Maddy Institute – August 25, 2021

25Aug

POLICY & POLITICS

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.

● Recall Ballot Tracking

● California recall election: Submit your questions for Wednesday's debate San Francisco Chronicle

North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Aug. 25: Number of patients hospitalized in Stanislaus rises to 245 Modesto Bee

● More people taking COVID tests in Stanislaus County. With FDA approval, are shots next? Modesto Bee

● How a new COVID testing program will help keep Turlock, Modesto students in classrooms Modesto Bee

● TUSD reports 60 cases of COVID-19 since school started Turlock Journal

● Garth Stapley: Modesto megachurch joins effort exploiting religion to get around COVID-19 vaccines Modesto Bee

State Auditor lists Modesto among dozen high-risk cities for fiscal distress

Modesto Bee

Modesto is among the dozen California cities that potentially are at “significant risk of experiencing fiscal distress,” according to the latest rankings released this week from the California State Auditor.

Life’s ‘real cost’ exceeds income of 31% of Stanislaus families, United Way study shows

Modesto Bee

Nearly one-third of Stanislaus County households are struggling to cover the cost of living despite almost all having at least one working adult in the home, a study shows.

Pandemic paradox: Remote learning brought some Modesto educators closer to struggling kids

Modesto Bee

As students and their families face pandemic-related challenges from online learning to economic hardship, Modesto school administrators are offering aid as the circumstances have raised their awareness.

This free program for the homeless, halted by the pandemic, resumes in Turlock

Modesto Bee

The We Care Program this month resumed serving weekly lunches and holding resource sharing meetings after a hiatus earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Merced unemployment improved in July, but COVID and drought mean more uncertainty

Merced Sun Star

Despite the pandemic still impacting many facets of the economy, more Merced County residents had jobs this summer compared to last year, when the region was gearing up for one of its worst COVID-19 spikes to date.

Merced County kicks off $2.1M expansion on research and test site for autonomous vehicles

Merced Sun Star

The new expansion will allow vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and innovators to utilize test areas that mimic real-world highway, rural and urban landscapes, according to a Merced County news release.

County registrar talks election security ahead of recall

Turlock Journal

For the first time since 2003, California voters next month will decide whether or not to recall the state’s governor after a petition to remove Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom received over 1.7 million signatures.

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Funds - Take the Survey!

City of Merced

Your feedback will be used to develop a draft spending plan that carefully considers the use of these one-time resources within the designated time frame, as an investment in the community.

More Denair development on the way

Turlock Journal

The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved development projects in Denair which will bring more housing and a new business to town.

Ceres hires interim city manager. What are recruiting plans for the permanent job?

Modesto Bee

The Ceres City Council on Monday hired former Los Banos administrator Alex Terrazas as interim city manager while recruiting to fill the position on a permanent basis.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● COVID hospitalizations in Fresno, Valley rise at fastest pace of the pandemic to date Fresno Bee

● Pfizer COVID vaccine wins full FDA approval. Will that boost rates in Fresno, Valley? Fresno Bee

● COVID infections rise among students, staff in Fresno-area schools. Here are the numbers Fresno Bee

● Kaweah Health calls off emergency COVID-19 triage, hospitals still face challenges Visalia Times Delta

● County says contact tracers can't keep up with increasing cases Hanford Sentinel

● Kings now offering booster COVID shot to the immunocompromised residents Hanford Sentinel

Who will hold political power in Fresno County for the next decade? Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

A process is underway to redraw Fresno County’s voter boundaries, significantly influencing who will run local government agencies for the next decade. And few Fresno-area residents seem to know about it.

Fresno’s Central Unified schools superintendent Alvarado resigns two months after arrest

Fresno Bee

Andrew Alvarado, the superintendent of Fresno’s Central Unified School District, resigned Tuesday, two months after he was arrested — but never charged — in a domestic violence case.

Fresno-area community colleges will mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for students, staff

Fresno Bee

Students and employees on campus at Fresno City College or any of its sister colleges will have to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine beginning Oct. 15, after trustees voted Monday evening to establish a mandate.

A future industrial park for Fresno County? Here’s where leaders are looking

Fresno Bee

A largely agricultural area encompassing nearly 3,000 acres at the southern fringe of Fresno is being eyed by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors as a potential site for a large business and industrial campus.

‘An impossible situation.’ Elderly Clovis renters priced out as affordability contract expires

Fresno Bee

Tenants living in rent-restricted affordable housing units at Sierra Ridge apartment complex owned by Golden State Financial (GSF) Sierra Ridge Clovis Investors were told in late April that their units would soon become market rate — doubling the price in some instances.

