Updating . .   

No coronavirus emergency in California, but state will expand testing, Newsom says -- Such an expansion includes both broadening the criteria that a person must meet to be tested for COVID-19, as well as getting more coronavirus test kits sent to California, he said. The state has 200 kits for both diagnostic and surveillance purposes, but federal officials say more will arrive in the coming days, he said. Alex Wigglesworth, Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

U.S. workers without protective gear assisted coronavirus evacuees, HHS whistleblower says -- Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear, according to a whistleblower complaint. Lena H. Sun and Yasmeen Abutaleb in the Washington Post$ -- 2/27/20

California has shortage of coronavirus test kits, Gov. Gavin Newsom says -- California is working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand its testing capacity for the new coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday. “We have just a few hundred testing kits in California,” Newsom said during a news conference with public health officials. “That is simply inadequate to do justice to the kind of testing we need.” Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Governor: Coronavirus changing “by the hour” in California -- But in a state that has more people in quarantine than any other, many questions remain unanswered. Plans on where to house infected patients are not clear, local governments are declaring emergencies and at least one lawmaker said he’s getting “radio silence” from the governor’s administration. Ana B. Ibarra Calmatters -- 2/27/20

California grapples with growing coronavirus threat as businesses pull out of state events -- California is coming to terms with the growing threat posed by coronavirus, as two communities issued emergency orders and a patient in Northern California was described by authorities as potentially the first in the U.S. to contract the disease through community. Colleen Shalby, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Taryn Luna, Dakota Smith, Soumya Karlamangla in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

Coronavirus: Solano County woman waited 11 days for test results -- A Solano County woman now critically ill with coronavirus was hospitalized for 11 days before her infection was revealed to healthcare workers, raising the potential of broader community exposure to the dangerous respiratory disease. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/27/20

UC Davis hospital sends several exposed workers home amid national virus storm -- UC Davis Medical Center officials in Sacramento have told several workers exposed to novel coronavirus to stay home and monitor temperatures, but have indicated that Thursday otherwise is business as usual with normal operations despite at least one patient now confirmed as having the virus. Darrell Smith, Cathie Anderson, Tony Bizjak, and Jason Pohl in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

New US coronavirus case may be 1st from unknown origin -- State and federal health officials are trying to locate everyone who came in contact with a northern California woman believed to be the first in the U.S. to contract the coronavirus with no known connection to travel abroad or other known causes. Don Thompson and Mike Stobbe Associated Press Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

SF tourism hits record in 2019, but coronavirus threat looms for 2020 -- San Francisco tourism hit a record in 2019 with its 10th straight year of growth, but major travel disruptions related to the coronavirus could dampen 2020. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

How schools and colleges in Northern California, Sacramento are responding to coronavirus -- Universities in the Sacramento region are suspending study abroad programs in Asia. Local community colleges are warning that students working as medical professionals were exposed to a coronavirus patient at UC Davis Medical Center. The school district in Davis has told parents that student absences due to illness will be excused. And other districts are trying to calm fears among parents while saying they have no immediate plans to cancel classes. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

California Drought: Northern California having driest February since 1864 -- With unusually dry, hot weather continuing for weeks on end and the driest February in the Bay Area in 156 years, nearly a quarter of California’s land area now is under drought conditions, federal officials announced Thursday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Alejandro Serrano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Quinn: California Will Miss The Boat On Stopping Sanders -- The California primary is too early, and Democrats are going to rue the day that California could not bat clean-up when the Democratic race becomes Sen. Bernie Sanders verses one non-socialist candidate, not half a dozen. With less than week before the California Primary, Democrats simply do not have time to vet the disaster of the Sanders candidacy when the Trump machine gets him in their sites. Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds -- 2/27/20

