November 8, 2021

09Nov

 

POLICY & POLITICS

 

California Supreme Court: Key Decisions of 2021

The Maddy Institute

Join us today,​​ November 8th, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM, for a discussion about the California Supreme Court’s past rulings and how they​​ affect social issues, public safety, jobs and the economy. The discussion will also look forward into cases that will be decided in the upcoming term. Use the​​ code MASC1108​​ and​​ register​​ here.

 

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.

 

Opinion: Valley leaders join state to bring ubiquitous broadband to the San Joaquin Valley

Fresno Bee

Under the guidance of the San Joaquin Regional​​ Broadband Consortium (SJVRBC), and with support from the California Emerging Technology Fund, our goal is to bring ubiquitous broadband to the eight counties that comprise the San Joaquin Valley, among the most underserved regions of the state and underestimated in ability to lead and drive change.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Stagnant conditions, colder weather and residential wood burning leading to deteriorating air quality

Turlock Journal

Current poor dispersion conditions and a stable atmosphere across the Valley has led to an increase in PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns and smaller) concentrations across the region, which is more common during the cooler weather of the fall and winter seasons.

 

Modesto principal apologizes, vows training after ‘offensive’ photos on school social media

Modesto Bee

The principal at Central Catholic High School promises to involve its students in sensitivity training after denigrating, “inappropriate” photos were posted on one of its social media pages.

 

What to watch for in upcoming 2022 Stanislaus County political races

Modesto Bee

June is the​​ first voting round for Stanislaus County representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, State Legislature, and Governor. Offices up for grabs in Stanislaus County​​ include sheriff, district attorney, county supervisor and seven judges. More positions​​ on city councils, school boards and irrigation boards will follow in November 2022.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Fresno hires parks director, adds over 50 parks jobs. Measure P spending questions remain

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council approved millions in spending for parks operations and construction and the hiring of over 50 new employees in its parks and public works departments — marking the first funding allocation of Measure P money, the parks sales tax ballot initiative.

 

More than 20 Fresno school neighborhoods will get free internet from FUSD. Here’s how

Fresno Bee

On Friday, district officials and their technology partners gathered at Gaston Middle School to announce the installation of 15 private LTE towers that will support thousands of users in the neighborhoods more than 20 schools.

 

A national honor​​ for Hanford’s China Alley Preservation Society recognizes efforts to save site

VPR
After a nationwide search, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recently gave Hanford’s China Alley Preservation Society one of its most prestigious awards.​​ 

See also:​​ 

 

This candidate could be Madera’s first Indigenous Mexican-American councilmember

VPR
City of Madera residents voted Tuesday to fill a vacancy on the city council. County officials are still counting ballots from the special election but as of Thursday, an Indigenous Mexican-American candidate has garnered 61 percent of the vote.​​ 

 

The new state law that could end Tooleville's fight for clean water

VPR
For more than two decades the small Tulare County community of Tooleville has been​​ without a secure supply of safe drinking water. The simplest solution​​ would be to connect the town’s water system to that of its neighbor, the City of Exeter.

 

Valadao calls on Buttigieg to alleviate supply chain congestion

Hanford Sentinel

Cong. Valadao and others co-sponsored the Truckers Responding At National Shipping Ports Overcoming Retail Turmoil Act. This legislation would​​ require the Sec. of Transportation to relieve congested ports during either a national state of emergency or when ports are congested by 50% or more.

 

Editorial: Devin Nunes cares more about scoring style points on Fox News than national security

Fresno Bee

If Nunes truly cares for national security, he should support efforts to make the IC workforce the very best it can be — diversity included. Otherwise, his comments are nothing more than conservative echo-room chatter.

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

NASA celebrates 25 years of progress in Kern County with opening of time capsule

Bakersfield Californian

Last month, NASA administrators and staff reflected on 25 years of progress by​​ opening a time capsule sealed in 1996. Filled with memorabilia contributed from every department at the time, the opening corresponded with the 75th anniversary of the center’s existence.

 

Kern County's homeless youths struggle in the shadows, advocates say

Bakersfield Californian

This month the Youth Action Board for the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative is trying to call attention to the very specific ways that homelessness looks different in young people.

