POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
How will expected Amazon warehouse affect Turlock traffic? Documents show road plans
Modesto Bee
The developer of an expected Amazon distribution center in Turlock plans to improve roads, install a traffic signal, and designate routes for truck traffic, a permit shows.
See also:
Modesto has $23M to address effects of pandemic. Who will be helped in city plan?
Modesto Bee
Modesto officials are proposing to spend the millions the city is receiving from the American Rescue Plan on helping its downtown, neighborhoods and others in the community as well as trying to meet some of its own needs.
Help wanted: Modesto restaurants, retail understaffed as they struggle to hire more
Modesto Bee
Like many local businesses, the Village Butcher grocery store and restaurant in Modesto has seen the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in phases.
Modesto’s police department needs change, callers tell City Council in weekend meeting
Modesto Bee
Modesto asks too much of its Police Department, and needs a different model, speakers said during a meeting Saturday aimed at evaluating and improving policing in the city.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
How is Fresno’s vaccination progress, as California prepares to lift mask rules in June? Fresno Bee
Fresno housing policy gaps cause lack of timely inspections on substandard rental units
Fresno Bee
Three years after the city of Fresno launched a proactive rental housing inspection program, code enforcement officers inspected 7,704 registered rental units. Most of them failed initial inspection.
Fresno-area candidate for Congress wants to declare the Delta smelt extinct
Fresno Bee
A hopeful for a Fresno-area seat in Congress has initiated a petition to have the embattled Delta smelt declared extinct.
Many Fresno jobs have soared since Amazon, Ulta Beauty opened centers. How about wages?
Fresno Bee
It’s been almost three years since retail giants Ulta Beauty and Amazon opened huge new distribution centers at the south end of Fresno, accompanied by fanfare from city leaders who hailed the flurry of jobs the two companies were expected to create.
Smoke and sirens at Fresno Yosemite International? Don’t panic, it’s just a drill
Fresno Bee
Police, firefighters and other first-responder agencies will descend on Fresno Yosemite International Airport on Wednesday morning for a major aircraft emergency.
Fresno’s Class of 2020 gets its graduation ceremony, one year after COVID-19 outbreak
Fresno Bee
Hundreds of students from Fresno’s Class of 2020 finally got their commencement ceremony on Monday, more than a year after the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to cancel graduations and other gatherings.
Optimism spreads among downtown Fresno's restaurants, entertainment venues
abc30
The dining room at Lily's Cafe in downtown Fresno may be empty, but waiter Jose Ramirez says it's full of optimism. "It feels good to know that there is some point where we can expect things to really pick up for us," he says.
Professor, Musician, Athlete, County Supervisor. John Donaldson Touched Many Lives in Fresno.
GV Wire
Dr. Donaldson’s long and illustrious life ended Sunday after a short illness. He was 95. Longtime friend Philip Fullerton described Dr. Donaldson as a Renaissance man and said Monday that he was “devastated” by his death.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Kern Public Health reports 22 new coronavirus cases Monday Bakersfield Californian
From bees to meds, diamonds to sleep, Bakersfield native loves doing business
Bakersfield Californian
It almost doesn't matter what business he's in. Business is in Albert Bensusen. He's been a bee keeper, an environmental health specialist, a pharmaceutical rep, a diamond broker, a financial broker, and the longtime owner-operator of Sandman Sleep Lab.
City's new parks director to oversee the programs he benefited from as kid
Bakersfield Californian
Rick Anthony's new job comes with a lot of old memories. The 55-year-old grew up in Bakersfield, and graduated from South High and Bakersfield College, before spending the next 30 years on the East Coast.
Kern County proposes increase in land use fee to combat illegal dumping
Bakersfield Californian
At the meeting, the county Public Works Department is slated to propose increasing the land use fees for all residential properties within the county to fund illegal dumping cleanup efforts in both the unincorporated areas of the county as well as the cities themselves.
State:
COVID Update:
Newsom wants to ignite a post-COVID California boom. Here’s what could get in the way Sacramento Bee
Gov. Newsom details California's $2 billion wildfire preparedness proposal
abc30
Gov. Gavin Newsom detailed more of California's wildfire preparedness plans and his $2 billion proposal to bring on more firefighters and equipment to battle fires this summer.
