April 17, 2020

17Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Merced County coronavirus cases hit 82. New Los Banos pandemic rules to take effect Monday

Fresno Bee

In response to Los Banos’s rising number of COVID-19 positive residents, Alex Terrazas, city manager and director of emergency services issued an executive order instructing face coverings be used by employees and customers in certain businesses.

‘Help is on the way’: #StocktonStrong launches COVID-19 relief fund for nonprofits

Stockton Record

An emergency fund, which will initially focus on providing grants to nonprofits helping the city’s residents during the novel coronavirus pandemic, has been established with $1 million in donations.

Turlock’s Lenny Mendonca, who focused on Valley’s economy, leaving Newsom team

Modesto Bee

Two local leaders thanked Turlock native Lenny Mendonca for his work in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration to promote the economic well-being of the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the rest of inland California. Mendonca, a former senior partner at the consulting powerhouse McKinsey & Company, has left to focus on his family and personal business, according to the governor’s office.

Coronavirus update, April 17: Turlock family copes with death; driving misdeeds rise Modesto Bee

Here is the latest on the coronavirus pandemic as it relates to Stanislaus County.

Tom McClintock doesn’t fault coronavirus for economic destruction. Here’s who he blames

Sacramento Bee

What’s pushing the economy into freefall isn’t the coronavirus outbreak, says Rep. Tom McClintock. It’s government policies. “COVID-19 did not destroy our nation’s economy. Government policies, however well intentioned they may have been, have done that,” the Elk Grove Republican told Newsmax TV’s “The Chris Salcedo Show” recently and reiterated to McClatchy this week.

Dozens protest in downtown Sonora over COVID-19 public health restrictions

Modesto Bee

Close to 100 people assembled in downtown Sonora on Wednesday afternoon to protest state and local restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic, according to area newspapers.

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Central SJ Valley:

Fresno County coronavirus cases spike. County budget taking hit because of pandemic

Fresno Bee

Fresno County reported 30 new positive coronavirus cases in its daily late-afternoon update Thursday, bringing the total number to 295.

See also:

Opinion: Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 hit Fresno hard, but social distancing proved valuable

Fresno Bee

Few, if any of us, have lived through something like this COVID-19 pandemic. Schools closed, restaurants shuttered, people ordered to shelter in place.

EDITORIAL: These are difficult times. But Fresno mayor’s coronavirus rules are not ‘authoritarian’

Fresno Bee

The quotes were tucked at the end of a story by Bee staff writer Brianna Calix last Friday outlining Fresno Mayor Lee Brand’s latest order for residents to shelter at home until May 6 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clovis Mayor to Gov. Newsom: Don’t Shut Down Gun Stores

GVWire

Clovis Mayor Drew Bessinger is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom not to restrict sales of guns and ammunition during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order. “I am writing you to strongly oppose any such action,” Bessinger wrote in a letter sent to Newsom on Wednesday.

Tulare poised to allow recreational pot sales

Valley Voice

In a 3-2 vote, the Tulare City Council approved the final wording for its recreational cannabis sales ordinance. The final draft–approved April 7 as a “pass-to-print” measure that will still require a final OK at the next council meeting–will allow up to five recreational cannabis sales points in the city and cap the city’s portion of the revenue at 2% of total sales.

Opinion: Census could help in slow-growth era

Madera Tribune

There is no doubt this is a slow-growth era for California, historically the center of fast American population expansion. In excess of 200,000 more individuals moved from California to other states over the last 10 years than arrived here legally from elsewhere in this country.

South SJ Valley:

KCAO receives $100,000 donation from Edison International

Hanford Sentinel

Kings Community Action Organization (KCAO) has received a donation of $100,000 from Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, to provide services to individuals and families in Kings County impacted by COVID-19.

City Council approves fee, tax deferrals for Bakersfield businesses

Bakersfield Californian

Businesses in Bakersfield will receive extra time to pay fees and certain local taxes under an emergency relief package unanimously approved Wednesday by the City Council. The measures will not forgive payments of any kind but they give businesses until June 30 to pay off overdue fees and certain service and utility charges.

Supplying the basics: Local organizations seek donations for senior citizens

Bakersfield Californian

Elderly individuals are especially vulnerable to severe illness caused by the coronavirus and are advised to stay home as much as possible these days, making it increasingly difficult for them to buy groceries, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products.

