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Updating . .   

Century City mall evacuated after reports of gunman, but LAPD finds no evidence of shooting -- Shoppers sheltering in place inside the Westfield Century City mall were allowed to evacuate Friday afternoon as police continued to inspect a suspicious package on the premises. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Stepped-up security meets Bay Area Muslim worshipers after New Zealand attack -- Muslims across the Bay Area stood in solidarity during prayer amid stepped-up security Friday, vowing to continue practicing their religion freely after attacks at two mosques in New Zealand that left 49 people dead. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

Sacramento cops arrested Golden State Killer suspect in 1996, then let him go -- When authorities arrested Joseph James DeAngelo last April as the Golden State Killer/East Area Rapist suspect, they said the former police officer had never before been on their radar as a suspect. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/19

'We are never going to get our planet back': L.A. students join global climate change protests -- Hundreds of students from across Los Angeles County joined a worldwide walkout from school Friday as part of a day of action to demand that more be done to combat climate change. The local protest, which began around noon outside City Hall, was part of an international youth movement calling for swift action to prevent or mitigate the devastating effects of human-caused global warming. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Thousands of students in San Francisco protest climate change inaction -- Thousands of Bay Area students walked out of schools Friday morning in a global call to action on climate change. Students in San Francisco headed to the federal building at 90 Seventh St., which houses the local office for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Steve Rubenstein and Ashley McBride in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

Trump’s EPA opens the door for massive San Francisco Bay development -- A sprawling stretch of salt ponds on the western edge of San Francisco Bay, once eyed for the creation of a virtual mini-city, is back at the center of debate over regional development after the Trump administration this month exempted the site from the Clean Water Act. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

H-1B: Apple and outsourcer Infosys get whistleblower ‘visa scam’ lawsuit tossed out -- In a case expected to reverberate among tech firms across the U.S., a federal court judge in San Jose has thrown out a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Apple and Indian outsourcer Infosys of engaging in a visa scam. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

Leaky windows, broken toilets, rats and bugs: Harsh conditions discovered in city-owned family shelter -- Rooms were cold with broken heaters. Toilets didn’t function. Beds had no sheets. Water leaked from broken pipes and a musty smell filled rooms that had little furnishing. These were the conditions described by people who have been inside Cortez Hill Family Center, a city of San Diego-owned downtown transitional housing shelter. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/15/19

Rise of horse deaths at Santa Anita to be investigated by district attorney -- The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has assigned investigators to work with the California Horse Racing Board to look into the sudden rise of horse deaths at Santa Anita since the track started its meeting on Dec. 26. Eric Sondheimer, John Cherwa and Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Treating toxic stress in kids a top priority for California’s first surgeon general -- The San Francisco pediatrician has been a leading advocate in pushing the state to expand screenings for abuse and extreme stress in children. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Eyewitness to execution: The Bee’s coverage of 1992 gas chamber execution -- Gov. Gavin Newsom stirred controversy with his order Wednesday placing a moratorium on the death penalty in California for 737 condemned inmates. No one has been executed in the state since 2006, and only 13 inmates have been put to death since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978 in California. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/19

 

Just miles from USC and the admissions scandal, these students sell food for college money -- Puentistas hustle year-round to sell tamales, bacon-wrapped hot dogs and coffee with pan dulce to pay for trips to visit colleges across California, mentorship and group activities, and graduation caps and gowns. Esmeralda Bermudez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Third student linked to college admissions scam still attending Stanford, additional $500K in donations to sailing team found -- While former Stanford University sailing coach John Vandemoer pleaded guilty to accepting $270,000 in bribes from a bogus charity to “recruit” two teens with little boating experience, the college said Thursday it has discovered the program took in another $500,000 in donations from the same nonprofit linked to a third student who still attends the school. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

More parents could be swept up in widening college admissions scandal -- The college cheating scandal has rocked elite sections of California and beyond, with Silicon Valley business leaders, CEOs, Hollywood actresses, a best-selling self-help author and a famed fashion designer all swept up. But there are signs more charges could be coming. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

College admissions scandal: USC to deny entry to some students involved in alleged scam -- In a letter to the campus community Thursday, USC interim President Wanda Austin said the university has launched its own investigation into the scandal and is trying to identity donations made as part of the bribery scheme revealed by an FBI investigation that resulted in dozens of charges against a consultant, wealthy parents and college officials nationwide. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Former Oakland teacher files $500-billion lawsuit in college admissions cheating scandal -- An Oakland woman filed a $500-billion class-action lawsuit this week against two Hollywood actresses and dozens of other wealthy parents accused of paying hefty sums to bribe college coaches or doctor exam scores to secure their children’s admission to elite universities. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Teachers union votes to authorize strike against Sacramento City Unified -- The Sacramento City Teachers Association spent three weeks collecting votes, and said turnout was 70 percent. According to the union, 92 percent of its 2,500 members voted to approve the strike. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/19

