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Big change in high-speed rail: CEO steps down, says new leader needed -- Jeff Morales, who for the past five years has been the chief executive officer in charge of California’s embattled high-speed rail project, announced Friday that he is stepping down as head of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Tim Sheehan in the Fresno Bee -- 4/21/17

Kevin de León says Trump law enforcement policy based on 'principles of white supremacy' -- California officials reacted with defiance Friday to a threat by federal officials to withhold some $20 million in criminal justice grants from the state and its counties as part of the dispute over so-called sanctuary city policies. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

Power restored in San Francisco Chronicle after blackout shuts businesses, cable cars -- A huge blackout probably caused by a fire at a PG&E substation swept through San Francisco on Friday, bringing everyday life to a virtual standstill as homes and businesses and courtrooms went dark, traffic lights stopped working, BART and Muni service slowed, and all the cable cars shut down. Sarah Ravani, Jill Tucker and Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

Power nearly fully restored after San Francisco outage -- A San Francisco power outage that stranded people in elevators and left tens of thousands of others in the dark Friday was caused by the massive failure of a circuit breaker that sparked a fire at a power substation, a utility company spokesman said. Janie Har Associated Press -- 4/21/17

Game developer sues Milwaukee over park-permit requirement -- A California gaming company sued Milwaukee County Friday over its requirement that developers get a permit to have augmented-reality games like "Pokemon Go" played at its parks. Irvine-based Candy Lab, Inc. asks in a federal lawsuit for the ordinance to be declared unconstitutional on free-speech grounds and for the court to prohibit Milwaukee County from ever enforcing the law. Ivan Moreno Associated Press -- 4/21/17

Drought’s not over for everybody -- Most Californians are – finally – out of the drought, but the record-setting rains have not washed away emergency conditions for all residents. Daniel Maraccini Capitol Weekly -- 4/21/17

Justice Department warns sanctuary cities in California, 8 other jurisdictions to cooperate with immigration enforcement -- The Justice Department on Friday fired an opening shot in the Trump administration’s crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities, sending letters to nine jurisdictions asking for proof that they are cooperating with immigration enforcement, and indicating they are at risk of losing federal grants. Joseph Tanfani in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

California’s death row turning into home for seniors -- California’s death row houses more senior citizens than most of the state’s nursing homes. Ninety California death-row inmates are at least 65 years old, corrections records show. The number of seniors on death row has grown by nearly 500 percent since early 2006, when the state housed 16 seniors. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/17

Borenstein: City managers concerned pensions will cause more bankruptcies -- Lodi City Manager Steve Schwabauer worries about his town’s fiscal solvency — and estimates roughly a third of California’s municipalities are in the same position because of rising pension costs. Daniel Borenstein Associated Press -- 4/21/17

Rock Poster Artist Chuck Sperry Turns Focus to Science March -- Chuck Sperry is best known for his rock concert posters of bands like The Who, Pearl Jam and Black Sabbath. But the San Francisco-based graphic artist is also passionate about street-level politics. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 4/21/17

Safe injection sites offer hope in scourge of discarded syringes -- San Francisco has earned many nicknames over the years: the City by the Bay, the Paris of the West, the City That Knows How. Here’s a new suggestion: Needle City. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

In ‘Buy American’ Push, Trump Is Starting in a Hole -- Foreign-owned companies received more money from federal contracts in the past three months than in any corresponding period in a decade, and President Donald Trump has limited power to buck that trend. Coulter Jones and Shane Shifflett in the Wall Street Journal -- 4/21/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Embattled tax board director: My job was threatened -- The executive director of a troubled tax board told a Senate hearing Thursday that the agency is “at a tipping point” and acknowledged that he has been threatened with his dismissal. David Gau stopped short of saying that a specific elected member of the Board of Equalization threatened him. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/17

Board of Equalization director says California's imperiled tax collection agency is in 'crisis mode' -- The executive director of the state Board of Equalization told legislators Thursday that some board members have acted to reassign staff and resources without following proper approval procedures involving the board's executive staff. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

Feinstein is waiting for family health issues to be resolved before announcing her 2018 plans -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Thursday she is waiting for some family health issues to be resolved before she announces whether she'll run for another term in 2018. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

‘You’re defending Trump!’: Feinstein draws boos at LA town hall -- When California Sen. Dianne Feinstein walked into First AME Church in South Los Angeles Thursday for a town hall meeting with constituents, she got a standing ovation. The pews were packed and it would have been easy to think she’d be preaching to the choir. Roz Plater in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz raises money and woos supporters in Orange County -- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who came in second in the race for the GOP presidential nomination last year, is raising money and courting prominent Republicans in Orange County on Thursday as he prepares for a reelection campaign in 2018. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

California Senate confirms former Sen. Isadore Hall for farm labor board over GOP objections -- Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Hall, a 45-year-old Democrat from Compton, to the position in January, drawing objections from agricultural leaders who noted he had supported the United Farm Workers in labor disputes with growers. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

New site shows which California elected officials ask special interests to donate to their favored charities -- Elected state officials in California ask special interests to donate millions of dollars annually to their favorite charities. Now residents can get a clearer picture of who is asking, who is giving and who is getting the money. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/17

