January 15, 2021

15Jan

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Hundreds line up at Stanislaus site after seniors get priority for COVID-19 vaccine

Modesto Bee

About 90 minutes ago, the county posted an item on the Stanemergency.com Facebook saying the “Vaccine site is almost full.” The county thanked people for showing up and invited them to come back tomorrow or “check with their healthcare provider on how to receive your vaccine.”

See also:

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Coronavirus update: Fresno nears grim milestone; latest on vaccinations, $1,400 stimulus checks

Fresno Bee

Fresno County reported 627 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total infections to 78,278 since the pandemic started...Just 11 ICU beds were available in hospitals throughout the county.

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Rationing care: As COVID deaths increase, older, sicker patients could be sent home to die

Visalia Times Delta

The plan would create three levels of pandemic triage care that would prioritize patients more likely to survive longterm over older, sicker patients.

See also:

 

In Kings County, One Of Every Nine Residents Has Contracted COVID-19

VPR
More than six percent of Californians have now contracted COVID-19 since the pandemic began, but in one San Joaquin Valley county, the case rate is almost twice as high.

See also:

 

Fresno County clerk announces sudden plan to retire. Who will replace her?

Fresno Bee

Fresno County Clerk Brandi Orth will retire at the end of February, according to a news release. Orth, who is also the registrar of voters, said she was not planning to retire this year but her mother’s sudden illness has changed her plans. Orth said she plans to attend to her mother in North Carolina.

 

New protected bike lanes set up in downtown Fresno

abc30

Residents may notice a few changes on some downtown Fresno streets. White pylons and bright neon squares were set up along part of R Street. It's part of the city's new protected bike lanes project.

 

Fresno Republicans blast GOP Cong. Valadao over his vote to impeach Trump

Fresno Bee

Newly elected California Republican Rep. David Valadao drew criticism from his own party for his vote to impeach President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The Fresno County Republican Party released a scathing statement Wednesday night, calling his vote “a slap in the face to those who worked on or donated to the congressman’s recent campaign.”

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Kern Public Health reports 1 new coronavirus deaths, 908 new cases Thursday

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County Public Health Services reported one new coronavirus death and 908 cases Thursday morning. That brings Kern's deaths to 551 since the start of the pandemic. There have been 82,398 confirmed cases.

See also:

 

Politicians join industry's campaign against phasing out California oil production

Bakersfield Californian

California's petroleum industry kicked off a public campaign Wednesday aimed at fending off efforts in Sacramento to scale back in-state oil and natural gas production.

 

State:

 

‘It’s all fallen apart’: Newsom scrambles to save California — and his career

Politico

Californians are frustrated, tired and sick. And in the midst of the unfolding catastrophe, Gov. Gavin Newsom — confronting a burgeoning recall effort, on top of a year of wildfires and civil unrest — is under siege.

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Flush with surplus, California government could gain billions more in Biden’s COVID-19 plan

Fresno Bee

California state and local government could benefit from billions of dollars in new federal financial support if President-elect Joe Biden can convince Congress to pass a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan he unveiled Thursday.

 

California Democrats want to raise taxes on corporations to pay for homeless programs

Sacramento Bee

California Democrats on Wednesday unveiled legislation to increase tax rates on larger corporations in order to establish a permanent funding stream for solutions to the state’s homelessness crisis.

 

California high court: ABC test for gig workers is retroactive, in blow to Uber, Lyft

San Francisco Chronicle

California’s strict ABC test that makes it hard to claim workers are independent contractors applies retroactively, the state Supreme Court ruled on Thursday in a decision that could hurt Uber, Lyft and other gig companies in numerous lawsuits.

 

Commentary: How will a declining population impact California?

CalMatters

In 2020, with COVID-19 driving all that U-Haul traffic out of the Bay Area, California’s population – currently hovering at just below 40 million people – probably went down. Even Elon Musk apparently moved to Texas.

