POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Stanislaus reaches 1,350 deaths, 77,954 positive tests Modesto Bee
● How will Turlock spend $15.7 million in COVID funds? Business, mental health priorities Modesto Bee
Two prominent Merced business owners file complaints against ‘rude’ City Council member
Merced Sun Star
A member of the Merced City Council could face repercussions after two prominent local business owners filed formal complaints, calling alleged language she used “unacceptable” and “vulgar.”
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.
Storms bring pause for state drought orders in Modesto and beyond. They could return
Modesto Bee
Cities and irrigation districts now are free to capture river runoff that had been unavailable because of the orders. Officials warned that they could fall back into place if the state gets another stretch of dry weather.
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.
Devin Nunes, Josh Harder could face tough elections if California districts look like this
Fresno Bee
Preliminary visualizations for California’s new congressional districts would put Central Valley Reps. Devin Nunes and Josh Harder in tougher elections in 2022 for their seats in the United States House of Representatives, experts say.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Barely half of Fresno County is vaccinated for COVID. Is a holiday surge on the way? Fresno Bee
● ICU sees slight drop, but pediatric numbers have slight rise Hanford Sentinel
● Cartoonist using artwork to inform Valley Latino community on COVID-19 vaccine abc30
● Valley health officials give safety tips for Halloween weekend abc3
● Tulare County sees more deaths, infections as pandemic continues Visalia Times Delta
Fresno teachers ‘at the brink,’ union says. They’ll file labor grievances amid COVID
Fresno Bee
Union officials representing teachers in the Fresno Unified School District announced Thursday they will file grievances against the district for long standing issues that they say have grown worse amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also:
● Fresno teachers' union files claim against FUSD for alleged contract violations abc30
Do you want speed bumps on your street? Fresno City Council repeals old ban
Fresno Bee
They were the topic of a long discussion at Fresno’s City Council meeting Thursday. The council voted to repeal a city ban on speed bumps and begin a new pilot program to install them in council District 3, represented by Councilmember Miguel Arias.
See also:
● Fresno council member to propose installing new speed humps after years-long ban abc30
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.
See also:
· California attorney general promises improved farmworker protection abc30
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.
See Also:
● ’We’re definitely going to challenge this.’ Fresno denies cannabis shops. What happens now? The Fresno Bee
What’s it like to live in Fresno, CA?
US News
The area isn't just a haven for farmers. Fresno attracts residents with its diverse job market, inexpensive housing and array of cultural attractions. A venture inside this central California region reveals a multitude of unique cultural surprises.
Analyst: Initiative could lower water bills, cause reduction in other programs
Porterville Recorder
A analysis of an initiative that would set aside 2 percent of the state budget to meet the state's water needs could lower water costs at the local level but also could cause reductions in other programs.
Visalia Times Delta
Tulare County’s 2021 Advisory Commission on Supervisorial Redistricting has recommended four maps to the Board of Supervisors to consider when drawing lines for new districts.
Former VUSD Superintendent Todd Oto among Area 4 trustee applicants
Visalia Times Delta
Visalia Unified School District will narrow down its Area 4 trustee applicants list from nine to three during an open board meeting Tuesday.
See also:
● Opinion: VUSD board will be transparent in picking replacement trustee Visalia Times Delta
Devin Nunes, Josh Harder could face tough elections if California districts look like this
Fresno Bee
Preliminary visualizations for California’s new congressional districts would put Central Valley Reps. Devin Nunes and Josh Harder in tougher elections in 2022 for their seats in the United States House of Representatives, experts say.
See also:
· When Devin Nunes sued a Twitter cow, this First Amendment lawyer wanted to know more Fresno Bee
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health reports 246 new COVID cases, 10 new deaths Thursday Bakersfield Californian
● Local agencies offering free vaccinations — and boosters — at dozens of clinics across the county Bakersfield Californian
BCSD kicks off plan to redraw school boundaries
Bakersfield Californian
A number of factors are in play as lines are redrawn for the central and northeast parts of the school district, Tim Fulenwider, executive director of the instructional support services division, told the school board Tuesday night.
