Maddy Institute – May 28, 2021

28May

POLICY & POLITICS

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North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Stanislaus County suffers from a shortage of paramedics. Why COVID-19 is to blame Modesto Bee

New agriculture complex coming to Merced College

abc30

Work will soon be underway on a 20,000 square foot facility that will bring new opportunities to Merced College students interested in Agriculture.

New telephone area code proposed for the 209 region. Why you will need to dial 10 numbers

Modesto Bee

The California Public Utilities Commission says it will introduce a new area code to the 209 geographic area because of projections phone carriers will start running out of new phone numbers in December 2022.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Fresno, Valley lag state and national COVID vaccination rates. Who’s skipping shots? Fresno Bee

● Fresno County to start closing COVID mass-vaccination clinics. What happens after that? Fresno Bee

● Event offers free tacos to help boost COVID-19 vaccination rates among Fresno Latinos Fresno Bee

● In Fresno County, 40% vaccinated with at least one dose Business Journal

● COVID-19 update: Tulare County sees 'concerning' increase in metrics Visalia Times Delta

Foster Farms failed to remove Fresno worker after positive COVID test, son says

Fresno Bee

Singh got a text message just before 1 p.m. one day in early December, alerting him that his mother’s COVID-19 test results were available.

People near Fresno-area farms aren’t told about pesticide sprays. Some want that changed

Fresno Bee

Advocates for people living in rural communities on Thursday organized a statewide effort to get agriculture commissioners in Fresno and surrounding counties to begin notifying residents before pesticides are sprayed nearby.

Fresno Housing Authority renews $300,000 contract with police despite critics’ concerns

Fresno Bee

The City and County Boards of Commissioners of the Fresno Housing Authority have approved the renewal of a $300,000 contract with the Fresno Police Department.

Fresno Budget Proposes $1.4 Billion Spending Plan To Increase Public Safety, Homeless Initiatives

VPR
Mayor Dyer presented his administration’s $1.4B budget proposal at City Hall Wednesday. The City Council will review it during Thursday’s meeting. Spending includes a focus on public safety, homeless initiatives, public works and the creation of a citywide senior center.

Fresno City Council To Vote On Ordinance To Take Control Of Oversight For Mobile Home Parks

VPR

At a news conference at City Hall, council member Garry Bredefeld said he wants to prevent another tragedy like the recent one at Trails End Mobile Home Park. The mobile home park had been operating without a permit for months when a fire broke out on April 29th.

Fresno City Council Approves Measure Targeting Immigration Fraud

VPR
This story is part of the Central Valley News Collaborative, which is supported by the Central Valley Community Foundation with technology and training support by Microsoft Corp.

Free speech and flags: Fresno city leaders’ debate on process gets testy before Pride month

Fresno Bee

The special meeting was held during the regular meeting to determine the process for raising honorary flags at City Hall and who at City Hall could object to offensive or discriminatory flags.

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports one new coronavirus death, 74 cases Thursday Bakersfield Californian

Activists pushing for pesticide notifications rally outside Kern ag commissioner's office

Bakersfield Californian

Local environmental justice advocates put pressure on Kern Ag Commissioner Glenn Fankhauser with a rally outside his office Thursday calling for public disclosure of farmers' plans for applying certain cancer-causing fumigants.

Oil industry, politicians rebut calls for state's 'just transition" away from oil

Bakersfield Californian

Representatives of California's Kern-centric oil industry pushed back Wednesday against calls for a "just transition" away from in-state petroleum production with an online news conference spotlighting the local jobs and tax revenues that would be lost.

Grand jury recommends president be replaced on 'dysfunctional' school board

Bakersfield Californian

A Kern County grand jury report released Thursday says the Fairfax School District is being governed by a “school board in crisis.” The report paints a picture of a “divided and dysfunctional” board where the majority “allow[s] the bullying of the minority.”

Bakersfield College offering Express Enrollment events

Bakersfield Californian

Those who would like to enroll for the fall semester at Bakersfield College can participate in one of several Express Enrollment events.

Board to reconsider holding Kern County fair this fall

Bakersfield Californian

The 15th Agricultural Association Board of Directors will reconsider the postponement of the Kern County Fair at a meeting in June.

