Updating . .   

Newsom, Buttigieg announce $5 billion in loans to fix California’s clogged ports -- Not content to wait for Congress to pass a big infrastructure spending bill, Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg moved on Thursday to inject $5 billion in loan money to help modernize California’s seaports. Russ Mitchell, Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

What should Gavin Newsom discuss at UN meeting? Jerry Brown, climate activists have ideas -- When he attends the United Nations climate change conference next week, Gov. Gavin Newsom will have a critical opportunity to convince world leaders to follow California’s model to reduce carbon emissions. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

Why GOP stars like Marjorie Taylor Greene keep flocking to San Francisco post-recall -- It seems like a political head-scratcher at first. Why would Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — the former QAnon adherent who once mused that a space laser might have ignited a California wildfire — be invited to the Bay Area next month for a San Francisco Republican Party fundraiser? Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Sergeant officially launches campaign to challenge Santa Clara County sheriff -- Christine Nagaye, who has spent the past 19 years with the sheriff’s office almost entirely in the custody and jail division, announced the official start of her campaign Thursday, and says she wants to “restore integrity” to an office whose leader Smith has weathered heavy scrutiny in recent months, topped by a unanimous no-confidence vote in Smith passed by the county Board of Supervisors. Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/28/21

Donald Trump is out of office. Why is California still suing the former administration? -- The state is keeping some cases active because some Trump-era regulations could resurface or have lingering effects on Californians. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

When Devin Nunes sued a Twitter cow, this First Amendment lawyer wanted to know more -- The Twitter cow captured UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh’s attention. Rep. Devin Nunes’ succession of First Amendment-testing defamation lawsuits against media companies held it. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

COVID Vaccine  

Definition of 'fully vaccinated' could change, CDC chief says. Here's what that means -- If you’ve received a two-dose course of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID vaccines, or a one-and-done Johnson & Johnson shot, you’re considered by health officials to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. For now. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Alameda County to allow fully vaccinated people to remove masks in offices, gyms -- Alameda County will allow fully vaccinated people to remove their masks in a limited number of indoor settings — bringing its policies into line with those of San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma and Contra Costa counties. Kate Galbraith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

New Sacramento data shows 79% of city employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 -- More than 3,500 City of Sacramento employees, 79% of its workforce, have been vaccinated to help prevent COVID-19 infection, according to new data released Wednesday. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

When will California children be able to get COVID-19 vaccine? What you need to know -- How many children in California are covered? Officials said roughly 3.5 million. Children 5 to 11 make up roughly 9% of California’s population, and widely vaccinating them would substantially boost the state’s inoculation coverage. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Lansner: In-N-Out is wrong about vaccine mandates -- Screeds against containment efforts won't build customer confidence among the virus-phobic. Jonathan Lansner in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/28/21

Facebook   

Facebook rebrands as Meta to emphasize 'metaverse' vision -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is rebranding itself as Meta in an effort to encompass its virtual-reality vision for the future — what Zuckerberg calls the “metaverse.” Skeptics point out that it also appears to be an attempt to change the subject from the Facebook Papers, a leaked document trove so dubbed by a consortium of news organizations that include The Associated Press. Barbara Ortutay Associated Press Sarah E. Needleman in the Wall Street Journal$ Mike Isaac in the New York Times$ -- 10/28/21

Workplace   

The fast-food model lets corporations escape liability. California might chart a new course -- Fast-food workers at stores scattered across California plan to walk off the job Nov. 9 and rally outside McDonald’s locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento in a push to expand legal liability beyond individual franchisees to their corporate franchisers and to protest workplace health and safety conditions. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

California is short on social workers. Here’s how that affects your ability to get benefits -- With the pandemic not yet over, millions of California are still relying on CalFresh to help pay for their food. Jeong Park and Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

Second state worker pleads guilty in California Office of AIDS fraud scandal -- Christine Iwamoto, 47, a former manager inside the California Department of Public Health, was charged in federal court in Sacramento earlier this month with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and a plea agreement filed in court Thursday says she agreed to plead guilty and pay restitution of up to $600,000. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

