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Why Trump's steel tariffs could have an outsize impact on California -- The state does have about 5,500 steel workers, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2016. But UC Davis economist Katheryn Russ estimates that California has many more workers — over 100,000 — turning steel into products like hardware and car parts. David Wagner KPCC -- 3/3/18

California steel industry leaders say they would be hurt by Trump's proposed tariffs -- California steel manufacturers are concerned that tariffs proposed Thursday by President Trump will drive up the price of their products, threatening their ability to compete with foreign and eastern U.S. steel makers and forcing them to cut local jobs. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/3/18

‘Pure madness’: Dark days inside the White House as Trump shocks and rages -- Still, Trump’s friends are increasingly concerned about his well-being, worried that the president’s obsession with cable commentary and perceived slights is taking a toll on the 71-year-old. “Pure madness,” lamented one exasperated ally. Retired four-star Army general Barry McCaffrey said the American people — and Congress especially — should be alarmed. “I think the president is starting to wobble in his emotional stability and this is not going to end well,” McCaffrey said. Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey in the Washington Post$ -- 3/3/18

Scientists Say New Reservoirs Will Not Offset Dramatically Declining Snowpack -- Scientists have found dramatically declining snowpack across the American West over the past six decades that will likely cause water shortages in the region that cannot be managed by building new reservoirs, according to a study published Friday. Gillian Flaccus Associated Press -- 3/3/18

California attorney general foes spar in AP interviews -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has become the face of the state's resistance to President Donald Trump, challenging the Republican administration's policies nearly four dozen times in court and providing the kind of meat-and-potatoes opposition that Democratic activists say they want. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 3/3/18

Garcetti, council members ignored 2016 report finding waste, flaws in police a5691nd fire retirement program -- Mayor Eric Garcetti and leaders of the Los Angeles City Council ignored a report urging them to eliminate, or drastically amend, a controversial program that pays veteran cops and firefighters their salaries and pensions simultaneously for up to five years. Jack Dolan, Ryan Menezes and Gus Garcia-Roberts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/3/18

Former Todd Spitzer aide who got $150K settlement from O.C. sues ex-boss again – this time for defamation -- Christine Richters alleges in her new lawsuit, filed Friday, March 2, that statements Spitzer made to the media about her during the earlier lawsuit were false and are hindering her attempt to get a new job. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 3/3/18

Can Los Angeles start a public pot bank? City study says costs could be 'exorbitant' -- How hard would it be for the city of Los Angeles to create its own bank? Very. That's the upshot of a report released this week by the city's chief legislative analyst, which identified a bevy of potential roadblocks, including the need for changes to state and city law and potentially "exorbitant" start-up costs. James Rufus Koren in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/3/18

State audit: Counties hoarding money for mental health programs -- Counties throughout the state are holding onto millions of dollars intended for mental health services, a recently released state audit has found. The audit is forgiving of San Diego County, which was found to allocate funds appropriately and monitor projects effectively, although it also was sitting on about $185 million at the time of the study. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/3/18

Why a California gun seizure law could be a model for national legislation -- A California law that is a model for pending national legislation resulted in 190 court orders in 2016-17 for police to temporarily take away weapons from people deemed a danger to themselves or others. Michelle Faust KPCC -- 3/3/18

Once Banned, Now Loved and Loathed: How the AR-15 Became ‘America’s Rifle’ -- Jeff Swarey bought his AR-15 rifle five years ago after shooting guns in video games. Jessie K. Fletcher, a former Marine sniper, was given one by his platoon after he stepped on a bomb in Afghanistan that blew off his legs. Jessica Dorantes, a Texas police officer, will not go on patrol without hers. Ali Watkins, John Ismay and Thomas Gibbons-Neff in the New York Times$ -- 3/3/18

Questions Surround Trump’s First Border Wall Contract -- A tiny Nebraska startup awarded the first border wall construction project under President Donald Trump is the offshoot of a construction firm that was sued repeatedly for failing to pay subcontractors and accused in a 2016 government audit of shady billing practices. Associated Press -- 3/3/18

