POLICY & POLITICS
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North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Numbers improving: Stanislaus County could advance to coronavirus orange tier next week Modesto Bee
Livingston mayor, two City Council members could face recall by voters
Merced Sun-Star
An effort is underway to recall three Livingston City Council members — including the city’s first-term mayor. Unlike hired staff, government officials cannot simply be fired or removed.
New look for J Street made permanent as Modesto tries to make downtown a destination
Modesto Bee
Modesto says its experiment of reconfiguring much of J Street by replacing parallel street parking with angled parking, reducing the number of traffic lanes and making intersections four-way stops has been a success.
More than 15,000 households in Stanislaus can’t find an affordable home. Here’s why
Modesto Bee
The report, one of 58 released for each county in California last month, shows that Stanislaus County has 15,485 low-income renter households without access to an affordable home.
See also:
● Need housing assistance? Here’s how to apply for federal vouchers in Stanislaus, SJ Modesto Bee
Editorial: Stanislaus Sheriff’s Department should have used better discretion in fatal chase
Modesto Bee
The tragic shooting death of a fleeing teen driver by a Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputy raises several profoundly serious questions of authorities’ judgment in initiating and continuing the May 18 vehicle pursuit.
Column: Stockton study shows that universal basic income can be life-changing
Los Angeles Times
The concept of universal basic income, which has received a boost from economic conditions during the pandemic, has just received another favorable vote.
See also:
● More Americans oppose than favor the government providing a universal basic income for all adult citizens Pew Research Center
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Get a food voucher when you get a COVID vaccine at Fresno Street Eats this week abc30
Dyer proposes Eaton Plaza for honorary flags. LGBTQ+ folks say that’s ‘separate but not equal’
Fresno Bee
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer on Thursday announced an alternative to raising the Pride flag at Fresno City Hall, but already LGBTQ+ residents and organizations say his proposal amounts to “separate but not equal.”
See also:
● Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer proposes 'Unity Park' as area for flags to fly, starting with Pride flag abc30
● Warszawski: Is LGBTQ+ community part of Dyer’s ‘One Fresno’ vision? Veto rumors raise questions Fresno Bee
New Fresno Unified school building won’t be named after Roger Tatarian after backlash
Fresno Bee
A building on the newest Fresno Unified School District campus will not be named after H. Roger Tatarian, at the request of his family, who said the icon of Fresno’s Armenia community should have his name on a school and “not a mere building.”
Fresno exploring protections for tenants facing eviction. Here’s what they might do
Business Journal
The City of Fresno has begun dipping its toe into eviction mediation and legal representation for tenants, but the legal professionals who would carry out those protections have varying views on their effectiveness and appropriateness.
Assemblyman Patterson's new bill could help human trafficking survivors
Fox26News
Assemblyman Jim Patterson’s new bill could make it easier for human trafficking survivors to clear their criminal records.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health reports 64 new coronavirus cases Thursday Bakersfield Californian
Grand Jury: Arvin improperly received sales tax dollars from Outlets at Tejon
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Arvin has improperly received $701,516 in sales tax revenue from stores at the Outlets at Tejon, according to a Kern County grand jury report released Thursday.
Grand jury: Maricopa should disincorporate if new fire contract becomes too expensive
Bakersfield Californian
A Kern County grand jury is recommending the city of Maricopa disincorporate if it cannot reach a viable agreement with the county Board of Supervisors over the cost of fire protection.
City to receive $20 million from American Rescue Plan
Porterville Recorder
When it comes to the budget and financing of the city of Porterville, City Manager John Lollis summed it up like this: “A lot of large projects that are beginning processes or are in various stages,” he said.
State:
COVID Update:
● California will allow to-go cocktails, outdoor dining expansions to stay after June 15, Newsom says abc30
● Will you win $50,000 in the California vaccine lottery? Here’s how you’ll find out Sacramento Bee
● California put $116.5 million toward its vaccine lottery. Is it working? San Francisco Chronicle
Four things to know about the California budget deal
CalMatters
California Assembly and Senate budget leaders announce a budget deal that includes stimulus checks, more in-state students at UC campuses and more money for public health and undocumented immigrants.
Largest California state worker union will give $1m to anti-recall effort after emergency vote
Modesto Bee
The board of directors of California’s largest state employee union voted Wednesday night to give $1 million to fight the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, authorizing the donation weeks before a newly elected president who is opposed to the donation takes over.
