Updating . .
San Francisco sheriff requested transfer of immigrant inmate -- The San Francisco Sheriff's Department requested the transfer and provided transportation from federal prison to the city jail for a Mexican national in the country illegally who is now charged with randomly murdering a woman. Associated Press -- 7/8/15
Lee slams Mirkarimi for not talking to immigration officials -- San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee delivered a blistering critique of Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi on Wednesday, saying his decision to cut off even basic communication with federal immigration officials led to the release of the man accused of killing a stranger last week on the city waterfront. Carla Marinucci, Jaxon Van Derbeken and Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/8/15
San Francisco defendant's immigration history is common -- Long before he was arrested in the shooting death of a woman at one of San Francisco's most popular tourist sites, Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez was using the U.S.-Mexican border like a revolving door. Elliot Spagat and Janie Har Associated Press -- 7/8/15
L.A. Unified cancels fundraiser at Trump golf course, billionaire won't return $7,500 -- Donald Trump's remarks about immigrants prompted the Los Angeles Unified School District on Wednesday to cancel a fundraiser set for his golf in Rancho Palos Verdes, but the billionaire's company is refusing to return a $7,500 deposit. Thomas Himes in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 7/8/15
Bill to raise smoking age stalls in Assembly -- Facing stiff opposition from the tobacco industry, a bill that would increase the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 was withdrawn from an Assembly committee hearing Wednesday, but the author still hopes advance the measure this year. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Julia Horowitz Associated Press -- 7/8/15
California e-cigarette bill abandoned after hostile amendment -- A California bill regulating electronic cigarettes sputtered in a key committee on Wednesday as members made a major change that led the author to abandon his own measure. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/8/15
California motorcycle lane-splitting bill shelved for the year -- Motorcycle lane-splitting is banned in every state but California, where it's not explicitly allowed or prohibited. Jessica Calefati in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 7/8/15
California regulators discuss water pricing in drought -- California water regulators heard proposals for a statewide drought fee and hefty fines for water-guzzling homeowners as part of a Wednesday workshop discussing how to implement Gov. Jerry Brown's order for water pricing to maximize conservation. Fenit Nirappil Associated Press -- 7/8/15
California OK’s drought curb on Sacramento River flows -- California regulators have given final approval to a controversial drought plan to restrict the flow of water pouring out of Lake Shasta this summer in a bid to preserve an endangered fish species. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Tom Selleck accused of stealing water for California ranch -- A water district has sued Tom Selleck, claiming the star of the crime shows "Magnum, P.I." and "Blue Bloods" stole truckloads of water from a public hydrant and brought it to his ranch in drought-stricken California. Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 7/8/15
Mountain lion spotted, and photographed, in San Francisco -- For the first time in years, a mountain lion has been spotted roaming in San Francisco, with three members of the public calling in sightings in recent days and a camera capturing the big cat as well, officials said. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/8/15
Jerry Brown’s climate change warning: ‘We’re on a Titanic unless we turn’ -- Gov. Jerry Brown, rallying support for carbon reduction policies at a climate summit in Toronto on Wednesday, said the world is heading toward “total unsustainability and ecological collapse” if it fails to address global warming. “We’re on a Titanic unless we turn,” Brown said. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Laguna Beach wants Edison to pay $150 million to bury wires after last week's wildfire -- City officials on Tuesday called for citywide undergrounding of utilities following a 15-acre wildfire last week that started when trees fell into utility wires, causing a power surge that sparked flames. Erika I. Ritchie in the Orange County Register -- 7/8/15
Fort Bragg may get reprieve from anti-Confederate bill -- The mayor of Fort Bragg, a small town on the Mendocino County coast, said Wednesday he has received assurances that legislation barring the names of Confederate leaders on public facilities will not force the town to change its name. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Feds seize marijuana from Indian tribal lands in California -- The U.S. attorney's office in Sacramento says federal agents have seized at least 12,000 marijuana plants from land in far Northern California that belongs to two federally recognized Indian tribes. Associated Press -- 7/8/15
Chase settles many debt collection abuse cases -- but not California's -- JPMorgan Chase & Co. will pay more than $200 million to settle allegations that it sold faulty credit card debts to third-party collectors, including accounts with legally flawed judgments and inaccurate and paid-off balances and debts owed by borrowers who had died. E. Scott Reckard in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Despite drought, Salinas Vally farms thrive -- It's prime strawberry-picking season, and field workers on this vast Salinas Valley farm are being paid for every plastic clamshell container they fill. Under a cool gray sky, men and women hustle up and down the narrow rows, plucking only the reddest, ripest fruit. Aaron Kinney in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/8/15
Some Urban Water Suppliers Far From Conservation Goal -- A close review of water conservation numbers shows some urban water suppliers in California still have a long way to go to meet mandatory conservation targets. Amy Quinton Capital Public Radio -- 7/8/15
