March 18, 2021

18Mar

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

The next agricultural commissioner for Stanislaus County will make history

Modesto Bee

Kamaljit Bagri will be the next agricultural commissioner for Stanislaus County, the first woman in the post. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed Bagri to succeed Milton O’Haire as of March 29. He will retire after eight years.

 

Turlock prepares to sweep this homeless camp. Why did emergency plans draw criticism?

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council unanimously approved a homeless emergency proclamation Tuesday, clearing the way for crews on Thursday to sweep an encampment where about 50 people live.

 

Movie theaters prepare for COVID re-opening. For some, that means they’re hiring

Modesto Bee

Movie theaters in the Modesto area are preparing for an eventual re-opening once local COVID-19 restrictions loosen again across Stanislaus County. Galaxy Theatres in Riverbank is hiring for at least three floor staff positions, according to their website and social media feeds.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

Fresno health inspectors tipped off Foster Farms about state COVID inspection, emails show

Fresno Bee

Last December, during the biggest known COVID-19 workplace outbreak in Fresno County, public health officials said they were investigating Foster Farms’ chicken processing plant in southeast Fresno.

 

Fresno’s Black Chamber Applies To Relocate — And Share Space With Cannabis Tester

Business Journal

As the market for the City of Fresno’s legal cannabis industry gets closer to opening, periphery businesses are also working to open up along with it.

See also:

 

Developers want a Fresno neighborhood zoned for industrial use. Residents are fighting back

Fresno Bee

When Breonna Howard steps outside her home on Annadale and Elm avenues in southwest Fresno, she inhales some of the unhealthiest air in the nation. She says each breath feels heavy. Howard, 32, her son, 14, her mother, 66, and father, 70, all have asthma and have spent hundreds of hours in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms.

See also:

 

Clovis was sued for lacking affordable housing. 18 months after suit, it has built zero

Fresno Bee

Despite being sued in 2019 for years of lacking affordable housing, the city of Clovis built more than 1,100 units in 2020 and not a single one fits the state standard of low-income affordable.

 

Fresno County DA scrutinizing court cases involving cop who said he was Proud Boy

Fresno Bee

With the recent revelation that Fresno Police Department officer Rick Fitzgerald was once a member of the right wing extremist group the Proud Boys, the Fresno County District Attorney’s office has begun identifying the cases he was involved with.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

California pushes forward with statewide pesticide notification system as Shafter project stalls

Bakersfield Californian

What began as a Shafter initiative aimed at notifying local residents about farmers' plans to apply pesticides nearby is increasingly shaping up to be a statewide project that may or may not have a separate Kern County parallel activists are fighting for.

 

Bakersfield City Council agrees to lease portion of Amtrak Station to Greyhound

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has approved a lease agreement with Greyhound Lines Inc. to lease a portion of the Bakersfield Amtrak Station to the bus service. In a unanimous vote taken as part of the meeting’s consent agenda, councilmembers allowed the change to occur without resistance comment.

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

Newsom recall: Deadline arrives for election signature collection as governor criticizes leaders of effort

abc30

As Wednesday marks the deadline for organizers to submit signatures to qualify the recall election against Gavin Newsom for the ballot, the governor is attempting to paint supporters of his potential ousting as extremists.

See also:

 

California officials appeal for Asian attorney general

Bakersfield Californian

Elected officials from California's Asian and Pacific Islander communities urged Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday to appoint an attorney general of Asian descent, saying it's critical to have a top law enforcement official who understands and will combat anti-Asian violence.

See also:

 

Final approval expected for divisive California ethnic studies curriculum model

Sacramento Bee

California’s Board of Education is expected Thursday to pass the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum for high schools, after nearly four years of heated debate, division and rewrites.

 

Borenstein: Newsom’s COVID fibs should be scrutinized with data

Mercury News

It’s bad enough that Gov. Gavin Newsom tells politically motivated whoppers about California’s coronavirus success. It’s appalling that his administration endangers lives by blocking release of data needed to analyze the state’s response.

 

Editorial: Replacing Feinstein, Recalling Newsom

Wall Street Journal

California Gov. Gavin Newsom promised Monday to replace the state’s senior Senator, Dianne Feinstein, with a black woman, and says he has “multiple names in mind” if she retires. Just one problem. Sen. Feinstein’s term ends in 2024, and she’s made clear she’s not going anywhere.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

Biden wants a ‘talking filibuster.’ What that could mean for taxes and more

Los Angeles Times

Ever since President Biden took office, he’s faced pressure from progressives to target the filibuster, a Senate rule that allows one party to block legislation even when it doesn’t have the majority. Biden has resisted — until an interview this week when he suggested for the first time that he’s open to changes.

