Updating . .   

Abortion would be first-degree murder under California proposal -- California supporters of an incendiary statewide initiative aiming for the 2018 ballot to criminalize abortion as first-degree murder have been cleared to begin collecting signatures. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

UC sues Trump administration, calls DACA cancellation ‘unconstitutional’ -- The University of California sued the Trump administration in federal court Friday, accusing the president of violating the rights of students and the UC by rescinding a program that temporarily prevents deportation of immigrants brought to this country illegally as children. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/8/17

Frustration, friction flashed behind the scenes as Oroville Dam emergency grew -- Frustration, friction flashed behind the scenes as Oroville Dam emergency grew. Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

Union negotiations pave way for Gov. Jerry Brown to advance ambitious plan for regional electricity grid -- Gov. Jerry Brown is clearing a major obstacle in his push for closer energy cooperation between California and its neighbors, but the outcome remains far from certain in the final week before lawmakers adjourn for the year. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Effort to crack down on dialysis clinics stalls in California Legislature -- A measure to impose stricter regulations on for-profit dialysis clinics that treat patients with chronic kidney disease was tabled for the year on Friday by the bill's author, Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens). Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

California declares state of emergency in 3 counties where fires have burned thousands of acres -- California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in three Northern California counties where wildfires have burned thousands of acres, destroyed structures, threatened groves of giant sequoias and limited access to Yosemite National Park. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Rep. Ed Royce DACA statement draws attention to past opposition to DREAM Act -- When Congressman Ed Royce announced support this past week for giving legal status to those brought illegally into the country as children, it left some scratching their heads. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 9/8/17

Federal audit shows the government improperly used funds to help plan for California's proposed massive water tunnels -- A federal agency left taxpayers on the hook for $50 million in water project costs that should have been paid by Central Valley irrigation districts, according to an inspector general’s report released Friday. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/8/17

NRA files another lawsuit challenging California's assault rifle restrictions -- The National Rifle Assn. has filed a second lawsuit challenging California’s assault weapons restrictions, this time alleging that regulations developed by the state Department of Justice are too burdensome and go beyond the agency’s powers. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Offering free computers, a small L.A. school district enrolled Catholic school students from Bakersfield -- Last spring, Katie Rivera’s daughter came home from the St. Francis Parish School in Bakersfield with some unusual paperwork. Anna M. Phillips and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Mexico got early warning before deadly earthquake struck. When will California get that system? -- Mexico’s massive earthquake Thursday night offered another example of how an earthquake early warning system can provide crucial warnings for preparation. Mexico, Japan and other countries have early warning systems. California is developing one, but the effort has been threatened by budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration. Shelby Grad and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Patients pay the price when hospital giants buy up independent doctor practices -- When Dr. Sarah Azad followed her mother into the field of obstetrics eight years ago, she thought she’d be in private practice for the rest of her career. At the time, independent practices abounded in Silicon Valley. Jenny Gold in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

More opioid prescriptions than people in some California counties -- Trinity County is the state’s fourth-smallest, and ended last year with an estimated population of 13,628 people. Its residents also filled prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone and other opioids 18,439 times, the highest per capita rate in California. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

Porter Ranch gas leak health study hits roadblock after doctor is forced out -- A physician who has been tracking patients potentially affected by the massive Porter Ranch gas leak has been let go from an urgent care clinic he led for eight years, which could disrupt his clinical health study. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/8/17

New primary challenger to Feinstein emerges -- Add another name to the list of progressive Democrats seriously considering a primary challenge to California’s senior Senator Dianne Feinstein: wealthy financial entrepreneur Joseph N. Sanberg. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 9/8/17

Rep. Duncan Hunter's chief of staff steps down amid investigation into congressman's campaign funds -- Rep. Duncan Hunter's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, is leaving the embattled congressman's office after 15 years on Capitol Hill. Kasper has been the Alpine Republican's voice throughout much of the congressional ethics and FBI investigations into whether Hunter misused thousands of dollars in campaign funds for personal expenses. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Tom Steyer drops by a Riverside union rally, just like three of the top Democrats running for governor -- Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer ventured to the Inland Empire on Thursday to show his support for a powerful public employee union’s three-day strike against Riverside County — just like three of the top Democratic candidates for governor have done this week. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

City Council members seek to label L.A. a 'sanctuary' for immigrants -- Los Angeles city leaders will push Friday to declare the city a “sanctuary” for immigrants, a move that comes after some lawmakers resisted formally using the term despite pressure from local immigration groups. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

