POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● 'It is a grim number': San Joaquin County surpasses 1,000 COVID-19 deaths Stockton Record
● Stanislaus has just 84 new cases. Deaths reach 916 Modesto Bee
Merced’s closer to making UC Merced part of the city. What are the benefits and drawbacks?
Merced Sun-Star
A longtime vision for the City of Merced and UC Merced’s entwined futures was catalyzed Tuesday night, as the City Council unanimously voted to initiate the first steps of annexing the university’s main campus into the city limits.
How are Merced County students coping with depression, anxiety during COVID pandemic?
Merced Sun-Star
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, living and learning in a virtual world has become the new reality for most public high school students statewide. Locally, while many Merced Union High School District students say they have adjusted, others say being away from the classroom, friends and mentors is taking an emotional toll.
Stanislaus County to redraw supervisor districts. Will the map reflect racial diversity?
Modesto Bee
Since the boundaries were last redrawn in 2011, lawmakers rewrote the rules for redistricting counties in order to prevent discrimination and make sure ethnic minorities can elect a candidate of their choice.
Modesto’s housing market is ‘hot.’ Here’s what that means for buyers and sellers
Modesto Bee
Boasting low inventory and high selling prices, Modesto’s housing market is one of the country’s most in-demand, according to a new survey.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Fresno County without nearly 8,000 vaccine doses as national weather stalls delivery Fresno Bee
● Who is eligible for COVID vaccinations in the Fresno area? Here’s what you need to know Fresno Bee
● COVID-19 update: Trent gradually continues in right direction; vaccinations update Porterville Recorder
Nation’s icy weather affects delivery of COVID-19 vaccine to Fresno. Here’s what it means
Fresno Bee
More than 40% of the coronavirus vaccine doses that Fresno County expected to receive this week have been delayed by cold weather that has brought some parts of the eastern and southern U.S. to a standstill.
See also:
● Fresno County's shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine delayed by nation's cold weather abc30
● California’s COVID vaccine shipments are being delayed by winter storms pounding U.S. Modesto Bee
● Bad weather causes vaccine cutbacks. Clinics in Sacramento, NorCal could be delayed Sacramento Bee
● Crippling weather hampers vaccine deliveries, distribution AP News
Fresno's future as outlined by Mayor Jerry Dyer
Fresno Bee
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer outlines his plans for Fresno's future in his opening statement to the Fresno Bee Editorial Board Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021 in Fresno.
See also:
● The Bee’s Editorial Board was skeptical about Jerry Dyer as mayor. He’s proving us wrong Fresno Bee
Fresno rent increases are biggest in the country — and some workers ‘just can’t pay’
Fresno Bee
Rent in Fresno is going up, up, up. The average cost of rent in Fresno increased by 10.8% in the last year, despite state law limiting rent hikes, data analysis by Apartment List shows. It’s the second-biggest rent increase in the country this year compared to other cities, and in stark contrast to the statewide average that decreased 5%.
Fresno's seedy motels along Highway 99 turned into housing units for homeless families
abc30
Some Fresno families dealing with homelessness due to the pandemic have been able to move into newly renovated housing units. No longer can people rent rooms along Motel Drive by the hour.
See also:
● Fresno converts fourth motel to homeless shelter. Could there be more funding coming? Fresno Bee
● City Unveils Newly Renovated Motel to House the Homeless GVWire
A Fresno councilmember wanted lawsuit to force local schools to open. Here’s what City Council did
Fresno Bee
A lawsuit proposed by Fresno Councilmember Garry Bredefeld to force area schools to return to in-person learning amid the pandemic failed to get the support it needed on Thursday.
Fresno council votes to suspend bus fares for FAX riders. How long will it last?
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council voted Thursday to do away with the fare charged Fresno Area Express bus riders beginning March 1 though how long the policy will last remained unclear.