Although not considered ‘essential,’ Kern County golf courses remain open during COVID shutdown

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County golf courses will remain open, at least for now, with tight restrictions in place for those looking to get out and play a round.

State:

Coronavirus crisis could trigger huge California deficits, lawmakers are told

Los Angeles Times

Almost one month after Californians were told to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, state lawmakers were told Thursday to prepare for a shortfall in tax revenues of historic proportions, a fiscal crisis that would far exceed government cash reserves.

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Newsom administration says it won’t release nearly $1B contract until it’s sure masks will arrive

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration doesn’t plan to show lawmakers and the public a nearly $1 billion mask contract until it has “assurance the supply is going to be arriving,” despite already having wired half of the money, an administration official testified Thursday.

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California governor expects $7 billion in virus spending

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom expects to spend up to $7 billion this year battling the coronavirus and the economic disruption it has unleashed as state budget experts warned lawmakers on Thursday to prepare for revenue loss akin to the Great Recession.

California planned $187 million on face-to-face promotion of the census. Then coronavirus hit

Sacramento Bee

No state has wagered as much on the outcome of the 2020 census than California, which had planned to spend as much as $187 million to ensure an accurate count.

California senators frustrated by few answers, tech glitches in virtual hearing on coronavirus spending

CalMatters

Senators wore face masks and grilled officials about Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $1.4 billion deal to buy masks and other protective gear — but got few answers during their first hearing on the state’s effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.

California governor says ventilators promised by Elon Musk never made it to hospitals

The Hill

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said none of the more than 1,000 ventilators Tesla CEO Elon Musk pledged to deliver to California hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic have been received as of this week.

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California Workers With Less Education, People of Color, and Immigrants are at Greatest Financial Risk Due to COVID-19

California Budget & Policy Center

Disruptions caused by public health measures do not affect all Californians equally, with a greater burden on California workers with less education, those who are immigrants, and California’s children and adults of color.

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Opinion: The California legislature must adapt to serve its constituents during COVID-19 crisis

Sacramento Bee

The COVID-19 crisis has brought unprecedented changes into all our lives. No one has been untouched. The ways we live, work, and learn, have all been stood on end.

EDITORIAL: California Democratic Party kills transparency by hiding sexual misconduct report

Sacramento Bee

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks announced on Wednesday that the party will keep secret the details of an investigation into sexual misconduct and discrimination allegations against former party chair Eric Bauman.

Federal:

U.S. coronavirus-related deaths top 32,000 as states ask Trump for economic aid

Los Angeles Times

With Congress haggling over the next stimulus package for an economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, officials in New York and New Jersey took aim at the federal government on Thursday, pleading for help.

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Americans Remain Risk Averse About Getting Back to Normal

Gallup

Americans remain hesitant about resuming their normal daily activities amid the COVID-19 outbreak according to a Gallup question first asked in late March and repeated in early April.

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Health-Care Industry in Tug-of-War Over Coronavirus Aid

Wall Street Journal

Initial payouts from $100 billion of federal pandemic relief for hospitals & doctors have set off a scramble for remaining dollars–those flooded with coronavirus patients calling for priority.

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Second round of emergency medical provider funds delayed

Roll Call

A second wave of emergency funds that Congress directed to medical providers appears to be delayed, after Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told the House Appropriations Committee the distributions could take another week and a half to calculate.

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Trump plan for coronavirus supplies yields payoff for favored companies

Los Angeles Times

A secretive Trump administration project that enlists private companies to bring masks and other medical equipment to the U.S. to fight the coronavirus outbreak has provided tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to the nation’s largest medical-supply companies with little public accounting.

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Trump threatens to adjourn Congress so he can approve more nominees

Los Angeles Times

Citing the coronavirus, President Trump is threatening unprecedented action — adjourning both houses of Congress — to entice the Senate to approve more of his nominees.

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Bill Gates, at Odds With Trump on Virus, Becomes a Right-Wing Target

New York Times

The Microsoft co-founder turned philanthropist has been attacked with falsehoods that he created the coronavirus and wants to profit from it.

Trump’s Job Rating Slides; U.S. Satisfaction Tumbles

Gallup

As President Donald Trump works to contain the damage from the novel coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., the rally in support he enjoyed as the nation entered a virtual lockdown has faded. His job approval rating, now 43%, has slipped six percentage points since mid-March when he earned 49% approval, which tied his personal best.

