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Updating Saturday . . .
Temecula Valley Unified reverses course and adopts controversial social studies curriculum -- Newsom had threatened to send the district the textbooks, charge it for the materials and fine it $1.5 million. Diana Lambert, John Fensterwald, Mallika Seshadri EdSource -- 7/22/23
Biden’s Labor nominee is staying put, but Californian may not help with Hollywood strikes -- The White House has credited Julie Su with cutting deals on key labor disputes, but the former California labor chief is sitting out strikes in her home state. Courtney Subramanian, Owen Tucker-Smith, Erin B. Logan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
July is on track to be the hottest month on record — and things are about to get warmer -- July is shaping up to be the planet’s hottest month on record as global warming, El Niño and regional heat waves conspire to push civilization into uncharted thermal territory, experts say. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
Battle over Dianne Feinstein’s Stinson home holds lessons for handing down real estate -- Except for the fame and fortunes of the families involved, the fight that has erupted in court over the estate of Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s late husband — the billionaire financier Richard Blum — is all too common among blended families, according to attorneys who have reviewed two lawsuits filed in June and July by Feinstein’s daughter Katherine. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/23
Trump’s GOP rivals open door to cutting Social Security for younger people -- Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence and Nikki Haley propose curbing spending on the program without affecting seniors. Jeff Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 7/22/23
Workplace
NBCUniversal slapped with $250 fine in foliage flap at striking writers’ picket line -- The fine for allegedly denuding a row of street trees that shaded striking Hollywood writers is small — $250 — but notable enough for the Los Angeles chief auditor. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
Social media stars, rarely unionized, try to navigate Hollywood’s hot strike summer -- Social media influencers — who make their livings as entertainers but aren’t typically part of entertainment unions — now face the complicated labor politics of a Hollywood strike wave. Brian Contreras in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
‘Ripe for fraud’: San Diego school employees were paid for thousands of hours without documentation, audit finds -- Numerous timekeeping errors at San Diego Unified School District have resulted in thousands of absence and work hours paid out without supporting documentation to justify them, a new audit finds. Kristen Taketa in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/22/23
Why does San Diego struggle to fill city jobs? Blame bureaucratic, inefficient hiring processes, audit says -- Key reasons why more than 1,000 of the city’s roughly 12,000 jobs are typically vacant include a 60-step hiring process that takes an average of nine months, the audit says. And nearly 20 percent of vacant jobs take more than 14 months to fill. David Garrick in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/22/23
Guns
California just released its biggest report on the rise of ‘ghost guns.’ Here’s what it shows -- The report found that annual law enforcement seizures of guns without serial numbers have risen 16-fold over the last decade, going from fewer than 1,300 in the early 2010s to more than 20,000 in both 2021 and 2022. Susie Neilson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/23
After San Diego arrest, rapper Boosie Badazz challenges law that prohibits felons from possessing guns -- Attorneys for the rapper argued that the Supreme Court’s landmark Bruen ruling should open the door for him to legally possess firearms, joining similar challenges nationwide. Alex Riggins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/22/23
Also
Lopez: These family robots can play trivia and act as security. Can they cure loneliness? -- The future has arrived in Bakersfield, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it. For nearly three hours, the conversation was nonstop at the home of Audrey and Ken Mattlin, who happen to live with several robots. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
California Policy and Politics Saturday
California school board battles over LGBTQ+ rights intensify after transgender vote in Chino -- School board battles over LGBTQ+ issues are intensifying in California after State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was cut off at a public meeting in Chino on Thursday for speaking out against a proposal that would notify parents about students’ gender identities. Mackenzie Mays, Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
‘Significant intrusion on property rights’: Court rules S.F. towing policy illegal -- An appeals court says San Francisco illegally seizes and tows cars that are parked lawfully but are owned by people who haven’t paid five or more parking tickets. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/23
Workplace
Bay Area hiring surges in June, powered by big South Bay job gains -- The Bay Area economy added jobs at a brisk pace in June, raising hopes that the region’s employment picture is turning brighter after being jolted by losses back in March, a new state government report shows. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/23
‘I’m Not the Nanny.’ Hollywood’s Fiery Activist Gears Up for a Long Fight -- Sitcom star Fran Drescher’s blunt appeals are galvanizing the actors’ union in its labor negotiations; ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ Ellen Gamerman, Joe Flint in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/22/23
