Updating . .
UC President Janet Napolitano's aides interfered in audit of her office, investigation finds -- Top aides to University of California President Janet Napolitano interfered with a state audit of her office, suppressing campus criticism of its services and operations, according to findings of an investigation ordered by the UC Board of Regents. Patrick McGreevy and Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
UC regent responds to resignation demands: Students ‘ought to be ashamed of themselves -- Embattled University of California Regent Norman Pattiz wasn’t at the board of regent’s meeting Wednesday morning when a group of student protesters demanded his resignation over inappropriate sexual comments he made on tape about a podcast host’s breasts. But he had something to say about their demand: “They ought to be ashamed of themselves.” Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/15/17
Wife of Tehama County shooter found dead under floorboards at home -- Investigators said they found the body of the wife of the man who went on a shooting rampage Tuesday here, and believe she was the first of five fatal victims before he began roaming the community firing homemade rifles at seemingly anyone he encountered. Evan Sernoffsky and Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
State workers should lose jobs over nepotism findings, board says -- Three state workers, including the daughter of a Sacramento-area assemblyman, could lose their jobs because a personnel audit found that they were hired under questionable circumstances at an agency riddled by nepotism. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/15/17
Toxic rule to make air safer around Bay Area industries is approved -- A rule designed to lessen the cancer risk from breathing air around Bay Area oil refineries, power plants, crematoria, sewer plants and many other businesses was approved Wednesday by the region’s air pollution board. Denis Cuff in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/15/17
Iraq War security contractor now protecting buildings in San Francisco -- A Virginia company best known for providing security in Iraq has won a $116.3 million contract to protect federal buildings in San Francisco and elsewhere in Northern California. Triple Canopy Inc. merged three years ago with former rival Academi, which used to be known as Blackwater. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
California may limit liability of self-driving carmakers -- California regulators are embracing a General Motors recommendation that would help makers of self-driving cars avoid paying for accidents and other trouble, raising concerns that the proposal will put an unfair burden on vehicle owners. Michael Liedtke Associated Press -- 11/15/17
Walters: Brown preaches carbon reduction, but does he do it? -- Jerry Brown, like most of humankind, is a mixture of positive and negative tendencies, and sometimes they run together. Dan Walters Calmatters.org -- 11/15/17
California flooding, sea-level rise linked -- As officials in Washington try to repair the nation’s flood insurance program, scientists in California are grappling with a looming threat that will complicate flooding hazards in the state: sea-level rise. Sophia Bollag Capital Weekly -- 11/15/17
House Dems introduce impeachment articles against Trump -- A half-dozen Democrats on Wednesday introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, accusing him of obstruction of justice and other offenses, in a long-shot effort that stands little chance in the Republican-led House. Kevin Freking Associated Press -- 11/15/17
Fox: The Interesting Challenge of a Neighborhood Legislature -- John Cox spent over a million dollars to end money influence in politics. The seeming irony exists because Cox believes the only way to reduce special interest money in candidate campaigns is to make districts so small that big money is not needed to win a seat in the Legislature. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 11/15/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Family of Rancho Tehama shooting suspect: 'Our hearts are broken for that community and the families' -- In a phone interview with the Los Angeles Times, Sheridan Orr of Raleigh, N.C. said the alleged gunman was her brother: Kevin Janson Neal, 44. Orr said she and others were shocked to hear that a member of their family was at the center of the shooting. "The whole thing is tragic," she said. "Our hearts are heavy for what that community is dealing with. "There are certain people that do not need guns and my brother was clearly one of them," Orr said. "He had no business owning a gun. Zero." Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
5 dead, including gunman, in Northern California shooting rampage -- A neighborhood dispute turned into the nation’s latest mass shooting Tuesday when a gunman killed four people and wounded 10 others, choosing most of his victims at random in a rampage that spread to an elementary school in this rural community 115 miles north of Sacramento, authorities said. Melody Gutierrez, Jenna Lyons and Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Ryan Sabalow, Anita Chabria and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ Don Thompson and Paul Elias Associated Press -- 11/15/17
‘Get down! Get down!’ Witnesses recount gunfire, horror at school during mass shooting -- Brian Rodgers was putting out the "Espresso" banner in front of his small coffee shop when he heard the staccato of 10 shots from across the road in this small community. Then he heard the screaming and shouts from Rancho Tehama Elementary School just down the road. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Oakland can be sued over deadly 2016 Ghost Ship fire, judge rules -- An Alameda County Superior Court judge has ruled that Oakland officials have a duty to act when they come across unsafe conditions in buildings such as the Ghost Ship warehouse, which burned a year ago, allowing a lawsuit against the city stemming from the fire to proceed. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
