Updating . .
California, 21 states, sue Trump administration to block weaker air pollution rules -- California and 21 other states on Tuesday sued the Trump administration in an attempt to overturn its new rules on pollution from power plants, which the states described as an illegal giveaway to the coal industry that would worsen smog and climate change nationwide. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Don Thompson and Adam Beam Associated Press Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/19
California’s fight over fuel economy standards -- Top law enforcement officials in California and New York are leading 10 other states in an attempt to retain tougher penalties for automakers that violate fuel economy standards. Nahima Shaffer Capitol Weekly -- 8/13/19
Riverside shooting suspect was Vagos motorcycle gang member with criminal history, sources say -- The man who authorities say engaged officers in a violent gun battle during a traffic stop off the 215 Freeway in Riverside, killing one California Highway Patrol officer and wounding two others, was identified Tuesday as 49-year-old Aaron Luther. Hannah Fry, Richard Winton, James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/19
California officials warn of ‘unsustainable’ taxpayer costs in disaster bill -- SB290, sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, would authorize the governor to directly purchase policies and other financial products from insurance companies in hopes of mitigating California’s costs from natural disasters such as wildfires and floods. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
Facial recognition software mistook 1 in 5 California lawmakers for criminals, says ACLU -- California Assemblyman Phil Ting has never been arrested, but he was recently mistaken for a criminal. He’s not surprised. Ting (D-San Francisco), who authored a bill to ban facial recognition software from being used on police body cameras, was one of 26 California legislators who was incorrectly matched with a mug shot in a recent test of a common face-scanning program by the American Civil Liberties Union. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/13/19
California congressman pushes for delay of corruption trial -- U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter wants to push back his trial on charges of spending campaign cash on vacations and extramarital affairs while attorneys for the California Republican keep pressing to get the case dismissed. Julie Watson Associated Press -- 8/13/19
Dems’ new party leader Rusty Hicks faces challenges -- California’s Democratic Party is enjoying unprecedented prosperity, with command of the Legislature, all statewide offices, most of the state’s congressional delegation and a heavy registration advantage. And the party’s new leader wants to spread the wealth. Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 8/13/19
Democrats look to flip L.A. City Council seat in the Valley long held by Republicans -- In Chatsworth, Granada Hills and other parts of the northwestern San Fernando Valley, voters are headed to the polls Tuesday to decide who will fill a coveted seat on the Los Angeles City Council. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/19
Amid housing crisis, Culver City is the latest town to cap rents -- Culver City approved a temporary rent control measure early Tuesday morning, joining a handful of other Southern California cities that have boosted tenant protections as the state grapples with an affordability crisis. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/19
What about the Nazis? Lawmakers question ‘anti-Jewish’ curriculum for California schools -- California Jewish lawmakers are calling for revisions to a proposed state ethnic studies curriculum that they said promotes antisemitic stereotypes and unfairly criticizes Israel, according to a letter they sent to the Department of Education last month. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/13/19
Kamala Harris has missed plenty of votes while campaigning. She’s not alone -- The nation’s Capitol shuts down in August, and presidential candidates who serve in Congress are taking advantage by hitting the campaign trail. Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
Trump’s Push to Bring Back Jobs to U.S. Shows Limited Results -- Foreign investment in the United States grew at a slower annual pace in the first two years of Mr. Trump’s tenure than during Barack Obama’s presidency, according to Commerce Department data released in July. Jim Tankersley in the New York Times$ -- 8/13/19
Wide Open Walls artist says large penis painted in downtown Sacramento was joke -- A large painting of a penis that briefly occupied a prominent wall in downtown Sacramento on Monday, across from City Hall and near the county courthouse, appears to have been a practical joke by a Wide Open Walls artist. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/13/19
Quinn: The Democrats Plan For Voter Suppression -- Sacramento Democrats have come up with a clever way to suppress votes in the next primary, one that will keep hundreds of thousands of voters from the polls next March. This is a just passed law that forbids the Secretary of State from listing President Trump on the Republican primary ballot because he has not released his tax returns, which he obviously has no intention of doing. Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds -- 8/13/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
What does President Trump’s latest immigration crackdown mean for California? -- As President Donald Trump published controversial new rules on Monday making it harder for legal immigrants to get green cards if they use — or are likely to use — Medicaid, food stamps and other social safety net programs, California has reacted with anticipated outrage. Ben Christopher, Jackie Botts Calmatters -- 8/13/19
