POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Free career training offered for Turlockers impacted by COVID
Turlock Journal
Turlock residents who have been economically impacted by COVID-19 can find new, reliable career opportunities thanks to a scholarship program offered through the Valley Occupational Learning and Technology Institute in Modesto.
Stanislaus County surpasses San Joaquin in deaths
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County on Monday surpassed its more populous neighbor to the north, San Joaquin County, in total deaths related to COVID-19, according to state data. Ten more deaths were reported by Stanislaus County, bringing to 749 the total number of fatalities since its first in April. San Joaquin County has 748 reported deaths.
Central SJ Valley:
Fresno officials and faith-based leaders to discuss unity as inauguration nears
abc30
The City of Fresno and faith-based leaders are discussing unity on Tuesday as President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration nears. Mayor Jerry Dryer is being joined by Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias, Councilmember Luis Chavez, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama, and faith-based leaders.
See also:
Porterville City Council to meet remotely
Porterville Recorder
Tonight’s meeting of the Porterville City Council at 6:30 p.m. should be rather short and concise as the Council only has three items up for discussion on the agenda, but the meeting will be conducted via live stream only.
Editorial: Fresno lawmaker’s good idea: Give $2.6 billion of California surplus to small businesses
Fresno Bee
In September Yelp.com issued a report that examined how the coronavirus pandemic was hitting the nation financially. The data for California were sobering: 19,200 businesses permanently closed and nearly another 20,000 temporarily closed.
South SJ Valley:
With memory 'vivid' in the minds of some, Bakersfield honors MLK with day of service
Bakersfield Californian
Although Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed more than 50 years ago, many say much work still needs to be done to realize his vision for the country.
Local legislators respond to threats to state Capitol and the police presence that resulted
Bakersfield Californian
The Californian reached out to all four state legislators whose districts include parts of Kern County to get their take on the preparations in Sacramento and their thoughts about these unsettling developments.
District attorney issues warning to potential unlawful protesters prior to Inauguration Day
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer is urging the community to remain calm on Inauguration Day and has issued a warning for anyone thinking about participating in violent or armed protests.
Bakersfield Street Medicine Team Works To Combat Misinformation On Covid-19 And Vaccine
VPR
For over a year, Beare and his street medicine team have made the drive every Thursday from Clinica Sierra Vista in downtown Bakersfield to this barren site just off of Chester Avenue.
State:
Advocates push California Gov. Gavin Newsom to include all undocumented in stimulus aid
Fresno Bee
Under California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, some undocumented workers would be eligible for stimulus financial relief, but a large number of them would be left out of any cash assistance, despite being the most affected during the pandemic...
California Dreaming: The Future of the Golden State
abc30
What does the "California Dream" mean in 2021? With the state grappling with issues like income inequality, wildfires and earthquakes, some say California is not the home they remember.
Newsom sets new tone for California, White House partnership
Bakersfield Californian
After four years of sparring with President Donald Trump, California is ready for a more productive, friendlier chapter with Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.
Five Things To Know About California’s New U.S. Senator, Alex Padilla
Capital Public Radio
After Joe Biden picked Sen. Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate in August, the parlor game of choice for California’s most politically plugged-in was: Who will Gov. Gavin Newsom pick to fill her vacant Senate seat?
Newsom administration gave far less COVID-19 relief cash to smaller communities, audit finds
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s finance department may have shortchanged some California communities in distributing federal COVID-19 relief funds, according to a state audit released Tuesday that criticized both the implementation and outcome of a process that was supposed to fairly divvy up the money on a per-person basis.
Newsom’s COVID-19 briefings often leave more questions than answers, some officials say
Los Angeles Times
In his last news briefing of 2020, one of more than 100 held since the COVID-19 pandemic exploded in March, Gov. Gavin Newsom looked seriously into the camera and assured Californians that public schools could reopen as soon as February.
Justice delayed: Courts overwhelmed by pandemic backlog
CalMatters
From child support to insurance fraud, court cases are delayed throughout California. Only half as many civil and criminal cases were resolved last summer compared with pre-pandemic numbers. “Justice has not shut down. Justice has slowed down,”...
