Updating . .
Attorney general threatens to punish Stockton, San Bernardino and other 'sanctuary cities' -- Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions moved Thursday to again punish so-called sanctuary cities, threatening to deny federal crime-fighting resources to four cities beset by violence if they don’t step up efforts to help detain and deport people living in the country illegally, including two agencies in California, a state that has repeatedly frustrated the administration. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Boss tells state workers: Kick ICE out of California labor offices -- California’s top labor law enforcer wants federal immigration agents to stay away from offices where state investigators weigh claims about underpaid employees and workp lace retaliation. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/17
Cal State will no longer require placement exams and remedial classes for freshmen -- Cal State plans to drop placement exams in math and English as well as the noncredit remedial courses that more than 25,000 freshmen have been required to take each fall — a radical move away from the way public universities traditionally support students who come to college less prepared than their peers. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Congress takes aim at the Clean Air Act, putting the limits of California's power to the test -- California is confronting the limits of its power to save federal environmental protections as Congress and the Trump administration take aim at a landmark law the state has relied on for decades to clean the air of noxious smog. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Summer and after-school programs—big in California—fight to survive under Trump -- Currently, over 400 programs operating across the state receive about $130 million annually from Washington. But as Trump seeks to shrink the federal government’s role in education, he’s trying to claw back that funding, arguing that the programs don’t actually boost student achievement like they’re supposed to. Jessica Calefati Calmatters.org -- 8/3/17
Even in a booming economy, L.A. City Hall faces daunting budget challenges -- Standing outside City Hall, Mayor Eric Garcetti launched his second term by offering an audience a celebratory message: Los Angeles has clawed its way back from crisis. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Former congressional staffer for Janice Hahn indicted in alleged shakedown of Compton marijuana shop -- Michael Kimbrew, 44, was working as a field representative for former Rep. Janice Hahn out of Compton City Hall when he allegedly promised to “make things happen” for the pot shop, which the city was seeking to shut down. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Pregnant women’s exposure to flame retardants linked to lower child IQ -- Increased exposure among pregnant women to flame-retardant chemicals found in older furniture and other products is linked to lowered IQs in their children, UCSF researchers said Thursday. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/17
Mandatory composting? Gavin Newsom isn’t shying away from his liberal record -- In the foothills of the Sierras, and at a stop last week in Salida, just outside of Modesto, the Democratic frontrunner whose national profile was born out of his decision to distribute the marriage licenses to same-sex couples offered the clearest indication yet that the tenets of his gubernatorial campaign are rooted in his liberal record. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/17
Democrats searching for vets to lead them out of the wilderness -- Tom Tarantino has a certain quality Democrats these days are craving in a candidate, particularly in the suburban Contra Costa-Alameda County district where Tarantino will file paperwork Thursday to run for the Assembly. He’s a military veteran. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/17
Republicans are targeting California Democrats over single-payer healthcare -- Democrats are widely expected to make Republican incumbents' efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act a major issue in the 2018. Now Republicans are going after challengers for some Democrats' support of a single-payer healthcare system. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Lobbying in the Trump era: Californians say little has changed but the language -- President Donald Trump came to Washington, D.C. decrying lobbyists and vowing to “drain the swamp” — but six months into his administration, California’s top lobbyists say the only major changes they’ve had to make are in their language. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Tired of waiting on LA to repair bad sidewalks? You could get paid to do it for them -- In an effort to get more of the city’s backlog of crumbling sidewalks fixed sooner, Los Angeles city officials this month sweetened the deal for property owners. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/3/17
Meet some of the people who live on South Bay streets in RVs -- Few would argue that the Bay Area is a great place to live — if you can afford it. And that’s the rub. For every newly hired tech worker drawing a big salary, there’s a waitress or gardener or some other support worker who is getting priced out of a region where the down payment on a home can exceed $200,000 and rents continue to skyrocket. John Orr in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Mayor says it’s time to think small to help Sacramento’s homeless -- Mayor Darrell Steinberg said this week that the city should aggressively pursue a “tiny home” village to shelter dozens of homeless men and women. Steinberg said the model – in which homeless individuals live in clusters of shed-like structures typically around 150 square feet in size – is a safer and more dignified alternative to the homeless tent city debated for years at City Hall. Ryan Lillis and Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee -- 8/3/17