 

Federal:

 

Expanded vaccine rollout in US spawns a new set of problems

Fresno Bee

The rapid expansion of COVID-19 vaccinations to senior citizens across the U.S. has led to bottlenecks, system crashes and hard feelings in many states because of overwhelming demand for the shots.

See also:

 

Biden’s economic plan includes $1,400 checks, boosted unemployment benefits. Can it pass?

Fresno Bee

Millions of qualifying Californians would see additional stimulus payments of $1,400, and unemployed residents would have their payments boosted by $400 weekly through September under an economic plan unveiled Thursday by President-elect Joe Biden.

See also:

 

Democrats in Senate to Juggle Trump Impeachment Trial, Biden Agenda

Wall Street Journal

Democrats are wrestling with when to start the Senate impeachment trial for President Trump, with some pressing for the party to move immediately as others call for a delay to gather more evidence and clear the calendar for confirming cabinet nominees and passing Covid-19 aid.

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How the rioters who stormed the Capitol came dangerously close to Pence

Washington Post

The violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 came perilously close to Vice President Pence, who was not evacuated from the Senate chamber for about 14 minutes after the Capitol Police reported an initial attempted breach of the complex — enough time for the marauders to rush inside the building and approach his location, according to law enforcement officials and video footage from that day.

 

Biden Names Kessler Chief Science Officer for Covid Response

Wall Street Journal

David Kessler, who led the Food and Drug Administration under two presidents, has been named chief science officer for Covid-19 response under the Biden administration.

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Other:

 

Fact Check: False claims on Facebook about martial law, Insurrection Act take cues from QAnon

Politifact

Facebook and Instagram posts are spreading false claims that President Donald Trump is set to impose martial law ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration. Many of them allude to QAnon, a baseless conspiracy theory that’s banned on the platforms.

See also:

 

Steve Forbes gives age advice in business forum

Business Journal

The debut episode of a new webinar started strong with a media giant and former U.S. Presidential candidate. On Wednesday, the 21st Century Business Forum kicked things off with Forbes Editor-in-Chief Steve Forbes.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, January 17, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: What’s on the Agenda for the Valley Mayors?   - Guest: Matthew Serratto, Mayor - City of Merced; Jerry Dyer, Mayor - City of Fresno; Steve Nelson, Mayor - City of Visalia; Karen Goh, Mayor - City of Bakersfield. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, January 17, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "All Politics Are Local: The Big Issues in the Valley for 2021"- Guests: Matthew Serratto, Mayor - City of Merced; Jerry Dyer, Mayor - City of Fresno; Steve Nelson, Mayor - City of Visalia; Karen Goh, Mayor - City of Bakersfield with commentary from the editorial page writers from the Valley’s Newspapers.  Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Farmworkers lose out on $1.5B COVID-19 safety funding after USDA springs surprise spending

CalMatters

Farmworkers lost out on up to $1.5 billion in grants and loans for COVID-19 safety needs after the USDA committed funds earmarked as such for a food box program.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Gang violence a priority for officers after rash of killings over past few weeks, Fresno police say

Fresno Bee

Fresno police announced the arrests of gang members involved in three different murders. Police are also seeking help from the public in locating a suspect's black 2005 Chevy pickup.

 

California fighting endless war with unemployment fraud. Why state is a prime target?

Sacramento Bee

Criminals are still brazenly attempting to steal millions in COVID-19 benefits from California’s beleaguered unemployment agency, but now they’re operating from the four corners of the globe and targeting the state with cyber-weapons.

 

Public Safety:

 

Newsom calls up National Guard, CHP denies permit for pro-Trump rally at California Capitol

Fresno Bee

With officials bracing for the possibility of civil unrest and armed conflicts at state capitols nationwide following last week’s siege at the U.S. Capitol, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday activated the National Guard to deploy 1,000 troops to Sacramento.

See also:

 

Domestic Terrorism: A More Urgent Threat, but Weaker Laws

ProPublica

Authorities dissuaded some extremists from traveling to Washington, and shared intelligence with Capitol Police, but could not stop the mob that stormed the Capitol, a senior FBI official says.

