California Policy and Politics Friday

State Farm gets OK to hike California home insurance rates $600 a year — with conditions -- California regulators have given State Farm General initial approval for its largest home insurance rate hike in years — but first, they want the insurer to pledge not to drop any more customers en masse. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

 

Trump’s 200% tariff threat throws California wine industry into chaos -- President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on all wine, Champagne and spirits from the European Union on Thursday morning — the latest episode in an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and several of its longtime allies that has thrown California winemakers, importers and restaurants into a state of disarray. Esther Mobley, Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Laura Cooper, Juliet Chung and Stacy Meichtry in the Wall Street Journal$ Eric Asimov in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/25

California businesses are reeling from Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs -- Tariffs haven’t yet hit the supply chain at Anawalt in Malibu, but the hardware store and lumber seller is bracing for steep price hikes in the coming weeks. The majority of the lumber that the store sells comes from Canada and nearly all of its steel products are made in China, general manager Rieff Anawalt said. Andrea Chang and Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

EPA’s promised ‘dagger’ into ‘climate change religion’ will impede California -- The Trump administration’s plans to undo dozens of environmental regulations, from rules on vehicle emissions to runoff into rivers, marks a dramatic shift in U.S. policy that’s flying in the face of California’s push for a cleaner, climate-friendly future. Kurtis Alexander, Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Padilla, Schiff to vote against GOP’s stopgap budget measure as possible shutdown looms -- The measure “gives Donald Trump six months to continue wrecking the government,” Schiff said in a video posted on X. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

California, other states sue to halt massive layoffs at U.S. Department of Education -- Under Trump’s directive the Department of Education laid off half its staff. The lawsuit argues Trump has no authority to make such drastic changes. Carolyn Jones and Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters -- 3/14/25

As California sues over Education Dept. cuts, feds have already closed S.F. civil rights office -- As California and other states fight President Donald Trump’s actions to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and its support for public schools, the department has already shut down seven of its Civil Rights offices — including the California office, based in San Francisco — that aid students with disabilities and those harassed because of their race, ethnicity or gender. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Trump could invoke the Alien Enemies Act. What is this little-known law? -- The 1798 law was last invoked during World War II when President Franklin D. Roosevelt used it to detain 17,000 Japanese, 11,000 German and 3,000 Italian foreign nationals, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a liberal policy institute in New York. Ko Lyn Cheang, Olivia Cruz Mayeda in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Medicaid

California borrows $3.4 billion for Medicaid overrun as Congress eyes steep cuts -- California’s Medicaid program has borrowed $3.4 billion from the state’s general fund — and will likely need even more — to cover ballooning health expenses for 15 million residents with low incomes and disabilities. Christine Mai-Duc in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Cost of undocumented healthcare in California is billions over estimates, pressuring Democrats to consider cuts -- In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats in the state Legislature are under pressure to scale back the expansion of state-sponsored healthcare coverage for undocumented immigrants with the cost of the program more the $3 billion over budget. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Rachel Bluth Politico -- 3/14/25

 

Shielding immigrants may be at the top of public safety issues in Sacramento this year -- The Democratic-led Legislature’s efforts to shield immigrants from the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation efforts, and attacks on so-called sanctuary states, promise to be among the most contentious issues during a session expected to focus heavily on public safety. Anabel Sosa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

Katie Porter wants to do these two things if she becomes California governor -- Former Rep. Katie Porter held the first event of her 2026 gubernatorial campaign Thursday night at the East Bay senior community of Rossmoor by promising a two-pronged approach: protecting Californians from the excesses of the Trump administration, and lowering the cost of living. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

With L.A.’s mayor facing a recall threat, her supporters go after billionaires -- In recent days, pro-Bass forces have been pushing back hard, arguing that she is under attack from “wealthy oligarchs,” including real estate developer Rick Caruso and Nicole Shanahan, who is helping to bankroll a campaign to recall her. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

California’s first Latina GOP chair takes a victory lap -- When Jessica Millan Patterson took the reins of the California Republican Party in 2019, the media coverage invariably led with the history she made — how she was the first woman, first Latina, first millennial to lead the party. Melanie Mason Politico -- 3/14/25

