POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus adds four deaths, 410 cases over weekend Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus reports six deaths, 70 positive tests Modesto Bee
● Here’s how Merced schools responded to statewide protest over Newsom vaccination mandate Merced Sun Star
● Proposed COVID-19 measures don’t include vaccine mandate for Modesto Junior College Modesto Bee
Merced rally calls for spending federal COVID funds on youth jobs, universal basic income
Merced Sun Star
Merced youth organizers rallied outside city hall Monday, calling on local leaders to dedicate a portion of federal COVID-19 dollars toward creating jobs for high school students and other key priorities.
Stanislaus State awarded grant to prepare Latinos for science-savvy roles in agriculture
Modesto Bee
Latino students will get more opportunities to pursue tech-enriched, scientific careers in agriculture through the creation of a new concentration at Stanislaus State University.
TUSD parents, students protest vaccine mandate at school board meeting
Turlock Journal
Following the news that California will be mandating COVID-19 vaccines for students to attend school, Turlock residents made their voices heard during a protest against the mandate held at Tuesday's TUSD board meeting.
Ordinance permitting downtown party bikes in the works
Turlock Journal
Pedicabs could soon take to the streets of downtown Turlock following a split-vote decision by the City Council on Monday, who gave staff the go-ahead to create an ordinance for the popular party bikes.
Progress updates on Modesto City Schools’ equity goals pushed back. Here’s why.
Modesto Bee
Modesto City Schools has delayed the timeline for reporting progress on goals to implement equitable grading practices and add an ethnic studies course. The items were not included on Monday’s agenda.
Agency offers Stanislaus seniors rental help as wait list, calls for affordability grow
Modesto Bee
Advocates plan to assist Stanislaus County’s most vulnerable seniors through $100 monthly vouchers administered directly to their landlords. The aid will go to a relative handful of seniors who need subsidized housing at a time it’s in short supply.
Infrastructure deal and Build Back Better will boost Stanislaus jobs
Modesto Bee
President Biden’s Build Back Better Act and its historic investments in fighting the climate crisis are urgently needed. These proposals would tackle the climate-fueled drought and wildfire crises, reduce air pollution and create good-paying jobs in the Valley.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Local hospitals continue to be pushed to the limit by COVID Porterville Recorder
● Nearly 5,000 Visalia Unified students, 150 teachers out amid statewide walkout Visalia Times Delta
Amid CPS scandal, is the new Clovis office for Fresno County foster kids a good solution?
Fresno Bee
A former big-box store being transformed into a Fresno County facility in Clovis is more than a month away from being ready to take in children under the care of the county, the top administrator said Monday.
See also:
● Fresno County supervisor says he was unaware of CPS kids in horrid conditions until last week Fresno Bee
● Fresno Co. Social Services looks for long-term plan to house kids, here's how other counties do it abc30
West Fresno ranks highest in California for pollution burden and health vulnerability
Fresno Bee
New state data-based reports again confirm that these communities are among the most overburdened in the state. Race and historic redlining maps are associated with which neighborhoods now rank high or low for cumulative impacts of pollution and vulnerability.
Planned school site could derail approved Fresno cannabis shop. Could others be in jeopardy?
Fresno Bee
Just weeks after being awarded one of the city’s first retail cannabis licenses, Fresno Farms is already being told it will have to move, or face closure, because of its proximity to a planned school.
Who is Clovis’ new city manager? Here’s what you should know about the ‘strong leader’
Fresno Bee
Assistant City Manager John Holt will take over on New Year’s Day, replacing Luke Serpa, according to city officials. Holt has worked for the city for 21 years, serving some of that time as city clerk and a management analyst before joining the top administrative office.
More than 100 people join Visalia rally opposing hate crimes against Asian community
abc30
The rally comes in response to the wave of reported hate crimes targeted at those demographics since the start of the pandemic.
