Updating . .
To celebrate inaugural or not? Trump critics are divided -- typically an unquestioned honor to participate in the inauguration of an American president. Who wouldn't want to be part of such a historic event? This time, though, it's different. Nancy Benac Associated Press -- 1/7/17
Morain: Putin, condoms, kangaroos and other swamp things -- Too often lately, our democracy seems to come down to a Russian strongman, condoms, kangaroo parts and a decrepit watchdog. Oh, and The Swamp that Donald Trump claims to want to drain. He won’t. Dan Morain in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/7/17
Bay Area Cancer Patient Confronts and Embraces His Right to Die -- Piedmont resident Ray Perman always knew this is the way he wanted to go. He’s 64, a retired pilot, like his father, and an entrepreneur. He’s dying of cancer. I interviewed him about his decision. The following words, culled from that interview, are his. April Dembosky KQED -- 1/7/17
What you need to know about the coming fight over Planned Parenthood funding -- House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Thursday that Republicans will — once again — vote to cut off federal tax dollars for Planned Parenthood. They are planning to include the measure as part of a bigger upcoming bill to repeal pillars of Obamacare. Susan Davis NPR -- 1/7/17
Trump’s bogus claim that intelligence report says Russia didn’t impact the 2016 election outcome -- The big, overarching reason that President-elect Donald Trump doesn't want to accept the conclusions of the intelligence community about Russia's alleged hacking is pretty simple: It would call into question whether he would have won the 2016 election without it. Trump is a winner, and it would hurt his brand. And he's making that very clear right now — in a deceptive way. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 1/7/17
GOP resistance grows to Obamacare repeal without replacement -- Republican senators are pushing their leaders to come clean with a health care alternative. Burgess Everett Politico -- 1/7/17
Trump national security pick Monica Crowley plagiarized multiple sources in 2012 book -- Conservative author and television personality Monica Crowley, whom Donald Trump has tapped for a top national security communications role, plagiarized large sections of her 2012 book, a CNN KFile review has found. Andrew Kaczynski CNN -- 1/7/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Napolitano says Trump should trust intelligence experts -- Former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said Friday that Americans should be concerned that President-elect Donald Trump is dismissive of intelligence reports showing hackers sponsored by Russia sought to influence the U.S. election. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
Yosemite Park evacuated amid flooding fears -- Snow is one thing — all of the campers were prepared for that — but nobody had told Will Anderson he would need a raft to stay in Yosemite Valley this weekend. If he could even get permission. Which by Friday was impossible. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
‘Conveyor belt’ of California storms lined up into next week -- After five years of historic drought, conditions in the Pacific Ocean are lining up in drenching ways not seen since at least 2010, with new storms forming off California’s coast that will continue to bring rain throughout next week, even after this weekend’s powerful system is gone. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/7/17
Artists lose workplaces in aftermath of Oakland warehouse fire -- As Steve Heck slowly dismantled his work space at the Factory 510, he lamented all of the things he could have created in the sprawling San Leandro warehouse. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
SoCal Rep. Adam Schiff says Russian intervention is clear -- Rep. Adam Schiff, who also serves as the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released a statement on Friday on Russian interference in the presidential election. KPCC -- 1/7/17
Rep. Davis Calls for Independent Probe of ‘Chilling’ Russian Hacking -- Rep. Susan Davis on Friday called for a “truly bipartisan and independent” probe into Russian hacking during the Presidential election. Davis, a Democrat who serves on the influential House Armed Services Committee, described the reports of Russian hacking as “chilling.” Chris Jennewein Times of San Diego -- 1/7/17
Detained in Turkey: A Journal Reporter’s Story -- Foreign correspondent Dion Nissenbaum describes being jailed at a detention center for 2½ days, with no contact with his wife or colleagues -- in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/7/17
In Santa Ana Power Struggle, This Woman Holds the Cards -- The extent to which last week’s surprise ouster of Santa Ana City Manager David Cavazos ends up shifting the City Council’s power dynamics will likely depend on the motivations of one person. Nick Gerda VoiceofOC.org -- 1/7/17
