Updating . .   

Legal pot spawned a wave of corruption, threats and secret financial deals for politicians -- Commercial cannabis resulted in corruption and questionable conduct that has rocked local governments across California, a Times investigation found. Adam Elmahrek, Robert J. Lopez, Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Wildfire  

Mosquito Fire becomes California’s largest wildfire of 2022 -- Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service on Thursday morning reported the wildfire at 64,159 acres (100 square miles). Containment remains at 20%, the same as Wednesday morning. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

California wildfire ‘looking a whole heck of a lot better’ -- Firefighters again prevented flames from entering a Northern California mountain town and reported major progress Thursday against the week-old blaze that’s become the largest in the state so far this year. Conditions at the Mosquito Fire about 110 miles (177 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco were “looking a whole heck of a lot better,” according to fire spokesman Scott McLean. Associated Press -- 9/15/22

Mud  

‘It’s crushing’: California cleans up mudslide damage -- Rescuers searched Wednesday for a person missing in a mudslide that swept boulders down fire-scarred slopes and damaged or destroyed 30 homes in the Southern California mountains as firefighters in the northern part of the state tried to contain an explosive week-old blaze. Amy Taxin and Brian Melley Associated Press -- 9/15/22

Rail  

Amtrak, Capitol Corridor restoring service after labor deal averts rail crisis -- Passenger trains with key routes crossing through the Bay Area are scrambling to restore service on Thursday after labor negotiators reached a tentative deal averting a railroad strike that threatened to paralyze train travel and supply chains. Eliyahu Kamisher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/15/22

Policy and Politics  

Skelton: Unexpected humor and ‘a spot of gin’: Queen Elizabeth II’s Sacramento visit remembered -- The tale about Queen Elizabeth II sipping gin in California’s state Capitol needs some fleshing out. And here it is: George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Democratic candidate for California controller studied socialism in Venezuela. Fact or smear? -- The race for state controller has excited Republicans, who see Stanford University scholar Lanhee Chen as their best chance to break the California Democratic Party’s lock on statewide offices. He is running against Democrat Malia Cohen, chair of the State Board of Equalization. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

Newsom gets his court -- Now the hard work begins. So said Gov. Gavin Newsom at a Wednesday bill signing ceremony in San Jose about legislation he says is key to addressing one of California’s most glaring failures: The sheer number of people suffering from untreated mental illness living on our streets. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 9/15/22

California’s Prop. 31 would repeal ban on flavored tobacco products. What to know -- A “yes” vote for Proposition 31 is to uphold the ban, preventing retailers from selling items like sweet-flavored cigars, vapes and menthol cigarettes. A “no” vote is to repeal the law, allowing such sales to proceed. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

Voters push to take local redistricting from politicians -- Through legislation and lawsuits, voters are trying to take redistricting power away from local politicians. Bills before Gov. Newsom would require independent commissions in Fresno, Kern and Riverside counties. Sameea Kamal CalMatters -- 9/15/22

PPIC survey: Economy, inflation, jobs are top concerns -- The midterm campaign season enters its final stretch after Labor Day—in the context of rising consumer prices and higher interest rates that have created financial turbulence and uncertainty about job growth. Meanwhile, Californians are feeling the impact of climate change: severe drought, heat waves, and wildfires. Recently passed federal and state legislation aims to address these issues ahead of the highly consequential November 8 election. PPIC Capitol Weekly -- 9/15/22

California, tribal leaders announce new tourism initiative -- It’s one of the latest efforts to revitalize tourism nationwide after the early stage of the pandemic halted travel — and the spending that comes with it. Sophie Austin Associated Press -- 9/15/22

Housing 

Another housing battle has erupted over 1,000 homes in Wine Country. Here’s why residents aren’t likely to win -- If the county can’t approve a plan for the state-owned property by the end of the year, the state will take over and work with a developer — which it expects to choose by Nov. 23 —to build anyway. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

Mortgage Rates Top 6% for the First Time Since the 2008 Financial Crisis -- Mortgage rates topped 6% this week, their highest level since 2008, giving a jolt to home buyers who last year were paying less than half that. Ben Eisen in the Wall Street Journal$ Kathy Orton in the Washington Post$ Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Workplace   

California wage theft whack-a-mole: workers win judgments against bosses but still don’t get paid -- Five years after workers win wage theft claims, state records show only 1 in 7 were paid their judgments in full. Some companies appealed or ignored court judgments. Jeanne Kuang and Alejandro Lazo CalMatters -- 9/15/22

Traveling to SFO Friday? Go early — and bring your own food -- Anyone flying out of San Francisco International Airport on Friday should plan on getting there early — and maybe packing some snacks — as the airport's food service workers are holding a demonstration to advocate for higher wages. The planned action includes blocking traffic near the airport between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. Sam Moore in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/15/22