See also:

 

House votes to nix deadline for Equal Rights Amendment ratification

Roll Call

The House voted Wednesday to eliminate the long-passed deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, but questions from Republicans about constitutionality and the tight partisan margins in the Senate make enactment doubtful.

See also:

 

House to vote on immigration bills with paths to citizenship for "Dreamers" and farmworkers

CBSNews

The House is set to vote on two proposals that would legalize subsets of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission, as Democrats gauge the chances of approving immigration legislation and sending it to President Biden's desk.

See also:

 

IRS will delay tax filing due date until May 17

abc30

Americans will be getting extra time to prepare their taxes. The Internal Revenue Service says it's delaying the traditional tax filing deadline from April 15 until May 17.

See also:

 

U.S. May Miss Deadline For Withdrawing Troops From Afghanistan, Biden Says

VPR
President Biden says it will be "tough" to withdraw the remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan by May 1 as was agreed to by the Trump administration. In an interview with ABC's Good Morning America, Biden said he was "in the process" now of determining when the forces will leave.

 

Fact check: Did the U.S. House just pass a federal version of California’s gig economy law?

Sacramento Bee

The U.S. House last week passed a bill that could be the biggest overhaul to labor law in decades if it can clear the Senate and reach President Joe Biden.

 

Fact check: Will state employees get $25,000 bonuses from Biden’s COVID stimulus?

Sacramento Bee

No Republicans voted for the $1.9 trillion bill COVID-19 stimulus bill signed last week by President Joe Biden, while all but one Democrat voted for it.

 

Fact check: Will Biden’s COVID stimulus really buy weed for San Francisco homeless?

Sacramento Bee

No Republicans voted for the $1.9 trillion bill COVID-19 stimulus bill signed last week by President Joe, while all but one Democrat voted for it.

 

House Republicans Lift Party’s Ban on Earmarks

Wall Street Journal

House Republicans voted Wednesday to lift their decade-long ban on earmarks, giving members the power to direct federal agencies to spend specific amounts on projects in their home districts as Democrats look for ways to get Republicans on board with a major infrastructure package later this year.

 

Broad Public Support for Coronavirus Aid Package; Just a Third Say It Spends Too Much

Pew Research Center

As the House of Representatives prepares to give final approval to the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, a sizable majority of U.S. adults (70%) say they favor the legislation.

 

GOP attorneys general question stimulus barring tax cuts

AP News

Republican attorneys general from 21 states are questioning a provision in the $1.9 trillion pandemic rescue plan that bars states from using its funds to offset tax cuts.

 

Many House members averse to cooperating with OCE, study shows

Roll Call

More than a third of House members investigated by the Office of Congressional Ethics refused to fully cooperate with the probes since the office started investigating lawmakers in 2009, according to a new report by the Campaign Legal Center.

 

Jan. 6 commission stalls, for now, amid partisan dissension

AP News

Legislation creating an independent, bipartisan panel to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol is stalled, for now, with Democrats and Republicans split over the scope and structure of a review that would revisit the deadly attack and assess former President Donald Trump’s role.

 

Who deserves credit? Biden leans into pandemic politics

AP News

The truth is that both Biden and Trump deserve some credit, though Biden stands to benefit from being in power during the nation’s emergence from the pandemic.

 

Editorial: Keep the pressure on government to be open and accountable

Los Angeles Times

Citizens in a democracy should know what their government is doing, but politicians, bureaucrats and judges too often decide otherwise. That’s why federal and state laws guaranteeing public access to government meetings and documents are so important.

 

Other:

 

Reflections on a Year at Home

Pew Trusts

There are many reasons to mark the passage of a year. Birthdays. Holidays. Anniversaries. But the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for a unique milestone that few saw coming: one year “at home.”

 

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 Unemployment Comp and Workers Comp Fraud"  - Guests: CA State Auditor Elaine Howle. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Fresno health inspectors tipped off Foster Farms about state COVID inspection, emails show

Fresno Bee

Last December, during the biggest known COVID-19 workplace outbreak in Fresno County, public health officials said they were investigating Foster Farms’ chicken processing plant in southeast Fresno.