See also:
● Fresno City Council Will Need To Consider Long Term Financial Plan To Make FAX Bus Service Free VPR
Mixed-use project planned near Blackstone, Shaw in Fresno
Business Journal
The 135,000-square-foot project, dubbed the Glenn Project, would include housing and a primary health center, is currently estimated to come at a cost of around $50.7 million.
Church added to complaint against sale of Tower Theatre in Fresno. Hearing next week
Fresno Bee
Last week, Sequoia Brewing Company filed a complaint against the owner of the Tower Theatre, looking to halt the sale of the iconic landmark to a Fresno church. This week, the Sequoia’s lawyers amended the complaint to include Adventure Church, based on “tortious interference with contract.”
See also:
Clovis City Council - February 8, 2021
Fresnoland
The Clovis City Council meeting took place on Monday, Feb. 8, 2021 at 6:03 p.m. Fresno County has begun to roll out COVID-19 vaccines to residents 75 and older and a CVS location could be the first site in Clovis to offer them starting Feb. 11.
Tower Theatre marquee mourns Rush Limbaugh. LGBTQ community, supporters aren’t happy about it
Fresno Bee
A sign posted on the Tower Theatre on Thursday further alarmed those who are opposing the historic venue’s sale to Adventure Church. And in some people’s eyes, the message confirmed the church’s real views of the LGBTQ community.
Federal Judge Dismisses Devin Nunes Aide’s Lawsuit Against CNN
LawandCrime
A federal judge the District of Maryland on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit that Rep. Devin Nunes‘s senior aide Derek Harvey filed against CNN, former Rudy Giuliani business associate Lev Parnas, and Parnas’s lawyer Joseph Bondy.
Devin Nunes and top Republicans fault Nancy Pelosi for Capitol attack. Here are the facts
Sacramento Bee
Four leading House Republicans — including Rep. Devin Nunes — sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday, suggesting she was partially responsible for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and accusing her of handling the riot’s aftermath in a partisan manner.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health: 37 new coronavirus deaths, 308 new cases reported Thursday Bakersfield Californian
PBVUSD leaves room for rapid west-side growth in approving new school boundaries
Bakersfield Californian
At its last meeting, the school board of Panama-Buena Vista Union School District approved new boundaries that give its newest school, Highgate Elementary, plenty of room to grow when students arrive from those yet-to-be-built homes.
State lawmakers debut bill to ban oilfield techniques common in Kern
Bakersfield Californian
A bill introduced in the state Senate Wednesday proposes to halt several oil production techniques common in Kern County by Jan. 1, 2027 and incentivize well-remediation contractors to hire anyone the ban leaves jobless.
Amazon unveils plan for large distribution center in Shafter
Bakersfield Californian
Amazon announced Thursday it plans to open a "fulfillment center" in Shafter by the end of this year that will become the e-commerce company's second large distribution facility in Kern County.
Updated: Monsignor Craig Harrison announces resignation from Catholic Church
Bakersfield Californian
Monsignor Craig Harrison has announced his resignation from the Catholic Church, ending any possibility he could return as the pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, a position he has held since 1999.
Attempt to censure Valadao over Trump impeachment vote faces roadblocks
Bakersfield Californian
An attempt to censure Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, over his vote to impeach former U.S. President Donald Trump will face an uphill battle during the California Republican Party convention this weekend.
State:
COVID Update:
● Coronavirus: Vaccination totals and tier levels in California as of Feb. 17 OC Register
California lawmakers reach $6.5 billion deal to open schools
Fresno Bee
After weeks of tense negotiations, California legislators agreed Thursday on a $6.5 billion proposal aimed at getting students back in classrooms this spring following months of closures because of the pandemic.
See also:
● California schools would reopen by April under new plan from Democrats in Legislature Fresno Bee
● Opinion: Progressive California claims to love public school kids. Union influence proves that’s a lie Sacramento Bee
● Newsom says new school plan doesn’t move ‘fast enough’ in bringing kids on campus Sacramento Bee
Am I eligible for California’s $600 COVID-19 stimulus check and other aid?
Los Angeles Times
The “Golden State stimulus,” an ambitious COVID-19 relief program, will be expedited for legislative approval next week after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a deal on the plan Wednesday.
