Maddy Institute – November 19, 2020

19Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

Call For New Federal Partnership On Broadband Access In California

CAFwd

An initial 2019 report, Broadband for America’s Future: A Vision for the 2020s, was scheduled to be updated this month to reflect new developments but changed direction as the COVID-19 pandemic made access to broadband essential as work, education and even healthcare moved online, leaving behind low-income and underserved populations.

North SJ Valley:

Stockton mayor who pushed guaranteed income isn't reelected

Bakersfield Californian

One of the youngest mayors in the country, who garnered national attention for starting a privately funded program to give poor people $500 a month in guaranteed income, conceded that he lost his bid for reelection in his California city.

Merced-area businesses face more COVID-19 restrictions, as county reverts to purple tier

Merced Sun-Star

Businesses across Merced County on Tuesday felt the impacts of the latest novel coronavirus surge, as the strictest set of state-mandated closures went into effect locally and across most of the state.

● How will Stanislaus County enforce the state’s stricter COVID-19 restrictions? Modesto Bee

● Winter patio dining? Modesto, Stanislaus restaurants prepare for long COVID-19 season Modesto Bee

● New cases, hospital stays increase in Stanislaus Modesto Bee

Patterson Council makes controversial decision on rezoning. Why it could cost the city $20M

Modesto Bee

The Patterson City Council on Tuesday redistricted industrial land for residential and commercial use, going against requests from Stanislaus County, the school district and every resident who gave public comments.

California Republican infamous for social posts refuses – like Trump – to concede election

Modesto Bee

Republican Ted Howze was beaten handily by Rep. Josh Harder in the 2020 election. Even if Howze won all of the remaining votes left to count, he would still fall short of Harder’s lead. But Howze isn’t conceding.

Central SJ Valley:

California could get boost in race for top job on House Agriculture Committee (Cong. Costa)

San Francisco Chronicle

If Costa succeeds, it will be a victory for California, which leads the U.S. in agricultural production but draws less attention in farm policy-making than smaller, mostly Midwestern and Southern states whose congressional representatives have long dominated the committee.

Fresno County adds nearly 200 new COVID-19 cases, more people hospitalized amid surge

Fresno Bee

The California Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported Fresno County added 172 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total number of infections to 34,765 since the pandemic began in March.

● Fresno County getting coronavirus vaccines in December, city councilmembers say Fresno Bee

● Valley hospitals seeing increase in COVID-19 patients as cases surge abc30

Who will enforce COVID-19 guidelines, Fresno County or state? Here’s what we know

Fresno Bee

After Fresno County slid back into the purple tier of California’s coronavirus restrictions, two Fresno County supervisors said county officials again will rely on voluntary compliance from businesses rather than enforcing the guidelines.

See also:

● Businesses Plan Rally To Protest New Lockdown Business Journal

● Madera remains purple tier; Fresno and Merced joins Madera Tribune

● COVID-19 update: Tulare County metrics worsen as California tightens restrictions Visalia Times Delta

● Bethany Clough: Some Fresno restaurants pushing back against COVID-19 limits on indoor dining. Here’s how Fresno Bee

Tulare County offers COVID-19 testing incentive for employees to help slow spread

abc30

Community transmission of the coronavirus is rising rapidly in Tulare County. But officials hope their new Employee COVID-19 Testing Incentive Program will help slow the spread of virus, by allowing health officials to identify positive county workers, some of whom may be asymptomatic, and direct them to isolate at home.

Sen. Andreas Borgeas one of the California lawmakers on Hawaii trip amid COVID surge

Fresno Bee

Sen. Andres Borgeas (R-Fresno) is among the lawmakers who traveled to Maui this week to take part in the California Independent Voter Project’s annual policy conference, despite the statewide surge in COVID-19 cases that has led to officials urging residents to stay home.

