Updating . .   

San Francisco to lift some mask rules Oct. 15, other Bay Area counties outline plans for rollback -- San Francisco will loosen its mask mandate on certain indoor spaces on Oct. 15, and the county along with seven of its neighbors will remove local mandates once they reach low COVID case and hospitalization rates and at least 80% of the total population is fully vaccinated, according to a set of criteria released by health officers Thursday morning. Aidin Vaziri, Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/7/21

Here’s where Sacramento County stands with COVID — and what it means for you and your mask -- According to Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye, a “good point to end the indoor masking mandate” is when the county reaches a seven-day average of fewer than five daily coronavirus cases per 100,000. Currently, the case rate in the county is about 15 per 100,000. So until then, don’t forget your masks. Hanh Truong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

Pfizer, BioNTech ask FDA to authorize Covid-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 -- The filing could clear the way for roughly 28 million children in the United States to be vaccinated against the virus, beginning in a matter of weeks. Katherine Ellen Foley Politico Ben Guarino in the Washington Post$ -- 10/7/21

Who can can opt out of school COVID vaccine mandate? California lawmakers eye crackdown -- When Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week that California would require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a critical caveat was tucked within the nation-leading announcement: Parents can opt their children out of inoculation based on personal beliefs. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Why do unvaccinated COVID survivors also need a vaccine? -- Californians are increasingly being expected to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of work and recreation. But why do those who have survived a brush with the disease, and thus acquired natural immunity to the coronavirus, also have to get a shot? Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

First COVID, now HIV. Moderna and San Diego researchers race to make a vaccine -- Researchers plan to use a series of shots to teach people’s immune systems to produce powerful antibody responses against the virus. But while the strategy is raising hopes and is built on years of research, there’s no guarantee it succeeds. Jonathan Wosen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/7/21

Oil  

Video shows damaged pipeline responsible for oil spill off Orange County coast -- A video of the sea floor off the Orange County coast this week shows damage to an oil pipeline that sent an estimated 144,000 gallons of crude into the ocean, fouling beaches and threatening ecologically sensitive wetlands. Hannah Fry, Priscella Vega, Robin Estrin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

What we know about the Rotterdam Express, the ship probed in O.C. oil spill -- Global positioning data provided to The Times show that the Rotterdam Express, a German container ship, was anchored Friday near the area of the oil spill. On Wednesday, U.S. Coast Guard investigators boarded the ship in Oakland seeking evidence in the probe. Anita Chabria, Richard Winton, Laura J. Nelson in the Los Angeles Times$ Allison Prang in the Wall Street Journal$ Michael Biesecker, Stefanie Dazio and Michael Balsamo Associated Press -- 10/7/21

Wildlife rescuers fear they are seeing only a fraction of destruction from O.C. oil spill -- For those fighting to rescue wildlife and sensitive wetlands from the Orange County oil spill, they know there is much they cannot see. Priscella Vega, Marisa Gerber, Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Oil spill puts spotlight on the magic and fragility of California’s coast -- The hills glowed as the sun fell. The light glinted off the kelp beds, roused the shorebirds and turned the waves translucent green before they crashed and chased the sandpipers up the beach. It was an everyday scene here that felt strikingly removed from modern times. Even as one of the uglier aspects of modern times encroached. Joe Mozingo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Skelton: Enough is enough. It’s time to phase out offshore oil production in California -- If you’ve been around for enough Earth spins, you’ve seen the world turn upside down — especially concerning Californian’s attitude on oil production. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Policy and Politics  

Former officials Nuñez, Boxer and Villaraigosa lead exodus from powerful lobbying firm -- Former prominent Democratic elected officials Fabian Nuñez, Barbara Boxer and Antonio Villaraigosa led the mass resignations from one of the state’s most powerful lobbying firms, Mercury Public Affairs. Seema Mehta, Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

California backed a Valley rice plant with tax-free ‘green bonds.’ What its bankruptcy means -- It looked like a promising clean-tech investment for California — a revolutionary Sacramento Valley plant that would turn rice straw into fiberboard. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

Staying Afloat  

New child tax credit may be life changing for the poorest families. But will they sign up? -- For Gloria Acosta, a mother of four, a $1,000 check each month would be life changing. She’s been jobless for a few years. Her husband, a day laborer, has had little work during the pandemic. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Street  