Taylor: An Oakland street dweller generously helped others. When he died, thieves helped themselves -- When Kelly Thompson, a homeless Vietnam veteran, had his truck towed by the city of Oakland in October 2018, he was told it would cost him $750 to retrieve it from the impound lot. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Here’s the No. 1 Bay Area neighborhood for political donations (it might surprise you) -- Bay Area residents have poured more than $28 million into the top Democratic presidential campaigns, with much of the money coming from the young, politically progressive neighborhoods of San Francisco, a Chronicle survey finds. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

In San Francisco’s fractured primary politics, ‘liberal’ is middle of the road -- The volunteers in the shuttered restaurant hung with Elizabeth Warren signs barely noticed the Nude Valentine’s Love Parade as it passed by — nine chilly souls with a police escort on a Saturday in the Castro District. Maria L. La Ganga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

L.A. candidate criticized for teaching at a college that didn’t welcome gay students -- Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee is criticizing his campaign rival Loraine Lundquist for teaching at a college that did not welcome openly gay or lesbian students, arguing in a campaign mailer that “these values don’t belong on the City Council.” Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

Regulators slam USC handling of sex abuse allegations as ‘shocking and reprehensible’ -- The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday ordered USC to make major changes in its operations and undergo three years of federal monitoring, finding the university failed to protect students from a campus gynecologist accused of abusing hundred of patients. Harriet Ryan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

Heat wave could rewrite record books in Southern California, forecasters say -- Sandals and swimsuits may be in order as Mother Nature cranks up the heat in Southern California on Thursday. The unseasonably warm weather is the result of a high-pressure ridge that’s lingered over the eastern Pacific Ocean for much of January and February, rerouting winter storms that typically soak California to the Pacific Northwest. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

FEMA: PG&E’s poor power line maintenance means it intentionally caused fires -- The federal government believes it is owed nearly $4 billion from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. because the company’s failure to prevent its power lines from starting some of California’s worst wildfires is akin to intentionally starting the disasters. An attorney representing the Federal Emergency Management Agency advanced that argument in court on Wednesday as U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali weighed the government’s claim. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Rivals rip ‘socialist’ Bernie Sanders. Do Democrats share their fear? -- Now that Sen. Bernie Sanders has the inside track for the Democratic presidential nomination, his rivals are attacking him for being a democratic socialist — warning that he wouldn’t just lose to President Trump, but could destroy Democrats’ campaigns up and down the ballot. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Bernie Sanders announces San Jose rally, new poll shows growing California lead -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, announced Wednesday he will return to California on Sunday for a San Jose rally ahead of the Super Tuesday primary elections as a new poll showed him leading a crowded field of rivals in the state. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Skelton: Freaked out about a Bernie Sanders nomination? Keep your eyes on South Carolina -- If you’re a California Democrat freaked out about the prospect of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dragging the party into a disastrous pummeling by President Trump, you should closely watch South Carolina’s primary. Maybe Democrats shouldn’t be freaked. Perhaps it’s overreacting. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

New poll of Orange County voters: We’re as conflicted as the rest of the country -- A new survey from Chapman University shows about one in four Orange County Democrats favor Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to be their party’s presidential nominee, but a strong majority are either undecided or favor a cluster of moderate candidates. Andre Mouchard in the Orange County Register -- 2/27/20

Big Money, Stiff Competition in Fight for South Bay Senate Seat -- At first glance, the race for state Senate in the 15th District presents a familiar dynamic in California politics: a battle royale between business and labor interests in a district likely to send a Democrat to Sacramento. Guy Marzorati KQED -- 2/27/20

California Primary Election 2020: Where Do Candidates Stand On The Issues? -- The California primary election is here and KPBS has created a Voter Guide to help you get ready to cast your vote. We asked state, county and citywide candidates running for public office this year where they stand on some of the most contentious issues ranging from immigration to student debt and universal healthcare. Christopher Underwood KPBS -- 2/27/20

Sacramento mayor’s rival plan to March ballot measure for youth will be on November ballot -- Whether or not Sacramento voters decide to mandate the city set aside an additional $12.5 million on youth at the polls next week, a rival proposal will appear on the ballot in November, the City Council decided Tuesday in a 7-2 vote. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

