POLICY & POLITICS
Ed Source
When Alma Lopez was in middle school in the Central Valley, she learned about college for the first time, not from her teachers or counselors, but when she saw someone wearing a Fresno State T-shirt.
See also:
For thousands of uninsured Central Valley residents, Covered California seeks to be the answer
Bakersfield Californian
Covered California is urging all residents to seek insurance during this year’s open enrollment period. In a virtual tour stop highlighting the Central Valley, doctors and insurance agents from Merced to Bakersfield urged residents to sign up for insurance.
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus reaches 1,441 deaths, 82,412 positive tests Modesto Bee
Stanislaus has one of state’s two biomass incinerators. How residents are impacted.
Modesto Bee
A new report compiled by environmental advocates has them calling for the closure of California’s last two standing waste-to-energy facilities as findings show their harmful impact.
Why is Stanislaus placing cameras near cannabis dispensaries to read license plates?
Modesto Bee
Authorities are expanding a license plate-reading system to spot stolen cars and assist law enforcement with other criminal activity. A plan to place the next group of cameras with enhanced capabilities near licensed cannabis dispensaries raised a few questions this week.
Modesto City Schools shares progress on equity goals in first of two public forums
Modesto Bee
In the first of two public forums this school year, leaders from Modesto City Schools shared progress and sought feedback on their work to make schools more equitable.
EDITORIAL: Our best hope for a booming economy rests with bold Stanislaus 2030 initiative
Modesto Bee
In simple terms, Stanislaus 2030 is a collaborative of leaders across every sector — business, education and government. They are driven to be intentional about building a vital economy, they say.
Merced Irrigation District alleges state ‘water grab’ will hurt residents, asks for support
Merced Sun Star
As the State Water Resources Control Board moves forward in its plan to divert water away from the Merced River, Merced Irrigation District officials are trying to get the public involved in preventing what they are calling a “water grab.”
‘A great win for our city.’ Livingston gets $7.3M for new rec center. Here’s what to expect
Merced Sun Star
The City of Livingston scored a win this week with the award of a state grant just short of $7.4 million to fund a new recreation center, equipped with bells and whistles that community leaders say will boost local families’ health and happiness.
City seeking applicants for Parks, Planning seats
Turlock Journal
Following former Parks, Arts & Recreation Commissioner Randy Icelow’s announcement that Wednesday’s meeting would be his last, there are now three open seats on the commission which is typically comprised of seven Mayor-appointed individuals.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● ‘Cynical forces,’ vaccine misinformation mean COVID likely lingers, Fresno’s top doc says Fresno Bee
● Health officials expect Omicron COVID-19 variant to reach Fresno County abc30
● Why vaccination rates for kids 5-11 years old in Fresno County are falling behind VPR
● COVID-19 update: Is Visalia Fox Theatre hosting what could be a super-spreader event? Visalia Times Delta
Fresnans demand COVID relief money go to housing protections. Did City Council listen?
Fresno Bee
Nearly 150 people showed up and called in to the Fresno City Council meeting Thursday pleading for the council to address housing needs through American Rescue Plan Act dollars rather than spend a proposed $10 million on the police budget.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: Ed Kashian wanted some developer fees back. Fresno City Council found a better option Fresno Bee
Dyer wades into rezoning tug of war in southwest Fresno. Why it’s a citywide concern
Fresno Bee
The City of Fresno is planning a change to its zoning ordinance with an eye toward solving the long-running dispute between southwest Fresno residents and developers. Mayor Jerry Dyer says it’s a win-win compromise.
Warsawski: One of Fresno’s ‘rare and amazing’ adobe houses is under threat. Will city protect it?
Fresno Bee
To untrained eyes, the Garcia Adobe isn’t much to look at. The house is dilapidated and neglected. The front door is missing and so are all the windows. The interior is disheveled, and a small wooden “carport” attached to the back is collapsing.
New Clovis Assistant City Manager Appointed
Clovis Roundup
Recently appointed City Manager John Holt and retiring City Manager Luke Serpa have announced the appointment of Andrew Haussler as the new Assistant City Manager, effective January 1, 2022.
‘I probably cried every day.’ Tulare County jails denying prenatal care, ACLU says
Fresno Bee
The ACLU of Northern California last month sent a letter to Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, expressing its “deep concern over the severely inadequate and unlawful provision of prenatal care in the Tulare County jails.”
