POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Modesto’s assistant police chief named interim chief upon Galen Carroll’s retirement
Modesto Bee
City Manager Joe Lopez announced Wednesday that Assistant Police Chief Brandon Gillespie will serve as interim chief upon the retirement of Galen Carroll, who has led the Police Department for nearly eight years.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno neighborhood gets $450,000 HUD grant. Here’s how officials will spend it
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Housing Authority has received a $450,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop a plan for improving the quality of public housing and the surrounding neighborhoods of southwest Fresno.
Borgeas Earns Gop Milestone In Sacramento
Business Journal
A state senator from Fresno will become the only Republican in California to chair a legislative committee. Andreas Borgeas (R-Fresno) was appointed by California Senate President pro tempore Toni Atkins to chair the Senate Agriculture Committee.
See also:
● Borgeas named chair of Senate Ag Committee, sole GOP chairman in Calif. Legislature The Sun
Council approves Human Bean, cannabis tax rate, assesses library needs
Porterville Recorder
On Tuesday evening during the regular meeting of the Porterville City Council, the dais approved a modification to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow for a drive-thru coffee shop in the Smart and Final commercial center, decided upon a cannabis tax rate, and authorized staff to hire a consultant to perform a needs assessment for a future library facility not to exceed an amount of $75,000.
Devin Nunes is suing Twitter again, saying someone else is stalking him
Fresno Bee
California Rep. Devin Nunes is suing Twitter — again — and a man who previously lived in his district, alleging a widespread stalking and harassment campaign against Nunes that he says was conducted on Twitter.
South SJ Valley:
Get ready to drop off your bulky waste at collection event
Bakersfield Californian
The Kern County Public Works Department will put on another bulky waste collection from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 9 after finding its last one to be successful.
State:
California’s next COVID vaccine shipment will be far smaller than expected, Gov. Newsom says
Fresno Bee
California’s next shipment of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will be about 40% smaller than expected, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Thursday. Newsom had previously announced on Tuesday in a video that California expected to receive 393,000 doses in the next shipment early next week.
Businesses sue California over COVID-19 workplace rules that require testing, sick pay
Fresno Bee
Groups representing small businesses sued California’s workplace regulator Wednesday, saying the agency exceeded its authority and overburdened companies when it passed new COVID-19 rules a month ago.
See also:
● More than 30 local restaurants sue the state over operating restrictions Bakersfield Californian
Diversity in the California Statehouse
PPIC
The November election brought about an enormous set of national firsts when it comes to racial/ethnic diversity. Kamala Harris will be not only the first female but also the first African American and first Asian American vice president, and the 117th US Congress will be the most diverse to date.
Deputy attorney general who will replace AG Barr has no prosecution experience
ABAJournal
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen will be taking over leadership of the Department of Justice on an acting basis when U.S. Attorney General William Barr leaves the office Dec. 23.
Washington Post
California — the country’s most populous and richest state — is the new epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus crisis, with unprecedented surges of seriously infected patients threatening to overwhelm hospitals and overflow morgues.
California Department of Public Health Issues Guidance On Indoor and Outdoor Sports
aalrr
On December 14, 2020, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) issued long awaited guidance related to youth and adult recreational sports. The order explicitly applies to “all organized youth sports,” including school based programs (such as high school sports) and programs sponsored by community or private organizations.
Opinion: Filling Kamala Harris’ U.S. Senate seat: Why aren’t Latinos at the front of the line?
Sacramento Bee
The greatest living symbol of the United Farm Workers movement and one of the most celebrated Latinas in America, Huerta urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a Black woman to fill Kamala Harris’ seat in the U.S. Senate this week.
Editorial: If Gavin Newsom picks Alex Padilla for the U.S. Senate, who owns his $34 million mess?
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom could make history by tapping Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in the United States Senate. The governor could also make quite a mess for himself by picking Padilla, who currently finds himself embroiled in a scandal over a $34 million bill he can’t pay.
Federal:
Negotiations on new COVID-19 relief are in the final stretch, but there’s no deal yet
Los Angeles Times
Congressional negotiators on the long-delayed $900-billion COVID-19 economic relief package worked through a handful of remaining holdups Thursday as they labored to seal a final agreement for more help to businesses and the unemployed and new stimulus payments to most Americans.