See also:
● California Stimulus Checks: Who Is Eligible and How Do They Work? Wall Street Journal
● More undocumented families could receive COVID-19 aid under Gavin Newsom’s new plan Fresno Bee
California Governor Gets Vaccine Tour Boost as Recall Looms
U.S. News
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has spent the past two weeks doing a vaccination road show, traveling to inoculation sites to tout the state's rapidly improving coronavirus numbers and efforts to build an infrastructure to provide millions of shots every week.
See also:
● Republican infighting rattles bid to oust Democrat Newsom KGET
● The squeeze is on: Amid recall threat, Newsom faces single-payer dilemma CalMatters
● Gavin Newsom Recall Unlikely Even as Petition Clears Hurdle, Democratic Strategists Say Newsweek
● Gavin Newsom and the Coronavirus-Driven California Recall Effort U.S. News
● Willie Brown: Gavin Newsom is in trouble. Here's how he can survive San Francisco Chronicle
The squeeze is on: Amid recall threat, Newsom faces single-payer dilemma
CalMatters
Gavin Newsom campaigned for governor promising single-payer health care in California. Three years later, is he ready to risk it?
New bill would require California agencies to award 25% of state contracts to small businesses
San Francisco Chronicle
State Assemblyman David Chiu is introducing a bill Thursday that would require agencies to award 25% of state contracts to small businesses, in hopes of amplifying equity efforts for the business sector left reeling by the pandemic.
‘Team Biden’ firm could be paid for 2020 California election work in budget maneuver
Sacramento Bee
California has yet to pay the bills on a $35 million contract with a political consulting firm it hired to promote mail-in voting, but a proposed change to a 2020 budget bill hopes to fix that.
Since California speaker rose to power, corporate money flowed to nonprofits tied to his wife
Sacramento Bee
In the years since Anthony Rendon rose to power as speaker of the California Assembly, nonprofits associated with his wife, Annie Lam, received more than $500,000 in donations and event sponsorships from dozens of companies with business before the Legislature.
Many voters yearning for a ‘problem solving caucus’
CalMatters
I am heartened by both the expression of intent by the authors and your willingness to give them attention in the media. It is what I, and I believe many other “decline to state” voters, have been yearning for in lieu of the one-party state.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● U.S. Hospitalizations Continue to Fall Wall Street Journal
Biden discusses COVID relief and infrastructure with top labor leaders
Reuters
President Joe Biden told 10 top union leaders on Wednesday that his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan and a separate measure to modernize U.S. infrastructure would boost the U.S. economy and create millions of good-paying jobs.
See also:
● COVID-19 Relief Package Includes Expansion of Health Care Coverage PEW
● Commentary: How Biden can succeed on infrastructure where Trump did not Brookings
● Poll: Half of Republicans Back Joe Biden's COVID Relief Plan Because of Stimulus Checks Newsweek
Are COVID vaccines the reason coronavirus cases are dropping?
Sacramento Bee
For the last five weeks, coronavirus cases have been steadily declining in the U.S. following peaks likely spurred by holiday gatherings. Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccination rates have been picking up pace. The big unknown: Are the two trends connected?
Biden to Pledge $4 Billion to International Covid-19 Vaccination Effort
Wall Street Journal
President Biden will announce a total of $4 billion in U.S. contributions to the international Covax program, administration officials said Thursday, directly engaging the nation in global efforts to supply Covid-19 vaccines to the world’s poorest countries.
Trump's gift to Biden: Record ag exports to China
Politico
U.S. farm exports to China are expected to hit a record $31.5 billion during President Joe Biden's first year in office, the U.S. Agriculture Department said in its latest quarterly forecast.
US officially rejoins Paris climate agreement
The Hill
The U.S. on Friday officially rejoined the Paris agreement after former President Trump withdrew from the deal.
