Aaron Read
Edsource.org
Olson Hagel
Capitol Weekly
 
 

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Biden taps 2 UCSF doctors for national coronavirus task force -- President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus task force includes three experts with Bay Area ties, including two current UCSF doctors. Nora Mishanec in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/9/20

The Californians who could end up in Joe Biden’s cabinet -- As President-elect Joe Biden begins to put together his Cabinet, there are reportedly a number of people from the Golden State in the running to be part of the new administration who will help him make key decisions on everything from foreign policy to health care. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/9/20

Coronavirus surge in L.A. County coincides with more large gatherings -- As throngs of political partiers and protesters took to the streets over the weekend, California public health officials again raised red flags, warning that crowded gatherings threaten to exacerbate the spread of the coronavirus at a precarious point in the pandemic. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

Pfizer vaccine is 90% effective at preventing the coronavirus, company says -- The findings are based on the first interim analysis of Phase 3 clinical trial data by an independent board, Pfizer said. It was announced in a press release and has not been peer reviewed. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Auran Neergaard and Linda A. Johnson Associated Press -- 11/9/20

Ford rolls out 2 million masks for LAUSD’s relief effort -- The Ford Motor Company Fund on Monday, Nov. 9, approved a donation of 2 million protective masks to be distributed at schools throughout Los Angeles Unified as part of the district’s coronavirus relief effort. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/9/20

Biden implores Americans to wear masks amid vaccine progress -- President-elect Joe Biden on Monday implored Americans to wear masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus, even as he cheered promising news about the development of an effective vaccine. Will Weissert, Philip Marcelo and Aamer Madhani Associated Press Alice Miranda Ollstein and Quint Forgey Politico -- 11/9/20

San Diego Unified School Board to consider COVID-19 testing contract, reopening plan on Tuesday -- San Diego Unified is looking to partner with UC San Diego to provide COVID-19 testing for all students and staff on all school campuses every 14 days. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/9/20

FBI raids on local officials mark latest probe targeting corruption in cannabis licensing -- Since California voters legalized recreational cannabis four years ago, allegations of conflicts of interest, bribery and bias in the permitting process have plagued cities and counties as they try to regulate the fledgling industry. Adam Elmahrek, Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

Election  

Affirmative action failed on California’s ballot — but colleges commit to diversity goals -- After California voters rejected a measure to repeal the state’s ban on affirmative action last week, higher education leaders reiterated a commitment to diversify their student population by providing outreach and support to Latino and under-represented students. Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/9/20

Taylor: Californians reject affirmative action. Maybe they’re not progressive after all -- Almost a quarter century after it was banned in California, affirmative action was on the ballot in a year when a social justice movement rippled across the country. Otis R. Taylor Jr. in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/9/20

What will a Biden presidency mean for California? A lot fewer lawsuits, for one -- Donald Trump clashed with California throughout his presidency like nowhere else in the country over everything from immigration to automobile efficiency. By a two-to-one margin, Californians backed his Democratic challenger Joe Biden for president. John Woolfolk, Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/9/20

Trump expanded his support in Beverly Hills, a rare spot of red in blue L.A. County -- Hours after the U.S. presidential election was called for Joe Biden on Saturday morning, an older, dark-haired woman clutched her ash-blue jacket tighter in a chilly shadow cast by the Greystone Mansion in one of the priciest areas of Beverly Hills. She wasn’t feeling festive. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

Fox: Taxing Big Tech? -- If the Proposition 15 commercial property tax increase remains behind and ultimately is rejected when all votes have been tabulated, pro-taxers in the legislature will look for other avenues to increase revenue. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 11/9/20

 

California Policy & Politics Monday Morning  

What Joe Biden’s victory means for California in Washington -- California’s relationship with the federal government appears poised to shift dramatically, a change that could mean more federal money for coronavirus response and unemployment backlogs as well as legal victories on greenhouse gas emissions. David Lightman and Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/9/20

Biden, Harris come out big winners from election, but Newsom not so much -- As pleasing as the prospect of having Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House is for most Californians, the election dealt Gov. Gavin Newsom a pretty poor hand — a hand that could set the course of his administration for years to come. Phil Matier in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/9/20

