May 26, 2021

26May

POLICY & POLITICS

 

It’s your last chance at a PPP loan. Here’s how to apply

Los Angeles Times

Time is running out for small-business owners looking to get a government Paycheck Protection Program loan.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Turlock’s HR manager takes helm as Acting City Manager

Turlock Journal

The City of Turlock’s current Human Resource Manager Sarah Eddy was appointed as Acting City Manager on Friday, becoming the fifth person to assume the role in the last two years.

 

Stanislaus County continues to make improvement in unemployment rate

Turlock Journal

The unemployment rate for Stanislaus County recorded a slight dip between April and March, but came in well below where the Employment Development Department thought the area would be one year ago.

See also:

 

Mayor’s roads initiative takes shape as management position created

Turlock Journal

The City of Turlock’s new roads program initiative took a step forward on Tuesday night after the City Council unanimously voted in favor of creating a position for someone to lead it.

 

Modesto has $23M to address affects 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.

 

Ceres drafts fire services contract with Modesto. Who supports regionalization?

Modesto Bee

City of Ceres staff on June 14 plan to present draft proposals to contract the Modesto Fire Department for services, Interim Fire Chief Michael Botto said Monday.

 

Stapley: What we should glean from first public meeting on Modesto police reform

Modesto Bee

Many of 40-plus speakers from in-person and Zoom audiences zeroed in on establishing a civilian review board and hiring an independent police auditor.

 

Where does Stanislaus County rank among California wine spots? You might be surprised

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus was second only to Napa in an online ranking of California wine counties. “Wait, what?” might be a wine fan’s first reaction to Monday’s announcement by LawnStarter.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

The Central California Town That Keeps Sinking

New York Times

In California’s San Joaquin Valley, the farming town of Corcoran has a multimillion-dollar problem. It is almost impossible to see, yet so vast it takes NASA scientists using satellite technology to fully grasp.

 

Fresno’s vacant buildings are a ‘nightmare’ for firefighters. Owners could face big fines

Fresno Bee

Commercial property owners who leave their Fresno buildings blighted and vacant soon could face penalties.

See also:

 

Fresno officials want local control of mobile home parks. Here’s what that means for residents

Fresno Bee

A $300,000 proposal to bring Fresno mobile home parks under local control could benefit residents and prevent miscommunications between state and local agencies, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld said.

 

Vaccinated employees crucial for Fresno-area businesses with California tiers expiring

Fresno Bee

As the number of new coronavirus cases reported in Fresno County reaches levels not seen in more than a year, the county’s top health official said revised state guidelines taking effect in several weeks will continue to require residents to wear face masks in certain indoor settings.

See also:

 

Valley communities lost water in last drought. Are small water systems ready this time?

Fresno Bee

Arturo Rodriguez and his colleagues on the Poplar Community Services District board are responsible for keeping clean water flowing to 2,500 residents in the middle of a global pandemic and drought.

 

Fresno’s Armenians and congressmen call for action from President Biden over Azerbaijan aid

Fresno Bee

About a month after being praised for recognizing the Armenian Genocide by the Turks, President Joe Biden is taking flack for waiving restrictions on Azerbaijan, which has been accused of war crimes against Armenians.

 

Why tech giant Samsung wants to give these Tulare school students thousands of dollars

Fresno Bee

The Tulare-based robotics team finished the competition’s top 10 and, along with winning the Community Choice Award, claimed about $80,000 in prize money. “It still doesn’t feel real,” said lead student engineer Jayen Bhakta.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

As water flowed through the Kern River, court finds Bakersfield violated agreement

Bakersfield Californian

Who has the right to water in the Kern River? It has been the subject of fierce legal battles throughout Bakersfield’s history, and on Friday, the Ventura County Superior Court tried to answer a part of that question.

 

Kern County proposes increase in land use fee to combat illegal dumping

Bakersfield Californian

Gordon Nipp has seen illegal dumping sites in Kern County for decades, and it still manages to get under his skin.

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

Gavin Newsom would benefit from an earlier recall election, Democrats say. Can it be done?

Sacramento Bee

Things are looking up for Gov. Newsom. After a brutal year of skyrocketing COVID-19 cases, worries about the economy, and a political revolt, the Democratic governor is enjoying a huge budget surplus, one of the lowest case rates in the nation, and steady approval rating.

