April 6, 2020

06Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Need legal help with housing, wills? These Stanislaus County resources are available

Modesto Bee

As concerns over housing rights, domestic violence and conservatorship arise amid the coronavirus pandemic, Stanislaus County residents can turn to free legal services for help.

 

EDITORIAL: Thank you, Stanislaus County, for greatly improving coronavirus outreach

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County has vastly improved its messaging to the public since the coronavirus pandemic burst upon us a few weeks ago.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Members of this Fresno country club tee off on city, say golf is ‘essential’ business

Fresno Bee

Members of the San Joaquin Country Club want to play golf again. So they’re asking the city of Fresno to reconsider its position on golf courses during the current shelter-in-place order that allows only “essential” businesses to remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Coronavirus: Fresno County Superior Court to reopen on limited basis next week

Fresno Bee

Fresno County Superior Court is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, April 8 on a limited basis after having been closed for two weeks over concerns about the spread of coronavirus. The court had been closed to the general public since March 23.

 

Amid pandemic, some Calif sheriffs’ depts (e.g., Fresno) still evicting renters

CalMatters

Nearly two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order declaring a “statewide eviction moratorium,” some sheriffs’ departments across California were still forcibly removing or planning to forcibly remove renters

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County office closes after 2 employees get COVID-19

Visalia Times Delta

The Tulare County Health and Human Services' Lindsay office will close after two employees there tested positive for the coronavirus, officials announced Friday evening.

See also:

 

California governor responds to Nunes on canceling school: 'We'll continue to listen to the experts'

The Hill

Newsom hasn't officially canceled the school year in California, though earlier in the week the state's superintendent of public instruction, Tony Thurmond, said that it was likely students would not return to the classroom, but that virtual instruction would continue.

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EDITORIAL: ‘Vote for yourself.’ Fill out your census form

Visalia Times Delta

Please take a few minutes now to complete your 2020 Census form. By law, you must respond to the census. More importantly, getting an accurate count is important to all of us.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Where is COVID-19 headed in Kern?

Bakersfield Californian

What course the new coronavirus will take in Kern County is unknown and local officials have been reluctant to hazard a guess. But evidence is mounting that the disease is taking hold throughout a wide portion of the community and the severity of cases is increasing.

 

In first month on the job, new Bakersfield City Manager has had 'baptism by fire'

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield City Manager Christian Clegg knew he would be spending long hours at the office when he started his new position, but there was no way he could have imagined this was how his first month would go.

 

State:

 

Newsom says Stanford test for coronavirus immunity in California ‘hours’ from approval

Fresno Bee

A new immunity test from Stanford University and an increased focus on screening for coronavirus will help the state dramatically ramp up testing over the next few weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday, with an ultimate goal of getting Californians back to work.

 

California loans 500 ventilators to New York, other states hit hard by coronavirus

Sacramento Bee

California is loaning 500 ventilators to the national stockpile to help states like New York facing shortages as they battle the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday morning.

 

Why is Gavin Newsom making nice with Trump? He’s got a good reason

San Francisco Chronicle

Tip O’Neill had a famous adage about politics. In the coronavirus crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken it to heart.

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Should California punish people who refuse to stay home? Newsom prefers social pressure

Los Angeles Times

In addressing the coronavirus crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom has been steadfast in contending that his stay-at-home order should be enforced through persuasion, not punishment.

 

Coronavirus will keep California Legislature away until May

San Francisco Chronicle

The future of the legislative session is murky as California shows no signs of letting up soon on its lockdown measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

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How the coronavirus is speeding California efforts to shelter the homeless

Fresno Bee

This week, the Democratic governor announced that the state has found a way to house — at least temporarily — thousands of people as the coronavirus pandemic takes hold in California.

 

Challenging Times for California

Public Policy Institute of California

This is a time of global crisis. We are all living through a fast-moving, large-scale disaster. Our blog series on COVID-19 provides wide-ranging analyses across key policy areas, from education to health care, from criminal justice to water policy.

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Federal:

 

Trump tempers officials’ grave assessments with optimism

Fresno Bee

Those were some of the most grim assessments yet for the immediate future and beyond. But hours later, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence tried to strike more optimistic tones, suggesting that hard weeks ahead could mean beginning to turn a corner.

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U.S. ‘wasted’ months before preparing for virus pandemic

Fresno Bee

After the first alarms sounded in early January that an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in China might ignite a global pandemic, the Trump administration squandered nearly two months that could have been used to bolster the federal stockpile of critically needed medical supplies and equipment.

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Hospitals Reject Trump's Claim They Are 'Really Thrilled' With Supplies

Capital Public Radio

As hospitals warn of shortages, President Trump claims without offering evidence that he's hearing from administrators who are pleased with the current levels of supplies.

See also:

 

Ford and GM are undertaking a warlike effort to produce ventilators. It may fall short and come too late.

Washington Post

Ford and General Motors both announced in late March that they would build the medical machines. But the relatively late start of both companies means they might miss the peak load of cases expected by most U.S. health officials in mid-April.

