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Covered California premiums to rise by smallest-ever amount -- Health insurance premiums for the roughly 2.2 million Californians who buy health plans on the individual m55691 569156arket — either through the state insurance exchange Covered California or directly from insurers — will go up less than 1% in 2020, Covered California officials said Tuesday. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Barbara Feder Ostrov and Ana B. Ibarra Kaiser Health News via the Los Angeles Times$ Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/9/19

California takes on surprise bills, over hospital objections -- Athilingam had two forms of health insurance and assumed it would pay for most of her bills. Plus, California has laws protecting patients from surprise medical bills. But there is a loophole for emergency rooms. And because Athilingam was treated at a hospital that was outside of her health insurance company’s network, she got hit with a surprise bill — a common story in the country’s complex health care system. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 7/9/19

Rep. Duncan Hunter removes photo of himself with man making ‘OK’ gesture from social media -- Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, deleted a photo of himself standing next to a man making an “OK” hand gesture from his Facebook and Twitter accounts on Monday to “ensure there is no confusion” about where Hunter stands on the issue of white supremacy, spokesman Michael Harrison said. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/9/19

PG&E’s planned power shutdowns could choke off vital water supplies -- PG&E’s plan to prevent wildfires with widespread power shut-offs means no lights, no refrigeration and no internet in many parts of California. It could also mean limited use of toilets and taps, an inconvenience that water and sewer districts across the state are scrambling to address before a blackout comes and nature calls. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer launches presidential campaign -- Billionaire San Francisco Democratic donor and former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer announced his presidential campaign Tuesday, and it revolves around this premise: That someone who made hundreds of millions of dollars in the corporate world is the best candidate to end corporate influence on politics. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Evan Halper and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$-- 7/9/19

Obamacare in Jeopardy as Appeals Court Hears Case Backed by Trump -- A federal appeals court panel will hear arguments Tuesday on whether a federal judge in Texas was correct in striking down the Affordable Care Act, a case with enormous stakes not only for millions of people who gained health insurance through the law but for the political futures of President Trump and other candidates in the 2020 elections. Abby Goodnough in the New York Times$ Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ Kevin McGill and Rebecca Santana Associated Press -- 7/9/19

A tug-of-war over empty classrooms between a charter school and its host campus -- Under state law, charters — which are privately operated — are entitled to a “reasonably equivalent” share of space on public school campuses. The Los Angeles Unified School District says Magnolia already occupies its fair share, and though the district could choose to provide more space, it won’t — for reasons officials have not clearly explained. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Academics, educators petition to save controversial school mural -- Despite the San Francisco school board’s recent vote to destroy a controversial school mural, the debate over the role of art and history is still raging. More than 400 academics and educators from across the country and around the world signed a petition that they plan to send to the district this week urging it to reconsider the decision. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

Off-roaders face ban at famed OHV beach: ‘This is like the Wild West. Anything goes’ -- For generations, off-road vehicle riders have flocked to this windy stretch of the Central Coast to camp on the shore, build bonfires in the sand, and gun their engines in the only state park in California that allows motor vehicles on the beach and dunes. Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Knight: What does London lack that SF has in abundance? Misery on the streets -- Most tourists visiting London are awed by Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge. But when you’re a longtime San Franciscan traipsing around the British capital, some of the city’s most striking sights are those that aren’t there at all. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

Following SF, Livermore is 2nd California city to ban e-cigarette sales -- The Livermore City Council unanimously approved the bill, as part of a broader measure to address rising rates of youth vaping. The legislation also establishes a tobacco licensing program for retailers, prohibits stores from selling the nicotine refills that go into e-cigarettes — known as e-liquids — and bans the sale of flavored tobacco products. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

Rent cap bill would limit rent hikes for millions of California households, report says -- Despite recent changes that limit the impact of a controversial state rent cap bill, researchers say the proposed law still would cover millions of California households now without rent control — including in Bay Area neighborhoods. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/9/19