See also:
● Kern County school boards start process of redrawing trustee boundaries Bakersfield Californian
State:
COVID Update:
● California virus cases stop falling, governor urges caution Sacramento Bee
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 aims to change that. It intends to provide more artists and creative workers with stable employment opportunities to help them recover from the pandemic.
Second state worker pleads guilty in California Office of AIDS fraud scandal
Modesto Bee
A second state worker has pleaded guilty in connection with a $2 million fraud case involving the California Office of AIDS and will cooperate with prosecutors, authorities said.
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.
California debates changes to 110-year-old recall process
AP News
Weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom fended off an attempt to remove him from office in a recall election, his fellow Democrats on Thursday began eyeing ways to make future challenges more difficult while Republicans sought to keep the status quo.
See Also:
● As recall campaign closes, Californians might be ready to change the system Los Angeles Times
Donald Trump is out of office. Why is California still suing the former administration?
Modesto Bee
Many of them are closed. But others continue nearly a year after President Joe Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election. The state is keeping some cases active because some Trump-era regulations could resurface or have lingering effects on Californians.
See Also:
● State of California v. Donald Trump The Sacramento Bee
Federal:
COVID Update:
● U.S. Bets on Covid-19 Boosters’ Efficacy Against a Changing Virus, as Doses Roll Out Wall Street Journal
Biden unveils a smaller spending framework. But all Democrats are not onboard
VPR
House Democrats are racing to resolve an internal battle over the process for passing trillions of dollars in spending after a personal plea from Biden for members of his party to unite behind a $1.75T social spending bill and a separate $1T bipartisan infrastructure bill.
See also:
● Biden makes his case to House Democrats for a $1.75 trillion spending framework VPR
● What’s in Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ framework? Los Angeles Times
● Biden and Democrats unveil $1.85-trillion plan for social and climate change programs Los Angeles Times
● Crucial Elements of Spending Plan Remain in Flux After Biden’s Appeal to Democrats New York Times
● Your guide to the huge Dem deal: 14 new policies and what could stop them Politico
● Biden tries, stumbles, selling his domestic agenda into existence Politico
● Liberals weigh their options: Settle for half a loaf, or fight Politico
● Dems’ drug pricing dreams crash into reality in social spending tumult Politico
● Biden, pushing $1.75 trillion spending bill, dealt setback on infrastructure Reuters
● House punts on infrastructure, passes highway bill extension Roll Call
● Democrats vow to continue fight on drug pricing in budget bill Roll Call
● Infrastructure Bill’s Broadband Plan Shrouded From Scrutiny Wall Street Journal
● Biden Framework for Social-Climate Package Fails to Ease Passage of Infrastructure Bill Wall Street Journal
● Progressives Block Infrastructure Vote in Latest Display of Power Wall Street Journal
● Biden Turns to Taxes on Corporations, Millionaires to Pay for Agenda Wall Street Journal
● Analysis: Biden faces liberal angst after under-delivering AP News
● Opinion: A Jerry-Rigged Budget ‘Framework’ Wall Street Journal
‘Stupid’ and ‘insane’: Some billionaires vent over tax plan
Business Journal
With a personal fortune that is flirting with $300 billion, the Tesla CEO — the richest person on earth — has been attacking a Democratic proposal to tax the assets of billionaires like him.
See Also:
● The ‘billionaire tax’ and a wealth tax are not the same AEI
● The Billionaires Tax Isn’t New ProPublica
● In the Biden Bill, the Billionaires Beat the Working Rich New York Times
Proposal to Rein in Mega IRAs Faces Lobbying Resistance From Retirement Industry
ProPublica
The Democratic plan to crack down on individual retirement accounts worth hundreds of millions of dollars and to tighten the rules governing IRA investments is facing intense opposition from several industry groups seeking to kill or soften the proposed reforms.
U.S. Will Pay $88 Million to Families and Survivors of 2015 Shooting at Black Church
Wall Street Journal
Settlement follows FBI’s admission that it botched a background check that should have kept shooter Dylann Roof from possessing a gun.
