaped by the unprecedented public health and economic turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The Trump campaign wants to win the votes of evangelicals of color

Washington Post

A day after she drove an hour south and stood alone in the crowd, anxious, looking at the faces in the room and wondering what these people had to say to her, Rosalyn Johnson was still marveling a little bit at what she had done.

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As Trump rails against mail voting, some allies embrace it

AP

President Donald Trump is claiming without evidence that expanding mail-in voting will increase voter fraud. But several GOP state officials are forging ahead to do just that, undermining one of Trump’s arguments about how elections should be conducted amid the coronavirus outbreak.

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Joe Biden Won The Primary. Now He's Trying To Win Over Progressive Groups         

NPR                                                                                                                     

Biden and Sanders appear to have a genuine affection for one another, something that wasn't the case with Sanders and Hillary Clinton in 2016.

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Other:

 

Lessons & tips for gov’t leaders to acquire personal protective equipment (PPEs)

PublicCEO

Here are some key lessons and observations for governors and other leaders who need ventilators and other equipment needed to fight coronavirus.

 

Local journalism needs your help

Fresno Bee

Readership on Fresnobee.com has more than doubled in the past month because of high demand for pandemic information. But our advertising revenue – a critically important funding source – has been significantly reduced as businesses have closed.

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GOP Congressman Warns Young Americans Are Developing 'Bailout Mentality,' Says Country Must Get Back to Work

Newsweek

Buck said young Americans are developing a "bailout mentality" as he and Randy Corporon, the host of Saturday's Wake Up With Randy Corporon, chastised Congress and the Trump administration for "writing a blank check" to keep the lockdown economy afloat.

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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, April 19, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: State Auditor Report on QME - Guest: State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 19, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: TBD

 

Sunday, April 19, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Agua en el Valle de San Joaquín: una revisión exhaustiva - Guest: Alvar Escriva-Bou investigador de Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Farmers dump milk, plow under crops as coronavirus case climb in Fresno area

Fresno Bee

Last week, Isabel Solorio turned away five families from the Lanare food bank serving farmworkers in rural Fresno County. There just wasn’t enough food to feed the 215 families who showed up. It was twice the number of families that needed food a week earlier, she said.

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Local ag industry braces for potential virus impact

Turlock Journal

As farmers in Stanislaus County head to work every day during the coronavirus pandemic, little has changed about their essential industry due to the crisis — for now.

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‘The perfect storm of vulnerability’: Protection in the fields doesn’t follow farmworkers home

Cal Matters

Farmworkers are essential employees during the coronavirus pandemic. But crowded living conditions could trigger an outbreak that would devastate the food supply. 

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Strawberry season is starting. Here’s where to buy them in the Fresno area

Fresno Bee

Strawberry season – a welcome sign of spring around here – is just starting. Roadside stands are opening, selling strawberries this weekend, and farmers markets are selling too in Fresno County. However, things are a little different this year for a couple of reasons.

 

Food bank demand soars, while many San Joaquin Valley farmers forced to let crops rot

Fresno Bee

With rising unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Central California Food Bank has been met with demand from Fresno County families. At the same time, COVID-19 slashed the number of volunteers needed.

 

No, You Don't Need To Disinfect Your Groceries. But Here's How To Shop Safely

VPR

The vast majority of the country is under lockdown right now. But stay-at-home orders come with a few exceptions — like grocery shopping.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Crime drops around the world as COVID-19 keeps people inside

Hanford Sentinel

The coronavirus pandemic that has crippled big-box retailers and mom and pop shops worldwide may be making a dent in illicit business, too.

 

How a stockpile of 39 million masks was exposed as fake

Los Angeles Times

A powerful California union that claimed to have discovered 39 million masks for healthcare workers fighting the novel coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam uncovered by FBI investigators, the U.S. attorney’s office said Friday.

 

Advocates: Inmates Released Early Due To Pandemic Need Help To Safely Shelter

VPR

California is releasing thousands of inmates early due to the pandemic without adequate transportation, support services or housing once they get out, statewide prison advocates and reentry service providers say.

