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California Policy and Politics Friday
Newsom threatens to cut USC funding if it complies with Trump demands -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday threatened to cut billions in state funding from the University of Southern California if it complies with a Trump administration request to impose the president’s political priorities on campus. Jeanne Kuang Calmatters Jaweed Kaleem, Melody Gutierrez and Aamer Madhani in the Los Angeles Times$ Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/03/25
Newsom slams Trump over $1.2 billion cut to California hydrogen hub -- Gov. Gavin Newsom late Wednesday denounced the Trump administration’s decision to cut funding for a hydrogen hub in California — one of the latest actions against green initiatives by the administration as it continues to embrace the “drill, baby, drill” slogan. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/03/25
White House points the finger at immigrants — and California — for government shutdown -- The claim refers to efforts to roll back new restrictions — adopted by Republicans this summer in their tax and domestic policy megabill — on provider taxes that states use to draw matching federal health care funds. California has taxed insurers for years to bring in billions of additional dollars for Medi-Cal, its free health insurance program for the poor. Alexei Koseff, Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/03/25
Election ballots mailed on Nov. 4 may not be counted, state officials warn -- California voters living 50 or more miles from six mail processing facilities risk having their Nov. 4 ballots uncounted due to Postal Service changes. Affected areas span rural and urban communities including Bakersfield, the Central Valley, the Central Coast and Palm Springs. State officials are urging people to mail their ballots before Nov. 4. Dakota Smith and Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/03/25
Newsom signs elections bills allowing public financing, curbing voting incentives -- Californians will decide next year whether to repeal a ban on public financing in elections per a new law signed Wednesday, along with another that bans offering payouts or other incentives to people for registering to vote. Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/03/25
Newsom vetoes bill for sober homeless housing -- Assembly Bill 255 would have allowed cities and counties to spend up to 10% of their state funding on “recovery housing,” where people live in a sober environment and work on overcoming an addiction. The move would have tweaked California’s “housing first” strategy, which generally frowns on programs that put up barriers to housing — such as requiring people to stay clean or participate in treatment. Marisa Kendall Calmatters J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/03/25
CalEPA to carry on inspections as federal EPA furloughs 90% of staff -- While the government shutdown has furloughed about 90% of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency employees and halted the agency’s inspection operations, the California Environmental Protection Agency told The Sacramento Bee on Thursday it will proceed with its inspections “as planned.” Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/03/25
Insurance
California FAIR Plan seeks largest home insurance rate hike in years -- The California FAIR Plan has proposed raising home insurance rates by an average of 35.8% starting next spring — a hike that, if approved in full, would be its largest in at least seven years. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Stephen Hobbs in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/03/25
Workplace
L.A.’s Entertainment Economy Is Looking Like a Disaster Movie -- Los Angeles is full of transplants who moved here to pursue dreams of working in movies and TV. Few earned millions as stars or A-list directors. They build the sets, operate the cameras, manage the schedules and make sure everything looks and sounds perfect. The work isn’t steady, because film shoots end and TV shows get canceled. But established professionals had rarely gone more than a few months between gigs—until now. Ben Fritz, Philip Cheung in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/03/25
H1B
How companies might avoid Trump’s new $100,000 visa -- Companies that can’t find qualified U.S. workers could resort to seeking alternative visas for immigrant workers, partner with companies offshore for talent, open more offices and subsidiaries abroad, hire contractors or have them work remotely while they apply for permanent residency, attorneys and advisers said. Danielle Abril in the Washington Post$ -- 10/03/25
Homeless
Which homeless shelters have open beds? Advocates say botched data make it hard to know -- LAHSA’s new inventory tracking system is supposed to modernize an antiquated process for filling shelter beds in the county and ensure more people are taken off the streets. But the nonprofits who run the shelters say LAHSA’s data are often inaccurate and could be making it harder to get people housed. Andrew Khouri and Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/03/25
Street
SoCal serial arsonist who started 44,000-acre wildfire was caught by a license plate reader -- Justin Halstenberg of Norco was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison on Wednesday for igniting the Line fire in Highland in 2024, which led to six firefighter injuries and 44,000 acres of San Bernardino County mountains being scorched. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/03/25
Orange County woman admits to stealing $2.8 million from instant noodle company -- A Huntington Beach woman pleaded guilty to embezzlement after stealing millions from her Garden Grove employer. Tae Miyaji Jones said she spent the funds on jewelry, luxury handbags and real estate. Jasmine Mendez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/03/25
Also
A dog disappeared from his California home. He was found 2,000 miles away -- After disappearing during a storm at his Northern California home, a small corgi shepherd mix has been located two months later and more than 2,000 miles away in Illinois. How the pooch made the cross-country trip is still a mystery. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/03/25
