POLICY & POLITICS
How To Keep Your Child Safe From The Delta Variant
NPR
The CDC has advice for keeping your child protected from this highly contagious version of the coronavirus now and this fall: Mask up in schools and other crowded venues, and make sure everyone age 12 and older in the family gets a COVID-19 shot.
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.
See also:
● Key Recall Dates in San Joaquin Valley Counties
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Hospital cases increase again in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus hits 1,100 deaths. Vaccine clinics announced Modesto Bee
● Delta variant sparks a wave of COVID infections in children as Stanislaus schools open Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus hospitals make changes due to COVID-19. What’s required for visitors today 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.
Turlock Unified won’t ask California public health for local control over masks in schools
Modesto Bee
The trustees of Turlock Unified School District won’t send a letter they had drafted to state officials asking to lift statewide COVID-19 mandates for K-12 schools.
See also:
● Letter seeking local mask control shot down by TUSD Board Turlock Journal
Hampton to return as Interim Police Chief
Turlock Journal
Gary Hampton will assume another temporary role with the City of Turlock following the City Council’s decision on Tuesday to appoint him as Interim Chief of Police.
See also:
● Modesto names its next police chief after nationwide recruitment
Modesto Bee
Water? Housing? Sewers? Debate over which Stanislaus pocket-area projects to fund
Modesto Bee
As Stanislaus creates a framework to spend millions of dollars on improving county islands and urban pockets, there’s disagreement among residents on how and where the money should be invested.
See also:
● Gray blasts state Water Board Turlock Journal
● Garth Stapley: Glimmer of hope for Stanislaus-area water storage in federal infrastructure deal Modesto Bee
More items banned at protests? Modesto City Council to consider request from police
Modesto Bee
The Modesto City Council on Tuesday night will consider adding to the list of items banned at protests. Two years ago, the council passed an urgency ordinance banning rocks, glass bottles and other items that can be used as weapons at protests that could turn violent.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● How misinformation, fear create ‘vaccination deserts’ in California’s Central Valley Fresno Bee
● MAP: See how many people are vaccinated in your ZIP code abc30
● After some suspense, Fresno County leaders OK COVID equity project expansion Business Journal
Fresno County won’t step into masks-in-schools controversy. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to support local school boards’ authority to make decisions on masks and other pandemic measures — noting schools are regulated by the state and not county leaders.
See also:
● Clovis schools change course on mask requirements. Students will need a doctor’s note Fresno Bee
● ACLU, Tulare County Sheriff's Office reach preliminary settlement on COVID-19 policies abc 30
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer will meet Wednesday with Joe Biden. Here’s what they’ll discuss
Fresno Bee
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer will meet virtually with President Joe Biden and other leaders nationwide on Wednesday to discuss bipartisan infrastructure investment, White House officials confirmed.
Fresno police pull out of some city schools to combat wave of homicides, gun violence
Fresno Bee
Citing a violent crime wave and low staffing, Fresno Police Department officials say they’re pulling officers out of the city’s middle schools. Fresno Police Deputy Chief Burke Farrah said the city needs more officers available to respond to violent crime.
A 98-year-old Fresno dough plant is closing. When will workers lose their jobs?
Fresno Bee
A plant 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.
Redistricting meeting to be held Thursday
Porterville Recorder
A meeting proposing Tulare County’s redistricted boundary areas will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Comision Honorifica Mexicana Americana Community Center, 466 E. Putnam Ave. The meeting will be in English and translated in Spanish.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health reports no new coronavirus deaths, 210 new cases Tuesday Bakersfield Californian
● Coronavirus at highest level in Kern County since early February Bakersfield Californian
Kern County supervisors to sue Gov. Newsom over 'unilateral' move to ban fracking in California
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors have authorized a lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsom over the state’s recent denial of hydraulic fracturing permits.
Harrison appears on diocesan list of 'credibly accused clergy'
Bakersfield Californian
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno has released a list of "credibly accused clergy" that includes Craig Harrison, the former Bakersfield priest who resigned his position in February after allegations against him went public 15½ months ago.
