Updating . .
To block homeless shelters, activists use California environmental law -- Earlier this spring, residents of a San Francisco waterfront neighborhood put up a plea on GoFundMe, seeking to raise $100,000 to file a lawsuit under one of California’s landmark environmental laws. Liam Dillon and Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
His dad admitted bribing his way into Georgetown. Now he's suing to block expulsion -- The son of a Los Angeles executive who admitted paying a $400,000 bribe to secure a spot at Georgetown for his child as a tennis recruit sued the university to prevent it from kicking him out and nullifying his college credits. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
Newsom’s tough sell on healthcare: persuading public on fines for those without coverage -- Five months after unveiling a sweeping plan to lower health insurance costs for middle-class Californians, Gov. Gavin Newsom now must sell the politically unpopular part of his proposal — hefty fines on those who do not have medical coverage. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
CCSF instructors confront pay mystery: Records show errors of up to $360,000 -- A mystery unfolding at City College of San Francisco could, when solved, leave a nursing instructor $360,591 richer, while forcing an engineering teacher to pay a cool $144,464 to the college out of pocket. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
$8 billion in offices, retail and housing to be built next to Levi’s Stadium -- Related Santa Clara, one of the largest projects in the Bay Area, will create over 9 million square feet of offices, housing, hotels and retail on 240 acres next to Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Traveling by car to Warriors’ new San Francisco Chase Center could earn drivers a foul -- San Francisco is hiring 20 new parking control officers at a cost of $2.5 million a year to handle the expected traffic around the Golden State Warriors’ new Mission Bay arena when it opens this fall. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
These everyday items could cost you more after the latest salvo in U.S.-China tariff war -- Reports Tuesday said he's attempting to secure a $15 billion relief package that would seemingly protect American farmers from China's latest economic response. But most American consumers in need of basic goods will likely have to pay out of their own pockets higher prices for a significant number of household and everyday items. Peter Dawson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Report: Yosemite, Joshua Tree, all other national parks in Calif. have 'significant' air pollution -- All nine national parks in California, including Yosemite and Joshua Tree, are dealing with "significant air pollution problems," according to a recent report released by the National Parks Conservation Association. Eric Ting in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Empty lot in Steve Jobs’ old neighborhood listed for $9 million -- The leafy neighborhood of Old Palo Alto that Steve Jobs once called home is among the most coveted places in the Silicon Valley to own property. A vacant quarter-acre lot that hit the market for $9 million is a testament to its cachet. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Fox: Court Funding -- The courts got new money in the May budget revision and it was long overdue. Circumstances leading to the lack of funding over the years may have been due, in part, to a ballot measure I supported 21-years ago when you hitch that measure to the legislature’s desire to expand health and welfare programs while ignoring the needs of the courts. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 5/15/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
San Francisco bans city use of facial recognition surveillance technology -- San Francisco became the first city in the country to ban city use of facial recognition surveillance technology Tuesday — a groundbreaking move that privacy advocates applaud, but others say may go too far. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Adachi case: Police leaks, followed by a police raid, test San Francisco’s progressive creed -- The raid of a San Francisco journalist’s home, conducted by city police officers trying to figure out which of their colleagues slipped him a report on the death of Public Defender Jeff Adachi, has prompted condemnation from First Amendment advocates. But city leaders have been largely ambivalent, silent or supportive of the police search, despite California’s shield law that protects journalists who decline to identify confidential sources. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
California governor wants to help more buy health insurance -- Sydney Winlock owns a small business with his wife in Northern California, and they had a strange conversation recently: Should they make less money so they can afford their health insurance? Adam Beam Associated Press -- 5/15/19
Walters: Newsom must now deliver on promises -- Gavin Newsom has spent the last four months telling Californians that he could – and would – cure some of California’s most pressing social ailments. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 5/15/19
Jackie Goldberg returns to L.A. school board with resounding election win -- Jackie Goldberg, a veteran politician and educator who served on the Los Angeles school board three decades ago, will once again have a voice in the nation’s second-largest school district after a resounding win Tuesday for a seat in a special election. Sonali Kohli, Alexa DÍaz and Dorany Pineda in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
California Catholic dioceses to launch compensation fund for priest abuse survivors -- Six California Catholic dioceses, including Sacramento and Fresno, will create a compensation program for victims sexually abused by priests as children. Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