Wild shootout near 215 Freeway in Riverside leaves CHP officer and gunman dead -- A California Highway Patrol officer was killed and two other officers were wounded in a wild shootout Monday evening off the 215 Freeway in Riverside that also left the gunman dead and motorists dodging bullets. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Paloma Esquivel, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ Eric Licas, Ryan Hagen and Richard K. De Atley in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 8/13/19
Half-million in jewelry, electronics stolen from A-Rod’s SUV in San Francisco, sources say -- A thief smashed into baseball legend Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez’s rental vehicle Sunday night in San Francisco, making off with an estimated half-million dollars worth of jewelry and electronics, sources familiar with the investigation told The Chronicle. Evan Sernoffsky and Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
PG&E’s $105 million fund for wildfire victims expected to start taking applications soon -- A $105 million relief fund created by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and its parent company, which will give cash to those who lost their homes in wildfires, is set to begin taking applications soon, according to attorneys for wildfire victims. Melia Russell and J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
PG&E is accused of trying to dodge wildfire responsibilities -- PG&E was accused on Monday of attempting to dodge potential liabilities in a lethal Wine Country inferno, at a time when fire victims must wrestle with two separate deadlines to file claims related to a series of deadly blazes. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/13/19
Clean energy powers California climate emissions drop -- California is continuing to lower its greenhouse gas emissions, but the transportation sector remains a stubborn obstacle in the state’s aggressive fight against climate change, new data show. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$-- 8/13/19
A $25 million payment wasn’t enough to keep recycler open -- The largest recycler operating from supermarket parking lots in California, rePlanet, closed operations this month, despite receiving $25 million in payments from the state in 2018. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 8/13/19
Recycling Can Be A Lifeline For People In LA, But Places To Do It Keep Disappearing -- Under California law, you're entitled to a nickel or dime for each bottle or aluminum can you bring to a state-certified recycling center. But in many parts of Los Angeles, it's getting harder to find any centers that will take your empties. David Wagner laist -- 8/13/19
California’s Assembly Speaker On The Big Debates Facing Lawmakers Over The Session's Final Weeks -- As children head back to school, California lawmakers are back in session for five final weeks of work before adjourning next month. They’ve got more than 1,000 active bills on their plates — including some big issues like housing, charter schools and employee status. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 8/13/19
Oakland police officers who face termination over fatal 2018 shooting file suit against city -- Five Oakland police officers slated to be fired following a controversial 2018 shooting have filed a lawsuit against the city and its civilian police commission, asking a court to spare their jobs and formally clear them of wrongdoing related to the incident. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
No verdict in Ghost Ship trial after six days of deliberations -- Defendants Derick Almena, 49, and Max Harris, 29, are charged with 36 counts each of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of three dozen people who perished during the Dec. 2, 2016, warehouse fire in the Fruitvale district in East Oakland. Angela Ruggiero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/13/19
Election 2019: Here are all of San Francisco’s November ballot measures -- On Election Day, voters will consider the city’s largest-ever affordable housing bond, whether to tax Uber and Lyft rides, an initiative mandating more campaign finance disclosures, among others. Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
Shyong: Mass shooters seek notoriety, and we, the media, provide it. Is there another way? -- Tom Teves has told the story of losing his son Alex in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater so many times over the last seven years that the details come automatically. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Kaiser Permanente workers in California vote to approve strike -- A swath of Kaiser Permanente workers in California has voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike that could draw in more than 80,000 employees of the healthcare giant across the nation, according to the coalition of unions representing them. James B. Cutchin in the Los Angeles Times$ Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/13/19
After 5 strikes, thousands of health, research and technical workers ratify new UC contract -- After more than two years of bargaining and five strikes, roughly 16,000 health-care, research and technical workers at the University of California voted to ratify a new labor contract with their employer, according to the union’s website. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/13/19
Roose: The Phony Patriots of Silicon Valley -- Some of the largest tech companies are racing to cozy up to the government as they try to fend off regulation, our columnist writes. Their motives vary, but the game is the same: Salute the flag, save our bacon. Kevin Roose in the New York Times$ -- 8/13/19
Transit