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

California state parks director to Latinos: ‘These are their parks and they are welcome’

Fresno Bee

Many groups — including Latinos — have traditionally had a harder time getting into nature due to transportation issues, cost barriers and systemic racism. Quintero, who was named director in August 2020, has a vision for how to create equitable access for all people to state parks.

 

Here’s what California stands to gain from Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom praised Congress for passing​​ President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill Friday night, calling it a “once-in-a-generation investment” which will help to create jobs and modernize California’s transportation systems.

See also:​​ 

 

‘I’m so shocked.’ New records reveal depth of probe into California Office​​ of AIDS fraud

Sacramento Bee

As investigators began to realize there were financial irregularities inside the California Office of AIDS in 2018, they confronted worker Schenelle Flores Nov. 7 of that year and told her she was no longer in charge of the office’s HIV Prevention Branch’s fiscal operations.

 

California Politics: A sports betting showdown in 2022

Los Angeles​​ Times

Three times in California’s history, voters have ratified constitutional amendments related to gambling: in 1984 for the creation of a state lottery, and then in 1998 and 2000 to put in place provisions allowing Native American tribes to open casinos.

 

Meet the Senator at COP26 Who Helped Tank Key California Climate Bills

Capital & Main

Among the thousands of attendees are 15 state legislators from California, all Democrats. Their purpose for going, according to one legislator attending, state Sen. Josh Becker, was to leave the conference with a “shared sense of momentum and a shared sense of ideas.”

 

It has been 20 years since a Black man represented California in Congress

Los Angeles Times

It has been more than 20 years since a Black man represented California. The last person to do so was Rep. Julian Carey Dixon (D-Los Angeles), who died of a heart attack in December 2000 after winning reelection a month earlier

 

Kamala Harris’ Senate replacement has picked his issue. How Alex Padilla is spending his time

Sacramento Bee

Over the past 10 months, Padilla has emerged as a stalwart voice on immigration in the United States Senate where he​​ represents a state where Latinos are the largest ethnic group. He is California’s first Latino U.S. Senator, picked by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

 

Opinion: Newsom, make history, appoint a Latina to the Supreme Court

CalMatters

It is time for a Latina to provide her life story, legal experience and personal background to important decisions in California.

See also:

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

Biden's infrastructure win gives him some momentum. Here's why he​​ needs that

VPR
"Finally, infrastructure week," Biden said, chuckling over what had become a running joke about his predecessor, who failed to ever make a deal on the investment needed for the nation's roads and ports despite often promising to focus on the​​ problem.

See also:​​ 

 

Democrats are seeking largest ever investment in affordable housing

VPR
In their social spending bill, called Build​​ Back Better, Democrats want to make the biggest investment in affordable housing in history - more than $150 billion. The biggest problem facing the housing market is that there just aren't enough homes for people to buy or rent.

See also:

 

Gun control legislation isn’t going to happen. Here’s what Biden’s doing instead.

Politico

When Pastor Michael McBride visited the White House in January 2013 for one​​ of Vice President Joe Biden’s gun violence task force meetings, he said he was one of just two Black people in the room.

 

Democrats just got their clocks cleaned. No one seems ready to change anything.

Politico

In the days following Terry McAuliffe’s defeat in Virginia and Gov. Phil Murphy’s scare in New Jersey, progressive Democrats cast blame on moderates, and vice versa. Vice President Harris​​ touted the party’s “great wins” outside Virginia, though it’s difficult to find many.

See also:​​ 

 

U.S. judge appears set to reject Trump bid to block records requested by Jan. 6 committee

Washington Post

A federal judge appeared ready to side Thursday with Congress and the Biden White House against Trump’s effort to block the release of hundreds of pages of White House records sought by a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

 

Column: Biden’s in deep trouble. He can still bounce back

Los Angeles Times

The pandemic, fueled by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, didn’t end. The economy’s recovery has come with inflation, shortages and supply chain problems. In public opinion polls, a majority of Americans say they​​ think the country is heading in the wrong direction.

 

Other:

 

How public input is dramatically shaping what local legislative districts could look like

VPR
The clock is ticking to redraw legislative boundaries following the 2020 census. This week California’s redistricting commission released a preliminary map of what the state’s congressional districts could look like.

 

This newspaper is cutting back on print and training readers to use iPads instead. Will it work?