No negotiations yet between California and Trump administration on vehicle rules -- Earlier this month, a White House official floated the possibility of negotiations with California to resolve a brewing dispute over vehicle emission rules. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

How Berkeley became a hotbed of violence in the Trump era -- In canceling a planned speech by conservative author Ann Coulter at the University of California, Berkeley, school officials made a startling admission Wednesday: They could not guarantee the safety of the controversial speaker or her crowd. David Siders Politco -- 4/21/17

Ann Coulter rejects Cal offer to switch date of speech -- A day after canceling a scheduled speech by Ann Coulter for security reasons, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said Thursday that the right-wing pundit’s insistence on coming anyway persuaded him to rethink her banishment. Nanette Asimov in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

Convicted al-Qaeda operative with Silicon Valley ties loses citizenship -- A federal judge has revoked the naturalized U.S. citizenship of a confessed al-Qaeda operative who at one point ran a communications hub for an affiliated terrorist organization out of his Santa Clara apartment, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/21/17

Garcetti’s $9.2B budget includes money for LAPD body cameras, sidewalk repairs -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled his $9.2 billion spending proposal Thursday, which includes plans to fight homelessness, fix mangled sidewalks and to close a $263 million shortfall. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 4/21/17

'Stopping carbon will be like stopping a heroin addiction': Gov. Brown urges stronger action on climate change -- If anyone was hoping for a feel-good message from Gov. Jerry Brown at this week's Navigating the American Carbon World conference on climate change, they didn't get one. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

Jerry Brown announces trip to China, the world’s ‘great hope’ on climate change -- Gov. Jerry Brown jabbed repeatedly at President Donald Trump’s skepticism of climate change on Thursday, contending that China has stepped into the role of the world’s “great hope.” Brown, at a conference on carbon reduction, also announced he would be traveling to China in June to promote environmental protection. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/17

California treasurer: Lawsuit didn't harm rail bond sale -- California's state treasurer says ongoing legal challenges didn't harm the sale of nearly $1.25 billion in high-speed rail bonds. Spokesman Marc Lifsher says all the bonds were claimed Thursday and treasury officials are happy with the results. Associated Press -- 4/21/17

Evangelical leaders find climate change message a tough sell -- Many evangelical Christians believe that stewardship of the Earth and taking care of the poor and sick are core to their faith. Yet roughly 8 in 10 voted for Donald Trump, who as president has proposed cutting the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency by 31 percent, the National Institutes of Health by 18.3 percent and isn’t sure if he wants the United States to participate in the Paris climate change accord. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

Bill O’Reilly ouster a lesson in what not to do, says Anita Hill -- The day after Bill O’Reilly was pushed out of Fox News amid allegations that he sexually harassed several colleagues, two women who rose to national prominence for standing up to powerful men called for reform — and transparency — in how institutions handle issues of sexual assault, harassment and discrimination. Marissa Lang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

Fox: For Education Poll, Knowledge Is Missing -- Here’s what is missing in the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll on education: a test of the respondents knowledge on education funding. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/21/17

26 charged in $40-million Southern California medical kickback scheme -- Prosecutors charged 26 doctors and other medical professionals Thursday in an alleged kickback scheme that may have defrauded up to 13,000 patients in California and netted the defendants roughly $40 million as they overcharged for medication or prescribed balms that had no known medical value. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ Matt Bloom KPCC -- 4/21/17

Affidavit tells how acquaintance of rampage shooter helped him escape motel killing -- After a security guard was killed at Motel 6, an acquaintance of Kori Ali Muhammad tried to take evidence from the scene, but was stopped by hotel security and a witness, according to a Fresno police detective’s affidavit made public Thursday in Fresno County Superior Court. Pablo Lopez in the Fresno Bee -- 4/21/17

Homeless  

Homeless up 5 percent in the county, skyrockets downtown -- The number of homeless people across the county increased 5 percent in the past year, while those living on the streets of downtown San Diego spiked 27 percent, according to a report based on an annual count conducted in January. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/21/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions 

Spectrum auction yields windfall for Bay Area TV broadcasters -- The Federal Communications Commission’s landmark wireless spectrum auction netted KQED in San Francisco a whopping $95,459,109 — but don’t expect the public media broadcaster’s next pledge drive to wrap up any sooner as a result. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

California bill punishing border wall builders may violate Constitution -- California politicians attempting to stop Donald Trump’s border wall brought the fight to San Diego on Thursday, but the business bans they are proposing could lead to legal challenges. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/21/17

San Diego shipyards get $42 million to repair 3 warships -- The Defense Department is giving General Dynamics-NASSCO $22.7 million for upgrades and maintenance on the Fort Worth, one of the Navy’s many troubled littoral combat ships. The work will be done at NASSCO’s shipyard in Barrio Logan. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/21/17

Education 

University of California officials will ask judge to halt alleged health fraud scheme they claim stole millions -- According to the UC, students were invited via social media to participate in fake clinical trials or recruited at campus job fairs. They were asked to divulge health insurance information, which the UC contends was used to forge prescriptions, court documents said. Payment for those prescriptions was made by the UC’s heath system. Jeff Landa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

