There is no California exodus, UC studies conclude
The Chronicle, ROLAND LI: "Despite California’s first recorded population loss and steady reports of high-profile companies and residents leaving the state, studies from the University of California concluded there’s no exodus occurring.
A UC San Diego survey released Wednesday of more than 3,000 residents found that 23% are seriously thinking of leaving the state, down from 24% in a 2019 poll. Another 26% were giving some consideration to moving out, down from 28% in 2019.
Only 19% of residents in the Bay Area were seriously thinking of leaving, lower than 22.4% in Los Angeles, 29% in the Central Valley and 37% in Northern California outside the Bay Area. San Diego and Orange County residents had the lowest rate of any region at 16.7%."s
Pandemic caused many boomers to retire. What that means for the economy — and everyone else
DON LEE, LA Times: "Even with declining numbers of young Americans entering the job market and the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, U.S. employers were able to count on the last of the baby boomers to prevent labor shortages and soaring wages.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has hit that long-standing reality like a hand grenade.
And the effects will likely be felt throughout the economy for years to come, in recurrent labor shortages, pressure for higher pay, problems for Social Security and private pension funds, and a host of other areas."
State has $5.2B in COVID aid to help you pay rent, utility debts. How to apply
Sac Bee, HANNAH WILEY: "Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law to extend the state’s eviction moratorium through September and boost funding for a rent relief program set up to keep tenants and landlords out of debt.
The moratorium, which has been lengthened several times, was scheduled to sunset on June 30. But tenants groups fought for an extension amid concerns that the deadline would bring a wave of evictions before billions in aid had been administered.
To avoid eviction, renters must continue to prove economic hardship caused by the pandemic and pay at least 25% of their total rent by Oct. 1. But the rent relief program now has $5.2 billion in federal funds to help tenants and landlords cover 100% of their debts. Applicants who qualify can get months of help for arrears dating back to April 2020."
Triple-digit temps trigger excessive heat warning, watch for NorCal areas
The Chronicle, LAUREN HERNANDEZ: "Triple-digit temperature forecasts for this weekend have prompted National Weather Service officials to issue an excessive heat warning for much of the interior region of Northern California starting at noon Friday.
The heat warning will last through 9 p.m. Sunday and will impact cities including Stockton, Sacramento, Yuba City, Chico and Redding, National Weather Service officials in Sacramento said Wednesday.
High temperatures are expected to reach between 100 and 115 degrees, with overnight low temperatures expected to be in the upper 60s to low 80s, weather service officials said."
Column: Republican Kevin Faulconer tries to run his recall campaign as a policy wonk
GEORGE SKELTON, LA Times: "It’s likely that more than a few Californians aren’t particularly fond of Gov. Gavin Newsom but don’t see an acceptable replacement running in the recall election.
After all, this is a heavily Democratic state, and all the major replacement candidates are Republicans — and past supporters of former President Trump to boot. That’s Newsom’s greatest asset as he attempts to fend off the GOP-led recall attempt."
But for what it’s worth — which should be a lot — the candidate most qualified by experience to replace Newsom is a throwback Republican: Kevin Faulconer.
New SEIU leader wants union out of California politics. Bad idea, labor says
Sac Bee, WES VENTEICHER: "Not a dime for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Not a cent for statewide initiatives to raise taxes or to increase the minimum wage.
JUSTIN ALLEN and DANIEL J. WILLIS, EdSource: "The Covid pandemic will direct $69 billion — a record-setting amount of federal higher education aid — to the nation’s colleges and universities. The tables, maps and charts below show California leads all states, with $9.5 billion in aid approved by Congress in 2020 and 2021.
EdSource compiled data on the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) money, which was approved by Congress in three bills passed in 2020 and 2021: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed on March 2, 2020; The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act, signed on Dec., 27, 2020; and The American Rescue Plan Act, signed on March 11, 2021.
The data reflect what colleges are eligible to receive and amounts received and spent as of April 30, 2021. EdSource obtained the data from the U.S. Department of Education based on information reported by 5,696 colleges and universities."
Evacuations underway in Mendocino County as Broiler Fire threatens properties
The Chronicle, LAUREN HERNANDEZ: "A vegetation fire burning in Mendocino County destroyed one structure, threatened dozens of other structures and prompted mandatory evacuations on Wednesday, fire officials said.
The blaze, dubbed the Broiler Fire, was burning off of Uva Drive and Finne Road, which is southwest of Redwood Valley in Mendocino County, Cal Fire officials said. The fire was threatening 80 structures in the area, Cal Fire said.
Mandatory evacuations were issued for the area south of Uva Place from Highway 101 to Linnex Drive and south on Uva Drive, and Uva Drive south to Central Avenue to the Highway 101 off-ramp, Mendocino County sheriff’s officials said. Cal Fire officials described the region as “populated” and urged residents to “heed all evacuation orders.”"
Helicopter fighting NorCal wildfire goes down in lake -- pilot ok, officials say
Sac Bee, SAM STANTON: "A contract helicopter fighting the Lava Fire near the Northern California city of Weed made an emergency landing in Lake Shastina on Wednesday afternoon, but the pilot was able to escape unharmed, the U.S. Forest Service said.
There were no injuries or damages caused by the incident in Siskiyou County, and the pilot was able to either swim or walk to safety from the lake, according to Forest Service spokesman Jose Acosta.
“The helicopter pilot apparently didn’t want to be taken to the hospital,” Acosta said."