Is San Diego's casino industry over-saturated? -- Though the sun was shining Friday morning, officials from the Pechanga Resort & Casino had to move a press conference about today’s grand opening of the resort’s $300 million expansion indoors. Michele Parente in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/3/18

Knight: Arts groups decry miserable state of Mid-Market streets -- Patrons of the magnificent theaters that dot San Francisco’s Mid-Market and Civic Center neighborhoods know that some of the most jaw-dropping drama isn’t happening onstage at all. It’s happening on the sidewalks and in the BART station just outside. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/3/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

ICE said California arrests were ‘targeted,’ but observer alleges dragnet -- Federal immigration officials who launched a big enforcement operation this week in Northern California objected to the actions being labeled sweeps or raids, saying the government went after specific people and does not “target aliens indiscriminately.” But a construction worker from the Central Valley told a different story about the four-day operation that was designed to counter California’s sanctuary policies and netted 232 undocumented immigrants. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/3/18

People Arrested in NorCal ICE Sweep Face Complex Immigration System -- Some may face immediate deportation or criminal prosecution. Others will be given a notice to appear in immigration court, and they’re more likely to be detained while they await that hearing. Alex Emslie and Julie Small KQED -- 3/3/18

Corruption scandals haven't curbed lavish gift-giving to California lawmakers -- Special interests have continued to shower California legislators with hundreds of thousands of dollars in freebies, including foreign travel, golf games and concert tickets, as efforts to rein in gifts to elected state officials after a series of corruption scandals have stalled. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/3/18

Joe Sanberg wants to end poverty in California—and he wants your help -- Joe Sanberg got the news out of the way, first: “I’m not running for anything in 2018,” he said by phone, emphasis on 2018. Sanberg is the 38-year-old Gen-Xer who grew up in Orange County, the son of a single mom who lost her home to foreclosure. He went off to Harvard, made a bunch of money on Wall Street and came home. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 3/3/18

Sacramento and Central Valley poor could gain from Trump tax bill's investor perks -- Gov. Jerry Brown made no secret about his disdain for the federal tax bill Republican lawmakers passed in December. That won’t stop him from using one of its provisions to open economic development opportunities in lower-income neighborhoods around California. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/3/18

Will a harassment complaint against a sheriff change how California treats its dead? -- Shortly after forensic pathologist Susan Parson filed a gender harassment complaint last summer against the Sheriff-Coroner’s Office in San Joaquin county, the sheriff called her in for meeting. She knew it would not be pleasant. Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/3/18

Turner settles divorce case, so Issa won't be deposed -- Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and his estranged wife have settled their acrimonious divorce case, meaning that fellow GOP Rep. Darrell Issa won’t be deposed in the case. John Bresnahan, Rachael Bade and Jake Sherman Politico -- 3/3/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Uber, Lyft drivers earn abysmal wages, according to disputed report -- Uber and Lyft drivers’ actual earnings after deducting expenses are shockingly low, according to a research report. But both of the San Francisco ride-hailing companies said the study’s methodology is flawed and disputed its conclusions, while its author said he planned to rerun the analysis with a different approach. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/3/18

9 San Francisco spots could see new buildings under federal tax-break program -- Three million Californians living in low-income areas across the state could see an infusion of private development dollars in their communities — including in nine San Francisco spots — under a little-known federal tax-incentive program. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/3/18

Chukchansi tribe's money manager rolled the dice – and lost $10 million -- The Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians near Oakhurst lost $10 million in about one month when risky investments by a money manager lost value, a detailed letter to tribal members says. The value of the investment portfolio managed by Blue Sky Capital Management tumbled from $19.6 million at the end of December to $9.3 million in early February. Lewis Griswold in the Fresno Bee -- 3/3/18

Guns 

Feds charge former Pasadena police spokesman with illegally selling more than 100 guns -- A Pasadena police officer who formerly served as spokesman for the department turned himself in to authorities Friday after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of selling dozens of guns across Southern California without a license. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/3/18

