Aaron Read
Edsource.org
Olson Hagel
Capitol Weekly
 
Maplight.org
CA Leg Analyst
 

Updating . .   

Rent is coming due in California: ‘Two weeks to avoid complete catastrophe’ -- The California Legislature has less than a month left in its pandemic-shortened session to deal with one of the state’s worst economic crises in decades, and there’s no greater emergency than what to do about the rent. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Coronavirus: Unemployed Bay Area workers find new calling, new paychecks -- P.J. Denyer never thought her career path would take her to where she is now — clocking in at 7 a.m. each day to stand in an assembly line and package meals for San Jose’s homeless residents. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/20

California unemployment agency workers say internal problems are stalling claims process -- As California grapples with a deluge of requests for unemployment benefits amid the COVID-19 pandemic, some state workers processing claims say they are buckling under pressure, hampered by outdated technology, bureaucratic red tape and a shortage of trained, experienced staff. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

1.13 million workers are in trapped in EDD payment limbo -- About 1.13 million unemployed California workers are stuck in EDD payment limbo, including 889,000 workers that the state Employment Development Department says it can’t pay “at this time,” even if they have been out of work for months amid coronavirus-linked business shutdowns. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/20

12 tips for getting your California unemployment benefits from the EDD -- Contact your state senator and Assembly member. Their staff will collect information about your case and reach out to EDD on your behalf. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Virus   

California has the most coronavirus cases of any state, but there are signs of hope, Newsom says -- After a record-breaking month of fatalities linked to the coronavirus pandemic, California set a grim new milestone over the weekend: 500,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the most of any state. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

California passes 500,000 cases; 97% of residents on watchlist -- California officially surpassed 500,000 total lab-confirmed coronavirus infections and set a new daily high for reported COVID-19 deaths over the weekend, while Sacramento County reached the 10,000-case mark. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/20

Bay Area residents mostly wear masks and follow coronavirus rules. But there’s a big exception -- Most people interviewed for this story said they feel safe without a mask when they are outside, sitting down. They remove their masks in those settings with friends they trust. And everyone who agreed to be interviewed said that they wear masks at all times in public — except in parks. Anna Kramer in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Ventura County trails to remain closed through September amid coronavirus concerns -- A popular Ventura County hiking area will remain off-limits for the next two months as officials look to stave off potentially unsafe crowding conditions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

School   

LAUSD, teachers reach tentative deal for more predictable remote learning schedules for students -- The teachers union and the Los Angeles school district have reached a tentative agreement over rules for instruction in the fall, according to a source close to the negotiations. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Stanford, Cal football players among group threatening boycott of ‘reckless’ season -- Citing academic, economic, health and racial injustices, a group of Pac-12 football players threatened Sunday not to play this year, a season already in jeopardy because of the coronavirus pandemic. Rusty Simmons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Policy & Politics 

Bass, Harris on Biden’s ticket? Either way, political effects would ripple in Southern California -- With presidential candidate Joe Biden on the cusp of announcing a running mate, the stakes are high in Southern California, where the political domino effects could be profound if either U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris or Rep. Karen Bass are picked and ultimately win. Ryan Carter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

California may ban African hunting trophies. How Black Lives Matter has altered the debate -- California lawmakers this week will debate Black inequality and injustice in an unlikely arena: Trophy hunting. For years, animal rights groups across Western nations, in campaigns often led by white celebrities, have pushed for bans on trophy hunting of iconic African species such as lions, hippos, rhinos, zebras, and elephants. Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Smith: Chop down the lynching tree from this California city’s logo? Probably not so fast -- Mike Saunders talks about Placerville’s infamous “noose of justice” almost dispassionately. Even when, on one recent sweltering afternoon, he told me about unnamed people threatening to use it on him, he ended the story with a resigned shrug that masked the frustration in his eyes. Erika D. Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Ballot battle underway to keep stem cell agency alive -- The California stem cell agency has just finished pumping $5.3 million into the fight to save the lives of COVID-19 victims. And — in a ballot-box bonus — its efforts are already surfacing in the ballot campaign to rescue the agency from its own demise. David Jensen Capitol Weekly -- 8/3/20

