Updating . .   

ICE formalizes plans for courthouse arrests -- Federal immigration authorities formalized a policy Wednesday to send deportation agents to federal, state and local courthouses to make arrests, dismissing complaints from judges and advocacy groups that it instills fear among crime victims, witnesses and family members. Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 1/31/18

California Could See the Return of $4 Gasoline by May -- Gasoline, which is currently averaging $3.30 a gallon in California, may reach $4 by Memorial Day, the traditional start of the demand-heavy summer driving season, according to Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at Boston-based GasBuddy, which monitors fuel prices across the U.S. It would be the first time the state has seen $4 gasoline since July 2014. Milana Vinn Bloomberg -- 1/31/18

In race for governor, Antonio Villaraigosa makes big promises for Bay Area housing -- Gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa on Wednesday had a message sure to resonate with many Bay Area residents struggling to live here — if he’s elected, he’ll pour resources into solving the region’s affordable housing shortage. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/31/18

Mark Farrell says brief tenure as San Francisco mayor will end his political career -- Serving as San Francisco’s mayor for the next few months will be the epilogue of Mark Farrell’s political career, as the former supervisor and venture capitalist pledged Wednesday to step away from elected office once his successor takes office in June. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

Fertilizer on farm fields is a major source of California smog, researchers say -- Think of California’s smog problem and you probably think of tailpipes and smokestacks. A startling new study led by UC Davis, however, says the fertilizer in farm soils is a major contributor to smog in California. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/31/18

Democratic candidate for governor Delaine Eastin raised less than $660,000 in 2017, putting her at major disadvantage -- The other major Democrats in the race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang, have raised millions. Newsom leads the pack, with a haul expected to exceed $20 million. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Insurance claims from California wildfires near $12 billion -- Insurance claims from last year's deadly California wildfires have reached $11.8 billion, making it the most expensive series of wildfires in state history, an official said Wednesday. The staggering number exceeds the total insurance claims from the top 10 previously most costly wildfires in California. Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 1/31/18

San Francisco will wipe thousands of marijuana convictions off the books -- San Francisco will retroactively apply California’s marijuana-legalization laws to past criminal cases, District Attorney George Gascón said Wednesday — expunging or reducing misdemeanor and felony convictions going back decades. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sarah Parvini, Rong-Gong Lin II and Cindy Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Napolitano would have ‘intervened’ if she had known about UC audit interference -- Is the frosty relationship between the University of California and the Legislature starting to thaw? Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/31/18

Thousands of stolen laptops, tablets recovered in massive Bay Area car burglary scheme -- Bay Area authorities have broken up what they describe as a massive laptop computer theft ring responsible for hundreds of car burglaries in the region, built on an alliance between a notorious street gang and fencers who swiftly moved the contraband to Vietnam. Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/31/18

Californians with severe mental illness could be banned for life from owning firearms under new proposal -- A state lawmaker wants to mandate a lifetime ban on possessing firearms by some Californians suffering from severe mental health issues, saying it may help reduce the number of suicides. A bill by Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell) would apply to some of those judged by the courts to be a risk to themselves and others who are approved for an involuntary 5150 hold for mental health treatment. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Cal State trustees pick UC Davis campus diversity leader to be San Diego State's new president -- California State University's Board of Trustees has appointed Adela de la Torre the new president of San Diego State, continuing a trend at the nation's largest public university system in diversifying its top campus leaders. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Democrats running for California governor play nice during debate focused on abortion rights -- Anyone expecting fireworks at Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate in San Francisco must have been sorely disappointed. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

What difference? Democrats for governor again try to disagree -- On Tuesday night, the four Democrats running to be governor of California met in San Francisco to spell out exactly where they stand on abortion, birth control access, and other matters of reproductive health. It turns out they all pretty much stand in the same place. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 1/31/18

Former Schwarzenegger adviser arrested in Citrus Heights prostitution sting -- The Citrus Heights Police Department arrested four suspected “johns” as part of a statewide prostitution sting last week, including a former adviser to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Dan Pellissier, 57, was arrested on suspicion of soliciting a prostitute’s services, according to a news release the police department distributed Tuesday. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/31/18

Rep. Duncan Hunter spent more than three times as much on legal defense as he raised last quarter -- The campaign for Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, spent more than three times as much on legal fees as the total amount it raised in the last three months of 2017, amid an ongoing federal criminal investigation into his political spending, according to a report filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission. Morgan Cook in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Nurses — backed by Newsom — ramp up fight for universal health care -- The California Nurses Association is still committed to pushing through its controversial universal health care bill despite stiff opposition from the Democratic Assembly Speaker and medical professional organizations. Lisa Renner Capitol Weekly -- 1/31/18