Washington Post
House lawmakers are set to grill the top executives at Facebook, Google and Twitter at a congressional hearing next month, taking fresh aim at the tech giants for failing to crack down on dangerous political falsehoods and disinformation about the coronavirus.
Biden Talks Policy While Washington Plays Politics
U.S. News
In his first public trip as president, Biden traveled to Wisconsin to discuss the pandemic, policing and education while many in Washington remain focused on his predecessor.
To retake House, centrists say GOP needs candidates who can win swing districts
Roll Call
Republican moderates have long been considered a dying breed in a party overtaken by the extremes of the tea party and Trumpism. But even as the GOP embraces the far right in the post-Trump era, some Republicans see an overlooked opportunity to expand their ranks — in the center.
Washington Post
The central question in American politics right now — one with global implications — is whether the Republican Party can purge itself of its most extreme elements. Obviously this relates to former president Donald Trump, but it goes beyond him as well.
Other:
Fox News tries to keep Trump fans satisfied, but at what cost?
Los Angeles Times
On Feb. 10, Fox News was in lockstep with other cable news channels and major broadcast networks in presenting more than four hours of the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.
Census data delay adds to voting advocates’ equitable map woes
Roll Call
Voting rights watchdogs fear that redistricting data delays could allow political mapmakers to stray into racial gerrymandering.
How Bullwinkle Taught Kids Sophisticated Political Satire
Smithsonian Magazine
Last month, we lost the great June Foray, the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel and many others. Her passing gave me pause to reflect on how important the show was during my formative years and how far-reaching is its influence on satire today.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, February 21, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “Little Hoover Commission Report: Saving California's Small Businesses” - Guest: Pedro Nava, Chairman - Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, February 21, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: “The Pandemic's Effect on Small Business” - Guests: Nick Ortiz, President/CEO - Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce; Greg Newman, CEO - Clovis Chamber of Commerce; Dave White, CEO - Opportunity Stanislaus; Katy Winders, Director - Small Business Development Center, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Fresno non-profits come together to offer drive-up grocery services to families
abc30
Families hit hard financially by the pandemic now have another option on where to go to pick up some free groceries. Two of the Valley's biggest non-profits are coming together to offer drive-up services.
World Ag Expo Online finishes successful first week
Hanford Sentinel
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the annual international Ag trade show was held entirely online for the first time in show history. The new online show boasted 752 exhibitors and an impressive 24,639 visits over three days from users in 70 countries, 49 states, and the District of Columbia.
Western Growers Files Amicus Brief in Union Access Case
California Ag Today
California’s Access Regulation requires agricultural employers to allow labor union organizers such as the United Farmworkers Union onto their private property for up to three hours per day, 120 days per year, for the purpose of organizing agricultural employees.
Opinion: Farmers can help in battle against climate change
CalMatters
California farmers have an opportunity to turbo-charge the green revolution in rural America with crop-based biofuels.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Madera County Superior Court resumes its services
Madera Tribune
The Madera County Superior Court resumed court services Tuesday under the general order of presiding judge Ernest J. LiCalsi. General operating hours of the court are from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding court holidays.
California prisons launched a unit to investigate staff misconduct. Wardens aren’t using it
Sacramento Bee
California prison wardens have largely ignored a new system set up to handle prisoner complaints of staff misconduct, according to a new report from the Office of the Inspector General.
Supreme Court considers warrantless search-and-seizure case from California
ABAJournal
The 2016 police encounter involving retired California real estate agent Arthur G. Lange seemed routine, more likely to be on the TV show Cops than one destined for a major Fourth Amendment confrontation in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Police reform and homeland security: Some policy recommendations to close the racial justice gap
ABAJournal
Last summer, in response to the killing of George Floyd and other victims of police brutality and amid a public health crisis and economic collapse, Americans saw an overdue reckoning with racial injustice.
Public Safety:
Modesto officer on leave in fatal shooting among officers now under scrutiny in 2016 shooting
Modesto Bee
As Modesto and its Police Department face growing public pressure to fire an officer who shot an unarmed man in December, a civil claim has been filed against the city in another fatal shooting involving the same officer as well as two others.
