Maddy Institute – August 10, 2021

11Aug

POLICY & POLITICS

Editorial: Now, for your local fake news … (Fresno Leader, 209 Times mentioned)

Los Angeles Times

Politically funded websites that advance a partisan agenda under the guise of publishing local news are sprouting up across California. The majority of them are operated by a shadowy entity called Metric Media.

Newsom recall basics: How to vote in California’s election

CalMatters

A FAQ on the California election on whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. CalMatters plans to launch its Voter Guide on Aug. 16.

North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● San Joaquin County's COVID cases up 110.4%; California cases surge 31.5% Stockton Record

● Stanislaus county records 1,100th death to COVID-19 Modesto Bee

● Coronavirus update, Aug. 10: Stanislaus hits 1,100 deaths. Vaccine clinics announced Modesto Bee

Masks on faces, a lot on minds as students return to Modesto-area schools amid COVID surge

Modesto Bee

Thousands of Modesto-area students return to school buildings this week — some for the first time in a year and a half. Schools are offering full in-person learning amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, including an increase in cases among young children.

More items banned at protests? Modesto City Council to consider request from police

Modesto Bee

2 years ago, they passed an urgency ordinance banning rocks, glass bottles and other items that can be used as weapons at protests that could turn violent. The Modesto Police Department is asking the council to consider another urgency ordinance to broaden that list.

Turlock to consider hiring interim police chief, bringing retired employee back again

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council is scheduled to consider hiring Hampton as interim police chief, potentially bringing the recent acting city manager back to leadership. City staff’s recommendation to hire him comes amid a complaint he worked past his allowed hours.

The Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project is Coming

San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission

SJ Regional Rail Commission is hosting a Virtual Community Open House to provide details on the proposed Elk Grove Station and to give interested agencies, organizations, and individuals an opportunity to ask questions and provide their input on this project

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Weekend brings new surge of COVID cases, hospitalizations to Fresno County Fresno Bee

● How misinformation, fear create ‘vaccination deserts’ in California’s Central Valley Fresno Bee

Only doctors can make mask exemptions, state says. Will Clovis Unified change policy?

Fresno Bee

Just days before school begins, teachers from both Fresno and Clovis urged Clovis Unified to revisit its mask exemption policy, citing updated health guidance that says a doctor’s exemption is required to not wear a mask in school.

● Clovis Unified officials to discuss new school year amid face mask controversy abc30

● 2021-22 Campus Health and Safety Procedure Updates CUSD

● Editorial: Clovis Unified isn’t unique. Valley Children’s right to call board ‘wildly flawed’ on COVID Fresno Bee

● Delta variant is derailing plans for normalcy as schools open doors for new year Washington Post

Calif water district pays millions over ‘unauthorized diversion’ from federal canals

Sacramento Bee

An obscure farm-irrigation agency in the San Joaquin Valley, the Panoche Water District has been struggling with a monumental scandal the past three years, with top officials under criminal indictment for embezzling public funds and illegally dumping toxic waste.

A 98-year-old Fresno dough plant is closing. When will workers lose their jobs?

Fresno Bee

A company that’s operated in Fresno for nearly 100 years will be closing next spring as a result of business decisions by the corporate headquarters on the East Coast.

Fresno commits $2.5M toward affordable housing development and projects. Here’s the plan

Fresno Bee

In 2018, the city of Fresno contributed roughly $2.2 million to the development of a new mixed-use affordable housing complex on the corner of McKinley and Blackstone avenues.

Friant-Kern bridge on county board agenda

Porterville Recorder

The first steps of finally doing the much needed replacement of the Friant-Kern Canal Bridge is expected to be approved by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors at their next meeting.

Clovis man pleads to crop insurance fraud, will repay $1.25M

Business Journal

Ralph Hackett, 66, pleaded guilty Monday to aiding and abetting mail fraud and agreed to pay $650,000 in criminal restitution for helping another individual submit a fraudulent crop insurance claim for table grapes for the crop year 2013.