● Andreas Borgeas confirms he's one of the CA lawmakers in Hawaii amid travel advisory, COVID-19 surge abc30

● California GOP lawmakers defend Maui trip as promoting 'intelligent public policy' Politico

Devin Nunes sues Washington Post again, saying midnight run ‘never happened’

Fresno Bee

California Rep. Devin Nunes has filed a second federal lawsuit against The Washington Post alleging reporters defamed him in their coverage, now the eighth defamation lawsuit he has filed in two years.

Election update: Fresno County finishes vote counting; Cox-Valadao race still close

Fresno Bee

Fresno County has completed counting all of its ballots on hand, according to elections officials, and the congressional race between Rep. T.J. Cox and David Valadao remains neck and neck.

South SJ Valley:

Kern County moves back to more restrictive purple tier, local businesses suffer

KGET

Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday that Kern County will move back to the more restrictive purple tier. Kern County Public Health repeated that message today that the county is dropping back to a more restrictive tier.

See also:

● 5 new COVID-19 deaths, 182 new cases reported in Kern Wednesday Bakersfield Californian

● Bakersfield nursing home issued major fine for COVID-19 workplace violations Bakersfield Californian

Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, Doesn’t Think Trump Is Going Away

New York Times

For all the drama around the presidential race, the biggest surprise of the 2020 election may have been in the House, as Republicans gained seats and cut into the Democratic majority after a campaign in which officials in both parties expected the G.O.P. to lose seats.

● Why the GOP is sticking with Trump’s election deceit Washington Post

● 'People Will Stop Believing in the Process.' Why Donald Trump's Legal Strategy Is Dangerous Even If It's Likely to Fail Time

State:

These California counties at COVID-19 ‘tipping point’ as Thanksgiving nears, data show

Fresno Bee

Daily COVID-19 cases in around one-third of California’s counties have reached a “tipping point” before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Harvard University data. Researchers are mapping coronavirus risk by state and county by the seven-day average of new cases per 100,000 people.

● In California, science guides whether to reopen hair salons — but not always schools San Francisco Chronicle

● Is California prepared for shutdown #3? CalMatters

‘Es tiempo.’ Latino leaders urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint Latino to Senate seat

Fresno Bee

Latino community leaders gathered for a press conference Wednesday at Fresno City Hall to urge California Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint in January 2021 a Latino to the U.S. Senate.

California budget analyst predicts temporary $26 billion surplus, then rising long-term deficits

Fresno Bee

California could see $26 billion in one-time surplus funds that will help balance the budget next year, but moving forward will face rising deficits, according to a new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

CalPERS approves price hikes of up to 51% for health plans favored by young, healthy workers

Fresno Bee

CalPERS approved steep rate hikes for its cheapest health insurance plans Tuesday in an effort to save its most expensive plans from collapse. California state workers who are enrolled in the cheaper plans face estimated price increases of up to $270 per month starting in 2022 under the plan, according to CalPERS projections.

Top brass at California medical group joined Newsom at dinner party

KCRA

Dustin Corcoran, the organization's chief executive officer and Janus Norman, a senior vice president, were among a dozen people at the dinner at an upscale wine country restaurant, CMA spokesman Anthony York said Tuesday.

● Photos raise doubts about Newsom’s claim that dinner with lobbyist was outdoors amid COVID-19 surge Los Angeles Times

● Unmasked: Doctors’ association execs joined Newsom at lobbyist’s birthday bash CalMatters

● Newsom's cozy ties with top lobbyist showcased by French Laundry dinner party Politico

● Aloha! Several California lawmakers emerge as apparent attendees of Maui excursion Politico

● For California Governor the Coronavirus Message Is Do as I Say, Not as I Dine New York Times

● Editorial: Gavin Newsom’s hypocritical French Laundry fiasco harms California’s COVID-19 efforts Sacramento Bee

● Column: The worst thing about Gavin Newsom’s French Laundry dinner? It was with a lobbyist Los Angeles Times

● Walters: French Laundry flap spotlights Capitol insiders CalMatters

● Opinion: Notable & Quotable: Gov. Gavin Newsom Wall Street Journal

As Broad Shutdowns Return, Weary Californians Ask ‘Is This the Best We Can Do?’

