Maddy Institute – July 12, 2021

12Jul

POLICY & POLITICS

Why The San Joaquin Valley Is Home To Many Of The Nation's Vaccine Deserts

VPR

Vaccine rollout is proving far more challenging in rural communities, creating vaccine deserts. And according to the Documenting COVID-19 project, vaccine deserts are springing up across the San Joaquin Valley, causing concern among public health professionals.

· GOP and Fox News rush to turn vaccine door-knockers into terrifying straw men Washington Post

It’s Some of America’s Richest Farmland. But What Is It Without Water?

New York Times

Across the state, reservoir levels are dropping and electric grids are at risk if hydroelectric dams don’t get enough water to produce power. In America’s fruit and nut basket, water is now the most precious crop of all.

North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Highly transmissible Delta variant found in Stanislaus County Turlock Journal

Turlock homeless emergency set to end. City seeks suggestions for long-term plan

Modesto Bee

Turlock’s declared homeless emergency expires Wednesday and since it began March 16, Turlock Gospel Mission Executive Director Christian Curby said 87 people have stayed at the organization’s shelter for the first time.

How will Modesto address jobs, housing and quality of life in its next general plan?

Modesto Bee

City Council approves spending as much as $1.74 million for consultant to create plan over next three years.

Key players in California water confront drought, fish and more at Modesto summit

Modesto Bee

A key message emerged when California water leaders gathered in Modesto: Stop grumbling about drought, and get cracking on real fixes. Rep. Josh Harder, R-Turlock, convened the Thursday afternoon summit at the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau.

Median home prices in Modesto and Stanislaus County broke through this century mark

Modesto Bee

As the national home inventory shortage continues, Stanislaus County buyers and sellers can expect a fast-paced market with quick turnovers and high prices across the board.

How hot is Modesto? We haven’t seen this run of extreme temperatures since 2008

Modesto Bee

Two more heat records are tied in Modesto as residents prepare for another day of temperatures nearing 110.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Delta variant vs. unvaccinated, COVID outbreaks & more Fresno Bee

Clovis’ rapid growth isn’t slowing down. Here’s why its mayor says people want to live there

Fresno Bee

Clovis has been one of the fastest growing cities in the state in recent years, and its mayor said this week he doesn’t expect that to slow down. Mayor Jose Flores said Clovis is a destination for many people trying to raise families.

Trees could help cool Fresno homes and save money. New tool shows where to plant more

Fresno Bee

Could planting more trees help soften the impact of the central San Joaquin Valley’s heatwaves and help residents cut high energy costs? A new study on tree canopy coverage suggests the answer is yes.

Fresno County has a new Superior Court judge. Here’s more on the woman named by Gov. Newsom

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday appointed a new judge to the Fresno County Superior Court, according to a news release. Leanne L. Le Mon, 45, of Fresno secured a promotion on the bench where she has been a court commissioner since 2014.

Warszawski: Who wants to be Fresno’s first legal pot barons? Familiar names might be a surprise

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s first pot baron (of the legal variety, at least) could be a white woman in her 50s who runs a successful lobbying firm. Or it could be a Black man in his 30s who works for one of the city’s largest developers.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports 68 new coronavirus cases Friday, no new deaths Bakersfield Californian

State exercises discretion to deny Kern fracking permits ahead of formal ban

Bakersfield Californian

California's top oil regulator this week denied a series of applications to use the controversial oilfield technique in western Kern — a decision the Newsom administration said was taken "to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and respond to the climate emergency."

See also:

● Kern oil producers put off expansion work despite strong prices Bakersfield Californian

State:

COVID Update:

● Unvaccinated people face growing danger as Delta variant stalls herd immunity Los Angeles Times

● Delta variant dominates California coronavirus cases; rapid spread alarms officials Los Angeles Times

● Coronavirus cases in California rise for first time in months as Delta variant spreads Los Angeles Times

CA Governor Newsom recall election set for Sept. 14

Los Angeles Times

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis on Thursday set Sept. 14 as the date for the recall election targeting California Gov. Gavin Newsom, leaving it up to voters to decide whether to oust a sitting governor for just the second time in the state’s history.

