Updating . .   

California’s last nuclear plant to close after unanimous vote by regulators -- California’s last nuclear power plant — Diablo Canyon, whose contentious birth helped shape the modern environmental movement — will close in 2025, state utility regulators decided Thursday. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/11/18

Rescue efforts continue in Montecito as community reels from deadly mudslide -- Rescue crews continued to search for survivors amid the mud and wreckage of Montecito’s massive debris field on Thursday, but acknowledged that the window to save lives is rapidly closing. Brittny Mejia, Matt Hamilton and Melissa Etehad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Amid rains and mudslides, drought concern remains -- Despite the fierce rains and deadly mudslides that have struck California, water officials are concerned about the possibility of a renewed drought. But they caution that is too early to tell. Jessica Hice Capitol Weekly -- 1/11/18

Trump complains about allowing immigrants from 'shithole' countries -- As he rejected a bipartisan compromise Thursday to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, President Trump asked participants in an Oval Office meeting why the United States should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” in Africa, according to two people briefed on the meeting. Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

White House doesn't deny Trump's 'shithole' immigration remark -- “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” White House spokesperson Raj Shah said in a statement, adding a list of parameters the president believes should be part of any immigration agreement. Democrats were quick to pounce on the remarks, slamming Trump for what Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) described on Twitter as “abhorrent bigotry.” Seung Min Kim and Matthew Nussbaum Politico -- 1/11/18

Report: Issa considering running in district next door -- Don’t put GOP Rep. Darrell Issa on the retirement list just yet. Issa has been discussing possibly running for another House seat in a neighboring district, The Hill newspaper reported Thursday. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

California lawmakers kill rent control bill. The battle could be headed to voters -- California lawmakers killed a bill Thursday that likely would have expanded rent control laws in cities and counties, setting the stage for a protracted statewide battle over how to rein in the state’s soaring housing costs. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 1/11/18

Former Democratic leader predicts ‘big, blue wave’ at election -- Donna Brazile, former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee, headlined the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast on Thursday, reminding the audience of California’s important role in creating the day honoring the slain civil rights leader. Billy Kobin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

California lawmakers ponder if legal standard for sexual harassment cases is too high -- Is it too difficult for victims of sexual harassment to make their case in court? California legislators wrestled with that question Thursday at a hearing examining the legal threshold for harassment cases under state and federal law. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Opening of BART’s San Jose extension faces probable delay -- Commuters eager to hop on a BART train to or from San Jose will probably have to wait until fall, at least three months later than projected, BART officials said Thursday. It’s not their fault, they said. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

Fox: Proposition 13 on his Mind -- By my count, Governor Jerry Brown mentioned Proposition 13, the nearly 40-year old property tax reform, three times during his press conference presenting a new state budget. Brown’s discussion of Prop 13 came in the context of the fiscal world California lives in because of the mandates of that tax measure. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/11/18

Borenstein: Brown suffers major setback on pension reform -- Gov. Jerry Brown suffered a significant legal setback this week when a state appeals court dealt a blow to hopes for meaningful pension reform in California. The decision after five years of litigation over pension spiking could undermine key portions of legislation the governor signed in 2012 to end such abuses and help shore up retirement systems across the state. Dan Borenstein in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/11/18

Donald Trump visit to London called off amid fears of mass protests -- President will not now open new US embassy next month, with secretary of state Rex Tillerson likely to take his place. Heather Stewart The Guardian -- 1/11/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Is Tony Mendoza really gone? Lawmaker works on bills at Capitol while on leave -- Despite taking a leave of absence while under investigation for sexual harassment, Sen. Tony Mendoza returned this week to his Capitol office and attended a Sacramento event hosted by an interest group. Alexei Koseff and Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

Jerry Brown to Trump: Give California coasts the same courtesy you gave Florida’s -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday said California plans to ask for an exemption from the Trump administration’s proposed expansion of off-shore oil-drilling, seeking the same exception that the White House gave to Florida from a controversial plan that upset residents of coastal states. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

Skelton: In his final state budget, Gov. Jerry Brown is tying up loose ends for his successor — and protecting his rear -- It seemed like Gov. Jerry Brown was tying up loose ends and starting to pack as he unveiled his 16th and final state budget proposal Wednesday. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Myers: California lawmakers have a $190.3-billion state budget plan to consider. Here's some of what it would pay for -- Insisting that California lawmakers continue to restrain government spending growth in preparation for a recession he believes is just around the corner, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday unveiled a state budget for 2018 that proposes banking most of a $6.1-billion tax revenue windfall expected to show up in the fiscal year beginning July 1. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Walters: Brown’s final budget reflects cautious approach -- Roy Bell, who was Jerry Brown’s first budget director 43 years ago, called it a “dog-and-pony show” and it’s one of the Capitol’s longest-running rituals. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 1/11/18