Washington Post

Instead of simply telling readers to switch to the paper’s website,​​ the Democrat-Gazette gave every single subscriber an iPad — and then sent out a fleet of tutors to show them, one-on-one, how to use the devices to read a digital replica of the newspaper.

 

He predicted the dark side of the Internet 30 years ago. Why did no one listen?

Washington Post

In 1994 — before most Americans had an email address or Internet access or even a personal computer​​ — Philip Agre foresaw that computers would one day facilitate the mass collection of data on everything in society.

 

What teenagers talk about when they talk about race

Washington Post

American teenagers are living through turbulent times: a pandemic, school shutdowns, an economic crisis and a​​ movement for racial justice have all had a profound impact on their young lives.

 

What People Around the World Like – and Dislike – About American Society and Politics

Pew Research

U.S. seen positively in advanced economies for its technology, entertainment, military and universities, but negatively for its health care system, discrimination and the state of its democracy.

 

Opinion: Elon Musk, billionaires, and the United Nations: The 1% solution to global development

Brookings

There are​​ 2,755 billionaires in the world today, with an estimated wealth of $13.2 trillion. Even just 1 percent of this wealth … would yield a flow of $130 billion per year.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, November 14, at 10 a.m on ABC30 –​​ Maddy Report:​​ ​​ "Veterans Programs and Services"​​ - Guest:Carole D'Elia, Executive Director of Little Hoover Commission and Jacqueline Barocio, Principal Fiscal & Policy Analyst - LAO. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, November 14,​​ at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) –​​ Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition:​​ ​​ "Valley Vets: Challenges and Opportunities"-​​ Guests: Carole D'Elia, Executive Director of Little Hoover Commission, Lourdes Morales and Jacqueline Barocio from LAO; Julie Cusator with Fresno Veterans Home; and Lorenzo Rios with Clovis Veterans Memorial District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

Second Harvest and those it feeds feel the bite of the rising cost of food

Modesto Bee

Second Harvest staff and volunteers loaded groceries into vehicles as drivers pulled up next to the truck and tables laden with food.​​ Manteca-based Second Harvest reports it is providing 485,000 pounds of food per week in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, with 42% of that going to Stanislaus County.

 

Here are the top crops in each California county

San Francisco Chronicle

As a result of California’s varying environmental conditions, the top crops on farms vary widely across the state.​​ The Chronicle examined the top crop category by production value for each county to understand which crops predominate in each region.

 

Family farms struggling as California drought worsens: ‘We haven’t faced anything like this’

Sacramento Bee

Water in the Central Valley has become scarcer as the state grows not only drier, but hotter. That’s forcing small farmers like Moua to compete with larger ones for the limited water supply in one of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions.

 

Supply chain delays disrupt California agriculture exports

Business Journal

California farmers now say they have no way to export the crops they do have because of a kink in the global supply chain that has left container ships lined up off the Southern California coast with nowhere to deliver their goods.

 

California changed the country with marijuana legalization. Is it high time for the feds to catch up?

Los Angeles Times

The enduring federal prohibition of the drug continues to undermine scientists eager to put it to use bringing comfort to the chronically ill people in whose name the legalization movement was launched.

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

 

Crime:

 

Street​​ racers and sideshows are all over Fresno again. What happened to the crackdown?

Fresno Bee

When Fresno police diverted resources away from street racers and show-off drivers holding impromptu sideshows in city intersections, it didn’t dampen concerns over​​ crazy driving on social media. Now, those dangerous drivers may be in the crosshairs again.

 

Stanislaus sheriff’s office targets illegal grow​​ sites, eradicates $20M worth of marijuana

Modesto Bee

A two-week operation targeting 29 illegal grow sites in Stanislaus County led to the eradication of approximately $20.4 million worth of marijuana plants and processed drug, the sheriff’s office said.

 

Public Safety:

 

Modesto police using civilian outreach specialists to engage with homeless people

Modesto Bee

The Modesto police have started a new​​ team to engage with the homeless people who commit quality-of-life offenses — including drinking in public and camping in parks — that often frustrate residents.

 

ACLU still fighting with TCSO over COVID

Porterville Recorder

While Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said nearly all of the inmates diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outbreak at the Bob Wiley Facility a few days ago, the ACLU of Northern California continues to file legal action against Boudreaux's department.

