• School Inoovation and Achievement
  • School Inoovation and Achievement

Updating . .   

Turning aside risk, Democrats rally to Bernie Sanders' single-payer health plan -- Like passengers leaping for a departing train, leading Democrats are scrambling to support single-payer health insurance, a system that would represent a huge expansion of government control over healthcare and which the party’s presidential nominee declared last year would “never, ever” come to pass. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Ex-pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli (Pharma Bro) headed to jail after bail revoked -- A judge jailed former pharmaceuticals company CEO Martin Shkreli on Wednesday after finding that he violated his bail on a securities fraud conviction with a social media posting she agreed posed a threat to Hillary Clinton. Tom Hayes Associated Press -- 9/13/17

Report: Investment needed to prepare San Joaquin Valley communities for high-speed rail -- Without state and local intervention, San Joaquin Valley cities with high-speed rail stations will become sleeper communities, farming out tech workers on express trains to the Bay Area and Los Angeles, a report released Wednesday by nonprofit think-tank SPUR argues. Erin Baldassari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/13/17

San Francisco school board moves forward on teacher housing project -- The board voted unanimously Tuesday evening to enter into an agreement with Mayor Ed Lee’s office of housing and development to pursue the construction of up to 140 units on a former school site in the Outer Sunset neighborhood. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

Taylor: Contented family in changing West Oakland, with pangs about gentrification -- Sometimes when Nelson Fernandez walks his pug, Ninja, he runs into people touring Station House, the new solar-powered townhomes between 14th and 16th streets in West Oakland. If they chat him up, the conversation usually doesn’t end without them asking a question that’s become familiar: Is it safe to live there? Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

California could flip the House, and these 13 races will make the difference -- The stakes are high in the 2018 midterm elections: control of the U.S. House. For Democrats to reclaim power, they must forge a path through California. The party considers nine districts here to be battlegrounds and can't win the House without winning at least a few of them. Christina Bellantoni, Julie Wesyfall and Allison Wisk in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Fox: Trust-busting in the Silicon Valley -- The ghost of Teddy Roosevelt and his trust-busting big stick hovers over Silicon Valley as calls for countering the concentrated power of dominate Internet companies grow louder. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/13/17

Public workers from two more towns expected to lose CalPERS pensions -- Trinity County Waterworks District No. 1 west of Redding and Niland Sanitary District from Imperial County are in line to become the third and fourth government agencies to break with CalPERS over the past 12 months in a manner that shortchanges their retirees. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/13/17

Lopez: They raised tens of thousands of dollars to fix a dangerous intersection. Now they can't get the city to take action -- Alexander von Wechmar and Rob Ramsey, who live down the street from each other, have seen a lot of befuddled drivers negotiate their long-troubled intersection in the Hollywood Hills. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Morrison: In the age of Trump, how do you build a legal marijuana industry from the ground up? -- Election night 2016 was such a shocker nationally that maybe you’ve forgotten that, oh yes, California voted to legalize recreational marijuana. And come January, if you’re at least 21, cannabis can be officially taxed and sold to you, just like, oh, the cheese doodles you’ll be wanting to eat after you light up. Patt Morrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Impossible? Fake meat moves beyond burgers -- Today, a tasty cow-free burger. Tomorrow: fewer dead chickens, lambs, pigs and fish. That’s the mission of Impossible Foods, a Silicon Valley startup that has begun conducting tests in its Redwood City laboratory to apply its patented technologies — already proven to create sizzling and tasty engineered “beef” — to a wide array of other foods, perhaps even milk, eggs and cheese. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/13/17

Former Irvine attorney convicted of planting drugs in the car of PTA volunteer disbarred -- A former Irvine attorney convicted of planting drugs in the car of a PTA volunteer has been disbarred. The California State Bar has announced that because of his felony conviction and “moral turpitude,” Kent Easter, 43, can no longer practice law in the state. The State Bar’s recommendation to disbar him was approved by the California Supreme Court, records show. Sean Emery in the Orange County Register -- 9/13/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Poll: Most California Democrats want to restrict free speech from white nationalists -- In this cradle of the free speech movement, from the very campus where the First Amendment has been tested time and again, a new poll from UC Berkeley shows California voters are split over the delicate question of whether white nationalist groups should be allowed to demonstrate. Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/13/17

