Maddy Institute – August 26, 2021

26Aug

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

North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Aug. 26: Stanislaus adds five deaths. Hospital cases climb to 276 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

● Merced County reports first child death due to COVID-19 since start of pandemic Merced Sun Star

● Infant dies of COVID-related causes in Merced County abc30

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.

Plan for green jobs at a plant originally built for war approved in Riverbank

Modesto Bee

Riverbank officials took their biggest step to date Tuesday night on turning the old Army ammunition plant into a hub for green jobs. The City Council voted 5-0 in support of enterprises that will include making ethanol from woody orchard waste.

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.

Former Los Banos city manager hired by another Valley city to fill interim leadership role

Merced Sun Star

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.

ICE arrests of Merced County undocumented immigrants ‘minimal’ in 2020. See the numbers

Merced Sun Star

Arrests of undocumented individuals by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fell to just one individual in Merced County last year, Sheriff Vern Warnke reported on Tuesday.

Unemployment rate falls slightly in Stanislaus County

Turlock Journal

The unemployment rate in Stanislaus County dropped during the month of July and continues to be below the year-ago estimate, according to the latest numbers from the Employment Development Department.

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.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

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

● Largest increase in COVID cases last week for those 0-19 years old Hanford Sentinel

● Health department issues public advisory on full Pfizer approval Porterville Recorder

● City looking at giving incentives to be vaccinated; Gift cards to be given Friday Porterville Recorder

● UCSF Fresno COVID-19 Equity Project still aiming to reach underrepresented Bakersfield Californian

● Visalia dentist hopes to put dent in Delta variant's spread by offering vaccine abc30

● Riverdale Joint Unified School District seeing rise in COVID-19 cases abc30

Slatic clashes with Fresno Unified trustees - again - as school board ends meeting early

Fresno Bee

The meeting ended just after 7:15 p.m., hours ahead of schedule, after Slatic clashed with Superintendent Bob Nelson on several issues and then refused to stop speaking over a community member during public comment.

The science of catching up: How Fresno schools are helping students make up lost time

Fresno Bee

Tens of millions of students — including thousands in Fresno County — may now be months or, in some cases, even a full year behind because they couldn’t attend school in person during the pandemic.

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.

Can a historic Black town in California’s Central Valley be revitalized? Here’s the plan

Fresno Bee

A new effort formally launched Wednesday to revitalize and restore the Col. Allensworth State Historic Park, site of the once-thriving Black town in Tulare County.

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.

Bethany Clough: Hardware distribution center is opening in city south of Fresno — and will bring 400 jobs

Fresno Bee

Ace Hardware Corp. plans to build a distribution center in Visalia that will bring 400 jobs to the area. Construction on the 1-million-square-foot center will start later this year.

Opinion: Proposed new tax would harm San Joaquin Valley’s family owned farms, small businesses

Fresno Bee

In his first 100 days in office, President Biden wasted no time in laying out his administration’s vision for how to “build back better” following the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

Superintendent: VUSD board "taking risks with your children" after vote to repeal emergency

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia Unified trustees repealed a March 2020 resolution declaring "emergency conditions exist" at the district, despite rising quarantine numbers among staff and students.

● VUSD trustee pulls name from 'local control' letter to health department Visalia Times Delta

LA investors bullish on Fresno open lending office

The Business Journal

A Los Angeles real estate lender has added a Fresno office just after founding and opening its headquarters this year.

Biden tax plan would largely benefit the area

Porterville Recorder

Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy's district, which includes Porterville, would see a net tax cut from President Joe Biden's proposed 2022 fiscal budget. That's according to the Tax Foundation, generally considered as conservative, when analyzing Biden's plan.

County board to look at ARP funding

Porterville Recorder

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors will look at how the county will use more than $90.5 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan at its next meeting.

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.