Bretón: ‘Smear campaign’ against Sacramento Councilman Hansen continues. It shows he’s vulnerable -- There is one reason and one reason only why Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen is being linked to Republicans in election campaign hit pieces that not only haven’t stopped coming, but have proliferated: Hansen’s opponents see a real opportunity to take him out and replace him with Katie Valenzuela, a candidate that some progressive activists like much better. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

After glitch-marred opening day, L.A. County’s new Vote Centers are getting some foot traffic -- Those new L.A. County Vote Centers may have started with some stumbles that forced poll workers to turn some people away on opening day, but officials say voters are gradually finding their way to the new one-stop hubs, ushering in a new era of early balloting. Ryan Carter in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/27/20

Walters: Climate change and water supply -- California, as everyone knows, receives virtually all of its precipitation during a few fall and winter months and in 2019, some early rain and snow storms promised a bountiful water year. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 2/27/20

Coronavirus

Coronavirus uncontained: First case in U.S. from unknown source is from Bay Area -- A Solano County resident has tested positive for the new coronavirus but had not recently traveled to any foreign country where the virus is spreading and had not had contact with any people with confirmed cases, public health officials said Wednesday. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ Robert Jablon and Mike Stobbe Associated Press Soumya Karlamangla, Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ Roni Caryn Rabin in the New York Times$ Lenny Bernstein, Laurie McGinley and Lena H. Sun in the Washington Post$ -- 2/27/20

CDC reportedly took 4 days to test Solano County resident for coronavirus -- The patient, who is a resident of Solano County, was brought to UC Davis Medical Center from another Northern California hospital on Feb. 19, but it wasn't until four days later, on Feb. 23, that the CDC heeded a request to test the patient for new coronavirus, according to an email sent to employees Wednesday by the hospital’s interim CEO, Br ad Simmons, and David Lubarsky, CEO of UC Davis Health. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Cathie Anderson and Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ Victoria Colliver Politico -- 2/27/20

Bay Area hospitals scramble to prepare for coronavirus; ‘when are we going to get the test kits?’ -- As the new coronavirus continues to spread in Europe, the Middle East and Asia — and Solano County recorded the first U.S. case unrelated to international travel, raising fears of a local outbreak — Bay Area hospitals are bracing for the possibility of large numbers of coronavirus patients at a time many are already stretched thin because of the flu season. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

What it’s like to be a coronavirus patient in San Francisco -- Rick Wright said he feels perfectly fine. That’s despite the fact he tested positive for the coronavirus after being evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and has been in a hospital room for the past week with his vitals checked by medical professionals in hazmat suits. His wife is quarantined at Travis Air Force Base. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

How a doctor screened and helped Sacramento coronavirus patient get treatment -- After undergoing a second round of testing, the first Sacramento County resident to test positive for the coronavirus now shows no signs of the disease and is ‘recovering well,’ said Dr. Xin-Nong Li, a Sacramento doctor consulting with the patient. Theodora Yu, Cathie Anderson, and Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

Merced, Tulare counties report residents have volunteered for coronavirus monitoring -- Nine Merced County residents have volunteered for monitoring as a precaution against conronavirus after recently traveling to China, public health officials confirmed Wednesday. Officials on Wednesday also confirmed nine people in Tulare County also were self-monitoring as county health officials race to contact area residents who have recently traveled to China. Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado in the Merced Sun-Star -- 2/27/20

Riverside County resident among coronavirus patients from Diamond Princess cruise ship -- A Riverside County resident who was a passenger on the Diamond Princess cruise ship has tested positive for coronavirus, authorities said. The individual is currently housed at a Northern California medical facility and is expected to make a full recovery, Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said Tuesday. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

Flight attendant diagnosed with Coronavirus after trip to LAX -- One day after authorities confirmed a Korean Air flight attendant who worked flights out of Los Angeles International Airport was diagnosed with coronavirus, Mayor Eric Garcetti assured residents that extensive precautions are being taken at the airport to help prevent a spread of the virus, on Wednesday, Feb. 26. David Rosenfeld in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/27/20