LA immigrant advocate proposes ‘arrest-free zone’ for Dreamers as part of ‘sanctuary city’ plan -- An immigrant rights attorney retained by Los Angeles leaders has proposed ways to officially make the city a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants and an “arrest-free zone” for those known as Dreamers who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/8/17

Attorney General's Office not opposed to unsealing records in CPUC criminal probe -- The state Attorney General’s Office, which is investigating backchannel dealings of the California Public Utilities Commission and the companies it oversees, is not opposing a request to unseal court records related to the probe. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/8/17

DNC chairman blasts Fresno GOP for fundraising with former Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- The head of the Democratic National Committee on Thursday blasted Fresno Republicans for inviting controversial former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona to headline a party fundraiser. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Rep. Barbara Lee proposes legislation to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol -- The Oakland Democrat filed legislation Thursday that would require that all statues of people who voluntarily served the Confederate States of America be removed from the Capitol's Statuary Hall. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) filed similar legislation in the Senate, which is co-sponsored by California's Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

One hurdle to voting by mail in California: Mistrust of the Post Office -- As California moves closer to the rollout of a major voting overhaul law, new research from UC Davis suggests that some racial and ethnic groups could be left behind under the new system. Mary Plummer KPCC -- 9/8/17

Bill that would expand the evidence prosecutors can use against sex traffickers in court goes to Gov. Brown -- The legislation, filed by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), would allow prosecutors to call on witnesses or provide records that speak to a criminal suspect's character, in attempts to show to the jury a pattern of abuse toward the victim. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Facebook’s fact-checkers don’t know if their efforts to fight fake news are working -- Facebook teamed up with media outlets after the U.S. presidential election to flag fake news, but some of the social network’s fact-checkers aren’t sure if their efforts are actually working. Queenie Wong in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/8/17

Credit giant Equifax says Social Security numbers, birth dates of 143 million consumers may have been exposed -- Equifax, one of the nation’s three major credit reporting firms, announced Thursday that its computer systems had been breached, leading to the unauthorized accessing of Social Security numbers and birth dates of up to 143 million U.S. consumers. Paresh Dave in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Has your data’s been hacked? Here’s what you should do -- The company said Thursday that “criminals” exploited a U.S. website application to access files between mid-May and July of this year. The Experian hack adds to massive data breaches at Anthem, JPMorgan, Sony Pictures, Target and Home Depot in recent years. The item is in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 9/8/17

Alameda County jury will decide if Jahi McMath is alive -- The family of Jahi McMath will finally be able to present to a jury their case that the comatose girl is alive — three years after she was declared dead by doctors at Children’s Hospital in Oakland and the Alameda County coroner’s office. Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/8/17

Dolores Huerta has been jailed, beaten, mocked by Glenn Beck. A new doc shows why she won't shut up -- “Dolores” is a documentary that celebrates a hero, but it's no hagiography. Its subject wouldn't stand for that. Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

8.0 earthquake strikes off Mexico coast; tsunami is possible in Mexico, Central America -- A magnitude 8.0 earthquake has occurred off the southern Mexican coast, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible within the next three hours on some coasts of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras and Ecuador. Kate Linthicum and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Is climate change wreaking weather havoc? Evolving science seeks answers -- When San Francisco hit 103 degrees in June 2000, a new high after more than a century of record-keeping, the forces of global warming were likely at work. But scientists weren’t ready to go there. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/8/17

PG&E Employees Headed To Florida To Help With Hurricane Irma -- Pacific Gas and Electric employees are headed to Florida to help restore power in areas that are expected to be in the path of Hurricane Irma. Crews totaling 127 people are expected to fly out of Sacramento 6:30 a.m. Friday. Crews began signing in and checking their equipment at the utility corporation yard in Davis Thursday. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 9/8/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Health premiums to rise 5.6% on Covered California’s small business exchange -- Insurance premiums for health plans on Covered California’s small business exchange will rise 5.6 percent in 2018, Covered California announced Thursday. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/8/17

With Amazon.com looking for giant new HQ, Bay Area raises hand -- Amazon.com launched a nationwide search Thursday for a place to plant a second headquarters, and its ideal spot sounds a lot like the Bay Area: a metropolitan region with plenty of public transit, an international airport, good universities and strong allure for technical talent. Trisha Thadani and J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/8/17

