POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Merced County total COVID-19 deaths approaching 200. Workplace outbreaks hit 40
Merced Sun-Star
The coronavirus pandemic claimed the lives of four more Merced County residents, the Merced County Department of Public Health reported on Tuesday. The virus is now confirmed responsible for 198 known deaths of county residents.
What can and can’t you do in Stanislaus County under new COVID stay-at-home order?
Modesto Bee
People can still go out while wearing a mask to buy groceries, pickup takeout, visit the doctor, walk the dog, take a hike, attend outdoor worship service and more.
Modesto closes its Tenth Street Place offices to public again as COVID-19 surges
Modesto Bee
Modesto has closed its offices to the public at Tenth Street Place, the city-county government center in downtown, because of the spike in COVID-19 and the governor’s recent stay-at-home order for the San Joaquin Valley.
COVID vaccines are coming soon to Stanislaus County. Who gets them first?
Modesto Bee
First in line are health care workers in acute care hospitals with the highest risk for exposure, consistent with the prioritization set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
When will Turlock’s new sales tax start? Here’s the timeline to implement Measure A
Modesto Bee
People shopping at Turlock businesses can expect to begin paying an additional three-quarter cent sales tax in April as a result of local voters passing Measure A last month.
Central SJ Valley:
Health officials concerned about Fresno County's shrinking number of ICU beds
abc30
The number of ICU beds in Fresno County has dropped to an alarming number. With coronavirus cases on the rise across the nation, Fresno County is running out of beds to treat the sickest COVID patients.
See also:
Fresno, Valley reaches 100,000 coronavirus cases as hospital ICUs brace for more patients
Fresno Bee
The escalation of COVID-19 infections reflects a corresponding and unrelenting increase in the number of people hospitalized for treatment of the virus in the Valley.
See also:
ICU capacity at 0% and Fresno’s top doctors say things will get worse Fresno Bee
Kern reports more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for second consecutive day Bakersfield Californian
Stanislaus tops 25,000 cases. ICU capacity shrinks again Modesto Bee
‘Major’ COVID-19 outbreak at Foster Farms in Fresno under investigation, top doctor says
Fresno Bee
Foster Farms has two active outbreaks at their Fresno poultry plants, according to officials at the Fresno County Health Department. The company shut down their plant on Cherry Street in southeast Fresno over the weekend to deep clean because nearly 200 asymptomatic employees tested positive for the virus. The plant has since reopened.
See also:
Fresno restaurant gets another city citation as COVID-19 stay-home order returns
Fresno Bee
The Waffle Shop in northwest Fresno recently received another citation for not complying to measures aimed at reducing the spread of coronavirus. Its owner, Ammar Ibrahim, described that as “BS.”
See also:
EDITORIAL: Do Fresno restaurants pose a COVID-19 threat? There’s no good data to back that up Fresno Bee
Fresno council to consider a revised gathering rule, official says. Here’s what’s new
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council will discuss a revised ordinance related to gatherings two days after a separate controversial order was pulled from discussion, according to Councilmember Luis Chavez.
See also:
Health officials announce stay-at-home order
Madera Tribune
As COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations continue to rise at an alarming pace and threaten to overwhelm the health care delivery system, California health officials announced a Regional Stay at Home Order that will be triggered if Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity drops below 15 percent in a given region.
Yes, Amazon founder, CEO Jeff Bezos gave Fresno $5 million. Here’s what happened
Fresno Bee
Jeff Bezos’ Day 1 Families Fund on Wednesday announced Poverello House and Westcare in Fresno would receive a total of $5 million to fund homeless efforts in Fresno.
Toxic tap water in Latino towns is a legacy of racist policies, California officials say
Fresno Bee
In the San Joaquin Valley, agricultural runoff from fertilizer and manure leaches into groundwater, contributing to some of the highest levels of nitrate pollution in community water systems in the country.
Commission approves program for State Route 99 Widening Project
Madera Tribune
At its December meeting, the California Transportation Commission awarded Caltrans and Madera County Transportation Commission $4,659,000 in Trade Corridor Enhancement Program funding for the the Madera South Widening Project.
