POLICY & POLITICS
Video: Online Democracy: Is it a Good Connection?
The Maddy Institute
Executive Director Mark Keppler hosts Pedro Nava, Chairman of the California Little Hoover Commission, in a discussion about what makes a "public meeting," public. Watch as they discuss the impact digital platforms, such as Zoom, have on democracy.
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus reports zero deaths, sets 11 vaccine clinics Modesto Bee
● Worried about COVID booster side effects? Here’s what to expect and why Modesto Bee
Turlock staff wants to request Modesto fire contract proposal. City Council OK needed
Modesto Bee
Staff plan to compare the costs for Modesto to manage the Turlock Fire Department vs. the city maintaining its own fire administration, Interim Fire Chief Michael Botto wrote in a staff report.
Stanislaus County leaders approve new election boundaries. Not everyone is happy
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County leaders gave final approval Monday to a redistricting map with redrawn boundaries for county supervisor elections. The board vote at a special meeting was unanimous, but not everyone was happy with the new boundary lines.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Masks indoors mandatory starting Wednesday. How did Fresno area contribute to new rule? Fresno Bee
● Return of Mask Mandates Clovis Roundup
Fresno County leaders pick a district map. Opponents call for independent commission
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors picked their district map for the next decade on Tuesday as detractors pledged to change a system criticized as partisan. The majority of the supervisors stuck with the map they chose in November — with a few minor amendments — that opponents called status quo.
See also:
● Fresno County leaders and residents have clashed over district maps. Final vote coming Fresno Bee
Is Fresno’s decades-old Veterans Boulevard project ‘ahead of schedule?’ Here’s the latest
Fresno Bee
As 2022 approaches, the long-awaited Veterans Boulevard project is coming closer to completion, Fresno Councilmember Mike Karbassi said during a site visit on Tuesday.
Rain, wind knocking down trees, flooding Fresno streets? How to get help clearing hazards
Fresno Bee
A massive storm front continued its move through the central San Joaquin Valley on Tuesday, causing weather-related hazards in and around Fresno.
Kings County Board of Supervisors adopt redistricting map, residents, city leaders feel unheard
abc30
The Kings County Board of Supervisors met their deadline in the South Valley and formally adopted the map redefining district lines.
See also:
● Kings County supervisors adopt anonymously drawn map over public opposition Vida en el valle
County board sending another letter to Cal/OSHA
Porterville Recorder
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted at their meeting on Tuesday to send another letter to Cal/OSHA concerning the Emergency Temporary Standards the organization has placed when it comes to businesses following COVID-19 guidelines.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health: 278 new coronavirus cases, 4 deaths reported Tuesday Bakersfield Californian
● Kern health care providers highlight achievements, challenges as they prepare for fourth pandemic surge Bakersfield Californian
County supervisors OK contract with largest union, ending two-year stalemate
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Board of Supervisors concluded a long and bruising negotiation process with its largest union Tuesday. In unanimous votes, supervisors approved three-year contracts with Service Employees International Union Local 521, which represents around 5,000 county staff.
In Bakersfield, many push for bringing back the flow of the long-dry Kern River
Los Angeles Times
Decades ago, the Kern flowed all the way through Bakersfield. But so much water has been appropriated and diverted in canals to farmland that the river has vanished in the city, leaving miles of dry riverbed.
State:
COVID Update:
● California brings back mask mandate as virus cases rise VPR
● California Implements Statewide Mask Requirements for All Indoor Public Settings Ogletree Deakins
● No vaccine rule — for some. But other COVID restrictions apply at California airports Sacramento Bee
● California rethinks nursing home funding after ‘appalling’ COVID-19 death toll Los Angeles Times
● Editorial: Gavin Newsom is mandating masks to stop COVID. Why won’t he back real vaccine mandates? Sacramento Bee
Will California redistricting mean better congressional maps than Texas?
CalMatters
California’s independent redistricting commission is struggling to finish new congressional maps. While its deliberations are contentious, Texas is being sued over its maps, pushed through by the Republican legislature and governor.
Gun groups blast Gavin Newsom’s proposal to model new gun law on Texas’ abortion ban
Sacramento Bee
Pro-gun rights organizations reacted quickly to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal for California to pass a gun-control law modeled on Texas’ abortion ban, with one group promising a legal challenge.
Newsom can’t get Californians to cut their water use. His family is doing far better
Sacramento Bee
Compared to a year ago, the Newsoms have reduced water usage on their spacious Fair Oaks home by 33% from late June to early November, according to records released by the governor’s office Tuesday.