CalMatters
Though the state is taking flak from an array of aggrieved Californians — gondoliers, conservative politicians, barbers and manicurists are among the plaintiffs — there is a common denominator for most of these lawsuits: Her name is Harmeet Dhillon.
Why Californians—of Both Parties—should Embrace The Recall
Zocalo Public Square
Californians should love me, even when I’m used against a politician you like. At the very least, I hope you’ll appreciate me if Gov. Gavin Newsom, who won office overwhelmingly in 2018 and remains popular in polls, ends up facing a recall election later this year.
Federal:
Biden Celebrates 'Triumph' Of Democracy In Inaugural Address
VPR
President Biden gave his first presidential address to Americans on Wednesday in a star-studded Inauguration Day event that went unattended by his predecessor.
See also:
Kamala D. Harris sworn in as vice president, shattering gender and racial barriers Washington Post
Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president, as the Trump era ends amid a national rift Washington Post
Biden calls for an end to America's 'uncivil war.' Here are key takeaways from his inaugural address Washington Post
Inauguration Day live updates: What to know as Biden is set to take office Wednesday Modesto Bee
When is the 2021 Biden inauguration? Here’s how to watch the festivities Los Angeles Times
Inauguration like no other: What health and security concerns have changed Roll Call
Biden inauguration live updates: Ceremony begins at Capitol, hours after Trump departs D.C. Washington Post
Biden, Harris Prepare to Take Oaths at Inauguration Ceremony Wall Street Journal
Trump releases pre-taped farewell address: 'Thank you for this extraordinary privilege'
abc30
The White House has released a pre-taped farewell address from President Trump on his final full day in office.
See also:
Inside The Last-Minute Policy Shifts Of The Trump Administration VPR
As Trump exits Washington, he tells modest crowd, ‘We will be back in some form’ Washington Post
President Trump Departs Washington Ahead of Biden’s Inauguration Wall Street Journal
Yellen pushes GOP Senators on $1.9 Trillion relief package
Business Journal
Janet Yellen, President-elect Joe Biden’s choice as Treasury secretary, said Tuesday that the incoming administration would focus on winning quick passage of its $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan, rejecting Republican arguments that the measure is too big given the size of U.S. budget deficits.
The 'Racial Caste System' At The U.S. Capitol
VPR
After the Capitol was cleared of insurrectionists on Jan. 6, there was work to be done. You may have seen the video of a group of Capitol workers cleaning up the great halls, trying to restore order and dignity to rooms that had been trashed and defaced.
Senate Begins Biden Cabinet Confirmation Hearings As Impeachment Trial Looms
VPR
The day before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, five of his Cabinet nominees will answer questions from Senate panels handling their confirmations.
'The Mob Was Fed Lies': McConnell Rebukes Trump For His Role In Capitol Riot
VPR
For the first time since the Jan. 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly denounced President Trump and his supporters for instigating the insurrection.
See also:
What it will mean to have Californian Kamala Harris in the room at the White House
Sacramento Bee
Kamala Harris is the first vice president from the West Coast since Richard Nixon served under President Dwight Eisenhower more than 60 years ago. She’s the first woman, Black and South Asian to hold the office.
In flurry of orders, Biden aims at four ‘converging crises’
Roll Call
The incoming administration released a fact sheet hours ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration ceremony detailing immediate steps that it will take to tackle the still-raging coronavirus pandemic and other “converging crises” facing the country.
See also:
Biden’s First-Day Orders Will Include Mask Mandate, Blocking Keystone Pipeline Wall Street Journal
Opinion: Biden’s Stimulus Hits All the Right Notes Wall Street Journal
Opinion: How Will President Biden Govern? Wall Street Journal
Opinion: Can Biden Avoid Obama’s First-Term Mistake? Wall Street Journal
Opinion: Covid Control Will Make or Break Biden Wall Street Journal
Opinion: The Biden Travel Ban Wall Street Journal
Opinion: Joe Biden’s economic stimulus plan: A $1.9 trillion mistake? AEI
Trump Issues 73 Pardons, Including to Ex-Aide Steve Bannon
Wall Street Journal
President Trump issued a flurry of pardons and commutations on his final day in office, rewarding a handful of longtime allies and well-connected celebrities, including his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, and onetime fundraiser Elliott Broidy.
