Updating . .   

From horse handlers to tutors, California gig law AB5 frustrates contractors -- What do sheep shearers, rehab specialists, ventriloquists, medical transcriptionists, face-paint artists and test proctors have in common? They’re among the many kind of workers who are mobilizing online, in public protests, and in letters and visits to lawmakers to say that AB5, California’s controversial new gig work law, is hurting their livelihoods. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/10/20

California newspaper asked for Sutter County concealed gun permits. Then the threats rolled in -- The San Francisco Chronicle’s request to Sutter County’s sheriff may have appeared routine to a journalist used to requesting government documents. But asking for information about every concealed weapon permit holder in the conservative rural county quickly set off a cascade of threats and vitriol — after the sheriff announced on Facebook he was legally obligated to provide the names. Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/10/20

PG&E wants more money to ‘harden’ California against wildfire. But your bill could go up -- PG&E Corp. is asking for more rate hikes as it continues to wrestle with the fallout from California’s devastating wildfires and the risks of new fires. In a pair of filings late last week with the California Public Utilities Commission, the troubled utility asked for permission to charge ratepayers $1.4 billion for over the next two years. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/10/20

California's primary looms large — just like state officials had hoped -- Between the muddle of Iowa’s botched caucus, a weakened Joe Biden and Mike Bloomberg’s aggressive play for the 494 delegates at stake in the nation’s most populous state, California’s March 3 primary is now taking on increased importance — just as California officials hoped it would more than a year ago, when they decided to move it up from June to March’s Super Tuesday. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 2/10/20

California stopped charging parents for kids’ incarceration. So why are some still stuck owing thousands of dollars? -- When Andrew Simmons first started getting billed for his son’s stints in juvenile hall, he was shocked. “I just thought that was crazy. I mean you’re going to arrest my kid and then you’re going to charge me for it?” Simmons said. Jackie Botts Calmatters -- 2/10/20

Next bike barrier frontier: San Francisco’s bustling Embarcadero -- As the push for safer bike paths gains momentum in San Francisco, cyclists are eyeing a busy waterfront boulevard once crisscrossed by a double-decker freeway: the Embarcadero. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/10/20

Taylor: Anonymous donor helps Bay Area victims of rent scammer recover -- On a recent Friday morning, Herrera was one of 12 people, all victims of a rental fraud scheme that stretched across three Bay Area counties, who showed up at the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office in Richmond to collect an anonymous donation. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/10/20

SF rescues homes for elderly, homeless and mentally ill on the verge of closing -- As San Francisco rapidly loses its desperately needed residential care facilities for the elderly, homeless and mentally ill, the city has come up with a plan — and the money — to save two from closing. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/10/20

Coast Guard offloads $338M worth of seized cocaine in San Diego -- Coast Guard officials said that in eight different incidents between mid-November and mid-January, four of its cutter crews stopped and boarded eight boats in known drug routes at sea and seized nearly 20,000 pounds of cocaine. The incidents occurred off the west coasts of Mexico, Central and South America. Teri Figueroa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/10/20

Chula Vista police expand drone program -- During a City Council meeting last week, Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy told a story about how officers avoided tragedy while responding to a 911 call about a man waiving a small gun around in front of a taco shop on Broadway. Gustavo Solis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/10/20

Sacramento Didn’t Issue Any Tickets For Bad Electric Scooter Riding In 2019 — But It Did For Bad Parking -- A year ago this week, shareable electric scooters arrived on Sacramento streets, racking up more than a million miles — including some illegally on sidewalks. Randol White Capital Public Radio -- 2/10/20

Fox: CA Politicians Hate the Federal Tax Deducibility Cap. It’s Unlikely to Go Away -- Recently, Dan Walters in CalMatters gave an excellent summation about how California builds its budget on the backs of rich taxpayers and the inherent dangers of doing so when the economy turns down. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/10/20

