POLICY & POLITICS
Where there’s wildfire, there’s smoke — and this warning on Central Valley air quality
Fresno Bee
Local air officials issued a health caution for the entire San Joaquin Valley on Friday, warning of potential harmful and long-lasting impacts of smoke amid multiple wildfires burning throughout California.
See also:
● Smoky air fills Central Valley skies: How you can protect yourself abc30
● Multiple California wildfires prompt District to issue Health Caution San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
● Wildfires prompt officials to issue health caution Bakersfield Californian
● Wildfire smoke worsens health conditions, increases deaths — and it’s getting worse Sacramento Bee
Editorial: A punishing drought, plus ‘unprecedented’ water cuts, put Valley farmers in tough spot
Fresno Bee
This week was a rough one for Central Valley farmers. The California Water Resources Control Board achieved a first: It ordered 5,700 water-rights holders in Northern CA and the SJV to stop taking supplies from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries.
See also:
● Emergency Funds Help Small Farms Grapple With Drought and Pandemic VPR
● Friant Water Authority supports state action to curtail water with reservations Porterville Recorder
Newsom recall basics: How to vote in California’s election
CalMatters
A FAQ on the California election on whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. CalMatters plans to launch its Voter Guide on Aug. 16.
See also:
● Key Recall Dates in San Joaquin Valley Counties
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus hospital cases rise again. Deaths reach 1,099 Modesto Bee
● Modesto hospital sees patients with ‘breakthrough’ COVID illness as surge ramps up Modesto Bee
Council to decide how to spend over $15 million in new federal COVID-19 relief funds
Turlock Journal
The Turlock City Council will be discussing at their next meeting how exactly to spend over $15 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds the City is expected to receive through the American Rescue Plan Act.
Modesto-area schools report two COVID-19 cases about a week after first day
Modesto Bee
Two Modesto-area charter schools reported COVID-19 cases within their first 10 days open.
See also:
● Eager to return to classrooms, Stanislaus teachers share priorities for coming school year Modesto Bee
Modesto City Clerk, citing hostile work environment, announces retirement
Modesto Bee
Modesto’s longtime city clerk has announced she is retiring because she claims she continues to face a hostile work environment, and the new City Council won’t look into her allegations of improper billing practices by a former city attorney.
Redwood Cafe opens in Oakdale. Owner launching globe-touring company from restaurant
Modesto Bee
You’d think opening a brand new restaurant and expanding his brand to a whole different city during a global pandemic would be enough of a challenge for Bob Campana.
What caused massive fire at Modesto lumber company? Investigators make determination
Modesto Bee
A massive fire at American Lumber Co. in downtown Modesto in June was the result of arson, according to the Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit.
Main Street Antiques celebrates 25 years in downtown Turlock
Turlock Journal
Many businesses have come and gone in downtown Turlock over the last quarter of a century, but one that has remained a constant is Main Street Antiques.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● As COVID cases rise, here’s why a mask mandate ‘is not on the table’ for Fresno Fresno Bee
● COVID-19 update: Tulare County metrics see steep uptick for second week in a row Visalia Times Delta
● Why People In This Tulare County ‘Vaccination Desert’ Haven’t Received The COVID-19 Shot VPR
● Visalia Unified confirms potential COVID exposure at 8 sites Visalia Times Delta
● How misinformation, fear create ‘vaccination deserts’ in California’s Central Valley Fresno Bee
‘Wildly flawed’: Children’s Hospital president rips Clovis school board over COVID remarks
Fresno Bee
A Fresno-area hospital leader is condemning trustees with the Clovis Unified School District for comments about dealing with coronavirus made during a board meeting last week.
See also:
· Clovis Unified's newest teachers seen not wearing masks during 'Welcome Breakfast' Fox26News
· Valley hospitals changing visitor policies as COVID-19 cases rise abc30
Republican recall election candidate critical of Newsom during visit to Clovis
Fresno Bee
California Republican Assemblyman Kevin Kiley visited Clovis on Saturday as part of his tour to become California’s new governor. As expected, Kiley criticized current Gov. Gavin Newsom, particularly for his decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also:
● Newsom recall election candidate Kevin Kiley visits Clovis abc30
● Recall election ballots will hit the mailbox soon Madera Tribune
Fresno fights church over preservation. What is the status of its other historic theaters?
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s historic theaters have been pulled into the community conversation in recent months.
