California Policy & Politics This Morning

BART train derails near Concord Station -- An out-of-service BART train derailed Friday night near the Concord Station, halting all traffic east of the station for several hours and causing long delays for hundreds of passengers stranded during the evening commute. Demian Bulwa and Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/22/14

Concord: Cleanup from BART derailment to last through Saturday -- Cleanup was expected to continue through Saturday after an unloaded BART train departing the Concord station derailed shortly after 6:20 p.m. Friday, leaving cars strewn across two sets of tracks and the train's lead car hanging off the edge of the elevated rails. Katie Nelson in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/22/14

Drought: Feds cut water to California farmers to zero -- Federal officials announced Friday that many California farmers will receive no water this year from the federally-run system of reservoirs and canals fed by the drought-stricken Sierra Nevada, a crippling blow for the state's agricultural industry. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle Mark Grossi in the Fresno Bee Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles TimesPaul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Matt Weiser and Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Tesoro bars federal safety agency from East Bay refinery -- In an unprecedented challenge, Tesoro Corp. has barred federal authorities from going inside its refinery near Martinez to investigate an incident in which two workers were burned by acid spewing from a broken pipe, The Chronicle has learned. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/22/14

Steinberg asks Calderon to resign from California Senate -- Following the announcement Friday that a federal grand jury has indicted Sen. Ron Calderon on 24 criminal charges including bribery, California state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg called on him to resign and said he had the full backing of his Democratic caucus. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Richman Political Blotter  -- 2/22/14

Plea deal sheds light on 'massive healthcare fraud scheme' -- In announcing the indictment of state Sen. Ron Calderon on charges including money laundering Friday, federal authorities also released documents shedding new light on a spinal surgery billing scheme the California Department of Insurance called its largest-ever case of insurance fraud. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Calderon indictment could affect other races, supermajority -- The indictments against state Sen. Ronald S. Calderon and former Assemblyman Tom Calderon on Friday initially drew a muted response from colleagues in the Legislature who huddled behind closed doors to decide what to do. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

Calderon name may lose its luster in state politics -- Corruption counts against Ron and Tom Calderon could affect political aspirations of other family members. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

State Sen. Ron Calderon faces 395 years for alleged bribery scheme -- The U.S. attorney in Los Angeles on Friday painted a picture of government for sale as he announced that state Sen. Ron Calderon had been indicted on suspicion of taking roughly $100,000 in bribes, meals and trips in exchange for favorable legislation. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ Laurel Rosenhall and David Siders in the Sacramento Bee  Don Thompson Associated Press  Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle Dan Whitcomb Reuters Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/22/14-- 2/22/14

Federal officials say Ron Calderon agreed willingly to wear 'wire' -- Federal officials said in a court filing Friday that state Sen. Ron Calderon wore a "wire" to record two conversations with another, unnamed person, but canceled a third meeting shortly before the FBI raided Calderon's Capitol office last summer. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Read the indictment of Ron and Tom Calderon -- via the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Capitol Connection podcast: Surprisingly Newsworthy -- Sometimes, even when you think you're prepared for the week's political news, you get a curveball. Or, in the case of this week, two curveballs. John Myers KXTV -- 2/22/14

California Sen. Rod Wright sentencing delayed two months -- Sentencing has been delayed by two months in the case against Sen. Rod Wright, who was found guilty of eight felonies by a Los Angeles jury last month for lying about where he lives. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Prosecutor: Tim Donnelly won't face legal action for gun use -- Tim Donnelly will not face legal action in San Bernardino County for his heavily publicized use of firearms at campaign events in recent weeks, the local prosecutor saying Friday that terms of Donnelly's probation do not prohibit such activities. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Rep. Becerra endorses Eloise Gomez Reyes for Congress -- Breaking with the election arm of House Democrats, Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) has endorsed Colton attorney Eloise Gomez Reyes for an open Inland Empire congressional seat. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

Jerry Brown's parole interventions include crossbow killing case -- Gov. Jerry Brown let about 82 percent of convicted killers' parole releases stand last year, continuing to use his power to block decisions of the state parole board relatively sparingly. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Sierra Club San Diego Chapter suspended -- The Sierra Club’s national board voted Friday to suspend its San Diego chapter for four years, citing “ongoing conflicts and divisions” among local activists. Deborah Sullivan Brennan UT San Diego$ -- 2/22/14

Complaint to FPPC: Anaheim Mayor Has Conflict of Interest With OCTA Votes -- A complaint to the state's political watchdog alleges Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait violated a state conflict of interest law by casting City Council votes on matters relating to the Orange County Transportation Authority, which contracts with his environmental engineering firm. Adam Elmahrek VoiceofOC.org -- 2/22/14

