Updating . .   

San Francisco makes pitch to be home of transit of the future -- Bay Area transportation leaders, academics and technology executives filled a City Hall conference room Wednesday to pitch U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on a plan to transform — and reform — San Francisco’s transportation system. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Bernie Sanders endorses California marijuana initiative -- Bernie Sanders, who said last week that he had not yet studied a California measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use, on Wednesday endorsed the initiative. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Decker: Passion of Bernie Sanders and his supporters turns against Democrats -- At Bernie Sanders’ first mention of the “leadership of the Democratic Party,” boos cascaded through the arena. He upbraided Democrats for several minutes, each line widening the gap between Sanders, with his loyal followers, and the rest of the party whose presidential nomination he seeks. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

California Assembly pressing on with gun bills -- California Assembly members will continue pushing a sweeping package of gun control bills, dismissing concerns that the legislative focus could conflict with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ballot initiative. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Legislators jump on disputed report of a delay in high-speed rail -- A press release and Twitter war broke out Wednesday over an alleged four-year delay for California’s high-speed rail system that a spokeswoman for the system’s builder flatly denied is true. Jody Meacham Silicon Valley Business Journal -- 5/18/16

High-speed rail gets a four-year delay -- The first segment of California’s first-in-the-nation bullet-train project, currently scheduled for completion in 2018, will not be done until the end of 2022, according to a contract revision the Obama administration quietly approved this morning. Michael Grunwald Politico -- 5/18/16

Water conservation will ease in parts of California, worsen in other parts -- That means that places that received a lot of rain — and communities that purchase or are entitled to water from sources there — are likely to see fewer restrictions, while dry areas without water from those replenished supplies are likely to suffer though another summer of continued conservation. Matt Stevens in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Southern California faces potential lack of summer power supply -- The manager of the state's electric grid expects current power supplies to meet summer needs for keeping the lights and air conditioning running, except in Southern California, where power plants might lack the needed natural gas. Ivan Penn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Oakland councilwoman calls on state to expunge pot crime records -- Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan is calling on the state to expunge all marijuana-related criminal records, a move that she says will open the door for people of color who’ve tradtionally been shut out of a multibillion dollar cannabis industry. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Produce industry giants team up to promote responsible labor practices -- Faced with growing questions from consumers about where their food comes from, the nation’s largest produce industry groups say they are joining forces to promote responsible farm labor practices — the latest and possibly most significant attempt by the industry to rid its supply chains of abusive treatment of workers. Richard Marosi in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

The dark side of trendy food trucks: A poor health safety record -- It’s a daily culinary performance that plays out across Los Angeles: Top food truck chefs whipping up gourmet meals in spaces no bigger than a restaurant’s stockroom or walk-in freezer. Ben Poston, Caitlin Plummer and Michael Radcliffe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

LinkedIn says accounts stolen in 2012 have resurfaced online -- Based on a post by the Mountain View professional network Wednesday, it appears that the number of people affected by the data breach was far larger than previously understood. The breach was already LinkedIn’s largest to date. Sean Sposito in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Google Fiber releases San Jose construction plan -- a major milestone for project -- In a major milestone to bringing Google Fiber to Silicon Valley, city leaders next week will sign off on the tech giant's construction plan to install fiber across San Jose -- a final step in launching the lightning-fast Internet service here. Ramona Giwargis East Bay Times -- 5/18/16

Politico sets sights on Sacramento -- Politico, a Washington, D.C.-based news outlet, plans to expand its California presence by adding 34 full-time employees by the end of next year and an additional seven by 2020, according to state business officials. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 5/18/16

Feds give scathing review of California border town's police -- The U.S. Justice Department issued a scathing review Wednesday of a small town's police practices in a big drug and immigrant smuggling corridor on California's border with Mexico, finding a lack of basic controls and oversight of criminal investigations, unstable leadership and other red flags. Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 5/18/16

Sanders, Bill Clinton returning to San Diego -- Democratic presidential campaigns are expected to sweep through San Diego this weekend, with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former President Bill Clinton both making appearances. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/18/16

