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Sweeping bill rewriting California employment law sent to Gov. Newsom -- The 6,700-word bill could upend the relationship between workers and bosses across businesses as varied as ride-hailing tech giants, construction, healthcare, trucking, janitorial services, nail salons, adult entertainment, commercial fishing and newspapers. Margot Roosevelt, Johana Bhuiyan in the Los Angeles Times$ Carolyn Said and Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/11/19

Fox: AB 5 and the Ghost of Failed Bills Past -- If AB 5 to reclassify workers in the new economy becomes law it will set up future trouble for the state much like the bills in the 1990s to deregulate energy and the granting of wider pension benefits for public employees. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/11/19

Calif. Democrats cite Reagan vetoes to defend law aimed at Trump’s tax returns -- California Democrats have turned to an unlikely ally — Ronald Reagan — in their defense of a state law that requires President Trump to release his tax returns before he may appear on next year’s primary ballot. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

California could soon ban sale of new fur products under bill sent to governor -- State lawmakers in the Assembly on Wednesday gave final approval to legislation that would outlaw new items made from the fur of undomesticated animals, including mink, rabbit and coyote. If signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, California would be the first state in the nation to ban the sale of new fur products. Phil Willon, Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Electric vehicle sales are up sharply in California, mostly due to Tesla -- Sales of new electric vehicles in California shot up 63.7% in the first half of the year, to 51,750 units, largely on the strength of the Tesla Model 3. But that doesn’t mean a golden age of electric vehicles has dawned. Pure electric cars still total only 5.5% of California car sales. Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Lombard Street reservation plan faces one final twist — in Sacramento -- San Francisco officials, from Mayor London Breed on down, have given their blessing to a pilot plan to charge a reservation fee of between $5 and $10 for a drive down the city’s famous crooked street, but it’s unclear if Gov. Gavin Newsom, himself a former mayor, will sign off on the plan. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

As Trump vows to halt sale of flavored vaping products, two more Bay Area cities ban e-cigarettes -- As President Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to force companies to stop selling flavored vaping products, two Bay Area cities this week moved forward on legislation banning the sale of e-cigarettes altogether, regardless of flavor. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

California considering toughest plastic pollution laws in United States -- With enormous and ever-growing amounts of plastic washing into oceans, rivers and lakes around the world, California lawmakers this week are considering passing the nation’s most far-reaching laws to reduce plastic pollution over the next decade. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/11/19

SF kept beds for mentally ill empty out of concern for patient safety, officials say -- The Department of Public Health decided to stop admitting people into a long-term care facility for mentally ill patients last year — and instead leave several beds empty every night — because officials said the facility was unsafe due to staff negligence and errors. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

California boat fire investigators hope burned remains of Conception hold vital clues -- The investigation into the boat fire that killed 34 people is expected to shift later this week to the burned out remains of the Conception, which officials hope can yield new clues. Authorities have been planning to raise the boat from the Santa Barbara Channel for days, but those efforts have been repeatedly put off due to bad weather. Officials now expect the salvage process to begin Thursday or Friday. Richard Winton, Mark Puente, Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Ghost Ship trial: Inside the turbulent jury deliberations that led to dismissals, acquittal, deadlock -- The Ghost Ship jury was headed into its 10th day of deliberations when juror Maury Mossman typed up a note he was hesitant to deliver. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

Judge unlikely to let PG&E stop trial over 2017 Tubbs Fire -- A federal judge said Tuesday he is unlikely to let Pacific Gas and Electric Co. stop a planned state court trial about the utility’s responsibility for the 2017 Tubbs Fire that ravaged the Santa Rosa area. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

Lopez: Trump is going to solve L.A.'s homeless crisis just like Hurricane Dorian hit Alabama -- Finally, an answer to the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. President Trump is on the case. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

California cities, special districts pay much more than market rate for healthcare, study finds -- California cities and special government districts are spending far more than the market average on employees’ medical insurance, costing taxpayers billions of dollars, according to an analysis by Transparent California. Annie Sciacca in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/11/19

