November 29, 2021

29Nov

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Online Democracy: Is it a Good Connection?

The Maddy Institute

Join us on December 13 at 12 PM for a discussion about what makes a ‘public meeting,’ public. Little Hoover Commission Chairman Pedro Nava will discuss the impact digital platforms, such as Zoom, have on democracy. Use code MAOLD1213 to register HERE.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Experts propose a redraw of Stanislaus County district to avoid voting rights issue

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County’s redistricting commission is working on the boundaries for creating a supervisorial district that has a strong majority of Latino voters.

 

Trash bills will likely jump in much of Stanislaus. It has to do with climate change

Modesto Bee

Many Stanislaus County residents can expect hefty increases in their garbage rates to comply with a state law on organic waste.

 

Caltrans was liable for death at Modesto homeless camp. Why it won’t have to pay damages

Modesto Bee

After just 20 minutes of deliberation, a Stanislaus County jury on Friday declined to award damages to Maurice Bigley, whose daughter, Shannon, died in the accident. He had sought $15 million.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Fresno County names an interim head for Social Services, which has come under fire

Fresno Bee

Fresno County announced an interim director on Wednesday for the troubled Department of Social Services. A 30-year employee of the department, Maria Aguirre will take over Dec. 13, according to a news release. Director Delfino Neira’s last day is Dec. 10.

See also:

 

‘Offensive’ names in Fresno? These places landed on the federal government’s list

Fresno Bee

The U.S. Geological Survey published a list of more than 600 places around the nation that use the term “squaw” in their name — including about half a dozen places in Fresno County.

See also:

 

Builder faces lawsuit after Fresno workers injured by ozone leak at water treatment plant

Fresno Bee

The City of Fresno is suing a building contractor and an engineering firm for allegedly doing faulty work on the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility that caused injuries to two city employees.

 

Fresno leaders celebrate Biden spending plan. Here’s what stands to benefit locally

Fresno Bee

Fresno-area leaders celebrated on Tuesday the $1 trillion infrastructure plan that President Joe Biden signed into law last week, saying The Fresno-Yosemite International Airport is in a prime spot to benefit.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:

 

Not just fracking: State slows almost all oil permitting

Bakersfield Californian

Behind California's de-facto fracking moratorium is a broader trend of growing concern to Kern's oil industry: fewer permits for every other type of well work except plugging and abandonments.

 

Henry: New Kern River coalition; Grassroots or astroturf?

Bakersfield Californian

The main water district involved in several legal battles for Kern River water has launched a new coalition/messaging campaign it is calling Sustainable Kern River.

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

Touring Sacramento’s doomed Capitol Annex reminded me that California love is bipartisan

Sacramento Bee

Every company town has its landmarks laden with lore and accompanying lingo. In Sacramento, we are about to bid adieu to one of those landmarks: After nearly 70 years of use, the dully dubbed Capitol Annex will soon be demolished and replaced.

 

California Labor Fed votes to endorse Lorena Gonzalez as its next leader

Politico

The non-binding vote by the body’s executive council will not immediately elevate Gonzalez to a new role or cause her to leave the Legislature because Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski has not stepped down or reached the end of his term.

 

A 50% coupon for one tool? Gardeners call California’s subsidy inadequate

CalMatters

California will ban most new gas-powered lawn equipment starting in 2024, but landscapers and gardeners warn the transition will cost them money and jobs. Industry officials say the technology isn’t ready for commercial use and called a $30 million incentive program for small operators inadequate.

 

Opinion: The GOP is blaming coordinated retail thefts on 7-year-old Prop. 47

San Francisco Chronicle

California is under siege and the left is to blame, partly because of Proposition 47, which voters approved in 2014. The initiative raised the dollar amount by which theft could be prosecuted as a felony from $400 to $950.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

Manchin’s next blow to liberals

Axios

During his six years as governor, Sen. Joe Manchin developed a rough three-part test he's taken to Washington: Are proposed programs paid for? Do they have bipartisan support? And do they solve a specific problem facing his constituents?

See also:

 

The overlooked public health issue that could make or break Biden’s new drug regulator

Politico

Robert Califf, who President Joe Biden nominated this month to lead the agency, is being looked to by forces from all sides as someone who can reboot the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products.