L.A. seeks hike in water rates; heavy users would be hard-hit -- Los Angeles residents would see a water rate increase of 2.4% to 3.5% every year for five years in order to replace aging infrastructure, meet conservation mandates and upgrade customer service under a plan announced Wednesday by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Matt Stevens and Monte Morin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Anaheim City Council votes 3-2 to extend gate-tax ban for Disneyland for 30 years -- The Walt Disney Co. early Wednesday was granted a 30-year ban on ticket taxes charged to visitors of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in exchange for the company’s pledge to spend at least $1 billion on new attractions and a 5,000-space parking structure. Art Marroquin in the Orange County Register -- 7/8/15
USC says UCSD Alzheimer's staff in mass defection -- The University of Southern California said Tuesday that 30 people have defected from UC San Diego and joined the new Alzheimer’s research institute that USC has created in La Jolla. Moreover, others at UC San Diego who have helped run a nationwide Alzheimer’s study are expected to leave in the coming days, according to USC. Bradley J. Fikes and Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/8/15
California exports hold amid increasing economic woes worldwide -- Amid increasing economic turmoil in key overseas markets, California export trade edged down only 0.7 percent in May compared with the same month in 2014, according to an analysis of U.S. Commerce Department figures. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Top California state official weighs in on government diversity -- This week’s State Worker column compares the ethnic demographics of California’s population to the demographics of its state government workforce and notes that whites are overrepresented while Hispanics are underrepresented. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
The Hazards of Growing Up on Treasure Island -- If you go by location alone, Treasure Island, California is a prime piece of real estate. Demond Meagley and Nanette Thompson KQED -- 7/8/15
Fox: Oil Math -- Am I the only one that finds billionaire/environmentalist Tom Steyer siding with Consumer Watchdog’s attack on the oil companies counter intuitive? Consumer Watchdog and Steyer say the oil companies are manipulating production so Californians have to pay more for gasoline. They say it adds to the cost of gasoline for the consumer. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/8/15
Chicana Service Action Center executives charged in $8.5-million fraud case -- For decades, the Chicana Service Action Center received millions of dollars in taxpayer money to help some of the county's most disadvantaged residents: the homeless, the unemployed, victims of domestic violence, foster youth looking for work. David Zahniser, Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Surge in L.A. crime in first 6 months ends more than decade of declines -- For the first time in more than a decade, overall crime is up in Los Angeles through the first six months of the year, rising by about 12%, according to a Times analysis. Kate Mather, Ben Poston in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Baltimore mayor fires Police Commissioner Anthony Batts amid homicide rise -- The Baltimore mayor fired the troubled city's police commissioner Wednesday, saying that a recent spike in homicide rates weeks after a black man died of injuries in police custody required a change in leadership. Batts was a former police chief in Oakland. Juliet Linderman Associated Press -- 7/8/15
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Gun used in pier killing had been stolen from federal agent -- The gun used to kill a 32-year-old woman on San Francisco’s waterfront was stolen from a federal agent in a car burglary in June, sources close to the investigation said Tuesday. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle Paul Elias Associated Press -- 7/8/15
Feinstein scalds San Francisco for freeing man accused in pier killing -- In a sharply worded rebuke just days after the killing of Kathryn Steinle, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said the man charged with her murder — an immigrant in this country illegally who had a string of felonies and deportations — “should not have been released” by the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department and urged the city to “take immediate action” against further tragedy and join a new federal program aimed at deporting “dangerous criminal aliens.” Carla Marinucci and Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/8/15
Mirkarimi, Immigration Authorities Trade Blame in Pier 14 Shooting -- San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi appeared on KQED Forum today and deflected blame to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the release from jail of the man who went on to allegedly shoot and kill 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco last Wednesday. Jon Brooks KQED -- 7/8/15
San Diego County Congressman Wants To Punish 'Sanctuary' Cities -- Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, said he plans to introduce a bill to restrict funding for “sanctuary” cities that do not always cooperate with immigration authorities. Hunter's action is spurred by a deportee's arrest in a San Francisco killing. Jean Guerrero KPBS -- 7/8/15
California water bill likely to pass U.S. House, then lose steam -- An ambitious California water bill will pass a key U.S. House committee this week and soon will sail through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on a near party-line vote. Michael Doyle in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Lawmakers warned about death threat tied to passage of vaccine bill -- Andrino allegedly used spray paint to write “4 Every Kid Afflicted A Public Figure Will Die, SB 277,” at West Hollywood City Hall, the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and 10 Freeway walls in East Los Angeles and Baldwin Park, according to a memo forwarded by Assembly administrator Debra Gravert. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Feds to decide whether state’s last nuclear plant stays or goes -- Federal regulators have restarted the process of deciding whether California’s last nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, will remain open for decades. And like most everything else in Diablo’s long, contentious history, the move is sure to provoke a fight. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/8/15