California directs Tulare County city to extend water service to neighbors in need

Fresno Bee

The state of California took the first step to order and potentially pay for the city of Exeter in Tulare County to extend water service to hundreds of homes in a nearby town without safe and stable drinking water.

Crisis Of Homelessness And Affordable Housing In Fresno; Transitioning From The Streets To Shelter

VPR

H. Spees, director of Fresno’s Housing and Homeless Initiatives says the city has been rotating people in and out of about 1,450 beds since the spring. Availability is changing daily as people move in and out of the system.

San Joaquin Valley taxpayers have most to gain in President Biden’s tax plan, report shows

Fresno Bee

The California congressional district that would benefit most next year from President Biden’s tax plan is represented by David Valadao (R) of Hanford. The district in the state that would benefit least is represented by a Democrat, the Los Angeles area’s Ted Lieu.

Warszawski: Valley Children’s Stadium? Fresno State fortunate to be hospital’s charity case

Fresno Bee

Fresno State was lucky to get $1 for the naming rights to its old, dilapidated football stadium, let alone $1 million per year. Exaggeration? Only slightly.

Kaiser Permanente exploring $46M expansion in Fresno

Business Journal

Kaiser Permanente seeks to expand its footprint in Fresno with a planned $46 million, 39,000-square-foot project. The proposed design is a combination of new construction and some remodel work in the emergency department.

3 Black former Kraft Heinz workers sue for $30M, allege rampant racist abuse at Tulare plant

Visalia Times Delta

Three Black former Kraft Heinz employees are suing the food giant for $30 million, alleging widespread discrimination and racist harassment from coworkers and supervisors at the company's Tulare plant.

Resolution declaring 'emergency conditions exist' at Visalia Unified could be repealed

Visalia Times Delta

Resolution declaring 'emergency conditions exist' at Visalia Unified could be repealed. Itallows the VUSD superintendent "to take all appropriate action to respond to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, including, but not limited to any action…”

Search is on for new West Hills Lemoore president

The Business Journal

West Hills Community College District is in the market for a new president for its Lemoore campus. The district is seeking a “visionary and forward-thinking” leader for West Hills College Lemoore.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Public Health releases data showing vaccine effectiveness in Kern County Bakersfield Californian

● Local hospitals struggle to keep up with latest COVID-19 surge Bakersfield Californian

● Public Health: Over 99% of Kern County COVID cases are among the unvaccinated abc23

State AG finds BPD violated Constitution, reaches agreement with city for reforms

Bakersfield Californian

The California Attorney General's Office has concluded a four-year investigation into the Bakersfield Police Department, finding BPD violated the constitutional rights of local residents.

● Bakersfield Police Department Agrees To Adopt Broad Policing Reforms Following State Investigation VPR

● Investigation finds Bakersfield PD violated residents’ rights Mercury News

● Bakersfield agrees to police reform measures with state AG AP

Bay Area company taps Kern County businesses to mitigate losses of French Fire

Bakersfield Californian

The company started around 2010 with one goal in mind: empower small food businesses and widen their audience. However, the 2017 fire season in California prompted Off the Grid to bring its food and business expertise into places devastated by an emergency.

State rejects Aera's appeal on Kern frack jobs

Bakersfield Californian

The Newsom administration has rejected an appeal filed by Bakersfield-based oil producer Aera Energy LLC after the company's proposal to frack wells in western Kern was met with what appeared to be a new policy of denying such projects based on general concerns rather than technical considerations.

South Valley communities on verge of running out of water press Newsom to halt 18% rate hike

The Sun

As if California’s drought situation could get no worse, water agencies and poor communities in the southern San Joaquin Valley are confronting a new reality. While they receive no water from the State Water Project, they’re being hit with rate hikes of up to 18 percent from last year by California water officials.

U.S. high-speed rail line between Bakersfield and Palmdale moves step closer

Global Railway Review

California High-Speed Rail Authority directors have approved the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the approximately 80-mile Bakersfield to Palmdale project alignment section.

Students return to Porterville College campus

Porterville Recorder

Parking was difficult to find Monday morning at Porterville College as hundreds of students flocked back to the campus for the first time in more than a year.

