.jpg)
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
California Policy and Politics Sunday
A new push to kill California’s top-two primary emerges amid chaotic governor’s race -- California Democrats are no longer panicking that the party will be locked out of the governor’s race, but the tumultuous campaign has nonetheless moved some stakeholders to press forward with an attempt to scrap the state’s jungle primary. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/17/26
Barbak: Californians on a confounding race for governor: ‘I haven’t ... a clue who I’m going to vote for’ -- Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton have emerged as the candidates to beat. But dozens of interviews across the San Gabriel Valley, a prime battleground, find many voters still undecided. And discouraged. Mark Z. Barabak, Robert Gauthier in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
How Hollywood’s production crisis became a key issue in the L.A. mayor’s race -- Placing the concerns of the entertainment industry at the center of the city’s mayoral race would have been unthinkable even in the last election cycle. But the production crisis, which has rocked Hollywood and pummeled its workforce, has reached a critical juncture. Stacy Perman and Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
Mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt heads to the Valley, wooing voters in his rival’s district -- Pratt declined interview requests and did not give a speech, opting instead to talk to voters one by one in Sherman Oaks. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/26
L.A. mayoral candidates vie for the crucial Latino vote. Bass has an edge over Pratt and Raman -- Latinos make up 37% of the electorate in Los Angeles, making them a coveted demographic for mayoral candidates. Polls show incumbent Mayor Bass with a big lead over challengers Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman in the race for Latino votes. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
The Tech Millionaire Who Wants to Turn the Democratic Party Upside Down -- Saikat Chakrabarti is running on an insurgent message to fill Nancy Pelosi’s House seat in San Francisco. Terell Wright, Geloy Concepcion in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/17/26
Pension mischief, Prop. B, crumbling infrastructure: The making of San Diego’s budget crisis -- How did the city find itself in this mess? It’s complicated, but local leaders say there’s plenty of blame to go around. David Garrick in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 5/17/26
‘The timing sucks’: Race is on to safeguard World Cup from drones -- And some — especially local officials in states like California — worry both about the threat and about who will get the blame should something go wrong. “If there’s an incident, or when there’s an incident, there’s going to be a lot of finger-pointing,” said a drone industry official who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about law enforcement issues. Oriana Pawlyk Politico -- 5/17/26
Environment
The world’s largest wildlife crossing and five others are coming to Southern California -- Several new wildlife crossings are underway in Southern California, including a $114-million project in Agoura Hills that is set to open over the 101 Freeway later this year. Planning has also begun for two smaller crossings in the Mojave Desert and three more spanning Interstate 15. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
The gray wolf’s improbable California comeback continues as population hits modern record number -- There were 55 gray wolves confirmed alive in California at the end 2025, a promising sign for population regrowth after the predator disappeared from the state a century ago. Their presence brings mounting conflict with ranchers. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
Housing
14,000 apply for California’s housing down payment program -- Expecting to lend funds to 1,500 to 3,000 applicants, the program’s third round could be its last. Amancai Biraben in the Orange County Register$ -- 5/17/26
Workplace
As Los Angeles struggles with a drop in tourism, San Francisco enjoys a renaissance -- One of the byproducts from a year that included ICE raids and destructive fires throughout Los Angeles County, captured nightly on national news, was a tourism dip. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
Wildfire
‘A long way off from being whole again’: Palisades recovery continues 16 months on -- Homes are rising again across Pacific Palisades, but many residents say recovery remains slow and uneven more than 16 months after the devastating fire. Teresa Liu in the LA Daily News -- 5/17/26
Street
ACLU says Sacramento cops target Black and Latino drivers disproportionately -- A report drawn from data on traffic stops by the ACLU of Northern California alleges that the Sacramento Police Department violates the civil rights of minority residents through biased traffic enforcement. Joe Rubin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/17/26
Also
Should a high-voltage power line run through California’s largest state park? Critics are furious -- The proposed 140-mile, 500-kilovolt Golden Pacific Powerlink from San Diego Gas & Electric would cut through California’s largest state park, Anza-Borrego. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
California ‘Rich Dude’ Fights $2.5 Million Fine Over Public Beach Access -- A surfer and dog-collar magnate built his dream home on the coast; then the state’s most powerful regulator cracked down; ‘straight-up extortion’ Jim Carlton, John Francis Peters in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/17/26
