Updating . .   

Highway 50 closed in both directions at Echo Summit due to rock slide, Caltrans says -- Caltrans District 3 announced the closure just east of the summit around 6:15 a.m. The closure affects both eastbound and westbound lanes of traffic and there is no estimated time for full reopening. Caltrans officials say that they plan on having one of the two lanes open by the early afternoon as crews continue to work on clearing the area. Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ Michael Williams in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21

Newsom’s plan to reopen California may be less risky than it seems -- Absent a new variant or mutation that renders vaccines ineffective across the country, they believe the chance that Newsom would need to reinstate the kinds of restrictions that frustrated some voters and helped fuel the recall effort against him is almost nil. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Johnson & Johnson vaccine supply to plummet next week in California as demand surges -- Although California’s allocations of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are expected to remain relatively steady through next week, the state — along with the rest of the nation — will see availability crater for the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Can you choose your COVID vaccine? Which Sacramento clinics get doses? Here’s what we know -- Frustrated about getting your COVID-19 vaccine? Don’t know why your provider is in short supply? Wondering whether you can get a dose in a neighboring county? Can you choose which vaccine you get? Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Want a COVID shot now? You may have to leave the Bay Area -- Anxious for a COVID shot? The state will open appointments up to everyone in another week, but you may not even have to wait that long — if you’re willing to drive a few extra miles to get the jab. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Will Californians need a vaccine passport this summer? It depends on where you want to go -- This week, both President Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administrations insisted they have no plans to implement a federal or state coronavirus vaccine passport program, although the concept remains popular in the private sector. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

How much longer will county’s massive vaccination effort go on? -- A few months ago, Orange County launched an unprecedented effort to vaccinate the majority of its roughly 3.2 million residents against COVID-19 – and it’s largely been successful so far, though slowed by the supply of doses it receives. Alicia Robinson in the Orange County Register -- 4/9/21

School  

Natomas Unified and teachers union reach agreement after union filed labor charge -- The teachers union will be withdrawing its charge, and the district will move forward with its plans to open Natomas Unified’s elementary school campuses five days a week for in-person instruction beginning April 12. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Open  

Disneyland releases ticket prices and pricing calendar for April 30 reopening -- Disneyland fans eagerly awaiting tickets to go on sale and advance reservations to become available for the reopening of the Anaheim theme parks got their first look at the pricing calendar and a dose of good news: Ticket prices aren’t rising for the first time in years. Brady MacDonald in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Hollywood Bowl is back. After historic closure, first shows are free for essential workers -- After COVID-19 forced the storied venue to scrap the 2020 season — the first full cancellation in 98 years — the Los Angeles Philharmonic is expected to announce Friday that the Bowl will reopen May 15 with a free concert for healthcare workers, first responders and other essential workers, including grocery store staff, custodians and delivery drivers. Jessica Gelt in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

And then there were two: Inyo and Merced stuck in strictest tier -- Unable to meet state COVID-19 infection criteria, Merced and Inyo counties still can’t reopen most businesses. The status threatens a big Memorial Day event in Bishop, so the town has asked the state to reconsider its rural county requirements. Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 4/9/21

Tinhorn Flats owners repeatedly defy restaurant closure: ‘We will never back down’ -- When Danny Rocha pulled up to Tinhorn Flats, a bar and grill in Burbank that’s been at the center of a battle over required restaurant closures during the pandemic, he was looking to get a burger — with a side of solidarity. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Bruce's Beach  

Black descendants of Bruce’s Beach owner could get Manhattan Beach land back under plan -- Backers of the proposal introduced by state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) say it is the first step toward correcting a historic injustice when the city seized the resort of Charles and Willa Bruce and forced Black beachgoers out of town 100 years ago. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ Tyler Shaun Evains in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/9/21

Street  

Feds bust international drug ring in Sacramento — with help from an undercover Canadian cop -- Federal agents in Sacramento working with a Canadian undercover agent say they have broken up an international drug trafficking operation run out of suburban homes in Davis, Sacramento and Roseville and have arrested three suspects. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

KKK fliers, White Lives Matter rally: Huntington Beach confronts ‘storm of hate’ -- Now, the city is bracing for a White Lives Matter rally Sunday. The event — which arrives after a smattering of Ku Klux Klan fliers were distributed in Huntington Beach and surrounding areas — is sparking new demands that the city take more profound steps to shake its association with right-wing extremism once and for all. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Bretón: ‘Fake Mexican,’ ‘African Princess’: Second Nav Gill report says he used racist nicknames -- If you think the first report about former Sacramento County CEO Nav Gill was bad, wait until you see the second. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