See also:
● State worker union OKs $1 million to fight Newsom recall Business Journal
● Follow the money: Gavin Newsom recall edition CalMatters
● Who’s bankrolling the Newsom recall campaigns? CalMatters
● The California Recall, Untangled New York Times
● Opinion: Another Arnold in this California recall? Would it even matter? The Hill
Should essential workers get bonuses? Unions want Gavin Newsom to dole out $8 billion
Modesto Bee
Major California unions are pushing Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders to give $8 billion in bonuses to essential workers, calling on them to use some of the $27 billion California is getting from the federal COVID relief to support working people.
Companies lobbying Gavin Newsom help fund his wife’s nonprofit — and her salary
Sacramento Bee
A week after he was elected governor in 2018, Gavin Newsom went to a trendy music hall in San Francisco’s Mission District where his wife, filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was the center of attention.
California lawmakers balk at proposed gun tax to fund violence prevention programs
Los Angeles Times
Despite concerns about a spate of fatal shootings in California, a bill to create new taxes on the sale of guns and ammunition to pay for gun-violence prevention programs failed to get the two-thirds vote needed for passage Thursday in the state Assembly.
California Senate rejects workers compensation proposal
AP News
The CA Senate rejected a bill aimed at making it easier for health care employees to have hospitals pay their medical bills related to COVID-19 and other diseases that may have been contracted on the job — a move business groups said would have cost them too much money.
Why churches keep winning big against California
CalMatters
California churches are coming out of the pandemic smelling like roses. The state agreed this week to two settlements that block it from imposing new coronavirus restrictions on houses of worship tougher than those for similar secular activities.
Walters: California’s tribal casinos now want sports betting
CalMatters
There are now more than 80 tribal casinos in California that haul in an estimated $8 billion a year in revenues, virtually equal to Nevada’s storied gambling industry, with most of that money coming from slot machines, the financial mainstay of any casino.
Opinion: California Democrats sound desperate. Their midterm election emails capture the mood
Modesto Bee
California Democrats are in a distressed state. They’re frightened about next year’s midterms and bewildered by the latest Republican shenanigans. The mood is glum, occasionally bordering on despondent.
Video: Californians and Their Government
Public Policy Institute of California
PPIC’s Dean Bonner and Mark Baldassare discuss new statewide survey findings on Governor Newsom’s job approval, the gubernatorial recall effort, Californians’ economic outlook, and other topics.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● Fauci 'cautiously optimistic' US will be able to vaccinate kids under 12 by Thanksgiving abc30
● Biden announces international COVID-19 vaccine-sharing plan Los Angeles Times
● Biden announces international COVID-19 vaccine sharing plan Sacramento Bee
● U.S. to Share Bulk of Donated Covid-19 Vaccines Through Covax Program Wall Street Journal
● Republicans dive into politically fraught push for Covid's origin story Politico
Biden Signals Flexibility on Taxes for Infrastructure
Wall Street Journal
President Biden signaled he could accept a narrower infrastructure package that didn’t include raising the corporate tax rate, telling a top Senate Republican that he wants $1 trillion in new spending and floating alternative ways to pay for the measure.
See also:
● Biden offers tax deal to Republicans in infrastructure talks Business Journal
● Biden And Sen. Capito Try Again To Bridge Their Infrastructure Divide VPR
● Opinion: Biden’s Agenda Hits a Senate Wall Wall Street Journal
● Time Runs Short for Biden Agenda With Summer Swoon Poised to Grip Washington U.S. News
Harris Asked to Lead on Voting Rights. She Has Her Work Cut Out for Her.
New York Times
On the matter of protecting voting rights, an issue critically important to President Biden’s legacy, Ms. Harris took a rare step. In a meeting with the president over a month ago, she told him that she wanted to take the lead on the issue.
See also:
● Analysis: How the Supreme Court has tilted election law to favor the Republican Party Los Angeles Times
Capital Public Radio
Vice President and former California Senator Kamala Harris recently claimed one-third of all small businesses have closed during the pandemic.
Opinion: He helped make Ronald Reagan president. Now he’s had it with the Republican Party
Los Angeles Times
Recently, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library launched a lecture series titled “Time for Choosing,” a name consciously echoing the famous 1964 speech that launched Reagan’s political career and put him on a path to the White House.
