Updating . .   

Who fired guns in Sacramento mass shooting? New documents detail gunfight, minute by minute -- At 1:57:02 a.m. April 3, surveillance cameras at 10th and K streets caught a crowd of 70 to 80 people gathering on the northeast corner of the intersection. Eight seconds later, the crowd began to run. Some drove away in cars. A hot dog vendor ran away from their cart. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/16/22

Policy and Politics  

Rick Caruso’s role in the 2002 rejection of a Black LAPD chief created a furor -- Two decades ago, the Los Angeles Police Department faced a defining moment, as crime ticked upward, a massive corruption scandal smoldered and a federal judge pushed to correct the department’s long history of civil rights violations. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

He wants to destroy Elon Musk. He could end up endangering the Dems’ Senate plans -- A California software magnate is preparing to spend potentially millions of his own dollars on a brutal crusade to take down Elon Musk —and he’s doing it all as part of a quixotic and below-the-radar campaign for the U.S. Senate. Christopher Cadelago Politico -- 4/16/22

10 mayoral hopefuls unveil their state-of-LA views, as Garcetti’s era winds down -- We asked the candidates who are vying to succeed Garcetti for their own assessments of the state of the city. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/16/22

Next COVID  

California Democrats are delaying their vaccine plans -- California Democrats were moving toward requiring COVID-19 vaccines for students and keeping them from opting out of shots with personal belief exemptions. But the California Department of Public Health on Thursday announced it was delaying Gov. Gavin Newsom’s school COVID-19 vaccine mandate until next year. Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/16/22

Despite coronavirus uptick, there’s hope L.A. County can avoid another surge -- Despite a recent rise in coronavirus cases, Los Angeles County’s public health director said this week she remained hopeful the region could avoid another major spike by taking sensible precautions. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II -- 4/16/22

Jobs    

Bay Area, California job gains slow down dramatically in March -- Employers added 13,100 jobs in March in the Bay Area, but hiring slowed dramatically from February when 22,100 jobs were added in the nine-county region, a state Employment Development Department report released Friday shows. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/16/22

Homeless  

More shelter for homeless on American River Parkway among new Sacramento County projects -- Sacramento County leaders this week sent close to $6 million in federal relief funds toward four homelessness-related projects, ranging from water delivery services for camps to money for shelter operations. Patrick Riley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/16/22

Kardashians   

Kardashians draw ire for Disneyland video posted on TikTok -- A video of the Kardashians at Disneyland has sparked outrage on social media after they were seen this week enjoying a popular ride alone while other guests waited. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 4/16/22

Also . . .   

Smith: Everyone has a theory of why crime is rising. This one doesn’t get discussed enough -- I’m sure you’ve heard about it by now. The 17 gangs, mostly from South L.A., that, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, have been dispatching crews to target and rob wealthy Angelenos, following them from high-end hotels, restaurants and clubs, snatching their watches and purses. Erika D. Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

Lopez: The house was listed at $1.2 million. The sale price? Even crazier than you might think -- The three-bedroom, one-bath house was listed at $1.2 million. It sold in a week, at more than double that price. For $2.5 million. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

California Policy and Politics Saturday Morning  

COVID  

L.A. Unified’s fall 2022 vaccine mandate in question as state delays its requirement -- The Los Angeles Unified School District, among the largest school districts in the nation to mandate student COVID-19 vaccines, is now confronted with a pivotal decision over whether to stick with its requirement for fall 2022 or align with the state, which has delayed its rule for at least a year. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

Oakland school district lifts indoor mask mandate for last month of classes -- With case rates remaining low after spring break, Oakland school officials announced Friday that students and staff will be able to go without masks indoors starting a week from Monday. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/16/22

California COVID cases up, but no plans to add restrictions -- California has no plans to impose new statewide pandemic restrictions despite a rise in coronavirus cases primarily due to the new highly transmissible omicron variant BA.2, the state’s top health official says. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 4/16/22

Unvaccinated LAUSD employees demand old jobs back -- A group of parents and teachers opposed to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s COVID-19 staff vaccination requirement gathered outside district headquarters Friday, April 15, to demand that officials scrap the mandate and allow unvaccinated employees back onto campuses to help address staffing shortages. Linh Tat in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/16/22

