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California Policy and Politics Wednesday
Newsom escalates clash with Trump in State of the State, declares California under siege -- Gov. Gavin Newsom used his written State of the State address Tuesday to cast California as a bulwark against a menacing Trump administration he accused of dismantling public services, flouting the rule of law and using extortion to bully businesses and universities. Melody Gutierrez in the Los Angeles Times$ Lia Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ Robert Mackey The Guardian -- 09/10/25
California leaders negotiate major policy changes in secret as legislative session ends -- With just days until the legislative session wraps, California’s top Democrats are discussing a series of climate, energy and transit measures in backrooms. Details are so scant that even veteran lobbyists and advocates say they are confused and frustrated. Yue Stella Yu Calmatters -- 09/10/25
California leaders race toward deadline for cap-and-trade deal -- California lawmakers are running down the clock to craft a deal to renew the state’s influential cap-and-trade climate policy. Kate Wolffe in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 09/10/25
Sacramento's most powerful puppet master is causing climate chaos -- Kip Lipper is a name rarely uttered outside inner circles of Sacramento, but the powerful Senate adviser is at the center of this session’s climate logjam — and people are ready to point fingers if Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers’ ambitious package doesn’t get done. Alex Nieves and Camille von Kaenel Politico -- 09/10/25
Budget carveout appears to stymie apartment construction in powerful Democrat’s district -- A bill released in the final days of the legislative session creates a carve-out from more permissive building rules and appears to target just one project: a proposed apartment building in Sen. Monique Limón’s district. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 09/10/25
Schiff lawyer told Justice Department it should investigate Pulte for probing mortgages of Trump opponents -- Three days after President Trump publicly accused Sen. Adam Schiff of committing mortgage fraud, an attorney for Schiff wrote privately to the Department of Justice that there was “no factual basis” for the claims — but “ample basis” to launch an investigation into Bill Pulte, the Trump administration official digging into the mortgage records of the president’s most prominent political opponents. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Harris: Reluctance to pressure Biden out of 2024 was ‘recklessness’ -- “‘It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized,” the former vice president wrote in an excerpt of her book published by The Atlantic Wednesday morning. Gregory Svirnovskiy Politico Michelle L. Price Associated Press -- Joseph De Avila in the Wall Street Journal$ Patrick Svitek in the Washington Post$ -- 09/10/25
Barabak: Should Kamala Harris be protected? At what cost? -- The revocation of the former vice president’s Secret Service detail has turned the question of Harris’ safety into a political issue. There’s bad faith aplenty. Mark Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Plane to purgatory: how Trump’s deportation program shuttles immigrants into lawless limbo -- 44,000 immigrants, 1,700 flights, 100 days: a Guardian investigation of leaked flight data and government detention data reveals the inhumane journey of immigrants shuttled around and outside the US. Maanvi Singh and Will Craft The Guardian -- 09/10/25
Critics fault Supreme Court for allowing immigration stops that consider race and ethnicity -- Fifty years ago, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that U.S. Border Patrol agents violated the Constitution when they stopped a car on a freeway near San Clemente because its occupants appeared to be “of Mexican ancestry.” David G. Savage, Michael Wilner and Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
‘We All Thought the Raids Were Over’: Fears Return for Immigrants in L.A. -- Los Angeles residents are anxious once again following a Supreme Court ruling that allowed aggressive immigration raids to resume. Jill Cowan and Ana Facio-Krajcer in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
In rural California, a grave echoes another era of forced removal of immigrants -- After Del Norte County in Northern California kicked out its Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s, Dock Rigg stayed behind. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Amid growing backlash to masked ICE agents, San Jose could be the next city to try prohibiting federal agents from concealing their identities -- While legislators have pushed new bills at local and state levels, questions have swirled over whether they will have any impact. Devan Patel in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Supervisors vote to include immigrant children in county’s legal services program -- Federal funding to represent unaccompanied migrant children in immigration proceedings ends next month. Alexandra Mendoza in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 09/10/25
California breaks from CDC, endorses COVID vaccine guidance from medical groups -- In a break from the past, California is endorsing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from national medical professional organizations rather than federal health officials. Catherine Ho in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
