Help make the Maddy Daily even better by taking this 2 minute survey to let us know how we can improve.
On #GivingTuesday, please consider donating to the Maddy Institute.
Click here to donate electronically. Should you wish to donate by check, please make it payable to The Maddy Institute and send your donation to 4910 N Chestnut Ave OF 43, Fresno, CA 93726
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. County supervisors received an update this month on a redistricting effort that was slowed down by federal delays in reporting 2020 Census data.
Construction to begin on hundreds of new homes in 2022. Is it Modesto’s last big project?
Modesto Bee
Construction is set to start in the new year for Tivoli, a new housing development in northeast Modesto.
See also:
Gavin Newsom selects deputy public defender to serve as new Merced Superior Court judge
Merced Sun Star
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday several appointments of new superior court judges, including a new judge to the Merced County Superior Court.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Valley health officials bracing for arrival of new COVID-19 variant abc30
Federal funding on way as Tulare County sees near-record November deaths Visalia Times-Delta
Omicron update: What we know in California on the new COVID-19 variant’s threat Sacramento Bee
Fresno State’s Madden Library facing name change after ‘Nazi sympathies’ discovered
Fresno State
Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval announced in an email to students and faculty on Monday the creation of a renaming task force for the Henry Madden Library after research revealed Madden held “deeply antisemitic views and Nazi sympathies.”
See also:
Goldsmith named chancellor of Fresno-area community colleges after months-long search
Fresno Bee
Goldsmith, 56, has been the president of Fresno City College since August 2016, and before that was president of West Hills College Coalinga. She also worked as the vice chancellor of educational services and workforce development during her 13-year tenure at West Hills.
See also:
Fresno mural honored violence victims. Here’s why the building owner ordered it removed
Fresno Bee
Pastor Willie Moore, who owns the downtown Fresno building that featured a mural depicting city residents lost to violence, said he ordered the artwork’s removal about two weeks ago because it didn’t reflect the church’s teachings.
A Central Valley city is sued over excessive use of K-9 when a mother called for help
Fresno Bee
Keys told The Bee she ended up having to pay $25,000 to bail her son out of jail, and she had to do 25 hours of community service because she was charged with resisting arrest, even though she wasn’t arrested in the incident.
Evolutions rejects VA offer – again – as hospital board fills vacancy
Visalia Times-Delta
Evolutions Fitness and Wellness Center will remain a Tulare gym and community hub after the hospital board – which owns the building – rejected a proposal to transform part of the gym into a veteran’s clinic.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
Valadao urges Biden to back off federal vaccine mandates Bakersfield Californian
First installment of real property taxes due Dec. 10
Bakersfield Californian
Jordan Kaufman, Kern County treasurer and tax collector, reminded the public Monday that the first installment of Kern County property taxes will become delinquent if not paid by 5 p.m. Dec. 10.
Opinion: Giving Tuesday is about worldwide generosity, but focusing it locally is a great idea
Bakersfield Californian
Today, Nov. 30, is Giving Tuesday, described as a global generosity movement designed to unleash the power of generosity around the world. Created in 2012 as a simple idea, Giving Tuesday is a day that encourages people to do good and invites people to give what they can to create systemic change.
State:
COVID Update:
What would convince California Latinos to get COVID vaccines? Survey suggests answers Modesto Bee
Among COVID-19 variants, Delta continues to dominate new California cases Fresno Bee
Facing Omicron threat, CDC says all adults should get COVID-19 booster vaccine Los Angeles Times
California’s coast embraces child COVID-19 shots, but demand lags inland Los Angeles Times
California lawmakers relocate to make way for new building
Sacramento Bee
California's Legislature will reconvene in about a month, but staff are busy this week building boxes instead of bills as they work to quickly vacate their offices ahead of the scheduled demolition of their nearly 70-year-old workspace.
Why California’s Growth Has Slowed (and Why Demographers Aren’t Surprised)
New York Times
California will lose a congressional seat based on new census data, in part because of birthrate and immigration declines.