 

Layoff warnings jump: 30% more California workers targeted -- If you’ve been hearing rumblings of more than the usual number of layoffs statewide, your economic antenna is dialed in: The number of California workers hit with layoff warnings is up 30 percent in a year. Jonathan Lansner in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

Fox: Timing for an Abolish-the-Death-Penalty Measure -- In the wake of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s action to issue a moratorium on the death penalty, Assemblyman Marc Levine filed a constitutional amendment, ACA 12, to abolish the death penalty. Given the backlash against Newsom’s action there is no guarantee that the Democrats, despite their supermajorities in both houses, would garner the necessary two-thirds vote to put the amendment on the ballot. But if they do, I would look for it sooner rather than later. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/15/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

LAPD beefs up patrols around mosques after deadly New Zealand terrorist attacks -- Los Angeles police were beefing up patrols around mosques late Thursday after deadly mass shootings in at least two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Judge says lawsuit’s claims of racism, corruption at Oroville Dam can go forward -- Blockbuster claims in a lawsuit that a racist, sexist, corrupt culture contributed to the near-catastrophic failure of Oroville Dam two years ago can go forward, a Sacramento judge ruled Thursday. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/19

Newsom tries to turn California death penalty halt into national cause -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying to take his anti-death penalty campaign to the national stage, where capital punishment could become a signature social cause — just like gay marriage more than a decade ago when he was the mayor of San Francisco. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 3/15/19

What if top vote-getter became president? Plan would bypass Electoral College -- Governors in Colorado, New Mexico and Delaware are poised to sign the National Popular Vote compact, under which states would pledge to give all their electoral votes to the candidate who collects the most votes nationwide. California, 10 other states and the District of Columbia already have joined the compact, which would take effect if states holding 270 electoral votes, the number needed to elect a president, sign on. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

Inspectors missed lapse in building process that would have prevented cracks at San Francisco Transbay center -- Four levels of inspections and plans failed to prevent or uncover a construction flaw that resulted in the cracked girders that forced the closure of the Transbay Transit Center 5½ months ago, the agency’s executive director said Thursday. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

‘Not to code:’ Cracked beams at Transbay Terminal preventable, official says -- The two beams that cracked at the Salesforce Transit Center were not built to code, and the cracks could have been prevented, the head of the agency that operates the center said Thursday. Erin Baldassari in the East Bay Times -- 3/15/19

Rep. Maxine Waters calls for firing of Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan after news of his pay raise -- Rep. Maxine Waters on Thursday called for the firing of Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Executive Tim Sloan after the bank reported his pay increased last year by nearly $1 million despite continued consumer scandals. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Family Of Stephon Clark Plans 'Legacy Weekend' To Mark Anniversary Of His Death -- The family of Stephon Clark will hold a "legacy weekend" honoring his life starting Friday and running through Monday, the anniversary of Clark's death. "This will be a way to not only honor and remember the life of Stephon, but uplift and bring communities together in a time of healing," Clark's brother Stevante Clark said announcing the events earlier this month. Chris Hagan Capital Public Radio -- 3/15/19

Rev. Al Sharpton coming to Sacramento this weekend for anniversary of Stephon Clark’s death -- The noted civil rights activist and cable news host will join the Clark family and attorney Benjamin Crump on the Capitol’s north steps for a press conference at 10 a.m. Monday, according to a press release. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/15/19

Joe Montana says he used company charged with college admissions fraud -- Following a wave of wealthy Bay Area parents charged with using the services of a college admissions cheater to get their children into prestigious colleges, San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Joe Montana issued a statement late Thursday saying his family received consulting assistance from William Rick Singer’s company — but that was it. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

Bill McGlashan leaves TPG; firm says it fired him -- Bill McGlashan, one of the Bay Area figures charged in the nationwide college-admissions scandal this week, on Thursday parted ways with one of the world’s largest private equity investors. TPG Capital said it fired McGlashan, but he said he resigned. Levi Sumagaysay in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