Opinion: H.R.1 Would Steamroll the Constitution
Wall Street Journal
The West Virginia senator is the only Democrat in the upper chamber who hasn’t signed on to H.R.1, styled the For the People Act, an unprecedented federal takeover of U.S. election laws that the House passed in March and that the Senate plans to consider this month.
Supreme Court Draws Limit to Anti-Hacking Law
Wall Street Journal
The Supreme Court Thursday narrowed the scope of a federal anti-hacking law, ruling that it doesn’t cover individuals who use their authorized access to obtain information for improper purposes.
What Is Critical Race Theory and Why Are People So Upset About It?
U.S. News
Most Americans are not familiar with term critical race theory, but that hasn’t stopped some from getting upset about attempts to reckon with the sprawling repercussions of slavery.
Other:
Facebook to end policy shielding politicians from content moderation rules: reports
The Hill
Facebook is slated to announced that the social media platform will end a policy that largely shielded politicians from repercussions when they violated the site's hate speech rules, a person familiar with the decision told The Washington Post.
See also:
● Facebook to end a longtime exception made for politicians who break its rules Washington Post
● Facebook suspends Trump for 2 years in response to Oversight Board ruling Washington Post
The Purpose of Political Correctness
New Yorker
Nesrine Malik, a columnist for the Guardian, has covered many of the cultural and political controversies that have emerged in the U.S. and Britain over the past half decade, including debates over Islamophobia and the cultural aspects of Brexit.
Chemerinsky: Precedent seems to matter little in the Roberts Court
ABAJournal
How much weight does the Roberts Court give to precedent? This is the crucial underlying question now that the U.S. Supreme Court has granted review in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which puts the fate of Roe v. Wade before the justices.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Farmers Are Feeling The Pain As Drought Spreads In The Northwest
VPR
Nicole Berg's stunted wheat field is so short and sparse she doesn't think the combine can even reach the wheat without, as she puts it, eating rocks.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Unusual Supreme Court majority narrows scope of computer anti-hacking law
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court limited the scope of the federal law against computer hacking on Thursday, ruling it covers those who break into confidential files, but not people who misuse the information they are authorized to see.
Public Safety:
California’s top court weighs overturning hundreds of death penalty sentences
Los Angeles Times
For decades, California’s highest court has left it up to individual jurors to decide whether certain circumstances increase the severity of a crime and thereby warrant the death penalty in murder cases that qualify for the ultimate punishment.
See also:
● Death penalty faces critical test: Will California high court raise bar? CalMatters
● Editorial: California Supreme Court should look beyond this case and end capital punishment Los Angeles Times
California inmate wrote down names of maskless guards after COVID order. Did prison do enough?
Sacramento Bee
A Northern California prison failed to seriously investigate an inmate’s complaints about correctional officers ignoring an order to wear face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from the state Office of the Inspector General.
California lawmakers balk at proposed gun tax to fund violence prevention programs
Los Angeles Times
Despite concerns about a spate of fatal shootings in California, a bill to create new taxes on the sale of guns and ammunition to pay for gun-violence prevention programs failed to get the two-thirds vote needed for passage Thursday in the state Assembly.
Editorial: Stanislaus Sheriff’s Department should have used better discretion in fatal chase
Modesto Bee
The tragic shooting death of a fleeing teen driver by a Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputy raises several profoundly serious questions of authorities’ judgment in initiating and continuing the May 18 vehicle pursuit.
Fire:
Map: What parts of California are at highest wildfire risk this summer
Mercury News
Almost all of Northern California, including the Bay Area, will come under heightened wildfire risk by the end of the summer, says the seasonal report issued by federal fire officials.
See also:
● Map shows riskiest areas in California for damaging wildfires abc30
Study Shows Central CA Wildfire Wiped Out Up To 10,000 Giant Sequoias
VPR
We’re still learning the devastation caused by last year’s wildfire season in California. The National Park Service just completed a study that estimates ten to 14 percent of our state’s mature giant Sequoias were destroyed in a single wildfire.
