Maddy Institute – July 30, 2021

Hume Lake Christian Camp is the center of COVID-19 concerns that officials from the Fresno County Department of Public Health stopped short of calling an “outbreak.”

New program is a game-changer for Fresno renters who are facing illegal evictions

Fresno Bee

Fresno renters just received some key help in the effort to remain in their homes. The city has launched its first-ever Eviction Protection Program. The aim is to give legal aid to renters who think they are being illegally evicted from their homes.

More delays? Here’s why Fresno leaders say Club One Casino can’t reopen just yet

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council put a hold Thursday on the move of Club One Casino following a request from Councilmember Tyler Maxwell, who asked the owners to make better contact with its neighbors.

Three cannabis retailers are one step closer to opening in Fresno. Here are the details

Fresno Bee

Three retailers have been granted preliminary acceptance for cannabis licenses in Fresno. The retailers, which have not yet been named, will be notified on Friday, Fresno City Manager Thomas Esqueda said during Thursday’s city council meeting.

Clovis schools to allow parents to seek COVID mask exemptions without doctor’s note

Fresno Bee

Clovis Unified trustees voted Thursday to give parents the option to exempt their children from wearing masks when students return to school this year.

● COVID rampant as return to school nears. Should we worry? Mercury News

● Opinion: Don’t Mandate Kids in Masks National Review

Warszawski: Six Flags in Fresno? Just as soon as we get a PGA Tour stop, lake, speedway and aquarium

Fresno Bee

Six Flags over Fresno? Might be time for a caution flag. Whispers that a major theme park company could be making moves toward the central San Joaquin Valley have circulated for months, and the excitement shown by local politicians and job creators is understandable.

Mike Huckabee visits Fresno to slam Newsom over French Laundry party, push recall

Fresno Bee

Former Arkansas Gov. Huckabee became the latest person Thursday to visit Fresno while pushing for the recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Huckabee said he was interested in politics in the state because of the influence California has on the rest of the country.

'Sunisa Lee Represents All Of US' – Fresno's Hmong Community Celebrates Sunisa Lee's Olympic Gold

VPR

Eighteen-year-old Sunisa Lee is the first Hmong-American to ever make the U.S. Olympic team. She earned gold as top all-around gymnast for her performance in a floor routine as well as on the vault, uneven bars, and balance beam.

Devin Nunes has more cash on hand than any other Republican. What does he want to do next?

Fresno Bee

Rep. Devin Nunes has more campaign cash on hand than any House Republican as he prepares for a 2022 re-election race that he’s favored to win.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern residents encouraged to wear masks indoors following state's guidance Bakersfield Californian

● Kern Public Health reports 5 new coronavirus deaths, 138 new cases Thursday Bakersfield Californian

Officials hope to combat domestic violence through education

Bakersfield Californian

A mass shooting Sunday in Wasco left the community reeling, with five dead, including a Kern County Sheriff's deputy, and a mother and her two sons. The Kern County Sheriff’s Office said the incident stemmed from domestic violence.

Fundraisers for Deputy Campas' family, Wasco shooting survivors receive outpouring of support

Bakersfield Californian

Fundraisers for the family of Kern County Sheriff's Deputy Phillip Campas, and for the survivors of the Wasco shooting, have exceeded expectations, but organizers hope community generosity will continue.

State:

COVID Update:

● More people in California are getting vaccinated for COVID, especially in these counties Fresno Bee

● The rules keep changing. What’s the latest on masks and COVID vaccines in California? Fresno Bee

California voters say Gavin Newsom recall election is a waste of money

Fresno Bee

Nearly 70% of California likely voters think that the special election to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom is a waste of money, according to a new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California.

● Newsom’s biggest recall danger: Complacent Democrats who don’t turn out to vote Los Angeles Times

● Could conservative radio host Larry Elder actually be the next governor of California? Mercury News

● Recall money wars: What do Newsom’s million-dollar donors want? CalMatters

● Poll: Most California voters want to revamp state's recall process Politico

ABC10 sues to release messages between Newsom staff and PG&E regulators

abc10

California transparency laws call the ability to review records of government business “a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state,” but a powerful state agency seems to have found a simple way around that: dragging its feet.

California union’s challenge to Gavin Newsom’s vaccine order divides its members

Sacramento Bee

The newly elected president of California’s largest state worker union acted on his own this week when he sent a letter challenging Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order directing public employees to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

Forward Thinker: Solving California’s Problems Starts With A Shared Understanding Through Data

CAFwd

Bohn outlines PPIC’s top research priorities on the economy coming out of the pandemic, which include understanding how California is doing on recovery from the fastest job loss on record and how different communities are faring.

