Updating . .
Trump skips Gilroy first responders in honoring mass-shooting heroes -- President Trump gave medals and commendations to police and bystanders who responded to deadly mass shootings last month in Ohio and Texas, but did not include any of the officers who ended the fatal attack at the Gilroy Garlic Festival days earlier. Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Trump pushing for major crackdown on homeless camps in California, with aides discussing moving residents to government-backed facilities -- But it is unclear how they could accomplish this and what legal authority they would use. It is also unclear whether the state’s Democratic politicians would cooperate with Trump, who has sought to embarrass them over the homelessness crisis with repeated attacks on their competency. Jeff Stein, Tracy Jan, Josh Dawsey and Ashley Parker in the Washington Post$ -- 9/10/19
Death of 3 babies born to mothers in custody added to federal lawsuit against Orange County jail -- A federal lawsuit alleging broad civil rights abuses at the Orange County jail was amended Monday to add more victims, including three babies who died in custody shortly after birth and an inmate who has spent nearly five years in disciplinary isolation. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 9/10/19
California boat fire: Raising sunken Conception is a crucial step as investigation widens -- Officials will attempt to raise the sunken Conception — where 34 people died in a boat fire on Labor Day — as the investigation into the disaster intensified. Sources familiar with the probe said the boat could be towed back to shore as soon as Wednesday. Poor weather stopped the effort this weekend. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
After fire, divers worry that burst of regulations will restrain free-spirited sport -- While federal regulators investigate the Sept. 2 Conception dive boat fire that killed 34 people off the Santa Barbara coast, California divers are wondering what may become of their beloved pastime. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
SFO: More than 1,200 flights delayed, canceled in 4 days — and more expected -- The closure of San Francisco International Airport’s busiest runway for repairs has caused more than a thousand flight delays and hundreds of cancellations in less than four days — and more headaches are expected Tuesday. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Debate offers Harris chance to regain momentum in 2020 race -- Seven months after Kamala Harris burst into the race for the Democratic presidential nomination with a flag-draped launch rally and the confidence of a front-runner, the California senator is facing persistent questions about whether she can recapture the energy of her campaign’s opening days. Juana Summers and Julie Pace Associated Press -- 9/10/19
1,100 firefighters battling Walker Fire, California’s biggest blaze in 2019 -- The fire, which is California’s largest wildfire this year, had burned 47,340 acres and was 12% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service. At least 1,096 fire officials from an assortment of agencies have been assigned to the firefighting efforts. Alejandro Serrano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
BART officials put an end to those modified fare gates at Fruitvale -- The gates, installed in July, succeeded in at least one measure, reducing fare evasion by 17 percent. But they also created an “unreasonable maintenance burden,” largely because fare cheats kick the plates when jumping over them, Assistant General Manager Tamar Allen wrote in a memo to BART’s Board of Directors. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
California’s insurance chief vowed not to take industry money. Records show he did, and knew it -- California’s top regulator of insurance companies sought campaign contributions from the industry and partied with one of its lobbyists after winning his election last year, according to records and social media posts obtained by The Sacramento Bee. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/10/19
Ballot targeted for $5.5 billion stem cell initiative -- Backers of a California ballot initiative to provide $5.5 billion more for the state’s cash-strapped stem cell agency say they will take their first official step by the end of this month. David Jensen Capitol Weekly -- 9/10/19
If Joe Biden’s campaign implodes, Michael Bennet is ready -- Bennet has sounded like Biden’s id at times during the campaign, throwing cold water on progressive ideas like Medicare for all that the former vice president doesn’t want to oppose too vociferously for fear of alienating liberal voters. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Fox: Two-Thirds Vote Needed for Some Local Taxes? Who Knows? -- Does it take a two-thirds vote or a majority vote of the people to raise local taxes placed on the ballot via the initiative process? Answer: No one knows—yet. Like many policy debates, it will take a state Appeals Court or the California Supreme Court to decide. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/10/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
California vaccine bills signed by Newsom as protesters are arrested at Capitol -- California will enact sweeping new restrictions on medical exemptions for vaccines under bills signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, despite near-constant protests in the state Capitol that resulted in arrests after opponents blocked entrances to the statehouse and temporarily shut down legislative sessions. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Don Thompson Associated Press Katie Orr KQED Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Sophia Bollag and Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ Chuck McFadden Capitol Weekly -- 9/10/19