See also:
● ACLU claims TCSO not providing prenatal care Porterville Recorder
● ACLU settles lawsuit with Tulare County Sheriff's Department over COVID-19 in jails Visalia Times Delta
Visalia Unified narrowly avoids $25,000 special election, appoints compromise candidate
Visalia Times Delta
Although she wasn’t physically present at the College of the Sequoias Theatre, Visalia Unified Area 5 Trustee Megan Casebeer Soleno made an unusual last-second motion, over the phone, desperate to avoid a costly special election.
New park seen as first step in the growth of the City of Corcoran
Hanford Sentinel
Before Corcoran Public Works Director Joseph Faulkner and former City Manager Kendon Meik submitted their grant proposal to fund a new park for the City of Corcoran, the two men laid their hands over it and prayed, Faulkner said.
See also:
● Hanford to open new park honoring heroes during the pandemic abc30
ETGSA groundwater sustainability plan has 'deficiencies'
Porterville Recorder
The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency received a letter from the State Department of Water Resources on Thursday that its Sustainable Groundwater Management Plan in effect has “deficiencies.”
County dealing with new waste disposal requirement
Porterville Recorder
In an effort to reduce the amount of methane emissions from landfills, a new state standard as required by Senate Bill 1383 will go into effect on January 1 that will effectively no longer allow food to be disposed in regular trash cans.
With Devin Nunes set to leave Congress, here’s the field of potential candidates so far
Fresno Bee
The list of potential candidates for the soon-vacant U.S. House District 22 seat began growing this week following the announcement incumbent Rep. Devin Nunes would retire and a potential special election hangs in uncertainty.
South SJ Valley:
In Bakersfield, Many Find a California They Can Afford
New York Times
For generations, Bakersfield has been the Golden State’s defiant outlier, a place Americans are unlikely to picture when they imagine California. Bakersfield has emerged as unusual in another respect: It is growing, searching for backyards, extra bedrooms or crosstown commutes measured in minutes, not hours.
Kern County deputies report results of operation to reduce violence, thefts
Bakersfield Californian
Due to a noted increase in reports of property crimes and assaults involving Bakersfield’s transient population, deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation Thursday, according to a KCSO news release.
Kern County high school students lag behind other Californians in applying for college aid
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County high school students lag behind other Californians when it comes to filling out a form crucial to figuring out how they will pay for college.
Taxpayer's group says mayor should have more political power, update to city charter needed
Bakersfield Californian
Is it time for Bakersfield to endow its mayor with greater political authority? Should the mayor be served by a full-time staff, who could inform him or her of policy recommendations?
Developers look for more parking downtown
Bakersfield Californian
The idea of another city-financed parking structure downtown has surfaced as a way to accommodate greater demand by future residents, workers and visitors. Other ideas include cooperative agreements with owners of the area's existing parking structures.
State:
COVID Update:
● COVID safety and vaccines for your California child: What to know ahead of the holidays Fresno Bee
● Anti-vaccine group targets California’s medical director Sacramento Bee
● California official says she was stalked by members of an anti-vaccine group. New York Times
● Young Latinos are dying of COVID at an alarming rate — the effects could be felt for generations Los Angeles Times
● Omicron was in California weeks ago, before officials raised alarms, water sample suggests Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom calls for bill modeled on Texas abortion ban to crack down on gun manufacturers
Sacramento Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday he will push for a new law modeled on Texas’ abortion ban that would let private citizens sue anyone who makes or sells assault weapons or ghost guns.
See also:
● Newsom wants to crack down on assault weapons in CA with law modeled after Texas abortion law abc30
● Newsom Calls for Gun Legislation Modeled on the Texas Abortion Law New York Times
● California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants Texas-like law to ban assault guns Visalia Times Delta
● Newsom seizes on Texas abortion law tactics to go after assault rifles and ghost guns San Francisco Chronicle
● Outgunned CalMatters
● In response to Texas abortion ban, Newsom calls for similar restrictions on assault weapons Los Angeles Times
Fact check: Are California sentencing laws to blame for recent robberies?
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, currently running for Attorney General, recently called Proposition 47 “the biggest con job in California history” in comments to a Los Angeles Times columnist.
See also:
● After smash-and-grab thefts across California, is it time to reconsider Proposition 47? Los Angeles Times
California paid out $20 billion in fake unemployment claims. How much will it recover?
Fresno Bee
McGregor Scott found a surprise as the search for an estimated $20 billion in fraudulent payments proceeded.
Democrats want to spend California’s surplus on infrastructure. What about rebate checks?
Fresno Bee
State lawmakers want to use a projected $31 billion surplus to fuel an infrastructure boom, a tactic that could reduce the amount Californians might see in any rebate checks this year – if they happen at all.