South SJ Valley:
Kern County lawmakers introduce legislation aimed at high speed rail, EDD fraud
Bakersfield Californian
The assemblyman and vice chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee introduced a bill to reallocate bond funds dedicated to high speed rail construction and move them to K-12 education.
Trump Admin rushes sale of California oil leases despite certain legal battle
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration on Thursday plans to hold the first oil lease sale in California in eight years, part of a last-minute rush to auction off as much federal land as possible before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in.
Chuck Yeager's history, legacy still live in Kern County and beyond
Bakersfield Californian
Lots of places may stake a claim to the fame of legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager — including West Virginia, his birthplace, and Northern California, where he spent his latter years.
State:
13 counties in California moving into strict virus category
Fresno Bee
Thirteen counties in Northern California will be placed under the state's most restrictive coronavirus rules this week because capacity in intensive care units has fallen below 15%, and officials warned Wednesday that hospitals across the state are filling up with COVID-19 patients.
See also:
California’s intensive care nightmare: Which hospitals are full? CalMatters
California has its most coronavirus deaths in a single day as cases, hospitalizations continue to surge Los Angeles Times
Is anybody listening? Pandemic fatigue sets in among Californians as state faces ‘viral tsunami’
Fresno Bee
When coronavirus cases in California began a dangerous ascent in November, Gov. Gavin Newsom tried a new approach. The state imposed a nighttime curfew for the state’s hardest-hit counties, saying it was crucial to decrease transmission and slow hospitalizations.
Newsom taps new head of powerful California air board
Bakersfield Californian
California Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped a veteran regulator Wednesday as the next chair of the powerful Air Resources Board, which implements the state's ambitious climate change goals.
See also:
California’s air regulator might get key job with Biden. Here’s Newsom’s pick to replace her Sacramento Bee
The Gavin Newsom recall effort has more time and more political ammunition. Is it enough?
Sacramento Bee
Orrin Heatlie first decided Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled during the summer of 2019, when the governor expressed support for immigrants living in the state illegally and told them they didn’t need to open the door for federal immigration agents.
See also:
Legislators increase pressure to open schools as most stay closed this fall
CalMatters
A phalanx of assemblymembers have co-authored a bill that would require schools to at least partially physically reopen next Spring if their county escapes the state’s purple tier.
Meant to clarify, BallotTrax confused some voters
CalMatters
BallotTrax’s mission is to let voters know the whereabouts of their ballot “before they ask,” as its marketing slogan proclaims.
Federal:
COVID Update:
U.S. records more than 3,000 deaths in a single day, a new high Washington Post
Stimulus update: New White House offer adds $600 checks to COVID-19 relief
abc30
The Trump administration is back in the middle of Capitol Hill's confusing COVID-19 negotiations, offering a $916 billion package to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would send a $600 direct payment to most Americans but eliminate a $300-per-week unemployment benefit favored by a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators.
See also:
Stimulus checks included in new COVID relief proposal. But they’d be half the size Fresno Bee
Bipartisan coronavirus relief talks stuck on liability waiver Roll Call
White House proposes dramatically lower unemployment benefit in exchange for $600 stimulus check Washington Post
Opinion: Schumer’s Unemployment Flip-Flop Wall Street Journal
House passes one-week spending bill to avert shutdown, buying time for COVID talks Los Angeles Times
Washington Post
The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allegedly ordered the destruction of an email written by a top Trump administration health official who was seeking changes in a scientific report on the coronavirus’s risk to children.
Trump EPA finalizes rollback making it harder to enact new public health rules
Washington Post
The Trump administration finalized a rule Wednesday that could make it more difficult to enact public health protections, by changing the way the Environmental Protection Agency calculates the costs and benefits of new limits on air pollution.
