California Republican activists favor John Cox for governor but remain divided
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "Fighting to put a candidate before voters in November, California Republicans strongly preferred businessman John Cox for governor at the party's convention in San Diego this weekend."
"During an endorsement vote Sunday morning, delegates favored Cox, 55 to 41 percent, over Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach."
"Cox has been trying to unify the state GOP behind his campaign ahead of the June primary, in which only the top two finishers will advance, regardless of party. Consistently leading in the polls and in fundraising, Cox argued to delegates that he is best positioned to challenge the frontrunner, Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, and his campaign took Sunday's result as an encouraging sign."
READ MORE related to State Politics: The privileged candidate: Why do we let Gavin Newsom get away with this? -- Sacramento Bee's MARCOS BRETON; Neo-Nazi candidate kicked out of California GOP convention -- AP; State GOP delegates split on governor, a likely boost for national Democrats -- The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI; California Republicans can't agree on a candidate for governor at state party convention -- LA Times's SEEMA MEHTA/PHIL WILLON; In his bid to be California's next governor, John Chiang touts his battles with a previous one -- LA Times's MELANIE MASON; At California GOP gathering in San Diego, the talk was about the future -- OC Register's JORDAN GRAHAM
CA120: What's wrong with public polling?
PAUL MITCHELL in Capitol Weekly: "Is something wrong with public polling in California?"
"The 2018 election season has been raucous, even weeks before the first votes are cast. And one of the contributing factors has been the seemingly erratic public polling, particularly in the top-of-the-ticket races."
"The veteran political observers at CalBuzz have called this year’s polling a “muddled mess.”"
Sacramento Bee's MOLLY SULLIVAN: "Approximately 53,000 hospital workers are to hit the picket lines on Monday at 6 a.m., to protest stagnating contract negotiations with the University of California. Nurses will strike in sympathy May 7-9. About 10,000 of the 53,000 workers represented in the strike work for the University of California, Davis, on its campus or in its medical center."
"Hospital operational leaders for the UC Davis Medical Center were unavailable to comment."
"In a statement emailed the The Bee, a spokeswoman said, “We have a strike management plan in place and we are prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of our patients in the face of this short labor strike...Some same-day surgeries are being handled this week, some procedures are being moved from early next week to later next week, and some are being moved into the following week...Other impacts of the strike are expected to be the closure of the hospital cafeteria (surrounding restaurants off-campus will be open, patients will still receive meals) and there may be some delays in some trash collections.”
READ MORE related to Health & Health Care: STDs in LA County are skyrocketing. Officials think racism and stigma may be to blame -- LA Times's SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA
This one stretch of river could decide the future of Shasta Dam
Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW/DALE KASLER: "The final stretch of the McCloud River before it empties into the state's largest reservoir is a place of raw beauty. On a recent morning, the river's icy water, flanked by flowering dogwood trees and jagged rock formations, flowed fast and clean."
"This part of the McCloud is off limits to almost everyone except a few Native Americans and some well-heeled fly fishermen. Its gatekeeper is an unlikely one, an organization that also happens to be a hugely controversial player in California water politics."
"Eleven years ago, Westlands Water District, headquartered in far-away Fresno, bought the land for a single purpose – to flood it."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: Fewer trees, more water: Study finds runoff boost from forest thinning -- Water Deeply's MATT WEISER
LA Times's EVAN HALPER: "Congress was off, and in these days of mounting uneasiness over calls for more technology regulation, the representative from Silicon Valley might have had good reason to stick around his district, soothing nerves."
"But Ro Khanna had other plans."
Elk Grove lawmaker called out for accepting tobacco money
Sacramento Bee's TARYN LUNA: "A non-profit organization is calling out Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, for ending his pledge to reject campaign donations from tobacco companies."
"The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network routinely asks candidates for statewide and legislative offices to decline any campaign contributions from tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, to reduce the cigarette-makers' influence over elected officials. The pledge has no bearing on financial support to independent expenditure committees that support candidates."
"Cooper signed the pledge during his first run for the Assembly in 2014. He did not report accepting tobacco money until he took a $4,400 donation from Philip Morris for his re-election campaign in March."
READ MORE related to Local Politics: Big voting changes in Sacramento, but business as usual elsewhere -- Sacramento Bee's DIANA LAMBERT; Bay Area political events: Voter info, SF mayoral forum -- The Chronicle Staff Report
Amid Stephon Clark autopsy controversy, doctors push bill to overhaul coroner's office
Sacramento Bee's TARYN LUNA: "As Sacramento prosecutors consider dueling autopsies in the police shooting of Stephon Clark, a state senator is pushing a bill at the Capitol he says would give the public more reason to trust investigations into officer-involved shootings."