California has a strict vaccine mandate. Will it survive the Trump administration? -- California is one of five states with laws that do not allow religious exemptions to school vaccines. The Trump administration is moving to expand parents’ right to opt out. Jenny Gold in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Valero
California lawmakers could bail out Bay Area oil refinery to stave off closure -- California could pay hundreds of millions of dollars to cover maintenance costs at Valero Energy Co.’s refinery in Benicia in an effort to stave off the plant’s closure, according to Bloomberg. Aldo Toledo in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Workplace
Bid to repeal L.A.’s $30 hotel minimum wage fails to qualify for the ballot -- The referendum needed about 93,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot but fell short by about 9,000, according to a statement from interim City Clerk Petty Santos. David Zahniser and Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
California’s Great America chops jobs as uncertainty looms -- As uncertainty looms over how long it will keep its doors open, California’s Great America theme park has decided to cut 184 jobs, according to a WARN notice filed with the state Employment Development Department. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Walmart will shut East Bay store and eliminate scores of jobs -- Walmart has decided to close its store in Pleasanton in a move that will affect nearly 100 jobs. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Children’s Hospital LA laying off 439 healthcare workers by late October -- The hospital cited declining healthcare funding, policy changes and the rising cost of providing healthcare. Pat Maio in the LA Daily News -- 09/10/25
California pledges millions of dollars to study firefighter health -- Cal Fire will spend $9.7 million on research into how worsening wildfires and other exposures may be increasing the risk for cancer among California firefighters, the governor’s office announced Tuesday. Julie Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
L.A. County employee charged with alleged hate crimes against Asian co-worker -- A Los Angeles County employee has been charged with felony hate crimes after allegedly breaking into the government’s downtown headquarters three times in the last two weeks and placing death threats on the desk of an Asian co-worker. Rebecca Ellis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Open AI
OpenAI installs parental controls following California teen’s death -- Weeks after a Rancho Santa Margarita family sued over ChatGPT’s role in their teenager’s death, OpenAI has announced that parental controls are coming to the company’s generative artificial intelligence model. Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
OpenAI denies report that it could move out California: ‘No plans to leave’ -- OpenAI denied a Wall Street Journal report that stated the company could potentially leave California in a “last ditch effort” to convert itself into a new for-profit company, calling the story false. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Wildfire
Ancient California sequoia trees appear to survive wildfire -- The Garnet Fire has been burning the Sierra National Forest, and flames entered the McKinley Grove — home to hundreds of beloved sequoia trees — on Monday. Vivian Ho and Joshua Partlow in the Washington Post$ -- 09/10/25
Garnet Fire enters southern edge of McKinley Grove, home to giant Sequoia trees -- Around-the-clock efforts are underway to protect giant Sequoias within the McKinley Grove that are being threatened by the raging wild fire burning nearby and continuing to grow in eastern Fresno County. Bryant-Jon Anteola in the Fresno Bee -- 09/10/25
Older California homes for sale now must come with wildfire warnings -- The state is the first to require sellers in high-risk areas to disclose what they’ve done to protect houses. Todd Woody, Bloomberg in the Orange County Register$ -- 09/10/25
Wildfire threats to California water resources demand attention, group warns -- Proactive fuel mitigation measures near watersheds are a vital step toward protecting water quality as California wildfires grow in intensity and frequency, experts warn. Sierra Lopez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
COVID
COVID vaccine chaos: Even pharmacists are confused, but here’s who can get one -- Just weeks after the federal government dramatically reduced eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations, people trying to get an updated booster shot in California are reporting confusion and frustration, with access, policies and availability all over the map. Jessica Roy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Housing
‘The Garbage Boyfriend of the World’ Is Tanking the YIMBY Dream -- Will former reality TV villain Spencer Pratt win the battle over housing in California? Debra Kahn Politico -- 09/10/25
Hydrogen Sulfide
The rotten egg smell at the Salton Sea isn’t just a nuisance. It can make people sick -- UCLA researchers have found that hydrogen sulfide emissions at the Salton Sea are at elevated levels and can cause serious health effects to those that live near the lake. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 09/10/25
Wave Power
First onshore wave energy project in the U.S. launches in Los Angeles -- It produces little power yet, but could scale along the port’s breakwater to supply as many as 60,000 households. Unlike wind and solar energy, wave power operates continuously and could help L.A. reach its 100% clean energy goal by 2035. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Street
