Rework

Khanna’s pass clarifies California Senate race — and his political future -- By confirming he would not seek the Senate seat Sen. Dianne Feinstein is vacating, Khanna avoided a further progressive split while buoying Rep. Barbara Lee with an endorsement. He also decided to keep his House seat and keep his options open for the future, reflecting a widespread belief that his sights are on the White House. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 4/26/23

Judge tosses Devin Nunes’ lawsuit against magazine, says family farm used undocumented labor -- A federal judge tossed former California Congressman Devin Nunes’ lawsuit against a journalist and magazine that suggested his family’s Iowa dairy farm knowingly employed undocumented workers. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/26/23

Julie Su’s nomination as Labor secretary survived the first step. But what’s next? -- Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana, and Independent Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who caucuses with Democrats, have not said whether they’re supporting Su. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/26/23

California poised to ban new diesel trucks -- Trucking companies say the deadlines for converting big rigs, delivery trucks and other heavy vehicles are unachievable and will cause “chaos and dysfunction” of California’s economy. The move is designed to clean communities’ air, especially near ports, warehouses and freeways. Nadia Lopez CalMatters -- 4/26/23

Disney sues Ron DeSantis over Florida district: ‘A targeted campaign of government retaliation’ -- Walt Disney Co. on Wednesday sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the latest salvo in a long-running fight over the company’s self-governing powers in the area that encompasses Walt Disney World Resort. Ryan Faughnder, Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ Arian Campo-Flores in the Wall Street Journal$ Aaron Gregg, Lori Rozsa in the Washington Post$ Brooks Barnes in the New York Times$ -- 4/26/23

California’s downtowns were emptied by COVID: S.F. still reeling but San Diego rebounds -- California’s downtowns have had varying levels of success in rebounding from pandemic shutdowns — while San Diego has almost fully recovered, San Francisco is concerned about a potential ‘doom loop.’ Alexandra E. Petri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

A lost California lake has roared back to life. Now some want to make it permanent -- Tulare Lake, the long dormant lake that made a surprise comeback in California’s San Joaquin Valley this year, has gotten so big with the wet weather that water experts say it won’t drain until at least next year, and maybe well after that. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

S.F. port officials hope city can become a hub for wind turbine production -- Port officials are vying for state approval to establish a manufacturing hub to develop and fabricate a new kind of floating platform necessary to generate energy off California’s coast. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

California lawmakers strip decreased rent cap from tenant eviction protection bill -- California tenants will likely not get a hoped-for reduction to the state’s rent cap after lawmakers removed a major provision from an eviction protection bill. Lindsey Holden in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/26/23

Health System Kaiser Permanente to Combine With Hospital Operator Geisinger -- Kaiser Permanente, a pioneering integrated health system based on the West Coast, has agreed to acquire a Pennsylvania-based hospital operator in a bid to create a new national player in the rapidly consolidating healthcare market. Anna Wilde Mathews in the Wall Street Journal$ Reed Abelson in the New York Times$ -- 4/26/23

Sen. Aisha Wahab’s caste-based discrimination bill passes Senate Judiciary Committee -- Sen. Aisha Wahab’s controversial bill that would ban caste-based discrimination made its way through the Senate Judiciary committee Tuesday, and is heading to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Jenavieve Hatch in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/26/23

Attacked ex-S.F. commissioner accused of ‘terrorizing’ homeless with bear mace -- “He is terrorizing (homeless people) with a 10-inch can of bear spray, not pepper spray. He sprayed anything and everything, including my client," Deputy Public Defender Kleigh Hathaway said in court. Nora Mishanec, Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

Half of people injured in LAPD pursuits are bystanders, report says -- The findings, presented Tuesday to the Board of Police Commissioners, found that LAPD officers have been involved in at least 4,203 pursuits since 2018; roughly a quarter (1,032) resulted in a collision that caused injuries or death. Libor Jany, James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