 

Fire:

 

City Council Approved Plans for New Fire Stations

Clovis Roundup

City Council discussed and voted on the reconstruction of the aging Fire Station 2 and the new construction of Fire Station 6 in Loma Vista at their January 11 meeting. The first item discussed was finalizing the plans for the new Fire Station 6 in the Loma Vista area.

 

California wildfires could upend years of progress fighting air pollution

San Francisco Chronicle

Wildfires in the western United States have exacerbated pollution enough to threaten decades of progress toward sustaining cleaner skies, according to new research underscoring one of the alarming ways that climate change can harm public health.

 

California's wildfire hell: how 2020 became the state's worst ever fire season

The Guardian

On a deadly 24-hour march through the Sierra Nevada in September, the flames of what would become the North Complex fire raced through more than 200,000 acres of dense timber, destroyed a historic schoolhouse and overtook a beloved camp for children with cancer.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Forgiveness in full swing as lending portals reopen

Business Journal

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, has given all participating lenders a date for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to reopen.

 

Another national retailer is closing in Modesto amid the ongoing COVID pandemic

Modesto Bee

Another national retailer is closing its doors and calling it quits in Modesto. MJM Designer Shoes, a discount shoe retailer on McHenry Avenue, sent an email to its customers this week announcing the closure. The company is owned by its next-door neighbor in Modesto, the Burlington department store (formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory).

 

Will This Recession Deepen California’s Economic Divide?

Public Policy Institute of California

High income inequality, stagnant economic mobility, and persistent poverty raise serious questions about California’s economic future—especially for low-income Californians and communities of color who are bearing the brunt of the current crisis.

 

Jobs:

 

A look at which jobs in California suffered most during COVID-19

Fresno Bee

California lost some 1.4 million jobs since the coronavirus pandemic began in February. How many jobs have been lost in your industry?

 

California’s minimum wage would rise quickly to $15 an hour under Biden’s stimulus plan

Fresno Bee

California’s minimum wage would rise to $15 an hour a year sooner than planned under a proposal in President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 economic stimulus package.

 

Trader Joe’s, Instacart Will Pay Workers to Get Vaccinated

Wall Street Journal

A small but growing number of companies with workers who regularly interact with the public are incentivizing Covid-19 vaccines with additional pay, the start of a push by large corporations to get staff inoculated.

 

U.S. Unemployment Claims Rise as Coronavirus Weighs on Economy

Wall Street Journal

The number of workers filing for jobless benefits posted its biggest weekly gain since the pandemic hit last March and the head of the Federal Reserve warned the job market had a long way to go before it is strong again.

See also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

School Reopening For Secondary Students Postponed to Feb 1

Clovis Roundup

In December, the state announced a new health guideline called “Safe Schools For All Plans.” Each school must submit a safety plan and have it approved before reopening.

The announcement caused CUSD to postpone their reopening plans from January 5 to January 19. However, the reopening date has been postponed again to February 1.

See also:

 

Opinion: Gov. Newsom, answer this: How can you reopen schools with teacher unions blocking the doorways?

Sacramento Bee

The liberal hypocrisy of public school inequality in California is deep and far reaching and has many co-conspirators who smile and say the right things about caring for “the kids.”

 

Newsom calls textbooks “racket,” proposes money to create free ones

CalMatters

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to spend $15 million to develop more degree programs that include free textbooks, taking aim at the “usurious costs” of commercial textbooks today. The state spent $5 million on a similar program in 2016-17.

 

Commentary: To Help Address Learning Disparities, Boost Internet Access for Low-Income Students

Public Policy Institute of California

Without equitable access to broadband internet and digital devices, many students are at risk of falling behind or dropping out, exacerbating educational inequities.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Fresno Pacific University to return to in-person instruction in the fall

abc30

Students will be returning to Fresno Pacific University classrooms later this year. On Wednesday, administrators announced they would begin in-person instructions for the fall 2021 semester.