Train car found with 6 dead migrants inside came from Long Beach, officials say -- The six victims, from Honduras and Mexico, are believed to have died from heatstroke during the deadly journey, but officials on Thursday said they believed they boarded the boxcar on a Union Pacific train Saturday, during a stop in Del Rio, Texas. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
Lopez: L.A.’s cracked sidewalks are a symptom of a bigger breakdown. Does new plan offer real hope? -- Sidewalks and streets could get long-awaited upgrades, but don’t hold your breath. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/17/26
POTUS 47
Ballroom security money nixed by Senate parliamentarian -- President Donald Trump’s hopes of using public funding to secure his proposed White House ballroom are under threat after a Senate official said Saturday a $1 billion Secret Service line item could not be included in a GOP immigration enforcement bill as drafted. Jordain Carney Politico Riley Beggin and Dan Diamond in the Washington Post$ -- 5/17/26
For Trump, Soaring Prices Test Voters’ Finances and Patience -- Just months before another election that may hinge on the economy, the war in Iran has sent gas and other goods soaring. Tony Romm and Ben Casselman in the New York Times$ -- 5/17/26
7 Republicans Voted to Convict Trump. Most Are No Longer in Office -- Senator Bill Cassidy’s defeat means no more than two of them will be left in Congress next year. Tim Balk in the New York Times$ -- 5/17/26
The Oil Shock Is Causing a $45 Billion Rupture in the Economy -- The largest oil disruption in history is widening an economic divide, with Americans spending $45 billion more on gasoline and diesel during the Iran war than the same period a year ago. Surging energy costs disproportionately burden low- and middle-income consumers, while oil-and-gas companies are reporting record earnings. David Uberti in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/17/26
California Policy and Politics Saturday
Billionaire Chris Larsen says he will boost Newsom ‘any way we can’ in 2028 -- Chris Larsen, the deep-pocketed crypto executive emerging as a force among Democratic donors in the midterms, told Politico he plans to boost Gavin Newsom “any way we can” in his likely 2028 presidential campaign. Dustin Gardiner, Christine Mui and Jeremy B. White Politico -- 5/16/26
Xavier Becerra’s frontrunner glow meets a harsh spotlight -- Xavier Becerra’s rocky transition into Democratic front-runner has exposed vulnerabilities that could haunt him well beyond California’s gubernatorial primary. Melanie Mason and Blake Jones Politico -- 5/16/26
California gubernatorial candidate under investigation over payments to influencers -- Billionaire Tom Steyer’s campaign has paid thousands of dollars to influencers, some of whom did not disclose the payouts. Drew Harwell in the Washington Post$ Ken Bensinger in the New York Times$ -- 5/16/26
Endorsement: Two California governor candidates stand far above the field. Here’s our pick -- What do Californians want in a governor? You don’t have to be a pollster to see that this state over-indexes for charisma. The item is in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
Barack Obama — not that one — is on the ballot for California governor -- The man was right about one thing: Barack D. Obama Shaw is not the former president, nor is he related to the more famous Obama in any way. But that is his real name — he legally changed it in 2013 — and he really is on the ballot for California governor, running as a Democrat. Connor Letourneau in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
California election officials open their doors as voter skepticism grows -- Since President Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, county clerks and registrars across California have created, expanded and touted programs directed at voting transparency. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
House talks look at blocking some state AI laws, including in California and New York -- Bipartisan House talks on expected artificial intelligence legislation are coalescing around a plan to preempt a specific set of state laws that rein in cutting-edge AI developers, according to two tech lobbyists and three AI policy advocates familiar with the discussions. Brendan Bordelon and Gabby Miller Politico -- 5/16/26
Why surveillance pricing bans are suddenly gaining traction this year (and not just in California) -- A law advancing in the California Assembly makes it illegal to set prices with algorithms. Three other states have passed such bans in the last month. Khari Johnson Calmatters -- 5/16/26
Six people died in California ICE detention centers as Trump deportations soared -- The Trump administration immigration crackdown swelled the population inside California’s immigrant detention centers. State investigators in a report described strained medical resources inside the sites. Wendy Fry and Sergio Olmos Calmatters Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
World Cup should be a tourism bonanza for the Bay Area. Visa problems may make it a ‘nonevent’ -- The U.S. war against Iran has made it particularly difficult for World Cup fans from some countries to get visas despite State Department efforts to prioritize their applications. Noah Furtado, Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
Workplace
Ballot measure to cap hospital executive pay at $450,000 qualifies for November -- The proposal would limit executives and administrators at hospitals and physician groups to no more than $450,000 in total annual compensation, including bonuses, stock options and company vehicles. Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/16/26
