• School Inoovation and Achievement
  • San Diego Water Authority

Updating . .   

Big storms end drought across much of Northern California -- Deluged with a series of relentless storms this winter, nearly half of California — including the Bay Area — is no longer in a drought for the first time in four years, a stark turnaround after one of the worst natural disasters in state history, according to a new federal report out Thursday morning. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle Dale Kasler, Phillip Reese and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press Craig Miller KQED -- 1/12/17

Lawmakers tour location of proposed Sites Reservoir -- As Northern California skies begin to clear, California lawmakers are using the storm that pelted the region over the last week as a catalyst to talk about the state’s water management system. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

Rendon orders Assembly staffing overhaul -- Two months after Democrats won a two-thirds supermajority in the Legislature, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon is moving to overhaul the Democratic caucus’ political operation, closing the Speaker’s Office of Member Services and forcing dozens of staffers to reapply for positions in a new office, sources familiar with the staffing changes said Thursday. David Siders Politico -- 1/12/17

Gov. Jerry Brown laments the 'political language' of the times in celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. -- In brief remarks at a Sacramento event honoring the slain civil rights leader, Brown noted the contrast between King's "elegance" and the acrimony in the wake of last year's presidential election. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Union Square hofbrau Lefty O’Doul’s to close, find new home -- Lefty O’Doul’s, the rambling Union Square hofbrau known for its baseball memorabilia, Christmas toy drive and steaming plates of corned beef and cabbage, will close next month after failing to come to new lease terms with its landlord. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Another diesel scandal; this time it’s Fiat Chrysler -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it believes 104,000 diesel Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks were equipped with rogue software that shut off their emission control systems. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

Chargers make it official: They're moving to Los Angeles -- After the NFL’s two-decade absence from L.A., the league took the unprecedented step of allowing the Chargers and Rams to return to the nation’s second-largest market in the space of a year. Though NFL owners have remained adamant in public that L.A. can support two teams, some have expressed reservations in private about how enthusiastically the city will embrace two franchises that have struggled on the field in recent years. Sam Farmer and Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ Vincent Bonsignore in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Bernie Wilson Associated Press -- 1/12/17

Hiltzik: Chargers move is a reminder that it doesn't pay for cities to do business with the NFL -- There isn’t much more to say about the San Diego Chargers’ move to Los Angeles other than: “We told you so.” Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Cursing like a sailor, John Burton helped steer California into deep blue waters -- California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton stood before hundreds of loyalists at the party’s 2015 convention and introduced Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren with a thunderous, trademark F-bomb. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Uber, Lyft, transit agencies see potential for partnerships -- The rapid and relentless rise of Uber and Lyft has decimated the taxi industry in San Francisco and some other cities, leaving many to wonder if the ride-hailing services will roll over public transportation next. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Justice Department watchdog says it will investigate FBI director's decision to speak about Clinton investigation -- The Justice Department's internal watchdog said Thursday it will investigate FBI Director James Comey's decision to publicly release information about the bureau's investigation into Hil lary Clinton's handling of classified material. Del Quentin Wilber in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Mexico's president warns that if Trump wants to talk trade, he'll have to talk security, too -- Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has warned that Mexico will push back if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump attacks Mexico on trade or other fronts — using its cooperation on crucial issues such as immigration and security as leverage. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Russian hackers could go after Congress next – and not just to read their email -- Members of Congress are vulnerable to hacking, and lawmakers fear they could be next on the Russian target list. “Any senior government official who has been critical of their active measures campaign, supportive of sanctions over their invasion of Ukraine or condemning of their bombing of civilians in Aleppo may be a prime target for hacking, a travel ban or other retaliatory steps by the Kremlin,” said Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Sean Cockerham, Michael Doyle and Anna Douglas McClatchy DC -- 1/12/17

Trump says he does no business in Russia, but he omits Russian partners and investors -- Donald Trump’s assertion Wednesday that he does no business in Russia looks past extensive business dealings with Russians who have partnered with him and bought his properties. Kevin G. Hall, Peter Stone and Anita Kumar McClatchy DC -- 1/12/17

