Updating . .   

Newsom’s California economic forecast: veto message edition -- Newsom, again and again: “With our state facing lower-than-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to remain disciplined.” Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 9/20/22

Will you get a payment? California readying ‘tax refunds’ for 23 million residents -- Qualifying couples who pay their taxes jointly and have dependents will get $1,050. Samantha Gowen in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/20/22

What’s on the ballot in California’s 2022 midterm election? -- You picked the top candidates in the June primary election, and now those matchups are coming soon to an election booth — and mailbox — near you. Official state voter guides will soon arrive in the mail, followed by the ballots you can fill out and return if you’re not in the mood for in-person voting. Priscella Vega, Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Barabak, Chabria: Newsom for president — is he or isn’t he? Maybe it’s both -- Is he or isn’t he? With California Gov. Gavin Newsom a seeming shoo-in for reelection, the political world has been obsessed with the possibility of Newsom making a 2024 run for president. Mark Z. Barabak, Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Wildfire  

Thousands return home from Mosquito Fire evacuations, as rain turns blaze to smolder -- Rainy weather across Northern California has helped to dampen the Mosquito Fire, allowing more than 10,000 foothills residents to return home in recent days, though a risk of flash flooding was expected to persist through Tuesday. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/20/22

Climate  

California is so hot and dry that not even soaking rain can ease fall fire peril -- A summer of drought, extreme heat and deadly wildfires will end with much-needed rain this week in parts of California, but it is unlikely to douse the threat of wind-driven fires this fall in a state scarred by record-setting heat waves and bone-dry landscapes. Hayley Smith, Alexandra E. Petri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Environment  

Inside the war against Southern California’s urban coyotes. ‘Horrific’ or misunderstood? -- Kristin Muller said she was sickened by the sight of the half-eaten remains of her cherished cat, Milkshake, on a neighbor’s lawn. Louis Sahagún in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

How an effort to reduce fossil fuel use led to another environmental problem: light pollution -- In 2014, Los Angeles cut its annual carbon emissions by 43% and saved $9 million in energy costs by replacing the bulbs in more than half of the city’s street lamps with light-emitting diodes. Sumeet Kulkarni in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Workplace   

The robots are here. And they are making you fries -- Meet Flippy, Sippy and Chippy, the newest technology stepping in to address a protracted labor crunch in food service. Laura Reiley and Lee Powell in the Washington Post$ -- 9/20/22

Homeless

S.F. had bold plan to cut chronic homelessness in half in 5 years. The numbers only got worse -- In 2017, San Francisco’s top officials announced an audacious goal: Cut the city’s chronic homelessness number in half over the next five years. Mallory Moench, Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/22

COVID  

California ends coronavirus testing requirements for certain unvaccinated workers -- California has rescinded coronavirus testing requirements for unvaccinated workers at schools, healthcare facilities and other congregate settings, the latest rule to be rolled back as the state enters what officials say is a new phase of the pandemic. Luke Money, Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

COVID-19 still kills in California, but the demographics of its victims are shifting -- As California settles into a third year of pandemic, COVID-19 continues to pose a serious threat of death. But the number of people dying — and the demographics of those falling victim — has shifted notably from the first two years. Phillip Reese Kaiser Health News in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/20/22

MPX  

MPX vaccine eligibility expands again. Here’s how to get your shot -- MPX vaccines are easier to get than ever before. L.A. County has expanded eligibility for the vaccine and made it more widely available at walk-up clinics around the county. Jessica Roy, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Education  

Stanford University unit grabs big Bay Area apartment complex -- Stanford University has gained ownership of a big apartment complex in Palo Alto that’s next to the college through a byzantine array of transactions, public records indicate. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/20/22

 

California Policy and Politics Tuesday   

Ex-USC social work dean pleads guilty in Mark Ridley-Thomas bribery case -- For more than two decades leading USC’s social work school, Marilyn Flynn seemed like the model university dean. Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Workplace   

Cal State says it can’t afford a staff wage hike even if Newsom OKs it -- A last-minute bill would force Cal State to give non-faculty staff raises, costing the system almost $900 million over ten years — money the system says it doesn’t have. Cal State may cut programs and raise tuition if it doesn’t get enough state money. Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters -- 9/20/22

