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Trump wants California to pay back billions for bullet train -- The Trump administration plans to cancel $929 million in U.S. money for California’s beleaguered high-speed rail project and wants the state to return an additional $2.5 billion it’s already spent. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 2/19/19

18 trillion gallons of rain in California in February — and more on the way -- California has already received an 18-trillion-gallon soaking this month — enough water to fill 27 million Olympic-sized pools — and the state’s wild winter isn’t over yet. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/19

‘A pretty good season.’ What California’s winter rain and snow mean for you in 2019 -- It’s shaping up as a wetter-than-usual winter in California, putting to rest fears of another drought hitting anytime soon. Depending on where you live, though, you will still likely face some limitations on how much you can water your lawn this summer. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/19

Suspect Hunters Point shipyard contractor did similar work at Treasure Island -- Corporate managers accused of directing an extensive fraud in the cleanup of San Francisco’s toxic shipyard led similar projects at nearby Treasure Island — work that apparently has never been rechecked since fraud at the shipyard was discovered, even as a $5 billion real estate development on the island speeds ahead. Jason Fagone and Cynthia Dizikes in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/19/19

Under pressure, LAUSD releases confidential contracts for reform consultants -- Outside consultants working on a plan to restructure the Los Angeles Unified School District were asked to develop a performance-based rating system for schools and to shift hiring and purchasing of services from the central district office to local campus networks, according to confidential contracts provided to The Times. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/19

With owner’s tweets, an apple farm with a taste for Colonial-era reenactments gets more drama than it bargained for -- A dense fog hung over James Riley’s homestead in this apple-growing community as the platoon of buses, carrying 150 mostly Latino and black fifth-graders, pulled up. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/19

Oakland Raiders, Coliseum close to deal to keep team for another year -- The Raiders appear to be close to wrapping up a deal to keep the team playing at the Oakland Coliseum this year and possibly in 2020. An announcement is expected either later this week or early next week, according to sources close to the talks. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/19/19

Can California homes and businesses quit natural gas? Some say yes -- To meet its aggressive goals for fighting climate change, California wants to wean millions of homes and businesses in the state off natural gas. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/19/19

Mayor says Stephon Clark death wounded Sacramento, calls for $200 million community fund -- Saying the death of Stephon Clark last year ripped open old wounds in the city, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on Tuesday said he will push to invest $200 million in Sacramento’s lower-income neighborhoods in the coming years in an attempt to avoid other such tragic events. Theresa Clift and Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/19

Trump slams California’s ‘fast train’ as Gavin Newsom leads 16 states suing over border wall -- President Donald Trump hit back Tuesday at California’s latest lawsuit against his administration in his trademark way — through Twitter. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/19

How California Laws Meant to Integrate Immigrants Can Open a Backdoor for ICE -- In several recent arrests by ICE, agents had copies of immigrants’ driver’s licenses or other information they provided to the DMV. The arrests underscore a long-standing concern from immigration advocates that laws intended to bring unauthorized immigrants in California out of the shadows expose them to federal immigration enforcement because of widespread database-sharing among law enforcement agencies. Maya Srikrishnan Voiceofsandiego.org -- 2/19/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California joins states suing Trump over emergency declaration -- California and 15 other states filed a lawsuit Monday against the Trump administration, decrying the declaration of a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border as unnecessary and unconstitutional. Marisa Gerber and Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Sadie Gurman in the Wall Street Journal$ Jeremy B. White and Gabby Orr Politico -- 2/19/19

Trump’s Emergency Declaration Could Stall Construction Projects At San Diego Military Bases -- “These (military) facilities are built by private contractors. And their business will take a hit. Their employees can take a hit, too,” Balmert said. “So there will be some impact.” San Diego is a major West Coast hub for the Navy and Marines. One in five jobs here is tied in some way to defense. Steve Walsh KPBS -- 2/19/19