See also:
· Study: California fire killed 10% of world’s redwood trees abc10
Grand jury: Maricopa should disincorporate if new fire contract becomes too expensive
Bakersfield Californian
A Kern County grand jury is recommending the city of Maricopa disincorporate if it cannot reach a viable agreement with the county Board of Supervisors over the cost of fire protection.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
COVID-19 restrictions protected California’s economy. Now it’s poised for a ‘euphoric’ rebound
Los Angeles Times
California’s strict public health measures during the pandemic protected its economy, setting the stage for an even faster recovery in the state than nationwide, UCLA economists reported.
California’s Safety Net in Recession and Recovery
Public Policy Institute of California
As California emerges from the COVID-19 shutdown, the social safety net can play a key role in facilitating an equitable recovery. Evidence from the last recession and recovery shows that safety net programs do grow in response to increased need.
Long-run impacts of COVID-19 on extreme poverty
Brookings
Global poverty had been declining before COVID-19, but the pandemic interrupted this trend. Homi Kharas and Meagan Dooley estimate COVID-19’s impact on where extreme poverty will likely be concentrated in 2030, and what can be done to reverse these trends.
Jobs:
California unemployment claims rise, now 67% above normal
Mercury News
Unemployment claims in California have risen to their worst levels in more than a month and are now far above the amount that was typical before the start of coronavirus-linked business shutdowns, the federal government reported Thursday.
California considers new workplace mask rules that could extend into 2022
abc30
California is set to fully reopen in less than two weeks and do away with virtually all mask and social distancing requirements for vaccinated people, but those who regulate workplaces in the state aren't ready to go that far and that has business groups upset.
See also:
● Even vaccinated California workers may have to keep masks on Business Journal
● Vaccinated or not, California workers may keep masks on Bakersfield Californian
● California workplace safety regulators say workers should still wear masks after June 15 KGET
● Masks still needed? What new COVID workplace rules mean for California workers Sacramento Bee
● California workers caught between CDC and state guidance on masks: ’Extremely draining’ Sacramento Bee
● California could move to end some COVID-19 mask and distancing rules for workers Los Angeles Times
Should essential workers get bonuses? Unions want Gavin Newsom to dole out $8 billion
Modesto Bee
Major California unions are pushing Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders to give $8 billion in bonuses to essential workers, calling on them to use some of the $27 billion California is getting from the federal COVID relief to support working people.
Latinos create jobs app for Spanish speakers
CalMatters
Chamba, a Spanish term for jobs, is a free employment search tool launched during the pandemic to help workers connect to employers. It’s available in English and Spanish nationwide.
U.S. Employers Added 559,000 Jobs in May
Wall Street Journal
Hiring in the U.S. picked up in May, signaling a moderate improvement in the labor market’s recovery from the pandemic as businesses struggled to fill job openings. U.S. employers added 559,000 jobs last month, up from a revised 278,000 jobs in April.
See also:
● US jobless claims drop to 385,000, another pandemic low Sacramento Bee
● U.S. economy adds 559,000 jobs in May, as the recovery shows signs of strength Washington Post
● Jobless Claims Drop to Another Pandemic Low Wall Street Journal
● Hiring Picked Up Last Month, But The Economy Still Needs More Workers VPR
Restaurants, Supermarkets Can’t Find Enough Workers to Open New Locations
Wall Street Journal
The tight labor market is hampering new restaurant and supermarket openings, putting a potential check on growth in a food industry that is being reshaped by the pandemic.
See also:
● Examining the uneven and hard-to-predict labor market recovery Brookings
● Opinion: Worst Worker Shortage Getting Even Worse Wall Street Journal
In Early Results, COVID-19 Appears to Have Little Impact on Retirement Preparation and Withdrawals
PEW
Even under relatively normal conditions, planning and preparing for retirement—estimating how much to save and when to retire—are difficult. These decisions can be further complicated in times of economic uncertainty.
Putting California on the High Road: A Jobs and Climate Action Plan for 2030
UC Berkeley Labor Center
Over the last 15 years, California has emerged as a national and world leader in the fight to avoid climate disaster, passing a comprehensive and evolving suite of climate measures to accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
The downstream benefits of higher incomes and wages
UC Berkeley Labor Center
Increases in parental income are found to improve societal outcomes, including mental and physical health, child development and school achievement, civic engagement, racial equity, and many other dimensions of individual and social well-being.
