Maddy Institute – January 29, 2021

29Jan

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

COVID-19 hospitalizations in San Joaquin County have dropped 18.3% in past week

Stockton Recorder

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have decreased by 18.3% in San Joaquin County over the past week. There are currently 255 COVID-19 patients admitted for care.

Modesto mayoral candidates raise money for runoff election. Who’s giving?

Modesto Bee

Doug Ridenour and Sue Zwahlen together have raised more than $290,000 in their campaigns to become Modesto’s next mayor.

Stanislaus County eases restrictions on ‘granny flats.’ Are they a cure for housing shortage?

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County supervisors approved an ordinance amendment this week easing restrictions on extra dwellings that can be placed on residential and agricultural parcels in unincorporated areas.

Modesto Bee

One of Tuolumne County’s popular casinos is getting a major upgrade as it plans to add a large resort to its existing gaming center. Chicken Ranch Casino in Jamestown announced it will build a hotel and conference center next to its popular gambling hall off Highway 108.

Central SJ Valley:

Vaccinations in Fresno-area counties lagging well behind most of state

Fresno Bee

California will get about 77,000 more doses of coronavirus vaccine than it did the past two weeks, a 16% increase in line with President Joe Biden’s plan to increase supply to states to 10 million from 8.6 million.

● Fresno County has fewest new cases of any day this year Fresno Bee

● The vaccine rollout has been slow and complicated, but you can help. Here’s how people are volunteering. Washington Post

After Thursday drenching, what’s the Friday weather forecast for Fresno region?

Fresno Bee

Clearing skies, with a chance of scattered thunderstorms, are forecast Friday for the central San Joaquin Valley, a day after nearly two inches of rain fell in the Fresno area.

Fresno green lights cannabis equity program for people with criminal records. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Fresno City Council on Thursday set up an equity fund to potentially help support cannabis businesses run by disadvantaged owners — or people who have previously been affected by outdated drug laws.

Dirty politics: Clovis City Council candidate swiped rivals’ campaign signs, police say

Fresno Bee

A Clovis City Council candidate faces felony charges after police says video evidence caught him stealing campaign signs belonging to two rivals. Spokesman Jim Munro said Herman Nagra will be booked on counts of grand theft for stealing $1,200 in signs from two rivals, Diane Pearce and Vong Mouanoutoua.

City officials: Clovis ran ‘gauntlet,’ emerging strong as ever

Business Journal

The City of Clovis has endured a tough year during the thick of the pandemic, but has shown elasticity as the business community grows into 2021.

Fresno church threatens to sue over Tower Theatre sale; Mayor Dyer gives another option

Fresno Bee

After public outcry, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer offered the church trying to buy the Tower Theatre an agreement to operate out of a different prominent building in downtown.

● Fresno mayor offers Adventure Church license to use memorial auditorium instead of Tower Theatre abc30

● Roadblocks for Fresno mayor's offer to settle Tower Theatre sale dispute abc30

● Mayor Dyer offers alternative to Tower Theatre for church Business Journal

● How Did Memorial Auditorium Get Dragged Into The Tower Theatre Controversy? Munro Review

Fresno council approves 844-lot Granville project west of 99

Business Journal

The council approved a rezone application, tract map and final environment impact report for Granville Homes’ proposed “Parc West” development on the west side of North Grantland avenue between west Gettysburg and Ashlan avenues, west of Highway 99.

County board supervisorial redistricting commission being formed

Porterville Recorder

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors is seeking interested individuals to compose an 11 seat 2021 Advisory Commission on Supervisorial Redistricting.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports 9 new coronavirus deaths, 565 new cases Bakersfield Californian

● With fairgrounds booked, some residents worry about scheduling second COVID-19 vaccine shot Bakersfield Californian

California Patriots Coalition establishes locations in Kern County for signing petition to recall Gov. Newsom

KGET
The California Patriots Coalition has established several permanent locations in Kern County for people to sign a petition to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.

McCarthy Tries to Mend Fences With Trump

Wall Street Journal

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy worked to patch up his relationship with Donald Trump in a meeting in Florida on Thursday, a sign of the former president’s continued sway over the party despite his loss in November and his impeachment this month over the Capitol riot.

