POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
Stanislaus County is expanding the team assigned to contain coronavirus. Will it help?
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County is building a cadre of health workers for more effective contact tracing as county and state residents are released from coronavirus stay-home orders. County supervisors unanimously approved a staffing request Tuesday to add 14 positions to a 35-member contact tracing team that was thrown together in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
See also:
· Coronavirus update: Stanislaus deaths rise to 17; advice on household poisons Modesto Bee
· How Modesto, Stanislaus County retail shops plan to reopen this week amid coronavirusModesto Bee
· Mayor of Turlock — Coronavirus epicenter for Stanislaus County — reflects on nursing home crisis Modesto Bee
What Modesto, other school districts have in works for virtual graduation ceremonies
Modesto Bee
In similar but various ways, school districts in Stanislaus County are working to ensure the Class of 2020 has virtual graduation ceremonies that approximate in-person commencements as much as possible. Some districts are doing the same for eighth-graders as they move on to high school.
‘It’s been devastating.’ As COVID-19 rules loosen, some Merced area businesses to reopen
Fresno Bee
Some Merced County businesses say they are ready to reopen Friday. Still, nobody in the business community expects reopening will mean getting back to normal — at least in the short term.
Central SJ Valley:
EDITORIAL: Going shopping in Fresno? You must have a mask on first, and that’s a good thing
Fresno Bee
Fresno can distinguish itself from other communities in America where people have revolted against a mask requirement. Let’s pull together, do the right thing, and wear facial coverings as required. And remember this: It won’t be forever.
See also:
● Fresno residents adjust to first day of mandatory face masksabc30
● $35,000 in fines issued in Fresno to non-essential businesses for operating during pandemicFresno Bee
● Fresno residents adjust to first day of mandatory face masksabc30
● WARSZAWSKI: Fresno rally had protest signs, MAGA hats and shutdown anger — but protesters were peaceful Fresno Bee
Fight brewing over aid, protections for the San Joaquin Valley’s undocumented workers
Fresno Bee
But the fight for worker protections, advocates say, goes beyond short-term needs like masks and testings. Many of the Latino elected officials representing the rural-area communities are former farmworkers themselves who say their constituents, some of whom are undocumented, have long sought permanent labor protections.
See also:
· Poll: Broad Support for Farmworker Protections in COVID 19 Context Berkeley IGS Poll
Coronavirus updates: Campaign tops $1 million in donations; Regional cases, deaths climb
Fresno Bee
For a second straight day, the central San Joaquin Valley reported an increase of more than 100 new cases of the coronavirus, with Fresno and Tulare counties both adding at least 50 cases each Wednesday.
See also
· ‘A high bar’ for Fresno County to meet before reopening economy, top official says Fresno Bee
· ‘He doesn’t get rattled’: Doctor leads Fresno County through coronavirus pandemic Fresno Bee
Coronavirus pandemic is impacting Fresno’s census count. What could it mean for the region?
Fresno Bee
Even before the global coronavirus pandemic reached the central San Joaquin Valley, there were concerns the region was in danger of being seriously undercounted in the 2020 Census.
Coalinga declares all its businesses ‘essential’ in defiance of Gov. Newsom’s order
abc30
Coalinga is declaring all businesses in the city ‘essential’, in defiance of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency ‘shelter in place’ order.
Clovis Makes Moves to Reopen Businesses
Clovis RoundUp
Following Monday’s Clovis City Council meeting there are a lot of questions among residents and business owners regarding stay-at-home policies connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clovis continues to be governed by the state’s stay-at-home order. All businesses and residents in the City of Clovis are subject to the statewide stay-at-home order, plus any additional guidance from the Fresno County Health Officer.
Clovis To Review Use of 2020-21 CDBG Funding May 11
Clovis RoundUp
The City of Clovis will review its 2020-21 Annual Action Plan for the use of more than $70,000 in Community Development Block Grants May 11. As a CDBG Entitlement city, Clovis receives an annual allocation of CDBG funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
South SJ Valley:
Why Kern County oil prices recently fell below the U.S. benchmark
Bakersfield Californian
How quickly things change on the oil market. Two weeks ago the price benchmark for Kern County crude, Midway-Sunset, towered over West Texas Intermediate, the national standard. But now WTI is on top.
State’s reopening guidelines could hamper local goals of kickstarting Kern businesses
Bakersfield Californian
As some businesses prepare to reopen under the second stage of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-part plan, several roadblocks have emerged that could complicate local goals of kickstarting Kern’s economy ahead of the state.