Fox: Car Wars -- Government efforts to upend California’s car culture often face stiff opposition from the public. Look no farther than the battle in the state’s big cities over road lane reductions or even banning cars from vital arteries. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 8/3/17
Zuckerberg and Chan hire former Clinton campaign strategist -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, have been adding more political muscle to their philanthropic organization, fueling rumors that the tech mogul could be eyeing a presidential bid in 2020. Queenie Wong in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Health advisory issued on eating fish at two East Bay lakes -- For the first time, state health officials are advising people to limit their consumption of rainbow trout from the popular Lake Chabot and Lafayette Reservoir because of industrial chemical PCBs detected in the fish. Denis Cuff in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Stanford and ex-dean of its elite business school cleared in harassment case -- After three years of court battles and lurid revelations about the romance between the dean of Stanford University’s elite business school and a professor married to another professor, the university and the ex-dean have been vindicated by a judge’s ruling. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
He once said mothers do not belong in state office. Now he leads the Trump Cabinet in Bible study -- News from the Christian Broadcasting Network that members of President Trump’s Cabinet are attending Bible study sessions together didn’t come as such a shock in Washington. The shock was who is teaching them. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
$15 billion border bill wouldn't fund a wall -- Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) and three other Senate Republicans rolled out legislation on Thursday making it clear that, in their view, a stand-alone wall running the length of the U.S.-Mexico border — a core Trump campaign promise — isn’t the answer. Seung Min Kim and Ted Hesson Politico -- 8/3/17
• Special Counsel Mueller Impanels Washington Grand Jury in Russia Probe -- Special Counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, a sign that his inquiry is growing in intensity and entering a new phase, according to people familiar with the matter. Del Quentin Wilber and Byron Tau in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/3/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Immigration agents showed up at labor dispute proceedings. California wants to kick them out -- Federal immigration agents have shown up twice at California labor dispute proceedings to apprehend undocumented workers, in what state officials believe may be cases of employer retaliation. Natalie Kitroeff in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
A 5% rent increase would push 2,000 Angelenos into homelessness, study warns -- The study was conducted by the real estate firm Zillow using census figures and homeless counts for the 25 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Money from the construction industry rolled in for Kevin de Léon after California's road repair plan passed -- California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Léon has been coy about his future political plans, but not bashful when it comes to raising money for a future campaign. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Housing Negotiations Move Ahead Over Legislative Recess -- After years of inaction, the political will may finally exist to address California’s sky-high housing costs. California lawmakers are on summer recess right now, but while they’re away, Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders are putting the finishing touches on a package of bills to address the state’s housing crisis. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 8/3/17
Walters: California politicians lured by easy money, but somebody must eventually pay -- The late Glenn Frey’s song about the international drug trade, “Smuggler’s Blues,” contains a phrase that resonates in politics as well: “It’s the lure of easy money, it’s got a very strong appeal.” Dan Walters Calmatters.org -- 8/3/17
Feinstein “Deeply Concerned” with Anthem Rollback of Coverage -- California Senator Diane Feinstein said Wednesday that she was “deeply concerned” by Anthem Blue Cross’s decision to reduce individual health plan coverage for some 150,000 Californians. “I’m unhappy, at first blush, and at second blush, I don’t understand it,” she said in an interview with KQED. Laura Klivans KQED -- 8/3/17
Bail: A fight to remove the price tag -- Bail is supposed to make sure that a defendant returns for the court date, although critics say bail merely punishes people for being poor. Anna Frazier Capitol Weekly -- 8/3/17
$15 Million Claim Filed For Damages From Oroville Dam Spillway Incident -- The operators of a Walnut farm in Butte County say flooding from the Oroville Dam emergency in February cost them $15 million due to damaged trees, equipment, and buildings. The growers have filed a claim with the State of California. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Dale Kassler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/17