See also:

 

Improving College Readiness through Dual Enrollment

Public Policy Institute of California

Dual enrollment, which allows high school students to take college courses, is an important strategy for expanding educational opportunities and improving student outcomes. COVID-19 is helping fuel a dual enrollment boom but more work is needed to target underserved communities.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

High pressure expected to trap pollution for extended period

Hanford Sentinel

Local air officials are advising San Joaquin Valley residents that conditions are expected to remain cold, dry and stagnant through the middle of next week, causing PM2.5 emissions (particulate matter pollution) to accumulate, resulting in higher pollution concentrations throughout the Valley air basin.

See also:

 

Pandemic Causes Historic — But Fleeting— Drop In U.S. Climate Emissions

VPR

As commuters stayed home in 2020 and airplanes remained on the ground, the nationwide slowdown led to a sizable drop in heat-trapping emissions. U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell by 10 percent, the largest annual drop since World War II…

 

2020 ties 2016 as hottest year on record, even without warming boost from El Niño

Los Angeles Times

Global warming pushed temperatures into record territory in 2020, in effect tying 2016 as the hottest year on record, according to data released Thursday by U.S. science agencies.

 

Energy:

 

State Awards $2 Million to 10 California Native American Tribes for Climate and Clean Energy Projects

YubaNet

California Native American Tribes taking action on climate change are getting a boost from a new State program designed to support tribally led efforts.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Kern Public Health reports 1 new coronavirus deaths, 908 new cases Thursday

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County Public Health Services reported one new coronavirus death and 908 cases Thursday morning. That brings Kern's deaths to 551 since the start of the pandemic. There have been 82,398 confirmed cases.

See also:

 

The Covid-19 Death Toll Is Even Worse Than It Looks

Wall Street Journal

More than 2.8 million people have lost their lives due to the pandemic, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from 59 countries and jurisdictions. This tally offers the most comprehensive view yet of the pandemic’s global impact. Deaths in these places last year surged more than 12% above average levels.

 

Can COVID-19 vaccine prevent infecting others? Scientists to search for answer

Fresno Bee

One of the Army’s chief scientists developing a COVID-19 vaccine often gets a question that is being asked by Americans across the country: Once a person is vaccinated, is it safe to visit parents and friends, or could they still infect them?

 

Human Services:

 

Expanded vaccine rollout in US spawns a new set of problems

Fresno Bee

The rapid expansion of COVID-19 vaccinations to senior citizens across the U.S. has led to bottlenecks, system crashes and hard feelings in many states because of overwhelming demand for the shots.

See also:

 

Tracking the coronavirus in California hospitals

Los Angeles Times

The Times is tracking hospitalizations and capacity issues at 351 hospitals across California as they struggle to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. This page will update daily with the latest figures from the California Department of Public Health and the federal government.

See also:

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Census Bureau director: 'Stand down' on tracking immigrants

Roll Call

The Census Bureau has put the brakes on President Donald Trump’s effort to identify undocumented immigrants in census data, the agency said Wednesday.

See also:

 

Biden Promised To Stop All Deportations For 100 Days After Taking Office. Activists Are Holding Him To It.

BuzzFeed News

Days ahead of his inauguration, President-elect Joe Biden is facing pressure from immigrant rights groups to make good on his campaign promise to stop all deportations for 100 days as soon as he takes office.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Oak-forested ranch on San Joaquin River purchased for conservation and public access

Fresno Bee

San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust has purchased another stretch of riverside land — an important piece of a puzzle needed for a 22-mile public-access regional park envisioned in north Fresno.

 

It was once an iconic Fresno music venue. Here’s the plan for the Tower District spot now

Fresno Bee

When Full Circle Brewing Co. closed the doors on its Tower District taproom it was another blow to what, for decades, had been an iconic spot for Fresno music and nightlife.