California’s poverty rate remains nation’s highest -- One in five Californians lives in poverty, the highest rate in the country, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The “Supplemental Poverty Measure,” factors in cost of living and shows a stubbornly high share of Golden State residents in poverty even as the national rate has dropped slightly. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/13/17

Promised parks still unbuilt as lawmakers seek to build more -- Lawmakers are poised to vote this week on $725 million in bond funding to build new parks in underserved neighborhoods around California, even though a third of similar projects promised under the last parks bond in 2006 are incomplete. Sophia Bollag Associated Press -- 9/13/17

California may move up its primary, shaking up 2020 presidential race -- The California Legislature is moving forward on a plan to switch the state's presidential primary election from June to March, a move that would change the national strategy for presidential candidates but has unclear implications for local voters. Mary Plummer KPCC -- 9/13/17

Walters: Blocking new role for community colleges short-sighted -- Senate Bill 769 was just one of dozens of measures that were effectively killed by legislative appropriations committees this month without formal votes or explanations why. Dan Walters Calmatters.org -- 9/13/17

Bill to create 'safe injection sites' for drug users fails in California Senate -- A controversial proposal to allow certain California counties and cities to establish sites where people could inject drugs without legal consequences stumbled in the state Senate on Tuesday night. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

"Safe Zones" For Drug Use Stalls, Workplace Bills Advance, 'Sanctuary State' Split -- Tuesday proved to be another busy day at the California state Capitol as lawmakers rolled through hundreds of bills ahead of Friday's end-of-session deadline. An effort to "Safe Zones" for drug use stalls, law enforcement groups are split on the "sanctuary state" bill, and employee-friendly workplace measures involving job-protected family leave and a job applicant's salary history advance. Julia Mitric and Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Guy Marzorati KQED -- 9/13/17

California Senate bill headed to Gov. Brown would limit mandatory sentences for some drug charges -- A state Senate bill headed to Gov. Jerry Brown would reduce sentence enhancements for some low-level, nonviolent drug offenses, part of a push by Democratic legislators to help young people facing charges or doing time in California. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Despite compromise, California law enforcement mixed on ‘Sanctuary State’ bill -- The California State Sheriffs’ Association remains opposed to the so-called “Sanctuary State” bill despite a number of amendments that weakened the final version, the group announced Tuesday. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/13/17

California Police Chiefs End Opposition To Sanctuary Measure -- California police chiefs have dropped their opposition to a weakened “sanctuary state” measure that would restrict their interactions with immigration authorities, but sheriffs remained opposed Tuesday saying the measure would still limit their authority to work with federal officers in jails. Jonathan J. Cooper and Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 9/13/17

Berkeley OKs pepper spray use by police -- The Berkeley City Council, fed up with violent protests in the city, agreed Tuesday to allow police to use pepper spray to subdue agitators. The council voted 6 to 3 to approve Chief Andrew Greenwood’s request to use the eye-burning spray for crowd control, overturning a 20-year ban on the use of pepper spray during protests. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Tammerlin Drummond in the San Jose Mercury$ Paul Elias Associated Press Tara Siler KQED -- 9/13/17

Embattled ethics watchdog to step down amid turmoil at water agency -- The Metropolitan Water District’s embattled ethics watchdog announced her resignation Tuesday amid a monthslong internal struggle over her office and its investigations. Ethics officer Deena Ghaly informed the MWD of her decision hours before the agency’s 38-member board was scheduled to evaluate her performance. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

LA County leaders limit travel to anti-DACA states -- Faced with growing uncertainty and fear among immigrants across their districts, Los Angeles County Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to defend an Obama-era policy that protected undocumented children from being deported, but disagreed on how their Board should press the federal government to preserve it. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/13/17

Ex-felon donor faces deportation to Cambodia, minus one kidney -- His kidney, part of a rare and intricate six-way transplant that saved three American lives, can stay in the United States. The rest of his body may have to go. Keith Sharon in the Orange County Register -- 9/13/17

