Maddy Institute – September 28, 2021

30Sep

POLICY & POLITICS

North SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Coronavirus update, Sept. 28: Stanislaus adds six deaths, 511 cases over weekend Modesto Bee

● More Merced County residents getting COVID vaccine, but deaths remain a problem Merced Sun Star

Turlock to consider contract for emergency homeless shelter. Has it ever been needed?

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday is set to vote on a contract for overflow shelter services at the Stanislaus County Fairground during the city’s indefinite declared homeless emergency.

Stanislaus County doesn’t track homeless death causes. Is knowing the data helpful?

Modesto Bee

Unlike other California counties such as Sacramento, Stanislaus cannot provide data from its records systems on when and how homeless people die. If the county began tracking homeless death causes, the effort would not achieve the goal of housing people.

UC Merced raising funds to save the lives of scholars in Afghanistan. Here’s how to help

Merced Sun Star

UC Merced is raising funds to save the lives of Afghan scholars and their families who are facing violence after the Taliban takeover.

Central SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● New City Hall COVID protocols are boosting Fresno employee vaccination rate, officials say Fresno Bee

● Fresno County school district won’t discipline employees who refuse COVID-19 test Fresno Bee

● Fresno community college students can delay COVID vaccinations. Here’s what’s new Fresno Bee

● At least 12 Visalia Unified sites report potential COVID-19 exposures Visalia Times Delta

Eviction moratorium ends this month. Fresno advocates urge congressman to help extend it

Fresno Bee

Housing advocates gathered in front of Rep. Jim Costa’s Fresno office Saturday afternoon and called for the Democratic congressman to support legislation to end evictions and cancel rents as the coronavirus pandemic persists.

Why is Fresno one of the nation’s hottest housing markets?

CalMatters

In the new episode of “Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast,” CalMatters’ Manuela Tobias and the Los Angeles Times’ Liam Dillon break down Fresno’s housing market and why rents and home prices have skyrocketed, even amid the pandemic.

Community Medical sues over trauma service interruption. Fresno doctors group pushes back

Fresno Bee

The lawsuit was filed against Community Regional Medical Staff Medical Group and Scott Wells, who is the chief executive officer of the Sante Health System. Wells is being sued under his individual capacity, though, according to the lawsuit.

Newly unsealed court files in Devin Nunes’ family farm lawsuit target workers’ citizenship

Fresno Bee

Newly unsealed court documents shed light on a central question in two defamation lawsuits Rep. Devin Nunes and his family members filed against a national magazine: Were any workers at the family’s Iowa dairy undocumented immigrants?

South SJ Valley:

COVID Update:

● Kern Public Health reports 952 new COVID-19 cases and eight new deaths Monday Bakersfield Californian

● Religious exemptions complicate vaccine mandates Bakersfield Californian

Major energy storage project proposed near Lebec along California Aqueduct

Bakersfield Californian

California's energy future keeps pointing to Kern. The latest 10-figure energy storage proposal in the county is a damlike "pumped hydro" project connected to the California Aqueduct that would store and release 3,500 gigawatt-hours of power per year on or near Tejon Ranch.

'Success of all students': CSUB receives $5 million grant to increase access, equity in STEM fields

Bakersfield Californian

Cal State Bakersfield announced the U.S. Department of Education awarded the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering a $5 million grant over five years to expand access to STEM-related careers.

Eastern Kern warned that wildfire heavy fire smoke affects vulnerable

Bakersfield Californian

The Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District issued a wildfire smoke health advisory for Lake Isabella, Canebrake, Ridgecrest, Mojave and Tehachapi from the Windy and KNP Complex fires.

State:

COVID Update:

● COVID vaccine booster updates: Who can get a shot? Where is it available in California? Fresno Bee

● Rapid COVID-19 tests in short supply in California CalMatters

Newsom’s call now: California Legislature passes top 21 bills of ’21

CalMatters

Amid the relative calm of 2021, lawmakers managed to send the governor hundreds of bills, which he has until Oct. 10 to sign or veto.

