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Bay Area flights canceled or delayed after Trump grounds Boeing 737 Max jets -- Some Bay Area flights were canceled Wednesday after both Canada and the United States banned flights of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 planes. Air Canada canceled three flights departing from San Francisco International Airport as a result, according to an airport spokesman. Melia Russell and Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

Southwest, American ground troublesome 737s. Here’s how it affects Sacramento fliers -- Southwest has not released details on how it plans to back fill for the Max, but the company said they will use “every available aircraft in our fleet to meet our customers’ expectations during the busy spring travel season.” The airline said customers on canceled Max 8 flights can rebook on other flights without additional fees or fare differences within two weeks of their planned date of travel. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Caltrans worker Mel Riffel, 30, among dead in Ethiopian Airlines crash -- Melvin “Mel” Riffel, 30, of Redding was traveling with his brother, Bennett, according to an email Caltrans sent employees Wednesday. The District 2 maintenance worker leaves behind his wife, who is expecting the couple’s first child, according to the email. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

 

Death-penalty halt could hurt California Democrats who flipped GOP seats -- Gov. Gavin Newsom isn’t running much of a political risk personally in halting death-penalty enforcement in California. He’s still coasting through his honeymoon period in office. Democrats largely support his stance, and state Republicans are too frail to mount a recall effort over this. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

Newsom says his death penalty opposition was 'crystal clear' when voters elected him -- Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed back Wednesday against criticism that he is defying the will of voters by halting executions, saying he was "crystal clear" about his strong moral opposition to the death penalty before his landslide win in November. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 3/13/19

Appalling, disgusting, horrific: Families speak out against death penalty reprieve -- Law enforcement leaders and family members waiting to see their loved ones’ killers put to death reacted with these sentiments and others Wednesday to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that he was effectively scrapping California’s death penalty and granting reprieves to more than 700 death row inmates. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Newsom dismisses criticism over his moratorium on California death row executions -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday defended his decision to ban all California death row executions, saying he had to act because the state was on the verge of approving a new method of lethal injection that likely would have led to dozens of executions. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Newsom’s death penalty moratorium met with praise and rage -- The day before Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he was putting California’s death penalty on hold, he invited family members of some death row inmates’ victims to Sacramento to share the news about his decision. “When he told me that, a little bit of me died,” said Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter Polly was murdered in Petaluma in 1993. “It’s Trumpian, to me, that you can disregard the will of the people and the law of the land and make some kind of executive decision based on your own personal philosophy.” Casey Tolan and Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/13/19

Kamala Harris praises California governor: Halting death penalty 'an important day for justice' -- Harris, who is running for president in 2020, said in a statement that Newsom’s decision was “an important day for justice and for the state of California.” “As a career law enforcement official, I have opposed the death penalty because it is immoral, discriminatory, ineffective, and a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars,” Harris said. Avery Anapol The Hill -- 3/13/19

 

Don Wagner likely to win Orange County supervisor seat with 3,000-vote lead over Loretta Sanchez -- With nearly 87 percent of the votes counted, Wagner led former Democrat congresswoman Loretta Sanchez by 2,980 votes as of noon Wednesday. Though there are 9,233 ballots received so far that are left to be counted — and some late mail ballots expected between now and Friday — Wagner’s lead suggests he’ll win the inland 3rd District seat. Jordan Graham in the Orange County Register -- 3/13/19

Deadly Thomas fire of 2017 sparked by So. California Edison power lines -fire department -- The devastating Thomas Fire that killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures northwest of Los Angeles in December 2017 was sparked by power lines owned by Southern California Edison Co , the Ventura County Fire Department said on Tuesday. Reuters -- 3/13/19