See also:

 

PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government

Public Policy Institute of California

The PPIC Statewide Survey provides a voice for the public and likely voters— informing policymakers, encouraging discussion, and raising awareness on critical issues of the day.

 

California was ‘the locomotive’ of U.S. job growth in April, but it has a long way to go

Los Angeles Times

California accounted for an outsized portion of the nation’s new jobs last month, although its path to economic recovery from the pandemic remains steep.

See also:

 

Opinion: 10 Ways to Make Governor Newsom’s Proposed Budget More Equitable

California Budget & Policy Center

Governor Gavin Newsom released the May Revision to his proposed 2021–22 state budget — also known as his “California Comeback Plan” — and much attention is being given to the number of proposals and large dollar amounts.

 

Walters: Newsom paints rosy, but flawed, economic picture

CalMatters

There is a seamless connection between what Gavin Newsom is saying and doing as governor and his campaign to survive a recall, encapsulated in the slogan “California Comeback.”

 

State issues proposal to ban fracking

Bakersfield California

California oil regulators have issued a draft rule that would ban fracking and certain other well-stimulation techniques in line with Gov. Gavin Newsom's declaration one month ago that the controversial practice will halt statewide within three years.

 

President of California's largest state worker union ousted

Bakersfield Californian

President of California's largest state employee union has been ousted from the post she held for 13 years and replaced by a candidate who promises to end the organization's political involvement while bolstering its membership.

 

Caltrans overpaid thousands of workers $1.5 million and didn’t recoup the money, audit says

Sacramento Bee

The California Department of Transportation cost taxpayers $1.5 million by failing to collect overpaid wages it made to retiring and departing workers, according to a state audit released Tuesday.

 

Joe Biden wants to spend $80 billion on rail projects. What does that mean for California?

Fresno Bee

Suddenly the long-delayed, long-embattled California high speed rail project has powerful friends in Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden wants to spend $80 billion on rail projects.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

Biden asks intelligence community to redouble efforts to determine definitive origin of the coronavirus

Washington Post

In a statement, President Biden said that in March, he had asked the intelligence community to report on their “most up-to-date analysis” of the origins. He said he received the report this month with no definitive conclusion.

 

Senate Republicans Prepare $1 Trillion Infrastructure Offer

Wall Street Journal

Senate Republicans are crafting a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure offer to present to the White House later this week, preparing a substantial increase to their original $568 billion plan in hopes of sustaining bipartisan talks that hit hurdles last week.

See also:

 

Manchin & Sinema Implore Republicans to Back Creation of Jan. 6 Commission

New York Times

The maneuvering by the moderate Democrats amounted to a long-shot effort to salvage what may be the best chance at a full, bipartisan accounting for the attack on the Capitol and the security failures around it.

See also:

 

Fresno’s Armenians and congressmen call for action from President Biden over Azerbaijan aid

Fresno Bee

About a month after being praised for recognizing the Armenian Genocide by the Turks, President Joe Biden is taking flack for waiving restrictions on Azerbaijan, which has been accused of war crimes against Armenians.

 

GOP leaders condemn Greene over Holocaust comments

Fresno Bee

Republican leaders forcefully condemned GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Tuesday, calling her comments comparing COVID-19 safety measures like mask-wearing to the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany “appalling.”

See also:

 

Prosecutor in Trump criminal probe convenes grand jury to hear evidence, weigh potential charges

Washington Post

Manhattan's DA has convened the grand jury that is expected to decide whether to indict former president Trump, executives at his company or the business itself, should prosecutors present the panel with criminal charges.

 

Other:

 

Will births in the US rebound? Probably not.

Brookings

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t lead to the baby boom that some expected. In an analysis of natality data from the past 30 years, Melissa Kearney and Phillip Levine predict that U.S. birth rates and total completed fertility rates are unlikely to rebound any time soon.

 

 

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

 

Ag's latest headache: a shortage of pallets for shipping produce

Bakersfield Californian

Water, farm labor, shipping containers, truck drivers — it's as though everything that's not actual food is coming up short for local agricultural producers these days. And now this: They're running low on pallets, too.