See also:
● Warszawski: Why does Fresno keep gutting and demolishing historic buildings? Answer is simple Fresno Bee
● Fresno’s Tower Theatre failed a recent fire inspection. And in 2016 and 2018, the city says Fresno Bee
Will Fresno Central schools leader be reinstated after arrest? He says he looks forward to it
Fresno Bee
Alvarado was arrested on June 3 at a home in northwest Fresno and put on paid administrative leave. The district’s assistant superintendent has taken over duties.
Fresno renters and landlords: Have you been able to access emergency rental assistance?
Fresno Bee
The city of Fresno has yet to distribute millions of dollars in rent relief and the Fresnoland Lab at The Fresno Bee wants to hear from both landlords and tenants who have been affected as a result of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program rollout.
Fresno commits $2.5M toward affordable housing development and projects. Here’s the plan
Fresno Bee
In 2018, the city of Fresno contributed roughly $2.2 million to the development of a new mixed-use affordable housing complex on the corner of McKinley and Blackstone avenues.
Fresno’s air quality is potentially dangerous as California wildfires rage. Here’s the latest
Fresno Bee
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District updated an Air Quality Alert to run through Monday at 5 p.m. for much of the valley.
See also:
● California wildfire smoke can be seen from space abc30
Visalia City Council narrows applicant list down to 6, including…
Visalia Times Delta
Visalia City Council narrowed its applicant list for its vacant council seat to six people, including a controversial former Tulare County Superior Court Judge censured in 1998 for unethical behavior on the bench.
Opinion: Visalia City Council eliminates important farmland protection
Visalia Times Delta
Earlier this week, the Visalia City Council adopted a General Plan Amendment eliminating an important protection for agricultural land threatened by development.
Tulare haystack fire could burn for days, smoke will linger
Visalia Times
A haystack fire along Avenue 208 and Road 132 pushed up smoke and flames Saturday, August 7.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Dramatic rise in COVID hospitalizations brings 'pandemic of the unvaccinated' to Kern County Bakersfield Californian
Wasco City Council Votes To Remove Mayor; He Says It’s Retaliation
NPR
In the small town of Wasco, north of Bakersfield, the city council voted this week 4 to 1 to remove Mayor Alex Garcia from his position because of a reckless driving charge.
CRC applies for permit to capture, store carbon in eastern Kern
Bakersfield Californian
Local oil producer California Resources Corp. reported this week it has applied for a federal permit to capture and bury up to 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in a depleted oil and gas reservoir in the Elk Hills area near Tupman.
Tejon Ranch seeks partnerships for housing developments
Bakersfield Californian
For all its many years of planning, project permitting and legal battles, Tejon Ranch Co.'s next big task on the way to developing four separate, master-planned communities has little to do with any of that.
State:
COVID Update:
● Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Long COVID, delta variant, ivermectin drug & more Fresno Bee
● California announces Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record. Here's how to set it up Desert Sun
● Column: How Simone Biles’ bravery on mental health can help California heal from COVID-19 Los Angeles Times
● Why are vaccination rates so low? We found the worst county in each state and asked the politicians Los Angeles Times
● The Case Against Masks for Children Wall Street Journal
● ‘There are only so many beds’: COVID-19 surge hits hospitals Fresno Bee
● California Will Require Vaccines For Workers In Health Care Facilities NPR
● California first in nation to mandate vaccinations for health care workers CalMatters
● California healthcare workers must be vaccinated by end of September under new health order Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom announces plans to spend $350 million to vaccinate Medi-Cal recipients. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee
California plans to spend $350 million to incentivize COVID-19 shots among Medi-Cal beneficiaries, who disproportionately lag the general population in getting vaccinated.
See also:
· People in Nursing Homes, Day Centers Are Vulnerable To the Delta Variant. State Officials Say Staff Vaccine Requirements Could Protect Them. Capital Public Radio.
PPIC
Governor Newsom remains in a strong position to survive the September 14 recall election. The July PPIC survey finds 56% of California likely voters approving of his handling of jobs and the economy, and 59% approve of his handling of environmental issues.
California GOP nixes endorsement fight in Newsom recall
Fresno Bee
The CA GOP voted overwhelmingly not to endorse any candidate in the looming recall election that could remove Newsom from office, sidestepping a potentially nasty fight over a GOP favorite that threatened to divide Republicans and depress turnout in the race.
See also:
● California GOP votes not to endorse any recall candidate to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom abc30
● GOP opts against recall endorsement Sacramento Bee
● State GOP votes not to endorse a candidate in the recall race Los Angeles Times
● Opinion: Could a Conservative Replace Gavin Newsom? Wall Street Journal
Calif recall candidate John Cox proposes 25% tax cut, big reductions in state spending
Sacramento Bee
Recall candidate John Cox on Thursday expanded on his proposal to cut income tax by 25% across the board and to balance the state’s budget by slashing government spending.