California Healthline

For Tom Davis, being told by the state this week that he must close his Pacific Edge Climbing Gym for the third time in six months is beyond frustrating. The first time the rock-climbing gym and fitness center shut down, co-owners Davis and Diane Russell took out a government loan to pay employees.

Call For New Federal Partnership On Broadband Access In California

CAFwd

FlashReport Interview with Arnie Steinberg on the defeat of Prop 16

FlashReport

We decided to ask Arnold Steinberg, who was involved in early 1995 in the early stages of what became Proposition 209 and then became that campaign’s strategist and chief consultant.

Controller Yee sparks questions with run for California Democratic Party position

Politico

California State Controller Betty Yee is running to be vice-chair of the California Democratic Party — an unusual decision for a statewide officer that is raising questions among party activists about Yee's ultimate goals.

Federal:

National COVID-19 Statistics:

● ‘The virus is winning.’ Coronavirus deaths top 250,000 in US Fresno Bee

● More than 3 million people in U.S. estimated to be contagious with the coronavirus Washington Post

● A quarter of a million people have died in the U.S. from Covid-19 New York Times

Dems nominate Pelosi as speaker again to lead into Biden era

Bakersfield Californian

House Democrats nominated Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday to be the speaker who guides them again next year as Joe Biden becomes president, and she quickly seemed to suggest these would be her final two years in the leadership post.

Pelosi reaffirms that next term as speaker will be her last Roll Call

· Pete Aguilar wins Democratic Caucus vice chair race against Robin Kelly Roll Call

2021’s Congress will feature the most women of color ever

Los Angeles Times

There will be more women of color sworn in to the 117th U.S. Congress than ever before, with at least 51 women of color elected. Ballots are still being tallied in two close races, so the number could climb.

● Opinion: America’s Shockingly Moderate Electorate Wall Street Journal

White House signals acceptance of omnibus spending package

Roll Call

The Trump administration appears ready to accept a $1.4 trillion, full-year omnibus appropriations bill rather than a simple short-term government funding extension, according to top Republicans.

Some GOP Lawmakers Voice Frustration With Trump

Wall Street Journal

President Trump’s continued election challenges and late-night firing of a homeland-security official fueled frustration among some Republicans on Capitol Hill, where tensions are already high over the partisan deadlock on coronavirus aid and efforts to keep the government funded.

● Once Again, The Great Stalemate Commentary Magazine

● Opinion: What will history say about Trump? Washington Post

● Commentary: With only 11 weeks, a transition delayed is a transition denied Brookings

How Biden Won: Ramping Up The Base And Expanding Margins In The Suburbs

NPR

There was a debate in the runup to this year's presidential election about whether it would be a base election or a persuasion one. In other words, what would matter more for a candidate — turning out one side's core voters, or winning over undecideds and wavering supporters of President Trump?

● Biden names César Chávez granddaughter, a Delano native, to White House post Vida en el valle

● Voters' Demands for Biden's First 100 Days: Tackle COVID, Boost the Economy Newsweek

● Why Joe Biden Needs Mitch McConnell to Govern Time

Army to Weigh Upgrading Less-Than-Honorable Discharges

Wall Street Journal

The Army will reconsider thousands of cases of soldiers who left the service under less-than-honorable conditions, part of a sweeping class-action settlement announced Wednesday that could allow for expanded access to federal and state veterans benefits.

Other:

Conspiracy theories, explained

Vox

Eleanor’s dad loved science — or so she thought. Eleanor grew up listening to stories of the Apollo missions and audio clips from space expeditions. Every weekend, the two of them hopped on a train to downtown Philadelphia to visit the Franklin Institute, where they would explore the planetarium, flight simulators, and technology exhibits.