Seismic selfies: Massive earthquake surface rupture becomes tourist attraction -- Christian Flores had traveled more than 200 miles, from San Diego to the Mojave Desert, to visit the latest Southern California tourist attraction. There it was, on the hot asphalt of Highway 178 between Ridgecrest and Trona: a gnarly, surprisingly wide scar, courtesy of one very large earthquake. Giulia McDonnell Nieto Del Rio in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Earthquake-proof buildings, earthquake vulnerable buildings. What do you have? -- Major earthquakes in metropolitan areas of California have highlighted the vulnerabilities of certain types of buildings. Unreinforced masonry can crumble. Houses not bolted to foundations can slide. Brittle concrete towers can collapse, as can “soft story” apartment buildings. Shelby Grad, Rong-Gong Lin II and Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Psychiatrist who admitted altering notes in Menendez brothers’ murder trial in the ’90s surrenders license -- A psychiatrist who caused an uproar in the 1990s when he admitted altering clinical notes in the infamous Menendez brothers’ murder trial has agreed to surrender his medical license over new allegations of wrongdoing, according to the Medical Board of California. Leila Miller in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

51,000 acre cattle ranch in East Bay goes up for sale -- A piecemeal series of sales isn’t the outcome preferred by the ranch’s principal owners, members of the Vickers / Naftzger family, which has owned and operated the property for 85 years. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/9/19

Fox: How NCAA Athletes and Your Privacy are Linked -- I’m looking at Senate Bill 206 by Sens. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley and Steve Bradford of Gardena to allow college athletes to be paid for the money-making use of their name, image, and likenesses, and the debate kicked off by Gov. Gavin Newsom to create a data dividend for the money-making use of people’s personal information by internet companies. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/9/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California Senate approves strict police use-of-force bill, citing police killings of black people -- Calling the bill a national model to confront racial bias in police shootings, the California Senate sent the governor legislation Monday to tighten the rules for when officers can open fire on suspects. Senators voted nearly unanimously to approve the bill after a year of protests and contentious meetings between law enforcement groups and civil rights advocates. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/9/19

Legal Battle for Police Misconduct Records Continues in S.F. and Ventura County -- A California appeals court denied on Friday Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s bid to withhold police misconduct and shooting files the state maintains on local police and sheriffs, finding the move was premature but could be refiled in the coming weeks. Alex Emslie KQED -- 7/9/19

California Senate Passes Controversial Bill to Deal With Utility-Caused Wildfires -- The California Senate has passed a controversial measure to overhaul how the state deals with utility-caused wildfires by a 31-7 vote. The Legislature is hurrying to approve AB 1054 before lawmakers leave for their summer recess in an effort to avoid a further downgrade of the utilities' bond ratings. Katie Orr KQED Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$-- 7/9/19

California Senate approve clean drinking water fund -- About one million of California’s nearly 40 million residents don’t have access to clean drinking water because of pollution from humans or natural causes, a fact state lawmakers have called an embarrassment for a state with the fifth-largest economy in the world. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 7/9/19

Insurance commissioner will return funds from companies with ties to industry he regulates -- California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said Monday that he would return tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he accepted from insurance industry executives. The turnaround came hours after The San Diego Union-Tribune disclosed the political donations and a Los Angeles consumer group publicly called on the insurance commissioner to return the donations. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/9/19

Ghost Ship founder testifies in manslaughter trial he is ‘tired, brokenhearted’ -- The founder of the Ghost Ship artists’ collective appeared to be on the verge of tears almost immediately after taking the stand Monday — the first day in his long-awaited testimony — rubbing his eyes, pausing before answering questions and telling his attorney he accepts responsibility for the deadly fire that killed 36 people. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Don Clyde KQED James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Judge rules against Rep. Duncan Hunter on motion to remove prosecutors in criminal case over alleged bias -- A federal judge ruled Monday that the trial of Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, would not be moved out of San Diego at this time, and prosecutors would not be excluded because of alleged political bias. Morgan Cook in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/9/19

