LA Times's SARAH PARVINI: "For more than year, state officials and community groups in California have pushed a singular message: the importance of filling out the decennial count.
Organizations canvassed neighborhoods, and hosted rallies and information sessions where they explained how census data turns into federal dollars that trickle down to cities and states. After the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the chance to gather in person, they started phone banks and honed social media campaigns.
Those efforts, officials said, have achieved some of the best results in the country in getting the hardest-to-count communities to respond — of the estimated 3.5 million to 4.1 million households in that category, some 2 million have replied — although there is still work to be done to ensure a more complete count of historically underrepresented groups."
Coronavirus surge slowing in California, but don't expect a repeat of reopening fever
LA Times's RONG-GONG LIN II/IRIS LEE: "There are growing glimmers of hope that California’s surge in coronavirus cases could be peaking — but don’t expect the pandemic-shattered economy to share much of this progress in the short term.
A Los Angeles Times analysis found that California has now experienced its first weekly reduction in new confirmed coronavirus cases for the first time in 12 weeks. For the seven-day period that ended Sunday, California reported 59,697 new coronavirus cases, a drop of 9% from the previous week of 65,634 cases, which was a pandemic record.
If the trends continue, it would mark a turning point after weeks of record hospitalizations that began in mid-June, the result of California starting to rapidly reopen the economy in May."
READ MORE related to Pandemic: Bay Area residents mostly wear masks and follow coronavirus rules. But there's a big exception -- The Chronicle's ANNA KRAMER; California sees signs of optimism in controlling resurgence -- The Chronicle's ERIN ALLDAY/DUSTIN GARDINER; Why COVID-19 has state Dems feuding -- Sac Bee's HANNAH WILEY
Some elementary schools could reopen if they meet waiver rules
LA Times's ANITA CHABRIA/NINA AGRAWAL: "Some California elementary schools may be able to reopen for in-person classes this fall under a strict waiver system announced Monday by state officials.
But because of the detailed rules, smaller schools — especially private and parochial campuses with more flexibility — will probably be among the most successful at meeting the special guidelines, prompting concern from some that select reopenings could add to gaps in educational equity.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that both public and private schools in California counties where the coronavirus continues to spread would be required to begin the fall with distance learning. Newsom’s guidance, which covers 38 of California’s most populous counties, means the majority of children in the state are unlikely to see the inside of a classroom until COVID-19 cases significantly decline."
READ MORE related to Education: UCSF group demands 'anti-racist' changes -- The Chronicle's DANIELLE ECHEVERRIA; Bay Area elementary schools could reopen for in-person classes. Here's how -- The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER
People lived longer in blue states than red; new study points to impact of state policies
LA Times's NOAM N. LEVEY: "Weak environmental protections, safety rules and labor and civil rights protections may be cutting lives short in conservative states and deepening the divide between red and blue states, according to a new study on links between life expectancy and state policy.
The report, published Tuesday in the health policy journal Milbank Quarterly, finds that states where residents live longest, including California, tend to have much more stringent environmental laws, tougher tobacco and firearms regulations and more protections for workers, minorities and LGBTQ residents.
Since the mid-1980s, the gap among U.S. states in how long their residents live has widened, reversing decades of progress toward greater equality."
California sued over climate change policy--by the nation's biggest gas utility
LA Times's SAMMY ROTH: "Southern California Gas Co. is taking its battle with state officials over climate change policy to court, arguing in a new lawsuit that the California Energy Commission has failed to promote natural gas as required by state law.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court, is the latest attempt by SoCalGas to shield itself against efforts to phase out gas, a planet-warming fossil fuel used for heating, cooking and power generation. The company, which maintains its headquarters in Los Angeles and is owned by Sempra Energy of San Diego, took in $4.5 billion in operating revenue last year.
A separate lawsuit was filed last week against the state’s Air Resources Board by the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition, whose two “charter members” are SoCalGas and Clean Energy Fuels Corp., which joined the gas company in its lawsuit against the Energy Commission. This lawsuit seeks to overturn the newly approved “advanced clean trucks” rule, which is aimed at putting 300,000 zero-emission trucks on the road by 2035."
READ MORE related to Climate/Environment: California would benefit from a climate-crisis action plan -- REPS. JULIA BROWNLEY/JARED HUFFMAN/MIKE LEVIN in The Chronicle
Sacramento's deadly force policy doesn't comply with the law, ACLU says
Sac Bee's THERESA CLIFT: "A year after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the “Stephon Clark Law” in response to his killing by police, the city of Sacramento continues to struggle with rewriting its own rules over the use of force by its officers.
Civil liberties groups, the California Attorney General and police oversight officials all say the Sacramento Police Department hasn’t fully complied with the law signed by Newsom last year governing police use-of-force tactics.
