Updating . .
Sen. Barbara Boxer's impending retirement to set off a scramble -- Sen. Barbara Boxer's announcement Thursday that she would not seek reelection in 2016 is expected to set off a scramble among California Democrats who have been waiting more than two decades for a Senate seat to open. Seema Mehta and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Possible successors to California Sen. Barbara Boxer -- California Sen. Barbara Boxer’s announcement today not to seek a fifth term has unleashed a long-expected wave of speculation about who will challenge for the seat. Alexei Koseff and Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
Sen. Barbara Boxer won’t run for re-election in 2016 -- She insisted on not calling her decision a retirement, saying, “I am never going to retire. The work is too important. But I will not be running for the Senate in 2016.” Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
Democrats heap praise on Sen. Barbara Boxer -- The announcement Thursday by longtime California Sen. Barbara Boxer that she plans not to run for reelection spawned a deluge of plaudits acknowledging the Democrat's career in Washington, which spans more than three decades. Kurtis Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
2014: California’s Warmest Year on Record -- Federal climate scientists confirmed today that 2014 stands as California’s warmest year on record. The state’s average temperature for the year clocked in at 61.5 degrees Fahrenheit, 4.1 degrees higher than the 20th century average. Last year’s average bested the previous record, set in 1934, by nearly two degrees. Craig Miller KQED -- 1/8/15
Roaches, other violations prompt recent closure of Capitol’s basement cafeteria -- Health inspectors recently shut down the state Capitol’s basement cafeteria after finding an “active infestation” of cockroaches, layers of grease and other health and safe code violations. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Hundreds gather in San Francisco to grieve after Charlie Hebdo massacre -- Several hundred people gathered in front of the French consulate in downtown San Francisco on Wednesday night to grieve and stand up for freedom of expression after an attack on a satirical newspaper in Paris that claimed 12 lives earlier in the day. Kale Williams in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
Interest groups sponsor inaugural festivities for California politicians -- After taking their oaths of office Monday, eight California leaders celebrated new beginnings with festivities paid, in large part, by interest groups that do business with the state. Laurel Rosenhall and Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
Delta smelt legal battle heads to Supreme Court -- The delta smelt may be a small fish with a short life, but it has spawned a decades-long legal battle over water in California. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
State audit questions California judiciary’s administrative spending -- Questionable financial and operational decisions by the administration of California's judicial branch has limited the amount of money available to the courts, a new state audit has found. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ John Myers KQED -- 1/8/15
Skelton: The forecast: Blowing hot? Cold? Only Gov. Brown knows -- Jerry Brown, who has blown hot and cold over the years, seems to have settled down. But you never know .... George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Judge strikes down California foie gras ban -- A U.S. District Court judge in Los Angeles ruled Wednesday that the California law prohibiting restaurants from serving the meat went too far and encroached upon the domain of the federal government. Kurtis Alexander and Paolo Lucchesi in the San Francisco Chronicle Russ Parsons, David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times$ Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/8/15
Here’s where to get foie gras in the Bay Area -- Here is a sampling of Bay Area restaurants that immediately began serving foie gras after a judge’s decision to strike down California’s ban: Kurtis Alexander and Paolo Lucchesi in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
New bill would more thoroughly restrict ivory sales in California -- A bill that conservationists hope will prompt strict enforcement of a ban on the sale of ivory in California was introduced Wednesday in an attempt to halt the catastrophic decline of African elephants. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle Chris Nichols UT San Diego$ -- 1/8/15
Jerry Brown adviser joins Sacramento lobbying firm -- Gareth Elliott, whom Brown recently appointed to the University of California governing board, has been the governor’s legislative affairs secretary since 2011. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
Los Angeles City Council asks for law banning for-profit parking apps -- The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday requested that city lawyers draft a law banning digital media applications that identify available parking on city streets and charge fees to reserve the spots. Catherine Saillant in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Pasadena residents outraged over $6.4-million embezzlement scandal -- An angry crowd confronts city officials during the City Council's first public response to a corruption scandal revealed last week. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Changes loom for Covered California board -- Three seats on the powerful board that governs California’s multibillion-dollar health insurance exchange are up for grabs, giving the Brown administration – whose allies already comprise a majority on the five-member board — an opportunity to name two new directors. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 1/8/15
Tenoch Flores leaving ‘therapeutic’ Democratic Party post -- Tenoch Flores, the California Democratic Party’s communications director, said Wednesday that he plans to leave the party to freelance – including for the Democrats – and teach. But first, he said, he will help the party find his replacement. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
Saunders: Say Islam is violent and jihadis will kill you -- Here’s what I love about the French: They’ve long understood the dangers presented by radical Islam. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
Greenhut: Climate approach drives up housing costs -- Gov. Brown likes ideas, but is mum about his policies’ impact on poor. Steven Greenhut UT San Diego$ -- 1/8/15
Taxes, Fees, Rates
Gov. Brown's renewable energy plan could boost solar, wind industries -- Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal this week to significantly boost the amount of energy California derives from renewable sources could reinvigorate the state's utility-scale solar and wind industries, as well as launch another land rush in the Mojave Desert. Julie Cart in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
