Updating . .   

Newsom relaxes refinery rules as California gas prices soar -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced that oil refineries could start selling more polluting winter-blend gasoline ahead of schedule to ease soaring fuel prices, directly contradicting his own goals for reducing climate pollutants. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 10/1/22

Jaywalking is decriminalized in California under new law -- Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed the “Freedom to Walk” bill sponsored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). The law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, comes years after activists have argued that jaywalking rules disproportionately affect marginalized and low-income residents. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Newsom has mixed verdict on California criminal justice laws -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a mixed verdict on more than three dozen criminal justice laws before his bill-signing deadline Friday, approving measures to seal criminal records and free dying inmates but denying bids to restrict solitary confinement and boost inmates’ wages. Don Thompson Associated Press -- 10/1/22

After #FreeBritney, California to limit conservatorships -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed a bill limiting conservatorships that grant legal guardianship over individuals, a move that comes after Britney Spears’ conservatorship case garnered national attention amid her attempts to regain control over her finances and livelihood. Sophie Austin Associated Press -- 10/1/22

COVID  

New coronavirus subvariant BA.2.75.2 tops concerns as officials gear up for potential winter wave -- As officials in California and beyond try to assess how severe a fall-and-winter coronavirus wave may be, one key factor is the growth of several new subvariants now emerging. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Homeless

Proposal to house homeless in Boyle Heights Sears building is scaled back from 10,000 to 2,500 beds -- Many community members remained deeply upset by the new proposal, with some likening it to a “concentration camp” or “Manzanar” at a raucous four-hour online meeting Thursday and a protest the day before. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

‘We don’t have a place to go’: Clearing out the Bay Area’s two largest homeless encampments -- Bay Area authorities are in the final stages of closing the region’s two largest homeless encampments, displacing hundreds of unhoused people as they clear massive clusters of tents, shacks and broken-down vehicles that have drawn complaints for years. Marisa Kendall in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/1/22

Environment  

San Francisco Bay’s huge algae bloom is over. But experts are worried about more mass fish kills in the future -- Two months after the worst algae bloom in decades began spreading through the San Francisco Bay, eventually killing an untold number of fish, ecologists and water officials are still trying to determine exactly what caused it and how such a devastating event can be prevented in the future. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/1/22

Climate  

This part of California has the fastest sea level rise on the West Coast. Here’s what’s at stake -- Anchored by the cities of Eureka and Arcata and known for its redwood forests, cannabis tourism and cool, misty beaches, Humboldt Bay also has an unwelcome distinction: It has the fastest rate of sea level rise on the West Coast. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/1/22

Street  

Does Stockton have a serial killer? Police investigate five related slayings -- Stockton police said Friday they are investigating a string of killings they believe are related — and they are advising residents to avoid isolated, dimly lit areas and to avoid traveling alone if possible. Jordan Parker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/1/22

Workplace   

California prison guard accused of assaulting wife, biting son got a 10% pay cut, watchdog says -- Accusations against California prison employees were usually taken seriously and investigated properly in the first half of this year, according to an Office of the Inspector General report. But once wardens had investigative results in hand, they often issued penalties that were too light or made decisions too slowly, sometimes allowing officers to collect months’ worth of paid leave before firing them, according to the report. Wes Venteicher in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/22

Bonhomme Richard  

Sailor acquitted of arson in San Diego Navy ship fire -- A 21-year-old sailor was acquitted at a military court-martial Friday morning on charges accusing him of setting the devastating 2020 fire on the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard. Andrew Dyer in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

California Policy and Politics Saturday  

Rick Caruso has spent more than $62 million since entering L.A. mayor’s race -- It’s a figure that — save for fellow billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s three successful New York mayoral campaigns — is all but unrivaled in the annals of American local politics. Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Shasta County officials warn of people impersonating election officials, voter intimidation -- Shasta County officials are warning residents about a group of people impersonating election officials who are questioning voters about their registration. Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

California raises wage replacement for new parents, sick workers -- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday that will increase the amount of money workers receive under the state’s paid family and medical leave program, providing a boost that supporters say will ensure lower wage workers are not locked out of a benefit they are already paying for. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Jeanne Kuang CalMatters -- 10/1/22

Newsom vetoes extension for California reparations task force, holding to 2023 -- A member of the reparations task force, Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, wrote the bill, aiming to extend its deadline past July 1, 2023. The bill would have given the task force another year to complete its work, through July 1, 2024. Marcus D. Smith in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/22