 

The next agricultural commissioner for Stanislaus County will make history

Modesto Bee

Kamaljit Bagri will be the next agricultural commissioner for Stanislaus County, the first woman in the post. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed Bagri to succeed Milton O’Haire as of March 29. He will retire after eight years.

 

California pushes forward with statewide pesticide notification system as Shafter project stalls

Bakersfield Californian

What began as a Shafter initiative aimed at notifying local residents about farmers' plans to apply pesticides nearby is increasingly shaping up to be a statewide project that may or may not have a separate Kern County parallel activists are fighting for.

 

Kern County, United Farm Workers Providing Vaccines To Over 4,000 Farmworkers

VPR
Over 1,000 farm workers in Kern County received their first round of vaccines last weekend in Delano. The United Farm Workers  and partnering organizations have plans to vaccinate thousands more in the coming weeks.

 

The next agricultural commissioner for Stanislaus County will make history

Modesto Bee

Kamaljit Bagri will be the next agricultural commissioner for Stanislaus County, the first woman in the post. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed Bagri to succeed Milton O’Haire as of March 29. He will retire after eight years.

 

More Than 300 Agricultural Organizations Support Reforming Nation’s Guestworker Program

Capital Public Radio

More than 300 agricultural organizations have come out in support of reforming the nation’s guestworker program, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Fresno County DA scrutinizing court cases involving cop who said he was Proud Boy

Fresno Bee

With the recent revelation that Fresno Police Department officer Rick Fitzgerald was once a member of the right wing extremist group the Proud Boys, the Fresno County District Attorney’s office has begun identifying the cases he was involved with.

 

Northern California police officers placed on leave after sending degrading, violent texts

Sacramento Bee

Two police officers in the Northern California town of Eureka have been placed on paid administrative leave while a third-party investigator conducts its review of demeaning and violent messages sent in a private texting group.

 

Public Safety:

 

Violence has Asian Americans questioning how far they have really come in their American journey

Los Angeles Times

Phil Yu was not surprised that a white gunman killed eight people, six of them Asian women, at Atlanta-area spas advertising their “Asian” or “international” staff. The worst thought he had on Wednesday, the day after the massacre, was just that, he said — he had seen it coming.

 

Racially Motivated Extremists, Militias Pose Most Lethal Domestic Threat, Report Finds

Wall Street Journal

Domestic violent extremists pose a heightened security threat in 2021, U.S. intelligence agencies said in a report released Wednesday, adding that more violence is likely due to conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election, the Covid-19 pandemic and the January breach of the U.S. Capitol.

 

Fire:

 

Warszawski: Fire managers sounded confident Creek Fire was under control. They were mistaken

Fresno Bee

When the Creek Fire broke out on the Friday evening before Labor Day weekend, fire managers from the U.S. Forest Service seemed to think they had the blaze well in hand.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Women and the Pandemic Economy

PPIC
As the vaccine rollout picks up, the nation is getting closer to controlling the virus, reopening schools, and resuming full economic activity. The past year has revealed just how interrelated these challenges are, particularly for women.

 

Federal Covid-19 Aid Aims to Help Cities, States Avoid Cutting Jobs and Services

Wall Street Journal

The Biden administration has pitched its $1.9 trillion Covid-19 aid package as a way to forestall what it saw as a major risk to the economic recovery: a prolonged budget squeeze for state and local governments. Republicans say much of the aid isn’t needed, and at least one GOP lawmaker is urging mayors and governors to give some of it back.

 

Testimony: Access to Anti-Poverty Programs for Californians in Need

Public Policy Institute of California

First, the defining feature of the current recession is of economic bifurcation and disparities in opportunity. The unemployment rate stands at 9% but is substantially higher for Latino and Black workers, those without a college education, and among lower income families.

 

Jobs:

 

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino hiring about 100 workers. Here’s how to apply

Fresno Bee

The Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino will stage a job fair on Tuesday, March 23 in Coarsegold to fill about 100 full- and part-time jobs.

 

Movie theaters prepare for COVID re-opening. For some, that means they’re hiring

Modesto Bee

Movie theaters in the Modesto area are preparing for an eventual re-opening once local COVID-19 restrictions loosen again across Stanislaus County. Galaxy Theatres in Riverbank is hiring for at least three floor staff positions, according to their website and social media feeds.