Rudy Salas announces run for Congress
Hanford Sentinel
Standing with civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, California Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon, Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez, community supporters, union workers, local leaders and family, Salas pledged to be a tireless champion for Central Valley families.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● 313 new COVID-19 cases, one new death reported Tuesday Bakersfield Californian
PG&E notifies local residential customers of upcoming switch to time-of-use rates
Bakersfield Californian
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is notifying 26,000 of its Kern County residential customers that, unless they take action soon, they will be paying higher or lower rates for their electricity depending on when they use it.
BC gets $2M energy commitment from Valley Strong
Bakersfield Californian
Valley Strong Credit Union has made a long-term, $2 million commitment to support Bakersfield College's efforts helping transition Kern County to a brighter future in renewable energy.
Former homeless nonprofit CEO Louis Gill announces bid to unseat McCarthy in Congress
Bakersfield Californian
In an email announcement on Tuesday, Gill, who served as the CEO of Bethany Services Inc., said he will run for California’s 23rd congressional seat to address many of the issues he witnessed as a nonprofit leader.
State:
COVID Update:
● California now only state to improve to 'moderate' level of COVID transmission, CDC says abc30
● California isn’t ordering CHP to get vaccinated. Here’s what happened in another state Sacramento Bee
Newsom declares statewide drought emergency, urges California to conserve water
Los Angeles Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide drought emergency on Tuesday, appealing to all Californians to do more to conserve water in the face of one of the state’s most severe droughts on record.
Final California recall count shows Newsom with tally identical to 2018
The Hill
California elections officials have tallied the final ballots in the recall election that targeted Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), affirming voters’ decision to keep the first-term Democrat in office by a wide margin.
770 new laws coming to California
CalMatters
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed 770 new California laws and vetoed 66. Here’s a look at what’s coming in the Golden State.
See also:
● Newsom’s vetoes: Why did the governor block California bills? CalMatters
California isn’t ordering CHP to get vaccinated. Here’s what happened in another state
Sacramento Bee
California state workers have to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or submit to weekly tests per a governor’s order. But in another West Coast blue state, workers are quitting over a more restrictive policy.
Second state worker charged in fraud case at California Office of AIDS
Sacramento Bee
A second state worker has been charged in connection with a scandal inside California’s Office of AIDS that prosecutors say has cost the state $2 million in fraudulent billings.
Bank of America’s California Partnership, Long Flourishing, Is Roiled by Unemployment Fraud
Wall Street Journal
California’s unemployment agency and its financial partner, Bank of America, have been trying to tame a wave of benefits fraud, locking the state and the bank in an uneasy union
First Appellate District Launches Judicial Mentorship Program
California Courts Newsroom
The appellate court program will reach out to all sectors of the legal community, including bar associations, public interest organizations, government attorneys, private law firms, and solo practitioners.
Opinion: The drive to widen the digital divide
CalMatters
The American Legislative Exchange Council and telecoms are working in tandem to ensure consumers in California and the U.S. do not get access to world-class telecommunication services.
California could lose millions in federal money meant for K-12 schools, state audit
Modesto Bee
California might have to forfeit tens of millions of dollars in pandemic relief money meant for schools if the department in charge of distributing funds does not strengthen its oversight of spending, a state auditor says.
See also:
California schools are running out of money CalMatters
Video: Targeted K–12 Funding and Student Outcomes Public Policy Institute of California
· Walters: Will big changes shape up California schools? CalMatters
Federal:
COVID Update:
● US expected to authorize mix-and-match COVID booster shots Fresno Bee
● How well do Pfizer COVID vaccines protect kids from hospitalization? CDC has good news Modesto Bee
● What Colin Powell’s death tells us — and doesn’t — about COVID-19 and vaccines Los Angeles Times
● White House unveils plans to roll out coronavirus vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 Washington Post
● Top health expert calls for 'urgent' research on new UK variant that might be more contagious than delta The Hill
● As White House tries to finalize vaccine mandate, dozens of groups seek last-minute meetings Washington Post
● In secret vaccine contracts with governments, Pfizer took hard line in push for profit, report says Washington Post
● Opinion: At least 65,000 more men than women have died from COVID-19 in the US Brookings
Dems scramble for climate Plan C as Manchin dashes their dreams
Politico
Joe Manchin is hearing a dire pitch from his colleagues: Don’t blow our chance to save the world. After Manchin rejected a centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s climate plan and rebuffed a separate carbon tax Tuesday, Senate Democrats are urgently pressing their West Virginia colleague for an alternative.
