King Day march in SF unites generations in name of civil rights icon
The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI: "Erika Morris rolled out of bed Monday morning with “We Shall Overcome” playing in her head. Before long, the gospel song was blasting throughout the San Francisco home of the 14-year-old and her family — lyrical fuel for the holiday march and celebration of civil rights pioneer the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr."
"We shall overcome, some day. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome, some day."
"Erika joined thousands of people coming from the Caltrain station at Fourth and King streets on their way to Yerba Buena Gardens to commemorate the birthday and legacy of King, who was assassinated 50 years ago. On Monday, Erika marched with her 8-year-old cousin, 5-year-old sister and grandmother."
READ MORE related to MLK Jr.: 91-year-old activist shares memories of Martin Luther King-led 1965 march in Montgomery -- Daily News' OLGA GRIGORYANTS; Trump marks King day out of view, buffeted by race claims -- AP; Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. 50 years after assassination -- The Chronicle's SAM WHITING; LA honors Martin Luther King with parade inspired by the slain civil rights leader's legacy -- Daily News STAFF; Hundreds of University of La Verne students, faculty, staff observe MLK Day carrying out community projects -- Daily Bulletin's MONICA RODRIGUEZ
California hospitals face a 'war zone' of flu patients -- and are setting up tents to treat them
LA Times' SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA: "Ana Oktay rushed to the hospital in late December struggling to breathe, with a 102-degree fever and a cough that wouldn’t let up."
"She expected doctors to tell her she had pneumonia or bronchitis."
"They were just like: ‘It’s just
READ MORE related to Health & Health Care: Number of Americans without health insurance grows in Trump's first year, new figures show -- LA Times' NOAM N. LEVEY; In Wisconsin, hopes rise for production of a lifesaving radioactive isotope -- California Healthline's SARAH VARNEY; Hospital bigwigs hone new message in wake of opiate epidemic: Expect pain -- Nashville Public Radio's BLAKE FARMER
Plans for Utah pipeline to tap Colorado River hit a snag
Water Deeply's JERRY REDFERN: "A controversial pipeline project that would pump Colorado River water to a rapidly growing corner of Utah passed a regulatory goal and also hit a regulatory snag on the same day, prompting the state to ask the federal government to delay further decisions until the snafu is worked out."
"As proposed, the Lake Powell Pipeline would cross 140 miles, top a 2,000ft mountain ridge within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (as it exists now) and produce electricity in six hydropower stations as it carries water from Lake Powell on the Colorado River to a suburb of St. George, which has a booming metropolitan sprawl of 155,000 people. The possible route has not been finalized and neither has the price tag, which state estimates put somewhere between $1.1 billion and $1.8 billion."
"In the closing days of 2017, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved plans to begin the project’s environmental analysis – no confusion there. But in the same notice, FERC stated that the water-transport portion of the project might not fall under the commission’s authority and could be subject to regulation by other federal agencies. This came as a surprise to groups involved in the project – thus the snafu, which prompted the state of Utah to petition FERC to pause the application process while this issue is settled."
READ MORE related to Environment: New online tool links weather forecasts to watersheds -- Water Deeply's MATT WEISER; Snowpack near record lows spells trouble for western water supplies -- InsideClimate News' BOB BERWYN; California rice country is home each winter to millions of migratory birds -- Western Farm Press' TODD FITCHETTE; Forensic report confirms Oroville Dam lapses -- CalMatters' DAN WALTERS; EDITORIAL: Oroville Dam blunders should give regulators pause -- The Chronicle; The shrinking Salton Sea endangers region's health -- KPBS' ERIK ANDERSON; Local water saving rate double or triple state's rate in November -- ChicoER's STAFF; A retiring Bill Patzert, JPL's 'Prophet of California Climate,' leaves behind a legacy of ocean research and media appearances -- SGV Tribune's STEVE SCAUZILLO
Reagan, Schwarzenegger ... Winfrey?
Capitol Weekly's CHUCK MCFADDEN: "Will she? Will she really?"
"She,” of course, is Oprah Winfrey. And after her thunderous speech at the Golden Globes last week, she’s become the latest California-based celebrity to be touted for high political office."