Biden’s anti-Trump approach to racial justice flashpoints

Politico

The president has kept a low profile amid two emotionally charged trials, but that’s left people on both sides of the political divide dissatisfied.

 

Biden Leads Democratic Push to Block New Abortion Restrictions After Shifting Stance in Campaign

Wall Street Journal

As the Supreme Court prepares to consider a big test to abortion rights, President Biden is leading Democratic efforts to block new restrictions on the procedure, following a campaign shift toward the views of a liberal Democratic Party.

 

Biden hits a new low in the NPR/Marist poll as inflation concerns rise

VPR

Biden's approval is down to 42%, the lowest recorded in the survey since Biden took office. And a slim majority also says he hasn't fulfilled his campaign promises.

See also:

 

Opinion: Congress takes steps to improve low-income broadband adoption rates

AEI
The act represents a potentially significant improvement over previous efforts to help low-income families get online. But as always, much will depend on how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) carries out its new congressional mandate.

Opinion: A Tax Break for Union Dues

Wall Street Journal

The bill the House passed would allow union members to deduct up to $250 of dues from their tax bills. The deduction is “above the line,” meaning filers can exclude the cost of dues from their gross income.

 

Other:

 

The New World of Pandemic Politics

Wall Street Journal

The crisis has entrenched attitudes toward government among Republicans and Democrats and created unpredictable dynamics for the elections ahead

 

What Makes Life Meaningful? Views From 17 Advanced Economies

Pew Research

What do people value in life? How much of what gives people satisfaction in their lives is fundamental and shared across cultures, and how much is unique to a given society? Pew posed an open-ended question about the meaning of life across 17 advanced economies.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, December 5, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: ​​ "California’s Changing Electorate" - Guest: Mindy Romero, Director - Center for Inclusive Democracy, Price School of Public Policy at USC; Dean Bonner, Associate Survey Director and Research Fellow - PPIC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, December 5, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: ​​ "California Changing Electorate: ​​ Is the Valley’s Electorate More or Less So?"- Guests: Thomas Holyoke, Professor of Political Science - Fresno State; Jessica Trounstine, Professor of Political Science - UC Merced; Ivy Cargile, Asst. Professor of Political Science - CSU Bakersfield. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

From farm to table, how Fresno County’s top crops have changed over the past 50 years

Fresno Bee

This week’s celebration of Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of the agricultural bounty produced in Fresno County. Just about everything on the stereotypical Thanksgiving table is represented among the crops or commodities that are grown or raised here.

 

Kern citrus growers blame smaller fruit, lower volume on summer heat

Bakersfield Californian

Damage from summer's hotter-than-normal weather appears to be showing up in this year's citrus crop. Local growers say some oranges have been coming in noticeably smaller in size and volume, enough to cut into sales for both reasons.

 

Californians legalized pot, but these 10 big cities still don’t have retail dispensaries

Sacramento Bee

Though Californians voted to legalize adult use marijuana in 2016, it remains largely unavailable in some of the biggest cities in the state.

See also:

 

As California prepares to raise marijuana tax, a cannabis entrepreneur calls for tax revolt

Sacramento Bee

Fresh off of news that California is set to raise the cannabis cultivation tax despite projections of a $31 billion surplus, one marijuana entrepreneur is calling for a potential tax revolt this summer.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE​/​FIRE​/​​PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

 

California’s execution moratorium raises question of reducing some of those sentences

San Francisco Chronicle

California, with 697 inmates on the nation’s largest Death Row, has not executed anyone since January 2006, and will not execute anyone under Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has declared a moratorium and dismantled the San Quentin death chamber.

 

California Leaders Vow to Crack Down After High-Profile Burglaries

New York Times

Across eight days this month, near Chicago, around the Bay Area and in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, a series of fast, high-profile burglaries have alarmed businesses, bystanders and some state and local officials, who have promised to crack down on the crimes.

See also:

 

Walters: Crime could become hot issue in 2022

CalMatters

Political reaction to a spate of smash-and-grab retail thefts indicates that crime could be a hot button issue in next year’s California elections.

 

Public Safety:

 

Law enforcement authorities issue shopping tips for the holiday season

Bakersfield Californian

National and local law enforcement officials shared several tips this week to help protect consumers during the holiday season. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that increased criminal activity is expected over the holiday season.