Fresno Diocese releases names of priests accused of sexual abuse. See the list

Fresno Bee

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno posted a list of priests who it says have faced “a credible accusation of sexual abuse” to its website. The list includes more than 60 names of clergy who have been accused of sexual misconduct against minors and young adults.

Planning a trip to Trail of 1,000 Giants? Make sure to factor in months-long roadwork.

Visalia Times Delta

Work to repair the asphalt surface on the Trail of 100 Giants begins next week and is expected to continue through September, U.S. Forest Service officials announced.To minimize impacts on public use, repair work will be completed in sections.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports no new coronavirus deaths, 903 new cases Monday Bakersfield Californian

● How misinformation, fear create ‘vaccination deserts’ in California’s Central Valley Fresno Bee

State again exercises discretion to reject fracking permits in western Kern

Bakersfield Californian

For the second time, State Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk has used his discretionary authority, as opposed to technical standards, to reject a series of permit applications to use the controversial oilfield technique known as fracking.

Fires ravaging in northern California worsen Kern's air quality

Bakersfield.com

Light brown air seeped into the San Joaquin Valley and Bakersfield over the weekend, prompting the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to issue a health caution Friday that warned respiratory issues could be triggered for qualifying individuals.

Local lenders see strong recovery from pandemic

Bakersfield Californian

From a local banking and credit union perspective, it's almost as though the COVID-19 recession never happened.

State:

COVID Update:

● Has the delta variant ended our shot at COVID herd immunity in California and Sacramento? Sacramento Bee

● California first in nation to mandate vaccinations for health care workers CalMatters

● California correctional officers union to fight new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, memo says Fresno Bee

California Republicans Skip Endorsement Vote In Recall

Capital Public Radio

The California Republican Party will not throw its weight behind a candidate in the race to unseat Gov. Gavin Newsom during September’s recall election.

● Skelton: Column: One of the first rules of politics is to show up. Larry Elder broke it with the recall debate Los Angeles Times

● Hiltzik: Column: GOP recall hopeful wants California to fight COVID like Florida, meaning much more death Los Angeles Times

● Walters: California’s negative reality hurts Newsom CalMatters

● How did John Cox go from GOP standard-bearer to bears and trash balls? CalMatters

● Bears, merch and consultants: How Newsom recall candidates are spending campaign cash CalMatters

California’s senate starts committee on cybersecurity. Will it get anything done?

CalMatters

After discovering that his personal information was put on the Dark Web, state Sen. Dave Min started a cybersecurity and identity theft prevention committee. Select committees are designed to help senators learn about issues.

Trump told California to sweep the forest floors. What’s Biden’s plan to combat wildfires?

Fresno Bee

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Gov. Gavin Newsom stood side by side, in a forest that burned badly a year ago, pledging to work together against California’s raging wildfires.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● COVID vaccines would be required for military under new plan abc30

● Pentagon To Require All US Troops To Be Vaccinated By Sept. 15 Capital Public Radio

● Pentagon to Mandate Covid-19 Vaccine for U.S. Service Members Wall Street Journal

● Pentagon to add COVID-19 to required vaccines for troops Roll Call

● Weary US businesses confront new round of mask mandates Business Journal

● No, the delta variant doesn’t refer to 'deep sleep' Politifact

● Column: More employers are talking about vaccination mandates, but they need to turn talk into action Los Angeles Times

Senate Approves The $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill In A Historic Vote

VPR

The Senate voted 69-30 Tuesday to approve a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, a historic piece of legislation that could reshape American lives for decades.

● Senate infrastructure bill sets stage for massive effort to make broadband more available and affordable Washington Post

● Senate Passes Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Wall Street Journal

● Senate approves bipartisan, $1 trillion infrastructure bill, bringing major Biden goal one step closer Washington Post

● Senate OKs infrastructure bill; fate in House tied to bigger budget bill Roll Call

Biden’s ‘Families Plan’ would tax rich to help schools, childcare, community college and more

Los Angeles Times

Biden is proposing a $1.8-trillion plan for education, child care, health insurance and job leave costs — an investment to complement his earlier call for infrastructure spending and much more, to rebuild an economy hobbled by pandemic and economic inequality.