"Sen. Richard Pan's Senate Bill 1303 would require all coroners in the state to be licensed physicians who work independently of county sheriff's offices."
Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to visit US-Mexico border in San Diego on Monday
LA Times's LYNDSAY WINKLEY: "Attorney General Jeff Sessions will visit the U.S. Mexico-border in San Diego on Monday to discuss the immigration enforcement efforts of the Trump Administration."
"Justice Department officials said Sessions would hold a press conference with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan at 1 p.m. The location was not disclosed."
Transgender woman sues SF, alleging discrimination in denial of restroom
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "A transgender woman is suing San Francisco, saying her rights were violated when a city employee refused to let her use a women’s restroom on city property during an organized event and later called her a “freak” and a “f—ing man."
"In response, the city’s lawyers question the truthfulness of the women’s claims — but say they’re legally irrelevant, even if accurate, because California’s anti-discrimination laws don’t apply to the employee or the work she was doing. The woman and a transgender rights organization say the lawyers’ position is in jarring conflict with San Francisco’s self-promoted image as a beacon of enlightenment and equality."
There's a new idea on how to honor late SF Mayor Ed Lee. It's at SFO:
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "Board of Supervisors President London Breed suggested renaming Portsmouth Square in honor of late Mayor Ed Lee, former Mayor Willie Brown pitched Lotta’s Fountain, and others suggested renaming Kearny Street."
"Now, with the backing of Lee’s family, the Chinese community is gathering signatures in support of renaming the International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport in honor of Lee."
Why the Westboro Baptist Church is planning to protest this week at Sacramento State
Sacramento Bee's NOEL HARRIS: "California State University, Sacramento will be the target of a protest this week."
"Members of the Westboro Baptist Church plan to visit the campus Tuesday afternoon in protest of the university's PRIDE Center."
"Sitting in the heart of one of the most depraved cities in America, California State University is just one of the many (or all) universities in this country that has chosen to support and enable sin," says a news release on the church’s website. "The parents and authority figures in that community have done a great disservice to these young people by not teaching them the one thing that is more important than any school subject: The law of God."
LA Unified school bus drivers and teacher assistants are planning a daylong strike
LA Times's ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN: "The union that represents 30,000 Los Angeles Unified School District support staff workers is planning a strike on May 15 over what its leaders have called unfair labor practices."
"After more than a year of negotiations, the two sides have been unable to agree on a contract for unionized school bus drivers, custodians, special education assistants, teacher assistants, health aides and cafeteria workers. Union leaders said that while negotiations were underway, the district "made unilateral changes to working conditions" outside of collective bargaining."
READ MORE related to Education: How teacher strikes in other states help California unions make their case -- EdSource's JOHN FENSTERWALD/DAVID WASHBURN
See the top contributors to Sacramento district attorney, sheriff and city council races
Sacramento Bee's PHILLIP REESE: "Candidates for Sacramento County district attorney, sheriff and the Sacramento City Council have collectively raised nearly $2 million for the June 5 primary. Here’s the breakdown as of Friday:"
"Incumbent Anne Marie Schubert has gathered heavy financial support from law enforcement agencies. Challenger Noah Phillips has drawn support from organizations devoted to criminal justice reform."
READ MORE related to Prisons & Public Safety: For Visalia police, Golden State Killer suspect is 'the ghost we've been chasing' -- LA Times's SARAH PARVINI
Mayoral candidates face hurdle of housing homeless who resist moving inside
The Chronicle's KEVIN FAGAN: "Oscar McKinney has seen seven mayors occupy City Hall since he started camping on San Francisco sidewalks more than three decades ago, and he’s got an opinion about every one. Those opinions were summed up in a derisive snort the other day as he lounged outside his tent on 13th Street near Van Ness Avenue."
"Not a single one of them ever had a good idea — except for Art Agnos when he started the winter shelters,” McKinney snapped. “Everything is too expensive. Nobody really cares about what happens to us out here. That goes for those clowns running for office right now."
Trump defends CIA nominee, says she is 'tough on terror'
AP's ZEKE MILLER/DEB RIECHMANN: "President Donald Trump on Monday defended Gina Haspel, his nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, dismissing debate over her involvement in a harsh interrogation program and arguing Democrats want her out because she "is too tough on terror."
"Trump said on Twitter that Haspel has "come under fire because she was too tough on Terrorists." He added that "in these very dangerous times, we have the most qualified person, a woman, who Democrats want OUT because she is too tough on terror. Win Gina!"
"Haspel offered to withdraw her nomination, two senior administration officials said Sunday, amid concerns that a debate over a harsh interrogation program would tarnish her reputation and that of the CIA."
READ MORE related to POTUS45/KremlinGate: Giuliani not ruling out chance of Trump taking the fifth -- AP