Fox News apologizes for portraying Kamala Harris as suspected murderer
The Tribune's ANDREW SHEELER: "A Fox News host has apologized after a morning news segment showed a picture of California Democratic U.S. Sen Kamala Harris in a story about a murder-suicide suspect in Salt Lake City on Tuesday."
"Now in an earlier version of this story, we showed you the wrong video. We showed you pictures of Kamala Harris instead of Melvin Rowland’s mugshot. We apologize for that error,” host Jillian Mele said following an update on that story."
"In the original airing, several photos of Harris, a likely 2020 presidential contender who has been campaigning on behalf of several 2018 Democratic congressional candidates, were shown."
West's rivers are hot enough to cook salmon to death. Will this court ruling keep them cool?
Sacramento Bee's DALE KASLER: "It might be the most gruesome element of the drought conditions that have gripped the West in recent years: salmon being cooked to death by the thousands in rivers that have become overheated as water flows dwindle."
"Now a federal judge in Seattle has directed the Environmental Protection Agency, in a ruling with implications for California and the Pacific Northwest, to find a way to keep river waters cool."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: Site in Sierra repeatedly looted of artifacts. Now a man faces charges -- Fresno Bee's LEWIS GRISWOLD; A pair of amorous bald eagles has returned to Lake Natoma. Here's the problem that's causing -- Sacramento Beee's TONY BIZJAK; When it comes to propping up SF's crumbling seawall, no one's resisting -- The Chronicle's JOHN KING; SF pension board votes to divest from five fossil fuel companies -- The Chronicle's SOPHIA KUNTHARA; Here are the 9 fires that have broken out at East Bay housing construction sites -- The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI/LAUREN HERNANDEZ; California faces 'extra risk' of flooding after series of massive wildfires, officials warn -- LA Times's JOSEPH SERNA
In Prop. 10 fight, some tenants caught in the crossfire
SCOTT SCORIANO in Capitol Weekly: "When Proposition 10, a rent control initiative, made it on the Nov. 6 ballot, backers and foes offered different apocalyptic claims."
"Supporters of Proposition 10, which would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a 1995 law cracking down on rent control, said the measure is vitally needed in a state crippled by a housing crisis, where skyrocketing rents are driving the middle class and working poor out of the state or onto the street. Proposition 10 allows cities and counties to put into effect new rent control measures or expand existing ones."
"Opponents of Proposition 10 say that that if the measure passes, widespread rent control regulations will cause property values to crater and rents to lock in for years at the current levels. The California Apartment Association contends that local governments “could once again adopt extreme forms of rent control, including the imposition of rent caps on new apartments and single-family homes."
Former IRS criminal investigator sentenced to over three years in prison for tax fraud
Sacramento Bee's VINCENT MOLESKI: "A Sacramento woman who worked as an IRS investigator was sentenced Tuesday to 51 months in prison for tax fraud, stealing government money and obstructing justice after filing false tax returns for three years and interfering in her investigation."
"Alena Aleykina, a former special agent with the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, filed six false tax returns from 2009 to 2011, three for personal income and three for trusts she had created, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California."
"Aleykina, who also is a certified public accountant, fraudulently claimed head of household status, false education expense deductions and listed false dependents on her personal tax returns. On a trust tax return, she falsely claimed to be paying her mother and sister to take care of her son and father, according to the release."
Will Orange County turn blue on election day? It's the mission of two former Republicans
LA Times's JOE MOZINGO/CHRISTINE MAI-DUC: "If you had to conjure a stock Republican congressman in coastal Orange County, he might be Harley Rouda — tall and tanned, a wealthy real estate investor with a square jaw, blue eyes and the tough-talking manner of a man who runs his own multimillion-dollar company."
"Except Rouda left the GOP two decades ago."
"Now he is one of two Republicans-turned-Democrat fighting to flip the once famously right-wing county that voted for every Republican candidate for president since Franklin D. Roosevelt — until Donald Trump came along."
SF supes OK raises for home health care and city contract workers
The Chronicle's TRISHA THADANI: "Home health care workers and employees of nonprofit city contractors will see a small bump in their paychecks, starting next year, under an ordinance approved by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday."
"The pay raise was spearheaded by Supervisors Hillary Ronen and Sandra Lee Fewer. It will increase the minimum compensation for In-Home Supportive Services workers from $15 to $16 on Feb. 1. That hourly wage will rise incrementally to $18.75 by July 1, 2022, and then be linked to the Consumer Price Index."