San Francisco’s coronavirus state of emergency won’t halt Game Developers Conference -- Despite a “state of emergency” due to the threat of the coronavirus in San Francisco, the Game Developers Conference is still a go (for the moment), and San Francisco is still open for business, just not business as usual. Gene Park in the Washington Post$ -- 2/27/20

How the coronavirus might affect Palm Springs area's Coachella fest, BNP Paribas Open and more -- In the Coachella Valley, health officials say there’s little chance of spread throughout the area and little threat to the common person. However, the virus could impact participation in international events such as the desert's music festivals, and tennis and golf tournaments. Of particular concern is the ANA Inspiration, the desert stop on the LPGA Tour, where many top players hail from Asian countries experiencing CDC travel advisories. Nicole Hayden and Larry Bohannan in the Desert Sun -- 2/27/20

Coronavirus raises fears of U.S. drug supply disruptions -- The crisis highlights a growing vulnerability: Not only are many medications used in the United States manufactured overseas, but critical ingredients — and the chemicals used to make them — also are overwhelmingly made in China and other countries. The supply chain’s roots now run so deep that it’s difficult to fully anticipate where critical shortages could emerge. Laurie McGinley and Carolyn Y. Johnson in the Washington Post$ -- 2/27/20

Trump backers see a coronavirus conspiracy -- Some supporters of President Donald Trump see a threat bigger than the spread of a highly contagious novel coronavirus: a conspiracy by “deep state” actors to use the virus against the president. Ben Schreckinger and Alice Miranda Ollstein Politico -- 2/27/20

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Tech Platforms Aren’t Bound by First Amendment, Appeals Court Rules -- A federal appeals court in California on Wednesday ruled that privately operated internet platforms are free to censor content they don’t like. Jacob Gershman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/27/20

California gas prices might rise due to Carson oil refinery fire -- Within a week or two, prices at the pump could inch up by 10 to 15 cents per gallon, said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy, a company that tracks real-time gas prices. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

SF mulls how to regulate ghost kitchens, food delivery apps -- With technology radically changing how their customers find restaurants and place orders, San Francisco restaurant owners at a hearing Wednesday said they opposed the increasingly common practice of food delivery apps listing their businesses without permission. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Green card share for skilled Indian immigrants drops as application share rises, report says -- While a fierce debate rages over a U.S. Senate bill to scrap per-country green card limits — with opponents claiming it would give unfair advantage to Indian citizens — the share of green cards going to skilled Indian workers has dropped, according to a new report. Meanwhile, the share of green card applications filed by employers for Indians has risen, according to the report released this week by the Cato Institute. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/27/20

Raiders sell Vegas-area facility for 30 times what they paid for it 2 years ago -- The Raiders just scored a huge victory in Las Vegas, months before they’ll even play a game in their new home. In a move that raised some eyebrows in Nevada, the Raiders sold their unfinished Henderson, Nev. headquarters and practice facility for $191 million and immediately leased it back, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Wednesday. Jon Becker in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/27/20

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

Lansner: Are California property taxes too low? -- Are California property taxes too low? Voters are being peppered with that question this year. Ballots are filled with propositions seeking, in one way or another, to increase property tax collections. Jonathan Lansner in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/27/20

Transit  

Car-free Market Street so-so for SF drivers, good for bus, bike riders, study shows -- San Francisco’s car ban on Market Street — introduced a month ago after 10 years of handwringing — has barely affected motorists, with almost no spillover traffic on side streets. But it’s a huge improvement for buses, streetcars and bicycles. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Homeless  

Newsom is promising a database to track homeless people statewide. It won’t be that easy -- He made it sound so simple and matter-of-fact. But for those homeless advocates who have long struggled to compile such data, Newsom was evoking a quest like that for the Holy Grail — a prize that is difficult to reach, but which everyone wants. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

