California Policy and Politics Sunday

Mountain lion kills man in California’s first fatal attack in 20 years -- A mountain lion killed a 21-year-old man Saturday in Georgetown (El Dorado County) and injured his 18-year-old brother, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. The last reported fatal mountain lion attack in California was in 2004, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Clare Fonstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Sam Stanton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 3/24/24

First Lady Jill Biden in Southern California for campaign fundraising -- First Lady Jill Biden is making the rounds at various events in Los Angeles and Rancho Mirage this weekend to fundraise for the reelection campaign of her husband, President Biden. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 3/24/24

22-mile ‘walking prayer’ in East Bay draws hundreds calling for Gaza cease-fire -- The pilgrimage, part of more than 100 walks across the country, mirrors the distance that Palestinians in Gaza must travel to reach refuge in Rafah. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/24/24

San Diego lawmakers propose bill making ‘hate littering’ unlawful in wake of antisemitic flyers -- If AB 3024 passes, victims of hate littering could pursue a claim for up to $25,000 in penalties and other civil remedies. Lyndsay Winkley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/24/24

Golden Gate Bridge toll is rising. Here’s how much more it will cost motorists -- Transit officials approved a five-year toll increase that will eventually bring charges for crossing the bridge to more than $11. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/24/24

California’s Expanded Health Coverage for Immigrants Collides With Medicaid Reviews -- Abundis is among hundreds of thousands of Latinos who have been kicked off Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program for low-income people, as states resume annual eligibility checks that were paused at the height of the covid-19 pandemic. Jasmine Aguilera California Healthline -- 3/24/24

Judge removes Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price from manslaughter case against former San Leandro police officer -- The decision to toss Price from the manslaughter case of former San Leandro police officer Jason Fletcher marks at least the second time this year that a judge has removed the district attorney’s office from a case over concerns about Price’s impartiality. Jakob Rodgers in the East Bay Times$ -- 3/24/24

Insurance

California home insurance exodus pushes state’s last-resort backup plan toward insolvency -- As home insurers flee California, the state’s last-resort insurance plan is warning that it’s being pushed toward insolvency, forced to cover a rapidly growing number of properties that have lost traditional coverage and unable to collect enough in premiums to cover potential losses. John Woolfolk in the East Bay Times$ -- 3/24/24

California insurance crisis: Here are some of the worst stories we’ve heard from homeowners — and how they’ve coped -- A growing number of California homeowners are grappling with a changing insurance market, as some companies limit coverage, leave the state altogether or sharply raise premiums amid concerns about wildfire risk and high rebuilding costs. Clare Fonstein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/24/24

Berkeley Gas

Berkeley agrees to repeal its first-in-the-nation ban on new gas appliances -- Berkeley has agreed to repeal its first-in-the-nation ban on installing natural gas appliances in new buildings after a U.S. appeals court agreed with restaurant owners and business groups that the ordinance conflicts with federal energy regulation. The case could also invalidate similar laws in San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/24/24

San Onnofre Reef

It took 30 years, but world’s largest artificial reef built near San Diego nuclear power plant is finally thriving -- Fish and kelp production meet targets initially ordered by Coastal Commission in 1991 to offset damage from San Onofre. Phil Diehl in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 3/24/24

Street

S.F. woman convicted of organized retail thefts totaling almost $44K -- Prosecutors alleged that Church was part of a group that entered stores including Walgreens, Sephora and Bath and Body Works, took merchandise and fled without paying in a series of incidents from April to September 2023. Danielle Echeverria in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 3/24/24

Education

Expanding arts education requires accountability and team effort, panel says -- The rollout of Proposition 28, which gives $1 billion for arts education every year, has caused confusion among districts throughout California as many look to expand opportunities available to students. Mallika Seshadri EdSource -- 3/24/24

Pioneer who helped save San Francisco Bay and California coast dies at 93 -- Joe Bodovitz was the first executive director of the California Coastal Commission. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 3/24/24