Street   

Five residents file lawsuit alleging LAPD falsely labeled them as gang members -- Five residents allege in a lawsuit filed Sunday that Los Angeles police officers labeled them gang members without evidence as part of a broader pattern of corruption that has caused irreparable harm to them and many others. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Taylor: Open Vallejo, small nonprofit news site, strives to hold police accountable -- Willie McCoy’s death haunts the Vallejo Police Department. Vallejo police officers fatally shot McCoy in the drive-through lane of a fast food restaurant on Feb. 9, 2019. In police body camera footage, it appears McCoy, who had fallen asleep or passed out with a gun in his lap, was waking when officers fired 55 shots. He never had a chance. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

New Normal  

Restaurants are taking over parking spaces. Here are 6 ways to make them better -- First things first: The restaurants that are converting parking spaces to dining patios in cities across the Bay Area aren’t focused on aesthetics. With local governments’ blessing, they’re trying to survive the coronavirus-ravaged times in which we live. John King in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Wildfire    

Apple fire at 26,450 acres, relief crews for weary firefighters arriving -- The Apple fire that started in Riverside County’s Cherry Valley and raced into the ridges and canyons of the San Bernardino National Forest had consumed 26,450 acres by Monday morning and was at 5% containment –with fresh firefighting crews coming in to relieve those who have battled the blaze since Friday afternoon. Richard K. De Atley in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/3/20

 

California Policy & Politics Monday Morning  

Coronavirus hospitalizations drop in L.A., Orange counties -- Coronavirus hospitalizations in Los Angeles and Orange counties have dropped over the last week, which may be evidence that actions taken to limit the virus’ spread are working, public health officials said Sunday. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Church leaders see following health order as part of faith -- While some area churches have continued to hold indoor services or large outdoor events in defiance of county health orders during the pandemic, other faith leaders are turning to the Bible for guidance in following safety protocols. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/3/20

Drive-through communion, online sermons: Venerable Tustin church adapts to pandemic -- Although steeped in tradition, Red Hill Lutheran Church has found ways to adapt during a pandemic that makes life anything but normal. Susan Christian Goulding in the Orange County Register -- 8/3/20

San Francisco dining is going mobile. Get ready for the street food revolution -- But the biggest change is his parking spot on Mistral Street in the Mission. The half-block alley next to John O’Connell Technical High School transformed into a pop-up dining plaza nine months after COVID-19 hit, one of dozens of recurring street markets that have sprouted across San Francisco. Sarah Feldberg in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

San Quentin: Protesters demand action as coronavirus outbreak continues at prison; another inmate dies Sunday from COVID-19 -- The waves of protests that have swept across America reached the shores of the infamous San Quentin State Prison on Sunday as about 1,000 people demonstrated against conditions that have led to a public health crisis inside the 275-acre complex. Elliott Almond in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/20

‘Everything is over the top’: How O.C. hair salons work through the coronavirus -- After nearly 25 years in the cosmetology industry, Travis Vu became a first-time business owner — opening TravisVu the Salon in Fountain Valley two years ago. Andrew Turner in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

SF’s Tenderloin to receive wider pedestrian areas, play spaces amid pandemic -- A four-block stretch of San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood will be remodeled to make room for pedestrians, a temporary project intended to allow for more physical distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

4 months into pandemic, turnaround times for reliable coronavirus tests are still an issue -- Four months into the coronavirus pandemic, delays in test results continue to hamper efforts at slowing the spread of the virus in Los Angeles County, doctors familiar with the situation and public health officials have acknowledged. David Rosenfeld in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 8/3/20

