Updating . .
Pelosi's real estate makes her the 5th richest Californian in Congress -- Thanks to a bunch of pricey real estate in swanky locations, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi remains high on the ranking of the California congressional delegation by minimum net worth, a new analysis of financial disclosures finds. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
California's watchdog agency approved record number of settlements for ethics and campaign violations last year -- California’s campaign watchdog agency last year approved a record 340 settlements of cases involving violations of ethics and political finance rules, according to its annual report issued Monday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
Villaraigosa challenges Newsom to one-on-one debate over single-payer healthcare -- Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday challenged his top rival in the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, to a one-on-one debate over the viability of a state-sponsored single-payer healthcare system in California. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
Oakland area students join Congress on Civil Rights Pilgrimage -- A group of Oakland-area students this weekend stood alongside major civil rights figures as part of the Faith and Politics Institute Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage tied to the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
Scott Jones faces new challenge from former deputy chief in Sacramento Sheriff's race -- The race for Sacramento sheriff became more competitive Monday when former deputy chief and noted criminal justice reform advocate Milo Fitch announced he was running against incumbent Scott Jones. Anita Chabria in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
Jerry Brown's grand California water solution remains in jeopardy as he prepares to exit -- Two tunnels, one or none? The question continues to swirl around plans to perform major surgery on the sickly heart of California's water system. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
'Huggy Bear' Hertzberg's accuser didn't meet with Senate investigators -- A former assemblywoman who accused Sen. Bob Hertzberg of pinning her in his arms and thrusting his groin into her said she declined to meet with lawyers hired by the Senate to investigate her allegation. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
San Francisco gave undocumented immigrants voting rights. Now it’s worried about ICE -- A key backer of San Francisco granting noncitizens the right to cast ballots in school elections now wants the city to spend as much as $500,000 a year to warn undocumented residents that registering to vote could point the feds their way. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/5/18
Sierra snow pack up 80 percent from last week, but still below normal --The snow water equivalent of the snowpack a week ago, meaning the amount of water in any given area if the snow was all melted, jumped from 5.3 inches last Monday to 9.5 inches on Monday, an increase of 80 percent. But the historic average is 30 inches by April 1, so the state would need another four or five storms like last week’s by April 1 to reach the historic average. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/5/18
Founder of Tower Records dies at 92 while drinking whiskey and watching the Oscars -- Russ Solomon, the music-loving visionary who built a global retailing empire and the most famous company in Sacramento history, died Sunday night. He was 92. Solomon was watching the Academy Awards ceremony Sunday night when he apparently had a heart attack, said his son, Michael Solomon. Dale Kasler and Bob Shallit in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
L.A. officials push for new focus on school safety after Parkland -- On Monday, L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer will announce his formation of a blue-ribbon panel to look at measures that would make schools safer and how to make them happen. The next day, L.A. school board members will introduce a resolution calling for stronger state and federal gun control and for a review of school district policies. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
Slow recovery, new kinship for community struck first by Tubbs Fire -- Knights Valley was the first place hit by the Tubbs Fire and may be among the last to recover. Lizzie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/5/18
California sends 20 millionaires to Congress. Here's what we know about their fortunes -- The 55 members of California’s congressional delegation are worth at least $439 million. The state is home to both the richest and poorest man in Congress. Iris Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
California Launches Environmental Justice Unit to Protect Vulnerable Neighborhoods -- California is getting an Environmental Justice Bureau charged with looking into polluters who operate in low-income and minority neighborhoods. Amel Ahmed KQED -- 3/5/18
