Updating . .   

California guides businesses on how to avoid “aiding and abetting” immigration authorities -- The California Attorney General Tuesday issued details on how businesses can navigate a controversial new state law that limits employers’ cooperation with immigration authorities while still complying with federal law. Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Amid tense immigration climate, LAPD revises rules for working with ICE, place-of-birth questions -- Students of the Academia Avance charter school in Highland Park, and many of their parents, were on edge last February. It was the morning after a classmate’s father, Romulo Avelica-Gonzalez, had been detained by federal immigration agents as he dropped off his children at school. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/13/18

He was a prison counselor in California before he turned to jihad, FBI says -- A former Sacramento youth counselor for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is awaiting extradition to the U.S. on suspicion he lied to the FBI about his role fighting alongside Islamic militants in Syria. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

Will this become the driest February on record in Bay Area? -- The Bay Area has experienced February dry spells before, including twice from 2013 to 2016 during California’s historic drought when rainfall totals were drastically below the monthly average. Mark Gomez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/18

Applications for college aid through the California Dream Act are down again -- Each year, California invites students who are in the country without legal permission to apply for the same financial aid packages available to others. But officials once again are concerned that fears are keeping those they want to help from seeking the funding. Joy Resmovits in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Don’t ask about citizenship on census, California tells Trump -- California, home to 1 in 4 of the nation’s foreign-born population, is pushing back against the Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

Why cops like Antonio Villaraigosa and not Gavin Newsom -- California organizations representing both police chiefs and rank-and-file officers put their law enforcement muscle behind Antonio Villaraigosa’s campaign for governor on Monday, contending that his Democratic rival, Gavin Newsom, supported criminal justice and public safety measures that are anathema to their priorities. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

McCarthy and Pence fundraisers shored up vulnerable California Republicans -- Some vulnerable California House Republicans can thank House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Vice President Mike Pence for at least a fifth of the money they have raised for this year’s midterm elections. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

He Barely Has A Campaign. But Doug Ose Is Running For California Governor. Really -- Ose believes his pragmatic voting record in Congress combined with his early, outspoken backing of President Donald Trump, will help him consolidate enough support to finish in the top two in California’s June primary. Under the state’s open primary system, the top two finishers — regardless of political party — advance to the November general election. It’s a fine line to walk in a deep blue state that voted for Hillary Clinton by a 2-to-1 margin in 2016. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 2/13/18

Study commissioned by Brown administration says his Delta tunnels plan would pay off for farmers, cities -- Even a single water tunnel burrowed under the California’s Delta would be worth it for urban ratepayers and farmers who would to pay to build and maintain the project, according to an analysis released Tuesday by Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration. Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

Dry, hot California winter closes ski resorts, stalls wildflower blooms and revives drought fears -- In the Sierra Nevada, snowpack levels are running below even the darkest days of the drought, with cross-country ski resorts closed and mountain biking becoming the sport of choice until the snow returns. In the Bay Area, cities like San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Rosa are experiencing the hottest starts to a year on record. And Southern California remains in the grip of unprecedented dry and hot conditions, despite a weak storm that moved in Monday. Paige St. John, Rong-Gong Lin II and Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Sacramento Valley stays dry as up to 6 inches of snow dusts mountains over weekend -- Most mountain passes were expected to get 1 to 3 inches of powder, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento, but the Sierra Nevada Snow Report showed at least four ski resorts exceeded that amount. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

Boom and Gloom: An Economic Warning for California -- For California and the nation, there is a long list of things that could go wrong. A surging budget deficit could stoke higher interest rates. And if the recent upheaval in stocks signals a longer-term decline, it would hurt California in particular because its budget relies heavily on high earners whose incomes rise and fall with the market. Connor Dougherty in the New York Times$ -- 2/13/18

16 former employees sue Taylor Farms for racial discrimination -- Former employees of Taylor Farms, one of the state’s largest producers of bagged salads and fresh-cut vegetables, filed a lawsuit Monday against the company in San Francisco federal court, alleging African American workers faced rampant racist and discriminatory behavior at the farm’s manufacturing plant in Tracy. Justin Phillips in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/18

