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California Policy and Politics Monday
Supreme Court turns down challenge of California labor lawsuits by Uber, Lyft -- The Supreme Court refused Monday to hear appeals from ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft, which were asking to block California state labor lawsuits that seek back pay for tens of thousands of drivers. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
Skelton: Newsom sends clear message about increasing benefits for undocumented immigrants -- Has California reached its limit in providing benefits for immigrants living here illegally? That’s the indication after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed three bills passed by the liberal Legislature. The state at least has definitely hit an election-year pause. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
Inside the cordial — but not close — relationship between Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi -- Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi are two of the most powerful female lawmakers in the world. They came up in the same 7-by-7-mile-wide Machiavellian political environment and broke barriers at every turn in their careers. Shira Stein, Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/24
Schiff vs. Trump: The real head-to-head battle defining California’s U.S. Senate race -- Rep. Adam Schiff’s role as a chief critic of former President Trump has defined his bid to become the next U.S. senator from California. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
Major-league debt and mortgages: Inside the California Senate candidates’ finances -- Garvey owes as much as $750,000 to the IRS, while Schiff has made as much as $2 million from his 2021 book, “Midnight In Washington.” Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
From Bocce to Brawls: How Politics Tore Apart a California Retirement Community -- A baby boomer paradise erupts in red-blue political strife, from dueling newspaper columns to a fitness-center fracas. Call in the ‘Civility Task Force.’ Jim Carlton in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/7/24
Will an influx of Californians into Arizona tilt the battleground state’s politics? -- Arizona is now among a handful of battlegrounds that will determine whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump wins the White House in November. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
Bay Area poll: Silicon Valley is too powerful, has lost its moral compass, majority say -- Among registered voters, 80% of those responding to the poll blamed Silicon Valley’s tech industry for driving up housing and living costs, and 75% said the industry had too much power and influence. Sixty-nine percent said Silicon Valley had lost its moral compass. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/7/24
Measure A homeless sales tax edges closer to the 50% majority needed for passage, poll shows -- A measure on the November ballot that would double the county’s quarter-percent homeless sales tax is edging closer to the majority it would need to pass in a new poll of likely Los Angeles County voters. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
Should the Tijuana River Valley be the next Superfund site in Southern California? -- San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday is expected to consider whether to petition the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to inspect the Tijuana River Valley. Tammy Murga in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/7/24
‘Give Sheng Thao the chance she deserves’: Oakland mayor launches campaign to save job -- Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao launched a campaign Sunday to fight her recall in November — less than a month before voters will decide whether to remove her from office. Jessica Flores, Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
‘I would have been a great mom’: California finally pays reparations to woman it sterilized -- California over decades sterilized thousands of people in state prisons, state-run homes and hospitals. Lawmakers created a reparations program for them, but it has denied most applications. Cayla Mihalovich CalMatters -- 10/7/24
Heat
S.F.’s 97 degrees one of at least 10 daily temperature records set across Bay Area -- Sunday was the hottest day of the year in San Francisco and the hottest October day in the city in 28 years. The high of 97 degrees set a new daily temperature record for the date as well, one of many records set across the Bay Area on Sunday. Greg Porter in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
PG&E outages impact Oakland, Walnut Creek as temperatures hit 100 degrees -- Hundreds of Pacific Gas & Electric customers in Walnut Creek and Oakland reported power outages Sunday afternoon, as an October heat wave pushed temperatures over 100 degrees in parts of the East Bay. Kate Talerico in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/6/24
Street
Venice Canal assault victim files $5-million claim against the city of Los Angeles -- A woman who was attacked and sexually assaulted while out for a walk on the Venice Canals in April has filed a $5-million claim against the city of Los Angeles, charging that the government was derelict in its duty to provide safe streets and protect its citizens. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/24
Top of the ticket
Harris Hits Back at Republican Criticism of Childless Women -- “All of us understand that this is not the 1950s anymore,” Vice President Kamala Harris told the host of the podcast “Call Her Daddy,” a platform popular with millennial and Gen Z women. Katie Rogers in the New York Times$ -- 10/6/24
Harris attacks Trump with new Jack Smith revelations -- The digital ad, shared first with Politico, is targeting voters in key battleground states. Mia McCarthy and Holly Otterbein Politico -- 10/7/24
How the Supreme Court could reshape the 2024 race — again -- From mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania to hurricane accommodations in North Carolina, here are the legal issues to watch. Josh Gerstein Politico -- 10/7/24