Are Jerry Brown’s green state buildings worth their price? -- One of Gov. Jerry Brown’s green-building directives drives up the cost of state construction projects while delivering an uncertain environmental benefit, according to a new study by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/15/17
Jerry Brown likes veggie burgers better than SUVs -- Jerry Brown is generally unwilling to sink his teeth into cheeseburgers. He showed less hesitation targeting the ubiquitous sport-utility vehicle. First, some context. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/15/17
Ball, Plunkett, Spielberg head to California Hall of Fame -- Comedian Lucille Ball, former Oakland Raiders and Stanford University quarterback Jim Plunkett and moviemaker Steven Spielberg are among the latest class of California Hall of Fame inductees, Gov. Jerry Brown announced Tuesday. Dan Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/15/17
Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds
Tech start-ups fight Senate plan to change the way stock options are taxed -- Senate Republicans have touted their tax bill as business-friendly, but technology start-ups — including Hyperloop One, Airbnb, Uber and Vimeo — are fuming over a provision that would make a major change to how stock options are taxed. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Rohrabacher, Royce undecided on GOP tax bill -- Orange County Reps. Dana Rohrabacher and Ed Royce aren't ready to take a position on the House GOP tax bill they are scheduled to vote on Thursday. Both Republicans represent constituents who could take big financial hits under the House tax bill. They also represent districts the Democrats are attempting to flip in the 2018 midterm. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Pender: State and local tax deduction not as valuable as it seems -- The itemized deduction for state and local taxes has become a flash point in the debate over the GOP’s tax plans. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Colonies Partners: San Bernardino County owes us $45.2 million -- San Bernardino County owes $45.2 million to Rancho Cucamonga developer Colonies Partners, the cost of civil and criminal litigation that spiraled upwards for years over a flood control basin in Upland, according to a demand letter hand-delivered Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors. Richard K. De Atley and Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 11/15/17
California judge says companies must remove pre-1951 lead paint in homes -- Paint companies must pay the state for the cost of removing lead paint from the interior surfaces of homes in San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo and seven other counties, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
Tesla's entry into truck-making presents a whole new challenge for Elon Musk -- There's a cool new electric semi truck coming around the bend. It looks Space Age sleek: no gears, so no constant shifting. Recharging the battery is a lot cheaper than diesel fuel. Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Boy’s injuries on East Bay waterslide prompt $2.5 million suit -- A $2.5 million lawsuit was filed Tuesday against Dublin and the city’s new water park by the parents of a young boy who say they watched in horror on a hot day in May as their son flew off a 48-foot-tall waterslide called the Emerald Plunge and injured his head, back, arms and legs. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
Tesla factory a ‘hotbed’ for racism, where n-word hurled repeatedly at black workers, lawsuit alleges -- In the suit, former assembly worker Marcus Vaughn, who said he was fired from the electric car maker for “not having a positive attitude,” claims supervisors and co-workers called him the n-word, but his written report to human resources about it drew no investigation. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/15/17
Amazon is hiring 3,000 people in the Inland Empire, but their jobs will end at Christmas -- Black Friday is just around the corner. And that means warehouses need more workers to pack and ship all those gifts you're buying online. David Wagner KPCC -- 11/15/17
TV stations are about to track you and sell targeted ads, just like Google and Facebook -- The Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote Thursday on rules designed to promote the spread of what it calls Next Gen TV, a new technology that, among other things, will enable television broadcasters to collect data about your viewing habits. Brian Fung in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Transit
After assault caught on video, BART pledges probe, praises riders -- Bay Area Rapid Transit officials said police are investigating in the wake of an assault captured on video aboard a train this week. In a statement Tuesday evening, they acknowledged the incident after that video was shared online, but praised riders for specific actions during the incident. George Kelly in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/15/17
Homeless
As complaints mount, Sacramento will crack down on panhandling -- Despite the raucous objection of homeless activists, the Sacramento City Council unanimously adopted a pair of ordinances Tuesday night aimed at cracking down on aggressive panhandling and unruly behavior in city parks. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/15/17
Housing
San Jose: Leaders reject proposal to tie rent increases in certain units to inflation -- The stark divide between renters and landlords in San Jose grew even wider Tuesday. For the second time in the past year, city leaders rejected a proposal to tie rent increases in about 45,000 apartments to inflation — which advocates argued would give struggling renters a break in Silicon Valley’s exorbitant rental market. Ramona Giwargis in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/15/17
Wildfire
Atmospheric river brings storm and flash flood warnings to fire-ravaged wine country -- The first atmospheric river-fueled storm of the season is expected to make landfall in California on Wednesday afternoon, when it will dump inches of rain in the Bay Area, disgorge up to a foot of snow over the Sierra Nevada and likely trigger flash floods in fire-scorched wine country. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ Sophie Haigney in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
