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Lynn Swann says USC was ‘blindsided’ by alleged actions of administrator in college admissions scandal -- USC athletic director Lynn Swann was in bed Tuesday when he received the call about the college admissions bribery scandal that would rock USC and several other schools around the nation. His phone rang twice around 7 a.m. before he finally picked it up the third time. Arash Markazi in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

The crooked counselor, privileged parents and cutthroat college admissions game -- Rick Singer looks straight into the camera, auditioning for his own reality show about the cutthroat world of college admissions. Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/19

The rich buying names on college buildings ‘legal bribery,’ Gov. Gavin Newsom says -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that the college admission scandal extends beyond the recent charges against rich parents buying entrance to elite colleges and suggested it should include the “legal bribery” of billionaires buying naming rights on university buildings. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

An estimated 100,000 homes are sitting empty in San Francisco -- Here's a number that will make anyone trying to find a place to live in San Francisco frustrated: An estimated 100,025 households are sitting vacant. The number comes from a study released this week by LendingTree, an online service connecting consumers with lenders and banks. The company based in Charlotte, N.C., looked at the vacancy rates in the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas, revealing some interesting findings. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/19

Harvard-Westlake students were vaccinated. Dozens caught whooping cough anyway -- Nearly 50 students at Harvard-Westlake School have been recently diagnosed with whooping cough, in an outbreak that has forced school officials to send students home at the first sign of illness. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Mumps cases increasing in San Diego region, public health department warns -- In just the first three months of 2019, 5 mumps cases have already been diagnosed compared to nine cases in all of 2018, suggesting that the disease is spreading more quickly than usual, according to the county’s newly released medical community health alert. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/16/19

Jackie Speier wants to fine Jared and Ivanka $1000 a day for working in White House -- With the release of a dishy book on the Kushners on the horizon, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump's roles in the White House have been under renewed scrutiny as of late, and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., has taken aim at the pair with a bill that seeks to financially penalize people who use volunteering as a loophole to anti-nepotism laws, she explained this week. Filipa Ioannou in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/19

2 bear cubs were found alone on Northern California highway. Authorities want to know why -- The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking the public’s help in finding out more information about how two small bear cubs became separated from their mother in Siskiyou County earlier this month. The cubs were found alone along Highway 96 and are currently being cared for at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, according to department social media posts. Cassie Dickman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/19

Trump’s move to end humanitarian program exposes Liberian UCLA student to deportation -- After the end of this month, Yatta Kiazolu will be eligible for deportation to a country where she never has lived. The 28-year-old PhD candidate in history at UCLA was born in Botswana to Liberian parents. She has lived in the U.S. since she was 7 and since 2002 has maintained legal authorization under a humanitarian relief program. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Charles Manson, Rose Bird, Caryl Chessman and California’s wrenching death penalty debate -- One of Elisabeth Semel’s earliest memories of the death penalty in California was the 1960 execution of Caryl Chessman. She remembers seeing her father upset. She became a criminal defense lawyer and went on to defend inmates convicted of capital crimes, running a death penalty clinic at UC Berkeley. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Drought, schmrought, California water experts already fret the next dry year and still preach conservation -- Yet, even with all this wet news, local water manager still preach conservation and worry the drought will return next year and the year after. Also, they face the very real threat of climate change reducing snowpack forever, which may force them to stop relying on the open spigot from Northern California to keep water flowing through customers’ pipes and into SoCal homes and businesses. Steve Scauzillo in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/19

As mass shooting spreads online, social media users tell tech to do better -- As copies of a violent video flooded the internet, calls to do something went straight to the top. On Market Street in San Francisco, a handful of protesters marched outside Twitter headquarters Friday. One sign read: “Big tech: making a killing in S.F.” Melia Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/19

1 Dead After Small Plane Crashes at Residential Area in Riverside: Police -- One person died after a small plane crashed at a residential area in Riverside around noon on Saturday, authorities said. The incident happened in the 10500 block of Robinson Avenue near Norwood Avenue in the La Sierra area, according to the Riverside police and fire departments. Kristina Bravo KTLA -- 3/16/19

2 ‘virtual kidnap’ scams within 24 hours has Laguna Beach police on alert -- Two “virtual kidnap” cases within 24 hours in this seaside community have led police to alert all local schools. The incidents were similar: Phone calls were made to potential victims, with the caller demanding a large sum of money or threatening to harm a loved one. Erika Ritchie in the Orange County Register -- 3/16/19