Tim Walz Makes First Sunday Show Appearance Since Joining Ticket -- Mr. Walz, who has kept a relatively low profile since becoming Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, appeared on Fox News Sunday. Kellen Browning in the New York Times$ -- 10/6/24
Harris’s own ballot will include crime measure dividing Democrats in Calif. -- Kamala Harris’s campaign won’t say how she’ll vote on Proposition 36, which would increase penalties for some crimes, or other California ballot measures. Justine McDaniel and Anumita Kaur in the Washington Post$ -- 10/6/24
Election denial returns as focus with Vance’s ‘non-answer,’ new Trump indictment details -- In the waning minutes of Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate, Gov. Tim Walz hit on a question that has become central to the 2024 presidential race — and to America’s political future more broadly. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
Trump’s Plans Could Increase U.S. Debt While Raising Costs for Most Americans -- A new analysis finds that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump’s plans would both add to the deficit, but Mr. Trump’s proposals could create a fiscal hole twice as big. Andrew Duehren and Alan Rappeport in the New York Times$ Richard Rubin in the Wall Street Journal$ Josh Boak Associated Press Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post$ -- 10/7/24
Caroline Giuliani’s endorsement of Harris didn’t faze her father -- While Giuliani said that she and her father still have open conversations with each other, she explained that her father’s loyalty to Trump is hard to get past. Greta Reich Politico -- 10/6/24
Johnson won’t say Biden won in 2020, raising worries on 2024’s process -- During a testy exchange on ABC News, the House speaker wouldn’t say Donald Trump lost in 2020, saying that the question was a “gotcha game” by the media. Mariana Alfaro in the Washington Post$ -- 10/6/24
California Policy and Politics Sunday
How San Francisco became a launching pad for the most powerful women in politics -- Lateefah Simon, a front-runner to represent Oakland in Congress, still vividly recalls that day in third grade, nearly 40 years ago, when her class took a field trip to San Francisco City Hall. Jessica Garrison and Hannah Wiley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
Adam Schiff campaigns for others amid California’s snoozy Senate race -- Rep. Adam Schiff was the star of California’s marquee primary showdown to be the state’s next senator. Now, in a far less gripping general election, he’s embracing a new role — supporting player. Melanie Mason Politico -- 10/6/24
Water
California tribes seek to stop plans for state’s largest reservoir in decades -- In the sun-drenched hills of Colusa County, where California leaders are pushing for construction of the state’s largest reservoir in decades, Charlie Wright sees more than a dusty valley destined to hold water. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
Earthquake
Magnitude 4 earthquake rattles Southern California, the strongest to hit Ontario in a month -- A magnitude 4 earthquake rattled Southern California before dawn Sunday morning — the strongest in a series of modest earthquakes to strike near the Ontario International Airport in the last month. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
Wildfire
Evacuation orders lifted for Tahoe-area blaze as crews make progress -- Firefighters made slight progress overnight containing a blaze in Nevada County near Lake Tahoe, and evacuation orders were lifted, according to a Sunday morning Cal Fire update. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
Over 3,000 evacuated from Lake County as fire containment begins -- A rapidly expanding wildfire near Glenhaven in Lake County, which prompted evacuations after consuming more than 400 acres, was approximately 20% contained by Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire. Aidin Vaziri, Maliya Ellis in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
Policy
Bay Area poll: 7 in 10 residents say the region’s quality of life is getting worse -- Residents are also deeply skeptical of the tech industry and support stricter penalties for theft and drug crimes. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/6/24
Show Search California Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters rally in L.A. as Oct. 7 anniversary nears -- Hundreds of demonstrators held a pro-Palestinian rally in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, chanting “Free Palestine” and “Long live the intifada” as they protested Israel’s war in Gaza and Lebanon while marching from Pershing Square to City Hall. Michael Blackshire and Christopher Goffard in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
This L.A. suburb says it’s a ‘dumping ground’ for sex offenders. Residents want to stop that -- Antelope Valley locals are rallying to protest the potential placement of the latest violent sexual predator in the area, the ‘Pillowcase Rapist.’ Andrew J. Campa and Christina House in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
During visit to South L.A., EPA head vows to address environmental injustices in Watts -- Michael Regan said the EPA is working with state and federal partners to address elevated lead levels in drinking water in South L.A. communities. Rebecca Plevin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
Cannabis
Newsom wants to protect kids from intoxicating hemp. Industry says crackdown goes way too far -- If the cause sounded noble, Adams immediately foresaw the unintended consequences. She knew that Brooke’s cannabis-based seizure treatments would get swept up in the governor’s ban. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
In and Out
The Bay Area's population changed drastically since the pandemic. Charts show exactly where people migrated -- San Francisco lost tens of thousands of residents during the early pandemic as remote work policies and layoffs pushed many of them to places with lower costs of living. And thanks to the best available data on migration, we know where they went. Hanna Zakharenko and Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/24
