Rough&Tumble California Policy and Politics

California Policy & Politics This Morning

EpiPen outrage: Silicon Valley engineers figure real cost to make lifesaving auto-injector two-pack — about $8 -- In his 93 years, Bob Wallace has seen some product-pricing doozies over the decades, but the nonstop national furor over the stratospheric price hikes for EpiPens — now retailing above $700 for a two-pack — was the final shot. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/1/16

Poll: Most San Diegans trust police, but say shootings a re a 'major problem' -- San Diegans, like the rest of the nation, are divided along racial lines in response to Tuesday’s deadly shooting in El Cajon. More than half of black people said that the shooting of Alfred Olango was not justified, while that same number — 51 percent— represents the number of whites that thought the opposite. Daniel Wheaton in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/1/16

Colorado town’s renewed weed war may be warning for California -- Four years ago, this town in the plains of southern Colorado happily joined with the rest of the state in legalizing recreational use of marijuana. In a land of plentiful sunshine, rolling farmland and underused industrial space, one of the state’s most cannabis-friendly communities bloomed. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/1/16

More demonstrations follow release of video of fatal shooting by El Cajon police -- More demonstrations followed the release Friday of videos showing the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man, Alfred Olango, by El Cajon police, but the protests were more peaceful than earlier in the week. Pauline Repard, Veronica Rocha and Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Donors pump nearly $390 million into California propositions -- Supporters and opponents of California's 17 November ballot measures have raised nearly $390 million six weeks before the election, putting the state as close as $50 million shy of record initiative fundraising with some of the heaviest spending yet to come. Alison Noon Associated Press -- 10/1/16

California's top-two primary reexamined as US Senate race fails to stir voters -- Californians get to choose between two Democrats in the race for U.S. Senate, but if you're not yet sure who you'll vote for, you're not alone. Mary Plummer KPCC -- 10/1/16

California opens pathway for cars that lack steering wheel -- California regulators have changed course and opened a pathway for the public to get self-driving cars of the future that lack a steering wheel or pedals. It's not going to happen immediately — automakers and tech companies are still testing prototypes. Justin Pritchard Associated Press -- 10/1/16

Brown's 2016 legislative tsunami: Key bills the governor has signed into law -- California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed and vetoed numerous bills over the past week. Here is some of the key legislation that he has chosen to either sign or reject. KPCC -- 10/1/16

California offenders are no longer eligible for early release from parole in the deaths of police officers -- California offenders will no longer be eligible for early release from parole if they have been convicted of murder in the death of a police officer. Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed legislation that exempts offenders from consideration for compassionate or medical release. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Authorities release video and 911 call as detectives probe death of man who struggled with Pasadena police officers -- The man died after officers Tasered and restrained him at an apartment complex in northwest Pasadena. Veronica Rocha and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Teen’s Claim in Police Sex Exploitation Case Seeks $30 Million From Richmond -- Attorneys for the teenager at the center of a sexual misconduct scandal involving seven law enforcement agencies across the Bay Area have filed a $30 million claim against the city of Richmond and five police officers. Sukey Lewis KQED -- 10/1/16

Convicted BPD detective outlines what he says were 'common' violations by fellow cops -- Cops drinking on the job. Paying informants “under the table” with department money. Conducting narcotics seizures without the knowledge of supervisors. Allowing informants, against BPD policy, to continue selling drugs while working with police. Patrol officers “compensated” for assisting with seizures of drugs later sold for profit by cops. Steven Mayer in the Bakersfield Californian$ -- 10/1/16

March planned in memory of man shot by police in California -- Alfred Olango, the unarmed black man shot and killed by police in a suburb of San Diego, will be remembered in a demonstration Saturday organized by clergy members and supporters of Olango's family. The event comes a day after two videos of the shooting were released by authorities, something the family and community leaders in El Cajon had urged. Julie Watson and Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 10/1/16

Fourth Night Of Protests In El Cajon After Police Shoot Unarmed Man -- About 200 protesters gathered in a demonstration that remained largely peaceful through the evening. They walked for about two hours chanting “touch one, touch all,” “hand’s up, don’t shoot” and “no justice, no peace” around the site where 38-year-old Alfred Olango was killed. While many El Cajon businesses decided to close their doors until Sunday, there were no immediate reports of looting or arrests on Friday night. Erik Anderson, Jean Guerrero KPBS -- 10/1/16

Blacks and whites differ widely on their perceptions of police shootings, study finds -- When a black person is shot and killed by police, blacks tend to see it as a sign of a deeper problem between law enforcement and their community. By contrast, whites are much more likely than blacks to view the fatal shooting as an isolated incident. Ben Poston in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