Gas  

Newsom signals he’s open to excluding the wealthiest Californians from gas tax rebate -- As California drivers continue to grapple with the highest-in-the-nation gas prices, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators remain miles apart on the broad strokes of a proposal to give residents a gas tax rebate. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/16/22

Policy and Politics  

Caruso says he paid $1.6 million in income tax over five years, but won’t release returns -- Rick Caruso has released information on the taxes that he and his businesses paid over the last five years but — unlike most other major candidates in the race for Los Angeles mayor — the billionaire businessman’s finances and tax rate remain mostly secret because of his unwillingness to release his full returns. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

Mayor Breed promised to bring tough love to the troubled Tenderloin. Did she deliver? -- Four months after Mayor London Breed pledged in an unscripted moment to “be more aggressive with law enforcement” and less “tolerant of all the bulls— that has destroyed our city” while promising to fight crime and clean up the Tenderloin, the neighborhood remains in dire need of help. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/16/22

DA Gascón derailed veteran prosecutor’s career amid media storm over rapist’s bid for early release -- Prosecutor Jodi Link describes herself as a “good soldier,” quietly obeying District Attorney George Gascón’s controversial policies at a time when her more strident, vocal colleagues publicly criticize him as soft on crime and a tool of the progressive left. Scott Schwebke in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/16/22

Workplace   

California growth continues in March despite labor shortage -- California employers added 60,200 jobs in March as the number of unemployed people in the nation’s most populous state dipped below 1 million for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 4/16/22

Street  

Sacramento mass shooting suspect had parole rejected because of violence in prison -- Smiley Allen Martin, one of the five suspected gunmen in the April 3 gang shootout in downtown Sacramento that killed six and wounded 12, had his 2021 bid for release on parole rejected because he posed “an unreasonable risk of violence to the community,” according to state prisons documents on the case. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/16/22

Santa Ana police officers who blasted Disney songs to thwart video recording are under investigation -- The Santa Ana Police Department is investigating officers’ attempt to stop a citizen from filming them by blasting copyrighted Disney music on a patrol car’s loudspeaker and waking up neighbors in the middle of the night. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

Vallejo police chief applauds drop in use-of-force incidents. Police union attributes drop to fewer officers, low morale -- Roughly two years after the Vallejo Police Department drew criticism for its history of using unnecessary force against people, particularly Black people and other people of color, a new report said use-of-force incidents have dropped by 33% between 2020 and 2021 — the lowest numbers in five years, authorities said. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/16/22

Guilty verdict in 2019 slaying of El Dorado Deputy Brian Ishmael at marijuana grow site -- A jury in Placerville on Friday convicted a man of second-degree murder in the shooting death of El Dorado County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Ishmael, who was killed in October 2019 responding to a bogus call about the theft of marijuana plants from an illegal grow site near Somerset. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/16/22

Man charged with murder after allegedly pushing woman in front of train in Riverside -- Kevin Errol Lewis, 41, was charged with first-degree murder and domestic violence in connection with Monday’s 11 incident and already faced outstanding warrants for narcotics possession and theft, police said. His bail was set at $1 million. The victim has been identified as Mary Maltos, 52. Hyeyoon Alyssa Choi in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/16/22

Education  

Lawsuit accuses for-profit coding school of misleading student about instruction, job prospects -- A lawsuit filed Friday alleges a San Francisco for-profit coding academy and its founder deceived a former student into signing up and agreeing to pay them a share of her future earnings with false promises about training and job placement rates that left her with a pile of debt but no marketable skills. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/16/22

Environment  

A vast California lake is set to run dry. Scientists are scrambling to save its endangered fish -- Entering a third year of drought, the once-vast Tule Lake, a vestige of the area’s volcanic past and today a federally protected wetland, is shriveling up. Its floor is mostly cracked mud and tumbleweed. By summer, the lake is expected to run completely dry, a historic first for the region’s signature landmark and the latest chapter in a broader, escalating water war. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/16/22

Also . . .   

Kardashians ride Disneyland attractions by themselves as furious fans wait -- The Kardashians made headlines during a recent trip to Disneyland when they cut in line and jumped on rides all by themselves while crowds were forced to wait as the reality TV stars enjoyed the Mad Tea Party and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 4/16/22