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Ranch fire grows by 34 percent overnight to 112,000 acres -- The Ranch fire, one of two wildland fires that have been scorching Lake County for a week, grew to 112,226 acres Thursday night and continued its southeasterly push through the Mendocino National Forest. It prompted new evacuations Friday, covering communities on the eastern shore of Clear Lake, including Lucerne, Glenhaven and the Clearlake Oaks areas. Martin Espinoza in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat Julia Sclafani in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/18

143-mph 'fire tornado' that cut a path of destruction is an ominous sign of the future -- As authorities sifted the rubble from the fire that burned more than 1,000 residences in Shasta County, they were startled by what they encountered. A soaring transmission tower was tipped over. Tiles were torn off the roofs of homes. Massive trees were uprooted. Vehicles were moved. In one spot, a fence post was bent around a tree, with the bark on one side sheared off. Rong-gong Lin Ii , Joseph Serna and Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/18

In a conservative Northern California county, a team of Mexican immigrants helps battle the Carr fire -- Behind River Ridge Terrace in Redding, where the monstrous Carr fire had destroyed homes, a team of 20 men used shovels to stab the charred earth. Under the blazing sun, the clinking of metal stopped when one of the men scooping dirt out from under a tree spotted smoke rising from the ground. “Humo!” he shouted in Spanish. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/18

US Appeals Court Upholds California Bullet Stamping Law -- A U.S. appeals court has upheld a California law that requires new models of semi-automatic handguns to stamp identifying information on bullet casings to help solve crimes. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision on Friday said the stamping requirement and two measures intended to make guns safer did not violate the 2nd Amendment. Associated Press -- 8/3/18

Hiltzik: California's salmon industry fears it will be wiped out by Trump -- Heather Sears has been fishing for salmon out of this unassuming coastal community for nearly two decades. This year, for the first time since she arrived in 1999, she won’t be going out to sea. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/18

11 California workers in office pool win $543 million lottery jackpot -- Along with 10 others in the office he works at in Santa Clara County, Roland Reyes pitched in $2 on a whim for the largest prize in California lotto history. They won the $543 million Mega Millions jackpot with a quick pick ticket. Kristin Lam in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/18

Brown: New money needed to boost 911 system -- The administration plans to modify an existing tax on phone calls to include a flat fee — estimated initially at 34 cents per line — on cellphones, landlines and other devices capable of contacting 911. More than $175 million is expected to generate from this in the first year, with the possibility of growing to $400 million in later years. Jessica Hice Capitol Weekly -- 8/3/18

Fox: Senior Politician Steals the Show at BizFed’s Freshman Policymakers Event -- Seemingly, the most popular elected official at the Los Angeles County Business Federation’s (BizFed) annual Freshman Policymakers Reception was someone who has been in political office for nearly 42 years. Measured by the number of members of the business organization who asked for a picture with her, Congresswoman Maxine Waters was the star of the show. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 8/3/18

Yes, a political action committee exists to legalize ferrets -- Gavin Newsom has raised more than $22 million for his run for governor. Patrick Wright hopes he notices one donation of $125 from his Ferret PAC. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 8/3/18

Weinstein Seeks to Get Case Tossed, Citing Accuser's Emails -- Harvey Weinstein's lawyers want a New York court to throw out sexual assault charges against him, and they're pointing to emails from one of his accusers. Jennifer Peltz Associated Press -- 8/3/18

Abcarian: The tender, terrifying truth about what happened inside the Trader Joe's hostage siege -- About halfway through the three-hour siege at Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake, the wounded gunman, Gene Atkins, looked at one of his hostages, MaryLinda Moss, and told her it was all over for him. “I just shot at a cop,” he said. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/18

If Democrats fail to take back the House in November, this might be why -- Democrats are likely to win back control of the House of Representatives. That's the conventional wisdom in Washington about November's midterm elections. “Democrats remain substantial favorites for House control,” wrote David Wasserman, a nonpartisan election analyst for the Cook Political Report, last week. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/18