New law aims to help keep sexual assault survivors' addresses private -- Protections to keep domestic violence survivors' addresses confidential will be standardized under a bill the governor signed Friday. Sophia Bollag in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Workers in small businesses will not get mandatory parental leave, after veto by Gov. Jerry Brown -- Gov. Jerry Brown refused on Friday to extend parental leave requirements to Californians who work for some of the state's smallest businesses, saying he worried about the plan's impact. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/16

Bill increasing penalties for possessing date-rape drugs becomes law without governor's signature -- Brown normally signs bills he supports or vetoes them if he doesn't, but bills can become law if the governor fails to act by Friday’s midnight deadline. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Democrat who lost in the primary says he will vote for Republican Rep. Steve Knight in heated House race -- Lou Vince, an L.A. police lieutenant who finished third in the 25th Congressional District's primary contest this June, crossed party lines Thursday and said he will vote for Republican Congressman Steve Knight over Democratic lawyer Bryan Caforio in the heated congressional race that national Democrats are targeting as a potential seat pick-up. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Fundraising, attack ads heat up race for state Senator Fran Pavley’s seat -- The race for outgoing state Senator Fran Pavley’s seat in Ventura and Los Angeles counties is getting increasingly negative. The state Democratic Party is backing mailers accusing “polluters” of contributing to Republican candidate Steve Fazio in the Senate District 27 race. The party is backing Fazio’s opponent, Democrat Henry Stern, in the Nov. 8 election. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/1/16

Oakland’s Desley Brooks goes at it with City Council colleagues -- Oakland’s political feuding hit new depths of dysfunction when a City Council member seized the public-speakers’ microphone for a 40-minute diatribe that ended only when her colleagues pulled the plug on their meeting. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/1/16

Quake alert issued for Southern California -- Southern California cities should remain on heightened alert into early next week for the increased possibility of a powerful earthquake following a swarm of temblors near the Salton Sea, officials announced. Lauren Williams in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/1/16

Earthquake Alerts Could Begin Within 2 Years -- Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill creating a program for a statewide earthquake early warning system in California. State Senator Jerry Hill authored the legislation. He says alerts can trigger other systems to shut or slow down to reduce injury or damage during a big earthquake. Marnette Federis Capital Public Radio -- 10/1/16

More than 1,500 bodies await testing at backlogged LA County morgue -- Six months after the head of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner abruptly resigned because of funding cuts and staff shortages, bodies continue to pile up at the morgue as they await testing. Susan Abram in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 10/1/16

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions

Measure seeking to halt L.A. 'mega-developments' goes to March ballot -- An initiative seeking a two-year ban on zoning changes that would allow for high-density construction around Los Angeles is heading to a popular vote after the City Council on Friday approved placing it on the March 7 ballot. Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Hanjin Shipping collapse leaves up to 15,000 cargo containers piled up -- Since the company collapsed at the end of August, the orphaned containers have piled up in and around the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles — and no one’s quite sure what to do with them. They can’t stay here; the real estate is too scarce, especially ahead of the busy holiday season. Rachel Uranga in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/1/16

Part-time community college instructors to get job protections -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed Assembly Bill 1690 and Senate Bill 1379, mandating that state’s community college districts come to the negotiating table with part-time instructors to discuss reemployment and termination rules. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/16

Downtown Partnership Endorses Chargers’ Stadium Plan -- The Downtown San Diego Partnership, which represents downtown organizations and property owners, today endorsed Measure C, which would provide a framework for building a Chargers football stadium and convention center annex. KPBS -- 10/1/16

136 Orange County library workers will lose their jobs -- County officials plan to eliminate the jobs of 136 part-time pages at local libraries, bowing to pressure from union leaders who have objected to the county’s practice of granting the nonunion workers indefinite extensions of their short-term contracts. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 10/1/16

Water

One word to describe the last water year? Dry -- There were high hopes going into water year 2016. Matt Stevens in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Officials Say San Diego County Has Healthy Water Supply Despite Drought -- The San Diego County Water Authority reiterated Friday that the region has sufficient supply to meet expected demand next year and beyond, but efficient water use by customers remains essential. KPBS -- 10/1/16

Education

Brown vetoes bill requiring charters to comply with conflict of interest, open records laws -- Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill Friday, pushed hard by the California Teachers Association, that would have required charter schools to comply with the state’s open meetings, public records and conflict of interest laws. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 10/1/16

Pipeline from colleges helps fill teacher roles in Long Beach -- Teacher shortage? Not in Long Beach. Long Beach Unified School District appears to be well-insulated from the effects of a teacher shortage affecting other parts of the state, as the district had zero job openings for teachers at the start of this school year. Andrew Edwards in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/1/16

