Updating . .   

Audit: New $1.7 billion Medi-Cal system risks delays -- If history is a guide, the $1.7 billion case management computer system that Xerox is rolling out for California’s Medi-Cal program is in trouble. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

Longshore workers take a day off, shut down Oakland port operations -- The Port of Oakland shut down Thursday with 12 cargo vessels stuck at the docks with no one to load or unload them after longshore workers took the day off for a union meeting. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/15

Gas prices jump after Torrance refinery explosion -- Wholesale gas prices rose 6 to 10 cents in California after a large explosion at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance injured four workers and shut down a portion of the plant. Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

UCLA superbug: Maker of scopes in deadly outbreak under federal probe -- The manufacturer of the medical scopes at the center of a deadly bacterial outbreak at UCLA Medical Center is under investigation by federal officials for possible violations of laws that ban improper payments to doctors and other customers. Melody Peterson and Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

California ethics panel rejects exceptions to lobbyist fundraising rules -- The state ethics watchdog panel adopted regulations Thursday banning political fundraisers in the homes of lobbyists, rejecting exceptions to the rule proposed by a group representing legislative advocates. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Bill seeks to reverse Proposition 47’s DNA rollback -- Police officers would regain powers to collect DNA that a voter-approved initiative stripped away under legislation announced Thursday by Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, with the backing of district attorneys and lawmakers from both parties. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

See California’s largest tax breaks -- If there were no tax breaks for personal income, sales, corporate and other taxes on the books, California’s estimated general fund revenue through June would total about $165 billion instead of $110 billion, the Legislative Analyst’s Office reports. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

Polluter fees in California could boost state budget, analysts say -- California could generate much more revenue from fees on polluters than Gov. Jerry Brown expects, legislative analysts say in a report released Thursday. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Poll: California Democrats solid for Hillary Clinton; GOP race a tossup -- With 16 months to go before California's presidential primary election, the state looks golden indeed for Hillary Clinton -- but the race looks like a tossup on the Republican side, a new Field Poll shows. And that means California just might get some GOP campaign love in 2016. Josh Richman in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/15

Bill would allow artificial grass in HOAs -- The San Diego Democrat pitched a bill this week that would allow residents in homeowner associations to replace their lawns with synthetic turf without fear of fines. Most HOAs in California prohibit the artificial material on front lawns, saying its out-of-place look damages community character. Chris Nichols UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/15

California high court sides with press in abuse cases at state-run homes -- The press won in a California Supreme Court lawsuit seeking the release of details in abuse cases at government-run facilities for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Congressman Mike Honda says 8-year-old's gender change not a phase -- Michelle Honda-Phillips knew her middle child was not a typical boy like his brothers as early as toddler-age. As soon as Brody could speak, the grandchild of U.S. Rep. Mike Honda wanted to be referred to as a daughter and sister, not a son or brother. Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/15

Fox: Political Notes: Senate Race; Chargers Football; Party Registration -- With the Field Poll on the U.S. Senate race showing Condoleezza Rice as a leader along with Kamala Harris, many political observers stated that if Rice ran – and she says she won’t – her opponents would try to wrap the unpopular (in California) George W. Bush around her. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/19/15

Charles Manson follower could get parole -- Robert Beausoleil, 67, originally was sentenced to death for the 1969 slaying of musician Gary Hinman, but it was commuted to life in prison when the California Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 2/19/15

Wal-Mart pay hike raises hopes of workers and shoppers -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday that the hike for 500,000 employees, starting in April, is part of comprehensive changes to the company's hiring, training, compensation and scheduling programs in the United States, as well as to store management structure. Brittny Mejia, Shan Li, Christi Parsons and Sarah Parvini in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Above Normal Temperatures Melts 'Dismal' Sierra Nevada Snowpack -- The National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) reported recently that snowpack is below normal throughout the West, including the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades in Washington and Oregon. And, persistent above-normal temperatures have caused the dwindling snowpack in the Sierra to melt. Ed Joyce Capital Public Radio -- 2/19/15

