Updating . .   

Southern California water agency votes to fund construction of two delta tunnels -- Southern California's biggest water agency voted Tuesday to shoulder most of the cost of replumbing the troubled center of the state's vast waterworks, committing nearly $11 billion to the construction of two massive water tunnels. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

California Air Resources Board sues Trump administration over repeal of anti-pollution rule -- California’s clean-air board and its attorney general have sued the Trump administration to challenge as illegal the repeal of a policy that requires major sources of air pollutants, including oil refineries, to permanently take action to reduce their emissions, officials announced Tuesday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Delaine Eastin calls on rivals in California governor's race to pledge pay equity and gender parity in hiring -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Delaine Eastin marked Pay Equity Day on Tuesday by challenging her rivals in the race to pledge to hire equal numbers of men and women in their staffs and to pay them equally if elected. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Burning Man founder Larry Harvey hospitalized after massive stroke -- Burning Man founder Larry Harvey was hospitalized after suffering a massive stroke on April 4 and remains in critical condition. A statement posted on the Burning Man website on Tuesday says Harvey's "prognosis is unknown at this time." Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/10/18

State attorney general, environmental group to appeal decision on Trump's border wall -- A ruling by a San Diego federal judge allowing construction of President Donald Trump’s border wall to go ahead will be appealed by two entities that opposed it, including the state Attorney General. Greg Moran in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/10/18

Weinstein sexual assault prosecution would be 'the case of the century' — so stakes high for DA -- The L.A. district attorney's office announced this week it would not bring sexual assault charges against director James Toback, but it continues to consider what to do about Harvey Weinstein and the sexual assault allegations against him. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

California not meeting revenue projections for commercial cannabis, analyst says -- In the first two months of cannabis legalization, consumers bought an estimated $339 million worth of marijuana products from retailers in California, 50 percent less than state projections, according to a leading analytics firm. Brad Branan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

Wiener scales back bill that would allow taller housing near public transit -- State Sen. Scott Wiener scaled back a controversial housing proposal that would strip local governments of their ability to block construction of taller and denser apartment and condominium buildings near public transit stops. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Delaine Eastin tries to gain momentum in the California governor's race, one voter at a time -- Delaine Eastin was a sophomore in high school when a drama teacher urged her to try out for a part in "The Man Who Came to Dinner." She hesitated until he told her: "This is a metaphor for your whole life. If you never try out, you will never get the part." Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Man pleads not guilty to threatening women in Rep. Jackie Speier’s office -- Ronald Joseph Lafaye, 52, was arraigned Monday in San Mateo County Superior Court on charges of criminal threats, threatening a public officer and annoying telephone calls. He allegedly left 12 threatening voice mails on the office phone for the House rep. Jenna Lyons in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/10/18

Gov. Jerry Brown endorses Sen. Dianne Feinstein for reelection -- The two San Francisco natives have developed a close relationship in the decades since Brown’s father, former Gov. Pat Brown, appointed Feinstein to the California Women’s Board of Terms and Parole. Feinstein officiated at Brown’s 2005 wedding and he has helped her raise cash in the past. Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

As complaints roll in, San Francisco considers action over wave of motorized scooters -- San Francisco, whose sidewalks and streets have seen just about everything, were invaded by something new at the tail end of March — hundreds of motorized stand-up scooters meant to be shared for short rides. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/10/18

Stephon Clark-inspired use of force bill 'dumbfounded' police chiefs, they say -- California police leaders on Monday sharply criticized lawmakers for blindsiding them last week with a proposal to change the circumstances under which officers can legally kill a suspect. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

The surest path to a green card may be an investor visa — at least for anybody with $500,000 to spare -- Fresh out of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a degree in applied information management systems, Ishaan Khanna landed an internship at Ticketmaster.com. Ann M. Simmons in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

San Francisco City College’s plan for free summer classes shot down by mayor’s office -- As students begin signing up this week for the summer semester at City College of San Francisco, school officials have a sober message for them: They’ll have to pay for classes. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/10/18

Fox: The March of the Price Fixers -- California is an expensive place to live so many activists inside and outside government want the government to do something about it. Enter the price fixers. The newest price control effort is on health care in California but that occurs at the same time of an on-going attempt to establish rules for broader rent control. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/10/18