Cost of wildfires for city of Santa Rosa: $5 million and growing -- The wildfires that obliterated entire Santa Rosa neighborhoods last month have also blown a huge hole in the city’s budget. Kevin McCallum in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 11/15/17
Board of Supervisors sounds alarm over potential mental health crises caused by Sonoma County fires -- Tuesday’s board discussion was prompted in part by the death of Greg Peter Mlynarczyk, a well-known dentist whose rural Santa Rosa home was destroyed in the fires. His body was found Saturday morning at the ruins of his Amber Lane home, where he had shot himself, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. J.D. Morris in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 11/15/17
Education
UCLA basketball trio arrives home from China; Trump calls their actions 'unfortunate' -- The players do not face any charges in China, according to a person close to the situation not authorized to comment publicly because of the sensitivity of the situation, but any punishment levied by UCLA has not been determined. Ben Bolch in the Los Angeles Times$ Thuc Nhi Nguyen in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Beth Harris Associated Press -- 11/15/17
Fires, floods, hurricanes: Teachers turn natural disasters into science and history lessons -- The fires may be out in the Wine Country, but they’re still a daily topic in many California classrooms. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 11/15/17
California at bottom in nationwide ranking of accountability systems; state board president disagrees -- Another prominent education research and advocacy organization that disapproves of California’s approach to school accountability has ranked California’s new system at the bottom nationwide in a report released Tuesday. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 11/15/17
Cannabis
San Jose approves the sale of recreational cannabis starting next year -- San Jose residents next year can buy marijuana at any of the city’s 16 licensed medical pot shops, the City Council decided in a unanimous vote on Tuesday. The decision doesn’t allow new pot shops to open in San Jose and maintains rules on where the cannabis dispensaries are located — away from schools, parks and other collectives. Ramona Giwargis in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/15/17
San Francisco supervisors postpone recreational pot legislation — Jan. 1 sales unlikely -- San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday to kick its big cannabis debate down the road two weeks, making it almost certain that recreational sales won’t start in the city on Jan. 1. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
Former supervisors threaten ballot measure over proposed cannabis rules -- A proposed deal to cut through San Francisco’s cannabis debate and allow existing medical dispensaries to sell recreational pot on Jan. 1 could put a choke hold on the industry, two former supervisors said Tuesday. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/15/17
County Asks For Help Cultivating Marijuana Rules -- Even though California voters approved recreational marijuana last fall, many cities and counties, like Yolo, don't have laws regarding who can grow pot and where. Yolo County says people are growing weed all over the unincorporated areas, even though there is no ordinance that allows it. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 11/15/17
Battle for San Diego marijuana growing permits starts Thursday -- City officials plan to hold a lottery on Wednesday to determine which applicants get the first chance to submit their initial paperwork to a city official on Thursday morning. That will be the beginning of a lengthy and complex approval process. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/15/17
Can’t Find A Bank For All Your Cannabis Money? Marijuana Businesses In California And Colorado Can Empathize -- California’s cannabis industry has a banking problem. Federal rules keep most marijuana businesses from even opening a checking account. Many deal in cash. It’s a problem in other places with legal pot, like Colorado. The reluctance of banks to deal with the cannabis industry is all too familiar to Tim Cullen, CEO at Colorado Harvest Company. Daniel Potter Capital Public Radio -- 11/15/17
Immigration / Border
The FBI called him 'Captain America.' But the informant had a secret -- The evidence seemed overwhelming. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was caught on video stealing trim from an impounded vehicle. Another deputy was captured taking cash after a motorist was shaken down to avoid his car being towed. A third was caught on tape rummaging through an SUV at a tow yard and accused of pilfering designer sunglasses from it. Joel Rubin and Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Health
AP Exclusive: Bay Area scientists try 1st gene editing in the body -- Scientists for the first time have tried editing a gene inside the body in a bold attempt to permanently change a person’s DNA to try to cure a disease. The experiment was done Monday in Oakland on 44-year-old Brian Madeux. Through an IV, he received billions of copies of a corrective gene and a genetic tool to cut his DNA in a precise spot. Marilynn Marchione Associated Press -- 11/15/17
Hepatitis A vaccinations: 100,000+ and counting -- With the number of new cases slowing and vaccination efforts hitting six digits, there were hopeful smiles all around Tuesday as local leaders received the latest data on San Diego’s deadly hepatitis A outbreak. Paul Sisson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
In California, an unexplained increase in valley fever this year -- This year is shaping up to be the worst on record in California for people infected with valley fever, a lung infection caused by a fungus found in soil. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Also . . .
