POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus reports six deaths and 122 positive tests Modesto Bee
● Stanislaus County schools report 267 COVID cases among students, staff for week of Oct. 17 Modesto Bee
As Turlock begins redistricting, concerns over council member’s residency continue
Modesto Bee
While Turlock starts the once-in-a-decade redistricting process, Monday marked the anniversary of a formal inquiry into whether now-Council Member Rebecka Monez lived in the district she ran to represent.
Modesto to bill insurance when firefighters go out to calls. What it means for residents
Modesto Bee
Modesto soon will bill insurance companies when its firefighters put out a house fire, treat someone who has had a medical emergency, respond to a car wreck and go out on other calls for service.
Storms bring pause for state drought orders in Modesto and beyond. They could return
Modesto Bee
The recent storms allowed California to suspend the drought curtailment orders that had been imposed during the summer. Cities and irrigation districts now are free to capture river runoff that had been unavailable because of the orders.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: State’s decision to end water talks a slap in the face to Modesto-area residents Modesto Bee
How will Turlock spend $15.7 million in COVID funds? Business, mental health priorities
Modesto Bee
With $15.7 million of federal COVID-19 relief money to spend in the next five years, the Turlock City Council on Tuesday identified supporting business and mental health needs as priorities.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Meatpacking plants were big COVID spreaders, USDA says. What it means for Fresno area Fresno Bee
Fresno County could face penalties for housing children in unlicensed facilities
Fresno Bee
The former University Medical Center was made available earlier this month, with proper “bedding, staff, a food service and an onsite pantry” for children who can’t immediately be placed in a home.
Fresno’s Central Unified schools to examine ‘appropriateness’ of school names and mascots
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s Central Unified School Board on Tuesday launched a new committee to examine “the appropriateness of school names and mascots.”
Fresno Pacific University rejects LGBTQ+ club on campus - but a club might happen anyway
Fresno Bee
Fresno Pacific University has denied a request from students to start an LGBTQ+ Pride club at the private, faith-based university, citing “inconsistency” with its policies and alignment with the Mennonite faith.
Five Fresno cannabis licenses were under appeal. See which shop made it through
Fresno Bee
The Fresno City Council on Wednesday denied three cannabis licenses and declined to vote on one appeal — effectively revoking the license.That means out of the five appeals on the table, only one dispensary will be allowed to open.
Pesticide safety groups push for advance notice of use following UCLA study
VPR
Local organizers rallied outside the Department of Pesticide Regulations in Clovis Tuesday to demand immediate pesticide reform following a study published this summer that found certain pesticides used in California were linked to childhood cancer.
Equitable solution? Public hearing on county redistricting held
Porterville Recorder
A number of advocates expressed their support what's being called the equitable coalition map at Tuesday's Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting when it comes to the redistricting of the five Supervisorial Districts.
Farm labor laws are ignored, Fresno advocates say. Will California attorney general fix it?
Fresno Bee
The COVID-19 pandemic not only struck farm workers at a higher rate than many other segments of the population in California, it also illuminated longstanding concerns about the health and safety of agricultural laborers and a lack of enforcement of existing laws intended to ensure their rights.
Fresno Bee
Republican Rep. Devin Nunes has filed ten lawsuits against media companies, activists and the investigative research firm behind the Steele Dossier. He alleges they conspired against his re-election and harmed his reputation.
See also:
● When Devin Nunes sued a Twitter cow, this First Amendment lawyer wanted to know more Fresno Bee
● Judge orders Devin Nunes’ family to disclose who’s paying for Iowa defamation lawsuit Fresno Bee
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Local agencies offering free vaccinations — and boosters — at dozens of clinics across the county Bakersfield Californian
Perez says she will not seek reelection to Board of Supervisors
Bakersfield Californian
She mentioned to her fellow supervisors during a meeting on Tuesday she does not plan to seek a fourth term for the seat she has held since 2012. The moment passed quickly, without further comment from either Perez or her colleagues.
See also:
● Supervisor Leticia Perez says she won’t run for re-election for 5th District seat KGET
State solicits public comment on pesticide notifications proposal
Bakersfield Californian
The proposal arose after a local group tried to put in place a similar project in the Shafter area. The project ran into opposition and has not advanced, which prompted state officials to move forward with a statewide notification system.
