Updating . .
Plague found in child camping in Yosemite National Park -- A child has contracted the plague after a camping trip to Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest, prompting state health officials to launch an emergency investigation and perform an environmental evaluation to determine if the bacterial disease has spread. Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Jerry Brown’s climate message: “California’s burning: What the hell are you going to do about it?” -- Gov. Jerry Brown, appearing at the site of a wildfire that has charred nearly 70,000 acres in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties since last week, said Thursday that the ferocity of fires raging across drought-stricken California should serve as a “wake-up call” to climate change skeptics. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ C.W. Nevius in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Odds of wet El Niño winter jump for San Francisco, but not for farther north -- Only recently did the U.S. Climate Prediction Center say the Bay Area was about a third more likely to be wet than dry come winter, and it’s yet to say anything about the state’s far northern reaches. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Who wins in California politics: Uber or taxis? -- Uber, the ridesharing service that’s provoked a wave of new regulations, beefed up its lobbying efforts and stirred the ire of taxicab companies, has become a fashionable mode of transportation for politicians in California, campaign filings show. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Assemblyman, California PUC head clash over San Onofre record -- A months-long dispute over details of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station’s closure has set the chair of a California Assembly committee overseeing utilities against the California Public Utilities Commission. Jeremy B. White Jeremy B. White -- 8/6/15
California Wildfire Destroys More Homes, but Crews Advance -- Crews backed by important firefighting resources are gaining ground against a massive Northern California wildfire, but it may be several days before thousands of evacuees can return home, officials said Thursday. Janie Har Associated Press -- 8/6/15
Jerry Brown’s trifecta: Politics, Catholicism and advocacy -- When Gov. Jerry Brown traveled to the Vatican to attend Pope Francis’ conference on climate change, the Democratic governor allowed one of his most extended public glimpses into how Catholicism helped shape his career. Sawsan Morrar Capitol Weekly -- 8/6/15
Fierce Rocky fire, 40 percent contained, was spurred by windy weather of its own making -- On Thursday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the fire was 40 percent contained. It had consumed 69,600 acres and destroyed 43 residences and 53 outbuildings. Fire officials said 13,118 people remain under evacuation orders. Katie L. Strong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Wealthy brother of top Chinese corruption suspect lived quiet life in California suburb -- After settling quietly into a $2.5-million, 8,000-square foot home in the Sacramento suburb of Loomis, the man who introduced himself as Jason Wang said nothing to his new neighbors about being connected to the innermost sanctum of Chinese politics and elite business circles. Richard Winton, Julie Makinen and Jonathan Kaimen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Hubler: What they really do at Planned Parenthood -- The entry to downtown Sacramento’s Planned Parenthood clinic is literally transparent. Through tall windows, you can see right into the waiting room from the sidewalk outside. This week, the women walking in and out were equally open. Shawn Hubler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Rep. Xavier Becerra endorses Hillary Clinton: 'No leader comes better tested' -- Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) is endorsing Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, citing her commitment to passing immigration reform. Michael A. Memoli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
California Policy & Politics This Morning
San Francisco prosecutors probe City Hall’s role in ‘Shrimp Boy’ case -- San Francisco criminal prosecutors and the city attorney’s office have opened probes into whether the tentacles of a racketeering case involving an alleged Chinatown gang leader extend to City Hall, The Chronicle has learned. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Judge cites 10 violations for Edison -- Southern California Edison on Wednesday was found to have violated rules prohibiting backchannel communications at least 10 times in its dealings with regulators over the failed San Onofre nuclear plant. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Ivan Penn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
State treasurer pondering campaign for California governor -- The race to replace Gov. Jerry Brown could get another candidate -- John Chiang, the state treasurer. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Decker: Watts riots shifted state to the right, but new demographics pushed it left -- The embers of Watts had cooled as Ronald Reagan raced toward his first election as California's governor, a year after riots scarred southern Los Angeles. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
San Francisco Mayor Lee: Allegations of bribery like reading a comic book -- Mayor Ed Lee on Wednesday shrugged off a court filing by attorneys for a former Chinatown gang leader that the mayor took bribes and engaged in pay-to-play politics. “They’re kind of like orangatangs trying to deflect attention,” Lee said of Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow and his attorneys. Heather Knight and Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
New skirmish erupts among California judges -- The Alliance of California Judges has for several years accused the State Judicial Council and the Administrative Office of the Courts, both headed by Chief Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye, of neglecting the needs of local trial courts, especially for money, while maintaining a bloated bureaucracy in San Francisco. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