Senate Democrats unveil $3.5-trillion budget for social and climate programs

Los Angeles Times

Senate Democrats unveiled a budget resolution Monday that maps $3.5 trillion in spending boosts and tax breaks aimed at strengthening social and environmental programs, setting up an autumn battle over President Biden’s domestic policy ambitions.

● What’s in Democrats’ $3.5 Trillion Budget Plan—and How They Plan to Pay for It Wall Street Journal

● What’s in the $1.2 trillion Senate infrastructure package Washington Post

● $3.5 trillion budget resolution Democrats.Senate.gov

● Democrats unveil blueprint for $3.5T budget reconciliation bill Roll Call

● Senate Democrats Outline $3.5 Trillion Antipoverty, Climate Plan Wall Street Journal

Biden calls for healthcare upgrades as ACA enrollment period nears end

United Press International

The White House said Tuesday that more than 2 million Americans have signed up for healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act during the special enrollment period, which began earlier this year and ends this weekend.

Judge Weighs Eviction Ban Ruling

Wall Street Journal

A federal judge on Monday questioned the legality of the Biden administration’s new eviction moratorium, but also expressed uncertainty about whether she has the authority to block it.

See also:

● Opinion: Biden’s ‘Gamesmanship’ on Evictions Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: This Is No Way to Rule a Country New York Times

Trump remains the key to 2022

Roll Call

While the Washington echo chamber sometimes seems obsessed with Greene and Gaetz, the 2022 midterm elections will almost certainly be a referendum on either President Biden or Trump rather than on a single House Republican or group of congressional Republicans.

Judge asks why Capitol rioters are paying just $1.5 million for attack, while U.S. taxpayers will pay more than $500 million

Washington Post

A federal judge on Monday questioned why U.S. prosecutors are asking Capitol riot defendants to pay only $1.5 million in restitution while American taxpayers are paying more than $500 million to cover the costs of the Jan. 6 attack by a pro-Trump mob.

Progressive Opposition to Jerome Powell Clouds His Chances for Second Term as Fed Chairman

Wall Street Journal

Members of President Biden’s economic team generally support nominating Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to a second term, but growing resistance from Democrats including Sen. Warren could lead to his replacement, according to people familiar with the matter.

Abortion opponents cite Justice Ginsburg in arguments to overturn Roe v. Wade

ABA Journal

Many of the briefs seeking to overturn the constitutional right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade are citing early misgivings about the decision by the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

All population growth in U.S. driven by minorities, upcoming census data likely to reveal

Washington Post

For the first time in the history of the country’s census taking, the number of White people in the United States is widely expected to show a decline when the first racial breakdowns from the 2020 Census are reported this week.

See also:

● See the fastest-growing areas of the country Washington Post

Other:

Dominion Sues Newsmax, One America News Network, Others Over Election Claims

Wall Street Journal

One of the largest voting-machine companies in the U.S. on Tuesday sued two conservative media networks and a businessman it said had defamed it by spreading accusations that it rigged the 2020 election for President Biden.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Announces His Resignation Amid Sexual Harassment Claims

VPR

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced he will resign from office following a scathing report from the state's attorney general concluding that the third-term Democrat sexually harassed 11 women.

AEI Polling Report: COVID-19 update, critical race theory, crime and the police, capitalism and inequality, and Ordinary Life: Getting more expensive?

