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As climate change worsens wildfires, California will spend $1 billion and give utilities new ways to shrink their fire expenses -- With an eye toward destructive wildfire as California’s most immediate climate emergency, Gov. Jerry Brown took action on Friday to broadly expand state prevention efforts while allowing utility companies to shift some fire-related costs to their customers. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Your utility bill could reflect fire costs under new California law -- Culminating months of debate over how to respond to massive wildfires that swept California last fall, destroying thousands of homes, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed legislation that will make it easier for utility companies to pass on their liability costs to customers and bolster the state’s forest management efforts. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
California’s DMV to undergo audit after all -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday directed his administration to conduct an audit into California’s embattled Department of Motor Vehicles. The agency has faced issues and controversy over rising wait times, aging technology and improper voter registration. Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
NorCal Rapist suspect arrested 27 years after first crime through DNA, officials say -- Police and prosecutors on Friday said they have cracked a 27-year-old cold case by arresting the NorCal Rapist, a man suspected of sexually assaulting 10 women over a span of 15 years in six different counties. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/21/18$
Milk and water will be default drink options for California kids' meals starting in 2019 -- Restaurants in California that sell special meals for children will have to offer milk or water as the default drink option beginning in 2019, making sodas and sugary drinks available only by request. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Gop Candidate For Attorney General Has A Surprising View On Police Oversight -- Expressing a view more typically held by liberal Democrats, the Republican challenging Democrat Xavier Becerra for attorney general said he thinks police shootings should be investigated by the state, rather than local prosecutors. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters -- 9/21/18
GOP midterm strategy: Forget Trump and demonize the Democrat as wild-eyed radicals -- To hear Katie Porter tell it, she’s just your average Orange County mom, clipping coupons, shopping specials at the supermarket and puttering about with three kids in a Toyota minivan that’s pushing 120,000 miles. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
L.A. County prosecutors investigating Long Beach police use of controversial app -- The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said Thursday it will investigate the Long Beach Police Department’s use of a controversial self-deleting messaging application, which has caused some to question if the department violated rules on court discovery and records retention. James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Largest Bay Area dam built in 20 years is finally finished -- After toiling away in the remote hills east of Interstate 680 on the Alameda-Santa Clara county line for seven years, hundreds of construction workers have finally finished the largest dam built in the Bay Area in 20 years. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/21/18
Time lapse video: See a 220-foot Calaveras Dam go up in 1 minute -- Construction crews this week finished building Calaveras Dam, a 220-foot high structure at Calaveras Reservoir on the Alameda-Santa Clara County line. The $823 million project is the largest dam built in the San Francisco Bay Area in 20 years. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/21/18
87 days of smog: Southern California just saw its longest streak of bad air in decades -- Southern Californians might remember the summer of 2018 for its sweltering heat waves, record ocean temperatures and destructive wildfires. But it also claimed another distinction: the summer we went nearly three months without a day of clean air. Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Sac City schools’ rejected budget relied on expired funds as some costs rose, board is told -- The county schools superintendent took the unprecedented step of rejecting Sacramento City Unified School District’s budget because some funds expected to renew in 2018-19 had actually expired, and some costs had increased, resulting in a $22 million shortfall, according to data presented at a district board meeting on Thursday. Vincent Moleski and Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
Lazarus: Bummer about your medical emergency, but your claim is denied because you didn't call in advance -- Of the many dubious reasons insurers use for denying claims, one of the most bizarre is telling a patient they neglected to obtain prior approval for treatment in the midst of a medical emergency. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Fox: Will California’s Car Culture Help the GOP? -- Republicans see an opportunity to score points with voters this election season because of Californians historical love affair with cars. Two hot current issues that touch all Californians are connected to the state’s car culture—the difficulties, or shall we say disasters at the DMV, and the gas tax repeal initiative. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 9/21/18
