Updating . .   

‘We have to do more.’ Newsom wants $65 million to set up California mental health courts -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is prepared to invest significant state funds in his ambitious mental health courts plan — $65 million this year and $50 million annually for years to come. Newsom has been pitching his Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court, or CARE Court, proposal since March. But his May budget revision on Friday was the first time he put a dollar amount on it. Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/22

COVID  

Why is the COVID case rate in San Francisco so much higher than the U.S. right now? -- Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at UCSF, said that San Francisco’s current high case rates are likely due to the city being relatively protected from the disease for the last two years, combined with city residents taking more risks as local pandemic-era restrictions and messaging wane. Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Policy and Politics  

Embattled DA Gascón reverses course on controversial zero-bail policy -- In an abrupt policy about-face amid an aggressive recall effort, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has lifted an order that prohibited prosecutors from seeking cash bail for defendants charged with nonviolent crimes. Scott Schwebke in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/14/22

Climate  

Here’s why whales have started hanging around San Francisco Bay -- Before 2016, guests on a popular whale watching tour had to sail far offshore for photos of whales. But these days, migration patterns of endangered humpbacks have altered so much that the boat stays almost entirely within the bay. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Workplace   

At Tech Companies, the Rebellion Against the Return to the Office Is Getting Serious -- Employees who fled the Bay Area and other high-cost tech hubs earlier in the Covid-19 pandemic—or who just prefer to work from home—now face hard choices: move back, try the super commute, or hold out for a concession or new job elsewhere. Katherine Bindley in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/14/22

Staying Afloat   

Knight: ‘Everything was a battle’: S.F. homelessness nonprofit leader leaves Bay Area as cost of living soars -- San Francisco residents know the sadness of seeing a steady stream of friends and colleagues leave the city, frustrated by the exorbitant cost of living and the inability of our leaders to address the desperation on our streets despite a $13 billion budget. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Also . . .   

New tech aims to keep e-scooters off S.F. sidewalks. Will it work? -- Lime, Scoot and Spin, San Francisco’s three permitted scooter operators, recently began deploying scooters equipped with varying technology meant to detect and slow down riders on sidewalks. Ricardo Cano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

 

California Policy and Politics Saturday Morning  

California’s $100 billion surplus: What to know about Newsom’s spending plan -- “Simply without precedent.” Gov. Gavin Newsom is a man of many superlatives, but even he seemed to struggle today to adequately describe just how much extra cash the state of California will have to spend in the coming year’s budget: $97.5 billion. Ben Christopher CalMatters Eliyahu Kamisher, Paul Rogers, Kayla Jimenez and Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/22

Abortion, inflation and crime: How Newsom would spend record-setting California surplus -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $300.6-billion state budget proposal was sent to the California Legislature on Friday, a far-reaching plan to use a historic tax surplus to boost both government services and the size of the state’s cash reserves. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

Gavin Newsom seeks $5 billion to keep California’s lights on as summer blackouts loom -- Two years after California endured a wave of rolling blackouts, Gov. Gavin Newsom called on lawmakers Friday to spend more than $5 billion to fortify the state’s troubled electricity grid. In his budget proposal to the Legislature, the Democratic governor proposed creating a “strategic electricity reliability reserve” to support development of new power plants and industrial-scale battery storage. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/22

Newsom wants to fund high tech crimes task force that snared alleged Sacramento predator -- Newsom’s spending plan calls for continuing to fund the California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, or ICAC, at $5 million. This would match the state’s support for the last three fiscal years. However, the funding request is a one-time allocation, meaning that the program would not necessarily be included in future budgets. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/22

Income Divide  

California’s massive budget surplus highlights gaping income divide -- The surplus highlights the chasm between the rich and poor in California, which is both the nation’s wealthiest state and home to the highest share of residents living in poverty. The state taxes its richest residents and businesses heavily, meaning their prosperity through the pandemic has filled state coffers to the brim, even as millions of Californians struggle to afford groceries and gas as inflation drives prices up. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

