Updating . .
California's deadly hepatitis A outbreak could last years, official says -- Dr. Monique Foster, a medical epidemiologist with Division of Viral Hepatitis at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters Thursday that California’s outbreak could linger even with the right prevention efforts. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
In 16th AD, Catharine Baker navigates carefully -- During a Town Hall meeting in Orinda, one of the most affluent corners of her 16th Assembly District, Catharine Baker (R-Dublin) holds her own, leading the conversation and proudly explaining her votes and positions on the issues to a largely receptive audience made up of mostly older white constituents. Nik Bonovich Capitol Weekly -- 10/5/17
John Kelly's personal cell phone was compromised, White House believes -- The discovery raises concerns that hackers or foreign governments may have had access to data on Kelly’s phone while he was secretary of Homeland Security and after he joined the West Wing. Josh Dawsey, Emily Stephenson and Andrea Peterson Politico -- 10/5/17
California becomes 'sanctuary state' in rebuke of Trump immigration policy -- In a sharp rebuke to President Trump’s expanded deportation orders, Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark “sanctuary state” legislation Thursday, vastly limiting who state and local law enforcement agencies can hold, question and transfer at the request of federal immigration authorities. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ Marisa Lagos KQED Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/5/17
DACA demonstrators shut down intersection in Westwood -- Demonstrators blocked the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue in Westwood Thursday morning, creating a traffic nightmare for commuters while police scrambled to restore order. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
“Significant cost increases and delays”: State auditor rips Jerry Brown’s $17 billion Delta tunnels project -- The 91-page report from California’s state auditor, Elaine Howell, said the state Department of Water Resources “has not completed either an economic or financial analysis to demonstrate the financial viability” of the project, which the Brown administration calls the California WaterFix. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/5/17
California residents can apply for aid for medical bills, funeral expenses after Las Vegas attacks -- The California Victim Compensation Board, a state program that offers monetary support for victims of violent crimes, has released a single application process to allow people to apply for compensation from California as well as from Nevada's program, said Julie Nauman, the board's executive director. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Gun-control issue unlikely to sway hot Congress races: Here’s why -- Despite the vast divide between many Republicans and Democrats on gun control, experts say the issue is unlikely to play a major role in Southern California’s six hotly contested congressional races next year. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 10/5/17
It's time for Nancy Pelosi and other longtime Democratic leaders to leave, California Rep. Linda Sanchez says -- It was a bold declaration for a member of House leadership, especially for a member from California, and could signal that she's reflecting the views of many House Democrats. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Rep. Mimi Walters challenger sets himself apart from the large field -- Amid the parade of 28 congressional candidates challenging Orange County’s four Republican Congress members next year, Democrat Ron Varasteh is a rare bird. The wealthy businessman and hardcore Bernie Sanders supporter is one of only two challengers to have run for Congress before and the sole candidate to have twice appeared on general election ballots for the House. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 10/5/17
Democrats air new ads criticizing Reps. Valadao, Denham over health care -- Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, is one of two San Joaquin Valley congressmen being targeted in a new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad campaign that focuses on health care. Ads that will start airing on Valley radio and television channels Thursdaywill criticize Valadao and Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, for supporting GOP efforts to scale back Obamacare. The item is in the Fresno Bee -- 10/5/17
‘Show your taxes’—Could California really make presidential contenders do it? -- There’s sometimes a fine line between good governance and trolling. One of this year’s most controversial—if not quite as consequential—state bills is a proposal by Democratic Sen. Mike McGuire of Healdsburg that would require presidential candidates to release their tax returns before they can appear on a California ballot. Ben Christopher Calmatters.org -- 10/5/17
Despite teachers’ vote, a Fresno Unified strike is a long ways off – if it happens at all -- Fresno teachers voted overwhelmingly this week to authorize a strike over their contract talks with the Fresno Unified School District. But that doesn’t mean a strike is imminent, or even a foregone conclusion. Tim Sheehan in the Fresno Bee -- 10/5/17