American Enterprise Institute

We explore pollsters’ findings on Americans’ views on COVID-19 in light of the Delta variant, what parents want their children to learn about America and race relations, views on crime and the police, opinions on capitalism and inequality, and concerns about rising prices.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 15, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “California’s Housing Crisis Hits Home” - Guest: Matt Levine- CalMatters; Dan Dunmoyer - California Building Industry Association. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 15, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "California's Housing Crisis: Are Granny Flats the Answer?"- Guests: Monica Davalos, Aureo Mesquita, Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto - California Budget and Policy Center. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Clovis man pleads to crop insurance fraud, will repay $1.25M

Business Journal

Editorial: If bacon costs more next year, blame the pork producers, not the law treating pigs better

Los Angeles Times

Before you worry about bacon and how much it may cost when new animal welfare laws go into effect next year, let’s talk about the pigs that gave their lives for it.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Gavin Newsom allows parole of Clovis killer who buried developmentally disabled man alive

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom will not block the release of a killer who served four decades in prison for the murder of a developmentally disabled Clovis man he buried alive, officials said Monday.

Public Safety:

More items banned at protests? Modesto City Council to consider request from police

Modesto Bee

California correctional officers union to fight new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, memo says

Fresno Bee

The union representing California state correctional officers plans to fight vaccination requirements for its members, according to a Friday memo.

Fire:

Fires ravaging in northern California worsen Kern's air quality

Bakersfield.com

Trump told California to sweep the forest floors. What’s Biden’s plan to combat wildfires?

Fresno Bee

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Gov. Gavin Newsom stood side by side, in a forest that burned badly a year ago, pledging to work together against California’s raging wildfires.

Dixie Fire: PG&E found no flaws with tree, power poles linked to California wildfire

Fresno Bee

PG&E Corp. inspectors had found no problems with power lines, power poles or the tree linked to the Dixie Fire raging in Northern California, according to a summary of inspection records the utility released Monday.

● Dixie Fire: PG&E found no flaws with tree, power poles linked to California wildfire Sacramento Bee

● As Dixie fire nears half a million acres, containment is still weeks away Los Angeles Times

● The Ashes of the Dixie Fire Cast a Pall 1,000 Miles From Its Flames New York Times

● Editorial: Why the Dixie Fire should be the end of PG&E as we know it San Francisco Chronicle

● As the Dixie Fire and Others Burn, the U.S. Struggles to Find Enough Firefighters Wall Street Journal

Aircraft help fight California wildfire as smoke clears

Porterville Recorder

Thick smoke that held down winds and temperatures in the zone of the largest single wildfire in California history cleared Monday from scenic forestlands, allowing firefighting aircraft to rejoin the battle to contain the massive Dixie Fire.

Wildfire Risk Is Growing Everywhere, Even As More Americans Move Into Harm's Way

VPR

There's a forgotten history that should serve as a warning — wildfire isn't unique to the West. Now the warming climate is increasing the risk of major wildfires across America.

Reconsidering Outdoor Travel in the West, as Wildfires Burn

New York Times

Across the American West, fires have become bigger and more frequent over the last few years, threatening the lives and livelihoods of the people who live there, and disrupting the plans of many visitors who flock to the region for its outdoor fun, stellar views and clear waters.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Local lenders see strong recovery from pandemic

Bakersfield Californian

From a local banking and credit union perspective, it's almost as though the COVID-19 recession never happened.

Weary US businesses confront new round of mask mandates

Fresno Bee

Businesses large and small, from McDonald’s and Home Depot to local yoga studios, are reinstituting mask mandates as U.S. coronavirus cases rise. Bars, gyms and restaurants across the country are requiring vaccines to get inside.

Some People Shy Away From Restaurants as Delta Variant Spreads

Wall Street Journal

Restaurants that survived waves of closures last year had headed into the summer with rising optimism as most of the country ended dine-in occupancy restrictions. However, individual operators and recent industry data now point to a more mixed picture.

Amazon to Pay Up to $1,000 for Injuries Caused by Sellers’ Goods

Bloomberg

Amazon.com Inc. is offering to compensate customers for injuries caused by goods from its third-party sellers, a guarantee that follows numerous lawsuits seeking to hold the world’s largest online retailer responsible for dangerous products purchased from its digital shelves.

