Updating . .
California braces for slowdown: What state budget, new regulations could mean -- Lenny Mendonca is chief economic and business adviser to Gov. Gavin Newsom and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/19/20
Moms 4 Housing eviction: Just how many flips, vacant homes are there in Bay Area? -- Thydour Coleman shook her head as she spoke about the four mothers evicted from a West Oakland house bought by a real estate investment company planning to flip it. The McClymonds High School graduate was born and raised in the community, leaving for four decades before returning two years ago. It was unrecognizable, she said. Matthias Gafni and J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/19/20
US border authorities see spike in unaccompanied minors from Mexico -- Human rights advocates and social workers in Tijuana worry about sexual exploitation and trafficking of migrant children after policy changes. Wendy Fry in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/19/20
Owners of electric cars get a break on the gas tax. It’s costing California $32 million -- As most Californians reach deeper into their pockets to pay higher gas taxes for road repairs, electric vehicle owners have been getting a free pass. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
Injuries at Fresno’s Amazon warehouse are triple industry average -- The warehouse has brought thousands of jobs to Fresno. But workers say the work can be crippling in more ways than one. Manuela Tobias Calmatters -- 1/19/20
Family raises concerns about integrity of SDSU investigation into student’s death -- San Diego State University freshman Dylan Hernandez was determined to do well on a midterm exam in early November, telling one of his sisters he planned to stay sober at a fraternity party the night before the test. It did not turn out that way. Gary Robbins, Lyndsay Winkley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/19/20
Levin prioritized environmental and veterans issues in Year One, will it earn him another term? -- Rep. Mike Levin, the newest member of San Diego’s congressional delegation, is competing in one of the most closely watched races. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/19/20
Activists question Elliott’s stake in “smart streetlights,” seek moratorium on surveillance -- A coalition of community activists is demanding the city of San Diego seek an independent lawyer to advise officials on its “smart streetlights” program because City Attorney Mara Elliott owns stock in the contractor’s parent company. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/19/20
Wick: A female mayor denounces the harassment she receives. Hours later, a man is arrested at her office -- If you are a woman who is so bold as to inhabit a vaguely public stage, chances are high that you will be called a lot of things that can’t be printed in a family newspaper. And then some. Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
Elizabeth Holmes’ financial jeopardy: Will court cases leave Theranos founder ruined? -- No matter what the jury’s decision in Elizabeth Holmes’ federal criminal trial this year, the fall of Theranos has become a massively expensive proposition for the Stanford University dropout. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/19/20
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Text messages point to Rep. Devin Nunes in Ukraine scheme at heart of Trump impeachment -- As the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) presented a fiery defense of President Trump during impeachment hearings last month, angrily accusing Democrats of ginning up a false narrative about the president’s efforts to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival. But newly released text messages suggest Nunes’ staff was aware of and involved in portions of the scheme, casting a new light on his combative defense. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
Trump’s trial: Kamala Harris goes on attack, Feinstein stresses impartiality -- They are in lockstep in their demand for witness testimony, but nearly everything else Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris have said about President Trump’s impeachment trial has been different in both tone and substance. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/19/20
Willie Brown: This could be TV worth watching -- It has become clear that President Trump’s impeachment trial will play out more as the latest installment of a reality show than a judicial process. The presence of celebrity attorney Alan Dershowitz on the Trump team is clearly a move by the White House to counter the crooked image of the president’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who himself may soon be in the legal hot seat for his own dealings with Ukraine. Willie Brown in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/19/20