 

Trump Again Speaks In Favor Of Anti-Malaria Drug For Coronavirus

Capital Public Radio

President Trump doubled down Sunday on the suggestion that people should consider taking an anti-malaria drug that has not been proven to be an effective treatment for coronavirus.

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Trump announces intent to nominate White House lawyer Brian Miller as inspector general to oversee implementation of new coronavirus law

Washington Post

If confirmed by the Senate, Miller would become Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery for the Department of Treasury, a key post in preventing fraud and abuse in the enormous new program. Miller is a special assistant to Trump and senior associate counsel in the Office of White House Counsel. He played a role in the White House’s response to document requests during the recent impeachment probe.

 

Trump to Fire Intelligence Community Inspector General

Wall Street Journal

President Donald Trump late Friday said he intends to remove the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community, who last year called a whistleblower’s complaint about Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine credible and pushed to share it with Congress.

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How Will We Know When It’s Time to Reopen the Nation?

New York Times

Everyone wants to know when we are going to be able to leave our homes and reopen the United States. That’s the wrong way to frame it. The better question is: “How will we know when to reopen the country?”

 

EDITORIAL: Can we still fight the coronavirus while holding the surveillance state at bay?

Los Angeles Times

The United States has yet to adopt the most aggressive of the surveillance-state tactics that other countries are deploying in the name of public health. But as the death toll mounts in the coming weeks, so will the pressure to follow the lead of countries that claim to have slowed the spread of the coronavirus significantly with the help of ambitious and intrusive monitoring.

 

Opinion: The worst president. Ever.

Washington Post

Until now, I have generally been reluctant to label Donald Trump the worst president in U.S. history. As a historian, I know how important it is to allow the passage of time to gain a sense of perspective. Some presidents who seemed awful to contemporaries (Harry S. Truman) or simply lackluster (Dwight D. Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush) look much better in retrospect.

See also:

 

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.

See also:

 

Elections 2020:

 

Are California politicians still campaigning during coronavirus? They are – and here’s how

Fresno Bee

While many congressional campaigns saw donations drop during the coronavirus pandemic, Fresno Democrat Phil Arballo had one of his best fundraising weeks since he launched his bid to unseat Republican Rep. Devin Nunes.

 

Biden: The Democratic Convention May Need To Be A Virtual Event This Year

Capital Public Radio

The party's nominating convention had already been delayed a month, with a possible format change.

See also:

 

Ad wars begin in California House special election

Politico

Both parties are gearing up for next month's special congressional election in Southern California — a key, early 2020 test of the political environment and elections amid the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Trump campaign declares war on Dems over voting rules for November

Politico

President Donald Trump’s political operation is launching a multimillion-dollar legal campaign aimed at blocking Democrats from drastically changing voting rules in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

See​​ also:

 

Commentary: California election 2020: Will women continue to gain ground?

CalMatters

Since late 2017, women politicos in California have been on an impressive electoral winning streak, gaining a dozen seats in the Legislature and a bushel of victories in mayoral contests from San Francisco to Costa Mesa.

 

Other:

 

Religious worship in the age of coronavirus: How centuries-old traditions are being upended

Sacramento Bee

As one of the holiest times of the year approaches for the world’s major religions and for faithful believers, the coronavirus pandemic has upended traditions that houses of worship have relied upon for centuries.

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One upside of the pandemic? Americans are listening to experts again.

Washington Post

The coronavirus pandemic has upended life around the globe with lightning speed and largely without warning. Within a matter of days in the United States alone, millions of people abandoned their normal lives to shelter at home, hoping to preserve a fragile health-care system and save lives.

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EDITORIAL: Thank you for your valued and continued support of local news in Fresno

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus pandemic shows the need for strong local news reporting. The Fresno Bee thanks its customers, advertisers and donors.

 

EDITORIAL: Now more than ever, The Bee needs your help

Fresno Bee

Newspaper industry headlines last week included the words layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts. And it’s subscriptions — and funding from gracious foundations, agencies and donors large and small — that will lift us forward and allow us to do what we do best: provide local news.

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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, April 12, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: PPIC: Reducing Recidivism Among Felons - Guest: Justin Gross, Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 12, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Recidivism: Statewide Data and a Local Program That Works - Guests: CSU Fresno Professor Emma Hughes, Project Rebound Director Jennifer Leahy, and Project Rebound Rebound Arnold Trevino. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, April 12, at 7:30 a.m. on UniMas 61 (KTTF) – El Informe Maddy: Permisos de armas ocultas - Guest: Margarita Fernandez, Jefe de Relaciones Publicas de la oficina de la Auditora Estatal. Host: Maddy Institute Program Coordinator, Maria Jeans.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

How to get food – especially fresh veggies – in Fresno without going to the grocery store

Fresno Bee

Many families must think twice about leaving the house, even to gather food. However, there are ways to get fresh food, even fruit and veggies, without having to visit the store.

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San Joaquin Valley dairy farmers see prices drop as coronavirus disrupts flow of products

Fresno Bee

San Joaquin Valley dairies are taking a hit as fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has drastically disrupted the flow of milk products.