Thousands of Californians will soon lose unemployment benefits as federal programs end
Sacramento Bee
About 41,000 Californians who get emergency unemployment benefits will stop receiving them next week.
See also:
● The pandemic hurt low-wage workers the most—and so far, the recovery has helped them the least Brookings
● Seeking California unemployment benefits? You may not need to look for work after all Sacramento Bee
Walters: Big battle looms over California water rights
CalMatters
When drought strikes the competition becomes, to put it mildly, intense. State and federal officials who must ration the restricted supply are beset with pleas from farmers, municipal water systems and advocates for the environment.
See also:
● California Town Sinking Into Ground Due to Corporations Pumping Groundwater The Byte
This judge trying to upend California’s gun laws: ‘Blessed’ jurist or ‘stone-cold ideologue’?
Los Angeles Times
For nearly two decades, U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez was a low-profile jurist handling routine immigration and drug cases in San Diego federal court.
Statement On New Census Release Date
California Citizen Redistricting Commission
The U.S. Census Bureau announced its plans to release 2020 census results, August 12, 2021. This long awaited dataset will still need to be reformatted by the California Statewide Database to a usable format, which is expected to take an additional month.
Lead poisoning is killing an unusually high number of California condors this year
SF Gate
Critically endangered California condors are dying in unusually high numbers this year in Central California, according to conservationists.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● US COVID-19 cases cross 100,000 mark again after one-day gap Fresno Bee
● US now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, levels not seen since winter surge abc30
● More than 616,000 people have died from coronavirus in U.S. Washington Post
● Vaccine mandates are more popular than you think Brookings
● Some in US getting COVID-19 boosters without FDA approval Fresno Bee
● Fauci hopeful COVID vaccines get full OK by FDA within weeks Sacramento Bee
● Families of High-Risk Children Despair Over Covid Resurgence New York Times
● Local Vaccine Mandates Needed to Fight Covid-19, U.S. Officials Say Wall Street Journal
● Highly Vaccinated States Keep Worst Covid-19 Outcomes in Check as Delta Spreads, WSJ Analysis Shows Wall Street Journal
● Q & A: What we know about COVID’s delta-plus variant, boosters and the end of the surge Mercury News
● Coronavirus booster shots for the immunocompromised expected to be authorized soon Washington Post
● New data suggest J. & J. vaccine works against Delta and recipients don’t need a booster shot. New York Times
● Tracking Coronavirus Around The U.S.: See How Your State Is Doing NPR
● These companies are requiring employees get vaccinated Los Angeles Times
● America's Delta data problem AXIOS
● Masks, comfortable clothes likely to linger after pandemic, Post-Schar School polling finds Washington Post
Senate clears a key infrastructure bill hurdle as it moves toward a final vote
Los Angeles Times
The Senate cleared an important procedural hurdle Saturday as it inched toward final approval of an expansive bipartisan bill to rebuild the country’s aging roads, bridges, rail and water systems and electric grid.
See also:
● 10 things to know about the infrastructure bill Roll Call
● Senate Moves Closer to Passing Infrastructure Bill Wall Street Journal
● Senate slogs through infrastructure debate Roll Call
● Opinion: The GOP’s Bad Infrastructure Deal Wall Street Journal
● Infrastructure Bill’s Boost to Economy Is Likely to Be Limited Wall Street Journal
Senate Democrats Roll Child Care And Immigration Into A $3.5T Budget Framework
VPR
Senate Democrats have released the text of a $3.5 trillion budget framework that is meant to give Democrats the opportunity to approve major federal investments in child care, family leave and climate change provisions without support of congressional Republicans.
See also:
● Senate Democrats unveil $3.5 trillion budget plan, detailing climate and social agenda CBS News
What Is Redistricting? A Guide to How the Once-a-Decade Process Will Shift Political Power
Wall Street Journal
U.S. states will begin the once-a-decade process of redrawing the lines of their legislative districts when the government releases 2020 census figures later this month.
See also:
● Supreme Court decision could set off gerrymandering 'arms race' The Hill
Senators call on State Department to speed up student visas
Roll Call
Sen. Alex Padilla, chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s immigration panel, and nearly two dozen other Democratic senators called on the State Department on Friday to speed up processing of student visas ahead of the start of the school year.
Trump told California to sweep the forest floors. What’s Biden’s plan to combat wildfires?
