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Updating . . .
California Policy and Politics Thursday
L.A.’s ‘off the charts’ dryness keeps risk of new fires high. Rain is desperately needed -- Winds are expected to continue dissipating this week, but it’s shaping up to be a short reprieve for fire-scarred Southern California. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
No rainfall in sight for California. Here’s how long dry weather will last -- No significant rainfall is in sight for California for weeks as a record-dry start to the wet season continues across the southern half of the state. Wildfire danger remains extraordinarily high across Southern California, with more strong Santa Ana winds expected Monday through Wednesday. Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
Misinformation about California fires is spreading like, well, wildfire -- Southern California’s devastating wildfires have spawned a cottage industry in false information spreading rapidly online, forcing the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the governor and local officials to dedicate time and resources to pushing back against the most prevalent rumors and lies. Jason Henry in the Orange County Register -- 1/16/25
GOP to California: Build back better -- With wildfires still burning in Southern California, congressional Republicans are getting more detailed about how they plan to handle the politically sensitive topic of delivering potentially tens of billions of dollars of federal disaster aid to the largely Democratic area. Strings, they are making clear, will be attached. Nicholas Wu, Daniella Diaz and Camille von Kaenel Politico -- 1/16/25
In the wake of L.A.-area fires, Congress will consider new measures. Here are some of them -- The Fix Our Forests Act, which has bipartisan support, calls for comprehensive reform of forest management. One measure seeks to rein in the powers of the California Coastal Commission. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Republicans blame DEI for the LA fires. This fire captain disagrees -- If you listen to Elon Musk or Megyn Kelly, Los Angeles was doomed in its fight against historically-devastating wildfires because of one thing: DEI. Melanie Mason Politico -- 1/16/25
Elon Musk turns his firehose on the California Coastal Commission -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s and Elon Musk’s rhetoric about California’s wildfire recovery efforts couldn’t be more different, except when it comes to one particularly polarizing state agency. Alex Nieves Politico -- 1/16/25
S.F.’s economic ranking plummets in key report, marking ‘brutal wake-up call’ -- The San Francisco area came in 126th in the latest Milken Institute report, a drop of nearly 100 spots in a report that ranks 200 metro areas and 203 small cities across the U.S. The report looked at the most current data available through 2023. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
Downtown S.F. office prices bottomed out in 2024. Here’s why that’s a good thing -- CBRE reports that the number and dollar volume of office building sales in the broader downtown area more than doubled in 2024, surpassing 2022 and 2023 combined. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
FBI raids home of East Bay city council member with ties to Duong family -- The FBI raided the home of a San Leandro City Council member Wednesday, a spokesperson for the city said. Bryan Azevedo, who was re-elected last year, has ties to the politically powerful Duong family, who are at the center of an FBI corruption probe in Oakland. Maliya Ellis, Sarah Ravani, Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
California drops zero-emission truck rules after inaction by Biden’s EPA -- California won’t pursue a ban on new diesel truck sales by 2036 — and force fleet owners to take them off the road by 2042 — after Biden’s EPA failed to act on necessary waivers from federal air quality rules. Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
LA Fires
Those rebuilding after L.A. fires will likely face higher lumber prices as Trump tariffs loom -- Devastating, often tragic as the Los Angeles wildfires have been, rebuilding could bring nightmares all its own, including murky insurance rules, material shortages and potentially higher cost for everything from lumber to bathtubs. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
‘Not enough builders’: How L.A. fires could squeeze Bay Area -- The construction industry is anticipating years of disruption from the Los Angeles fires that could make it much harder to build, even in the Bay Area. Nora Mishanec in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
Gov. Newsom extends rental price gouging protections until early March -- In an executive order Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom extended price gouging protection until March 8 amid an uproar over large rent increases in the wake of the Palisades and Eaton fires. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
LA wildfire response from California lawmakers: Lots of ideas, few details -- As wildfires rage on in Los Angeles, California lawmakers are rushing to offer ideas for wildfire response and prevention. Few, however, have provided specifics on how they would work — and how the state could afford them. Yue Stella Yu CalMatters -- 1/16/25
Edison
