November 24, 2020

24Nov

2020 California Economic Summit to Shape Roadmap for Economic Recovery

CAFWD

Bringing together hundreds of private, public, and civic leaders from across California’s diverse regions on December 3-4, the 2020 California Economic Summit is the largest gathering of its kind. For the full agenda of panels, keynotes and sessions during the two-day virtual California Economic Summit click here.

 

POLICY & POLITICS

 

North SJ Valley:

 

Stanislaus County leaders share their plans for “scaled down” holiday celebrations

Modesto Bee

With private gatherings fueling the autumn surge of COVID-19, county leaders are hosting downsized Thanksgiving festivities. They want others to do the same.

See also:

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

Fresno County coronavirus surge continues with over 1,000 cases in three days

Fresno Bee

A glut of more than 1,000 new coronavirus infections – three straight days with at least 300 cases reported on Saturday, Sunday and Monday – has vaulted Fresno County to more than 36,000 cases since the global pandemic arrived locally in early March.

See also:

 

Nursing home COVID-19 outbreaks in Fresno and Madera counties among worst in California

Fresno Bee

Only a few nursing homes elsewhere in the state had more active coronavirus cases Monday than the area’s worst current outbreak, at a Chowchilla facility, according to data from the California Department of Public Health.

 

Pandemic drinking is no joke. Fresno doctor warns of spike in scary liver condition

Fresno Bee

UCSF Fresno gastroenterologist and hepatologist Dr. Marina Roytman said since the start of the coronavirus pandemic she has seen in Fresno an “unprecedented” number of cases of acute alcoholic hepatitis.

 

Coronavirus: Fresno protesters defy new curfew as case count mounts

Fresno Bee

Fresno County had 338 additional COVID-19 cases according to data reported Sunday by the California Department of Public Health, bringing the county’s total to 35,973 since the pandemic began. A total of 471 deaths have been recorded as of Sunday.

See also:

 

Fresno church continues with indoor services despite county in 'purple' tier

abc30

"We are not doing this as a challenge to our leaders, we are doing this because we think that we are an essential part of the community," says Pastor Larry Powell with People's Church.

 

The future of Madera groundwater is being decided. Do residents have a say?

Fresno Bee

If you’re worried about your well going dry and who will pay to drill deeper, or about your community having enough safe and clean water, or about your farm’s ability to irrigate, this information is for you.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Elections update: 11,000 ballots left to count in Kern, 21st Congressional race still a tossup

Bakersfield Californian

Local elections officials are in the final stretch of counting ballots cast three weeks ago in the General Election. About 11,000 ballots were left to count as of the latest update, down from 178,000 several days after the election.

 

New chicken owners in Bakersfield might be thinking 'oh god' after restraining order keeps backyard hens illegal

Bakersfield Californian

For some Bakersfield residents, a temporary restraining order blocking an ordinance allowing hens to be raised in backyards is more than an inconvenience.

 

Multi-story apartment proposal calls for removing Sinaloa restaurant building downtown

Bakersfield Californian

A local developer in escrow to buy the former Sinaloa Mexican Food Restaurant at 20th and P streets plans to demolish the 111-year-old structure and replace it with a multi-story apartment building.

 

State:

 

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Family Quarantining After 3 Kids Exposed To Coronavirus

VPR
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his family are quarantining after learning some members of his family came into contact with a California Highway Patrol officer who has tested positive for the coronavirus.

 

Daily California coronavirus cases triple as pandemic dramatically worsens

Los Angeles Times

The coronavirus is now infecting more Californians daily than at any previous point in the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about a new peak in coronavirus-related deaths by Christmas.

See also:

 

A new tool reveals the lack of Latino representation on California’s public boards

Fresno Bee

In an effort to measure the impact of California’s new board diversity law, the Latino Corporate Directors Association has launched a new tool that will measure the number of Latino directors in California’s public board rooms.