Grove, Fong react to $54 billion state budget shortfall
Bakersfield Californian
“The governor must prioritize the budget to meet the immediate needs of our citizens and eliminate funding for pet projects. This devastating budget forecast is an unfortunate consequence of his decision to create a one-size-fits-all ‘new normal’ that strangled businesses throughout California,” said Senate Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove.
See also:
● Grove calls on Newsom to let churches open in Stage 2Bakersfield Californian
State:
California doom: Staggering $54 billion budget deficit looms
Fresno Bee
California will have a budget shortfall of $54.3 billion because of the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration announced Thursday, a deficit so large it will swallow the state’s reserves and put teacher jobs and health coverage at risk during a pandemic.
See also:
● California faces $54.3 billion deficit, 18 percent unemployment, Newsom’s office projectsFresno Bee
● California can’t cope with its budget deficit without federal help, Gavin Newsom saysSacramento Bee
● California faces $53.4 billion deficit, 18 percent unemployment, Newsom’s office projectsSacramento Bee
● Coronavirus plunges California into worst budget deficit in state historyLos Angeles Times
● Watch: How the pandemic is busting California cities’ budgetsCalMatters
● California just revealed a $54.3 billion deficit — signaling deep cuts aheadCalMatters
● “Everything happened all at once”: Can California cities weather the COVID recession?CalMatters
● Here’s how a $54 billion deficit will hurt CaliforniansCalMatters
● California faces $54B budget deficitPolitico
● California just revealed a $54.3 billion deficit — signaling deep cuts ahead Fox&Hounds
● EDITORIAL: California was ready for a recession, but nothing could have prepared it for coronavirus Los Angeles Times
California lets retailers reopen, dining in may come soon
Fresno Bee
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued the broadest loosening of his stay-at-home order so far, allowing retailers and manufacturers to reopen with new safety measures and setting strict criteria counties must meet for offering restaurant dining and reopening malls and offices.
See also:
● Newsom reopens California business a crack. Digging out of a deep recession will take much moreFresno Bee
● Gov. Newsom details rules for businesses opening in California tomorrowabc30
● Masks to become part of life in California, but rules vary KGET 17
● California must proceed carefully to prevent a second wave of coronavirus infectionsSacramento Bee
● California tops 2,500 coronavirus deaths as fears of second wave temper reopening effortsLos Angeles Times
● Newsom unveils rules governing how quickly California communities can reopen businessesLos Angeles Times
● 2 counties defied Newsom and reopened. Now California warns restaurants could lose licenses if opened too earlyLos Angeles Times
● Governor Newsom Issues New Guidelines to Reopen More California BusinessesAALRR
● Harvard study says only nine states ready to safely reopenThe Hill
● Newsom issues guidelines for counties that want to reopenPolitico
● California rural leaders fear Newsom has set an impossible bar for regional reopeningPolitico
● California sees possible restaurant openings on horizonAssociated Press
● Business Leaders to the Governor: Time to Flatten the Unemployment Curve Fox&Hounds
● No pro sports in California this year? Newsom says games will have to wait for COVID-19 vaccine Sacramento Bee
California is responding in force to the 2020 census. But these rural areas are way behind
Sacramento Bee
Stuck at home and glued to the internet, Californians are responding in large numbers to the 2020 census questionnaire so far, placing the state at about the same participation rate as a decade ago.
Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom
As California prepares to enter Stage 2 of the gradual reopening of the state this Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that workers who contract COVID-19 while on the job may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation. The Governor signed an executive order that creates a time-limited rebuttable presumption for accessing workers’ compensation benefits applicable to Californians who must work outside of their homes during the stay at home order.
Protesters stage illegal rally at California Capitol to support law enforcement
Los Angeles Times
Protesters of California’s stay-at-home orders returned for another unsanctioned rally at the Capitol on Thursday, this time with a different message: They forgive law enforcement for arresting them last week.
Los Angeles Times
In a frantic effort to secure face masks and respond to the coronavirus crisis, California has committed to spend more than $3.7 billion on no-bid contracts, scores of them with businesses that have no track record with the state.
See also:
· Lawmakers want to know: What’s up with that half-billion-dollar mask deal? CalMatters
· EDITORIAL: Gavin Newsom was right to seek coronavirus mask deals, but wrong to hide contract Sacramento Bee
· Lawmakers want to know: What’s up with that half-billion-dollar mask deal?CalMatters
California Gov. Newsom: State identified nail salons as source of coronavirus community spread
The Hill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday said that the state’s first case of community spread in the coronavirus pandemic happened in a nail salon.
