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California Policy and Politics Sunday
Trump administration demands states ‘undo’ full SNAP payouts as states warn of ‘catastrophic impact -- President Donald Trump’s administration is demanding states “undo” full SNAP benefits paid out under judges’ orders last week, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed those rulings, marking the latest swing in a seesawing legal battle over the anti-hunger program used by 42 million Americans. Scott Bauer and Nicholas Riccardi Associated Press Mariana Alfaro in the Washington Post$ -- 11/09/25
Thanksgiving air traffic could ‘slow to a trickle’ if shutdown persists, transport secretary says -- “As I look two weeks out, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy said. With “very few” controllers working, “you’ll have a few flights taking off and landing” and thousands of cancellations, he said. Associated Press -- 11/09/25
How an Adam Schiff indictment could shake the Senate -- After securing the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, Trump has his sights set on Sen. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who as a member of the House managed the president’s first impeachment trial. Hailey Fuchs Politico -- 11/09/25
Newsom appears onstage at Texas rally to celebrate Prop. 50 victory, take swipes at Trump -- Gov. Gavin Newsom strode onstage in Houston on Saturday to a cheering crowd of Texas Democrats, saying Proposition 50’s victory in California on election day was a win for the nation and a firm repudiation of President Trump. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Newsom urges Democrats to focus on the midterms. But Texans are thinking about 2028. -- Gavin Newsom, rallying Democrats in deep-red Texas on Saturday, urged the party base to set its sights on returning Democrats to power in 2026 and 2028, as he returned to ground zero of the national gerrymandering wars. Faith Wardwell, Blake Jones and Will McCarthy Politico -- 11/09/25
Newsom, Eyeing 2028, Tries to Mess With Texas: ‘Don’t Poke the Bear’ -- Celebrating his recent redistricting victory, the California governor swooped into a state led by a Republican rival and sent the latest signal about his presidential ambitions. Nick Corasaniti and Mariano Castillo in the New York Times$ -- 11/09/25
Taking inspiration from Mamdani, democratic socialists look to expand their power in L.A. -- n L.A., Democratic Socialists of America has focused its energy on downballot races, particularly the City Council DSA-LA is hoping to pick up two more council seats in the June election. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Trump made inroads with Latino voters. The GOP is losing them ahead of the midterms -- Latino voters shifted toward Democrats in key races in Virginia and New Jersey, and gave a boost to California’s Proposition 50. Some Republicans warn that the shift could have negative implications for the GOP in next year’s midterm elections. Ana Ceballos and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Barabak: Newsom prevailed on Proposition 50. But the White House is still a big reach -- A week before California’s special election, Gavin Newsom made news by doing something practically unheard of. He told donors to stop sending money to pass Proposition 50. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Coachella Valley Republicans fear alienation after Tuesday election -- Proposition 50 redraws California congressional districts to favor Democrats, potentially ending Republican representation in parts of the conservative Coachella Valley. Dakota Smith, Gina Ferazzi in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Workplace
UC reaches contract agreement with 21,000 employees, averting a strike -- The University of California and a union representing 21,000 healthcare, research and technical professionals across the UC system reached a contract agreement and averted a strike, the university and union announced Saturday. Kaitlyn Huamani and Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
A critical part of the economy isn’t hiring. Bosses explain why -- Small companies, which employ more than 40 percent of the nation’s workforce, tend to experience financial shocks more acutely than their corporate peers. Aaron Gregg and Shannon Najmabadi in the Washington Post$ -- 11/09/25
SNAP
‘Still so many unknowns’: San Diegans and nonprofits find relief and anxiety after SNAP turmoil -- California was releasing food stamps to the state's millions of CalFresh users, even as Trump still fought the full federal funding of SNAP. Kristen Taketa, Maura Fox in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 11/09/25
ICE
Emotional Glimpses of an Immigration Crackdown in a San Diego Courthouse -- Down a windowless hallway in the federal courthouse in San Diego, clergy members and volunteers line up, anxiously waiting. They wait for migrants to emerge from meetings with immigration officials. Sometimes the immigrants leave the meetings and go home. Other times they are ordered to wear ankle monitors. But often, many of those who show up to the so-called check-in sessions have been detained by masked agents. Mark Abramson, Jesus Jiménez in the New York Times$ -- 11/09/25
New ballot measure push aims to overhaul California’s landmark environmental law -- Late last month, the California Chamber of Commerce announced it had filed paperwork to place a measure on next November’s statewide ballot that would overhaul the law, commonly known as CEQA, with the goal of cutting red tape, lowering housing and energy costs, and making construction easier. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/09/25