15-year-old girl killed in Oakland shooting, police say -- The shooting happened in the 5000 block of Bancroft Avenue at about 11:30 p.m., Oakland police said in a news release. Officers found bullet casings at the scene, but the girl had already been taken to a local hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

Riverside County sheriff was once a member of an extremist group with ties to the Jan. 6 insurrection -- Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was a paying member in 2014 of the Oath Keepers, a far-right, anti-government group whose ranks participated in the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, prompting some local leaders to call for his resignation. Lila Seidman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

This neighborhood in Marin is the most segregated in the Bay Area -- The Institute seeks to measure how residential segregation in the modern U.S. concentrates people of color in neighborhoods with fewer resources, with negative consequences for life expectancy, earnings potential and overall well-being. Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

Costs from LAPD fireworks explosion top $1.2 million, even with most claims still unresolved -- Costs from the Los Angeles Police Department’s botched detonation of illegal fireworks in South L.A. this summer have surpassed $1.2 million, even as most claims remain unresolved, bills continue to mount and residents decry a lack of progress. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Climate  

Climate change is supercharging California heat waves, and the state isn’t ready -- When a major heat wave hits Southern California, it begins with a jab — a ridge of high pressure builds over Nevada or Mexico and sweeps into the region, bringing scorching temperatures along with it. Tony Barboza, Anna M. Phillips, Paul Duginski, Genaro Molina in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

How to protect yourself and your loved ones from extreme heat -- With climate change triggering increasingly severe heat, Californians will need to prepare themselves for temperature extremes just as they do for earthquakes and other disasters. Madalyn Amato, Genaro Molina in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

As heat waves intensify, access to air conditioning can mean life or death -- Cory Hammond pleaded with his parents to come stay with him in mid-August of 2020, when they were living without air conditioning in this desert community just east of Palm Springs. Forecasters had issued an excessive-heat warning — of temperatures up to 118 degrees. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Bay Area air district will pay you up to $9,500 to swap your old car for an electric one. Here’s how -- Bay Area air officials on Wednesday announced a new round of funding for a program that pays residents up to $9,500 to trade in older vehicles and replace them with newer, cleaner-burning ones. Paul Rogers in the in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/7/21

Biden wants new rules to keep workers safe in heat waves. California could be a model -- June was the hottest it has ever been in the United States this year, with deadly heat waves and wildfires ravaging the West Coast. As hotter temperatures stretched into the fall, the White House sounded the alarm on heat-induced workplace problems. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

Education  

New laws make it easier for community college students to transfer to 4-year universities -- A number of new laws will significantly help community college students transfer into both Cal State and UC campuses, and boost financial aid and housing assistance as part of a $47.1-billion higher education package signed by Gov. Newsom on Wednesday at Cal State Northridge. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

San Jose State University President Mary Papazian to resign amid turmoil over trainer sexual abuse scandal -- Several days before Papazian apparently reached her decision, the university reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, agreeing to pay a total of $1.6 million to victims. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/7/21

Parents upset, students plan strike as special education classes moved from Sacramento school -- But on Wednesday, more than 50 parents and students stood outside the school objecting to the decision, saying the district is splitting apart a school community. Some parents and children held signs that read, “Waldorf is for everyone,” and “We aren’t a school without special ed.” Sawsan Morrar in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

Afghanistan  

Dad who fled Afghanistan sues US to reunite with young sons -- The Afghan man was attending a conference in California as part of his job for a U.S.-government funded project in Afghanistan when the Taliban sent a written death threat to his home, forcing him to make a heart-wrenching decision: He would not return to his wife and two young sons and instead would seek asylum and try to bring them to the United States. Julie Watson Associated Press -- 10/7/21

Also . . .   

'It makes a humongous difference': Lack of Wi-Fi in city SROs deepens residents' isolation -- Lauren Cotter, spokesperson for the nonprofit Community Tech Network, which helps seniors get online, likened the internet access gap to the outlawed practice of denying services to residents of certain neighborhoods based on race. Sofie Kodner in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

The fight over ‘The One’ — L.A.’s biggest and most extravagant mansion -- It’s hard to grasp the enormity of “The One,” but an aerial photograph of the largest modern home in the United States provides perspective. Viewed from a drone, the white marble structure once marketed for $500 million looks every bit the fortress towering over the scattered dwellings of a village. Laurence Darmiento, Allen J. Schaben in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Alice Waters on the future of Chez Panisse and why she doesn't believe in retirement -- Chez Panisse was supposed to reopen its dining room this month, bringing life into the storied Berkeley restaurant during its historic 50th year in business. Janelle Bitker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