 

Public Safety:

 

COVID-19 concerns will result in release of up to 300 Stanislaus County Jail inmates

Modesto Bee

On Monday between 150 and 350 inmates, or as much as a quarter of the jail population in Stanislaus County, will be released from custody as a result of a statewide emergency bail schedule intended to slow or prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the incarcerated population.

 

Lemoore Police Department releases 2019 annual report

Hanford Sentinel

During the Lemoore City Council meeting Tuesday evening, Lemoore Police Chief Michael Kendall presented the department’s 2019 annual report. The purpose of the report is to highlight the department’s achievements and to present crime statistics and information to keep the community informed.

 

New coronavirus rules will result in inmates leaving Fresno County Jail early, sheriff says

Fresno Bee              

California’s Judicial Council has released an expanded list of no-bail, early-release offenses — including elder abuse and hit and run causing death — that the state’s jails must comply with by Monday, according to Fresno County Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Botti. The order likely means that many people will walk out of jail by 5 p.m. Monday due to concerns that inmates are in an environment that leaves them exposed to the highly contagious coronavirus.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Lenny Mendonca, Gov. Newsom’s business adviser, steps down

Sacramento Bee

Lenny Mendonca, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s top business adviser and chairman of the High-Speed Rail Authority, is leaving the administration to focus on his family and personal business.

 

Clovis Launches Gift Card Program to Help Local Businesses

Clovis Roundup

The City of Clovis partnered with the Business Organization of Old Town and the Clovis Chamber of Commerce to launch a gift card program designed to assist local businesses through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

 

From toilet paper to alcohol to hair dye: How COVID-19 panic buying has progressed

Fresno Bee

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve, so does what people are purchasing. During his Friday appearance on the “Today” show, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon was asked about the pulse of America and what items customers are purchasing that surprise him.

 

Fauci says ‘rolling reentry’ of US economy possible in May

Fresno Bee

New cases of the coronavirus are certain to arise when restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the virus are eased, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert for the U.S.

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Can American Capitalism Survive?

National Affairs

American capitalism is once more under attack, this time from opponents seeking democratic socialism on the left and economic nationalism on the right. Each side seeks to impose industrial policies aimed at reviving jobs and increasing wages in the manufacturing sector. Support for free markets is thus increasingly an embattled stance within policy circles, a condition not seen since the end of the Second World War.

 

Congressional Impasse Stymies Additional Coronavirus Aid

Wall Street Journal

A partisan impasse over fresh coronavirus relief spending stretched through the holiday weekend, as funds for a small-business loan program dwindled and state leaders called for additional federal aid.

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Opinon: The Fed Needs to Move Faster

Wall Street Journal

The Federal Reserve has become the first responder for the U.S. economy. Normally, the Fed is concerned with the safety of the financial system. But its fate as an independent central bank may turn on whether it can preserve the real economy.

 

Jobs:

 

Kern job losses expected to continue as borrowers appeal for time, help

Bakersfield Californian

Observers of Kern County's economy predict continuing job losses in the months ahead, with industries such as restaurants, hospitality and retail suffering the most, but they agree a partial recovery may not be far off depending how the COVID-19 crisis plays out and how quickly government financial assistance arrives.

 

California expanding hours on unemployment phone lines after complaints about long delays

Sacramento Bee

Calif’s beleaguered unemployment office will expand “very shortly” its staffed phone lines, which now are manned for just four hours a day, so they take calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. And, said Gov. Gavin Newsom, hundreds of employees assigned to help take the calls.

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‘It feels like a war zone’: As more of them die, grocery workers increasingly fear showing up at work

Washington Post

Doug Preszler wasn’t thinking about risk when he took a cashier job at a regional supermarket in eastern Iowa. But five months in, he has found himself at the forefront of a global crisis with little training or protection — save for the pocket-size bottle of hand sanitizer and Ziploc full of disposable gloves he brings from home each day.

