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Facebook, Google, other corporate giants flooded Newsom with record $226 million in charity donations in 2020 -- Facebook, Google and Blue Shield of California are among the companies that contributed a staggering $226 million to government causes on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s behalf last year, unprecedented levels of spending that are raising alarms about the influence large corporations are amassing in Sacramento. Melody Gutierrez, Maloy Moore in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Big donors, bigger winners: Where Newsom sent behested payments -- Corporations made record charity contributions on behalf of Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020, with that money helping bolster the state’s pandemic response. But the big donations have also drawn criticism that politicians asking companies to donate millions to nonprofits and governmental services creates the appearance of a pay-to-play system. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Caitlyn Jenner’s sons ’embarrassed’ by her run for governor, report says -- The three sons of the transgender advocate and reality TV star don’t believe she is qualified to replace Gavin Newsom, a report says. Martha Ross in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

California is set to lose a congressional seat. How will that affect upcoming elections? -- Sadhwani said it’s too early to tell which congressional districts will be changed or impacted as it awaits the release of further data from the Census Bureau. Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

Can serial killer’s prosecutor end losing streak for GOP, independents in California elections? -- California is in chaos, Anne Marie Schubert says, and she wants to be the person to fix it. Lara Korte in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

Virus  

L.A. County hits yellow tier marker; widest reopening could be a week away -- Los Angeles County has one foot in the most lenient category of the state’s COVID-19 reopening system, a momentous achievement for a region that was once so ravaged by the coronavirus it was considered the epicenter of the pandemic in California. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

CDC says many Americans can now go outside without a mask -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines Tuesday on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers. Mike Stobbe Associated Press -- 4/27/21

CDC mask guidance: What you need to know if you’re fully vaccinated for COVID -- Here’s what the CDC says on its website that those who are fully vaccinated can start to do and should continue doing. The agency considers a person fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which call for two doses, or two weeks after the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. Those who skipped a second dose or haven’t had two weeks pass after their final dose aren’t considered fully vaccinated. The item is in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

It’s never been easier to get a COVID-19 vaccine — even without an appointment -- It’s never been easier to get a COVID-19 vaccine in California, officials say, with Los Angeles County and many other counties now offering vaccines at some sites without requiring an appointment. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Santa Clara County now offering no-appointment, walk-up vaccines -- With COVID-19 vaccine supply now exceeding demand, Santa Clara County officials announced that they will begin offering drop-in doses to anyone who is 16 or older and lives, works or attends school in the county — no appointment needed. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

UCSF treats first instance of a man developing blood clot after J&J vaccine -- More than 7 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the United States and before this instance in a male patient, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported this rare condition in 15 individuals, all women. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/27/21

SFO has lost more passengers than any other airport in the U.S. due to the pandemic -- Even as a third of the U.S. population approaches full vaccination against the coronavirus, and air travel across the country enjoys a steady revival, one major airport is seeing a slower recovery than others: San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Abhinanda Bhattacharyya, Nami Sumida in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

Flights will be delayed at SFO for 4 months - and it's unrelated to COVID-19 -- As the pandemic eases and Californians are returning to travel, the San Francisco International Airport shut down Runway 28 Right on Monday for maintenance, and the closure is expected to bring flight delays this summer. Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/27/21

Open  

Outside Lands 2021 announces single-day lineups, ticket information -- Outside Lands has announced the daily lineups for the 2021 festival, which is now scheduled over Halloween weekend at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Jim Harrington in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

Burning Man  

Burning Man cancels 2021 festival, sets sights on next year’s event -- For the second consecutive year, Burning Man organizers have pulled the plug on the big in-person event due to concerns regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Jim Harrington in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

School  

Students anxious about return to Sacramento classrooms say grades dropped during the pandemic -- Sixty-five percent said in a January 2021 survey that their grades dropped as school campuses closed over the last year. The survey of 169 students - predominantly Black and Latino - was conducted by Improve Your Tomorrow, Inc., a community-based non-profit that focuses on serving the educational needs of young men of color. Marcus D. Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

Education  

Apple’s big expansion in San Diego will be a boon for the region’s universities -- Apple’s decision Monday to add nearly 4,000 jobs in greater San Diego through 2026 is likely to be a boon for the county’s universities, which produce the kind of software and hardware engineers the famed company badly needs. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/27/21

EDD Fraud  

Roseville police announce huge EDD fraud bust involving guns, drugs, witness intimidation -- Roseville police and Placer County prosecutors say they have broken up a fraud ring that illegally took in $2.3 million in California unemployment benefits and engaged in credit card fraud, human trafficking and drug sales. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