He’s the Hollywood mogul helping lead Sacramento’s Major League Soccer bid in ‘crunch time’ -- After several years of coming up short, Sacramento has hit a make or break moment in its effort to become a Major League Soccer city. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Destruction from sea level rise in California could exceed worst wildfires and earthquakes, new research shows -- A team of U.S. Geological Survey scientists concluded that even a modest amount of sea level rise — often dismissed as a creeping, slow-moving disaster — could overwhelm communities when a storm hits at the same time. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Is ICE watching you? Police around California are sharing license plate info with agents, says ACLU -- Dozens of law enforcement agencies nationwide — including some Valley agencies — are sharing license plate information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of an operation targeting undocumented immigrants, according to documents released by the American Civil Liberties Union. Yesenia Amaro in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

6 years after overcharging fiasco, DWP's lawyer accused of double-dealing -- The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's reputation hit a low six years ago when the agency’s new billing system sent out wildly inaccurate bills, overcharging hundreds of thousands of customers. Dakota Smith and Kim Christensen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Controversial 9th Circuit nominee on track to be confirmed over Feinstein and Harris objections -- A key Republican senator expressed “confidence” in Kenneth Lee’s nomination to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in California, despite the Los Angeles-based lawyer’s controversial past writing on race, gender and affirmative action. Emma Dumain and Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Fox: A Government of Newsom, by Newsom -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a law approved by the people. He will sign an executive order putting a moratorium on the death penalty while he is governor despite voters expressing support for the death penalty in passing Proposition 66 in 2016 while a second initiative on that ballot to abolish the death penalty was defeated. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/13/19

Trump 'not thrilled' about California governor's death penalty moratorium -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to issue a moratorium on executions in the state. Katie Galioto Politico -- 3/13/19

Schiff says impeachment still possible even if Russia probe clears Trump -- House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said Wednesday that even if a report from special counsel Robert Mueller exonerates President Donald Trump, impeachment talk might remain on the table. Caitlin Oprysko Politico -- 3/13/19

Yosemite openings delayed by snow, storm damage -- Fierce winter storms have delayed the opening of some popular Yosemite National Park destinations, park officials announced on Wednesday. Neither Glacier Point Road nor Tioga Road, the park’s routes to the east, will be open before Memorial Day. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/13/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Gov. Gavin Newsom to halt executions in California -- Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to sign an executive order tomorrow putting a moratorium on the death penalty in California and shuttering the execution chamber at San Quentin, a move that overrides a decision the state’s voters made in 2016 to maintain capital punishment. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ Sopia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ Don Thompson Associated Press Carla Marinucci Politico Casey Tolan, Tony Saavedra in the San Jose Mercury$ Bob Egelko and Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

PG&E’s next CEO could be leader of Tennessee Valley Authority -- The person to lead California utility giant PG&E Corp. out of the biggest utility bankruptcy in U.S. history may be Bill Johnson, the outgoing chief of the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally operated utility. Mark Chediak, Scott Deveau and Kiel Porter Bloomberg -- 3/13/19

No criminal charges for PG&E in 2017 NorCal wildfires, prosecutors say -- The Sonoma County district attorney’s office said in a statement Tuesday that there was “insufficient evidence” to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the utility acted with reckless disregard for human life in causing the fires. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ Tony Bizjak and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Arambula charged with child abuse, takes leave from California Assembly -- Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, has taken a voluntary leave of absence from the California State Assembly following the Fresno County District Attorney’s office decision to charge him with misdemeanor child abuse. Rory Appleton in the Sacramento Bee$ Don Thompson Associated Press -- 3/13/19

Facing widespread criticism, Hueso withdraws bill to rewrite state public records law -- Among other things, the legislation would have required people requesting records from public agencies to “meet and confer” with government officials before filing any lawsuit alleging the government had improperly withheld documents. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/13/19

Walters: Trumpies rightfully reduced Oroville Dam aid -- California’s Democratic political leaders fancy themselves as leaders of the anti-Donald Trump “resistance” and are engaged in legal and political conflict with the White House on dozens of specific issues. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 3/13/19

 

Felicity Huffman awoke to FBI agents with guns drawn at her L.A. home in college cheating raid -- When Felicity Huffman opened the door to her Los Angeles home at 6 a.m. Tuesday, she was met by FBI agents with their guns drawn, according a source familiar with the incident. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