Admired climber dies in fall from Yosemite’s El Capitan during apparent livestream -- Balin Miller, 23, fell to his death from Yosemite’s El Capitan while trying to retrieve stuck gear. The tragedy was inadvertently livestreamed on social media, highlighting the risks of this common but preventable climbing mistake. Jack Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/03/25
Why are buyers returning to Tesla? -- The company’s EV sales rose 7% in the three months through September compared to a year earlier, mirroring a spike in overall EV sales across the country. Caroline Petrow-Cohen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/03/25
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Senior government officials privately warn against firings during shutdown -- The officials cautioned that firings — known as RIFs, or reductions in force — could be vulnerable to legal challenges under statutes labor unions cited this week in a lawsuit seeking to block threatened mass layoffs. Emily Davies and Hannah Natanson in the Washington Post$ -- 10/03/25
Congress just created a new reason to worry about air travel -- Yet another concern for air safety: the understaffed employees who will work without pay. Sam Ogozalek Politico -- 10/03/25
White House Senses Political Risk on Healthcare Despite Shutdown Bravado -- President Trump has projected unwavering confidence that he is winning the messaging war over the government shutdown. But behind the scenes, his team is increasingly concerned that the issue at the center of the debate will create political vulnerabilities for Republicans. Alex Leary and Tarini Parti in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/03/25
Top Oversight Dem calls for investigation over White House shutdown messaging -- Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, is urging acting Special Counsel Jamieson Greer to investigate the White House for its messaging on the government shutdown, which he argues is in violation of federal law. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico -- 10/03/25
Lawmakers From Both Sides Pressed Pentagon on Legal Basis for Drug Boat Strikes -- Senators on both sides of the aisle pressed the Pentagon’s top lawyer in a closed-door meeting to provide a better legal explanation for striking alleged Latin American drug boats in the Caribbean, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Lara Seligman, Alexander Ward and Siobhan Hughes in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/03/25
Trump Offered Universities an Invitation for a Deal. Some See a Trap -- Trump officials want universities to sign on to conservative priorities to get special treatment. Some in higher education say agreeing would end academic freedom. Anemona Hartocollis, Michael C. Bender and Alan Blinder in the New York Times$ -- 10/03/25
California Policy and Politics Thursday
UCLA forecasts ‘stagflation-lite’ economy with higher inflation and unemployment -- The U.S. economy will be hampered in the coming months by the Trump administration’s tariffs, which along with interest rate cuts could lead to a “stagflation-lite” scenario of modestly elevated inflation and unemployment, according to the UCLA Anderson Forecast released Wednesday. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
H-1B visa fees, tariffs, a stake in Intel? How Silicon Valley has fared under Trump -- President Trump’s policies have affected Nvidia, AMD and the rest of the tech industry differently. Some experts are worried about the effects on innovation. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 10/02/25
Newsom trolls, Shapiro reassures and Harris dials in: Dems test shutdown messaging -- The immediate response to the government closure has served as a vivid illustration of stylistic differences emerging in the run-up to 2028. Blake Jones and Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 10/02/25
Here’s what the government shutdown means for wildfires, weather and disaster response -- Federal agencies that govern wildfire, weather and disaster response are expected to see some impacts, including the Forest Service, FEMA and the National Weather Service. The shutdown comes on top of existing budget cuts and layoffs at these and other agencies this year. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
How the government shutdown is impacting tens of thousands of federal workers in the Bay Area -- As many as 90,000 civilian federal workers live in the Bay Area, according to a Chronicle analysis of Congressional Research Service data. That figure, based on estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, covers a dozen Bay Area congressional districts, two of which extend beyond the region. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/02/25
Blue Angels cancel San Francisco Fleet Week over government shutdown -- The annual celebration, scheduled for Oct. 5-13, typically draws more than a million visitors and is still moving ahead with parades, concerts, waterfront festivals and neighborhood traditions across the city. International military partners from Canada and Colombia remain confirmed. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
How Yosemite and major California parks are impacted -- The Department of Interior, which runs the National Park Service, has directed most parks to stay open during the government shutdown while ordering furloughs for staff. Nearly two-thirds of the park service’s estimated 14,500 employees were expected to be put on leave, the agency said in its shutdown plan. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Liliana Fannin in the Fresno Bee Camille von Kaenel Politico -- 10/02/25
Most LA County communities do not see big impacts from federal government shutdown -- Most Los Angeles County communities did not expect the federal government shutdown to have major impacts on its residents. Law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders will be on the job, your mail will be delivered and schools will be open as usual. Christina Merino in the LA Daily News -- 10/02/25
