Updating . .   

Judge tosses drug case amid claims that L.A. sheriff’s team targeted Latinos on I-5 -- A federal judge dismissed a drug trafficking case Thursday after defense attorneys argued that their clients were arrested by a controversial Los Angeles County sheriff’s team they accused of illegally singling out Latino drivers on a rural stretch of the 5 Freeway. Ben Poston and Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Surfing executive bribed son’s way into USC for $250,000 in new admissions scandal charges, U.S. attorney says -- A Southern California father has admitted to paying $250,000 to have his son admitted to USC as a bogus volleyball player and will plead guilty, prosecutors and his attorney say, to the first new charges filed in a federal investigation into college admissions fraud since William “Rick” Singer’s decade-long scheme was uncovered in March. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Supreme Court will hear arguments over DACA termination -- The announcement sets up a legal showdown later this year over President Donald Trump’s decision to remove protections that allow 669,000 Dreamers — who were illegally brought to the U.S. or overstayed a visa as children — to live and work in the United States legally. The high court could assign the case for argument as soon as October. Ted Hesson Politico -- 6/28/19

The Paradise Principal -- Loren Lighthall guided Paradise High through the devastation of the Camp Fire. But in the wake of the disaster, the beloved school leader and his family had to confront what was lost, and where they stood. Lizzie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/28/19

$1.2 billion CalPERS lawsuit over long-term care gets go-ahead from judge -- Public workers and retirees who sued CalPERS over an 85 percent rate increase to long-term care insurance plans could find out next week whether their lawsuit will move forward. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/28/19

How non-traditional families are separated at the border -- Juan and Ana raised a little girl together. The two will have another child next month. But they aren’t legally married. So they aren’t considered a family. Gustavo Solis in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/28/19

Man fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies during traffic stop in East L.A. -- The shooting occurred shortly before 11 p.m. when deputies pulled over a vehicle in the 300 block of S. Gerhart Avenue, according to Sheriff’s Department officials. At some point during the stop, an altercation occurred with a man in the passenger seat of the vehicle and at least one deputy opened fire, officials said. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Abcarian: Democratic debates mirror life: Men yell and interrupt. Women (mostly) wait their turn -- Like millions of Americans, I closely watched two nights of debates among the Democratic presidential contenders. I came away persuaded that the party is indeed bending left, and that any one of the candidates presents a welcome contrast to the corporatism, cruelty and mendacity of the current administration. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Fox: Gerrymandering Decision Could Energize California Model Around the U.S. -- By a 5-4 vote, the United States Supreme Court turned back challenges to partisan re-districting, claiming the issue of gerrymandering was a political question outside the purview of the court. For those activists around the country who feel the drawing of electoral districts offer unfair representation as created by the party in power in state legislatures, California’s citizens’ redistricting commission may serve as a model. In light of the court’s decision, former California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, intends to push that model forward. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 6/28/19

Quinn: The Surprising End To The Citizenship Question -- Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts surprised virtually all court watchers by killing the Trump Administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. In so doing he saved his court, and the nation, from the embarrassing situation of validating the lies by which the administration had tried to justify this question. Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds -- 6/28/19

Can Providing Bathrooms to Homeless Protect California’s Water Quality? -- Each day, people living on the streets and camping along waterways across California face the same struggle – finding clean drinking water and a place to wash and go to the bathroom. Gary Pitzer Western Water -- 6/28/19

California Is Overflowing With Salmon, Boosting Coastal Towns -- The phones began ringing at Giovanni’s Fish Market & Galley a week after salmon season opened in May and have barely let up since. “It’s all day, every day,” said Giovanni DeGarimore, the owner. “Fishermen are calling saying they have salmon to sell.” Jim Carlton in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 6/28/19

'It's kind of the Wild West': Media gears up for onslaught of deepfakes -- A low-tech doctored clip of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month spotlighted the growing challenge of combating misinformation this election season. Michael Calderone Politico -- 6/28/19

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Scant details: Are California utilities doing enough to fireproof their equipment? -- With much fanfare and no less hand-wringing, state regulators approved plans that for the first time set out how California’s electric utilities intend to prevent their equipment from sparking wildfires. But the plans provide scant details, and little evidence to support the companies’ claims that indiscriminately clear-cutting millions of trees and replacing hundreds of thousands of wooden utility poles with steel ones will actually reduce the risk of wildfires. Julie Cart Calmatters -- 6/28/19

PG&E facing state penalties over 2017 wildfires -- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is facing potential fines and sanctions from California utility regulators because of the October 2017 wildfires and must develop a mobile application to help the public report future problems with power poles, state officials said Thursday. J.D. Morris and Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/28/19

