California Policy & Politics This Morning
Demonstrators gather in downtown L.A. to protest Charlottesville violence -- Hundreds of protesters marched peacefully through downtown Los Angeles on Sunday to denounce the white nationalist violence in Charlottesville, Va., and to excoriate President Trump. Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/17
Southern California residents ‘can’t sit home’ after Charlottesville attack -- They mourned. They marched. They demanded leadership and accountability. Southern California residents of various ages, backgrounds and faiths condemned bigotry and violence a day after an Ohio man allegedly plowed his car into a crowd that had been protesting a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Brenda Gazzar in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/14/17
Bay Area comes together at rallies to oppose racism, Virginia violence -- Bay Area residents held vigils across the region Sunday to protest the weekend’s violent white-supremacy rallies in Virginia that led to the death of a social-justice activist and murder charges against the man who drove his car into her. Carolyne Zinko and Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/17
Demonstrators in San Jose protest white supremacist violence at Charlottesville -- Protesters gathered Sunday morning in front of San Jose City Hall, responding to the white supremacist rally and violence that occurred Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia. Seung Lee in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/14/17
Rallies in Temecula, Redlands, Riverside to ‘stand in solidarity with Charlottesville’ -- A spirit of solidarity brought Inland residents together Sunday as they sought to counter the hatred and violence that erupted the day before in Charlottesville, Virginia. Alicia Robinson in the Inland Daily Bulletin$ -- 8/14/17
Popular Berkeley hot dog chain fires worker seen at Virginia rally -- A popular area hot dog chain that came under heat after one of their employees showed up in pictures taken at white supremacy protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, has fired him. Rick Hurd in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/14/17
California Republicans face backlash for backing climate change program -- After weeks of escalating criticism, Assembly Republican Leader Chad Mayes still doesn’t have any regrets over bucking his party to support California’s cap-and-trade program on climate change. Chris Megerian and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/17
Rep. Ted Lieu endorses state Treasurer John Chiang for California governor -- Lieu and Chiang, the state treasurer, spent the day campaigning in Southern California. The duo hosted a Facebook Live event in the morning, greeted voters on the Santa Monica Pier and attended a barbecue with state Democratic Party delegates in Westwood Park. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/17
Walters: Fake news: California voting rolls are rid dled with ineligible voters -- Travis Allen, a Republican assemblyman from Orange County and self-anointed candidate for governor, dropped this Twitter bomb the other day: “11 counties in California have more total registered voters than citizens over the age of 18. How is this possible?” As a matter of fact, it isn’t possible. Allen’s tweet just parrots a subtle falsehood that California’s voter rolls are packed with countless names of people who either don’t exist or are ineligible to vote. Dan Walters Calmatters.org -- 8/14/17
Skelton: Forget about single-payer healthcare. This California congressman has the real solution: Medicare for all -- Dreaming of a state-run single-payer healthcare system? Wake up and enter the real world. Want universal healthcare for all Americans? Medicare for all is the solution. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/14/17
Bull? Stocks can’t stave off California pension crisis forever -- Remember 2003? Gray Davis was recalled, porn stars ran for governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger catapulted into office — and California’s state and, for the last time in many, many years, local governments paid more into their pension plans than they owed in outstanding pension debt. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 8/14/17
What are Southern California lawmakers up to with Congress in recess? -- Lawmakers face a full agenda when they return to Capitol Hill next month: a new federal budget, the debt ceiling, tax reform and infrastructure spending. Plus, President Donald Trump still wants Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare, and then there’s North Korea. But for now, during their August recess, members of Congress from both parties are back in their districts getting reacquainted with constituents. Jeff Horseman in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/14/17
Anyone need a Clipper card? BART has thousands after Warriors parade blunder -- When it became clear to anyone but the most clueless Cleveland Cavaliers fan that the Warriors would capture this year’s NBA title, BART prepared to help Oakland throw a big victory parade and bash that would draw fans from all over. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/14/17
Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions
Should CalSTRS join UC in offering 401(k) option? -- While public pensions are often said to be too generous, CalSTRS and other teacher pension systems face another kind of criticsm. For short-term teachers, a 401(k)-style plan can be a better deal. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 8/14/17
