POLICY & POLITICS
What does leadership look like in your community?
James Irvine Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Leadership Awards – a $250,000 grant for California leaders. Accepting nominations at IrvineAwards.org through May 7, 2021.
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Fewer Merced County residents are getting vaccinated. Here’s how the county is responding Merced Sun-Star
Stanislaus County death rate ranks 14th in state Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County hospitalizations continue decline Modesto Bee
Why some people of color in Stanislaus County have been hesitant about COVID vaccine Modesto Bee
Mobile clinics rolled out in Stanislaus to raise COVID vaccination rates, prevent surge Modesto Bee
Almond acreage continues to increase in Stanislaus County
Turlock Journal
Stanislaus County’s top-producing crop continued to grow in acreage last year despite the pandemic, according to two reports recently released by the Almond Board of California.
Merced awarded nearly $900K for program focusing on impacts of cannabis on youth
Merced Sun-Star
Merced officials announced this week the city was awarded $885,546 three-year Youth Pilot Mentorship Program Grant for the purpose of focusing on the individual and systemic impacts of cannabis legalization on youth.
Turlock businesses benefit from state tax credit awards
Turlock Journal
Turlock businesses are among the over 100 companies from across California that will be able to hire additional employees due to a tax credit award aimed at economic recovery.
Turlock plans to clear next homeless camp. How much has the city spent on crisis?
Modesto Bee
Turlock employees are preparing to clear a homeless encampment in northwest Turlock, but as of Friday have not set a date for the third sweep of the city’s 120-day emergency.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Fresno State study finds people in Central CA less likely to wear face masks in public abc30
COVID-19 update: Slight increase in active cases in Tulare County Porterville Recorder
Will Gavin Newsom make emergency drought declaration statewide? Valley lawmakers say it’s a must
Fresno Bee
More than a dozen Central Valley lawmakers and elected officials met on Friday to declare a regional drought emergency and urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to do the same statewide.
See also:
Local leaders urging Newsom to declare drought emergency in Valley abc30
Central Valley lawmakers continue to press Newsom on drought Porterville Recorder
San Joaquin Valley Leaders Call For Immediate Statewide Emergency Drought Declaration VPR
Fresno-area parents are angrier with schools — and Gavin Newsom — than most Californians
Fresno Bee
Residents polled from California’s Central Valley are more unhappy with schools and with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s handling of schools during the height of the pandemic than parents in other parts of the state.
Fresno City Manager Presents $25 Million Homeless And Housing Development Plan For Next Budget Year
VPR
Esqueda presented a $25 million housing development plan for the next fiscal year. That includes potential tiny home villages, and the state program, Project HomeKey which funds the purchase and renovation of existing motels for housing units.
Veterans hospital is looking to expand, possibly move to Clovis. Here are the details
Fresno Bee
The VA Central California hospital, currently located in central Fresno, is considering moving some of its major functions to Clovis on 9.1 acres of land on the northeast corner of Herndon and Armstrong avenues.
Visalia starts cleanup projects along Highway 198
Visalia Times Delta
Following numerous resident complaints, city and state officials started cleanup projects along Highway 198.
Warszawski: Election conspiracies and sanitizing Proud Boys — this Fresno politician had quite a day
Fresno Bee
During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Brandau continued to sow doubts in the integrity of our local elections — without a shred of evidence any votes had been tampered with or miscounted.
Nunes tops Ways and Means fundraising as GOP weathers PAC ‘pause’
Roll Call
Calif Rep. Devin Nunes and his fellow Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee outraised their Democratic counterparts in the first quarter of the year, despite many corporate donors hitting the pause button on giving campaign cash to GOP lawmakers.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Kern Public Health Services: 1 new coronavirus death, 53 new cases reported Saturday Bakersfield Californian
City of Bakersfield launches 2021-22 budget process
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Bakersfield is gearing up to establish its budget for fiscal year 2021-22, and departments will soon begin presenting their proposed budgets.
Give Big Kern looks for biggest year ever after nonprofits ravaged by COVID
Bakersfield Californian
After an unprecedented year, Tuesday’s Give Big Kern aims to provide a huge boost to nonprofits that have struggled through the coronavirus pandemic.
Compressed-air energy storage project proposed in eastern Kern
Bakersfield Californian
California's ambitious climate goals have attracted interest from an international business partnership looking to build a groundbreaking, 500-megawatt compressed-air energy storage project in the Rosamond area.
Commodity upswing helps alfalfa growers, but the timing could be better
Bakersfield Californian
Only one of the county's top-10 crops — alfalfa — has benefited noticeably from recent bad weather in Brazil and strong Chinese demand for grains that feed livestock. And unfortunately for local alfalfa growers, the timing's all wrong.