See also:
Earlier is better for Newsom recall, Democrats say. Can it be done?
Sacramento Bee
Things are looking up for Gov. Newsom. After a brutal year of skyrocketing COVID-19 cases, economic worries, and a political revolt, the Democratic governor is now enjoying a huge budget surplus, one of the lowest case rates in the nation, and a steady approval rating.
See also:
In California's recall, Democrats would rather not have a backup plan NBC News
Glazer: Move up Recall to August Politico
Newsom proposes $7 billion expansion in broadband internet
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom is pitching a three-year, $7 billion broadband expansion to get California households connected to high-speed internet.
See also:
Editorial: America’s lack of universal broadband is an outrage Los Angeles Times
California hits Foster Farms with big fine for failing to protect workers from COVID outbreak
Fresno Bee
The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety has cited Foster Farms for failing to protect workers from COVID-19 at its Livingston poultry plant and distribution center.
California lawmaker says latest EDD problems are 'beyond unacceptable'
abc30
Sunday night, complaints flooded in by the dozens as California's EDD website and call center went down over the weekend. The unemployment site went down for planned maintenance, but was still giving users problems late Sunday afternoon.
Is Newsom trying to be Robin Hood? What his budget means for wealth inequality in California
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proud of the prosperity of California’s upper class, which he says has never done better. But he also wants to use some of their success to help lift up California’s working-class residents.
See also:
10 Ways to Make Governor Newsom's Proposed Budget More Equitable California Budget and Policy Center
Newsom releases tax return, but will recall candidates?
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom made $1.7 million and paid $712,000 in state and federal taxes in 2019. His campaign says state law requires recall challengers to release their returns.
Federal:
COVID Update:
COVID testing’s value shrinks as vaccines beat back virus Fresno Bee
Covid-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations have been declining in the United States Washington Post
The Beginning of the End of the American Pandemic The New Yorker
New Senate highway bill may be part of something bigger
Roll Call
At first glance, the 549-page, $303.5 billion bipartisan highway bill that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will mark up Wednesday appears to be a direct descendant of the bill the committee approved in 2019.
See also:
White House ‘eager’ for GOP counteroffer on infrastructure Business Journal
National Guard wraps up Capitol deployment months after Jan. 6 riot
Roll Call
The National Guard has completed its five-month deployment at the Capitol complex and the departure of troops is underway, defense officials confirmed Monday. But an open campus is not yet in sight.
See also:
National Guard Troops to End Mission at U.S. Capitol Wall Street Journal
Trump-Biden rematch by proxy? A governor’s race is shaping up as a key post-Trump test
Los Angeles Times
The Republican candidate is a wealthy businessman and political novice who questions the integrity of the electoral system. The Democratic frontrunner is an old-school career politician with deep roots in the party establishment.
Cracks in party unity could stall Democratic momentum
Roll Call
House Republicans remain divided on how to handle former President Donald Trump. But more consequential cracks in party unity, at least so far as the legislative agenda goes, are appearing among Democrats.
Biden's job approval ticks upward to 62 percent, poll finds
The Hill
President Biden’s approval is hovering just above 60 percent more than four months into his presidency, buoyed by his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and improving views of the U.S. economy, according to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released exclusively to The Hill.
State Revenues Pour In, Raising Pressure on Biden to Divert Federal Aid
New York Times
Unexpected receipts, driven in part by taxes on high earners riding a hot stock market, have prompted Republicans to push the president to spend on infrastructure instead.
‘Where does that leave us?’: Biden confronts the limits of his unity talk
Politico
Joe Biden campaigned for president as the consummate dealmaker — the type of backslapping lawmaker who could forge consensus with even the most hardened cynic.
Efforts to protect kids online gain bipartisan momentum
Roll Call
Bipartisan momentum is building behind proposals to protect kids when they’re online as lawmakers at both ends of the Capitol push measures to update child privacy laws and hold social media companies liable for content posted on their platforms.
Washington Post
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Tuesday compared coronavirus masking policies to Nazi Germany, drawing condemnation from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
Evan McMullin and Miles Taylor on the need for “rational Republicans”
The Economist
One decade after the American civil war, the revered general-turned-president, Ulysses Grant, was still worried about internal strife.
