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California Policy and Politics Thursday

UCLA forecasts ‘stagflation-lite’ economy with higher inflation and unemployment -- The U.S. economy will be hampered in the coming months by the Trump administration’s tariffs, which along with interest rate cuts could lead to a “stagflation-lite” scenario of modestly elevated inflation and unemployment, according to the UCLA Anderson Forecast released Wednesday. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

H-1B visa fees, tariffs, a stake in Intel? How Silicon Valley has fared under Trump -- President Trump’s policies have affected Nvidia, AMD and the rest of the tech industry differently. Some experts are worried about the effects on innovation. Levi Sumagaysay Calmatters -- 10/02/25

Newsom trolls, Shapiro reassures and Harris dials in: Dems test shutdown messaging -- The immediate response to the government closure has served as a vivid illustration of stylistic differences emerging in the run-up to 2028. Blake Jones and Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 10/02/25

Here’s what the government shutdown means for wildfires, weather and disaster response -- Federal agencies that govern wildfire, weather and disaster response are expected to see some impacts, including the Forest Service, FEMA and the National Weather Service. The shutdown comes on top of existing budget cuts and layoffs at these and other agencies this year. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

How the government shutdown is impacting tens of thousands of federal workers in the Bay Area -- As many as 90,000 civilian federal workers live in the Bay Area, according to a Chronicle analysis of Congressional Research Service data. That figure, based on estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, covers a dozen Bay Area congressional districts, two of which extend beyond the region. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/02/25

Blue Angels cancel San Francisco Fleet Week over government shutdown -- The annual celebration, scheduled for Oct. 5-13, typically draws more than a million visitors and is still moving ahead with parades, concerts, waterfront festivals and neighborhood traditions across the city. International military partners from Canada and Colombia remain confirmed. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

How Yosemite and major California parks are impacted -- The Department of Interior, which runs the National Park Service, has directed most parks to stay open during the government shutdown while ordering furloughs for staff. Nearly two-thirds of the park service’s estimated 14,500 employees were expected to be put on leave, the agency said in its shutdown plan. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Liliana Fannin in the Fresno Bee Camille von Kaenel Politico -- 10/02/25

Most LA County communities do not see big impacts from federal government shutdown -- Most Los Angeles County communities did not expect the federal government shutdown to have major impacts on its residents. Law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders will be on the job, your mail will be delivered and schools will be open as usual. Christina Merino in the LA Daily News -- 10/02/25

How the government shutdown is affecting San Diego -- Thousands of San Diegans on Wednesday showed up to their federal government jobs — from the downtown federal courthouses to the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing to the county’s multiple military bases — with no idea when they’ll receive their next paycheck. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 10/02/25

Gavin Newsom ends Kamala Harris' California anti-truancy law -- The 2011 law, which Harris continued to spotlight as the state’s attorney general, made parents eligible for a misdemeanor if their children repeatedly missed school, which Harris argued was necessary to prevent young people from becoming “a menace to society hanging out on the corner.” Lindsey Holden Politico -- 10/02/25

Gov. Gavin Newsom issues first vetoes since legislative session ended -- Newsom dismissed Assembly Bill 86, a technical bill that would have tweaked language about health education standards for kindergarten through 8th grade. Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-Santee, sent Newsom a letter last week decrying the bill for “introduc(ing) the theory that reproductive anatomy does not necessarily determine a person’s gender.” Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/02/25

ICE

ICE to be at Super Bowl where Bad Bunny performs, Trump adviser says -- One of Donald Trump’s longtime advisers says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be present at the 2026 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, where Latin music superstar Bad Bunny is set to headline the halftime show. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

The L.A. Dodgers Risk Alienating Their Fans or Angering Trump -- For decades, the Dodgers have been the pride of L.A.’s Latino community. Trump’s immigration raids are testing that. Bruce Schoenfeld in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25

