Updating . .
PG&E takes another step out of bankruptcy with $11 billion insurance settlement -- A group of insurers and PG&E Corp. said Friday they had reached an agreement to settle wildfire claims against the utility for $11 billion, far below the $20 billion the insurers had originally sought in bankruptcy court. Owen Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Olga R. Rodriguez Associated Press Marisa Lagos KQED Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ Peg Brickley and Russell Gold in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/13/19
A swift fall from political power for PG&E, California’s largest utility -- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. once had no shortage of political influence or friends willing to step up at California’s state Capitol when the company wanted something. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Felicity Huffman gets 14 days in prison in college admissions scandal -- Actress Felicity Huffman was sentenced Friday to 14 days in prison for paying to rig her daughter’s university entrance exams, a narrow victory for prosecutors in the college admissions case who wanted a heavier penalty, but argued some amount time behind bars for Huffman and other wealthy parents can be “the only leveler” against their money and influence. Matthew Ormseth, Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times$ Collin Binkley Associated Press -- 9/13/19
LAPD to change policy on use of informants after furor over decision to spy on anti-Trump group -- The Los Angeles Police Department will modify its policies on the use of confidential informants and undercover officers after a Los Angeles Times report revealed the agency had spied on a political group that was planning protests against President Trump in 2017, officials said. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
It will be harder to block homeless shelters in L.A. if Gov. Newsom signs this bill -- Assembly Bill 1197 would exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act any Los Angeles shelter or homeless housing project that gets funding from several state and local sources, including a $1.2 billion bond measure passed by L.A. voters. The landmark environmental law has often been used to challenge such projects in court. Emily Alpert Reyes, Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
California could blunt Trump’s environmental rollbacks -- For decades, California and the federal government have had a co-parenting agreement when it comes to the state’s diverse population of endangered species and the scarce water that keeps them alive. Now, it appears the sides could be headed for a divorce. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 9/13/19
SFO delays worsen at end of week despite faster runway construction -- Despite the good news that runway construction at SFO was ahead of schedule, flight delays and cancellations are getting worse at the end of the week before they get better. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Boat fire wreckage taken to navy base for investigation -- Federal investigators identified a violation of Coast Guard regulations that could trigger criminal charges in the California dive boat disaster that killed 34 people. Stefanie Dazio and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 9/13/19
The California Assembly’s keeper of rules and rituals calls it a career -- Tucked away under a small desk at the front of the California Assembly chamber is a book of parliamentary procedure. Dozens of paperclips and bookmarks peek out from its edges, a quick reference system for any question that might arise in the course of a day’s legislative session. But the man who meticulously arranged the bookmarks, Chief Clerk E. Dotson Wilson, rarely needs it. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Felicity Huffman’s parenting blog may hurt her as judge decides whether actress should get prison time -- Felicity Huffman took to her lifestyle blog in 2015 to write about parenting. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Ex-sheriff’s lieutenant who traded massage parlor sex for raid tipoff gets probation -- A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant has been sentenced to community service and probation after pleading no contest to charges that he warned a massage parlor employee of pending law enforcement raids in exchange for sexual favors, the L.A. County district attorney’s office said. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Divorced dad targets California’s ‘outdated’ alimony law -- A Huntington Beach man is taking another shot at reforming California’s alimony law, this time by championing a ballot initiative that would restrict payments to former spouses to a maximum of five years following a divorce or legal separation. Priscella Vega in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
News Analysis: Democrats head toward a three-person race while the second tier scrambles -- The sprawling Democratic primary field has been headed toward a three-person race, and despite strenuous efforts by the trailing candidates, Thursday’s debate seems unlikely to have significantly changed that. Janet Hook in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Trump Finances Closer to Scrutiny as U.S. Court Revives Suit -- President Donald Trump was ordered by a federal appeals court to defend a lawsuit accusing him of profiting from his presidency in violation of the U.S. Constitution, a potential blow to his efforts to keep his finances secret. Chris Dolmetsch and Bob Van Voris Bloomberg -- 9/13/19
Fox: Ignoring the Will of the People -- To borrow a term from the legal world, prima facie evidence indicates the governor and legislature have little regard for what the voters think and choose to go their own way. It can be seen with the governor’s moratorium on the death penalty and the legislature’s decision on rent control. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/13/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
