March 16, 2021

16Mar

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

Homelessness declared an emergency in Turlock. Here’s what that means

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday is set to consider a homeless emergency declaration and a $500,000 plan designed to reduce dangers associated with encampments. Acting City Manager Gary Hampton declared a crisis Sunday because of the rise in unsheltered homeless residents, prompting the special council meeting.

 

UC Merced, MUHSD Announce Merced Automatic Admission Program

UC Merced Newsroom

UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D., and Merced Unified High School District Superintendent Alan Peterson formally signed the first Merced Automatic Admission Program (MAAP) for students at MUHSD who complete specific requirements at the time of graduation.

 

How Stanislaus’ $832 million in COVID relief helped the county’s smallest businesses

Modesto Bee

Leave it to a global pandemic to test the limits of the saying “Every little bit helps.” Last spring, as the Central Valley and the entire nation reeled from the COVID-19 pandemic, relief money began to flood into the area from the federal government.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Local Schools Update:

Major deadline looms for Fresno Unified students heading back to school. Here’s the latest Fresno Bee

 

Fresno city to give out nearly $35 million in rent and mortgage relief. Here’s how to sign up

Fresno Bee

Nearly $35 million will be distributed to renters and landlords across the city of Fresno who faced financial hardship and were unable to pay rent due to coronavirus, Mayor Jerry Dyer announced Monday.

See also:

 

Fresno leaders want public findings of investigation into police officer’s Proud Boy involvement

Fresno Bee

Two Fresno City Councilmembers are calling for an independent investigation into a Fresno police officer who showed up with Proud Boys to support the sale of the Tower Theatre to a church.

See also:

 

‘I’m super proud.’ Hmong students celebrate Fresno Unified’s new deputy superintendent

Fresno Bee

Mao Misty Her last week was named second in command at the Fresno Unified School District, a position that makes Her the highest-ranking Hmong public school official in the nation, according to FUSD.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

Kern County DA, state Attorney General sue Brookdale Senior Living over alleged patient health violations

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County District Attorney’s Office has sued Brookdale Senior Living, the largest nursing home operator in the country, over allegations the company ignored patient safety laws and manipulated a “star rating” system to attract new clients.

 

California’s McCarthy and other Republicans slam Biden immigration policies at border

Los Angeles Times

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and a dozen of his colleagues denounced the Biden administration’s handling of immigration at the southwest border and called for congressional action during a visit Monday to Texas.

See also:

 

California sues major US nursing home operator over ratings

Fresno Bee

California's attorney general and local officials sued the nation's largest senior living home operator Monday, alleging the company misled consumers on quality ratings and broke laws intended to protect patients when they are discharged from a facility.

See also:

 

Anglers welcome plans to restart repairs at Kernville fish hatchery

Bakersfield Californian

Who else but an angler like Kernville fly-fishing guide Guy Jeans has the patience to wait two decades for a government project — especially one that not long ago appeared close to finally coming together — only to watch it fall victim to delays once again?

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

Gov. Gavin Newsom launches campaign against likely recall

abc30

California Gov. Gavin Newsom established a political committee Monday to begin raising money to defend his seat in a potential recall election, the strongest acknowledgment to date that he expects to be on the ballot this year.

See also:

 

Newsom says he'll name Black woman to Senate if Feinstein resigns

Politico

California Gov. Gavin Newsom committed Monday to nominating a Black woman for the U.S. Senate should Sen. Dianne Feinstein resign from the seat she's held for more than two decades.

See also:

 

Patients about to flood vaccine system — millions newly eligible

CalMatters

Today, millions of Californians will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, inundating a system already straining under the weight of limited supply, pervasive tech glitches, political infighting and general confusion.

See also:

 

California is about to get $151 billion in federal aid — but it still has billions unspent

Sacramento Bee

California could get $151 billion in new federal aid from the economic relief plan just signed by President Joe Biden, while an estimated $43 billion remains unspent from last year’s aid packages.

 

Cheaper Affordable Care Act plans and COBRA coverage benefit Californians under stimulus law

Sacramento Bee

The COVID-19 relief law signed by President Joe Biden will affect all Californians’ health care in some way, but it will be especially helpful to those hard hit by the pandemic.

See also:

Biden Aims to Build on Obamacare’s Cost-Cutting Measures Pew Trusts

 

Remember when? Timeline marks key events in California’s year-long pandemic grind

CalMatters

In early March 2020, an elderly man died in Placer County. Health officials ruled the Rocklin resident’s death to be a result of COVID-19 — the disease caused by a novel coronavirus that, to this point, had appeared in a handful of cases up and down the West Coast.