Boardroom   

A new California law tells companies to diversify their boards. It isn’t working for Latinos -- The number of Latinos serving on California corporate boards of directors trails far behind other groups despite a recent law mandating that publicly traded companies diversify their leadership, according to a new report. Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

Street  

Anti-Semitic incidents in California remain at historic high -- California has witnessed a 40% increase in anti-Semitic hate incidents over the past five years despite a 12% decrease in such incidents in 2020, according to an annual report released by the Anti-Defamation League. Deepa Bharath in the Orange County Register -- 4/27/21

Gunman who killed 2 in L.A., fled to Fullerton is dead after standoff with police, authorities say -- After a series of drive-by shootings that killed two people early Tuesday, the suspected gunman — who led Los Angeles police on a pursuit to Orange County — is dead following a shootout with police on a freeway, authorities said. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

To correct protest failures, LAPD says it needs more money and officers -- Los Angeles police officials want nearly $67 million more in funding and about 50 additional officers to comply with dozens of recommendations for improving the department’s response to protests and other civil unrest. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Paul Flores moved to L.A. after Kristin Smart vanished. Other sexual assault claims followed -- Fourteen years ago, police in Redondo Beach were called to a hospital where a woman had come after waking up in a stranger’s bed, naked and with no memory of what had happened. She believed she had been raped. Matthew Ormseth, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Court case involving accused Orange shooter still in legal limbo a month after massacre -- Attorneys are researching their legal options regarding an accused mass shooter whose medical condition has continued to stall criminal proceedings a month after the killings at an Orange business, even as a judge on Tuesday expressed optimism that the court process may at some point move forward. Sean Emery in the Orange County Register -- 4/27/21

19-year-old slit dog’s throat and gloated about it on Snapchat, federal prosecutors say -- Federal charges have been filed against a Riverside man who investigators say slit his dog’s throat and then gloated about it on social media. Faith E. Pinho in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

A Survivor’s Perspective on San Francisco’s Drug Crisis -- The city’s nonjudgmental approach to drug use is hurting the people it is meant to help, he says. “The Tenderloin has always been the drug users’ and dealers’ epicenter in San Francisco,” Mr. Wolf said. “But in recent years, you’ve created the environment of easy access to drugs 24/7.” “It’s nearly impossible to get clean and it’s impossible to stay clean,” he said. Thomas Fuller in the New York Times$ -- 4/27/21

Homeless  

L.A. councilman takes aim at money for Valley homeless housing project -- Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee is again battling plans for a homeless housing project along Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Chatsworth, more than a year after the council voted to approve funding for the development. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Fire  

California is primed for a severe fire season, but just how bad is anybody’s guess -- At this point, it seems like almost a given that California will see another historic fire season. A meager rainy season is in the rearview mirror. Snowpack is depleted. Vegetation and soils are parched. Alex Wigglesworth in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

The Burbs    

Sacramento’s suburbs, foothills are growing rapidly in the pandemic. Here are the hot spots -- Urban living in Sacramento and Northern California has seriously lost luster in the last year. Suburbia and the rural hill country are trending. Tony Bizjak and Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

The Pandemic Changed Where Americans Live -- Big cities lost residents, as younger households left for the suburbs and older people accelerated retirement moves, while fewer newcomers came to take their places. Arian Campo-Flores, Paul Overberg, Joseph De Avila and Elizabeth Findell in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/27/21

California Policy and P  olitics Tuesday Morning  

Texas' population grew more than twice as fast as California. Experts say there's still no Golden State exodus -- California’s loss of a House seat for the first time ever and Texas’ two-seat gain is adding to concerns that the Golden State is losing its edge — along with tens of thousands of people per year — to its political and economic archrival. Roland Li, Nami Sumida in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

California has opened hundreds of investigations into unemployment fraud involving prisoners -- A California task force formed five months ago to investigate fraudulent unemployment claims involving incarcerated people said Monday that there have so far been 68 arrests and it has opened 1,641 other inquiries. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

In dramatic turnaround, California now has the lowest coronavirus case rate in the U.S. -- Months after a coronavirus surge sickened hundreds of thousands of people, left thousands dead and pushed hospitals to their breaking point, California’s virus case rate is now the lowest of any state in the nation, federal figures show. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Vaccine  

California’s COVID-19 vaccination pace slowed after Johnson & Johnson pause, data show -- California’s COVID-19 inoculation pace tailed off after officials paused use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as a precaution earlier this month, according to data compiled by The Times. Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

