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California Policy and Politics Friday
USC rejects Trump education compact aimed at shifting the university to the right -- The University of Southern California on Thursday rejected the controversial education compact the Trump administration offered it and eight other schools, saying it would undermine “values of free inquiry and academic excellence.” Daniel Miller and Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
‘They smashed into me’: Activist says video shows ICE rammed his truck. Agents claim the opposite -- Video that appears to show federal immigration agents using their vehicle to ram the truck of an immigrant rights activist has sparked controversy and public outrage in the city of Oxnard, an agricultural town that has been the frequent target of immigration raids. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
California AG vows to sue if Trump sends troops to San Francisco -- California’s attorney general said Thursday that he plans to take the Trump administration to court if the president follows through on threats to send the National Guard to San Francisco. Noah Baustin Politico -- 10/17/25
California sues Trump administration over ‘Solar for All’ program cancellation -- California and nearly two dozen states sued the Trump administration over its cancellation of a $7-billion solar program for low-income households. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/17/25
Tom Steyer is infuriating Democrats — again -- Tom Steyer swooped in with millions of dollars to tout Gavin Newsom’s congressional redistricting measure. Top Democrats involved with the campaign wish he would stay away. Melanie Mason and Jeremy B. White Politico -- 10/17/25
After CalMatters report, Newsom signs law forcing lawmakers to disclose their new jobs -- California’s elected and appointed officials will now have to tell the public when they’ve accepted a job offer from a new employer that might seek favors from them while they’re still in a position of power. Ryan Sabalow Calmatters -- 10/17/25
California-branded insulin will soon hit the shelves. Newsom says GLP-1s could be next -- Six years after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California would get into the prescription drug business and create its own insulin, lower-cost state-branded insulin will finally be available starting in January, Newsom announced Thursday. Catherine Ho, Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/17/25
Bay Area organizers of Saturday’s “No Kings” protests expect biggest crowds yet -- More than 140,000 protesters took part in protests in the Bay Area in June. Katie Lauer, Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ Ryanne Mena in the Orange County Register$ -- 10/17/25
Comedians cancel Dreamforce shows as Benioff faces backlash for Trump support -- Comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer abruptly withdrew from their scheduled performances at Dreamforce, Salesforce’s annual tech conference, following a week of mounting backlash against the company’s CEO, Marc Benioff. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/25
‘Shocked and disappointed’: Ron Conway blasts Marc Benioff over Trump support -- Ron Conway, one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capitalists and philanthropists, has stepped down from the board of the Salesforce Foundation following comments by CEO Marc Benioff expressing support for President Trump and suggesting that the National Guard be sent to San Francisco. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jeremy B. White, Christine Mui and Lindsey Holden Politico -- 10/17/25
Salesforce Tries to Help ICE Boost Its Immigration Force -- The San Francisco-based firm has told ICE that it could use A.I. to help the agency nearly triple its staff. The company’s C.E.O., once a progressive tech titan, has embraced President Trump. Heather Knight in the New York Times$ -- 10/17/25
Workplace
These companies will stop sponsoring H-1B visas for some tech jobs in wake of Trump’s $100K fee -- Major employers that historically have hired large numbers of H-1B employees have begun disqualifying job applicants who require H-1B visa sponsorship since President Donald Trump used his executive power to impose a new $100,000 fee on applications for the work visa. Ko Lyn Cheang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/25
Cal State workers are getting a one-time bonus, paid for by a $144 million loan due next year -- Cal State’s chief financial officer says the loan will be used to offer one-year bonuses to faculty and staff. While salaries vary widely across the system, the extra $144 million is roughly a 3% increase in the total pay for Cal State’s workers, including executives. State law says the loan needs to be repaid by next July. Mikhail Zinshteyn Calmatters -- 10/17/25
Amazon looks to hire 30,000 seasonal workers in California ahead of holiday shopping frenzy -- The effort is part of a broader hiring push by the e-commerce giant to add 250,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal roles across the United States. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
