California Policy & Politics This Morning
Delta tunnel project takes another step forward -- The proposal to build a major tunnel system under the hub of California’s waterworks won another approval Friday when the state finalized its environmental review of the project. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Caltrain electrification project takes symbolic step forward -- Gov. Jerry Brown, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and hundreds of other political leaders and transportation officials gathered on a Millbrae Caltrain station platform Friday to celebrate the start of a project to electrify the Peninsula’s commuter railroad as well as a victory over congressional Republicans who opposed funding it. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/17
Challengers in SoCal Republican districts drawing big donations though many are political newbies -- At least 24 Democratic candidates have declared their intent to run in one of the five districts, but none have held public office, and only a few have campaigned before. Jill Replogle KPCC -- 7/22/17
California Assembly GOP leader faces calls to quit after supporting cap-and-trade program -- Pressure is mounting on Assemblyman Chad Mayes to step down as Assembly GOP leader after he helped Democrats extend an anti-pollution program loathed by conservatives who already feel marginalized in deep-blue California. Jeff Horseman in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 7/22/17
Long Beach man claims lotto officials withheld $5-million prize because his underage son bought his ticket -- A Long Beach man is suing the state and the California Lottery Commission, claiming he was denied $5 million in prize money because his 16-year-old son purchased his winning ticket. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
California Politics Podcast: The winners and losers in the new cap-and-trade agreement -- This week: We devote the entire podcast to the action by lawmakers to extend California's cap-and-trade climate program. We discuss the political winners, the stakes and what's next. With John Myers and Melanie Mason of the Los Angeles Times, Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project and Marisa Lagos of KQED News. Link Here -- 7/22/17
SFO close-call: Air Canada pilot was not using guidance system, source says -- The wayward Air Canada pilot who nearly landed on a crowded SFO taxiway earlier this month did not activate his computer guidance system that would have helped guide his airplane onto the appropriate runway and not dozens of feet from a catastrophe, according to a source familiar with the federal investigation. Matthias Gafni in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/17
Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds
California jump-starting road fixes with revenue from new gas taxes, fees still on the horizon -- Drivers could see repairs made to several major roads sooner than expected as state officials accelerate several road repair projects before the revenues from approved gas taxes and vehicle registration fees even come in. Meghan McCarty Carino KPCC -- 7/22/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
'The yellow light is on': California loses 1,400 jobs as economy shows signs of slowing -- California’s economic engine quieted in June as employers reduced their payrolls by 1,400, according to a report Friday by the state’s Employment Development Department. It was the second month this year that the state lost jobs. Natalie Kitroeff in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Is the presidency good for Trump’s business? Not necessarily at this golf course -- At President Trump’s golf club in Southern California, there is a driving range on a cliff, with a stunning view of the blue Pacific. There’s room for 24 golfers. But, on a recent afternoon, there was only one. And he was playing with a guilty conscience. David A. Fahrenthold and Rob Kuznia in the Washington Post$ -- 7/22/17
As California’s labor shortage grows, farmers race to replace workers with robots -- riscoll’s is so secretive about its robotic strawberry picker it won’t let photographers within telephoto range of it. Geoffrey Mohan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Housing
Affluent Marin County can continue to limit home building under bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown -- The measure, Senate Bill 106, lets Marin's largest cities and incorporated areas maintain extra restrictions on how many homes developers can build. Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) inserted the provision into the bill, which was tied to the state budget and didn't have to go through the regular committee process. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Part of San Francisco Housing Complex Reserved for Seniors at Risk of Displacement -- A housing complex for low-income seniors that was at the center of controversy between San Francisco and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Obama administration celebrated its grand opening Friday. Cesar Saldaña KQED -- 7/22/17
Wildfire
Why California's Wildfires Have Burned So Much Area So Early This Season -- California's wildfires have burned more than three times the acreage compared to this time last year. The intense start is thanks to the thick grasslands left behind after this year's heavy rainfall. Sally Schilling Capital Public Radio -- 7/22/17
This Mariposa Family Stayed While the Detwiler Fire Burned -- Nearly 5,000 people were evacuated from Mariposa County during this week after a massive wildfire swept through the area. But Jason Hawley, a resident of the historic mining town Mariposa, wasn’t one of them: He rejected the evacuation order, saying he wanted to stay in an effort to save his home. Serginho Roosblad KQED -- 7/22/17
No water, no power, no gas. Just hope remains for victims of the Detwiler Fire -- Edward Lopes stood in front of his Mount Bullion home Friday morning and patiently described what life is like for victims of the Detwiler fire near Mariposa right now. “It’s like one of those movies,” Lopes said. “Nobody’s in town except one or two persons. There’s no electricity. Everything’s dark, you can’t find anything, especially people with bad eyesight. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/22/17
Education
USC moves to fire, ban from campus former medical school dean over 'egregious behavior' -- Faced with mounting questions and anger on campus, USC announced Friday that it was hiring an ex-federal prosecutor to investigate a report by The Times that the former dean of the university’s medical school associated with criminals and drug abusers and used methamphetamine and other drugs with them. Paul Pringle, Sarah Parvini and Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Cannabis
Thousands apply for cannabis permits in Emerald Triangle, but few in Sonoma County -- In California’s famed Emerald Triangle marijuana growing region, cannabis farmers by the thousands have stepped out of the shadows to apply for permission to do business in state’s newly regulated marketplace. Julie Johnson and Glenda Anderson in the Santa Rosa Press -- 7/22/17
Immigration / Border
How California’s ‘sanctuary state’ bill would further limit ICE’s ability to arrest immigrants -- About a dozen immigration agents huddled just before dawn outside an Ace Hardware store in Jurupa Valley, a semi-rural city in Riverside County. Alejandra Molina and Brenda Gazzar in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 7/22/17
Environment
L.A. County sues over reopening of Aliso Canyon -- L.A. County is suing state regulators and Southern California Gas Co. for failing to conduct required safety and environmental studies and to turn over public documents before reopening the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility. Nina Agrawal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Giant California solar project cut back after environmentalists oppose it -- Plans for what was once billed as one of the world’s largest solar power projects will be scaled back dramatically following years of opposition from three environmental groups who filed lawsuits over an endangered rat and other species they said would be harmed by its construction. The settlement announced Friday over the Panoche Valley solar project in the remote ranchlands of San Benito County, about 25 miles south of Hollister, highlights the difficulty of building large renewable-energy projects in California. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/17
L.A. Metro wants to spend $138 million on electric buses. The goal: An emission-free fleet by 2030 -- Southern California’s biggest transit agency retired its last diesel bus six years ago, capping a 15-year process to replace tailpipes that belched black smoke with quieter, cleaner engines powered by natural gas. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/17
Also . . .
