Maddy Institute – October 1, 2021

01Oct

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Oct. 1: Stanislaus adds 11 deaths to finish with 141 for September Modesto Bee

● COVID-19 cases in Stanislaus County schools drop for third consecutive week Modesto Bee

● Most hospital staff in Stanislaus area complied with COVID vaccine mandate. But not all Modesto Bee

● As Stanislaus State resumes in-person classes, how many students are fully vaccinated? Modesto Bee

● COVID booster shots now being offered in Merced County to certain groups Merced Sun Star

Motels to house the homeless: Modesto could seek state money to purchase more

Modesto Bee

Modesto could seek state funding to buy a motel or motels and convert the property into supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● County issues advisory on COVID booster shots Porterville Recorder

● Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots now available for eligible people in Kings County abc30

● Fresno State sees high vaccination rate among students amid CSU requirement abc30

● Meet the Fresno teens who are fighting COVID misinformation in the Latino community Fresno Bee

Wildfires have worsened Fresno’s bad air quality. Here’s what the experts say to do

Fresno Bee

Air quality in Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley is expected to be especially poor through the weekend because of the fires burning in the Sequoia National Forest, according to experts. The Windy Fire in the forest and Tulare County was approaching 90,000 acres Friday, and the KNP Complex to its north nears 52,000 acres, according to the latest from the National Forest Service.

Fresno County put on notice by civil rights organizations over redistricting process

Fresno Bee

Three California civil rights organizations informed Fresno County supervisors that their apparent intent to keep “existing supervisorial districts largely the same” during this year’s redistricting process is concerning, and warned them doing so would be in violation of federal laws.

City begins redistricting process

City of Madera

The completed maps will define the six City of Madera districts that our community will help build, and these new districts will impact how residents elect City Council Members for the next ten years.

Mathis praises signing of dairy bill

Hanford Sentinel

State Assembly Minority Whip Devon Mathis (R-Porterville) is praising the signing of a new bill that he believes will be an asset to helping dairy farmers in the Central Valley and the rest of California.

Apartment smoking ban could happen in Fresno. ‘Your rights end where mine begin’

Fresno Bee

The proposal, sponsored by Councilmembers Nelson Esparza and Tyler Maxwell, would require housing complexes to ban smoking from inside individual units and only allow it in designated smoking areas.

Calif eviction moratorium ends today. What it means for Central Valley renters

Fresno Bee

For thousands of renters in the central San Joaquin Valley, the primary protection for evictions during the pandemic is coming to an end. Only renters within the city of Fresno are exempt.

Fresno drops suit over Friant-Kern Canal repairs. Why City doesn’t want a legal battle

Fresno Bee

The council voted 5-1 to drop the suit, filed earlier this month in Fresno County Superior Court. Councilmember Garry Bredefeld cast the lone “no” vote, and Councilmember Mike Karbassi was absent.

● Editorial: Water is worth fighting over — but the Fresno City Council should give up this dispute Fresno Bee

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports 406 new COVID-19 cases, four new deaths on Thursday Bakersfield Californian

● COVID-19 vaccination deadline for health care workers arrives, and not all took the jab Bakersfield Californian

Advocacy groups call on city of Bakersfield to rescind rules of decorum

Bakersfield Californian

A coalition of local social justice organizations is calling on the Bakersfield City Council to rescind “rules of decorum” newly established to govern conduct during public comments.

ACLU, Faith in the Valley seek to influence DOJ effort to reform BPD

Bakersfield Californian

Two advocacy organizations are seeking influence on an agreement between the Bakersfield Police Department and the state Attorney General’s Office reached earlier this year following a years-long investigation into alleged misconduct.

Kern's public defender really loves her work, but says it's time to go

Bakersfield Californian

This week, Singh, Kern’s first female public defender, announced her resignation to the Kern County Board of Supervisors. It wasn’t easy, she said, but she concluded the moment had come to dedicate more time to her family.

