AP: "President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former business associate, Rick Gates, have been told to surrender to authorities. "
"The charges -- conspiracy against the U.S. and money laundering, among others -- are the first in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign."
"Mueller was appointed as special counsel in May to lead the Justice Department's investigation into whether the Kremlin worked with associates of the Trump campaign to tip the 2016 presidential election."
READ MORE related to KremlinGate: Paul Manafort charged, surrenders to FBI -- Vanity Fair's ABIGAIL TRACY; Former Trump campaign chair Manafort surrenders to FBI, indicted in Russia election probe -- Ledger-Enquierer's SCOTT BERSON; A profile of Rick Gates -- NYT's NICK CONFESSORE; Trump decided not to deport fugitive accused of rape after learning he was a Mar-a-Lago member -- SAMUEL OSBORNE, Independent
Could the end of DACA hurt foreign investment in SoCal?
Daily News' BRENDA GAZZAR: "As he met with business leaders recently in downtown Los Angeles, Stephen Cheung listened carefully as a Mexican official expressed financial concerns about President Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA."
"Cheung, president of the World Trade Center Los Angeles, which leads the region’s efforts to attract foreign investors, soon realized why Salomón Chertorivski, Mexico City’s secretary for economic development, was so concerned."
"Though Trump administration’s announcement on DACA wasn’t a direct attack on Mexico, Cheung explained that the perception among Chertorivski and many other foreign investors is that the decision is the Trump administration’s way of saying they want to “target Mexico in a negative way."
Stem cell: Arthritic knee research in $33 million award
DAVID JENSEN in Capitol Weekly: "The California stem cell agency has awarded $33 million for clinical trial research, but not before some governing board members questioned the appropriateness of backing an effort to treat osteoarthritis of the knee."
"The awards on Thursday bring to 43 the number of clinical trials funded by the stem cell agency, formally known as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The agency is pushing hard to fulfill the promise of the 2004 ballot campaign that created the $3 billion effort. Clinical trials are the last stage before a treatment can win federal approval."
"The agency expects to run out of money in mid 2020, but so far has failed to back research that has resulted in a therapy that is available for widespread use."
READ MORE from Capitol Weekly: Inside a Capitol fight over housing -- Capitol Weekly's NIK BONOVICH
2 Navy SEALs under suspicion in strangling of Green Beret in Mali
NYT: "Navy criminal authorities are investigating whether two members of the elite SEAL Team 6 strangled an Army Green Beret in June while they were in Mali on a secret assignment, military officials say."
"Staff Sgt. Logan J. Melgar, a 34-year-old veteran of two tours in Afghanistan, was found dead on June 4 in the embassy housing he shared in the Malian capital, Bamako, with a few other Special Operations forces assigned to the West African nation to help with training and counterterrorism missions."
"His killing is the latest violent death under mysterious circumstances for American troops on little-known missions in that region of Africa. Four American soldiers were killed in an ambush this month in neighboring Niger while conducting what was initially described as a reconnaissance patrol but was later changed to supporting a much more dangerous counterterrorism mission against Islamic militants in the area."
Hollywood's man problem may be a matter of simple math
LA Times' MEG JAMES/MEREDITH BLAKE: "For all of the hand-wringing over what enabled movie producer Harvey Weinstein’s bad behavior for decades, the answer likely lies in the numbers."
"Mathematically, Hollywood has a man problem."
"Men overwhelmingly dominate nearly every portion of Hollywood, from movie sets to the corporate suites. Of the 100 top-grossing movies released last year, only five were directed by women, according to a USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism study. Men received nearly 87% of the screenwriting credits, the study found, and 79% of the producers were men."
READ MORE related to #MeToo: 'House of Cards' star Kevin Spacey accused of sexually assaulting then-14 year old Anthony Rapp 30 years ago -- CNN's MADISON PARK
LA Times' GEORGE SKELTON: "Face it, a few men are pigs. Creeps. They’re the sexual harassers."
"We’ve known about them all our lives, even if most of us have diverted our eyes."
"They’re every place where men hold power over women. They especially infect the movie industry and politics."
