• School Inoovation and Achievement
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FEC Democratic member Ann Ravel resigns post -- A Democratic member of the Federal Election Commission with ties to Santa Clara County resigned her post on Sunday, citing ongoing gridlock over the issue of campaign finance abuses. Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ Mary Lynne Vellinga in the Sacramento Bee$ Rebecca Morin Politico Eric Lichtblau in the New York Times$ Matea Gold in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/17

Disturbing deficiencies seen in California’s dam safety efforts -- The dam burst on a warm afternoon, unleashing nearly 300 million gallons of muddy water on a Los Angeles neighborhood. Five people died and dozens of homes were swept off their foundations and destroyed. In the aftermath of the 1963 Baldwin Hills Dam catastrophe, the state strengthened inspection regulations, helping establish California as a modern leader in dam safety. Joaquin Palomino and Cynthia Dizikes in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

Government severely misjudged strength of Oroville emergency spillway, sparking a crisis -- Interviews and records suggest that the near-catastrophe grew out of fundamental problems with the original design of the emergency spillway that were never corrected despite questions about its adequacy. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

High risk of flooding in Northern California as waterways reach their limits -- Officials said Sunday there is a high risk of flooding in parts of already-saturated Northern California as the latest “atmospheric river” storm moves in. Louis Sahagun and Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Licensed marijuana businesses operate in the shadows without access to banks -- Sometime next year, the most populous state in the nation will let licensed recreational pot sellers start cashing in on a multibillion-dollar industry. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/19/17

These California teachers mocked students for skipping school on immigrant boycott day -- Six high school employees in a predominantly Latino district in Southern California were placed on administrative leave after they posted social-media comments insulting students who skipped classes to participate in the “Day Without Immigrants” protest. Kristine Guerra in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/17

California's Democrats are trying to harness a new wave of progressive energy -- San Diego Rep. Scott Peters has held town halls for years. The reality? It was common for the Democrat’s staff to outnumber the constituents who showed up. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Taking on Trump puts Kamala Harris in spotlight -- If nothing else, the election of President Trump has upped the profile of California’s new junior senator, Kamala Harris. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

Trump widens a generation gap in Vietnamese community: Older hard-liners vs. liberal youths -- Steve Tran lifted the lid on the news rack along Little Saigon’s Moran Street and exclaimed: “Great man!” Anh Do in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Treason! It's a provocative charge being leveled against Trump, and one that rarely amounts to much -- The word is hurled like a thunderbolt: Treason! There are few more serious charges than taking up the cause of America’s enemies and colluding to undermine the country from within. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Abcarian: President Trump is a 'world class narcissist,' but he's not mentally ill, says the psychiatrist who helped define narcissism -- I watched President Trump’s news conference the other day, and I thought: He’s kind of crazy. Not crazy crazy. But you know, just weird. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Orange County emerging as battleground in movement to counter Trump -- They parade to GOP Congressional offices in Orange County each week, as many as a hundred at time, fueled by worries over President Donald Trump’s policies and appointments, his temperament and competence. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 2/19/17

Mayor: San Diego Police Not Focused on Immigration Enforcement -- Mayor Kevin Faulconer said Sunday the San Diego Police Department‘s focus will be on enforcing local laws “rather than immigration issues.” The statement was in response to a protest by 2,000 on Saturday that demanded San Diego designate itself a sanctuary city in the wake of President Trump’s anti-immigration policies. Chris Jennewein Times of San Diego -- 2/19/17

Nunes eyes many national security issues ahead for Trump -- The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee suggested Sunday that the ousting of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn as White House national security adviser doesn’t top the list of national security concerns. Hanna Trudo Politico -- 2/19/17

Schiff readies a lot of questions for Flynn -- The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee says he has a lot of questions for retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who was ousted last week as President Donald Trump's national security adviser. Hanna Trudo Politico -- 2/19/17