Family of Eaton fire victim sues Southern California Edison for wrongful death -- The lawsuit alleges that Edison failed to turn off utilities despite clear warning about extremely dangerous fire conditions, leading to catastrophic consequences. The Eaton fire has killed at least 16 people and damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 structures. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Altadena winds weren’t strong enough to warrant Edison shutting off transmission lines, CEO asserts -- Steven Powell said that, typically, winds would have to be 60 to 80 mph for the company to consider the de-energization of transmission lines, adding that the readings Edison saw were lower than that. The National Weather Service recorded wind gusts just before the fire started of 59 mph at Edison’s Eaton Canyon monitoring site, which is south of the transmission line at the end of Eaton Canyon Park. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Edison stock turns volatile as growing blame for wildfires lands on the power company -- Southern California’s catastrophic fires have rocked the stock of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, as accusations and lawsuits about the utility’s potential role in starting the fires mount. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Edison under scrutiny for Eaton fire. Who pays liability will be ‘new frontier’ for California -- Six years ago, Pacific Gas & Electric filed for bankruptcy after it was found liable for sparking a succession of devastating wildfires, including the blaze that destroyed the town of Paradise and led to more than 100 deaths. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
The legal fight over the L.A. fires is already here. What previous lawsuits can tell us -- Daniel Farber, a UC Berkeley law professor, said a key factor in these cases is a California law that allows utilities to be held responsible for damage they have caused, even if they have not acted carelessly. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
Through burning hills and blinding smoke: the aerial fight to save a city -- A massive California Air National Guard tanker dives into a Pacific Palisades canyon full of smoke, as the ground below rushes up and fills the windshield. Sirens blare in the cockpit, and a recorded woman’s voice warns, “Altitude! Altitude!” Grace Toohey and Jack Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
DWP says workers have been threatened with bodily harm and, possibly, a rifle -- Since the Palisades fire, the DWP is one of several city and state agencies to face scrutiny and public criticism. The utility supplies water and electrical service to 4.1 million residents of L.A., including Pacific Palisades. Richard Winton and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Why California keeps putting homes where fires burn -- LA fires expose California’s difficult road to navigate between disaster risk and solving the state’s housing crisis. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 1/16/25
Your windows could save your house from a California wildfire -- The infernos still burning in Los Angeles have destroyed thousands of homes. But in some parts of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, neighborhoods were left with a few houses still standing. In some cases it comes down to luck. But many of the homes that survived were purposefully built with fire safety in mind. Jessica Roy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
The long-term trends that sparked these urban firestorms -- When those blazes jump into nearby communities, they are fueled not by forests but by buildings — moving from home to home, from garage to business to school, until they consume even areas far away from the wilderness. “It’s a new beast,” said John Abatzoglou, a climatologist at the University of California at Merced. “Or rather, it’s a beast that existed and we thought we had controlled.” John Muyskens, Sarah Kaplan, Niko Kommenda, Naema Ahmed and Simon Ducroquet in the Washington Post$ -- 1/16/25
Walters: LA wildfires could clobber California economy as state recovers from a pandemic recession -- Three days after immensely destructive and deadly wildfires broke out in and around Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $322.3 billion state budget with a positive revenue forecast “based on an assumption of continued but slowing economic growth.” Dan Walters CalMatters -- 1/16/25
Lopez: Let’s focus on putting out the fires before fueling one at City Hall -- Last week, as neighborhoods were being destroyed by fire, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley saw an opportunity, and she seized it. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Fire and Schools
Eaton fire upends the education of thousands of students whose schooling is jolted again -- The Pasadena Unified School District is in emergency mode with five school sites severely damaged or destroyed. The school district is set to announce a reopening plan Thursday. Teresa Watanabe and Daniel Miller in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Fire upheaval forces Palisades High classes online as leaders look for a temporary home -- Although Palisades Charter High largely survived the fire it is nowhere near ready to re-open. The school is looking for a temporary location and is prepping to resume classes online.
