Monterey Park mass shooting: S.F. officials pledge extra safety measures for Lunar New Year events
The Chronicle, JESSICA FLORES/J.D. MORRIS: "The mass shooting that left 10 people dead and at least 10 injured overnight in Southern California spread unease Sunday over events marking Lunar New Year in San Francisco, where officials said they planned to increase police presence at large gatherings and upcoming festivities.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Mayor London Breed addressed hundreds of people gathered on a chilly Sunday morning at Portsmouth Square in San Francisco’s Chinatown to mark the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit.
“Our hearts and our prayers go out to the families and the loved ones of those who were killed and those who were injured, and we pray that in the city and county of San Francisco, we continue to lead with all of those things that the rabbit represents: mercy and kindness,” said Breed, who was joined by several members of the Board of Supervisors and police and fire officials. She initiated a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting and their families in Monterey Park, just east of Los Angeles, amid Lunar New Year celebrations."
Authorities identify suspected gunman in Lunar New Year mass shooting
LA Times, STAFF: "Authorities have identified the man responsible for a deadly shooting inside a Monterey Park dance studio as 72-year-old Hemet resident Huu Can Tran.
Tran died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a strip mall parking lot, law enforcement sources said.
“We still are not clear on the motive,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. “The investigation continues … we want to know how something this awful can happen.”"
After Monterey Park shooting, gunman targeted Alhambra dance studio, sources say
LA Times, RICHARD WINTON/JULIA WICK: "Authorities believe that after opening fire at a Monterey Park dance studio Saturday night, the Lunar New Year gunman went to a second dance facility not far away in Alhambra, law enforcement officials said.
No one was hurt at Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra, the sources said, but there was a physical altercation and the man left in a white van.
“Some individuals wrestled the firearm from him, and that individual took off” in what some witnesses described as a white cargo van, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said of the Alhambra incident."
Bay Area leaders react to L.A. mass shooting, increase security at local Lunar New Year events
BANG*Mercury News, GABRIEL GRESCHLER/JAKOB RODGERS: "A mass shooting in Los Angeles late Saturday night on Lunar New Year’s Eve that killed 10 people drew condolences from multiple Bay Area officials and dampened the mood at celebrations on Sunday as law enforcement beefed up security at local events in San Jose and San Francisco.
The shooting — one of California’s worst in recent memory — occurred at a ballroom dance studio in the city of Monterey Park, about seven miles east of downtown. L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said it was too early to tell whether the Lunar New Year celebrations were connected to the shooting and a motive has not yet been established. An additional 10 people are injured.
On Sunday afternoon, authorities breached a white van in the city of Torrance that they believe is connected to the gunman and whose driver was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot. An advisory from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as an adult Asian man, about 5 foot, 10 inches and weighing 150 pounds. An image showed the man in a black leather jacket, beanie and glasses."
Voters turn sharply against Kevin de León, favor recall, poll finds
LA Times, RACHEL URANGA/MELISSA GOMEZ: "Voters in Councilman Kevin de León’s district have little confidence in him, and as a scandal involving racist comments continues to dog him, a majority want him to resign, a new Los Angeles Times poll shows.
The poll paints a grim political picture for De León, the former state legislator and once-rising Democratic star who has adamantly refused to step down, despite a chorus of calls to go that has reached from protesters at City Council meetings to President Biden.
After a nearly two-month absence from the council, De León returned last month, hoping to repair his reputation and promising to fight for constituents in his Latino, working-class district."
‘We will not back down’: Harris spotlights abortion, challenges GOP in Florida speech
The Chronicle, COURTNEY SUBRAMANIAN: "In a direct challenge to Republicans, Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ home turf on Sunday to proclaim her party’s commitment to restoring abortion rights for every American.
Harris intended the defiant speech in Tallahassee, where state legislators last year passed a law outlawing abortions after 15 weeks of gestation, to send an unmistakable signal that Democrats are not ready to give up on access to the procedure for women in red states like Florida.
“The right of every woman in every state in the country to make decisions about her own body is on the line,” Harris told a crowd at the Moon, a concert venue less than two miles from the state Capitol."
