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Jeb Bush takes tough questions while wooing tech world in San Francisco -- Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush came to praise the high-tech innovation economy Thursday, but he ended up fielding some tough questions on discrimination against gay workers and his stance on net neutrality. Josh Richman in the Contra Costa Times$ Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Lawmakers revive measures to hike tobacco age, regulate e-cigarettes -- Health advocates saw their tobacco-control legislation thwarted earlier this month in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee. But they will get a new chance in the Legislature’s special session on healthcare – and they have their leaders’ blessing. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Group sues 13 school districts for not using test scores in teacher evaluations -- An education advocacy group sued 13 California school districts Thursday, claiming that they have ignored a state law requiring teachers’ performance evaluations to include student standardized test scores. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Introduce a bill and pay a fee, says proposed ballot measure -- California lawmakers are considering upping the price of direct democracy by increasing to $2,000 the decades-old $200 fee to file a ballot measure. Assembly Bill 1100 was inspired by a divisive failed initiative to sanction the killing of gays and lesbians, which has generated its own $200 spoofs. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Gov. Brown signs bill closing loophole in sexual assault law -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed into law a bill that blocks adults sued in California civil court by minors over sexual assault allegations from using the defense that the child consented to the sexual contact. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

California flexes muscles in water tussle with farmers -- California water regulators flexed their muscles on Thursday by ordering a group of farmers to stop pumping from a branch of the San Joaquin River amid an escalating battle over how much power the state has to protect waterways that are drying up in the drought. Fenit Nirappil and Scott Smith Associated Press Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

State goes after district that fought conservation order -- A week after a small water district just outside the Bay Area won a legal victory against California’s strong push for water conservation, the state ordered the same district Thursday to stop pumping river water to farmers, making it the first target of disciplinary action under the drought-driven crackdown. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

California Drought: Forecast To Persist, Intensify Through October -- Thunderstorms during the past week helped decrease exceptional drought in one county in California as exceptional, extreme and severe drought conditions dominate the state, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor released July 16. Ed Joyce Capital Public Radio -- 7/16/15

Ranchers sue over rule giving feds authority on state water -- Ranchers in New Mexico, California and Washington state are challenging a new Obama administration rule giving federal agencies authority to protect some streams and wetlands. Russell Contreras Associated Press -- 7/16/15

House passes California drought bill, but Senate action is unlikely -- Proponents said the measure would provide access to much-needed additional water and lay the groundwork for long-term water storage solutions, but opponents homed in on provisions that they said would harm the environment and interfere with state and local decisionmaking. Colin Diersing in the Los Angeles Times$ Michael Doyle in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Aetna's 21% rate hike amounts to 'price gouging,' California regulator says -- California's managed-care regulator slammed health insurance giant Aetna Inc. on Thursday for "price gouging" after it raised rates on small employers by 21%. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

State is probing CPUC boss's disclosure -- Enforcement agents from the California Fair Political Practices Commission are scrutinizing the president of the California Public Utilities Commission over tens of thousands of dollars he raised from labor groups and energy lawyers to pay for a gala dinner honoring his predecessor. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

Bills aim to reform utilities agency -- Legislation aimed at reforming the California Public Utilities Commission keeps winning support in the state Capitol, although some critics say the proposals don’t go far enough. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

Bill barring grand juries in use-of-force cases clears California Assembly -- Legislation that would prohibit California from turning to grand juries after police officers use lethal force squeaked out of the California Assembly on a 41-33 vote Thursday. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Lyft, other ride-share companies in compliance with state regulations -- Lyft and other ride-sharing companies are in compliance with California regulations, a judge said in a ruling that recommended Uber face a multimillion-dollar fine and suspension. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

LAX poised to become largest U.S. airport to allow Uber -- Airport officials began weighing a proposal at a meeting Thursday that would allow ride-hailing services to legally pick up passengers. The decision would make Los Angeles the biggest city in the United States to allow Uber and Lyft to operate at an airport. Laura J. Nelson and Katie Shepard in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Jeb Bush takes Uber to San Francisco startup -- Presidential contender Jeb Bush used the ride-sharing service Uber to arrive Thursday at a startup where he was expected to talk up the benefits of small business and entrepreneurship as part of a fundraising swing through the San Francisco Bay Area. Janie Har Associated Press Dan Brekke KQED -- 7/16/15

Harris leads money race, but poor Republicans could propel Sanchez -- Kamala Harris fortified her front-runner status this week when her latest report showed she’s raised $4.1 million since entering the U.S. Senate race in January, bringing her cash on hand to nearly $3 million roughly a year ahead of the primary. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

