June 21, 2021

21Jun

POLICY & POLITICS

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The Maddy Institute would like YOUR feedback! Please help us better serve you and our communities by taking a few moments to complete our annual survey.

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North SJ Valley:

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COVID Update:

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Why has Modesto area COVID rental program paid out $292K despite $20M in requests?

Modesto Bee

Since March, more than 2,700 low-income households in Stanislaus County who are behind in their rent and utilities because of COVID-19 have applied to a program for help. These families have asked for more than $20 million to bring them current

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Stanislaus unemployment is down as recovery continues. How will the next months unfold?

Modesto Bee

Unemployment in Stanislaus County dropped 0.6% in May, following a statewide trend of incremental recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Editorial: Taxpayers win with another Modesto Fire Department merger, this time with Ceres

Modesto Bee

On Monday, Ceres leaders said yes to the Modesto Fire Department’s offer to provide fire protection in Ceres, Modesto’s neighbor to the south. It’s a good deal and Ceres was wise to take it – because Ceres residents will get better fire service for less money.

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Drought planning leaves Don Pedro with 27% of full capacity

Turlock Journal

As the drought throughout the state continues to worsen, the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors received information on Tuesday regarding exactly how much water is available in Don Pedro Reservoir.

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New apartments, houses proposed near Stanislaus State

Turlock Journal

More housing options could soon be on the way for prospective renters and buyers in town as plans to build more apartments and homes have been submitted to the City of Turlock.

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School farm grants bring fresh produce to Stanislaus cafeterias. And hens to a jail

Modesto Bee

Kim Fuentez looks forward to the vegetables her staff will soon serve to Denair students, fresh from a campus farm. Her district is one of six in and near Stanislaus County that received recent state grants aimed at making cafeteria fare more healthy and local.

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Stanislaus unemployment is down as recovery continues. How will the next months unfold?

Modesto Bee

Unemployment in Stanislaus County dropped 0.6% in May, following a statewide trend of incremental recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Early morning fire causes $2 million in damage to century-old Modesto lumber company

Modesto Bee

An early Friday four-alarm fire caused $1.7 million to $2 million in damage at American Lumber Co., which has been a fixture in downtown Modesto for nearly a century.

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What’s being built along Dale Road in north Modesto? Restaurants, hotels, more coming

Modesto Bee

As Stanislaus County comes out of the pandemic, construction is booming along Dale Road in the city’s Kiernan Business Park. Two years ago only a few completed buildings stood across from the Kaiser-Permanente hospital.

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District attorney wants Scott Peterson sentenced and off death row, she tells court

Modesto Bee

Scott Peterson should be sentenced so that Laci Peterson’s family can make victim impact statements and he can be taken off death row, prosecutors said Friday.

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Is Merced’s airline contract still up for grabs? Debate expected Monday at City Council

Merced Sun-Star

The Merced City Council’s recent endorsement of a new airline over the airport’s current air carrier is instigating public debate for the third council meeting in a row.

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UC Merced Professor On How Juneteenth Is A National Reminder Of Freedom And Equality

VPR

Associate Professor of History Kevin Dawson published a column in the Sacramento Bee last year calling on the federal government to recognize the day as a holiday. Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock checked in with him about the significance of this week’s news.

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Is Merced’s airline contract still up for grabs? Debate expected Monday at City Council

Merced Sun-Star

The Merced City Council’s recent endorsement of a new airline over the airport’s current air carrier is instigating public debate for the third council meeting in a row.

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Central SJ Valley:

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COVID Update:

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Tulare County’s never-ending drought brings dried up wells and plenty of misery

Visalia Times Delta

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.

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Fresno’s Head Start program faced hundreds of layoffs. How $42 million helped save jobs

Fresno Bee

On Friday morning, the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission announced that it received a federal grant award of $42 million to fund its Head Start program.

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Fresno’s summer school enrollment surges as students try to balance learning and burnout

Fresno Bee

Summer school enrollment surged for Fresno Unified schools following a challenging year of remote learning brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

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Fresno-area students of color can earn $300 monthly while studying journalism. Here’s how

Fresno Bee

Calling aspiring journalists of color: Applications are now open for a new program that offers high school students mentorship and a paid pathway to a journalism degree.

