April 20, 2020

20Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

Merced County supervisor apologizes after words about social workers’ COVID-19 concerns

Merced Sun-Star

Merced County Supervisor Scott Silveira apologized this week for comments suggesting county social workers may want to “rethink” their line of work after they raised coronavirus-related safety concerns in the workplace.

Turlock to fine shelter-in-place violators

Turlock Journal

Turlock businesses and individuals not abiding by the shelter-in-place orders regarding the coronavirus pandemic could now be subject to fines.

Coronavirus update: Modesto’s distance learning under way; shelters cleared

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County remained at four deaths early Monday morning. It reported that 226 people have now tested positive for the virus and 3,212 have tested negative. Fifty people have been hospitalized, and 109 have recovered.

Cong. 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.

Central SJ Valley:

State Sen. Borgeas Appointed to Committee on Pandemic Response

Clovis Round Up

California State Senator Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno) was appointed to a new bipartisan Senate Special Committee on California’s Emergency Pandemic Response.

Fresno County now has more than 300 coronavirus cases. Leaders release data for ethnicity

Fresno Bee

Fresno County reported 16 new cases of coronavirus on Friday and officials unveiled new demographic numbers by ethnicity for positive cases.The county now has 311 coronavirus cases from its more than 4,500 tests. Seventy-six people have recovered from the pandemic virus and seven people have died.

Hanford City council to discuss coronavirus aid funds

Hanford Sentinel

The Hanford City Council will meet via video teleconference Tuesday to discuss coronavirus aid funding.

Lemoore City Council to discuss audit report

Hanford Sentinel

The Lemoore City Council is set to meet Tuesday to discuss one item of general business.

A Nursing Home Overwhelmed By COVID-19 Gets Some Help From A Visalia Hospital

Valley Public Radio

When Keri Noeske, the director of care management at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, asked her nurses and nursing assistants to sign up for shifts at a nursing home besieged by COVID-19, she was surprised by the quick response. 

Opinion: How the Heart of California has responded and may yet respond to the Coronavirus

Fresno Bee

In Madera, a small town that is growing, we might have the benefit of not being a crowded city like New York, whose citizens unfortunately must worry that social distancing must be more difficult due to the population and infrastructure of living.

EDITORIAL: Tulare County supervisor’s ‘tortilla’ comment was racist. Apology to community is needed

Fresno Bee

It was a shocking comment for all who heard it: When a Tulare County supervisor who is Latino asked for more information during a discussion at last Tuesday’s board meeting, the chairman said “Supervisor Valero wants another bite of the tortilla.”

South SJ Valley:

Kern County COVID-19 case count eclipses 600

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Public Health Services Department has reported 619 positive tests for COVID-19 within county borders. The newest data, rolled out Saturday morning, represents 32 new cases in 24 hours

Once financially stable, coronavirus rocks Bakersfield and Kern County budgets

Bakersfield Californian

Slightly more than a month after Bakersfield’s coffers appeared to be swelling, the new coronavirus has plunged the city into dire financial straits. The Kern County government, too, is facing difficult times. Having just emerged from a four-year fiscal crisis, the County Administrative Office must now deal with a pandemic that could lead it back into the red.

Kern supervisors to consider advocating for all-mail election in November

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Board of Supervisors will take up this November’s election at their meeting on Tuesday, specifically the possibility of requesting Gov. Gavin Newsom authorize counties to move forward with all-mail voting.

Q&A with Matt Constantine, Kern County Director of Public Health Services Department

Bakersfield Californian

When Matt Constantine was confirmed as director of the Kern County Public Health Services Department in late 2009, the county was in the middle of the swine flu epidemic. More than a decade later, he is leading the response to the coronavirus.

Oil producer hopes to copy Kern’s permitting system in other counties

Bakersfield Californian

A local petroleum producer is trying to get two other Central Valley counties to replicate Kern’s attempt at an over-the-counter oil and gas permitting system.

Kern River Valley residents, business owners worry about influx of visitors during lockdown

Bakersfield Californian

Most of these small communities have limited medical resources. And when visitors come unprepared, grocery stores can be cleaned out of some products, leaving locals scrambling for alternatives.

State Asm Salas delivers food to families in need in Lost Hills

Bakersfield Californian

Assemblymember Rudy Salas delivered water and food donations to families in Lost Hills who are in need of essential supplies. According to a news release, 200 families attended the Friday event, while 5,200 bottles of water were distributed along with hundreds of bags of essential food supplies

State:

California records its deadliest day so far with 95 deaths from coronavirus

San Francisco Chronicle

California recorded its highest number of deaths in a 24-hour period this week since the coronavirus pandemic began, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday.

See also:

What Comes Next For California Cities? Deficits, Bailouts And Long Recoveries

Capital Public Radio

As government deficits appear in a coronavirus-induced recession, California cities are clamoring for a bailout in the next round of federal stimulus.

Opinion: Can Gavin Newsom Lead California Through the Coronavirus Pandemic?

