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Apple had been warned about glass danger by Cupertino official -- City officials warned Apple its glass walls were dangerous. Apple Park opened anyway. 911 calls show three people have been injured walking into them. Wendy Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
EPA chief's clean-water rollback shaped by secrecy, luxury travel and handpicked audiences -- As Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt jetted around the country last year, regularly flying first or business class at hefty taxpayer expense, his stated mission was often a noble one: to hear from Americans about how Washington could most effectively and fairly enforce the Clean Water Act. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Trade war could spark food fight, California growers fear -- Steel and aluminum may be the intended quarry of a trade war that President Trump has said would be "good" for the U.S. economy, but the casualties of the conflict could be food, agricultural economists warn. China, the European Union, Mexico, Canada and other trading partners have sent strong signals that they may retaliate if Trump succeeds in imposing stiff tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. Geoffrey Mohan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
'Castaways' in motor homes feel stranded on society's fringe -- Recreational vehicles and campers are the only homes thousands of people can afford in Los Angeles. Their presence is rarely welcome. "Sometimes I feel like we're worse than homeless," says one. Luis Sinco in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Sunnyvale home shatters record with enormous price tag -- The small, unassuming home in the Cherry Chase neighborhood was on the market just two days before it sold for $2 million, a whopping $550,000 over its asking price. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/2/18
Contra Costa jail inmate died of heroin overdose -- James Darryl Cooper, 45, died Jan. 24, six days after he’d been booked at the Martinez Detention Facility on a range of charges. After receiving toxicology reports, the medical examiner listed “acute heroin toxicity” as Cooper’s probable cause of death, according to the county coroner’s office. Nate Gartrell in the East Bay Times -- 3/2/18
Feral cattle terrorize hikers and devour native plants in a California national monument -- Sand to Snow National Monument is a quiet place — its mountainous high desert and cascading streams a draw for those seeking panoramic views, tranquility and solitude. But on a recent morning, the serenity was ruined by a menacing bellowing, making it clear passing hikers weren't alone. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
How Reagan saved the Watergate -- “We’ve never had so many established Congressmen lose their jobs,” said a Washington real estate agent in early December 1980. A total of 44 Democrats in Congress – 32 in the House and 12 in the Senate – lost their reelection campaigns in the 1980 Reagan landslide. Joseph Rodota Capitol Weekly -- 3/2/18
Get ready for the era of hypersonic flight — at five times the speed of sound -- The sleek aircraft, really more rocket than plane, dropped from the wing of a B-52 before shooting through the sky above Point Mugu Sea Range off the California coast, leaving a long, white contrail in its wake. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
The Silicon Valley elite’s latest status symbol: Chickens -- Their pampered birds wear diapers and have personal chefs — but lay the finest eggs tech money can buy. Peter Holley in the Washington Post$ -- 3/2/18
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Mendoza's gone, but Capitol culture still an open question for de León's U.S. Senate race -- Before announcing the resignation of his former housemate, California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León delivered a speech on the Senate floor describing the upper house as a leader against sexual harassment under his command. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Lawmaker asked Capitol aide to retrieve her bracelet from his pocket, review finds -- Former Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra likely made unwanted advances to three female employees while working as a Capitol chief of staff, an Assembly investigation has concluded, including taking a subordinate's bracelet, sticking it in his pocket and asking her to retrieve it. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Former Obama administration official has reached a deal to buy Weinstein Co. assets -- An investor group led by former U.S. Small Business Administration head Maria Contreras-Sweet and billionaire Ron Burkle has reached an agreement in principle to purchase assets of Weinstein Co., the onetime Obama administration official said Thursday. The deal is subject to a 40-day closing period, one person familiar with the matter said. Ryan Faughnder in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