Significantly, they said training procedures for the department contain outdated language about when deadly force should be considered “necessary” instead of “reasonable.” That wording change mandated by the new law plays a critical part of the decision-making process for police officers in the field."
State Supreme Court says no go to referendum challenges to certain state laws
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "Once a local water board approves a rate increase, voters cannot prevent it from taking effect by circulating a referendum, though they can seek to reduce it later, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.
A referendum ordinarily blocks implementation of a new law once it qualifies for the ballot until voters decide whether to approve the law. But the court said the California Constitution exempts laws from a referendum challenge if they impose taxes for “usual current expenses” of the state or local government.
That exemption applies to water rates and other assessments to fund “essential government operations,” Justice Leondra Kruger said in the unanimous ruling."
Rent is coming due in California: 'Two weeks to avoid complete catastrophe'
The Chronicle's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "The California Legislature has less than a month left in its pandemic-shortened session to deal with one of the state’s worst economic crises in decades, and there’s no greater emergency than what to do about the rent.
Millions of residents who lost their jobs this spring as the state shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus now fear they will lose their homes as well. One in 7 tenants in California did not pay rent on time last month, according a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, and nearly 1 in 6 doesn’t expect to pay on time in August either.
Several bills are moving through the Legislature to prevent what many worry could be a wave of evictions, potentially compounding California’s crippling homelessness crisis. But landlord groups and tenant advocates are divided, raising financial, legal and logistical concerns over the competing approaches."
(Column) An 'unprecedented proliferation' of coronavirus scams is sweeping the nation
LA Times's DAVID LAZARUS: "There you are, sitting at home near the phone or in front of your computer, working remotely or just trying to stave off boredom amid the pandemic.
That makes you typical of many if not most Americans.
It also makes you a sitting duck."
California takes starring role in VP search as Karen Bass ascends and Kamala Harris comes under fire
LA Times's MELANIE MASON/PHIL WILLON: "With speculation over Joe Biden’s choice of a running mate hitting peak breathlessness, the inclusion of two prominent California Democrats on his shortlist is stirring up the Golden State political scene.
The guessing game over the vice-presidential pick — a quadrennial tradition — has centered its focus of late on Sen. Kamala Harris, long considered a front-runner for the job, and Rep. Karen Bass, a newly ascendant contender. The two women hail from opposite parts of the state and have substantially different resumes, but their fate on the presidential ticket has become inextricably linked, thanks to unusually public jockeying by allies on their behalf.
The maneuvers, both overt and private, underscore the high stakes that come with simply being mentioned as a vice-presidential prospect."
Elk Grove mayor did nothing to stop campaign aide's sexist, racist remarks, local official says
Sac Bee's MICHAEL FINCH II: "The last time Mayor Steve Ly ran for re-election two years ago, he formed a coalition with five other candidates who shared his progressive views, and together they called themselves “Team Elk Grove.”
While four out of the six candidates won their political races, the bitterness created during the months-long grind still casts a long shadow over their victories.
This week, Jaclyn Moreno, who successfully ran for a position on the Cosumnes Community Services District board, said in an interview that she was subjected to a steady stream of harassment that was often sexist from one of Ly’s campaign employees."
12 tips for getting your unemployment bennies from EDD
The Chronicle's CAROLYN SAID: "Here are some tips on resolving issues with getting your California unemployment benefits from the state Employment Development Department:
Contact your state senator and Assembly member. Their staff will collect information about your case and reach out to EDD on your behalf.
Triple-check your online application to ensure that you’ve answered all questions correctly and submitted all required documents, including identity and wage verification."
LA Times's STEPHANIE LAI: "Javie Rubio, better known as the Mickey Mouse who greets pedestrians along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, stood under an awning, staring into a mostly empty street. He furrowed his brows as he thought about how much he would be able to take home for the day.
Along Hollywood Boulevard, Rubio and others dressed as cartoon characters roamed the charcoal terrazzo sidewalks, periodically extending an arm to the scattering of tourists walking by. Normally, the fist bumps he offers to entice visitors into taking a photo work like magic. But he hasn’t had much luck since the pandemic hit. Now, most people fear physical contact.
After four hours in the summer sunshine, Rubio — who sprays his costume each day with disinfectant — had $53 in his pocket. This time last year, he would return home to his wife and son with 10 times that."
Firefighters gain ground on Sites Fire in Colusa County, evacuations remain in place
The Chronicle's BRETT SIMPSON: "Firefighters have gained ground against a 540-acre wildfire in Colusa County that forced mandatory evacuations and closed roads, officials said Monday.