● Newsom hypes his budget proposals as he seeks to hold off recall Los Angeles Times

● Caitlyn Jenner speaks, but not for long CalMatters

● A massive week for California CalMatters

Governor, Lawmakers Add $500 Million to Wildfire Prevention Budget, Following CapRadio Investigation

VPR

Governor Gavin Newsom is set to approve an extra $500 million for wildfire prevention — a last-minute change that would more than double what’s in the current budget deal.

notify the state whenever such incidents occur, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said Wednesday.

Newsom signs law to send schools record funding, add new grade, summer programs

Modesto Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed into law legislation to send a record $123.9 billion to California schools, which will fund a new transitional kindergarten grade and more opportunities for summer and after-school teaching.

As California shakes, Newsom, hospitals seek delay for earthquake safety upgrades

Los Angeles Times

One hour after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Northern California on Thursday, the California Hospital Assn. tweeted that it’s “time to update seismic standards — to focus on all the services people need after a disaster of any kind.”

Low-wage workers in California can’t afford to take family leave. This bill seeks to change that.

CalMatters

ssemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a Democrat from San Diego County, authored a bill this year to increase that percentage — making it more realistic for low-income earners to use the leave that they’re required to fund with 1.2% of every paycheck.

Bad Translations And More Are Blocking Access To State Rent Relief Funds

Capital Public Radio

California’s rent relief program has delivered assistance to only several thousand so far—even though hundreds of thousands of households fell behind on rent during the pandemic.

California saw record surge in handgun sales during pandemic, attorney general says

Los Angeles Times

Amid economic and political turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic, California saw a record increase in the sale of handguns last year, and the number of long-gun purchases was higher than it has been in four years, according to data from the state attorney general.

California attorney general launches teams to investigate fatal police shootings

Los Angeles Times

The state Department of Justice has opened field offices throughout California to investigate police shootings that kill unarmed civilians, and has told law enforcement agencies that they must

California may move to regulate booming debt settlement industry

CalMatters

A bill aims to create new rules for California’s mostly unregulated debt settlement industry. AB 1405, expected to pass through Senate committees, comes at a time when the industry expects to see a 75% increase in account enrollment.

Redistricting and California's Changing Population

PPIC

A new interactive platform from the Public Policy Institute of California uses 2020 Census data to show that California is growing more slowly than the U.S. as a whole. Consequently, California will lose a House seat for the first time in the state’s history.

The Little Hoover Commission: Advocating for Change 2019-20

Little Hoover Commission

Our Commission has been battling satisfaction and complacency ever since. In fact we recently issued our 250th report, a milestone that represents decades of effort. This report sums up our work from the past two years, but also provides a glimpse of the entire history.

Opinion: California Wakes Up From Its Dream

New York Times

For the first time, the water level in Lake Oroville is expected to fall so low the state’s hydropower plant could shut down, just as electricity demands peak. For the first time, the census numbers showed California will lose a congressional seat. For the first time since it joined the union in 1850, the state historically synonymous with unbridled expansion actually shrank. These are not the kinds of firsts California is accustomed to.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● Fauci Says Current Vaccines Will Stand Up To The Delta Variant VPR

● These Countries Are Looking Ahead to Living With Covid-19 Wall Street Journal

● Schools Push to Get Students Vaccinated Before the Start of Academic Year Wall Street Journal

● Young Americans Aren’t Getting Vaccinated, Jeopardizing Covid-19 Fight Wall Street Journal

● Roughly 40% of the USA’s coronavirus deaths could have been prevented, new study says USAToday

Biden’s bid to take on big business sets off battle over who holds power in U.S. economy

Washington Post

President Biden signed an executive order on Friday taking aim at industries where certain companies dominate the market, kicking off a major new battle between the administration and corporate titans that could reshape aspects of the U.S. economy.

● FAQ: What does Biden’s new order about businesses and competition mean for consumers? Washington Post

● President Biden’s Executive Order Opens New Front in Battle With Big Tech Wall Street Journal

● Meet Tim Wu, the Man Behind Biden’s Push to Promote Business Competition Wall Street Journal

Lawmakers to Determine Fate of Infrastructure, Antipoverty Plans

Wall Street Journal

Democrats are racing to finalize a bipartisan infrastructure deal and set the contours of a broad child-care and education plan, aiming to maintain a delicate agreement with Republicans while simultaneously plowing forward with their own priorities.