 

California NAACP Leader Resigns Amid Conflict-Of-Interest Backlash

VPR
Political consultant Alice Huffman has resigned as president of the California NAACP after a turbulent election season in which several Black leaders criticized her for endorsing ballot measures they saw as bad for African-American communities — while she was paid $1.7 million to work on the proposition campaigns.

 

Walters: Poll confirms Californians’ sour mood on higher taxes

CalMatters

A poll of California voters, conducted just before the election, finds a high level of resistance to new taxes.

See also:

 

EDITORIAL: Betty Yee must uphold law, let Alex Padilla clean up $35 million voter contract mess

Sacramento Bee

California State Controller Betty Yee did the right thing when she refused to allow Secretary of State Alex Padilla to pay $35 million to a Democratic public relations firm his office had awarded a secretive, no-bid contract.

 

Federal:

 

Sen. Feinstein to step down as ranking Senate Judiciary Committee member

Fresno Bee

California Senator Dianne Feinstein on Monday announced that she will not seek a top spot on the Senate Judiciary Committee when the 117th Congress begins next year. Feinstein has served as ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee since 2017, but she will decline to seek the position of chairman or ranking member, her office said in a statement.

See also:

 

Trump bows to reality as Biden shapes historically diverse Cabinet

Los Angeles Times

The Trump administration yielded to the reality Monday that the presidential election will not be overturned, finally authorizing the start of formal transition proceedings as President-elect Biden moved to make good his vow to appoint a historically diverse Cabinet.

See also:

 

Who Joe Biden is picking to fill his White House and Cabinet

Washington Post

One of President-elect Joe Biden’s very first tasks will be filling the top positions in his White House and Cabinet. In contrast to President Trump’s notably White and male Cabinet, Biden has promised to be “a president for all Americans” and build a Cabinet that reflects its diversity.

See also:

 

Trump pushes Supreme Court to let him reshape apportionment

The Hill

President Donald Trump faces what could be his last Supreme Court test in office on Nov. 30, when his lawyers defend his plan to exclude millions of undocumented immigrants from the congressional apportionment process.

 

AEI Political Report: Coronavirus struggles, vaccine attitudes, comfort going out, 2020 election legitimacy, and Ordinary Life: Holiday cheer

AEI

In this issue of the AEI Political Report, we look at Americans’ attitudes about the coronavirus pandemic and the promising vaccine news.

 

Opinion: Victor Davis Hanson: Progressives push for mandated equality but 'have no intention of being equal'

Fox News

Progressives campaign on the idea of "equality of result mandated by the government" secure in the knowledge that they will never "be subject to the ramifications of their own egalitarian philosophy," Victor Davis Hanson told Fox News.

 

Opinion: Trumpism is more about culture than economics

AEI

The question of whether Trumpism will survive a Trump presidency was answered affirmatively after the November 3 election by a number of commentators and politicians, most of whom have been advocating working-class conservatism for a while.

See also:

 

Opening of 117th Congress will be different due to pandemic

The Hill

When the 117th Congress convenes in January, COVID-19 precautions will prevent the 435 House members from gathering in the chamber together, so opening day festivities of swearing in members and electing the speaker will look a little different.

 

Other:

 

Fake News 101: Here’s the difference between ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation.’ We also discuss how ‘bots’ drive false news on social media.

Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust

We spend much of our time at the Institute for Media and Public Trust studying misinformation and disinformation that is shared on social media, and part of our mission is to empower news consumers with the tools to spot false content.

 

1 in 3 parents believe Thanksgiving traditions outweigh COVID-19 risks, poll says

Fresno Bee

Although health officials and agencies have urged Americans to limit Thanksgiving gatherings to household members only, one in three parents say the benefits of holiday celebrations outweigh the risks of spreading or getting the coronavirus, one poll found.