See also:
● Rural activists ask for county supervisors' support in push for pesticide notifications Bakersfield Californian
● PROTESTORS SEEK MORE TRANSPARENCY IN PESTICIDE APPLICATION Business Journal
State:
COVID Update:
● California plans ambitious effort to vaccinate young children Los Angeles Times
● California prepares to roll out COVID vaccine for young children as early as next week Sacramento Bee
● Gavin Newsom gets COVID-19 booster, encourages Californians to get the jab when eligible Sacramento Bee
● Student COVID vaccinations: California becomes first state to require them for kids 12 and up CalMatters
● California county closes In-N-Out over vaccine verification AP News
● Uncertain Fate Awaits Prison Worker Vaccine Mandate Public Policy Institute of California
California artists lost work in the pandemic. This state law aims to pay them a living wage
Fresno Bee
A new state law meant to boost California’s arts and cultural industries intends to provide more artists and creative workers with stable employment opportunities to help them recover from the pandemic.
What should Gavin Newsom discuss at UN meeting? Jerry Brown, climate activists have ideas
Modesto Bee
When he attends the United Nations climate change conference next week, Gov. Gavin Newsom will have a critical opportunity to convince world leaders to follow California’s model to reduce carbon emissions.
See also:
● What’s at stake for California and Newsom at climate conference? Modesto Bee
New california laws for business owners to watch out for
Business Journal
The new laws include legislation regarding claims of recyclability for packaging, dairy pricing, debt settlement practices and others that local business owners might want to familiarize themselves with.
Walters: Will California’s auditor remain independent?
CalMatters
California has two agencies that act as watchdogs of state government, the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the State Auditor. The current auditor, Elaine Howle, is retiring and appointing her successor will reveal whether her office’s invaluable independence will be maintained.
Donald Trump is out of office. Why is California still suing the former administration?
Sacramento Bee
California filed more than 100 lawsuits against the Trump administration over various policies that the former president introduced, rolled back or implemented in office.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● Fauci: "I would vaccinate them in a second" Axios
● Republican attorneys general criticize Biden vaccine order The Sacramento Bee
● Do cholesterol drugs reduce COVID risks? Study findings are conflicting. Here’s why Fresno Bee
● Some parents were eager to get the coronavirus vaccine. Now they are wavering on vaccinating their kids. The Washington Post
Republican attorneys general criticize Biden vaccine order
Fresno Bee
Twenty-one Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to the President on Wednesday saying they think his vaccination mandate for federal contractors “stands on shaky legal ground," is confusing to contractors and could exacerbate supply-chain problems.
Overdose deaths are so high that the Biden team is embracing ideas once seen as taboo
VPR
Becerra said the federal government will now directly support ideas known broadly as harm reduction. That means providing direct support and care to people actively using illegal drugs.
See also:
● HHS pledges more effort, resources toward harm reduction for drug users Washington Post
Liberal frustration imperils quick Dem social spending deal
Politico
A flurry of cuts to Democrats' domestic priorities endangered a quick deal on President Joe Biden's agenda on Wednesday after a frenetic 24 hours of negotiating between the president and two moderate senators.
See also:
● Biden Pitches $1.85 Trillion Framework to Ease Passage of Parallel Infrastructure Bill Wall Street Journal
● Dems' last-ditch immigration gambit loses steam Politico
● Black and Hispanic Lawmakers Push to Keep Medicaid Expansion in Democrats’ Plan Wall Street Journal
● Democrats Drop Paid Leave From $1.75 Trillion Proposal Wall Street Journal
● Here’s what is in the $1.75 trillion Biden budget plan Washington Post
● Progressives Warn Democratic Leaders on Possible Infrastructure Vote Wall Street Journal
● Column: Last-ditch attempt at immigration legislation feels like a Hail Mary San Diego Union-Tribune
● What’s Kyrsten Sinema Up To? It’s Pretty Obvious. Politico
● Opinion: Democrats’ Betrayals Are Jeopardizing American Democracy Rolling Stone
● Opinion: The White House just announced a pretty good deal. But we’re not there yet. The Washington Post
Democrats Hammer Out Novel Plan to Tax Billionaires and Corporate Giants
New York Times
New proposals would fund social and climate programs by tapping billionaires’ unrealized gains and by ensuring that the biggest companies cannot avoid income taxes altogether.