Mental Healthcare  

Even before Kaiser strike, patients say they had to fight company for mental health care -- Increasing patient complaints also have drawn the scrutiny of the California Department of Managed Health Care, which announced in May that it had launched a surprise investigation into whether Kaiser was providing its members with timely access to behavioral health services. Kaiser Permanente executive Patricia Rodriguez told The Bee that the health network sees mental health care as just as important as physical health care. Cathie Anderson in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

Immigration  

10 years ago, this immigrant didn’t qualify for DACA protection. Now, he’s an entrepreneur -- Now, the 39-year-old, who came from Mexico as a baby with his mother, is an entrepreneur. He earns a six-figure salary as a communications, political and philanthropic strategy consultant. He makes his own schedule. He’s looking to buy his first home in Los Angeles. Cindy Carcamo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Education  

With monkeypox, California colleges seek to control spread of two diseases at once -- California colleges are applying lessons learned from COVID-19 as they attempt to keep monkeypox from spreading on campuses. Experts say the disease poses a lower health risk than COVID but could keep students from their studies for longer periods. Mallika Seshadri CalMatters -- 9/15/22

Groundbreaking iCivics program brings CalMatters’ essential nonpartisan state news to California classrooms -- CalMatters and iCivics are embarking on a unique partnership to unlock nonpartisan journalism and election information for California’s students and teachers. The program launches today, bringing teachers across the state adaptable lesson plans to increase knowledge and empower middle and high school students ahead of the fall election. Sonya Quick CalMatters -- 9/15/22

Climate  

The Elusive Future of San Francisco’s Fog -- The general consensus among the small cadre of scientists who study coastal fog is that it is decreasing, not just in California, but around the world. However, the reasons aren’t clear. John Branch, Nina Riggio, Scott Reinhard in the New York Times$ -- 9/15/22

California Policy and Politics Thursday   

Mosquito Fire is now at 63,700 acres, becoming California’s largest wildfire this year -- Wednesday’s priority was protecting structures in Foresthill and the Todd Valley area on the west flank of the fire as well as preventing further westward and northward spread. Cal Fire called it “mission-critical.” Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Jonah Valdez, Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Both victims of California’s Mill Fire identified as family sues Weed lumber mill owner -- The son of an immigrant from the Philippines who was killed in the wildfire that torched nearly 100 homes in Weed earlier this month is suing the owner of the lumber mill on whose property the fire started. Ryan Sabalow and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22Fake 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

Policy and Politics  

PPIC poll finds California voters supporting Props 1 and 30, opposing 27 -- With just two months to go until the November election, the Public Policy Institute of California released findings Wednesday night of a statewide survey that gives insight to how voters are likely to vote come election day. Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

California launches suit against Amazon alleging anticompetitive contracts with retailers -- Under their agreements with Amazon, third-party retailers and wholesalers have been barred from offering lower prices on other sites, including not just those of Amazon competitors such as Walmart, Target and EBay but also, in some cases, their own websites, the attorney general’s office said in a news release. Brian Contreras in the Los Angeles Times$ Rachel Lerman and Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ Karen Weise and David McCabe in the New York Times$ Christine Mai-Duc and Dana Mattioli in the Wall Street Journal$ Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

Newsom signs mental health care overhaul. Will it make a dent in homelessness crisis? -- In a major move to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Wednesday to push some Californians with severe mental illness into treatment — kicking off what’s sure to be a long and challenging process to get the unprecedented program up and running across the state. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ Maggie Angst in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

Governor signs reusable tenant screening bill -- Assembly Bill 2559, which takes effect in January, will allow renters to buy their own reusable credit reports and submit them to multiple landlords rather than paying over and over for a background check when leasing a home. Landlords can’t charge application fees if they accept a tenant-provided report. Jeff Collins in the Orange County Register -- 9/15/22

‘Do you feel safer?’ S.F. D.A. candidates spar in first debate as poll shows Jenkins leading comfortably -- The three main contenders vying to finish the term of ousted district attorney Chesa Boudin faced off in their first public debate Tuesday evening, each billing themselves as a tough yet deliberate enforcer of the law amid a vicious debate over the city’s public safety priorities. Megan Cassidy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

Workplace   

Looming railroad strike cancels Amtrak and Capitol Corridor trains, threatens some Caltrain service -- Key Bay Area train routes – including Sacramento to San Jose – will be stopped starting Thursday evening. Eliyahu Kamisher in the San Jose Mercury$ Rosalio Ahumada in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/15/22

A possible railroad strike looms. What’s it mean for workers, transportation and the economy? -- The nation’s freight railroads, a crucial lifeline of the U.S. economy, teetered on the brink of a massive strike Wednesday over staff cuts that have led to what unions call brutal working conditions for the remaining rail conductors and engineers. Rachel Uranga, Margot Roosevelt in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Wage hike for L.A. private hospital workers on hold; voters likely to decide its fate -- Hospital groups and other opponents of a Los Angeles city measure that boosts the minimum wage for thousands of workers at privately owned health facilities have succeeded in gathering enough signatures to force the City Council to either repeal it or put the issue on the ballot, L.A. city officials have concluded. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Massive San Francisco tech company Twilio lays off about 800 staffers -- Twilio, a corporate communications tech giant headquartered in San Francisco, has laid off 11% of its staff as part of a broader company restructuring — a move that could eliminate more than 800 employees. Joshua Bote in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

