POLICY & POLITICS
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North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Stanislaus funeral and wedding services in demand, but businesses uncertain about masks Modesto Bee
Police chief to provide update on pairing mental health clinicians with officers
Modesto Bee
Interim Modesto Police Chief Brandon Gillespie will update a City Council committee Monday on his department’s efforts to respond to mental health calls by pairing behavioral clinicians with officers.
Modesto wants a plan for more housing. Here’s where it’s hoping to build.
Modesto Bee
Modesto officials want a long-term vision for housing and how the city can produce more of it, including the potential redevelopment of such sites as the old downtown courthouse, shuttered Municipal Golf Course and empty storefronts into mixed-use developments.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Measure P authors say Fresno parks budget is out of compliance. City has changes in mind
Fresno Bee
While the city of Fresno will begin collecting tax money from Measure P this fiscal year for parks and arts, it likely will be another year before work begins on noticeable improvements to the city’s dilapidated parks.
Universal basic income for Fresno-area farmworkers? Some local leaders are pushing for it
Fresno Bee
A Fresno-area politician wants California to prioritize struggling San Joaquin Valley farmworkers in a proposed pilot program that would put cash in the hands of some the state’s impoverished residents.
Valley Voices: Just beneath the dirt: Where the racism of Fresno began
Fresno Bee
We stood before the school board last week thinking it might be a good time to start a conversation about how Fresno became one of the most racially partitioned cities in the nation and how, as an outcropping of that history.
Valley Voices: Water-poor Valley communities have rare chance to get their broken systems fixed
Fresno Bee
As California plunges into another “historic” drought, people across the state are worried about water shortages. But the last drought never really ended for some Californians, like residents of East Porterville that still have emergency water storage tanks in their front yards.
Fresno City Council announces firing of city clerk on split vote
abc30
The Fresno City Council announced the dismissal of the city clerk on a split vote. Yvonne Spence was sworn in as city clerk in 2012. The City Council voted to dismiss her on a 4-3 vote, with Councilmembers Luis Chavez, Mike Karbassi and Tyler Maxwell voting no.
Selma's new city manager named
Hanford Sentinel
After a longer-than-usual closed session, the city of Selma has a new interim city manager. The selection was made at at the June 6 city council special meeting.
City Council to consider budget at next meeting
Porterville Recorder
The Porterville City Council will consider approving a budget of more than $31 million for day-to-day operations of the city for the 2021-2022 fiscal year at its next meeting.
Pride Flag Raising Ceremony Makes History At Fresno City Hall; Marks Progress For LGBTQ Community
Valley Public Radio
Hundreds of supporters cheered and clapped in front of Fresno City Hall today as the Pride flag was raised for the first time ever.
See also:
Dyer vetoes resolution that would transfer control of honorary flags at Fresno City Hall Fresno Bee
Warszawski: ‘I lived in fear every July 4th.’ Readers back ban on fireworks in Fresno, Valley
Fresno Bee
Fireworks are an explosive issue in Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley, at least judging by the responses to a recent column.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Kern Public Health reports 13 new coronavirus cases Monday Bakersfield Californian
Bank of America provides boost for Bakersfield Homeless Center
Bakersfield Californian
Bank of America has provided a $95,000 grant to the Bakersfield Homeless Center, which will help fund the center’s Champ Camp after-school program and also fund its new box van with a lift that will be used for its Job Development Program.
Lawmakers representing Kern react to state budget
Bakersfield Californian
State lawmakers representing Kern County reacted to the state budget, which was passed as a placeholder Monday evening as Democratic leaders continue to negotiate with Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead June 30, which marks the end of the state's fiscal year.
Bakersfield Californian
This year, a better-than-expected rebound from the coronavirus pandemic and the Public Safety Vital Services Measure allows the city to expand services in a number of areas, including in homelessness and street maintenance.
Oilfield disposal site in western Kern set to close
Bakersfield Californian
A large oilfield wastewater disposal pond near Buttonwillow will likely close this summer, with its operator and last customer paying $645,000 in penalties and fees, under a recent court settlement that further restricts a decades-old practice.
State:
COVID Update:
Everything to know about California's June 15 reopening, from capacity limits to the mask mandate abc30
What could go wrong as California reopens: Variants, vaccine skepticism, inequities Los Angeles Times
Gavin Newsom gives details on upcoming vaccine verification system SFGate
Recalling a California governor, explained
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom is fighting for his political life. He’s working to fend off a recall that began as a far-fetched effort by Republican activists — but has turned into a credible campaign that could throw the Democrat out of office.