California’s Grid Prepares for Solar Power to Be Eclipsed -- Spectators around the country are gearing up, eclipse glasses at the ready, for the big event on August 21. But another group — perhaps more anxious than eager — is preparing as well: the people who run California’s electric grid. Lauren Sommer KQED -- 8/14/17
Education
From ‘Meatless Mondays’ to taquitos, here’s what LA students will be eating this year -- Early Friday morning, Javier Gutierrez and Judith Leano supervised as 57 boxes of taquitos, frozen hamburgers and other food were unloaded from a refrigerated truck and transferred to the kitchen at Alfred Bernhard Nobel Middle School in Northridge. Antonie Boessenkool in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 8/14/17
State superintendent candidates agree teacher shortage must be top priority -- The two announced candidates for state superintendent of public instruction are calling for more strategies to counter a teacher shortage they say is gripping the state. John Fensterwald EdSource -- 8/14/17
POTUS 45
White House scrambles to explain Trump’s response to clashes -- The White House scrambled Sunday to elaborate on President Donald Trump’s response to deadly, race-fueled clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, as he came under bipartisan scolding for not clearly condemning white supremacists and other hate groups immediately after the altercations. Jonathan Lemire Associated Press -- 8/14/17
One group loved Trump’s remarks about Charlottesville: White supremacists -- President Trump’s public remarks on the violence in Charlottesville have been criticized by many, including members of his own political party, for being insufficient and vague. Amy B Wang in the Washington Post$ -- 8/14/17
Trump aides predicting 'brutal' September -- Inside President Donald Trump’s White House, no one seems to be looking forward to September. Senior officials have described the coming month as "brutal," “bad” or “really tough” because of the confluence of complicated issues — but they also say it’s pivotal to getting the presidency back on course. Josh Dawsey Politico -- 8/14/17
Republicans stand up to Trump over Charlottesville comments -- Republican lawmakers this weekend took President Donald Trump to task over what they deemed a weak response to white supremacist groups and violent clashes in Charlottesville, Va., the latest sign that Trump’s grip on the party may be weakening. Nancy Cook Politico -- 8/14/17
‘Look at the campaign he ran’: Charlottesville mayor is becoming one of Trump’s strongest critics -- A white nationalist site calls him “anti-white.” An article it published in May outlines some highlights of Michael Signer’s term as the mayor of Charlottesville: his endorsement of a $10,000 donation to pay for legal costs to help immigrants and refugees, and his decision to declare his city a “capital of the resistance” just days after President Trump was sworn into office. Kristine Phillips in the Washington Post$ -- 8/14/17
-- Sunday Updates
While wooing California tea party, GOP candidates for governor pledge full support for President Trump -- The two most prominent Republicans running for California governor swung through Fresno on Saturday, doing their best to woo riled-up tea party activists who spent two days there bashing the GOP establishment. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/17
Can we get along? A California conversation about immigration -- Rebecca Goddard doesn’t understand why some of her fellow Californians have labeled her a racist simply because she supports increased enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws. Tatiana Sanchez and Alejandra Molina in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 8/13/17
San Diego vastly undercounts homeless, study says -- The number of people living on the streets in San Diego County may be 50 percent higher than thought, according to a new study. Gary Warth in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/13/17
Despite California's strict new law, hundreds of schools still don't have enough vaccinated kids -- Even with a new law that has boosted kindergarten vaccination rates to record highs, hundreds of schools across California still have so many children lacking full immunization that they pose an increased risk of disease outbreaks, according to a Times analysis of state data. Soumya Karlamangla and Sandra Poindexter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/13/17
With Chargers gone, Qualcomm Stadium still a big (money) loser -- It takes a skunk catcher, nearly $600,000 in annual security services, dozens of city employees and an undisclosed number of contractors to keep Qualcomm Stadium functioning. The 70,000-seat, 1.4-million-square-foot, award-winning landmark will celebrate its 50th anniversary Aug. 20. Yet there’s no birthday party listed on the events calendar for the 166-acre site. Roger Showley in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 8/13/17
‘Meet a Muslim’ events hope to dispel misconceptions -- When Moina Shaiq realized even her friends were scared to ask her about her religion for fear of offending her or sounding uneducated, she put an advertisement in a California newspaper: “Questions and answers about being Muslim.” Kristin J. Bender Associated Press -- 8/13/17
The possible downfall of cleaning the air, according to JPL study -- Can smog be beneficial? A new study says yes, sort of. Steve Scauzillo in the San Bernardino Sun$ -- 8/13/17
Jail is largest psychiatric facility in Sonoma County -- If not by design then by default, jail cells have essentially replaced psychiatric hospital beds for many of Sonoma County’s most severely mentally ill residents. It is a trend that began before the closure of Santa Rosa’s two secured mental health hospitals a decade ago, and has continued since. Martin Espinoza in the Santa Rosa Press -- 8/13/17