 

Active-duty police in major U.S. cities appear on purported Oath Keepers rosters

VPR
Leaked records purportedly from a far-right organization suggest that its effort to recruit law enforcement officers has found some success in America's largest cities.​​ 

 

Fire:​​ 

 

Fresno fire prevention inspections ‘just fell off,’ resulting in nearly 5,000 backlog

Fresno Bee

A commercial structure at an agriculture manufacturing company that burned to the ground in mid-October in south Fresno was one of nearly 5,000 facilities that are overdue for a fire prevention inspection in the city, The Fresno Bee has learned.

 

Why Does California Have So Many Wildfires?

New York Times

California is bracing for the possibility of another devastating fire season. There are four key ingredients to the disastrous wildfire seasons in the West, and climate change is a key culprit.

 

They Moved to Rural California for Affordable Homes. Then the Caldor Fire Destroyed the Town.

Wall Street Journal

The Caldor Fire destroyed a total of 1,003 buildings. Statewide, wildfires so far this year have destroyed more than 3,600 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

A big fight is brewing over cryptocurrencies. These are some key players to watch

VPR
Cryptocurrency is at a crossroads. As its popularity explodes, the Biden administration is laying the groundwork to set rules for an industry that has surged in popularity, but has so far fallen into a regulatory netherworld.

 

In the supply chain battle of 2021, small businesses are losing out to Walmart and Amazon

Washington Post

Small retailers and manufacturers, already crushed by large national brands during the pandemic, are being disproportionately walloped by delays, shortages and other supply chain disruptions ahead of the holidays.

See also:

 

An analysis of financial institutions in Black-majority communities: Black borrowers and depositors face considerable challenges in accessing banking services

Brookings

Interest rates on business loans, bank​​ branch density, local banking concentration in the residential mortgage market, and the growth of local businesses are markedly different in majority Black neighborhoods.

 

The Economic Rebound From Covid-19 Was Easy. Now Comes the Hard Part.

Wall Street Journal

The global economy’s comeback from last year’s deep contraction is approaching a delicate juncture, as policy makers and executives grapple with the bumpy transition from the post-pandemic reopening to a more normalized pace of growth.

See also:

 

Jobs:

 

New study finds millions of workers are ‘functionally unemployed’

Bakersfield Californian

Officially, California has 1.4 million unemployed residents, but a new study that takes into account people who can’t find jobs that pay above poverty level says the number of “functionally unemployed” is three times higher at 4.8 million.

 

Amid the pandemic, a rising share of older U.S. adults are now retired

Pew Research

As employers contend with growing numbers of younger employees quitting in the great resignation, the COVID-19 recession​​ and gradual labor market recovery has also been accompanied by an increase in retirement among adults ages 55 and older.

See also:

 

The labor market is back on track after 531,000 jobs were added in October

VPR
A strong rebound in job growth in October is raising hopes for a long-awaited recovery in the labor market. But millions of workers​​ remain on the sidelines — and the economy needs them back.

See also:

 

‘It’s a walkout!’: Inside the fast-food workers’ season of rebellion

Washington Post

A once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, a debilitating recession and trillions in government aid had caused something to shift in the world’s largest economy. Low-wage service workers sensed that they finally had a little power.

 

​​The Rules on Face Masks at the Office Are Changing

Wall Street Journal

Some big U.S. employers have dropped workplace mask requirements as Covid-19 cases fall and vaccination rates rise. Staffers at other companies are wondering whether they can ditch masks,​​ too.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

More than 20 Fresno school neighborhoods will get free internet from FUSD. Here’s how

Fresno Bee

On Friday, district officials and their technology partners gathered at Gaston Middle School to announce the installation of 15 private LTE towers that will support thousands of users in the neighborhoods more than 20 schools.

 

Two of Fresno’s largest school districts laying groundwork for changing names, mascots

Fresno Bee

On Wednesday, the Fresno Unified School Board announced the final members of their committee, which will develop recommendations on a process for changing the names of schools and mascots.

 

Kids doses, COVID vaccine side effects and California schools

Fresno Bee

According to the California Department of​​ Education, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be on the list of required vaccinations for in-person schools, alongside polio and measles. This applies to public, public charter, and private schools.​​ 

See also:

 

California Tries to Close the Gap in Math, but Sets Off a Backlash

New York Times

Proposed guidelines in the state would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea that some children are naturally gifted and build a connection to social justice. Critics say math shouldn’t be political.

