Updating . .
Newsom authorizes $21 billion fund to protect utilities from fire costs -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the major wildfire bill he has championed into law Friday, taking his most decisive step yet to reduce some of the risks surrounding the state’s investor-owned electric companies and respond to a crisis he has been dealing with since the start of his term this year. J.D. Morris and Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
California’s new wildfire plan: 5 things to know -- Is this a utilities bailout? Will it help prevent future fires? How will all this work? Here's a breakdown of the new plan California lawmakers are putting in place. Julie Cart Calmatters -- 7/12/19
California governor taps new top utilities regulator -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he is tapping Marybel Batjer to serve as the state’s top utilities regulator. Batjer will serve as president of the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees power companies and other services. Associated Press -- 7/12/19
Trump called Oakland mayor a ‘disgrace’ for revealing ICE raids. Then he did the same thing -- When Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf tipped residents off last year that immigration agents would be conducting enforcement operations, President Trump called her actions a “disgrace.” Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/12/19
Family of Anaheim girl shot by an officer cries for ‘answers that we deserve’ -- On the evening she died, Hannah Williams jumped into a rental car to run an errand a few miles from her home. But without a driver’s license — the teen lifeguard had just applied for a learner’s permit — her family believes that it’s likely she didn’t know what to do when she ended up on an Anaheim highway. Anh Do in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/12/19
Lake Tahoe fills to the top as massive winter snows melt -- If you visit Lake Tahoe this summer, the beaches might seem a little smaller than they were a few years ago. It’s not an optical illusion. Large sections of them really are underwater. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/12/19
Miscarriage leave, a benefit no one wants to use, on the rise -- The day after the miscarriage, Julia and Jack Altman watched “Friday Night Lights” reruns and ordered a lot of restaurant takeout. Julia, who was then working part time as a nurse practitioner, called in sick for two more days. She was tired. Sad. The time off, she said, let her recalibrate. Melia Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
L.A. County sheriff’s sex crimes detective admits assaulting girl in case he investigated -- The Ventura County district attorney’s office announced Wednesday that Neil David Kimball, 46, of Agoura pleaded guilty to a lewd act with a child and unlawful sexual intercourse. He is expected to be sentenced to three years in prison as part of a plea agreement and must register as a sex offender. Alexa Díaz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/12/19
Battling rats at the CalEPA headquarters: poison, traps and hourly patrols -- By the end of June, CalEPA had ordered security guards to conduct hourly patrols of a courtyard where rats were breeding and burrowing and getting closer to the agency’s building at 1001 I Street. An agency undersecretary announced the measure in a June 28 email, the third in a series detailing an escalating infestation attributed to construction in the downtown area. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/12/19
Is mass poisoning the only way to solve the Farallon Islands' overwhelming rodent problem? -- There are so many mice on the Farallon Islands that sometimes the ground appears to be undulating, a gently rolling tide of rodents. Katie Dowd in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Bretón: This California leader has history of harassing women at CalPERS. It doesn’t seem to matter -- In many respects, Sacramento is one of the epicenters of the #MeToo movement. It was here, in the capital of California, that brave women such as lobbyist Adama Iwu challenged the toxic male culture festering under the state Capitol dome by telling their stories of abuse and harassment at the hands of influential men in state politics. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/12/19
Exemptions Could Doom Dynamex Bill -- The Achilles heal of the bill to define workers role in the gig economy just might be a growing list of exemptions in the measure. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/12/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
California governor orders firing of oil, gas regulator -- Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the firing of California’s top oil and gas regulator Thursday over an increase in state permits for hydraulic fracturing and allegations of conflicts of interest among senior government officials. Newsom’s chief of staff asked the state’s natural resources secretary to dismiss Ken Harris, who was appointed to lead the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources in 2015. Andrew Oxford Associated Press -- 7/12/19
Taylor: Calling police on black people over petty matters: There’s a reason these videos go viral -- We’ve seen this scene before in the Bay Area — a white person calling the police on a black person in a video that explodes on social media like a fireworks display. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Newer buildings show little damage after California quakes -- The two Southern California desert communities rocked by last week’s powerful earthquakes may have sustained as little damage as they did because they have no tall buildings and many of the homes in one are fairly new and were built to stricter earthquake standards. John Rogers Associated Press -- 7/12/19
Ridgecrest earthquakes caused damage to Earth’s crust seen from satellite -- Damage to the earth’s crust from the magnitude 6.4 and 7.1 earthquakes that struck Southern California last week is visible in a kaleidoscopic satellite image released by NASA. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/12/19