East Bay Senate special cost more than $12 million, final reports show -- Outside groups bankrolled by wealthy individuals, unions, charter schools, dentists and other special interests spent almost $9.6 million, starting in the weeks before the March 17 special primary and continuing on through the May 19 runoff between Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, and Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, the eventual winner. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Conditions along Rocky fire’s path contribute to ferocious flames -- The Rocky fire in Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties stands out as one of the most ferocious blazes burning in California so far this year – so fierce it’s creating its own weather. Katie L. Strong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Evacuated but at home: Fire refugees tough it out -- His back hurts after sleeping in an unfamiliar recliner, but Ed Nigrelli is at home among his fellow evacuees as firefighters scramble around Lake County trying to put out the Rocky Fire. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Rocky Fire in California Defies Expectations and Defenses -- As firefighters embarked on Wednesday on their sixth day of battling the largest of the many wildfires that have flared across the state, fire officials said that the Rocky Fire, which has grown to consume nearly 70,000 acres here in the northern reaches of wine country, is still nowhere near under control and may not be until perhaps Monday. Sarah Maslin Nir in the New York Times$ -- 8/6/15
Arson suspect linked to 30 fires caught in Northern California -- It started in April, with small fires on the side of highways in Contra Costa County. There was a pattern to them, investigators thought. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Firefighting consumes Forest Service budget, sparks political clash -- Lawmakers are seeking budget solutions amid a superheated political climate as the wildland fires now raging across California, Washington and other Western states burn through federal dollars as well as forests. Michael Doyle in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
No Firefighter Shortage Despite State's Shrinking Prison Population -- Of the more than 10,000 firefighters battling California wildfires right now, roughly 40 percent of them are criminals – inmates who participate in fire camps. There’s been some fear that the reduction in the state’s prison population might lead to a shortage of firefighters. But that fear hasn’t played out. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 8/6/15
Billionaire Steyer seeks oil refiner transparency on profits -- Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer is calling on state legislators to require oil companies to disclose how much they make in profits from refining oil in California. Christine Armario Associated Press Ivan Penn in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
State leaders make final payment on budget debt -- More than a decade ago, as California faced budget deficits, politicians pushed for $15 billion in Wall Street borrowing to help the state cover its bills. Voters approved the measure, creating a pile of debt that hasn't been paid off until now. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ Juliet Williams Associated Press Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 8/6/15
Fox: The Fix is In – If You Win the Contest -- Can offering a prize help fix some of California’s problems? We just may find out. Over the last week, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Singularity University in the Silicon Valley announced a contest to seek solutions to confront the drought and the state’s water supply. At the same time Tim Draper’s Fix California Challenge went into its final phase announcing the four finalists that hope to find a way onto the California ballot. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 8/6/15
Greenhut: State leaders see no reason for doubt -- California’s top public officials are “all in” when it comes to the issue of man-made global warming. Gov. Jerry Brown has been in the news for his doom-and-gloom comments at a Vatican climate-change symposium. This week he poked his nose in the Republican presidential race. Steven Greenhut in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/6/15
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Report highlights overly high gas prices in California -- Southland motorists are used to getting gouged at the pump. But a new report from Consumer Watchdog reveals that since the state's record gasoline price spike began in February, Californians have paid $4.8 billion more than the rest of the nation for regular gasoline. Kevin Smith in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 8/6/15
Sacramento arena subsidy foes drop lawsuit; city can begin financing -- Soundly defeated in court, three Sacramentans gave up their two-year legal crusade to overturn the city’s subsidy for the new Kings arena Wednesday, enabling the city to move quickly on financing its share of the downtown project. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
L.A. will transfer airport ownership back to Ontario -- After years of litigation and contentious negotiations, Los Angeles has agreed to transfer ownership of struggling LA/Ontario International Airport back to the city of Ontario, The Times learned Wednesday. Dan Weikel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
State labor board issues complaint in charter school unionization effort -- California's labor oversight board has issued a complaint alleging that the largest charter school organization in Los Angeles interfered with the right of its teachers to unionize. Zahira Torres in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Despite strong returns, California pension funds’ fiscal hole got deeper --With a new ballot proposal reigniting debate over government retirement benefits, the latest federal figures show California’s public pension debt in 2013 stood at $4,425 for every man, woman and child in the state, despite strong investment returns by public retirement funds. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Windows 10 upgrade bug makes some PCs unusable -- Instead of being able to use Microsoft’s new operating system, they get an error that says their computer has a “missing operating system.” Some also said their drives reported having nothing on them after the attempted upgrade. Troy Wolverton in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/6/15
