Maddy Institute – June 11, 2021

11Jun

POLICY & POLITICS

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North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Opinion: Build unity and return to normal in Stanislaus County by getting COVID vaccine Modesto Bee

Atwater to break ground on new $30 million school. Here’s when it’s expected to open

Merced Sun-Star

Atwater Elementary School District plans to break ground on a $30 million school at the end of the year. Juniper Elementary School will be the district’s newest school, serving about 600 students beginning in the fall of 2023, district officials confirmed this week.

Empire’s new library opens. Here’s why it’s so special – and important – to residents

Modesto Bee

The new Empire Library doesn’t have quite the “millions” of books that 8-year-old Samantha Alvarado estimated. It does have thousands more than its predecessor, though, plus plenty else to please residents of the community just to the east of Modesto.

$5.6 million for Turlock road repairs: City Council OKs budget boosted by tax revenue

Modesto Bee

Turlock residents could see the city spend $5.6 million of local sales tax revenue to fix roads through June 2022, per the budget officials approved Tuesday.

Drought is back. How cities and irrigation districts in Stanislaus are limiting water

Modesto Bee

The drought won’t force sudden cuts in water use by city residents in Stanislaus County, because they are in conservation mode all the time. You know the drill: Water only on the assigned days of the week, and never in the afternoon.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Lagging COVID vaccine rates bring California surgeon general to Fresno, Kings counties Fresno Bee

● What will normal look like in Fresno, Valley when COVID-19 rules disappear next week? Fresno Bee

● Fresno is set to fully reopen — but will some COVID rules stay? What you need to know Fresno Bee

Fresno mobile home community hit by second fire in past two months

Fresno Bee

Firefighters battled a fire that spread inside a mobile home community Wednesday night in northeast Fresno, the second fire at the park in the past two months. The initial call of a fire occurred around 10 p.m. with a report of a tree on fire.

Fresno to allow for more weed shops. City Council expands business licenses on 4-3 vote

Fresno Bee

Fresno may be seeing more weed dispensaries in the near future, following a resolution that passed through the City Council on Thursday.

Arias pushes infrastructure improvements for South Tower neighborhood

Business Journal

Fresno City Council member Miguel Arias invited local media and community members of the South Tower neighborhood to unveil his proposal to rebuild the area and fulfill an over 100-year old broken promise.

Column: A conservative mayor heard tearful stories. They changed his mind about flying the rainbow flag

Los Angeles Times

When the Fresno City Council voted recently to observe LGBTQ Pride Month by flying the rainbow flag at City Hall, Mayor Jerry Dyer’s objection was not surprising.

‘All they want is opportunity.’ Migrant kids seek new life in this Fresno County city

Fresno Bee

Many new arrivals, including children and teenagers who crossed the border without their parents, have settled in Mendota, an agricultural community often referred to as the Cantaloupe Center of the World.

Fresno parents call for Central schools superintendent to resign following felony arrest

Fresno Bee

Community members and parents on Thursday urged the superintendent of Fresno County’s third-largest school district to resign and said the school board should fire him if he “does not do the right thing.”

CUSD Agrees on New Collective Bargaining Agreement

Clovis Roundup

The Clovis Unified School District governing board approved the employee collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the 2021-22 year at the June 9 board meeting.

Kingsburg’s Jewel Hurtado faces recall effort for ‘socialist agenda,’ proponents say

Fresno Bee

Councilmember Jewel Hurtado was named in the recall election notice posted Monday. In her first term, Hurtado’s seat would be up for election again in November 2022.

New Visalia police captain using her path to inspire others

abc30

The Visalia Police Department has a new leader, Capt. Luma Fahoum. She was promoted in May and is currently the highest-ranking female in the department.

Sen. Hurtado urges Newsom to include farmworkers in universal income plan

Hanford Sentinel

Senator Hurtado and her colleagues sent a letter to Newsom requesting that the proposed UBI Pilot Program in this year’s budget proposal include farmworkers who have been displaced by drought and a SGI to farmworkers who have had their hours reduced.