State:

COVID Update:

● How COVID vaccination rates stack up against Newsom recall votes in each California county San Francisco Chronicle

● These charts show what 'red COVID' looks like in California now San Francisco Chronicle

● Newsom says statewide school vaccine mandate possible San Francisco Chronicle

● Can California School Districts Independently Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines For Students? Politifact

● ‘Mandates Are Working’: Employer Ultimatums Lift Vaccination Rates, So Far New York Times

● California vaccine mandate: Most health care workers are complying, hospitals say CalMatters

● California enters a new phase of the pandemic CalMatters

● How Florida fell so far behind California in battling the coronavirus Los Angeles Times

Gavin Newsom orders COVID-19 vaccines for eligible students in California schools

Fresno Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that California students will have to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend in-person classes once the U.S. FDA authorizes full approval of the shots for their age groups. The mandate, the first of its kind in the United States, comes just days after Newsom said his administration was talking with than 1,000 districts over how to adopt a coronavirus vaccine requirement. The rules likely would take affect next year, according to his office.

Gavin Newsom signs police accountability law to keep troubled cops out of law enforcement

Sacramento Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Thursday that will make it easier to strip cops with misconduct records of their badges and keep them from jumping to another law enforcement agency without facing discipline.

● Gavin Newsom signs law to raise minimum age for California cops to 21 Sacramento Bee

● California enacts law to strip badges from bad officers Sacramento Bee

● Gov. Gavin Newsom signs law to strip badges from bad officers in California Visalia Times Delta

● Newsom signs police reform bill to banish bad cops Mercury News

● Criminal justice reform panel scores legislative wins CalMatters

● Gov. Newsom approves sweeping reforms to law enforcement in California Los Angeles Times

● Cascade of criminal justice laws lock in California’s turn towards reform Politico

California governor signs laws aimed at homeless crisis

Sacramento Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed seven new laws on Wednesday aimed at addressing the state's homelessness crisis, pleading with a skeptical public to have patience as the nation's wealthiest and most populous state struggles to keep people off the streets.

● Gov. Newsom signs more than two-dozen housing bills Mercury News

● California takes aim at housing discrimination with new laws San Francisco Chronicle

● California governor signs laws aimed at homeless crisis Business Journal

● Opinion: After years of infighting, California passes meaningful housing reforms. Now what? Sacramento Bee

California’s eviction ban ends soon. Here’s how renters can protect themselves Sacramento Bee

As California’s coronavirus eviction moratorium ends Friday, state officials and community advocates are urging renters to apply now for help from a housing and utility assistance fund that could give them cash to catch up on bills.

● State eviction moratorium ends soon, but rent relief will still be available Los Angeles Times

● ‘We are very concerned.’ California tenants still struggling to make rent, study finds Sacramento Bee

● California's eviction moratorium ends today. What's next? San Francisco Chronicle

● California businesses face eviction as moratorium ends San Francisco Chronicle

● How Are Renters Faring as California’s Eviction Ban Ends? Public Policy Institute of California

Venture capitalist wanted to split California into six. Now, he wants to gut public unions

Sacramento Bee

A proposed California ballot measure — filed by a Silicon Valley billionaire venture capitalist who had once proposed splitting the state into six — aims to end collective bargaining for public sector workers.

California is losing a congressional seat. Which one it loses could help the GOP control the House

Los Angeles Times

California will lose a congressional seat next year, probably one now held by a Los Angeles County Democrat. And that could help Republicans capture the House.

California to get billions in fire, drought relief after Congress passes funding

San Francisco Chronicle

California is about to get billions of dollars in federal help to recover from and prevent wildfires and drought after Congress overcame partisan gamesmanship and passed a government funding bill Thursday.

If Calif was made up of just these 35 counties, Newsom would have been recalled

San Francisco Chronicle

Imagine a California where Gavin Newsom was recalled. For that California to exist, votes from 23 of California’s 58 counties would have to have gone uncounted.

● Matthews: California’s Recall was Worth Every Penny Zocalo

Newsom signs #FreeBritney bill to help reform conservatorship laws

Politico

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed into law the so-called #FreeBritney bill, legislation designed to reform the state’s legal guardianship laws that critics say have led to the exploitation of many Californians, including pop star Britney Spears.

Year in Review: California Supreme Court

California Courts Newsroom

The California Supreme Court issued 55 majority written opinions during the September 2020–August 2021 court year. The court acted on 6,611 filings, including 3,985 petitions for review from California’s six appellate court districts.

Head of Calif Utility Regulator Resigns Less Than One Year Into Six-Year Term

ProPublica

President Marybel Batjer’s resignation comes after numerous controversies and a ProPublica and Bay City News Foundation report on $200 million in missing funds.