See also:
Would you trade less parking for lower housing costs? California plan seeks to do just that
Fresno Bee
California housing advocates want to do away with one of the state’s biggest obstacles to new home construction: requirements that builders provide parking spaces for tenants and homeowners.
California state scientists to receive nearly 8% raise in deal ending pay cuts
Modesto Bee
California state scientists will receive a 7.63% raise in an agreement their union reached with the state to end the furlough-like personal leave program under which they’ve worked for the last year.
See also:
California lawmakers pass budget that ensures they get paid — but still need deal with Newsom
Sacramento Bee
California lawmakers are still negotiating a final budget deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom, but they passed a placeholder budget bill Monday that ensures they continue to be paid in the meantime.
Redistricting and California’s Changing Population
PPIC
The 2020 Census results show California growing more slowly than the nation as a whole, and for the first time the state will lose a House seat. This interactive explores California’s population shifts—and what they might mean for political representation.
Northern California city to sue Gavin Newsom administration over plan to close prison
Sacramento Bee
Leaders of one Northern California city say they are planning on suing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration over a proposed California state prison closure next year that would devastate the local economy.
Walters: California Drought sharpens perpetual water conflict
CalMatters
California never has enough water to meet all demands and even when supplies are relatively robust there’s a triangular competition over their allocation.
Walters: California shifts from baby boom to baby bust
CalMatters
As California’s population exploded in the 1980s, largely due to a surge of immigration and a new baby boom, a fierce debate erupted among those on the political left.
Federal:
COVID Update:
‘Delta’ likely to become dominant coronavirus variant in U.S., former FDA official said Fresno Bee
As US COVID-19 death toll nears 600,000, racial gaps persist Bakersfield Californian
COVID vaccine ‘passports’ in the U.S.: Here’s what we’re getting and why Los Angeles Times
Coronavirus infections dropping where people are vaccinated, rising where they are not, Post analysis finds Washington Post
Biden reaffirms US 'sacred' commitment to NATO alliance on European trip
abc30
President Joe Biden reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to NATO on Monday as leading members declared it a pivotal moment for an alliance beleaguered during the presidency of Donald Trump, who questioned the relevance of the multilateral organization.
See also:
Biden, NATO Stress Threats From China and Russia Wall Street Journal
Biden And The EU Call A Truce In A 17-Year Trade Fight To Focus On Threats From China VPR
Biden's 'watch me' comment raises stakes ahead of Putin summit: The Note abcNews
Justice Department official resigning amid uproar over subpoenas of Democrats’ records
Los Angeles Times
The Justice Department’s top national security official is resigning from his position after revelations that the department secretly seized records from Democrats and members of the media.
See also:
After Apple Subpoenas, Justice Department Rethinks Policies on Getting Lawmakers’ Records Wall Street Journal
Democrats have no easy options for raising the debt limit
Roll Call
Vote is seen as a governing necessity, but politically perilous.
See also:
House Democrats propose $1.5 trillion spending ceiling Roll Call
Moderate Democrats demand ‘stable’ debt ahead of key budget vote Roll Call
$1.5 trillion spending cap approved with House rule Roll Call
Hill staffers expect infrastructure bill to pass, but little else
Roll Call
Latest Capitol Insiders Survey shows Democratic aides not optimistic about filibuster changing either, with Manchin standing firm
See also:
Senate Democrats, Republicans prepare to sell nearly $1 trillion infrastructure deal to White House Washington Post
Will Democrats go to war on voting rights?
Roll Call
Winners of elections run under new GOP-backed laws should not be seated, top party lawyer says.
Justices split with Congress on interpretation of landmark drug sentencing law
Roll Call
In unanimous decision, Supreme Court decides minor crack cocaine offenses are not covered under First Step Act.
Enacting tough federal cybersecurity standards an uphill battle, experts say
Roll Call
Passing new cybersecurity standards would involve many congressional committees, federal departments, and regulatory bodies
Opinion: Democrats are adopting wrong lessons from Obama’s early failures
Roll Call
Two names from the past can help us understand 2021 — Arlen Specter and Martha Coakley.