To protest COVID mandates, this California town declared itself a ‘constitutional republic’
Los Angeles Times
Oroville declared itself a constitutional republic. A place where the local leaders pledge to fight mandates they say go too far. For some, the declaration was a stand for freedom. But others in town saw it as a reckless tantrum amid an ongoing pandemic that has killed more than 73,000 Californians.
Opinion: Make sure we build back all of our communities
CalMatters
We must equitably invest in community-driven solutions that center the priorities on the health and economic pain we are experiencing.
Opinion: Gerrymandering Puts Partisanship in Overdrive; Can California Slow It?
Wall Street Journal
Thanks to a ballot proposition in California, a citizen-led commission took the task of drawing congressional districts away from the state legislature. And, wonder of wonders, more competitive districts have emerged.
Sacramento Bee
The bean counters who work in state government are predicting yet another massive budget surplus in California next year, this time to the tune of $31 billion.
Federal:
COVID Update:
Biden tells the nation not to panic over new COVID-19 variant Roll Call
All adults should get a Covid booster shot, CDC says Politico
New antiviral drugs are coming for COVID. Here's what you need to know NPR
Omicron mutations alarm scientists, but new variant first must prove it can outcompete delta Washington Post
Existing vaccines might not be effective against omicron variant, Moderna CEO says Washington Post
Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis Pew Trusts
Congress returns to tight deadlines on government funding, Biden's agenda and more
VPR
The most immediate issue is avoiding a partial government shutdown at the end of the week, but they also need to address the nation's borrowing authority and annual defense policy bill.
See also:
As the Supreme Court considers Roe v. Wade, a look at how abortion became legal
VPR
For nearly a half-century, abortion has been a constitutional right in the United States. But this week, the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in a Mississippi case that directly challenges Roe v. Wade and subsequent decisions.
See also:
Abortion case tests Supreme Court’s rightward shift after Trump Roll Call
Opinion: If the Supreme Court throws out ‘Roe v. Wade,’ it will tear the country apart Washington Post
Opinion: What Pro-Lifers Want From the Supreme Court Wall Street Journal
EDITORIAL: Please Supreme Court, do not take abortion rights away from any women, anywhere Los Angeles Times
Dems want Biden to start swinging at Republicans. Allies aren’t sure he can.
Politico
Joe Biden spent much of his first year in office proving he could still work across the aisle. Now, with the second year approaching, Democrats want him to turn up the heat on Republicans.
Republicans delay votes on defense bill
Roll Call
Republican senators voted against moving toward a final vote on the annual Pentagon policy bill Monday evening, demanding that Democrats agree to hold floor votes on more GOP amendments.
Opinion: Biden’s confirmations progress at the 300-day mark
Brookings
The Biden administration’s effort to staff the federal government is proceeding at a snail’s pace compared to previous administrations. Such a leadership vacuum inhibits the administration’s ability to implement their agenda, and while the Senate plays a key role in the process and pace, it is the president who suffers most from this incredibly slow pace.
Other:
Washington Post
About 2,200 local print newspapers have closed since 2005, and the number of newspaper journalists fell by more than half between 2008 and 2020.
See also:
What Happens to Democracy When Local Journalism Dries Up? Washington Post
Banning Hair Discrimination Emerges as Racial Justice Issue
Pew Trusts
Democrat Dina Neal introduced a bill in March to prohibit racial hair discrimination. Nevada’s measure passed both legislative houses with bipartisan support, and Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak signed it into law in June.
Twitter’s Jack Dorsey Steps Down From C.E.O. Role
New York Times
The social media pioneer, whose name has become synonymous with the company, was replaced by Twitter’s chief technology officer, Parag Agrawal.
Ranked Choice Voting Survived Its Biggest Election Season Yet
Pew Trusts
Voters in a record number of cities cast their ballots this month by ranking a slate of candidates rather than choosing just one.
Robocallers Try New Tactics to Evade Crackdowns
Pew Trusts
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, a Republican, led all 51 attorneys general, including the District of Columbia’s, in a letter calling on the Federal Communications Commission to reduce unwanted robocallers’ access to real phone numbers.
