Updating . .   

Tiger Woods was driving over 80 mph, nearly twice the speed limit, before he crashed -- Tiger Woods was driving at nearly twice the posted speed limit of 45 mph before he hit a sharp curve and crashed on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in February, the Los Angeles County sheriff said Wednesday in a long-awaited report on the accident that left the golf legend seriously injured. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Open    

For the unvaccinated, this might be the most dangerous time in the pandemic, Bay Area experts say -- For many vaccinated people across California, life is beginning to regain a sense of normalcy. But health experts are growing increasingly concerned about the dangers to people who haven’t yet been inoculated. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

How to help ramp up COVID vaccination efforts in your Bay Area community -- While many people are scrambling to find coronavirus vaccine appointments after eligibility opened up to Californians 50 and older on April 1, some face additional hurdles. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

California could actually reopen fully by June 15. Here’s what has to happen -- Can California really fully reopen its economy by June 15? That’s the target date officials unveiled this week amid continued optimism regarding the statewide landscape of the pandemic as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to fall and more people are getting vaccinated. Luke Money, Taryn Luna, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Newsom hopes to reopen California in June. But what if Sacramento cases keep rising? -- Sacramento health officials say they will fully reopen the local economy on June 15 – if the state gives the expected OK – even though the county faces a higher COVID-19 infection rate than the state as a whole and has seen several slight upticks in recent weeks. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/7/21

California paves way to more prep sports competitions, removes adjacent-county rule -- High school sports teams in California will no longer be confined to competition in only their home county and those adjacent to it, health officials announced this week. Teams may schedule contests against anyone within state lines but not beyond California’s borders. Evan Webeck in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Police arrest California restaurant owner for third time in COVID compliance battle -- The co-owner of the Tinhorn Flats restaurant in Burbank was home Wednesday morning after being arrested by police for removing sandbags the city had put in place to block the front doors of the restaurant. Steve Rosenberg in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Richmond passes ‘hazard pay’ law to boost grocery worker pay during the pandemic -- The Richmond City Council unanimously passed an emergency ordinance to require large grocers to pay an extra $5 per hour in hazard pay for all part-time and full-time employees until Richmond’s COVID-19 risk level drops to the “minimal” or yellow tier under the state’s health orders, or after 90 days from the adoption of the ordinance — whichever comes first. Annie Sciacca in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Vaccine    

L.A.’s young and healthy head to Bakersfield for COVID-19 vaccine -- As soon as Justin Perez left the vaccination clinic, his phone buzzed with a text message. A former co-worker had heard a hot rumor about a clinic where anyone, even young people like them, could get a COVID-19 vaccine. The clinic was in Bakersfield. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Far fewer California seniors are getting vaccinated in ‘red’ counties than urban areas -- Even as California prepares to expand vaccine eligibility on April 15 to all residents age 16 and up, the state has managed to inoculate only about half of its senior population — the 65-and-older target group deemed most vulnerable to death and serious illness in the pandemic. Jenny Gold Kaiser Health News in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Policy & Politics 

Could Caitlyn Jenner get a new reality show by running for California governor? -- Skepticism followed a report Monday that Caitlyn Jenner, Olympic champion, reality TV star and transgender activist, was in “serious” conversations with political operatives to challenge Gavin Newsom for his job as California governor in a likely recall election. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Street  

Police: Muslim woman’s vehicle in Marin strewn with pig meat -- The incident, reported March 13, involved a private security guard’s car parked overnight near Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Terra Linda. “The damage was very significant,” San Rafael police Lt. Lisa Holton said. “All four tires were slashed, there was glue placed in the door lock, the window was smashed and there was glue dumped onto the car. Inside the car was chopped up meat, including pork and bacon.” Lorenzo Morotti in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Guns  

Placer County arrests for illegal gun possession nearly double in past year, deputies say -- Placer County deputies have encountered almost double the amount of people illegally armed with guns in the past year, as violence rises amid the coronavirus pandemic nationwide. Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/7/21

Develop  

Oak Park activists to drop appeal to $1 billion Aggie Square project, accept city’s deal -- The city of Sacramento, UC Davis and Oak Park-area activists announced they have reached a landmark agreement Tuesday that will allow University of California to launch a major development project on Stockton Boulevard while simultaneously investing more than an estimated $50 million with the city and others to improve the surrounding community. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/7/21

Also . . .   