The Sacramento Bee
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Gov. Gavin Newsom stood side by side, in a forest that burned badly a year ago, pledging to work together against California’s raging wildfires.
Why President Biden should ban affective computing in federal law enforcement
Brookings
Although not widely in use, law enforcement agencies and companies are experimenting with using affective computing to extract personality information, detect deception, and identify criminal behavior.
House Democrats restart effort to craft new voting rights bill
Roll Call
The House Administration Committee on Friday kick-started the process for creating a new Voting Rights Act bill, releasing a report alleging that states have used voter identification laws, voter roll purges and redistricting to minimize the impact of minority voters.
See also:
● Democratic leaders are increasingly at odds with their own voters National Journal
● Clyburn: Pass voting bills or Democrats will lose majorities Roll Call
Trump’s brazen attempt to overturn the 2020 election: A timeline
Washington Post
Congress will soon begin taking testimony from top officials who bore witness to President Donald Trump’s desperate efforts to commandeer the Justice Department to overturn the 2020 election based upon lies and misinformation.
Washington Post
Antiabortion activists are citing an unlikely authority for their arguments that Roe v. Wade is a misguided ruling that deserves to be overturned: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Eugene Robinson: Too many Republicans are taking covid-19’s side in the fight against the pandemic
Washington Post
Republican politicians have created an environment that is killing Americans who shouldn’t have to die, swamping hospital systems, and generally ensuring that the pain and disruption of covid-19 are with us longer than they need be or should be.
See also:
● Opinion: Republicans are the 21st-century Know-Nothing Party The Hill
PolitiFact
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent looks on near a gate on the U.S.-Mexico border wall as agents take migrants into custody, Sunday, March 21, 2021, in Abram-Perezville, Texas.
Other:
What parents want their kids to learn about America
AEI
CRT has now struck a nerve in many school districts around the country, but in a handful of new polls, many people are not familiar with the term or don’t have an opinion about it.
See also:
● Editorial: What critical race theory is — and isn’t — and why it belongs in schools Los Angeles Times
Media Literacy Education to Counter Truth Decay
Rand Corporation
Media literacy (ML) education has emerged as a promising approach to slowing the spread of Truth Decay, described as the diminishing role that facts, data, and analysis play in political and civil discourse.
The Inside Story of How We Reported the Secret IRS Files
ProRepublica
In late July, ProPublica hosted a virtual event with reporters and editors to talk about our reporting on the U.S. tax system.
Anti-Semitism Isn’t Merely Another Kind of Hate
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid explained a political appeal. “We need allies,” he said. “Anti-Semitism is racism, so let’s talk to all those who oppose racism. . . . Anti-Semitism is hatred of outsiders, so let’s recruit anyone who was ever an outsider and tell them—this is your fight too.”
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, August 15, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “California’s Housing Crisis Hits Home” - Guest: Matt Levine- CalMatters; Dan Dunmoyer - California Building Industry Association. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, August 15, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "California's Housing Crisis: Are Granny Flats the Answer?"- Guests: Monica Davalos, Aureo Mesquita, Adriana Ramos-Yamamoto - California Budget and Policy Center. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Editorial: A punishing drought, plus ‘unprecedented’ water cuts, put Valley farmers in tough spot
Fresno Bee
This week was a rough one for Central Valley farmers. The California Water Resources Control Board achieved a first: It ordered 5,700 water-rights holders in Northern CA and the SJV to stop taking supplies from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries.
See also:
● Emergency Funds Help Small Farms Grapple With Drought and Pandemic VPR
Opinion: Visalia City Council eliminates important farmland protection
Visalia Times Delta
Earlier this week, the Visalia City Council adopted a General Plan Amendment eliminating an important protection for agricultural land threatened by development.
Artificial Intelligence Institute at UC Merced helping tackle agriculture challenges
abc30
UC Merced received a $20 million federal grant to research artificial intelligence, which experts say can be vital for the Central Valley agriculture industry.
Farmworkers are dying in extreme heat. Few standards exist to protect them
PBS
As he neared the end of his shift July 29 on a hops field in Washington’s Yakima County, Florencio Gueta-Vargas collapsed. That day, temperatures would reach triple digits.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Pandemic set off deadly rise in speeding that hasn't stopped
Bakersfield Californian
Motorists put the pedal to the metal during the pandemic and police are worried as roads get busy with the final stretch of summer travel.