Sarah Huckabee Sanders indicts the media — on bogus, Trumped-up charges -- White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has taken to the briefing room podium twice this week. Both times, she has come loaded for bear with a list of grievances. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/18

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning

‘This is a stupid policy’: Emissions become latest front in California-Trump war -- California’s political leadership is vowing to repel the Trump administration’s push to undercut the state’s stringent vehicle emissions standards, setting up the latest showdown between the nation’s most populous state and an antagonistic White House. Jeremy B. White and Carla Marinucci Politico -- 8/3/18

How Trump’s new rules for cars would hit California—if they survive in court -- The long-anticipated proposal offers a range of scenarios but singles out a preferred alternative: freezing fuel-efficiency standards in 2020 at an average 35 miles per gallon. It will almost certainly face a barrage of legal challenges, but any rollback would be a blow to California’s ambitions for limiting planet-warming greenhouse gases. Julie Cart Calmatters -- 8/3/18

California's car dealers worry about Trump rollback on fuel standards -- The decision by the Trump administration Thursday to roll back aggressive fuel economy standards has some of California’s car dealers worried that unless a compromise is reached, confusion may reign among potential customers — and that would be bad for business. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/3/18

Big Oil Cheers, Quietly, as Trump Moves to Ease Auto Standards -- The Trump administration’s plan to relax fuel-economy and vehicle pollution standards could be a boon to U.S. oil producers who’ve quietly lobbied for the measure. The proposal, released Thursday, would translate into an additional 500,000 barrels of U.S. oil demand per day by the early 2030s, about 2 to 3 percent of projected consumption, according to government calculations. Ari Natter and Jennifer A Dlouhy Bloomberg -- 8/3/18

Five myths about Trump’s fuel economy freeze -- The Trump administration has proposed freezing planned increases in fuel mileage standards for cars and blocking California’s ability to set its own standards. Some basic myths and facts about the move. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

Trump attack on California’s emission standards faces legal battle -- Californians, the Trump administration said Thursday, breathe the same air, and live in pretty much the same environment, as the rest of the country. Their vehicles spew the same gases. So their emissions standards should be the same as everyone else’s. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

States Vow to Press Fight Against Trump's Car Fuel Rules -- State prosecutors from California to Massachusetts blasted the Trump administration Thursday for proposing weaker auto fuel-efficiency standards they said would imperil clean air and increase greenhouse gases. Brian Melley Associated Press -- 8/3/18

Newsom taps small donors. Cox wins retirees -- Democrat Gavin Newsom tapped a rich vein of small-dollar donors as he vastly outraised Republican John Cox in the race for governor, the latest campaign finance reports show. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 8/3/18

John Cox, other California Republicans losing the money race to Democrats -- From John Cox on down, the latest state campaign finance reports are nothing but bad news for Republicans running for statewide office. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

Rising Liberal Democrat Star on West Coast Fundraising Swing -- New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged a cheering crowd in Los Angeles to work together for universal health care and free college, and not to be deterred by those who say they can't be achieved. Michael R. Blood Associated Press -- 8/3/18

Gavin Newsom, John Cox Debate Debates In California Governor’s Race -- It’s a time-tested rule of politics: If you’re the frontrunner, give yourself as few opportunities as possible to mess that up. Which brings us to the California governor’s race, where it appears Democrat Gavin Newsom might only participate in one general election debate against Republican John Cox. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 8/3/18

Why Obama endorsed in a California Assembly race -- In addition to endorsing Democrat Gavin Newsom (no surprise) in the race for governor, former President Barack Obama stepped into a Bay Area Assembly race, endorsing first-time candidate Buffy Wicks over Richmond City Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 8/3/18

KQED Political Breakdown: Congressman Eric Swalwell talks about his Iowa roots, student loans, why his dad got fired from an Iowa police department, being the lone Democrat in his family, why Dianne Feinstein is not Pete Stark, and what event to focus on in the saga of Russian election interference and President Trump. Marisa Lagos and Guy Marzorati KQED link here -- 8/3/18