‘Highly visible eyesore:’ Hillsborough sues to declare Flintstone House a ‘public nuisance’ -- It’s a big Yabba Dabba Don’t for this Hillsborough home. Calling it a “highly visible eyesore” and “out of keeping with community standards,” Hillsborough planning and building officials are asking a judge to officially declare the iconic Flintstone House a “public nuisance,” and they want a recently-erected metal menagerie of prehistoric animals, along with other features, removed. Erin Baldassari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Facebook and Google broke down barriers to broadcast media — even for mass killers -- The killing of 49 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, was engineered to be viewed and shared on the world’s largest technology platforms, taking full advantage of Silicon Valley’s laissez-faire approach to content moderation. Sam Dean in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Southern California Muslims react to New Zealand massacre: ‘It could have been us’ -- The worshipers sat in rows inside the mosque, the men in the front and women behind. Dozens of believers of other faiths settled in between. Hundreds of Muslims, Jews, Christians and Sikhs gathered at the Islamic Center of Southern California on Friday for prayers, some hoping to find the guidance needed to help make sense of the violence that had killed so many of their fellow faithful nearly 7,000 miles away. Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Sacramento Muslim Community Reacts To New Zealand Mosque Shootings -- The mass shootings took place during Friday prayer, which Yannina Casillas with the California chapter for the Council on American-Islamic Relations said is “our Sunday mass” for Muslims. “It’s the largest time of day that Muslims gather,” Casillas said. “This is the type of attack driven by hate and religious discrimination as well as ethnic [discrimination].” Ben Adler, Emily Zentner Capital Public Radio -- 3/16/19

Mosque security tight around county after New Zealand shootings -- Leaders of several faiths gathered Friday afternoon at the Islamic Center of San Diego as a sign of unity and to denounce the shooting massacres a day earlier that left at least 49 people dead at mosques in New Zealand. Pauline Repard and Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/16/19

In Wake of New Zealand Attacks, a Call for Bay Area Neighbors to 'Stand With Each Other' -- The head of the Bay Area office of the Council on American Islamic Relations is urging local Muslims not to let Friday's massacre at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, make them fearful to attend prayers at the region's mosques. Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Bay Area chapter of CAIR, said she is heartbroken at news of the attacks, in which at least 49 people died. KQED -- 3/16/19

We need everyone to denounce white supremacy, Fresno faith leaders say after attack on mosques -- Hatred in all its forms – including white supremacy, bigotry, and racism – was denounced by Fresno religious leaders in the wake of a deadly terror attack Friday in New Zealand. Carmen George in the Fresno Bee -- 3/16/19

Camp Fire cops, firefighters fighting stress turn to tool used by war vets for PTSD -- It happens more often than she’d like. Butte County sheriff’s Supervisor Becky Callas jerks awake in the dead of night, fighting the nagging memories of her community burning to the ground in the worst fire in California history. Or her mind is brimming with endless to-do lists for the area’s recovery. Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/19

L.A. wants to track your scooter trips. Is it a dangerous precedent? -- The abrupt arrival of thousands of electric scooters in Los Angeles last year has already forced public, sometimes ugly, disagreements about how the city’s street and sidewalk space should be used. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Tom Umberg -- California state Sen. Tom Umberg is one of the most prominent Democrats to break with Gov. Gavin Newsom over the governor's decision this week to put the death penalty on hold in the Golden State. Umberg, of Orange County, is a former federal prosecutor, a U.S. Army officer and a military prosecutor -- as well as a veteran of the Legislature where he served several terms as a member of the Assembly. Link here -- 3/16/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensio ns  

San Diego Awaits Two Big Decisions On Prop B Pension Reform -- The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to announce Monday whether it will grant San Diego's request to review a longstanding legal fight over the city's 2012 pension reform measure, Proposition B. Andrew Bowen KPBS -- 3/16/19

Unionizing daycare? California’s child care workers seek a seat at the big kids’ table -- A bill introduced by Assemblywoman Monique Limón, a Democrat from Santa Barbara, would allow self-employed child care workers who serve subsidized families to collectively bargain with the state. Included in this new class of organized laborers would be trained workers like Harvey, but also unlicensed friends, family and neighbors who parents turn to when they are out of other options. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 3/16/19

Antitrust lawsuit against Sutter Health by California AG can proceed, judge rules -- Sutter Health failed in its attempt to persuade a San Francisco Superior Court judge to dismiss key claims in the antitrust lawsuit that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed about a year ago, alleging that the health care giant has used its market power to control prices and exclude competition. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/19

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

California has cheap speeding tickets, study finds. The reality is more complex — and costly -- However, that $35 ticket in California is just the beginning. Add in all additional surcharges and penalty assessments and and that $35 ticket could look a lot more like a $237 ticket depending on where you get pulled over, according legal help website DrivingLaws.org. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/19

Transit  

Ridership Rebounding, Public Transit In San Diego Is Having A Moment -- San Diego's public transit system has been struggling with declining ridership for the past few years. But recent data suggest that trend may be ending — and a host of local policy reforms may be planting the seeds for stronger transit ridership in future years. Andrew Bowen KPBS -- 3/16/19

Education 

More wealthy 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$ -- 3/16/19

Audacious college admissions scandal left so many red flags missed by so many -- William “Rick” Singer ran a tight operation. For years, he and his team churned out the bribes and lies at the heart of his college admission scam without getting caught. But there were close calls. Joel Rubin, Matthew Ormseth and Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

