LA County is filing a lawsuit that would invalidate efforts to redraw the districts of the county supervisors by a citizens' committee.
L.A. Times' CINDY CHANG: "The County of Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate a new state law that puts the redrawing of county supervisors’ districts in the hands of a 14-member citizens committee."
"The law, SB 958, violates the state Constitution by discriminating against independent voters and unfairly singling out L.A. County over other California counties, attorneys for the county wrote in a lawsuit filed Monday."
“SB 958 tips the process, promoting partisanship, playing favorites between political parties and unaffiliated voters, and subverting local controls,” the complaint says."
READ MORE related to Local: LA County sues California over 'partisan' redistricting law -- Sacramento Bee's JIM MILLER; De Leon takes responsibility for ejection of Janet Nguyen as GOP demands probe -- Sacramento Bee's TARYN LUNA; LA officials: Don't drop benefits out of fear or confusion -- The Press-Enterprise's DAVID DOWNEY; Janet Nguyen declines 2nd chance to criticize Tom Hayden -- The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ
Darrell Issa broke with his fellow Republicans when he called for a special investigation into Russia/U.S. election ties -- an investigation that he believes Jeff Sessions is ill-equipped to handle.
L.A. Times' SARAH D. WIRE: "Over the weekend, Darrell Issa did something that no other Republican congressman has done."
"Sitting for an interview with HBO’s Bill Maher, the longtime Vista Republican said he believed that a prosecutor is needed to investigate Russia’s involvement in the U.S. election and that Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who was involved in President Trump’s campaign, should not be that prosecutor."
"You cannot have somebody — a friend of mine, Jeff Sessions — who was on the campaign and who is an appointee,” Issa said. “You’re going to need to use the special prosecutor’s statute and office.”
Speaking of Trump's administration, state leaders don't expect any increased federal infrastructure spending despite Trump's campaign pledge.
Sacramento Bee's STUART LEAVENWORTH: "President Trump said again Monday that he was preparing to spend big on infrastructure. But even as he spoke, administration officials and congressional leaders were telling governors to expect little new federal investment in roads, bridges, transit systems, dam repairs and other water works."
"Instead, the administration and congressional leaders plan to take a more incremental approach of spurring public-private partnerships – such as toll roads – by loosening environmental reviews, removing other red tape and possibly approving new tax credits. While some governors say private projects will provide little help in repairing their aging infrastructure, others say they will be forced to embrace the fiscal reality."
"Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, said he and Nevada Gov. Ryan Sandoval, a Republican, had recently discussed infrastructure with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., prior to meetings Sunday and Monday with Trump and his Cabinet members."
Former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats will be front and center Tuesday as he awaits senatorial confirmation as intelligence czar.
L.A. Times' DEL QUENTIN WILBER: "Dan Coats will be at the epicenter Tuesday of the bitter squabble between President Trump and the U.S. intelligence community, which the former senator from Indiana will lead if he is confirmed as director of national intelligence."
"Coats is certain to be asked at his Senate confirmation hearing about Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential race, alleged contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russian authorities, and the president’s harsh criticism of U.S. intelligence agencies."
"Coats, who stepped down from the Senate in January, is respected by members of both parties and is expected to win easy confirmation as head of the office of director of national intelligence. The position, created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, involves coordination of the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies."
READ MORE related to Beltway: Justice Department changes its position in high-profile Texas voter-ID case -- WaPo's SARI HORWITZ; Russia looks to exploit White House turbulence, analysts say -- N.Y. Times' NEIL MACFARQUHAR; 'What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?' -- N.Y. Times' GREGOR AISCH/ALICIA PARLAPIANO
Trump is scheduled to discuss his economic plan before Congress on Tuesday night.
The Chronicle's CAROLYN LOCHHEAD: "After a tumultuous five weeks in office, President Trump is scheduled appear before Congress for the first time Tuesday night to deliver a televised prime-time speech that will lay out his budget blueprint to increase military and homeland security spending while cutting most domestic programs, but leaving Social Security and Medicare untouched."
"The speech before both houses of Congress is expected to show how the president plans to fulfill his campaign promises to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure to the tune of $1 trillion, and increase military spending by 10 percent while reforming the federal tax system by providing tax cuts for businesses and individuals. Taken together, these promises could dramatically increase the federal deficit."
Some pundits believe that Trump's immigration hardline has more to do with reshaping demographics than national security.
L.A. Times' BRIAN BENNETT: "Behind President Trump’s efforts to step up deportations and block travel from seven mostly Muslim countries lies a goal that reaches far beyond any immediate terrorism threat: a desire to reshape American demographics for the long term and keep out people who Trump and senior aides believe will not assimilate."
"In pursuit of that goal, Trump in his first weeks in office has launched the most dramatic effort in decades to reduce the country’s foreign-born population and set in motion what could become a generational shift in the ethnic makeup of the U.S."
"Trump and top aides have become increasingly public about their underlying pursuit, pointing to Europe as an example of what they believe is a dangerous path that Western nations have taken. Trump believes European governments have foolishly allowed Muslims with extreme views to settle in their countries, sowing seeds for unrest and recruitment by terrorist groups."
The LAPD has identified the officer who fired his weapon while in a off-duty confrontation with teenagers.
L.A. Times' KATE MATHER: "The Los Angeles Police Department on Monday released the name of the off-duty officer who fired his gun during what quickly became a highly charged confrontation with a group of teenagers in Anaheim."
"The officer, Kevin Ferguson, is back on the job but is not working in the field, said Capt. Andy Neiman, an LAPD spokesman."