● McCarthy Seeks Thaw With Trump as G.O.P. Rallies Behind Former President New York Times

State:

COVID Update:

California infection rates fall; variants prompt vaccine urgency Merced Sun-Star
Blue Shield of California tapped to speed up state vaccines AP News
Review of what can be open under purple tier Porterville Recorder
As COVID-19 rages on, California and federal government extend health insurance enrollment Sacramento Bee

California teachers tell Gov. Newsom they need vaccines before reopening classrooms

Sacramento Bee

California’s powerful teachers’ union in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom this week reiterated that it wants school employees to have a COVID-19 vaccine before the state more widely reopens classrooms.

● Summary: California's Safe Schools for All Plan California Department of Public Health

● California teachers could get Covid-19 vaccinations starting in February EdSource

● Newsom: California schools won't reopen 'if we wait for the perfect' Politico

Recalling a California governor, explained

CalMatters

“Recall Gavin Newsom” signs are popping up around California. At shopping centers and street protests, people fed up with the Democratic governor are asking voters to sign petitions. What began as a far-fetched effort by Republican activists has turned into a credible campaign attempting to throw Newsom out of office.

● Far-right movements including QAnon, virus skeptics linked to Newsom recall Los Angeles Times

Audit: California jobless agency’s inaction led to fraud

Merced Sun-Star

California’s unemployment agency was warned early in the pandemic to prepare for an increase in fraudulent jobless claims, yet it still suspended one of its key prevention tools and waited four months before making any substantive changes to its systems, according to a new audit released Thursday that blames Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration for “significant missteps and inaction” that cost taxpayers at least $10.4 billion.

See Also:

● Employment Development Department Auditor of the State of California

● Audit: California jobless agency’s inaction led to fraud Business Journal

● 1,700 claims from 1 address? How California missed widespread unemployment fraud Merced Sun-Star

● A year into pandemic, California’s broken unemployment agency still hurting those in need Los Angeles Times

Technical Glitches Keep Newsom’s Dream of High-Tech Government on Hold

Capital Public Radio

Like millions of Californians, Mary Montgomery turned to unemployment insurance in recent months to help make ends meet, as the Sacramento sushi restaurant where she worked opened and closed during the pandemic.

Newsom in familiar spot with intense lobbying for California AG job

Politico

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing intense lobbying from all sides as he fills another plum appointment — this time for state attorney general.

California lawmakers approve 1st Black elections official

Bakersfield Californian

California lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to the appointment of the state's first Black top election official, filling a position vacated when the former secretary of state became California’s first Latino U.S. senator.

‘Trump stink’ in a blue state. Can California Republicans pivot from his presidency unscathed?

Sacramento Bee

Now, as California Republicans continue to fight for representation in a state that voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden, some say the former president’s efforts to undermine the election makes Golden State Republicans’ uphill climb even steeper.

● She falsely speculated that space lasers caused the Camp Fire. Now she’s a congresswoman. Sacramento Bee

State lifts suspensions of half a million driver’s licenses

CalMatters

Legal advocates are trying to roll back California’s hefty traffic ticket fines and fees, which are among the highest in the nation. One attorney called them a “blunt instrument” punishing people “when in reality, for many Californians, traffic tickets are simply too expensive to take care of.”

Federal:

President Biden signs executive order to reopen Affordable Care Act enrollment amid COVID-19

Bakersfield Californian

President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered government health insurance markets to reopen for a special sign-up window, offering uninsured Americans a haven as the spread of COVID-19 remains dangerously high and vaccines aren't yet widely available.

● Biden Orders Review of Trump Health-Care Policies, but Move Likely Faces Bumps Wall Street Journal

● Biden Moves to Expand Health Coverage in Pandemic Economy New York Times

Beyond COVID-19: 4 Other Key Health Issues Congress Recently Addressed

VPR

Late last month, before President Biden took office and proposed his new pandemic relief plan, Congress passed a nearly 5,600-page legislative package that provided some pandemic relief along with its more general allocations to fund the government in 2021.