Hundreds of homeless connect with services in annual event -- Some came for haircuts, some for dental exams and some to have veterinarians inoculate their pets, among other services. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/27/20

Housing  

Toll Brothers says 11 home sales in California impacted by coronavirus -- Home builder Toll Brothers Inc said on Wednesday that the coronavirus outbreak in China had led to shortages of lighting fixtures and small appliances, forcing it to delay the sales of 11 homes in California, one of its biggest markets. Reuters -- 2/27/20

Bayview business owners push back on SF plan to limit housing in dilapidated industrial stretch -- The Shamrock Moving and Storage warehouse in the Bayview district is so close to the T-Third Muni streetcar stop that owner Bobby Fallon can see the faces of commuters waiting for the train from the entrance. For the past few years, Fallon and his three siblings have been quietly working on a housing proposal there. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Rent control in Santa Ana? Coalition sets off to collect signatures, put question to voters -- A coalition of Santa Ana renters are taking another stab at putting rent control on the ballot. A group called Tenants United Santa Ana has launched a new campaign to collect enough signatures to get a rent control initiative on the November 2020 ballot. Roxana Kopetman in the Orange County Register -- 2/27/20

Education 

Bay Area education officials start prepping for coronavirus, including school closures -- Education officials across California are reviewing and updating emergency plans and preparing for the potential closure of schools if the new coronavirus spreads widely. Federal officials this week said schools need to start thinking about what to do in the event of a local outbreak. Jill Tucker and Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Lawyers: New evidence backs Loughlin, Giannulli’s innocence -- Lawyers for “Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, said Wednesday that new evidence shows the couple is innocent of charges that they bribed their daughters’ way into the University of Southern California. Alanna Durkin Richer Associated Press -- 2/27/20

Death of Stanford student in fraternity house caused by fentanyl, officials say -- An accidental fentanyl overdose caused the death of a Stanford student in his fraternity house last month, authorities said Wednesday. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and medical examiner had been investigating the death since undergraduate student Eitan Weiner, 19, was found unresponsive in the Theta Delta Chi fraternity house on Jan. 17. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

McClymonds High School in Oakland will stay shut another week as air testing continues -- Oakland students displaced after a cancer-causing chemical was found in groundwater at their school will likely remain at alternative locations for at least another week as air quality testing continues, district officials said Wednesday. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

California’s online community college to face state audit -- State lawmakers voted unanimously Wednesday to audit Calbright College, California’s online-only community college, just five months into its existence. Ashley A. Smith EdSource -- 2/27/20

Immigration / Border 

Court sides with Trump in ‘sanctuary cities’ grant fight -- The Trump administration can withhold millions of dollars in law enforcement grants to force states to cooperate with U.S. immigration enforcement, a federal appeals court in New York ruled Wednesday in a decision that conflicted with three other federal appeals courts. Larry Neumeister Associated Press Annie Correal in the New York Times$ -- 2/27/20

Health 

San Diego County announces high-intensity drug rehab program for frequent mental health patients -- About 500 people with drug and alcohol dependencies who frequently check into the county’s psychiatric hospital on Rosecrans Street will be the first group to receive new care coordination services that the county hopes will eventually revolutionize mental health care throughout the region. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 2/27/20

Environment 

California’s new plan to deal with climate change, sea-level rise OKd -- The strategic plan, adopted unanimously by the state’s Ocean Protection Council, is a blueprint for how state agencies should collaborate over the next five years with tribal groups, research organizations and underserved communities to prepare for ocean warming, acidification, rising seas and plastic pollution. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

Group sues to hold Coca-Cola, Pepsi and others liable for plastics fouling California waters -- Escalating a campaign to make corporations responsible for the waste they produce, an environmental group filed suit Wednesday against some of the world’s biggest food, beverage and consumer goods companies in a California court, arguing they should be held responsible for plastic packaging that is fouling the state’s oceans, rivers and streams. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

It’s illegal to destroy saguaro cacti. So why are they being removed for Trump’s border wall? -- In Arizona, cactus rustling — stealing or killing the state’s iconic saguaros — is a felony. Molly Hennessy-Fiske in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

California wants to kill every one of these swamp rats by 2025. Congress is ready to help -- A California Democrat trying to eradicate invasive swamp rats from his state highly recommends using an animal carcass to get action in a typically deadlocked Congress. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/27/20

Also . . . 