Uber circulates new gig-work bill as alternative to AB5 -- Assembly Bill 5, the groundbreaking legislation to turn many contract workers in California into employees, is headed for the Senate floor this week and seems likely to pass — especially since Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week he supports it. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
PG&E’s plan to exit bankruptcy has nearly $18 billion for fire claims -- PG&E Corp.’s proposal to resolve its bankruptcy case includes setting aside nearly $18 billion to pay claims from the devastating wildfires started by its power lines in recent years, but less than half of that is intended for individual victims. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Daisy Nguyen Associated Press George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ Lily Jamali KQED -- 9/10/19
Federal judge reinstates nationwide injunction against Trump’s asylum rule -- A federal judge reinstated a nationwide injunction Monday against a Trump administration rule that would deny asylum to most immigrants at the southern border. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
NRA sues San Francisco after supervisors label it a ‘terrorist organization’ -- The National Rifle Association, labeled a “domestic terrorist organization” by San Francisco supervisors last week, fired back with a federal lawsuit Monday, saying the supervisors’ resolution was a “blacklist” that violates freedom of speech. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Lisa Marie Pane Associated Press -- 9/10/19
Authorities hope to interview previous scuba boat passengers -- Authorities conducting a criminal investigation into the deadly scuba diving boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Southern California plan to interview previous patrons of the boat company to determine what kind of safety information they were provided during trips, a law enforcement source said. Stefanie Dazio and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 9/10/19
CA Democrats try again to provide health care to needy undocumented seniors -- The bill would expand Medi-Cal to low-income undocumented immigrants age 65 and older starting next July— and would inch California closer to covering to all immigrants in the state illegally. Elizabeth Aguilera Calmatters -- 9/10/19
Facing police opposition, California lawmakers limit bill to ban facial recognition -- Legislation that originally sought to permanently ban California law enforcement agencies from using facial recognition technology in police body cameras has been drastically watered down as it heads for its final votes in the state Capitol. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 9/10/19
California Lawmakers Vote to Undo N.C.A.A. Amateurism -- Skinner, who was elected to the State Senate three years ago, produced a bill that would allow college athletes in California to be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness — be they basketball stars signing their own marketing deals or water polo players advertising offers of swim lessons. Billy Witz in the New York Times$ -- 9/10/19
48 states are probing Google on antitrust grounds. Why isn’t California? -- Attorneys general from nearly every U.S. state have jointly launched an investigation into Google’s “potential monopolistic behavior.” Notable for its absence: California, Google’s home state. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
SF Mayor, supes announce plan to help save residential treatment homes for city’s vulnerable -- The facilities — commonly referred to as board-and-care sites — are home-like environments that provide 24/7 support for the low-income, mentally ill, elderly and formerly homeless. San Francisco has lost more than a quarter of its board-and-care beds since 2012 and is at risk of losing dozens more over the next few years. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Prop. 47, realignment helping lower arrest rate in California, study finds -- Arrest rates in California have declined sharply over the past four decades, coinciding with an overall decline in crime around the state and country. But two recent progressive reforms to the state’s criminal justice system are also significantly driving down arrests around California, a new study released Monday found. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Republican Famela Ramos enters race for Rep. Susan Davis’s soon-to-be open seat -- Ramos, who had previously announced a challenge to Rep. Scott Peters in the neighboring district, is the first Republican to enter the race. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/10/19
Islamic Group Accuses Rep. Hunter Of War Crimes During His Service In Iraq -- Members of the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) made their case outside Hunter’s El Cajon office Monday. The group said it has collected more than 8,000 signatures asking for the U.S. House of Representatives to investigate Hunter actions while in combat. Matt Hoffman KPBS -- 9/10/19
Issa Appears Likely To Run For Duncan Hunter’s Congressional Seat -- Former Congressman Darrell Issa said over the weekend he'll run for Duncan Hunter's 50th District Congressional seat if he isn't appointed to a position in the Trump administration soon. Tom Fudge KPBS -- 9/10/19
ACLU, Mercy San Juan will square off in San Francisco court over transgender rights -- The American Civil Liberties Union will square off once again against Mercy San Juan Medical Center in a San Francisco courtroom on Tuesday, asking that an appeals court overturn a lower-court ruling allowing the Carmichael-based hospital to deny hysterectomies to transgender patients. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/10/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