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West Nile Virus detected in Fresno County

abc30

The West Nile Virus has been detected in Fresno County. The Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District collected positive adult mosquitoes in the 93727 zip code.

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World Ag Expo to return to Tulare in 2022

Hanford Sentinel

World Ag Expo will return live to the International Agri-Center showgrounds in Tulare for the 2022 show. The COVID pandemic forced a transition to a digital format for the 2021 show year.

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Devin Nunes’ family dairy must produce workers’ citizenship records in lawsuit, judge orders

Fresno Bee

A federal judge Thursday ordered employees at an Iowa dairy owned by Rep. Devin Nunes’ father and brother to produce whatever documents they have about their immigration status for a long-running defamation lawsuit the family filed against Esquire magazine.

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South SJ Valley:

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COVID Update:

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Kern unemployment rate improves to 10.1% on farm hiring surge

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County’s jobless rate improved in May to 10.1 percent from a revised 10.6 percent in April, and as usual, the biggest change was a month-over-month fluctuation in local farm employment — in this case the addition of 5,500 jobs.

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California Reporting Project Investigates Bakersfield P.D. Use Of Force

VPR

Over a four year period, police officers in Bakersfield broke 45 bones in 31 people, and in no case did the officers involved in those encounters violate departmental policy.

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$1 million donation to fund simulation lab for CSUB nursing students

Bakersfield Californian

Cal State Bakersfield will have a new simulation lab for its Family Nurse Practitioner Program thanks to a $1 million donation from Dr. Uma R. Varanasi and Sita Varanasi.

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Surviving the heat wave in a 'very high heat risk' environment

Bakersfield Californian

When the region is sizzling through what the National Weather Service refers to as a "multi-day extreme heat event" with little relief overnight, the heat is not just uncomfortable, it's downright dangerous.

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'These are both vulnerable communities': Plan to serve homeless in Delano from building that aids developmentally disabled draws concern

Bakersfield Californian

A plan to provide homeless aid at a facility in Delano that serves the developmentally disabled has elicited concern from some of its clients and other city residents, who say the clients could be put at risk.

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Oil industry advocates state action on carbon storage

Bakersfield Californian

Environmental attacks on Kern County oil and gas production are increasingly being met with industry calls to move forward with carbon-burying technologies seen as helping the state achieve its climate goals while also creating substantial local employment opportunities.

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House vote on Jan. 6 commission again divides Valadao, McCarthy

Bakersfield Californian

Valadao's vote in favor of creating a commission to examine the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is at odds with his Central Valley neighbor and sometime ally in Congress, McCarthy, whose vote against the measure helped set the tone for GOP opposition to the investigation.

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State:

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COVID Update:

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California unveils system to provide digital COVID-19 vaccine records

Los Angeles Times

California has launched a COVID-19 vaccine verification system that provides digital replicas of the traditional wallet-size paper cards, in an effort that officials say will make it easier for residents to supply proof of inoculation if needed.

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Cash payments take center stage in Newsom’s 1st recall ad

Business Journal

As both summer and the scheduling of a recall election date loom, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to make sure Californians know about the cash payments and prize money he is doling out.

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California’s budget deadline doesn’t work like voters might think

Los Angeles Times

The California Legislature approved a $264-billion state budget blueprint, far-reaching legislation to boost the state’s COVID-19 recovery and comply with a state constitutional mandate that lawmakers pass a plan by June 15 or forfeit a portion of their salaries.

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California Fought For Obamacare And Won. What’s At Stake?

Capital Public Radio

California has wholeheartedly embraced the Affordable Care Act — it advertises it, it invests in it, it protects it. It even went to court for it. And won.

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Will Juneteenth become a paid state holiday? It’s not California lawmakers’ top priority

Sacramento Bee

Junteenth is the newest federal holiday, but California state workers aren’t likely to get it as a paid day off anytime soon. Doing so would be meaningful, but other priorities should be addressed first, said state Sen. Sydney Kamlager, Legislative Black Caucus vice chair.

See also:

·  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ What is Juneteenth? Washington Post

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California’s unemployment debt grows as businesses ask Newsom for help

Los Angeles Times

California’s borrowing to pay unemployment benefits will balloon to $26.7 billion by the end of next year as state funds prove inadequate to cover the costs of unprecedented joblessness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report warns.