California is now permanently a vote-by-mail state as Gavin Newsom signs bill

Sacramento Bee

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed Assembly Bill 37, which requires county elections officials to mail a ballot to every active registered voter for all elections, whether they request it or not. Voters can still choose to vote at physical polling locations, if they prefer.

● Gov. Newsom signs bill to make voting by mail permanent in California Mercury News

● California to mail every voter a ballot in future elections AP News

CA companies can keep workplace COVID outbreaks secret. Here’s what happened

Sacramento Bee

Supporters of a push to require companies to report workplace coronavirus outbreaks publicly say they plan to keep fighting despite recent setbacks that they say allow big businesses to keep outbreaks secret.

Newsom signs bill aimed at decreasing wildfire smoke exposure for farm workers

Fresno Bee

AB 73, also known as the Farmworker Wildfire Smoke Protections Act, would designate agricultural workers as “essential workers” to allow them access to the California Department of Public Health’s stockpile of personal protective equipment, including masks.

CA workers with disabilities were paid as little as $2 an hour. Why that will change

Fresno Bee

SB 639, by Sen. María Elena Durazo, ends a practice known as 14(c) or sheltered workshops, in which workers with disabilities were paid as little as $2 an hour. The state will join ten other states including Alaska, Oregon and Texas in phasing out the practice.

New CA law seeks to boost state’s oversight of unaccompanied immigrant children

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a bill strengthening the state’s mandate to look out for the welfare of unaccompanied immigrant children housed in state-licensed facilities across California.

● Gavin Newsom signs bill striking the word ‘alien’ from California laws Sacramento Bee

The bill is climbing to fight CA wildfires. How much are they costing taxpayers?

Sacramento Bee

As large wildfires continue to blaze and threaten Northern California, the price to put them out continues to skyrocket. New data shows California is spending more and more each year from an emergency fund set aside for large fires.

California bill aims to reduce deaths among Black mothers

Los Angeles Times

California has among the lowest death rates nationally among pregnant women and new mothers, but the numbers for Black mothers tell a different story.

Judge requires COVID vaccines for California prison guards

CalMatters

California prison workers will join the list of state employees who must be vaccinated against COVID, a federal judge ruled Monday — a loss for the state prison guards’ union and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Newsom got rid of one Junipero Serra statue. But another represents State in D.C.

Sacramento Bee

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Friday to replace a statue of Father Junipero Serra with a monument for Native American tribes after protestors and members of the state Legislature lobbied against the Catholic missionary’s controversial past.

CA treasurer sued for harassment often shared overnight lodging with staffers

Sacramento Bee

Treasurer Fiona Ma has frequently shared hotel rooms with her chief of staff during her tenure as California’s top banking official, a practice she said she engaged in “to save money,” according to expense reports.

Between the lines: Hidden partisans try to influence CA’s independent redistricting

CalMatters

California congressional districts are drawn by an independent citizens commission, but it’s hearing from candidates and party officials who don’t disclose their partisan affiliations.

See also:

● Public Map Input Sessions California Citizens Redistricting Commission

Opinion: No, California Isn’t Doomed

New York Times

The state’s problems are real. Nevertheless, there are positive signs. The first step toward fixing problems is recognizing them, and on that score, Californians have grown increasingly aware of what’s wrong.

Federal:

COVID Update:

● US has enough COVID-19 vaccines for boosters, kids’ shots Sacramento Bee

● Biden gets COVID-19 vaccine booster, urges more to get shots Mercury News

● Biden Receives Covid-19 Booster Shot Wall Street Journal

● Biden administration defends booster shot decision amid confusion Roll Call

● Axios-Ipsos poll: Biden trust takes a blow as COVID lingers Axios

● Unvaccinated Americans are at higher risk from COVID-19 but express less concern than vaccinated adults Pew Research

● 10 facts about Americans and coronavirus vaccines Pew Research

● Americans who relied most on Trump for COVID-19 news among least likely to be vaccinated Pew Research

● Polls on COVID-19 vaccination closely align with CDC data Pew Research

GOP Senators Block Democratic Bill to Fund Government and Suspend Debt Ceiling

Wall Street Journal

Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bill that would both fund the government and raise the country’s borrowing limit, escalating a political showdown over the government’s finances just days before it runs out of money.

● Republican senators block bill to keep government going Los Angeles Times

● GOP blocks bill to keep the government operating Mercury News

● Senate Republicans block measure to fund government, stave off U.S. default Washington Post

● Yellen tells Congress that U.S. will run out of debt ceiling flexibility on Oct. 18 Washington Post

● Congress Is Seeking (Its Own) Permission To Borrow Another Trillion Or

● Two NPR

● Lawmakers scramble for Plan B on stopgap funds, debt ceiling Roll Call

● GOP reconsiders retirement bill as Democrats push new mandate Roll Call

● Some Profitable Companies Would Still Pay No Taxes Under Democrats’ Plan Wall Street Journal

● Biden's reengineer-America moment Axios

● Opinion: Republicans Are Playing a Dangerous Game With Debt New York Times

● Opinion: House Democrats Miss Some Necessary Tax Increases Wall Street Journal

As Budget Bill Talks Intensify, Here Are the Five Biggest Issues Dividing Democrats

Wall Street Journal

The White House and senior Democrats in the House and Senate are trying to bridge divides on major issues to salvage a massive climate and social policy bill, a key plank of President Biden’s domestic agenda.

● Opinion: Where is the Democratic agenda headed? AEI

● Opinion: Joe Biden’s Economic Fantasy World Wall Street Journal

Pelosi sets Thursday vote on bipartisan infrastructure bill

The Hill

The House will vote Thursday on the Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill, pushing back an originally planned vote for Monday that Democratic moderates had demanded as part of a deal with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

● How the 2021 Infrastructure Bill Would Boost Broadband Access, Improve Conservation, and Mitigate Flooding Harm Pew

Democrats Debate Duration, Details of Child Tax Credit Extension

Wall Street Journal

Key details of the expanded child tax credit are up for grabs during congressional negotiations, as Democrats debate how long an extension they should pass and whether millions of very-low-income families should get the full benefit.

Medicare Drug-Pricing Fight Centers on California Democrat Scott Peters

Wall Street Journal

Before Democratic Rep. Scott Peters voted to oppose a provision lowering prescription-drug costs in a House committee earlier this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called him to urge him to change his mind. He said no.

Biden Administration Moves to Preserve DACA Program After Court Loss

Wall Street Journal

The Biden administration is taking steps to shore up an Obama-era initiative that provides temporary deportation protections to some young immigrants after a court ruling found the program unlawful this summer.

Senior Democrats’ push for powerful climate tool collides with political realities

Washington Post

Senior Democrats are trying to craft a proposal to tax carbon — a potentially powerful weapon against climate change — that would not violate President Biden’s pledge to spare middle-class Americans from tax hikes.

Editorial: Congress failed with the George Floyd Act, but there’s still hope

Los Angeles Times

Shame on Congress for blowing police reform. Shame on members for squandering the brief moment after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 when nationwide attention was riveted and modest but important reforms were possible.

See also:

● Editorial: Why National Police Reform Failed Wall Street Journal

‘A complacent majority’: U.S. Supreme Court abortion cases could spark backlash against GOP

Sacramento Bee

The Texas and Mississippi cases could serve as a wake-up call to liberals who don’t consistently participate in midterm elections and moderate suburban voters who support abortion rights but haven’t prioritized the issue in the past.

● Citizen Enforcement of Texas Abortion Ban Could Spread to Other Laws Pew

Other:

Opinion: How tech platforms fuel U.S. political polarization and what government can do about it

Brookings

As both members of Congress and federal law enforcement agencies investigate the origins and execution of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the role social media played in the mayhem is emerging as a crucial issue.

Disinformation May Be the New Normal, Election Officials Fear

Pew

As gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia approach this fall, and next year's national midterms near, election officials are struggling to combat disinformation and assure voters their ballots are secure.

Why Facebook is holding off on kids’ Instagram

Fresno Bee

Bowing — perhaps only for a moment — to pressure from lawmakers, critics, the media and child development experts, Facebook said Monday it will “pause” its work on a kids' version of its photo and video-oriented Instagram app.

● Facebook to Halt Instagram Kids Project Amid Pressure From Lawmakers, Parents Groups Wall Street Journal

● Facebook hits pause on Instagram Kids app amid growing scrutiny Washington Post

● Behind the Instagram Kids pause Axios

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

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

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

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

Newsom signs bill aimed at decreasing wildfire smoke exposure for farm workers

Fresno Bee

Officials working to protect Valley farmers amid poor air quality

abc30

With smoke from the Windy and KNP Complex fires settling into the Central Valley, Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen is doing all they can to protect Valley farmworkers.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Crime:

Crackdown on Fresno's gang violence is showing results, police say

abc30

The first traffic stop of Saturday for the Fresno police department's gang unit ended with the arrest of a gang member. The passenger of the car got out and ran from police.

FBI says homicides rose nearly 30% in 2020, the largest one-year jump on record

Los Angeles Times

Homicides in the U.S. in 2020 increased nearly 30% over the previous year, the largest one-year jump since the FBI began keeping records, according to figures released Monday by the agency.

● U.S. violent crime rate rose for first time in four years in 2020 Axios

COVID-era criminals go free: Prosecutors dismiss cases as backlog mounts

Axios

COVID-19 has caused backlogs in criminal cases across the U.S. to swell, forcing district attorneys to focus on the most violent offenses — and decline, delay or deal down a slew of other cases.

Public Safety:

New CA law tightens gun-buying loophole exposed by Poway synagogue shooting

Los Angeles Times

In 2019, John T. Earnest, a then-19-year-old Rancho Peñasquitos college student, opened fire on a Poway synagogue using a rifle he bought at a Grantville gun shop.

Fire:

KNP Complex passes 45,000 acres; more extreme fire behavior possible

Fresno Bee

The KNP Complex fire burning in Sequoia National Park was listed at 45,790 acres and 8% containment in a Sunday update, with no new evacuation warnings or orders issued within the past 24 hours.

● Warszawski: Giant sequoias are burning up in Sierra wildfires. Here’s how to save the rest Fresno Bee

● General Sherman, Giant Forest survive KNP Complex Fire as blaze threatens other sequoia groves Visalia Times Delta

● Progress made on California fire that displaced thousands Sacramento Bee

● Wildfires threatening California’s sequoias continue to grow Mercury News

● Fires threatening California’s sequoias continue to grow AP News

The bill is climbing to fight California wildfires. How much are they costing taxpayers?

Sacramento Bee

The Secret War Over Pentagon Aid in Fighting Wildfires

New York Times

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires.

ECONOMY/JOBS

Economy:

The Supply-Chain Mystery

New Yorker

Why, more than a year and a half into the pandemic, do strange shortages keep popping up in so many corners of American life?

● U.S. and European Economies Slowed by Delta Variant, Supply Chain Bottlenecks Wall Street Journal

Pandemic concerns change economic growth forecast

Axios

Business economists have tempered their 2021 growth expectations, cutting nearly a point off their annual GDP forecast since earlier this year, according to the NABE outlook survey released today.

See also:

● National economic ratings and concerns Pew Research

Fed Chief Jerome Powell Says Inflation Is Elevated but Likely to Moderate

Wall Street Journal

Inflation is likely to stay high in the coming months before moderating, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is set to tell Congress at a hearing on Tuesday morning.

Jobs:

Contractors of Color have Trouble Landing Public Projects. $2.5M Grant Aims to Change that

The Business Journal

A $2.5 million grant awarded to the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce will go toward an effort to help woman- and minority-owned contractors compete for public construction contracts.