Mostly False: Says of COVID-19 that Dr. Anthony Fauci “was telling people on February 29th that there was nothing to worry about and it posed no threat to the US public at large.”

PolitiFact

President Donald Trump raised eyebrows April 12 when he retweeted a supporter who had used the hashtag #FireFauci, a reference to Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the nation’s top public health officials who has regularly joined the president on the podium in the White House press room.

“I Feel Anguished”: Research Center Head Warned of Pandemic Threat

PBS
The director of a research center that last year warned the Trump administration it wasn’t ready to handle a pandemic is now watching in horror as the coronavirus spreads.

EDITORIAL: For all its faults, we need WHO now more than ever

Los Angeles Times

President Trump is not wrong to question the World Health Organization’s early response to the emerging coronavirus outbreak and its apparent deference to what we now know were false assurances by Chinese officials about the seriousness of the outbreak.

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Opinion: America’s COVID-19 Disaster Is a Setback for Democracy

The Atlantic

If the country’s institutions cannot function effectively during a crisis, and especially if a view takes hold that authoritarian regimes are managing the crisis more decisively, a grim future lies ahead.

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Should government track COVID-19 patients by phone? Many Americans say yes, poll says

Sacramento Bee

Over half of Americans think it’s acceptable for the government to track the cell phones of people with coronavirus, according to a new poll. The poll found 52% of the U.S. says it’s “somewhat acceptable” for the government to track the phones of people who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 to better understand how the virus spreads.

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:

Who will Joe Biden pick as his running mate? Here’s what Vegas betting odds show

Fresno Bee

With the Democratic primary field down to one candidate, attention has turned to who former Vice President Joe Biden will pick as his running mate.

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Latinos Are Essential Workers. Will They Be Essential Voters?

New York Times

Héctor Sánchez Barba had been counting on Latinos to show up in record numbers in November’s election. He dispatched organizers to Arizona, Florida and Texas. He courted voters at churches, parks and parties. He prodded Democratic candidates to pay attention to Latino voters.

Skelton: Another ‘new normal’ in California after coronavirus? All vote-by-mail elections

Los Angeles Times

California is headed toward its first all-mail statewide election in November to protect voters and precinct workers from the pugnacious coronavirus. Get used to it

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Opinion: Should Joe Biden pass the baton to Gavin Newsom … for 2020?

San Francisco Chronicle

I am all in for former Vice President Joe Biden to be the next president of the United States. But let’s explore an alternative reality in which Biden, generously and selflessly, throws his support behind another politician to be the Democratic nominee.

Other:

New managing editor, general manager named at Hanford Sentinel

Hanford Sentinel

Longtime Hanford Sentinel sales manager Mark Daniel and assistant content editor Parker Bowman accepted promotions Thursday.

Creditors move to buy McClatchy, opening door to bidders interested in the whole company

McClatchy

McClatchy’s largest creditors offered to buy the bankrupt media company Thursday, a move that, if approved, would kick off an auction among parties interested in owning the nation’s second largest local media company.

An Informed Public Will Always Decide on the Virus

National Review

A number of NRO writers have offered today some valuable cautionary data about antibody testing and herd immunity. Certainly, one cannot yet anticipate what ongoing and planned antibody testing in particular areas might reveal.

Brave New Tele-World

U.S. News

Millions of Americans are working now from home – and workplace experts predict many of them won’t go back to the office.

Opinion: Millennials Don’t Stand a Chance

The Atlantic

Millennials are facing a second once-in-a-lifetime downturn at a crucial moment.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, April 19, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: Poverty and Income Inequality in California – Guest: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of California. 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: Poverty and the Economic Situation of California Latinos Guests: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of California and Mindy Romero, Director of USC Price School of Public Policy. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

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

Cut farmworker pay during the crisis? Don’t do it, California growers say

CalMatters

The Trump administration reportedly is considering a farmworker pay cut. But it would cause hardships for people already living on the edge of poverty. Growers say they’d rather see the feds fund food banks and others so they can buy their food. 

San Joaquin Valley farmworkers fear working — and not working – amid coronavirus

Fresno Bee

Maria Camacho sews homemade coronavirus face masks and sells them to friends and neighbors. It’s how she makes money since losing her job in a Kern County vineyard a few weeks ago. She said her employer cut the workforce, keeping only the workers with the most seniority. She said her family’s lucky her husband was one of the workers who kept his job.