How the government shutdown is affecting San Diego -- Thousands of San Diegans on Wednesday showed up to their federal government jobs — from the downtown federal courthouses to the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing to the county’s multiple military bases — with no idea when they’ll receive their next paycheck. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 10/02/25
Gavin Newsom ends Kamala Harris' California anti-truancy law -- The 2011 law, which Harris continued to spotlight as the state’s attorney general, made parents eligible for a misdemeanor if their children repeatedly missed school, which Harris argued was necessary to prevent young people from becoming “a menace to society hanging out on the corner.” Lindsey Holden Politico -- 10/02/25
Gov. Gavin Newsom issues first vetoes since legislative session ended -- Newsom dismissed Assembly Bill 86, a technical bill that would have tweaked language about health education standards for kindergarten through 8th grade. Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-Santee, sent Newsom a letter last week decrying the bill for “introduc(ing) the theory that reproductive anatomy does not necessarily determine a person’s gender.” Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/02/25
ICE
ICE to be at Super Bowl where Bad Bunny performs, Trump adviser says -- One of Donald Trump’s longtime advisers says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be present at the 2026 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, where Latin music superstar Bad Bunny is set to headline the halftime show. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
The L.A. Dodgers Risk Alienating Their Fans or Angering Trump -- For decades, the Dodgers have been the pride of L.A.’s Latino community. Trump’s immigration raids are testing that. Bruce Schoenfeld in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25
California gave counties power to inspect ICE detention centers. They’re not using it -- In the four counties where Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detention facilities, only one county health department conducts the kind of inspections that were explicitly allowed under a 2024 California law. Wendy Fry and Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 10/02/25
Garofoli: Trump’s bumbling, bizarre National Guard stunt in Portland offers lessons for the Bay Area -- President Donald Trump’s order to deploy 200 National Guard troops to a nonexistent “war zone” in Portland offers a grim preview of the potential chaos, bluster and fear that awaits the Bay Area should Trump follow through on his promise to make a similar deployment in Northern California. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
‘War-ravaged’ Portland hits back on Trump — with crochet, chicken costumes and farmers markets -- There is a rhetorical battle raging here in this heavily Democratic city, known for its delicious coffee, plethora of fancy restaurants, bespoke doughnuts and also for its small faction of black-clad activists. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
Workplace
In a Sea of Tech Talent, Companies Can’t Find the Workers They Want -- A divide has opened in the tech job market between those with artificial-intelligence skills and everyone else. Callum Borchers in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/02/25
Fake actor deepens anxiety over AI in Hollywood -- The Dutch creator of an AI-generated actor named Tilly Norwood created a backlash in Hollywood when she said she would soon be signed by a talent agency. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
Judge blocks California law banning ‘captive audience’ meetings for workers -- A labor-backed California law prohibiting employers from requiring their workers to listen to anti-union messages has been blocked by a federal judge, who says it appears to violate employers’ freedom of speech. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
Insurance
Newsom calls on regulators for new solutions to California’s insurance crisis -- As insurance companies continue to hike rates and cancel coverage for thousands of homeowners across fire-prone parts of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom is directing regulators to come up with new solutions to stabilize the state’s spiraling home insurance market. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/02/25
HOA fines
New California law restricts HOA fines to $100 per violation, giving homeowners a break -- An ornate balcony or quirky garage door might be in reach for more Californians as homeowners associations across the state are being forced to govern without the power of exorbitant fees to enforce regulations. Nadia Lathan Calmatters -- 10/02/25
Climate
As California glaciers disappear, people will see ice-free peaks exposed for the first time in millennia -- For as long as there have been people in what is now California, the granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada have held masses of ice, according to new research that shows the glaciers have probably existed since the last Ice Age more than 11,000 years ago. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
Education
Charlie Kirk fallout hits California schools, where 20 teachers face discipline over posts -- California has laws that prohibit employers from firing workers over their political views but employers can restrict speech if it’s disruptive to the workplace. Carolyn Jones Calmatters -- 10/02/25
Stanford is back on top. Here’s how California schools ranked in the WSJ list -- Stanford University has reclaimed its spot as the best college in America, while UC Berkeley was named the nation’s top public university in the 2026 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings released Monday. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
Street
In the biggest sex abuse settlement in U.S. history, some claim they were paid to sue -- Downtown LA Law Group, which represents some plaintiffs who said they were paid to sue, said the firm “categorically does not engage in, nor has it ever condoned, the exchange of money for client retention.” Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
Man pleads guilty to throwing Molotov cocktail at deputies during L.A. protest -- Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing an unregistered destructive device and civil disorder tied to his actions the evening of June 7 in Paramount. Galvez faces up to 15 years in prison. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