Democrats to ‘act big’ on $1.9-trillion aid; GOP wants plan split

Los Angeles Times

Democrats in Congress and the White House on Thursday rejected a Republican pitch to split President Biden’s $1.9-trillion COVID-19 rescue plan into smaller chunks, with lawmakers appearing primed to move the sweeping economic and coronavirus aid forward without GOP help.

● Democrats Prepare to Move on Economic Aid, With or Without the G.O.P. New York Times

● Biden taking ‘creative steps’ to push for $1.9T aid plan AP News

● Biden is not going to get his $1.9 trillion stimulus plan. And that’s okay. AEI

● Opinion: Biden’s ‘American Rescue Plan’ would pay more federal benefits in low-unemployment states than ever before AEI

Biden Targets Abortion Restrictions as Fight Looms in Congress

Wall Street Journal

President Biden ended a policy that prohibits federal funds from going to foreign-aid groups that perform abortions or provide related services, one of several moves likely to spark renewed debate over abortion access.

How Joe Biden’s first executive orders compare with past presidents

Politifact

Setting aside the political implications of the word "fiat," we found that available evidence supports Rubio’s assessment: Biden’s use of the executive power in his first two days far outpaced that of his predecessors.

Opinion: Joe Biden’s Choice on Religious Freedom

Wall Street Journal

In the closing hours of the Trump administration, the State Department declared that the Chinese Communist Party’s actions against Muslim Uighurs and other minority groups constitute genocide.

ISIS, drug prices and COVID-19 deaths: How a viral post misleads on Biden's first days in office

PolitiFact

With barely a week under his belt as president, Joe Biden has apparently already caused a lot of problems for the country, at home and abroad, according to a viral Facebook post.

Opinion: Joe Biden’s Rule of Law Problem

Wall Street Journal

The Capitol occupation and riot of Jan. 6 will haunt American political life for years. Condemnation of the invasion of the Capitol is virtually universal, as is support for prosecuting those arrested inside.

Calls Mount For President Biden To Shake Up Postal Service's Leadership

VPR
Numerous lawsuits were filed over the Post Office's handling of mail-in ballots during November's elections. Then came the holiday season, and many customers became frustrated by backlogs that meant their Christmas cards and packages weren't delivered until January.

Most Republicans Still Dispute Joe Biden's Election Win Now He's in Office: Poll

Newsweek

Most Republican voters still believe President Joe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 election, even with the new commander-in-chief sitting in the White House after his victory was confirmed by Congress earlier this month.

● Can Senate convict Trump of incitement based on a speech? Los Angeles Times

Trump vaccine plan left logistics to states, but it did exist

Politifact

Many experts said that the Trump administration’s plan had some key holes, including a failure to communicate with the states and cities about the rollout and inadequate funding for vaccine distribution. But it did have a plan: rely on the states.

Trump officials moved most Bureau of Land Management positions out of D.C. More than 87% quit instead.

Washington Post

The Trump administration’s decision to relocate most Bureau of Land Management headquarters staffers out West — a move designed to shift power away from the nation’s capital — prompted more than 87 percent of the affected employees either to resign or retire rather than move, according to new data obtained by The Washington Post.

McCarthy Tries to Mend Fences With Trump

Wall Street Journal

● RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is trying to hold together a party that Donald Trump might want to tear up Washington Post

● McCarthy Seeks Thaw With Trump as G.O.P. Rallies Behind Former President New York Times

● Opinion: How the Republican Party can move forward after Trump Roll Call

Republican Ties to Extremist Groups Are Under Scrutiny

New York Times

The video’s title was posed as a question, but it left little doubt about where the men who filmed it stood. They called it “The Coming Civil War?” and in its opening seconds, Jim Arroyo, who leads an Arizona chapter of Oath Keepers, a right-wing militia, declared that the conflict had already begun.

Congress job approval climbs 10% in January: poll

The Hill

Congress’s job approval improved by 10 points in January from December and has hit its highest number since early in the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Gallup poll released on Friday.

Opinion: Cancelling Dianne Feinstein

Wall Street Journal

Until the San Francisco Unified School District board stripped Dianne Feinstein’s name from one of its public schools, we were unaware of the Senator’s service to the Confederacy.