Editorial: No, Calif Treasurer Fiona Ma should not be sharing hotel rooms with her employees

Sacramento Bee

Ma maintains it was her unchecked zeal for frugality that led her to frequently share hotel and other lodgings with two of her top aides, one of whom went on to accuse the treasurer of sexual harassment in the context of the unusually close quarters.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● What’s motivating people in the US to get COVID vaccines now? Not mandates, poll finds Fresno Bee

● White House says broad eligibility for booster shots ensures racial equity. Some doctors disagree Sacramento Bee

● Fewer Americans than ever remain opposed to getting a COVID vaccine, new poll finds Sacramento Bee

● Are You Pregnant? The CDC Really Wants You To Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 VPR

● Messy, incomplete U.S. data hobbles pandemic response Washington Post

● COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Drop as Poll Shows 20% of Adults Won’t Get Vaccinated U.S. News

● Covid-19 Deaths in U.S. Level Off as Delta Variant Surge Eases Wall Street Journal

Biden Signs Funding Bill, Avoiding A Shutdown, But Other Standoffs Persist

VPR

President Biden has signed a short-term funding bill, avoiding a partial government shutdown that would have begun at midnight. The Senate and House sprinted Thursday afternoon to pass the legislation, which will keep the government funded through Dec. 3.

● Treasury Secretary Yellen says debt ceiling should be permanently abolished Washington Post

● Opinion: Social Security, the debt limit, and the Washington Monument strategy AEI

Pelosi hustles to get infrastructure bill across finish line

Mercury News

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been working furiously behind the scenes to build support for the roughly $1 trillion infrastructure bill, personally calling Democrats and talking to members on the House floor as progressives threaten to tank it.

● House Democrats delay planned vote on $1 trillion infrastructure bill amid dispute between party moderates and liberals Washington Post

● Democrats Delay Infrastructure Vote as Talks Fail to Reach Deal Wall Street Journal

● What’s in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill? From Amtrak to Roads to Water Systems Wall Street Journal

● Pelosi delays infrastructure vote as Democrats struggle to reach deal Politico

● White House gives a wink to progressives as they threaten Biden’s infrastructure bill Politico

● House delays infrastructure vote as last-minute talks hit wall Roll Call

● Infrastructure uncertainty rankles vulnerable Democrats Roll Call

● How Partisan Politics Threatened Even Must-Pass Legislation in Congress U.S. News

Democrats grit their teeth after Manchin lists demands

Politico

Senate Democrats spun away Manchin’s utter rejection of their $3.5 trillion spending dreams and embrace of a $1.5 trillion plan as a positive development, saying that it offered them a path forward for negotiation on a potential deal.

● Manchin throws wrench into budget, infrastructure talks Roll Call

● Editorial: Joe Manchin’s Intervention Wall Street Journal

● Opinion: The Joe Manchin Moment Wall Street Journal

● The Democrats Can’t Get to $2.5 Trillion? Here—I Just Did It. The New Republic

● Can Joe Biden’s agenda really cost zero dollars? A guide to the bills and the numbers Politifact

● Opinion: Don’t Believe Democrats When They Say a $3.5T Bill Costs Nothing Politico

● Restaurants Want to Have It Their Way in Congressional Budget Deal Wall Street Journal

Biden's Approval Rating Recovers Some From Last Month's Low, An NPR Poll Finds

VPR

Last month, just 43% of survey respondents approved of how he was doing his job and a majority — 51% — disapproved. Since then, Biden has gained back some of that, drawing to about even, with 45% approving and 46% disapproving.

See also:

● How Bad Is Biden’s Slump? New Yorker

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids

VPR

Senators accused Facebook on Thursday of concealing and ignoring the ills its apps, including Instagram, pose to children and teens amid a widening outcry over revelations from internal research leaked by a whistleblower.

Changes at the US Postal Service kick in Friday. How will it affect your mail?

Sacramento Bee

United States Postal Service changes to delivery times kick in Friday, meaning that cross-country mail could see up to two-day delays going forward.

Congressional members share own abortion stories at hearing

Sacramento Bee

Three Democratic members of Congress on Thursday offered deeply personal testimony about their own abortions as a congressional committee examined how to respond to conservative states that are passing laws limiting abortion access.

Senate Confirms Chopra to Head Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Wall Street Journal

The Senate on Thursday confirmed Rohit Chopra to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, overcoming Republican opposition that had slowed his nomination.

