Updating . .   

Los Angeles average gas price leads the nation at a record-breaking $6.08 -- Los Angeles is not alone in its pain as the cost of gas spikes across the nation. And according to analysts, the switch to a more expensive summer blend for other parts of the country promises the hurt will not stop anytime soon. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

COVID  

L.A. faring much better than New York as new coronavirus wave hits. Can it last? -- Los Angeles County is doing significantly better than New York City so far in this latest spring wave of Omicron cases, and officials remain hopeful that California can avoid the significant increases in coronavirus hospitalizations seen on the East Coast. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Bay Area COVID cases keep swelling as pandemic persists -- There’s no relief for Bay Area counties on the COVID-19 front, as the latest numbers from the state show new cases and hospitalizations driven by subvariants of the coronavirus continuing their steady climb. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

Why Sacramento County isn’t requiring indoor masks as COVID-19 cases surpass old benchmarks -- The number of COVID-19 cases surged in Sacramento County to nearly four times prior benchmarks that required indoor mask mandates, but Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the county health officer, has no plans as yet to reinstate the orders. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

Q&A: A parents’ guide to COVID booster shots for kids 5-11 -- With COVID-19 cases rising again in the Bay Area, parents have a new consideration for protecting their children this week: The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization Tuesday for kids ages 5-11 to get a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/22

Policy and Politics  

As L.A. mayor’s race thins, many remain undecided. Will De León make a late move? -- With less than three weeks remaining until election day, polls show that Rep. Karen Bass and developer Rick Caruso are the top candidates to replace Mayor Eric Garcetti, with City Councilman Kevin de León trailing. Dakota Smith, Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Abortion counteroffensive could buoy California Dems -- The Supreme Court’s draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will give Democratic candidates nationwide a clarifying issue to run on. But unlike most other states, California Democrats can deploy the state’s storied ballot initiative system to drive voters to the polls — with a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 5/18/22

Tech billionaire running for Senate from California wants unhackable computer systems -- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stoked fears of a cyber attack on the United States as it works with its partners to impose sanctions and provide military aid. But the tech billionaire running for the U.S. Senate from California was wary of cybersecurity gaps well before the war began. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

Education  

LAUSD expects enrollment to plummet by ‘alarming’ 30% in the next decade -- Enrollment in Los Angeles public schools is expected to plunge by nearly 30% over the next decade, leading to tough choices ahead about academic programs, campus closures, jobs and employee benefits — and forcing, over that time, a dramatic remake of the nation’s second-largest school system. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

California public schools get whopping $128.3 Billion under Newsom’s budget proposal -- In a major win for California and Bay Area public schools, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state plans to give schools a record $128.3 billion and expand its per-student spending to $22,850 to give a boost to the state’s education system amid a string of hardships throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Kayla Jimenez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/22

In California for years, but still can’t qualify for in-state tuition -- California exempts many undocumented students from paying non-resident tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities. But gaps in the law mean that some undocumented and international students still don’t get exemptions — even if they’ve lived in the state for more than a decade. Zaeem Shaikh CalMatters -- 5/18/22

Wildfire  

FEMA turned down California county’s request for wildfire aid. Residents beg Biden for help -- Tobi Magdison wants President Joe Biden to “keep to your promise” to the wildfire victims of El Dorado County. Candace Tyler wants to know why she and other fire victims have been overlooked by the federal government. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

EDD Fraud  

Woman serving life in California prison led $2-million unemployment fraud scheme, prosecutors say -- Natalie Le DeMola, a 37-year-old serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, was named as the ringleader, the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California said Tuesday. Carleisha Neosha Plummer, a 32-year-old Los Angeles resident and close associate of DeMola, was also named by authorities. Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Street  

Sacramento police chief confronts ‘alarming’ gun violence in first months on the job -- Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester devoted her first three months on the job to developing plans to turn back a rise in gun violence, strengthen the public’s trust in her department and work with community groups to attack the root cause of crime. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

Why Laguna Woods? Mysteries still loom in Taiwanese church shooting -- While the suspect in the Laguna Woods church shooting has been charged with multiple felony counts, some key mysteries remain about the attack on a Taiwanese church that left one dead and five wounded. Hannah Fry, Richard Winton, Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Laguna Woods church shooting suspect called ‘too radical’ for Chinese communist group -- The suspect in the mass shooting at a Taiwanese church gathering in Laguna Woods that killed one person and wounded five others Sunday was involved with a pro-China organization where a member described him as “too radical” for the group, according to media reports. Scott Schwebke and Elizabeth Chou in the Orange County Register -- 5/18/22