LAPD touts 2024 dip in police shootings, but officers already firing more this year -- Los Angeles police have opened fire at least 31 times in the first nine months of 2025, more than they did all of last year, according to data released by the department. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
San Jose: Homeless people will be paid $15 an hour to pick up trash in ‘hotspots’ -- San Jose is home to some beautiful architecture and brilliant art, but also to freeway on-ramps and creek embankments that are littered with ugly trash and debris. Now, the city is launching a new effort to clean up dirty parts of town, and it’ll help dozens of homeless people get back on their feet at the same time. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Downtown Streets Team to end homeless outreach efforts across Bay Area -- A Bay Area nonprofit that helps homeless people across the region find jobs and housing in exchange for volunteering to clean up local streets is abruptly shutting down, citing a loss of millions of dollars in public funding amid a financial and political environment that has “shifted dramatically in recent months.” Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Also
Walters: Gavin Newsom’s snark attacks on Trump boost his national standing — at least for now -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has been waging a media war against President Donald Trump — particularly with uber-snarky social media posts — while promoting a ballot measure aimed at increasing Democrats’ congressional seats, portraying it as a way to blunt Trump’s lust for power. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 09/10/25
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Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump tariff case this fall -- The high court will determine the fate of Trump's sweeping tariffs on countries around the world, which have brought in tens of billions of dollars. Doug Palmer and Josh Gerstein Politico Justin Jouvenal in the Washington Post$ -- 09/10/25
Tariff Case Could Give Trump Massive New Fiscal Powers -- If Supreme Court rules in president’s favor on tariffs, it could greenlight his raising other new tax revenue without Congress. Greg Ip in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/10/25
Trump Warns of Doom if Tariffs Are Ruled Illegal. Others See a Tax Cut -- Many American companies have had to shoulder at least some of the costs of tariffs, biting into earnings the same way a corporate tax increase would, analysts say. Andrew Duehren in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
Judge blocks Trump’s bid to fire Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board -- Federal law gives Trump the power to fire members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors “for cause,” which typically means serious misconduct or malfeasance on the job. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein Politico Lydia Wheeler in the Wall Street Journal$ Colby Smith and Tony Romm in the New York Times$ Andrew Ackerman in the Washington Post$ -- 09/10/25
Hyundai ICE raid in Georgia leaves Asian executives shaken by Trump’s mixed signals -- The immigration raid that snatched up hundreds of South Koreans last week sent a disconcerting message to companies in South Korea and elsewhere: America wants your investment, but don’t expect special treatment. Max Kim and Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Trump is keeping RFK Jr. in his tent and on a leash -- President Donald Trump believes his alliance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. created a political tent too big for the Democrats to beat. Trump is now trying to make sure Kennedy doesn’t push traditional GOP allies out. Carmen Paun, Grace Yarrow and Megan Messerly Politico Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Maggie Haberman in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
Kennedy commission child health report ignores gun violence, the leading cause of child death -- The Make America Healthy Again Commission, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has released its Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, a 20-page report the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services described as a “sweeping plan” to “reverse the failed policies that fueled America’s childhood chronic disease epidemic.” Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ Dani Blum, Benjamin Mueller and Maggie Astor in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
U.S. Drugmakers Warn White House of Chaos as Trump Weighs Curbs on China -- Behind the scenes, major pharmaceutical companies and Trump-tied billionaires are furiously lobbying in opposite directions over proposed anti-China measures. Rob Copeland and Rebecca Robbins in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
A Phony Trump Check and a ‘Depreciated’ Woman in Epstein’s Birthday Book -- A photo in Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday book shows the disgraced financier holding a novelty check with a signature of “DJ TRUMP.” It includes a woman who dated both men in the 1990s. Matthew Goldstein, Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Steve Eder in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
Latest Revelations Complicate Trump’s Sweeping Denials About Epstein -- President Trump often succeeds in pivoting the national conversation, but he is finding that more difficult when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein. Luke Broadwater in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