Other:

PolicyWise Episode 12: Broadband In California

CAFwd

This past year has shown that access to the internet has never been more important as remote learning, working and socializing have become a way of life.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Fresno schools end COVID-19 free meals for all. Here’s how families can get help

Fresno Bee

After nearly a year of feeding the community, Fresno Unified school officials on Thursday said they would transition back to feeding children only beginning next month.

Foster Farms employee dies in industrial accident, company says. Here’s what we know

Fresno Bee

A 50-year-old Foster Farms employee died Wednesday in what the company says was an industrial accident. Ira Brill, Foster Farms vice president of communications, told the Sun-Star the death occurred at a fertilizer plant outside Livingston, a few miles away from the company’s main facility.

UFW Foundation Pushes For State and Local Officials To Prioritize Onsite Clinics For Farmworkers

VPR

Advocates say meeting farmworkers at their workplace to distribute vaccines is the best way to ensure all farmworkers get the vaccine. Fresno County began it’s soft rollout of vaccines to farmworkers on Monday, with 50 ag workers receiving their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine at their workplace, Pappas Family Farm in Mendota.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Fatal shooting in Turlock parking lot started as a gun sale, court documents show

Modesto Bee

A fatal shooting in the parking lot of the Turlock O’Reilly Auto Parts store last fall started when two men met up for a gun purchase and one used the weapon to shoot the other, according to court documents.

Public Safety:

State of emergency in Madera County as first storm in atmospheric river hits

Sierra Star

As predicted by the National Weather Service last week, an atmospheric river has brought series of winter storms to the Central Valley — and with them, high winds and heavy rain and snow.

Millions Meant for Public Health Threats Were Diverted Elsewhere, Watchdog Says

New York Times

A federal watchdog has found that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which drew national attention last year when the Trump administration fired its director, has been used for the past 10 years as a “slush fund” to cover expenses unrelated to its core mission of fighting health threats like Ebola, Zika and the coronavirus.

Fire:

Utility to pay $2B settlement in deadly 2018 California fire

abcNews

Southern California Edison will pay $2.2 billion to settle insurance claims from a deadly, destructive wildfire sparked by its equipment in 2018, the utility announced Monday.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Restaurant owners eagerly welcome back outdoor dining

Hanford Sentinel

With the regional stay-at-home order lifted on Monday, downtown restaurant owners are eagerly welcoming back their customers for outdoor dining this week.

U.S. Economy Slows Sharply As Pandemic Resurges

VPR

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the nation's gross domestic product grew just under 1% in October, November and December — a marked downshift from the three previous months. On an annualized basis, the economy grew 4% in the fourth quarter.

See Also:

● California’s Recovery Backslides Public Policy Institute of California

● 2020 was the worst year for economic growth since World War II Washington Post

● The 2020 Economy Set All Kinds of Records, Both Bad and Good U.S. News

● Opinion: The Economy Keeps Growing Wall Street Journal

U.S. Stocks Fall as GameStop Frenzy Builds

Wall Street Journal

U.S. stocks fell Friday as frenzied trading continued to drive GameStop and other heavily shorted shares, pointing to a volatile end to 2021’s first month of trading.

● Robinhood Says It Will Reopen GameStop Trading New York Times

Jobs:

Local COVID-19 hazard pay mandates are doing what Congress and most corporations aren’t for essential workers

Brookings

Buoyed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union’s (UFCW) organizing efforts, several city and county governments across California and in Seattle have just passed mandates requiring some large grocery, food retail, and pharmacy employers to provide their workers hazard pay...

Despite Cal/OSHA’s emergency COVID-19 safety rule, workers say little has changed

Los Angeles Times

As California became the national epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the final weeks of 2020, state officials adopted sweeping emergency measures meant to protect workers.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Live Q&A: School Reopenings

Fresno Bee

Join Fresno Bee Education Lab reporters Isabel Sophia Dieppa and Monica Velez at noon Friday, Jan. 29, for a live Q&A about school reopenings. The event will livestream on fresnobee.com. RSVP here

As PBVUSD plans for a new school's boundaries, it must consider Bakersfield's west-side growth

Bakersfield Californian

Panama-Buena Vista Union School District’s newest school, Highgate Elementary, is slated to open in August. Now the district is facing the question of where those students and staff will come from. On Feb. 9, district staff will make a recommendation that the board is expected to vote on.