"Nonprofit city contractors — who, for example, work as janitors and desk clerks at nonprofit supportive housing clinics — will receive an hourly increase from $15 to $16.50 on July 1, then an annual CPI increase beginning July 1, 2020."
Judge reverses order on media in alleged surgeon rape case
AP: "A California judge on Tuesday reversed an order barring the media from reporting on search warrant documents in the case of a surgeon charged with sexual assault, a lawyer said."
"Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregory Jones made the ruling after The Associated Press and an Orange County Register reporter argued that his earlier decision blocking them from publishing information they obtained legally outside the courtroom violated free speech rights, said Duffy Carolan, an attorney representing the media outlets."
"It was absolutely an order that violated the constitutional rights of the reporters in the courtroom who happened to come back for that afternoon session," she said."
READ MORE related to Health & Healthcare: In court and at the polls, dialysis giant DaVita defends itself -- CHL's SAMANTHA YOUNG; Gloves come off as employees launch strike at UC Davis and other med centers -- Sacramento Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON
Bernie Sanders rallying in California this week
The Tribune's ANDREW SHEELER: "Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate rumored to be considering a run in 2020, is set to cap off a week-long tour supporting liberal congressional candidates with a visit to California."
"Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, is also set to visit to Arizona, Colorado, Nevada this week, on a tour that also included stops in Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Iowa and Wisconsin."
"On Friday, Sanders will visit Oceanside at 6 p.m. Those interested in going should RSVPhere. On Saturday, Sanders will attend an 11 a.m. rally with Rep. Barbara Lee at the Berkeley Community Theater, 1930 Allston Way. RSVP for that event here."
Central Valley Youth advocates clash with school administrators over voter education efforts
EdSource's DAVID WASHBURN: "Students and youth advocates working on an ambitious civic engagement and voter registration effort in schools across California’s Central Valley this year have faced resistance from some school administrators as they’ve tried to get into classrooms to do voter education presentations."
"The effort has consisted primarily of students from UC Santa Cruz and UC Mercedtraveling back to their high school alma maters in the Central Valley and, along with high schoolers they mentor, trying to get approval from teachers and administrators to give presentations to American government classes."
"They’ve also assisted in organizing voter registration drives on high school campuses and hosted nearly a dozen day-long workshops throughout the summer. The workshops were held while students were on break and during weekends when school was back in session."
Still 1,000 miles from the border, migrant caravan pauses in Mexico to regroup
LA Times's PATRICK J MCDONNELL: "This center of this town about 50 miles north of Mexico’s southern border has been transformed into a giant homeless camp."
"Thousands of Hondurans began arriving here early Monday and by late Tuesday filled up the central plaza."
"Exhausted, they decided to spend the day, seeking out whatever shade they could find from the subtropical swelter."
George Gascon is out. Here's who might jump into the SF DA's race
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "Phones have been ringing all over town since District Attorney George Gascón announced he won’t seek re-election next year."
"Former Police Commissioner Suzy Loftus got a big boost when Mayor London Breed and a host of women’s groups endorsed her over the other big names in the race, former Police Commissioner Joe Alioto Veroneseand Leif Dautch, a state deputy attorney general."
"But the door for contenders is still wide open."
LA Times's ELI STOKOLS/NOAH BIERMAN: "Literally everyone in Washington’s political world knew President Trump was making a false and implausible promise when he said he’d cut taxes for the middle class before next month’s midterm election — reporters, fact checkers, Congress’ Republican leaders, even his own staff."
"Yet there was Trump on the White House lawn Monday, promising away as reporters confronted him. He mistakenly described the legislative process and dismissed the time-consuming realities of passing a complicated tax package in Congress, as well as the simple fact that lawmakers have left town until after the election. Even as his claims fell flat, he stood his ground."
US revokes visas of Saudies implicated in Khashoggi killing
AP: "U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the Trump administration is revoking the visas of some Saudi officials implicated in the death of writer Jamal Khashoggi."
"Pompeo announced the step at a State Department news conference Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence said earlier that Khashoggi's death at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, “will not go without an American response."
"The visa revocations are the first punitive measures taken by the administration against the Saudis since Khashoggi disappeared after entering the consulate on Oct. 2."