California may have sent $1B in jobless benefits to people outside the state, DAs warn
LA Times's PATRICK MCGREEVY/ANITA CHABRIA/RICHARD WINTON: "California may have sent a billion dollars or more in unemployment benefits to people out of the state, including to other countries, and much of it may be based on fraudulent claims, several prosecutors warned Thursday.
District attorneys from nine counties including San Diego, Sacramento and Riverside sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to use his executive powers to increase resources investigating widespread unemployment benefit fraud involving prison inmates and to immediately check jobless claims against personal data of those behind bars.
The prosecutors told the governor they have received “unverified information” that the state Employment Development Department has distributed at least $1 billion in unemployment benefits to out-of-state claimants."
How Newsom's COVID stay-at-home order will affect Sacramento region
Sac Bee's TONY BIZJAK/MICHAEL MCGOUGH/DALE KASLER: "The greater Sacramento 13-county region appears to have escaped — as of today — further business restrictions under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new regional stay-at-home rules.
But with growing numbers of hospitalized patients, the capital city region may only be days from hitting the mark that will require extensive new business shutdowns, including the closure of outdoor dining at restaurants as well as full closure of hair salons and barbershops.
Faced with a dramatic holiday-season coronavirus surge, the governor announced on Thursday afternoon that if hospital intensive care unit capacity in any of the state’s five regions falls below 15% available capacity, those counties must implement a series of new closures and restrictions."
READ MORE related to Stay-At-Home: California's new stay-at-home order: What you need to know, from supermarkets to playgrounds -- LA Times's RONG-GONG LIN II/JOHN MYERS; Newsom's new stay-at-home orders won't keep Sacramento Kings off the court -- Sac Bee's JASON ANDERSON; California state offices will close in response to governor's stay-at-home order -- Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER
California Republican accused of 2015 rape by former Capitol staffer
Sac Bee's HANNAH WILEY: "In the latest accusation filed against against Assemblyman Bill Brough, a former legislative staffer has submitted a complaint to Sacramento County officials alleging the Dana Point Republican raped her in 2015.
Patricia Todd, a longtime Capitol staffer, said Brough assaulted her after a dinner in Sacramento five and a half years ago while she was working for Republican Sen. John Moorlach, according to a Thursday report by the Orange County Register.
After the attack, Todd said she was “left physically injured and alone,” and later suffered from depression and fear over retaliation from Brough should she come forward with her story, the report said."
The Chronicle's KURTIS ALEXANDER: "Scientists in the Pacific Northwest say they’ve solved a long-running mystery behind the region’s dying salmon, a discovery that may explain what’s harming fish elsewhere around the globe, including California.
In research published Thursday, a team of university and government scientists identify a toxic material derived from tire treads that is washing into rivers and creeks as the killer of as many as 90% of the coho salmon in parts of the Puget Sound.
The finding is a welcome breakthrough for Washington state after decades of losing the revered fish without a full explanation. However, it also points to a bigger problem, one that’s both difficult to solve and not limited to a single part of the country, and possibly rampant in urban areas everywhere."
Biden could help SF win billions from Big Oil over climate change
The Chronicle's KURTIS ALEXANDER: "Once considered as much a publicity stunt as a viable legal pursuit, efforts by San Francisco and other Bay Area communities to win billions from the oil industry for climate change are being recognized by President-elect Joe Biden and may soon get federal support.
The incoming president, in his climate plan, is pledging to have the Department of Justice help with litigation that holds fossil fuel companies accountable for the damage caused by their greenhouse gas emissions.
Eight California cities and counties were among the first in the country to go to court to force Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil and others to pay for the emissions-driven problems of rising seas, drought and wildfires. Two dozen jurisdictions nationwide are now pursuing similar climate lawsuits, including New York and Baltimore. More could follow if the Biden administration offers a helping hand."
How unequal is California? A new index aims to measure the state's economic inequity
Sac Bee's JEONG PARK: "Since 2010, California has made substantial progress on providing its residents with broadband Internet and increasing the number of people with college degrees.
Yet, over the same period, the state has not made a dent in improving housing affordability or home ownership.
Commutes are getting longer, and in the areas like the Central Valley, nearly half of households still don’t make enough to meet their basic needs."
California unemployment fraud could 'grow exponentially' without more state action, DAs say
Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER/DALE KASLER/DAVID LIGHTMAN: "Prosecutors across California blasted the Employment Development Department again Thursday, saying the department still hasn’t stopped a massive pandemic assistance fraud scheme that it has known about for months.
In a new letter, a coalition of nine district attorneys urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to use emergency powers if necessary to stop payments that they think the state is still sending to prison inmates.
The DA’s have said the scheme, which they announced last week, involves tens of thousands of inmates and outside accomplices who bilked the state out of as much as $1 billion in federal funds meant for Californians who lost jobs and income due to COVID-19."
Alameda County may impose restrictions before available ICU beds drop to 15% of capacity
The Chronicle's LAUREN HERNANDEZ: "Alameda County officials said Thursday they may impose the state’s new strict coronavirus stay-at-home order even before the county’s available ICU beds dwindle down to the state’s threshold of 15% of capacity.
The county had 33% of its total intensive-care unit beds available as of Thursday — and 71.3% availability of mechanical ventilators, according to county public health data last updated on Wednesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said the new order was a response to the rising number of coronavirus cases that could overwhelm hospitals. If any of the five regions in the state record less than 15% availability of ICU beds, the state-imposed orders will go into effect for at least three weeks. No Bay Area counties were impacted on Thursday."