California's effort to dodge President Trump's tax plan faces political and practical challenges -- A complex proposal to help Californians evade a provision in President Trump’s federal tax plan faces key questions even as its author is working toward the bill’s speedy passage: How much would the plan ease Californians’ new tax burdens, and would the Trump administration let it happen? Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

GOP retirements boost Democrats’ hopes of taking targeted House seats in California -- In the past 72 hours, two of California’s longest-serving Republicans in Congress announced they are not seeking reelection this fall, scrambling state politics and dealing a blow to their party’s chances of hanging onto the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

Emergency cellphone alerts didn't go out until after mudslides began in Montecito -- Santa Barbara County officials chose not to send an emergency alert to cellphones warning of mudslides until destructive flooding had already begun in Montecito, officials said Wednesday. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Residents didn't heed voluntary evacuation before mudslide -- Residents of the area hit the hardest by the deadly flash floods in Southern California didn't heed a voluntary evacuation. In Montecito, California, the vast majority of people under mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders early Tuesday stayed in their homes, 400 of which were either destroyed or damaged. At least 17 people died. Michael Balsamo Associated Press -- 1/11/18

From Oprah to the insurance man, Montecito residents reel from devastation -- From Oprah Winfrey to less well-known names, residents of the Montecito area shared stories of the deadly mudslides and gave each other support and perspective. Brittny Mejia and Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ Marcio Jose Sanchez and Robert Jablon Associated Press -- 1/11/18

New San Onofre deal reached between utilities, consumer groups -- Three-plus years after state regulators permitted Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric to start charging consumers billions of dollars for the failure of the San Onofre nuclear plant, utility executives and consumer advocates appear to have settled a long-running dispute over premature closure costs. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/11/18

Here we go again: FAA investigating another SFO landing mishap -- In the latest pilot landing incident at San Francisco International Airport, federal investigators Tuesday launched an investigation after an Aeromexico passenger jet was ordered to abort a landing when it lined up on the wrong runway which was occupied by another commercial jet. Matthias Gafni in the San Jose Mercury$ Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

Brock Turner case: Campaign turns in 100,000 signatures to put judge’s recall on June ballot -- The campaign to recall Judge Aaron Persky for giving a former Stanford athlete convicted of sexual assault a relatively lenient sentence — six months in jail plus having to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.– has collected nearly 100,000 signatures, 70 percent more than necessary, recall organizers say. Tracey Kaplan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/11/18

More GOP candidates rush into congressional race after Rep. Royce’s announcement -- Republicans are quickly launching campaigns in the wake of GOP Congressman Ed Royce’s unexpected retirement announcement Tuesday, with three relatively well-known politicians announcing bids Wednesday evening and joining two others who declared earlier that day. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 1/11/18

Gov. Jerry Brown proposes topping off California's rainy-day fund in his new state budget -- Seeking to capitalize on another year of unexpectedly strong tax revenue collections, Gov. Jerry Brown asked state lawmakers Wednesday to fully fund California’s rainy-day cash reserve fund to $13.5 billion by next summer, the largest cash reserve in state history. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

The re-education of Patty Lopez: Capitol’s sexual harassment scandal gives her a second chance -- Patty Lopez came to Sacramento in 2014 as a complete outsider, disconnected from the political machinery that helps most people win election to the California Legislature. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 1/11/18

Department of Water Resources chief ousted after report blames Oroville dam crisis on lax safety culture -- Grant Davis, director of the California Water Resources Department, was replaced Wednesday just days after an independent investigation of the Oroville dam spillway incident last year found that a flawed safety culture contributed to the disaster. Ralph Vartabedian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Lopez: We know L.A.'s new recycling program is a fiasco, but how'd it get so screwed up? -- When it comes to bureaucratic bungling by school districts, utility companies and City Hall, Los Angeles has always been an Olympic contender. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Stockton City Council Votes To Go Ahead With Advance Peace Program -- Stockton has adopted a controversial plan to reduce gun violence by paying those most likely to commit gun related crimes. The City Council voted to try the Advance Peace program over the next four years. Advance Peace goes out into the community, identifies those most likely to be a suspect or a victim, and mentors them. Rich Ibarra Capital Public Radio -- 1/11/18