Teacher: Bullet lodged in boy's head after school shooting -- A 12-year-old boy who was shot in the head when a gun accidentally went off in the backpack of a classmate is experiencing impaired vision and has trouble walking as the bullet remains lodged in his head, his former teacher said Tuesday. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 2/13/18

Most Sex Trafficking Victims See A Doctor At Some Point. Experts Say Clinics, Hospitals Can Help End The Abuse -- When Marie was being sold for sex throughout California, she was rarely away from her pimp. Even when he wasn’t physically confining her, she was frightened he was watching or listening. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 2/13/18

Abcarian: Does recalling the judge who gave Brock Turner a light sentence for sexual assault imperil judicial independence? -- Last month, I dismissed as "hogwash" concerns that the recall of Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky could impair judicial independence. This did not endear me to many attorneys, law professors and retired judges who reached out to accuse me of flippantly dismissing their sincerely held beliefs. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Fox: Speed Up the Sexual Harassment Investigations -- While the legislature sets up procedures to deal with sexual harassment complaints and at the same time tries to create a system that is transparent and independent given that the accused are often colleagues, it leaves both victims of harassment and those who may be wrongly accused frustrated with the lack of resolution. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/13/18

Winners and Losers in the Trump Budget in One Chart -- The Trump administration submitted its fiscal 2019 budget request to Capitol Hill on Monday, outlining the president’s priorities for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Randy Leonard Roll Call -- 2/13/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California’s two health insurance regulators to investigate Aetna coverage decisions -- The Department of Managed Health Care, which regulates the vast majority of health plans in California, said Monday it will investigate Aetna after CNN first reported Sunday that one of the Hartford, Conn., company's medical directors had testified in a deposition related to the lawsuit that he did not examine patients' records before deciding whether to deny or approve care. Rather, he relied on information provided by nurses who reviewed the records — and that was how he was trained by the company, he said. Barbara Feder Ostrov in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Nurses’ union backs Kevin de León in his effort to topple Sen. Dianne Feinstein -- A powerful nurses union that has a history of jolting California elections endorsed state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León on Monday in his bid to topple fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate contest. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

John Chiang goes for the funny bone with new ad that closes with the message: 'Stay woke.' -- The ad opens with scenes of Chiang walking through an orchard with a basket of fruit, shooting pool, strumming a guitar and sawing wood in a funky, frontier days hat. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

GOP candidate for California governor John Cox once linked gay rights to polygamy, bestiality -- Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, at a presidential debate more than a decade ago, linked gay rights with “transvestites,” polygamists and people who have sex with animals. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

He once held the job as a Republican, but now Steve Poizner is making a no-party bid for California insurance commissioner -- Eight years after losing a bitter Republican primary for governor and stepping away from California's political scene, Steve Poizner said Monday that he will run again for the elected office he gave up in that contest — state insurance commissioner. This time, he won't run as a Republican. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Dan Morain in the Sacramento Bee$ Carla Marinucci Politico Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 2/13/18

California AG pushes back on proposal to ask citizenship in census -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra threatened another lawsuit against the Trump administration if the federal government follows through on a proposal to include a question about citizenship on the 2020 census. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/13/18

San Francisco residents support big bond to fix seawall, poll finds -- Nearly three-quarters of San Francisco voters would support a bond measure of up to $500 million to improve the city’s disintegrating seawall, a piece of infrastructure that is largely unseen but that experts say is of vital importance in protecting the city against major earthquakes as well as sea level rise. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/18

Oroville-inspired dam inspection bill heads to Jerry Brown -- The Assembly unanimously approved Assemblyman James Gallagher’s bill, which will require the California Department of Water Resources to annually inspect the vast majority of the 1,249 dams it oversees. Dams with low hazard potential would need to evaluated at least every other year under Assembly Bill 1270, which Gallagher, R-Yuba City, introduced last February after the evacuation of 188,000 downstream residents. Billy Kobin in the Sacramento Bee$ Don Thompson Associated Press Risa Johnson in the Chico Enterprise-Record -- 2/13/18