State:

COVID Update:

● California epidemiologist ‘hopeful’ virus surge is abating Fresno Bee

● COVID hospitalizations break records in six California counties CalMatters

● How High Vaccination Rates Are Protecting Parts of California New York Times

● See how many people in California are vaccinated, and find a COVID vaccine appointment Fresno Bee

Democrats sped up Gavin Newsom’s recall to avoid California crises. They’re happening anyway

Fresno Bee

Once the recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom qualified for the ballot, Democrats who control statewide offices had a choice. They could delay the vote or speed it along. They chose to set an early recall election date.

● Ordinary people, extraordinary ambition. Why 5 regular Californians are running for governor Sacramento Bee

● 'Get worried': Gavin Newsom's supporters are trying to bridge an enthusiasm gap by pumping up the fear San Francisco Chronicle

● Big donors helping Newsom fight California recall also have a big wish list in Sacramento Los Angeles Times

● California recall reality: Newsom could be replaced by candidate with far fewer votes Los Angeles Times

● How Trump-hating California got a slate of recall candidates who supported Trump Los Angeles Times

● Editorial: On homelessness, recall candidates offer hot air, not real solutions Los Angeles Times

● California recall election: How to vote and what to know San Diego Union Tribune

● Newsom recall: Could 1-and-done strategy backfire? CalMatters

● Walters: Audit report provides ammo for Newsom recall CalMatter

● Will voter turnout sink or save Gavin Newsom in recall election? Mercury New

● Democrats sweat turnout disaster in California without Trump to run against Politico

● Nate Silver Calls Gavin Newsom Strategy to Leave Recall Candidate Line Blank 'Self-Destructive' Newsweek

● Can Gov. Newsom Keep His Job? A Recall Effort in California Shows a Dead Heat. New York Times

Larry Elder is leader among California recall candidates. That might help Gavin Newsom

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom talks about Larry Elder everywhere he goes. During a conversation with Planned Parenthood on Wednesday, Newsom blasted the conservative talk show host for opposing abortion.

● State officials open investigation into whether Larry Elder failed to disclose income sources Los Angeles Times

● Walters: Larry Elder’s critics may be helping him succeed CalMatters

● Opinion: Gavin Newsom is in trouble. Here’s why. Washington Post

● How Did Larry Elder Become a Front-Runner in California’s Governor Race? New York Times

Longshot recall candidate Kiley may emerge as a GOP leader

Fresno Bee

And then there is Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, a 36-year-old lawyer who represents the Sacramento suburbs in the state Legislature. He's a conservative who often flirts with the fringes of the GOP.

● Meet Kevin Kiley CalMatters

● Who is Kevin Kiley and what would he do as governor? CalMatters

● California recall: Kevin Kiley gets endorsement from former competitor in bid to replace Gavin Newsom San Francisco Chronicle

California recall candidates gather Wednesday for debate before television audience

Sacramento Bee

California voters will get to see several gubernatorial recall candidates take the stage Wednesday in a televised debate hosted by Sacramento’s KCRA 3 and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protection Act coming to Newsom's desk. What you need to know

Visalia Times Delta

It seeks to build on the Occupational Safety and Health program’s standard for protecting farm workers and address issues like unhealthy air conditions. The bill would also provide education on hazardous conditions for farm and agricultural workers throughout the state.

California congressional offices inundated with thousands of calls to help Afghan refugees

Sacramento Bee

The Sacramento area districts of Reps. Ami Bera and Doris Matsui include one of the country’s largest Afghan populations. Now thousands are calling their offices for help getting people out of Afghanistan as the Taliban seizes power.

Opinion: California’s top Democrats took money from big oil and gas. Then climate legislation died

Sacramento Bee

These disasters call for California leaders to show unparalleled courage in confronting the climate crisis — and the big oil and gas interests driving it. Instead, key leaders in the state Senate protected a status quo of fossil fuel reliance.

Breaking Down How California Redraws Its Political Maps

VPR

Now that the 2020 census data has been released, the work is on to redraw California’s political maps.

New Agency Aims to Protect Digital Privacy of Californians

KQED

The mission of California's new Privacy Protection Agency is to help Californians fight for their digital privacy. But what will it do if big companies violate people's privacy rights?

Federal:

COVID Update:

● US could enter spring of 2022 with COVID 'under control' if enough people get vaccinated, Fauci says abc30

● NBC News poll shows demographic breakdown of the vaccinated in the U.S. NBC News

● New U.S. Intelligence Report Doesn’t Provide Definitive Conclusion on Covid-19 Origins Wall Street Journal

● Biden receives inconclusive intelligence report on covid origins Washington Post

● Delta Variant Keeps Expats Stranded Wall Street Journal

● FDA’s Full Stamp of Vaccine Approval Delivers Progress, but Issues With Vaccine Passports and Policies Are Looming Ogletree Deakins

House Passes $3.5 Trillion Budget Blueprint, Sets Deadline for Infrastructure Bill

Wall Street Journal

The House narrowly passed a measure Tuesday approving a $3.5 trillion budget blueprint and locking in a late September vote on a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, ending a standoff between a group of centrist Democrats and their leaders.