Biden, Pope Francis Meet Amid Controversy Over Abortion
The Wall Street Journal
President Biden, the second Catholic president in American history, traveled to the Vatican on Friday for a meeting with Pope Francis that is expected to focus on climate change but has been overshadowed by controversy among church leaders over the president’s support for abortion rights.
Posts falsely say Joe Biden broke with Donald Trump on Afghanistan withdrawal
PolitiFact
President Joe Biden didn’t break with Trump on Afghanistan policy, except for pushing back the withdrawal by a few months. Trump set the U.S. troop removal in motion and Biden continued on that path.
Trump's strategy to overturn the 2020 election didn't work. Next time it might
VPR
Ten months later, hundreds of members of the mob who stormed the Capitol are facing prosecution for their actions. But it remains to be seen whether anyone from the Willard war room will be charged.
See also:
● Opinion: The Facts on Trump’s Fraud Letter Wall Street Journal
Other:
Explore the California Dream Index
CA FWD
We're excited to share that we've enhanced the features of our California Dream Index data platform, which tracks 10 indicators of economic mobility. We've added new ways to explore, sort, and compare progress by county, region, race and ethnicity.
Facebook is rebranding as Meta — but the app you use will still be called Facebook
VPR
Facebook's new corporate name is Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced, in an apparent effort to recast the company's public image from battered social network to tech innovator focused on building the next generation of online interaction, known as the "metaverse."
See also:
● Facebook is changing its name to Meta as it focuses on the virtual world Washington Post
● Facebook changes its name to 'Meta' amid backlash to whistleblower revelations Politico
● In the middle of a crisis, Facebook Inc. renames itself Meta San Francisco Chronicle
● Facebook Changes Company Name to Meta in Focus on Metaverse Wall Street Journal
● Rebranding as Meta, Facebook emphasizes VR future over crisis-beset present Los Angeles Times
● Op-Ed: Mark Zuckerberg makes a ‘mwahahaha’ metaverse move Los Angeles Times
Opinion: The right way to reject critical race theory
AEI
The debate around critical race theory (CRT) can feel exceptionally stupid, reflexive, and marked by bad faith, even by the low standards of our era.
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
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.
See also:
● California attorney general promises improved farmworker protection abc30
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.
America’s Food Safety System Failed to Stop a Salmonella Epidemic. It’s Still Making People Sick.
ProPublica
For years, a dangerous salmonella strain has sickened thousands and continues to spread through the chicken industry. The USDA knows about it. So do the companies. And yet, contaminated meat continues to be sold to consumers.
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.
Justice Department Vows Tougher Action Against White-Collar Crime
Wall Street Journal
The Justice Department said prosecutors would take a tougher stance on companies with long rap sheets and try to enhance efforts to make sure guilty individuals are charged alongside companies.
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.
You can now ask Google to scrub images of minors from its search results
VPR
The policy follows up on Google's announcement in August that it would take a number of steps aiming to protect minors' privacy and their mental well-being, giving them more control over how they appear online.
Fire:
Biden vowed to cut wildfire risk in California’s forests. Here’s how much he plans to spend
Sacramento Bee
On Thursday President Joe Biden released a legislative package that would spend more than $15 billion over the next decade to help make forests less combustible in California and other states.
See also:
· For tribes, ‘good fire’ a key to restoring nature and people Modesto Bee
· Opinion: Climate Activists Blow Smoke on Wildfire Fears Wall Street Journal
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Opinion: California Counties Are Key to Community Economic Resilience Fund
California State Association of Counties
While the pandemic cast a harsh light on the economic inequality in California and the fragility of our infrastructure, it also ignited a desire to address these issues and delivered California leaders an opportunity to build a more equitable and climate-resilient economy.
How the economy went from sizzle to fizzle, and why there's hope for a way back
VPR
The pandemic has had an unprecedented impact across the economy, and few periods have illustrated its ups and downs as dramatically as the slowdown in late summer and early fall.
