Updating . .
Abcarian: California prosecutors have turned the tables on Planned Parenthood's undercover video tormentors -- Before I tell you why it’s such great news that California’s new Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has filed felony charges against a pair of anti-abortion activists who accused Planned Parenthood of selling fetal tissue for profit, let me ask you a few questions: Have you ever been vaccinated against polio, rubella, measles, chicken pox or Hepatitis A? Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
California vaccine rates increase after Legislature toughens rules for children -- A new report by the California Department of Public Health found that 95.6 percent of kindergartners in the current school year completed vaccinations requirements. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/17
Police departments say they don't enforce immigration laws. But their manuals say something different -- Like many law enforcement agencies across California, Culver City police say officers don't enforce federal immigration law. The City Council declared the town a so-called sanctuary city last month, promising to protect the public safety of all city residents, regardless of immigration status. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Lazarus: 'Get off or pay for another seat.' United customers share their bad experiences -- I received hundreds of emails in response to my column on an Irvine investment manager being threatened with handcuffs by United Airlines if he didn’t give his first-class seat to a “higher-priority” passenger. Most of the messages recounted indignities large and small suffered by other United customers. Many were too long, or expletive-laden, to be posted online (which tells you something). David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Change in North Carolina bathroom law not enough to lift California's travel ban, Becerra says -- North Carolina’s repeal of its controversial “bathroom bill” did not sufficiently address concerns about discrimination to result in California lifting its ban on state-funded travel to that state, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Wednesday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Michael Tubbs, one of America’s youngest mayors, aims to lift his hometown of Stockton -- Michael Tubbs eased into the chair at Big Herk’s Clippers and closed his eyes, hoping for a precious few moments of downtime under a blue barber’s cape. “Hello, Mr. Mayor!” a man boomed as Hynek Washington’s electric shaver began buzzing. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/17
UC: Locals vs. the out-of-staters -- It’s a common story. California high school graduates with top grades and scores still aren’t able to get into the University of California campus of their choice. Lisa Renner Capitol Weekly -- 4/12/17
From extreme drought to record rain: Why California's drought-to-deluge cycle is getting worse -- California’s climate has long been dominated by cycles of intense dry conditions followed by heavy rain and snow. But never before in recorded history has the state seen such an extreme drought-to-deluge swing. Rong-Gong Lin II and Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Sanctuary cities crackdown threatens government shutdown -- President Donald Trump’s budget director is urging congressional Republicans to take a hard line against sanctuary cities in a must-pass spending bill, complicating efforts to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month, according to officials in both parties. Burgess Everett and Sarah Ferris Politico -- 4/12/17
Trump administration moving quickly to build up nationwide deportation force -- The Trump administration is quickly identifying ways to assemble the nationwide deportation force that President Trump promised on the campaign trail as he railed against the dangers posed by illegal immigration. David Nakamura in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/17
Fox: Could a Dem v. Dem Governor’s Race Save Some Congressional Republicans? -- Despite all the anti-Trump resistance in California that quickens the heartbeat of Democrats hoping to knock off a number of California’s congressional Republicans their survival hinges on turnout and just maybe could be influenced by California’s unique top two primary system. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/12/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
FBI agent says San Francisco Mayor Lee looked at in corruption investigation -- Mayor Ed Lee was a target in the federal corruption investigation into the Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow racketeering case that led to a prison sentence for former state Sen. Leland Yee and criminal charges against some of Lee’s campaign staff, an FBI agent testified in San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday. Vivian Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/17
CalPERS says divesting from border wall, Dakota pipeline could hurt taxpayers -- Leaders at CalPERS are voicing concerns about a set of bills in the Legislature that would compel that $310 billion pension fund to divest from politically unpopular projects, such as President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall and the Dakota Access Pipeline. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/17
LA County leaders skip vote on funding legal defense fund for undocumented immigrants -- A proposal to transfer $1 million of Los Angeles County money into a legal defense fund to help illegal immigrants and others threatened with deportation was pulled from a vote Tuesday so members of the Board of Supervisors could examine concerns raised within the motion. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/12/17