 

Conservative school board wins may deliver chilling effect on racial equity efforts

Washington Post

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, many school districts turbocharged their focus on racial equity, examining their curriculum, hiring, discipline practices and more.

See also:

 

Opinion: Ed. finance guru Marguerite Roza on how schools can best spend COVID-19 aid

AEI

During the pandemic, Uncle Sam has provided unprecedented amounts of emergency aid to K-12 education. How can school leaders most effectively use these funds to overcome learning disruptions, give students the support they need, and position students and schools for future success?​​ 

 

Higher Ed:

 

MJC waives student debt, offers free tuition for all students taking classes in spring 2022

Modesto Bee

Modesto Junior College will offer free tuition and zero student fees for all students taking classes during the spring 2022 semester. The college also eliminated student debt balances and will give $500 to students who submit proof of vaccination for COVID-19.

 

Merced College Los Banos Campus celebrates 50th Anniversary with acknowledgments, awards

Merced Sun Star

The Merced College Los Banos Campus commemorated its 50th​​ anniversary with a celebration Friday that included a walk down memory lane, by acknowledging leaders who helped make the institution a success.

 

Fresno Pacific University’s president is retiring next summer. Who will replace him?

Fresno Bee

Fresno Pacific University President Joseph Jones will retire next summer, the university board chair announced Saturday. Jones has served as the president for nearly five years.

Fresno State research grants hit a record for third straight year

Fresno State Campus News

The University received 356 grants or contracts for a total of $48.2 million during the 2020-21 academic year. That’s a 3% increase from the year before and places Fresno State among the top four California State University campuses for grants received this past year.

 

UC’s grad student researchers seek union link with auto workers

Capitol Weekly

About 17,000 graduate student researchers calling themselves Student Researchers United at 10 UC campuses are seeking to form a union with the UAW, a campaign that began in 2020. UC management is not wholly on board with this move of unrepresented employees.

 

UC Hastings College of the Law to rename school after reviewing founder’s role in mass killings of Yuki Indians

Los Angeles Times

The UC Hastings College of the Law, California’s first law school, will soon no longer bear the name of its founder, Serranus Clinton Hastings, whose legacy includes profiting off the killings and displacement of Native Americans in Northern California.

 

This community college degree can earn you $113,000. This Stanford one just $24,000

Mercury News

Students in Stanford’s English program can expect to earn $24,000 after graduating. Just down the street, students who earn a two-year associate’s degree through Foothill​​ College in allied health diagnostic, intervention and treatment professions make about $113,000.

 

We compared admission standards at these California universities. Here’s what​​ we found

Fresno Bee

With some early application deadlines passing and others looming just around the corner, high school seniors across California are in the thick of it: tallying up their AP or IB classes, asking teachers for recommendations and putting​​ together personal essays.

 

In return to campuses, students with disabilities fear they’re being ‘left behind’

Washington Post

Many students welcomed the return to in-person learning, but the change has revived pre-pandemic difficulties and created new ones for some students with disabilities. Some lamented the reduction of online instruction.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Warszawski: Fresno, Valley residents are asked to lessen polluting habits. Why aren’t industries?

Fresno Bee

Nasty air prompted the usual response from the Valley Air District: We’re all “discouraged” not to burn wood — on some days not even in EPA-registered stoves — and refrain from making excess car trips.

 

Eastern Kern air district tries to contain Cal City's dank smell

Bakersfield Californian

Among the many threats to Kern County's air quality, cannabis doesn't rank high. But it's on​​ the list. The plant puts out volatile organic compounds, the precursors to smog, albeit on a dramatically smaller scale than something like petroleum refining.​​ 

 

Huntington Beach oil spill shows that leaders must​​ take aggressive action

CalMatters

We cannot sit idly by as oil and gas corporations desecrate our beaches with a product that fuels the climate crisis.

 

COP26 Negotiators Turn to Plan B as Climate Pledges Fall Short

Wall Street Journal

Addressing​​ that shortcoming is one of the main tasks of the summit’s second week. They plan to spend the rest of the conference negotiating how to push governments to make new, more ambitious pledges in the near future.