See also:
● Wyden fills in details for 'Billionaires Income Tax' Politico
● How the proposed tax on billionaires would actually work NPR
● Biden to announce new social spending framework expected to win support of all Democrats The Washington Post
Washington Post
Not surprising from a senator who hails from a state that presents itself as fiercely self-reliant. But in fact, West Virginians are not only older, sicker and poorer than most of the nation; they are, by some measures, more reliant on the federal government than any other state.
Opinion: Joe Biden Is Almost as Unpopular as Trump. Unlike Trump, He Has a Way Out.
Politico
The Joe Biden presidency has, so far, conformed to the iron law of presidential approval polling: A newly inaugurated president starts out strong in the polls but inevitably drifts lower in his first term.
Other:
Washington Post
Facebook researchers had deep knowledge of how coronavirus and vaccine misinformation moved through the company’s apps, running multiple studies and producing large internal reports on what kinds of users were most likely to share falsehoods about the deadly virus, according to documents disclosed by Facebook whistleblower.
Legal Barriers to Expanding High Speed Reliable Internet
Pew Trusts
Telecommunications law is complex and can occasionally present legal and regulatory challenges to broadband expansion projects. As communities and ISPs work to form partnerships, they need a legal strategy and action plan to address these complexities early in the process.
See also:
● States begin authorizing coronavirus funds for broadband expansion AgriPulse
The 14 things you need to know about Trump’s letter in the Wall Street Journal
The Washington Post
On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal published a letter written by former president Donald Trump in which he makes a number of claims about the results of the 2020 election in Pennsylvania. Below, the 14 things you need to know about the letter.
Citizens in Advanced Economies Want Significant Changes to Their Political Systems
Pew Research
Dissatisfaction with functioning of democracy is linked to concerns about the economy, the pandemic and social divisions.
Opinion: Voter suppression or voter expansion? What’s happening and does it matter?
Brookings
This year has seen a flurry of activity in state legislatures as they enacted laws that either made it easier or harder to vote. Now that many legislatures have finished their work the question is—so what?
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 31, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "On-Line Democray: A Good Connection?" - Guest: Pedro Nava, Chairman - California Little Hoover Commission. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 31, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "The Valley Experience with On-Line Government"- Guests: Danielle Bergstrom, Fresnoland: Fresnoland's Documenter's Program and Erica Manuel, CEO & President of the Institute for Local Government. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Is Foster Farms looking for a potential sale? Here’s what the California-based company said
Fresno Bee
Livingston-based Foster Farms, which also has a processing plant in Fresno, is considering selling the family-owned business, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Meatpacking plants were big COVID spreaders, USDA says. What it means for Fresno area
Fresno Bee
A recent report from the USDA confirms what many have been saying for months — meatpacking factories were a “major catalyst” to the spread of COVID-19 during the early months of the global pandemic.
See also:
● Report: At least 59,000 meat workers caught COVID, 269 died Fresno Bee
Farm labor laws are ignored, Fresno advocates say. Will California attorney general fix it?
Fresno Bee
The pandemic illuminated longstanding concerns about the health and safety of agricultural laborers and a lack of enforcement of existing laws intended to ensure their rights.
State solicits public comment on pesticide notifications proposal
Bakersfield Californian
The proposal arose after a local group tried to put in place a similar project in the Shafter area. The project ran into opposition and has not advanced, which prompted state officials to move forward with a statewide notification system.
See also:
● Rural activists ask for county supervisors' support in push for pesticide notifications Bakersfield Californian
● Pesticide safety groups push for advance notice of use following UCLA study VPR
Some fast-food items contain plastics linked to serious health problems, new report shows
Washington Post
A new study out Tuesday reports that far too often, small amounts of industrial chemicals called phthalates (pronounced THA-lates), which are used to make plastics soft, have been found in samples of food from popular outlets including McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Chipotle.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Recent State Crime Trends Mostly Mirror the Nation
Public Policy Institute of California
Newly released national crime numbers from the FBI show that, amid an unprecedented worldwide pandemic, trends in California’s crime rate last year mostly mirrored national trends—with some key differences.
Public Safety:
Modesto to bill insurance when firefighters go out to calls. What it means for residents
Modesto Bee
Modesto soon will bill insurance companies when its firefighters put out a house fire, treat someone who has had a medical emergency, respond to a car wreck and go out on other calls for service.