● House passes $3.5 trillion budget plan, aims to vote on infrastructure package by late September Washington Post

● House adopts budget, greenlights reconciliation process Roll Call

● House advances $3.5T budget, ending stalemate between Pelosi and centrists Politico

● House Democrats break internal impasse to adopt $3.5T budget plan The Hill

● Infrastructure Bill’s Cryptocurrency Measures Risk Pushing Criminals Further Underground Wall Street Journal

● Editorial: The Democratic Centrists Fold, on Schedule Wall Street Journal

House passes John Lewis voting rights bill that's set to stall in Senate

Politico

Senate Republicans filibustered a more sweeping Democratic elections bill in June and most also oppose the more targeted voting proposal.

● House Passes John Lewis Bill in Latest Voting Push Wall Street Journal

● House Democrats pass John Lewis Voting Rights Act United Press International

Column: Why the Supreme Court is one of the biggest threats to American democracy

Los Angeles Times

The truth is, the biggest threat to American democracy isn’t a military coup. The more probable danger is much less dramatic and much more terrifying: a horrible decision from the final arbiter of our constitutional system — the Supreme Court of the United States.

House panel investigating Jan. 6 attack seeks records from agencies on insurrection, Trump in first request for information

Washington Post

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection issued sweeping requests Wednesday for records from the executive branch pertaining to the attack on the Capitol and President Trump’s efforts to subvert the election.

Opinion: The High Price of Federal Marijuana Legalization

Wall Street Journal

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently released a much-anticipated discussion draft of a bill to legalize marijuana. Mr. Schumer has stated his goals are to “ensure restorative justice, public health, and implement responsible taxes and regulations.”

Opinion: Despite refiling, the Federal Trade Commission’s case against Facebook remains weak

American Enterprise Institute

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed its amended antitrust complaint against Facebook. The amendment was needed because a federal judge dismissed the FTC’s first complaint.

Other:

‘Toxic work environment.’ Valley PBS’ revolving door of CEOs, turmoil threatens station

Fresno Bee

Former employees and executives of Valley Public Broadcasting Station say a revolving door of CEOs and an exodus of staffers fleeing a “toxic work environment” in recent years have compromised the financial strength and programming quality of the San Joaquin Valley’s largest public media outlet.

The Cybersecurity 202: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Could Bring a Cyber Bounty for State and Local Governments

Washington Post

The mammoth bipartisan infrastructure deal that passed the Senate this week includes a $1 billion pot of cybersecurity money to help state and local governments battered by ransomware and other digital attacks.

Weary of turmoil and division, most teens still voice faith in future, Post-Ipsos poll finds

Washington Post

These 14-to-18-year-olds are coming of age amid a pandemic, racial justice protests and political hostility, but remain optimistic about their own lives.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 29, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “PPIC: K-12 Test Scores - What do they tell us?” - Guest: Julien Lafortune, Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 29, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "The Valley’s Public Universities: An Update"- Guests: Fresno State President Joseph Castro; Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn; CSU Bakersfield President Lynnette Zelezny. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protection Act coming to Newsom's desk. What you need to know

Visalia Times Delta

CDC is reporting two salmonella outbreaks from these meats — what you need to know

Sacramento Bee

Put away your charcuterie boards, at least for now: Investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are looking into salmonella outbreaks, and California is currently reporting the highest number of sick individuals in the country.

DOJ forgoes appeal of order blocking money for minority farmers

Politico

The Agriculture Department said the Biden administration would keep defending the debt relief program at the trial court level as litigation moves forward.

U.S. Crops Wither Under Scorching Heat

Wall Street Journal

Farm incomes have been hit hard over the past two years, first when Covid-19 shutdowns hammered prices and afterward when hot, dry weather reduced output, limiting farmers’ capacity to cash in on rising demand and higher prices.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

FCC proposes fining conspiracists $5.1M for voter suppression robocalls

Politico

The apparent violations were part of Wohl and Burkman’s voter suppression activities ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election, aimed at discouraging voting by mail.

