California Policy and Politics Tuesday

California’s once-dead Tulare Lake is nearly as large as Lake Tahoe -- Tulare Lake, the historical lake that surprisingly reemerged in the San Joaquin Valley with this year’s wet weather, could grow to a peak of 182 square miles next week, nearly the size of Lake Tahoe. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

California officials say communities near refilling Tulare Lake now unlikely to flood -- California officials said Monday they believe tens of thousands of people living near an ancient freshwater lake bed are not likely to experience flooding this year thanks to improving weather conditions and some swift planning following a series of powerful storms that refilled the basin for the first time in decades. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 5/22/23

Mayor London Breed to answer questions about drug crisis at one of S.F.'s worst fentanyl hot spots -- The political tussle over how to handle San Francisco’s drug crisis will get perhaps its most public airing in memory Tuesday when the Board of Supervisors holds a question-and-answer forum on the topic in UN Plaza with Mayor London Breed. Kevin Fagan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Could the rush for lithium near the Salton Sea trigger earthquakes? -- Some Southern Californians fear risks of these clean energy projects might outweigh benefits. The science is far from settled. Brooke Staggs in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/22/23

California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he’s considering a run for governor in 2026 -- While Bonta has yet to form a candidate campaign committee for the office, he would be a formidable challenger should he choose to run. In 2022, Bonta, who was appointed by Newsom, won an election to a full term as attorney general with 57% of the vote. Andrew Sheeler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 5/22/23

Book removals may have violated student civil rights, Education Dept. says -- In a move that could affect how schools handle book challenges, the federal government has concluded that a Georgia school district’s removal of titles with Black and LGBTQ characters may have created a “hostile environment” for students, potentially violating their civil rights. Hannah Natanson, Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff in the Washington Post$ -- 5/22/23

Kamala Harris touts launch of $4B research center in Silicon Valley -- The vice president said the Biden administration’s incentive program spurred a $4 billion investment. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

California foie gras ban will remain in place after Supreme Court rejects challenge -- The Supreme Court rejected a challenge by the poultry industry to California’s ban on foie gras, which is made by force-feeding ducks and geese. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Water

Is landmark deal over the Colorado River enough to stave off disaster? -- The groundbreaking deal announced Monday to cut water use from the Colorado River comes after months of negotiations. But is it enough to deal with the drought crisis on the Colorado? Here is what we know: Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/23

Colorado River deal: What does it mean for California? -- Southern California growers agreed to use less water through 2026 and receive federal funds in return. But it’s not a long-term solution to the Colorado River’s water woes. Alastair Bland CalMatters -- 5/22/23

Huge Santa Clara County dam project dealt another setback --In the latest stumble for plans to build a massive $2.8 billion dam in Southern Santa Clara County near Pacheco Pass, a judge has ruled that the Santa Clara Valley Water District violated state environmental laws over the dam’s preliminary geological work. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/22/23

Oakland water district’s time capsule could end up buried beneath the sea -- A time capsule buried near the base of the Bay Bridge on Monday to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the East Bay Municipal Water District could be underwater at its own centennial, swamped by the ravaging effects of climate change. Will McCarthy in the East Bay Times$ -- 5/22/23

Merced River in Yosemite reaches flood stage -- The forecast for this week does not predict the river will reach the "moderate flood stage," at which Northside and Southside drives would be closed to traffic. The item is in the East Bay Times$ -- 5/22/23

Workplace

McDonald’s hiring 1,000 Southern California workers this summer -- A new report says one out of every 17 homeless people in California works in the fast food industry. Kevin Smith in the Orange County Register -- 5/22/23

Maintenance lapses led to water contamination on two carriers -- Corrosion and a bad gasket let bilge water and jet fuel into the drinking water on two aircraft carriers, investigation says. Andrew Dyer KPBS -- 5/22/23

San Diego wineries post record sales and thriving post-pandemic restrictions -- According to a recent report, the local wine industry grew last year with an 11% increase in sales, marking an all-time high for the industry. Alexander Nguyen, Roland Lizarondo KPBS -- 5/22/23