 

Where does Stanislaus County rank among California wine spots? You might be surprised

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus was second only to Napa in an online ranking of California wine counties. “Wait, what?” might be a wine fan’s first reaction to Monday’s announcement by LawnStarter.

 

California finds 4% of fruits, vegetables contaminated by pesticide

The Californian

A new report shows that 4% of California produce sold in grocery stores contains illegal amounts of harmful pesticides. While regulators say this is well within safe limits, advocates say they find that statement "alarming."

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Valley Crime Stoppers pays record number of rewards last year

Business Journal

With violent crime on the rise in Fresno in 2020 — and the highest murder rate in 16 years — Valley Crime Stoppers saw its busiest year on record.

 

Fresno anti-mask activist fights latest restraining order against him. How judge ruled

Fresno Bee

Martin, a real estate broker, tried to convince Judge Robert G. Mangano that the restraining order was unnecessary and the result of a family disagreement. The woman seeking the TRO is Martin’s sister and also a real estate agent.

 

DHS to mandate pipeline companies report cybersecurity breaches

abc30

The Department of Homeland Security plans to issue a "security directive" in the coming days that would require pipeline companies to report cyberattacks to the federal government, a shift from the current system of voluntary reporting.

 

Police Overhauls Help Fight Crime, Biden Administration Official Says

Wall Street Journal

Federal overhauls of local police departments bolster the fight against violent crime, countering criticism from some officers who say the national outcry over police conduct is already sapping their morale as departments across the U.S. see rising gun violence.

 

More States Consider Automatic Criminal Record Expungement

PEW

A dozen bills were introduced in 10 states this year that push for automatic clearing, expungement, or sealing of criminal records.

 

Opinion: It’s time to reform sentencing enhancements

CalMatters

In the wave of “tough on crime laws” passed in the 1990s, California turned that longtime legal standard on its head, instead adopting many sentencing enhancements, which add years to a person’s prison term, often doubling it.

 

Public Safety:

 

Teachers, plumbers, nurses forced to guard inmates at Mendota prison

abc30

Behind prison walls at the Federal Correctional Institution in Mendota, staff members say they are being stretched thin. Like many facilities across the country, a shortage of correctional officers has forced other staff members to do double duty.

 

Stapley: What we should glean from first public meeting on Modesto police reform

Modesto Bee

Many of 40-plus speakers from in-person and Zoom audiences zeroed in on establishing a civilian review board and hiring an independent police auditor.

 

One year after George Floyd’s murder, what is the status of police reform in the United States?

Brookings

May 25th marked the one-year date of George Floyd’s murder. I refuse to call it an anniversary as that sounds celebratory. Though many were relieved that Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder, it’s impossible to celebrate the killing of a person under the knee of an officer.

See also:

 

Fire:

 

Fresno’s vacant buildings are a ‘nightmare’ for firefighters. Owners could face big fines

Fresno Bee

Commercial property owners who leave their Fresno buildings blighted and vacant soon could face penalties.

See also:

 

CAL FIRE suspends burn permits in Tulare County

Porterville Recorder

On Friday, CAL FIRE issued a notice that it was suspending burn permits in Tulare County. The suspension took effect on Monday.

 

Ceres drafts fire services contract with Modesto. Who supports regionalization?

Modesto Bee

City of Ceres staff on June 14 plan to present draft proposals to contract the Modesto Fire Department for services, Interim Fire Chief Michael Botto said Monday.

 

Frustration And Tears As Paradise Turns Out To Protest The PG&E Fire Victim Trust

VPR
Teri Lindsay said she had no intention of speaking at a fire survivors’ rally that drew about a hundred people to the Skyway in Paradise Saturday. But as her daughter, Erika, stood by her side. Lindsay voiced her frustration at her family’s living conditions for the past 2.5 years.

 

As drought intensifies, California seeing more wildfires

Bakersfield Californian

As California sinks deeper into drought it already has had more than 900 additional wildfires than at this point in 2020, which was a record-breaking year that saw more than 4% of the state’s land scorched by flames.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

It’s your last chance at a PPP loan. Here’s how to apply

Los Angeles Times

Time is running out for small-business owners looking to get a government Paycheck Protection Program loan.

