April 8, 2020

08Apr

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Community leaders reach out to Turlock residents

Turlock Journal

Though not as visible to some, local leaders have been working just as hard to do the same for their communities during this time of uncertainty.

 

Two San Joaquin County clinics get reprieve from supervisors

Stockton Recorder

Two money-losing county medical clinics slated for closure — one in Manteca and one in Stockton — got a one-month reprieve to June 30 because the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors was uncomfortable with possibly denying their vulnerable patients health services in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Northern California hospital is approved as site for coronavirus drug trial

Modesto Bee

A North Coast hospital is testing the experimental drug that UC Davis doctors and researchers used to save the life of the Solano County woman who was the first U.S. citizen to contract COVID-19 through community spread.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno County Has 100 to 150 Ventilators. Is That Enough After Third Death?

GVWire

Fresno County’s equipment needs to combat the coronavirus hinge on how well residents help flatten the curve, a county public health official says. In addition, local hospitals are thinking hard about how they can expand capacity within their own facilities, said Dr. Rais Vohra, interim Fresno County health officer. In some cases, they’ve been able to figure out ways to handle more patients with the available equipment, he said.

See also:

 

Questions remain as Fresno County supervisors discuss COVID-19 response

abc30

As California enters the third week of the shelter in place order, Fresno County Supervisor Brian Pacheco says the initial panic and concern has subsided and people are adjusting to a new way of life.

 

Fresno County Library to Extend Closures

Clovis Roundup

The Fresno County Public Library is extending the closure of all their branches to May 4, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure is following President Trump’s stay at home order which was extended to the end of April in a recent announcement.

 

Kings County Board of Supervisors adopts shelter in place order

Hanford Sentinel

The resolution, which was passed in a split decision, mirrors the state of California’s shelter in place order that was issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom in March.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Construction set to start on COVID-19 alternate care site in Porterville

abc30

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom named several sites that will be used to treat patients with COVID-19, including one in the South Valley.

 

Downtown may look like a ghost town, but hidden heroes still making it work

Bakersfield Californian

You don't necessarily have to look both ways while jaywalking across Eye Street in downtown Bakersfield. Not in the time of COVID. The casualties of the pandemic and its resulting shutdown are numerous, but one hopes, temporary.

See​​ also:

 

Bakersfield City Council to consider business relief at Wednesday meeting

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City Council is expected to vote on enacting several measures designed to support local businesses as part of an emergency resolution at its meeting Wednesday.

 

BPD officers to wear cloth face coverings while on duty

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield Police Department officers have begun wearing cloth face coverings while on duty in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

See also:

 

State:

 

California’s coronavirus curve is flattening, but ‘it’s also stretching’ longer, Gavin Newsom says

Fresno Bee

Californians’ efforts to stay at home and limit physical contact are flattening the coronavirus infection curve, but also pushing the peak of infection further into the future, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday.

See also:

 

Calif to get more than 200 million masks a month in coronavirus fight, Gov. Newsom says

Bakersfield Californian

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that California has secured a monthly supply of 200 million N95 respiratory and surgical masks to help protect health care workers and other essential personnel at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

See also:

 

California lends 500 ventilators to 4 states, 2 territories

AP News

The White House said Monday that 500 ventilators on loan from California will be shipped to Nevada, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam as the nation faces a crush of coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

 

California still way behind in coronavirus testing despite recent advances

Los Angeles Times

State health officials have ramped up coronavirus testing in recent days, but California still lags behind most other states, leaving potentially thousands of undiagnosed patients to unknowingly spread the infections.

See also:

 

California Governor considers aid for immigrants amid virus

AP News

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday he is working with the Legislature on an economic stimulus package for immigrants in the country illegally and others not covered by the federal stimulus package approved by Congress.

 

Skelton: Gov. Newsom’s California Health Corps to fight coronavirus is unprecedented. Now he needs to produce

Los Angeles Times

Newsom’s unprecedented California Health Corps program is an effort to build up a reserve army of backup doctors, nurses and other medical care specialists who can be called up to replace frontline providers when they get overwhelmed by surging caseloads or get sick.

See also:

 

Coronavirus stimulus checks are coming to California: Here’s who gets money, who doesn’t

Sacramento Bee

While about 85 percent of all California tax filers — a total of 14 million households — should see federal stimulus benefits starting later this week, a lot of people won’t get the instant cash right away.

See also:

 

Counting California: Challenges for the 2020 Census

Public Policy Institute of California

Three overarching challenges have defined the run-up to Census 2020: funding, technology, and a protracted legal battle over the inclusion of a question about citizenship status.

 

Drive-up and call-in public input? How coronavirus is changing access to local government

Orange County Register

If American democracy rests on public access and participation, how do you run a democratic government when a global pandemic means the public can’t set foot in city hall? In Southern California, local officials are answering that question in some creative ways.