EDUCATION
K-12:
New Fresno Unified school building won’t be named after Roger Tatarian after backlash
Fresno Bee
A building on the newest Fresno Unified School District campus will not be named after H. Roger Tatarian, at the request of his family, who said the icon of Fresno’s Armenia community should have his name on a school and “not a mere building.”
Gov. Newsom Wants Transitional Kindergarten For All 4-Year-Olds. What Does That Mean?
Capital Public Radio
Children in California could have a new stepping stone into kindergarten under one of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposals in his May 14 updated budget.
Budget proposal would ease testing requirements for California teachers
EdSource
The state’s Assembly and Senate budget subcommittees on education are recommending that legislators approve a proposal in Gov. Newsom’s 2021-22 state budget that would allow candidates to earn a teaching credential without taking two tests currently required.
Can California withstand a teacher retirement boom?
Visalia Times Delta
Earlier this year, the California State Teachers Retirement System issued an ominous statement: teacher retirements in California are projected to hit nearly record-breaking heights in 2021.
Editorial: Adding up California’s new-new-newest math
Los Angeles Times
Contrary to the ill-informed criticisms that are circulating, a new mathematics proposal for California schools would not take the rigor — or the emphasis on finding correct answers — out of math.
Opinion: Innovations in Distance Education When Broadband Is Not an Option
EdNote
State leaders are at a pivotal moment: Let’s reimagine learning while addressing inequitable access to broadband internet — not just now, this summer or next year, but for the long term.
Higher Ed:
Clovis Medical School Welcomes Smittcamp, Zelezny as Trustees
GVWire
Wawona Frozen Foods President and CEO Bill Smittcamp and CSU Bakersfield President Dr. Lynnette Zelezny are the newest trustees at California Health Sciences University.
CSUB announces new degree program to train sought after public health professionals
Bakersfield Californian
When it comes to health, Kern County typically tops the wrong lists, with many residents suffering from chronic issues such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
It’s a tough start for MJC’s new president. Board meeting proposed to ‘clear the air’
Modesto Bee
Dr. Santanu Bandyopadhyay is off to a rocky start as president of Modesto Junior College — his new job that took effect Tuesday.
Cal State announces plans for fall 2021 reopening of its 23 campuses
Los Angeles Times
Six days before its application window closes, the California State University system serving nearly half a million students has announced a plan for all 23 of its campuses to reopen next fall after more than a year of virtual instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A third Cal Poly? Gavin Newsom calls for transformation of struggling CSU campus
Modesto Bee
Humboldt State University, located in Arcata on California’s North Coast, has faced declining enrollment numbers for years with fewer and fewer students opting for the remote campus in the redwoods.
The CSU System With Dr. Joseph Castro
CAFWD
California State University Chancellor Dr. Joseph Castro joined Demetria Wack and Michael Wiafe (both CSU graduates) on this week’s PolicyWise. Last year, Dr. Castro was selected to be the CSU’s eighth chancellor and the first Californian and person of color to hold the position.
Preparing more boys of color for college, careers: Program proposed at Modesto schools
Modesto Bee
A mentoring program called Improve Your Tomorrow and aimed at preparing Modesto middle school and high school boys of color for careers may be approved next week by the Modesto City Schools district.
State Higher Ed Funding Increases for 8th Straight Year
Inside Higher Ed
Despite the years of increases, state and local funding for public higher education has not fully recovered from cuts made during the 2008 recession. Experts worry what will come in the future after 2020 turned out better than expected.
Graduation 2021 Is Cheered on Lawns, Screens—and Everywhere in Between
Wall Street Journal
Some are planning virtual graduations for the second year. Others are limiting the number of guests, socially distancing the event or spreading it over several days to lessen crowds, requiring masks or Covid-19 tests, and streaming graduation for those who can’t make it.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Sierra logging projects won’t be halted while lawsuit is decided about endangered animal
Fresno Bee
A request to temporarily halt many logging projects in Sierra, Sequoia and Stanislaus national forests while a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is being decided was denied by a federal judge in Fresno.
US insurers falling short on climate change, biodiversity, report says
Merced Sun-Star
Nationwide and other big U.S. insurers are coming up short when it comes to tackling problems of climate change, biodiversity and human rights, according to a new report from a United Kingdom-based group.
Searing heat wave sets records in California’s inland areas, even as coasts stay cool
Los Angeles Times
A heat wave swept through California’s Central and Sacramento valleys this week, setting temperature records and prompting heat advisories, even as coastal regions remained temperate.