LA County leaders urge reforms to prevent sexual assault in jails -- An effort to reform and bolster prevention of sexual assault and rape in Los Angeles County’s jails and detention centers was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. The motion was passed amid a recent wave of accusations of sexual misconduct that stretches from the halls of state capitals and within the entertainment industry to jails and juvenile camps. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/15/17
Attack on prosecutor as she jogged at Newport Beach park remains a mystery -- Newport Beach police are seeking witnesses who might help them find a man who attacked a San Bernardino County deputy district attorney while she was jogging in Newport Beach on Aug. 31. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
A father helped a stranded couple push their car. Then came a suspected drunk driver -- Mark Poss didn’t hesitate early Sunday morning when he saw a couple trying to navigate their stranded car toward the 15th Street offramp from Highway 50 in downtown Sacramento. Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/15/17
POTUS 45
Poll: 40 percent of voters believe Trump is fit to be president, a new low -- The 40 percent mark is a new low for respondents to the Quinnipiac survey, which asked the same question in September and October. Fifty-seven percent of respondents to the latest poll said Trump is not fit for the office he holds. Nolan McCaskill Politico -- 11/15/17
Trump returns home from Asia with few clear wins -- The president says he strengthened his friendships and pointed to billions in new deals – but he failed to extract major concessions from China and others abroad. Andrew Restuccia Politico -- 11/15/17
Beltway
2 sitting members of Congress have committed sexual harassment, Speier says -- Rep. Jackie Speier, the Peninsula Democrat who last month became the first member of Congress to go public with her own experience of sexual assault on Capitol Hill, testified Tuesday that she knows of two sitting members of Congress who have sexually harassed staffers. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Guy Marzorati KQED Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/15/17
Republican senators add repeal of individual health care mandate to tax bill -- The Congressional Budget Office said last week that such a repeal would reduce federal deficits by $338 billion over the next 10 years, which would help the GOP avoid exceeding a $1.5 trillion cap on how much the tax bill can add to the deficit over the same time period. The repeal would also increase the number of uninsured by 13 million by 2027, according to the CBO. Kelsey Snell NPR -- 11/15/17
Fox News’ Shepherd Smith debunks his network’s Hillary Clinton ‘scandal’ story, infuriates viewers -- Fox News anchor Shepherd Smith debunked what his own network has called the Hillary Clinton uranium “scandal,” infuriating Fox viewers, some of whom suggested that he ought go work for CNN or MSNBC. Fred Barbash in the Washington Post$ -- 11/15/17
Four Pinocchios: Trump’s bizarre claim that Obama ‘never got to land’ in the Philippines -- Well, this is a mystery. Why does President Trump believe that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte refuse to let Barack Obama land his plane in Manila? He’s said it not once, not twice, but three times. On Nov. 14, he even made a sweeping motion with his hand to indicate a landing plane. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 11/15/17
-- Tuesday Updates
Five people killed, 10 hospitalized in Rancho Tehama shooting -- Five people have been killed, including the shooter, in a mass shooting in a community about 15 miles southwest of Red Bluff. Undersheriff Phil Johnston with the Tehama County Sheriff's Office said the victim toll may rise. He confirmed two children were also shot and wounded, and the shootings happened at seven or more different spots. Jim Schultz in the Record Searchlight Jenna Lyons and Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Frank Shyong, Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/17
‘We’re embarrassed’ by Trump’s climate hoax remark, Jerry Brown tells Chinese -- California Gov. Jerry Brown told Chinese environmental officials Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s dismissal of climate change as a hoax invented by their country was “probably the most absurd thing that has ever been said on the topic.” Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/14/17