Donald Bren at Irvine Company makes rare, public pitch for Amazon’s 2nd headquarters -- When the titan of e-commerce said it needed a second headquarters, an Orange County titan of real estate said come on down. Donald Bren, the owner and chairman of the Irvine Company issued a rare statement Thursday after Amazon said it was on the hunt for another base of operations in North America. Tomoya Shimura in the Orange County Register -- 9/8/17

San Diego to bid for Amazon's HQ2 second headquarters location -- City officials confirmed that they plan to respond to Amazon’s unusual request for proposals for a $5 billion second headquarters campus by the Oct. 19 deadline. Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/8/17

Sacramento plans to bid for Amazon headquarters – and 50,000 jobs -- Sacramento is jumping into the Amazon sweepstakes. Hours after Amazon announced Thursday it was accepting bids from cities for a second North American headquarters, Sacramento city officials said they were preparing their proposal to land a facility that could employ 50,000 people. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

Huntington Beach to pony up $100,000 for Breitling air show -- With the Huntington Beach Breitling Air Show on the horizon and approaching at Mach speed, the City Council decided to provide about $100,000 to keep the popular but cash-challenged event in the air. Greg Mellen in the Orange County Register -- 9/8/17

Hundreds face layoffs as Dole closes Watsonville operations -- The largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, Dole Food Co., is shuttering its operations in Watsonville and laying off more than 400 employees as the company faces a pending public offering and more than $1 billion in debt. Nicholas Ibarra in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 9/8/17

Wildfire  

Governor declares state of emergency in Madera, Tulare, Mariposa counties -- Gov. Jerry Brown proclaimed a state of emergency Thursday for Madera, Tulare and Mariposa counties – each of which have been ravaged by major fires in the last week. Rory Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 9/8/17

Education 

California colleges vow to press on against sexual assault despite any federal rollback in protections -- In a speech Thursday, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos lambasted Obama-era guidelines as unfair and coercive and announced plans to review them. Later, in an interview with CBS News, she said she intended to rescind the 2011 guidelines, which laid out how campuses should investigate sexual assault cases and lowered the standard of proof needed to find the accused responsible. Teresa Watanabe and Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Community college enrollment drops by double digits on some campuses; some call it a "crisis" -- About half of California's 114 community colleges are seeing enrollment drops this year, state education officials say – prompting calls for new recruitment tactics from some faculty and reassurances from administrators. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez KPCC -- 9/8/17

Student-loan debt averages $36,129 in Southern California -- The Costa Mesa-based credit tracker notes that a smaller share of folks in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties have student-loan obligations compared with the national average. However, locals who do owe money for schooling have more to pay back than a typical American. Jonathan Lansner in the Riverside Press$ -- 9/8/17

'Friendly critic' of California's school district reforms issues warning -- The assumption underlying the Local Control Funding Formula, the state’s 4-year-old school funding and accountability law, is that local control — giving districts more autonomy and resources — would be the catalyst for greater student achievement. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 9/8/17

Cannabis 

California lawmakers propose allowing marijuana growers and sellers to work alongside each other -- The change would allow a store that is licensed to sell marijuana for medical use to also sell pot for recreational use if it is licensed to do so. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/8/17

Teen marijuana use falls to 20-year low, defying legalization opponents’ predictions -- In 2016, rates of marijuana use among the nation's 12- to 17-year-olds dropped to their lowest level in more than two decades, according to federal survey data released this week. Christopher Ingraham in the Washington Post$ -- 9/8/17

Search warrants target large pot-growing operations in Nevada County -- A Modesto man was arrested after the Nevada County Sheriff's Office responded to citizen complaints about a large, commercial-size marijuana growing operation near Grass Valley. Cathy Locke in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

Illegal pot dispensaries raided in Miramar, Lakeside -- During the two raids, officers seized 12 pounds of high-grade marijuana, 626 edibles, 404 concentrates, business documents and $179 in cash, said San Diego police Lt. Matt Novak, who is with the narcotics unit. David Hernandez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/8/17

Immigration / Border 

‘Dreamers’ aren’t just coming from Latin America -- Like much of the debate around illegal immigration, the conversation about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is often centered on Latinos, and specifically Mexican immigrants. But the population that immigrated to the United States illegally as minors is much more diverse than that. Eugene Scott in the Washington Post$ -- 9/8/17

Appeals Court: Grandparents Not Part of Trump’s Travel Ban -- A federal appeals court on Thursday rejected the Trump administration’s limited view of who is allowed into the United States under the president’s travel ban, saying grandparents, cousins and similarly close relations of people in the U.S. should not be prevented from coming to the country. Gene Johnson Associated Press -- 9/8/17