See​​ also:

 

Valley lettuce industry hit hard by effects of COVID-19 outbreak

abc30

The COVID-19 outbreak has hit the restaurant industry hard with many struggling to stay afloat. But it's also having a devastating effect on some valley food producers.

See also:

 

Demand for food stamps surges in California as virus takes economic toll

Los Angeles Times

With many Californians losing income and jobs, the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic has spurred a record surge in the number of applications for CalFresh, the state’s food stamp program, forcing operational changes to expedite help for those unable to put meals on the table.

 

Food Shortages? Nope, Too Much Food In The Wrong Places

NPR

In recent days, top U.S. government officials have moved to assure Americans that they won't lack for food, despite the coronavirus.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Valley domestic abuse calls spiking during COVID-19 pandemic

abc30

As Valley nonprofits are seeing a growing need for food and shelter, the valley's safe haven for victims of abuse is seeing a rise in calls. Marjaree Mason Center Executive Director Nicole Linder says they've seen a 30% increase in calls to service.

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Commentary: What coronavirus means for online fraud, forced sex, drug smuggling and wildlife trafficking

Brookings

Possibly emerging as a result of wildlife trafficking and the consumption of wild animal meat, COVID-19 is influencing crime and illicit economies around the world. Some of the immediate effects are likely to be ephemeral; others will take longer to emerge but are likely to be lasting.

 

Public Safety:

 

Judges deny emergency release of California inmates amid coronavirus crisis

Fresno Bee

A federal court has rejected an emergency plea on procedural grounds to release thousands of California prison inmates to protect them from coronavirus, saying they do not have authority under a 2009 order limiting the state’s prison population levels.

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California court leaders consider cutting bail to $0

Fresno Bee

California judicial leaders are expected to adopt a statewide emergency order setting bail at zero for lower-level offenses and suspending evictions and foreclosures to deal with the COVID-19 crisis that has crippled the state's court system.

See also:

 

Fresno County Superior Court to reopen on limited basis next week

Fresno Bee

Fresno County Superior Court is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, April 8 on a limited basis after having been closed for two weeks over concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

 

Fresno will now require police officers, firefighters to wear face masks

abc30

To protect the firefighters and police officers from the spread of COVID-19 they will now be required to wear face masks while on the job.

 

Opinion: The Supreme Court on Hold

Wall Street Journal

The Supreme Court on Friday said it is postponing oral arguments on cases originally scheduled for the last weeks in April after having already delayed hearings from mid-March.

 

Fire:

 

Fresno’s first black fireman died; discrimination case led to federal investigation

Fresno Bee

Floyd White Sr. retired from the Fresno Fire Department as first assistant chief, a now-gone rank that’s akin to a deputy chief today. He was the first black person to become a fire chief in the central San Joaquin Valley city.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

They’re open, but these Central Valley essential businesses struggle with coronavirus

Modesto Bee

While most everyone knows grocery stores, pharmacies and big-box retailers have been bustling during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, lots of other kinds of essential businesses are also open and ready to serve across Modesto and the Central Valley.

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The Coronavirus Small Business Loan Program: What You Need To Know

VPR

Small businesses can apply for the nearly $350 billion in loans available through the economic rescue plan from Congress. The loan program, known as the Paycheck Protection Program, is intended to support businesses so they can ride out the tough economic times.

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During Coronavirus, Fresno Printing Company Shifts To "Keep Distance" Decals, Face Shields

VPR

What do you do if your printing business is suffering because of COVID-19? Well for one Fresno business, employees are going with the times.

 

With debt looming, CRC weighs its options after oil, stock prices plummet

Bakersfield Californian

All Kern oil companies are having a rough time with low prices lately, but one faces a particularly tough outlook as it tries to stretch lower revenues to cover a looming "wall" of debt payments left from its birth as a spinoff six years ago.

See​​ also:

 

Fed Goes All Out To Keep Economy Alive During Coronavirus Shutdown

VPR
As the United States tumbles into a coronavirus recession, the Federal Reserve is using its nearly unlimited power to generate cash to cushion the fall. "The Fed is doing everything they can to keep financial markets functioning and credit available to households and firms," former Fed Chair Janet Yellen said during a forum organized by the Brookings Institution.

 

State Shutdowns Have Taken at Least a Quarter of U.S. Economy Offline

Wall Street Journal

At least one-quarter of the U.S. economy has suddenly gone idle amid the coronavirus pandemic, an analysis conducted for The Wall Street Journal shows, an unprecedented shutdown of commerce that economists say has never occurred on such a wide scale.

 

Stock markets surge even as the U.S. braces for ‘hardest and saddest’ week of the coronavirus pandemic

Washington Post

U.S. and global stock markets soared Monday as investors took in overseas progress against the coronavirus, even as Americans have been warned that the coming week will be the “hardest and saddest” of the outbreak as infections near their peak.

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How Tech’s Lobbyists Are Using the Pandemic to Make Gains

New York Times

Last month, lobbying groups representing advertising giants like Google and Facebook asked California’s attorney general to wait to enforce the state’s new online privacy rules given the coronavirus ripping around the world.