State:

COVID Update:

● Californians could win up to $1.5 million as Gavin Newsom announces COVID vaccine lottery Fresno Bee

● California to offer $116M in coronavirus vaccine prize money Fresno Bee

● Here’s who is eligible for California’s $1.5 million vaccine lottery prizes and a $50 gift card Fresno Bee

● WATCH TODAY: Newsom unveils $116.5M COVID vaccine incentive plan ahead of state's June 15 reopening abc30

● California to pay $116.5 million in gifts, cash to those who get COVID vaccinations Los Angeles Times

● Vax for cash: Newsom offers big bucks for Californians who get their shots CalMatters

● New California COVID relief could include checks, business grants, child savings accounts Los Angeles Times

Effort to recall Newsom could be losing steam

Porterville Recorder

With the status of COVID-19 in California improving a new poll suggests the effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom has lost a little steam.

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.

Caltrans and high-speed rail would hire hundreds of workers in Gov. Newsom’s budget

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is gearing up for a hiring spree in the state’s transportation departments, advancing plans to add hundreds of positions for highways, roads and high-speed rail.

California lawmakers push 10 bills to fight wildfire risks

Bakersfield Californian

Democrats who control the state Senate said Thursday they intend to advance a 10-bill package to the Assembly in the next week as California rushes to prepare for an intensifying drought and what officials fear could be a repeat of last year's record wildfire season.

California social media regulations — a tougher sell in 2021

CalMatters

After pioneering consumer data privacy protections, the California Legislature has tapped the brakes on proposals to further regulate social media companies.

‘We stormed the Capitol.’ California Mamalitia founder boasted of insurrection activity

Sacramento Bee

Denise Aguilar, a vocal California vaccine critic and founder of a survivalist group known as Mamalitia, has said she wasn’t involved in the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, although she admits to being in Washington, D.C. that day.

Multimillionaire recall candidate John Cox owes consultants from failed gubernatorial bid

Los Angeles Times

Multimillionaire recall candidate John Cox’s prior gubernatorial campaign has been ordered by a judge to pay about $100,000 to a political consulting firm that produced television ads for his unsuccessful race, one of a string of unpaid bills detailed in a lawsuit and campaign filings.

California voters will decide in 2022 whether to allow sports betting

Los Angeles Times

Californians would be able to legally bet on games at tribal casinos and horse-racing tracks under an initiative that qualified for the November 2022 ballot, touching off what is expected to be an expensive battle with excluded card clubs over who should benefit.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● U.S. Covid cases down more than 50% since start of May as the country averages 1.7 million daily vaccine shots CNBC

GOP senators block Jan. 6 commission, likely ending bid for independent probe of Capitol riot

Washington Post

The bipartisan push to launch an independent and nonpartisan investigation of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol suffered a fatal blow Friday, after nearly all Senate Republicans banded together in opposition.

● Senate Republicans Block Jan. 6 Riot Commission Wall Street Journal

● Republican senators torpedo Jan. 6 commission Roll Call

● 'The Mob Was Fed Lies': McConnell Rebukes Trump For His Role In Capitol Riot NPR

Republicans make new infrastructure offer, but the two parties remain far apart

Los Angeles Times

Senate Republicans on Thursday issued President Biden an offer of a $928-billion infrastructure plan in an attempt to revive the slow-moving negotiations over a bipartisan plan to repair the nation’s roads, bridges and broadband internet.

● Senate Republicans Unveil $928 Billion Infrastructure Offer Wall Street Journal

● Speeding Up the Country U.S. News

● How the pandemic changed America’s ideas about infrastructure Politico

Biden Is Expected to Unveil $6 Trillion Spending Plan

Wall Street Journal

The White House is expected to release President Biden’s first budget proposal Friday, offering new details on how the administration would implement plans over the coming decade to spend $4.5 trillion and increase taxes.