● Biden has to erase red lines to see his agenda through Roll Call

● GOP unity on spending bills holding, despite earmarks galore Roll Call

Biden and Eric Adams to Discuss Curbing Gun Violence

Wall Street Journal

President Biden will meet with Eric Adams, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, and a group of local leaders and law-enforcement officials as the White House seeks ways to curb gun violence.

Biden fires head of Social Security Administration, a Trump holdover who drew the ire of Democrats

Washington Post

President Biden on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul, a holdover from the Trump administration who had alienated crucial Democratic constituencies with policies designed to clamp down on benefits and an uncompromising anti-union stance.

McManus: Trump’s still waging a war on truth — and it’s still bad for democracy

Los Angeles Times

Last month, as thousands of former President Trump’s loyal supporters waited for him at a rally in Ohio, a chant rose from the crowd. “Trump won!” they roared. “Trump won!”

● Did Trump damage American democracy? Brookings

● Can You Handle The Truth?: How Misinformation Fueled The January 6 Capitol Insurrection Capital Public Radio

● Opinion: Legally, Trump’s tech lawsuit is a joke. But it raises a serious question. Washington Post

GOP and Fox News rush to turn vaccine door-knockers into terrifying straw men

Washington Post

It has been three days since President Biden announced an initiative to send people door-to-door trying to get more people vaccinated, and Republicans and their conservative media allies have wasted no time turning those door-knockers into terrifying straw men.

GOP women's group dismisses Greene and Boebert as 'carnival barkers'

The Hill

A major fundraising group for GOP women is taking aim at Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), likening them to "carnival barkers."

Kamala Harris says Democrats will spend more to register voters as GOP states limit voting

Los Angeles Times

Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday the Democratic National Committee would more than double its planned spending on voter registration, outreach and protections ahead of the 2022 midterm election.

Other:

Valley Voices: Former Valley PBS leaders to interim CEO: Improvements must occur for station to succeed

Fresno Bee

Jeff Aiello’s emotionally charged reactions to “the critics,” referring to a series of recent op-ed pieces in the media, including mine, are understandable. I’d be fired up, too.

Opinion: The Christian Right Is in Decline, and It’s Taking America With It

New York Times

The presidency of George W. Bush may have been the high point of the modern Christian right’s influence in America. White evangelicals were the largest religious faction in the country.

Opinion: Who’s Actually Responsible for the “Culture War”?

The Bulwark

There is a poll that’s been going around for the past week or so that is providing some comforting affirmation of priors for the crowd of elite Republicans who secretly hate Trump but are just scared shitless about “Kamala’s America.”

America Isn’t Awkward Enough

Zocalo Public Square

Ever since vaccines became available, people have been joking that the return to normal life would be awkward. After more than a year of relative isolation, so the half-earnest predictions went, we would surely find our social muscles atrophied.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, July 25, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: “A Conversation with U.S. Senator Alex Padilla” - Guest: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, (D-CA). Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, July 18, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Police Use of Deadly Force: Valley Perspectives"- Guests: Laurel Rosenhall, CalMatters; Ron Lawrence - California Police Chiefs Association; Alice Huffman - NAACP; Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming; Sandra Celedon, Pres. & CEO - Fresno Building Healthy Communities. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

It’s Some of America’s Richest Farmland. But What Is It Without Water?

New York Times

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

It was Fresno’s 38th homicide of 2021. How police found suspect in Campus Pointe slaying

Fresno Bee

A dispute between two groups led to the fatal shooting of Frank Sierras at Fresno’s Campus Pointe entertainment center, with police identifying the person they believe was responsible within hours of the incident.

Cartel marijuana grow shooting in Yosemite-area mountains leaves one dead, two injured

Fresno Bee

One person was killed, and two others injured Saturday at a “cartel marijuana grow” in Mariposa County, the Sheriff’s Office reported. Few details were released Sunday.

Gay Teacher Sues Ceres, Alleging Cop Threatened Him After Reporting Homophobia

Newsweek

A gay teacher is suing over threats and intimidation he says he received from police in Ceres, California after telling school administrators about homophobia among students.