KQED Political Breakdown: Inside the Horseshoe with Newsom Chief of Staff Ann O'Leary -- Gavin Newsom places a moratorium on executions in California, and Scott and Marisa delve into the factors that weighed into the governor's decision. Then, Newsom's chief of staff Ann O'Leary joins to discuss life inside the governor's office, her childhood in Maine, clipping newspapers in the Clinton White House, running the Clinton-Kaine transition, and the days leading up to Newsom's death penalty decision. Link here -- 3/15/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Despite San Francisco’s troubled streets, city’s tourism hits record high -- The number of visitors to the city rose 1.2 percent to 25.8 million, and spending rose 2.3 percent to $10 billion, according to data released Thursday by San Francisco’s tourism bureau. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

Bay Area job market: Slowdown in view, experts predict -- The job markets in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley will continue to expand this year and next, but the pace of growth will slow from what occurred during 2018, economists predicted Thursday at an annual conference. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

Angels bring in consultant to explore development options around Anaheim stadium -- The Angels have brought on a consultant to look at potential options for development of the land around Angel Stadium, as the city and ball club discuss a lease deal to keep the team in Anaheim for years to come. Alicia Robinson, Heather McRea in the Orange County Register -- 3/15/19

Transit  

BART spending $100M to replace 41 cranky escalators at downtown SF stations -- Many of the system’s rolling staircases are now 40 years old, creaking along well past their 25-year expiration dates. They’ve become reservoirs for syringes, rainwater and human waste that sticks to the wheels and gears. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

Housing  

San Diego’s mayor explains why he became a “YIMBY” -- San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has a message for his fellow California Republicans when it comes to grappling with the state’s housing crisis: Embrace more development. Matt Levin Calmatters -- 3/15/19

Rent control died at the ballot box — California Democrats are trying again -- A group of Assembly Democrats introduced a bundle of housing bills on Thursday, signaling to Gavin Newsom that they were ready to work with him on fulfilling one of the new governor’s campaign promises. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ Guy Marzorati KQED Jenna Chandler Curbed LA -- 3/15/19

Wildfire  

California’s wildfire threat could be an opportunity for clean-energy microgrids -- To the untrained eye, the shipping containers clustered on the outskirts of Borrego Springs don’t look like an innovative clean-energy technology that could help California cope with wildfires. But these containers, in the remote desert of eastern San Diego County, are packed with lithium-ion batteries — and they’re part of one of the world’s most advanced microgrids. Sammy Roth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Environmental group questions dozers use to fight wildfires -- Bulldozer drivers cut 305 miles (491 kilometers) of fire lines through scenic forest land last year in a desperate bid to stop a massive wildfire’s advance on a Northern California city; an effort an environmentalist group said Thursday was largely ineffective. Paul Elias Associated Press -- 3/15/19

Education 

UC regents hold off on raising nonresident tuition after some protest -- The University of California backed away Thursday from a tuition increase for students from other states and countries after several regents expressed concern that it could limit diversity and hurt some immigrants. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ Larry Gordon EdSource -- 3/15/19

College cheating scandal brings resignations and questions at elite prep schools -- Douglas Hodge and Michelle Janavs, two of the parents charged in connection with the wide-reaching college admissions cheating scandal, have resigned from their positions on the board of trustees for the famed Sage Hill School in Newport Beach. Richard Winton, Hillary Davis, Hannah Fry and Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Stanford: Third student with ‘fabricated sailing credentials’ surfaces -- The mastermind behind this week’s massive college admissions bribery scandal gave Stanford’s sailing coach a previously-undisclosed $500,000 payment after the prestigious university admitted a student who had “fabricated sailing credentials” in her application, court documents obtained by this news organization show. Joseph Geha in the East Bay Times -- 3/15/19

DOJ subpoenas Sage Hill School records as board of trustees members resign -- The Justice Department has subpoenaed records for individual students at Sage Hill School and two board of trustees members have resigned their positions as the exclusive Orange County prep school finds itself deeper in a nationwide college admission bribery scandal, the Orange County Register has learned. Scott M. Reid in the Orange County Register -- 3/15/19

Amid Trump’s border showdown, UC immigration lawyer comforts and fights -- The petite, 21-year-old student in the plaid shirt and jeans sitting across from attorney Karina Gutierrez is so nervous, she almost can’t remember her birth date. Behind her square-framed glasses, her eyes well with tears. Felicia Mello Calmatters -- 3/15/19