COVID  

As Bay Area COVID cases swell, health officers reinstate mask recommendations -- In a remarkable joint statement on Friday, health officers from around the Bay Area strongly recommended but are not requiring that residents once again mask up indoors amid a swell of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. “If you’ve chosen not to wear a mask in indoor public places recently, now is a good time to start again,” said Dr. George Han, deputy health officer for Santa Clara County. Aidin Vaziri, Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

COVID-19 surging as California death toll passes 90,000; school outbreaks mounting -- California’s official death toll for COVID-19 has surpassed 90,000, as the state grapples with a fifth wave of infections that continues to escalate but has not translated to a sharp increase in fatalities, as of yet. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/22

Ex-San Jose city employee sues over being fired for refusing to comply with vaccine mandate -- Eran Amir, who filed his lawsuit in Santa Clara County Superior Court on May 11, claims he was discriminated against and retaliated against for his religion after he refused to comply with San Jose’s vaccine mandate and submit to twice-a-week testing. Grace Hase in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/22

Paxlovid: How and where to get the life-saving COVID treatment in the Bay Area -- COVID-19 antiviral pills, Paxlovid and molnupiravir, are becoming increasingly available nationwide and in the Bay Area now that supply has improved since the rollout began in January. Here’s a guide to getting them. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Major vaccine bills are dying in the California Legislature -- Lawmakers still have months left in their 2021 session, but an ambitious slate of vaccine bills proposed by Democrats is on life support. Its two cornerstone bills — one to require employers to vaccinate their workers and another to require the shot for school children regardless of whether their parents object — have been dropped. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Gas  

No gas rebates in sight as average prices in L.A. barrel toward $6 a gallon — again -- Experts say a perfect storm of supply-and-demand issues are sending gas prices in Los Angeles soaring again, with the price-per-gallon increasing more than 14 cents in the last 16 days, according to the latest fuel prices tracked by AAA. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

Street  

LAPD overlooked 3 dead children inside home for 7 hours after mother taken away -- Residents in a West Hills neighborhood were alarmed Saturday night when they saw a woman lighting candles and holding a Bible in a stranger’s yard. Richard Winton, Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

Placer DA to review police report of crash that killed Anthony Williams in Rocklin -- The crash killed Williams, a senior and basketball player at Inderkum High, who was struck by the vehicle on the 6600 block of Lonetree Boulevard near the Blue Oaks Town Center shopping area. Police said Wednesday in a statement announcing the report’s completion that the driver in the collision was not at fault. Daniel Hunt in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/22

Amid rise in freeway shootings, East Bay to get highway cameras to help identify suspects -- The high-definition, closed-circuit cameras are expected to bolster law enforcement’s efforts to combat freeway shootings, which have more than tripled in the Bay Area in the past four years, resulting in several high-profile deaths in recent months. Andres Picon in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Homeless  

Alameda County sees 22% jump in homelessness in long-awaited count -- The population of homeless people living in Alameda County increased by 22% over the past three years, underscoring the depth of a statewide crisis that has been particularly severe in Oakland, according to figures from the latest count obtained by The Chronicle. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Housing   

Newsom wants $600 million to convert spaces like offices to housing. Will S.F. respond? -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s massive $300 billion budget proposal includes $600 million to encourage housing conversions, particularly in dense urban areas that have been hollowed out by the pandemic. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Water  

Miranda: What does 80 gallons look like? The good, bad and insipid in California’s water conservation graphics -- Also hampering conservation is that the messaging can be wildly abstract. How exactly am I supposed to figure out how to cut my water consumption by 15%? And how do I measure what I’m using to begin with? Our water bills come with usage charts — but if your bill lands digitally, to see those charts, you generally have to poke around the website. (At least that’s the case with Cal Water, the water district I reside in.) Carolina A. Miranda in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