White House's tough-on-crime message: Use COVID funds

Axios

With crime surging around the country, the Biden administration is telling local officials how to use some of the $1.9 trillion in COVID relief funds to bolster their police departments.

New polling shows Democrats alarmed about crime, too

National Journal

By listening to activists more than their own party’s voters, Democrats have been complacent in dealing with rising violence in American cities.

Public Safety:

California attorney general launches teams to investigate fatal police shootings

Los Angeles Times

The state Department of Justice has opened field offices throughout California to investigate police shootings that kill unarmed civilians, and has told law enforcement agencies that they must notify the state whenever such incidents occur, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said Wednesday.

5 Dead Children Led To California’s Assault Weapons Ban. Survivors Are Fighting To Keep It

Fresno Bee

The building hasn’t changed much since Thao Ha, now 41, was a student. The front has a new black metal fence and a modern cement walkway, but the same stone sign reading “Cleveland School” still stands as it did in 1989.

Fire:

California wildfire advances as heat wave blankets US West

Fresno Bee

Firefighters struggled to contain an exploding Northern California wildfire under blazing temperatures as another heat wave hits the U.S. West this weekend, prompting an excessive heat warning for inland and desert areas.

See also:

LOCAL

● River Fire is on faster growth pace than Creek Fire – but its potential still unknown Fresno Bee

● California wildfires: Here’s the latest on Beckwourth Fire and 3 other major blazes Fresno Bee

● CA's Feared Wildfire Season Is Here Early Capital Public Radio

● California hit by record-breaking fire destruction: ‘Climate change is real, it’s bad’ Los Angeles Times

● How bad is this year’s fire season? Even the firefighters are worried Los Angeles Times

● How bad is this fire season in California really going to be? Mercury News

Governor, Lawmakers Add $500 Million to Wildfire Prevention Budget, Following CapRadio Investigation

VPR

Governor Gavin Newsom is set to approve an extra $500 million for wildfire prevention — a last-minute change that would more than double what’s in the current budget deal.

California wildfire generates its own lightning as it more than doubles in size

Los Angeles Times

A wildfire in Northern California more than doubled in size from Friday to Saturday, sending up a massive cloud of smoke and ash that, combined with the dry heat, generated its own lightning and created dangerous weather conditions for firefighters, authorities said.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Biden’s bid to take on big business sets off battle over who holds power in U.S. economy

Washington Post

● FAQ: What does Biden’s new order about businesses and competition mean for consumers? Washington Post

● President Biden’s Executive Order Opens New Front in Battle With Big Tech Wall Street Journal

● The debate on antitrust reform should incorporate racial equity Brookings

● Meet Tim Wu, the Man Behind Biden’s Push to Promote Business Competition Wall Street Journal

What happens to the economy when $5.2 trillion in stimulus wears off?

Washington Post

While the economy will be bigger and Americans will be better off than they would have been otherwise, the fading boom could cause its own problems as businesses, homeowners and others find themselves mired once more in a slow-growth economy.

From relief to recovery: Using federal funds to spur a small business rebound

Brookings

The U.S. government has allocated nearly $1 trillion in small business relief since the beginning of the pandemic. But these funds often fail to reach the underserved entrepreneurs and communities that need them most.

Higher Inflation Is Here to Stay for Years, Economists Forecast

Wall Street Journal

Americans should brace themselves for several years of higher inflation than they’ve seen in decades, according to economists who expect the robust post-pandemic economic recovery to fuel brisk price increases for a while.

Jobs:

Getting unemployment benefits in California? Here’s why you need to look for a job

Sacramento Bee

Starting Sunday and continuing in the weeks ahead, most people receiving unemployment benefits in California must be actively looking for work if they are to keep getting jobless benefits. That generally means making a sincere effort to find employment.

Pandemic caused many boomers to retire. What that means for the economy — and everyone else

Los Angeles Times

Even with declining numbers of young Americans entering the job market and the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, U.S. employers were able to count on the last of the baby boomers to prevent labor shortages and soaring wages.