Troubling election trend for House Democrats in California — they’re losing ground -- Democrats are on the verge of losing three California House seats they grabbed from Republicans two years ago, and the late surge of support that propelled them to victory in 2018 so far has not shown up. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/9/20

The CA50 race that is sending Darrell Issa back to Congress carries lessons -- California Republican Darrell Issa won his bid to return to Congress Saturday, this time representing the 50th Congressional District. The former nine-term congressman and ardent supporter of President Donald Trump edged out Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar, a college lecturer and businessman who ran unsuccessfully for the seat once before. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/9/20

Here’s What Kamala Harris Faces as a ‘First’ -- Amid the celebratory memes rocketing around yesterday, other women of color who’ve cracked through ceilings have some advice: Buckle up. Teresa Wiltz Politico -- 11/9/20

Californians eye Biden jobs after years of Trump attacks -- California is about to come in from the cold. After almost four years of President Donald Trump's taunts as a state that's "going to hell,'' California is poised to be powerhouse with a Biden administration. Carla Marinucci Politico -- 11/9/20

Linda Darling-Hammond rejects possible consideration as Secretary of Education in Biden cabinet -- Ending considerable speculation in media and education circles, Linda Darling-Hammond, the president of the California State Board of Education, says she is committed to staying in California, and is not interested in becoming the next U.S. Secretary of Education. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 11/9/20

Skelton: I couldn’t stand ‘Happy Days Are Here Again.’ Then Biden and Harris were elected -- “Happy Days Are Here Again.” For decades, that was the unofficial theme song of the Democratic Party. A band played the song at the 1932 Democratic National Convention that nominated Franklin Delano Roosevelt for president. Then FDR made it his campaign song. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

Walters: Sacramento again refuses to grow up -- In population, Sacramento is one of California’s larger cities, but it stubborly refuses to adopt a big city system of governance. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 11/9/20

Street  

Fewer than half of Sacramento adults approve of city’s police services, survey shows -- The survey also reported that 21% of Sacramento adults rate police services as poor or very poor. For Black residents, 42% rated police services as poor or very poor, while 25% believed they were good or very good. Molly Burke in the

Employers and Workers  

Looking for a job? These companies are hiring in the Bay Area ahead of the holidays -- Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs during the pandemic, and colder weather could mean more layoffs for restaurants or other businesses that operate at least partly outdoors. But holiday hiring also looms. Here is an ongoing list of companies looking to fill seasonal jobs in the Bay Area: Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/9/20

Education 

President-elect Joe Biden’s expansive education agenda expected to draw greater scrutiny -- As education institutions — and young people’s lives — continue to be upended by the coronavirus pandemic, President-elect Joe Biden’s proposals will raise hopes for longer-term reforms of the nation’s schools and colleges. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 11/9/20

UC San Diego deals with COVID-19 by erecting tents for classes, study space -- UC San Diego has erected four large, outdoor tents near the center of campus to give students a place to study and listen to lectures that would pose little risk of exposing people to the novel coronavirus. Gary Robbins in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

University of California expands list of courses that meet math requirement for admission -- High school students planning to apply to the University of California now have a broader set of courses they can take to meet the math requirement for admission to the public university system. Sydney Johnson EdSource -- 11/9/20

Covid 

Coronavirus continues to spread in Los Angeles County at summer levels -- Coronavirus infections continued to rise in Los Angeles County on Sunday at levels seen during the summer surge, and public health officials warned that the street celebrations that greeted the election news over the weekend could easily increase the spread. Kiera Feldman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

Coronavirus is again stalking California, but there is still time to prevent a third wave -- There are clear warning signs, including a troubling increase in daily cases in Los Angeles County. But statewide, the uptick — for the moment — is proceeding at a pace considered relatively slow, and health officials say there’s no conclusive sign of the kind of surge that roiled California this summer. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Iris Lee, Sean Greene in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

L.A. megachurch pastor mocks pandemic health orders, even as church members fall ill -- “There is no pandemic.” The words from the white-haired pastor echoed inside the cavernous megachurch in Los Angeles. It was Aug. 30, only 18 days after L.A. County public health officials had demanded that Grace Community Church stop holding indoor services. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