READ MORE related to Pandemic: LA County breaks single-day virus case record as new restrictions loom -- LA Times's LUKE MONEY/DAKOTA SMITH; A second Newsom staff member tests positive -- The Chronicle's LAUREN HERNANDEZ; Is outdoor dining spreading the virus? As California faces a ban, here's what the experts say -- The Chronicle's ANNIE VAINSHTEIN
Mesa Verde detention center must keep testing detainees for COVID, over ICE's objections
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "Immigration officials at a detention facility in Bakersfield have ignored the dangers of COVID-19, have lied repeatedly about their actions, and have shown they cannot be trusted to protect the health of detainees and staff, a federal judge said Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of San Francisco ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its contractor, the GEO Group, to continue weekly coronavirus testing of detainees and staff members at the Mesa Verde Detention Facility that he had previously required and to take additional protective measures, including quarantines, limits on population and transfers, and immediate reports of any positive tests.
“From the start of the public health crisis until now, the conduct of the key ICE and GEO officials in charge of operations at Mesa Verde has been appalling,” Chhabria said."
Jerry Brown's advice to Joe Biden: Follow FDR. And progressives should 'chill'
Brown is offering the same advice to President-elect Joe Biden, who is hearing the first complaints from progressives that he isn’t paddling left as hard as he should.
Some railed on his choice of Neera Tanden to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Sen. Bernie Sanders said last year during the Democratic presidential primaries that Tanden “repeatedly maligned my staff and supporters and (belittled) progressive ideas” when she led the liberal Center for American Progress think tank."
California Rep. Jim Costa loses bid to chair powerful House panel
The Chronicle's TAL KOPAN: "Central Valley Rep. Jim Costa lost his bid to chair the powerful House Agriculture Committee on Thursday, falling short of a Georgia colleague who had more seniority.
The vote among House Democrats was 144-83 in favor of Rep. David Scott.
The vote shuts out the nation’s top agricultural-producing state from leading the committee for at least another term. A Californian has not chaired the panel since 1867."
Longtime Newsom friend and adviser Nathan Ballard arrested for domestic violence
Sac Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "A notable Democratic public relations consultant and longtime friend of Gov. Gavin Newsom was arrested in October on domestic violence charges.
Nathan Ballard, who served as communications director when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco, was arrested on allegations including attempting “to suffocate a child with a pillow,” according to Politico, which broke the story Thursday afternoon.
Napa County Superior Court records indicate that a temporary restraining order has been issued in a domestic violence case involving Ballard."
Power shut off to over 43K amid dangerous winds as fires burn in SoCal
LA Times's HAYLEY SMITH: "More than 43,000 Southern California Edison customers were without power Thursday amid a dangerous Santa Ana wind event that already had fueled at least two wildfires in the region.
The utility company initiated the public safety power shutoff across seven counties late Wednesday in an effort to prevent its electric system from becoming a source of ignition, Edison spokesman Ron Gales said.
The shutoff includes 21,000 customers in Riverside County, 7,800 in Los Angeles County and 2,800 in Ventura County.
Nearly 250,000 additional customers across eight counties are under consideration for a shutoff as well, Gales said."
CSU leaders urged to take aggressive action to limit spread of COVID-19 amid surge
LA Times's NINA AGRAWAL: "Presidents of the 23 campuses of the California State University system are being urged to delay the resumption of any face-to-face instruction— even for classes that have only a limited in-person component — and reassess plans for the end of fall term and beginning of spring term amid the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in California.
“The pandemic’s progression, coupled with the reality that many of our students and employees will be traveling and/or socializing with others over the next several weeks ... creates an immediate urgency to review — and likely adjust — campus plans,” CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White and Chancellor-select Joseph I. Castro, who will assume office Jan. 4, wrote in a letter to campus presidents this week.
The two leaders urged campuses to delay any in-person instruction to as late as possible in January or even February, with appropriate testing, quarantining and tracing protocols in place, to mitigate the potential for virus transmission."
State senator slams BART for approving early labor contract during financial tumult
The Chronicle's MALLORY MOENCH: "BART’s board approved labor contracts with its three largest unions Thursday despite criticism from state Sen. Steve Glazer, who chastised directors for locking in agreements early as the agency faces a deficit of tens of millions of dollars and the steepest ridership drop in history.
The board voted 7-2 to ratify the contracts before the existing pacts expired in July. The new contracts freeze worker raises and tie future raises to increases in ridership as the agency tries to stave off layoffs with a retirement incentive program.
A majority of directors defended the decision during a debate that was tense at points, arguing the early move provided stability to workers and riders so the train system can focus on pandemic recovery. A joint statement from BART and labor leaders after the vote said the agreement was the result of an “extraordinary process of cooperation.”
Trump aide banned from Justice Dept. after pressuring staffers for case info
AP: "The Trump aide serving as the president’s eyes and ears at the Justice Department has been banned from the building after trying to pressure staff members to give up sensitive information about election fraud and other matters that she could relay to the White House, three people familiar with the matter say.
Heidi Stirrup, an ally of top Trump advisor Stephen Miller, was quietly installed at the Justice Department as a White House liaison a few months ago. She was told within the last two weeks to vacate the building after top Justice officials learned of her efforts to collect inside information about ongoing cases and the department’s work on election fraud, the people told the Associated Press.
Stirrup is accused of approaching staffers in the department and demanding that they give her information about investigations, including election fraud matters, the people said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter."