POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Patterson becomes first Stanislaus County city to require this COVID safety measure Modesto Bee
What should happen to the now-closed Muni Golf Course? Modesto seeks ideas
Modesto Bee
The city is holding its second meeting to gather public input about the future of its now closed Modesto Municipal Golf Course. That future could include housing, commercial development, open space and recreation.
RSVP to ‘School and COVID: What Stanislaus County parents and students need to know’ | Live Q&A
Modesto Bee
Students and educators are well into the third school year affected by COVID-19. For the first time in a year and a half, most children in Stanislaus County are back to regular in-person learning, five days a week.
Editorial: What’s more important — Stanislaus students’ health, or getting re-elected?
Modesto Bee
The elected head of schools in Stanislaus County deserves a rap on the knuckles for pandering to conservative voices rather than taking a stand to protect the health of children, teachers and other staff.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Fresno County Superior Court requiring employees to be fully vaccinated by November 19 abc30
● More vaccines, more incentives: Those receive boosters also eligible Porterville Recorder
Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit Fresno County school Tuesday
abc30
Just days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all California students, he is set to visit a Fresno County school on Tuesday.
See also:
● Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign education bill while visiting Fresno County school abc30
Clovis parents won’t be able to watch school board meetings live online. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
During the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued what became a series of executive orders requiring school boards to livestream meetings online, allowing the public the participate from home.
See also:
● Editorial: Clovis Unified decided to make public meetings less transparent, which is unacceptable Fresno Bee
Special election coming for Fresno Unified’s school board. What parents should know
Fresno Bee
Voters living in the city’s Fresno High area will have a special election on April 12 to elect a new trustee. The seat became vacant earlier this year after the death of long-time trustee Carol Mills.
Fresno, like many cities, has seen rising violent crime. Yet violence solves nothing
Fresno Bee
Violence is increasing. Domestic terrorism is rising, including threats against members of Congress. The FBI just published its annual report on crime. The bad news is that violent crime is on the rise.
California cities want a slice of Amazon sales tax. Here’s why Fresno calls one plan ‘racist’
Fresno Bee
Cities such as Fresno, where a number of large distribution centers are located, are ready to go to the mat to hold on to the revenue they hope to collect. But other cities support proposed legislation they say is more equitable and benefits all California cities.
Fresno drops suit over Friant-Kern Canal repairs. Why the city doesn’t want a legal battle
Fresno Bee
The council voted 5-1 to drop the suit, filed earlier this month in Fresno County Superior Court. Councilmember Garry Bredefeld cast the lone “no” vote, and Councilmember Mike Karbassi was absent.
See also:
● Editorial: Fresno’s water case was fraught with risk and possibly little of the expected reward Sacramento Bee
Warszawski: Fresno received millions for past planning sins. So, why does it keep repeating them?
Fresno Bee
Even though Orange Center technically lies within Fresno County — the city limits are a stone’s throw or two away and the school district’s boundaries overlap county and city — city planners still include that segment of Cherry Avenue in the South Central Specific Plan.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Kern Public Health reports 819 new COVID-19, 6 new deaths from the weekend Bakersfield Californian
● Latest National Guard dispatch boosts deployment at Kern hospitals to 38 Bakersfield Californian
Peace garden meant to inspire next generation of leaders debuts at Bakersfield College
Bakersfield Californian
In an increasingly divided world, it can sometimes feel as if inner peace is harder and harder to come by. But on Bakersfield College’s Panorama campus, peace — both the outward and inward kind — is a little bit closer to reality.
'A seed of hope': CSUB receives $6 million to expand its nursing and health care programs
Bakersfield Californian
SUB's nursing and health training programs are set for growth and investment thanks to $6 million in funding from the most recent state budget. Two big beneficiaries will be the university's nursing department and new master's in public health degree.
GET bus to offer free rides Tuesday due to poor air quality
Bakersfield Californian
Golden Empire Transit District will provide free rides Tuesday due to poor air quality — an air quality index of 154. You can ride GET fixed routes and On-Demand Paratransit all day for free. The GET On-Demand Microtransit is not a free service.