Wildfire  

A charred Porsche, smoldering mansions: An ocean-view street in Laguna Niguel lost to fire -- The Coastal fire in Laguna Niguel sent hundreds fleeing their homes, but the toll was most devastating on one block. At the crest of a canyon overlooking the Pacific Ocean, fire raced up and burned big home after big home in the upscale Coronado Pointe subdivision. Wind-blown embers lodged into attic spaces and roofing material and set the homes on fire from within. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

Education  

California schools to see $635 million in grants to transform schools for needy students with wraparound services -- Several Bay Area school districts and charter schools are poised to receive tens of millions in state grant funds to create and expand “community schools” that aim to assist needy students by providing a comprehensive menu of health, social and academic services. Ricardo Cano, Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/14/22

Students lobby for bill to ease university housing crunch — but would it work? -- After studying at home during the pandemic, University of California Davis junior Michelle Andrews tried to find housing in the city of Davis when in-person classes resumed last fall. Ryan Loyola CalMatters -- 5/14/22

L.A.’s teachers union seeks 20% salary increase over two years -- Amidst a nationwide school staffing shortage, the union representing Los Angeles Unified teachers is seeking a 20% salary increase over two years as part of its proposal for a new contract with the country’s second-largest school district. Linh Tat in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/14/22

Cannabis  

California marijuana growers would see tax relief under Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to give marijuana growers a break by eliminating a tax they’re required to pay even before they make a sale. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/14/22

Environment  

17 states push EPA to revoke California’s ability to set its own vehicle emission standards -- California’s vehicle emission standards are some of the toughest in the nation, and the 17 Republican attorneys general argue the EPA’s decision to let the Golden State set its own rules forces the rest of the country to follow suit. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

Five things to know about nuclear power in California -- Gov. Newsom is considering seeking federal funds to keep Diablo Canyon open as California transitions away from fossil fuels. But there are many complications to keeping nuclear power in California. Nadia Lopez CalMatters -- 5/14/22

California to open first new state park in 13 years -- At a scenic spot where two rivers meet amid sprawling almond orchards and ranchlands between San Jose and Modesto, California’s state park system is about to get bigger. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/14/22

Also . . .   

If Elon Musk’s Twitter plan goes poof, it wouldn’t be the first time -- It’s not the first time he’s fallen short, backed out or abruptly changed course after making a big, showy promise of innovation. In fact, it’s not even the first time he’s done that in the last six weeks, during this specific set of negotiations with Twitter. Brian Contreras, Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/14/22

 

Friday Updates   

California’s budget surplus surges to $97 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom announces -- Much of the surplus will go to education and other dedicated funds, while the rest, about $49.2 billion, can be spent at the discretion of the Democratic governor and state lawmakers. It’s California’s largest budget surplus ever. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Adam Beam Associated Press -- 5/13/22

Wildfire  

Why Laguna Niguel fire was so destructive: Flying hot embers, huge homes, dry brush -- The weather conditions were unremarkable for coastal Orange County, and even a bit pleasant: Mild temperatures, relatively moist air and a seasonal onshore breeze. But when firefighters struggled to contain a 50-by-50-foot brush fire on a sere hillside in Laguna Niguel on Wednesday afternoon, officials grew concerned. Tony Briscoe, Alex Wigglesworth, Hannah Fry, Paul Duginski in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/13/22

Water  

Arellano: Heed the warnings of this palm tree, a 200-year-old drought survivor -- About 200 years ago, a palm tree was planted in downtown Los Angeles. The fan palm was originally from the Southern California desert, a newcomer to the city like so many who would arrive later. And like so many who settled here, this young migrant prospered while adapting to the changing times. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/13/22

Policy and Politics  

Smith: How a ‘defamatory’ TV ad attacking Karen Bass could help her be L.A.'s next mayor -- It wasn’t very long ago that Melina Abdullah and Patrisse Cullors, two of the earliest leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement, had some harsh words for their friend and fellow Angeleno Rep. Karen Bass. Erika D. Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/13/22