Passenger dragged off flight claims racial profiling -- A woman seen on video being dragged off a Southwest Airlines flight in Maryland has said she believes she was a victim of racial profiling. Anila Daulatzai, who is Muslim, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday that she was mistreated after she told the crew on a Sept. 26 flight to Los Angeles that she was allergic to dogs in the cabin. Associated Press -- 10/5/17
I was 9 when my parents told me I was undocumented. With DACA ending, I have no idea what's next -- My parents don’t remember exactly when they told me. But I do. I was 8 or 9 years old. My teacher gave me a pamphlet about a school trip to Washington, D.C. Brian De Los Santos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Do More Guns Make People Safer? Research Says No -- Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas shooter, had 23 firearms in his hotel room and he bought 33 guns in the past year, according to law enforcement officials. Maureen Cavanaugh, Michael Lipkin KPBS -- 10/5/17
Fox: A Civic Lesson from San Francisco on the Two-Thirds Vote for Taxes -- Since Proposition 13 established a requirement for a two-thirds vote by the people for special taxes—that is, taxes earmarked for a special purpose–opponents of the idea have been critical. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 10/5/17
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Does Antonio Villaraigosa have a union problem in the California governor’s race? -- Antonio Villaraigosa pauses atop a staircase at Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights and recalls an altercation with a “gang guy” who bumped into him on his first day of school. He remembers apologizing as the books he was carrying tumbled to the ground. His larger aggressor wasn’t having it, however, summoning the much quicker Villaraigosa to a fight by the bleachers. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/5/17
What labor unions are saying about Antonio Villaraigosa -- Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa went from organizing teachers to fighting with their unions as part of his bid to improve low-performing schools. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/5/17
California Republicans who co-sponsored Democrats' Dream Act not going to help force a vote -- California Reps. Jeff Denham and David Valadao co-sponsored Democrats' legislative fix to address expiring protections for young immigrants, but they don't plan to join the effort to force a vote on it. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Former (San Diego) Supervisor Dave Roberts gets $12k in worker's compensation from the county -- Former county Supervisor Dave Roberts has qualified for worker’s compensation payments from San Diego County for a repetitive use injury to the right side of his body, which he developed during four years he spent using a computer, talking on a phone and doing the other regular duties of his office. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/5/17
Walters: New law, born of UC scandal, will punish interference with audits -- Political discourse is full of hype, obfuscation and downright lying—which is why two independent authorities play such vital roles in the state Capitol. Dan Walters Calmatters.org -- 10/5/17
Trump administration ordered to enforce methane restrictions launched under Obama -- The ruling came at the behest of California and other states, which charged the administration is required by law to enforce the new rules intended to cut the release of 175,000 tons of the potent greenhouse gas annually, as well as reduce the emission of associated toxic pollutants. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Quake warnings saved thousands in Mexico, but California might need private money to build similar system -- When the Big One hits California – and seismologists say it’s not if, but when – there might not be blaring sirens or vibrating phones giving people a precious few seconds to prepare. At least, those warnings won’t come if a quake hits in the foreseeable future. California’s earthquake warning system, long discussed and partially built, remains incomplete and in limbo. And if the Trump administration has its way, it might be unfunded too. Lauren Williams in the Orange County Register -- 10/5/17
Uber, Lyft avoid fingerprint checks again under proposed California regulation -- State regulators declined to require biometric background checks, such as fingerprints, for Lyft and Uber drivers, but plan to require annual checks, codifying something the companies already do. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/17
Gov. Jerry Brown signs bills reforming PACE energy-efficiency loan program -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed two bills Wednesday that boost consumer protections for borrowers taking out PACE loans, a type of financing that funds energy-efficient home improvements. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Gov. Jerry Brown signs bill allowing consumers to sue banks over bogus accounts -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Wednesday that protects the right of consumers to sue banks alleged to have created fraudulent accounts in their name. The legislation was prompted by the ongoing Wells Fargo & Co. scandal. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Two measures to boost Obamacare in California signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed two measures Wednesday to help Californians who buy health insurance under Covered California, the state's Obamacare marketplace. The measures ensure a longer enrollment period and continued treatment for some patients even if their insurer leaves Covered California. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
