January 21, 2021

21Jan

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Holiday surge has yet to materialize in San Joaquin County

Stockton Record

An anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients from holiday gatherings has not materialized, the San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency reported Wednesday.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

National Media Company Steps In To Help Fresno Businesses

Business Journal

A Fresno business will receive funds from a national sports media company to help recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Editorial: Devin Nunes said goodbye to his BFF, Donald Trump. Will he finally focus on his district?

Fresno Bee

Throughout Trump’s four years as president, Nunes, the Tulare Republican, enjoyed access to his Best Friend Forever — aka the president — that precious few in Congress achieved.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

Bakersfield City Council rejects Casa Esperanza home aiming to help homeless women and children

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City Council voted on Wednesday to halt a privately-funded project designed to help homeless women and children.

 

Delano becomes first city in Kern County to issue fines for COVID-19 violations

Bakersfield Californian

Delano has become the first city in Kern County to issue fines for stay-at-home order violations. During a Tuesday night meeting, the Delano City Council voted 4-1 to issue fines for gatherings of more than 10 people from different households in public spaces.

 

State:

 

Alex Padilla sworn in as California’s first Latino U.S. senator

Los Angeles Times

With his mother’s Bible in hand and his political mentor at his side, Alex Padilla on Wednesday became the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate. The COVID-19 pandemic and security concerns following the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol kept Padilla’s wife, Angela, and three sons from attending.

See also:

 

California Senate Republicans replace vocal Trump supporter Shannon Grove as their leader

Los Angeles Times

Just days after tweeting a false claim about this month’s mob storming of the U.S. Capitol, state Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, a staunch supporter of former President Trump,​​ was replaced Wednesday as the leader of the California Senate Republicans after having served in the position for two years.

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California shortchanged smaller communities when it doled out COVID relief, audit says

Fresno Bee

Small California counties received a disproportionately small share of federal coronavirus assistance distributed by the state last year while larger communities took in far more money per resident, according to a report released by the California State Auditor on Tuesday.

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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. Newsom provided few specifics, citing uncertainty that still surrounds the state’s financial forecast despite projections of a surplus.

 

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

Sacramento 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.

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Has Florida done better than California in fighting COVID-19? Here are the facts

Sacramento Bee

Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stood out for their contrasting responses to the outbreak. Newsom, a Democrat, quickly moved to shut down economic activity.

 

Newsom sets new tone for California, White House partnership

AP News

After four years of sparring with President Donald Trump, California is ready for a more productive, friendlier chapter with Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.

 

Federal:

 

Inauguration Day live updates: Biden sworn in as 46th president. Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office shortly before noon EST Wednesday, Jan. 20, the constitutionally set Inauguration Day. Biden is the nation’s 46th​​ president and Harris becomes the first woman, first Black and first Southeast Asian-American to hold the office of vice president.

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Biden Will Lead an Older, Polarized and Financially Insecure Nation

Wall Street Journal

President Joe Biden will lead a country with an aging population that is on shakier economic footing and is more politically polarized than at most points in recent years.

See also:

 

Vice President Kamala Harris sworn in, opening new chapter in US politics on Inauguration Day

abc30

Vice President Kamala Harris broke the barrier Wednesday that has kept men at the top ranks of American power for more than two centuries when she took the oath to hold the nation's second-highest office.

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Donald Trump leaves White House for last time as president, says departure 'not a long term goodbye'

abc30

His presidency over, Donald Trump bid farewell to Washington on Wednesday but also hinted at a comeback despite a legacy of chaos, tumult, and bitter division in the country he led for four years.

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President Biden signs slew of executive actions during first day. Here’s a look

Sacramento Bee

President Joe Biden has signed more than a dozen executive actions during his first day in office — including on the pandemic, racial and LGBTQ equity, immigration issues and environmental issues.

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Democrats gaining Senate control as new members take oath

Bakersfield Californian

Three new senators were sworn into office Wednesday after President Joe Biden's inauguration, securing the majority for Democrats in the Senate and across a unified government to tackle the new president's agenda at a time of unprecedented national challenges.

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Biden’s Agenda Depends on Success in Curbing Covid-19 Pandemic

Wall Street Journal

President Biden’s success in achieving some of his biggest policy objectives—curbing climate change, expanding health coverage and overhauling immigration laws—will depend in large part on his success in combating the coronavirus pandemic.

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Who Is Running Government Agencies While Senate Considers Biden’s Cabinet Nominees?

Wall Street Journal

President Biden took office on Wednesday with none of his cabinet agencies led by Senate-confirmed secretaries.