 

The State Of California’s Economy

International Banker

In January, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, unveiled his $222.2-billion budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year for his state. “It’s often said that budgets are statements of values,” Newsom noted in his budget letter to the California State Legislature.

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Opinion: COMMUNITY VOICES: Fiscal stimulus does not solely look to improve GDP

Bakersfield Californian

In response to a recent Community Voices (“Will stimulus checks actually stimulate the economy? Maybe not as much as you think,” March 31), the author correctly writes that it is unlikely that there is a significant GDP boost from the recent stimulus checks.

 

Commentary: The Fed and the virus

AEI

In the days when the coronavirus was just beginning to dominate the news, analyses of its economic impact emphasized that its spread counted as a “supply shock.” The economic effect of disruptions to supply chains would be similar to that of the 1970s oil embargo. A sudden drop in productivity would reduce our economy’s output of goods.

 

Jobs:

 

Fresno's Bitwise Industries Rolls Out Statewide Site To Help Find Support, Jobs During Pandemic

VPR

Bitwise Industries got a shout-out from Governor Gavin Newsom Thursday as he announced relief for small businesses. The Fresno-based tech company is creating a resource for those laid off due to the pandemic: OnwardCa.org.

See​​ also:

 

Coronavirus Economic Effects Might Last Decades, UC Davis Research Suggests

UCDavis

The economy could be suffering the effects of the coronavirus for decades, suggest economists at the University of California, Davis, who researched the financial effects of pandemics dating back to the 14th century.

 

Can’t contact California’s unemployment agency during coronavirus crisis? You’re not alone

Sacramento Bee

New claims jumped to an estimated 878,727 in the state last week, an enormous increase from the 57,606 of two weeks earlier.

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UC, the state’s 3rd largest employer, will not do layoffs through June amid coronavirus crisis

Los Angeles Times

The University of California, whose 227,000-member workforce is the third largest in the state, will not lay off any career employee through June 30 because of the coronavirus emergency, despite mounting financial uncertainty facing campuses, UC President Janet Napolitano announced Thursday.

 

Kids Are Starting To Sell Face Masks In The Streets Because Their Parents Got Laid Off

L.A. Taco

While most students in the Los Angeles Unified School District are sheltering at home trying to figure out how to log into their online classrooms, some kids whose parents have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus are taking matters into their own hands.

 

Who’s Hiring and Who’s Firing: How Firms Are Reacting to the Coronavirus

Wall Street Journal

As the coronavirus disrupts normal life across the U.S., companies are making sudden and major changes to their workforces, including massive cutting and hiring of jobs. The Wall Street Journal is tracking the responses from the largest companies. Below is an updating list, with links for more information.

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Farmworkers, Mostly Undocumented, Become ‘Essential’ During Pandemic

New York Times

Immigrant field workers have been told to keep working despite stay-at-home directives, and given letters attesting to their “critical” role in feeding the country.

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Commentary: Give hospital workers hazard pay

AEI

Doctors, nurses and other medical workers have been justly praised for their heroism and courage. We owe them our lives, we are told. What are we doing for them?

 

U.S. Employers Cut 701,000 Jobs in March

Wall Street Journal

U.S. employers shed more jobs in March than in any month since the darkest days of the 2007-09 recession—the start of a much deeper labor-market collapse under way due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Exposed. Afraid. Determined.

New York Times Magazine

As states and cities across the country have closed schools, businesses and public spaces and as governors have ordered residents to stay home as much as possible, millions of Americans have continued to show up for work. Some can’t work from home but can’t risk

losing their jobs and income.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Central Unified extends closure into the summer break

Fresno Bee

Central Unified will remain closed through June 11, the school district announced Thursday evening. Central’s Board of Trustees voted to keep all campuses closed while continuing online distance learning and the distribution of meals.

 

Some Fresno Unified seniors celebrate college acceptances

abc30

Schools may be closed for the rest of the academic year due to COVID-19, but some Fresno Unified students have recently received exciting news about getting into their dream universities.

 

Special education now in hands of parents

abc30

COVID-19 has also left some people with disabilities more vulnerable. Clovis Unified School District says they are taking steps to connect with the families in the special education program.

 

A Message from the Madera County Superintendent of Schools

Madera Tribune

Recent messages and directives from Gov. Gavin Newsom and Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, have made it clear that it is in everyone’s best interests to offer students and education that is provided through distance learning and other instructional strategies.

 

Where things stand for schools in and near Stanislaus after coronavirus scramble

Modesto Bee

As of Friday evening, just about every school district in and near Stanislaus County had decided to stay closed through spring.

 

Students at home: Youth face the new normal

Bakersfield Californian

Students of all ages continue to grapple with staying home and remote learning. Here are more of their stories, in their words.

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Unlike full-time teachers, substitutes face unemployment woes during school closures

Bakersfield Californian

Not being able to see their students in-person for the remainder of the school year is a tough pill to swallow for teachers, but they've found ways to get by, either virtually or from a distance.