See also:
Opinion: The Republican Party’s New McCarthyism Bloomberg
53 percent of Republicans say Trump is true president: poll The Hill
Opinion: Biden’s failing miserably at addressing concerns from the vaccine hesitant
Washington Post
We’ve now reached the point where everyone eager to get their shot has gotten it. The challenge has shifted from ensuring supply meets demand to creating demand by convincing vaccine-hesitant Americans to get their shots.
Opinion: Are We Entering a New Political Era?
The New Yorker
The neoliberal order seems to be collapsing. A generation of young activists is trying to insure that it’s replaced by progressive populism, not by the fascist right.
Other:
Extremism, racism in the military: ‘Here’ no evil?
Roll Call
Concerned by the overrepresentation of veterans and current servicemembers among those charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection, senators have been asking Pentagon nominees and defense officials about the prevalence of extremism in the military.
On the Anniversary of George Floyd’s Killing, Debate About Race Reaches Across American Life
Wall Street Journal
A year after George Floyd was killed, Americans remain roiled by a broad and deep debate about race that is playing out in classrooms and boardrooms, in communities and at dinner tables and in sports, Hollywood and Washington, D.C.
America Hasn’t Lost Its Demographic Advantage
Foreign Affairs
To the extent that crude demographic trends matter in world affairs, they have been running to the United States’ advantage for some time. But big changes are underway.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, May 30, at 9 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Air Quality: Has the Valley Hit the Invisible Wall?"- Guests: Rachel Becker, Environmental Reporter - CalMatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 30, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Valley Air: Are We Breathing Any Easier?" - Guests: Tom Jordan, Senior Policy Advisor - San Joaquin Valley Air District; Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, Co-Director - Fresno State’s Central Valley Health Policy Institute. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
California hits Foster Farms with big fine for failing to protect workers from COVID outbreak
Fresno Bee
The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety has cited Foster Farms for failing to protect workers from COVID-19 at its Livingston poultry plant and distribution center.
Food Insufficiency and School Meals during COVID-19
Public Policy Institute of California
While California districts have continued to provide meals during school closures, they are providing fewer meals than before the pandemic. Extending some of the new nutrition programs and flexibility offered this past year could help tackle longstanding food insecurity.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
The Practical and Constitutional Issues with Virtual Jury Trials in Criminal Cases
American Bar Association
Some jurisdictions conducted virtual bench trials on consent, while one court in Texas conducted a virtual jury trial. Since then, many jurisdictions have sporadically resumed in-person court proceedings, hearings, and jury trials.
See also:
How to Prepare for the Post-Pandemic Courtroom American Bar Association
Douglas Walker, the man who inspired the 3 strikes law, files appeal
abc30
The man who received a life sentence last month, under the law that he inspired, has filed an appeal. Walker was sentenced in March after he was found guilty of domestic violence charges after he beat up his girlfriend.
Sacramento to consider stiff fines for illegal fireworks after complaints soared in 2020
Sacramento Bee
Last summer, fireworks complaints soared in Sacramento and across the country. This year, city officials are hoping to crack down on fireworks that violate the city code by imposing new fines.
Public Safety:
California prison doctors fear drug treatment program could create new addicts
Modesto Bee
More than a third of California state prison doctors are objecting to a new corrections department requirement that they prescribe an opioid treatment drug, saying the prisons aren’t taking enough precautions to prevent its abuse.
Modesto’s police department needs change, callers tell City Council in weekend meeting
Modesto Bee
Modesto asks too much of its Police Department, and needs a different model, speakers said during a meeting Saturday aimed at evaluating and improving policing in the city.
Bipartisan police reform has been a struggle in the Senate. Here’s the story
PolitiFact
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who has called on lawmakers to work together to achieve common ground, said that he proposed a police reform proposal last year, but Democrats thwarted his efforts.
Fire:
Grim western fire season starts much drier than record 2020
Bakersfield Californian
As bad as last year’s record-shattering fire season was, the western U.S. starts this year’s in even worse shape.
See also:
As drought intensifies, California seeing more wildfires Bakersfield Californian
California fires: State faces challenging fire season amid worsening drought, Newsom say Sacramento Bee
No campfires on SQF land below 5,000 feet
Porterville Recorder
Once again, restrictions that began on Friday have been put in place that prohibit campfires on Sequoia National Forest land below 5,000 feet.