Exacerbated by pandemic, child care crisis hampers economy
Sacramento Bee
The child care business has for years operated in a broken, paradoxical market: low wages for workers and high costs for consumers. Yet the critical service somehow managed to limp along.
See also:
● Child care in California hasn’t rebounded — why many workers aren’t coming back CalMatters
US economy slowed to a 2% rate last quarter in face of COVID
Fresno Bee
Hampered by rising COVID-19 cases and persistent supply shortages, the U.S. economy slowed sharply to a 2% annual growth rate in the July-September period, the weakest quarterly expansion since the recovery from the pandemic recession began last year.
See Also:
● U.S. Economy Slowed in Third Quarter on Delta Surge, Supply Crunch Wall Street Journal
● U.S. Consumer Spending Grew More Slowly in September Wall Street Journal
Opinion: The return of stagflation?
AEI
Today’s disappointing GDP numbers must be a source of concern in that they raise past ghosts of stagflation. In particular, they suggest that not only is the economic recovery slowing.
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.
See also:
● Visalia drywall company NGC fined $7.2 million for wage theft Visalia Times Delta
Mixed Signals in California’s Labor Market Recovery
Public Policy Institute of California
Nineteen months after the onset of the pandemic, California’s unemployment rate is tied for the highest in the nation (7.5%), and the state has yet to recover one-third of the jobs lost in early 2020.
The fast-food model lets corporations escape liability. California might chart a new course
Los Angeles Times
The franchise model has been a pathway for entrepreneurs to build wealth and become upwardly mobile. But it has also left workers in one of America’s largest industries with little formal recourse for poor wages or unsafe work conditions.
Starbucks and Costco raise wages in the nationwide competition for workers
VPR
Costco has raised its minimum U.S. wage to $17/hour, and Starbucks will raise its starting pay to $15/hour. They join a growing list of chains that have added new incentives, trying to keep their workers in a year of mass resignations and stepped-up labor organizing.
Nearly 5% of unvaccinated adults quit their job due to opposition over vaccine mandates
New York Daily News
As more workplaces initiate a vaccine mandate policy for employees, nearly 5% of unvaccinated workers have decided to quit their jobs in protest, a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation said.
See Also:
● Some Employees Are Willing to Leave Jobs Over Vaccine Mandates, Survey Finds Wall Street Journal
Millions of baby boomers retired early during the pandemic
Axios
The pandemic pushed more than 3 million baby boomers into premature retirement, according to a new analysis from Miguel Faria e Castro, a senior economist at the St. Louis Fed.
How to Avoid Being Scammed by Fake Job Ads
ProPublica
Cybercriminals are flooding the internet with fake job ads and even bogus company hiring websites whose purpose is to steal your identity and use it to commit fraud. It’s a good reminder that you should vet potential employers as closely as they vet you.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Fresno teachers ‘at the brink,’ union says. They’ll file labor grievances amid COVID
Fresno Bee
Union officials representing teachers in the Fresno Unified School District announced Thursday they will file grievances against the district for longstanding issues that they say have grown worse amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also:
● Fresno teachers' union files claim against FUSD for alleged contract violations abc30
● Fresno Unified superintendent responds to teacher grievances as fight with union brews Fresno Bee
BCSD kicks off plan to redraw school boundaries
Bakersfield Californian
A number of factors are in play as lines are redrawn for the central and northeast parts of the school district, Tim Fulenwider, executive director of the instructional support services division, told the school board Tuesday night.
See also:
● Kern County school boards start process of redrawing trustee boundaries Bakersfield Californian
California children could lose millions in food money if schools don’t ID the families
Sacramento Bee
Hundreds of thousands of California children could lose pandemic food benefits if their caretakers don’t spend the money, a new state audit found, and the California Department of Social Services is in a race to find those families.
Opinion: What to expect around education at COP26
Brookings
At this critical juncture in the climate crisis, cooperation rather than competition is needed to ensure our mutual survival—not just as a nascent education and climate sector, but also as present and future generations on this planet.