L.A. student took a bullet in the jaw, but the district didn’t disclose the shooting for 2 weeks -- A student was shot in the jaw on Aug. 27 at Hollenbeck Middle School in Boyle Heights, possibly struck by a bullet fired from off campus, an incident that Los Angeles school officials publicly acknowledged for the first time Tuesday. Howard Blume, Sonali Kohli, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Bay Area super-commuting growing: Here’s where it’s the worst -- On a good day with no glitches, Lauren Hopfenbeck spends an hour and a half getting to work in San Francisco, but she’s not coming from some far-flung Central Valley city. She lives in San Leandro. Erin Baldassari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/11/19

Poll: Democrats see Biden, Warren as close fits ideologically, view Sanders as more extreme -- Democratic primary voters nationwide see former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren as relatively close to their own political views but regard Sen. Bernie Sanders as significantly further to their left, a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll shows. David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Calbuzz: Why Biden is, and Should Be, the Dem Frontrunner -- As the Democratic candidates for president gather Thursday night in Houston for another “debate” – the first in which the top three contenders will share the stage – the race still hinges on one key question: Who among the candidates can defeat President Donald Trump in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania? Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 9/11/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Sweeping bill on independent contractors passes California state Senate -- With a deadline nearing, California state senators advanced sweeping legislation Tuesday night to limit the number of Californians classified as independent contractors. And after an intense lobbying campaign, lawmakers also made a last-minute deal that would ease the measure’s effects on the newspaper industry. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ Ben Adler, Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio Carolyn Said and Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Katie Orr KQED Levi Sumagaysay in the San Jose Mercury$ Faiz Siddiqui in the Washington Post$ Kate Conger and Noam Scheiber in the New York Times$ Kia Kokalitcheva Axios -- 9/11/19

California health official quits after blasting vaccine foes as ‘flat-earthers’ -- California’s health care services director announced her resignation Tuesday, a move that came after she mocked opponents of mandatory childhood vaccinations as “flat-earthers” on social media. Jennifer Kent is director of the state Department of Health Care Services, which oversees the state’s massive Medi-Cal system. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Angela Hart Politico -- 9/11/19

Vaping industry breathes easier: For now, California lawmakers won’t restrict its business -- San Francisco-based Juul and other companies that produce and sell vaping products lobbied hard — and seem to have gotten what they wanted out of the 2019 legislative session. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 9/11/19

San Joaquin County District Attorney Seeks To Ban Vaping Products -- San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar hopes to have an ordinance banning the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping products within a few months, calling them a danger to young people. She says vaping has been marketed as the cool, hip way for teens and young adults to smoke. Rich Ibarra Capital Public Radio Roger Phillips in the Stockton Record -- 9/11/19

6 Potential Cases of Vaping-Related Lung Illness Reported in Bay Area -- At least six of the 62 potential cases of severe lung disease linked to vaping products in California are located in the Bay Area, according to county health officials in the region. Jeremy Siegel KQED -- 9/11/19

California OKs use of campaign cash for childcare costs -- California would join a growing number of states allowing candidates for political office to use campaign funds to pay for child care under a bill that has cleared the state Senate. Associated Press -- 9/11/19

California Senate approves bill to cap rent increases -- The California Senate voted 25-10 to cap rent increases at 5% each year plus inflation for the next decade while banning landlords from evicting tenants without just cause. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will sign the bill into law, but first it must survive a final vote in the state Assembly where the California Association of Realtors is pushing to defeat it. Lawmakers must act by Friday. Adam Beam Associated Press Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Jeff Collins in the Orange County Register -- 9/11/19

Walters: Hot politics in the cul-de-sac -- Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo claimed California 477 years ago this month when his three-ship armada sailed into a bay he named “San Miguel,” which we know today as San Diego. Nearly a half-millennium later, San Diego is California’s second-largest city, but in a sense remains an isolated, almost self-contained, outpost. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 9/11/19