COVID Economy  

California artists lost work in the pandemic. This state law aims to pay them a living wage -- Tucked behind a front yard full of tall trees and shrubs, longtime Fresno artist Margaret Hudson’s Earth Arts Studio boasts a large array of clay sculptures depicting whimsical versions of animals native to California, including quails, owls and bears. Often, they’re smiling. Nadia Lopez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

Climate  

Poor neighborhoods bear the brunt of extreme heat, ‘legacies of racist decision-making’ -- It was a typical summer day in Los Angeles, but a satellite orbiting hundreds of miles above the Earth could detect that it was getting much hotter in some neighborhoods than others. Tony Barboza, Ruben Vives, Genaro Molina in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Old Power Gear Is Slowing Use of Clean Energy and Electric Cars -- Seven months after workers finished installing solar panels atop the Garcia family home near Stanford University, the system is little more than a roof ornament. The problem: The local utility’s equipment is so overloaded that there is no place for the electricity produced by the panels to go. Ivan Penn in the New York Times$ -- 10/28/21

Skelton: Climate change is distressingly real. But it’s not behind all major weather events -- It rained so hard in California in 1862 that a 300-mile-long lake was created in the Central Valley, stretching from Bakersfield to Red Bluff. Yes, literally. Leland Stanford needed a rowboat to carry him over Sacramento’s flooded streets to be sworn in as the new governor. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Goldberg: Can humanity rise to the challenge in Glasgow and take some meaningful steps on climate change? -- With just days remaining before next week’s global climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, the Biden administration released a series of reports from the departments of Defense, Treasury and Homeland Security laying out what the world ought to expect in the years ahead as its atmosphere warms and changes. Nicholas Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Street  

Sacramento sobering center served 457 people in its first year. Most were homeless -- A sobering center in downtown Sacramento, believed to be the first of its kind in California, has served 457 people in its first year. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

South Bay cop faces charges after allegedly punching a woman in the face during road rage incident -- A San Jose police officer is facing felony charges after allegedly punching a woman in the face during a road rage incident in July, the Santa Clara County’s District Attorney’s office said Wednesday. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

New California group forms to aid inmates’ return to society -- The most populous U.S. state not surprisingly has the most people being released from its prisons and jails. And now it has what organizers said Thursday is the nation’s first statewide coordinated effort to help them reintegrate back into the community. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 10/28/21

Education  

UCSF announces opening of $535 million brain research facility -- UCSF on Thursday marks the opening of the Weill Neurosciences Building, a groundbreaking facility that — once all the crates are unboxed — will bring patients, physicians, medical scientists and researchers together under one roof in the hopes of treating brain diseases that have until now proved largely intractable. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

More Sacramento-area schools report threats, some linked by police to viral Snapchat post -- More threatening posts circulating online and anonymous calls have prompted campuses across the Sacramento region to add security or take other precautions this week, though school and law enforcement officials have said many of the messages appear to be linked to an unsubstantiated threat that has gone viral nationwide. Michael McGough and Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

Also . . .   

Rockslide closes a portion of Highway 1 for a week -- Highway 1 will remain closed in both directions from Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County to Gorda in Monterey County until Wednesday while crews assess and clean up the area, said Kevin Drabinski, a spokesperson for Caltrans. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Flight to John Wayne Airport diverted after passenger assaults flight attendant -- A passenger assaulted a flight attendant Wednesday evening, Oct. 27, aboard a flight from New York City to Orange County, causing the flight to be diverted to Denver, officials said. Quinn Wilson in the Orange County Register -- 10/28/21

California Policy and Politics Thursday Morning  

Border Patrol has a ‘shadow police unit’ that protects agents when they kill, groups say -- Border Patrol has special, secretive units that work to cover up any wrongdoing when agents kill someone or otherwise use force in potentially problematic ways, according to a letter sent to Congress Thursday calling for an investigation. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/28/21

COVID  

California officials fear COVID case decline has stopped as holidays approach -- California’s coronavirus case rate, which has fallen steadily over the past month, has leveled off — and officials are worried about what will happen in the fall and winter as people gather indoors for holidays, and other respiratory viruses such as the flu start to take their toll. Kate Galbraith in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

