From the Bee's DALE KASLER and RYAN SABALOW: "Silicon Valley’s water district Wednesday rejected Gov. Jerry Brown’s plan to build twin tunnels beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta but said it would support a smaller, less expensive project. A top state official said the Brown administration is willing to consider such an approach."
"The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board voted 7-0 to give the Delta plan “conditional support,” but only if it involves one tunnel instead of two. The board’s vote indicated the district would be willing eventually to commit more than $200 million to the project. That’s well below the $600 million or more in support it had been considering."
“It’s clearly going to be a smaller project than what was originally proposed,” said board member Gary Kremen.
Capitol Weekly's PAUL MITCHELL/JONATHAN BROWN: "Part 3 of a three-part series examining California’s 2016 presidential vote."
"Throughout the 2016 election cycle, Capitol Weekly conducted several polls of California voters. Two surveys — one during the primary election and the other during the general — targeted voters immediately after they mailed in their ballots."
"More than 80,000 people responded to the surveys."
READ MORE from Capitol Weekly: Capitol community women sign letter on sexual harassment -- CW Staff
'We're done with this.' Women in California politics launch anti-sexual harassment campaign
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "A new publicity campaign aims to address sexual harassment in California politics and open up a male-dominated power structure in the Capitol that female leaders say perpetuates “pervasive” abuses."
"More than 140 female legislators, lobbyists, political consultants and other women in the Capitol community released an open letter Tuesday calling out “a state that postures itself as a leader in justice and equality” but where there is nevertheless widespread “dehumanizing behavior by men with power in our workplaces."
"Men have groped and touched us without our consent, made inappropriate comments about our bodies and our abilities,” the letter reads. “Men have made promises, or threats, about our jobs in exchange for our compliance, or our silence. They have leveraged their power and positions to treat us however they would like."
Residents advised to close windows after fire erupts at Chevron oil refinery in El Segundo
LA Times' ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN: "A fire erupted late Tuesday at the Chevron El Segundo Refinery, blowing plumes of black smoke toward residential neighborhoods."
"El Segundo police advised nearby residents to close their windows as firefighters battle the blaze on the west side of the refinery, located just south of Los Angeles International Airport."
"ABC-TV Channel 7 reported that the fire broke out after an explosion at the refinery, threatening storage tanks."
READ MORE related to El Segundo Refinery Fire: Photos of the El Segundo Chevron refinery fire -- Daily News' CHUCK BENNETT
California fire victims search for shreds of their lives, while deputies search for bones
Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA/SAM STANTON: "A wedding ring that may still be in the ashes. A handgun belonging to a sheriff’s deputy. A lifelong collection of silver coins."
"One by one Monday, Northern California residents returned to the burned out remains of their homes looking for family heirlooms, keepsakes or other reminders of the lives they led a week ago, before an inferno struck in the middle of the night."
"Just past the checkpoint at the entrance to the Coffey Park subdivision of Santa Rosa, a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy wearing his uniform was standing sentinel while his wife sifted through the ashes, looking for a handgun that was in their house before it was obliterated."
READ MORE related to The West is Burning: Hostile residents, looting, vex safety workers as California fires continue -- Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW/ANITA CHABRIA; Dog refuses to leave goats during fire, ends up saving them and deer -- Sacramento Bee's KALAN KIPLING
Why Kevin de Leon's challenge to Sen. Feinstein matters -- win or lose
Daily News' KEVIN MODESTI: "Win or lose, the United States Senate campaign that Kevin de León officially launches Wednesday in Los Angeles is a big deal."
"For the record: California political professionals give de León, the state Senate president pro tem, little chance to win next year against fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein, who is seeking a fifth full term in the U.S. Senate. They point to his disadvantages in fundraising and name recognition."
"But on the way to the June 5 primary and (maybe) the Nov. 6 general election, de León’s candidacy can be significant, campaign-watchers say. It reflects major changes in California politics. And it can cause other changes to the status quo."