See also:
· Barbers, beauticians plan to sue Newsom over stay-at-home order Politico
Federal:
Poll: Large majority (71%) of Americans worried more about reopening too fast than too slow
The Hill
Almost 3 out of 4 Americans have concerns that the country is reopening its economy too fast amid the coronavirus pandemic, a new poll from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project finds.
See also:
● Reopening the country seen as greater risk among most Americans: POLLABC News
‘Those jobs will all be back,’ Trump vows; Pence staffer tests positive for coronavirus
Washington Post
The pandemic’s devastating economic toll came into sharp focus Friday, via grim data about the U.S. workforce: More than 20 million jobs disappeared from payrolls in April — wiping out a decade of gains in a single month as the unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent. “Those jobs will all be back, and they’ll be back very soon,” President Trump vowed on Fox News.
See also:
· Most States That Are Reopening Fail to Meet White House Guidelines New York Times
· What It Means When Trump Doesn’t Wear A Mask VPR
· White House employee tests positive for coronavirus, Trump and Pence test negative Los Angeles Times
White House pandemic supply project swathed in secrecy and exaggerations
Washington Post
On May 1, as White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, an illustration of an airplane flying to the moon appeared on the monitors beside her.
See also
· Melinda Gates gives Trump admin D-minus on coronavirus response: ‘We need leadership’ The Hill
Experts worry CDC is sidelined in coronavirus response
Fresno Bee
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has repeatedly found its suggestions for fighting the coronavirus outbreak taking a backseat. Public health experts fear the agency’s decades of experience in beating back disease threats are going to waste.
See also:
● Trump says N95 masks can be sterilized for reuse. Only in a pinch, experts warn.PolitiFact
U.S. Was Behind On Payments To WHO Before Trump’s Cutoff
VPR
In mid-April, when President Trump declared, “Today I’m instructing my administration to halt funding of the World Health Organization,” Jimmy Kolker did a double take. “We were already in arrears before he said anything,” says Kolker, who was an assistant secretary for global health affairs during the Obama administration.
House Democrats move to pass the next coronavirus bill without GOP support
Los Angeles Times
As they work on the next bill to respond to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, House Democrats are eschewing negotiations with Republicans or the White House, and hope to vote on their own measure as soon as next week.
See Also:
● Harris, Sanders and Markey want to give every American $2,000 per monthRoll Call
● Pelosi to lay down multitrillion-dollar marker with new coronavirus package Politico
Problem Solvers show how Congress can work from home with virtual floor debate
Roll Call
Two dozen members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus hosted a virtual floor debate on state and local funding Thursday, hoping to illustrate that the House can conduct official proceedings remotely. But the experimental session was not without a few technological hiccups.
SBA slashes disaster-loan limit from $2 million to $150,000, shuts out nearly all new applicants
Washington Post
An emergency disaster lending program for small businesses has been so overwhelmed by demand that it has significantly limited the size of loans it issues, while blocking nearly all new applications from small businesses, according to people familiar with the situation.
McCarthy finally names GOP members to Clyburn’s coronavirus oversight panel
Politico
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has finally named GOP members for Majority Whip Jim Clyburn’s coronavirus select committee, ending a partisan stalemate over the panel.
See Also:
● McCarthy embraces ex-rival Jordan as the top partisan fighterPolitico
Commentary: ‘Wartime’ presidents have one thing in common – and it comes in many forms
CalMatters
Donald Trump often boasts that he is a “wartime” president. Those of us who served in wartime wish that were true. Successful wartime leaders have one thing in common – courage. Courage comes in many forms. It may be the physical courage of the hospital custodian who cleans the rooms of those poor souls on ventilators.
George Will: No president is immune from prosecution. The court has a chance to prove it.
Washington Post
Oral arguments are not the only sounds that will be heard by the Supreme Court next Tuesday. There will also be the fluttering of chickens coming home to roost. Before congressional Republicans fell in love with their current leader, they embraced a principle from which he claims to be exempt.
Coronavirus Trackers:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.
See also:
● California Department of Public Health
● Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic – WHO
● John Hopkins University & Medicine John Hopkins University
● Tracking coronavirus in California Los Angeles Times
● Coronavirus Tracker San Francisco Chronicle
● Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case CountNew York Times
● How many coronavirus cases have been reported in each U.S. state? Politico
● Coronavirus Daily NPR
● Coronavirus tracked: the latest figures as the pandemic spreads Financial Times
● Coronavirus in California by the numbers CalMatters
Elections 2020:
Exclusive: 1996 court document confirms Tara Reade told of harassment in Biden’s office
Fresno Bee
Reade’s then-husband Theodore Dronen wrote the court declaration. In it, he writes Reade told him about “a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment, in U.S. Senator Joe Biden’s office.”