East Bay police used facial recognition technology despite ban -- Alameda police have been using facial recognition technology, despite the City Council barring the software more than a year ago. This marks the second time recently that police have ignored a council directive, leaving at least one council member angry and wanting answers as to why. Peter Hegarty in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Husband of former D.A. Jackie Lacey requesting diversion, could avoid jail in gun case -- The husband of former Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey is seeking entry into a diversion program that would allow him to avoid jail time after he was caught on video pointing a gun at protesters last year, according to an attorney for one of the protesters. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Sacramento volunteers protect neighborhood elders on errands amid spike in anti-Asian hate -- Volunteers assembled on Stockton Boulevard on a clear Thursday afternoon to keep an eye out for Sacramento’s Asian American and Pacific Islander residents as they did their daily shopping in Sacramento’s Little Saigon. Ashley Wong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

One of three inmates who escaped from O.C. jail and who kidnapped cab driver is guilty -- Bac Tien Duong, 48, was convicted this week of one felony count of escape by a prisoner and one felony count of kidnapping, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office. The jury did not reach a verdict on one felony count of taking a vehicle. Priscella Vega in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Border 

Pomona Fairplex to house unaccompanied minors arriving at U.S.-Mexico border -- Pomona Fairplex will serve as an emergency intake site to temporarily house unaccompanied minors arriving at U.S.-Mexico border, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis announced Thursday night. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Homeless  

Sacramento opens another homeless ‘Safe Ground.’ Here’s where and why -- Days after opening its first “Safe Ground” community for homeless individuals, the city of Sacramento this week is launching a second site, this one for people living in their cars, campers and recreational vehicles. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Also . . .   

He delivered their groceries for a year. He’s happy to be laid off -- That email marked the end of a routine that went on much longer than anyone expected. It was just one of the hundreds of relationships begun through mutual aid groups that sprung up across the Bay Area in the early days of the pandemic to connect volunteers with vulnerable residents seeking to avoid potentially risky outings to the grocery store or pharmacy. Leonardo Castañeda in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Harry wants to be with royal family after Philip’s death, but Meghan’s wishes are less clear -- But it’s not known whether COVID travel restrictions will affect Harry’s return from California, whether his pregnant wife Meghan Markle will accompany him and what kind of reception the couple would receive in the U.K. — a month after they accused the royal family of being racist and cruel during their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Lazarus: There’s a racial gap in marketing by banks and payday lenders, study finds -- Payday lenders want to lure people of color into endless cycles of high-interest debt. Mainstream banks prefer white people as customers. At least that’s what academic researchers concluded after reviewing advertising and marketing materials for the two industries. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Is California ready to open health care to undocumented adults? Latino leaders say yes -- Members of the California Latino Legislative Caucus announced this week they are prioritizing two health care bills that would expand Medi-Cal coverage for nearly 1 million undocumented adults. Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Fire-ravaged Bonhomme Richard will be decommissioned, then towed to Texas for scrapping -- After extensive cleanup and reclamation in the wake of a July inferno, the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard will be decommissioned in San Diego next week before being towed to Texas where it will be scrapped, the Navy said in a statement. Andrew Dyer in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/9/21

California Policy and P  olitics Friday Morning  

California vaccine supply will fall 15% next week, just as demand is expected to surge -- The shortfall, if it persists, could throw off the state’s plans to reopen June 15, the target date set by Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow almost all sectors of the economy to resume operations at or near capacity. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21

Fewer shipments to Sacramento County to slow COVID vaccine effort as eligibility grows -- All Sacramento County residents over the age of 16 will soon be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but county health officials have warned that residents will need to be patient, given the low supply of doses. Molly Burke in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Cal State L.A. vaccination site draws thousands on day of open eligibility -- Some showed up with their dogs, others rode in on skateboards or bikes. Many were with their parents and friends, eager to finally get some freedom from the pandemic. Donovan X. Ramsey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Long Beach opens COVID-19 vaccine access to residents 16 and older -- Walk-up appointments will be open for residents from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday, at the Long Beach Convention Center, according to city officials. An estimated 500 appointments will be available daily, officials added. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

South African and Brazilian coronavirus variants land in L.A. -- Two coronavirus variants thought to be more transmissible or resistant to vaccines than their predecessors have been found in Los Angeles County for the first time, a discovery health officials said should reinforce the importance of taking steps to thwart transmission of the virus. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Psychiatric and neurological problems are common in COVID-19’s wake, study finds -- New research highlights COVID-19’s lingering effects on the brain, finding that in the six months after becoming ill, roughly a third of surviving patients were diagnosed with at least one neurological or psychiatric disorder. Melissa Healy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Homebound Califorians Still Lack Options To Get COVID-19 Vaccine -- Cathy Ready's mother rarely leaves her home. The 80-year-old Sacramento resident lives with multiple sclerosis and is restricted to her bed, unless someone helps her get into a wheelchair. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 4/9/21

