Updating . .   

Exploding 21,000-acre Tamarack Fire closes part of the Pacific Crest Trail as threats of dry lightning loom -- National Forest officials in eastern California announced Sunday that they were closing a 26-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail as a lightning-sparked wildfire rapidly exploded nearby and critically dangerous wildfire weather threatened to make the situation worse. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/18/21

Masking   

L.A. County now requires masks indoors. But will people follow the rules? -- L.A. County is by far the biggest jurisdiction in the nation to require masks again. But with coronavirus cases rising across the nation largely because of the highly infectious Delta variant, officials elsewhere will be watching to see if the effort works. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

'Here we go again': How Californians are responding to new mask guidance -- The emotions were all over the place as vaccination rates stall and the highly contagious delta variant sends the number of new coronavirus cases sharply upward. “Asking a vaccinated person to wear a mask is like asking Superman to wear a bulletproof vest,” complained Mark Richardson, a Pleasanton resident who added that he’s fully vaccinated and was a “dutiful mask wearer. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Corvid-19 tracker: New cases in California total 23,027, up by 90% from previous week -- In California, 23,027 new cases of the coronavirus were reported July 10-16. That’s a 90% increase in new cases from the previous week of 12,097, according to July 16 end-of-day totals on public health websites, bringing the total number of cases so far to 3,827,611. Jeff Goertzen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/18/21

As LA County rekindles mask mandate, 1,827 new cases of COVID-19, 11 deaths posted Saturday -- Los Angeles County residents will awaken Sunday morning to revived face-covering rules, slated to go into effect late Saturday night amid newly surging coronavirus statistics. The item is in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 7/18/21

State’s mask stance frustrates San Diego school leaders, parents -- California is still requiring masks for everyone in K-12 schools, but it is leaving it up to school leaders to decide how to enforce that rule — a move that has sown confusion and complaints from San Diego superintendents and parents. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/18/21

Bay Area businesses ready to rethink plans for return to office -- Workplaces have been whipsawed with uncertainty in recent months as coronavirus prevention rules have changed. The news Friday that seven Bay Area counties are recommending that vaccinated people wear masks indoors added another element of unpredictability. Chase DiFeliciantonio in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Policy & Politics 

Radio host Larry Elder not on list of CA recall candidates -- California on Saturday released a list of 41 candidates running in the recall election targeting Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that was striking for who wasn’t on it: conservative radio talk show host Larry Elder. Michael R. Blood and Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 7/18/21

O.C. Rep. Katie Porter is No. 5 in fundraising among all House members -- Rep. Katie Porter isn’t a member of congressional leadership, nor is she a firebrand who is constantly in the news. But the Orange County congresswoman is among the most powerful fundraisers in the U.S. House of Representatives. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

Street  

Oakland is making its first big investment in holistic approaches to violence reduction. Will it work? -- A small Oakland department that until recently had few resources is now central to the city’s effort to fight a resurgent homicide rate and reduce other violent crimes. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Mat George, popular podcast host, killed in hit-and-run in L.A. -- Fans are mourning the death of Mat George, a popular podcast host, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver near the Beverly Center, authorities said. George, 26, co-hosted “She Rates Dogs,” which focused on relationship advice and dating stories. The item is in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

Water  

Folsom keeps growing. But will the city have enough water to meet its grand ambitions? -- On the surface, the city of Folsom would seem to be water rich. Tony Bizjak, Dale Kasler, and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/18/21

A's

‘Howard Terminal or bust’ could play out in Oakland’s review of A’s waterfront ballpark plan Tuesday -- For Oakland A’s fans who were hoping Friday would bring news that a deal to get a waterfront ballpark built at Howard Terminal was close, the city’s announcement of where things stood and the team’s stark contrarian outlook must have hit like a bombshell. Annie Sciacca, Fiona Kelliher, Shayna Rubin in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/18/21

Borenstein: If A’s leave Bay Area they will have only their greed to blame -- Oakland is offering a fair deal for the team’s proposed $12 billion development and waterfront ballpark plan. Daniel Borenstein in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/18/21

Climate  

Scorched, Parched and Now Uninsurable: Climate Change Hits Wine Country -- If any nook of American agriculture has the means and incentive to outwit the climate crisis, it is Napa Valley. But so far, vineyards here show the limits of adapting to a warming planet. Christopher Flavelle in the New York Times$ -- 7/18/21

Also . . . 

