California Policy & Politics This Morning  

California wineries shut out from China amid trade war -- When China imposed retaliatory tariffs on American goods last April, vintners at Wente Vineyards in Livermore feared the move would push them out of China, the world’s fastest-growing wine market, for months or years. They were right. Shwanika Narayan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

Lori Loughlin and her husband plead not guilty in college admissions scandal -- Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband pleaded not guilty Monday to charges against them in the far-reaching college admissions scandal. Richard Winton and Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

Ex-USC official Donna Heinel lists Long Beach home in wake of college admissions scandal -- Donna Heinel, the former USC senior associate athletic director who was fired in March after being indicted in connection with the college admissions scandal, has listed her home in Long Beach for sale at $1.998 million. Neal J. Leitereg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

See California areas with the largest boom in ‘no party preference’ voters -- The growth in Californians registering as “no party preference” has accelerated since the 2016 presidential election, with both Democrats and Republicans losing tens of thousands of voters. Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/15/19

Trump claimed Oakland’s mayor doesn’t want released immigrants. Her response: We welcome all -- President Trump threw more fuel on the flames of the immigration debate Saturday night in a series of tweets that singled out Democrats and news outlets that had reported on his administration’s plan to relocate migrants to so-called “sanctuary cities.” Kayla Epstein in the Washington Post$ -- 4/15/19

Overlooked mental health “catastrophe:” Vanishing board-and-care-homes leave residents with few options -- This summer, Tom Gray will lose his home. A slim man with hunched shoulders and a halting voice, Gray, 72, has schizophrenia. Before he landed in Carmen Palarca’s board-and-care home 11 years ago, he spent 20 years living on the streets, many of them huddled in a doorway across from a San Francisco Whole Foods. Jocelyn Wiener Calmatters -- 4/15/19

Sacramento plans to open its first homeless shelter for LGBTQ youth in this neighborhood -- Sacramento’s first homeless shelter for LGBTQ youth, a 12-bed facility in a midtown house at the corner of 21st and P streets, is planned to open early this summer, said David Heitstuman, executive director of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, which will operate the shelter. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/15/19

Skelton: The political tug of war over releasing tax returns has roots in California -- The roughneck politics over release of tax returns has century-old roots in two California oil fields. It grew from the corrupt administration of President Harding and its Teapot Dome scandal, which partly involved the Elk Hills and Buena Vista oil fields in Kern County. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

The Central Valley is sinking as farmers drill for water. But it can be saved, study says -- The groundwater beneath the Central Valley has been steadily depleting, particularly as the state’s $50 billion agricultural industry relied on it during a series of droughts. Each year, more water exits the aquifer than goes into it. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/15/19

Walters: DMV crisis could make or break Newsom -- Ambitious politicians like to dazzle us with what Hollywood screenwriters call “high concept” pitches that reduce complex ideas to a few succinct words. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 4/15/19

San Jose motorists increasingly using cell phones while driving: study -- If you’ve been seeing a lot of motorists in San Jose using their phones while driving, your eyes have not been deceiving you. And the problem’s getting worse. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/15/19

San Francisco could enact toll on crookedest street under Assembly bill -- State and local leaders will announce proposed legislation on Monday that would grant San Francisco permission to enact a toll and reservation system on Lombard Street, a proposal aimed at curtailing traffic down the city’s most famous crooked block. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

Shyong: The loss of Nipsey Hussle, and the neighborhood’s alternative histories -- About a week before Nipsey Hussle's death, I was watching these YouTube videos about L.A. gangs on Street TV and Kev Mac Videos, channels with more than 270,000 combined subscribers and several million views. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church hosts Rwandan president, spurring outcry -- Activists are upset that Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Orange County is hosting Rwandan President Paul Kagame at Sunday’s service in remembrance of the 1994 genocide in the east African country, blaming the country’s leader for brutally suppressing his opponents “to save his dictatorship.” Anh Do in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

Nepotism investigations spur questions for California state workers: where is it happening? -- Parents often want their children to follow in their footsteps, but in state government that can sometimes be a problem. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/15/19

Kim Kardashian takes Bali vacation amid law apprenticeship in Bay Area -- Maybe Kim Kardashian had spring break. Or maybe it’s part of her unique arrangement with an Oakland-based nonprofit to study to become a lawyer that she was able to take time to fly to Bali and join husband Kanye West on a luxury tropical vacation. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/15/19