San Diego council supports Weber use-of-force bill -- The San Diego City Council on Tuesday voted to support a bill pending in the state Legislature that would change the legal standard under which police officers could use deadly force. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/19
More California Cities Could Start Collecting Ride Data From Bike And E-scooter Companies -- Adrian An loves zipping through downtown Sacramento on electric scooters. But sharing data with the city about his rides? That’s a di fferent story. “They [might] be tracking where I’m at all the time. I don’t know, it’s like an invasion of privacy,” he said. Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio -- 5/15/19
Devin Nunes violated agreement to file lawsuits against Twitter in California, Twitter says -- Twitter and political strategist Liz Mair have filed to dismiss the lawsuit Rep. Devin Nunes filed against them, arguing Virginia does not have jurisdiction over the case and an agreement Nunes signed that said he had to file disputes against the company in San Francisco. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Synagogue shooting suspect pleads not guilty to hate crimes -- The man suspected of killing a woman in a shooting at a Southern California synagogue pleaded not guilty to federal hate crime charges Tuesday. John T. Earnest spoke twice during the brief hearing — to acknowledge his name and to say he agreed with his court-appointed attorney’s decision against seeking bail. Elliot Spagat Associated Press -- 5/15/19
Ghost Ship trial: Fire captain says defendant told him no residents in warehouse -- Two years before a massive inferno trapped and killed 36 people inside the Ghost Ship warehouse in Oakland, a smaller fire ignited just outside the Fruitvale neighborhood property, drawing the attention of authorities. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jon Kawamoto in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
CalPERS health insurance rates could climb as much as 24 percent next year -- The premiums state workers and retired public employees pay for CalPERS health insurance are projected to go up 7.2 percent on average next year, with premiums for specific plans increasing as much as 24 percent, according to preliminary estimates published Tuesday. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Long Beach estimates Angels stadium could cost more than $1 billion, documents show -- Long Beach’s attempts to woo the Angels away from their home in Anaheim could cost the coastal city upwards of $1 billion, according to newly released documents. Hayley Munguia in the Orange County Register -- 5/15/19
Knight: A year after calling his own city filthy — San Francisco tourism chief sees some improvement -- A year ago, Joe D’Alessandro broke the cardinal rule of those working in the tourism industry. He publicly trashed his own city, the one in which he makes his living promoting to tourists and conventioneers. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Impossible Foods warns of possible Impossible Burger shortage -- What will it take for Impossible Foods to make good on its promise to supply 7,200 Burger Kings with meatless patties by year’s end — all while keeping existing customers well-stocked? A major expansion at its Oakland plant that will double capacity — something the company’s $300 million in new funding will help accomplish. Linda Zavoral in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/19
AT&T to lay off technicians in California, including 101 in San Diego -- Communications Workers union says AT&T is reneging on pledge to boost hiring after corporate tax cut. Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/19
Transit
Polls show support for Caltrain sales tax in 2020, but is it enough? -- Caltrain, in the midst of electrifying its trains, building safer crossings and trying to reach the Transbay Transit Center, is now contemplating a 2020 sales tax measure to help pay for those projects along with more frequent, faster and longer trains. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Homeless
San Diego approves law prohibiting homeless from sleeping in vehicles -- San Diego restored its ability Tuesday to prohibit homeless people from living in cars on city streets with a new law that local police say they plan to use only as a last resort. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/19
Sacramento ordinance banned ‘aggressive panhandling.’ Now the law will be erased -- The city of Sacramento is ditching its controversial ordinance against “aggressive panhandling,” which a federal judge ordered the city to stop enforcing in July. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Gov. Newsom's Budget Has $1 Billion To Address Homelessness, But Advocates Want More Investment In Permanent Housing -- The bulk of the budget’s homelessness funding, $650 million, is set aside for cities and counties to build or expand emergency shelters. That money would also pay for so-called navigation centers to connect people with homeless services. Chris Nichols Capital Public Radio -- 5/15/19
Housing
L.A. set up a system to protect renters. What happens when it’s used against them? -- Debra Stone awoke one Saturday last year and headed to the kitchen to fix herself a latte when she discovered dirty water dripping from the ceiling. That flooded kitchen marked the beginning of a legal and bureaucratic odyssey for Stone, who has been displaced from her Beverly Grove apartment for more than a year. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
Tool to Build Affordable Housing Stalls in California Legislature -- A bill to bring back redevelopment agencies — a controversial tool used to fund affordable housing at the local level — has stalled in the California Legislature. The legislation would have created a new version of the program that was generating around $1 billion a year in so-called "tax increment financing" for affordable housing when it was eliminated in 2011. Guy Marzorati KQED -- 5/15/19