See also:

 

With federal oversight in short supply, state AGs step in to probe troubled police

Washington Post

The new laws have only passed in Democratic-controlled states, but bills containing the measures received some bipartisan support in two states. Since the bills became law, investigations have been launched exclusively by Democratic state attorneys general.

 

Court blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandate for California prisons

Associated Press

A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked an order that all California prison workers must be vaccinated against the coronavirus or have a religious or medical exemption.

 

Opinion: Vigilante justice and the end of America

Washington Post

Two recent vigilante killing trials, one in Georgia, the other in Wisconsin, have exposed a terrifying trend of armed citizens who, in the name of justice, only make America less safe and portend a future of fear, intimidation and increasing violence.

 

Fire:

 

Stanislaus State professor starts wildfire research

Turlock Journal

Stanislaus State Assistant Professor of Physics Wing To was having some beers with atmospheric scientists last year when they came up with an idea for a research project that could speed up predictions of the atmospheric effects of California wildfires.

​​ 

California wildfire fallout: Timber industry confronted by too many dead trees, warns of damaged forests

San Francisco Chronicle

Mills are fielding an oversupply of logs salvaged from fire-scarred forests. It’s forcing timber companies to rethink how to regrow sustainable forests. It’s left a huge swath of California with so much dead fuel on the ground that it is perilously vulnerable to future fires.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

General Mills increasing prices in 2022

abc30

Like just about everything on store shelves, your favorite bowl of cereal could cost you more next year. According to one regional wholesale supplier-- General Mills is raising prices on hundreds of its products in 2022.

 

Americans are spending but inflation casts pall over economy

Fresno Bee

A raft of economic data issued Wednesday showed the economy on solid footing, with Americans’ incomes rising and jobless claims falling to a level not seen since the Beatles were still together.

 

Dems fear supply-chain blame

Axios

As supply-chain kinks drive up prices and disrupt holiday shopping, Democrats are scrambling to show action and deflect blame. With their party controlling both the White House and Capitol, vulnerable Democrats worry supply-chain snafus will hurt them in next year's midterms.

See also:

 

Black Friday Brought Shoppers Back to Stores

Wall Street Journal

U.S. shoppers spent more time and money at bricks-and-mortar stores over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend than the same period last year, though foot traffic remained below pre-pandemic levels.

 

Jobs:

 

Labor stays steady in Stanislaus County

Turlock Journal

The unemployment rate remained unchanged in October, as dips in some sectors were offset by gains in other sectors, according to the latest data from the Employment Development Department.

 

More people working in Kings County

Hanford Sentinel

The unemployment rate in Kings County was 7.9 percent in October 2021, unchanged from a revised 7.9 percent in September 2021, and below the year-ago estimate of 9.8 percent.

 

California Labor Fed votes to endorse Lorena Gonzalez as its next leader

Politico

California Labor Federation officials have voted to endorse Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) as the powerful organization’s next leader, sources confirmed to POLITICO.

 

Prime-Age Employment Rate Is Recovering Unevenly Across States

Pew Trusts

Every state’s employment rate among prime-age adults was lower on average over the 12 months through June 2021 compared with the year before the COVID-19 recession. The pandemic left the labor market in disarray even as economic conditions began to improve.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

TUSD to hold special meeting after trustee mask incident

Turlock Journal

The Turlock Unified School District Board of Trustees will be holding a special meeting on Monday to discuss a resolution that outlines expectations for board meetings while students are present.

 

With more foggy days ahead, should Fresno-area schools change foggy day schedules?

Fresno Bee

Dense fog is making the commute to schools dangerous for bus passengers, drivers, and pedestrians. Meanwhile, administrators in the Central and Selma districts deal with balancing foggy-day schedules that serve both urban and rural students

 

BCSD considers how to engage students who aren't showing up to school while understaffed

Bakersfield Californian

Before the pandemic, the Bakersfield City School District would regularly send out attendance teams from each school to find students who weren't showing up and work to get them back on track.

 

Researchers urge changes to improve California’s education funding law

EdSource

California’s landmark funding reform law needs to be fixed to help meet its promise of raising the achievement of underperforming student groups, conclude two recently published research studies.