Your State Could Decide to Open a Bank
Pew Trusts
California this year enacted a law that could put the state on the path to government-run banks, and 13 other states considered similar legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Why does California have the highest jobless rate in the country?
Business Journal
One contributor to the state’s lagging employment situation is that California’s large leisure and hospitality sector — made up of hotels, restaurants and more — hasn’t rebounded as quickly as the rest of the country’s.
Fewer people moving to California, more leaving during the pandemic, study shows
Sacramento Bee
The number of people moving to California from other states has dropped significantly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more Californians are leaving the state, according to a new study released Wednesday.
California Population Loss Accelerated During Pandemic
Wall Street Journal
The research released Wednesday shows the change is largely being driven by a drop in the number of people moving to California from other parts of the U.S. and is most acute in the high-cost San Francisco Bay Area.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● CDC’s Walensky says omicron could dominate in the U.S. within ‘weeks’ over delta variant Fresno Bee
● Worried about COVID booster side effects? Here’s what to expect and why Fresno Bee
● COVID toll hits 800,000 to close out year filled with death Fresno Bee
● 800,000 Americans have died of COVID. Now the U.S. braces for an omicron-fueled spike VPR
● U.S. covid-19 death toll reaches 800,000 as omicron variant poses latest threat Washington Post
● COVID deaths in U.S. reach 800,000 near year’s end Los Angeles Times
● Pfizer says its COVID-19 treatment pill works against the Omicron variant Los Angeles Times
● Pfizer’s Covid Pill Works Well, Company Confirms in Final Analysis New York Times
● Pfizer data shows that its COVID-19 pill is effective against severe disease
● VPR
● COVID booster gap traps millions of Americans Axios
● Study Finds Two Pfizer Vaccine Doses Offer Less Protection Against Omicron Than Against Delta Wall Street Journal
● Worried about COVID booster side effects? Here’s what to expect and why Miami Herald
● Supreme Court again leaves state vaccine mandate in place for health care workers KVPR
● Opinion: Congress and COVID-19: We needed leadership; they gave us cash AEI
Where things stand with the monthly expanded child tax credit payments
VPR
Studies have shown that the monthly payments have helped to significantly reduce child poverty and child hunger in the country. The White House says the program has the potential to could cut child poverty in half.
Senate Dems' choice: Election reform first, or Biden's megabill?
Politico
Senate Democrats are desperately trying to avoid ending the year stalled on their two top priorities: elections reform and their expansive bill to address climate and the social safety net. At the center of it all sits Joe Manchin.
See also:
● Biden and Manchin deadlocked on length of BBB programs Axios
● Opinion: Did legislative sausage-making hurt President Biden? Brookings
Redistricting is drying up competitive congressional races
Roll Call
State legislatures and political commissions control the redistricting process for the majority of the country. So far, 20 states have finished redrawing their congressional maps, which have produced only a handful of competitive House seats.
Proud Boys Regroup, Focusing on School Boards and Town Councils
New York Times
Members of the Proud Boys, the far-right nationalist group, have increasingly appeared in recent months at town council gatherings, school board presentations and health department question-and-answer sessions across the country
See Also:
● Proud Boys, Oath Keepers Face Lawsuit Over Capitol Riot Wall Street Journal
Politics Was Supposed to Return to Normal in 2021. What Happened?
Wall Street Journal
Riots at the Capitol. Searing debates over school closures and vaccine mandates. An attempted recall of California’s governor. Fights within the Democratic Party. One prominent Republican censured in the House, and another indicted on a charge of defying Congress.
Opinion: The empty rhetoric at the Summit for Democracy
AEI
The administration has taken virtue signaling to the next level, elevating it as a pillar of its “America is back” policy. And the president’s recent Summit for Democracy is only the latest example of a global weltanschauung that is high on messaging and bereft of substance.
Other:
About Three-in-Ten U.S. Adults Are Now Religiously Unaffiliated
Pew Trusts
The latest Pew Research Center survey of the religious composition of the United States finds the religiously unaffiliated share of the public is 6 percentage points higher than it was five years ago and 10 points higher than a decade ago.
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
Global seafood supply could shrink if we don’t act now, study says. Here’s why
Modesto Bee
About 3 billion people around the globe rely on seafood for their main source of protein. But as the population grows, wild-caught supply isn’t enough to sustain increasing demand for oysters, clams, salmon, shrimp and other marine delicacies.
