Updating . .
Gov. Jerry Brown warns California's climate change efforts hinge on changing wildfire liability law -- Gov. Jerry Brown offered a high-stakes assessment on Wednesday of fears that California’s utilities might buckle under the weight of billions of dollars in fire-related payments. And he urged lawmakers to take action to revamp liability law when they return to work next week. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
PG&E spends more than $1 million to lobby California officials on wildfire laws -- PG&E spent $1.7 million on lobbying over three months this year as the utility pressured California officials to reduce its legal liability for wildfire property damages The San Francisco company dished out more money from April through June than it spent to influence state leaders in all of 2017, according to state filings. Taryn Luna in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/1/18
PG&E, Paint Companies Among Top California Lobbying Spenders -- Fights over who is financially liable for wildfire damage and lead paint cleanup sparked millions of dollars in lobbying at the California Capitol from April through June. Sophia Bollag Associated Press -- 8/1/18
Appeals court rules Trump can't withhold funds from California 'sanctuary' cities -- The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district judge’s ruling in favor of San Francisco and Santa Clara County, which sued over the administration’s threats to withhold money to jurisdictions that have passed laws limiting local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/1/18
California's Legislature discloses an additional sexual misconduct report against a former top staffer -- The investigation into the conduct of Pedro Reyes, who left his job last December as chief consultant to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, concluded he had violated sexual harassment policy. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
Big money already entering California rent control campaign -- Opponents of expanding rent control in California raised nearly $10 million through the first half of this year, the beginning of what’s expected to be one of the costliest fights on the state’s November ballot. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
'Calexit' leaders are back with a new plan to set aside land for Native Americans -- The activists behind the “Calexit” proposal to cleave California are scrapping their old plans in favor a new secessionist proposal, one that would create what organizers call an “autonomous native nation” within a new independent state. Javier Panzar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
California governor pledges any resources needed for fires -- A massive wildfire in Northern California has torched more than 1,000 homes in and around the city of Redding, authorities said Wednesday as some evacuees were allowed to return home and new blazes exploded in what has become an endless summer of flame in the Golden State. “Whatever resources are needed, we’re putting them there,” Gov. Jerry Brown said at a news conference. “We’re being surprised. Every year is teaching the fire authorities new lessons. We’re in uncharted territory.” Janie Har and Brian Skoloff Associated Press -- 8/1/18
Third Mendocino County wildfire latest to roar through Northern California -- Firefighters gained traction on four huge Northern California wildfires overnight Wednesday and appeared to keep the untimely development of a fifth one from exploding, authorities said. The Carr Fire that has devastated Shasta County, and the Mendocino Complex Fires were joined Tuesday in Mendocino County by the Eel Fire, the California Department of Forestry said. Those four fires have combined to burn more than 200,000 acres, and the Carr Fire is responsible for six confirmed deaths. Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/1/18
Mendocino Complex Fire: Rescuing animals, fleeing on horseback -- Fire plumes billowed over Cow Mountain as the Odom family, during a chaotic 90-minute evacuation from their farm, loaded up 50 goats, a miniature horse, a rabbit, 8 short-legged cats and three mice. Julia Prodis Sulek, Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/1/18
Redding wildfire now the sixth worst in California history, officials say -- The most destructive of California’s summer blazes, the Carr Fire in and around Redding, grew only slightly overnight, but the destruction now stands as the sixth most destructive wildfire in California history, officials said Wednesday. Homes destroyed since the fire ignited July 23 rose by 134 overnight, bringing the total number to 1,018. Twelve commercial structures and 435 outbuildings have been destroyed. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/1/18
Jeffe&Jeffe: Blue Wave Threatens GOP’s Surfer Congressman -- It appears there is a good chance that Congress’ Surfer-in-Chief is about to be swept up by a big blue wave. In an Orange County district that once was the heart of GOP conservatism, 15-term Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher finds himself on the political endangered species list in the 2018 election. Sherry Bebitch Jeffe & Doug Jeffe Fox & Hounds -- 8/1/18