KHSD's bond backers received millions in contracts -- The two main backers of the Kern High School District’s $280 million bond campaign are a construction company and architecture outfit that have captured more than $140 million in district projects since 2006, campaign finance filings released this week show. Harold Pierce in the Bakersfield Californian$ -- 10/1/16

Cannabis

As California Considers Marijuana Legalization, Concerns Linger Over Labeling Edible Products -- Californians may soon vote to legalize recreational marijuana, which means edible products containing the drug will be more widely available and could accidentally fall into the wrong hands. Lisa Fine KQED -- 10/1/16

Fight looms over location of medical marijuana farms in Sonoma County -- Sonoma County is putting out a welcome mat for the medical marijuana industry, but it may not be as big as the industry would like as it emerges from the legal shadows. Guy Kovner in the Santa Rosa Press -- 10/1/16

Immigration / Border

Gov. Jerry Brown signs, vetoes bills affecting immigrant communities -- Beginning in 2018, a new law will require authorities to inform undocumented immigrants in local custody of their basic rights to decline an interview with federal immigration officials or to have an attorney present. Alejandra Molina in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/1/16

Environment

Sunshine Canyon Landfill operator says few residents behind thousands of complaints -- Whenever the stench of dump gas or garbage has wafted over from Sunshine Canyon Landfill into Granada Hills, more than 9,000 residents since 2009 have called air regulators to file odor complaints. Dana Bartholomew in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/1/16

Also . . .

It’s official: Blue jeans are a California state symbol -- Denim has officially entered the pantheon of official state symbols, with Gov. Jerry Brown signing legislation declaring the material the California state fabric. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/16

Beltway

Donald Trump Opens New Line of Attack on Hillary Clinton: Her Marriage -- Donald J. Trump unleashed a slashing new attack on Hillary Clinton over Bill Clinton’s sexual indiscretions on Friday as he sought to put the Clintons’ relationship at the center of his political argument against her before their next debate. Patrick Healy and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 10/1/16

Republicans fear Trump is playing into Clinton’s hands by lashing out on infidelity -- The airwaves and newspaper headlines were filled with talk of infidelity and impeachment. When the votes were counted, the result was a shock: For only the second time since the Civil War, the president’s party had gained seats in the House of Representatives. Mark Z. Barabak and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Trump urges mostly white crowd in suburban Detroit to stand guard for election fraud -- But at a rally in the Detroit suburbs Friday, he urged the mostly white crowd to travel to monitor other polling places on election day -- a plea that civil rights groups say is code for preventing blacks from voting. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/16

Talk of sex tapes take presidential campaign on sordid turn -- Donald Trump is encouraging voters to check out a "sex tape" featuring the former beauty queen with whom he's feuding. Hillary Clinton's campaign is suggesting that a better rental is the adult film in which Trump himself appears. Josh Lederman and Steve Peoples Associated Press -- 10/1/16

Trump’s bad week is a ‘nightmare’ for the GOP -- Republican leaders and strategists are unnerved by Donald Trump’s erratic attacks on a Latina beauty queen and other outbursts this week, increasingly fearful that the GOP nominee is damaging his White House hopes and doing lasting harm to the party in the campaign’s final stretch. Philip Rucker, Robert Costa and Sean Sullivan in the Washington Post$ -- 10/1/16

-- Friday Updates

Sacramento police tried to run over man before shooting him 14 times -- Two Sacramento police officers attempted to run over a mentally ill homeless man with their car less than 35 seconds before they shot and killed him, according to recordings released by police this month. Anita Chabia and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/30/16

El Cajon video shows police officer shooting unarmed black man -- Authorities on Friday released cellphone and surveillance video showing the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black man Friday, hoping to quell growing questions about the incident that has led to violent protests. Sarah Parvini, Veronica Rocha, David Hernandez and Corina Knoll in the Los Angeles Times$ Pauline Repard in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Julie Watson and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 9/30/16

Campaign watchdog investigates porn industry over alleged foreign donations -- The Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating the porn industry in response to a complaint alleging that it accepted foreign money to oppose a November ballot measure requiring actors to wear condoms in adult films. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/30/16

Earthquake warning issued for Southern California -- With nearly 200 small tremors giving Southern California a jiggle earlier in the week, the California Office of Emergency Services has issued an earthquake advisory for the region. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/30/16

CalPERS poised to cut retiree pensions in tiny Sierra town -- The Loyalton retirees soon may have the unwanted distinction of becoming the first in the state to see their promised retirement benefits slashed because of their former employers’ inability to pay into the public pension fund. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/30/16