Walnut Creek arrest reveals secret world of child sex trafficking; girls as young as 9 allegedly being bought and sold in the Bay Area -- According to court records, police have uncovered evidence that girls as young as 9 are being bought for sexual servitude in the Bay Area and linked a suspect to a cache of child pornography, evidence of overseas sex tourism, and a stash of hidden video cameras disguised as everyday household objects. Nate Gartrell in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/27/20

Refinery neighbors are used to fires. But the Carson explosion was ‘scary’ -- Alvarez was one of numerous people — some as far away as Glendale, Studio City and Atwater Village — who were jolted late Tuesday when part of the refinery exploded, sparking a spectacular blaze that shot flames 100 feet into the air and took firefighters half the night to get under control, officials said. Luke Money, Tony Barboza, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/27/20

In Pop Smoke Murder Investigation, Evidence Sends Mixed Messages -- The Los Angeles police said that intruders took some things from the home, but that some usual signs of a robbery were absent. There have been no arrests. Elizabeth A. Harris in the New York Times$ -- 2/27/20

Hero search dog tries not to let fame of Point Reyes rescue get to his fuzzy head -- The dog is a 3-year-old golden retriever named Groot, and all Groot did on Saturday was help Cassens locate two lost hikers from Palo Alto who had been stranded in a ditch of brush, thorny blackberry and poison oak near Inverness for more than a week. Cassens and Groot were among scores of volunteer searchers who had bushwhacked for days, looking for the elderly couple. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/27/20

POTUS 45  

Trump downplays risk, places Pence in charge of coronavirus outbreak response -- President Trump announced Wednesday that Vice President Pence will lead the administration’s response to the deadly coronavirus in an attempt to reassure the public amid growing concerns of a global health crisis and criticism that the United States has been slow to respond to the fast-moving outbreak. Toluse Olorunnipa, Josh Dawsey and Yasmeen Abutaleb in the Washington Post$ Lauran Neergaard and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Associated Press Stephanie Armour and Andrew Restuccia in the Wall Street Journal$ Michael D. Shear, Noah Weiland and Katie Rogers in the New York Times$ -- 2/27/20

Trump Has a Problem as the Coronavirus Threatens the U.S.: His Credibility -- For years, experts have warned that Mr. Trump has been squandering the credibility he could need in a moment of national emergency, like a terrorist attack or a public health crisis. Now, as the coronavirus races across the globe and has begun to threaten the United States, Mr. Trump could face a moment of reckoning. Maintaining a calm and orderly response during an epidemic, in which countless lives could be at stake, requires that the president be a reliable public messenger. Annie Karni, Michael Crowley and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 2/27/20

SEIU unveils $150M campaign to help defeat Trump -- One of the nation’s largest labor unions is unveiling plans to invest $150 million in a nationwide campaign to help defeat President Donald Trump, a sweeping effort focused on eight battleground states and voters of color who typically don’t vote. Steve Peoples Associated Press -- 2/27/20

Beltway 

Pelosi faces a challenge to House majority beyond her control: Bernie Sanders -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has carefully managed every aspect of building and maintaining her Democratic majority — from leading fundraising efforts to crafting a policy agenda to making the reluctant decision to pursue the impeachment of President Trump. Mike DeBonis in the Washington Post$ -- 2/27/20

 

-- Wednesday Updates 

Tech Platforms Aren’t Bound by First Amendment, Appeals Court Rules -- A federal appeals court in California on Wednesday ruled that privately operated internet platforms are free to censor content they don’t like. Jacob Gershman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/26/20

