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Karen Bass will make history as L.A. mayor. Then the hard work begins -- When Karen Bass is sworn in Sunday, she will make history as the first woman to serve as mayor of Los Angeles — completing a political journey that took her from South Los Angeles community organizer 30 years ago to elected office in the Legislature and Congress, then to the top job in the nation’s second-largest city. Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ Reis Thebault in the Washington Post$ -- 12/11/22

High gas costs hurt California drivers as refiners rake in huge profits. These charts explain -- “California’s price-gouging penalty is simple — either Big Oil reins in the profits and prices or they’ll pay a penalty,” declared Newsom, when he announced a plan this month aimed at clamping down on company profits. Laurence Darmiento, Sean Greene, Vanessa Martínez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

A low for L.A. politics: Council member and activist fight as children watch in horror -- On Friday evening, more than 100 children and their parents were gathered at Lincoln Park for a tree-lighting celebration. Brittny Mejia, Liam Dillon, Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

COVID+  

How to avoid illness as COVID-19 and the flu surge -- A one-two punch of COVID-19 and the flu is striking California, sickening residents — some so severely they’ve had to go to the hospital — interrupting daily life and threatening to upend holiday plans. Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Environment  

Will California keep getting hit with storms throughout December? Here's what to expect -- The 2022-2023 wet season officially launched for California on October 1, but it may as well have started following mid-September’s historic rainstorms — these were the precursors that contributed to an early end to the 2022 fire season. Gerry Díaz in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/11/22

Street  

East Contra Costa cops allegedly schemed to fake college degrees -- Now, with indictments expected by year’s end, the probe has swelled to encompass at least a dozen Antioch and Pittsburg police officers, and a growing list of crimes including premeditated civil rights violations, falsifying reports, using and distributing steroids, using cocaine, and accepting bribes while on patrol. Nate Gartrell in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/11/22

Also . . .   

From diesel big rigs to electricity: The costly transition begins -- Never mind there are few on the market, or that keeping them moving requires a nonexistent network of chargers, California wants truckers to hurry up and replace diesel big rigs with versions that run on batteries or hydrogen. Will Shuck Capitol Weekly -- 12/11/22

Coyote that attacked 2-year-old in Woodland Hills euthanized, officials say -- Home security video captured the coyote attacking the toddler on the afternoon of Dec. 3 while her father was busy unloading the family’s SUV. The coyote knocked the child down and began to drag her away while she screamed. The girl’s father quickly picked up the child and chased the coyote away. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

California Policy and Politics Sunday  

‘Little kids were starting to cry’: Inside the Kevin de León fight at Christmas gift giveaway -- L.A. City Council member Kevin de Leon was involved in a fight Friday night with activist Jason Reedy. Here’s what happened at the Christmas gift giveaway where the fight took place. Brittny Mejia, Liam Dillon, Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Violence between L.A. Councilman Kevin de León, activist caught on video, sparks debate -- Hours after drawing protesters’ ire with his first in-person appearance in two months at a Los Angeles City Council meeting, Kevin de León was involved in a fight with an activist Friday night that was at least partially caught on video. Gregory Yee, Brittny Mejia, Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Photos: Leimert Park celebration for Karen Bass before swearing in by Vice President Kamala Harris -- Karen Bass attended a “homecoming” event hosted by a local radio station Saturday at Leimert Park, the day before her swearing in by Vice President Kamala Harris as the 43rd mayor of Los Angeles. Genaro Molina in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Arellano: A tour of L.A.’s radical past with the city’s newest radical council members -- In front of a row of mannequins, newly elected Los Angeles Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez pondered the city’s radical past, present and future. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Garofoli: These 6 California Republicans opposed protecting same-sex and interracial marriage. What were they thinking? -- Every congressional Democrat backed the bill, while 39 GOP senators and 169 GOP House members voted no, including six Californians: Reps. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale (Butte County), Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove (Sacramento County), Connie Conway, R-Tulare, Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach (Orange County), Young Kim R-Fullerton (Orange County) and McCarthy. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/11/22

Garcetti leaves office proud of administration but acknowledges specter of homelessness endures -- Without state and federal support, next few mayors won't end homelessness, Garcetti says Linh Tat in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 12/11/22

Walters: Could the Pacific Ocean be California’s savior? -- California’s vast coastal waters could provide limitless amounts of clean water and power but only if the state’s leaders show more gumption and managerial competence. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 12/11/22

Homeless

One Bay Area city tried to figure out the true cost of homelessness. Here’s what it found -- Cities often have no clue what the real costs are. But officials in Oakland set out to figure out just how much the city was spending on homelessness in both direct and indirect costs. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/11/22

Housing 

As home prices decline, Southern Californians who bought at the peak are nervous -- Surging mortgage interest rates threatened to squash Michael and Christine Hawkins’ dream of home ownership. But this fall when the couple saw a Canoga Park condo languish on the market, they devised a plan. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Chabria: Newsom talked tough with mayors and supervisors on homelessness. Did it work? -- A few weeks ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom made headline-grabbing news by rejecting every homeless action plan in the state — holding up hundreds of millions in funding with a demand that local leaders do more to move people off our streets. Anita Chabria in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

COVID+  

One Bay Area county moves into ‘high’ COVID tier, triggering new mask guidelines -- In the Bay Area, Santa Clara County became the first in the region to slip back into the “high” tier, for which the CDC recommends people wear a high-quality mask or respirator in public spaces and counsels those who are high-risk to consider avoiding non-essential indoor public activities. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/11/22

Guns  

‘This is about saving families’: S.F. collects 140 guns at annual buyback event -- Damien Posey walked into the rain on a SoMa sidewalk Saturday with a sledgehammer in one hand and a gun in the other. Danielle Echeverria, Mallory Moench, Joshua Sharpe in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/11/22

Environment  

The search for P-22 is on. Here’s why capturing L.A.’s star mountain lion could take weeks -- Wildlife officials have said they plan to capture the mountain lion P-22 after concerns arose over possible “signs of distress” including killing a leashed Chihuahua last month and attacking another Chihuahua last week. Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Want to see Yosemite’s famous ‘firefall’ this winter? You’ll need a reservation -- Due to the overwhelming demand, which has caused damage to the park’s terrain, reservations will be required to enter Yosemite on the weekends of Feb. 10-12, Feb. 17-19, and Feb. 24-26, even for those not visiting Horsetail Fall. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/11/22

Also . . .   

Major storm belts the Bay Area, downing trees, cutting power and flooding roads -- A major storm pounded Northern California on Saturday, flooding roads, downing trees and causing power outages as weather officials warned people to watch out for flash flooding, high winds and avalanches in the Sierra. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/11/22

What’s More Important for This Town: A Library or a Police Station? -- In a community known for cross-country glory, the library is a vital resource for families who eke out a living in the fields. But city leaders want their crowded police force to move in. Tim Arango, Carlos Jaramillo in the New York Times$ -- 12/11/22