See also:

 

When should you send a holiday package? Here are the deadlines for USPS, FedEx and UPS

Merced Sun-Star

You might need to budget more time for a holiday package to arrive this year, the Postal Service is warning. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, the Postal Service is expecting more people to send holiday gifts and cards through the mail.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, November 29, at 10 a.m. on ABC30 – Maddy Report: R 907: PPIC: Reducing Recidivism Among Felons - Guest: Justin Gross, Public Policy Institute of California. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, November, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: No show this week!- Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Hatchery closes down again following three years of renovations

Bakersfield Californian

A Kernville hatchery that has served local anglers for almost a century will soon close down again 20 months after it reopened following three years of renovations.

 

New chicken owners in Bakersfield might be thinking 'oh god' after restraining order keeps backyard hens illegal

Bakersfield Californian

For some Bakersfield residents, a temporary restraining order blocking an ordinance allowing hens to be raised in backyards is more than an inconvenience.

 

Trump officials gave a finance firm $16.3 million to supply food boxes to the poor. House Democrats are raising questions about how those funds were handled.

Washington Post

One of the largest awardees in a key Trump pandemic relief operation redirected $3 million to its own nonprofit organization despite its lack of track record or capacity in delivering food to people in need, House Democrats have alleged.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

What the data says (and doesn’t say) about crime in the United States

PEW
From the first day of his presidency to his campaign for reelection, Donald Trump has sounded the alarm about crime in the United States. Trump vowed to end “American carnage” in his inaugural address in 2017. This year, he ran for reelection on a platform of “law and order.”

 

Public Safety:

 

Avenal’s Prison Labor Contract Allows Actions the CDC—and Kings County—Warned Could Spread COVID-19

VPR

More than 3,300 inmates and staff have tested positive for the virus at Avenal, a total that’s higher than any other prison in California and possibly in the entire country. Eight incarcerated men have died.

 

From Easing Drug Laws to Increasing Police Oversight, Criminal Justice Reform Won Big in the 2020 Election

TIME
In a victory for criminal justice advocates, U.S. voters approved sweeping measures that will restore voting rights to tens of thousands of people on parole, reign in the power of several big-city police departments and ease drug laws.

See also:

 

Fire:

 

Opinion: After this year’s wildfires, California must spend to manage forest health

CalMatters

California’s forests can again function as they did historically and be more resilient to wildfires, if the state makes these major shifts.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Stocks rise on still more good vaccine news

Los Angeles Times

More encouraging news Monday on the development of coronavirus vaccines and treatments helped power stocks higher on Wall Street, as the market clawed back most of its losses from last week.

 

Opinion: How to Fix Economic Inequality? An Overview of Policies for the United States and Other High-Income Economies

Peterson Institute for International Economics

This guide draws together research from the world’s leading experts on inequality trends and causes within countries and a list of available policy options to mitigate the growing gap (mostly for the United States, with lessons applicable to other advanced countries).        

 

Jobs:

 

New Virus Rules Threaten California’s October Job Gains

kpbs

California's beleaguered restaurant and hospitality industry rebounded in October, adding 66,000 jobs as the unemployment rate in the nation's most populous state dipped below 10% for the first time since the pandemic upended its economy in March.

 

List of New California Labor Laws: Some in Effect Now, Others Coming January 1

CalChamber

More than 20 new labor and employment bills were signed into state law this year. Unless otherwise stated, these new laws take effect January 1, 2021.

 

Workers call on Walmart, Amazon and other retailers to bring back hazard pay ahead of holiday rush

Washington Post

Workers at Walmart, Amazon, Kroger and other major retailers are calling on their employers to reinstate hazard pay and strengthen safety protocols ahead of the busy holiday shopping season as coronavirus infection rates skyrocket.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

What Oakdale district has learned in the month it’s had kids back on TK-6 campuses

Modesto Bee

It was about a month ago, the week of Oct. 19, that Oakdale Joint Unified School District returned its 2,550 transitional-kindergarten through sixth-grade students to its four elementary schools.

 

Higher Ed:

 

California is still debating ethnic studies in public education. Can the state finally get it right?

Los Angeles Times

At California State University, where an ethnic studies course is now mandated by state law for all undergraduate students, faculty are sparring with the administration over how best to meet that requirement.