Panetta warns Trump's National Security Council is 'dysfunctional' -- Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he's concerned about the fractured national security structure and lack of preparedness within the new Trump administration to handle a crisis. Hanna Trudo Politico -- 2/19/17

Some hear echoes of Japanese internment in Trump's immigration plans -- There is a saying, often attributed to Mark Twain, that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. John Wilkens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/19/17

McSwain: Trump's wall looms over San Diego -- When candidate Donald Trump kept saying he wanted to wall off Mexico, I naturally wise-cracked that his real goal must be to keep the Mexicans in, because too many were leaving the United States. Dan McSwain in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/19/17

Why border boycotts, slowdowns and taxes are a big deal in San Diego -- The pervasive anxiety about a possible reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement — and talk by President Donald Trump of a tax — can be gleaned from a recent post by John Nienstedt, president and CEO of Competitive Edge Research & Communication. Michael Smolens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/19/17

Talbot: Washington’s coup fever heats up -- The hubbub for a coup — on the left and right — grows louder by the day. William Kristol, a leader of the neoconservative anti-Trump pack, is among those who has tweeted his secret longing to be saved by Big Brother: “Obviously strongly prefer normal democratic and constitutional politics. But if it comes to it, prefer the deep state to the Trump state.” David Talbot in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

Democrats seek to quell Trump impeachment talk -- Democratic officials in Republican-dominated Washington view the entire subject as a trap, a premature discussion that could backfire in spectacular fashion by making the party appear too overzealous in its opposition to Trump. Gabriel Debenedetti Politico -- 2/19/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Thousands rally for immigrant rights in downtown Los Angeles -- Thousands of activists marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to oppose immigration enforcement raids and demand that local officials take concrete steps to thwart the “deportation machine” under President Trump. Andrea Castillo, Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Anti-Trump activists rally in support of immigrants -- Amid patriotic ballads, rousing speeches and chants of “No ban, no wall, sanctuary for all,” thousands rallied Saturday near the waterfront and marched through the streets of downtown San Diego in support of immigrant rights. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/19/17

Hundreds march through downtown for making Fresno a sanctuary city -- A few hundred people gathered at Fresno City Hall on Saturday afternoon for a march downtown protesting the presence of federal immigration agents in the city and Mayor Lee Brand’s decision against making Fresno a sanctuary city. Ashleigh Panoo in the Fresno Bee -- 2/19/17

ICE raids have day laborers on edge across Southern California -- In between offering their services to motorists, Sadot Garnica and another man marveled at how few day laborers like themselves were soliciting work at a Home Depot parking lot in Van Nuys one recent morning. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/17

Memos signed by DHS secretary describe sweeping new guidelines for deporting illegal immigrants -- In a pair of memos, Kelly offered more detail on plans for the agency to hire thousands of additional enforcement agents, expand the pool of immigrants who are prioritized for removal, speed up deportation hearings and enlist local law enforcement to help make arrests. David Nakamura in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/17

LA County leaders want options in place before Obamacare repeal -- Hoping to protect provisions under the threatened Affordable Care Act, two Los Angeles County Supervisors will introduce a motion Tuesday that calls for financial options to be considered to continue government subsidized health care for tens of thousands of residents. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/17

Trump’s gap between talk, action could benefit California -- President Trump’s first month in office has been long on tweeted threats and broad promises of changes to come, but short of real action. For California, that might be a good thing. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

'It’s flooding! Get out! Get out!': Residents have little warning as floodwaters inundate town -- Blanca Velasquez, 31, was sloshing ankle-deep up and down flooded San Francisco Street in the small Northern California farming town of Maxwell on Saturday afternoon with an iPhone pressed to her ear, trying to find a clear signal to reach worried friends and relatives. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ Loretta Kalb, Robin Ospahl and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/17

Releasing water at Oroville Dam a lingering problem -- Even before Lake Oroville reached a crisis point last weekend when it swelled to its brim and saw both of its spillways badly damaged, operators of the nation’s tallest dam were concerned about “drawdown capacity” — their ability to make adequate downstream releases of water at the reservoir. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