Washington Post
Trump’s staff began sending emails to the No. 2 at the Justice Department, asking him to embrace Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election at least 10 days before Rosen assumed the role of acting attorney general.
See also:
Washington Post
President Biden and the Democrat-led Senate have moved quickly to boost minority and female representation on the federal courts following Donald Trump’s four-year push to remake the judiciary, in which he nominated a large share of White, male justices.
What is the potential impact of the abortion case before the Supreme Court?
ABAJournal
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Monday to review Mississippi’s ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy has raised hopes and fears that Roe v. Wade will be overturned and its viability standard eliminated.
Other:
Fresno State Institute for Media & Public Trust
We spend much of our time at the Institute for Media and Public Trust studying misinformation and disinformation that is shared on social media, and part of our mission is to empower news consumers with the tools to spot false content.
Spend the surplus: This game puts you in charge of California’s budget
CalMatters
With $25 billion in federal stimulus en route and an estimated California budget surplus of $76 billion, per Gov. Gavin Newsom (the Legislative Analyst’s Office puts it around $38 billion), lawmakers are making bold plans to spend that cash down.
Opinion: Hold social media companies to founding principles of free speech
CalMatters
In the mid-20th century, California was the birthplace of a free speech movement that swept the nation. At the beginning of the 21st, our state has spawned just the opposite: a new era of censorship with a global reach.
The phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ is now a common sight in America. Is it a sign?
Washington Post
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, the phrase “Black Lives Matter” began to appear everywhere.
Speaking Truth to Both the Right and the Left
New York Times
Like many public intellectuals who are worth reading, George Packer and Jonathan Rauch don’t toe a predictable line in American political and intellectual debate. They despise Donald Trump and the disinformation-heavy discord he has spawned.
Opinion: The Phrase ‘Systemic Racism’ Clouds Productive Debate
Bloomberg
“It’s past time for America to discard the left-wing myth of systemic racism,” former Vice President Mike Pence said on a recent visit to New Hampshire. We should go a little further than that. Let’s discard the phrase “systemic racism” altogether.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Universal basic income for Fresno-area farmworkers? Some local leaders are pushing for it
Fresno Bee
A Fresno-area politician wants California to prioritize struggling San Joaquin Valley farmworkers in a proposed pilot program that would put cash in the hands of some the state’s impoverished residents.
See also:
Opinion: Profit-thirsty Big Ag makes a bad thing worse
CalMatters
In dry years, Californians talk about the drought as if it were a war — a battle of north versus south, haves versus have-nots, fish versus farmer.
Ranking of States That Produce The Most Food
Beef2Live
California had the highest agricultural receipts in the United States in 2019 followed by Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Minnesota.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Supreme Court rules sentence-reduction laws for crack cocaine don’t help all convicts
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that Congress’ repeal of the harsh mandatory-minimum prison terms for those convicted of dealing crack cocaine do not help those who were given long sentences because they sold small amounts of the drug three times.
See also:
Supreme Court Rejects Sentence Reductions for Minor Crack Offenses New York Times
Will Psychedelics Become Legal In California? Capital Public Radio
Opinion: Walking while Black shouldn’t be dangerous or expensive. We must decriminalize jaywalking
Sacramento Bee
In April 2017, Nandi Cain Jr., who is Black, was beaten by a Sacramento police officer. Following a verbal altercation, Officer Anthony Figueroa threw Cain to the ground and punched him repeatedly.
Public Safety:
Precautions urged as high heat nears
Bakersfield Californian
Expectations for the second heat wave of the year are raising calls for Kern residents to take precautions and stay vigilant as the county approaches the likelihood of record-breaking temperatures by Friday.
Police chief to provide update on pairing mental health clinicians with officers
Modesto Bee
Interim Modesto Police Chief Brandon Gillespie will update a City Council committee Monday on his department’s efforts to respond to mental health calls by pairing behavioral clinicians with officers.
2020 was the deadliest gun violence year in decades. So far, 2021 is worse.
Washington Post
The shootings have come at a relentless pace. Gun violence this year has cut through celebrations and funerals, places of work and houses of worship. It has taken lives at a grocery store and in a fast-food drive-through lane.