Jobs:

A 98-year-old Fresno dough plant is closing. When will workers lose their jobs?

Fresno Bee

A company that’s operated in Fresno for nearly 100 years will be closing next spring as a result of business decisions by the corporate headquarters on the East Coast.

Unfilled Job Openings Outnumber Unemployed Americans Seeking Work

Wall Street Journal

Available jobs in the U.S. rose to another record high at the end of June, pushing openings above the number of unemployed Americans seeking work, a sign of an unusually tight labor market.

● U.S. job openings hit a record 10.1 million in June Business Journal

● Continuing jobless claims hit new pandemic-era low, falling below 3 million CNBC

EDUCATION

K-12:

Only doctors can make mask exemptions, state says. Will Clovis Unified change policy?

Fresno Bee

● Clovis Unified officials to discuss new school year amid face mask controversy abc30

● 2021-22 Campus Health and Safety Procedure Updates CUSD

● Editorial: Clovis Unified isn’t unique. Valley Children’s right to call board ‘wildly flawed’ on COVID Fresno Bee

● Delta variant is derailing plans for normalcy as schools open doors for new year Washington Post

Protesters ask public health to stop mask mandates in elementary schools

Hanford Sentinel

The Kings County Public Health Department saw a protest Thursday evening by parents and residents who don’t want elementary students to be required to wear face masks in school.

Delta variant is sucking the joy out of back-to-school 2021

Los Angeles Times

Back-to-school 2021, with California campuses fully open for 6 million children, was supposed to herald relief — even celebration — for a mostly normal school year ahead.

Op-Ed: Shouldn’t schools’ federal COVID-relief funds be spent on . . . COVID relief?

American Enterprise Institute

In a new report, I use a simple equation to ground an approximation from what we now know. Part of ESSER funds will go to reopening schools, another part will go to pandemic recovery, and the remainder will go to other uses not directly related to the pandemic.

California lawmakers and teachers unions stop short of a vaccine mandate

CalMatters

Even as the delta variant causes spikes in COVID-19 case numbers just weeks before the new school year, state lawmakers have yet to issue a vaccine mandate for public school teachers.

See also:

● Opinion: Another Excuse to Disrupt Education Wall Street Journal

COVID rates would have kept schools closed in these 19 California counties

Mercury News

As many school districts return to classrooms for the fall term this week, COVID-19 infection rates in 19 California counties are so high they would have kept schools from reopening under state pandemic safety rules last spring.

BCSD communications chief discusses after-school programs available to students this school year

KGET

Tabatha Mills, Bakersfield City School District’s chief communications officer, spoke with 17 News at Sunrise today about after-school programs that will be available to students this upcoming school year.

Central Unified superintendent's job still up in the air after felony dropped

abc30

Central Unified superintendent Andrew Alvarado won't face domestic violence charges, but he does still have a misdemeanor criminal case looming.

Higher Ed:

Fake COVID-19 vaccination cards worry college officials

abc30

As the delta variant of the coronavirus sweeps across the United States, a growing number of colleges and universities are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes.

Back to school: Fresno City College students return for fall semester

abc30

Tens of thousands of students across the Central Valley are heading back to class Monday morning for the new school year, including Fresno City College.

Student Loan Payment Suspension: What the Extension Means for Borrowers

Wall Street Journal

The Education Department said that it would uphold the moratorium, which the administration first extended earlier this year and suspends loan payments, interest accrual, and collections on defaulted loans. The pause was set to expire at the end of September.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Fresno and Merced to see relief from wildfire smoke. What about those triple digits?

Fresno Bee

The next few days of forecasts show the potential for improved air quality in Fresno, Merced, and the San Joaquin Valley, but the conditions moving the smoke also will push up temperatures, forecasters say.

Why Is the Delta Starving?

Public Policy Institute of California

The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is one of the most-studied ecosystems in the world—and one of the most degraded. A new study estimates just how much primary production has been lost—and how the state might restore some of it.