Beyond Meat’s stock collapses after debt deal -- Shares of the El Segundo maker of plant-based meats, an investors’ darling a few year ago, collapsed this week to less than $1 after the company wrapped up a deal to reduce its debt burden. The deal involves issuing up to 326 million new shares to the note holders. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
San Francisco career startup Handshake lays off nearly 100 workers as it pivots to AI -- In a notice filed with state regulators Wednesday, the company — legally known as Stryder Corp. — said 96 positions would be permanently eliminated at its headquarters at 225 Bush Street. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/25
Verve Coffee to pay nearly $200,000 to S.F. workers over health fund violations -- Verve Coffee Roasters must pay more than $180,000 to employees at the company’s Market Street cafe after failing to provide health benefits required by the city’s Health Care Security Ordinance, according to a news release from the union that represents the restaurant’s workers. St. John Barned-Smith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/25
Chevron to cut more than 175 California jobs in latest layoffs -- The move follows earlier rounds of cuts at Chevron’s San Ramon campus, where the company announced 600 layoffs in March as part of a broader restructuring meant to “simplify our organizational structure, execute faster and more effectively, and position the company for stronger long-term competitiveness,” Perea wrote at the time. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/25
Bay Area TSA workers warn of worsening shutdown impacts as first missed paycheck hits -- Oakland International Airport’s 340 federal security workers only got half their paycheck over the weekend because of the government shutdown. Now, they don’t know when the next one is coming, even as they show up for 12-hour shifts manning security checkpoints that start as early as 2:30 a.m. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/25
Insurance
‘They delayed, they denied’: How insurance errors endanger California patients -- Lawmakers have taken steps to require insurers to keep more accurate directories of doctors and specialists, but state rules still aren’t complete, and penalties are rare. Kristen Hwang Calmatters -- 10/17/25
Cheaper insulin will soon be available through California’s state prescription program -- In a challenge to the pharmaceutical industry, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a plan to offer $11 insulin pens through the state’s prescription program, far below market cost. Dakota Smith and Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
Wildfire
Defense lawyer for man charged with igniting deadly Palisades fire calls case thin and labels it scapegoating -- Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, a one-time L.A. Uber driver and now Florida resident, was arrested by the FBI on Oct. 7 and charged with destruction of property for allegedly starting a Jan. 1 blaze known as the Lachman fire that smoldered for six days until it became the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history. Nathan Solis and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
Homeless
DOJ accuses real estate executives of fraud in homeless funding -- Federal prosecutors charged two real estate executives with defrauding California’s Homekey program, allegedly misappropriating millions meant for homeless housing. Andrew Khouri, Alene Tchekmedyian and Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
The L.A. homeless count misses people who aren’t in tents or cars, a new Rand study finds -- The annual homeless count missed nearly a third of people in Hollywood, Venice and Skid Row, primarily those ‘sleeping rough’ without tents or vehicles. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
Housing
Housing Tracker: Southern California home values drop in August -- Economists and real estate agents say a variety of factors has slowed the market, including high mortgage rates, rising inventory and economic uncertainty stemming from tariffs. Jack Flemming and Hailey Wang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
Education
How the tiniest domestic violence survivors heal with the help of a San Diego preschool -- A San Diego preschool focuses on the “little guys” who experience domestic violence and other trauma. Mi Escuelita now has a long record of helping families move forward. Adriana Heldiz Calmatters -- 10/17/25
Mpox
Mpox strain that may be more severe and easily spread is found in L.A. County for first time -- Two cases of a potentially more severe strain of mpox have been confirmed in Los Angeles County this week. It’s the first time this particular type of mpox, known as “Clade I,” has been found in the United States among people who had no history of traveling overseas to high-risk areas. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/25