New York Times

To borrow one of his favorite phrases, Gavin Newsom has met his moment.

See also:

A-list business & union leaders combine to help steer Calif’s economic recovery

CalMatters

California aims to help businesses shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic by assisting them with inventory problems and debt. Those are among the ideas to be considered by a new, 80-member task force that Gov. Gavin Newsom created.

See also:

California has lagged on coronavirus testing. That’s starting to change

San Francisco Chronicle

After months of backlogs and shortages, there are signs that access to coronavirus testing in California is improving for many people with symptoms — a dramatic change from just a few weeks ago when countless sick patients were denied tests, even in emergency rooms.

See also:

California Lawmakers Seek Answers On Governor’s Billion-Dollar Protective Mask And Equipment Deal

Capital Public Radio

The Legislature is technically adjourned, but the Senate and Assembly have scheduled hearings to review coronavirus response spending by the Newsom administration.

See also:

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 Labor Secretary Reacts To Latest Unemployment Figures

VPR

As the nation tries to get the rate of new cases of coronavirus under control, there’s another rate that is skyrocketing – the rate of people losing their jobs. We learned today that more than 5 million people applied for unemployment benefits last week.

Petitions ask Gavin Newsom to block 5G wireless expansion in California. Is it dangerous?

Sacramento Bee

Petitions asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to block the roll out of 5G in California neighborhoods have popped up on social media in recent weeks, raising concern that the super-fast fifth generation of mobile broadband will cause adverse health effects like cancer and DNA damage.

California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis on the State’s Response to COVID-19

Valley Public Radio

With recent data indicating that the COVID-19 curve is flattening in some parts of California, FM89’s Kathleen Schock spoke to the state’s Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis about the planning process to reopen the economy and efforts to increase testing capacity.

Protests against California stay-at-home order move to San Clemente

Los Angeles Times

The protests calling for the easing of California’s stay-at-home orders moved to San Clemente, where a group of demonstrators converged against the coronavirus safety rules.

See also:

Federal:

Coronavirus death toll tops 40,000 in US. Virus won’t ‘just disappear,’ Fauci warns

Fresno Bee

Coronavirus has killed more than 40,000 people in the United States, Johns Hopkins University reports.

Lockdown politics increasingly pit economic, health concerns

Fresno Bee

Governments locking down their countries to hinder the spread of the coronavirus and citizens anxious to see businesses and other economic activity resume are increasingly at odds.

See also:

  • Bill Gates is now the Main Target of Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories: Report Hill

How Trump let the US fall behind the curve on coronavirus threat

Fresno Bee

The first day President Donald Trump mentioned the coronavirus in public, only one American was known to be infected. He assured the rest of the country it had no reason to worry.

See also

Trump Defends Testing Capacity Despite Experts’ Warnings

Capital Public Radio

The president still hopes to see some states begin easing social distancing measures before May 1, but health care authorities warn of a long road to recovery for the United States.

See also:

Trump invokes DPA for COVID-19 testing swabs

UPI

President Donald Trump said he plans to force a U.S. company through the Defense Production Act to produce medical swabs used for coronavirus tests.
See also:

Trump says he’s close to a deal with Congress on virus aid

Fresno Bee

The Trump administration and Congress are nearing an agreement on an aid package of up to $450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money and add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing.

See also:

Lacking US coordination, states team up on when to reopen

Hanford Sentinel

California, Oregon and Washington state have teamed up, and pacts have formed among Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island as well as Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

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Paul O’Neill, Fresno State Alum and Former Treasury Secretary & Alcoa CEO, Dies

Wall Street Journal

Paul O’Neill, a former U.S. Treasury secretary and Alcoa chief executive whose independence and blunt speaking style led to clashes with President George W. Bush died early Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh.

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:

Coronavirus Intensifies Legal Tussle Over Voting Rights

Wall Street Journal

Intense court battles over voting rights and election security always promised to be part of the 2020 election cycle, but the coronavirus has added new urgency to the cases, which are multiplying nationwide.

See also:

Expert Warns Of ‘Real Festival of Partisan Gerrymandering’ in 2021

Capital Public Radio

David Daley, who wrote a book on Republican redistricting efforts earlier this decade, worries that the next round of map-making could be just as bad.

Joe Biden wins mail-in Wyoming Democratic presidential caucus

Los Angeles Times

Joe Biden has won Wyoming’s Democratic presidential caucus, which had been postponed for two weeks and scaled back to just mail-in ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic, state party officials said Sunday.

See also:

Gavin Newsom goes from resistance leader to unwitting Trump surrogate

Politico

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who spent his first year in office being a thorn in President Donald Trump’s side, is now a breakout star in the president’s reelection campaign.