Around Kings County: 'Wall to Wall' solar plants on the way

Hanford Sentinel

This month the Kings County Planning Commission approved three huge but modified solar projects that will sprawl over the westside of the county, flanking Highway 41 and the Avenal Cutoff — all part of the huge Westlands Solar Park project.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports 24 new coronavirus cases Thursday Bakersfield Californian

Arvin Mayor Olivia Trujillo fights allegation she committed unemployment insurance fraud

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Arvin has accused Mayor Olivia Trujillo of possibly committing unemployment insurance fraud. Meanwhile, Trujillo is firing back by claiming the accusations are an act of political retaliation in response to her efforts to cut costs at City Hall.

Kern 'center of excellence' attracts another renewable fuels project

Bakersfield Californian

A Southern California company plans to open a renewable diesel plant in Bakersfield that would employ at least 70 people helping turn 5,300 barrels per day of dirty cooking oil and other low-grade feedstock into relatively clean fuel for powering heavy-duty trucks.

Lawsuits accuse Harrison, local Catholic institutions

Bakersfield Californian

Two unnamed plaintiffs have filed lawsuits alleging Monsignor Craig Harrison sexually assaulted them as minors while his former supervisors at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and St. Joseph Church looked the other way.

Bakersfield's love affair with fireworks: 'Safe and sane' vs. unsafe and insane

Bakersfield Californian

Nobody knows exactly why so many locals seem to be developing an obsession with things that go BOOM! in the night, but the misuse of illegal fireworks seems to be on the rise, not only on the Fourth of July, but almost year-round.

State:

COVID Update:

● California’s COVID State of Emergency Still in Place During Reopening Clovis Roundup

● State updates what mask policy will be after June 15 Porterville Recorder

● How California’s mask rules will change June 15: New guidelines for indoor settings Sacramento Bee

● California COVID-19 plunges to new lows, fueling hope big reopening won’t bring new surge Los Angeles Times

● California’s big reopening: What changes — and what doesn’t — on June 15? CalMatters

● Wearing a mask may go from a symbol of responsibility to vulnerability as California reopens Los Angeles Times

California and Federal Government Reach Agreement – Nearly $1 Billion in Funding Returned to the High-Speed Rail Project

High Speed Rail Authority

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the State of California finalized settlement negotiations to restore nearly a billion dollars in federal grant funding to California’s High-Speed Rail project.

● Biden Admin, reversing Trump, hands Calif nearly $1 billion for bullet train Sacramento Bee

● California High-Speed Rail Receives Nearly A Billion Dollars KGET

● US will restore $1B for California’s troubled bullet train SD Union-Tribune

● US will restore $1B for California's troubled High-Speed Rail abc30

● California's high-speed rail project to get back nearly $1 billion in federal funding that Trump cut San Francisco Chronicle

● Biden restores $929 mln for Calif high-speed rail withheld by Trump Reuters

Newsom recall could cost California taxpayers at least $215 million, counties say

Fresno Bee

California counties expect to spend an estimated $215 million to conduct a statewide special recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to a report compiled by the California Department of Finance.

● Democrats move to cover recall costs, speed up election date Bakersfield Californian

● California Recall: What To Know About The Effort To Remove Gavin Newsom Capital Public Radio

● Democrats push for speedy Newsom recall as new analysis pegs cost at $215 million Los Angeles Times

● Caitlyn Jenner, once an ‘American hero,’ struggles to win support from California voters Sacramento Bee

● Recall fever strikes California as angry voters take on politicians in large numbers Los Angeles Times

● Recalling a California governor, explained CalMatters

● When is the Newsom recall election? Maybe sooner than you think CalMatters

Opinion: Don’t delay governor’s broadband plan

CalMatters

The governor has put forward what may be a generational proposal for bridging the digital divide with billions of dollars in federal and state surplus funding. It sounds like a no-brainer.

Lawmakers Pressure Newsom to ‘Step Up’ on Racism as a Public Health Issue

California Healthline

After the killing last year of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared racism a public health crisis

Gavin Newsom slams federal judge as California appeals ruling on assault gun ban

Fresno Bee

California officials announced Thursday they are appealing a ruling by a federal judge to strike down California’s assault weapons ban.