Public Safety:

State AG finds BPD violated Constitution, reaches agreement with city for reforms

Bakersfield Californian

The California Attorney General's Office has concluded a four-year investigation into the Bakersfield Police Department, finding BPD violated the constitutional rights of local residents.

● Bakersfield Police Department Agrees To Adopt Broad Policing Reforms Following State Investigation VPR

● Investigation finds Bakersfield PD violated residents’ rights Mercury News

● Bakersfield agrees to police reform measures with state AG AP

Governments should adopt the ABA's best practices recommendations for police body-worn cameras, ABA House says

ABA Journal

The ABA House of Delegates passed a resolution Monday urging governments around the country to adopt its policies on police body-worn cameras—technology that is a key part of measures on policing reform.

Fire:

Bay Area company taps Kern County businesses to mitigate losses of French Fire

Bakersfield Californian

California firefighters battle a dozen large wildfires

Fresno Bee

More than 13,500 firefighters were working Monday to contain a dozen large California wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to flee to safety.

● French Fire smoke pushes into Central CA, Visalia Unified football games canceled amid falling ash abc30

● Containment improves slightly as French Fire burns on Bakersfield Californian

● Walkers Fire 40 percent contained Porterville Recorder

● Fire official warns massive California wildfire is ‘knocking on the door’ to Lake Tahoe area Washington Post

● Worst fires in California history: Dixie, Camp and more Los Angeles Times

Op-Ed: The burning debate — manage forest fires or suppress them?

Los Angeles Times

As western wildfires burn through millions of forested acres, they are igniting debates about our response that are almost as heated as the flames themselves.

As Lawmakers Indefinitely Postpone Wildfire Oversight Hearing, Internal Emails Reveal Cal Fire Chief Ordered Key Document Pulled from the Internet

Capital Public Radio

California lawmakers indefinitely postponed a planned oversight hearing last week that was intended to examine Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration’s track record on wildfire prevention, as the state continues to burn.

Opinion: The disaster that brought us to Dixie

CalMatters

The Dixie and Caldor fires may have dealt the burning blows, but these towns are the victims of misplaced corporate priorities, agency arrogance and a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of fire in the forests of the Sierra Nevada.

Documenting a Wildfire When It’s in Your Backyard

New York Times

After years covering California’s wildfires, a photographer experienced the event from the other side of the lens.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Durable Goods Orders Dropped Slightly in July as Supply Constraints Continue

Wall Street Journal

Orders for cars, appliances and other durable goods decreased slightly in July, as manufacturers continued to grapple with shortages in parts and labor and confront higher material costs.

Population Trends Can Affect State Economies

Pew Trusts

Results from the once-a-decade official count released this year show that growth was slower in the 2010s than in the 2000s in 38 states—and eight states experienced their most sluggish decade of growth ever.

Op-Ed: Governments must help manage the risks of fintech

Brookings

Financial innovation sometimes brings great rewards. It can make the financial system more accessible to underserved segments of the population and improve lives. But some innovations can lead to disaster, which usually hurts the poor more than others.

Jobs:

Big Fresno Fair holding job fair this week

abc30

The Big Fresno Fair will be back for in-person festivities this October. With less than two months to go, organizers are looking to fill nearly 400 open positions this year.

More than 20,000 Calif janitors vote to authorize strike that could start in Sept

Fresno Bee

A union representing more than 20,000 janitors across California voted Friday to authorize a strike in as soon as September, as its contracts with janitorial contracting companies are set to expire by the end of August.

Employers’ COVID vaccine mandates likely to gain traction, surveys show

Los Angeles Times

As U.S. regulatory approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot paves the way for companies to get more aggressive with inoculations, American workers are increasingly supportive of punitive measures for unvaccinated colleagues.

● Delta Air Lines Is Going To Start Charging Unvaccinated Employees $200 Per Month VPR

Garment manufacturers worry Calif bill threatens ‘golden window’ to reshore jobs

CalMatters

The pandemic brought some garment manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., particularly Los Angeles. But the clothing industry says a bill meant to protect garment workers’ pay could move jobs offshore again.

‘No evidence’: State cuts in jobless aid have little effect on unemployment

Politico

Only eight of the 26 states that cut off federal jobless benefits early saw a statistically significant drop in unemployment in July, government data released Friday shows, undermining a key Republican argument for ending the enhanced aid.

U.S. Jobless Claims Fell Last Week

Wall Street Journal

New applications for jobless benefits declined for the third straight week, showing the labor market continues to heal despite worries about the Delta variant.