See also:
New EPA rule could make it harder to limit air pollution CNN
Trump administration rushes sale of California oil leases despite certain legal battle Los Angeles Times
Trump HHS Proposal Criticized As Burden For Biden Administration
VPR
The Trump administration wants to require the incoming Department of Health and Human Services team to review most HHS regulations by 2023 — and automatically void those that haven't been assessed by then.
See also:
Opinion: Trump Takes a Parting Swipe at the Executive Branch Wall Street Journal
Biden calls for action on virus as he introduces health team
Fresno Bee
President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday called for urgent action on the coronavirus pandemic as he introduced a health care team that will be tested at every turn while striving to restore the nation to normalcy.
See also:
Biden lays out plan to combat covid in first 100 days, including requiring masks on interstate buses, trains Washington Post
Biden picks Denis McDonough for Veterans Affairs, Susan Rice for top domestic policy job
Washington Post
President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Denis McDonough, a former chief of staff to President Barack Obama, to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, and he has picked Susan E. Rice, Obama’s former national security adviser, to run the White House Domestic Policy Council.
See also:
Biden picks Fudge for housing head, Vilsack for USDA Los Angeles Times
Following Trump, Biden Seeks Waiver for Defense-Chief Pick Wall Street Journal
Biden to Name Katherine Tai U.S. Trade Representative Wall Street Journal
Joe Biden Names Susan Rice to Lead White House Domestic Policy Council Wall Street Journal
Opinion: The real reason Biden’s pick for Pentagon chief is the wrong choice Washington Post
US govt, states sue Facebook for ‘predatory’ conduct
Fresno Bee
The U.S. government and 48 states and districts sued Facebook Wednesday, accusing it of abusing its market power in social networking to crush smaller competitors and seeking remedies that could include a forced spinoff of the social network's Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services.
See also:
Federal regulators, 48 states bring antitrust action against Facebook abc30
US Govt, States Sue Facebook For ‘predatory’ Conduct Business Journal
FTC, states sue to break up Facebook over anti-competitive behavior Los Angeles Times
Regulatory pressure on Facebook is likely to continue under Biden Los Angeles Times
How Facebook Spread Out With Deals for WhatsApp, Instagram and Others Wall Street Journal
Facebook Hit With Antitrust Lawsuits by FTC, State Attorneys General Wall Street Journal
Zuckerberg’s Deal Making for Facebook Is Central to Antitrust Cases Wall Street Journal
U.S. and States Say Facebook Illegally Crushed Competition New York Times
Opinion: Tech Giants and Social Media Need Smart Regulation Wall Street Journal
GOP lawmakers may wait for January to say Joe Biden won 2020 election
abc30
Americans waiting for Republicans in Congress to acknowledge Joe Biden as the president-elect may have to keep waiting until January as GOP leaders stick with President Donald Trump's litany of legal challenges and unproven claims of fraud.
See also:
Election results under attack: Here are the facts Washington Post
Trump pressures congressional Republicans to help in his fight to overturn the election Washington Post
Poll: Just A Quarter Of Republicans Accept Election Outcome NPR
Fact Check: Debunking five voter conspiracies in Texas AG's election case CNN
Hunter Biden, son of President-elect Joe Biden, facing federal investigation over 'tax affairs'
abc30
President-elect Joe Biden's son Hunter said Wednesday that his "tax affairs" are under federal investigation, putting a renewed spotlight on the questions about his financial dealings that dogged his father's campaign.
See also:
Hunter Biden tax inquiry examining Chinese business dealings Los Angeles Times
Hunter Biden Says His Taxes Are Under Investigation Wall Street Journal
Commentary: Biden’s defense secretary inherits a military-civilian crisis AEI
Lawmakers with stock holdings vote in ways that juice their portfolios, data shows
Washington Post
A series of well-timed stock trades early in the pandemic brought Justice Department scrutiny on at least five U.S. senators this year over potential insider trading, including Georgia Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.
Dianne Feinstein’s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats
The New Yorker
In a hearing on November 17th, Dianne Feinstein, the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, who, at eighty-seven, is the oldest member of the Senate, grilled a witness. Reading from a sheaf of prepared papers, she asked Jack Dorsey, the C.E.O. of Twitter, whether his company was doing enough to stem the spread of disinformation.
