Updating . .   

Elizabeth Holmes gets more than 11 years for Theranos scam -- Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced Friday to more than 11 years in prison for duping investors in the failed startup that promised to revolutionize blood testing but instead made her a symbol of Silicon Valley ambition that veered into deceit. Michael Liedtke Associated Press -- 11/18/22

How Karen Bass prevailed against Rick Caruso’s $100-million campaign -- A late endorsement from former President Obama, along with the Supreme Court decision striking down Roe vs. Wade, helped propel Karen Bass to victory over Rick Caruso. Benjamin Oreskes, Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

How Rick Caruso spent $104M and still lost the LA mayor’s race -- Rick Caruso ran for mayor of Los Angeles with more money than any previous candidate and a plan to overwhelm his opponent with new and infrequent voters — people fed up with politics and dysfunction in America’s second largest city. It wasn’t enough, not by a long shot. Lara Korte, Alexander Nieves Politico -- 11/18/22

GOP elites want to turn from Trump. Will the base let them? -- Forget the scathing editorials from conservative media blaming former President Trump for the GOP’s mediocre midterm. Never mind their underwhelmed reception to his 2024 presidential launch. Disregard the major donors who are bailing this time around. Keith Korsgaden is firmly on board for a Trump reprise. He’s quite sure he’s not alone. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Trump’s Standing in the Republican Party Is Under Attack, but Moving On Won’t Be Easy -- Increasingly vocal elected officials and party donors view ex-president as impediment to GOP’s future. Alex Leary and John McCormick in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/18/22

Garland to name special counsel for Trump Mar-a-Lago, 2020 election probes -- Justice Department decision comes days after Donald Trump formally declared himself a 2024 presidential candidate. Perry Stein and Devlin Barrett in the Washington Post$ -- 11/18/22

 

Workplace   

Bay Area soars to big October job gains — but tech layoffs loom -- The Bay Area job market powered to its strongest employment gains in three months during October, a hopeful upswing that occurred before tech companies began announcing a bout of layoffs in a painful retrenchment. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/18/22

Education Workplace   

UC Berkeley’s striking workers do much of the actual teaching. Here’s why a ‘livable wage’ is so elusive -- Robin López is the kind of by-your-bootstraps student that the University of California, with its mission to reflect all the state’s population, says it’s especially proud of. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Twitter Workplace   

Twitter Workers Said to Resign By the Hundreds After Elon Musk Set Employment Ultimatum -- Employees began posting farewells Thursday as they opted not to sign up. Some former Twitter employees said they suspected that hundreds of staff had opted to leave the company, though the exact total wasn’t yet clear. Alexa Corse and Sarah E. Needleman in the Wall Street Journal$ Joseph Menn, Nitasha Tiku, Faiz Siddiqui and Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ Ryan Mac, Mike Isaac and David McCabe in the New York Times$ -- 11/18/22

Housing 

Now tech layoffs are slowing Bay Area housing market as prices fall even more -- Add tech company layoffs to the list of headwinds facing the Bay Area housing market. Rising mortgage rates, recession fears and a volatile stock market have all tamped down home sales and prices in recent months from record-setting pandemic highs. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/18/22

Homeless

Oakland spent $80,000 fighting fires at its biggest homeless encampment -- Oakland spent nearly $80,000 responding to fires at one homeless encampment on Caltrans property over the course of a year, according to a new report that highlights the impact such camps have on the city, and raises questions about the transit agency’s responsibility. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/18/22

Court blocks San Jose from clearing beleaguered homeless camp, for now -- A federal judge has temporarily blocked San Jose from clearing a beleaguered encampment in Columbus Park — moving yet another fight over the treatment of homeless residents off the street and into the courtroom. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/18/22

Water  

California approves large, controversial desalination plant for Monterey Peninsula -- The project, which would draw seawater off the coast of the city of Marina (Monterey County), put a spotlight both on the marvel of creating freshwater from the boundless ocean as well as the many problems associated with the technology, which include environmental problems associated with the technology, which include environmental impacts, energy consumption and, most fundamentally, cost. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/18/22