Which California city most closely matched the state’s election preferences? -- Pollsters and campaign consultants trying to discern California’s true bellwether for political proclivities may want to look no further than Ventura. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/17
34th congressional primary's final vote count shows low turnout for high cost election -- Election officials on Tuesday finished the vote count for last week's 34th Congressional District special election, confirming the results from early balloting and verifying that few voters participated. Final numbers show only about 14 percent of eligible voters participated in the primary election. Mary Plummer KPCC -- 4/12/17
Homeless Advocate Shuts Down Orange County Supervisors’ Meeting Over Children in Riverbed -- Homeless advocate Mohammed Aly shut down the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ public meeting for half an hour Tuesday to draw attention to what he says is their failure to help homeless children living along the Santa Ana River. Nick Gerda VoiceofOC.org -- 4/12/17
California lawmakers are setting up a sanctuary state and daring Trump to stop them. Can he? -- Showing a giant middle finger to President Trump, California is on its way to becoming the first sanctuary state in the nation. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/17
Salvage process weighed for sunken barge atop BART Transbay Tube -- Officials weighing next steps toward recovery of a barge that sank during heavy weather last week, coming to rest atop BART’s Transbay Tube, say it currently poses no danger to commuters. Vengeance, a 112-foot-long freight barge, capsized and sank Friday morning in 50 feet of water south of the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge. George Kelly in the East Bay Times -- 4/12/17
Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds
Politifact CA: Could gas tax hike leave California with 'highest fuel prices in nation?' -- California’s Democratic leaders want to raise the state’s gas tax by 12 cents per gallon as part of a plan to pay for massive road repair bills. Opponents, including Republican George Runner, argue Californians already pay enough for roads. Chris Nichols Politifact CA -- 4/12/17
Homeless
Winter shelters in LA may reopen to homeless -- As part of an effort to rapidly boost the number of shelter beds available to L.A.'s homeless, officials are turning to the county's winter shelter system. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to keep county-funded winter shelters open until at least November, provided they're able to continue operating. Rina Palta KPCC -- 4/12/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
CalPERS state rate doubles in decade to $6 billion -- The annual cost of state worker pensions would increase to $6 billion in July in a recommendation from CalPERS actuaries, up $521 million from the current fiscal year and double the amount paid a decade ago. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 4/12/17
Tribes Look Beyond Slot Machines For Future Income -- Slot machines are still paying off for now, said Rocha, but upcoming generations are less interested in games that depend solely on luck. That’s why some tribes are looking into electronic sports, known as eSports. The video game competitions are held in large arenas with big screens, pitting teams of gamers against each other. Susan Murphy KPBS -- 4/12/17
Google denies charges, says there is no gender pay gap -- Google said it's "taken aback " by the government's claim that it doesn't compensate women fairly. The company said it conducts "rigorous analyses" that its pay practices are gender-blind and found "no gender pay gap" in 52 major job categories it analyzed last year. Barbara Ortutay Associated Press -- 4/12/17
HP, PayPal lead in diversity efforts; Uber, YouTube lag, report says -- When it comes to diversity, it’s common knowledge that Silicon Valley tech companies have a lot to learn. But some companies are doing better than others, according to a new report by San Francisco-based recruiting startup Blendoor. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/12/17
Regulators call for no commercial salmon fishing on Sonoma Coast until August -- Fishery managers on Tuesday advanced a framework for this year’s West Coast salmon season that roughly halves the length of the commercial season in an effort to protect diminished king salmon runs. Mary Callahan in the Santa Rosa Press -- 4/12/17
Friendly Skies
United fiasco shows airlines' power over passengers — and how it might change -- Delta, American and United airlines claim the right to eject fliers for smelling bad. JetBlue Airways can remove passengers who wear revealing clothing. Southwest has been accused of kicking off customers for being too fat to fit in a seat. David Ng, Hugo Martin and Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
David Dao, United passenger who was dragged from plane, says he's still in the hospital -- David Dao, a Kentucky physician who touched off a national debate over airline overbooking policies Monday when he was dragged off a United Airlines flight, was still recovering in the hospital Tuesday after suffering injuries from the incident, according to a Kentucky television station that spoke to him. Matt Pearce in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Before apologizing on Tuesday, United tried two unsuccessful tactics to quell its public relations crisis -- Public relations professionals say United Airlines’ move to drag a bloodied passenger off of a flight looked like “something straight out of a horror movie.” But experts in crisis reaction say the company’s initial response may prove scarier still. Tracey Lien in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