‘One giant French kiss wrapped in money’: Cannabis magnate admits bribing San Luis Obispo County supervisor

Los Angeles Times

A high-profile figure in the Central Coast’s marijuana industry has agreed to plead guilty to bribing a SLO County supervisor, the first charges to be made public in what a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office called “an ongoing public corruption investigation.”

California’s political future lies in how voting maps are redrawn

CalMatters

As consequential as the outcome of the recall election is, whose voices will be heard in the halls of power for the next 10 years is of paramount importance. The name of the game between now and the 2022 elections will be redistricting.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● 'The war has changed' - CDC warns of delta variant's extreme contagiousness, severity abc30

● In shocking news, US has highest number of new cases in the world The Hill

● ‘The war has changed’: Internal CDC document urges new messaging, warns delta infections likely more severe Washington Post

● America's new approach to masks is even more scattershot than before Axios

● COVID-19 live updates: New CDC brief says vaccines may be less effective against delta variant abcNews

● Delta Variant Adds to the Mix of Worries at the Fed U.S. News

Biden to require COVID-19 vaccinations, or regular testing, for federal workers

Fresno Bee

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced new rules to persuade federal workers to get inoculated against COVID-19, a step that reflected his frustration with lagging vaccination rates and his fear that more unnecessary deaths are on the horizon.

● Biden to require COVID-19 vaccinations, or regular testing, for federal workers Los Angeles Times

● Biden asks federal workers to disclose vaccination status Roll Call

● Biden to federal workers: Get vaccinated or face restrictions Washington Post

● Biden Says Federal Employees Must Get Covid-19 Shots or Wear Masks, Test Regularly Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: Americans Prove You Can Oppose Mandatory Shots While Still Getting Vaccinated TownHall

Biden calls for $100 payments for those newly vaccinated against COVID. What to know

Fresno Bee

President Joe Biden called on local and state governments to offer $100 payments to people who get vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of his administration’s push to get more shots into arms as coronavirus cases rebound across the U.S.

● Biden rolls out aggressive plan to jump-start vaccination Politico

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris approval ratings dip in new California poll

Los Angeles Times

President Biden’s job performance rating among Californians has dipped slightly in recent months, even as his infrastructure and domestic spending plans register as highly popular, according to a new poll released Wednesday.

See also:

● Opinion: Is Joe Biden Sinking? Wall Street Journal

A Look at What the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Would Do

New York Times

After weeks of debate and discussion, the White House and a bipartisan group of senators said on Wednesday that they had reached agreement on an infrastructure bill.

● Opinion: An Infrastructure Bill That Works Wall Street Journal

● Editorial: A Not So Grand Infrastructure Deal Wall Street Journal

● Editorial: The Pathetic Republican Surrender National Review

Congress Approves $2.1 Billion Emergency Funding Bill For Capitol Police

VPR

The U.S. Capitol Police are on the verge of running out of money next month so both the Senate and House approved a $2.1 billion spending measure on Thursday to avoid furloughs and pay for overtime, training and more.

Editorial: The federal debt limit drama isn’t a fight over spending

Los Angeles Times

The federal government’s finances are in the red and the White House is occupied by a Democrat, which means it’s time for renewed drama about the federal debt limit.

Opinion: Don’t even think of passing Biden’s budget bill now

AEI

As the delta variant continues to sweep through the U.S., officials are reimposing mask mandates and taking other measures to try to slow the spread. Will the renewed threat to public health stall U.S. economic growth?

Senate Bill Aims to Create National Database of Restrictive Property Covenants

Wall Street Journal

A new bill backed by a slate of Senate Democrats would allocate competitive grants to colleges and universities to analyze, digitize and map historic housing discrimination records, creating the first national database of its kind.

Senate moves to legalize pot at federal level. What are the chances?

Los Angeles Times

The Senate is preparing to wade into a controversial conversation about federal policies on marijuana after Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a Democrat from New York, released draft legislation this month that would legalize weed at the federal level.

Nearly 230 Republican lawmakers, including McConnell and McCarthy, urge the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and 'release its vise grip on abortion politics'

Business Insider

Nearly 230 congressional Republicans on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to overturn the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade.

● Opinion: Has Roe v. Wade Met Its Match? Wall Street Journal

‘Just say the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me,’ Trump told acting attorney general

Washington Post

Notes of a phone call released to Congress show that President Donald Trump pressed the Justice Department to declare the 2020 election corrupt, even as top officials pushed back.