Clock stops for bid to put California on year-round daylight-saving time -- Despite growing momentum to adopt permanent daylight-saving time in the state — including a successful ballot measure and new laws in Oregon and Washington — the legislator who made it his signature issue in Sacramento has dropped his bid to get California on the spring-forward schedule year-round. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

Richmond police chief is out for good — new interim chief appointed -- Days after being placed on leave following an overwhelming vote of no confidence by his rank-and-file officers, Richmond Police Chief Allwyn Brown is out for good, the city manager announced Tuesday night at the start of the City Council meeting. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

Jarrid Wilson, a megachurch pastor known widely for his mental health advocacy, dies by suicide -- Jarrid Wilson, a California church leader, author and mental health advocate, died by suicide Monday evening at age 30. Wilson, known as a passionate preacher, most recently was an associate pastor at megachurch Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif. Roxanne Stone, Emily McFarlan Miller and Alejandra Molina in the Washington Post$ -- 9/11/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Stuck at SFO overnight? Airlines won’t put you up and hotels are packed -- Stuck in San Francisco overnight because of airport construction delays or cancellations? Don’t look to airlines to cover your accommodations. They say the construction is out of their control. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

Uber Cuts More Than 400 Technical Jobs -- Uber Technologies cut 435 technical employees in the company’s latest downsizing as it faces market pressures to turn a profit and the possibility of higher driver pay. Heather Somerville and Mark Maurer in the Wall Street Journal$ Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/11/19

Unions pour cash into CalPERS election, use mailer to highlight sexual harassment complaint -- One of California’s largest unions is spending big money to prevent one of its former leaders from winning a seat on the CalPERS Board of Administration, and it’s starting with a political mailer that arrives in a misleading envelope. Bryan Anderson and Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/11/19

Fry’s tries to quell rumors of its demise as customers worry about empty shelves -- From Concord to Sunnyvale and locations in other states, visitors to Fry’s are lamenting the lack of items at their stores. They’re posting photos of rows of empty shelves on social media, accompanied by questions and guesses about what’s going on. Levi Sumagaysay in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/11/19

California's High Poverty Rates Continue To Lead The Nation -- By some measures, California is the wealthiest state in the country. But new Census data released Tuesday shows the state continuing to lead the nation in poverty. When the state’s high cost of living is taken into consideration, 18.2% of Californians live in poverty. David Wagner KPCC -- 9/11/19

County supervisors greenlight mental health program for first responders -- The program will provide confidential mental health services to all first responders in San Diego County, even if they are retired. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/11/19

Homeless  

Two encampments being cleared in Oakland, Berkeley over advocates’ objections -- The impending closure of two large encampments this week, in Oakland and Berkeley, has sparked debate over how the cities and other government agencies decide when to clear homeless settlements that are proliferating across the area, and when to let them be. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

SF may begin building ‘safe’ parking lot for homeless living out of vehicles -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan Tuesday to transform a parking lot near the Balboa Park BART station into a “safe” space for homeless people who live out of their vehicles. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/11/19

Trump pushing for major crackdown on homeless camps in California, with aides discussing moving residents to government-backed facilities -- President Trump has ordered White House officials to launch a sweeping effort to address homelessness in California, citing the state’s growing crisis, according to four government officials aware of the effort. Jeff Stein, Tracy Jan, Josh Dawsey and Ashley Parker in the Washington Post$ Maggie Haberman and Jose A. Del Real in the New York Times$ -- 9/11/19

Trump officials get look at Los Angeles homeless crisis -- Members of the Trump administration visited Los Angeles Tuesday to get a firsthand look at the city’s sprawling homeless encampments and efforts to control them, while President Donald Trump directed his staff to develop policy options to address the national crisis of people living on the streets. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 9/11/19