 

Amazon Policy Punishes Consumers, D.C. Suit Claims

Wall Street Journal

Amazon was hit Tuesday with an antitrust suit by the District of Columbia, which alleges that the company blocks sellers on its marketplace from offering better deals elsewhere, leading to higher prices for consumers.

 

Jobs:

 

California was ‘the locomotive’ of U.S. job growth in April, but it has a long way to go

Los Angeles Times

California accounted for an outsized portion of the nation’s new jobs last month, although its path to economic recovery from the pandemic remains steep.

See also:

 

Vaccinated employees crucial for Fresno-area businesses with California tiers expiring

Fresno Bee

As the number of new coronavirus cases reported in Fresno County reaches levels not seen in more than a year, the county’s top health official said revised state guidelines taking effect in several weeks will continue to require residents to wear face masks in certain indoor settings.

 

Women Left Their Jobs To Be Caregivers. A Business Coalition Wants Companies To Help

VPR

The coronavirus pandemic has been especially tough on women, who are still bearing the brunt of the demands of child care and housework. The percentage of women in the paid labor force has not recovered from the steep drop in the spring of 2020.

 

Turlock businesses struggling to find employees as economy reopens

Turlock Journal

As California residents throughout the state eagerly await the economy’s reopening on June 15, Turlock businesses are struggling to hire workers in order to meet up with demand.

 

Stanislaus County continues to make improvement in unemployment rate

Turlock Journal

The unemployment rate for Stanislaus County recorded a slight dip between April and March, but came in well below where the Employment Development Department thought the area would be one year ago.

 

Caltrans overpaid thousands of workers $1.5 million and didn’t recoup the money, audit says

Sacramento Bee

The California Department of Transportation cost taxpayers $1.5 million by failing to collect overpaid wages it made to retiring and departing workers, according to a state audit released Tuesday.

 

California pension plans would get an ‘unprecedented’ boost in Newsom’s budget. Here’s how

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week that his budget would put $11 billion toward California’s retirement debts, a sum he called “unprecedented.” That’s true. But California voters deserve much of the credit for this portion of fiscal prudence in the governor’s budget.

 

California gig workers say Prop. 22 isn’t delivering promised benefits

Protocol

When Instacart sent Saori Okawa an email saying she was eligible to apply for a health care stipend, the delivery driver had been expecting it.

 

New SEIU president wants to slash union dues, end politics spending. ‘I have to produce.’

Sacramento Bee

Richard Louis Brown acknowledged the difficulties that await him as the newly elected leader of California’s largest state worker union even as he basked in his election victory Tuesday.

See also:

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Why tech giant Samsung wants to give these Tulare school students thousands of dollars

Fresno Bee

The Tulare-based robotics team finished the competition’s top 10 and, along with winning the Community Choice Award, claimed about $80,000 in prize money. “It still doesn’t feel real,” said lead student engineer Jayen Bhakta.

 

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.

 

Face mask policy changes for Fresno County schools

abc30

County School Superintendent Jim Yovino says guidance from the Fresno County Health Department is in line with the state mask mandate.

 

Schools try pep-rally tactics to get students vaccinated

Bakersfield Californian

A growing number of public schools are using mascots, food trucks and prize giveaways to create a pep-rally atmosphere aimed at encouraging students to get vaccinated against the coronavirus before summer vacation.

 

Opinion: California needs to offer free meals to all students

CalMatters

Children across California need the governor and California lawmakers to make smart, equitable investments in free school meals.

 

Opinion: Resisting ‘anti-racist’ education is neither racist nor unreasonable

AEI

The opponents of anti-racism are reacting to ideas and educational practices at odds with the values and beliefs of most Americans.

 

Higher Ed:

 

A bold plan for UC: Cut share of out-of-state students by half amid huge California demand

Los Angeles Times

As the UC 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 to make room for more local residents.

 

Dolores Huerta honored by Yale University with honorary degree

Bakersfield Californian

Local civil rights icon Dolores Huerta was recognized by Yale University on Monday with an honorary degree in recognition for her achievements and contributions in the Central Valley and beyond.