Did developer-linked donations violate campaign finance laws? State watchdog agency will investigate -- A state agency that enforces campaign finance laws has launched an investigation in response to a Times report on political donations connected to the developer of a Harbor Gateway apartment project. Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Will a surf gang allow the integration of Palos Verdes Estates' waves on Martin Luther King Jr. Day? -- Three years ago on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Christopher Taloa, an actor and former professional body boarder, tried to honor the famous civil rights leader with a paddle-out for surfers at Lunada Bay in Palos Verdes Estates — an infamous surf break where outsiders are not welcome. Dan Weikel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Landmark study: marijuana is effective medicine, but has drawbacks -- Marijuana and its derivatives can be effective medicines for treating pain, nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms and other conditions, but cannabis is not harmless, and more research is needed, the nation’s top scientists concluded in a landmark review of research released Thursday. David Downs in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Human rights groups slam Rex Tillerson, Trump's pick for secretary of State -- Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of State, came under withering fire Thursday for what critics claimed was an insensitivity to human rights abuses around the world. Tracy Wilkinson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Were folders stuffed with Trump's 'business plan' papers blank props? -- When Donald Trump announced at Wednesday's press conference that he was moving complete control of all his businesses to his sons, he pointed to a pile of folders as evidence of the preparations being made. Mike Moffitt in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

How a Chronicle photographer captured kayaking into the kitchen -- He drove around the flooded streets of Guerneville for a while Wednesday morning, searching for a person to bring some life to photos amid the submerged homes and the businesses where sandbags couldn’t keep away the swollen Russian River. Michael Bodley in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Can’t tell if it’s fake news or the real thing? California has a bill for that -- Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, D-Los Angeles, and Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, on Wednesday both announced bills that would direct a state curriculum board to develop resources for schools to teach students how to distinguish what news stories they can trust. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

Amazon says it will create 100,000 full-time jobs over the next 18 months -- Amazon.com on Thursday announced plans to create more than 100,000 full-time jobs over the next 18 months, a massive hiring spree that suggests the e-commerce company expects a run of breakneck growth in its retailing operations and its lucrative cloud computing division. Sarah Halzack in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/17

Fox: What’s Behind the Cap and Trade Urgency Budget Proposal -- The governor’s budget calls for $2.2 billion in spending from revenue secured under the Cap and Trade law—but there’s a catch. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/12/17

Jeffe & Jeffe: Politics in Perspective -- Two weeks in London in December provided a chance to gain a fresh perspective on the United States’ crazy politics of 2016. The bottom line is that the U.S. isn’t alone. New economic and cultural realities worldwide have sewn a sense of resentment and displacement among traditional working class constituencies in England and the rest of Europe, as well as in the USA. Sherry Bebitch Jeffe & Doug Jeffe Fox & Hounds -- 1/12/17

Borenstein: Cal simply can’t afford a top-tier football team -- In the wake of Cal’s costly firing of Coach Sonny Dykes, it’s time for university officials to admit they cannot afford to field a top-ranked football team. Daniel Borenstein in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/12/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California revenue is growing. So why the talk of deficits? -- California's economy is expanding and voters just approved billions of dollars in tax increases, yet Gov. Jerry Brown this week projected a budget deficit for the first time in four years and called for spending cuts. So what's going on? Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 1/12/17

Skelton: With prudent budget crafting, Brown shows again that he's the adult in the Capitol -- The “Good Brown” was on vivid display Tuesday — the prudent, sage governor respected by Californians of wide-ranging political beliefs. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

San Diego Redevelopment dollars are ending up in the city general fund -- The statewide dismantling of city redevelopment programs, long considered a blow to publicly subsidized affordable housing efforts, hasn’t been all bad news for San Diego’s budget. James DeHaven in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/12/17

Morain: An anniversary of a rampage, spent bearing witness and advocating -- Had events not conspired on Tuesday, Amanda Wilcox and her husband, Nick, would have hiked up Buttermilk Trail to a special spot above the Yuba River. Dan Morain in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

LA County groups fear rise in hate crimes on day of Trump’s inauguration -- Members of a Los Angeles countywide network of organizations said Wednesday they anticipate an increase in hate crimes on the day of and in the days after President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration ceremony. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/12/17