Trona, still without water, struggles to recover after 2 major earthquakes, Ridgecrest has many services restored -- Weary, thirsty Trona residents struggled Monday, July 8, to arrange for services to the earthquake-damaged community, where they’ve been without running water since the first of the twin earthquakes rattled through the region last week. In nearby Ridgecrest, services had largely been restored by Monday. Richard K. De Atley in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 7/9/19

What would happen if a 7.1 earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area today? -- If an earthquake with the same 7.1 magnitude as Friday night's Ridgecrest temblor shook the Bay Area, the impact would be significantly more devastating than what unfolded in Southern California, experts say. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/9/19

Big earthquakes raise interest in West Coast warning system -- The ShakeAlert system is substantially built in California and overall is about 55% complete, with much of the remaining installation of seismic sensor stations to be done in the Pacific Northwest, said Robert de Groot of the U.S. Geological Survey. John Antczak and Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 7/9/19

Weapons secure at naval base but facility evacuated after quakes, authorities say -- The Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake is closed after being damaged by back-to-back earthquakes around Ridgecrest, Calif. The station has been open only to essential personnel since Thursday’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake. Following Friday night’s 7.1 quake, the facility was evacuated, officials said. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Hayward targets 300 buildings deemed vulnerable in a major quake -- Starting next month, the owners of about 300 multi-unit buildings identified at risk of collapsing in a major earthquake will have to fill out forms telling the city what shape their structures are in and whether they intend to shore them up. Peter Hegarty in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/9/19

Your instinct may be to run outside during an earthquake. Here’s why you shouldn’t -- But experts have long warned the public against leaving a building and heading outdoors during a quake. The safest place to be as the earth moves is inside, protected from potentially crushing debris, drooping power lines, falling trees or building extremities that could crumble. Rong-Gong Lin II in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

San Jose mayor calls for more state oversight of PG&E -- With the possibility of week-long power shutdowns looming this fire season, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is calling on state lawmakers to tighten oversight of PG&E. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/9/19

Megan Rapinoe: A Progressive Icon From California’s Trump Country -- The Northern California city of Redding had a lot to celebrate after hometown hero Megan Rapinoe helped lead the U.S. women's national soccer team to its second consecutive world championship and earned awards as the tournament's top scorer and top player. Lily Jamali KQED -- 7/9/19

San Diego County supervisors weigh a new way for the public to vote -- Instead of neighborhood polling places, voters in a pilot program may mail in or drop off votes at “vote centers” that open multiple days before an election. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/9/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

State court says restaurant doesn’t have to pay for employee clothes -- Just because a restaurant requires employees to wear slip-resistant shoes for safety reasons, it doesn’t mean the restaurant has to pay for them. At least not according to a state appeals court. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

Workers Evacuated from Chevron's Richmond Refinery Over the Weekend -- State workplace regulators launched an investigation Monday into a malfunction at Chevron's Richmond refinery over the weekend that led to the evacuation of a crew doing maintenance work at the facility. A Chevron spokeswoman said one of the refinery's process units experienced a problem Saturday morning. Ted Goldberg KQED -- 7/9/19

Highway accident left worker paralyzed, ‘locked in.’ Caltrans will pay $37 million -- Caltrans will pay $37 million to settle a lawsuit over a construction worker who was paralyzed after a driver struck him eight years ago. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/9/19

Homeless  

The numbers are in: SF homeless population rose 30% since 2017 -- San Francisco’s appalling homeless problem seemed to worsen only modestly compared to the rest of the Bay Area when the city released its preliminary homeless-count numbers in May. The first glimpse showed a 17% uptick — not great, sure, but not as bad as Alameda County’s 43% rise. Or Santa Clara’s 31% increase. Turns out the news wasn’t quite so rosy. Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Adam Brinklow Curbed San Francisco -- 7/9/19