See also:
Trump Issues 73 Pardons; Biden to Call for Unity Amid Crisis Wall Street Journal
Justice Department Seeks to Limit Scope of Landmark LGBT Rights Decision
Wall Street Journal
The Justice Department has issued a memo that aims to limit the impact of a landmark Supreme Court ruling protecting gay and transgender people in the workplace, a last-ditch attempt from the Trump administration to hinder policy shifts expected as President-elect Joe Biden begins assembling new leadership at the agency.
PolitiFact’s Biden Promise Tracker: Monitoring his campaign promises
PolitiFact
Since the founding of PolitiFact in 2007, we’ve tracked how well presidents deliver on what they tell voters on the campaign trail. When Joe Biden campaigned for president, he promised to help the nation recover from the COVID-19 pandemic while tackling some of the country’s biggest challenges.
Other:
Will America Heal Itself or Commit Political Suicide?
GVWire
Our nation’s capital looks like a far-away authoritarian land with 25,000 National Guard soldiers and thousands of police officers deployed to keep Joe Biden safe for his presidential inauguration on Wednesday.
For Many Areas, Count Of Homeless Population Is Canceled, Or Delayed
VPR
Every January, in the middle of the night, thousands of volunteers and outreach workers spread out across the country to count the nation's homeless population. They search highway underpasses, wooded areas, abandoned buildings and sidewalks to locate those who are living outside.
What lessons can the child welfare system take from the COVID-19 pandemic?
AEI
COVID-19 and subsequent government responses introduced new barriers to detection and responding to child maltreatment and achieving permanency for children in foster care.
A big chunk of Trump’s 1776 report appears lifted from an author’s prior work
Politico
President Donald Trump’s 1776 Commission was supposed to be the definitive “patriotic” rejoinder to the academic left for what conservatives view as a slanderous rendering of U.S. history. But the report released by the commission on Monday has been mocked by historians as slapdash and slanted. And a good chunk appears lifted or recycled from other publications.
Event: A Conversation with Leon Panetta
Public Policy Institute of California
Former Secretary of Defense and White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta will join PPIC President and CEO Mark Baldassare for a wide-ranging discussion about leading through the critical challenges facing the state and nation.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, January 24, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: Little Hoover Commission Report: What's So Special About Special Districts? - Guest: Carole D'Elia, Executive Director - Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, January 24, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: Special Districts: Relevant or Redundant?- Guests: David Fey from LAFCO Fresno, Sara Lytle-Pinhey from LAFCO Stanislaus, William Nicholson from LAFCO Merced, David Braun from LAFCO Madera and Alan Hoffman, General Manager of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Sierra Sun Times
Two new projects designed and led by UC Merced researchers will address challenges facing many Californians — wildfire recovery and agricultural labor — but will also have global reach.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Reward increased to $10,000 for information on inmates who escaped from Merced County jail
abc30
The U.S. Marshals Service has increased the reward for information leading to the arrests of three inmates who escaped from the Merced County main jail and are still at large. The reward was originally $5,000 per inmate and has now been increased to $10,000 each.
Public Safety:
Los Angeles Times
Command Sgt. Maj. James Nugent was just like any other American the first time he viewed the inside of the U.S. Capitol. He marveled at the expansive Rotunda and inspected the scars left behind when the British torched the building in 1814.
Fire:
Fire breaks out near North Fork as foothill, Sierra wind gusts surge to 85 mph
Fresno Bee
Firefighters were on the scene late Monday of a vegetation blaze near the foothill town of North Fork, prompting an evacuation advisory at a mobile home park on a night that as expected saw a massive wind event begin in the Sierra and foothill areas of central California.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Feds invest $2.7M for COVID-Impacted business in Fresno, SLO
Business Journal
The U.S. Department of Commerce has chosen to invest in Fresno and San Luis Obispo counties’ hard-hit businesses through a $2.7 million grant given by the department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).
