Kate Steinle verdict reignites political firestorm
Mercury News' ANGELA RUGGIERO: "In a stunning verdict that quickly reignited a national firestorm over illegal immigration, a San Francisco jury on Thursday found an undocumented immigrant not guilty in the shooting death of Kate Steinle two years ago on a San Francisco pier."
"The jury, which included three immigrants, found 54-year-old Jose Ines Garcia Zarate guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, but after nearly a week of deliberations it acquitted the five-time-deported Mexican national on first-degree and second-degree murder charges as well as involuntary manslaughter."
“A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case!” President Donald Trump tweeted late Thursday night. “No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration."
READ MORE related to #KateSteinleVerdict: How Trump made Kathryn Steinle's slaying a center of illegal immigration crusade -- LA Times' BRITTNY MEJIA/ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN; Exclusive: Kate Steinle's family talks about the anguish and frustration -- The Chronicle's JOHN DIAZ; Trump says Democrats will pay after acquittal of immigrant in murder case -- LA Times' NOAH BIERMAN
Former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleading guilty to lying to FBI.
From WaPo: "Former national security adviser Michael Flynn has agreed to plead guilty Friday to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, marking another monumental development in the wide-ranging probe of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III."
"Flynn was expected to enter a plea at 10:30 a.m., according to the special counsel’s office. The charge relates to false statements Flynn made to the FBI on January 24 — four days after President Trump was inaugurated — about his conversations with Kislyak during the transition." Read the charge against Michael Flynn
"Flynn is accused of making false statements to the FBI about asking the ambassador in late December to “refrain from escalating the situation in response to sanctions that the United States had imposed on Russia that same day.” Flynn also told authorities he did not recall the ambassador “subsequently telling him that Russia has chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of his request,” according to a court filing. That would suggest there was a second, previously unknown contact between Flynn and Kislyak."
The art of influencing legislation
Capitol Weekly's CHRIS MICHELI/REX FRAZIER: "Influencing legislation is a complicated business. It’s not just money and partisanship – although they play a role."
"There is no high-tech computer model that can predict whether a bill introduced in the California Legislature will become a law and, if so, the form it will take."
"But there are many knowable influences that regularly shape state legislation in California. So let’s look at a few of the key factors that must be considered by those who craft strategies to advocate for or against bills."
READ MORE from Capitol Weekly: Where are they now? Pat Nolan -- Capitol Weekly's ALEX VASSAR
LA Times' PHIL WILLON: "Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa top the field in California’s race for governor, according to a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California."
"Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein has a dominant lead in her bid for reelection."
"But a third of likely voters polled in California don’t know who they will vote for in either race, meaning there’s plenty of room for jockeying among the candidates as the June primary election approaches."
READ MORE related to State: Californians want to resist Trump, but like Feinstein's decades of experience -- Sacramento Bee's CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO; California governor race tightens as Antonio Villaraigosa inches closer to Gavin Newsom -- BANG's RAMONA GIWARGIS
White House plan to oust Tillerson could elevate Trump loyalist Pompeo
The Chronicle's PHILIP RUCKER/ASHLEY PARKER/JOSH DAWSEY: "The White House is readying a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and install loyalists to President Trump in two top national security positions, laying the groundwork for another seismic personnel change in an already turbulent presidency, two administration officials confirmed Thursday."
"The emerging strategy to stabilize the floundering State Department, which is under active consideration by the president and might change further, could have CIA Director Mike Pompeo replacing Tillerson and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) being elevated to succeed Pompeo."
"The plan, first reported by the New York Times, was confirmed by the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the White House has not publicly announced any moves."
READ MORE related to Feds: Barack Obama: 'If I watch Fox News, I wouldn't vote for me' -- Hollywood Reporter's NYAY BHUSHAN
SF likely to pony up $225k for Chinatown merchants suffering from subway build
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "San Francisco is on track to give $225,000 to Chinatown merchants whose businesses have withered during the construction of the Central Subway — a move that provoked anxiety among city department heads who feared it would open the door to more public handouts."