See also:

● Biden Expected to Propose $6 Trillion Budget Wall Street Journal

● Biden Budget Said to Assume Capital-Gains Tax Rate Increase Started in Late April Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: Biden’s Costly Agenda Alarms Republicans, But Trump Spent Big Too Forbes

Opinion: McConnell focuses ‘100%’ on blocking Biden — and zero percent on America

Washington Post

The Senate minority leader told Republican colleagues that they should oppose the creation of a Jan. 6 commission, no matter how it is structured, because it “could hurt the party’s midterm election message,” as Politico’s Burgess Everett reported.

Senate Democrats introduce bill to allow college athletes to unionize

Washington Post

A new bill from congressional Democrats would allow college athletes to unionize, making it possible for students from across universities to band together to form unions within athletic conferences.

Trump fires back after Paul Ryan criticizes former president’s hold on GOP

Washington Post

Former president Donald Trump called former House speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) “a curse to the Republican Party” after Ryan appealed to the party not to rely on the “appeal of one personality.”

Other:

Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows

NPR

Researchers have found just 12 people are responsible for the bulk of the misleading claims and outright lies about COVID-19 vaccines that proliferate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

● 'More Dangerous And More Widespread': Conspiracy Theories Spread Faster Than Ever NPR

● Comic: Fake News Can Be Deadly. Here's How To Spot It NPR

● Podcast: Conspiracy Theories NPR

● America's Satanic Panic Returns — This Time Through QAnon NPR

● Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon And Other Conspiracy Theories NPR

● A Tale Of 2 Radicalizations NPR

From Guns to Gay Marriage, How Did Rights Take Over Politics?

New Yorker

“You came through for me, and I am going to come through for you,” Trump said. It was 2017, and he was in Atlanta, speaking at a meeting of the National Rifle Association—the first time in more than thirty years that a sitting President had addressed the group.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

California drought enters dangerous territory. What’s ahead for fish, farms and cities

Fresno Bee

In just a few weeks, California’s water conditions have gone from bad to terrible. Sacramento residents have been asked to cut water usage 10%. Their counterparts on the Russian River are being told to reduce their consumption 20%.

Foster Farms failed to remove Fresno worker after positive COVID test, son says

Fresno Bee

Singh got a text message just before 1 p.m. one day in early December, alerting him that his mother’s COVID-19 test results were available.

People near Fresno-area farms aren’t told about pesticide sprays. Some want that changed

Fresno Bee

Activists pushing for pesticide notifications rally outside Kern ag commissioner's office

Bakersfield Californian

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

63% of Californians say gun laws should be stricter, concerns over mass shootings vary, poll shows

abc30

A newly released poll of California residents says 63% of the respondents believe laws covering the sale of guns should be stricter than they are now.

● Heartache for Colleagues Who Died in Silicon Valley Shooting New York Times

● Californians Continue to Favor Stricter Gun Laws Public Policy Institute of California

Fresno woman scammed government of COVID relief money, used to gamble and shop, feds say

Fresno Bee

A Fresno woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly receiving more than $220,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.

California woman accused in flight attendant attack banned for life by Southwest

Fresno Bee

A California woman arrested on a charge of battery after allegedly attacking a flight attendant has been banned for life from flying on Southwest Airlines, the airline confirmed.

Justice Department to boost resources to fight hate crimes, AG says

Los Angeles Times

The Justice Department announced Thursday it was boosting resources, improving training and streamlining reporting procedures to help combat a troubling rise in hate crimes.

California voters will decide in 2022 whether to allow sports betting

Los Angeles Times

White House officials meet virtually with criminal justice reform advocates

PEW

White House officials on Friday held a virtual listening session with criminal justice advocates who were previously incarcerated to receive input on how to advance prison reform through policy.

Public Safety:

Police Reform at Risk a Year from George Floyd’s Death as Biden’s Deadline Passes

U.S. News

The stakes remain high for lawmakers to strike a bipartisan deal as they face a mountain of other priorities and upcoming deadlines and risk losing momentum on a key issue that has gained broader support among Americans but has stalled in Washington for almost a year.

● Opinion: Defund the Police? No, Fund Them Better Wall Street Journal

44 district attorneys sue California prison officials over ‘early releases’ of inmates

Sacramento Bee

A group of 44 California district attorneys sued state prison officials Wednesday trying to force a halt to emergency state rules that they claim would allow the early release of 76,000 inmates.