 

Will work from home outlast virus? Ford's move suggests yes

Bakersfield Californian

It’s a question occupying the minds of millions of employees who have worked from home the past year: Will they still be allowed to work remotely — at least some days — once the pandemic has faded?

 

US jobless claims rise to 770,000 with layoffs still high

AP News

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to 770,000, a sign that layoffs remain high even as much of the U.S. economy is steadily recovering from the coronavirus recession.

 

Commentary: How federal infrastructure investment can put America to work

Brookings

As COVID-19 continues to take a toll on the economy, America faces three interrelated challenges: (1) high unemployment alongside a historically low reemployment potential; (2) a precarious labor market with too many low-wage, dead-end jobs; and (3) large infrastructure gaps that hamper productivity and growth.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Local Schools Update:

 

Watch: The Fresno Bee Education Lab’s ‘Back to School: Q&A on COVID Safety’

Fresno Bee

Schools in Fresno County are starting to reopen. Some middle school and high school students have already returned on a hybrid model, while other students continue distance learning.

 

Final approval expected for divisive California ethnic studies curriculum model

Sacramento Bee

California’s Board of Education is expected Thursday to pass the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum for high schools, after nearly four years of heated debate, division and rewrites.

 

Desk Spacing Arguments Rage As Big School Districts Plan April Reopening

CalMatters

A majority of California’s largest school districts plan on bringing students and teachers back on campuses by early April, even as local officials grapple with state social distancing requirements they say are unclear and limit kids’ in-person options.

 

California could allow school districts to choose their own standardized tests this year

EdSource

On Tuesday, the State Board of Education voted unanimously to seek a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education that would allow California school districts to use locally selected tests rather than the Smarter Balanced statewide assessments, which are required by state and federal education law.

 

U.S. to Give $10 Billion to Schools for Covid-19 Testing

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. government plans to spend $10 billion in Covid-19 screening for schools, its latest step to increase testing nationwide and encourage schools to reopen for in-person learning.

 

Opinion: The Supreme Court Has Unfinished School-Choice Business

Wall Street Journal

The Supreme Court went a long way toward protecting the right of parents to direct the education of their children in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020). But the court’s opinion left a critical constitutional question unresolved.

 

Higher Ed:

 

How the pandemic changed higher education in California

EdSource

For many, the coronavirus pandemic was expected to last a few weeks, at most. Instead, after more than a year, it’s completely changed higher education in a way that will persist even after campuses have repopulated and California and the U.S. reach some form of herd immunity.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Central Coast congressman wants to spend $155 million to save western monarch butterflies

Sacramento Bee

Just one month after U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal visited a Pismo Beach monarch butterfly grove, the Central Coast congressman helped re-introduce two bills that would set aside millions in funding for the protection and recovery of the rapidly declining western monarch butterfly.

 

Yes, the pandemic crushed carbon emissions. Now they’re back

Sacramento Bee

It’s not easy to move the needle on global carbon emissions — even a little bit. But economies worldwide were so hobbled by the COVID-19 pandemic that the needle fell by 7 percent in 2020, according to a tally by the Global Carbon Project, a research network.

See also:

 

Opinion: California League of Conservation Voters: California rates a grade of ‘C’ on climate action

CalMatters

For the second year in a row, we are giving California a “C” grade on climate action. In 2020, the Legislature abandoned any efforts to deal with the climate crisis.

 

Editorial: Biden’s ‘BackDoor’ Climate Plan

Wall Street Journal

President Biden wants Congress to pass climate legislation, but that faces political obstacles. No worries—state Democratic Attorneys General are conspiring with green groups on a regulatory Plan B.

 

Energy:

 

California utilities propose paying less to homeowners who install rooftop solar

Los Angeles Times

California’s three big investor-owned utilities proposed changes to the state’s rooftop-solar program that would lead to new connection charges and lower compensation for customers who install panels on their homes.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Coronavirus variants from California now ‘of concern,’ CDC says. What does that mean?

Fresno Bee

Two coronavirus variants first discovered in California have advanced to “variants of concern,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

See also:

 

Virus tolls similar despite governors’ contrasting actions

AP News

Nearly a year after California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the nation’s first statewide shutdown because of the coronavirus, masks remain mandated, indoor dining and other activities are significantly limited, and Disneyland remains closed.