"And they’re right,” said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who asked for the funds, which came out of the SFMTA’s $1.2 billion budget. On Thursday, the board’s Budget and Finance Committee released an additional $225,000 that Peskin froze over summer in order to get his money."
"But Peskin said he doesn’t mind setting what could be an expensive precedent."
READ MORE related to Economy & Development: 36 people died one year ago in the Ghost Ship warehouse. Not much has changed -- Mercury News' DAVID DEBOLT; Neighbors urge San Jose officials to put the brakes on urban village plan -- Mercury News' JULIA BAUM; Facebook leases Fremont buildings for big expansion -- Mercury News' GEORGE AVALOS; Oakland looks to add portable bathrooms on city land -- East Bay Times' ALI TADAYON
Sen. Johnson to support tax bill
AP: "The Latest on the GOP tax bill (all times local):"
"9:35 a.m."
"A key Republican, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, says he’s backing the sweeping GOP tax bill. That’s according to an aide."
Plan for green space takes shape at former South Hayward quarry
East Bay Times' DARIN MORIKI: "A former quarry in the hills above South Hayward may be well on its way to becoming a community park overlooking San Francisco Bay."
"Plans for La Vista Park drafted by Surfacedesign, of San Francisco, for the former La Vista Quarry site include a yoga area, basketball court, picnic facilities, amphitheater, sports field, water play features, play areas dedicated to science and adventure themes, open spaces for stargazing, a celestial garden, an area for food trucks or a farmers market, and a garden with native plants and flowers. "
"What I think is really beautiful about this site and why we’re all so engaged with it here as a community is where it sits,” James Lord of Surfacedesign told Hayward Area Recreation and Park District directors and the Hayward City Council at a joint Oct. 30 meeting."
Trump pressed top Republicans to end Senate Russia inquiry
The NYT's JONATHAN MARTIN/MAGGIE HABERMAN/ALEXANDER BURNS: "President Donald Trump over the summer repeatedly urged senior Senate Republicans, including the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to end the panel’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, according to a half-dozen lawmakers and aides. Trump’s requests were a highly unusual intervention from a president into a legislative inquiry involving his family and close aides."
"Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the intelligence committee chairman, said in an interview this week that Trump told him that he was eager to see an investigation that has overshadowed much of the first year of his presidency come to an end."
"It was something along the lines of, ‘I hope you can conclude this as quickly as possible,’” Burr said. He said he replied to Trump that “when we have exhausted everybody we need to talk to, we will finish."
READ MORE related to KremlinGate: Michael Flynn expected to plead guilty to lying to FBI -- Bloomberg's DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI/GREG FARRELL; Trump faces new obstruction allegations in Russia scandal -- MSNBC's STEVE BENEN; Read the charge against former national security adviser Michael Flynn -- WaPo
HBO cuts ties with Russell Simmons amid second allegation
AP's MARK KENNEDY: "HBO distanced itself from Russell Simmons and scrubbed his name from a stand-up comedy series he helped produce on the eve of its debut following a second sexual misconduct allegation."
"HBO said Thursday it will go ahead with Friday's airing of "All Def Comedy" but will edit out any link to Simmons in the wake of allegations by screenwriter Jenny Lumet who claims that he had sex with her more than two decades ago despite her repeated demands that he stop."
"Simmons will not appear in the new series and we will be removing his name from the show moving forward," read a statement by HBO, which had previously been home to the Simmons' pioneering "Def Comedy Jam." ''We have no other projects with Russell Simmons."
READ MORE related to #MeToo: Sexual misconduct revelation exposes storied professor's secret -- Mercury News' EMILY DERUY
Judge issues ruling on Albany High online posting lawsuits
East Bay Times' DAMIN ESPER: "A United States District Court judge in San Francisco issued a divided ruling this week on a portion of a case involving an Instagram account created by a former Albany High student that had several racist memes posted on it."
"The lawsuits were filed on behalf of 10 students disciplined after the discovery of the account in March. The Albany Unified School District and several employees as well as district officials and an AUSD board member were the defendants."