Oakland's guaranteed income program caught up in debate over race and equity -- But just who and how to help is now swept up in fraught conversations about race and social justice with families of color disproportionately hurt by the pandemic and systemic inequities. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

31% of Californians don’t have high-speed internet, state says. How Newsom can change that -- Broadband expansion advocates are pushing California Gov. Gavin Newsom to use $2 billion in federal money to not only bring high-speed internet to communities without access, but also to have the state provide low-cost or free broadband access to low-income households. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/7/21

The next Aliso Canyon could happen on L.A.'s Westside -- Many more people live within a few miles of Playa than Aliso, meaning the health and economic consequences of a major blowout could be worse. The Westside storage field has older wells. And like Aliso, it has a long history of leaks. Sammy Roth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Should California decriminalize psychedelic drugs? Army veteran makes his case to lawmakers -- Jose Martinez believes psychedelic drugs saved his life. The 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran said he felt worthless and depressed when he returned from a deployment in Afghanistan, where who lost both legs and an arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/7/21

Oakland could start enforcing ban on gas-powered leaf blowers -- Starting this month, those who violate Oakland’s new ban on gas-powered leaf blowers could face penalties. The Oakland City Council unanimously adopted the ordinance last October, banning both residents and gardening services from operating combustion engine-powered leaf blowers or string trimmers in the city. Annie Sciacca in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Arellano: The Gospel of Fernandomania: Fernando Valenzuela remains a Mexican American icon -- If you were a young Mexican Catholic boy growing up in 1980s Southern California, your family taught you at least three gestures based on the Holy Cross. Each part of this trinity was as intricate and important and integral to our identity as the others in our young minds, repeated again and again until the rituals became as natural as breathing. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

California Policy and P  olitics Wednesday Morning  

Newsom expects K-12 schools to be open full time in fall -- Gov. Gavin Newsom stopped short Tuesday of saying this guidance would become a mandate, but added that he is considering additional measures, as necessary, to make sure that schoolchildren are not left behind on June 15, when the state has scheduled a sweeping economic reopening. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ Ali Tadayon and John Fensterwald EdSource -- 4/7/21

S.F. school board pledges to reopen schools to all students for full days in the fall -- The resolution on reopening, authored by board member Jenny Lam, pledges a full return to in-person learning at the start of the 2021-22 school year if public health guidelines allow, citing falling rates of COVID-19 infection, and the increase in vaccinations. Emma Talley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

Gov. Newsom vows to keep Coliseum vax site open, says state will match supply -- Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed Tuesday that the state will keep the Oakland Coliseum mass vaccination site open for four more weeks, running it with two East Bay counties and using state and local supply to replace the 6,000 daily doses that Washington will no longer provide. Meghan Bobrowsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

With more COVID vaccines available, some counties expand eligibility to 16 and up -- Hundreds of thousands of Californians 16 and older are becoming eligible for COVID-19 vaccines this week as counties and health systems across the state expand eligibility ahead of schedule. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Americans’ fears over catching COVID-19 drop to record low -- Americans are less worried now about contracting COVID than at any point since the pandemic began a year ago, according to a new Gallup poll released Tuesday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

New Study Finds Covid Spikes After N.F.L. Games With Fans -- As the N.F.L. makes plans to return to stadiums at full capacity this season, researchers published findings that “fan attendance at N.F.L. games led to episodic spikes” in the number of Covid-19 cases. Ken Belson in the New York Times$ -- 4/7/21

Passports  

Likely Legal, ‘Vaccine Passports’ Emerge as the Next Coronavirus Divide -- Cathay Pacific airlines, convinced that digital proof of coronavirus vaccination will bring about the return of safe international travel, asked its pilots and crew to try out a new mobile app that showed their vaccination status on a recent flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Adam Liptak in the New York Times$ -- 4/7/21

COVID Vaccine Passports: How They Could Work, When You Might Need One -- As more people receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, excitement is growing for the return to activities such as attending sporting events, watching a movie in a theater, dining in at restaurants and even getting on a plane for that long-delayed trip. Marnette Federis KQED -- 4/7/21

School  

S.F. school board reverses decision to rename 44 schools, citing 'frivolous litigation' -- The San Francisco school board voted unanimously Tuesday to reverse its decision to rename 44 schools it deemed were associated with slavery, oppression, genocide and colonization — in a move to avoid an expensive lawsuit. Emma Talley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

San Diego Schools To Receive $908 Million In Stimulus Funds -- The American Rescue Plan Act or 2021, the third Federal COVID relief package, is bringing a major influx of cash to San Diego County schools. Harrison Patiño, Maureen Cavanaugh KPBS -- 4/7/21

Half Of San Diego Unified Students Expected To Return To Classrooms Next Week -- San Diego Unified School District expects about half of its students to return to in-person instruction next week, but those numbers could change as more parents feel comfortable sending their children to school. Joe Hong KPBS -- 4/7/21 -- 4/7/21

S.F.'s free summer program for thousands of students to win funding after delay -- San Francisco leaders blessed spending $15 million on free summer programming for the city’s public school students on Tuesday, after suspicions about the involvement of a private organization led the Board of Supervisors to delay a vote on the funding two weeks ago. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