Here Are America’s Top Methane Emitters. Some Will Surprise You.
New York Times
As the world’s oil and gas giants face increasing pressure to reduce their fossil fuel emissions, small, privately held drilling companies are becoming the country’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, often by buying up the industry’s high-polluting assets.
Energy:
Update: Power restored after 1,500 PG&E customers lose power south of Fresno
Fresno Bee
An early-morning outage south of Fresno cut power to about 1,500 customers, PG&E reported Thursday morning. Power was restored mid-morning.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
How to protect your child from heat-related illnesses as heatwave sweeps Valley
abc30
For 12-year-old Hudson Kennedy, a short bike ride on Memorial Day quickly turned into a medical scare. Kennedy was riding his bike with his friend Jake Lott near Maple and Beyhmer on Monday.
Busted: 3 dangerous social-media myths about COVID-19 vaccines
Los Angeles Times
Some COVID-19 vaccine myths are outrageously false. Yet they spread like wildfire on social media and can play a role in persuading some people to hold off on getting a shot.
See also:
● Why and when do COVID-19 vaccines expire? Sacramento Bee
● Vaccine protection may diminish need for yearly boosters, scientists say Los Angeles Times
● Common arthritis drug may weaken COVID vaccine responses, study finds Sacramento Bee
● CDC director urges parents to vaccinate teens, noting increased hospitalization rates Washington Post
Here’s What We Know (And Don’t Know) About Long COVID
U.S. News
The post-COVID condition, recognized by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is defined by a wide-range of symptoms of illness weeks or months after an initial coronavirus infection.
Human Services:
California won't closely track every breakthrough case. Some experts call that smart
San Francisco Chronicle
California is telling counties to report post-vaccination cases of COVID-19 only in people who are hospitalized or have died, a shift from earlier surveillance that included all so-called breakthrough infections regardless of severity.
Rising Health Care Costs in California: A Worker Issue
UC Berkeley Labor Center
Laurel Lucia, director of the Labor Center's healthcare program explains how the state's proposed Office of Health Care Affordability would be an important step towards addressing the health care cost problem for California workers.
Why Contact Tracing Couldn't Keep Up With The U.S. COVID Outbreak
VPR
NPR's latest survey finds many are winding down the contact tracing programs they scrambled to grow last year. More than half of the 36 health departments that responded to the survey had fewer tracers than in December, and the vast majority isn't planning to hire more.
Democrats Strain to Unify on Proposal to Reduce Drug Prices
Wall Street Journal
Congressional Democrats are ramping up efforts to reach a deal on legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs, but face internal disputes and pushback from the pharmaceutical industry.
Washington Post
From rehab centers to family doctors, patients trying to find good medical care are increasingly finding fake consumer reviews — and there are no signs of an imminent crackdown.
IMMIGRATION
Biden Aims to Rebuild and Expand Legal Immigration
New York Times
If Biden gets his way, it will soon be far easier to immigrate to the U.S. There will be shorter, simpler forms and applicants will have to jump through fewer security hoops. Foreigners will have better opportunities to join their families and more chances to secure work visas.
Pressure Amps Up on Biden to Rescind Title 42 Border Order
U.S. News
The Biden administration is facing mounting pressure from advocates, experts and some lawmakers to rescind a Trump-era order that allows border agents to immediately expel migrants caught crossing into the United States.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
New look for J Street made permanent as Modesto tries to make downtown a destination
Modesto Bee
Modesto says its experiment of reconfiguring much of J Street by replacing parallel street parking with angled parking, reducing the number of traffic lanes and making intersections four-way stops has been a success.
Housing:
Fresno exploring protections for tenants facing eviction. Here’s what they might do
Business Journal
The City of Fresno has begun dipping its toe into eviction mediation and legal representation for tenants, but the legal professionals who would carry out those protections have varying views on their effectiveness and appropriateness.
Need housing assistance? Here’s how to apply for federal vouchers in Stanislaus, SJ
Modesto Bee
Individuals and families in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties can apply for emergency housing vouchers (EHVs), made available through the latest pandemic stimulus bill.