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

In one Bay Area Senate race, allies are now competitors -- For the four top-tier candidates running for Santa Clara County’s 15th state Senate District, every joint campaign event is Old Home Week. Democrats Nora Campos, Dave Cortese and Ann Ravel, along with independent Johnny Khamis, have decades of experience working with each other in local government. Now each one is trying to tell voters why they’re the best choice to replace termed-out Democrat Jim Beall. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/10/20

Q&A: Voting in California is different this year — and here’s how it may impact your ballot -- After months of campaigning, dramatic ups-and-downs in the polls, and a barrage of TV ads blanketing our airwaves, California’s 2020 presidential primary is finally here. Most of the Golden State’s 20 million registered voters are expected to vote this month by mail, making California’s election day more like an election month. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/10/20

Skelton: Iowa doesn’t represent America’s diversity. It shouldn’t set the tone for a presidential election -- California voters finally are in position to influence the nomination of a presidential candidate. But elsewhere the Democrats’ nominating process needs to be chucked. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/10/20

Smolens: Democratic turmoil and a long-term warning for the GOP -- As Iowa exposes Democratic weaknesses, a former California and San Diego GOP leader says his party must look beyond the moment to address troubling trends. Michael Smolens in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/10/20

Walters: Fraud infects disability system -- Kenneth and Mandy Henderson have given a new dimension to marital togetherness. Two years ago, a disability claim filed by Mandy Henderson, a lieutenant in the Santa Clara County sheriff’s office, came under suspicion. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 2/10/20

Amid coronavirus quarantine, Santa Clarita couple blogs from cruise ship cabin -- Two Santa Clarita residents are among the 3,700 passengers and crew members quarantined on a cruise ship docked in Japan after an outbreak of the coronavirus. Carl Goldman decided to give his wife, Jeri Seratti-Goldman, a combined surprise birthday and Christmas gift of a 16-day Southeast Asia cruise aboard the Diamond Princess. The trip was supposed to end last week. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/10/20

Strong winds down trees, power lines and break windows; 77,000 PG&E customers without power -- A powerful windstorm pummeled Northern California on Sunday, breaking a window on a San Francisco skyscraper, toppling trees and power lines throughout the Bay Area and leaving tens of thousands of homes and businesses without electricity. J.D. Morris and Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/10/20

Orson Bean’s death on Venice street sparks mourning and concern over pedestrian safety -- The death of Orson Bean, the 91-year-old veteran actor-comedian, has prompted an outpouring of grief in the Los Angeles theater community and also prompted new concerns about pedestrian safety in a city that has struggled to reduce deaths. Bean was killed when he was hit by two cars Friday night while crossing Venice Boulevard on his way to see a play. Nina Agrawal, Irfan Khan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/10/20

Family members of slain Vallejo man to file charges against Bay Area cities -- Family members of a man fatally shot by an off-duty Richmond police officer plan to file claims against the cities of Richmond and Vallejo, a prominent civil rights attorney said Sunday. George Kelly in the East Bay Times -- 2/10/20

In Saving a California Newspaper, a Widower Saves Himself -- The night before his first deadline, Carl Butz, California’s newest newspaper owner, was digging into a bowl of beef stew at the Two Rivers Café, the only restaurant open in town. “Tomorrow I have to fill the paper,” he said with only mild anxiety. “The question is, will it be a four-page paper or a six-page paper?” Tim Arango in the New York Times$ -- 2/10/20

Education 

How some California school districts invest in counseling – and achieve results -- Geovanna Veloz, a senior at Mission High School in San Francisco, has always known she wants to be a nurse. What she didn’t know was how to get there. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 2/10/20

Beltway 

Democratic presidential candidates attacking Pete Buttigieg as New Hampshire primary nears -- Pete Buttigieg came under stepped-up attack from fellow Democrats eager Sunday to slow his momentum in the presidential race by highlighting his struggle to attract African American support, his lack of broad government experience and willingness to collect checks from well-heeled campaign donors. Evan Halper, Janet Hook, Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/10/20