Trump's reported California homeless takeover bewilders state, local leaders -- California officials scrambled Tuesday to decipher a report that the Trump administration is planning to intercede in the state’s homelessness crisis. No issue is dominating the agenda in California like the housing shortage and homelessness spike, with mayors, state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom grappling to ameliorate an epidemic that is unavoidable on city streets. Jeremy B. White and Carla Marinucci Politico -- 9/11/19

Sacramento wants to overturn this homeless ruling. Now it’s asking the Supreme Court for help -- For nearly a year, city and county officials across the West have lamented a federal appeals court’s ruling last September barring municipalities from prosecuting homeless people for sleeping on the streets if there are no available shelter beds. Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/11/19

Housing  

L.A. County rent control and eviction rules advance for unincorporated areas -- In a bid to provide tenants stability and combat rising homelessness, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday moved to make permanent a rent control measure for unincorporated communities. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

SF rents soar as much as 18 percent in five years -- August marked a milestone in the turbulent history of San Francisco’s rent price explosion, as it’s been five years since large-scale online rental platforms began issuing regular monthly rent reports for a home in San Francisco and beyond. Adam Brinklow Curbed San Francisco -- 9/11/19

Some California Housing Markets More At Risk Should Recession Hit -- California has several of the most vulnerable housing markets should another recession hit, but new research shows it's not all bad news. Randol White Capital Public Radio -- 9/11/19

Education 

California lawmakers OK overhaul of charter school approvals -- The measure approved by the Assembly on a 56-16 vote would no longer let the state authorize charter schools, leaving that responsibility to school districts and county governments. The legislation also would require that all charter school teachers be credentialed, while giving existing teachers five years to meet that requirement. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 9/11/19

California students could soon get a Seal of STEM on their diplomas -- California high school graduates may soon be able to show off their academic success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, with a new seal on their diploma. Sydney Johnson EdSource -- 9/11/19

Immigration / Border 

California shelter for immigrant kids denies them attorneys — ‘We need answers’ -- Complaints about the site, which has been open for less than two months, reached Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, who on Tuesday sent a letter to the Trump administration asking questions about services there. The migrants in the Modesto facility are pregnant teens, teen mothers and their children, with ages ranging from toddlers to teenagers. Kate Irby McClatchy DC -- 9/11/19

Health 

New HIV infections hit record low in SF, but people of color, homeless cases spike -- The number of new HIV diagnoses in San Francisco has dropped to a record low, but the news was more sober for four groups with a rising number of new cases: black and Latino residents, as well as homeless people and intravenous drug users, the city reported Tuesday. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/10/19

Environment 

Chevron Faces New Demands From Regulators as Kern County Oil Releases Continue -- After months of back and forth with Chevron over a series of uncontrolled crude petroleum releases in a Kern County oil field, state regulators are demanding new information about its operations in the spill area. Ted Goldberg, Dan Brekke KQED -- 9/11/19

Los Angeles OKs a deal for record-cheap solar power and battery storage -- For a long time, there were two big knocks against solar power: It’s expensive, and it can’t keep the lights on after sundown. A contract approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power shows how much that reality has changed. Sammy Roth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Judge lays out schedule for San Onofre nuclear waste lawsuit -- The judge hearing a civil complaint against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and owners of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station has rejected a request for an immediate stop-work order at the plant. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/11/19

Jonathan Franzen Says It's Too Late For Us on Climate Change. Scientists Immediately Push Back -- The climate apocalypse is coming and there's nothing we can do to stop it. At least that's the thesis of writer Jonathan Franzen, whose recent essay in The New Yorker, titled "What if We Stopped Pretending?," tapped into fear of a climate apocalypse that many people are grappling with. Peter Arcuni KQED -- 9/11/19

Research Shows California’s Marine Sea Life Reserves Are Working -- A study recently published from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography finds the seven-year-old network of underwater parks are allowing marine species to reproduce in safe places. Erik Anderson KPBS -- 9/11/19