See also:
● Stimulus talks could spill into weekend as lawmakers scramble to complete deal Washington Post
● White House aides talked Trump out of last-minute demand for stimulus checks as big as $2,000 Washington Post
● Covid Aid Talks Face Time Pressures Wall Street Journal
● Editorial: Mitch McConnell is finally ready to pass a COVID relief bill. It shouldn’t have taken this long Los Angeles Times
Biden nominates Rep. Haaland to Interior, naming first Native American Cabinet member
Los Angeles Times
President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Deb Haaland, the freshman representative from New Mexico, to lead the Interior Department, making history by selecting the first Native American to oversee the agency that manages millions of acres of federal land and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, according to a person familiar with the decision.
See Also:
● Haaland nomination to Interior Department ‘an unprecedented nod to Indian country’ Roll Call
● Biden’s EPA pick has experience lifting a discouraged agency Roll Call
● Joe Biden has announced 20 nominees to fill key roles in his administration Washington Post
● With historic picks, Biden puts environmental justice front and center Washington Post
● Biden Picks Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary Wall Street Journal
● Biden Picks Regan for EPA, Haaland for Interior Wall Street Journal
Congress girds for possible veto override votes on defense bill
Roll Call
With President Donald Trump’s latest threat to veto the defense policy bill still fresh in their minds, lawmakers were already looking ahead Thursday to the prospect of casting politically charged override votes.
Biden order to halt border wall project would save U.S. $2.6 billion, Pentagon estimates show
Washington Post
Biden told reporters this summer he would not build “another foot” of the border barriers that became a symbol of the Trump presidency and one of the most expensive federal infrastructure projects in U.S. history.
Congress Moves to End Surprise Medical Billing
Wall Street Journal
A bipartisan agreement to prevent patients from receiving surprise medical bills was expected to be included in a year-end legislative package being completed in Congress, according to aides, after more than two years of negotiation.
Erasing Trump's Legacy With the Stroke of a Pen
U.S. News
Biden insists Washington can return to days of bipartisanship and seems constitutionally disinclined to wield executive power for its own sake. But he may have no choice, experts say.
Feinstein says she hasn't considered leaving Senate early
Bakersfield Californian
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said this week she hasn't thought about retiring before her term ends in 2024 and defended herself against criticism of her job performance and questions about her age.
Biden Threads Climate Change Policy Through Federal Government
U.S. News
Biden is elevating the issue as a policy priority, appointing people to newly created positions and threading it through other agencies than those that have traditionally addressed it.
Opinion: Did gerrymandering hurt Democrats down ballot in 2020? Yes and no
Roll Call
Joe Biden may have won the presidency by a decisive margin in the popular vote and Electoral College, but none of the state chambers targeted by Democrats flipped blue in 2020.
Brookings
There are indications that President-elect Joe Biden intends to make supporting democracy a key element of his administration’s foreign policy. This is a pragmatic decision based in an understanding of national interest that recognizes that threats to democracy overseas imperil U.S. security and prosperity at home.
Opinion: Hijacking the Fed to Bail Out States
Wall Street Journal
But they’re still fighting over the details, and a major obstacle is the Democratic desire to use the Federal Reserve next year to channel tens of billions of dollars or more to state and local governments.
Opinion: Biden’s Court Problem
Wall Street Journal
Team Biden will struggle to replicate the Obama regulatory machine “because much of what they want to do will be well beyond any statutory or constitutional authority, and what we have now are a number of judges attuned to those issues and unafraid to hold the executive branch accountable,”
Other:
US finds more attacks on networks, warns of a ‘grave risk’
Roll Call
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Thursday issued a new warning that foreign adversaries had used more ways to attack U.S. computer networks than what has been reported about the breach of the SolarWinds network management software.
A turning point? Americans grapple with COVID-19 amid enduring partisan and racial divisions
American Survey Center
Despite Joe Biden’s large popular vote victory and decisive electoral college win, Donald Trump nonetheless substantially increased his total vote share in 2020, perhaps most notably among nonwhite voters.
Podcast: States File (Another) Antitrust Suit Against Google
Wall Street Journal
A coalition of 38 states files antitrust charges against Google-the second major case of the week, and the third this year. Tech policy reporter Ryan Tracy joins us once again to break down the charges and explain how we got here.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
COVID-19 safety steps urged for Fresno farmworkers. Will it protect food supply chain?
Fresno Bee
To slow the coronavirus’ spread in the agricultural industry, Fresno County officials launched new safety guidelines to protect farmworkers. Among the slew of recommendations announced Wednesday, the Fresno County Health Department wants employers to implement screening and testing guidelines for farmworkers, advising that at least 10% of their employees get tested every two weeks.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fired EDD worker, inmate, parolee charged in California’s COVID unemployment fraud scandal
Fresno Bee
Federal prosecutors have charged three women in California’s ongoing unemployment fraud scheme, including a former Employment Development Department worker who allegedly filed 100 claims — one of them in the name of a sitting U.S. senator.