College cheating scandal: Feds demanded records from elite L.A. prep schools -- The federal investigation into a massive cheating scandal in which prominent actors and business leaders got their children into elite universities included seeking records from several prominent Southern California prep schools, according to two sources familiar with the probe. Richard Winton and Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

How the college admission scandal that hit Hollywood and Stanford got its start in Sacramento -- A coast-to-coast college admissions scandal that sucked in two Hollywood movie stars, the sailing coach at Stanford and dozens of others had its origins with an over-reaching college-prep consultant who got his start advising anxious high school kids in Sacramento. Dale Kasler, Sawsan Morrar, Darrell Smith, Michael Finch II, and Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Rick Singer promised wealthy teens elite colleges, even if they didn’t have the grades -- The self-described “master coach” warned parents that in the scrabble for a spot at an elite university, their children would hardly stand out without his help. He spoke of a “side door” to top schools he could wrench open to the “wealthiest families in the U.S.” He promised their children nothing short of “a life of success.” Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Rick Singer’s nonprofit was supposed to help poor kids. But elite colleges got most of its grants -- William Rick Singer touted his charity as a way to open doors for disadvantaged students who grew up surrounded by gang violence. Paul Pringle and Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Man accused in college admissions scam worked with hundreds of students in Sacramento area -- As far back as the early 1990s, local families had turned to Singer for college prep help from his former companies Future Stars and The CollegeSource, according to reports in The Sacramento Bee and the Sacramento Business Journal. Singer moved from the Sacramento area in 2012, according to real estate records. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Inside the audacious college scheme to get kids of the rich and famous into elite schools -- Federal prosecutors say their investigation dubbed Operation Varsity Blues blows the lid off an audacious college admissions fraud scheme aimed at getting the children of the rich and powerful into elite universities. Hannah Fry and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

What we know about the Bay Area residents implicated in the college cheating scandal -- An FBI agent unveiled in an affidavit Tuesday that a number of parents, many of whom reside in the Bay Area, are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in a federal investigation into college admissions bribery at schools across the country. Katie Dowd, Alix Martichoux and Michael Rosen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

Two Sacramento-area residents face federal charges for college admissions scam allegations -- Steven Masera and Mikaela Sanford formally faced federal racketeering charges Tuesday tied to a massive college admission scam in U.S. District Court in Sacramento and were freed on bond ahead of a Boston federal court appearance in two weeks. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

University of San Diego, local families caught up in college admissions scandal -- A massive investigation into a college admissions bribery scheme for the wealthy has ensnared a former University of San Diego sports coach who allegedly took kickbacks and parents of two local families accused of paying $875,000 total to get sons and daughters into elite universities. The former USD coach has not been publicly named, and it is not clear if charges are pending. Gary Robbins and Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/13/19

How Silicon Valley became epicenter of college-entry cheating scandal -- They make their fortunes in Bay Area real estate and private equity. They dress up for big charity galas, own horses and Napa wineries. One is the wife of a former San Francisco 49ers football player. Another is a radiation oncologist at San Jose’s O’Connor Hospital and the Palo Alto VA. A third is lauded for his ethical investments. Julia Prodis Sulek, John Woolfoolk, Leonardo Castañeda and Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/13/19

How USC’s 'side door' allowed unqualified prospective students to gain admission -- A prominent Napa Valley vintner worked feverishly last fall to secure his daughter’s admission to USC as a water polo recruit. The catch: The girl wasn’t qualified to join the powerhouse team that is routinely among the nation’s best. J. Brady McCollough in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Newport Beach is at the center of nationwide bribery for admissions scandal -- American higher education, from the ivy covered walls of Yale and Georgetown to the sun drenched campuses of USC and Stanford, was rocked Tuesday by a federal racketeering case that alleges celebrities and other wealthy parents funneled millions through an Orange County non-profit foundation in return for fraudulent entrance test scores and college admission facilitated by corrupt coaches and athletic department administrators. Scott M. Reid in the Orange County Register -- 3/13/19