Death of elite cyclist struck by car in S.F. remains a mystery. His friends want answers -- Three weeks after a driver struck and killed world-class cyclist Ethan Boyes in San Francisco’s Presidio, the city’s tight-knit biking community wants to know why his death remains shrouded in mystery — even as his family’s attorney calls for “patience” with the police process. Nora Mishanec in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

California man who smoked marijuana in Senator’s office gets 4 years in prison for role in Capitol riot -- A Southern California man who photographed himself while helping to trash the Senate Parliamentarian’s office, stole a bottle of alcohol and then smoked marijuana in a Senator’s office during the Jan. 6 riot was sentenced Monday to four years in federal prison. Sean Emery in the East Bay Times$ -- 4/26/23

Cruise now runs its robotaxis 24 hours a day in S.F. Here’s what it means for city’s streets -- The milestone for the company means San Francisco will serve as the nation’s testing ground for how autonomous vehicles operate in a city without any geofencing or time restrictions. Ricardo Cano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

Newsom visits Tulare Lake, pledges help with floods. But one city says it’s not getting what it needs -- A city of 22,500 people that is vulnerable to flooding from the once-dead, now-huge lake is frantically trying to raise its levees. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Tim Sheehan in the Fresno Bee$ -- 4/26/23

Yosemite Valley campsites will close on Friday in anticipation of flooding -- Much of Yosemite National Park will be closed due to flooding fears from April 28 until May 2, officials said. The closures could extend beyond that. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/25/

San Francisco Art Institute declares bankruptcy, paving the way to liquidate millions in assets -- The San Francisco Art Institute has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, a move that will force the 152-year-old institution to liquidate its assets and abandon its legendary campus on the edge of Russian Hill. Sam Whiting in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

One of the most congested Bay Area highways is set to see huge changes — and a toll -- Drivers on Highway 37, the narrow and chronically congested commuter route through fragile North Bay wetlands, could see grinding rush-hour trips between I-80 in Solano County and Highway 101 in Marin County cut at least in half by a project that will widen a key stretch within just a few years. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

Hundreds more tech and biotech layoffs jolt Bay Area job market -- IBM, Accenture, Amplitude and Myovant Sciences are among the most recent companies to reveal staffing cutbacks in the Bay Area, according to documents on file with the state’s labor agency. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/26/23

Walters: Is it time for California to increase alcohol taxes? -- Although Californians’ overall tax burden is among the nation’s highest, the state’s taxes on alcoholic beverages are among the lowest. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 4/26/23

Lopez: Column: Is Biden too old to run again? Is Feinstein too frail to stay? It’s not about age -- It’s Feinstein’s health that matters, not her age. Same with Biden. We do not all age on the same schedule — and aging is not inherently negative. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

Google Is All About Cost Control Now -- Revenue growth remains sluggish while cost shuffling shines the cloud business’s bottom line. Dan Gallagher in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/26/23

Disability Rights Groups Sue to Overturn California’s Physician-Assisted Death Law -- Disability rights advocates sued Tuesday to overturn California’s physician-assisted death law, arguing that recent changes make it too easy for people with terminal diseases whose deaths aren’t imminent to kill themselves with drugs prescribed by a doctor. Don Thompson California Healthline -- 4/26/23

Man accused of impersonating a doctor may have illegally treated thousands -- A Studio City man is facing charges for allegedly providing medical care to thousands of patients at his Toluca Lake clinic without a license. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

Irvine will be home to country’s first all-electric hospital -- Spanning more than 800,000 square feet, and under the UCI Health umbrella, the medical campus will be powered by a central utility plant, an epicenter that will house all the equipment producing the electricity needed to power the facilities. Yusra Farzan in the Orange County Register -- 4/25/2

What Happened to the 1,300 RVs Gov. Newsom Sent to Address Homelessness Back in 2020? -- State housing advocates and fiscal watchdogs say the patchwork success of the trailer program raises questions about whether Newsom’s most recently announced homelessness plan — to erect 1,200 tiny homes across the state — could have a similarly uneven, largely inadequate impact. Sydney Johnson KQED -- 4/26/23