 

Customers without masks may be refused service during coronavirus outbreak

Los Angeles Daily News

Cloth face coverings will need to be worn at grocery and drug stores, construction sites, within taxis and other essential businesses under a new order going into effect Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

 

California orders $0 bail for many lower-level offenses

Long Beach Post News

California’s Judicial Council set bail at zero for most misdemeanor and lower-level felonies in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus in jails statewide by reducing the number of inmates.

 

Navarro left a trail of political wreckage in California

Politico

Long before Peter Navarro’s feud with infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci over a possible treatment for coronavirus, the White House trade adviser had a reputation as a political wrecking ball in California — where he ran in a handful of races as a liberal Democrat.

 

Federal:

 

U.S. Approaches 400,000 Coronavirus Infections

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. recorded its deadliest day from the coronavirus as China lifted its lockdown on the city that first detected the contagion while more countries are prolonging restrictions on daily life.

See also:

 

Poll: Majority of Americans now say the federal government has done a poor job of preventing coronavirus spread

CNN
A majority of Americans -- 55% -- now say the federal government has done a poor job preventing the spread of coronavirus in the United States, up eight points in about a week, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS as the nationwide death toll from the virus rose above 12,000.

See also:

 

Trump Criticizes WHO And Threatens To Pull U.S. Funding

Capital Public Radio

Trump said that the United States funds the majority of the organization's budget. The U.S. provided 14.67% of the WHO's funding in 2018-2019.

 

Pelosi and Schumer seek huge spending increases for hospitals, local aid and food stamps as coronavirus talks intensify

Washington Post

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer called Wednesday for hundreds of billions of dollars for hospitals, state and local governments, and food stamp recipients in response to the Trump administration’s urgent request for $250 billion more for small businesses.

 

Governors seize spotlight amid states’ coronavirus response

AP News

Across America, as families are stuck in their homes anxious and isolated by the new coronavirus, a new daily ritual is taking shape: tuning into the governor’s afternoon press briefing.

 

Trump challenges authority, independence of agency watchdogs

Fresno Bee

President Donald Trump is moving aggressively to challenge the authority and independence of agency watchdogs overseeing his administration, including removing the inspector general tasked with overseeing the $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package that passed Congress with bipartisan support.

See also:

 

Acting Navy Secretary submits resignation amid coronavirus uproar

abc30

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned Tuesday, according to two officials, just hours after he had publicly apologized for a profanity-laced upbraiding of the officer he fired as captain of the coronavirus-stricken USS Theodore Roosevelt.

 

White House press secretary, who never gave a news conference, is replaced

Los Angeles Times

Stephanie Grisham was replaced Tuesday as White House press secretary after a rocky nine-month tenure that did not include a single on-the-record appearance in the White House briefing room.

 

Commentary: A national COVID-19 surveillance system: Achieving containment

AEI

This report describes the features and capabilities of a national surveillance system to mitigate the current COVID-19 pandemic wave and to limit and suppress future outbreaks. Developing these capabilities in each state and region will enable the U.S. to move beyond extreme and disruptive physical isolation measures.

 

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:

 

Sen. Bernie Sanders to end presidential bid, clearing the way for Joe Biden to be the Democratic Party’s nominee

Washington Post

The Independent senator from Vermont to end his second presidential run after a string of losses in primaries. Sanders, a 78-year-old democratic socialist who ran on sweeping liberal ideas such as Medicare-for-all, scored successes in the first three states to vote but failed to capture widespread support when the field became less fractured.

See also:

 

Joe Biden blasts Trump’s response to coronavirus day after their phone call

Los Angeles Times

A day after President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden had a “warm” phone call about the coronavirus crisis, the likely Democratic nominee on Tuesday blasted the president’s handling of the pandemic.

 

Voting-rights disputes in virus era spark court battles

Fresno Bee

Wisconsin's chaotic primary may just be the beginning. Both major parties are preparing for a monthslong, state-by-state legal fight over how citizens can safely cast their ballots should the coronavirus outbreak persist through November's election.

 

COVID-19 Will Make California Elections Challenging but Doable

PPIC
California’s November 3 general election could come in the midst of a new viral surge. This poses tremendous risks to voters and poll workers at in-person voting sites. Even if we wanted to have the same number of polling places, it might be difficult to find volunteers willing to staff them.

See​​ also:

 

Why Trump is reliant on white evangelicals

Brookings Brief

Their size, demographic makeup, and voting behaviors—along with their presence in swing states—make white evangelicals a unique voting group. Jason Husser argues that the support of this group will be essential to any Republican coalition in the fight for the White House.

 

Other:

 

Why Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Flourish. And Why It Matters.

New York Times

The coronavirus has given rise to a flood of conspiracy theories, disinformation and propaganda, eroding public trust and undermining health officials in ways that could elongate and even outlast the pandemic.