California Lacks Federal Firefighters as Dangerous Season Looms
PEW
The U.S. Forest Service’s California region is having so much trouble filling jobs that more than a third of its fire engines likely won’t be able to run seven days a week, according to an April Region 5 Forest Service document reviewed by Stateline.
Gov. Newsom details California's $2 billion wildfire preparedness proposal
abc30
Gov. Gavin Newsom detailed more of California's wildfire preparedness plans and his $2 billion proposal to bring on more firefighters and equipment to battle fires this summer.
See also:
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Optimism spreads among downtown Fresno's restaurants, entertainment venues
abc30
The dining room at Lily's Cafe in downtown Fresno may be empty, but waiter Jose Ramirez says it's full of optimism. "It feels good to know that there is some point where we can expect things to really pick up for us," he says.
‘Can we say economic justice?’ Inside the fight for equity in California’s cannabis industry
Modesto Bee
“Can we say economic justice?” Malaki Seku Amen said to his partners as they stood on the west steps of the California Capitol last Monday.
Los Angeles Times
The federal government’s massive Paycheck Protection Program, which has been a lifeline for small businesses hit by the pandemic, has become so mired in confusion and delays as money runs out that hundreds of thousands of applicants may get no help.
Measuring California’s progress on income inequality
CalMatters
California has an opportunity to leverage surplus and stimulus funds to bridge income inequality. Our dashboard from the California Divide team tracks whether the state can turn the tide.
Opinion: California leads our national recovery, despite perpetual naysayers
Modesto Bee
Every decade or so, at the bottom of an economic cycle, breathless headlines trumpet that California’s best days are behind us.
Jobs:
Many Fresno jobs have soared since Amazon, Ulta Beauty opened centers. How about wages?
Fresno Bee
It’s been almost three years since retail giants Ulta Beauty and Amazon opened huge new distribution centers at the south end of Fresno, accompanied by fanfare from city leaders who hailed the flurry of jobs the two companies were expected to create.
California lawmaker says latest EDD problems are 'beyond unacceptable'
abc30
Sunday night, complaints flooded in by the dozens as California's EDD website and call center went down over the weekend. The unemployment site went down for planned maintenance, but was still giving users problems late Sunday afternoon.
California’s unemployment paradox: openings and joblessness
CalMatters
Despite California’s high unemployment rate, many positions at restaurants, bars and retail stores are going unfilled — causing some business owners to fear they won’t be able to fully reopen even when the state gives the green light on June 15.
See also:
California essential workers: What do you think about the end to the mask mandate?
Modesto Bee
California will lift most of its restrictions on June 15. That means getting rid of the COVID-19 capacity limits in most cases and mask requirements for those who are fully vaccinated.
Mercury News
The industry for years has struggled to attract younger workers who aren’t as interested in trucking, in part because you have to be 21 to get a commercial license so it’s not a viable option for anyone looking for a job straight out of high school.
If You Thought Working From Home Was Messy, Here Comes Hybrid Work
Wall Street Journal
It took months to adjust to working remotely in the pandemic. The next era of work might be even more messy. Companies are laying down new rules and setting expectations for hybrid work as some workers come back in and others remain out of office.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno’s Class of 2020 gets its graduation ceremony, one year after COVID-19 outbreak
Fresno Bee
Hundreds of students from Fresno’s Class of 2020 finally got their commencement ceremony on Monday, more than a year after the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to cancel graduations and other gatherings.
Mask rules are easing in California. Will they be required inside schools in the fall?
Modesto Bee
Mask mandates are rapidly changing, leaving many parents wondering what school policies will look like in the fall for their children.
After Capitol Riot, Some States Turn to Civics Education
PEW
While lawmakers and educators often deeply disagree about the best approach, especially when it comes to teaching about slavery and institutional racism, many see civics education as key to starting to knit the country back together.
COVID-19 poses no greater risk to teachers than driving to work, study shows
AEI
New COVID-19 cases have fallen to their lowest levels since October, and the percentage of those receiving at least one dose of the vaccine has risen to above 60 percent of US adults. Yet, despite these positive trends, about half of school districts are still not fully reopened.
Walters: How will California schools spend gusher of money?
CalMatters
California schools will be getting a massive infusion of money under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s newly revised budget, but will they spend it on closing the “achievement gap?”