See also:
● Biden Identifies Cuts to Social Policy and Climate Bill Wall Street Journal
● Budget trade-offs come into focus as Democrats seek consensus Roll Call
● Opinion: Leveraging the Biden-Harris climate agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals Brookings
● Opinion: Energy Crisis Hobbles Biden’s Green Agenda Wall Street Journal
Biden bets his agenda on the inside game
Politico
Before Joe Biden can fully pitch the public on his solutions to a lingering pandemic and economic rockiness, he’s got to finish the sale to his own party’s lawmakers.
See also:
● Biden tells Democrats that package of up to $1.9 trillion should be new target of talks Washington Post
● Opinion: Bernie Sanders Is a Bad Salesman Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: House reconciliation bill struggles with Biden’s flawed $400,000 tax pledge AEI
● Opinion: Biden ignores voters’ No. 1 issue, just like Obama did Roll Call
● Opinion: The trouble with ‘Build Back Better’ is no one really wants to pay for it Los Angeles Times
Few expect these efforts to pass Congress. But they do work as political weapons
Sacramento Bee
The Protecting Our Democracy Act, introduced by Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff last month and supported by lots of Democrats, probably won’t take the trip to President Joe Biden’s desk as is.
House hopes to defy history in criminal contempt case against Bannon
Politico
The House's push to prosecute Steve Bannon for defying its Jan. 6 investigators relies on a law that hasn't produced a conviction in decades and could take years to litigate. Welcome to criminal contempt of Congress. It's going to be messy.
See also:
● House Jan. 6 panel votes to hold ex-Trump advisor Stephen Bannon in contempt Los Angeles Times
● House Jan. 6 committee votes to hold Bannon in contempt Washington Post
● Congress investigated an attack on the Capitol 200 years ago. It didn’t go well. Washington Post
● Opinion: Trump Can’t Keep His Jan. 6 Documents Secret. And Biden Can Help. Politico
● Sykes: The GOP Is Unembarrassed The Bulwark
ProPublica
The Food to Families program, touted by Ivanka Trump, gave tens of millions of dollars to unqualified firms and was also used to promote then-President Trump.
See also:
● Top Trump Fundraiser Boasted of Raising $3 Million to Support Jan. 6 “Save America” Rally ProPublica
Opinion: Harris wants more union membership in fed workforce
Axios
Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh will today announce new guidelines to encourage federal workers to join unions. The Biden administration wants to bolster the collective bargaining power of workers across the country.
Other:
Washington Post
Facebook has agreed to pay penalties totaling more than $14 million under a settlement with the Justice Department over findings that the company’s hiring practices intentionally discriminated against U.S. workers in favor of foreign workers, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
See also:
● Facebook to settle claims it reserved high-paying jobs for foreigners with special visas Los Angeles Times
● Facebook paying fine to settle US suit on discrimination Business Journal
Wall Street Journal
Make no mistake: Cancel culture is censorship disguised as justice. It is the brainchild of radical groups that supposedly champion tolerance yet vilify anyone who resists their increasingly farcical demands. At best, cancel culture is a kind of chronic petulance. At worst, it is the antithesis of free speech.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 24, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "California Latinos: An Economic Analysis" - Guest: Mindy Romero, Director - Center for Inclusive Democracy, Price School of Public Policy at USC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 24, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "Poverty and the Economic Situation of California Latinos?"- Guests: Sarah Bohn, Public Policy Institute of California and Mindy Romero, Director of Price School of Public Policy at USC. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
UC Merced students come up with solution to expensive farm problem
abc30
Sometimes during harvest, sweet potatoes still in the ground get smashed as the wheels of the harvester and trailer slowly zig-zag through a row. Not good for a popular crop that was destined for your plate.