Majority dissatisfied with US gun laws, policies: poll
The Hill
A majority of Americans are dissatisfied with gun laws and policies in the U.S., according to a Gallup poll released on Friday.
Fire:
Forest Service predicted devastation of Sierra’s Creek Fire — but solution came too late
Sacramento Bee
California’s largest single-incident wildfire sparked to life in an area that federal land managers already knew was particularly susceptible to the devastating effects of an uncontrolled blaze.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
The Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Prestamos CDFI
Prestamos CDFI is accepting the Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications nationwide until the program closes; either when funds run out, or, on March 31, 2021.
Prestamos CDFI
Applying for a Prestamos loan begins with filling out our online form below. We will contact you when we have received all the information needed to determine the next steps. Once we have determined what loan product is best for you, we will start the application process.
Gym shuts down after racking up $1 million in COVID fines, California officials say
Fresno Bee
A San Jose gym has closed after being fined nearly $1 million for defying coronavirus orders. California Ripped Fitness said in an email obtained by KTVU that the gym “had no choice but to close” and blamed a “court order.”
Jobs:
U.S. jobless claims jump to 861,000 as layoffs remain high
Los Angeles Times
The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid rose last week to 861,000, evidence that layoffs remain painfully high despite a steady drop in the number of confirmed viral infections.
See also:
● U.S. Unemployment Claims Rise, Pausing Recent Downward Trend Wall Street Journal
How should the workplace environment change post-pandemic? Tell us
Los Angeles Times
The pandemic has taken a serious emotional toll, and the stress has been compounded by rifts in society, including protests and political chaos.
Walmart Promises Raises for 425,000 Workers After Strong Holiday Sales
Wall Street Journal
Walmart Inc. said it would raise wages for about 425,000 of its employees after a year in which the Covid-19 pandemic boosted its business and demand for workers who handle online orders.
Biden privately tells governors: Minimum wage hike likely isn’t happening
Politico
When Joe Biden met with a group of mayors and governors last week he bluntly told them to get ready for a legislative defeat: his proposed minimum wage hike was unlikely to happen, he said, at least in the near term.
The Gig Economy Is Coming for Millions of American Jobs
Bloomberg Businessweek
California’s vote to classify Uber and Lyft drivers as contractors has emboldened other employers to eliminate salaried positions—and has become a cornerstone of bigger plans to “Uberize” the U.S. workforce.
Brookings
Before the pandemic hit, 44% of U.S. families in 2019 did not earn an income that was high enough to cover their families’ living expenses. Markedly, families headed by women (53%), Black (58%), and Latino or Hispanic (57%) individuals and individuals without a high school diploma (65%) are much more likely to be struggling economically.
EDUCATION
K-12:
California lawmakers reach $6.5 billion deal to open schools
Fresno Bee
After weeks of tense negotiations, California legislators agreed Thursday on a $6.5 billion proposal aimed at getting students back in classrooms this spring following months of closures because of the pandemic.
See also:
● California schools would reopen by April under new plan from Democrats in Legislature Fresno Bee
● Lawmakers blitz governor on school reopenings CalMatters
● California’s legislature pushes $12.6 billion plan to open schools New York Times
● Newsom says new school plan doesn’t move ‘fast enough’ in bringing kids on campus Sacramento Bee
How Many Districts Have Been Providing In-person Instruction?
Public Policy Institute of California
More than half of California districts are open for some in-person instruction, a number we can confirm after months of uncertainty about how districts were operating.
See also:
· Editorial: Which way schools? America needs a straight answer Los Angeles Times
· Opinion: Progressive California claims to love public school kids. Union influence proves that’s a lie Sacramento Bee
· Opinion: Follow the Science, Not the Teachers Unions Wall Street Journal
How are Merced County students coping with depression, anxiety during COVID pandemic?
Merced Sun-Star
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, living and learning in a virtual world has become the new reality for most public high school students statewide. Locally, while many Merced Union High School District students say they have adjusted, others say being away from the classroom, friends and mentors is taking an emotional toll.