 

Forget summer school: California districts facing fiscal nightmare may take years to recover

San Francisco Chronicle

With schools across California expected to remain closed until the fall, district officials this week started looking toward an ominous future, one filled with fiscal calamity and academic losses from the fallout of the coronavirus crisis.

 

Gov. Newsom expedites child care for those on front lines of pandemic

San Francisco Chronicle

People on the front lines in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic — from grocery clerks to health care professionals to firefighters — will get priority in arranging child care based on an executive order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday.

 

California school board meetings go virtual, but not without obstacles

EdSource

While Californians are ordered to stay at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the work of school boards must go on.

 

Governor, legislators helping to ensure equity to computer science education in California

CalMatters

Access to computer science classes that will prepare students for the modern workforce are not equally distributed. A recent report from the Kapor Center found that only 3 percent of California’s 1.9 million high school students are enrolled in computer science classes.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno State gives students new grading options for spring semester. How it works

Fresno Bee

Fresno State announced Friday that it is easing letter grade requirements for the spring semester to help students affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The ability to opt-in to credit/no credit grading could keep bad grades from affecting a student’s standing as the marks don’t affect grade point average.

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California nursing students will graduate after state relaxes rules during pandemic

Fresno Bee

The California Department of Consumer Affairs announced Friday evening that it was temporarily lowering the direct patient care training requirements for nursing students in obstetrics, pediatrics, and mental health/psychiatric fields.

See also:

 

Is CSU ready for online learning? Watch our interview with Chancellor Tim White

CalMatters

CalMatters College Journalism Network Editor Felicia Mello and fellow Aidan McGloin moderated a conversation with California State University Chancellor Tim White on April 2 to discuss how CSU is transitioning to online learning and address questions.

 

A’s for all? Universities debate how to grade during a pandemic

CalMatters

The coronavirus is disrupting college grading in California, as students stressed out from sheltering in place and transitioning to online classes push for schools to adopt flexible grading policies that account for the upheaval in their school year.

 

Commentary: California must seize the opportunity to become a pioneer in online higher education

CalMatters

The COVID-19 crisis creates an opportunity for disruptive innovation. California must seize this opportunity to become a pioneer in the field of online learning for reasons beyond the COVID-19 emergency.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Did you feel it? 4.4 earthquake in the Sierra Nevada sends waves as far as the Valley

Fresno Bee

A magnitude-4.4 earthquake shook in the central Sierra Nevada on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake was felt at 12:20 p.m. in an area called Toms Place, 11 miles southeast of Mammoth Lakes.

 

Should California Throw Out Environmental Rules To Help Businesses During Quarantine? ‘That’s Not Happening,’ Governor’s Office Says.

Capital Public Radio

A number of industries in California want environmental exemptions because of the economic impact of COVID-19. But the governor’s senior advisor on climate change says this is not a moment to toss out the rules.

 

California Climate Credit

California Public Utilities Commission

Twice a year, millions of California residents receive a credit on their electric bill identified as the "California Climate Credit." Once a year, millions of California residents also receive a California Climate Credit on their natural gas bill.

 

Coronavirus pandemic could lead to biggest carbon emissions drop since World War II

The Hill

There has been a sweeping halt of economic activity around the world. But one silver lining is emerging from this economic freeze: carbon emissions are down. And scientists estimate that they could fall even farther, specifically to pre-World War II levels.

 

You may never see Yosemite like this again. Beautiful video peeks into valley, without humans

Sacramento Bee

"While so much has changed for humans in recent weeks, it's reassuring to see that nature carries on as it always has," Yosemite National Park wrote. Spring arrives, the sun emerges after rain and snow, waterfalls pick up, wildlife abounds.

 

Energy:

 

Chaos and scrambling in the US oil patch as prices plummet

Fresno Bee

The global economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has devastated the oil industry in the U.S., which pumps more crude than any other country. In the first quarter, the price of U.S. crude fell harder than at any point in history, plunging 66% to around $20 a barrel.

See also:

 

Aera oil field cutbacks expected to cost contractors hundreds of jobs

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield-based Aera Energy LLC became the latest local oil producer to scale back operations, saying Friday it has begun informing contractors of an immediate halt to oil field projects that no longer make economic sense with barrel prices at an 18-year low.

 

Coronavirus, cheap natural gas and building electrification

GreenBiz

Over the past year, a movement to electrify buildings has come fast and furious, pushing both residential and commercial construction away from natural gas appliances. And in the last few weeks, the coronavirus disruption came faster than anyone anticipated. With the pandemic came an economic crash and cascading energy impacts, including a spectacular drop in natural gas prices.

 

Trump’s War on Solar

Rolling Stone

Solar power’s great leap forward over the past decade has been stunning. Solar energy can now supply nearly 14 million homes in the U.S., up from fewer than 800,000 in 2010, and the price for solar generation has plunged by 90 percent. Over the same time, our solar workforce — primarily installers — has more than doubled, to nearly 250,000.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Help needed as Valley cases climb, 2 more deaths in Tulare County

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus continues to spread in the central San Joaquin Valley, with 272 confirmed cases among Fresno, Tulare, Madera, Merced and Kings counties as of Saturday. Two more COVID-19 deaths were announced in Tulare County on Saturday afternoon.

