POLICY & POLITICS
California Citizens Redistricting Commission
Today at 8am the Commission will open up additional timeslots to allow for more comment opportunities on draft maps during the November 17-23 public input meetings.
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Masks not required: Stanislaus County ends COVID-19 order after transmission level drops Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County leaders could decide who serves on two municipal advisory councils
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County supervisors could start appointing the members of two municipal advisory councils and take the choice away from voters.
Modesto urged to build affordable housing at the closed Muni Golf Course
Modesto Bee
The city closed its Modesto Municipal Golf Course about 20 months ago and is in the midst of determining the future of the 54-acre site. But the answer is obvious: Build affordable housing to help ease the city’s crushing housing crisis.
Biden signs $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. What it means to the Modesto area
Modesto Bee
The $1 trillion infrastructure bill that President Biden signed into law represents a historic achievement at a time of deeply fractured politics. But the compromises needed to bridge the political divide suggest that the spending might not be as transformative as promised.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
As Tulare County reaches grim COVID-19 milestone, pandemic shows no signs of slowing down Visalia Delta-Times
County board to address employer vaccine mandate Porterville Recorder
Fresno County supervisors to pick a new district map. Its impacts will last a decade
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors could pick a new district map on Tuesday after a public hearing.
See also:
All three GOP Fresno County supervisors have links to man who drew district maps they favor Fresno Bee
Tulare healthcare district hires current member as new CEO, leaving board with 2 vacancies
Visalia Times-Delta
The Tulare Local Healthcare District now has two vacancies to fill after the hospital board hired one of its own members to become the district's new chief executive.
Visalia Unified accepting applications for Area 6 board vacancy
Visalia Times-Delta
Visalia Unified is accepting applications for the district’s board member vacancy for Area 6, previously held by Christopher Pope prior to his resignation last week.
What President Biden's infrastructure bill means for Central California
abc30
President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package Monday morning, helping fulfill part of his economic agenda. Millions of dollars will be used in Central California for significant infrastructure, broadband, and water projects.
Warszawski: Think Fresno County’s redistricting maps are unfair? Don’t let politicians decide them
Fresno Bee
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will approve a 2021 redistricting map that gives each of them the best chance of staying in power. You can always count on politicians to do two things: look out for themselves first and their allies second.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Kern County slowly rolls out pediatric doses of COVID-19 vaccine Bakersfield Californian
School districts report losing few employees as weekly COVID-19 testing mandate begins
Bakersfield Californian
School officials throughout Kern County are reporting a majority of employees are in compliance; however, a few are still on unpaid leave due to noncompliance with the state mandate.
State:
COVID Update:
70% of Californians have gotten at least one COVID vaccine dose Los Angeles Times
California students can get vaccinated. When will the state let them take off their masks? Sacramento Bee
California says Amazon hid COVID outbreaks from workers, will pay $500,000 Mercury News
Amazon to pay $500,000 penalty for failing to notify California workers of COVID cases Sacramento Bee
Judgement: Amazon must notify warehouse workers of new COVID cases within a day Business Journal
Infrastructure week is finally here. What California will get
Los Angeles Times
Democrats are heralding the bill as a way to create jobs across the nation, including in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom has said the package would accelerate projects that will spawn “thousands” of jobs, many of which will address climate change.
See also:
Opinion: Biden vs. California Wall Street Journal
California makes plans to be the nation’s abortion provider in a post-Roe world
Los Angeles Times
With access to abortion at stake across the U.S., California is getting ready to become the nation’s abortion provider. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders have asked a group of reproductive health experts to propose policies to bolster the state’s abortion infrastructure and prepare it for more patients.
California officials vie to improve response after oil spill
Associated Press
California officials on Monday said better communication and detection technologies could improve the state’s response to an oil spill like last month’s crude pipeline leak off the Orange County coast.
Don’t look now but deep-blue California has become a congressional battleground
Los Angeles Times
While other states have redrawn their political maps to protect sitting lawmakers, California could have as many as 10 reasonably competitive House races in 2022, based on the preliminary maps issued last week by the state’s Citizens Redistricting Commission.
See also:
Latino voting rights groups say proposed district maps don’t reflect California Sacramento Bee
Walters: California’s messier, but fairer, redistricting process CalMatters
Marijuana is legal in California. Why is one county holding up grow licenses?