State:
COVID Update:
● National Guard helps rural California hospitals as locals resist ‘death dart’ vaccine Fresno Bee
● How many of your neighbors are vaccinated? Find out by using our new online tool Fresno Bee
● Newsom administration gives ground on COVID vaccine order to state worker union Fresno Bee
● Vaccine mandates are working in California. Here’s what the numbers show Fresno Bee
● COVID-19 vaccines prevented 3,800 deaths among California seniors, HHS report says Sacramento Bee
● Walters: Newsom’s erratic vaccination orders CalMatters
Gavin Newsom signs law to help new California moms, prevent infant deaths
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed a law aimed at improving maternal and postpartum care for Black California families who have disproportionately suffered pregnancy-related and infant deaths in recent years.
See also:
● New California Law Aims to Reduce Deaths Among Black Moms Business Journal
● New California law aims to reduce deaths among Black moms AP News
Texas, Florida, Ohio and more: California’s state travel ban covers one-third of America
Sacramento Bee
California Democrats wanted to send a message when they passed a law five years ago banning taxpayer-funded travel to states that allow businesses to deny services to gay and transgender people.
These California colleges open doors for Latino students. They have a new ally in Congress
Sacramento Bee
Some of the nation’s most diverse colleges are getting new attention from Congress as they seek to improve outcomes at so-called Hispanic-serving institutions, or universities with large populations of Latino students.
See also:
● Latinos in Leadership: ‘The door has been cracked open. Somebody’s got to try to hold it there' abc10
Newsom signs sweeping California police reforms into law
Capital Public Radio
More than a year after the murder of George Floyd by police in Minnesota, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of sweeping new police reforms into law Thursday.
What’s at stake for Newsom’s biggest recall campaign donors
CalMatters
The recall election gave interest groups that lobby at the California Capitol an unusual opportunity to try to wield influence. They donated millions to help Newsom keep his job. Now he’s deciding the fate of their bills.
See also:
● California Republicans see bright spots in Newsom recall for 2 midterm races. Here’s where Sacramento Bee
California will impose new vaping tax to curb teen use, fund public health programs
Los Angeles Times
Amid concern over widespread teen vaping, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday approved a new 12.5% excise tax on electronic cigarettes to be paid by California consumers to boost public health and education programs.
California could soon have its own public banking service, under new law signed by Gavin Newsom
Sacramento Bee
California set a course to offer the nation’s first zero-cost, public option platform for personal financial services, under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Editorial: California has struggled to grasp racial equity. Bruce’s Beach should be our new standard
Fresno Bee
It was the murder of George Floyd, whose life was snuffed out by a white Minneapolis police officer, that spurred last year’s protests for racial equality. Throughout that global movement on our streets, a single word reverberated loudest: change.
Federal:
COVID Update:
● How a small government agency will enforce the vaccine mandate for 80 million workers VPR
● Pfizer vaccine 90% effective against hospitalization, death six months later, study says Washington Post
Biden chides Republicans for refusing to lift debt ceiling, warns of economic catastrophe
Los Angeles Times
President Biden on Monday criticized Republicans for not voting to raise the debt ceiling, accusing them of being “reckless and dangerous” in a way that could harm the economy.
See also:
● Schumer Sets Up Vote on Debt Ceiling After Saying It Must Be Raised by End of Week Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: The Constitution Requires Congress to Set a Debt Limit Wall Street Journal
With Biden’s Agenda in the Balance, Lobbying Kicks Into High Gear
New York Times
As centrist Democrats in Congress have worked to block or strip out major provisions of President Biden’s $3.5 trillion social safety net and climate plan, a string of online ads has popped up in their states and districts, lavishing praise on them.
See also:
● Sen. Kyrsten Sinema makes liberal heads explode. And that’s just fine with the Arizona Democrat Los Angeles Times
● How America’s Polarized Politics Produced Democrats’ Internal Fight Wall Street Journal
● Editorial: The Next Progressive Budget Trick Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Are House progressives the new Freedom Caucus? AEI
Elizabeth Warren Calls for SEC to Investigate Federal Reserve Officials’ Trading Activities
Wall Street Journal
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether personal financial investments by senior Federal Reserve officials, including Vice Chairman Richard Clarida, violated insider-trading rules.
Supreme Court Returns for New Term—With Scant Courtroom Audience
Wall Street Journal
The Supreme Court kicked off its new term Monday under some of the most unusual circumstances of its history, as the newest justice appeared on the bench for the first time and the court embraced a revised argument format in a courtroom closed to the general public because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Washington Post
The Biden administration has revoked a Trump-era rule that had become a flash point in the abortion wars, saying Monday it would no longer bar clinics that receive federal family planning aid from advising people about ending their pregnancies.