How a new California law could eliminate a 30-year-old rule that slowed development in Los Angeles -- Thirty years ago, a neighborhood association in Westwood won a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles over the approval of a 26-story office tower. The project, the group convinced an appellate court, shouldn’t have been permitted without an in-depth environmental review, even though the city said the building had met all its codes and requirements. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Rules for disabled parking placards in California about to get tougher -- Months after an audit found widespread problems with the program providing disabled parking placards in California, Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday approved legislation aimed at preventing fraud. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Gov. Jerry Brown says no to increasing penalty for secret 'body shaming' photography -- The proposal, Senate Bill 784 by Sen. Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton), was intended to deter the type of "body shaming" that occurs when someone mocks another person's appearance by surreptitiously taking pictures of them. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
LGBT Seniors, Wells Fargo Bills Draw Brown's Signature -- California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that gives legal protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors living in long-term care facilities. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 10/5/17
Head of L.A. County Housing Authority fired without explanation -- Los Angeles County supervisors have fired Sean Rogan, the head of the county’s housing and community development programs, but offered no public explanation. After a closed session Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors announced that it had dismissed Rogan from his $229,000-a-year post as executive director of the combined Housing Authority and Community Development Commission. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ Rina Palta KPCC -- 10/5/17
Oakland City Council to review Ghost Ship litigation -- An agenda for the Oct. 17 council meeting says that 15 cases against the city will be considered during a session that’s not open to the public, in which monetary settlements can be determined. Thirty-six people died in the warehouse inferno last December during an electronic music party. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/17
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher says Trump's chief of staff is keeping him from talking to the president about Julian Assange -- White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly is the reason Rep. Dana Rohrabacher hasn't spoken with President Trump about a meeting the congressman had with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Costa Mesa Republican told Business Insider. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Rep. Jimmy Gomez endorses Wendy Carrillo as his successor in Assembly -- Rep. Jimmy Gomez endorsed Wendy Carrillo on Wednesday, one day after the primary vote left her poised to advance to a runoff election for his old Assembly seat. Gomez, a Los Angeles Democrat, vacated the seat earlier this year when he was elected to Congress. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Skelton: Hey, NRA: Stop assuming everyone who's a good guy will never become a bad guy -- One thing we know about the Las Vegas mass murderer: He was, before obtaining all those guns, an “honest, law-abiding citizen.” You know, the kind of guy that the National Rifle Assn. always says it’s trying to protect from “unconstitutional” firearms laws. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
San Diego woman loses eye in Las Vegas shooting -- A 27-year-old San Diego woman who lost an eye in the mass shooting Sunday in Las Vegas remains in a coma and is in critical condition, a family friend said. Tina Frost, an accountant with Ernst & Young in San Diego, was attending the country music festival with her boyfriend when a gunman opened fire from the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Karen Kucher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Rapid-fire device used in Las Vegas shooting already illegal in California -- In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, federal law may catch up to California law when it comes to banning a tool you can buy online for $200 that makes your semiautomatic weapon mimic the rapid fire of a machine gun. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/5/17
After Las Vegas, Feinstein proposal on bump stocks has some Republicans listening -- The odds are heavily against this Republican-controlled Congress taking action on guns in the wake of Sunday night’s massacre in Las Vegas. But rank-and-file GOP lawmakers are giving Democrats at least a glimmer of hope they might cooperate on a narrowly tailored measure California Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced Wednesday. Emily Cadei and Lesley Clark McClatchyDC -- 10/5/17
Politifact CA: How is a ‘mass shooting’ defined? -- One strict definition used in the past by the federal government says at least four victims must be killed. Much broader criteria requires at least four victims be injured, though not necessarily killed. Other definitions land somewhere in the middle. Chris Nichols Politifact CA -- 10/5/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Los Angeles hotel chain to accept Chinese mobile payment options to serve tourism boom -- With tourism from China surging, two Southern California hotels announced plans to become among the first in the region to allow guests to use the Chinese mobile payment options WeChat Pay and Alipay. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
