Updating . .   

‘We got really lucky’: Why California escaped another destructive fire season in 2022 -- Despite months of warnings fueled by extreme heat and drought-desiccated conditions, California’s deadly fire season ended with remarkably little area burned, with just 362,403 acres scorched in 2022, compared with more than 2.5 million acres the year prior. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Garofoli: Will Dianne Feinstein follow Barbara Boxer’s road map and begin the long goodbye? -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s graceful slide toward the exit is rare to see in politics. It’s hard to leave the spotlight and relinquish power — especially for those who’ve held a lot of it. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

Pelosi’s 5 Rules for Reigning Over Congress -- If leading a House caucus was easy, then everyone who ever did it would serve for two decades, claim the speaker’s gavel twice, withstand merciless mockery and shepherd several landmark bills to the Oval Office. Bill Scher Politico -- 11/19/22

His term expiring, Garcetti pushes hard for job as ambassador to India -- With less than a month to go before he leaves office, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is pressing his effort to get the U.S. Senate to confirm his appointment as ambassador to India, a fraught campaign complicated by a Republican senator whose office is trying to renew doubts about whether the mayor and his staff mishandled sexual harassment allegations against a top aide. James Rainey, Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

In West Hollywood election, a famously liberal city appears to take a moderate turn -- The results of the West Hollywood election — a generational battle pitting young progressives against older, more moderate candidates, including a sitting mayor and three former longtime councilmen — are still up in the air. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Returning for a third term, Rep. Mike Levin aims for bipartisan bills in a GOP-controlled House -- After winning re-election to his swing district in coastal San Diego and Orange counties, Rep. Mike Levin is now preparing to confront environmental problems and veterans’ affairs in a divided Congress. Deborah Sullivan Brennan in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 11/19/22

Lopez: Kenneth Mejia rode the wave of the new left and swamped L.A.'s political establishment -- The incoming Los Angeles city controller arrived for our interview on a scooter. Kenneth Mejia, 32, is one of the faces of a local political transformation in which a youth corps is replacing the old guard, solid Democrats are being outflanked by the new left, and politicians are being replaced by activists. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Workplace   

Nurses union, Kaiser reach tentative agreement, avoiding 2-day strike -- A tentative agreement has been reached between the California Nurses Association and Kaiser Permanente, averting a two-day strike that the union planned to start on Monday, according to the health care provider. Joel Umanzor in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

Twitter   

If Twitter shuts down, these are some alternatives for live events and breaking news -- As is the nature of online platforms, the turmoil is benefiting other social networks and websites geared for live events. Here are some of them: Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

COVID+  

‘Three threats at once’: California urges caution amid spread of RSV, COVID, flu -- California officials are urging preventive measures to thwart the spread of respiratory illnesses and alleviate a health system already contending with the triple threat of COVID-19, influenza and RSV. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Should you mask or test for Thanksgiving? Here’s how COVID experts are handling the holidays -- What COVID precautions, if any, should you consider for Thanksgiving holiday travel and gatherings? We talked to experts about their recommendations and what they’ll do. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

Housing 

California outlawed Section 8 housing discrimination. Why it still persists -- More than two years after a law in California made it illegal for landlords to refuse to rent to people who pay through Section 8 and other subsidies, leasing agents routinely reject tenants because of their vouchers or illegally discourage their applications, according to tenant advocates and state officials. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Education  

California colleges’ presidential hiring practices show racial bias, new report shows -- Racial bias plays a role in hiring for executive-level posts at all three of California’s higher education systems, according to a recent report commissioned by education advocacy group College Futures Foundation — though one of those systems defended its record of diversity. Christina Merino in the Orange County Register -- 11/19/22

Also . . .   

Elizabeth Holmes faces ‘terrifying’ separation from toddler, newborn in prison -- After Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison Friday, she must brace for the agony of being separated from her 15-month-old son and the child she’s now expecting. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/19/22

Longtime West Sacramento restaurant Club Pheasant purchased by city, future unclear -- The 8,452-square foot building and 2.15-acre lot at 2525 Jefferson Blvd. will cost the city $3.4 million from its Community Investment Fund. It’s not yet clear what the property will be used for, and the deal won’t be complete until Dec. 6, around the time Club Pheasant shuts down. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/22

California Policy and Politics Saturday  

For Black Angelenos, election of Karen Bass brings joy in a divisive time. But they want results -- To be watching Bass make history nearly three decades later felt surreal, she said, her voice catching with emotion. “We no longer have to wonder if one day a woman can do this. If one day a Black woman can do this,” said Elhawary, who worked on Bass’ campaign. Hailey Branson-potts, Ruben Vives, Anh Do in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Sheng Thao is Oakland’s next mayor, latest tally shows -- City Councilwoman Sheng Thao, whose strong relationships with labor unions earned her support from progressives, has been elected Oakland’s next mayor after election results Friday saw her take the lead from Councilman Loren Taylor. Shomik Mukherjee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/19/22

Civil rights attorney Pamela Price makes history as Alameda County’s next district attorney -- Civil rights attorney and staunch reform advocate Pamela Price will be Alameda County’s next district attorney, defeating a veteran local prosecutor and making history as the first Black person to hold the office. Joshua Sharpe in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

How Rick Caruso spent $104M and still lost the LA mayor’s race -- The billionaire’s strategy to drive new voters to the polls was not enough to defeat Rep. Karen Bass. Lara Korte, Alexander Nieves Politico -- 11/19/22