 

Commentary: Let’s make sure that coronavirus doesn’t make hiring inequality even worse

CalMatters

As we look toward an eventual economic recovery, we need to make sure that everyone left without a job has a fair shot at getting back in the door.

 

Commentary: COVID-19 is a chance to invest in our essential infrastructure workforce

Brookings

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps millions of people home and many businesses shuttered for social distancing, up to 62 million essential workers are still reporting to their jobs in hospitals, grocery stores, and other critical industries.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Hospitals need more masks for coronavirus. A Fresno-area high school is making thousands

Fresno Bee

As doctors and nurses scramble for medical supplies to fight the global coronavirus pandemic, help is coming from an unlikely place — Fresno-area high school students.

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No chance ‘to say goodbye’: Stanislaus high school seniors talk of missed experiences

Modesto Bee

When Stanislaus County schools closed March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, high school seniors lost out on activities like prom, sports and senior trips. There is even uncertainty about graduation.

 

California Schools’ Response To Pandemic Varies Widely

Capital Public Radio

Parents across the state have had very different experiences when it comes to communication from their children’s school. Wealth inequality appears to be a major factor.

 

Remote Learning for English Learners and Special Needs Students during COVID-19

PPIC

For California’s most vulnerable students, including 1.2 million English Learners (EL) and over 700,000 students with special educational needs, remote learning in the wake of COVID-19 presents particular challenges. As districts across the state roll out distance learning plans to minimize disruption to K–12 students, educators must find alternate ways to meet all student needs.

 

Rural California county helps close academic and digital divides

CA FWD

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, the digital divide in rural California was creating an academic divide. Central California’s Kings County has been working to bridge that gap and in recent years providing broadband access to not only students, but their families as well.

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Higher Ed:

 

Fresno State summer courses offered only online

abc30

It could be longer before we see students back on campus at Fresno State. After the university decided to close their doors, it wasn't long before they had to address the upcoming summer session.

 

How Colleges Are Grading Students During Coronavirus

VPR

Many universities have been hesitant to make changes to their grading system for the semester despite how drastically students' lives have changed in light of the pandemic.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

As Californians stay at home, air quality improves – for now.

CalMatters

The global coronavirus pandemic has inadvertently achieved what state officials have sought to do for decades: Californians have parked their cars. Freeways and highways are clear. And the constant burn of fossil fuels has been markedly diminished. The statewide stay-at-home order has brought about drastic reductions in air pollution and planet-warming emissions, experts say.

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Energy:

 

As Demand For Oil Dries Up, OPEC And Allies Agree To Historic Cuts In Output

Capital Public Radio

Marathon video chats led to a record-setting 9.7 million barrels per day in cuts. But analysts say that's not a big enough drop to balance oil markets, given the total collapse in demand for crude.

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HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

What to Know About Fever and COVID-19

Consumer Reports

When it comes to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, it turns out not much is simple. Not even fever.

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False negatives in coronavirus tests ‘uncomfortably common,’ doctors say. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

If you test negative for coronavirus, does that mean you don’t have it? Not necessarily, some doctors say. “False-negative test results — tests that indicate you are not infected, when you are — seem to be uncomfortably common,” Dr. Harlan M. Krumholz wrote in The New York Times.

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Will today be CA’s peak?

CalMatters

Today California will hit its peak in terms of the number of hospital beds, ICU beds and ventilators needed to treat COVID-19 patients, with a peak in daily deaths on Wednesday, according to a popular model from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

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Fresno County coronavirus cases move past 200 mark

Fresno Bee

Fresno County surpassed 200 coronavirus cases Saturday with the reporting of 10 new positive tests for COVID-19.

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Visalia nursing home outbreak among state’s largest

Visalia Times Delta

A novel coronavirus outbreak continues to ravage Redwood Springs Healthcare Center as the facility announced a total of four deaths and 76 cases in less than two weeks.

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Local plasma effort gets underway in hopes of aiding critical COVID-19 patients

Bakersfield Californian

With no effective drugs and no vaccine yet for COVID-19, an experimental therapy that uses the blood of those who survived the virus is getting underway nationwide, including in Kern County.