Walters: Playing political Whac-A-Mole as issue of bond measure language pops up again -- A piece of controversial legislation fails to clear all of the Capitol’s procedural hurdles and appears to die, but suddenly it reappears through the legislative gimmick known as “gut-and-amend” or it’s reintroduced in the subsequent legislative session. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 3/14/25

A loophole in California law makes it hard to prosecute threats against schools. Will lawmakers close it? -- After a man threatened an elementary school in her district, Assemblymember Darshana Patel wants to close a loophole in the law that makes it harder to prosecute threats against places than individuals. Sameea Kamal CalMatters -- 3/14/25

California tries Trump-proofing by another name -- State lawmakers want to bolster environmental rules against federal rollbacks — but they’re shying away from articulating the reason. Camille von Kaenel and Nicole Norman Politico -- 3/14/25

FEMA

FEMA is hiring temporary workers to help with Eaton and Palisades fire recovery -- Twenty-six positions are available in acquisitions, civil rights, external affairs, disaster field training operations, hazard mitigation, human resources, individual assistance, information technology, human resources and other areas. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

Snow

Second avalanche of the day traps skier at Palisades Tahoe -- Palisades Tahoe reported a series of avalanche incidents on Thursday as powerful storms dumped up to two feet of snow in a matter of hours across the Sierra region. The incidents, which occurred just hours apart, were quickly managed by the resort’s Ski Patrol, and no injuries were reported. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Sierra sees snowiest day in two years after powerful storm -- A powerful storm system dumped 2 feet of snow to the Sierra over the course of a few hours overnight, the National Weather Service said Thursday. Jessica Flores, Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Workplace

‘Series of safety failures’ led to devastating Martinez refinery fire that burned worker -- An investigation into a November 2023 fire at the Marathon Refinery in Martinez that critically burned a worker and caused $350 million in property damage found that the safety system failed and the facility lacked effective alarms at the time of the blaze. Molly Burke in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

SFO food company laying off 835 workers in one of Bay Area’s biggest cuts this year -- Gate Gourmet, a food catering company at San Francisco International Airport, is laying off 835 workers after the “recent loss of a customer account,” according to a state filing Wednesday. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Fired federal workers can fight their dismissals, but there’s a catch -- The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 created an administrative agency inside the government to hear complaints from federal workers who say they have been wrongly demoted or discharged. And the Supreme Court said this agency provides the “exclusive forum” to decide those claims, not an independent federal court. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

Meta wins legal battle to halt promotion of former employee’s explosive tell-all memoir -- Meta has scored a legal victory against former employee Sarah Wynn-Williams, securing a temporary injunction to block the promotion and distribution of her explosive memoir, “Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism.” Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Long Beach Convention Center subcontractor accused of wage theft, tax evasion -- Unite Here Local 11 accused event management company 1Fifty1 Inc., subcontracted by the Long Beach Convention Center, of paying workers under the table with envelopes of cash. The company’s contract was canceled. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

Environment

Judge jails recycling plant owners accused of exposing Watts students to toxic waste -- The owners of a recycling plant accused of exposing South L.A. high school students to toxic waste and metal projectiles for decades will spend several days in jail after a judge determined they violated a court order. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

A burning California landfill has made neighbors miserable for 3 years. Can lawmakers help? -- For more than two years, Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo’s constituents have been complaining to her about the stench and fumes they’ve been breathing since trash buried at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Southern California ignited and never stopped burning. Ryan Sabalow CalMatters -- 3/14/25

Housing

Scott Wiener rolls out another plan to build housing at transit hubs — with a more surgical approach -- State Sen. Scott Wiener is rolling out a new bill to construct housing near transit hubs — a vision he’s long promoted to combat sprawl and lure people out of their cars. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Education

Fire, lack of students, teacher layoffs: Inside Pasadena Unified’s struggle to stay solvent -- Pasadena Unified School District, already reeling from the Eaton fire, faces a multimillion-dollar budget deficit that it aims to lower via staff reductions. Daniel Miller in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