See Also:
● Former California EDD worker faked being Dianne Feinstein in scamming jobless benefits, sources say Los Angeles Times
How did officer’s mistake in traffic stop cost Modesto nearly $112,000?
Modesto Bee
A Modesto police officer’s mistake in detaining a motorist at gunpoint in 2018 because she wrongly believed he was driving a stolen car has cost the city nearly $112,000.
Public Safety:
Around Kings County: Local COVID-19 cases explode behind bars
Hanford Sentinel
Cases of COVID 19 are exploding at several local state prisons impacting both inmates, employees who watch over them and the communities that house them.
Opinion: With surging gun sales comes increased risks
CalMatters
Given the pandemic and social unrest and increased gun sales, it’s critical to invest in effective and proven gun violence intervention strategies.
Fire:
Claims against PG&E for California wildfires are piling up again. Here’s the latest tally
Sacramento Bee
Six months after successfully emerging from bankruptcy — a case driven by massive wildfire damages — PG&E Corp. is wrestling with fire-related claims approaching $1 billion.
Whack and stack: PG&E’s toppling of trees creates new hazards
CalMatters
In an attempt to prevent wildfires, the utility is removing vegetation from around power lines. But it’s leaving downed trees on people’s property that are “little fire bombs waiting to ignite,” one expert says.
Twenty-four hours inside the battle against California’s worst wildfire season on record.
Esquire
Eight miles to the southwest, a plume of smoke stretched into the clean western sky, rising like bread. It looked like a cloud creating itself. A calm settled in among the Truckee Hotshots as we watched from a hilltop at the northern edge of the North Complex Fire.
‘There’s good fire and bad fire.’ An Indigenous practice may be key to preventing wildfires
National Geographic
In Margo Robbins’s home, the first thing you notice is family: portraits of children and grandchildren in a crowded display on the wall. The second thing you notice is accomplishment: lines of academic and athletic trophies from those children and grandchildren.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Why some Fresno, Clovis restaurants are seating diners — and others aren’t — despite orders
Fresno Bee
Since the last round of coronavirus restrictions went into place for Fresno-area restaurants in early December, James Caples has been fielding the same calls and Facebook messages almost daily.
Stocks reach record highs as investors hope for stimulus
Los Angeles Times
Major U.S. stock indexes climbed to new highs Thursday as investors remained optimistic that Washington will deliver another round of financial support for the economy and as a COVID-19 vaccine continues to be rolled out to the public.
Video: Income Inequality and Economic Opportunity in California
PPIC
Millions of Californians have lost work and income during the COVID-19 crisis, with low-income families, communities of color, and women bearing the brunt. The virus and its economic fallout are likely to exacerbate longstanding income inequality in California.
Jobs:
Hanford Sentinel
Kings Cares, a program that supports essential workers who have tested positive for COVID-19, has been extended by the Kings County Board of Supervisors.
Will your California job come back when the pandemic ends? Help us explore the future of work
Sacramento Bee
In the week ending Dec. 5, more than 175,000 Californians filed an initial claim for unemployment insurance. Millions of Californians have either lost their job or left the workforce altogether.
U.S. jobless claims rise to 885,000 amid resurgence of virus
Los Angeles Times
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose again last week to 885,000 as a resurgence of coronavirus cases threatens the economy’s recovery from its springtime collapse.
U.S. Unemployment Claims Remain Elevated as Recovery Slows
Wall Street Journal
The number of workers seeking unemployment benefits increased to a three-month high, another sign the economy is entering a winter slowdown as coronavirus cases rise and trigger new business restrictions.
AEI
The record US legislative response to the coronavirus has included timely, targeted, and temporary expansions in unemployment benefits. These policies, such as the now-expired federal $600-per-week payments to all unemployment benefit recipients, were designed specifically for the coronavirus crisis.
EDUCATION
K-12:
More than schoolwork: Why distance learning is so challenging for Fresno County students
Fresno Bee
Audrey Pacheco has been joining her fifth-grade class virtually since August. Since then, she said, her wrist has started to hurt. “Reading and working on the computer is hard sometimes,” the 11-year-old Thomas Elementary student said. “I would rather read in a book than read on the computer. I’m getting a little more used to it.”