See also:
The ruling overturning California’s assault weapon ban was nutty. But it may be on solid legal ground Los Angeles Times
Enough fentanyl to kill San Francisco: the new wave of the opioid crisis sweeping California
The Guardian
When San Francisco police seized seven kilos of powder-filled baggies containing the deadly opioid fentanyl last week, the city’s police chief warned the bust contained “enough lethal overdoses to wipe out San Francisco’s population four times over”.
Fire:
Some California Homeowners Can Get Coverage Again After Wildfires
Wall Street Journal
Thousands of California residents who only can buy homeowners policies through the state’s last-resort insurance program will now be eligible for Farmers Insurance coverage.
Western wildfires spread through California and Arizona as drought furthers extreme fire conditions
CNN
Multiple wildfires prompted evacuations in California and Arizona over the weekend after quickly charring more than 1,500 acres of land. Hundreds of thousands of acres have burned in the region as a drought continues to grip the area amid rising temperatures.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
What changes businesses, workers can expect as California reopens on June 15
abc30
California officially reopens its economy on June 15. Businesses in the state have functioned under some form of pandemic restrictions for over a year, from mask-wearing, social distancing rules and capacity limits.
See also:
Fresno is set to fully reopen — but will some COVID rules stay? What you need to know Fresno Bee
California can’t overlook a critical group in its COVID-19 recovery effort: Street vendors Fresno Bee
Shop Owner’s Plea as California Reopens: ‘I Need Customers’ Business Journal
What will state’s expected reopening mean for entertainment in Modesto region? Here’s a look Modesto Bee
California will fully reopen Tuesday. What will change as the pandemic fades? Los Angeles Times
California’s stricter COVID rules did not hurt the economy: report Mercury News
As California reopens, 6 things you need to know about COVID-19 CalMatters
Delicate Task for Fed: When to Pull Back on Low Rate Support
Business Journal
With inflation rising in a fast-rebounding economy, the Federal Reserve is poised this week to discuss when it will take its first steps toward dialing back its ultra-low interest rate policies.
See also:
Pandemic Hangover: $11 Trillion in Corporate Debt Wall Street Journal
Will travel and tourism return with California reopening?
CalMatters
As California drops capacity and social distancing rules, experts are tempering expectations on a full rebound of the tourism industry. Domestic travel won’t recover fully until 2023 and international visitors remain half of pre-pandemic levels.
See also:
Opinion: California Defies Doom With No. 1 U.S. Economy
Bloomberg
When misfortunes multiplied during the coronavirus pandemic, observers seized on a four-letter word signaling end of days for the largest state with one-eighth the U.S. population and 14% of its gross domestic product.
Retail Sales Dropped 1.3% in May as Pandemic Shopping Habits Shifted
Wall Street Journal
Consumers trimmed purchases of big-ticket items and spent more on dining out
See also:
COVID changed how we spend money. With California reopening, will we change back Los Angeles Times
Stocks Fall on Retail Sales Data Wall Street Journal
Lumber Prices Are Falling Fast, Turning Hoarders Into Sellers
Wall Street Journal
Prices have dropped from record highs, spurred by the economic reopening and potentially pointing to an eventual return to normalcy
How 'Chaos' In The Shipping Industry Is Choking The Economy
VPR
On both land and at sea, the entire supply chain is struggling to keep up. In the Pacific Northwest, it's become such a clusterfest that the U.S. Coast Guard has been redirecting boats to anchor off the coast of Whidbey Island and other places they typically don't park.
Jobs:
Reopened — but recovered? What Fresno jobs look like in industries hit hardest by COVID
Fresno Bee
When the first confirmed cases of coronavirus struck Fresno County and the central San Joaquin Valley 15 months ago, it triggered a series of precautionary health orders — including wholesale closures of some types of businesses — to stem the spread of the contagion.
See also:
California state law enforcement union strikes deal to end pay cuts, restore raises
Sacramento Bee
Another California state worker union has a deal to end the pay cuts Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature demanded from public employees last year.
California’s fully vaccinated workers could remove masks at work later this week
Los Angeles Times
Fully vaccinated workers in California may be able to remove masks at work this week if a state safety board approves a proposal by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA.