In California, a tug-of-war over blood-thinning rat poisons -- It’s been more than a decade since Lisa Owens Viani started to wonder what was killing the birds in Berkeley. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/09/25
L.A. air officials approve port pollution pact as skeptics warn of ‘no clear accountability’ -- South Coast air regulators voted Friday to approve a binding agreement requiring L.A. and Long Beach ports to develop zero-emission infrastructure plans or face penalties. Environmental advocates slammed the deal as a stall tactic lacking specific pollution-reduction guarantees and offering no clear accountability. Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
These endangered predators have finally returned. Should California be killing them? -- This summer, dozens of state and federal wildlife agents arrived in a remote mountain basin, about an hour north of Lake Tahoe, with an unusual mission: to scare off the rising number of wolves. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/09/25
As a century-old oil field winds down, what’s next for Baldwin Hills? A sprawling park or housing? -- The site offers a rare opportunity to address two pressing Los Angeles needs: open space and affordable housing in underserved neighborhoods. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Tariff
Presents to arrive in time for the holidays, but may be more expensive -- Until now, retailers, manufacturers and other intermediaries have absorbed much of the cost of tariffs, but that is changing as it becomes more apparent which tariffs are here to stay, Mario Cordero, chief executive of the Port of Long Beach, said Friday during a virtual news conference. Queenie Wong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
Also
Kim Kardashian misses the mark on the California bar exam, vows to keep trying -- Kim Kardashian won’t be arguing cases just yet. The reality-TV star and billionaire entrepreneur revealed Saturday that she missed the mark on California’s bar exam but promised to keep studying until she passes. Alexandra Del Rosario and Josh Rottenberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/09/25
POTUS 47
A closer look at Trump’s apparent struggles to fight off sleep in the Oval Office -- A Washington Post analysis of multiple video feeds found that the president spent nearly 20 minutes apparently battling to keep his eyes open at a recent event. Dan Diamond and JM Rieger in the Washington Post$ -- 11/09/25
A Two-Headed Coin That Always Comes Up ‘Trump’ -- Would a proposed coin featuring the president on both sides commemorate America’s founding, or undercut its founding principles? Dan Barry in the New York Times$ -- 11/09/25
Democrats swept elections far beyond the big races in referendum on Trump -- From clerks to coroners, Democrats on Tuesday flipped city councils, school boards and county commissions. Naftali Bendavid in the Washington Post$ -- 11/09/25
Trump Suggests $2,000 Payouts to Americans as He Defends Tariffs -- President Trump suggested tariff revenue could be used to fund payments of at least $2,000 to most Americans. Alyssa Lukpat in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/09/25
Trump says he brought down gas prices. The reality is more complicated -- Americans are paying less at the pump than they were a year ago, but industry analysts are mixed on how much credit President Donald Trump deserves. James Bikales and Ben Johansen Politico -- 11/09/25
Poll: Here’s how much Trump voters would pay in taxes to back his policies -- The Politico Poll measured how much economic pain voters will tolerate — if it aligns with their partisan views. Jessica Piper Politico -- 11/09/25
Trump’s Tax Cuts Are Exposing Companies to Biden’s Tax Hike -- Meta Platforms, Broadcom, Qualcomm and others are warning that they are now getting hit by the corporate alternative minimum tax, the 15% tax-rate floor that was part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Basically, President Trump giveth, but former President Joe Biden taketh part of it away. Richard Rubin in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/09/25
Genetically Engineered Babies Are Banned. Tech Titans Are Trying to Make One Anyway -- For months, a small company in San Francisco has been pursuing a secretive project: the birth of a genetically engineered baby. Emily Glazer, Katherine Long and Amy Dockser Marcus in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/09/25
Why Democrats Could Win the Redistricting War -- Amending state constitutions seemed like a long shot, but Virginia’s move suggests more blue states may be willing to try, opening new possibilities. Nate Cohn in the New York Times$ -- 11/09/25
California Policy and Politics Saturday
‘This is not normal’: Bay Area aviation expert warns of rising risks of flying during shutdown -- Ross Sagun flew commercial jets for more than four decades, was an air traffic controller for four years and now runs an aviation safety company in the East Bay. Would he be worried at all about flying as air traffic controller staffing issues force flight cutbacks? You bet. Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/08/25
California Democrats had a good election. They’re terrified about the next one -- Rather than celebrate, however, Democratic politicians like Padilla and a number of civil rights groups warned that the Trump administration is attempting to seize election powers from blue states while red ones make voting harder for women and people of color. Raheem Hosseini in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/08/25