Street  

A top LAFD official fled a crash but got rewarded instead of disciplined -- Results of an inquiry into a hit-and-run crash by an LAFD assistant chief show how discipline of any kind in the agency is uncommon — especially, critics say, for chief officers. Paul Pringle in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

COVID+  

California ER patients spilling into parking lots during ‘tripledemic’ surge, state reports -- An RSV surge spreading in California puts infants and toddlers at the greatest risk of severe illness, and two other respiratory viruses — COVID and flu — have begun straining health systems, California’s health secretary said at a news conference Thursday. Ariane Lange in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/18/22

What’s the difference between RSV, the flu and covid-19? -- Three respiratory viruses are straining families and hospital systems right now. Here’s advice from infectious-disease experts. Teddy Amenabar in the Washington Post$ -- 11/18/22

Education  

California community college enrollment plummets to 30-year low -- The stark decline has educators scrambling to find ways to meet the changing needs of students, who may be questioning the value of higher education as they emerge from harsh pandemic years. Michael Burke, Daniel J. Willis, Debbie Truong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Climate  

Climate change is causing retirees to start reconsidering moves to disaster-prone dream locales -- For a decade, Melissa and Guy Hoagland, both retired physicians in their 60s, had split their time between their homes on a barrier island in Florida and in Half Moon Bay, a small coastal city in the San Francisco Bay Area. But the intensifying drought and wildfires in Northern California and escalating hurricanes and storm surges along the Southeastern coastline drove the couple to sell both houses. Susan B. Garland in the New York Times$ -- 11/18/22

Extreme Heat Will Change Us -- Half the world could soon face dangerous heat. We measured the daily toll it is already taking -- Alissa J. Rubin, Ben Hubbard, Josh Holder, Noah Throop, Emily Rhyne, Jeremy White and James Glanz. in the New York Times$ -- 11/18/22

Hydrogen  

First hydrogen-powered transit bus in LA County hits streets in December, starting new trend -- Foothill Transit will be first to operate hydrogen fuel-cell buses in the county, starting with three buses, then growing to 33 next year. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 11/18/22

 

 

California Policy and Politics Friday  

Pelosi's encore -- House Democrats want their longtime leader and the first female speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), to break history one more time — and stay intimately involved in House operations. Why it matters: Pelosi has a store of institutional knowledge on how to govern a sometimes unruly caucus. Democrats will look to her to guide the next generation of leaders while exploiting the GOP's deep divisions and paper-thin majority. Andrew Solender Axios -- 11/18/22

What the transition from ‘Madame Speaker’ to ‘Rep. Pelosi’ might look like -- Next year, Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s new title will be speaker emerita after she announced Thursday that she will not run for leadership again. That title is honorific, however, and Pelosi said she won’t endorse a successor nor look over their shoulder once she becomes Rep. Pelosi. She won’t serve on a committee and is unsure how much fundraising she will do. Joe Garofoli, Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Pelosi's precision: How 35 years in Congress shaped the end of her reign -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 35-year legacy in Congress is defined by precision, from her calculated rise to her careful floor maneuvers to her tightly scripted message. Her exit from Democratic leadership was just as methodically choreographed. Sarah Ferris Politico -- 11/18/22

Robinson: Nancy Pelosi was the most consequential speaker of our time -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has never really been the “San Francisco limousine liberal” of her critics’ imagination. Nancy D’Alesandro is still the daughter of a ward-heeling, old-school Baltimore mayor who taught her to practice politics by counting votes and twisting arms. Along with thick skin and a wicked sense of humor, these skills helped make Pelosi by far the most consequential speaker of our time. Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post$ -- 11/18/22

Nancy Pelosi, embraced by Bay Area delegation, was a “masterclass in wielding power” -- Perhaps Nancy Pelosi’s defining moment came on Jan. 6 when video captured her on the phone with the governor of Virginia calmly demanding that National Guard troops be sent in to protect the Capitol from insurrectionists, that the vote to certify Joe Biden’s election must carry on. Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/18/22