Why billions in broadband money may go to the wrong places
Politico
The administration and Congress are devoting tens of billions of dollars to closing the digital divide. But a key ingredient is missing: an accurate picture of Americans' internet access.
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
City trees are turning green early, prompting warnings about food and pollination
VPR
A new article published in the journal Science found that trees in urban areas have started turning green earlier than their rural counterparts due to cities being hotter and also having more lights.
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. Out of the 482 cities in California, 174 of them allow some form of licensed cannabis business.
Walters: Drought has big impacts on California agriculture
CalMatters
California’s serious and prolonged drought is having serious and prolonged impacts on California’s agricultural industry, the nation’s largest.
Opinion: California Cannabis Taken to Tax — We’re Not Going to Take It Any More
Medium
Our tax structure is excessive and completely broken and, instead of collecting more income for the state, it’s creating a thriving illicit market, putting people out of business and killing what could be one of the greatest industries of California — and frankly, our nation.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
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.
See also:
Why Crime Likely Won’t Be An Issue In The 2022 Midterms FiveThirtyEight
Public Safety:
A Central Valley city is sued over excessive use of K-9 when a mother called for help
Fresno Bee
Keys told The Bee she ended up having to pay $25,000 to bail her son out of jail, and she had to do 25 hours of community service because she was charged with resisting arrest, even though she wasn’t arrested in the incident.
California ban on high-capacity firearm magazines upheld. Big win for gun control advocates
Sacramento Bee
In a major victory for gun-control advocates, a federal appeals court Tuesday upheld California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines, overturning earlier rulings.
Fire:
After Wildfire, How Do We Rebuild for a “Resilient Recovery”?
Public Policy Institute of California
At least one in 12 California homes is at high risk of burning in a wildfire—yet state and local land use policies still incentivize rebuilding in the wildland-urban interface. It doesn’t have to be that way, says the author of a new report.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Food, gas prices pinch families as inflation surges globally
Business Journal
Rising inflation is leading to price increases for food, gas and other products and pushing many people to choose between digging deeper into their pockets or tightening their belts. In developing economies, it’s especially dire.
Opinion: Renew California’s commitment to its innovation economy
CalMatters
California needs to maintain its competitive advantage, which will minimize businesses expanding R&D operations elsewhere.
With Omicron’s Arrival, Stocks Will Again Hang on Headlines
New York Times
Markets slumped on Tuesday, and analysts expect a bumpy ride for share prices while experts assess whether existing vaccines will be effective against the new variant.
See also:
Stocks Rise As Wall Street Steadies Following Omicron Slide Business Journal
Here We Go Again: Chaos Rules Global Response to Omicron Variant New York Times
Fed’s Powell warns Omicron could slow job growth, extend supply snarls
Politico
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will tell lawmakers Tuesday that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus could slow the recovery in the U.S. job market and prolong supply chain disruptions that have fueled price spikes.
See also:
New Omicron Variant Exacerbates Inflation Uncertainty, Powell Says Wall Street Journal
FTC Asks Amazon, Walmart for Information About Supply-Chain Issues Wall Street Journal
No Recession In 2022—But Watch Out In 2023
Forbes
A recession will come to the United States economy, but not in 2022. Federal Reserve policy will lead to more business cycles, which many businesses are not well prepared for. The downturn won’t come in 2022, but could arrive as early as 2023. If the Fed avoids recession in 2023, then look for a more severe slump in 2024 or 2025.
Jobs:
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. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 6.1 percent for California and 4.3 percent for the nation during the same period.
See also:
Who’s a hero? Debates continue on hazard pay for food service workers, and more
Business Journal
Officials have struggled to determine who among the many workers who braved the raging coronavirus pandemic before vaccines became available should qualify: Only government workers, or private employees, too? Should it go to a small pool of essential workers like nurses or be spread around to others, including grocery store workers?
Google workers say they were fired for following ‘Don’t Be Evil’ slogan
Los Angeles Times
Three former Google employees have sued the technology giant, saying they were wrongfully fired for challenging a plan to collaborate with the Trump administration’s border security agencies.
What Does the Federal Infrastructure Bill Mean for California Workers?