’Heart-wrenching’: Rural Stanislaus district shares struggles of distance learning
Modesto Bee
“Enormous” and “heart-wrenching” learning loss. Continuing struggles with distance learning because of Internet connectivity, language barriers and other issues. The social development and mental health issues that come from isolation.
PBVUSD leaves room for rapid west-side growth in approving new school boundaries
Bakersfield Californian
At its last meeting, the school board of Panama-Buena Vista Union School District approved new boundaries that give its newest school, Highgate Elementary, plenty of room to grow when students arrive from those yet-to-be-built homes.
Capital Public Radio
California public schools may soon have a model for teaching ethnic studies, but not before more controversy over its proposed curriculum. Now, after hundreds of revisions, the original writers of the curriculum are demanding their names be removed from the document that the state is hoping to approve next month.
Higher Ed:
Merced’s closer to making UC Merced part of the city. What are the benefits and drawbacks?
Merced Sun-Star
A longtime vision for the City of Merced and UC Merced’s entwined futures was catalyzed Tuesday night, as the City Council unanimously voted to initiate the first steps of annexing the university’s main campus into the city limits.
FAFSA deadline coming up, Valley educators reminding students
abc30
For college-bound students, an important deadline is fast approaching and Valley educators are urging them to fill out this important financial aid form before it's too late.
5 Things Every Family Should Know About Paying For College
VPR
For many families, paying for college is one of the biggest financial decisions they'll make. College tuition is the highest it's ever been — and the financial aid process is anything but clear.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Actions by the Air District Governing Board –January 21, 2021
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District
The Governing Board approved the District’s 2021 Legislative Platform that establishes the District’s 2021 legislative priorities.
US officially rejoins Paris climate agreement
The Hill
The U.S. on Friday officially rejoined the Paris agreement after former President Trump withdrew from the deal.
See also:
· Pandemic put US on track to meet Paris climate goals Merced Sun-Star
'California and Texas are warnings': blackouts show US deeply unprepared for the climate crisis
The Guardian
When California saw widespread power blackouts last year during wildfires and a summer “heat storm”, Republican lawmakers from Texas were quick to deride the coastal state’s energy policies.
See also:
● Why Californians ‘shouldn’t feel smug’ about the massive power outages in Texas Sacramento Bee
Energy:
State lawmakers debut bill to ban oilfield techniques common in Kern
Bakersfield Californian
A bill introduced in the state Senate Wednesday proposes to halt several oil production techniques common in Kern County by Jan. 1, 2027 and incentivize well-remediation contractors to hire anyone the ban leaves jobless.
All power labs awarded $3.2 million in funding by the California Energy Commission
Fresno State WET Center
The purpose of the Bringing Rapid Innovation Development to Green Energy (BRIDGE) 2020 funding is to stimulate clean energy startups that demonstrate exceptional promise and marketable technology.
California vs. Texas power: A look at the energy wars
Fresno Bee
Freezing weather plunged Texas into widespread power outages as the state's power grid failed. When California faced blackouts last year, the state was ridiculed by Texas politicians. Here's how each state runs its energy system.
See also
· Texas Storms, California Heat Waves and ‘Vulnerable’ Utilities New York Times
· Natural gas, not wind turbines, main driver of Texas power shortage Politifact
● No, The Blackouts In Texas Weren't Caused By Renewables. Here's What Really Happened NPR
Trump’s energy plan was vacated and Obama’s is outdated. What’s next?
Sacramento Bee
A month after a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., vacated the Trump administration’s primary regulation on electric power generation, a top air pollution official at EPA said the agency will not reactivate the Clean Power Plan, the Obama-era emissions rule for utilities that Trump’s EPA tried to replace.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Experts warns against COVID-19 variants as states reopen
Business Journal
As states lift mask rules and ease restrictions on restaurants and other businesses because of falling case numbers, public health officials say authorities are overlooking potentially more dangerous COVID-19 variants that are quietly spreading through the U.S.