Raymond ‘Shrimp Boy’ Chow won’t take plea deal, his lawyer says -- As many as half of the eight defendants scheduled for trial in November in a Chinatown racketeering case will take a plea deal with prosecutors, but former gang leader Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow won’t be one of them, Chow’s lawyer said Tuesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/8/15
Gov. Brown says climate change creates Titanic-like scenario for world -- Gov. Jerry Brown arrived here Tuesday with an ominous message to deliver at a climate change conference with representatives from across the Americas. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
For Jerry Brown, climate change issue melds the spiritual and political -- Buried in Pope Francis' encyclical on climate change was a reference that Gov. Jerry Brown could have appreciated. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
L.A. County supervisors move to consolidate power by weakening CEO's job -- Each represents a constituency of about 2 million people. Together, they oversee America's largest local government agency, with a $27-billion budget and 100,000 employees. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors decided to grant themselves even more power over the working of the vast bureaucracy. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson: 'I'm not running for mayor' -- Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson sought Tuesday to put to rest rumors he's launching a bid for mayor, insisting during an interview that he's not focused on his political future. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
Latinos have passed whites as the largest ethnic group in California -- New population figures released by the U.S. Census show that Latinos have passed whites as the largest ethnic group in California. The tally shows that as of July 1, 2014, about 14.99 million Latinos live in California, edging out the 14.92 million whites. Ashley Wu in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
California bill would ban Confederate names on schools, public property -- A new bill in the California Legislature would prohibit using the names of Confederate elected and military leaders on state and local property. Andrew Holzman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Could Fort Bragg be compelled to change name? -- Could a proposed new law compel Fort Bragg, a picturesque tourist and fishing hamlet on the Mendocino County coast, to change its name? A literal reading of Senate Bill 539, introduced by Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, indicates it could. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Ro Khanna outraises Mike Honda again, has far more campaign money banked -- Ro Khanna, mounting his second challenge to fellow Democrat Rep. Mike Honda, outraised the incumbent in this year's second quarter and now has almost four times as much money banked for the 2016 campaign. Josh Richman in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 7/8/15
Rep. Ami Bera posts another strong fundraising quarter -- Bera, D-Elk Grove, has yet to draw an opponent as he seeks a third House term next year. While much of the criticism of Bera this year has come from organized labor for his position on controversial trade authority, former GOP Rep. Doug Ose, who lost a close and expensive race last fall, has not ruled out another challenge. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Walters: Tax surge a problem for Dems -- The Legislature’s Democrats were miffed when Gov. Jerry Brown insisted on using his revenue estimates as the basis for the 2015-16 state budget, rather than a higher number calculated by legislators’ budget adviser. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
California lawmakers shelve controversial aid-in-dying bill -- Lacking the votes to pass a key committee, a bill that would allow physicians to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients in California is shelved until next year. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 7/7/15
Folsom Lake now being drained more slowly -- Water regulators are easing off on plans to draw down Folsom Lake, responding to concerns from Sacramento area water agencies about the availability of supply, officials said Tuesday. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/7/15
Why San Jose Is Barely in the Black Despite the Tech Boom -- In most fire stations across America, you’ll find a fire engine ready to fight fires. But in San Jose, budget cuts forced the Fire Department to mothball a handful of engines. So some stations have trucks that can respond to medical emergencies — but they can’t put out fires. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 7/7/15
Herdt: Speaking louder than Donald Trump -- Of all the condemnation that has been heaped upon Donald Trump for his outrageous insult of all who can trace their ancestry to Mexico, nothing seems to have hit the mark quite like a gentle jab on Facebook posted by an Orange County commuter while riding the Metrolink. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 7/8/15
Taxes, Fees, Rates
LADWP board to begin rate-increase review -- The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power this week begins the process of raising rates to add up to $270 million per year to update its aging pipe system and power grid. Sharon McNary KPCC -- 7/8/15
Democrats push for Prop. 13 changes to raise commercial property taxes -- The legislation adds to a growing stack of bills offering to change Proposition 13 -- each of which faces a slim chance of becoming law because it requires Republican support. And where Democrats see a common-sense closing of a loophole that has been exploited by owners of large properties, the GOP generally views the change as an unwarranted tax hike. Allen Young Sacramento Business Journal -- 7/8/15