California workers with disabilities were paid as little as $2 an hour. Why that will change

Fresno Bee

California companies can keep workplace COVID outbreaks secret. Here’s what happened

Sacramento Bee

California’s extra sick leave for COVID-19 is ending, but is it too soon?

Mercury News

California requires employers to provide at least three days of paid sick leave each year to full-time workers. But when the pandemic hit, that wasn’t enough to cover 14-day quarantine requirements. Many workers had to either come in sick or take time off without pay.

Feds Step In to Assist States With Unemployment Fixes

Route Fifty

The Labor Department has deployed "tiger teams" to six state unemployment agencies, with experts looking for solutions to speed up payments and reduce fraud.

Vaccination Status Is the New Must-Have on Your Resume

Wall Street Journal

As employers make vaccine rules for workers and some limit hiring to the vaccinated, people are starting to volunteer their vaccination status on job applications, in résumés and on their LinkedIn profiles.

Burned Out and Restless From the Pandemic, Women Redefine Their Career Ambitions

Wall Street Journal

A comprehensive new study by McKinsey and Lean In shows how stressed and exhausted many professional women are. And many of them are rethinking what they want from their work lives.

EDUCATION

K-12:

The kids went back to school. Then COVID-19 upended life for 3 rural families

Fresno Bee

García’s family was among the three Raisin City farmworker families who spoke with The Bee about their experiences with a small COVID-19 outbreak at their school in August.

Absenteeism surging since schools reopened

EdSource

A month into in-person learning for most California schools, some districts are reporting soaring rates of absenteeism due to stay-at-home quarantines, fear of Covid and general disengagement from school.

Editorial: Why it’s time for CA to require COVID vaccination of eligible schoolchildren

Sacramento Bee

More than a year ago, city and county officials led California in imposing the first precautionary shutdowns to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Now a few school districts are showing the way toward protecting more of the state’s children and families.

Higher Ed:

Fresno community college students can delay COVID vaccinations. Here’s what’s new

Fresno Bee

State Center Community College students who do not want to get the COVID-19 vaccine will likely get to finish out the semester after trustees voted Friday to extend the vaccination deadline, and college presidents vowed to give students more independent study options.

'Success of all students': CSUB receives $5 million grant to increase access, equity in STEM fields

Bakersfield Californian

UC Merced raising funds to save the lives of scholars in Afghanistan. Here’s how to help

Merced Sun Star

UC Merced is raising funds to save the lives of Afghan scholars and their families who are facing violence after the Taliban takeover.

The post-pandemic future of college? It’s on campus and online.

Washington Post

Students are back on campus and online at the same time. They like having the choice. For many, education is defined less by the mode of instruction than by how well it meets their needs.

Opinion: The Biden Admin undermines free market efforts to make college more affordable

AEI

The emerging ISA industry is offering a safer alternative to private student loans, many of which have high interest rates and no post-graduation protections like federal student loans do.

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

Environment:

What will the planet look like in 50 years? Here’s how climate scientists figure it out

Sacramento Bee

Climate change scientists don’t like to use the term “prediction.” Rather, they’re making “projections” about the future of the planet as sea levels rise, wildfires sweep the West and hurricanes become more ferocious.

Senior Democrats’ push for powerful climate tool collides with political realities

Washington Post

Opinion: Bridging the gap between climate justice and housing justice

CalMatters

Stable funding is needed to ensure California’s affordable housing efforts, climate goals and decarbonization policies work hand-in-hand.

Opinion: We need a strong Civilian Climate Corps in California

CalMatters

There are young people who want to empower our communities and fight the climate crisis with a Civilian Climate Corps.

Energy:

Major energy storage project proposed near Lebec along California Aqueduct

Bakersfield Californian

How much offshore wind energy is coming to California? Gov. Newsom signs law to find out

Sacramento Bee

Offshore wind is no longer a distant possibility in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Thursday mandating that the California Energy Commission create a plan for offshore wind development in federal waters.

