POLICY & POLITICS
North SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Coronavirus update, Sept. 30: Stanislaus reports eight deaths, drop in hospital cases Modesto Bee
● COVID-19 cases in Stanislaus County schools drop for third consecutive week Modesto Bee
● Most hospital staff in Stanislaus area complied with COVID vaccine mandate. But not all Modesto Bee
● One city in Stanislaus County excels in COVID vaccinations. How the others stack up Modesto Bee
‘Tired of having a revolving door’: Turlock council clashes over recruiting process
Modesto Bee
The Turlock City Council on Tuesday rejected a resolution designed to prevent elected officials from hiring executive job applicants a contracted recruitment firm deems unqualified.Council Member Nicole Larson requested officials allow CPS HR Consulting to vet candidates for five open leadership positions and then interview finalists.
See also:
● Turlock Council Member requests recruiting firm vet applicants amid turnover Modesto Bee
Motels to house the homeless: Modesto could seek state money to purchase more
Modesto Bee
Modesto could seek state funding to buy a motel or motels and convert the property into supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Lodi City Council member arraigned in money laundering, online gambling scheme
Modesto Bee
A Lodi City Council member was arraigned on charges related to a money laundering and online gambling scheme. Shakir Khan faces multiple charges including money laundering, illegal gambling, tax evasion and Employment Development Department fraud.
Central SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● Health officials concerned about flu season on top of COVID-19 cases in schools Your Central Valley
● Child younger than 17 dies of COVID-19 related causes in Tulare County Visalia Times Delta
● COVID cases in county "slowly trickling down" Porterville Recorder
● First boosters administered in Kings County Hanford Sentinel
Fresno County put on notice by civil rights organizations over redistricting process
Fresno Bee
Three California civil rights organizations informed Fresno County supervisors that their apparent intent to keep “existing supervisorial districts largely the same” during this year’s redistricting process is concerning, and warned them doing so would be in violation of federal laws.
ACLU Considers Suing Fresno City Hall for Blocking Public
GV Wire
Since the start of the pandemic, Fresno City Council chambers have been open, closed, open, and closed once again to the public. The most recent shutdown came on Aug. 19, with the public again banned from chambers, even though the entire council and staff meet to conduct the people’s business.
Around Kings County: Amazon opens in Visalia
Hanford Sentinel
Amazon is open and in full operation says the new general manager at the Visalia fulfillment center, Carlos Avelar. The 1.3 million square foot warehouse, the largest in the city, is on Riggin and Kelsey in the Visalia Industrial Park.
State Asm Rudy Salas presents $1.5M for new Corcoran well
Hanford Sentinel
Development for new housing in the City of Corcoran has received a sizable boost in the form of $1.5 million in State funding for clean drinking water.
South SJ Valley:
COVID Update:
● 50% of eligible Kern residents are vaccinated, 349 coronavirus cases reported Tuesday Bakersfield Californian
BCSD promises to address quarantines: 'It's an educational disruption'
Bakersfield Californian
Over the last two weeks, Bakersfield City School District has experienced the quarantine of 925 staff members and students, marring the beginning of the year that was heralded as a fresh start as children returned to campuses.
Women’s March Kern County to hold reproductive rights march on Saturday
Bakersfield Californian
Organized by local Women’s March volunteers, this is to be a peaceful gathering intended to provide the community with a space to voice their opinions and show support for reproductive rights.
ACLU, Faith in the Valley seek to influence DOJ effort to reform BPD
Bakersfield Californian
Two advocacy organizations are seeking influence on an agreement between the Bakersfield Police Department and the state Attorney General’s Office reached earlier this year following a years-long investigation into alleged misconduct.
State:
COVID Update:
● Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today New York Times
● 53 cases of highly mutated R.1 COVID variant detected in California abc7
● Editorial: Why it’s time for California to require COVID vaccination of eligible schoolchildren Sacramento Bee
The California region where Covid ‘just isn’t slowing down’
The Guardian
The state has the country’s lowest case rate. But in the vaccine-resistant Central Valley and rural north, healthcare workers are pushed to the limit.
See also:
· Editorial: California lawmakers choose profit over people in gutting COVID disclosure bill Modesto Bee
California is now a permanent vote-by-mail state. What does this mean for you?
Sacramento Bee
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 37, requiring local elections officials to mail a ballot to all active registered voters in California for all elections.
California takes aim at housing discrimination with new laws
San Francisco Chronicle
With state policy increasingly focused on boosting development to address the housing affordability crisis, California adopted measures Tuesday to combat discrimination in the housing market.
See also:
● Gov. Newsom signs more than two-dozen housing bills Mercury News
● Opinion: After years of infighting, California passes meaningful housing reforms. Now what? Sacramento Bee
Animal rights activists opposed to ‘factory farms’ protest outside Gavin Newsom’s home
Sacramento Bee
A group of animal rights activists on Wednesday locked themselves together outside the front gates of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s home in Fair Oaks as part of a protest aimed at stopping the expansion of what they call “factory farms.”
See also:
● Former Baywatch actress, animal rights activists target Foster Farms plant in Livingston Modesto Bee
California schools chief churns through top aides in allegedly toxic workplace
Politico
Nearly two dozen senior officials have fled California’s top education agency since Tony Thurmond became state schools superintendent in 2019, with several of them accusing him of creating a toxic workplace that burned through staff with decades of experience.
See also:
● Where is Tony Thurmond? State schools chief stays behind the scenes in school reopening debate CalMatters
Opinion: Women on corporate boards is good for business – and it’s California law
CalMatters
Betty T. Yee: Most California public companies had at least one woman on their board by 2020, but two lawsuits are challenging the law.
Little Hoover Commission to Study Reform of California’s Recall System
Little Hoover Commission
The Little Hoover Commission – a bipartisan, independent citizens commission working to improve state government – will hold hearings this fall to study whether California’s recall system should be changed.
See also:
● Matthews: California’s Recall was Worth Every Penny Zocalo
● Opinion: There are some drastic ideas to overhaul California’s recall. Be careful, says one expert Los Angeles Times
Federal:
COVID Update:
● White House says broad eligibility for booster shots ensures racial equity. Some doctors disagree Sacramento Bee
● Fewer Americans than ever remain opposed to getting a COVID vaccine, new poll finds Sacramento Bee
● Are You Pregnant? The CDC Really Wants You To Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Valley Public Radio
● Axios-Ipsos poll: Biden trust takes a blow as COVID lingers Axios
● Americans’ trust in Biden to provide accurate information on COVID drops, poll finds Sacramento Bee
● Opinion: Biden’s Lawless Vaccine Mandate Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: The vaccines work. The call for booster shots doesn’t change that Los Angeles Times
● Federal agencies are still dealing with pandemic backlogs. A shutdown could make delays worse. Washington Post
Republicans Block Latest Effort by Democrats to Advance Debt-Ceiling Bill
Wall Street Journal
Republicans blocked Democrats’ latest effort to raise the debt limit, intensifying a high-stakes showdown in the Senate hours after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told lawmakers the government would be unable to pay all of its bills on time starting Oct. 18 unless Congress acts.
See also:
● The Debt Limit And The Senate's Cloture Share A History. Both Were Born With A War VPR
● Treasury chief warns failure to raise debt limit would likely cause ‘financial crisis’ Los Angeles Times
● Janet Yellen Says Treasury Could Exhaust Cash Reserves by Oct. 18 if Debt Limit Isn’t Raised Wall Street Journal
● Debt ceiling bill stalls again in Senate as pressure grows Roll Call
Industry Lobbyists Aim to Pick Apart Democrats’ $3.5 Trillion Spending Bill
Wall Street Journal
Industry lobbyists are working to undermine key elements of the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending bill, adding another complication to efforts by President Biden and Democratic leaders to move their domestic agenda through Congress this fall.
See also:
● Why Biden won't beg Axios
● Negotiations between Biden, Democrats intensify as $4 trillion agenda hits stalemate Washington Post
● Progressive Democrats seek to purge the term 'moderate' The Hill
● Biden bets it all on unlocking the Manchinema puzzle Politico
● Democrats’ Bid to Include Immigration Change in Budget Package Again Rejected Wall Street Journal
● Can Joe Biden’s agenda really cost zero dollars? A guide to the bills and the numbers Politifact
● Opinion: GOP should grab the chance to upend Pelosi's plan on reconciliation The Hill
● Editorial: What Is in the $3.5 Trillion Reconciliation Bill? Wall Street Journal
Progressives Split on Backing Thursday’s House Infrastructure Vote
Wall Street Journal
The House Democrats’ powerful progressive bloc split Tuesday over whether lawmakers should vote for a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package this week even if a larger education, healthcare and climate package remains in flux.
See also:
● Pelosi Says House Heading Toward Infrastructure Bill Vote Thursday Wall Street Journal
● What’s in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill? From Amtrak to Roads to Water Systems Wall Street Journal
● States Use Hurricane Ida Damage to Push Infrastructure Bill Pew Research Center
● House Republicans Confront Dilemma on Infrastructure Vote Wall Street Journal
● Opinion: Biden’s infrastructure plans will pay dividends for Central Valley Visalia Times Delta
● Opinion: The most important part of the infrastructure bill is little noticed The Hill
House group unveils bipartisan mental health, addiction legislative plan
Roll Call
A bipartisan group of 144 House lawmakers plans to unveil their agenda Wednesday for expanding access to mental health care and combating the growing drug epidemic after overdose deaths hit new highs, CQ Roll Call has learned first exclusively.
131 Federal Judges Broke the Law by Hearing Cases Where They Had a Financial Interest
Wall Street Journal
The judges failed to recuse themselves from 685 lawsuits from 2010 to 2018 involving firms in which they or their family held shares, a Wall Street Journal investigation found.
See also:
● Federal Judges with Financial Conflicts Wall Street Journal
USPS mail delivery is about to get permanently slower and temporarily more expensive
Visalia Times Delta
The changes mean an increased time-in-transit for mail traveling long distances. “Most first class mail and periodicals (will be unaffected” by the changes. Single-piece first-class mail traveling within the same region will still have a delivery time of two days.
See also:
● Changes at the US Postal Service kick in Friday. How will it affect your mail? Sacramento Bee
FTC Weighs New Online Privacy Rules
Wall Street Journal
The Federal Trade Commission is considering strengthening online privacy protections, including for children, in an effort to bypass legislative logjams in Congress.
See also:
● Lina Khan’s big tech crackdown is drawing blowback. It may succeed anyway. Politico
● Opinion: The FTC moves toward a command economy AEI
Other:
Free broadband service is available to many Californians. Here’s how to apply
Los Angeles Times
Dozens of internet service providers all across California have signed up for the program, which covers up to $50 of the monthly cost of an internet connection (or up to $75 on tribal lands). The program also authorizes a one-time $100 discount on a computer or other device.
See also:
● Regional Broadband Consortia: Local Activators Pave The Way CA FWD
● 3G networks are shutting down next year. Here’s what you should know. Washington Post
News Consumption Across Social Media in 2021
Pew Research Center
A little under half (48%) of U.S. adults say they get news from social media “often” or “sometimes,” a 5 %age point decline compared with 2020, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted July 26-Aug. 8, 2021.
See also:
● Opinion: How NPR can leverage stations’ reporting to help save local journalism AEI
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.
See also:
● Troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month on Facebook before 2020 election, internal report shows MIT Technology Review
● YouTube to Remove Videos Containing Vaccine Misinformation Wall Street Journal
Facebook’s Efforts to Attract Young Users Come Under Senate Scrutiny
Wall Street Journal
Commerce panel convenes hearing after Journal reporting showed company knew Instagram was harmful to many of its young users
Voter registration at tax time
Brookings
Voting rights are the bedrock of democracy, but in many parts of the country, those rights are being eroded. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, while 25 states have enacted laws to improve access to the ballot, 18 states have enacted 30 laws making it harder to vote.
Mapping rural America’s diversity and demographic change
Brookings
Brookings presents three demographic trends from the 2020 Census that upend outdated assumptions about nonmetropolitan America and conclude with a call to embrace a more inclusive future for increasingly diverse and dynamic rural towns and regions.
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
Grapes retake top spot in 2020 Kern County Crop Report as alfalfa and hemp fall
Bakersfield Californian
Grapes retook the top spot in gross value in the 2020 Kern County Crop Report’s Top 20 Commodities, published as part of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
Income dipped for Stanislaus farmers in 2020. How did drought and pandemic affect it?
Modesto Bee
Gross farm income dipped to an estimated $3.48 billion in Stanislaus County last year, mainly due to drought, COVID-19 and weak almond prices.
See also:
● Agriculture sees a decline in value due to pandemic, report finds Turlock Journal
Despite low turnout, livestock competition prepares kids for agriculture careers
Bakersfield Californian
Teenagers clad in white stood in a line, holding their small animals atop a table at the Kern County Fair Livestock Competition Round Robin on Wednesday afternoon. The animals attempted to escape, but were subdued by deft hands.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY
Crime:
Lodi City Council member arraigned in money laundering, online gambling scheme
Modesto Bee
A Lodi City Council member was arraigned on charges related to a money laundering and online gambling scheme. Shakir Khan faces multiple charges including money laundering, illegal gambling, tax evasion and Employment Development Department fraud.
Fatal shooting by CHP officer to be investigated by California AG under new law
Sacramento Bee
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is using a new law to investigate after a California Highway Patrol officer fatally shot a person while responding to a vehicle collision in East Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon.
Public Safety:
ACLU, Faith in the Valley seek to influence DOJ effort to reform BPD
Bakersfield Californian
Two advocacy organizations are seeking influence on an agreement between the Bakersfield Police Department and the state Attorney General’s Office reached earlier this year following a years-long investigation into alleged misconduct.
Who Do California’s Police Officers Stop – and Why?
Public Policy Institute of California
Across California and the nation, the push for greater accountability and transparency in policing has gained momentum, driven by serious concerns about disparities experienced by people of color.
After 25 Years In The Dark, The CDC Wants To Study The True Toll Of Guns In America
VPR
The uniquely American epidemic of mass killings by firearms grabs most of the attention from the media, politicians and the public. And the big increase in homicides in 2020 and overall violent crime — on the rise across many American cities — also get their share of coverage.
Fire:
Sequoia wildfire updates: Windy Fire damage assessment begins; KNP Complex at 8% containment
Fresno Bee
Tulare County on Tuesday begin assessing damage from the Windy Fire on homes and property in the Sugarloaf and Pine Flat areas. Property owners there should complete an information form, available online.
See also:
● Giant sequoia wildfire updates: KNP Complex and Windy Fire grow, but containment increases Modesto Bee
● Gusty winds remain a challenge for crews assigned to the Windy and KNP Complex fires Visalia Times Delta
● Windy Fire at 87,318 acres, up to 4 % contained Porterville Recorder
● Lake Tahoe, Sequoias Survived Wildfires Thanks to Forest Thinning, but Much More Is Needed, Researchers Say Wall Street Journal
Fires break out on Highway 99 in central Fresno. Were they the work of an arson?
Fresno Bee
The Fresno Fire Department has asked for the Belmont Avenue on-ramp to southbound Highway 99 be closed temporarily while crews work on a series of fires along the embankment of the freeway.
Federal response to wildfires must change, Forest Service chief says
Los Angeles Times
The U.S. Forest Service needs to hire more firefighters and reconfigure how it mitigates the risk of wildfires that are growing more intense, the head of the agency told lawmakers Wednesday.
Which masks protect best against wildfire smoke? Study shows one is superior
Sacramento Bee
Some experts are questioning whether face masks should continue to be worn after the COVID-19 pandemic to protect people from the flu, common cold and other respiratory viruses.
Mercury News
If it seems like wildfires in California are getting larger, they are. Nine of the state’s 10 largest wildfires since 1932, when modern records began, have occurred in the past decade. And amazingly, the eight largest have all burned since 2017.
See also:
● Fawn Fire: Winds gentle Tuesday afternoon, but gusts could spread embers Mercury News
● Dangerous Air: As California burns, America breathes toxic smoke KCRW
ECONOMY/JOBS
Economy:
California’s economy is recovering, but new report shows it’s not there yet
Fresno Bee
Waiting for a big bounce-back from COVID where jobs are plentiful and prices are stable? Be patient. The economy is recovering, but somewhat more gradually than anticipated, a new economic forecast released Wednesday says.
See also:
● From ‘sizzling to ho-hum’: How Delta cooled California’s economic outlook Los Angeles Times
● U.S. Economy Set to Pick Up Speed After Delta-Driven Downturn Wall Street Journal
Around Kings County: Amazon opens in Visalia
Hanford Sentinel
Amazon is open and in full operation says the new general manager at the Visalia fulfillment center, Carlos Avelar. The 1.3 million square foot warehouse, the largest in the city, is on Riggin and Kelsey in the Visalia Industrial Park.
Treasury Secretary Yellen says debt ceiling should be permanently abolished
Washington Post
Yellen argued the potential for treasury to be unable to pay existing payment obligations is ‘very destructive.’
Inside America’s Broken Supply Chain
Washington Post
How industry failures to collaborate and share information left the system vulnerable.
Powell Says Supply-Chain Bottlenecks Could Lead to Somewhat Longer Interval of High Inflation
Wall Street Journal
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said that a recent spell of higher inflation might last longer than central bank officials had anticipated, but he repeated his expectation that the price surge should eventually fade during a panel discussion on Wednesday.
See also:
● What if Inflation Is Here to Stay? Wall Street Journal
Jobs:
Wall Street Journal
As America confronted the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a significant workplace divide came into focus: Millions of workers had no paid sick time, and millions more lacked enough paid time off to cover a severe illness.
See also:
● Low-wage Californians can’t afford to take family leave — this vetoed bill sought to help CalMatters
● California COVID Worker Protection Program Expiring Capital and Main
Lots Of People Say They'll Quit Over Vaccine Mandates, But Research Shows Few Do
VPR
Surveys have shown that as many as half of unvaccinated workers say they will leave their jobs if they're forced to get the COVID-19 shot, but in reality few of them actually quit.
See also:
● U.S. Frackers Fear Vaccine Mandate Will Worsen Worker Crunch Wall Street Journal
U.S. Jobless Claims Have Remained Near Pandemic Lows in September
Wall Street Journal
Recent increases in benefits filings were driven by temporary factors. Economists expect claims to resume a decline in the weeks ahead.
EDUCATION
K-12:
Stanislaus mentoring program seeks volunteers to support elementary, middle school students
Modesto Bee
A Stanislaus County mental health agency is looking for community members to mentor Modesto elementary and middle school students as children show an “overwhelming need” for support.
BCSD promises to address quarantines: 'It's an educational disruption'
Bakersfield Californian
Over the last two weeks, Bakersfield City School District has experienced the quarantine of 925 staff members and students, marring the beginning of the year that was heralded as a fresh start as children returned to campuses.
Masking in classrooms decreases COVID outbreaks, additional research shows
abc News
The debate over requiring children to wear masks at schools rages on, but not among doctors or scientists -- or teachers. Multiple recent studies have shown that masks effectively slow virus transmission and prevent school closures.
Why many California students keep missing school
CalMatters
While Gov. Newsom brags about students returning to classrooms, an EdSource report found many districts are experiencing a massive uptick in chronic absenteeism.
Beyond reading and math scores: Flexibility in federal K–12 accountability law
AEI
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the successor to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, has opened the door for states to experiment with new accountability systems and improvement strategies.
Take the Shot? Schools Explore Vaccine Mandates for Student-Athletes
Pew Research Center
At least 12 states ban schools from requiring vaccines for students. The push to get more middle and high school athletes inoculated ahead of the winter season has rested heavily on local mayors and school leaders.
Higher Ed:
Opinion: Transfer students need a clearly defined pathway
CalMatters
AB 928 builds on existing law and improves the pathway for community college students to transfer to California State University.
ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY
Environment:
U.S. Plans to Restore Criminal Penalties for Accidental Killings of Migratory Birds
Wall Street Journal
The Interior Department said reversing a Trump-era policy is needed to protect declining bird populations
See also:
● Nearly Two-Dozen Endangered Species Are Now Extinct, U.S. Agency Says Wall Street Journal
Coastal ‘Blue Carbon’: An Important Tool for Combating Climate Change
Pew Research Center
Protecting and restoring coastal wetlands can help countries around the globe and U.S. states advance their climate goals
This company has a climate-friendly use for shells left from the Valley’s almond harvest
Modesto Bee
A new plant in Merced is turning some of California’s huge supply of almond shells into an especially rich fertilizer. Corigin Solutions hopes to counter climate change with this use of a nut byproduct that has had little value to date.
Measures in Infrastructure Bill Would Help Fish and Wildlife
Pew Research Center
Improving migration corridors, removing dams, and other initiatives would also benefit tribes and economie.
Opinion: Want to Lock Down for the Climate?
Wall Street Journal
Hitting environmentalists’ emission timetables would take far more than even what the pandemic forced.
Energy:
CA’s top utility regulator leaving as state wrestles with wildfires, power grid woes
Sacramento Bee
Marybel Batjer, who steered the California Public Utilities Commission through a brief but tumultuous era of wildfires, bankruptcy and blackouts, announced her resignation Tuesday.
See also:
● California’s top utility regulator tasked with overseeing PG&E resigns KTLA 5
● Top PG&E regulator resigns CalMatters
HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES
Health:
Americans Are Getting Covid-19 Boosters—No Questions Asked
Wall Street Journal
Doctors and pharmacies are rapidly signing up patients for Covid-19 booster shots, many without requiring proof of eligibility under standards that federal officials set last week.
See also:
● Some fear boosters will hurt drive to reach the unvaccinated Sacramento Bee
● CDC decision coming on ‘mix and match’ COVID vaccine boosters, Rochelle Walensky says Sacramento Bee
● COVID-19 vaccine data show low risk from third shot as cases decline Roll Call
Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine for Kids May Not Be FDA Authorized Before November
Wall Street Journal
Many parents and doctors had hoped the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would be available for 5- to-11-year olds as early as October. Now, regulatory clearance of the Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech vaccine for young children may not come until November.
See also:
● Pfizer vaccine for kids may not be available until November Los Angeles Times
● Are Covid-19 Vaccines Safe for Kids? What Parents Should Know Wall Street Journal
California vaccine mandate: Most health care workers are complying, hospitals say CalMatters
As the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate kicks in Thursday, several large hospital systems say 90% or more of their employees are vaccinated. But they don’t have to provide data to the state unless asked.
Messy, incomplete U.S. data hobbles pandemic response
Washington Post
The nation’s decentralized, underfunded reporting system hampers efforts to combat the coronavirus.
To Combat Meth, California Will Try A Bold Treatment: Pay Drug Users To Stop Using
Valley Public Radio
As overdoses and public health costs related to meth and cocaine continue to spiral in California, state officials are desperate for more effective treatment options and are pursuing legislation and appealing to federal regulators to make contingency management more widely available.
What Science Knows Now About the Risk of Covid-19 Transmission on Planes
Wall Street Journal
New research has uncovered when chances are higher, including during meal service. Overall risks appear to remain relatively low, but newer variants may change that equation.
Human Services:
Community sues to evict doctors from Fresno building. Doctors countersue, allege violations
Fresno Bee
Community Medical Centers filed a complaint to evict primary care doctors occupying a hospital-owned facility under an expired lease, and the doctors have countersued — alleging unfair business practices.
See also:
● Community Medical sues over trauma service interruption. Fresno doctors group pushes back Fresno Bee
● Community Medical Centers Sues Over 2020 Neurosurgeon Walkout Business Journal
Health workers once saluted as heroes now get threats
Fresno Bee
Across the country, doctors and nurses are dealing with hostility, threats and violence from patients angry over safety rules designed to keep the scourge from spreading.
IMMIGRATION
Axios
Panama foreign minister Erika Mouynes expressed frustration to Axios that the Biden administration seemed caught off guard by the Haitian migrant crisis because "we sounded the alarm when we should have.” The worst may still be coming.
Biden Caught between Allies and Critics on Border Policy
Business Journal
Biden embraced major progressive policy goals on the issue after he won the Democratic nomination, and he has begun enacting some. But his administration has been forced to confront unusually high numbers of migrants trying to enter the country along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the federal response has inflamed both critics and allies.
VP Harris sees solution to migration crisis in coffee beans, credit cards and Wi-Fi
Los Angeles Times
The administration faces domestic political pressure to quickly curb migration, which is at historic highs, with Harris being hit by near-constant criticism on conservative-leaning cable news programs and from Republican politicians about issues at the border.
LAND USE/HOUSING
‘Gimme Shelter’: Why Fresno is one of the nation’s hottest housing markets
Los Angeles Times
The sky-high rents in the Bay Area and Los Angeles garner most of the attention in debates about California’s housing affordability woes. But few places in the country have seen such dramatic growth in what it costs to rent an apartment as Fresno, the state’s fifth-largest city.
Fresno's eviction moratorium to remain for now as California's lifts this week
abc30
Tenants across the state with past due rent are facing possible eviction later this week, as the statewide eviction moratorium is set to expire. The moratorium aimed to keep people housed if they were unable to pay rent because of a COVID-19 financial hardship.
See also:
● As California’s eviction ban ends, some protections remain Business Journal
● California eviction moratorium ends today. Here’s what it means for Central Valley renters Fresno Bee
● California’s eviction ban ends soon. Here’s how renters can protect themselves Sacramento Bee
● ‘We are very concerned.’ California tenants still struggling to make rent, study finds. Sacramento Bee
Motels to house the homeless: Modesto could seek state money to purchase more
Modesto Bee
Modesto could seek state funding to buy a motel or motels and convert the property into supportive housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
California takes aim at housing discrimination with new laws
San Francisco Chronicle
With state policy increasingly focused on boosting development to address the housing affordability crisis, California adopted measures Tuesday to combat discrimination in the housing market.
See also:
● Gov. Newsom signs more than two-dozen housing bills Mercury News
Opinion: Housing justice relies on a strong CEQA
CalMatters
At this moment of opportunity to move beyond our legacy of environmental injustice and to achieve housing justice for all, CEQA is critical.
PUBLIC FINANCES
Unexpected revenue allows City to look at unfreezing positions
Turlock Journal
Various City departments presented to the Turlock City Council on Tuesday during a special budget workshop, pleading for the use of increased funding to staff previously-frozen positions and provide adequate services to residents.
The pandemic isn’t over, even if support for California families is ending.
California Budget and Policy Center
While many Californians hoped to put the pandemic behind us by now, COVID-19 is still with us. And we know COVID-19-related hardships have put immense health and economic stress on families, especially low-income households and Californians of color.
See also:
● Opinion: Supporting families supports the economy: Social nets are economic foundations Brookings
TRANSPORTATION
Detour ends early for new Hwy. 132 bridge across 99 in Modesto. What’s ahead in October?
Modesto Bee
Overnight closures will be fewer than expected this week where a new Highway 132 bridge is being built across Highway 99. The plan had been to close southbound 99 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Sept. 27-30.
Fresno Land Nonstop Air Service to one of California’s Top Tourist Areas
Business Journal
Aha! is Atlanta-based ExpressJet Airlines “air-hotel-adventure” leisure brand connecting more than half a dozen Western U.S. cities to the Reno-Tahoe area.
See also:
● A new airline plans nonstop service to and from Fresno. Who is it and where will it fly? Fresno Bee
● Bakersfield to Reno flights starting Oct. 25 Bakersfield Californian
● New Reno-based air service Aha! launching with $49 introductory fares to eight cities Reno Gazette Journal
Amtrak runs special for trains heading to rededication of Allensworth, a historic Black town
Bakersfield Californian
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is holding its annual celebratory rededication event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, and the Amtrak San Joaquins are running trains at a discount to bring visitors.
See also:
● Amtrak will run special trains to a Central Valley place important to Black history Modesto Bee
Transit Agencies Lease Real Estate to Generate Much-Needed Cash
Pew Research Center
Transit agencies must generate cash to replace the lost revenue from fares. One strategy that is gaining renewed traction is leasing agency-owned land to developers to build housing, office space and retail near transit stations.
Electric bikes jolt U.S. cities
Axios
The proliferation of e-bikes and push for more bike lanes are reshaping city geographies, social dynamics and even politics, as communities grapple with safety concerns and road-use jockeying.
WATER
Salas presents $1.5M for new Corcoran well
Hanford Sentinel
Development for new housing in the City of Corcoran has received a sizable boost in the form of $1.5 million in State funding for clean drinking water.
A bitter dispute ends as California water agencies pledge cooperation on Colorado River
Los Angeles Times
Managers of the agricultural irrigation district in the Imperial Valley had been locked in a heated dispute with the state’s other water behemoth, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and were suing to challenge the deal.
The ‘burn scars’ of wildfires threaten the West’s drinking water
Mercury News
In “burn scars,” where fires decimated forest systems that held soil in place, an increase in droughts followed by heavy rainfall poses a different kind of threat to the water supplies that are essential to the health of communities.
Video: Improving California’s Water Market
Public Policy Institute of California
Water trading and banking are important tools that can help California bring its groundwater basins into balance, but the expansion of the state’s water market still faces some bottlenecks, including aging infrastructure and complex regulations.
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Big Fresno Fair set to return with health and safety protocols in place
abc30
After a year as a drive-thru event only, the Big Fresno Fair is just days away from returning. Visitors will have the chance to enjoy their favorite food, entertainment, and rides once again with new health and safety precautions in place.
See also:
● Big Fresno Fair is back in person after COVID hiatus. Here are the steps to help make it safe Fresno Bee
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