Living beneath a wall of water: Can Oroville residents trust the dam will hold? -- Life isn’t exactly back to normal yet in Oroville. The mandatory evacuations ended last Tuesday, but not everyone has returned home, and folks in town have suitcases packed in case they’re ordered to leave again. Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis and José Luis Villegas in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/17

Shocking rain damage is wakeup call to fix ailing roads, infrastructure, experts say -- We were gripped by riveting video of the 20-foot sinkhole in Studio City that swallowed two vehicles in the wake of Friday’s storm and the 15 Freeway collapse in the Cajon Pass that flung a fire engine around like a toy truck. But for some, it wasn’t just dramatic, breath-taking video, it was reality TV. David Downey in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/17

Trump attack may reopen debate on splitting Ninth Circuit in San Francisco -- President Trump has turned his wrath on the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, charging that the court that blocked his travel ban is “in chaos” and “frankly, in turmoil.” He offered no evidence, and neither has anyone else. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

New California bills take aim at prescription painkillers, concealed guns in schools -- After regaining their supermajorities in both the Senate and Assembly in November’s election, California Democrats are not shying away from the big issues this year. Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/17

Political Road Map: California campaign spending broke records in 2016 — expect more of the same in 2018 -- Baseball fans are cheering the arrival of spring training, the first chance to see what’s in store for the long season ahead. And there’s another big-money enterprise limbering up: California statewide political campaigns. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Walters: Law school enrollment, bar exam passage rate dropping in California -- It’s not as if California’s massive legal system of attorneys, judges and many thousands of non-lawyer staffers needed another crisis. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/17

‘California is a nation, not a state’: A fringe movement wants a break from the U.S. -- About 15 people huddled in a luxury apartment building, munching on danishes as they plotted out their plan to have California secede from the United States. “I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of an independent California,” Geoff Lewis said as he stood in a glass-walled conference room adorned with California’s grizzly-bear flag and a sign reading “California is a nation, not a state.” Katie Zezima in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/17

Willie Brown: Good news now for Trump, but bad news may be just around the bend -- Ranting. Raving. Unhinged. President Trump predicted the media would use one of the two R-words to characterize his demeanor during his — ahem — wide-ranging news conference the other day. In fact, many commenters all but said he seemed bonkers. Willie Brown in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

Schnur: Dam disaster revealed a lack of heart at the top -- As nearly 200,000 Northern Californians abandoned their homes last week in the face of potentially devastating floodwaters, as they fought through paralyzing traffic past shuttered gas stations and boarded-up storefronts seeking shelter at sold-out motels and overwhelmed relief centers, their governor had a message for them. “We live in a world of risk,” said Jerry Brown. “Stuff happens.” Dan Schnur in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

Homeless  

‘Something is missing here now’: Homeless man made Capitol Park a tidier place -- Capitol Park is a little less tidy these days because of the death of Randall Koroush, a homeless man who for the past 20 years made it his daily mission to pick up trash, rake leaves and polish the ironwork around California’s statehouse. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions 

Long-distance Uber, Lyft drivers’ crazy commutes, marathon days, big paychecks -- For Brittney Barber, getting ready for work means assembling several casseroles for her extended family — husband, son, nephew and mother-in-law — packing an overnight bag, and loading up her gray Honda Fit for the 3½-hour drive from her home in Clovis (Fresno County) to San Francisco. After that 190-mile commute, it’s time to get to work — driving. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/17

California pay gap for women grows to about $7,000 a year -- California women appear to be losing ground in the pay-equality race. Fresh 2015 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows women’s median weekly earnings in the state running 15 percent below a similar benchmark for the pay of male workers. That gap – roughly equal to a $7,000 annual shortfall – is the widest since 2002. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 2/19/17