Opening  

Which attractions will be open on Disneyland’s opening day? -- With Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reopening April 30 and ticket sales starting next week, prospective park visitors are wondering what to expect there. COVID-19 safety protocols will represent the biggest changes, and not all rides and attractions will be available. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

COVID Economy  

S.F. supervisors pass right to 're-employment' for some workers laid off during the pandemic -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance Tuesday that would create a more permanent “right to re-employment” for some workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic, enshrining some of the protections enacted through temporary emergency ordinances dating back to last year. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

For Bay Area moms, back to school is not back to normal -- Bay Area schoolgrounds are filling up at recess again as more students ditch virtual learning and return to brick-and-mortar classrooms. But for the many mothers who had to cut back on work during the pandemic as kids stayed home, back to school has not meant back to normal. From sidelined businesses and lost income to night shifts and delayed health care, moms have paid a higher price during the pandemic. Laurence Du Sault in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

S.F. isn't the only city seeing a major exodus, according to Zillow's Mover Report -- It’s no secret that San Francisco experienced a major exodus during the pandemic, as many workers newly untethered from the office escaped the priciest major metro area in the country. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

Artists Payments  

San Francisco and Other Cities Try to Give Artists Steady Income -- In San Francisco, public officials have announced a pilot program that will provide a monthly stipend to artists. The mayor’s office recently unveiled the initiative, city payments that were approved by the arts commission, which will provide a guaranteed monthly income of $1,000 over six months to 130 eligible artists. Zachary Small in the New York Times$ -- 4/7/21

Policy & Politics 

Newsom stakes his political future on beating the pandemic by June -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is making a big, risky bet on his future. The bet shows who Newsom thinks his enemy is as he faces a likely recall campaign against him. It isn’t the Republicans who may replace him. It’s Newsom versus the virus. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

Newsom’s vow to reopen California is a high-stakes political gamble -- Gov. Gavin Newsom is running two races this spring: The first is to clobber the coronavirus pandemic that has killed nearly 60,000 Californians and devastated businesses and schools with unprecedented restrictions. The second is to keep his job, which could be threatened by a recall election later this year. Laurel Rosenhall CalMatters -- 4/7/21

Gov. Caitlyn Jenner? Another athlete-turned-celebrity reportedly interested in California’s top office -- It’s suddenly feeling a bit like 2003 all over again. If Arnold Schwarzenegger could win a recall election to become governor of California then, could Caitlyn Jenner follow the same path nearly two decades later? Christie D’Zurilla, Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Walters: Would fed change make higher state taxes more likely? -- California has long held the dubious honor of having the nation’s highest income tax rates — 13.3% for those at the very top of the income ladder. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 4/7/21

L.A. County leaders move to expand anti-racist initiative to include Asian Americans -- Following several violent attacks against Asian Americans, L.A. County leaders on Tuesday launched an initiative to explore how to better combat hate crimes in the county. Jaclyn Cosgrove in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

For the mentally ill, a life-and-death debate over Laura’s Law -- When Kaino Hopper’s 31-year-old daughter adamantly refused – as she often has — the mental health treatment she so desperately needs, it was a rainy, blustery January day in Sacramento, and she was homeless, sleeping in fields and suburban parks. Her mother had few choices, and contacted her daughter’s caseworker for help. Sigrid Bathen Capitol Weekly -- 4/7/21

LAPD officer alleging sexual harassment by Garcetti aide says he feared retaliation -- Los Angeles police officer Matthew Garza, a former bodyguard to Mayor Eric Garcetti, testified that he worried he would face retaliation if he reported the sexual harassment that he alleges he endured by a former top aide to Garcetti. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Campbell recall campaign has 5,000 signatures, on pace for total needed by June 3 -- The recall campaign against San Diego Councilwoman Dr. Jennifer Campbell has gathered more than 5,000 signatures, putting the effort on pace to meet the 14,421 signatures required by early June. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/7/21

Dr. Akilah Weber leads 79th Assembly race in early returns -- La Mesa Councilwoman Dr. Akilah Weber led a field of five candidates Tuesday evening, winning 53 percent of the early votes counted in the race for the 79th Assembly District seat. Deborah Sullivan Brennan in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/7/21

Street  

From hospital room, lawyer says suspected Orange mass shooter can’t join court hearing -- A court hearing was held remotely Tuesday from the hospital room of a man accused of shooting and killing four people at an Orange mobile home sales office, but the man’s medical state prevented the case from moving forward. Sean Emery in the Orange County Register -- 4/7/21

Family of Tyrell Wilson sues Danville over fatal police shooting -- It comes a day after a bystander’s cellphone video surfaced, showing Wilson and Danville police Officer Andrew Hall standing feet apart in the intersection of Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon, shortly before noon on March 11. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