No, the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 wasn’t a ‘completely peaceful protest’

PolitiFact

INSURRECTION DEBUNKED," begins a June 1 headline on the blog Gateway Pundit. "New video shows completely peaceful protest inside US Capitol on Jan. 6."

● Opinion: The Jan. 6 Committee Carries History’s Weight Wall Street Journal

Trump's Republican critics rake in cash

Axios

Republican critics of Donald Trump have raked in campaign cash this year as their votes to impeach the former president and investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack have put them in the crosshairs of Trump and his allies.

Opinion: The ‘Keep Nine’ Amendment Can Save the Supreme Court

National Review

If adopted, the “Keep Nine amendment” would become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Its text is simple and unambiguous: “The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine Justices.”

Census won’t release key annual survey because of pandemic’s impact on data

Roll Call

The Census Bureau announced it will not produce its annual American Community Survey, which provides detailed demographic data widely used for research and billions of dollars in federal funding decisions, because of how the coronavirus pandemic skewed survey results.

Other:

The U.S. Is Girding for a New Culture War

Bloomberg

A woman’s control over her body looks set to become a political dividing line in next year’s U.S. midterm elections. That poses a challenge to President Joe Biden’s efforts to ease America’s polarization after the conflicts of the Donald Trump administration.

● Poll: Americans' Confidence in Racial Fairness Waning Gallup

Commentary: Gun shows are the kind of event state fairgrounds were designed for

CalMatters

Gun shows are not dangerous and absolutely belong on fairgrounds as much as an agricultural fair or bridal show. Government should not discriminate against lawful activity because some do not agree with it.

Opinion: Americans, Not Government, Are the Arbiters of Truth

National Review

The cozy relationship between Big Government and Big Tech has blossomed into brazen collusion. When the White House doesn’t like what Americans are saying, they pick up the phone to pressure unaccountable Big Tech corporations to censor Americans.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, August 1, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Nursing Homes: How COVID Revealed a Quality Care Problem"- Guest: Barbara Feder-Ostrov - CalMatters; Jocelyn Wiener - CalMatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, August 1, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Aging Better: What's the Plan?"- Guest: Kim McCoy Wade, Director - CA Department of Aging. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

‘Liquidation of cows.’ How the drought creates chaos on California ranches, dairy farms

Fresno Bee

Jennifer Beretta has been working as a dairy farmer since she was 6 and knows some of her family’s 700 cows by name. One of her favorites, a Jersey named Harmony, has won top prizes at the Sonoma County Fair.

Opinion: Bill would end farmworker right to vote for union representation

Business Journal

AB 616, introduced by Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley), would eliminate the right of agricultural employees to cast a vote in a secret ballot election on whether to join a union.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Officials hope to combat domestic violence through education

Bakersfield Californian

As violent crimes surge, Californians’ faith in gun control slips in new poll

Los Angeles Times

Amid a surge in shootings this year, a majority of California voters say that they believe gun control laws are effective in reducing violent crime, but confidence in them has slipped, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll.

Police shootings continue daily, despite a pandemic, protests and pushes for reform

Washington Post

On Oct. 27, an Uber driver in Pompano Beach, Fla., reported that he had been carjacked. A passenger attacked him, slashing his hand with a knife and stealing his Mercedes-Benz, the driver said.

Public Safety:

California Prohibits Certain Mugshots from Social Media

Clovis RoundUp

California will be restricting which suspected criminals will be receiving their 15 minutes of shame on social media following a recent assembly bill (AB) on Friday, July 23, 2021.

Fired: California bill aims to decertify police for serious misconduct

Visalia Times Delta

The bill would allow California to decertify police officers for misconduct — effectively stripping them of a license to work in law enforcement and kicking them out of the profession.

US judge may require vaccines for California prison staff

Bakersfield Californian

A federal judge on Thursday said he will consider ordering all California prison employees and inmate firefighters to be vaccinated as the state tries to head off another coronavirus infection surge driven by the more contagious delta variant.

Rise in Car Crash Deaths Prompts New Seat-Belt Push

Wall Street Journal

More than half of all crash fatalities last year involved unbelted drivers or occupants, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s preliminary data on cases where seat-belt use is known. That is the highest level since 2012.