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Two L.A. County supervisors seeking crackdown on wage theft -- As Los Angeles County prepares to vote on a proposed minimum wage increase, two members of the Board of Supervisors moved Tuesday to curb illegal efforts to deny employees their full pay. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
Hollywood skyscraper critics question quake risk for project -- Opponents of the Millennium Hollywood project said Tuesday that they disagreed with the city's approval of the developer's seismic studies, which found that no active earthquake fault runs under the property. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ David Futch LA Weekly -- 7/7/15
Drought
California’s Drought Changes Habits in the Kitchen -- Andrea Nguyen, who writes cookbooks for a living, knows that making pho in a pressure cooker is not the solution to California’s drought. Still, developing a reasonable version of the Vietnamese noodle soup that can be made in less than an hour, with half the water, matters to her these days. Kim Severson in the New York Times$ -- 7/8/15
Baja California farmers confront prospect of water shortage -- Blocks from the U.S. border on a recent afternoon, inside a packed auditorium, the farmers' voices rose with their anxious questions. Water from the Colorado River has long been the lifeline for their fields of cotton, wheat and alfalfa, and they were learning about the probability of shortages. Sandra Dibble in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
Education
Making the community college-to-UC transfer a little easier -- Community college students are expected to find a smoother path in their plans to transfer to a University of California campus as a result of a new listing of recommended courses they should take in various majors. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
Cal State Long Beach professor plans special session course for 25 Dreamers throughout Los Angeles area -- A Cal State Long Beach Chicano and Latino Studies professor is organizing a special session class for 25 undocumented college students throughout the Los Angeles area this winter. Priscella Vega in the Long Beach Press Telegram in the Long Beach Press Telegram -- 7/8/15
L.A Unified takes on sexting with education campaign, not punishment -- When Viviana Martin Del Campo walked into her sixth-period geometry class at Venice High School in March, she saw a group of boys huddled over a cellphone, laughing. The target of their attention turned out to be a sexually explicit photo of two classmates. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/15
LEAs face health care enrollment mandate this fall -- For many California districts back-to-school day is still well off the radar but come Aug. 1, local educational agencies will need to be prepared to meet a new health care outreach requirement. Tom Chorneau Cabinet Report -- 7/8/15
Contemplating better training for substitutes -- The shortage of substitute teachers nationwide is shining a spotlight on the adequacy of those who are available, causing many school districts to rethink training programs that have, in the past, done little to ensure the ability of these back-up educators to deliver effective instruction to the students they serve. Kimberly Beltran Cabinet Report -- 7/8/15
Environment
Communities near forest charred by Lake fire may face new threat: debris flow -- Now that the massive Lake fire is nearly fully contained, fire officials say the devastation left in its wake could bring trouble during the next big storm for communities situated downstream from the scorched area. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
Rooftop solar benefits dwindle -- It will get a little harder soon for rooftop solar households to "zero out" their utility bills and avoid standard charges, under rate changes adopted last week by the California Public Utilities Commission. Morgan Lee in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/8/15
Health
Nevada adds $200K to fight California patient busing lawsuit -- Nevada officials including Gov. Brian Sandoval have approved more money to fend off a lawsuit that San Francisco filed over alleged psychiatric patient dumping. The Nevada Board of Examiners voted Tuesday to approve $200,000 more to continue the legal battle. Associated Press -- 7/8/15
Also . . .
California senator calls new Mexican envoy ‘hot’ -- The California Senate this week welcomed Sacramento’s newly-appointed Mexican Consul General Alejandra Garcia Williams with praise for her previous experience in Orange County...and her looks. “All I can say, as politely as possible, is Alejandra is hot,” said Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa, who also noted that Williams speaks Dutch. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/15
Lethal force necessary? 'He was just an unarmed kid' -- As the family of a 19-year-old San Jose man questioned whether lethal force was necessary in his shooting death by a Pleasanton officer, police department investigators say the man hit the officer numerous times in the face and the head before he was shot, first by tasers and later with a gun. Robert Salonga, Dan Lawton and Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/7/15
State Supreme Court rules in police personnel file case -- The California Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors aren't required to help defendants fight their criminal cases by reviewing the personnel files of police officers serving as witnesses. Sudhin Thanawala Associated Press -- 7/8/15
Compton fire chief put on administrative leave following Times reports -- City Manager Johnny Ford said he had notified Thompson that he was relieved of duty pending an investigation into how the city had fallen out of compliance with county regulations on the use of defibrillator machines. Ben Walsh in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/7/15
Beltway
Hillary confronts the enemy -- For the first three months of her campaign, Clinton remained virtually off limits to the national media. But on Tuesday she sat for her first nationally broadcast interview. Annie Karni and Gabriel Debenedetti Politico -- 7/8/15