Michelle Obama May Stay ‘Above The Fray’ As She Returns To Political Life

NPR

On a recent Saturday night, tens of thousands of people joined a nine-hour virtual dance party on Instagram Live that was hosted by DJ D-Nice. Some familiar big names have been dropping into what he calls “Club Quarantine,” like John Legend, Joe Biden and Mark Zuckerberg. But it was the appearance of former first lady Michelle Obama that seemed to have a big impact.

California Democrats who flipped seats in 2018 have plenty of cash for 2020

San Francisco Chronicle

California Democrats are building a wall of money to defend the congressional seats they took from Republicans in 2018, new Federal Election Commission financial reports show.

Commentary: Earlier California presidential primary succeeded on many levels

CalMatters

Many pundits questioned California’s decision to move our presidential primary election to an earlier date. The fact that the winner of the California Democratic Primary did not become the party’s nominee has only served as fuel for the skepticism.

Other:

Return to normal? Most aren’t hopeful it will happen by July, US coronavirus poll finds

Fresno Bee

As states grapple with the possibility of lifting coronavirus restrictions, most Americans in a new poll don’t expect their lives to return to normal in a couple of months.

See also:

When Fresno Police Enforced Masks – Historian Ethan Kytle On Fresno’s Last Pandemic

Valley Public Radio

Fresno State history professor Ethan Kytle has been reviewing news reports about a pandemic, but not this one. He’s been reading the Fresno Morning Republican.

See also:

Facebook unveils tool mapping reported coronavirus symptoms

The Hill

Facebook on Monday unveiled a map with a county-by-county breakdown of people reporting coronavirus symptoms. The map will be updated daily and is based on data from an opt-in survey Facebook is running with researchers at Carnegie Mellon.

Charity is off the charts amid the coronavirus. Is that a sign of America’s strength or weakness?

Los Angeles Times

The coronavirus outbreak has shut down entire school districts and turned bustling commercial corridors into ghost towns, but there’s one sector of society that’s busier than ever: philanthropy.

See also:

Why the Virus Is a Civil Rights Issue: ‘The Pain Will Not Be Shared Equally’

New York Times

The Covid-19 racial disparity in infections and deaths is viewed as the latest chapter of historical injustices, generational poverty and a flawed health care system.

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Opinion: As Taiwan shows, the antidote to the virus is freedom

Washington Post

We continue to learn more about the Chinese Communist regime’s lies and culpability in the global coronavirus pandemic. But if you want to see the difference between how a totalitarian and a free Chinese society handles a public health emergency, just contrast the actions of the People’s Republic with those of the Republic of China, Taiwan.

Fresno will quietly mark anniversary of Armenian Genocide due to COVID-19, but not forget

Fresno Bee

As far as that pesky coronavirus that is shaking up the world, an Armenian American is the co-founder and chairman of one of the companies leading to create a much needed vaccine. As Saroyan so eloquently put it, “…see if they will not create a New Armenia.”

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, April 26, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: Gig Workers: What’s Old is New Again – Guests: Sophia Bollag with Sacramento Bee; Allan Zaremberg with California Chamber of Commerce; Steve Smith with California Federation Labor; Dan Walters with CalMatters; and John Myers with Los Angeles Times. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, April 26, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report – Valley Views Edition: How Will AB5 Impact the Valley? – Guests: Dillon Savory, Executive Director of the Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Central Labor Council; Nathan Ahle, Executive Director of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce; and Jamie Bossuat, member of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and an attorney with the law firm Kroloff, Belcher, Smart, Perry, & Christopherson. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, April 26, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Una introducción al proceso presupuestario de California – Guest: Edgar Cabral, Analista Oficina de Analisis Legislativo. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

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.

See also:

Is protecting farmworkers a national security issue? Fresno-area farmers say yes

Fresno Bee

Protecting farmworkers during a health crisis is an issue of national security, according to farmers, industry advocates and public health professors who say outbreaks on the industry’s front lines could jeopardize the nation’s food supply chain.

See also:

Trump announces $19B program to help agriculture sector

Hill

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will purchase crops and livestock from farmers and ranchers facing a steep decline in orders and massive supply chain disruption. Funding will come from the $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic relief bill and separate USDA funds to support commodity prices.

See also:

California food workers will get extra paid sick leave amid coronavirus crisis            

Los Angeles Times                                                                                                            Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Thursday requiring companies in the food sector that employ 500 or more people to provide two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave for full-time workers who contract COVID-19 or are exposed to the virus and need to isolate themselves.                                                                                              

Old Town Clovis farmer’s market is back on

abc30

The Old Town Clovis Saturday morning farmer’s market is now back in business. The event usually happens year round, but it’s been shut down since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safeway says coronavirus outbreak at California center poses no threat to groceries

Sacramento Bee

Safeway says there is no threat from food or packaging shipped from its Northern California distribution center after one of its workers died from coronavirus and 51 others working there were infected.

Food trucks can sell meals at California highway rest areas to bolster supply chain

Sacramento Bee

California is now allowing food trucks to sell meals to truck drivers at state highway rest areas to increase the number of convenient food options available and ensure the supply chain of food and other needed products isn’t impeded during the coronavirus pandemic.