Fires ravaging in northern California worsen Kern's air quality
Bakersfield Californian
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.
See also:
● After weekend of unhealthy air quality, smoke to 'settle in, move out' for weeks Hanford Sentinel
Rep. Kevin McCarthy appoints Bakersfield fire chief to Medal of Valor Review Board
Bakersfield Californian
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) appointed Bakersfield Fire Department Chief Anthony Galagaza to the Medal of Valor Review Board on Tuesday.
State:
COVID Update:
● Has the delta variant ended our shot at COVID herd immunity in California and Sacramento? Fresno Bee
● COVID Patients Have Doubled In California Hospitals Capital Public Radio
● California hospitals filling as COVID Delta variant rages Los Angeles Times
● ‘This is not sustainable’: California hospitals filling again as Delta variant rages Los Angeles Times
● COVID rates would have kept schools closed in these 19 California counties Mercury News
● Is a vaccine passport coming to California? Mercury News
Newsom set to make California first state to require teacher vaccines or COVID tests
CalMatters
After months of reluctance, Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to mandate on Wednesday that all California teachers working on campuses be vaccinated for COVID-19 or be tested regularly.
See also:
● California Lawmakers And Teachers Unions Stop Short Of A Vaccine Mandate Capital Public Radio
● Newsom to announce nation's first vax-or-test rules for teachers Politico
● Opinion: California must require COVID-19 vaccinations for teachers CalMatters
Gavin Newsom announces plans to spend $350 million to vaccinate Medi-Cal recipients. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee
California plans to spend $350 million to incentivize COVID-19 shots among Medi-Cal beneficiaries, who disproportionately lag the general population in getting vaccinated.
California prison overseer calls for mandatory COVID vaccines for all guards, staff
Sacramento Bee
The federal receiver overseeing medical care inside California’s prisons asked a federal judge Wednesday for a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination order for guards and staff at the prisons, saying the delta variant of the virus “poses enormous risks.”
See also:
● California correctional officers union to fight new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, memo says Sacramento Bee
● COVID vaccine mandate begins for California state workers despite objections from SEIU Local 1000 Sacramento Bee
Larry Elder’s outspoken conservative radio rhetoric under scrutiny in recall election
Los Angeles Times
He has on occasion fueled climate change skepticism, depicting global warming as a “crock” and a “myth.” He said the medical establishment and “professional victims” have overblown the danger from secondhand tobacco smoke.
See also:
● Is Larry Elder an easy target for Newsom in recall? CalMatters
● Gov. Newsom says recall candidate Larry Elder will roll back California laws Los Angeles Times
● Could Latino voters make the difference in whether Newsom survives California’s recall election? CalMatters
● Walters: California’s negative reality hurts Newsom CalMatters
● Opinion: Newsom recall could change balance of power in U.S. Senate CalMatters
● Tom Del Beccaro: Newsom recall election – here's why California governor is in real trouble Fox News
Biden's infrastructure deal could bring billions to California - if it can pass the House
San Francisco Chronicle
President Biden’s signature infrastructure deal expected to soon pass in the Senate could mean a windfall for California, to the tune of tens of billions of dollars.
See also:
● California High-Speed Rail Authority to compete for billions in funding from federal infrastructure bill Spectrum News 1
PG&E Wildfire Victims Still Unpaid as New California Fires Weigh on Company’s Stock
Wall Street Journal
A year after PG&E funded a trust to compensate victims of California wildfires with company stock, most have yet to be paid, and the shares have fallen in value after the utility acknowledged it might have started this year’s worst fire.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● US turns to social media influencers to boost vaccine rates Fresno Bee
● New CDC study finds COVID-19 far riskier than vaccines Mercury News
● Fresh U.K. Covid-19 Data Boosts Hopes That Delta Variant Can Be Held in Check Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: America has a long history of vaccination mandates. Why should the worst plague in a century be any different? Washington Post
● Photos: Living and dying with covid Washington Post
● Troops may soon be required to get a COVID vaccine. What happens if they refuse? Fresno Bee
Senate passes $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, package now heads to House
abc30
With a robust vote after weeks of fits and starts, the Senate approved a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan on Tuesday, a r are coalition of Democrats and Republicans joining to overcome skeptics and deliver a cornerstone of President Joe Biden's agenda.