Should there be extra oversight of San Francisco’s homelessness department? -- A proposal to create a commission to oversee San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing will likely move forward, despite concerns from Mayor London Breed. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

Education 

UCLA has paid more than $3.5 million in settlements over former gynecologist -- A patient who alleged she was sexually assaulted by a UCLA Health gynecologist was awarded $2.25 million in a settlement finalized last month with the University of California regents, according to university records released Monday. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Teresa Watanabe and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

Bay Area school redesigns its program to help students graduate -- When Jazhun Brown first transferred to De Anza High as a junior, poor grades made him an unlikely candidate to graduate on time. His GPA was low and he had failed biology. That changed after school counselors, college advisers and teachers helped him see he could reach his goal of becoming a police officer by retaking courses and working hard to successfully complete others. Theresa Harrington EdSource -- 7/9/19

Gov. Newsom’s state budget resolves 3 California school boards’ lawsuits -- The state budget that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last week, bringing about $3 billion more to community colleges and K-12 schools, includes money that resolves one of three lawsuits over how the state calculates its funding obligations to education. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 7/9/19

Teacher hopefuls offered $10,000 to enter California State University residency program -- California State University is accepting applications from students enrolled in teacher preparation programs who want to spend a year in a residency program and receive a $10,000 scholarship in exchange for promising to teach in a high-needs school for two years. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 7/9/19

Health 

‘Early warning sign’ of West Nile virus: First bird tests positive in Sacramento County -- The first bird of the season has tested positive for West Nile virus in Sacramento County, and officials said they are on alert for the mosquito-borne disease that killed 11 people and infected more than 200 in California last year. Caroline Ghisolfi in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/9/19

Environment 

23 US governors join Calif. in opposing Trump mileage freeze -- Citing climate-damaging tailpipe emissions, 23 U.S. governors signed a pledge backing California leaders in their showdown with the Trump administration over its plans to relax vehicle mileage standards. Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press -- 7/9/19

Meat from a lab? Startups cook up alternative to slaughter -- Uma Valeti slices into a pan-fried chicken cutlet in the kitchen of his startup, Memphis Meats. He sniffs the tender morsel on his fork before taking a bite. He chews slowly, absorbing the taste. “Our chicken is chicken ... you’ve got to taste it to believe it,” Valeti says. Terence Chea Associated Press -- 7/9/19

Why are so many whales washing up on West Coast beaches? -- Gray whales have been washing ashore with alarming regularity, particularly in the San Francisco area and the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, but also at some beaches in San Diego. Deborah Sullivan Brennan in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/9/19

Also . . . 

California diversion program lets victims confront offenders -- California officials are experimenting with a new diversion program for criminals that includes allowing victims to directly confront their offenders. The budget that took effect July 1 includes $5 million to fund the program for five years in a county with a history of high crime, although it has been tried elsewhere and is more frequently used with juvenile offenders. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 7/9/19

15-year-old boy killed in San Francisco Mission District shooting -- A 15-year-old boy was killed in a fatal shooting early Monday on 24th Street in San Francisco in an incident that left many Mission District residents uneasy. Police responded to a ShotSpotter activation near 24th and Capp streets around 12:10 a.m. and saw a car leaving the scene. Officers pursued the car but it got away, police said. Eduardo Medina and Ashley McBride in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

SFPD officer’s miraculous recovery after hit-and-run left him severely brain-damaged -- Even with a severe brain injury and no likely chance of returning to his earlier life as an aspiring lawyer, avid reader and outdoorsman, Elia Lewin-Tankel’s recovery has been miraculous, his friends and colleagues said. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/9/19

For California, yet another weird ranking -- Californians sifting through the ashes of their homes destroyed by wildfires, sitting in the perpetual traffic jam that is the Harbor Freeway, or wondering when the next earthquake might hit can take comfort: California is the No. 1 fun state in the Union. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 7/9/19