Merced company turns almond shell waste into fertilizer
abc30
One Central Valley company is going green by taking almond shells and turning them into plant food. Mike Woelk, CEO of Corigin in Merced, said his company uses a process known as pyrolysis.
Pad thai, tacos and more: Why California farmers are growing more cilantro than ever
Sacramento Bee
In the last fifteen years, cilantro production in the Golden State has steadily increased. In 2019, the California Department of Agriculture reported producing 42,340 tons of the fragrant herb, totaling nearly $50 million in value.
Indigenous farmworkers lacked access to resources, information in their language during the pandemic
VPR
A new report from researchers and community-based organizations released Monday shows Indigenous farmworkers across California lacked information and resources to protect themselves during the coronavirus pandemic.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno FOX affiliate among TV stations disrupted by hackers. Here are the attack’s impacts
Fresno Bee
Some operations at Fresno’s FOX television affiliate, KMPH Channel 26, and its parent company Sinclair Broadcast Group have been disrupted by a ransomware attack on their computer systems.
Public Safety:
New state law, local agencies cracking down on dangerous driving
abc30
The sound of screeching tires filled the air as traffic ground to a halt at the corner of Clovis and Kings Canyon Road for a sideshow in southeast Fresno. The crowd might be having fun, but the danger is real.
ACLU calling for action after positive COVID-19 tests at Bob Wiley Detention Facility
abc30
Out of the more than 600 inmates at the Bob Wiley Detention Center in Tulare County, 50 of them are confirmed positive for COVID-19. This comes just one week after 31 inmates tested positive. The American Civil Liberties Union is demanding answers.
Police Increasingly Cite Climate Disasters When Seeking Military Gear, Documents Show
Huffington Post
A controversial Pentagon program is fast-tracking shipments of surplus military gear to police departments that claim to be preparing for climate disasters. The consequences could be deadly.
Percentage of Women in State Policing Has Stalled Since 2000
Pew
For two decades, amid the rise of women to governor’s mansions, military leadership and even the vice presidency, the percentage of women among the ranks of state police officers has hardly budged: A Stateline analysis finds that nationally, just 7% of sworn state troopers are female.
Fire:
Weekend snowfall slows activity of Sequoia wildfire. A hotshot crew enters Giant Forest
Fresno Bee
A weekend snow storm blanketed much of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park — including areas affected by the KNP Complex Fire. More than two inches of snow still covered portions of the area Monday night and significantly slowed activity during the day.
See also:
● Intense rain storms could dampen fall fire risk in parts of California Los Angeles Times
See How the Dixie Fire Created Its Own Weather
New York Times
Days after California’s Dixie fire ignited in mid-July, towering storm clouds burst from the flames, generating lightning and wild winds that pushed the fire “in every direction,” according to firefighters battling the blaze.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Tech, health care stocks lead Wall Street indexes higher
Business Journal
Health care and technology companies led a broad rally for stocks on Wall Street Tuesday as investors welcomed another batch of encouraging company earnings reports. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% as of 3:29 p.m. Eastern, on pace for its fifth straight gain.
The GameStop Scandal That Wasn’t
Wall Street Journal
An SEC staff report finds no evidence of market manipulation.
Washington Post
As pandemic pushed people to spend more time online, criminals targeted people on dating apps and social media platforms, especially older Americans. Adults 60 and older lost $139 million to romance scams in 2020, the FTC says.
Opinion: Of Shots and Supply-Chain Snarls
New York Times
The reason everything is delayed is that people are trying to buy more stuff than ever before, and their demands are outstripping the supply chain’s capacity. And once things are that stressed, small disruptions tend to snowball into large delays.
Opinion: Combating inflation threats in retirement
Business Journal
Retirees need to ensure they have enough savings to last through their lifetime. One complicating factor is that inflation is a fact of life, and it can result in meaningfully higher expenses over time.