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Madera County mail carrier has coronavirus, officials say

Fresno Bee

A U.S. Postal Service worker in Coarsegold has tested positive for COVID-19, the Madera County Department of Public Health said Friday.

See also:

 

Are you wearing your face mask properly? Many people aren’t, coronavirus experts say

Fresno Bee

There’s a right way and plenty of wrong ways to use face masks to help fight the spread of coronavirus, experts say. And a lot of people are on the wrong track.

See also:

 

Valley man diagnosed with coronavirus talks about his experience

abc30

'It's not something you can prepare for': Goon Pattanumotana thought he had the common flu, but when he checked into Saint Agnes Medical Center, he tested positive for COVID-19.

 

‘Downward spiral of depression’: Coronavirus jeopardizes senior, child mental health

Modesto Bee

Mental health experts warn that the stress and anxiety of the pandemic will take a toll on mental health for people of all ages, but seniors and children face high risk.

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41% of San Joaquin County’s coronavirus cases are between the ages of 18-49

Stockton Recorder

Public health data released Friday morning shows that the majority of people who’ve tested positive for the novel coronavirus in San Joaquin County are between the ages of 18 and 49, making up about 41% of all confirmed cases.

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Coronavirus kills some people and hardly affects others: How is that possible?

Los Angeles Times

The new coronavirus is not an equal opportunity killer. We know COVID-19 is more deadly the older you get. And yet our news feeds are full of stories about seemingly healthy young people who are quickly struck down.

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'A Heck Of A Time To Get Cancer': Hospitals Defer All But The Most Urgent Treatments

CommonHealth

From hip replacements to cancer surgery, some of the "elective procedures" that have had to be postponed because of the coronavirus may not feel very "elective" to the patients who need them, but the risk-benefit ratio has shifted.

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China Thought It Had Beaten Coronavirus, But New And Asymptomatic Cases Are Cropping Up

Forbes

Mainland China, where the coronavirus outbreak was first detected in late 2019, has seen a rise in new infections as well as confirmed cases among people showing no outward symptoms of COVID-19, figures from local health authorities show.

 

Opinion: ‘Corona memes’? Why does this anti-vaxx California doctor think COVID-19 is a joke?

Fresno Bee

Doctors and nurses around the country are struggling to handle a surge of COVID-19 patients, but Dr. Bob Sears of Orange County has extra time on his hands. Sears, a prominent figure in California’s anti-vaccination movement, announced on Facebook last week that his business has been slow due to the coronavirus shutdown. He urged patients to come in for routine annual physicals.

 

Commentary: Coronavirus concerns: The latest polls

AEI

Last week, we reported that 53 percent of Economist/YouGov online survey respondents were following news about the coronavirus very closely. In this week’s poll, taken March 26–31, that number has ticked down slightly to 46 percent.

 

Human Services:

 

Your Questions on Coronavirus, Answered

Consumer Reports

As the coronavirus spreads throughout the country and the world, so does misinformation about the pandemic. That's why Consumer Reports consulted with scientists and doctors to answer your questions and debunk myths that are circulating about COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

See also:

 

Newsom says Stanford test for coronavirus immunity in California ‘hours’ from approval

Fresno Bee

A new immunity test from Stanford University and an increased focus on screening for coronavirus will help the state dramatically ramp up testing over the next few weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday, with an ultimate goal of getting Californians back to work.

See also:

 

California loans 500 ventilators to New York, other states hit hard by coronavirus

Sacramento Bee

California is loaning 500 ventilators to the national stockpile to help states like New York facing shortages as they battle the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday morning.

See​​ also:

 

How the coronavirus is speeding California efforts to shelter the homeless

Fresno Bee

This week, the Democratic governor announced that the state has found a way to house — at least temporarily — thousands of people as the coronavirus pandemic takes hold in California.

See also:

 

Kaweah Delta braces for influx of COVID-19 patients

abc30

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the state, medical professionals in the South Valley are bracing for a surge of COVID-19 patients.

 

Adventist Health offers virtual visits

Hanford Sentinel

Adventist Health in the Central Valley is offering virtual health care visits, so patients may access their doctors remotely through a computer or mobile device from the comfort of their home.

 

Turlock businesses join forces for sanitizer production

Turlock Journal

Hand sanitizer can be hard to come by these days, but a recent collaboration between several Turlock businesses to produce the product is helping community members keep their hands clean and defeat COVID-19.

 

Houchin to collect 'convalescent plasma' for COVID-19 patients

Bakersfield Californian

Houchin Community Blood Bank will start collecting plasma from COVID-19 survivors who have fully recovered and offer it to hospitals to aid in the treatment of severely ill coronavirus patients.

 

Redwood Springs has history of state fines

Visalia Times

A Visalia nursing home hit by a COVID-19 outbreak has been fined $150,000 since 2017 by the California Department of Public Health over a litany of deficiencies, including for the death of a patient and not reporting sexual and physical assaults of residents.

