Updating . .   

Fake active shooter reports at California schools spur investigations, authorities say -- Police were investigating a string of reports of active shooters or threats to several California schools on Wednesday, but the calls were quickly determined to be hoaxes and students are safe, authorities said. Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Alexandra E. Petri, Noah Goldberg, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Newsom’s plan seeks to give hope to families of mentally ill, homeless Californians -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signs CARE Court proposal into law, a sweeping plan to order mental health and addiction treatment for thousands of Californians. Hannah Wiley in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

California sues Amazon over third-party contracting -- State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Wednesday that his office was suing Amazon for requiring merchants to enter agreements that penalize them if they offer their products elsewhere for lower prices. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 9/14/22

L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s house searched by sheriff’s investigators -- Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators searched the house of County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl on Wednesday as part of a criminal investigation into a county contract awarded to a nonprofit organization. Alene Tchekmedyian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

In big California campaigns, no room for debate -- As Election Day approaches, you’re likely to spot Gov. Gavin Newsom popping up in plenty of television ads. You’ll see state controller candidate Malia Cohen on her various social media feeds. Attorney General Rob Bonta will be busy attending plenty of press conferences. But what are the odds that voters will catch any of these Democrats at a televised political debate? Don’t bet on it. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 9/14/22

Four years and $300 million later, what’s California’s dialysis ballot proposition really about? -- Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, or SEIU-UHW, evolved into one of California’s fiercest political players in 2018 when it bankrolled a ballot initiative to more stringently regulate the state’s for-profit dialysis industry. Owen Tucker-Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

Rap lyrics on trial: Bill would limit prosecutors’ use of words and music as evidence -- A bill before Gov. Gavin Newsom would force prosecutors who want to use rap lyrics, or any other form of creative expression, to hold a pretrial hearing away from the jury to prove that the lyrics or other artistic expression are relevant to the case. Nigel Duara CalMatters -- 9/14/22

Wildfire  

Mosquito Fire surpasses 60,000 acres after flare-up near Foresthill, with more wind coming -- The Mosquito Fire jumped back over the Middle Fork of the American River on Tuesday, sprinting north toward the Placer County towns of Todd Valley and Foresthill after gusty winds led spot fires to jump containment lines. Michael McGough and Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

California cleans up from mudslides, as fire gains strength -- Rescuers searched Wednesday for a person missing in a mudslide that swept boulders down fire-scarred slopes in Southern California mountain communities, while firefighters held back a week-old blaze that gained renewed strength and forced more evacuations along foothills in the northern part of the state. Marcio Sanchez and Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 9/14/22

Woman and her dog missing after mudslides slam parts of San Bernardino County -- A woman and her dog are missing after torrential rain hit several San Bernardino County communities earlier this week, prompting evacuation orders and causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure near recent burn areas. Alexandra E. Petri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Workplace   

California union members would get money from state for paying dues under bill on Newsom’s desk -- California union members could receive tax credits to reimburse a portion of their dues payments under a bill awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. Assembly Bill 158, approved by the Legislature in June, doesn’t specify the size of the credits for most dues-payers. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

Chip company Solidigm to add 750 high-tech, high-paying R&D jobs to Sacramento region -- Semiconductor company Solidigm will be creating 750 high-paying new research and development jobs in Rancho Cordova over a five-year period in what is expected to be a major economic boost to the Sacramento area. Randy Diamond in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

Street  

‘You can’t get out’: Mentally ill languish in California jails without trial or treatment -- Hundreds of mentally ill detainees incarcerated across California in recent years have languished in jail long after being declared incompetent to stand trial. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

PnB Rock’s stolen jewelry could be key to solving his shocking killing -- Los Angeles Police Department detectives have put pawn shops on alert about items stolen during the brazen robbery in hopes it may help identity the killer. Richard Winton, Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

‘I’m afraid to leave my own home’: Poll finds Asian Americans feel less safe in S.F. than other groups -- Jade Le has lived in the Tenderloin for 11 years and loves her San Francisco neighborhood. But it’s now in the worst state that she’s ever seen, particularly in terms of safety. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Guns  