After three decades of asking the same questions, anti-gang marchers demanding answers
Bakersfield Californian
"It's a fight for the community, a fight for the people in this community," said Xenia King, president of Mothers Against Gang Violence, a grassroots organization trying to bring a new kind of attention to an old problem.
Kern's rent relief program distributes more than $2.7 million
Bakersfield Californian
The Housing Authority of Kern County is administering a rent and utility relief program for Bakersfield and Kern County, which will ultimately disperse close to $50 million in state and federal funds.
Media ITE
CNN’s New Day illustrated exactly how hard it has been for the California Republican leader of the GOP congressional leader by airing a rather damning montage of his shifting positions on the 2020 general election, former President Donald Trump, and in particular, the baseless claims that the election results were due to some unfounded malfeasance.
State:
COVID Update:
California’s secret weapon in COVID-19 success: We are not skeptical about the vaccine Los Angeles Times
COVID vaccine map: Daily updates on California’s vaccination progress Mercury News
California Democrats sharpen messaging against Newsom recall
Fresno Bee
California Democrats sharpened their anti-recall messaging Saturday during the state party's annual convention, arguing removing Gov. Gavin Newsom from office early would roll back immigrant rights and criminal justice reforms, stall progress on the housing crisis and waste taxpayer money.
See also:
Voters in these California counties carried the Gavin Newsom recall to the ballot Sacramento Bee
Whose recall is it, anyway? Gavin Newsom’s California critics spar over money, credit Sacramento Bee
California state worker union backs Newsom anti-recall effort in sign of labor’s support Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom to face recall election as Republican-led effort hits signature goal Los Angeles Times
California Democrats, including Newsom and Harris, speak out against recall Los Angeles Times
How three political novices with turbulent pasts helped spark the Newsom recall Los Angeles Times
Democratic leaders rally behind Newsom to fight recall, but how enthusiastic is the grassroots? CalMatters
Gavin Newsom Recall: What Happens Next? Wall Street Journal
Hey, California taxpayers: Guess how much the Newsom recall election is going to cost you? Mercury News
Newsom’s $1-billion wildfire plan favors logging over homeowners, critics say
Los Angeles Times
Robert Garant proudly showed off a collection of chain saws he’s used to maintain the nearly 2 acres he and his wife Gladys have lived on for 47 years in San Diego County’s bucolic mountain hamlet of Julian.
How a $1-million donation on behalf of Newsom was hidden in plain sight
Los Angeles Times
The seven-figure gift was made from a donor-advised fund, a type of charitable giving account offered by some nonprofit foundations and for-profit investment firms that provides more generous income tax deductions and anonymity.
Kamala Harris’ California successor proves to be an ‘unchecked’ liberal
Sacramento Bee
Alex Padilla is a liberal. That’s become clear during his first three months as a U.S. senator. The California Democrat has embraced the Green New Deal, appearing with liberal star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently to tout the plan.
Turmoil shakes California National Guard with firing, suspension of top generals
Los Angeles Times
Turmoil has gripped the leadership ranks of the California National Guard, with the firing of the general who commanded its air branch, the suspension of a second key general and new limits placed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on the organization’s use of fighter jets for civilian missions.
‘Safe space’ email at California agency turns into reply-all melee about race, police
Fresno Bee
A mass email sent by a California environmental agency to announce a “safe space” discussion after Derek Chauvin’s murder conviction sparked a reply-all marathon as employees voiced support for police, accused management of “caving to the mob” and asked to be removed from a “racially based” email list.
California Budget & Policy Center
Over the span of a career, most adults need time away from work to care for a new child, a family member, or for their own health. The majority of California workers contribute to the state’s paid family leave and state disability insurance programs and are eligible for paid time off as care needs arise.
California Bar cited for inefficient discipline reforms
AP News
The State Bar of California inefficiently reorganized its discipline system, leading to a bigger backlog of cases and allowing bad lawyers to keep practicing longer while under investigation, a state audit said Thursday.
Federal:
COVID Update:
100 million fully vaccinated against COVID in United States, White House announces Fresno Bee
Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: CDC guidelines, vaccine demand, hospitalizations & more Fresno Bee
U.S. Vaccinations May Be Reaching A Tipping Point In Fight Against Virus, Experts Say VPR
U.S. extends face mask requirement on planes until September Los Angeles Times
White House Proposes $1.8 Trillion Plan For Children And Families
NPR
On the eve of his 100th day in office, President Biden will lay out the latest plank in his economic agenda, a massive spending package that senior administration officials say would improve the lives of millions of Americans.