Other:
Opinion: Who’s Afraid of the 800-pound Gorilla?
Politico
Donald Trump’s flirtation with another run for the presidency has elicited a gusher of commentary from politicians and the press claiming that he has “frozen the field” for 2024, silencing would-be contenders who dare not lay the groundwork for their own candidacies because they fear his retaliation.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, December 13, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: Poverty and Income Inequality in California - Guest: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, December 13, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: No show this week!- Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
‘Major’ COVID-19 outbreak at Foster Farms in Fresno under investigation, top doctor says
Fresno Bee
Foster Farms has two active outbreaks at their Fresno poultry plants, according to officials at the Fresno County Health Department. The company shut down their plant on Cherry Street in southeast Fresno over the weekend to deep clean because nearly 200 asymptomatic employees tested positive for the virus. The plant has since reopened.
See also:
‘We have failed’: How COVID-19 affects California’s 800,000 farmworkers
Fresno Bee
Against the backdrop of a global health crisis and a summer of unprecedented wildfires, California’s 800,000 farmworkers continue to sustain the state’s annual $50-billion agricultural industry in order to make a living and provide for their loved ones.
Worms help power Valley winery's wastewater system
abc30
Worms are helping a Valley winery on its path to becoming more green. Olympic-sized swimming pools at O'Neill Winery are actually beds filled with worms helping the company become greener.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Warszawski: Fresno’s new police chief makes a strong first impression — and communication is key
Fresno Bee
Paco Balderrama gave several good answers, in both English and Spanish, during his Tuesday introduction as Fresno’s next police chief.
See also:
Opinion: California’s $2 Billion Benefit Fraud
Wall Street Journal
It’s been a rough year for California government: catastrophic wildfires, power outages, and now massive unemployment benefit fraud. It appears the progressive paragon can’t even make transfer payments without making a hash.
Congressional Research Service
When a person believes that he or she has sustained an injury because of someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct, the injured party can potentially file a tort lawsuit seeking money damages from the alleged wrongdoer.
Public Safety:
Courts: Child support services to be held by telephone
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County Superior Court issued a notice Wednesday that all Department of Child Support Services will be handled telephonically effective immediately and until further notice.
Fire:
New state-of-the-art fire station opens in Madera
The City of Madera
The City of Madera is pleased to announce that Fire Station No. 58, the first built in the City since 1978, has officially been brought online.
Fires in California as new storm moves across US with heavy snow and thunderstorms
abcNews
Gusty, dry and warm winds yesterday of 50 to 71 mph in Southern California helped to dry the vegetation and spread several brush fires that flared up in Ventura County but, thankfully the forward spread of fires was stopped last night.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
The Golden State’s future? Most Californians are pessimistic
Los Angeles Times
California may call itself the Golden State, but most Californians see its future as tarnished. In a wide-ranging new survey of attitudes toward the economy, 6 in 10 residents said they expect California’s children to be worse off financially than their parents.
California Struggles With Economic Inequity
U.S. News
Nine months after the coronavirus pandemic hit the u.s. in earnest, california faces a new stay-at-home order and shutdown that resembles its first, threatening to shutter businesses such as bars and personal care services that perhaps only recently regained their footing.
See also:
Tackling Regional Disparities in Economic Opportunity Public Policy Institute of California
PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Economic Well-Being Public Policy Institute of California
Commentary: Blueprints for American Renewal & Prosperity Brookings
Get ready for another roaring ’20s, UCLA economic forecast predicts
Los Angeles Times
You may be shut inside your home. You may be out working a job but in fear of contracting the coronavirus. You may be mourning the demise of your neighborhood’s small businesses. You may be unemployed and unable to pay your rent.
Jobs:
These California state workers are eligible for new state sick leave
Sacramento Bee
California state workers who are excluded from federal sick leave are now eligible for two weeks’ worth of supplemental sick leave from the state, according to the Human Resources Department.