How much is a life worth? Calculations behind Gardena's $4.7-million police shooting settlement -- An attorney representing the family of Ricardo Diaz Zeferino, whose shooting death by Gardena police was captured in a video made public this week, bristled Wednesday morning talking about the millions the city paid out to settle the family's lawsuit. Victoria Kim in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Farrell wants gun transactions in the city (San Francisco) recorded -- Not many guns nor much ammunition is sold in San Francisco, but Supervisor Mark Farrell wants to record those transactions. He’s asking the city attorney to draft legislation to the videotaping of all such sales in the city, as well as require businesses to give the police department weekly updates on its ammunition sales. Emily Green in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Google self-driving car involved in first injury accident -- In the collision, a Lexus SUV that the tech giant outfitted with sensors and cameras was rear-ended in Google's home city of Mountain View, where more than 20 prototypes have been self-maneuvering through traffic. Justin Pritchard Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Fewer released felons returning to California prisons -- Fewer felons released from state prison are returning because of committing new crimes or having their paroles revoked, a new report from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Marijuana legalization in California: Leading group moves to place initiative on 2016 ballot -- Proponents of a proposition that would make California the fifth state to legalize pot for pleasure are a few weeks away from kicking off their November 2016 campaign, supporters said Thursday on a conference call with reporters. Jessica Calefati in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 7/16/15

Southern California home sales soar in June; prices climb 5.7% -- The dramatic sales increase, the largest in nearly three years, comes as families race to purchase a home before the Federal Reserve raises short-term interest rates, real estate agents say. The rate increase is expected later this year. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

California Assembly OKs warnings for Airbnb-type rentals -- Legislation advancing in California would require short-term rental housing websites including Airbnb to warn users they may be violating their leases. Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Grocery chain Haggen laying off workers as it struggles in Southland -- Haggen Inc., the supermarket chain that bet big on California, is laying off employees and cutting worker hours as it struggles to make headway in the highly competitive Southland grocery market. Shan Li, Whip Villarreal in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Bill inspired by Orinda second grader heads to governor's desk -- Eight months after the second-grade daughter of a live-in nanny was told she would have to leave the affluent school district here, a bill inspired by her plight is headed to the governor's desk. Matthias Gafni in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 7/16/15

California Assembly OKs measure to boost voter turnout in city elections -- California cities with low voter turnouts would be required to consolidate their elections with the state elections, under legislation approved Thursday by the state Assembly. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Why California’s IT chief pumped brakes on $309 million state project -- One state IT leader says the project is ready to move forward. Another says it isn’t. At stake: hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

State Senate resolution praises papal encyclical on climate change -- The state Senate approved a resolution on Thursday praising Pope Francis' encyclical on climate change and calling on politicians to heed its call for better stewardship of the environment. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Legislature urges UC campuses to condemn anti-Semitism -- The measure, SCR 35, was introduced after a series of troubling incidents at UC campuses in recent months, including the vandalism of a UC Davis Jewish fraternity with Nazi swastikas in January. Kurt Chirbas in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

UC San Diego raises $1 billion for research -- UC San Diego raised $1 billion in research funding during the fiscal year that ended June 30 -- the fourth time since 2010 that the school has broken the billion dollar mark. "The figure reflects the creativity of our faculty," said Pradeep Khosla, the university's chancellor. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

Rash of coffee-spill car crashes linked to insurance scam -- Thirty-three people who wrecked cars on purpose after claiming to spill coffee on themselves have been charged with insurance fraud in San Jose, prosecutors said. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Fox: Rise of the Referendum—But Not for All Issues -- Referendums on legislative actions may be making a comeback in California. Earlier this week opponents of SB 277, the mandatory vaccination measure, began their quest to refer that legislative action to the voters for the November 2016 election. Already qualified to appear on that ballot is a referendum on banning single use plastic bags in the state. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 7/16/15