Abcarian: She challenged fire-walking guru Tony Robbins over his sexist take on #MeToo. He apologized, but not to her -- Last month in a jam-packed San Jose arena, fire-walking guru Tony Robbins dismissed the #MeToo movement with an anecdote he should have been ashamed to share. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

War crimes court-martial starts for SEALs; Navy's top attorney accused of unlawful command influence -- The Navy’s top attorney might have scuttled a war crimes case against three SEALs by unlawfully meddling behind the scenes to bring charges against them. Carl Prine in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/10/18

Day after Bolton takes over, homeland security aide is out -- President Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser Thomas Bossert resigned Tuesday in the latest White House shakeup. Associated Press -- 4/10/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Vote on Southern California's investment in delta tunnel project could be a nail-biter -- With the city of Los Angeles and Orange County on opposite sides, Southern California's role in financing a massive water delivery project is likely to hinge on a few smaller agencies. Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times$ Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 4/10/18

Gov. Jerry Brown urges 'yes' for both Delta tunnels. Will that sway crucial vote? -- Gov. Jerry Brown, in a last-minute bid to forge ahead with one of his legacy projects, urged Southern California's big water agency Monday to support a plan to build the two Delta tunnels simultaneously. Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

California's air regulator says state could back some emissions rule changes -- California’s top clean air regulator told Reuters on Monday the state is willing to give automakers more flexibility to comply with vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions rules even as her agency prepares to fight the Trump administration over car and truck pollution standards. David Shepardson, Joseph White Reuters -- 4/10/18

Police report sheds light on fatal crash involving immigrant couple and ICE -- Delano police say immigration agents gave statements that conflicted with surveillance footage in the wake of a crash in which two immigrants in the country illegally died while fleeing. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Sacramento district attorney addresses crime victims amid chants of 'Stephon Clark' from protesters -- Sacramento Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert was met with boos, applause and chants of “Stephon Clark” Monday at the state Capitol as she joined several law enforcement officials who were honored for their work in public safety at a crime victims rally. Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

'It makes me never want to call 911 again,' neighbor says after Stephon Clark shooting -- Dave Reiling was watching television in his trailer when he heard the sound of breaking glass in his Meadowview neighborhood. Startled, he went outside and discovered two of his trucks' windows were broken and saw a man in a hooded sweatshirt. Nashelly Chavez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

After Stephon Clark Shooting, Sacramento Police Can No Longer Turn Off Body Cameras -- Sacramento police officers can no longer turn off their body cameras video or sound, according to an emergency memo recently sent to the force. Deputy Chief Ken Bernard told the Community Police Review Commission on Monday that officers no longer have that discretion. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio Ryan Lillis and Nashelly Chavez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

Why Jerry Brown Might Agree To President Trump's National Guard Border Deployment In California -- Sure, Gov. Jerry Brown has the legal right to reject President Trump’s request to deploy California National Guard troops to the Mexican border. But there are reasons for Brown to consider approving it, despite Trump’s deep unpopularity in the state. “I wouldn’t just reject it out of hand,” says Leon Panetta, who served as President Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff and President Obama’s CIA Director and Defense Secretary. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 4/10/18

Villaraigosa raised a bundle in April—but then there’s the bad news -- Good news for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: He had his biggest fund-raising month in his campaign for governor, at $1.4 million in chunks of $1,000 or more in April. Bad news for Villaraigosa: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom also had his biggest month, raising $1.7 million in April in donations of $1,000 or more. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 4/10/18

Work to get Medi-Cal? California bill says no -- Since the Trump administration said in January that states could require Medicaid recipients to work if they want to continue receiving the benefit, three states have signed on: Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. Many others are considering it. David Gorn Calmatters -- 4/10/18

California takes on Texas and Trump over billions of health care dollars -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra moved today to intervene in a Texas lawsuit aimed at undoing Obamacare. Becerra and 15 other attorneys general joined forces to file their motion to prevent “immediate and irreparable harm,” as Becerra put it, to California and other states. David Gorn Calmatters -- 4/10/18