Insurance
State Farm to offer renewals to policyholders affected by L.A. County fires -- The figure includes roughly 70%, or 1,100, of the 1,626 residential policies still in place in Pacific Palisades’ primary 90272 ZIP Code — and thousands more in the neighborhood and elsewhere in the county. The offer does not apply to policies that had already lapsed when the fire started on Jan. 7. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Insurers’ Rule Change Puts California Homeowners on the Hook for L.A. Fire -- A little-noticed rule change last year by California’s insurance regulator will likely shift a large chunk of the cost of the Los Angeles wildfires to homeowners across the state. Jean Eaglesham and Sara Randazzo in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/16/25
Mortgage
What Happens When Your House Burns Down and You Still Have a Mortgage? -- Homeowners usually have the option to pause mortgage payments for as much as a year if they are impacted by a natural disaster. Gina Heeb, Ben Eisen, Stuart Palley in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/16/25
Workplace
Fearing AI will take their jobs, California workers plan a long battle against tech -- At a landmark gathering in Sacramento, workers discussed defenses against artificial intelligence and surveillance technology. Khari Johnson CalMatters -- 1/16/25
Education
129 SFUSD students caught up in special ed fiasco that could cost over $1 million -- San Francisco schools owe some of the most vulnerable district students thousands of hours in legally required special education services they should have received last semester. The district will now have to pay up for that lost time, spending an estimated $1.18 million on private tutors or after-school staffing. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
Online censorship in schools is ‘more pervasive’ than expected, new data shows -- Nationally representative survey data from The Center for Democracy & Technology finds schools subjectively and broadly block students from information online. Tara García Mathewson CalMatters -- 1/16/25
Street
Mayor Daniel Lurie proposes new fentanyl law and visits troubled S.F. street -- Hours before he introduced legislation Tuesday to accelerate San Francisco’s response to fentanyl use and homelessness, Mayor Daniel Lurie took an impromptu walk down Sixth Street, one of the most troubled corridors in the city. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
L.A. police are grappling with a new challenge: fire duty -- Since the outbreak of the Palisades fire, LAPD officers accustomed to chasing 911 calls and patrolling city streets have suddenly found themselves thrust into an unfamiliar yet pivotal role: part aid worker, part night sentry, part wingman for firefighters battling one of the most devastating blazes in the region’s history. Libor Jany and Daniel Miller in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Race
UCSF severs relationship with provocative anti-racism speaker targeted by right-wing groups -- UCSF abruptly canceled a two-day anti-racism class for doctors and nurses that was to be taught in February by a consultant who was targeted by right-wing groups that called his provocative content racist, the Chronicle has learned. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/16/25
POTUS 47
What will Mexico do if Trump tries to mass deport non-Mexicans across the border? -- Mexico is under no legal obligation to accept noncitizens, but Trump has threatened tariffs that could cripple its economy. Patrick J. McDonnell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/16/25
Trump’s pick for energy secretary rejects linking climate change and wildfires -- Oil executive Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Energy Department, has argued that climate change has not fueled more frequent and severe wildfires — a claim at odds with the scientific consensus. Maxine Joselow in the Washington Post$ -- 1/16/25
Trump Trashed Washington for Years. Now He’s Vowing to Make Over the City -- President-elect and his advisers are plotting to change the capital in ways large and small, but it won’t be easy. Alex Leary and Natalie Andrews in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/16/25
Biden warns of the rise of a new American ‘oligarchy’ in farewell address -- From the White House he will soon cede to Donald Trump, President Biden compared today’s tech moguls to 19th-century “robber barons.” Toluse Olorunnipa and Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in the Washington Post$ Catherine Lucey and Ken Thomas in the Wall Street Journal$ Erica L. Green in the New York Times$ -- 1/16/25
China Has a $1 Trillion Head Start in Any Tariff Fight -- China’s trade surplus shows Western efforts to reduce dependence on China are coming up short. Jason Douglas in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/16/25
Canada Readies Billions of Dollars in Retaliatory Moves to Trump Tariff Threat -- The Canadian government is preparing billions of dollars in retaliatory measures on U.S. exports to Canada if President-elect Donald J. Trump makes good on a threat to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, setting up a potential showdown between two countries that are each other’s largest trading partners. Matina Stevis-Gridneff in the New York Times$ -- 1/16/25