As LAPD assesses Echo Park response, Chief Moore says city needs better plan for park closures -- The Los Angeles Police Department will conduct an internal review of its handling of protests that erupted over the closure of Echo Park Lake and the clearing of a homeless encampment there last month, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday. Kevin Rector, Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

LAPD video shows Black man arrested at his home during search for white suspect -- Newly released video from a Los Angeles police officer’s body camera shows two officers grappling with and arresting a Black man outside his Hollywood home as they responded to reports of a domestic violence incident in which the suspect was the white boyfriend of a neighbor. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Guns  

Alarmed by recent mass shootings, California lawmakers push to tax guns and ammo -- The legislation by Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) would place a $25 excise tax on retailers for the sale of each new gun and an as-yet-undetermined levy on ammo sales to raise millions of dollars to fund the efforts. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Zooming Hate  

On Easter Sunday, hacker spews hate speech during live-streamed sermon from San Jose church -- A local pastor is asking the public for help after an Easter sermon being streamed on Zoom was interrupted by a hacker who began shouting racist slurs and threats of violence against Black people, Jews, and LGTBQ people. Nate Gartrell in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Fire  

Sonoma County DA hits PG&E with criminal charges over 2019 Kincade Fire -- Sonoma County’s district attorney has filed criminal charges against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. over the 2019 Kincade Fire, which destroyed 374 buildings and burned about 78,000 acres in the wooded hills of Wine Country. J.D. Morris, Michael Williams in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Don Thompson Associated Press Ivan Penn in the New York Times$ Dan Brekke KQED -- 4/7/21

Wind  

Biden Pushes Offshore Wind Power, But California Might Miss First Wave -- One reason is that the state’s steep ocean shelf makes anchoring turbines to the floor impractical, says Nancy Kirshner-Rodriguez, the western director of the Business Network for Offshore Wind. “For the West Coast, for California, all of our wind farms will have to be floating offshore wind," she said. Ed Fletcher Capital Public Radio -- 4/7/21

Border 

Border Patrol agents rescue abandoned siblings, ages 5 and 6, at U.S.-Mexico border -- Border Patrol agents rescued two children, a 5-year-old girl and her 6-year-old brother, after they were abandoned along the U.S.-Mexico border in southeastern San Diego County on Monday afternoon, officials said. David Hernandez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/7/21

Homeless  

San Diego County creates homeless department, launches North County outreach -- Board Chairman Nathan Fletcher said he proposed the new Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities as an efficient way to collaborate with other jurisdictions and partners throughout the county and to leverage state and federal funding. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/7/21

Housing  

California housing bill would lean on cities that fall behind their targets -- About once a decade, California sets goals for how much new housing each region of the state must build to meet the needs of local residents and keep up with population growth. But with few options available for the state to enforce the law, much of that housing is planned and then never gets built. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/7/21

Fewer parking spaces for new homes, shops? It could happen -- Housing advocates are backing a state bill to ban cities from imposing minimum parking requirements on new apartments and shops within a half mile of train stations and bus routes. Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Environment  

Sunnyvale fined $187,000 after spilling nearly 300,000 gallons of wastewater into San Francisco Bay -- The spill occurred on July 29 when a 36-inch welded steel pipeline ruptured, releasing 292,600 gallons — the equivalent of about 12 backyard swimming pools — of partially treated sewage that had not been disinfected into channels that flow into the bay near Moffett Field. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/7/21

Cannabis  

Study: California’s licensed cannabis shops aren’t selling to minors -- California’s licensed marijuana shops are doing an excellent job at preventing sales to minors, according to a first-of-its-kind study commissioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Brooke Staggs in the Orange County Register -- 4/7/21

Also . . .   

Hollywood actor arrested in alleged $227-million Ponzi scheme -- Zachary J. Horwitz, a small-time actor, was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles on a federal charge that he ran a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors out of $227 million by touting fictitious film licensing deals with HBO, Netflix and other platforms. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21

Sacramento area insurer pays $97 million after over-billing U.S. for veterans care -- Health Net Federal Services LLC agreed to the settlement after an audit by the VA Office of Inspector General revealed that Health Net had filed duplicate claims under a veterans healthcare contract. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/7/21

Marines launch new investigation after disaster that killed nine troops -- The Marine Corps has launched a new investigation of an amphibious task force at the center of a disaster at sea last year that killed nine U.S. troops, service officials said, opening the possibility for additional discipline for officers involved. Dan Lamothe in the Washington Post$ -- 4/7/21

More than 80 aftershocks from Monday’s L.A. earthquake, but ‘it doesn’t raise a red flag’ -- Monday’s swarm of earthquakes, which included a magnitude 4.0 near Inglewood, didn’t do much to quell those nerves. Experts say panic isn’t necessary, but preparation never hurts. Here’s what we know about L.A.’s latest quakes. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/7/21