3 USC coaches, Associate AD indicted in college admissions scandal; Donna Heinel, Jovan Vavic fired -- USC fired senior associate athletic director Donna Heinel and legendary water polo coach Jovan Vavic after they were indicted by federal prosecutors earlier Tuesday in a nationwide college admissions bribery case. Joey Kaufman in the Orange County Register -- 3/13/19

College admissions cheating scandal: Here is everyone charged in the case -- They include Hollywood actresses, former CEOs, a famed parenting book writer, a fashion icon, a Newport Beach college counselor and university athletic officials. Suhauna Hussain, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

In the college admissions game, even the legal kind, money has always mattered -- The parents caught up in the sweeping college admissions cheating scandal had power, money and, in some cases, fame. What they wanted was a guarantee. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

Lopez: ‘The system is rigged’ feels real when the rich cheat to get their kids into top colleges --We’ve been hearing about it for years. The system is rigged. Donald Trump went at it from the right, Bernie Sanders from the left. They targeted different villains but identified the same casualty. The little guy. The one who kept falling further behind while a select few prospered. And now we can see it as clear as the writing on the indictment. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

 

City Councilman Allen Warren release critical letter, condemning DA, Sacramento Police -- Sacramento City Councilman Allen Warren released a critical statement Tuesday condemning Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and the Sacramento Police Department for their actions following the DA’s announcement last week clearing the two officers who shot Stephon Clark in March 2018. Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Police say changes have been made since arrests of 84 protesters in East Sacramento -- The Sacramento Police Department escalated its response to a Stephon Clark protest in East Sacramento after protesters “keyed” eight cars and blocked the entrance to Mercy General Hospital, Deputy Chief of Police Dave Paletta told the City Council on Tuesday. Theresa Clift and Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Police Monitor Says Stephon Clark Demonstrators In East Sacramento May Not Have Realized They Were Breaking The Law Before Arrests -- “Protestors were under the impression that, if they left the intersection of 51st and Folsom, they were to free to go, and that was not the case,” said Francine Tournour, who heads the city’s Office of Public Safety and Accountability. She presented her department’s independent findings from the incident Tuesday, telling council members that the “onus of the lack of clarity on this information … falls squarely on the shoulders of the police department.” Bob Moffitt, Chris Hagan, Nick Miller Capital Public Radio -- 3/13/19

 

Congressman slams payments to tollway consultants and calls on governor to ensure proper oversight -- Rep. Mike Levin, a vocal opponent of plans to extend the 241 toll road through south Orange County, has called on the governor’s office to ensure proper oversight of the local tollway authority after a Times article revealed questionable payments to the agency’s public outreach consultants. Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

San Francisco making changes on Howard Street where cyclist was killed -- The city of San Francisco announced plans Monday to improve safety on Howard Street, where on Friday a truck driver hit and killed Tess Rothstein, 30, who was riding a FordGo bicycle. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

County wants to know whether Sheriff Villanueva’s ‘truth and reconciliation’ panel is legal -- A key component of Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s plans for revamping the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will come under new scrutiny after the county’s governing board moved Tuesday to examine the legality of a panel that approved the reinstatement of a fired deputy. Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

LAPD to change crime data program as activists tell Police Commission to ‘shut it down’ -- Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore Tuesday vowed to modify a program that used data to identify individuals as “chronic offenders,” as scores of activists at a Police Commission meeting denounced the data use as racially biased. Mark Puente in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Police seek information in off-campus killing of USC student -- The emotionally shaken family of a University of Southern California student killed during an off-campus robbery attempt asked Tuesday that anyone with information about possible suspects call Los Angeles police investigators. Music student Victor McElhaney, 21, was shot early Sunday after leaving a market with friends. Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 3/13/19

