Updating . .   

California Democrats got money from crypto CEO accused of fraud. Now they’re giving it away -- Among those getting contributions this year from Bankman-Fried, who faces criminal charges and possibly more than 100 years in prison, was Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. and Reps. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, Jim Costa, D-Fresno, Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara and five other California House candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics and Federal Election Commission data. David Lightman in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/22

As Tom Girardi skated, California State Bar went after Black attorneys -- Black lawyers interviewed by The Times described practicing law in fear that small accounting errors could tarnish their license even as colleagues who were well-off, white or worked at big firms avoided scrutiny for serious misconduct. Harriet Ryan, Matt Hamilton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Tenderloin businesses pay plenty of taxes. But they’re getting very little from S.F. in exchange -- Small business and property owners are losing customers, money and patience. So they have an unusual request for San Francisco Mayor London Breed: a full refund of their 2022 taxes and fees. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

California’s heat wave was a life-or-death situation. Then the state used a ‘tool of absolute last resort’ -- California came to the brink of rolling blackouts amid “infernal” heat over Labor Day weekend. Here’s the untold story of the power grid operator’s scramble to keep the lights on. Claire Hao in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

COVID+  

Bay Area seeing ‘strongest increase’ of COVID cases in California -- Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist, told doctors in an online event this week that the California Department of Public Health is tracking several indicators that point to the worsening trends, including the positive test rate, hospitalizations and wastewater samples from dozens of sewer sheds. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Workplace   

Bay Area job cuts: Doordash, DHL, Airtable, Plaid, Borrego Energy ax hundreds -- A dreary new round of layoff disclosures will eliminate the jobs of more than 900 workers in the Bay Area, cutbacks that have engulfed high-profile companies such as Doordash and DHL, official state labor agency filings show. Three tech companies — Doordash, Airtable and Plaid — disclosed decisions to cut jobs in the Bay Area. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/16/22

Inflation is pushing California’s minimum wage up -- This January, California’s minimum wage will rise to $15.50. That represents an increase of 50 cents-an-hour for businesses with 26 or more employees, and $1.50 an hour for those with 25 or fewer. It’s the first time that the minimum wage is the same for all employers in the state regardless of size. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/22

Southern California ports are losing to East Coast rivals, threatening L.A.-area jobs -- The backup that began early in 2020 is gone now, but big problems remain for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and by extension, the tens of thousands of Southern California workers whose jobs are dependent on the twin harbors and the international trade that flows through them. Ronald D. White in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

California firefighters get shorter workweeks — but not for 2 years -- A new contract for California’s state firefighters includes immediate pay raises, but delays for two years the shorter workweeks they wanted to relieve job-related stress. Julie Cart CalMatters -- 12/16/22

A double-decker bus is taking health services directly to farmworkers in Half Moon Bay -- Farmworkers in California were hailed as the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic who played a critical role in keeping grocery stores stocked with food, despite being one of the hardest-hit communities in the state, with higher rates of infection as well as mental health challenges amid crowded living conditions and limited access to health care. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Silicon Valley’s economy trampled Austin, Seattle by billions of dollars during COVID’s first two years -- Silicon Valley as an economic juggernaut has reigned supreme throughout the pandemic compared to its rivals in the Sunbelt and Pacific Northwest, newly released numbers show. Gabriel Greschler in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/16/22

Twitter Workplace   

Musk’s suspension of journalists on Twitter spurs E.U. sanctions warning -- European officials rebuked Twitter and Elon Musk on Friday after the social media company abruptly suspended several U.S. journalists. Rachel Lerman in the Washington Post$ -- 12/16/22

Musk Faces Growing Anger Over Twitter Ban of Journalists -- The suspensions, which were criticized by U.S. and European lawmakers, could raise the regulatory heat on the social media platform — and Elon Musk’s other companies. Bernhard Warner in the New York Times$ -- 12/16/22

Elon Musk, Management Guru? -- Why the Twitter owner’s ruthless, unsparing style has made him a hero to many bosses in Silicon Valley. Kevin Roose in the New York Times$ -- 12/16/22

Crop Disease  

$11 for a head of California lettuce? Here’s what’s behind the shortage causing ‘outrageous’ prices -- Crop disease is ravaging lettuce fields in Salinas Valley — the “Salad Bowl of the World” — causing a shortage across the country. And as farmers and researchers desperately search for a remedy for the insect-spread virus, shoppers, grocers and restaurant owners are left to face the sticker shock. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/16/22

Water  

Growing fears of ‘dead pool’ on Colorado River as drought threatens Hoover Dam water -- The Colorado River’s largest reservoirs stand nearly three-quarters empty, and federal officials now say there is a real danger the reservoirs could drop so low that water would no longer flow past Hoover Dam in two years. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Eviction  