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California offers $100 million to rescue its struggling legal marijuana industry

Los Angeles Times

The California Legislature on Monday approved a $100-million plan to bolster California’s legal marijuana industry, which continues to struggle to compete with the large illicit pot market nearly five years after voters approved sales for recreational use.

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Federal:

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COVID Update:

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Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Could Lose Gas-Tax Rise, Senator Says

Wall Street Journal

A proposed infrastructure spending plan may be hammered out without a measure raising the gasoline tax, a key Republican lawmaker said, suggesting the removal of an obstacle to a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure plan pushed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

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The Man Who Controls the Senate

New Yorker

On a frosty night in February, Joe Manchin III, the senior senator from West Virginia, invited a few colleagues over for dinner aboard the houseboat he docks on the Potomac.

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Republicans point to inflation in bid to retake Congress

Business Journal

Republicans are hoping to storm into next year’s midterm elections arguing that steep government spending under President Joe Biden and a Democratic-controlled Congress has triggered inflation that will ultimately hurt everyday Americans.

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The push for LGBTQ civil rights stalls in the Senate as advocates search for Republican support

Washington Post

The long march toward equal rights for gay, lesbian and transgender Americans — whose advocates have eyed major advances with complete Democratic control in Washington — has run into a wall of opposition in the Senate.

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Biden Administration Lays Out Broad Strategy for Targeting Domestic Terrorism

Wall Street Journal

The Biden administration is seeking increased funds for the Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation and promoting programs for civic education and digital literacy to counter a rise in domestic terrorism.

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·  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Opinion: Why Republicans are suddenly reluctant to condemn political violence Los Angeles Times

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Supreme Court Signals Expansion of Religious Exemptions From Laws

Wall Street Journal

With all nine justices voting to exempt a Catholic social-service agency from Philadelphia’s nondiscrimination policies, the Supreme Court sent a message Thursday that secular interests will increasingly have to give way to some religious rights.

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Other:

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The conspiracy and disinformation challenge on e-commerce platforms

Brookings

Following the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, social media companies came under intense scrutiny for their role in incubating the mob attack.

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Critical Race Theory: What It Means for America and Why It Has Sparked Debate

Wall Street Journal

References to critical race theory have become more prominent and controversial over the past year. Such references have been the subject of fights over school curricula at the state, local and federal level. There has also been debate over whether elements of critical race theory should be included in both public- and private-sector workforce training.

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MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

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Sunday, June 27, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Air Quality: Has the Valley Hit the Invisible Wall?" - Guest: Rachel Becker, Environmental Reporter - CalMatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

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Sunday, June 27, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Valley Air: Are We Breathing Any Easier?"- Guests: Tom Jordan, Senior Policy Advisor - San Joaquin Valley Air District; Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, Co-Director - Fresno State’s Central Valley Health Policy Institute. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

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AGRICULTURE/FOOD

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World Ag Expo to return to Tulare in 2022

Hanford Sentinel

World Ag Expo will return live to the International Agri-Center showgrounds in Tulare for the 2022 show. The COVID pandemic forced a transition to a digital format for the 2021 show year.

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School farm grants bring fresh produce to Stanislaus cafeterias. And hens to a jail

Modesto Bee

Kim Fuentez looks forward to the vegetables her staff will soon serve to Denair students, fresh from a campus farm. Her district is one of six in and near Stanislaus County that received recent state grants aimed at making cafeteria fare more healthy and local.

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Universal basic income for farmworkers? Some leaders are pushing for it

CalMatters

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.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

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Crime:

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California Reporting Project Investigates Bakersfield P.D. Use Of Force

VPR

Over a four year period, police officers in Bakersfield broke 45 bones in 31 people, and in no case did the officers involved in those encounters violate departmental policy.

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District attorney wants Scott Peterson sentenced and off death row, she tells court

Modesto Bee

Scott Peterson should be sentenced so that Laci Peterson’s family can make victim impact statements and he can be taken off death row, prosecutors said Friday.

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After 50 Years Of The War On Drugs, 'What Good Is It Doing For Us?'

NPR

When Aaron Hinton walked through the housing project in Brownsville on a recent summer afternoon, he voiced love and pride for this tightknit, but troubled working-class neighborhood in New York City where he grew up.