Street
Oversight officials concerned about Nazi symbolism in newly discovered deputy subgroup’s logo -- The newly reported group, which is not named in the memo, is based out of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Norwalk station, which had not previously been linked to any reported deputy gang or clique. Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
The Menendez brothers still face hurdles to freedom: ‘This is not a whodunit case’ -- For the first time in nearly three decades, Erik and Lyle Menendez have some reason to hope they might one day live as free men. Hannah Fry, Salvador Hernandez and Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
Top of the ticket
Trump’s Speeches, Increasingly Angry and Rambling, Reignite the Question of Age -- With the passage of time, the 78-year-old former president’s speeches have grown darker, harsher, longer, angrier, less focused, more profane and increasingly fixated on the past, according to a review of his public appearances over the years. Peter Baker, Dylan Freedmam, Chevaz Clarke and Aaron Byrd in the New York Times$ -- 10/6/24
Big Oil Urges Trump Not to Gut Biden’s Climate Law -- Oil companies try to persuade Trump and his Republican allies not to slash provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act potentially worth billions. Collin Eaton and Benoît Morenne in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/6/24
Barabak: Cool weather, hot races forecast for November -- The Trump-Harris race will come down to the seven states that decided the last presidential race. The fight for control of the House and Senate also looks to be close. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/24
Trump stages dramatic return to site of Pa. assassination attempt -- The rally featured survivors and first responders from the July 13 shooting, as well as billionaire supporter Elon Musk. Isaac Arnsdorf and Justine McDaniel in the Washington Post$ Michael Gold and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 10/6/24
Harris visits North Carolina, in second trip to areas ravaged by Helene -- The vice president has sought to show herself as a leader firmly in control in a crisis, while also visiting shelters to comfort victims. Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in the Washington Post$ -- 10/6/24
How Donald Trump Jr. Became the Crown Prince of MAGA World -- The eldest son has a mission for the next four years: keeping ‘snakes’ out of the White House. Molly Ball in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/6/24
Democrats try ‘Trump-proofing’ their states ahead of Election Day -- Washington and Massachusetts are stockpiling abortion pills. California is cutting climate deals directly with automakers. Colorado is rushing to protect the right to same-sex marriage. And attorneys general across the country are marshaling legal resources and privately plotting courtroom strategies. Reis Thebault in the Washington Post$ -- 10/6/24
California Policy and Politics Saturday
California’s home insurance crisis is getting worse — but rates are still cheap compared to Florida -- When Peter Heckathorn got the insurance quote for his single family home in Orinda, he was stunned. Not because the premium was too high, but because it was so low. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/24
This California ballot measure could lead to higher property taxes — but also higher property values -- Cities in California struggle to fund major infrastructure and housing projects. A proposition on the ballot this fall could change that — but at the cost, opponents say, of spiking property taxes that have been held in check for nearly half a century by Proposition 13. Jessica Roy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/24
‘More serious than we had hoped’: Bird flu deaths mount among California dairy cows -- As California struggles to contain an increasing number of H5N1 bird flu outbreaks at Central Valley dairy farms, veterinary experts and industry observers are voicing concern that the number of cattle deaths is far higher than anticipated. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
L.A.’s ex-deputy mayor headed to prison: ‘Corruption at any level will not be tolerated’ -- A federal judge sentenced former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan for his role in a sprawling City Hall corruption case that also brought down a former councilmember. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
Arellano: The real problem with L.A. Latino politics isn’t City Council boundaries -- It’s been nearly two years since a secretly recorded conversation featuring Los Angeles political heavyweights rocked City Hall — and really, what has changed? Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
Instructor at Troubled Skydiving Spot Gets 2 Years After Faking Credentials -- The facility near Lodi, Calif., where he trained people in tandem jumping, has come under scrutiny amid more than two dozen deaths since 1985. Annie Correal and Kate Christobek in the New York Times$ -- 10/5/24
Menendez brothers
Kim Kardashian wants the Menendez brothers to be freed as D.A. reviews case -- Kim Kardashian, who has successfully advocated for criminal justice reform, writes an essay calling for the Menendez brothers’ life sentences to be reconsidered. Nardine Saad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
Disney
Disney faces class action lawsuit over employee data breach -- The Burbank-based entertainment giant is accused in a class action lawsuit of negligence and other misconduct related to a data breach. Christi Carras in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
Tijuana River
The Tijuana River smells so bad, the CDC is coming to investigate -- San Diego County residents will have an opportunity to share their pollution concerns about the Tijuana River when officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrive later this month to conduct a health survey. Jireh Deng in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