See also:
● Biden accuser Tara Reade gives first on-camera interview, to Megyn KellyLos Angeles Times
● Exclusive: 1996 court document confirms Tara Reade told of harassment in Biden’s officeThe Tribune
● OPINION: Democratic Party must learn to respect survivors of sexual misconduct and abuseSacramento Bee
Young progressives aren’t thrilled about Biden. Some fear that will help Trump, again
San Francisco Chronicle
More than a few progressive Democrats under 35 didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton four years ago, and they aren’t shy about voicing their similar lack of enthusiasm for Joe Biden.
Postal Service’s Struggles Could Hurt Mail-In Election
PEW
An unprecedented shift in American democracy is underway, as more states and counties turn to voting by mail. But as jurisdictions prepare for a pandemic-riddled presidential election, the threat of a financial crisis at the U.S. Postal Service looms over that alternative to in-person voting.
The New Road to the White House
U.S. News
THE ROAD TO THE WHITE House, always an exhausting and arduous trail, has gotten longer and more complicated as the number of states in play has expanded to battlegrounds in four time zones and with widely different constituencies.
OPINION: Here’s who could spoil the election — for Biden or Trump
Washington Post
I’m rankings wrangler Drew Goins, and this is Round 62. After a bye week of wound-licking from last round’s pundit accountability ranking, our rankers are back to opine on the election’s biggest spoiler threats. Who could insert themselves into the race to make or break it for Joe Biden or President Trump?
Other:
Bankruptcy judge OKs McClatchy’s sales plan, initial bids are due next week
Sacramento Bee
A federal bankruptcy judge approved McClatchy Co.’s rules for potential buyers Thursday, and the company said all interested parties are ready to submit initial bids by early next week. A hearing to approve a buyer is scheduled for July 24.
Facebook, YouTube remove viral ‘Plandemic’ video that links face masks to getting sick
The Hill
Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms have removed a viral documentary-style video titled “Plandemic” that promoted conspiracy theories about the coronavirus.
CalMatters
Great job, California! Your high, continued support for social distancing and sheltering-in-place have helped reduce COVID-19’s spread and lay the groundwork for state and federal plans to slowly re-open society.
Opinion: Newsom, Biden, and the poor
Fox&Hounds
Bill and Sherry explore whether Gov. Gavin Newsom is caving in to rebels against his shelter-at-home policy. The podcasters disagree over Joe Biden’s campaign strategy.
Commentary: Impatient With the Lockdown
Fox & Hounds
People are getting restless and compliance with directives given by elected officials are wearing thin on law-abiding members of a once FREE and Liberated American Society. We have all witnessed the recent changing attitudes of our family members, neighbors and friends. The attitude that Enough is Enough with the government lockdown that makes us all feel like a prisoner at your own residence.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Clovis’ Friday Farmers Market set to return for summer, but leave your families at home
Fresno Bee
The city’s year-round Saturday Farmer’s market closed briefly in March due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. It reopened in April with fewer vendors and safety protocols for vendors and guests.
Cannabis, California And COVID-19
Green Market Report
This is the first of four articles we have been writing while sheltering-in-place. This first article summarizes our views on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the cannabis industry with respect to financial record-keeping and tax reporting issues.
138 employees at meat plant test positive for coronavirus
Associated Press
At least 138 employees at a meat packing plant in central California have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said. Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon told the Fresno Bee that the outbreak at Central Valley Meat Company in Hanford now accounts for nearly two-thirds of the coronavirus cases in the rural county, which has a total of 211 reported cases.
See Also:
● 138 employees at Central California meat plant test positive for coronavirusLos Angeles Times
LOIS HENRY: Crops grown with oilfield water OK’d by water quality board
Bakersfield Californian
Fruits and vegetables grown with recycled oilfield water in Kern County got a final stamp of approval last month, nearly five years after the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board began what it thought was going to be a three-month process investigating the water’s safety.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
No arrests after CHP blocks Capitol grounds from protesters of Newsom, coronavirus order
Fresno Bee
Hundreds of protesters came to the California’s state Capitol on Thursday for another demonstration against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus stay-at-home order, but this time they couldn’t get onto the grounds.
See also:
● Protesters stage illegal rally at California Capitol to support law enforcementLos Angeles Times
Public Safety:
Immediate, mass COVID-19 testing critical at federal prisons, ACLU and workers say
Fresno Bee
After thousands of state and federal correctional officers and incarcerated people have tested positive for coronavirus, groups are calling for all prison employees and incarcerated people to be tested.