‘A massive mess’: SFO runway construction delays mount despite reduced flights -- Stuck halfway between Hong Kong and Montreal, Melanie Pinard sat on one of her bags at the United Airlines departure area at San Francisco International Airport Monday morning wondering how to get home. Mallory Moench and Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Kaiser announces ‘last, best and final’ contract offer for 4,000 California workers -- Kaiser Permanente has provided some 4,000 mental health care workers and other California employees with its final, three-year labor proposal, but union representatives aren’t happy. Kevin Smith in the Orange County Register -- 9/10/19
Small-plane pilots still worry new John Wayne Airport plans will squeeze them out -- A small aircraft association and groups that advocate limiting noise and pollution from John Wayne Airport will press county officials Tuesday, Sept. 10, to tweak a proposal that could shape the future of general aviation in Orange County for years to come. Alicia Robinson in the Orange County Register -- 9/10/19
Why Older Uber Drivers Earn Less Than Younger Ones -- Older workers have been tapping into the gig economy in California. Some aren’t ready to retire. Others may face age discrimination when looking for other jobs. David Wagner KPCC via Capital Public Radio -- 9/10/19
McClatchy calls Rep. Devin Nunes’ lawsuit ‘cynical’; asks Virginia judge to toss it -- McClatchy in a new court motion called Rep. Devin Nunes’ lawsuit against the media company a “cynical maneuver to score cheap political points” and argued the case should be dismissed because it does not belong in the Virginia court where the California Republican filed it. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/10/19
Juul Illegally Marketed E-Cigarettes, F.D.A. Says -- Juul Labs, the dominant e-cigarette company, illegally marketed its vaping products as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration said on Monday, casting a deepening shadow over the safety of e-cigarette devices. Sheila Kaplan and Matt Richtel in the New York Times$ -- 9/10/19
Transit
BART kicks off $96.5 million project to replace 41 downtown escalators in 6 years -- The project, funded by voter-approved Measure RR, was prompted by a state of crumbling disarray that has plagued escalators around the city, said Bevan Dufty, president of the BART Board of Directors. Many 40-year-old escalators have been in use twice as long as intended. Constant repairs leave them “held together with paper clips,” he said. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Homeless
SF may continue building waterfront homeless shelter, unless opponents prove ‘irreparable harm’ -- Opponents to a 200-bed Navigation Center on the Embarcadero must prove the temporary shelter will cause nearby residents “irreparable harm” if they want the city to halt the construction, a San Francisco Superior Court judge said Monday. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Housing
LA County to vote on permanent rent control -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is set to vote Tuesday on whether to make temporary rent control restrictions in the county’s unincorporated neighborhoods permanent. Bianca Barragan Curbed Los Angeles -- 9/10/19
Education
Former USC gynecologist who was accused of abusing patients surrenders his medical license -- The former USC gynecologist accused of mistreating scores of patients has surrendered his medical license, state officials said Monday. The announcement came two months after George Tyndall was arrested and charged with committing more than two dozen felonies at the campus clinic where he practiced for decades. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
California law bars suspensions for talking back to teachers -- California’s elementary and middle school students won’t be suspended for things like falling asleep in class or talking back to the teacher under a bill signed by the state’s governor. Adam Beam Associated Press Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/10/19
Allegations against USC’s George Tyndall inspire lawmakers to take action -- California lawmakers on Monday acted to temporarily lift the statute of limitations on lawsuits for damages over sex abuse allegations against former USC campus gynecologist George Tyndall, accusations that were brought to light in a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by the Los Angeles Times. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
California’s charter schools face uncertain future under a new state law -- Legislation that could determine the future of charter schools in California introduces questions that school districts have been barred from asking for three decades. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 9/10/19
Cannabis
‘We have to do it right.’ California lawmaker pulls cannabis banking bill ahead of floor vote -- Though legal in California, marijuana remains an illegal substance under federal law, making federally-insured banks and credit unions reluctant to do business with cannabis companies. SB 51 would allow those financial institutions to accept deposits from, and issue “special purpose checks to, cannabis companies.” Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/10/19
Immigration / Border
Tent courthouses for migrants to open along Texas border, as questions abound -- Months after construction began, much about Homeland Security’s $25-million tent courts in South Texas remains a mystery, even to lawyers who expect to represent their migrant clients as soon as this week. Molly Hennessy-Fiske in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