Some San Joaquin Valley small farmers, food makers overwhelmed with consumer demand

Fresno Bee

At a time when farmers are losing customers because of the crackdown related to the coronavirus pandemic, some San Joaquin Valley food makers are seeing a boost in business as people search for alternatives to the grocery store.

Foster Farms workers seek increased safety measures amid COVID-19 pandemic, says group

Fresno Bee

As the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus rises in the central San Joaquin Valley, so does the concern among workers at large companies deemed “essential” to keep food and supply chains intact.

Spring Cattle Work Brings COVID-19 Guidelines For Ranch Hands From UC Cooperative Extension

Capital Public Radio

It’s springtime and that means work for cattle ranchers and their employees. It also means another way people could spread the coronavirus.

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This Clovis farmers market is reopening during the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

The Clovis Saturday morning farmers market will reopen this weekend. The year-round market, which runs from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Fifth Street and Pollasky Avenue, shut down temporarily last month.

This popular Fresno restaurant is touting a plan to reopen in early May. Is it too soon?

Fresno Bee

The owner of Pismo’s Coastal Grill restaurant in Fresno made a splash on social media this week with a video announcing it will take “baby steps” to reopening in early May. Restaurateur Dave Fansler outlined a plan to reopen May 7, the day after the city of Fresno’s shelter-in-place order is scheduled to end. 

California food and grocery workers to get 2 extra weeks paid sick leave, Gavin Newsom says

Fresno Bee

California’s food and grocery workers will receive two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave during the coronavirus emergency, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in his Thursday press conference.

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CalFresh households to get emergency allotments

Visalia Times Delta

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain CalFresh households will receive an emergency allotment of CalFresh benefits on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency announced.

Local Rotary clubs donate $9,546 to food banks

Hanford Sentinel

The Rotary Clubs of Kings County, in response to the needs of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, joined a Rotary District 5230 Response Task Force to pull resources that would support immediate needs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

For Prisoners Released Due to COVID-19, a Different World Awaits

U.S. News & World Report

Reentering society after being behind bars can be difficult. Social distancing and stay-at-home orders make for an even stranger transition.

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How Will COVID-19 Affect Arrests in California?

Public Policy Institute of California

The arrest rate in California is at its lowest level in decades, and as the COVID-19 crisis sends regions into economic and social disruption, further changes may emerge. Local law enforcement agencies are already adopting new arrest strategies to ensure public safety.

Woman Sentenced to Year in Jail for Election Fraud

Sierra News

A Monterey County woman who pled guilty in early March to six felony counts of election fraud has been sentenced to one year in the Madera County Jail. The case against Atilano was initiated after County Clerk-Recorder Rebecca Martinez’s staff noticed irregularities in several submitted voter registrations.

As police investigate southwest Fresno shooting, gang violence is on the rise

abc30

Violence on the streets has kept officers busy, especially during the past week. Despite the pandemic, detectives say crime – especially involving gangs – has increased.

Smugglers sawed into Trump’s border wall 18 times in one month in San Diego area, records show

Washington Post

Smugglers sawed into new sections of President Trump’s border wall 18 times in the San Diego area during a single one-month span late last year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records obtained by The Washington Post via a Freedom of Information Act request.

Public Safety:

Law enforcement, health officials form COVID-19 task force in Madera County

abc30

At a time when the lines of public safety and public health blur, a task force, comprised of law enforcement and health officials in Madera County, is actively combating the coronavirus.

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Don’t be misled by those who are pushing dangerous misinformation about coronavirus pandemic

Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust

It is not surprising that with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are those who are attempting to use this crisis to spread misinformation, “phish” for personal information to rip people off and push conspiracy theories about dark motives for the virus taking hold across the globe.

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The Other Ugly Virus of 2020: Anti-Asian Bias

Littler

In the midst of our current global health crisis, the deliberate use of terms like “Chinese flu” and “Wuhan virus” has underscored hundreds of reports of racism and xenophobia directed to Asian-Americans.

Fire:

PG&E: Wildfire victims backing bankruptcy plan so far

Bakersfield Californian

A Pacific Gas & Electric lawyer told a federal judge that the beleaguered company’s plan for getting out of bankruptcy is winning support from the victims of Northern California wildfires ignited by the utility’s crumbling equipment, despite concerns they will be shortchanged in a $13.5 billion settlement.