Here’s how your kids can get COVID-19 and education questions answered by Kaweah Delta and VUSD
Visalia Times Delta
Kaweah Delta is partnering with the Visalia Unified School District to answer children's questions about COVID-19 and related education issues. The Kids Town Hall focused on COVID-19 will take place on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
BCSD considers adopting ethnic studies: ‘This is embarking on something big’
Bakersfield Californian
The board for the Bakersfield City School District this week opened a discussion about implementing ethnic studies in the district. It’s not the first time board members or administrators broached the idea, but it was the first serious discussion about actually adopting a formal resolution in ethnic studies.
Higher Ed:
'Losing A Generation': Fall College Enrollment Plummets For 1st-Year Students
VPR
All throughout high school, Brian Williams planned to go to college. But as the pandemic eroded the final moments of his senior year, the Stafford, Texas, student began to second-guess that plan.
‘Alarmingly low’ CSU enrollment discussed at Stanislaus State year-end town hall
Modesto Bee
During the online End-of-Year University Town Hall held Tuesday, Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn spoke of “alarmingly low” enrollment seen at her campus and across the California State University system and what’s being done about it.
Apprenticeships:
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Biden rejects California regulator for EPA job, after environmental justice complaints
Fresno Bee
California’s chief air pollution regulator, once the front-runner to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Biden administration, has been passed over after getting pummeled with complaints about her record on environmental justice.
Environmental justice groups block Mary Nichols’ path to EPA
Los Angeles Times
Through four governors, two Obama terms and the Trump administration, Mary Nichols has led the charge to clean up California’s smog and fight climate change. In the process, she has earned herself a reputation as one of the most influential environmental regulators in the country.
Energy:
Most Energy-Efficient State Goes To California, As Mass. Slips Out Of ACEEE Rankings' Top Spot
wbur
After nine years at the top of a list that state officials regularly tout, Massachusetts is no longer considered to be the most energy-efficient state in the nation.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Fresno sees another massive spike in COVID-19 cases, as nurses deal with hospital surge
Fresno Bee
For the second day in a row, the state health department on Thursday reported a sky-high number of new in Fresno County coronavirus cases, revealed by recent testing. California’s Department of Health Services showed more than 1,800 new confirmed infections in Fresno County.
See also:
● Most California counties at highest COVID risk before Christmas, data show Fresno Bee
● Fresno sees another massive spike in COVID-19 cases, as nurses deal with hospital surge Fresno Bee
● US set records for COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths Wednesday abc30
● Kern Public Health: 6 new COVID-19 deaths, 1,120 new cases reported Thursday Bakersfield Californian
● Bakersfield hospitals mount intense effort to care for influx of patients Bakersfield Californian
● U.S. Surpasses 3,600 Daily Coronavirus Deaths, Breaks Prior Hospitalization Record VPR
● U.S. Surpasses 3,600 Daily Coronavirus Deaths, Breaks Prior Hospitalization Record VPR
● Stanislaus deaths reach 499. Past two days brought 16 Modesto Bee
● Southern California ICU capacity hits 0% as state drops to 3% Sacramento Bee
● ICU availability in Southern California at 0%, and it’s going to get worse, officials warn Los Angeles Times
● With ICUs hitting capacity, hospitals turn to desperate measures Los Angeles Times
● California, latest coronavirus epicenter, sets nationwide record for new cases: ‘The worst is still before us’ Washington Post
● As California I.C.U’s fill up, the dead are counted by the hour. New York Times
High-Poverty Neighborhoods Bear the Brunt of COVID’s Scourge
Capital Public Radio
Over the course of the pandemic, COVID-19 infections have battered high-poverty neighborhoods in California on a staggeringly different scale than more affluent areas, a trend that underscores the heightened risks for low-wage workers as the state endures a deadly late-autumn surge.
‘No Capacity’: COVID-19 Surge Leaves Some Rural Hospitals Scrambling
Capital Public Radio
California’s most recent stay-at-home order zeroes in on a region’s ability to care for their sickest COVID-19 patients. But for rural hospitals that don’t have an intensive care unit, administrators say the worsening surge is presenting new challenges.
History Of Medical Testing Has Left Many African Americans Hesitant About The New COVID-19 Vaccine
Capital Public Radio
While the first doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine are being administered to California health care workers this week — and will be available to the broader public next year — Rupert McClendon will not be rushing to get it.
What are your chances of dying from COVID? This calculator gives you a hint
Miami Herald
Studies and statistics alike have shown that people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions face the highest risks of dying from COVID-19 compared to the rest of the population.