See also:
● Bipartisan infrastructure bill passes the Senate. Here are some of the highlights Sacramento Bee
● Senate approves Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill with funds for California Los Angeles Times
● Big win for $1 trillion infrastructure bill: Dems, GOP come together Mercury News
● Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill could take years to transform U.S. Washington Post
● Senate passes $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package Axios
● Senate OKs infrastructure bill; fate in House tied to bigger budget bill Roll Call
● Senate infrastructure bill sets stage for massive effort to make broadband more available and affordable Washington Post
● Biden heralds bipartisan Senate infrastructure vote, but hurdles remain Los Angeles Times
● McConnell Credits Biden for Infrastructure Breakthrough, Dismisses Trump Criticism Wall Street Journal
● Why McConnell and the GOP are giving Biden a bipartisan win on infrastructure Los Angeles Times
● Factbox: What's in the U.S. Senate's bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill? Reuters
● EJ Dionne: Bipartisanship for infrastructure is great. Don’t expect it for much else. Washington Post
Senate Debates Dems’ $3.5t Budget, Gop Launches Attacks
Business Journal
Democrats started pushing their expansive $3.5 trillion framework for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs through the Senate, as Republicans responded by unleashing an avalanche of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price.
See also:
● Senate Passes Democrats’ $3.5 Trillion Budget Blueprint Wall Street Journal
● Senate Democrats adopt sweeping $3.5 trillion budget that opens the door to health, education and tax reforms Washington Post
● Budget package includes plan for pathway to citizenship, green cards for millions The Hill
● Most GOP Senators Sign Pledge to Not Help Democrats on Debt Ceiling Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Democrats Default on the Debt Limit Wall Street Journal
Biden's Pick To Lead One Of The Top Federal Prosecutor's Offices Could Make History
VPR
President Biden has nominated Damian Williams as his pick to lead the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, one of the nation's most high profile law enforcement departments.
Column: Biden violates his oath of office and pro-Constitution allies don’t care
Los Angeles Times
The president takes an oath to “faithfully execute” the laws and to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution. Biden, Bush and Obama, by their own admission, believed their actions ran afoul of the law and/or the Constitution.
See also:
● Opinion: Biden defies expectations. Again. Washington Post
Republicans raise money on Facebook by tying migrant influx to COVID surge
Washington Post
Sen. John Barrasso is among those seeking donations by suggesting immigrants are exacerbating the pandemic. Last year, Facebook said a similar claim amounted to hate speech.
Republicans Threaten Voter Registration Volunteers With Crimes
Pew Trusts
Among the deluge of new voting restrictions passed by GOP lawmakers across the country this year are laws in three states that target nonprofit groups’ voter registration efforts.
The 2020 Election Is Back In Court, As Dominion Sues Conservative Media Outlets
VPR
Dominion Voting Systems has filed billion-dollar lawsuits against two conservative television networks for their alleged spread of misinformation during the 2020 election, the company's latest move in an ongoing legal battle.
Other:
Virus Misinformation Spikes as Delta Cases Surge (Free Article)
New York Times
Coronavirus misinformation has spiked online in recent weeks, misinformation experts say, as people who peddle in falsehoods have seized on the surge of cases from the Delta variant to spread new and recycled unsubstantiated narratives.
See also:
● Opinion: We Research Misinformation on Facebook. It Just Disabled Our Accounts. New York Times
U.S. Government Wants a Greater Role in How Americans Access Internet
Wall Street Journal
President Biden’s bid to inject government deeper into the private sector is getting its first big test in the broadband industry.
Opinion: A Bipartisan Cryptocurrency Crackup
Wall Street Journal
The Senate passed its infrastructure bill on Tuesday but not before a cryptocurrency crackup that is all too typical of today’s Washington. This is what happens when insiders write bills that they release at the last minute on issues they don’t understand.