"Her potential presidential candidacy acquired a form of legitimacy Tuesday when Donald Trump told reporters he would beat her if she were to run against him in 2020. He also said he liked Oprah — the nation’s first female African American billionaire — and that the race would “be a lot of fun.” Trump had even touted her in 2015 as a possible running mate."
101 Freeway is expected to reopen in a week as search for mudslide victims continues
LA Times' JOEL RUBIN: "As the search continued for more victims of the Montecito mudslides, officials said they hoped to have the 101 Freeway opened by next Monday."
"The freeway, a key north-south route in California, was transformed into a muddy, debris-filled river by the deadly mudslides. Officials have spent the last six days trying to remove tons of mud and debris from the roadway."
"We've made tremendous progress over the last 48 hours," Jim Shivers, a spokesman for the California Department of Transportation, said Monday."
READ MORE related to Montecito Mudslides: Future floods will be in mind as California town rebuilds after mudslides -- AP's JUSTIN PRITCHARD/CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Inside the tense, profane White House meeting on immigration
WaPo's JOSH DAWSEY/ROBERT COSTA/ASHLEY PARKER: "When President Trump spoke by phone with Sen. Richard J. Durbin around 10:15 a.m. last Thursday, he expressed pleasure with Durbin’s outline of a bipartisan immigration pact and praised the high-ranking Illinois Democrat’s efforts, according to White House officials and congressional aides."
"The president then asked if Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), his onetime foe turned ally, was on board, which Durbin affirmed. Trump invited the lawmakers to visit with him at noon, the people familiar with the call said."
"But when they arrived at the Oval Office, the two senators were surprised to find that Trump was far from ready to finalize the agreement. He was “fired up” and surrounded by hard-line conservatives such as Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who seemed confident that the president was now aligned with them, according to one person with knowledge of the meeting."
Antonio Sabato Jr.'s risque film roles have conservative questioning his congressional candidacy
LA Times' SEEMA MEHTA: "Antonio Sabato Jr. is best known as a soap opera star and Calvin Klein underwear model. But parts of his acting career are raising eyebrows among some conservatives as the Republican and early supporter of President Trump runs for Congress in California."
"Some Republicans in his district, which includes most of Ventura County and has been represented by Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) since 2013, are saying movie roles in which Sabato simulated sex with a man and appeared nude disqualify him from representing the GOP."
"Ret. Air Force Maj. Jeffrey Burum, another Republican in the race, deemed the movies "pornography" and called on Sabato to end his campaign."
LA pot shops eye recreational marijuana sales as city begins issuing approvals
Daily News' ELIZABETH CHOU: "It may not be long now before the first legal recreational pot shops begin operating in Los Angeles."
"City officials last Friday started issuing temporary approvals to marijuana businesses, which allows those businesses to apply for state licenses."
"At the moment, local approvals are only being given out to existing medical marijuana dispensaries that were given “limited immunity” that allowed them to operate under Proposition D, a now repealed ban on cannabis businesses. Several of these businesses applied to sell cannabis to adults, and others were also cleared by the city to grow and distribute marijuana, and to manufacture pot products."
Temporary trailers for LA homeless people planned on downtown city lot
LA Times' DAKOTA SMITH/GALE HOLLAND/DOUG SMITH: "Los Angeles city leaders are planning to house dozens of homeless people in trailers on a city-owned downtown lot as a possible model for citywide temporary shelters."
"A proposal that will be submitted to the City Council on Tuesday calls for installing five trailers on a parking lot at Arcadia and Alameda streets by the beginning of summer."
"The trailers would house about 67 people and target the homeless population that sleeps on the sidewalks in the area around the historic El Pueblo site off of Main Street."
READ MORE related to Housing & Homelessness: Airbnb loses thousands of hosts in SF as registration rules kick in -- The Chronicle's CAROLYN SAID
California teen leads deputies to parents' house of horrors
AP: "A 17-year-old girl called police after escaping from her family's home where she and her 12 brothers and sisters were locked up in filthy conditions, some so malnourished officers at first believed all were children even though seven are adults."
"The girl, who was so small officers initially believed she was only 10, called 911 and was met by police who interviewed her and then went to the family home in Perris, about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. They found several children shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks in dark, foul-smelling surroundings, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department."