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To celebrate Juneteenth, elect officials focused on ending mass incarceration

Brookings

We need to ask ourselves what it means to celebrate Juneteenth in an age of mass incarceration. In recent years, scholars and activists have highlighted the racist origins of mass incarceration as an outgrowth of slavery and an extension of exploitative labor.

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Public Safety:

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Biden Administration Lays Out Broad Strategy for Targeting Domestic Terrorism

Wall Street Journal

The Biden administration is seeking increased funds for the Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation and promoting programs for civic education and digital literacy to counter a rise in domestic terrorism.

See also:

·  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Opinion: Why Republicans are suddenly reluctant to condemn political violence Los Angeles Times

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Fire:

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Lightning sparks 800+ acre Success Fire east of Porterville

Visalia Times Delta

Tulare County firefighters battle three blazes heading into the weekend. Temperatures could remain in the triple digits through Sunday.

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Early morning fire causes $2 million in damage to century-old Modesto lumber company

Modesto Bee

An early Friday four-alarm fire caused $1.7 million to $2 million in damage at American Lumber Co., which has been a fixture in downtown Modesto for nearly a century.

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Valley Voices: The devastating Creek Fire offers valuable lessons that forest managers must embrace

Fresno Bee

The 380,000-acre Creek Fire near Shaver Lake started in early September 2020 and burned for nearly four months. It was one of the largest and most intense wildfires in California recorded history.

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Editorial: Taxpayers win with another Modesto Fire Department merger, this time with Ceres

Modesto Bee

On Monday, Ceres leaders said yes to the Modesto Fire Department’s offer to provide fire protection in Ceres, Modesto’s neighbor to the south. It’s a good deal and Ceres was wise to take it – because Ceres residents will get better fire service for less money.

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When did the forest near you last burn? Map shows 30 years of California wildfires

Fresno Bee

A record 4.2 million acres were burned by wildfires in California in 2020. That’s more than five times the average amount over the past 30 years — 767,000 acres.

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California wildfire season 2021 survival guide: How to prepare for fire and smoke

Mercury News

Bay Area residents were left in disbelief when the 2017 Tubbs fire raced over the mountains and into the city of Santa Rosa, igniting a conflagration that destroyed more than 1,200 homes in the Coffey Park neighborhood.

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ECONOMY/JOBS

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Economy:

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California’s unemployment debt grows as businesses ask Newsom for help

Los Angeles Times

California’s borrowing to pay unemployment benefits will balloon to $26.7 billion by the end of next year as state funds prove inadequate to cover the costs of unprecedented joblessness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report warns.

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Big banks want communities of color to trust them. But it’s not so simple

Los Angeles Times

Sylvia Adetona has deposited checks at the same financial institution for more than 25 years. That doesn’t mean she trusts banks.

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The economy isn’t going back to February 2020. Fundamental shifts have occurred.

Washington Post

The U.S. economy is emerging from the coronavirus pandemic with considerable speed but markedly transformed, as businesses and consumers struggle to adapt to a new landscape with higher prices, fewer workers, new innovations and a range of inconveniences.

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Jobs:

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Fresno’s Head Start program faced hundreds of layoffs. How $42 million helped save jobs

Fresno Bee

On Friday morning, the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission announced that it received a federal grant award of $42 million to fund its Head Start program.

See also:

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Kern unemployment rate improves to 10.1% on farm hiring surge

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County’s jobless rate improved in May to 10.1 percent from a revised 10.6 percent in April, and as usual, the biggest change was a month-over-month fluctuation in local farm employment — in this case the addition of 5,500 jobs.

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Stanislaus unemployment is down as recovery continues. How will the next months unfold?

Modesto Bee

Unemployment in Stanislaus County dropped 0.6% in May, following a statewide trend of incremental recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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‘Hungry to celebrate being alive’: California reopening fuels job growth

Los Angeles Times

California has added jobs at a torrid rate since the beginning of the year, but the state’s economy has a long way to go before it recovers its pre-pandemic prosperity.

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This bill was meant to protect California workers from COVID. These counties are using it to protect employers instead.