L.A. County prosecutors won't charge director James Toback with sexual battery, citing statute of limitations -- Writer-director James Toback, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by scores of women over his decades in Hollywood, will not face criminal charges in five investigations into his conduct because the allegations are beyond the statute of limitations, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said Monday. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

YouTube, Google and employees donate $280,000 to San Bruno first responder initiative -- In the wake of a shooting at YouTube headquarters that left three people injured last week, Google, YouTube and their employees are donating at least $280,000 to the San Bruno Community Foundation, to fund an initiative aimed at first responders. Sophie Haigney in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/10/18

Olympians back California plan for disclosures on doctors -- Olympians who were abused by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar spoke in support of legislation Monday that would make California the first state to require doctors to tell their patients if they are on probation for wrongdoing, including sexual misconduct. Sophia Bollag Associated Press -- 4/10/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

Wells Fargo reportedly facing huge fine for mortgage lending and auto insurance problems -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is considering fining Wells Fargo & Co. hundreds of millions of dollars for its mortgage-lending and auto-insurance abuses — following up on a threat by President Trump to take aggressive action against the bank. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Court: Employers can’t set different pay for men and women doing same job -- In a victory for women in the workplace, a federal appeals court ruled Monday that employers can’t set different pay levels for women and men doing the same job by relying, even in part, on their salary at a previous job. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Mackenzie Mays in the Fresno Bee -- 4/10/18

Having a Job (or Two, or Three) Doesn't Mean You Can Afford a Place to Live in California -- Sandwiched between California’s iconic Highway 101 and the Pacific Ocean is a parking lot in Encinitas, where Chad Bordes’ car doubled as his home. Amita Sharma KQED -- 4/10/18

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to apologize for his company's mistakes during his Washington testimony -- The CEO will offer contrition for failing to safeguard user data and not doing more to prevent Russian operatives from exploiting his platform to amplify discord amid the 2016 presidential campaign, according to prepared testimony published online Monday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Education 

California makes significant gain in reading on much anticipated national test -- Led by strong scores in 8th-grade reading, California moved closer to the national averages in reading and math, continuing a decade-plus trend of generally slow but steady improvement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The closely watched assessment released its 2017 results for 4th and 8th grades on Tuesday. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 4/10/18

In California, national test scores show enduring achievement gaps -- Every two years, the nation’s fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in math and reading — and newly released results from last year’s tests give California at least a little reason to be pleased. Joy Resmovits in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/10/18

Cannabis 

Wine veteran hopes to elevate cannabis with wine and food pairings -- At a February dinner party in San Francisco, the classic wine-pairing dinner got an upgrade. The theme was “herbal romance,” and the love affair was squarely with cannabis. Maghan McDowell in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/10/18

Environment 

Fishery council safeguards 16,000 square miles off California -- Federal fishery regulators voted to protect a 16,000-square-mile swath of sensitive ocean habitat off Southern California in a rare agreement lauded by both marine conservationists and fishing fleets. Deborah Sullivan Brennan in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/10/18

San Francisco Bay restoration: The money we voted for is ready to be spent -- Back in June 2016, Bay Area voters approved Measure AA to raise $500 million to pay for wetlands restoration, flood control and wildlife projects around San Francisco Bay. Now the first wave of that money — nearly $18 million — is about to be put to use. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/10/18

Valley voters' lives affected by air pollution, and they want change, survey finds -- Most San Joaquin Valley voters likely would support more restrictions on residents and businesses to improve air quality, especially young women who are Democrats, a recent Fresno State survey found. Brianna Calix in the Fresno Bee -- 4/10/18

Also . . . 