Trump and California reach rare agreement: Stop changing our clocks twice a year -- The State of California and President Donald Trump might have finally found some common ground: Both have expressed a desire to do away end the twice-a-year clock-switching that comes with Daylight Saving Time. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Why did Michelin expand to Sacramento? Great food – and $600,000 -- California’s food scene has shaped the national conversation since at least the 1971 birth of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and restaurants in America’s produce hub rose to the occasion as the farm-to-fork movement arose in the Sacramento area. That all helped Michelin decide to expand its Bay Area guide statewide last week, with focuses on Sacramento, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Diego and Santa Barbara. So, too, did a payment of more than half a million dollars. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ Linda Zavoral in the San Jose Mercury$ Janelle Bitker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

Schwarzenegger 'mad as hell' about Trump's proposed cuts to after-school programs -- Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’s “mad as hell” and will push back hard against a proposal in Trump’s fiscal 2020 budget to cut nearly $1.3 billion in funding for after-school programs critical to millions of kids and their working parents — including 150,000 kids in California alone. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 3/13/19

Abcarian: A woman’s past abuse is triggered by a TSA pat-down at LAX. She wants some answers -- It was the end of an uneventful business trip. Tracie Stafford, who teaches communications skills to corporate and political clients all over the country, arrived at Los Angeles International Airport around 9 p.m. for her flight home to Sacramento on Feb. 26. She got into the Transportation Security Administration screening line. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

California jobs outlook: slowdown ahead -- California’s job market will continue to grow over the next year or so, but at a pace more sluggish than recent years, according to a closely watched economic prediction that was released Wednesday. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/13/19

California state workers in L.A., San Francisco should be paid more, new report finds -- California state employees working in expensive cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles could receive higher pay under new recommendations from a task force made up of state officials and union representatives. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/13/19

Stockton's 'Guaranteed Income' Experiment: Why Mayor Tubbs Is Doing It -- This week, more than a hundred Stockton residents will receive $500 debit cards in the mail — no strings attached. It will be their second cash distribution since this city began an experiment in February to test whether offering residents a "guaranteed income" can alleviate poverty. Stockton's 28-year-old mayor, Michael Tubbs, is the face of this test. Lily Jamali KQED -- 3/13/19

First coffee farms in continental U.S. taking root in San Diego -- Ever wonder what Southern California would taste like in a coffee cup? Fifty local java-lovers were the first locals to find out this past weekend in private “cupping” sessions of the first-ever locally-grown coffee at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in Mission Valley. Pam Kragen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/13/19

Uber to Pay $20 Million to Settle Driver Classification Suit -- Uber Technologies Inc. will pay $20 million to settle California lawsuits challenging the company’s classification of drivers as independent contractors, and not employees owed the benefits of traditional employment. Resolution of the long-standing fight over benefits and pay comes as Uber is preparing for its initial public offering later this year. Joel Rosenblatt Bloomberg -- 3/12/19

Spirit Airlines to serve Burbank Airport with super-cheap flights to Las Vegas -- The Florida-based carrier announced plans Tuesday to begin serving the airport in June, with three daily flights to Las Vegas. Airline executives promised that prices would be low enough to even persuade motorists to fly to the desert gambling mecca. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

U.S. aviation officials stand virtually alone in their support for Boeing’s 737 Max airplane -- The Federal Aviation Administration doubled down on its support for the safety of Boeing Co.’s 737 Max aircraft Tuesday, even as much of the world moved to ground the planes. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Housing  

San Diego home sellers are slashing prices -- San Diego County had the second-most home price reductions in the nation so far in 2019, said research from real estate website Trulia. Price reductions are more common in the winter months, but San Diego County hasn’t seen as many cutbacks since 2014 when the market was still crawling out of the recession. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/13/19

Oakland isn’t even close to meeting its lofty low-income housing goal -- Oakland is on track to surpass its ambitious goal of building 17,000 new homes by 2024, but is falling far short in building affordable housing, city officials said Tuesday, fueling questions about whether the city’s massive building boom will help house its most vulnerable residents. Marisa Kendall in the East Bay Times -- 3/13/19