California sues San Francisco on behalf of transgender woman barred from restroom -- A state civil rights agency has sued San Francisco on behalf of a transgender woman who said a city employee refused to let her use the women’s restroom and cursed at her while she was taking part in a training session on city property. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/18

Report finds San Diego's progress on climate plan transportation goals illusory -- The city of San Diego continues to take credit, as part of its once-vaunted Climate Action Plan, for reductions in greenhouse gases that didn’t occur, as first revealed by a San Diego Union-Tribune investigation in November. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/13/18

Democrats’ endorsement process spurs claim of corruption -- Eleven days after congressional candidate Harley Rouda finished a distant second in a straw poll of local Democratic Party insiders, he sent an email to supporters condemning the vote. “It is a rigged process, with widespread corruption,” wrote the Laguna Beach businessman and first-time candidate. Party officials refuted the claim, including specifics that Rouda’s campaign said supported the accusation. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 2/13/18

L.A. County attorneys who represent indigent clients in criminal court protest their new boss -- More than 150 deputy public defenders gathered in downtown Los Angeles on Monday to protest what they say is an existential threat to the office: their new boss. Marisa Gerber in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

GOP congressman pulls Issa into ugly divorce -- Rep. Darrell Issa was a groomsman in Rep. Mike Turner's wedding to Majida Mourad in December 2015. Now, Turner is locked in a contentious divorce with Mourad — and he wants Issa deposed by his attorneys. John Bresnahan, Jake Sherman and Rachael Bade Politico -- 2/13/18

Google points abortion-seekers toward anti-abortion clinics -- Women and girls using Google to find an abortion provider in the Bay Area may end up in the hands of an anti-abortion operation that doesn’t terminate pregnancies and instead pushes clients to give birth. Anti-abortion facilities are featured at or near the top in results for queries such as, “Where can I get an abortion near me?” Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Anaheim breaks tourism record for fifth straight year with 24.2 million visitors -- A bigger convention center and two popular theme parks helped the city of Anaheim break its tourism record — again. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Lawsuit alleges Ulta resold used cosmetics as new -- A California woman is suing Ulta Beauty, the suburban Chicago-based cosmetics retailer, for allegedly reselling used makeup as new to unsuspecting consumers. Robert Channick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

The highest income inequality in California? Census suggests it’s in Arden Arcade -- The California place with the most income inequality is right in Sacramento’s suburbs: the community of Arden Arcade. Arden Arcade has recently seen a large increase in poverty-stricken residents moving to apartments in the west side of the community. Many of the new residents are fleeing expensive rent elsewhere in the region. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

The fall of Faraday Future's key backer threatens a California town's dream -- The black SUV that pulled up to an abandoned tire factory in Hanford, Calif., three years ago was supposed to transport the farm town south of Fresno into the future. Blake Schmidt and David Ramli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

NBA All-Star game expected to be a slam dunk for L.A.'s economy -- The NBA All-Star game at Staples Center this weekend is expected to generate $116 million in spending by visiting and local basketball fans, a 36% increase over the economic impact seven years ago when Los Angeles last hosted the event. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/18

Transit  

Trump infrastructure plan fails to impress Bay Area officials -- But while the strategy laid out Monday by the White House — in which $200 billion would be offered by the federal government in a bid to spur $1.5 trillion in total investment over a decade — appeared to offer opportunity, it struck some Bay Area and California officials as too thin on aid and lacking critical details on how the money would be doled out. Michael Cabanatuan and Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/18

How Trump’s new budget threatens Sacramento’s streetcar future -- The window of opportunity is tightening on Sacramento’s streetcar hopes. In his federal budget plan unveiled Monday, President Donald Trump proposed ending the federal funding program for new city rail projects, limiting future funds to projects that already have federal contracts. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

‘Woefully inadequate:’ Bay Area leaders decry Trump’s ‘puny’ infrastructure plan -- Bay Area politicians and transportation officials decried President Trump’s much-anticipated infrastructure spending proposal, unveiled Monday, as “woefully inadequate” to make the kinds of improvements to public transit and congestion management the region so desperately needs. Erin Baldassari and Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/18