Will San Francisco Mayor’s Race Reopen Old Wounds? -- The unexpected death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee seven weeks ago has set off a ferocious power struggle in the city. With the June election approaching, the campaign backdrop is an economic boom that some fear is threatening what makes the city special. Scott Shafer KQED -- 1/31/18

Oakland Police Spent $6 Million on a Computer System to Track Officer Misconduct, and It Doesn't Work -- Now, the city might have to scrap the Microsoft-built system, putting the department's compliance with court-ordered reforms in jeopardy. Darwin BondGraham East Bay Express -- 1/31/18

Fox: High Speed Rail Just Became a Big Issue in the Governor’s Race -- No avoiding the high-speed rail issue in the governor’s race now that the California State Auditor has been authorized to take a deep dive into the troubled project. The audit will take six to nine months according to the auditor. Assuming the more likely longer time frame the auditor’s report will come down in October right as the governor’s race hits the home stretch. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/31/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

San Diego 'dreamers' feel insulted by State of the Union speech -- With moans, sighs and quietly tense moments, San Diego "dreamers" listened with growing frustration Tuesday night as President Donald Trump delivered a State of the Union address reiterating his recently proposed framework for immigration legislation. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/31/18

California Democrats blast immigration talk in Trump’s State of the Union -- Golden State Democrats blasted the speech’s tough line on immigrants and what they described as empty platitudes toward unity. Republicans, meanwhile, applauded the speech as presidential and statesmanlike. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/31/18

Trump wanted his speech to bring unity in Washington. So far, it hasn't helped -- President Donald Trump intended for his first State of the Union address to encourage unity in a divided legislature, but in the wake of his speech, his intentions did not seem to have the desired effect among San Diego and California Democrats. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/31/18

They ‘pointed guns at our entire family.’ Terror witness recalls airport stop -- The court fight over Hamid Hayat’s terror conviction is evolving into a reminder of the challenges Muslim Americans faced after the Sept. 11 attacks and the creation of the government’s secret “no-fly list.” Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/31/18

Democrats debate — but don’t disagree — on abortion rights -- On Tuesday night, something odd happened at a debate of gubernatorial candidates in San Francisco: They didn’t disagree on anything. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

Investigator pressed on why UC president not blamed for audit interference -- State lawmakers on Tuesday questioned retired state Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno over why an investigation he conducted last year did not find University of California President Janet Napolitano responsible for her office’s interference with a state audit. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

‘Extreme’ rent control could be coming to California soon -- A costly and potentially bruising campaign is taking shape over rent control in California, with deep-pocketed Los Angeles activist Michael Weinstein bankrolling a proposed November ballot initiative to repeal a state law that sets tight limits on the type of housing covered under local rent control laws. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/31/18

California's new lethal injection plan already faces hurdles: Drugs barred from import or execution use -- The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has unveiled a revised single-drug method of execution, allowing the state to use either pentobarbital or thiopental in a single infusion to put condemned inmates to death. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Legislature approves first state audit of bullet train project since 2012 -- After years of mounting delays and cost increases, the first formal state audit of the California bullet train project was authorized Tuesday by the legislature's joint audit committee. Ralph Vartabedian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Prosecutors widen inquiry into possible conflicts of interest involving Santa Monica politicians -- Prosecutors reviewing possible conflicts of interest involving Santa Monica politicians have widened their inquiry to include architecture work performed at a home belonging to a school board member and a city councilman, a spokeswoman with the district attorney's office confirmed this week. Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

State Senate sinks effort to ban polystyrene food containers in California -- The state Senate on Tuesday deadlocked for the second year in a row on a measure that would have prohibited California restaurants from providing take-out orders in disposable polystyrene food service containers starting in 2020. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Peskin wants to keep San Francisco political candidates off city’s boards, commissions -- A City Charter amendment to bar candidates in San Francisco from sitting on city boards or commissions will go before voters in June, the Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