Pacific Northwest strengthens heat protections for workers

Fresno Bee

Washington state became the second state to announce emergency rules that provide farmworkers and others who work outdoors more protection from hot weather in the wake of an extreme heat wave that is believed to have killed hundreds of people.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Belridge Elementary, a district built on oil, shuts down after too many years in a slump

Bakersfield Californian

It's extremely rare for a school district to close in California, but that's what has happened to Belridge Elementary School District, a tiny one-school district in the oil fields on the western edge of Kern County.

Newsom signs law to send schools record funding, add new grade, summer programs

Modesto Bee

California Students, Teachers Will Continue To Wear Masks When They Return In The Fall

Capital Public Radio

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released new guidelines for COVID-19 safety in schools as states continue to reopen — either because of increasing vaccination rates or because of mounting pressure from those who disregard the virus’s danger.

● Experts are split on whether CDC mask guidance for vaccinated students is safest move Fresno Bee

● California health secretary explains why masks will still be required in classrooms this fall abc30

● CDC Urges Schools to Welcome Kids Back, Vaccinated or Not Wall Street Journal

● CDC says students vaccinated against the coronavirus can go maskless in fall Washington Post

● Schools Push to Get Students Vaccinated Before the Start of Academic Year Wall Street Journal

School boards become battle zones over COVID-19 rules, critical race theory, trans students

Los Angeles Times

Local school boards around the country are increasingly becoming cauldrons of anger and political division, boiling with disputes over issues as COVID-19 mask rules, treatment of transgender students and how to teach the history of racism and slavery in America.

● Opinion: The Teachers Unions Go Woke Wall Street Journal

For California’s Educational Data System, Public Support Will Be Key

PPIC

California has ambitious plans to build one of the most connected data systems in the nation. Sustained public and financial support is essential to its success.

Opinion: How to improve teaching after the pandemic

AEI

From new counselors and class-size reduction to facilities and curriculum projects, systems are busy adding staff, enhancing facilities, and improving curricula. While these are all good things, largely missing is fundamentally rethinking how schools make use of instructional talent.

Higher Ed:

Helping Fresno students get into universities faster would boost graduations, report says

Fresno Bee

Getting more California students to graduate with associate degrees for transfer could be the key to ensuring they finish their undergraduate education, according to a new report by the Campaign for College Opportunity.

California lacks timely data on who goes to college. This might fix that.

CalMatters

California trails much of the nation in showing how many of its students move from earlier grades to high school and then to college. It’s just one of nine states without a data system that links at least some of its education and workforce agencies.

Burdensome legislation would stall construction at University of California

CalMatters

Senate Bill 132 would stop the university system from moving ahead with badly needed capital improvement projects unless it submits to a costly and cumbersome annual certification process sought by one public employee union.

Biden Has Now Cancelled $1.5 Billion Of Student Loans This Way

Forbes

The Biden administration cancelled another $55 million of student loans today, marking a total of $1.5 billion of student loans cancelled this way.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Searing heat approaches record as people find ways to keep cool

Fresno Bee

With an excessive heat warning in place, searing heat approached record highs forcing people to find ways to cope over the weekend.

● Blistering heat wave sets record temperatures across California Los Angeles Times

● Amid dangerous heat wave, Death Valley closes in on record-high temperatures Washington Post

● Death Valley soars to 130 degrees, matching Earth’s highest temperature in at least 90 years Washington Post

Extreme climate change in the U.S.: Here are America’s fastest-warming places (Check where your County ranks)

Washington Post

More than a century of temperature data shows much of the U.S. Northeast is in the grip of extreme warming, with winter heating up more quickly than other seasons.

Meet the conservatives who want to fight climate change — their way

Washington Post

In 2013, a 15-year-old named Benji Backer shot onto the conservative media scene, appearing on Megyn Kelly’s Fox News show claiming to have been bullied by his high school teachers in Appleton, Wis., over his conservative beliefs.

The science of heat domes and how drought and climate change make them worse

Washington Post

Record-breaking heat waves have roasted the western United States several times already this summer. At the heart of these heat waves are “heat domes,” sprawling zones of strong high pressure, beneath which the air is compressed and heats up.