See also:
● Biden lifts abortion referral ban on family planning clinics Los Angeles Times
● New Rule Ends Ban on Federal Funds for Clinics That Refer Abortions Wall Street Journal
Congress moves toward requiring women to register for the draft
Roll Call
For over 100 years, young men have registered for the draft. Now, Congress is poised to make a historic change for gender equality by requiring women, for the first time in American history, to do the same.
Francis Collins to step down as NIH director by year's end
Politico
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins plans to step down by the end of the year after nearly three decades at the agency, including 12 years at the helm, the agency announced Tuesday.
Opinion: How Dems can get out of the SALT mess and save $1 trillion
Brookings
The debate among Congressional Democrats over the $10,000 cap on the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) continues. Here we offer a proposal that could give the SALT caucus something in the short-term; save almost a trillion dollars over the budget window; and put the tax system on a path to greater fairness.
Other:
CETF Announces Four New Board Members
California Emerging Technologies Fund
The California Emerging Technology Fund, the only statewide non-profit foundation focused on achieving Digital Equity, announced today that it is adding four new members to the Board of Directors.
Facebook and Instagram went down, and the world does not know what to do with itself
Fresno Bee
Facebook and Instagram are down worldwide Monday afternoon, forcing social media users to vent their frustrations on Twitter. An explanation for the massive outage has not been disclosed.
See also:
● Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram Suffer Worldwide Outage Business Journal
● Facebook begins recovery after major outage shut down apps Los Angeles Times
● Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Outage: What to Do When Your Online Life Vanishes Wall Street Journal
● Gone in Minutes, Out for Hours: Outage Shakes Facebook New York Times
● Opinion: Instagram is adult entertainment AEI
● Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp Services Restored After Hourslong Global Outage Wall Street Journal
Ex-Facebook manager alleges social network fed Capitol riot
Los Angeles Times
A data scientist who was revealed Sunday as a Facebook whistleblower says that whenever there was a conflict between the public good and what benefited the company, the social media giant would choose its own interests.
See also:
● Wall Street Journal’s explosive Facebook exposé explained Los Angeles Times
● Facebook Whistleblower’s Testimony Builds Momentum for Tougher Tech Laws Wall Street Journal
● Ex-Facebook employee says products hurt kids, fuel division AP News
● The Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen, Says She Wants to Fix the Company, Not Harm It Wall Street Journal
Facebook Seeks Dismissal of Government’s Do-Over Antitrust Lawsuit
Wall Street Journal
Facebook filed a new motion Monday seeking the dismissal of a government antitrust case alleging the company engaged in unlawful monopolization, four months after it succeeded in getting an earlier version of the complaint thrown out.
AEI
The USPS can foster trust by abiding by its own procurement schedules, publicly explaining any deviations therefrom, and pledging to follow the demands of the government-wide Competition in Contracting Act.
MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING
Sunday, October 10, at 10 a.m on ABC30 – Maddy Report: "Getting a Bigger Bang for the Buck: How Regional Public Universities Can Help Distressed Communities" - Guest: Robert Maxim, Senior Research Associate - The Brookings Institution. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
Sunday, October 10, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ) – Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition: "The Current and Future Economic Impact of the Valley’s CSU’s"- Guests: Lynette Zelezny, President - CSU Bakersfield; Ellen Junn, President - CSU Stanislaus; Saul Jimenez-Sandoval, President - Fresno State. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.
AGRICULTURE/FOOD
Oat milk is booming. Modesto plant will add workers to help meet demand
Modesto Bee
SunOpta is expanding the oat milk portion of its Modesto plant to meet growing demand for this dairy alternative. The company is hiring 10 people to go with the 157 already at the plant, executive Michael Buick said in a phone interview Friday.
Cotton Prices Surge to Highest Level in a Decade
Wall Street Journal
Cotton futures are trading at their highest price in about a decade, with growing Chinese demand being met in part by rising U.S. exports to China, a curiosity of Trump-era trade-war policies.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Fresno, like many cities, has seen rising violent crime. Yet violence solves nothing
Fresno Bee
Violence is increasing. Domestic terrorism is rising, including threats against members of Congress. The FBI just published its annual report on crime. The bad news is that violent crime is on the rise.