Public Policy Institute of California
California is expected to receive more than $40 billion in federal infrastructure funds over the next eight years—a higher amount than any other state, though relatively less than most other states on a per capita basis.
Workers Quit Jobs in Droves to Become Their Own Bosses
Wall Street Journal
The pandemic has unleashed a historic burst in entrepreneurship and self-employment. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are striking out on their own as consultants, retailers and small-business owners.
Amazon Alabama Workers to Hold New Union Vote, Federal Labor Official Rules
Wall Street Journal
A federal official has ordered a new unionization vote for Amazon.com Inc. workers in Alabama, saying the company violated labor law in its campaign against organizing earlier this year, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
2021 Single Employer and Multiemployer Defined Benefit Pension Plan Provisions
American Bar Association
This article provides an overview of the generally applicable single employer and multiemployer defined benefit pension plan relief measures provided in the Infrastructure Bill and ARPA.
EDUCATION
K-12:
With more foggy days ahead, should Fresno-area schools change foggy day schedules?
Fresno Bee
Chen’s accident has underscored what some Central Unified parents have been worried about so far this fall — that dense fog is making the commute to schools dangerous for bus passengers, drivers, and pedestrians.
Should California schools require gender-neutral bathrooms? Some Fresno students say ‘yes’
Fresno Bee
Schools across California may soon see an increase in gender-neutral bathrooms on campuses.
Opinion: A California Attempt to Repair the Crumbling Pillar of U.S. Education
Wall Street Journal
A proposed California ballot measure would make good schools a constitutional right.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State’s Madden Library facing name change after ‘Nazi sympathies’ discovered
Fresno State
Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval announced in an email to students and faculty on Monday the creation of a renaming task force for the Henry Madden Library after research revealed Madden held “deeply antisemitic views and Nazi sympathies.”
See also:
Goldsmith named chancellor of Fresno-area community colleges after months-long search
Fresno Bee
Goldsmith, 56, has been the president of Fresno City College since August 2016, and before that was president of West Hills College Coalinga. She also worked as the vice chancellor of educational services and workforce development during her 13-year tenure at West Hills.
See also:
Who will be the next Fresno State football coach? Eight names to consider
Fresno Bee
Fresno State is in the market for a new football coach after Kalen DeBoer was hired by Washington on Monday to rebuild a program that was just 4-8, its fewest wins in a season not impacted by COVID-19 since going 0-12 in 2008.
See also:
Exclusive: 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.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
They Knew Industrial Pollution Was Ruining the Neighborhood’s Air. If Only Regulators Had Listened.
ProPublica
Neither industrial polluters nor the regulators who govern them know exactly how much hazardous air pollution is billowing out of smokestacks at any given time, nor the degree to which that pollution is finding its way into surrounding neighborhoods.
See also:
Washington Post
As climate change causes seas to rise and storms to become more severe, the roads that connect Slaughter Beach and other hamlets up and down the coast to the rest of the state are flooding more often. The road repair bills are rising alongside the waters.
Energy:
U.S. Looks to Extract Lithium for Batteries from Geothermal Waste
Scientific American
California and the Biden administration are pushing incentives to make the United States a global leader in a market that’s beginning to boom: the production of lithium, the lightweight metal needed for the batteries of electric vehicles and for the storage of renewable energy from power plants.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
The World Health Organization warns of very high risk posed by the omicron variant
VPR
The World Health Organization is warning that the new omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a "very high" global risk because of the possibility that it spreads more easily and might resist vaccines and immunity in people who were infected with previous strains.
See also:
WHO names a new coronavirus variant of concern: Here’s what we know about omicron Sacramento Bee
Omicron coronavirus variant is mysterious — but there’s some good news. What to know Fresno Bee
Biden says omicron variant concerning but not ‘cause for panic’; CDC urges all adults to get boosters Washington Post
Omicron and other coronavirus variants: What you need to know Politifact
Will the Omicron variant affect the US economy — and the Biden agenda? AEI
Counterfeit Covid Masks Are Still Sold Everywhere, Despite Misleading Claims
New York Times
Rising Covid cases have spurred a return to mask-wearing in the U.S. and overseas, at a time when flawed KN95s from China continue to dominate e-commerce sites.