Government waives reviews for border wall in California -- The Trump administration on Tuesday waived environmental laws and other reviews to replace a small stretch of border wall in Calexico, California, the second time it has exercised that authority in less than two months. Critics said the move was an overreach and a threat to the environment. Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 9/13/17

Beyond Confederacy: California confronts its legacy of slavery and genocide -- Back when Assemblywoman Monique Limón served on the school board in Santa Barbara, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians donated an encyclopedia-style dictionary to the local schools about their language and culture. Samantha Young Calmatters.org -- 9/13/17

Orange County businessman is the latest Democrat to challenge Rep. Mimi Walters -- Greg Ramsay, a former healthcare administrator turned ice cream shop owner will join the already crowded roster of Democrats hoping to unseat Republican Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Advocates blame oil giants for climate change, call Chevron No. 1 culprit -- As scientists worry that climate change is stoking deadly hurricanes in the Atlantic and punishing wildfires in the West, a new study seeks to drive change by casting blame, connecting global warming to a roster of 90 companies topped by Bay Area-based Chevron. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

Farmworker union dues seized to pay off UFW lawsuit -- Union dues from hundreds of farmworkers will be diverted to pay off a $1.2-million judgment against the United Farm Workers over the union’s treatment of its organizers. Geoffrey Mohan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Conservatives, liberals unite against Silicon Valley -- The days of unqualified praise from Washington are over for the country’s biggest tech companies, whose size and power are increasingly drawing attacks from both the left and the right. Nancy Scola Politico -- 9/13/17

Apple evokes Jobs as $1,000 iPhone X, other products unveiled -- Apple summoned the ghost of co-founder Steve Jobs as it introduced what it called the “smartphone of the future” on Tuesday. Wendy Lee and Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ Tracey Lien in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

California tries to goose electric car sales with rebates—but is it enough? -- California car buyers are getting a mixed bag of news this week, some of which could have profound implications for the future of the state’s effort to get 1.5 million drivers out of emission-spewing vehicles and into electric alternatives. Julie Cart Calmatters.org -- 9/13/17

A’s want to build new ballpark next to Laney College in Oakland -- “Finally, we’ve got our site,” team President Dave Kaval said of the 13-acre location near downtown, which the A’s selected after also considering the Oakland Coliseum site and land on the waterfront northwest of Jack London Square. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

Feds vow to clear road for self-driving car makers -- The Trump administration has a message for the scores of companies racing to develop self-driving cars: We want to make your life easier. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

Wells Fargo aggressive with consumers, careful with companies -- Wells Fargo’s admission that its employees created up to 3.5 million fraudulent accounts suggests a reckless, out-of-control culture. But the San Francisco banking giant seems to have a split personality of sorts. Thomas Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

How much oil and gas does California produce? -- Following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, floodwaters have caused 15 oil refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast to go offline. Collectively, products from those refineries represent about 25 percent of U.S. capacity. In California, Nevada and Arizona, more refined products are distributed through a network of pipelines and terminals, and then on to wholesale and retail customers. Paul Penzella in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/13/17

San Diego quake could kill 2,000, inflict $40B in property damage -- San Diego’s Rose Canyon fault is capable of producing a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that could kill 2,000 people and inflict $40 billion in property damage, according to a preliminary study sponsored by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/17

Equifax hit with class-action lawsuit by East Bay man over ‘a major score for cybercriminals’ -- While America waits to see what use the criminals believed to have hacked Equifax will make of the names, Social Security numbers, addresses and birth dates stolen from up to 143 million people, some consumers are wasting little time in their efforts to drag the disgraced credit-reporting firm into court. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/13/17

Homeless  

Homelessness a ‘significant challenge’ for LAPD officers patrolling Metro buses and trains -- Ten weeks into patrolling Metro’s public transit system, a top Los Angeles Police Department official told the Police Commission Tuesday that calls related to homelessness and mental illness pose a “significant” challenge for law enforcement, so efforts are underway to increase staffing to address such incidences. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/13/17

Orange County Sheriff patrols of riverbed homeless begin Friday -- Orange County Sheriff’s deputies on Friday will begin patrolling the populous homeless encampments that span at least five cities along the Santa Ana River after county supervisors approved the plan at their meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 9/13/17

