Updating . .
Federal Prosecutors Conducting Criminal Probe of Juul -- Federal prosecutors in California are conducting a criminal probe into e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc., according to people familiar with the matter, escalating law-enforcement scrutiny of the startup. Jennifer Maloney in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/23/19
Warren takes California lead in new CA120 tracking poll -- The latest monthly tracking poll for California’s March 2020 Democratic primary election shows Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren increasing her share of the vote, for the first time pushing former Vice President Joe Biden down to third place among likely voters. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 9/23/19
PG&E prepares power shutoff for 124,000 North Bay and Sierra customers -- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is preparing to turn off power to 124,000 customers in parts of the North Bay and Sierra Nevada foothills on Monday in order to prevent the company’s equipment from starting another wildfire in hot, dry and windy weather. PG&E said it expects the latest shutoff, if it’s implemented, to affect nine counties: Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sutter and Yuba. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/23/19
Lapses in treatment, medical care spell horrific ends for mentally ill inmates -- The end for George Gallegos came on April 21, 2018, when the 55-year-old inmate succumbed to acute pneumonia and severe dehydration while locked up in the San Diego Central Jail. Three months earlier, Gallegos had been a patient at Metropolitan State Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Los Angeles. Kelly Davis, Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/23/19
Veterans Affairs moves to strip California’s power in fight over for-profit schools -- The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to strip California of its contract to regulate GI Bill benefits, denying the state a power it has used in the past to investigate alleged abuses by for-profit colleges and to hand down sanctions. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/23/19
Jerry Brown partners with China to fight climate change -- The former California governor is launching a new partnership with China and UC Berkeley — the California-China Climate Institute — to research new solutions for cutting carbon emissions and averting the disastrous impact of global warming, he announced Monday. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ Dan Morain Calmatters -- 9/23/19
Prosecutors in college admissions scandal fighting for prison time for parents -- Shortly before she sentenced Felicity Huffman this month to two weeks in prison for her role in the college admissions scandal, a judge settled a lingering legal dispute. Prison sentences for parents who admitted to taking part in the scheme would not be based on how much money they paid to take part in the scam, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled. Joel Rubin, Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/23/19
A looming change in immigration policy is spooking Bay Area families -- Across the Bay Area, the looming change in what is known as the “public charge” rule is sowing confusion and fear within the immigrant community, causing many people to abandon programs they need for fear of retaliation from immigration authorities, according to nearly two dozen interviews with health care providers, lawyers, nonprofit organizations, and social service agencies. Statewide, the rule could impact more than 2 million Californians, most of whom are not subject to the regulation, and could result in 765,000 people disenrolling from MediCal and CalFresh, according to UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research. Erica Hellerstein in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/23/19
Skelton: California’s employment law was rewritten. Many independent contractors aren’t thrilled -- State Capitol Democrats and organized labor say their new “gig” law will correct the misclassification of 1 million California workers who are falsely deemed independent contractors. But their thinking reflects a misunderstanding. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/23/19
U.S. trade regulators approve some Apple tariff exemptions amid broader reprieve -- U.S. trade regulators on Friday approved 10 out of 15 requests for tariff exemptions filed by Apple Inc amid a broader reprieve on levies on computer parts, according to a public docket published by the U.S. Trade Representative and a Federal Register notice. Stephen Nellis Reuters -- 9/23/19
Bursting at the seams, UCSD begins fall classes with 39,000 students -- UC San Diego will open for the fall quarter this week with what’s expected to be record enrollment and lots of overcrowding on a campus that’s in the midst of one of the largest expansions in the school’s 59-year history. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/23/19