California Democrats praise Supreme Court ruling on census -- California Democrats who sued the Trump administration over its attempts to put a citizenship question on the census praised the Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday that kept the question on hold. However, they also warned that the administration has already incited fear that will make it harder to count people in immigrant communities. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 6/28/19

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed his first budget. Here’s where the $215 billion will go -- California will increase its spending on public education, expand healthcare services and stash away more money than ever for an economic downturn under the state budget signed Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom — a plan that was stalled for two weeks over how it would address the state’s growing housing crisis. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Sophia Bollag in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/28/19

Suspect in I-680 fatal shooting is shot to death in Big Sur after firing at hikers, police say -- The suspect in a recent fatal shooting on Interstate 680 in Milpitas was shot to death by state park police on a remote trail in Big Sur, the Monterey County District Attorney and California Highway Patrol said Thursday. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Breeders’ Cup stays at Santa Anita this fall despite deaths -- The Breeders’ Cup will remain at Santa Anita this fall after 30 horses died during the Southern California track’s recent meet. The board of directors unanimously decided to keep the two-day world championships at the Arcadia track for a record 10th time on Nov. 1-2. The board announced its decision at a meeting Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky. Beth Harris Associated Press -- 6/28/19

Horse-racing diehards at Pleasanton track concede sport needs to be made safe in wake of new law -- No kings showed up to help save the embattled sport of kings in Pleasanton on Thursday, but a bunch of older fellows with Daily Racing Forms in their back pockets did. And what’s happening to their sport is a stickier situation than the cotton candy they sell at the Alameda County Fair. Steve Rubenstein and Pete Grieve in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Police fired more than 55 rounds at Willie McCoy in less than 4 seconds, report shows -- The Vallejo Police Department has released a report detailing officers’ accounts of the fatal shooting of aspiring rapper Willie McCoy, who was killed while sitting in a car in a Taco Bell drive-through earlier this year. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Echoing ‘Oakland Riders’ suits, lawsuit calls for federal monitor of Vallejo police -- The attorney representing the family of Willie McCoy, a Vallejo man shot and killed by police in February, filed a federal lawsuit Thursday calling for a court-appointed monitor to oversee the city’s Police Department. Gwendolyn Wu in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Thousands mourn fallen Sacramento police Officer Tara O’Sullivan -- Thousands of law enforcement officials, community members, and family and friends of Tara O’Sullivan gathered at Bayside Church on Thursday to mourn the loss — and celebrate the life — of the Sacramento officer killed last week in the line of duty. Ashley McBride in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Nipsey Hussle was shot with two guns after ‘snitch’ comments to the accused gunman, records show -- Nipsey Hussle spent part of the afternoon of March 31 signing autographs, taking photos with fans and talking with friends at the Hyde Park strip mall where he owned several businesses. Less than a half hour into his visit, Eric Holder approached the famed rapper, who was with a larger group, and the two shook hands. They had a four-minute conversation, and at some point, the topic turned to snitching. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Judge orders release of transcripts in Nipsey Hussle murder case -- A judge ruled Thursday that transcripts from the grand jury hearing of a man accused of killing rapper Nipsey Hussle should be released, saying that unsealing the documents would not jeopardize his right to a fair trial. In his ruling, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry cast doubt on arguments that potential jurors would be affected. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

State regulators weigh penalties against Southern California Gas for Aliso Canyon leak -- California regulators opened an investigation Thursday to consider penalties against Southern California Gas Co. for a massive 2015 natural gas leak blamed for sickening thousands of nearby residents and forcing them from their homes. Associated Press via the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions  

India tariffs threaten California almond industry -- India this month imposed tariffs on almonds and 27 other American products, including apples and walnuts, in retaliation for the U.S. ending India’s preferential trade status. Those tariffs took effect June 16 and come on top of a significant tariffs China placed on almonds last year. Samantha Maldonado Associated Press -- 6/28/19

Demand for generators lights up as PG&E power shutoffs loom -- Even as Liesl Ramsay was watching her house burn in the Tubbs Fire that ravaged Santa Rosa in 2017, she was getting calls about emergency generators. Since her family lost that house, the CEO of Leete Generators says her firm in the city has received record numbers of inquiries asking about backup power systems. Elena Shao in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Two more California cities consider bills banning e-cigarettes, modeled after SF law -- Officials in the Bay Area cities of Richmond and Livermore are considering bills that would ban the sale of e-cigarettes — following in the footsteps of San Francisco city officials, who on Tuesday approved legislation prohibiting the sale of vaping products in the city. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Bubble Watch: California consumer confidence plummets to near 3-year low -- June’s California consumer confidence hit a 32-month low as the state index plunged 15% in a month to its lowest level since July 2016. The index is now 24% off its August 2018 peak. Jonathan Lansner in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 6/28/19