Fire:

Gov. Newsom to join Pres. Biden in second White House meeting on Western wildfires

Fresno Bee

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Gov. Gavin Newsom and six other governors on Friday to discuss efforts to prevent 2021 wildfires, according to White House officials.

Wildfire updates: Dixie Fire growth slows, but crews still expect ‘instability’ at blaze

Sacramento Bee

Calmer winds and higher humidity slowed the growth of the Dixie Fire overnight, providing a brief respite for crews battling the blaze heading into Thursday morning.

PG&E ‘criminally liable’ in 2020’s fatal Zogg Fire in California, Shasta prosecutor says

Sacramento Bee

Shasta County prosecutors plan to file criminal charges against PG&E Corp. over its role in last September’s fatal Zogg Fire.

California’s 2020 fire siege: wildfires by the numbers

CalMatters

In a year of superlatives, some statistics stand out for California’s 2020 fire year: Four million acres, 112 million tons of greenhouse gases, thousands of lightning strikes, 11 million gallons of fire retardant. And 31 lost lives.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Three cannabis retailers are one step closer to opening in Fresno. Here are the details

Fresno Bee

Valley Republic agrees to purchase offer by Chico-based bank

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield's Valley Republic Bank is expected to be acquired by the end of this year by a much larger institution based in Chico under a proposed transaction observers say would probably make more and bigger loans available to local businesses.

‘Is something around the corner?’ Small businesses reopen to find new challenges

CalMatters

California’s economy is no longer at its nadir. But small businesses are still working to get back to normal, and are struggling with hiring, childcare for their workforce and the uncertainty of future outbreaks.

Payday loans dropped during pandemic, but Californians are ‘not out of the woods’

CalMatters

A new report found a dramatic decrease in Californians’ reliance on payday loans as a direct result of pandemic-related government assistance, including unemployment benefits, rent relief, eviction moratoriums, stimulus checks and loan forbearance.

‘Industrial Policy’ Is Back: The West Dusts Off Old Idea to Counter China

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. and its allies have long pressed China to stop helping favored industries with subsidies, government preferences and other interventions.

U.S. GDP roars past pre-pandemic levels. Where does the economy go from here?

Los Angeles Times

Even with production glitches, transportation bottlenecks and labor shortages, the U.S. economy grew at one of the fastest rates in decades, lifting the nation’s total output above where it was before COVID-19 hit, according to government data released Thursday.

● Opinion: Growth With Caution Signs Wall Street Journal

● World Economy Caps Extraordinary Return From Covid-19 Collapse Wall Street Journal

Jobs:

Will your job require a COVID vaccination? Why Calif businesses aren’t so sure

Sacramento Bee

Scott Shapiro and the vast majority of his co-workers at the DowneyBrand law firm in Sacramento have been vaccinated against COVID-19. But Shapiro, the firm’s managing partner, isn’t ready to order the remaining employees to get vaccinated.

● Where are workers required to get the COVID-19 vaccine? Mercury News

California keeps adding low-wage jobs. Can it find a way to save its middle class?

Modesto Bee

California is becoming less equal every day. The state’s 100 richest residents had $815.5 billion in net worth as of September 2020, up 18% from 2019, according to Forbes.

● Beyond Poverty: Fight for the California Dream’ — a new mini-documentary Modesto Bee

‘Being in hell’: California’s indoor workers face dangers from increasing heat waves

Sacramento Bee

Cooks working next to a fryer without air conditioners in a 115-degree room. Workers pleading to use portable fans to cool down in a warehouse where the temperature can reach 120 degrees.

A California city raised essential worker pay — and their expectations

Politico

Tony Campanello, who runs the frozen food section at a Ralphs supermarket in Long Beach, has worked in nearly every department of the store since taking the job nearly 44 years ago.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Clovis schools to allow parents to seek COVID mask exemptions without doctor’s note

Fresno Bee

Clovis Unified trustees voted Thursday to give parents the option to exempt their children from wearing masks when students return to school this year.

● Opinion: Don’t Mandate Kids in Masks National Review

COVID rampant as return to school nears. Should we worry?

Mercury News

Fremont Unified School District Superintendent CJ Cammack looks forward to welcoming the district’s 34,000 students back next month with an air of hope and a hint of unease.

Study Confirms School-to-Prison Pipeline

U.S. News

Children who attend schools with high suspension rates are significantly more likely to be arrested and jailed as adults – especially Black and Hispanic boys – according to new research that shines a spotlight on the school-to-prison pipeline.

