From Mammoth to Tahoe, powerful blizzard could sock Sierra with up to 12 feet of snow
LAT's RONG-GONG LIN II: "A powerful storm expected to hit California starting Thursday could bring the strongest blizzard of the winter for the Sierra Nevada, potentially dumping 5 to 12 feet of snow at elevations 5,000 feet above sea level.
“Even by Sierra standards, this is shaping up to be a highly impactful, major winter storm,” the National Weather Service office in Reno said. “If these snow totals hold, this will easily be the biggest storm of the season.”"
Who are the independent groups pouring money into California’s U.S. Senate race?
BANG*Mercury News's JOHN WOOLFOLK and HARRIET BLAIR ROWAN: "The four leading candidates in the battle for California’s hotly contested U.S. Senate seat have spent a combined $69 million wooing voters before the March 5 primary, and independent Super PACs have pumped more than $16 million of their own into influencing the outcome.
Wealthy donors, including philanthropists and environmental lawyers, supporters of Israel and cryptocurrency businesses, are behind the race’s super PACs — political action committees that can raise unlimited money for or against candidates and operate independently from their campaigns."
What would Adam Schiff do as California’s U.S. senator?
CALMatters's YUE STELLA YU: "Adam Schiff appears primed to finish first in the March 5 primary for California’s U.S. Senate seat.
For months, the Burbank Democrat has consistently led in polls ahead of his colleagues in Congress — Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee — and the leading Republican, former baseball star Steve Garvey."
California home insurance crisis: Nationwide subsidiary to leave state
The Chronicle's MEGAN FAN MUNCE: "Crestbrook Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Nationwide, is the latest insurer to withdraw home coverage from the state of California, according to public filings.
By June 15, 2025, Crestbrook, also known as Nationwide Private Client, will stop renewing all home insurance policies within the state, according to a filing with the California Department of Insurance. The move is part of a nationwide decision to scale back Nationwide’s Private Client business, which specifically caters to wealthy homeowners, according to a Nationwide spokesperson."
Black community advocates call for investment in lieu of cash reparations amid S.F. apology
The Chronicle's ALDO TOLEDO: "Advocates for San Francisco’s Black community urged the city Tuesday to invest in five key areas to help Black residents instead of paying cash reparations as the debate about how to address decades of historic injustices continues.
The push came as city leaders voted Tuesday to formally apologize to the African American community for racist policies and displacement."
Budget constraints would hit Californians with developmental disabilities hard (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly's AMY WESTLING: "California’s tax revenue continues to fall short of initial forecasts, with a current budget deficit of $73 billion, and further expected shortfalls that could very likely result in even more spending cuts, additional delays, and deferrals.
As policymakers and the Administration continue to identify opportunities for General Fund savings that would be least harmful to those supported by social services programs, the current fiscal reality does not bode well for California’s regional center system and the over 430,000 individuals with developmental disabilities it serves. In fact, a shocking $1 billion dollar loss for the system is looming in the Governor’s recently-released proposed budget."
Fuel theft, commercial property crime demands urgent attention
Capitol Weekly's ELIZABETH GRAHAM: "As a concerned Californian and representative of more than 10,000 fuel and convenience stores, most of them small and ethnic-owned businesses, I’ve watched with growing apprehension as our state unsuccessfully tries to curb rising crime rates, particularly commercial property crimes. While the focus on addressing retail theft is much needed, it’s time we shed light on the alarming surge in burglaries, looting, and arson that is wreaking havoc on businesses across California. We have to do more to help prevent these crimes, rather than simply reacting after the damage is done – not only to protect economic stability, but more importantly, to protect the well-being of our communities.
“Smash-and-grabs” at CVSs, Targets, and other retail stores, are at the front-and-center in the media cycle lately, and rightfully so. Commercial property crimes tend to fly under the radar, not capturing the attention needed, because most happen within industrial and manufacturing locations and away from the public eye. Unfortunately, in my role as our association’s CEO, I hear these stories all the time. It’s hard to witness the emotional and financial toll these crimes take on business owners who pour their heart and soul into their enterprises, only to have their hard work reduced to ashes by criminals."
Column: The Eastside, cradle of Latino politics, is squabbling once again
LAT's GUSTAVO ARELLANO: "Sipping on an iced cappuccino, Antonio Villaraigosa beamed as he described the pinnacle of his career.
His late-1990s stint as speaker of the California Assembly? Nah. Serving as the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles in 133 years? Important, but that wasn’t it. Continuing to advise political hopefuls across Los Angeles County? Nope."
CALMatters's WENDY FRY: "As one volunteer said, it feels back to “zero” in San Diego after a migrant reception center ran out of money, leading federal Border Patrol officers to begin dropping off hundreds of people at a trolley station over the weekend.