How The U.S. Fended Off Serious Foreign Election Day Cyberattacks

NPR

On Election Day, Geoff Brown watched lines of text flow by on monitors at New York City Cyber Command in downtown Manhattan.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

California could get boost in race for top job on House Agriculture Committee

San Francisco Chronicle

California’s food banks will get a shake-up on Jan. 1. Will it interrupt supply?

Fresno Bee

Come Jan. 1, many of California’s food banks will get food distributed from a new organization, which promises cost savings that could result in more supplies for the facilities, more frequent delivery and a “produce mobile” with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Fowler Packing Case Goes To Supreme Court

Business Journal

One of Fresno County’s largest ag production companies is having its case heard in the U.S. Supreme Court concerning private property rights.

Thanksgiving meals will be distributed 'drive-thru style' for South Kern families Tuesday

Bakersfield Californian

The United Way of Kern County will distribute hot Thanksgiving meals in families in the Sunset Middle School parking lot on Tuesday. There will be 2,000 hot meals served to families drive-thru style. Each meal includes Thanksgiving turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, dinner roll and dessert.

Tehachapi Mountains receives wine growing designation

Bakersfield Californian

After years of hard work, Tehachapi Mountains has received accreditation for its award-winning wines. On Wednesday, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, announced that local vintners can now label their bottles of wine as the Tehachapi Mountains American Viticultural Area.

Farm support holds for Trump, but Biden may find inroads

Roll Call

President Donald Trump tenaciously courted farmers and ranchers with an anti-regulatory agenda and a confrontational trade approach that opened some markets. But he also relied on billions in federal aid to compensate them for retaliatory tariffs and a pandemic that took a deep gouge out of the economy.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Auto burglaries spike in NW Fresno.... up 34%

Fox 26 News

Thieves are out shopping just like everyone else as we get closer to the holidays. It seems crooks are scanning cars in store parking lots ready to snatch anything that looks valuable. Fresno Police provided Fox 26 News of surveillance video of a thief in action in the parking lot of the Ramada Hotel.

Deadly hate crime levels surge in latest FBI reporting

CNN

Hate crime reports in America surged in 2019 to the highest level since 2008, according to new data released on Monday by the FBI. In its annual report on national hate crime statistics, the FBI found that murders classified as hate crimes more than doubled from 2018 to 2019, with 51 people killed last year in incidents motivated by hate.

Public Safety:

Could California’s Psych Hospitals Be Ordered To Admit Inmates With COVID?

Capital Public Radio

Ervin Longstreet is in quarantine along with 49 other men on his unit at San Bernardino County’s Patton State Hospital — again. Because, somewhere at the psychiatric hospital, patients have tested positive for the coronavirus. It’s a frightening reminder of what happened last summer when, internal records show, nine Patton patients lost their lives to COVID.

Fire:

Creek Fire update: More wet weather hammers the stubborn blaze. Here’s the latest

Fresno Bee

Tuesday and Wednesday brought more rain and snow over the Creek Fire. Elevations over 8,000 feet in the Sierras received some snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, which was expected to reach elevations of 7,000 feet as colder winds moved in, according to the National Weather Service.

An 800-mile firebreak once traversed California. What happened?

San Francisco Chronicle

The world’s biggest firebreak, a nearly 800-mile line cut into the western slope of the Sierra Nevada during the Great Depression, once protected California’s forests from the state’s ceaseless infernos.

PG&E, confronting wildfire risk, names new CEO for California’s largest utility

Fresno Bee

Pacific Gas and Electric’s parent company named a new CEO on Wednesday, hiring a Michigan utility executive to run the nation’s largest utility as it confronts California’s mounting wildfire risks following a stint in bankruptcy.