Fresno Bee
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, which is holding up cannabis growing licenses in a disagreement over how to conduct criminal background checks.
4 seek Chiu’s Assembly seat + New challenge to Josh Harder + California joins climate alliance
Sacramento Bee
Earlier this month, the California Assembly said farewell to David Chiu, who is leaving Sacramento behind to serve as San Francisco’s City Attorney. That means it’s time for yet another special election.
Drilling for ‘white gold’ is happening right now at the Salton Sea
Los Angeles Times
The $500-million project is finally getting started after years of hype and headlines about the Imperial Valley someday becoming a powerhouse in the fight against climate change.
Federal:
COVID Update:
Biden administration plans imminent booster expansion to all adults Axios
COVID Harmed Kids’ Mental Health—And Schools Are Feeling It Pew Trusts
Opinion: Congress should back Valley advocate as deputy head of Small Business Administration
Fresno Bee
For the first time in history, the White House nominee for deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration has strong, genuine ties to the Central Valley.
Washington Post
President Biden on Monday signed a sweeping $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill to upgrade the nation’s roads, bridges, water systems and broadband, touting the measure’s passage as evidence for his insistence that bipartisanship can work even in a bitterly polarized time.
See also:
State and Local Push on Infrastructure Finally Pays Off Pew Trusts
In implementing infrastructure law, Biden turns to two former mayors for help Roll Call
Biden Signs $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Into Law Wall Street Journal
Tensions abate as Dems await cost of social spending bill Politico
House reconciliation vote could slip to Saturday
Roll Call
A House vote on the Democratic reconciliation package could stretch into the weekend to await an official cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office, senior Democrats said Monday night.
See also:
Feinstein poised to move into presidential line of succession if Democrats keep Senate
Los Angeles Times
The Senate’s longest-serving Democrat announced Monday he won’t run for reelection next year, a decision that would move California Sen. Dianne Feinstein into the role and potentially into the presidential line of succession.
Washington Post
Americans say by a roughly 2-to-1 margin that the Supreme Court should uphold its landmark abortion decision in Roe v. Wade, and by a similar margin the public opposes a Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
Biden and Xi, once travel companions, face off in virtual meeting
Los Angeles Times
The conversation featured cold language of global strategy as the two superpowers have become entrenched in what some analysts have described as a second Cold War.
Vermont Democratic Sen. Leahy, 81, is retiring after 8 terms
Associated Press
Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont said Monday he won’t seek reelection next year to the seat he’s held since 1975, signaling an end to a career that included major roles on issues such as civil liberties and financing the government and that began before four of his current colleagues were born.
Opinion: Joe Biden’s Empty Inflation Toolbox
Politico
Presidents have little power to bring down rising prices. History shows the public doesn’t care.
Other:
‘We are still here’ - Valley Native Americans on the challenges of keeping their culture alive
VPR
A student asks Malone about how she plans to keep the Wukchumni culture alive. Malone looks over at her grandkid, starts laughing and says, “I’m with her every day and if she don’t learn something today then I pound her on the head!”
See also:
Election Officials Have Another Year to Fight Disinformation
Pew Trusts
After a year of election-related lies and disinformation, voters in 32 states went to the polls this month with few major technical errors, lines or delays in results.
See also:
Facebook struggled with disinformation targeted at Latinos, leaked documents show Los Angeles Times
Antitrust hawks offer states a toolbox for regulating Big Tech Roll Call
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, November 28, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "State Auditor Elaine Howle: A Retrospective" - Guest: Elaine Howle, CPA, California State Auditor. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, November 21, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "The Valley Experience with On-Line Government"- Guests: Danielle Bergstrom, Fresnoland: Fresnoland's Documenter's Program and Erica Manuel, CEO & President of the Institute for Local Government. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Researchers to Study, Report on Impacts of Drought on Agriculture and Communities
UC Merced
A new $1.5 million research grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture is supporting School of Engineering Professor Josué Medellín-Azuara, collaborating engineering professors Joshua Viers and John Abatzoglou and engineering and policy expert Alvar Escriva-Bou from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in developing economic analysis and decision support tools for agriculture during droughts.