Education 

In L.A. school board runoff, two vie for 2nd place — with 35 votes separating them -- The margin to win the second spot in a runoff against Jackie Goldberg for a Los Angeles school board seat has shrunk to 35 votes, with Heather Repenning just ahead of Graciela Ortiz. Fewer than 100 votes remain to be counted, with the official tally set to resume Friday. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

High school teacher allegedly allowed classroom ‘fight club’ -- Federico Vargas, a 41-year-old special education teacher at Cloverdale High School in Sonoma County, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of five counts of endangering a child and 13 counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors. Janie Har Associated Press -- 3/13/19

Fourth Ripon student has cancer. Parents demand removal of cell tower from school -- The Ripon Unified School District said it is talking with a telecommunications company about moving a cellular phone tower from Weston Elementary School because of a public uproar over cancer cases at the campus. Ken Carlson in the Modesto Bee -- 3/13/19

Cannabis 

Events where cannabis is popular — like 4/20 — may now apply for a permit, San Francisco supervisors say -- Though it’s been common for years, smoking cannabis at San Francisco events like 4/20 on Hippie Hill and Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park has never been legal. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/13/19

Immigration / Border 

Man ordered detained by ICE 9 times arrested on suspicion of woman’s stabbing death; Liccardo criticizes county’s policy -- A homeless man arrested Monday in connection with the stabbing death of a San Jose woman at her home last month was an undocumented immigrant who had been ordered detained by federal authorities nine times, officials said Tuesday. But the man, who had multiple convictions for misdemeanor and felony offenses, was released from Santa Clara County Jail twice in the months leading up to the killing. Nico Savidge, Mark Gomez, Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/13/19

Democrats Introduce Dreamers Bill, Reigniting a Debate -- Democrats introducing the bill, including longtime advocate Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard of California, described the move as proof of the party establishing its priorities now that it was in control of the House. Natalie Andrews and Louise Radnofsky in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/13/19

Once in the shadows, ‘dreamers’ now assuming central role in immigration debate — and 2020 election -- House Democrats signaled confidence Tuesday that fully embracing young undocumented immigrants known as “dreamers” will be a winning political issue in 2020 as their party seeks to draw a sharp contrast with President Trump. David Nakamura and Maria Sacchetti in the Washington Post$ -- 3/13/19

Trump administration halts plan to end protections for immigrants from Honduras and Nepal -- The Trump administration has agreed to temporarily halt the termination of humanitarian protections for more than 100,000 people from Honduras and Nepal, the American Civil Liberties Union announced Tuesday. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Trump Administration Seeks To Close International Immigration Offices -- The Trump administration is seeking to close nearly two dozen U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices around the world in a move it estimates would save millions per year. But critics argue the closures will further slow refugee processing, family reunification petitions and military citizenship applications. Vanessa Romo NPR -- 3/13/19

Water 

MWD vote moves Colorado River drought plan forward -- The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on Tuesday sealed California’s participation in a landmark Colorado River drought management plan, agreeing to shoulder more of the state’s future delivery cuts to prevent Lake Mead from falling to dangerously low levels. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$-- 3/13/19

Health 

Officials warn of measles exposure at LAX -- Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport may have been exposed to measles late last month, health officials said Tuesday. A passenger who had a layover at LAX on Feb. 21 was diagnosed with measles, a highly contagious illness that spreads through coughing or sneezing. People who were in Terminal B and Delta Terminal 3 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. that day may have been exposed, health officials said. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/13/19

Environment 

New Project Takes Aim At Controlling Salton Sea Dust -- As the water pulls back from long-time shorelines along California’s Salton Sea, officials are working to keep dust from the exposed lake bottom out of the air. Erik Anderson KPBS -- 3/13/19

State looking to expand air-quality reporting to inform public of toxic hot spots -- The California Air Resources Board is looking to beef up its mandatory air-quality reporting for industrial businesses, such as cement plants, refineries and oil and gas production. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/13/19

Also . . . 