 

California’s First Latino Senator Wants Immigration Overhaul Now

New York Times

Less than two months into the job, Senator Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, is impatient to take on the kind of major immigration overhaul that has bedeviled Congress for decades.

 

’Disappointing’ 2020 Latino turnout found in new analysis. Youth voting also lagged

Fresno Bee

Despite voting in higher numbers, Latinos and Asian Americans fell further behind on their share of the vote in California in the 2020 election. The 2020 election had historic levels of participation across the board — both in California and nationwide. In California, turnout among registered voters was 67.4% — 10 points higher than in 2016.

 

California mulls relaxing rules about ballot signatures

KMJNow

California's Democratic-controlled Legislature is considering whether to make it more difficult for local election officials to reject ballots because a voter's signature doesn't exactly match what's on file.

 

California has help for parents who can’t afford child care. Here’s how to find it

Fresno Bee

Nearly a year after California shuttered public schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures have forced many families to juggle work while caring for children.

 

New push for speed cameras in California: ‘This is about saving lives’

Mercury News

California cities could soon set up automated cameras to catch and ticket speeders on their most dangerous streets, if lawmakers pass a bill being introduced Tuesday that is sure to reignite debate over speed cameras in a state where they are effectively banned.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

Biden, Harris to promote COVID-19 economic stimulus plan's benefits

abc30

Let the sales push begin. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses have begun an ambitious, cross-country tour this week to highlight the benefits of his $1.9 trillion plan to defeat the coronavirus and boost the economy.

See also:

 

Biden eyes first major tax hike since 1993 for high earners in next economic plan

Los Angeles Times

President Biden is planning the first major federal tax hike since 1993 to help pay for the long-term economic program designed as a follow-up to his pandemic-relief bill, according to people familiar with the matter.

See also:

 

‘We prayed this day would come’: California tribes welcome Haaland as first Native American Cabinet member

Los Angeles Times

On Monday, Rep. Deb Haaland became the first Native American confirmed to serve in the president’s Cabinet — a historic moment celebrated by American Indians throughout the country.

See also:

 

Lawmakers in both parties push to add judges to overworked federal courts

Roll Call

The debate about expanding the number of Supreme Court justices has hogged all the attention after a five-year run of contentious confirmation battles, but there are signs of traction this Congress for less politically charged proposals to add judges to the lower courts.

See also:

 

Corporate PAC donations to parties and candidates plummet after Capitol riot

Roll Call

AT&T’s political action committee shelled out more than $322,000 to members of Congress and party committees in January 2019. Two years later, the same corporate PAC disclosed no donations at all. Ditto for Comcast’s PAC, which dished out $231,000 in January 2019 and nothing to federal coffers in the first, tumultuous month of this year.

 

Next infrastructure bill aims to end ‘digital divide’

Roll Call

Democratic lawmakers are beginning to focus on the next big-ticket item on their legislative agenda, a massive infrastructure package, and the broadband money they plan to include in it.

See also:

 

Other:

 

Ranked-Choice Voting Gains Momentum Nationwide

Pew Trusts

Lawmakers in 29 states are considering measures this year that would adopt ranked-choice voting in some form, in local, statewide or presidential primary elections.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, March 21, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "The Mess at Unemployment Comp: Truth and Consequences" - Guests: CA State Auditor Elaine Howle; John Myers - LA Times; Dan Walters - CalMatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, March 21, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "To Catch a Thief: Combatting Workers Comp Fraud"  - Guests: CA State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Finding a Balance between Supply and Demand to Get to Groundwater Sustainability

PPIC
The San Joaquin Valley has begun to grapple with implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Figuring out the math of balancing water supply and demand in ways that cause the least economic harm to farmers and local economies is challenging.

 

Opinion: As drought alarms sound, is California prepared?

CalMatters

We’re facing another very dry year, which follows one of the driest on record for Northern California and one of the hottest on record statewide. The 2012-16 drought caused unprecedented stress to California’s ecosystems and pushed many native species to the brink of extinction, disrupting water management throughout the state.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Fresno leaders want public findings of investigation into police officer’s Proud Boy involvement

Fresno Bee

Two Fresno City Councilmembers are calling for an independent investigation into a Fresno police officer who showed up with Proud Boys to support the sale of the Tower Theatre to a church.