"On Nov. 29, Judge James Donato granted a summary judgment in favor of the defendants regarding how the AUSD disciplined the creator of the account and students who had “liked” and commented on some of the posts."
East Bay Times' TAMMERLIN DRUMMOND: "About 54,000 drivers who live in Alameda County and had their license suspended for unpaid parking tickets are getting some relief, and the right to drive again."
"In a first for the state, Alameda County Superior Court on Monday reversed license suspensions for people who were penalized because they couldn’t afford to pay traffic fines. It’s the first county in the state to do so."
"The court directed the Department of Motor Vehicles to lift suspensions for drivers who owe old failure to pay tickets and fines prior to June 2017. A state law, AB 103 kicked in after that making it illegal to suspend someone’s driver’s license solely because of their inability to pay. California began ramping up the practice in recent years to make up for state budget cuts and to pressure people who were delinquent into paying overdue tickets. According to advocacy groups, the license suspensions disproportionately affect poor people who simply don’t have the money."
Homeless street services stall as encampments continue to grow
LA Times' GALE HOLLAND: "High above the Metro Gold Line tracks, a string of lean-tos that Lee Brown calls his “three-bedroom condominium” is tethered to a hilltop fence in Elysian Park."
"The four-man, two-dog tent city — one of several camps in the 600-acre park north of downtown Los Angeles — has remained intact for at least two years, passed from one homeless person to the next, Brown said."
"Last year, Los Angeles put money behind various efforts to curb encampments like Brown’s until the city’s ambitious housing construction program takes hold."
Sacramento hopes program will persuade 50 'shooters' to change their violent ways
Sacramento Bee's ANITA CHABRIA/RYAN LILLIS: "City leaders are days away from signing a deal to bring a controversial gun violence reduction program to Sacramento, making the capital city a testing ground to see if the novel approach can be successfully replicated outside of Richmond, Calif., where it began."
"The program, Advance Peace, targets a small number of people – usually young men of color – who have been identified by law enforcement and community members as most likely to commit gun violence, but whom police have been unable to arrest. These men are paired with mentors, often reformed felons with similar backgrounds as the participants, for intensive interventions over the course of an 18-month “fellowship” program meant to provide alternatives to criminal lifestyles."
"In Sacramento, the program is expected to initially target about 50 participants in neighborhoods across the city, “shooters” who are suspected of committing gun crimes or have been victims of retaliatory gang gun violence."
READ MORE related to Public Safety: Suspected drunken driver in I-80 crash that killed 4 hit with murder charges -- The Chronicle's ANNIE MA/STEVE RUBENSTEIN; Ex-prosecutor: Charlottesville authorities failed to protect free expression, public safety at white nationalist rally -- AP; Whopping $4.2 million bail set for quadruple murder defendant -- East Bay Times' NATE GARTRELL
These 12 runners have done every single California International Marathon since 1983
Sacramento Bee's ELLEN GARRISON/CATHY LOCKE: "It started as a labor of love for 1,600 runners one crisp autumn morning in 1983. Thirty-five years later, 11,000 people will run from Folsom to Sacramento in the California International Marathon, pumping $11 million into the region’s economy and at least $400,000 into local charities."
"Twelve men have been along for the entire ride, running every one of the last 34 CIMs. They’re called the “streakers."
Looking for perfect gift? Consider energy-efficient bulbs and thermostats, SMUD says
Sacramento Bee's MARK GLOVER: "While Amazon and other retailers were pushing fashionable clothes, virtual reality headsets and the latest toys from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District offered deep discounts on energy-efficient light bulbs, thermostats and LED lighting."
"Some of the local utility’s deals are still available at its online SMUD Energy Store, launched in October to offer customers products at affordable prices."
"For the holiday season, the smudenergystore.com site has included a wide assortment of home, lighting, water-saving and outdoor products, many of them available with immediate online rebates that can significantly reduce the cost of items ranging from LED bulbs to smart thermostats."
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The Roundup is compiled by Associate Editor Geoff Howard. Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email him at geoff@capitolweekly.net