White House slams Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s warning about ICE action -- The Justice Department is reviewing Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s “outrageous” warning to the community ahead of a large-scale operation by federal immigration authorities, the White House said Thursday. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Alene Tchekmedyian and Paloma Esquivel in the Los Angeles Times$ Matthias Gafni in the East Bay Times -- 3/2/18
232 people arrested during immigration sweep in California -- More than 200 people were arrested on immigration violations during a four-day operation in Northern California, but authorities said Thursday that hundreds eluded capture because of a warning from Oakland's mayor. Elliot Spagat Associated Press Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
Immigrant families prepare for ICE raids with emergency plans -- Miguel Rico’s worst fear is getting separated from his three children. Following a four-day ICE sweep across Northern California, the Mexican immigrant has reason to worry. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
Longtime Napa resident arrested in ICE sweep; family in shock -- Jesus Manzo Ceja walked out of his Napa home before 6 a.m. Wednesday intending to move his truck from a spot where he worried it might get towed. Instead he found immigration officers waiting for him in the dark with a warrant for his arrest. Jenna Lyons and Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
GOP California gubernatorial candidate John Cox speaks out against sanctuary state policy -- California’s sanctuary-state policy would be one of the first of many Democrat-supported proposals that will disappear if he becomes governor, Republican John Cox told a sparse crowd at the University of San Francisco Thursday evening. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
Who Is Libby Schaaf, the Oakland Mayor Who Warned of Immigration Raids? -- Libby Schaaf, the Democratic mayor of Oakland since 2015, stepped into the middle of the national debate on immigration on Saturday when she warned of imminent raids by federal immigration agents in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thomas Fuller in the New York Times$ -- 3/2/18
Newsom Claims San Francisco Street Cred on Single Payer Issue -- As the race for governor heats up, support for a government-run single payer health care system is becoming a kind of litmus test for Democrats — and no candidate has embraced the idea more closely than Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Scott Shafer KQED -- 3/2/18
Will California's $3 billion in stem cell spending pay off? First royalty check arrives -- Back in 2004, when California's stem cell agency was little more than an idea in the minds of researchers, its backers predicted a gold rush of royalties that could inject $1.1 billion into state coffers. This month, after more than 13 years, the first stem cell royalty check has finally found its way to the state. David Jensen in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Latino artwork at NBA arena 'almost a middle finger' to Trump, county supervisor says -- Meanwhile, in downtown Sacramento, a big, colorful mural is about to be unveiled inside Golden 1 Center. It's the creation of the Royal Chicano Air Force, among the city's most cherished Latino activist art collectives. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Vindicated Colonies corruption figures form PAC to back San Bernardino County DA’s challenger -- Vindicated Colonies corruption case defendants Jim Erwin and Mark Kirk have formed a political action committee to support “good government” candidates, including the challenger to incumbent District Attorney Michael A. Ramos, former prosecutor-turned-defense attorney Jason Anderson. Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 3/2/18
Popular fishing tackle would be banned under new California bill -- Assemblyman Bill Quirk, D-Hayward, introduced Assembly Bill 2787 on Feb. 16. The bill would outlaw the manufacture, sale and purchase of lead fishing weights that are under 50 grams. Billy Kobin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Fed chief says Wells Fargo needs to make 'significant' reforms before growth cap is lifted -- The new chief of the Federal Reserve said Thursday that a cap it placed on the growth of Wells Fargo & Co. after widespread consumer abuses would not be easily lifted — but the bank would not have to fully implement reform plans before it was removed. Jim Puzzanghera and James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Trump administration divided over Qualcomm-Broadcom fight -- A split appears to have developed within the Trump administration over whether a federal committee that reviews the national security implications of foreign investments should get involved in Broadcom's hostile takeover attempt to acquire Qualcomm. Rob Nikolewski and Carl Prine in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/2/18