California would hire more than 1,000 more firefighters under state senator’s proposal
Sacramento Bee
Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said Friday that the legislation would set new per-engine minimums at Cal Fire and would launch a staffing study to help prepare the department for fire conditions that are projected to keep getting worse in the years ahead.
California Politics: Waiting for the Voter’s Choice Act reports
Los Angeles Times
With another campaign cycle just around the corner, a valuable body of research into the successes and shortcomings of a sweeping California election law — used by counties that are home to more than half of the state’s voters — remains in limbo.
See also:
● Opinion: Another way to reform the recall: Ranked Choice Voting CalMatters
Here’s your primer: What California state government has been up to in 2021
CalMatters
California’s state government, facing the nation’s highest poverty rate, also saw an unprecedented budget surplus that the state’s supermajority Democrats used to expand health and education programs as well as climate change efforts and assistance for the poor
Federal:
COVID Update:
● Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Pfizer boosters, rapid antigen tests, omicron & more Fresno Bee
● How the U.S. got on the slow track with at-home COVID tests KVPR
● This Amazon program has funneled thousands to anti-vax activists during the pandemic Washington Post
● Pandemic mystery: Scientists focus on COVID’s animal origins Fresno Bee
● COVID-19 boosters on backburner for most pro sports leagues Fresno Bee
● Questions to ask your relatives before gathering indoors this holiday season Washington Post
● Should the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ be changed to include a booster shot? Los Angeles Times
● Article misleads on dangers of omicron variant using UK virus and vaccination data Politifact
Supreme Court refuses to block Texas abortion law as legal fights move forward
VPR
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday refused for a second time to block a Texas law that has virtually brought abortions to a halt for anyone more than six weeks pregnant, a time so early that many women don't know they are pregnant.
See also:
● Supreme Court allows narrow challenge to Texas abortion law Roll Call
● Activists react to high court move to leave Texas abortion ban in place for now Roll Call
● What happens next in abortion providers' fight to challenge the Texas law NPR
Soaring inflation could hamper Biden’s effort to narrow wealth, racial disparities
Politico
The record-breaking inflation convulsing the economy also threatens to undermine one of President Joe Biden's top pledges: alleviating long-standing wealth and racial inequities.
See also:
● Inflation accelerates at lightning pace in new setback for Biden Politico
● President Biden's job approval sinking on inflation, crime and COVID: POLL ABC News
● A new poll finds major warning signs for Biden and fellow Democrats VPR
● Opinion: America’s growing inflation problem: Who is to blame? AEI
GOP escalates air wars over Biden’s megabill
Politico
Republicans are dropping millions of dollars to hit Senate Democrats on inflation just as the chamber takes up President Joe Biden’s sweeping social spending bill.
See also:
● CBO: Fully extended reconciliation bill could cost $3 trillion Roll Call
● Biden Aims to Win Pivotal Democrat’s Support for $2 Trillion Spending Plan Wall Street Journal
● Democrats are struggling to sell Biden's agenda. It isn't the first time, either NPR
● Opinion: Biden’s Build Back Better repeats progressives’ major mistakes over decades AEI
● Opinion: The Real Cost of Biden’s Spending Plan Wall Street Journal
McCarthy’s proxy voting opposition could reshape the House
Politico
Plenty of House Republicans have softened their stance on proxy voting during the pandemic. Not their leader, who’s digging in all the way to the Supreme Court.
See also:
● ‘Who is he?’ The X-factor relationship that could soon rule the House Politico
Pew Research
As in past years, there are wide age differences in these views: Younger adults are less likely than older adults to see a great deal of difference between the parties, and they are less likely to say that either party represents the interests of people like them well.
See also:
● Republicans bet on a boomerang Axios
Medicare cuts scare helps put debt limit bill on fast track
Roll Call
Facing a choice between voting for a process that will help Democrats raise the debt limit or voting against a delay of across-the-board Medicare cuts, most Republicans chose the latter.
See also:
● Opinion: Raise the roof! Democrats should go big in raising the debt ceiling The Hill
Jan. 6 rally organizers issued subpoenas
Roll Call
The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has issued subpoenas to six individuals involved in planning rallies that preceded the violent insurrection.
New Political Maps Will Kill Swing Districts From Coast to Coast
Wall Street Journal
More races for the U.S. House next year will start with one party holding a significant advantage because the process of redrawing congressional district lines is whittling down the number of politically competitive seats.