Klamath
First sighting of salmon in 100 years marks key milestone for California dam removal -- In an early victory for the nation’s largest dam-removal project, the first salmon in more than a century is believed to have pushed up the Klamath River this week into waters formerly blocked by dams. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/24
Downtown SF
Chef will close Michelin-starred restaurant, citing ‘desolate convention center suck hole’ in downtown S.F. -- Aphotic, which won a Michelin star in its first year of operation, announced on Instagram that it will close on Dec. 21. Chef Peter Hemsley said despite the accolades, the restaurant’s location at 816 Folsom St. in SoMa proved challenging. Elena Kadvany in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/5/24
Top of the Ticket
Harris Economic Plan Takes Shape With Big Focus on Consumers -- Vice President Kamala Harris’s agenda is focused on costs, while President Biden’s was focused on jobs. Where Biden sees voters foremost as workers, Harris sees them more as consumers. Justin Lahart and Andrew Restuccia in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/5/24
Harris meets with Arab American and Muslim leaders in Michigan -- Meeting comes as VP holds a rally in Flint, site of a 2014 water crisis that became a symbol of government neglect. Cleve R. Wootson Jr. and Yasmeen Abutaleb in the Washington Post$ -- 10/5/24
Election Deepfakes Prompt State Crackdowns—and First Amendment Concerns -- Satirists suing California say the state’s new law targeting AI-generated political content poses threat to free speech. Jacob Gershman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/5/24
Harris is running a much bigger campaign than Trump. Will it matter? -- With a month to go, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris remain nearly tied in battleground polls. The similarities end there. Josh Dawsey, Michael Scherer, Clara Ence Morse and Theodoric Meyer in the Washington Post$ -- 10/5/24
Trump Takes Aim at Legal Immigration -- The former president and his allies, who often decry undocumented immigrants, are targeting programs that allow millions of people to enter the country lawfully. Jazmine Ulloa and Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 10/5/24
Trump falsely touts endorsement from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon -- Bank representative confirms Dimon has not endorsed Trump or any other candidate in the 2024 race. Hugo Lowell The Guardian -- 10/5/24
Elon Musk to join Trump at rally at the site of first assassination attempt -- The event will mark the first time that the billionaire businessman appears publicly at a campaign event for the former president since endorsing him. The July endorsement came directly after the attempted assassination, with Musk writing on X, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.” Associated Press -- 10/5/24
Obama will campaign with Harris in key swing states next week -- Former President Barack Obama is planning to hit key swing states to boost Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for the White House, starting next Thursday in Pittsburgh. Will Weissert Associated Press -- 10/5/24
Helene hit Trump strongholds in Georgia and North Carolina. It could swing the election -- Officials in both swing states face urgent decisions about helping people vote in shattered communities. Ariel Wittenberg, Avery Ellfeldt and Thomas Frank Politico -- 10/5/24
Trump pledges to rename Army base after Confederate general -- Donald Trump says that North Carolina’s Fort Liberty would once again become Fort Bragg if he’s reelected — less than two years after the base was renamed to remove the name of a Confederate general as part of efforts to reckon with the legacy of racism. Irie Sentner Politico -- 10/5/24
JD Vance says ‘illegal immigrants’ are keeping you from owning your own home -- It’s a powerful case to make before the election because it merges two major concerns for voters: soaring housing prices and a wave of undocumented immigration. Katy O'Donnell Politico -- 10/5/24
Obama to hit the campaign trail for Harris in battleground states -- Kamala Harris was among Barack Obama’s earliest supporters in 2008, knocking on doors and raising money to help propel him to a two-term presidency. Now, he’s returning the favor. Kierra Frazier Politico -- 10/5/24
Tech Venture Capitalist Ben Horowitz Plans to Donate to Harris After Supporting Trump -- Billionaire venture capitalist Ben Horowitz plans to donate to Kamala Harris’s campaign, an unexpected move from the tech leader who had earlier helped intensify a heated political divide in Silicon Valley by supporting Donald Trump. Preetika Rana in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/5/24
Okla. is buying schools 55,000 Bibles. Specs match the $60 Trump Bible -- The state put out a bid for leather-bound Bibles with U.S. founding documents. Few, if any, such Bibles are currently for sale besides a Bible endorsed by Trump. Laura Meckler in the Washington Post$ -- 10/5/24
Guns
The American Guns That Mexican Cartels Covet: A Visual Guide -- Mexico is engulfed in a wave of criminal violence and disputes between rival drug gangs. U.S. weapons are fueling the bloodbath, Mexican authorities say. Steve Fisher and Roque Ruiz in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/5/24
Also
Lopez: A driving test for license renewal? Responses range from absolutely to ‘Leave us seniors alone!’ -- Once again, it has become clear that the letters D, M and V are like magic beans. Toss them into the public square, and the harvest begins immediately. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24
Who’s in charge of finally closing Men’s Central Jail? It’s TBD -- Nearly a decade after deciding that Men’s Central Jail was too decrepit, L.A. County’s top politicians are on the hunt for someone to finally shut it down. Rebecca Ellis, David Zahniser and Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/5/24