California Policy and Politics Wednesday
‘Not out of the woods yet’: Extreme red flag warnings are back in effect for L.A. area -- The most extreme level of a red flag fire warning, a “particularly dangerous situation,” returned to parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties Wednesday morning. The time period of highest risk will take place from just before sunrise through midday. Rong-Gong Lin II, Hannah Fry, Nathan Solis, Grace Toohey and Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
L.A. fire officials could have put engines in the Palisades before the fire broke out. They didn’t -- As the Los Angeles Fire Department faced extraordinary warnings of life-threatening winds, top commanders decided not to assign for emergency deployment roughly 1,000 available firefighters and dozens of water-carrying engines in advance of the fire that destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades and continues to burn, interviews and internal LAFD records show. Paul Pringle, Alene Tchekmedyian and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Edison under scrutiny for Eaton fire. Who pays liability will be ‘new frontier’ for California -- The L.A.-area fires may pose the first big test of California’s wildfire fund, which was set up in 2019 to protect utilities from bankruptcy. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
L.A.-based Farmers tops survey of big California home insurers that decline the most claims -- Three of California’s largest home insurance companies declined nearly half of their claims in 2023, well above the national average, according to a ratings agency report reviewed by The Times. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
The Armed Homeowners Defying the Rules of L.A.’s Burn Zones -- In the still-smoldering neighborhoods of Altadena, where fires destroyed more than 2,700 structures, about 80 people have defied orders to evacuate, staying behind to protect what is left of their properties from looters and more fires after losing faith in authorities. Sean McLain, Dan Frosch and Joe Flint in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/15/25
L.A. County fire death toll rises to 25 -- The latest death was recorded in Altadena. Of the confirmed deaths, 16 were related to the Eaton fire and nine to the Palisades fire, according to an update from the L.A. County medical examiner. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
L.A. fires have added another concern for potential EV buyers: power outages -- You’ve plugged your electric vehicle into your home charger and hit the sack. Overnight, high winds topple a power line. Your charger blacks out. Then, a report of a fire, followed by an evacuation order. Your battery’s only charged to 25%. And it’s your only car. Russ Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
‘Literally off the charts’: LA’s critically dry conditions stun scientists as fires rage -- Key moisture measurements are only 2% to 5% of average, leaving dusty soils. And the recent swing from wet to dry is among the most extreme on record. This combination of climatic conditions crossed into a danger zone, priming much of Southern California for wind-whipped fires. Alastair Bland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Inside the dramatic air attack that saved Brentwood and Encino from the surging Palisades fire -- On Friday afternoon, the winds across the Santa Monica Mountains suddenly shifted, and the Palisades fire pushed north and east, making a run in two different directions: toward Encino and Brentwood. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
The Extraordinary Defense of the Getty Museum Against the L.A. Fires -- Under siege by Los Angeles wildfires, the J. Paul Getty Museum is emerging as a near-miraculous beacon of disaster preparedness. Behind the scenes, it’s taking a small army to defend. Kelly Crow in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/15/25
Barabak: He lost everything in a wildfire. Here’s one city councilman’s practical advice -- City Councilman Jeff Okrepkie, who survived the Tubbs fire that destroyed his Santa Rosa neighborhood, wants to help others. He offers tips, starting with what to grab if you’re forced to evacuate, and how to proceed if you choose to rebuild a lost home. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Could San Francisco be devastated by wildfire? These neighborhoods are at highest risk -- The only part of the city designated by Cal Fire as “high risk” is a portion of the city’s Crocker Amazon neighborhood, according to the city’s latest fire hazard map, which was released in 2008. Maggie Angst, Tara Duggan, Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
Karen Bass
‘There’s just a pile-on’: How Karen Bass lost control of the wildfire narrative -- The Los Angeles mayor, along with Gov. Gavin Newsom, has become the main target of outrage about the Los Angeles wildfires. Melanie Mason Politico -- 1/15/25