San Diego County Resumes Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine -- County officials said they will resume vaccinations with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Tuesday, after the California Department of Public Health gave the green light to do so over the weekend. Matt Hoffman KPBS -- 4/27/21

After J&J blood clotting reports, Bay Area, California to resume use but offer residents choice of vaccine -- Bay Area health officials and providers are gearing up to resume using the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine this week following a nearly two-week nationwide pause. But some — anticipating consumer wariness over rare blood clots associated with it — will offer the Pfizer or Moderna shot option as well. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

Tens of thousands in LA County are overdue for second COVID-19 shot -- While Los Angeles County continues to show progress in its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, figures released on Monday, April 26 showed that nearly 278,000 people in the county may be overdue for their second dose, possibly due to concerns about side effects or a belief that one shot is enough. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/27/21

School  

Less than half of expected L.A pupils returned in first week; then numbers improved -- Fewer than half of elementary school students who were expected to return for in-person classes showed up during the first week that campuses reopened in L.A. Unified, but numbers improved significantly the second week, L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner announced Monday. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

LAUSD students should be able to return to all-day, in-person instruction in fall, superintendent says -- Beutner also defends district's COVID testing program; says 'hiccups' in school reopenings should be sorted out as students settle into routines. Linh Tat in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/27/21

Newark teachers ‘reluctantly’ approve reopening agreement with school district -- About a week after Newark school officials voted to mandate teachers begin returning to classrooms for in-person instruction by April 29, the teachers union has reluctantly approved a reopening agreement with the school district, officials said. Joseph Geha in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

Fremont’s decision to reopen schools this fall doesn’t placate parents who say do it now -- While a group of parents are threatening to sue the Fremont Unified School District for sticking with distance learning through the end of this academic year, the school board approved a full return to in-person instruction — in the fall. Joseph Geha in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21

Taxes  

Lawmakers give California businesses tax break on forgiven PPP loans to boost COVID-19 recovery -- California lawmakers on Monday approved the last part of a COVID-19 economic recovery package, sending the governor a bill he supports that provides up to $6.8 billion in state tax breaks for California businesses. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Policy & Politics 

Arellano: In California governor recall, Latinos have a chance to cause political ‘desmadre’ -- With enough signatures certified to put the recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom on the fall ballot, the first thing that comes to my mind is one of my favorite Spanish phrases: desmadre. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

The exact date of the Newsom recall election is still unclear -- Critics of Gov. Gavin Newsom are celebrating the announcement that more than enough valid voter signatures have been submitted to trigger a special election in which he could be removed from office. But there’s no certainty on when the recall election will be held, leaving the governor’s supporters and opponents alike in limbo. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Skelton: The recall circus is back in California. Here’s how it will probably play out for Newsom -- Here comes the circus — with clowns, ring masters and trained politicians. The recall circus is headed our way and there’ll be lots of performers, maybe even bringing some entertainment. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Should a Democrat Run in the Newsom Recall? We Asked Cruz Bustamante -- With Gov. Gavin Newsom likely facing a recall election later this year, Democrats are hoping to learn from what some see as the hard lessons from 2003, when voters approved the recall of then-Gov. Gray Davis, replacing him with Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. Scott Shafer KQED -- 4/27/21

California to lose a congressional seat, according to new census data -- California will lose one seat in Congress for the first time in state history, while Texas and Florida are among the states that will see their representation increase, according to population data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Monday that give the first glimpse of the coming decade’s congressional landscape. Melanie Mason, Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ David Lightman and Kim Bojórquez in the Sacramento Bee$ Randol White, Chris Hagan Capital Public Radio Tal Kopan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

Why California’s Growth Has Slowed (and Why Demographers Aren’t Surprised) -- For generations, California has been America’s boomtown writ large, with a population that nearly doubled to some 40 million in the last four decades alone. Shawn Hubler in the New York Times$ -- 4/27/21

California attorney general candidate assails Chesa Boudin, S.F. over crime rate -- Anne Marie Schubert, the Sacramento County district attorney, said Monday that she will run for California attorney general next year and lashed out at progressive advocates of criminal justice reform such as San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Dustin Gardiner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

Walters: A showdown over crime and punishment looms -- Should California continue to reduce punishment for crimes large and small, or has it gone too far and implicitly allowed criminals to prey upon Californians without fear of imprisonment? Dan Walters CalMatters -- 4/27/21