Sweeping mental health proposal pulled from November ballot -- Two San Francisco supervisors agreed Thursday to postpone a sweeping ballot measure to overhaul the city’s mental health care system, following weeks of heavy pushback from Mayor London Breed and the Department of Public Health. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Ghost Ship trial: Prosecutors use defendant’s words against him -- Nearly two years ago, Ghost Ship trial defendant Derick Almena sat for an emotional interview with a local television station, firing back at his critics and professing his innocence in the 2016 Oakland warehouse fire that killed 36 people. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Trump judges key votes on keeping family-planning restrictions in place for now -- A federal appeals court granted requests Thursday by California, other states and reproductive-rights advocates to reconsider the Trump administration’s restrictions on federal family-planning funding, which prohibit agencies receiving the funds from referring women for abortions. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Tom Steyer wants to fix American politics by making it Californian -- The wealthy, progressive hedge-fund manager has a plan to fix American politics. Ballot referenda, term limits, voting by mail. Sound familiar? You might be a Californian. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 7/12/19
Conflicting information on breached jail phone calls sends Orange County defense attorneys to court -- The Orange County Jail phone vendor that improperly recorded attorney-client calls has floated so much conflicting information that no one knows just how many calls were breached, according to the Public Defender’s Office. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 7/12/19
Jury orders San Bernardino County to pay $113.4 million to boy rendered quadriplegic by child abuse -- A San Bernardino County jury has awarded $113.4 million to a 10-year-old boy and his mother, primarily blaming Children and Family Services for a brutal beating that left the boy with severe brain damage and rendered him a quadriplegic. Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 7/12/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Bubble Watch: California’s venture capital cash for startups balloons to record high -- Despite all the debate about the quality of California’s business climate, venture capitalists invested $82 billion in 2,360 California companies in the 12 months ended in June. That’s up 62% in a year. It’s up 137% above the decade’s average investment pace. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 7/12/19
Disneyland is cutting budgets and shows during slower than normal summer season, blog reports -- One of the most popular Disneyland fan blogs is reporting that company officials have instituted resort-wide budget cutbacks in Anaheim, including shows, and freezing some positions in the wake of an unexpectedly slow summer attendance season. Marla Jo Fisher in the Orange County Register -- 7/12/19
4,000 California mental health workers reject Kaiser contract offer by wide margin -- The National Union of Healthcare Workers announced Thursday that 4,000 members of the union had soundly rejected Kaiser Permanente’s contract offer, saying the proposal failed to remedy the long wait times for California patients seeking mental health treatment. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/12/19
Homeless
LA police chief aims to wipe out minor warrants for homeless -- Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said he is working to eliminate thousands of homeless people’s old warrants for minor offenses in the coming weeks as part of a solution to help get people off the streets. Stefanie Dazio Associated Press -- 7/12/19
Homeless vets hit the road to new life with Caltrans jobs -- Caltrans began hiring homeless veterans for freeway crews two years ago, and it recently doubled the number of workers because of the program’s success. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/12/19
Housing
SF supes kill Breed’s proposal to streamline affordable housing -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors quashed Mayor London Breed’s proposed charter amendment Thursday that aimed to streamline the approval of affordable housing projects. Breed needed the support of the majority of supervisors to get the plan on the November ballot. She didn’t get it. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
‘I’m scared:’ Single mother of five fights eviction from SF public housing -- McClendon’s case is a distressing illustration of how precarious it can be for the city's low-income families to hold on to their homes and how high the stakes are for people caught in the middle of a housing crisis. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Southern California homeowners rush to sell: Most listings since 2014 -- The last time Southern Californians had more homes on the market at mid-year was 2014. According to ReportsOnHousing, there were 36,904 existing residences in the four-county region listed for sale as of June 27. Yes, that’s a five-year high for the mid-point of a year — a key seasonal moment near the end of the usual prime homebuying season. Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 7/12/19
Wildfire
‘We will not let you die today!’ Dramatic new firefighter video shows Camp Fire chaos -- California fire officials this week published a dramatic video documentary showing glimpses inside the chaotic and lethal first few hours of last fall’s Camp Fire from the perspective of the firefighters who rushed in. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/12/19
Education
A.J. Duffy, a combative, colorful leader of L.A. teachers union, dies at 75 -- In his mid-20s, A.J. Duffy seemed unlikely to accomplish anything: Despite a comfortable upbringing, he couldn’t even read. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/12/19
New charter schools to open this fall despite efforts to curb growth -- It took Tiffany Gilmore 14 months, two failed petitions to the Moreno Valley school board and two appeals to the Riverside County Board of Education before she secured approval to open her charter school. Michael Burke EdSource -- 7/12/19