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:

● Four new coronavirus deaths, 559 cases reported by KCPHS on Wednesday Bakersfield Californian

● In echo of previous surges, county to limit 911 responses as calls for ambulances increase Bakersfield Californian

● 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

● Free vaccine clinic to be hosted in Lamont on Thursday 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

Local youth nonprofit explores food insecurity in Kern through documentary filmmaking

Bakersfield Californian

"It's really difficult to wrap your head around food insecurity in a place that's so bountiful," Rafael Juarez, food and nutrition services manager for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, says early in the film.

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.

New 'farm-to-fleet' electric vehicle model grows revenue for solar-powered ag producers

Bakersfield Californian

A Bay Area company's purchase of renewable-energy credits from solar power-equipped ag producers in the Central Valley may point to a new business opportunity for Kern County growers seeking alternative revenue streams.

Supervisors approve Rosamond solar project

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Board of Supervisors approved a large-scale solar project on Tuesday, indicating a continued commitment to the industry despite concerns a tax exclusion limits the financial benefit to the county.

Bus driver shortage leads BCSD to cut 94 bus stops

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City School District has the buses and the budget, but what it doesn't have are enough drivers to get students to and from school the way it used to.

GET bus announces free rides because of dangerous air quality

Bakersfield California

The Golden Empire Transit District will provide free rides Thursday because the Air Quality Index will be 159, GET announced. An AQI over 150 is considered unhealthy and hazardous to the general population.

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.

State:

COVID Update:

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

● Fact check: Did Gavin Newsom cast doubt on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine? Fresno Bee

● California lawmakers weigh statewide vaccination requirement for indoor restaurants, venues Sacramento Bee

● Inside California’s confusing COVID numbers CalMatters

● Hospitalizations for COVID-19 continue to rise in California Los Angeles Times

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

‘Stakes are extremely high.’ Results of Gavin Newsom recall could ripple across nation

Sacramento Bee

Top officials from both parties are preparing to parse the results of next month’s unexpectedly competitive recall election for what it means for next year’s midterm election, control of the U.S. Senate, and a Democratic Party that once thought it had a tight grip on the country’s largest state.

● Newsom says abortion is on the line in recall. But rolling back rights wouldn’t be easy Los Angeles Times

● ‘A crazy way to run a state’: Democrats feel helpless on recall ballot’s second question Los Angeles Times

● Newsletter: Will blackouts be Gavin Newsom’s downfall? A former governor weighs in Los Angeles Times

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

● Skelton: Newsom and Elder’s mutually beneficial relationship in the California recall election Los Angeles Times

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

● California recall: VP Kamala Harris to whip up base in Bay Area for Gov. Gavin Newsom Mercury News

● How close is the California recall? Here's what the poll experts say San Francisco Chronicle

● Editorial: FDA approval finally clears the way for a vaccine mandate. What is California waiting for? San Francisco Chronicle

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

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

● Walters: Audit report provides ammo for Newsom recall CalMatter

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

● Biden to Campaign for Gov. Newsom Before California Recall Election New York Times

● What to Know About California’s Recall Election New York Times

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

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

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

● Opinion: The Recall Is Republicans’ Last Best Hope in Deep Blue California Politico

Recall debate set to include Democrat Paffrath for 1st time

Hanford Sentinel

The recall debate stage will include a Democrat for the first time Wednesday, as YouTube creator Kevin Paffrath joins three Republicans rivals in making the case they should be California's next governor if voters boot Gov. Gavin Newsom from office.

● California recall candidates gather Wednesday for debate before television audience Sacramento Bee

● A Democrat takes the stage to clash with Republicans in California recall debate Los Angeles Times

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

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.

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.

California housing department mismanaged COVID-19 funds for the homeless, audit says

Los Angeles Times

The California Department of Housing and Community Development did not properly distribute federal relief funds, and the mismanagement was so prolonged that local organizations might lose the money because of missed deadlines, auditors said Tuesday.

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?

California Assembly members not vaccinated against COVID-19 should be suspended, lawmaker says

Los Angeles Times

Members of the California Assembly who don’t provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination by next week would be suspended during the final days of this year’s legislative session under a proposal unveiled Wednesday by a Bay Area lawmaker.