Street

False report of shooter at Claremont college is SoCal’s second ‘swatting’ call in 48 hours -- A “swatting” call about an active shooter triggered a massive police response at Claremont McKenna College on Thursday evening, a day after a similar false report caused panic and evacuations at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in San Bernardino County. Clara Harter and Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/25

POTUS 47

Consumer Confidence Nosedives as Concerns Mount Over Trump’s Trade Policy -- Consumer sentiment in the U.S. sank this month, reflecting increasing unease over shape-shifting economic policies and their potential to drive inflation higher. Ed Frankl in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/14/25

This Stock Market Index Is Flashing a Clear Warning About the Economy -- The Russell 2000, which includes small companies that are more sensitive to downdrafts in the economy than those in the S&P 500, appears likely to enter a bear market. Joe Rennison in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/25

Here’s Where to Look for Early Signs of a Recession -- We already know what the jobs report tells us. But what about other indicators— like sales of mini liquor bottles? Justin Lahart, Paul Kiernan, Danny Dougherty in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/14/25

How to prepare for a recession before it’s too late -- Escalating trade wars, federal worker layoffs and market turmoil make for a gloomy economic future. But you can prepare. Michelle Singletary in the Washington Post$ -- 3/14/25

Gold Price Hits $3,000 for First Time on Tariff Anxiety -- The price of gold set a record high on Friday, breaking above $3,000 per troy ounce for the first time as investors reckon with President Trump’s seesawing tariff policy, fears of an economic slowdown and a sinking stock market. Jason Karaian in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/25

Judge orders sweeping rehiring of fired workers at 18 federal agencies -- A second federal judge has ordered the mass reinstatement of fired federal workers, reversing the Trump administration’s terminations of probationary employees at 18 major agencies. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein Politico Erin Mulvaney, Joseph De Avila and Lindsay Ellis in the Wall Street Journal$ Salvador Rizzo and Katie Mettler in the Washington Post$ Zach Montague in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/25

DOT’s firings raising anxieties beyond flying -- Layoffs at the Transportation Department touched several areas that focus on safety, including studying roadway deaths and helping prevent pipeline leaks. Chris Marquette Politico -- 3/14/25

White House expects ‘mass reduction’ of federal workforce as deadline looms -- Few details were clear about how the sweeping cuts will be carried out, as the Trump administration prepared to work with agencies and DOGE to finalize plans. Justine McDaniel in the Washington Post$ -- 3/14/25

The Unraveling of Trump’s Plan to Detain Thousands of Migrants at Guantanamo -- About two months after President Trump announced he would send up to 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay, an expansive tent city on the naval base sits vacant. Shelby Holliday, Tarini Parti and Nancy A. Youssef in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/14/25

See How Elon Musk’s Team Inflated, Deleted and Rewrote Its Savings Claims -- Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team debuted a website last month cataloging the contracts the group says it has canceled to save taxpayers money. Since then, the list has undergone dizzying changes. New contracts have been added, others deleted. Values have been altered, and altered again. Ethan Singer and Emily Badger in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/25

Also

‘Like a big old bomb’: Damaging tornado travels a mile through Pico Rivera -- Residents along Glencannon Drive were expecting rain. But instead they got a tornado that downed trees and damaged several homes. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ Andrea Klick and Nathaniel Percy in the Orange County Register -- 3/14/25

S.F. said it would hire a trash can czar to deal with complaints. Nine months later, the position is still open -- San Francisco officials announced last summer that they planned to hire a new trash can czar to deal with thousands of complaints annually about overflowing bins and dirty streets. Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Lake Berryessa’s famed ‘glory hole’ is on full display for first time in years -- The eerie, swirling vortex of Napa County’s Lake Berryessa, on display this year for the first time since 2019, could be visible for another week. Called the Morning Glory spillway, or “glory hole,” Lake Berryessa’s bizarre-looking circular drain funnels excess water into Putah Creek when the water rises above a certain level at the Monticello Dam. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/25

Former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson, who bridged partisan gaps with his quick wit, dies at age 93 -- Simpson died early Friday after struggling to recover from a broken hip in December. Mead Gruver Associated Press -- 3/14/25