A Sacramento gang member waved a gun in a music video. He now faces life in prison -- Deandre Marquis Rogers, 25, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison Friday for a third-strike felony stemming from a rap music video posted in December 2016. Benjy Egel in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/10/18

Homeless advocate 'Water Man' Dave Ross dies at 83 -- John David Ross, affectionately known to downtown homeless people and their advocates as “Water Man Dave” for his years of helping the poor to quench their thirst, has died. He was 83. Living on Social Security and at times facing physical threats, Ross devoted the past two decades to helping the homeless, often bringing them food and bottles of water. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/10/18

POTUS 45  

‘A bomb on Trump’s front porch’: FBI’s Cohen raids hit home for the president -- President Trump has howled in all caps for nearly a year as the Justice Department has delved deeper and deeper into his orbit. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III indicted his former campaign chairman. Then he secured a guilty plea from his former national security adviser. All the while, Mueller and his investigators have spent hours questioning White House officials about whether the president had sought to obstruct justice. Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey and Robert Costa in the Washington Post$ -- 4/10/18

Warning of ‘repercussions,’ Trump company lawyers seek Panama president’s help -- Lawyers representing President Trump’s company last month wrote directly to the president of Panama, asking him to intervene in a legal fight over the Trump International Hotel in the capital — and warning that the case could have “repercussions” for Panama’s reputation. Ana Cerrud and David A. Fahrenthold in the Washington Post$ -- 4/10/18

Trump attorney Cohen is being investigated for possible bank fraud, campaign finance violations -- Michael Cohen, the longtime attorney of President Trump, is under federal investigation for possible bank fraud, wire fraud and campaign finance violations, according to three people with knowledge of the case. Carol D. Leonnig, Tom Hamburger and Devlin Barrett in the Washington Post$ -- 4/10/18

Trump Denounces F.B.I. Raid on His Lawyer’s Office as ‘Attack on Our Country’ -- President Trump angrily unloaded on his top law enforcement officials on Monday night, complaining that the F.B.I. “broke into” the office of Michael D. Cohen, his personal lawyer, and assailing two early-morning raids as a “disgraceful situation” and an “attack on our country in a true sense.” Michael D. Shear in the New York Times$ -- 4/10/18

 

-- Monday Updates 

Zuckerberg meets with Feinstein, preps for hearing on Facebook scandal -- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Monday to prepare for two days of Congressional hearings, even as the Menlo Park social network was set to begin notifying 87 million members their personal data was likely swept up by Cambridge Analytica in a privacy scandal that has engulfed the company. Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/18

Jerry Brown undecided on whether to send National Guard to California-Mexico border -- Gov. Jerry Brown has yet to respond to federal officials on whether California will send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of an effort by President Trump to stop migrants from crossing into the country. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/18

California seeks to intervene to defend Obamacare in court -- California on Monday jumped into the middle of a legal dispute over the future of the federal Affordable Care Act, seeking to preserve the law that is under assault in the courts by 20 other states. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/18

H-1B visa applications reach cap, show ongoing demand for foreign workers -- For the sixth year in a row, employers have deluged the federal government with so many applications for H-1B visas that the cap was reached within five days. “People want a bargain,” said UC Davis computer science professor Norm Matloff, who studies the H-1B program. “They like to pay less — it’s that simple.” Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/18

Groups debate if California has gone too far on crime reform -- Victims' rights advocates say California has gone too far in easing criminal penalties and want voters to reverse some of the changes. They supported a proposed ballot measure Monday that would roll back portions of two previous ballot initiatives that crime survivors, prosecutors and police chiefs say impede investigations and free violent offenders too soon. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 4/9/18

David Hogg, mocked by Laura Ingraham for college rejections, says he's been accepted to UC Irvine -- The 17-year-old Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior — a key voice in the student-led national gun control movement that followed the Feb. 14 shooting — told a Los Angeles Times reporter in a text message that he had been accepted to the Orange County university. He had not yet made his decision if he would attend the school, he said, because he has been so busy. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/18

‘The Bay Area is broken:’ Why local startups are hiring outside Silicon Valley -- Silicon Valley may be the world’s tech paradise, but it’s a hiring nightmare for many local startups now forced to venture from Portland to Boise in search of talent. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/9/18

Stephon Clark killing prompts bid to open police disciplinary records -- A line of law enforcement officers stood stoically as protesters confronted them, chanting a refrain that has become a fixture of Sacramento protests over the police killing of an unarmed African American man. “We don’t need you, we don’t want you,” the protesters said. And one woman added a message that’s been at the heart of the protests: “We don’t trust you.” Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/18