Covid-19 Rekindles Debate Over License Requirements for Many Jobs

Wall Street Journal

The coronavirus pandemic has heated up the long simmering debate on whether a swath of workers should need a license for jobs such as hair braiding, nursing and fitness training.

Co-Working Companies Benefit From Return-to-Office Uncertainty

Wall Street Journal

Shared office space firms like WeWork and Industrious are enjoying a rise in sales this summer as U.S. businesses grappling with the seismic changes in the workspace world sparked by the pandemic seek flexible and short-term solutions.

We hear a lot about US jobs being outsourced overseas (‘stolen’). But what about the 8M insourced jobs we ‘stole’ from overseas in 2019?

American Enterprise Institute

We heard a lot about production being outsourced overseas, along with frequent claims that our jobs were being “stolen” by countries such as Mexico and China. But we never hear about the 8 million “stolen” jobs that were “insourced” to the US in 2019.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Pandemic paradox: Remote learning brought some Modesto educators closer to struggling kids

Modesto Bee

Breakthrough COVID Infections Add Even More Chaos To School's Start In 2021

VPR

The fact that kids are transmitting the coronavirus to family members is unnerving many parents all over the U.S. and putting extra stress on many households as children head back to school.

● More U.S. school districts reverse in-person learning due to COVID Los Angeles Times

From the bus stop to after-school activities, here’s how kids can help stay safe during this Delta variant surge

Mercury News

The best weapon for students ages 12 and up is vaccination, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. But kids too young to get vaccinated also have ways to help dodge Delta.

● How to Calculate Delta-Variant Risks for Children This Fall Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: Is it safe to go back to school? We may find out the hard way The Hill

Many small districts complain California shorted their funding during the pandemic

Edsource

A year ago, the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom promised school districts they would be held harmless financially for the 2020-21 school year for a drop in student attendance.

Teacher assistants are needed—now more than ever

Brookings

The challenges facing elementary schools this coming year will be huge. Large numbers of children will begin school having missed a year of kindergarten, and many others will have fallen behind after struggling with remote learning for long periods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Event: Improving Career Education Pathways into California’s Workforce

Public Policy Institution 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.

A commonsense alternative to critical race theory bans: Don’t change laws; change classroom practice

AEI

There are good arguments to be made in favor of so-called critical race theory “bans” that have now been considered in some form by more than half of all US states.

Op-Ed: The multi-million dollar pandemic mistake schools are reluctant to fix

American Enterprise Institute

If there’s one thing most parents recognize entering this new school year, it’s that online learning is not what it was cracked up to be. And that is a lesson everyone should take back to their school districts this fall.

Higher Ed:

Fresno-area community colleges will mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for students, staff

Fresno Bee

See also:

● Local community colleges to require vaccines The Business Journal

Search is on for new West Hills Lemoore president

The Business Journal

Students return to Porterville College campus

Porterville Recorder

Parking was difficult to find Monday morning at Porterville College as hundreds of students flocked back to the campus for the first time in more than a year.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

California’s Energy and Climate Regulations Are “Green Jim Crow”

Real Clear Energy

For decades, California has been viewed as a vanguard state, a province that leads America on things like entertainment, fashion, and politics. No longer.

Opinion: The polluter import tax is not a border adjustment

American Enterprise Institute

According to a memo on the FY 2022 budget resolution, Senate Democrats are considering a “carbon polluter import fee” as a potential spending offset. Democratic lawmakers proposed a tax on carbon-intensive imported goods in a bill released last month.

Energy:

State rejects Aera's appeal on Kern frack jobs

Bakersfield Californian

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Wildfire Smoke In 2020 Led To More Valley COVID Cases, Deaths, Says New Study

VPR

Last year, the western states were hit with a double-whammy of natural disasters: Not just the COVID-19 pandemic, but also a historically long and intense wildfire season that blanketed the region with plume after plume of noxious smoke.

No, Pfizer COVID vaccine approval wasn’t rushed — it was prioritized. What that means

Merced Sun Star

First, skepticism regarding COVID-19 vaccines was based on the lack of full approval from federal health officials. Those who have been hesitant from the start didn’t want to take an “experimental” vaccine.