Pandemic And Wildfire: California Is Preparing For A Crisis Within A Crisis

Capital Public Radio

California is dealing with the pandemic, but what happens when wildfire season ignites? Agencies across the state are preparing for a crisis within a crisis and figuring out how to deal with evacuations if physical distancing orders remain.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

California is now in a recession that could last years, state fiscal experts say

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus has officially launched California into a recession, and a potentially severe one that could last for several budget cycles, state lawmakers and financial experts say.

Business owners left out as lending program goes on hold

Fresno Bee

The government’s lending program for small businesses is tapped out, leaving business owners who still need loans waiting for Congress to approve more funding.

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How does Kern County economy rebound, and how quickly? 3 experts lay out scenarios

KGET
Reports of painful but gradual progress in the fight to tamp down and  conquer the coronavirus have many people thinking — what’s left of the economy? Can we get it back? How, and how quickly? We talked to some local economists about the process of recovery from this most unusual natural disaster amid indications that the pandemic is at least nearing a plateau.

Broad coalition calls for inclusive regional economic planning in state’s recovery

CAFWD
As the California Legislature prepares to send a radically updated 2020-21 state budget to the Governor by June 15, the Newsom Administration and legislature have indicated that COVID-19 response will be a priority.

Consumer sentiment dives to its lowest point since before President Trump’s election on escalating pandemic damage

Business Insider

Consumer sentiment slid further through April to its lowest level since President Donald Trump was elected. Bloomberg’s Consumer Comfort Index fell 5.4 points to 44.5 in the week ended April 11, its lowest since October 2016. The reading brings its four-week decline to 18.5 points, reflecting the biggest monthly slide in the index’s 34-year history.

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Jobs:

Who’s eligible for unemployment benefits in California and how to file for them

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday additional unemployment benefits for the undocumented, independent contractors and gig workers, media outlets reported.

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Layoffs and pay cuts are now striking more white collar jobs

Fresno Bee

Now, the record-setting flood of layoffs unleashed by the viral outbreak is extending beyond the services industries that bore the initial brunt and are still suffering most. White collar employees, ranging from software programmers and legal assistants to sales associates and some health care workers, are absorbing layoffs or salary cuts.

US job losses mount as Trump presses plan to reopen business

Fresno Bee

The ranks of America’s unemployed swelled toward Great Depression-era levels Thursday, and President Donald Trump reacted to the pressure on the economy by outlining a phased approach to reopening parts of the country where the coronavirus is being brought under control.

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California’s Self-Employed, Independent Contractors Will Finally Have Chance To Apply For Federal Relief — At The End Of April

Capital Public Radio

A new state website promises to allow non-traditional workers, including some gig workers, to finally apply for federal relief benefits with the goal of paying people within two days of their application.

California Food Workers Can Now Get Extra Paid Leave If Sickened By Coronavirus

Capital Public Radio

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Thursday requiring large food sector employers — such as farms, food delivery and restaurants — to extend sick leave to workers who test positive for COVID-19 or who are under an isolation order.

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Virus spreads among workers at California state agencies, striking ‘panic’ in employees

Los Angeles Times

Dozens of employees at state agencies, including the DMV, have been infected by COVID-19 in California, raising fear and uncertainty in the workforce as some civil servants say the state has been slow to protect them and has deemed too many services essential, requiring people to stay on the job.

NPR Chief Warns of Steep Cost Cuts Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Wall Street Journal

National Public Radio is planning significant cost cuts as the coronavirus pandemic hits sponsorship and donation revenue, the public broadcaster’s chief executive, John Lansing, said in a memo to staff.

Thousands of OSHA complaints filed against companies for virus workplace safety concerns, records show

Sacramento Bee

People working during the pandemic have filed thousands of complaints regarding their exposure to the novel coronavirus and a lack of safeguards at their places of employment, according to records obtained under a Freedom of Information request.

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EDUCATION

K-12:

Is online education working? Ed Lab wants to hear from students, parents, educators

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus pandemic changed learning and teaching in the San Joaquin Valley and around the state. Schools remain closed until at least the fall and there’s no other choice but to learn online. But how do you make distance learning work for everyone?

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MUSD classes resume — online

Madera Tribune

Madera Unified teachers and students returned to their virtual classrooms Tuesday after Spring break without leaving home.

VUSD struggles to provide curriculum, food

Visalia Times Delta

The lengthy school closures are an unprecedented circumstance for Visalia Unified School District, as well as districts across the country.