See also:
● New Data Tracks Polling Place Locations for 37 States Pew Trusts
● Opinion: One way to reform the House of Representatives? Expand it. Washington Post
Opinion: The Supreme Court isn’t broken. Even if it were, adding justices would be a bad idea.
Washington Post
Most of the proposed reforms discussed in the commission’s report — particularly term limits and expanding the number of justices, or “court-packing” — have little merit. Such changes would not address any deficiency in the court or its procedures. But they would threaten judicial independence.
Opinion: The debate over ‘Latinx’ highlights a broader problem for Democrats
Washington Post
Monday saw the release of yet another poll showing that the term “Latinx” is unpopular among Hispanic voters — only 2 percent preferred to use it, while 40 percent found it off-putting and 30 percent said they’d be less likely to vote for a politician who deployed it.
Other:
Washington Post
Taliban supporters, white nationalists, and anti-vaccine activists sowing coronavirus misinformation have hosted live audio broadcasts on Spaces that hundreds of people have tuned in to.
Critical race theory overtakes Black Lives Matter on Google Searches
Axios
The share of Google searches about Black Lives Matter spiked shortly after Axios launched its Hard Truths series — but those have been overtaken by searches about critical race theory in recent months.
Brookings
With the development of ever more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems, some of the world’s leading scientists, AI engineers and businesspeople have expressed concerns that humanity may lose control over its creations, giving rise to what has come to be called the AI Control Problem.
Opinion: No one in their right mind would design a government that works like ours
Washington Post
In our system, a party can have unified control of government, and an agenda supported by most voters. But unless it holds a supermajority of Senate seats, this supposedly powerful party still may not be able to pass its own priorities unless it pretends every single proposal is primarily about the “budget,” rather than whatever the proposal’s actual purpose is.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, December 19, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "LAO Report on Safe Drinking Water" - Guest: Rachel Ehlers, Principal Fiscal and Policy Analyst - Legislative Analyst's Office. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, December 19, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Valley Water: Where & Why is it Unsafe to Drink?"- Guests:Ellen Hanak, Director - PPIC Water Center; Sarge Green, Research Scientist - Fresno State's CA Water Institute. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Farmers ease workers' path to citizenship
Bakersfield Californian
California farmers frustrated with congressional inaction on farmworker immigration and guest-worker reform have settled on another way to nudge their workforce toward U.S. citizenship.
Will new bacon law begin? California grocers seek delay
Associated Press
A coalition of California restaurants and grocery stores has filed a lawsuit to block implementation of a new farm animal welfare law, adding to uncertainty about whether bacon and other fresh pork products will be much more expensive or in short supply in the state when the new rules take effect on New Year’s Day.
Native Americans’ farming practices may help feed a warming world
Washington Post
Indigenous peoples have known for millennia to plant under the shade of the mesquite and paloverde trees that mark the Sonoran Desert here, shielding their crops from the intense sun and reducing the amount of water needed.
Opinion: Fix California’s cannabis framework; eliminate the cultivation tax
CalMatters
By perpetuating wrong-headed tax policies, California is costing jobs and strengthening an illicit market.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Kern County deputies report results of operation to reduce violence, thefts
Bakersfield Californian
Due to a noted increase in reports of property crimes and assaults involving Bakersfield’s transient population, deputies with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office conducted an operation Thursday, according to a KCSO news release.
Fact check: Are California sentencing laws to blame for recent robberies?
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, currently running for Attorney General, recently called Proposition 47 “the biggest con job in California history” in comments to a Los Angeles Times columnist.
See also:
● Gavin Newsom and Rob Bonta on Crime in California KQED
● After smash-and-grab thefts across California, is it time to reconsider Proposition 47? Los Angeles Times
Pew Research
Americans are closely divided over whether people convicted of crimes spend too much, too little or about the right amount of time in prison, with especially notable differences in views by party affiliation, ideology, race and ethnicity.
Opinion: The Unconstitutional Convictions You Don’t Know About
Wall Street Journal
Though right to a jury trial is enshrined in the Bill of Rights and Constitution, it’s hardly ever enforced.
See also:
● Activists wanted Biden to revamp the justice system. Many say they're still waiting VPR
● These slow wheels of justice Axios
Public Safety:
‘I probably cried every day.’ Tulare County jails denying prenatal care, ACLU says
Fresno Bee
The ACLU of Northern California last month sent a letter to Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, expressing its “deep concern over the severely inadequate and unlawful provision of prenatal care in the Tulare County jails.”