Local coaches join movement to help fast-track the return of high school sports

Bakersfield Californian

Having watched several states start and finish a football season, Patrick Walsh felt California was dragging its feet and determined he couldn't sit back and wait any longer.

California teachers tell Gov. Newsom they need vaccines before reopening classrooms

Sacramento Bee

● Summary: California's Safe Schools for All Plan California Department of Public Health

● California teachers could get Covid-19 vaccinations starting in February EdSource

● Newsom: California schools won't reopen 'if we wait for the perfect' Politico

How to Reopen Schools? Officials Try Financial Lures and Threats

Wall Street Journal

In an effort to get more children out of living rooms and into classrooms, President Biden and state lawmakers have begun pushing financial incentives—as well as threats to cut funding—to get school districts to swing their doors open.

Higher Ed:

UCLA smashes records for freshman applications with big hikes among Black, Latino students

Los Angeles Times

UCLA has shattered national records for freshman applications — and is on track to significantly widen access to underrepresented minorities — as the number of students seeking admission for fall 2021 soared despite myriad pandemic challenges...

The Increasing Role of Community Colleges among Bachelor's Degree Recipents: Findings from the 2019 National Survey of College Graduates

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Among the 51 million college graduates in the workforce, 48.6 million reported earning a first bachelor’s degree, 44.7 million of whom earned this degree in the United States. A large and increasing number of these U.S. college graduates reported having attended community college.

Opinion: Reform financial aid for students so that housing is not an incredible burden

CalMatters

Housing is so expensive in Santa Cruz County that the possibility of homelessness is a genuine fear for me and some of my fellow students at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

California Will Need To Lead In Carbon Capture Technology To Hit Emissions Goals

CAFwd

As California aggressively addresses climate change, carbon capture technology is taking center stage in both the public and private sectors, as evidenced by Elon Musk’s challenge announcement that he would award $100 million for the best technology in this space. At last month’s 2020 California Economic Summit, leaders discussed the importance of Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) and how it can help the state reach its ambitious emissions goals.

Hope And Skepticism As Biden Promises To Address Environmental Racism

VPR
The federal government has known of environmental injustice for decades. Presidents have promised to address it. But a legacy of weak laws and spotty enforcement has left Black, brown and poor communities mired in pollution and health hazards.

Opinion: Biden Should Not Adopt California’s Approach To The Environment

Forbes

Whether it is canceling the Keystone XL pipeline or obstructing new permits for oil and gas projects on federal lands, President Biden appears to be adopting California’s approach to addressing the problem of global climate change. If fully adopted, there will be large economic consequences with little net environmental benefit.

Opinion: Biden’s Age of Climate Decadence

Wall Street Journal

Often the public is let down. Climate effects and related issues of cost and benefit are one such case. Until this changes, the biggest lie will be the lie that the Biden administration is doing anything about the problem of climate change.

Energy:

Commentary: California can lead the nation in making solar energy even cleaner

CalMatters

California is experiencing climate change today, like never before. Wildfires are more frequent and intense, droughts are longer and deeper, and temperatures are rising. But California is responding.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Time to double or upgrade masks as coronavirus variants emerge, experts say

Washington Post

Wear your mask is becoming wear your masks. The discovery of highly transmissible coronavirus variants in the United States has public health experts urging Americans to upgrade the simple cloth masks that have become a staple shield during the pandemic.

● CDC does not recommend general public wear N95's, here's why abc30

COVID-19 hospitalizations in San Joaquin County have dropped 18.3% in past week

Stockton Recorder

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have decreased by 18.3% in San Joaquin County over the past week. There are currently 255 COVID-19 patients admitted for care.

● Kern Public Health reports 9 new coronavirus deaths, 565 new cases Bakersfield Californian

● California infection rates fall; variants prompt vaccine urgency Merced Sun-Star

● Stanislaus has another notable drop in hospital cases Modesto Bee

Raising minimum wage may prevent infant deaths — and every dollar counts, study finds

Modesto Bee

Syracuse University researchers say higher minimum wages could help lower financial stress, maternal smoking, obesity and teenage pregnancy — factors that have been tied to poor infant survival and birth outcomes — and increase access to pre- and post-natal care.