El Super grocery chain fined more than $1.1 million for COVID sick leave violations -- The El Super supermarket chain has been fined more than $1.1 million by the California labor commissioner for allegedly failing to comply with state COVID-19 sick leave requirements. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Los Angeles County settles with Agoura Hills restaurant that defied outdoor dining restrictions -- Los Angeles County has settled its suit with an Agoura Hills restaurant that repeatedly defied public health officials’ outdoor dining ban. The settlement last week ended a months-long standoff that saw Cronies Sports Grill operating without a public health permit for most of 2021. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Breakthrough COVID infections happen in vaccinated animals, too, San Diego Zoo learns -- Zoo officials believe three tigers have COVID-19. The animals were fully vaccinated, and their symptoms are mild. Jonathan Wosen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/28/21

Antidepressant Significantly Reduces Covid-19 Hospitalization -- Patients who received the low-cost and widely available fluvoxamine were far less likely to be hospitalized in a clinical trial. Sarah Toy in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/28/21

COVID Vaccine  

When will there be a COVID vaccine for children under 5? Here's what we know -- Is there a vaccine in development for children under 5? Yes. Right now, Pfizer is conducting clinical trials for its vaccine for children as young as 6 months old. The trials for kids are split into three age groups: 5-11, 2-5, and 6 months to 2 years old. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Policy and Politics  

Businessman Ramit Varma enters L.A. mayor’s race. Will Rick Caruso be next? -- Not every mayoral candidate holds a kickoff event in a Major League Soccer stadium. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

So you want to run for re-election? Here’s a short primer -- You are an incumbent officeholder. You’d like to keep on being an incumbent officeholder. That means a re-election campaign – you know, where you kowtow to special interests, rail against fraud and waste and, above all, avoid being called “one of those Sacramento politicians” — even if you are one of those Sacramento politicians. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 10/28/21

Schwarzenegger: 'Nothing is getting done' at U.N. climate summits -- Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday criticized the upcoming U.N. climate talks, saying they promote countries' empty promises on emissions reductions and funding. Debra Kahn Politico -- 10/28/21

Musk Says Money Democrats Want to Tax Will Be Used to Reach Mars -- The world’s richest person Elon Musk said he plans to use his money to “get humanity to Mars and preserve the light of consciousness” as Democrats weigh a ‘billionaire’s tax’ for the wealthiest Americans that could hit him hardest of all. Max Zimmerman Bloomberg -- 10/28/21

Supply Chain  

LA, Long Beach ports in full throttle push to address growing supply chain crisis -- The scramble continued this week to address the supply chain crisis, with the Port of Los Angeles prepping new properties to store overflowing shipping containers and the Port of Long Beach pressing on toward 24/7 operations, a change to which truckers and warehouses have begun warming — albeit slowly. Donna Littlejohn in the Orange County Register -- 10/28/21

Workplace   

California women, minorities are still being paid much less than their white, male counterparts -- How large is the pay gap in California for people of different races and genders? According to one study, it stretches to the tens of billions of dollars. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Street  

Ex-Long Beach school safety officer charged with murder in fatal shooting of Mona Rodriguez -- The school safety officer, Eddie F. Gonzalez, 51, fired into a fleeing vehicle in late September after a fight between Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez and an unidentified 15-year-old girl one block from Millikan High School. Video from the scene appears to show Gonzalez fire at least two rounds after screaming at the vehicle as it speeds off. James Queally, Hayley Smith, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ Emily Rasmussen, Eric Licas in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/28/21

Family of man fatally shot by LAPD officer in Costco to get $17 million in damages -- The jury’s verdict came a day after U.S. District Judge Jesus G. Bernal found that Officer Salvador Sanchez used excessive and unreasonable force in June 2019 when he shot and killed 32-year-old Kenneth French. The shooting followed a brief confrontation between the two men in line to sample sausages. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ Caitlin Antonios in the Orange County Register -- 10/28/21

LA County to consider $2.5-million settlement with families in Kobe Bryant crash photo suits -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider approving a $2.5-million settlement for two families suing over the unauthorized sharing of photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash, in which their loved ones also were killed. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Former neuroscientist gets more than 10 years’ prison for San Diego-area bank robbery spree -- Karl Doron, a former Marine who earned a Ph.D in psychological and brain sciences, admitted to robbing several credit unions in 2018 and 2019. The item is in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/28/21

Capitol Siege  

Ocean Beach man who claims Trump is still president is charged in Capitol insurrection -- Philip Weisbecker has been open with federal authorities about his presence in the Capitol, where he ended up at the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/28/21