 

Housing:

 

An ‘eviction tsunami’ looms over Fresno, central San Joaquin Valley. What it means for you

Fresno Bee

Approximately 2 million people, including children, are at risk of eviction when California’s eviction moratorium expires on Feb. 1. Nationwide, 6.7 million adults are likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months, according to the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, and Fresno may be in the eye of the storm.

 

Visalia Sequoia Lodge motel converted into housing for homeless

abc30

A former motel in Visalia has started to take in some of the local homeless population. California's Project Homekey program provides local governments with funding to convert hotels, motels and other properties into permanent houses.

 

What Lessons Can Be Learned from Project Roomkey?

Public Policy Institute of California

In the spring, California policymakers created Project Roomkey to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic. To date, the program has provided a hotel room to more than 22,000 people.

 

Commentary: Four reasons why more public housing isn’t the solution to affordability concerns

Brookings

With President-elect Joe Biden about to take office bolstered by Democratic control of both the House and Senate, left-leaning wonks and activists are putting together wish lists for new legislation across a myriad of issues and policy arenas.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

New details on Newsom’s state worker proposal — what happens to raises, health deductions?

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom tentatively offered state employees some good news last week when he said his administration might undo the pay cuts the workers absorbed last summer.

 

How California’s Budget Depends On Staggering Wealth Gap

Capital Public Radio

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $227 billion California spending plan is setting records in more ways than one. Were his budget proposal approved by lawmakers as is, the state would spend an unprecedented amount to fend off poverty, eviction and K-12 education loss for California’s most vulnerable residents in the 2021-22 fiscal year.

 

Opinion:  Trump Built a National Debt So Big (Even Before the Pandemic) That It’ll Weigh Down the Economy for Years

ProPublica

The “King of Debt” promised to reduce the national debt — then his tax cuts made it surge. Add in the pandemic, and he oversaw the third-biggest deficit increase of any president.

 

Tomorrow could be the last chance for these taxpayers to avoid a big tax penalty

CNBC
Small-business owners and side-gig hustlers are facing a major tax deadline. Filers who pay estimated taxes every quarter, including independent contractors and partners in business entities, owe their final payment of 2020 on Jan. 15.

 

The coming calls to cut taxes on unemployment benefits

AEI

My colleague Kyle Pomerleau rightly noted it’s a feature not a bug that unemployment benefits are subject to federal income taxes, as they generally have been since the 1986 tax reform law.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

New protected bike lanes set up in downtown Fresno

abc30

Residents may notice a few changes on some downtown Fresno streets. White pylons and bright neon squares were set up along part of R Street. It's part of the city's new protected bike lanes project.

 

California governor proposes $1.5B for clean transportation

Freight Waves

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has released his proposed 2021-22 budget, calling for $1.5 billion to be invested in clean trucks, buses and cars, as well as infrastructure to fuel those vehicles.

 

WATER

 

Construction Begins on Key Salton Sea Habitat and Air Quality Project

California Water News Daily

In an effort to improve conditions at the Salton Sea, construction to create habitat and reduce exposed lakebed around the Sea began this week.

 

Turning the Page on a Disruptive Year in the Water World

Public Policy Institute of California

These crises have exacerbated longstanding inequities in access to water services, and made it that much harder to accomplish important work to improve the resilience of the state’s water system and vulnerable ecosystems.

 

“Xtra”

 

Bakersfield residents encouraged to display white lights for hope and encouragement for healthcare workers

Bakersfield Californian

As hospitals surge with coronavirus patients, the city of Bakersfield is partnering with Dignity Health to launch a publicity campaign it hopes will serve as a vital encouragement for frontline workers during this difficult time.

 

Bethany Clough: Peet’s Coffee to open a Fresno location. Here’s why the spot is already a favorite

Fresno Bee

Peet’s Coffee is planning to open a coffee counter in Fresno. The popular coffee shop isn’t opening a stand-alone location, but plans to open a counter inside the former Bullard Pharmacy.

 

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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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