Asian filmmakers watch Hollywood strikes with hope and frustration -- When Netflix launched in South Korea in 2016, it was a breath of fresh air for filmmakers jaded by a local industry notorious for labor abuses and penny-pinching. Andrew Jeong, Karishma Mehrotra in the Washington Post$ -- 7/22/23
Severe pruning during summer heat is hell for trees, not just striking actors -- Severe pruning — a.k.a. “coat racking” — is never good for ficus and other evergreen trees, but pruning during high heat is even worse. Jeanette Marantos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
San Diego’s unemployment rate ticks higher in June despite strong tourism hiring trend -- San Diego County employers added 6,900 jobs in June as the region’s economy continues to put pandemic woes behind it, with the strongest hiring occurring in restaurants, bars and personal care services. Mike Freeman in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/22/23
'No Reward for Loyalty': Gig Companies Winning Fight to Classify Drivers as Independent -- After a California appeals court upheld most of Proposition 22 last week, it’s widely expected the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will appeal to the state Supreme Court. That’s even though the union says it’s still considering its options. Rachael Myrow KQED -- 7/22/23
Street
Gun is found in Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall days after county announced youth transfers -- Just days after L.A. County moved 274 youths out of two troubled juvenile facilities and into the newly reopened Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, a gun was found inside the facility, well beyond security checkpoints meant to keep weapons out. James Queally, Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
Monterey Park gunman sent manifesto to law enforcement, sheriff says -- The shooter responsible for killing 11 people and injuring nine others at a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park six months ago sent a manifesto to law enforcement, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said Friday at a news conference. Summer Lin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
Ex-deputy in high-profile shooting to plead guilty to violating skateboarder’s civil rights -- Christopher Hernandez and his former partner, Miguel Vega, were both charged in federal court earlier this year on a five-count indictment. Vega is still headed for trial in October. Keri Blakinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
Antioch officers claimed to be too injured to testify about racist texts, but were actually at ‘pool parties,’ ‘driving tractors,’ attorney claims -- Five police officers linked to the Antioch Police Department’s racist texting scandal appear to be dodging subpoenas by falsely claiming that they are too injured to testify about the incendiary messages, an attorney claimed in court Friday. Jakob Rodgers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/22/23
Also
The wild story of triumph and tragedy behind Tony Bennett’s ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’ -- “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” was written in Brooklyn by two young men — neither of whom was Tony Bennett. Peter Hartlaub in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/22/23
A Caltech Nobel laureate celebrates his 100th birthday. Then he gets back to work -- Caltech chemistry professor and Nobel laureate Rudy Marcus turned 100 on Friday. He appreciated the festivities but was eager to get back to work. Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
BB-12, rambling black bear who toured beaches and mountains, is killed on 101 Freeway -- A black bear known as BB-12 was struck and killed on the 101 Freeway in Ventura County. He had previously safely crossed major roads in the region five times. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/22/23
Friday Updates
California Democrats want Supreme Court ethics standards. Will Republicans support it? -- After a series of reports detailing undisclosed perks enjoyed by Supreme Court justices, Congress wants to strengthen ethical requirements for the nine justices. Gillian Brassil in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 7/21/23
Skelton: It’s simple — peddling children for sex is serious -- A classic line from a baseball movie aptly characterizes a bonehead play committed by some Democratic state legislators. What happened in the California state Assembly truly was a bush-league error. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/23
Court overturns California ban on local government workers seeking political donations -- California is violating the rights of more than a million local government employees in the state by forbidding them to ask coworkers for contributions to a political candidate while not imposing the same ban on state employees, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/21/23
Where Is Kamala Harris? -- Slow start to Biden 2024 campaigning comes as vice president contends with low approval ratings -- Vice President Kamala Harris planned to campaign extensively for President Biden’s re-election, but her early schedule suggests otherwise. Catherine Lucey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/21/23
Workplace
California’s farmworkers in labor investigations will get free legal help with immigration -- Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state will spend $4.5 million on free legal services for undocumented workers involved in state investigations of wage theft or other labor violations. The lawyers can help with their immigration cases. Nicole Foy CalMatters -- 7/21/23
Who’s on strike in Hollywood? Roll the credits and find out -- Here’s a breakdown of who is and isn’t walking the picket line. David Wharton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/23