Higher Ed:

CSUB making face shields for health workers to meet critical need

Bakersfield Californian

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the devastation of the virus was becoming clear, Andrea Medina remembers looking at images of doctors and nurses in trash bags and bandannas and feeling helpless.

Newsom order allows CSU to relax admission requirements for 2021

San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday allowing the California State University system to adjust admissions criteria for applicants affected by the coronavirus crisis.

UC hit with $558 million in unanticipated costs in March alone

Los Angeles Times

The University of California was hit with $558 million in unanticipated costs in March alone due to the coronavirus, a staggering sum as students canceled housing and dining contracts, medical centers paused elective surgeries and campus costs soared for online learning.

EDITORIAL: Coronavirus outbreak gives colleges a chance to revive a system already breaking

Los Angeles Times

Indeed, COVID-19 has superheated the issues confronting colleges and their students in ways that will reverberate for years, if not forever. This could be a moment for revamping a system that was already on the verge of breaking.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Innovative wood products hold potential for healthier forests and statewide carbon benefits

California Economic Summit

While the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, leaders within California’s forestry management world have not lost sight of another crisis in our midst: The ongoing threat of wildfires.

State panel grants temporary endangered species status to Southern California cougars

Bakersfield Californian

The state Fish and Game Commission on Thursday set the stage for a fierce environmental battle by granting temporary endangered species status to the several hundred cougars still roaming Southern California and the Central Coast.

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HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Covid vs. US Daily Average Cause of Death

Flourish

Tracking Covid 19 versus other causes of death over time

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Let’s explore exactly why Dr. Phil’s coronavirus arguments are so obtuse

Washington Post

At some point, we need to deal with the fact that the honorific “Dr.” is so vague. A guy with a PhD — no small achievement, generally — is a “Dr.” as surely as is a practicing neurosurgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. An epidemiologist who leads a national effort to fight a viral pandemic is a “Dr.”; so is a guy who has a doctorate in psychology.

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Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 hit Fresno hard, but social distancing proved valuable

Fresno Bee

Few, if any of us, have lived through something like this COVID-19 pandemic. Schools closed, restaurants shuttered, people ordered to shelter in place. Each day brings more unsettling news – millions file for unemployment benefits, under-equipped nurses and doctors struggle to keep up as more and more Americans are hospitalized with coronavirus.

Fresno County reports second highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since outbreak

abc30

Fresno County officials gave updates on Thursday evening on their response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau provided details on how the county is tackling the pandemic.

Visalia nursing home reports 2 additional deaths; 156 test positive for virus

abc30

Two more residents at the Redwood Springs Health Center in Visalia have died from COVID-19 complications, officials reported Thursday. In total, ten residents have died from the virus.

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UPDATE: Tulare County nears 400 COVID-19 cases, 17 deaths reported

Visalia Times Delta

COVID-19 has claimed two more lives in Tulare County, the county’s public health department announced on Thursday.

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Protests over stay-home orders pop up — and US health workers worry about virus risk

Fresno Bee

After multiple governors announced they would extend their states’ stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic, widespread uprisings are breaking out across the U.S.

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Still No New Cases This Week, ‘Curve’ Flattening

Sierra News

The coronavirus “curve” continues to flatten, with the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Madera County remaining at 33 according to Thursday’s update from the Department of Public Health.

How To Stay Healthy When Your Child, Spouse Or Roommate Has COVID-19

VPR

Anyone living in the same household as a sick person could get infected — a real concern, since research so far suggests household transmission is one of the main ways the coronavirus spreads. So how do you minimize your risk when moving out isn’t an option?

We’re All Wearing Cloth Masks Now. But What Cloth Should You Use? And How Do You Keep Them Sanitized?

Capital Public Radio

We answer listener questions about face masks as they become more common, including how effective they are compared to surgical masks, what to use to make them, and if you need to sanitize them before donating them.

Here are the drugs that could treat coronavirus. But don’t expect a magic bullet.

Washington Post

The journey of EIDD-2801, from laboratory to the mouth of a human, unfolded with head-snapping speed. On March 23, a division of Emory University in Atlanta licensed the experimental drug to a Miami company owned by a wealthy hedge-fund manager and his wife. Just three weeks later, a pill was given to a person for the first time in a test of its safety, in Britain.