 

Schools Cancel Classes to Give Teachers and Students Mental-Health Days

Wall Street Journal

School districts nationwide are canceling classes for what they are calling mental-health days, saying students and staff need the breaks to handle the pressure of returning to school during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Opinion: The Idaho Legislature quietly gave families a new path forward on education

Idaho Statesman

The drop in public school enrollment during the 2020-21 school year had many who had been pushing for more education options — in Idaho and across the country — convinced that the traditional system’s day of reckoning had finally come.

 

Higher Ed:

 

Stan State launches library drive. Almond Alliance has new leader

Modesto Bee

Turlock residents John and Jeani Ferrari and Class of 1972 alumna Marlene Stante are leading the drive, dubbed The Next Chapter. It will fund technology, “formative guest experiences” and other efforts, a news release said.

 

Fresno State to lead dairy innovation project with $1.8M USDA grant

Fresno State News

The push to develop new products in the nation’s leading dairy state is also the impetus behind a new, three-year $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service aimed at dairy business innovation.

 

Clovis Community College Giving Back to Students in More Ways Than One

Clovis Roundup

Clovis Community College is giving back to their students during this holiday season. Tuesday, Nov. 23, Clovis Community handed out food from the Crush Food Pantry and gift cards to students currently enrolled.

 

CSUB rolls out its COVID-19 vaccine requirement

Bakersfield Californian

It's been nearly two months since the deadline passed for the California State University COVID-19 vaccine requirement, and implementation has been a months-long effort by Cal State Bakersfield.

 

CSUB to graduate first kinesiology master’s graduates

Bakersfield Californian

For the first time ever, CSUB will confer two master of science degrees in kinesiology, a health discipline that prepares professionals for fields like physical therapy, personal training, teaching, community wellness, coaching, nutrition and much more.

 

Bakersfield College to use $5M grant to expand access for Hispanic students in STEM programs

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield College officials Wednesday expressed optimism for how a $5 million grant intended to support Hispanic students in STEM programs would help the college continue to grow opportunities for those students in several areas.

 

Cal State blunder may mean loss of 3,000 new student housing beds

CalMatters

Thousands of affordable student housing slots are in jeopardy after the Cal State system misread the fine print for a new $2 billion state student housing program, CalMatters has discovered. With the deadline for applications passed, a solution remains unclear.

 

Some Surprising Facts About College Students' Politics

Real Clear Policy

While critics of higher education often rail against the collegiate enterprise and condemn left-leaning prejudices, the fact of the matter is that the political hearts and minds of our nation’s undergraduates are not overwhelmingly aligned with either major political party.

 

Opinion: America’s leadership culture is rotten. That’s why we need the University of Austin.

Washington Post

But for-profit entrepreneurship alone can’t fix one of our society’s most egregious conceptual gaps: the way we train future generations of leaders how to think. This is why we founded the University of Austin.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Trash bills will likely jump in much of Stanislaus. It has to do with climate change

Modesto Bee

The measure requires diversion statewide of at least 75% of yard trimmings, food scraps, paper and other materials from landfills by 2025. It seeks to reduce methane emissions from decaying waste, which contribute to climate change.

 

Don’t call it climate change. Red states prepare for ‘extreme weather’

Politico

Florida Gov. DeSantis wants half a billion dollars to protect his state from the ravages of “extreme weather events.” Texas Gov. Abbott devoted $1.6B toward preparing communities for increasingly devastating hurricanes. But they still won’t say if they believe in climate change

 

How ‘Climate Migrants’ Are Roiling American Politics

Politico

The concept of climate migration — population shifts forced by destructive weather changes — has been studied for years. But most Americans still think of it as something that happens elsewhere, or a future doomsday scenario about people flocking to North Dakota to escape extreme weather along the coasts.

 

Energy:

 

California Utilities Leaving Millions in Debt Relief on the Table

Capital & Main

A significant portion of eligible water systems haven’t yet applied for funds meant to help customers, despite a Dec. 6 deadline.

 

Not just fracking: State slows almost all oil permitting

Bakersfield Californian

Behind California's de-facto fracking moratorium is a broader trend of growing concern to Kern's oil industry: fewer permits for every other type of well work except plugging and abandonments.

See also:

 

California might reduce financial benefits of rooftop solar systems

San Francisco Chronicle

Specific changes being considered by regulators vary, but they include possible reductions in monthly bill credits and a new fee that’s intended to make up for electric grid costs, for which utilities and other groups say solar-powered homes are not paying their fair share.