TurboTax Change Costs California Charitable Funds -- A small change this year to the tax filing software TurboTax likely cost some California charitable funds more than half of their usual proceeds. Programs to combat breast cancer, protect endangered species and fund Special Olympics were just a few that took a financial hit this past year. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 8/3/17
Pilots of jet that nearly smashed into aircraft on San Francisco airport taxiway said they didn't see the planes -- Federal officials investigating how an Air Canada flight carrying 140 passengers nearly smashed into planes waiting to depart at San Francisco International Airport cannot listen to audio from the plane’s cockpit because it has been written over. Joseph Serna and Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
California officials want to help prevent racial profiling by police in the state. Here's how they plan to do it -- This week, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra revised rules for how police officers in the state will have to track data aimed at preventing racial profiling. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Politifact CA: Did Gavin Newsom get his facts right on universal health care? -- As Republicans in Washington debate the future of Obamacare, an entirely different conversation has played out in California about creating a universal health care system that covers everyone regardless of their ability to pay. Chris Nichols Politifact CA -- 8/3/17
Fox: Is Antonio Adopting the Old GOP Fishhook Strategy? -- For those who remember the Republican “fish hook” strategy for winning statewide races three and four decades ago you can see a similarity to Antonio Villaraigoisa’s potential roadmap to capture the governorship: string together a strong showing through Central Valley counties and hook up through San Diego and Orange Counties to his home county of Los Angeles. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 8/3/17
High-speed rail backers lose another round in court -- California’s high-speed rail backers suffered a legal setback Wednesday when a U.S. appeals court dismissed as merely advisory a federal board’s decision declaring the project immune from the state’s environmental laws. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Compton to vote in November on raises for council and mayor -- After a rancorous special meeting Wednesday, Compton city officials voted to let residents decide in November whether some of them deserve a pay raise. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
LA committee approves funds to fight rising violent gang crime in West Valley -- Following a recent city report that found gang activity in the West San Fernando Valley has been on the rise in recent years, a City Council committee approved $50,000 today to help address the problem. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/3/17
California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra accuses Trump of 'sabotage' and 'extortion' on Obamacare subsidies -- California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, newly empowered to defend Affordable Care Act subsidies in court, accused President Trump on Wednesday of "extortionist tactics" by threatening to undermine the healthcare law. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Trump reportedly considering two Southern California donors as ambassadors to Mexico and Slovenia -- In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said he is mulling over naming long-time friend Tom Barrack, an investor and former Hollywood studio head, as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Advocacy groups challenging this California state housing rule say it uproots farmworkers' children from schools -- More than 30 community organizations and advocates are ramping up their efforts to reverse a California housing rule that they say uproots the children of migrant farmworkers from their schools twice a year, causing them to fall behind and often drop out. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing acquired by Sapporo -- Anchor Brewing, San Francisco’s beloved 121-year-old brewery and creator of the city’s most famous beer, is being sold to Japan’s Sapporo Holdings Ltd. in a landmark deal. Alyssa Pereira in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/17
Sacramento a front-runner for Major League Soccer expansion -- MLS Commissioner Don Garber mentioned Sacramento in a group of four cities that “have really been energized” in recent months as they fight for a spot in the nation’s top professional soccer league. Nashville, Tenn., Cincinnati and Detroit are also making gains, Garber said. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/17
Hyeprloop One achieves second milestone this year — nearly 200 mph -- Executives of the 3-year-old tech company say they’re now ready for global commercialization of the new energy-efficient, autonomous transportation system. They wrapped up the second phase of engineering tests of the world’s first full-scale Hyperloop system on Saturday. Sandy Mazza in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 8/3/17