"Ferguson works out of the Hollywood Division, officials said, but they provided no details of his specific assignment. State police records show Ferguson joined the LAPD in 2013."
READ MORE related to Public Safety: As high-profile incidents fade from the headlines, California lawmakers move away from police accountability bills -- L.A. Times' LIAM DILLON; 20 years after the North Hollywood shootout, echoes of terror remain -- Daily News' DANA BARTHOLOMEW; 2 years after SF police shooting, advocates demand action -- The Chronicle's VIVIAN HO; SF's Market Street reopened after bomb threat to Anti-Defamation League -- The Chronicle's MICHAEL BODLEY
A tragic plane crash in a small Riverside neighborhood has upended a local community after multiple people were reported dead in the accident.
L.A. Times' CINDY CHANG/JOSEPH SERNA: "Three people were killed Monday when a small plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in Riverside, destroying two houses."
"All the dead were from the plane, Riverside Fire Chief Michael Moore said late Monday. Two others onboard the plane, which was on its way back to San Jose after a cheerleading event in Anaheim, were injured."
"Moore initially said that four people had died, including a neighborhood resident. He later said that no one on the ground was injured or killed."
READ MORE related to Transportation: Taxes are on the table as push for California road funding intensifies -- Sacramento Bee's JIM MILLER; Caltran's DONNER PASS chief tweets a blizzard to aid drivers -- Sacramento Bee's ADAM ASHTON; Sacramento transit agency wants to shake up its bus routes -- Sacramento Bee's TONY BIZJAK; Elon Musk says SpaceX will fly private citizens to the moon & beyond -- Daily News' SANDY MAZZA; Caltrain acts to keep electrification plan alive -- The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN
Republicans aiming to repeal Obamacare have a glaring issue to contend with: rising consumer costs.
L.A. Times' NOAM N. LEVEY: "Republicans came into office this year promising to rescue Americans from rising healthcare bills by repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act."
"But the party’s emerging healthcare proposals would shift even more costs to patients, feeding the very problem GOP politicians complained about under Obamacare."
"And their solutions could hit not only Americans who have Obamacare health plans, but also tens of millions more who rely on employer coverage or on government health plans such as Medicaid and Medicare."
READ MORE related to Health: Complications multiply for GOP on health overhaul -- The Chronicle's ALAN FRAM/RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR; Hospitals, both rural and urban, dread losing ground with health law repeal -- California Healthline's SARAH VARNEY; Advocates of flat-fee primary care see opening in GOP's market-driven approach -- California Healthline's MICHELLE ANDREWS
Last month's blistering weather assault on the Oroville Dam has created a 'gaping wound' in the dam's spillway.
Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW/DALE KASLER: "Water stopped cascading down Oroville Dam’s fractured main spillway Monday, revealing a gaping wound from a beating that lasted nearly three weeks."
"Dam operators gradually scaled back water releases to zero over a six-hour period, providing breathing room for construction crews trying to clear debris from a badly choked Feather River channel and restart the dam’s critically needed hydroelectric plant. The shutdown is expected to last about a week, which the state Department of Water Resources hopes will be enough time to bring the plant back into operation."
"This is a big day; there’s going to be a lot of changes,” said DWR Acting Director Bill Croyle."
READ MORE related to Environment: Faced with crisis, California water managers stepped up -- Sacramento Bee's DAN WALTERS; Sacramento dedicates new park named after former mayor Burnett Miller -- Sacramento Bee's ED FLETCHER; Storms cause more than $15 million in damage to El Dorado County public works -- Sacramento Bee's ELLEN GARRISON; More than 80 percent of all wildfires caused by humans, new study says -- AP's SETH BORENSTEIN; In California, a move to ease the pressures on aging dams -- N.Y. Times' HENRY FOUNTAIN
The growing deportation threat has many undocumented immigrants going into fight-or-flight mode.
Sacramento Bee's RYAN LILLIS: "Undocumented immigrants in Sacramento are selling their furniture and cars to rid themselves of bulky items in case they’re deported. Those who have money set aside are sending it to loved ones in Mexico or Central America, convinced that the U.S. government will seize their cash to help build a southern border wall."
"For some families, daily routines have been scaled back to essential trips only: The kids get dropped off at school and groceries are purchased, at least on days when rumors aren’t flying on Facebook about immigration agents raiding the market down the street. When families do leave home, they often carry “know your rights” cards printed from the websites of national immigration law centers that include what they should and shouldn’t say to authorities if they’re detained."
“We are trying to be prepared for any situation,” said a 39-year-old mother of three who traveled to the United States from Mexico nearly 17 years ago and is living here illegally."
READ MORE related to Immigration: California lawmakers demand federal records on Southern California immigrant arrests -- Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF; Hundreds of immigration activists march in 'sanctuary city' Pasadena -- San Gabriel Valley Tribune's JASON HENRY
Speaking of undocumented immigrants, colleges fear that the deportation crisis will keep potential students away from campuses.
Sacramento Bee's LORETTA KALB: "California Community Colleges are reporting a significant drop in financial-aid applications from undocumented immigrants that officials believe is tied to deportation fears under President Donald Trump."
"As of Monday, 1,781 undocumented community college students have received Cal Grant awards under the California Dream Act. Applicants must file by Thursday."
"Last year, by comparison, 4,624 such students had received Cal Grant awards under the Dream Act by the same March 2 deadline, according to the California Student Aid Commission."
READ MORE related to Education: Common core in California likely to continue despite Trump opposition -- EdSource's LOUIS FREEDBERG/THERESA HARRINGTON
Counterfeiting is a half-trillion dollar annual industry, but what toll does this black market take on consumers?