L.A. County urges state to expand definition of 'gravely disabled' -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion Tuesday that asks California lawmakers to change the way the state defines "grave disability" in order to give officials more power to forcibly treat mentally ill homeless people. Melissa Etehad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Living Without the Internet in the Heart of Silicon Valley -- Expanding broadband internet access to low-income communities has been a priority for San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo for some time now. So it came as a surprise in late January when he quit a Federal Communications Commission committee charged with improving access nationally. “It’s apparent that ultimately the FCC is in the industry’s pocket and has no intention of doing anything to expand digital access,” Liccardo said shortly after the announcement. Tonya Mosley KQED -- 1/31/18

Walters: Los Angeles, San Francisco in political turmoil -- Los Angeles and San Francisco may be economic and cultural rivals, but politics in the state’s two most important cities are similarly harsh. Both are dense mélanges of economic, cultural and ethnic “communities” that joust constantly and to those who aspire to high office, they are minefields laid atop pits of quicksand. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 1/31/18

A Paper Tears Apart in a City That Never Quite Came Together -- The turmoil at The Times in recent months — with upheaval in the editorial ranks and a publisher suspended over sexual harassment allegations — is a reminder of the slow decline of a newspaper that had long been a cohesive force in Los Angeles civic life. But more than that, it is symptomatic of something that this community has struggled with for nearly half a century: the absence of strong institutions to bind it together. Tim Arango and Adam Nagourney in the New York Times$ -- 1/31/18

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

Utility customers win $775 million back from San Onofre deal criticized as lopsided against them -- Years of outrage and legal persistence on multiple fronts paid off Tuesday for a San Diego law firm that challenged what it considered an unfair California Public Utilities Commission decision and secured a concession for consumers worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 1/31/18

California Senate passes bill to protect wealthy from tax overhaul -- The new federal tax bill caps a deduction for state and local taxes at $10,000. That hits wealthier taxpayers in high-tax states like California the hardest. The California bill would allow people to make a charitable contribution to the state in lieu of state income taxes, then deduct up to 85 percent of it. Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 1/31/18

State Gas Tax Increase Gives $10.5 Million For New COASTER Trains -- The North County Transit District is getting $10.5 million to purchase seven new, low-emission trains for its COASTER rail system with money from the recent gas tax and vehicle fee increase, state transportation officials announced Tuesday. Andrew Bowen KPBS -- 1/31/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Tesla Model 3s bought by firm selling Tesla’s secrets: report -- Tesla’s competitors want to know the secrets of the company’s Model 3 entry-level electric sedan, and they’re willing to pay more than $500,000 for them. That’s according to a new report saying a Chicago-area engineering company has bought several Model 3s for about $100,000 each, from third parties. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/31/18

State Assembly Rejects Bill to Increase Pesticide Fines -- Assembly Bill 1419, authored by Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward, would have given the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) the authority to issue $25,000 fines for serious violations of the laws. Currently, county agricultural commissioners can levy fines up to $5,000. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 1/31/18

San Diego hotels raise $300,000 for convention center initiative -- Some of San Diego’s highest profile hotels raised close to $300,000 last year in preparation for launching an initiative that would hike the hotel tax to underwrite a convention center expansion, homeless services and road repairs. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/31/18

Walgreens to pay over $2 million in Bay Area settlement over prices, formula sales -- Walgreens agreed to pay more than $2 million to Bay Area counties to settle a civil suit after inspections found the company sold expired infant formula and charged shoppers for items at higher prices than advertised, prosecutors said. Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

New self-driving race: grocery runs -- Your first experience with a self-driving vehicle may not be a robot taxi after all. On Tuesday morning, a bright orange, autonomous van delivered bags of groceries from Draeger’s Market in San Mateo to two customers living nearby. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

Housing  

San Diego home price increases, once again, among highest in U.S. -- San Diego had the fourth highest price gains in the nation in November, said a key real estate index released Tuesday. The region’s home prices rose 7.4 percent in a year, said the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices. Only Seattle, Las Vegas and San Francisco had bigger increases in the 20-city index. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/31/18

Wildfire  

Sonoma County to sue PG&E over October fires, seeking up to $25 million in damages -- Sonoma County officials said Tuesday that they will sue PG&E over the October wildfires, becoming the first government entity to take on the utility giant over its alleged role in the historic infernos. Paul Payne in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 1/31/18

County poised to slash mental health staffing and services in wake of fires -- Even as thousands of local residents continue to deal with the emotional and psychological scars caused by last year’s devastating fires, Sonoma County is planning multi-million budget cuts that would slash both county staff rolls and funding to nonprofits that provide mental health and drug abuse services. Martin Espinoza in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 1/31/18