‘I have to provide’: How these California moms are making it through the pandemic
Sacramento Bee
Silvia Alvarenga of Sacramento has felt constant stress over her family’s finances since her business saw sharp declines in real estate clients during the pandemic. She worries. How she will pay for her teenage daughter’s college textbooks? Who will drive her 86-year-old mother living at home to the store or next doctor’s appointment? When is the next utility bill due?
PPP Covid-19 Small-Business Aid Reopens With 60,000 Loans
Wall Street Journal
Roughly 60,000 borrowers were approved for more than $5 billion in forgivable loans during the first week of the reopened Paycheck Protection Program, the Small Business Administration said Tuesday.
See also:
SBA proposal would include faith groups in lending Business Journal
More Americans Face Retirement Insecurity
Wall Street Journal
After improving slightly in 2019, the outlook for financial security in retirement for workers ages 30 to 59 deteriorated in 2020, according to a study released Tuesday by Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research.
Fresno Bee
Last January, California confirmed its first case of COVID-19 at a time when the state had a record low 3.9% unemployment and a booming economy, a statement that seems radically far away from our present reality.
Jobs:
Webinar to cover Paycheck Protection Program loans
Bakersfield Californian
A free webinar offered by the Small Business Development Center on Wednesday will cover what businesses need to know when applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Students could get option to re-do the school year under Fresno Unified trustee’s plan
Fresno Bee
Fresno Unified high school students could have a chance, if they choose, to re-do the 2020-21 school year next fall, giving them an opportunity to experience activities that aren’t possible during the distance learning era.
California’s ban on high school sports still scheduled to end next week — for now
Fresno Bee
California’s COVID-19 suspension of youth sports competitions is expected to end next week, but the state’s top public health official on Tuesday voiced reservations about the timeline and said it could change.
See also:
Opportunity Gap Grows for California K-12 Students
California Budget & Policy Center
As California students of all ages cannot fully return to classrooms due to the COVID-19 pandemic, learning from home and the technology needed exposes the state’s digital divide.
Newsom’s $2 billion school reopening fund could actually cost districts money
CalMatters
Some school officials say a proposal touted by Gov. Gavin Newsom as financial assistance to reopen California campuses attaches strings that would strain their budgets.
Walters: A big data system for public education?
CalMatters
Having failed so many times to effectively use technology in state government, should California try again with a school data system?
Higher Ed:
Fresno State planning changes for spring semester. Here’s what’s in the works
Fresno Bee
Fresno State will increase its offering of in-person classes this spring semester to accommodate students whose course work requires in-person labs or accreditation for graduation and was postponed during the fall due to the pandemic.
Another blow to the SAT: Essays and subject tests to be scrapped amid pandemic fallout
Los Angeles Times
In another sea change to the standardized testing industry, the College Board announced Tuesday that it planned to scrap the SAT subject tests and optional essay, saying the pandemic had accelerated the push to “reduce and simplify demands on students.”
Testimony: A New Era of Student Access at California’s Community Colleges
Public Policy Institute of California
Our recent report, A New Era of Student Access at California’s Community Colleges, aims to shed light on how AB 705 affected student access, outcomes, and racial equity by specifically looking at fall 2019, the deadline for implementing AB 705.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Newsom unveils budget with billions for the environment, publishes wildfire action plan
Desert Sun
In a busy Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the details of a proposed $227.2 billion 2021-22 budget, which included billions for environmental causes ranging from electric vehicles to greener farming. He also published the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, laying out a strategy for better management of wildlands fires after a record-shattering year of burns.
Biden moves quickly to restore environmental protections eased by Trump
Roll Call
After he is sworn in Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden will set the U.S. on track to rejoin the 2015 Paris climate accords and revoke the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, early steps in the process of restoring environmental protections rolled back by the Trump administration.
Biden’s climate crusade: How his plan to cut carbon emissions, create jobs could impact U.S.
USA Today
As he steps into office this week, President-elect Joe Biden brings an ambitious plan to address climate change, and with Democrats in control of Congress for the first time in a decade, he may have the opportunity to accomplish some of his loftiest goals.