Higher Ed:
Huge budget boost to UC, CSU and community colleges targets student housing and job training
Los Angeles Times
CA public colleges and universities will receive a massive funding boost to expand affordable student housing, repair aging facilities, better train students for state workforce needs and shift Humboldt State to a technology focus under the budget proposal unveiled by Newsom.
A bold plan for UC: Cut share of out-of-state students by half amid huge California demand
Los Angeles Times
As the University of California faces huge demand for seats — and public outcry over massive rejections by top campuses in a record application year — state lawmakers are considering a plan to slash the share of out-of-state and international students.
Newsom’s college savings account proposal — redundant, or not enough?
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to spend $2 billion creating a program to give 3.8 million low-income students at least $500 as college savings. Some critics call it redundant. Others say start it at birth.
College credit for playing video games? At some California campuses, it’s happening
CalMatters
At least six Cal State campuses and nearly all of the University of California campuses have created esports programs since 2015, in which students host and compete in live tournaments, sometimes funded by corporate sponsors.
College Students’ Mental Health During COVID-19
EdNote
As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted life and learning on colleges campuses across the country, concerns mounted about the potential impact on students’ mental health.
California’s community colleges move to require ethnic studies
EdSource
California community college students pursuing an associate degree will soon likely have a new course requirement: a three-unit ethnic studies class.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
New Environmental Justice Measures Might Revive Cap-and-Trade
PEW
After years of failed attempts, Washington state lawmakers last month celebrated the narrow passage of a bill that places an economy-wide cap on carbon emissions and charges polluters for their contributions to climate change.
Employees call on Amazon to address environmental harm to communities of color
The Hill
More than 600 Amazon tech workers have signed onto a statement calling for the e-commerce giant to address pollution that is disproportionately concentrated in communities of color, an employee-organized climate group said Tuesday.
Opinion: California’s budget surplus can help achieve a climate-safe future
CalMatters
California is becoming ground zero for the climate crisis. Intensifying drought and wildfire emergencies caused by climate change are the harbingers of a great gamble that risk the loss of California as we know it.
Energy:
Growing mystery of suspected energy attacks draws US concern
Fresno Bee
The Biden administration is facing new pressure to resolve a mystery that has vexed its predecessors: Is an adversary using a microwave or radio wave weapon to attack the brains of U.S. diplomats, spies and military personnel?
Another summer of California power outages poses threat to Newsom as he faces recall
Los Angeles Times
Each time the power goes out, frustrated Californians look for someone to blame. That could spell trouble for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will appear on a recall ballot during another hot and dry season and as California voters brace for electricity outages around the state.
Oil Majors Look to Fill Businesses’ Growing Appetite for Green Power
Wall Street Journal
European oil companies including BP and Royal Dutch Shell are building new wind and solar projects and striking deals to supply electricity to big corporate buyers like Amazon.com. and Microsoft, treading into the domain of traditional power companies.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
California Latinos are behind in COVID-19 vaccinations. Here’s what is holding them back
Sacramento Bee
Latino adults who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine are twice as likely as white and Black adults to say they want one as soon as possible, according to a new national survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor.
See also:
Latino, Black Californians ramp up vaccinations but lag far behind Asian, white residents Los Angeles Times
Moderna says its vaccine triggers immune response in teenagers, will seek FDA approval
Washington Post
Biotechnology company Moderna announced Tuesday that its two-shot coronavirus vaccine produced the same immune response in teenagers as adults, and it plans to submit the data to U.S. regulators in early June.
See also:
Moderna says its COVID-19 shot works in kids as young as 12 PBS
Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Is Safe And Effective For Teens, Company Says VPR
Why heart condition seen in few young people after COVID vaccine is no cause for alarm
Modesto Bee
A federal COVID-19 vaccine safety group has brought attention to “relatively few reports” of myocarditis — inflammation in the heart muscle — following vaccination with the Pfizer or Moderna shots, mostly among teens and young adults.
California is seeing a COVID-19 baby bust. What is causing it?
Los Angeles Times
California is poised to drop its mask mandate for a vaccine-fueled summer of lust — but when it comes to protection, Angelenos like Jahkara Smith won’t rely on antibodies alone.