● California appeals ruling overturning state's ban on assault weapons abc30

● California appeals court decision to overturn longstanding assault weapons ban Mercury News

● California appeals judge’s ruling that overturned the state’s assault weapons ban Los Angeles Times

● Skelton: California is sitting on a massive surplus. It’s time for Newsom to spend on gun control Los Angeles Times

● Walters: California gun laws headed for legal showdown Modesto Bee

Gavin Newsom, other Calif officials slated to get 4.2% raise after commission vote

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom, California lawmakers and other state elected officials are slated to get a 4.2% raise at year’s end after a commission voted this week to approve the raises.

Cal Fire employee says a captain groped her at work. She’s seeking $1.75 million in damages

Sacramento Bee

A Cal Fire employee has filed a $1.75 million negligence claim against the agency, San Luis Obispo County and Los Osos Community Services District after she was allegedly groped on the job by a captain who now faces a criminal charge.

California Latino leaders criticize Kamala Harris’ ‘Do not come’ message to migrants

Sacramento Bee

Two Democratic leaders of the California Latino Legislative Caucus on Wednesday criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent remarks discouraging Guatemalans from traveling to the U.S-Mexico border during her first foreign visit to Guatemala this week.

In Absentia: No Latino judges in these majority-Latino California counties

CalMatters

While four mostly Latino counties lack any Latino Superior Court judges, another 13 counties have a more than 30 point gap between the percentage of Latinos in the population and on the bench. Here’s what that means.

An unusual addition to California’s 2022 ballot

CalMatters

When you get your November 2022 ballot, it might feel as though you’re seeing double: For the first time in history, a race for the same California seat in the U.S. Senate will likely appear twice.

California reparations committee confronts harms of slavery, debates direct payments

CalMatters

As California’s reparations committee embarks on a two-year process to study the harms of slavery and systemic racism, task force members will confront how a single state, which never formally sanctioned slavery, can make amends.

How California Detects Fiscal Distress in Local Governments

PEW

In California, the state auditor’s office launched an online dashboard in October 2019 to rank more than 470 cities based on their fiscal health.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● Biden unveils plan for US to donate 500M more COVID-19 vaccine doses abc30

● Biden pledges 500M doses, calls on world leaders to join him Fresno Bee

● Covid-19 Deaths This Year Have Already Eclipsed 2020’s Toll Wall Street Journal

● See How Vaccinations Are Going in Your County and State New York Times

● States Scale Back Pandemic Reporting, Stirring Alarm VPR

Bipartisan Group of Senators Reaches Agreement on Infrastructure Proposal

Wall Street Journal

Members of a bipartisan group of senators said they had reached an agreement on an infrastructure proposal that would be fully paid for without tax increases, pitching the plan to other lawmakers and the White House as they try to craft compromise legislation.

● Ten Senate Democrats and Republicans say they reached five-year, nearly $1 trillion infrastructure deal Washington Post

● Bipartisan Group of Senators Reaches Agreement on Infrastructure Proposal Wall Street Journal

Senate Republicans and Democrats agree: Time to close regional economic divides

Brookings

In a rare case of bipartisanship, Senate Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the $200-billion Innovation and Competition Act, a broad legislative package aimed at advancing America's R&D competitiveness with China.

Federal Police-Overhaul Negotiations Uncertain After Democrat Introduces New Proposal

Wall Street Journal

Bipartisan policing talks in Congress hit a snag Thursday after one of the key negotiators released a proposal that ran into resistance from law-enforcement groups and at least one Republican involved in the discussions.

House readies AUMF vote, transportation package for busy June agenda

Roll Call

The House will return to Washington next week to take on a packed June agenda, with votes teed up on repealing the 2002 authorization of military force, overturning a slate of Trump administration regulatory actions and a massive surface transportation package.