Energy:
Trump Rules Easing Power-Plant Emissions Limits Are Vacated by Court
Wall Street Journal
A federal appeals court on Tuesday vacated the Trump administration’s rules that eased restrictions on greenhouse-gas emissions from power plants, potentially making it easier for the incoming Biden administration to reset rules targeting climate emissions.
Great Lakes Pipeline Adds Heat to U.S.-Canada Energy Tensions
Wall Street Journal
Canadian and U.S. officials are at odds over the fate of a pipeline underneath the Great Lakes, exacerbating disagreements over energy policy between the two nations as the Biden administration prepares to take office.
Supreme Court Case Could Limit Future Lawsuits Against Fossil Fuel Industry
New York Times
The court heard arguments on a technical legal question in a case that demands fossil fuel companies help pay for the costs of dealing with climate change.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
'Long-haulers': Clinics open to help people still feeling effects of COVID-19 months later
abc30
COVID-19 came early for Catherine Busa, and it never really left. The 54-year-old New York City school secretary didn't have any underlying health problems when she caught the coronavirus in March, and she recovered at her Queens home.
Coronavirus deaths top 400,000 in US. ‘Not going to be some magical solution’
Merced Sun-Star
Coronavirus has killed more than 400,000 people in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. reached the grim milestone Tuesday, almost one year since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the country and a little over a month after passing 300,000 coronavirus deaths on Dec. 14, The New York Times reported.
See also:
‘Shameful’: US virus deaths top 400K as Trump leaves office Fresno Bee
COVID-19 update: Over 2,000 people have died in central San Joaquin Valley Fresno Bee
Kern Public Health reports 530 new coronavirus cases Tuesday Bakersfield Californian
San Joaquin County deaths move back ahead of Stanislaus Modesto Bee
California becomes first state to top 3 million virus cases Business Journal
Coronavirus Live Updates: U.S. Cases, Deaths Rise; Hospitalizations Decrease Wall Street Journal
Editorial: A single dose of COVID vaccine may help, but it’s not sufficient
Los Angeles Times
The all-important push to vaccinate Americans against COVID-19 faces a true dilemma: Two doses are required for the vaccines available right now. But because Americans — like people in many countries — would not refrain from holiday gatherings and keep their masks on, cases are surging higher than they’ve ever been.
Human Services:
Fresno residents frustrated by unavailability of COVID-19 vaccinations
Fresno Bee
News that vaccinations for COVID-19 would be available this week at the Central High East campus prompted those desperate for the injections to quickly fill all available slots. The response was indicative of the demand for protection from the deadly virus and the frustration of those who can’t get it.
See also:
COVID vaccine shortfall affects capacity of Fresno clinics. What’s it mean for your shots? Fresno Bee
Health department debuts COVID-19 vaccination site at the fairgrounds — but awaits more doses Bakersfield Californian
COVID vaccinations could restart this week in Modesto, Turlock if supply comes through Modesto Bee
Vaccine struggles, new variants muddy California’s COVID outlook Sacramento Bee
Vaccine chaos: Californians scramble for shots amid mixed messaging CalMatters
Single lot of Moderna vaccine paused
Hanford Sentinel
On Monday, Jan. 17, 2021 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a statement advising all providers to pause administering lot 41L20A of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine due to reports of a higher-than-usual number of possible allergic reactions.
See also:
Clinica Sierra Vista pauses COVID vaccinations in Fresno out of an abundance of caution abc30
Turlock vaccine clinic on hold Turlock Journal
City of Clovis, United Health Centers Cancel COVID-19 Testing Site Clovis Roundup
Vaccine clinics could suffer if county forced to take over nursing home efforts
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County officials said a federal government program is not getting coronavirus vaccine to residents and employees in long-term care facilities quickly enough.
VA clinic owners appeal city's approval of proposed new clinic in northwest Bakersfield
Bakersfield Californian
The owners of a veterans outpatient clinic in Bakersfield have filed two appeals — one with the Bakersfield City Council and one with the Planning Commission — over a proposal to build a new veterans clinic near Olive Drive.