Wildfire  

‘People are soul tired’: 2 years after the Camp Fire destroyed Paradise, only a fraction of homes have been rebuilt -- As of this week, 440 single-family homes and 70 units in multifamily buildings have been rebuilt, only a fraction of what was lost. Members of roughly 500 households are living in RVs on burned properties. An estimated 5,000 people now live in Paradise, once home to 27,000. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/9/20

Homeless  

A newly constituted City Council could change L.A.'s approach to homelessness -- For years, homelessness has loomed over the civic culture of Los Angeles as its most intractable problem, one that defined the city and its government in the eyes of many people. Now change may be in the air, with the election of three new members to the City Council, relentless pressure from a federal judge and the potential for a new administration in Washington. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/9/20

POTUS 45  

Here are the GOP and Trump campaign’s allegations of election irregularities. So far, none has been proved -- Republicans have made claims of election irregularities in five states where President-elect Joe Biden leads in the vote count, alleging in lawsuits and public statements that election officials did not follow proper procedures while counting ballots in Tuesday’s election. So far, they have gone 0 for 5. David A. Fahrenthold, Elise Viebeck, Emma Brown and Rosalind S. Helderman in the Washington Post$ -- 11/9/20

Biden   

Biden plans to move fast on the pandemic and the economy -- President-elect Joe Biden and his advisers plan this week to demonstrate a far more assertive strategy against the coronavirus than President Trump’s, and Biden may take a more proactive role in coming weeks in congressional negotiations over an economic stimulus package. Matt Viser in the Washington Post$ -- 11/9/20

 

-- Sunday Updates   

Coronavirus is again stalking California, but there is still time to prevent a ‘third wave’ -- While California has started to see a rise in coronavirus cases, the pace of increase is still far milder than the rest of the United States and experts said there is still time to prevent a “third wave." Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Iris Lee, Sean Greene in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/20

Election  

The CA50 race that is sending Darrell Issa back to Congress carries lessons -- Issa was winning the seat by 7 points, in part by capitalizing on a rare California pocket of support for President Donald Trump. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/8/20

Todd Gloria will bring lots of firsts as San Diego’s new mayor -- Gloria, who is Latino, Filipino and Native American, will be San Diego’s first mayor of color. He also will be the city’s first mayor who has come out as gay. Gloria also will be — arguably — the most powerful mayor San Diego has ever had. David Garrick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/20

No landslide for Biden? California Democrats dismayed by the power of Trump love -- As she watched results come in on election night, California Democrat Jodi Hicks found what she was seeing shocking. Lara Korte in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/8/20

Muslim voters want more than ‘just a seat’ at the table from President-elect Joe Biden -- In the lead-up to the midterm election two years ago, Sara Deen noticed that many fellow Muslims in her South Bay community weren’t voters. Some didn’t understand the process. More lacked faith that their voice would matter, or had trouble navigating a ballot. Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/20\

What Joe Biden’s victory means for California in Washington -- California’s relationship with the federal government appears poised to shift dramatically, a change that could mean more federal money for coronavirus response and unemployment backlogs as well as legal victories on greenhouse gas emissions. David Lightman and Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/8/20

Policy & Politics 

A newly constituted City Council could change L.A.'s approach to homelessness -- For years, homelessness has loomed over the civic culture of Los Angeles as its most intractable problem, one that defined the city and its government in the eyes of many people. Now change may be in the air, with the election of three new members to the City Council, relentless pressure from a federal judge and the potential for a new administration in Washington. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/20

Churches shut down by coronavirus offer refuge to immigrants released from detention -- Before Tsegai fled Eritrea and made the months-long journey to the United States to seek asylum, his image of this country was colored by what he’d seen on TV. America, he thought, was the kind of place where people could be welcomed in with nothing and manage to turn their lives around. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/8/20

Street  

A little known private company has an outsize role writing policies for police departments -- Lexipol has quietly become a major influence in law enforcement, writing policies for thousands of departments nationwide and some 95 percent of all policing agencies in California Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/8/20

San Diego Unified will require ‘restorative’ rather than punitive discipline in some cases -- In a major step away from punitive discipline for students, the San Diego Unified School Board is replacing in-school suspensions with alternative-to-suspension programs and requiring that schools exhaust so-called “restorative” interventions before suspending a student out of school. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/8/20