Forecast shows California salmon fishermen in for another year of sharp limits -- A third straight year of low king salmon runs is expected to deliver another blow to one of the North Coast’s most iconic and lucrative fisheries, wildlife managers indicated Thursday, as both regulators and fishermen faced the prospect of a federally mandated plan to reverse the trend and rebuild key stocks. Mary Callahan in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 3/2/18
Transit
Metro backs away from controversial plan to widen the 710 Freeway, opting for more modest changes -- For two decades, Los Angeles County transportation officials have clashed with local advocates over how to untangle traffic on the truck-choked 710 Freeway without doing more harm to surrounding neighborhoods in what's known as "the diesel death zone." Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Homeless
Mayor: North Sacramento homeless shelter should stay, and 2 more are needed -- Mayor Darrell Steinberg wants to keep a controversial winter homeless shelter open indefinitely in North Sacramento and find two other locations elsewhere in the city to house large numbers of homeless men and women. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Moving San Diego Homeless From Tents To Permanent Housing Slow But Steady -- A majority of his bunkmates struggle with mental illness, disabilities and despair. Most are over the age of 50, but nearly a dozen are college students. There are also five dozen veterans and a handful who hold full-time jobs. Susan Murphy KPBS -- 3/2/18
Housing
Home prices rise again compared to last January, as sales drop -- A new CoreLogic report reveals that median home prices in January were up 13.1 percent over January 2017, to $710,000 for all homes sold in the Bay Area. The median price in San Francisco, though down from December, remained above $1 million. Sophie Haigney in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
Sacramento home prices rise 14 percent since last year -- The Sacramento region's three other counties also saw the median price for resale homes rise year over year. El Dorado County had a 14.7 percent increase. Placer had a 6.7 percent jump, and Yolo had less than a 1 percent gain. Hudson Sangree in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/2/18
Wildfire
State legislators told firefighting efforts require costly improvements -- State legislators Thursday heard testimony that preparation for California’s new era of catastrophic and deadly wildland fires will require costly changes to land management, building safety and firefighting services, amounting to a wholesale upgrade of the state’s firefighting force. Randi Rossmann in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 3/2/18
California spent nearly $1.8 billion last year fighting major wildfires -- The federal government will reimburse most of the costs, but the state still will need to come up with about $371 million on top of its existing wildfire budget, the Legislative Analyst's Office told the Senate Budget committee. That shouldn't be a problem because state revenue has far exceeded expectations so far this fiscal year and the general fund is flush with cash. Associated Press -- 3/2/18
Education
L.A. Unified commemorates 50th anniversary of Eastside walkouts, but tells students to stay in class March 14 -- Fifty years ago, Mexican American students in East L.A. high schools walked out of class and launched a historic movement protesting substandard conditions in their schools. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Cannabis
Smaller pot growers in state feel stifled -- At a first-of-its-kind meeting with the state’s top cannabis officials and North Coast marijuana industry leaders to discuss the state’s new regulations for the business sector, Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner Tony Linegar was unequivocal in his biting analysis that both state and local regulations are prohibitively stringent and have stifled the ability of existing cultivators to legalize their operations. Julie Johnson in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 3/2/18
Former congressional aide convicted in shakedown of Compton marijuana dispensary -- The congressional aide accepted the bribe over lunch, $5,000 cash slipped inside a Compton restaurant menu. As he pocketed the money, Michael Kimbrew pledged his "undying support" to protect a marijuana dispensary the city was trying to shut down, federal authorities said. But what he didn't know was that he was negotiating with an undercover FBI agent. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Health
Killing Obamacare's coverage mandate will cut enrollment but leave California's marketplace stable, study says -- California's individual health insurance market will probably see a sharp drop in enrollment but should remain stable after Congress eliminated the requirement for individuals to carry coverage, a Harvard-led study published Thursday found. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
Also . . .