Jobs:
Worn-out nurses hit the road for better pay, stressing hospital budgets — and morale
VPR
Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, there's some truth in a joke circulating among frustrated ICU nurses: They ask their hospitals to appropriately pay them for the hazards they've endured. And the nurses are rewarded with a pizza party instead.
Los Angeles Times
Whether the outbreak of worker activism will have legs is hard to gauge just now. In part, that’s because the tight late-pandemic labor market has shifted the balance of power in labor relations toward workers more than at any time since World War II.
See also:
● ‘People are fed up’: Dollar General workers push to unionize amid hostility from above The Guardian
Gender Disparities in Views of Women's Equality Persist
Gallup
Women in the U.S. remain largely dissatisfied with the treatment of their gender in society, do not think there is gender equality in job opportunities and favor affirmative action programs for women. Conversely, majorities of men are satisfied with the treatment of women in society and think women and men in the U.S. have equal job opportunities. However, well over half of men support affirmative action programs for women.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Can Fresno Unified schools reduce chronic absenteeism? Why the superintendent says ‘yes’
Fresno Bee
According to California education data, about 17.1% of FUSD’s roughly 74,000 students were chronically absent during the 2018-19 school year. California hasn’t published last year’s attendance data.
Walters: Will big changes shape up California schools?
CalMatters
Big things are obviously happening in California’s public school system these days and they will certainly affect not only the lives of nearly 6 million K-12 students but the state’s economic and social wellbeing for decades to come.
Students, staff at mostly rural districts part of one-day vaccine protest
EdSource
Thousands of California school staff and students didn’t attend school Monday in protest of a state order that requires all K-12 students to be vaccinated. The percentage of students not showing up for school was highest in rural, more conservative areas of the state.
See also:
● Opinion: How to handle an anti-vaccine ‘stay-at-home’ protest against schools Los Angeles Times
California could lose millions in federal money meant for K-12 schools, state audit finds
Fresno Bee
California might have to forfeit tens of millions of dollars in pandemic relief money meant for schools if the department in charge of distributing funds does not strengthen its oversight of spending, a state auditor says.
See also:
● California schools are running out of money CalMatters
● Video: Targeted K–12 Funding and Student Outcomes Public Policy Institute of California
Census Prompts Push for More Indigenous School Lessons
Pew Research
Many American Indians and Alaska Natives say the dramatic increase in their numbers recorded in last year’s census supports their long standing argument that Indigenous history should get more attention in public school classrooms.
A Crusade to End Grading in High Schools
Washington Post
Today, 275 private high schools and 125 public schools are part of the nonprofit Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC). They are in various stages of designing and launching the transcript. Started in 2017, the organization is expanding rapidly.
Opinion: The pandemic disrupted testing. States should seize untapped accountability opportunities
AEI
As the return to in-person learning presages a series of debates about the best use of testing and accountability, educators may be surprised to learn that there’s a lot more flexibility than they’ve oft been told.
Higher Ed:
Student loan forgiveness is a lot closer for some borrowers, and they are pumped
VPR
The U.S. Department of Education has begun sending emails to thousands of teachers, nurses and other public servants to tell them they could have some of their federal student loan debts erased months — and even years — earlier than borrowers had expected.
White House drops free community college from its spending bill
VPR
The Biden administration's program to make community college tuition free will not become a reality in this round of the president's spending priorities, leaving progressive groups disappointed.
Opinion: Income share agreements and the future of paying for college
AEI
Beth speaks with Kevin James, founder and CEO of Better Future Forward, about income share agreements, their role in the future of paying for college, and what might stand in the way of this promising innovation.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Turlock looks to reduce waste and become more sustainable
Turlock Journal
October is Sustainability Month and many sectors of Turlock are trying to do their part to reduce waste. From local farms to education institutions, many Turlock residents are adopting new practices to be more sustainable.