 

Study examines how sleep, stress could impact response to COVID vaccine

abc30

It's possible the amount of sleep you're getting and the stress you're under could impact your COVID vaccine, meaning the strength and durability of the vaccine may have more to do with you, your body, and your lifestyle than you expected.

 

Confronting Racism, Overcoming COVID-19, & Advancing Health Equity

California Budget & Policy Center

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the depths and reach of racism on the health of children, families, and individuals, with communities of color in California experiencing higher rates of illness, death, and overall hardship due to the virus.

 

COVID antibiotic use raises concern for rising resistance, Pew says

Axios

Doctors tended to overprescribe antibiotics to COVID-19 patients in hospitals during the early pandemic months, but programs designed to limit overuse are helping, according to an analysis from Pew Charitable Trusts.

 

How the WHO’s Hunt for Covid’s Origins Stumbled in China

Wall Street Journal

A team of scientists hoped a mission to Wuhan would provide some clarity about the coronavirus’s origins. New details about the team’s constraints reveal how little power it had to conduct a thorough probe.

 

To Prevent Future Pandemics, The U.S. Should Invest In ‘Real-Time Research’

Forbes

The first twenty years of the 21st century saw the emergence of more new infectious diseases of global concern than in any comparable period of history. Reversing this trend will be extremely difficult.

 

Human Services:

 

Fresno’s Black Community A Focus At Vaccination Clinic

Business Journal

African American trust in the health care system has been on the rocks for decades. Medical malpractice and social inequalities make for compounded issues in today’s pandemic.

 

More than 200 homeless residents, workers vaccinated on Monday

Bakersfield Californian

More than 200 individuals experiencing homelessness and service provider staff received COVID-19 vaccinations on Monday.

 

You’re Vaccinated. Can You Finally Take a Vacation?

Wall Street Journal

The CDC still warns against travel, even for fully vaccinated people. We asked three epidemiologists when it will be safe to travel again.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

House to vote on immigration bills with paths to citizenship for "Dreamers" and farmworkers

CBSNews

The House is set to vote on two proposals that would legalize subsets of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission, as Democrats gauge the chances of approving immigration legislation and sending it to President Biden's desk.

See also:

 

Biden tells migrants 'don't come over' in ABC News exclusive interview

abc30

President Joe Biden said in an exclusive interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday that his message to migrants is "Don't come over." Amid a surge of migrants and unaccompanied minors on the U.S. southern border, Stephanopoulos asked the president, "Do you have to say quite clearly, 'Don't come'?"

See also:

 

Fact Check: Will Biden’s COVID stimulus provide health care to undocumented immigrants?

Fresno Bee

No Republicans voted for the $1.9 trillion bill COVID-19 stimulus bill signed last week by President Joe, while all but one Democrat voted for it.

 

'Undoubtedly Difficult': Mayorkas Says DHS Is Working To Manage Influx At Border

VPR
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stressed that the U.S. is both a country of laws and of immigrants in testimony before a House panel on Wednesday.

See also:

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Developers want a Fresno neighborhood zoned for industrial use. Residents are fighting back

Fresno Bee

When Breonna Howard steps outside her home on Annadale and Elm avenues in southwest Fresno, she inhales some of the unhealthiest air in the nation. She says each breath feels heavy. Howard, 32, her son, 14, her mother, 66, and father, 70, all have asthma and have spent hundreds of hours in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms.

See also:

 

Legal battle over sale of Tower Theatre to continue today

abc30

The legal battle over the sale of the Tower Theatre will continue in court this morning. Back in February, the owners of Sequoia Brewing Company, which occupies part of the Tower Theatre property, filed a lawsuit saying their lease agreement with the theatre's owners gives them the right to buy the property if it's up for sale.

 

Will off-roading end at Oceano Dunes? Coastal Commission to consider fate of controversial park

Los Angeles Times

While the matter is likely to end up in court, the California Coastal Commission is scheduled Thursday to finally decide whether off-road riding will continue to be permitted at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area — the only state park where vehicles can be driven along the beach.

 

Housing:

 

Officials finding better homes for homeless on dangerous highway strip called the ‘Triangle’

Fresno Bee

City and state officials teamed with homeless advocates Wednesday to move homeless residents off a dangerous strip of Fresno land next to Golden State Boulevard to more secure housing.