The Contentious Future of Point Reyes -- Here's What You Need to Know -- On a rocky peninsula with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, an hour north of San Francisco, cows, tule elk, and people have shared the land for several hundred years -- but lately, with growing conflict. That’s why the National Park Service is rethinking how to manage the rangelands in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Molly Peterson KQED -- 3/5/18
Eleni Kounalakis Aims to Be State’s First Woman Elected Lt. Governor -- Since California became a state in 1850, the state has had 39 governors and 49 lieutenant governors. Every single one of the people elected to those jobs was a man. (One woman, Mona Pasquil, briefly served as acting Lt. Governor when the incumbent, John Garamendi, was elected to Congress.) Katie Orr KQED -- 3/5/18
Jeffe & Jeffe: Jerry Brown—the Man Who Wasn’t There -- When California Democrats held their convention in San Diego, there was a conspicuous absentee—Governor Jerry Brown. Not only wasn’t he physically present, he was barely mentioned from the speaker’s podium. The party’s activists and aspiring politicians were clearly ready to move on. Sherry Bebitch Jeffe & Doug Jeffe Fox & Hounds -- 3/5/18
Attorneys for Suge Knight indicted on charges tied to alleged witness tampering -- Thaddeus Culpepper and Matthew Fletcher appeared in a downtown courtroom Monday morning where they were charged with conspiracy, according to a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office. A charge of accessory after the fact to the 2015 murder Knight is accused of was also filed, though it was not immediately clear which attorney was accused of that count. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
House Speaker Paul Ryan urges Trump to reverse himself on planned tariffs -- House Speaker Paul D. Ryan publicly broke with President Trump on Monday, the latest Republican to call on the president to reverse his planned imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that many fear could set off a trade war. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
Former Trump aide Sam Nunberg called before grand jury, says he will refuse to go -- In an interview with The Washington Post, Nunberg said he was asked to come to Washington to appear before the grand jury on Friday. He also provided a copy of what appears to be his two-page grand jury subpoena seeking documents related to President Trump and nine other people, including emails, correspondence, invoices, telephone logs, calendars and “records of any kind.” Josh Dawsey in the Washington Post$ -- 3/5/18
Trump Lawyer’s Payment to Porn Star Was Reported as Suspicious by Bank -- The bank used by President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer to wire $130,000 to a former adult-film actress flagged the transaction as suspicious and reported it to the Treasury Department, according to a person familiar with the matter. Joe Palazzolo and Michael Rothfeld in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/5/18
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Sexual harassment could stop special treatment for some lawmakers' records -- Sparked by the unfolding sexual misconduct scandal at the Capitol, the California Legislature could this year expand the open records law governing itself for the first time in more than four decades. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
They used to get free or low-cost marijuana to help with their cancer. Not anymore -- The Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana survived a raid by federal agents and other existential threats while providing free and low-cost cannabis to seriously ill patients. In operation for the past three decades, the Santa Cruz-based collective is the oldest example of a compassionate care" program in the nation. Brad Branan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
Walters: Handicapping California’s governorship game -- So far, electing a new governor of California has resembled a game of musical chairs more than a horse race. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 3/5/18
Fresno engineer T.J. Cox to face Rep. David Valadao, sources say -- Emilio Huerta is out of the race against Rep. David Valadao and Fresno engineer T.J. Cox is rumored to be in the running. Sources have confirmed to The Bee that Cox is expected to announce his candidacy next week, possibly on Tuesday, to run for a Democratic seat in the 21st Congressional District. Jessica Johnson in the Fresno Bee -- 3/5/18
Judge weighs science behind Monsanto Roundup cancer claim -- Claims that the active ingredient in the widely used weed killer Roundup can cause cancer have been evaluated by international agencies, U.S. and foreign regulators and the product's manufacturer - agribusiness giant Monsanto. Now, a federal judge in San Francisco will conduct his own review during an unusual set of court hearings scheduled to start Monday. Sudhin Thanawala Associated Press -- 3/5/18
Welcome snow slows California's plunge back to drought -- Welcome drifts of fresh snow await California's water managers on their late-winter survey of the vital Sierra Nevada snowpack Monday after a massive winter storm slowed the state's plunge back into drought. Associated Press -- 3/5/18