LA County supervisors propose ban on sales of big handguns, buffer between gun stores and schools -- For the second time this summer, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 13, pursued a ban on large-caliber handguns and ammunition, and other regulations that would restrict sale of firearms in unincorporated county communities. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/14/22

COVID  

LA County considers dropping indoor mask recommendation as COVID cases drop -- If the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline, Los Angeles County will consider dropping its recommendation to wear a mask indoors, as well as its requirement for masking on buses, trains and transit depots, the county’s Department of Public Health reported on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 9/14/22

Should you get your flu shot and COVID booster together? Here’s what experts say -- The flu shot is as familiar an October ritual as football, foliage and Halloween. But health officials are urging Americans to get the new flu shot and COVID booster at the same time — the sooner, the better. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/14/22

A new virus to worry about: EV-D68 can cause paralysis in children -- Health officials are warning doctors about another contagious virus that, in rare cases, can send children to the hospital or lead to permanent paralysis. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Also . . .   

Knight: We asked S.F. residents what makes them proudest — and saddest — about the city. Their answers are eye-opening -- A new San Francisco Chronicle poll shows residents are deeply frustrated and saddened by our city. So why stay? Answers to what makes them proud about life in San Francisco were telling, too. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

California Policy and Politics Wednesday   

Monstrous Mosquito Fire is growing a second pyrocumulus cloud, enters Foresthill -- Firefighters expanded evacuation orders in El Dorado County on Tuesday as the Mosquito Fire erupted once again, quickly growing a second pyrocumulus cloud that is capable of throwing embers and other flames hundreds of feet from the original fire. By Tuesday night, the fire had burned more than 50,000 acres. Jordan Parker, Gerry Díaz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Water  

California’s drought regulators lose big case. What it means for state’s power to police water -- With California in its third punishing year of a historic drought, an appeals court ruled Monday that the State Water Resources Control Board lacks the power to interfere with so-called “senior” water rights holders and curtail their diversions of water from rivers. Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

Water use drops significantly in Santa Clara County; drought targets met by increased conservation -- After months of missing water conservation targets while California’s drought worsened, the 2 million residents of Santa Clara County appear to have turned the corner and are making significant progress now — much of it by dialing back sprinklers that irrigate their lawns and other landscaping. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/14/22

Stressed Colorado River keeps California desert farms alive -- When Don Cox was looking for a reliable place to build a family farm in the 1950s, he settled on California’s Imperial Valley. The desert region had high priority water rights, meaning its access to water was hard for anyone to take away. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 9/14/22

Quakes  

Damage reported after two quakes — magnitudes 4.4 and 3.9 — jolt the S.F. Bay Area -- Across central Santa Rosa, Residents reported broken gas lines and water pipes, sending firefighters across town to investigate the damage. The quake hurled items off of store shelves and cracked a store-front window at a liquor store near the epicenter. Julie Johnson, Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Policy and Politics  

California governor signs bill forcing social media company transparency -- The law, known as A.B. 587, will require tech companies to file semiannual reports with the state’s attorney general that publicly disclose their content moderation policies regarding hate speech, disinformation and extremism. Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ Don Thompson Associated Press -- 9/14/22

Garofoli: Newsom’s allies support Prop. 30 — here’s why it makes sense that he doesn’t -- By starring in a new advertisement slamming Proposition 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom is making clear just how much he hates the ballot measure designed to tax the richest Californians to fund electric vehicle infrastructure and wildfire efforts — two of his top priorities. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Reparations advocates ask California governor to veto bill -- A community organization that pushed to create the first-in-the-nation African American reparations task force in California is urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto legislation extending the deadline for the committee to complete its work. Janie Har Associated Press -- 9/14/22

Katie Porter lives in a home she bought on the UC Irvine campus. Now she’s facing criticism -- Democratic Rep. Katie Porter bought a home in the faculty community in 2011, when she began teaching at UC Irvine’s law school. She and her family have continued to live there since she was elected to Congress four years ago and took an unpaid leave from the university. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Newsom signs bill to rescue pools closed by lifeguard shortage -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Tuesday that will make it easier for local governments to fill lifeguard positions following a summer in which labor shortages closed much-needed public pools. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Sacramento councilman swore at constituents who asked for update on city investigation -- Sacramento City Councilman Sean Loloee is catching heat for a profanity-ridden email he sent to a group of constituents who asked officials for an update on their investigation into whether he lives in the district he represents. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