Higher Ed:
Fresno State not expecting to move to virtual learning after Thanksgiving
abc30
Fresno State officials tell Action News a meeting is scheduled with county health officials in the coming weeks before the university comes to a final decision. Approximately 89% of students and 85% of employees are currently vaccinated.
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.
4 things to know about possible changes to your student loan debt
VPR
Student borrowers, take note. In testimony before a House subcommittee, the head of the office of Federal Student Aid told lawmakers that his agency is preparing for federal student loan repayments to resume early next year.
Dean of Hastings law school wants to keep its name, despite founder's role in massacres
ABA Journal
The chancellor and dean of the University of California's Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco has campaigned to keep the school’s name, despite findings that its namesake helped organize the massacres of hundreds of Native Americans.
College Enrollment On Track for Largest Two-Year Drop on Record
US News
Higher education enrollment rates dropped for the second straight year, defying predictions of a post-lockdown bounceback and hitting a record low for a two-year span.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
How did California’s recent bomb cyclones compare with the ‘Big Blow’ of 1962?
Los Angeles Times
But just how rare were these soaking storms? Unsurprisingly, in a state known for extreme weather, California has seen this sort of thing before. For example, Alex Tardy cites an October storm in 1962, which is sometimes called the “Big Blow.”
Deliberative Approach To Energy And Climate Challenges Shows How To Bring Americans Together
CA FWD
Nearly all climate scientists (97%) agree that, over the past century, climate change is likely due to human activity. But what do regular Americans believe and how do they think we can work toward stemming this trend?
Poor neighborhoods bear the brunt of extreme heat, ‘legacies of racist decision-making’
Los Angeles Times
In a recent study that used satellite data from 2013 to 2019, UC Davis researchers found that California’s metro areas have greater temperature disparities between their poorest and wealthiest neighborhoods than any other state in the southwestern U.S.
What’s at stake for California and Newsom at climate conference?
CalMatters
Gov. Newsom and state leaders are going to an international conference to make a statement on California climate change policy. The governor has big shoes to fill compared to former Gov. Jerry Brown.
President Biden to Press on Climate, Taxes After Bumpy Stretch With World Leaders
The Wall Street Journal
President Biden will push allies to do more to confront climate change and seek progress on a global minimum tax during a foreign trip that follows a bumpy stretch on the world stage and a late sprint to advance his agenda at home.
See also:
● Framework’s climate elements may keep emissions goals in reach Roll Call
● Biden’s Spending Bill Includes $555 Billion for Climate Measures Wall Street Journal
● There’s No Cheap Way to Deal With the Climate Crisis ProPublica
● The Amazon is still burning. Can U.N. summit in Glasgow address such climate failures? Los Angeles Times
● Opinion: The Problem with Climate Change? Communication Newsweek
● Opinion: How Americans Really Feel About ‘Climate Change’ – The America In One Room Survey Forbes
● World leaders head to Scotland for global climate talks. Here’s what you need to know Los Angeles Times
● Our Planet Is Heating Up. Why Are Climate Politics Still Frozen? The New Yorker
Energy:
Oil executives face questions from Congress on climate disinformation
Merced Sun Star
The House Oversight Committee hearing marks the first time members of Congress have directly questioned oil and gas executives under oath about their companies’ reported efforts to mislead the public about the causes of global warming.
See also:
● California lawmakers call for changes after Orange County oil spill Merced Sun Star
● Oil companies face 'big tobacco moment' in Congress over their climate policies VPR
● House panel presses oil executives on climate disinformation Roll Call
● Democrats Challenge Big Oil Executives From Shell, Exxon, Chevron Over Climate Policy Wall Street Journal
● Exxon, Chevron Amass Cash as Oil Tops $80 a Barrel Wall Street Journal
● House panel plans to subpoena oil companies as executives are grilled on climate disinformation Los Angeles Times
Opinion: Net Zero By 2050? Don’t Plan on It
Wall Street Journal
As leaders prepare to gather in Glasgow for the United Nations climate-change conference, you may think the world has agreed to reduce and eventually eliminate its dependency on fossil fuels, stepping up its reliance on renewable energy. But the timeline for the transformation is entirely unrealistic.