Health 

Some parents may have found a loophole in California's vaccine law -- Pointing to a sharp increase in the number of children with medical vaccine exemptions, a research letter in JAMA suggests some vaccine-wary parents might have found a legal loophole in the state's new immunization law. Rebecca Plevin KPCC -- 9/8/17

Zika kills brain cancer cells, may find use as therapy -- Zika, notorious for ravaging the brains of babies, could be useful in treating a particularly deadly brain cancer.The virus kills glioblastoma stem cells, say researchers at UC San Diego and Washington University in St. Louis. They tested in human cell cultures and a mouse model of the disease. Bradley J. Fikes in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/8/17

Do You Know How Much Your Drugs Cost? Transparency Bill Pulled From Vote, But Will Return -- A bill aimed at regulating drug price negotiations in California is done for the year at the state Capitol. Democratic Assemblyman Jim Wood says he will return next year with his measure to create transparency around pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 9/8/17

Environment 

Scientists say decline in monarch butterflies brings risk of extinction -- Western monarch butterflies, which crowd trees along the California coast every winter and flush them with color, have declined so dramatically since the 1980s that the species will likely go extinct in the next few decades if nothing is done, scientists said Thursday in a population study of the treasured creatures. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/8/17

Biologists Watch Steelhead Return After Historic Dam Removal -- Removing the dam served a dual purpose: to dislodge a seismic hazard and restore the landscape, allowing endangered steelhead, lamprey and endangered red-legged frogs to return. So far, it’s working. Lindsey Hoshaw KQED -- 9/8/17

Effort to secure public access to Martin’s Beach moves forward -- On Thursday, the California Assembly passed Senate Bill 42, which would create a new account within the State Lands Commission that could accept outside donations, providing the agency money to take a public easement over a private road by eminent domain. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/8/17

Also . . . 

Two Years After Guards Murdered Inmate, a Plan to Reform Santa Clara Jail Oversight -- Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian is putting forward a draft ordinance to establish independent civilian oversight of the county’s troubled jail system. Jail operations have been under intense scrutiny since the death two years ago of a mentally ill man. This summer three guards were convicted of second-degree murder for beating Michael Tyree to death. Peter Jon Shuler KQED -- 9/8/17

Thousands pack memorial service for Sacramento deputy slain in hotel shootout -- More than 3,000 law enforcement officers, family and community members gathered on Thursday to remember the life of Robert French, the veteran Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy who was shot and killed last week. Nashelly Chavez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

First, a mother and daughter died. Then two officers were shot -- Two Sacramento police officers were wounded Thursday in a shootout that killed a suspect wanted in the slayings of a mother and daughter in Meadowview last week. Anita Chabria, ed Fletcher and Matt Kawahara in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/8/17

One step ahead of Irma, animals flown from Florida to Bay Area shelters -- The cold call came to ARF from Broward County at 7:30 Tuesday morning: Got room for about 250 dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets? If you know ARF, you can guess the answer. “Yes,” said Elena Bicker, executive director of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. “Except for the ferrets. We had to tell them they’re illegal in California.” Gary Peterson in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/8/17

POTUS 45  

Trump gets cozy with Democrats, and Republicans say ‘I told you so’ -- The president successfully reached across the aisle, reminding leaders in the GOP why they never trusted him in the first place. Eliana Johnson, Burgess Everett and Heather Cagyle Politico in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/8/17

Republicans jolted by, and Democrats wary of, Trump’s overtures to opposing party -- Political tremors seized both major parties on Thursday in the wake of President Trump’s sudden alignment with congressional Democrats, leaving Republicans alarmed about the unraveling of their relationship with the White House and uncertain about the prospects for their policy ambitions this fall. Robert Costa, Sean Sullivan and Mike DeBonis in the Washington Post$ -- 9/8/17

Beltway 

The Fake Americans Russia Created to Influence the Election -- Sometimes an international offensive begins with a few shots that draw little notice. So it was last year when Melvin Redick of Harrisburg, Pa., a friendly-looking American with a backward baseball cap and a young daughter, posted on Facebook a link to a brand-new website. Scott Shane in the New York Times$ -- 9/8/17

Did Dianne Feinstein accuse a judicial nominee of being too Christian? -- For the second time in recent months, a senator on the left is drawing criticism for suggesting that a Trump administration nominee's interpretation of their Christian faith may be disqualifying. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 9/8/17