Lack of COVID-19 testing in California jails sets up ‘perfect storm’ for outbreak, experts warn
Sacramento Bee
Just 4 percent of inmates in California’s largest jails are known to have been tested for COVID-19, despite a drumbeat of warnings about the potential for outbreaks in facilities where people are confined in tight spaces, a Sacramento Bee review has found.
See Also:
● 3 California prison inmates die from COVID-19 complications Associated Press
Fire:
PG&E looks to update customer contact information before wildfire season
Bakersfield Californian
The utility needs to know if you have changed your cell phone number, and if you have a preferred email address, because it will contact you multiple times before a scheduled shutoff, it said in a news release.
PG&E is hit with $1.9-billion penalty over California wildfires
Los Angeles Times
California regulators approved a $1.9-billion penalty against PG&E Corp. for its role in sparking some of the worst wildfires in state history.
See also:
· Regulators penalize PG&E for 2017, 2018 fires — but no $200 million fine San Francisco Chronicle
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
$35,000 in fines issued in Fresno to non-essential businesses for operating during pandemic
Fresno Bee
Fines issued by the city of Fresno for opening a non-essential business, price gouging or other violations in connection with coronavirus rules in the past month totaled $35,000, according to numbers released by city officials.
See also:
● A Fresno restaurant defied COVID-19 orders, opened its dining room. Here’s what happenedFresno Bee
State’s reopening guidelines could hamper local goals of kickstarting Kern businesses
Bakersfield Californian
As some businesses prepare to reopen under the second stage of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-part plan, several roadblocks have emerged that could complicate local goals of kickstarting Kern’s economy ahead of the state.
Stocks rise on hope that the worst of the economic plunge is over
Los Angeles Times
Even with the economy still in miserable shape, some investors are finding reasons to hope the worst of the plunge may have passed, and Wall Street rallied Thursday to its biggest gain in a week.
The coronavirus economy is exposing how easy it is to fall from the middle class into poverty
Washington Post
Louise Lara apologized for crying as she told her story. The 54-year-old single mom had just listed her home in the Florida Panhandle as “for sale by owner,” the latest sign that her middle-class life is slipping away amid the nation’s worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
The Results Are In for the Sharing Economy. They Are Ugly.
New York Times
The coronavirus pandemic has gutted the so-called sharing economy. Its most valuable companies, which started the year by promising that they would soon become profitable, now say consumer demand has all but vanished. It is not likely to return anytime soon.
Next Stimulus Needs to Help Us, Small Cities and Counties Say
PEW Research
The $2 trillion stimulus bill Congress approved at the end of March included $111 billion for states, $22.5 billion for major counties and $5 billion for big cities. Many cities and counties didn’t get a dime.
SBA Extends Safe Harbor Repayment Deadline for Paycheck Protection Program Loans
AARR
Late on May 5, 2020, the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) issued additional guidance in the form of a new Frequently Asked Question (“FAQ”) that extends the previous deadline in which to return Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan funds from May 7, 2020 to May 14, 2020.
Commentary: Capital losses, not capital gains, need urgent tax relief
AEI
In a recent tweet, President Trump suggested that the “elimination of … Capital Gains Taxes” be “put on the table” in the ongoing discussion about further possible stimulus measures. However, it is capital losses, not capital gains, that need urgent tax relief during these troubled times.
OPINION: How the virus could weigh down America’s economy for the long haul
The Week
President Trump frequently called the pre-pandemic American economy the best in the country’s history. And in some ways it was pretty impressive. The stock market was way up and unemployment way down — as the president’s social media accounts constantly reminded us.
Jobs:
Washington Post
Optimism is high among workers that they can return to their pre-pandemic jobs, but economists warn over 40 percent of job losses could become permanent.
‘We’re waiting for a Hail Mary.’ Yosemite employees evicted amid coronavirus pandemic
Fresno Bee
One employee inside now-closed Yosemite National Parkoften hears from friends about how wonderful it must be to shelter in place near roaring waterfalls and serene Sierra Nevada meadows bordered by iconic granite mountains.
Thanks to work-from-home trend, the sky is blue — and Kern COG would like to keep it that way
KGET
The color of our air has taken on an unfamiliar hue: blue. That’s generally the way it’s supposed to look. It’s simply been covered in a shroud of haze, both natural and man-made, locally produced and imported.
As Businesses Reopen, A Fight Is Brewing Over Worker Safety Lawsuits
VPR
When is it safe for people to go back to work? That’s the question both employers and workers are asking, as businesses around the country start to open doors shuttered by the coronavirus.