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

Proposal for $9 tolls on Bay Bridge, $8 on other bridges gets big boost -- A measure to raise Bay Area bridge tolls to $9 on the Bay Bridge and $8 on others over several years took a major step forward Wednesday when a key transportation committee unanimously recommended putting it before voters in June. Lizzie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

L.A. County sets another tourism record with 48.3 million visitors last year -- For the seventh straight year, Los Angeles County has set a record for drawing big-spending tourists. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

A new trend in statewide migration: Californians ditching coastal cities and moving inland -- Researchers have uncovered a surprising trend in California migration: The populations of inland counties are growing faster than that of urban coastal counties. Phuong Nguyen, a research specialist at the California Department of Finance, began noticing the influx of Californians to inland regions, like San Joaquin and Sacramento, around 2014. Michelle Robertson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

Education 

Gov. Brown proposes California's first fully online public community college -- Gov. Jerry Brown wants California to launch its first fully online public community college to help 2.5 million young adults without college credentials gain skills for better jobs and greater economic mobility. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Mikhail Zinshteyn and Larry Gordon EdSource -- 1/11/18

Gov. Brown proposes ambitious education agenda in his final state budget – Even while again predicting an economic recession just around the corner, Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing to leave office with a burst of education spending. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 1/11/18

Cannabis 

Sacramento pot dispensaries are running low on this one type of product -- Curtis Ducart, purchasing manager for River City Phoenix and Hugs Sacramento, said the dispensaries haven’t been able to stock many of the edible marijuana products that are popular with people who consume cannabis but don’t like to smoke it. Brad Branan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

Immigration / Border 

ICE targets 6 Bay Area cities in 7-Eleven crackdown -- Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, Suisun City, Petaluma and Sebastopol were among the areas inspected by Immigration Customs Enforcement officers “to ensure that businesses are operating with employees who have proper work authorization,” according to a statement released by ICE. Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

ICE agents target five 7-Eleven stores in LA area amid nationwide immigration action -- In all of Southern California, four audit notices were served to 7-Eleven stores in the city of Los Angeles and one in Culver City, said Lauren Mack, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/11/18

DACA recipients eager to act after ruling, but quick resolution unlikely -- Within minutes of a San Francisco federal judge’s order barring the Trump administration from ending a program that protected nearly 700,000 immigrants from deportation, attorney Marissa Montes’ phone was inundated with text messages and calls from clients. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

‘I was literally shaking,’ says Inderkum High graduate after beating Trump in court -- Inderkum High School graduate Jirayut “New” Latthivongskorn was studying inside his Boston apartment late Tuesday night when he received unexpected news: He’d just won a major legal victory against President Donald Trump. Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/11/18

Health 

Governor Brown’s Proposed Budget Has Only Modest Boost For Health Care -- Despite a projected $6.1 billion surplus, Governor Jerry Brown's proposed budget calls for only a modest increase in heath care spending. The proposal contains $233 million for larger payments to doctors and dentists who treat Medi-Cal patients. It also uses revenue from California's recently-increased tobacco tax to boost pay for home-health providers. Kenny Goldberg KPBS -- 1/11/18

Environment 

Decision to spare Florida from offshore drilling could help California -- The outrage among California and most other coastal states over President Trump’s order to allow offshore oil and gas drilling nationwide was only heightened by the administration’s decision this week to exempt Florida, at the behest of its Republican governor. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/11/18

California’s climate fight gets harder soon, and the big culprit is cars -- By most measures, California has earned the right to brag about how much it has cleaned up its environmental act. The air in much of smog-shrouded Southern California has been scrubbed. A passenger car for sale here today is 99 percent cleaner than one on offer in the early 1970s. The fossil fuels required to power the state’s economic engine have decreased by a third since their peak in 2001, while economic activity has expanded in that time by an equal measure. Julie Cart Calmatters -- 1/11/18

Also . . . 

Drug charge dropped in hit-and-run case scrutinized after LAPD body cam footage became public -- The videos showed a police officer pick up a small bag of drugs and place it in the driver’s wallet — a move that raised questions about the officer’s conduct and prompted an internal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

$61 Million Spent On SANDAG’s Bike Program; Only 4 Miles Completed -- The figures were released in a staff report to two of the agency's committees last week. The bike projects are part of an "Early Action Program" approved in 2013 that aims to build 28 high-priority bikeways spread across the county. SANDAG has opened 3.7 miles of those planned bike facilities to traffic. Andrew Bowen KPBS -- 1/11/18

Smith: Native son Art Janssen approaches age 109, at 1,160 steps per day -- At 108, the former banker, insurance exec and mayor of Sebastopol remembers everything, exudes gratitude and can’t wait for his San Francisco Giants to start spring training on Feb. 23. Chris Smith in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 1/11/18

