Updating . .   

Orange gunman locked gates of office complex before killing 4; police say he knew victims -- The gunman who killed four people, including a 9-year-old boy, at an Orange office park locked the gates to the complex with bike cable locks and was armed with a weapon as well as pepper spray and handcuffs, police said Thursday. Anh Do, Hannah Fry, Ruben Vives, Matthew Ormseth, Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

Accused Orange shooter had ‘business and personal’ relationship with victims, police say -- The 44-year-old Fullerton man suspected of shooting and killing three adults and a 9-year-old boy Wednesday night at an Orange business complex appeared to be motivated by previous personal and business relationships with the victims, police said at a Thursday morning, April 1, press conference. Josh Cain, Sean Emery, Alma Fausto in the Orange County Register -- 4/1/21

Vaccine  

J&J vaccine may be on hold as state expands eligibility -- Public health officials across California may have to rethink their COVID vaccine distribution plans after learning Wednesday that some U.S. shipments of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be halted over quality concerns. Barbara Feder Ostrov CalMatters -- 4/1/21

Giants fans will need negative coronavirus test or vaccination proof to attend games -- San Francisco public health officials approved the Giants’ plans to bring back spectators to Oracle Park this season, the club announced Thursday — and will require fans attending games to test negative for the coronavirus or provide proof of full vaccination. Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Carrots, sticks and jabs: What will California do to win over vaccine skeptics? -- With millions of vaccine holdouts, the state is holding off on tough measures — for now. But if events and ads aren’t enough, how far will legislators go? Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 4/1/21

As millions become vaccine eligible, can California’s supply and technology keep up? -- The expansion of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to everyone age 50 and older will be the biggest test yet for California’s vaccine effort, which has stabilized recently but still faces questions about whether supply and appointments can keep pace with demand. Colleen Shalby, Hayley Smith, Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

Opening  

Finally some good news for California nursing home residents -- More than 9,000 people have died of COVID-19 in California nursing homes, and many others have suffered from isolation. But after a massive vaccination campaign, infections and deaths have plummeted — and nursing homes are cautiously reopening to visitors. Barbara Feder Ostrov CalMatters -- 4/1/21

School  

Why some high school students aren’t ready to go back to school, despite the isolation -- And while returning may assuage some of the isolation and difficulties of distance learning, they said it’s not worth the health risks when weighed against a vastly diminished schedule. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

Policy & Politics 

Gavin Newsom’s anti-recall strategy: Brand the other side as Republican -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is pulling out all the stops to paint the people trying to recall him as conservative Republicans. He’s run ads on Facebook that say the effort is all about “riling up that Trump base.” Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/1/21

Whiskey delivered to your front door? A California bill would make that possible -- As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the craft distiller industry, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order allowing California distillers to ship directly to consumers. Now, a proposed law would make that permanent. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/1/21

Street  

Hundreds Have Been In San Diego County Jails For More Than A Year -- County jails are supposed to be places where people arrested and charged with crimes are held for a brief time while they make bail or await their day in court. But in San Diego County, at least 380 people have spent more than a year in county jails, according to an analysis of jail records. Claire Trageser KPBS -- 4/1/21

Homeless  

Two Oakland nonprofits have burned. New homeless camp policy didn’t help -- After being forced into a year-long hiatus by the pandemic, the Junior Center of Art and Science finally was ready to welcome kids back for in-person camps this summer. Now, those much-anticipated plans are on hold after a fire severely damaged the Junior Center building in Lake Merritt’s Lakeside Park. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/1/21

Power  

'Homer Simpson Move’ by PG&E Was ‘Final Tipping Point’ Into California's Second Evening of Rolling Blackouts Last Summer -- At 6:13 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, a gas-fired power plant in the Central Valley city of Firebaugh suddenly ramped down production. The move was the exact opposite of what California's Independent System Operator wanted the Panoche Energy Center power plant to do at that moment. Lily Jamali KQED -- 4/1/21

A Big Sticking Point Has Emerged in San Diego's Effort to Pick a Power Provider -- Mayor Todd Gloria needs a supermajority of the City Council to support a new franchise fee agreement. But memos obtained by Voice of San Diego show at least four Council members want things that could doom contract negotiations before they even begin. MacKenzie Elmer Voiceofsandiego.org -- 4/1/21

Also . . .   