SF commuters welcome back ‘beautiful’ Transbay transit center -- Supervisors wielding orange wands Monday morning waved buses into San Francisco’s Transbay transit center in the first weekday commute in more than 10 months, while a “bus fountain” on the rooftop park spurted jets of water into the air as if in long-anticipated celebration. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
Biggest Bay Area transportation projects — and when they'll be done -- As more people come to the Bay Area and the trips to and from work become longer, commuters frequently find themselves white-knuckling the steering wheel, jostling for space on a bus or train, or simply dreaming of better days. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/13/19
Uber plans to stop going to Ontario airport -- The airport east of Los Angeles now charges ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft $4 for a drop-off or pickup, up from $3. The new fees went into effect July 1. San Francisco-based Uber has called the charges unfair, saying taxi cabs and limousines are assessed a single $3 fee that covers both a drop-off and a pickup. It plans to halt service to the airport starting Sept. 13. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/19
Housing
Why Is It So Expensive To Build A Home In California? Developer Fees Could Be One Reason -- The residential “impact fees” that local governments charge developers are one reason it’s so expensive to build a home in California. They’re not only costly, they’re also unpredictable, lack transparency and can threaten a project’s viability, according to a new state-commissioned study by UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation. Chris Nichols Capital Public Radio -- 8/13/19
Education
CSU head answers lawmakers’ questions about secret $1.5 billion reserve fund -- After a state audit indicated in June that California State University amassed a surplus of more than $1.5 billion over the past decade while doubling tuition to nearly $6,000 a year, state lawmakers grilled CSU Chancellor Timothy White Monday, demanding to know why. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Adam Beam Associated Press -- 8/13/19
Revised bill proposes later school start times for California middle, high school students -- After former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill last year that proposed starting middle and high school times later to give teens more time to sleep, the bill’s author started working to bring it back again this year. Theresa Harrington EdSource -- 8/13/19
Tracking California’s higher education bills -- The bills would address a range of issues, including financial aid, student debt, homelessness and access to college for undocumented students, among others. Michael Burke EdSource -- 8/13/19
POTUS 45
‘Everything that we hold dear’: From race to plastic straws, Trump dials up culture wars in divisive play for 2020 votes -- George W. Bush had “freedom fries,” Sarah Palin had the “Big Gulp” and Dan Quayle had the Hollywood portrayal of an unwed single mother named Murphy Brown. For President Trump, it’s paper straws — the latest addition to an ever-growing list of cultural flash points his campaign is seeking to highlight as part of a base-focused reelection effort. Toluse Olorunnipa and Ashley Parker in the Washington Post$ -- 8/13/19
Beltway
What California knows about Kamala Harris -- What most Americans are still just beginning to learn about California’s junior senator, we’ve seen here for decades. Here are eight ways that California shaped Kamala Harris and that Harris has shaped California. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 8/13/19
-- Monday Updates
Trump weakens Endangered Species Act, California state promises to put up a fight -- Already, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has threatened to sue the federal government over the changes while California lawmakers are reaffirming support of legislation that would counter the move, at least in the Golden State. Known as the “Trump Insurance” law, Senate Bill 1, if passed, would empower local and state governments in California to maintain all federal environmental laws in place before President Trump took office. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/12/19
Judge orders Vallejo to release cop’s employment records in excessive force lawsuit -- United States Magistrate Judge Allison Claire issued her 19-page ruling this week ordering Spencer Muniz-Bottomley records be turned over to the plaintiffs in a federal excessive force case against the city of Vallejo and several of its police officers. John Glidden, Nate Gartrell in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/12/19
San Jose mayor wants to require liability insurance for gun owners -- San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is today proposing a city ordinance that would require firearm owners to either carry liability insurance or pay a fee to cover public costs of gun violence to the city. Kim Hart Axios Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/12/19
Bricks, death threats and fury: A last-ditch fight against California’s vaccine crackdown -- Lawmakers sponsoring the bill say they’ve been receiving death threats for months. Someone in June mailed Assembly members dozens of bricks etched with appeals to kill the measure. On Twitter, celebrities heckle vaccine proponents and each side warns of deadly consequences. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/12/19
Parents block California’s effort to investigate ‘fake’ vaccine exemptions -- California medical regulators have been flooded with complaints about doctors accused of writing improper vaccine exemptions for children, with at least 186 accusations filed in the last four years. But a large number of those complaints— more than 40% so far — have been closed. Only one doctor has been disciplined. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/12/19