Jerry Brown pitches criminal justice initiative to business leaders -- With time running out to qualify his initiative for the November ballot, Gov. Jerry Brown pitched the prison and criminal justice overhaul to a crowd of 1,200 business professionals and Capitol insiders Wednesday at the Sacramento Host Committee Breakfast. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Democrats rally behind gun control bills on eve of vote -- On the eve of the California Senate acting on 10 gun control bills, state lawmakers on Wednesday said mass shootings, such as the one in San Bernardino last December, require legislative action to close loopholes in California’s already strict laws. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Plantiffs get $3.5 million in suit against Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department -- In a stunning decision, Sacramento jurors sided with four female sheriff’s deputies claiming their Sheriff’s Department superiors retaliated against them for speaking out against discrimination and preferential treatment in their ranks. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

California poised to end unprecedented water restrictions amid drought -- The state drought rules that have forced communities to cut back water use up to 36 percent, leading to tight residential water restrictions in many parts of California, are likely to be scrapped Wednesday. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Some Water Suppliers Resisted Drought Measures, But Data Shows They Worked -- It won’t be a free-for-all. Under the staff proposal being considered today by the State Water Resources Control Board, local suppliers would need to apply hypothetical “stress tests.” Lindsey Hoshaw KQED -- 5/18/16

Lopez: Gov. Brown, notice anything fishy about your Coastal Commission? -- For months, I’ve been hearing the same question over and over from readers following the ongoing festival of the absurd at the California Coastal Commission. Where in the name of the father, son and holy coast is Gov. Jerry Brown, and why doesn’t he say or do something? Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

California aims to reflect diversity in classroom studies -- How do you teach the history of the world in California schools, where nearly two-thirds of students are Latino or Asian, many from newly immigrated families? Janie Har Associated Press -- 5/18/16

Fox: Chiang Entry into Governor’s Race and the Business Community -- State Treasurer John Chiang’s entry into the 2018 governor’s race scrambles strategies of other candidates considering a run as well as the business community’s view of potential candidates for the top job. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/18/16

 Trump: Oakland among 'most dangerous places in the world' -- Informed of Trump's statement early Wednesday, Mayor Libby Schaaf let loose: "The most dangerous place in America is Donald Trump's mouth," she said in an email. Matthew Artz East Bay Times -- 5/18/16

 Trolling Trump? One of his court picks -- Turns out Texas Supreme Court justice Don Willett is as prolific a Twitter-er as the man who would potentially elevate him to the Supreme Court. And Trump has more than once been the target of those tweets. Lesley Clark McClatchyDC -- 5/18/16

 Potential Supreme Court pick mocked 'Darth Trump' in tweets -- Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett was named as one of 11 potential justices whom Donald Trump would consider nominating for the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday. But in recent months, the jurist has appeared skeptical of the now-presumptive GOP front-runner and seemed to openly mock him on Twitter. Julian Hattem The Hill -- 5/18/16

White Nationalists See Advancement Through Donald Trump’s Candidacy -- Although Mr. Trump has spurned these extreme groups’ support, the level of interest within them for the White House candidate rivals that for segregationist George Wallace, who won five states in the 1968 election, and for conservative Republican Pat Buchanan, who denounced multiculturalism in the 1990s. Beth Reinhard in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/18/16

How Death Penalty Initiatives Seek To Solve A Broken System -- California voters will likely decide in November whether to abolish the death penalty or to streamline the process. Proponents for two competing ballot initiatives met for a hearing at the Capitol Tuesday. They argued whether the death penalty is moral, necessary, or just, but also if the state’s current broken system can be fixed. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 5/18/16

'We have a moral obligation': Lawmakers want the U.S. to provide attorneys for immigrant children -- Rep. Zoe Lofgren knew what would happen as hundreds of thousands of children fled to the United States on their own over the last few years. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Burning Man Artists Bid Farewell to Treasure Island’s Building 180 -- “Cheers,” said one party goer to another. “To the beginning of the end.” The party — a warehouse rave for about 2,000 people — was called Terminus. It was a farewell party — a Baby Burning Man to mark the end of something special at Building 180 on Treasure Island. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 5/18/16