What A Small California Delta Town Can Teach Us About Asian American Communities Past And Present

Capital Public Radio

If it weren’t for Darwin Kan’s family, the town of Locke might not exist. As he walks through the one-road Delta town about a half-hour south of Sacramento, he points out a few family landmarks: the Moon Cafe, where his father was born; his family’s old ranch-style home.

How Congress and the Administration Can Improve Public Safety and Save Taxpayers Money

PEW

Many states have improved public safety over the past decade-plus with the help from federal funding. Congress and the Biden administration should keep supporting these efforts—and learn from state successes.

Infrastructure Overhaul Should Focus More on Safety, Advocates Say

PEW

"We need a fundamentally new approach to transportation at the federal level that makes safety the top priority overall for all projects, not just a separate program," said Smart Growth America's Steve Davis.

Column: On California’s Central Coast, anti-Asian bias and the Big Lie

Los Angeles Times

The Big Lie — the fiction that the 2020 election was riddled with fraud, costing President Trump a second term — has spread like a cancer.

Fire:

'Nothing looks good' preparing for summer wildfire season

Bakersfield Californian

Wearing soot-smudged, fire-resistant clothing and helmets, several wildland firefighters armed with hoes moved through a stand of ponderosa pines as flames tore through the underbrush.

California lawmakers push 10 bills to fight wildfire risks

Bakersfield Californian

See also:

· Video: Preparing for the Next Wildfire Season Public Policy Institute of California

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara: Californians May Need to 'Learn to Live With Fire'

U.S. News

The Biden administration released its wildfire plan, calling for a more than doubling of federal forest-thinning efforts, following up on commitments made in a January executive order directing federal agencies to generate a cooperative approach to the climate crisis.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

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.

Americans’ Boost to Spending Is Adding Fuel to Economic Growth

Wall Street Journal

Americans continue to venture back out into public to buy services they went without for more than a year—a shift that is adding fuel to the economic recovery and stirring higher inflation.

· Prices up 3.6% annually in April, reflecting upward trend, but policymakers say it’s temporary Washington Post

· Economic costs and benefits of accelerated COVID-19 vaccinations AEI

· Economic recovery could take years for women who lost jobs during pandemic — even with Biden’s plans Sacramento Bee

· Bank CEOs tell Congress they'll work to avoid foreclosures Bakersfield Californian

Stocks rise as the economy shows more signs of improvement

Los Angeles Times

U.S. stock indexes closed mostly higher Thursday following economic reports showing that layoffs are falling and the economy is growing.

Jobs:

Caltrans and high-speed rail would hire hundreds of workers in Gov. Newsom’s budget

Fresno Bee

Summer travel forecast calls for longer waits, fewer choices

Fresno Bee

After a year of coronavirus lockdowns, the start of summer beckons with vacation plans made possible by relaxed COVID-19 restrictions. But a severe worker shortage brings a warning for travelers: Expect delays and pack a little patience.

Unemployment Benefits Data

Employment Development Department

This data dashboard generally shows information about the historic volume of unemployment claims and benefits paid since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020..

· States tap federal aid to shore up empty unemployment funds Business Journal

· It’s not a ‘labor shortage.’ It’s a great reassessment of work in America. Washington Post

Can employers make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory?

Sacramento Bee

Can employers make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory? Yes, with some exceptions. Experts say U.S. employers can require employees to take safety measures, including vaccination.

Latinos create jobs app for Spanish speakers

CalMatters

Chamba, a Spanish term for jobs, is a free employment search tool launched during the pandemic to help workers connect to employers. It’s available in English and Spanish nationwide.

California Companies Employing Teens Must Ensure Compliance with Laws Designed to Protect Minors

AALRR

As has been widely reported, companies throughout the country are facing pandemic-related labor shortages, including because of workers’ childcare obligations, concerns about returning to in-person work, and the continuation of unemployment benefits.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Grand jury recommends president be replaced on 'dysfunctional' school board

Bakersfield Californian

Caps and gowns and masks. Modesto City Schools returns to in-person graduations

Modesto Bee

Modesto City Schools returned to in-person high school graduations Monday night, and from the right angle, Beyer High’s commencement looked pretty pre-pandemic.