All population growth in U.S. driven by minorities, upcoming census data is 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.
AEI
We explore major 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
Agritourism gets a boost as visitors welcomed back to the country
CA Farm Bureau
The rebound follows widespread closures last year of many California farm festivals, tours and workshops. Many were conducted as virtual events or greatly scaled back.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Harrison appears on diocesan list of 'credibly accused clergy'
Bakersfield Californian
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno has released a list of "credibly accused clergy" that includes Craig Harrison, the former Bakersfield priest who resigned his position in February after allegations against him went public 15½ months ago.
Public Safety:
Hampton to return as Interim Police Chief
Turlock Journal
Gary Hampton will assume another temporary role with the City of Turlock following the City Council’s decision on Tuesday to appoint him as Interim Chief of Police.
More items banned at protests? Modesto City Council to consider request from police
Modesto Bee
The Modesto City Council on Tuesday night will consider adding to the list of items banned at protests. Two years ago, the council passed an urgency ordinance banning rocks, glass bottles and other items that can be used as weapons at protests that could turn violent.
ACLU, Tulare County Sheriff's Office reach preliminary settlement on COVID-19 policies
abc 30
The ACLU of Northern California has reached a preliminary settlement with the Tulare County Sheriff's Office to implement immediate COVID-19 precautions inside the county's jails. The settlement resolves a class-action lawsuit filed in 2020.
Fire:
Wildfire updates: Smoke and mild weather slow Dixie Fire; River Fire nears full containment
Fresno Bee
The Dixie Fire, the second-largest wildfire in California history, slowed slightly Monday night, providing a much needed respite for crews who have battled the blaze for nearly a month.
See also:
● Nearly 900 buildings destroyed by California's massive Dixie Fire abc30
● Nearly 900 Buildings Destroyed By Massive California Fire Business Journal
● College professor held in wildland arson spree near California’s massive Dixie Fire Sacramento Bee
● PG&E power line suspected in Dixie fire was set to be buried underground in safety move Los Angeles Times
● Dixie Fire continues to roar, and crews don’t know when it will be fully contained Mercury News
● ‘I would want to die right here’: A Native American community fights to protect its land from the Dixie Fire. New York Times
Trump told California to sweep the forest floors. What’s Biden’s plan to combat wildfires?
Modesto 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.
PG&E Wildfire Victims Still Unpaid as New California Fires Weigh on Company’s Stock
Wall Street Journal
A year after PG&E Corp. PCG 0.83% funded a trust to compensate victims of California wildfires with company stock, most have yet to be paid, and the shares have fallen in value after the utility acknowledged it might have started this year’s worst fire.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Without ‘right To Repair,’ Businesses Lose Time And Money
Business Journal
As software and other technologies get infused in more and more products, manufacturers are increasingly making those products difficult to repair, potentially costing business owners time and money.
Delta Variant of Covid-19 Isn’t Expected to Dent Robust U.S. Recovery
Wall Street Journal
The highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 doesn’t pose an immediate risk to the strength of the U.S. economic recovery, with analysts expecting a robust expansion to continue in the second half of the year.
Prices rise 5.4% in July over last year as the economy claws back from pandemic depths
Washington Post
Prices rose 5.4% in July compared to a year ago, as policymakers at the Federal Reserve and Biden administration grapple with how long — and how high — inflation could climb as the economy rebounds.
See also:
● Wages Are Going Up — And So Is Inflation. Consumer Prices Have Hit A 13-Year High VPR
● Opinion: More Inflation Warnings Wall Street Journal
● Corporate profit margins at record high despite rising costs Axios
Jobs:
A 98-year-old Fresno dough plant is closing. When will workers lose their jobs?
Fresno Bee
A plant 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.
Yoga classes, therapy and 401(k)s: California businesses beefing up benefits to attract workers
CalMatters
California businesses are responding to a labor shortage with social media pleas, hiring incentives, bonuses and new benefits. So far, workers, particularly in the service industry, are seeing wages rise.