What Note? On Epstein Sketch, Republicans Revert to Shrugs -- The Republican response to the release of a suggestive note to Jeffrey Epstein apparently signed by President Trump followed a familiar pattern of deflection. Annie Karni in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
California Policy and Politics Tuesday
Indiscriminate ICE raids in L.A. can resume: What rights do you have? -- In a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted an emergency appeal and lifted the judge’s order that barred “roving patrols” from snatching people off Southern California streets based on how they look, what language they speak, what work they do or where they happen to be. It’s unclear what happens next. Immigration raids slowed in L.A. after the ruling but did not stop completely. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ Sara Libby, Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Adam Liptak in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
Did SCOTUS just rewrite the rules on racial profiling? Here’s why advocates are outraged -- “As high school government teachers across the state return to their classrooms, ready to educate our next generation of leaders, we can no longer say the Constitution applies to all,” said Jeff Freitas, president of CFT, a group of 120,000 teachers and school employees. “And for that, our nation mourns.” Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Arellano: I’m a U.S. citizen. I’m always going to carry my passport now. Thanks, Supreme Court -- My dad’s passport is among his most valuable possessions, a document that not only establishes that he’s a U.S. citizen but holds the story of his life. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
Florez: You look Latino. You speak Spanish. You work hard. That’s now probable cause -- When I was a young UCLA constitutional law major, we learned that the Constitution wasn’t just parchment behind glass: It was a living promise, fragile and ferocious, meant to protect the people when power overreached. Dean Florez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
‘It’s going to get ugly’: L.A. immigrants fear the worst as Supreme Court allows raids to resume -- In a county where one in three residents are immigrants, a sense of anger and dread erupted Monday as noncitizens and their families realized the immigration raids that rocked their lives this summer could become a never-ending nightmare. Brittny Mejia, Rachel Uranga and Ruben Vives in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
Bonta ‘disappointed’ by Supreme Court ruling on L.A. immigration raids -- He called indiscriminate tactics used to make immigration arrests a violation of the 4th Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. Connor Sheets and Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
Chinese immigrants were once banned from this Northern California county. Except one -- Historian says Trump immigration raids mirror violent 1800s purges that forcibly expelled Chinese immigrants from Northern California using mob tactics. Hailey Branson-Potts in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
A Central California farmworker broke no laws. So why did he ask to be deported? -- Yan Garcia-Heredia, a legal asylum-seeker who came to the U.S. in 2023, tried to fight Trump’s migrant detention machine. It broke him. Raheem Hosseini in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Will California extend cap and trade? Legislative negotiations go down to the wire -- California lawmakers are rushing to extend the state’s landmark cap-and-trade climate program through 2045 amid opposition from unions and industry. Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 09/09/25
The unlikely superstars of California's gerrymander campaign -- Bitterly divided on the virtues of gerrymandering, the champions and foes of California’s snap redistricting bid can agree on one thing: This is coming from Democrats who control the state. Whether voters love or loathe that fact could swing the outcome. Jeremy B. White Politico -- 09/10/25
Mayor Bass endorses Antonio Villaraigosa for governor -- The two Democratic leaders have known each other for more than 50 years, first meeting as community activists in the 1970s. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
Another longtime Bay Area House member is getting an intraparty challenge -- Eric Jones, a former venture capitalist who lives in Napa, announced Tuesday that he will challenge a fellow Democrat, Rep. Mike Thompson, 74, who has represented the North Bay in Congress since 1999. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/09/25
California state Senator accuses Sacramento police of retaliation over “egregious” DUI arrest -- A Riverside County lawmaker accused of driving drunk after a car crash, but cleared by a blood test, took the first step Monday toward suing the Sacramento Police Department, saying officers had tarnished her reputation. Laura J. Nelson and Nathan Solis in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
California sues Los Angeles County over ‘inhumane’ conditions in its jail system -- About 14,000 people are housed in L.A.’s jail on a daily basis. The state’s lawsuit said they have been exposed to rats, spoiled meals and no clean water. Cayla Mihalovich Calmatters -- 09/10/25