● What does full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine mean? Fresno Bee

● Why Pfizer's FDA Approval Matters And What It Means For Vaccine Mandates VPR

● How FDA approval will change COVID-19 vaccinations Mercury News

● Editorial: The FDA’s Vaccine Sprint Wall Street Journal

● Pfizer FDA Approval More Likely to Sway Black, Hispanic Holdouts Bloomberg

● The FDA Really Did Have to Take This Long The Atlantic

● What full FDA approval of Pfizer’s vaccine means for the course of the pandemic National Geographic

J&J Says A Booster Shot For Its Vaccine After 6 Months May Have Big Benefits

VPR

The pharmaceutical giant said in a news release Wednesday that when it gave participants in a study a second jab of its coronavirus vaccine after six months, their antibody levels were nine times higher than 28 days after their first dose.

● J&J Says Covid-19 Booster Prompts Strong Immune Response Wall Street Journal

● Booster dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine yields stronger immune response than one shot, company says Washington Post

New CDC studies point to waning immunity from vaccines

Politico

Two new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show fully vaccinated Americans’ immunity to Covid-19 is waning as the more-transmissible Delta variant continues to spread across the country.

Officials, experts warn against using COVID-19 vaccine in kids under 12

The Hill

Health experts and federal officials are advising physicians not to administer the newly approved Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to children under the age of 12, despite pressure from parents clamoring for a way to vaccinate their young children.

Evidence mounts that people with breakthrough infections can spread Delta easily

National Geographic

A preliminary study has shown that in the case of a breakthrough infection, the Delta variant is able to grow in the noses of vaccinated people to the same degree as if they were not vaccinated at all.

Op-Ed: The opioids crisis: Don’t punish pain patients to treat opioid addiction

American Enterprise Institute

The opioid crisis continues to rage through the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, opioid deaths surged 30 percent to 93,000 due largely to fentanyl. Federal action to help Americans combat substance abuse is urgently needed.

Human Services:

Kaiser Permanente exploring $46M expansion in Fresno

Business Journal

Kaweah Health faced down major sanctions following overdose death

Valley Voice

In the wake of the drug-overdose death of a contractor in Kaweah Health Medical Center’s emergency department in December 2020, the county’s largest hospital, was given just 90 days to correct dozens of policy and procedure deficiencies or lose federal funding.

Vaccination Status May Be Considered To Get ICU Beds At Dallas-Area Hospitals If Covid Spread Worsens

Forbes

If North Texas starts running out of ICU beds, doctors may have to consider coronavirus vaccination status as a factor in who gets priority care—a situation health officials hope to avoid but worry is becoming increasingly likely.

Biden Administration Will Require Nursing Homes to Vaccinate Employees as a Condition for Receipt of Federal Funding

Ogletree Deakins

On August 18, 2021, President Joe Biden announced from the White House that his administration would require nursing homes to vaccinate their staffs against COVID-19 or risk losing Medicaid and Medicare funding.

Support for Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Disorders Must Ramp Up

California Budget and Policy Center

The road to recovery from the pandemic as well as the economic recession will be long for California children, families, and individuals. And the effects of the past year-plus will continue to be felt, particularly on our mental health and well-being.

Podcast: The Politics of Public Health

Roll Call

Health inequities between racial and ethnic groups existed well before COVID-19, but the pandemic has revealed just how stark those disparities are. Throw in the politicization of science, and the United States has a big mountain to climb to conquer the virus.

IMMIGRATION

Federal judge orders ICE to test detainees for COVID-19

Modesto Bee

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement must test detainees for COVID-19 before they are transferred to the immigrant detention center in Tacoma, a federal judge ordered Monday.

Supreme Court says Biden administration must comply with ruling to restart ‘remain in Mexico’ program for asylum seekers

Washington Post

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Biden administration must comply with a lower court’s ruling to reinstate President Donald Trump’s policy that required many asylum seekers to wait outside the United States for their cases to be decided.

Opinion: Biden’s Cruel Immigration Policy

Wall Street Journal

A humane U.S. immigration policy would recognize the need for workers from outside the country and give migrants a legal path to those jobs by allowing them to apply for visas at local consulates.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

A future industrial park for Fresno County? Here’s where leaders are looking

Fresno Bee

What national chain is coming to this long-vacant spot on a prominent Modesto corner?

Modesto Bee

The corner of Briggsmore and Orangeburg avenues has been available for lease for years, with a couple of major brands making plans to develop on site before abandoning them.

In Fire Scorched California, Town Aims To Buy The Highest At-Risk Properties

VPR

By the heat of the afternoon, smoke from the largest wildfire burning in the U.S., the Dixie Fire, drifts into Paradise, Calif. "Quite literally, it's hanging over your head," says Dan Efseaff, director of the Paradise Recreation and District.