Capacity limits, distanced egg hunts: Churches prepare for second Easter in pandemic -- The state health department amended its guidelines, allowing churches open indoors at a maximum of 25% their normal capacity in the purple and red tiers of COVID-19 restrictions and 50% in the orange and yellow tiers. Modifications including social distancing and mask requirements are still in place. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/1/21

Fate of Chargers’ ownership at stake as Dean Spanos’ sister asks court to force sale -- In an attempt to force the sale of the Chargers, a sister of controlling owner Dean Spanos filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday arguing that mounting debt has imperiled the family’s finances and the only solution is to put the NFL franchise on the market. Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

California Policy and P  olitics Thursday Morning  

4 killed, including child, in mass shooting at Orange office complex -- It marks the third mass shooting in the United States in two weeks, coming after incidents at three Atlanta spas that killed eight people, including six Asian women, and at a Boulder, Colo. supermarket that killed 10. Matthew Ormseth, Anh Do in the Los Angeles Times$ Jonah Valdez, Scott Schwebke, Josh Cain in the Orange County Register -- 4/1/21

Mass shooting stuns quiet Orange neighborhood: ‘I couldn’t believe it’ -- The crack of gunfire that left four people dead and one wounded in a mass shooting at an office complex in Orange stunned residents and officials. Anh Do, Hannah Fry, Matthew Ormseth, Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

Detectives find cause of Tiger Woods crash but won’t reveal -- The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details Wednesday, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star. Stefanie Dazio Associated Press -- 4/1/21

Vaccine  

80% of L.A. County residents 16 or older could be vaccinated by June — if supplies hold up -- This week, the total number of doses flowing into L.A. — a pipeline that includes direct allocations to pharmacies, health clinics and federally managed sites — is around 500,000. By the end of April, Ferrer said, the hope is that the weekly haul is around 700,000 doses. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

On Eve Of People 50-Plus Becoming Eligible For Vaccine, Supply Problems Persist -- It’s been the big issue when it comes to getting a COVID-19 vaccine for months now: plenty of places to get a shot, but not enough supply. John Carroll KPBS -- 4/1/21

California boomers scramble for vaccine as eligibility opens up -- The mad scramble is on as some 7.6 million middle-aged Californians become eligible statewide for the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday amid conflicting signals about the availability of appointments for the shots. John Woolfolk, Tess Joosse in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/1/21

Contra Costa County sees Day 1 'deluge of interest,' 30,000 people seeking vaccine, as age limit ends -- In what could portend a similar deluge of demand across California in the coming weeks, Contra Costa County on Wednesday said 30,000 of its residents requested vaccine appointments overnight, after the county on Tuesday became one of the first in the state to open up shots to everyone 16 and over. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Newsom to get Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Thursday as eligibility widens to people 50 and over -- Newsom, 53, is set to get his first and only jab of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at a Los Angeles clinic around 9:20 a.m., his office announced in a statement Wednesday evening. Nora Mishanec in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

This app can help you find Bay Area COVID vaccine appointments in real time. Here's how it works -- Mukesh Aggarwal created a free channel on an app that helps Bay Area residents find available coronavirus vaccine appointments out of his own frustration and struggle to find an appointment for his parents. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Kaiser warns that a wait is likely as it opens COVID vaccines to 50 and older -- Kaiser Permanente is participating in California’s expansion of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility starting Thursday — but warns that its members will likely face a wait. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

COVID-19 strain first spotted in U.K. spreading quickly, San Diego scientists report -- The news comes as San Diegans can begin attending Padres games in-person and visiting Legoland and Belmont Park starting Thursday. Jonathan Wosen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/1/21

White House knew more than a week ago of J&J contractor vaccine-supply problems -- Workers at Emergent BioSolutions ruined 15 million doses by mixing ingredients from two Covid-19 vaccines together. Erin Banco, Sarah Owermohle and Rachel Roubein Politico -- 4/1/21