Obama administration delays another health care rule for small businesses -- In the latest in a long string of delays in enforcing the rules under the health care overhaul, the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department announced on Wednesday that they will wait until summer to start enforcing financial penalties on small businesses that provide so-called Health Reimbursement Arrangements to their employees. J.D. Harrison in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/15

Algae yields possible malaria vaccine -- A possible malaria vaccine has been produced in genetically engineered algae by a team led by UC San Diego scientists. If the animal-tested vaccine can be proven safe and effective in human clinical trials, it could provide an inexpensive way to immunize people in regions where malaria is prevalent. Bradley J. Fikes UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/15

Riggs: The candidate who wasn't -- Is it true that you always want what you can’t have? That’s certainly one way to interpret this week’s Field Poll of voter choices in the still-developing race to fill the U.S. Senate seat of the retiring Barbara Boxer. Kevin Riggs Riggs Report -- 2/19/15

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Superbug linked to 2 deaths at UCLA hospital; 179 potentially exposed -- Nearly 180 patients at UCLA's Ronald Reagan Medical Center may have been exposed to potentially deadly bacteria from contaminated medical scopes, and two deaths have already been linked to the outbreak. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

What makes CRE superbugs so dangerous? -- Hard-to-treat or untreatable infections from CRE superbugs are becoming more widespread in hospitals and other medical care facilities. Here is a basic primer on the issue. Monte Morin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Oakland VA office botched benefits, forgot about claims -- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ regional office in Oakland shoved thousands of compensation and disability claims into a filing cabinet without processing them, leaving many veterans or their surviving family members without needed benefits, the agency’s inspector general said in a report issued Wednesday. Vivian Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/15

University of California delays start of tuition increase -- Amid ongoing budget discussions with the state, the University of California has postponed a proposed 5 percent tuition increase from summer quarter until the fall. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times$ Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/15

Myers: Can UC Answer These 5 Big Questions About Its Spending? -- If there’s one place to watch the really hard choices about what government can afford to spend on higher education and what a college degree should cost, it’s the meat grinder that now faces the University of California in Sacramento. John Myers KQED -- 2/19/15

Workers call for San Onofre probe -- State electrical workers are joining the ranks of people calling for an investigation into the settlement deal that assigned $3.3 billion of San Onofre nuclear power plant shutdown costs to utility customers. Jeff McDonald UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/15

Exxon Mobil explosion in Torrance compounds fears of higher gas prices -- An explosion Wednesday morning at the Exxon Mobil Corp. refinery in Torrance is compounding concerns that limited oil refining capacity in California could push up fuel prices. Tiffany Hsu in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Huge Exxon Mobil explosion a reminder of refinery dangers -- A large explosion Wednesday at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance sent flames into the air, injuring four and leaving residents with a stark reminder of the dangers that come with living in the South Bay’s refinery zone. Ruebn Vives, Veronica Rocha and Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

South Bay oil refineries: A history of destructive explosions -- The blast at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Torrance on Wednesday is a reminder of the dangers that exist at such facilities. The South Bay is dotted with oil refineries and there is a history of destructive accidents. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Poll: Scott Walker, Jeb Bush top California GOP preferences -- More than a year before the presidential primary reaches California, this much can be said about the voting public: Democrats like Hillary Rodham Clinton, Republicans like Scott Walker and Jeb Bush, and a lot of people still haven’t made up their minds. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

Former Obama military aide Caldera weighs Senate run -- Louis Caldera, who resigned as a top military aide in the Obama White House after a botched Air Force One photo-op that led New Yorkers to fear the city was under attack, is considering a run for Barbara Boxer’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Skelton: Rocky Chavez may be a moth drawn to flame -- Assemblyman Rocky Chavez would be a fine Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. That's because: He's not a crazy, not a demagogic ideologue. He actually has run for office before and won, unlike other Republican wannabes. He's precisely what the GOP needs: a friendly face for Latinos, who increasingly have been shunning the party. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Loretta Sanchez places third in poll to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer -- Santa Ana Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez finished third in a Field poll of possible candidates to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, with only former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Attorney General Kamala Harris placing higher. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register$ -- 2/19/15