Meth bust at California border crossing is likely largest in US history
Fresno Bee
Federal authorities made what they called likely the largest methamphetamine bust in United States history, finding more than 5,528 pounds of the drug inside a semitrailer that crossed from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
Fake Covid Vaccination Cards Are on the Rise in the U.S., Europe
Wall Street Journal
As Covid-19 vaccine mandates proliferate in the U.S. and Europe, so are swindlers selling bogus vaccination certificates.
Public Safety:
The judge trying to upend California’s gun laws: ‘Blessed’ jurist or ‘stone-cold idealogue?’
Los Angeles Times
For nearly two decades, U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez was a low-profile jurist handling routine immigration and drug cases in San Diego federal court.
See also:
● Key facts about Americans and guns Pew Research Center
● Wide differences on most gun policies between gun owners and non-owners, but also some agreement Pew Research Center
Fresno Diocese releases names of priests accused of sexual abuse. See the list
Fresno Bee
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno posted a list of priests who it says have faced “a credible accusation of sexual abuse” to its website Friday.
Fire:
Californians endure intense weekend of wildfire fears
Fresno Bee
After four years of homelessness, Kesia Studebaker thought she finally landed on her feet when she found a job cooking in a diner and moved into a house in the small community of Greenville.
See also:
● Cal Fire says 66 homes destroyed by River Fire as crews work to contain blaze Fresno Bee
● Containment on California’s River Fire rises as firefighters continue to mop up hot spots Sacramento Bee
The Dixie Fire Explodes To Become One of the Largest Wildfires In California's History
VPR
A wildfire raging in Northern California exploded in size overnight, becoming the third-largest wildfire in state history amid high temperatures and strong winds. Better weather conditions were expected to aid the firefight on Friday.
See also:
● Plumas County deputies searching for five people missing from Dixie Fire zone Fresno Bee
● As Dixie fire tears through communities, some refuse evacuation orders with guns in hand Los Angeles Times
● Dixie Fire now second-largest wildfire in California state history. Here’s what we know Sacramento Bee
● Dixie Fire is now the No. 2 wildfire in California history; more than 400 homes and buildings burned Mercury News
● Dixie fire, now the second-largest in California history, has burned more than 400 structures Los Angeles Times
● Dixie fire in Northern California injures 4 firefighters as crews scramble to protect homes Los Angeles Times
● ‘Where do I go?’ Thousands flee as Dixie Fire morphs into third-largest blaze in California’s history Washington Post
● More of California is consumed by flames as smoke spreads even farther CalMatters
● The Dixie Fire is now the largest blaze in the U.S., and third-largest wildfire on record in California. New York Times
● Let it burn? Forest Service's new all-out fire suppression policy a dangerous move, critics say San Francisco Chronicle
● Judge demands PG&E explain potential role in start of Dixie Fire Mercury News
California wildfire smoke can be seen from space
abc30
If you've been outdoors in the last 48 hours, chances are you've seen the cloudy and hazy skies all around the Central Valley. Turns out it's visible all the way from outer space.
Hgdb bcnv
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Weary US businesses confront new round of mask mandates
Fresno Bee
Businesses large and small, from McDonald’s and Home Depot to local yoga studios, are reinstituting mask mandates as U.S. coronavirus cases rise. Bars, gyms and restaurants across the country are requiring vaccines to get inside.
See also:
● Companies Thought They Had Plans for Fall. Now They Are Scrapping Them Wall Street Journal
Joe Biden will need the luck of the Irish to avoid a hard economic landing in 2022
The Hill
Over the past year, the highly expansionary stance of both fiscal and monetary policy has produced a very strong economic recovery. But it has done so at the cost of creating troubling asset and credit market bubbles that could burst in the run-up to next year’s elections.
Jobs:
These companies are requiring employees get vaccinated
Los Angeles Times
In recent weeks, amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases across the country, employers have begun implementing a policy they had shied away from throughout the pandemic: vaccination mandates.
Editorial: A Summer Employment Surge
Wall Street Journal
The strong jobs report is welcome reassurance that the economy is growing rapidly as reopening moves ahead and the service economy picks up.
Three Big Takeaways from a Strong July Jobs Report
The New Yorker
As a general rule, too much shouldn’t be made of one month’s set of jobs figures. The numbers bounce around a lot—being survey-based, they are subject to sampling error, and they are only preliminary.
EDUCATION
K-12:
‘Wildly flawed’: Children’s hospital president rips Clovis school board over COVID remarks
Fresno Bee
A Fresno-area hospital leader is condemning trustees with the Clovis Unified School District for comments about dealing with coronavirus made during a board meeting last week.