An Arkansas family wins $546,000 over bed bugs at a Rancho Cucamonga hotel -- An Arkansas family that complained of bed bug bites while staying at a Rancho Cucamonga hotel has been awarded $546,000, which their lawyer said is the biggest judgment ever in a bed-bug-related case. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Homeless
‘I don’t know where I’d be’: Here’s how Orange County’s first year-round homeless shelter has helped in 1 year -- Michael Gasparovic had been homeless on and off for 13 years when, last winter, he stumbled into The Courtyard shelter. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 10/5/17
Housing
Amid housing crunch, homeless crisis, San Diego officials collect more money, fund fewer units -- San Diego officials funded fewer than 20 percent of the affordable rental housing units they hoped to finance over the past fiscal year, despite a nearly 85 percent bump in revenue from developer fees to support such projects. James DeHaven in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/5/17
Is there a housing bubble and will it burst in San Francisco? -- Home prices are rising nationally and at a still faster clip in the Bay Area. When will it end? Richard Scheinin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/5/17
Education
Conservative Berkeley students ask US Justice Department to launch investigation -- A group of conservative UC Berkeley students told the U.S. Department of Justice this week that they canceled last week’s controversial Free Speech Week event on campus for fear they would be “subjected to a criminal police investigation” by the university. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/17
Poll: Californians lean toward school choice, away from testing -- When it comes to education, Californians see the wealthy awash in school choice, the poor with few options and, surprisingly, the middle class with some — but not a lot — of choices in selecting a school, a poll released Thursday shows. Sharon Noguchi in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/5/17
New poll: 'Safe and positive school environment' more important than higher test scores -- In evaluating school performance, registered voters in California say creating a safe and positive school environment is far more important than higher scores on standardized tests, according to a Berkeley IGS/EdSource poll. Louis Feedberg, John Fensterwald and Theresa Harrington EdSource
Are California voters warming up to school vouchers? -- A majority of California voters favor offering tax credits or vouchers to low-income parents for sending their children to private or religious schools, according to a new statewide poll. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/5/17
Marlborough School settles suit by former student who was sexually abused by teacher -- Marlborough School has reached a settlement agreement with Chelsea Burkett, 33, who was impregnated by an English teacher when she was a student there. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael P. Linfield presided over the agreement, whose details have been sealed under a confidentiality clause. Joy Resmovits in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Cannabis
Hundreds applied to be on California's pot advisory committee. Here's who got picked -- With just three months left to draft new rules for marijuana sales in California, the state on Wednesday appointed a panel of industry members, health experts, law enforcement officials and union leaders to provide advice during the effort. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Grandma’s guide to grass: State’s pot website cuts through cannabis haze -- Every day, Anna Denny encounters people who know their way around a joint. Denny owns Elevated 916, a smoke shop in north Sacramento that sells tobacco products and smoking accessories. But many of her customers don’t limit their smoking to tobacco. Ana B. Ibarra in the Orange County Register -- 10/5/17
California marijuana grow houses account for 75 percent of U.S. indoor plants seized -- California’s illegally grown marijuana, once largely produced in national forests and other outdoor locations, is increasingly found indoors, federal statistics show. Brad Branan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/5/17
Immigration / Border
Deadline arrives for DACA renewals -- Joseline Gonzalez’s life has been consumed by DACA since President Trump last month announced he was phasing out the program that staved off potential deportation for immigrants who entered the U.S. long ago as children. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/17
Health
California Frets Over Funding After Congress Misses Health Care Deadlines -- More than a million California children get their health insurance from the Children’s Health Insurance Program, also know as “CHIP.” Like they do with Medicaid, states split the costs for CHIP with the federal government. But Congress missed an Oct. 1 deadline to renew CHIP funding — a lapse that many blame on the drawn-out effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Carrie Feibel KQED -- 10/5/17