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Why coronavirus can make some severely ill and others hardly at all

abcNews

COVID-19 does not impact us all the same. In fact, a growing body of evidence finds that the virus seems to hit men harder than women. Early in the epidemic, researchers’ best guess was that the difference could be chalked up to higher rates of smoking among men, which may have made them more vulnerable to this respiratory illness.

Coronavirus poses added challenges for deaf and hard of hearing hospital patients

Los Angeles Times

As some hospitals are overwhelmed with coronavirus cases, deaf and hard of hearing patients in California and across the country face greater barriers accessing accommodations that allow them to understand what doctors and nurses are saying.

One-third of California counties have an elder-care home with coronavirus. Here are the hotspots

Sacramento Bee

One in three California counties has confirmed at least one case of COVID-19 inside an assisted-living facility or nursing home, and the bulk of infected residents remain clustered in three metropolitan areas and a single Central Valley county, a Sacramento Bee survey of public health departments found.

Opinion: Rural areas think they’re the coronavirus exception. They’re not.

Washington Post

Under fire for her refusal to impose a statewide lockdown order, South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem impatiently told reporters, “South Dakota is not New York City, and our sense of personal responsibility, our resiliency and our already sparse population density put us in a great position to manage this virus.”

Human Services:

‘I don’t want you to go.’ Fresno health care workers cry, pray with coronavirus patients

Fresno Bee

Stephanie Edwards, an assistant nurse manager at the hospital, has had patients grab her hands and beg her not to leave their rooms. Not having families in the hospital — except for a few exceptions, including end-of-life care — has been a big change.

How are Fresno-area hospitals protecting expecting mothers during coronavirus pandemic?

Fresno Bee

It’s still unclear whether the coronavirus carries more risk for pregnant women or their babies. Researchers are enrolling expecting mothers in nationwide studies to learn more about the effects of the virus. Public health officials also are gathering data and working with doctors to increase testing.

Community Regional Medical Center prepares to ramp up COVID-19 testing, if needed

abc30

Widespread testing is needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic effectively. Test kits were initially tough to get, but hospitals are now taking in more deliveries of badly needed equipment.

Work moves forward on COVID-19 alternate care site in Porterville

abc30

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says their work to turn six unoccupied buildings at the Porterville Developmental Center into a COVID-19 alternate care site is 75% finished.

Mercy Merced nurses protest lack of equipment, say they need protection from coronavirus

Merced Sun-Star

A group of registered nurses who work at Mercy Medical Center Merced gathered Wednesday to demand adequate protections to treat patients infected with coronavirus.

‘Putting our lives on the line’: St. Joseph’s nurses protest critical shortage of protective virus equipment

Stockton Record

Registered nurses at Dignity Health’s St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton held an action at shift change Wednesday to demand protections when treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kern receives first donation of ‘convalescent plasma’ for treating COVID-19

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County has received its first donation of plasma from a woman who has fully recovered after testing positive for COVID-19, opening the way to begin an experimental antibody treatment on a critically ill local patient as soon as Friday.

Houchin Blood Bank announces temporary closure at Truxtun Avenue location

Bakersfield Californian

Houchin Community Blood Bank announced it will close its location at 5901 Truxtun Ave. until mid-May.

COVID-19 brings CSUB and community together

CSU Bakersfield

Kern County is in need of n95 masks for its local healthcare workers due to COVID-19, and students at California State University, Bakersfield have skills they wanted to put to use. Students, professors and community members alike put their talents and intelligence together to use for the greater good by assisting with making 5,000 substitute masks.

Self-care in the midst of a pandemic

CSU Bakersfield

Managing stress and anxiety is a regular challenge in everyday life that many people have to navigate as it is. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, adjusting to a “new normal” can be more challenging than in everyday life.

Quarantine survival tips for extroverts and perfectionists — and those who live with them

Washington Post

Many of the memes that started after the country began social distancing involved distraught extroverts and contented introverts. Consider the Instagram image of Zoe Kravitz eating and drinking in the bathtub with a  caption that reads, “People: I’m going crazy in quarantine. Me: Living my *best* life.”

IMMIGRATION

Deportation protection sought for farmworkers in next coronavirus relief bill

Fresno Bee

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, led a letter signed by the 38 members of the Hispanic Caucus asking congressional leadership to prioritize farmworkers in an anticipated economic relief package.

Governor Newsom Announces Disaster Relief Aid for Undocumented Workers

VPR

Governor Gavin Newsom announced an executive order this week that will provide $125 million in disaster relief for undocumented workers in California. While advocates are excited to see this development, they say the amount will only cover a fraction of those in need.