See also:
California Lottery workers fear their jobs could make them COVID-19 superspreaders
Fresno Bee
California State Lottery employees are still traveling to liquor and convenience stores amid a COVID-19 surge, raising concerns among workers that they could contract and spread the virus on the job.
EDUCATION
K-12:
As Fresno High removes Native American mascot image, other local schools could follow
Fresno Bee
Fresno High School’s Warrior mascot that depicts a Native American caricature will be changed. The school will keep the “Warriors” moniker. Fresno Unified School District board members voted 6-1 on Wednesday night to change the mascot Native Americans have described as “racist” and “offensive.” Trustee Terry Slatic cast the only “no” vote.
Fresno Unified starts mentorship program for students and technology
abc30
When COVID-19 first forced schools to close their doors - many parents and students needed help navigating the new normal. "It's all new; they were trying to make up grades or finish a semester strong," says Kaylah Salinas. "There was just a lot of struggles there and we didn't have any support in place as a district because it was all so fast."
Panama-Buena Vista Union School District to suspend in-person learning next week
Bakersfield Californian
The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District announced it will suspend all in-person learning on its campuses beginning Monday because of the rise of COVID-19 cases both in the community and on campuses.
Golden Valley High students form a support group for struggling students
Bakersfield Californian
Golden Valley High School students started their own peer counseling group called THRIVE that is quickly becoming a model for schools across the Kern High School District looking to reach struggling students.
Legislators increase pressure to open schools as most stay closed this fall
CalMatters
A phalanx of assemblymembers have co-authored a bill that would require schools to at least partially physically reopen next Spring if their county escapes the state’s purple tier.
Higher Ed:
Here’s when California State University students could return to in-person classes
Fresno Bee
Spurred by the approval of coronavirus vaccines, the 23-campus California State University is planning to return to mostly in-person learning by Fall 2021, according to an announcement Wednesday from outgoing CSU Chancellor Timothy White.
See also:
Cal State University system planning for in-person classes next fall abc30
Cal State announces plans for fall 2021 reopening of its 23 campuses Los Angeles Times
'Continue being bold': Outgoing Fresno State President Joseph Castro's message to students
abc30
When Dr. Joseph Castro took the helm as president of Fresno State in 2013, it was a homecoming. Castro grew up in Hanford, the grandson of Mexican immigrants. He felt the job was an opportunity to serve a community he knew well, and students with whom he shared a similar background.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Newsom taps new head of powerful California air board
Bakersfield Californian
California Gov. Gavin Newsom tapped a veteran regulator Wednesday as the next chair of the powerful Air Resources Board, which implements the state's ambitious climate change goals.
See also:
California’s air regulator might get key job with Biden. Here’s Newsom’s pick to replace her Sacramento Bee
Trump EPA finalizes rollback making it harder to enact new public health rules
Washington Post
The Trump administration finalized a rule Wednesday that could make it more difficult to enact public health protections, by changing the way the Environmental Protection Agency calculates the costs and benefits of new limits on air pollution.
See also:
Washington Post
The world’s wealthy will need to reduce their carbon footprints by a factor of 30 to help put the planet on a path to curb the ever-worsening impacts of climate change, according to new findings published Wednesday by the United Nations Environment Program.
Energy:
Trump administration rushes sale of California oil leases despite certain legal battle
Los Angeles Times
The Trump administration on Thursday plans to hold the first oil lease sale in California in eight years, part of a last-minute rush to auction off as much federal land as possible before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in.
BusinessWire
Fundamental changes in how the electric power grid is planned, designed, built and operated are necessary to meet future challenges that are arriving quickly.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Health officials concerned about Fresno County's shrinking number of ICU beds
abc30
The number of ICU beds in Fresno County has dropped to an alarming number. With coronavirus cases on the rise across the nation, Fresno County is running out of beds to treat the sickest COVID patients.