California gave counties power to inspect ICE detention centers. They’re not using it -- In the four counties where Immigration and Customs Enforcement has detention facilities, only one county health department conducts the kind of inspections that were explicitly allowed under a 2024 California law. Wendy Fry and Jeanne Kuang Calmatters -- 10/02/25

Garofoli: Trump’s bumbling, bizarre National Guard stunt in Portland offers lessons for the Bay Area -- President Donald Trump’s order to deploy 200 National Guard troops to a nonexistent “war zone” in Portland offers a grim preview of the potential chaos, bluster and fear that awaits the Bay Area should Trump follow through on his promise to make a similar deployment in Northern California. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

‘War-ravaged’ Portland hits back on Trump — with crochet, chicken costumes and farmers markets -- There is a rhetorical battle raging here in this heavily Democratic city, known for its delicious coffee, plethora of fancy restaurants, bespoke doughnuts and also for its small faction of black-clad activists. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

Workplace

In a Sea of Tech Talent, Companies Can’t Find the Workers They Want -- A divide has opened in the tech job market between those with artificial-intelligence skills and everyone else. Callum Borchers in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/02/25

Fake actor deepens anxiety over AI in Hollywood -- The Dutch creator of an AI-generated actor named Tilly Norwood created a backlash in Hollywood when she said she would soon be signed by a talent agency. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

Judge blocks California law banning ‘captive audience’ meetings for workers -- A labor-backed California law prohibiting employers from requiring their workers to listen to anti-union messages has been blocked by a federal judge, who says it appears to violate employers’ freedom of speech. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

Insurance

Newsom calls on regulators for new solutions to California’s insurance crisis -- As insurance companies continue to hike rates and cancel coverage for thousands of homeowners across fire-prone parts of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom is directing regulators to come up with new solutions to stabilize the state’s spiraling home insurance market. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/02/25

HOA fines

New California law restricts HOA fines to $100 per violation, giving homeowners a break -- An ornate balcony or quirky garage door might be in reach for more Californians as homeowners associations across the state are being forced to govern without the power of exorbitant fees to enforce regulations. Nadia Lathan Calmatters -- 10/02/25

Climate

As California glaciers disappear, people will see ice-free peaks exposed for the first time in millennia -- For as long as there have been people in what is now California, the granite peaks of the Sierra Nevada have held masses of ice, according to new research that shows the glaciers have probably existed since the last Ice Age more than 11,000 years ago. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

Education

Charlie Kirk fallout hits California schools, where 20 teachers face discipline over posts -- California has laws that prohibit employers from firing workers over their political views but employers can restrict speech if it’s disruptive to the workplace. Carolyn Jones Calmatters -- 10/02/25

Stanford is back on top. Here’s how California schools ranked in the WSJ list -- Stanford University has reclaimed its spot as the best college in America, while UC Berkeley was named the nation’s top public university in the 2026 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings released Monday. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

Street

In the biggest sex abuse settlement in U.S. history, some claim they were paid to sue -- Downtown LA Law Group, which represents some plaintiffs who said they were paid to sue, said the firm “categorically does not engage in, nor has it ever condoned, the exchange of money for client retention.” Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

Man pleads guilty to throwing Molotov cocktail at deputies during L.A. protest -- Emiliano Garduno Galvez, 23, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing an unregistered destructive device and civil disorder tied to his actions the evening of June 7 in Paramount. Galvez faces up to 15 years in prison. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

Also

Newton: For many Californians, reducing homelessness comes down to the encampment next door -- Statistics don’t do much to convince people of the seriousness of the problem or persuade them much that it’s getting better or worse. What matters is how it brushes up against them directly. Jim Newton Calmatters -- 10/02/25

Walters: California businesses, lawmakers turn up the heat in a battle over high workplace temperatures -- Assembly Bill 1336, now awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto, is the latest skirmish in a decades-long conflict over protecting workers from heat effects on their health, whether they work outdoors or inside. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 10/02/25