 

'We Just Take Each Fear And Figure Out How Do I Deal With This?' What It's Like In the ER Now

VPR

What’s it like to be on the frontlines of medicine during a pandemic? FM89’s News Director Alice Daniel got a firsthand account from Dr. Patil Armenian. She’s an associate professor of clinical emergency medicine at UCSF Fresno and she works at Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno.

 

Growing California’s health workforce gains added priority and new partnerships

California Economic Summit

For several years California’s healthcare industry has been sounding the alarms about the shortage of workers. That need has become more urgent as more Californians test positive for COVID-19, the Coronavirus.

 

Coronavirus Reset: How To Get Health Insurance Now

CommonHealth

Here are some of the scenarios Americans are facing, and tips for navigating the storm of insurance worries.

 

The covid-19 crisis is going to get much worse when it hits rural areas

Washington Post

Over the past few weeks, our urban centers have scrambled to mobilize in response to the mounting covid-19 cases. But be forewarned: It’s only a matter of time before the virus attacks small, often forgotten towns and rural counties. And that’s where this disease will hit hardest.

 

Is social isolation getting to you? Here’s how to know — and what experts say to do.

Washington Post

The coronavirus pandemic has been a fast and deep tectonic shift for human life, and if history is any guide, people can be incredibly adaptable. But as the weeks build, social distancing becomes social isolation.

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Which patients get ventilators, and how will California hospitals decide?

San Francisco Chronicle

If coronavirus cases surge, hospitals may have to choose who gets life-saving resources. Hospitals are updating ethics policies and creating triage teams to handle these wrenching decisions.

See also:

 

Coronavirus ravages services for people with disabilities, leaving many at risk

CalMatters

Thousands of families have had to start caring for severely disabled loved ones at home, including some with serious autism, prone to violent outbursts. Coronavirus has unraveled their safety net.

See also:

 

Big Tobacco Joins Race for Coronavirus Vaccine

Wall Street Journal

The race to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus has an unlikely new entrant: tobacco companies. Lucky Strike owner British American Tobacco PLC is developing a potential vaccine grown in tobacco plants, while Medicago Inc., a biotech firm partly owned by Marlboro maker Philip Morris International Inc., is pursuing a similar effort.

 

Opinion: After the Cares Act, Hospitals and Businesses Need Sustained Support

Wall Street Journal

In contrast with the halting, gradual responses to the 2007-09 financial crisis, policy makers moved quickly to limit the costs of the economic shutdown forced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The $2 trillion Cares Act recently signed by President Trump is a big step toward stability, but more action is required.

 

Commentary: Blocking open enrollment for ACA insurance is another pandemic mistake

AEI

The Trump administration announced this week that it will not sponsor a special enrollment period for the federally-run healthcare.gov portal in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That will needlessly make matters worse for millions of Americans who lose both their jobs and their health insurance in the coming weeks.

 

Commentary: China’s deadly coronavirus-lie co-conspirator — the World Health Organization

AEI

The fog of war obscures much about the novel coronavirus pandemic. But two facts seem absolutely certain. First, China’s Communist authorities have lied, concealed and misled about the origins of the epidemic and the toll of the virus in China. Second, the World Health Organization has acted as Beijing’s handmaid.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

For the greater good: Coronavirus border closure keeps immigrants from seeing families

CalMatters

The U.S.-Mexico border is closed to nonessential travel to help stem the spread of the coronavirus. But the closure is cutting off many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans from relatives and home.

 

Foreign doctors on front lines of COVID-19 fear deportation from U.S.

Los Angeles Times

The employment of many foreign doctors on the front lines of the pandemic in America is tied to their H-1B visa, and they fear losing their status if they become sick and are unable to return to work promptly.

 

Some Undocumented Domestic Workers Slip Through Holes In Coronavirus Safety Net

VPR

The U.S. Senate unanimously voted on a third economic relief package last week. Altogether the federal relief fund is about $6 trillion. Families will get direct cash payouts, but this package will not benefit taxpaying undocumented people.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Fresno, Clovis lift RV parking restrictions for workers to self-isolate during pandemic

Fresno Bee

The cities of Fresno and Clovis are easing restrictions over on-street parking of recreational vehicles to allow workers in essential functions to isolate themselves from their families during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Fresno officials remove basketball rims, tennis nets at parks

abc30

As the number of COVID-19 cases rise, Fresno City and County officials are cracking down, closing parks to enforce social distancing.

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Fresno’s Emergency Field Hospital Now At The Convention Center, Not The Fairgrounds

VPR

The Fresno Convention Center is the new site for an emergency field hospital, the county announced Friday. The effort is to take pressure off of local hospitals by treating COVID-19 patients whose cases are less severe.

 

Taft Community Center reopens after weeklong closure

Stockton Recorder

Taft Community Center is one of eight centers operated by San Joaquin County. Like all of the centers, Taft is set up to be a one-stop provider of vital services to some of the county’s most impoverished residents.

 

Housing:

 

Coronavirus causes housing market ‘pause’

Turlock Journal

As the coronavirus pandemic ravages the U.S. economy and ghosts of recessions past arise, many people have one question on their mind: How will all of this affect the housing market?