The Supreme Court is in the building—contentious rulings behind, more major cases ahead

American Bar Association Journal

U.S. Supreme Court justices are hanging up their phones after a year and a half of teleconference arguments because of the pandemic and returning to the bench for the new term that begins Monday.

Other:

Free broadband service is available to many Californians. Here’s how to apply

Los Angeles Times

Dozens of internet service providers all across California have signed up for the program, which covers up to $50 of the monthly cost of an internet connection (or up to $75 on tribal lands). The program also authorizes a one-time $100 discount on a computer or other device.

● 3G networks are shutting down next year. Here’s what you should know. Washington Post

Opinion: Redistricting 2021: Red states, blue voters

Brookings

After a COVID-19-related delay in getting out the census data, states across the country are now moving to draw new lines for congressional districts and for state legislative districts. The stakes could not be higher, since the new maps will dictate politics for years to come.

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

Sunday, October 3, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Lessons Learned from Previous Droughts" - Guest: Rachel Ehlers - Legislative Analyst's Office; Jeanine Jones - California Dept. of Water Resources. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

Sunday, October 3, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "In an Era of California Droughts, Will the Valley be High & Dry?"- Guests: Ellen Hanak, Director - PPIC Water Center; Lois Henry, CEO and Editor - SJV Water; Ian LeMay, President - California Fresh Fruit Association. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

This company has a climate-friendly use for shells left from the Valley’s almond harvest

Modesto Bee

A new plant in Merced is turning some of California’s huge supply of almond shells into an especially rich fertilizer. Corigin Solutions hopes to counter climate change with this use of a nut byproduct that has had little value to date.

Calif vineyards can still make great wine even with limited water supply and droughts

San Francisco Chronicle

While climate change and drought loom as existential threats to California agriculture, there’s one farming sector that may come out ahead: wine grapes.

The United Farm Workers Was More Than Cesar Chavez

Jacobin

The United Farm Workers is often seen as a simple extension of labor giant Cesar Chavez. But the UFW’s rank-and-file workers were a militant, organized core that won inspiring strikes and formed the true heart of the union.

How the pandemic taught farmers to love online sales

Politico

Covid caused disruptions for months up and down the supply chain, from field hands who fell ill from the coronavirus, to packing plants that were shuttered, to restaurants and schools that closed their doors.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

How a War Over Weed and Water Led to a Deadly Police Shooting

Vice

The shooting occurred in the midst of a crackdown by local authorities against illegal grows and pushed tensions to a boiling point. This conflict over access to water has fueled allegations of racism by the Hmong against Siskiyou County’s elected officials and sheriff.

Public Safety:

Mariposa County sheriff issues update on mysterious family death near Yosemite

Fresno Bee

Few new details were available Thursday in the latest release from the sheriff’s office but the interest into what happened to John Gerrish, Ellen Chung, 1-year-old daughter Miju and the family dog has led investigators to release regular updates

Gavin Newsom signs police accountability law to keep troubled cops out of law enforcement

Sacramento Bee

● Gavin Newsom signs law to raise minimum age for California cops to 21 Sacramento Bee

● California enacts law to strip badges from bad officers Sacramento Bee

● Gov. Gavin Newsom signs law to strip badges from bad officers in California Visalia Times Delta

● Newsom signs police reform bill to banish bad cops Mercury News

● Criminal justice reform panel scores legislative wins CalMatters

● Gov. Newsom approves sweeping reforms to law enforcement in California Los Angeles Times

● Cascade of criminal justice laws lock in California’s turn towards reform Politico

FBI investigating corruption at San Quentin, now the second California state prison under federal investigation

Mercury News

The FBI is investigating alleged corruption by corrections officers at California’s oldest prison, in an “ongoing” probe that has so far resulted in charges against one prison guard, the agency confirmed Thursday.

Editorial: Newsom bows to prison guards union — again

Mercury News

Newsom made California the first state to mandate vaccination or testing for all state workers. But when the state’s powerful prison guards union objected, Newsom caved. So much for his insistence that California follow the science when dealing with the pandemic.

Fire:

Sequoia forest fires see some containment. Some residents can return, officials say

Fresno Bee

The Windy Fire has burned about 88,068 acres, but some residents are being allowed to return to evacuated areas, fire officials said Thursday.