Food Banks On The Front Lines As Ohioans Await Economic Relief

Capital & Main

They came in dark-colored sedans, beat-up pick-up trucks, and shiny SUVs, with trunks popped up or windows rolled down. Hundreds of residents from all corners of Dayton — elderly vets, young families, single men and women, disabled individuals — in anticipation of getting a laminated orange card allowing them to pick up a week’s worth of groceries.

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From wine to lifeline: LangeTwins teams up with distillery to make hand sanitizer

Stockton Record

The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders have stretched some individuals and businesses in unimaginable ways. But when challenges are met with resolve, the results can be special.

Coronavirus: Boom times for cannabis firms as people isolate

Los Angeles Times

If there’s on business the coronavirus has kissed with fortune, it’s weed.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Fresno County DA going after looters during coronavirus emergency, charges 3 suspects

Fresno Bee

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has filed felony looting charges against three suspects for breaking into cars and a business during the current coronavirus state of emergency.

See also

Nearly 40 Fresno Co low-level juvenile offenders set free to slow coronavirus spread

Fresno Bee

Thirty-eight nonviolent juvenile offenders have been released this month from the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Campus to lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus, a probation official confirmed.

See also:

A man was booked into Fresno County Jail. Then he said he was positive for COVID-19

Fresno Bee

A man booked into Fresno County Jail previously had tested positive for coronavirus, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed, with the department only learning about the test result after the suspect entered a jail holding area.

See also:

Opinion: Stay-home guidelines can hurt, if that’s where your abuser is

Modesto Bee

Usually, abuse happens at home — the very place all of us are supposed to stay, to avoid spreading the coronavirus. With the economy in ruins and record unemployment, abusers are more likely than ever to be home.

Public Safety:

Coronavirus Fears Have Produced A Lot Of New Gun Owners — And Safety Concerns

Capital Public Radio

Many gun dealers say they are seeing a number of first-time buyers. Long-time gun owners from across the U.S. are helping the newcomers learn to handle firearms safely in a time of social distancing.

See also

Fire:

How Can California Fight Wildfires in the Middle of a Pandemic? In a Few Months, We’ll Likely Find Out

KQED

Fire agencies and emergency managers are now planning how they’ll fight wildfires, issue evacuation orders, set up shelters and handle power shutoffs in the face of the massive challenge of simultaneously coping with a highly infectious disease.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

California In A ‘Pandemic-Induced Recession,’ Gov. Gavin Newsom Says

Capital Public Radio

The governor launched a new economic recovery task force, led by business leaders and all four living former state governors.

See also:

Coronavirus rescue loans for small business went to community lenders as big banks fumbled

Los Angeles Times

Small businesses that rushed in vain to tap $349 billion in emergency U.S. loans to survive the coronavirus crisis are facing a harsh reality: Some of the nation’s top banks lagged behind relatively tiny rivals in handling applications.

See also:

City of Tracy utilizes Grow Tracy Fund to help small businesses amongst COVID-19 pandemic

PublicCEO

The City of Tracy and Grow American Fund have established and capitalized the Grow Tracy Fund as an economic development tool designed to assist eligible small businesses within the City of Tracy to obtain the financing required to grow their businesses.

Tourist-dependent Solvang struggles through coronavirus stay-home orders in California

Los Angeles Times

With his wire-rim glasses, burly build and shock of alabaster hair tucked into a bike helmet, Chuck Stacy looked a little like Santa Claus on vacation as he pedaled through Solvang’s quaint business district last week.

Virus Wreaks Havoc on Workers’ Financial Health

Capital & Main

Since cities and states began issuing stay-at-home orders in early March to counter the spread of COVID-19, a mind-boggling 16 million-plus jobs have been lost, at least temporarily, representing the speediest and deepest economic collapse since the Great Depression.

See also:

U.S. Suspends Tariffs for Some Importers Affected by Coronavirus

Wall Street Journal

The Trump administration said it would allow some companies to delay payment of import tariffs due to economic hardship triggered by the new coronavirus, but the relief was much more limited than many officials and business leaders had signaled.

Walmart’s Coronavirus Challenge Is Just Staying Open

Wurnal

A picture hangs in the office of Walmart Inc. Chief Executive Doug McMillon showing company trucks rolling into New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, an indication of the retailer’s pride in quickly restocking stores during the toughest of times.

Summer Businesses Fear Coronavirus Lockdowns Means a Lost Season

Wall Street Journal

Nobody is crashing the bumper cars or taking a ride on the Sea Serpent roller coaster at Keansburg Amusement Park now. The family-owned park on the Jersey Shore pushed its opening back to at least Memorial Day because of the coronavirus pandemic.