Orange County declares emergency over coronavirus -- Orange County is declaring a local emergency and a local health emergency in response to the coronavirus, which has killed thousands globally, officials announced Wednesday. The move is largely in response to a debate that’s erupted over a proposal to locate coronavirus patients to a facility in Costa Mesa, which has sparked a bitter court battle, Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel and Vice Chairman Andrew Do said at a news conference. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Can I get coronavirus from a package delivered from China? -- Residents at the epicenter of China’s mysterious viral outbreak are quarantined. But their mailed shipments are not. Does that pose a risk? It’s a legitimate question — especially in California — because we import so many products from China. But U.S. health officials said on Monday that there is no evidence to support the transmission of the new coronavirus through imported goods. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/26/20

Coronavirus masks: Can’t find one? Would bandanna work? Does it matter? -- Now what? Well, for the record, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recommend face masks for those who aren’t sick or caring for someone with the disease. Instead, just keep your distance (six feet) from others, cover your nose and mouth if you cough or sneeze, wash your hands and stay home if you’re not well. Experts say that’s sound guidance. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/26/20

California health authorities eye coronavirus threat -- The outbreak of the novel coronavirus is reminiscent of the 2003 spread of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which is also in the family of coronaviruses and also started in China and spread to California. So far, it appears it is more infectious than SARS but less deadly, Chiu said. Lisa Renner Capitol Weekly -- 2/26/20

Delayed and Confused: Will California’s election rules lead to an Iowa-style snafu? -- A spectre is haunting the county elections offices and campaign headquarters of California: Iowa. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 2/26/20

Mapping the money -- Breaking down how the Bay Area donated to major presidential candidates. Eric Blom in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/26/20

Most California Democrats have made a presidential pick. Gov. Gavin Newsom hasn’t -- With the closely watched California presidential primary just days away, Gov. Gavin Newsom remains cagey about which of the remaining Democratic contenders will earn his vote. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

A new generation of young Latinos is making Coachella a must-visit stop for 2020 Democrats -- Latinos have been a strong influence in Coachella politics since the mid-1960s, when a majority of the City Council was of Mexican American descent, among the first cities in California to reach that milestone. But Coachella largely stagnated amid neglect from its regional, state and federal representatives, who were almost always white and Republican. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Big spending from outside groups bolsters L.A. City Hall incumbents and favorites -- Technology entrepreneur Andrew Lee was barred from donating more than $800 to the campaign to help re-elect Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu — a city restriction meant to curb the influence of wealthy donors. But Lee could give as much as he wanted to an independent committee backing the councilman, which is not bound by the same rules. Emily Alpert Reyes, Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

In race for L.A. County supervisor, homelessness crisis leads to finger-pointing -- With some 19,000 homeless residents living in Los Angeles County’s 2nd Supervisorial District, the candidates running to replace Mark Ridley-Thomas on the Board of Supervisors are united in their pledge to ease housing costs and bring people indoors. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Ugly battles erupt as residents fight housing coronavirus patients in their cities -- The coronavirus has yet to become a major health threat in Orange County. But a proposal to eventually place some patients at a state-owned facility in Costa Mesa has sparked a political battle in which wary residents are speaking in conspiratorial, even apocalyptic terms. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Labor unions flex their muscle in fight with California cannabis industry -- California’s largest marijuana association is in a bind after powerful labor unions accused the organization of distributing an anti-union document and asked Democratic politicians to “refrain from engaging with” the group in a display of organized labor’s immense political muscle at the state Capitol. Taryn Luna, Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

After accident they warned about, sisters of mentally ill man blame the state — and beg governor to act -- Everyone around him saw this coming. No one managed to stop it. For years, family members of James Mark Rippee — a blind, homeless Vacaville man with a traumatic brain injury and paranoid schizophrenia — have fought to get him into treatment. He resisted. And official after official cited California’s involuntary treatment laws in explaining to his family why there was nothing they could do. Jocelyn Wiener Calmatters -- 2/26/20