Bay Area hotel market struggles with post-COVID hangover -- The Bay Area’s hotel industry is still struggling to rebound from coronavirus-linked shutdowns, even as the lodging sector outside the region has flourished. And not everyone is in agreement about what’s to blame. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/22/23

Free money is still available for small L.A. businesses affected by the pandemic -- With pandemic state of emergency over, the government programs tied to COVID-19 have either ended or are winding down. But if you have a small business in Los Angeles that was affected by the pandemic — and which ones weren’t? — you still have time to apply for a shot of free money. Jon Healey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/23

Homeless Seniors

Orange County’s older population growing faster than data about their needs -- How many local seniors go hungry? How many need dementia care? Who could use a friend? The 2023 “Report on Aging” offers more questions than answers. Andre Mouchard in the Orange County Register -- 5/22/23

Seniors are flooding homeless shelters that can’t care for them -- Some communities, including Phoenix and Orange County in California, are racing to come up with novel solutions, including establishing senior shelters and hiring specially trained staff. Christopher Rowland in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 5/22/23

Environment

There's a big environmental downside to lab-grown meat, UC Davis study finds -- There's a big environmental downside to lab-grown meat, UC Davis study finds There's a big environmental downside to lab-grown meat, UC Davis study finds The climate benefits of cultured meat, which is grown in a lab, are questionable, according to a new study. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Border

Ninth Circuit upholds immigration law deemed unconstitutional, discriminatory by federal judge -- The Ninth Circuit upheld a 1952 law allowing prosecution for illegal re-entry after a deportation, reversing a federal judge’s ruling that the law was based on discrimination against Mexicans and other Latin Americans. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Housing

These S.F. neighborhoods would see denser housing under new proposal by Mayor Breed -- Developers looking to build housing on commercial corridors in San Francisco’s west side — and in a few other areas — would no longer face restrictions in the number of units they could construct under proposed legislation announced Monday. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Yosemite

Yosemite’s Mist Trail hike with majestic waterfall views to get $5-million upgrade -- Three thousand people a day visit Mist Trail, which has views of two majestic waterfalls and is arguably the most popular hike at Yosemite National Park. Mist Trail is now going to get a $5-million upgrade. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/23

Eduction

LAUSD recognizes graduating seniors who have faced homelessness -- Some 200 students who have been homeless or experienced housing insecurity are celebrated at BMO Stadium. Linh Tat in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 5/22/23

STEM careers can help Latinos fight social inequity, but students need to seize scholarships -- A scholarships platform created during the COVID-19 pandemic aims to help young people find the necessary money to pursue higher education. Alejandro Maciel in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/23

Months after unsolved Oakland campus killing, students and widow gather in grief and memory -- Students and staff at an East Oakland high school haven’t forgotten the gunshots that rang out at the end of September as two gunmen stormed onto campus firing again and again, striking six people, including students and adults. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Teacher’s antisemitic conspiracy theories were ‘swept under the rug,’ critics of East Bay high school say -- A Hayward high school remains mired in controversy months after students and educators raised concerns that a teacher was allegedly peddling antisemitic conspiracy theories and performing the Nazi salute in classes. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 5/22/23

Also:

Plane that crashed off coast of Half Moon Bay was owned by Sergey Brin’s investment firm -- The fuel-starved plane that plunged into the Pacific Ocean while attempting to reach Half Moon Bay on Saturday was owned by the financial investment firm of billionaire Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/23

Multibillion-dollar Santa Monica fitness company faces allegations of exploiting exercise coaches -- In a class-action lawsuit, exercise coaches for Beachbody allege they’re key to the company’s success but they’re not paid accordingly. Jaimie Ding in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 5/22/23

Southern Big Sur coast is about to reopen. Here’s where you’ll be able to reach on Hwy. 1 -- Access to popular spots on the southern Big Sur coast will be restored next week when Caltrans reopens a key stretch of Highway 1 — just in time for Memorial Day holiday weekend travel. The item is in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 5/22/23