San Francisco flattened the curve early. Now, coronavirus cases are surging -- The Bay Area was supposed to be exceptional. It was one of the first metro areas in the United States to fully shut down to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Nearly everyone wears masks, in stores and on streets. Its progressive residents generally have been inclined to follow the rules, and there’s a high level of trust in public health officials, local governments and the fast-changing science. Heather Kelly and Rachel Lerman in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/20

Street   

Some autopsies remain secret for years or decades. Families of those killed by police want that changed -- It is a roster of tragedy and violence, a list populated with those famous in life and those plucked from obscurity by the exceptional circumstances of their death. Matt Hamilton, Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Oakland victim’s family: Slain ‘Lil Jeff’ mattered -- There were no marchers, no chanting, no raised fists on the quiet West Oakland street. Just the sound of a mother’s voice on the verge of tears. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Policy & Politics 

What’s in a name? Everything, unhappy California initiative backers say as they sue state -- Campaigns in four of the 12 initiative measures in California’s November election have sued state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, charging that his office wasn’t fair and neutral when it prepared the titles and summaries that will appear on the ballot. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Here’s how much money is flowing into California ballot campaigns -- Millions of dollars flowed into the 12 initiative campaigns on the November ballot in the quarter ending June 30, but the latest financial reports released by the California secretary of state show campaign cash isn’t spread equally. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Walters: Two mayors seek more authority -- California has 482 incorporated cities but just five of them — Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland and Fresno — have what are called “strong mayors” with executive authority. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 8/3/20

Workplace   

Remote work, child care, mask enforcement: COVID-19 is re-writing employment law -- Hundreds of pandemic-related labor lawsuits have been filed, and that’s just the beginning of what’s to come, legal experts say. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/3/20

Wildfire

Firefighters struggle to control Apple fire in Riverside County as winds pick up -- California’s first major wildfire of the year grew to more than 20,000 acres over the weekend, destroying one home, forcing thousands to evacuate and sending up a plume of smoke so massive that it generated its own winds, authorities said. Alex Wigglesworth, Laura Newberry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/20

Education 

Colleges Try to Reunite Students With the Stuff They Left Behind -- For months, nearly 3,000 miles has separated Benjamin Beckman, a Yale University music major in California, from his French horn back in Connecticut. The instrument was left behind in the hasty shutdown of colleges across the U.S. this spring as coronavirus hit—along with piles of laundry, snacks and personal belongings gathering dust for months in shuttered dorms at campuses across the country. Leslie Brody and Melissa Korn in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/3/20

California child care providers losing money, risking health during pandemic -- With less income and more expenses, many providers are missing rent and mortgage payments and racking up credit card debt, even as they worry they will be infected with the coronavirus, according to a new survey from the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC Berkeley. Zaidee Stavely EdSource -- 8/3/20

Transit  

Car sales surge as Bay Area shifts away from transit -- Jeanmarie Gonzalez used to rely on AC Transit and Muni for her daily commute from Oakland to San Francisco. She cares about the environment and accepted a longer commute to reduce her carbon footprint. But when the coronavirus pandemic hit, the calculus changed. Anna Kramer in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Environment   

4 bears struck by cars in Yosemite; park rangers urge drivers to slow down -- Park rangers in Yosemite National Park are cautioning drivers to slow down after at least four bears were hit by cars along park roads in the past three weeks. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/20

Also . . .   

3 Marines from Southern California among 8 service members presumed dead off San Clemente Island -- The Marines and sailor have been missing since Thursday, July 30, when their seafaring vehicle — known as an AAV — took on water and sank during a routine training exercise near the island. The Navy-owned island is about 50 miles west of Orange County and 20 miles south of Catalina Island. It is the only ship-to-shore live-fire training range in the nation. Erika I. Ritchie in the Orange County Register -- 8/3/20