See also:
● ACLU claims TCSO not providing prenatal care Porterville Recorder
● ACLU settles lawsuit with Tulare County Sheriff's Department over COVID-19 in jails Visalia Times Delta
Why is Stanislaus placing cameras near cannabis dispensaries to read license plates?
Modesto Bee
Authorities are expanding a license plate-reading system to spot stolen cars and assist law enforcement with other criminal activity. A plan to place the next group of cameras with enhanced capabilities near licensed cannabis dispensaries raised a few questions this week.
How role-playing helps police do their job without firing their guns
Washington Post
At a time when police use of force is increasingly under scrutiny, experts say training simulations are a key way to reduce the number of times police fire their weapons. There are a variety of role-playing options and a growing body of evidence that they work
Fire:
From the ashes: US Capitol tree from California stands as a reminder of wildfire, drought policy
Sacramento Bee
While it stands as a monument to diversity as “The People’s Tree” in Washington D.C., Sugar Bear left brethren behind in a state that has been marred by wildfires and drought.
California would hire more than 1,000 more firefighters under state senator’s proposal
Sacramento Bee
Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said Friday that the legislation would set new per-engine minimums at Cal Fire and would launch a staffing study to help prepare the department for fire conditions that are projected to keep getting worse in the years ahead.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Pew Research
Looking just at the recent rise can be misleading, or at least incomplete. For one thing, a year ago the United States was battling yet another wave of COVID-19 cases, large parts of the economy were still shuttered and demand for gas was way down.
See also:
● Why US inflation is so high, and when it may ease Sacramento Bee
● Five charts explaining why inflation is at a near 40-year high Washington Post
● 100-year lens on inflation Axios
● Inflation Surge Pushes U.S. Real Interest Rates Into More Deeply Negative Territory Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: The Fed Is the Main Inflation Culprit Wall Street Journal
What a Progressive Utopia Does to Outdoor Dining
The Atlantic
If outdoor dining can flourish anywhere, surely it can do so in California—where the weather is temperate and a wildly diverse corps of chefs has year-round access to high-quality produce, seafood, and wine.
Jobs:
Opinion: Here’s why labor unions are winning again
CalMatters
Workers are fed up and feeling empowered because of widespread dissatisfaction with working conditions.
See also:
● Starbucks workers form their 1st union in the U.S. in a big win for labor VPR
Why does California have the highest jobless rate in the country?
Visalia Times Delta
The state recorded a 7.3% unemployment rate, the highest in the country, a distinction California shares with Nevada. October’s national unemployment rate is several points lower, at 4.6%.
Pew Research
16% of Americans have ever earned money from an online gig platform. While most gig platform workers say they have had a positive experience with these jobs, some report facing on-the-job troubles like being treated rudely or sexually harassed
Deadly Collapse at Amazon Warehouse Puts Spotlight on Phone Ban
Bloomberg
An Amazon.com Inc. warehouse collapse on Friday night that killed at least six people has amplified concerns among its blue collar workforce about the return of the internet retailer’s mobile phone ban in work areas.
The labor shortage is a health problem
Axios
Almost half of unemployed Americans say health issues are the primary reason they're not working, according to new survey data from McKinsey, shared exclusively with Axios.
The End of a Return-to-Office Date
New York Times
That point in time to return to the office is no longer in January. The Omicron variant interjected. Just as companies from Ford Motor to Lyft have done in the past week, DocuSign postponed again.
Opinion: Workers must use their newfound leverage to protect their careers from automation
Brookings
Ironically, workers’ newfound leverage may accelerate an impending threat to their jobs: automation. It’s vital, then, for workers to use the current moment to press for long-term protections to secure their careers and livelihoods.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Ed Source
When Alma Lopez was in middle school in the Central Valley, she learned about college for the first time, not from her teachers or counselors, but when she saw someone wearing a Fresno State T-shirt.
Modesto City Schools shares progress on equity goals in first of two public forums
Modesto Bee
In the first of two public forums this school year, leaders from Modesto City Schools shared progress and sought feedback on their work to make schools more equitable.
Fresno superintendent says this school year ‘harder’ than 2020. Will these new tools help?
Fresno Bee
With the winter holiday break around the corner, Fresno Unified schools have unveiled new online tools aimed at helping parents and students stay connected with teachers while also beefing up academic support.
Visalia Unified narrowly avoids $25,000 special election, appoints compromise candidate
Visalia Times Delta
Although she wasn’t physically present at the College of the Sequoias Theatre, Visalia Unified Area 5 Trustee Megan Casebeer Soleno made an unusual last-second motion, over the phone, desperate to avoid a costly special election.