‘I feel balanced about it all’: Nancy Pelosi reflects on two decades at the top -- Her voice will carry much less consequence and, as she explained to a small group of reporters after announcing her stepping down on the chamber floor, Pelosi will have to learn a new pace of life that goes against another longtime motto: “Resting is rusting.” Paul Kane in the Washington Post$ -- 11/18/22

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she has ‘survivor’s guilt’ from husband’s attack -- Dealing with trauma she likened to “survivor’s guilt,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the aftermath of the October attack on her husband, Paul, by an assailant looking for her has left the California Democrat’s family shaken. Mariana Alfaro and Paul Kane in the Washington Post$ -- 11/18/22

Photos: Portrait of a Speaker: Nancy Pelosi’s Most Enduring Moments -- From becoming the first woman speaker to leading the impeachments of Donald J. Trump, Nancy Pelosi has been one of the most visible women in Washington. Catie Edmondson in the New York Times$ -- 11/18/22

 

It’s still all sinking in for L.A. Mayor-elect Karen Bass -- This history-making nature of her ascension was not something she’d had time to contemplate, she said. She had been so busy running for the office, and now that the race had been called, she was still coming to terms with the result. Benjamin Oreskes, Julia Wick, Genaro Molina, Christina House in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Lopez: Amid the victory cheers, Bass knows she has her work cut out for her -- A few weeks ago, while traveling across the city with Karen Bass, I asked if she was looking forward to quitting her long commute to work. The congresswoman said she didn’t mind the flights between Los Angeles and the nation’s capital, because she used the time to read and do her homework. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

 

California Democratic Rep. Porter reelected after tough race -- With nearly all the votes counted, Porter defeated Republican Scott Baugh, a former legislator, 51.6% to 48.4%, or a margin of about 8,200 votes. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 11/18/22

David Valadao and Rudy Salas -- Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, kept his lead over Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, in California’s 22nd Congressional District, returns Thursday night show. One of the few remaining toss-up midterms, it’s still too early to tell who will prevail. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/18/22

Gray-Duarte congressional race -- The ping-pong race between Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, and farmer John Duarte, a Modesto Republican, in California’s 13th Congressional District remains in toss-up territory following Thursday’s election returns. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/18/22

Horvath declares victory in Los Angeles County supervisors race -- West Hollywood City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath declared victory Thursday evening for the only vacant Los Angeles County supervisor seat after taking a nearly 20,000-vote lead over state Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), who also conceded Thursday. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

 

Gavin Newsom praises wife’s Harvey Weinstein testimony, has ‘a lot to share’ about trial -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom is proud of the “grit” his wife has shown during her days of testimony in the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault trial and said he will have more to share following the legal proceedings. Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/18/22

Water  

Another California desalination plant approved — the most contentious one yet -- The California Coastal Commission voted 8-to-2 despite the ecological risks to the Monterey Bay coast, high costs of the water and a divide between affluent and lower-income communities. Rachel Becker CalMatters -- 11/18/22

Workplace   

Nearly a week into UC strike, little bargaining progress, but support for workers grows -- The union said the two sides remained far apart on compensation, a major sticking point, as the work stoppage by 48,000 academic workers went into Day 4. Summer Lin, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Kaiser nurses to get ‘biggest annual raises in 20 years’ through deal that averted strike -- The union representing 21,000-plus registered nurses and nurse practitioners at Kaiser Permanente announced Thursday that its bargaining team has reached a tentative contract agreement with the company, averting a two-day strike planned for Thanksgiving week. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/18/22

Twitter Workplace   

Elon Musk backpedals on Twitter’s remote work mandate as employee resignations continue -- Musk said employees “making an excellent contribution” and who have support from managers can work from home, a quick reversal just a week after he mandated a full-time office return. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Twitter disarray deepens as Musk ultimatum drives away key workers -- Elon Musk's Twitter tenure faced a new level of crisis Thursday evening as a large number of employees apparently chose to quit rather than accept the new owner's ultimatum to sign up for "extremely hardcore" conditions with "long hours at high intensity." Scott Rosenberg, Ina Fried Axios -- 11/18/22