Opening  

San Diego businesses sue to end California’s state of emergency, COVID-19 restrictions -- More than 45 restaurants, gyms and small businesses from across San Diego County are asking a federal court to put a permanent end to on-again, off-again COVID-19 restrictions they say are crippling their operations. Jennifer Van Grove, Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/1/21

Baseball is back: What A’s fans can expect when attending games at the Oakland Coliseum -- Oakland Athletics Opening day: Bring a mask, prepare to social distance and food will be delivered, but leave your cash and ticket printouts at home. Shayna Rubin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/1/21

Regal to reopen six Southern California theaters Friday -- Pandemic-starved moviegoers will get to see “Godzilla vs. Kong” from Warner Bros., as well as “The Unholy” and “Tom & Jerry,” along with a slate of additional films opening in the coming weeks, including “Mortal Kombat,” “A Quiet Place Part II” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” Kevin Smith in the Orange County Register -- 4/1/21

Google joins tech's reopening wave with April return to office -- Workers can voluntarily return or continue working remotely until September, the company confirmed. Reopenings will be based on vaccine availability and coronavirus trends. Google is not requiring vaccinations for office workers but is “strongly encouraging it.” Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

California counties ease restrictions as COVID-19 cases fall -- Nearly half of California’s 40 million people live in areas where coronavirus restrictions are easing, and some of the largest counties are preparing to expand movie theater and restaurant reopenings despite worries of a new surge and demand for limited vaccine supplies. Janie Har and Stefanie Dazio Associated Press -- 4/1/21

Sun’s out, surf’s up and California’s reopening more widely -- Cheering fans instead of cardboard cutouts at Dodger Stadium. Screaming thrill-seekers riding the Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Beer lovers bellying up to, well, a table outside a brewery. Brian Melley Associated Press -- 4/1/21

School  

SF school board member Alison Collins sues district, colleagues over response to her tweets -- A San Francisco school board member accused her colleagues and the school district in a suit Wednesday of retaliation, saying they violated her free speech rights by stripping her of her position as vice president and removing her from committees over tweets she posted in 2016 about Asian Americans. Jill Tucker, Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Fremont schools to remain in distance learning through end of school year -- The school district and its teachers union couldn’t come to an agreement on how best to return to classrooms after months of negotiations. Joseph Geha in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/1/21

Policy & Politics 

Skelton: Newsom promised healthcare for immigrants. A new poll shows strong public support for it -- It was a breakthrough event befitting Cesar Chavez Day: A major poll showed that California voters support providing tax-paid healthcare for immigrants living here illegally. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

President Biden's infrastructure spending plan could benefit big Bay Area projects already in the pipeline -- The plan is expected to include money to get BART to San Jose and Santa Clara and increasing its capacity, extending the Bay Area’s express lane network and connecting high-speed rail to the region, according to Randy Rentschler, legislative director for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Jill Biden visits Delano to meet UFW farmworkers and renew a family history -- Alicia Zavala, who worked in the fields until she started a cleaning company with her husband, believes that sometimes God sends signs to say ‘Don’t give up.” Diana Marcum in the Los Angeles Times$ Katie Rogers in the New York Times$ Thaddeus Miller in the Fresno Bee -- 4/1/21

Kamala Harris returning to Oakland for first time as vice president -- Harris is is scheduled to talk about a range of topics during her stop, including water infrastructure and small business. No other details about her appearances have been released. In March, President Biden tasked Harris with leading the administration’s response on border and migration issues. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Recalls  

New committee, fund created to combat SFDA Boudin recall effort -- A group of criminal justice reform advocates has created a committee to beat back a well-heeled effort to recall San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, setting the stage for a financial showdown over one of the nation’s foremost progressive prosecutors. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Poll: 30% of San Diego voters surveyed signed Newsom recall petition -- Fewer than one-third of registered voters in San Diego County say they have signed petitions to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom, but 40 percent of people surveyed said they would support removing the governor from office. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/1/21

Evict  

Ellis Act evictions targeted in California Legislature: New bill would sharply limit them -- Lawmakers recently revived legislation that would severely curtail when property owners can invoke the Ellis Act, which gives them a path to exit the rental market by evicting tenants if they plan to move themselves or family members in, sell the units or demolish the building. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Online Hate  