Kern County high school students lag behind other Californians in applying for college aid
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County high school students lag behind other Californians when it comes to filling out a form crucial to figuring out how they will pay for college.
He was hired to fix California schools — while running a business in Philadelphia
Politico
California’s first superintendent of equity lives in Philadelphia and has a separate job there, more than 2,500 miles away from the schools he advises as one of the highest paid officials in the state Department of Education, according to records and interviews.
Vaccines, grades, tests, math: Equity becomes flashpoint in California schools
CalMatters
Equity will likely dominate conversation in California’s capitol next month, when lawmakers return to Sacramento to consider, among other things, possible legislation to remove the personal belief exemption from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s student COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Walters: Some schools are closing ‘achievement gap’
CalMatters
California’s educational “achievement gap” remains wide, but some local school systems are seeing success.
A pandemic fix for teacher stress: More half days of school
Washington Post
In a school year widely described as the most grueling of the pandemic, schools have come up with at least one fix for teacher burnout: more half days.
See also:
● Why So Many Teachers Are Thinking of Quitting Washington Post
For kids grappling with the pandemic's traumas, art classes can be an oasis
VPR
Health experts recently declared the decline in children and adolescents' mental health a "national emergency." As schools grapple with the social and emotional effects of the pandemic on students, music, theater and other art teachers are trying to help.
America’s public school teachers are far less racially and ethnically diverse than their students
Pew Research
Elementary and secondary public school teachers in the United States are considerably less racially and ethnically diverse as a group than their students – it has not kept pace with the rapid growth in the racial and ethnic diversity of their students.
Opinion: School Choice Saves Money and Helps Kids
Wall Street Journal
for every dollar spent on expanding educational opportunities for families via choice programs, taxpayers saved about $2.80.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State simplifies college application process
abc30
Fresno State is making the college application process simpler for students. Since the start of the pandemic, Fresno State has been able to admit more students and lower its admissions criteria.
Fresno music instructor nominated for a Grammy
Business Journal
Dr. Kevin Cooper is a member of the chamber music group Agave Baroque, who along with Reginald L. Mobley, are GRAMMY nominees for their recording, “American Originals: A New World, A New Canon” in the Best Classical Compendium category.
Kern County high school students lag behind other Californians in applying for college aid
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County high school students lag behind other Californians when it comes to filling out a form crucial to figuring out how they will pay for college.
Southeast Asians are underrepresented in STEM. The label 'Asian' boxes them out more
KVPR
Though the Hmong population in the U.S. is growing, Hmong Americans are still underrepresented in STEM fields and have lower education rates and higher poverty rates overall, compared to the U.S. population at large.
Pew Research
The number of foreign students studying in the United States fell sharply during the 2020-21 academic year according to recently released data from the Institute of International Education, likely reflecting the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
More colleges rethink student loans as debate over debt cancellation rages on
Washington Post
Ohio State University and Smith College are the latest institutions to try to spare another generation of undergraduates from shouldering an all-too-common burden: student debt.
The Infrastructure and Jobs Act: What’s in It for Postsecondary Education?
EdNote
Of the $1.2 trillion appropriated through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act, $95 million is allocated to train workers in specific industries.
The college connection: The education divide in American social and community life
Survey Center on American Life
Amid this growing discussion, scholars, policy analysts, and legislators have been trying to quantify the financial advantage a secondary degree provides and measure its trade-offs. Despite concerns about rising debt, the economic value of a college education is clear.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
After cold snap, rain isn’t the only rough weather headed toward Fresno and the Valley
Fresno Bee
Continued cold as well as rain will be accompanied by high winds as Fresno and the rest of the central San Joaquin Valley deal with harsh winter weather. With the precipitation already looming, a wind advisory is also in the forecast as the storm system moves into the Valley.
See also:
● Have your umbrella ready: What you need to know about storm headed for Fresno, Valley Fresno Bee
● Modesto’s next storm looks to be colder and wetter — up to 3 inches by Tuesday night Modesto Bee
Opinion: Take these steps for cleaner air in California
CalMatters
Implement smog check for heavy-duty diesel trucks, and enact zero-emission standards on leaf blowers and off-road small engines.
Opinion: Redistricting will help determine how California deals with climate crisis
CalMatters
Redrawing California’s political lines will help determine if we fight or fold in the face of the climate crisis.
Opinion: The climate conundrum
Brookings
Although progress has been made—a “big step forward” said U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and perhaps even “a historic achievement” touted COP26 President Alok Sharma—we can now see, with stark clarity, the long road that lies ahead in restoring the safety of our planet.