California counties enter panic mode as Trump-led spending cuts loom -- Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia doesn’t see a way around the most vulnerable residents in his community soon facing longer wait times for food assistance and medical care under President Donald Trump’s budget cuts. Sara DiNatale in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
What will Merced lose if it’s cut from CA’s Central Valley high-speed rail line? -- For the second time in a decade, the city of Merced is grappling with the possibility that it could be excluded from the California high-speed rail project’s initial operating segment in the Central Valley. Erik Galicia in the Fresno Bee -- 09/09/25
‘I will do it again’. Mom of California overdose victim pledges to keep fighting in Capitol -- After a CalMatters investigation, lawmakers asked Christine Matlock Dougherty to testify on behalf of bills to regulate mental health insurance. They didn’t pass this year. Jocelyn Wiener Calmatters -- 09/09/25
Workplace
Rivian lays off hundreds of employees ahead of the end of EV tax credits -- Rivian laid off about 200 employees as the electric vehicle maker prepares for the end of federal EV tax credits. Cerys Davies in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
Children’s Hospital LA laying off 439 healthcare workers by late October -- “Due to declining federal and state reimbursements, emerging policy changes affecting funding, and escalating costs of healthcare delivery, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) must take steps to secure the hospital’s long-term viability for millions of children in need of care,” wrote Mamoon Syed, chief people officer with Children’s Hospital in a recent letter filed with the state’s Employment Development Department. Pat Maio in the LA Daily News -- 09/10/25
AI
Thousands descend on S.F. to hear tech luminaries discuss AI booms and energy consumption -- Goldman Sachs used its conference in San Francisco to reiterate that tech data center spending could quadruple by 2030, with energy use growing by 165% Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
OpenAI Executives Rattled by Campaigns to Derail For-Profit Restructuring -- OpenAI executives are growing concerned that mounting political scrutiny in California could stymie their efforts to become a for-profit company and have discussed a last-ditch option of moving out of the state. Berber Jin in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/10/25
An AI-animated film will debut next year. Is this AI’s ‘Toy Story’ moment? -- An animated feature film that uses artificial intelligence tools from OpenAI is expected to debut next year, likely fueling the debate in Hollywood about the role of the technology in filmmaking. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
COVID
COVID hospitalizations in California double as vaccine access tightens -- California is seeing a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled in the past month, and wastewater data shows “very high” levels of the virus circulating across the state. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Grant Stringer in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Water
Trump administration could roll back planned California dam removal -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins took to social media over the weekend to express concerns about dam removal on California’s Eel River, even suggesting that the Trump administration may intervene to stop or revise the project. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
The minuscule mollusks that are wreaking massive damage in the West -- Zebra mussels are now in the upper Colorado River system, and the minuscule mollusks can wreak massive damage. Karin Brulliard in the Washington Post$ -- 09/09/25
Transit
With Bay Area transit funding on ‘life support,’ advocates rally in S.F. for state money -- Elected officials, transportation advocates and concerned residents gathered Monday morning at San Francisco Civic Center to decry the potential loss of a loan from Gov. Gavin Newsom they say would cripple Bay Area transit agencies in the near future. Anna Bauman, Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Newsom says he’s working on Bay Area transit loan deal — but details being hashed out in secret -- Governor’s office signals that it will work with legislators on deal to avoid a funding gap for transit. But they may have to give him something in return. Kate Talerico in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Wildfire
Garnet Fire burns 10,000 acres in a day. Containment lines east of Shaver Lake -- The Garnet Fire continues to grow in the mountains northeast of Fresno. Over the weekend, the fire grew quickly — adding some 10,000 acres on Sunday alone. It crossed Dinkey Creek and moved closer to McKinley Grove in the Sierra National Forrest, threatening hundreds of giant sequoia trees. Joshua Tehee in the Fresno Bee Soumya Karlamangla in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
California has a new rule for homes sold in wildfire-prone areas -- Californians selling a home in a wildfire-prone area must now tell buyers what they’ve done to protect their property from blazes. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/09/25
HOV
Electric vehicle access to carpool lanes is ending -- One of California’s longest-running incentives for people to buy electric cars — a program that provides access to carpool lanes regardless of how many people are in their vehicle — is coming to end. The Clean Air Vehicle decal program expires on Sept. 30. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 09/10/25
Street