Opinion: Obesity is rising; Can health coaches and tech drive durable behavior change?
AEI
As we enter the holiday eating season – quickly followed by the New Year get-in-shape resolution season – let’s look at obesity challenge head-on.
Human Services:
Kaiser patients report canceled procedures, long phone waits amid California strike
Sacramento Bee
Members of Kaiser Permanente said they certainly felt the impact of this month’s sympathy strikes, described by one labor union as the largest such job action in the United States in 127 years.
Feds Begin Distributing $7.5B to Rural Health Providers
Route Fifty
Rural health care providers are set to receive federal payments under a $7.5 billion assistance program that's ramping up.
Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states
Associated Press
A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement.
IMMIGRATION
How ‘Climate Migrants’ Are Roiling American Politics
Politico
Refugees fleeing weather-related disasters are changing the political equation in Florida, Virginia, California, Idaho and beyond.
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.
Housing:
Construction to begin on hundreds of new homes in 2022. Is it Modesto’s last big project?
Modesto Bee
Construction is set to start in the new year for Tivoli, a new housing development in northeast Modesto.
See also:
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.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Mayors scramble for face time with Buttigieg with billions of infrastructure dollars at stake
Sacramento Bee
The competition started months before the infrastructure bill even passed, but now it’s kicked into high gear, with city leaders crafting ambitious plans in hopes of securing a windfall of federal funds.
Pension Cash Dwindles, Risking Liquidity Crunch
Wall Street Journal
Cash allocations have dropped to a seven-year low, with pensions seeking greater returns in private markets.
Opinion: Don’t subsidize local news
AEI
The consolidation and nationalization of news is a real problem, but government spending is not the answer.
TRANSPORTATION
Board picks logo for Stanislaus bus system born of merger. It will be hard to miss
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus County’s newly merged bus system will have a simple logo: “Ride the S.” The governing board voted 6-0 on Thursday to bestow that nickname on what is formally the Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority.
ARTC
If you are in need of technical assistance for the 2023 Cycle 6 Active Transportation Program, please fill out this application by December 16, 2021.
Former Castle Air Force Base in Merced now used to test self-driving cars
abc30
The future of self-driving cars is becoming a reality in the North Valley. The former Castle Air Force Base is now a world-class testing facility for autonomous vehicles.
Opinion: CA HSR: Fast track to nowhere or platform for quality travel, better air?
Air Quality Matters
Those opposed to the project describe it as a boondoggle or worse, such as branding California high-speed rail as a “train to nowhere.” But, in reality, nothing could be farther from the truth.
VPR
The bi-partisan infrastructure bill that President Biden just signed into law will bring billions to California transportation projects, including Fresno’s airport.
See also:
WATER
Water restrictions coming to Bakersfield to address drought
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield’s two largest water providers will soon implement new restrictions to head off the potentially dire impacts of an extended drought.
Sierra Nevada snowpack could largely vanish by 2040s as climate warms, scientists say
Sacramento Bee
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory says the snowpack — a critical piece of California’s delicate water delivery system, not to mention a source of winter recreation for Northern Californians — could essentially vanish for years at a time as the warming climate erodes snowfall.
“Xtra”
Merriam-Webster's 2021 word of the year is, of course, 'vaccine'
VPR
This year, like some 59% of fully inoculated Americans, it went with "vaccine." The publishing company noted that the word holds particular significance both as a medical term and a vehicle for ideological conflict.
Experience 'A Wonderful World on Ice'
Bakersfield Californian
Bakersfield Blades Figure Skating Club will present "A Wonderful World on Ice." The show starts at 3 p.m. Dec. 11 at Mechanics Bank Arena, 1001 Truxtun Ave. Tickets are $15, $10 for children, and are available at mechanicsbankarena.com.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
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.
Subscribe to the Maddy Daily HERE
Or, to Subscribe or Unsubscribe: email gcruz0521@csufresno.edu