Hundreds said to have opted to leave Twitter over Musk ultimatum -- Hundreds of Twitter employees refused Thursday to sign a pledge to work longer hours, threatening the site’s ability to keep operating and prompting hurried debates among managers over who should be asked to return, current and former employees said. Joseph Menn, Nitasha Tiku and Faiz Siddiqui in the Washington Post$ -- 11/18/22

SpaceX Employees Say They Were Fired for Speaking Up About Elon Musk -- Charges filed with federal regulators accuse the company of retaliating against eight workers over an open letter critical of the chief executive. Noam Scheiber and Ryan Mac in the New York Times$ -- 11/18/22

Develop   

Can a swimming pool floating on the bay unlock the redevelopment of these S.F. piers? -- When developers unveiled their vision for San Francisco’s Piers 30-32 in fall of 2020, the knock on the project was that it felt like more of a big office park with a little bit of waterfront recreation than it did a big waterfront park with a bit of office space. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Homeless

S.F. alerts FBI to nonprofit after housing access for homeless is illegally sold to residents -- The decision to alert law enforcement about the organization followed a sobering report by the city Controller’s Office that urged city officials to consider cutting ties with the United Council of Human Services, a Bayview organization that runs shelters, a drop-in resource center and safe camping site, among other services. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Housing 

S.F. Bay Area home prices are still dropping. Here’s how they compare to other U.S. metros -- Despite uninterrupted price decreases in recent months, homes in the San Francisco metropolitan area remain the most expensive among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the country, data shows. Adriana Rezal in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Average long-term US mortgage rates tumble to 6.61% -- The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate tumbled by nearly a half-point this week, but will likely remain a significant barrier for potential homebuyers as Federal Reserve officials have all but promised more rate hikes in the coming months. Matt Ott Associated Press -- 11/18/22

COVID  

L.A. County strongly recommends indoor masking as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations jump -- The daily number of newly reported cases has jumped almost 70% from a month ago, though case rates are still well shy of previous waves and officials continue to tout the benefits of available vaccines and therapeutics in warding off the worst COVID-19 has to offer. Luke Money, Rong-gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

As COVID, flu and RSV collide, some California hospitals are at capacity -- California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly warned that people should exercise caution when gathering for Thanksgiving, and should do their part to reduce strain on hospital systems. He said that wastewater surveillance shows rising COVID transmission in communities across the state. Kate Wolffe Capital Public Radio -- 11/18/22

‘Swarm’ of variants is driving up California COVID cases. Is this the start of the next surge? -- Cases have begun to tick upward statewide after a monthslong decline, just ahead of the holidays and a cold weather front that will drive people indoors. Matt Kawahara, Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/18/22

Hiltzik: The right wing gets its knives out for California’s new medical misinformation law -- Painfully aware of how attacks on COVID vaccines and anti-pandemic policies have undermined public health, California enacted a law this year that makes spreading medical misinformation and disinformation about the pandemic grounds for revoking a doctor’s license. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Street  

Fencing rings that netted $18 million in L.A. railroad thefts are taken down, authorities say -- Two theft rings that netted more than $18 million worth of merchandise stolen from railroad cars have been dismantled, authorities said Thursday, months after images of a sea of discarded containers along Union Pacific tracks in Lincoln Heights drew national attention. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Crash a ‘deliberate act,’ sheriff says after driver arrested on suspicion of attempted murder -- A 22-year-old Diamond Bar man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of peace officers after the Los Angeles County sheriff said he deliberately ran into scores of recruits on a training run Wednesday in South Whittier, injuring 25. Alexandra E. Petri, Richard Winton, Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Information of over 5,000 Sacramento County jail inmates exposed online in data breach -- The information of 5,372 Sacramento County Jail inmates was exposed on the Internet for about five months — from late January through early July — before the data was secured. County health officials were notified of the extent of the data breach three weeks ago. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/18/22

L.A. County deputy who kneeled on inmate’s head will not be charged, D.A.'s memo says -- L.A. County prosecutors laid out their decision in a 16-page memo, which The Times reviewed. In it, they concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove Deputy Doug Johnson committed the crime of assault under color of authority. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Berkeley police department in turmoil over leaked texts about arrest quotas -- The Berkeley Police Department was in turmoil Thursday following the leak of text messages that allegedly show the president of the police officers union making racially charged remarks and calling for arrest quotas. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Environment  