California studies what a carbon-neutral future means for its lands
Ag Insider
In a carbon-neutral future, California’s farmers could plant water-conserving crops enriched by composting, the result of widespread carbon farming. Socially disadvantaged farmers could become more empowered. Farmworkers could be healthier and better paid.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
California Police Fail to Track Guns Used in Crimes
The Crime Report
Law enforcement agencies across California are failing to correctly log guns in a state firearms database, preventing thousands of weapons from being traced by the federal government, potentially hampering police investigations, and keeping gun smugglers in the shadows.
Trump Ally Steve Bannon Surrenders to FBI
Wall Street Journal
Steve Bannon surrendered to law enforcement Monday and was released on his own recognizance, after a federal grand jury indicted him on criminal contempt of Congress charges for defying the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Public Safety:
Quick growth in Clovis community outpacing police staff
abc30
Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming says in 2008, The department had 117 sworn officers on staff. Now with a significantly larger city, the department has shrunk to 103 sworn officers.
Brief: Comparing Law Enforcement Basic Training Academies
Little Hoover Commission
In this Issue Brief – which was produced as part of the Commission’s study – the Commission gives context to the different ways in which other states administer basic training and provides a deeper look into how basic training varies by academy in California.
Police Have a Tool to Take Guns From Potential Shooters, but Many Aren’t Using It
Wall Street Journal
Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., now have red-flag laws, which allow authorities, and sometimes family members or co-workers, to ask judges to order the temporary seizure of guns from people threatening violence. But many jurisdictions have used the laws to take away few or no guns, a Wall Street Journal analysis of the data shows.
Study: Race, Justifiable Homicide, and Stand Your Ground Laws
Urban Institute
This study finds that homicides with a white perpetrator and a black victim are ten times more likely to be ruled justified than cases with a black perpetrator and a white victim, and the gap is larger in states with Stand Your Ground laws.
Fire:
Windy Fire 100 percent contained
Porterville Recorder
At least the most recent major fire in the Sequoia National Forest didn't last into two years. Sequoia National Forest reported early Monday morning the Windy Fire was officially 100 percent contained.
Cal Fire chief is retiring. Led agency through two horrific wildfire seasons
Sacramento Bee
Thom Porter announced his retirement Monday as director of Cal Fire, following two of the toughest wildfire seasons in California’s history. In an email to employees, Porter said he will leave the agency on Dec. 10.
See also:
Pandemic Adds Stress to Already Strained Rural Fire Departments
Pew Trusts
Rural firefighters have been on the front lines of the pandemic, tackling wildfires and vehicle accidents even as they transport ill and injured residents to hospitals. COVID-19’s heavy toll on rural hospitals has extended to emergency responders, meaning firefighters are answering more medical calls than ever before.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Warehouses are overwhelmed by America's shopping spree
VPR
In simplest terms, America's warehouses are running out of space. It's all claimed and bursting at the seams. How did that happen? Warehouses have become a key middle link in the country's supply chain.
See also:
Key reason for supply shortages: Americans keep spending Sacramento Bee
Retail Sales Rose by 1.7% in October Despite High Inflation Wall Street Journal
3 ways the economic recovery could suddenly turn into a recession as red flags mount
Business Insider
While Americans are still spending more and getting back to work, the slowdown shows the economy is still vulnerable, and a big enough shock could reverse all the gains made in the last year, sending us back into the depths of a recession.
Jobs:
Kaiser reaches labor agreements with unions. Why Modesto strike is still set for Friday
Modesto Bee
A separate agreement over the weekend with the Alliance of Health Care Unions removed a strike threat in which 32,000 Kaiser employees in Southern California and Oregon had threatened to walk off the job Monday.
See also:
Kaiser pharmacy strike averted in deal. Other walkouts still planned later this week Fresno Bee
Kaiser Permanente reaches deal to avoid strike involving 1,200 pharmacists abc30
Will California labor shortage lift warehouse union drive? Dollar General workers call for vote
Sacramento Bee
More than 40 workers at a Dollar General warehouse in West Sacramento could be among the first in the company to join a union, representing a significant milestone in organizing one of the biggest employers and industries in the country.
There Are More Jobs Than Jobless People in 42 States
Pew Trusts
A record number of job openings and fewer workers to fill them have left 42 states with more available jobs than people looking for work, according to a Stateline analysis of federal statistics from August, the latest available.