Spotify doubles down on video podcasts at its Hollywood studios -- Spotify is betting big on video podcasts with its new 11,000-square-foot Sycamore Studios in Hollywood, aiming to keep subscribers engaged amid fierce streaming competition. Cerys Davies in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/26
Carl Nolte: I asked AI to write like me. I wish I hadn’t -- Artificial intelligence is everywhere these high-tech days. AI is doing everything: It’s behind a big boom in San Francisco. It’s behind layoffs of workers made redundant by AI. It is doing both things at the same time. It’s amazing. Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
Water
Data centers are guzzling California’s water. We have no idea how much -- Data center builders don’t tell the public how much water they use, according to a new report — and the industry is encroaching into water-stressed and vulnerable communities. Rachel Becker Calmatters -- 5/16/26
Insurance
Judge denies move to dismiss State Farm collusion lawsuit -- A Los Angeles judge has denied a petition by State Farm and other insurers to dismiss two lawsuits accusing them of colluding to drive homeowners onto California’s FAIR Plan. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/26
Insurance commissioner candidates float bigger California role -- From a public wildfire authority to a state backstop, California insurance regulator candidates propose greater state involvement. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 5/16/26
This S.F. homeowner lost insurance because of a flat roof. Could it happen to you? -- California’s insurance crisis came for Scott Ethersmith’s home in the Sunset last August. The problem? The shape of his roof. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
Education
California colleges are seeing a rise of conservative voices. Some classes are tense -- Turning Point chapters continue to grow on California campuses months after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Campuses are seeing tensions rise as conservative students become more vocal both in and out of the classroom. Kahani Malhotra Calmatters -- 5/16/26
Bay Area to get its first major new medical school in more than a century -- Santa Clara University and Sutter Health plan to open the first new medical school in the Bay Area in more than 100 years, leaders at the university and the health care provider announced Friday. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Molly Gibbs in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/16/26
Also
L.A.’s ultra-urban rivers wash tons of trash out to sea. There’s a plan to change that before the Olympics -- Officials announced a public-private partnership to install two “trash interceptors” in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers before the 2028 Olympics. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/26
Northern California county declares mountain lions ‘imminent threat’ -- After months of increasingly close calls with mountain lions, Lassen County this week declared the big cats an “imminent threat to public safety.” Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
Energy company disputes claim that 50,000 Tahoe residents will lose power next year -- But the dispute has touched a nerve far beyond Tahoe. It has become a small but vivid example of a much larger Western U.S. power problem: Data centers, electrification, population growth and aging transmission systems are all competing for space on a grid that was not built for the moment. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/16/26
POTUS 47
Big promises, thin results from Trump’s China trip -- President Donald Trump returns from his two-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping with hints of deals but no progress on key issues that vex the U.S.-China relationship. Phelim Kine and Alex Gangitano Politico Anton Troianovski in the New York Times$ -- 5/16/26
Trump’s ‘Learning Curve’ on China Ends With Conciliation at Summit -- As Air Force One took off from the Chinese capital on Friday, it remained unclear what deals, if any, President Trump had clinched with Mr. Xi. But the two-day summit in Beijing underscored how far he has shifted the foundations of American policy toward China in the wake of his humbling retreat from last year’s trade war. Anton Troianovski and David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 5/16/26
‘$30 for a hamburger’: Trump’s facing no good options on beef prices -- The president is caught between pleasing ranchers, a loyal GOP constituency and addressing voters' affordability concerns. Myah Ward, Grace Yarrow and Daniel Desrochers Politico -- 5/16/26
Fed up with Trump and gentrification, Mexico City nightclub charges $300 ‘gringo’ cover fee -- The owner of the Japan nightclub in Mexico City has imposed a nearly $300 cover charge on Americans to protest President Trump’s policies and threats. The surcharge triggered criticism but also won applause from those who see it as legitimate protest against gentrification and American cultural influence in the Mexican capital. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/26
Supreme Court turns away Virginia Democrats seeking to reinstate new voting map -- The U.S. Supreme Court has no authority to review or reverse rulings by state judges interpreting their state’s constitution. The court setback in Virginia came a week after the Supreme Court’s ruling in a Louisiana case had bolstered Republicans. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/16/26