United's CEO turns contrite as fallout spreads from passenger mistreatment -- As public outrage grew and the stock took a hit over the forceful removal of a bloodied passenger, United’s top executive turned contrite, apologizing and launching a review of the company’s policies. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
In China, the United Airlines incident unleashes frustration about treatment of Asians in America -- Outrage over United Airlines’ violent removal of a passenger in Chicago has crossed the Pacific, extending the company’s public relations fiasco to one of its most crucial international markets. Jessica Meyers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Lazarus: United passenger threatened with handcuffs to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler -- It’s hard to find examples of worse decision-making and customer treatment than United Airlines having a passenger dragged from an overbooked plane. But United’s shabby treatment of Geoff Fearns, including a threat to place him in handcuffs, comes close. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Water
California water allocations hit 100 percent – here’s why farmers are still miffed -- Central Valley farmers learned Tuesday they will get a full allocation of water this year for the first time since 2006. But their celebrations were muted. Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ Amy Quinton Capital Public Radio -- 4/12/17
Drought busted: Bureau of Reclamation boosts water allocation to 100 percent for west-side farmers -- The announcement Tuesday comes only weeks after the bureau told disappointed growers that they would receive 65 percent of the contract supply from the Central Valley Project. They received a 5 percent allocation last year, causing them to fallow at least 200,000 acres in the Westlands Water District. BoNhia Lee in the Fresno Bee -- 4/12/17
Big L.A. water agency antes up for a share of Valley’s Sites Reservoir -- The water agency that supplies drinking water to Los Angeles agreed Tuesday to contribute $1.5 million toward the planning of Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley, giving the agency a toehold in a potentially valuable storage project. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/12/17
Education
As community mourns victims of San Bernardino school shooting, details emerge -- As community members mourned Tuesday for the victims of the shooting at North Park Elementary School the day before, details began to emerge. Beau Yarbrough and Ryan Hagen in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/12/17
'It feels like we go from one tragedy to another': After slayings at North Park Elementary, San Bernardino grieves again -- Lili Flores, a staff analyst for San Bernardino County, was at work not far from the Inland Regional Center when a husband and wife opened fire on an office holiday party there in 2015, killing 14 people, most of them her co-workers. Paloma Esquivel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
San Bernardino community services dog Sherlock comforts students at San Bernardino school shooting -- The Police Department’s newest community services dog, Sherlock, was busy Monday helping North Park Elementary students in the wake of the deadly campus shooting. “I wasn’t sure about how he would react to the kids grabbing and pulling on him,” police Lt. Vicki Cervantes said. “But he was a true champ.” Doug Saunders in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 4/12/17
California graduation rates continue uptick, as achievement gap narrows -- High school graduation rates in California climbed for the seventh year in a row, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, announced Tuesday. The class of 2016 had a record-high graduation rate of 83.2 percent, with significant gains for student populations that have historically lagged behind. Priska Neely KPCC -- 4/12/17
California’s high school graduation rate keeps rising, Orange County tops 90% -- California’s high school graduation rate rose again in 2016, marking the seventh straight year that statewide rates have climbed. In Orange County, the figure rose to 90.8 percent, making it the state’s only county with at least 3,000 students to top a 90 percent graduation rate. Craig Shultz, Stephen Wall in the Orange County Register -- 4/12/17
LAUSD graduation rate climbs to 77 percent, new data shows -- LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King issued a statement noting the overall increase, plus rises in graduation rates for English learners and black students in particular. Antonie Boessenkool in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/12/17
While California’s high school graduation rates hit a record high, some Bay Area counties see declines -- Alameda County also saw its graduation rate rise from 85 percent to 85.6 percent. But other Bay Area counties saw slight decreases, including Contra Costa County’s graduation rate (from 89.3 percent to 88.9 percent) and Santa Clara County (from 83.6 percent to 83 percent). San Mateo County experienced a more significant decline, from 88.1 percent to 70 percent. Joyce Tsai in the East Bay Times -- 4/12/17