California’s Mojave desert tortoises move toward extinction. Why saving them is so hard -- Sadly, California’s state reptile is hurtling toward extinction. Crushing vehicle strikes, urban encroachment, hungry ravens, military maneuvers, disease, drought, extreme heat, wildfires, illegal marijuana grows and development of massive solar farms are all pushing the species to the brink. Louis Sahagún, Irfan Khan, Jackeline Luna, Maggie Beidelman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

Cyber-swarms  

With Mass Social Media Layoffs, Researchers Warn of Rise in Hate Speech -- Social media platforms have historically had a hard time neutralizing the threat of hate speech before it leads to real-world violence. Now, researchers at the Network Contagion Research Institute and the Rutgers University Center for Critical Intelligence Studies are warning that mass layoffs, especially at social media platforms like Twitter and Meta, are leaving the door wide open to a growing phenomenon called "cyber-swarms." Rachael Myrow KQED -- 11/18/22

Also . . .   

Candelas Guitars in Boyle Heights fights to survive, with some famous friends’ help -- The pandemic took a toll on Tomas Delgado’s family business, which has been making string instruments and giving lessons for three generations. Community members now want to return the favor. Selene Rivera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/18/22

 

Thursday Updates   

'A new day is dawning': Nancy Pelosi to step down as Democratic leader but will stay in Congress -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who made history as the first female speaker of the House and has been the driving force behind landmark legislation, will step down from House leadership, but the 82-year-old Democrat said Thursday that she will continue to represent San Francisco. Joe Garofoli, Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Nolan D. Mccaskill, Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ Natalie Andrews in the Wall Street Journal$ Marianna Sotomayor and Paul Kane in the Washington Post$ Carl Hulse in the New York Times$ Lisa Mascaro Associated Press -- 11/17/22

Republican control of the House could deepen America’s red-blue divide -- Divided government in Washington will push even more of the nation’s fiercest political fights to the states. Noah Bierman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

Once a ‘Young Gun,’ McCarthy weathered threats from right on potential path to speaker -- McCarthy, 57, ended up on the path to claim the position he has long sought only after pledging fealty to former president Donald Trump and his party’s right-wing base. After winning a contentious internal party vote for speaker on Tuesday, he’ll have to work again to appease that right flank in order to win a House vote in January. Michael Kranish in the Washington Post$ -- 11/17/22

Skelton: Column: Being mayor is different from being a legislator. But Bass has shined in every political job -- Bass is the type of leader who gets things done with a smile rather than a sneer or a threatening stare. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

Smith: Representation matters. But a Mayor Karen Bass means more for Black women in L.A. -- As Black women, we’re disproportionately poor, disproportionately unhoused, disproportionately underemployed, disproportionately the victims of crimes, disproportionately overpoliced, disproportionately lacking access to healthcare. Representation matters. Erika D. Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

How California could count every vote faster -- California has expanded voting access and participation, but that can delay election results. Are there ways to count votes faster without undermining election security? Alexei Koseff, Sameea Kamal CalMatters -- 11/17/22

Budget whiplash: California faces $25 billion deficit -- The projection marks a stunning reversal from back-to-back years of unprecedented prosperity: The budget for California’s current fiscal year clocked in at a whopping $308 billion, fueled by a record $97 billion surplus that was by itself enough to treat every state resident to a $7,500 vacation. The year before, Newsom and lawmakers approved what was at the time a record-busting $263 billion budget that included a $76 billion surplus. Emily Hoeven CalMatters -- 11/17/22

Workplace   

Cisco employment cuts: San Jose tech titan may chop 4,000 jobs in “rebalance” -- Cisco began filling in employees Thursday about how they will be affected by the San Jose tech stalwart’s restructuring that’s poised to eliminate thousands of jobs worldwide, in a new setback for Silicon Valley. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/17/22

Tech layoffs signal slowing economy but not yet a recession -- Tech company layoffs are not expected to prompt a tsunami of job losses in other industries, but they are another sign of a cooling economy more broadly, economists say. Lauren Kaori Gurley in the Washington Post$ -- 11/17/22

