‘Swarm’ of variants is driving up California COVID cases. Is this the start of the next surge?
The Chronicle, MATT KAWAHARA/AIDIN VAZIRI: "As winter looms, so does the question of whether another COVID-19 surge is in store for the Bay Area.
New coronavirus subvariants are rapidly spreading across the country and California, overtaking the strain that led to a U.S. summer wave. Cases have begun to tick upward statewide after a monthslong decline, just ahead of the holidays and a cold weather front that will drive people indoors.
Last winter, the omicron surge took off during the holiday season and peaked in the second week of January, when an astonishing 18,000-plus cases per day were being reported in the Bay Area — nearly four times higher than the peak of the previous winter wave."
LAO: State faces $25 billion budget hole in 2023-24, and more woe later
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST'S OFFICE via Capitol Weekly: Facing rising inflation, the Federal Reserve—tasked with maintaining stable price growth—repeatedly has enacted large interest rate increases throughout 2022 with the aim of cooling the economy and, in turn, slowing inflation. The longer inflation persists and the higher the Federal Reserve increases interest rates in response, the greater the risk to the economy. The chances that the Federal Reserve can tame inflation without inducing a recession are narrow. Reflecting the threat of a recession, our revenue estimates represent the weakest performance the state has experienced since the Great Recession.
State Faces $25 Billion Budget Problem and Ongoing Deficits. Under our outlook, the Legislature would face a budget problem of $25 billion in 2023‑24. (A budget problem—also called a deficit—occurs when resources for the upcoming fiscal year are insufficient to cover the costs of currently authorized services.) The budget problem is mainly attributable to lower revenue estimates, which are lower than budget act projections from 2021‑22 through 2023‑24 by $41 billion. Revenue losses are offset by lower spending in certain areas. Over the subsequent years of the forecast, annual deficits would decline from $17 billion to $8 billion.
Inflation‑Related Adjustments Vary Across Budget. The General Fund budget can be thought of in two parts: (1) the Proposition 98 budget for schools and community colleges, representing about 40 percent of General Fund spending, and (2) everything else. Under our estimates, the state can afford to maintain its existing school and community college programs and provide a cost‑of‑living adjustment of up to 8.38 percent in 2023‑24. The extent to which programs across the rest of the budget are adjusted for inflation varies considerably. Because our outlook reflects the current law and policy of the Legislature, our spending estimates only incorporate the effects of inflation on budgetary spending when there are existing policy mechanisms for doing so. Consequently, our estimate of a $25 billion budget problem understates the actual budget problem in inflation‑adjusted terms."
California issues $5 billion in inflation relief money so far. These groups are still waiting
Sac Bee, BRIANNA TAYLOR: "In a little over a month, California has rolled out more than $5 billion in inflation relief money to eligible taxpayers expecting either direct deposits or debit cards of up to $1,050.
The Franchise Tax Board has distributed, according to its website, more than 6.7 million direct deposits and more than 2.5 million debit cards across the state since Oct. 7. The website will be revised weekly with new totals, said tax board spokesman Andrew LePage in an email to The Bee.
Majority of the direct deposits have been issued, he said, and the last few qualifying taxpayers can expect to see payments hit their accounts by Nov. 22."
COVID in California: UCSF’s Wachter discusses strategies for safe holiday gatherings
The Chronicle, AIDIN VAZIRI: "Bay Area health officials on Wednesday said a substantial increase in flu activity and other respiratory viruses since the start of the month has led to a spike in emergency department visits and is already putting a strain on health systems across the region. It’s the first year health agencies are facing not just COVID-19, but increased influenza cases and unusually high levels of RSV, a common viral illness that can cause trouble breathing for infants and young children, and in older adults.
Latest updates:
‘Swarm’ of variants is driving up California COVID cases. Is this the next surge?"