 

This university shared its database with thousands of remote job openings

CNN
California State University, East Bay published a public database of remote job vacancies across the country to help people struggling to find employment due to the pandemic. In a press release last week, the university said it wants to help "pull the rising unemployment level in the country back to its normal level."

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Trump environmental war against California ran deep. Here’s how Biden changes everything

Fresno Bee

It will take months if not longer for the new administration to substitute its own environmental regulations for Trump’s rules on air, water, land stewardship and other issues.

 

A destructive legacy: Trump bids for final hack at environmental protections

The Guardian

Donald Trump is using the dying embers of his US presidency to hastily push through a procession of environmental protection rollbacks that critics claim will cement his legacy as an unusually destructive force against the natural world.

 

A 40-year conflict over a state park: Has it finally reached a breaking point?

CalMatters

Enjoying nature while preserving it is an age-old conflict in California, but nowhere is it more fraught than at Oceano Dunes. Can off-roading and endangered species coexist?

 

Energy:

 

The fossil fuel industry wants you to believe it’s good for people of color

Los Angeles Times

The letter to Mexico’s energy minister offered a glowing review of a fossil fuel project in Baja California. But internal documents shared with The Times reveal that the group’s main financial backers are county governments and fossil fuel companies.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Fresno County coronavirus surge continues with over 1,000 cases in three days

Fresno Bee

A glut of more than 1,000 new coronavirus infections – three straight days with at least 300 cases reported on Saturday, Sunday and Monday – has vaulted Fresno County to more than 36,000 cases since the global pandemic arrived locally in early March.

See also:

 

Nursing home COVID-19 outbreaks in Fresno and Madera counties among worst in California

Fresno Bee

Only a few nursing homes elsewhere in the state had more active coronavirus cases Monday than the area’s worst current outbreak, at a Chowchilla facility, according to data from the California Department of Public Health.

 

Pandemic drinking is no joke. Fresno doctor warns of spike in scary liver condition

Fresno Bee

UCSF Fresno gastroenterologist and hepatologist Dr. Marina Roytman said since the start of the coronavirus pandemic she has seen in Fresno an “unprecedented” number of cases of acute alcoholic hepatitis.

 

Officials tell public to stay home to stop COVID’s spread. But is anyone listening?

Washington Post

With minimal help from the White House or Congress, governors and mayors are trying desperately to tamp down a fall surge in coronavirus infections without crashing their economies — or inciting a revolt from pandemic-fatigued constituents who want this ordeal to be over.

See also:

 

Coronavirus vaccines could speed up herd immunity, Fauci says. ‘Help is on the way’

Fresno Bee

Herd immunity, which refers to how protected a community is against an illness, can play a crucial role in slowing the spread of COVID-19, health experts say.

 

Human Services:

 

CA building vaccine distribution framework, but mass vaccination still months away

abc30

California has started building a framework for how it'll obtain and distribute COVID-19 vaccines as three medical companies, Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, move closer to getting approval from the FDA.

See also:

 

Rapid Testing Is Less Accurate Than the Government Wants to Admit

ProPublica

Unlike lab-based, molecular PCR tests, which detect snippets of the virus’s genetic material, antigen tests are less sensitive because they can only detect samples with a higher viral load. The tests were prone to more false negatives and false positives.

 

Task force announces three new free COVID-19 testing sites

Bakersfield Californian

As cases rise, the Kern County Latino COVID-19 Task Force is encouraging residents to take advantage of three free testing sites available this week.

See also:

 

As Holidays Arrive, California Faces A Shortage Of In-Home Caregivers

Capital Public Radio

Experts and home care agencies say a longstanding shortage of in-home care providers has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also:

 

EDITORIAL: Our 'America First' president outsourced drug price regulation to other nations

Los Angeles Times

On prescription drugs — an area largely overlooked by the ACA — President Trump has aligned himself with the millions of consumers deeply concerned about the cost of new or specialty drugs.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

What does California have to lose if undocumented immigrants are excluded from the census?