Hubler: Ask Reddit anything but how to fix hate -- With Silicon Valley’s favorite whipping girl, Ellen Pao, driven from the top job at Reddit, the folks at the website’s “Chairman Pao” subreddit forum haven’t seemed to know what to do this week with their glorious victory. Shawn Hubler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Selfie incrimination: Thief accidentally takes picture of himself in act, police say -- Highlighting how technology has given criminals new ways to bungle their crimes, Los Angeles police are distributing photos and video of a man who stole an iPhone in Venice and activated its video feature, allowing the device to capture images of the poorly executed caper in progress. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Bay divers working Pier 14 killing find slain cat, bust owner -- San Francisco police divers who jumped into the bay to look for evidence in the Pier 14 killing not only found the suspected murder weapon — they located a dead cat in a bag submerged by a 10-pound weight, officials said Thursday. Because the cat had an injected microchip, police and city animal control officers were able to track down and arrest the owner, who was identified as 34-year-old Adrian Erik Dumont. Hamed Aleaziz in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Majestic Old Mint has become a campground for the homeless -- In recent months, those looking to pitch a tent or unroll a sleeping bag in San Francisco have found a primo location at Fifth and Mission streets. At least one tent was sitting at the top of the stairs of the venerated Old Mint on Friday, Monday and Tuesday. Mike Moffitt in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Man shot by LAPD outside Venice coffee shop dies -- Jason Davis was pronounced dead at a hospital at about 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, L.A. County coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said. Officials believe Davis was homeless, Winter said, with relatives living out of the state. Kate Mather in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

For fourth time in history, space station crew forced to hide from space junk -- A small piece of an old Russian weather satellite forced the crew of the International Space Station to take cover in an escape vehicle for a short time Thursday. Karen Kaplan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Transgender issues may be the next front in California’s culture wars -- It was a California law that, no matter what, was bound to generate interest: Public school students would be allowed to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding with their gender identities, not their anatomy at birth. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Lawmakers shelve bill to change voter-approved crime measure -- California lawmakers are shelving a bill intended to change a voter-approved initiative that reduced criminal penalties for some non-violent offenders. Democratic Assemblyman Jim Cooper of Elk Grove said Wednesday that he will try again next year to fix what he calls an unintended consequence of Proposition 47. Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Medical Marijuana Regulation Bill Gains Momentum -- Nearly two decades after California voters legalized medical marijuana, state lawmakers appear more ready than ever before to regulate it. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 7/16/15

Loretta Sanchez trails Kamala Harris in Senate fundraising -- Rep. Loretta Sanchez reported $1.1 million in the bank for her U.S. Senate campaign at the end of June, barely a third of what her chief rival Kamala Harris says she has collected for the race, according to a Sanchez report released Wednesday. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Loretta Sanchez (and colleagues) party like a pop star (Taylor Swift) -- No doubt there were scores of screaming tweens at Taylor Swift’s concerts this week in Washington D.C. There also were members of Congress – plenty of them. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Embattled California housing agency chairman leaving in September -- The chairman of the state agency that finances affordable housing has announced he will soon leave amid criticism that his development company plans to eliminate several rent-controlled units to make way for million dollar homes. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Skelton: Is it wise to give regulators the power to impose cuts in state's gasoline use? -- The biggest bill still moving through the state Legislature this summer is backed by the Senate leader, the governor and essentially the pope. So opponents — mainly oil companies — don't have a prayer. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Justice Kennedy: 'Constitution is yours' -- It took U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy six days to write the landmark majority decision allowing same-sex marriage nationwide. Kristina Davis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

Gov. Jerry Brown signs bill giving labor protections to pro sports cheerleaders -- Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law Wednesday to ensure that cheerleaders for professional sports teams receive the minimum wage, workers' compensation and other labor protections. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Greenhut: Bill takes profiteering out of policing -- Recent news stories and studies have documented the degree to which California law enforcement agencies use something called “civil asset forfeiture” to take cars, cash and even real estate from people who have never been accused of a crime. Steven Greenhut in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

Taxes, Fees, Rates    

Water Authority wins rate case -- The San Diego County Water Authority won two sweeping legal victories Wednesday in a mammoth rate case against Southern California’s largest water wholesaler. If the tentative rulings in the years-long dispute stand, local water users could eventually see significant relief from soaring water bills. Bradley J. Fikes in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ Alexander Nguyen Times of San Diego Eric Pincus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Homeowners’ temporary tax reductions are going away -- Thanks to a rebound in the economy and real estate values, county assessment rolls — and by extension property tax revenues — are going up between 5.2 and 8.7 percent in eight Bay Area counties this fiscal year. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions    

San Jose, unions reach pension settlement -- After more than three years of bitter fighting, city and public safety union leaders Wednesday reached a tentative deal that would end litigation over the Measure B pension reforms voters overwhelmingly approved in 2012. Ramona Giwargis in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 7/16/15