Public Safety:
Newsom signs sweeping California police reforms into law
Capital Public Radio
More than a year after the murder of George Floyd by police in Minnesota, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of sweeping new police reforms into law Thursday.
Fire:
Sequoia wildfires grow, forcing evacuations and air quality alerts. Here’s the latest
Fresno Bee
The KNP Complex Fire burning for almost four weeks in the Sierra Nevada range of eastern Tulare County grew by about 5,000 acres overnight, expanding to nearly 68,000 acres by Monday morning.
See also:
● More Fresno County evacuation warnings for KNP Complex Fire in Sequoia National Park Fresno Bee
● New KNP Complex Fire evacuation orders issued near Sequoia National Park entrance Fresno Bee
● Evacuation orders issued for Mineral King to Sequoia National Park entrance due to KNP Complex Business Journal
● KNP Complex fire spurs new evacuations as it forms massive pyrocumulus cloud Los Angeles Times
Trail of 100 Giants mostly unscathed by Windy Fire
abc30
The Windy Fire has posed an ongoing threat to the Giant Sequoias in the Sequoia National Forest. As flames crept toward the Trail of 100 Giants in recent weeks, it was all hands on deck to save the historic trees.
See also:
● Windy Fire update: 70 percent contained Porterville Recorder
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
Supply Shortage not Easing Up for Restaurateurs
Business Journal
A video from a Fresno restaurateur posted to Facebook put the spotlight on the continued supply crunch business owners are facing.
Fed Prepares to Launch Review of Possible Central Bank Digital Currency
Wall Street Journal
The Federal Reserve plans as early as this week to launch a review of the potential benefits and risks of issuing a U.S. digital currency, as central banks around the world experiment with the potential new form of money.
Jobs:
Once shunned, people convicted of felonies find more employers open to hiring them
Los Angeles Times
In the 25 years that U.S. Rubber Recycling in Colton, Calif., has been grinding up old tires to create new products, its sales have never ballooned so fast as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Falling Unemployment Could Add to Worries About the U.S. Labor Market
Wall Street Journal
Many economists would welcome a small rise in the unemployment rate. They are troubled by the rate’s swift decline from its pandemic peak because it partly reflects a lack of job seekers—effectively limiting the amount of fuel in the economy’s engine.
EDUCATION
K-12:
RSVP to ‘School and COVID: What Stanislaus County parents and students need to know’ | Live Q&A
Modesto Bee
Students and educators are well into the third school year affected by COVID-19. For the first time in a year and a half, most children in Stanislaus County are back to regular in-person learning, five days a week.
Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit Fresno County school Tuesday
abc30
Just days after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all California students, he is set to visit a Fresno County school on Tuesday.
See also:
● Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign education bill while visiting Fresno County school abc30
Clovis parents won’t be able to watch school board meetings live online. Here’s why
Fresno Bee
During the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued what became a series of executive orders requiring school boards to livestream meetings online, allowing the public the participate from home.
See also:
● Editorial: Clovis Unified decided to make public meetings less transparent, which is unacceptable Fresno Bee
Special election coming for Fresno Unified’s school board. What parents should know
Fresno Bee
Voters living in the city’s Fresno High area will have a special election on April 12 to elect a new trustee. The seat became vacant earlier this year after the death of long-time trustee Carol Mills.
‘The mood is grim’: Death threats, violence, intimidation mark another pandemic school year
Los Angeles Times
The National School Boards Assn. sent a letter to President Biden asking for federal assistance to prevent violence and investigate threats against public school officials and children. “America’s public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat,” the letter said.
Teachers' lessons from the pandemic will last, survey says
Axios
COVID-19 forced lasting changes in how teachers teach, according to a poll by Khan Academy, which found that more than three-quarters of teachers plan to update the way they work in the classroom.
Opinion: School safety officers don’t make students feel safe
Los Angeles Times
School security officers establish a militarized atmosphere. They also create a sense of imprisonment. This adversarial dynamic heightens student stress. At best, a militarized environment makes learning difficult. At worst, it makes learning impossible.
Higher Ed:
Peace garden meant to inspire next generation of leaders debuts at Bakersfield College
Bakersfield Californian
In an increasingly divided world, it can sometimes feel as if inner peace is harder and harder to come by. But on Bakersfield College’s Panorama campus, peace — both the outward and inward kind — is a little bit closer to reality.