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

Health:

COVID vaccine booster updates: Who can get a shot? Where is it available in California?

Fresno Bee

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended groups that can receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster. The agency is citing studies that show the vaccine’s reduced protection over time for certain people against mild to moderate disease.

● Are you considered fully vaccinated if you don’t get COVID booster shot?

What to know Modesto Bee

● Booster Shots Are Coming. Here's How To Figure Out If You Need One Capital Public Radio

● Covid-19 Booster Shots Are Here, and So Is the Angst Over Who Gets One Wall Street Journal

● Here are the workers now eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot CBS

● Boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients weren’t up for debate during a C.D.C. panel. New York Times

● What COVID Booster Shots Can and Can’t Do New Yorker

● Opinion: This Is No Way to End a Pandemic New York Times

Pfizer says they’ll be ready to ask for approval of Covid-19 vaccine for kids In a matter of days

Mercury News

Pfizer/BioNTech plans to ask for authorization of a Covid-19 vaccine for some children under 12 soon, bringing the US one step closer to offering protection to a population that has grown particularly vulnerable as the fall season gets underway.

● For many families, the countdown has begun to coronavirus vaccines for younger children Washington Post

Are allergies or COVID causing your symptoms? Here’s how to tell the difference

Fresno Bee

Here comes another year of worrying about whether your cough or sneeze is really the coronavirus or seasonal allergies. Unlike COVID-19, a virus does not cause seasonal allergies, but rather a diverse array of plants, grasses or pollen.

Air purifiers could help protect you from Valley's pollution, local doctor says

abc30

The air in the Central Valley continues to be filled with smoke from several surrounding wildfires. Health experts are advising residents to be careful outdoors and to stay indoors as much as possible.

California bill aims to reduce deaths among Black mothers

Los Angeles Times

California has among the lowest death rates nationally among pregnant women and new mothers, but the numbers for Black mothers tell a different story.

Human Services:

Community Medical sues over trauma service interruption. Fresno doctors group pushes back

Fresno Bee

Stranded in the ER: Can California change its treatment of kids in crisis?

CalMatters

A controversial bill before Gov. Gavin Newsom would fund crisis residential treatment facilities for children on Medi-Cal, steering more kids away from hospital emergency rooms.

Californians have legal rights to abortion, but getting one can be difficult

Los Angeles Times

California law states that people have a “fundamental right” to choose and obtain an abortion before a fetus becomes viable. The governor has vowed to protect that right. But just because abortion has more legal protection does not mean it is readily accessible to all.

There's A Shortage Of Home Health Aides For The Elderly, And It's Getting Worse

VPR

Many Americans hope to spend their old age at home, rather than moving into a care facility. When the time comes, they rely on the more than 2 million home health aides who provide day-to-day support.

Hospitals fear staffing shortages as vaccine deadlines loom

AP News

Hospitals and nursing homes around the U.S. are bracing for worsening staff shortages as state deadlines arrive for health care workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Medicare Drug-Pricing Fight Centers on California Democrat Scott Peters

Wall Street Journal

Opinion: Increasing cost pressures in the commercial health care market

AEI

A combination of policy decisions and market frictions has depressed cost efficiency in the commercial health care market.

IMMIGRATION

New California law seeks to boost state’s oversight of unaccompanied immigrant children

Sacramento Bee

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a bill strengthening the state’s mandate to look out for the welfare of unaccompanied immigrant children housed in state-licensed facilities across California.

Gavin Newsom signs bill striking the word ‘alien’ from California laws

Sacramento Bee

California acted Friday to eliminate from state law the use of the word “alien,” an immigration term used to describe unauthorized immigrants of foreign-born individuals living in the U.S.

Biden Administration Moves to Preserve DACA Program After Court Loss

Wall Street Journal

LAND USE/HOUSING

Turlock to consider contract for emergency homeless shelter. Has it ever been needed?

Modesto Bee

The Turlock City Council on Tuesday is set to vote on a contract for overflow shelter services at the Stanislaus County Fairground during the city’s indefinite declared homeless emergency.

Eviction moratorium ends this month. Fresno advocates urge congressman to help extend it

Fresno Bee

● Protesters call on leaders to stop evictions in the Valley abc30

● California’s eviction ban is ending. What’s next for landlords, tenants? Mercury News

● Many renters to get help when California eviction protections end this week Los Angeles Times

● A federal program aimed at halting evictions is showing signs of improvement. New York Times

California rental relief fund still has billions to spend

Mercury News

Housing officials say anxiety among struggling tenants is mounting, but offered calm advice Friday — breath easy, there’s still billions of dollars in aid to wipe out pandemic rental debt.

● California Has a Plan to Pay the Back Rent for Low-Income Tenants. All of It. New York Times

Why is Fresno one of the nation’s hottest housing markets?

CalMatters

PUBLIC FINANCES

Pandemic Aid Helped Lower Poverty in California

Public Policy Institute of California

Despite the severe economic disruptions brought about by the pandemic, government aid led to a decline in poverty last year. Census Bureau numbers released last week show a nationwide drop in poverty from 2019 to 2020 (11.8% to 9.1%).

Yellen tells Congress that U.S. will run out of debt ceiling flexibility on Oct. 18 Washington Post

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday told Congress that the U.S. will run out of flexibility to avoid breaching the debt limit on Oct. 18, setting a new deadline for lawmakers to avoid a catastrophic default on its payment obligations.

Editorial: The New Government Basic Income

Wall Street Journal

There’s no better example than the “child tax credit” that Democrats are now expanding into a costly guaranteed basic income for families with children.

TRANSPORTATION

California lawmakers delayed approving billions for high-speed rail. Could it derail the project?

San Francisco Chronicle

As Congress debates spending billions of dollars to build high-speed rail lines across America, state legislators are still squabbling about whether to spend money to continue building the Central Valley line of California’s bullet train.

WATER

Clean, Affordable California Water a Challenge for Low-Income Communities

Capital & Main

Amid the vast water wars of the drought-parched Central Valley, the tiny community of Las Deltas in Fresno County is enduring its own largely hidden battle over California’s liquid gold.

● Guess who’ll get hit hardest by California’s severe water shortage? Capital & Main

A Culture of Innovation: Moulton Niguel

Public Policy Institute of California

Moulton Niguel Water District, an award-winning water utility in South Orange County, is known for its innovative conservation efforts. We spoke with the district’s general manager and board president about how they foster a culture of creativity in a risk-averse industry.

Water Officials Ring Alarm Bells as Californians Come up Short on Conservation Goals

KQED

Californians reduced their water use at home by a meager 1.8% statewide in July compared to last year, even after Gov. Gavin Newsom urged residents to conserve 15% and drought continues to spread across the state.

Event: Groundwater and Urban Growth in the San Joaquin Valley

Public Policy Institute of California

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will help the San Joaquin Valley address groundwater overdraft while also building its climate resilience. This will require hard work, not only by farmers but also by the valley’s urban water utilities.

“Xtra”

‘A bittersweet day’: Marine killed in WWII finally buried near hometown of Hanford

Fresno Bee

Marine Pfc. Royal Waltz — killed Nov. 20, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa in World War II — was buried in Grangeville Cemetery outside his hometown of Hanford on Monday.

See also:

● Hanford Marine laid to rest with honors Hanford Sentinel

Here’s how you can get your first look inside the Graffiti USA Museum coming to Modesto

Modesto Bee

A free open house will be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 2-3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Graffiti USA Classic Car Museum is at Ninth Street and Coldwell Avenue, in the former Warden’s office furniture store.

Everyone wants to be an influencer

Axios

The number of people looking to become online influencers has exploded during the pandemic. Almost anyone can find themselves in a position to become an influencer, and brands are throwing billions of dollars at online content creators.

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?

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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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