California's next community colleges chief pushed key reforms and now faces new challenges -- Sonya Christian has been a local college leader in Bakersfield, but her influence has extended far beyond the Central Valley. Michael Burke EdSource -- 4/26/23

EV sales are booming in California. Charts show how Tesla is quickly losing market share -- Sales of electric vehicles in California soared to a new high in early 2023, accounting for more than 21% of all new vehicles sold in the Golden State so far this year. Amy Chen, Yuri Avila, Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

LAPD officer photo scandal: Judge rejects city motion, gives victory to journalist -- A judge won’t issue a temporary restraining order against a reporter and an activist group that released LAPD officers’ photos. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

‘A tragedy beyond anybody’s imagination’: Mom killed, child injured walking to L.A. school -- A mother was killed and her 6-year-old daughter critically injured when they were struck by a likely impaired driver while crossing the street, officials said. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

San Bernardino Police Involved in Fatal Rob Adams Shooting Both Have Histories of Alleged Excessive Force -- Last July, San Bernardino police shot and killed a 23-year-old Black man as he ran from them while allegedly holding a gun. The police killing of Rob Adams drew protests and demands for accountability — and is the subject of a $100 million lawsuit filed on behalf of his family. Molly Solomon, Mike Kessler, Madison Aument KQED -- 4/26/23

‘Illegal late fees’ that ‘penalized poverty.’ Fresno court to end traffic ticket program -- The Fresno County Superior Court is among at least 10 across California that have ended a late-fee program for traffic tickets that preyed on low-income people of color to generate money for the court systems, according to an attorney and civil rights organizations that sued over the practice. Yesenia Amaro in the Fresno Bee$ -- 4/26/23

New details surface about Pink Poodle scandal involving San Jose firefighters -- Chief Robert Sapien says Pink Poodle dancer “persisted” in having a ride along in firetruck. Gabriel Greschler in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/26/23

Anthony Avalos’ mother and her boyfriend sentenced to life for murder of 10-year-old -- A solemn procession of teens and children all dressed in black strode into a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday and stepped up to address the judge. They all wanted one thing: a life sentence for Heather Barron, 33, and Kareem Leiva, 37. The judge granted their wish. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

‘This is a massive issue’: DWP board seeks answers on backlog of urgent repairs -- Top officials at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on Tuesday blamed poor oversight and planning to explain why power poles and other utility equipment flagged as unsafe have gone unrepaired in recent years. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

Why bills to crack down on fentanyl dealers have been doomed in the state Legislature -- 'It’s either fill the prisons again with people of color or fill the mortuaries,' says one parent in response to fears that stiffer penalties would hurt minorities. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register -- 4/26/23

Tsunami maps for California's central coast show an unusual risk -- Off the coast of Monterey lies stunning underwater terrain: an abyss whose walls soar higher than those of the Grand Canyon. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/26/23

Gray whale spends record amount of time in San Francisco Bay, concerning scientists -- A gray whale has been in the San Francisco Bay since early February, a record amount of time that could put the animal at risk of being struck by a ship, according to the Marine Mammal Center. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

Mattel launches first Barbie with Down syndrome to ‘counter social stigma’ -- The El Segundo, Calif.-based company said that the new fashion doll is “created to allow even more children to see themselves in Barbie, as well as have Barbie reflect the world around them.” Nardine Saad in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/26/23

Tuesday Updates

How Biden’s re-election launch affects three key Californians: Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom and Kevin McCarthy -- “The question we’re facing is whether – in the years ahead – we have more freedom or less freedom, more rights or fewer. I know what I want the answer to be,” Biden said in a video launching his re-election bid. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/25/23