Ham, pepperoni recall expands — and it affects California, too. Here’s what to know
Modesto Bee
According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall is due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The company notified FSIS after reporting positive Listeria monocytogenes results from product sampling. The recall was expanded on Dec. 11.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
’Organized criminal elements’ are filing fake disability claims, California officials say
Sacramento Bee
State officials Tuesday said they were quickly acting to stop a recent move they described as “a recent move by organized criminal elements to file false disability insurance claims.”
After Decreases in 2020, Both Property and Violent Crimes Are Up in 2021
Public Policy Institute of California
Preliminary data from four major California cities—Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco—show that property and violent crime numbers have increased and are now similar to pre-pandemic levels.
State leaders urge drivers to stop sideshows, street racing amid rise
FOX 40
California is seeing a significant increase in illegal sideshows and street racing across the state. The commissioner of the California Highway Patrol and other state leaders on Tuesday urged drivers to stop the illegal activity.
Public Safety:
‘This place burns.’ California bar, gym report threats over COVID vaccine rules
Fresno Bee
Businesses are being threatened over covid rules. A man wearing a ski mask dropped one of the notes on the floor of a bar before fleeing, reading “If the vaccine mandate isn’t lifted within one week… this place burns.”
EDITORIAL: An independent review is needed for how Tulare County Jail treats pregnant inmates
Fresno Bee
A pregnant female inmate should not have to bleed for three straight days to force jail officials to get her proper medical care. Yet that is what may have happened in Tulare County.
Private prison firms make big money in California
Capitol Weekly
Under a new law, AB 32, which went into effect at the first of that year, the state remains heavily invested in backing for-profit correctional services — including facilities that resemble detention centers run by the same companies who operate private prisons.
Fire:
California’s outgoing fire chief on wildfire crisis: Every acre ‘can and will burn’
San Francisco Chronicle
When California’s top fire chief Thom Porter finished his last official day leading Cal Fire last week, the state was still mired in an intractable wildfire crisis that not even a wet winter can erase.
Father, son blamed for California wildfire out on lower bail
Associated Press
A father and son charged with sparking a devastating Northern CA wildfire that destroyed about 1,000 homes near Lake Tahoe earlier this year are out of jail after a judge vastly reduced their bail, largely rejecting prosecutors’ arguments that the duo posed a flight risk.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Your State Could Decide to Open a Bank
Pew Trusts
California this year enacted a law that could put the state on the path to government-run banks, and 13 other states considered similar legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Report: Latinos make $288B less than non-Hispanics annually
Axios
U.S. Latinos are underpaid more than a quarter of $1 trillion yearly than non-Hispanic whites, and that wage gap stifles key business growth and job creation as the number of Latinos in the U.S. skyrockets, according to a study on mobility.
How Do You Feel About Inflation? The Answer Will Help Determine Its Longevity
Wall Street Journal
Supply-chain disruptions, labor shortages and climbing oil prices have pushed inflation to a 39-year-high. But attention is now focused on another variable: Do people think inflation is here for a while?
See also:
● U.S. Producer Prices Climbed Sharply in November Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Will inflation tank the housing market — and the economy? AEI
● Opinion: With inflation surging, big companies’ wage upticks aren’t nearly enough Brookings
● Opinion: We need to do hard but necessary things to tackle inflation AEI
Jobs:
Why does California have the highest jobless rate in the country?
Business Journal
One contributor to the state’s lagging employment situation is that California’s large leisure and hospitality sector — made up of hotels, restaurants and more — hasn’t rebounded as quickly as the rest of the country’s.
Companies give up on return-to-work
Axios
In the 22 months since U.S. companies sent their workers home, they've collected droves of poll data, paid workplace consultants billions of dollars, and drafted plan after plan — but they still don't know much more about post-pandemic work than they did in March 2020.
Opinion: Are unemployment benefits the best stimulus for jobs? Not in 2021.
AEI
In the wake of the Great Recession, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hailed the supposed job-stimulating effects of expanded unemployment benefits. This year, employment growth accelerated after record extended and expanded federal unemployment benefits ended.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Visalia Unified pilot dress code: What are students allowed to wear?
Visalia Times Delta
What are students allowed to wear to school? Are students allowed to wear tank tops? And what about hats? Visalia Unified approved a revised dress code policy over the summer, and a pilot program reflecting the revisions was implemented this school year.
California education official resigns amid criticism over East Coast residency, hiring process
Politico
A highly-paid California education administrator who led the state's equity program from his Philadelphia home has resigned amid criticism over his long-distance status and how he was hired.