Rod Rosenstein denies that he proposed secretly taping Trump or invoking 25th Amendment -- Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein is denying a report in the New York Times that he suggested last year that he secretly record President Trump in the White House to expose chaos in the administration. Rosenstein says the story is "inaccurate and factually incorrect." Eric Tucker Associated Press -- 9/21/18
California Policy & Politics This Morning
Pocketbook issues and big visions are highlighted in California's race for governor -- Sometimes it seems that California's two candidates for governor are running for different offices. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Prison officers’ union jumps into race for schools chief -- In a departure from its usual pattern of campaign giving, the union representing California’s prison officers emerged as a player in the race for the state schools chief on Wednesday, disclosing a $500,000 expenditure for television ads to help elect Assemblyman Tony Thurmond as Superintendent of Public Instruction. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 9/21/18
Why Drug Makers Are Opposing Rent Control -- America’s major drug manufacturers are suddenly interested in California housing battles, donating $500,000 to defeat an initiative that could expand rent control. Or maybe it’s personal. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 9/21/18
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, facing a tough reelection fight, ridicules sex assault accusation against Kavanaugh -- Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, in a tight race to retain his Orange County seat, ridiculed the decades-old allegation of sexual assault that has thrown the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh into turmoil, according to a recording acquired by Talking Points Memo. Joe Mozingo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Attacks on Feinstein backfire on California challenger -- Kevin de León, Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s November opponent, accused her last week of “gross misconduct” for waiting months to flag a sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh — seizing on the Supreme Court firestorm to jump-start his long-shot campaign. Jeremy B. White and Elana Schor Politico -- 9/21/18
Feinstein’s office receiving ‘threats of bodily and sexual harm against staff’ -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s office has received threats of bodily and sexual harm against staff — some naming specific employees — following Feinstein’s involvement in allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kate Irby in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
California Democrat runs ad on Fox with anchors slamming his GOP opponent -- Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has faced intense media scrutiny since his August indictment for campaign finance violations and other charges, including from normally Republican-friendly Fox News. Now, his Democratic opponent in the November midterm elections is using that Fox News criticism in a new campaign ad. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
Independent voters overtake Republicans in San Diego County -- As of the end of August, there were 509,359 voters who registered as “no party preference” compared to 487,259 registered Republicans, according to the latest numbers from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. Both trail the Democratic Party, which has 618,088 registrants. Charles T. Clark in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/21/18
Denham, Harder address array of issues in first face-to-face meeting -- Denham, the Republican incumbent congressman, lauded his work with people on both sides of the political aisle in areas of immigration, health care and agriculture. Harder, the Democratic challenger, said he will be more responsive to people and isn’t beholden to super PACs because he isn’t taking their money for his campaign. Garth Stapley in the Modesto Bee -- 9/21/18
L.A.'s new site to report harassment and bias has received a complaint against Councilman José Huizar -- Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson has instructed the city's personnel department to convene a special panel to look into a complaint of harassment, discrimination and retaliation against Councilman Jose Huizar, officials said this week. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Was Clovis man flashing white power symbol in photo with Nunes? Activist says no -- A photo showing two local far-right activists and Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, made the rounds on social media this week after supporters of Nunes challenger Andrew Janz claimed one of the men used a hand gesture related to the white power movement and white nationalism. Rory Appleton in the Fresno Bee -- 9/21/18
Larry Nassar survivors ‘elated’ Gov. Brown signs bill giving patients right to know -- California resident and former standout softball player Tiffany Thomas Lopez said she was elated Thursday morning after hearing Gov. Jerry Brown had signed Senate Bill 1448 requiring physicians, chiropractors and other practitioners notify patients if they are on probation for serious misconduct such as sexual abuse. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
Women of color gather in San Francisco to form ‘a politics we’ve not yet seen’ -- More than 500 women assembled in San Francisco on Thursday for what organizers billed as an unprecedented gathering of women of color in politics. Holly Honderich in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/21/18