Event: Improving Career Education Pathways into California’s Workforce
Public Policy Institute of California
A new PPIC report describes student pathways through career education programs at community colleges and discusses insights from stakeholder interviews on how to help more people complete programs and connect to quality jobs.
Biden to Urge Businesses to Require Covid-19 Vaccine for Workers
Wall Street Journal
President Biden will meet Wednesday with the chief executives of United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Kaiser Permanente in a bid to encourage more companies to follow their lead and require workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
Continuing jobless claims hit new pandemic-era low, falling below 3 million
CNBC
Initial claims for unemployment insurance edged lower last week, meeting Wall Street expectations, while longer-term unemployment signs showed improvement, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
See also:
● July’s jobs report shows Black teens struggling with the highest unemployment rate Brookings
Editorial: A Guaranteed Income At Work
Wall Street Journal
On Tuesday the National Federation of Independent Business reported a dip in its small business optimism index. Small employers are worried about getting adequate supplies, rising prices for those supplies, and a shortage of workers.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno County won’t step into masks-in-schools controversy. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to support local school boards’ authority to make decisions on masks and other pandemic measures — noting schools are regulated by the state and not county leaders.
Join Ed Lab Q&A live with Fresno Health Department and Fresno Unified
Fresno Bee
Thousands of Fresno-area kids head back to school this week. But with a renewed surge of local coronavirus cases, many questions remain about school safety.
See also:
● COVID-19 or the common cold? How to tell if your child contracted the novel coronavirus as school starts. Mercury News
Clovis schools change course on mask requirements. Students will need a doctor’s note
Fresno Bee
After the California health department clarified that mask exemptions in K-12 schools could only be made by doctors — and not parents — Clovis Unified school officials announced Monday afternoon that it would follow protocol and not allow parents to exempt their children.
Fresno police pull out of some city schools to combat wave of homicides, gun violence
Fresno Bee
Citing a violent crime wave and low staffing, Fresno Police Department officials say they’re pulling officers out of the city’s middle schools. Fresno Police Deputy Chief Burke Farrah said the city needs more officers available to respond to violent crime.
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.
Turlock Unified won’t ask California public health for local control over masks in schools
Modesto Bee
The trustees of Turlock Unified School District won’t send a letter they had drafted to state officials asking to lift statewide COVID-19 mandates for K-12 schools.
See also:
● Letter seeking local mask control shot down by TUSD Board Turlock Journal
The Digital Divide Has Narrowed but Still Affects California’s Children
PPIC
The importance of technology in children’s education and health has soared during the pandemic. After California initiated a shelter-in-place order 17 months ago, K–12 instruction and health care rapidly shifted online.
At Schools Where Native American Children Died, New Hope for Answers
Wall Street Journal
For years, alumni from the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in Oklahoma have been searching for information about the students who died at their old boarding school, one of hundreds once set up by the U.S. government to assimilate young Native Americans.
Delta Is Making Americans Crazy About School Reopening, Again
Reason
With one-quarter of students nationwide already back in school, and the delta-fueled fourth wave of COVID peaking along the Gulf Coast and Mississippi River Basin, all signs point to another bifurcated K-12 year.
See also:
● Coronavirus Today: Back-to-school blues Los Angeles Times
● Poll: Majority of parents against school vaccine mandates, support mask requirements The Hill
Higher Ed:
Cal State deadline could lead to unvaccinated students on campus and missed classes
CalMatters
The California State University system decided in late July to require students to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Unfortunately for students, the deadline to get vaccinated and the start of classes conflict in potentially problematic ways.
Blocked: California Students & Higher Education
California Budget & Policy Center
This report shows that California’s public universities do not provide equal access to higher education based solely on merit.
See also:
● Key Student Groups Are Less Likely to Complete the Courses Required for Admission to CSU or UC California Budget & Policy Center
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
More than 150 million people are under heat alerts as much of the U.S. is scorched again this week.