See also:

 

Does Sustainable Investing Really Help the Environment?

Wall Street Journal

Tariq Fancy, formerly the sustainable-investing chief at BlackRock, argues that the investment sector is doing more good for Wall Street than it is for the planet. Alex Edmans, a professor at London Business School, says that criticism goes too far.

 

Energy:

 

Kerman dairy farm turning methane into electricity, stopping greenhouse gases

abc30​​ 

The quiet hum of fuel cells is occasionally interrupted by mooing cows. Their constant flow of manure gets flushed through a covered dairy digester which removes impurities. Bar 20 Dairy owner Steve Shehadey says the biogas created is then filtered and converted.

 

Refinery on Rosedale makes final changes for switch to cleaner fuel

Bakersfield Californian

That flare burning atop the former Big West refinery on Rosedale Highway lately means one thing: California's about to make a sizable jump in renewable diesel production.

 

Walters: California needs details on hydrocarbon-free future

CalMatters

If, as Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaims, California will be hydrocarbon free, he needs to explain how it will happen and what the effects on Californians’ lives will be.

 

Editorial: PG&E has destroyed enough California communities. It’s time for a public takeover

Sacramento Bee

What will it take to finally end PG&E’s criminal negligence? How many more acres burned, how many more homes and businesses destroyed, how many more lives lost to decaying infrastructure and the profit motive?

 

Lawyer Who Won $9.5 Billion Judgment Against Chevron Reports to Prison

New York Times

Donziger, the environmental and human rights lawyer who won a $9.5 billion settlement against​​ Chevron over oil dumped in Indigenous lands in the Amazon rainforest, surrendered himself to the federal authorities on Wednesday to begin a six-month prison sentence.

 

Gas prices are sky high and Bank of America warns $120-a-barrel oil is on the way

CNN

Americans are getting hammered by high prices at the pump, and Bank of America thinks the pain may just be getting started. Gas prices have surged to a seven-year high of $3.40 a gallon nationally and are flirting with $4 in Nevada, Washington State and Oregon.

See also:

 

Opinion: On climate, we need to run fast — but not run scared

Washington Post

Believe it or not, there is some real good news on the climate front. This week, approximately 100 countries announced an agreement to cut methane emissions 30 percent by 2030, closing a glaring gap in climate policy.

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Yes, you can get compensated for injuries from COVID vaccines. Here’s what to know

Fresno Bee

The VCIP covers injury-related expenses for diagnosis, medical care and​​ rehabilitation services, as well as lost employment income, suffering, emotional distress damages, death benefits and attorney’s fees.

 

Aaron Rodgers said allergy kept him from getting COVID vaccine. How common is it?

Fresno Bee

Allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines are possible, but they are extremely rare, especially the more severe ones. Importantly, they can happen after any vaccine.

 

Could long covid unlock clues to chronic fatigue and other poorly understood conditions?

Washington Post

Covid long-haulers inherited many of the challenges that have faced people like Sbrana for years, including a​​ lack of understanding of the mechanisms that triggered their disabilities — leaving some doctors to view their symptoms as largely psychosomatic.

See also:

 

Don’t give your child pain relievers before COVID vaccination, CDC warns. Here’s why

Fresno Bee

Now​​ that millions of children ages 5-11 can receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, health experts are sharing the same advice they gave to adults: Don’t give kids pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin and acetaminophen before vaccination

 

Pfizer says COVID-19 pill cut hospital, death risk by 90%

Fresno Bee

Pfizer Inc. said Friday that its experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 cut rates of hospitalization and death by nearly 90% in​​ high-risk adults, as the drugmaker joined the race for an easy-to-use medication to treat the coronavirus.

See also:

 

Nasal spray company said its product prevents, treats COVID. Now regulators are suing

Fresno Bee

A company sued by federal regulators over products it says could prevent or treat COVID-19 accused the government of “doing all in its power to stop Xlear from simply telling the public about the science.”

 

Federal Appeals​​ Court Temporarily Blocks Biden Administration Vaccine Rules for Private Employers

Wall Street Journal

A three-judge panel on the New Orleans-based Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay prohibiting enforcement of the rules for now,​​ saying they raise “grave statutory and constitutional issues.”