Silicon Valley Firms Beginning to Make Labor Concessions -- Silicon Valley’s tech giants are used to bottom-line pressures from their shareholders. Now they’re facing new pressures from the other side of the economic divide: low-wage service workers. Beth Willon KQED -- 7/16/15

Here we go again: Gas prices top 2014 high as average hits $4.25 in Orange County -- Perhaps surprising no one, the average price of gas in Orange County on Wednesday eclipsed our 2014 high. Hananh Madans in the Orange County Register -- 7/16/15

Housing activists urge city to investigate Airbnb rentals at Hollywood site -- In the latest skirmish in Los Angeles' expanding war over the sharing economy, housing and labor activists are demanding the city investigate a Hollywood apartment building that they claim "skirted" rent control regulations by offering apartments for short stays through the Airbnb website. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Uber should be suspended in California and fined $7.3 million, judge says -- The ride-hailing giant Uber should be fined $7.3 million and suspended from operating in California because its parent company did not comply with state laws, a state administrative judge said Wednesday. Laura J. Nelson and Paresh Dave in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Employee or contractor? Labor moves to clarify rules around increasingly contentious issue -- The Labor Department issued new guidance Wednesday that could limit the ability of many companies to designate their workers as contractors. That could spell trouble for sharing-economy firms such as Uber and TaskRabbit, which rely on independent workers, often for short-term projects. Christopher S. Rugaber Associated Press -- 7/16/15

San Francisco homeless population getting sicker, older, survey says -- The number of homeless people on San Francisco’s streets has stubbornly remained nearly the same over the past two years — and that population is now sicker, older and being shoved into different neighborhoods by gentrification, new city statistics show. Kevin Fagan and Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Fed chief Janet Yellen sees first rate hike later this year -- Unfazed by recent global turmoil, Federal Reserve Chair Janet L. Yellen is offering a fairly optimistic outlook for the U.S. economy and reaffirming that the central bank is likely to begin raising interest rates later this year. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

McSwain: No pain, no gain for public pensions -- From Greece to Detroit, underfunded pension systems are wrecking government services and depressing economies. Dan McSwain in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

Google debuts "buy" buttons on smartphones -- Google is eyeing small screens as the big future of online shopping. Daina Beth Solomon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Drought   

State softens approach to curtailing water use in drought -- State water officials on Wednesday softened their approach to telling thousands of California farmers to stop pumping from rivers to irrigate crops during the drought but warned that stiff penalties still await anybody who takes water they don't have a right to use. Scott Smith Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Tom Selleck 'pleased' by settlement with water district, attorney says -- A Ventura County water district Wednesday formally approved a settlement with actor Tom Selleck, whom it had accused of illegally delivering water to his Hidden Valley ranch. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

How more lawn restrictions could remake the California landscape -- First it was existing lawns, with Gov. Jerry Brown leading the way in urging Californians to rip out swaths of green to save vast amounts of water. Now state regulators have their sights set on grass that hasn't even been planted. Matt Stevens in the Los Angeles Times$ Fenit Nirappil Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Abcarian: Santa Cruz Water School: A reeducation camp for water wasters -- They were summoned to Water School because they had a leaky toilet. Or perhaps they had turned on the vegetable garden’s drip irrigation and left town for a few days. They might have let a painter prep their house with a high-pressure water hose. Or had a broken sprinkler that created an invisible swamp in the yard. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Sacramento-area residents cut water use 35 percent in June -- Sacramento-area residents reduced their water use by 35 percent in June, the first month of mandatory statewide conservation, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Regional Water Authority. Dale Kasler and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/16/15

Turf protection for HOA members advances -- A bill allowing residents of homeowners associations to install artificial turf without fear of fines was approved unanimously this week by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The item is in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/16/15

A Solution for California's Water Woes -- During the drought, the state has failed to safeguard water supplies and the environment, and now there's a growing call to finally fix California's archaic "water rights" system. Will Parrish East Bay Express -- 7/16/15

Education 

Audit finds mismanagement, ethical breaches in L.A. Unified food service -- The Los Angeles school district's massive food services program is riddled with mismanagement, inappropriate spending and ethical breaches, according to an internal audit released Wednesday. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Teachers back in school to master Common Core standards -- School’s out for summer – although maybe not, if your job is to teach the Common Core State Standards. Katherine Ellison EdSource -- 7/16/15