Amazon, Other Tech Giants Could Be Forced to Shed Assets Under House Bill

Wall Street Journal

House lawmakers are preparing to propose bipartisan legislation that could require Amazon. AMZN -0.05% com Inc. and other technology giants to effectively split into two companies or shed their private-label products, according to people familiar with the matter and documents.

Leak of billionaires’ tax data draws GOP outcry over privacy

Business Journal

Republicans in Congress are alarmed by the leak of confidential IRS data to the investigative news organization ProPublica, enabling it to reveal that famous billionaires including Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg paid little in U.S. income tax at times.

● An Exposé Has Congress Rethinking How to Tax the Superrich New York Times

● Republicans use leak of billionaires' tax secrets to attack Biden's plan to boost IRS Politico

Trump’s DOJ seized data from House Democrats in leaks probe

AP News

The DOJ under former President Trump secretly seized data from the accounts of at least two Democratic lawmakers in 2018 as part of an aggressive crackdown on leaks related to the Russia investigation and other national security matters.

● Senate Democrats threaten to subpoena Barr, Sessions for testimony over Justice Dept.’s secret pursuit of two House Democrats’ data Washington Post

● Trump Justice Department Sought Democratic Lawmakers’ Records From Apple Wall Street Journal

● Democrats Call for William Barr, Jeff Sessions to Testify on Apple Subpoenas Wall Street Journal

● Hunting Leaks, Trump Officials Focused on Democrats in Congress New York Times

● Schiff calls for inquiry after report that Trump DOJ targeted Democrats in Congress NBCNews

Fact-checking Trump’s statement that Native Americans were paid to vote

Politifact

Trump said that there had been “Indians getting paid to vote in certain states, including Arizona and Nevada.” He did not elaborate or respond to our emails seeking evidence.

How the GOP May – or May Not – Take Back the House in 2022

U.S. News

Republicans are enthusiastic about their chances of taking over the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections of 2022.

Other:

Bob Dole: Lessons From a Bipartisan Era

Wall Street Journal

Why can’t Republicans and Democrats get along? That’s a question I’ve been asked countless times since I resigned from the Senate on June 11, 1996 to campaign for president full-time. It’s a good question, for which I have a good answer.

Long shadows: The Black-White gap in multigenerational poverty

AEI

This report examines patterns of multigenerational poverty for Black and White Americans across three generations. More than half a century since the civil rights victories of the 1960s, racial gaps in poverty and opportunity remain a cause for national shame.

Opinion: Support children by empowering parents with family planning resources

Brookings

Drawing from A New Contract with the Middle Class, Ember Smith explains how family planning can lead to better outcomes for children and encourages policymakers to improve access to high-quality contraception.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

California's farmers are already taking drastic measures to conserve water

San Francisco Chronicle

Normally, Humberto Castañeda Produce grows heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, watermelons and other crops on its 180-acre farm outside of Santa Rosa. But this year, Humberto Castañeda and his son, Gabriel, are planting only 17 acres.

Agriculture panel sends USDA general counsel nomination to full Senate

Roll Call

The Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday sent the nomination of Janie Simms Hipp to the full Senate by voice vote and with bipartisan praise.

Farmworker Overtime Would End Racist Pay Gap, Lawmakers Say

PEW Trusts

Last year brought renewed attention to racial justice and the frontline workers who face health risks in order to provide essential services, including the recognition of the plight of farmworkers, who are among the most vulnerable groups in the country.

Food allergies complicate hungry Americans’ search for meals

Business Journal

When Emily Brown, a Kansas City mother, couldn’t find foods that her 2-year-old with multiple food allergies could eat at a local food pantry, she mustered up the courage to ask about gluten-free foods or dairy alternatives.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Lawsuits accuse Harrison, local Catholic institutions

Bakersfield Californian

Cal Fire employee says a captain groped her at work. She’s seeking $1.75 million in damages

Sacramento Bee

Police reform bill to strip bad cops of badges stuck on who should decide

San Francisco Chronicle

The legislative push to establish a system in California for stripping badges from bad cops has become a battle over how much authority law enforcement should be given to regulate itself.