Higher Ed:

Working, learning, visiting Stanislaus State? Here’s what you need to know on vaccination

Modesto Bee

Keeping with the California State University system’s decision, Stanislaus State will require students, faculty and staff coming on campus to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

California is failing to meet demand for UC admission. Why it’s a crisis

Los Angeles Times

A troubling undercurrent belies the UC’s celebratory news that it admitted the largest and most diverse class ever: There are not enough seats for students at most campuses, a worsening capacity crisis that threatens to break the California promise of a UC education.

Lawmakers aim to boost student voting power on UC, community college boards

CalMatters

If a bill pending in the California Legislature passes, all three of the state’s higher education governing boards will have two voting student members. Advocates say the student representatives provide an important perspective on issues like campus safety and basic needs.

Supporting distressed communities by strengthening regional public universities: A federal policy proposal

Brookings

Forecasters predict the economy will grow significantly in the latter half of 2021 as the U.S. continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and recession.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Report: Valley could see 6-9 degree temperature increase by 2100

Hanford Sentinel

Climate change projections show the Central Valley will see more hot, dry years like 2021, but also some dangerously wet years as well.

Study: Global warming will kill 83 million people in next 80 years

Sacramento Bee

A population equivalent to that of Germany — 83 million people — could be killed by 2100 because of rising temperatures caused by greenhouse-gas emissions, according to a new study that might influence how markets price carbon pollution.

Energy:

Infrastructure bill would transform energy, but maybe not enough

Roll Call

The bipartisan infrastructure bill in the Senate would spend billions to shift toward a less carbon-centric power sector in the United States, as some advocates say they are looking for more to be done or question the direction of the legislation altogether.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

'The war has changed' - CDC warns of delta variant's extreme contagiousness, severity

abc30

The delta coronavirus variant surging across the United States appears to cause more severe illness and spread as easily as chickenpox, according to an internal document from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

● C.D.C. Internal Report Calls Delta Variant as Contagious as Chickenpox New York Times

● Delta is bad. Could the next COVID variant be much worse? Mercury News

What does high COVID transmission mean? Map shows you areas where CDC recommends masks

Sacramento Bee

Fully vaccinated people who are in areas with high or substantial COVID-19 transmission levels should wear masks in indoor public settings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

Can mixing COVID vaccines boost protection against delta variant? What early data shows

Fresno Bee

Although preliminary, data on mixing shots, scientifically known as “heterologous prime-boost vaccination,” offers some positive news. But experts say more research is needed to fully support this approach.

● Delta Variant Rekindles Face-Mask Fights Wall Street Journal

What is a COVID-19 vaccine ‘breakthrough’ case?

Fresno Bee

What is a COVID-19 vaccine “breakthrough” case? It’s when a fully vaccinated person gets infected with the coronavirus. While the vaccines are very good at protecting us from the virus, it’s still possible to get infected with mild or no symptoms, or even to get very sick.

COVID vaccinations lag for people on Medi-Cal

CalMatters

In all California counties, Medi-Cal enrollees have been vaccinated at substantially lower rates than the overall population. Experts point to several factors for this economic divide, like the inability of low-income people to take time off work.

FDA is letting troubled COVID vaccine factory restart, company says

Los Angeles Times

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is allowing the problem-plagued factory of contract manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions to resume production of COVID-19 vaccine, the company said Thursday.

How Climate Change is Pushing the Human Body to the Brink

Washington Post

A measurement of the combination of heat and humidity is called a “wet-bulb temperature,”. Scientists are using this metric to figure out which regions of the world may become too dangerous for humans.

New State Laws Hamstring Public Health Officials

PEW Trusts

At least 20 states have approved laws sharply curtailing health agencies’ emergency powers to invoke restrictions such as quarantines, mask wearing, business closures and vaccine mandates.

Human Services:

UC Davis Health Doctor Explains Why Masking Again Is Important

Capital Public Radio

California’s public health agency is recommending people wear masks indoors again. The announcement follows the CDC’s guideline update, which recommends face coverings for areas where transmission is high or substantial.

No Shot, No Shoes, No Service

U.S. News

Frustration over coronavirus vaccine reluctance is prompting an emerging new approach: We can't make you do it. But we're going to make your life hard if you continue to refuse.

Webinar: Developing the Healthcare Workforce of Tomorrow

U.S. News

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of stress, burnout and turnover among clinicians and health professionals were alarmingly high – and rising.

IMMIGRATION

US used contractors with no child care experience to run migrant facilities: whistleblowers

The Hill

More federal employees are stepping forward to complain about treatment of unaccompanied minors at a facility in Fort Bliss, Texas, after the government allegedly contracted with several companies with no experience caring for children.