Teachers Say Laws Banning Critical Race Theory Are Putting A Chill On Their Lessons

VPR
As Republican lawmakers across the country advance state bills that would limit how public school teachers can discuss race in their classrooms, educators say the efforts are already having a chilling effect on their lessons.

Digital Learning Considerations as States Implement the American Rescue Plan

EdNote

As vaccinations continue across the country — and especially with the news that 12- to 15-year-olds can now be vaccinated — the K-12 education system is gearing up for what’s next.

The missing students of the pandemic

Washington Post

It had been a year since the pandemic closed Indio High School and its 2,100 students began to disappear, first from the hallways and then from virtual classes as attendance dropped from 94 percent down to as low as 70 percent.

Momentum Stalls in Fight to Remove Police From Schools

U.S. News

When the Minneapolis School Board voted unanimously last June to sever its contract with the city's police department in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a white officer, a wave of other big-city school districts followed suit.

Higher Ed:

New agriculture complex coming to Merced College

abc30

Work will soon be underway on a 20,000 square foot facility that will bring new opportunities to Merced College students interested in Agriculture.

Bakersfield College offering Express Enrollment events

Bakersfield Californian

Those who would like to enroll for the fall semester at Bakersfield College can participate in one of several Express Enrollment events.

Equity Gaps Narrow in Community College Courses, but More Work to Do

Public Policy Institute of California

Major reforms to placement and remediation for California community college students has significantly broadened access to transfer-level English and math courses. But racial equity gaps persist.

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.

Senate Democrats introduce bill to allow college athletes to unionize

Washington Post

A new bill from congressional Democrats would allow college athletes to unionize, making it possible for students from across universities to band together to form unions within athletic conferences.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

Forecast: 40% chance Earth to be hotter than Paris goal soon

Los Angeles Times

There’s a 40% chance that the world will get so hot in the next five years that it will temporarily push past the temperature limit the Paris climate agreement is trying to prevent, meteorologists said.

Opinion: How infrastructure plan can accelerate resilience

East Bay Times

Passing President Biden’s infrastructure bill would be the most significant step we’ve taken as a nation to start to address climate change head on. Greenbelt Alliance believes this infrastructure bill is a great start.

Opinion: E-bikes offer affordable option to reach climate goals

CalMatters

In front of an electric vehicle showroom in Sacramento last September, Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to end the sales of gasoline-powered vehicles in California by 2035 to help meet the state’s climate goals.

Energy:

Oil industry, politicians rebut calls for state's 'just transition" away from oil

Bakersfield Californian

Biden’s Fossil Fuel Moves Clash With Pledges on Climate Change

New York Times

Despite President Biden’s pledge to aggressively cut the pollution from fossil fuels that is driving climate change, his administration has quietly taken actions this month that will guarantee the drilling and burning of oil and gas for decades to come.

E.P.A. to Modify Trump-Era Limits on States’ Ability to Oppose Energy Projects

New York Times

The Biden administration on Thursday said it planned to revise a Trump-era rule that limited the ability of states and tribes to veto pipelines and other energy projects that could pollute their local waterways.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Studies suggest people who recovered from COVID could have long-lasting immunity

abc30

Two encouraging studies suggest that people who recovered from COVID-19 had immune responses to the virus long after antibodies faded, even up to one year later. The findings may help put to rest lingering fears that protection against the virus will be short-lived.

Here’s who is eligible for California’s $1.5 million vaccine lottery prizes and a $50 gift card

Fresno Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a $116.5 million effort — including a $16.5 million lottery — to nudge more Californians to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

· Opinion: The Americans Who Can’t Get Vaccines Wall Street Journal

Why experts are convinced most vaccinated people don’t need masks

Los Angeles Times

Optimism about the extraordinary effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines is growing and causing even the most cautious health experts to stop wearing face coverings in more settings.