Walters: An uber-complex presidential primary -- A new poll of California voters finds a virtual tie among Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden just a couple of weeks before mail voting begins for the March 3 Democratic presidential primary. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 1/19/20
Wiretaps reveal how college admissions scandal worked at USC, UCLA -- Late on a September afternoon in 2018, William “Rick” Singer pitched a potential client while driving from Newport Beach to San Diego. “I’ll go to one of the coaches who has a guaranteed spot in a sport and ask them if they’ll give me that spot,” Singer said during the phone call. “And in turn we will help their program and, um, the kid gets in.” Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
Frank Cruz had a short fuse for second-class treatment. So he blazed a path for himself -- Frank Cruz always told other people’s stories. Now, he tells all in his memoir about his days as a reporter, Telemundo co-founder and everything in between. He carved paths for others along the way. Dorany Pineda in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
Thousands turn out for Women’s March in downtown L.A. -- Diminished in number but not in spirit, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to advocate for reproductive rights, immigration reform, environmental justice and other issues as part of the fourth Women’s March. Colleen Shalby, Julia Barajas, Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
Women’s March 2020 kicks off what figures to be a heated election season -- “It’s a reminder for people who feel the same way and want to see change happen in Washington,” said Sherman Oaks resident Dwayne Jones, 46, who took part in the march in downtown Los Angeles, which drew tens of thousands of participants. “We’re going to continue to speak out and make sure people are voting.” Alicia Robinson, Pierce Singgih in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/19/20
Thousands fill SF’s Market Street for fourth Women’s March -- Thousands of protesters pulled pink, knitted caps over their heads, clutched homemade signs calling for reproductive rights and for President Trump’s ouster and marched through downtown San Francisco Saturday as part of the fourth Women’s March. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/19/20
With voices full and passions high, thousands turn out for 4th annual Women’s March -- By foot, by hand, by song and by prayer, thousands of women — and the men and children who love them — merged their collective power Saturday into a mass demonstration of democracy and unity they hope will upend the status quo and jump-start an era of grace and understanding. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/19/20
‘It’s energizing. And it’s reaffirming.’ More than 10,000 march at 4th annual Sacramento Women’s March -- Thousands of people participated in Saturday’s demonstration for reproductive rights, immigration reform and environmental equity at the Sacramento Women’s March in downtown Sacramento, in what was among the state’s strongest showing for the four-year-old protest. Mack Ervin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/19/20
Abortion opponents celebrate ‘the beauty and the gift of life’ at 8th Annual Walk for Life -- Thousands of people turned up Saturday in Balboa Park for the 8th Annual Walk for Life, an anti-abortion rally and march in which participants sang, chanted and carried signs to show solidarity for their cause. Morgan Cook in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/19/20
While Women’s March unfolds, L.A. Archdiocese holds its own social justice gathering -- As thousands of people gathered downtown for the fourth Women’s March, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles offered its own comment on the matter with a smaller procession that began at the city’s birthplace. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/19/20
National Archives Apologizes for Altering Image of 2017 Women’s March -- The National Archives and Records Administration, which calls itself the country’s record keeper, apologized on Saturday for altering a photo of protesters at the 2017 Women’s March that blurred out references critical of President Trump. “We made a mistake,” began a statement the archives released on Saturday. Maria Cramer in the New York Times$ -- 1/19/20
Supporters, opponents make their case on SMART train tax extension -- Just more than two years after beginning service, SMART’s future course will be decided by Marin and Sonoma voters through a high-stakes sales tax extension measure on the March 3 ballot. Will Houston in the Marin Independent Journal -- 1/19/20
Also . . .