Housing:

Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance aims to house 100 people in 100 days

Hanford Sentinel

For the second year in a row, the Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance is holding a 100-day challenge to find homes for those without them, and finding new ways to create lasting programs.

● Crisis Of Homelessness And Affordable Housing In Fresno; Transitioning From The Streets To Shelter VPR

‘An impossible situation.’ Elderly Clovis renters priced out as affordability contract expires

Fresno Bee

A Startup Is Turning Houses Into Corporations, And The Neighbors Are Fighting Back

VPR

On a sleepy cul-de-sac amid the bucolic vineyards and grassy hills of California's Sonoma Valley, a $4 million house has become the epicenter of a summer-long spat between angry neighbors and a new venture capital-backed startup buying up homes around the nation.

Finally, California home prices are starting to drop. But not by much

Sacramento Bee

The median price of a single-family home in California dipped to $811,170 in July, a minor shift from the month before in what could be the start of a cooling off period in a booming market.

California’s housing crisis: How much difference will a zoning bill make?

CalMatters

Senate Bill 9, one of several measures alluded to by the signs, would technically allow as many as two duplexes, two houses with attached units, or a combination — capped at four units — on single-family lots across California, without local approval.

● Walters: Will Legislature confront California housing crisis? CalMatters

● Opinion: Housing bills would help address California’s wealth inequality CalMatters

How sports arenas became the poster child of California’s housing crisis

CalMatters

California recently began tracking publicly owned lots that could be turned into affordable homes. In its first year, the state housing agency has cited two major sports arenas for cutting backroom development deals with developers that shortchanged the public on affordable units.

Buy a luxury building, then lower the rent: A housing fix for California’s middle class?

Los Angeles Times

In hopes of plugging the state’s affordable housing shortage, some California government agencies are purchasing buildings, usually luxury ones, and doing the opposite of most real estate buyers. They’re lowering the rent.

As eviction crisis loomed, rental relief barely picked up in July

Washington Post

The amount of emergency rental aid reaching tenants and landlords barely picked up in July compared to June, reflecting ongoing struggles for the White House, along with state and local governments, to help people catch up on payments and avoid eviction.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Most Californians to receive another stimulus check - here's how much and when to expect it

abc30

California's latest round of Golden State Stimulus checks will soon bring a little more green for people who qualify. Andrew LePage of the California Franchise Tax Board says people eligible will receive checks between $500 and $1,100 in most cases.

State Auditor lists Modesto among dozen high-risk cities for fiscal distress

Modesto Bee

San Joaquin Valley taxpayers have most to gain in President Biden’s tax plan, report shows

Fresno Bee

About 89% of Rental Assistance Funds Have Not Been Distributed, Figures Show

New York Times

Just $1.7 billion in funds intended to prevent eviction were disbursed in July as the White House braces for a Supreme Court decision that could strike down its eviction moratorium.

TRANSPORTATION

Merced County kicks off $2.1M expansion on research and test site for autonomous vehicles

Merced Sun Star

California customers face higher rideshare bill on Prop. 22 reversal

Mercury News

Consumers in California may be on the hook for pricier ride shares and food delivery after a state judge struck down a voter-approved ballot to let gig-economy giants like Uber Technologies and Lyft continue to classify app-based drivers as independent contractors.

U.S. high-speed rail line between Bakersfield and Palmdale moves step closer

Global Railway Review

California Transportation Commission Dedicates $1.4 Billion for Infrastructure

Transport Topics

The California Transportation Commission recently allocated $1.4 billion for transportation infrastructure projects, including efforts to improve freight movement.

Opinion: Why the U.S. needs to get on track with high-speed rail

Greenbiz

Even as corporate net-zero pledges and climate funds abound, there seems to be little attention paid to investing in electric rail.

● The bipartisan infrastructure bill provides historic funding for transit. It’s not enough. Vox

● Can America’s COVID-Battered Commuter Rail Make a Comeback? Government Technology

WATER

South Valley communities on verge of running out of water press Newsom to halt 18% rate hike

The Sun

California directs Tulare County city to extend water service to neighbors in need

Fresno Bee

Scientists launch effort to collect water data in US West

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced a new kind of climate observatory near the headwaters of the Colorado River that will help scientists better predict rain and snowfall in the U.S. West and determine how much of it will flow through the region.

“Xtra”

Krispy Kreme doubles free doughnut deal for those vaccinated against COVID-19

abc30

Krispy Kreme is sweetening its COVID vaccination doughnut deal. With the announcement of Pfizer's FDA approval, the chain is upping its incentive for customers to get the shot.

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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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