Energy:

In heat wave, last thing they needed was to lose power. But it happened in Fresno, Clovis

Fresno Bee

Thousands of people were without power Saturday evening amid an intense heat wave in the central San Joaquin Valley. As of 10:30 p.m., at least 2,375 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. customers were without power west of Woodward Park.

● Weather eases but Californians told to save power as blackout threat looms from Oregon fire Sacramento Bee

● Editorial: California’s Power Jam Wall Street Journal

California oil regulators deny new fracking permits

Fresno Bee

California denied 21 oil drilling permits this week in the latest move toward ending fracking in a state that makes millions from the petroleum industry but is seeing widespread drought and more dangerous fire seasons linked to climate change.

● Kern oil producers put off expansion work despite strong prices Bakersfield Californian

Biden climate advisor pushes clean energy standard for Democrats’ priority bill

Los Angeles Times

Gina McCarthy, a top advisor to President Biden on domestic climate policy, said administration officials and Democrats in Congress are still discussing how to include a clean-energy standard for utilities in broad infrastructure legislation this year.

More Power Lines or Rooftop Solar Panels: The Fight Over Energy’s Future

New York Times

The nation is facing once in a generation choices about how energy ought to be delivered to homes, businesses and electric cars — decisions that could shape the course of climate change.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

California reports first 2021 death from West Nile virus

abc30

California is reporting the state's first death this year from the West Nile virus. Public health officials say a resident of San Luis Obispo County died from complications of the mosquito-born virus, although it didn't provide any details.

How does the Delta variant dodge the immune system? Scientists find clues.

New York Times

The Delta variant of the coronavirus can evade antibodies that target certain parts of the virus, according to a new study published in Nature. The findings provide an explanation for diminished effectiveness of the vaccines against Delta, compared with other variants.

FDA head urges probe of agency’s dealings with Biogen, maker of controversial new Alzheimer’s drug

Washington Post

In the latest twist in the controversial approval of a new Alzheimer’s disease drug, the head of the FDA on Friday asked for a federal investigation to determine whether her own agency’s interactions with the drug’s maker “were inconsistent with FDA policies and procedures.”

Human Services:

Why The San Joaquin Valley Is Home To Many Of The Nation's Vaccine Deserts

VPR

As California shakes, Newsom, hospitals seek delay for earthquake safety upgrades

Los Angeles Times

Biden orders agencies to look at hospital consolidation, costs of drugs and hearing aids

Roll Call

The wide-ranging executive order that President Joe Biden and the White House have been promoting also includes plans to boost market competition in health care and other industries and supports a Trump-era mandate on price transparency.

Pfizer expected to brief U.S. officials in coming days on the need for a booster shot

Washington Post

Pfizer and the German firm BioNTech announced on Thursday that they planned to seek regulatory approval for a booster within weeks because they anticipated that people would need a third dose six to 12 months after receiving the companies’ two-shot regimen.

Most unvaccinated people have low incomes

Axios

More than half of unvaccinated Americans live in households that make less than $50,000 annually, according to the latest Census Bureau data.

IMMIGRATION

House passes ‘Dreamers’ bill as immigration debate intensifies — at the border and in Congress

Los Angeles Times

The long-raging debate over fixing the nation’s dysfunctional immigration system flared back to life this week, with Republicans seeking political advantage from a surge of children at the southwestern border.

Before COVID-19, more Mexicans came to the U.S. than left for Mexico for the first time in years

PEW Research

More Mexican migrants came to the U.S. between 2013 and 2018 than left the U.S. for Mexico – a reversal of the trend in much of the prior decade.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Trees could help cool Fresno homes and save money. New tool shows where to plant more

Fresno Bee

How busy is Yosemite National Park this summer? Changes and openings announced

Fresno Bee

Yosemite National Park visitation will increase to about 90% of normal by next week with the opening of another Yosemite campground, and more accommodations soon being available at the recently-opened Wawona Hotel.

An Explosion In Visitors Is Threatening The Very Things National Parks Try To Protect

VPR

The sun has risen over Delicate Arch, a famous, hulking mass of red sandstone you might remember best as having once been an ubiquitous screen saver.