Demonstrators protest Trump’s emergency declaration -- Demonstrators gathered on short notice at angry rallies across the Bay Area on Monday to condemn President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the border with Mexico. Chanting “fake emergency!” on a day they dubbed “Not my President’s Day,” protesters clustered in San Jose, Oakland, Walnut Creek, San Francisco and 256 other U.S. cities to oppose Trump’s declaration, announced on Friday. Lisa M. Krieger, Angela Ruggiero, Mark Gomez, Robert Salonga and Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/19

San Diego Sheriff Will Waive Fees For Use-Of-Force, Misconduct Records -- San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore confirmed to KPBS he will not charge to produce newly available records on incidents of use of force or confirmed cases of sexual assault and dishonesty by a deputy. KPBS previously received estimates totaling nearly $400,000 to remove private information from materials for dozens of cases. Tarryn Mento KPBS -- 2/19/19

Gavin Newsom’s housing lawsuit put 47 California cities on notice -- Encinitas is just the kind of place Gavin Newsom might want to sue. A local voter-approved initiative from 2013 makes planning for affordable homes nearly impossible, preventing the wealthy city of 60,000 from complying with a state law that requires local governments to build more housing. Bryan Anderson and Madeline Ashmun in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/19

Hertz scraps surprise fees for crossing Golden Gate Bridge, pays $3.65 million to San Francisco -- Tourists who drive a Hertz rental car across the Golden Gate Bridge no longer have to worry about a surprise fee popping up on their bill, under a settlement that San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera will announce Tuesday. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/19/19

Elizabeth Warren rallies in Glendale in a nod to California's early primary -- The Massachusetts senator pitched government-funded childcare and early learning to a raucous crowd at the Alex Theatre in downtown Glendale that was filled to its 1,400-person capacity, with hundreds more waiting outside. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/19

In Palm Springs, the nation’s first all-LGBTQ city council tests the modern meaning of diversity -- This glamorous desert getaway achieved a measure of fame a little more than a year ago when voters elected the nation’s first city council consisting entirely of members of the LGBTQ community. Scott Wilson in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Does the Walton family earn more in a minute than Walmart workers do in a year? -- Even assuming a 40-hour week, the average Walmart worker earns less in a year than the Walton family earns in a minute just from dividends paid on the family’s stock holdings. It’s an astonishing statistic, and it happens to be correct. Sanders thus earns the coveted Geppetto Checkmark. Regular readers know that we reserve this rating for claims that are unexpectedly true -- and that’s certainly the case here. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/19

Education 

Oakland teacher union preparing for ‘indefinite strike’ -- Three days before a scheduled strike, the president of the Oakland Unified teacher union gave no indication educators and the district were any closer to a deal that would avoid picket lines at schools. David DeBolt in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/19

Kaiser Permanente’s New Medical School Will Waive Tuition for Its First 5 Classes -- By eliminating the financial burden of a medical education, the school hopes that more students will chose family medicine and other vital but lower-paid specialties. Abby Goodnough in the New York Times$ -- 2/19/19

Under pressure, LAUSD releases confidential contracts for reform consultants -- Outside consultants working on a plan to restructure the Los Angeles Unified School District were asked to develop a performance-based rating system for schools and to shift hiring and purchasing of services from the central district office to local campus networks, according to confidential contracts provided to The Times. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/19

California students may not be ready for new science test -- Next month California students will start to be tested on the state’s new science standards for the first time, but with little instruction in the subject in elementary school and few aligned textbooks they aren’t likely to be ready. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 2/19/19

Environment 

How fast can California switch from diesel-burning freight trucks to electric big rigs? -- In a warehouse in Escondido on a February afternoon, mechanics installed electric motors, drivetrains and batteries in a row of white Peterbuilt freight trucks. They’re known as “yard goats,” said Joshua Goldman, vice president of sales and marketing for TransPower, one of a handful of companies in California developing electric powertrains for heavy-duty vehicles. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/19/19

Also . . . 