Also
Newton: For many Californians, reducing homelessness comes down to the encampment next door -- Statistics don’t do much to convince people of the seriousness of the problem or persuade them much that it’s getting better or worse. What matters is how it brushes up against them directly. Jim Newton Calmatters -- 10/02/25
Walters: California businesses, lawmakers turn up the heat in a battle over high workplace temperatures -- Assembly Bill 1336, now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto, is the latest skirmish in a decades-long conflict over protecting workers from heat effects on their health, whether they work outdoors or inside. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 10/02/25
Heading to L.A. for the Olympics? If You’re Into These Sports, You’re in the Wrong State -- Much of the Summer Games in 2028 will take place in Southern California. But two events, softball and canoe slalom, will be held in Oklahoma. Jesus Jiménez in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25
A surprising new fact just emerged about California’s glaciers -- The glaciers of the Sierra Nevada, clinging to the slopes of such eminent spots as Yosemite and Kings Canyon, are much older than people thought — with many dating back to at least the Ice Age, according to research published Wednesday. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
Jane Goodall remembered by Nancy Pelosi as ‘a personal friend’ -- Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi remembered Jane Goodall as both a close friend and a towering figure in science and conservation, leading tributes from world leaders, environmentalists and admirers after the primatologist’s death at 91. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25
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We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown. Here’s what they said. -- The Post’s poll finds significantly more Americans blame President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown than Democrats, though many say they are not sure. The poll is in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25
Senior government officials privately warn against firings during shutdown -- The Trump administration has telegraphed that mass firings are coming, but officials have cautioned that such moves could violate appropriations law. Emily Davies and Hannah Natanson in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25
White House Uses Shutdown to Maximize Pain and Punish Political Foes -- The Trump administration took steps on Wednesday to maximize the pain of the government shutdown, halting billions of dollars in funds for Democratic-led states while readying a plan to lay off potentially droves of civil servants imminently. Tony Romm in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25
Trump to talk with Vought about which ‘Democrat Agencies’ should be cut -- President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’ll speak with Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought about which ”Democrat Agencies” should be nixed as the government shutdown enters its second day. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico Olivia Beavers and Siobhan Hughes in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/02/25
White House Asks Colleges to Sign Sweeping Agreement to Get Funding Advantage -- Nine initial schools are invited to join ‘compact’ banning use of race or sex in admissions, freezing tuition, capping international enrollment and more. Natalie Andrews and Douglas Belkin in the Wall Street Journal$ Michael C. Bender in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25
With shutdown, Democrats take a perilous risk at a precarious party moment -- Entering the shutdown, polls indicated the country was split over who would be to blame. The shutdown is giving Trump administration officials license to resume mass layoffs, this time targeting Democratic states and priorities. Michael Wilner, Ana Ceballos and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
How Trump’s Online Drugstore May Affect Your Drug Costs --President Trump and top health officials heralded their drug pricing deal with Pfizer on Tuesday as a breakthrough that would save money for American patients struggling with prescription drug costs. The reality is more complicated. Rebecca Robbins in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25
Pope makes rare comments on U.S. politics, military gathering -- Making a rare foray into U.S. politics, Pope Leo XIV described the blustery talk by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a meeting of military commanders on Tuesday as “concerning,” and he called out those who describe themselves as “pro-life” for opposing abortion but do not reject the “inhuman treatment” of migrants and the death penalty. Anthony Faiola and Victoria Craw in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25
Vance uses false claims to pin shutdown blame on Democrats as White House warns of layoffs -- Vice-president falsely says Democrats calling for billions for ‘healthcare for illegal aliens’ as funding deadlock continue. David Smith The Guardian -- 10/02/25
Vance downplays Trump post of Jeffries in sombrero: ‘I think it’s funny’ -- Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday downplayed criticism over a fake video of Democratic lawmakers that the president posted online, saying the depiction of one party leader in a sombrero and another seeming to deliver a profanity-laced tirade was “funny.” Brianna Tucker in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25
Trump administration says it will cut $8 billion for climate projects in blue states -- All 16 states listed did not vote for Trump in the 2024 election. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25
Trump wants to use U.S. cities as military ‘training grounds.’ Can judges stop him? -- “We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds” for the military, President Trump said Tuesday, citing Los Angeles and Portland as examples. The question of whether Trump has the authority to deploy federal troops to enforce civilian laws is under litigation in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25