Bay Area hiring surges in June, powered by big South Bay job gains -- The Bay Area economy added jobs at a sturdy pace in June, raising hopes that the region’s employment picture is turning brighter after being jolted by losses back in March, a new government report released Friday shows. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/21/23
Streaming Brought Hollywood to a Standstill. Now Comes the Pain -- Joint strike of actors and writers will hit legacy entertainment hard within months; Netflix has more runway. Joe Flint, Amol Sharm in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/21/23
The Rise and Fall of the Chief Diversity Officer -- Two years ago chief diversity officers were some of the hottest hires into executive ranks. Now, they increasingly feel left out in the cold. Te-Ping Chen, Lauren Weber in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/21/23
The Battle to Save the Oldest Craft Brewer in the U.S. -- Unionized employees of Anchor Brewing hope to buy the company after it said last week it would close its doors. Talal Ansari, Ginger Adams Otis in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/21/23
Merchant: Hollywood is on strike because CEOs fell for Silicon Valley’s magical thinking -- Inspired by the success of Netflix, Hollywood studios pursued Silicon Valley-style hypergrowth with tactics borrowed from the likes of Uber and Lyft. Brian Merchant in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/23
Housing
Some of California’s “cheapest” cities have seen the biggest rent hikes -- Inland cities including Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia and Riverside — once cheaper options than pricey places such as the Bay Area — are no longer refuges from California’s housing affordability crisis. Ben Christopher CalMatters -- 7/21/23
Housing now allowed at Westfield Mission Valley West shopping center -- San Diego City Council action clears red tape, increasing the land value and paving the way for future development. Jennifer Van Grove in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 7/21/23
Medi-Cal
More than 220K people kicked off Medi-Cal in its first checkup since COVID -- Many of the people who lost Medi-Cal are likely still eligible for health care coverage if they can get their paperwork to county offices in the next 90 days. Ana B. Ibarra CalMatters -- 7/21/23
Wildfire
Could a robot be a part of solving California’s wildfire crisis? -- Here’s how technology that simplifies prescribed burns could help reduce the risk of severe wildfires. Jack Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/21/23
Border
Texas Spent Billions on Border Security. It’s Not Working -- Operation Lone Star, with $4.5 billion spent so far, has had little effect on migration while facing charges of civil-rights abuses. Elizabeth Findell, Sergio Flores in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/21/23
Street
These women were violently robbed. In Oakland’s crime surge, they say it’s ‘like nobody really cares’ -- The stories of women who were attacked, robbed or carjacked this year demonstrate some of the challenges Oakland faces in the midst of a crime surge. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/21/23
Death Valley Heat
He lived to be outdoors, even in extremes like Death Valley. He died doing what he loved -- Steve Curry, an experienced and inveterate hiker from Sunland, is believed to be the second person to die in Death Valley’s searing heat this year. Hayley Smith, Francine Orr in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/23
Environment
Santa Susana Field Lab activists say tainted structures must not go to landfills -- Consumer Watchdog, Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA and others warn that old buildings are radioactive. Olga Grigoryants in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 7/21/23
AI
Top tech firms sign White House pledge to identify AI-generated images -- Google, and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI agreed to the voluntary safety commitments, part of an escalation in the Biden administration’s interest in the area as it readies an AI-focused executive order. Cat Zakrzewski in the Washington Post$ Michael D. Shear, Cecilia Kang, David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 7/21/23
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett, timeless singer who won over fans for decades, dies at 96 -- Tony Bennett, the enduring New York City crooner who famously left his heart in San Francisco and melted hearts all over the world during his more than seven decades on the music scene, died Friday. He was 96, just two weeks short of his birthday. Claudia Luther in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/21/23
Also
King: Many San Franciscans never liked downtown. Now they’re learning they can’t live without it -- If nothing else, the ongoing travails of San Francisco are driving home a point that many residents in recent decades have resisted or ignored: Downtown matters. John King in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/21/23
Space shuttle Endeavour makes one more voyage to its final destination at a new space center -- The famed spacecraft that has been on horizontal display at the science center is in the process of moving to a permanent location in what will be the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, where the vehicle will be mounted in a vertical position, along with the solid rocket boosters and an orange external tank, making it look like it’s ready to launch. Saumya Gupta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/23
Arellano: Goodbye, Grandma Arellano, and gracias for your 100 years of love -- One by one, we filed into our matriarch’s living room in East Los Angeles the morning of July 15. Hand sanitizer outside the door, masks inside. Ten minutes, max. We came to say goodbye. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/21/23