How Bernie Sanders supporters are trying to gain power in California -- They raged against the Democratic establishment. Now they want to take it over. Self-described progressives, many of whom backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, claimed sweeping victories in last weekend’s California Democratic Party delegate elections. They hope to influence the leadership, policies and direction of the state’s dominant political party. Jeff Horseman in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/12/17

California is friendly territory, but a national defunding push worries Planned Parenthood -- At a recent breakfast gathering, Sue Dunlap, the president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, detailed the potential effects of a GOP-led effort to strip the group’s affiliates across the country of federal funding. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Oakland Mayor Schaaf moves to protect tenants -- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf — facing mounting pressure to beef up building safety and shield warehouse artists from eviction — took the unusual step Wednesday of endorsing a measure by one of her political foes. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Russian River crests, North Coast scrambles to clean up -- The Russian River surged to its highest level in a decade Wednesday and deepened flooding woes, while across the North Coast, crews in cities as well as rural areas scrambled to re-open roads, clear toppled trees, restore power and bring normalcy back to a region battered by four days of punishing winter storms. Derek Moore, Mary Callahan and Randi Rossmann in the Santa Rosa Press -- 1/12/17

California lawmaker wants teens to learn to spot fake news -- Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez introduced a bill Wednesday to help high schools teach students to tell real news from fake. The Los Angeles Democrat said students should learn reasoning skills to assess what they read online. AB155 would commission new curriculum standards that include strategies for identifying false stories. Associated Press -- 1/12/17

Trump foe urges ‘acts of daily resistance’ -- The Women’s March on Washington, and its sister marches in the Bay Area and elsewhere across the nation the day after Donald Trump is inaugurated, will be a high-profile act of resistance to the incoming administration. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds    

Medical Associations Disappointed In New Tobacco Tax Money Spending Plan -- California’s top medical and dental associations say they’re disappointed in Governor Jerry Brown’s plans for how to spend new state tobacco tax money. Francisco Silva of the California Medical Association says his group backed Proposition 56, in part, because it proposed raising rates for doctors who serve Medi-Cal patients. Chris Nichols Capital Public Radio -- 1/12/17

Homeless  

Homeless vets get first peek at new Orange County cargo container housing -- The first of 15 homeless military veterans who will live in the innovative Potter’s Lane housing complex constructed from cargo containers surveyed their soon-to-be new homes on Wednesday. Theresa Walker in the Orange County Register -- 1/12/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions 

Chargers tell NFL commissioner, owners they expect to move to L.A. for next season -- Chargers owner Dean Spanos told NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and several league owners on Wednesday that he intends to relocate the franchise from San Diego, the team’s home since 1961, to Los Angeles. The Chargers expect to play at StubHub Center in Carson the next two seasons before joining the Rams in a $2.66 billion stadium in Inglewood that is scheduled to open in 2019. Scott M. Reid in the Orange County Register Mark Maske in the Washington Post$ Jay Posner and David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/12/17

Raiders’ move to Las Vegas is no sure thing -- How goes the Raiders’ possible move to Las Vegas? First of all, let’s note the news from Wednesday’s meeting of the NFL finance and stadium committees. The league heard a presentation/update from the Raiders on their proposed move to Las Vegas, and reportedly it went well. Scott Ostler in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

Plaschke: Chargers shouldn’t look for a welcome wagon in L.A. -- Every relationship is built on honesty, so the San Diego Chargers should hear this as their moving vans are chugging up the 5 Freeway on their noble mission of greed. We. Don’t. Want. You. Bill Plaschke in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

If LA 2024 Olympic bid fails, USOC won’t pursue 2028 -- The U.S. Olympic Committee has no plans to pursue hosting the 2028 Olympic Games as a contingency plan in case Los Angeles is not awarded the 2024 Games later this year, according to minutes from a USOC board of directors meeting last month. Scott M. Reid in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 1/12/17

Palm Springs will draft competing vacation rental initiative -- Palm Springs voters could consider two competing measures about vacation rentals in an upcoming election. KPCC -- 1/12/17