How do home tests for coronavirus work? Where can I get one?
Washington Post
These rapid tests allow people to test themselves at home and know within minutes whether they have the novel coronavirus, which causes the illness covid-19. They could be a vital component in stanching the spread of the virus — especially in the crucial months before most Americans are vaccinated against the pathogen.
Human Services:
Kaiser Permanente Fresno begins vaccinating health care workers
Fresno Bee
Kaiser Permanente Fresno began vaccinating health care workers with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday morning, Dec. 17, 2020, following the criteria set forth by national and state public health officials.
See also:
● Pence to publicly take COVID vaccine at White House to promote ‘safety and efficacy’ Fresno Bee
● Pfizer vaccine arrives in Tulare County, inoculations to begin this week Visalia Times Delta
● Kern County receives first COVID-19 vaccines Bakersfield Californian
● Historic day: First coronavirus vaccines administered at hospitals across Bakersfield Bakersfield Californian
● Update: They’re here! Pfizer COVID vaccines arrive in Stanislaus County Modesto Bee
● Next in line for California’s COVID-19 vaccine? Teachers and first responders, panel says Los Angeles Times
● Lawmakers can receive COVID-19 vaccine on Hill Roll Call
● Who’s Next? COVID’s Burden on Black Americans Creates Vaccine Quandary U.S. News
Can relaxed nurse-to-patient ratios ease COVID-19 burden in Fresno hospital ICUs?
Fresno Bee
Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County's interim health officer, discusses the state relaxing hospital ICUs from three patients per nurse to two as a temporary relief measure in a surge of COVID-19 cases. Video from Dec. 15, 2020.
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine poised for US greenlight after panel endorsement
abc30
A government advisory panel endorsed a second COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, paving the way for the shot to be added to the U.S. vaccination campaign. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow the recommendation for the vaccine from Moderna and the National Institutes of Health.
See Also:
● Second COVID vaccine recommended for emergency use in US, FDA says. What to know Fresno Bee
● Moderna vaccine set for emergency use authorization with FDA advisory panel’s endorsement Los Angeles Times
● FDA vows to move 'rapidly’ to authorize second coronavirus vaccine Washington Post
● Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Gets Backing From FDA Advisory Panel Wall Street Journal
● Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Could Widen Immunization Effort Wall Street Journal
● Moderna Plans to Offer All Trial Participants Vaccine Wall Street Journal
Some Vials Of COVID-19 Vaccine Contain Extra Doses, Expanding Supply, FDA Says
VPR
The FDA says that some of the vials of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine being distributed throughout the U.S. contain extra doses and the agency is encouraging hospitals and clinics to use the additional shots to speed up the nationwide immunization campaign.
States thought they would get more COVID vaccines. Pentagon system had wrong numbers
Sacramento Bee
A Pentagon system set up for states to keep track of coronavirus vaccines had outdated, inaccurate projections for deliveries that misled governors into expecting they would receive far more doses than will arrive in the coming days, a federal official told McClatchy.
Warszawski: Naughty list: These people earn the right to be last in Fresno’s line for COVID vaccine
Fresno Bee
In the grand pecking order of Important Jobs, opinion columnist ranks pretty low. While columnists do serve some purpose (or at least I tell myself that), if we all suddenly disappeared most folks would hardly notice our absence. You can’t say the same for healthcare professionals; police, fire and first responders; supermarket and restaurant employees; food and agricultural workers; and a bunch of other vocations.
Opinion: How to End Lockdowns Next Month
Wall Street Journal
The imminent dissemination of vaccines can help end lockdowns by the end of January. The Great Barrington Declaration, which we wrote with Martin Kulldorff of Harvard Medical School, provides the key idea: focused protection of people who face a high risk of mortality should they become infected.
Opinion: Time for a Second Round of PPP
Wall Street Journal
PPP was designed to facilitate stay-at-home orders while simultaneously sustaining America’s small businesses and the jobs they provide. By allowing workers to comply with public-health instructions while preserving the relationships between employers and employees, we could prevent layoffs and minimize skill degradation.
IMMIGRATION
Damage from border wall: blown-up mountains, toppled cactus
Bakersfield Californian
Work crews ignite dynamite blasts in the remote and rugged southeast corner of Arizona, forever reshaping the landscape as they pulverize mountaintops in a rush to build more of President Donald Trump’s border wall before his term ends next month.