Dust to dust: Will California lawmakers legalize human composting — transforming bodies into soil?

CalMatters

California lawmakers are considering a bill to add an after-death option beyond burial or cremation. It has received bipartisan support, but there are religious concerns.

'Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide': Earth warming likely to pass limit set by international leaders

abc30

Earth's climate is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past a level of warming that world leaders have sought to prevent, according to a report released Monday that the United Nations calls a "code red for humanity."

● Biden climate envoy demands global action after devastating U.N. climate change report Los Angeles Times

● How bad is it? Five takeaways from the landmark UN climate change report Mercury News

● It’s Grim The Atlantic

● Time to ‘get scared’: World’s scientists say disastrous climate change is here Politico

● Opinion: A Climate of Catastrophe Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: The U.N.’s dire climate report confirms: We’re out of time Washington Post

Opinion: Climate Change Has Consumed Journalistic Standards

Wall Street Journal

‘Is this the end of summer as we’ve known it?” a New York Times headline asked the other day, with characteristic hysteria.

Energy:

State again exercises discretion to reject fracking permits in western Kern

Porterville Recorder

Oil tumbles on renewed COVID-19 spread, concerns over fuel demand

Los Angeles Times

Oil plunged to an 11-week low, extending losses after the worst week since October, as new waves of COVID-19 threatened fuel demand.

Securing America's Infrastructure in the 21st Century

Gov CIO Outlook

It is important to understand that energy companies need to protect two main attack surfaces: Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) systems. IT systems deal with the flow of information while OT systems manage the physical control of machines and hardware.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Widfires causing smoke, poor air quality in Valley

Porterville Recorder

No less than eight wildfires in Northern California we’re causing smoke and poor air quality across the Valley over the weekend.

Fires ravaging in northern California worsen Kern's air quality

Bakersfield.com

Why are vaccination rates so low? We found the worst county in each state and asked the politicians

Los Angeles Times

For more than a year, Steve Allender, the Republican mayor of Rapid City, S.D., took a public stand in favor of COVID-19 safety measures, urging people to wear masks, avoid large gatherings and — following his example — get vaccinated.

Analysis: 15% of US coronavirus cases are now children

The Hill

Recent reports show that children are accounting for 15% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as the delta variant causes an uptick in cases around the country.

● Pediatric COVID hospitalizations soar Axios

Future Alzheimer's Treatments Aim To Do More Than Clear Plaques From The Brain

VPR

Immune cells, toxic protein tangles and brain waves are among the targets of future Alzheimer's treatments, scientists say. These approaches are noteworthy because they do not directly attack the sticky amyloid plaques in the brain that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's.

Human Services:

Vaccination Status Has Americans Picking Sides

Wall Street Journal

Weeks of rising Covid-19 cases have hardened divisions within families, communities and friend groups over which members have been vaccinated and which have chosen not to do so.

Why hospitals and healthcare organizations need to take cybersecurity more seriously

Brookings

Though these prominent cyber incidents have triggered several cybersecurity initiatives, policymakers have paid relatively little attention to the considerable potential cyber risks in the healthcare sector.

IMMIGRATION

Out of prison, then out of country. Poll asks Californians’ view on deporting undocumented

Modesto Bee

Most Californians want to end the so-called double punishment of undocumented people, who often are deported once completing a prison or jail sentence, a poll shows. About 67% of Californians support or strongly support the (VISION) Act.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Warszawski: Why does Fresno keep gutting and demolishing historic buildings? Answer is simple

Fresno Bee

Why does Fresno have such a long, sorry history of gutting and demolishing its historic buildings? Simple answer: Because city officials allow it to happen.

Housing:

Fresno commits $2.5M toward affordable housing development and projects. Here’s the plan

Fresno Bee

In 2018, the city of Fresno contributed roughly $2.2 million to the development of a new mixed-use affordable housing complex on the corner of McKinley and Blackstone avenues.