Public Safety:

New Visalia police captain using her path to inspire others

abc30

The Visalia Police Department has a new leader, Capt. Luma Fahoum. She was promoted in May and is currently the highest-ranking female in the department.

Gavin Newsom slams federal judge as California appeals ruling on assault gun ban

Fresno Bee

California officials announced Thursday they are appealing a ruling by a federal judge to strike down California’s assault weapons ban.

● California appeals ruling overturning state's ban on assault weapons abc30

● California appeals judge’s ruling that overturned the state’s assault weapons ban Los Angeles Times

● Walters: California gun laws headed for legal showdown Modesto Bee

Will psychedelics become legal in California?

CalMatters

The state Senate passed a bill to legalize hallucinogenic drugs for Californians 21 and older. Could psychedelics become the next cannabis?

Inside the California organization tracking anti-Asian hate incidents

CalMatters

Stop AAPI Hate, a California-based coalition, has recorded nearly 7,000 hate incidents involving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders nationwide since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Opinion: We Must Make Policing Better Without 'Defunding' or 'Dismantling'

Real Clear Politics

Many positive changes, including better use-of-force policies, came out of the movement, but many other opportunities have been squandered. It didn’t have to be that way. And it still doesn’t.

Fire:

Gold Fire at Millerton grows slightly with containment at 45%, Cal Fire says

Fresno Bee

Cal Fire reported Thursday morning crews remain on the scene and the fire is at 45 acres and 45% containment.

As wildfire risks grow, so does push for California housing reform

Mercury News

As California’s wildfire season grows longer and more devastating blazes sweep through communities, researchers say the state must overhaul its development policies and community rebuilding efforts or risk greater tragedy and loss of lives

Fresno mobile home community hit by second fire in past two months

Fresno Bee

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

Consumer prices jump 5% over past year; Unemployment claims fall

abc30

U.S. consumer prices continue to climb sharply while weekly jobless claims are falling, according to two pieces of economic data released by the Department of Labor on Thursday.

● Which Higher Prices Are Here to Stay? Wall Street Journal

● Inflation Is Surging. The Price Of A Toyota Pickup Truck Helps Explain Why VPR

● U.S. Inflation Is Highest in 13 Years as Prices Surge 5% Wall Street Journal

● Lumber is wildly expensive now. Even picnic table prices are through the roof Los Angeles Times

Fresh Covid-19 Outbreaks in Asia Disrupt Global Shipping, Chip Supply Chain

Wall Street Journal

As Western economies roar back to life, a fresh wave of Covid-19 clusters in Asia—where vaccination campaigns remain in their early stages—is creating new bottlenecks in the global supply chain, threatening to push up prices.

The conspiracy and disinformation challenge on e-commerce platforms

Brookings

Following the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, social media companies were intensely criticized for their failures to clamp down on misinformation and disinformation. It hasn’t been quite the same story for e-commerce platforms.

Jobs:

You’ll still need a mask at work after California’s COVID reopening on June 15. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

California workers will still need to wear masks and practice social distancing at workplaces for at least a couple of weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s June 15 target to fully reopen the state’s economy.

● OSHA issues safeguards for health workers, but goals for others Roll Call

● The CDPH Issues New Guidance on the Use of Masks and Cal/OSHA Reverses Position Yet Again on Revisions to the Emergency Temporary Standards aalrr

● New federal COVID-19 safety rules exempt most employers AP News

● OSHA issues safeguards for health workers, but goals for others Roll Call

How Are Unemployed Californians Faring on the Road to Recovery?

Public Policy Institute of California

As California prepares to reopen, unemployment has declined substantially from its pandemic peak. Still, lower-income workers, workers of color, and the youngest workers are far more likely than others to be unemployed.

● California unemployment claims drop to fewest since COVID closures began Mercury News

● May Jobs Report Shows There’s Nothing Normal About the Post-Pandemic Labor Market U.S. News

● Opinion: As red states drop unemployment expansions, Democrats try to make them permanent The Hill

Farmworker Overtime Would End Racist Pay Gap, Lawmakers Say

PEW Trusts

EDUCATION

K-12:

Fresno parents call for Central schools superintendent to resign following felony arrest

Fresno Bee

CUSD Agrees on New Collective Bargaining Agreement

Clovis Roundup

The Clovis Unified School District governing board approved the employee collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the 2021-22 year at the June 9 board meeting.