Wrongly imprisoned San Francisco man OKd to go to trial in effort to show police set him up -- A San Francisco man who spent six years in prison for murder before a second jury acquitted him can go to trial in a suit against four city police officers he accuses of framing him, a federal judge has ruled. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/2/18
POTUS 45
Trump ignored 'bright line' on discussing Russia with Hicks -- President Donald Trump’s lawyers have urged him not to discuss details of the unfolding Russia investigation with anyone outside his legal team, warning of a conversational “bright line” that could put aides and associates in legal jeopardy, according to current and former Trump aides. But Trump often ignores that legal advice in the presence of senior aides — including his departing confidante and White House communications director, Hope Hicks. Darren Samuelson and Eliana Johnson Politico -- 3/2/18
U.S. ambassador quits in latest sign of roiling U.S. relations with Mexico -- Roberta Jacobson, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico and one of the State Department's most experienced Latin America hands, said Thursday that she is quitting in what appeared to be fallout of the Trump administration's roiling relations with Mexico. Tracy Wilkinson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/2/18
President Trump has made 2,436 false or misleading claims so far -- In the 406 days since he took the oath of office, President Trump has made 2,436 false or misleading claims, according to The Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president. That’s an average of six claims a day. Meg Kelly, Glenn Kessler and Salvador Rizzo in the Washington Post$ -- 3/2/18
Beltway
Provisions attached to budget bills could reshape campaign finance laws -- A handful of provisions tucked into a pair of must-pass bills under consideration in Congress this month could reshape the financing of political campaigns and give further cover to donors who want to keep their contributions private. Michelle Ye Hee Lee in the Washington Post$ -- 3/2/18
-- Thursday Updates
Mnuchin Blocks U.C.L.A. From Releasing Video of Students Heckling Him -- Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was taunted with hisses, heckles and profanity during a lecture and moderated discussion at U.C.L.A. this week. Protesters were carried out by armed police officers. A sixth grader in the audience questioned him about the fairness of passing permanent tax cuts for companies and expiring cuts for individuals. Alan Rappeport in the New York Times$ -- 3/1/18
Pelosi optimistic on gun control bill, but doubts a renewed assault weapons ban can pass -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was optimistic Thursday that the Republican-controlled Congress can pass comprehensive gun legislation, but said she doesn’t expect an assault weapons ban to be part of such a measure. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/1/18
San Francisco mayor now supports legal fund for immigrants facing deportation -- Three months ago, no one in City Hall would have expected Mark Farrell, then the board’s most fiscally conservative supervisor, to side with its progressives and fund lawyers for all immigrants facing deportation. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/1/18
710 Freeway is a 'diesel death zone' to neighbors — can vital commerce route be fixed? -- For decades, the 710 Freeway has been the commercial spine of Southern California, funneling the trucks carrying thousands of tons of furniture, clothes, televisions and other goods from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach into the region's sprawling network of freeways and warehouses. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/1/18
Deprived of data, transit agency tracks tech shuttle buses with cameras -- Tech companies aren’t just secretive about their future products. They’re also unwilling to share information about their shuttle buses. After being stonewalled by business organizations in its effort to count corporate shuttles along Highway 85, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority set up cameras to determine how many buses are on the road. Wendy Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/1/18
Before Kevin and Devin, there was Bill -- Former Republican Congressman Bill Thomas, who capped a 28-year House career as chair of the Ways and Means Committee, has been out of Congress for more than a decade. His name is no longer familiar outside of his Bakersfield base. Dorothy Mills-Gregg Capitol Weekly -- 3/1/18
How The Home Of Reagan Turned Into The Trump Resistance -- With more than two dozen lawsuits against the federal administration and new laws designed to thwart federal immigration actions and environmental rollbacks, California has squarely established itself as the Democratic resistance to President Donald Trump. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 3/1/18
As developments rise in the NoHo Arts District, artists are being forced out by high rents -- Once a week, Jeff Kober rents a small auditorium at the Raven Playhouse theater of the NoHo Arts District, where he and a group of actors rehearse scenes from his screenplay. Although he would like a studio of his own, doing that within the roughly 1-square-mile community in North Hollywood is not something the 60-year-old actor and screenwriter can afford. Olga Grigoryants in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/1/18
Why the rise of the independent voter is a political myth -- For a party halfway in the grave, the news thudded like another shovelful of dirt — thwack! — heaved atop its coffin: The Republican Party may soon slip into third place among registered California voters, trailing Democrats and self-declared independents. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/1/18
Fox: ICE Gets the Schaaf -- The war of words between Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting director Thomas Homan over Schaaf ‘s warning that ICE was about to raid Northern California counties looking for illegal residents could bleed into another major issue rising in California this election year—crime. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/1/18