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CDC Director: 'Very Aggressive' Contact Tracing Needed For U.S. To Return To Normal

VPR

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been working on a plan to allow the U.S. to safely begin to scale back those policies. CDC Director Robert Redfield says that the plan relies on not only ramped-up testing but "very aggressive" contact tracing.

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Will Summer Slow The Spread Of COVID-19? Scientists Try To Figure It Out

VPR

The worst outbreaks of COVID-19 so far have been in colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere during winter or early spring. Will warmer weather slow the transmission? These are some of the key questions about COVID-19 that scientists are trying to answer.

 

Doctor treating COVID-19 patients gambles on clot-busting drug

Los Angeles Times

The woman was dying. Workers at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital were about to call her husband and break the news that there was nothing left to try. Then Dr. Hooman Poor took a gamble.

 

How to Address Medical Issues Unrelated to Coronavirus

Wall Street Journal

People across the U.S. are staying home and practicing social distancing to slow the transmission of coronavirus, but that doesn’t mean they can put other medical issues on hold, too. Pregnant women require ultrasounds. Cooped-up preschoolers jump off furniture and fracture bones.

 

Biden's Health Play In A COVID-19 Economy: Lower Medicare's Eligibility Age To 60

NPR                        

In one of his first proposals since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden is wading back into the roiling waters of health policy. In a nod to the effects of COVID-19 on the economy, and in what is clearly an overture to supporters of the "Medicare for All" plan pushed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

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Human Services:

 

California cities – and some stores – now requiring face masks during the coronavirus crisis

Sacramento Bee

In a sudden reversal, health officials around California are now telling people to wear masks in public – and in some cases mandating that usage – just a week after some expressed doubts about the value of masks in reducing the spread of the coronavirus.

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Hospitals need more masks for coronavirus. A Fresno-area high school is making thousands

Fresno Bee

As doctors and nurses scramble for medical supplies to fight the global coronavirus pandemic, help is coming from an unlikely place — Fresno-area high school students. Career Technical Education Charter High School has been utilizing its nine 3D printers to make face shields for healthcare workers on the front lines, said Jonathan Delano, director of CTEC.

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Lose your job due to the coronavirus? Here are your health care options in California

Sacramento Bee

As job losses surge and more and more people lose their employer-sponsored health insurance, consumers are finding it harder to get quick, timely help finding or paying for coverage.

 

Boosting SNAP Can Help Families in Every Congressional District Amid COVID-19 Crisis

California Budget and Policy Center

COVID-19 crisis or not, programs like the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP) – known as CalFresh in California – help millions of people buy food they need to support their families and households. Even with a strong economy in 2019, CalFresh provided food assistance to nearly 1 in 10 Californians. And we know that the demand for CalFresh food assistance is already increasing as a result of the crisis.

 

The Safe Way to Donate Blood During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Consumer Reports

With blood supplies critically low, giving now can help, especially if you've already recovered from COVID-19. Wanting to do something to help out my community during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, I decided it was time to roll up my sleeve—literally!

 

Futuro Health offers pandemic-readiness training to California's licensed vocational nurses for anticipated COVID-19 surge

CISION PR Newswire

Futuro Health, a California-based nonprofit established by Kaiser Permanente and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) to address the nation's allied health worker shortage, announced it has expanded its education offerings.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Millions of tax paying immigrants won't get stimulus checks

Bakersfield Californian

The $2.2 trillion package that Congress approved to offer financial help during the coronavirus pandemic has one major exclusion: millions of immigrants who do not have legal status in the U.S. but work here and pay taxes.

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100 immigrant detainees hold hunger strike at Mesa Verde in response to COVID-19 measures

Bakersfield Californian

More than 100 detainees in the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield have started a hunger strike, demanding greater measures be taken to prevent contraction of coronavirus within the facility.