How an L.A. parent’s tip uncovered massive college admissions scandal -- A key tip that led to what authorities describe as the largest college admissions cheating scandal ever came from a Los Angeles parent who was under investigation in an unrelated securities case, according to a law enforcement source. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, could not identify the parent but said the subject provided vital information that launched the investigation. Richard Winton, Matthew Ormseth and Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Lopez: Admissions scandal exposes much that’s wrong with what we teach kids to value -- Stanford was out of the question for me. My grades were borderline and my parents didn’t make enough money to bribe anyone. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Repenning edges closer to facing Goldberg in runoff for L.A. school board seat -- With nearly all votes tallied for a pivotal Los Angeles school board seat, Heather Repenning holds second place by 31 votes, a margin that is probably enough to get her into a runoff against Jackie Goldberg, election officials said. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Immigration / Border 

Border Patrol agents intercept $620K worth of meth, cocaine and heroin in I-15 bust -- Border Patrol agents from the San Diego Sector intercepted an SUV on Wednesday night that was loaded with more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin worth more than $620,000, authorities said. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/16/19

Environment 

'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. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Bay Area Students Say They're Not Gonna Take It Anymore When it Comes to Climate Change -- It was like a giant field trip. Parent chaperones herded younger kids together. Giddy teenagers climbed up lamp posts to get a better look at the protesters making their way down Market Street. Students of all ages skipped class to send a message that action on climate change can’t wait. Raquel Maria Dillon KQED -- 3/16/19

Thousands of Bay Area students protest in San Francisco against climate change inaction -- Thousands of Bay Area students walked out of schools Friday to protest climate change and many of them marched down Market Street in a noisy, energetic show of youth frustration and determination. Steve Rubenstein, Ashley McBride and Gwendolyn Wu in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/19

Hundreds of California students rally at Capitol in global youth ‘climate strike’ -- More than 200 California students rallied Friday at the state Capitol in Sacramento as part of a global Youth Climate Strike calling for action to combat climate change. It was billed as the first march of its kind, with students from more than 100 countries participating in more than 2,000 strikes. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/16/19

New campaign to ‘unmask’ Fresno, cut air pollution. ‘We are the canary in the coal mine’ -- The push for better air quality in the San Joaquin Valley has a new team of advocates – doctors – who are taking a more active role in demanding clean air for the region. Carmen George in the Fresno Bee -- 3/16/19

Air District Hits Valero With Violations Over Benicia Refinery Releases -- Local air regulators have issued seven notices of violation against the Valero Energy Corp. over a malfunction at its Benicia refinery that has led to the release of petroleum coke dust from the facility since Monday. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 3/16/19

U.S. Moves to Take Wolf Off Endangered List, But California Protections Still Strong -- If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moves forward with its plan to take the gray wolf off the Endangered Species list, it may be bad news for wolves around the country, but California wolves will still be protected under state environmental laws. Raquel Maria Dillon KQED -- 3/16/19

EPA partially bans a toxic paint stripper but leaves workers exposed -- The Environmental Protection Agency announced a partial ban Friday on a toxic chemical used to remove paint and varnish, angering groups that have advocated for a complete prohibition of a substance that’s been linked to dozens of deaths. Anna M. Phillips in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/16/19

Also . . . 

Charles Schulz's Letter About Democracy, Discovered 50 Years Later -- In 1970, students in a fifth-grade class at Hawthorne School in Beverly Hills were assigned to write a letter to someone they admired, asking them "What makes a good citizen?" Joel Lipton, 10 years old at the time, wrote to Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schulz. Gabe Meline KQED -- 3/16/19

Deadly chicken disease spreads to Bay Area, flocks at risk -- The live poultry show has been canceled at this spring’s San Mateo County Fair. A major Peninsula veterinary hospital is postponing all chicken appointments. And worried Bay Area backyard bird hobbyists are taking special steps to protect their flocks. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/16/19

This extremely 1980s mural hidden inside the old Vallejo post office is about to be demolished -- Vallejo is losing much more than a post office. It’s losing a hidden piece of art that’s part 1980s time capsule, part therapy, and part tribute to the people who deliver our mail. Greg Keraghosian in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/16/19

POTUS 45  

A clear majority of Americans oppose Trump’s emergency declaration -- Numerous polls suggest Trump’s decision was popular among his Republican base. But his decision to use executive authority to fund a wall along the southern border is opposed by a clear majority of the public. That is reflected in six polls taken from early January to early March. Emily Guskin in the Washington Post$ -- 3/16/19

Beltway 

O’Rourke calls America’s capitalist economy ‘racist’ -- Beto O’Rourke said Friday that America’s capitalist economy is “racist,” while he praised a proposal to give infants so-called baby bonds to address systemic inequalities. David Siders Politico -- 3/16/19

 

-- Friday Updates 

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