California Politics Podcast: Calling Eric Holder -- This week: Democrats in the Legislature sign up Eric Holder in their fight against the incoming Trump administration. We also preview the legislative session, and we discuss the changing face of women in politics and government. With John Myers and Melanie Mason of the Los Angeles Times, and Marisa Lagos of KQED News. Link Here -- 1/7/17
Charles Manson is returned to prison after stay at Bakersfield hospital -- Mass murderer Charles Manson, who was hospitalized this week with a serious medical issue, has been returned to the Central Valley prison where he is serving his life sentence, a corrections official confirmed Friday. Richard Winton and Kim Christensen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/17
20 homeowners at Millennium Tower sue developer and San Francisco -- A group of 20 homeowners at the troubled Millennium condominium tower in downtown San Francisco filed suit against developer Millennium Partners and multiple city agencies Friday, alleging that both the builder and public officials knew about, but failed to disclose to buyers, evidence that the luxury high rise was sinking at an unexpected rate. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
Kathryn Steinle’s parents get OK to sue feds, but San Francisco cleared -- The parents of Kathryn Steinle, who was shot to death on a San Francisco pier in July 2015 by an immigrant with a record of deportations, can sue the federal government for negligence because a ranger allegedly left the gun used in the shooting in his unlocked car, a federal magistrate ruled Friday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
Southern California airports boost security after Florida shootings -- Southern California airports beefed up security Friday following a deadly shooting at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., international airport — an attack that renewed concerns about security weaknesses at airports nationwide. Sandy Mazza, Susan Abram and Tony Saavedra in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 1/7/17
Crime rises in the San Fernando Valley, where robbery and homicide rates outpace LA -- Violent crime across Los Angeles rose for a third straight year during 2016, but spikes in homicides, robberies and property crimes across the San Fernando Valley outpaced the city as a whole, according to LAPD crime statistics released this week. Dana Bartholomew in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/7/17
Homeless
Housing is just a start in tackling LA County homelessness -- The four walls and a roof over their heads is a start. But it won’t solve everything for people who sleep under overpasses, in their cars or on sidewalks, says Dorothy Edwards. Not at first. Susan Abram in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 1/7/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
West Coast crabbers reach deal to end strike -- A strike that has kept the entire West Coast Dungeness crab fleet out of the water for more than a week has ended after Oregon fishers reached a price settlement that everyone agreed to. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
Is California’s Ag Industry Worried About a Labor Shortage Under Trump? -- In the Central Valley there’s a bumper sticker you see all over the place. It’s shaped like California, and reads “My job depends on Ag.” In California, that agriculture depends on immigrant labor. Vanessa Rancano KQED -- 1/7/17
Borenstein: Backroom CalPERS deal piles pension debt on taxpayers -- Politics trumped prudent fiscal management when CalPERS, labor and Brown administration officials held a closed-door confab last month to set the pension system’s key investment return rate. Daniel Borenstein in the East Bay Times -- 1/7/17
Theranos lays off 40% of remaining staff -- After months of regulatory setbacks and scrutiny, the Silicon Valley company will continue with just 220 employees, who will work on bringing an experimental device called the miniLab to market, the company said. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/17
Snapchat's parent company is expanding into 300,000 square feet of Santa Monica office space -- The company behind popular mobile chat app Snapchat has decided to take a large amount of office space near Santa Monica Airport as it continues to expand rapidly. Roger Vincent and Paresh Dave in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/7/17
California exports continued late-2016 rally with strong November -- California’s export trade industry continued a late-2016 rebound with a strong November, according to statistics released Friday. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/7/17
Education
LA college district pays $28K ransom after hacker takes LAVC student data hostage -- When a malicious hacker locked out 1,800 staff and teachers from their computers at Los Angeles Valley College this week, college administrators faced an agonizing choice: pay a ransom or leave 20,000 students in the lurch. They elected to pay a $28,000 ransom. In bitcoins. Dana Bartholomew in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/7/17
