Updating . . .

Senate report: Caltrans ignored shoddy work on Bay Bridge in China and U.S. -- A report released by the California Senate on Wednesday provides new details about construction lapses on the eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and raises fresh doubts about the long-term reliability of materials used in the $6.4 billion project. Charles Piller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

A role reversal for Gov. Brown and California GOP -- The call-and-response to California Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State address Wednesday flipped traditional party roles on their heads. Look for more of it in 2014. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Boehner throws weight behind GOP’s California drought bill -- In what looks to be a replay of the water wars of 2009, three Central Valley House Republicans said Wednesday they are drafting legislation to open the delta spigots to send more water to parched farms and take it away from fish and environmental restoration. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

California Senate to hold off confirming forestry board appointees -- Concerned that officials are leaving millions of fire-prevention dollars unspent, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said Wednesday that he will put off a Senate vote to confirm two appointees of Gov. Jerry Brown to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

California chief justice says courts need more money -- California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye today said Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget shortchanges the judicial branch. Dan Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

Atkins tapped for Assembly speaker -- San Diego’s Toni Atkins on Wednesday was elected as the next speaker of the Assembly — a powerful post that will put her in the position to directly negotiate compromises with Gov. Jerry Brown as the state confronts complex and controversial issues from the budget to the drought to education. Michael Gardner UT San Diego$ Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Neel Kashkari sorta explains his spotty voting record. Sorta. -- So on the official Day 2 of his gubernatorial campaign, GOP Neel Kashkari personally responded to Comrade Marinucci’s takedown this week on his spotty voting record. No, his voting record isn’t Meg Whitman bad. But he didn’t vote as recently as, oh, the 2012 primary. Ouch. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

Jerry Brown lauds California's 'comeback' -- Gov. Jerry Brown said today that California is continuing its "comeback," with a budget surplus and am improving economy, but he urged the Legislature to restrain spending. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Juliet Williams Associated Press Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times Carla Marinucci and Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle Jessica Calefati in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/14

Brown grapples with drought impacts -- Gov. Brown said today that California, facing an unprecedented drought, needs to “make investments in safe drinking water” and that “recycling, expanded storage and serious groundwater management must all be part of the mix.” But the governor did not endorse multibillion-dollar bond plans to build water infrastructure projects. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 1/22/14

Jerry Brown's 5 best State of the State moments -- Call it a California Humblebrag. John Myers News10 -- 1/22/14

Tainted funds were spent for Dumanis -- The federal complaint filed Tuesday alleging hundreds of thousands of dollars of foreign money were funneled into San Diego elections mentions four candidates, without naming any of them. Trent Seibert UT San Diego$ -- 1/22/14

Sutter Brown playing cards are a hit in the Capitol -- When members of Gov. Jerry Brown’s office handed out copies of the State of the State speech on Wednesday, they tucked in a surprise -- a playing card with a picture of Sutter Brown, the governor’s popular corgi. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times Ben Mullin in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

Republican, Democratic lawmakers divided over Brown speech -- Republican lawmakers were critical of the governor's State of the State address Wednesday, saying it was light on details and sugarcoated economic issues and what they said were policies unfriendly to business. Patrick McGreevy and Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Republicans criticize Jerry Brown for leaving poverty rate out of State of the State -- Two Republicans bidding to unseat Gov. Jerry Brown this year criticized the Democratic governor Wednesday for failing to mention California's nation-high poverty rate in his State of the State address. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

Donnelly says Brown should return budget surplus to taxpayers -- Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Republican candidate for governor, said Wednesday that Gov. Jerry Brown should return any budget surplus to taxpayers rather than increase spending, because voters approved temporary tax increases in 2012 to shore up the state’s finances. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Neel Kashkari faults Jerry Brown for leaving poverty out of speech -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari criticized Gov. Jerry Brown’s State of the State address Wednesday morning as a victory lap that failed to offer any comfort for Californians who are living in poverty, unemployed or underemployed. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Fox: Policy, Short and Sweet -- Neel Kashkari’s policy paper for his gubernatorial campaign is on one side of a piece of paper. “Education and jobs,” he says. “That’s it.” Certainly, he’s picked the two topics most important to Californians and if he can fix these two major issues a lot of the state’s problems go away. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/22/14