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Eyeing 2022 gains, GOP faces uncertain future with Trump’s exit

Roll Call

Donald Trump left office Wednesday, leaving in his wake a Republican Party that is out of power and divided, with just 21 months to unite before the 2022 elections.

 

Trump pardons in California extend to former congressman

Bakersfield Californian

When then-Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham admitted in 2005 to accepting $2.4 million in illegal gifts from defense contractors in exchange for government contracts and other favors, it was considered the largest bribery scandal in congressional history.

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House Oversight Committee chair requests FBI probe of Parler, including its role in Capitol siege

Washington Post

The chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Thursday asked the FBI to conduct a “robust examination” of the alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol siege of Parler, the now-disabled social media site that bristled with violent chatter before and after rioters stormed the Capitol in a rampage that left five people dead.

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Other:

 

Can Local Media Restore Trust And Destroy Disinformation?

Zocalo Public Square

Social media polarizes us. Political propaganda deluges us. And misinformation and disinformation seem to spread as quickly as COVID-19. So where can we go to find stories, analysis, and messengers we can trust?

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Scoop: Google is investigating the actions of another top AI ethicist

Axios

Google is investigating recent actions by Margaret Mitchell, who helps lead the company's ethical AI team, Axios has confirmed.

 

Column: The idea that American democracy is indestructible has come crashing down

Los Angeles Times

Cherished beliefs can desert us in an instant. On Jan. 5, we lived in a country of strong if slightly fraying democratic institutions with a flawless history of peacefully transferring power from one president to the next.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, January 24, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy ReportLittle 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, LAFCO Fresno; Sara Lytle-Pinhey, LAFCO Stanislaus; William Nicholson, LAFCO Merced; David Braun, LAFCO Madera; and Alan Hoffman, General Manager of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Pandemic Still Affecting Wineries

California Ag Today

Throughout the pandemic, we have regularly brought you stories of how various agricultural groups are faring during this difficult time. Here are a few more of those stories courtesy of the California Farm Bureau.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Wrongful death lawsuit against Fresno County Sheriff’s Office wants cameras on deputies

Fresno Bee

The family of a man killed by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county seeking not just financial relief but also major changes in the office including wearing body cameras.

 

Six arrested for assisting with inmates escaping from Merced County Jail

abc30

The Merced County Sheriff's Office, United States Marshals Service and Department have arrested six people who assisted their inmates in their escape earlier this month.

 

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.

 

Justice Delayed: Courts Overwhelmed By Pandemic Backlog

Capital Public Radio

Delays and backlogs in criminal and civil cases are spreading throughout California’s court system. Half as many cases were resolved — 1.4 million fewer — from March through August last year than during the same period in 2019.

 

COVID-19 Extends Sentences for Some Incarcerated People

Pew Trusts

Nearly every day, Jan Salvay checks for her nephew’s name on the Nevada Department of Correction’s website: Nicholas, 39, jailed in a credit card forgery case. Then she checks the state’s list of deaths in custody—just to make sure his name isn’t there.

 

Public Safety:

 

Protesters’ march in downtown ends; no violence at fortified California state Capitol

Fresno Bee

A collection of protesters marched around and to California’s heavily guarded state Capitol on Wednesday as authorities continued their extraordinary show of force in downtown Sacramento to thwart any violence on Inauguration Day for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

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Fire:

 

California winds bring wildfires, power outages to thousands

Bakersfield Californian

A windstorm that fanned brushfires, toppled trees and left thousands of Californians without power focused its remaining energy Wednesday on the southern end of the state, where forecasters warned of the additional threat of heavy rain and flash flooding.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Wall Street hits records as hopes build for more stimulus

Los Angeles Times

Wall Street marked the dawn of President Joe Biden’s administration with stocks rallying to record highs as hopes build that new leadership in Washington will mean more support for the struggling U.S. economy.

 

Over $5 billion in U.S. small business relief loans approved in first week: SBA

Reuters

The U.S. Small Business Administration said on Tuesday it has approved over $5 billion in small business relief loans in the first week since reopening the Paycheck Protection Program under a new round of federal funding.

 

Opinion: A Biden Tax-Hike Break for Small Businesses

Wall Street Journal

With President Biden in office and Democrats controlling the Senate, you can expect the new administration to propose a new tax bill soon, including an increase in the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%.

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Jobs:

 

Unemployment insurance is broken. What would it take to fix it?

MarketPlace

In his inaugural address on Wednesday, President Joe Biden acknowledged that “millions of jobs have been lost” and that he understands people are worried if they can “keep my health care, can I pay my mortgage?”

 

How Much Vaccine Information Should You Demand From Employees?

Inc

There are lots of good reasons why business owners would want to know how, when, and if employees are getting the Covid-19 vaccine. From a safety and health standpoint, vaccine information could help business owners make key decisions.