● New evacuation orders, warnings issued due to KNP Complex Fire abc30

● Update: Evacuation orders issued Eshom, Hartland Camp; warnings for Badger Visalia Times Delta

California gets money for wildfire, drought as Congress temporarily funds government again

Sacramento Bee

The continuing resolution bill, a short-term spending resolution that will keep the government funded through early December, delegates $28.6 billion to disaster relief efforts, including for wildfire prevention and response and the consequences of drought.

● Interactive: What California could get out of new disaster relief bill San Francisco Chronicle

● Federal response to wildfires must change, Forest Service chief says Los Angeles Times

Why home protection is important in wildfires

Sacramento Bee

While much attention is focused on managing overgrown forests, fire managers say it’s equally crucial to increase the fire resistance of homes and the area immediately around them, known as “defensible space.”

Which masks protect best against wildfire smoke? Study shows one is superior

Sacramento Bee

Some experts are questioning whether face masks should continue to be worn after the COVID-19 pandemic to protect people from the flu, common cold and other respiratory viruses.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

‘Global’ vision for minority entrepreneur empowerment

Business Journal

Fresno-based Global Economic Impact Group is a full-service business and construction company that assists businesses, entrepreneurs and construction clients plan, organize and manage their daily operations, grow their businesses and navigate the bidding process.

S&P 500 fell 4.8% in September, worst month since March 2020

Los Angeles Times

The S&P 500 ended the month 4.8% lower, its first monthly drop since January and the biggest since March 2020, when the viral outbreak rattled markets as it wreaked havoc with the global economy.

Consumers Ramped Up Spending in August as Inflation Remained Elevated

Wall Street Journal

Consumer spending picked up in August, a sign the U.S. economic recovery is gaining steam heading. Personal outlays on goods and services rose 0.8% in August from the month before, after a 0.1% decrease in July, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

Jobs:

California workers lose paid COVID sick leave. What happens now?

Sacramento Bee

The state’s supplemental paid sick leave — to recover from the coronavirus or to care for someone who is in self-isolation or self-quarantine — ended Sept. 30, even as California is still adding thousands of cases every day due to a highly infectious delta variant.

Most California health workers got vaccinated, but holdouts could be fired

Los Angeles Times

California’s aggressive push to vaccinate millions of healthcare workers against COVID-19 appears to have been mostly successful, with many hospitals and other healthcare facilities reporting overwhelmingly high rates of inoculated employees by the Thursday deadline.

California unemployment claims soar to highest total in half a year

Mercury News

Workers statewide filed about 86,800 initial claims for unemployment benefits during the week ending Sept. 25, an increase of 18,000 from the prior week, the U.S. Labor Department reported Friday.

EDUCATION

K-12:

Local districts increasing pay for substitute teachers

abc30

Several districts are in desperate need of substitute teachers and now, Central Unified is raising the stakes. The board voted last night to increase substitute teacher pay.

BCSD promises to address quarantines: 'It's an educational disruption'

Bakersfield Californian

Over the last two weeks, Bakersfield City School District has experienced the quarantine of 925 staff members and students, marring the beginning of the year that was heralded as a fresh start as children returned to campuses.

RSVP to ‘School and COVID: What Stanislaus County parents and students need to know’ | Live Q&A

Modesto Bee

Join The Modesto Bee at 6 p.m. Oct. 6 for a live Q&A on what parents, teachers and educators should know about education as the pandemic continues.

Can Calif School Districts Independently Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines For Students?

Politifact

As schools across California have announced similar mandates in recent weeks, questions have emerged about whether individual districts can legally require public schoolchildren to receive COVID-19 shots, spurring opposition.

School board group asks US for help policing threats

Sacramento Bee

A group representing school board members around the country asked President Joe Biden on Thursday for federal assistance to investigate and stop threats made over policies including mask mandates, likening the vitriol to a form of domestic terrorism.

● School Boards Ask for Federal Help as Tensions Rise Over Covid-19 Policies Wall Street Journal

As COVID closed schools, teen vaping dropped significantly

Mercury News

Teen vaping plummeted this year as many U.S. students were forced to learn from home during the pandemic, according to a government report released Thursday.

Masking in classrooms decreases COVID outbreaks, additional research shows

abc News

The debate over requiring children to wear masks at schools rages on, but not among doctors or scientists -- or teachers. Multiple recent studies have shown that masks effectively slow virus transmission and prevent school closures.