Immunity to the Coronavirus May Persist for Years, Scientists Find

New York Times

Immunity to the coronavirus lasts at least a year, possibly a lifetime, improving over time especially after vaccination, according to two new studies. The findings may help put to rest lingering fears that protection against the virus will be short-lived.

Opinion: Covid’s Deadliest Phase May Be Here Soon

New York Times

If world leaders don’t act now, the end of the Covid pandemic may come with a horrible form of herd immunity, as more transmissible variants that are taking hold around the world kill millions.

Human Services:

‘Why Do I Put My Life on the Line?’ Pandemic Trauma Haunts Health Workers.

PEW

Psychiatrists who specialize in trauma-related mental conditions say they're seeing more health professionals. And of 300-plus frontline health care workers surveyed, more than half said the pandemic has reduced the likelihood that they'll stay in their profession.

FDA, J&J Near Deal for Covid-19 Vaccine Production at Baltimore Plant

Wall Street Journal

The Food and Drug Administration and vaccine maker Johnson & Johnson expect to announce within days that contamination problems at a Covid-19 vaccine plant in Baltimore are resolved, clearing the way for millions more doses to become available.

IMMIGRATION

Fresno City Council Approves Measure Targeting Immigration Fraud

VPR
This story is part of the Central Valley News Collaborative, which is supported by the Central Valley Community Foundation with technology and training support by Microsoft Corp.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Fresno City Council To Vote On Ordinance To Take Control Of Oversight For Mobile Home Parks

VPR

Fresno Housing Authority renews $300,000 contract with police despite critics’ concerns

Fresno Bee

The City and County Boards of Commissioners of the Fresno Housing Authority have approved the renewal of a $300,000 contract with the Fresno Police Department.

Homebuyers Squeezed As Western States See Prices Double Or More In Last Decade

VPR

Lovell's dilemma as a first-time homebuyer in what's now one of the nation's hottest housing markets to buy or even rent in is hardly unique. According to new figures from Zillow, home values in Boise have risen a staggering 32% in the past year.

Housing Costs Put Low-Income Families At Risk of Homelessness, New Report Shows Deficit in Affordable Housing and Funding in the San Joaquin Valley

SJV Housing Collaborative

The California Housing Partnership released today — 8 new reports that show a staggering deficit of affordable housing for low-income renters and ever-increasing housing costs that are driving the cost of living out of reach for vulnerable working families across the SJV.

California Has Backlog In Paying Out COVID-19 Affected Renter Relief Money

Capital Public Radio

California has paid out less than 5% of federal relief money requested by renters affected by COVID-19 hardships, according to a new report.

Newsom’s top housing adviser says ‘start with yes’

CalMatters

With a key legislative deadline next week, Newsom’s housing adviser speaks about the governor’s priorities on affordable housing. The big takeaway: California is millions of housing units short, and cities hold the key.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Fresno Budget Proposes $1.4 Billion Spending Plan To Increase Public Safety, Homeless Initiatives

New California COVID relief could include checks, business grants, child savings accounts

Los Angeles Times

The CA Legislature is weighing a raft of proposals to provide new financial help to residents who have suffered economic hardship during the pandemic, including rent relief, state stimulus checks and grants for small businesses and entrepreneurs wanting to start new ventures.

California has more than 123,000 stimulus checks that still haven’t been cashed — the most in U.S., report says

KTLA 5

When it comes to stimulus checks that haven’t been cashed yet, California has more than 100,000 — by far the highest number in the country. That’s according to the Boston Herald, which recently obtained the data from the IRS through a Freedom of Information Act request.

· Off the grid: A flood of federal aid often fails to reach America’s poorest families Washington Post

The American Families Plan: Too many tax credits for children?

Brookings

The American Rescue Plan included reforms to the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and now the Biden administration wants to extend these credits or make them permanent.

Supreme Court ruling gives taxpayers and tax advisers their day in court

AEI

On May 17, the US Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a tax adviser could challenge an IRS reporting requirement in court without having to risk penalties and prosecution by first violating the requirement.

Opinion: The Fed Lacks Precision Inflation Tools

Wall Street Journal

The problem is that the instruments in the Fed’s toolbox for lifting rates are potentially more harmful than they once were—and using them is likely to induce pangs of regret.