Facebook’s Russia Ads Could Be ‘Tip Of The Iceberg,’ Warns Senate Intel Dem -- Facebook’s concession that it sold $100,000 in ads to Russian-linked accounts last year may be “just the tip of the iceberg” of how social networks were used to interfere in the election, warned the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Ryan Lucas NPR -- 9/8/17

 

-- Thursday Updates 

Lineup at California GOP convention takes a hard right with Tom Cotton, Grover Norquist, Judge Jeanine Pirro -- Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, an up-and-comer in the GOP and — at 40 — the youngest member of the Senate, will highlight the conservative lineup of speakers at the California Republican Party’s convention in Anaheim in October. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

AP Exclusive: 'Is risk gone?' Confusion as dam crisis grew -- A towering spillway at the nation's tallest dam was crumbling, and tens of thousands of people were fleeing for their lives. But as darkness fell, state officials realized dealing with the unfolding crisis in Northern California was about to get even worse: They couldn't see. Michael R. Blood and Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press -- 9/7/17

Facebook, real estate developer want California lawmakers' help for their big projects -- Facebook and a New York-based developer, Millennium Partners, are supporting new legislation that would give a boost to their proposed large, mixed-use projects in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, respectively. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

The chief of staff who has served Nancy Pelosi for decades plans to leave this month -- Longtime staffer Nadeam Elshami will step down as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's chief of staff later this month, raising fresh questions about how long Pelosi intends to remain in office. San Francisco's Pelosi has said that she planned to retire if Hillary Clinton had won the presidency last November, but she has appeared reinvigorated by her role as foil to President Trump. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

Former congressman Mike Honda will work to unseat Republican incumbents in California -- Red to Blue California, a political action committee formed in March, announced Thursday that Honda will serve as its chairman, taking on an unpaid advisory role in its effort to unseat Republican incumbents in 2018. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

GOP candidates for California governor tie campaigns to ballot measures -- Two long-shot Republican candidates for governor are looking to use ballot measures to pull them to victory next year, but it’s a strategy with a long, checkered history in California elections. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/7/17

Trump sets contours of a possible legislative compromise for 'Dreamers' -- A day after President Trump threatened to end protections for so-called Dreamers, he stunned all sides again Wednesday by endorsing a legislative fix that could put the young immigrants on the path to legal status. Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

Pelosi urged Trump tweet on DACA, says president willing to sign Dream Act -- President Trump indicated that he was willing to sign the long-stalled Dream Act into law if it passes Congress, House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi said Thursday, another sign that Trump may be uneasy about his decision to phase out DACA. Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

President Trump's campaign takes aim at his new allies, Chuck and Nancy -- President Trump's newfound alliance with "Chuck and Nancy" has its limits. The morning after Trump bewildered Republicans by siding with the top two Democrats in Congress, Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, over those in his own party, the president's reelection campaign Thursday released an ad that targeted them as "career politicians ... trying to stop him." Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/

Judge: Jahi McMath may be alive, lawsuit can proceed -- On Tuesday, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Stephen Pulido allowed the McMath family's lawsuit against UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland to proceed. Mike Moffitt in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/7/17

Amazon's search for second headquarters likely to set off a race among cities; L.A. could be in the running -- Amazon.com launched a search for a second headquarters city in North America that would cost $5 billion and employ up to 50,000 people. James F. Peltz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

Rumored future candidate and California investor Joe Sanberg unveils digital ad touting work fighting poverty -- Joe Sanberg, a wealthy Westwood investor who pushed the state to create income tax credits for the working poor, will launch a statewide digital ad buy on Thursday about the program and plans to form a federal political action committee to support candidates who support his goals. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17

Fox: Will the Center Hold? Look to Feinstein -- Whether the center of California’s political scale has shifted dramatically will be measured by what happens if Senator Dianne Feinstein faces a challenge if she stands for re-election. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/7/17

Nationwide mall theft ring accused of shoplifting $20 million of high-end merchandise in past decade -- For at least the past decade, Tijuana vendors put in special orders for designer merchandise, dispatching teams of shoplifters to malls around the country to steal more than $20 million in loot that could be resold at lower prices in Mexico, according to an indictment unsealed in San Diego federal court Wednesday. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/7/17

Does the LAPD treat celebrity burglaries differently from the average home break-in? -- LAPD officials said they give priority to break-ins they believe are part of a crime series or committed by professional burglary crews. They also prioritize big-ticket cases where unique items, such as art work or jewelry, are stolen or where security cameras capture prowling suspects and offer a good chance at making an arrest. Ben Poston, Richard Winton and Corina Knoll in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/7/17