Calif. rep to bring dead giant swamp rat to Congress -- A Turlock lawmaker plans to bring a giant swamp rat to Congress to drum up support for eradicating the pest from California's Central Valley. Rep. Josh Harder, a rookie Democratic congressman, wants his colleagues to award $7 million to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife over five years to combat the spread of nutria, large semi-aquatic rodents wreaking havoc on wetlands in his district. Mike Moffitt in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/23/19
Union City working to restore services in wake of computer virus attack -- Union City officials are working feverishly to address a computer virus that has effectively shut city employees out of their computer systems since early Saturday morning, and the effort to restore normalcy could take several days, they said. Joseph Geha in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/23/19
Erasing mistakes: California helps inmates remove tattoos --The laser feels like bacon grease slathered on her face. Soon her skin turns numb, though there’s still an itch. In her fourth session to remove tattoos that she had inked on her cheeks behind bars, Jessica Garcia has asked the technician to crank up the intensity. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/23/19
California’s power supply is getting greener. It’s still got far to go -- Over the past decade, California has become a globally acclaimed leader on renewable energy. Fueled by aggressive public policies, plummeting solar prices and evolving technology, the state has cut greenhouse gas emissions from its electric power supply in half since their 2008 peak, according to the California Air Resources Board. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/23/19
California attorney general accuses prominent Sacramento car dealer Paul Blanco of fraud -- Sacramento auto dealer Paul Blanco, who has touted his involvement in minority communities statewide, was sued Monday by state Attorney General Xavier Becerra for allegedly preying on vulnerable customers with false advertising, phony credit statements and products such as service contracts that added thousands of dollars to purchase prices. Sam Stanton and Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/23/19
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Immigrants afraid of Trump’s ‘public charge’ rule are dropping food stamps, MediCal -- A looming change in what is known as the "public charge" rule is sowing confusion and fear within the immigrant community, causing many people to abandon programs they need for fear of retaliation from immigration authorities. Erica Hellerstein Calmatters -- 9/23/19
Walters: Dems want to kneecap ballot measures -- Democrats own virtually every lever of government in California, including the governorship, both U.S. Senate seats, 46 of the state’s 53 congressional members, and three-fourths of state legislators. However, they apparently want more. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 9/23/19
Trial approaching in California hospital antitrust case -- Spurred in part by former President Barack Obama’s health care law, hospitals across the country have merged to form massive medical systems in the belief it would simplify the process for patients. But a simpler bill doesn’t always guarantee a cheaper bill. That’s a key issue in an antitrust lawsuit against one of California’s largest hospital systems set to begin Monday. Adam Beam Associated Press Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/23/19
Famed park ranger Betty Soskin, 98, recovering from stroke -- Betty Reid Soskin, the nation’s oldest park ranger known for her sold-out talks at the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center, is recovering from a stroke, her son wrote on Facebook on Sunday. Thy Vo in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/23/19
Schnur: How can California effectively protect privacy rights and personal data of its citizens? -- It’s unnerving to know that technology companies are keeping track of what we do when we’re online. On the other hand, it’s nice to get all the free stuff from those companies in exchange for being able to keep track of us. Dan Schnur in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/23/19
Targeted by a computer virus, Union City elicits help of cybersecurity experts -- Union City officials are working with state and federal cybersecurity experts after city servers were “significantly impacted” by a computer virus on Saturday, according to the city. City email, as well as systems that process administrative services, such as licenses and permits, remain down as of Sunday evening. Emergency police and fire response was not impacted, according to a Union City press release. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/23/19
Epidemic of veteran suicide the focus of forum in San Marcos -- Every day in the U.S., an average of 20 military veterans take their lives. That’s a suicide rate more than double that of the civilian population, and represents 20 percent of all suicides nationally each year. Pam Kragen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/23/19
US police assess rise in threat tips after 3 mass killings -- It had all the makings of a massacre. Six guns, including a Colt AR-15 rifle. About 1,000 rounds of ammunition. A bulletproof vest. And an angry Southern California man who threated to kill his co-workers at a hotel and its guests. Lisa Marie Pane and Stefanie Dazio Associated Press -- 9/23/19