Clovis Unified's newest teachers seen not wearing masks during 'Welcome Breakfast'
Fox26News
More than 180 of Clovis Unified's newest teachers were given a warm welcome during a breakfast Thursday, but that's not what caught the attention of viewers. It was what wasn't seen in the photos posted to the District's Facebook page from the event that was noticed.
Modesto-area schools report two COVID-19 cases about a week after first day
Modesto Bee
Two Modesto-area charter schools reported COVID-19 cases within their first 10 days open.
Visalia Unified confirms potential COVID exposure at 8 sites
Visalia Times Delta
Emails confirm that eight Visalia Unified School District sites have reported potential COVID-19 related exposures. Some are being required to quarantine.
Eager to return to classrooms, Stanislaus teachers share priorities for coming school year
Modesto Bee
Patterson High School teacher Julianne Dittman is looking forward to teaching all of her students in one classroom, not split between desks and a screen.
Will Fresno Central schools leader be reinstated after arrest? He says he looks forward to it
Fresno Bee
Central Unified Superintendent Andrew Alvarado said he is looking forward to being “reinstated immediately” after the Madera County District Attorney’s office said it would not file charges in connection with Alvarado’s arrest earlier this summer.
Fresno Unified students get free backpacks, supplies ahead of new school year
abc30
Fresno Unified's parent university is helping families get ready for the upcoming school year. The district distributed thousands of backpacks to students at McLane High School on Saturday morning.
Schools prepare for kids' return as health officials offer advice
Bakersfield Californian
This year, K-12 schools in Kern County will open to a degree they haven't since the pandemic shuttered them in March 2020.
See also:
● What will school be like when Fresno, Clovis students return? Here’s the plan Fresno Bee
● Protesters ask public health to stop mask mandates in elementary schools Hanford Sentinel
● Schools reopen with masks optional in many US classrooms Fresno Bee
● Schools Reopen to Mask Confusion Wall Street Journal
● Event: Reopening K–12 Schools: A Conversation with Linda Darling-Hammond (Pres. of Calif State Dept of Ed) PPIC
Editorial: What critical race theory is — and isn’t — and why it belongs in schools
Los Angeles Times
Race is a touchy subject in this country at the most easygoing of times, and these are not the most easygoing of times
Increasing Title I funds should target largest sources of school spending inequalities—across states
Brookings
This increase would be the largest in Title I’s 56-year history. Though this infusion of federal aid would certainly be welcome in schools, how can we ensure that it benefits the students that need it most?
Higher Ed:
Fresno State exceeds 1 million hours of service for 12th year
Fresno State Campus News
Thanks to efforts by more than 12,690 students, faculty and staff, the University once again provided more than a million hours of service during the 2020-21 academic year.
Biden extends pause on student loan repayment through January. Here’s what to know
Merced Sun-Star
President Joe Biden’s administration announced Friday that the suspension on federal student loan repayments will continue through January 2022, saying that it will be the last time the freeze will be extended.
See also:
● Biden administration extends pause on federal student loan payments through January Washington Post
● Student-Loan Payment Relief Extended to Early 2022 Wall Street Journal
New Tribal Colleges Offer ‘Sense Of Belonging’ For Native Students But Hit Roadblocks
Capital Public Radio
Victoria Chubb was supposed to study photography at a college in New Mexico after graduating from high school in Riverside County, but was afraid of being far away from home.
Apprenticeships:
Improving Career Education Pathways into California’s Workforce
PPIC
The current economic crisis hit Californians with less education hard and brought greater attention to the role public workforce training can play in an equitable recovery.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Video: Californians and the Environment
PPIC
From the San Francisco Bay Area to the Central Valley, Californians cite the current drought and water supply as the most pressing environmental issue facing the state.
‘Sacred’ elk: How California’s drought is altering the debate over Point Reyes herds
Fresno Bee
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests, Jack Gescheidt led a single-file line of about 70 fellow activists in early July. They walked up the twisting road at the Tule Elk Reserve at Tomales Point on the Northern California coast.
See also:
● ‘What's the best balance?’ Two views on the future of tule elk in Point Reyes Sacramento Bee
● Opinion: Political influence to blame for rising tule elk losses under Point Reyes management plan Sacramento Bee
Climate, energy and environmental policy
Pew Research Center
A majority of Americans consider climate change a priority today so that future generations can have a sustainable planet, and this view is held across generations.
Biden’s Electric-Car Ambitions Face Real-World Roadblocks
Wall Street Journal
President Biden wants to convert American motorists to electric cars as a linchpin of his plan to address climate change. Success heavily depends on factors outside his control.