As Nancy Pelosi steps back, California lawmakers are ‘going to have to work a lot harder’ -- Over the last 20 years, Pelosi has served as leader of the House Democratic caucus, but she has also “quietly protected the Bay Area,” said retiring Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, who has served with Pelosi for 15 years. Pelosi made her adoptive home state and its 40-plus-member Democratic delegation a priority, numerous lawmakers told The Chronicle. Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

Economy  

Fodor’s said not to go to Tahoe. Now the bustling ski destination is pushing back -- When a global travel guide company tells people to “reconsider visiting” a place, it’s generally not going to sit well with people whose livelihoods depend on those visitors. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

Workplace   

California recovers pandemic job losses amid economic woes -- California said Friday it had recovered all of the 2.7 million jobs it lost at the start of the pandemic, a moment that normally would celebrate the end of a downturn but instead was tempered by signs of a wobbly economy amid layoffs in the state’s historically strong tech industry. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 11/19/22

Twitter Workplace   

Elon Musk’s ultimatum leaves Twitter in chaos and employees in the dark -- After thousands of employees reportedly declined Elon Musk’s ultimatum this week to commit to a new “hardcore” culture or get out, both outgoing and remaining staffers have been left with one big question: What happens now? Brian Contreras, Jaimie Ding in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Twitter’s Mass Resignations Test Elon Musk’s Management Playbook -- Less than 24 hours after mass resignations rolled in, Mr. Musk called his remaining employees back to work on Friday morning, saying in a series of emails to staff that “anyone who actually writes software” should report to the company’s headquarters at 2 p.m. local time, adding that only those who can’t physically get there or have a family emergency are excused. Alexa Corse and Tim Higgins in the Wall Street Journal$ Joseph Menn and Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ Ryan Mac, Mike Isaac and Kellen Browning in the New York Times$ -- 11/19/22

Elon Musk Launches Twitter Poll About Reinstating Donald Trump’s Account -- Elon Musk shared new details of Twitter Inc.’s freedom of speech policies on Friday, saying that negative and hate tweets wouldn’t be prominently shown and that they would be “demonetized.” He also said that a decision on reinstating the account of former President Donald Trump hadn’t yet been made. Meghan Bobrowsky in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/19/22

Meet the projection activist who just trolled Elon Musk on Twitter’s headquarters -- As a mass exodus of Twitter employees who rejected Musk’s “hardcore” ultimatum was unfolding inside the building, the messages continued beaming from a projector mounted atop a tripod set up across the street. Crowds began to gather outside, and the projections started to go viral online. Jonah Valdez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Taxes / Fees  

Sacramento County sales tax hike for new expressway, light rail, roads soundly defeated -- The measure would have increased the sales tax in Sacramento County by one half of 1% for the next 40 years, raising an estimated $8.5 billion. Measure A’s defeat is among the largest political upsets in recent Sacramento history. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/22

Staying Afloat  

San Francisco launches guaranteed income program for transgender residents -- The Guaranteed Income for Transgender People, or GIFT, pilot program will provide 55 eligible residents with $1,200 per month for 18 months, as well as healthcare and financial coaching. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Homeless

California's Newsom to release $1B for homelessness, with conditions -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom agreed to release $1 billion in state homelessness funding he testily put on pause earlier this month, but only if local governments agree to step up the aggressiveness of their plans going forward to reduce the number of unhoused people in the state, his office said Friday. Janie Har Associated Press Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/19/22

Water  

From the air, scientists map ‘fast paths’ for recharging California’s groundwater -- Through years of painstaking research, scientists have pieced together data to identify a few of these areas, but they believe there may be a dozen or more of them along the eastern edge of the Central Valley. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Wildfire  

Members of Congress demand answers from the Forest Service, following CapRadio/California Newsroom wildfire investigation -- Members of Congress are demanding answers after a recent CapRadio/California Newsroom investigation revealed how the U.S. Forest Service mishandled a plan that could have protected a California town from being destroyed in last year’s Caldor Fire. Scott Rodd Capital Public Radio -- 11/19/22

Street  

Why was driver suspected of crashing into 25 sheriff’s recruits suddenly set free? -- The arrest of a man suspected of driving a vehicle into a large group of recruits with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department — injuring 25 of them, five critically — has taken a confusing turn. Alexandra E. Petri, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ John Antczak, Amy Taxin Associated Press -- 11/19/22

New clues in Brink’s heist mystery? Video shows ‘suspicious’ men at jewelry show -- Jewelers at the International Gem and Jewelry Show on July 10 were warned of suspicious people loitering outside — hours before thieves hit a Brink’s truck in what might be one of the biggest jewel heists ever. Daniel Miller, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Port officials have seized a record $1 billion in counterfeit goods coming into L.A. this year -- The 10-figure number assigned to the haul is slightly misleading, representing how much money authorities believe the goods would have sold for if they were genuine and sold at retail value, federal officials said. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Video shows catalytic converter thieves in Torrance driving Lamborghini -- A band of Torrance thieves driving a yellow Lamborghini Urus were caught on camera stealing a van’s catalytic converter late at night, video released by the city’s Police Department shows. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/19/22

Also . . .   

He helped change West Sacramento’s reputation. Now the city is renaming a street after him -- The City Council approved the proposal 4-1 Wednesday night to change the name of the “Tower Bridge Gateway” to the “Christopher L. Cabaldon Parkway.” Councilwoman Norma Alcala was the sole vote against it. Mathew Miranda in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/19/22