Gov. Brown's 'environmental evangelism' has paid off: His cap-and-trade extension narrowly made it through the Legislature after being denounced, left and right.
The Chronicle's DAVID R. BAKER: "Gov. Jerry Brown’s bid to keep California’s cap-and-trade system — a key weapon against global warming — running through 2030 won the approval Monday night of state legislators, by the narrowest of margins."
"Despite fierce opposition from both the left and the right, Brown’s bill won approval in the senate and assembly, with barely a vote to spare. The approvals ensured that a climate program Brown has touted as a model for other states and countries will continue past 2020."
READ MORE related to Cap-and-Trade: The six ways Jerry Brown got a vote for the climate deal -- SacBee's Dan Smith; California Legislature extends state's cap-and-trade program in rare bipartisan effort to address climate change -- LA Times' MELANIE MASON/CHRIS MEGERIAN;
USC medical school dean Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito finds himself embattled in scandal after yesterday's reveal about the professor's secret, drug-fueled double-life.
LA Times' ADAM ELMAHREK/SARAH PARVINI/PAUL PRINGLE/MATT HAMILTON: "The former dean of USC’s medical school is on leave and is no longer seeing patients after the Los Angeles Times reported that he associated with criminals and drug users who said he abused methamphetamine and other drugs, university officials said Monday."
"Carmen A. Puliafito led the Keck School of Medicine for nearly a decade before resigning in 2016. He remained on the Keck faculty and continued to represent the university at public events."
"Puliafito, a noted ophthalmologist, also continued to accept patients at campus eye clinics as recently as this weekend, according to his USC Web page."
READ MORE related to Education: Pasadena disciplined officer who didn't report overdose allegedly tied to USC dean -- Daily News' JASON HENRY; Tuition hike remains in Cal State University budget -- Daily News' ANDREW EDWARDS; The UC application process is changing -- and some people don't like it -- East Bay Times' EMILY DERUY
Two local California counties are suing Big Oil over their impact on climate change.
The Chronicle's KURTIS ALEXANDER: "Two Bay Area counties and a Southern California city concerned about rising sea levels sued 37 of the world’s biggest oil and coal companies Monday, claiming the fossil fuel giants should pay for damages wrought by climate change — a first-of-its-kind challenge that some liken to the high-stakes litigation of the tobacco industry in the 1990s."
"Marin County, San Mateo County and Imperial Beach (San Diego County) filed separate but nearly identical lawsuits in their respective Superior Court offices that seek to tie fossil fuel development to climate-related problems in coastal areas. Lawyers for the three communities worked together to document such effects as more frequent flooding and beach erosion as well as the possibility that water will eventually inundate roads, airports, sewage treatment plants and other real estate."
"The lawyers contend that the oil companies knew about the damage their actions were causing, denied it and sought to discredit scientific findings that greenhouse gas emissions were heating the Earth’s atmosphere."
READ MORE related to Environmental: LADWP paid out $435 million in pension benefits last year, watchdog says -- LA Daily News' ELIZABETH CHOU; 'Please Stay Out': Wildfire scorches 11,200 acres in Central Valley, triggering evacuations -- LA Times' VERONICA ROCHA/ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN; Flash floods happen less here than Arizona, but the risk is still real -- Valley Tribune's STEVE SCAUZILLO; Elon Musk warns of artificial intelligence's risk to human civilization -- Daily Breeze's SANDY MAZZA
U.S. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell's health care strategy fails, as members of his party peel off.
AP: "The latest GOP effort to repeal and replace "Obamacare" was fatally wounded in the Senate Monday night when two more Republican senators announced their opposition to the legislation strongly backed by President Donald Trump."
"The announcements from Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas left the Republican Party's long-promised efforts to get rid of President Barack Obama's health care legislation reeling. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that he will retreat, and try to pass the more straightforward Obamacare repeal bill that Republicans approved while Obama was still in office and certain to veto it. That looks unlikely to succeed now that it could actually become law and unleash wide-ranging effects likely to frighten off senators.
"Regretfully, it is now apparent that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful," McConnell said in a statement that sounded like a death knell to the GOP's promises to repeal Obamacare and replace it with something better."
READ MORE related to Health: Two more Republican senators announce opposition to healthcare bill, dooming latest GOP plan -- LA Times' LISA MASCARO
Meanwhile, Trump's border wall construction may begin in the Rio Grande Valley, threatening a historical wild life refuge which has environmentalists livid and galvanizing for a fight.
LA Times' JENNY JARVIE/BRIAN BENNETT: "Environmentalists along the U.S.-Mexico border are gearing up for a fight as federal officials zero in on the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to build the first stretch of the border wall promised by President Trump."
"Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used a drilling rig to extract soil samples at the Rio Grande Valley refuge to prepare for the possibility of constructing three miles of concrete levee wall and fence, according to a federal Homeland Security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal planning for the wall."
"There is no money in the current federal budget for wall construction on the site. But federal engineers are preparing on the basis that Congress could approve funding for the 2018 budget year, the official said."
READ MORE related to Beltway/Kremlingate: Trump admin certifies that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal the president condemned -- LA Times' BRIAN BENNETT/NOAH BIERMAN
The Bay Area BART transportation system has seen a drastic spike in violent, victimizing crimes since last year.
The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "Rapes and other sexual crimes at BART have increased in the first six months of the year, according to police."
"Although the overall numbers are small, BART figures reported to the FBI show significant increases in violent sex crimes."
"The news comes in the midst of growing public concern about safety on BART as well as a debate over how much information about crime BART should report to the public."
READ MORE related to Transportation: NTSB: Air Canada close-call at SFO was even worse than first reported -- East Bay Times' MATTHIAS GAFNI
House Republicans today will unveil their 10-year budget plan, which is expected to target the country's social safety net and bolster our military funding.
AP: "House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled a 10-year budget blueprint that would dramatically increase military spending while putting the GOP on record favoring Medicare cuts opposed by President Donald Trump."
"The GOP plan, authored by Budget Chairman Diane Black, R-Tenn., would also pave the way for overhauling the U.S. tax code this fall, and would pair that effort with cuts to benefit programs such as food stamps. The plan also lays out a plan to balance the budget inside a decade through deep cuts to a wide swath of domestic programs — though GOP leaders have no intention of actually carrying out the cuts."
"Black announced a committee vote for Wednesday, but action by the entire House could be delayed by an ongoing quarrel between the GOP's tea party and moderate factions over spending cuts."
READ MORE related to Economy: Bay Area rent increases leave wage gains in the dust -- East Bay Times' GEORGE AVALOS
Los Angeles County is considering drafting a "foster care bill of rights."
Daily News' HOLDEN SLATTERY: "As a former foster youth who now works at a group home in Los Angeles County, Laura Lomeli has seen how the system can fail to keep youth informed about their rights."
"During about seven years she spent in foster care Lomeli attended 17 different high schools."
"In addition to a rocky path through the educational system, Lomeli also struggled with being separated from her five biological siblings while she was in care and never having a chance to visit them."