Read Jerry Brown's State of the State speech, as delivered -- Gov. Jerry Brown spoke for about 17 minutes during Wednesday's State of the State speech — an address that would have been even shorter but for several diversions Brown made from his prepared text. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning

Brown expected to stress his gains in State of the State speech -- The governor is expected to underscore his achievements and emphasize tight reins on spending and solutions to the state's water woes, all with an eye on reelection. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

GOP drought bill: Boost Delta pumping, stop San Joaquin River restoration -- Three San Joaquin Valley Republican congressmen will join House Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday in Bakersfield, where they will announce emergency drought legislation intended to bring more water to the region. John Ellis in the Fresno Bee -- 1/22/14

Walters: Jerry Brown assumes political ownership of drought -- America’s political executives – presidents, governors and big city mayors – are often judged by how they respond to unanticipated crises. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

California lawmaker lobbies against ‘jab at my husband’ -- It’s not often you see a lawmaker lobbying her colleagues to kill a bill because she thinks it insults her husband. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

Mark Ridley-Thomas acknowledges home improvements by county workers -- L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas says he reimbursed the county for work done in addition to the installation of a taxpayer-funded security system. Paul Pringle and Jack Leonard in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

State Sen. Wright says he believed he was following election law -- Being tried on perjury and voter fraud charges, Wright says he never considered his Baldwin Hills house his 'domicile.' Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times Nick Green in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/22/14

Toni Atkins poised to become next Assembly speaker -- The contest to become California's next Assembly speaker could be over, with multiple lawmakers and staffers telling The Bee that Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, has secured enough votes to lead Assembly Democrats. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Michael Smolens UT San Diego$ -- 1/22/14

Path to Congress opening up for Mark DeSaulnier -- Another day in the race to replace retiring Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, another major potential foe of state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier vanquished. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle Lisa Vorderbrueggen in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 1/22/14

Tony Strickland enters race to succeed Rep. McKeon; GOP fight expected -- Former Republican state legislator Tony Strickland made it official Tuesday. As expected, he's abandoning his challenge to Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Oak Park) and entering the race to succeed retiring Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) in a neighboring district. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Republican Could Help Honda in Ultimate California House Primary -- A little-known Republican could bust attorney Ro Khanna’s well-funded quest to defeat another Democrat, longtime Rep. Michael M. Honda, in a Silicon Valley-based House district. Emily Cahn Roll Call -- 1/22/14

GOP moderate Neel Kashkari running for governor -- Neel Kashkari, a moderate Republican who ran the bailout of financial institutions under the Bush and Obama administrations, jumped into his first-ever political race Tuesday - this year's contest to challenge Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle Juliet Williams Associated Press David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Seema Mehta and Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times John Myers News10 Jessica Calefati in the San Jose Mercury$ Laura Olson in the Orange County Register$ Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Jon Fleischman Flash Report Alejandro Lazo in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/22/14

Neel Kashkari's voting record spotty since 1998 -- Former Treasury Department official Neel Kashkari, a moderate Republican who is expected to run for governor, has failed to vote in nearly half the elections in which he was eligible since 1998 - including the 2012 presidential primary and the 2005 special election called to decide the reform agenda of then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger - public records show. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

Private prison operator is on list of maxed-out Brown contributors -- Labor unions, Hollywood's glitterati, California philanthropists and a private company profiting from Gov. Jerry Brown's fight over prison crowding are among 72 top donors who have maxed out on contributions to Brown's reelection campaign even before he officially runs. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Two charged in illegal San Diego campaign contribution scheme -- A retired San Diego police officer and the owner of a Washington, D.C.-based election services business have been charged with conspiring to funnel more than $500,000 of illegal contributions from a Mexican businessman into San Diego campaigns, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Bill would require California employers to give paid sick days -- Hourly workers in California would be able to accrue paid sick days under a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