Nolte: California’s front-row seat to a stunning coast is priceless. And free -- If you were around the Bay Area last weekend, you may remember that warnings were in the air. The highest tides of the season were on hand, the bay water lapping at the edges of the Embarcadero. The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory for the coast. The message was clear. The sea levels are rising. The ocean is on the march. Head for the hills. Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/19/20
POTUS 45
Trump team, House managers trade sharp views on impeachment -- President Donald Trump’s legal team issued a fiery response Saturday ahead of opening arguments in his impeachment trial, while House Democrats laid out their case in forceful fashion, saying the president betrayed public trust with behavior that was the “worst nightmare” of the founding fathers. Eric Tucker, Zeke Miller and Lisa Mascaro Associated Press -- 1/19/20
-- Saturday Updates
Thousands turn out for Women’s March in downtown L.A. -- Thousands of women and their supporters took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday morning to advocate for reproductive rights, immigration reform, environmental justice and other issues as part of the fourth annual Women’s March. Colleen Shalby, Julia Barajas, Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/20
Bloomberg says Warren, Sanders don’t ‘know what they’re talking about’ on breaking up big tech firms -- Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg said in an interview Friday that his rivals Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders don’t “know what they’re talking about” when they call for breaking up big tech companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/18/20
Delta jet fuel dump unlikely to cause long-term health problems, experts say -- It’s been days since a Delta jet experiencing engine trouble showered homes and schools in southeast Los Angeles with fuel, but Aldo Mauricio has continued to have difficulty breathing. Hannah Fry, Julia Barajas in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/20
Climate Action Plan urges voters to support Measure A, reject Measure B -- The Climate Action Campaign has released recommendations for a pair of high-profile development-related initiatives on the primary ballot in March — and its suggestions are divided. The San Diego nonprofit group dedicated to promoting renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions said San Diego County voters should support Measure A and reject Measure B. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/18/20
Bay Area median home price fell 2.3% last year, first annual drop since 2011 -- Forces pushing prices up — the region’s booming economy, chronic housing shortage and a hotly anticipated flood of initial public offerings — were offset by negative factors, including strained affordability, outmigration to cheaper locales and shrinking federal tax breaks for homeownership. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/20
L.A. council president pushes back on proposed ‘detention center’ for immigrant children -- Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez wants to ban the city from handing out any building permits for private detention centers, including facilities that would hold unaccompanied immigrant minors. Emily Alpert Reyes, David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/20
U.S. officials say they are highly confident to have reached tally on separated children: 4,368 -- U.S. officials assured a San Diego federal judge on Friday that they are highly confident that they have accounted for all of the children who were separated from their parents under the Trump administration’s short-lived “zero-tolerance” policy and precursor programs. The total tally: 4,368. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/18/20
Hollywood is again bracing for a writers’ strike. Here’s what’s different -- At the Television Critics Assn. gathering in Pasadena last week, NBC Entertainment Chairman Paul Telegdy reflected on a subject many of his peers wished to avoid: the prospect of reliving another writers’ strike. Anousha Sakoui, Ryan Faughnder in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/18/20
Lateefah Simon leading BART’s board on different track -- For years, Lateefah Simon was an ordinary transit rider — the unflinching single mom who dropped her daughter off at 7 a.m. each weekday, then scrambled to catch a BART train. Now, she helps set an agenda for the regional rail system. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/20
‘Got English?’ sign at Marin elementary school prompts stand for inclusion, equity -- Jim Hogeboom, superintendent of San Rafael City Schools, said a large sheet of paper with the message “Got English?” was placed over the marquee at San Pedro Elementary School, where a majority of students are Hispanic, English-language learners. Adrian Rodriguez in the Marin Independent Journal -- 1/18/20
Businesses around Levi’s Stadium hope to bask in the windfall of 49ers’ NFC title game -- And with thousands of rabid Green Bay Packers fans — otherwise known as “Cheeseheads” — expected to descend on the Bay Area this weekend for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, they may get their wish. The team’s first winning season since Levi’s opened in 2014 already has brought a noticeable uptick in weekend business for hotels and restaurants, and the allure of a championship game could be the icing on the cake. Thy Vo in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/18/20
At San Mateo’s Hillsdale Shopping Center, a tale of two malls -- On the north end, a $155 million open-air renovation has ushered in modern-looking stores, restaurants and a fancy cinema, all encircling outdoor spaces that feature a fountain light show and sitting areas. The rest of the mall — the majority of it — remains enclosed, with department stores and lines of small shops, many touting products that are easily found online. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/18/20
House Dems to outline case for removing Trump from office -- House Democrats were preparing to outline their case for removing President Donald Trump from office in a legal brief due Saturday, as opposing sides in the impeachment case look ahead to the opening of the historic trial in the Senate. Trump on Friday appointed several nationally known lawyers to the team that will defend him in the proceedings, set to open Tuesday afternoon. Eric Tucker and Zeke Miller Associated Press -- 1/18/20