See also:
‘Lefty social engineering’: GOP launches cultural attack on Biden’s plan for day care, education and employee leave Washington Post
Opinion: Change in reconciliation rules takes pressure off Biden to forgive student debt The Hill
Opinion: Biden’s Spending Binge Is Costlier Than Advertised Wall Street Journal
Biden To Establish $15-An-Hour Minimum Wage For Federal Contractors
NPR
President Biden will require federal contractors to pay their employees a minimum wage of $15 an hour — a hike that will benefit a few hundred thousand people and underscore the broader Democratic push to raise the federal pay floor to the same level.
Biden, Republicans Set Talks Over Competing Infrastructure Plans
Wall Street Journal
Lawmakers and administration officials signaled on Sunday that they expected negotiations over an infrastructure package to ramp up this week, as Republicans and President Biden work to see if a bipartisan agreement is within reach.
See also:
Biden’s Plan to Spend $4.5 Trillion Without Boosting Deficits Depends on Factors Beyond His Control Wall Street Journal
Big Government Is Back, And 3 Other Takeaways From Biden's Address To Congress NPR
The ‘temporary’ Biden pause on fossil-fuel leasing on federal lands
AEI
Soon after assuming the presidency, however, he stated clearly that “we’re not going to ban fracking” and, presumably, other forms of fossil-fuel production on federal lands. So, which is it? Answer: The “ban” will not be formal, but very real nonetheless.
Opinion: The Chamber of Commerce’s Bill Comes Due
Wall Street Journal
Joe Biden’s address to Congress was slippery as soap, but on one issue the president was extremely direct: He’s coming after corporate America. Oh, and he sends his thanks to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for helping make that possible.
For Republicans, fealty to Trump’s election falsehood becomes defining loyalty test
Washington Post
Debra Ell, a Republican organizer in Michigan and fervent supporter of former president Donald Trump, said she has good reason to believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
See also:
McManus: Biden never declared war on meat, but Republicans didn’t let truth ruin a good attack Los Angeles Times
The false and misleading claims President Biden made during his first 100 days in office Washington Post
Biden’s first 100 days and the federal judiciary: Prompt action and a Supreme Court controversy
Brookings
In his first 100 days in office, President Biden has put forth a substantial number of judicial nominees earlier than any of his recent predecessors.
How Kamala Harris is forging her own path as vice president — while not overshadowing Biden
Sacramento Bee
Whether she wants it or not, being the first Black person, first woman, and first person of South Asian descent in the second-highest elected office has already put an unusual amount of focus on a vice president.
See also:
Harris-led campaign to stem migration from Central America faces steep challenges Washington Post
No, Kamala Harris Did Not Tell Joe Biden He’d Do ‘Whatever’ China Wants Capital Public Radio
2020 Census Apportionment Results Delivered to the President
United States Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the 2020 Census shows the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2020, was 331,449,281.
See also:
Census Shows South and Mountain West Gain Political Power From Population Growth Wall Street Journal
How states losing House seats decide which districts are cut Roll Call
How states gaining seats will draw their new House maps Roll Call
Did the 2020 Census Undercount the Hispanic Population? New York Times
Other:
20 small steps to restore faith in American elections
Roll Call
These changes and the postelection reaction to them have spawned confusion and a raft of self-defeating policy proposals in states across the country. But there are commonsense reforms that our election system still needs.
Pew Research Center
About two-thirds of news coverage dealt with Biden’s policy agenda, while about three-quarters of early Trump coverage was framed around leadership skills
Joe Biden Warns Truth Is 'Under Attack' in World Press Freedom Day Message
Newsweek
President Joe Biden warned the truth is "under attack" and said that "authoritarians" are trying to undermine the media in a statement issued for World Press Freedom Day.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, May 16, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Eliminating Fraud, Waste & Abuse: Who You Gonna Call?" - Guests: Gabriel Petek - Legislative Analyst's Office; CA State Auditor Elaine Howle; Pedro Nava, Chairman - Little Hoover Commission; John Myers - LA Times; Dan Walters - CalMatters. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, May 16, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Keeping them Honest: The Role of State and Local Watchdogs" - Guests: Jim Boren, Executive Director - Institute for Media and Public Trust at Fresno State; Dympna Ugwu-Oju, Co-Editor - Fresno Bee's Fresnoland. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine is back. Will Fresno-area farmworkers take it?
Fresno Bee
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.
Commodity upswing helps alfalfa growers, but the timing could be better
Bakersfield Californian
Only one of the county's top-10 crops — alfalfa — has benefited noticeably from recent bad weather in Brazil and strong Chinese demand for grains that feed livestock. And unfortunately for local alfalfa growers, the timing's all wrong.
Almond acreage continues to increase in Stanislaus County
Turlock Journal
Stanislaus County’s top-producing crop continued to grow in acreage last year despite the pandemic, according to two reports recently released by the Almond Board of California.