Santa Clara County district attorney sworn in for fourth term
BANG*Mercury News, ROBERT SALONGA: "Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen was sworn in for his fourth term Thursday as he pledged to build a “house of justice” for the South Bay through strong prosecution and an eye for “pragmatic” reforms.
Rosen renewed his post at a ceremony at the Board of Supervisors chambers in San Jose, which was attended by elected officials and law-enforcement leaders from throughout the Bay Area. Campbell-based Assemblymember Evan Low emceed the event, while longtime South Bay Rep. Zoe Lofgren formally introduced Rosen as he took his fourth oath of office.
“I know that he will uphold our Constitution; he will serve our citizens with great distinction,” Lofgren said."
BANG*Mercury News, JULIA PRODIS SULEK: "Downstream, search crews found Kyle Doan’s muddy lunchbox with an applesauce pouch and fruit gummies. They found a scattering of DVDs, the ones the 5-year-old watched in the back seat of the family’s dark gray Chevy Traverse: “Aladdin,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.”
From the muck they pulled his mother’s laptop and the pink pencil case she carried as a special ed teacher at Lillian Larsen Elementary school where Kyle was a kindergartener.
They still haven’t found Kyle."
Blustery winds, king tides expected to impact Bay Area
BANG*Mercury News, JAKOB RODGERS: "Blustery winds are expected to hit much of the Bay Area on Sunday afternoon, potentially downing trees that remain weakened after the powerful run of atmospheric rivers that hit the region earlier this month.
Gusts of 45 to 50 mph are expected to begin howling early Sunday afternoon over much of the low-lying areas of the Bay Area, including San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco, said Dalton Behringer, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Ridgetops across the Oakland hills and the Santa Cruz Mountains could see gusts of up to 60 mph, he added. As a result, the National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory through 7 a.m. Monday for almost the entire Bay Area.
While sunny skies have helped to slightly dry out soils across the region over the last several days, Behringer warned that the ground remains saturated with water after the series of deluges that hit the state from late December through the middle of January."
Wind advisory raises concern for storm-battered Bay Area — here’s what to expect
The Chronicle, KELLIE HWANG: "Wind gusts of 45 to 60 mph are expected to sweep across some parts of the Bay Area from Sunday afternoon through Monday morning, prompting a wind advisory and raising concerns that power lines could come down and trees could topple after recent historic storms weakened the soil.
The strongest winds are expected in higher elevations and in gap areas, including at peaks, ridges, passes and near the coast, according to Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Down in the valleys, lower gusts from 40 to 45 mph could develop, particularly in the San Bruno gap, “areas where you have the terrain coming together” such as the Golden Gate Bridge, north of Angel Island and the San Pablo Bay, Behringer said Sunday."
Report details hectic response to storms in Sacramento area. Here’s how bad it got
Sac Bee, SAWSAN MORRAR: "City and regional officials are showing just how thin their crews were spread during New Year’s storms that pummeled the Sacramento region.
Consumnes Fire Brigade answered twice the typical number of emergency calls during an initial 48-hour period. They took 145 calls on Dec. 31 and 126 on Jan. 1.
Many were from stranded drivers, Chief Robert Kasparian said, with some ignoring warnings and driving into trouble."
Rep. Kevin Kiley honors Folsom firefighters for dog rescue, recaps visit to storm-hit areas
Sac Bee, ALEX MUEGGE: "Who let the dog out? That would be the Folsom Fire Department.
U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, visited the department’s Station 35 on Friday to award certificates of congressional recognition to firefighters who went “above and beyond the call of duty” after saving the life of a local dog, according to a news release from Kiley’s office.
Kiley formally recognized fire Capt. Lukas Carter, Jared Ralph and engineer Alex Karp for rescuing and providing immediate care to a dog that was limp, lethargic and suffered burns, according to a city news post."
Why California is urging people who got middle class tax refunds to withdraw the money ASAP
The Chronicle, KATHLEEN PENDER: "To prevent fraud, the Franchise Tax Board is urging Californians who receive their middle class tax refund on a Visa debit card to withdraw the money or transfer the funds to a bank account as soon as possible.