Long Beach resident killed in Ethiopian Airlines crash was en route to help others -- Matt Vecere was on his way to a United Nations assembly on the environment, to talk about the need for air quality monitors worldwide. Chris Haire in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 3/13/19

POTUS 45  

Adam Schiff: Evidence Available Already Shows That Trump Should Be Indicted -- There's already sufficient evidence to support an indictment of President Trump even before the conclusion of the special counsel investigation, California Rep. Adam Schiff said Tuesday. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee pointed to the case of Michael Cohen, the president's former personal lawyer, in which the government described how "Individual 1" directed and coordinated a campaign fraud scheme. Tim Mak KQED -- 3/13/19

Beltway 

O’Rourke and Biden, signaling presidential bids, would infuse centrism into a left-leaning Democratic field -- Beto O’Rourke is youthful and has little political record to run on. Joe Biden is older and has a decades-long history, featuring both successes and mistakes. O’Rourke brings a viral energy to his campaigns, while Biden, still figuring out how to harness social media, specializes in the traditional stemwinder. Matt Viser in the Washington Post$ -- 3/13/19

 

-- Tuesday Updates 

Previously secret LAPD discipline records reveal lying, sexual misconduct by officers -- One Los Angeles police officer was fired for sexual misconduct after a woman accused him of raping her outside a Hollywood apartment complex. Another lawman was fired for perjury after dash camera video contradicted his testimony in a South L.A. gun possession case. Ben Poston and Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

California Gov. Newsom getting involved in police use-of-force bills -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is wading into the legislative debate over when California police should be allowed to open fire on suspects by meeting this week with the proponents of two competing bills on officers’ use of force. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/12/19

USC fires administrator and coach arrested in college admissions fraud scheme -- Two USC athletic department employees — a high-ranking administrator and a legendary head coach — were fired Tuesday after being indicted in federal court in Massachusetts for their alleged roles in a racketeering conspiracy that helped students get into elite colleges and universities by falsely designating them as recruited athletes. J. Brady McCollough in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

Rick Singer promised wealthy teens elite colleges, even if they didn’t have the grades -- William “Rick” Singer promised to help high school students get into elite colleges that seemed unattainable given their grades and test scores. He operated out of a $1.5-million Mediterranean-style home in Newport Beach. But federal prosecutors said he used fraud, lies and bribes to make those college dreams come true. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

13 Bay Area parents and Stanford sailing coach implicated in college admissions bribery scandal -- More than a dozen wealthy Bay Area parents — among them CEOs, a winery owner and a doctor — were implicated Tuesday in a nationwide college-admissions cheating and bribery scheme, with prosecutors alleging the parents paid large sums of money to ensure their children got accepted to top colleges including Stanford. Matthias Gafni and Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/12/19

Bay Area airports flying the Boeing 737 Max: What you need to know -- The Boeing 737 Max 8 jet is cleared for takeoff at airports around the San Francisco Bay Area despite recent crashes of the model in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Each week, United, Southwest and Air Canada together have 65 departures from San Francisco International Airport using a 737 Max 8 or the larger variant, the 737 Max 9, according to SFO spokesman Doug Yakel. Melia Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/12/19

Pilot lived a mysterious double life. Then a plane crash exposed aliases, falsehoods and questions -- Jordan Aaron was the president of a Carson City sushi restaurant who once ran for justice of the peace in Arizona. Antonio Pastini was the brash ex-Chicago cop who befriended a brothel mogul and spun yarns of a bare-knuckled youth in the Windy City that read like a cross between “Goodfellas” and “The Outsiders.” They were one and the same person. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

Trump signs largest wilderness protection bill in a decade -- Capping a rare bi-partisan effort in Congress, President Trump on Tuesday signed into law the largest wilderness preservation bill in a decade, a measure that includes new protections for California’s Mojave desert. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/12/19

Raiders deal to stay in Oakland for 2019 set for vote Friday -- The Coliseum Authority scheduled a vote for Friday on a lease with the Raiders for 2019 with an option for 2020. The deal also must be approved by the Oakland City Council and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors but no hang-ups are expected after the Raiders and the Coliseum Authority worked out their last remaining issues this week. Josh Dubow Associated Press Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/12/19