L.A. confirms end of COVID eviction rules, while other tenant protections remain in limbo -- The L.A. City Council has voted to allow landlords to resume evictions Feb. 1. But additional planned tenant protections have not passed. Liam Dillon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Street  

S.F. police are secretly staking out stores like Gap and Safeway to arrest shoplifters. Here’s how the operation is going -- Over the past month, a group of San Francisco police officers have been installed at various grocery stores, pharmacies and clothing outlets across the city in an effort to crack down on retail theft as it happens, officials said Friday. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Healthcare  

‘Grave concerns’: Officials call for investigation of Bay Area hospital after children’s deaths -- Local, state and federal officials are urging California to investigate John Muir Health in response to a Chronicle report detailing four children’s potentially preventable deaths at the large Walnut Creek hospital. Cynthia Dizikes, Matthias Gafni in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

California Policy and Politics Friday  

After years of debate, California cuts subsidies for rooftop solar -- California’s utility regulator unanimously voted Thursday to significantly reduce subsidies for rooftop solar installations, sparking outrage among solar industry leaders and marking an end to a years-long battle over the scope of incentives that supported the industry’s growth. Ari Plachta in the Sacramento Bee$ Julie Cart CalMatters Sammy Roth in the Los Angeles Times$ Ivan Penn in the New York Times$ Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 12/16/22

New data shows how dire S.F.’s budget deficit could get as economic outlook sours -- Mayor London Breed’s office told city departments Thursday that it’s forecasting shortfalls that could reach $1.2 billion in fiscal 2028. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Conservative group files suit over Oakland measure allowing noncitizen voting in school board races -- Opponents of a measure approved by Oakland voters to allow noncitizen parents to vote in school board elections filed suit Thursday, claiming it violates voting restrictions in the California Constitution, an argument endorsed earlier this year by a judge considering a similar measure in San Francisco. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Oakland Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan fined $19,000 for not disclosing property she owned -- City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan was fined $19,000 for voting to fund millions of dollars in improvements for a large waterfront park after failing to disclose that she and her parents owned a condo nearby. Shomik Mukherjee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/16/22

Sacramento’s City Council just moved to the left. Here’s what to expect on big issues -- The Sacramento City Council moved to the left in the last election and now counts a “solid” liberal bloc of four members, one of them said this week. Theresa Clift in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/22

So long, California: Major county votes to study secession -- An advisory ballot proposal approved in San Bernardino County — home to 2.2 million people — directs local officials to study the possibility of secession. The razor-thin margin of victory is the latest sign of political unrest and economic distress in California. Michael R. Blood, Jae Hong, Amy Taxin Associated Press -- 12/16/22

Cost of Living  

California has 11 of the top 20 most expensive U.S. regions — here's where S.F. metro area stands -- The San Francisco metro area remained the most expensive region in the U.S. in 2021, mostly due to crushing housing and utilities costs. Roland Li, Yuri Avila in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Workplace   

S.F.’s only trauma hospital faces enormous staffing challenge: ‘If we don’t have staff, people will die’ -- Half a dozen nurses from multiple departments last month told the city’s civil service commission that their units don’t have enough staff, leading to missed breaks, mandatory overtime or fears of poorer patient care. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Logistics giant laying off nearly 400 in the East Bay despite seeing record revenue -- DHL Supply Chain is laying off 394 employees across two locations in Livermore, in one of the largest recent Bay Area job cuts outside of the tech sector. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Twitter Workplace   

Fired Twitter Janitors Demand Jobs Back as Union Files Unfair Labor Charges, Threatens to Sue -- Mayor London Breed called on Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk on Thursday to rehire the 48 janitors recently fired from their jobs cleaning the company’s headquarters. The janitors — mostly immigrants and women of color — lost their jobs without severance or much notification after Twitter cut its contract with Flagship, the janitorial company that employed them. Daisy Nguyen KQED -- 12/16/22

Musk suspends journalists from Twitter, claims ‘assassination’ danger -- Company executives alleged that the more than half a dozen reporters endangered Twitter’s owner by sharing his location. But a review of their tweets shows no evidence of it. Paul Farhi in the Washington Post$ -- 12/16/22

Elon Musk speaks out after Twitter suspends several journalists who covered him -- Among those who were banned are journalists who wrote and tweeted about the suspension of an account tracking the publicly available whereabouts of Elon Musk’s private jet. Jaimie Ding in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Twitter bans came after Musk’s claim of a ‘crazy stalker.’ He hasn’t reported it to police, LAPD says -- The police statement comes as Twitter and Musk face increasing scrutiny over a wave of suspensions, including several journalists who cover Musk. Gregory Yee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Twitter suspends journalist accounts without explanation, angering lawmakers and those affected -- Twitter suspended the accounts of several prominent journalists and pundits on Thursday night, prompting criticism from lawmakers and bewilderment from several of the reporters taken off the platform. Olivia Olander, Ben Schreckinger, Rebecca Kern Politico -- 12/16/22

