Updating . .
Bretón: Throwing a menstrual cup at legislators isn’t a form of anti-vaxx protest. It’s bloody terrorism -- There is civil protest and then there is terrorism. One is a the bedrock of our nation. The other is a sign of the times. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
California lawmakers fail to pass sweeping plastic pollution plan -- In a setback for environmental groups, California lawmakers early Saturday morning ended the 2019 legislative session without passing two bills that would have been the most ambitious effort in the nation to reduce the massive amounts of plastic pollution that are washing into oceans, rivers and lakes around the world. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Piper McDaniel in the Los Angeles Times$ Rachel Becker Calmatters -- 9/14/19
Measure clears way for tax hikes on ballot to address Bay Area housing crisis -- The idea was bold and controversial: Blanket the Bay Area with 35,000 new homes a year. Protect 300,000 low-income households that are on the verge of being displaced. Safeguard 30,000 units of existing affordable housing. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
Bill to let SF, Oakland bars stay open until 3 a.m. fails in Legislature -- SB58 by state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would have allowed bars to remain open past 2 a.m. in San Francisco, Oakland and eight other cities across the state where officials have asked to extend hours. Dustin Gardiner and Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
California lawmakers vote for 8:30 a.m. starting time for high schools -- High schools could start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and middle schools no sooner than 8 a.m. if the California Legislature gets its way. Alexei Koseff and Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
Should college athletes profit on their image? Mixed feelings in Bay Area -- Onetime quarterback Tim Tebow went on a curious rant Friday on ESPN’s “First Take.” Tebow was talking about California Senate Bill 206, the proposed legislation that would allow college athletes to earn compensation for their image and likeness. Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
Homeless shelters in L.A. could be harder to block 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 $1.2 billion bond measure passed by L.A. voters. The landmark environmental law has often been used to challenge such projects in court. Emily Alpert Reyes, Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
Sacramento State accidentally accepts 3,500 students on its waitlist -- Sacramento State accidentally accepted 3,500 waitlisted students for fall admission, resulting in 500 additional students who began classes this semester. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
Sea-level rise threatens Orange County’s coast from top to bottom -- From flooded neighborhoods and roads to disappearing beaches and crumbling bluffs, Orange County faces a range of drastic losses as a result of rising sea levels, according to a presentation to the state Coastal Commission on Friday. Early signs of those effects are already seen everywhere, from Seal Beach and Huntington Beach in the north through Doheny Beach and Capistrano Beach in the south. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register -- 9/14/19
California has trillions more wealth than any other state -- A study released by California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office this month looks at geographical distribution of wealth across the state. Californians’ net worth totals over $6 trillion or about $160,000 per resident. The state holds 17% of national net worth, while making up only 12% of the U.S. population. Kurt Snibbe in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/14/19
Rents in Los Angeles, Orange counties grow at nearly twice the inflation rate -- Last month's rent inflation rate was 5.5%, the highest for any August since 2007. Meanwhile, overall inflation was only 3.3% Jonathan Lansner in the Orange County Register -- 9/14/19
Hidden guns, bodyguards and a DA raid on the Santa Clara County sheriff -- Prosecutors in Santa Clara County have served at least three search warrants while investigating whether Sheriff Laurie Smith’s office gave out coveted concealed-gun permits in exchange for campaign money, sources familiar with the investigation told The Chronicle. Josh Koehn in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
Neighbors are using these smart cameras to track strangers’ cars — and yours -- On a quiet road south of Ventura Boulevard, two cameras on a pole watch over the road, facing opposite directions. A block away, another brace of cameras sit sentry. Together, they constantly film the two points of entry to a closed loop of public streets in Sherman Oaks. Sam Dean in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
13 years ago, the Nature Conservancy desperately wanted to protect groundfish. Now it wants you to eat them -- Environmental groups are usually in the business of protecting marine life, not suggesting that the public eat it. Yet, the Nature Conservancy is doing just that: trying to get California groundfish on the radar of home cooks, 13 years after the group took extreme measures to protect it. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
Scared for her own safety, SF mother whose son was slain gets caught in housing nightmare -- “This is him,” she said. “This is my baby.” Those were Sha’ray Johnson’s first words when we met in a hotel lobby late last month, her hand resting gently on a brown wooden urn. Inside were the remains of her son, Day’Von Lorall Hann, who lived to just 15. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
‘No more traffic deaths,’ SF residents chant in demonstration for pedestrian safety -- Demanding safer crossings for pedestrians in San Francisco, activists took over a Tenderloin intersection Friday afternoon and sprawled out on the hot pavement, outlining their bodies in white chalk to call attention to those who have been hit by vehicles in the bustling San Francisco neighborhood. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