Female sheriff’s deputy sues San Mateo County claiming ‘sexist’ and hostile workplace -- Carryn Barker alleges in lawsuit she suffered sexual harassment, hostility from male supervisors and was deprived of advancement because of her gender. Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/17/22

Education  

Good times to end; funding for TK-12, community colleges to drop next year, LAO predicts -- After years of record-high education funding, California is now projecting a $2.6 billion deficit for schools and community colleges starting in July. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 11/17/22

Water  

Facing Colorado River shortage, 30 urban suppliers pledge to target decorative grass -- Water agencies that supply cities along the Colorado River are pledging to boost conservation and target ‘nonfunctional’ grass to address the water shortage. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

Capitol Riot  

Citing lack of remorse in Jan. 6 insurrection, feds seek prison time for California man -- Tommy Frederick Allan climbed up a rope hanging from the side of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, then went through a fire door that had been broken open by rioters and made his way inside the building. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/17/22

Meta  

Meta Employees, Security Guards Fired for Hijacking User Accounts -- Meta Platforms Inc. has fired or disciplined more than two dozen employees and contractors over the last year whom it accused of improperly taking over user accounts, in some cases allegedly for bribes, according to people familiar with the matter and documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Kirsten Grind and Robert McMillan in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/17/22

COVID  

California COVID-19 numbers spiking at rate similar to summer surge, latest data show -- Coronavirus infections and hospitalizations have climbed quickly in California in recent weeks, likely fueled at least in part by new, contagious COVID-19 subvariants overtaking older strains, as well the arrival of colder weather. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/17/22

Street  

L.A. COVID swindlers living European life of luxury extradited from Montenegro -- Husband and wife swindlers from L.A. are extradited from Montenegro after months of lavish spending under fake names in a scenic Mediterranean resort town. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

Escorts, kickbacks and a Tesla: New details in scandal and fraud at Tom Girardi’s law firm -- A filing in federal court in Maryland on Wednesday offered new details about how Tom Girardi’s chief financial officer conducted what prosecutors have called a “side fraud” inside the massive corruption at the legal titan’s Los Angeles-based firm. Matt Hamilton, Harriet Ryan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

A morning run by 75 recruits turns into horror: ‘It looked like an airplane wreck’ -- Five L.A. County sheriff’s recruits were critically injured when a man plowed into a large group during a training run in South Whittier. Brittny Mejia, Richard Winton, Nathan Solis, Noah Goldberg, Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/17/22

Climate  

Slashing greenhouse gases: California revises climate change strategy -- The California Air Resources Board on Wednesday unveiled a new version of its highly-anticipated strategy for battling climate change, setting more ambitious targets for cutting greenhouse gases and scaling up controversial projects that capture carbon. Nadia Lopez CalMatters -- 11/17/22

Environment  

‘Momentous:’ Feds advance largest dam demo in US history -- U.S. regulators approved a plan Thursday to demolish four dams on a California river and open up hundreds of miles of salmon habitat that would be the largest dam removal and river restoration project in the world when it goes forward. Gillian Flaccus Associated Press Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/17/22

California Plant Rescue: The race to save precious wild seeds and sprouts -- A modern-day Noah’s ark, it fights the permanent loss of rich, unique and irreplaceable species. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/17/22

SFO    

The Best and Worst Airports of 2022 -- The one-two punch of more reliable flights and top-notch amenities vaulted the airport to first place in The Wall Street Journal’s first ranking of the country’s busiest airports since 2019. Atlanta and Minneapolis filled out the top three. Dawn Gilbertson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/17/22

Also . . .   

Are California’s Hispanic Serving Institutions living up to their name? -- California has the most Hispanic Serving Institutions among its colleges of any state — 174, including 21 of 23 California State University campuses and five of the nine University of California campuses. But how well are HSIs — where almost 90% of the state’s Latino undergraduates are enrolled — actually serving Latino students? It’s a mixed bag, students and advocates say. Megan Tagami, Matthew Reagan CalMatters -- 11/17/22