Fresno sheriff lacked policy for holsters for secondary guns when sergeant was fatally shot -- When Fresno County Sheriff’s Sgt. Rod Lucas was accidentally shot last year by a fellow deputy, the sheriff’s office had no approved holsters policy for safely securing secondary guns, the California Occupational Safety & Health Administration investigators told the county. Marc Benjamin in the Fresno Bee -- 7/22/17
Oakland man charged with trying to support terrorist group -- In one court filing unsealed Friday, a federal magistrate said prosecutors had alleged that Amer Sinan Alhaggagi “went so far as to meet with undercover agents on multiple occasions to plan a potential terrorist attack.” Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/17
POTUS 45
Jeff Sessions just got in more trouble — and now he’s put Trump in a box, too -- The Washington Post is reporting that Russia's ambassador has said he and Sessions discussed the 2016 campaign during two meetings last year. That is contrary to multiple public comments made by Sessions in March, when he recused himself from oversight of the Russia investigation. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 7/22/17
Yes, Trump Could Pardon Himself. Then All Hell Would Break Loose -- It’s never been tried. Here’s how it could blow up his presidency, or blow up the system. Richard Primus Politico -- 7/22/17
Inside the 24 hours that broke Sean Spicer -- Sean Spicer came to the White House on Thursday completely unaware President Donald Trump was planning to meet with Anthony Scaramucci, a longtime Wall Street friend, and offer him the job of communications director. Other top aides, including Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon, also had no clue. Josh Dawsey Politico -- 7/22/17
Beltway
Senate Parliamentarian Challenges Key Provisions of Health Bill -- The Senate Republican bill to dismantle the Affordable Care Act encountered huge new problems on Friday night after the Senate parliamentarian challenged key provisions that are needed to win conservative votes and to make the health bill workable. Robert Pear and Thomas Kaplan in the Washington Post$ -- 7/22/17
-- Friday Updates
Brown’s cap-and-trade deal could eventually kill high-speed rail -- A last-minute deal that Gov. Jerry Brown made with Republican lawmakers to win support for a 10-year extension of his signature climate program could cost the governor another top priority: high-speed rail. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/21/17
Massive California fire sends smoke all the way to Idaho while choking Yosemite and Lake Tahoe -- The Detwiler fire, which has forced more than 4,000 residents to flee, swelled to more than 70,000 acres Thursday and was 10% contained, according to Cal Fire. Officials said the fire was burning in an area littered with dead trees, killed by bark beetles and years of drought. Ruben Vives and Meg Bernhard in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/17
After bitter fight, decision expected on challenge to election of California Democratic Party leader -- A California Democratic Party commission reviewing allegations of voting irregularities in the election of a new leader is expected to announce its findings on Saturday. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/17
Bay Area job market bounces back, South Bay, East Bay post strong gains -- The Bay Area powered to strong job gains during June, an employment surge that banished — for now — fears that the region’s dynamic economy had begun to totter on the edge of a downturn, a state labor report released Friday showed. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/21/17
UCSC lowers admission of California students -- UC Santa Cruz dipped its admission of California high schoolers for the upcoming school year while upping its admission of international students more than any other school in the system, preliminary data released by the UC shows. Nicholas Ibarra in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/21/17
LAPD officer at center of cadet scandal charged with sexual assault of 15-year-old girl -- The Los Angeles police officer at the center of a scandal roiling the department’s signature youth initiative has been charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old member of the cadet program, prosecutors announced Friday. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/17
Hiltzik: Under Senate's Obamacare repeal, some Americans would have to pay more than their total income for health coverage -- One of the ostensibly brilliant ideas in Senate Republicans’ plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act is to move low-income families from Medicaid to the private insurance marketplace, allowing them to use the premium subsidies provided by the ACA. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/17
Spicer quits amid White House feud -- The beleaguered press secretary resigns after Trump settles on Scaramucci for communications director, splitting aides. Tara Palmeri, Ben White Politico -- 7/21/17