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Inside Airbnb, Employees Eager for Big Payouts Pushed It to Go Public -- Last summer, several Airbnb employees wrote a letter to the online room-rental start-up’s founders. On behalf of more than a dozen employees, they pleaded to be able to sell their Airbnb stock options. Erin Griffith in the New York Times$ -- 9/23/19
Housing
Black Tenants Union Emerges in Oakland -- The leaders of a local nonprofit that helped push a statewide rent cap through the legislature this month are now focusing on building an African-American Tenants Union in Oakland. Sara Hossaini KQED -- 9/23/19
Wildfire
Communities search for ways to live with growing fire threat -- Unless it’s Sunday, Kelly Loew is steering her rusty red Jeep down the same mail route in Shingletown, as she has six days a week for the last seven years. But she delivers less mail these days as California’s persistent wildfires drive residents away. Anton L. Delgado and Dustin Patar Associated Press -- 9/23/19
UCI wildfire researchers devise method for better predicting the spread of blazes -- What if Paradise residents had received evacuation orders an hour before fast-moving flames reached their town? Could more people have escaped last November’s deadliest wildfire in California history? We may never know the answer. But sooner than later, fire officials should be able to predict with better accuracy just how and where nascent blazes will spread. Susan Christian Goulding in the Orange County Register -- 9/23/19
Education
Delay in school ethnic studies plan would bring more voices to the table -- As Gov. Gavin Newsom weighs a deadline extension for the fraught plan, other officials say they’ll hear from some 200 districts with programs already in place. Elizabeth Castillo Calmatters -- 9/23/19
San Diego State University program latest to take aim at preparing more diverse, bilingual teachers -- Working with three nearby community colleges, San Diego State University is launching a training program aimed at increasing the number of Latino and bilingual teachers in California. Michael Burke EdSource -- 9/23/19
Guns
In Gun Buyback Talk, How Do You Round Up So Many Weapons? -- Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke's recent vow to take away people's AR-15 and AK-47 rifles raised one big question: How is it possible to round up the millions of such guns that exist in the United States? Lisa Marie Payne Associated Press -- 9/23/19
Environment
Invasive mosquitoes plunge deeper into California -- Two invasive species of mosquitoes that can carry Zika, dengue, yellow fever and other dangerous viruses are spreading in California — and have been found as far north as Sacramento and Placer counties. Harriet Blair Rowan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/23/19
These Trees Survived California’s Drought and That’s Giving Scientists Hope for Climate Change -- When California’s historic five-year drought finally relented a few years ago, the tally of dead trees in the Sierra Nevada was higher than almost anyone expected: 129 million. Most are still standing, the dry patches dotting the mountainsides. But some trees did survive the test of heat and drought. Lauren Sommer KQED -- 9/23/19
UN report: Climate change causes and impacts are increasing -- As world leaders gather in New York City for the United Nations Climate Action Summit Monday, a UN report warns climate change is accelerating — with the Earth on track for the warmest 5-year period on record. Rebecca Falconer Axios -- 9/23/19
POTUS 45
Trump’s Hold on Military Aid Blindsided Top Ukrainian Officials -- The blocking of military aid to Ukraine is now at the center of questions about whether President Trump manipulated foreign policy to pressure the Ukrainian government to take action that would hurt Joseph R. Biden Jr., the former vice president and a top rival in the campaign for the presidency. Andrew E. Kramer in the New York Times$ -- 9/23/19
Beltway
‘We very well may have crossed the Rubicon’: Schiff says impeachment may be necessary -- House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff said House Democrats may have to impeach President Trump following allegations that he pressured Ukraine to investigate a political adversary, a change in tone for the senior Democrat who has long been cautious about efforts to oust the president. Rachael Bade in the Washington Post$ -- 9/23/19
As Trump Confirms He Discussed Biden With Ukraine, Pressure to Impeach Builds -- President Trump acknowledged on Sunday that he raised corruption accusations against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. during a phone call with Ukraine’s leader, a stunning admission as pressure mounted on Democrats to impeach Mr. Trump over allegations he leaned on a foreign government to help damage a political rival. Nicholas Fandos, Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 9/23/19
-- Sunday Updates
To fight climate change, car-loving California must overhaul transportation. Can it? -- Even as power plants and other sectors have cleaned up, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in California have actually grown in recent years, a sign that cleaner and more fuel-efficient cars have been unable to overcome population growth, a growing economy and suburban sprawl. More worryingly, transportation accounts for about 40% of the state’s emissions tally, more than any other sector, with most of the pollutants coming from passenger vehicles. J.D. Morris and Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/22/19