Kamala Harris not opposed to legalizing marijuana -- California Attorney General Kamala Harris, the state’s top cop and Democratic front-runner in the race for a U.S. Senate seat next year, said Thursday she has “no moral objection” to legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, but cautioned that special care will be required to assess the impacts on children and public safety. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/15

Kamala Harris says all ‘qualified’ candidates should run -- In her first comments since launching a bid for U.S. Senate, Democrat Kamala Harris pushed back against supporters’ calls to keep others out of the race, inviting anyone with the qualifications and desire to challenge her for the seat. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

Kamala Harris ‘Fully Welcomes’ Other Candidates to 2016 Senate Race -- California Attorney General Kamala Harris has a message for all those critics: She welcomes the entrance of other candidates to the 2016 Senate race, and she “absolutely” didn’t cut a deal with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom on which one of the two would run for governor. Marisa Lagos KQED -- 2/19/15

Kamala Harris makes 'no apologies' for aggressive Senate campaign -- California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris said Wednesday that she makes “no apologies” for an aggressive U.S. Senate campaign that some fellow Democrats have complained is aimed at keeping others, notably a Latino candidate, out of the race. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Kamala Harris isn't California voters' first choice for Senate -- In a simple ask of whether a likely voter is inclined or not inclined to vote for 18 different potential candidates, the top choice was a Republican: Condoleezza Rice, the former U.S. secretary of state now a professor at Stanford. Kevin Roderick LA Observed -- 2/19/15

Calbuzz: Field Poll Buzz: Condi vs. Kamala Dream Match-Up -- The new Field Poll, testing whether voters are inclined or not to vote for various individuals for U.S. Senate, is most significant for one reason: as a demonstration that Republican former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice could be a strong contender if she got into the race. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 2/19/15

Rep. Janice Hahn announces run for L.A. County Board of Supervisors -- Rep. Janice Hahn said Tuesday that she will forgo a congressional reelection campaign next year and instead run for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, where her populist father, the late Kenneth Hahn, served for four decades. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

GOP targets 6 California House Democrats; Sen. Hall gets Hahn backing -- The California Democrats include five that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee listed last week among its most vulnerable members, plus Rep. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove). Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Congressional Republicans target six California Democrats — but not Costa -- Fresno Democrat Jim Costa last November had his second close race in his past three congressional reelection bids, barely beating underfunded and unheralded Republican Johnny Tacherra. Still, it appears national Republicans don’t think Costa is vulnerable in 2016. John Ellis in the Fresno Bee -- 2/19/15

Elections experts worry that voter turnout could go further down -- The California electorate hit rock bottom twice last year, setting records for lowest voter turnout in both the June and November elections, but no one should assume there is no way to go from there but up. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 2/19/15

Rep. Mike Honda tweets he is 'proud grandpa of a transgender grandchild' -- U.S. Rep. Mike Honda announced in a tweet Wednesday that he is "the proud grandpa of a transgender grandchild," sparking an immediate outpouring of support for the Democratic congressman -- who said he hopes she "can feel safe at school without fear of being bullied." Julia Prodis Sulek in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/15

Facing Wall St. challenges, Herbalife goes on offensive in Sacramento -- Herbalife, the Los Angeles-based nutritional products company, made a boisterous show of force at the state Capitol Wednesday: swarming the halls with neon green-shirted supporters, conducting calisthenics on the outside steps and offering product samples near the basement cafeteria. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Prop. 47 Sentencing Reform Is Reaping Savings So Far -- California voters passed Proposition 47 last November in hopes it would save money. And so far, it seems to be working. Scott Shafer KQED -- 2/19/15

California court revives DNA collection from felony arrestees -- California law enforcement officials can continue collecting and processing DNA from people arrested for felonies after the California Supreme Court announced that it will hear a case challenging the state’s policy of gleaning genetic material from felony arrestees. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