Myers: Gambling, taxes will dominate November’s ballot -- Statewide primary ballots may have arrived in mailboxes, but the big political money is aimed at November. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/13/22

Workplace   

Facebook, Twitter Are Pulling Back on Hiring—Will Others Follow? -- The shift by these technology giants raises questions about the direction of the overall U.S. job market and comes during a period of volatility in the stock market amid concerns over rising interest rates. Chip Cutter in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/13/22

Street  

Fencing suspect at S.F. boba tea shop was charged with similar crimes three years ago. What happened? -- Three years before Quoc Le was arrested for running an alleged international fencing operation behind a Tenderloin boba tea shop, he was accused of similar crimes, after Walnut Creek and San Francisco police officers allegedly found him in possession of property that had been swiped from cars. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/13/22

Cannabis  

Sacramento fourth-grader shared cannabis edibles in Skittles-like packaging, district says -- The incident happened Wednesday at Michael J. Castori Elementary School in East Del Paso Heights, Twin Rivers spokesperson Zenobia Gerald confirmed in an emailed statement. A student brought the edibles, which were in packaging resembling a bag of Skittles, according to the statement. Multiple students ate some of the candies, but it was not clear how many students did so. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/13/22

Housing   

More Sacramento renters are looking to leave the region. Here’s where they’re ending up -- After years of huge rent increases, more Sacramento apartment hunters have had enough. Roughly 42% of Sacramento renters looking for an apartment are focusing their searches on cities outside the region, according to new data from online rental company Apartment List. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/13/22

Education  

Cal Poly Humboldt has seen declining enrollment for years. Is the name change helping? -- What’s in a name? When it comes to Cal Poly Humboldt, which rebranded to include the polytechnic designation earlier this year, university officials are hoping the answer is “More students.” Thus far, it looks like they might be right. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/13/22

Environment  

Signs of success in California campaign to keep monarch butterflies from disappearing -- Three biologists crouched among the milkweed plants, combing through the thin green leaves as if braiding hair. They were looking for tiny white eggs or chubby, yellow-striped caterpillars: signs of the Western monarch butterfly. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/13/22

COVID  

Younger residents leading the way as COVID rate in LA County rises -- The daily number of COVID-19 cases reported in Los Angeles County continued growing on Thursday, May 12, prompting renewed warnings that younger residents are most likely to become infected and unvaccinated residents are most likely to become severely ill. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/13/22

Wealthy L.A. County communities seeing fastest rise in coronavirus cases -- As Los Angeles County’s coronavirus cases continue to climb, infections are rising fastest among wealthier residents, a likely echo of previous waves in which a greater rate of higher-income people became infected with the virus first. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/13/22

This antiviral pill paired with COVID vaccines offers the hope of ‘zero COVID deaths,’ officials say -- When Martha Smith came down with a cough that turned out to be COVID in late April, she figured she’d be able to get Paxlovid, the antiviral pill that’s now in increasingly ample supply at many pharmacies, pretty quickly. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/13/22

Can I get COVID-19 again? What to know in California during latest rise in cases -- COVID-19 cases are on the rise in California again, and the increase isn’t sparing those who’ve already had the virus. “COVID is not over,” said Dr. Lekshmi Santhosh, medical director of University of California, San Francisco’s Post-COVID Optimal Clinic. Hanh Truong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/13/22

Also . . .   

3 arrested in South Bay for allegedly conducting an exorcism that killed 3-year-old -- San Jose police have arrested three people accused of performing an exorcism-like ritual that caused the death of a 3-year-old child in a tiny church, police said Friday. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Summer Lin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/13/22

Remember the woman charged $10,000 for a cab ride? These other outrageous stories hold a key lesson -- After a quick trip in a San Francisco taxi, the passenger handed a credit card to the driver to swipe, then hopped out of the cab. Soon, a gargantuan charge — thousands of dollars — appeared on the passenger’s credit card bill for the ride. Despite months of pleading, the bank insisted the passenger owed the money and only relented after being contacted by a reporter. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/13/22