Apple to hit $1 trillion in total iPhone, iOS revenue this year: report -- Apple’s iPhone and the firm’s iOS operating system are surely cash cows for the Cupertino tech titan. But exactly how lucrative have they been? Extremely, according to a new report from market-intelligence firm Asymco. Or you might even say obscenely, given the amount of loot involved. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/12/17

Water   

Is the great California drought finally quitting? -- The state’s biggest reservoirs are swelling. As of this date, the Sierra Nevada have seen as much snow, sleet, hail and rain as during the wettest years on record. Rainy Los Angeles feels more like London than Southern California. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Reservoirs starting to fill in California, but nobody’s saying the drought is over -- As a result of the nearly weeklong deluge, water is flowing into California lakes and reservoirs, prompting dam operators to release supplies in advance of a storm expected next week. But it’s too early to say if the series of storms is a drought-buster. Lewis Griswold in the Fresno Bee -- 1/12/17

Education 

Voters approved a $9 billion school bond, but Gov. Jerry Brown is not ready to spend it -- Gov. Jerry Brown, who last year registered deep skepticism about the $9 billion statewide school construction bond, is withholding the proceeds until the Legislature approves more rigorous independent auditing procedures. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

Governor's budget proposal zeroes out planned increases in early education funding -- Preschoolers from low-income families waiting for a preschool seat may not get it in 2017 if Governor Jerry Brown’s austere budget proposal passes. Released Tuesday, the governor's budget zeros out about $226 million that was slated for early childhood expansion as promised in the 2016 state budget. Deepa Fernandes KPCC -- 1/12/17

Final decision on CCSF accreditation is at hand -- A nearly unthinkable idea — that City College of San Francisco could be forced to shut down — is a nail-biter that will be settled this week by the commission that has tried for five years to revoke the college’s accreditation. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/12/17

UCSF Receives Historic Half-Billion-Dollar Donation -- One of the largest educational gifts in U.S. history — $500 million — went to a California university today. When UCSF chancellor Sam Hawgood heard about the donation, he was grateful, of course — and shocked. Lindsey Hoshaw KQED Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle Lisa M. Kreiger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/12/17

State board chooses new way of measuring school progress on tests -- After hours of discussion, the State Board of Education on Wednesday settled two much debated issues that will enable state officials to move ahead this year with the state’s new school accountability system. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 1/12/17

Cannabis 

Branding Bud: Marijuana companies want California to issue trademarks for pot -- The sandwich baggie brimming with buds is gradually becoming a thing of the past in California. In its place, an era of name-brand marijuana is emerging. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters.org -- 1/12/17

Sacramento poised to start accepting applications for commercial pot cultivation -- The action means that aspiring marijuana businesses would be able to apply for cultivation permits beginning April 2 under a new ordinance that could position the capital city as regional hub for commercial pot production. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

Immigration / Border 

Off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent found guilty in fatal Hemet shooting over speeding vehicle -- An off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent was convicted Wednesday of fatally shooting a man during a 2014 dispute over a vehicle speeding in a Hemet neighborhood, authorities said. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Environment 

Californians Say Climate Change Effects Already Seen -- Two thirds of Californians believe we're already seeing the effects of climate change. That's the finding of a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). Tom Fudge KPBS -- 1/12/17

Health 

6 lesser-known Obamacare provisions that could evaporate -- The outcome of the repeal-and-replace Obamacare debate could affect more than you might think, depending on just how the GOP congressional majority pursues its goal. Julie Appleby and Mary Agnes Carey NPR -- 1/12/17

Republican-led Senate takes first step to repeal Obamacare -- The Senate early Thursday passed a measure to take the first step toward dismantling President Obama's healthcare law, responding to pressure to move quickly even as Republican lawmakers and President-elect Donald Trump grapple with what the replace it with. Associated Press -- 1/12/17

Gov. Brown's Budget Shows Support for Medi-Cal -- Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget shows continued support for California's Medicaid program as talks of a repeal of the Affordable Care Act gain momentum. Ja'Nel Johnson Capital Public Radio -- 1/12/17

Hospitals overrun with flu patients; Visalia hospital opens tent for overflow -- With flu season in high gear, hospital emergency departments have been functioning at capacity and one – Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia – has erected a tent outside to make room for visitors. Barbara Anderson in the Fresno Bee -- 1/12/17

Also . . . 