Washington Post
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a challenge to President Trump’s authority to exclude undocumented immigrants when deciding the size of each state’s congressional delegation, saying it was premature to decide the question at this point.
High Court Rejects as Premature a Bid to Block Trump Plan to Bar Illegal Immigrants in Redistricting
Wall Street Journal
A divided Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to President Trump’s plan to exclude illegal immigrants from congressional reapportionment, with the conservative majority saying it was premature to rule before it was clear that the outgoing administration could implement the policy.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
California appellate court reverses decision on Fresno parks tax measure
Fresno Bee
Justices with California’s Fifth District Court of Appeal overturned an opinion Thursday from a lower court on Fresno’s parks tax ballot measure, ordering the lower trial court to declare that Measure P passed.
See also:
● Big victory for Fresno parks as Measure P tax wins in court. City opponents accept ruling Fresno Bee
Developer Bringing Modern Touch To Christmas Tree Lane
Business Journal
Three new homes are being built on Van Ness Boulevard in the heart of Fresno’s Christmas Tree Lane — each a modern reimagining of the historic neighborhood’s design.
Commentary: A new place-based federal initiative for empowering local real estate ownership
Brookings
In the United States, the neighborhood in which one lives has always influenced access to economic opportunity. Place-based inequities by race and income—stemming from decades of discriminatory policies and practices—have only become more exposed and more devastating amid the health and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Housing:
Fresno County keeps growing. Here’s how fast compared to other places in California
Fresno Bee
Whoever said California politics is driving people out of the state might want to make Fresno County an exception. Most other non-coastal California counties, too.
Capital Public Radio
Many in California are dealing with the pains of the coronavirus pandemic, including millions of renters and their landlords across the state facing what state Assemblymember David Chiu calls an upcoming "eviction cliff."
A ‘Dangerous Moment’ as End of Eviction Ban Looms
U.S. News
As the end of 2020 approaches, so, too, does the expiration of a national ban on evictions, prompting proponents to warn that leaving people without such a safety net will only exacerbate the rise in coronavirus infections.
PUBLIC FINANCES
How the coronavirus stimulus money may affect your 2020 tax return
CNBC
Tax season is right around the corner, and millions of Americans will file taxes that look much different than in years prior. And while Congress can’t decide on a second round of stimulus checks, the tax implications of all the Covid relief Americans received has already been determined, according to Garrett Watson, a senior policy analyst at the Tax Foundation.
TRANSPORTATION
How Toxic Fumes Seep Into The Air You Breathe On Planes
Los Angeles Times
The air you breathe on airplanes comes directly from the jet engines. Known as bleed air, it is safe, unless there is a mechanical issue — a faulty seal, for instance. When that happens, heated jet engine oil can leak into the air supply, potentially releasing toxic gases into the plane.
A bumpy ride for California’s Amtrak as pandemic surges
CalMatters
Gabriella Choe has been a regular Amtrak passenger for the past four years, traveling from Oakland to Sacramento to see her parents. Before the pandemic, she rode the train nearly every other weekend.
Suspended Road Tests Give Teens Easier Route to Licenses
PEW
Teens across the country waiting anxiously to get their driver’s licenses were disappointed when most state motor vehicle departments suspended road testing for weeks—and sometimes for months—after the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March.
WATER
Northern California Tribe Asks Judge to Block Permanent Water Contract With Westlands
GVWire
The Hoopa Valley Tribe in Humboldt County argued before a federal judge last Thursday that no Trinity River water can be sent to the Central Valley at the expense of the tribe’s fishery.
Investors begin trading a hot commodity: California water
The Counter
Last week, investors began trading futures on a hot commodity: California water. This one’s a little different from your typical farm commodity, though. First, it’s the source of all life on Planet Earth. Second, the traders won’t be physically exchanging the product, but instead, buying contracts that represent a specific amount of water at prices based on a NASDAQ index.
“Xtra”
Santa's Village event in downtown Fresno draws thousands
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Police Department and the Lulu Foundation brought lots of holiday cheer to families in downtown Fresno by providing free toys and food in a drive-thru event.
Clovis Rotary to Donate 500 Food Boxes
Clovis Roundup
The Clovis Rotary is hosting their annual Christmas Food Box project on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 8 a.m. The event will take place at P-R Farms at Willow and Shepherd Avenues. The project will distribute food to families in need throughout the community.
Fresno Bee
There may be a pandemic going on, but new businesses are still heading to Fresno’s main business corridor on Blackstone Avenue. At least three are gearing up to open, including a restaurant and two stores.