See also:

● Northern California utility finds latest CEO in Michigan Bakersfield Californian

● PG&E argues its 2019 power shutoff problems shouldn't be punished Bakersfield Californian

● PG&E’s new CEO faces epic task of fixing ‘culture of ineptitude’ Los Angeles Times

● PG&E Taps Michigan Utility Leader to Become Next CEO Wall Street Journal

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

PolicyWise Episode 5: The 2020 California Economic Summit With Jade Magaña And Micah Weinberg

CAFwd

The California Economic Summit takes center stage on this week’s PolicyWise Podcast (Episode 5). CA FWD CEO and President Micah Weinberg and Jade Magaña join hosts Demetria Wack and Michael Wiafe to discuss youth involvement in the ninth annual meeting of California policymakers and regional leaders.

The End of the Mad Rush: How 2020 Is Reshaping Black Friday

Wall Street Journal

For years, one of the biggest days of the holiday shopping season was Black Friday. But in 2020, that could change. The coronavirus pandemic is fast-tracking big changes in retail that were already underway, pushing consumers into a digital future.

Jobs:

These California workers were used to solving crises, but COVID-19 took it to a new level

Fresno Bee

Accustomed to solving one crisis after another, workers at WEAVE, My Sister’s House and other agencies addressing domestic violence adopted radical changes in how they served people in the face of statewide orders for residents to shelter in place to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Here’s how hard the coronavirus pandemic hit Black workers in California

Fresno Bee

More than four of five Black workers in California have sought unemployment benefits during the covid pandemic — a rate nearly twice the state average. A new report from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab, obtained by McClatchy Wednesday, illustrates dramatically how Black workers have been hit unusually hard by the coronavirus crisis.

Walmart and McDonald’s have the most workers on food stamps and Medicaid, new study shows

Washington Post

A sizable number of the recipients of federal aid programs such as Medicaid and food stamps are employed by some of the biggest and more profitable companies in the United States, chief among them Walmart and McDonald’s, according to a new report from Congress’s nonpartisan watchdog.

U.S. Unemployment Claims Rise Amid Coronavirus Surge

Wall Street Journal

The number of applications for unemployment benefits rose sharply last week, indicating continued challenges for the U.S. economic recovery as coronavirus infections increased around the country.

· In the Covid Economy, Laid-Off Employees Become New Entrepreneurs Wall Street Journal

12 Million To Lose Jobless Benefits The Day After Christmas Unless Congress Acts

NPR

The day after Christmas, millions of Americans will lose their jobless benefits, according to a new study. And that could spell financial ruin for many people, like 44-year-old Todd Anderson in the small town of Mackinaw City, Mich.

EDUCATION

K-12:

'State-sanctioned segregation': California’s school closure debate boils over

Politico

Pandemic politics have reached a boiling point in California’s school reopening debate. A hands-off approach by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and public pressure from powerful labor unions has led the state’s biggest city districts to keep schools shuttered, leaving most of California’s 6 million public schoolchildren learning at home.

Biden promised teachers a raise, but education reforms will be a big lift in pandemic

McClatchy

President-elect Joe Biden promised to give teachers a pay raise and direct more money to schools that serve low-income children, but those education reforms will have to take a back seat to emergency needs as schools fight to save teacher jobs and close funding gaps during the pandemic.

Higher Ed:

From The Central Valley To Ivy League

CAFwd

As 16-year-old Kimberly Valadez sits in her Cornell University dorm room, she reflects on her journey from the Central Valley town of Tranquility to the Ivy League. “Since I was a child, I knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t know what college was or if there were different types of colleges.”

Community college enrollment falls as students grapple with job loss, online learning

CalMatters

David Lewis was just a few credits shy of earning his associate’s degree in journalism from Long Beach City College when the pandemic hit. Lewis, 29, was already encountering scheduling conflicts between his classes and a new job at Trader Joe’s.

● A New Era of Student Access at California’s Community Colleges PPIC

Pandemic Lessons From Community Colleges

Inside Higher Ed

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on nearly all postsecondary institutions that contend with challenges around enrollment declines, reopening plans, pivoting to virtual learning, integrating added student supports, shifts in skill demands and more.