 

 

California Policy and Politics Thursday Morning  

UCLA anesthesiologist, vocal against COVID vaccine mandates, is escorted out of workplace -- A UCLA anesthesiologist who is vocal about his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate was escorted out of his workplace Monday for attempting to enter the building unvaccinated. In a video that he seemingly captured himself, Dr. Christopher B. Rake is seen being escorted out of the 200 UCLA Medical Plaza in Westwood by three individuals. Laura Anaya-Morga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Goodbye mask mandate? Bay Area health officials to announce criteria for lifting requirement -- With COVID-19 infection rates easing after a summer surge, Bay Area health officers are poised to announce plans Thursday for an eventual end to the region’s indoor masking mandate. But when masks can come off is still uncertain. Maggie Angst, John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/7/21

'I'm tired of all this': Even in Bay Area, mask fatigue is rising fast -- Dr. Grant Colfax was about halfway into a community meeting on how San Francisco has weathered the pandemic when the topic of masks, perhaps inevitably, came up. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

Hundreds of families crowd Stanislaus education office to protest student vaccine mandate -- Hundreds of families crowded sidewalks outside the Stanislaus County Office of Education on Wednesday morning to protest Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that eligible students must get vaccinated for COVID-19 pending full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Emily Isaacman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

One loophole remains in student COVID-19 vaccination mandate -- California’s recently issued COVID-19 vaccination mandate allows students and staff to opt out for religious or ideological reasons. While a small minority are expected to leave their schools over this mandate, a key lawmaker says he may push legislation to eliminate the personal belief exemption. Joe Hong CalMatters -- 10/7/21

‘That’s not true.’ San Diego doctors tackle COVID misinformation sown during county meeting -- Medical experts debunked common claims about coronavirus tests, treatments and vaccines cited during the public comment portion of Board of Supervisors meetings. Jonathan Wosen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/7/21

Booster shots vs. third doses of COVID vaccines: Here's how they differ -- Bay Area health officials report they are encountering some confusion about the difference between a booster and a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Though both involve an additional shot, the rules and guidelines differ in several ways — depending on the vaccine brand, who the recipient is, and when the dose can be administered. Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

How a San Diego lab could double use of rapid, at-home COVID tests in the U.S. -- The Food and Drug Administration this week cleared a rapid, at-home COVID-19 test made by San Diego’s Acon Laboratories, touting its usefulness in helping public health officials track the spread of the novel coronavirus. Jonathan Wosen in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/7/21

L.A. to require proof of COVID vaccination at indoor restaurants, salons, other venues -- The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a new ordinance that requires proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to enter indoor restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters, hair and nail salons and many other indoor venues. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ Ryan Carter in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/7/21

Oil   

Criminal investigation launched as oil spill cleanup continues -- A multi-agency criminal investigation is underway into the company responsible for an underwater pipeline that leaked as much as 144,000 gallons of oil into the ocean off Orange County, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Wednesday. Alicia Robinson, Erika I. Ritchie, Josh Cain, Tess Sheets, Laylan Connelly in the Orange County Register -- 10/7/21

California lawmakers demand more info from two federal agencies on massive oil spill -- The House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday requested records from federal agencies to figure out whether regulatory failings contributed to a pipeline spilling an estimated 144,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean. Nolan D. McCaskill, Connor Sheets in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Coast Guard investigates cargo ship that was in the area of massive O.C. oil spill -- The U.S. Coast Guard investigated a vessel in Oakland on Wednesday as part of its probe into whether a ship’s anchor damaged an oil pipeline off Orange County and spilled 144,000 gallons of crude. Richard Winton, Laura J. Nelson, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

A rare ecological gem: Marshes slicked with spilled oil — again -- Wetlands painstakingly created with millions of dollars are the most devastating victims of the Huntington Beach oil spill. The trio of marshes provides rare feeding and resting grounds for at least 90 species of shorebirds. Rachel Becker CalMatters -- 10/7/21

Fishermen and foodways begin to feel the squeeze of Orange County’s oil spill -- Over the weekend, spiny lobster fishermen in Southern California began setting traps for the start of their season. On Sunday, they were suddenly prohibited from entering a swath of the Orange County coastline, and on Tuesday, the banned area was extended even farther — without word on how long fishing will remain off-limits. Stephanie Breijo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Wildfire   