See Also:
● Unemployment Benefits Up in the Air for High-Risk Workers as States ReopenU.S. News
● Many Gig Workers Still Await Aid as Jobless Claims Rise PEW
● Commentary: Let’s provide unemployment benefits without layoffsAEI
● Business groups angered by Newsom order easing barriers to workers comp for COVID-19 patients Sacramento Bee
● Department of Labor Updates Model COBRA Notices AALRR
● EEOC Reissues Yanked Virus Accommodations Guidance Law360
Coronavirus crisis sends nation’s unemployment rate to 14.7%
Los Angeles Times
The U.S. economy suffered its biggest labor market shock on record last month, as government figures released Friday showed the COVID-19 pandemic erased 20.5 million jobs and sent the nation’s unemployment rate to 14.7%, the highest since at least the 1940s.
See Also:
● One For The History Books: 14.7% Unemployment, 20.5 Million Jobs Wiped AwayVPR
● No ‘apply here’ button. California’s unemployment website is confusing, jobless saySacramento Bee
● Unemployment could spike to 18%CalMatters
● U.S. unemployment rate soars to 14.7 percent, the worst since the Depression eraWashington Post
● Coronavirus Brings California Mass Unemployment, Huge Budget Hole, Governor SaysWall Street Journal
● Businesses Struggle to Lure Workers Away From UnemploymentWall Street Journal
● Unemployment soars to 14.7 percent in April amid coronavirus falloutPolitico
Health coverage of California workers most at risk of job loss due to COVID-19
UC Berkeley Labor Center
Many California workers are at risk of losing their job-based health coverage when they lose their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this new data brief we find that:
Commentary: AFormer Farmworker on American Hypocrisy
New York Times
Today, hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Mexico and Central America are doing that work. By the Department of Agriculture’s estimates, about half the country’s field hands — more than a million workers — are undocumented. Growers and labor contractors estimate that the real proportion is closer to 75 percent.
Commentary: The History Of Women’s Work And Wages And How It Has Created Success For Us All
Brookings
As we celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, we should also celebrate the major strides women have made in the labor market. Their entry into paid work has been a major factor in America’s prosperity over the past century and a quarter.
EDUCATION
K-12:
CUSD board meeting provides COVID updates regarding graduation, summer school and camps
Clovis RoundUp
The Clovis Unified School District governing board provided updates regarding the status of senior graduation, summer school and summer camps at its meeting Wednesday evening. During a presentation, Associate Superintendent of School Leadership for CUSD Norm Anderson said that the district has not given up hope of having a normal in-person graduation ceremony for all of its schools.
CDC Guidance For Reopening Schools, Child Care And Summer Camps Is Leaked
VPR
No field trips. No game rooms. No teddy bears. These are some of the CDC’s guidelines for reopening schools, childcare centers and day camps safely in places where coronavirus cases are on the decline.
It’s not too late to mark Teacher Appreciation Week. They could use it now more than ever
Los Angeles Times
This Teacher Appreciation Week, there will be no apple on the desk or hugs at the classroom door. Still, there are plenty of creative ways to honor teachers online or at a social distance.
Gov. Newsom now projects $18 billion shortfall in revenue for K-12, community colleges
EdSource
Instead of $3 billion more in funding next year, officials from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration are now projecting possibly $18 billion less over two years for K-12 and community colleges.
Brookings
During the COVID-19 pandemic, onlf school districts are both providing instruction online and monitoring students’ attendance and progress. Kids in these districts have a good chance of staying on grade-level during the coronavirus shutdown. Kids in the majority of districts, which are either providing no instruction or offering instruction but not tracking progress, have little or no chance of finishing their current grade and being ready for the next grade in the fall.
Higher Ed:
Local higher education students to receive emergency financial aid
Bakersfield Californian
Most of the assistance will be provided by the Department of Education, which is distributing $6 billion to colleges and universities for emergency financial aid grants. CSUB received almost $6.8 million to allocate to students.
CSUB exploring two scenarios for fall semester
Bakersfield Californian
During a virtual campus forum Thursday, Cal State Bakersfield officials outlined two scenarios the university is exploring for the fall semester, depending on how the coronavirus pandemic pans out. No firm decision has been made at this time.
How a Central Valley community college adapted to COVID-19 online learning shift
California Forward
When COVID-19 forced California’s community colleges to switch to online learning—some adapted better than others. One that fared well is West Hills Community College District (WHCCD) in California’s Central Valley. The district has campuses in Coalinga and Lemoore and a satellite center in Firebaugh.