A lingering question in the college admissions scandal: Why? -- Ultrawealthy families can spend millions to put their names on libraries or endow department chairs — the kind of “wink, wink” to admissions officers that signals there could be more where that came from if an underachieving offspring gets a spot in the freshman class. When the scandal broke, it renewed the focus on Charles Kushner’s $2.5-million pledge to Harvard shortly before the future First Daughter’s husband, Jared Kushner, was admitted. Jessica Roy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Thrive charter schools will not be renewed after state school board took no action -- The San Diego-based charter school network needed to get its charter renewed from the state to continue operating next school year, after the San Diego Unified School Board voted unanimously last year to deny Thrive’s renewal. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/15/19

Surprised? Not Really. Bay Area Educators React to College Admissions Scandal -- "This has been happening for decades. It’s been part of the admissions process for as long as it’s been around," said Purvi Mody of Cupertino, who’s been a college adviser for 20 years and is currently with Insight Education. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 3/15/19

Charter school supporters unveil battle strategy against push to restrict growth in California -- Thousands of charter school supporters gathered on the steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento Wednesday for a high-powered rally meant to send a clear message to legislators: Don’t pass laws that harm their schools. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 3/15/19

Immigration / Border 

Dozens of migrants breach U.S.-Mexico border fence in Tijuana -- A group of migrants who breached the U.S.-Mexico border fence by the Pacific Ocean at Playas de Tijuana was detained Thursday by Border Patrol agents in Border Field State Park on the U.S. side. Wendy Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Scheduling glitch affects first hearings for 'Remain in Mexico' returnees -- At least one of the people who had been returned to Tijuana after asking for asylum at the San Ysidro Port of Entry missed the court hearings because of what Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Rico Bartolomei called a “glitch” in the scheduling system. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/15/19

Long-term shelter for asylum seekers to close -- A San Diego church that has housed thousands of asylum seekers who have no place to go will no longer serve as an overnight shelter. Rev. Bill Jenkins, head of Christ Ministry Center, made the announcement late Monday after the church came under the scrutiny of the city’s fire marshal for exceeding its capacity. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/15/19

Water 

Two California Water Agencies Battling Over 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 -- 3/15/19

Environment 

Super bloom ‘better than going to Disneyland.’ But will flowers survive the crowds? -- In the hills of Lake Elsinore, children carried drooping apricot-colored poppies while panting dogs ran alongside them, their paws tainted orange. Girls braided flowers into their hair and nature photographers juggled tripods and cameras, waiting for the lighting to be just right in Walker Canyon. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Meet The Teens Leading San Diego’s Climate Strike -- Kate Anchondo and Rachal Hamilton decided to organize the climate strike in solidarity with thousands of other youth climate strikes taking place around the globe on March 15. It's all part of a youth-led movement inspired by climate activists, including Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. Marissa Cabrera, Mark Sauer KPBS -- 3/15/19

Shell to Pay $50,000 Fine for Releasing 20 Tons of Gas From Martinez Refinery -- The penalty amounts are renewing criticism from environmentalists who say air quality penalties are too low -- a year after an effort to increase the fines failed to even get a hearing in the state Legislature. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 3/15/19

Also . . . 

A historic oil platform off Santa Barbara turns into a rusty ghost ship -- Almost two years ago, Holly — one of 27 oil platforms along the California coast from Huntington Beach to Point Arguello — became property of the state after its owner, Venoco, filed for bankruptcy. The future of the platform is in question, but all drilling has ceased and the wells will be sealed. The work, estimated to cost around $350 million, is expected to be completed no sooner than 2021. Thomas Curwen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Long Beach man among the victims of Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in Ethiopia -- Vecere was traveling to a UN environmental conference for IQ Air, the air filtering and monitoring company he worked for. It was a trip that would bring him closer to marrying his passion of helping others with his career, said Tiffany Allegretti, a spokeswoman for IQ Air and friend of Vecere’s. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

That lake in Death Valley? It’s ‘just a puddle’ -- Social media and blogs were ablaze this week with photos of a so-called “lake” that formed in Death Valley National Park last week after another heavy rainstorm. But a park spokeswoman said in reality, the “lake” is not actually a lake — it’s more like a series of puddles. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/15/19

Naked and not having it: Nude Love Parade to protest San Francisco’s bare-skin ban -- Nude Love Parade, the annual naked stroll through San Francisco streets, will return on St. Patrick’s Day to protest the city’s nudity ban. Since 2016, the parade has fallen on Valentine’s Day weekend, but this year the event was postponed because of rainy weather. Ashley McBride in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/15/19