Griffith Observatory’s planetarium storytellers petition to unionize with Actors’ Equity -- Educators who teach visitors to Los Angeles’ iconic planetarium about the night sky have filed a petition to join a union known for representing stars of the stage. Jaimie Ding in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

'We Don't Want to Be Dismissed': Workers at Compass Family Services in San Francisco Plan Vote to Unionize -- Calling themselves Better Compass for All, the more than 100 staff members, who provide services for more than 6,500 parents, guardians and children in San Francisco, say they’re organizing to have more bargaining power. They want better wages and benefits, and to push for better working conditions without fear of retaliation. Holly McDede KQED -- 9/20/22

Develop   

Luxury hotel proposal pits celebrities against celebrities in Benedict Canyon -- Gary Safady’s plan for a luxury hotel has lined up A-list names as backers. It also has plenty of high-profile celebrities among its critics. Hugo Martín in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Homeless

San Jose: City workers urge council to scrap controversial tiny home site for homeless residents -- Following a backlash from neighbors, city workers are recommending that San Jose back down from a proposal to build tiny homes for homeless residents on a controversial piece of land across the street from an elementary school — the latest indication of the daunting difficulties in combating homelessness. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/20/22

Housing 

Newsom signed major California climate package. But what about ‘no-brainer’ parking reform? -- When Gov. Gavin Newsom stood in front of cameras in a Vallejo parking lot on Friday to celebrate a sweeping package of new climate legislation, some environmentalists and urban planners noticed that one bill was conspicuously missing — Assembly Bill 2097. Maggie Angst in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/20/22

Water  

Temporary watering ban lifted in Los Angeles County as pipeline repair completed early -- The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California says residents and businesses in affected areas can resume limited watering outdoors after repairs to the 36-mile pipeline. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Street  

Sherri Papini invented a wild kidnapping hoax. The true story is even stranger -- Sherri Papini disappeared from her Northern California neighborhood in November 2016, but she made it home in time for Thanksgiving. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Man arrested on suspicion of arson in fire that destroyed historic South L.A. church -- Carlos Diaz, 23, was arrested after a fire destroyed Victory Baptist Church and injured three firefighters, authorities said. Summer Lin, Thomas Curwen in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

From an L.A. prison phone, La Luz del Mundo megachurch leader addresses followers in Mexico -- The followers of Naasón Joaquín García, who’s serving a nearly 17-year prison sentence in L.A. for sexually abusing girls from his congregation, have stayed loyal to the La Luz del Mundo leader. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

San Francisco's Uber hacked, possibly by teen ‘cybergang’ Lapsus$ -- The San Francisco ride-hailing tech giant Uber said it fell victim to a hacker — or group of hackers — that they believe is linked to a notorious “cybergang” responsible for a slew of high-level hacks in recent months. Joshua Bote in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/20/22

Shot in the head during alleged hate attack, California man details ‘miracle’ recovery -- A Northern California man who has been hailed as a hero for defending his friend and other bystanders during a suspected hate crime assault last year in Shasta County spoke Monday — the eve of the alleged attacker’s criminal trial — on his “miracle” recovery after being pistol-whipped and shot multiple times, including once in the top of his head. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/20/22

Guns  

Inside the team pioneering California’s red flag law -- “Red flag” laws have been slow to take off in many places, but San Diego’s program shows how advocates hope gun violence restraining orders can be used to prevent tragedy. Alexei Koseff in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/22

Meet California’s “red flag” law evangelist -- It happens almost every time there’s a new mass shooting. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 9/20/22

Cannabis  

California workers won’t have to worry about being fired, or not hired, for off-the-clock marijuana use -- Newsom signs into law a bill that will make it illegal for California employers to discriminate against workers for cannabis use outside of work. Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Immigration  

These migrants were flown to California from Texas. They don’t know why or who paid for their flights -- The same week Republican governors in Texas and Florida sent migrants to liberal cities, eight Venezuelans wound up on flights from Texas to Sacramento. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

ICE Detainees in Imperial County allege negligent medical care, other abuses -- A group of migrants locked up in the Imperial Regional Detention Center filed a federal complaint last week alleging medical negligence, retaliatory use of solitary confinement, and civil rights violations. Gustavo Solis KPBS -- 9/20/22

Education  

Video shows woman pulling down Latin American flags at Oakland school -- A video posted to social media shows a woman pulling down the flags of several Latin American countries outside an Oakland school in “a hostile act,” district officials said. Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

Cities and towns across California only get the libraries they can afford -- Visiting the library in the small town of Planada means visiting a bookmobile with no air conditioning in the sweltering heat of the San Joaquin Valley. But Sofia Rodriguez visits often, pulling her young children in their red wagon. The youngsters are bookworms who eagerly anticipate exchanging their library books for a stack of new ones. Emma Gallegos EdSource -- 9/20/22

Also . . .   