Educators: parents will drive new bilingual education growth -- Supporters of Proposition 58, the successful ballot initiative to overturn bilingual education limits in California, said more bilingual programs in public schools would better prepare students for future careers. Well, the changes aren’t moving so fast. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez KPCC -- 1/7/17
Environment
Air District Says Chevron Refinery in Richmond Probably Caused Mysterious San Francisco Odors -- The Chevron oil company will most likely face a series of fines in connection with malfunctions at its Richmond refinery and high levels of a toxic gas that were measured near the facility last week, according to a top local air district official. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 1/7/17
Pacifica moves closer to demolishing crumbling apartment complex -- The city of Pacifica moved one step closer this week in their plans to demolish a condemned 20-unit apartment complex perched precariously on an eroding cliffside, officials said Friday. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/7/17
Health
Two San Diego County hospitals fined for severe errors -- Regulators have fined two San Diego County hospitals nearly $150,000 for avoidable incidents that resulted in a patient’s suicide and left another patient permanently unable to bear children. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/7/17
San Fernando Valley hospitals among 14 penalized by California Department of Public Health -- More than a dozen California hospitals, including two in the San Fernando Valley, were fined nearly $1 million in penalties by the state’s health department for everything from failing to prevent patient deaths to causing serious injury during surgery. Christopher Yee and Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/7/17
Also . . .
Bill Perry Is Terrified. Why Aren’t You? -- At this naked moment in the American experiment, when many people perceive civilization on the verge of blowing up in some metaphorical sense, there is an elderly man in California hoping to seize your attention about another possibility. John F. Harris and Bryan Bender Politico -- 1/7/17
POTUS 45
Anarchists threaten to disrupt Trump inauguration, police say ready -- Anarchist groups have threatened to shut down Republican Donald Trump's swearing-in as U.S. president, but police in Washington said on Friday they believe the thousands of security officers assigned to the event will be able to head off any disruption. Ian Simpson Reuters -- 1/7/17
Will Trump's promised wall become taxpayer-funded fence? -- It was the signature promise of his campaign: Donald Trump vowed to build an impenetrable, concrete wall along the southern border. And Mexico was going to pay for it. Now as he nears inauguration, that wall is sounding increasingly like it could end up a fence. And his team and Congressional Republicans are hatching a plan in which taxpayers — at least initially — would foot the bill. Erica Werner and Jill Colvin Associated Press -- 1/7/17
Energy executives, secretive nonprofit raise money to back Pruitt -- Energy companies and their executives have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into political action committees run by or supporting President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. And now Pruitt is getting extra help from a new nonprofit that doesn't have to disclose its donors. Alex Guillén and Esther Whieldon Politico -- 1/7/17
Beltway
Russian Intervention in American Election Was No One-Off -- What most Americans may have seen as a one-time effort — brazen meddling by Russia in the very core of American democracy — was, the report says, only part of a long-running information war that involves not just shadowy hackers and pop-up websites, but also more conventional news outlets, including the thriving Russian television network RT. Scott Shane in the New York Times$ -- 1/7/17
‘I hope I’ve made you proud.’ First lady Michelle Obama chokes up during speech to educators -- First lady Michelle Obama was visibly moved as she concluded her final official speech at the White House, part of a ceremony for educators honoring the 2017 school counselor of the year. Joe Heim in the Washington Post$ -- 1/7/17
GOP Splits on Need to Scrap Obamacare Taxes in Swift Repeal -- Congressional Republicans pushing for a swift Obamacare repeal are sharply divided on whether to scrap Obamacare’s tax provisions at the same time or delay that move until a replacement is ready. Billy House, Steven T. Dennis Bloomberg Politics -- 1/7/17
Facebook Hires Campbell Brown to Lead News Partnerships Team -- Facebook is turning to a former television news journalist to help smooth over its strained ties to the news media, which views it as both a vital partner and a potentially devastating opponent. Jim Rutenberg and Mike Issac in the New York Times$ -- 1/7/17
-- Friday Updates