House Introduces a Sweeping Booster Seat Safety Law to Protect Children in Car Crashes
Propublica
The Booster Seat Safety Act was prompted by a ProPublica investigation and a subsequent congressional probe that found manufacturers had misled parents about the safety of booster seats and endangered children’s lives.
Anonymity No More? Age Checks Come to the Web.
New York Times
To protect children online, more companies and governments are forcing users to prove how old they are.
Opinion: Where Are the Wuhan Subpoenas?
Wall Street Journal
Chinese stonewalling means it’s unlikely the world will ever know Covid-19’s exact origins. Yet many avenues of investigation remain unexplored that could yield lessons for the future.
Fire:
The Coming Age of Climate Trauma
Washington Post
Three years after a devastating wildfire, a California community faces another crisis: PTSD. Is what’s happening there a warning to the rest of us?
Opinion: Climate Activists Blow Smoke on Wildfire Fears
Wall Street Journal
The amount of land burned has declined steadily since 1900, even with rising temperatures.
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
U.S. economy grew at annual rate of 2% in the third quarter, as delta variant pulled back progress
Washington Post
The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2 percent in the third quarter, in the latest sign of how the recent delta variant of the coronavirus held back the economic recovery.
See also:
● How the economy went from sizzle to fizzle, and why there's hope for a way back VPR
● The U.S. recovery slowed in the third quarter as the Delta variant surged. New York Times
Fed Leadership Uncertainty Muddies Rate-Policy Outlook
Wall Street Journal
Higher inflation has raised questions in markets over a possible pivot, putting a bigger spotlight on Biden’s choices
Jobs:
This Valley drywall company stiffed its workers. California slaps it with $7.2M in fines
Fresno Bee
A Visalia-based drywall company faces citations from the state amounting to more than $7.2 million for labor law violations involving wage theft affecting 724 workers.
Farm labor laws are ignored, Fresno advocates say. Will California attorney general fix it?
Fresno Bee
The COVID-19 pandemic not only struck farm workers at a higher rate than many other segments of the population in California, it also illuminated longstanding concerns about the health and safety of agricultural laborers and a lack of enforcement of existing laws intended to ensure their rights.
Few working poor get to vote on unions. Can California change that?
CalMatters
The rapid growth of high-skilled tech jobs and the loss of industrial jobs to global labor markets have significantly widened the gap between rich and poor. The share of California workers in a union has steadily declined from about 40% in the 1950s to 16% last year.
Fact check: Is turnover at California’s unemployment call center unusually high?
Sacramento Bee
Saenz appeared at the Monday hearing to detail how EDD is implementing recommendations from a state audit and the Legislature for improving the agency’s efficiency.
California women, minorities are still being paid much less than their white, male counterparts
San Francisco Chronicle
How large is the pay gap in California for people of different races and genders? According to one study, it stretches to the tens of billions of dollars.
EDITORIAL: Rolling back labor and environmental protections won’t fix supply chain disruptions
Los Angeles Times
With everyone from President Biden to Gov. Gavin Newsom focused on fixing supply chain disruptions that have clogged the ports, created product shortages and raised prices, California business groups are offering their, um, solution: Roll back state labor protections and slash environmental protections.
How to Avoid Being Scammed by Fake Job Ads
Propublica
Phony job advertisements are proliferating on the internet, often as part of identity-theft schemes. Here’s how to avoid falling victim to them.
Fact-checking Joe Biden about job gains on his watch
PolitiFact
The raw numbers support Biden’s claim of record job gains on his watch, but the talking point glosses over the reality that the U.S. economy remains about 5 million jobs under its pre-pandemic peak.
Opinion: Reconnecting Americans to the benefits of work
AEI
Many would-be workers are voluntarily disconnected from work, and government programs and policies have likely made work less attractive for these Americans. Beyond a paycheck, employment is also an important source of social capital that provides material and immaterial benefits to personal well-being.
Opinion: American Rescue Plan funds can jump-start stalled opportunities for youth
Brookings
Unemployment among 16-24-year-olds remains at 9.9% as of August 2021, considerably higher than the overall unemployment rate of 5.2%. With federal ARP funding, states and localities have a unique opportunity to counteract these trends by creating more pathways to opportunity and quality jobs.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno’s Central Unified schools to examine ‘appropriateness’ of school names and mascots
Fresno Bee
Fresno’s Central Unified School Board on Tuesday launched a new committee to examine “the appropriateness of school names and mascots.”