California’s judicial disciplinary agency to be audited after complaints -- The state’s auditor will begin examining records of California’s judicial disciplinary agency next week, the first audit of an agency that receives more than 1,000 complaints about judges each year and publicly disciplines fewer than 10. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/21/18
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Embattled Wells Fargo plans to cut up to 10% of its workforce -- Wells Fargo & Co. plans to trim its workforce by 5% to 10% within the next three years as Chief Executive Tim Sloan works to pull the bank clear of a series of customer-abuse scandals and prop up a lagging stock price. Bloomberg via the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
SAG-AFTRA launches strike against advertising agency BBH -- In a warning shot to the advertising industry, Hollywood’s actors union announced Thursday a strike against the agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty over its recent decision to withdraw from the guild’s contract and to shoot commercials using nonunion performers. David Ng in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
After bawdy photos, California Lottery workers demand resignations -- Five veteran Lottery employees on Thursday demanded that senior department executives resign amid investigations into hiring practices and alleged misconduct on a work-related trip two years ago. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/21/18
Credit ratings agency downgrades SDG&E and other California utilities over wildfire concerns -- San Diego Gas & Electric received a downgrade this month from one of the nation’s top credit ratings agencies but SDG&E was not alone, as California’s two other investor-owned utilities — Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric — also got nicked. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/21/18
Sexual harassment case leads to renaming of glacier in Antarctica -- UC San Diego scientist who was sexually harassed while doing research in Antarctica has been given a bit of emotional support by an obscure government board that decided to relabel a glacier that bore the name of her tormentor. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 9/21/18
Cannabis
Using marijuana legally? New California law gives you some privacy -- Assembly Bill 2402 by Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Campbell, extends the same privacy protections to recreational cannabis users that medical cannabis users receive, with two exceptions. Information can be shared in conjunction with processing payments and to government officials, such as police, performing official duties. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/21/18
Education
Suspensions in California schools drop, but trouble spots remain -- What youth and civil rights advocates have called a decades-long suspension epidemic in California schools is showing signs of subsiding, with a new report finding that suspensions have dropped significantly across all student groups over a recent five-year period. David Washburn EdSource -- 9/21/18
Gov. Brown Rejects Later Start Times For Middle, High School Classes -- Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have required middle and high schools to start their classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The measure, SB 328 by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge), sparked impassioned debate in the Legislature that did not break down upon party lines. Capital Public Radio Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/18
Also . . .
Jury awards $9.1 million to man left brain-damaged after bicycle crash on PCH -- A jury Thursday ordered Caltrans and the city of Los Angeles to pay $9.1 million to a man who suffered brain damage after he swerved to avoid debris and lost control of his bicycle on Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Cultural Heritage Commission supports monument status for former L.A. Times buildings -- The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission on Thursday recommended that the city grant historic cultural monument status to a downtown office complex formerly occupied by the Los Angeles Times. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Deputy shot in jaw remains in hospital, another wounded officer is released after East L.A. gunfight -- New details emerged Thursday afternoon about a gunfight in East L.A. that left two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies wounded and a suspected gang member dead. Ruben Vives and Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Father of NBA player Richard Jefferson killed in Compton drive-by shooting -- Richard Jefferson, the father of veteran NBA player Richard Jefferson, was killed this week in a drive-by shooting in Compton, authorities said. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
L.A. artist places Trump's Walk of Fame star behind bars -- There are different ways of expressing frustration, be it with stickers, paint or even a sledgehammer. One way or another, President Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame continues to be a battleground for political debate. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
POTUS 45
At Las Vegas rally, Trump doubles down on his support for Kavanaugh -- President Trump expressed public confidence in Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Thursday, calling him “a great gentleman” with an “impeccable reputation” as the judge’s fate remained unclear in his Senate confirmation process. Ashley Parker and David Nakamura in the Washington Post$ -- 9/21/18
Beltway