How to convince someone to get the vaccine
Los Angeles Times
These are frustrating times. In the span of about a month, American society seemingly went from “we must reserve our precious doses of the vaccine for only the most in need” to “everyone go get one right now.”
Trump officials changed scientific analyses in pesticide reapproval: EPA watchdog
The Hill
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists told the agency’s internal watchdog that scientific analyses were changed in favor of top officials’ policy choices in the 2018 reapproval of a pesticide, according to a new report.
Opinion: California needs to recognize racism as a public health crisis
CalMatters
The pandemic underscores ongoing disparities in health, education and wealth afforded to different Americans depending on their race. The coronavirus doesn’t discriminate based on race, but the virus’ spread and severity depends on the circumstances of victims.
Opinion: Fix youth mental health crisis with collaborative action
CalMatters
In our otherwise forward-focused state of California, the data are sobering. California Children’s Trust reports that we rank 43rd in the nation in providing pediatric behavioral, social and developmental screenings.
Human Services:
No, getting a COVID vaccine won’t threaten your life insurance. Here’s what to know
Modesto Bee
False claims that COVID-19 vaccination status somehow threatens life insurance benefits in the event a policyholder dies are re-emerging across popular social media platforms.
What Activities Can Unvaccinated Children Do? Advice From 828 Experts.
New York Times
As vaccinated Americans return to many parts of their prepandemic lives this summer, one group will be left out: children under 12, who cannot yet be vaccinated. So what should families with young children do when everyone else starts socializing again?
Study underscores the importance of health insurance coverage continuity in the U.S.
News Medical
Researchers found that health insurance coverage disruptions were consistently associated with worse healthcare access and problems with care affordability.
Opinion: A dozen counties criticized OptumServe for vaccine clinic problems, documents show
CalMatters
California agreed to pay OptumServe up to $221 million during the pandemic to coordinate and operate dozens of vaccination sites. But the health care company’s work in at least a dozen counties has been plagued by miscommunication and staffing shortages.
IMMIGRATION
Supreme Court rules against immigrant who was deported for long ago DUI conviction
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court made it harder Monday for an immigant to defend himself against a charge of unlawful entry, even though he was wrongly sent out of the country more than 20 years ago based on a DUI conviction.
Durbin, Padilla urge Garland to protect immigration judges’ union
Roll Call
Senate Judiciary Committee leaders on Monday called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to recognize the immigration judges’ union and reverse the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle it.
State bills banning private immigration detention gain traction
Roll Call
While Congress remains deadlocked on immigration, state legislatures across the country are advancing bills to curb private immigration detention facilities. California became the first to enact a law phasing out the use of U.S. ICE facilities run by private contractors.
Border Policy Is Getting More and More Convoluted. That’s Creating False Hope for Migrants.
ProPublica
The Biden administration and the Mexican government have made the situation at the border so confusing that even seasoned experts can’t always determine who is allowed in and who isn’t. That may be contributing to the high number of border crossings.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
How will expected Amazon warehouse affect Turlock traffic? Documents show road plans
Modesto Bee
The developer of an expected Amazon distribution center in Turlock plans to improve roads, install a traffic signal, and designate routes for truck traffic, a permit shows.
See also:
Yosemite’s new reservation system now in effect. Yosemite Valley traffic is different
Fresno Bee
Online reservations are now needed for almost all visitors to enter Yosemite National Park. The new system went into effect Friday.
Kern County proposes increase in land use fee to combat illegal dumping
Bakersfield Californian
At the meeting, the county Public Works Department is slated to propose increasing the land use fees for all residential properties within the county to fund illegal dumping cleanup efforts in both the unincorporated areas of the county as well as the cities themselves.
Update: $3 million loss in chicken facility under construction in north Stanislaus County
Modesto Bee
A 22,500-square-foot chicken-raising facility under construction in northern Stanislaus County burned Monday — an estimated $3 million loss, according to the Modesto Fire Department.
Housing:
Fresno housing policy gaps cause lack of timely inspections on substandard rental units
Fresno Bee
Three years after the city of Fresno launched a proactive rental housing inspection program, code enforcement officers inspected 7,704 registered rental units. Most of them failed initial inspection.