See​​ also:

 

The coronavirus crisis is devastating the news industry. Many newspapers won’t survive it.

Washington Post

Two months ago, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Brie Zeltner became consumed by one topic: the coronavirus crisis that would soon sweep into her state.

 

Coronavirus clampdown: The virus casts a shroud over American civic life

Politico

States and cities across the country are cutting off access to open records and canceling in-person meetings, starving the public—not to mention lobbyists and other influence-brokers—of information as the coronavirus outbreak invades civic life.

 

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 safely shop for groceries during the coronavirus pandemic

Visalia Times Delta

Many supermarkets have implemented new store hours to cater to the most vulnerable and have taken extra precautions to reduce the risk of transmission. But there's still a chance of getting infected.

 

Lodi wineries finding creative ways to reach consumers

Stockton Recorder

Curbside service, drive-thru, discounts and delivery are some of the ways vintners are selling their products amid pandemic.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Hackers' new target during pandemic: video conference calls

Hanford Sentinel

As tens of millions of people turn to video conferencing to stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic, many have reported uninvited guests who make threats, interject racist, anti-gay or anti-Semitic messages, or show pornographic images.

 

COVID-19 and Crime in Major California Cities

Public Policy Institute of California

Public safety is one of many areas of life being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that most Californians are staying home in response to the statewide shelter-in-place order, the overall number of reported crimes is declining in four of the state’s largest cities.

 

California top court weighs DA's ability to pursue Niaspan pay-for-delay case

Reuters

California’s top court on Tuesday weighed the extent county district attorneys can obtain financial recoveries in cases over statewide unfair business practices, in a lawsuit alleging​​ the drugmakers AbbVie Inc and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd suppressed competition for a generic cholesterol drug.

 

Supreme Court Requires But-For Causation for Section 1981 Claims

Ogletree Deakins

On March 23, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States, in Comcast Corp. v. National Association of African-American Owned Media, ruled that a plaintiff who alleges race discrimination under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 must plead and has the ultimate burden of showing that race was a but-for cause of the plaintiff’s injury, and that burden remains constant over the life of the lawsuit.

 

Commentary: Coronavirus [COVID-19]

Brookings

 COVID-19 is influencing crime and illicit economies around the world. Vanda Felbab-Brown explains how the virus has affected online fraud, drug smuggling, wildlife trafficking, and other illegal activities.

 

Public Safety:

 

Fresno police buying Glock pistols as new duty weapons for officers

Fresno Bee

Fresno police will replace about 800 Beretta duty sidearms with Glock 9 mm pistols. Police spokesman Jeff La Blue on Tuesday confirmed the decision, after the department reportedly considered several guns to succeed the Italian pistol Fresno officers had used since 2009.

 

Fresno-area officials fear child abuse going unreported amid coronavirus quarantine

Fresno Bee

Fresno County child welfare investigators worry many child abuse cases may be left unreported while residents shelter amid the coronavirus pandemic – leaving young victims locked inside with their abusers.

See also:

 

Fresno County foster parents lose children in coronavirus custody dilemma

abc30

The coronavirus crisis has complicated child custody transfers, and the foster care system is right in the middle of a dilemma.

 

Social media guide helps parents keep kids safe

Turlock Journal

A guide released by Legacy Health Endowment in October that aims to help families ensure their Internet-savvy kids are safe while using popular cellphone applications is especially relevant now as stay-at-home orders are giving increased opportunities for screen time.

 

Kern County Sheriff's Staff And Inmates Test Positive For COVID-19

VPR

Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood announced on Tuesday a dozen cases of COVID-19 among staff and inmates in the county jail. That’s why the county is now releasing some inmates without bail.

 

BPD officers to wear cloth face coverings while on duty

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield Police Department officers have begun wearing cloth face coverings while on duty in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.

See also:

 

US judge won’t block gun store closures in Los Angeles

Business Journal

A federal judge on Monday refused to block Los Angeles officials from shutting down gun stores as nonessential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s at least the second time federal judges in California have declined to intervene in shutdown orders.

 

As coronavirus fears grow, doctors and nurses face abuse, attacks

Washington Post

It’s hard enough being a doctor in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. But Sanjibani Panigrahi, a psychiatrist at a government hospital in western India, now finds her own neighbors turning against her.

 

Fire:

 

Judge refuses to approve fire victims letter attacking PG&E

Bakersfield Californian

A federal judge has refused to put his stamp of approval on a letter to Northern California wildfire victims from attorneys who allege that Pacific Gas & Electric may be breaking its promises as it tries to preserve a plan for getting out of bankruptcy in an unraveling economy.

See also:

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Wall Street’s rally fizzles as oil prices suddenly plunge

Business Journal

A big rally on Wall Street suddenly vanished Tuesday, undercut in part by another plunge in the price of oil. The S&P 500 dipped 0.2% after erasing a surge of 3.5% earlier in the day. The market’s gains faded as the price of U.S. crude oil abruptly flipped to a loss of 9%.