The Sites Fire, which sparked around 4:15 p.m. Sunday and rapidly spread due to high temperatures and winds, had reportedly reached 1,000 acres by Sunday night, but an improved perimeter map reduced that acreage estimate to 540 as of Monday, according to Cal Fire.
The “high level of initial resources sent” helped get the blaze to 40% contained as of Monday morning, officials said. The fire was still threatening 12 structures, and evacuations and road closures remained in effect. The impacted area around East Park Reservoir is about 100 miles north of Santa Rosa."
Obama endorses 8 House candidates from California, and a state Senate hopeful
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "
Obama backed Democratic Reps. Josh Harder of Turlock (Stanislaus County) and TJ Cox of Fresno, along with four Orange County Democrats — Reps. Gil Cisneros and Harley Rouda of Laguna Beach, Katie Porter of Irvine and Mike Levin of San Juan Capistrano. All six beat Republicans in 2018 to win their first terms.
Obama also endorsed Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith, who lost to Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County), in a special election in May to fill out the remaining House term of Democrat Katie Hill, who resigned last year. Smith and Garcia are facing off again in the fall for the full two-year term."
Drug users delivering stillbirths could face murder rap if this California case advances
LA Times's ALEX WIGGLESWORTH: "It sounds like a nightmare scenario for women’s rights in California. Every time a woman suffers a late-term miscarriage or gives birth to a stillborn baby, she could potentially become the target of a homicide investigation, with police visiting homes and delivery rooms to carry out interrogations.
Yet some medical and civil rights groups say that scenario is not so far-fetched if the murder prosecution of Chelsea Becker is permitted to proceed in a rural county of the San Joaquin Valley. They say it could judicially rewrite the state’s homicide statute, expanding it to apply to any pregnant woman whose conduct might have resulted in the loss of her pregnancy.
“These are potentially dangerous precedents which make all women who have any not-perfect pregnancy event criminally liable for that event,” said Dr. Mishka Terplan of UC San Francisco, an expert in the fields of pregnancy and addiction. “And that should terrify everyone.”
A rare disease is killing NorCal deer. Here's what you should look out for
Sac Bee's RYAN SABALOW: "A rare disease that can kill thousands of fawns in a single outbreak has been confirmed in Northern California, and wildlife officials are pleading with rural property owners to not feed deer or put out water for them.
On Monday, biologists at the Department of Fish of Wildlife announced deer in Napa, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Tehama and Yolo counties had died from an outbreak of adenovirus hemorrhagic disease.
The virus causes several nasty ailments in deer ranging from internal bleeding and organ failure to painful sores and swelling in the gastrointestinal tract. Sick animals may have excessive salivation such as drooling or foaming at the mouth, diarrhea, regurgitation or seizures. They often seek water, so ones that die from the disease are often found nearby, biologists say."
Sac Bee's DARRELL SMITH: "Sacramento International Airport has continued to bounce back from a devastating spring that saw the coronavirus pandemic all but shut down air travel in and out of California’s capital, but airport officials are now watching the state’s most recent rush of COVID-19 cases for signs of a new slump ahead.
“We have seen numbers slowly come back. It’s continued to trend that way, but the situation’s very dynamic,” airport spokeswoman Samantha Mott said Monday.
Coronavirus cases have topped 500,000 in California, for weeks an epicenter of the national contagion. Popular travel destinations including Hawaii and New York are clamping down instituting 14-day quarantines on incoming travelers."
Trump's base starting to erode, new poll shows
LA Times's DAVID LAUTER: "President Trump’s support among Republicans and other conservative voters has begun to erode amid the continued coronavirus pandemic and its associated economic havoc, a new poll from UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies shows.
The poll shows Trump far behind Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in California. That’s no surprise — even at his strongest Trump was unlikely ever to be competitive in California, a heavily Democratic state.
What is notable, however, is the size of the gap and the degree to which approval of Trump’s work as president has declined among groups that until now have supported him."
Hiroshima's last survivors feel urgent need to bear witness
AP: "For nearly 70 years, until he turned 85, Lee Jong-keun hid his past as an atomic bomb survivor, fearful of the widespread discrimination against blast victims that has long persisted in Japan.
But Lee, 92, is part of a fast-dwindling group of survivors, known as hibakusha, who feel a growing urgency — desperation, even — to tell their stories. These last witnesses to what happened 75 years ago this week want to reach a younger generation who they feel is losing sight of the horror.
The knowledge of their diminishing time — the average age of the survivors is more than 83, and many suffer from the long-lasting effects of radiation — is coupled with deep frustration over stalled progress in global efforts to ban nuclear weapons. According to a recent Asahi newspaper survey of 768 survivors, nearly two-thirds said their wish for a nuclear-free world did not appear to be widely shared by the rest of humanity, and more than 70% called on a reluctant Japanese government to ratify a treaty banning nuclear weapons."