Yosemite Valley to close in advance of menacing storm -- The National Park Service is taking the extraordinary step of closing Yosemite Valley to visitors at 5 p.m. Friday in anticipation of weekend storms. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/6/17
Major flooding across upper Napa Valley could make all travel nearly impossible -- The Napa River at St. Helena is forecast to crest Sunday afternoon, reaching close to 20 feet, about four feet above its flood stage. This could cause "major" to "disastrous" flooding throughout the valley, inundating roads and making travel difficult, according to the California-Nevada River Forecast Center's prediction on Wednesday afternoon. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/6/17
U.S. intelligence agencies: Putin ordered intervention in presidential election -- Russia carried out a comprehensive cybercampaign to upend the U.S. presidential election, an operation that was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin and “aspired to help” elect Donald Trump by discrediting his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a report released Friday. Greg Miller in the Washington Post$ Damian Palette and Carol E. Lee in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/6/17
California funds first U.S. inmate's sex reassignment surgery -- A 57-year-old convicted killer has become the first U.S. inmate to receive state-funded sex reassignment surgery. Shiloh Heavenly Quine has been living as a woman in a California men's prison. The surgery had been scheduled for Thursday, and her attorneys told The Associated Press on Friday that it was performed. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 1/6/17
Medi-Cal Recipients Statewide Would Feel The Pain Of Obamacare Repeal -- Republicans in Congress have promised to repeal Obamacare. And if they do so, Medi-Cal, California's health program for the poor, will suffer a massive body blow. The California Budget & Policy Center said it won't only be people in Democratic strongholds who will feel the pain. Kenny Goldberg KPBS -- 1/6/17
California Lawmakers Look To Strike Transportation, Affordable Housing Deals (Again) -- In the brief time Democratic lawmakers in California have spent at the state Capitol since the election, they have largely focused on preparing to oppose President-Elect Donald Trump. But state legislators also have priorities within the state, including two issues that proved intractable last year: transportation and affordable housing. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 1/6/17
Abcarian: Drug war overkill: A pot bust against legal growers in Yolo County seems to go too far -- If ever you needed proof that we live in an age of confusion about marijuana laws, let me share with you the story of Ted Hicks and Ryan Mears, two Sacramento-area entrepreneurs who decided to start a legal medical cannabis business last year and ended up on the business end of assault rifles wielded by officers from a multi-agency, anti-drug task force. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/6/17
California’s new marijuana era -- At the heart of California’s Emerald Triangle is Humboldt County, a legendary locale in the world of weed, as prized by marijuana aficionados for its cannabis as Napa Valley is for its wine. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 1/6/17
Head of nurses union 'counting on' Trump for single-payer system -- As Washington grapples with health care policy again, the head of the 185,000-member National Nurses United is turning her attention to a seemingly unlikely advocate for a single-payer system. "The one I’m counting on the most is Trump,” RoseAnn DeMoro said. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 1/6/17
Trump blasts Schwarzenegger, who suggests he focus on governing -- Be it a genuine clash of big egos, or a clever ratings ploy, the social media spat between President-elect Donald Trump and his “Celebrity Apprentice” successor, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger lit up the internet Friday. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/6/17
Rep. Hunter removes congressional painting he found offensive -- A controversial painting that depicted a police officer as an animal was removed from a congressional wall by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, following complaints that it was offensive. The removed painting was delivered Friday to the office of Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, who sponsored the national Congressional Art Competition in his state. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/6/17
Villaraigosa once sang praises of Trump Treasury pick -- While Democrats in Washington ratchet up their criticism of Treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa once offered public praise for the former Goldman Sachs executive. David Siders Politico -- 1/6/17