Placer County CEO who killed teen has history of speeding, was once arrested on DUI charge -- Six years before his vehicle struck and killed Inderkum High School student Anthony Williams, Placer County CEO Todd Leopold spent a night in a Colorado jail after he was arrested for speeding through a ski town while impaired by alcohol, police and court records show. Jason Pohl, Ryan Sabalow, and Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

Autopsy: Teen in Rocklin died from ‘blunt force head trauma’ in pedestrian-vehicle crash -- Anthony Williams, an 18-year-old high school senior, died from “blunt force head trauma” and “brainstem injuries” after he was struck by a vehicle while walking on a street in Rocklin, according to an autopsy report released Tuesday. Rosalio Ahumada, Ryan Sabalow, and Jason Pohl in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

Chabria: Vancouver’s safe drug-use sites are wrenching to see. California should open them anyway -- For years, this Canadian city has hosted safe consumption sites for addicts. They’ve saved lives, but with some painful tradeoffs. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Housing   

Southern California home prices hit more records as rate hikes fail to slow bidding wars -- Southern California home prices hit record highs in April, although sales sagged as homes became increasingly unaffordable. Jeff Collins in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/22

Environment  

$10 million deal signed to preserve redwoods at YMCA camp near La Honda -- Sixteen years ago, the YMCA of San Francisco ran into a buzzsaw of controversy when its leaders proposed to heavily log redwoods at Camp Jones Gulch, a beloved 928-acre property it owns in the Santa Cruz Mountains near La Honda that has been hosting children since the 1930s. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/22

Angel Stadium  

Allegations cloud Angel Stadium deal, council member calls for mayor to resign -- When local businessman and two-term Anaheim councilman Harry Sidhu ran for mayor in 2018, he made one big campaign promise: He’d keep the Angels in Anaheim. Now, the deal he helped broker to sell the city’s baseball stadium and keep the team local for decades could be in jeopardy and Sidhu is under federal investigation for alleged corruption in connection with the sale. He has not been charged. Alicia Robinson in the Orange County Register -- 5/18/22

Also . . .   

A woman was attacked by a mountain lion in Northern California. Her dog may have saved her -- On Monday afternoon, a woman and her Belgian Malinois named Eva began walking along a trail off Highway 299 near the Northern California town of Big Bar, a little over an hour’s drive west of Redding. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ Andres Picon in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

Judge declares Sacramento refugee is danger to community, flight risk — won’t order release -- A federal immigration judge has rejected a bid for Iraqi refugee Omar Ameen to be released back to his family in Sacramento on bond, declaring he is a flight risk and a danger to the community, The Sacramento Bee has learned. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

There’s a New Media Mogul Tearing Up Hollywood: ‘Zas Is Not Particularly Patient -- CEO David Zaslav has quickly put his stamp on Warner Bros. Discovery, weighing in on content, forcing out executives and cutting costly projects. Joe Flint in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/18/22

Southwest introduces a higher fare category with more perks -- Wanna Get Away Plus comes with perks such as more Rapid Rewards points — eight points per dollar, higher than its basic fare category — and the ability to transfer eligible unused flight credits to another customer. Nathan Diller in the Washington Post$ -- 5/18/22

California Policy and Politics Wednesday Morning  

$6 a gallon?! California reaches another gas price record. Is there any relief ahead? -- California’s average gas price topped $6 a gallon for the first time ever Tuesday, just two months after drivers were stunned to see $5 prices at the pump for the first time. And there is no sign of a decline anytime soon. Eliyahu Kamisher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/22

COVID  

Bay Area COVID cases keep swelling as pandemic persists -- There’s no relief for Bay Area counties on the COVID-19 front, as the latest numbers from the state show new cases and hospitalizations driven by subvariants of the coronavirus continuing their steady climb. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

COVID-19 cases are surging again in California, but safety measures stay the same -- Coronavirus transmissions continue to rise in California, just as the state warms up and families begin to prepare for summer vacations. The statewide daily case rate is 20.9 per 100,000 residents, according to a Tuesday update from the California Department of Public Health. Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/18/22

COVID boosters for kids 5-11 in the Bay Area: What you need to know after FDA approval -- Federal regulators have approved booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest group of Americans yet, setting the stage for rollouts to Bay Area children ages 5 to 11 as soon as this weekend. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