Big Tech says it's policing hateful content. A new California bill wants the details -- If signed into law, the legislation would require social media companies to make their policies public on how they monitor hate, disinformation, extremism, harassment and foreign interference on their sites. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Hotel Tax  

New San Diego legal strategy aims to revive failed convention center ballot measure -- City seeks to grab victory from jaws of defeat for 2020 hotel tax hike that fell short of two-thirds approval David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/1/21

Overcharge  

SDG&E electric vehicle charging program ran $25 million over budget -- A San Diego Gas & Electric pilot program that installed more than 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations around the region ran $25 million over budget and the California Public Utilities Commission says before it approves plans to start a second phase of the program, SDG&E must pay for an audit to look into the reasons why. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/1/21

Workplace  

After a yearlong battle, Tartine workers finally unionize in San Francisco -- The National Labor Relations Board counted the final votes on Tuesday: Tartine Bakery’s workers are officially joining the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Janelle Bitker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

No more trash bags. New California law requires hospitals to stockpile COVID protection -- In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, California’s cupboards were bare. The state’s hospitals were running short on masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/1/21

Street  

Videos of LAPD shootings show SWAT officer getting shot, suspect attacking man with knife -- Body camera videos from two recent Los Angeles police shootings show officers pleading with armed suspects to put down their weapons before both men decide to use them instead — with one shooting a SWAT officer in the neck and the other slashing at a victim with a knife. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

A wave of crimes against S.F.'s AAPI community are winding through the courts. Here's where they stand -- A rash of anti-Asian violence has shaken the Bay Area and the nation over the past several weeks, with San Francisco witnessing a series of attacks that have inspired heightened awareness of xenophobia, hate and violence levied at the city’s Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Fontana man arrested on charges of assaulting officer in Capitol riot -- Daniel Rodriguez, 38, was accused of injuring a D.C. Metropolitan police officer with an electroshock weapon as the mob of Trump backers was forcing its way into the building in an attempt to block Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

L.A. officials want answers about police rollout at Echo Park Lake -- Los Angeles City Council Members Mike Bonin and Nithya Raman want to know how much it cost to send in police last week as the city fenced off Echo Park and barred people from a homeless encampment along its scenic lake. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

Authorities tight-lipped on details in fatal Highway 84 Fremont police shooting -- A week after a Fremont police officer fatally shot a man authorities said was armed and driving a stolen vehicle, law enforcement investigators have not released any new details, including the identities of the officer and the man he killed. Joseph Geha in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/1/21

San Diego court still seeking time extensions for arraignments, more than a year into pandemic -- The state’s second-largest court system still can’t get defendants in custody to a court hearing under pre-pandemic legal timelines. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/1/21

Water  

Little snow and rain mean drought - dry, difficult months lie ahead for California -- California’s wet season is coming to a close without a much-sought “March miracle” storm, setting the stage for a painful escalation of drought in the coming months. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Climate  

Underwater meadows of California seagrass found to reverse symptom of climate change -- Eelgrass, a plant that grows in “underwater meadows” along the California coast and emerges like a floating carpet at low tide, is already known to be an important habitat for fish, birds and baby Dungeness crabs. It turns out it can also reduce seawater’s acidity back to preindustrial levels, creating refuges for animals who can’t tolerate that byproduct of climate change. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/1/21

Education 

Some districts looking to cut back PE as campuses reopen -- As many students begin returning to campus after a year of being mostly stuck indoors during school hours staring at screens, some districts in California are cutting the programs that advocates say students need more than ever: physical education. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 4/1/21

Also . . .   

Ruth Schwartz, pioneer of homeless services in L.A., dies -- In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when governments and corporations were fighting over personal protective gear, Ruth Schwartz foresaw that those she had dedicated her life to — the shelters and agencies serving L.A. County’s poorest — would not thrive in that competition. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/1/21

POTUS 46   

Biden’s infrastructure plan takes aim at Trump’s biggest economic achievement -- President Joe Biden is using his infrastructure plan to take aim at President Donald Trump's signature economic achievement: his corporate tax cuts. BRIAN FALER Politico -- 4/1/21