Updating Wednesday . . .

L.A. hotel workers back on the job, but say more strikes to come -- Thousands of service workers at 19 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties returned to work Wednesday after three days of strikes over the busy Fourth of July weekend. Helen Li, Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

Gavin Newsom is updating the state’s opioid plan to encompass the rising threat of tranq -- The rise of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine has Newsom worried, he told The Chronicle, and underscores the challenge government officials face in trying to combat addiction and the fast-changing world of underground drug dealing. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/5/23

Why single-payer advocates are split on how to overhaul health care -- Two proposals that would usher in single-payer health care have divided former allies in the fight for reform. Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 7/5/23

It pays to be censured: Schiff scores record haul after GOP rebuke -- The Democratic congressman and Senate candidate parlayed attacks from Republicans and Donald Trump’s legal morass into a bonanza fundraising sprint. Christopher Cadelago Politico John Wagner in the Washington Post$ -- 7/5/23

‘Are you two the token Black kids of the department?’ The snubs and insults that accompanied affirmative action -- An unintended consequence of affirmative action — a policy meant to boost diversity — is that it can been wielded like a weapon to make people of color feel like they don’t belong. The Times spoke with Black and Latino Americans who wonder if this stigma will persist. Akiya Dillon, David Wharton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

Affirmative action ruling could be a blow to diversity in tech -- Some in the sector say last week’s decision against race-conscious admissions in higher education could invite more legal challenges on the diversity, equity and inclusion — or DEI — initiatives that have become common among Silicon Valley companies. Trisha Thadani in the Washington Post$ -- 7/5/23

Sacramento Sheriff is sharing license plate reader data with anti-abortion states, records show -- In 2015, Democratic Elk Grove Assemblyman Jim Cooper voted for Senate Bill 34, which restricted law enforcement from sharing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data with out-of-state authorities. In 2023, now-Sacramento County Sheriff Cooper appears to be doing just that. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/5/23

Parenting behind bars: A new California law to keep incarcerated parents closer to their children -- A bill headed to the governor for approval could go a long way in eliminating some of the pain and anxiety of separation by requiring the state to place incarcerated parents in prisons located closest to their minor children. Carolyn Stein in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/5/23

Should Facebook and Google pay local news outlets for their content? AB 886 would require it -- A bill before state lawmakers that supporters say could dramatically alter the economics of California journalism had its beginnings more than 8,000 miles away. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/5/23

Homeless

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Is Trying to Get Homeless People off the Street Fast -- The newly elected Democrat faces pressure to make a visible dent in encampments. Christine Mai-Duc in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/5/23

Housing

California renters in ugly mood: 71% say bad times ahead -- California renters are not in a good place, financially speaking. That’s what the latest Public Policy Institute of California’s statewide poll found when it surveyed 1,576 adults in June. Jonathan Lansner in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 7/5/23

Home prices in one Bay Area ZIP code are close to hitting a new high -- While home prices in the Bay Area have recently shown signs of recovery after months of declines, most areas remain below the highs set a year ago when the housing market was at its hottest. But in one ZIP code, values not only are higher than a year ago, but are close to hitting a new high. Kellie Hwang in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/5/23

Workplace

UPS, Teamsters Hit Roadblock in Labor Talks as Strike Looms -- Package-delivery company urges union representing drivers and sorters to remain at negotiating table. Esther Fung in the Wall Street Journal$ Aaron Gregg in the Washington Post$ -- 7/5/23

Street

A Black LAPD officer wanted to make a difference. Then, he says, he was racially profiled by his own department -- Bernard Robins, who was detained outside his parents’ South L.A. home by fellow LAPD officers, said the episode typifies the style of biased policing that’s practiced in some parts of the city. Libor Jany, Richard Winton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

In Big Tech layoffs, cooks and janitors are hit hardest -- Doug Lawson, 34, was promoted two years ago to lead line cook by a contracting company that staffs many of the cafeterias at Facebook-parent Meta. Naomi Nix in the Washington Post$ -- 7/5/23

More cops and firefighters coming to Anaheim after city passes $2.1 billion budget -- Anaheim will add more cops and firefighters to its streets in the coming year with the $2.1 billion budget recently approved for this new fiscal year – a continued signal the city is overcoming its pandemic-induced financial struggles. Michael Slaten in the Orange County Register -- 7/5/23

‘They didn’t deserve this’: Venice wine store picks up the pieces after $600,000 heist -- The stream of clients entering Lincoln Fine Wines in Venice on Monday offered a sense of “normalcy” for owner Nazmul Haque two days after a thief broke in and made off with roughly $600,000 worth of product. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

Battle over street sideshows intensifies as counties tighten crackdown -- Sideshows — the informal, sometimes dangerous, often celebratory, and occasionally violent displays of motor vehicle stunts — are synonymous with the Bay Area. Will McCarthy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/5/23

Also

L.A. station KTLA dropped from DirecTV in nationwide blackout -- Millions of DirecTV customers lost access to Nexstar Media Group channels after the two companies failed to agree to a new distribution contract by a Sunday night deadline. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

Lake Forest veteran killed while fighting for Ukraine, family says -- Ian "Frank" Tortorici, 32, was killed in a Russian missile strike last week while dining at a pizzeria, the Orange County native's father said. Jeff Collins in the Orange County Register -- 7/5/23

Califoria Policy and Politics Wednesday

Visiting L.A. during the hotel workers’ strike? Here’s what you need to know -- In truth, there are plenty of hotels not involved in the labor dispute, and even the ones that are embroiled in it remain open. Gisselle Medina, Emma Fox, Jon Healey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

‘Disturbing’: LASD opens probe after video shows deputy throwing woman to the ground -- Cellphone footage of a deputy throwing a woman to the ground by her neck during an incident in Lancaster last month has prompted an investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Gabriel San Román in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

Twitter accused of ducking legal fight over Musk’s mass layoffs -- Twitter is refusing to engage in arbitration with ex-employees who were fired when Elon Musk took over the company after pushing them to use that process to resolve claims that they weren’t paid, didn’t receive promised severance or were discriminated against, according to a lawsuit. Joel Rosenblatt Bloomberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/23

Elon Musk put new limits on tweets. Users and advertisers might go elsewhere -- TikTok and Instagram users can scroll with abandon. But Twitter owner Elon Musk has put new curfews on his digital town square, the latest drastic change to the social media platform that could further drive away advertisers and undermine its cultural influence as a trendsetter. Matt O’Brien Associated Press -- 7/5/23

Skiing in July: Photos show huge crowds mobbing Tahoe slopes -- As the Tahoe ski season drew to a close Tuesday, last-minute skiers didn’t let the dwindling snow deter them during a festive day at the Palisades Tahoe resort in Placer County. The item is in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/5/23

The U.S. wildfire season has been eerily quiet. That could soon change -- Despite improved drought conditions out West, dense vegetation growth is still set to fuel wildfires this year, especially at lower elevations. That happens to be where most people live, and human-caused ignitions usually spike on the Fourth of July. Diana Leonard in the Washington Post$ -- 7/5/23

Walters: Lengthy pandemic closures weakened already low-achieving California schools -- California’s school children were weak in educational attainment before COVID-19 struck and fell even further behind during the pandemic. Dan Walters CalMatters -- 7/5/23

Class of 2022 back on track and moving beyond the Covid pandemic -- Tatiana Torres had everything stacked against her. She spent most of her time in high school learning from home after an accident left her with persistent headaches and sensitivity to light. Diana Lambert EdSource -- 7/5/23