 

Another 900,000 U.S. workers file new unemployment claims
UPI
Close to another 1 million U.S. workers have filed for new unemployment benefits, the Labor Department said in its weekly report Thursday -- slightly fewer than experts anticipated.

See also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

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.

 

Kingsburg school boards meet, agree on 2021 calendars

Hanford Sentinel

Trustees of the Kingsburg Joint Union High School District and the Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District held their first meeting of 2021 at the same time on Monday, Jan. 11 but in different locations.

 

Do local teachers earn enough? Search average pay for every district in the state

Modesto Bee

Average teacher pay in California public schools rose to $84,531 last school year, an increase of 2.2% from the prior year, new state data show. Teacher pay was highest in Silicon Valley’s Mountain View-Los Altos Union High school district, where teachers earned, on average, about $139,100.

 

Higher Ed:

 

New blow to SAT empire shows California’s key role in diminishing college admissions tests

Los Angeles Times

One by one, the California blows against the SAT and ACT kept coming. First UC Berkeley announced last May that it wanted to disregard SAT and ACT test scores in admissions decisions for some students in a pilot study.

 

Biden’s debt forgiveness plan would help millions of California students

CalMatters

Both President-elect Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats want to forgive some amount of federal student loan debt. The question is, how much — $10,000 or $50,000 — and is it even a good idea?

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Biden moves to end Trump’s attack on California car, air quality regulations

Fresno Bee

President Joe Biden is signing an executive order on his first day in office directing his government to revise fuel economy standards, a stark reversal from the Trump administration that for years battled California’s effort to maintain a strict cap on emissions from cars.

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In last-minute slap, court strikes down major Trump rollback on clean air

Los Angeles Times

In a last-minute slap at President Trump, a federal appeals court Tuesday struck down one of his administration’s most momentous climate rollbacks, saying officials acted illegally in issuing a new rule that eased federal regulation of air pollution from power plants.

 

What is the Paris climate agreement and why is the US rejoining?

BBC

One of US President Joe Biden's first acts in office was to start the process of rejoining the Paris climate deal - reversing Donald Trump's decision to withdraw.

 

Opinion: Biden’s Keystone Pipeline Kill

Wall Street Journal

President Biden issued a blizzard of executive orders on his first day in office, including a diktat to revoke the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. This is a slap at Canada, and it sends a message to investors that playing by U.S. rules provides no immunity from arbitrary political whim.

 

Energy:

 

What Does a Green Grid Mean, and Can Biden Make One?

Washington Post

The biggest machine on Earth delivers more than $400 billion of electricity a year across nearly 7 million miles (11 million kilometers) of transmission and distribution lines.

 

Big U.S. oil drillers have federal permits to mute effect of any Biden ban

Reuters

U.S. President Joe Biden’s promised ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal lands would take years to shut off production from top shale drillers because they already have stockpiled permits, according to Reuters interviews with executives.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

California officially passes 3 million cases; hospital rates drop

Fresno Bee

California has officially reached 3 million confirmed coronavirus cases, the same week the U.S. death toll from the disease surpassed 400,000, with each figure driven by immense winter surges of infections and hospitalizations.

See also:

 

More contagious COVID-19 variants bring new uncertainties to California

Los Angeles Times

Confirmed coronavirus cases in California surged past the 3 million mark Tuesday at a moment of growing optimism that the outbreak might finally be leveling off, even as officials noted some alarming factors that could complicate projections.

 

Biden issuing pandemic plan that aims to expand access to testing and vaccines, reopen schools

Washington Post

President Biden plans Thursday to issue a new national strategy to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and to take executive actions intended to make tests and vaccines more abundant, schools and travel safer, and states better able to afford their role in the long road back to normal life.

 

Yes, people with coronavirus vaccinations should still distance from each other. Here’s why.

Washington Post

As the coronavirus vaccines have rolled out, so too have promising messages about what the shots mean for the countless lives upended by the pandemic.

 

How Operation Warp Speed Created Vaccination Chaos

ProPublica

States are struggling to plan their vaccination programs with just one week’s notice for how many doses they’ll receive from the federal government. The incoming Biden administration is deciding what to do with this dysfunctional system.

 

Human Services:

 

As death toll hits milestones, Fresno-area vaccine distribution lags

Fresno Bee

The coronavirus death toll across the nation rolled past 400,000 on Tuesday, including a number of new fatalities reported in central San Joaquin Valley counties following the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend.

See also:

 

Central California COVID-19 vaccines: How to make an appointment, latest information by county

abc30

With more COVID-19 vaccines becoming available, public health officials are laying out their plans for when they'll be distributing vaccines to local residents.