Guns
Bill expanding gun-violence restraining orders heads to California governor --Californians could petition a judge to confiscate their coworkers’ or employees’ guns if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a proposal twice rejected by his predecessor. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Water
Water interests are fighting California’s bid to block Trump’s environmental rollbacks -- California is close to adopting strict Obama-era federal environmental and worker safety rules that the Trump administration is dismantling. But as the legislative session draws to a close, the proposal faces fierce opposition from the state’s largest water agencies. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
Environment
Demolition of San Onofre nuclear plant comes before Coastal Commission in the fall -- When the iconic domes of San Onofre’s nuclear reactors are finally demolished, “significant amounts of foundation, footings, and other existing material” are expected to remain, unseen, beneath the bluff on the ocean — at least until its stranded nuclear waste finds another home. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 9/10/19
California lawmakers challenge Trump’s bid to expand oil drilling and fracking statewide -- Any new oil or gas projects approved in federally protected areas would be prohibited from having their pipelines or other essential infrastructure cross state lands, under legislation approved by California lawmakers. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
Bill to open Hollister Ranch beaches to the public heads to Gov. Newsom -- The state Assembly gave final legislative approval Monday to a bill designed to open up the pristine beaches of Hollister Ranch, giving hope to advocates and officials whose efforts to secure public access have been thwarted for decades by the area’s powerful landowners. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
Also . . .
Family files claim against Fremont, Alameda County in death of man in custody -- The family of a 20-year-old man claims that law-enforcement officers with the city of Fremont and Alameda County ignored their son’s mental health needs and instead beat and left him unaccompanied in a restraint device, resulting in his death several days after being taken into custody. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
Damages in Steinbeck rights cut, but defendant told to quit claiming rights to works -- John Steinbeck’s daughter-in-law violated the rights of the late novelist’s widow, and her estate after her death, by undermining attempts to market the film rights to his works, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19
He operated a heroin ring like a pizza delivery service. Now he will serve 235 months in prison -- Sigifredo Gurrola Barrientos, 42, managed the Van Nuys-based crime ring operation from 2016 to December 2017, using a fleet of cars and drivers to deliver drugs, including heroin and cocaine, to customers who placed orders by phone, according to the Department of Justice. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/10/19
U.S. got key asset out of Russia following election hacking -- In 2017, the United States extracted from Russia an important CIA source who had provided information about the Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to current and former officials. The operation, known as an exfiltration, followed mounting concerns among U.S. officials that the individual, whose identity is unknown, could be discovered by the Russian government. Shane Harris and Ellen Nakashima in the Washington Post$ Julian E. Barnes, Adam Goldman and David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 9/10/19
POTUS 45
Trump Had Deal With Scotland Airport That Sent Flight Crews to His Resort -- Back in 2014, soon after acquiring a golf resort in Scotland, Donald J. Trump entered a partnership with a struggling local airport there to increase air traffic and boost tourism in the region. Eric Lipton in the New York Times$ -- 9/10/19
Air Force crews have lodged at Trump’s Scottish resort at least 4 times -- The trips date back to at least September 2018 and continued through at least this past June. Natasha Bertrand and Connor O’Brien Politico -- 9/10/19
Beltway
Amid Diplomatic Strain, House Opens Inquiry Into Trump’s Dealings With Ukraine -- The White House delayed a package of military assistance to the new government in Ukraine, and has yet to schedule a White House meeting for its new president. After abruptly pulling the previous American ambassador out of Kiev when conservatives questioned her political loyalty, President Trump has yet to nominate a successor. Kenneth P. Vogel in the New York Times$ -- 9/10/19
-- Monday Updates
Vaccine bill critics swarm Sacramento as effort to scrutinize child exemptions moves forward -- The California Assembly passed changes on Monday to a contentious bill that would crack down on school vaccine exemptions, taking action as protesters spent hours loudly chanting outside the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom and blocking key entrances to the state Capitol. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
USC athletic director Lynn Swann resigns -- USC athletic director Lynn Swann has resigned after three tumultuous years atop one of the nation’s most prestigious athletic departments. Ryan Kartje in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