Sacramento area girls take aim at becoming first female Eagle Scouts -- Katherine Anne Boggs, 16, wants to be one of the first female Eagle Scouts. Starting this month, girls like her between the ages of 11 and 17 can join Scouts BSA — formerly known as the Boy Scouts — to camp out, learn to tie knots, start fires and work their way up to the coveted rank of Eagle Scout. Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/19

POTUS 45  

‘Illegal and treasonous’: Trump says Rosenstein was part of a ‘coup attempt’ -- President Trump hurled sharp criticism at Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein on Monday morning, accusing him of engaging in “illegal and treasonous” activity. Reis Thebault in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/19

 

-- Monday Updates 

California’s black market for pot is stifling legal sales. Now the governor wants to step up enforcement -- Before he was elected governor, Gavin Newsom was instrumental in legalizing marijuana for recreational use in California. Now, as he settles into office, he faces the challenge of fixing a system that has been slow to bloom. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/19

California struggles to seize guns from people who shouldn’t have them -- California has struggled to enforce a unique state law that allows officials to seize guns from people with criminal convictions or mental health problems, leaving firearms in the hands of thousands of people legally barred from owning them. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/18/19

Rare L.A. mega-storm could overwhelm dam and flood dozens of cities, experts say -- Scientists call it California’s “other big one,” and they say it could cause three times as much damage as a major earthquake ripping along the San Andreas Fault. Although it might sound absurd to those who still recall five years of withering drought and mandatory water restrictions, researchers and engineers warn that California may be due for rain of biblical proportions — or what experts call an ARkStorm. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/19

Oakland Diocese names 45 accused of sexual abuse, none since 1988 -- The Catholic Diocese of Oakland has released the names of 45 clergymen and religious brothers they say are “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, the latest in a cascade of dioceses across the country to take such a step amid a scandal involving pedophile priests and decades of church coverups. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ John Woolfolk, Erin Baldassari in the East Bay Times$ -- 2/18/19

Shyong: This new California law is supposed to protect immigrant home cooks. It may help tech giants instead -- How many dumplings equal a “meal”? I’ve personally pondered this question because the number of dumplings I want to eat rarely corresponds with the recommended serving size. But this question also happens to come up when you read the text of California Assembly Bill 626, a new law decriminalizing the sale of home-cooked food. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/18/19

Two new ferry terminals address the practical — sea level rise — with style -- The Bay Area’s ever-expanding ferry service does more than move commuters back and forth. It also strengthens our connections to the body of water that gives this region its name. John King in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/18/19

For those living on the coast, ocean waves may be getting stronger -- Many of us have heard that climate change is causing a rise in sea levels, higher ocean temperatures and a decline in sea ice. But stronger waves? Helen Santoro in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/18/19

No, Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t kill high-speed rail. But what’s his Plan B? -- It’s been a dream for years in California’s sprawling Central Valley. Sleek bullet trains would race workers to and from booming Silicon Valley in the Bay Area, bridging the economic and cultural gap between urban and rural California. Last week, with the words “let’s get real,” Gov. Gavin Newsom canceled that dream for now - and perhaps forever. Tony Bizjak, Tim Sheehan, and Rory Appleton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/18/19

Billions pile up in special district accounts while critics say many should dissolve -- California’s most affluent special districts nearly doubled their spending over the course of a decade, while the value of their cash and investments nearly tripled, according to a Southern California News Group analysis of state data. The figures revive the question many good-government advocates have been asking for decades: Do special districts, which operate largely under the public radar, simply have too much money? Teri Sforza in the LA Daily News$ -- 2/18/19

Tiny Homes for Homeless Get the Go-Ahead in the Wake of Camp Fire -- But November's Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and incinerated some 14,000 area homes, breathed new life into plans for a community of one-room wooden homes to help house some of Butte County's homeless. Eric Westervelt NPR -- 2/18/19