Biden’s Neighborhood Revitalization Plan Looks to Detroit for Inspiration
Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration is looking to a small housing program in Detroit as a possible solution to a big problem: Many crumbling homes in blighted neighborhoods remain vacant because the cost of renovations exceeds the potential selling price.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Is Newsom trying to be Robin Hood? What his budget means for wealth inequality in California
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom is proud of the prosperity of California’s upper class, which he says has never done better. But he also wants to use some of their success to help lift up California’s working-class residents.
Hundreds of PPP Loans Went to Fake Farms in Absurd Places
ProPublica
An online lending platform called Kabbage sent 378 pandemic loans worth $7 million to fake companies (mostly farms) with names like “Deely Nuts” and “Beefy King.”
Warren proposes $31.5 billion bill to help IRS stop tax cheats
Axios
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Monday introduced legislation that would help the IRS pursue wealthy tax cheats and close the tax gap.
Opinion: Here’s how much the COVID-19 stimulus will cost you
AEI
We decided to put the past year’s policy into perspective by calculating the future tax hike that would be necessary to pay the bills rung up since January, 2020. What the average American owes for the stimulus will shock you.
TRANSPORTATION
As a holiday weekend approaches, what will Fresno drivers pay to fill their gas tanks?
Fresno Bee
Gasoline prices continued to tick higher in Fresno, but could remain stable or even fall by the coming Memorial Day three-day holiday weekend.
See also:
Gas prices still high in California, but experts say that could change before Memorial Day Modesto Bee
Washington Post
The Transportation Security Administration, a DHS unit, will issue a security directive this week requiring pipeline companies to report cyber incidents to federal authorities, senior DHS officials said.
Smoke and sirens at Fresno Yosemite International? Don’t panic, it’s just a drill
Fresno Bee
Police, firefighters and other first-responder agencies will descend on Fresno Yosemite International Airport on Wednesday morning for a major aircraft emergency.
United Airlines giving away year's worth of free first class flights to encourage COVID vaccinations
abc30
As Americans begin to travel at the highest rate since the pandemic started, United Airlines is encouraging people to get vaccinated by giving away a chance to win free flights for anyone who uploads a photo of their vaccine card.
Amtrak restores service on routes following COVID cutbacks
Modesto Bee
In another hopeful sign that the travel industry is bouncing back in Washington state after pandemic-induced lows last year, Amtrak says it will restore daily service on 12 long distance routes across the country, including two that run through Seattle.
The pandemic disrupted mass transit everywhere. Few places were hit worse than the Bay Area
San Francisco Chronicle
Ridership plunged across the board. Services were slashed. Even as California and the nation aim to fully reopen this summer, U.S. cities with the largest transit systems predict it will take years to return to pre-pandemic ridership numbers.
California approves electric car mandate for Uber and Lyft
CalMatters
The air board unanimously adopted a rule that aims to cut greenhouse gases from ride-hailing companies. The big question is: Who will pay for the cleaner vehicles?
Opinion: Why buses will be the catalyst for electrified public transport
Smart Cities World
Transportation is responsible for about a quarter of global emissions. Whilst public transport, especially buses, make up a small portion of this, they are a vital component in a city’s electrification process.
WATER
Water crisis ‘couldn’t be worse’ on Oregon-California border
Business Journal
The water crisis along the California-Oregon border went from dire to catastrophic this week as federal regulators shut off irrigation water to farmers from a critical reservoir and said they would not send extra water to dying salmon downstream or to a half-dozen wildlife refuges.
Running out of water and time: How unprepared is California for 2021’s drought?
The Counter
With most of the state gripped by extreme dryness, CalMatters digs into which conditions are better—and which are worse—than the last record-breaking drought.
How Much Will it Cost to Replace All Lead Water Pipes in the U.S.?
Route Fifty
The American Jobs Plan includes $45 billion to replace lead pipes and service lines across the U.S., and according to research by the Brookings Institution, that should be enough to cover the costs.
Los Angeles Times
When Sierra snow seeps into the ground or evaporates before it can flow downstream into reservoirs, you know California is facing a severe drought. It’s happening this spring up and down the mountain range that is a primary water source for the state.
“Xtra”
Tower District’s newest bar set to open June 16
Business Journal
The Tower District’s newest bar is getting ready for a soft opening in June. The owners of Splash Bar announced on Facebook that the video LGBT-friendly dance cafe will open June 16, coinciding with the date California is set to lift most Covid-19 restrictions for businesses.
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