Assessing Teen Well-Being and Mental Health after the Medi-Cal Expansion

Public Policy Institute of California

Along with reducing uninsured rates and providing access to care, Medi-Cal also improves financial stability and mental health—changes that can make children’s home lives better.

Novavax vaccine protects against coronavirus in variant hot spots but proved less effective against strain in South Africa

Washington Post

A coronavirus vaccine made by Maryland biotech company Novavax proved effective at stopping symptomatic infections in global hot spots where concerning variants are dominant, the company announced Thursday.

Single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine 66% effective against moderate and severe illness

Washington Post

A single-shot coronavirus vaccine from pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson was 66 percent effective at preventing moderate and severe illness in a massive global trial, findings released Friday show.

● J&J Vaccine Provides Strong Shield Against Severe Covid Bloomberg

U.S. handling of American evacuees from Wuhan increased coronavirus risks, watchdog finds

Washington Post

As the first American evacuees from Wuhan, China, touched down at a California military base a year ago, fleeing the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, they were met by U.S. health officials with no virus prevention plan or infection-control training — and who had not even been told to wear masks, according to a federal investigation.

Human Services:

Vaccinations in Fresno-area counties lagging well behind most of state

Fresno Bee

● With fairgrounds booked, some residents worry about scheduling second COVID-19 vaccine shot Bakersfield Californian

● The vaccine rollout has been slow and complicated, but you can help. Here’s how people are volunteering. Washington Post

● Blue Shield of California tapped to speed up state vaccines AP News

As COVID-19 rages on, California and federal government extend health insurance enrollment

Sacramento Bee

Leaders of Covered California have announced they will open a special enrollment period, allowing state residents to continue signing up for health insurance coverage, once the annual open enrollment period ends Jan. 31, the agency’s director announced Thursday.

One-dose shot offers good protection, new hope against virus

AP News

Johnson & Johnson’s long-awaited vaccine appears to protect against COVID-19 with just one shot – not as strong as some two-shot rivals but still potentially helpful for a world in dire need of more doses.

IMMIGRATION

Families Separated At Border Hope Biden Reunites Them, Bringing Deported Parents Back

VPR

When the 19-year-old immigrant got to the United States three years ago, she had to grow up fast. She's going to high school and works a part-time job — all while helping to raise her three younger sisters.

Despite travel ban repeal, Trump orders still keep immigrants out

Roll Call

President Joe Biden is expected to issue more executive orders next week to chip away at the prior administration's immigration agenda, this time with an eye toward undoing his predecessor's asylum restrictions and wealth test for immigrants.

The Reality Behind Biden’s Plan to Legalize 11 Million Immigrants

New York Times

The proposal for a path to citizenship for undocumented residents has been called “the boldest immigration agenda any administration has put forward in generations.” But is it possible?

Biden’s Bold Play on Immigration Reform Faces Uphill Battle

U.S. News

President Joe Biden on his first day in office Wednesday proposed a sweeping and ambitious immigration measure that, if passed, would be the most significant legislative overhaul of the U.S. immigration system in decades.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Yosemite National Park closure extended following snow damage, destructive winds

Fresno Bee

Yosemite National Park will stay closed until at least Monday as a result of an ongoing winter storm, Yosemite officials announced Thursday afternoon.

● 15 giant sequoias blew over in Yosemite. Now the park works to reopen Los Angeles Times

Fresno church threatens to sue over Tower Theatre sale; Mayor Dyer gives another option

Fresno Bee

After public outcry, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer offered the church trying to buy the Tower Theatre an agreement to operate out of a different prominent building in downtown.

● Fresno mayor offers Adventure Church license to use memorial auditorium instead of Tower Theatre abc30

● Roadblocks for Fresno mayor's offer to settle Tower Theatre sale dispute abc30

● Mayor Dyer offers alternative to Tower Theatre for church Business Journal

● How Did Memorial Auditorium Get Dragged Into The Tower Theatre Controversy? Munro Review

Fresno council approves 844-lot Granville project west of 99

Business Journal

Modesto Bee

Housing:

Stanislaus County eases restrictions on ‘granny flats.’ Are they a cure for housing shortage?