Supreme Court seems ready to strike down California’s disclosure requirements for some charitable donors -- The Supreme Court seemed ready Monday to strike down California’s demand that charities privately disclose their top donors, and the question seemed to be whether such a decision could affect other areas, such as campaign contributions. Robert Barnes in the Washington Post$ Adam Liptak in the New York Times$ -- 4/27/21

Street  

S.F. D.A. Boudin files murder charges against man accused of killing 7-month-old -- San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin on Monday charged a man with murder in the death of a 7-month-old boy, after declining to prosecute him in two domestic violence cases, and his office said it would review its policies to prevent similar tragedies. Nora Mishanec, Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

San Diego moves forward with process to fully implement new police commission -- Implementation of a voter-approved police oversight commission in San Diego moved forward Monday with a structure now in place to hire leadership and staff. David Hernandez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/27/21

Mayor Gloria concerned anti-Asian hate underreported in San Diego -- Mayor Todd Gloria said Monday he fears that serious acts of anti-Asian hate — like high-profile incidents that have occurred in recent months in New York, San Francisco and Atlanta — are being committed here in San Diego but are not being reported. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/27/21

California prison warden faces $5 million lawsuit from family of slain inmate -- Tou Thao was halfway through his six-year sentence for second-degree robbery when he was beaten to death inside his cell at California State Prison, Sacramento, in September 2019. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/27/21

Man donned body armor, was killed by LAPD. It wasn’t the first time he was shot by police -- A man wearing body armor who was fatally shot by police during an altercation in the Hollywood area on Saturday had previously been wounded in a shooting by law enforcement, police confirm. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

San Diego pays $1.3M to former Charger injured in arrest -- San Diego is paying out $1.6 million to settle two lawsuits, including $1.35 million in a high-profile case where a former Chargers player claims two police officers seriously injured him during a 2017 arrest in the Gaslamp Quarter. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/27/21

Escondido police ID officer and man he fatally shot last week -- Police Department officials said they anticipated releasing footage of Officer Chad Moore shooting Steven Olson later this week. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/27/21

Former Santa Ana Police officer pleads guilty to workers’ compensation fraud, gets jail time -- A former Santa Ana Police officer lost his job Monday, April 26, 10 days after admitting to felony workers’ compensation fraud. Eric Licas in the Orange County Register -- 4/27/21

Housing  

East Bay Grandmother Facing Eviction Joins Forces With Land Trust to Buy Her Home — Thanks to New Law -- An East Bay woman who was facing eviction got a reprieve this week after a community land trust was able to purchase the home she was renting. Erin Baldassari KQED -- 4/27/21

Education  

Stanford students turn to protests, graffiti to preserve 11 sports programs targeted for cuts -- A crowd of students gathered in the Stanford quad on Monday afternoon, to protest the university’s decision to drop 11 sports programs. Ann Killion in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 4/27/21

What Biden's recovery plan for families means for California's children -- In the wake of the pandemic, which has cast the essential nature of child care into high relief, President Joe Biden has revealed the outlines of a strategy to rebuild the country’s early education and care infrastructure. Karen D'Souza EdSource -- 4/27/21

Environment  

Stunning DDT dump site off L.A. coast much bigger than scientists expected -- When the research vessel Sally Ride set sail for Santa Catalina Island to map an underwater graveyard of DDT waste barrels, its crew had high hopes of documenting for the first time just how many corroded containers littered the seafloor off the coast of Los Angeles. Rosanna Xia in the Los Angeles Times$ Michael Hixon in the Orange County Register Julie Watson Associated Press -- 4/27/21

Climate  

SDG&E pledges to go to net-zero emissions by 2045 -- San Diego Gas & Electric has pledged to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, but some critics say the goal can’t be accomplished as long as the utility keeps natural gas a core part of its energy, transmission and delivery system. Rob Nikolewski in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 4/27/21

Also . . .   

SpaceX strikes deal with Port of Long Beach (for real this time, mayor says) -- After striking a deal to lease space at the Port of Los Angeles and then scrapping that plan — twice — SpaceX has a new deal: to use a waterfront facility at the Port of Long Beach for the recovery of its rocket boosters. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

J. Jon Bruno, former L.A. Episcopal bishop and crusader for the marginalized, dies -- J. Jon Bruno, the former leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles who steered the church toward a doctrine of inclusion and broke new ground on blessing same-sex unions and reaching out to economically disadvantaged communities, has died at his home in La Quinta. Steve Marble in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/27/21

Assessor seeks $350,000 from Contra Costa to cover his legal fees in misconduct case -- Months after a workplace misconduct case against him ended in a mistrial, Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer now wants the county to foot his $325,000 attorney bill. Shomik Mukherjee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/27/21