POTUS 45  

Congressional Democrats subpoena Trump’s financial, business records -- Congressional Democrats began issuing dozens of subpoenas Monday for financial records and other documents from President Trump’s private entities as part of an ongoing lawsuit alleging that his businesses violate the Constitution’s ban on gifts or payments from foreign governments. Ann E. Marimow and Jonathan O'Connell in the Washington Post$ -- 7/9/19

Why Trump will likely lose the census citizenship fight -- To pass muster with the Supreme Court, the new DOJ team must find a rationale that the high court will rule consistent with regulatory law and also believable — a tough assignment given that the court said in its ruling that the previous rationale was not. Ted Hesson and Josh Gerstein Politico -- 7/9/19

Few of Trump’s environmental claims stand up to scrutiny -- President Trump on Monday held himself out as a leader in the fight to protect America’s air and water, despite two years of policies that have weakened environmental regulations. Anna M. Phillips in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/9/19

The Trump administration has changed its story on the census citizenship question at least 10 times in four months -- Originally, it was supposed to help the Justice Department enforce the Voting Rights Act. Then the Supreme Court said that was a pretext. It would not be used for immigration enforcement. Then it could be used to deal with the “burden” of undocumented immigrants. It would not be used for congressional redistricting. Then it could be. JM Rieger in the Washington Post$ -- 7/9/19

 

-- Monday Updates 

Swalwell drops out of presidential race, will seek reelection to House -- Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) on Monday became the first major Democratic presidential candidate to exit the face, as he announced he would suspend his campaign and focus instead on trying to win reelection to Congress next year. John Wagner and David Weigel in the Washington Post$ Michael Finnegan and Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ Carla Marinucci and Jeremy B. White Politico -- 7/8/19

Judge refuses to toss California lawmaker’s corruption case -- A judge Monday refused to dismiss federal corruption charges against U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter or move the trial outside his Southern California district, saying he found no evidence that the Republican lawmaker cannot get a fair trial here. Julie Watson Associated Press -- 7/8/19

California lawmakers take up key wildfire proposals -- Two key proposals will have their first hearings Monday. The proposals would create a wildfire fund utilities can tap to help pay for damages from wildfires if they follow certain safety steps and establish a new Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety to oversee utilities’ and the state’s wildfire prevention efforts. Kathleen Ronayne and Andrew Oxford Associated Press -- 7/8/19

California’s big PG&E wildfire bill: What you need to know -- A major bill crafted to enact Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan for addressing the wildfire crisis surrounding the state’s investor-owned electric utilities will be considered Monday afternoon by a Senate committee. It is the first public airing of the bill, AB1054, which would set up a new $21 billion fund to help utilities endure future wildfire costs. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/8/19

Wanting to ease utility wildfire costs, Newsom faces biggest test yet with lawmakers -- There’s been no shortage of criticism for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to help California’s largest utilities stave off bankruptcy from costs associated with wildfires: No focus on prevention efforts. More difficulty proving utility negligence. Too much of the financial burden falling on millions of utility customers. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/19

California lawmakers took thousands from Big Tobacco before they wrote this anti-vaping bill -- Two California lawmakers with a history of taking money from tobacco giant Philip Morris USA have introduced a bill aimed at curbing teen vaping by creating new penalties on retailer and teenage buyers. One critical senator says it resembles a measure the industry itself has previously promoted and the American Lung Association is opposed to it. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/8/19

California bill could triple rebates for electric car buyers -- Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting’s bill, AB1046, would let state regulators increase a typical consumer’s rebate for an electric car to up to $7,500 and provide a stable pot of funding for the payments. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/8/19

California’s pollution enforcers would like to save tropical forests. But at what cost? -- California’s climate change enforcers are grappling with the thorniest of controversies: how to prevent the planet’s tropical forests from disappearing. The question they aren’t ready to answer—at least not yet—is what focusing on far-away forests could mean for pollution at home. Rachel Becker Calmatters -- 7/8/19