Demonstrators face off in Hollywood over Trump’s tough talk on North Korea -- About 30 activists demonstrated outside CNN’s offices in Hollywood on Sunday afternoon to protest President Donald Trump’s harsh rhetoric against North Korea, part of a diplomatic standoff they said risks starting a war that could kill millions of people. Joshua Cain in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 3/5/18
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
At least two dozen Kern County farmworkers arrested in latest immigration sweep across California -- Many of the farmworkers appeared to have no serious criminal background and were stopped on their way to work by federal immigration officers in unmarked vehicles, said Armando Elenes, a vice president of United Farm Workers of America, which has been trying to document how many people have been detained. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/5/18
California farmers’ objections could kill conservative immigration bill -- House conservatives’ effort to enact a controversial immigration bill has met a quiet but fierce foe: California farmers. Their opposition to farm labor provisions in the legislation – and their sway with influential California Republicans – are a big part of the reason the House is unlikely to move forward with an immigration bill this year. Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
Defeat of Pesticide Bill Highlights Ag Industry's Campaign Donations -- Agricultural industry groups opposed to legislation that would have increased fines for violating California's pesticide regulations contributed more than $340,000 to members of the Assembly in the two years before the body rejected the measure in late January. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 3/5/18
Dorm Living for Professionals Comes to San Francisco -- In search of reasonable rent, the middle-class backbone of San Francisco — maitre d’s, teachers, bookstore managers, lounge musicians, copywriters and merchandise planners — are engaging in an unusual experiment in communal living: They are moving into dorms. Nellie Bowles in the New York Times$ -- 3/5/18
How more generous pensions boosted city costs -- CalPERS sponsored legislation resulting in more generous city police and firefighter pensions, SB 400 in 1999, a well-known issue in the debate about whether growing pension costs are “unsustainable.” But CalPERS also backed legislation, AB 616 in 2001, giving most local government employees the option of bargaining for generous pensions once limited to police and firefighters, who face hazardous duty and may need to retire early from their physically demanding work. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 3/5/18
Qualcomm-Broadcom saga headed to dramatic vote on Tuesday -- For Qualcomm shareholders, the past three fiscal years have been rough. During that time, a $10,000 investment in Qualcomm stock would have plunged to $7,560. Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/5/18
Transit
State may tear down major Sacramento bridges to build bigger ones for mega-trucks -- Flush with new gas tax funds, state officials are exploring what could be the biggest Sacramento freeway redo in modern times – tearing down and replacing the twin freeway bridges that carry Interstate 5 over the American River. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
How bike sharing could reduce traffic on Highway 50 and ease commute headaches -- The walk from the Zinfandel light-rail station to Vision Service Plan headquarters in Rancho Cordova takes about 20 minutes – enough time to significantly lengthen a morning commute. Ellen Garrison in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
Education
Local schools gird for student walkout over gun violence -- Thousands of Sacramento-area students are expected to join their peers across the country in participating in the 17-minute National School Walkout March 14 in protest of gun violence. Diana Lambert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/5/18
Unique gift covers schoolkids’ Academy of Sciences field trips in perpetuity -- Every San Francisco kid will get a free field trip to the California Academy of Sciences every year of elementary school in perpetuity — transportation, tickets and time to study penguins, pipefish and leafy seadragons included — thanks to a unique $20 million gift to be announced Monday. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/5/18
Fear, absenteeism, falling grades among impacts of immigration crackdown, study finds – Immigration crackdowns are having a widespread harmful impact on children’s academic performance, school attendance and classroom behavior, not just among immigrant children but native-born students as well, according to a new national survey of educators. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 3/5/18
Oakland schools balance improving student performance while making deep budget cuts -- Oakland Unified is struggling with a balancing act that requires it to improve its students’ academic performance next year while also slashing millions of dollars from its budget. Theresa Harrington EdSource -- 3/5/18
Also . . .