Bill to Rescue Children’s Health Program Hits Snag in House -- Legislation to rescue the Children’s Health Insurance Program sailed through a Senate committee on Wednesday, but touched off a partisan conflict in the House, diminishing hopes that the popular program would be quickly refinanced. Robert Pear in the New York Times$ -- 10/5/17
To get ahead of hepatitis A epidemic, San Francisco to vaccinate citizens of streets -- Terrified by reports of hepatitis A outbreaks in San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Cruz, San Francisco health officials are rushing to vaccinate the homeless people and drug users on the city’s streets. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/17
San Diego paramedics to join hepatitis A fight -- A letter signed this week by the director of the state Emergency Medical Services Authority temporarily expands state laws that govern paramedics, granting them emergency powers to “vaccinate at-risk populations in response to the outbreak.” Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/5/17
Community Clinics Falling Off Financial Cliff After Congress Fails To Approve Funds -- Something important happened while Congress was busy trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act last week — it missed the deadline to fund community clinics. As a result, community clinics nationwide will be having to make some tough choices. Kenny Goldberg KPBS -- 10/5/17
Environment
Billionaire relents, kicks open his gate to popular Martins Beach -- The decision by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla to finally allow the public to use the only road leading to picturesque Martins Beach was touted as a victory for surfers and sunbathers, but lawyers say it probably isn’t the end of a decade-long battle over the sandy cove. Peter Fimrite in the Los Angeles Times$ Eric Kurhi in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/5/17
San Diego Joins South Bay Cities In Suing Feds Over Cross-Border Sewage Spills -- The city of San Diego plans to join the cities of Chula Vista and Imperial Beach, and the Port of San Diego, in filing a lawsuit over a series of sewage spills in Tijuana that have fouled the water and air in the South Bay area. KPBS -- 10/5/17
Also . . .
Judge Dismisses Charges Against 2nd Cop in Police Sexual Exploitation Case -- An Alameda County Superior Court judge has dismissed criminal charges against a second defendant in a widespread law enforcement sexual exploitation case involving dozens of Bay Area peace officers and the teenage daughter of an Oakland police dispatcher. Julie Small and Alex Emslie KQED -- 10/5/17
L.A. to pay $7.5 million to settle suit from bicyclist who was left a quadriplegic after crash -- The City Council voted Wednesday to approve the payout and end the legal dispute with William Yao, who sued the city after a devastating crash three years ago in Porter Ranch. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
L.A. County to pay $4 million to families of couple killed in 2013 crash with speeding deputy -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the families of a couple killed four years ago when a sheriff’s deputy raced into a Palmdale intersection and struck their car, records show. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/17
Court commissioner disciplined for abusive behavior toward interpreter -- The state’s judicial disciplinary agency reprimanded a longtime Alameda County Superior Court commissioner Wednesday for insulting and cursing at a court interpreter and allowing staff members to make racist and sexist comments in his courtroom. It was the third time the Commission on Judicial Performance had publicly disciplined Mark Kliszewski. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/17
POTUS 45
‘Death spiral’: Tillerson makes nice but may not last long with Trump -- The moment was as remarkable as it was unprecedented: A sitting U.S. secretary of state took to the microphone to pledge his fealty to the president — despite his well-documented unhappiness in the job and the growing presumption in Washington that he is a short-timer. Anne Gearan, Philip Rucker and Ashley Parker in the Washington Post$ -- 10/5/17
Beltway
Congress to Trump, basically: Russia is not fake news -- The Senate's investigation into Russian meddling and whether Trump's 2016 campaign helped isn't complete, but lawmakers announced Wednesday that they've reached some conclusions, and those conclusions contradict how Trump has approached Russia. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 10/5/17
Senate Intelligence Heads Warn That Russian Election Meddling Continues -- The leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee delivered a stark warning on Wednesday to political candidates: Expect Russian operatives to remain active and determined to again try to sow chaos in elections next month and next year. Nicholas Fandos in the New York Times$ -- 10/5/17
Disney chief Bob Iger won’t say whether he’ll run for president, but he’s talking like a politician -- Disney chief executive Bob Iger is calling for “productive action” to stop gun violence and urging “empathy” for National Football League players who refuse to stand for the national anthem. Iger's comments at a Vanity Fair conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday positioned the man who oversees two of the country's biggest media outlets, ABC News and ESPN, opposite President Trump. Callum Borchers in the Washington Post$ -- 10/5/17