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Here's the timeline for the kids COVID vaccine authorization
VPR
Children as young as 5 may be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in the U.S. as soon as next week. While some parents aren't sure how they feel about this, others are waiting eagerly for a chance to protect their children from COVID-19.
See also:
● How shots will make it into kids' arms Axios
● News Analysis: It’s harder to justify COVID vaccine for children if pandemic’s end is near Los Angeles Times
● Here Comes a COVID-19 Shot for Kids. Will Parents Go For It? US News
4th COVID shot available for immunocompromised people. Will they need one every year?
Modesto Bee
Some people with weakened immune systems can now receive a fourth COVID-19 shot to boost protection against the disease, which they may not have received enough of the first, second or even third time around.
What you need to know about getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you’re undocumented
Fresno Bee
It’s clear that the pandemic isn’t going to go away soon — and getting vaccinated remains an important tool in warding off COVID-19. But if you’re undocumented, getting the vaccine can seem complicated.
Seven spooky things that people say are in the COVID-19 vaccines but definitely aren’t
PolitiFact
Seven things that are not in the vaccines: Aluminum, nanoparticles, RNA-modifying transhumanism nanotechnology, a "Trypanosoma Parasite" that is one of the causes of AIDS, living microorganisms, microchips, and Graphene oxide.
Coronavirus Study of Bats in China Met NIH Grant Requirements, EcoHealth Says
Wall Street Journal
The National Institutes of Health and a high-profile grant recipient are at odds over the reporting and handling of a potentially risky coronavirus study in China.
Opinion: Health and education elites forced to confess error
AEI
Confessions of error are rare enough in woke America that they should be strictly construed against the speaker. Two such confessions — the legal term is “admissions against interest” — suddenly appeared last week.
Human Services:
California is short on social workers. Here’s how that affects your ability to get benefits
Fresno 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.
Getting dental coverage added to Medicare faces pushback from some dentists
VPR
Medicare has excluded dental (and vision and hearing) coverage since its inception in 1965. That exclusion was by design: The dental profession has long fought to keep itself separate from the traditional medical system in order to preserve the field's autonomy.
Hospital Prices Are Arbitrary. Just Look at the Kingsburys’ $100,000 Bill.
Wall Street Journal
Newly public data reveal how some patients end up paying more at hospitals—and how little control consumers have over the amounts, even with insurance
Opinion: COVID-19 ‘empathy fatigue’ threatens to unravel the healthcare workforce
AEI
Many Americans are actively rethinking their jobs and careers right now, nowhere more so than in the health sector. The flight of these workers is a serious challenge to the durability of healthcare systems around the country.
IMMIGRATION
Immigration relief in flux as Biden unveils reconciliation framework
Roll Call
The White House tentatively set aside $100 billion for immigration changes in its framework for Democrats’ sprawling reconciliation package. However, the fate of those provisions remains up in the air.
U.S. in Talks to Pay Hundreds of Millions to Families Separated at Border
Wall Street Journal
The Biden administration is in talks to offer immigrant families that were separated during the Trump administration around $450,000 a person in compensation, as several agencies work to resolve lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who say the government subjected them to lasting psychological trauma.
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.
See also:
● 'More than a miracle': Yosemite's 'firefall' returns after atmospheric river SFGate
Housing:
Addressing Housing Needs In Rural California In The Wake Of Natural Disasters
CA FWD
Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) President and CEO Seana O’Shaughnessy took the helm of the 48-year-old housing organization, based in Chico, in the wake of the Paradise Camp Fire.
See also:
● California to get tough for new housing and hold local governments accountable CalMatters
PUBLIC FINANCES
The State Pension Funding Gap: Plans Have Stabilized in Wake of Pandemic
Pew Trusts
According to projections by The Pew Charitable Trusts, the gap between the cost of pension benefits that states have promised their workers and what they have set aside to pay for them dropped in 2021 to its lowest level in more than a decade.