Nearly half of California school districts earn top ratings for lowering suspensions -- Nearly half of all California school districts received top ratings from the state for lowering their suspension rates, according to an EdSource analysis of data from the California School Dashboard, a new evaluation tool released in a field test version last month by the California Department of Education. Jane Meredith Adams EdSource -- 4/12/17
Immigration / Border
Sessions visits border to launch 'our stand against this filth' -- Attorney General Jeff Sessions described the border as a “war zone” in an Arizona speech on Tuesday, pleasing San Diego supporters of President Donald Trump and shocking some immigrant advocates. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/12/17
Environment
Appeals court restores lumber companies’ challenge to northern spotted owl habitat -- A top federal appeals court has added fuel to a long-running fight over federal protections for the northern spotted owl in California, Oregon and Washington state. Michael Doyle McClatchy DC -- 4/12/17
The drought is over, but now L.A. is being swarmed by bugs -- The flowers aren’t the only things flourishing from all that rain. A long, wet winter followed by warm temperatures has created the perfect conditions for the insects currently swarming Southern California. Jessica Roy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Orange County sprays for mosquitoes as SoCal gears up for a buggy summer -- For the first time in years, Orange County will spray pesticide in wetlands areas to kill off mosquito larvae that could be carrying diseases harmful to humans — like West Nile virus. This year’s heavy rains in Southern California brought a bumper crop of our most hated insects. Jill Replogle KPCC -- 4/12/17
Orange County's massive algae bloom is killing pregnant sea lions -- At least seven pregnant sea lions rescued off the coast of Orange County have died this week after a neurotoxin worked its way up the food chain. KPCC -- 4/12/17
Health
Future of ACA subsidies is in limbo, awaiting Trump decision -- Every six weeks, Oakland resident Adeeba Deterville gets a blood test to monitor the effects of a medication she is taking to manage a thyroid disorder. Because Deterville, a full-time doctoral student, earns less than $30,000 a year, she qualifies for federal subsidies that lower her insurance deductible and out-of-pocket costs for services like prescription medication, as well as doctor’s visits. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/17
Also . . .
Transbay Transit Center rooftop turning into 5.4-acre City Park -- The trees are trucked to the Transbay Transit Center in the dead of night. They’re hoisted by crane 70 feet up onto the quarter-mile-long rooftop City Park that stretches above one of the busiest corridors on the West Coast. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/12/17
Sheriff's deputy won't be charged in domestic violence case but remains on leave as department probes video -- A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy at the center of controversy after a YouTube video showed him inside his patrol car ignoring a shooting call won’t face charges in a separate incident in which he was accused of domestic violence. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/12/17
Deputy-involved shootings down in LA County, inmate deaths may be increasing -- Officer-involved shootings among Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies have decreased so far this year compared to the same time last year, but inmate deaths within the jails appear to be rising, according to a quarterly report heard by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday. Susan Abram in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 4/12/17
Mark Harris Creates Postage Stamps for a Trumpian World -- Mark Harris is a collage artist. “In the old school sense,” he says, meaning he finds old images, alters them, and then puts them together on a physical surface to say something new about the world we’re living in today. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 4/12/17
POTUS 45
FBI obtained FISA warrant to monitor Trump adviser Carter Page -- The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to presidential candidate Donald Trump, part of an investigation into possible links between Russia and the campaign, law enforcement and other U.S. officials said. Ellen Nakashima, Devlin Barrett and Adam Entous in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/17
Trump just made some very strange comments about Stephen K. Bannon -- We don't yet know what Stephen K. Bannon's fate in the Trump White House is. But judging by President Trump's own words, it doesn't sound particularly good. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 4/12/17
White House calls for deep agency cuts -- The White House on Wednesday will direct federal agencies to make deep personnel cuts over the next year, according to the White House budget chief and documents provided to Politico. Ian Kullgren and Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 4/12/17
Trump’s Trademark Continues Its March Across the Globe, Raising Eyebrows -- For most of last year, Donald J. Trump’s application to register trademarks for his brand of home accessories languished in a government office in Lima, Peru. But since Mr. Trump was elected in November, the pace has picked up. Sharon LaFraniere and Danny Hakim in the New York Times$ -- 4/12/17
-- Tuesday Updates
Jerry Brown’s administration blocks public review of Oroville Dam records -- Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration is using federal security regulations written to thwart terrorism to deny public access to records that experts say could guide repairs to the Oroville Dam and provide insight into what led to the near catastrophic failure of its emergency spillway. Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/17