Newsom signs bill aimed at encouraging more prescribed fires -- The movement to expand prescribed fires in California received a boost Wednesday when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law reducing the financial risks for burn bosses when fires escape control lines and require an emergency response. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

Wildfire torched the Sierra all summer, evading containment. Here’s how Tahoe protected itself -- When the Caldor Fire burned into the Tahoe Basin, it looked like this city, a center of gravity for culture in this part of the Sierra, could (and many thought would) burn. But it did not, thanks to the 3,500 firefighters, a timely shift in the winds and years of fire preparations by a myria of players. Emily Zentner, Ezra David Romero, Danielle Venton, Raquel Maria Dillon Capital Public Radio -- 10/7/21

Nursing Homes  

State health department blasted over nursing home oversight -- The California Department of Public Health blames staffing shortages, turnover, training and pandemic pressures at Tuesday’s hearing at the Capitol. Jocelyn Wiener CalMatters -- 10/7/21

Street  

Woman shot by Long Beach school safety officer dies after being taken off life support -- Manuela “Mona” Rodriguez, the 18-year-old mother shot by a Long Beach school safety officer, died Tuesday after more than a week on life support, her family’s lawyers announced in a statement. Hayley Smith, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Long Beach school district officials fire safety officer after internal review of shooting -- The Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education has unanimously voted to fire the safety officer who opened fire last month on a moving car filled with young people, killing a female passenger. Leila Miller, Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Sacramento County sheriff's investigators open intimidation probe after swastika leaflets left on doorsteps -- Plastic bags filled with rice and leaflets inscribed with a swastika and the phrase “Aryan Nation” were left on the doorsteps of more than 10 homes and on an elementary school playground in a Sacramento County suburb, authorities said. Lauren Hernández in the San Francisco Chronicle$, Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

Panel disapproves of LAPD tactics in chaotic standoff with gunman inside a Ralphs -- A team of Los Angeles police officers mishandled their response to a gunman inside a Ralphs grocery store last year, contributing to a chaotic exchange of gunfire and a subsequent hostage situation, the LAPD’s civilian oversight panel ruled Tuesday. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Former San Diego sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 80 years for rape, molestation charges -- Earle Yamamoto’s crimes occurred between 2012 and 2019 with two underage girls; Yamamoto worked for Sheriff’s Department between 2016 and 2019. The item is in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/7/21

City of Sacramento sets up department to respond to nonviolent emergencies -- As the unhoused population grows in Sacramento and 311 calls about encampments increase, the city has set up a new department tasked with responding to those calls without bringing in the police. Megan Manata, Vicki Gonzalez Capital Public Radio -- 10/7/21

'Informed Consent': To Reduce Harm, Some Bay Area Venues Are Providing Fentanyl Testing Strips to Patrons -- Almost a year has passed since Crisis Club Gallery, a community space in Oakland, opened its doors, something that makes co-owner Niko Nada very proud. Annelise Finneycarlos Cabrera-Lomelí KQED -- 10/7/21

Homeless  

S.F. advances homeless parking site in the Bayview despite protest -- San Francisco is moving forward with a plan for a massive site at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area for people living in vehicles, despite neighbor protests that the city is warehousing homeless people in the Bayview. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

This new large homeless shelter could get hundreds off the American River Parkway -- Sacramento city, county and state elected leaders are working to open a large homeless shelter at Cal Expo in the hopes of moving hundreds of people off the American River Parkway. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/21

Education  

Parents sue state alleging Black and Latinx students are harmed by disciplinary practices -- Black and Latinx students are disproportionately harmed by the state’s failure to exert oversight and take action against some school district disciplinary practices, including transferring students to alternative and often inferior programs, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by parents and an advocacy group. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Changes to California's youth prison system prove difficult to implement -- California sought to reform its juvenile justice system by housing young people closer to their communities in facilities that are intended to replace the youth prisons run by the Department of Juvenile Justice. If Los Angeles County’s experience is any indication, making that shift is more difficult than expected. Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 10/7/21

Water  

Water is scarce in California. But farmers have found ways to store it underground -- Aaron Fukuda admits that the 15-acre sunken field behind his office doesn't look like much. It's basically a big, wide hole in the ground behind the headquarters of the Tulare Irrigation District, in the southern part of California's fertile Central Valley. Dan Charles NPR -- 10/7/21

California and the West can see small glimmers of hope in weather outlooks for October -- For the first time in months, California’s precipitation outlook map isn’t colored a desiccated brown, indicating drier-than-normal conditions. Paul Duginski in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/21

Also . . .   