Online Scammers Have a New Offer for You: Vaccine Cards -- On Etsy, eBay, Facebook and Twitter, little rectangular slips of paper started showing up for sale in late January. Printed on card stock, they measured 3 by 4 inches and featured crisp black lettering. Sellers listed them for $20 to $60 each, with a discount on bundles of three or more. Laminated ones cost extra. Sheera Frenkel in the New York Times$ -- 4/9/21

Could you get a 'vaccine passport' to go to Hawaii? A program is in the works -- Hawaii may soon roll out a voluntary “vaccine passport” program that could make it easier for Bay Area travelers to visit the islands if they’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21

School  

Los Angeles public schools will begin reopening next week. Here’s what you need to know -- The youngest elementary school students will be welcomed back to campus first. Middle and high school campuses will reopen on April 26. Supt. Austin Beutner has laid out the safety measures that will be in place. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Contrary to what some parents heard, there is no mandate to vaccinate Orange County students -- More than 150 parents, falsely convinced that the county planned to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their teenagers without parental consent, showed up at an Orange County Board of Education to condemn the move. Except there is no such plan. Roxana Kopetman in the Orange County Register -- 4/9/21

Parents sue La Mesa-Spring Valley schools for not providing in-person learning -- Two parents sued the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District last week, alleging that the district has violated state law by failing to provide in-person learning this school year. La Mesa-Spring Valley is one of multiple San Diego County districts that have offered only distance learning instruction to most students since the pandemic began last year. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/9/21

Open  

Disneyland will open Avengers Campus in June after a yearlong delay due to the pandemic -- Disney plans a June opening for the new Marvel super hero land that will see Spider-Man swinging across the sky, Doctor Strange conjuring up magic spells and Captain America fighting villains along rooftops. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 4/9/21

Highway 1 in Big Sur to reopen two months early after massive slide -- Construction crews have made such good progress repairing a huge hole in Highway 1 in Big Sur that the scenic roadway will fully reopen on April 30 — nearly two months ahead of schedule. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Policy & Politics 

Democratic Latino leaders denounce Newsom recall after poll finds ‘slippage’ in support -- Several members of the California Latino Legislative Caucus on Thursday denounced the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, rallying behind him after a recent statewide poll suggested a potential weakness in support among Latino voters for the Democratic governor. Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Caitlyn Jenner moves closer to California recall run -- Transgender rights activist and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner and her political advisers are gathering at her Malibu home next week to discuss her potential candidacy in the upcoming California gubernatorial recall election. Alex Isenstadt Politico Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 4/9/21

Criminal investigation opened into Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli after sexual assault accusations -- The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office launched a criminal investigation Thursday into Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, as more than a dozen local and state lawmakers demanded that Foppoli resign or be removed from office in response to a Chronicle investigation documenting four women’s accounts that Foppoli sexually assaulted them in incidents from 2003 to 2019. Alexandria Bordas, Cynthia Dizikes in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21

California advances bill aimed at massive unemployment fraud -- California lawmakers on Thursday advanced what they called commonsense legislation requiring two state agencies to share information aimed at helping stop billions of dollars in pandemic-related unemployment fraud. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 4/9/21

Barabak: The California exodus is a myth. But that doesn’t stop the haters -- Early in the 1990s, Time magazine published a lurid cover — the sun setting into a blood-red sea — fronting a special edition devoted to the decline and fall of the great Golden State. “California,” the sorrowful headline read. “The endangered dream.” Alas, it was sadly suggested, far too many people wished to live here. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

PG&E Pay Raises  

PG&E: Several execs captured pay raises in 2020, SEC docs show -- Several top PG&E executives harvested hefty increases in their pay during 2020, a year in which the company emerged from bankruptcy and caused a fatal wildfire in Shasta County, a regulatory filing on Thursday shows. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Disneyland  

Former Disneyland annual passholders complain about lack of priority ticket access for parks’ return -- Disneyland annual passholders accustomed to VIP treatment will miss out on the biggest perk of them all: Priority access to purchase theme park tickets and make advance reservations for the reopening of Disney’s Anaheim theme parks after a yearlong coronavirus closure. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 4/9/21

Disneyland’s Sanitized Reopening Plan Is More Digital, Less Hands-On -- When he took over Walt Disney Co.’s theme-park division last May, Josh D’Amaro had an unusual asset: a vacated Disneyland. Erich Schwartzel in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/9/21