"Rust" Shooting  

‘Rust’ assistant director admits he didn’t check all rounds in gun before fatal shooting -- According to the affidavit, first assistant director Dave Halls told investigators that he did not check all the rounds in the gun before it was handed to actor and producer Alec Baldwin — a major breach of safety protocol. Julia Wick, Amy Kaufman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Homeless  

S.F. to extend pandemic homeless hotel program as it struggles to permanently house unsheltered -- San Francisco will extend its emergency hotel room program for homeless people until September 2022, a decision that could cost the city an extra $21 million. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Carson  

Dominguez Channel odor continues waning, investigation includes illicit dumping, officials say -- Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Works has made significant progress in reducing the odor coming from the Dominguez Channel that has plagued Carson residents and those in nearby cities for nearly a month, officials said Wednesday, Oct. 27, while confirming for the first time that their ongoing investigation is looking into whether chemicals from local refineries, chemical plants and other facilities are partially responsible for the stench. Hunter Lee in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/28/21

Education  

Kennedy High placed in lockdown after fight involving parent reported on Sacramento campus -- Authorities in Sacramento on Wednesday afternoon placed John F. Kennedy High School on lockdown as a precaution after a reported fight involving a parent and a staff member. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

‘Very troubling.’ Third Sacramento-area school locked down on Wednesday -- River City High School students were sent home early Wednesday after an anonymous caller claimed there was a shooting threat toward the West Sacramento campus. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

California still lags in helping long-term English learners -- The coalition Californians Together released a new report Wednesday on long-term English learners, defined as students who have been enrolled in school in the U.S. for more than six years, but who have not yet achieved full academic fluency in English. Zaidee Stavely EdSource -- 10/28/21

Lowering the veil on college admissions amid the pandemic – Although college admissions have always seemed muddled and confusing to students and families, the coronavirus pandemic seems to have only further complicated the issue. Ashley A. Smith EdSource -- 10/28/21

Immigration  

Smolens: Last-ditch attempt at immigration legislation feels like a Hail Mary -- Politics and parliamentary procedure have kept immigration relief measures out of Biden’s big budget package. The window for action is closing and could remain shut for years to come. Michael Smolens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/28/21

Climate  

New San Diego County plan aims to slash carbon emissions to net zero by 2035 -- In a report released Wednesday, San Diego County outlines strategies for drastically cutting carbon emissions across the region to stave off the worst effects of climate change in coming decades. Deborah Sullivan Brennan in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/28/21

Oil  

Oil spill victims could get financial help from Small Business Administration -- Local victims of the oil spill off the coast of Orange County could be eligible for low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration, which on Wednesday declared the county a disaster area. Andre Mouchard, Alicia Robinson in the Orange County Register -- 10/28/21

Cannabis  

He gave the world the perfect pot pipe. Fifty years later, he took it to the internet -- If you invent something that becomes known as the Swiss Army knife of pot pipes, a virtually indestructible, highly designed 4 ounces of brass called the Proto Pipe that sells more than 1.5 million units to generations of stoners, you’d expect the world to beat a path to your door. Adam Tschorn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

Weed is legal in California, but you can still get in trouble. Here’s what you should know -- Cannabis has been legal for recreational use in California for nearly five years. From delivery services and storefront dispensaries to the state’s first marijiuana competition, California residents can enjoy their herb medicinally, recreationally and freely — to an extent. While weed is legal in the state, there are limitations and penalties for some. Hanh Truong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/28/21

Also . . .   

2 noncitizens may sue bank for refusal to let them open accounts online, court rules -- A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit by two Bay Area immigrants against a bank that refused to let them open checking accounts online because they are not U.S. citizens. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21

Fight over ‘The One’ mega-mansion heads to Bankruptcy Court -- “The One” mega-mansion was pulled Wednesday from the auction block, one day after the developer’s limited liability company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to stop the sale. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/28/21

The rain made the Golden Gate Bridge hum as loud as ever. Here's when officials say they'll have a fix -- A group of Canadian aerodynamic and acoustic engineers have come up with a solution to the sound that occurs when high winds whip through recently renovated railings on the west side of the landmark suspension span, said bridge district spokesperson Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/28/21