See also:
· How California community college foundations are trying to help students CalMatters
Commentary: American Universities Must Stop Covering for the Chinese Communist Party
National Review
To the degree that the misdirection and inaction of China’s Communist government have been discussed in this pandemic, it is worth asking what the COVID-19 crisis has to do with Communism and its underlying ideology of Marxism-Leninism.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
CapRadio
Air quality across California has visibly improved with fewer drivers on the road because of stay-at-home orders. But when the orders are lifted pollution will likely return to pre-pandemic levels.
See also:
· Boiling Point: Why climate change matters more than ever during the coronavirus pandemicLos Angeles Times
· Commentary: The carbon tax opportunity Brookings
Energy:
Why Kern County oil prices recently fell below the U.S. benchmark
Bakersfield Californian
How quickly things change on the oil market. Two weeks ago the price benchmark for Kern County crude, Midway-Sunset, towered over West Texas Intermediate, the national standard. But now WTI is on top.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
COVID-19: Two new deaths, 969 confirmed cases reported in Tulare County
Visalia Times Delta
Two more people with COVID-19 died in Tulare County and another 53 people tested positive, according to public health officials. There are 969 people who tested positive for the virus.
See also:
● 36 more coronavirus cases in Fresno County as Valley numbers continue to climb Fresno Bee
● Two more deaths, 60 more COVID-19 cases reported in KernBakersfield Californian
● Kings County COVID-19 Spike Is Due To Meat Packing Facility in HanfordVPR
California tops 2,500 coronavirus deaths as fears of second wave temper reopening efforts
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday announced 51 news coronavirus-linked fatalities, pushing California’s death toll past 2,500. The majority of those — 1,418 — have been in L.A. County, California’s largest and the hotbed of COVID-19 infections in the state.
See also:
· Masks to become part of life in California, but rules vary KGET
Trump administration pushed use of remdesivir, but unequal rollout angers doctors
Washington Post
The rollout of the first and only treatment for covid-19 is being criticized by doctors across the country as confusing, unfair and marred by incomplete medical information, just a week after its manufacturer, Gilead Sciences, and the Trump administration raised hopes by announcing that the drug shortened hospital stays of some patients.
Hydroxychloroquine Fails to Help Coronavirus Patients in Largest Study of the Drug to Date
Time
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists led by a team at Columbia University found that people infected with COVID-19 taking hydroxychloroquine do not fare better than those not receiving the drug.
The Coronavirus Is Mutating. That’s Normal. Does That Mean It’s More Dangerous?
VPR
This week, the question of mutation has been front and center in coverage of the coronavirus — from controversial claims about changes that make the virus more contagious to reassurances that any mutations are not yet consequential.
See also:
· Mystery Inflammatory Syndrome In Kids And Teens Likely Linked To COVID-19 VPR
· Coronavirus Hijacks the Body From Head to Toe, Perplexing Doctors Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
They are immigrants and the children of immigrants, public servants, people on their second careers. They are planners and problem-solvers. What they lack in swagger they make up for in empathy, skill and statistical rigor. Their greatest power is their ability to learn from the mistakes of the past.
How the COVID-19 Recession Could Affect Health Insurance Coverage
Urban Institute
In this brief, we estimate how health insurance coverage could change as millions of workers lose their jobs because of the slowdown in economic activity resulting from public health efforts to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Human Services:
California hospitals ask Newsom for $1 billion now, $3 billion later for coronavirus costs
Fresno Bee
California hospitals have suffered short-term losses of $10 billion to $14 billion in revenue alone and face long-term financial upheaval as a result of measures taken to prepare for a surge of COVID-19 patients, leaders of the California Hospital Association said Thursday.
Nursing home at center of COVID-19 outbreak has pattern of patient-care problems
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield nursing home at the center of Kern’s only publicly confirmed COVID-19 outbreak has faced formal accusations of inadequate patient care more frequently in recent years than the state and federal averages.
‘Heroes work here’: Hall Ambulance steps up in response to COVID-19 pandemic
Bakersfield Californian
Medical professionals are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic every day, doing their jobs in close proximity to patients who have contracted the infectious disease. Sometimes it’s stressful. Sometimes it’s downright scary.
New state website lets Californians enter ZIP code, find a coronavirus test near them
San Francisco Chronicle
California has created a website where residents can enter a ZIP code, city or address and find nearby coronavirus testing sites, including many where they can get tested for free, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday.
See also:
· U.S. Coronavirus Testing Still Falls Short. How’s Your State Doing? VPR
CA lawmakers to probe Blue Flame deal that fizzled out
CalMatters
Lawmakers plan to hold a hearing this month to investigate California’s decision to wire $456.9 million to Blue Flame Medical LLC, a three-day-old medical-supply company, before canceling the transaction hours later — and to examine the state’s vetting process amid the pandemic, CalMatters’ Laurel Rosenhall reports.