 

Downtown may look like a ghost town, but hidden heroes still making it work

Bakersfield Californian

You don't necessarily have to look both ways while jaywalking across Eye Street in downtown Bakersfield. Not in the time of COVID. The casualties of the pandemic and its resulting shutdown are numerous, but one hopes, temporary.

See​​ also:

 

Treasury seeks a $250-billion boost for small business loans

Los Angeles Times

The Treasury Department is asking Congress for $250 billion more to aid small businesses, and Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said he expects the House and Senate to act as soon as this week.

See also:

 

Government and Businesses Turn Attention to Eventual Reopening of $22 Trillion U.S. Economy

Wall Street Journal

Government officials and business leaders are turning their attention to a looming challenge in the fight against the new coronavirus pandemic: Reopening a $22 trillion U.S. economy that has been shut down like never before.

 

The Western Hemisphere’s Latest Slow-Motion Catastrophe Isn't the Pandemic

National Interest

The discovery of oil could be a game-changer for the people of Guyana, but only if the country continues the Caribbean community’s rich tradition of democracy and installs a transparent government to manage it.

 

Delay the USMCA? Business Leaders Call for Postponing Implementation of the ‘New NAFTA’

Ogletree Deakins

The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on November 30, 2018. The USMCA was designed to update and replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada was the last of the three signatories to ratify the deal.

See also:

 

Pockets of Rural America Are Less Vulnerable to Economic Fallout — For Now PEW

Every part of the country will feel the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis. But the small and isolated rural areas that lagged during the economic boom may fare better, relatively speaking, in the aftermath of the pandemic.

 

Opinion: Insurers can’t cover the cost of the pandemic shutdown — and shouldn’t be asked to

Washington Post

Everyone seems to agree on two things when it comes to controlling the novel coronavirus: It is going to be monstrously expensive, and someone else should be paying the cost. Particularly if “someone else” is an insurer. Legislators in at least four​​ states are already working on legislation that would force business interruption insurance to pay for losses incurred by the current shutdown.

Commentary: Could short-term government assistance make the COVID-19 recession worse?

AEI

The CARES Act offers immediate massive cash payments to businesses small and not so small in order to keep them and their employees intact and out of bankruptcy. These well-intentioned policies are designed to facilitate a V-shaped recovery once the danger of COVID-19 subsides.

See​​ also:

 

Commentary: No, forecasters are not projecting that real GDP will be 34 percent lower this quarter

AEI

The second quarter of 2020, which started last week, will undoubtedly feature a severe economic downturn. Real (inflation-adjusted) GDP is expected to post the sharpest quarterly decline since the Great Depression. Nevertheless, the outlook is almost four times less grim than some media accounts have suggested.

 

Jobs:

 

Worried about layoffs? This map shows which California communities face the biggest job losses

Modesto Bee

California could lose about 600,000 private-sector jobs, or roughly 4.1 percent of its workforce, due to COVID-19 by summer, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive think tank.

See​​ also:

 

Newly eligible California workers in limbo over unemployment benefits

Los Angeles Times

Millions of gig economy, contract and furloughed workers who were promised they would qualify for unemployment benefits for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic are in limbo as the federal government and states scramble to implement that part of the $2.2 trillion relief package.

See​​ also:

 

Judge: California Lyft drivers should be employees

San Francisco Chronicle

A federal judge in San Francisco wrote Tuesday that “it is now clear” that Lyft drivers should be employees under California’s new gig-work law, but said they couldn’t win their claims in his court because their lawsuit was flawed.

 

As big retailers such as Macy's struggle during the pandemic, U.S. government faces dilemma of protecting jobs or taxpayers' money

Washington Post

Without further action by federal officials, little of the $2 trillion in relief money will flow to large retailers that employ millions of people, including Macy’s, Gap and J.C. Penney.

That's because after years of losing ground to online competition and diminished mall traffic, some retailers might not be able to repay the government.

 

NLRB chair defends recusal policy that Dems called 'twisted'

Reuters

National Labor Relations Board Chairman John Ring on Tuesday defended the agency’s policy of giving members the final say over whether to recuse themselves from cases presenting potential ethical conflicts, which has been criticized by Democrats in Congress.

 

CARES Act Prompts Changes to Employer-Sponsored Health Plans

Ogletree Deakins

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020, contains several provisions—some mandatory and some optional—that affect employer-sponsored group health plans.

See​​ also:

 

OSHA Issues New Enforcement Guidance to Address the N95 Shortage During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Ogletree Deakins

Following up on its recent temporary enforcement guidance permitting suspension of N95 annual fit-testing for healthcare employers, on April 3, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an interim Enforcement Guidance for Respiratory Protection and the N95 Shortage Due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

 

Coronavirus Resources

Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor has resources to help workers and employers prepare for the COVID-19 virus (also known as novel coronavirus).