Angry GOP donors close their wallets -- Tensions reached a boiling point at a recent dinner at the home of Los Angeles billionaire Robert Day. In full view of around two dozen guests, Thomas Wachtell, a retired oil and gas investor and party contributor, delivered an urgent message to the night’s headliner, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: Just do something. Alex Isenstadt and Gabriel Debenedetti Politico -- 10/5/17
-- Wednesday Updates
Trump's pick as EPA air pollution chief won't pledge to maintain California's authority -- When California defied Washington a decade ago by launching aggressive action on climate change, one official at the Environmental Protection Agency emerged as a nemesis for state leaders time and again. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
Pay teachers the same salary as state lawmakers? Voters may decide in 2018 -- California teachers' paychecks could equal those of state legislators under a new initiative that proponents are aiming to qualify for the November 2018 ballot. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
Poll: Majority opposes repealing gas tax increases in California -- The first poll on a proposed ballot measure indicates 53.9% of California residents oppose repealing a new gas tax and vehicle fee hike. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
Feinstein moves to close automatic-rifles loophole in wake of Las Vegas massacre -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday introduced legislation to close what she calls an automatic weapons loophole that allows gun owners to convert semi-automatic rifles into rapid-fire automatic machines. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
Survivors from California recount their terrifying escape from danger in Las Vegas -- As the gunshots echoed and people began to drop around her, Carmen Alegria was certain her time was up. Cindy Carcamo, Alene Tchekmedyian, Kate Mather and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
An ER Doctor Turned Congressman Takes ‘Public Health’ Approach to Gun Violence -- Congressman Raul Ruiz saw plenty of trauma during his days as an emergency room doctor in Southern California, but that doesn’t make it easier to deal with constituents directly affected by this week’s massacre in Las Vegas. Scott Shafer KQED -- 10/4/17
In a commandeered truck, Marine veteran drives dozens of Las Vegas shooting victims to a hospital -- One thought became crystal clear to Taylor Winston as carnage surrounded him. He needed a truck, and he needed it now. The 29-year-old from San Diego was in the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival Sunday night when a man opened fire from the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel Resort and Casino. Lyndsay Winkley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
San Diego's hepatitis A outbreak continues to grow -- Add 20 more cases and 22 more hospitalizations to San Diego County’s ever-growing hepatitis A outbreak. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/4/17
Pension costs ‘crowding out’ spending on parks, schools and social services, report says -- California governments likely will make do with fewer teachers, parks employees and other public workers while they struggle to absorb fast-rising pension costs in the next few years, a former state lawmaker argues in a study released this week through Stanford University. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/4/17
Mayor Eric Garcetti to host reelection fundraiser for Sen. Dianne Feinstein -- Mayor Eric Garcetti is hosting a fundraiser for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and says the senior senator's stature is needed in Washington more than ever before. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
As Trump administration begins phasing out 'Dreamers' program, Congress split over replacement legislation -- The Trump administration officially begins at midnight on Thursday to unravel the Obama-era program shielding from deportation people brought to the United States illegally as children, accepting no new applications after that time. Brian Bennett in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/4/17
Rebuilding The Lake Oroville Spillways -- In February, a huge hole opened in the Lake Oroville main spillway. The cause of the hole is still undetermined. The ensuing closure of the main gates and use of the emergency spillway for the first time ever caused damage to the hillside, erosion toward the spillway structure and thousands of people to evacuate. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 10/4/17
More power for electric vehicles? -- It may soon become a lot easier for California drivers to get plugged in. Legislation on Gov. Brown’s desk would allow city officials and private property owners to install charging stations for electric vehicles on curbsides of public streets. Brown has until Oct. 15 to sign the bill, veto it or let it become law without his signature. Vu Chau Capitol Weekly -- 10/4/17
Fox: Change Brown’s Policies? Which Ones? -- Last week’s Public Policy Institute of California poll contained a curious question that needed some in-depth follow-up to give us context. Since the follow-up did not occur, it left a reader of the poll to do some guessing. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 10/4/17
Interior Department whistleblower resigns, calling Ryan Zinke’s leadership a failure -- An Interior Department executive turned whistleblower who claimed the Trump administration retaliated against him for publicly disclosing how climate change affects Alaska Native communities resigned Wednesday. Darryl Fears in the Washington Post$ -- 10/4/17