California expands punishment for rape after Brown signs bills inspired by Brock Turner case -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed legislation that expands the legal definition of rape and imposes new mandatory minimum sentences on some sexual assault offenders -- measures inspired amid national outcry over the sexual assault case of former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ Tracey Kaplan in the East Bay Times Don Thompson Associated Press Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/30/16

'Dark money' funds flood of political canvassers in heated Los Angeles County congressional race -- Voters in Santa Clarita and Palmdale will soon be greeted at their doors by an army of political canvassers funded by a six-figure check from a so-called dark-money group tied to the Republican party. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

Prayer meeting draws crowd in Olango shooting -- About 50 clergy members from around the region gathered at El Cajon police headquarters Friday, praying for peace and unity after a night with violent protest over the Alfred Olango shooting by an officer. Surrounded by about 150 onlookers, the pastors sang “Amazing Grace.” Pauline Repard and Karen Pearlman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/30/16

California increases penalties for secret recordings like Planned Parenthood videos -- California will increase punishments for secret recordings like the controversial videos that rocked Planned Parenthood last summer after Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed legislation pushed by the health organization. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

Gov. Jerry Brown makes it crystal clear: He really doesn't like ranked-choice voting -- An effort to expand the use of ranked-choice voting in California, in which voters choose second- and third-choice candidates, was struck down by Gov. Jerry Brown this week with a pretty simple message. He just doesn't like it. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

Stronger equal-pay protections for women and people of color coming soon in California -- Equal-pay laws in California will get tougher under two bills Gov. Jerry Brown signed Friday. The two new laws will strengthen wage-equity protections for women and people of color. Sophia Bollag in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

More large electronic billboards are possible for downtown Los Angeles after governor's action -- More electronic billboards could be allowed in downtown Los Angeles under a new law signed Friday by Gov. Jerry Brown that community activists charge will add to visual blight in the city core. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

Lessons in legalization: Washington’s slick pot industry booming -- Californians contemplating a future of legal marijuana after election day may want to gaze north, to places like this hip pot spot south of downtown Seattle, to see how radically the landscape has changed in the four years since Washington voters decriminalized recreational weed and the two years since retail sales launched. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/30/16

Tijuana condo boom: The new San Diego? -- José Luis Corona didn’t expect to move back to Mexico when he left for the United States 12 years ago, but that was until he saw the Horizonte luxury condominiums in Tijuana. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/30/16

Fox: Will Taxpayers Back-up New State Controlled Pension System? -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 1234 to establish a state supervised retirement fund called Secure Choice for private workers. One wonders if at some future time this action will be remembered much like Gov. Gray Davis’s signature on SB 400 of 1999, which put taxpayers on edge by driving public pensions into deep debt. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/30/16

Stem cell: Hunting a cure for diabetes -- An eminent Harvard stem cell researcher who is searching for a cure for an affliction that plagues 29 million Americans stood on a San Francisco stage this week and spoke of “things we don’t understand.” David Jensen Capitol Weekly -- 9/30/16

Abcarian: A Republican lawmaker's hat at a marijuana conference says it all: 'Make Cannabis Great Again' -- I couldn’t find a single person at the State of Marijuana Conference ’16 on the Queen Mary this week willing to predict anything other than success for Proposition 64, the measure that could legalize cannabis in California for adult recreational use. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

A Social-Justice Agenda for Community College -- Eloy Oakley isn’t shy about his plans to be much more “proactive” than previous chancellors when he takes over California’s mammoth community-college system in December. Emily Deruy The Atlantic -- 9/30/16

Brown OKs state-run pensions for private workers -- Gov. Brown has signed historic legislation to set up California’s first state-run pension plan for private-sector workers, allowing millions of employees to continuously build a retirement nest egg regardless of where they work. John Howard and Alex Matthews Capitol Weekly -- 9/30/16

Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin makes aggressive moves in Hollywood -- China’s richest man, Wang Jianlin, has been on a buying spree in Hollywood. His media conglomerate, Dalian Wanda Group, has aggressively expanded into the U.S. film industry. Ryan Faughnder and David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/30/16

Trump jumps into the gutter -- The Republican nominee loses all impulse control, and unleashes a violent Twitter rant against his Miss Universe nemesis. Louis Nelson Politico -- 9/30/16

Before 6 a.m., Donald Trump proved Hillary Clinton’s point about his temperament -- While you were probably still sleeping, the 2016 Republican presidential nominee encouraged all of us to check out a "sex tape" and offered a baseless conspiracy theory about his opponent helping the woman from the alleged sex tape get citizenship so she could take him down. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 9/30/16