L.A.-based music exec died in Florida condo collapse, authorities say -- Theresa Velasquez, 36, was a confirmed fatality in the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo, the Miami-Dade Police Department said in a statement. Her body was recovered July 8. Associated Press -- 7/18/21

‘Rockin’ Fig,’ the voice of surfing and Huntington Beach surf shop owner, dies at 64 -- Rick "Rockin' Fig" Fignetti for decades announced surf contests and the KROQ morning surf report and was a competitor who held national titles. Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 7/18/21

 

California Policy and Politics Sunday Morning  

California recall candidate lineup revealed, but generates less excitement than 2003 -- The recall campaign against California Gov. Gavin Newsom came into clear focus Saturday, but with little of the frenzy and national spotlight that nearly two decades ago caused the political earthquake that ushered Arnold Schwarzenegger into office. Seema Mehta, Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ MacKenzie Mays and Kevin Yamamura Politico Laurel Rosenhall and Sameea Kamal CalMatters -- 7/18/21

After third venue cancels, Gaetz, Greene take ‘protest against communism’ to Riverside -- After three Southern California venues canceled Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene’s America First rally amid significant public outcry, the lawmakers hosted a protest in Riverside on Saturday evening instead. Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

Walters: ‘Roaring back’ is just a campaign slogan, not reality -- Virtually every day, Gov. Gavin Newsom shows up someplace in California to proclaim, for the umpteenth time, that the state is “roaring back” from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 7/18/21

Fire  

Fast-spreading Tamarack Fire in Alpine County explodes to 21,000 acres -- A lightning-sparked and quick-spreading wildfire near the forested town of Markleeville exploded Saturday to 21,000 acres, prompting evacuations and destroying two structures, officials said. Catherine Ho, Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Red flag warning: National Weather Service says high fire danger is ahead for Bay Area due to dry lightning forecast -- The risk of dry lightning and gusty winds pitched a large swath of the Bay Area into a red flag warning scheduled to start Sunday morning and last until Monday evening. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/18/21

The number of controlled burns is rising in California. Is it enough? - Prescribed burns are becoming increasingly common in California. Also known as controlled burns, prescribed burns are the practice of intentionally igniting fires to remove hazardous vegetation that can serve as fuel for larger and hotter fires. Yoohyun Jung in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Open  

San Francisco Chinatown bursts back to life with block party aimed at racial unity -- For most of the past year and a half, San Francisco’s famously lively and colorful Chinatown has been an unusually quiet place. First, the coronavirus pandemic, then the wave of anti-Asian hate crimes kept many of the district’s residents hunkered down inside their homes, sapping one of the city’s most vibrant communities of much of its life. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Street  

Police release video images of two men suspected in the killing of Rite Aid employee -- The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying two suspects wanted in connection with the killing of a Rite Aid employee in Glassell Park. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

Hmong community calls for justice in Siskiyou County police killing of farmer and father of three -- Community activists are demanding that Siskiyou County law enforcement agencies explain why their officers fatally shot a farmer last month during a wildfire evacuation, saying they are concerned that the killing is part of a pattern of racial discrimination against Hmong people. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

LAPD orders crowd to disperse during protests over transgender rights at Koreatown spa -- Dueling protests outside a Koreatown spa over transgender rights Saturday prompted a large police response and resulted in more than a dozen arrests. Hannah Fry, Carlos Lozano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

Suspects arrested following Old Sacramento shooting that killed 2, wounded 4 at waterfront -- Police investigators are unsure of the motive behind the shooting, but believe “that there was some type of altercation between two groups before the shooting and multiple firearms have been recovered at the scene.” Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/18/21

Oakland: Guns, drugs, gambling machines seized after breakup of alleged underground casino -- Police say public tips helped them break up an illegal casino this past week, with authorities confiscating guns, drugs and more than a dozen gaming machines. Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/18/21

Homeless  

California businesses hiring homeless workers can get a $30,000 tax credit through new law -- California businesses hiring workers who are homeless can get up to $30,000 a year in tax credit starting 2022 under a budget bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday. Businesses must pay at least 120% of the state’s minimum wage to be eligible. Jeong Park in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/18/21

Housing  

This is how much single-family zoning is costing San Franciscans -- The Bay Area needs to build over 440,000 units of housing between 2023 and 2031 to keep pace with its population, an average of nearly 50,000 units a year, according to the Association of Bay Area Governments. Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Immigration  

No immigration sweeps at wildfire shelters, U.S. government says -- Undocumented immigrants shouldn’t let their legal status stop them from seeking shelter from a 2021 fire season that’s already gouging California and other western states, the federal government signaled on Saturday. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