California lawmakers OK 3-year ban on facial recognition in police body cameras -- California lawmakers sent a bill to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday to ban police for three years from using facial recognition technology in body cameras — a vote that came after the software incorrectly identified 26 of them as criminal suspects. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/13/19
Law Enforcement-Backed California Use Of Force Measure Signed By Gov. Gavin Newsom -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a measure linked to California’s new police use of force law. It sets statewide “best practices” and training for law enforcement. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/13/19
California lawmakers may trim repeat offenders’ sentences -- Current law adds an additional year to offenders’ sentences for each previous prison or jail term. The bill approved by the state Assembly on Thursday would remove the mandatory one-year enhancement. The bill returns to the Senate on Friday for a final vote on Assembly amendments that excluded certain sex crimes from the measure, as lawmakers wrap up their work for the year. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 9/13/19
Last-minute switch would serve one oil refinery — and environmentalists are crying foul -- With a bit of 11th-hour legislative magic, state lawmakers have taken a bill related to volunteer firefighter reimbursements and — poof! — transformed it into what opponents are calling a political gift to Kern Oil & Refining Co. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 9/13/19
California could tighten social media rules for children -- California is considering tightening the rules for children under 13 using social media. The state Senate voted 31-4 on Thursday to require social media companies to first get the consent of a parent or guardian before creating an account for a child the company knows is under 13. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 9/13/19
California Legislature Approves Bill To Reduce Maternal Mortality Rate For Black Women -- California has the lowest maternal mortality rate in the country, according to the United Health Foundation's health rankings. But black women in California continue to die at a rate three to four times higher than white women from pregnancy or delivery complications. Jade Hindmon KPBS -- 9/13/19
California may soon push doctors and lawyers to confront their biases -- Doctors, nurses, lawyers and court workers in California may soon be asked to confront their prejudices under a trio of legislative proposals that are headed to the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Bay Area Lawmaker Introduces Recycling Bill With Relief For Grocers -- Revisions, negotiations and amendments...lawmaking in Sacramento is a long process that can take years. During the last week of the legislative session, though, it’s more like a short, furious dash. That’s the case with a new recycling bill San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting introduced Monday that has marched through legislative committees this week. Kevin Stark KQED -- 9/13/19
Snoozing crew raises specter of criminal charge in boat fire -- Federal investigators identified a violation of Coast Guard regulations that could trigger criminal charges in the California dive boat disaster that killed 34 people. Stefanie Dazio and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 9/13/19
Authorities raise burned remains of Conception after weather delays -- Investigators who have still not determined the cause of the worst maritime disaster in recent California history believe an examination of the boat could help locate a fire ignition source and determine why most of the people on the weekend diving excursion were unable to escape. Richard Winton, Mark Puente, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Get birth control with an app? California Gov. Gavin Newsom will soon decide -- California lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Gavin Newsom that “clarifies vague telehealth law related to safely prescribing prescriptions,” according to the office of bill sponsor Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Laguna Beach. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/13/19
KQED Political Breakdown: LA Mayor Eric Garcetti on the Homeless Crisis, Kosher Burritos and LA's Green New Deal -- Link here -- 9/13/19
Lyle Lindsey died as a toddler. So why was he racking up convictions and student debt decades later? -- Investigators uncovered a Senegalese man using a dead child’s identity for 31 years, court records show. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Uber driver sues over employment status, citing California’s AB5 bill -- A Bay Area ride-hail driver has kicked off an expected flood of lawsuits over employee status — even before a bill tightening the rules for when workers are employees has become state law. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Employees lose avenue to sue for what they believe were unpaid wages -- Employees who claim they were cheated out of wages suffered a legal setback Thursday when the California Supreme Court said they could not use a state law to sue on behalf of themselves and other workers for back wages and penalties. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Google Settles With U.S. Over Workers’ Complaints It Stifled Dissent -- Google said Thursday that it had reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board over complaints from multiple employees who say the company has stymied dissent, including one who has said he was fired for being an outspoken conservative. David McCabe in the New York Times$ -- 9/13/19
Juul Debates Pushing Back on E-Cigarette Ban -- Juul Labs Inc. is debating internally whether to embrace or push back on part of the Trump administration’s plan to pull most e-cigarettes from the market, according to people familiar with the matter. Jennifer Maloney in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/13/19
A Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes Would Sharply Cut Sales -- A ban on flavored e-cigarettes would not only severely dent sales of Juul Labs’ popular vaping products, but also have a chilling effect on the little regulated $2.6 billion industry of roughly 20,000 vape and smoke shops that sprung up across the country in the past few years. Julie Creswell and Sheila Kaplan in the New York Times$ -- 9/13/19
Layoffs at Symantec, Nestlé, Rad Urban show Bay Area companies’ challenges -- The labor market in the Bay Area remains strong, with unemployment below 3% in the San Francisco and San Jose regions, according to government data. But employers face a range of challenges, from big corporate restructurings to the ending of big projects, that force them to lay off workers. Mallory Moench, Shwanika Narayan and Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
SFO runway construction halfway done — delays should ease -- The San Francisco International Airport construction that closed a runway Saturday, causing thousands of delays and cancellations, is 48 hours ahead of schedule, the airport announced Thursday. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Circa of America to move headquarters to Atlanta, close plant and lay off employees in Bayview -- Circa has said its San Francisco factory is the largest of its kind in the U.S. and the largest remaining manufacturing facility in the city. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Twitter’s stenciled San Francisco street tweets #illegal #graffiti, city says -- For the better part of a year, Twitter has been trying to rebrand itself as a safe place for healthy conversations — rather than a social network rife with bullying and racism. But its latest advertising campaign, one that involves stenciling city sidewalks with users’ tweets, might brand the site as a scofflaw instead. Ryan Kost in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Uber Pulling Fleet Of Dockless Bikes, Scooters From San Diego Market -- San Diego passed a slew of regulations for dockless bike and scooter companies in April, including speed and parking restrictions in certain areas as well as permitting fees and data-sharing requirements. In July, San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry called for a temporary ban on dockless scooters. She said the scooters are safety hazards and the city's current regulations are too loose. Alexander Nguyen KPBS -- 9/13/19
‘Adapt To Whatever Mother Nature Gives Us:’ Tahoe’s Tourism Economy In A Changing Climate -- As of 2015, more than 10,000 jobs relied on Tahoe’s tourism economy, which lives and dies by the snow. That means climate change will create even more uncertainty for business owners like Borges and for the seasonal workers who are already among the region’s most vulnerable residents. Emily Zentner Capital Public Radio -- 9/13/19
Transit
BART Train Operators Sound Alarm About Locked Doors on New Cars -- The operators say that locked doors on some of the new cars could make it much more difficult to evacuate trains in an emergency and pose a potentially deadly hazard for passengers, first responders and transit staff. Responding to those concerns, first raised publicly in July and brought up again at the district's board of directors meeting on Thursday, BART said both the cars and its emergency procedures are safe. Dan Brekke KQED -- 9/13/19
Huge BART delays after person dies, 24th Street station reopened -- The BART station at 24th and Mission streets in San Francisco was temporarily closed Thursday night after a person was fatally struck by a train, a shutdown that caused major delays, BART officials said. Lauren Hernández and Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
BART board approves $227 million for new HQ in downtown Oakland -- BART will spend $227 million on a new headquarters in downtown Oakland, despite last-minute concerns that it’s not a good use of taxpayer money. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Homeless
Burned body found in Van Nuys after multiple fire attacks on L.A. homeless -- A burned body was found at a homeless encampment in Van Nuys on Tuesday morning, coming on the heels of a series of fire-related attacks in recent weeks that have stirred panic and fear among the city’s homeless, authorities said. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Education
CCSF students protest hefty pay raises for executives amid budget cuts -- City College of San Francisco trustees quietly doubled the salaries of several executives and approved double-digit raises for others this summer, budget documents show, even as the school slashed hundreds of classes and let go of faculty and counselors to close a $32 million budget deficit. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
CA college students shell out $2k a month for housing, books, food alone -- The high cost of college doesn't stop at tuition, according to a new state survey. More than 30% of California students said they did not have enough money to pay for housing, and another 35% said they can't afford books and supplies. Felicia Mello Calmatters -- 9/13/19
Suspended University of San Diego professor identified as a renowned religious scholar -- The University of San Diego professor who was suspended for allegedly threatening the welfare of his colleagues has been identified as Louis Komjathy, a renowned religious scholar. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/19
Cannabis
A ban on marijuana use on party buses wins approval from California lawmakers -- California lawmakers sought Thursday to prohibit the smoking of marijuana on commercial party buses and limousines amid concerns from law enforcement officials that the drug could impair drivers and pose a risk of accidents. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Guns
Study Targets Suicide Risk Among Gun Owners On Active Duty -- Troops who have contemplated suicide, and who own a personal firearm, are much less likely to store them safely than troops who haven't expressed suicidal thoughts, according to Craig Bryan, executive director with the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah, which lead the study. Steve Walsh KPBS -- 9/13/19
Also . . .