Food Prices: Add One More Hurdle To Restaurants Reopening
Business Journal
At the surface, the 1%-2% food price increase Lorraine Salazar sees for restaurants might not seem significant. But for an industry that reinvests 95% of its income back into itself, paying more for food is yet another hurdle for an industry desperate to recover.
Pepsico Unveils Ambitious New Agriculture Goals
Pepsico
As Threats From Climate Change Mount, The Company’s Positive Agriculture Strategy Focuses On Regenerative Farming Practices And Empowering Farming Communities.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Use-of-force cases prompt state debates over officer records
Bakersfield Californian
Lawmakers in more than 20 states have considered bills this year to make the disciplinary records of police officers public or to share them with other agencies, a push that comes amid high-profile deaths at the hands of law enforcement.
See also:
There’s no national use-of-force policy, and that’s trouble for police reform, experts say Los Angeles Times
Costly illegal dumps in Fresno County are growing. What’s behind it and what’s being done
Fresno Bee
Trash illegally dumped along roads is increasing, Fresno County employees say, and a new partnership has been formed with the Sheriff’s Office to address it.
A better path forward for criminal justice
Brookings
George Floyd’s death at the hands of police in May 2020 and frequent events like it across America have added new urgency and momentum to the drive to reform our criminal justice system. Unfortunately, the debate has too often collapsed into an unhelpful binary: “support the blue” or “abolish the police.”
Public Safety:
Gun violence at Fashion Fair isn’t stopping shoppers, but it is changing behaviors
Fresno Bee
Several shoppers at Fashion Fair said Saturday that they were being extra careful as they walked a mall that has seen a recent spike in gun violence. “Oh, it’s in the back of mind, that’s for sure,” said Sandra Gamez, who was at the mall with partner Jazmine Garcia.
After three decades of asking the same questions, anti-gang marchers demanding answers
Bakersfield Californian
"It's a fight for the community, a fight for the people in this community," said Xenia King, president of Mothers Against Gang Violence, a grassroots organization trying to bring a new kind of attention to an old problem.
76,000 California inmates now eligible for earlier releases
Fresno Bee
California is giving 76,000 inmates, including violent and repeat felons, the opportunity to leave prison earlier as the state aims to further trim the population of what once was the nation’s largest state correctional system.
See also:
California releasing 63,000 violent felons back onto the streets in effort to create 'safer prisons' Washington Examiner
Child abuse can be prevented, CPS assistant director says. Here’s how.
Modesto Bee
Child abuse can be prevented if resources are used by caretakers and people report concerning behavior, said the assistant director of the Stanislaus Community Services Agency.
See also:
Oakland, S.F. see spike in untraceable ghost guns: 'Anybody can get these'
San Francisco Chronicle
It was probably a wrong turn that led Brandi Barnes to the corner of Courtland and San Carlos avenues in East Oakland in the dead of night on Dec. 14, 2019. But the mistake would prove fatal.
Is There a Case for Legalizing Heroin?
New Yorker
The addiction researcher Carl Hart argues against the distinction between hard and soft drugs. In 2013, the Columbia psychologist and drug-addiction researcher Carl Hart published a book that was a specific kind of success: it made him into a public character.
Fire:
Resource fair held for those impacted by Creek Fire
abc30
Dozens of agencies teamed up to offer assistance to people affected by the Creek Fire. Several exhibitors gathered in Prather on Friday to offer their services as part of the Creek Fire Recovery Collaborative's mission to rebuild the mountain community.
Fire threat creates issues insuring, renovating Sierra properties
Business Journal
In a state with a constant housing crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t help with California’s lack of vacant homes. California has also had another catastrophe that is causing issues for housing: wildfires.
Newsom’s $1-billion wildfire plan favors logging over homeowners, critics say
Los Angeles Times
Robert Garant proudly showed off a collection of chain saws he’s used to maintain the nearly 2 acres he and his wife Gladys have lived on for 47 years in San Diego County’s bucolic mountain hamlet of Julian.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Sequoia Regional Economic Summit: Recovery 'not what you think it is'
Business Journal
The Tulare County Economic Development Corporation hosted the 2021 Sequoia Regional Economic Summit Friday with presenter Christopher Thornberg, an economist and founding partner of Beacon Economics.
City of Bakersfield launches 2021-22 budget process
Bakersfield Californian
The city of Bakersfield is gearing up to establish its budget for fiscal year 2021-22, and departments will soon begin presenting their proposed budgets.
Give Big Kern looks for biggest year ever after nonprofits ravaged by COVID
Bakersfield Californian
After an unprecedented year, Tuesday’s Give Big Kern aims to provide a huge boost to nonprofits that have struggled through the coronavirus pandemic.