Kavanaugh accuser's offer to testify about alleged sexual assault puts key Republicans in a bind -- After days of silence about whether she would appear, California professor Christine Blasey Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday that she is willing to testify next week about her allegations of a decades-old sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Jennifer Haberkorn and Sarah D. Wire in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/21/18
Christine Blasey Ford got doxed. Can anyone ever really scrub their online presence? -- Christine Blasey Ford knew her life would be turned upside down when she decided to identify herself as the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were teenagers, so, her friends said, she deleted all of her social media accounts. Levi Sumagaysay in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/21/18
-- Thursday Updates
No delay to school start times after Jerry Brown vetoes California bill -- Amid opposition from teachers and school boards, Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday rejected legislation that would have delayed the start time for most California high schools and middle schools until at least 8:30 a.m. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/18
San Francisco schools may overhaul lottery system for campus assignments -- After eight years and thousands of complaints, the San Francisco Board of Education will consider overhauling a student assignment system that relies heavily on the luck of the draw for families forced to submit dozens of choices for children entering kindergarten. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/18
New California Law to Limit Plastic Straws in Restaurants -- The law signed Thursday by Gov. Jerry Brown makes California the first state to bar full-service restaurants from automatically giving out single-use plastic straws. It takes effect next year. Sophia Bollag Associated Press Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/18
California watchdog agency prohibits use of cryptocurrency for campaign contributions -- California’s campaign finance watchdog agency voted Thursday to prohibit the use of cryptocurrency including bitcoin for political contributions in the state amid concerns that the anonymity it provides would make it difficult to identify who is trying to influence elections. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/18
‘They are incompetent.’ Republican blasts latest DMV outage -- Thousands of customers walked into the California Department of Motor Vehicles on Thursday unable to have their transactions processed. The embattled agency confirmed 68 offices experienced connectivity problems due to “an issue with a router.” Bryan Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/20/18
DeLeon tries to link Feinstein to Trump on immigration: Can this finally get him traction? -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein was fighting for her political life in 1994, facing a tight election that was swinging on the issue of immigration. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Cindy Carcamo and Jazmine Ulloa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/18
Why drug makers are opposing rent control -- America’s major drug manufacturers are suddenly interested in California housing battles, donating $500,000 to defeat an initiative that could expand rent control. Or maybe it’s personal. Dan Morain Calmatters -- 9/20/18
For some teachers, Kavanaugh's nomination is a civics lesson for the #MeToo era -- After news broke over the weekend that a woman had accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, AP Government teacher Brandon Cabezas didn’t have to ask himself whether he should talk to his students about it. His students brought it up. Anna M. Phillips and Sonali Kohli in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/18
California aims to get less affluent plug-in drivers into carpool lanes -- The main purpose of California’s sticker program to let clean-air vehicles into carpool lanes was always simple: It helped induce people to buy hybrid and electric cars. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/18
Bills targeting California rehab industry wait for Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature … or veto -- Still sitting on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk: a bill that would enshrine “patient-brokering” – when licensed drug rehabilitation centers and/or addiction professionals pay to enroll patients – as a no-no. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 9/20/18
Despite red flags at some California surgery centers, watchdogs issued gold seals -- At his surgery center near San Diego, Rodney Davis wore scrubs, was referred to as “Dr. Rod” and carried the title of director of surgery. But he was a physician assistant, not a doctor, who anesthetized patients and performed liposuction with little input from his supervising doctor, court records show. Christina Jewett Kaiser Health News via the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/18
The Plot to Subvert an Election -- For two years, Americans have tried to absorb the details of the 2016 attack — hacked emails, social media fraud, suspected spies — and President Trump’s claims that it’s all a hoax. The Times explores what we know and what it means. Scott Shane and Mark Mazzett in the New York Times$ -- 9/20/18
Suge Knight to serve 28 years after pleading no contest in 2015 hit-and-run-death -- Marion “Suge” Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter Thursday in the 2015 hit-and-run death of a man outside a Compton restaurant after a dispute related to the film “Straight Outta Compton.” Marisa Gerber and James Queally in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/18