No Veggies, No Buns, Few Forks: Schools Scramble to Feed Students Amid Shortages

New York Times

Schools across the country are offering less healthy lunch options as they struggle with dwindling supplies, delayed shipments and fewer cafeteria workers.

Congress Presses Becerra, Cardona on Keeping Schools Open and Recovering

U.S. News

For the first time since America's public school system returned to full time, in-person learning, more than 50 million children members of Congress came face to face with the two Cabinet secretaries charged with making that happen.

Opinion: Universal transitional kindergarten will be a game changer

CalMatters

The opportunity to provide transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds will fill a critical equity gap toward accessing early education.

Higher Ed:

‘Red was a role model’: Longtime Fresno State coach with strong will to succeed dies at 84

Fresno Bee

Gene “Red” Estes, a longtime Fresno State track and field coach who transformed the Bulldogs into a perennial power, died Wednesday from health complications. He was 84 years old.

Fresno State sees high vaccination rate among students amid CSU requirement abc30

Safety has been a priority for Fresno State students this semester. Even outside the classroom, we saw many of them still wearing masks. 87% of the students on campus have been fully vaccinated or at least received their first shot.

As Stanislaus State resumes in-person classes, how many students are fully vaccinated?

Modesto Bee

California State University, Stanislaus, will welcome students and staff back to campus for in-person classes Friday, one day after the systemwide deadline to report full vaccination for COVID-19.

New program allows incarcerated students to get bachelor’s degrees alongside peers on the outside

CalMatters

The program, which began last December and which the school says is the first of its kind in the nation, is based on Inside Out curriculum — a type of teaching that brings college students and professors into prisons to learn alongside incarcerated students.

Student outcomes at community colleges: What factors explain variation in loan repayment and earnings?

Brookings

Student outcomes at community colleges vary widely across institutions and programs, however, leaving some policymakers to wonder if more pressure is needed to hold these institutions accountable for their students’ future labor market outcomes.

Following repeat problems with remote bar exam, California releases investigation findings

American Bar Association Journal

Out of more than 7,000 people who took the July 2021 California bar exam, about 31% experienced software issues. But those problems didn't result in losses of testing time, the State Bar of California announced Monday.

Opinion: Streamline and modernize the Cal Grant program for students

CalMatters

The Cal Grant program has not kept pace with the changing needs of students, while evolving into a complex patchwork of programs.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

'We just need more hands': Climate experts weigh in on what we can save

National Geographic

Ahead of another international gathering in Glasgow this November aimed at reducing carbon emissions, the U.S. Congress is now considering major legislative action on climate change. And the public conversation seems to be taking a hopeful turn.

Pressure builds to address climate-induced migration

Roll Call

More and more people are fleeing the areas hit hardest by severe weather and warming temperatures, and the trend will continue, experts say.

Energy:

Editorial: Biden’s Energy Price Shock

Wall Street Journal

Crude prices hit $80 a barrel on Tuesday, and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) warned oil could skyrocket without increased investment in new production. So much for the claim that the death of fossil fuels is nigh.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

Americans Are Getting Covid-19 Boosters—No Questions Asked

Wall Street Journal

Doctors and pharmacies are rapidly signing up patients for Covid-19 booster shots, many without requiring proof of eligibility under standards that federal officials set last week.

Long Covid is a bigger problem than we thought

Mercury News

The long Covid problem might be bigger than we thought. A large study has revealed that one in three Covid-19 survivors have suffered symptoms three to six months after getting infected.

Merck Pill Intended to Be Covid-19’s Tamiflu Succeeds in Key Study

Wall Street Journal

Merck MRK & Co. and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP said their experimental Covid-19 pill helped prevent high-risk people early in the course of the disease in a pivotal study from becoming seriously ill and dying.

How to Do a Rapid At-Home Covid-19 Test

Wall Street Journal

The tests aren’t as accurate if you don’t collect the sample correctly. And an increase in demand has led to shortages in some places. Here’s a guide to doing the tests, and everything else you need to know about at-home tests.

It’s flu vaccine time, even if you’ve had your COVID shots

Los Angeles Times

With schools and businesses reopening, international travel resuming and far less masking this fall, the flu could make a comeback. The big question is whether it will trickle in or roar back and put extra pressure on hospitals already struggling with COVID-19 surges.