Workplace  

Kaiser workers protest, demanding support during pandemic -- Kaiser Permanente workers held a protest Thursday at Los Angeles Medical Center, alleging the healthcare giant has slashed performance-sharing bonuses and provided scant support to overworked employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin Smith in the Orange County Register -- 4/9/21

Uber axes price-naming feature as ride-hail companies recruit new drivers -- Uber is axing the ability for California drivers to set their own prices, and soon may eliminate their ability to see trip destinations in advance, it said Thursday. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21

Street  

Why One Woman Has Spent 5 Years in a San Diego County Jail With No Trial -- The drawn-out case against Maria Moore underscores the complexity of prosecuting someone who’s severely mentally ill, pitting criminal justice, psychiatry and conservatorships against one another. Moore’s situation also speaks to a shortage of psychiatric beds in California. Jesse Marx Voiceofsandiego.org -- 4/9/21

California city tried to reform its toxic police department. Then came the vulgar texts -- Meaningful changes to law enforcement in Eureka have been held back by a toxic mixture of “old guard” officers, fear of retribution, infighting and distrust of some of the department’s leadership, according to interviews, court records and documents reviewed by The Sacramento Bee. Jason Pohl in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Fire  

California unveils sweeping wildfire prevention plan amid record fire losses and drought -- fter the worst fire season in California history and as drought conditions raise fears of what’s to come, Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders unveiled a $536-million proposal Thursday to boost efforts at firefighting and a variety of prevention measures, including vegetation management and the construction of fire-resistant structures across the state. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio -- 4/9/21

Education 

No shot? No problem: COVID-19 vaccines encouraged but not required at Cal State universities next fall -- Other Bay Area campuses – including Stanford, Santa Clara and University of California at Berkeley and Santa Cruz – are considering their options and have not yet announced their plans. While UC Davis doesn’t mandate vaccines, it is now offering shots to anyone age 16 or older, including out-of-towners, a week ahead of the state’s timeline. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Testing Requirements Dialed Down for California Schools This Year -- Last year in the height of the pandemic, schools did not have to administer standardized tests at all. This year, California won’t be test-free, but it will be test-lite. Will Huntsberry Voiceofsandiego.org -- 4/9/21

UCI announces $1 billion raised in campaign for university’s future -- Roughly six years into a decade-long fundraising campaign seeking $2 billion for research, student scholarships and other initiatives, UC Irvine announced this week that half of its goal has been met. Tess Sheets in the Orange County Register -- 4/9/21

Housing  

Fleeing the city: Here’s what new homeowners are looking for in suburbia -- Kristina and Grayson Dove enjoyed all the city life San Francisco had to offer from their two-bedroom condo in a high-rise residential tower downtown. Great restaurants, nightlife, theater, music and arts events lay just outside their door. Kristina’s office was an easy BART stop away. Marni Jameson in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/21

Homeless  

Oceanside approves emergency measures to clean up homeless camps -- The Oceanside City Council unanimously approved an emergency motel voucher program and an anti-camping ordinance Wednesday, both effective immediately and aimed at the tent communities growing along South Oceanside Boulevard and elsewhere. Phil Diehl in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/9/21

Tolls  

Heads up, commuters: Cash tolls will not be returning to California’s Bay Area bridges -- Those enrolled in FasTrak or a License Plate Account will see no difference in their payments, but drivers who are not enrolled in one of these programs will receive a monthly invoice for all toll bridge crossings. Molly Burke in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/9/21

Develop  

Citing high wildfire risk, judge halts construction of massive Tejon Ranch development -- For two decades, the Tejon Ranch Co. has envisioned a community of 57,000 people rising just off Interstate 5 on the southern flanks of the Tehachapi Mountains, about 70 miles north of Los Angeles. Louis Sahagún in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/21

Cannabis  

Deputies find $6 million of cannabis, 5 guns in raid of unlicensed Spring Valley dispensary -- Sheriff’s officials said deputies found more than 3,000 pounds raw cannabis and marijuana-infused products at shop near Sweetwater Springs Boulevard. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/9/21

Also . . .   

Ninth Circuit court blocks Republican-led states from reviving 'public charge' rule -- Over a conservative judge’s angry dissent, a federal appeals court refused Thursday to let a group of Republican-led states try to revive a Trump administration rule that denied legal status and work permits to noncitizens who accept public benefits, such as food stamps and Medicaid. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21

Yosemite National Park to limit summer visitation due to COVID-19 -- With California shaking off a year of COVID-19 restrictions, one of the state’s most treasured tourist attractions won’t be throwing open its gates in a rush to re-open for all: Yosemite National Park will limit the number of visitors this summer during the peak tourist season by requiring advance reservations for people who visit the park during the day. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/21