Bay Area COVID deaths plunge to near zero, thanks to high vaxx rates
The Chronicke, ERIN ALLDAY: "COVID-19 deaths have nearly bottomed out in the Bay Area, with an average of one new death reported a day for the nine-county region — the lowest number since the start of the pandemic and a dramatic drop from the winter surge, when nearly 70 people were dying every day.
The region reported no deaths Sunday through Tuesday, the first time three consecutive days have passed without a COVID fatality in more than 15 months. Deaths statewide have also dropped sharply, to about 20 a day from a peak of more than 500 in January.
Nationally, average daily deaths have declined to about 200, the fewest since late March 2020."
Richard Brown, newly minted union leader, uses social media to address issues
Sac bee, ADAM ASHTON: "The newly elected president of California state government’s largest union needled his rivals on social media over the past year and laid out a campaign to take the organization out of state and local politics.
Here’s a look at some of SEIU Local 1000 President Richard Louis Brown’s messages on Twitter."
Sacramento residents asked to cut water usage as California drought, intense heat worsen
City Manager Howard Chan moved the city into Stage 1 of its contingency plan, which mandates a 10% cut by city government and a voluntary call to residents and businesses to do the same, according to spokesman Carlos Eliason.
If additional measures need to be taken, they would require action by the City Council."
California joins multi-state lawsuit against Google, alleges monopoly of mobile app market
The Chronicle, LAUREN HERNANDEZ: "California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against Google along with dozens of other states alleging that the company is violating state and federal antitrust laws by monopolizing the smartphone app market with its Google Play app store.
The 144-page complaint, filed on Wednesday, alleges Google entered “into agreements” with cell phone manufacturers to guarantee Android phones offer customers Google Play as the “primary (and often only)” mobile app store to purchase and download applications; and “illegally tied its in-app payment services to its app distribution services by requiring any app distributed through the Google Play Store” to use Google Play Billing for in-app purchases.
Representatives with Google — which is headquartered in Mountain View — could not be reached on Wednesday evening."
New poll numbers indicate SF board members in danger if recall election is held
The Chronicle, HEATHER KNIGHT: "Siva Raj often receives gifts of thanks when he’s at farmers’ markets collecting signatures to qualify a recall effort of three San Francisco school board members for the ballot. Coffee, doughnuts, cookies, strawberries. “Everything!” he said with a laugh.
But a new memo from a top Bay Area pollster outlining very grim unfavorable numbers for the three board members and strong support for recalling them, particularly among parents of kids in the city’s public schools, proved especially validating.
“It doesn’t surprise us,” Raj said. “On the streets that’s exactly what we’re seeing. Pretty much anyone who is remotely aware of the situation is eager to sign.”"
SLO judge rejects Paul Flores' request to silence Kristin Smart family's civil attorney
Sac Bee, MATT FOUNTAIN: "A San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a request by the accused killer of missing Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart to place a gag order on the Smart family’s civil attorney.
A request was filed by Paul Flores’ civil attorney July 1 in the long-stalled wrongful death lawsuit brought against Flores by Smart’s parents in 1996, months after their daughter was last seen walking on campus with Flores following a Memorial Day weekend party.
The judge in the criminal case against Paul Flores and his father Ruben granted a protective order — also known as a gag order — which prohibits all parties from making public statements about the case outside of court proceedings."
A breakdown of $69B in federal COVID relief to the nation's colleges and universities
EdSource, JUSTIN ALLEN/DANIEL J WILLIS: "The Covid pandemic will direct $69 billion — a record-setting amount of federal higher education aid — to the nation’s colleges and universities. The tables, maps and charts below show California leads all states, with $9.5 billion in aid approved by Congress in 2020 and 2021.
EdSource compiled data on the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) money, which was approved by Congress in three bills passed in 2020 and 2021: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed on March 2, 2020; The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act, signed on Dec., 27, 2020; and The American Rescue Plan Act, signed on March 11, 2021.
The data reflect what colleges are eligible to receive and amounts received and spent as of April 30, 2021. EdSource obtained the data from the U.S. Department of Education based on information reported by 5,696 colleges and universities."
SF's jobs-to-housing ratio is disturbing. Here's how the gap is widening
The Chronicle, LAUREN HEPLER: "It’s no secret that the Bay Area has more jobs than housing.
But a new analysis of 20 metropolitan areas in the U.S. reveals just how much wider that gap is getting here compared with other major employment hubs, adding fuel to political and legal clashes over the region’s notorious unaffordability and strict building rules.
For every new home permitted in the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas from 2009-2019, there were more than three jobs created, according to a report released Wednesday by libertarian-leaning think tank the Manhattan Institute. In San Francisco, home to the worst “jobs-housing mismatch” of the cities studied, there were nearly 3.5 new jobs for every new home. In San Jose, it was 3.2 jobs."
The Chronicle, SARAH RAVANI: "wwThe Oakland A’s plans to build a waterfront ballpark hit a snag on Wednesday when Oakland City Council members sharply rebuked the organization for not including affordable housing in its massive development plan — a sticking point for city leaders before a critical vote on July 20 on the project.
The criticism surfaced during a special meeting on the A’s $12 billion project at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square, which includes a ballpark and 3,000 residential units, among other plans. The meeting marked the first time council members discussed the project that, if approved, will dramatically change the city’s waterfront and generate jobs and tax revenue for Oakland.
Councilman Dan Kalb asked A’s President Dave Kaval whether the A’s would commit to including affordable housing or, as an alternative, paying an impact fee to the city. City law requires developers to build a certain number of affordable housing units in housing projects. Developers can opt out of building the housing if they pay an impact fee."