Brush, floss, and vaccinate: Dentists seek COVID protection
Business Journal
While vaccinations begin to ramp up in the Central Valley, one group often overlooked on the front lines is vying for access to help inoculate the community.
COVID-19 Is Wreaking Havoc In State Hospitals, Too
VPR
In the months since the pandemic began, COVID-19 has taken a tremendous toll on hospitals, where bedspace is at a minimum and staff are overworked, and prisons, where tight living quarters and mixed enforcement of safety precautions have left incarcerated people vulnerable to soaring infections.
Moderna on Track to Make 100 Million Vaccine Doses by End of March, CEO Says
Wall Street Journal
Moderna Inc.’s leader said the drugmaker is on track to produce enough doses of its new Covid-19 vaccine to help meet President-elect Joe Biden’s goal to administer 100 million vaccine doses in the first 100 days after he takes office on Wednesday.
IMMIGRATION
Advocates push California Gov. Gavin Newsom to include all undocumented in stimulus aid
Fresno Bee
Under California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, some undocumented workers would be eligible for stimulus financial relief, but a large number of them would be left out of any cash assistance, despite being the most affected during the pandemic, researchers and advocates say.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Update: High winds hammer foothills and Yosemite, closing national park. Power outages dot region
Sierra Star
Strong, damaging winds are blowing through the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra, toppling trees and power lines and causing the closure of Yosemite National Park.
See also:
Housing:
Company that makes 3D-printed buildings wants to help solve California housing crisis
Fox Business
A company that builds 3D homes believes it can be the solution to California's housing crisis. Mighty Buildings is a 3D construction company incorporated in 2017 and based in Oakland, Calif., shaping the future of the housing market by creating sustainable, functional accessory dwelling units (ADUs) -- similar to "tiny homes" -- using 3D printing technology.
Could California’s Shopping Centers Be a Housing Fix?
Bloomberg
A trio of bills propose plugging the state’s huge housing gap with commercial-to-residential conversions of strip malls. New research suggests it could work.
PUBLIC FINANCES
State High Risk Update—Federal COVID-19 Funding
Auditor of the State of California
This letter report provides an update on our assessment of the State’s management of federal funds related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a high risk statewide issue.
Tax season is delayed — prepare early so your refund isn't
yahoo!finance
The IRS has announced that tax season is starting later this year — but that doesn't mean you can't get a jump on doing your taxes. The tax agency will begin accepting and processing your 2020 return on Feb. 12, more than two weeks later than last year.
TRANSPORTATION
Researchers Analyze California Transportation Revenue Scenarios
Roads&Bridges
New research from the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) estimates the impact the COVID-19 pandemic would have on state-generated transportation revenue under six potential economic recovery scenarios in California.
WATER
Californians owe $1 billion in water bills, facing massive shutoffs. Is relief on the way?
Fresno Bee
In a time of record-breaking unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Californians owe an estimated $1 billion in unpaid water utility bills. With reduced revenue, hundreds of water utilities are at high risk of financial emergency.
Agreement will allow transitional pumping to continue
Porterville Recorder
The agreement between the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency and the Friant Water Authority will provide additional funding for repairs to the Friant-Kern Canal.
Water crisis looms as California households struggle to pay bills, suppliers lose revenue
San Francisco Chronicle
Unpaid water bills are piling up across California as the pandemic continues to rage, leaving water agencies out hundreds of millions of dollars and nearly 1 in 8 families with rising debt — and eventually, a possible water shut-off.
Water Is Gold : How Central Valley Communities are Still Fighting the Drought
Cal Ag Roots
California, the golden state, is known for many things, chief among them is its status as the breadbasket of the nation and the world. Yet, the ability to sustain agriculture and support the communities is limited by access to water.
Opinion: Water partnerships between cities and farms would help prepare for a changing climate
CalMatters
Valley farmers and Southern California cities could improve water security if they jointly developed and managed some water supplies.
“Xtra”
Fresno Bee
Bars are having a rough year. With COVID-19 cases continuing to spike in Fresno County and the Valley’s ICU bed availability effectively at zero, the region is under a stay-at-home order.
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Thank you!
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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