READ MORE related to Boy's Club: Women pan Legislature's handling of sex-harassment allegations -- The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS
Out-of-town looters busted in ravaged Santa Rosa fire zone, police say
The Chronicle's EVAN SERNOFFSKY: "Two out-of-town looters who tried to rip off Santa Rosa wildfire victims were arrested Saturday after being spotted loading pilfered goods into a stolen pickup truck, police said."
"The suspects — identified as 31-year-old Monterey resident Johnathon Leon Lee Conner and Christina Marsh, 22, of Marina — were arrested after a high-speed police chase through the fire zone."
"They were booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of seven felonies, including looting, conspiracy and vehicle theft."
'Change is hard,' says Sacramento police chief, but slowly, it's happening
Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA/NASHELLY CHAVEZ: "On the night last October when the Sacramento City Council discussed police use-of-force policies, protesters angry over the fatal shooting of a black man by officers in north Sacramentotook over the meeting with loud demands for reforms, prompting council members to flee to a back hallway for an impromptu recess."
"The power of the people is what you are watching,” Jay King, a radio talk show host and activist, told the packed room as the elected officials left."
"The moment marked a peak in community outrage over not just the shooting of Joseph Mann, but also over what many called systemic bias in the policing of Sacramento communities of color. Police morale and community trust were at rock bottom, while frustration on all sides was formidable."
An explosion of opponents and money in California doesn't bode well for GOP House members
LA Times' CHRISTINE MAI-DUC: "There are far more challengers running for California’s House seats in 2018 than at this point in the last campaign, and there hasn’t been this much money raised for House elections this early in years, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis of campaign finance reports."
"As Democrats work to regain power in the House, there are more than three times as many congressional challengers across the state today than there were before the 2016 election. With 80 challengers so far, the candidates have raised money more quickly than any group of challengers going back to 2003."
"That’s particularly true in the 13 races where Republican and Democratic incumbents are being targeted. Challengers there have raised more than five times more than the 2016 challengers had this far out from the election. Nearly 70% of the money raised by all congressional challengers has gone to the four Republican-held districts in Orange County that Democrats consider key to their chances."
In face of shortage, California colleges to shrink time required to become a math teacher
EdSource's CAROLYN JONES: "To entice more students to become math teachers — and ease a chronic shortage in California classrooms — four state universities will offer preparation programs considerably shortening the time it takes to get a teaching credential."
"Cal State Los Angeles, San Jose State, San Diego State and Fresno State have each received state grants of approximately $250,000 to create credential programs that allow future math teachers to earn a bachelor’s degree while simultaneously earning a single-subject math teaching credential."
"Once the programs are underway, students will be able to get a credential in four years, instead of the average of 5 1/2 years it currently takes,"
Puerto Rico utility moves to scrap $300M Whitefish contract
AP's DANICA COTO: "The head of Puerto Rico's power company said Sunday the agency is cancelling its $300 million contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings amid scrutiny of the tiny Montana company's role in restoring the island's power system."
"The announcement by Ricardo Ramos came hours after Gov. Ricardo Rossello urged the utility to scrap the deal for Whitefish's help in rebuilding the electrical system from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria."
"It's an enormous distraction," Ramos said of the controversy over the contract. "This was negatively impacting the work we're already doing."
Why Trump's approval ratings have reached new low, according to national poll
Sacramento Bee's NOEL HARRIS: "Approval ratings for President Donald Trump have plummeted to a new low."
"According to a national poll by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, 58 percent of the 900 adults surveyed disapprove of Trump while 38 percent approve, which is the lowest mark since Trump took office in January. It’s 1 percent lower than the rating he had when the same poll was conducted in May."
"NBC News says Trump’s overall approval rating is down 5 percent since September."
READ MORE related to POTUS45: Trump comes ahead with fresh criticism of Russia inquiry -- AP
King's Restaurant, famous West Sacramento Dim Sum eatery, closes its doors after nearly 6 decades.
Sacramento Bee's MOLLY SULLIVAN: "King’s Restaurant, a West Sacramento institution known for its dim sum, closed its doors Sunday after 57 years in business. Canton native Chew Lam started the restaurant in 1960 and changed its focus to dim sum 20 years later. At 93, he said he’s grown a little slower on his feet and was asked by his children to close down the restaurant. He said he loves to see and talk to people every day and will miss that in retirement."