Here Come the Fake Videos, Too -- Artificial intelligence video tools make it relatively easy to put one person’s face on another person’s body with few traces of manipulation. I tried it on myself. What could go wrong? Kevin Rose in the New York Times$ -- 3/5/18
POTUS 45
Tariffs on course to be imposed, Trump officials say -- President Donald Trump remains on course to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from around the world by the end of the week, despite threats that other countries will retaliate and Republican warnings the move could hurt the U.S. economy, senior U.S. officials said on Sunday. Doug Palmer and Zachary Warmbrodt Politico -- 3/5/18
Donald Trump’s bubble presidency -- He has largely done away with the political optics of rubbing shoulders with members of the public, instead cloistering himself in the White House and at his clubs. Nancy Cook and Andrew Restuccia Politico -- 3/5/18
‘Like a pinball machine’: Lawmakers struggle to negotiate with an erratic Trump -- After more than a year of the Trump presidency, members of Congress have learned to brace themselves for unpredictable, confusing and often contradictory positions from the commander in chief on issues ranging from health care to immigration to gun rights. John Wagner and Seung Min Kim in the Washington Post$ -- 3/5/18
Beltway
State Dept. Was Granted $120 Million to Fight Russian Meddling. It Has Spent $0. -- As Russia’s virtual war against the United States continues unabated with the midterm elections approaching, the State Department has yet to spend any of the $120 million it has been allocated since late 2016 to counter foreign efforts to meddle in elections or sow distrust in democracy. Gardiner Harris in the New York Times$ -- 3/5/18
GOP fears midterm backlash from Trump’s tariffs -- President Donald Trump’s threatened trade war has opened a rift within the Republican Party that some lawmakers and strategists believe could undermine their effort to keep their majorities in Congress. Rachael Bade and Burgess Everett Politico -- 3/5/18
-- Sunday Updates
Along California-Oregon border, debate over protected lands is clash of values -- There’s no welcome sign here, not even a marked road to the entrance. Just wide-open countryside. But this little-visited stretch of protected hills and valleys that makes up California’s share of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is at the heart of a nationwide debate over the management of America’s public lands. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/4/18
Emilio Huerta drops out of congressional race against David Valadao -- Emilio Huerta, a Bakersfield attorney and the son of civil rights legend Dolores Huerta, is ending his campaign to replace Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rory Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 3/4/18
California gears up for a battle over single-family zoning near transit -- Taking aim at climate change, highway gridlock and soaring housing costs, a California lawmaker has ignited a red-hot debate with a proposal that would force cities to allow more apartments and condominiums to be built a short walk from train stations and bus stops. Katy Murphy and Erin Baldassari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/4/18
Libby Schaaf’s war on ICE may hold hidden dangers -- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s warning about federal immigration sweeps might look like a no-brainer on the local political front. After all, one poll of 500 Bay Area residents, by KPIX-5/Survey USA, found 48 percent approved of her heads up and just 34 percent turned thumbs down. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/4/18
Tijuana shelters brace for influx of Trump administration deportees -- When deportees from California are unceremoniously deposited at a dusty traffic circle just across the border here, their first destination is often the same: an airy dormitory in Tijuana’s hills with a sweeping view of the sprawling city below. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/4/18
Mexican man assumes American's identity for 37 years, steals $361,000 in government benefits -- It started as a rather straightforward Social Security fraud investigation — a man receiving disability benefits pretending to live in the United States when in fact he lived in Tijuana. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/4/18
Ron Conway says he’s too busy to get involved in San Francisco’s mayor race -- As San Francisco finds itself in the midst of an unexpected mayoral campaign after Lee’s death, accusations are flying about Conway’s influence in a battle between moderate and progressive candidates. Trisha Thadani and Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/4/18
Whiter and older but somehow less Republican. The GOP is losing its grip on two North County strongholds -- But the shift has now reached a point where Democratic and Republican voter registration in two once-conservative North County seats — the 76th and 77th — are within a whisker, giving Democrats a chance to bolster their majority in the 80-member Assembly. Joshua Stewart in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/4/18
Smolens: As GOP pressure grows, will Rep. Hunter get a boost from Trump? -- Rep. Duncan Hunter marches on, even as Republicans on both coasts tighten the screws. He has filed for re-election and outwardly seems unfazed by the prospect of high-profile election opponents. Michael Smolens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/4/18
San Francisco union leader’s SUV break-in goes viral, and the cops come running -- Nothing like being the head of a politically influential union to get a response when your car is burglarized. At least that was the case when Firefighters Union Local 798 President Tom O’Connor walked out of San Francisco City Hall after an afternoon of contract negotiations to find his 2010 Chevy Tahoe broken into — for the third time in two years. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/4/18
For Sacramento, 'Lady Bird' offers a vivid portrait of a city that revels in its 'modest pleasures' -- "You clearly love Sacramento," says the Catholic nun and high school principal as she looks over the college essay written by one of her students. The teenager, who clearly thinks the city is uncool, shrugs and says she just pays attention to her surroundings. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/4/18