Senior citizen raped by Sacramento cop gets $1.35 million -- The septuagenarian stroke victim repeatedly raped at her apartment over a three-year span by a Sacramento police beat cop will receive $1.35 million from the city of Sacramento and the apartment complex where she lived in a settlement announced by her attorneys Wednesday. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/12/17

POTUS 45  

Trump says he has ‘nothing to do with Russia.’ The past 30 years show otherwise. -- Trump, however, has a long history with Russia, trying repeatedly to build luxury properties in Moscow, holding a beauty pageant there and benefiting from heavy investments from Russians in his properties around the world. Michael Kranish in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/17

Trump outlines plan to shift assets, give up management of his company -- President-elect Donald Trump will retain ownership of his company while shifting assets into a trust managed by his sons, a step that Trump and his advisers said will eliminate potential conflicts of interest between his public duties and private business. Drew Harwell in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/17

Trump drops ‘no new deals’ pledge -- The top federal ethics official says Trump's conflicts of interest plan is 'meaningless.' Josh Dawsey and Darren Samuelsohn Politico -- 1/12/17

Trump says he turned down $2 billion deal in Dubai but didn’t have to -- While touting his commitment to avoiding conflicts of interest, President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday he recently turned down a sweet offer: A $2 billion deal from the Middle Eastern mega-developer of the “Beverly Hills of Dubai.” Drew Harwell in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/17

Trump's boldest campaign promises are getting a reality check -- During his campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly promised voters a “big, beautiful wall,” an Obamacare replacement “immediately” and a new era for a Veterans Affairs agency that had “failed” service members. He acknowledged Wednesday that none of it would be so simple. Michael A. Memoli and Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/12/17

Fact-checking what Donald Trump’s lawyer said about the president-elect’s finances -- Sheri Dillon, an attorney for President-elect Donald Trump, spoke at length during the Jan. 11 news conference — his first one in six months — to explain the incoming administration’s plans to detach itself from the Trump family business. Two of Dillon’s claims were suspect — one regarding a complex and unsettled legal matter, and the other, an easily debunked claim. Michelle Ye Hee Lee in the Washington Post$ -- 1/12/17

Trump pits his staff against the media -- When Donald Trump gathered the press at Trump Tower 20 months ago to announce his unlikely candidacy for president, he reportedly paid actors to fill the marble lobby and cheer. Not much — and everything — has changed since. Annie Karni Politico -- 1/12/17

Beltway 

Federal ethics czar delivers broadside against Trump conflicts plan -- The top ethics policy official in the federal government is savaging President-elect Donald Trump's plan to address conflicts of interests involving his business holdings, calling the arrangement "meaningless from a conflicts of interest perspective." Josh Gerstein Politico -- 1/12/17

Democrats didn’t stand a chance against Russia’s elite hackers. They’re too good. -- Such a hack is known as “spearphishing,” and it turns out to be only the simplest tool in a sophisticated Russian hacking kit, according to a report issued Wednesday by FireEye, a Milpitas, California, cybersecurity company whose experts have been examining the group since 2007. Tim Johnson McClatchy DC -- 1/12/17

 

-- Wednesday Updates 

Sen. Dianne Feinstein recovering at home after pacemaker surgery -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein had a pacemaker installed Tuesday, just hours after questioning President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general nominee. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle Sean Cockerham in the Sacramento Bee$ Scott Shafer KQED -- 1/11/17

More than 350 trees have fallen around San Francisco since Saturday night -- The atmospheric river that roared through San Francisco this week brought short periods of heavy rainfall and high winds. On Tuesday night, as a cold front swooped into the city, the gusts were howling. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/17

Storms wipe away chunk of I-80 exit in Colfax, leaving behind huge sinkhole -- A portion of an exit of Interstate 80 in Placer County has been destroyed by recent storms, leaving behind a gaping sinkhole. A chunk of Morton Road near the Alta exit of I-80 is gone, swept away by rains. Katie Dowd in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/17