New York Times
More than 150 million people across the United States are under some form of heat alert for Tuesday or the coming days, with temperatures soaring from the parched and smoky West, to the Great Lakes and the Plains, and the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
See also:
● What does extreme weather tell us about climate change? PolitiFact
● Opinion: How California can prepare our communities and homes for heat waves CalMatters
3 Things To Know About What Scientists Say About Our Future Climate
VPR
More than 200 climate scientists just released a stark look at how fast the climate is warming, showing heat waves, extreme rain and intense droughts are on the rise.
See also:
● Scary US climate report reinforces the need to innovate our way to a clean and energy abundant future AEI
● Opinion: Climate Change Brings a Flood of Hyperbole Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Same Climate Report, Different Day Wall Street Journal
How Much Carbon Comes From a Liter of Coke? Companies Grapple With Climate Change Math
Wall Street Journal
From farm to bottler to supermarket cooler, a liter of Coca-Cola creates 346 grams of carbon dioxide emissions, the company’s data show.
Energy:
U.S. power emissions set to surge the most in more than 30 years
Los Angeles Times
Greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. energy industry are on track to surge the most in more than three decades as utilities increasingly turn to coal to power the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fauci hopeful COVID vaccines get full OK by FDA within weeks
Fresno Bee
Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he was hopeful the FDA will give full approval to the coronavirus vaccine by month's end and predicted the potential move will spur a wave of vaccine mandates in the private sector as well as schools and universities.
See also:
● CDC guidance now official: Pregnant women should get coronavirus vaccine Washington Post
Insider
Because a COVID-19 vaccine prevents severe illness from the Delta variant in the vast majority of cases, some experts said requiring vaccines at large events could reduce the risk of attendees becoming infected with COVID-19.
How To Keep Your Child Safe From The Delta Variant
NPR
The CDC has advice for keeping your child protected from this highly contagious version of the coronavirus now and this fall: Mask up in schools and other crowded venues, and make sure everyone age 12 and older in the family gets a COVID-19 shot.
Do people with asthma face higher COVID risks? Medication may play a role, study finds
Fresno Bee
People who take medications to control their asthma may be more protected from serious COVID-19 consequences than those who don’t, according to a new study, but it depends on how severe their condition is.
The CDC Said The Delta Variant Is As Contagious As Chickenpox. That's Not Accurate
VPR
In a leaked report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a surprising claim about the delta variant of the coronavirus: It "is as transmissible as: - Chicken Pox," the agency wrote in a slideshow presentation leaked to The Washington Post on July 26.
Cholesterol-lowering drug being tested at Penn Medicine to help fight COVID-19
abc30
Can a drug used to treat high cholesterol also treat COVID-19? It's a question researchers at Penn Medicine, in Philadelphia, are trying to answer.
Fires ravaging in northern California worsen Kern's air quality
Bakersfield Californian
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.
See also:
● After weekend of unhealthy air quality, smoke to 'settle in, move out' for weeks Hanford Sentinel
Popular sunscreens under scrutiny as scientists cite another potential carcinogen
Los Angeles Times
Researchers asked U.S. regulators to pull some sunscreens from the market, including brands such as Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena, saying they’ve found evidence of a potential carcinogen.
Human Services:
How much do we trust doctors and nurses during the pandemic? Here’s what a poll finds
Fresno Bee
A majority of Americans have trust in doctors, nurses and pharmacists “to do what is right” for them and their families, according to a new poll.
See also:
· Hospitals run low on nurses as they get swamped with COVID Fresno Bee
· New mandate requires proof of vaccination for hospital visitors Turlock Journal
COVID vaccinations lag for people on Medi-Cal
CalMatters
In all California counties, Medi-Cal enrollees have been vaccinated at substantially lower rates than the overall population. Experts point to several factors for this economic divide, like the inability of low-income people to take time off work.
Can social media influencers change vaccine skeptics’ minds?
Los Angeles Times
As a police sergeant in a rural town, Carlos Cornejo isn’t the prototypical social media influencer. But his Spanish-language Facebook page with 650,000 followers was exactly what Colorado leaders were looking for as they recruited residents to try to persuade the most vaccination-averse.