 

Opinion: Laws against teaching critical race theory in college are unconstitutional

Washington Post

Across the United States, state legislatures are showing a newfound interest in critical race theory, or CRT, an academic movement that systematically considers how even seemingly neutral laws, regulations and social norms can have different impacts on particular racial and ethnic groups.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

The Central California Town That Keeps Sinking

New York Times

In California’s San Joaquin Valley, the farming town of Corcoran has a multimillion-dollar problem. It is almost impossible to see, yet so vast it takes NASA scientists using satellite technology to fully grasp. Corcoran is sinking.

 

President Biden Wants To Replace All Lead Pipes. Flint Has Lessons To Share

VPR
When he announced his American Jobs Plan in April, the president pointed to Flint's troubles as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting infrastructure decay.

 

Energy:

 

Biden Administration Strikes A Deal To Bring Offshore Wind To California

Capital Public Radio

The Biden administration plans to open the California coast to offshore wind development, ending a long-running stalemate with the Department of Defense that has been the biggest barrier to building wind power along the Pacific Coast.

See also:

 

State issues proposal to ban fracking

Bakersfield California

California oil regulators have issued a draft rule that would ban fracking and certain other well-stimulation techniques in line with Gov. Gavin Newsom's declaration one month ago that the controversial practice will halt statewide within three years.

 

Clean electricity standard, key to climate fight, awaits definition

Roll Call

Tucked in the Biden administration’s public works proposal is a requirement that could remold the country’s electricity network, decarbonize the grid and wind up as one of the most dramatic steps to address climate change the U.S. has taken.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Moderna says vaccine highly effective in younger teens, will ask for FDA authorization in June

abc30

Moderna announced Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in protecting younger teenagers against coronavirus and poses no safety concerns.

See also:

 

California Latinos are behind in COVID-19 vaccinations. Here’s what is holding them back

Modesto 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.

 

Resistance to vaccine mandates is building. A powerful network is helping

Washington Post

A New York firm has filed suit or sent letters to employers in several states, part of an effort spearheaded by one of the largest anti-vaccination groups in the country.

 

CDC finds breakthrough infections rare among the vaccinated

Mercury News

COVID-19 infections have been reported in just a tiny fraction of Americans who have been fully vaccinated against the disease, according to a survey Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Medicaid expansion fight resurfaces in states

Roll Call

New federal incentives to expand Medicaid coverage do not appear to be enough to convince 12 holdout states to broaden eligibility, leaving lawmakers and advocates weighing their next steps.

 

Opinion: Americans need a personal option for health care, not a public option

Roll Call

American health care has some of the world’s best doctors, state-of-the-art equipment and innovative researchers. But when the COVID-19 pandemic landed on our shores, in many ways, we were caught flat-footed. 

 

Record-low U.S. birth rate fell another 4% in 2020, CDC says

Los Angeles Times

2020 was a grueling year, but at least the number of Americans born into it was lower than it had been in more than four decades.

 

Human Services:

 

Need a COVID test but uninsured? New $4.8 billion program will help to pay for it

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday announced it will direct $4.8 billion in American Rescue Plan funding toward covering the costs of COVID-19 tests for uninsured people.

 

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.

 

Covid-19 Vaccine Makers Press Countries to Oppose Patent Waiver

Wall Street Journal

Covid-19 vaccine makers have dialed up lobbying and public-relations efforts to rally opposition to a proposal to temporarily waive their patents.

 

In California, Nursing Home Owners Can Operate After They're Denied A License

VPR

The pandemic has highlighted poor care in America's nursing homes, where nearly 175,000 people have died of COVID-19 — a third of all deaths in the country.

See also:

 

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.

 

Extending Food Support to Undocumented Californians Blocked by Federal Policies

California Budget and Policy Center

Did you know federal rules block undocumented Californians from receiving food support through the CalFresh program?

 

‘Decimated’ refugee infrastructure threatens a key Biden promise

Roll Call

The White House promised to dramatically increase the number of refugees it resettles, marking a shift from historically low refugee admissions numbers under the Trump administration.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Kern County proposes increase in land use fee to combat illegal dumping

Bakersfield Californian

Gordon Nipp has seen illegal dumping sites in Kern County for decades, and it still manages to get under his skin.

 

Housing:

 

Fresno officials want local control of mobile home parks. Here’s what that means for residents

Fresno Bee

A $300,000 proposal to bring Fresno mobile home parks under local control could benefit residents and prevent miscommunications between state and local agencies, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld said.