California lawmakers vote to block Trump’s environmental rollbacks, defying Newsom -- California lawmakers, over Gov. Gavin Newsom’s objections, passed sweeping legislation early Saturday allowing the state to impose strict endangered species protections and water pumping restrictions for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The governor must now decide whether to veto the bill and raise the ire of California environmentalists, who will surely accuse him of sidling up to the Trump administration, or sign the bill into law and potentially anger the state’s biggest water agencies. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ Adam Beam Associated Press Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
California Senate evacuated after vaccine bill protester throws ‘what appeared to be blood’ onto lawmakers -- A woman was arrested Friday on charges including assault after dropping what authorities said “appeared to be blood” on members of the California Senate from her seat in the visitor gallery. The disturbance occurred as lawmakers were wrapping up their work before adjourning for the year, forcing them to evacuate the chamber to continue in a nearby committee hearing room. Patrick McGreevy Melody Gutierrez, Taryn Luna, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ Angela Hart and Colby Bermel Politico Dustin Gardiner and Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ Adam Beam Associated Press -- 9/14/19
High interest rate loans could soon be capped in California under plan approved by lawmakers -- California lawmakers voted to rein in predatory lenders on Friday, sending to the governor a bill to cap interest rates on loans of $2,500 to $9,999 for the first time in more than three decades. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
Child Care Workers Have Been Fighting For The Right To Bargain For Years. They May Be About To Get It -- Both arms of the California legislature have passed AB 378, a bill that, if signed into law, would allow some child care workers who serve low-income kids the ability to collectively bargain with the state over things like their reimbursement rates. Carla Javier LAist -- 9/14/19
Bill to block DA from demanding defendants give up future rights passes Legislature -- The bill, a response to a move by San Diego prosecutors to lock down plea bargain terms, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/14/19
Victims of fake sex videos could file California lawsuits under proposed law -- California would crack down on fake sex videos that often target celebrities under a bill approved Friday by the state Legislature that is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
Gov. Gavin Newsom will decide whether to give newspapers a one-year break from new labor rules -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom will decide whether to give newspapers a one-year reprieve from new labor rules that would otherwise require them to treat delivery workers as employees after lawmakers voted to send him the bill early Saturday morning. Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
California could ban ‘misleading’ political party names -- A staunchly conservative political party in California could have to change its name because some state lawmakers say it confuses voters into believing they are registering to vote as an independent. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 9/14/19
What Passed? Or Is in Limbo? Catch Up With the California Legislature as Session Ends -- Friday marks the last day that the California State Legislature can send bills to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature. Below are some of the highlights from this legislative session, including bills that have already been signed into law, are awaiting signature or are in limbo until next year. Miranda Leitsinger, Katie Orr, Lisa Pickoff-White, Marisa Lagos, Guy Marzorati, Scott Shafer, Kevin Stark KQED -- 9/14/19
California Republican shows burning Ocasio-Cortez photo in new video promoting PAC -- Fresno Republican Elizabeth Heng announced a new Political Action Committee on Thursday night during the Democratic presidential candidate debate in a video criticizing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and socialism. Brianna Calix in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
Time could be right for California Democrats thinking of House retirement -- Democratic Rep. Susan Davis of San Diego is leaving Congress after 10 terms. Don’t be surprised if she’s not the only member of the state delegation to go. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
California candidate’s false claim on gay sex bill costs him an endorsement -- The political committee representing Asian and Pacific Islander Democratic lawmakers has pulled its endorsement from a state Senate candidate after he refused to apologize for a campaign ad and comments that were criticized as homophobic. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
SFO: The typo that almost crashed a plane -- In 2017, a commercial airliner lined up for takeoff at San Francisco International Airport on runway 01 Left, the main departure route. The pilot accidentally punched 10 Left — a much longer SFO runway — into the cockpit computer, causing the plane to incorrectly calculate the appropriate thrust and wing flap settings. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
Multimillion-dollar contract improperly awarded, San Diego city auditor says -- The acting San Diego city auditor issued a scathing report this week alleging city employees improperly awarded a multimillion-dollar contract. The report says officials violated procurement rules and bypassed city council while issuing a no-bid contract to a vendor that provided information technology services to the city. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/14/19