Prop. 22 was ruled unconstitutional. What will the final outcome be?

Los Angeles Times

The move by a California judge to invalidate Proposition 22 was a bold rebuff of an aggressive effort by companies such as Uber and Lyft to rewrite the rules of gig work. But it’s unlikely to change how the companies treat their drivers.

● Despite Prop. 22 ruling, Uber and Lyft drivers won't become employees anytime soon San Francisco Chronicle

● California customers face higher rideshare bill on Prop. 22 reversal Mercury News

California Democrats urge Biden: Send us Afghan evacuees

Los Angeles Times

More than half of the Democrats in California’s 53-member congressional delegation will send a letter to President Biden on Thursday saying that California is ready and eager to house Afghan refugees and special immigrant visa applicants.

Opinion: Democrats are unwitting architects of California’s structural racism

CalMatters

However unintentional, Democrats, who have controlled both houses of the Legislature for 56 of the past 62 years, have created policies that increase both the cost of living and the discriminatory effects on those who can least afford them.

Biggest sources of immigrants to California

Stacker

Nearly 14% of the United States population is composed of immigrants. But in reality, the vast majority of Americans today are here because of relatives who immigrated from other countries some time in the last several hundred years.

Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: The year of living dangerously

Capitol Weekly

As if the interminable pandemic, wildfires and drought savaging the state weren’t enough, we have added in a recall campaign against Gov. Newsom that is projected to cost the state $215 million …. and, perhaps, our patience.

Federal:

COVID Update:

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

● Moderna completes submission for full FDA approval of COVID vaccine abc30

● U.S. covid-19 hospitalizations hit 100,000 for first time since January Washington Post

● U.S. Covid-19 Hospitalizations Nearly Doubled in August as Some States Ask for Resources Wall Street Journal

● Biden Administration Likely to Approve Covid-19 Boosters at Six Months Wall Street Journal

● Covid-19 Vaccinations Rise as Delta Variant Spreads, Pfizer Receives Full FDA Approval Wall Street Journal

● Covid-19 Origin Researchers Warn Time Is Running Out to Find Answers Wall Street Journal

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

● Pediatric Covid hospitalizations surge to highest on record in U.S. as doctors brace for more CNBC

● Three-quarters of ICU beds across country are full The Hill

● ‘I’m still not planning to get it’: FDA approval not swaying some vaccine holdouts Washington Post

House passes bill bolstering landmark voting law

Modesto Bee

House Democrats have passed legislation that would strengthen a landmark civil rights-era voting law weakened by the Supreme Court over the past decade, a step party leaders tout as progress in their quest to fight back against voting restrictions advanced in Republican-led states.

House OKs resolution allowing $3.5-trillion social spending bill to advance

Los Angeles Times

Democratic leaders reached a deal Tuesday morning that moved the process forward, using an obscure procedural tool and setting a Sept. 27 deadline for passing that approximately $1-trillion infrastructure bill.

● Opinion: Democrats roll dice with mammoth $3.5 trillion 'infrastructure' bill The Hill

Biden tackles cybersecurity with tech, finance leaders

The Business Journal

President Joe Biden is meeting Wednesday with top executives from some of the country’s leading technology companies and financial institutions as the White House urges the private sector to help toughen cybersecurity defenses against increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Democratic Centrists and Progressives Wrestle Over Biden Agenda

Wall Street Journal

The intraparty fracas over passing a $3.5 trillion budget outline has left Democrats girding for an even more difficult set of negotiations this fall as progressives and centrists begin sparring on the details of their broad healthcare, education and climate plan.

● Anatomy of a power play: How 9 House Dems cut their deal with Pelosi Politico

The Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket: How It Works

Wall Street Journal

Welcome to what court watchers have deemed the “shadow docket” of the Supreme Court, where the justices throughout the year entertain emergency applications seeking their intervention. Here’s how this process works.