"The children, ages 2 to 29, "appeared to be malnourished and very dirty," according to a press release announcing Sunday's arrest of the parents. "The victims were provided with food and beverages after they claimed to be starving."
Border wall security cost San Diego County sheriff nearly $900,000
LA Times' GREG MORAN: "The San Diego County Sheriff's Department incurred nearly $900,000 in added costs to provide patrols and security during the month-long construction of eight border wall prototypes by the federal government on Otay Mesa, records show."
"Those costs pushed the total law enforcement expenses for the project to more than $1 million."
"Most of the expense for the Sheriff's Department came in overtime pay for deputies: $764,278. But overtime wasn't the only expense for the county, which patrolled the area between Sept. 26 and Oct. 26 near where the prototype walls were constructed."
READ MORE related to Public Safety: Former LAPD employee charged with alleged workers comp fraud -- Daily News STAFF
Big businesses band together in urging lawmakers to sell out your privacy
LA Times' DAVID LAZARUS: "Twenty-two industry groups, representing thousands of U.S. businesses, sent a letter to Congress the other day calling on lawmakers to pass sweeping data-security rules. At first glance, that seems like a really good thing for consumers."
"Upon closer inspection, however, the letter suggests these corporate heavyweights are aiming to sell out consumers by pushing for data-breach notification rules that are inconsistent and far weaker than what many states, including California, already require."
"The tip-off is the presence of the Retail Industry Leaders Assn., or RILA, among the letter's signatories."
Blaze Bernstein stabbed at least 20 times in possible act of rage
Daily News' TONY SAAVEDRA/KELLY PUENTE: "Pre-med student Blaze Bernstein, whose body was found in a shallow grave last week near a Lake Forest park, was stabbed more than 20 times, and authorities are investigating whether the killing was an act of rage, the Orange County Register has learned."
"Samuel Lincoln Woodward, 20, of Newport Beach was arrested Friday on suspicion of homicide and is being held in Orange County Jail. On Tuesday, Woodward, who attended the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana with Bernstein, is expected to be charged in the death."
"No weapon has been found."
READ MORE related to Blaze Bernstein Tragedy: High school friend arrested in case of Blaze Bernstein, whose body was found this week in a Lake Forest park -- Daily News' TONY SAAVEDRA/SCOTT SCHWEBKE; Document reveals insight on investigation into Blaze Bernstein's death -- OC Register's ALMA FAUSTO/KELLY PUENTE/SCOTT SCHWEBKE; Hundreds attend memorial service for Blaze Bernstein, teenager found dead in Lake Forest park -- OC Register's NATHANIEL PERCY
Shutdown looms as Republicans seek short-term spending deal for government
WaPo's MIKE DEBONIS/ED O'KEEFE/SEAN SULLIVAN: "Chances of a government shutdown grew Monday as Republicans concluded that they would be unable to reach a long-term spending accord by the Friday deadline. GOP leaders are now turning to a short-term funding measure in hopes of keeping agencies open while talks continue, but Democratic leaders say they are unlikely to support any deal that does not protect young illegal immigrants."
"Aides to key negotiators from both parties planned to meet Tuesday in an effort to rekindle budget talks, setting up a Wednesday meeting of the leaders themselves. If they cannot agree, the government would shut down at midnight Friday for the first time since 2013."
"House Republican leaders are scheduled to discuss their plans for a stopgap spending measure with rank-and-file lawmakers Tuesday evening."
The Senate's push to overrule the FCC on net neutrality now has 50 votes, Democrats say
WaPo's BRIAN FUNG: "Fifty senators have endorsed a legislative measure to override the Federal Communications Commission's recent decision to deregulate the broadband industry, top Democrats said Monday."
"The tally leaves supporters just one Republican vote shy of the 51 required to pass a Senate resolution of disapproval, in a legislative gambit aimed at restoring the agency's net neutrality rules."
"Those rules, which banned Internet providers from blocking or slowing down websites, were swept away in a December vote led by Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Republicans had argued that the rules were too restrictive for industry, while Democrats said they provided a vital consumer protection."