Homeless  

Bill Aims to Help Homeless Suffering From Severe Mental Illness, Drug Addiction -- The bill intends to expand and strengthen California’s conservatorship laws that are currently limited to seniors vulnerable to abuse as well as people who are “gravely disabled” or have severe cognitive limitations. SB 1045 would give counties another option to address homeless individuals known as “frequent fliers” who are in and out of jail, emergency rooms and other government services. Scott Shafer KQED -- 2/13/18

New billboard campaign aims to raise urgency around Los Angeles homelessness -- The corner of Vine St. and Santa Monica Boulevard is busy at noon with people running after the bus or walking to get a quick bite. But some stopped to look up at a new billboard at the corner of the Hollywood intersection. "It says HOMELESS," said Christopher Hart, who stopped to look, "But it looks like where the Hollywood sign is supposed to be." Priska Neely KPCC -- 2/13/18

Water  

California’s drought restrictions on wasteful water habits could be coming back — this time they’ll be permanent -- Anyone caught wasting water in California may be fined as much as $500 under new rules being considered a state water board, officials said Monday. The State Water Resources Control Board is expected to adopt regulation coming before the board on Feb. 20 that would make it a crime to commit any of seven wasteful water practices — from lawn over watering to street median irrigation. Those rules would take effect April 1. Steve Scauzillo in the Orange County Register -- 2/13/18

Education 

Former Students Ask How A Small-Town Teacher Dodged Assault And Sexual Misconduct Allegations For Decades -- For decades, a Yuba City native, who has worked simultaneously as a teacher and a county supervisor, has dodged accusations of assault, sexual misconduct and bullying. Now, former students are going public — and asking what happened to their complaints. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 2/13/18

Here are some answers about the ‘Race and IQ’ science project that caused an uproar -- A student in a prestigious college preparatory program at a Sacramento city high school last week made international headlines after the news of his science fair project on “Race and IQ” went viral. Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/18

Creating a 'test kitchen' to come up with a better school accountability plan in California – Four organizations and three school districts will attempt to create what the State Board of Education and the California Department of Education have struggled with through three iterations: an annual district budget and planning document that is more readable, credible and manageable. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 2/13/18

Mill Valley teacher alleges sexual harassment by students -- With a nod to the national “#MeToo movement,” Tamalpais High School teacher Eva Rieder has gone public with allegations that male students have sexually harassed her more than a dozen times with physical touching and obscene emails, letters and phone calls — and that school administrators and staff failed to respond to her reports or take any action to stop it. Keri Brenner in the Marin Independent Journal -- 2/13/18

Cannabis 

Berkeley could rebuff feds with sanctuary law for cannabis -- Berkeley’s cannabis industry could soon be protected by an unprecedented new law that takes a cue from California’s efforts to protect undocumented immigrants. The City Council on Tuesday will vote on a resolution to declare Berkeley a sanctuary for legal adult-use cannabis and properly licensed business operations. Annie Ma in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/18

Can Cannabis Save Us From the Opioid Crisis? -- Have California’s medical marijuana dispensaries helped ease the state’s opioid crisis? Several studies have found lower rates of opioid-related overdoses in states that have legalized marijuana for medical purposes. Jill Replogle KQED -- 2/13/18

Immigration / Border 

'Border dreamers' host art show to fund lobbying effort -- Ali Torabi, who organized the “Our Dreams Live” show, hopes to use money raised at the event to send a group to Congress to push for a permanent solution for those who participated in an Obama-era program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, that would not include additional immigration enforcement measures. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/13/18

Environment 

Yosemite's famous 'firefall' running dry: Here's why thousands of fans may be left disappointed -- The natural marvel usually occurs in the first two weeks of February on the east side of El Capitan. When Horsetail Fall is flowing and the weather conditions are just right, the setting sun illuminates the falls with a fiery glow. Monday marked the first day when the sun was positioned for the firefall, but park spokesperson Scott Gediman says there wasn't any water coming off Horsetail. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/13/18