California and New York Aim to Curb Diet Pill Sales to Minors -- A bill before Gov. Gavin Newsom would bar anyone under 18 in California from buying over-the-counter weight loss supplements — whether online or in shops — without a prescription. A similar bill passed by New York lawmakers is on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk. Neither Democrat has indicated how he or she will act. Laurie Udesky Capital Public Radio -- 9/14/22

Walters: Tax-the-rich dynamics are different this time -- Once again, California voters are being asked to raise income taxes on the state’s most affluent taxpayers, but this time around the dynamics are different and the outcome less certain. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 9/14/22

Abortion  

'We Have Your Back': California Launches Online Hub for Abortion Resources -- California launched a publicly funded website on Tuesday to help people seeking abortions locate the state’s services, listing clinics, linking to financial help for travel and lodging and letting teenagers in other states know they don’t need their parents' permission to get an abortion in the state. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 9/14/22

Workplace   

San Francisco tech unicorn Patreon lays off nearly 20% of staff -- In a message sent to staffers and posted publicly Tuesday morning, CEO Jack Conte announced that 17% of Patreon staff — around 80 of its 470 staffers — will be laid off across departments, including sales, finance and operations staffers. Joshua Bote in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

UPS to hire 12,000 Southern California workers for the holiday season -- UPS is looking to hire 12,000 Southern California workers as the delivery giant gears up for the 2022 holiday season. The local hires are part of the company’s plan to bring on more than 100,000 seasonal drivers, package handlers and driver helpers nationwide to support the expected increase in package volume. Kevin Smith in the Orange County Register -- 9/14/22

Taxes / Fees  

California will send you hundreds of dollars next month -- Six months after it was initially proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom as relief over high gas prices, the state of California announced when it will be sending all eligible residents “inflation relief” tax refund payments. Joshua Bote in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Staying Afloat  

‘Federal Inflation Reduction Act’ is big boon to California -- One of the biggest impacts the IRA will have on California health care is the extension of subsidies for insurance policies in the Covered California marketplace. About 90% of the over 1.7 million enrollees have been receiving these subsidies and will now continue to do so through the end of 2025. Joshua Aalcides Capitol Weekly -- 9/14/22

Mental Healthcare  

Capitol Weekly Interview: Randall Hagar and mental health care -- Randall Hagar has been in the forefront of major mental health policy and legislation in California for decades. As the father of a severely mentally ill adult son and longtime legislative advocate for California psychiatrists, he has deep knowledge of both family struggles and the complex intricacies of mental health policy. Sigrid Bathen Capitol Weekly -- 9/14/22

Laguna Honda  

Laguna Honda officials, citing progress, hope to ward off Nov. 13 closure -- San Francisco’s beleaguered Laguna Honda nursing home is racing against the clock to make fixes that health officials hope will persuade federal regulators not to halt funding on Nov. 13 and avoid shutting down the facility. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Climate  

A rare third year of La Niña is on deck for California, forecasters say -- In the southwestern United States, La Niña seasons tend to be drier, which could spell trouble for the drought-ravaged region. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Wildfire  

Evacuated homes targeted by burglars in Hemet fire, authorities say -- On Sunday, three people were arrested on suspicion of burglarizing a home in the area under evacuation orders, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said. The three suspects were all Hemet residents: Deven Hooker, 31; John Blackwood, 42; and Michael Edward Serrano, 50. Melissa Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Evacuations lifted, Interstate 80 reopened after new grass fire ignites in Placer County -- A new fire broke out Tuesday afternoon near the Placer County town of Dutch Flat, authorities said, prompting evacuations and shutting down a 27-mile stretch of Interstate 80 for several hours in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

Mosquito Fire evacuation warnings: Your emergency kit checklist, map and how to help -- As the Mosquito Fire continues to blaze through both Placer and El Dorado counties, many residents have either been displaced or are in jeopardy of being evacuated from their homes. Brianna Taylor in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