Fire hits California refinery; local gasoline prices could rise -- An explosion and fire at an oil refinery in Torrance, California, on Saturday forced the partial shutdown of the plant, leading oil traders to expect a spike this week in West Coast gasoline prices. Erwin Seba Reuters -- 2/19/17

Fire erupts at Torrance refinery just hours before protest rally -- On a day when activists marked the two-year anniversary of an explosion that rocked the then-ExxonMobil refinery and showered neighborhoods with industrial debris, another fire erupted at the troubled Torrance plant early Saturday. Nick Green in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/17

Water   

Wet winter has improved Colorado River basin's water forecast, but the drought endures -- California is not the only place in the West confronting startling amounts of rain and snow. William Yardley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Cannabis 

New law puts 3,000 Sonoma County cannabis cultivators in jeopardy -- The fate of several thousand Sonoma County marijuana growers hangs in the balance this year, their businesses caught between an emergent industry sanctioned by state voters at the ballot box in 2016 and a new local law that bans commercial cultivation in large swaths outside city limits. Guy Kovner in the Santa Rosa Press -- 2/19/17

Health 

Some Immigrants, Fearful Of Political Climate, Shy Away From Medi-Cal -- Among those dropping coverage are people in the country legally but concerned about jeopardizing family members who lack permanent legal status, according to government officials, immigration attorneys and health care advocates. Emily Bazar KQED -- 2/19/17

New Report Finds Children at a Higher Risk of Lead Exposure in Several California Cities -- In several neighborhoods across California, many children face an invisible health threat: lead poisoning. Found in paint dust from homes and apartments built before 1978, long-term exposure to lead has been shown by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cause health problems ranging from anemia to learning disabilities. Linda Childers California Health Report -- 2/19/17

Also . . . 

Executive Order 9066: An American scar, 75 years later -- It began hours after news of Pearl Harbor reached the West Coast. A rap at the door, a shoe on the door jamb, then FBI agents came inside, welcome or otherwise, to take away roughly one in 10 heads of a few hundred specific households — all men, all Japanese nationals. Stephanie K. Baer and Theresa Walker in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 2/19/17

It wasn’t just Japanese Americans, Germans and Italians were impacted by WWII Executive Order 9066, too -- Sigrid Toye woke in the middle of the night to the wail of a siren. It was Dec. 7, 1941 – the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Sitting upright on her bed in her second-floor room at the family’s house in Los Feliz, the 4-year-old Toye looked down the hallway and saw nothing but darkness. What she also didn’t see – but would soon learn – was that her German-born father, Eugen Banzhaf, was under arrest. Stephanie K. Baer in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 2/19/17

Sonoma County crowd remembers Japanese internment and plots action to defend rights -- An event to commemorate the internment of 120,000 residents of Japanese ancestry by the U.S. government during World War II became a call to action Saturday, as a diverse panel of North Bay residents urged the defense of communities they said are now at risk of exclusion from American life. Mary Callahan in the Santa Rosa Press -- 2/19/17

POTUS 45  

Trump reverts to campaigning a month into his term. This time, his opponent is the media -- President Trump returned to campaign mode Saturday with a clear opponent in mind — the media — declaring before thousands of cheering supporters that “fake news” was undermining his nascent administration’s accomplishments. Michael A. Memoli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/17

Politics ‘Life is a campaign': After a difficult first month, Trump returns to his comfort zone -- As President Trump descended the stairs from Air Force One on Saturday evening, with a patriotic country song playing and thousands cheering, the 2020 election season officially began. Jenna Johnson in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/17

Fact Check: What Trump Got Wrong at His Rally -- Much seemed familiar on Saturday as President Trump held his first campaign rally as president — the hats, the chants, and even some of the misstatements and exaggerations made by Mr. Trump. Linda Qiu in the New York Times$ -- 2/19/17