'A seed of hope': CSUB receives $6 million to expand its nursing and health care programs
Bakersfield Californian
SUB's nursing and health training programs are set for growth and investment thanks to $6 million in funding from the most recent state budget. Two big beneficiaries will be the university's nursing department and new master's in public health degree.
These California colleges open doors for Latino students. They have a new ally in Congress
Sacramento Bee
Some of the nation’s most diverse colleges are getting new attention from Congress as they seek to improve outcomes at so-called Hispanic-serving institutions, or universities with large populations of Latino students.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
Don’t expect better breathing conditions in Fresno area before Thursday, air district warns
Fresno Bee
Poor air quality caused by wildfires in and near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will continue to plague the San Joaquin Valley through Thursday, officials from the local air pollution control district warned Monday afternoon.
See also:
● Should outside events be canceled by wildfire smoke? Here’s what health officials say Fresno Bee
● Valley air quality to remain unhealthy through at least Thursday due to wildfire smoke abc30
● Air district extends air quality alert due to wildfire smoke in the Valley, warns to stay indoors VPR
Officials knew about oil off O.C. coast Friday, sparking new questions about response
Los Angeles Times
California and federal officials had strong indications of oil on the water off the Huntington Beach coast Friday evening, records reviewed by The Times show, more than 10 hours before the operator of an oil platform reported it to authorities.
See also:
● Before O.C. oil spill, platform owner faced bankruptcy, history of regulatory problems Los Angeles Times
● Newsom declares emergency as investigators probe whether anchor caused O.C. oil spill Los Angeles Times
● Ship’s Anchor Among Possible Causes of California Oil Spill Business Journal
● Another massive California oil spill: What you need to know
● California Oil Spill Closes Beaches and Renews Call for Drilling Ban New York Times
● As oil washes ashore, California seeks end to offshore drilling. Why its hands are tied Sacramento Bee
Earth is losing its shine, study finds. Here’s what it means and why it’s concerning
Modesto Bee
Earth is losing its shine, new research shows, and oceans are to blame. Compared to two decades ago, the planet now reflects about half a watt less sunlight from its surface per square meter back into space.
How Do Thousands Prepare for a Climate Summit? With Difficulty.
New York Times
The United Nations event, known as COP26, will be one of the largest international gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic. Challenges abound.
Opinion: It’s time Biden started making good on his big climate change promises
Los Angeles Times
The demands are clear: Biden must direct agencies to reject fossil fuel projects and start treating the climate crisis like the emergency it is. We’re asking him to live up to his commitments. That could begin with standing up for the right side in court, but it must not stop there.
Energy:
Can Nuclear Fusion Put the Brakes on Climate Change?
New Yorker
Amid an escalating crisis, the power source offers a dream—or a pipe dream—of limitless clean energy.
Editorial: Is there anyone who can crack down on PG&E?
Mercury News
Marybel Batjer’s announcement Tuesday that she will step down at the end of the year as president of the California Public Utilities Commission raises a major issue for Gov. Gavin Newsom: Is there anyone capable of cracking down on Pacific Gas & Electric?
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Here’s what we know about the COVID vaccine for children ages 12 and up
Fresno Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that children in grades 7 to 12 eventually will need to be vaccinated to attend in-person school in California, pending full approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
See also:
● Covid News: U.S. Parents’ Views Are Shifting on Vaccines New York Times
Am I fully vaccinated without a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
Fresno Bee
Am I fully vaccinated without a COVID-19 vaccine booster? Yes, people who got a two-dose vaccine or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot are considered fully vaccinated — even without a booster.
Pfizer vaccine’s protection wanes over time, and not because of Delta, study says
Los Angeles Times
Research conducted in Southern California has confirmed the dramatic erosion of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine’s protection against “breakthrough” coronavirus infections.
Is the Coronavirus Getting Better at Airborne Transmission?
New York Times
Newer variants of the coronavirus like Alpha and Delta are highly contagious, infecting far more people than the original virus. Two new studies offer a possible explanation: The virus is evolving to spread more efficiently through air.
Johnson & Johnson to Seek F.D.A. Authorization for Booster Shot
New York Times
The request, expected this week, comes after a study found the company’s vaccine was only 71 percent effective against hospitalization from Covid-19.