Sacramento trying to kill packs of enormous rats that infested city lot near downtown -- The city of Sacramento has started exterminating more than 100 rats that have infested a vacant lot in Sacramento’s River District where the city plans to build a new fire station. Many homeless encampments typically line the lot, located on Ahern Street between North A and North B streets, causing city officials to worry the rats could also cause a health crisis. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/11/19

An underground forest fire has burned west of Yosemite since at least 2014 -- It is burning in a small area near Rosasco Meadow, about 12 miles southwest of Twain Harte and seven miles west of Yosemite National Park. How the fire started, and what’s fueling it, are a mystery, Groveland District Ranger Jim Junette said by phone Friday. He oversees the southern part of the Stanislaus. John Holland in the Modesto Bee$ -- 9/11/19

Also . . . 

Drones are now a permanent part of the LAPD’s arsenal -- Drones became a permanent part of the Los Angeles Police Department’s crime-fighting arsenal Tuesday, despite opposition from privacy advocates who fear the remote-controlled aircraft will be used to spy on people. Cindy Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

Sacramento woman is semi-comatose after using altered Mexican skin cream, county says -- A Sacramento woman has been hospitalized for mercury poisoning and is in a “semi-comatose state” after using an altered skin cream imported from Mexico, prompting the county health department to issue a warning to the community Tuesday. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/11/19

Lawyer: John Hinckley interested in music industry job -- The man who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan is interested in getting a job in the music industry, possibly in California, his lawyer said at a court hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Jessica Gresko Associated Press -- 9/11/19

An unsung hero of the 9/11 recovery: The Muslim engineer who rebuilt the Pentagon crash site as a chapel -- Eighteen years ago on a September morning she’ll never forget, Manal Ezzat fled from the burning Pentagon building in such a panicked rush that her hijab fell off. Julie Zauzmer in the Washington Post$ -- 9/11/19

These guys are proof you can ball at any age -- Bob Messersmith has perfected his look-away pass. While chewing gum, he dribbles the full-length of the basketball court to the three-point line. Holding the ball, he looks to the left, but with a deft flick of the wrists and a boyish grin, he passes to the right. His teammate snags the pass, shoots a three and … swish! Yeah, Messersmith, 86, has game. Jeong Park in the Orange County Register -- 9/11/19

Schwarzenegger trolls Trump: ‘He’s in love with me.’ -- The two men have been publicly sparring for more than two years now. In July, Trump said at an event at the White House that Schwarzenegger had “died,” meaning it figuratively as it related to his ratings. Schwarzenegger responded: “I’m still here. Want to compare tax returns, @realDonaldTrump?” Colby Itkowitz in the Washington Post$ -- 9/11/19

POTUS 45  

Trump’s history of denigrating majority black countries hangs over his response to Bahamian refugees -- News outlets are still trying to sort out exactly why some Bahamians seeking refuge from Hurricane Dorian were not allowed to travel to the United States on Sunday, despite making it as far as boarding a ferry bound for Florida. But President Trump seemed assured Monday of the reasons they should be delayed. Eugene Scott in the Washington Post$ -- 9/11/19

Beltway 

Why Kamala Harris needs to recapture that magic in Thursday’s debate -- In the nearly eight months since she formally launched her White House bid, California’s U.S. senator has fallen into a familiar pattern. Exhilarating highs — her artfully executed announcement, her Senate grilling of attorney general nominee William Barr, her standout performance in June’s first presidential debate — followed by extended doldrums that stalled her momentum and erased those gains. Melanie Mason, Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/11/19

As D.A., Kamala Harris prosecuted a mentally ill woman shot by police. The jury didn’t buy it -- In pursuing the Democratic presidential nomination, Harris touts her experience as a “progressive prosecutor.” The case of Teresa Sheehan illustrates that the reality is more complicated. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 9/11/19

 

-- Tuesday Updates 

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