Mercury News

California adopted a law to tell workers of dangers their employers often kept secret: Which workplaces had suffered outbreaks of COVID-19, and how severe they were. Yet six months after the law took effect, most employees know scarcely more than before.

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Will California investment in new job training programs pay off?

CalMatters

A state effort to create green jobs after the Great Recession fell short. Will new California job training programs do any better coming out of the pandemic?

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Opinion: Paying into EDD did not pay off

CalMatters

I have been trying to get in contact with the Employment Development Department for over three months now. They do not respond to any email, regular mail or phone calls.

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Opinion: Asleep at the wheel at the Fed

The Hill

Even though the U.S. economic and financial market facts are changing in a major way, the Fed remains doggedly committed to its zero-interest rate policy and to its expansive bond buying program.

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Tight Labor Market Returns the Upper Hand to American Workers

Wall Street Journal

Ballooning job openings in fields requiring minimal education—including in restaurants, transportation, warehousing and manufacturing—combined with a shrinking labor force are giving low-wage workers perks previously reserved for white-collar employees.

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EDUCATION

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K-12:

Fresno’s summer school enrollment surges as students try to balance learning and burnout

Fresno Bee

Summer school enrollment surged for Fresno Unified schools following a challenging year of remote learning brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

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Valley Voices: The time has come for Fresno Unified to rename a campus after an Armenian leader

Fresno Bee

The discussion on the naming of a new school in the Fresno Unified School District has opened up old wounds for the Armenian community of the San Joaquin Valley.

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How Will School Districts Make Up For Pandemic-Related Learning Lags?

VPR

To learn how school districts plan to make up for the lost learning that occurred for many in the past year, we talked with director of student services for Madera Unified, director of P-16 education policy at The Education Trust-West, and executive director of PACE.

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State orders stricter county oversight of districts' spending for low-income kids, English learners

EdSource

In a decision with statewide implications, the Department of Education ruled this week that the San Bernardino County Office of Education erred in approving several districts’ plans for spending money targeted for low-income students and other high-needs student groups.

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As difficult school year ends, school superintendents are opting out

Washington Post

Austin Beutner has been an investment banker, first deputy mayor of Los Angeles, and publisher and chief executive of the Los Angeles Times. But none of those jobs were tougher than the position he is soon leaving after the grueling covid-19 year: superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

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Higher Ed:

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Fresno-area students of color can earn $300 monthly while studying journalism. Here’s how

Fresno Bee

Calling aspiring journalists of color: Applications are now open for a new program that offers high school students mentorship and a paid pathway to a journalism degree.

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$1 million donation to fund simulation lab for CSUB nursing students

Bakersfield Californian

Cal State Bakersfield will have a new simulation lab for its Family Nurse Practitioner Program thanks to a $1 million donation from Dr. Uma R. Varanasi and Sita Varanasi.

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UC Merced Professor On How Juneteenth Is A National Reminder Of Freedom And Equality

VPR

Associate Professor of History Kevin Dawson published a column in the Sacramento Bee last year calling on the federal government to recognize the day as a holiday. Valley Edition Host Kathleen Schock checked in with him about the significance of this week’s news.

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How some college counselors are fighting back against pandemic-induced enrollment decline

CalMatters

Thousands of California high school graduates didn’t go to college last year due to the pandemic. The drop, which mostly affected community colleges, might be temporary, but it showed the need to provide more support for students going from high school to college.

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Graduate student researchers at University of California seek union representation

CalMatters

Across the University of California, teaching assistants and tutors are unionized, but graduate student researchers are not. That could soon change, after organizers filed more than 10,000 signed union authorization cards with the California Public Employment Relations Board last month.

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Raising the Roof for Student Housing

Inside Higher Ed

Community college leaders and lawmakers are reinvigorating their efforts to provide housing for students after the pandemic shined a spotlight on housing insecurity.

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Supreme Court rules against NCAA restrictions on colleges offering educational perks to compensate student-athletes

Washington Post

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday against the NCAA’s limits on education-related perks for college athletes, upholding a lower court’s decision that was one of the most important in the movement to increase compensation for student-athletes.

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ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

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Environment:

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Fresno area breaking heat records, and the hot weather is sticking around

Fresno Bee

Hot temperatures in the central San Joaquin Valley broke records Friday. It reached 111 degrees in Fresno by 5 p.m. That’s four degrees hotter than the city’s 107 degree record for June 18, set in 2017.