‘That’s how dictators get started’: McCain criticizes Trump for calling media ‘the enemy’ -- Sen. John McCain spoke out Saturday in defense of the free press after President Trump lashed out against the news media several times over the past week, at one point declaring it “the enemy of the American People!” Such talk, McCain (R-Ariz.) said on NBC News in an interview set to air Sunday, was “how dictators get started.” Amy B Wang in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/17

Struggling to Fill Jobs When Total Loyalty Is a Must -- During President Trump’s transition to power, his team reached out to Elliott Abrams for help building a new administration. Mr. Abrams, a seasoned Republican foreign policy official, sent lists of possible candidates for national security jobs. Peter Baker and Julie Hirschfeld Davis in the New York Times$ -- 2/19/17

 

-- Saturday Updates 

Cleanup begins after powerful storm slams Southern California -- Cleanup was beginning across Southern California on Saturday after a storm that forecasters billed as the most powerful in years caused flooding on multiple freeways, triggered dramatic mudslides and downed hundreds of trees and power lines. Melissa Etehad, Sonali Kohli and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/17

50,000 L.A. residents are still without power, and Amtrak is expected to resume service Saturday night -- More than 82,000 LADWP customers were without power when the storm was at its worst on Friday afternoon, according to an LADWP statement. The department expects most of the remaining customers to get their power back in the next 12 to 24 hours, the statement says. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/17

Massive LA-area storm leaves 4 dead, thousands still without power -- Los Angeles dug out Saturday from a massive storm that slammed into Southern California, killing four residents as it flooded freeways, prompted mudslides and blew down trees and power lines, leaving tens of thousands in the dark. The downpour that began Friday borne on winds up to 80 mph dumped as much as 2 inches on downtown Los Angeles and 4 inches of rain on the San Fernando Valley. Dana Bartholomew in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/18/17

Fire erupts at Torrance refinery just hours before protest rally -- On a day when activists marked the two-year anniversary of an explosion that rocked the then-ExxonMobil refinery and showered neighborhoods with industrial debris, another fire erupted at the troubled Torrance plant early Saturday. Nick Green in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/18/17

Exclusive: Parents of children smuggled into U.S. may face prosecution -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has issued new orders to agency heads that considerably expand the number of immigrants who can be detained and deported under new executive orders President Donald Trump signed last month. Franco Ordoñez McClatchy DC -- 2/18/17

Thousands rally for immigrant rights in downtown Los Angeles -- Thousands of activists marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to oppose immigration enforcement raids and demand that local officials take concrete steps to thwart the “deportation machine” under President Trump. Emily Alpert Reyes and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/17

Trump rallies supporters by renewing old promises, insults -- Just four weeks into his administration, President Donald Trump appeared at a campaign rally that mirrored the months leading up to Election Day, complete with promises to repeal the health care law, insults for the news media and a playlist highlighted by the Rolling Stones. Catherine Lucey and Julie Pace Associated Press Jenna Johnson and John Wagner in the Washington Post$ -- 2/18/17

‘That’s how dictators get started’: McCain criticizes Trump for calling media ‘the enemy’ -- Sen. John McCain spoke out Saturday in defense of the free press after President Trump lashed out against the news media several times over the past week, at one point declaring it “the enemy of the American People!” Such talk, McCain (R-Ariz.) said on NBC News in an interview set to air Sunday, was “how dictators get started.” Amy B Wang in the Washington Post$ -- 2/18/17

A Trump Ally in Congress Warns His State, California, to Make Nice -- Representative Kevin McCarthy, the majority leader, keeps a souvenir from a dinner the night before this year’s inauguration behind his desk: an embossed menu autographed by Donald J. Trump. The president-elect was at his table. Mr. McCarthy is not only the second-most powerful Republican in the House — he is also one of the earliest and most earnest supporters of the new president. Adam Nagourney in the New York Times$ -- 2/18/17

Activists rally for immigrant rights in downtown Los Angeles -- A coalition of activist groups began gathering for a march through downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to oppose immigration enforcement raids and demand that local officials take concrete steps to thwart the “deportation machine” under President Trump. Emily Alpert Reyes and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/17