See also:
● Editorial: The Electric Vehicle Welfare State Wall Street Journal
U.N. Report Says Some Climate-Change Effects May Be Irreversible
Wall Street Journal
Report highlights human responsibility for record heat waves, droughts, more intense storms and other extreme weather events seen around the world in recent years.
See also:
● Humans have pushed the climate into ‘unprecedented’ territory, landmark U.N. report finds Washington Post
● Here’s what the report says the future could look like — and how to prevent the worst scenarios. New York Times
● Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity' BBC News
● A Major Report Warns Climate Change Is Accelerating And Humans Must Cut Emissions NowNPR
Can concrete, a major CO2 emitter, be made greener?
PBS
After water, concrete is the most consumed substance on the planet and its production is expected to grow from 4.4 billion tons to 5.5 billion tons by 2050.
See also:
● Heavy-Duty Truck Operators to Test Startup’s Onboard Carbon-Capture System Wall Street Journal
Energy:
CRC applies for permit to capture, store carbon in eastern Kern
Bakersfield Californian
Local oil producer California Resources Corp. reported this week it has applied for a federal permit to capture and bury up to 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in a depleted oil and gas reservoir in the Elk Hills area near Tupman.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Where there’s wildfire, there’s smoke — and this warning on Central Valley air quality
Fresno Bee
Local air officials issued a health caution for the entire San Joaquin Valley on Friday, warning of potential harmful and long-lasting impacts of smoke amid multiple wildfires burning throughout California.
See also:
● Smoky air fills Central Valley skies: How you can protect yourself abc30
● Multiple California wildfires prompt District to issue Health Caution San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
● Wildfires prompt officials to issue health caution Bakersfield Californian
● Wildfire smoke worsens health conditions, increases deaths — and it’s getting worse Sacramento Bee
Unvaccinated people face more than double the risk of COVID reinfection, CDC says
Merced Sun-Star
A new study of hundreds of Kentucky residents reveals more real-world data that shows COVID-19 vaccines offer better protection against reinfection than natural immunity.
See also:
● CDC: Unvaccinated more than twice as likely to get COVID-19 reinfection The Hill
Public health experts urge local mask and vaccine requirements as schools reopen across the country
Washington Post
Public health experts are urging more businesses and local officials to enact mask and vaccine requirements to slow the spread of the coronavirus as the more contagious delta variant drives a fourth surge of covid-19 cases in the United States.
Lambda and delta plus: What to know about other COVID variants detected in US
abc30
The delta variant is fueling the COVID-19 surge in the United States, but experts warn that a more dangerous variant could emerge if more Americans don't get vaccinated.
See also:
● How to help slow the spread of the Delta variant Fresno Bee
● What should I know about the delta variant? AP News
● The signs you have the delta variant are different than original COVID-19 The Hill
● Evidence mounts that delta variant is dangerous for kids The Hill
Human Services:
Valley hospitals changing visitor policies as COVID-19 cases rise
abc30
As the Delta variant continues to lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Central California, some local hospitals are once again changing visitor policies.
Gavin Newsom announces plans to spend $350 million to vaccinate Medi-Cal recipients. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee
California plans to spend $350 million to incentivize COVID-19 shots among Medi-Cal beneficiaries, who disproportionately lag the general population in getting vaccinated.
Capital Public Radio
All California workers in health care facilities such as nursing homes, hospitals, dialysis centers and adult day care programs will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest public health orders.
The Hill
The U.S. health care system ranked last among 11 wealthy countries despite spending the highest percentage of its gross domestic product on health care, according to an analysis by the Commonwealth Fund.
Laws for Prescription Drug Brokers Could Soon Have Teeth
PEW Trusts
Buoyed by a major, unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling, some states are pressing ahead with efforts to rein in one of the most obscure—but also most potent—players in the prescription drug supply chain.
From ‘carrots’ to ‘sticks’—Why vaccine mandates may work where incentives haven’t
PBS
While new COVID-19 cases surge, debate over lockdowns, masks and vaccine mandates continue. Yesterday, United Airlines announced that it will require all of its U.S. employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment.
abcNews
Late last month Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, of Georgia, raised eyebrows around the country when she claimed that a reporter's question about her COVID-19 vaccination status was a "violation of my HIPAA rights."
IMMIGRATION
Steep obstacles for U.S. Congress effort to legalize 'Dreamer' immigrants
Reuters
A battle to win a path to citizenship for "Dreamer" immigrants, following two decades of defeat, is underway in the U.S. Senate as Democrats face tough challenges on several fronts, including within their own ranks.