See also:

 

U.S. jail population plunged as COVID-19 spread, Justice Department says

Reuters

The proportion of Americans detained in local jails - where people are locked up awaiting trial or serving sentences for minor crimes - fell to a three-decade low last year as officials raced to ease crowding as COVID-19 spread across the country.

 

Feds Investigating Lender That Sued Thousands of Lower-Income Latinos During Pandemic

ProPublica

Oportun Inc., a small-dollar loan company, disclosed to investors that it is the subject of a probe by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau following reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.

 

Public Safety:

 

New push for speed cameras in California: ‘This is about saving lives’

Mercury News

California cities could soon set up automated cameras to catch and ticket speeders on their most dangerous streets, if lawmakers pass a bill being introduced Tuesday that is sure to reignite debate over speed cameras in a state where they are effectively banned.

 

More Pedestrians Are Getting Killed By Cars

Route Fifty

The number of pedestrians struck and killed by cars and other motor vehicles in the United States each year has increased by 45% in the past decade, a “preventable crisis” that could be halted by policy interventions at the federal, state and local level.

 

Fire:

 

Video: In California, the Northfork Mono Tribe Brings ‘Good Fire’ to Overgrown Woodlands

Inside Climate News

"Cultural burning" helps the tribe pass on its stories and language, improves resources for its artisans and helps prevent destructive wildfires.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

How Stanislaus’ $832 million in COVID relief helped the county’s smallest businesses

Modesto Bee

Leave it to a global pandemic to test the limits of the saying “Every little bit helps.” Last spring, as the Central Valley and the entire nation reeled from the COVID-19 pandemic, relief money began to flood into the area from the federal government.

 

California has help for parents who can’t afford child care. Here’s how to find it

Fresno Bee

Nearly a year after California shuttered public schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures have forced many families to juggle work while caring for children.

 

Biden, Harris to promote COVID-19 economic stimulus plan's benefits

abc30

Let the sales push begin. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses have begun an ambitious, cross-country tour this week to highlight the benefits of his $1.9 trillion plan to defeat the coronavirus and boost the economy.

See also:

 

To Hold the Government Accountable, We Need to Know What It’s Doing. That’s Why We’re Tracking PPP Data.

ProPublica

When Congress earmarked hundreds of billions of dollars for the Paycheck Protection Program, ProPublica believed the public had a right to know how the money was being spent. A federal judge agreed.

 

Jobs:

 

Around Kings County: T-Mobile, Amazon jobs coming to the area

Hanford Sentinel

After some three years of negotiations, phone giant T- Mobile has inked a lease of the former K-Mart building in Kingsburg according to real estate sources. The property is owned by grocery chain owner Mike Alamsi who was unavailable for comment.

 

More time off, paid childcare: How California lawmakers want to tackle COVID for workers

Modesto Bee

More paid sick days. Stiff penalties for unsafe workplaces. Childcare paid for by employers. Those are some of proposals California legislators are pushing in new bills as they look to address the effects of the yearlong coronavirus pandemic.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

‘I’m super proud.’ Hmong students celebrate Fresno Unified’s new deputy superintendent

Fresno Bee

Mao Misty Her last week was named second in command at the Fresno Unified School District, a position that makes Her the highest-ranking Hmong public school official in the nation, according to FUSD.

 

California ethnic studies debate: Whose stories get told?

Fresno Bee

Race and ethnicity can be tricky topics to discuss, especially in the classroom. But the California Department of Education had no idea how heated the debate would get when it set out to draft a model ethnic studies curriculum for high schools statewide.

 

Distance learning changed California education. What’s here to stay?

EdSource

As schools across California welcome back more students on campus, some distance learning practices look likely to survive the pandemic. School closures exposed deeply embedded inequalities in California education, as well as the crucial lifelines that schools provide for their communities.

 

Commentary: How to make spring the last lost semester

AEI

This month marks one year since schools around the country closed classrooms and moved instruction online. In many communities, children continue to learn from home or attend school only one or two days a week. Many families want to know what to expect for the fall.

 

Higher Ed:

 

College students celebrating spring break despite pandemic

abc30

College students are continuing to flock to beaches to celebrate spring break despite the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although universities around the country either scaled back the traditional holiday week or canceled it altogether, the Sunshine State saw an influx of traveling students over the weekend.