Marines link accident at sea that killed 9 to burnout from pandemic, border duties -- Released Wednesday, the report does not excuse those Marine Corps officials whose lack of oversight was faulted previously in the sinking of a 26-ton amphibious assault vehicle during predeployment training off the California coast. Rather, it scrutinizes what a senior military leader determined were other contributing factors. Lt. Gen. Carl Mundy III said it would be “a mistake to discount or overlook” the demands on commanders, their staffs and rank-and-file troops ahead of the disaster on July 30, 2020. Dan Lamothe in the Washington Post$ -- 10/7/21

It's here! Giants-Dodgers postseason; L.A. beats Cardinals in wild-card game -- The dream grudge match has arrived, the long-awaited and much-anticipated showdown between bitter rivals is here. The Giants are playing the Dodgers in the postseason. Finally. As they say on the game show, let’s play the feud. John Shea in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

Zodiac Killer case solved? Case Breakers group makes an ID, but police say it doesn't hold up -- The latest of the hundreds of Zodiac Killer theories floated each year emerged this week from a private team of investigators who named a man from the Sierra foothills who died three years ago as the killer, but FBI and police officials say the Zodiac case remains unsolved. Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/7/21

Hmong residents connect at Sacramento’s community gardens, but want more city support to grow more food -- In South Sacramento, an oasis of South Asian vegetables bloom just off the side of a busy boulevard. Known simply as the Lemon Hill Garden, this multi-acre property is leased by a neighborhood church to mostly Hmong residents, who are looking to grow their own food. Sarah Mizes-Tan Capital Public Radio -- 10/7/21

 

 

Wednesday Updates   

L.A. to require proof of COVID vaccination at indoor restaurants, salons and other venues -- The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a new ordinance that requires proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to enter indoor restaurants, shopping centers, movie theaters, hair and nail salons and many other indoor venues. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/6/21

On split vote, San Diego County approves proof-of-vaccination requirement for new hires -- The requirement, a last-minute addition by Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher, was approved 3-2 Tuesday evening after hours of public comment on the county’s monthly COVID-19 update. Paul Sisson in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/6/21

Bay Area health officials to announce criteria for lifting mask mandates -- Health officials are finalizing criteria in which counties would be required to meet in order to lift the restrictions. Those criteria are likely to include case rates, vaccination rates and hospitalizations, according to officials. Maggie Angst in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/6/21

California is shaking off the worst of the Delta variant surge -- COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped by half from the summer peak, as California continues to steadily, if slowly, shake off the worst of the Delta surge. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri, Dominic Fracassa in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/21

Oil   

How a coast crowded with ships, port gridlock and an anchor may have caused O.C. oil spill -- In a year that has set records for the number of ships coming and going through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Friday was not unusual. Winds were light, and the steady movement of traffic at sea was routine. Thomas Curwen, Richard Winton, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Oil spill cleanup efforts continue as questions center on timing of pipeline shutdown -- As efforts continue to clean up and contain the oil spill off the Orange County coast Wednesday, questions about the accident are now focused on the timeline of when authorities were informed of the pipeline leak and why several hours elapsed between when a low-pressure alarm was tripped and the pipeline was shut off. Alicia Robinson in the Orange County Register -- 10/6/21

Why do we still have offshore oil wells? How do they work? -- The oil spill that’s fouling Southern California beaches has many Californians wondering why the state still has offshore oil wells more than 50 years after the state declared an end to new drilling, and more than 35 years after the federal government stopped issuing new leases. Jon Healey, Karen Garcia, Madalyn Amato in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

From the sky, Coast Guard monitors movement of Orange County oil spill -- It was nearly 2 p.m. Tuesday when the Alenia C-27J Spartan, a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft, began its flight along the Orange County coast. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Dismayed by oil spill, some in Huntington Beach say it’s time to end offshore drilling -- A large yellow bulldozer pushed a mound of sand toward the mouth of the Huntington Beach Channel, creating a barrier that would hopefully slow the amount of oil that was floating up to the nearby wetlands. Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Street  

California correctional officer alleged cover-ups in prison killings before his death -- A correctional sergeant who worked at a state prison outside Sacramento killed himself this summer after reporting corruption, harassment and cover-ups to prison officials and attorneys. Wes Venteicher and Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/21