Post-fire outlook colors Santa Rosa homeless budget -- In a sign of what may be painful choices ahead, Santa Rosa officials cited the bleak post-fire budget outlook, scaling back or scrapping plans to expand homeless services. Kevin McCallum in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 1/31/18

Pointing to North Bay Fires, FCC Votes for Improved Wireless Alerts -- The Federal Communications Commission passed new rules Tuesday to make those wireless emergency alerts more effective and fix some of the technical problems that Sonoma County officials say hampered their rescue efforts during the October wildfires. Lisa Pickoff-White and Sukey Lewis KQED -- 1/31/18

Education 

Cal State trustees debate tuition increase, 'unsustainable' funding gaps at nation's largest public university system -- Cal State University Chancellor Timothy P. White delivered a reality check Tuesday in his annual address to students, faculty and campus leaders, challenging "status quo" thinking and calling out "unsustainable" budget demands facing the nation's largest public university system. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Ahead of another superintendent search, LAUSD board tries to get on the same page -- Richard Vladovic is sick of "pontificating." He wants the Los Angeles Unified School District to stop planning and start doing — and the school board member's frustration was evident on Tuesday. Kyle Stokes KPCC -- 1/31/18

Education Department may slash by 60% the loan relief it gives to defrauded students -- The Education Department's plan to provide only partial loan forgiveness to some students defrauded by for-profit colleges could reduce overall relief payments by about 60%, according to a preliminary analysis obtained by the Associated Press. -- 1/31/18

In depth: How and why Cal State Fullerton students launch companies before they graduate -- Apple started in a garage. Google, in a dorm room. When the students in Cal State Fullerton’s New Venture Creation and Funding class created startups during fall semester, they had mentors and a professor to give them advice, templates to create their business plans, a panel of investors to hear their pitches and the resources of Mihaylo College of Business and Economics behind them. Wendy Fawthrop in the Orange County Register -- 1/31/18

Federal, state visions for improving schools collide in California -- During a presentation earlier this month on how to choose the roughly 300 lowest-performing schools that must get intensive help under federal law, a number struck some members of the State Board of Education like a brick from the sky: 3,003. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 1/31/18

Immigration / Border 

Caught in the middle: California businesses face conflicting immigration laws -- Growing tension between California and the federal government over immigration has business owners in the crosshairs, worried about the potential effect on their enterprises and unsure which laws they should follow. Elizabeth Aguilera Calmatters -- 1/31/18

Law enforcement objects to Trump administration order to target immigrants -- The Trump administration’s latest attempt to pressure local and state governments to aid in immigration enforcement is under attack from police officials and prosecutors, including district attorneys in San Francisco and Contra Costa County, who say the Justice Department’s demands are potentially dangerous. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

77 unauthorized immigrants found in UPS truck near border -- A traffic stop on what appeared to be a brown UPS truck in Boulevard on Monday evening revealed 77 unauthorized immigrants stuffed shoulder-to-shoulder inside its hot cargo area. Five children were found traveling among the overheated group of Mexican nationals, who admitted to being in the U.S. illegally, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in San Diego federal court. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/31/18

Water  

California drought returning? Sierra Nevada snowpack at 30 percent as forecast calls for two more weeks of warm, dry weather -- Hampered by hot weather and a stubborn high-pressure ridge that has blocked winter storms, California’s Sierra Nevada snowpack — a key source of the state’s water supply — on Tuesday was a paltry 30 percent of normal. The last time there was so little Sierra snow at the end of January was in 2015, when it was 25 percent of its historic average. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/31/18

Health 

There’s still time to sign up for health coverage -- barely -- Still need health coverage for 2018? You’re got until 11:59:59 Wednesday night to enroll in insurance policies offered through the Covered California marketplace. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/31/18

Environment 

Groups call for investigation of EPA inaction at Torrance Refinery -- After federal inspectors uncovered what they reported to be serious hazardous waste violations at the Torrance Refinery, the incoming Trump administration chose not to pursue them, dismaying the team that visited the facility. Now, environmental groups are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency's watchdog office to investigate. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Navy plans to re-examine soil at Hunters Point after false data reporting -- The U.S. Navy is preparing a comprehensive re-examination of the potentially toxic soils and buildings at San Francisco’s former Hunters Point Shipyard, a time-consuming and costly step it says is necessary after finding a pattern of fraudulent manipulation or falsification of data collected by a contractor hired to clean up the former Superfund site. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

Also . . . 