California senators seek more childcare vouchers -- Framing access to childcare as a tool to alleviate poverty, California’s Senate leader on Wednesday previewed a budget battle in announcing legislation to increase childcare vouchers and help caretakers unionize. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

California state officials have breakfast, lunch at Mulvaney’s -- Department of Public Health officials recently dined at one of Sacramento’s top restaurants, courtesy of a Santa Rosa-based company with two quarter-million-dollar contracts to help the department become more efficient. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/15

Nora Campos’ Ex-Spokesman Tells All after Firing -- The seams of Nora Campos’ carefully curated public image are unraveling at a garish pace. A year after San Jose Inside first reported that the San Jose assemblywoman had lost control of her office—firing employees at an unprecedented clip, wasting a half-million dollars for constituent services—a new source has come forward with details about the embarrassing state of affairs. Josh Koehn San Jose Inside -- 2/19/15

Pipe bursts, sending 100,000 gallons into Hollywood Hills neighborhood -- A nearly century-old water main burst in the Hollywood Hills in the predawn hours Wednesday, cracking sidewalks and pavement and submerging cars as at least 100,000 gallons of water spewed into a residential neighborhood. Sarah Parvini, Matt Stevens and Veronica Rocha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Google Calls FBI's Plan to Expand Hacking Power a 'Monumental' Constitutional Threat -- The search giant submitted public comments earlier this week opposing a Justice Department proposal that would grant judges more leeway in how they can approve search warrants for electronic data. Dustin Volz National Journal -- 2/19/15

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions    

Port dispute is felt all along West Coast -- The labor dispute that has stalled dozens of massive ships off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach isn't limited to the nation's busiest cargo complex. Andrew Khouri and Tiffany Hsu in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Congestion prompts double-digit cargo drops at Port of Long Beach -- Overall container cargo plummeted 18.8 percent in January when compared to the same time last year, moving 429,490 units, according to the latest statistics released Wednesday. Karen Robes Meeks in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/15

Commerce secretary, L.A. mayor join port labor talks -- Talks in stalled labor negotiations that have hammered West Coast ports included two new players Wednesday -- U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Pete Carey in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/19/15

Spanos, Faulconer to meet -- Chargers President Dean Spanos will accept Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s request that the two men meet one-on-one to discuss how the mayor can help keep the Chargers in San Diego, team special counsel Mark Fabiani said Wednesday. David Garrick UT San Diego$ Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Port of Long Beach Tesoro oil terminal workers contemplate strike -- A national oil workers strike could spill over to the Port of Long Beach, a seaport already besieged with unprecedented bottlenecks. Karen Robes Meeks in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/15

In California’s Oil Patch, Activists Fight New Crude-By-Rail Terminal -- Farmer and activist Tom Frantz lives in Shafter, a town just up the road from Bakersfield where oil rigs are as common as almond trees. But these days, his attention is focused on oil coming from outside the state, oil that comes in by train and unloads at crude-by-rail terminals. Alice Daniel KQED -- 2/19/15

Teachers union declares impasse in LAUSD contract talks -- The United Teachers Los Angeles declared an impasse Wednesday in its talks with the Los Angeles Unified School District. The action opens the way for a mediator to be brought in to help bring about a settlement. KPCC -- 2/19/15

L.A. Convention Center shortcomings cost area $5 billion in four years -- Los Angeles lost out on nearly $5 billion in economic benefits over the last four years from 271 conventions that bypassed the city because its convention center was either too small or lacked enough hotel rooms within walking distance. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Airbnb says it has paid back taxes to San Francisco -- Under sustained pressure from local elected officials, the online home rental service Airbnb has paid back taxes to San Francisco that some have estimated to be as high as $25 million. Patrick Hoge San Francisco Business Times -- 2/19/15

Bay Area home sales drop to lowest year-over-year rate since the recession -- With new numbers released Wednesday showing that the number of existing homes sold in January in the East Bay, South Bay and Peninsula saw double-digit drops to levels not reached in years, thanks to the dearth of houses on the market, Firoozi can finally breathe easy and enjoy the Saratoga home she was finally able to snag. Patrick May in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/15