SNAP recipients celebrate last-minute reprieve on losing food benefits. ‘I can breathe now’ -- On Thursday, however, Crawford was surprised to learn that the $445 payment had showed up on her card. Soon after, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that, because of a court victory, “food benefits are now beginning to flow back to California families” — at least temporarily. Rebecca Plevin and Jenny Gold in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Full CalFresh benefits for November are being restored, says San Diego County -- Shortly after the Thursday ruling, Gov. Gavin Newsom said CalFresh benefits are beginning to load onto user’s EBT cards. His office did not say how the state was able to provide the funds despite Trump contesting the court decision. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 11/08/25
Water
Trump administration presses Western states to find consensus on shrinking Colorado River -- Seven Western states face a Tuesday deadline to reach an initial deal on how to share water cuts along the Colorado River. The Trump administration is urging the states to reach a consensus. The talks have been at an impasse, and California’s top negotiator says bridging disagreements would require “tough decisions and compromises.” Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Opposition to single-payer healthcare separates Villaraigosa from others at candidate forum -- Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor and current candidate for California governor, on Friday said he opposed the creation of a state-level single payer healthcare system. Katie King in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Taking inspiration from Mamdani, democratic socialists look to expand their power in L.A. -- The revelers who packed Tuesday’s election night party in L.A.’s Highland Park neighborhood were roughly 2,500 miles from the concert hall where New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani celebrated his historic win. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
After outburst, Katie Porter’s support in the California governor’s race slips, new poll shows -- Porter was the clear front-runner over the summer, but by late October she dropped behind Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, according to a poll released Friday by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by The Times. Phil Willon and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
London Breed floats run for Nancy Pelosi’s House seat -- Breed has called allies, including Willie Brown, the former mayor and longtime city powerbroker, to vet the idea. Dustin Gardiner Politico Heather Knight and Kevin Yamamura in the New York Times$ -- 11/08/25
Shasta County runs into roadblocks reporting outstanding ballots -- Shasta County got in trouble with the California Secretary of State’s Office Friday for not sending a report about how many ballots it still had to count in the aftermath of Tuesday’s election. The county’s Registrar of Voters, Clint Curtis, said it’s because no one in the office had done it before. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/08/25
Shutdown
Harvested lungs. Factory parts. How flight cutbacks could slow delivery of vital goods to LAX and other airports -- The FAA’s 10% flight reduction at major airports including LAX threatens deliveries of vital goods: harvested organs, pharmaceuticals, factory parts and holiday items. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Insurance
‘We feel alone’: L.A. fire survivors call for California’s insurance commissioner to resign -- Survivors of the deadly Los Angeles County fires, some of whom have been unable to rebuild because their insurance claims have been delayed or denied, are calling for California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to resign. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 11/08/25
Climate
California steps in as Trump skips global climate summit in Brazil -- The White House has opted to not send any high-ranking U.S. officials to the U.N.’s annual COP global climate conference this year. California is sending a large delegation, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, who hopes to build on the state’s reputation as a global climate leader. Hayley Smith and Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Environment
‘Navy has broken the trust’: Shipyard residents wary after delayed report of airborne plutonium -- Some residents are rethinking their commitment to the Hunters Point neighborhood, after news that the Navy detected radioactive material but did not disclose it for close to a year. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/08/25
Wildfire
Despite ‘hot’ tractor, firefighters left blaze that later burned 243 homes in Ventura County -- A fire that burned nearly 250 homes and structures in Ventura County was a rekindling of an earlier blaze that firefighters failed to fully extinguish, according to an investigation by Ventura County fire officials and prosecutors released Friday. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Kratom
L.A. County stores must immediately stop selling kratom and 7-OH products, health department warns -- When mixed with alcohol, medications or illicit drugs, the county health department warns, 7-OH products can “cause severe respiratory depression and death. Importantly, these products are unregulated and may contain unknown concentrations of 7-OH, increasing the risk of unintentional overdose.” Sandra McDonald and Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Campus
Facing Trump budget shortfalls and state cuts, UC seeks $130-million state loan -- UC’s top finance manager made the emergency request in a letter to the state Department of Finance, asking for fast-tracked approval from lawmakers so the loan could be used during the current fiscal year. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Street