Pelosi, Lee and Speier tout women's agenda in San Francisco -- With November's midterm elections looking dicey, Democrats are touting their effort to improve the economy by providing equal protections and new opportunities for working women -- one of the party's most loyal voting blocs. Josh Richman in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/14

Dueling polls released in San Diego mayor's race --The California Democratic Party got the ball rolling, publicizing a poll showing City Councilman David Alvarez with a hairsbreadth lead just three weeks until Election Day. A few hours later, the Republican Party of San Diego released a poll it commissioned showing City Councilman Kevin Faulconer leading by a little more than 13 percent. Mark Walker UT San Diego$ -- 1/22/14

Feds: Illegal money funneled to San Diego pols -- The owner of a Washington, D.C.-based campaign firm and a former San Diego police detective are accused of conspiring with a foreign national to illegally inject more than $500,000 into San Diego political races, including the 2012 mayoral contest, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Craig Gustafson and Susan Shroder UT San Diego$ -- 1/22/14

Officials, advocates at odds over handling of caregiver abuse cases -- Officials from the California Department of Public Health and long-term care advocates clashed today at an Assembly oversight hearing over regulators’ ability to process complaints of abuse against nursing assistants. Rachael Bale Center for Investigative Reporting -- 1/22/14

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti appoints fire watchdog -- Continuing his shake-up of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Mayor Eric Garcetti named a top aide on Tuesday to serve as the agency’s new independent assessor. Rick Orlov in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/22/14

Bobby Shriver notes Kennedy heritage in launching supervisor campaign -- Bobby Shriver invoked his Kennedy family heritage on Tuesday as he launched his campaign for Los Angeles County supervisor, using his place in the political dynasty to try to gain an edge even while casting himself as an outsider. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Herdt: Health care politics beyond Obamacare -- Health care reform is certain to become a dominant political issue in California this fall, as special interests are gearing up to engage voters in a spirited debate about access to doctors and hospitals, health insurance costs, and taxes to fund government programs. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 1/22/14

UC quake researchers give L.A. list of old concrete buildings -- The University of California has released to Los Angeles city officials a list of about 1,500 old concrete buildings that are potentially at risk of collapse during an earthquake. Rong-Gong Lin II, Rosanna Xia and Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

BART police officer shot dead by colleague in Dublin -- A seemingly routine mission by BART police to gather evidence at a robbery suspect's apartment in Dublin went horribly wrong Tuesday when one of the officers who forced entry into the home accidentally shot and killed another officer, authorities said. Henry K. Lee, Kale Williams and Carolyn Jones in the San Francisco Chronicle Lee Romney in the Los Angeles Times David DeBolt, Jeremy Thomas and Katie Nelson in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/14

AP Exclusive: LAX gunfire came while officers away -- Minutes before a gunman opened fire in a Los Angeles International Airport terminal last fall, killing a security screener and wounding three other people, the two armed officers assigned to the area left for breaks without informing a dispatcher as required. Tami Abdollah Associated Press -- 1/22/14

Fullerton's chief will 'vigorously defend' firing officers -- Police Chief Dan Hughes tells packed City Council chambers he has been cooperating with the FBI, which continues to investigate fatal beating of homeless man. Lou Ponsi and Rebecca Kheel in the Orange County Register$ -- 1/22/14

Lopez: Law could be Kelly Thomas' legacy -- The death of a mentally ill homeless man could give Orange County authorities incentive to approve Laura's Law, which allows court-ordered treatment. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Was it suicide? Questions abound in death of pepper-sprayed inmate -- Sometime around 10 p.m. on Sept. 6, the guards at Mule Creek State Prison in Amador County decided to take action against Joseph Damien Duran, a mentally ill inmate who had been acting up inside his cell for hours. Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