Investigators link insurer cyber breach to foreign nation -- A foreign government was likely behind a cyber breach of health insurance company Anthem Inc. that compromised more than 78 million consumers' records, investigators said Friday. The California Department of Insurance said Anthem - the nation's second-largest health insurer - has agreed to make $260 million in improvements to its information security systems. Associated Press -- 1/6/17
Women’s rise to power in San Francisco a glimmer of hope in politics -- When the new San Francisco Board of Supervisors is sworn in Monday morning, the majority of its members will be of a breed that hasn’t controlled the body in 20 years. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/6/17
Repairs OK’d for some Volkswagen diesels. Is your car affected? -- The California Air Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday they’ve approved a repair plan for a limited number of diesel cars affected by Volkswagen’s air pollution scandal. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/6/17
Regulators approve fix for some Volkswagen cars that cheated on U.S. emission tests -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board said Friday they have approved a fix for around 67,000 of the 475,000 Volkswagens and Audis with 2-liter diesel engines that were programmed to cheat on U.S. emissions tests. Dee-Ann Durbin Associated Press -- 1/6/17
Pelosi Calls Russian Hacking Report 'Stunning' -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi today called the U.S. intelligence report into alleged Russian hacking during the election season "stunning." The California Democrat gave remarks to the press after a briefing for leaders of both parties in the House and Senate and of the House and Senate intelligence committees. Benjamin Siegel Associated Press -- 1/6/17
Democrats want fast-food workers to testify at Trump Labor secretary pick Andy Puzder's confirmation hearing -- Almost two dozen Senate Democrats are calling for fast-food workers to testify at the confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s Labor secretary pick Andy Puzder, who is the chief executive of the parent company of the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s burger chains. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/6/17
Trump's 'make America great' plans face a slowing economy -- Donald Trump is inheriting a fairly strong economy from President Barack Obama. The big problem for the president-elect? Things are starting to slow down. Ben White Politico -- 1/6/17
Taylor: Oakland police chief charming, but she has work to do -- Oakland’s new police chief sure does talk differently. Anne Kirkpatrick, the first woman to lead the department, talked about transforming a force plagued by scandals involving racist texts and a sexually exploited teenager, and a lack of stability at the top. But she spoke with a Southern accent that is as sweet and thick as Tennessee maple syrup. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/6/17
Orange County: How the DOJ will conduct its civil-rights investigation of the district attorney and sheriff -- Community forums. Face-to-face meetings with leaders of the local deputies union and with local defense attorneys. Twitter. Is this any way to conduct a civil rights investigation? Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 1/6/17
State braces for floods, mudslides, chaos as giant storm rolls in -- A roaring atmospheric river bearing down on California is set to deliver the type of punishing rains that only happen around once every quarter century, forecasters said. Emergency agencies and residents in the path of the fire hose are bracing for what’s expected to be disastrous weather-related chaos when the storm hits this weekend. Evan Sernoffsky, Jenna Lyons, and Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle Ryan Sabalow, Dale Kasler, Phillip Reese and Bill Lindelof in the Sacramento Bee$ Mark Gomez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/6/17
Memories of disastrous 1997 flood haunt Yosemite -- As this weekend’s storm threatens to swell the Merced River to well above flood stage in Yosemite Valley, the National Park Service and residents of the high Sierra are hoping nature isn’t planning a repeat of the disaster of 1997. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/6/17
Yosemite flood risk downgraded as California braces for big storms -- Meteorologists on Thursday downgraded their forecast of catastrophic flooding in Yosemite National Park this weekend, even as a powerful storm system continued to barrel toward the California coast, prompting officials across Northern California to scramble as they prepare for mudslides, power outages and other weather-related problems. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/6/17
Fox: Model for CA GOP Gov. May Be Found in New England -- The California gubernatorial election is 22 months away but already the media is filled with stories about the coming campaign. Given the superiority in Democratic voter registration in this state it is assumed that a Democrat will succeed Jerry Brown in the corner office. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/6/17