West Fresno ranks highest in California for pollution burden and health vulnerability
Fresno Bee
New state data-based reports again confirm that these communities are among the most overburdened in the state. Race and historic redlining maps are associated with which neighborhoods now rank high or low for cumulative impacts of pollution and vulnerability.
Data shows ship crossed over oil pipeline that ruptured
Business Journal
A massive cargo ship that was supposed to be at anchor was buffeted by high winds during a January storm and repeatedly crossed over an undersea oil pipeline that later ruptured off the Southern California coast, according to vessel monitoring data.
Opinion: The Climate Doesn’t Care About Your Hiking Trip
New York Times
Overlay drought and fire maps on the Sierra Nevada, and it’s easy to see how few places within reach of a weekend backpack trip are unaffected by the ravages that climate scientists long predicted would hit California and the West as a result of a warming planet.
See also:
· Early hopeful signs from California's plan to bring back monarch butterflies USA Today
Energy:
PG&E notifies local residential customers of upcoming switch to time-of-use rates
Bakersfield Californian
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is notifying 26,000 of its Kern County residential customers that, unless they take action soon, they will be paying higher or lower rates for their electricity depending on when they use it.
Despite climate change promises, governments plan to ramp up fossil fuel production
VPR
A United Nations report published Wednesday details how the world's largest fossil fuel producers plan to carry on using coal, gas, and oil — despite promises made under the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming
Opinion: Energy Crisis Hobbles Biden’s Green Agenda
Wall Street Journal
As energy prices soar around the world, the key assumption behind President Biden’s foreign policy faces a severe test. That assumption is that aggressively backing the transition from fossil fuels to renewables will strengthen the administration’s hand at home and abroad.
Opinion: Would the senators please remind FERC of its mandate?
AEI
FERC is supposed to pursue the development of wholesale markets for electricity characterized by service reliability, investment and operational cost efficiency, and the appropriate allocation of such cost across regions, sectors, and consumers.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Doctors concerned about rising number of Valley Fever cases
abc30
Valley Fever cases are on the rise, becoming a disturbing trend for doctors in the Western U.S. Between 2014 and 2018, Valley Fever cases tripled in California alone, and the state reached a record high of 9,004 new cases in 2019.
Watch: ‘Mental Health in a Pandemic: Revisiting the conversation one year later’
Sacramento Bee
Equity Lab engagement reporter Orizo Hajigurban moderated a discussion with mental health experts on how Californians are navigating the pandemic from a mental health standpoint, the challenges we face now, and how we can do better.
See also:
● California’s Mental Health Crisis: What Went Wrong? And Can We Fix It? California Healthline
Pfizer shot 93% effective at preventing adolescent COVID-19 hospitalizations: study
Fresno Bee
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study looked at 464 hospitalized adolescent patients — 179 of whom had Covid-19 and 285 who were hospitalized for other reasons. Of those 179 hospitalized with COVID, 97% were unvaccinated. The majority had at least one underlying condition.
COVID-19 and pregnancy: Women regret not getting the vaccine
Fresno Bee
With just 31% of pregnant women nationwide vaccinated, the CDC issued an urgent advisory on Sept. 29 recommending that they get the shots. The agency cautioned that COVID-19 in pregnancy can cause preterm birth and other adverse outcomes, and that stillbirths have been reported
US expected to authorize mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccine booster shots
abc30
Federal regulators are expected to authorize the mixing and matching of COVID-19 booster shots this week in an effort to provide flexibility for those seeking to maintain protection against the coronavirus.
Covid-19 Vaccine for Kids Ages 5-11 to Be Given at Pediatric Offices, Schools Once Authorized
Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration plans to make Covid-19 vaccines available to children ages 5-11 at more than 25,000 pediatric offices and primary care sites and at pharmacies and schools, should it be approved by federal regulators.
See also:
● White House details plans to vaccinate 28 million children ages 5 to 11 Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Finally, an answer for Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients. Here’s what I chose.
Washington Post
All J&J recipients should plan to receive a second shot. A head-to-head comparison published by the CDC in September found that vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization was 93 percent for the Moderna vaccine, 88 percent for Pfizer, and only 71 percent for J&J.