Newsom signs bill protecting transgender youths and families fleeing red-state policies -- Again heralding California as a refuge from discriminatory policies in conservative states, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed into law a bill that aims to protect transgender youths and their families from bans against gender-affirming care. Mackenzie Mays in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Gavin Newsom dropped $230K to troll Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott. Here’s how much more he can spend -- Gov. Gavin Newsom spent about $230,000 on ads and billboards blasting Republican governors in other states and has $23.2 million available in his campaign account in the final weeks of his re-election campaign. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/22

In turnaround, L.A. council candidate offers ‘deepest apologies’ over wage-theft cases -- Los Angeles City Council candidate Danielle Sandoval on Friday offered her “deepest apologies” over her handling of wage-theft claims lodged against her restaurant eight years ago, marking a major departure from her previous stances on the issue. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Gas  

As gas prices soar, Newsom demands tax on ‘rip-off’ oil companies, switch to winter blend -- As gas prices in California soar, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday called on lawmakers to introduce a windfall tax on “rip-off” oil companies and urged state air regulators to allow refineries to produce cheaper winter-blend gasoline to help boost supplies and cut prices. Jonah Valdez in the Los Angeles Times$ Maggie Angst in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/22

Workplace   

These 7 union-backed workplace laws are coming to California -- Hard-fought battles between the state’s labor unions and business interests over workplace rules annually produce some of the biggest fireworks in Sacramento, and almost always result in at least a few vetoes that leave worker advocates sour. This year Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is cruising to reelection in November, is giving them almost everything they wanted. Alexander Nieves and Owen Tucker-Smith Politico -- 10/1/22

Central Valley agriculture could see big changes from California farmworker union bill -- While unionization rates among farmworkers have dwindled in recent years, the new law could increase the number of unionized workplaces and, ultimately, improve wages and working conditions for farmworkers, according to Edward Flores, a professor of sociology and faculty director of the UC Merced Community and Labor Center. Melissa Montalvo and Laura S. Diaz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/22

Fast Food Chains Raise Millions to Oppose California Wage Law -- McDonald’s Corp., Domino’s Pizza Inc., Subway and other big restaurant chains are joining to spend millions of dollars to try to overturn a new California law that could set the state’s minimum wage for the fast food industry as high as $22 an hour next year. Heather Haddon in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/1/22

Homeless

High rent costs and few housing options are fueling a homelessness crisis in the Bay Area's Sonoma County region -- While homelessness in Sonoma County has significantly declined over the past decade, the unsheltered population has grown by 5% since 2020. Job loss during the pandemic was one contributing factor, but government officials admitted that high rent costs were mostly to blame. Ariana Bindman in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/1/22

Water  

La Niña: What it means for California’s drought and the upcoming winter rainy season -- The day before the state’s “water year” ended, Silicon Valley leaders gathered on Google’s campus in Mountain View and urged residents to continue conserving water as California’s drought drags on. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/1/22

Street  

$4-million verdict for LAPD captain over fake nude photo shared by cops -- A jury awarded a female Los Angeles police captain $4 million in damages Friday in her sexual harassment lawsuit against the city over a nude photograph that was doctored to look like her and shared around the department. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Feds sue DC Solar lawyer in massive Ponzi scheme, alleging he deceived investors -- Federal regulators sued a Walnut Creek lawyer Friday, alleging that he deceived investors and helped the now-convicted owners of DC Solar Solutions orchestrate one of the largest Ponzi schemes in the history of the region. Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/1/22

Education  

Hackers set Monday deadline for LAUSD to pay up or have private data posted on dark web -- A criminal syndicate has set a Monday deadline for the Los Angeles public school system to pay a ransom or have its data released on the dark web, which could potentially expose the confidential information of students and employees. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Also . . .   

State Bar asks judge to force ex-employees to testify about Girardi’s sway in the agency -- The State Bar of California is taking two former employees to court in a bid to force them to divulge what they know about suspected corruption at the agency that allowed Tom Girardi to avoid discipline for decades. Matt Hamilton, Harriet Ryan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/1/22

Elon Musk Unveils Prototype of Humanoid Robot Optimus, Says It Will Cost Less Than a Car -- Mr. Musk first laid out the vision for the robot, called Optimus, a little more than a year ago at Tesla’s first-ever AI day. At the time, a dancer in a costume appeared onstage. This time, Mr. Musk presented a prototype at the gathering that unfolded late Friday in Palo Alto, Calif. Meghan Bobrowsky and Rebecca Elliott in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/1/22