 

Could California's drought crisis block Bay Area housing construction?

San Francisco Chronicle

The Marin Municipal Water District is considering banning new water service hookups to homes in response to worsening drought conditions. But the move could hurt future housing development in an area already in dire need of more homes.

 

In Tight Housing Market, Thousands of Homes Are Reserved for Certain Buyers

Wall Street Journal

Real-estate agents are selling more homes to select customers while bypassing the public market, a move that squeezes supply tighter for many buyers when inventory is already near record lows.

 

Editorial: California's housing crisis is getting worse. So is anti-housing denialism

San Francisco Chronicle

In the latest sign that the pandemic has done nothing to mitigate California’s housing crisis, the median price for a single-family home in the state broke $800,000 for the first time last month, according to data released this week, while the Bay Area hit a record $1.3 million.

 

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.

See also:

 

Opinion: Inflation and debt: Biden has a budget problem that won’t be easy to fix.

AEI

Hopefully the Joe Biden administration will adopt sounder policies to finance its ambitious public spending programs than it has been proposing to date.

See also:

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

California high-speed rail Jerry Brown appointee is out in big leadership shakeup

Fresno Bee

Joe Hedges, who for the past three years has wrestled to keep California’s embattled bullet-train project on track as chief operating officer of the state’s High-Speed Rail Authority, is gone from the agency.

See also:

 

Joe Biden wants to spend $80 billion on rail projects. What does that mean for California?

Fresno Bee

Suddenly the long-delayed, long-embattled California high speed rail project has powerful friends in Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden wants to spend $80 billion on rail projects.

 

Mayor’s roads initiative takes shape as management position created

Turlock Journal

The City of Turlock’s new roads program initiative took a step forward on Tuesday night after the City Council unanimously voted in favor of creating a position for someone to lead it.

 

California’s highest-in-the-nation gas taxes are rising. But promised repairs are lagging

Los Angeles Times

Four years after the legislature boosted the gas tax in order to fix California’s crumbling roads and bridges, the state has spent billions and made some progress with repairs, but officials now say the funding is sufficient only to complete less than half of the work needed.

 

WATER

 

Valley communities lost water in last drought. Are small water systems ready this time?

Fresno Bee

As the aquifer lowers this summer, even if the wells don’t run dry, they run a greater risk of becoming contaminated. Water suppliers are often forced to choose between a contaminated well or no running water.

 

Bass Lake water level is dropping, per PG&E. How the utility says it’ll impact your summer

Sierra Star

The water levels at Bass Lake will be visibly lower this summer, as one might expect given year’s drought conditions in the central San Joaquin Valley and across California.

 

As water flowed through the Kern River, court finds Bakersfield violated agreement

Bakersfield Californian

Who has the right to water in the Kern River? It has been the subject of fierce legal battles throughout Bakersfield’s history, and on Friday, the Ventura County Superior Court tried to answer a part of that question.

 

“Xtra”

 

Warszawski: Fresno soccer club has ambitious plan for downtown stadium. Here’s why it won’t fly

Fresno Bee

Central Valley Fuego FC, slated to play its first USL League One match next spring, wants to purchase Selland Arena, Valdez Hall and a street-level parking lot along O Street from the city and build a 7,500-seat soccer venue in the parking lot.

 

Long lines, no parking: What to expect as these national parks shatter visitor records

Fresno Bee

Some national parks might be overrun by long lines, no parking and overcrowded attractions this summer. The National Park Service said it’s expecting one of the busiest summer seasons on record this year.

 

‘Open the doors’: Tour Manteca’s Great Wolf Lodge water park resort before June debut

Modesto Bee

The massive hotel, indoor water park and family entertainment complex just off Highway 120 is still about a month out from its grand opening after enduring almost a full year of pandemic delays.

 

Bethany Clough: Fresno neighborhood is getting two new popular chains. Here’s what and where

Fresno Bee

Two popular chains are coming to southeast Fresno: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and a Dutch Bros Coffee. The restaurants are slated to open in the Kings Canyon Pavilion shopping center at East Kings Canyon Road and South Willow Avenue.

 

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

                                                     

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