No Medal of Honor for Peralta -- A years-long battle to upgrade the posthumous combat award for Sgt. Rafael Peralta to the Medal of Honor appeared to end in defeat Friday, when the Pentagon announced it will not reopen the nomination for the fallen Marine. Gretel C. Kovach UT San Diego$ -- 2/22/14

Democrats still have $30K of foreign cash -- One month after pledging to dispose of $30,000 pegged by prosecutors as an illegal campaign contribution from a foreign national, the Democratic Party of San Diego County has yet to send back or donate the money. Jeff McDonald UT San Diego$ -- 2/22/14

Audit finds questionable Long Beach port commission travel expenses -- Reimbursement for spousal travel, despite a city ban, was among the findings. Travel costs topped $1.2 million for 12 trips. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

Economy, Employers and Jobs

For F/A-18 Super Hornet, the end may be on the horizon -- Workers at Northrop Grumman Corp.'s 1-million-square-foot El Segundo facility on Aviation Boulevard have been cranking out fuselage sections for the Navy's F/A-18 fighter jet for decades. But now, the end may be near. W.J. Hennigan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

Strong L.A. economy boosts income inequality in city, study says -- A relatively strong local economy in Los Angeles, which is stoking the fortunes of its higher-income residents, is helping boost income disparity in the city, the Brookings Institution study shows. Walter Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

Jesse Jackson on Silicon Valley’s ‘apartheid’ -- The renowned civil rights leader told the Mercury News editorial board Thursday that his Rainbow PUSH Coalition plans to revitalize its Silicon Valley project and make its case to the region’s top tech firms that “we need to democratize the economy.” Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 2/22/14

Billionaire tech star Peter Thiel, big GOP donor, backs $12/hr minimum wage -- Here’s more evidence that progressives and conservatives may find common ground on a key issue — billionaire tech star Peter Thiel, the San Francisco-based PayPal co-founder who’s given millions to GOP causes, supports the idea of boosting the minimum wage to $12 an hour. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/22/14

Nation's problems aren't tech's fault, Peter Thiel says -- Peter Thiel, the billionaire co-founder of PayPal and an increasingly active force in conservative and libertarian politics, says the country has a problem: It's not embracing tech. Worse, said Facebook's original investor, it's making the tech culture a whipping boy for its problems. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/22/14 

Education

UC Davis students vote to tax themselves to keep campus newspaper alive -- UC Davis students gave their campus newspaper new life Friday, voting to tax themselves nearly $300,000 a year to support the operations of the California Aggie indefinitely. Richard Chang in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Tobacco sales to cease at Stanford University -- Vendors who operate convenience stores at the Valero gas station and Tresidder Union have agreed to the school's request to phase out sales of tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/22/14

Guns

San Diego Sheriff won’t fight gun permit ruling -- Sheriff Bill Gore said Friday that he will not fight an opinion by a federal appeals court that ruled against the county’s restrictive policy on carrying concealed weapons. Kristina Davis UT San DiegoTony Perry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

Health

Health officials see flu declining but warn of measles -- Just as California’s record-setting flu season seems to be fading, with 278 deaths confirmed as of Friday, health officials warned that another infectious and sometimes deadly virus has arrived -- measles. Eryn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/22/14

California flu fatalities rise another 35 in one week, totaling 278 -- Flu deaths in California continue to climb, with state officials Friday warning the public that the influenza season likely will last until April. Cynthia H. Craft in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/22/14

Environment

Local Group Wants Renewable Development in L.A., Not Owens Valley -- California's second-largest county wants to designate almost ten percent of its land for renewable energy development, and a cultural protection group is taking up metaphorical arms against the core of the proposed policy. Chris Clarke KCET Rewire -- 2/22/14

Also . . .

 Rodota: Bad Break-up: Keep California Together -- "California is ungovernable in its current state." --Tim Draper. We have seen this movie before. In the late 1980s, venerated political consultant Stu Spencer offered an identical perspective to then-Senator Pete Wilson, in a vain attempt to dissuade him from a run for Governor. Joe Rodota Huffington Post -- 2/22/14

POTUS 44

Obama to award Medal of Honor to two dozen veterans, including 19 discrimination victims -- President Obama will correct a historical act of discrimination next month when he awards the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest commendation for combat valor, to a group of Hispanic, Jewish and African-American veterans who were passed over because of their racial or ethnic backgrounds. Scott Wilson in the Washington Post$ -- 2/22/14

Beltway