Toxic gas, rodents and bed bugs: Independent living facility operator charged with elder abuse -- These were some of the discoveries that led San Diego prosecutors to charge the operator of a College Area independent living facility with 22 misdemeanors this week. Mark Rogers, 59, was arraigned Wednesday on charges including one count of willful cruelty to an elder, three counts of theft and 10 counts of failing to have a business tax certificate. Lyndsay Winkley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/13/19
POTUS 45
Trump Revives ‘Pocahontas’ and ‘Sleepy Joe’ Attacks -- President Donald Trump did his best to join Democrats on the debate stage Thursday night, assailing several of his would-be 2020 opponents during a speech to Republican lawmakers in Baltimore. Jordan Fabian and Justin Sink Bloomberg -- 9/13/19
Beltway
Biden gets a taste of what Trump would do: Try to make him look old -- One Democratic presidential candidate took aim at a sensitive target at Thursday’s debate: front-runner Joe Biden’s age. Some top Democrats scolded Julián Castro for his attacks, but the former Housing and Urban Development secretary’s comments were almost certainly a preview of the barbs the 76-year-old former vice president would face from President Trump if Biden becomes the party’s nominee. Joe Garofoli and Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/13/19
Biden clashes with Warren and Sanders at the Democratic debate over the party’s future -- Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren tore into one another’s plans and fended off attacks from rivals eager to join them at the head of the field of White House hopefuls during their first clash on the same stage. Evan Halper, Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Fact-checking the third Democratic presidential debate -- In the third Democratic presidential debate, the candidates tossed out lots of facts and figures, occasionally getting out over their skis. Glenn Kessler, Salvador Rizzo and Meg Kelly in the Washington Post$ -- 9/13/19
Fact Check: Has Kamala Harris reversed her positions on criminal justice issues? -- California Sen. Kamala Harris’ positions on several criminal justice issues has evolved since she was a district attorney in San Francisco and attorney general of California. Emily Cadei McClatchy DC -- 9/13/19
Kamala Harris’ brother-in-law is the public face of Uber’s fight with labor. It’s awkward -- The passage of a landmark bill aimed at increasing wages and benefits for ride-share drivers and many others has put Sen. Kamala Harris of California in an awkward spot. Michael Finnegan, Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/13/19
Biden delivers the debate performance he needed, despite occasional missteps Add to list -- With all the leading Democratic candidates on the same stage for the first time this year, former vice president Joe Biden on Thursday delivered the kind of performance his supporters have been waiting for — combative when needed and in the thick of the action throughout. Dan Balz in the Washington Post$ -- 9/13/19
-- Thursday Updates
All Conception crew members were sleeping when boat fire broke out, NTSB says -- All crew members were asleep when the Conception caught fire early on Labor Day, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday, a major revelation in the investigation of the worst maritime disaster in modern California history. Mark Puente, Richard Winton, Leila Miller, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ Stefanie Dazio Associated Press -- 9/12/19
Some Conception passengers said they weren’t told about emergency escape hatch -- Months ago, Truth Aquatics owner Glen Fritzler spoke to Ralph Clevenger, who creates visual content for the company, about making a safety video that would play while passengers boarded his dive boats. Leila Miller, Richard Winton, Mark Puente in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/19
Sick of Democrats and Republicans? There’s a new party in California -- California moderates, led by former South Bay Rep. Tom Campbell and San Francisco’s Quentin Kopp, are putting together a new political party aimed at voters unhappy with the state’s two major parties. The Common Sense Party already has more than 10,000 people signed on and is looking to gather the 65,929 registrations needed to qualify its candidates for the state ballot, said Kopp. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Giant sequoias — long survivors of the forest — succumbing to climate-driven wildfires -- The giant trees, once thought to be unflappable fixtures of the forest and largely resistant to fire, are among the latest victims of climate change. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Bringing Home Braden -- William Williams repeated the words as he thrashed down a steep slope of gnarled brush that bloodied his hands. Three hundred feet below him was a bulldozer, now 21 tons of crumpled yellow steel. The dozer driver had tumbled down the Merced River canyon while clearing a fuel break for the state’s Cal Fire agency. He couldn’t have survived. Lizzie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Mountain View cybersecurity giant Symantec begins layoffs -- Cybersecurity company Symantec is cutting 152 jobs at its Mountain View headquarters and 18 in San Francisco, along with 36 in Culver City (Los Angeles County), a California filing revealed, giving a sense of planned job cuts’ local impact. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Nestlé closes a dozen California delivery sites, cuts 500-plus jobs -- Nestlé is closing a dozen delivery sites in California and laying off more than 500 workers, a state filing reported, part of 4,000 job cuts nationwide as the company transitions away from direct store delivery to a warehouse model. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Trump really wants to solve homelessness in L.A., Giuliani says. Details are lacking -- Up to now, President Trump’s interest in the Los Angeles homelessness crisis has been more rhetoric than action, and it’s unclear whether a visit by members of his administration this week — or by Trump himself next Wednesday — will lead to substantive new policies. Chris Megerian, Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/19
California files support for Oakland in Wells Fargo mortgage suit -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a brief Thursday in support of Oakland’s lawsuit against Wells Fargo, alleging that the bank illegally discriminated against minority borrowers. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Two-thirds of California college students struggle with costs and work-school balance, survey finds -- Nearly two-thirds of California students say their biggest obstacle to succeeding in college are costs, including tuition and living expenses, and juggling work with school, according to a survey released Thursday by the California Student Aid Commission. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/12/19
California rail authorities demand immediate safety steps after Sacramento light rail crash -- California’s top rail safety official has ordered the Sacramento Regional Transit district to stop “testing or troubleshooting” trains on live mainline tracks and to stop scheduling dispatchers to work alone in the control center doing several jobs at once. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/12/19
‘Maker’ labs, coding class and reading clubs: Salesforce giving boosts SF, Oakland schools -- Seven years ago, billionaire Marc Benioff’s cloud-computing company Salesforce gave San Francisco schools the biggest corporate gift the district had ever seen. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Nearly all Sonoma County vineyards are certified sustainable -- Climate change looms large over California’s $40 billion wine industry, and vineyard owners are becoming increasingly vocal about the need to intervene. Their shift in focus from topics like water conservation to big-picture ideas like carbon sequestration reflects the conversation’s evolution over the last five years. Esther Mobley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
A streamlined future for the pre-fab granny flat -- San Jose this month gave its first builder — Bay Area startup Abodu — pre-approval to drop pre-fabricated homes in backyards across the city. The builder’s pre-approved plans allow customers to get expedited and lower-cost city reviews. It could speed up installation to as little as two weeks, not including site preparation. Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/12/19
Explaining the Democrats’ health care plans, in plain English -- Count on two things happening at Thursday’s Democratic presidential debate: • The candidates will distill their complex health care proposals into convoluted 30-second sound bites. • Few Americans will understand what they’re saying. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/12/19
Freakish fun for Friday the 13th: A full moon 13 years in the making -- This should be freakishly fun. This week’s full moon — on Friday the 13th — will be the first of its kind since way back in 2006. Do the math. All we need now is an elevator to the 13th floor, and the creep factor will be off the charts. Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/12/19
‘What diluted sewage looks like.’ American River in Sacramento tainted with feces -- A grocery sack containing what appeared to be human feces hung from a branch over the American River, a short boat ride upstream from one of Sacramento’s most popular summertime swimming areas. Ryan Sabalow and Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/12/19
Fox: Public Banking and the Slow Takeover of the Private Sector -- If the governor says okay, we will soon see public banks established in local jurisdictions pop-up around California, another step of government officials invading the private sector. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/12/19