Education 

How San Diego Schools Handle Threats Of Mass Violence -- In 1999, two armed teenagers opened fire at Columbine High School in Colorado, killing 13 people. The rampage left a stain on America’s consciousness, but also an important legacy. It inspired a forensic psychologist named Dewey Cornell to develop a threat assessment tool for schools. Megan Burks KPBS -- 3/3/18

Environment 

South Bay cities, Port of San Diego slap feds with lawsuit for failure to contain sewage from Tijuana -- South Bay elected officials are filing a lawsuit Friday to force the federal government to plug up the millions of gallons of sewage and polluted water that routinely stream over the border from Tijuana into the San Diego region. Joshua Emerson Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ Erik Anderson KPBS Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 3/3/18

Fewer salmon at the Golden Gate may mean less fishing in Northern California rivers -- Anglers hoping to catch Chinook salmon this year along the San Francisco Bay and in the Central Valley's rivers are likely to see curtailed fishing seasons, due to poor fish numbers linked to California's historic five-year drought. Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/3/18

Also . . . 

Friends say Joshua Tree couple is extremely poor, not abusive -- The plywood shelter is covered with tin and an aqua kiddie pool. Twigs and mattress stuffing line the roof, apparently for insulation. Nearby, in this remote stretch of desert just outside Joshua Tree National Park, canned food sits on shelves beneath a camping stove. There is a trampoline and many children's toys, bikes and storybooks on the ground. Paloma Esquivel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/3/18

Missing Rocklin snowboarder found dead at Squaw Valley, 2 people injured in avalanche -- A winter storm that brought welcome snow to Sierra ski areas also wreaked havoc, as a Rocklin snowboarder was found dead Friday morning at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, and two people were injured in an avalanche at the resort Friday afternoon. Cathy Locke in the Sacramento Bee$ Annie Ma in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Matthias Gafni in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/3/18

Snowboarder dies hours after China Peak ski resort reopens -- A 36-year-old man died Friday afternoon while snowboarding at China Peak Mountain Resort, which reopened just hours earlier for the first time in weeks after being shut down due to a lack of snow. Bonhia Lee in the Fresno Bee -- 3/3/18

POTUS 45  

Demoralized West Wing stokes fears over Trump’s capacity to handle a crisis -- president has embraced chaos since the beginning, but the past week's drama has left staffers dangerously depleted. John F. Harris and Andrew Restuccia Politico -- 3/3/18

Days before the election, Stormy Daniels threatened to cancel deal to keep alleged affair with Trump secret -- The 2016 election was less than a month away, and Donald Trump’s attorney had blown the deadline for paying Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about her alleged affair with the future president. In an Oct. 17 email, an attorney for Daniels — a porn star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford — threatened to cancel the nondisclosure agreement by the end of the day. Beth Reinhard, Frances Stead Sellers and Emma Brown in the Washington Post$ -- 3/3/18

Shortly before Trump announced tariffs, his former adviser dumped millions in steel-related stocks -- President Trump’s decision Thursday to impose crippling tariffs on the imports of steel and aluminum took many by surprise — particularly investors, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the day’s trading down more than 400 points, or 1.7 percent, at 24,608. But one billionaire investor and former Trump adviser, Carl Icahn, was seemingly unvexed, having dumped a million shares tied to the steel industry a week before the president announced 25 percent tariffs for foreign-made steel. Marwa Eltagouri in the Washington Post$ -- 3/3/18

Beltway 

Tariffs could benefit 100,000 workers at expense of 6.5M -- President Donald Trump’s move to impose tariffs on imported steel is meant to protect an industry that employs about 140,000 Americans. Yet by raising the price of steel, those same tariffs stand to hurt a far larger group of U.S. workers: the 6.5 million who work in industries that buy steel — from automakers to aircraft manufacturers to suppliers of building materials. Paul Wiseman Associated Press -- 3/3/18

 

-- Friday Updates 

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