See​​ also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Getting your child to read during coronavirus quarantine? Free ways to make it fun

Fresno Bee

Superheroes and Heroines have arrived to save your child from quarantine boredom. Campuses are closed, and parents are becoming math and science teachers, many while working from home or looking for work.

 

Fresno non-profit agencies teaming up to deliver books to children

abc30

With schools and libraries closed right now during the coronavirus pandemic, it's tough for kids to get their hands on books. So, several Fresno non-profit agencies have teamed up to get books to kids.

 

Patterson Unified lends up to 3,000 student laptops for coronavirus distance learning

Modesto Bee

Patterson students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade can pick up a free laptop this week to access online lessons.

See also:

 

Tasked with schoolwork help, many US parents lack English

Hanford Sentinel

The shift to distance learning has created unique challenges for English language learners and their parents, who are tasked with keeping them on track despite their own struggles and lack of familiarity with the educational system.

 

Centennial's virtual enterprise team continues business from afar, via Zoom

Bakersfield Californian

Evolve is the company Centennial students came up with last summer for their year-long school business project. The app helps students become successful adults in three categories: cooking, sewing and personal finance, explained CEO Mia Polston, a senior at the school.

See also:

 

Adjusting to a New ‘Normal’ in Education

EdNote

Now that many school and district buildings are closed, state leaders, educators and in some cases, business leaders are looking at how best to provide continuity of education and support services to their students and communities.

 

Disability rights groups, school administrators spar over possible changes to special education laws

EdSource

As schools scramble to teach students with disabilities during the school closures, a coalition of more than 70 disability rights organization is urging the federal government to uphold special education laws despite the challenges of online education.

 

Commentary: School district responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Round 1, districts’ initial responses

AEI

This report presents results from the first wave of AEI’s COVID-19 Education Response Longitudinal Survey (C-ERLS), which documents how a nationally representative sample of public schools is responding to the ongoing epidemic.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno State president joins foundation striving for a more educated workforce

Fresno Bee

The president of Fresno State has joined the board of directors for a private Indiana-based organization that aims to prepare people for the workforce and create systemic change.

 

Financial hits pile up for colleges as some fight to survive

Hanford Sentinel

Colleges across the nation are scrambling to close deep budget holes and some have been pushed to the brink of collapse after the coronavirus outbreak triggered financial losses that could total more than $100 million at some institutions.

 

Alumni Teachers: Schools Are Empty, But The Learning Goes On

CSU Bakersfield

When third-grade teacher Eddie Gonzalez and his colleagues at Casa Loma Elementary left campus a week ago Tuesday to transition to distance learning, they asked each other, “How are we going to connect with the kids?”

 

Student, Parent and Now Homeschool Teacher: UC Students Say They Need Relief

KQED

A recent survey of college students nationwide taken in the wake of the pandemic found half have been laid off or had hours reduced, almost a third lacked access to healthy meals and 17% lacked safe, reliable housing.

 

OPINION: A College Refund for Coronavirus

Wall Street Journal

Editor’s note: This Future View is about whether colleges owe their students a refund. Next week we’ll ask, “Has the pandemic affected your search for a job or summer internship?” Students should click here to submit opinions of fewer than 250 words before April 14. The best responses will be published that night.

 

Commentary: 8 recommendations for universities and professors during the coronavirus pandemic

Brookings

Over 200 colleges and universities have closed in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some have canceled in-person classes for the rest of the spring 2020 semester, while others have canceled graduation. Universities are trying to make decisions in a fluid and unprecedented environment.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Pandemic deals blow to plastic bag bans, plastic reduction

Fresno Bee

Just weeks ago, cities and even states across the U.S. were busy banning straws, limiting takeout containers and mandating that shoppers bring reusable bags or pay a small fee as the movement to eliminate single-use plastics took hold in mainstream America.

 

Commission to hold meeting to give CDFW authority to suspend sportfishing in some areas

Stockton Recorder

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife just extended a statewide sportfishing ban until May 4 because of coronavirus concerns, but recreational fishing in California inland water waters not already closed to recreation by local jurisdictions and water agencies remains open at this time.

 

Sequoia Riverlands Trust closes all nature preserves

Hanford Sentinel

Due to the COVID-19 virus and public safety concerns, Sequoia Riverlands Trust officials have announced temporary closure of all its Central California nature preserves, effective immediately.

 

Pandemic deals blow to plastic bag bans, plastic reduction

Porterville Recorder

Just weeks ago, cities and even states across the U.S. were busy banning straws, limiting takeout containers and mandating that shoppers bring reusable bags or pay a small fee as the movement to eliminate single-use plastics took hold in mainstream America.