Growing pains, housing crunch strain town-gown relations in Berkeley, Palo Alto -- The Bay Area’s top universities and their cities are quarreling — in court, as UC Berkeley faces lawsuits from elected officials and neighbors, and in City Hall, as Stanford engages in testy negotiations with Santa Clara County. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/8/19

Emeryville showdown looms over nation’s highest minimum wage -- A showdown over the nation’s highest minimum wage is looming in Emeryville, where smaller restaurants say they need a break from rising costs and unions argue workers need the money. In the end, city voters may decide. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/8/19

California cities, counties spent $4 billion on overtime in 2018 -- Duties of a principal security officer with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power: Direct officers who patrol and safeguard buildings and their occupants. Supervise investigations of accidents, thefts and disturbances. Possess good judgment. The city’s job description doesn’t mention the opportunity to clock serious overtime, but it’s there. Principal security officer Ricardo Frias made more in overtime pay than any city or county worker in the entire state of California last year. His overtime pay — $313,865 — far eclipsed his regular pay — $25,134, according to state data. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 7/8/19

Gun restraining orders paying off for City Attorney’s Office -- Included in the state budget approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom is $250,000 to fund one San Diego city prosecutor who will be dedicated to training law enforcement, judicial and certain health officials on how to process and enforce gun violence restraining orders. Pauline Repard in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/8/19

Man shot by police in Bodega Bay amid alleged LSD rampage is YouTube engineer -- Betai Koffi, 32, remains in critical condition in a hospital as of Monday morning, following an alleged violent rampage July 4 that saw him punch a female friend in the chest, stab a male friend with a pencil, choke one male friend and punch another, stab a security guard with a metal outdoor-light spike, crash a rented car into a house while trying to run down a male friend, steal a truck, then run down two women in two separate incidents with the truck, said Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Spencer Crum. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/8/19

The 7.1 earthquake could have been so much worse. Here’s why -- The 7.1 earthquake that hit the Ridgecrest area last week was the largest in Southern California in 20 years. It created surface ruptures and damage near the epicenter. But experts said the quake could have been much more punishing — and could have caused more damage in the metro Los Angeles area. Giulia MCDonnell Nieto Del Rio, Laura J. Nelson and Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/19

Massive earthquakes cracked the very foundations of the tiny but tough town of Trona -- Under the shade of a salt cedar tree, next to a shipping container and near a sign that said “Prayer Changes Things,” the Byrds of Trona had camped out overnight and planned to for the foreseeable future. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/19

Lucy Jones didn’t feel the 7.1 earthquake but helped the world understand it -- On Friday night, Lucy Jones didn’t feel the earthquake. She and her husband, Egill Hauksson — both seismologists, and both exhausted — were on an evening walk to their Pasadena pharmacy to pick up prescriptions that had gone uncollected when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Ridgecrest, Calif., the day before. Emily Baumgaertner in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/19

Fox: Earthquakes! Divine Message or Wake-Up Call -- Had the two major earthquakes that hit Southern California over the last few days occurred three centuries ago they might have been seen as a message from God that Californians strayed from the righteous path. That was the reaction of New England residents and ministers after a major earthquake hit in 1727. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/8/19

Trump officials tell one court Obamacare is failing and another it’s thriving -- As they push a federal court to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Trump administration lawyers are arguing the law is no longer workable because Congress eliminated a penalty on people who don’t have health insurance. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/8/19

Donald Trump’s origin story suffers another severe blow -- The Washington Post’s Michael Kranish reported that Trump’s admission to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance — one of Trump’s go-to brags to play up his credentials — was hardly the feat he has claimed. In fact, Trump leaned on his older brother’s friendship with an admissions officer to get into the school. And even then, he was clearing a much lower bar than exists for acceptance to the prestigious school today. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 7/8/19