AstraZeneca Submits Preventive Covid-19 Treatment for FDA Authorization
Wall Street Journal
AstraZeneca said Tuesday it has asked U.S. regulators for emergency-use authorization for an antibody drug that earlier this year showed strong efficacy in preventing symptomatic Covid-19, offering a potential alternative in evading the disease.
Air Filters: A Guide to Smart—and Not So Smart—Models as Covid-19 and Wildfires Drive Demand
Wall Street Journal
Wildfires aren’t the only concern driving the demand for air-cleaning devices. In addition to capturing smoke, the gadgets can remove dust, pollen and other allergens from the air.
Why Are Americans Still—Still!—Wearing Cloth Masks?
The Atlantic
In April 2020, when surgical masks and highly coveted N95s were first in short supply, the CDC released its initial mask guidance and said cloth masks were the way to go for most people—noting that they could be sewn at home from old T-shirts.
Two California scientists win Nobel Prize for showing how we react to heat, touch
Los Angeles Times
The discovery, made in what Patapoutian has called “an ignored part of biology,” is essential to human life, enabling a person to do everything from feel pain in their knuckles on a bitter cold day to instantly gauging the temperature of a fresh cup of coffee.
See also:
● Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded to Scientists Who Discovered How Our Bodies Feel Heat and Touch Wall Street Journal
Drug Pfizer is studying for COVID-19 not ‘suspiciously similar’ to ivermectin
PolitiFact
Pfizer described the drug as a protease inhibitor, which is "designed to block the activity of the main protease enzyme that the coronavirus needs to replicate." That would stop symptoms from worsening, a spokesperson said.
Pandemic Health Inequities Expose Need for Greater Obesity Prevention
Pew
The pandemic has thrust longstanding racial and economic health disparities into bold relief. Americans of color have died from COVID-19 at two to three times the rate of the rest of the population. A primary underlying cause is obesity.
Human Services:
Gavin Newsom signs law to help new California moms, prevent infant deaths
Sacramento Bee
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed a law aimed at improving maternal and postpartum care for Black California families who have disproportionately suffered pregnancy-related and infant deaths in recent years.
See also:
● New California Law Aims to Reduce Deaths Among Black Moms Business Journal
● New California law aims to reduce deaths among Black moms AP News
Hospice reforms to become law after Times investigation reveals widespread fraud, abuse
Los Angeles Times
Decades of unchecked growth in the California hospice industry will come to a halt Jan. 1, when a moratorium on new licenses takes effect along with reforms aimed at curbing widespread fraud in end-of-life care.
See also:
● Shlomo Rechnitz nursing home suit over COVID deaths reflects ‘broken state licensing’ CalMatters
Opinion: How to turn raw health data into real transformation for Medi-Cal
CalMatters
This is the time for Medi-Cal to build the data foundation for population health to proactively help people stay well.
Opinion: All late-stage cancer patients need access to biomarker testing
CalMatters
SB 535 would prohibit health care insurers that already cover biomarker testing from requiring prior authorization.
Opinion: Regulating health prices is not costless
AEI
Political candidates often champion far-reaching reforms to control costs in U.S. health care, such as switching to a single-payer scheme, but the existing system is too vast and entrenched to change dramatically or abruptly. The realistic options are incremental steps toward more price regulation, or toward a functioning market.
IMMIGRATION
Fact-check: How many undocumented Canadians live in the U.S.?
PolitiFact
Nonpartisan experts on migration have estimated that there are tens of thousands of undocumented Canadians in the U.S. These statistics were captured before the pandemic, which made it much harder to cross the Canadian-U.S. border.
LAND USE/HOUSING
Land Use:
What should happen to the now-closed Muni Golf Course? Modesto seeks ideas
Modesto Bee
The city is holding its second meeting to gather public input about the future of its now closed Modesto Municipal Golf Course. That future could include housing, commercial development, open space and recreation.
Warszawski: Fresno received millions for past planning sins. So, why does it keep repeating them?
Fresno Bee
Even though Orange Center technically lies within Fresno County — the city limits are a stone’s throw or two away and the school district’s boundaries overlap county and city — city planners still include that segment of Cherry Avenue in the South Central Specific Plan.
Housing:
Merced housing prices reaching all-time high. But is the California market shifting?
Merced Sun Star
The median price of a single-family home in Merced County climbed to $369,250 in August, eclipsing the previous record of $365,000 set just a month earlier in July, according to Infosparks data.