Since at least December, some card recipients who tried to withdraw funds or check their balance after activation discovered that they had been depleted by thieves, some of whom spent the money at out-of-state retailers. People who called the card issuer to complain often faced long waits on hold or never got through, according to KGO-TV in San Francisco.
Assembly Member Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, has heard from 10 to 20 constituents whose cards were depleted, his office reported.
The office of Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, has received complaints from nine constituents, including two on Thursday."
What to know about filing your 2022 tax return, as IRS warns of smaller refunds for some
The Chronicle, KATHLEEN PENDER: "Though Bay Area residents and many other Californians are getting a one-month federal and state extension because of the brutal winter storms, tax time is still approaching — and as usual, many people will find a batch of baffling changes on their 2022 returns.
Most of the major changes affecting individuals this year, however, don’t stem from new tax laws, but from the expiration of tax breaks designed to help people weather the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The Internal Revenue Service warns that people losing certain tax credits “will likely receive a significantly smaller refund compared with the previous tax year.”
Congress did pass two major tax-related laws last year — the Inflation Reduction Ac t in August and the — retirement-focused Secure 2.0 Act in December - but most of their provisions won’t take effect until 2023 or later."
The San Francisco Inquirer looks like local news. Here’s why politicians are furious with the site
The Chronicle, SHIRA STEIN: "A New York consultant who reportedly published false news articles about political figures has created a website called the San Francisco Inquirer, which is designed as a local news site but appears to be an effort to pressure federal lawmakers into supporting the consultant’s client, a Bay Area-based tribe.
The website has so riled California lawmakers that it was recently the subject of a tense meeting in Washington, D.C., between the tribe’s chair and five members of Congress, according to audio of the meeting obtained by The Chronicle.
In late 2022, the Inquirer began publishing articles castigating Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, and others, saying they were impeding the Castro Valley-based Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s effort to obtain official recognition."
State COVID testing sites begin to close
CALMatters, KRISTEN HWANG: "California is preparing to close dozens of state-run COVID-19 testing and treatment sites ahead of the planned end of the state of emergency in February.
Sites that are operating under 50% capacity are scheduled to close before the end of January. Forty-four OptumServe sites will be shuttered this week, and 48 mobile “mini-buses” will begin closing in two weeks, according to the California Department of Public Health. OptumServe, a health care operations company, runs 123 testing and treatment sites along with four vaccination clinics through state contracts.
The health care giant has at least four contracts, under its former name Logistics Health, with the state totalling $1.05 billion to provide testing and vaccination services though it has been criticized in the past for its bumpy rollout. Another branch of the company signed an additional $47 million contract to design a data management system for COVID-19 test results."
Californians need transparency to prevent abuse of federal drug pricing program
Capitol Weekly, DR. WARREN FONG: "OPINION:Some California hospitals and pharmacies are exploiting a federal assistance program that was created to help vulnerable communities access low-cost treatments. Instead, these healthcare systems and chain pharmacies continue charging some underserved patients high costs for their medicines while pocketing the discounts to boost their own bottom lines. To ensure that low-income and uninsured California families are receiving the intended benefits of this important safety net program, it is important that policymakers take steps to institute proper oversight and transparency to the 340B prescription drug program.
Congress created the 340B Drug Pricing Program in 1992 with a good intent: to protect safety-net hospitals from escalating drug prices by allowing them to purchase medications at a discount from manufacturers. These savings were then supposed to be passed down to the patient, with hospitals providing low- or no-cost treatments to qualifying individuals. However, once these hospitals receive the discount, there is no requirement that they pass the savings on to consumers. Thirty years later, we are seeing some hospitals and pharmacies take advantage of loopholes in the program to profit on the backs of vulnerable, underserved, and underinsured patients."
After Madera’s hospital closure, could others follow?
CALMatters, ANA B. IBARRA/NICOL FOY: "In Madera County, one-fifth of residents live in poverty and many don’t have health insurance.
The last thing this largely rural, Latino-majority part of the San Joaquin Valley needed was for its only general hospital to close its doors.