AI caused errors in a criminal case, Northern California prosecutor says -- Northern California prosecutors used artificial intelligence to write a criminal court filing that contained references to nonexistent legal cases and precedents, Nevada County District Attorney Jesse Wilson said in a statement. Sharon Bernstein in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/08/25
San Diego County jails will test wearable health devices aimed at preventing in-custody deaths -- A 2022 pilot program failed, but the sheriff says the device manufacturer 'has made significant improvements.' Kelly Davis in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 11/08/25
Also
How Dodgers fans turned a series win into $30,000 for the Blue Jays’ hometown children’s hospital -- A Toronto children’s hospital was flooded this week with a surprise surge of thousands of dollars in donations. The unlikely source? Dodgers fans. Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
A.I. Sweeps Through Newsrooms, but Is It a Journalist or a Tool? -- Ryan Sabalow, a reporter for the newsroom CalMatters, noticed something peculiar when he began covering California lawmakers in 2023. Politicians would often give impassioned speeches against a bill, then refrain from voting entirely. Benjamin Mullin and Katie Robertson in the New York Times$ -- 11/08/25
40-foot waves hit Mavericks on first big day of surfing season -- After a slower-than-normal start to the big-wave surfing season at Mavericks, Thursday delivered a barrage of 40-foot-high waves that drew riders from far and wide to the famous Half Moon Bay break. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/08/25
Lake Tahoe skating rink gets visit from unusual local — a black bear named Charlie -- Employees at the Shops at Heavenly Village in Lake Tahoe had just finished preparing the mall’s skating rink when an unusual local arrived to take a nighttime spin on the ice. Katerina Portela in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Will Rogers State Historic Park to reopen after being ravaged in Palisades fire -- Will Rogers State Historic Park, which has been closed since the Palisades fire ripped through it 10 months ago, will reopen to the public on Saturday, providing a sprawling green oasis in the devastated community. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
The Farmers’ Almanac Succumbs to the Digital Age -- It was founded when Napoleon was still alive. And well before any American could even buy a typewriter. The Farmers’ Almanac, the annual tome of long-term weather predictions and homespun advice, is going out of business. Incongruously for one of America’s oldest publications, the editors posted the announcement on Instagram. Thomas Fuller in the New York Times$ -- 11/08/25
POTUS 47
Supreme Court temporarily blocks order on releasing SNAP benefits -- Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson late Friday evening temporarily blocked a judge’s order that had directed the Trump administration to release November food assistance benefits in full the same day. Mark Berman in the Washington Post$ Josh Gerstein and Marcia Brown Politico -- 11/08/25
Judge Permanently Blocks National Guard Deployments to Portland for ICE Protests -- With her temporary block expiring, Judge Karin Immergut said the Trump administration had failed to prove that protesters were hampering President Trump’s policies. Anna Griffin in the New York Times$ Mark Berman in the Washington Post$ -- 11/08/25
Trump made inroads with Latino voters. The GOP is losing them ahead of the midterms -- Latino voters shifted toward Democrats in key races in Virginia and New Jersey, and gave a boost to California’s Proposition 50. Ana Ceballos and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Arellano: From the ballot box to the streets, Latinos are blowing the whistle on Trump’s reign -- After backing Republicans in record numbers last year, Latino voters swung decisively left in recent elections, fueling Democratic victories in New Jersey, Virginia and California. Trump’s mass deportation campaigns — primarily targeting immigrants without criminal records — devastated his support among Latino voters who delivered him historic gains in 2024. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/08/25
Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ latest offer to end shutdown -- Senate Democrats pitched a new proposal Friday to end the government shutdown that Republicans immediately rejected, leaving the two sides no closer to resolving the standoff after a week of bipartisan negotiations. Riley Beggin and Theodoric Meyer in the Washington Post$ -- 11/08/25
Trump is ramping up a new effort to convince a skeptical public he can fix affordability worries -- The messaging is centered around affordability, and the push comes after inflation emerged as a major vulnerability for Trump and Republicans in Tuesday’s elections, in which voters overwhelmingly said the economy was their biggest concern. Josh Boak Associated Press -- 11/08/25
A Decade Later, Supreme Court Is Asked to Revisit Same-Sex Marriage Decision -- Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk once jailed for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses, has asked the court to reconsider its landmark 2015 opinion. Ann E. Marimow in the New York Times$ -- 11/08/25
Did Trump’s Supreme Court Tariffs Brief Include a Strategic Blunder? -- In his public statements, President Trump has crowed about the vast sums his tariffs will raise. “It will be a BONANZA FOR AMERICA!!!” he said in a social media post. Before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, his lawyer said something different. Adam Liptak in the New York Times$ -- 11/08/25