‘Living with COVID’ in the Bay Area might mean coping with big swells in cases for years -- The tide of coronavirus infections rising over California, and the Bay Area in particular, in recent weeks offers a glimpse of what “living with COVID” may mean for a few years yet, health experts say, as the virus continues to evolve at breakneck speed. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

L.A. doctor accused of issuing fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, injecting patients with plasma -- Dr. Donald Plance, 68, was accused of forging vaccination cards and giving them to his patients between August and November, Los Angeles County prosecutors said Tuesday. The cards appeared genuine and had the seals of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services. Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Policy and Politics  

Anaheim corruption case expands as feds charge leader of ‘cabal’ that runs city -- The former head of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce has been charged with lying to a mortgage lender in a growing Orange County political corruption scandal, federal authorities announced Tuesday. Michael Finnegan, Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Gangsta rap pioneer Snoop Dogg endorses Rick Caruso for L.A. mayor -- Caruso, a former Republican (now a registered Democrat) best known locally for building the Grove and Americana at Brand shopping centers, locked down the Long Beach-raised rapper’s endorsement in a recorded Zoom call, first reported by Fox L.A.'s Elex Michaelson. A representative for Caruso’s campaign confirmed the endorsement. August Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

Downturn for Black Americans has followed `Shelby' ruling, study finds -- Research from two UC San Diego Rady School of Management studies released Tuesday says that while the 1965 Voting Rights Act contributed to economic improvements for Black Americans, a 2013 Supreme Court ruling striking down a key provision in the act has led to economic disenfranchisement for that same group. KPBS -- 5/18/22

Walters: Will California voters approve betting on sports? -- Earlier this year, it seemed possible that California voters would face the bewildering civic task of choosing which of four competing measures to legalize sports wagering would prevail — if any. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 5/18/22

Supply Chain  

California Ports Say Threat of Penalty Keeps Cargo Moving -- Southern California port officials say the threat of a penalty fee, which has never been imposed, is a major reason cargo has been moving quickly and an enormous backup of container ships offshore has receded. Paul Page in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/18/22

Gas  

$6 a gallon?! California reaches another gas price record. Is there any relief ahead? -- California’s average gas price topped $6 a gallon for the first time ever Tuesday, just two months after drivers were stunned to see $5 prices at the pump for the first time. And there is no sign of a decline anytime soon. Eliyahu Kamisher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/18/22

Street  

Oakland’s new push to help victims of the war on drugs: Ballot measure would divert cannabis tax revenue -- The proposal, called the Emerald New Deal, would move about $7 million in annual cannabis tax revenue from the city’s general fund to pay for services such as mental health services, housing support, and community and economic development. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

Homeless  

New data shows explosive growth of homelessness in these Bay Area suburbs -- Alameda County saw a significant jump in the number of people experiencing homelessness in 2022 compared with the number recorded in 2019, according to preliminary point-in-time (PIT) data — a federally mandated tally used to make funding and programming decisions related to homelessness. Yoohyun Jung, Sarah Ravani, Erin Caughey in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/18/22

Water  

California’s drought, relentless and inexorable, takes its toll -- With the rainy season come and gone, drought’s withered hand remained firmly fixed on California this month, as it has been, with few exceptions, for the last decade. Will Shuck Capitol Weekly -- 5/18/22

Education  

More CSU students graduate during pandemic, but drop may loom -- The campaign to improve graduation rates at the 23-campus California State University system has progressed even during the pandemic. But problems loom as the system grapples with more low-income freshmen dropping out. Larry Gordon EdSource -- 5/18/22

Develop  

Judge pauses sale of Angel Stadium amid FBI corruption probe of Anaheim mayor -- An Orange County Superior Court judge put the $320-million sale of Angel Stadium on hold Tuesday amid an ongoing public corruption investigation into Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu. Gabriel San Román, Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22

New Sylmar Studios bets on the growing popularity of streaming services -- Hollywood's 20-year expansion into the San Fernando Valley takes another step. Olga Grigoryants in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/18/22

Also . . .   

Company led by former academy president offers to buy the Golden Globes -- The offer includes paying Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. members an annual salary of $120,000, guaranteed for five years, along with a one-time $100,000 “Pandemic Relief Grant,” and establishing a $5-million-a-year endowment, according to a term sheet reviewed by The Times. Stacy Perman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/18/22