Opinion: It looks like the Jan. 6 select committee means business

Washington Post

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection issued its first sweeping requests Wednesday for records from federal agencies 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.”

Democrats stay silent as unprecedented ‘benefits cliff’ approaches

AEI

On Labor Day, an estimated 7.5 million individuals are expected to see their temporary federal unemployment benefits come to an abrupt end.

Op-Ed: Census numbers suggested 19 million White people disappeared from the US. Here’s what really happened.

AEI

The U.S. population increased by nearly 23 million over the past decade, according to the Census Bureau, yet the white population dropped by 19 million, and the non-Hispanic white population dropped by 5 million.

Other:

The Administrative Procedure Act and the decline of steady administration

AEI

Restoring the administrative state to its constitutional foundations requires not just new statutes but also a renewed commitment to republican virtue.

Commentary: What Are Joe Biden’s Fixed Principles?

Wall Street Journal

The problem Mr. Biden presents is that it is difficult to believe anything he says. The reason is that it is hard to believe that he himself really believes in much of anything, except getting ahead.

Opinion: Let the Spooks Speak on Covid

Wall Street Journal

If the U.S. intelligence agencies adhered to the mandated schedule, and there’s nothing magical about 90 days, the White House on Tuesday received spookdom’s report on the origins of Covid 19.

Parties take note: Gen Z is still up for grabs

AEI

The weeks leading up to the 2020 Election were a blur for many college students around the country. With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting normal life and the Trump administration’s unpopularity, it was clear our nation’s students wanted a new president.

Reclaiming arts and culture in education: The fundamental importance of the fine arts

AEI

Empirical evidence demonstrates a causal effect associated with arts education on cognitive and noncognitive development for children, influencing their life outcomes well beyond their initial entry into the labor market.

Should Government Restrict False Information Online?

Pew Research

American opinions on the government's role in restricting false information online are shifting. Roughly half of respondents in a new survey now say the government should take steps to do so—up from 39% in 2018.

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

New 'farm-to-fleet' electric vehicle model grows revenue for solar-powered ag producers

Bakersfield Californian

State orders another recall of raw milk sold from dairy farm west of Modesto

Modesto Bee

The state has ordered a recall of raw goat milk sold from a dairy farm west of Modesto. Routing sampling found campylobacter jejuni bacteria, but no illnesses have been reported, the California Department of Food and Agriculture announced Monday.

Opinion: Proposed new tax would harm San Joaquin Valley’s family owned farms, small businesses

Fresno Bee

In his first 100 days in office, President Biden wasted no time in laying out his administration’s vision for how to “build back better” following the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Visalia Times Delta

Bill would help lost farmland be used for other purposes

Porterville Recorder

The reality is with the requirements of the Sustainability Groundwater Management Act, the amount of farmland that can be used will continue to be reduced. But there are efforts to make sure that farmland doesn't completely go to waste.

Local youth nonprofit explores food insecurity in Kern through documentary filmmaking

Bakersfield Californian

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.

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:

California homicide rise becomes recall rallying cry, but experts question Newsom’s role

Los Angeles Times

An image of crime tape flashes across the screen. A woman says, “we don’t feel safe anymore,” adding that “crime is surging” in California. The solution, the ad paid for by a Republican group argues, is to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.

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

See also:

● French Fire determined to be 'human caused' as flames grow Bakersfield Californian

● French Fire inches closer to Tulare County as firefighters keep close eye on blaze Visalia Times Delta

Evacuations ordered for 1,000-acre fire near New Melones Lake in Calaveras County

Modesto Bee

Evacuations have been ordered in Calaveras County as firefighters battle a fast-growing blaze near New Melones Lake. The fire began around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and reached 1,000 acres in about two hours.

Walkers Fire continues to burn north

Porterville Recorder

Mapped infrared-equipped aircraft overnight on Tuesday night showed the Walkers Fire had reached 4,448 acres. As of Wednesday morning the fire remained at 40 percent contained.

California to receive federal funding for wildfire response, victims

abc30

California firefighters are now receiving federal support after President Joe Biden approved the state's disaster declaration.