Why we can be confident that the surge in coronavirus cases isn’t the fault of immigrants
Washington Post
Earlier this week, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) joined Sean Hannity on Fox News to discuss the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and, specifically, what Hannity called “the biggest superspreader in the country.”
See also:
● Ron DeSantis’ effort to blame COVID-19 spread on migrants is short on evidence PolitiFact
● Opinion: Who Trump Thinks Is Really to Blame for the Covid Surge Politico
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Fresno fights church over preservation. What is the status of its other historic theaters?
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s historic theaters have been pulled into the community conversation in recent months.
See also:
● Warszawski: Why does Fresno keep gutting and demolishing historic buildings? Answer is simple Fresno Bee
Fresno’s Tower Theatre failed recent fire inspection. And in 2016 and 2018, the city says
Fresno Bee
In a further twist in the saga surrounding the Tower Theatre, the Fresno landmark failed a recent fire inspection and had several fire code violations, according to the city.
Housing:
Tejon Ranch seeks partnerships for housing developments
Bakersfield Californian
For all its many years of planning, project permitting and legal battles, Tejon Ranch Co.'s next big task on the way to developing four separate, master-planned communities has little to do with any of that.
Newsom, in recall fight, says it’s ‘not acceptable’ for homeless to camp on streets
Los Angeles Times
Newsom expressed strong support for increased efforts around California to remove large homeless encampments, calling them unacceptable and saying the state will need more federal help to create additional housing and expand services for homeless people.
The eviction ban has been extended — for now. What comes next?
Brookings
Jenny Schuetz examines the challenges in getting aid money to renters and how to better support renters and landlords when federal and local eviction bans eventually expire.
See also:
● Opinion: Biden’s Eviction Ban Goes Back to Court Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: The eviction moratorium mess exposes the decay in American politics Washington Post
How About Renting My Pool for an Hour or Two?
New York Times
As people look for ways to spend time with friends outdoors, some homeowners are sharing their private outdoor spaces — for a price.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Thousands of Californians will soon lose unemployment benefits as federal programs end
Sacramento Bee
About 41,000 Californians who get emergency unemployment benefits will stop receiving them next week.
Washington Post
Democratic capitalism, for all its shortcomings, remains the greatest engine of widely-shared prosperity the world has ever known. History rendered judgment on this question in the momentous year of 1989, when communist regimes in Europe began to fall.
TRANSPORTATION
Editorial: Biden needs to put the pedal to the metal on zero-emission cars
Los Angeles Times
President Biden is right. Electric vehicles are the future. But for the sake of the planet, the future has to arrive much sooner than the president and automakers are planning.
Editorial: Amtrak’s $66 Billion Ticket
Wall Street Journal
The Senate’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill is leaving the station with $66 billion in new subsidies for Amtrak and passenger rail, but nobody should think this freight car of cash will end the government railroad’s problems.
See also:
● The Senate infrastructure bill puts America closer to another New Deal Brookings
● Is the bipartisan infrastructure bill truly transformational for train travel? KSBY
WATER
Editorial: A punishing drought, plus ‘unprecedented’ water cuts, put Valley farmers in tough spot
Fresno Bee
This week was a rough one for Central Valley farmers. The California Water Resources Control Board achieved a first: It ordered 5,700 water-rights holders in Northern CA and the SJV to stop taking supplies from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and their tributaries.
See also:
● Emergency Funds Help Small Farms Grapple With Drought and Pandemic VPR
● Friant Water Authority supports state action to curtail water with reservations Porterville Recorder
Walters: Big battle looms over California water rights
CalMatters
When drought strikes the competition becomes, to put it mildly, intense. State and federal officials who must ration the restricted supply are beset with pleas from farmers, municipal water systems and advocates for the environment.
See also:
● California Town Sinking Into Ground Due to Corporations Pumping Groundwater The Byte
Emergency Funds Help Small Farms Grapple With Drought and Pandemic
NPR
Small farmers in the Central Valley operate on thin margins even in good years, and now they are also grappling with drought, wildfire and the recovery from market disruptions that were caused by the pandemic.
“Xtra”
Postponed summer ritual returns. Here’s a rundown of Modesto’s Graffiti Summer events
Modesto Bee
Canceled in 2020 and postponed this year, Modesto’s annual Graffiti Summer celebration is about to return.
Farm-To-Fork Festival entry will require vaccines or negative COVID tests, organizers say
Sacramento Bee
Proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within the last 72 hours will be required for entry at the 2021 Farm-To-Fork Festival next month, Visit Sacramento announced Friday.
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