Why Bay Area transit is broken, and who is trying to fix it -- It happens two to three times a week, Alex Rivkin says. His Muni train runs a few minutes late, pulling up to the 4th and King Street station in San Francisco just in time for Rivkin to run frantically toward his departing Caltrain, only to see it pull away before he gets there. Erin Baldassari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/22/19
Internal reports contradict regulators’ public findings over San Onofre spent fuel -- When a 50-ton cask filled with radioactive waste got wedged 18 feet above the bottom of its concrete silo back in August 2018, work crews at the San Onofre nuclear plant were able to lower the container to its intended resting place after nearly an hour. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/22/19
A tiny Marin County district got California’s first school desegregation order in 50 years -- The kindergarten-through-eighth-grade campus in Sausalito, which opened in 2001, has won fierce commitment from parents and staff. It has been recognized as one of California’s top charter schools. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/22/19
The hidden battle over California’s new vaccine law -- Most everyone who heard Gov. Gavin Newsom’s words had the same reaction: He’s finally on board. Melody Gutierrez, Taryn Luna, John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/22/19
A brother’s heartbreak: Finding — and losing — a homeless addict on SF’s streets -- When a photo of a desperate, homeless heroin addict ran in The Chronicle, the man’s brother found him and helped him get into rehab. But a few months later, the story ended in tragedy. Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/22/19
He drives 60 hours a week for Uber. He’s still homeless -- He’s figured out practical ways to cope: joining a gym for showers, neatly stowing duffels with food and clothes in his trunk, keeping most possessions in a storage unit, frequently vacuuming the car, installing two inverters to directly plug in his laptop or electric razor. But it’s a hard life. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/22/19
Oakland learns to live with its homeless camps, even providing services -- Two years ago, as a stopgap measure, Oakland set up toilets, washstands and garbage cans at two of the city’s biggest homeless camps. It was supposed to be the first step toward getting people off the streets and into housing. Today, the city services 22 sanctioned campsites. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/22/19
African migrants stuck in southern Mexico, their American dream on hold -- “Africa weeps. Free us.” That’s the message handwritten in French and Spanish on a protest banner at a tent city here in the southernmost tip of Mexico. Patrick J. McDonnell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/22/19
DACA recipients benefit from their status, but fear for their safety in country of birth, study finds -- A majority of DACA recipients fear returning to their place of birth because of concerns for their safety, a survey published by immigration research groups found. Large numbers of surveyed recipients also benefited from their status in the United States, including access to education, higher-paying jobs and being able to financially support family members. Hafsa Fathima in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/22/19
Some migrant children of foreign investors may have to leave U.S. -- In his last year, school officials called to tell him his visa status was expiring. Richie was on an E-2 dependent visa, a status granted to the children of foreign investors in the United States. He could keep his status until he turned 21. Hafsa Fathima in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/22/19
Some birth tourism operators prosecuted, others still woo pregnant women to Southern California -- So about six years ago she traveled to the United States through a tour package that arranged for her housing, meals and hospital stay. She delivered twins. And she was so impressed with the business model that she stayed on to make money off it, teaming up with the owner to turn “You Win USA Vacation Resort” into a thriving player in the growing industry known as birth tourism. Roxana Kopetman in the Orange County Register -- 9/22/19
Why many Muslims treat Bernie Sanders like a rock star -- Volunteers had gathered at a Syrian-Palestinian cafe in Oakland to talk politics over falafel and shakshuka. The few dozen graduate students, tech workers and lawyers strategized on how best to pitch their favorite presidential candidate, a 77-year-old Jewish man raised in Brooklyn. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/22/19
Schiff: Impeachment may be the only remedy if Trump pressured Ukraine on Biden -- House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that if the allegations that President Trump pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden are true, then Democrats may have no other choice than to impeach him. Zachary Basu Axios -- 9/22/19