Power players map strategy to get Bay Area bridge toll hike passed in June -- Big names and big money are banding together to sell voters in June on a $3 toll increase on state-run Bay Area bridges to pay for a laundry list of road, rail and ferry projects throughout the region — some sexy and some not so much. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/18

Battle for Napa Valley’s future: Proposed curb on vineyards divides county -- Fifty years ago Monday, Napa County passed an ordinance that has defined the course of its history and, one could argue, determined the history of California wine. Esther Mobley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/9/18

San Diego bets millions of dollars on plan to turn skydiving center into homeless hub -- Two massive wind tunnels dominate the room. Fifteen feet across and encased in thick glass tubes, they sink well below ground and rise through the first, second and third floors of the City San Diego’s newest real estate purchase — a former indoor skydiving facility. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/9/18

When it comes to California water, nothing is easy -- Camrosa Water District, a public services provider in Ventura County, gets its water from a combination of groundwater, recycled wastewater, and the State Water Project, which transports water south through the state. Tess Townsend Capitol Weekly -- 4/9/18

Democratic Women Seek Political Inroads in California's Conservative Central Valley -- Long a Republican stronghold, California’s Central Valley is often at odds with the state’s more liberal coastal communities. But Democrats believe that demographic changes and the reaction to Donald Trump’s election have created some opportunities for them in the valley. Katie Orr KQED -- 4/9/18

In race for California governor, John Chiang is the anti-soundbite candidate -- Gubernatorial candidate John Chiang is known as the wonk in the race. The Democratic state treasurer, former state controller and high school “mathlete” touts himself as the no-drama candidate—the guy who compensates for his lack of pizzazz by a willingness to dive into the details. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 4/9/18

Track the Legislature’s sexual harassment records with our spreadsheet -- The latest sexual harassment investigation released by the Legislature shows a former chief of staff “more likely than not” made sexually suggestive comments to staff members and leered at employees in a way that made them uncomfortable. Calmatters -- 4/9/18

California bill would create health care price controls -- California's government would set prices for health care services under a measure in the state Assembly. The bill introduced Monday comes amid a fierce debate in the Capitol about rising health care costs. It's likely to draw intense opposition from physicians, hospitals and other health care providers. Jonathan J. Cooper Associated Press -- 4/9/18

When L.A. opted to fund city services over housing, did it help fuel a crisis? -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has repeatedly pointed to the state's elimination of redevelopment agencies seven years ago as one reason homelessness has surged across the city. Dakota Smith and Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/

Charter school group drops two lawsuits against L.A. Unified -- The decision, the California Charter Schools Assn. said, reflects better relations between charter schools and the L.A. Unified School District. But the move also suggests that the litigation, which already contributed to significant gains for area charters, was unlikely to produce much more. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/18

Fox: Re-Configuring the Proposition 13 Legacy Battles -- With actions at the end of last week, the prospective battles to alter Proposition 13’s future came into focus. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/9/18

Trump calls California a 'border-free zone' -- President Trump devoted his weekly address over the weekend to his attack on California’s sanctuary laws, arguing without evidence that the state had made itself “a border-free zone where thousands of criminal aliens can roam free.” Noah Bierman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/18

Zuma satellite plunged after SpaceX launch because of Northrop Grumman errors, report says -- The loss of the secretive Zuma satellite — which was launched by SpaceX in January — was reportedly due to a problem with a part modified by Northrop Grumman Corp. that attaches the payload to the rocket. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/18

CBO report projects massive deficits during Trump administration -- The Congressional Budget Office on Monday projected that deficits and the national debt will rise dramatically in coming years, beyond the already daunting levels anticipated before the Trump administration took office. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/9/18

Apple co-founder protests Facebook by shutting down account -- Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is shutting down his Facebook account as the social media giant struggles to cope with the worst privacy crisis in its history. Associated Press -- 4/9/18

Facebook to notify the 87 million users whose data may have been shared with Cambridge Analytica -- Facebook is scheduled to begin notifying users Monday if their data has been swept up in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, but it isn’t clear if it’s started yet. The 87 million users who might have had their data shared with Cambridge Analytica were supposed to get a detailed message on their news feeds starting on Monday. Associated Press -- 4/9/18