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

San Francisco police chief says he is the one to lead reforms -- San Francisco Police Greg Suhr said Tuesday he has “no intention” of stepping down amid growing criticism of his five-year tenure, asserting that no one is in a better position than he is to oversee reforms to a city force under fire over recent shootings and racist behavior by some officers. Vivian Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

James Deen takes jab at MMA to make point about scrutiny of porn industry -- Deen filed the complaint with Cal/OSHA, saying that under section 5193 of the California Code of Regulations, Bellator MMA and its owner, Viacom, Inc. have violated the law when it comes to protecting workers from exposure to blood. It’s the same code used by state regulators against adult film producers who don’t enforce the use of condoms on porn sets, Deen said. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/16

Judge upholds San Francisco’s pioneering law on sugary beverage ads -- San Francisco’s first-in-the-nation law requiring display ads for sugary drinks to carry warnings of increased risks of obesity, diabetes and tooth decay can take effect in July as scheduled, a federal judge ruled Tuesday in rejecting a challenge by the beverage industry. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Pittsburg: Delta island owner may face largest fine ever by state water agency -- A two-year Delta fight came to a head Tuesday as a state water agency proposed a $4.6 million fine -- its largest ever -- and cleanup order against a Pittsburg resident who owns a small island in the Suisun Marsh. Matthias Gafni East Bay Times -- 5/18/16

Oakland approves laws to regulate pot industry -- At the center of the debate is an equity program that some council members see as reparations for the U.S. drug war, but that industry leaders say will cause the city’s pot trade to sputter. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

California marijuana legalization draws lawmaker opposition -- Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, a former Sacramento County sheriff’s official who regularly warns about the consequences of drug use, and Sen. Cathleen Galgiani, D-Stockton, the Democratic senator most aligned with law enforcement, warned in a statement about impaired drivers and exposing children to marijuana. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Governor who called legalization 'reckless' now says Colorado's pot industry is working -- During a recent panel discussion at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, he said that despite opposing the legalization of pot, his job was to “deliver on the will of the people of Colorado.” David Kelly in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

California transportation funding fix still elusive -- Gov. Jerry Brown kicked off 2016 optimistic on one policy area: After years of stalling, he said it was time for California to finally start making long-overdue repairs to its freeways and bridges. Juliet Williams Associated Press -- 5/18/16

SoCal Gas fined $2.25 million for safety violations far from Porter Ranch -- State utility regulators have fined Southern California Gas Company $2.25 million over corroded pipe casings and other safety violations found during inspections of gas operations in the Harbor Area and Mid-City. Sharon McNary KPCC Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Moody’s dings Southern California Edison -- It’s not a ratings downgrade, but Moody’s Investor Service on Tuesday called reopening the financial details of the San Onofre nuclear plant shutdown a “credit negative” for the plant’s operator, Southern California Edison. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/18/16

Outside money pours into San Fernando Valley’s Assembly District 45 race -- Business groups are spending heavily on Democratic incumbent Matt Dababneh in the western San Fernando Valley’s Assembly District 45 race, sparking criticism from one of his opponents. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/16

Judge lets homeless ex-inmates fight for mental health services -- A federal judge said Tuesday that a group of homeless people can continue to fight Los Angeles County in court over jail release policies that they claim perpetuate the cycle of inmates with untreated mental illness bouncing from incarceration to skid row. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

A top L.A. sheriff's recruit was just days on the job when he says deputies beat an unresisting inmate -- Less than a week into his career as a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, Josh Sather was summoned by his training officer to the sixth floor of the Twin Towers jail. Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

California's next governor: Who's running, who's on the fence? -- he election may be far away, but listening tours are already underway, political consultants are doling out advice and pundits are handicapping favorites and wildcards. Here are the players to keep an eye on: Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

John Chiang jumps into California's 2018 governor's race -- Right now, Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is the only other well-known California politician to officially jump into the governor's race . Newsom has been aggressively raising money and already has $5.4 million cash on hand. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ John Howard Capitol Weekly Jeff Horseman in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/16