Homeless

Map shows in detail S.F. areas where homelessness has increased or decreased the most -- The homeless population declined in San Francisco between 2019 and 2022. But some neighborhoods were exceptions. Adriana Rezal in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Housing 

S.F. roadmap for 82,000 homes gets key approval as deadline looms -- The San Francisco Planning Commission approved a state-mandated road map Thursday for how and where to build 82,000 new homes over the next eight years, including 46,000 units that will be aimed at low- and moderate-income households. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Wildfire  

Is your home at higher risk for wildfires? California updates map for first time in 15 years -- The new Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone map updates fire hazards for unincorporated, rural areas of California — areas more susceptible to fires — and does not show wildfire risks for addresses in the city. Hanh Truong in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/22

COVID+  

Has California’s winter COVID-19 surge peaked? Some numbers improve with holidays ahead -- A recent surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in California is showing early signs of slowing down, state health data show, though health officials are still expressing caution as the winter holidays approach with other respiratory viruses including seasonal influenza also continuing to spread. Michael McGough in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/16/22

California has plenty of anti-COVID drugs, but doctors aren’t prescribing them -- With California staring down the triple threat posed by the coronavirus, RSV and flu, health officials are urging the wider use of anti-COVID drugs to help prevent people from falling seriously ill and keep them out of the hospital.Rong-Gong Lin II, Luke Money in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

COVID Economy  

Rare victory for S.F. restaurant that sued insurers after losing millions in pandemic -- John’s Grill, home of long martini lunches and lamb chop dinners in San Francisco, has settled an insurance lawsuit in a very rare victory in the nationwide quest of restaurants seeking to have their insurers cover business losses incurred during COVID-19 lockdowns. Sam Whiting, Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Street  

L.A. County sheriff’s deputy under investigation after sex act is caught on hot mic -- The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a deputy for allegedly engaging in a sex act during a break and broadcasting the tryst over her radio, officials said Thursday. Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Guns  

New Federal Rule Has Done Little to Stem Spread of ‘Ghost Guns’ -- Sellers of key components of the untraceable homemade firearms have been interpreting the rule in the narrowest possible way. Glenn Thrush in the New York Times$ -- 12/16/22

Education  

California’s early college high schools can improve dual enrollment diversity -- Merging high schools and community college classes in areas with a high number of Latino, Black and low-income students is emerging as a way to overcome disparities in who gets to take dual enrollment courses. Ashley A. Smith EdSource -- 12/16/22

Climate  

California approves sweeping climate change strategy that’s short on details -- California’s air quality regulators approved a much-disputed blueprint Thursday for meeting the state’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals, focused on transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward widespread electrification of the economy. Ari Plachta in the Sacramento Bee$ Nadia Lopez CalMatters Sophie Austin Associated Press -- 12/16/22

Environment  

Could Yosemite and Kings Canyon parks be linked? Bill calls for creation of new national monument -- A longtime dream of connecting Yosemite National Park with Kings Canyon National Park by way of newly protected parklands has crystallized into federal legislation. How far the proposal actually gets remains to be seen. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Disney  

Disneyland quietly raises Genie+ prices 50% as Christmas crowds loom -- Disneyland has quietly raised prices 50% on the Genie+ front-of-the-line service since October with even higher fee hikes possible during the busy Christmas season that traditionally brings bigger crowds and longer wait times for rides. Brady MacDonald in the Orange County Register -- 12/16/22

Also . . .   

Plaintiff whose insurer delayed surgery is awarded $14 million over opioid dependency -- A Los Angeles County jury awarded more than $14 million this week to a woman who sued her health insurance provider alleging that the company’s long delay in approving surgery for a painful condition led to her opioid dependency. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22

Cruise poised to offer driverless taxi rides to all of San Francisco, 24-7. Here’s what to expect -- In a significant regulatory milestone for General Motors-backed Cruise, the California Department of Motor Vehicles granted the robo-taxi company permission Thursday to charge for driverless rides without any time or geofencing restrictions. Ricardo Cano in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/16/22

Re-homed for the holidays: Griffith Park ponies find new digs -- When Los Angeles declined to extend the lease of the Griffith Park Pony Rides, bringing the attraction to an end after more than 70 years, operator Stephen Weeks had a major concern. “While I’m obviously disappointed,” he said last week, “my focus right now is to find ... forever homes for our ponies.” Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/16/22