See also:
Gavin Newsom weighs in: After June 17, vaccinated California workers won’t have to wear masks Fresno Bee
It's Personal: Zoom'd Out Workplace Ready For Face-To-Face Conversations To Return VPR
Companies Push Employees to Prove They Are Vaccinated for Covid-19 Wall Street Journal
Welcome to the summer of quitting. Why many of us are saying goodbye to our jobs
Los Angeles Times
In late May, Sarah Lynch pulled the rip cord. The 31-year-old brand designer had been working at Coursera, the online education company, for five years. During the pandemic, a booming business in virtual learning meant Lynch was busier than ever — and sinking into burnout.
People Are Returning to Restaurants, Stores and Hotels. But Not Yet the Office.
Wall Street Journal
Office towers and businesses around them are hurting; some people are used to working from home.
Opinion: The Pay Is Generous, the Work Nonexistent
Wall Street Journal
The latest Labor Department statistics show an all-time record 9.3 million unfilled jobs, even though more than nine million Americans remain unemployed. Alarm bells should be ringing in Washington.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Students say Clovis Unified’s dress code is sexist. This student wants to change that
Fresno Bee
During her freshman year at Clovis High School, Annie Nguyen said she began to notice the district’s dress code seemed to target certain students more than others.
As California’s reopening nears, Stanislaus County school districts await guidance
Modesto Bee
Don’t expect a tossing of masks and tearing down of plexiglass partitions across Stanislaus County schools and other district facilities come Tuesday, when California is set for a big economic reopening from the COVID-19 restrictions.
Teachers report spring school reopenings were exhausting and unproductive
EdSource
Many parents weren’t alone in their displeasure with how school campuses reopened this spring across California. So were most teachers, according to a new survey.
GOP Lawmakers Intensify Effort to Ban Critical Race Theory in Schools
Pew Trusts
It has lately come under fire by Republican lawmakers who assert critical race theory is un-American and racist, and argue it will further divide the country.
Higher Ed:.
COVID Update: Many students will remain on distance learning when MJC reopens in fall
Modesto Bee
Modesto Junior College is working to bring a diverse array of students back to its campuses this fall after 15 months of wrestling with the COVID pandemic.
Teaching Fellows Get Hands-On Instruction with Students
Business Journal
As K-12 students go back to school, a nonprofit organization is hiring hundreds of college students to staff after-school programs and potentially get their foot in the education door
Editorial: The Supreme Court shouldn’t take up the Harvard affirmative action case
Los Angeles Times
The latest twist on the civil rights lawsuit against Harvard has the U.S. Supreme Court asking the Biden administration its thoughts on the matter.
See also:
Supreme Court puts off decision on reviewing Harvard race-conscious admissions system Washington Post
Supreme Court Seeks Biden Administration Views on Harvard Admissions Policies Wall Street Journal
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?
Can student loan debt be canceled by a president’s executive order?
PolitiFact
Can President Joe Biden cancel student loan debt with an executive order? Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has said in multiple press conferences that Biden can wipe away such debt with a "flick of a pen."
Opinion: An economist explains how to make college pay
AEI
Beth Akers offers data and analysis that can help navigate these tricky waters. Beth provides practical advice on how to choose a college, what to study, and how to pay for it. I recently spoke with Beth about her advice for students, families, and educators.
Apprenticeships:
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Swarms of dozens of quakes continue to shake California lake, USGS reports
Fresno Bee
A swarm of at least three dozen earthquakes reaching up to 3.2 magnitude has hit the Salton Sea in Southern California in the past 24 hours, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.
California Environmental Law & Policy Update
JDSupra
The Biden admin began legal action this Wednesday to set aside a regulation known as the “Waters of the United States” rule, finalized in 2020 under former President Trump, which ended federal protections for hundreds of thousands of small streams, wetlands, and other waterways.
Energy:
Oilfield disposal site in western Kern set to close
Bakersfield Californian
A large oilfield wastewater disposal pond near Buttonwillow will likely close this summer, with its operator and last customer paying $645,000 in penalties and fees, under a recent court settlement that further restricts a decades-old practice that has become a focus of regional water quality regulators.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Extra COVID vaccine may help protect transplant patients
Fresno Bee
A small study offers the first hint that an extra dose of COVID-19 vaccines just might give some organ transplant recipients a needed boost in protection.
See also:
Novavax says COVID-19 vaccine shows 90.4% overall efficacy in US Phase 3 trial
abc30
The American biotechnology company Novavax announced on Monday that its coronavirus vaccine candidate was found to have an overall efficacy of 90.4% in a Phase 3 trial conducted across the United States and Mexico.