Federal appeals court forbids barring gays and lesbians from jury service -- In a decision giving sweeping new legal protections to gays and lesbians, a federal appeals court on Tuesday found it as unconstitutional to exclude jurors based on sexual orientation as it is to keep women and minorities off juries. Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury$ Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Red-light cameras being stopped -- Red-light cameras — controversial traffic enforcement devices that can ding an unsuspecting motorist for $500 a pop for minor infractions like illegally turning right on red — are slowly fading to black. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/22/14

Economy, Employers and Jobs

San Francisco to impose fees, restrictions on Google buses -- San Francisco's transportation agency imposed fees and restrictions on Google buses and other corporate commuter shuttles Tuesday, but that's unlikely to stop the protests or quell the animosity fueled by the sleek private buses. Michael Cabanatuan and Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

San Francisco tenant alleges landlord evicted him for Airbnb profits -- Now Butler is suing his landlords for unjust eviction. His case highlights an ongoing issue of Airbnb and other sites that allow people to rent out spare rooms or entire apartments to temporary visitors. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

Airbnb discrimination? Study finds black hosts charge less on average -- A recent study released by Harvard Business School professors says black hosts on Airbnb typically charge lower fees than non-black hosts for similar properties, signaling the black hosts may be facing discrimination through the online service. Salvador Rodriguez in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Foreclosure filings plummet amid higher home prices -- A report released Tuesday has found that new California foreclosure filings plunged at the end of last year, as a rebounding economy and higher home prices further healed the housing market. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Scalia may be swing vote in union-fees case -- The Supreme Court is weighing whether public employees should continue to be required to pay union fees, even if they don't join or support its activities. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Education

Los Angeles City Hall takes a fresh look at LAUSD -- Los Angeles Unified Superintendent John Deasy made a rare appearance before a City Council committee on Tuesday, marking the potential start of a closer relationship between City Hall and the school district. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/22/14

Should kindergarten be required? -- San Diego Assemblywoman Shirley Weber says the state has long centered education policy on the assumption that students attend kindergarten. Michael Gardner UT San Diego$ -- 1/22/14

The Charter School Tipping Point -- The San Diego Unified School board recently shot down a proposed charter school, opening the door to questions about how many charter schools are too many, and whether the district is on the road to creating a parallel school system. Mario Koran Voiceofsandiego.org -- 1/22/14

Ali: Early education narrows the gap between the haves and have-nots -- Compton, Watts and other South Los Angeles communities are filled with families struggling with the growing income disparity that grips the country. Micah Ali EdSource -- 1/22/14

Environment

Scientists to look for link between California drought, climate change -- California’s drought will be one of the extreme weather events that the American Meteorological Society will examine later this year to determine whether the cause is natural variability or human-caused climate change, the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center said Tuesday. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

Brace yourself for California's driest winter in 500 years: UC Berkeley professor -- Yes, 2013 was the driest year in California since the 1840s, when recordkeeping started. But Lynn Ingram, a climate expert at the University of California, Berkeley, thinks this could be the Golden State's driest year in half a millennium. Steven E.F. Brown San Francisco Business Times -- 1/22/14

New virus linked to bee colony collapse disorder --A rapidly mutating virus has leaped from plants to honeybees, where it is reproducing and contributing to the collapse of colonies vital to the multibillion-dollar agricultural industry, according to a new study. Geoffrey Mohan in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Health

Covered California faulted for low Latino enrollment -- Critics fault the program for missteps. Only 20% of enrollees through the end of December described themselves as Latino on their application. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/14

500,000 Californians enrolled into health plans, but many still stay away -- Half a million people enrolled into private health care plans through Covered California in its first three months, with 85 percent of them receiving tax subsidies to help pay for coverage, according to state data released Tuesday. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Bernard Wolfson in the Orange County Register$ -- 1/22/14

Anthem Blue Cross scores highest Covered California enrollment -- Anthem Blue Cross continues to score the highest enrollment in Covered California halfway through the enrollment period for coverage in 2014. Kathy Robertson Sacramento Business Journal -- 1/22/14