Human Services:
Businesses nervously await fine print of vax-or-test rule
Fresno Bee
More than six weeks after promising a new vaccination-or-testing rule covering the millions of Americans at companies with 100 or more workers, President Joe Biden’s most aggressive move yet to combat the COVID-19 pandemic is almost ready to see the light of day.
IMMIGRATION
California hired a border wall company for COVID-19 response, including vaccinating migrants
Cap Radio
The Newsom administration hired contractor SLSCO to screen, test and vaccinate migrants crossing California’s southern border this year, not far from where the company built large sections of border wall to keep migrants out.
Migrants make increasingly dangerous journeys to enter California through the coast
Los Angeles Times
Customs and Border Protection agents stopped more migrants at sea in 2020 than during the previous three years, according to the latest CBP data.
Apprehensions along the Pacific coast drove that increase — to 766 stops last year from 44 in fiscal 2017.
See also:
● Border arrests have soared to all-time high, new CBP data shows Washington Post
● Trump’s Pentagon Chief Quashed Idea to Send 250,000 Troops to the Border New York Times
U.S. to Issue Migration Appeal to South American Nations
Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration is trying to enlist South American countries to help halt a new wave of migration by controlling the flow of migrants northward, officials said, stressing that all Latin American countries have a role to play.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Sierra Sun Times
In the spirit of reinforcing California's natural resource conservation efforts, a longstanding State program that keeps millions of acres in agricultural use or open space has been streamlined by legislation just signed by Governor Newsom.
Housing:
Are you homeless in the city of Fresno? Here’s where to go for shelter and resources
Fresno Bee
If you have recently lost shelter or are at risk of becoming homeless, this guide provides information on what is available to you. However, advocates for the unhoused community said many resources are at capacity and some may not be viable options for everyone.
See also:
● Can online sports betting help the homeless? California mayors back ballot measure Sacramento Bee
Opinion: The importance of simple, low-cost housing
AEI
Howard Husock speaks to YIMBY Neoliberal of San Francisco about his book, The Poor Side of Town: And Why We Need It.
September home sales fall except in these ten counties
Business Journal
The Fresno area bucked a statewide trend of falling single-family home sales for September, according to the latest data from the California Association of Realtors. Fresno County home sales increased by 6.2% last month compared to September 2020.
Five renovations that will add the most value to your home
Washington Post
Whether you’re seeking to tackle your first project on the fixer-upper you just bought or pursue a remodel to get the home ready for selling, your biggest concern may be what will yield the biggest payoff.
Survey Center on American Life
Today, many Americans would prefer to live in small towns or rural areas rather than denser urban neighborhoods, and they are more likely to prioritize personal space over access to community amenities.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Merced rally calls for spending federal COVID funds on youth jobs, universal basic income
Merced Sun Star
Merced youth organizers rallied outside city hall Monday, calling on local leaders to dedicate a portion of federal COVID-19 dollars toward creating jobs for high school students and other key priorities.
Democrats Try to Salvage IRS Bank-Account Reporting With Scaled-Back Plan
Wall Street Journal
Democrats scaled back a proposal to require banks to send to the IRS more information about customers’ accounts in hopes of salvaging the idea, raising to $10,000 from $600 the key reporting threshold and adding an exemption that would spare many workers and retirees.
See also:
● Democrats pare back proposed IRS bank reporting requirements Politico
States’ Financial Reserves Estimated to Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels
Pew
Unprecedented federal aid and smaller-than-anticipated tax revenue shortfalls have allowed the majority of states to avoid tapping their rainy day funds since the outset of the pandemic-driven recession in early 2020.
See also:
● States’ Tax Revenue Recovery Improves at Start of 2021 Pew
● State & Local Governments With the Most Debt Per Capita Commodity
Opinion: Biden’s Real Tax Target Isn’t the Superrich
Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration is trying to sell its Build Back Better agenda by demonizing the superwealthy, but that’s just the sales pitch. The actual product is a tax bill sent mostly elsewhere, to the already highly taxed “working rich.”