Sean Spicer, in San Francisco visit, laments his inauguration-crowd exchange -- It only took a day for Sean Spicer to realize that he wasn’t going to last long as President Trump’s first press secretary. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

Fox: Sacramento Tax Increase Proposal Represents Statewide Trend -- The Sacramento City Council vote to place a tax increase on the November ballot is representative of what we’ll see around the state in many localities: a call for more taxes to maintain basic services when in reality the money is needed to meet pension obligations. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 8/3/18

Cryptocurrency may explain Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s mysterious asset surge -- The Silicon Valley Community Foundation, one of the first U.S. charities to accept donations of cryptocurrency, may have held billions of dollars worth of them at the end of last year, when their values were near their peak. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

He’s in jail for a murder he didn’t witness. A California bill might set him free -- Pending legislation in California would narrow the felony murder law, which allows murder convictions against those who did not participate in the killing. Caitlin Chen in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/18

Wildfire  

Red flag warning worries firefighters battling Mendocino Complex fires -- Residents in a large section of Lakeport were allowed to return home Thursday for the first time in four days as a raging wildfire moved away from the beleaguered city, but firefighters braced for dangerous conditions today that could fuel an outbreak of explosive fires across the region as forecasters issued a red flag warning for much of the North Coast. Meghan Herbst and Martin Espinoza in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat Jaclyn Cosgrove and Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/18

146 firefighters coming from Australia, New Zealand to fight blazes across U.S. -- Beleaguered firefighters across the U.S. are being pushed to their limits battling wildfires that have broken out in rapid succession across the West. They’ll soon get reinforcements – from the other side of the globe. Kellen Browning in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/18

Bulldozer slipped 3 times before firefighter’s fatal plunge near Yosemite -- For more than four hours, no one heard from Braden Varney. The 10-year veteran of California’s firefighting force had been dispatched to bulldoze a firebreak on a precarious ridge near Marble Point in Mariposa County, an effort to contain the stubborn Ferguson Fire near Yosemite. Lizzie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

Northern California wildfires strain another scarce resource – construction workers -- California lost nearly 20 percent of its construction work force between 2005 and 2016, according to a study released this week by Buildzoom, a web site that connects property owners and contractors. And more than 40 percent of construction job postings in the state remain unfilled for at least six weeks, according to the study, the third longest wait in the nation. Louis Hansen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/3/18

Ferguson Fire Enters Yosemite National Park -- Fire officials have been expecting the deadly blaze to enter park boundaries for some time, and crews have been conducting back-firing operations and building containment lines in preparation. Jeremy Siegel KQED -- 8/3/18

Carr Fire: Sheriff worries there may be more victims -- The unrelenting 126,913-acre Carr Fire already has claimed six victims, including two firefighters, as crews faced grim weather conditions leading into the weekend. Authorities worry there may be more victims out there who were unable to escape the wildfire's fury. Jim Schultz and Mike Chapman in the Redding Record Searchlight -- 8/3/18

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions

Supreme Court rules San Diego skipped key legal step in taking pension reform to voters -- The California Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that San Diego’s six-year-old pension cutbacks were not legally placed on the ballot because city officials failed to negotiate with labor unions before pursuing the measure. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/3/18

At the historic downtown L.A. Tower Theatre, Apple plans a store and event space unlike any other -- The Tower Theatre was the place in 1927 where Angelenos first heard the wonder of “talkie” movies when it hosted the premiere of “The Jazz Singer,” starring Al Jolson. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/3/18

Education 

California’s online community college will break new ground in higher ed -- California’s online community college will represent a new vision for higher education when it launches next year and the online education field is watching to see whether it succeeds. Nico Savidge EdSource -- 8/3/18

Health 

Merchants of hope -- Their costly, unproven treatments can be risky. But for-profit stem cell clinics are flourishing. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/3/18