Why many Fresno-area schools will change start times year and why some already have
Fresno Bee
Schools across California will have a later start time next year. Senate Bill 328, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019, requires California middle schools beginning in July 2022 to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools to begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
Garland defends school board memo amid Republican criticism
Fresno Bee
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended a memo aimed at combating threats against school officials nationwide while Republicans insisted he rescind the directive. He signaled he had no plans to do so despite their criticism.
Opinion: American Rescue Plan funds can jump-start stalled opportunities for youth
Brookings
American Rescue Plan dollars and other federal investments offer the chance to disrupt long-established patterns of who succeeds in education and the labor market, and who doesn’t. We should not waste this opportunity.
Higher Ed:
Fresno Pacific University rejects LGBTQ+ club on campus - but a club might happen anyway
Fresno Bee
Fresno Pacific University has denied a request from students to start an LGBTQ+ Pride club at the private, faith-based university, citing “inconsistency” with its policies and alignment with the Mennonite faith.
Pandemic rules add stress for campus RAs
CalMatters
Resident advisers on college campuses have a complicated job in a normal year, and the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to their workload this fall.
Governor Announces State Funding for UC Merced’s Medical Education Building
UC Merced Newsroom
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state will support the building of the university’s new medical education building. The Health, Behavioral Sciences and Medical Education Building will support a B.S.-to-M.D. joint degree program with UCSF-Fresno, starting in 2023.
He Unleashed a California Massacre. Should This School Be Named for Him?
New York Times
The founder of the Hastings College of the Law masterminded the killings of hundreds of Native Americans. The school, tribal members and alumni disagree about what should be done now.
Democracy Counts 2020: Record-Breaking Turnout and Student Resiliency
Institute for Democracy & Higher Education
Students built on the momentum of 2018 and voted at even higher rates, jumping from 52% in 2016 to 66%in 2020. Students, often younger and first-time voters, turned out at rates commensurate with the general public is nothing short of stunning.
Top student loan official testifies on troubled loan forgiveness program
NPR
The head of the U.S. Department of Education's federal student lending office, Richard Cordray, testified before a House panel Wednesday, about changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Newsom’s challenge in Glasgow: Can he find climate-business balance?
CalMatters
One of the biggest challenges that Gov. Newsom will face when he travels to Scotland next week for the United Nations Climate Change Conference: Proving to the rest of the world that California is improving its environmental climate without damaging its business climate.
See also:
● What’s at stake for California and Newsom at climate conference? Modesto Bee
● What should Gavin Newsom discuss at UN meeting? Jerry Brown, climate activists have ideas Modesto Bee
Los Angeles is aiming to be first major carbon-free U.S. city, but obstacles loom
Washington Post
Confronted by devastating wildfires, parching drought and ever-hotter summers, Los Angeles is launching an ambitious plan to combat climate change by becoming the first major U.S. city run entirely on clean energy.
How decades of disinformation about fossil fuels halted U.S. climate policy
VPR
Now, days before Biden prepares for a pivotal climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the White House's keystone legislative plan to tackle climate disruption appears to be dead, sunk by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.
See also:
● Oil companies face 'big tobacco moment' in Congress over their climate policies VPR
● Oil executives slated to testify on climate disinformation Roll Call
● Opinion: Will Congress expose Big Oil like it did Big Tobacco in the ’90s? Los Angeles Times
Most Americans say climate change is a crisis, new study shows
CBS
Most Americans support climate policies, according to a recent poll, even as Congress seems stuck as they negotiate President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda.
See also:
● Opinion: Is there really a climate emergency? AEI
● Opinion: To see climate change in action, just look in your own backyard The Washington Post
At COP26, climate inequality will meet vaccine inequality
The Washington Post
In the midst of a pandemic, countries are gathering to discuss how to deal with a wholly separate humanity-threatening crisis: Climate change.
Coastal States Seek to Limit Seawall Construction
PEW
Protective structures such as seawalls and bulkheads can help save properties from erosion. But such structures, known collectively as shoreline armoring, can block the natural flow of sand and sediment down the coast and multiply the force of waves onto nearby shorelines—accelerating erosion elsewhere.