The price of the stuff that makes everything is surging
Los Angeles Times
From steel and copper to corn and lumber, commodities started 2021 with a bang, surging to levels not seen for years. The rally threatens to raise the cost of goods from the lunchtime sandwich to gleaming skyscrapers.
Americans Can’t Get Enough of the Stock Market
Wall Street Journal
Individual investors are holding more stocks than ever before as major indexes climb to fresh highs. They are also upping the ante by borrowing to magnify their bets or increasingly buying on small dips in the market.
How Black-owned businesses can make the most out of the Biden infrastructure plan
Brookings
Alongside much-needed investments in the nation’s roads, bridges, and water systems, President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure proposal, the American Jobs Plan, promises to create more opportunities for small businesses and advance racial equity.
Jobs:
Job fair held at cannabis farm in Mendota
abc30
Mendota's first cannabis farm hosted a job fair today, and they're still looking for good help. Boca Del Rio Farms and California Harvesters had about 50 people turn out to submit their resumes.
Shortage of truck drivers worries local ag producers as harvest nears
Bakersfield Californian
A worsening shortage of truck drivers is raising concerns among local farmers that, unless a solution emerges soon, there might not be enough hauling capacity to bring this year's harvest to market.
How can California help laid-off retail workers find jobs? This state’s approach may work
Sacramento Bee
The COVID-19 pandemic was one for the record books for the retail industry. More than 40 major retailers declared bankruptcy, and more than 11,000 stores closed in 2020 across the U.S., according to CoStar Group.
From Apple to Domino’s Pizza, U.S. Companies Scramble to Meet Surge in Demand
Wall Street Journal
Consumers are splurging on cars and furniture—and facing extended waits for delivery. Restaurants and gyms are reopening—and struggling to find workers. Factories and home builders are trying to ramp up—but are short on semiconductors or raw materials.
Biden’s Jobs Plan Could Build Racial Equity With One Simple Fix
Capital and Main
The ambitious Biden-Harris infrastructure proposal, called the American Jobs Plan, is not yet law — not even a bill — but there’s already great enthusiasm about the millions of jobs it could bring.
Brookings
"Like a vaccine, the benefit of staying at home is far greater than just the benefit to the individual." New research from Mallika Thomas demonstrates how expanding unemployment insurance can help limit community transmission of COVID-19.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Clovis schools to end distance learning in the fall. Here’s how classrooms will work
Fresno Bee
The Clovis Unified School District plans to return to a pre-pandemic schedule for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year, Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell announced on Thursday evening.
See also:
3 Steps to Secure Your Child’s Spot for Clovis Unified’s 2021-22 School Year CUSD
Schools should ‘probably’ be open in the fall despite no vaccines for kids, Biden says Fresno Bee
Editorial: The Schools Aren’t Really Open Wall Street Journal
Fresno-area parents are angrier with schools — and Gavin Newsom — than most Californians
Fresno Bee
Residents polled from California’s Central Valley are more unhappy with schools and with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s handling of schools during the height of the pandemic than parents in other parts of the state.
Virus, technology, unrest make stressful year for teachers
Fresno Bee
The school bell rings, and about a dozen masked first-graders turn to the monitor and wave hello to their classmates — each a tiny Zoom square representing the other half of the class.
See also:
Video: Distance Learning Strategies in California Schools Public Policy Institute of California
Elevating STEM Education in 2021
EdNote
Although most students and schools experienced widespread disruptions in 2020, education stakeholders have commented on an unexpected silver lining for STEM education.
COVID-19, the educational equity crisis, and the opportunity ahead
Brookings
The return of students to campus is worth celebrating, but we cannot forget that the pandemic and related school disruptions have and will continue to have a profound impact. Heather Hough shares recommendations for a restorative education restart.
Higher Ed:
Community Input Requested To Select New State Center Community College District Chancellor
Fresno City College
State Center Community College District (SCCCD) has scheduled four virtual community forums to gather public input regarding the search for the next Chancellor. This search is underway as current Chancellor Dr. Paul Parnell retires on July 6, 2021 and Dr. Douglass Houston serves as interim chancellor beginning May 1, 2021.
Fresno State Campus News
To commence means to begin or to start, and for 110 years, May has always represented new beginnings for Fresno State graduates.
Fresno State Commencement keynote speaker is Dr. Lynda Resnick
Fresno State Campus News
Those in attendance will hear a special message to students from keynote speaker Dr. Lynda Resnick, who along with her husband, Dr. Stewart Resnick, is one of this year’s four honorary doctorate recipients.