California families could save thousands under the new Biden child tax plan
Sacramento Bee
The White House’s plan to continue the child tax credit expansion for another year would mean a savings of thousands of dollars in 2022 for the millions of California families with income of less than $151,100.
Only Six Countries Are as Stingy as U.S. About Paid Maternity Leave
Bloomberg
If Democrats abandon plans to include paid family leave in President Joe Biden’s economic plan, the U.S. will remain one of only seven countries in the world that doesn’t provide paid leave for new moms.
See also:
● Paid family leave gets slashed as Democrats try to reach consensus on spending plan VPR
Who Could Pay More With a 15% Corporate Minimum Tax? Not Just Amazon
Wall Street Journal
Democrats’ proposal would affect dozens of S&P 500 companies with $1 billion or more in profits.
Democrats Consider Tax Cuts for Many High Earners in New York, New Jersey and California
Wall Street Journal
High-income coastal professionals look likely to emerge as significant winners from the Democrats’ proposed tax agenda, escaping rate increases and regaining a deduction for state and local taxes that was capped at $10,000 in 2017.
TRANSPORTATION
Do you want speed bumps on your street? Fresno City Council repeals old ban
Fresno Bee
They were the topic of a long discussion at Fresno’s City Council meeting Thursday. The council voted to repeal a city ban on speed bumps and begin a new pilot program to install them in council District 3, represented by Councilmember Miguel Arias.
See also:
● Fresno council member to propose installing new speed humps after years-long ban abc30
Passenger refusing mask assaults, bloodies attendant on California flight, witness says
Modesto Bee
A passenger physically assaulted an American Airlines flight attendant and caused the plane to be diverted, the airline said. The passenger was removed from the plane and apprehended by law enforcement.
Newsom, Buttigieg announce $5 billion in loans for California’s clogged ports
Fresno Bee
Not content to wait for Congress to pass a big infrastructure spending bill, Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg moved on Thursday to inject $5 billion in loan money to help modernize California’s seaports.
See also:
● Newsom, Buttigieg announce $5 billion in loans for California’s clogged ports Los Angeles Times
WATER
Storms bring pause for state drought orders in Modesto and beyond. They could return
Modesto Bee
Cities and irrigation districts now are free to capture river runoff that had been unavailable because of the orders. Officials warned that they could fall back into place if the state gets another stretch of dry weather.
Analyst: Initiative could lower water bills, cause reduction in other programs
Porterville Recorder
A analysis of an initiative that would set aside 2 percent of the state budget to meet the state's water needs could lower water costs at the local level but also could cause reductions in other programs.
California judge rejects water deal for major farm supplier
Sacramento Bee
A California judge has rejected a federal contract granting permanent access to U.S. government-controlled water for the nation’s largest agricultural water supplier, saying it lacked details on costs and appropriate public notice.
See Also:
● Fresno County judge rules against Westlands Water District’s deal with federal government The Fresno Bee
Opinion: California should create more water — much more
Visalia Times Delta
California currently manufactures far less drought-resilient freshwater than other similarly arid regions. Without a strategy to create new water, California is doomed to run in place fighting over our existing, dwindling supplies. In fact, it’s already happening.
To Mitigate Flooding, States and Communities Increasingly Turn to Nature
Pew Trusts
Communities and states are increasingly recognizing that smart conservation can help people as well as the natural world. One example of this is the growing adoption of nature-based solutions to mitigate flooding.
“Xtra”
‘Cute cryptid.’ Fresno Nightcrawler is a paranormal darling with supernatural fandom
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Nightcrawler – often described as walking, ghostly pants – is known far beyond California’s San Joaquin Valley. It’s become a darling of the cryptids – creatures typically described as mythological in nature, whose existence are widely considered unproven.
Hanford's Dia de los Muertos set for Tuesday
Hanford Sentinel
Hanford Dia de Los Muertos, hosted by Hanford Multicultural Theater Company, will take place at the Hanford Mall on from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2. The event will start with a mariachi, and two storefronts will be a visual delight for attendees.
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Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials HERE.
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