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LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

With park bathrooms closed due to coronavirus, Modesto to put in portables for homeless

Modesto Bee

Modesto expects soon to install portable bathrooms for homeless people after closing its park bathrooms about two weeks ago because of the new coronavirus pandemic.

 

Fresno Convention Center Becomes Alternative Care Site For The San Joaquin Valley

VPR

An alternative care site to relieve area hospitals is now set up in the Fresno Convention Center. The site will initially be used for non-COVID-19 related cases but that could change, said Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vorha.

 

Neuroscience could shape the future of public spaces

PublicCEO

California-based, internationally focused nonprofit studies the intersection of neuroscience and architecture to track human responses to the built environment

 

Oakland to Open 74 Miles of Streets for Walkers and Cyclists

Streetsblog San Francisco

The city of Oakland is planning to open 74 miles of streets for cyclists and pedestrians so people can get outside and get some exercise with ample space for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Housing:

 

Keeping families of front-line doctors safe: UCSF Fresno offering housing due to COVID-19

Fresno Bee

Some local doctors who are caring for patients with the coronavirus might be able to sleep with a bit more ease. The University of California-San Francisco’s medical branch in downtown Fresno is offering free temporary housing for its doctors who are attending to potential cases of COVID-19.

 

Fresno renters: Wondering about your rights? The Fresnoland Lab is here to get answers

Fresno Bee

The Fresnoland Lab is hosting a Facebook Live session with attorneys Patience Milrod and Nikki Love of Central California Legal Services and professors Amber Crowell and Janine Nkosi, both of the Fresno State Department of Sociology.

 

Fresno wins millions in homeless funding for pandemic, but officials wrangle over details

Fresno Bee

Fresno received another $3 million from the federal government to house the homeless amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Mountain Area Home Sales Rise in First Quarter of 2020

Sierra News

Local Realtor Ed Bailey of Ed Bailey Realty in Oakhurst reports that January-through-March 2020 home sales increased significantly compared to sales activity during the same period in 2019.

 

Affordable housing can cost $1 million per apartment in California. Coronavirus could make it worse

Los Angeles​​ Times

When developer Ginger Hitzke first proposed an affordable housing complex on a parking lot in Solana Beach, she envisioned building 18 new homes for low-income families and adults at a cost of $414,000 per apartment. More than a decade later, her project has shrunk in size by nearly half and become more than twice as expensive.

 

Encampments cease to be a priority as Bakersfield dials back homeless enforcement

Bakersfield Californian

Enforcement of Bakersfield’s homeless encampments has decreased since the new coronavirus began spreading throughout the county.

 

Valley Hospitals Secure Housing To Help Employees Social Distance From Their Families

VPR

Governor Gavin Newsom announced a program today to provide health care workers with low-cost hotel rooms. But ahead of the announcement, some valley hospitals were already working to provide employee housing.

 

How to Handle a Home Service Call During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Consumer Reports

From broken appliances to downed internet, some service calls can't wait. Here's how to ensure everyone's safety.

 

Amid the coronavirus, should young adults move back in with mom and dad? Many are saying yes

Los Angeles Times

In the last month, as the headlines about the pandemic have become grimmer, young people in cities across the country have contemplated the possibility of moving home to live with their parents or extended family.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Stimulus money direct deposits are showing up in accounts. When will you get yours?

Fresno Bee

Direct deposits for coronavirus stimulus checks are starting to show up in bank accounts, according to several reports.

See also:

 

Coronavirus doesn't delay property taxes in California

Hanford Sentinel

The coronavirus has delayed income taxes, mortgage payments and evictions in California. But not property taxes.

 

Parent of Fresno’s Premier Valley Bank processes $1.5B in relief loans

Business Journal

The parent company of Premier Valley Bank in Fresno announced it had processed $1.5 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans before it stopped accepting new requests Monday.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

How can you take care of your vehicle during the lockdown? Here are some tips

Fresno Bee

In normal times, many people use their vehicles almost every day. Now millions in the United States are in lockdown at home, in some cases for weeks, to try to curb the spread of coronavirus. That means millions of cars and trucks are sitting idle, too.