DACA in doubt? Biden vows appeal as Bay Area immigrants react -- Oakland resident Juan Prieto shuddered when he learned Friday that a federal judge in Texas invalidated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields thousands of young immigrants from deportation. Deepa Fernandes in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

A's

John Fisher's baseball legacy rests on whether he keeps A's in Oakland -- Will A’s owner John Fisher join the list of owners who yanked their professional sports teams from California regions for greener and greedier pastures? Oakland has already lived this nightmare, twice, thanks to the Davis family — with Al moving his Raiders to Los Angeles and his kid, Mark, pulling a like father, like son job by relocating the Raiders to Las Vegas. John Shea in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/18/21

Climate  

Cities Try to Phase Out Gas Stoves—but Cooks Are Pushing Back -- Several cities, including San Francisco and Seattle, have given ground on the issue by exempting stoves from natural-gas bans, or providing pathways for restaurants to secure waivers in an attempt to minimize blowback. Elena Shao in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/18/21

Also . . .   

Man climbs atop Knott’s Berry Farm tower, drawing police to O.C. amusement park -- A shirtless man scaled a tower that stands over 300 feet at Knott’s Berry Farm on Saturday night, drawing police and emergency responders to the Orange County amusement park. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/18/21

Saturday Updates   

Fast-spreading Tamarack Fire near Markleeville grows to 6,600 acres, prompts evacuations -- A lightning-sparked and quick-spreading wildfire near the forested town of Markleeville grew to 6,600 acres Saturday morning, prompting evacuations and destroying three structures, officials said. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Vincent Moleski in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/17/21

L.A. County sees another sharp rise in coronavirus cases as mask rules set to take effect -- Los Angeles County recorded more than 1,900 new coronavirus cases Friday, another major jump, as a mandatory mask restriction for inside public places takes effect Saturday night. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/17/21

Third strike: Anaheim venue latest to cancel Reps. Gaetz and Greene’s America First rally -- Less than 10 hours before Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene were scheduled to host an America First rally in Anaheim, the city announced that the planned venue had canceled the event. “We as a city shared our public safety concerns with the operator and the operator shares the concerns,” Anaheim spokesman Mike Lyster said Saturday morning. Brooke Staggs in the Orange County Register -- 7/17/21

Charges cite Trump unrest in alleged plot on Democrats’ HQ -- Ian Benjamin Rogers had five illegal pipe bombs and nearly 50 weapons at his home and shop in California’s wine country, a “ThreePercenters” bumper sticker on his vehicle, a “white privilege card” at his house, and text messages that led federal prosecutors to charge him with conspiring to firebomb the state Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 7/17/21

What we know about the suspects in California Democratic HQ bombing plot in Sacramento -- One of the Northern California men accused of plotting to blow up the Democratic Party Headquarters in Sacramento was a prominent Wine Country mechanic specializing in Jaguar and Land Rover repairs. The other, according to court papers, was a repeat military deserter who lived in Sacramento, abused steroids and was rising the ranks of a far-right anti-government militia group. Jason Pohl and Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/17/21

Policy & Politics 

Hey, Californians. Why aren’t you at war over critical race theory, transgender athletes and voting? -- More than 5 million Republicans call California home — nearly a quarter of the state’s voters — and more than the number in Wyoming, South Dakota and South Carolina combined. While there is no lack of partisan fight in the state’s GOP — they’re trying to recall the Democratic governor, after all — the wedge issues fueling a frenzy on cable news are largely absent west of Nevada. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/17/21

Here Are The Billionaires Backing California’s Governor And His Opponent Caitlyn Jenner -- California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall election in two months, has drawn far more support from billionaire donors than any of his opponents — by a compelling margin. Matt Durot Forbes -- 7/17/21

Street  

Would-be burglar shot by Santa Clara resident -- Police say suspect broke window, kicked open door during incident on 1000 block of Santa Clara Street. Jason Green in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/17/21

The San Diego Police Department is the only agency that won’t move toward full encryption -- When gunshots ring out in a neighborhood, a police scanner can come in handy. News reporters listen to scanner traffic to piece together what is happening. Sometimes residents tune in via cellphone apps. David Hernandez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/17/21

Climate  

San Diego leaders vow to get tough on climate after years of delays and lawsuits -- The San Diego region has talked a lot about shrinking its carbon footprint. However, over the last five years, plans to cut planet-warming emissions have been slow and frequently marked by litigation. Now newly elected leaders, such as county Supervisor Nathan Fletcher and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, are promising to get tougher on fossil fuels. Joshua Emerson Smith in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/17/21