 

Amid pandemic, some Calif sheriffs’ depts (e.g., Fresno) still evicting renters

CalMatters

Nearly two weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order declaring a “statewide eviction moratorium,” some sheriffs’ departments across California were still forcibly removing or planning to forcibly remove renters

See also:

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Two weeks or four months? Here’s when you can expect your coronavirus stimulus check

Fresno Bee

See also:

 

Backers Of California Tax Initiative To Repeal Part Of Prop. 13 Submit 1.7 Million Signatures

kpbs

Supporters of a proposed amendment to the California Constitution that would raise property taxes on some businesses by up to $12 billion a year announced Thursday they have collected more than 1.7 million signatures, all but assuring it will appear on the November ballot.

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A Coronavirus Property Tax Delay? Californians Shouldn’t Count On It

Capital Public Radio

The global pandemic notwithstanding, most California owners are still on the hook to pay their property taxes next week — thus far, the state isn’t granting any reprieves.

See also:

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Democrats urge Mnuchin to avoid ‘unreasonable’ terms on airlines

Fresno Bee

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged the Treasury Department to move more quickly to help airlines to save industry jobs and refrain from imposing "unreasonable conditions" that might spur some carriers to decline payroll assistance.

 

Highway 140 Closed Sunday in Advance of Predicted Flooding

Sierra News

Park officials announced Sunday morning that Highway 140 will close today (April 5) at noon. The closure, in effect for the highway west of Yosemite, from Cedar Lodge to Yosemite Bug, is due to a forecast of heavy rain and debris flows in the area.

See also:

 

Turlock Transit offering free fares

Turlock Journal

Effective immediately, and continuing until further notice, the City of Turlock has suspended the collection of fares on-board all Turlock Transit fixed route buses and provide free rides to all members of the public.

 

Meadows Field Airport was having a banner year, and then coronavirus hit

Bakersfield Californian

Business at Meadows Field Airport had been booming up until the new coronavirus pandemic. The facility has not escaped a nationwide trend of roughly 90 percent reduction in air travelers as reported by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

 

Pandemic update: Transit-rail agencies continue service reductions

Progressive Railroading

Several passenger-rail agencies are further reducing service and implementing other measures to continue to limit the spread of COVID-19.

 

WATER

 

COVID-19: Not a Threat to California’s Water Supply

Public Policy Institute of California

The COVID-19 health emergency has prompted “panic buying” of bottled water that has emptied store shelves and sown confusion over water safety. Is the state’s water supply safe?

 

Following California’s water as another dry spell looms

Capitol Weekly

California, a state with a long, roller-coaster history of droughts, faces yet another dry spell as the 2020s begin. At the end of last year, the looming drought had been largely washed away, more than 90 percent of the state was declared drought free.

See also:

 

Opinion: New state water regulations cause angst on all sides

Bakersfield Californian

A new set of water regulations aimed at protecting California’s native fish came down from the state earlier this week to near universal condemnation from both agricultural and environmental water folks.

 

Opinion: What Gov. Gavin Newsom needs to do to protect state’s water future

San Francisco Chronicle

When we emerge from this crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom will face a challenge to ensure California’s future economic and environmental health. In this context, his water policies will represent critical decisions.

 

“Xtra”

 

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

Zócalo Public Square

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

 

Fact check: No, 5G wireless towers aren't dangerous

Visalia Times

The coronavirus pandemic and its ongoing consequences have given us all plenty to think about and worry about. But there’s one thing you can permanently take off your concern list: 5G cellular towers, according to a seven-year-long scientific study published recently.

 

Why the internet didn't break

Brookings Brief

Between January 29 and March 26 there was a 105% spike in Americans active online at home between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler writes about internet connectivity during the pandemic and says work remains to provide access to the many households that are trying to make do without high-speed connections.

 

Missing live music while sheltering in place? Visalia's Rudy Parris has you covered

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia's Rudy Parris, best known for his appearance on NBC's "The Voice" and for providing lead vocals for The Buckaroos at The Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, will perform free live online concerts for people sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

have no detrimental health effects.

 

Quarantine concerts: Local musicians turn to social media in wake of coronavirus shutdown

Bakersfield Californian

For the first time in the lives of most Americans, venues where live music was once cultivated and shared — from neighborhood pubs to majestic concert halls — have been shut down.

 

Thousands of Zoom video calls left exposed on open Web

Washington Post

Thousands of personal Zoom videos have been left viewable on the open Web, highlighting the privacy risks to millions of Americans as they shift many of their personal interactions to video calls in an age of social distancing.

 

How long until sports can return? You might not like the answer.

Washington Post

As fields, arenas and stadiums sit vacant and silent, the desire for sports to return far exceeds the capacity among those who oversee them to determine when they will. Assessing probability is futile, but public health leaders indicate that fans and leagues should prepare for sports to remain absent not just for the coming months but into next year.

 

Pandemic and Racism: Break the Pattern Now

Alta

Attacks on Americans of Chinese and Mexican descent during the outbreak of disease have an ugly history in California.

 

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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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