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California Policy and Politics Sunday
ICE ‘wrongfully detained’ L.A. County D.A.’s office employee, Hochman says -- A Los Angeles County district attorney’s office employee was “wrongfully detained” by federal immigration agents on Friday, according to an internal e-mail obtained by The Times. L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman called the incident “unacceptable” in an office-wide memo sent out on Friday evening. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/18/26
After ICE killing, Bay Area district attorneys question whether federal agents can be held to account -- In the eyes of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, the reaction inside the White House to Renee Good’s death earlier this month — and the president’s quick exoneration of the immigration agent who shot her — served as a troubling harbinger for the Bay Area. Jakob Rodgers, Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 01/18/26
Honduran father died in ICE custody in California. His family wants an investigation -- A 68-year-old Honduran man, Luis Beltrán Yanez-Cruz — who lived in the U.S. for 26 years — died in ICE custody in California this month. His family says he reported worsening health issues including chest pains and shortness of breath while detained for more than a month. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/18/26
Fare thee well: Thousands give Bob Weir a stirring send-off at S.F. ‘homecoming’ -- Weir, who inspired generations of fans as singer-guitarist with the Grateful Dead, was memorialized by thousands of music lovers in the city where both he and his band were born. Fans came from across the country and as far away as London, Tokyo and Bangkok. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/17/26
Amid rising costs, California and L.A. initiatives aim to tax the ultra-rich -- A proposed tax on billionaires has some of them threatening to flee California, along with their tax revenue and businesses. In L.A, a union-backed proposal would raise taxes on companies whose CEOs make at least 50 times more than their median-paid employee. Hailey Branson-Potts and Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/18/26
Joe Garofoli: Are the billionaires bluffing? Question looms over explosive tax debate -- As Democrats struggle to figure out how to regain power, many are seizing on populist positions — except when it comes to a proposed tax on California billionaires, which would affect about 200 people in a state of nearly 40 million. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/18/26
31,000 healthcare workers give notice of strike at Kaiser on Jan. 26 -- First five-day strike ended in October without labor agreement, negotiations stalled a month ago. Pat Maio in the Orange County Register$ -- 01/18/26
The Grocery Store at the Center of San Francisco’s Latest Housing Battle -- A proposed apartment tower on top of an iconic Safeway highlights tensions between California’s state and local zoning laws. ‘Why does a large parking lot deserve a view of the water?’ Owen Tucker-Smith in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/18/26
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Trump announces he will sue JPMorgan ‘over the next two weeks’ for allegedly ‘DEBANKING’ him -- President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will be suing the investment banking company JPMorgan Chase within “the next two weeks” for allegedly “DEBANKING” him after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Ben Johansen Politico -- 01/18/26
In Trump’s Drive for Greenland, NATO Is the First Casualty -- The threat of a new trade war with Europe is pushing the trans-Atlantic alliance into its deepest crisis since World War II. Marcus Walker and Daniel Michaels in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 01/18/26
Trump announces new tariffs against Europe amid Greenland push -- President Donald Trump on Saturday said he is levying sanctions against eight of America’s closest European allies as he escalates his campaign to acquire Greenland from Denmark. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico Kim Mackrael, Meridith McGraw and Gavin Bade in the Wall Street Journal$ Shawn McCreesh, Ana Swanson and Jeanna Smialek in the New York Times$ Michael Birnbaum and Brianna Tucker in the Washington Post$ -- 01/17/26
Pentagon readies 1,500 soldiers to possibly deploy to Minnesota, officials say -- Soldiers with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division in Alaska have been placed at the ready following Trump’s Insurrection Act threat, according to defense officials. Dan Lamothe in the Washington Post$ -- 01/18/26
California Policy and Politics Saturday
ICE agent believed responsible for L.A. killing accused of child abuse, racism in court filings -- A court filing made public this week claims to reveal the identity of the off-duty federal immigration agent who shot and killed a Los Angeles man on New Year’s Eve and includes allegations that the law enforcement officer whipped his sons with a belt and made racist and homophobic remarks in the past, according to documents obtained by The Times. James Queally, Libor Jany and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Immigration sweep rattles L.A.’s Fashion District, deepening fears and slumping sales -- Federal agents swept L.A.’s Fashion District on Thursday, rattling workers and shoppers while forcing some businesses to close, deepening fears from last summer’s raids. Suhauna Hussain and Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Billionaire developer Rick Caruso won’t run for California governor or LA mayor -- The centrist Democrat seemed primed to return to political life after wildfires tore through the city last year, destroying his Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Melanie Mason Politico Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ -- 01/17/26
Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’ll tell Davos economic forum what he thinks of Trump -- Gov. Gavin Newsom will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week, where he will make a speech criticizing President Donald Trump for disrupting the U.S.’s relationships with global allies, his office said Friday. Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ Melanie Mason Politico -- 01/17/26
Echoing Trump, Newsom vows crackdown on corporate homebuying in California -- Gov. Newsom pledges action against institutional investors like hedge funds and private equity firms buying homes to rent out, mirroring President Trump’s recent call for similar restrictions. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
In San Francisco, Newsom rails against proposed billionaire tax, vows to protect homeless Californians -- With California facing deep budget uncertainty and widening economic divides, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday vowed to protect residents on both ends of the income spectrum — from wealthy business leaders he fears could leave the state to unhoused Californians relying on state-funded services. Dakota Smith and Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Gavin Newsom says S.F. is making ‘extraordinary progress’ under Mayor Daniel Lurie -- Speaking alongside Lurie at a news conference in the Mission District, Newsom said the city had seen “remarkable” improvements on Lurie’s watch. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/17/26
Gavin Newsom sets last possible date for special election to fill LaMalfa’s seat -- Gov. Gavin Newsom set an Aug. 4 date for a special election to replace U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who died in office earlier this month — a date that could leave Republicans with a very thin House majority into the summer. Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/17/26
A new bill could give Californians money for science they fund -- California lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a $23 billion science research bond aimed at offsetting recent federal funding losses — and, in a break from past efforts, tying public investment in university research to lower drug prices for Californians. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 01/17/26
With a nudge from industry, Congress takes aim at California recycling laws -- The plastics industry is not happy with California. And it’s looking to friends in Congress to put the Golden State in its place. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Wildfire
Edison sues L.A. County and other agencies, saying they share blame for Eaton fire deaths, destruction -- Southern California Edison sued Los Angeles County, water agencies and two companies including SoCalGas Friday, saying their mistakes contributed to the deadly and destructive toll of last year’s Eaton wildfire. Melody Petersen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Leaked memo reveals California debated cutting wildfire soil testing before disaster chief’s exit -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s disaster chief quietly retired in late December amid criticism over the state’s indecisive stance on whether soil testing was necessary to protect survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires. Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Workplace
California-based Del Monte Foods auctions assets, big Central Valley cannery to close -- Del Monte Foods, known globally for its canned and fresh produce products, announced Thursday that its assets sold at auction to three companies, following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in July. Camila Pedrosa in the Fresno Bee -- 01/17/26
Uber — a target of car crash lawsuits — pushes for law to limit California lawyer fees -- The long-simmering fight between some of L.A.’s best-known billboard attorneys and Uber, one of their most frequent targets, is poised to spill out of the courtroom and onto the November ballot. Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
Street
Fentanyl crisis could be at ‘tipping point’ as number of S.F. overdose deaths plateau -- Numbers released Friday showed overdose deaths stayed roughly flat in 2025, a frustrating result for public officials who had hoped to continue the downward trend, but also encouraging in that the gains from 2024 were not lost. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 01/17/26
Also
‘Largest outbreak that we’ve seen in California.’ Death cap mushrooms linked to deaths, hospitalizations -- An exceptionally wet December has contributed to an abundance of death cap mushrooms, or Amanita phalloides, on the Central Coast and Northern California, causing what officials describe as an unprecedented outbreak of severe illness and death among people who consume the fungi. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 01/17/26
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Trump Backs Down on Insurrection Act as Democrats Take the Offensive -- President Trump appeared to back down on Friday from his threat to send military forces into Minneapolis. But Democratic officials and activists told members of Congress that it felt as though they were already living under a military occupation. Jazmine Ulloa in the New York Times$ -- 01/17/26
Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time -- The president issued a raft of clemency grants this week, including pardoning a woman he had given relief to once before and a man whose daughter had donated millions to a Trump super PAC. Kenneth P. Vogel and Susanne Craig in the New York Times$ -- 01/17/26