‘A long way to go’ before there’s enough testing to reopen economy, Business Roundtable CEO says

CNBC
The United States needs to see increased testing for the coronavirus before businesses can begin to reopen, Business Roundtable President and CEO Joshua Bolten said Thursday. “We’ve clearly got a long way to go, but there’s progress being made every day … all the CEOs in our organization agree that testing is an absolutely crucial gating element to getting us back and running safely,” Bolten said on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.”

Walters: A dark economic and fiscal tunnel

Visalia Times Delta

Gov. Gavin Newsom says he sees light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel, when Californians regain “a semblance of normalcy,” emerge from their homes, converse verbally rather than electronically and return to their jobsites.

Commentary: Let’s not fight the last economic battle

AEI

Generals are often criticized for fighting the last battle. Let us hope that the same will not be said of world and U.S. economic policymakers as they fight the economic fallout from the coronavirus epidemic. Rather than view the current economic crisis as simply a repeat of the 2008-2009 Great Recession, one must hope that they recognize that the current crisis might share some of the debt-deflation elements of the world economic depression of the 1930s.

How the Coronavirus Might Reduce Income Inequality

Wall Street Journal

Past pandemics have shifted the balance of bargaining power toward workers and away from owners, but it is far from certain that the new coronavirus will do that—and ultimately reduce the gap between poor and rich.

Jobs:

Fresno-area job losses mounting in COVID-19 pandemic. But there are glimmers of hiring help

Fresno Bee

California saw over 2.8 million new unemployment claims since the coronavirus pandemic hit hard. Here’s how it’s being felt in Fresno and San Joaquin Valley. But there are job & hiring prospects, here are some.

See also:

Kern unemployment jumped prior to stay-home order

Bakersfield Californian

A week before California’s stay-at-home order, unemployment in Kern had already jumped to its highest level in almost six years, according to new data pointing to a seasonal drop in farm work and the beginnings of a wave of layoffs at local restaurants.

How a Modesto essential business juggles keeping the food chain and employees healthy

Modesto Bee

During our collective stay-at-home order, most of us — at least those lucky enough to be able to work from and stay home — have thought a lot more about our food and supply chain than ever before.

Turlock’s top sales tax producers still open

Turlock Journal

Like many municipalities, sales tax serves as one of Turlock’s largest sources of revenue, but the coronavirus and its sudden attack on the community’s health and the economy could create an even bigger hole in the City’s already-struggling budget.

California Employment Report for March 2020

California Center for Jobs & the Economy

The Center for Jobs and the Economy has released our initial analysis of the March Employment Report released by the California Employment Development Department.

See also:

California musicians would be exempt from new labor rule under proposal from law’s author

Modesto Bee

A new California law that compels employers to give full-time benefits to more workers could soon be adjusted to exempt many musicians, allowing them to pursue gigs as independent contracts.

See also:

What is work sharing and how can it help the labor market?

Brookings

A program called work sharing, or short-time compensation, encourages employers to temporarily reduce the hours of their employees rather than lay them off during an economic downturn.

You’re Working From Home, but Your Company Is Still Watching You

Wall Street Journal

Chris Heuwetter never felt a need to monitor the employees of his Florida social-media marketing company. He could glance across his company’s 3,000-square-foot office and see them.

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EDUCATION

K-12:

Old frustrations linger for some parents, as Fresno schools pass out student computers

Fresno Bee

As Fresno Unified officials scramble to pass out thousands of computers to students, many parents have expressed frustration with a process they say is fraught with confusion and delays.

What matters most as Modesto City Schools teachers begin new remote instruction

Modesto Bee

When third-grade teacher Christina Elizondo got online with her Everett Elementary School students last Monday, she quickly saw there was something they had been missing more than instruction during this period of coronavirus pandemic distance learning.

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With graduation ceremonies in flux, community members determined to give students their ‘one proud moment’

Bakersfield Californian

With this annual celebration drawing hundreds, if not thousands, of people into stands, there’s the possibility that holding such large gatherings at the end of May and early June will be impossible.

See also:

Backers of “Schools and Communities First” Submit Record Breaking Number of Signatures for Inclusion on Fall Ballot.

Los Angeles Education Examiner

Backers of the Schools and Communities First Ballot Initiative didn’t let a little thing like a global pandemic stop them from submitting 1.7 million signatures to the California Secretary of State to earn a spot on the November ballot. The measure needs 50%+1 vote to pass.

Early Ed in the Age of COVID-19

EdNote

Research tells us that a child’s experiences in the early years build a foundation of social, emotional and cognitive development that they will need to enter kindergarten ready to learn. For most children in the U.S., who spend an average of 25 hours per week in nonparental care, much of this growth and development is nurtured by the early childhood workforce, including child care workers, preschool teachers and aides.

Education and Leadership with Dr. Mary Barlow

Kegley Institute of Ethics

In this episode of The Ethicist’s Corner, we talk with Dr. Mary Barlow, Kern County Superintendent of Schools. She speaks on educational leadership and working with her team to address the needs of students, teachers, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Took Away Public Education. Will We Miss It?