Calls for Biden to cancel student debt grow, alongside tensions surrounding the policy

Washington Post

Political pressure is mounting for president-elect Joe Biden to use executive authority to cancel federal student debt as a form of economic stimulus, a proposal that is exposing sharp divisions among economists, consumer activists and policy wonks.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions set to drop to lowest level in three decades

Washington Post

Greenhouse gases generated by the U.S. economy will slide 9.2 percent this year, tumbling to the lowest level in at least three decades, a new BloombergNEF study says.

Biden taps climate, environment hands for transition teams

Politico

President-elect Joe Biden’s teams to review federal agencies include a host of veterans from the Obama administration and others with significant prior experience in domestic and international climate policy battles, according to a list of team members unveiled Tuesday.

Energy:

Accelerating These 3 Trends Would Reshape The Energy Industry

Forbes

For years, interest in the energy transition, the sector’s transformation from fossil-based to zero-carbon systems, has been building. Such an enormous shift takes time, of course, but the pandemic has given the world an opportunity to accelerate it – if we make the right choices.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Fresno County adds nearly 200 new COVID-19 cases, more people hospitalized amid surge

Fresno Bee

The California Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported Fresno County added 172 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total number of infections to 34,765 since the pandemic began in March.

● ‘The virus is winning.’ Coronavirus deaths top 250,000 in US Fresno Bee

● 5 new COVID-19 deaths, 182 new cases reported in Kern Wednesday Bakersfield Californian

● New cases, hospital stays increase in Stanislaus Modesto Bee

● More than 3 million people in U.S. estimated to be contagious with the coronavirus Washington Post

● A quarter of a million people have died in the U.S. from Covid-19 New York Times

Valley hospitals seeing increase in COVID-19 patients as cases surge

abc30

Valley hospitals have seen a surge of coronavirus patients in the past two weeks. Health officials worry we may eventually reach levels we haven't seen in Fresno County since July. The Fall saw a rise in local COVID cases.

Bakersfield nursing home issued major fine for COVID-19 workplace violations

Bakersfield Californian

State workplace regulators have issued one of the largest fines yet for failing to protect employees from COVID-19 on the job to a Bakersfield nursing home where nearly 200 staff and residents were infected with the coronavirus.

California’s vaccine plan will prioritize Blacks and Latinos, among others. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Take a look at California’s COVID-19 caseload maps, and it’s easy to spot where rates are highest: in some of the state’s most diverse and low-income communities. The virus has ravaged urban centers like Los Angeles, infiltrated rural Imperial County and flooded the farmlands of the Central Valley.

High Rates of COVID Among Pacific Islanders Spur Community Solutions

Capital Public Radio

When Catherine ‘Ofa Mann first came down with COVID in June, she felt like she just needed a little rest and water. Her cough was minor, but breathing was hard. That’s when she went to a doctor.

COVID-19 Denial Still Rampant In Some Virus Hot Spots

NPR

Signs posted at the entrance to the grocery store in northwest Montana told customers to wear a mask. Public health officials in Flathead County urged the same. Infection rates here are among the highest in the state. Infection rates in the state are among the highest in the country.

Human Services:

Fresno County getting coronavirus vaccines in December, city councilmembers say

Fresno Bee

Fresno County expects to get 100,000 vaccinations for the coronavirus by mid-December, according to city leaders who met with Fresno County health officials this week.

Tulare County offers COVID-19 testing incentive for employees to help slow spread

abc30

FDA allows 1st rapid virus test that gives results at home

Bakersfield Californian

U.S. regulators on Tuesday allowed emergency use of the first rapid coronavirus test that can be performed entirely at home and delivers results in 30 minutes.