See also:

Can employers make unvaccinated workers pay for COVID tests? Here’s what to know​​ Fresno Bee​​ 

 

Opinion: Newsmax forced to admit vaccines don’t make you glow

Washington Post

Right-wing media outlet Newsmax had no choice on Tuesday but to issue two statements. One came from Elliot Jacobson, Newsmax’s executive vice president and chief content officer.

 

Human Services:

 

Five myths about child care

Washington Post

Democrats in Congress are working furiously toward an agreement on​​ a social programs bill that would, among other things, set up free universal prekindergarten for 3-4-year-olds and provide subsidies to make child care free or low-cost for 90 percent of U.S. families.

 

Millions of Americans Are Skipping the Dentist. Lenders See a Financing Niche.

Wall Street Journal

Millions of Americans have to take out personal loans or dig into slim savings to pay for dental care. A previous version of President Biden’s proposed economic package would have given dental benefits to people on Medicare, but that measure has since been dropped.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Kamala Harris’ Senate replacement has picked his issue. How Alex Padilla is spending his time

Sacramento Bee

Over the past 10 months, Padilla has emerged as a stalwart voice on immigration in the United States Senate where​​ he represents a state where Latinos are the largest ethnic group. He is California’s first Latino U.S. Senator, picked by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

 

Longer waits expected as land ports open Monday to vaccinated travelers from Mexico

Los Angeles Times

U.S.​​ authorities encourage travelers to have vaccine documents ready and to cross at non-peak hours if possible.

 

Why are more immigrants trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border? Labor shortage may be key

Sacramento Bee

California’s labor shortage, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is the main driver of why federal agents are encountering more unauthorized immigrants attempting to illegally cross the border from Mexico to California.

See also:

 

Payments to families separated at border are ‘for the Department of Justice to decide,’ W.H. adviser says

Politico

Senior White House adviser Cedric Richmond said Sunday that whether immigrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border receive monetary settlements — and how much — will be up to the Justice Department to decide.

See also:

 

Democrats Push Fix for Green-Card Logjam in Social-Spending Bill

Wall Street Journal

Immigrants caught in yearslong green-card backlogs could become permanent residents in the U.S. much faster because of a little-noticed immigration provision tucked into Democrats’ $1.85 trillion social-spending and climate package.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Fresno hires parks director, adds over 50 parks jobs. Measure P spending questions remain

Fresno Bee

The Fresno City Council approved millions in spending for parks operations and construction and​​ the hiring of over 50 new employees in its parks and public works departments — marking the first funding allocation of Measure P money, the parks sales tax ballot initiative.

 

City of Fresno anticipates spending $35M to demolish former hospital

Business Journal

The Fresno City Council Thursday took the unanimous step of preparing a $4.25 million offer to purchase the former University Medical Center campus in Southeast Fresno.

See also:

 

This national brand has big plans for two vacant Modesto buildings on McHenry Avenue

Modesto Bee

The long-empty Long’s Drugs and a former two-story gym along McHenry Avenue will both be repurposed. Thanks to U-Haul Company of Central Valley, both sites will be converted to self storage and moving facilities.

 

Yosemite National Park revisits history to tell more inclusive story of Chinese immigrants

VPR
Ranger Adam Ramsey, the Supervisor for Wawona District Interpretation, was one of the researchers who poured over archives in Yosemite National Park’s library to find names and dates connected to the Chinese Laundry building.

 

Housing:

 

Fresno apartment rents hit all-time high and still rising. Is there any sign of a slow down?

Fresno Bee

Apartment rents in the city of Fresno continued to set new records last month,​​ reaching their highest average monthly price ever at more than $1,470 per month. Over the past 12 months, the average rent for market-rate apartment units in California’s fifth-largest city rose by $243 between October 2020 and October 2021.

See​​ also:

 

Kern County's homeless youths struggle in the shadows, advocates say

Bakersfield Californian

This month the Youth Action Board for the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative is trying to call attention to the very specific​​ ways that homelessness looks different in young people.

 

Democrats are seeking largest ever investment in affordable housing

VPR
In their social spending bill, called Build Back Better, Democrats want to make the biggest investment in affordable housing in history - more than $150 billion. The biggest problem facing the housing market is that there just aren't enough homes for people to buy or rent.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

California taxpayers could see big breaks for state and local deductions soon. Here’s why

Sacramento Bee

Middle- and upper-income Californians stand to save lots of money on their federal income tax next year under new congressional plans allowing them to deduct more state and local taxes.