POTUS 45  

Scientists Worry About Political Influence Over Coronavirus Vaccine Project -- Operation Warp Speed has moved along at a rapid clip. But some people involved in the process fear pressure to deliver an October surprise for President Trump. Sharon LaFraniere, Katie Thomas, Noah Weiland, Peter Baker and Annie Karni in the New York Times$ -- 8/3/20

Beltway   

Pelosi accuses Trump, Birx of spreading misinformation about coronavirus -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi doubled down Sunday on her claims that President Donald Trump and coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx are spreading misinformation about the pandemic. Allie Bice Politico -- 8/3/20

 

-- Sunday Updates   

‘They can’t silence us.’ Instagram accounts recount racism at L.A.’s elite private schools -- Black at Harvard-Westlake. Dear Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. Black at Oakwood School. Oaks Christian Stories. Dear Polytechnic School. These are among the Instagram accounts linked to some of L.A.'s most elite private schools — but created by students and alumni who are going public with personal stories of racism that have otherwise gone unheard. Jill R. Shah in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/20

Manhattan Beach was once home to Black beachgoers, but the city ran them out. Now it faces a reckoning -- Anthony Bruce could barely talk about the beach that bears his family’s name without feeling a sharp pain, a tug at the heart. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/20

George Floyd protests: Black police officers see fight for racial justice through personal lens -- After days of protests over police brutality in Los Angeles County, a young sheriff’s deputy on the front lines reached out to her commander, reeling. Alene Tchekmedyian, Nicole Santa Cruz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/20

In the wake of George Floyd, a question looms: Who should be a police officer? -- Few job applications probe so deeply. Have you ever called in sick when you were well? Have you ever cheated on your taxes? Have you ever sexted at work? The application process for becoming a law enforcement officer – including a background check and psychological evaluation – is one of the most grueling, psyche-scrubbing examinations you’ll ever find. Tony Saavedra in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/2/20

Virus   

Coronavirus updates: California infections slowing down, but deaths continue to mount -- Coronavirus cases in California are still rising, but the rate at which infections are spreading is dropping despite a sharp rise in deaths across the state. Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/2/20

‘We’re missing huge amounts of data’: Why we still can’t track the spread of COVID-19 across the Bay Area -- A week ago, when Alameda became the first county in the Bay Area to surge past 10,000 cases of the coronavirus, a swarm of political and public health leaders staged a news conference at the edge of Lake Merritt and pleaded with residents to stop gathering there. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/20

‘Catastrophe’: How California’s worst coronavirus outbreak burst from San Quentin into their home in San Jose -- After every grueling workday, often double shifts guarding prisoners at San Quentin, 55-year-old Sgt. Gilbert Polanco would drive the hour-and-a-half home to San Jose, strip off his khaki uniform in the foyer and head straight to the shower. He was desperately trying not to bring the killer coronavirus home from California’s Death Row. Julia Prodis Sulek, John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/2/20

Empty towers. Quiet streets. Struggling cafes. Will downtown San Francisco ever boom again? -- For 20 years, Adam Smith, owner of San Francisco newsstand Fog City News, told employees and customers one thing before they left his store at Market and First streets. “You’re going on a highway that is Market Street. Be careful or you’ll be trampled by people,” he would say. No longer. Roland Li and Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/20

L.A.-area parking spots have become dining areas during the pandemic. Will it last? -- On a balmy evening in Atwater Village, diners at candlelit tables shared plates of Cuban food and flights of beer, serenaded by an accordion player down the block. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/20

What can cool San Diego County’s COVID-19 hot spots? -- For the past three months, the novel coronavirus has hit the people living in a handful of San Diego County ZIP codes the hardest, a trend that has generated increasingly forceful cries for help. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/2/20

Also . . .   

Who is Berkshire Hathaway Energy? -- Less well known to casual observers is that Berkshire’s list of subsidiaries, which range from GEICO insurance to BNSF railroads to Dairy Queen, also includes a holdings company involved in the power and utilities business — Berkshire Hathaway Energy, or BHE for short. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/2/20

 

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