● Pentagon approves extending wildfire surveillance program Los Angeles Times

Dixie Fire isn’t just destroying towns. California’s water and power supply is under threat

Sacramento Bee

The Dixie Fire has consumed over 730,000 acres and is now the second largest fire in California’s history. High winds coupled with low humidity, high temperatures and drought-parched vegetation make extinguishing it a devilish challenge in such difficult terrain.

Opinion: 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.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

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.

Jobs:

Bethany Clough: Hardware distribution center is opening in city south of Fresno — and will bring 400 jobs

Fresno Bee

Ace Hardware Corp. plans to build a distribution center in Visalia that will bring 400 jobs to the area. Construction on the 1-million-square-foot center will start later this year.

Unemployment rate falls slightly in Stanislaus County

Turlock Journal

Cal/OSHA recommends that all workers wear masks indoors, even if vaccinated

abc30

Officials with California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) are urging employers and workers within the state to begin wearing face coverings indoors regardless of their vaccination status.

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

● Pentagon: US troops must get their COVID-19 vaccines ASAP Fresno Bee

● US military members must get COVID vaccine ASAP, defense secretary says abc30

● The GOP struggles with what to do on employer vaccine mandates Washington Post

● Delta Air Lines to Impose $200 Monthly Charge on Unvaccinated Employees, Add Testing Requirements Wall Street Journal

● Get Shots or Get Out, U.S. Employers Are Telling Workers Bloomberg

More Retail Workers Are Quitting Than Ever, But More Stores Are Opening Than Expected

VPR

When the pandemic struck last year, retail spiraled into upheaval. Since then, it has become a world of seemingly contradictory trends. The industry is hitting many milestones: record numbers of workers quitting and getting hired, wages and prices on the rise.

U.S. Jobless Claims Rise but Hold Near Pandemic Low

Wall Street Journal

The number of workers applying for and receiving unemployment benefits has reached pandemic lows over the past month, a sign the job-market recovery remains on sound footing despite uncertainty surrounding the Delta variant of Covid-19.

Unionizing Could Be Next in the Return-to-Office Power Struggle

Bloomberg

When a group of workers at the National Women’s Law Center broke the news to their boss that they’d agreed to unionize in February 2020, they did it in the form of a greeting card: “Congratulations on your baby girl union!”

EDUCATION

K-12:

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.

Slatic clashes with Fresno Unified trustees - again - as school board ends meeting early

Fresno Bee

The science of catching up: How Fresno schools are helping students make up lost time

Fresno Bee

Superintendent: VUSD board "taking risks with your children" after vote to repeal emergency

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia Unified trustees repealed a March 2020 resolution declaring "emergency conditions exist" at the district, despite rising quarantine numbers among staff and students.

● VUSD trustee pulls name from 'local control' letter to health department Visalia Times Delta

Bus driver shortage leads BCSD to cut 94 bus stops

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City School District has the buses and the budget, but what it doesn't have are enough drivers to get students to and from school the way it used to.

Riverdale Joint Unified School District seeing rise in COVID-19 cases

abc30

Cases of COVID are quickly rising at one Fresno County school district, forcing modified class schedules to start Thursday. Riverdale Joint Unified School District is reporting 24 new cases of the coronavirus in just the month of August, including 20 students.

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.

● What happens when schoolchildren get coronavirus? Los Angeles Times

● Opinion: Back to School With No Idea What to Expect Wall Street Journal

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

● Many School Districts Keep Covid-19 Closure Thresholds Flexible Wall Street Journal

● Quarantined: A new law is disrupting California school reopenings CalMatters

Helping California Schools Open Safely

Public Policy Institute of California

We spoke with Dr. Naomi Bardach, head of California’s Safe Schools for All initiative, about how this cross-agency effort is helping K–12 schools to safely return to in-person instruction.

Higher Ed:

Search is on for new West Hills Lemoore president

The Business Journal

For college students in California, the only common ground is uncertainty

Los Angeles Times

Do students in California even want to be back on campus? It depends on the school, the policies and the student.