Mayor Karen Bass was at embassy cocktail party in Ghana as Palisades fire exploded -- Bass has faced widespread outrage over her whereabouts after returning to Los Angeles from Ghana on Wednesday, 24 hours after fires ignited. Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Aftermath
L.A. City Council passes dozens of measures to aid recovery from catastrophic fires -- In a rapid-fire series of votes, the council adopted measures to speed the arrival of federal emergency funds, assess the potential for post-fire mudslides and establish new safeguards against price gouging and evictions, particularly for pet owners and those who evacuated. One of the measures seeks to commission an independent “after-action” report on the city’s and county’s emergency responses to the fires. Tony Barboza and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Some L.A. residents displaced by fires allege rent gouging: ‘Utter anger and disgust’ -- With thousands of structures destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires, many displaced residents are looking for short-term rental homes while they figure out how to rebuild their lives. What they’re finding, some tenant advocates say, are unfairly high prices. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
L.A. County to create fund for wildfire victims -- As fire victims flood GoFundMe for help with rebuilding, the L.A. County government will create its own fund for residents who lost their livelihoods or whose homes or businesses were reduced to rubble by devastating wildfires. Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
L.A. City Council seeks transparency on empty reservoir, dry fire hydrants -- The Los Angeles City Council member representing the Westside, including much of the area decimated by the Palisades fire, called on the city’s water utility Tuesday to explain why firefighters ran out of water early in last week’s epic firefight and why a key reservoir was offline. Matt Hamilton, Ian James and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Shattered in the Fire: A Historic Black Haven -- For Black residents, Altadena represented something more than suburban living. It was a foothold in generational prosperity. Corina Knoll in the New York Times$ -- 1/15/25
The L.A. fires skipped over this historic avenue. Neighbors credit ‘trees of God’ -- A towering river of green flows through Altadena and marks where the Eaton firestorm inexplicably blew by and left rows of homes untouched. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
As L.A. considers rebuilding, here’s what people say they’re willing to change -- For those who plan to rebuild, a natural question has emerged: What can be done differently to prevent the sort of destruction that has killed at least 24 people, leveled thousands of structures and inflicted untold billions in damage? Reis Thebault in the Washington Post$ -- 1/15/25
Walters: Disaster-prone California should adopt a preventive approach, rather than a reactive one -- As horrific as they may be, the wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles neighborhoods, destroying homes and businesses and killing dozens of people, are certainly not unprecedented. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 1/15/25
Economic Toll of Los Angeles Fires Goes Far Beyond Destroyed Homes -- The ongoing disaster will affect residents’ health, local industries, public budgets and the cost of housing for years to come. Lydia DePillis in the New York Times$ -- 1/15/25
Can fire-torn L.A. handle the World Cup, Super Bowl and Summer Olympics? -- Supporters say the World Cup, Super Bowl and Olympics will boost morale and the economy. Critics worry that time and resources spent on sports over next three years will detract from rebuilding. David Wharton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Workplace
Livelihoods taken in an instant when Altadena residents lost both businesses and homes -- Carrie Meyers’ home burned to the ground last week when the Eaton fire erupted. So did the North Lake Avenue pet shop she bought from her uncle more than 20 years ago. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
These gardeners, housekeepers, nannies kept Pacific Palisades going. Fire took their jobs -- Carol Mayorga and Manfredo Salazar spent more time in Pacific Palisades than they did their own South Los Angeles neighborhood. It was their bank account. It paid their mortgage. Brittny Mejia and Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Kim Kardashian wants inmate firefighter raises. A California lawmaker agrees -- Prisoners battling the Los Angeles-area wildfires earn as little as $30 for a 24-hour shift. Lindsey Holden Politico -- 1/15/25
DEI
Why Costco Isn’t Joining the Backlash Against DEI -- In a steady parade of companies retreating from their diversity efforts, Costco Wholesale is standing out by holding fast. Ahead of its annual meeting next week, the warehouse retailer has urged its shareholders to reject a proposal to assess the risks that its diversity initiatives pose to the company’s stock price. Sarah Nassauer in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/15/25
Homeless