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Flames converge on Scotts Valley as hundreds of firefighters join effort -- Hundreds of additional firefighters streamed into Lake County on Tuesday in a bolstered effort to prevent two stubborn wildfires from burning into communities on the west and north shore of Clear Lake, where thousands of residents have fled under evacuation orders. Kevin Mccallum, Randi Rossmann, Mary Callahan and Kevin Fixler in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- 8/1/18
‘We don’t have control of Mother Nature.’ Late winds pushing fire toward Lakeport -- Weary residents of fire-ravaged Lake County held out hope Tuesday that they might get a break from their fifth day of evacuations, power outages and smoky air, but late afternoon winds sparked a massive wall of flames, bringing fire teams racing back into the hills above Lakeport. Ryan Lillis and Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/1/18
A new normal for California: Destructive wildfires throughout the state -- This is the new normal: There are 17 serious wildfires burning throughout California, including one of the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
Four still missing in Redding and Old Shasta after destructive Carr fire -- Investigators found 16 other people safe Tuesday afternoon, within about two hours of releasing a list of names of people they had not been able to reach. Many of the residents fled their homes so quickly that they left behind their cellphones or chargers. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
California blazes tax budgets, firefighters: ‘Fatigue is starting to set in’ -- California’s firefighters are stretched as thin as they have ever been, state officials said Tuesday, with no indication that the wave of fires scorching the Golden State will ease in the coming months. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/1/18
Yosemite closure extended into the weekend, Hetch Hetchy area shut down -- Yosemite National Park officials on Tuesday extended the shutdown of much of the park until Sunday because of ongoing wildfire concerns while expanding the closure to include the Hetch Hetchy area. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Kelly in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/1/18
Cranston fire 89 percent contained, full containment expected next week -- Firefighters managed to stop the Cranston fire from spreading and increased the containment to 89 percent, officials with the San Bernardino National Forest said Tuesday evening. Crews have managed to keep the destructive blaze to 13,139 acres. Beatriz E. Valenzuela in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 8/1/18
Progressives’ sensation Ocasio-Cortez of New York brings her message to San Francisco -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the hottest political sensation in progressive circles, buzzed through San Francisco on Tuesday for two fundraisers and to deliver a message: The political miracle the 28-year-old former bartender pulled off in defeating a 10-term Democratic House incumbent in New York can happen anywhere. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/1/18
Some locals profit off of ICE -- Two California counties profit from a loophole in the “sanctuary state” law, while most others have canceled their U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contracts under public pressure or let them expire. Scott Soriano Capitol Weekly -- 8/1/18
San Diego council sets up ballot measure to double the salary for council, mayor -- San Diego voters will get a chance this November to raise City Council pay for the first time in 15 years, eliminate a controversial term limits loophole and require more transparency about who is doing business with the city. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/1/18
Walters: Two events frame California educational crisis -- Two back-to-back events last month frame California’s educational conundrum. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 8/1/18
Once again, California lawmakers won’t crack down on payday lenders -- When phone bank worker Melissa Mendez, age 26, felt financially squeezed a few months ago—“I was short on cash and needed to pay rent”—she walked into a Cash 1 storefront in Sacramento and took out a payday loan. The annual interest rate: 460 percent. Antoinette Siu Calmatters -- 8/1/18
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
California GOP lawmakers lobby Trump to help farmers hurt by tariffs -- President Donald Trump’s trade war is pitting Republicans in California against their brethren in the Midwest. One week after Trump announced a $12 billion plan to soften the blow of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. farmers, several Republican House members from California — in addition to several Democrats — are appealing to the Trump administration not to overlook the state’s massive specialty-crops markets. David Siders Politico Emily Cadei in the Merced Sun Star -- 8/1/18
L.A. Councilman Paul Koretz seeks a temporary ban on electric scooters -- The zippy electric scooters that have popped up on street corners and sidewalks across Southern California should be banned in Los Angeles until the city begins issuing permits to the companies providing them, a city councilman said Tuesday. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
Uber puts brakes on its self-driving trucks -- Uber said the decision to exit self-driving trucks will have no effect on Uber Freight, its business that connects trucking companies with drivers to haul cargo across the country. The company also said it has no plans to exit the market for self-driving car technology. Rex Crum in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/1/18