See also:

 

Hospitals still under strain from COVID-19, but some see hope the virus has peaked

Bakersfield Californian

New daily cases of COVID-19 in Kern County have dipped and so have hospitalizations for those with the virus, but hospitals are still being clobbered by record-high patient levels.

 

Kern Public Health lists locations that received Moderna vaccine lot under investigation

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Public Health Services Department released a list of the locations that received doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines that are under investigation for possible allergic reactions. The department said that no adverse reactions have been reported at any local facilities.

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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. The county is urging the federal government and its program partners, Omnicare CVS and Walgreens, to speed up the vaccinations for this vulnerable population.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Immigrants cheered by possible citizenship path under Biden

Fresno Bee

Immigrants cheered President Joe Biden's plan to provide a path to U.S. citizenship for about 11 million people without legal status, mixing hope with guarded optimism Wednesday amid a seismic shift in how the American government views and treats them.

See also:

 

Local groups call for immigration reform package from President Joe Biden

abc30

Representatives from several agencies in Fresno held a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday calling for a comprehensive immigration reform package from President Joe Biden and lawmakers.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Yosemite National Park remains closed in wake of Mono winds. See photos, video of damage

Fresno Bee

Yosemite National Park remains closed following a wind storm Tuesday that felled trees and power lines and caused major destruction in areas around the park including Bass Lake and Oakhurst.

See also:

 

Housing:

 

Fresno gets $15.8 million in federal money for new COVID-19 rental and housing relief

Fresno Bee

The city of Fresno got another $15.8 million in federal money on Wednesday to help address rental and housing relief for those struggling economically because of COVID-19, according to a news release.

 

Bakersfield City Council rejects Casa Esperanza home aiming to help homeless women and children

Bakersfield Californian

The Bakersfield City Council voted on Wednesday to halt a privately-funded project designed to help homeless women and children.

 

Another study confirms Californians are packing up and moving out. Where are they going?

Sacramento Bee

U-Haul, the national rental truck company, is providing yet more evidence that California is dropping in popularity as a place to live, even as Sacramento is gaining ground as a COVID-19 era landing spot.

 

Eviction cases in California projected to double

Los Angeles Times

California courts are bracing for eviction cases to double over the next year as pandemic-related financial woes deepen for thousands of renters across the state.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

CalPERS doesn’t have to release names of retirees with disability pensions after ruling

Sacramento Bee

An appeal court issued a decision this week that will keep information on CalPERS disability pensions private unless the state Supreme Court gets involved.

 

Here’s the maximum amount Biden’s stimulus checks and tax credits would deliver to America’s poorest families

MarketWatch

A new round of $1,400 stimulus checks could equal at least 20% of the money low-income families bring home in a full year, according to tax policy experts running the numbers on President-Elect Joe Biden’s proposed financial rescue plan to lift up households rocked by the pandemic’s economic fallout.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Southwest Airlines Reveals Arrival Date At Fat

Business Journal

Southwest Airlines released its flight schedule for Fresno Yosemite International Airport. Flights with the airline will begin April 25 with flights to Denver International Airport and Las Vegas McCarren International Airport, according to a press release.

See also:

 

15 Bicycle Safety Facts, Statistics, and Tips

Cycling How

The benefits of cycling are well documented. It’s a fun way to get fit. It causes less strain and injury if done correctly. Cycling also allows you to accomplish other tasks, such as getting to work or buying groceries, while also exercising. It is, therefore, understandable why cycling is an increasingly popular activity among Americans.

 

California gearing up for another attempt to pass Idaho Stop law

Bicycle Retailer

The California Bicycle Coalition is backing another legislative attempt this year to adopt the Idaho Stop for bicyclists entering intersections. The California law was first proposed but not passed in 2017, allowing bicyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, and supported by the coalition.

 

Biden to sign order Thursday requiring masks on planes, buses, trains and at airports

Washington Post

President Biden will sign an order Thursday mandating mask usage in airports and on many planes, trains, ships and intercity buses, the White House said.

 

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.

 

Commentary: Water Partnerships between Cities and Farms Would Help Prepare for a Changing Climate

PPIC

San Joaquin Valley farms and Southern California cities are facing different but equally daunting water challenges. For valley farmers, the requirement to achieve groundwater sustainability in coming years has heightened interest in expanding water supplies to reduce the need to fallow irrigated farmland.

 

“Xtra”

 

Women's March Kern County to unite community virtually this year

Bakersfield Californian

Like many events over the last year, the Women’s March Kern County will go virtual, but don’t let the format deter you. Organizers are committed to bringing the community together in a session packed with activists, writers, performers and more on Saturday.

 

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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.

                                                      

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

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