California boat fire: Criminal probe launched with focus on possible safety lapses, sources say -- Federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the Southern California boat fire last week that killed 34 people, with a focus on whether the operation violated maritime safety regulations, two law enforcement sources told The Times on Monday. Richard Winton, Matthew Ormseth, Mark Puente in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
High-stakes legal battle looms in California boat fire that killed 34 -- Owners of boats in which people are hurt or killed succeed about half the time in winning court rulings that protect them from huge damage awards, according to a maritime legal expert. Maura Dolan and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
Tethered to Trump, California’s GOP hopes for a comeback in a solidly blue state -- After crushing losses and a steep slide in voter registration, California Republicans gathered this weekend in the desert, hoping to plot a path back to relevancy in a state where shifting demographics and President Trump’s low approval numbers are continual challenges. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
Commerce Chief Threatened Firings at NOAA After Trump’s Hurricane Tweets, Sources Say -- The Secretary of Commerce threatened to fire top employees at NOAA on Friday after the agency’s Birmingham office contradicted President Trump’s claim that Hurricane Dorian might hit Alabama, according to three people familiar with the discussion. Christopher Flavelle, Lisa Friedman and Peter Baker in the New York Times$ -- 9/9/19
As erratic winds whip flames, Plumas County wildfire swells to 44,000 acres -- At 68 square miles, the Walker Fire is currently the largest wildfire in California and the biggest of the 2019 wildfire season so far. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/9/19
After mass shootings, gun advocates in Texas worry about a political shift -- The state’s demographics are changing as transplants arrive from California and other places where guns are more scarce and gun laws stricter. Newcomers are electing more Democrats in Houston and Dallas — and in their suburbs. A poll conducted by the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tribune in February found 49% of Texans said gun control laws should be more strict; 46% strongly supported “red flag” laws. Molly Hennessy-Fiske in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
Americans of both parties overwhelmingly support ‘red flag’ laws, expanded background checks for gun buyers, Washington Post-ABC News poll finds -- More Americans say they trust congressional Democrats over Trump to handle the nation’s gun laws, 51 percent to 36 percent, with independents siding with Democrats by a 17-point margin — a divide that could have political ramifications for the 2020 presidential and congressional elections. Mike DeBonis and Emily Guskin in the Washington Post$ -- 9/9/19
57 cases of lung illness linked to vaping reported in California, 1 death -- Some cases involve people who vaped cannabis products purchased from unlicensed sources, though the agency has not provided a specific number. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/9/19
Uber, Lyft couldn’t beat California employment rules, but these industries did -- On Friday, lawmakers submitted what the author’s office describes as the final round of amendments. Dozens of professions, from real estate agents to dog groomers, secured carve-outs that will let those workers continue to work as independent contractors. Others including gig economy drivers and newspaper carriers weren’t given exemptions. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/9/19
Amazon Has 30,000 Open Jobs. Yes, You Read That Right -- Engineers in the Bay Area. Advertising managers in Chicago. Freight specialists in Arizona. At Amazon, the job listings keep piling up, reflecting a company growing in many directions amid one of the tightest labor markets in memory. Karen Weise in the New York Times$ -- 9/9/19
Many of L.A.’s sidewalks would be off-limits for homeless people to sleep if plan passes -- Under existing rules in Los Angeles, homeless people who bed down on the streets for the night are supposed to stay away from doorways and driveways. Now a plan under consideration at City Hall could make it harder to find a spot by imposing rules that would bar people from resting on streets and sidewalks in at least 26% of the city, a Times analysis has found. Emily Alpert Reyes, Matt Stiles, Ryan Menezes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
Locked out of L.A.'s white neighborhoods, they built a black suburb. Now they’re homeless -- Duane Pierfax grew up after World War II in Pacoima, one of the few Los Angeles suburbs that offered the American dream of home ownership to African Americans who had been locked out of other neighborhoods by racial covenants. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/9/19
San Francisco is surviving the global recycling crisis. But it’s not easy -- Some 90% of Recology’s plastics used to go to China. Now they go to Malaysia and Indonesia in addition to places in the Bay Area and across California. Other recyclers send plastics to Thailand and Vietnam as well. But some Southeast Asian countries, unprepared to handle the volume, have started rejecting plastic waste, too. Elena Shao in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/9/19
Fox: Like Ending a TV Drama, the Legislature needs to tie up Loose Ends before Shutting Down -- One might look at the last week of the legislative session like the last episode of a TV series. The job of the performers, writers and producers is to tie up loose ends in many of the story lines, and there are many story lines under the Capitol dome that beg for an ending. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/9/19