See also:

 

Clovis was sued for lacking affordable housing. 18 months after suit, it has built zero

Fresno Bee

Despite being sued in 2019 for years of lacking affordable housing, the city of Clovis built more than 1,100 units in 2020 and not a single one fits the state standard of low-income affordable.

 

More people leaving California than moving in: Is the California Dream dead?

abc30

California has experienced more than a century of rapid growth, spurred by the Gold Rush and industrial booms in farming, oil drilling, entertainment, aerospace and big tech. But in recent decades, this growth has slowed more than ever, and more people are now leaving the Golden State than those coming in.

 

Turlock prepares to sweep this homeless camp. Why did emergency plans draw criticism?

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council unanimously approved a homeless emergency proclamation Tuesday, clearing the way for crews on Thursday to sweep an encampment where about 50 people live.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

IRS will delay tax filing due date until May 17

abc30

Americans will be getting extra time to prepare their taxes. The Internal Revenue Service says it's delaying the traditional tax filing deadline from April 15 until May 17.

See also:

 

Third stimulus check update: IRS sent about 90 million $1,400 payments, totaling $242 billion

abc30

About 90 million stimulus payments, totaling more than $242 billion, have been sent as of Wednesday, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service said.

See also:

 

Fed boosts U.S. economic growth projection to 6.5% this year, holds rates near zero

Los Angeles Times

The Federal Reserve predicted Wednesday that U.S. economic growth will expand this year by 6.5%, the highest rate in nearly four decades, and it pledged to support the anticipated surge by keeping interest rates near zero.

See also:

 

Biden vows to raise taxes on anyone earning more than $400,000

Los Angeles Times

President Biden promised Wednesday morning that any individual earning more than $400,000 a year would see some type of tax increase under his forthcoming economic plan.

 

Commentary: How will the American Rescue Plan impact your 2021 tax liability?

AEI
Last week, President Biden signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP). The plan provides economic relief to households through the tax code, making several credits fully refundable and advanceable and providing stimulus checks that already started arriving in bank accounts this past weekend.

 

Commentary: Would Biden’s tax hike really spare the middle class? Nope

AEI
President Joe Biden is reportedly considering the first major tax increase in several decades. It won’t be clear whether higher taxes are worth paying until more is known about the spending programs they would finance.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Bakersfield City Council agrees to lease portion of Amtrak Station to Greyhound

Bakersfield Californian

The city of Bakersfield has approved a lease agreement with Greyhound Lines Inc. to lease a portion of the Bakersfield Amtrak Station to the bus service. In a unanimous vote taken as part of the meeting’s consent agenda, councilmembers allowed the change to occur without resistance comment.

 

From Amazon To FedEx, The Delivery Truck Is Going Electric

VPR
Whether or not you want an electric vehicle in your driveway, you might soon spot one showing up on your curb. All major delivery companies are starting to replace their gas-powered fleets with electric or low-emission vehicles, a switch that companies say will boost their bottom lines, while also fighting climate change and urban pollution.

 

CA Transportation Agency Releases Plan to Support, Promote Sustainable Transportation

StreetsBlog Cal

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.

 

Gasoline Demand Has Peaked, Global Forecaster Says

Wall Street Journal

The world’s thirst for gasoline isn’t likely to return to pre-pandemic levels, the International Energy Agency forecast, calling a peak for the fuel that has powered personal transportation for more than a century.

 

Biden Infrastructure Promises Give Hope to California Bullet Train Chief

Courthouse News Service

Golden State lawmakers scaled back their criticism of the California High-Speed Rail Project — the largest infrastructure program in the nation — instead casting hopeful toward more collaboration and funding from the federal government.

 

WATER

 

Long ignored, water systems are getting attention on Hill

Roll Call

For years, lawmakers bemoaned crumbling roads and bridges while wastewater and drinking water infrastructure crumbled largely outside the spotlight.

 

Commentary: 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”

 

You’ll be able to visit Disneyland in April — with restrictions. Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

Disneyland officially has a reopening date. The park announced Wednesday it will be reopening April 30 after more than a year. The park will have limited capacity and additional safety measures.

See also:

●     Disney CEO says Disneyland set to reopen April 30 abc30

●     Disneyland to reopen April 30 Los Angeles Times

●     Disney to Reopen Parks in California on April 30 Wall Street Journal

 

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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.

                                                      

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