Immigration / Border 

Protesters opposed to ICE in Los Angeles County jails arrested -- Three people were arrested in Duarte on Wednesday after blocking an intersection in a protest over local police agencies' collaboration with federal immigration officials. Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Fox News’ ‘Kate’s Law’ proposal no quick fix on immigration -- As political leaders continue to seethe over the killing of Kathryn Steinle on the San Francisco waterfront, legislative solutions being tossed about range from ending sanctuary cities to “Kate’s Law,” Fox News host Bill O’Reilly’s proposal to toughen penalties for deported immigrants who recross the border. But now comes the work of actually crafting legislation that will pass muster with Democrats and Republicans — a challenge far tougher than just talk. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Fox News reporter confronts San Francisco supervisors, they dismiss him -- Fox News television host Bill O’Reilly sent an anonymous reporter to San Francisco on Tuesday to approach local politicians about the tragic murder of Kathryn Steinle at Pier 14. A segment on last night’s “O’Reilly Factor” shows two supervisors immediately brushing off the television network, while one delivered a terse response. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

San Francisco: Repeat offenders, come and stay -- San Francisco is not likely to change its ill-conceived Sanctuary City policy because City Hall must bow to progressives who don’t believe in deporting undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 7/16/15

Environment 

Study finds contaminants in California public-water supplies -- A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey has found about one-fifth of the raw groundwater in California's public-water supply systems contains high levels of contaminants. The findings are in a decade-long study using data from 11,000 public-water-supply wells. Ellen Knickmeyer and Scott Smith Associated Press -- 7/16/15

L.A. in talks with oil producer about reopening facility near USC -- AllenCo Energy is trying to negotiate a settlement with the Los Angeles city attorney's office as part of an effort to resume operations of an urban oil field that prompted hundreds of complaints of nosebleeds and respiratory ailments due to its emissions, officials confirmed Wednesday. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Health 

Mom blames football helmet over high school player's death -- The mother of a Riverside teenager who died after collapsing during a football game in 2013 has sued the companies that manufactured and reconditioned her son’s helmet, saying that they had reason to know that the helmet was defective but failed to warn anybody. Brian Rokos in the Riverside Press -- 7/16/15

Also . . . 

Riverside County to pay $500,000 to family of man fatally shot by deputy -- Riverside County agreed to pay $500,000 to the family of an 18-year-old fatally shot in the back by a Moreno Valley deputy while handcuffed face-down on the ground, his attorney said. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Gardena police shooting: Experts question officers' tactics -- The city paid $4.7 million to settle a federal lawsuit. But prosecutors decided not to charge the officers involved with wrongdoing, agreeing with the Gardena Police Department that the shooting was justified. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Gardena police shooting video: City Council silent but gets an earful -- Kennedy, the Gardena resident, told the council: "Why should you hide what a police officer does in the performance of his or her duties of its capture on video -- either by police or privately?" Not long ago, Gardena spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on its own police cameras, Kennedy argued. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

Free beer samples coming to California farmers markets next year -- A new bill signed into law by California Gov. Jerry Brown will let you sample beer before you buy it at your local farmers market. Jon Verive in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/16/15

POTUS 44

Obama greeted by protesters waving Confederate flags in Oklahoma -- About nine or 10 protesters waved the Confederate battle flag, as well as an American flag, across the street from the hotel where Obama is staying here, standing among a larger group that included Obama supporters. Katie Zezima in the Washington Post$ -- 7/16/15

Beltway 

Donald Trump claims he’s worth more than $10 billion -- Trump campaign officials said his wealth includes $362 million earned in 2014 alone and they estimated that he earned more than $213 million from NBC for his involvement with 14 seasons of “The Apprentice” television show. Rosalind S. Helderman and Tom Hamburger in the Washington Post$ -- 7/16/15

Trump gets accolades, but no endorsements from Capitol Hill -- Conservatives on Capitol Hill say Donald Trump has tapped into the right’s growing frustration with Washington, propelling him to the front of the GOP’s 2016 presidential pack. But no one’s rushing to endorse him. Scott Wong The Hill -- 7/16/15

AP-GfK Poll: Clinton's standing falls among Democrats -- The survey offers a series of warning signs for the leading Democratic candidate. Most troubling, perhaps, for her prospects are questions about her compassion for average Americans, a quality that fueled President Barack Obama's two White House victories. Lisa Lerer and Emily Swanson Associated Press -- 7/16/15

Analysis: GOP against Iran deal, with or without reading it -- Republicans fall into two camps when it comes to President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. Some are against it, while others want to read it before announcing their opposition. David Espo Associated Press -- 7/16/15