Housing  

San Diego County close to giving $25 million for affordable housing trust -- With rents soaring and the homeless population growing, San Diego County supervisors are set to put $25 million into a trust fund to help create more affordable homes. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/17

California's housing costs are driving its No. 1 poverty ranking -- New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show California has the country's highest poverty rate, with nearly one in five residents facing economic hardship when factoring in living costs such as housing. Josie Huang KPCC -- 9/13/17

Education 

Science teacher prevails in battle with L.A. school district over 'guns' -- Three days of lost pay may not seem like much, not worth arguing over for more than three years. But when an arbitration panel ruled last month that biology teacher Greg Schiller should get that money back, he and his many supporters saw a much greater victory. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

New report: community college isn't a cheaper route to university -- The Campaign For College Opportunity released “The Transfer Maze: The High Cost to Students and the State of California.” The report’s subject matter is students like Marisa Vasquez, a media studies major at Santa Monica College. “I’ve been going to Santa Monica for four years,” she said. “I was kind of floating around trying to figure out what I wanted to do.” That floating around led her from a marketing major, which was so not her, to photography, photojournalism and now journalism. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez KPCC -- 9/13/17

These students planned a walkout over DACA. Their school district offered a unique solution -- Dozens of students at Edison High School were planning to walk out of class Friday to protest President Donald Trump’s decision to end DACA – a program that protected young immigrants from deportation if they came to the U.S. illegally as children. Mackenzie Mays in the Fresno Bee -- 9/13/17

Milo Yiannopoulos says he, Steve Bannon, Ann Coulter will speak at UC Berkeley -- Milo Yiannopoulos, the provocative right-wing showman whose visit to UC Berkeley in February prompted a riot that shut down the event, said Tuesday he’s coming back in two weeks with like-minded cohorts: author Ann Coulter and Stephen Bannon, former adviser to President Trump. Campus officials haven’t sanctioned the trio’s four-day event, planned by a student group and dubbed “Free Speech Week.” Nanette Asimov and Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

Trump's Education Department puts in limbo 65,000 people who say for-profit colleges swindled them -- Tens of thousands of former students who say they were swindled by for-profit colleges are being left in limbo as the Trump administration delays action on requests for loan forgiveness, according to court documents obtained by the Associated Press. Maria Danilova Associated Press -- 9/13/17

Saved by the peace and quiet at a growing number of California schools -- Hoping to create calmer, more peaceful atmospheres on campus, schools around the state are turning off their bell systems and letting students figure out when class starts the old-fashioned way: by looking at a clock. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 9/13/17

Cannabis 

Pot delivery by drone? California cannabis czars put the kibosh on stoner pipe dream -- If you imagined the skies of California would someday be buzzing with drones carrying tiny vials of pot or edibles for recreational marijuana users, think again because that stoner fantasy was just a pipe dream. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Immigration / Border 

Pregnant woman released from detention in surprise move by immigration officials -- Maria Solis, 28, told the San Diego Union-Tribune about two weeks ago that she was worried she would have a miscarriage because of conditions in detention and her history of difficult pregnancies. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Jean Guerro KPBS -- 9/13/17

Border Patrol agent arrested on suspicion of selling counterfeit designer watches -- Private investigators hired to crack down on the sale of counterfeit luxury goods had set up the undercover parking lot sting in Mission Valley after seeing an ad on Craigslist for Rolex watches. They didn’t expect to find a Border Patrol agent hocking the timepieces from the trunk of his car. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/17

Action to Protect Young Immigrants Already Stumbles in Congress -- A week after concerned Republicans promised quick work to shield young, undocumented immigrants from President Trump’s decision to end their federal protections, lawmakers have tied themselves in knots trying to figure out how to proceed — with only six months to find a way forward. If anything, advocates for immigrants brought to this country as children may have lost ground. Yamiche Alcindor in the New York Times$ -- 9/13/17

Ryan and Pelosi to huddle on Dream Act to protect DACA recipients -- Top House leaders plan to huddle Wednesday to begin discussing legislation that would provide protections to nearly 700,000 “dreamers” at risk of losing their legal status in six months if Congress fails to act. Ed O'Keefe in the Washington Post$ -- 9/13/17

Health 

San Diego hepatitis A outbreak deaths reach 16 -- San Diego County’s hepatitis A outbreak shows no signs of slowing, according to the latest update released Tuesday by the county Health and Human Services Agency. The outbreak’s death total rose to 16 — one more than last week’s total. The number of confirmed cases reached 421, up 23 from last week. The number of hospitalizations also pushed higher, reaching 292 from 279 the week before. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/17

Also . . . 