See also:
State and local government jobs slump for third-straight month as recovery remains elusive MarketWatch
The Government Job Application Drop-off is 'Snowballing' Route Fifty
Looking for work? What Biden’s infrastructure bill could mean for California job seekers
Sacramento Bee
California could see hundreds of thousands of highway and transit-related jobs over the next five years because of the new federal infrastructure plan President Joe Biden signed on Monday.
See also:
Infrastructure week is finally here. What California will get Los Angeles Times
Nontraditional Workers Face Multiple Barriers to Saving for Retirement
Pew Trusts
Income demands, lack of workplace plans are obstacles for temporary, freelance, and other workers
DOL proposal would eliminate Trump-era apprenticeship program
Reuters
The U.S. Department of Labor said it was moving to eliminate a Trump-era program that allowed businesses and trade groups to create and oversee their own apprenticeships, which many Democrats and unions claimed was unlawful and ripe for abuse.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Prevention plans, metal detectors, training: What should school safety really look like?
Modesto Bee
The Modesto Bee reached out to Stanislaus County’s largest school districts to ask about their safety measures. District officials encouraged families to communicate concerns with school staff.
Equitable grading, explained: Stanislaus schools work to make grades more accurate, fair
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County’s three largest school districts are working with equitable grading practices at various stages.
California Department of Education
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced a bold vision for ensuring that every California student will learn to read by third grade by the year 2026 during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
The 74
Thirty-seven percent of the state’s fourth-graders score below the basic level on federal reading tests, and a recent report shows many districts are struggling to provide strong reading instruction to disadvantaged Latino students.
Most Republicans oppose teaching kids about the lingering effects of racism
Washington Post
New polling from The Post and ABC News offers some additional insight into partisan views of education. For example, one of the factors that was identified as being a source of frustration for those evaluating how schools are run in each state was the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State wins major donation to help students experiencing homelessness, foster care
Fresno Bee
A $1 million endowment from a pair of Fresno philanthropists will help Fresno State students who have experienced foster care and homelessness, the university announced Monday.
UC lecturers will strike Wednesday, halting instruction for thousands of students
CalMatters
The lecturer union and UC have made some progress in their multi-year impasse over a new contract, but many issues remain unsolved. This week’s planned strike is over various alleged UC unfair labor practices.
Opinion: I’m horrified after revisiting my favorite book from elementary school
CalMatters
“Island of the Blue Dolphins” is an influential part of California’s literary history, but it should not be promoted without context.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
As temperatures rise, air quality experts keep an eye on ‘ozone climate penalty’
VPR
Over the last few decades, air quality in the San Joaquin Valley has greatly improved. But climate change could jeopardize those gains, and researchers are trying to figure out by how much.
Drilling for ‘white gold’ is happening right now at the Salton Sea
Los Angeles Times
The $500-million project is finally getting started after years of hype and headlines about the Imperial Valley someday becoming a powerhouse in the fight against climate change.
America’s Infrastructure Struggles With New Weather Forecast
Wall Street Journal
Across America, historically anomalous weather is overwhelming infrastructure and government systems designed to withstand the weather of the past, forcing cities and utilities to rethink resiliency plans.
Energy:
Fast Company
Moving toward this goal, SoCalGas has taken on an ambitious project: the [H2] Hydrogen Home powered solely by clean electricity and hydrogen. The demonstration home is the first project of its kind in the U.S. and is currently under construction in the city of Downey, CA.
Opinion: Clean energy is key to making heating bills more affordable
CalMatters
Studies show that transitioning to an electricity grid powered by 100% clean energy can lock in lower utility bills.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Covid-19 Boosters Become Available to All Adults Across Several States, Cities
Wall Street Journal
Several cities and states have begun offering Covid-19 boosters to all adults, moving beyond federal guidelines in a bid to prevent another wave of cases as people head inside during the cold weather.
Pfizer Licenses Promising Covid-19 Pill to U.N.-Backed Nonprofit
Wall Street Journal
Pfizer is licensing its experimental Covid-19 antiviral to a global health organization in an effort to make the pill more readily available to people in low- and middle-income countries.
Brookings
There are ready policy options that can allow us to meet the goals of both controlling prescription drug costs and promoting investments in innovative new therapies that can make us healthier.
Human Services:
Kaiser reaches labor agreements with unions. Why Modesto strike is still set for Friday
Modesto Bee
A separate agreement over the weekend with the Alliance of Health Care Unions removed a strike threat in which 32,000 Kaiser employees in Southern California and Oregon had threatened to walk off the job Monday.