See also:
New Data Reveal Which Hospitals Are Dangerously Full. Is Yours? VPR
California’s intensive care nightmare: Which hospitals are full? CalMatters
California has its most coronavirus deaths in a single day as cases, hospitalizations continue to surge Los Angeles Times
U.S. records more than 3,000 deaths in a single day, a new high Washington Post
Fresno, Valley reaches 100,000 coronavirus cases as hospital ICUs brace for more patients
Fresno Bee
The escalation of COVID-19 infections reflects a corresponding and unrelenting increase in the number of people hospitalized for treatment of the virus in the Valley.
See also:
ICU capacity at 0% and Fresno’s top doctors say things will get worse Fresno Bee
Kern reports more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for second consecutive day Bakersfield Californian
Stanislaus tops 25,000 cases. ICU capacity shrinks again Modesto Bee
Explainer: When and where? How COVID-19 vaccines will roll out in US
abc30
With coronavirus vaccines on the horizon, when and where will most Americans get their shots? Many of the details are still being worked out, as regulators review the first vaccine candidates. A federal panel of vaccine experts is meeting this week to consider Pfizer's vaccine, and again next week for Moderna's.
See also:
FDA Head Stephen Hahn On What's Next For Pfizer Vaccine In Fast-Moving Process VPR
Here’s how California plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine in coming weeks Los Angeles Times
FDA head explains why he’ll take the COVID-19 vaccine: “I have 100% confidence” Los Angeles Times
FDA Advisory Panel Expected to Approve Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine Wall Street Journal
Many Americans say they don’t want a vaccine. Should we be worried? PolitiFact
Many Black Americans don’t trust the COVID vaccine. Here’s why and what’s being done Fresno Bee
Opinion: Preparing for a vaccination campaign of unprecedented scale CalMatters
Opinion: The Best Herd Immunity Money Can Buy Wall Street Journal
Human Services:
Do you need a vaccine if you’ve already had COVID? Here’s what to know
Fresno Bee
Much remains unknown about the coronavirus, such as why some healthy people get sick and die while others recover unscathed. The mysteries also include how long natural immunity lasts after infection.
COVID vaccines are coming soon to Stanislaus County. Who gets them first?
Modesto Bee
First in line are health care workers in acute care hospitals with the highest risk for exposure, consistent with the prioritization set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Dialysis Industry Spends Millions, Emerges as Power Player in California Politics
California Healthline
The nation’s dialysis industry has poured $233 million into California campaigns over the past four years, establishing its leading companies as a formidable political force eager to protect their bottom line and influence state policy.
IMMIGRATION
Trump finalizes sweeping asylum restrictions in last-minute immigration push
Reuters
The Trump administration finalized a regulation on Thursday that greatly restricts access to asylum in the United States, part of a last-minute immigration crackdown that incoming President-elect Joe Biden will likely try to reverse.
Arrests of Immigrant Children at Border Climb, Fueling Concern for Biden Team
Wall Street Journal
Immigrant children and families are again heading north to the U.S.-Mexico border in increasing numbers after a lull, signaling the possibility of a fresh humanitarian crisis and an early challenge for the incoming Biden administration.
Opinion: An Easy Way to Take Pressure Off the Immigration System
Politico
When I was an immigrant visa officer in Islamabad, I interviewed thousands of individuals excited to start new lives in the United States. But I also saw a significant number of applicants who had little interest in a permanent move but were nevertheless applying for immigrant visas.
Commentary: The road to fix America’s broken immigration system begins abroad
Brookings
Being an immigrant in the United States in the past few years has been difficult, to say the least. The toxic rhetoric against immigration coming out from the White House from day one of the Trump presidency—and the fact that it enjoyed popular support by the Republican base—made many of us rethink whether it was time to simply leave this country for good.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
In a reversal, California said playgrounds can be open under COVID-19 restrictions
Los Angeles Times
Following an outcry from parents and some legislators, California will keep playgrounds open despite a surge in coronavirus cases. Playgrounds had been closed in some areas under a stay-at-home order that took effect last week.
See also:
Housing:
Real Estate Prices Soar During Pandemic, Climbing 25% In Parts Of California
CalMatters
Across the state, home prices are up by almost 20% and the Central Coast, a tight housing market to begin with, has been squeezed even tighter with prices up an average of 25%.