California continues to ease testing requirements for teachers
EdSource
Teacher candidates in California were given more time to complete tests required to earn a teaching credential and learned what coursework could be taken to replace some tests at a meeting of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing last week.
Walters: Enrollment declines squeeze local school finances
CalMatters
History may be repeating itself as California’s public school enrollment declines, putting the squeeze on the finances of local school systems.
Opinion: California has a substitute teacher shortage. Why aren’t retired educators filling in?
Sacramento Bee
Schools are experiencing a dire shortage of substitute teachers.The problem is that teaching, at any grade level, is a highly complex job.
Higher Ed:
Video: Community College Math in California’s New Era of Student Access
Public Policy Institute of California
PPIC researcher Cesar Alesi Perez presents a new study on landmark reforms to assessment and placement at California community colleges, and an expert panel discusses strategies for promoting student success and increasing equity.
Unseen and unsafe: Students who have been “deadnamed” explain why a new California law matters
CalMatters
A new California law requires public colleges to update diplomas and records for transgender students who have changed their names. Students and advocates say it’s affirming and will prevent discrimination.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
California isn’t cutting its greenhouse gas emissions fast enough. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee
California is not cutting greenhouse gas emissions fast enough to meet a 2030 deadline for reductions, according to a new report. At the state’s current rate of progress, California will miss that deadline by several decades.
The Wolf That Roamed to Southern California
New Yorker
The first gray wolf to venture into Southern California in centuries could signal a return of the species. In fact, OR-93 (2019-2021) was the first gray wolf to appear in the region for two or three hundred years.
The Arctic has a new record high temperature, according to the U.N.
VPR
The United Nations' weather agency has officially recognized a new record high temperature for the Arctic, confirming a reading of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) taken in June 2020.
See also:
● Climate change has destabilized the Earth’s poles, putting the rest of the planet in peril Washington Post
● Crucial Antarctic ice shelf could fail within five years, scientists say Washington Post
● Russia blocks U.N. move to treat climate change as a global security threat Washington Post
● Arctic temperature soared to an unprecedented 100 degrees in 2020, scientists confirm Washington Post
Energy:
California moves to cut homeowner subsidies for rooftop solar. Here’s who will lose out
Sacramento Bee
Wading into an emotional debate about equity, climate change and grid reliability, California utility regulators Monday proposed slashing the credit given to hundreds of thousands of homeowners for the excess power they generate from their rooftop solar panels.
See also:
● Walters: Big utilities winning battle over solar power CalMatters
Toyota, in Reversal, Says It Will Shift More Rapidly to EVs
Wall Street Journal
The Japanese car maker plans global sales of 3.5 million electric vehicles by 2030 and intends to make Lexus brand 100% electric.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Opinion: California, keep funding every part of public health
CalMatters
State leaders should keep their promise and continue to support organizations that play a critical role in public health.
Opinion: Adjust the cap on compensation for medical malpractice
CalMatters
The Fairness for Injured Patients Act has qualified for the 2022 ballot and would make a modest adjustment to an outdated law.
Finding your doctor’s disciplinary history
Los Angeles Times
Details of your doctor’s disciplinary history are on the medical board’s website, but getting to the pertinent information can be a frustrating process. Here’s how to navigate it.
See also:
● Full Coverage: California Medical Board and troubled doctors Los Angeles Times
Human Services:
The case of the vanishing fine: How a massive nursing home penalty eluded consumer detection
CalMatters
A Fresno nursing home was fined more than $900,000 in 2018 for poor patient care, but consumers have been hard-pressed to find any public record of the massive penalty or many other big fines.
To save lives, overdose antidote should be sold over-the-counter, advocates argue
VPR
Louise Vincent figures her group, the North Carolina Survivors Union, saves at least 1,690 lives a year. The harm-reduction and syringe service program in Greensboro, N.C., distributes the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone to people who use drugs.
Biden’s Build Back Better bill could decimate the child-care landscape
AEI
Even as things remain very much up in the air, educators and advocates may be inclined to embrace this landmark expansion in child-care funding. As currently written, the program could have devastating consequences for the current child-care landscape.
Opinion: The horrifying misuse of foster care
AEI
The system has just become another off-ramp to divert young criminals from punishment. Sending juvenile defendants into the foster-care system puts them into close contact with our most vulnerable populations.
IMMIGRATION
Court won’t allow the reversal of Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy
Los Angeles Times
A federal appeals court has dealt another blow to the Biden administration’s attempt to undo former President Trump’s policy requiring people seeking asylum in the United States to remain in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed.