IMMIGRATION
Fight brewing over aid, protections for the San Joaquin Valley’s undocumented workers
Fresno Bee
Congressional leaders this week urged the National Institute of Health director and Gov. Gavin Newsom to prioritize COVID-19 testing for front-line food workers, including farmworkers.
LAND USE/HOUSING
New home building impacted by shelter in place
abc30
New home building has dramatically slowed in the Valley during. “We’re down 50% in terms of permits being pulled in the last month or so compared to last year,” said Mike Prandini, president of the Building Industry Association of Fresno and Madera Counties.
Council approves homeless shelter contract, more control over local reopening of economy
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield City Council voted Wednesday to award a $3 million contract to the operator of a new homeless center set to open this fall, and also unanimously approved a letter in support of the county’s effort to obtain more local control in reopening the economy.
Commentary: Gavin’s, Legislature’s Poor Housing Record
Fox & Hounds
“If elected, I pledge to lead the effort to develop 3.5 million new housing units by 2025 to address the state’s affordability crisis.” That was candidate for governor Gavin Newsom’s promise to the California electorate in 2018 when he was running for the state’s office of chief executive.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Senior dependents don’t get coronavirus relief checks. Can the next bill change that?
Fresno Bee
Older dependents are not eligible for coronavirus relief checks. While dependents younger than 17 can net their caregivers $500 a head, seniors and their caregivers are among the millions of Americans left out by the CARES Act, outlets report.
“Completely shortchanged”: Cash-strapped cities left out of coronavirus aid push for relief
CBS News
Mayors in small and medium-sized communities from coast to coast are sounding the alarm after they were left out of the package, despite facing the same cash crunch as their larger neighbors. Only localities with populations of 500,000 were eligible for direct aid under the law, known as the CARES Act.
Social Security’s Funding Shortfall
Congressional Research Service
Social Security provides monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers, their family members, and family members of deceased workers. Many people of all ages have some connection to the program, including an estimated 178 million covered workers and approximately 64.5 million beneficiaries in 2020.
WALTERS: High court weighs timely pension case
CalMatters
It was purely coincidental that state Supreme Court justices heard arguments this week in a landmark case involving public employee pensions as state and local officials were beginning to wrest with the severe impacts of a pandemic-induced recession on their budgets.
TRANSPORTATION
Two major airports will require travelers to wear masks during coronavirus pandemic
Fresno Bee
Travelers at two major airports in the U.S. will need to add another item to their checklist before leaving to catch their flights: face coverings.
The Pandemic Emptied American Roads. But Driving Is Picking Back Up
VPR
America is starting its engines again. Freeways and city streets have been remarkably empty for weeks. The coronavirus pandemic caused an unprecedented drop in U.S. traffic — total miles driven dropped by more than 40% in the last two weeks of March, according to data collected by Arity.
Amtrak To Require Masks Starting Monday To Avoid Spread Of The Coronavirus
VPR
Amtrak is the latest transportation provider to require all passengers to wear facial coverings or masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, beginning Monday. The intercity passenger rail agency joins most of the nation’s passenger airlines and many public transit systems in requiring coverings or face masks on passengers.
WATER
California’s mountain snow cover is vanishing a month early, in a worrying setup for fire season
Washington Post
On Monday, California fire officials gathered to launch the state’s annual Wildfire Preparedness Week. The message they delivered was clear: Summer 2020 would not mimic summer 2019, when wildfires mostly remained small and manageable into August.
“Xtra”
GiveHelpNow campaign tops $1 million to help nonprofits
Fresno Bee
The one-month campaign to help Fresno charities on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic concluded with donations topping $1 million. Headed by Mayor-Elect Jerry Dyer, donations were presented to four local nonprofits.
Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra offers concerts at a distance
Bakersfield Californian
The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra is putting on mini-concerts, during which musicians go to homes or businesses and play at a distance.
The Time of Our Life Episode 2: The Pomegranate Trees
VPR
This week on The Time of Our Life, Fresno writer Tanya Nichols reads The Pomegranate Trees, which is part of Saroyan’s collection of short stories My Name Is Aram. Mark Arax and Tanya Nichols discuss themes of agriculture in Saroyan and in her latest novel, Stinger, co-written with Bill McEwen.
Commentary: Older Californians are finding ways to make their mark during COVID-19 pandemic
CalMatters
Older adults were the first to be asked to stay at home – but you are certainly not sitting out these challenging times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even behind closed doors and face masks, you are meeting this moment and finding new ways to serve your community and support your loved ones.