Also
Walters: Newsom did what he pledged to do to jump-start housing production. Still no progress -- Eight years ago, as he began his campaign for governor, Gavin Newsom described fixing the state’s chronic housing shortage as a moral imperative. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 10/17/25
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Trump Team Plans IRS Overhaul to Enable Pursuit of Left-Leaning Groups -- Effort would install Trump ally at agency’s criminal unit who has drawn up list of investigative targets. Brian Schwartz, Richard Rubin and Joel Schectman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/17/25
Justice Department Indicts Former Trump Adviser John Bolton -- Former official charged with mishandling classified information, becoming the latest of the president’s critics to face prosecution. Sadie Gurman and C. Ryan Barber in the Wall Street Journal$ Perry Stein, Jeremy Roebuck and Katie Mettler in the Washington Post$ -- 10/17/25
How the Bolton Indictment Compares to Trump’s Classified Documents Case -- Some charges against the onetime national security adviser resemble the dropped case against President Trump, but there are also differences. Charlie Savage in the New York Times$ -- 10/17/25
Judges admonish Trump administration, hand it legal setbacks in Chicago cases -- A federal appeals court declined for now to let the Trump administration deploy troops in the Chicago area. A different judge said she was ‘profoundly concerned’ federal officials were violating her orders. Mark Berman, Marianne LeVine and Kim Bellware in the Washington Post$ -- 10/17/25
Chamber of Commerce sues Trump to block $100,000 fee for H-1B visas -- The powerful business group said the $100,000 fee will hurt American businesses, in its first lawsuit against the administration this term. Lauren Kaori Gurley in the Washington Post$ -- 10/17/25
Trump files amended $15bn defamation complaint against New York Times -- After a federal judge tossed Donald Trump’s $15bn defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, book publisher Penguin Random House and two Times reporters last month, the US president filed a 40-page amended complaint on Thursday. Jenna Amatulli and George Chidi The Guardian -- 10/17/25
California Policy and Politics Thursday
San Francisco DA says she ‘won’t hesitate’ to bring charges against federal agents -- San Francisco’s top cop suggested she’d consider bringing excessive force or other charges against troops deployed by Donald Trump to her city, an unprecedented and legally questionable move as the conflict between the president and Democrats in California escalates. Dustin Gardiner and Melanie Mason Politico -- 10/16/25
In shot across Big Pharma's bow, California will sell its own insulin -- California will start selling low-cost insulin in January, becoming the first state in the nation to bypass Big Pharma with its own supply of the expensive diabetes drug and marking a notable win in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s push to rein in health care costs with state-branded drugs. Rachel Bluth Politico -- 10/16/25
Camp Pendleton weekend live-fire military event won’t require shutting down 5 freeway, Marines say -- The Marine Corps addressed concerns that parts of I-5 could be closed beginning Friday over concerns Navy ships will fire live ordnance over the freeway during a military celebration. Newsom’s office criticized the Trump administration for lack of coordination on the Camp Pendleton event featuring Vice President JD Vance and 15,000 attendees. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Laurel Rosenhall in the New York Times$ -- 10/16/25
Shutdown fallout hits San Diego ahead of Vance’s Marine Corps visit -- When Vice President JD Vance touches down at Camp Pendleton this weekend to mark the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps, he’ll arrive in a region showing signs of strain from the government shutdown — including at food pantries where federal workers are quietly seeking help. Ben Fox Politico -- 10/16/25
Daniel Lurie said S.F. doesn’t need the National Guard. Hours later, Trump said S.F. should be ‘next’ -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday indicated that he wanted to send federal troops to San Francisco, hours after Mayor Daniel Lurie and local law enforcement leaders pushed back on calls for the president to do just that. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Faith Wardwell Politico -- 10/16/25
Trump keeps name-checking the Insurrection Act. It could give him extraordinary powers -- A 200-year-old constellation of statutes, the act grants emergency powers to thrust active-duty soldiers into civilian police duty, something otherwise barred by federal law. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/16/25