 

Oil and gas companies should pay more to drill on public lands and waters, Interior Department says

Washington Post

In an effort to boost revenue and protect the environment, the Biden administration on Friday laid out plans to make fossil fuel companies pay more to drill on federal lands and waters.

 

The biggest problem facing the U.S. electric grid isn't demand. It's climate change

VPR

The power grid in the U.S. is aging and already struggling to meet current demand. It faces a future with more people — people who drive more electric cars and heat homes with more electric furnaces.

 

Opinion: Oil and gas should be the tie that binds Mexico, U.S. and Canada

Dallas News

The three face many shared challenges, but energy, which currently divides them, could instead be a common thread that binds them together. Silence at the highest level sends the wrong signal; it will take open commitments to resolve their energy squabbles.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

What to know about the omicron variant of the coronavirus

Washington Post

Omicron has sparked alarm among epidemiologists worried the new variant’s mutations could make it more transmissible. Scientists are racing to learn more as new cases are confirmed.

See also:

 

3 of America's biggest pharmacy chains have been found liable for the opioid crisis

VPR

A federal jury on Tuesday found three of the nation's biggest pharmacy chains, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, liable for helping to fuel the U.S. opioid crisis — a decision that's expected to have legal repercussions as thousands of similar lawsuits move forward in courts across the country.

 

Opinion: Poverty and mental health

AEI
Mental health problems like anxiety and depression often lie at the root of persistent poverty, and CBT principles and insights are now being deployed in a range of social and human services settings to help improve outcomes for low-income individuals and families.

Human Services:

 

Fresno County health leaders share ways to beat the winter blues

abc30

The days are shorter, and it gets dark faster. Holidays can also be stressful due to organizing and planning gatherings. There could be a loss of a loved one or feelings of isolation from friends and family.

 

The toll of one man’s mental illness: 17 criminal cases, six competency hearings, one failed conservatorship

Los Angeles Times

There are thousands of others like John Maurer, whose mental illness keeps them in a cycle of homelessness, hospitalization and jail. A recent academic study found that at least 1 in 5 people engaged by outreach workers in L.A. County had a diagnosis of mental illness.

 

Some Hospitals Prepare to Lose Staff Over Covid-19 Vaccination Mandate

Wall Street Journal

Some hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare providers are preparing to operate without up to a third of their staff at the start of next year, if those workers don’t comply with a federal mandate to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Some states dropping ‘dehumanizing’ terms for immigrants

Associated Press

The Democratic lawmaker Luz Rivas authored a bill — since signed into law — that replaces the use of “alien” in state statutes with other terms such as “noncitizen” or “immigrant.” Her effort was inspired by a similar shift earlier this year by the Biden administration.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Warszawski: ‘These buildings speak to me.’ Downtown Fresno landmark regains its original beauty

Fresno Bee

Fresno’s oldest high rise, for so long treated as a least-favored stepchild, is finally getting some love and attention. The 10-story, 107-year-old Helm Building, on the corner of Fulton and Mariposa streets, recently had a facelift — and boy is the difference striking.

 

Plan to protect land, water presents opportunity for Native Californians

CalMatters

I would like to see the state of California really listen to Native voices and ask them to help protect the environment.

 

Opinion: Infrastructure Law Includes Needed Funding For National Park Roads

National Parks Traveler

The FLTP is important because parks need well-maintained transportation networks to provide visitors with safe access and quality experiences. Many features and attractions within parks are accessible by motor vehicle, and most visitors stick to these roads. ​​ 

 

Housing:

 

‘Expectations are being pulled back.’ Why Modesto’s housing market has softened

Modesto Bee

As inventory and interest rates increase in Modesto, the local housing market is softening for the first time since the pandemic hit.

‘Safe camp’ for unhoused residents in Fresno shuts down. What happened and what’s next

Fresno Bee

For more than a year, homeless advocate Dez Martinez operated a camp for unhoused Fresnans that “provided safety, comfort, warmth, love, and compassion for individuals on the street.”

 

Walters: California housing crisis drifts toward political war

CalMatters

California politicians have been jousting over the state’s chronic housing shortage but now the debate is turning into a political war.