The so-called “street releases” in San Diego have touched off disagreements among federal, state and local officials about how to assist the new arrivals and who should pay for it. They also reflect a broader challenge President Joe Biden faces trying to manage unprecedented numbers of people arriving at the US-Mexico border."
After weeks of protest, tiny Ojai passes Gaza cease-fire resolution
The Chronicle's HAILEY BRANSON-POTTS: "After weeks of protest that included a man soaked in fake blood pretending to die on the floor of City Hall, the Ojai City Council this week passed a resolution calling for a cease-fire between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
The symbolic measure passed on a 3-1 vote, with one councilwoman absent, during a special meeting Monday dedicated solely to the resolution."
S.F. Macy’s closing is huge setback for Mayor Breed. Here’s how she’s responding
The Chronicle's J.D. MORRIS and ALDO TOLEDO: "The shocking planned closure of the flagship Macy’s store in San Francisco’s ailing Union Square shopping district is a huge blow to City Hall’s efforts to combat an incessant exodus of major retailers and revive the city’s downtown.
Mayor London Breed, who has made turning around downtown a top priority, is arguing as she seeks reelection this year that she’s beginning to make progress on improving business conditions. The bombshell Macy’s decision to sell its Union Square location immediately complicated Breed’s pitch to voters, and some of her reelection challengers quickly seized on the news to criticize her administration."
READ MORE -- Behind the Macy’s closure: ‘This is a Union Square problem. Not a San Francisco problem’ -- The Chronicle's CHASE DIFELICIANTONIO; S.F. Macy’s closure could hurt Union Square’s shops, restaurants -- The Chronicle's ROLAND LI and MARIO CORTEZ
Increasing access can raise number of California students eligible for 4-year colleges, panel says
EdSource's LASHERICA THORNTON: "California high schools can increase the number of students completing college prep courses if they raise awareness and support student success, according to panelists at EdSource’s roundtable, Keeping options open: Why most students aren’t eligible to apply to California’s public universities.
Throughout the discussion on Tuesday, the panelists explored why a majority of high school students fail to complete A-G requirements — courses they need to qualify for admission to the University of California or California State University systems — and offered ways that schools can help change that."
Academy with millions of dollars in government funding helps hospitality workers get better jobs
CALMatters's LEVI SUMAGAYSAY: "Dulce Solano, a 49-year-old immigrant from Mexico, has worked in this country for two decades, juggling multiple jobs, day and night. Until a little over a year ago, she had never had a weekend off.
In late 2022, she completed a free, nearly three-month line-cook program from the Los Angeles-based Hospitality Training Academy and got a union job at University of Southern California, where she is now the head of the deli at Little Galen, a campus cafe."
UC Berkeley lecture by Israeli lawyer shut down by violent student protests
The Chronicle's NANETTE ASIMOV: "Hundreds of anti-Israel student protesters broke down the door of UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Playhouse on Monday night, smashing a window and preventing an Israeli speaker from addressing a few dozen Jewish students.
Danielle Sobkin, one of the organizers who invited Israeli lawyer Ran Bar-Yoshafat, said the mob grabbed a sophomore who tried to attend the event, called him a “dirty Jew” and spit on him. She said that protesters also shoved a senior into the auditorium door as she tried to check in attendees, and that they grabbed a freshman by her neck."
Police chases are killing more and more Americans. With lax rules, it’s no accident
The Chronicle's JENNIFER GOLLAN and SUSIE NEILSON: "From behind the wheel, the Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputy flicked on his emergency lights, but not his siren, as he pulled behind a white Honda Accord on a busy road. He would later say he initiated a stop because the driver changed lanes and made a U-turn without signaling.
The driver spotted the flashing lights just before 10 p.m. on April 26, 2021, and accelerated. The cars hurtled north along the Lawrence Expressway in West San Jose."
Former California state worker pleads guilty to stealing diamonds, coins on the job for years
Sacramento Bee's ISHANI DESAI: "A former California State Controller’s Office employee pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing diamonds worth $300,000 and coins while at work over a seven year period, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
Court records show Miguel Espinosa had a preliminary hearing Tuesday. Prosecutors said he pleaded guilty to three counts of grand theft."
Traveling to Tahoe? Driving conditions could be ‘impossible’ as blizzard targets Sierra
The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "With a blizzard bearing down on the Sierra Nevada this week, Tahoe-bound travelers are being urged to get to their destination before Thursday evening — or avoid getting on the highways at all.
A whopper of a winter storm is expected to smother the Sierra for four days starting Thursday night, dumping as much as 12 feet of snow, bringing blizzard conditions and dangerous driving, and possibly closing highways."