PG&E to lay off employees and executives as it tightens its belt -- After years of adding staff to improve the safety of its sprawling operations, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. on Wednesday announced a series of belt-tightening measures that will trim its 23,000-member workforce and save roughly $300 million each year. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/17

Trump’s fondness for Twitter no help to the company -- In just 140 characters or less on Twitter, President-elect Donald Trump has demonstrated that he can wipe out billions of dollars in market value of a company that crosses him. But what seems beyond his power is boosting the bottom line of the service he’s so fond of using. Thomas Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/17

Riding the Budget Tiger -- Forget about the budget proposal introduced by Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday. The budget plan that will matter is the revised version issued in May–even more than usual–after we learn more about the economy and plans from the new Trump Administration, both of which could have major impacts on the budget. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/11/17

State senators urge House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to 'abandon the political rhetoric' on Obamacare -- When House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy asked top political figures across the country for input on how to replace the Affordable Care Act, it seemed unlikely that officials in California, a state that has enthusiastically adopted the healthcare law, would eagerly brainstorm on a potential repeal. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

What Trump made clear at his news conference and what he left murky -- President-elect Donald Trump's news conference Wednesday, his first in nearly half a year, clarified some issues, not others. Here's a look: David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

Weeks of rain are rapidly reviving California's drought-ravaged lakes -- Throughout the course of California’s nearly six-year drought, the declining water levels at these places became a stark symbol of the state’s water shortage. Now, they serve as barometers of the state’s rapidly evolving drought picture. Louis Sahagun, Matt Stevens and Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

Los Angeles Valley College pays $28,000 in bitcoin ransom to hackers -- The Los Angeles Community College District paid a $28,000 ransom in bitcoin last month to hackers who took control of a campus email and computer network until a payment was made. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

A year in, L.A. Unified's insider superintendent has made no big waves -- For months after she was named superintendent of the nation’s second-largest school system, Michelle King borrowed a strategy new politicians use to get the lay of the land: She traversed the territory on a “listen and learn” tour. Anna M. Phillips, Howard Blume and Joy Resmovits in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

L.A. County supervisors vote to expand sheriff's mental health teams -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has long had specially trained teams to de-escalate confrontations with people who have severe mental illness, but after two decades, the agency has struggled to deploy mental health responders at all times of day or night because of funding and staffing shortages. Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

Lopez: When it comes to political donations in L.A., what's legal can be worse than what's not -- It looked good. It sounded good. The Los Angeles City Council, in the wake of recent Times exposes by David Zahniser and Emily Alpert Reyes on City Hall’s legendary pay-to-play culture, took what seemed to be a positive step Tuesday to limit the influence of campaign donations from developers. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/17

Trump drops ‘no new deals’ pledge -- Donald Trump will not sell his business nor place his assets in a blind trust while serving as president, lawyers involved in the negotiations said Wednesday ahead of a long-awaited news conference. Josh Dawsey and Darren Samuelsohn Politico -- 1/11/17

Fact-checking 15 fishy claims from Trump -- President-elect Trump finally held a news conference, but as is typical, he often made claims that have been repeatedly debunked or discredited. Here’s a guide to 15 of his more notable statements, in the order in which he made them. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 1/11/17

Trump Concedes Russia’s Interference in Election -- President-elect Donald J. Trump on Wednesday conceded for the first time that Russia had carried out cyberattacks against the two major political parties during the presidential election, but he angrily rejected unsubstantiated reports that Moscow had gathered salacious personal information about him that could be used for extortion. Julie Hirschfeld and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 1/11/17

Donald Trump’s News Conference: Full Transcript and Video -- The following is a complete transcript of a news conference that President-elect Donald J. Trump held in New York on Wednesday, as prepared by the Federal News Service. via in the New York Times$ -- 1/11/17

Balz: Despite a decent news conference, questions linger about Trump’s readiness -- President-elect Donald Trump’s first news conference in six months was a vintage performance. Dan Balz in the Washington Post$ -- 1/11/17