These 3 stretches of Bay Area highway are among California’s 10 deadliest roads -- Two sections of Interstate 80 in the East Bay and a portion of Interstate 280 in the South Bay have among the highest rates of fatalities per mile in the state, according to a report from personal finance website MoneyGeek. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/20/22

Here’s why Sandra Oh attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral -- Oh was appointed in June to the Order of Canada, which is among the highest civilian honors given by the Canadian government. Jonah Valdez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/20/22

 

Monday Updates   

Rain quiets Mosquito Fire in Northern California but adds risk of flash flooding -- An ongoing storm in Northern California helped tame the Mosquito Fire and boost containment efforts over the weekend, allowing about 3,000 people to return home after more than a week of being displaced by mandatory evacuations. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/19/22

Policy and Politics  

Chesa Boudin charged a rookie cop with manslaughter. What will Brooke Jenkins do next? -- For nearly five years, Keita O’Neil’s family has longed to see the San Francisco police officer who killed him face the evidence in court. Joshua Sharpe in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 9/19/22

Abortion ruling has put these 5 California House races in play -- Control of the House will be decided by a handful of races around the nation, and California alone has at least five whose outcome may hinge on a single issue: abortion. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 9/19/22

Sports Betting  

Skelton: Voters are turned off by Props. 26 and 27. Racing tracks should pick a better horse next time -- You’d never know it from the incessant TV ads, but troubled horse racing would greatly benefit from a sports betting initiative on the November ballot. In fact, Proposition 26 is seen by some as a savior of thoroughbred racing in California. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/19/22

Why are tribal casinos and California’s cardrooms at odds over Prop 26? -- Proposition 26, which would clear the way for sports-betting at California’s tribal casinos, also includes a little-known provision that critics say could threaten the future of cardrooms, including more than a dozen in the Bay Area, such as Artichoke Joe’s in San Bruno, Oaks Card Club in Emeryville and San Jose’s Bay 101 and Casino M8trix. Harriet Blair Rowan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 9/19/22

Workplace   

A new California laws protects workers from CalPERS clawbacks. It won’t help these retirees -- Fifty-six Glenn County retirees likely will have to return part of their pensions to CalPERS due to a mistake their employer made that inflated their retirement benefits. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 9/19/22

Supply Chain  

Port Labor Talks Stall as Worker Disruptions Grow -- West Coast port labor talks are stalled as dockworker disputes hit the region’s big trade gateways, according to shipping industry officials who fear the negotiations could take months to resolve. Paul Berger in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 9/19/22

Water  

Surfing in the California desert? Developer’s plan sparks outrage over water use, drought -- In a part of the Coachella Valley where exclusive neighborhoods wrap around lush golf courses and ponds, a stretch of open desert could be transformed into a new sort of artificial oasis. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/19/22

Develop   

Luxury hotel proposal pits celebrities against celebrities in Benedict Canyon -- A proposal to build a luxury hotel in a swanky, wooded enclave of Benedict Canyon has pitted some of L.A.'s biggest deal makers, movie executives and celebrities against each other in a pitched battle over the future of one of L.A.'s most expensive neighborhoods. Hugo Martín in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/19/22

Street  

A successful nurse’s mental struggles remained hidden — until fiery L.A. crash left 5 dead -- Minutes before the fiery crash in Windsor Hills that killed five people last month, Nicole Linton was not making sense, her older sister said. FaceTiming with Kim Linton while driving her Mercedes-Benz, Linton would start speaking and stop after a few words. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/19/22

Also . . .   

In memory of Henry Fuhrmann, who believed in us before we believed in ourselves -- Henry was a brilliant editor passionate about language, whose work was instrumental in changing newspaper standards for describing immigrants and people from minority communities, and in guiding this paper’s transition online. Frank Shyong in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 9/19/22