 

WHCL earns $2M grant to support Open Educational Resources

Hanford Sentinel

West Hills College Lemoore has earned a $1,999,924 grant from The U.S. Department of Education to further enhance its Open Educational Resource (OER) efforts in partnership with the Equitable Change in Hispanic Serving Institutions Open Educational Resources (CC ECHO) program.

 

UC Merced, MUHSD Announce Merced Automatic Admission Program

UC Merced Newsroom

UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D., and Merced Unified High School District Superintendent Alan Peterson formally signed the first Merced Automatic Admission Program (MAAP) for students at MUHSD who complete specific requirements at the time of graduation.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

UC welcomes new era of climate-action partnership with Biden administration

University of California

As the nation’s premier public research institution and California’s third-largest employer, the University of California has taken bold steps to confront the existential threat of climate change and to harness the power of science to create solutions.

 

Editorial: A new focus on climate change

Sacramento Bee

President Joe Biden wasted no time in doing an about-face when it comes to the nation’s policy on climate change, acknowledging its ongoing devastating effects nationwide and directing a shift that promotes clean energy. His plan is not just about going green, but creating jobs as the country turns away from a reliance on fossil fuels.

 

Energy:

 

States, California IOUs urge changes to Trump energy efficiency policies, but not everyone agrees

Utility Dive

Efficiency advocates were critical of DOE's actions on energy efficiency under the Trump administration, arguing new rules gave product manufacturers too much leeway — and consumers were losing money as the agency failed to update standards.

 

Commentary: We’re going to need more energy. And that’s OK.

AEI

So we have a big conflict. At least it seems that way.  More and more businesses are expressing a commitment to tackling climate change. And more and more businesses seem interested in Bitcoin. The problem here: Mining Bitcoin is highly energy-intensive.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Free COVID-19 test site will be held Tuesday in Delano

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force and Dignity Health said a free COVID-19 test site will be up and running in Delano on Tuesday. According to a news release from the task force, the site will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1015 Clinton Street.

See also:

 

First case of Brazilian coronavirus variant P.1 detected in California

Los Angeles Times

A San Bernardino County resident is the first in California to test positive for a coronavirus variant from Brazil, known as P.1, that is believed to be more contagious than the most common strain of the virus, officials said.

 

Local medical providers expecting telehealth to have high use post-pandemic

abc30

Frequently using video chat technology is one of the major changes many of us have adapted to throughout the pandemic. Now we're hearing from local doctors about just how common telemedicine has become and whether they plan to continue offering as many virtual appointments in the future.

 

Pandemic's ripple effect of mental health issues could last years

Bakersfield Californian

Both mental health professionals agree that the pandemic and its effect on individuals and families will have a ripple effect, that it's not over just because vaccines are being distributed or schools are opening.

 

Human Services:

 

Cheaper Affordable Care Act plans and COBRA coverage benefit Californians under stimulus law

Sacramento Bee

The COVID-19 relief law signed by President Joe Biden will affect all Californians’ health care in some way, but it will be especially helpful to those hard hit by the pandemic.

See also:

 

Did you get a COVID-19 warning from California’s phone app? Why you probably didn’t

Sacramento Bee

Late last year, California asked its residents to do a remarkably altruistic thing: Tell a state-sponsored cell phone app if they’d tested positive for COVID-19, as a public service to save lives.

 

Patients about to flood vaccine system — millions newly eligible

CalMatters

Today, millions of Californians will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, inundating a system already straining under the weight of limited supply, pervasive tech glitches, political infighting and general confusion.

See also:

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Children Are Sleeping on Mats in Overcrowded Border Facilities

New York Times

Migrant children are being forced to sleep on gym mats with foil sheets and go for days without showering as the Border Patrol struggles to handle thousands of young Central Americans who are surging across the southwestern border, some of them as young as a year old.

See also:

 

Democrats move smaller immigration bills while eyeing broad overhaul

The Hill

House Democrats are pressing ahead with slivers of their immigration agenda while they scramble to build support for a much broader comprehensive package.

 

California’s First Latino Senator Wants Immigration Overhaul Now

New York Times

Less than two months into the job, Senator Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, is impatient to take on the kind of major immigration overhaul that has bedeviled Congress for decades.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Oceano Dunes off-road riding group could sue Coastal Commission over OHV access

Fresno Bee

Friends of Oceano Dunes could sue the California Coastal Commission if the agency initiates a five-year phase-out of off-highway vehicles at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, the nonprofit group’s president announced during a protest at Pismo State Beach on Sunday afternoon.