Fresno Bee

If The U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of President Donald Trump’s memorandum to remove unauthorized immigrants from the 2020 census count, California stands to lose some political power.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Sustainable Development and Land Use Update - November 2020

JD Supra

California’s back rent is projected to reach nearly $1.7 billion by the end of the year, or almost a fourth of the total rental debt nationwide, a Federal Reserve study found. Under the state’s eviction moratorium, landlords can pursue that debt through small claims courts next spring if their tenants fail to repay by then.

 

Housing:

 

Multi-story apartment proposal calls for removing Sinaloa restaurant building downtown

Bakersfield Californian

A local developer in escrow to buy the former Sinaloa Mexican Food Restaurant at 20th and P streets plans to demolish the 111-year-old structure and replace it with a multi-story apartment building.

 

‘It’s A Shame’: California Squandered $2.7 Billion For Affordable Housing, Audit Says

Capital Public Radio

California’s lack of affordable housing is severe and well-documented. One recent estimate says the state needs 1.4 million more affordable rental homes to ease the burden on low-income families.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

The CARES Act added a new $300 charitable contribution deduction for 2020. Here’s what you should know

CNBC

Giving a few bucks to your favorite charity in time for the holidays? You can finally collect a tax break for it. The CARES Act, which was signed into law this spring, included a “partial above the line deduction” for charitable contributions.

 

Opinion: Sound the alarm on the federal debt

The Hill

The United States is slated to come out of the coronavirus era with more federal debt than annual gross domestic product for the first time since World War Two.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

GM dumps Trump. Top automaker sides with California in major shift on climate change

Fresno Bee

America’s largest automaker, in a dramatic break with the Trump administration, declared Monday it would side with California in a fierce battle over climate change, tailpipe emissions and fuel economy.

See also:

 

2 million people passed through US airports this weekend despite COVID-19 warnings

abc30

Despite advice from health officials against unnecessary travel, the TSA reports it has screened more than 2 million people over the last few days.

 

Public Transit, Battered by Pandemic, Triumphs at Ballot Box

Pew Trusts

Far fewer people are riding buses and trains during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in this month’s election voters still approved more than a dozen proposals to increase spending on public transit.

 

WATER

 

The future of Madera groundwater is being decided. Do residents have a say?

Fresno Bee

If you’re worried about your well going dry and who will pay to drill deeper, or about your community having enough safe and clean water, or about your farm’s ability to irrigate, this information is for you.

 

Video: Building a Water-Resilient California

Public Policy Institute of California

One essential gap in the groundwater sustainability planning process thus far is how to address the harm that groundwater overdraft causes rural communities using shallow wells for drinking water supply.

 

Walters: Why are taxpayers footing Klamath River dam removal cost?

CalMatters

Plans to remove four privately owned, obsolete power dams on the Klamath River advance with California taxpayers putting up more than half the cost.

 

“Xtra”

 

Where to get a Thanksgiving meal from a restaurant in Fresno – and where to buy pies

Fresno Bee

Coronavirus can’t stop Thanksgiving, but it sure is going to complicate it. Normally, this time of year we’d bring you a story about all the restaurants where you could take the whole family and sit down for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

 

Clovis Senior Activity Center Hosting Drive-thru Thanksgiving Dinner

Clovis RoundUp

For over 25 years, the Clovis Senior Activity Center has been providing a free traditional Thanksgiving meal for seniors. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the center’s Thanksgiving meals will be a drive-thru style distribution this year.

 

Here’s your planner for Modesto-area holiday parades, events, and how to enjoy them

Modesto Bee

Several communities and groups still plan to bring some holiday spirit to the region at the end of what’s been a festive-challenged year. Many of the traditional Christmas events in the Modesto and Mother Lode regions have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Photos: CALM unveils HolidayLights drive-thru display in advance of this weekend's opening

Bakersfield Californian

This year’s California Living Museum HolidayLights display will continue in its 18th year, albeit under a different format because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

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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.

                                                      

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.

 

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