L.A. saw a big drop in homicides this summer, falling to levels seen in 1966 -- Two years ago, a particularly brutal August — the deadliest the city had seen in years — alarmed Los Angeles police. Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

Victims in mass shooting at UPS facility in San Francisco file lawsuits -- Despite the presence of metal detectors and security guards at a San Francisco UPS facility, an armed employee easily walked into the building, killing three co-workers and wounding two others in June — a shooting that should have been prevented, attorneys for the victims and their families said. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

SFPD use-of-force training simulates dangers officers encounter -- There was a distraught waitress who slashed a co-worker with a foot-long kitchen knife. There was a suicidal man armed with a revolver on his porch. There was a raging husband who had just pummeled his wife to a pulp. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/17

83-year-old man pushes suspected burglar off his roof, capping hours-long standoff in La Puente -- The suspect was on one roof for about five hours before the elderly resident “got tired” of his antics, climbed onto the roof and pushed the man off, according to Sgt. Joseph Morales. “The grandpa did what we couldn't,” Capt. Tim Murakami tweeted after the incident. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/17

POTUS 45  

Russia probes pose loyalty test for Team Trump -- Current and former White House aides caught up in the probe are being advised by their attorneys to tell the truth – even if that might hurt the president. Darren Samuelsohn Politico -- 9/13/17

Beltway 

Bernie Sanders Is Still Not a Democrat. He’s Just the Party’s Maestro -- A quarter of the Democrats in the Senate are now backing the senator’s Medicare for All bill. But others don’t want to dive in headfirst yet. Gideon Resnick, Andrew Desiderio and Sam Stein The Daily Beast -- 9/13/17

Pelosi not endorsing Sanders' single-payer bill -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declined to back a single-payer health care bill drafted by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) , saying she is instead focused on efforts to shield Obamacare from Republican attempts to rescind it. Seung Min Kim Politico -- 9/13/17

Purged Facebook Page Tied to the Kremlin Spread Anti-Immigrant Bile -- The notice went out on Facebook last year, calling citizens of Twin Falls, Idaho, to an urgent meeting about the “huge upsurge of violence toward American citizens” by Muslim refugees who had settled there. Scott Shane in the New York Times$ -- 9/13/17

 

-- Tuesday Updates 

California governor, legislative leaders allocate $30 million for 'Dreamers' in wake of DACA decision -- Gov. Jerry Brown and California legislative leaders have agreed to earmark $30 million for financial aid and legal services to help young people brought into the country illegally as children, a response to President Trump’s recent decision to cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Lawmakers block effort to allow 17-year-olds to vote in California elections -- Assembly Constitutional Amendment 10, proposed by Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), failed to gather a required two-thirds vote in the Assembly. Mina Corpuz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Supreme Court blocks new refugees under Trump travel ban -- The Supreme Court gave a short-term win to the Trump administration Tuesday, bolstering part of a travel ban that will allow the administration to block new refugees arriving from six majority-Muslim nations. David Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Now this is ridiculous: $782,000 over asking for a house in Sunnyvale -- A house in Sunnyvale just sold for close to $800,000 over its listing price. Your eyes do not deceive you: The four-bed, two-bath house — less than 2,000 square feet — listed for $1,688,000 and sold for $2,470,000. Richard Scheinin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/12/17

UC Berkeley says 'Free Speech Week' events with Yiannopoulos, Bannon in doubt -- More than a month after a conservative student organization announced it would sponsor campus talks by a trio of controversial speakers on the right — including Steve Bannon, Milo Yiannopoulos and Ann Coulter — University of California Berkeley representatives insist the group has repeatedly failed to comply with requests to facilitate the late September “Free Speech Week” events. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 9/12/17