 

-- Sunday Updates 

Coronavirus: Lessons from past epidemics guide US response to crisis -- A month into the 2003 global SARS scare, a plane coming from Tokyo landed at Mineta San Jose International Airport with a dire warning from the pilot: A few passengers had symptoms of the mysterious new respiratory illness. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/9/20

Public memorial service for helicopter crash victims set for Angel Stadium -- A public memorial service is scheduled Monday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim for three members of the Altobelli family, who were among nine people killed in a Jan. 26 helicopter crash crash in Calabasas that also took the life of former Laker Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/9/20

State insurance commissioner reports no new donations in wake of scandal -- California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara made good on his pledge last September to stop soliciting or accepting political donations to his 2022 re-election committee, according to his most recent campaign disclosure. The decision to forsake fundraising much of last year left the state’s top insurance regulator with barely $3,000 in cash on hand for his 2022 re-election. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/9/20

In the race for California’s 50th Congressional District Trump has become the defining factor -- Republican frontrunners are touting their support for the president and their opponent’s perceived opposition. But will it be enough to win over voters? Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/9/20

In new poll, Oakland voters choose Coliseum for A’s ballpark. But look at the question -- Given a choice, Oakland voters would pick the current Coliseum site over over Howard Terminal to be the home of a new A’s ballpark, according to a new poll. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/9/20

Nearly every San Diego County school district may be spending more than it can afford -- All but one of the 42 school districts in San Diego County are expecting to spend more than they take in, either this year or in the next two school years. Most are projecting to do so for all three years. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/9/20

Wind gusts at Kirkwood reach 209 mph, setting a new California record -- Wind gusts surpassed 200 miles per hour on a particularly windy Sunday morning near Kirkwood, according to the National Weather Service — setting a new record for California. Sacramento-area NWS forecaster Karleisa Rogacheski confirmed that an observation site in the Sierra Nevada recorded a gust of 209 mph at 7:45 a.m. amid widespread windy conditions in the region. Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/9/20

San Diego city employees regularly cited for misusing department credit cards -- San Diego city employees used taxpayer-funded credit cards to purchase upgrades on airline tickets. Hundreds purchased items but failed to provide or properly fill out required documentation for what they bought, or they split up transactions to bypass monthly spending limits. Lauryn Schroeder in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/9/20

Deciphering the mystery walls of East Bay hills -- Above San Ramon, on Rocky Ridge atop Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, there’s a rock wall where you might envision a hunter from 5,000 years ago hiding with a bow and arrow to ambush a deer. Tom Stienstra in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/9/20

Trump to seek $2B in new border wall cash -- President Donald Trump will ask Congress on Monday for an extra $2 billion for border wall construction, in addition to billions in funding hikes for immigration enforcement, a senior administration official told Politico on Sunday. Caitlin Emma Politico -- 2/9/20

Trump to Propose $4.8 Trillion Budget With Big Safety-Net Cuts -- President Trump is expected to release a $4.8 trillion budget Monday that charts a path for the start of a potential second term, proposing steep cuts to social-safety-net programs and foreign aid and higher outlays for defense and veterans. Kate Davidson and Andrew Restuccia in the Wall Street Journal$ Justin Sink Bloomberg -- 2/9/20

Trump, after surviving impeachment, could face charges if he loses election -- Now that the Senate has voted to clear President Trump of impeachment charges, any judgment of his conduct will be left up to the voters, as fellow Republicans argued it should be. That is, until Trump leaves office, and loses the immunity from criminal prosecution that presidents are granted by Justice Department policy. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/9/20

President Pete Buttigieg: Here’s what it would mean for California -- But representing a new direction doesn’t necessarily mean the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., is charting a more progressive course. In some ways, he’s advocating policies that are more conservative than what is in place now in California. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/9/20