Relief funds to aid seniors struggling with reverse mortgages -- A federal relief effort that set aside nearly $2 billion in housing aid for troubled Californians is being expanded to help older homeowners avert foreclosures on their reverse mortgages. E. Scott Reckard in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Greenhut: Unions tout 'flextime' only for themselves -- State’s rigid overtime rules squelch choice and innovation. Steven Greenhut UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/15

Education 

Tab soars to connect rural schools to the Net -- A plan to spend up to $2 million per student to connect a tiny rural school to the Internet and the state’s new computer-based testing system drew an incredulous review Wednesday from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst. Tom Chorneau Cabinet Report -- 2/19/15

‘Constitutional crisis’ declared as Los Angeles Unified lawyers defend teacher evaluation system -- Citing the Vergara v. California case, in which a Los Angeles Superior Court judge last year ruled teacher tenure laws deprived students of their constitutional right to an education by keeping incompetent teachers in classrooms, LAUSD lawyers wrote the controversial evaluation system is needed to alleviate a crisis that deprives students of their constitutional right to an education in documents that LAUSD filed with the California Public Employment Relations Board on Tuesday. Thomas Himes in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/15

Archbishop on crash course with San Francisco, state -- San Francisco’s archbishop is trying to make its Catholic schools more Catholic, but city and state officials are poised to push back, saying any effort to discriminate against employees will be met with legal action. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/15

Low-profile retail titan’s gift to UCSF: $100 million -- A $100 million gift to UCSF has made an ex-billionaire who is determined to give away all his money the largest single donor not only to the academic medical center, but to the entire UC system. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/15

Cal State's African American enrollment down despite years of outreach -- For a decade, California State University leaders have set aside several Sundays each February to visit churches in the African American community and preach the benefits of preparing young people for college. Carl Rivera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

USC students elect first female president in a decade -- An all-female ticket won USC’s student elections, marking the first time in nearly a decade that a woman will head the campus’ undergraduate government. Jason Song in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

More high school seniors taking early admissions to college --While most of her classmates at Arleta High School anxiously await word on their college applications next month, Unique De La Torre has been a portrait of calm since she was accepted in December to a private New York university. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Head Start programs in California rebound as funding increases -- Two years ago, federally funded early learning providers in California were forced to reduce the available slots for 6,000 incoming students after a gridlocked Congress could not agree on how to reduce the deficit, triggering a round of automatic spending cuts to Head Start and other federal programs across the nation. Michael Collier EdSource -- 2/19/15

California schools fall short on foster youth services, study says -- Under the new system, districts now receive extra funds to help foster youth overcome myriad challenges that educators say have contributed to their poor academic performance and high dropout rates. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Report calls for districts to create specific goals for foster youth -- A review of California district plans for improving school climate shows that few districts have identified specific goals to improve attendance and reduce suspensions and expulsions of foster students. Susan Frey EdSource -- 2/19/15

LA Unified taking steps to track under-vaccinated kids -- The Los Angeles Unified School District says it is starting to take steps to deal with the fact that it has been unable to track whether students who start kindergarten without all of their immunizations eventually get up to date. Rebecca Plevin KPCC -- 2/19/15

USC leases more space in landmark office tower near Staples Center -- The new space is for the USC Marshall School of Business and the USC School of Social Work. Other USC entities at the site include radio station Classical KUSC-FM (91.5) and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Immigration / Border 

Left with no other choice, undocumented immigrants wait -- Stuffed into his wallet, Jose Casillas has been carrying proof of his California residency since he was 15. The well-worn state identification card is the golden ticket of documents, proof of residency for one of President Obama’s deportation relief programs for unauthorized immigrants. But Casillas will now have to wait. Roxana Kopetman in the Orange County Register$ -- 2/19/15

California issues 59,000 driver's licenses to immigrants -- California has issued 59,000 driver's licenses to immigrants in the country illegally during the first month of applications. Associated Press -- 2/19/15