Cal State hires too many managers, needs better budget oversight, state audit finds -- A state audit released Thursday found that California State University has been hiring managers and providing them raises at a rate that “significantly outpaced” other employees. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/21/17

Poll finds support for vouchers and higher school funding in California -- Donald Trump's plans to reform education have been routinely described as radical, but one key feature — taxpayer-funded vouchers — may find some unlikely supporters: California voters. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/21/17

Faculty fights back against plan to close Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa -- Whittier Law School faculty, angered at this week’s announcement that the campus will close its doors, are mulling over legal options after last-minute efforts to delay the public disclosure fell short. Sean Emery in the Orange County Register -- 4/21/17

Science teachers to join march to oppose what they see as threat to quality education -- Hundreds of California science teachers – and plenty of their students, as well – will take to the streets Saturday to defend funding for science research and programs and education, which they say are increasingly under attack. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 4/21/17

California bill that critics say could cripple charter schools back in the spotlight -- A bill that would have allowed only school districts to approve new charter petitions is very much alive despite being shelved Monday by its sponsor. Mikhail Zinshteyn EdSource -- 4/21/17

Cannabis 

Judges must not invest in pot, California committee says -- Recreational marijuana will be legal in California next year, but federal law prohibits such use. Investing in a business considered illegal under federal law would run afoul of the state’s judicial ethics rules, the committee said. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

Thousands toke doobage at UC Santa Cruz for 420 celebration -- The origins of 420 are as ephemeral as a cloud of bong smoke, yet the annual tradition has persevered on the UC Santa Cruz campus for a simple reason — university students like to “toke doobage.” Ryan Masters in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 4/21/17

They tried to give away joints on Capitol Hill. Police were waiting. -- Seven people were arrested on marijuana charges near the U.S. Capitol on Thursday as they participated in a pot giveaway aimed at pressuring Congress to legalize the drug. Rob Hotakainen McClatchyDC -- 4/21/17

Health 

Four Bay Area hospitals fined by state health department -- Four Bay Area hospitals — one in Redwood City, two in San Francisco and one in Napa — were among 14 facilities fined by the California Department of Public Health on Thursday after investigators determined that their staffs caused — or almost caused — serious injury or death to patients. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/21/17

Also . . . 

Soul singer Cuba Gooding Sr., 72, found dead inside car in Woodland Hills -- Soul singer Cuba Gooding Sr., a 1970s music star and the father of Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., was found dead in his car Thursday in Woodland Hills, officials said. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ Marianne Love in the LA Daily News -- 4/21/17

POTUS 45  

Trump is finding that trade, like health care, is quite hard -- President Trump had promised to quickly pass a replacement for the Affordable Care Act. He later acknowledged that health care is “an unbelievably complex subject.” He is finding the same goes for global trade. Thomas Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/21/17

White House demands disrupt shutdown negotiations -- Congressional leaders' efforts to hatch a massive spending deal have been thrown off course by the Trump administration's 11th-hour intervention, leaving the bipartisan bill teetering on the brink of collapse just a week before a government shutdown deadline. Burgess Everett, Heather Caygle and Rachael Bade Politico -- 4/21/17

 

-- Thursday Updates 

Immigrants flooded California construction. Worker pay sank. Here’s why -- Construction in Los Angeles has shifted from a heavily unionized labor force that was two-thirds white to a largely non-union one that is 70% Latino and heavily immigrant. Natalie Kitroeff in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/20/17

A few potential clouds over the 4/20 party -- Free at last! Free at last! Thursday is the first time that 4/20 — the unofficial cannabis-lovers’ holiday — will be celebrated when it’s legal for adults to ingest weed just for fun in California. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/17

Ann Coulter vows to speak at Berkeley despite cancellation -- Ann Coulter fired off an angry stream of tweets Wednesday vowing to speak as planned next week at UC Berkeley after campus officials called off the event for security reasons. Jocelyn Gecker Associated Press -- 4/20/17

Former Sacramento developer opens committee to run for lieutenant governor in 2018 -- Eleni Kounalakis, a former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, on Wednesday opened a committee to raise money for a possible lieutenant governor’s bid. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/20/17

Study calls on big tech companies to move closer to transit -- Victoria Makras used to slog through a nearly two-hour commute from her Laurel Heights home to Box’s office in Los Altos. She’d wake up at 6:30 a.m. and board an Uber to the Caltrain station. The fast Baby Bullets weren’t an option, since they didn’t serve the closest station to Box. So she’d walk more than a mile, taking another 15 minutes before reaching her desk. Nicholas Cheng in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/17

Talbot: Terrible postscript to San Francisco’s eviction saga -- Nearly one month has passed since Iris Canada died, but she still has no resting place. Her body lies in the cold morgue at UCSF Medical Center, where the 100-year-old woman died March 25. David Talbot in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/20/17

Dumanis to resign July 7, mulls run for county board -- San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced Thursday morning she is resigning effective July 7. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/20/17