Los Angeles reaches tentative labor deal with 20,000 city employees -- Los Angeles city officials have reached a tentative contract agreement with the unions representing more than half the city's civilian workforce, bringing within reach a conclusion to a more than a year of tense bargaining and sharp rhetoric over public-employee pay. Peter Jamison in the Los Angeles Times$ Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 8/6/15
L.A. City Council votes to reconsider allowing Uber at LAX -- The Los Angeles City Council voted 11 to 2 today to reconsider the airport commission's decision allowing the Uber ride-hailing service to operate alongside traditional taxis at Los Angeles International Airport. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Boxer, Feinstein back plan to move homeless vets to VA campus -- California's two U.S. senators will propose legislation Thursday that would move some of the thousands of veterans living in makeshift encampments across the region into housing at the Department of Veterans Affairs' campus in West Los Angeles. Sarah Parvini, Martha Groves in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Education
Trustee raised funds for own sons -- When Marne Foster campaigned for school board, part of her appeal with voters was the experience she touted as a tough single mom who would stop at nothing to advocate for her sons. Maureen Magee in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/6/15
Pasadena City College must restore winter session -- Pasadena City College officials acted illegally when they canceled the school's winter session three years ago and must restore the classes and pay faculty for any economic losses brought on by the change, according to a preliminary ruling by the Public Employment Relations Board. Jason Song in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Libraries reach out to day care homes to help improve quality -- Children typically come to the library to be read to, but Christina Roseli of the Placerville Library in California’s Gold Country is reversing that dynamic. Instead of the children going to the library, she is going to them, in a one-of-a-kind program in California. Michael Collier EdSource -- 8/6/15
Immigration / Border
San Diego a sanctuary city? Officials say no -- Police often forced to find balance between cooperating with immigration officials and building trust within the community. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/6/15
Environment
Suit over air pollution at East Bay refinery settles for $4 million -- Texas-based oil manufacturer Tesoro Corp. has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a lawsuit claiming the company spewed smog- and ozone-producing pollutants at its refinery in Martinez. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Refugio oil spill may have been costlier, bigger than projected -- A Plains All American Pipeline oil spill off the Santa Barbara County coast this year may have been bigger and costlier than originally expected, the company said in its quarterly earnings update Wednesday. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Jerry Brown calls on GOP candidates to detail climate change policies -- Gov. Jerry Brown tried to elbow his way into presidential politics Wednesday morning by calling for Republican candidates to detail plans to address climate change. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
California bans trapping of bobcats amid protests over cruelty -- The 3-2 vote caps years of debate on trapping, which animal rights activists say is cruel. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
Also . . .
After years of scandal, L.A. jails get federal oversight, sweeping reforms -- Capping years of scandal, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has agreed to federal oversight and to sweeping reforms aimed at ending deputy abuse of inmates as well as improving chronically poor treatment for mentally ill inmates. Cindy Chang and Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times$ Ian Lovett in the New York Times$ -- 8/6/15
Body camera video undercuts police account of skid row shooting, suit says -- Police body-camera video disputes the LAPD's account of how officers shot and killed an unarmed homeless man on skid row earlier this year, a civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in L.A. Superior Court alleged. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15
California’s legislative website gets high marks -- FiscalNote, a Washington, D.C.-based company that mines state government websites for information that it packages for clients, says that the California Legislature’s recently revised website is one of the nation’s five best. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
Former California prisons director Cal Terhune dies -- Terhune, who spent 35 years in the California Department of the Youth Authority, serving as director of the agency until his retirement in 1991, returned to state service in 1997 at the behest of then-Gov. Pete Wilson to head the state prison system, which was plagued by overcrowding and allegations of correctional officer brutality. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/6/15
San Francisco nudist seeking naked justice in nation’s capital -- George Davis, a veteran body freedom activist, is set to stand trial Aug. 11 on a charge of indecent exposure for the naked speech he made, or attempted to make, earlier this year on the National Mall in Washington D.C. Kale Williams in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
Beltway
GOP debate now must-see TV: Blame it on The Donald -- Even before the first sound bite is thrown at the “Clash in Cleveland” Thursday night, Donald Trump has already become its marquee draw — one who has turned the first GOP televised presidential debate into must-see TV. And, like any good spectator sport, it will draw a wide audience. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 8/6/15
CEO pay-ratio rule likely to heat up debate on income inequality -- The Securities and Exchange Commission voted Wednesday to require public companies to publish the gap between the pay of the chief executive and the average worker -- a controversial measure that is sure to stoke the heated debate about income inequality in the United States. Dean Starkman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/6/15