Gas tax vote prompts recall campaign against Southern California Democrat -- Carl DeMaio, a talk radio host and former city councilman in San Diego, said Tuesday that plans are moving forward to launch a recall of Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, who voted for the $52 billion road repair package, paid for by fuel taxes and registration fees, just four months after he took office. Christopher Cadelago and Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/17
California bill creates ‘safe’ places to shoot heroin, take opioids -- Amid a surge of prescription opioid and heroin overdoses ravaging communities nationwide, one California lawmaker has an unconventional proposal: Create facilities for addicts to take drugs under the supervision of medical professionals. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/17
Lawmakers’ side ‘arrangements’ didn’t start with California gas-tax bill -- Last week’s approval of major road-funding legislation wasn’t the first time that other “arrangements,” in the words of Gov. Jerry Brown, helped seal the deal. Side pacts between governors, legislative leaders and select lawmakers, sometimes unspoken, played key roles in annual budget negotiations before voters in 2010 eliminated the two-thirds requirement to pass budgets. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/17
Appeals court vindicates San Diego's 2012 pension cutbacks -- A state appeals court on Tuesday vindicated San Diego’s five-year-old aggressive pension cutbacks, potentially saving the city millions it could have been forced to spend creating retroactive pensions for roughly 2,000 workers hired since 2012. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/17
Former Navy SEAL the latest Democrat to take on GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter -- Josh Butner, a member of the Jamul-Dulzura Union School District Board of Education, said he believes representing the 50th Congressional District would help fulfill a commitment to public service that started in his childhood, through his career in the Navy, and now with his position at the school district. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/17
Lawmakers aim to move California's presidential primary right behind Iowa and New Hampshire -- California lawmakers and the state's chief elections officer announced a new effort on Tuesday to move the state's 2020 primary up by three months, even giving the governor power to accelerate the timeline in hopes of closely following elections in Iowa and New Hampshire. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Carla Marinucci Politico -- 4/11/17
Fueled by Trump resistance, Sanders’ influence grows with Dems -- Sen. Bernie Sanders is defying predictions that he would recede into the progressive fringes after his high-profile presidential run. With President Trump in the White House and Republicans in total control of Congress, some thought Sanders was too liberal to be relevant. Too quirky. Too ... Vermont. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/11/17
Video sparks probe of Sacramento officer’s takedown of man crossing street -- The Sacramento police officer involved in the incident, which was captured on video by a passerby and posted onto social media, has been placed on administrative leave in what the department said appears to be unacceptable conduct by the officer. Bill Lindelof and Nashelly Chavez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/11/17
Eaze brings pot delivery to San Jose after city-wide ban lifted -- Add marijuana to the list of items San Jose residents can order and have delivered to their door without ever leaving their couch, starting this week. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/11/17
Grief counselors to offer support to students, staff as San Bernardino school shooting probe continues -- Grief counselors will be on hand to support students, parents and staff from North Park Elementary, a day after the estranged husband of a special needs teacher shot her in her classroom, killing her and an 8-year-old student and wounding a third student. Paloma Esquivel, Maya Lau and Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/17
Trump wants immigrants to 'share our values.' They say assimilation is much more complex -- Growing up in La Puente in the 1980s, Alex Espinoza was a typical child of the Reagan era. He collected “Star Wars” action figures and played with Rubik’s Cube. Hailey Branson-Pott in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/17
River that supplies most of San Diego County' s water is most endangered in U.S., report says -- The Colorado River — which supplies about two-thirds of San Diego County’s drinkable water — on Tuesday was named the most endangered river in the U.S. by a leading conservation group. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/11/17
25 years after LA Riots, community march will mark the past and look to the future -- The Rev. K.W. Tulloss was a 9th grader at Locke High School in South Los Angeles in April 1992 when a jury, with no black members, acquitted four white police officers of beating Rodney King. Matthew Carey in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/11/17
Former Navy SEAL's jog near border fence ends in legal war with Border Patrol agent -- On an August afternoon in 2014, Alton Jones decided to leave behind his wife and 6-year-old son playing on the sand at Border Field State Park to go for a quick jog near the fence dividing the United States and Mexico. Kristina Davis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/11/17