‘Gimme Shelter’: Why it’s so hard to pass major housing bills in California

Los Angeles Times

California’s housing problems are well-known and straightforward: There are not enough homes, especially for low-income families

Homelessness fell across most metro areas after the Great Recession. Will COVID-19 change that?

Brookings

Over the past year, job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated housing insecurity among low-income renters. As of January 2021, nearly 1 in 4 of the nation’s 43 million renter households reported having missed at least one rent payment during the pandemic.

There’s a big shift happening in the housing market

Fortune

Breakneck. That's the best way to describe the pace of the 2021 housing market. The bidding wars got so intense this year that home price growth set an all-time record.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Seeking California unemployment benefits? You may not need to look for work after all

Fresno Bee

Need to care for a child? Lose your job in a seasonal shutdown? You may NOT have to look for work in order to get unemployment benefits in California. The state began requiring job searches for most claimants July 11.

Awash in Cash, State Lawmakers Ask How Long the Boom Will Last

Pew Trusts

State tax collections came in so much higher than expected last fiscal year that lawmakers were able this session to restore past cuts, save money for future emergencies and spend more on everything from housing to income tax reductions.

How Local Governments Raise Their Tax Dollars

Pew Trusts

For each tax dollar that cities and counties collect overall, about 61% comes from property tax, 16% from general sales tax, 7% from income tax, and the remaining 16% from other taxes such as those on entertainment and alcoholic beverages licenses.

TRANSPORTATION

Friant-Kern bridge on county board agenda

Porterville Recorder

The first steps of finally doing the much needed replacement of the Friant-Kern Canal Bridge is expected to be approved by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors at their next meeting.

The Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project is Coming

San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission

Is California’s ‘Hydrogen Highway’ a road to nowhere?

Los Angeles Times

In the case of California’s “Hydrogen Highway” — a network of fueling stations former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger dreamed would lure masses of Americans to hydrogen vehicles — even the most climate-conscious, tech-savvy motorists are asking: What’s the point?

Biden’s Climate Vision is Too Focused on EVs — Again

StreetsBlog USA

Automakers are lining up in support of Biden’s new fuel economy standards in the transition to electric vehicles — but only if Congress passes the car-centric reauthorization and reconciliation bills that will hand Americans billions in free federal money to buy their cars.

Opinion: Bike lanes a waste of money if they go unused

San Diego Union-Tribune

A section-front article on bike lines with a few hundred cyclists? Will this large crowd be using these lanes daily or just for the photo op? Will they patronize the businesses they are ruining with the loss of 450 parking spaces?

WATER

Calif water district pays millions over ‘unauthorized diversion’ from federal canals

Sacramento Bee

Lindsay to consider going back to two watering days a week

Porterville Recorder

It looks like the City of Lindsay is finally going to take action that many other cities have taken by reducing the number of watering days for its residents to two days a week.

Facing ‘dire water shortages,’ California bans Delta pumping

CalMatters

In a move to address “immediate and dire water shortages,” California’s water board approved emergency regulations to temporarily stop thousands of farmers, landowners and others from diverting water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed.

Ways to save water during the drought — and whether it’s worth doing at all

Los Angeles Times

In case you hadn’t heard, California is once again in a drought. But don’t take our word for it. The pictures tell a chilling (or, rather, incrementally heating) story. Boat slips on dry land.

California’s desert becoming a hotbed for water bandits: Watch

CalMatters

Known for its starry skies, Joshua Trees and 100-plus-degree heat, California’s vast desert has recently become a hotbed of something else: thieves stealing California’s water. So who’s on the receiving end of all this theft? Local investigators say it’s often illegal pot farms.

“Xtra”

These Fresno restaurants are gone. New food options are already opening in their spots

Fresno Bee

Fresno has lost of a lot of them the last year and half for a variety of reasons, including the fallout from COVID-19. But the upside? New restaurants are already moving into those same spaces. In some cases, the same owners are simply switching concepts.

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

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute 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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