 

Air pollution linked to higher coronavirus death rates

Los Angeles Times

Americans in communities with higher smog levels are at greater risk of dying from COVID-19, according to a new study that suggests the health damage from the novel coronavirus has been worsened by long-term exposure to air pollution.

See​​ also:

 

Editorial: Climate change is just as real as COVID-19. Now’s the last, best chance for our government to treat it that way

Los Angeles Times

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic is the crisis of the moment, and a terribly serious one at that, threatening not only human lives but also the global economy.

 

Energy:

 

In a pandemic, Pacific Ethanol on the ropes

Business Journal

Originally launched in Fresno, Pacific Ethanol is on the ropes this month, announcing in the past week it would look to restructure as coronavirus-related losses mount for the Sacramento-based company.

 

CalTestBed: The Nation’s Largest Clean Energy Testbed Ecosystem

CalTestBed

Early-stage clean energy entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing testing and validation facilities as they attempt to progress from prototype to pilot and demonstration scale. The CalTestBed Initiative is a voucher program that will assist clean energy entrepreneurs in gaining access to critical testing facilities and endeavours to expedite their pathway to​​ commercialization through building a strong network with connections to companies and investors.

 

Opinion: Renewable energy must be the future, if we are to have one at all

Los Angeles Times

The world still relies far too much on burning fossil fuels for energy, but an annual accounting of new energy sources carries some heartening news: Nearly 75% of new electricity generation capacity last year involved renewable energy — an all-time record.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Coronavirus hitting some Fresno-area counties harder than others. Infection rates keep climbing

Fresno Bee

As a region, the central San Joaquin Valley isn’t getting hit as hard by the spread of the novel coronavirus as more urban, densely populated parts of the state.

See also:

 

Do you or a loved one need mental health help amid the coronavirus crisis? Here’s who to call

Fresno Bee

With unemployment soaring, a statewide stay-at-home order and no end in sight for the coronavirus pandemic, this is a trying time for the mental health of all Californians.

See also:

 

Some emergency rooms sit empty in pandemic. ‘Where are all the heart attacks?’

Fresno Bee

Doctors have said that they’re seeing fewer people in emergency rooms for life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks, possibly due to the fear of getting infected with coronavirus, media outlets reported.

 

Visalia nursing home resident dies after testing positive for COVID-19

abc30

A resident of the Redwood Springs Healthcare Center in Visalia who tested positive for COVID-19 has died, a spokesperson for the facility said Tuesday. The nursing home did not release an official cause of death.

See also:

 

Northern California hospital is approved as site for coronavirus drug trial

Modesto Bee

A North Coast hospital is testing the experimental drug that UC Davis doctors and researchers used to save the life of the Solano County woman who was the first U.S. citizen to contract COVID-19 through community spread.

Why Some COVID-19 Patients Crash: The Body's Immune System Might Be To Blame

VPR

It's a strange and tragic pattern in some cases of COVID-19: The patient struggles through the first week of illness, and perhaps even begins to feel a little better. Then suddenly they crash.

 

Could Society Move Toward Normalcy Before A Coronavirus Vaccine Is Ready?

VPR

President Trump asked Americans during Monday's coronavirus briefing to maintain their social distancing through the end of the month to bring the coronavirus under control.

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Human Services:

 

CDC says to wear face coverings in public. WHO says don’t bother. What’s going on?

Fresno Bee

Days after the Centers for Disease Control recommended wearing masks out in public during the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization announced there is no evidence supporting the idea that wearing a mask will prevent healthy people from getting COVID-19.

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CDC weighs loosening guidelines for some exposed to virus

Fresno Bee

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering changing its guidelines for self-isolation to make it easier for those who have been exposed to someone with the coronavirus to return to work if they are asymptomatic.

 

UCSF Fresno doctors are helping on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19

Fresno Bee

As we face the COVID-19 pandemic together, UCSF Fresno physicians are at the forefront of the fight to protect public health and care for patients in the central San Joaquin Valley.

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Construction set to start on COVID-19 alternate care site in Porterville

abc30

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom named several sites that will be used to treat patients with COVID-19, including one in the South Valley.

 

Kaweah Delta Medical Center accepting supply donations

abc30

Kaweah Delta Medical Center is accepting supply donations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kaweah Delta Hospital Foundation provided patterns for hospital gowns and face masks that can be sewn.

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Fresno County Has 100 to 150 Ventilators. Is That Enough After Third Death?

GVWire

Fresno County’s equipment needs to combat the coronavirus hinge on how well residents help flatten the curve, a county public health official says. In addition, local hospitals are thinking hard about how they can expand capacity within their own facilities, said Dr. Rais Vohra, interim Fresno County health officer. In some cases, they’ve been able to figure out ways to handle more patients with the available equipment, he said.

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Counties release varying types, amount of COVID-19 data to the public

Bakersfield Californian

Are Kern County Public Health officials being too stingy with the data they're releasing about local COVID-19 cases? That question has surfaced in the past couple of weeks as cases have mounted locally but information about those cases remains sparse.