National Review

A week after COVID-19 prompted the closure of Virginia’s schools, my five-year-old’s Montessori teacher started doing 30 minutes of Zoom with the class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. The content is nothing to write home about. The teacher reads a story, talks a bit about daffodils or frogs, and might celebrate a kid’s birthday.

Commentary: What coronavirus and the CARES Act mean for school budgets

AEI

Nora Gordon, an economist at Georgetown University, is one of the nation’s leading scholars of federal education spending. She is also a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute, and associate editor of Education Finance and Policy.

Higher Ed:

Expert advice on virtual teaching: From face-to-face to facing the future

CSU Bakersfield

As students, faculty, staff and community members shift from face-to-face interaction in their usual classroom and office settings, there is a lot of adjusting that is taking place behind-the-scenes.

UC dropped the SAT and ACT amid coronavirus. Here’s why some want them back next year

Los Angeles Times

The University of California suspended SAT and ACT testing requirements for admission next fall amid the coronavirus pandemic — but many faculty members want them back for at least the next five years.

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Unable to complete student teaching requirements, prospective teachers may soon get reprieve

EdSource

Thousands of teacher candidates in California, preparing to graduate this year in the midst the coronavirus pandemic, may not have to complete all their student-teaching hours or take all required tests before teaching in their own classrooms next year.

What the government has done to relieve student loan borrowers during the crisis

Brookings Brief

With unemployment skyrocketing, many of America’s 42 million student loan borrowers are finding it difficult to make their payments. Caitlin Brandt, Louise Sheiner, and Kadija Yilla provide an overview on the government’s actions to relieve the burden of student loans and discuss what measures may be on the way.

See also:

Opinion: Colleges and Universities Threatened By COVID-19

Townhall

Some of America’s most beautiful spaces — our colleges and university campuses — are closed and empty these days. Schools have canceled their spring semesters and commencements because of the COVID-19 virus; classrooms, dormitories and athletic facilities have been closed.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Valley Air News April 2020

Valley Air

Update

See also:

Trump administration rolls back Obama-era EPA rule that curbed toxic pollutants

CBS News

The Trump administration gutted an Obama-era rule that compelled the country’s coal plants to cut back emissions of mercury and other human health hazards, a move designed to limit future regulation of air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants.

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EDITORIAL: Congress should stick with conservation funding in a dark time

San Francisco Chronicle

Just a month ago Washington had something rare in its grasp. There was an all-sides agreement on locking in a conservation fund in the nation’s spending plans. President Trump was on board, beaming out friendly tweets. Congress overwhelmingly liked the idea. Then the pandemic hit.

Coyotes, bobcats and bears: Wildlife is reclaiming Yosemite National Park

Los Angeles Times

Yosemite Village is normally a crush of humanity and traffic congestion. On Saturday, it was peaceful like few times before — the only sounds coming from the wind and the few local residents.

Energy:

Oil producer hopes to copy Kern’s permitting system in other counties

Bakersfield Californian

A local petroleum producer is trying to get two other Central Valley counties to replicate Kern’s attempt at an over-the-counter oil and gas permitting system.

US oil prices hit 18-year low

Hill

U.S. crude oil prices slipped to a new 18-year low on Friday, ending the week on a decline.

See also:

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Visalia nursing home has largest COVID-19 outbreak among patients in state, data shows

Fresno Bee

A Visalia nursing home has the largest coronavirus outbreak in California among residents, according to data released by state officials Friday night.

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21 employees at Kaweah Delta test positive for COVID-19

abc30

Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia has reported 21 of their employees tested positive for COVID-19.

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Fresno County sees slight increase in confirmed coronavirus cases

Fresno Bee

While it’s too early to determine whether the number of coronavirus cases in the central San Joaquin Valley is starting to subside, Saturday brought about just a few new positive tests of COVID-19.

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Fresno State COVID-19 Lab Will Speed County’s Pandemic Response

GVWire

Local COVID-19 infections could be confirmed in as little as 24 hours when a new testing lab at Fresno State comes on line in the days ahead. The state-licensed lab, housed at the university’s Jordan Agricultural Research Center, can test between 40-60 specimens a day. It will analyze samples collected elsewhere, but will not offer in-person testing services.

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Blood center takes first plasma donation for COVID-19 treatment

Business Journal

The Fresno-based organization recently announced it was the first blood center in the U.S. to produce pathogen-reduced plasma from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 as a treatment for hospital patients currently battling the disease.

CRISPR And Spit Might Be Keys To Faster, Cheaper, Easier Tests For The Coronavirus

VPR

One approach to the next generation of tests is being developed by the University of California, San Francisco Medical School and Mammoth Biosciences. In a paper released in Nature Biotechnology, researchers describe a test based on a technology known as CRISPR.

Separation anxiety: Coronavirus takes toll on those with Alzheimer’s, their loved ones

Stockton Record

Caring for someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is tough enough. But the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic have brought even more challenges for those with the disease, their families and their caregivers.