Homelessness tops Gavin Newsom’s agenda. So why is his housing department understaffed? -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plans to build houses and reduce homelessness in California depend on a state department that is understaffed, lacking permanent leaders and struggling to adjust to change, according to documents and interviews. Wes Venteicher and Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/26/20

As UC and Cal State seek new chiefs, here are their wish lists -- California’s four-year university systems are both choosing new leaders whose decisions will shape not only their institutions but the future of public higher education in the state and nationally. Felicia Mello Calmatters -- 2/26/20

With $5.49 billion haul, UCLA rivals private colleges in fundraising — it’s part of a trend -- UCLA has raised $5.49 billion in one of the nation’s most successful public university fundraising campaigns, as an “arms race” heats up throughout the country for private philanthropy to offset state funding shortfalls. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Ventura restaurants banned from using polystyrene food containers -- The city is the latest to prohibit the use of polystyrene, often known as Styrofoam, in food-service businesses to help reduce litter and harm to marine animals. The material is found in single-use plates, cups and take-out food containers and is neither biodegradable nor recyclable. Priscella Vega in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Interior states sue to force California cities and other West Coast ports to ship coal exports -- Buffeted by falling domestic demand, America’s ailing coal industry set its sights a decade ago on the promise of reaching Asian markets. But that meant shipping from West Coast ports, and politicians there had other ideas. Anna M. Phillips in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

California wildfire victims fear they’ll be last in payout -- A $13.5 billion settlement between victims of California’s catastrophic wildfires and the utility blamed for causing them was supposed to bring some peace and hope to people still reeling from the devastation. Instead, the deal has sparked confusion, resentment, suspicion and despair as the victims, government agencies, and lawyers grapple for their piece of the pie. Michael Liedtke and Daisy Nguyen Associated Press -- 2/26/20

PG&E CEO blames past management for problems, promises fixes -- PG&E Corp. CEO Bill Johnson blamed negligence by the company’s past management for a cascade of catastrophes that killed nearly 140 people as he tried to persuade California regulators Tuesday that he is steering the utility to make safety its top priority. Michael Liedtke Associated Press -- 2/26/20

Silicon Valley is roiled by feds ordering draining of reservoir to reduce quake risks -- A federal order to drain Silicon Valley’s largest drinking water reservoir has thrown the region into disarray, with multiple agencies pointing fingers at each other and some local leaders fearful their cities could run out of water, not this summer but the following one. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Economists see growing recession risk as coronavirus spreads in U.S. and elsewhere -- As the coronavirus outbreak enters a potentially dangerous new phase, with cases widening in Europe and expected to spread in the United States, economists have begun to raise their estimates for the risk of a global recession and fallout to the American economy. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

What’s white, male and 5 feet wide? Bay Area’s bike lanes -- When it comes to exclusivity, one would be hard-pressed to beat San Francisco’s bike lanes, where most regular riders are male, affluent, white “bike bros,” with 1 in 4 making $250,000 or more a year, according to the most recent U.S. census data. And it’s not just in San Francisco. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 2/26/20

Skateboarding improves mental health, helps build diverse relationships, USC study says -- USC researchers have found multiple benefits in skateboarding, ranging from mental health to education and careers, the university announced Wednesday. A first-of-its-kind study of skateboarding culture found the sport improves mental health, fosters community and encourages diversity and resilience, according to USC. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Lopez: Do people in L.A. hug too much? The New York Times thinks so -- It’s not that I enjoy wagging my finger when Los Angeles is stereotyped by outsiders who know nothing about us. But once again, duty calls. The culprit here, unsurprisingly, is an East Coast media outlet. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/26/20

Fox: Temporarily Suspend AB 5 -- Assemblyman Kevin Kiley intends to seek a floor vote on AB 1928 tomorrow to suspend AB 5 immediately, the worker classification bill. Good idea and a move to assure the many Californians hurt by the legislation that their representatives hear them. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/26/20