● A rapid at-home covid-19 test — for under $50 — just got FDA approval Washington Post

Task Force rolls out more free COVID-19 testing

Bakersfield Californian

As Kern County slides back into the state's most restrictive purple tier, the Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force is encouraging residents to take advantage of free testing.

Fauci: Vaccine Results Are 'Important Advance,' But Virus Precautions Are Still Vital

VPR

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's foremost infectious disease expert, tells NPR that it's "OK to celebrate" the good news about Moderna's coronavirus vaccine, but warned it's not the time to back off on basic health measures.

● Four takeaways from the race for a COVID-19 vaccine Los Angeles Times

● Pfizer says its coronavirus vaccine is safe and 95% effective and that it will seek regulatory review within days Washington Post

● The End of the Pandemic Is Now in Sight The Atlantic

● Opinion: About Those Trump Vaccine Predictions Wall Street Journal

‘Tired to the bone’: Hospitals overwhelmed as U.S. surpasses 250,000 COVID deaths

Los Angeles Times

Overwhelmed hospitals are converting chapels, cafeterias, waiting rooms, hallways, even a parking garage into patient treatment areas. Staff members are desperately calling around to other medical centers in search of open beds. Fatigue and frustration are setting in among front-line workers.

A covid-fighting tool is buried in your phone. Turn it on.

Washington Post

The coronavirus surge is upon us, and your phone might be able to help. About 100 million Americans now have the ability to get pop-up notifications from local health authorities when they’ve personally spent time near someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

Child Care System for Families in Need on Verge of Collapse, Warn Providers

KQED

Child care providers who care for some of California's neediest families have been warning for months that the system is going to collapse if they don’t get help soon. In-home providers already operated on razor-thin margins.

Opinion: Amazon Shakes Up Health Care

Wall Street Journal

Amazon has driven innovation and competition across the retail industry from supermarkets to books. Now it’s gunning for pharmacies, which could force healthy changes across America’s sclerotic health-care system.

IMMIGRATION

For Immigrants, Election Promises Relief From An 'Atmosphere Of Terror'

VPR

For years, immigrants in the Atlanta suburbs lived in fear that a routine traffic stop would lead to deportation. Thousands of immigrants in the country illegally have been deported for minor offenses, advocates say, because of close ties between county jails and immigration authorities.

Judge Rules Trump Administration Can’t Immediately Expel Migrant Children Under Pandemic Order

Wall Street Journal

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration couldn’t immediately expel unaccompanied immigrant children who cross the southern border illegally and deny them a chance to request asylum under a public-health emergency the government declared in March.

● Judge Orders US to Stop Expelling Children Who Cross Border GV Wire

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

City Council Approve Loma Vista Park Plans, New City Flag Designs

Clovis RoundUp

One of the items discussed at Monday’s city council meeting was the request to approve the site layout of the Loma Vista Village Green. This will be a seven acre park that will be located between DeWolf Avenue and Leonard Avenue, north of Gettysburg Avenue.

Patterson Council makes controversial decision on rezoning. Why it could cost the city $20M

Modesto Bee

Housing:

California lost $2.7 billion it could have spent on affordable housing, audit says

Fresno Bee

California’s absence of a coordinated plan led to the state mismanaging and losing $2.7 billion that could have gone toward building more affordable housing, according to a report released by the California State Auditor on Tuesday.

Fresno COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grant Gets Boost In Funding To Meet Immense Need

VPR

When the Fresno City Council first approved a Housing Retention Grant in May for $1.5 million, the response was overwhelming, said Council President Miguel Arias. “Within a week of announcing the housing retention program, we had 14,000 residents inquire about completing an application,” he said.

Black and Latino renters face eviction, exclusion amid police crackdowns in California

Los Angeles Times

Three years after his release from prison following a cocaine dealing conviction, Terrance Stewart was accepted to UC Riverside and began searching for a place to live near campus with his wife and 3-month-old daughter.