How the LA fires could exacerbate California’s homelessness crisis -- But it’s not just people whose homes burn down that feel the pain. Renters in undamaged buildings get evicted because their landlord raises rents to take advantage of refugees’ desperation — or because the landlord lost another home in the fire and needs to move into their rental unit. Marisa Kendall in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
Schools
Scores of L.A. teachers lose homes; students from 2 burned-down L.A. schools to resume class -- Students from two burned-down Los Angeles elementary schools will resume classes Wednesday in new locations in neighborhoods near fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades as employee unions estimate that at least 150 district staff, including many teachers, have lost their homes. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
LA colleges move classes online, offer services to students affected by fire -- After the LA fires prompted several colleges and universities to close or move to remote operations last week, several are resuming from winter break this week with online instruction and resources for students, employees and surrounding communities. Delilah Brumer, Camelia Heins, Khadeejah Khan and Victoria Mejicanos CalMatters -- 1/15/25
Breathe
What threats lurk in the smoke and ash of L.A.-area fires? New health warnings -- Experts say that wildfire smoke is unsafe for everyone and that all area residents should be worried about the potential health effects from this pollutant. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
Toxics
Even after L.A.’s fires burn out, toxic threats will linger -- As people in Los Angeles return to their devastated neighborhoods, now marked with burn scars and ruins, toxic hazards will persist long after the fires have been put out and the smoke has settled. Amudalat Ajasa and Ruby Mellen in the Washington Post$ -- 1/15/25
Water
$20 billion Delta tunnel plan wins endorsement from Silicon Valley’s largest water agency -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $20 billion plan to build a massive, 45-mile long tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to make it easier to move water from Northern California to Southern California won the endorsement of Silicon Valley’s largest water agency on Tuesday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/15/25
Alcohol
‘Any alcohol use’ can cause cancer, contentious federal study finds -- A controversial federal study with the power to influence public health guidelines has concluded that alcohol consumption even at “low levels” is associated with a higher risk of death. Esther Mobley, Jess Lander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
New Health Laws
How new California laws taking effect this month could affect your health and medical care -- With supermajorities in both houses, Democrats in the California Legislature passed — and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed — laws taking effect this year that will erase medical debt from credit reports, allow public health officials to inspect immigrant detention centers, and require health insurance companies to cover fertility services such as in vitro fertilization. Christine Mai-Duc KFF Health News in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
California insulin
Newsom committed California to making its own insulin. It’s at least a year behind his schedule -- Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 signed a law allowing California to manufacture its own insulin, an effort to bring down the cost of the drug. The project is years away from delivering medicine to anyone, although prices have fallen for other reasons. Kristen Hwang CalMatters -- 1/15/25
Street
Aryan Brotherhood on trial: Prison gang leaders ordered 5 L.A. County murders, feds say -- Prosecutors say they have traced seven homicides — two behind bars, five on the streets of Los Angeles County — to three alleged leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/15/25
POTUS 47
Trump has long threatened to withhold California fire aid. Now Republicans in Congress are, too -- House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans say they believe approval of wildfire aid to California to assist with devastating fires in Los Angeles County should be contingent on policy changes. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25
GOP Rep. Young Kim asks President-elect Trump to focus on wildfire aid first, politics second -- While Republicans eye conditions for future federal aid to California grappling with catastrophic wildfires, at least one GOP House member implored President-elect Donald Trump directly to focus on helping residents first and worry about the politics part later. Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register -- 1/15/25
Trump wants to use WWII authority for deportations. Japanese Americans want to stop him -- The Alien Enemies Act was last used to incarcerate people of Japanese ancestry. President-elect Donald Trump said he’d use it to deport migrants. Olivia Cruz Mayeda in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/15/25