DWP, reeling from scandals and FBI raids, gets a new watchdog office -- Months after federal investigators raided the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday announced the creation of an inspector general’s office at the utility. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
California adds an 11th state to its travel ban. No taxpayer-funded trips to Iowa -- Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Friday extended California’s ban on taxpayer-funded trips to an 11th state, adding Iowa to the list based on the Midwestern state’s passage of a law that removed gender protections under Medicaid. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Disneyland’s economic impact totaled $8.5 billion in 2018, CSUF reports -- The resort, the study found, helped generate 78,000 jobs, including 31,000 who work for Disney and more than 40,000 working for other businesses throughout the region. That’s up 7.2% from 72,000 jobs in 2013, the last time the resort’s impact was measured. That’s more than double the average job growth rate for Southern California as a whole. Jeff Collins in the Orange County Register -- 9/14/19
Forever 21 Plans to Shutter at Least 100 Stores in Bankruptcy -- Forever 21 Inc. is preparing to close at least 100 stores as part of a restructuring that calls for the trendy retailer to file for bankruptcy as early as this month, according to people with knowledge of the preparations. Eliza Ronalds-Hannon and Lauren Coleman-Lochner Bloomberg -- 9/14/19
House lawmakers ask Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google to turn over trove of records in antitrust probe -- A congressional antitrust investigation into Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google entered a new phase Friday, after lawmakers called on each of the tech giants to turn over a trove of sensitive documents, including top executives’ private communications. Tony Romm in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
Transit
BART operators say new cars have potentially deadly design flaw -- BART train operator Mike Granat came to the BART Board of Directors meeting Thursday with grim words for board members, warning that the transit agency’s much talked about “fleet of the future” train cars have a design flaw that could prove fatal. Adam Brinklow Curbed San Francisco -- 9/14/19
Homeless
Trump’s proposals to tackle California homelessness face local, legal obstacles -- President Trump’s emerging plan to address California’s homeless crisis includes ideas that have been tried unsuccessfully before, namely the mass housing of people living on the streets, and proposals that have been ruled illegal by federal courts. Scott Wilson in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
HUD Secretary Ben Carson, other top Trump officials to visit California as White House ramps up homeless push -- Senior administration officials, including Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, plan to visit Los Angeles in the coming days as part of President Trump’s push to crack down on homelessness in California, according to three people briefed on the plans. Tracy Jan, Jeff Stein and Josh Dawsey in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
L.A. to Trump team’s tour of homeless camps: ‘We’re on it. Show us the money’ -- The Trump administration’s trip to Los Angeles this week to explore ways to remove homeless street camps has left city officials confused — with reactions ranging from cautious optimism about new resources to fear about forced mass relocations to government-run facilities. Many also suspect the whole thing was just a political stunt. Chris Megerian, Benjamin Oreskes, Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
Housing
Case claiming discrimination by Housing Commission continues -- A lawsuit filed by the San Diego Tenant Union and NAACP claims the San Diego Housing Commission’s policies discriminate and perpetuate segregation. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/14/19
Wildfire
68,000 homes in Sacramento metro area face ‘high’ or ‘extreme’ wildfire risk, report says -- It would cost nearly $30 billion to rebuild the tens of thousands of homes that are most vulnerable to wildfires in the Sacramento metropolitan area, a projection that ranks California’s capital region fourth highest in the nation for wildfire risk, according to a recent report by a real estate analytics firm. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
Education
Stanford University Accepted $50,000 Gift From Jeffrey Epstein -- The donation came in 2004, two years before allegations involving Epstein’s sexual conduct with young girls started making news. The gift went to the university’s physics department. Sarah McBride Bloomberg -- 9/14/19
California Lawmakers Tried To Cut The Cost Of College. Here's What They Did And Didn't Accomplish -- As California's lawmakers rushed to wrap up their work before Friday's midnight deadline, the state Senate and Assembly voted on hundreds of bills. Some didn't make it across the finish line, including two big reform measures designed to address the high cost of getting a college degree. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez LAist -- 9/14/19
Sacramento City Unified school budget rejected again. Immediate cuts recommended -- The Sacramento City Unified School District announced on Friday that their budget was rejected by county school officials again. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
No Resource Officers At Sacramento Schools As Parents, District Debate Role Of Police On Campus -- Teachers and parents in the city of Sacramento are on both sides of a debate as to whether police officers should be on school grounds full time. Bob Moffitt Capital Public Radio -- 9/14/19