PUBLIC FINANCES

California budget analyst predicts temporary $26 billion surplus, then rising long-term deficits

Fresno Bee

● Not dire, for now: California expects $26 billion windfall despite pandemic CalMatters

CalPERS approves price hikes of up to 51% for health plans favored by young, healthy workers

Fresno Bee

States plead for more federal help as virus outbreak worsens

AP News

With more shutdowns looming and a vaccine months away from wide distribution, governors across the U.S. are pleading for more help from Washington ahead of what is shaping up to be a bleak winter.

The IRS has blessed this workaround for dodging the cap on state and local taxes

CNBC

The IRS has signaled it will bless a workaround that allows small-business owners to skirt the $10,000 cap on state and local income tax deductions. Ever since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act took effect in 2018, high-tax states have sought ways to help individual taxpayers who itemize on their returns deal with the $10,000 limit.

TRANSPORTATION

Will ‘Amtrak Joe’ Biden bail out California’s troubled bullet train? Don’t bet on it

Los Angeles Times

President-elect Joe Biden is a self-professed train fanatic who estimates that he has ridden more than 2 million miles on 16,000 trains. This fall, he rode the rails to campaign across Ohio and Pennsylvania, part of the “Build Back Better” train tour.

See also:

· How the Biden Administration Will Tackle Travel Wall Street Journal

Boeing 737 MAX Cleared to Fly Again, but Covid-19 Has Sapped Demand

Wall Street Journal

The U.S. on Wednesday approved Boeing Co. ’s 737 MAX jets for passenger flights again after dual crashes took 346 lives, issuing a set of long-anticipated safety directives and notices to airlines globally that will help resolve the plane maker’s biggest pre-pandemic crisis.

See also:

● FAA clears Boeing 737 Max to fly again Los Angeles Times

GM to Sell Car Insurance, Using Data on Your Driving to Set Prices

Wall Street Journal

General Motors Co. is launching a car-insurance business based on the idea its vehicles can remotely track drivers’ behavior and set insurance rates accordingly.

WATER

Historic Deal Revives Plan For Largest Us Dam Demolition

Business Journal

An agreement announced Tuesday paves the way for the largest dam demolition in U.S. history, a project that promises to reopen hundreds of miles of waterway along the Oregon-California border to salmon that are critical to tribes but have dwindled to almost nothing in recent years.

California, Oregon to take over dams controlled by Warren Buffett. The plan: tear them down

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom and his Oregon counterpart signed a landmark deal Tuesday to take control of four aging dams targeted for removal on the Lower Klamath River, an agreement designed to push the controversial $450 million plan over the finish line.

What happens when a rural area’s only well is contaminated?

CalMatters

In the spring of 2013, Jocelyn Walters moved Nativearth, her family’s small shoe business, into a warehouse in Mariposa Industrial Park that gave them more space to grow.

WET Center Webinar Series: Navigating the State of the Irrigation Industry with Aric Olson, President of Jain Irrigation Inc.

The Water, Energy, and Technology Center

Join us on November 20 at 10:00 am to discuss the current and future state of the irrigation industry with Aric Olson, President of Jain Irrigation, Inc. We will be covering topics such as where irrigation innovation is needed in the areas of permanent crops and how technology could fill the gaps.

“Xtra”

Some holiday events in Fresno canceling ahead of new restrictions

Fresno Bee

The California Department of Public Health reported 328 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to more than 34,000 in Fresno County as it returns to the most restrictive tier of California’s economic reopening plan.

● Map: The coronavirus risk for a big Thanksgiving dinner in your community Washington Post

● Thanksgiving 2020: How to celebrate safely and smoothly Washington Post

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Rockefeller Center’s scraggly Christmas tree is deemed ‘a metaphor for 2020’

Washington Post

It seems inevitable, for a year in which so little has gone well, that something would be awry with the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree — an annual source of holiday joy. If 2020 were a movie, we’d complain that the screenwriters are getting lazy. This plot point is a little too on-Rudolph’s-nose.