From Drugged Oysters to Birds Full of Plastic, Oceans Are Feeling the Burden of Pollution -- Traces of life on land are increasingly showing up in oceans and in ocean life. Scientists are finding a growing presence of pharmaceuticals, small pieces of plastic and household chemicals in the bodies of Pacific razor clams, Pacific oysters and remote seabirds. Danielle Venton KQED -- 2/13/18

California officials set up invasive swamp rodent hotline -- California has a giant rodent problem. To clarify, it's not that California has a huge problem with run-of-the-mill rats, it's that the state has an emerging problem with jumbo-sized critters. Vanessa Romo NPR -- 2/13/18

Also . . . 

California’s Other Drought: A Major Earthquake Is Overdue -- Although many Californians can recount experiencing an earthquake, most have never personally experienced a strong one. For major events, with magnitudes of 7 or greater, California is actually in an earthquake drought. Multiple segments of the expansive San Andreas Fault system are now sufficiently stressed to produce large and damaging events. Richard Aster KQED -- 2/13/18

Mother of Oakland Man Fatally Shot by BART Officer Demands Release of Body-Camera Video -- The mother of a man fatally shot by a BART police officer near the West Oakland Station in January is calling on the transit agency and the Oakland Police Department to publicly release body-camera footage of the shooting, which she says shows her son was unarmed when he was shot three times in the back. Alex Emslie KQED -- 2/13/18

Southern California teen Chloe Kim wins gold with historic performance -- Staring down the halfpipe, ready for her third and final run, Chloe Kim hesitated a moment. The Southern California teenager stamped her snowboard, leaned forward and exhaled hard. Twice. David Wharton in the Los Angeles Times$ Scott M. Reid in the Orange County Register -- 2/13/18

POTUS 45  

Trump wants to overhaul America’s safety net with giant cuts to housing, food stamps and health care -- The budget that President Trump proposed Monday takes a hard whack at the poorest Americans, slashing billions of dollars from food stamps, public health insurance and federal housing vouchers, while trying to tilt the programs in more conservative directions. Tracy Jan, Caitlin Dewey, Amy Goldstein and Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 2/13/18

A Whirlwind Envelops the White House, and the Revolving Door Spins -- The doors at the White House have been swinging a lot lately. A deputy chief of staff moved on. A speechwriter resigned. The associate attorney general stepped down. The chief of staff offered to quit. And that was just Friday. Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 2/13/18

Trump takes aim at blue states in infrastructure plan -- Major transportation projects in blue states may be in jeopardy in President Donald Trump’s 10-year infrastructure plan, which critics say favors little-populated rural areas to the detriment of urban America. Dana Rubinstein and Ryan Hutchins Politico -- 2/13/18

 

-- Monday Updates 

On anniversary of Oroville Dam crisis, California lawmakers pass bill increasing inspections -- California lawmakers unanimously passed new legislation Monday to inspect most dams and reservoirs annually, one year after state officials ordered emergency evacuations for hundreds of thousands of residents living below the Oroville Dam. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/12/18

State earns first royalty check after investing billions in stem cell research -- California, which has poured billions of public dollars into studying stem cells over the past decade, recently received its first royalty check for the investment — a development that will feed into a debate over whether to spend more taxpayer funds on such research in the coming years. Joaquin Palomino in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

Opioid epidemic rages, but California drug database lags -- As the opioid crisis rages across the country and in rural California, the California Department of Justice has not yet certified a database designed to prevent doctors from overprescribing the drugs, angering consumer and law enforcement groups that say it hurts efforts to prevent opioid abuse. Billy Kobin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/12/18

California police chiefs back Antonio Villaraigosa for governor -- The California Police Chiefs Assn. on Monday endorsed former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for California governor, the second major law enforcement organization to back the Democratic candidate. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/12/18

Why cops like Antonio Villaraigosa and not Gavin Newsom -- California organizations representing both police chiefs and rank-and-file officers put their law enforcement muscle behind Antonio Villaraigosa’s campaign for governor on Monday, contending that his Democratic rival, Gavin Newsom, supported criminal justice and public safety measures that are anathema to their priorities. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/12/18