Immigration / Border
Even immigrants in US legally deal with fear and ‘chaos’ as ICE raids loom -- The raids may happen or they may be canceled again at the last minute, as they were last month. Either way, the prospect is sowing fear, confusion and panic in many families like Diana Hidalgo’s. Diana is only 17, but she’s lived long enough to know what even the prospect of such raids will lead to for family, friends and neighbors in Antioch: “chaos.” Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
‘More than anything, it’s just really exhausting’: Threat of ICE raids sparks fear, activism in Bay Area immigrant communities -- The prospect of nationwide immigration raids starting this weekend has spread fear in the Bay Area’s immigrant communities and added new urgency to local advocates’ efforts to defend undocumented residents across the region. Casey Tolan, Ethan Baron and Ali Tadayon in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/12/19
Planned immigration raids renew fear in local communities -- Local migrant advocate groups and people in immigrant communities are preparing for large-scale raids targeting thousands of immigrants, which are scheduled to begin Sunday in at least 10 major U.S. cities. Wendy Fry in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/12/19
Water
California lawmakers seek to slow desert water project -- A project to pump billions of gallons of water out from under the Mojave Desert and sell it to people in Southern California could be slowed by a bill approved for the first time on Thursday by the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 7/12/19
Health
Bill and Susan Oberndorf give $25 million to UCSF for psychiatric research -- Through their eponymous foundation, the couple pledged to give $20 million to the UCSF Department of Psychiatry, to be used at the discretion of its chairman, Dr. Matthew State. The remaining $5 million is specifically intended to help create new psychiatric and neuroscientific therapies. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/12/19
Environment
Coastal Commission rejects proposal to restrict off-roading at Oceano Dunes — at least for now -- After six hours of heated testimony from conservationists and off-road vehicle enthusiasts, the California Coastal Commission on Thursday rejected the recommendation of its staff and voted against restricting vehicle access to Oceano Dunes — at least for the time being. Rosanna Xia and Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/12/19
DDT contaminants in marine mammals may threaten California condor recovery -- The California condor’s dramatic recovery from near-extinction was aided by removal of toxic substances from the land, which accumulated in animals whose carrion they ate. But that recovery may be threatened in coastal condors by DDT-related contaminants in marine mammals, according to a preliminary study led by an SDSU researcher. Bradley J. Fikes in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/12/19
Also . . .
A Southern California Without Orange Groves? One of the Last Could Soon Be Gone -- Drive through the San Fernando Valley and it is easy to spot the hallmarks of suburban Southern California: streets lined with palm trees, carefully sheared hedges and red-tiled roofs, a blur of tidy development. But turn a corner in one neighborhood and a 12-acre orange grove comes brightly into view. Jose A. Del Real and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs in the New York Times$ -- 7/12/19
Appeals court revives lawsuit over controversial 2015 SDPD shooting in Midway -- The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the suit filed by family of Fridoon Nehad should not have been dismissed because of questions over whether the shooting was justified. The ruling also opens the way to explore how SDPD handles reviews of police shootings. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Tom Fudge KPBS -- 7/12/19
POTUS 45
In a single day, Trump shows his 2020 cards -- President Donald Trump is on a mission to show supporters he’s still the same fighter they elected. He pushed back against establishment Washington on Thursday with a one-two punch — first by giving conservative bloggers a space to air their grievances about anti-conservative media bias, then by announcing an executive order to collect data about immigrants after the courts blocked him from adding a citizenship question to the census. Anita Kumar Politico -- 7/12/19
'Lame duck failure': Trump assails Paul Ryan after book details criticism -- President Donald Trump late Thursday blasted former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan as a "lame duck failure" who lost the majority because of "poor leadership and bad timing." Christian Vasquez Politico -- 7/12/19
Trump kisses a campaign aide on video. His lawyers say it clears him; hers say it’s proof -- Attorneys for Donald Trump say the video of the president embracing then-campaign staffer Alva Johnson in 2016 refutes her allegations that Trump forcibly kissed her without consent. Johnson’s attorneys say that, if nothing else, the footage proves her claims were truthful. Michael Brice-Saddler in the Washington Post$ -- 7/12/19
Beltway
Sanders and Warren voters have astonishingly little in common -- Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are two of the most ideologically aligned candidates in the Democratic primary — both left-wing populists who rail against a “rigged” economic system. But the fellow enemies of the 1 percent have surprisingly different bases of support. Holly Otterbein Politico -- 7/12/19
-- Thursday Updates
California lawmakers OK Newsom plan to tap utility customers $10.5 billion for wildfire costs -- California lawmakers on Thursday hastily approved complex legislation to overhaul the state’s method of paying for utility wildfire damages at the urging of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has sought to calm Wall Street concerns about liability. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ Jim Christie Reuters 7/11/19