Gov. Jerry Brown's housing proposal should be even stronger, legislative analyst says -- Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed legislation to spur housing development is a significant change in how cities and counties approve housing and could be "an important first step toward addressing California's housing shortage," the independent Legislative Analyst's Office said in a review of the plan. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

America's vanishing West: California losing most land to development -- The natural landscape of the American West is gradually disappearing under a relentless march of new subdivisions, roads, oil and gas production, agricultural operations and other human development, according to a detailed mapping study released Tuesday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/16

California had nation’s 11th highest state debt burden in 2013 -- As a proportion of personal income, California had the nation’s 11th highest long-term state debt in 2013, a new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts says. However, Pew’s three-year-old calculations, like other state-to-state comparisons, suffer from being based on the latest available official data, which are several years old. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Early reviews of Gov. Jerry Brown's revised budget offer a glimpse of the debate to come -- As budget negotiations begin at the state Capitol, keep an eye on the fate of about $3.5 billion of tax revenue. In the push and pull between legislative Democrats and Gov. Jerry Brown, the fate of those dollars is where the real debate is likely to play out. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

7 ex-Beaumont officials charged with $43 million corruption -- Seven former Beaumont officials, including the city manager, city attorney and police chief, were charged Tuesday with stealing nearly $43 million in public funds. Associated Press -- 5/18/16

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls     

LA County moves toward possible millionaire’s tax to fight homelessness -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to pursue a potential ballot measure that would tax top-income earners to combat rising homelessness. They also agreed to conduct an internal audit of how county funds for homelessness are spent. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/16

New group forming to oppose Long Beach sales tax measure -- Measure A is a proposal to raise Long Beach’s sales tax rate by 1 percent for six years and half a percentage point for the next four years. The sales tax rate in Long Beach is currently 9 percent. Andrew Edwards in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 5/18/16

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions    

Lucas museum just the start: High-rises coming to Treasure Island -- The possibility that “Star Wars” creator George Lucas will try to bring his museum of Hollywood memorabilia and illustrative art to Treasure Island highlights what is going to be one of the biggest transformations San Francisco has seen in decades — the building of a high-rise neighborhood right in the middle of the bay. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Breaking down the income gap in Orange County, where the rich earn 11 times more than the poorest -- Even as Orange County’s economy recovered in the years since the recession, the income gap between the rich and poor has widened significantly, according to a new analysis of U.S. census data. Margot Roosevelt in the Orange County Register -- 5/18/16

Tesla CEO Elon Musk vows to probe findings in this newspaper's investigation -- Swiftly responding to this newspaper's investigation, Tesla Motors said Monday it will probe reports that imported subcontractors were working for less than $5 per hour at its Fremont factory. Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/16  

Managers struggle to thank California state employees -- Online survey last year showed many state workers feel unappreciated. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Drought   

Sen. Dianne Feinstein pushes Senate subcommittee for water bill to address California's drought -- El Niño's rains didn't end California's drought, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein urged Senate colleagues Tuesday to hurry and find a compromise on a package of bills to address the water crisis in the West. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

California water officials say they will consider dropping a mandate requiring conservation in the state's fifth year of drought -- Strict rules adopted at the height of California's drought leading many people to let their lawns turn brown may soon end as state regulators Wednesday consider letting local communities decide how to keep their own water use in check. Scott Smith Associated Press -- 5/18/16

Education 

LAUSD vows to keep kids safe after $88-million teacher sex abuse settlement -- A day after it was announced that the Los Angeles Unified School District would pay $88 million to settle sex abuse cases involving a dozen students at Telfair Avenue Elementary in Pacoima and 18 at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary in Wilmington, district officials vowed to keep kids safe. Dana Bartholomew in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/16

California’s high school graduation rate rises sixth year in row -- Nearly 402,000 California high school seniors received diplomas last year, raising the state’s graduation rate to 82.3 percent, up 1.3 percentage points from 2014’s class, state schools Supt. Tom Torlakson reported Tuesday. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

UC Davis had high ratings before contracts to clean up online image -- Katehi remains under suspension pending investigation into the hiring of two firms and allegations of nepotism, misuse of funds. Sam Stanton and Diana Lambert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