See also:
● More than 15,000 households in Stanislaus can’t find an affordable home. Here’s why Modesto Bee
California to simplify rent relief application
CalMatters
A small survey of rent relief providers finds that applicants face language, documentation and digital barriers, but the state has fixes on the way.
Opinion: Zoning changes could put a hurt on Black homeownership
CalMatters
I am a Black grandparent, homeowner and member of the Altadena Town Council. I grew up in a single-family home, and my husband and I have lived in our house in Altadena for more than two decades.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Grand Jury: Arvin improperly received sales tax dollars from Outlets at Tejon
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Arvin has improperly received $701,516 in sales tax revenue from stores at the Outlets at Tejon, according to a Kern County grand jury report released Thursday.
Column: Stockton study shows that universal basic income can be life-changing
Los Angeles Times
The concept of universal basic income, which has received a boost from economic conditions during the pandemic, has just received another favorable vote.
See also:
● More Americans oppose than favor the government providing a universal basic income for all adult citizens Pew Research Center
States’ Total Rainy Day Funds Fall for First Time Since Great Recession
PEW
Some states tapped their savings to offset pandemic-driven budget woes in fiscal year 2020. Still, half of states could operate for nearly a month using just rainy day funds.
See also:
● States tap federal aid to shore up empty unemployment funds abc News
The Huge Tax Break for Home Sellers: What to Know About the $500,000 Exemption
Wall Street Journal
A tax exclusion allows millions of Americans to skip taxes when they sell their homes at a profit. A Biden administration proposal would take a larger bite from some sellers with the biggest gains.
TRANSPORTATION
House Democrats unveil $547 billion transportation bill, a boost that highlights partisan divide
Washington Post
Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unveiled a $547 billion transportation funding package Friday that would ramp up spending on rail and transit, while encouraging states to repair existing roads rather than build new ones.
See also:
● Biden budget proposal includes $13.5 billion for transit, increased Amtrak funding Trains Magazine
● Transportation Secretary Buttigieg recommends $2.5B for new, expanded public transit Transportation Today
Higher prices turn used cars in Fresno into hot wheels. How fast are they climbing?
Fresno Bee
There’s a record price surge happening in the used-car market, and a new study indicates that the greater Fresno area is near the vanguard of the average increases over the past year.
Caltrain electrification delayed to 2024, and the price tag is rising too
Mercury News
Caltrain’s transition from diesel locomotives to sleek electric trains will take two years longer than expected to finish, railroad officials announced Thursday, while its price tag is growing by more than $300 million.
WATER
Drought saps California reservoirs as hot, dry summer looms
Bakersfield Californian
Each year Lake Oroville helps water a quarter of the nation’s crops, sustain endangered salmon beneath its massive earthen dam and anchor the tourism economy of a Northern California county that must rebuild seemingly every year after unrelenting wildfires.
See also:
● Drought ravages California’s reservoirs ahead of hot summer Business Journal
High and fast water flows on San Joaquin River this weekend. Here’s where and why
Fresno Bee
PG&E is warning of high, fast-moving currents in the San Joaquin River on Sunday, following a release of water from Kerckhoff Dam. The release will affect nine miles of the river between the dam and Millerton Lake, starting at 5 a.m. and lasting throughout the day.
“Xtra”
Yosemite campground opening early and more reservations will be sold. Here’s how to get one
Merced Sun-Star
Additional reservations for popular Tuolumne Meadows Campground in Yosemite National Park will go on sale at 7 a.m. Tuesday, June 15 via recreation.gov, Yosemite officials announced Wednesday.
California to allow sale of to-go cocktails through 2021
Bakersfield Californian
There's one pandemic change that Californians are sure to toast: The to-go cocktail. Gov. Newsom announced Thursday that the state will continue allowing restaurants to sell takeout alcohol and keep expanded outdoor dining through the end of the year.
See also:
● Outdoor Dining, To-Go Drinks Could Be Here To Stay Capital Public Radio
● California extends ability for restaurants to serve alcohol outdoors, for delivery and to-go Los Angeles Times
● Restaurant parklets and to-go cocktails will continue in California through 2021 Mercury News
● California extends outdoor dining, to-go drinks through Dec. 31 CalMatters
Fresno Bee
After 24 years in one spot, Doug-Out Cookies is moving. The Fresno-based cookie company has moved into to Fashion Fair mall’s food court, and out of its spot at Fresno Street and Alluvial Avenue.