POTUS 45  

Trump’s secret plan to scrap Obamacare -- The document, revealed for the first time by Politico, shows that despite the chaos surrounding repeal, the administration had an elaborate plan to take apart the law using executive authority. Jennifer Haberkorn Politico -- 1/11/18

Trump declines to say whether he would sit for interview with Mueller’s team -- President Trump on Wednesday declined to say whether he would grant an interview to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team, deflecting questions on the topic by saying there had been “no collusion” between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Josh Dawsey in the Washington Post$ -- 1/11/18

Joe Biden to President Trump: 'Grow up.' -- Former Vice President Joe Biden had sharp words of advice for President Trump Wednesday. “Grow up. Stop focusing everything through the prism of me,” Biden told a sold-out crowd at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles. “The childish behavior of ‘My button’s bigger than your button.’ It’s not just ridiculously funny, it’s dangerous.” Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Trump’s Netherlands ambassador was asked to name a person ‘burned’ because of Islam. He couldn’t. -- Peter Hoekstra, the newly minted U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, held his first conference with the Dutch media at his new residence in the Hague Wednesday. It did not go well. Eli Rosenberg and Amar Nadhir in the Washington Post$ -- 1/11/18

Beltway 

China might make it harder for U.S. to pay for Trump's tax cuts -- Chinese officials reviewing the nation’s foreign-exchange holdings have recommended slowing or halting purchases of U.S. Treasuries. Saleha Mohsin and Sahil Kapur in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

Judge denies injunction to remove Mick Mulvaney as consumer bureau's acting director -- The judge sided with Mulvaney — President Trump’s choice for the interim position — over Leandra English, the agency’s deputy director who has said she is the rightful acting director. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/11/18

 

-- Wednesday Updates 

Death toll rises to 17 in Montecito; 100 homes destroyed by mudslides -- The death toll from massive debris flows that buried homes and cars under a torrent of mud and boulders rose to 17 in Montecito, where local personnel and the U.S. Coast Guard continued rescue operations Wednesday afternoon. James Queally, Melissa Etehad and Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/10/18

After Oroville disclosures, embattled California water agency names new director -- The California Department of Water Resources underwent a management shakeup Wednesday, less than a week after investigators released a scathing report on last February’s crisis at Oroville Dam and how the department handled it. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ John Howard Capitol Weekly Ralph Vartabedian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/10/18

Trump gives Feinstein a re-election gift -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the newest target of President Trump’s Twitter rage, and it couldn’t be better news for the California Democrat. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/10/18

Issa becomes second California Republican to announce retirement as Democrats look to reclaim House -- Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) will not run for a 10th term in Congress, he announced Wednesday morning, becoming the second California Republican to retire this week as Democrats strive to retake control of the U.S. House. On Monday, Republican Rep. Ed Royce of Fullerton also announced he would not seek reelection. Sarah D. Wire and Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/10/18

GOP Assemblyman Rocky Chavez announces he'll run for Darrell Issa's U.S. House seat -- Assemblyman Rocky Chavez (R-Oceanside) says he’s joining the fray in the 49th Congressional District hours after Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) announced he won’t seek reelection there. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/10/18

After two GOP retirement announcements this week, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher says: 'You can count on me' -- With the announcements of two congressional retirements in less than a week, many California politicos are wondering who could be next as the GOP delegation faces an increasingly hostile outlook for the mid-term elections. In a statement Wednesday, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) said it loud and clear: It won’t be him. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/10/18

Grand jury subpoena issued in criminal investigation of Rep. Duncan Hunter's campaign spending -- A federal grand jury is slated to hear evidence this month regarding campaign finance transactions by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), who has been under scrutiny since the spring of 2016 over questionable personal expenditures. Morgan Cook in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/10/18

Downplaying the threat of repeal, Brown offers spending plan for $4.6 billion in new gas taxes and fees -- Gov. Jerry Brown proposed Wednesday to spend $4.6 billion from new gas taxes and vehicle fees on repairing California’s roads and bridges and improving rail systems in the next year, and downplayed the threat that voters might repeal the levies in November. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Casey Tolan, Katy Murphy and Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ Jonathan J. Cooper and Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press Ezra David Romero, Sammy Caiola, Chris Nichols, Ben Adler and Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 1/10/18

Capitol Weekly podcast: Bill Magavern -- Welcome to 2018, which the Coalition for Clean Air’s Bill Magavern has dubbed “The Year of the Truck.” Magavern, a veteran environmental advocate, joins us for our first Capitol Weekly Podcast of 2018. Link Here -- 1/10/18