Nursing Home Overhaul Bill Would Boost Staffing, Oversight
Business Journal
Responding to the ravages of COVID-19 in nursing homes, senior Democratic senators Tuesday introduced legislation to increase nurse staffing, improve infection control and bolster inspections.
IMMIGRATION
Out of prison, then out of country. Poll asks Californians’ view on deporting undocumented
Fresno 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.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Redistricting meeting to be held Thursday
Porterville Recorder
A meeting proposing Tulare County’s redistricted boundary areas will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Comision Honorifica Mexicana Americana Community Center, 466 E. Putnam Ave. The meeting will be in English and translated in Spanish.
Housing:
Millennials make up the largest share of homebuyers in California. How do they do it?
Sacramento Bee
Millennials, considered to be those born between 1981 and 1996, are investing in their own set of keys despite living through a national student debt crisis, two economic crashes and financial inequities their baby boomer parents never experienced.
See also:
● It’s not all ‘doom and gloom.’ Home buying tips for California millennials Sacramento Bee
● Opinion: My California dream is full of monsters. As a millennial, is buying a home still possible? Sacramento Bee
PUBLIC FINANCES
Water? Housing? Sewers? Debate over which Stanislaus pocket-area projects to fund
Modesto Bee
As Stanislaus creates a framework to spend millions of dollars on improving county islands and urban pockets, there’s disagreement among residents on how and where the money should be invested.
Reversal Of Trump-era Action Spells Higher Power, Water Costs
Business Journal
What seemed a victory for water users and power customers in California has been overturned. President Joe Biden rescinded an environmental opinion issued in the last days of the Trump Administration.
Secret IRS Files Reveal How Much the Ultrawealthy Gained by Shaping Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Tax Cut”
ProPublica
In November 2017, with the administration of President Donald Trump rushing to get a massive tax overhaul through Congress, Sen. Ron Johnson stunned his colleagues by announcing he would vote “no.”
How Local Governments Raise Their Tax Dollars
PEW
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.
See also:
● As the pandemic continues to loom, municipal leaders can glean lessons from last year’s budget season American City & Country
TRANSPORTATION
Improve Transportation By Engaging Diverse Communities
UC Davis
In order to improve transportation strategies and projects, government agencies must seek modes of community engagement, particularly with historically excluded communities of color.
Is California’s ‘Hydrogen Highway’ a road to nowhere?
Los Angeles Times
Soon after Maribel Munoz joined the trailblazing ranks of American owners of hydrogen cars — a group that exists only in California — she began to fear that the low price of the taxpayer-subsidized Toyota Mirai she purchased came with a tremendous cost.
EV Charging Stations Multiply, But Are Often Out of Reach for Disadvantaged Populations
Stanford University
California will prohibit the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. But charging-station infrastructure takes time to develop. Already, some places are in danger of being left out, perpetuating historical disparities.
Electric vehicles forecast to overtake gas engines within a decade
Axios
Cars over the next decade are going to flip from being mostly gasoline-powered to mostly electrified, according to a new IHS Markit forecast.
See also:
● Electric Cars for Everyone? Not Unless They Get Cheaper. New York Times
WATER
California water district pays millions over ‘unauthorized diversion’ from federal canals
Fresno 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.
Turlock Journal
Gray expressed his outrage in a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board over the board’s recent decision to label water used to grow food as a “wasteful and unreasonable use,” and its developing plans to halt flows to farmers.
Garth Stapley: Glimmer of hope for Stanislaus-area water storage in federal infrastructure deal
Modesto Bee
Whenever politicians are asked about the California water wars that threaten our well-being in Modesto and Stanislaus County, eventually the talk gets around to something like, “Well, you know what we really need is more water storage.”
“Xtra”
Fresno Bee
It’s hard to see longtime restaurants close. Fresno has lost of a lot of them the last year and half for a variety of reasons, including the fallout from COVID-19.
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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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