Why this uninhabitable San Francisco shack could sell for $2.5 million. Hint – check out the view -- In the most recent installment of Bay Area housing market craziness, a tiny, uninhabitable shack in a desirable San Francisco neighborhood has hit the market with a staggering $2.5 million price tag. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/19
Education
Former USC soccer coach Laura Janke pleads guilty in college admissions scandal -- Janke, 36, admitted to conspiring with Newport Beach college admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer to slip the children of wealthy and powerful families through what Singer dubbed the “side door” — a scheme in which Singer traded six-figure bribes for seats the universities set aside for recruited athletes. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
Who’s pleaded guilty in college admissions scam? Rich parents. Coaches. A Golden Globe winner -- Some figures in the college admissions scandal have vowed to fight federal charges, saying they did nothing wrong. But others have admitted their guilt, including actress Felicity Huffman and William “Rick” Singer, the mastermind of the scam. Matthew Ormseth and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
Water
Valley Water’s farm subsidy to remain, for now -- The district will put off changes to a subsidy for farm water for two years while it looks for other money to keep funding it. Thy Vo in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/19
Environment
Rare “atmospheric river” storms to soak California this week -- Dig out that umbrella, and even the tire chains. It’s mid-May, but a series of rare, winter-like storms will soak the Bay Area and much of California through next week and bring up to 2 feet of new snow to the Sierra Nevada. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/15/19
More than 20 lifeguards develop ‘swimmer’s itch’ after swim exam in man-made lake -- Jasper Kim, the named lifeguard in the grievance, said he told his supervisors in the Aquatics Division of the Department of Recreation and Parks that the water in Hansen Dam Recreation Lake, a man-made freshwater lake, was unsafe for swimming due to a lack of testing for parasites. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
These condor chicks have a better chance in the wild, thanks to the L.A. Zoo -- Six condor chicks were recently born at the Los Angeles Zoo, thanks to a new breeding technique that officials hope will strengthen the endangered bird’s population. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
It was 84 degrees near the Arctic Ocean this weekend as carbon dioxide hit its highest level in human history -- Over the weekend, the climate system sounded simultaneous alarms. Near the entrance to the Arctic Ocean in northwest Russia, the temperature surged to 84 degrees Fahrenheit (29 Celsius). Meanwhile, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere eclipsed 415 parts per million for the first time in human history. Jason Samenow in the Washington Post$ -- 5/15/19
Also . . .
L.A. County to pay $3.75 million to family of teen killed by sheriff’s deputy -- The killing of Anthony Weber sparked weeks of protests in South Los Angeles, fueled in part by frustration over deputies’ claims that the boy was carrying a gun. Family members also said the department failed to communicate with them about details of the shooting. No firearm was found, the Sheriff’s Department said, reasoning that it could have gone missing in the crowd that formed after the shooting. Maya Lau and Nicole Santa Cruz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/15/19
Is crime lower in Sacramento? Neighboring rural counties saw many more arrests -- Crime is relatively low in Sacramento County, especially when compared to its more rural neighbors. That’s the finding of a report by the Public Policy Institute of California, which examined state arrest rates for all 58 California counties in 2016. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Deputies now carry Narcan in Yolo County, where 16 died from opioids in 2018 -- Sheriff’s patrol and correctional personnel have been trained to use naloxone (brand name Narcan), a nasal spray medication that can be administered to restore breathing to those suffering opiate overdoses, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Northern California's famed clothing-optional Wilbur Hot Springs listed for $10 million -- In the oak-sided foothills of the Coast Range 120 miles northeast of San Francisco, the fabled Wilbur Hot Springs is seeking a new owner to take over the property and its lithium-rich waters that have soothed wellness-seekers for centuries. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Former manager charged with abuse of Marvel’s Stan Lee -- A former business manager of Stan Lee has been charged in California with five counts of elder abuse involving the late Marvel Comics mastermind. Andrew Dalton Associated Press -- 5/15/19
POTUS 45
The misleading narrative in Trump’s tumble of trade tweets -- As we have noted for years, President Trump appears to have little understanding of trade and trade policy, even though it is an animating element of his presidency. As the trade war with China has heated up, the president’s itchy Twitter finger has been busy with a fuselage of false or misleading tweets. Whether the president knows these claims are untrue is unclear, but the overall effect is to create a distinct winner-takes-all narrative for his trade policy. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 5/15/19
Beltway
Nancy Pelosi’s top 10: Here are the bills leading Democrats’ to-do list -- Every proposed law in the House of Representatives gets a number, but one lawmaker controls the coveted first 10: Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Russians hacked 2 Florida voting systems; FBI and DeSantis refuse to release details -- Russian hackers successfully tapped into the voter registration files of two Florida counties in 2016, a startling detail revealed Tuesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis after a meeting with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security last week. Gary Fineout Politico -- 5/15/19