MPX  

Nation’s first MPX case in healthcare worker exposed on the job is reported in L.A. County -- The first U.S. healthcare worker to be infected with MPX while on the job has been reported in Los Angeles County, public health officials said Tuesday, the day after the county confirmed the nation’s first MPX death. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

HIV  

HIV infections rose in S.F. for first time in a decade, perhaps due to pandemic -- San Francisco recorded its first year-over-year increase in new HIV infections in nearly a decade in 2021, though at least some of those cases likely were in people who became infected in 2020 and only tested positive last year due to pandemic lockdowns and other restrictions that led to testing delays. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Street  

Celebrity, bling and danger: PnB Rock’s killing heightens worries about social media vulnerability -- One of the first things attorney Dawn Florio told PnB Rock when she began representing the rapper was to be careful about what he posted on social media and when. Noah Goldberg, Richard Winton, Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Here’s how many San Franciscans say they’ve been the victim of a crime, according to new poll -- Nearly half of respondents said they were victims of theft in the last five years, while roughly a quarter were physically attacked or threatened. The majority had negative impressions of law enforcement. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

S.F. Mayor Breed responds to Castro merchants’ protest over drugs, homelessness by pledging police help -- Mayor London Breed pledged during a public meeting Tuesday to coordinate city efforts in the Castro around homelessness and addiction after neighborhood merchants threatened weeks ago to withhold taxes if officials didn’t take action. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

S.F. street vending crackdown: Hotspots largely clear on day one of enforcement -- The legislation came in the wake of residents and businesses complaining since last year about illegal vending taking over sidewalks and fueling shoplifting and other crimes. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

S.F. D.A. Jenkins may seek charges of 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in some ‘heinous’ cases -- District Attorney Brooke Jenkins unveiled a new policy Tuesday reintroducing the option for prosecutors to charge 16- and 17-year-olds as adults in certain “egregious cases,” a departure from former District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s policy that banned the office from seeking adult charges for juveniles in any circumstance. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22

Man accused of nearly beheading woman in Northern California will undergo mental evaulation -- The defense requested the evaluation for Jose Rafael Solano Landaeta during his arraignment Monday in San Mateo County Superior Court, where he is charged with murder, with a special allegation of using a deadly weapon and enhancements of causing great bodily injury and of a serious felony. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Sacramento enforcement targeting sideshows leads to 204 citations, 52 vehicles towed -- The Sacramento Police Department said it conducted the sideshow enforcement with help from the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and Rancho Cordova police, along with the Elk Grove, the Citrus Heights and Folsom police departments. Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/14/22

Education  

L.A. schools chief given rare emergency authority to deal with cyberattack -- Los Angeles schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho on Tuesday received rare emergency powers to deal with the ongoing crisis caused by a massive Labor Day weekend cyberattack on the nation’s second-largest school system. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

Bakersfield student, 13, arrested after middle school employee exposed to fentanyl -- While police were on the way to the school, they received a report of a yard supervisor possibly overdosing after coming into contact with the pills, authorities said. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

High school staffer shot while breaking up on-campus fight in Northern California -- Around 3:45 p.m., a fight broke out among several students and “some unknown males,” Vallejo police said in a release. The staff member broke up the fight, but some of the people involved shot back toward the scene as they fled into a vehicle. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/14/22

What you need to know to become a teacher in California | Quick Guide -- Gov. Gavin Newsom and California legislators have poured billions of dollars of state money into special grants and programs to recruit, train and retain educators in order to ease the state’s persistent teacher shortage. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 9/14/22

Also . . .   

Southern California mudslides damage homes, carry away cars -- Rescuers searched for a person missing in a mudslide Tuesday as big yellow tractors plowed through dark, thick sludge and pushed boulders off roads after flash floods swept dirt, rocks and trees down fire-scarred slopes, washed away cars and buried buildings in small mountain communities in Southern California. Marcio Sanchez and Christopher Weber Associated Press -- 9/14/22

‘No idea if this is possible’: Bay Area swimmer attempts 27-mile ocean route from S.F. to Half Moon Bay -- Early Wednesday morning, Catherine Breed will hop into the surf near the mouth of San Francisco Bay and attempt to swim 27 miles south to Half Moon Bay through the frigid Pacific, a route no open water swimmer has done before. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/14/22