USC report slams Hollywood for lack of diversity in film -- Things haven’t changed much – female, minority, LGBTQ and handicapped representation-wise – in big movies over the past 11 years, according to a study released by USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released Tuesday. Bob Straus in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/1/18
Airbnb, HomeAway demand new hearing on San Diego's short-term rental restrictions -- In what could become a protracted legal battle, an attorney representing home sharing platforms Airbnb and HomeAway has warned the San Diego City Council that it ran afoul of the law earlier this month when it approved tough new short-term rental regulations, and it is asking for a new hearing. Lori Weisberg in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/1/18
Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds
Sacramento City Council votes to put ambitious 1-cent sales tax plan on ballot -- The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday voted to place a dramatic measure on the November ballot asking voters to increase the city’s sales tax by a cent to maintain basic city services, such as police positions, but also to finance an ambitious program of community and economy-building. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/1/18
Apple no longer faces threat of an employer tax in Cupertino -- A day after receiving a note from Apple touting its investments in Cupertino, city officials abandoned plans to ask voters in November to tax the iPhone maker and other large businesses in its city based on the number of employees. Wendy Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Khalida Sarwari in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/1/18
In compromise with San Francisco Supervisor Peskin, Uber and Lyft agree to new ride tax -- San Francisco lawmakers want to tax Uber and Lyft rides, and both companies say that’s OK with them. The proposed tax eliminates a ballot initiative that Supervisor Aaron Peskin had planned for November that would have asked voters to tax ride-hailing companies’ gross receipts at rates up to 0.975 percent. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/1/18
Homeless
L.A. looks at former museum and factory sites for downtown homeless shelters -- Los Angeles took a step Tuesday toward converting a vacant children’s museum and a textile factory into crisis shelters to take homeless people off the streets of skid row and other parts of downtown. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
Cannabis
One thing you won’t find in San Francisco’s Chinatown: cannabis — supes ban pot stores -- Looking for cannabis? Don’t go to Chinatown. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance Tuesday that bans cannabis dispensaries from opening in Chinatown. Trisha Thadani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/1/18
As Chula Vista moves to regulate marijuana, illegal pot shops still dominate the market -- It is really easy to buy weed in Chula Vista. All you need is cash, a valid ID, and a copy of the San Diego Reader – an alternative weekly newspaper where unlicensed pot shops advertise discounts and customer loyalty programs. Gustavo Solis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/1/18
Education
California's soda tax ban stalled a grassroots movement, but didn't kill it -- It had, in many respects, become the little movement that could. After more than a decade of failed attempts at both the state and local levels to impose soda taxes, health advocates scored a watershed victory in 2014 when Berkeley voters approved by a two-thirds majority a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages sold within the city limits. It was the first city in the nation to do so. David Washburn EdSource -- 8/1/18
Health
Number of patients suing USC over sex abuse claims tops 300 as faculty push for Nikias' exit -- The number of former patients suing USC for allegedly failing to protect them from sexual abuse at a campus health clinic increased to more than 300 this week amid a new push by university faculty to speed the departure of the outgoing president, C.L. Max Nikias. Harriet Ryan, Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/1/18
Environment
Surrounded by fire, California politicians question links to climate change -- t a public meeting not far from the California town of Redding last year, the US congressman Doug LaMalfa said that he “didn’t buy” human-made climate change. Jason Wilson The Guardian -- 8/1/18
The Feds Decided Not To Ban A Pesticide. Then California Opted To List It As Toxic -- A few months after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled to not ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos, California's Scientific Review Panel unanimously agreed this week that it should be listed as a toxic air contaminant. Ezra David Romero Capital Public Radio -- 8/1/18
San Francisco shipyard scandal: Pelosi calls for federal probes -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is calling for a sweeping investigation into the cleanup of the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, a billion-dollar redevelopment project recently marred by criminal convictions and allegations of widespread fraud. Jason Fagone and Cynthia Dizikes in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/1/18
Also . . .