Ad portrays Newsom as trailblazer on same-sex marriage -- Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom launched his first digital ad in the governor’s race on Monday, timed to the 14-year anniversary of when San Francisco issued the first marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Seema Mehta in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

Los Angeles tenant groups oppose bill that could lead to a development boom near transit -- Senate Bill 827 from Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) would eliminate most local zoning restrictions within half a mile of rail and major bus stops across the state, allowing for new buildings that would be a minimum of four to eight stories tall. He argues that the bill is needed to address both the state’s housing shortage and environmental goals. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/12/18

L.A. considers cutting through red tape to get homeless people housed faster -- One measure would allow permanent supportive housing projects to avoid a review process that can drag out a year or more and expose the projects to public battles with opponents. Emily Alpert Reyes and Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/12/18

Getting homeless people off California streets is tough. One lawmaker has an idea -- Chiu is making a major push this year for legislation and funding to address homelessness by fast-tracking housing, measuring public dollars spent by cities and counties to combat it and collecting data on services used such as emergency room visits and shelter stays. Angela Hart in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/12/18

As break-ins soar, Palo Alto startup starts selling security camera for cars -- Ben Smith is all too familiar with car break-ins, especially from his time in San Francisco’s Mission District. Last month, he tried a new type of dashboard camera that made him, at least temporarily, feel a little more secure. Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

Dark Caltrans signs on I-80 really do work -- The signs are part of an $80 million project to make I-80 the Bay Area’s first “smart” highway on a 20-mile stretch between the Carquinez and Bay bridges. They only get turned on, however, when there’s a serious collision, breakdown or other incident that blocks at least one lane. As soon as the wreckage is cleared and the lanes reopened, the signs are switched off. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

BART’s big fences keep homeless out, but Berkeley thinks they’re too ugly -- BART’s decision to install 7-foot-tall, spiked metal fences to keep homeless people from camping near its tracks in Berkeley is drawing criticism from a city councilman and a number of neighbors — including some who wanted the campers booted in the first place. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

Home care subsidy helps San Francisco’s middle-income seniors -- The Cherrys are among the beneficiaries of a pilot program, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, that provides financial assistance to middle-income people — mostly seniors and some younger adults with disabilities — to help pay for home care. In San Francisco, one of the nation’s most expensive cities, the need is critical. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

Report: 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault could displace more than 200,000 people -- If an earthquake similar to the one in 1906 shook the San Francisco Bay Area, nearly 69,000 houses would likely be uninhabitable and more than 200,000 people could be displaced, according to a new report. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/12/18

California Could Get Tougher Penalties For Handling Phones While Driving Under New Bill -- California drivers who talk, text or in any way operate a hand-held device would be charged with a moving violation under a bill proposed at the state Capitol this week. Chris Nichols Capital Public Radio -- 2/12/18

California has a plan to skirt the GOP tax law. IRS veterans say it is likely doomed -- Two former Treasury officials and five former IRS officials — including a former IRS commissioner, an attorney who served in the IRS chief counsel's office, and a director of the IRS's nonprofit division — have told The Washington Post that the agency could view the charitable contributions as an attempt to get around the Republican tax law, and issue guidance saying that it will view these payments as taxes subject to the cap. That could throw the issue to the courts. Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 2/12/18

Fox: Trying to Make Sense of CA Tax Strategy -- In reaction to federal tax changes, the state of California’s message seems to be that the feds shouldn’t gain tax revenue from the well-off and businesses—that’s the state’s job. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/12/18

Trump’s budget hits poor Americans the hardest -- President Trump proposed a budget Monday that hits the poorest Americans the hardest, slashing billions of dollars in food stamps, health insurance and federal housing subsidies while pushing legislation to institute broad work requirements for families receiving housing vouchers, expanding on moves by some states to require recipients of Medicaid and food stamps to work. Tracy Jan, Caitlin Dewey and Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 2/12/18