A hub for Iraqi refugees, San Diego is making way for new faces — this time from Syria -- Starting a new life has been difficult, she says, but it is better than the alternative they escaped four years ago: the crack of strafing fire from government or rebel troops in what was once the city of Homs, and explosions that left only gaping craters or rubble where bustling urban life once hummed. “Everything is new,” she says. Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/17

Oroville Dam: Repairs continue, water releases likely to decrease -- Oroville Dam operators prepared to reduce water releases over its main spillway Saturday as repairs continued on the troubled dam. Despite significant rainfall Friday, the water level at Lake Oroville continued to drop overnight. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/18/17

Releasing water at Oroville Dam a lingering problem -- Even before Lake Oroville reached a crisis point last weekend when it swelled to its brim and saw both of its spillways badly damaged, operators of the nation’s tallest dam were concerned about “drawdown capacity” — their ability to make adequate downstream releases of water at the reservoir. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/18/17

Feb. 18 update: How full are Northern California reservoirs and rivers? -- These three graphs show key California reservoir conditions and river stages for the upper and lower Sacramento Valley for Saturday, February 18, 2017. The item is in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/18/17

‘Mass chaos’ of Oroville evacuation prompts worry over exit strategy -- Thousands of north Sacramento Valley residents will never forget last Sunday night. It was the night they got stuck in the scariest traffic jam they will ever know. It began with a shock, a 4:21 p.m. sheriff’s alert that the emergency spillway at Oroville Dam was crumbling and could fail within the hour. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/18/17

Santa Clara County: Anderson Reservoir reaches capacity -- Anderson Reservoir reached maximum capacity early Saturday morning and began spilling over for the first time since 2006, water district officials said. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/18/17

Environmentalists hail new leader of Coastal Commission, capping a year of angst -- To say Jack Ainsworth loves the California coast is an understatement. As a child growing up in the Inland Empire of San Bernardino County, Ainsworth went for a handful of overnight trips to the beach with his parents and eight siblings. Aaron Kinney in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/18/17

Lopez: Why the new Coastal Commission chief is a good bet to defend California's beaches -- Jack Ainsworth talks about the trips as if they happ ened last week, nine kids piling into the car with Mom and Dad. Starting point: Their home in San Bernardino. Destination: The beach. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/17

Massive LA-area storm leaves 4 dead, thousands still without power -- Los Angeles awoke Saturday reeling from the tail of a massive storm that slammed into Southern California, killing four residents as it flooded freeways, prompted mudslides and blew down trees and power lines, leaving tens of thousands in the dark. Dana Bartholomew in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/18/17

Owner Arte Moreno says the Angels are staying at Angel Stadium, and he will have more money to spend on the team -- Before he spoke to his team on the first day of spring training they were all in the same room, Angels owner Arte Moreno told reporters on Saturday that he’s committed to improvements on two fronts. To the team, and to the ballpark they will call home through at least 2029. Jeff Fletcher in the Orange County Register -- 2/18/17

Leaked Trump tape: 'You are the special people' -- Exclusive audio shows how Trump lets loose at his clubs — inviting guests to join him on staff interviews -- Darren Samuelsohn and Annie Karni Politico -- 2/18/17

White House dismisses NSC aide after harsh criticism of Trump -- The White House abruptly dismissed a senior National Security Council aide on Friday after receiving reports that he had publicly laced into the president and his senior aides, including son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump at an event hosted by a Washington think tank. Eliana Johnson Politico -- 2/18/17

Trump Agenda Is Beset by Opposition on Many Fronts -- President Donald Trump is confronting more opposition than any he faced in his campaign, or anything seen in the first weeks of a modern presidency, with protests, legal challenges, congressional opposition and parts of the federal bureaucracy mobilizing to resist. Janet Hook and Peter Nicholas in the Wall Street Journal -- 2/18/17