 

Coronavirus puts patients in ICUs in Stanislaus County. What’s the latest count?

Modesto Bee

From all appearances, the hospitals in Stanislaus County are treating a manageable number of patients stricken by coronavirus.

 

California to get more than 200 million masks a month in coronavirus fight, Gov. Newsom says

Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that California has secured a monthly supply of 200 million N95 respiratory and surgical masks to help protect healthcare workers and other essential personnel at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

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Blood drive protests ban on donations by gay men amid pandemic

San Francisco Chronicle

Democratic State Sen. Scott Wiener held a blood drive Tuesday to call on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revoke its ban on donations of blood and plasma from sexually active gay and bisexual men.

 

Could a blood test for coronavirus antibodies get California back to normal? Lots of questions remain

CalMatters

Blood tests for antibodies to the novel coronavirus will be “foundational, fundamental,” to sending Californians back to work, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday. But medical experts caution that there’s still a lot we don’t know about whether the tests are reliable enough to ensure people’s safety.

 

Black Americans Face Alarming Rates of Coronavirus Infection in Some States

New York Times

The coronavirus is infecting and killing black people in the United States at disproportionately high rates, according to data released by several states and big cities, highlighting what public health researchers say are entrenched inequalities in resources, health and access to care.

See​​ also:

 

Why New York has 12 times as many coronavirus deaths as California

Vox

As the coronavirus started to spread in the US, California might have seemed a likelier place for the pandemic to peak. But just over a month after California’s first coronavirus death the state has seen about 450 deaths—while New York state has about 5,500 deaths.

 

Drugmaker caps insulin costs at $35 to help diabetes patients during pandemic

The Hill

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly said Tuesday that it will limit the out-of-pocket cost of insulin to $35 per month to offset financial hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Commentary: It’s a new reality, but I really miss face-to-face communication in real-time

CalMatters

On a recent morning in front of my house, I ran into a neighbor and her husband who were out walking their dog. We stayed 6 feet apart, of course. She and I have known each other professionally for more than 20 years. We chatted briefly about how we are holding up and adjusting to life amid the coronavirus. And then I asked her a work-related question relative to the pandemic. Her feedback in a real-time, same-space conversation was greatly appreciated.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

California governor considers aid for immigrants amid virus

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday he is working with the Legislature on an economic stimulus package for immigrants in the country illegally and others not covered by the federal stimulus package approved by Congress.

 

Panicked over coronavirus, immigrant detainees plead to be released: ‘I am afraid for my life’

Los Angeles Times

For weeks, as the coronavirus spread rapidly, Jose Hernandez Velasquez worried about the dangers of being detained inside the Adelanto ICE Processing Center 80 miles east of Los Angeles.

 

More than 400,000 people barred from becoming citizens due to coronavirus: report

The Hill

Hundreds of thousands of people may be unable to complete the process to become American citizens in time for the November election due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to tech firm Boundless Immigration, which helps immigrants apply for citizenship and green cards.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

As humans take animals’ territory, greater risk of contagions transmitted

San Francisco Chronicle

A growing body of research is tying the increase to society’s unrelenting intrusion into the planet’s wild places. It’s a disruption that is reducing biodiversity and the health of natural ecosystems, and in doing so, stirring up and mutating deadly viruses.

 

Manteca may back out of dirt deal to save $250K

Manteca/Ripon Bulletin

A deal designed to allow Manteca to recover $48,554 for weed abatement and removing trash on  3.67 acres on North Union Road where a chemical reformulation and repackaging business was once located will now cost the city $250,000 to honor.

 

AGC Coronavirus Survey Results (March 30- April 2)

Associated General Contractors

Total Responses: 1294. Responses varied for some questions. Percentages are based on responses to each question and may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

 

EDITORIAL: Can a Fresno golf course operate as ‘essential’ in a pandemic? Realistically, not now

Fresno Bee

While Gov. Gavin Newsom encouraged outdoor exercise when he announced his stay-at-home directive last month, he intended it to be more like walks in the neighborhood. The problem with golf is that, for many adherents, it is both a sport and a social time.

 

Housing:

 

California judiciary panel delays evictions, foreclosures until summer due to COVID-19

Fresno Bee

On Monday the California Judicial Council approved emergency orders essentially halting most evictions and foreclosures through the summer.

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After COVID-19, we must invest in—not isolate—our most vulnerable communities

Brookings

Quarantine is not a new strategy in America. As our colleague Andre M. Perry, Princeton sociologist Patrick Sharkey, and several others have pointed out, our nation’s go-to approach for “solving” social problems has long been spatial segregation and boundary drawing, from redlining, to racist urban planning, to concentrating health hazards in poor neighborhoods.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Clovis City Manager Projects Millions in City Revenue Losses

Clovis Roundup

Clovis City Manager Luke Serpa projected the city will lose at least $3 million in revenue over the next fiscal year because of the COVID-19 crisis, spelling expenditure cuts for police, fire and the senior center.