California income, corporation tax revenue surged in December -- California income and corporation tax collections surged in December, pushing estimated tax revenue since July to about $3.6 billion above what lawmakers projected when they approved the current budget, according to preliminary totals compiled by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
McSwain: Drivers get global warming fee, plus tax -- Sales tax is calculated from the full retail price of gas, a figure that includes state and federal excise taxes. That makes the sales levy, at least in part, a tax on taxes. The state’s new “cap-and-trade” fee, which is designed to combat global warming, is no different. Dan McSwain UT San Diego$ -- 1/8/15
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Pensions
Hoped-for Oakland stadium in mix for Bay Area Olympic bid -- San Francisco’s regional bid to host the 2024 Olympics was tweaked Wednesday on the eve of an expected decision by the U.S. Olympic Committee, adding a proposal to have the Opening and Closing ceremonies — and track-and-field events — at a hoped-for new stadium in Oakland. John Coté in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
Wet Seal to close 338 stores, lay off nearly 3,700 employees -- The Foothill Ranch company said it would continue to operate about 173 stores and its online business. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
St. Louis leaders: Rams owner won't return our calls -- City officials said Wednesday that the owner of the Rams isn't returning their calls, so they plan to work directly with the NFL on efforts to keep a team — any team — in St. Louis amid speculation the Rams are headed back to Los Angeles. Jim Salter Associated Press -- 1/8/15
Obama's net neutrality proposal appears headed for FCC approval -- The U.S. Federal Communication Commission is signaling that it intends to adopt President Barack Obama's proposal to keep the Internet open when the independent agency votes on rules next month. Todd Shields and James Rowley Bloomberg -- 1/8/15
Judges fight for better pensions -- When does a judge become a judge? The answer to that question is at the heart of a lawsuit filed by six elected Superior Court judges who say they’ve been stiffed on their pensions. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
Education
U.S. officials step up efforts to help students learning English -- Federal officials issue new guidelines on legal requirements to help students struggling with English. One official says she is pleased with LAUSD's efforts. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Report: State no longer at bottom in spending -- Education Week’s annual state rankings on K-12 education had welcome, though outdated, news for California: No longer rock-bottom, California moved from 50th to 46th in per-student state spending in 2011-12, the latest data cited. John Fensterwald Edsource -- 1/8/15
California higher ed leaders make pitches to lawmakers -- Higher education leaders made the Capitol rounds this week, getting some decidedly different receptions from lawmakers. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/8/15
An insider or outsider as next head of L.A. Unified? -- As a three-term Colorado governor, Roy Romer, a Democrat, had to deal with a combative Republican majority in his state Legislature. He later headed his party's fractious national committee. But nothing was as difficult, he said, as running the Los Angeles Unified School District. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Immigration / Border
DMV expects 100,000 undocumented to seek licenses by week’s end -- Massive interest in a new law granting driver’s licenses to people living in the country without documentation resulted in California issuing nearly 1,000 licenses on the first day alone, and motor vehicle offices across the state are on pace to see 100,000 applicants by the end of the week. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
Border drones are basically a boondoggle, Inspector General says -- A $500 million Homeland Security program which uses military drones to patrol the US-Mexico border is a "dubious achiever" which has assisted in just 2 percent of apprehensions, the agency's own Inspector General has found. Kitty Felde KPCC -- 1/8/15
Environment
Opposition to Inyo Solar Plan Isn't Going Away -- Though Inyo County officials made significant cuts last year to the amount of land the county would make available to big solar development, some activists are still worried that the plan unfairly targets remote parts of the county that they say should be left in a wild state. Chris Clarke KCET Rewire -- 1/8/15
Health
Latest measles outbreak highlights a growing problem in California -- Most of the confirmed Disney cases in California involved unvaccinated patients. Six were unvaccinated, including two too young to be inoculated. One had been vaccinated. The confirmed cases among California residents involved young patients, from 8 months old to 21 years. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Hundreds face off in San Jose over proposed sale of charity hospitals -- The showdown over the proposed sale of six California hospitals drew hundreds of raucous protesters and supporters to O'Connor Hospital on Wednesday, a month before California's attorney general must decide whether to bless the deal. David E. Early and James Urton in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/8/15
Workers paying more for health insurance, but getting fewer benefits -- Although the Affordable Care Act has not led to soaring insurance costs, as many critics claimed it would, the law hasn't provided much relief to American workers either, according to a new study of employer-provided health benefits. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/8/15
Also . . .
Golden Gate Bridge to close down over weekend -- This weekend the Golden Gate Bridge will glow in the sunshine, or peek through the fog, and serve as a symbol of San Francisco, California and the West — as usual. But for the first time in its 77-year history, it’s going to take a couple of days off. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/8/15
Uncertainty Surrounds Charges for Arrested Anti-Police Protesters -- Hundreds of protesters who took part in anti-police and Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the East Bay in December will need to wait, possibly up to a year, to find out if they have been charged after they were arrested during the protests. Tracey Taylor KQED -- 1/8/15
Possible ISIS supporters hack Buena Park nonprofit -- Giving Children Hope, a nonprofit that delivers aid to children and families in need around the world, had its website hacked by a group identifying itself as Team System Dz, an Islamic State sympathizer. Chris Haire in the Orange County Register$ -- 1/8/15
POTUS 44
An upbeat Obama basks in good economic news -- President Obama used a visit to an auto plant outside Detroit on Wednesday to celebrate an economy that after years of doldrums and disappointment appears to be surging to life. Greg Jaffe in the Washington Post$ -- 1/8/15
Beltway
House GOP plots immigration strategy -- House Republicans are ready to fire the opening salvo in the war over President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration. Seung Min Kim Politico -- 1/8/15