Housing:

Turlock homeless emergency set to end. City seeks suggestions for long-term plan

Modesto Bee

Median home prices in Modesto and Stanislaus County broke through this century mark

Modesto Bee

As the national home inventory shortage continues, Stanislaus County buyers and sellers can expect a fast-paced market with quick turnovers and high prices across the board.

Tight rental market worries local advocates for the homeless

Bakersfield Californian

At the center of many efforts to address homelessness is the simple notion that, if society wants to get people off the streets, there need to be more homes and apartments people can afford.

Eviction Prevention Programs Are Racing Against A Moratorium Clock

VPR

The federal eviction moratorium is set to expire at the end of this month, which doesn't leave much time to help an estimated 7 million tenants who are still behind on their rent.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown: ‘Fiscal Stress' Coming, State Needs ‘Control and Discipline' on Homeless Crisis

NBC4

Former Gov. Jerry Brown says the current windfall of state tax revenue was “artificially pumped up” by federal spending and predicts “fiscal stress” for state government within the next two years.

Opinion: More housing and more drought calls for more thought

CalMatters

Legislators promoting high-density housing need to meet up with state and local water agencies to hammer out realistic approaches to our changing reality.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Most San Joaquin Valley Residents Will Receive Child Tax Credit Starting July 15th

VPR

San Joaquin Valley residents could receive a monthly child tax credit of up to $300 starting July 15. The credit will be available to families who make up to $150,000 a year.

California may move to regulate booming debt settlement industry

CalMatters

Brewing battle over tax hikes to test Democratic unity

The Hill

An emerging proposal from the White House and Senate Democratic leaders to pay for President Biden’s infrastructure agenda is setting the stage for a major battle in Congress that will test the support of moderates concerned about hiking taxes.

Editorial: The Global Tax Deal Is Bad for the U.S.

Wall Street Journal

The deal represents an intersection of Europeans’ longstanding dream to tax American tech companies and the Biden Administration’s attempt to bamboozle lawmakers into passing a competition-killing corporate-tax hike at home.

TRANSPORTATION

Thinking of buying an electric vehicle? Read this first.

Washington Post

If you really want to make a meaningful contribution to the fight against climate change, you must consider both how you can curb your transportation-related emissions and how you can help make clean, green, reliable transportation available to others.

Rail industry views vary on executive order's impact

Progressive Railroading

Freight- and passenger-rail industry officials have offered mixed reactions to Biden's new executive order on economic competition.

WATER

ETGSA approves proposed groundwater extraction fee

Porterville Recorder

The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency Board made quick work of approving the agencies proposed extraction fee of $9.08 per acre foot during its meeting on Friday.

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado On Drought And Repairing California's Water Infrastructure

VPR

When the one working well serving the unincorporated community of Teviston in Tulare County stopped working last month, the roughly 1,000 people who live there were left without running water in the middle of a drought.

Key players in California water confront drought, fish and more at Modesto summit

Modesto Bee

It’s Some of America’s Richest Farmland. But What Is It Without Water?

New York Times

● Reservoirs are drying up as consequences of the Western drought worsen Washington Post

Is California ready for brown lawns and shorter showers? Drought requires less water use

Los Angeles Times

In the face of rapidly worsening drought conditions this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom urged all Californians to voluntarily cut their water usage by 15% — but what exactly does that mean for the average California household?

● Newsom asks all Californians to voluntarily reduce water usage by 15% amid drought Los Angeles Times

● Newsom urges all Californians to cut water use by 15% CalMatters

Water Act would keep water clean and affordable

CalMatters

California has a history of treating public water as a commodity and entrusting it to corporate interests that fail to manage it responsibly. Its congressional delegation should co-sponsor the federal Water Act that would change this.

“Xtra”

‘We are beyond excited.’ Big Fresno Fair is back after a quiet year. What to expect

Fresno Bee

The Big Fresno Fair will return in full force this year as vaccinations have made public gatherings safer again. The 2021 fair will take place Oct. 6 to 17, and will feature the carnival rides, junk food and entertainment that visitors would expect from the typical fair.

Bethany Clough: This national cookie chain’s first Fresno location is now open. Here’s what’s on the menu

Fresno Bee

Crumbl Cookies is open in Fresno. The national franchise opened at 8 a.m. Friday and is celebrating its grand opening until midnight.

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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

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