A tour of the sound and heat hellscape that is L.A. -- A pioneering study seeks to figure out how a combination of high heat and loud noise impacts the brains and health of L.A. residents. Tyrone Beason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
Also
Lucas: John Burton was more than his persona -- It bugged John Burton when people told him he or some other elected official was a man of his word. “It’s supposed to be a given,” the former Congress member and California political giant, who died on Sunday, would grumble, usually after the person was out of earshot. Greg Lucas Politico -- 09/10/25
Ohman: State Dems bid adieu to John Burton: ‘His influence was immeasurable’ -- “The Burton Operation” — it was never referred to as the “Burton Machine” — spawned major national leaders such as Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Sen. Barbara Boxer, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and former San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. When asked what Burton’s contribution to California political culture was, Brown said, “It’s not matchable, frankly. … His influence was immeasurable.” Jack Ohman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Survivor’s island: coyotes seen paddling across deep San Francisco Bay waters -- For nearly a decade, Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay has been home to what the state parks describes as a “budding population” of coyotes. Late last month park workers got a fascinating glimpse at the animal’s journey to the island. Dani Anguiano The Guardian -- 09/10/25
‘Landlocked’ California: Map shows all the public areas made inaccessible by private property -- Thousands of acres of public spaces are only accessible with permission from the private landowners who surround those lands. Emma Stiefel in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
‘Epic’: California highliners air walk 1,600 feet over ocean near Golden Gate Bridge -- Anyone who sailed beneath the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend likely noticed a bewildering spectacle: A person seemingly air-walking 75 feet above the surf in Kirby Cove. Gregory Thomas in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 09/10/25
Marilyn Monroe’s L.A. home escapes demolition — again -- This time around, it was rescued by an L.A. Superior Court judge, who rejected a legal challenge from the homeowners claiming the city’s landmark designation violated their right to raze the residence. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/10/25
POTUS 47
In New Book, Think Tank Behind Project 2025 Takes On the Constitution -- With a preface by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. and contributions from more than 30 conservative judges, the Heritage Foundation, the influential think tank that has helped shape the Trump administration’s second-term agenda, will soon publish an 800-page, clause-by-clause analysis of the Constitution. Adam Liptak in the New York Times$ -- 09/09/25
Revised figures show U.S. 900,000 fewer jobs than previously estimated -- New numbers released by the Labor Department could boost Trump's argument for Federal Reserve rate cuts. Nick Niedzwiadek Politico Justin Lahart in the Wall Street Journal$ Lauren Kaori Gurley in the Washington Post$ -- 09/09/25
Is Trump’s troop buildup in U.S. cities a declaration of war — or something else? -- Trump’s unprecedented push this summer to deploy military convoys into Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., has left many Americans divided on whether his administration is trying to protect people in Democratic-controlled cities or wage war on them. Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 09/09/25
Epstein Birthday Letter With Trump’s Signature Revealed -- Lawyers for Jeffrey Epstein’s estate have given Congress a copy of the birthday book put together for the financier’s 50th birthday, which includes a letter with President Trump’s signature that he has said doesn’t exist. Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/10/25
See More Pages From Epstein’s 50th Birthday Book -- Letters released by Congress show pages signed by Bill Clinton, Leon Black and Ghislaine Maxwell. Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/09/25
For Trump, latest Epstein disclosures bring continued political pain -- The new documents not only contain an image that matches the description of the one Trump has denied drawing but also a new photo bound to generate fresh controversy. In that photo, portions of which are redacted, Epstein is standing next to several others holding an oversize novelty check made out to him for $22,500 with DJTRUMP on the signature line. Matt Viser in the Washington Post$ -- 09/09/25
Trump Loses Bid to Overturn $83 Million Damages Award to E. Jean Carroll -- A federal appeals court on Monday upheld an $83 million defamation award against President Trump, saying his conduct toward advice columnist E. Jean Carroll was extraordinary and unprecedented. Corinne Ramey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 09/10/25
Trump’s Treasury Secretary Threatens to Punch Housing Official in the Face -- The dust-up, at a members-only club in Georgetown, was not the first time Scott Bessent has shown a hot temper. Maggie Haberman and Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ -- 09/10/25
Trump Administration Halts I.R.S. Crackdown on Major Tax Shelters -- The Treasury Department is rolling back efforts to shut down aggressive strategies used by America’s biggest multinational companies and wealthiest people. Jesse Drucker in the New York Times$ -- 09/09/25