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.

Wildfires are ravaging forests set aside to soak up greenhouse gases.

New York Times

The wildfires in the American West are burning vast expanses of specially protected forests — those that are part of carbon-offset projects meant to counterbalance the carbon dioxide pollution being pumped into the atmosphere by human activity.

Schumer: Infrastructure bills would curb emissions 45 percent

Politico

The emissions curbs would fall short of President Joe Biden's goal of 50 percent reductions taken alone, but Schumer said administrative actions and state action would reach it.

Infrastructure Bill Measures Would Help Wildlife

Pew Trusts

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act approved by the U.S. Senate this month includes strong measures for fish and wildlife, including funding for wildlife crossings, culvert and dam removal, and more.

Opinion: What's up with the conservative climate caucus?

The Hill

The new Conservative Climate Caucus announced by Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis proves that conversations around the issue of climate change are shifting.

Opinion: Cryptocurrency makes the climate crisis worse

The Hill

Cryptocurrency, and Bitcoin in particular, is always in the news nowadays and is becoming a significant factor in modern financial markets. Unsurprisingly, the subject of regulating cryptocurrency in one form or another has become an important concern.

Energy:

Supervisors approve Rosamond solar project

Bakersfield Californian

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.

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.

Booster shot of J&J COVID vaccine significantly increases protection, data show

Modesto Bee

People who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine would benefit from a second shot, or booster, of the same vaccine about eight months later to strengthen protection against the virus, according to new data the company released Wednesday.

● Johnson & Johnson booster shot prompts large increase in immune response, company says Mercury News

A Salmonella Outbreak Has Spread To 17 States And It's Linked To Italian Meats

VPR

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is investigating two salmonella outbreaks in 17 states that are linked to Italian meats like "salami, prosciutto, and other meats that can often be found in antipasto or charcuterie assortments."

COVID: Kids 5-12 could get one third of vaccine dose used for adults

Mercury News

The US Food and Drug Administration has given full approval to Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for people age 16 and older. Approval for youths ages 12-15 is expected to follow soon.

Is 'close contact' still 6 feet for 15 minutes? Experts say COVID guidance may be outdated

San Francisco Chronicle

The delta variant has forced a quick pivot on key pandemic public health recommendations, including the return of universal indoor masking and the green light for vaccine booster shots.

Here’s the latest on COVID-19 vaccines

National Geographic

The country’s top health officials announced last week that they recommend getting a booster shot eight months after the second dose Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are expected to be available on September 20, for nursing home residents, health care workers, and emergency workers.

Living with the coronavirus will likely never be risk-free

Axios

Vaccinated Americans are facing a disheartening reality: Even after getting the shot, they'll have to live with some level of risk from the coronavirus for the foreseeable future.

Human Services:

Kaiser Permanente exploring $46M expansion in Fresno

The 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.

Nurse shortages in California reaching crisis point

CalMatters

In the past month, four emergency room nurses — exhausted by the onslaught of patients and emotional turmoil wrought by COVID-19 — have quit at the Eureka hospital where Matt Miele works.

● Between COVID and Staffing, California Pushes Nurses to the Limit Capital and Main

● Public Health Workers Face Another Crisis Pew Trusts

● Nursing Homes Keep Losing Workers Wall Street Journal

Democrats eye new federal coverage program in states declining Medicaid expansion

The Hill

Congressional Democrats are likely to create a new federal program in their coming package to provide health insurance coverage in states that have declined to expand Medicaid, following a transition period to set up the new program, aides and advocates say.

See also:

● Opinion: The Danger of Expanding Medicare Wall Street Journal

‘Vaccinated’ Badges Pop Up on All Sorts of Apps—From Dating to Dining

Wall Street Journal

More smartphone apps are adding features that let people display their Covid-19 vaccination status and search for other users and businesses that favor vaccines.