April 'Showers' Accolades on Stan State, Students and Faculty
Stanislaus State
This month’s recap of recognitions, accolades and awards includes Warriors who advanced to the California State University’s systemwide student research competition, student employees honored for stellar on-the-job performance and winners of the Academic Senate’s 2020-2021 Faculty Awards.
Is it time to rethink college savings?
Los Angeles Times
Politics is the art of the possible. Although some student debt relief is possible, as is some expansion of free college options, it’s hard to imagine a U.S. where college educations are entirely free for everyone.
California Competes
Enabling Californians to have a high quality of life, including economic and social factors, is an individual and public goal. Yet, this opportunity is uneven across the state. Where you
live and your demographic characteristics shape your likelihood of being able to thrive.
Opinion: California needs a new Master Plan for Higher Education
CalMatters
California is in the midst of a crisis in higher education. At first glance this may seem paradoxical, as many in California and around the world continue to perceive the UC system in particular as the gold standard for public higher education.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Air district issues health caution due to gusty winds
Bakersfield Californian
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued a heath caution Saturday night that lasts through Monday due to blowing dust from strong northwesterly winds.
'Poster Child' Of The Climate Crisis: CA County Seeks Justice For Area Hit Hard By Air Pollution
VPR
One place experiencing all of this firsthand is Imperial County, California, an agricultural community near the Mexico border that has a majority-Latino population and some of the worst air pollution in the country.
This California Climate Solution Actually Adding Millions of Tons of CO2 Into the Atmosphere
ProPublica
New research shows that California’s climate policy created up to 39 million carbon credits that aren’t achieving real carbon savings. But companies can buy these forest offsets to justify polluting more anyway.
Corporate secrecy over climate change targeted by Washington and California
Merced Sun-Star
California clean tech innovator Bloom Energy, with its noncombustion, low-emission fuel cells, is hardly taking the same approach to powering the planet as oil giant Chevron, but one thing the companies have in common are slick promotional campaigns defining them as environmental pioneers.
Biden administration to propose first rule requiring cut in climate pollutants
Washington Post
The new Environmental Protection Agency rule targets hydrofluorocarbons, greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
Energy:
Compressed-air energy storage project proposed in eastern Kern
Bakersfield Californian
California's ambitious climate goals have attracted interest from an international business partnership looking to build a groundbreaking, 500-megawatt compressed-air energy storage project in the Rosamond area.
Viewpoints: Is Gov. Gavin Newsom faking it on fracking and climate change?
Sacramento Bee
British journalist James Bartholomew is widely credited with creating the phrase “virtue signaling” to describe positioning oneself on the popular side of an issue without actually doing anything about it.
See also:
When the Good News From Oil and Gas Isn’t So Good
Capital and Main
In late March, New Mexico’s largest newspaper ran a story about how 2020 set records for oil and gas production in the state: More fossil fuels were pumped out of the ground last year than ever before.
Locals Worry Wind and Solar Will Gobble Up Forests and Farms
PEW
Massachusetts has installed solar panels faster than almost any other state as it seeks to reduce its carbon emissions. But some activists say the state’s transition to renewable energy has come at a cost.
Opinion: Homeowner solar-energy program unfairly benefits the few and needs to be more equitable
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Bee editorialized that the state’s rooftop solar incentive program, the 25-year-old Net Energy Metering (NEM) program, has been a “smashing success” at getting people to install rooftop solar. That’s a good thing.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
More Stanislaus County kids died in 2020 and not from COVID-19. What caused their deaths?
Modesto Bee
In 2020, the number of Stanislaus County infants who died in their sleep doubled compared to the previous five-year average. Last year, eight infants died in their sleep, with five attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or asphyxia and three babies with the cause listed as “unknown/undetermined,” by the coroner.
Counties at Highest Risk for COVID Harm Often Have Lowest Vaccination Rates
ProPublica
The vaccine rollout was meant to prioritize vulnerable communities, but four months of data shows healthier — and often wealthier — counties have been faster to vaccinate.
See also:
Why California’s Undocumented Immigrants Remain Vaccine-Resistant Capitol and Main
Mobile clinics rolled out in Stanislaus to raise COVID vaccination rates, prevent surge Modesto Bee
Anxiety led dozens to faint or get dizzy after Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine, CDC says Fresno Bee
Momentum grows for closing gaps in US vaccine requirements Fresno Bee
Pediatricians Weigh In On What's Safe And Not Safe For Unvaccinated Children Capital Public Radio
GOP seeks to convince vaccine skeptics within its own ranks Fresno Bee
Claim about COVID-19 vaccines misinterprets the meaning of herd immunity Politifact
If you had COVID-19, do you need to get the vaccine? Fresno doctor shares the latest
Fresno Bee
In other words, if you had COVID-19, are you now naturally immune, or should you still get vaccinated? The short answer is, ‘yes,’ doctors say you should still receive a coronavirus vaccine. It’s still unclear how long natural immunity lasts.