See also:
● Biden Administration Loses Another Ruling on Ending ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy Wall Street Journal
Migrant drowns while being smuggled into California, feds say. Two are going to prison
Modesto Bee
Two men were sentenced to several years in prison over the death of a 43-year-old passenger during an attempt to smuggle 14 Mexican citizens into the U.S.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Is Fresno’s decades-old Veterans Boulevard project ‘ahead of schedule?’ Here’s the latest
Fresno Bee
As 2022 approaches, the long-awaited Veterans Boulevard project is coming closer to completion, Fresno Councilmember Mike Karbassi said during a site visit on Tuesday.
Housing:
Opinion: Fresno’s foray into mixed-income housing
Business Journal
Fresno is directing more development firepower into mixed-use projects, blending commercial and residential uses. But is Fresno ready for mixed-income housing development?
Fewer people moving to California, more leaving during the pandemic, study shows
Sacramento Bee
The number of people moving to California from other states has dropped significantly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more Californians are leaving the state, according to a new study released Wednesday.
Millennials Are Supercharging the Housing Market
Wall Street Journal
The generation that supposedly didn’t want to buy things now accounts for over half of all home-purchase loan applications; economists expect them to bolster demand for years
'We Got to Go to the Street': Evictions Rise After Ban Ends
U.S. News
Housing advocates say evictions are increasing around the country, several months after a federal moratorium was allowed to end.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Sierra Sun Times
Senator Dianne Feinstein applauded the announcement that four California projects have been named as finalists to compete for Dianne Feinstein substantial economic development grants through the Department of Commerce’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
TRANSPORTATION
Is Fresno’s decades-old Veterans Boulevard project ‘ahead of schedule?’ Here’s the latest
Fresno Bee
As 2022 approaches, the long-awaited Veterans Boulevard project is coming closer to completion, Fresno Councilmember Mike Karbassi said during a site visit on Tuesday.
Rockslide in Fresno County: Car-size boulders drop onto Highway 180, block traffic for hours
Fresno Bee
Massive boulders fell onto Highway 180 on Tuesday during a rockslide in rural Fresno County. It happened just after 4 p.m. near Dunlap, which is approximately 44 miles east of Fresno and roughly 10 miles from the entrance of Kings Canyon National Park.
Amtrak, Changing Course, Suspends Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate for Workers
Wall Street Journal
Amtrak said it would suspend its Covid-19 vaccine mandate for employees, a reversal from last week’s policy stance that the rail company said would allow it to operate its passenger trains as scheduled.
WATER
Atmospheric river brings heavy rain to Valley, snow to Sierra. Here’s how much fell
Fresno Bee
A storm warning for the Sierra Nevada remained in effect Tuesday after an atmospheric river pounded the region overnight, leaving some roadways flooded, and dumping a bounty of snow in higher regions.
See also:
● California storm: Widespread rain in Central CA, heavy snow to fall in Sierra today abc30
● Storm brings rain to Merced, snow to Mariposa County. Here’s what to expect this week Merced Sun Star
● Atmospheric River drenches Central California, Sierra. How much rain fell? Visalia Times Delta
● Heavy Rain and Snow Hit California New York Times
In Bakersfield, many push for bringing back the flow of the long-dry Kern River
Los Angeles Times
Decades ago, the Kern flowed all the way through Bakersfield. But so much water has been appropriated and diverted in canals to farmland that the river has vanished in the city, leaving miles of dry riverbed.
Newsom can’t get Californians to cut their water use. His family is doing far better
Sacramento Bee
Compared to a year ago, the Newsoms have reduced water usage on their spacious Fair Oaks home by 33% from late June to early November, according to records released by the governor’s office Tuesday.
“Xtra”
‘A love letter to Fresno.’ Tower District’s newest bar opens with plenty to see inside
Fresno Bee
“This whole bar is a love letter to Fresno,” said majority owner Craig Johnson. The Howlin Wolf is a cocktail bar, yes (and we’ll get to those cocktails in a moment), but it’s also the baby of a general contractor turned bar owner.
Our 50 Most Popular Recipes of 2021
New York Times
The Editor’s Collection: The recipes viewed most this year from creamy baked macaroni and cheese to cucumber-avocado salad to coconut chicken curry.
The Best Gluten-Free Holiday Baking Recipes
Wall Street Journal
With the help of a chemist, we’ve come up with festive recipes for cakes, cookies and an apple frangipane galette that are all delicious and gluten-free.
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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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