Microsoft breach exposed Hotmail, Outlook email users -- Users of Microsoft’s Outlook, Hotmail and MSN email services had their accounts exposed for nearly three months after hackers gained unauthorized access via an Outllook customer support account. Rex Crum in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/15/19

Fox: Deep in the Heart of Taxes -- Tax day arrives in California with a large state budget surplus, a poll showing that 95% of likely voters don’t want higher taxes, yet a legislature full of proposals to raise taxes. We might reverse that old revolutionary cry of “No Taxation Without Representation” to “More Taxation Through Representation.” Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 4/15/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

California cops, firefighters with PTSD seek workers’ comp coverage for mental health trauma -- Recently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, Sacramento firefighter Joshua Katz isn’t ready to give up on what he calls a ‘dream job.’ Hannah Wiley in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/15/19

How CalPERS-sponsored bill increased pensions -- The annual payment to CalPERS for state worker pensions next fiscal year is expected to be $7 billion, a jump from $6.4 billion this year — and a quantum leap from $160 million when a pension increase, SB 400, was approved 20 years ago. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 4/15/19

As Hollywood Embraces Diversity, Jobs for Female Directors Remain Sparse -- Two weeks ago, the big movie studios showcased their 2019 lineups for multiplex executives in a series of elaborate marketing presentations in Las Vegas. It’s an annual ritual: Here are the potential hits we will deliver. Brooks Barnes and Cara Buckley in the New York Times$ -- 4/15/19

Going strong after 45 years, Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has its own hometown vibe -- On Sunday, the Grand Prix shone brightly once again — under the blue skies of near-perfect 70-degree weather, Alexander Rossi deftly recorded his second straight wire-to-wire win. And race director Jim Michaelian, meanwhile, estimated a boost in weekend attendance — to 187,000 from last year’s 185,300. Bob Keisser in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 4/15/19

Taxes, Fees, Rates, Tolls, Bonds 

Myers: Democrats have a lot riding on California’s tax day revenues -- It’s long been said that two things are key to successfully governing California: ample Sierra Nevada snow to keep the water flowing and plenty of income tax payments to keep state services running. Problems with either can trip up even the most charismatic politician. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

Transit  

Next wave in commuting: pedaling the Oakland Estuary — for starters -- If Jessica Schiller has her way, there will soon be floating bikes crossing the bay from morning to night, commuters escaping the perils of BART and the traffic snarls of the bridge by pedaling amid the whales and container ships. For now, the Oakland Estuary will have to do. Matt Villano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

Education 

This coding boot camp is free — as long as you pay later -- Patrick Thompson, 25, was working minimum-wage jobs at Costco and the post office when he stumbled across a YouTube video about a nine-month online coding school that didn’t charge tuition. Instead, Lambda School students would pay 17% of their income over two years, capped at $30,000. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

‘Will made you smile’: Vigil held at Sac State for victim of fatal pellet gun shooting -- Mourners at Sacramento State gathered Sunday night for a vigil honoring William Molina, a 21-year-old student who died early Friday after a pellet gun shooting at an off-campus gathering. Police audio obtained from Broadcastify.com indicated Molina was shot accidentally by a friend. Mila Jasper in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/15/19

Silicon Valley Housing Crisis Ensnares Stanford -- Stanford University is locked in a dispute with regional officials over whether it is providing enough affordable housing as part of a major planned expansion, drawing one of America’s most prestigious institutions of higher education into Silicon Valley’s housing crisis. Nour Malas in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/15/19

Report: Progress made to increase number of youth working, in school in San Diego County -- A new report by San Diego Workforce Partnership and Measure of America found the number of disconnected youths, or young people who are not in school or working, has decreased in the region over the past four years, but more work needs to be done. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/15/19

Back story: A closer look at why college students are struggling to graduate ‘on-time’ -- The four-year graduation rate is low at many schools, and it’s not entirely the fault of students. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/15/19

More new teachers in pipeline, but California falling short in producing fully qualified ones -- Enrollments in teacher preparation programs in California are rising, but the numbers just aren’t high enough to put fully prepared teachers in classrooms to educate all 6 million of the state’s public school students, according to newly released figures. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 4/15/19

Immigration / Border 

‘They don’t like Canadians’: New border obstacle for high-skilled workers -- Some U.S. border agents have quietly begun refusing to process work visas for Canadians already working in the country, a change that is confounding immigration lawyers and could pose problems for big Silicon Valley employers that frequently move tech workers between Canada and the U.S. Melia Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

Guns 

Swalwell says Second Amendment allows for gun control -- Democratic presidential candidate Eric Swalwell said Sunday that the Second Amendment shouldn’t be repealed but that it does allow for some guns to be controlled. Ian Kullgren Politico -- 4/14/19

Also . . . 