Apple H-1B workers average $139,000 in pay, but outsourcers dominate visa program and pay far less -- Opponents of the tech industry’s beloved H-1B visas for skilled workers have long argued that outsourcing companies abuse the program, gobbling up the lion’s share of visas to provide cheaper foreign labor to U.S. companies. Now they have new ammunition, thanks to an executive order from President Donald Trump. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Will Apple become the first trillion-dollar company? -- The race to T is on. With its market cap now at $820 billion, Apple is leading the pack in its run to become the first company with a one-trillion-dollar price tag. Google’s holding company Alphabet is not too far behind, with a current market value of $648 billion and Amazon’s coming on strong, now valued at $478 billion. Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Facebook workforce diversity inches up -- Facebook’s workforce is slightly more ethnically diverse this year, but Hispanic and black employees still make up a small percentage of the tech firm’s U.S. staff. Queenie Wong in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Education
Watchdog agency's new CEO warns of impact of dwindling school revenue -- Michael Fine is the new CEO of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, perhaps the most important education agency Californians may never have heard of — unless their school district has been in financial peril. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 8/3/17
UC Irvine to readmit all freshmen whose admission offers were withdrawn for transcript problems -- UC Irvine, under fire for rescinding nearly 500 admission offers, announced Wednesday that it would readmit all students who maintained good senior-year grades but whose acceptances were revoked because of alleged paperwork problems, such as missing deadlines to submit transcripts. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Caltech professor resigns after investigation finds he harassed female grad students -- Christian Ott, who campus officials determined committed “unambiguous gender-based harassment” of the students, will resign effective Dec. 31, Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum and Provost Edward M. Stolper wrote in a letter to students and faculty on Tuesday. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Cannabis
Cash dash: Inside a nerve-rattling trip to pay pot taxes -- Jerred Kiloh's eyes narrowed as he checked his mirror again. The black Chevy SUV with tinted windows was still behind him. It had been hanging off Kiloh's bumper ever since he nosed out of the parking lot behind his medical-marijuana dispensary with $40,131.88 in cash in the trunk of his hatchback. Michael R.Blood Associated Press -- 8/3/17
Many banks won't have anything to do with legal pot business -- Billions of dollars are expected to flow through California's legitimate marijuana industry next year when recreational pot becomes legal, but most of those businesses won't be able to use banks. Michael R.Blood Associated Press -- 8/3/17
Immigration / Border
How Trump-backed bill on legal immigration could affect California -- A bill backed by President Trump that would sharply reduce the number of immigrants who could legally enter the U.S. raised questions in California over possible effects on families, demographics and key sectors of the economy. Hamed Aleaziz and Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/17
San Diegans have mixed reaction to proposed changes to immigration system -- Those who have supported President Donald Trump's immigration policies from the beginning celebrated the break in what has been U.S. policy since at least the 1950s. Those who have denounced Trump for his policies were horrified that he'd chosen to support the new bill. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/3/17
Jailing Immigrants Means Money and Jobs for Poor Areas. Is This Deal Humane? -- Inside his cell in the Yuba County Jail, Rafael was vomiting again, too weak and dizzy to stand. He is HIV-positive and has hepatitis C. Without treatment, the two can be a deadly combination. But Rafael, 27, had not been treated for hepatitis C in six months, his medical records show. Lisa Pickoff-White and Julie Small KQED -- 8/3/17
Horses Are Still Patrolling The Border In The Age Of High Tech -- Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States has spent over $100 billion on border security technology — cameras, drones, aerostats airborne patrols, fencing and walls. Lorne Matalon KPBS -- 8/3/17
Health
Paying doctors more—now will they treat more poor Californians? -- It seems like a simple solution. Raise what you pay doctors for treating low-income patients, and they’ll treat more of them. All those waits for appointments and physician shortages that have long plagued the state’s low-income health insurance program—a program that one out of every three Californians now relies on—could be remedied with a simple dose of economics. But in health care, nothing is that simple. Matt Levin Calmatters.org -- 8/3/17
Bay Area residents frustrated by Anthem Blue Cross exit from health exchange -- Santa Cruz County resident Chris Olsen was already dreading this week’s announcement that his family’s Covered California health insurance premium was about to seriously spike. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/17
Environment
How your pet is contributing to global warming -- In a study released Wednesday, a geography professor at UCLA calculated that the meat-based food Americans’ dogs and cats eat – and the waste those pets produce – generate the equivalent of about 64 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/17
Also . . .