See also:
You're Vaccinated. Congrats! Now What Can You Do Safely? Capital Public Radio
You Can Skip a Mask Outside If You're Vaccinated (Unless You're in a Crowd) Consumer Reports
How risky are indoor spaces during COVID pandemic? This tool helps you figure it out
Fresno Bee
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, health officials have been telling the public to maintain a 6-foot distance from others to curb the spread of COVID-19.
California’s flavored tobacco ban up in the air as Biden moves to prohibit menthol cigarettes
Fresno Bee
The move by President Joe Biden’s administration to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars is unlikely to disrupt California’s upcoming referendum on a state law prohibiting sales of those and other tobacco products.
Community Medical Centers HealthQuest: The Truth About Taking Supplements
abc30
ABC30 and Community Medical Centers have teamed up to present Community Medical Centers HealthQuest, a series of FREE community forums designed to help you and your family make informed and healthy life decisions.
Human Services:
California Native Americans won health care settlement. Federal government hasn’t delivered
Fresno Bee
Finally, California’s Native American population — the nation’s largest — would receive its rightful share of federal health care funding. Leaders in the California Native community journeyed to Washington to negotiate the process of opening the funding pipeline.
California hospital leaders seek legislative reprieve for industry ‘broken’ by COVID-19
Fresno Bee
The COVID-19 pandemic has “left a majority of California’s hospitals financially challenged, unstable and in some cases, broken,” while proposed and existing state regulations are pushing them further over the brink, said the CEO of California’s top hospital trade group.
Plan to save California money could take health care away from most vulnerable patients
Fresno Bee
The most underserved patients — young and old, including migrant workers and the uninsured — in California could lose access to critical health care services under looming changes that leaders say would put federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) at risk.
Kaiser plans 200 layoffs in Northern CA; union says unexpected move terrified members
Sacramento Bee
Kaiser Permanente will lay off 200 workers from its workforce in Northern California as it changes up how some departments will operate, resulting in the need for fewer staff in some positions.
Democrats seek narrow path to rein in cost of medicines
AP News
President Joe Biden’s call for authorizing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices has energized Democrats on a politically popular idea they’ve been pushing for nearly 20 years only to encounter frustration.
IMMIGRATION
Annual May Day March for immigration rights held in Downtown Fresno
abc30
Dozens gathered in Downtown Fresno for an immigration rights rally. For the last 15 years, people have gathered in Fresno every May 1 to make their voices heard.
Growing Number of Migrant Families Allowed Into U.S. to Seek Asylum
Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration is allowing a growing number of migrant families seeking asylum to enter the U.S. at legal border crossings, in a change from a year-old Trump-era policy aimed at blocking them entirely, according to people familiar with the process and government data.
See also:
Biden administration to return Trump’s border wall money to Pentagon accounts
Roll Call
A Biden administration official said in a statement that to the extent possible, what remains of the more than $14 billion tied up in border wall projects would be restored for use as Congress intended.
See also:
Getting Past ‘Smart Walls’ to Build a Smart Immigration Policy Capital and Main
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Veterans hospital is looking to expand, possibly move to Clovis. Here are the details
Fresno Bee
The VA Central California hospital, currently located in central Fresno, is considering moving some of its major functions to Clovis on 9.1 acres of land on the northeast corner of Herndon and Armstrong avenues.
Visalia starts cleanup projects along Highway 198
Visalia Times Delta
Following numerous resident complaints, city and state officials started cleanup projects along Highway 198.
Housing:
Fresno City Manager Presents $25 Million Homeless And Housing Development Plan For Next Budget Year
VPR
Esqueda presented a $25 million housing development plan for the next fiscal year. That includes potential tiny home villages, and the state program, Project HomeKey which funds the purchase and renovation of existing motels for housing units.
Turlock plans to clear next homeless camp. How much has the city spent on crisis?
Modesto Bee
Turlock employees are preparing to clear a homeless encampment in northwest Turlock, but as of Friday have not set a date for the third sweep of the city’s 120-day emergency.
California’s housing market smashed another record. Here’s how much it costs to buy a home
Sacramento Bee
The California housing market keeps smashing its own records. The median price for a single-family home in the Golden State reached a new high of $758,990 in March, according to state figures announced Friday by the Department of Finance.
Issue Brief: COVID's Impact on California Housing
Little Hoover Commission
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected California renters, landlords, and homeowners, hindering their ability to make their housing payments and threatening potentially devastating socio-economic impacts due to foreclosure. Some of California's most vulnerable populations - people of color, low-income households, and those with less formal education - have been disproportionately affected.