See also:
● New Variants Spark Reinfection Concerns, Raise Questions About Herd Immunity U.S. News
● Are COVID vaccines the reason coronavirus cases are dropping? Sacramento Bee
● How Herd Immunity Works — And What Stands In Its Way Capital Public Radio
● Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Is Highly Effective After One Dose and Can Be Stored in Normal Freezers, Data Shows Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Six takeaways from covid-19 that could shape our future Washington Post
American Life Expectancy Dropped By A Full Year In 1st Half Of 2020
VPR
The average U.S. life expectancy dropped by a year in the first half of 2020, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics, a part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Human Services:
How To Sign Up For A COVID-19 Vaccine In Your State
VPR
The COVID-19 vaccines are here, but if it's your turn to get vaccinated, how are you supposed to sign up? The answers vary by place, so NPR created a tool to help you
understand how things work in your state and connect you with local resources.
These Californians can’t work from home. Here’s how they’re finally getting COVID vaccines
Sacramento Bee
Pedro Zavala felt a sense of relief when he rolled up his sleeve on a Yolo County farm this week so a nurse could deliver a shot of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.
California nursing home workers died of COVID. The industry failed to tell state watchdogs
Sacramento Bee
A year into the pandemic, California’s workplace safety watchdog still doesn’t know how many nursing home workers have contracted COVID-19 on the job and died, a Sacramento Bee review of state records shows.
Behind America’s Botched Vaccination Rollout: Fragmented Communication, Misallocated Supply
Wall Street Journal
The pace of Covid-19 vaccinations is picking up, but distribution sites are still recovering from initial errors in nursing-home plans, limited supplies and a balky flow of information.
See also:
● Why We Can’t Make Vaccine Doses Any Faster ProPublica
● Thousands of service members saying no to Covid vaccine NBCNews
● Column: California needs to home deliver COVID-19 vaccines to seniors and people with disabilities Los Angeles Times
IMMIGRATION
US reverts to targeted immigration enforcement under Biden
Fresno Bee
Immigration enforcement in the U.S. would be more targeted under President Joe Biden than under his predecessor, with authorities directed to focus on people in the country illegally who pose a threat, according to guidelines released Thursday.
See also:
● Biden directs ICE to focus arrests and removals on security threats Los Angeles Times
● Under Biden, new immigration tone takes center stage Roll Call
Democrats unveil Biden's immigration bill, including an eight-year path to citizenship
Visalia Times Delta
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill and the White House Thursday unveiled President Joe Biden's sweeping immigration legislation, including a proposal for a path to citizenship for roughly 11 million migrants living without legal status in the United States.
See also:
● Democrats unveil broad immigration reform bill with citizenship path for 11 million Los Angeles Times
● Hill Democrats unveil immigration bill backed by White House Roll Call
● Democrats Consider Piecemeal Approach to Immigration Bills Wall Street Journal
● Democratic Lawmakers Introduce Biden’s Immigration Overhaul in House New York Times
The next-door neighbor is a Martian? The meaning of ‘alien’ in the immigration debate
Los Angeles Times
In legalese, anyone who comes from another country to the United States is an “alien,” a cold piece of statutory language that’s been used since the beginnings of the republic. Immigration advocates have long argued that “alien” dehumanizes migrants.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Oceano Dunes reopens for off-road riding, camping after coronavirus closure
Fresno Bee
Limited off-road riding and camping are reopening this week at the Oceano Dunes and Pismo State Beach after a nearly yearlong closure due to coronavirus and environmental protection concerns.
Church added to complaint against sale of Tower Theatre in Fresno. Hearing next week
Fresno Bee
Last week, Sequoia Brewing Company filed a complaint against the owner of the Tower Theatre, looking to halt the sale of the iconic landmark to a Fresno church. This week, the Sequoia’s lawyers amended the complaint to include Adventure Church, based on “tortious interference with contract.”