Human Services:

A Hospital Gives Its Staff Panic Buttons After Assaults By Patients Triple

VPR

Nurses and other staff at a hospital in Missouri have experienced such a surge in assaults from patients that they will have a panic button system installed on their badges allowing them to alert hospital security more easily if they are in danger.

To Combat Meth, California Will Try A Bold Treatment: Pay Drug Users To Stop Using

VPR

As overdoses and public health costs related to meth and cocaine continue to spiral in California, state officials are desperate for more effective treatment options and are pursuing legislation and appealing to federal regulators to make contingency management more widely available.

Medical Cost Disputes to Be Settled by Arbitrator

Wall Street Journal

Health insurers and medical providers who can’t agree on the cost of a treatment or service will soon be settling their differences through an independent resolution system that will render decisions that shape billions of dollars in healthcare spending.

Disabled mothers-to-be face indignity: ‘Do you have a man? Can you have sex?’

Los Angeles Times

While disabled women now get pregnant and give birth at the same rate as nondisabled ones, most obstetricians know little more about them than in 1932. At every step, by virtually every measure, modern medicine has turned its back on these women.

IMMIGRATION

DHS issues new arrest and deportation guidelines to immigration agents

Washington Post

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas issued broad new directives to immigration officers saying that the fact that someone is an undocumented immigrant “should not alone be the basis” of a decision to detain and deport them from the United States.

Appellate court allows Biden Admin to keep expelling families under health law for now

Los Angeles Times

A federal appellate court Thursday temporarily granted the Biden administration permission to continue the use of a public health order to quickly expel migrants with children stopped along the U.S. border.

Senate parliamentarian rejects Democrats’ Plan B for Dreamers and other immigrants

Los Angeles Times

A key Senate official dealt a second blow to immigration advocates who are hoping to secure a path to citizenship in the Democrats’ social spending bill, ruling Wednesday that a second proposal would not comply with Senate rules.

Up to 80,000 Unused Green Cards for Workers Set to Expire Friday

Wall Street Journal

The government is set to let as many as 80,000 employment-based green cards expire Friday, leaving foreign workers waiting for a permanent resolution to their immigration limbo.

Pressure builds to address climate-induced migration

Roll Call

More and more people are fleeing the areas hit hardest by severe weather and warming temperatures, and the trend will continue, experts say.

LAND USE/HOUSING

Land Use:

California takes step to return land to Black couple’s heirs

Sacramento Bee

Descendants of Willa and Charles Bruce returned to the scene of the crime in Manhattan Beach on Thursday to watch Gov. Gavin Newsom sign the law that allows ownership of the property to be transferred back to the family.

● Bruce’s Beach can return to descendants of Black family in landmark move signed by Newsom Los Angeles Times

● Opinion: Bruce’s Beach will be returned to my family. I hope our fight will help others Los Angeles Times

● California moving to return land to Black couple’s heirs Business Journal

‘Tree equity’ part of $3.5T bill targets low-income areas that have fewer trees

Politifact

The $3 billion “tree equity” plan, part of a Democratic-backed $3.5 trillion spending bill, is not specifically race-based. It is aimed at low-income areas that have fewer trees.

Housing:

New leader selected for Fresno Housing

Business Journal

A new permanent director has been appointed for Fresno Housing, overseeing Fresno’s affordable housing entity serving nearly 50,000 people. Tyrone Roderick Williams will step into the position Nov. 1 after board members for Fresno Housing approved the appointment.

Calif eviction moratorium ends today. What it means for Central Valley renters

Fresno Bee

For thousands of renters in the central San Joaquin Valley, the primary protection for evictions during the pandemic is coming to an end. Only renters within the city of Fresno are exempt.

● State eviction moratorium ends soon, but rent relief will still be available Los Angeles Times

● California’s eviction ban ends soon. Here’s how renters can protect themselves Sacramento Bee

● ‘We are very concerned.’ California tenants still struggling to make rent, study finds Sacramento Bee

● California's eviction moratorium ends today. What's next? San Francisco Chronicle

● California businesses face eviction as moratorium ends San Francisco Chronicle

● How Are Renters Faring as California’s Eviction Ban Ends? Public Policy Institute of California

California governor signs laws aimed at homeless crisis

Sacramento Bee

● Gov. Newsom signs more than two-dozen housing bills Mercury News

● California takes aim at housing discrimination with new laws San Francisco Chronicle

● California governor signs laws aimed at homeless crisis Business Journal

● Opinion: After years of infighting, California passes meaningful housing reforms. Now what? Sacramento Bee

Motels to house the homeless: Modesto could seek state money to purchase more

Modesto Bee

Modesto could seek state funding to buy a motel or motels and convert the property into supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Housing Watch: Some Valley residents worried about another housing bubble

abc30

Valley cities had some of the highest foreclosure rates in the country between 2006-2012. Today, homeowners were pleased to see their property values steadily rise but some worried the housing market may crash once again.