Illegal immigrants flock to California DMV offices -- Many illegal immigrants say they believe driving privileges will result in better jobs, better schools for their kids and a less stressful lifestyle. So despite this week's legal setback, the licensing movement continues -- in overdrive. David E. Early and Joe Rodriguez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/15

Environment 

State air regulators expected to advance 'low carbon fuel standard,' cleaner-burning fuels -- California air regulators vote Thursday on recommitting to the low carbon fuel standard, a key part of the state’s greenhouse gas reduction plan that promotes switching to cleaner-burning fuels. Molly Peterson KPCC -- 2/19/15

California sea lion crisis: Warmer seas may be to blame -- Although scientists are still awaiting data from research done on the islands, NOAA Fisheries says warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures along the California coast in fall 2014 may be a factor. Amy Hubbard and Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Scores of Birds Killed During Test of Solar Project in Nevada -- On January 14, during tests of the 110-megawatt Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project near Tonopah, Nevada, biologists observed 130 birds entering an area of concentrated solar energy and catching fire. That's according to Rudy Evenson, Deputy Chief of Communications for Nevada Bureau of Land Management in Reno. Chris Clarke KCET Rewire -- 2/19/15

Health 

Not All Drugs for A Disease Could Be High Cost, Proposes New California Bill -- The bill, AB 339, would prevent health plans from putting all medications used to treat a certain condition into the highest cost prescription drug tier. Democratic Assemblymember Richard Gordon says insurance companies often put the highest-priced drugs into a specialty tier, requiring patients to pay a higher share of the drug’s price. Pauline Bartolone Capital Public Radio -- 2/19/15

Decoy protein stops all tested HIV strains -- In a new approach to stopping HIV, a Scripps Research-led team has created a genetically engineered protein that inactivates virtually all strains of the virus. Bradley J. Fikes UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/15

Free condom-by-mail program set for San Bernardino County -- A program designed to reduce sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers — by providing free condoms via the mail — has expanded its service into San Bernardino County, which officials say has the state’s fifth highest chlamydia rate. Jim Steinberg in the San Bernardino Sun -- 2/19/15

California lawmakers address importance of vaccinations -- California Sen. Barbara Boxer joined state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, a pediatrician, on Wednesday on a tour of a Head Start center in Emeryville, where every child is vaccinated, to address the importance of vaccinations for children as young as preschool. Kristin J. Bender Associate Press -- 2/19/15

Also . . . 

L.A. County approves $1.5-million settlement in deputy-involved shooting -- Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday approved a $1.5-million settlement with the family of a man who was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy in Watts. The deputy, who later faced criminal charges in connection with a separate incident, fatally shot 22-year-old Arturo Cabrales in March of 2012. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/15

Cal court says Iran’s justice system not fair enough for property dispute -- A California court found itself in the unfamiliar terrain of foreign relations when it had to decide whether a dispute over real estate in Iran — claimed by three Californians who say an Iranian cheated their parents out of the property — should be transferred to the Iranian courts. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/15

POTUS 44     

Obama: countering violent extremism depends on Muslim support -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday called on American Muslim communities to do more to counter what he called "violent extremism," speaking at a three-day White House summit on the issue. Julia Edwards Reuters -- 2/19/15

Barack Obama’s 'extremism' language irks both sides -- Barack Obama’s summit on violent extremism has come under fire from conservatives who are bashing his reluctance to use the words “Islam” and “Muslim” to describe the threat from terror groups like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Michael Crowley Politico -- 2/19/15

Beltway 

Jeb Bush on foreign policy: Mistakes made in Iraq; I am my own man -- Jeb Bush declared Wednesday he’s his own man, taking on one of his biggest hurdles if he decides to seek the presidency – his familial ties. Lesley Clark McClatchy DC -- 2/19/15

Despite Court Injunction, DHS Shutdown Continues to Approach -- Two days after a Texas judge halted President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration, nothing seems to have changed in the congressional showdown over funding the Department of Homeland Security. Matt Fuller Roll Call -- 2/19/15