S.F. judge blocks Trump mass firings amid government shutdown -- A federal judge ordered a halt Wednesday to the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers during the government shutdown, saying the dismissals are illegal and appear to be politically motivated. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ Hassan Ali Kanu Politico Lydia Wheeler and Ken Thomas in the Wall Street Journal$ Meryl Kornfield and Hannah Natanson in the Washington Post$ -- 10/16/25
The government shutdown is in its third week. What it means for Californians -- So far, day-to-day impacts are minimal: mail is still being delivered, most federal benefits are still being paid out and there have been few disruptions at airports. But the longer the shutdown drags on, the likelier it becomes for service disruptions and other impacts. Nicole Nixon, David Lightman and William Melhado in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/16/25
The Lonely House Republican Still Coming to Work During the Shutdown -- It was 2 p.m. on Tuesday in the empty Capitol, 14 days into the government shutdown, and Representative Kevin Kiley of California, one of the few House Republicans who showed up for work in Washington this week, was excited that he finally had something to do. Annie Karni in the New York Times$ -- 10/16/25
As Washington cuts back, California’s rural hospitals worry about their future -- California’s 67 rural hospitals have rarely been money-makers. Theirs is a nonstop struggle to maintain quality health care while balancing challenges unique to smaller, ethnically and economically diverse communities. The California Hospital Association estimates that nearly half of rural hospitals currently operate at a loss. Nicole Nixon and David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/16/25
No Kings protests are returning to the Bay Area. What to know ahead of Saturday’s events -- A second round of No Kings rallies is coming to San Francisco this weekend, and organizers hope to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump just as loudly as last time. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/16/25
Newsom asks Congress to investigate Young Republicans’ racist messages after Vance downplays them -- Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a congressional antisemitism investigation into the Young Republicans organization on Wednesday after Politico reported its leaders praised Hitler, called for their political opponents to be raped and killed in gas chambers and used dehumanizing language to describe women and people of color in a leaked group chat. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Juliann Ventura Politico -- 10/16/25
Governor candidate Betty Yee backs trans athletes in women’s sports, ’28 Olympics -- Betty Yee said transgender athletes should be able to compete in women’s sports and that the possibility of gender-neutral categories at the 2028 LA Olympics was a “conversation worth having.” Her stance differs from that of Gov. Newsom, who has called transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports “deeply unfair.” Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/16/25
Is Lindsey Horvath running for mayor of Los Angeles? -- Political insiders wonder whether L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath is considering a bid for L.A. mayor. She’s done little to tamp down the speculation. Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/16/25
Just over half of San Diego County voters support redistricting with Prop. 50, poll finds -- Both support for and opposition to Democrats’ gerrymandering effort have risen, as more undecided voters make up their minds. Lucas Robinson in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 10/16/25
Workplace
Another Bay Area tech firm heads to Texas, cutting 138 jobs -- GAF Energy, which manufactures roof shingles embedded with solar panels, will close its San Jose headquarters in December, according to a filing with California’s Employment Development Department. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/16/25
Health Care
California hospitals are suing over the state’s efforts to curb their spending -- California hospitals filed a lawsuit against a state health regulator Wednesday, seeking to block rules meant to keep consumer health care costs from growing too quickly. Ana B. Ibarra Calmatters -- 10/16/25
Newsom signs veteran-backed bill to accelerate study of psychedelics for PTSD, mental health -- The bill was backed by a coalition of veterans who believe psychedelic therapies can help address the veteran suicide crisis. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/16/25
Insurance
Illinois sues State Farm and its California subsidiary over refusal to share home insurance data -- The Illinois Attorney General sued State Farm this month, accusing the nation’s largest insurer of breaking the law by refusing to turn over data about its insurance premiums and non-renewals in every ZIP code in the U.S. — including California. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/16/25
Campus