Menendez: No path forward on immigration without reconciliation

Roll Call

Sen. Bob Menendez, a key negotiator in congressional immigration talks, cast doubt on prospects for legislation to create a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants if Democrats cannot advance the measure through the budget reconciliation process.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Warszawski: Six Flags in Fresno? Just as soon as we get a PGA Tour stop, lake, speedway and aquarium

Fresno Bee

Housing:

New program is a game-changer for Fresno renters who are facing illegal evictions

Fresno Bee

Opinion: To solve homelessness, every city must come to the table

Visalia Times Delta

Homelessness happens everywhere, and unhoused people should be able to remain in their communities. We need every city involved in building housing, shelters, mental health services, addiction services and job placement services. Not just the larger cities.

California’s housing market to cool in second half of year, Realtor economists predict

Mercury News

House prices still will be up 21% by year’s end thanks to the white-hot home buying frenzy during the first half of the year.

Why are key California affordable housing bills bottled up?

CalMatters

Affordable housing advocates are asking why bills supported by state Senate leader Toni Atkins are stuck in the Assembly. One answer appears to be a labor provision pushed by the State Building and Construction Trades Council.

White House says it has no choice but to allow eviction ban to expire Saturday

Los Angeles Times

The Biden administration will allow a nationwide ban on evictions to expire Saturday, arguing that its hands are tied after the Supreme Court ruled the ban could only be extended until the end of the month.

● Evictions are about to restart as tenants wait on billions in unspent rental aid Washington Post

● Biden Asks Congress to Extend Federal Eviction Moratorium Wall Street Journal

● House moves toward possible vote on extending eviction ban Bloomberg

Senate Bill Aims to Create National Database of Restrictive Property Covenants

Wall Street Journal

PUBLIC FINANCES

Another 1.5 million people will get tax refunds this week, IRS says. Who qualifies?

Sacramento Bee

The Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday that another 1.5 million people who overpaid taxes on their unemployment benefits last year will get tax refunds, averaging more than $1,600.

TRANSPORTATION

Fresno EOC participates in a Webinar with Coalition for Clean Air and UCLA Luskin Center on Clean Cars 4 All Program

FresnoEOC

We discussed the importance of getting clean air vehicles in the hands of lower-income earners and providing equity in disadvantaged areas. We shared how our agency is moving forward in clean air initiatives, providing electrical vehicle rebates and charging stations.

Construction to start on new Crows Landing bridge over river. What drivers can expect

Modesto Bee

Construction is about to start on a new Crows Landing Road bridge over the San Joaquin River. The $22.7 million project will be on a key link for cars and trucks between the Modesto area and the West Side.

What we know about Senate’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and transit funding

Mass Transit

The framework calls for $39 billion in new investment. “It will repair and upgrade aging infrastructure, modernize bus and rail fleets, make stations accessible to all users and bring transit service to new communities,” the White House included in its fact sheet on the deal.

Can Americans Learn to Love – and Ride – Bus Transit?

Governing.com

Compared to other forms of transit, public buses are cheap, flexible and plentiful. But policymakers aren’t that interested in buses, and ridership is declining.

Flight attendants say airlines must do more to address unruly passengers

Los Angeles Times

The Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA conducted the survey of nearly 5,000 flight attendants across 30 airlines to pressure airlines and government officials to take stronger measures against passengers who verbally or physically abuse flight crews.

WATER

All of Central California in 'exceptional drought' as dry conditions worsen

abc30

California's drought keeps getting worse, including in the Central Valley, where the entire area is now facing exceptional drought conditions.

Homes lose water as wells run dry in drought-ravaged basin

Bakersfield Californian

Judy and Jim Shanks know the exact date their home’s well went dry — June 24.

Will Delta Water Users Sue — Again — To Stop California’s Drought Rules?

Capital Public Radio

Drought-plagued California is poised to bar thousands of farmers, landowners and others from pumping water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed, a move that irrigation districts said exceeds the water board’s authority.

Water shortages and drought are California’s biggest environmental concern, new poll shows

Mercury News

After the two driest consecutive years in much of California in nearly half a century, reservoir levels are dropping. Lawns are brown. Water restrictions are increasing. And Californians are getting worried.

“Xtra”

Disneyland and other parks are requiring masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status

Los Angeles Times

Responding to state and local health officials’ recommendations, Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and other theme parks will require guests to wear masks in all indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.

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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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