See also:

 

Biden’s minimum tax proposal could hit these ultra-profitable corporations

Washington Post

President Biden last week proposed requiring highly profitable companies to pay a minimum federal tax rate of 15 percent — a levy that could hit Amazon, Verizon and others. The minimum is one of several revenue raisers to help pay for the president’s budget plan.

See also:

 

Newly Flush With Cash, Retirement Funds Struggle to Find Appealing Investments

Wall Street Journal

State​​ and local pension funds are reaping a historic windfall thanks to billions of dollars in record market gains and surplus tax revenues. Now they need to decide what to do with the money.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

‘There’s a big need.’ How a lack of public transit impacts people in rural Fresno County

Fresno Bee

Not having transportation that reliably gets you where you need to be is certainly frustrating, but for hundreds of​​ thousands of residents in rural areas of Fresno County completing daily tasks become monumental if transportation is required.​​ 

See also:

 

Not the same old sprawl: Stanislaus seeks input for sustainable transportation plan

Modesto Bee

The​​ public has two workshops on Wednesday, Nov. 10, and Monday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. ​​ both with Spanish translation to comment in mid-November on making transportation more sustainable in Stanislaus County. The plan is being compiled by the Stanislaus Council of Governments. Details on how to take part are at www.valleyvision2046.com.

 

Average US price of gas jumps by 5 cents over past 2 weeks

Sacramento Bee

The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline jumped by 5 cents over the past two weeks, to $3.49 per gallon. The price at the pump is $1.30 higher than a year ago.

See also:​​ 

 

This Is Where the States Want Billions in Infrastructure Funding Spent

New York Times

The plan finally approved on Friday will address transportation, water, broadband, energy and public safety needs that have been building for years, sometimes decades.

 

U.S. to Lift Travel Ban Nov. 8: What You Need to Know

Wall Street Journal

Travelers who meet certain requirements will be allowed to enter the U.S. beginning Nov. 8. WSJ’s Allison Pohle explains what these new rules mean.​​ 

See also:

 

WATER

 

Let there be rain. How much is supposed to fall on Modesto, and when

Modesto Bee

Modesto should be mostly sunny much of Monday, with a high temperature near 61 degrees. There will be a 30% chance of rain after 5 p.m., building to an 80% chance after 11 p.m. Precipitation Monday night could be between a quarter and half an inch.

 

Rain is headed to the Fresno area and the Valley this week. Here’s what to expect

Fresno Bee

Rain is headed to the Fresno area Monday and Tuesday. It’s not a huge storm, but with the area still in a drought, every little bit helps, said meteorologist Jim Andersen with the National Weather Service in Hanford.

 

The new state law that could end Tooleville's fight for clean water

VPR
For more than two decades the small Tulare County community of Tooleville has been without a secure supply of safe drinking water. The simplest solution would be to connect the town’s water system to​​ that of its neighbor, the City of Exeter.

 

What to expect as state water officials weigh in on local groundwater sustainability plans

VPR
Kerry Klein speaks with Lois Henry, CEO and editor of the non-profit news source SJV Water, about what’s next in the SGMA rollout, what water agencies should expect from the state’s comments, and how the latest drought is already foiling some long-term groundwater plans.

 

Disparities in California’s Tap Water Quality Persist, New Data Shows

Capital & Main

People living in underserved communities, especially those with higher Black or Latino populations, likely run a greater collective risk of illness from contaminated drinking water than people in other communities, a newly updated national tap-water database shows.

 

“Xtra”

 

Thousands brave chilly morning, traffic issues for Two Cities Marathon in Clovis and Fresno

Fresno Bee

The Two Cities Marathon has traditionally been held at Woodward Park, but was moved to Clovis Community College this year. It allowed more space for competitors and spectators, plus a new, flatter, faster course, race organizer Mike Herman said.

 

Tulare to spend $400K to repaint, repair iconic downtown water tower

Visalia Times Delta

Downtown Tulare's iconic water tower is getting a fresh coat of paint and some much-needed repairs that will leave the eye-catching milk glass mural gleaming once again.

 

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

 

HERE

 

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