Lazarus: Sneaky deals are keeping cheaper generic medicines off the market -- It’s bad enough drug companies charge sky-high prices for brand-name prescription meds and raise those prices with regular frequency. Some also cut secret deals to keep cheaper generic alternatives off the market — a practice known as pay for delay. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Transit  

BART says recent breakdown of new trains caused by air compressor malfunction -- BART has pinned down a possible cause of the major breakdown Monday that delayed the rail system for more than an hour and forced passengers to walk through a dark Oakland tunnel. Engineers found that air compressors malfunctioned on two adjacent cars that are part of BART’s new-generation fleet, causing train line communication to sputter between cars. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

L.A. is hemorrhaging bus riders — worsening traffic and hurting climate goals -- Over the last decade, both Los Angeles County’s sprawling Metro system and smaller lines have hemorrhaged bus riders as passengers have fled for more convenient options — mostly, driving. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Homeless  

A homeless woman got water dumped on her in San Francisco. It’s a ‘hatred’ faced ‘regularly’ -- The videographer couldn’t contain his shock. “Come on!“ he blurted over the 10-second clip of a man dumping a bucket of water over the rooftop opposite his window in the San Francisco Mission District. “Wow!” Splashing through a canopy of trees, the water landed on a lean-to that a homeless woman had set up on the sidewalk below. Doug Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

1 in 5 homeless people in Sacramento County are 55 or older. Trend is likely to worsen -- On a single night in January, about 1,079 older adults – those 55 and over – were homeless in Sacramento County, according to the results of the latest federally mandated census count. Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/28/19

Housing  

California’s new housing budget is a wrap. Here’s what you need to know -- Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders agreed to spend a fresh $2 billion to combat the state’s housing and homelessness woes. Democratic lawmakers and the new governor settled relatively quickly on the amount—which advocates say is the biggest in recent memory dedicated to housing. Matt Levin and Barbara Harvey Calmatters -- 6/28/19

California’s New Budget Will Fine Cities Up To $600,000 Per Month For Not Building Enough Housing -- The carrot: Newsom’s state Department of Housing and Community Development will designate cities and counties as “pro-housing” if they voluntarily adopt ordinances that make it easier to plan, approve or construct new projects. That will allow local governments to earn “bonus points” for existing housing-related competitive grant programs. The stick: the state can sue a city or county for failing to comply with certain California housing requirements, and if a court rules in the state’s favor, the city or county would have a year to comply. Ben Adler Capital Public Radio Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/28/19

California leaders propose rewards, fines to spur housing -- Faced with a crippling housing shortage that is driving prices up while putting more people on the streets, California’s governor and legislative leaders agreed Thursday on a plan to reward local governments that make it easier to build more housing faster and punish those that don’t. Adam Beam Associated Press Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/28/19

Bay Area home prices fall 1.7% in May, biggest year-on-year drop in 7-plus years -- The median price paid for a Bay Area home or condo last month was $860,000, up 1.2% from April but down 1.7% from May of last year, representing the biggest year-over-year percentage drop in more than seven years, according to a CoreLogic report released Thursday. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

Riverside to get 265 homes for homeless and poor, thanks to $32 million in state grants -- Developers are poised to use more than $32 million in state dollars to build 265 homes in Riverside for homeless people who suffer from mental illness, low-income residents and veterans. David Downey in the Riverside Press Enterprise$ -- 6/28/19

Wildfire  

Sierra Nevada’s ‘Resilience’ Beer Raised Millions For Camp Fire Survivors — But Not Every Participating Brewery Has Paid Up Yet -- A worldwide campaign orchestrated by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to support survivors of California's deadliest and most destructive wildfire raised more than $8 million. But organizers are waiting on potentially millions more in donations from charity beer sales from participating breweries that haven’t yet paid up. The Chico-based brewery is near Paradise, which was ravaged by last year’s blaze, and about 50 of its employees lost homes to the flames. Randol White Capital Public Radio -- 6/28/19

Education 

Authorities investigating suspected embezzlement of $859,000 at Esperanza High School in Anaheim -- An investigation is underway into whether a retired Esperanza High School finance clerk embezzled more than $859,000 from the Anaheim school’s Associated Student Body starting as early as 2005. Alma Fausto in the Orange County Register Daniel Langhorne in the Los Angeles Times$-- 6/28/19

Bookkeeper, former USC coach plead guilty in admissions scandal, promise to help investigators -- An accountant who laundered bribes and a collegiate soccer coach who pocketed them pleaded guilty in Boston on Thursday to racketeering conspiracy, acknowledging they played key roles in a scheme that defrauded some of the country’s most prestigious universities. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Where to start? Inside one California district’s approach to redesign STEM education -- School is out for summer. But in Tracy, Calif., teachers have been hard at work. Sydney Johnson EdSource -- 6/28/19