What Does Covid-19 Do to Your Brain?

Wired

DURING THE THIRD week of March, as  the pandemic coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was beginning to grip the city of Detroit, an ambulance sped through its streets to Henry Ford Hospital. Inside, a 58-year-old airline worker struggled to understand what was happening to her.

Getting Treated for a Medical Problem That’s Not Coronavirus

Consumer Reports

The health problem on everyone’s mind—and the one filling up emergency rooms and hospital beds around the country—may be COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean that other medical needs have disappeared.

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Does Covid-19 Infection Equal Immunity?

Wall Street Journal

As the ranks of Covid-19 survivors swell, scientists are racing to understand how well they resist reinfection—and just how long that hard-won immunity might last.

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French researchers: High temperatures ineffective against coronavirus

The Hill

The novel coronavirus can survive in high temperatures, researchers said, casting doubt on suggestions that the threat will subside in the summer.

Can Sunlight Kill The Virus? How Risky Is An Elevator Ride?
NPR
Sunlight contains three types of ultraviolet light — UVA, which tans your skin (and ages it) and can cause eye damage; UVB, which burns and also ages skin; and UVC, which is “the most harmful one” because it’s quite good at destroying genetic material, explains Juan Leon, a virologist who focuses on environmental health at Emory University. Luckily, he notes, the sun’s UVC rays don’t reach us because they are filtered out by Earth’s atmosphere.

Human Services:

Group helps Valley healthcare workers, restaurants by bringing free meals to hospitals

Fresno Bee

A new group is helping healthcare and restaurant workers in the central San Joaquin Valley by giving free meals to hospitals. This community-funded effort – FLAG Central Valley, short for Front Line Appreciation Group – is run by a registered nurse from Fresno, Tali Whelan.

For in-home care workers, the job continues despite shortages in PPE

Bakersfield Californian

Aurora Sanchez noticed her mother, Maria Ocampo, was sick with what would later be diagnosed as the new coronavirus March 25. Sanchez first realized something was wrong when she tried to wake up a sleeping Ocampo in the mother’s Bakersfield home, and felt the 86-year-old “burning up.”

More than 58,000 buy insurance during special Covered California period amid coronavirus
Sacramento Bee
Tens of thousands of Californians have signed up for health insurance through Covered California since the state-based marketplace announced a special enrollment period March 20 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

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How to Make a CDC-Approved Cloth Face Mask

Wired

THE TIME HAS come to start covering your face. As we  reported April 3, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends all citizens voluntarily wear a cloth face mask for essential trips out of the house to the grocery store, doctor, or other public places where the 6-foot social distancing rules may be difficult to maintain. In short, most places.

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Kindness can’t be quarantined: Little Free Libraries provide food, toilet paper during pandemic

MSN

Little Free Libraries – the cute book exchange boxes on thousands of front yards and street corners – are being turned into sharing boxes filled with toilet paper, food and comfort items during the coronavirus pandemic.

Obama knocks GOP’s stance on preexisting conditions during pandemic

PolitiFact

As he endorsed his vice president Joe Biden, Barack Obama criticized the Republican Party’s efforts to dismantle the health care law he championed, which continues through the coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans are willing to cut millions of people “off their health insurance and eliminate pre-existing condition protections,” Obama said in an online video.

Malaria drugs fail to help coronavirus patients in controlled studies

Los Angeles Times

The malaria drugs touted by President Trump as potentially “the biggest game changers in the history of medicine” have received a decidedly more sober assessment of their coronavirus-fighting potential from researchers in China, France and Brazil.

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IMMIGRATION

Advocates say hundreds of immigrants detained in California are on hunger strike. ICE says only two

Bakersfield Californian

Advocates say hundreds of immigrants detained in California facilities are now on hunger strike over conditions that leave them vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. But officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Friday that two detainees are on hunger strike at Adelanto and none at any other facility.

ICE’s COVID-19 test figures hint at health crisis in detention

Roll Call

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has tested more than 300 detainees for the COVID-19 virus and 124 of them were positive, or more than one-third, CQ Roll Call learned Friday, raising concern among immigration advocates that the actual number of ill detainees held by the agency is far greater.

Commentary: Your next boss could be an undocumented immigrant; growing number of business founders lack legal status

CalMatters

Undocumented entrepreneurs are a growing demographic. In 2016, there were 770,000 in America. Today, there’s more than 815,000, according to research from the bipartisan nonprofit New American Economy.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Gavin Newsom discusses help for homeless Californians during coronavirus

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom gave an update on the plan to help homeless Californians during the coronavirus pandemic Saturday. The livestream is now over, but you can still watch it by clicking on the video above.

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Home prices jumped in March, mostly before coronavirus lockdown

San Francisco Chronicle

Bay Area home prices rose substantially in March despite a drop in sales compared with last March, according to the California Association of Realtors, but those numbers reflect deals entered into before most counties imposed shelter-in-place orders March 17.