Trump tells soldier's widow: "He knew what he signed up for,' lawmaker says
LA Times' BRIAN DE LOS SANTOS: "After facing criticism for not calling the families of four soldiers who died in combat, President Trump reached out to one of the widows Tuesday and said her husband "knew what he signed up for ... but when it happens it hurts anyway," according to Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.)."
"The call between Trump and Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Army Sgt. La David Johnson, lasted about five minutes, according to accounts that Wilson provided to local media.
Wilson, a friend of the family, was in the car for the call, which happened before the fallen soldier's remains arrived at Miami International Airport."
LA Times' MATT PEARCE: "The mystery is over: Las Vegas security guard Jesus Campos has been found."
"On the set of “Ellen."
"On Wednesday, Ellen DeGeneres’ television talk show is expected to broadcast the much-anticipated first interview with the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino security guard who was the first shooting victim in the Oct. 1 massacre in Las Vegas."
Senators announce bipartisan deal to stabilize Obamacare markets
LA Times' NOAM N. LEVEY/LISA MASCARO: "The Senate moved closer Tuesday to a rare bipartisan deal to fix parts of the Affordable Care Act as a pair of leading senators announced an agreement designed to stabilize health insurance markets."
"The deal — which was blessed by President Trump — still faces significant hurdles in Congress, particularly opposition from some conservative Republicans who want nothing less than a complete repeal of the 2010 healthcare law, commonly called Obamacare."
"But the announcement of the compromise worked out by Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee, and the committee’s senior Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, nonetheless marks an important breakthrough in the nation’s more than seven-year battle over the healthcare law."
Raids on marijuana grow houses often find Chinese 'farmers' inside
McClatchyDC's STUART LEAVENWORTH/BRAD BRANAN: "
It’s hardly unusual for police in the Sacramento region to find an illegal marijuana grow house in an otherwise quiet suburb. But in several recent police raids, the occupants of these
grow houses have turned out to be Chinese nationals, raising questions about about who is recruiting them and financing their operations.
Recent police raids in Yuba, Yolo, Placer and Sacramento counties have resulted in multiple arrests of people with Chinese passports, some of them speaking no English and apparently providing little help to investigators."
"One recent indictment obtained by McClatchy asserts that money from a southern China bank account was transferred to California to pay for down payments on homes that later became grow houses, suggesting that at least some in China are investing the illicit U.S. marijuana market."
LA Police Commission approves LAPD drone pilot program and test
Daily News' WES WOODS/BRENDA GAZZAR: "The civilian Los Angeles Police Commission on Tuesday approved a one-year pilot program for the use of drones by police in certain situations, despite significant concerns voiced by the public."
"The program was approved by a 3-1 vote after commissioners considered guidelines and took public comment."
"Steve Soboroff, president of the commission, said before his vote the issue wasn’t about drones."
Daily News' ELIZABETH CHOU: "An independent health study of the effects of the Aliso Canyon gas leak that detected several chemicals in the bodies of nearby residents has prompted a Los Angeles leader to call for a closer look."
"Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander is requesting that the city Health Commission and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power report back on the levels of styrene, ethylbenzene, uranium and lithium in the local water, as well as in the hair and urine samples provided by residents in Porter Ranch and surrounding communities."
"The study was conducted by a former doctor in the area, Dr. Jeffrey Nordella, who claimed he detected those chemicals and elements in urine and hair samples after residents were exposed to the 2015 gas leak from the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility."
EdSource's LARRY GORDON: "Thousands of potential CSU students have to attend college close to home because of family responsibilities, jobs or financial constraints. So getting rejected by a nearby campus or a major at that local school can have devastating consequences."
"Now, however, help appears to be on the way."
"State legislators have ordered the CSU to expand admission preference to so-called place-bound students when campuses and popular majors are over-crowded. In contrast to students who are able to move around the state and choose from among CSU’s 23 campuses, many thousands of other applicants can consider attending only the one campus near their home- or maybe two within a large metro area that hosts several CSU schools."
READ MORE related to Education: Possible free first year of community college amid flurry of education-related bills signed by governor -- EdSource STAFF