Immigration / Border 

Tijuana authorities investigating migrant groups trying to buy children to cross into the United States -- Local pastor says groups are trying to buy children or pair up with single mothers out of sheer desperation, but women and children migrants in Tijuana are terrified. Wendy Fry in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/28/19

Environment 

Aliso Canyon gas blowout near Porter Ranch led to dangerous pollutants near site, UCLA study finds -- The study, which appears in the latest issue of the peer-reviewed journal Environment International, raises concerns about the potential public health impacts resulting from the methane leak at the San Fernando Valley Southern California Gas Co. facility. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/28/19

California was warned about climate change 30 years ago. Now it's feeling the effects -- Back in 1989, Californians received a sobering warning: The accumulation of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere would likely bring more droughts, floods, fires, and heat waves to the state. In the thirty years since, those projections of what would happen in a warming world have proven to be remarkably prescient. Julia Rosen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Also . . . 

Billionaire philanthropist Kenneth Behring, who built Blackhawk, dead at 91 -- He was the founder of the Blackhawk Museum in Contra Costa County and the former owner of the Seattle Seahawks. He was the founder of the Wheelchair Foundation, which has delivered more than 1 million wheelchairs to disabled people around the world. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$-- 6/28/19

POTUS 45  

‘Don’t meddle in our election,’ Trump tells Putin with a smile -- President Trump issued a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin not to meddle in the 2020 election when the two met here Friday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 conference. But the exchange seemed less like a stern rebuke than a sarcastic joke among friends. Eli Stokols in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/28/19

Trump asks lawyers if census can be delayed, calls Supreme Court decision ‘totally ridiculous’ -- President Trump said Thursday that he is seeking to delay the constitutionally mandated census to give administration officials time to come up with a better explanation for why it should include a citizenship question. John Wagner and Deanna Paul in the Washington Post$ Lawrence Hurley, Andrew Chung Reuters -- 6/28/19

White House Considers Capital Gains Tax Break That Would Benefit Wealthy -- The White House is developing a plan to cut taxes by indexing capital gains to inflation, according to people familiar with the matter, in a move that would largely benefit the wealthy and may be done in a way that bypasses Congress. Saleha Mohsin Bloomberg -- 6/28/19

Beltway 

Kamala Harris takes command during feisty presidential debate -- In a two-hour Democratic presidential debate Thursday that often threatened to turn into a political free-for-all, California Sen. Kamala Harris was quick to take command as the calming voice of reason. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Will Weissert Associated Press Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/28/19

Winners and losers from the Democratic presidential debate’s second night -- The first Democratic debate is over, after the second installment featuring the second set of 10 candidates concluded Thursday in Miami. Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 6/28/19

 

-- Thursday Updates 

Supreme Court refuses to approve citizenship question on 2020 census -- The Supreme Court, delivering a political blow to the Trump administration and a victory for California, on Thursday refused to uphold an effort to ask all households about the citizenship of their residents as part of the 2020 census. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/27/19

Partisan gerrymandering is upheld by Supreme Court -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the partisan gerrymandering that has allowed Republicans to control power in several closely divided states. A majority ruled that elected lawmakers, not judges, had the right to draw the election maps for their states. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ Mark Sherman and Jessica Gresko Associated Press -- 6/27/19

Bookkeeper, former USC coach plead guilty in admissions scandal, promise to help investigators -- An accountant who laundered bribes and a collegiate soccer coach who pocketed them pleaded guilty in Boston on Thursday to racketeering conspiracy, acknowledging they played key roles in a scheme that defrauded some of the country’s most prestigious universities. Matthew Ormseth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/27/19

California set to be first state to protect black people from natural hair discrimination -- Some customers have asked her to cut their locs — short for dreadlocks — because their bosses deemed them unacceptable. Others hadn’t worn their natural hair in so long they forgot what it looked like. That’s why Williams welcomes proposed state legislation that would make California the first state to protect black employees from discrimination based on hairstyles. Alexa Díaz in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/27/19

L.A. is hemorrhaging bus riders — worsening traffic and hurting climate goals -- To be on time for her 9 a.m. class at Cal State Northridge, Yurithza Esparza has learned the hard way that she needs to be at the bus stop no later than 6 a.m. She would prefer to drive the 30 miles from her home in Boyle Heights, but the car she saved to buy was totaled when another driver ran a red light. So she is back on public transit, taking three buses and a train to get to school. Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/27/19

Check your paycheck – Nearly 1,000 state workers didn’t get raises after their last contract -- Nearly 1,000 members of Professional Engineers in California Government reported payroll errors after their 2018 contract was signed in September, and 300 are still trying to recover pay they believe they are owed, according to emails and interviews. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/27/19