See also:
Novavax’s coronavirus vaccine is 90 percent effective, study finds Washington Post
Novavax: Large study finds COVID-19 shot about 90% effective Fresno Bee
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.
Many Post-Covid Patients Are Experiencing New Medical Problems, Study Finds
New York Times
Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sought medical care for post-Covid health problems that they had not been diagnosed with before becoming infected with the coronavirus, according to the largest study to date of long-term symptoms in Covid-19 patients.
Human Services:
What could go wrong as California reopens: Variants, vaccine skepticism, inequities
Los Angeles Times
Many public health experts are highly optimistic as California is set to fully reopen its economy Tuesday, ending most COVID-19 restrictions. But what could still go wrong?
IMMIGRATION
California offered checks to undocumented families. An IRS backlog is holding them up for many
Sacramento Bee
Alfredo Gaudencio Diaz, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, applied to renew an IRS processing number for people who don’t qualify to receive Social Security Numbers early this year when he started filing his taxes.
Legal threats loom over Senate hearing on Dreamers
Roll Call
Nine years after DACA's creation, a federal case casts a shadow over the Obama-era program — and the immigrants it protects.
ICE terminates Trump-era office that focused on victims of immigrant crime
CNN
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has terminated the Trump-era office that focused on victims of crimes linked to undocumented immigrants, another move the Biden administration has taken to distance itself from President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
County set to begin process of closing down Teapot Dome landfill
Porterville Recorder
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors will consider approving a proposal that begins the process to eventually transfer all of what's done at the Teapot Dome landfill to the Woodville landfill at its next meeting, which is 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Popular Big Sur trail to reopen after 13-year closure
Bakersfield Californian
A popular trail in Big Sur flanked by redwood trees that leads down through a gorge to a 60-foot waterfall is set to open to the public this week after a 13-year restoration needed when a wildfire destroyed access to it, officials announced Monday.
Housing:
Would you trade less parking for lower housing costs? California plan seeks to do just that
Fresno Bee
California housing advocates want to do away with one of the state’s biggest obstacles to new home construction: requirements that builders provide parking spaces for tenants and homeowners.
Bank of America provides boost for Bakersfield Homeless Center
Bakersfield Californian
Bank of America has provided a $95,000 grant to the Bakersfield Homeless Center, which will help fund the center’s Champ Camp after-school program and also fund its new box van with a lift that will be used for its Job Development Program.
Modesto wants a plan for more housing. Here’s where it’s hoping to build.
Modesto Bee
Modesto officials want a long-term vision for housing and how the city can produce more of it, including the potential redevelopment of such sites as the old downtown courthouse, shuttered Municipal Golf Course and empty storefronts into mixed-use developments.
22 States, Biden Administration Ask Supreme Court to Keep Eviction Ban in Place
Route-Fifty
A legal challenge brought by landlords seeks to strike the national eviction moratorium, which is set to expire June 30 unless it is extended.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Could your income go up by $36,000 under Biden’s proposals? Economists are skeptical
Fresno Bee
A typical household’s income will grow an additional $36,000 over the next 10 years, says the Biden administration, because of its economic policies. But outside economists disagree with the White House’s assessment.
IRS says it's working 'as fast as possible' after complaints about tax refund delays
abc30
The IRS says its employees are continuing to work hard to deliver tax refunds as fast as possible to taxpayers amid complaints from some who say they have yet to receive them.
Bipartisan Senate Group Keeps Gas Tax Indexing Idea, for Now
Bloomberg
A bipartisan group of 10 senators trying to hash out a compromise $1.2 trillion, eight-year infrastructure spending package retained the idea of indexing the national gasoline tax to a measure of inflation despite White House opposition.
Poverty hurts the boys the most: Inequality at the intersection of class and gender
Brookings
One of the cognitive curses of the human mind is the tendency to chop everything in two: black/white, rich/poor, men/women, North/South, so on. We tend to lump people together into clear and distinct categories, preferably just two. The world seems simpler that way.
Opinion: Child allowances make the IRS America’s number one welfare agency
AEI
The coming surge in “child allowance” payments that will flow disproportionately to low-income parents will make the IRS America’s number one welfare benefit-paying agency.