Opinion: Expanded child tax credit contains almost no tax cuts
AEI
The expanded child tax credit would continue to ship out tens of millions of new monthly government checks, mostly to families who work so little they don’t owe federal income taxes in the first place. Only a small fraction would be devoted to actual tax relief.
See also:
● Opinion: New survey data raises questions about the expanded Child Tax Credit AEI
Opinion: Is the spike in federal revenue permanent?
AEI
Higher federal revenue in 2021 reflects a recovering economy, but it’s not clear whether revenue will remain this elevated. Some of the increase in revenue this year may reflect a temporary re-timing of income and expenses in expectation of income tax increases.
TRANSPORTATION
Gallon of gas nears this milestone in Stanislaus County. What are this week’s trends?
Modesto Bee
Gasoline cost as much as $4.95 a gallon in Stanislaus County in an update Monday by GasBuddy. The online report cited high demand and tight supply globally for the run-up in fuel prices.
Highway 99 will soon be impacted by pilot program. Here’s what Caltrans is testing
Sacramento Bee
Caltrans plans next month to install 10 “variable speed advisory” signs in the northbound direction, from Elk Grove Boulevard to the Highway 50 interchange in Sacramento.
Senate transportation appropriations bill includes funds for passenger-rail, transit
Progressive Railroading
The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations has released the legislative text of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development,and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (THUD) Appropriations bill, which would provide $13.5 billion for public transit and $3.4 billion for passenger-rail grants, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Opinion: Want to Use Less Oil? Stop Blocking Electrified Trains
StreetsBlog Cal
California’s HSR system, like its counterparts in France, Japan, China, Italy, and everywhere else in the world, won’t need oil. However, they do need overhead wire to get juice from renewable power stations to the train’s motors. State Assembly’s Speaker Anthony Rendon and Transportation Committee Chair Laura Friedman are opposed to running that wire.
WATER
Snow in the mountains and rain in the valley provide a hopeful start to the rainy season
Bakersfield Californian
It's no secret that the San Joaquin Valley is staring down the possibility of another lengthy drought, but that possibility seemed a little less threatening Monday as Kern County residents awakened to a soft rain in the valley and even snow in some mountain areas.
See also:
● Major storm moving toward Fresno area. Here’s when it’s expected and how much rain Fresno Bee
● Despite rainfall, Fresno still below yearly average. Here’s what two storms will bring Fresno Bee
● Modesto area could get up to 3 inches of rain. See what’s ahead for Sierra watershed Modesto Bee
Newsom declares drought emergency across California
CalMatters
Gov. Newsom expands the California drought emergency from 50 counties to statewide, but does not order mandatory water conservation. He did authorize water regulators to ban wasteful water use, such as spraying down public sidewalks.
See also:
● California records driest year in a century Los Angeles Times
● As Drought Conditions Worsen, California Expands State of Emergency New York Times
● No state restrictions — yet CalMatters
● Editorial: What you can do — and what you can’t — to deal with California’s driest year Los Angeles Times
Seizing the Drought: Water Priorities for Our Changing Climate
Public Policy Institute of California
The PPIC Water Policy Center will convene a diverse group of experts to discuss how to tackle the highly disruptive effects of climate change on our water system. It’s clear that we must step up our game to cope with the increasingly severe, warm droughts that are coming our way.
“Xtra”
Fresno Bee
Nothing beats a good Italian meal – some pasta, some bread, a glass of wine. So who’s got the best Italian food around? The Bee turned to restaurant review site Yelp.com to find out. Yelp used its data to rank the top 10 Italian restaurants in Fresno in 2020.
Kaiser Permanente, BPD host drive to discard expired pills, other items
Bakersfield Californian
Kaiser Permanente and the Bakersfield Police Department will host a drive-thru for the community to properly dispose of unwanted or expired prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Community members can drive through Kaiser Permanente at 3501 Stockdale Highway.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
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