Facebook Pledges $150 Million to Build Homes for Silicon Valley’s Poorest
Wall Street Journal
Facebook Inc. said $150 million of its previously announced planned investment of $1 billion in affordable housing will go toward homes for the lowest-income tier in the San Francisco Bay Area.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Stimulus update: New White House offer adds $600 checks to COVID-19 relief
abc30
The Trump administration is back in the middle of Capitol Hill's confusing COVID-19 negotiations, offering a $916 billion package to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would send a $600 direct payment to most Americans but eliminate a $300-per-week unemployment benefit favored by a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators.
See also:
Stimulus checks included in new COVID relief proposal. But they’d be half the size Fresno Bee
Bipartisan coronavirus relief talks stuck on liability waiver Roll Call
White House proposes dramatically lower unemployment benefit in exchange for $600 stimulus check Washington Post
Opinion: Schumer’s Unemployment Flip-Flop Wall Street Journal
When will Turlock’s new sales tax start? Here’s the timeline to implement Measure A
Modesto Bee
People shopping at Turlock businesses can expect to begin paying an additional three-quarter cent sales tax in April as a result of local voters passing Measure A last month.
TRANSPORTATION
Kern County lawmakers introduce legislation aimed at high speed rail, EDD fraud
Bakersfield Californian
The assemblyman and vice chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee introduced a bill to reallocate bond funds dedicated to high speed rail construction and move them to K-12 education.
Commission approves program for State Route 99 Widening Project
Madera Tribune
At its December meeting, the California Transportation Commission awarded Caltrans and Madera County Transportation Commission $4,659,000 in Trade Corridor Enhancement Program funding for the the Madera South Widening Project.
Commentary: How to create an easier path to climate goals through electric vehicles
CalMatters
California can demonstrate smart policy with electric vehicle charging stations installed in locations that enable access for all.
Walters: California is No. 1 — in rough highways
CalMatters
New survey finds that California has the roughest roads of any state due to neglected maintenance — but second highest gas taxes.
WATER
Toxic tap water in Latino towns is a legacy of racist policies, California officials say
Fresno Bee
In the San Joaquin Valley, agricultural runoff from fertilizer and manure leaches into groundwater, contributing to some of the highest levels of nitrate pollution in community water systems in the country.
New Water Futures Market May Be Hedge For Farmers
Business Journal
While it still may be early to see the effect public trading of water might have on farmers, the debut of water futures contracts Monday on the Nasdaq may establish a level of certainty for growers as uncertainty abounds.
Drought Conditions Could Stretch to Spring, Set Stage for Another Rough Fire Season
KQED
The latest outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests that California's persistent drought-like conditions could last through the winter and into spring, possibly fueling another grueling fire season in 2021.
“Xtra”
Where to look for holiday cheer? Stanislaus reader recommendations are here
Modesto Bee
Two hundred fifty-eight feet of comfort and joy. For 11 years now, that’s what motorists experience as they pass Maria and Aaron Moss’ home at 3101 Coffee Road in Modesto.
Fresno Bee
Negotiations between MLB and the city of Fresno to keep the Fresno Grizzlies in affiliated baseball have gone into extra innings, but a resolution is at hand. During its Thursday meeting, the Fresno City Council will vote on new contracts with Grizzlies ownership and MLB designed to keep minor-league baseball in downtown Fresno for at least the next decade.
See also:
Fresno Grizzlies to become Single-A affiliate for Colorado Rockies abc30
Fresno Blesses Deal For Grizzlies Demotion To Single-A Business Journal
Junior League of Bakersfield offering micro-weddings on Valentine’s Day
Bakersfield Californian
The Junior League of Bakersfield will be providing a Valentine’s Day micro-wedding package for couples who want to have a quick, intimate and memorable ceremony.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.
Subscribe to the Maddy Daily HERE
Or, to Subscribe or Unsubscribe: email amyboam@csufresno.edu