Taxes / Fees  

The IRS is getting a lot more money for audits. Should you be worried? -- New infusion by Congress of $80 billion for the IRS will allow it to add thousands more auditors and customer service representatives. Don Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Housing 

Goodbye, water cooler; hello, pool: More Los Angeles offices are becoming apartments -- Turning old office buildings into apartments or condos is hardly new, but expected cutbacks in office rentals as companies’ permanently adapt to remote work prompted by the pandemic have spurred new interest among landlords in switching the uses of their buildings in the years ahead. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Eviction  

Los Angeles County commits to ending eviction moratorium by year’s end -- The county’s moratorium, which took effect in March 2020, has protected tenants against no-fault evictions and evictions for nuisance, unauthorized occupants or pets, and not providing entry to landlords. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Water  

The Mad Rush for Groundwater in the Central Valley -- Most Californians are feeling the effects of the drought. But in areas of the state where people rely on groundwater, such as the San Joaquin Valley, the pain of this drought is especially severe. Wells are going dry and there’s intense competition to find and pull more water from underground. Saul Gonzalez, Attila Pelit, Katrin Snow KQED -- 9/15/22

Earthquake  

ShakeAlert early warning system worked during Santa Rosa quakes, officials and residents say -- As the 4.4 magnitude earthquake and 4.3 aftershock socked Santa Rosa Tuesday evening, the ShakeAlert system kicked into service, swiftly sending warnings to cell phones in the area and beyond. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

COVID  

It’s very easy to get a COVID-19 Omicron booster in California. Here’s how -- Updated COVID-19 Omicron boosters are abundant in Los Angeles County, and officials are urging people to get the latest offering ahead of the fall-and-winter holidays. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Street  

‘They could’ve saved her’: Social workers were warned an 8-year-old was in danger. Then she was found dead -- In the months before her niece was found dead, Emerald Johnson said she repeatedly told Alameda County social workers the 8-year-old was in danger. Joshua Sharpe in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

Lopez: Is sheriff search of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s home just a vindictive political stunt? -- Up for reelection in a close race, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva appears to be getting desperate. How else to explain what looks more like a clownish and vindictive political stunt than a corruption probe? Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Biden's FAA nominee named in search warrant amid California political spat -- Whistleblower allegations involving President Joe Biden’s pick to head the Federal Aviation Administration turned up in a search warrant executed Wednesday by Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators — part of a local political feud that threatens to complicate the president’s efforts to fill a key slot in his administration. Oriana Pawlyk Politico -- 9/15/22

Southern California woman used prisoners’ names to steal $515,000 in pandemic aid, feds say -- Cynthia Ann Hernandez, 32, was arrested Wednesday on a seven-count federal grand jury indictment that alleges she filed at least 29 fraudulent applications for pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits. Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Read this before you post your location on social media -- A social media post shows a celebrity dripping in expensive jewelry at a well-known locale. Shortly thereafter, gunman sweep in to forcibly relieve the celebrity of said bling. Jon Healey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Education  

Teen girl dead from fentanyl-laced pills at Hollywood school is latest in rash of student overdoses -- A teenage girl who died Tuesday night from an apparent fentanyl overdose at Bernstein High School in Hollywood and three other students who were hospitalized were the latest in a rash of student overdoses stemming from drugs being sold at a nearby park, according to officials. Summer Lin, Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22

Climate  

It’s the Bay Area’s Eden — but it’s far from paradise with few trees and inescapable heat -- In unincorporated Alameda County, an area known as Eden sizzled during the recent heat wave with little tree cover, one of the factors climate experts say exists in low-income communities most vulnerable to extreme heat. Justin Phillips and Chasity Hale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/15/22

Environment  

For Patagonia’s founder, activism has been a lifetime’s work -- Chouinard and his family transferred their voting stock to the newly established Patagonia Purpose Trust, which will ensure that Patagonia maintains its commitment to corporate responsibility and donating its profits. The rest of the company, about 98% of its shares, was donated to the Holdfast Collective, a nonprofit organization that will receive all of the company’s profits, roughly $100 million a year, and use them to fight climate change. Jaimie Ding in the Los Angeles Times$ David Gelles in the New York Times$ Joseph De Avila and Joseph Pisani in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/15/22

Also . . .   

Tesla, TikTok and taquitos: On the beach at the world’s first wealth festival -- When organizers of the Future Proof wealth festival decided to create their own event, they took inspiration from Coachella and South by Southwest Andrea Chang in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/15/22