How California protects transgender students -- T began using the girls bathroom this school year, and her teachers refer to her as a girl. Her family felt more comfortable about letting her transition because California is among the strongest states when it comes to protecting the rights of transgender students. Having supportive friends and living in a liberal West L.A. environment also helped. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Environment 

Parkmerced plans to subsidize residents’ use of Uber, Muni, BART -- Developers of the massive Parkmerced apartment complex, on the verge of a huge overhaul and expansion, want to wean residents from their cars by providing a financial incentive to get them to use Uber and public transportation instead. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Pipeline company indicted in Santa Barbara County oil spill -- A grand jury has indicted an oil pipeline company and one of its employees on criminal charges related to a massive oil spill last year in Santa Barbara County, prosecutors announced Tuesday. Doug Smith, Brittny Mejia and Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ Brian Melley Associated Press -- 5/18/16

Drought, dead trees add up to big fire danger for California -- Stubborn drought conditions and an epidemic of dead and dying trees mean California is facing a potentially catastrophic fire season, federal officials said Tuesday as they promised to send extra money and personnel to the state. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

America's vanishing West: California losing most land to development -- The natural landscape of the American West is gradually disappearing under a relentless march of new subdivisions, roads, oil and gas production, agricultural operations and other human development, according to a detailed mapping study released Tuesday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/16

Health 

Walnut Creek hospital mistakenly diagnoses woman brain-dead -- A year ago, four John Muir Medical Center doctors told Mohammad Meshkin his daughter was brain-dead. The hospital refused to operate on Anahita Meshkin's infected, fractured hip because it said it would not be ethical to treat a dead person. Matthias Gafni and David DeBolt in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/16

Feds approve California’s health plan tax swap -- The Obama administration has signed off on California’s expansion of a tax on health plans that contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to Medi-Cal and other programs, with plans receiving offsetting breaks on other state taxes. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Also . . . 

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer calls on DOJ to track ‘sextortion’ -- A California senator is calling on the Department of Justice to identify the scope of sexual extortion, a crime in which victims are coerced into sending nude photos of themselves after their computers are compromised. Sean Sposito in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/18/16

Feds used child porn ruse to build case against firm suspected of illegal trade with Iran -- In October 2012, Idin Rafiee was getting ready to board a flight from San Diego to London when a federal agent came up beside him and told him all his electronic devices were going to be detained. Greg Moran in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Gov. Jerry Brown proposes change to state agency's name that has become a joke -- It may be a bummer to those who enjoy clever acronyms, but Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing to change the name of a new state agency called the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/16

Beltway 

Bernie Sanders to rally supporters in Vallejo, San Jose -- Bernie Sanders, increasingly shifting his focus to California ahead of the state’s June 7 primary, will return to Northern California on Wednesday to rally supporters in Vallejo and San Jose. The rallies follow a Tuesday night speech by the insurgent presidential candidate in Los Angeles County, after polls close in Kentucky and Oregon. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/16

Bernie Sanders tells Carson rally 'I think we're going to win here in California' -- Bernie Sanders entered a Carson arena like a rock star and the crowd roared to deafening levels Tuesday night as the Democratic presidential hopeful delivered a message of brash optimism despite the steep odds facing his candidacy. David Montero in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/16

Former Mafia-linked figure describes association with Trump -- On the 24th floor of Trump Tower, in an office two floors below Donald Trump, Felix Sater was trying to revive his career. Rosalind S. Helderman and Tom Hamburger in the Washington Post$ -- 5/18/16

Donald Trump Is Not Expanding the GOP -- A Politico analysis of early-voting data shows little evidence for one of the Republican nominee’s core claims. Shane Goldmacher Politico -- 5/18/16

Donald Trump brags about the size of his financial disclosure form -- As Donald Trump faces escalating criticism for not releasing his tax returns, the likely Republican presidential nominee instead filed his annual personal financial disclosure with federal authorities on Monday and then bragged about it in a news release on Tuesday evening. Jenna Johnson in the Washington Post$ -- 5/18/16