-- Tuesday Updates
These San Francisco residents are so sick of disgusting streets they’re willing to tax themselves -- Fed up with the unevenness of the city’s attentiveness, Kolbe and a group of residents in Dolores Heights, Eureka Valley, the Castro and other nearby neighborhoods have spent more than a year organizing what could become San Francisco’s second GBD (green benefit district) — a zone in which property owners pay a special assessment and hire private firms to provide services on top of the city’s. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/19
Consumers are already seeing price hikes from the last round of Trump’s tariffs -- And trade groups and economic studies show that U.S. consumers already are seeing higher prices on a range of items — luggage and major appliances such as washing machines, for instance — that were subject to previous tit-for-tat tariffs in the U.S.’ escalating trade battle with China or retaliatory tariffs from other foreign countries. Samantha Masunaga and James F. Peltz in the Los Angeles Times$ Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/19
Trump ratchets up his China trade war — and the disinformation about it -- As Trump has ratcheted up the trade war in recent days, he has sent a multitude of tweets defending it. Most of them contain falsehoods or carefully worded claims that seem geared toward leaving people with a false impression. Witness his Tuesday morning tweets. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 5/14/19
California Assemblyman Arambula takes stand, denies ever hitting his children -- Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula began testifying in his own defense Tuesday morning as his misdemeanor child abuse trial nears its conclusion. Arambula, D-Fresno, was arrested in December and accused of injuring his 7-year-old daughter. Rory Appleton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/19
Los Angeles led California in housing development in 2018 -- Developers in the city of Los Angeles built 16,525 units of housing in 2018, more than three times the amount produced in any other California city. Elijah Chiland Curbed LA -- 5/15/19
Sacramento builds more homes than any California city north of LA. -- Sacramento experienced the most new home construction of any California city north of Los Angeles in 2018, new state data show. Bustling Roseville was not far behind, ranking third in the north state. Fresno ranked fourth, with Rocklin also near the top. Tony Bizjak and Michael Finch in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
San Francisco supes press pause on law to allow involuntary treatment of mentally ill -- The committee postponed a vote Monday on whether to make use of the law, SB1045, after a hearing brought into question whether San Francisco’s behavioral health system had the capacity to do so. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/15/19
Opioid prescriptions drop sharply among California state workers, CalPERS says -- The agency that manages health care for California’s massive state workforce is reporting a major reduction in opioid prescriptions, reflecting a national trend of physicians cutting back on the addictive drugs. Marla Cone California Healthline via the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/19
It’s time to get the votes. Gavin Newsom hits the road to promote his health care ideas -- As the deadline to strike a budget deal approaches, Gov. Gavin Newsom is launching a statewide tour to promote his plans to shore up Obamacare and expand state health coverage to young undocumented adults. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Sacramento police hit him with an SUV during a chase. Now, the teen is suing the city -- Citing a “string of recent excessive force incidents” by Sacramento police, a prominent civil rights attorney is suing the city over an incident last July during which a police SUV struck a 16-year-old boy who was fleeing officers after being stopped for riding a bicycle at night without lights. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/15/19
Ayslum seekers forced to ‘remain in’ Mexicali face long journey to court hearings -- Asylum seekers returned by the U.S. government to Mexicali to wait for their immigration court cases do not go to the immigration court in Imperial, Calif. They have to find a way travel more than 100 miles to the San Ysidro Port of Entry in Tijuana to go to hearings in San Diego. On Thursday, 26 of the 47 people returned to Mexicali scheduled for court, or 55 percent, managed to get there. Kate Morrissey in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 5/15/19
Pelosi to Trump: Apologize for ‘despicable’ twisting of Rashida Tlaib comments -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanded that President Trump and top House Republicans apologize to Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib for taking her comments about Palestine and the Holocaust out of context “in a way that was despicable.” Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/19
San Jose: Man’s empty-box scheme cost Apple $1 million -- A 25-year-old man who admitted in San Jose federal court that he ran an empty-box scheme that cost Apple $1 million in refunds is facing a maximum of 40 years in prison. Levi Sumagaysay in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/19
Warren says no to a Fox News town hall, calling the outlet a ‘hate-for-profit racket’ -- The decision by Warren (D-Mass.), which was announced on Twitter, underscored divisions among the crowded field of Democratic White House hopefuls about how to treat a cable network with a clear conservative bent but a sizable audience. John Wagner in the Washington Post$ Matt Stevens and Michael M. Grynbaum in the New York Times$ Alex Thompson Politico -- 5/14/19