Human trafficking crackdown nets more than 500 arrests statewide -- The three-day sweep known as Operation Reclaim and Rebuild was part of an ongoing effort led by the Los Angeles County Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, a collection of federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies and social service and community-based organizations. Esmeralda Bermudez and Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

POTUS 45  

From 'American carnage' to 'American heart': How Trump toned it down -- Amid deepening partisan divides and the Russia investigation, the president made a strategic choice to deliver a conventional speech in front of Congress and the nation. Andrew Restuccia Politico -- 1/31/18

Dueling Trumps deliver a State of the Union speech likely to widen a deep partisan divide -- For over an hour Tuesday night, Presidential Trump vied with pugnacious Trump. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

Analysis: Trump’s call for bipartisan approach likely to come up short -- President Trump spoke all the right words at his State of the Union address Tuesday, calling for a second-year reset toward a more bipartisan approach to government. But don’t look for it to happen. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/31/18

Democrats furious over Trump's immigration rhetoric -- The opposition party says the president has only made a Dreamers deal harder to reach. Burgess Everett, Seung Min Kim and Elana Schor Politico -- 1/31/18

Trump's 'dreamers' line in State of the Union draws praise from David Duke -- President Donald Trump's sole reference to "dreamers" during his State of the Union address drew praise from David Duke and other white nationalists, who approved of how the speech reclaimed a term that has become a flash point in the immigration debate. Rebecca Morin Politico -- 1/31/18

Fact check: What Trump got wrong in his State of the Union address -- President Trump likes to boast about the records he has achieved, but there's at least one mark the White House tries to downplay – the president has amassed an unprecedented number of inaccurate statements. The Times' staff analyzed the State of the Union on Tuesday to try to separate truths from falsehoods. Here are some of the highlights: The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/31/18

 

-- Tuesday Updates 

Bill to evade President Trump's tax overhaul gets watered down -- In the new version of the bill, those who give to the nonprofit will reduce their state income taxes by 85% of the donation plus receive a federal charitable deduction. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Why are taxpayers on the hook when government workers misbehave? -- When The Bee reported Friday that the state had paid out more than $ 25 million in the last three fiscal years to settle sexual harassment-related cases –most of it taxpayer money – many readers wanted to know why. Marjie Lundstrom in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/30/18

Why California Republicans are paying Kevin McCarthy’s wife -- Judy McCarthy, wife of the state’s highest-ranking Republican, has spent more than three years working full time for the California Republican Party, financial records show. McCarthy, who is married to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, has earned nearly $160,000 since mid-2014 working on the state party’s donor programs. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/30/18

State treasurer, attorney general team up to explore creating California pot bank -- On a conference call Tuesday, State Treasurer John Chiang, a candidate for governor, said his office will look into costs, regulation and other operational issues the state would need to consider before creating such a bank — an entity that would be one of just two in the nation. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/30/18

With few budget solutions in sight, Cal State administrators say another tuition increase is possible -- California State University faces difficult budget problems with no quick solutions, and administrators are preparing for tuition increases, program cuts and other unpopular options that seem unavoidable. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

ACLU sues Bakersfield police over traffic stop and arrest of black passenger -- The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Bakersfield Police Department, claiming its officers unlawfully jailed a black man after they stopped the car he was riding in because the vehicle had an air freshener dangling from its rear view mirror. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

State senator facing harassment probe attracting possible challengers — from his own party -- Montebello Mayor Vanessa Delgado, a Democrat, took out candidacy paperwork Monday to become the first challenger to state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia), who is under investigation over allegations of sexual harassment. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Hiltzik: California A.G. blows the whistle on the paint industry's deceptive ballot measure -- Shortly after getting thrown for a loss by a California appeals court, three paint companies launched an attempted end run around a judgment that could cost them hundreds of millions of dollars: They filed an initiative for the November ballot that would nullify the judgment and invalidate the legal theory on which it was based. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Study Finds California Clean Vehicle Target Within Reach -- California's ambitious goal of putting hundreds of thousands more electric vehicles on the road is possible. A new study by Beacon Economics and the nonpartisan group Next 10 finds the state is adding zero-emission vehicles quickly. Erik Anderson KPBS Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

First-ever self-driving delivery on public roads sees groceries dropped off in Bay Area -- A Bay Area tech company is claiming the world’s first delivery of goods by a self-driving car on public roads, after its electric cargo truck delivered groceries from the posh Draeger’s grocery store in San Mateo to two nearby locations Tuesday. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/18