See also:

 

This Pandemic Has Exposed the Inequities of Our Nation

The Aspen Institute

As COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the US, we don’t know yet what the final human and financial toll will be. Yet one thing is certain: how we respond to today’s challenges will determine who we are tomorrow. COVID-19 has exposed a broken underbelly of inequity, insecurity, and vulnerability. Whether or not we face these societal demons head-on will define America in the aftermath of this pandemic.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Insurers returning billions of dollars to drivers stuck at home due to coronavirus

Fresno Bee

American auto insurers will refund drivers billions of dollars as people are stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, media outlets report.

See also:

 

100 American Airlines flight attendants have been diagnosed with COVID-19, union says

Fresno Bee

Approximately 100 American Airlines flight attendants have tested positive for COVID-19, a number union leaders say is likely to increase, according to a message to members from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.

 

This map shows how much vehicle travel has dropped due to coronavirus

The Hill

Just a few months ago, the thought of cutting vehicle travel by millions of miles seemed like an impractical solution to minimizing the effects of vehicle emissions on the environment. But with millions of Americans under stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a drop in pollution has become an unintended, but not unwelcome, side effect.

 

Virus exposure risk scares transport workers, threatens supply chain

Roll Call

Transportation workers say a lack of available protective equipment and confusing, conflicting guidelines from the federal government have put them at increased risk of contracting the novel coronavirus. Dozens or more of the workers have died from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus.

 

Public transit's death spiral

Axios

Public transit systems across the country are experiencing a painful trifecta: Ridership has collapsed, funding streams are squeezed, and mass transit won't bounce back from the pandemic nearly as fast as other modes of transportation.

 

Build Cities for Bikes, Buses, and Feet—Not Cars

Wired

FOR 30 YEARS, a 40-foot-high section of US Route 101 wove like a blackberry vine through a low, old neighborhood of Edwardian and Georgian buildings in San Francisco's Hayes Valley. Then, in 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake, magnitude 6.9, fractured the elevated roadway. Some people wanted to repair it, but the city decided to tear it down—a rare unbuilding in a nation connected by highways.

 

WATER

 

California gets widespread rain, snow from spring storm

Hanford Sentinel

Snow and rain fell Monday on California as spring delivered the kind of stormy weather that was missing most of the winter.

 

Storms bring little drought relief

Turlock Journal

Despite an ample amount of recent rainfall, a majority of the state is still experiencing a moderate drought that is likely to persist.

 

“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.

 

Here are the Fresno-area restaurants selling Easter dinner – takeout only, of course

Fresno Bee

Easter is going to look a lot different this year. However, you can still have a special day with a delicious meal. Like every year, restaurants in Fresno and Clovis are creating meals for the holiday.

 

Broadway in Fresno gives us something to look forward to, sets ‘Hamilton’ dates for 2021

Fresno Bee

While the vast majority – read: all – of live theater performances and tours have been canceled for the immediate future due to social distancing policies and stay-at-home orders, Broadway in Fresno on Tuesday offered up a reminder that there is light at the end of this particular tunnel.

 

While doors are closed due to the coronavirus, local gyms still meet with members

Modesto Bee

The COVID-19 pandemic has closed fitness centers in Stanislaus County California, but clients are still able to train via video. Exercise helps with anxiety, stress and isolation during social distancing.

 

Passover Celebrations Take Shape Differently To Work Around The Coronavirus

Capital Public Radio

Social distancing is preventing families from gathering for the traditional Seder, so this year Passover will be different. Many Jews are planning virtual celebrations.

 

Local newspaper wins Facebook grant for coronavirus coverage

Business Journal

A local newspaper is among 400 U.S. newsrooms receiving a grant from Facebook to support reporting work on the coronavirus.The announcement Tuesday names “The Porterville Recorder” as the only Central Valley news organization to win a $5,000 grant.

 

Parenting during a pandemic: A family journal

EdSource

Look in the index of any child-rearing or parenting book, and you won’t find anything referring to raising children during a pandemic. Every family in California is experiencing “sheltering in place” in different ways.

 

Opinion: Dating in Modesto in the time of Coronavirus

Modesto Bee

The Internet and texting enable many of us to maintain contact with friends and family. But for people who are dating, these technological marvels can’t possibly replace holding hands, hugging, or enjoying a kiss goodnight. Even taking a walk loses its charm when you have to keep two Toyotas between you.

 

Rotary Club of Fresno accepting grant applications

Business Journal

Annually, Fresno Rotary Foundation awards grants to educational and nonprofit charitable organizations in the greater Fresno area for projects that positively impact the community. They are now accepting grant applications from the community for its upcoming year.

 

 

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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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