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The drought’s hidden victim: California’s native fish

Los Angeles Times

Last summer, a narrow, rock-rimmed stretch of the Sacramento River near here turned into a mass graveyard for baby salmon.

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The White House Wants To Fight Climate Change And Help People. Cleveland Led The Way

VPR

The White House is calling climate action a form of environmental justice, part of a campaign to address economic and racial inequity.

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‘Preventing more, picking up less.’ Proliferating plastic pollution sparks change in approach

Sacramento Bee

As plastic pollution soars — filling waterways, air, soil and living things with the material — some in St. Louis are joining efforts to confront the crisis through new approaches.

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SEC Wants More Climate Disclosures. Business Are Preparing for a Fight

Wall Street Journal

The Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing to require public companies to disclose more information about how they respond to threats linked to climate change—and businesses are gearing up for a fight.

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Editorial: Climate Policy by Judicial Decree

Wall Street Journal

Democrats know they can’t banish fossil fuels or impose carbon taxes democratically, so the Biden Administration is preparing a backup plan: use courts to impose the anti-carbon policies by decree.

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Energy:

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Amid a heat wave and record temperatures, thousands in Fresno are experiencing power outages

Fresno Bee

Amid an intense summer heat wave with temperatures soaring to record highs, thousands in the Fresno area were dealing with a power outage.

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Oil industry advocates state action on carbon storage

Bakersfield Californian

Environmental attacks on Kern County oil and gas production are increasingly being met with industry calls to move forward with carbon-burying technologies seen as helping the state achieve its climate goals while also creating substantial local employment opportunities.

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How much fracking is there in California? Newsom, state regulators can’t tell

Politico

Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly said that fracking accounts for less than 2 percent of California oil production, but he appears to have vastly underestimated its use as the state prepares to ban the technique by 2024.

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HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

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Health:

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West Nile Virus detected in Fresno County

abc30

The West Nile Virus has been detected in Fresno County. The Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District collected positive adult mosquitoes in the 93727 zip code.

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Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: Natural immunity, long-COVID, reinfection & more

Fresno Bee

More than 33.5 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday, June 19, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 601,000 people who have died nationwide.

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Americans lost more years of life to COVID-19 in 2020 than to all accidents combined in a typical year

Pew Research Center

About 600,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 since the coronavirus outbreak began. But behind that huge figure is a more nuanced one that brings the human toll of the virus into even sharper relief.

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Delta Covid-19 Variant Likely to Become Dominant in U.S., CDC Director Says

Wall Street Journal

The highly contagious Delta variant could soon become the dominant strain of coronavirus in the U.S., the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

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Human Services:

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California unveils system to provide digital COVID-19 vaccine records

Los Angeles Times

California has launched a COVID-19 vaccine verification system that provides digital replicas of the traditional wallet-size paper cards, in an effort that officials say will make it easier for residents to supply proof of inoculation if needed.

See also:

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California fought for Obamacare and won. What’s at stake?

CalMatters

California has wholeheartedly embraced the Affordable Care Act — it advertises it, it invests in it, it protects it. It even went to court for it. And won.

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Event: Health Coverage and Care for Undocumented Immigrants in California

Public Policy Institute of California

Drawing from a new report on the ways undocumented Californians connect with the health care system, PPIC researcher Paulette Cha will discuss key takeaways that can inform policy discussions about providing affordable health insurance for all.

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In Health Care, More Money Is Being Spent On Patients' Social Needs. Is It Working?

VPR

In the past decade, dozens of studies funded by state and federal governments, private hospitals, insurers and philanthropic organizations have looked into whether addressing patients' social needs improves health and lowers medical costs.

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Calling mental health workers, not police, to deal with mental health crises

Washington Post

Spencer Merritt thought he was going to die. He couldn’t breathe and voices in his head told him he had been poisoned and that his beloved dog, Lulu, who died a year earlier, had been, too.

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Medicaid enrollment swells during coronavirus pandemic, reaching a new high with nearly 74 million people covered

Washington Post

Some of the increased enrollment in the safety-net health insurance program, a partnership between the federal government and states, reflects people losing jobs and coverage because of the coronavirus.