LAPD Chief: Officers Kill a Hostage for 1st Time in 13 Years -- Dramatic video released Tuesday shows Los Angeles officers fatally shooting a man and the woman he was holding with a knife to her throat, the first of two recent killings of hostages or bystanders as police tried to stop attackers. Michael Balsamo Associated Press -- 8/1/18
POTUS 45
Fact Checker: President Trump has made 4,229 false or misleading claims in 558 days -- Because of summer vacation schedules, we had fallen a month behind in updating The Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president. It turns out that’s when the president decided to turn on the spigots of false and misleading claims. As of day 558, he’s made 4,229 Trumpian claims — an increase of 978 in just two months. That’s an average of nearly 7.6 claims a day. Glenn Kessler, Salvador Rizzo and Meg Kelly in the Washington Post$ -- 8/1/18
• Trump Administration Links Gas Mileage to Risk for Drivers -- The Trump administration is arguing that better gas mileage will lead to greater risks for drivers because they'll spend more time behind the wheel. That point of view comes as a reason not to pursue higher fuel standards that were a goal of the Obama administration. Tom Krisher, Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press -- 8/1/18
Trump claims picture ID is required to buy groceries -- President Trump on Tuesday made the claim that a photo ID is required to buy groceries as part of his argument for introducing stricter voter ID laws. “You know if you go out and you want to buy groceries, you need a picture on a card,” he said. “You need ID.” Avery Anapol The Hill -- 8/1/18
-- Tuesday Updates
California Urges Resistance to Census Citizenship Question -- California's top elections official is urging the state's residents to oppose a Trump administration plan for a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Tuesday launched an online portal for Californians to submit public comments through the federal registrar opposing the question. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 7/31/18
L.A. County prosecutors decline to charge Les Moonves with sex crimes, saying allegations exceed statute of limitations -- The Los Angeles County district attorney has declined to file sexual assault charges against Leslie Moonves, the embattled chairman and chief executive of CBS Corp., saying accusations made against him date back three decades and therefore exceed the statute of limitations. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/31/18
Activists call on Palo Alto tech firm Palantir to end ICE contract -- A coalition of immigrant rights advocates, tech workers, and labor groups is calling on Palo Alto-based tech firm Palantir to end its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, accusing the software company of enabling immigration officials to detain undocumented immigrants. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/31/18
Lake County evacuations drag on as fires plague area -- Weary residents of this fire-ravaged county have entered their fifth day of evacuations, power outages and smoky air, and there’s no end in sight. Emergency responders told an overflow crowd at Clearlake City Hall Tuesday morning that the battle against the River and Ranch fires was going well, but that a lack of resources and unpredictable weather meant the fight would drag on. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/31/18
Wildfire update: Deadly blazes continue to burn across Northern California -- Julia Sclafani in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/31/18
Carr Fire in Redding now seventh worst in California history, officials say -- Residents of Redding and surrounding communities began returning home Tuesday morning, but the massive inferno that broke out more than a week ago continued to destroy homes as winds fueled the blaze to more than three times the size of San Francisco, officials said. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/31/18
A new normal for California: Destructive wildfires throughout the state -- This is the new normal: There are 15 serious wildfires burning throughout California, including one of the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history. Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/31/18
Three Northern California fires have consumed 185,000 acres -- Three Northern California fires — the Ranch and River fires in Mendocino County and the Carr Fire in Shasta County — that have been roaring for days closed in on 200,000 acres burned and are days away from full containment, according to the California Department of Forestry. Fire crews continued to build containment lines Tuesday amid 100-plus degree temperatures and dirty air that made it difficult to breathe. Rick Hurd, Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/31/18
‘Somebody hit the wrong button’: Thousands in Shasta Lake city were evacuated accidentally, sheriff says -- As flames from the deadly Carr Fire bore down on western Redding late last Thursday night, residents of the city and nearby communities were issued mandatory evacuation orders and fled their homes. But one town was evacuated accidentally, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said Monday. Kellen Browning and Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/31/18