EDITORIAL: Rolling back labor and environmental protections won’t fix supply chain disruptions
Los Angeles Times
With everyone from President Biden to Gov. Gavin Newsom focused on fixing supply chain disruptions that have clogged the ports, created product shortages and raised prices, California business groups are offering their, um, solution: Roll back state labor protections and slash environmental protections.
Energy:
VUSD electricians 'work through the night', restore power after storm
Visalia Times Delta
Multiple schools went dark, students were shuffled from classrooms to libraries and electricians worked overtime to get some Visalia schools up and running after Monday's "bomb cyclone" storm.
Mendota to host largest green hydrogen plant on west coast
Business Journal
Plug Power plans to build the largest green hydrogen production plant on the West Coast in Mendota. The facility will use a 300-megawatt, zero-carbon solar farm to power equipment that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen through an electro-chemical process.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Why some parents want their kids vaccinated against COVID — and some don't
VPR
The FDA is expected to approve emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for them, and they could start getting shots as soon as next week. Colorado Public Radio's Jenny Brundin talked to parents and kids about this moment.
See also:
● An FDA adviser said we need to give kids vaccines to fully understand their safety. Here’s the crucial context. Washington Post
● Children are far less likely to die from COVID-19. Why do they need vaccination? PolitiFact
California’s veterans forced to leave homes to seek aid in dying
Mercury News
Residents of Napa County’s Yountville Veterans Home are asking for the option to end their lives if they are terminally ill, in peace, at home, in their own bed.The 625 residents and their spouses are denied access to the state’s aid-in-dying law. A group representing residents of the home went to court to try to change that.
Cheap antidepressant shows promise treating early COVID-19
Fresno Bee
The pill, called fluvoxamine, would cost $4 for a course of COVID-19 treatment. By comparison, antibody IV treatments cost about $2,000 and Merck's experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 is about $700 per course.
Some States Are Cloaking Prison COVID Data
Pew Trusts
While most corrections systems have never provided a great deal of information about the spread of the virus in their institutions, lately it has gotten worse, researchers say.
A Real Opportunity in the Fight Against Opioid Use Disorders
Pew Trusts
Billions of dollars will be flowing to states and localities from opioid lawsuit settlements and court rulings. They need to set up a framework for dedicating the money to programs that save lives.
See also:
● Overdose deaths are so high that the Biden team is embracing ideas once seen as taboo VPR
Merck will allow drugmakers in other countries to make its COVID-19 pill
VPR
U.S.-based pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. said it will license drugmakers worldwide to produce its potentially lifesaving antiviral pill for treatment of COVID-19 in adults.
Human Services:
Exacerbated by pandemic, child care crisis hampers economy
Fresno Bee
The pandemic has made clear what many experts had long warned: The absence of reliable and affordable child care limits which jobs people can accept, makes it harder to climb the corporate ladder and ultimately restricts the ability of the broader economy to grow.
California is short on social workers. Here’s how that affects your ability to get benefits
Sacramento Bee
County social service departments are responsible for helping residents sign up for the federal program, but advocates say people are struggling to receive benefits because agencies are understaffed and overwhelmed.
Day care for disabled children requires better funding, parents and experts say
VPR
In a proposal being debated in Congress, states would be required to have accessible and inclusive preschool programs for children with disabilities. It would also create universal pre-kindergarten, subsidize child care, and provide some level of paid family leave.
IMMIGRATION
New Guidance Bars Immigration Enforcement in ‘Protected Areas’
New York Times
The Biden administration included schools, hospitals, parades and places of worship on a list of areas off limits to immigration arrests or other types of enforcement.
U.S. Lifting Border Restrictions Nov. 8th: Here’s What Travelers Need to Know
Wall Street Journal
Biden administration officials on Monday released more information on pre-departure testing for both international and returning U.S. travelers, as well as exemptions for children under 18.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
Yosemite Falls Surges After West Coast Storms Bring Needed Rainfall
New York Times
More than six inches of rain fell over Yosemite National Park in central California over a 36-hour period, causing the waterfall to surge after a dry summer.
Housing:
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a Black housing crisis gets worse
Los Angeles Times
Black Americans have long been more likely to pay unaffordable rent and mortgages compared with white people, according to census data. With the current downturn, Black households face a greater probability of being unable to pay.