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County supervisors approved an ordinance amendment this week easing restrictions on extra dwellings that can be placed on residential and agricultural parcels in unincorporated areas.

California likely to extend ban on many evictions through June. Here’s how to get help

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a deal with top state legislators on Monday that would extend the state’s moratorium on evictions related to nonpayment of rent through June 30. But do you know how it applies to you?

● California extends eviction moratorium through June CalMatters

California lawmakers agree to help cover some unpaid rent

Bakersfield Californian

California lawmakers on Thursday agreed to use $2.6 billion in federal stimulus money to pay off up to 80% of some tenants' unpaid rent — but only if landlords agree to forgive the rest of their debt.

‘Tidal Wave’ of Evictions, Utility Shutoffs Tests Lawmakers

PEW

Millions of Americans who have fallen behind on their bills during the pandemic dread the end of emergency protections that have sheltered them from eviction, kept on their lights and water and provided unemployment aid.

Editorial: California’s plan to ‘cancel rent’ could miss too many low-income tenants

Los Angeles Times

California is about to cancel rent for millions of low-income tenants throughout the state. But it may not go far enough. Under a plan released Monday and likely to be approved by legislators as soon as today, California will roll out an unprecedented rent relief program. Funded with $2.6 billion in federal COVID aid, qualified low-income households could get up to a year’s worth of rent debt forgiven.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Stimulus checks won't be taxed, but unemployment benefits will be

CNN

The federal government has sent billions of dollars directly to Americans to help them cope with the economic fallout of the pandemic, but now that tax season is approaching, some people could find they owe some of the money back.

TRANSPORTATION

Highway 168 will stay closed due to snow at Shaver, CHP says. Here’s when it might open

Fresno Bee

Heavy snowfall closed a section of Highway 168 north of Shaver Lake on Thursday. That closure will remain in effect until Saturday approximately, according to the California Highway Patrol.

California DMV to resume behind-the-wheel driving tests starting February 1

abc30

The California Department of Motor Vehicles will begin offering behind-the-wheel testing once again after canceling appointments scheduled for the last several weeks due to a surge in COVID-19 cases led to stay-at-home orders in many parts of the state.

General Motors sets goal of going largely electric by 2035

Los Angeles Times

General Motors has set a goal of making the vast majority of the vehicles it produces electric by 2035, and the entire company carbon neutral, including operations, five years after that.

Electric-vehicle firm Faraday Future to go public via $3.4 billion SPAC deal

Reuters

Faraday Future will go public through a merger with Property Solutions Acquisition Corp in a deal valuing the combined entity at $3.4 billion, becoming the latest electric-vehicle firm to join the blank-check dealmaking frenzy.

American, Southwest Airlines Post Record Losses Amid Covid-19 Crisis

Wall Street Journal

U.S. airlines had their worst year ever in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, and a rebound in travel remains elusive for now.

WATER

Update: 4 feet of snow at Huntington, flood advisory in Central Valley as winter storm continues

Fresno Bee

A heavy storm front remained fixed over the central San Joaquin Valley on Thursday, with a winter storm warning for the Sierra Nevada — all part of an atmospheric river bringing much-need precipitation to the area, the National Weather Service said Thursday morning.

California is soaking wet. But drought looms if we don’t get more rain — a lot more

Sacramento Bee

More precipitation is in the forecast for next week. But experts worry that without repeated downpours over the next two months, the painful memories of the last drought could become reality again.

“Xtra”

New releases coming to reopened Ceres Drive-In again; blockbuster movies lined up

Modesto Bee

The Ceres Drive-In is hoping to recapture that elusive big-screen experience in the age of COVID-19 and well beyond with a hefty investment in new projection upgrades and a slate of first-run movies coming soon.

Bethany Clough: This favorite Fresno Italian restaurant is planning a new location. Here’s what’s coming

Fresno Bee

A new DiCicco’s Italian Restaurant is in the works. The family behind one of the restaurants – long a fixture of the Fresno food scene with nine locations – is planning a new location in east-central Fresno.