See also:
Mixed-use project planned near Blackstone, Shaw in Fresno
Business Journal
The 135,000-square-foot project, dubbed the Glenn Project, would include housing and a primary health center, is currently estimated to come at a cost of around $50.7 million.
Amazon unveils plan for large distribution center in Shafter
Bakersfield Californian
Amazon announced Thursday it plans to open a "fulfillment center" in Shafter by the end of this year that will become the e-commerce company's second large distribution facility in Kern County.
To Plug a Pension Gap, This City Rented Its Streets. To Itself.
New York Times
Cities and states issued at least $6.1 billion in pension bonds last year. Novel ways to do so include renting property they already own under dummy corporations.
Housing:
Fresno rent increases are biggest in the country — and some workers ‘just can’t pay’
Fresno Bee
Rent in Fresno is going up, up, up. The average cost of rent in Fresno increased by 10.8% in the last year, despite state law limiting rent hikes, data analysis by Apartment List shows. It’s the second-biggest rent increase in the country this year compared to other cities, and in stark contrast to the statewide average that decreased 5%.
Fresno's seedy motels along Highway 99 turned into housing units for homeless families
abc30
Some Fresno families dealing with homelessness due to the pandemic have been able to move into newly renovated housing units. No longer can people rent rooms along Motel Drive by the hour.
See also:
● Fresno converts fourth motel to homeless shelter. Could there be more funding coming? Fresno Bee
● City Unveils Newly Renovated Motel to House the Homeless GVWire
Modesto’s housing market is ‘hot.’ Here’s what that means for buyers and sellers
Modesto Bee
Boasting low inventory and high selling prices, Modesto’s housing market is one of the country’s most in-demand, according to a new survey.
California bill would lean on cities to build multiunit housing
San Francisco Chronicle
State Sen. Scott Wiener will seek to loosen restrictions on how much Californians can build on lots zoned for multifamily housing, hoping to clear the way for more small apartment buildings as the state tries to increase its housing supply.
Walters: Some sober advice on homelessness
CalMatters
A year ago, before COVID-19 changed everything, Gov. Gavin Newsom dedicated almost all of his State of the State address to one issue: homelessness.
PUBLIC FINANCES
It’s tax time again. Here’s what you need to know to close the books on 2020
Fresno Bee
We can’t close the books on 2020 until we close the books on 2020. It’s tax time again, and if you were a work-from-home employee last year, it’s time to figure what you can write off and what you owe to the taxman.
Am I eligible for California’s $600 COVID-19 stimulus check and other aid?
Los Angeles Times
The “Golden State stimulus,” an ambitious COVID-19 relief program, will be expedited for legislative approval next week after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a deal on the plan Wednesday.
TRANSPORTATION
Fresno council votes to suspend bus fares for FAX riders. How long will it last?
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council voted Thursday to do away with the fare charged Fresno Area Express bus riders beginning March 1 though how long the policy will last remained unclear.
See also:
● Fresno City Council Will Need To Consider Long Term Financial Plan To Make FAX Bus Service Free VPR
Video: Representative Jim Costa introduces bill to provide funding for CA High-Speed Rail
KFSN 30 ABC Fresno
Valley congressman Jim Costa introduced legislation that he believes could help complete the high-speed rail project in California.
WATER
Trump’s California water plan troubled federal biologists. They were sidelined
The Guardian
Federal scientists and regulators repeatedly complained they were sidelined by Donald Trump’s administration when they warned of risks to wildlife posed by a California water management plan, according to newly unveiled documents.
“Xtra”
Yosemite National Park's stunning 'firefall' phenomenon returns
abc30
Yosemite National Park's natural "firefall" phenomenon over the Horsetail Fall has officially returned. Raj Pillai captured these images of what looks like a river of fire at Horsetail Fall, which flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.
Fresno Bee
A Japanese bar and restaurant is in the works for the Tower District. Banzai Japanese Bar & Kitchen is working on opening at 609 E. Olive Ave. in the former Casa de Tamales space. Casa de Tamales has moved down the street to the Tower Theatre building, using the back patio as its entrance.