Atwater to break ground on new $30 million school. Here’s when it’s expected to open

Merced Sun-Star

Will California public schools continue free lunches for all?

CalMatters

Legislators want to spend $650 million a year to continue a pandemic program for free meals for all California public school students. The proposal will be decided in budget talks this week.

America’s Lingering Problem With School Segregation

U.S. News

As the Biden administration takes aim at systemic racism and manages a pandemic that exposed racial fault lines in education, some see a chance to attack an intractable problem: school segregation.

What teachers need to know about students’ post-COVID-19 mental health

AEI

As the nation reopens and in-person socialization begins once again, I want to share some good news with a warning: the health of those in Gen Z – my students whose ages range from 18 through 24 – is drastically improving.

Higher Ed:

Smoothing things over: MJC’s new president gets contract extension and $5,000 bonus

Modesto Bee

The board of trustees over Modesto Junior College held a closed-door meeting Wednesday to smooth things over with the college’s new president.

California has the largest drop in spring college enrollment numbers in the nation

Los Angeles Times

California leads the nation with the largest drop in spring 2021 college enrollment numbers largely due to a steep decline in community college students, who have particularly struggled with pandemic hardships, according to a report released Thursday.

See also:

● Current Term Enrollment Estimates National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Thanks, but no thanks: Why community colleges are resisting $170 million

CalMatters

College faculty for decades have been seeking more money to hire full-time instructors. But could that hurt colleges financially down the line if student enrollments continue to sag?

Opinion: College Subsidies Are a Feedback Loop for Bigger Government

Wall Street Journal

Some $1.6 trillion in student debt is now spread across 45 million borrowers, making student loans the second-largest consumer debt category, behind only mortgages.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Commentary: The complex link between population decline and a warming planet

Sacramento Bee

It’s time to stop blaming overpopulation for our environmental woes and start looking at the factors that really matter — resource consumption and toxic exposure as population growth and fertility rates show downward trends.

Gore pressed Biden to stick with climate plans as liberals fear White House is softening its agenda

Washington Post

The president and former vice president had a private phone call amid concerns the White House might strip climate measures from the infrastructure deal.

Energy:

Around Kings County: 'Wall to Wall' solar plants on the way

Hanford Sentinel

Kern 'center of excellence' attracts another renewable fuels project

Bakersfield Californian

Keystone XL’s Demise Shows Hard Road for New Pipelines

Wall Street Journal

The failure of the Keystone XL project demonstrated the challenges of building new pipelines in the U.S. and Canada amid galvanized environmental groups and delivered a blow to oil-and-gas companies that now must rely on aging infrastructure.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

US extends expiration dates for J&J COVID vaccine by 6 weeks

Fresno Bee

Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that U.S. regulators extended the expiration date on millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by six weeks. The company said a FDA review concluded the shots remain safe and effective for at least 4 1/2 months.

● Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine protects against virus variants, study shows Visalia Times Delta

Why do some people get side effects after COVID-19 vaccines?

Fresno Bee

Why do some people get side effects after COVID-19 vaccines? Temporary side effects including headache, fatigue and fever are signs the immune system is revving up -- a normal response to vaccines. And they’re common.

● What to Know About Coronavirus Immunity and the Potential Need for Vaccine Booster Shots U.S. News

The coming flu season may be severe. Here's why

abc30

The coming flu season may be a doozy. Even as coronavirus was devastating populations around the world, killing 3.7 million people globally, doctors and public health officials noticed something else was missing: There was almost no flu.

Lyme Disease-Carrying Ticks Are Turning Up On California's Beaches

VPR

As temperatures rise in California and people in search of respite head for the beach, there's a new concern beyond damaging sun rays and strong undercurrents: disease-carrying ticks that appear to be spreading all along the Golden State's coast.