State-Supported “Clean Energy” Loans Are Putting Borrowers At Risk of Losing Their Homes
ProPublica
Dozens of Missouri homeowners who used PACE loans to fix up their houses ended up trapped in debt and could soon see their homes sold at auction.
PUBLIC FINANCES
California parents would get big tax breaks under Biden proposal. Here’s how much to expect
Fresno Bee
Low and middle income families struggling to pay for child care and other expenses would see big new tax breaks through 2025 under the White House’s new child tax credit plan, according to a new analysis.
California keeps millions in child support while parents drown in debt
CalMatters
Half of Stacy Estes’ pay disappears every month before it hits his bank account. Each check is about $500 lighter than it should be, intercepted in the name of child support — which he wouldn’t have a problem with, if it were going to his kids.
Biden’s corporate tax plan takes aim at income inequality
Business Journal
Now, President Joe Biden is training the government’s sights again on the loopholes, shelters and international havens that have long allowed multinational companies to dodge taxes in ways that ordinary households cannot.
See also:
Top tax frustrations for Americans: The feeling that some corporations, wealthy people don’t pay fair share Pew Research Center
How the Federal Reserve Is Increasing Wealth Inequality ProPublica
Is it really too expensive to raise a family?
AEI
Policies to subsidize parenting are all the rage these days. The recent COVID relief package included an expanded tax credit that many Democrats want to make permanent.
Opinion: At last, some action on misleading retirement income statistics
AEI
New federal government research shows that many common factoids on retirement income adequacy are just plain wrong. And federal agencies are finally starting to recognize the problem.
TRANSPORTATION
Is Fresno ready for bicyclists rolling through stop signs? California bill would make it legal
Fresno Bee
Bicyclists in Fresno and other central San Joaquin Valley cities may soon have the option to roll though stop signs at intersections, if safe to do so.
Fresno air travel was hit hard by the COVID pandemic. But how much has it recovered?
Fresno Bee
For the first couple of months of 2020, it looked like Fresno Yosemite International Airport was in for a record-breaking year.
Micro Bus now available for passengers in Merced County’s westside communities
Merced Sun-Star
The Bus has launched a pilot micro transit service to westside communities in Merced County, including Los Banos, Dos Palos, Gustine and Santa Nella. The serviced called the Micro Bus began Saturday.
TSA extends mask requirement for planes, other public transportation in U.S. until September
Washington Post
The Transportation Security Administration announced Friday that it has extended through Sept. 13 its orders requiring people to wear masks in transportation settings, including at airports, on commercial aircraft, and on buses and trains.
How 'Amtrak Joe' Biden's infrastructure push could put rail back on track in the US
abc News
President Joe Biden campaigned on sparking the "second great railroad revolution" in a car-centric nation where rail infrastructure has languished for decades.
See also:
WATER
Will Gavin Newsom make emergency drought declaration statewide? Valley lawmakers say it’s a must
Fresno Bee
More than a dozen Central Valley lawmakers and elected officials met on Friday to declare a regional drought emergency and urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to do the same statewide.
See also:
Local leaders urging Newsom to declare drought emergency in Valley abc30
Central Valley lawmakers continue to press Newsom on drought Porterville Recorder
San Joaquin Valley Leaders Call For Immediate Statewide Emergency Drought Declaration VPR
City urges water conservation as dry conditions persist
Bakersfield Californian
As dry conditions persist, the city of Bakersfield's Water Resources Department is calling on the public to conserve water.
Is California Ready for Drought?
PPIC
Drought isn’t an equal opportunity crisis—some sectors and communities are more affected than others. Join the PPIC Water Policy Center and state and local experts for a panel discussion about how to reduce its impacts to the most vulnerable sectors.
“Xtra”
Disneyland reopening marks California’s COVID-19 turnaround
Fresno Bee
Disneyland swung open its gates to cheering visitors donning sequined Minnie Mouse ears and snapping selfies Friday, marking a dramatic turnaround in a state so overwhelmed with coronavirus cases just four months ago that patients were being treated in outdoor tents.
See also:
Disneyland welcoming guests back Friday for the first time in over a year abc30
Disneyland reopens and reemerges as a beacon of optimism Los Angeles Times
Three local nonprofits holding Concert for the Causes fundraiser next month
KGET
Wounded Heroes Fund Executive Director Wendy Porter and League of Dreams Executive Director Jessica Mathews spoke with 17 News at Sunrise to talking about their upcoming event Concert for the Causes.
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s historic water tower has been closed since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic started. It’s taken some damage from vandals, who have broken lights and damaged one of the doors.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
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