Energy:
Stanislaus has one of state’s two biomass incinerators. How residents are impacted.
Modesto Bee
A new report compiled by environmental advocates has them calling for the closure of California’s last two standing waste-to-energy facilities as findings show their harmful impact.
California may cut rooftop solar incentives as market booms
Sacramento Bee
California’s 26-year-old program to get more people to put solar panels on their homes has been wildly successful, but state regulators may lower the incentives for people to go solar in a bid to reduce electricity bills for the rest of residents in the most populous U.S. state.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
As scientists race to understand the omicron variant, misinformation has already sprinted ahead
Washington Post
Anti-vaccine influencers are claiming omicron was ‘scheduled’ and that its advent is meant to distract from the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell
See also:
● Pro-Trump counties now have far higher COVID death rates. Misinformation is to blame VPR
● Millions of America's seniors are vulnerable to Omicron Axios
● Opinion: A Scientist’s Guide to Understanding Omicron New York Times
Surgeon general warns of emerging youth mental health crisis in rare public advisory
Los Angeles Times
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy on Tuesday issued a public health advisory on the mental health challenges confronting youth, a rare warning and call to action to address what he called an emerging crisis exacerbated by pandemic hardships.
The labor shortage is a health problem
Axios
Almost half of unemployed Americans say health issues are the primary reason they're not working, according to new survey data from McKinsey, shared exclusively with Axios.
The NIH director on why Americans aren't getting healthier, despite medical advances
VPR
In a wide-ranging conversation, Collins answers NPR's questions as to why — for all the taxpayer dollars going to NIH research — there haven't been more gains when it comes to Americans' overall health.
Human Services:
Doctors Speak Out On Malpractice Proposition Coming Before Voters
Business Journal
Next year’s midterm election will include a ballot proposition asking California voters to raise the $250,000 cap on medical malpractice lawsuits in what amounts to a race between attorneys, patients and physicians.
IMMIGRATION
For thousands of uninsured Central Valley residents, Covered California seeks to be the answer
Bakersfield Californian
Covered California is urging all residents to seek insurance during this year’s open enrollment period. In a virtual tour stop highlighting the Central Valley, doctors and insurance agents from Merced to Bakersfield urged residents to sign up for insurance.
Farmers ease workers' path to citizenship
Bakersfield Californian
California farmers frustrated with congressional inaction on farmworker immigration and guest-worker reform have settled on another way to nudge their workforce toward U.S. citizenship.
From maggots to sex abuse, nursing homes sue California to overturn citations, fines
CalMatters
California nursing homes have filed more than 400 lawsuits since 2016 to appeal state citations and fines alleging poor patient care. Regulators downgraded nearly a third of sanctions involving a death. Advocates say the appeals system favors nursing homes.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Dyer wades into rezoning tug of war in southwest Fresno. Why it’s a citywide concern
Fresno Bee
The City of Fresno is planning a change to its zoning ordinance with an eye toward solving the long-running dispute between southwest Fresno residents and developers.
Warszawski: One of Fresno’s ‘rare and amazing’ adobe houses is under threat. Will city protect it?
Fresno Bee
One of Fresno’s most unique and architecturally significant buildings stands forlornly in the middle of a construction site set back from Shaw Avenue, west of Highway 99.
New park seen as first step in the growth of the City of Corcoran
Hanford Sentinel
Before Corcoran Public Works Director Joseph Faulkner and former City Manager Kendon Meik submitted their grant proposal to fund a new park for the City of Corcoran, the two men laid their hands over it and prayed, Faulkner said.
See also:
● Hanford to open new park honoring heroes during the pandemic abc30
Housing:
Housing stock shortage: Where new homes, apartments will be built in Modesto, Turlock
Modesto Bee
The national inventory shortage continues to rock housing markets across the country, as well as in the Central Valley, sending prices soaring and making for a competitive environment for buyers and sellers.
Fresnans demand COVID relief money go to housing protections. Did City Council listen?
Fresno Bee
Nearly 150 people showed up and called in to the Fresno City Council meeting Thursday pleading for the council to address housing needs through American Rescue Plan Act dollars rather than spend a proposed $10 million on the police budget.
VPR
The ordinance prohibits camping and living in public areas throughout Kern County, including parks, sidewalks, and within 500 feet of schools, churches and libraries. Enforcing it includes removing and storing property, and issuing fines.