See also:
● Black and Latino renters face eviction, exclusion amid police crackdowns in California Los Angeles Times
EDITORIAL: How Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema might gut California's affordable housing efforts
San Francisco Chronicle
Thanks to the recent efforts of Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, among others, a significant amount of those housing funds will almost certainly survive the Manchin-Sinema cull. But housing advocates say the final pool of funds will be nowhere near $327 billion.
PUBLIC FINANCES
States’ Financial Reserves Estimated to Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels
Pew Trusts
After a one-year dip, states’ combined fiscal cushion—counting rainy day funds and leftover budget dollars—was expected to spring back and exceed pre-pandemic highs by the start of this budget year.
Democrats Hammer Out Novel Plan to Tax Billionaires and Corporate Giants
New York Times
New proposals would fund social and climate programs by tapping billionaires’ unrealized gains and by ensuring that the biggest companies cannot avoid income taxes altogether.
See also:
● Wyden fills in details for 'Billionaires Income Tax' Politico
● How the proposed tax on billionaires would actually work NPR
● Proposed Tax on Billionaires Raises Question: What’s Income? New York Times
Proposal to Rein in Mega IRAs Faces Lobbying Resistance From Retirement Industry
Propublica
Several companies, including one backed by Peter Thiel, are fighting a proposal to curb giant retirement accounts and tighten rules for IRA investments.
TRANSPORTATION
As high-speed rail stalls, push to widen Valley’s highways gains momentum
San Joaquin Valley Sun
With California legislators engaging in another round of debate over the merits of the state’s much-maligned bullet train project, Valley lawmakers are pressing efforts to channel infrastructure investments in higher-need places.
California Failed to Consistently Track Ride-Hailing Assault and Harassment Complaints
San Francisco Public Press
Since California legalized ride-hailing in 2013, hundreds of passengers have filed lawsuits alleging driver misconduct. Uber and Lyft say safety problems are rare.
Rockslide on California central coast shuts down Highway 1
Associated Press
A rockslide on the rugged central California coast forced closure of a long stretch of Highway 1 on Wednesday, state highway authorities said.
Gas prices peaked under Bush, but they don’t correlate with who’s in office
PolitiFact
The movement of gas prices doesn’t correlate with who’s in office. It’s determined by the balance of supply and demand, and influenced by the health of the economy and OPEC policies.
WATER
Storms bring pause for state drought orders in Modesto and beyond. They could return
Modesto Bee
The recent storms allowed California to suspend the drought curtailment orders that had been imposed during the summer. Cities and irrigation districts now are free to capture river runoff that had been unavailable because of the orders.
See also:
● EDITORIAL: State’s decision to end water talks a slap in the face to Modesto-area residents Modesto Bee
Study: Toxic fracking waste is leaking into California groundwater
Grist
Contaminants have been detected within a half a kilometer of a facility in Lost Hills. About 1.7 kilometers northwest of the facility, chloride and salt levels are more than six and four times greater than background levels, respectively. The contaminants are migrating toward the aqueduct.
Opinion: California should create more water – much more
CalMatters
Without a strategy to create water through desalination and recycling, California is doomed to fight over dwindling supplies.
Opinion: Sometimes, it’s as simple as getting clean water
Roll Call
What must the residents of Benton Harbor be thinking as they observe their leaders in Washington debating infrastructure and reconciliation bills? They have been advised by state officials to continue to use bottled water for drinking, cooking and brushing their teeth while action catches up to need.
“Xtra”
Another new restaurant/bar is headed for Fresno’s Brewery District. Here’s what we know
Fresno Bee
A Brewery District building that’s 103 years old is almost finished with renovations and has signed its first business. Palo Verde Bakery plans to open with seating inside the former Sun Stereo warehouse at 736 Fulton St., which is across the street from Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co.
First Raising Cane’s restaurant in Fresno-Clovis sets opening date. How to get free stuff
Fresno Bee
The first Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers in the Fresno-Clovis area is about to open. The restaurant at 1055 Shaw Ave. in Clovis will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 28.
Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth
Think you can tell the difference between True and False?
Do you really know what is fake news?
Support the Maddy Daily
Thank you!
Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.
This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires.
Subscribe to the Maddy Daily HERE
Or, to Subscribe or Unsubscribe: email nnaoe@csufresno.edu