Hoping to save limbs and toes, California moves to curtail diabetes -- The word “amputation” threw a chill down Michael Rubenstein’s spine. The 67-year-old diabetic from San Mateo still winces at the thought. “They told me I’d need to cut it off right about here,” he said, sawing his hand across his left shin. David Gorn Calmatters -- 8/3/18

Tobacco And Nicotine Research Center To Open At California University -- The first tobacco and nicotine research center to come out of the California tobacco tax is about to open at UC Merced. Sammy Caiola Capital Public Radio -- 8/3/18

Health care industry on track for massive profits -- With more than a week to go in the second-quarter earnings season, the health care industry has already banked more profits than any other quarter in the past year. The bottom line: Company after company has posted profits that have exceeded Wall Street estimates, and most firms have raised profit estimates for the rest of 2018. Bob Herman Axios -- 8/3/18

Environment 

San Diego's Scripps Pier records highest ocean temperature in its 102-year history -- The sea surface temperature at the Scripps Pier in La Jolla hit 78.6 degrees on Wednesday, the highest reading in the pier’s 102-year history, according to UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The reading broke the previous record of 78.4 degrees, which was set in 1931. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/3/18

Warmer Soil Releasing More Carbon, Worsening Climate Change -- Even the dirt on the ground is making climate change worse, a new study finds. Plants capture massive amounts of carbon, pumping it into the soil where usually it stays for hundreds or thousands of years. Seth Borenstein Associated Press -- 8/3/18

Water  

Stanislaus, Merced county leaders spend $100K to expand ‘fish vs. farmers’ water fight -- Stanislaus County leaders hope that broader outreach will help win a battle against a powerful state board’s plan to take water rights from local irrigation districts. Ken Carlson in the Modesto Bee -- 8/3/18

Also . . . 

California’s New Data Privacy Law Came To Be In About A Week. Here’s What You Need To Know -- Think about your everyday digital footprint: You pull up Facebook to see what your friends are up to and read the news, use your credit card to buy groceries and Google a stray thought. Kacey Gardner Capital Public Radio -- 8/3/18

LA City Animal Shelters Are Full. Hundreds Of Dogs, Cats And Rabbits Could Be Euthanized -- Los Angeles city animal shelters are facing a crisis, with more than 250 animals on the red list, meaning they could be euthanized if they aren't adopted or find foster homes — and fast. Three separate hoarding cases led to the rescue of nearly 300 animals and put all six of the city's shelters at max capacity. Ryan Fonseca LAist -- 8/3/18

Sacramento black pastor to Trump: You’ve ‘given us a new hope.’ Now he faces a backlash -- A prominent pastor from a North Sacramento church was among a group of black religious leaders who met with President Donald Trump this week at the White House. Cynthia Hubert in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/3/18

POTUS 45  

#QAnon, the scarily popular pro-Trump conspiracy theory, explained -- How a conspiracy theory that Trump and Robert Mueller are secretly working together got from Reddit to Trump rallies. Jane Coaston Vox -- 8/3/18

Fact Check Of The Day: Trump’s Inaccurate Claims About Highways, Immigration and Beyoncé From a Pennsylvania Rally -- President Trump said his campaign rallies drew larger crowds than concerts for Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen. That was one of 15 inaccurate claims he made. Linda Qiu in the New York Times$ -- 8/3/18

In 'Remarkable' Court Filing, Government 'Washing Their Hands' of Reuniting Deported Parents With Their Children -- The Trump administration suggested in a federal court filing Thursday that the American Civil Liberties Union and other private organizations should take responsibility for reuniting more than 400 migrant children separated from parents deported under the government's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy. John Sepulvado KQED -- 8/3/18

Beltway

Sarah Sanders presents the official White House policy: The media is the enemy of the people -- When President Trump derides the media as the enemy of the people — as he's doing more frequently — he's not just spouting off his momentary frustration. He's stating official White House policy. Amber Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/18