Water  

Los Angeles shifts water supplies as drought hammers State Water Project -- With the project’s supplies now severely limited due to the drought, Southern California’s water agencies have begun shifting these precious supplies to areas that need it most, while Los Angeles is taking less from the State Water Project and instead receiving Colorado River water to fill the gaps. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Drought wants to knock out this small California town. The people who love it are trying to save it -- Ramon Chavez was a 7-year-old in Culiacán, Mexico, when his parents told him that they were traveling to the United States. He thought he was going to Disneyland. They ended up in Stratford. Priscella Vega, Brian van der Brug in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Policy and Politics  

Is Tracy too liberal? Republicans try to cut city out of tossup California district -- Groups of right-leaning San Joaquin Valley residents and farming families want to make one Democratic congressional district just a bit more Republican as the state prepares to redraw its legislative boundaries. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/21

At Reagan Library, Nikki Haley praises Reaganism but rarely mentions Trump -- In addressing a crowd of supporters at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Tuesday evening, possible presidential contender Nikki Haley evoked his name numerous times during her speech. She compared the uncertain times the 40th president faced in his two terms and the current events happening abroad and within the country. Marianne Love in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 10/6/21

Education  

Former USC campus gynecologist’s accusers call for investigation of top university officials -- In their sprawling sexual assault inquiry focused on USC, Los Angeles police detectives traveled the country to interview scores of people about a campus gynecologist accused of abusing young women for decades, a scandal that eventually cost C.L. Max Nikias the school presidency and the university more than $1.1 billion in legal settlements. Paul Pringle in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Cursing, meltdowns and playground tussles: Bay Area schools grapple with emotional toll of pandemic -- When Carrie Anderson’s second- and third-grade students returned to school this fall, she quickly realized getting back to normal would take awhile. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/21

Housing  

S.F. supes say no to 316 micro-homes in Tenderloin over fear they would become 'tech dorms' -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously rejected a group home development that would have added 316 micro-units in the heart of the Tenderloin, arguing that the project’s micro-units would become “tech dorms” for transient workers rather than homes for families with children who have been increasingly moving into the neighborhood. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/21

Homeless  

San Franciscans agree tent camps aren't humane. But the city still hasn't found a good way to deal with them -- Twenty-three tents filled the southern sidewalk of Stevenson Street on the stretch bounded by beleaguered Sixth Street on one end and the luxury shops of Fifth Street’s Westfield San Francisco Centre on the other. Furniture, rugs, tarps and bicycles filled the area, and clothes hung from hangers on a chain-link fence. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/21

Homeless camp cleared in midtown Sacramento. Most campers move just one block away -- The property, owned by Caltrans, is a dirt lot with trees between the Capital City Freeway and the street. Crews also cleared camps around the corner along G Street under the freeway. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/21

Also . . .   

Scientist whose key advances were made in La Jolla wins Nobel Prize in chemistry -- Benjamin List, who worked at Scripps Research, will share the prize with David W.C. MacMillan, who worked at Caltech. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 10/6/21

Why you might not get plastic utensils next time you go to a California restaurant -- The long-running question at many restaurants: “Do you want fries with that?” might soon be joined with a new one: “Do you want plastic with that?” Late Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed nine environmental bills aimed at reducing litter, toxic chemicals and plastic waste. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/6/21

Lazarus: Heads up, California drivers: Your insurer may owe you even more in pandemic refunds -- California’s insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara, determined earlier this year that vehicle insurers had shortchanged policyholders to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars when it came to refunding premiums because of the pandemic. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/21

Map: Fruit quarantine imposed on much of Santa Clara Valley -- Because of the discovery of six oriental fruit flies, a quarantine for homegrown fruits and vegetables has been imposed on about 100 square miles of Santa Clara Valley. The item is in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/6/21

Sacramento is about to rock: How Aftershock has become a major force in live music -- The sounds will thunder near the Sacramento River for the better part of four days, echoing from a major music festival that draws attendees from all 50 states and more than a dozen foreign countries. Chris Macias in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/21

S.F. bikeshare service raised its rates. Users say it's now the same price as an Uber -- On a recent Sunday evening, Lauren White opened the Bay Wheels app to plan her weekday morning work commute when she received a pop-up alert about pricing changes for the bikeshare service. Ricardo Cano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/6/21