Later start times for California schools? Gov. Gavin Newsom will decide -- A proposal to roll back school start times still needs Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature to become law. The California Legislature approved – while working into the early hours of Saturday morning – a measure that would prohibit high schools and middle schools from starting before 8:30 and 8:00 a.m., respectively. Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
Immigration / Border
Bill To Ban Private Lockups Would Impact Immigrant Detention In San Diego -- A new bill passed by the state legislature on Wednesday bans the use of private detention centers in California. If signed into law by the governor, advocates say it would be the first such ban in the country. In San Diego, the new law would mean finding another way to handle migrants, who may face deportation. Max Rivlin-Nadler KPBS -- 9/14/19
Guns
White House prepares gun proposals, but where Trump stands is unclear -- The White House is preparing to roll out its plan to reduce gun violence next week, even as President Trump remains conflicted behind the scenes on what provisions he will ultimately support and Senate Republicans continue to say they will consider only proposals endorsed by the president. Seung Min Kim, Josh Dawsey and Mike DeBonis in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
Republicans seize on O’Rourke’s emphatic call for mandatory buyback of assault weapons -- Republicans pounced Friday on former congressman Beto O’Rourke’s emphatic call during the Democratic debate for a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons, using it to broadly paint the party as overly eager to confiscate firearms. John Wagner Mike DeBonis in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
Health
Bay Area officials advise residents against using N95 masks for wildfire smoke -- Many Bay Area residents have a stash of N95 masks in their homes. People widely purchased these in recent years when smoke from record-breaking wildfires enveloped Northern California. Stores sold out of the masks during the 2018 Camp Fire when San Francisco saw some of its worst-ever air-quality days. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/19
Environment
The world is watching as California weighs controversial plan to save tropical forests -- Smoke is still rising from the Amazon as fires smolder in the world’s largest rain forest. The blazes triggered a wave of global outrage over the loss of precious trees. But California says it has a plan to keep tropical forests standing. Julia Rosen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/19
Local leaders call for permanent funding to protect National Wildlife Refuge recently basted by sewage -- Sewage-tainted water continues to flow over the border from Tijuana into San Diego region totaling more than 100 million gallons since last week. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/14/19
Also . . .
San Diego Collaborating With State, Feds Amid 12 Local Cases Of Vaping-Related Illness -- Officials in San Diego County are continuing to investigate reports of a mysterious vaping-related respiratory illness after confirming 12 local cases. Tarryn Mento KPBS -- 9/14/19
Sacramento man known as ‘pillowcase rapist’ to be released from state prison, CDCR says -- Ronald Mark Feldmeier, known as the “Pillowcase Rapist” for wrapping a pillow case around the face of his victims, is slated to be released from state custody later this month, according to the California Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/19
POTUS 45
Trump blamed energy-saving bulbs for making him look orange. Experts say probably not -- In between bashing the Democratic candidates in Houston and running through a list of what he considered GOP triumphs, Trump said that energy-saving lightbulbs — which his administration has tried to block — make him look orange. Rebecca Tan in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
Trump Inspires California Lawmakers to Go on Offense -- California Democrats have been energized by a wave of anti-Trump sentiment to enact a sweeping liberal agenda that in almost every way offers a counternarrative to Trump administration policies. Tim Arango, Thomas Fuller and Jose A. Del Real in the New York Times$ -- 9/14/19
U.S. Appeals Court Reinstates Emoluments Case Against Trump -- A federal appeals court in New York on Friday revived a lawsuit alleging that President Trump is illegally profiting from his hotels and restaurants in New York and Washington in violation of the Constitution’s anti-corruption, or emoluments, clauses. Sharon LaFraniere in the New York Times$ -- 9/14/19
Beltway
Most-shared links during debate were pro-Trump tweets pushed by bots -- More than 1,000 accounts across several different social media platforms with suspicious, bot-like characteristics helped push quote tweets, a tweet that is retweeted but additional text is added, from Donald Trump campaign accounts during the third primary debate, according to an analysis provided to Axios by social media intelligence company Storyful. Those tweets accounted for the top 3 most-shared links across several social media platforms, including Facebook, Reddit, etc., during the debate. Sara Fischer Axios -- 9/14/19
Washington, Silicon Valley Struggle to Unify on Protecting Elections -- U.S. national-security officials traveled to Silicon Valley last week to forge deeper ties with big tech companies in hopes of better protecting the 2020 election from foreign intervention. It didn’t go entirely as planned. Dustin Volz and Deepa Seetharaman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/14/19
House Republicans, seeking path back to majority, vow to try again on scrapping health-care law, curbing deficits -- If Trump is reelected, the GOP recaptures the House and holds the Senate, the president and Republicans said they would try again to scrap the 2010 law that has provided coverage for tens of millions of Americans and ensured health care for those with preexisting medical conditions. Mike DeBonis in the Washington Post$ -- 9/14/19
-- Friday Updates
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