Lawmakers OK giving Trump a choice: Release taxes or skip California primary -- The matter is now in the hands of Gov. Gavin Newsom, after the state Senate gave final approval Thursday to SB27, which would require presidential candidates to release their last five years of income tax returns in order to be eligible for the primary election in California. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/11/19
Steamy allegations complicate GOP congressman’s bid to keep seat, avoid prison -- For GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter, getting re-elected next year is the least of his concerns. Right now, he has to be worried about whether he will make it to the November 2020 ballot at all. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/11/19
“We’re moving forward:” SF starts shelter construction, despite lawsuit -- San Francisco is moving ahead on building a 200-bed Navigation Center on the Embarcadero, despite looming legal challenges that could stop the construction. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/11/19
Before the double-dealing allegations, there were red flags over $30-million DWP contract -- The head of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s contracting division was alarmed: Top DWP executives wanted to give a $30-million, no-bid contract to a new consulting company to fix the utility’s billing system. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/11/19
FBI investigating tattooed deputy gangs in Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department -- The FBI is investigating a secret society of tattooed deputies in East Los Angeles as well as similar gang-like groups elsewhere within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, multiple people familiar with the inquiry said. Maya Lau and Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/11/19
UCLA knew of doctor sex abuse allegation in 2014 but didn’t fire him for four years -- UCLA Medical Center learned in 2014 that a breast cancer patient had made abuse allegations against gynecologist Dr. James Mason Heaps, but officials did not move to fire him until four years later, after more accusations came to light, university records obtained by The Times and interviews show. Richard Winton and Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/11/19
How much is Apple’s spaceship headquarters worth? Now we have the answer -- The tech giant’s circular headquarters in Cupertino was assessed at $3.6 billion by Santa Clara County for property tax purposes. The valuation doesn’t perfectly coincide with its market value — how much it would sell for — but is based off a detailed appraisal of the building, which opened in 2017. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/11/19
They’re young, they have a college degree, they’re coming to California. Who are they? -- It’s no secret that not everybody loves the Golden State. In fact, more people are moving out of California than are moving into it from other states. Yet the population of California continues to expand. Births, an influx of international immigration and a wave of young, college-educated adults moving in are combining to keep the state growing. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/11/19
Social workers didn’t remove boy from his home despite court order. He later died -- Los Angeles County caseworkers allowed 4-year-old Noah Cuatro to remain in his parents’ home despite a court order in May — weeks before the Palmdale boy died under what authorities say are suspicious circumstances, according to two sources who have reviewed court documents. Garrett Therolf and Alyson Stamos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/11/19
Deported airman’s mother inspires bill to protect ‘patriot parents’ -- Every day, Caesar Flores, a senior airman in the Air Force, thinks about his mother. She supported his decision to enlist at 19 and was there to cheer him on when he graduated from basic training in September 2016. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/11/19
US poised to begin immigration enforcement operation -- A nationwide immigration enforcement operation targeting people who are in the United States illegally is expected to begin this weekend after it was postponed last month by President Donald Trump, according to two administration officials and immigrant activists. Sophia Tareen and Colleen Long Associated Press -- 7/11/19
UCLA professor faces 219 years in prison for send U.S. missle chips to China -- An adjunct UCLA professor of electrical engineering faces 219 years in federal prison for conspiring to export semiconductor chips with military applications to China. Yi-Chi Shih, 64, was found guilty June 26 of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The federal law makes certain unauthorized exports illegal. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/11/19
Armless, legless South Bay football coach honored at ESPYS has a message for you -- Rob Mendez was just a little tyke when college basketball coach and broadcaster Jim Valvano made his resonant speech at the 1993 ESPYS upon receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Gary Peterson in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/11/19
Colin Kaepernick's skin appears darkened in Republican campaign fundraiser ad -- Former NFL star Colin Kaepernick did not look like himself in a fundraising email that was sent by the National Republican Congressional Committee on Wednesday. The message included a picture of Kaepernick that appeared noticeably altered to make his skin darker, an attack ad tactic that has been used before and is considered by many as racist. Hunter Walker Yahoo News -- 7/11/19
Tom Steyer facing tough deadline to qualify for crucial Democratic debates -- Tom Steyer may have only just now entered the presidential race, but there’s a chance the former hedge fund manager from San Francisco could qualify for the Democratic Party’s crucial next round of debates at the end of the month. A slim chance, but a chance. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/11/19