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‘A Renters’ Market:’ Power Shifts From Landlords to Tenants With Evictions Off the Table in California

KQED
It was Jamie Bagley’s first apartment without roommates: a newly refurbished one-bedroom in downtown Oakland with sunlight streaming into the living room and a patio for her collection of outdoor plants.

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Opinion: Another U.S.-Wide Housing Slump Is Coming

Bloomberg

A U.S. housing crisis is coming and  although it won’t be anything like the last one, that won’t make it any less painful. Even though there has been no rampant speculation or subprime mortgage fraud, housing is still overvalued.

PUBLIC FINANCES

The next economic crisis will hit states and cities

Axios

America’s economic crisis soon may expand to its states, cities and towns. The big picture: State and local tax revenue is falling, particularly in areas heavily reliant on sales taxes, while spending is up due to added unemployment and medical obligations.

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The Coronavirus Pandemic Will Test the State’s Budget Reserves

PPIC

As it grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, California faces an uncertain fiscal future. This global crisis has caused a sharp decline in economic activity, exposing crucial sectors to heightened risk. As discussions continue about when and how to re-open the economy, it is clear that the state will have to respond to significant fiscal challenges.

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Commentary: Changing Prop. 13 will generate a tax bill that will harm small businesses, especially those owned by minorities

CalMatters

Many opponents of the original Proposition 13 have never given up. The same groups that fought the ballot measure more than four decades ago when 65 percent of the state’s electorate passed it have repeatedly tried to destroy the measure’s important property tax protections.

‘I don’t have weeks to wait’: What delays in stimulus payments mean for Americans

Washington Post

People across the country are encountering difficulties receiving their stimulus payments. The Washington Post asked readers to share their experiences with the process. Thousands responded. Here are just a few of their stories, in their own words. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

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TRANSPORTATION

California car dealers are essential businesses during the pandemic. But customers stay away

Sacramento Bee

They’ve been labeled an essential business in much of California and have stayed open during the coronavirus pandemic. But California’s car dealers are struggling to get buyers into their showrooms.

California Prepares to Shift Planning Focus from Car Delay to Induced Travel

StreetsBlogCal

A profound change is coming to the way California plans and develops its cities. For years, congestion has been the only way the environmental impact of car traffic has been accounted for under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Speeders Take Over Empty Roads — With Fatal Consequences

PEW

As Americans remain at home, many roads in cities, suburbs and rural areas are practically deserted. But the absence of traffic is a seductive draw for one type of driver: speeders. “People are saying, ‘Wow, the roads are wide open. There’s no one here but me,’” said Pam Shadel Fischer, a senior director at the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety offices. “We’re seeing incredibly crazy, off-the-chart speed and aggressiveness.”

WATER

California, rest of the West sinking into a rare mega-drought, scientists say

San Francisco Chronicle

California’s crushing five-year drought came to a welcome end after record rain three winters ago. Or did it? Although forests are greener, reservoirs are fuller and widespread water restrictions are gone, many believe the past few years, in which there was pretty decent rainfall, were just a blip on a troubling long-term skid into drier times.

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California water war re-ignited

Cal Matters

President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom may have set aside their incessant squabbling over most issues to cooperate on the pandemic, but they are poised for showdown over who controls the state’s vital water supply

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Virus delays trout fishing season

Turlock Journal

Nothing is safe from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic — not even fishing.

“Xtra”

Stuck at home: Try making these recipes from long-gone Fresno restaurants

Fresno Bee

With coronavirus spreading, many of us are sheltering in place at home with not much to do but cook and eat. And since we’ve got time on our hands, it seems like a good time to try out a new recipe, right? Or maybe a somewhat familiar recipe?

Worried about coronavirus complications? Exercise could help protect you, study finds

Fresno Bee

Social media is full of self-workout videos as people work to stay fit amid stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic. Now a new study shows that exercise can actually help you prevent deadly complications from COVID-19.

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Good deeds surge in local business community

Bakersfield Californian

Many selfless deeds have taken place in the local business community amid an increasingly difficult time for sales. There are countless instances of companies buying their staffs take-out lunch in an effort to help support a local restaurant on the ropes during California’s stay-home order.

Postponed or canceled? Central Valley, Mother Lode events halted by coronavirus

Modesto Bee

If this were a normal spring, April and May would bring some of the bigger festivals and events of the year, with people gathering across communities to celebrate. But, of course, nothing is normal as we remain in our homes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Price: It’s not just the county fair; it’s reassurance

Bakersfield Californian

When the Kern County Fair’s board of directors meets Monday to discuss the possibility of cancellation, following the lead of more than a dozen California fairs, there’ll be more at stake than unrequited corn dog cravings.

Be sure to look up! Lyrid meteor shower will peak this week. Here’s when to see it

Fresno Bee

You may still be stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this week, the night sky is bringing the show to you — the Lyrid meteor shower is set to peak.

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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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