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Red Cross asks for blood donations amid "severe" national shortage

Axios

The non-profit said the shortage is likely driven by a recent surge in trauma cases and emergency room visits, as well as advanced disease progression from patients deferring care throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

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Time to make essential medicines within the United States

Brookings

Among the most fundamental challenges that remain as we move forward is the fact that most pharmaceuticals and protective personal equipment are manufactured outside the United States.

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IMMIGRATION

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ICE arrests remain low in May amid controversy over narrowed enforcement rules on illegal immigration

FoxNews

Arrests of illegal immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in May remained low for yet another month -- amid an ongoing controversy over narrowed enforcement rules implemented by the Biden administration.

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The Justice Department Overturns Policy That Limited Asylum For Survivors Of Violence

NPR

Survivors of domestic and gang violence have better odds of getting asylum in the U.S. as the Justice Department reverses controversial rulings from the Trump administration.

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LAND USE/HOUSING

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Land Use:

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Adventist unveils plan for ambulatory care and medical offices along Coffee Road

Bakersfield Californian

Adventist Health Bakersfield disclosed plans Friday for a roughly $10 million ambulatory care and medical office building at its new property along Coffee Road as part of a regional investment strategy.

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Riverbank would grow to McHenry under plan for 2,400 homes. Not so fast, critics say

Modesto Bee

Riverbank has released a plan for about 2,400 homes, along with businesses and parks, on farmland to the west of town. The idea has drawn protests from farming advocates, who say this expanse is about as good as it gets for growing crops.

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What’s being built along Dale Road in north Modesto? Restaurants, hotels, more coming

Modesto Bee

As Stanislaus County comes out of the pandemic, construction is booming along Dale Road in the city’s Kiernan Business Park. Two years ago only a few completed buildings stood across from the Kaiser-Permanente hospital.

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Housing:

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New apartments, houses proposed near Stanislaus State

Turlock Journal

More housing options could soon be on the way for prospective renters and buyers in town as plans to build more apartments and homes have been submitted to the City of Turlock.

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Why has Modesto area COVID rental program paid out $292K despite $20M in requests?

Modesto Bee

Since March, more than 2,700 low-income households in Stanislaus County who are behind in their rent and utilities because of COVID-19 have applied to a program for help. These families have asked for more than $20 million to bring them current.

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'These are both vulnerable communities': Plan to serve homeless in Delano from building that aids developmentally disabled draws concern

Bakersfield Californian

A plan to provide homeless aid at a facility in Delano that serves the developmentally disabled has elicited concern from some of its clients and other city residents, who say the clients could be put at risk.

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Build, burn, build again. Why is California still constructing homes in wildfire red zones?

Fresno Bee

The scenery is breathtaking: rolling hills, steep canyons and stately vineyards, a pastoral landscape ruled by cattle, sheep and the occasional coyote. But there are also grim markers of the worst wildfire season in California history, in the form of blackened oaks and pines.

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Is California Still Facing An Eviction Tsunami When The Moratorium Ends?

Capital Public Radio

California’s eviction moratorium is coming to an end June 30. Since the earliest days of the pandemic, housing analysts have worried about a tsunami of evictions whenever the state lifts protections for renters.

See also:

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Opinion: Housing reform bill would right some of redlining’s wrongs

CalMatters

SB 9 helps restore the core of what decades of segregation through bans on housing has taken away: the right to choose where you can live.

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For Many Home Buyers, a 5% Down Payment Isn’t Enough

Wall Street Journal

In the turbocharged housing market, prices are surging and homes on the market are routinely selling for far more than the listing price. Those who can’t afford big down payments are often the ones losing out.

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The U.S. Averted One Housing Crisis, but Another Is in the Wings

New York Times

A moratorium on evictions did little to address the bigger problem: The country is running out of affordable places for people to live.

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PUBLIC FINANCES

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Stimulus, unemployment checks help child support debt collection hit new high

CalMatters

If Billy McCasland had gotten his $1,200 stimulus check, he would have moved his family out of the Modesto house the pediatrician says is responsible for his 7-year-old’s lead poisoning.

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Opinion: How Long Can America Keep Borrowing?

Wall Street Journal

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in January 2020 that annual budget deficits will exceed $1 trillion, and that the debt—then hovering at $17.2 trillion—would more than double as a share of the economy over the next 30 years.