Obamacare enrollees in California hit the million mark -- Halfway through the federal health care law's enrollment period that started Oct. 1, more than a million Californians have signed up for some form of health insurance, according to figures released Tuesday by the state's new insurance marketplace. Tracy Seipel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/22/14

Immigration/Border

White House dials it down on immigration -- The White House is trying to dial down the partisan rhetoric on immigration — and it’s asking its allies to do the same. Reid J. Epstein Politico -- 1/22/14

States boost immigration action -- State legislatures are growing increasingly impatient when it comes to comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, according to a new report, which shows a massive increase in laws and resolutions to fix the broken immigration system. Jose Delreal Politico -- 1/22/14

Also...

Fewer L.A. County probation department employees arrested in 2013 -- Officials say decline in misconduct is the result of stricter standards and internal investigations, but officers' union disagrees. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Trial begins in ex-banking exec's excessive force case against LAPD -- Brian Mulligan, former vice chairman of Deutsche Bank, testifies that his nose and shoulder blade were broken during a confrontation with two LAPD officers. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Suspects accused of sparking Colby fire charged with federal crime -- Three men accused of accidentally sparking the Colby fire, which has scorched an estimated 1,952 acres near Glendora, were charged by federal prosecutors Tuesday with illegally setting a campfire. Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times Ruby Gonzales in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 1/22/14

Oakland lagging in police reforms, monitor says -- Oakland has slipped in its latest efforts to comply with federal court-ordered reforms, a court-appointed monitor said in his most recent evaluation of the Police Department's progress. Will Kane in the San Francisco Chronicle Matthew Artz in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/22/14

The Hidden Costs of Oakland's Surveillance Center -- Federal funds are financing the construction of the Domain Awareness Center, but city documents show Oakland likely will have to pay at least some of the DAC's $1.2 million in annual operating costs. Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston East Bay Express -- 1/22/14

Assembly bill calls for evidence in unsolved, neglected rape cases to get attention -- After being drugged and raped at Bay to Breakers in 2010, San Francisco resident Heather Marlowe was told it would take about two weeks for the DNA evidence collected from her body to be tested against a database of criminals' DNA profiles. Malaika Fraley in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/22/14

App makes contesting San Francisco parking citations easier -- David Hegarty, founder of Fixed, fought so many parking tickets over the years that he crafted his own templates to save time mailing the agency, and eventually wound up lending his expertise to friends. Ellen Huet in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/22/14

Warren Buffett offers $1 billion for a perfect March Madness bracket -- Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will pay $1 billion to the person who correctly guesses the winner of every game during the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Stuart Pfeifer in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

Pimco's El-Erian resigns -- El-Erian, 55, will leave his dual roles of CEO and co-chief investment officer in mid-March, according to a statement Tuesday from Allianz SE, the Munich-based parent of Pimco. Bill Gross, co-founder of the Newport Beach-based firm, will remain CIO. Bloomberg Tom Lauricella and Julie Steinberg in the Wall Street Journal$ Margot Roosevelt and Marni Usheroff in the Orange County Register$-- 1/22/14

Eye-popping party house for sale in WeHo -- Southern California’s most over-the-top party house, complete with a casino room and a two-story disco, is back on the market and it’s looking more outrageous than ever. Lauren Beale in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

First Google Glass App for Sex Sees Everything (Yes, Everything) -- It was bound to happen: A developer claims that he built the first Google Glass app designed for sex. No, not porn — sex. Pete Pachal Mashable -- 1/22/14

POTUS 44

Obama's data gurus - myths and reality -- How much of a boost did President Obama’s 2012 campaign really get from its much-vaunted mastery of data analysis? A significant amount, but not as much as some people think, according to a new analysis by two leading political scientists. David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/22/14

NSA / Surveillance

Snowden calls Russian-spy story "absurd" -- Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor turned whistleblower, strongly denies allegations made by members of Congress that he was acting as a spy, perhaps for a foreign power, when he took hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. government documents. Jane Mayer The New Yorker -- 1/22/14