Sexual misconduct allegations against California doctors rise sharply since #MeToo era began -- The Berkeley pediatrician was treating a teenager for anxiety and panic attacks. A few months into his therapy appointments, he began showing the boy pictures of men masturbating as well as other pornographic images, according to state documents. Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/12/19
California lawmaker’s chief of staff ‘grabbed’ colleague’s breasts, investigation finds -- An investigation into sexual harassment allegations against a California assemblyman’s former chief of staff found merit to claims that he inappropriately touched a colleague, according to a Friday announcement from the Legislature. The heavily redacted documents outline allegations against Mark Lomeli, including two claims made in 2018 by unidentified legislative employees. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/12/19
CalRecycle’s ‘gross mismanagement’ led to recycling chain’s closure, letter to Newsom says -- The leadership of CalRecycle must drastically change or else be sacked and replaced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to a letter written to the governor from the head of a consumer advocacy group, just days after the largest recycling chain in California shuttered all remaining locations. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/12/19
Sacramento County left $126M in state mental health funds unspent. Now it has a new plan -- Under the plan, the county will expand existing programs helping children and adults with mental health issues, and fund community organizations focused on prevention and early intervention services. Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/12/19
Pregnant or trying? Here’s how to get the most out of California’s new paid family leave law -- California recently approved a longer paid family leave, allowing workers whose blessed events fall on the right side of the new law to take up to eight weeks off with partial pay to bond with a new baby. How’s that going to work? We asked the experts and read the fine print to help you figure it out now, before you’re too sleep deprived to think straight. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 8/12/19
Horse Racing Doesn’t Have a Standard Concussion Protocol For Jockeys. Now, California Wants To Create One -- After riding horses for 37 years — much of it as a professional jockey — Frank Alvarado has seen his share of head injuries. Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio -- 8/12/19
Covered California draws more insurers after state moves to bolster Obamacare -- Felicia Morrison is eager to find a health plan for next year that costs less than the one she has and covers more of the medical services she needs for her chronic autoimmune disease. Steven Findlay Kaiser Health News via the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/12/19
Oakland dominates SF in housing production -- Builders in Oakland are on course to create more new housing units than San Francisco this year, a notable role reversal for a city that has long produced far less residential development than its wealthier and more bustling neighbor across the bay. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/12/19
7 women report being drugged while drinking in Davis. 3 were sexually assaulted, police say -- After a May report that three women believed they were drugged while drinking at downtown Davis bars, police in the university town said Monday they have received seven more reports from victims who also believe they were drugged while drinking in Davis, authorities say. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/12/19
Equinox developer targeted by anti-Trump protesters is big player in downtown L.A. -- The billionaire real estate developer whose support for President Trump sparked calls for a consumer boycott is also behind one of the flashiest redevelopment projects coming to downtown Los Angeles. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/12/19
New Trump rules would further restrict legal immigration -- The Trump administration is moving forward with one of its most aggressive steps yet to restrict legal immigration, denying green cards to many migrants who use Medicaid, food stamps, housing vouchers or other forms of public assistance, officials said announced Monday. Colleen Long Associated Press -- 8/12/19
Churches struggle to comfort Latinos feeling besieged in a Trump era marked by hate, fear -- Estrada’s sermon on Sunday at the Church of the Epiphany centered on embracing immigrants and dealing with fear. He spoke of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Missippipi and the shooting in El Paso that have instilled deep-seated anxiety in the Latino community. He urged parishioners to use vigilance and unity to overcome their apprehension . Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/12/19
Trump overhauls endangered species protections -- The Trump administration on Monday rolled out some of the broadest changes in decades to enforcement of the landmark Endangered Species Act, allowing the government to put an economic cost on saving a species and other changes critics contend could speed extinction for some struggling plants and animals. Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press -- 8/12/19
Fox: The Governor Wants Rent Caps -- Calling for a rent cap bill for all California, Governor Gavin Newsom said such a measure is long overdue. While Newsom sees this as a temporary solution to the state’s housing crisis, his advocacy for a new law will renew the debate over rent control and set into motion some interesting political machinations. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 8/12/19