Elite university planning a S.F. campus is targeting this area of the city -- Sources with insight into the effort have confirmed that Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., has been evaluating the area around Fifth and Mission streets, and that the 5M mixed-use project — including the Chronicle’s historic headquarters building at 901 Mission St. — could be the desired destination. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/16/25
Housing
Housing trust launches $200 million Bay Area fund, buoyed by Apple -- The regional organization said the new financing endeavor, which the Housing Trust describes as a “landmark” fund, would be used to create or preserve 7,400 units of affordable housing in the Bay Area. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/16/25
Street
Inside the Brink’s heist probe: how alleged burglars behind $100-million theft were caught -- Investigators tracked pings from mobile phones connecting to towers along the route taken by a Brink’s 18-wheeler, leading to a break in the case. Daniel Miller, Brittny Mejia and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/16/25
New fraud claims in L.A. County’s $4-billion sex settlement leave victims outraged -- A law firm involved in L.A. County’s $4-billion sex abuse settlement asked for a lawsuit to be dismissed after a Times investigation uncovered two allegations of fraud. Two more plaintiffs have now come forward to say they were told to invent their claims in exchange for cash. Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/16/25
Newsom signs law barring deals to bury police misconduct, after Chronicle investigation -- California law enforcement agencies will be barred from using secret separation deals to conceal troubled officers' misconduct records — helping many get new police jobs — after Gov. Gavin Newsom this week signed legislation sparked by an investigation by the Chronicle and UC Berkeley’s investigative Reporting program. Katey Rusch in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/16/25
Also
A 59-year-old grandmother is claiming a speed record on the Pacific Crest Trail -- Julie Brock, 59, lives north of Sydney but has spent the past few summers ticking off the three great U.S. wilderness trails, known as the Triple Crown of American hiking: She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2023, then the Continental Divide Trail in 2024 before turning her attention toward the PCT this year. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/16/25
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Trump Considers Overhaul of Refugee System That Would Favor White People -- The proposals would transform a program aimed at helping the most vulnerable people in the world into one that gives preference to mostly white people who say they are being persecuted. Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 10/16/25
Democrats float a new shutdown demand: Reversing Trump's mass firings -- Even as the courts step in, some lawmakers want workers protected in any standoff-ending deal. Nicholas Wu and Mia McCarthy Politico -- 10/16/25
White House: Shutdown layoffs will be ‘north of 10,000’ -- White House budget director Russ Vought on Wednesday estimated that more than 10,000 federal workers would lose their jobs as a result of the ongoing government shutdown. Irie Sentner Politico -- 10/16/25
Trump Team Plans IRS Overhaul to Enable Pursuit of Left-Leaning Groups -- Effort would install at the IRS’s criminal unit an ally of President Trump who has drawn up a list of investigative targets. Brian Schwartz, Richard Rubin and Joel Schectman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/16/25
Weak Jobs, Solid Growth and a Fraught Fed Future: The Outlook, Visualized -- How economists view the economic landscape, according to The Wall Street Journal’s latest quarterly survey. Peter Santilli and Anthony DeBarros in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/16/25
Big Changes Are Coming for 2026 Medicare Plans. What You Need to Know -- Skinnier benefits, higher premiums and fewer options mean more than a million seniors should shop for new coverage during open enrollment. Anna Wilde Mathews in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/16/25
Medicare doctor directory, a Trump team priority, launches with errors -- The directory, intended to help older Americans navigate Medicare Advantage open enrollment, produces conflicting responses about which providers are covered by health plans. Dan Diamond and Akilah Johnson in the Washington Post$ -- 10/16/25
Blue States Are Setting Up a Shadow Public-Health Alliance to Counter RFK Jr. -- Initiative aims to help states detect and respond to disease threats in light of public-health funding cuts under Trump. Betsy McKay in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/16/25
Reporters leave Pentagon en masse after refusing to sign on to new rules -- After turning in their press credentials, journalists covering the Defense Department walked out rather than comply with its restrictive new policies. Scott Nover in the Washington Post$ -- 10/16/25