Human Services:

Lagging COVID vaccine rates bring California surgeon general to Fresno, Kings counties

Fresno Bee

California’s surgeon general visited Kerman and Corcoran to thank workers at COVID-19 vaccination clinics for their work and to personally administer shots to the arms of residents in a part of the state where vaccination rates are lower than the rest of the state.

Kaiser launches COVID-19 vaccine trial for children 5 to 11 in Northern California

Los Angeles Times

Luci is one of 75 children expected to be enrolled in the study, which is also being conducted at Kaiser sites in Oakland and Santa Clara. It’s part of a nationwide effort involving about 4,600 children to evaluate a vaccine being developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.

Moderna seeks FDA authorization for COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12-17

abc30

Moderna has filed with the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 12 to 17, according to a news release from the company. Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is currently authorized for people ages 18 and older.

County health agencies — fighting disease — also have to fight for state funds

CalMatters

As the governor and lawmakers wrangle over the budget, local public health departments are underfunded and overwhelmed. Outdated equipment and insufficient staff hamper handling of everything from asthma to syphilis.

Here’s why you should care about the coronavirus lab leak theory

Los Angeles Times

Did the global pandemic seep from a truckbed crowded with animal cages on its way to market? A cave where villagers dig bat guano? A mislabeled vial in a Chinese coronavirus lab?

IMMIGRATION

Advocates hope for expanded immigrant aid in final budget

CalMatters

As Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders finalize California’s new budget, advocates hope for expanded health care, food and financial aid to undocumented immigrants who are excluded from federal safety net programs.

Facing shortage of high-skilled workers, employers are seeking more immigrant talent, study finds

CNBC

The U.S. does not have enough high-skilled workers to meet demand for computer-related jobs, and employers are seeking immigrant talent to help fill that gap, according to a new report released Thursday.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

Arias pushes infrastructure improvements for South Tower neighborhood

Business Journal

Report: California encourages rebuilding in fire-prone areas

Bakersfield Californian

California state and local officials are encouraging rebuilding in areas destroyed by wildfires at a time when people should be redirected away from those areas if the state wants to reduce the economic and human impact of increasingly destructive wildfires.

Housing:

Fresno County’s affordable housing needs increased significantly even before COVID pandemic

Fresno Bee

According to the 2021 Affordable Housing Needs Report by the California Housing Partnership which analyzed data from 2019, 36,523 low-income renter households in Fresno County do not have access to an affordable home.

California says changes ahead for rental relief program

Mercury News

After widespread criticism from tenants and landlords, state officials said Thursday they plan to streamline applications and step-up outreach efforts to more quickly deliver $2.6 billion in emergency rental assistance.

Bubble watch: California ‘housing crash’ searches surge

Mercury News

If you assume online searches can be tied to popular thinking, eyes are on housing almost like (1) a year ago when the economy was locked down and economic fears were sky-high and (2) the days of the bubble-bursting crash of the mid-2000s.

As wildfire risks grow, so does push for California housing reform

Mercury News

Millions Could Face Eviction With Federal Moratorium Ending And A Logjam In Aid

VPR

Mehran Mossaddad has spent much of the pandemic scared and lying awake at night. He's a single dad with an 10-year-old daughter living outside Atlanta. "I get panic attacks not knowing what's in store for us," he says. "I have to take care of her."

PUBLIC FINANCES

Gavin Newsom recall could cost California taxpayers at least $215 million, counties say

Fresno Bee

Some California state workers could see double-digit raises in contract for blue collar union

Fresno Bee

Blue-collar California state workers in 52 different jobs will receive special pay bumps of 4% to 7% on top of general raises as early as July under a new contract agreement.

How California Detects Fiscal Distress in Local Governments

PEW

In California, the state auditor’s office launched an online dashboard in October 2019 to rank more than 470 cities based on their fiscal health.

White, Asian families have most to gain if Congress restores tax break Trump capped, report says

Fresno Bee

Black and Hispanic families in California would get far less of a benefit than white and Asian households if Congress repeals the federal income tax deduction limits on state and local taxes, a study of the impact finds.