Tesla will move 1,500 workers to Fremont offices, in major expansion -- Tesla will move 1,500 employees to new offices in Fremont, marking a major expansion for the maker of electric vehicles, the company told this news organization on Tuesday. Tesla already has about 10,000 employees in Fremont, primarily at the company’s electric vehicle manufacturing plant in the East Bay city. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/18

Federal immigration agents would need warrants to enter schools and courthouses under this state bill -- Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) introduced Senate Bill 183 as part of a broader move by Democrats to counter President Trump’s calls for increased immigration enforcement and deportations. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

McFadden: In end game, Brown reverts to the conventional -- Jerry Brown professes to not be interested in legacies. Yet his 16th and final state-of-the-state speech last week was all about a legacy – his own. The governor talked about how dire the state’s fiscal situation was before he became governor. Then he talked about how good things are now that he’s been in charge for the last seven years. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 1/30/18

A California bill would jail people for handing out straws. It may be based on a child's research -- The majority leader of the California State Assembly has introduced a bill that would, as written, impose jail sentences of up to six months if a restaurant worker hands out a single unsolicited plastic straw. Ian Calderon (D) has blamed a miscommunication for the bill’s strict criminal penalties and promised to remove them before it’s voted on. Avi Selk in the Washington Post$ -- 1/30/18

Quiksilver and Boardriders CEO Pierre Agnes lost at sea, rescuers scour ocean off France after boat washes ashore -- A head executive of surfwear company Boardriders, owner of Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver, is presumed lost at sea and rescue efforts are underway off the coast of France, according to multiple news sources. Laylan Connelly in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/30/18

Elon Musk sold 10,000 Boring Co. flamethrowers in 2 days. He knows what his fans like -- Elon Musk knows his audience. He just sold tens of thousands of hats emblazoned with the name of his Boring Co. tunnel business, then followed up by slapping his brand on something far less practical: flamethrowers. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Lazarus: It's unclear if homeowners' insurance covers mudslide damage -- First came fire. Then mud. Now come the lawyers. The typical homeowners' insurance policy doesn't cover flood damage, which would include some mudslides. You'd need supplementary coverage for that. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Bazar: California moves to make family leave easier to get and better paying -- Last May, I wrote a column that offered tips for caregivers — without knowing that I would soon become one myself. A few months later, my dad was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Then came the cancer diagnosis. Emily Bazar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Fox: Booing Histrionics at the State of the Union Address -- President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address tonight which gives me an opportunity to express a pet peeve—the vociferous cheering and standing ovations versus the sitting on the hands of the rival political factions during these presidential speeches. I guess I have to admit to being old-fashioned or just old but I don’t recall such carryings-on at major presidential speeches a couple of generations ago. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/30/18

Trump will hail two Californians — a firefighter who saved dozens of campers and boy who honors veterans’ graves — in State of the Union speech -- Steve Oaks met David Dahlberg when they were tasked with saving 62 children and counselors from the Whittier fire last year. Oaks, a Santa Barbara County Fire Division chief, said that before Dahlberg left, "I wanted to look into his eyes to make sure the instructions were understood." Michael Livingston in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

Fact-checking the economic claims Trump is likely to make in his State of the Union address -- Among the main points Trump will make in the speech are taking credit for creating jobs and boosting the economy, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to give a preview of the president's remarks. Here’s context for some of the comments he’s likely to make. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/30/18

California consumer confidence at new high: Trump bump or long upswing? -- As President Donald Trump prepares for his first State of the Union speech, California consumers seem happy, at least by one poll. The Conference Board reported on Tuesday, Jan. 30., that its consumer confidence index for the state hit a record high for the second straight month. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 1/30/18

Relax, Californians: Cheaper weed is coming -- Nothing raises the price of a drug like making the industry that produces it illegal, and nothing causes those prices to collapse like legalization. However, transitory price spikes in the early days of legalization are common because the supply chain and the regulatory structure are immature and disorganized. Keith Humphreys in the Washington Post$ -- 1/30/18

Republicans draw a very fine line between Steve Wynn and Harvey Weinstein, while keeping Wynn’s money -- The Republican National Committee is holding on to Steve Wynn's money. And in doing so, it's drawing a very fine line between his alleged misdeeds and those of Harvey Weinstein and former senator Al Franken (D-Minn.). Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 1/30/18