Trump's stealth attack on Obama's legacy -- While many of us have been distracted by Rudy Giuliani's latest legal theories — and President Trump’s latest tweets — the Trump administration is making two big moves that will get him closer to his goal of erasing President Obama's biggest policies. Amy Harder, Sam Baker, Jonathan Swan Axios -- 8/3/18

Dan Coats’s subtle-yet-stunning admission about Trump’s meeting with Putin -- It has been almost three weeks since President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki for two hours, and we still have very little idea what they spoke about. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 8/3/18

 

-- Thursday Updates 

Trump’s challenge of California’s emissions rules could zap its electric car industry -- California helped birth the nation’s electric vehicle industry. It used its laws and market size to prompt automakers to make and sell electric vehicles. It encouraged Tesla and other innovators to build manufacturing plants. Stuart Leavenworth and Emily Cadei in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/2/18

Tainted McDonald's and grocery-store salads linked to California produce company, FDA says -- Fresh Express, based in Salinas, supplied bagged salad mixes tainted with cyclospora to McDonald’s franchises in the Midwest, where health authorities in two states reported at least 286 customers of the fast-food chain were sickened, the FDA said. Geoffrey Mohan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/18

Backers of California's gas tax repeal don't have much campaign cash left in the tank -- Supporters of an effort to repeal California’s fuel tax increase are looking for someone to fill the tank of their campaign bank account as new reports show the effort to pass Proposition 6 has spent most of the money it has raised. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/18

Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra says California will join lawsuit to block 3-D-printed guns -- The announcement came weeks after Cody Wilson, known as the inventor of the 3-D-printed gun and founder of digital firearm blueprint developer Defense Distributed, reached a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department allowing him to publish the files online. Mini Racker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/18

Trump's EPA formally launches attack on California's fuel-economy rules; Gov. Brown vows to fight -- The Trump administration Thursday pushed ahead with plans to unravel the federal government’s most effective action to fight climate change — aggressive fuel economy standards aimed at getting the nation’s cars and trucks to average more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025. Evan Halper, Tony Barboza and David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times$ David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/18

Winds force new evacuations near Clear Lake -- With new winds kicking up Thursday morning, Lake County authorities issued an “urgent” mandatory evacuation order for several communities along Highway 20 near the east shores of Clear Lake and to the northeast of the lake. “The Mandatory Evacuation area is west of Lucerneat Bartlett Springs Road and Highway CA-20, south of the fire, east of the fire, north of Clear Lake including the communities of Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, WitterSprings, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley, Saratoga Springs,” the 9 a.m. advisory said. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 8/2/18

New evacuations ordered as Mendocino Complex fire rages -- Despite the efforts of more than 10,000 firefighters, Northern California’s three big wildfires are still growing and resisting containment — and even forcing new evacuations near Ukiah. The raging Mendocino Complex — consisting of the Ranch Fire and River Fire — led Lake County Sheriff’s officials to order people living in Blue Lakes, Upper Lake, Nice, Lakeport, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Scotts Valley and Saratoga Springs to evacuate Thursday morning. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/2/18

Evacuation orders can't keep up as fires get faster and hotter — with deadly results -- It was Thursday evening when the Carr fire barreled out of the foothills and took aim at this city, with hot winds launching embers well ahead of the main blaze and engulfing neighborhoods along bends in the Sacramento River. Joseph Serna and Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/18

‘We are throwaways.’ Driven from an Anaheim tent city, a couple struggles with addiction and the realities of Orange County’s homeless -- For Laura and John Kasten, a homeless couple forced from an Orange County riverbed into temporary motel living — the road ahead looms empty, filled with hunger, loneliness, drugs. Anh Do in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/2/18

Apple becomes first U.S. company to reach $1 trillion market cap -- Silicon Valley technology giant Apple on Thursday became the first public company in U.S. history to reach a $1 trillion market value, ahead of rapidly rising Seattle-based Amazon, after another strong quarterly earnings report and revenue outlook that lifted Apple’s shares. Seung Lee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/2/18