Opinion: Political disasters in US housing: The lessons of history

AEI

There have been three dramatic failures of government policy in four decades – hardly an enviable track record! The issue is now whether we wish to risk another one by again reducing credit quality through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

PUBLIC FINANCES

Capital Gains and Capital Pains in the House Tax Proposal

Wall Street Journal

It hasn’t been noticed much, but proposed changes to capital-gains taxes have good news for some of the highest-earning Americans and bad news for those earning between $400,000 and $1 million.

● Opinion: The real ‘tax gap’ is the one between progressive spending dreams and economic reality AEI

From BIF to Byrd, a Guide to Congressional Fiscal Terms

Wall Street Journal

Are you confused about what’s happening on Capitol Hill? Can’t distinguish reconciliation from a bipartisan deal? Can’t tell a BIF from a BBB? Wouldn’t know a debt ceiling if you bumped your head on it?

Opinion: Democrats start to pare back their massive child tax credit expansion

AEI

Concerns echo arguments from the political right that the conversion of the child tax credit into a de facto child allowance is tantamount to restoring work-free welfare benefits for millions of households.

See also:

● Podcast: No Way to Treat a Child AEI

Opinion: Biden tax crusade puts privacy at risk

AEI

President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion budget plan includes a proposal to let the Internal Revenue Service monitor the bank balances, payments and receivables of individual citizens in an effort to curb tax evasion.

TRANSPORTATION

New signs to be added along Gateway to commemorate Historic US Route 99

City of Madera

The City is partnering with the non-profit Historic Highway 99 Association of California to install signage commemorating California’s former US Highway 99.

WATER

Fresno drops suit over Friant-Kern Canal repairs. Why the city doesn’t want a legal battle

Fresno Bee

● City of Fresno drops lawsuit against Friant Water Authority Porterville Recorder

Salas presents $1.5M for new Corcoran well

Hanford Sentinel

Development for new housing in the City of Corcoran has received a sizable boost in the form of $1.5 million in State funding for clean drinking water.

California regulators warn of dry reservoirs, restrictions

Sacramento Bee

California's reservoirs are so dry from a historic drought that regulators warned Thursday it's possible the state's water agencies won't get anything from them next year, a frightening possibility that could force mandatory restrictions for residents.

Video: Improving California’s Water Market

Public Policy Institute of California

Water trading and banking are important tools that can help California bring its groundwater basins into balance, but the expansion of the state’s water market still faces some bottlenecks, including aging infrastructure and complex regulations.

“Xtra”

Caruthers Fair back for 92nd year with pandemic precautions

abc30

The Caruthers District Fair is back for its 92nd year. It started in 1922 but was canceled for several years during World War II. It's the longest running free gate fair in the state.

Big Fresno Fair set to return with health and safety protocols in place

abc30

After a year as a drive-thru event only, the Big Fresno Fair is just days away from returning. Visitors will have the chance to enjoy their favorite food, entertainment, and rides once again with new health and safety precautions in place.

Halloween pub crawls, trunk-or-treats and the haunted grove: Fresno-area events list for ’21

Fresno Bee

It’s officially October, which means everyone is gearing up for the run-up to Halloween. The spooky season is underway also in the Fresno area, with any number of Halloween and/or fright-filled events.

Madera Pomegranate, Fruit & Nut Festival to return November 6

City of Madera

The 10th annual Madera Pomegranate, Fruit, and Nut Festival will take place on Saturday, November 6 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Madera District Fairgrounds.

Will the Turlock Christmas Parade return for 2021? City awaits COVID guidance update

Modesto Bee

Whether the Turlock Downtown Christmas Parade returns this holiday season depends on an update to California COVID-19 guidelines expected in November, city staff said Tuesday.

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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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