Heading to L.A. for the Olympics? If You’re Into These Sports, You’re in the Wrong State -- Much of the Summer Games in 2028 will take place in Southern California. But two events, softball and canoe slalom, will be held in Oklahoma. Jesus Jiménez in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25

A surprising new fact just emerged about California’s glaciers -- The glaciers of the Sierra Nevada, clinging to the slopes of such eminent spots as Yosemite and Kings Canyon, are much older than people thought — with many dating back to at least the Ice Age, according to research published Wednesday. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

Jane Goodall remembered by Nancy Pelosi as ‘a personal friend’ -- Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi remembered Jane Goodall as both a close friend and a towering figure in science and conservation, leading tributes from world leaders, environmentalists and admirers after the primatologist’s death at 91. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/02/25

POTUS 47

We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown. Here’s what they said. -- The Post’s poll finds significantly more Americans blame President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown than Democrats, though many say they are not sure. The poll is in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25

Senior government officials privately warn against firings during shutdown -- The Trump administration has telegraphed that mass firings are coming, but officials have cautioned that such moves could violate appropriations law. Emily Davies and Hannah Natanson in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25

White House Uses Shutdown to Maximize Pain and Punish Political Foes -- The Trump administration took steps on Wednesday to maximize the pain of the government shutdown, halting billions of dollars in funds for Democratic-led states while readying a plan to lay off potentially droves of civil servants imminently. Tony Romm in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25

Trump to talk with Vought about which ‘Democrat Agencies’ should be cut -- President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’ll speak with Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought about which ”Democrat Agencies” should be nixed as the government shutdown enters its second day. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico Olivia Beavers and Siobhan Hughes in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/02/25

White House Asks Colleges to Sign Sweeping Agreement to Get Funding Advantage -- Nine initial schools are invited to join ‘compact’ banning use of race or sex in admissions, freezing tuition, capping international enrollment and more. Natalie Andrews and Douglas Belkin in the Wall Street Journal$ Michael C. Bender in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25

With shutdown, Democrats take a perilous risk at a precarious party moment -- Entering the shutdown, polls indicated the country was split over who would be to blame. The shutdown is giving Trump administration officials license to resume mass layoffs, this time targeting Democratic states and priorities. Michael Wilner, Ana Ceballos and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

How Trump’s Online Drugstore May Affect Your Drug Costs --President Trump and top health officials heralded their drug pricing deal with Pfizer on Tuesday as a breakthrough that would save money for American patients struggling with prescription drug costs. The reality is more complicated. Rebecca Robbins in the New York Times$ -- 10/02/25

Pope makes rare comments on U.S. politics, military gathering -- Making a rare foray into U.S. politics, Pope Leo XIV described the blustery talk by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a meeting of military commanders on Tuesday as “concerning,” and he called out those who describe themselves as “pro-life” for opposing abortion but do not reject the “inhuman treatment” of migrants and the death penalty. Anthony Faiola and Victoria Craw in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25

Vance uses false claims to pin shutdown blame on Democrats as White House warns of layoffs -- Vice-president falsely says Democrats calling for billions for ‘healthcare for illegal aliens’ as funding deadlock continue. David Smith The Guardian -- 10/02/25

Vance downplays Trump post of Jeffries in sombrero: ‘I think it’s funny’ -- Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday downplayed criticism over a fake video of Democratic lawmakers that the president posted online, saying the depiction of one party leader in a sombrero and another seeming to deliver a profanity-laced tirade was “funny.” Brianna Tucker in the Washington Post$ -- 10/02/25

Trump administration says it will cut $8 billion for climate projects in blue states -- All 16 states listed did not vote for Trump in the 2024 election. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25

Trump wants to use U.S. cities as military ‘training grounds.’ Can judges stop him? -- “We should use some of the dangerous cities as training grounds” for the military, President Trump said Tuesday, citing Los Angeles and Portland as examples. The question of whether Trump has the authority to deploy federal troops to enforce civilian laws is under litigation in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/02/25