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Child Tax Credit: Here's who will get up to $1,800 per child in cash — and who will need to opt out

CBSNews

About 36 million American families on July 15 will start receiving monthly checks from the IRS, as part of the expanded Child Tax Credit. Eligible families will receive up to $1,800 in cash through December.

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Tax Data show evidence of strong income gains for higher-income families and only muted decreases for lower- and moderate-income families in 2020

Brookings

Analyzing data from the Daily Treasury Statements during tax season can help us gain a better understanding of the impact of the recession on households and business owners across the income distribution.

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Opinion: These States Lead the Way on Pension Reform

Wall Street Journal

After 20 years of inadequate funding policies, failure to meet overly optimistic investment return targets, and other factors, state and local government pension systems are now $1.5 trillion in debt.

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Calling mental health workers, not police, to deal with mental health crises

Washington Post

Spencer Merritt thought he was going to die. He couldn’t breathe and voices in his head told him he had been poisoned and that his beloved dog, Lulu, who died a year earlier, had been, too.

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TRANSPORTATION

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Is Merced’s airline contract still up for grabs? Debate expected Monday at City Council

Merced Sun-Star

The Merced City Council’s recent endorsement of a new airline over the airport’s current air carrier is instigating public debate for the third council meeting in a row.

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How far can you go in an electric car? California needs 1.2 million chargers

Sacramento Bee

California wants to eliminate the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035, but consumers worry about how far they can drive on a single charge with an electric car.

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Rail groups applaud Senate panel's vote on transport bill; Democrats call for high-speed rail funding

Progressive Railroading

Association of American Railroads and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association praised the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s bipartisan vote to advance surface-transportation reauthorization legislation.

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4 Ways Transit Can Lure Back Post-Covid Commuters

Bloomberg CityLab

Public transit ridership normally slumps in the summertime. With school out of session and many regular passengers taking vacations, it’s not a time when transit agencies normally launch big campaigns to attract riders. But this year, the slow season will be crucial.

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WATER

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Wells are failing in southeastern Madera County. What to know about the water situation

Fresno Bee

On Sunday evening, a well motor failed in a Madera Ranchos community water system that serves around 1,000 homes. Last week, another well pump stopped working in Parksdale, southeast of Madera.

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Tulare County’s never-ending drought brings dried up wells and plenty of misery

Visalia Times Delta

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.

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Drought planning leaves Don Pedro with 27% of full capacity

Turlock Journal

As the drought throughout the state continues to worsen, the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors received information on Tuesday regarding exactly how much water is available in Don Pedro Reservoir.

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OID and SSJID revive water sale to West Side farmers after rechecking conditions

Modesto Bee

Drought-stressed farmers on the West Side will get water after all from the Oakdale and South San Joaquin irrigation districts.

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As drought intensifies, state warns users to stop pumping water from major rivers

CalMatters

About 4,300 users were issued notices to halt diversions from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Some growers and municipalities will have to rely on other sources, while many can invoke their senior water rights to keep pumping from the rivers — at least for now.

See also:

·  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Here are some things to know about the extreme drought in the Western U.S. ​​ Los Angeles Times

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Opinion: Watershed restoration is key to a climate-smart future

CalMatters

California is in a megadrought, with its key reservoirs falling to their lowest points in history. Wildfire season is already here, and officials are bracing for yet another catastrophic year.

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“Xtra”

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After five years, a Tower District landmark (pun intended) reopens as LGBTQ+ video dance bar

Fresno Bee

The LGBTQ+ nightclub Splash had a soft opening in Fresno’s Tower District Wednesday night and people were certainly there for it.

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So, you’re finally heading out. Here’s a mega list of Fresno-area events to check out

Fresno Bee

Event calendars are quickly filling up. That’s both the usual annual events — last weekend’s Big Hat Days, or Juneteeth and July Fourth celebrations — but also art, theater and music, and even the occasional downtown block party.

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Your summer guide to Lake Tahoe and the Placer foothills as COVID restrictions end

Modesto Bee

As the state of California reopened June 15, lifting pandemic restrictions that had been in place for over a year, county officials say businesses are ready for the summer surge of visitors.

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

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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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