But years of financial struggles forced 106-bed Madera Community Hospital and its three clinics to shut down completely in early January. And state lawmakers and industry officials warn it could be only the first community hospital to close in California."
Thieves are breaking into Bay Area garages using this novel technique, police warn
The Chronicle, RACHEL SWAN: "Police in Marin County are investigating a string of garage burglaries in which thieves use improvised tools to swipe high-end bicycles — a crime pattern that’s also surging in San Francisco.
In the course of roughly six weeks, residents of Corte Madera, Larkspur and San Anselmo reported 10 break-ins with similar elements: After casing a neighborhood, a perpetrator walked up to a garage door with a clear glass panel, punctured a hole in the glass and then deployed a rod and hook to grab the emergency cord and pull the door open.
“This is definitely more ingenious than the traditional break-in of a door, or smashing of a window,” Capt. Hamid Khalili of the Central Marin Police Authority said in an interview, hours after the agency posted an advisory to warn people about the incidents."
LA Times, RUBEN VIVES/RACHEL URANGA/ROBERT J. LOPEZ/JESSICA GARRISON/GENARO MOLINA: "Two days after six people, including a baby, were executed here, neighbors watched warily as detectives from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office pored over the crime scene looking for evidence.
It was a busy morning in the neighborhood. A few houses away, agents wearing jackets that said “POLICE” rapped on the front door. When a Times reporter approached asking for information, a man wearing a badge that appeared to be from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration identified himself as a federal agent and said he was in the area on a separate case.
The man offered no further details, but the exchange illustrates a hard fact of life for many residents in these farm towns: Rural parts of the San Joaquin Valley have become some of the most violent places in California, with a bustling drug trade and among the highest rates of murder and lowest rates of solving murders."
LAPD ban of ‘thin blue line’ flags is latest salvo in culture war
The Chronicle, LIBOR JANY: "For some, the “thin blue line” flag is an expression of solidarity with police officers who have lost their lives on the job.
To others, the black-and-white American flag with a single blue stripe is a potent symbol of the ties between right-wing extremism and American law enforcement.
The tension between those irreconcilable interpretations spilled over in the Los Angeles Police Department this month, when Chief Michel Moore ordered the flag, which was widely displayed in station lobbies around the city, to be removed from public view."
New report affirming Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper’s guilt hasn’t put doubts about the case to rest
The Chronicle, BOB EGELKO: "Kevin Cooper’s death sentence for the 1983 murders of a married couple and two children in San Bernardino County is probably the most contentious capital case in California. And it is likely to remain so, despite the findings of a state-ordered special investigation that Cooper was clearly guilty and had not been framed.
State and federal courts have upheld Cooper’s convictions and death sentence for the fatal stabbings of Doug and Peggy Ryen, their 10-year-old daughter, Jessica Ryen, and 11-year-old house guest Christopher Hughes at the Ryens’ home in Chino Hills. Cooper had escaped two days earlier from a nearby prison, where he was serving a sentence for burglary.
But his claims of innocence have drawn wide support, including a 101-page dissenting opinion in 2009 by Judge William Fletcher and four colleagues on the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, who said there was reason to believe officers had “manipulated and planted evidence” against Cooper. Vice President Kamala Harris, when she was a U.S. senator from California, urged Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom in 2018 to order new DNA testing on evidence in the case. Newsom issued that order in February 2019, declared a moratorium on all executions in the state a month later, and, in May 2021, ordered what he described as an independent investigation into Cooper’s case."
The Chronicle, MALLORY MOENCH: "Los Angeles’ new mayor, Karen Bass, declared an emergency over homelessness the day she entered office a month ago, putting the issue at the top of her agenda.
Residents of Los Angeles — much like those in San Francisco — had vented their frustration with the situation, a focus during the mayoral election. Last year, the city of 3.9 million counted more than 41,000 people unhoused on one night.
Bass announced an operation called Inside Safe to get people in street encampments to move into shelter and on to housing, at an estimated cost of less than $100 million. So far, the city moved 31 people in Hollywood and more than 90 people in Venice into hotels, according to the mayor’s office."