Ghost Ship Victims Live On in ‘Requiem Without Words’ -- Last December’s Ghost Ship warehouse fire covered the Bay Area with grief. But the fierce unity that grew in its wake forged a sense of community, and inspired composer and Pittsburg resident Arturo Rodriguez to create a requiem mass to honor the 36 victims who died in the blaze and reflect on the resilience of Oakland’s creative life. “I thought of it more as a noble statement to them than a sad one,” Rodriguez says. Creo Noveno and Chloe Veltman KQED -- 8/3/17
RV gets wedged in Golden Gate Bridge toll booth -- Drivers crossing the Golden Gate Bridge got an unusual view Wednesday morning when an RV crashed into a booth on the toll plaza, trapping the two occupants inside, officials said. Filipa Ioannou in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/17
Los Angeles City Council agrees to pay $450,000 to settle LAPD sexual assault case -- The Los Angeles City Council agreed Wednesday to spend $450,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by one of four women who accused two police officers of sexual assault — a scandal that ultimately led to criminal charges for the officers and a mounting financial fallout in civil court. Kate Mather and Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/17
Her child support payments include reimbursing the state for her ex’s state aid -- A mother of five was outraged last week after the Fresno County Superior Court ordered her to pay her ex-husband nearly $500 in child support monthly – most of which will go toward paying back the state for his state aid. Rory Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 8/3/17
POTUS 45
Does Trump really think the White House is a dump? ‘TOTALLY UNTRUE,’ he says on Twitter -- President Trump took to Twitter Wednesday night to dispute a much-repeated report that he prefers staying at his own properties around the country because the White House is “a real dump.” John Wagner in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/17
Beltway
Discrimination against whites was a core concern of Trump’s base -- The Justice Department’s plan to investigate and sue universities over affirmative action admissions policies they determine discriminate against white students represents a shift in the department’s civil rights division. But the move also addresses a central concern for voters who fueled President Trump’s victory last year: that whites are losing out in today’s society. Scott Clement in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/17
How the CIA Came to Doubt the Official Story of JFK’s Murder -- Newly released documents from long-secret Kennedy assassination files raise startling questions about what top agency officials knew and when they knew it. Philip Shenon and Larry J. Sabato Politico -- 8/3/17
New bipartisan Obamacare push faces steep climb -- Dealmakers Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray might be facing their biggest challenge yet. Jennifer Haberkorn and Adam Cancryn Politico -- 8/3/17
-- Wednesday Updates
NTSB finds ‘blind spot’ in SFO radar following Air Canada near-disaster -- Federal aviation officials investigating the Air Canada near-disaster at SFO found a blind spot in the airport’s radar system that prevented a computer from alerting air traffic controllers of a wayward plane for 12 seconds, according to new information released by federal investigators Wednesday. Matthias Gafni in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/2/17
New road planned to traverse Big Sur slide -- California officials announced this week that rebuilding the highway will be the quickest and most cost-effective way to get traffic moving again at the southern end of Big Sur, where locals and visitors have been forced to take a three-hour detour to get around the quarter-mile Mud Creek Slide. Engineers had also looked at the possibility of a constructing a tunnel or viaduct. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/17
Where rent control battles are emerging in California -- California’s rent control movement, strongest in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is again gaining steam as the state faces an extreme housing shortage that has led to skyrocketing rents and rampant tenant displacement. State officials call it an unprecedented crisis, exacerbated by the erosion of state and federal funding for low-income housing development. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/2/17
A week later, little clarity on Trump’s transgender tweet -- A week after President Trump tweeted a proposed ban on transgender military service, the Defense Department says it’s holding conversations with White House staff on the issue, which would affect thousands of current service members if a prohibition were enacted. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/17
BART debuts train cars wrapped in ads -- In an effort to raise badly needed cash, BART is turning 25 of its train cars into rolling billboards. The first four hit the rails Tuesday, and scores more could follow. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/17
A decade later, it’s time to create a memorial to slain Oakland journalist Chauncey Bailey -- Ten years ago today, at 7:27 a.m., well-known local reporter Chauncey Bailey was gunned down on an Oakland sidewalk. He died for the First Amendment. Thomas Peele in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/2/17
Boy Scouts not aware of phone call to Trump -- The Boy Scouts of America said Wednesday the organization is not aware of any calls between its leaders and President Donald Trump, even though the president recently said he got a call praising his July 24 speech at the scouting jamboree. Diamond Naga Siu Politico -- 8/2/17
Lawmakers unmoved by Trump threat to ax money for their insurance -- President Donald Trump is threatening to ax money for lawmakers’ health insurance until they repeal Obamacare. Senate Republicans aren't trying to stop him. Jennifer Haberkorn Politico -- 8/2/17