In Bakersfield, Many Find a California They Can Afford
New York Times
For generations, Bakersfield has been the Golden State’s defiant outlier, a place Americans are unlikely to picture when they imagine California. Bakersfield has emerged as unusual in another respect: It is growing, searching for backyards, extra bedrooms or crosstown commutes measured in minutes, not hours.
PUBLIC FINANCES
California paid out $20 billion in fake unemployment claims. How much will it recover?
Fresno Bee
McGregor Scott found a surprise as the search for an estimated $20 billion in fraudulent payments proceeded.
Democrats want to spend California’s surplus on infrastructure. What about rebate checks?
Fresno Bee
State lawmakers want to use a projected $31 billion surplus to fuel an infrastructure boom, a tactic that could reduce the amount Californians might see in any rebate checks this year – if they happen at all.
Walters: Biden helps unions attack California pension reform
CalMatters
One of former Gov. Jerry Brown’s major achievements was a reform of California public employee pension system but President Joe Biden’s administration is backing union efforts to undermine the law.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation Commission to spend $1.1M for median cable barrier near Buttonwillow
Bakersfield Californian
The California Transportation Commission this week allocated $1.1 million for construction of a median cable barrier near Buttonwillow on Interstate 5 from 2.2 miles north of Stockdale Highway to Blue Star Memorial Highway.
California’s heavy-duty trucks don’t have to get smog-checked. Why that’s about to change
Sacramento Bee
California motorists have been getting their vehicles smog-checked for decades. Now the state’s truckers will have to do the same.
FOX 40
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke with FOX40’s Nikki Laurenzo and the Los Angeles Times’ Chris Megerian Thursday for an interview about President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure package.
Alarmed by Tesla’s public self-driving test, state legislators demand answers from DMV
Los Angeles Times
Tesla is developing driverless cars on California’s public roadways using its own customers as test drivers and shrugging off test-reporting requirements — and, so far, the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles has been largely content to look the other way.
White House details push to make electric vehicle chargers ‘ubiquitous’
Washington Post
The White House on Monday detailed elements of a multibillion-dollar plan to make electric vehicle charging “ubiquitous,” saying a host of new and continuing efforts will help to spur a national network that will put special emphasis on disadvantaged and rural areas.
WATER
Merced Irrigation District alleges state ‘water grab’ will hurt residents, asks for support
Merced Sun Star
As the State Water Resources Control Board moves forward in its plan to divert water away from the Merced River, Merced Irrigation District officials are trying to get the public involved in preventing what they are calling a “water grab.”
ETGSA groundwater sustainability plan has 'deficiencies'
Porterville Recorder
The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency received a letter from the State Department of Water Resources on Thursday that its Sustainable Groundwater Management Plan in effect has “deficiencies.”
Lois Henry: Battle for Kern River water goes deep into rights, history
Bakersfield Californian
The state hearing on whether there is “loose” water on the Kern River got started Thursday and was quickly snared in a thicket of procedural issues, arcane water rights and water diversion practices.
Here’s what it would take to fill California’s reservoirs and end the drought this winter
Sacramento Bee
Dire warnings about communities and farms running dry next year. Headlines proclaiming a potentially dry La Niña winter. Reservoirs already so low they look like sets for post-apocalyptic movies. California seems poised for a continuation of its crippling drought.
See also:
● Opinion: California’s water infrastructure needs to be updated CalMatters
“Xtra”
17 pandemic innovations that are here to stay
Politico
Many not only helped millions weather the pandemic, they in some cases solved other problems that had long defied solutions. All are likely to stick around after the pandemic subsides. Here are 17 ways COVID spurred innovation in America, mostly for the better.
Where to go in and around Modesto for awesome Christmas displays? Readers share favorites
Modesto Bee
There are those of us who can’t keep a string of lights alive from one year to the next. They went into the storage box last January working just fine, but plug ’em in this month and ... nada.
Opinion: Give the gift of reading, a valuable skill in Stanislaus County and everywhere
Modesto Bee
For the good of these children and the adults they will become, please consider a book for the perfect present. Send the message that reading is important. And take the time to find a book that matches the recipient.
7 easy ways to give back this holiday season
PBS News Hour
The holidays remind us that it need not be a moment of exceptional catastrophe to offer others a little help. No matter where you live, here are some simple, free or low-cost ways to contribute to charitable efforts in your community and bring a little cheer.
2 stars of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ look back at a classic
AP News
That single job would become very memorable to a lot of other people. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which marks its 75th anniversary this year, is now a beloved holiday tradition across the globe.
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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.
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