Ghost Ship fire trial on schedule for July after defendants refuse plea offer
The Chronicle's MEGAN CASSIDY: "The trial against two men charged in the deaths of 36 people in Oakland’s 2016 Ghost Ship fire is headed for its scheduled start date next month, after defense attorneys on Thursday rebuffed a plea offer and a judge denied an attempt to delay the trial."
"In a brief interview with reporters Thursday afternoon, defense attorneys for co-defendants Max Harris and Derick Almena said they couldn’t agree on a settlement offer from prosecutors, a possibility they discussed in the judge’s chambers. Both agreed that a trial seemed inevitable."
"Curtis Briggs, an attorney for Harris, said the only plea deal he’ll take is one that allows his client to walk out of jail — “Time served. Let him out right now."
$200B California budget sent to Gov. Jerry Brown
Sacramento Bee's ADAM ASHTON: "California lawmakers approved and sent Gov. Jerry Brown a $200 billion state budget on Thursday, using revenue from a rosy economy to build $16 billion in reserves and steer hundreds of millions of dollars in new funding to universities and programs for the homeless."
"The budget agreement passed both houses easily despite some Republican opposition. Democratic majorities highlighted a projected $9 billion surplus as a sign of the state’s recovery since the recession a decade ago."
“This is the best position we’ve been in in years,” said Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego."
READ MORE related to Balancing the Budget: California lawmakers meet deadline, sending nearly $200B state budget blueprint to Gov. Jerry Brown -- LA Times's JOHN MYERS; Legislature approves $4 million to help curb arrests of foster children -- The Chronicle's KAREN DE SA/JOAQUIN PALOMINO/CYNTHIA DIZIKES; California lawmakers OK budget with more money for schools, homelessness -- The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ
Highway 1 near Big Sur to reopen two months early after huge landslide
The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI: "The stretch of Highway 1 just south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park will reopen in July — two months earlier than expected after a year-plus closure due to a massive landslide, Caltrans said."
"Rebuilding Highway 1 and restoring traffic along the Big Sur coast has been our priority and by opening the highway sooner than expected, it will boost the many central coast communities affected by this major landslide,” said Caltrans Acting District 5 Director Richard Rosales."
"The landslide occurred in May 2017 on Mud Creek after intense and relentless storms pummeled the region, causing the largest slide ever in Big Sur, officials said."
CALmatters' DAN MORAIN: "Gov. Jerry Brown endorsed Democratic front-runner Gavin Newsom in the governor’s race at a unity rally outside the state Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento—and promised to leave him plenty to do."
"There is a time for an old guy, and there is time for a young guy,” Brown said, wisecracking about his lack of hair and the lieutenant governor’s “really nice hair."
London Breed just made history as San Francisco's mayor-elect. Now come the real challenges
LA Times's BENJAMIN ORESKES: "San Francisco Mayor-elect London Breed was still basking in the glow of her election victory when she arrived at Rosa Parks Elementary school on Thursday."
"Having been raised by her grandmother just blocks away in the city’s Western Addition neighborhood — once the heart of San Francisco’s black community — Breed, 43, said the visit to her alma mater filled her with memories and purpose."
READ MORE related to Local Politics: Interview with SF Mayor-elect London Breed -- The Chronicle's JOHN DIAZ
Obama returning to LA for Democratic fundraising gala
LA Times's SEEMA MEHTA: "Former President Barack Obama is returning to Los Angeles on June 28 to headline a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee."
"Tickets for the gala start at $2,700, which buys access to the former president’s speech as well as a performance by singer Christina Aguilera, according to the invitation."
"To get fed, donors must pony up at least $15,000. The top ticket package, which includes five dinner tickets, premium seating, a picture, a reception, membership to the DNC finance committee and entry to two other events in 2018, goes for $100,000."
Hillary Clinton, in SF visit, calls gun safety 'a political necessity'
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "Speaking to an audience of gun control advocates in San Francisco, Hillary Clinton said Thursday that this year’s voting for members of Congress should “finally be the election that turns the tide against the gun lobby.”
“The vast majority of Americans are on our side,” the former secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate said at a Hyatt Regency dinner gathering of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which presented her with its Courageous Leadership Award. “So we are winning the debate. But now we’ve got to get everyone to vote on this issue.”
“It will not be easy,” she said, recalling the National Rifle Association’s multimillion-dollar participation in the 2016 presidential campaign."