How California could count every vote faster
CALMatters, ALEXEI KOSEFF/SAMEEA KAMAL: "For more than a week after the Nov. 8 election, control of the U.S. House of Representatives remained undetermined. All eyes had turned to more than half a dozen uncalled races in California when, on Wednesday, the Associated Press projected victory for Rep. Mike Garcia in his Los Angeles-area district, finally handing Republicans a slim majority in the new Congress.
As tense days ticked by without resolution, political pundits across the country once again lamented why the vote count takes so long in California, while conservatives resurfaced concerns that late-arriving ballots and slow results exposed Democratic efforts to steal close races.
In reality, the extended count, which will take a month to finish, is a consequence of California’s shift to overwhelmingly voting by mail, a convenience that requires several additional steps of verification by local officials once ballots arrive."
Nancy Pelosi to announce major decision on her political future as House leader
The Chronicle, JOE GAROFOLI/SHIRA STEIN: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who made history as the first female Speaker of the House and has been the driving force behind landmark legislation like the Affordable Care Act, will announce Thursday whether she will step down from leadership or again run to lead Democrats at what promises to be a chaotic time in the House.
Pelosi’s future was cast in doubt after Republicans squeaked out a surprisingly narrow victory in the House. She has said that the brutal attack on her husband Paul in their San Francisco home last month shaped her decision."
Republican control of the House could deepen America’s red-blue divide
LAT, NOAH BIERAMAN: "Florida is a “refuge of sanity” and a place where “woke goes to die,” Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said after winning reelection last week. California is a “true freedom state” that rejects “demonization coming from the other side,” Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom promised.
The two governors’ declarations of independence are only the latest signs that the next two years’ fiercest political battles will be fought not in Washington, but between clashing states.
Divided government is returning to the nation’s capital. President Biden, who will turn 80 on Sunday and is suffering from low polling numbers amid high inflation, is seen as vulnerable by members of both parties, giving him less leverage to find common ground with Republicans, who will narrowly control the House of Representatives."
Republicans win the House of Representatives majority. What changes will Californians see?
Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "Even with the slimmest of majorities, the Republican takeover of the House will mean plenty of discussion and debate about radically different approaches to immigration, government spending and taxes.
But it’s likely to be almost all talk.
Republicans have captured the needed 218 seats to claim a majority. in last Tuesday’s election. The Associated Press projected the majority Wednesday night after declaring Rep. Mike Garcia, R-California, the winner in a close race. Former President Donald Trump Tuesday had said Kevin Kiley, the Republican vying for the 3rd congressional district seat, had put the Republicans over the top, but AP has not yet called that race."
Karen Bass elected mayor, becoming first woman to lead L.A.
LAT, JULIA WICK: "Rep. Karen Bass has defeated businessman Rick Caruso in the Los Angeles mayor’s race, according to an Associated Press projection Wednesday, making her the first woman and second Black Angeleno elected to lead the city in its 241-year history.
The 69-year-old congresswoman achieved victory despite Caruso spending more than $100 million of his own fortune on his mayoral bid, shattering local spending records and pumping previously unprecedented sums into field outreach and TV advertising.
“The people of Los Angeles have sent a clear message: it is time for change and it is time for urgency,” Bass said in a Wednesday evening statement. She learned of the news while in her Los Angeles congressional office, according to the campaign."
Are California’s Hispanic Serving Institutions living up to their name?
CALMatters, MEGAN TAGAMI/MATTHEW REAGAN: "As a senior in high school, Ashley Chetla hoped to find a college where she felt supported – not only as a student, but as a Latina. Chetla enrolled at Cal State Los Angeles, drawn to the university’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution.
“I knew that most of Cal State LA was primarily Latino and Hispanic, and that’s why I actually chose to go there,” said Chetla, now a fourth-year sociology student. “I wanted to feel like I belonged there.”
But Chetla’s time at an HSI has fallen short of her expectations. When she sought academic advising, she said, she was instructed to simply follow the checklist of courses for her major. When she looked into mental health counseling, she said, she could only find two Latino therapists on campus. And she has yet to take a class from a Latino professor."
Slashing greenhouse gases: California revises climate change strategy
CALMatters, NADIA LOPEZ: "The California Air Resources Board today unveiled a new version of its highly-anticipated strategy for battling climate change, setting more ambitious targets for cutting greenhouse gases and scaling up controversial projects that capture carbon.
If adopted by the air board at its Dec. 15 meeting, the plan would radically reshape California’s economy, alter how Californians’ vehicles, buildings and appliances are powered, and ultimately serve as a blueprint for other states and countries to follow.
“Failure is not an option,” said air board Chair Liane Randolph. “There is too much at stake and we need to move as fast and as far as we can to lessen the worst impacts of climate change and leave future generations a livable and healthy California.”"
California gas prices are dropping. Here’s how low they could get
The Chronicle, JESSICA FLORES: "Gas prices in the Bay Area and California have dropped about 70 cents since last month, and experts say prices could continue to fall over the Thanksgiving holiday — and possibly through the end of the year.
The drop in prices was due to several factors, experts say, including refineries in the state resolving issues that caused prices to spike as high as $8 in October, as well as the state switching to a winter blend of gas that is cheaper to make. Crude oil prices have also ranged between $85 and $95 per barrel for several weeks."
A morning run by 75 recruits turns into horror: ‘It looked like an airplane wreck’
LAT, STAFF: "The law enforcement hopefuls were a familiar sight along Mills Avenue in South Whittier.
They ran in formation, puffing along the road in green shorts and bright white T-shirts, many of them Los Angeles County sheriff’s recruits. Residents were used to hearing them call cadence as they passed.
Wednesday morning, however, was different."
With potential recession looming, California estimates $25-billion deficit next year
LAT, PHIL WILLON/MACKENZIE MAYS: "Driven by high inflation and the threat of a recession, the state faces a potential $25-billion budget deficit next year that could at minimum curb some recent spending increases for essential safety-net programs that help Californians most in need.
The state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office, which advises lawmakers on California’s fiscal outlook, delivered the sober news Wednesday. It comes months after an estimated historic budget surplus provided Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democratic-led Legislature with an abundance of riches to expand government assistance.
The previous projection — a $97-billion surplus — led to the expansion of Medi-Cal eligibility to all immigrants in 2024, paid family leave, free preschool for 4-year-olds and a boost in the earned income tax credit."
Facing Colorado River shortage, 30 urban suppliers pledge to target decorative grass
LAT, IAN JAMES: "With the federal government calling for major cuts in water use to address the historic shortage on the Colorado River, the leaders of 30 agencies that supply cities from the Rocky Mountains to Southern California have signed an agreement committing to boost conservation, in part by pledging to target the removal of one especially thirsty mainstay of suburban landscapes: decorative grass.
The water agencies, which supply Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Santa Monica, Burbank, San Diego and other cities, have committed to a nonbinding list of actions, including creating a program to remove 30% of “nonfunctional” grass and replace it with “drought- and climate-resilient landscaping, while maintaining vital urban landscapes and tree canopies.”
The pledge could strengthen efforts across the Southwest to remove grass along roadsides and medians, and at homeowners associations, apartment complexes, businesses and other properties."
California’s Mojave Desert tortoises hurtle toward extinction. Why saving them is so hard
LAT, LOUIS SAHAGUN: "Behind the fences surrounding this 40-square-mile outback of cactus and wiry creosote, the largest remaining population of Mojave desert tortoises was soaking up the morning sun and grazing on a mix of wild greens and flowers.
But that didn’t mean the armored beasts were easy to find in a tiny spit of sand that Congress voted to protect in 1980 and designated with a name only herpetologists could love: Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area.
After a few hours of searching in late September, naturalist Lisa LaVelle tramped down a narrow path — past thorny brush that hid rattlesnakes and scorpions — and fixed her eyes on a tortoise the size of a shoebox.
How California’s housing crisis hurts college students
CALMatters, MANUELA TOBIAS: "California has long held the crown jewel of public higher education, but the high cost of housing is pushing that jewel farther out of reach for low-income students.
A recent survey found student homelessness ranges from 5% to 20% across California’s public colleges and universities, which equates to potentially hundreds of thousands of homeless students.
The problem is rooted in the state’s wider housing shortage, which has already made rents in most cities unaffordable for many people with full-time jobs. Campus housing can offer a more affordable option for college students, but there simply isn’t enough of it. Across the University of California system, 9,400 students were denied university housing this fall because of shortages. While colleges have long faced pressure from lawmakers to expand enrollment, similar pressure and resources to expand affordable housing options for students is a much more recent phenomenon."
Tutoring can come in many forms — almost all of them good, panel says
EdSource, CAROLYN JONES: "Tutoring can be in person or online, after school or during class, tailored to specific homework assignments or cover broad concepts. But no matter what form it takes, tutoring will be the most important factor in helping students catch up academically after the pandemic, a panel of experts told an EdSource roundtable on Wednesday.
“This is the only way we know really to accelerate student learning,” said Susanna Loeb, education economist and director of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University. “We don’t have another option here that really has been shown to work. And as a result, I think it’s up to us to figure out how to get this into the schools.”
School districts throughout California are using their Covid relief funds to hire tutors to help students regain ground lost during remote learning. But a limited hiring pool, as well as the eventual end of Covid money, has left some districts scrambling for alternative ways to match students with individualized instruction that helps them succeed academically."
Stanford plans to expand its Bay Area footprint — by buying another college campus
The Chronicle, JESSICA FLORES: "Stanford University, which has struggled to expand its footprint for academic programs and housing in the ultra-pricey Bay Area Peninsula, plans to purchase and renovate the property of a nearby university that has scaled down its programs significantly amid financial difficulties.
Stanford officials in early October submitted an application to the city of Belmont that kicks off the review process for its planned purchase of the 46-acre Notre Dame de Namur University campus in Belmont.
In September 2021, Stanford entered into an option to purchase the property where the 172-year-old Catholic institution is located."
S.F. Bay Area home prices are still dropping. Here’s how they compare to other U.S. metros
The Chronical, ADRIANA REZAL: "Despite uninterrupted price decreases in recent months, homes in the San Francisco metropolitan area remain the most expensive among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the country, data shows.
October marked the fifth consecutive month that home values in the San Francisco metro declined, according to data from listings site Zillow — a sharp reversal from pandemic-era growth, and one that’s occurring across the Bay Area. Typical home values in the area — which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties — dropped by over 5% from June to October.
Still, San Francisco remained on its longtime perch at the top of the nation’s priciest markets."
The Chronicle, AINNIE VAINSHTEIN: "Berkeley’s police department was reportedly reeling in the wake of allegations raised by a former officer accusing the president of its police union of spearheading an “illegal” arrest quota and sending derogatory messages about the city’s unhoused population.
The widely circulated email and a leak of the troubling text messages has resulted in Berkeley officials delaying the appointment of a new police chief and the president of its police union, Sgt. Darren Kacalek, taking a leave of absence, Berkeley Scanner reported."
Sacramento County commits to building its biggest-ever homeless shelter. Here are the details
Sac Bee, THERESA CLIFT/SAWSAN MORRAR: "Sacramento County will spend at least $40 million in federal dollars to open a homeless shelter in North Highlands for 250 people — set to be the largest it has ever opened.
The cost figure includes about $23 million for purchasing the 13-acre property and $17 million for construction, which the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Tuesday. It does not include operations, which will increase the figure. No one attended the meeting to oppose the decision.
The Watt Avenue shelter will include 140 tiny homes inside a warehouse, including 20 double occupancy, and 50 safe parking spots in a parking lot. The site will also include restrooms, showers, storage, security and medical services."