Opinion: In the tax policy debate, privacy has been gored first
AEI
Federal law penalizes those releasing tax return information to the tune of $5,000 and five years in jail — mandatory dismissal for federal employees. I can imagine only two ways these records made their way to ProPublica: an insider leak or a hack on IRS systems.
TRANSPORTATION
GET bus riders required to continue mask wearing following TSA announcement
Bakersfield Californian
Because of the Transportation Security Administration extending face mask requirements until Sept. 13, those riding on Golden Empire Transit buses locally will need to continue adhering to face covering guidelines.
Essential California: The gigantic transit project that hasn’t happened
Los Angeles Times
Last week, the Biden administration restored a $929-million federal grant for the California bullet train project that had been terminated in May 2019 by then-President Trump.
See also:
Feds agree to restore $1B to California for bullet train The Hill
Feds Restore Trump-Blocked Bullet Train Funds StreetsBlog
California high-speed rail project has $929 million in funding restored Mass Transit
Cars on US roads set new record — for being old, report finds. How COVID played a role
Fresno Bee
Research and analysis company IHS Markit found the average age of cars and light trucks reached 12.1 years in 2021 — the highest average age reported since at least 2002, the earliest year for which data is available. That’s an increase of nearly 2 months since 2020.
U.S. and EU Agree to Suspend Airbus-Boeing Trade Fight
Wall Street Journal
The U.S. and the European Union agreed to suspend their trade dispute over government subsidies to Boeing Co. and Airbus SE,EADSY 0.57% significantly easing trade tensions amid a broader effort to improve trans-Atlantic relations.
Southwest Airlines Resumes Flights After Tech Glitch Caused Delays Across The Country
VPR
A nationwide weather data outage disrupted Southwest Airlines flights Monday night, causing long delays for some passengers across the country. The company blamed the problem on issues with Southwest's third-party weather data provider.
Editorial: The Making of an Electric-Vehicle Fiasco
Wall Street Journal
Yield-hungry investors have been driving headlong into SPACs (special-purpose acquisition companies), and some are now getting burned. Witness the trouble at electric-truck manufacturer Lordstown Motors, which may be a canary in the supposed SPAC gold mine.
WATER
Valley Voices: Water-poor Valley communities have rare chance to get their broken systems fixed
Fresno Bee
As California plunges into another “historic” drought, people across the state are worried about water shortages. But the last drought never really ended for some Californians, like residents of East Porterville that still have emergency water storage tanks in their front yards.
Tulare County’s never-ending drought brings dried up wells and plenty of misery
CalMatters
Severe drought is gripping most of California, but its misery isn’t spread equally. While most of the state compares today’s extreme conditions to previous droughts, people in Tulare County speak of drought — in the singular, as in a continuous state of being.
Walters: California Drought sharpens perpetual water conflict
CalMatters
California never has enough water to meet all demands and even when supplies are relatively robust there’s a triangular competition over their allocation.
Commentary: How Better Data Can Help California Avoid a Drinking Water Crisis
PPIC
A majority of affected households during the last drought were in the San Joaquin Valley and these same communities are among the most vulnerable this time. As California faces a second year of drought, many are left to wonder, “What can be done to help?”
“Xtra”
Clovis' Big Hat Days returns with big crowds liberated from COVID restrictions
Fresno Bee
Although signs saying no entry without a mask, many attended Big Hat Days in Clovis without a mask. Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Newman said CDC requirements were in effect, but since it was outdoors, there was no enforcement of the mask rule.
Masks no longer required for fully vaccinated Disneyland guests starting June 15
abc30
Starting Tuesday, fully vaccinated guests at Disneyland will no longer be required to wear face coverings indoors or outdoors, the resort announced Monday.
Tribe-Owned Hotel Reopens after Renovation
Business Journal
The ribbon was cut to cap the biggest renovation of Hanford’s Sequoia Inn in its history.
Popular Big Sur Trail to Reopen after 13-Year Closure
Business Journal
A popular trail in Big Sur flanked by redwood trees that leads down through a gorge to a 60-foot waterfall is set to open to the public this week after a 13-year restoration needed when a wildfire destroyed access to it, officials announced Monday.
Stanislaus County brewer Dust Bowl plans new taproom. Here’s where you can find it.
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County craft beer powerhouse Dust Bowl Brewing is expanding into Elk Grove. The Turlock-based regional brewer announced Monday it plans to open its latest satellite location in the Sacramento County city, its furthest north location so far.