See also:

California’s Undocumented Workers and Mixed Status Families Are Locked Out of Safety Net and Federal COVID-19 Support

California Budget & Policy Center

California’s undocumented workers are especially hard-hit by the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis, and yet they are locked out of most of the federal and state public supports available to help workers and their families weather this pandemic.

Immigration Update During Pandemic: Visa Sanctions, Extensions of Nonimmigrant Status, and Visa Premium Processing

Littler

On April 10, 2020, the president issued a new memorandum, Memorandum on Visa Sanctions, focused on immigration compliance measures and enforcement.

Smugglers sawed into Trump’s border wall 18 times in one month in San Diego area, records show

Washington Post

Smugglers sawed into new sections of President Trump’s border wall 18 times in the San Diego area during a single one-month span late last year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records obtained by The Washington Post via a Freedom of Information Act request.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Although not considered ‘essential,’ Kern County golf courses remain open during COVID shutdown

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County golf courses will remain open, at least for now, with tight restrictions in place for those looking to get out and play a round.

Housing:

Existing Home Sales Slide In March Post-covid-19

Business Journal

The impact of COVID-19 on existing home sales is starting to come to light. According to a new report form the California Association of Realtors, March home sales were down compared to last year. That held mostly true in the Central Valley as well as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country in the last half of the month.

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.

Housing and Housing Finance

Urban Institute

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—the government-sponsored enterprises—and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by halting evictions of renters living in properties they finance.

Home-building across U.S. declines by nearly a quarter

UPI

U.S. home-building declined by nearly a quarter last month as the industry absorbed the impact of the coronavirus emergency, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Coronavirus crisis could trigger huge California deficits, lawmakers are told

Los Angeles Times

Almost one month after Californians were told to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, state lawmakers were told Thursday to prepare for a shortfall in tax revenues of historic proportions, a fiscal crisis that would far exceed government cash reserves.

See also:

Answering your questions on the federal stimulus payments to address the coronavirus emergency

Fresno Bee

The full payments of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child are available to individuals who earned an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less and couples who made $150,000 or less as reported on their 2018 or 2019 tax return, whichever was last filed.

See also:

Late on property taxes due to the coronavirus? Merced County says it may be able to help

Merced Sun-Star

Late property tax penalties for COVID-19 hardships were canceled in Merced County, CA, by the Board of Supervisors. Payments are still due. Residents must document hospital visits, unemployment or quarantine.

TRANSPORTATION

Commentary: Don’t ban biking during the coronavirus pandemic

CalMatters

As public health officials implement safety measures against the coronavirus pandemic, governors in states like New York, California and Washington have taken the lead, often looking to Europe and Asia for inspiration on the design of stay-at-home orders and other policies to “flatten the curve” of infection.

WATER

California and West suffering worst ‘megadrought’ in centuries, study of tree rings shows

Merced Sun-Star

Officially, California’s most recent drought lasted five painful years and ended in 2017. But a new study released Thursday says California and the rest of the West are enduring a continuing megadrought that ranks among the worst on record.

See also:

Central Valley groundwater markets emerging under SGMA

SJV Water

Central Valley farmers may soon have another crop to sell along with almonds, tomatoes and peppers — the groundwater beneath their land. Proposed groundwater markets have popped up in just about every groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) filed with the state Jan. 31.

Commentary: California water policies inhibit food production by Valley farmers

CalMatters

Over the past several weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has created images Americans never expected to see in this country: Empty supermarket shelves and people lined up outside of markets waiting to enter to purchase food.

“Xtra”

Sports Want to Come Back Soon. That Doesn’t Mean Sports Can Come Back Soon.

Wall Street Journal

When are the games coming back? I don’t know. Nobody knows! Not President Trump, not Dr. Fauci, not Dr. J, not Gavin Newsom, not Ozzie Newsome, not Dick Vitale, not Dabo Swinney, not Doris Burke, not even the Oracle of Oracles, the Grumpy Lobster Boat Captain himself, Bill Belichick.

See also:

Businesses owned by women and minorities have grown. Will COVID-19 undo that?

Brookings

Demographic disparities in business ownership are well-documented. Research shows that a variety of factors limit women and people of color as they consider starting businesses, including disparities in educational attainment, personal wealth, and access to capital.

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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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