 

Caltrans is speeding up highway projects while coronavirus keeps Californians off the road

Fresno Bee                                                                                                          

As state and local officials extend stay-at-home orders, road construction crews across California are taking advantage of reduced traffic to speed up projects.

 

The Bus suspends fares on rides in Merced County during coronavirus pandemic

Merced Sun-Star

The Bus is suspending collection of fares for all fixed-route and paratransit service. The new policy goes into effect on Friday, April 10, according to a news release.

 

Flying with caution: How Stockton Metropolitan Airport has updated operations due to COVID-19

Stockton Recorder

With the public still traveling in and out of Stockton by air, Stockton Metropolitan Airport has taken extra precautions to ensure public safety within the walls of the airport.

 

Traffic drop from stay-at-home orders imperils road funding

Bakersfield Californian

America’s roads are a lot less congested, due to coronavirus shutdowns that have kept millions of commuters, shoppers and vacationers parked at their homes.

 

Transportation sends $1B in emergency assistance to Amtrak

The Hill

More than $1 billion will be sent to Amtrak to support the railroad system during the coronavirus pandemic, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chaoannounced on Friday.

 

Oakland to Open 74 Miles of Streets for Walkers and Cyclists

Streetsblog San Francisco

The city of Oakland is planning to open 74 miles of streets for cyclists and pedestrians so people can get outside and get some exercise with ample space for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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WATER

 

Tom McCarthy named new head of Kern County Water Agency

SJV Water

Tom McCarthy, head of the Mojave Water Agency, was named as the new General Manager for the Kern County Water Agency at its board of directors meeting Thursday. Agency directors approved a five-year contract for McCarthy including total compensation “not to exceed $415,000 annually,” plus $60,000 in relocation fees.

 

Wastewater Treatment Kills Most Pathogens, Including COVID-19

PPIC

Californians reuse treated wastewater as a water supply, to irrigate crops, and to support freshwater ecosystems. To get answers to questions about managing the new coronavirus in the “sewershed,” we talked to two experts: Kara Nelson, an expert in waterborne pathogens at UC Berkeley; and Adam Link, executive director of the California Association of Sanitation Agencies.

 

“Xtra”

 

How Can We Make Farm Work Healthier? (Streaming Online)

Zócalo Public Square

On Tuesday, April 14th, organic farmer and artist Nikiko Masumoto, Huron Mayor Rey León, health researcher Chia Thao, and Tania Pacheco-Werner, co-assistant director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute, visit Zócalo to consider how to make farm work healthier.

 

Hey, Harry Potter fans! Here’s how you can take online classes at Hogwarts — for real

Fresno Bee

You may still be waiting for your letter from Hogwarts, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a jump on your wizarding education while social distancing due to the coronavirus.  Harry Potter’s alma mater is offering free online classes.

 

Table Mountain extends coronavirus casino closure to June

Fresno Bee

Table Mountain Casino will extend its closure until May 31, in an agreement between the Tribal Council and California officials. The council called the decision to extend the closure a precautionary measure due to recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Victor E. Bulldog discusses important business with other mascots in Zoom call

abc30

Victor isn't letting the offseason go to waste. He and some of his doggy-mascot peers decided it was time to address important issues on a conference call that's winning the internet's heart. Keep up the good work Victor!

 

Kings Art Center pursues mission in uncertain times

Hanford Sentinel

In this season of Coronavirus mitigation efforts, how do non-profits continue their mission?  This was the problem that faced the Kings Art Center in downtown Hanford.  Through innovation and fast learning, they have found a way to reach the Kings County community with their services, said Executive Director Bruce Kane.

 

Helping nonprofits access federal COVID-19 stimulus funds

The James Irvine Foundation

We wanted to make sure that grantees know how to apply for the public dollars available as part of the recently passed federal stimulus bills. Learn more from our partners at Fiscal Management Associates (FMA) about how to access these new resources.

 

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

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno 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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