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s opposition to the death penalty appears destined for a test -- In an executive order last month calling for new DNA tests in the quadruple-murder case of death row inmate Kevin Cooper, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was acting to ensure that all evidence is examined when “the government seeks to impose the ultimate punishment.” Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin among those indicted in college admissions fraud scheme -- Federal prosecutors on Tuesday indicted dozens of people — including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin — in connection with an elaborate scheme aimed at getting students into elite colleges. Hannah Fry and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

Stanford sailing team implicated in college admissions bribery scandal; coach to plead guilty -- Stanford University and its sailing team were implicated Tuesday in a nationwide college admissions cheating and bribery scheme that ensnared Hollywood actresses, CEOs, high-profile college coaches and the alleged leader of the scam. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/12/19

Massive college admission scam led by Sacramento man, indictment says; 2 from Folsom charged -- FBI and federal prosecutors say William Rick Singer, a resident of Sacramento and Newport Beach and the owner of for-profit and nonprofit education groups, led a racketeering conspiracy that involved cheating on standardized tests, according to an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/19

H-1B visa: ‘Premium processing’ resumed for all eligible applications -- Extra-fast “premium processing” of H-1B visas has resumed for all eligible applications, federal authorities said. The resumption took effect Tuesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/12/19

LAPD data programs need better oversight to protect public, inspector general concludes -- The Los Angeles Police Department’s computer programs that label people as chronic offenders need more oversight to protect the public from unfair arrests and detentions, a report by the agency’s inspector general concluded. Mark Puente in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

City officials ask mayor, City Council to support stricter police use-of-force policy -- Sacramento Community Police Review Commission approved a motion Monday night that urges Mayor Darrell Steinberg and the City Council to support Assembly Bill 392, the revived police use-of-force bill that would restrict when officers can use deadly force, and craft its own city policy mirroring the bill. Molly Sullivan and Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/12/19

Slain USC student was a gun control advocate who believed music could ‘heal the world’ -- When Alinzia Davenport recalls her godbrother as a little boy, a vivid image comes to mind: a tiny Victor McElhaney in the middle of a drum circle led by older men, keeping up with the beat on his bongos. “I just knew one day he was going to be a famous old man and we’d be going to his concerts,” Davenport said. Laura Newberry, Suhauna Hussain, Javier Panzar and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

California agencies dispute Colorado River drought plan -- A major Southern California water agency is trying to push the state through a final hurdle in joining a larger plan to preserve a key river in the U.S. West that serves 40 million people. Felicia Fonseca and Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 3/12/19

Tropical jellyfish, eels and sea butterflies are pouring into California’s coast, thanks to a ‘warm-water blob’ -- Marine biologist Jacqueline Sones was strolling along a beach near this Northern California fishing village one foggy summer morning when she spotted an unfamiliar jellyfish bobbing in the surf. Her curiosity turned to shock, however, when she opened a field guide and identified the creature with a white bowl-shaped bell, vivid stripes and long tentacles. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

Species by the dozen moved north during marine heatwaves -- Dozens of species of sea slugs, jellyfish and other marine life from toastier southern waters migrated into the Northern California region over an unusually long two-year period of severe heatwaves, says a new scientific report. Janie Har Associated Press -- 3/12/19

‘Coffee and pretty much a peep show in our town’: Northern California city battles a risque cafe -- The town of American Canyon, population about 20,000, is trying to shut down a coffee shop by asking the kind of oddly philosophical question you might contemplate while nursing a cup of joe: Is a cafe still just a cafe if the baristas are wearing close to nothing? Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/12/19

Brothers from Redding among victims in Ethiopian Airlines crash -- Two brothers from Northern California are among the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash on Sunday. Melvin and Bennett Riffel of Redding were on the Boeing 737 Max 8 that went down shortly after takeoff outside Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/12/19