Hispanics led home-buying surge last year. Here’s how Latino first-time buyers closed the deal
Sacramento Bee
Homeownership rates among U.S. Latinos soared to 51.4% last year, compared to the same time of year in 2017 when the rate was at 45.5%.
PUBLIC FINANCES
More California stimulus checks coming this week
SF Gate
If you haven't yet received your California stimulus payment, your check could be on its way soon. Last week, the California Franchise Tax Board told SFGATE that the third round of Golden State Stimulus payments would be released on Tuesday.
‘Pandora Papers’ Bring Renewed Calls for Tax Haven Scrutiny
Business Journal
Calls grew Monday for an end to the financial secrecy that has allowed many of the world’s richest and most powerful people to hide their wealth from tax collectors.
See also:
● A look at world leaders named in the Pandora Papers Los Angeles Times
● What Are the Pandora Papers? Documents Link Politicians, Prominent Individuals to Offshore Holdings, Report Says Wall Street Journal
Fed’s internal watchdog to review trading by central bank officials
Los Angeles Times
The Federal Reserve said that its internal watchdog plans to open an investigation into trading activity by senior U.S. central bank officials, following revelations about transactions in 2020.
U.S. states and cities slow to spend federal pandemic money
Los Angeles Times
As Congress considered a massive COVID-19 relief package earlier this year, hundreds of mayors from across the U.S. pleaded for “immediate action” on billions of dollars targeted to shore up their finances and revive their communities.
See also:
● Treasury to Begin Redistributing Rental-Assistance Money to High-Need Communities Wall Street Journal
● Why Some Small Towns Are Rejecting Federal COVID Relief Funds Pew
Editorial: The IRS Wants to Look at Your Bank Account
Wall Street Journal
On your next trip to the ATM, imagine that Uncle Sam is looking over your shoulder. As if your annual tax filing wasn’t invasive enough, the Biden Administration would like a look at your checking account.
TRANSPORTATION
GET bus to offer free rides Tuesday due to poor air quality
Bakersfield Californian
Golden Empire Transit District will provide free rides Tuesday due to poor air quality — an air quality index of 154. You can ride GET fixed routes and On-Demand Paratransit all day for free. The GET On-Demand Microtransit is not a free service.
Southwest Airlines to Require Covid-19 Vaccines for Employees
Wall Street Journal
Southwest Airlines on Monday joined rivals in requiring employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, citing new rules for companies that do business with the federal government.
More bike paths? Safer sidewalks? Biden’s infrastructure bill has money for them
Sacramento Bee
More bike lanes that are clearly separated from streets. More pedestrian-friendly street designs. And more safety features on cars. California and other states are in line for a lot more money to implement such plans, thanks to the $1 trillion infrastructure bill the House is considering.
WATER
Fresno drops suit over Friant-Kern Canal repairs. Why the city doesn’t want a legal battle
Fresno Bee
The council voted 5-1 to drop the suit, filed earlier this month in Fresno County Superior Court. Councilmember Garry Bredefeld cast the lone “no” vote, and Councilmember Mike Karbassi was absent.
See also:
● Editorial: Fresno’s water case was fraught with risk and possibly little of the expected reward Sacramento Bee
Water year one of Kings River’s driest
Hanford Sentinel
Kings River Watermaster Steve Haugen announced that the water year concluded with 395,000 acre-feet of natural runoff having flowed from the Sierra Nevada Mountains into the Valley region served by the Kings River in portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties.
Improving California’s Water Market
PPIC
Water trading and banking are important tools to help California bring its groundwater basins into balance under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
“Xtra”
New activities coming to Big Fresno Fair this weekend
abc30
Murals highlight the new Mexican heritage patio at the Big Fresno Fair. A giant eagle with a snake in its mouth looks over a spot where families can relax and listen to music.
Fresno Mission aiming to break world record with socks while helping homeless
abc30
The Fresno Mission is asking the community's support to break a world record while helping those experiencing homelessness at the same time. The non-profit is working to collect 70,000 pairs of socks in its attempt to create the longest line of socks in history.
Air Filters: A Guide to Smart—and Not So Smart—Models as Covid-19 and Wildfires Drive Demand
Wall Street Journal
Here are the tech specs and acronyms you need to know before buying an air-cleaning device.
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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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