 

Housing:

 

Fresno city to give out nearly $35 million in rent and mortgage relief. Here’s how to sign up

Fresno Bee

Nearly $35 million will be distributed to renters and landlords across the city of Fresno who faced financial hardship and were unable to pay rent due to coronavirus, Mayor Jerry Dyer announced Monday.

See also:

 

Homelessness declared an emergency in Turlock. Here’s what that means

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday is set to consider a homeless emergency declaration and a $500,000 plan designed to reduce dangers associated with encampments. Acting City Manager Gary Hampton declared a crisis Sunday because of the rise in unsheltered homeless residents, prompting the special council meeting.

 

The Pandemic Ignited a Housing Boom—but It’s Different From the Last One

Wall Street Journal

The residential real-estate market is on its biggest tear since 2006, just before the housing bubble burst and set off a global recession. Yet in nearly every meaningful way, today’s market is the inverse of the previous boom.

 

Editorial: COVID is still here, and homeless people still need to be in hotel rooms

Los Angeles Times

Faced with two crises last spring — the pandemic and homelessness — the city and County of Los Angeles did something remarkable: They sheltered homeless people faster than ever and in rooms of their own, not group settings, under a program called Project Roomkey.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Where’s my money? Answers to your questions as stimulus checks start to hit bank accounts

Fresno Bee

Economic stimulus payments of $1,400 per qualifying adult and child are about to hit Californians’ bank accounts, and there’s bound to be some confusion. I thought payments went out over the weekend, so why can’t I access the money? Why am I getting a check instead of direct deposit? How have the rules changed from last year?

See also:

 

Child Tax Credit: Millions of parents could soon get up to $3,600 per child

CBSNews

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, signed into law by President Joe Biden on Thursday, is aimed at shoring up the pandemic-stricken economy through fiscal measures like expanded unemployment aid and direct stimulus checks.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

‘One giant leap if you’re a raisin.’ Bill Maher skewers California high-speed rail plan

Fresno Bee

Add Bill Maher’s name to the growing list of critics of California’s high-speed rail plans. The host of the political talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO took a jab at California’s struggles to complete its bullet train project during the latest episode.

 

More U.S. Travelers Are Flying Again Despite COVID-19 Risks

VPR
As COVID-19 vaccines roll out across the U.S., more travelers are taking to the skies. Friday marked the busiest day for the nation's airports since the middle of March 2020, when COVID-19 caused air travel to plummet.

See also:

 

CA Transportation Agency Releases Plan to Support, Promote Sustainable Transportation

StreetsBlobCal

In response to several executive orders from Governor Gavin Newsom calling for California to reduce greenhouse gases in the transportation sector, the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has developed a plan to guide California transportation investments towards sustainable, clean transportation options.

 

More Pedestrians Are Getting Killed By Cars

Route Fifty

The number of pedestrians struck and killed by cars and other motor vehicles in the United States each year has increased by 45% in the past decade, a “preventable crisis” that could be halted by policy interventions at the federal, state and local level.

 

New push for speed cameras in California: ‘This is about saving lives’

Mercury News

California cities could soon set up automated cameras to catch and ticket speeders on their most dangerous streets, if lawmakers pass a bill being introduced Tuesday that is sure to reignite debate over speed cameras in a state where they are effectively banned.

 

WATER

 

California is first to set guidelines on microplastics in drinking water. Is that premature or prudent?

Desert Sun

California is poised to issue the world’s first guidelines for microplastics in drinking water despite no data on how plentiful they are in the state, no scientific agreement on how to test water for them and little research on their health risks.

See also:

 

Finding a Balance between Supply and Demand to Get to Groundwater Sustainability

PPIC
The San Joaquin Valley has begun to grapple with implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Figuring out the math of balancing water supply and demand in ways that cause the least economic harm to farmers and local economies is challenging.

 

Opinion: As drought alarms sound, is California prepared?

CalMatters

We’re facing another very dry year, which follows one of the driest on record for Northern California and one of the hottest on record statewide. The 2012-16 drought caused unprecedented stress to California’s ecosystems and pushed many native species to the brink of extinction, disrupting water management throughout the state.

 

“Xtra”

 

One year ago, Fresno music venues closed their doors. Why they hope to reopen in 2021

Fresno Bee

It was a year ago, almost to the day, that the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. What followed was a kind of time loop for Fresno’s live entertainment venues.

 

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

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

                                                      

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

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