Opinion: Biden Plans Middle-Class Tax Hike

Wall Street Journal

Now it can be told? President Joe Biden has been saying over and over since he was merely a candidate for the nation’s highest office that his tax increases would only target corporations and rich people.

TRANSPORTATION

High-Speed Rail Part of the Governor’s Vision for Moving the State Forward

California High Speed Rail Authority

As part of that plan, the Governor proposed a sweeping transportation investment that looks to build on President Biden’s proposed American Jobs Plan and federal legislation to reauthorize and increase funding for surface transportation programs.

See also:

● Progress Happening Around the State California High Speed Rail Authority

● Policy Hackathon: Can public transit recover from Covid-19? Politico

● Opinion: Congress should invest more in public transit The Hill

Kern sticks to slow lane in transition to electric vehicles

Bakersfield Californian

Kern’s adoption of electric vehicles lags behind its neighbors to the north and south even as more is being done to make it easier and more affordable for county residents to transition away from internal combustion.

Traveling this summer? TSA’s screening tips can help you zip through packed airports

Modesto Bee

More people are starting to travel again — and airports are packed because of that. The TSA expects to see a massive surge in the number of people traveling this summer as coronavirus pandemic restrictions ease and cases continue to go down.

Can Removing Highways Fix America’s Cities?

New York Times

As midcentury highways reach the end of their life spans, cities across the country are having to choose whether to rebuild or reconsider them. And a growing number, like Rochester, are choosing to take them down.

Opinion: Congress has the power to end drunken driving — by getting the right technology built into cars

Washington Post

Why do we put the lives of brave law enforcement officers at risk to protect us from drunk drivers when technology is available that can end drunken driving? I urge every member of Congress to ask this question as well.

WATER

‘Ammon Bundy coming soon.’ Federal water cutoffs igniting rebellion in Northern California

Fresno Bee

In the summer of 2001, local farmers and other activists armed with saws and blowtorches breached a chain-link fence and opened the headgates of a federal canal that supplies farmland in Oregon and far Northern California.

Federal govt slashes water deliveries to farms, cities as Calif drought worsens

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that municipal water agencies that rely on the Central Valley Project will have this year’s allocations slashed from 55% down to 25% — a level not seen since the drought of 2015.

Running out of water and time: How unprepared is California for 2021’s drought?

CalMatters

With most of the state gripped by extreme dryness, some conditions are better, some worse, than the last record-breaking drought. Over-pumping of wells hasn’t stopped. But urban residents haven’t lapsed back into water-wasting lifestyles.

Paying for California’s Water System

Public Policy Institute of California

Most funding for California’s water system comes from local water bills and taxes. During droughts and recessions, revenues decline, making it harder for water agencies to keep up with needed investments.

New report: Drought to hit rural Latino communities hardest

CalMatters

The Legislative Analyst’s Office warns California lawmakers to prepare to dispatch emergency drinking water to vulnerable communities, particularly in the Central Valley.

“Xtra”

Warszawski: Don’t hike these Sierra National Forest trails. You could get fined — or jailed

Fresno Bee

Memorial Day weekend serves as the traditional kickoff to summer, and for a whole bunch of people that means heading to the mountains. Just be careful in the Sierra National Forest, where camping and hiking in the wrong spot can get you kicked in jail, fined or both.

· Prepare for busy Memorial Day Weekend at national parks: What you need to know Visalia Times Delta

· SQF to open campgrounds for Memorial Day weekend Porterville Recorder

You know the drill: Fresno State’s sweet corn is back. Here’s when you can get a taste

Fresno Bee

The first annual crop of Fresno State’s famous sweet corn is a big deal. To the point where the school’s Gibson Farm Market has been teasing the event (it is always an event, even in a pandemic) on social media since mid-April.

● How sweet it is: Fresno State’s famed corn returns May 31 Business Journal

We made a California summer bucket list. You told us what we left off

Los Angeles Times

You are attached to the desert, even when the temperature is close to 100 degrees. And you like ghost towns. But what you really, really like are tall trees. In fact, my Southern California friends, we are suffering from redwood envy.