CA120: An odd tale of prisoners and redistricting -- Much of redistricting law is arcane and technical. But often what seems like a little detail can become a significant factor in how the lines will be drawn. Take, for example, prisoners Paul Mitchell Capitol Weekly -- 9/12/17

L.A. Unified announces highest-ever graduation rate, again -- The Los Angeles Unified School District appears to have once again broken its all-time record, reporting a preliminary graduation rate of 80.2% for the class of 2017. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Meet the iPhone X, Apple's newest top-of-the-line gadget -- First off, it's pronounced "iPhone 10." Now that that's out of the way, here are the specs for Apple's new top-of-the-line device. Tracey Lien in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Court orders Rep. Darrell Issa to pay opponent Doug Applegate $45,000 after failed defamation lawsuit -- In November, Issa, a Vista Republican, sued Democrat Doug Applegate over attack ads the congressman said hurt his reputation. In March, a judge said Issa didn’t prove his case and sided with Applegate, who argued that he was exercising his free speech rights with the television commercials, and that Issa’s lawsuit was an attempt to silence criticism. Joshua Stewart in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Democrats choose union over Tesla in California cap-and-trade deal -- Democratic lawmakers are siding with organized labor in its battle with automaker Tesla, inserting a provision in a last-minute bill to spend $1.5 billion in cap-and-trade money. The package largely spends funds on a variety of anti-pollution programs, such as those to retrofit and replace smog-belching big rigs and buses. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/12/17

California Legislature reaches its new deadline -- Last-minute amendments have defined the final days of California legislative sessions as much as lawmakers’ busy fundraising calendars and Capitol hallways jammed with lobbyists. Jim Miller and Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/12/17

Progressive Democrats’ counter-argument to Trump tax plan: a $1.4 trillion tax credit for the working class -- As Congress starts to debate President Donald Trump’s plan to overhaul the tax code and cut corporate rates, a Bay Area Democrat is putting forward a radically different tax proposal. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Santa Clara, will introduce a bill Wednesday that would give low-income and working-class taxpayers a big tax credit — at a massive price tag. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/12/17

Unions could get a boost from California's cap-and-trade spending proposal -- If passed by lawmakers, the legislation would require state regulators to certify that automakers are "fair and responsible in the treatment of their workers" before vehicles can be eligible for the rebates. The change would take effect next summer. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

'Revenge porn' victims will be able to maintain privacy in court under new law signed by Gov. Brown -- The legislation by Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) was introduced to protect the confidentiality of anyone who brings a civil action against "revenge porn." Under the new law, when a victim's pseudonym is used in court, it will also have to be used in all pleadings, documents, proceedings and other case records. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

Antonio Villaraigosa banks on historic Latino groundswell in run for governor, but concedes his time might be over -- A few dozen migrants from Mexico looked up from the Salinas Valley field where they were picking strawberries and watched Antonio Villaraigosa’s convoy rumble toward them in a cloud of dust. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

How a relentless work ethic and an eye to bridge cultures transformed a Vietnamese refugee into Alhambra's police chief -- Timothy Vu grips the wheel of a police cruiser and casts a grim gaze south on Atlantic Boulevard in Alhambra. He’s staring down one of the city’s most pernicious public safety issues — a long line of cars snaking down a two-lane road for nearly half a mile, frustrating drivers and endangering pedestrians. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/17

San Francisco employee pension fund under pressure to unload fossil fuel stocks -- The San Francisco Employee Retirement System is facing mounting pressure to unload its roughly $470 million worth of investments in the fossil fuel industry, which would make it the first major pension fund in the nation to do so. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/17

Salesforce millions have San Francisco, Oakland schools freely trying innovations -- When Joe Truss took over two years ago as principal at Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, he looked at the classrooms, with their slide-in-sideways wooden desks organized in rows, and thought they evoked the 1950s more than the 21st century. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/17

"Transfer maze" awaits California community college students, advocacy group says -- California’s community college students face frustrations on the path to a four-year degree, enduring confusing and competing policies that result in a small share of students actually transferring to a Cal State or University of California campus. Mikhail Zinshteyn EdSource -- 9/12/17