Which Covid-19 Test Should You Get, Based on Your Needs

Wall Street Journal

Deciding on a lab test or an at-home kit may depend on whether you feel ill or had exposure to someone who is infected.

Rising hospitalizations aren’t only about COVID-19 cases

Roll call

Hospitals across the country are reaching capacity, the result not only of increasing COVID-19 cases, but also side effects of the pandemic, from delayed surgeries that are now urgent to mental health problems among children.

Holes in reporting of breakthrough Covid cases hamper CDC response

Politico

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using outdated and unreliable data on coronavirus breakthrough infections to help make major decisions, such as who gets booster shots, according to three officials with direct knowledge of the situation.

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.

IMMIGRATION

ICE arrests of Merced County undocumented immigrants ‘minimal’ in 2020. See the numbers

Merced Sun Star

Arrests of undocumented individuals by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fell to just one individual in Merced County last year, Sheriff Vern Warnke reported on Tuesday.

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 orders ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy reinstated

Modesto Bee

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Biden administration likely violated federal law in trying to end a Trump-era program that forces people to wait in Mexico while seeking asylum in the U.S.

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

● Opinion: Immigration Law Boomerang Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: Federal courts have dismantled Biden's immigration plan The Hill

ICE poised for reform as Biden nominee heads to Senate for confirmation vote

Los Angeles Times

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could get its first Senate-confirmed leader in nearly five years this fall — laying the groundwork for change at an agency long criticized for its treatment of immigrants in detention.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Can a historic Black town in California’s Central Valley be revitalized? Here’s the plan

Fresno Bee

A new effort formally launched Wednesday to revitalize and restore the Col. Allensworth State Historic Park, site of the once-thriving Black town in Tulare County.

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

Fresno Bee

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.

Housing:

‘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.

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.

California housing department mismanaged COVID-19 funds for the homeless, audit says

Los Angeles Times

Opinion: Without political will, affordable housing will remain a California dream

CalMatters

Before a homebuilder puts a backhoe to work, he or she has permit fees to pay, and other costs that can amount to more than $100,000 per house, not including land cost. Housing won’t be affordable in California until legislators address the permit and fee structure and the high cost of land.

Opinion: Deregulation can do more for renters than eviction moratoriums

The Hill

Sooner or later, the Biden administration’s federal moratorium on evictions will come to an end, and policymakers will need to get serious about low-income families’ access to affordable housing.

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

Biden tax plan would largely benefit the area

Porterville Recorder

County board to look at ARP funding

Porterville Recorder

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors will look at how the county will use more than $90.5 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan at its next meeting.

Opinion: Proposed new tax would harm San Joaquin Valley’s family owned farms, small businesses

Fresno Bee

In his first 100 days in office, President Biden wasted no time in laying out his administration’s vision for how to “build back better” following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Western Climate Initiative auction hits a new record, raising over a billion in proceeds for California

Environmental Defense Fund

The results of the Western Climate Initiative’s August auction were released today and all current and future vintage allowances sold at record-high allowance prices.

Wall Street Is Ready to Put Lina Khan’s FTC to the Test

Bloomberg

An overburdened U.S. Federal Trade Commission is warning acquirers that if they get impatient and close any deals without the agency’s permission, it just might slap them with a lawsuit. Dealmakers won’t hold their breath.

Tax not the robots

Brookings

Many are concerned that robots and other new technologies will lead to large-scale displacement of human workers. Is a “robot tax” the right answer?

TRANSPORTATION

GET bus announces free rides because of dangerous air quality

Bakersfield California

Event: The Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project is Coming!

San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission

The SJRRC 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.

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.

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

Thousands of farmers face $10,000-a-day fines if they pull water from California rivers

Sacramento Bee

The State Water Resources Control Board began sending formal “curtailment notices” to the holders of 4,500 water rights permits that allow them to pull water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries.

These Maps Tell the Story of Two Americas: One Parched, One Soaked

New York Times

The country, like most of the world, is becoming both drier and wetter in the era of climate change. It depends where you live.

“Xtra”

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.

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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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