CHARTS: Here's How GOP's Tax Breaks Would Shift Money To Rich, Poor Americans -- So, $1.4 trillion is a lot of money. It's what all of the NFL teams together are worth, and then some. It's more than twice the Defense Department's 2016 budget. It's enough to buy nearly 3.2 million homes at the median U.S. home price right now. It's also roughly the amount that the proposed Republican tax overhaul would add to the deficit over 10 years — not even counting interest. Danielle Kurtzleben Capital Public Radio -- 11/14/17
Does tax bill help or hurt Californians? Republicans hearing it from both sides -- Millions of California voters opened their newspapers Tuesday morning to a scathing critique of the Republican tax bill currently under consideration in Washington. Emily Cadei McClatchyDC -- 11/14/17
The fight over health coverage for children, pregnant women -- Health insurance coverage for 1.3 million California children and pregnant women is at risk because of Congress’ delay in extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program. While the House recently approved a bill to extend the program for five years, the bill still needs approval by the Senate and a fight is expected about how to pay for the extension. Lisa Renner Capitol Weekly -- 11/14/17
California Throttles Down Pollution from Small Engines -- New California rules aimed at curbing the surprising amount of pollution coming from leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other small gas-powered machines cleared a final hurdle Monday, and are set to take effect on Jan. 1. Stuart Silverstein Fairwarning.org -- 11/14/17
Sacramento County could place homeless people in 15 rentals rather than central shelter -- After months of developing plans for a San Francisco-style “full service” homeless shelter housing 75 men and women under one roof, Sacramento County staff are recommending – at least in the short-term – a plan to put those homeless people in 15 rental homes scattered across the county. Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/14/17
P&E slapped with more lawsuits amid North Bay inferno probes -- PG&E was jolted Tuesday by a fresh round of lawsuits from victims of the lethal North Bay infernos, the latest challenge to the utility as state agencies look into what caused the catastrophe. The October wildfires in the Wine Country and nearby areas killed 43 people and torched at least 245,000 acres in six counties. The cause hasn’t yet been determined. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/14/17
Facing backlog, law enforcement review board considers dismissing 22 cases without investigations -- The citizens panel charged with reviewing deaths inside San Diego County jails or those who died while in Sheriff’s Department custody will consider a plan to summarily dismiss almost two dozen cases due to a long-running backlog. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/14/17
GOP leaders threaten to expel Roy Moore from Senate if he wins Alabama race -- Amid new allegations that Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore molested teenage girls decades ago, GOP leaders intensified their calls Monday for him to quit the race, even threatening to expel Moore if he wins. Lisa Mascaro and Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/17
USC had many warnings about medical school dean's behavior but took little action -- For years, the troubling reports circulated among the faculty of USC's Keck School of Medicine: Their dean had a drinking problem. Paul Pringle and Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/14/17
California Leads the Way Teaching LGBT History to Schoolchildren -- As goes California, so goes the nation—at least, that’s what LGBT advocates in the Golden State are hoping when it comes to a set of new, inclusive K-8 history textbooks. Samantha Allen The Daily Beast -- 11/14/17
Trump Shatters Longstanding Norms by Pressing for Clinton Investigation -- The request alone was enough to trigger a political backlash, as critics of Mr. Trump quickly decried what they called “banana republic” politics of retribution, akin to autocratic backwater nations where election losers are jailed by winners. Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 11/14/17
Jeff Sessions: 'Not enough basis' for special counsel to investigate Hillary Clinton -- Jeff Sessions on Tuesday said there was “not enough basis” to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hillary Clinton, a day after reports surfaced that the attorney general had authorized senior prosecutors at the Department of Justice to evaluate an inquiry into the Clinton Foundation. Sabrina Siddiqui The Guardian -- 11/14/17