POTUS 45  

Trump again nods toward violence by his supporters — and maybe something bigger -- No matter what the White House says, President Trump has repeatedly and not-subtly suggested his supporters could be violent — sometimes in an approving manner. And there’s a common thread running through much of it: Again and again, Trump has suggested they could rise up if they feel either they or Trump have been wronged by the political process. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 3/15/19

Beltway 

Expert in Trump dossier trial says tech firm’s services were used in hack of Democrats -- Documents unsealed Thursday in a South Florida court case provide the most convincing evidence yet that Russian spies piggybacked on a Russian-tied foreign tech company with offices in Florida and Texas to hack the Democratic National Committee and party leaders. Kevin G. Hall McClatchy DC Rosalind S. Helderman, Tom Hamburger and Ellen Nakashima in the Washington Post$ Matthew Rosenberg in the New York Times$ -- 3/15/19

Beto O’Rourke’s political career drew on donations from the pro-Republican business establishment -- Before Beto O’Rourke became the darling of liberal online donors, his top financial backers hailed from a different set entirely — wealthy businessmen who have sought political influence by collectively donating millions of dollars to Republicans. Michael Scherer in the Washington Post$ -- 3/15/19

Harris says she’d halt federal executions as capital punishment debate enters 2020 race -- Sen. Kamala Harris declared her support for halting executions at the federal level Thursday as she and most of her fellow Democratic presidential candidates applauded Gov. Gavin Newsom’s moratorium on the death penalty in California. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/15/19

 

-- Thursday Updates 

California is drought-free for the first time in nearly 8 years -- California has fully emerged from drought conditions for the first time since December 2011, and just 7 percent of the state remains abnormally dry, scientists said Thursday. Kimberly Veklerov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/19

Trump may send volunteer force to border -- The idea of sending an emergency response team to the border is in an exploratory phase. Ted Hesson Politico -- 3/14/19

California GOP’s vanishing act gets worse with latest voter numbers -- When Jessica Millan Patterson was chosen to run the California Republican Party last month, she promised to bring the moribund group back to political life by attracting more people to the GOP. California’s latest voter registration figures show just how difficult that task is likely to be. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/19

Rep. Maxine Waters calls for firing of Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan after news of his pay raise -- Rep. Maxine Waters on Thursday called for the firing of Wells Fargo & Co. Chief Executive Tim Sloan after the bank reported his pay increased last year by nearly $1 million despite continued consumer scandals. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/19

Santa Anita Bans Drugs and Whips After Spate of Horse Deaths -- One of horse racing’s most celebrated tracks, Santa Anita Park in Southern California, said on Thursday that it would ban the use of drugs and whips on racing days after another horse died there, the 22nd since Dec. 26, an unusual spate that has puzzled investigators. Joe Drape in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/19

After ballot failure, there’s a new bid to control what California landlords can charge tenants -- In the wake of a failed bid to expand rent control at the ballot box, California Democratic lawmakers are introducing a host of new measures that aim to increase protections for tenants. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/14/19

Rent costs in Los Angeles, Orange counties rising at fastest pace in 11 years -- CPI data shows L.A.-O.C. rents up at a 5.5 percent annual pace in February — biggest jump since January 2008. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 3/14/19

 

ACLU report provides damning review of Orange County temporary homeless shelters: ‘Jail is better’ -- A year-long investigation found three of Orange County’s emergency homeless shelters riddled with problems including reports of physical and sexual abuse, neglect of residents with disabilities and mental illnesses, and filthy conditions, according to a report released Thursday by the American Civil Liberties Union. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/19

Taylor: Rights groups seek resignation of Contra Costa County sheriff -- Jeff Landau listed the reasons he believes it’s time for Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston to resign. At the top is last month’s report by the state attorney general’s office that found federal immigration detainees were mistreated at the West County Detention Facility, a jail the Sheriff’s Office operates in Richmond. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/19

New PAC aims to boost political fortunes of Asian American candidates -- John Chiang had hoped to be California’s first Asian American governor. But after coming up short in a distant fifth place finish in last year’s primary, the 56-year-old Democrat took some time away from politics. Now, he says, he’s ready to help other candidates of his background win more contested seats and increase their political clout nationwide. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/19

Kamala Harris refunds campaign donations from lobbyist and speechwriter for foreign governments -- Sen. Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign said Wednesday that it had refunded two donations that violated the senator’s pledge not to accept money from lobbyists or agents of foreign governments. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/14/19