Man with shotgun is killed by police near downtown L.A. Metro station -- Two officers were involved in the shooting, which occurred at 2:15 p.m. after they spotted a man in his late 40s armed with a shotgun inside the 7th Street/Metro Center station, according to Los Angeles Police Sgt. Meghan Aguilar. Laura Newberry and Mark Puente in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/15/19

Apple’s Tim Cook wore the ultimate dad outfit to Coachella — here’s the photo -- Among the 100,000 people who journeyed to the polo fields of Indio in Riverside County for the giant Coachella music festival this weekend was Apple CEO Tim Cook, sporting the ultimate dad outfit. Melia Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

POTUS 45  

Trump Sees an Obstacle to Getting His Way on Immigration: His Own Officials -- Stephen Miller was furious — again. The architect of President Trump’s immigration agenda, Mr. Miller was presiding last month over a meeting in the White House Situation Room when he demanded to know why the administration officials gathered there were taking so long to carry out his plans. Eileen Sullivan and Michael D. Shear in the New York Times$ -- 4/15/19

Beltway 

Democrats take aim at Miller as questions persist about ‘sanctuary city’ targeting -- House Democrats are sharpening their focus on White House immigration adviser Stephen Miller, with key lawmakers saying he should be brought before congressional committees to testify about his role in recent policy controversies. Mike DeBonis, Rachael Bade and Felicia Sonmez in the Washington Post$ -- 4/15/19

Swalwell focusing on gun control and student debt to get attention in crowded field -- East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell believes that making gun control his top priority — including a $15 billion plan to buy back every assault weapon in America — is the key to his success as a longshot presidential candidate. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/15/19

Eric Swalwell rallies hometown supporters at presidential campaign kick-off rally -- The rally wrapped up Swalwell’s first week as a White House candidate. He announced his bid on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Monday night, and held campaign events in Iowa, South Carolina and near Parkland, Florida, the site of last year’s deadly high school shooting. Later this week, he’s headed to Nevada and New Hampshire. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/15/19

Pete Buttigieg says he can beat Donald Trump in 2020 -- Pete Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of this northern Indiana city who in just weeks has vaulted from being a near-unknown to a breakout star in the Democratic Party, officially started his presidential bid here on Sunday, presenting himself as a transformational figure who is well positioned to beat President Trump, despite being young and facing off against many seasoned rivals. “ Robert Costa in the Washington Post$ -- 4/15/19

Pelosi: Capitol Police working to ‘safeguard’ Omar after Trump 9/11 tweet -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that the U.S. Capitol Police and the House sergeant-at-arms “are conducting a security assessment to safeguard Congresswoman [Ilhan] Omar, her family and her staff” after a tweet by President Donald Trump. Trump on Friday shared an edited video of Omar superimposed over images of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. John Bresnahan and Heather Caygle Politico -- 4/15/19

Sen. Kamala D. Harris releases tax returns showing nearly $1.9 million in household income in 2018 -- Sen. Kamala D. Harris released 15 years of her tax returns Sunday, showing that she and her husband earned almost $1.9 million in 2018. Chelsea Janes in the Washington Post$ -- 4/15/19

 

-- Sunday Updates 

Gavin Newsom plays to a bigger audience as California’s problems await action -- Gov. Gavin Newsom took office in January with an agenda full of campaign promises on housing, homelessness, health care and early childhood education. But it’s the death penalty, Central American migrants heading for the U.S. border and Donald Trump that have dominated his first 100 days, a milestone Newsom reaches Wednesday. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/14/19

Democrats have a lot riding on California's tax day revenues -- It’s long been said that two things are key to successfully governing California: ample Sierra Nevada snow to keep the water flowing and plenty of income tax payments to keep state services running. Problems with either can trip up even the most charismatic politician. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/14/19

Feeling strapped on a $400,000 income? That’s the Bay Area -- Marvin Chan says he doesn’t live an extravagant life. He lives in Palo Alto, but drives a 2007 Nissan Murano. Family vacations with his wife and two sons are usually camping trips. Leonardo Castañeda in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/14/19

Bretón: Do the math: Teachers + health costs + insanity = we all lose -- Even if you don’t live in the City of Sacramento, or if you don’t have kids in the city public school system on the verge of blowing up, what is happening here affects you too. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/14/19