Editorial: What to do about billionaires who pay no taxes

Los Angeles Times

Nothing galls taxpayers as much as hearing about people with far bigger incomes who paid a lot less than they did to the Internal Revenue Service.

Social Security Weathered Covid-19 Better Than Expected, but Long-Term Challenges Remain

Wall Street Journal

The near-term finances of the federal government’s retirement and disability programs appear to have weathered the storm better than many policy analysts had predicted.

Stimulus Checks Substantially Reduced Hardship, Study Shows

New York Times

Julesa Webb resumed an old habit: serving her children three meals a day. Corrine Young paid the water bill and stopped bathing at her neighbor’s apartment. Chenetta Ray cried, thanked Jesus and rushed to spend the money on a medical test to treat her cancer.

TRANSPORTATION

$5.6 million for Turlock road repairs: City Council OKs budget boosted by tax revenue

Modesto Bee

Turlock residents could see the city spend $5.6 million of local sales tax revenue to fix roads through June 2022, per the budget officials approved Tuesday.

Commentary: Legislators must keep high-speed rail on track

Hanford Sentinel

Although I work in Chicago, I have spent the last few months laser-focused on California, communicating with dozens of assemblymembers and senators from all over the state.

Biden administration, reversing Trump, hands California nearly $1 billion for bullet train

Sacramento Bee

The U.S. Department of Transportation finalized settlement negotiations to restore the money for the high-speed rail project that was revoked by the Trump administration in 2019, Newsom said Thursday night.

● US will restore $1B for California’s troubled bullet train San Diego Union-Tribune

● US will restore $1B for California's troubled High-Speed Rail abc30

● California's high-speed rail project to get back nearly $1 billion in federal funding that Trump cut San Francisco Chronicle

● Biden restores $929 mln for California high-speed rail withheld by Trump Reuters

Today’s electric vehicle market: Slow growth in U.S., faster in China, Europe

Pew Research Center

Which state has the highest share of electric vehicles? Where are all the charging stations? How does the U.S. compare to other countries?

You may be paying more for Uber, but drivers aren’t getting their cut of the fare hike

Washington Post

Uber passengers paying astronomical fares amid a labor shortage may think the extra money is going to their stressed and overworked drivers. But drivers are not being compensated based on what customers pay.

WATER

Parts of Central CA in 'exceptional drought' as dry conditions worsen

abc30

An updated map from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows California's drought is worsening, with most of the state facing extreme or exceptional drought conditions, including all of Central California.

Drought is back. How cities and irrigation districts in Stanislaus are limiting water

Modesto Bee

Key reservoir on Colorado River hits record low amid drought

Fresno Bee

A key reservoir on the Colorado River has dipped to its record low in the latest showing of the drought's grip on the region.

Delta Conveyance Project to Host Informational Webinars

Delta Conveyance Project

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is hosting four informational webinars between July and September 2021 to provide background information related to preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

“Xtra”

Wedding boom is on in the US as vendors scramble to keep up

Fresno Bee

Couples in the U.S. are racing to the altar in a vaccination-era wedding boom that has venues and other vendors in high demand.

Bethany Clough: This national cookie shop is expanding to Fresno. Here’s why we’re having a cookie boom

Fresno Bee

Crumbl Cookies is coming to Fresno. The national franchise is planning to open a location June 23 in the Villaggio shopping center at Blackstone and Nees avenues. That’s the center with Barnes & Noble — and the Crumbl bakery will be next to Coldstone Creamery.

Bethany Clough: Three new restaurants open in Fresno area with pizza, pho and Mediterranean food

Fresno Bee

Three new restaurants have opened in Fresno and Clovis – four if you count the boba tea shop attached to one of them. Like multi-cultured Fresno, the restaurants’ cuisines are diverse, including Mediterranean, Italian pizza and pho.

Love California? Here are more than 100 summer travel ideas

Los Angeles Times

If you’re thinking about traveling in California this summer, we can help. In this gallery of stories, lists and photos, there are 40 great outdoorsy places plus tips, updates and two dozen suggestions from readers.