Across the aisle: Can bipartisan caucuses change the California Legislature? -- The Problem Solvers Caucus, one of 16 non-party caucuses in the state Legislature, wants to put public policy before partisan politics, but that’s a tall task. Other caucuses are bipartisan mostly in name only. Sameea Kamal CalMatters -- 4/25/23

OC mobile home residents, who looked to legislature for rent relief, will have to wait -- But the legislation hit a roadblock last week when a committee decided not to hear the bill — in other words, pause its movement in the legislature — because of pending litigation. Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register -- 4/25/23

Snowmelt

California faces rapid snowmelt from heat wave; flood fears in Yosemite, elsewhere -- Temperatures in the San Joaquin Valley will climb to the high 80s and mid-90s this week, melting deep Sierra snowpack and triggering potential floods. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/25/23

Yosemite’s snowpack is getting hit with a heatwave. Here’s a timeline of impacts -- The European and American weather models are signaling a long-duration and intense upcoming heat wave, and parts of Yosemite could be dealing with flooding from excessive snowmelt by the second half of the week. Gerry Díaz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/25/23

Workplace

California Supreme Court asked to step into Prop. 22 fight after union loss to Uber, Lyft -- Opponents of Proposition 22, the controversial initiative that classified gig drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, have asked the the California Supreme Court to find the policy unconstitutional. Maya Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/25/23

California’s lowest paid health workers want a pay boost. Why industry leaders are pushing back -- As hospitals and other health care facilities struggle with staffing shortages, health workers could get a wage increase under a legislative proposal. But some smaller facilities already struggling financially say they can’t afford it. Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 4/25/23

Medi-Cal

‘A perfect storm’: Patients trying to hang on to Medi-Cal face long waits for help -- As the federal government has rolled back rules that helped people hang on to Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic, health providers fear the fallout could be disastrous for patients. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/25/23

Education

Priced out of a UC dream school, he’s choosing community college instead. He isn’t alone -- A growing share of low-income students admitted to the renowned University of California system are choosing community college instead as skyrocketing housing costs and insufficient financial aid put their dream campuses out of reach. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/25/23

Street

Detectives say a karate teacher had a gruesome secret. It took 42 years to make their case -- After more than four decades and a couple of wrong turns, DNA left at the scene of two homicides led detectives to an Oxnard karate teacher. Noah Goldberg, Mel Melcon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/25/23

Foster kids would be removed from cells in Sacramento County if new lawsuit prevails -- The lawsuit, filed last week in Sacramento Superior Court by NAACP Sacramento President Betty Williams, alleges that while her 14-year-old relative was under the care of the county, she was preyed upon by a pimp and forced into sex work. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/25/23

Chatbots and the new AI: What will Silicon Valley unleash upon the world this time? -- Jobs. News. Art. Democracy. Equality. Education. Privacy. Truth. Your bank account. All will be impacted by Silicon Valley’s latest creation: “generative” artificial intelligence. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/25/23

Transit

At LA Metro, going cashless is a bumpy road, especially for the ‘unbanked’ -- Many bus riders still put cash in the fare box, despite efforts to nudge them to use the TAP system. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/25/23

Also:

Harry Belafonte, singer, actor and civil rights activist, dies at 96 -- Harry Belafonte, the award-winning entertainer who fueled an international calypso craze in the 1950s with his version of the “Banana Boat Song” and whose long career in show business paralleled his off-stage role as a civil rights activist and globe-trotting humanitarian, has died in New York. Dennis McLellan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/25/23

To live and die in downtown L.A.: Drug addicts, homelessness and hawks -- Life in downtown Los Angeles is a roulette wheel of homelessness, wealth, film shoots, murals and the promise and burden of an unfinished city. Jeffrey Fleishman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/25/23

Law firm head bought Gorsuch-owned property -- The Supreme Court justice did not report the identity of the purchaser, whose firm has had numerous cases before the court. Heidi Przybyla Politico -- 4/25/23

Rough & Tumble ® A Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics
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