See also:

 

Biden Administration to Redirect Rental-Assistance Funds to Areas With Greater Demand

Wall Street Journal

The Treasury Department is redirecting rental-assistance money from some states and localities that haven’t used the bulk of their funds to others facing backlogs of aid requests, according to administration officials.

See also:

Opinion: Ban homeless encampments everywhere? It might have more support than liberals think

Los Angeles Times

Is it humane to allow people to live, get sick and too often die in encampments, knowing they will likely wait years for housing? Or is it more humane to come up with legally dubious ways to get people into shelters, even if it’s sometimes against their will and requires an intervention by law enforcement?

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

State budget surplus raises prospect of a new round of stimulus checks

Bakersfield Californian

Remember the Golden State stimulus checks? Well, more might be landing in your bank account in the near future. That’s because California is — once again — overflowing with money, and will likely have a $31 billion budget surplus next year.

 

About 1 million Californians could have to repay pandemic unemployment money to EDD

Sacramento Bee

About 1 million Californians who got unemployment payments from the pandemic-related federal benefit program now have to prove to the state they had a prior work history – or face paying back benefits.

 

Defeated in CalPERS elections, 2 ex-board members vow to press for pension fund changes

Sacramento Bee

Brown, who calls herself a CalPERS watchdog, said she is in the process of forming a political action committee that will keep the spotlight on CalPERS and raise money in support of candidates for the pension system’s board.

See also:

 

Borenstein: CalPERS gambles with taxpayers’ money once again

Mercury News

Leaders at the nation’s largest pension plan, brimming with joy over recent strong investment gains, are choosing riskier bets on future returns rather than shoring up the underfunded system with more contributions from government employers and employees.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Are Fresno’s car-less residents being left behind? What it means to our community

Fresno Bee

Many think of sprawling, car-oriented Fresno as a place where you can’t live without a car, and yet McFarland’s experience is common for residents of southwest Fresno — where nearly 40% of households don’t own a vehicle.

 

Officials hoping to continue expansion at Fresno airport with infrastructure funds

abc30

It's estimated 2.6 million travelers will pass through Fresno Yosemite International Airport this year. The new parking garage is already in use but not all floors are accessible yet.

 

Report: Talk of Climate-Focused Transit Is Empty When CA Still Prioritizes Investment in Automobility

StreetsBlog Cal

While politicians talk up climate-centric transit, statewide policies – even at the local and regional levels – focus on and prioritize the single-occupant car over every other form of sustainable transit.

 

Years of Delays, Billions in Overruns: The Dismal History of Big Infrastructure
New York Times

The nation’s most ambitious engineering projects are mired in postponements and skyrocketing costs. Delivering $1.2 trillion in new infrastructure will be tough.

 

WATER

 

Stanislaus County experiencing exceptional drought

Turlock Journal

Despite some rainy weather to start the fall season, a lack of recent precipitation coupled with pre-existing drought conditions means the need for water conservation in California is far from over.

 

A space-age tool aims to bring water use down to Earth

Bakersfield Californian

New satellite technology could be a critical piece to the future of water trading in the San Joaquin Valley, according to those working on the tech.

 

$7M donation could mean clean water drinking water for local residents

Business Journal

An Arizona based renewable natural resource company is offering its technology to help eligible residents in the Central Valley. Central Valley residents may be eligible for a free panel installation due to a $7 million donation from Chamath Palihapitiya.

 

Henry: New Kern River coalition; Grassroots or astroturf?

Bakersfield Californian

The main water district involved in several legal battles for Kern River water has launched a new coalition/messaging campaign it is calling Sustainable Kern River.

 

How to beat the drought? Inland Empire water agency wants to make it rain

Daily Bulletin

Programs from the drought-busting handbook practiced by Southern California water agencies include recycling water, building storm-water capture basins and offering cash rebates for replacing thirsty lawns with xeriscape landscaping.

“Xtra”

 

They made the beer and built the bar. Handy business partners open new Ceres craft brewery

Modesto Bee

Five Eye Brewing, at 1920 Foundry Court, Suite B1, in Ceres, is open 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

 

31-year career with The Modesto Bee coming to a close for Editor Brian Clark

Modesto Bee

Clark has been editor since March 2018. Under his newsroom leadership, The Bee won more than 50 state and regional awards, including one for public service tied to the news organization’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the Latino community.

 

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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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