See also:
Kaiser pharmacy strike averted in deal. Other walkouts still planned later this week Fresno Bee
Kaiser Permanente reaches deal to avoid strike involving 1,200 pharmacists abc30
Labor Groups Press for Biden’s Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate to Go Further
Wall Street Journal
Three labor organizations are calling on the Biden administration to review its Covid-19 vaccine mandate, with some indicating the policy is too limited in applying to only large businesses.
IMMIGRATION
Asylum seekers face job losses amid USCIS delays: lawsuit
Reuters
A group of asylum applicants facing the loss of their jobs have filed a lawsuit claiming U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has unlawfully delayed renewing their U.S. work authorizations.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Land-use fees set to increase to accommodate state law requiring organic material be recycled
Bakersfield Californian
Kern County homeowners could soon see a big increase to their land use fee. To comply with a new state law intended to reduce greenhouse gases from landfills, Kern County Public Works is proposing raising the land use fee by around 71 percent.
Housing:
Modesto urged to build affordable housing at the closed Muni Golf Course
Modesto Bee
The city closed its Modesto Municipal Golf Course about 20 months ago and is in the midst of determining the future of the 54-acre site. But the answer is obvious: Build affordable housing to help ease the city’s crushing housing crisis.
Prepping for the Big One, California earthquake insurance agency looks to cut coverage
Sacramento Bee
California’s main provider of earthquake insurance is warning that it needs to scale back coverage to stave off a potential financial disaster. The California Earthquake Authority, which was created after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, says it may reduce the payout benefits it provides to the authority’s more than 1 million customers.
Opinion: Will California’s plan for clearing homeless camps work?
CalMatters
Gov. Newsom says the situation with homeless encampments is unacceptable. The state housing agency is funding more services, while Caltrans is clearing some camps. But advocates are wary.
Opinion: How freeways bulldoze California communities of color
CalMatters
Listen to the new episode of “Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast,” on a Los Angeles Times investigation on how new freeways continue to disproportionately impact Black and Latino neighborhoods.
Homeowners With Risky Alternatives to Traditional Mortgages Eligible for COVID-19 Relief Money
Pew Trusts
Aid could be offered to those with traditional mortgages and those using alternative financing to purchase a home, including many who previously had been excluded from earlier federal and state programs.
PUBLIC FINANCES
State Personal Income Up From Pre-Pandemic Levels, Despite Less Aid
Pew Trusts
State personal income fell nearly everywhere in the second quarter of 2021 compared with historically high levels a year earlier, when Americans received the first round of temporary relief payments to help weather the pandemic.
Many California public employees to pay more for pensions as CalPERS lowers earnings target
Sacramento Bee
Public employees in California will bear the brunt of an investment policy change the CalPERS board made Monday, contributing more toward their pensions while their employers enjoy a short-term reprieve thanks to last year’s stock market boom.
Better pensions for California transit workers? Biden administration targets state law
Sacramento Bee
President Joe Biden’s Labor Department has sided again with California transit workers who want to preserve more lucrative retirement benefits. This time, the decision could hold up $12 billion in federal funds set aside for California public transportation agencies.
TRANSPORTATION
California hits another gas price record — and Sacramento’s average is even higher
Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento metro again hit a record high average price for regular gas this week, with prices rising to more than $4.70 a gallon Sunday. It is the ninth time this month that prices have increased over the previous November high, according to the American Automobile Association.
See also:
As California gas prices rise, here’s what you can expect for Thanksgiving week travel Sacramento Bee
California ranked as worst state to be a driver Mercury News
Travel in 2022 Will Be Even Busier Than Pre-pandemic Times, According to New Report
Travel Leisure
Next year is predicted to be even more popular for trips than before the pandemic, a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council shows.
WATER
Consolidating Small Water Systems Is a Springboard to Water Justice
Public Policy Institute of California
California’s State Water Board has embarked on an ambitious program to encourage struggling small water systems to join forces with larger, neighboring water systems. We spoke with two experts to find out how it’s going.
“Xtra”
Fog in Bakersfield is a love-hate relationship
Bakersfield Californian
Waking up to a blanket of dense tule fog in Bakersfield is actually pretty rare in the month of November, despite the thick foggy conditions that settled over the southern valley and most of Bakersfield Monday morning.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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