Lawsuit takes aim at tech firm’s ‘bro culture’ and alleged man-splaining -- A Bay Area high-tech camera firm has been accused of creating a hostile “bro culture” in a lawsuit by a former employee that contains a laundry list of allegations that women point to as causes of gender disparity in Silicon Valley’s tech industry. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/14/19

Round 2 begins over cannabis banking -- Closely watched by California’s cannabis industry, a new effort is underway to allow the creation of basic banking services for marijuana growers, distributors, sellers and others. Julia Lindbloom Capitol Weekly -- 3/14/19

Fox: Halting a Bad Precedent -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for withholding state funds—in this instance transportation money– from cities for not meeting their housing goals was wrong from the beginning. Newsom has now pulled back on that dictate opting for a carrot rather than a stick solution, at least temporarily. But it would be a terrible precedent, one that has been suggested before. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 3/14/19

Who Deserves PG&E’s Assets? Fire Victims Face a New Ordeal -- Employees, suppliers and bondholders all have claims against the utility in bankruptcy court, along with those counting on payouts over blazes started by the company’s equipment. Peter Eavis and Ivan Penn in the New York Times$ -- 3/14/19

 

College bribery scheme: Two lawsuits target schools, affluent parents -- A second lawsuit filed Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court is seeking $500 billion in damages on behalf of Jennifer Kay Toy, a former teacher with the Oakland Unified School District, and her son, Joshua Toy. Ashley McBride in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/14/19

Stanford students sue over admissions scandal, claim it devalues their degrees -- They didn’t get into Yale and USC, now two Stanford students are suing on behalf of themselves and others like them they say were cheated in the national college admissions bribery scandal. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/14/19

11 lies uncovered in the college admissions scam: a phony coxswain, made-up learning disabilities and fictional athletes -- Typically, only the very best teen athletes make their way into the sports programs at elite universities. But federal prosecutors alleged this week that, when it came to the kids of dozens of very rich parents, those rules didn’t apply. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/19

Will Hallmark fire Lori Loughlin? Will she and Felicity Huffman still have careers? -- Up until Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman became the faces of the national college admissions bribery scandal, both actresses had a busy 2019 mapped out. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/14/19

Will children at center of college admissions scandal pay a price along with their parents? -- Their parents face criminal charges, with federal prosecutors alleging massive fraud to get them into some of America’s most elite schools. But it’s still unclear what is going to happen to the children who were the beneficiaries of what prosecutors called the largest college admissions scam ever uncovered. Alene Tchekmedyian in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/14/19

From High School Basketball Coach to Ringleader of the Nation’s Largest College-Admissions Scam -- The slight 58-year-old man at the center of the far-reaching college-admissions scandal that has caught up Hollywood stars and Wall Street executives started out as a high school basketball coach in California. Douglas Belkin and Melanie Grayce West in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 3/14/19

Elk Grove Unified to pay $1.1 million to families of girls molested by campus volunteer -- The families said the district and their children’s Prairie Elementary School did not properly supervise volunteer reading aide Eric Ernest Echols, failed to report the abuse happening in the classroom where he volunteered and missed numerous red flags pointing to the illegal contact with the students, then ages 7 and 8. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/14/19

 

California’s Newsom says death penalty is applied unevenly -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom was about 10 years old when he met a man wrongfully convicted of murder, an encounter that educated him about injustice and laid the groundwork for his decision to place a moratorium on executions this week. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 3/14/19

How a 1937 mafia hit led to the wrongful conviction that inspired Gov. Gavin Newsom to end the death penalty in California -- The story begins in a smoke-filled beer parlor in October 1937, when a woman stood up to put a coin in the jukebox half past midnight. That was the moment two gangsters stormed the Roost Cafe in Los Angeles and riddled a local gambling boss with more than a dozen bullets. Meagan Flynn in the Washington Post$ -- 3/14/19

Support the death penalty in California? Oppose it? You soon could get to vote on it -- While Gov. Gavin Newsom has suspended the death penalty, California lawmakers — and then voters — could get the chance to weigh in on ending it permanently. Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-Greenbrae, has introduced a constitutional amendment that would overturn past voter-approved initiatives allowing capital punishment. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/14/19

What families of murder victims have to say about Gavin Newsom’s death penalty ban -- Cindy Rael was home Wednesday morning watching television when the news turned personal — Gov. Gavin Newsom was halting executions in California, including for the man who killed her daughter Brandi eight years ago, shooting her and lighting her body on fire in front of her children. Jazmine Ulloa and Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/14/19