Furor over family separation now a part of House debate over immigration
LA Times's SARAH D. WIRE: "House Republicans could move to stricstly limit the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents at the border under immigration legislation expected to be considered next week."
"Democrats, however, object to other parts of the legislative package and say the administration could end the policy of separating children from their parents at any time without additional legislation."
READ MORE related to Immigration: Federal immigration agents try to overturn California's sanctuary law -- CALMatters' DAVID GORN
Here's what a new California law says about teaching abortion in class
Sacramento Bee's CYNTHIA HUBERT: "A Sutter Middle School science teacher was abiding by a relatively new state law when she raised the issue of abortion in her sex education class this month."
"It was the format of her presentation that may have run afoul of guidelines — upsetting some parents and prompting the Sacramento City Unified School District to launch an investigation."
"The law, enacted in 2016, requires school districts to ensure that all students in grades seven through 12 receive "comprehensive sexual health education," including information about abortion. Information presented in class must be "medically accurate and objective," according to the law. Parents must be notified of the curriculum in advance and have the option of excusing their children from all or part of the classes."
READ MORE related to Education & Teachers: Nearly 35,000 former Corinthian College students in California will see debt relief -- LA Times's SAMANTHA MASUNAGA; California budget includes increase for infant and toddler care but not enough to meet demand -- EdSource's ASHLEY HOPKINSON; California lawmakers approve 2018-19 state budget; how schools, colleges will fare -- EdSource's JOHN FENSTERWALD/YXUAN XIE/MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN/JUSTIN ALLEN
Trump approves plan to impose touch China tariffs
AP's KEN THOMAS/PAUL WISEMAN: "President Donald Trump has approved a plan to impose punishing tariffs on tens of billions of dollars of Chinese goods as early as Friday, a move that could put his trade policies on a collision course with his push to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons."
"Trump has long vowed to fulfill his campaign pledge to clamp down on what he considers unfair Chinese trading practices. But his calls for billions in tariffs could complicate his efforts to maintain China's support in his negotiations with North Korea."
"Trump met Thursday with several Cabinet members and trade advisers and was expected to impose tariffs on at least $35 billion to $40 billion of Chinese imports, according to an industry official and an administration official familiar with the plans. The amount of goods could reach $55 billion, said the industry official. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the matter ahead of a formal announcement."
READ MORE related to Development & Economy: Trump administration pushes changes to farmworker visa -- McClatchy DC's EMILY CADEI; AT&T completes purchase of Time Warner, ushering in new era for Warner Bros., CNN and HBO -- LA Times's MEG JAMES; One symptom of California's housing crisis? State agency says someone making $200k deserves house-buying help. -- CALmatters' MATT LEVIN
Whooping cough cases on the rise in Alameda County
The Chronicle's ERIN STONE: "Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is on the rise this year in Alameda County, according to public health officials. A hundred and eighty cases have been reported since January, more than four times the number of reported cases during the same time period last year."
"Alameda County public health officials say this increase could indicate another epidemic year for the highly contagious respiratory disease characterized by severe coughing."
BART delays expansion of program to nab fare cheats amid re-evaluation
The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "BART directors stepped back Thursday from a plan to expand a nascent program to nab fare cheats after concerns were raised about its effectiveness and fairness."
"The directors made no attempt to end the enforcement effort, but postponed a decision to hire two additional fare enforcement officers until the fall, when they plan to review data from the proof-of-payment program six months after it began."
Company with alleged 'White only' clubhouse in Natomas faces another lawsuit
Sacramento Bee's KELLEN BROWNING: "A solar company that was sued on Monday for racial harassment at its Natomas warehouse is now facing a second, related lawsuit.
Jason Flick, a Caucasian man who worked at the warehouse, joined Teshawn Solomon in alleging racial harassment by workers and managers at the Sacramento-based location of Vivint Solar, a publicly traded home automation and energy company based in Utah."
"Solomon, a black employee, said a manager repeatedly called him a variation of the N-word and, along with other employees, built a clubhouse out of cardboard boxes around their desks, spray-painting "White only" on it."
"Solomon said he reported the harassment to a regional manager, showing him photos of the clubhouse. The regional manager didn't take action to curtail the harassment, and later told him not to speak to human resources, the suit said."
READ MORE related to Modern Bigotry: Award to Muslim group's leader rescinded after Jews object -- The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO