Sacramento teacher strike averted. Union, city district reach deal ahead of planned walkout
Sacramento Bee's RYAN LILLIS/DIANA LAMBERT/ELLEN GARRISON: "The Sacramento City Unified School District and its teachers union reached an agreement Monday on a new contract that gives teachers up to an 11 percent raise over the three-year deal and averts a strike for the 43,000-student district."
"The deal was finalized after being brokered over the weekend by Mayor Darrell Steinberg, school district Superintendent Jorge Aguilar and the Sacramento City Teachers Association. The parties met for hours on both Saturday and Sunday, hammering out the details at the mayor’s Greenhaven home over soda and kettle corn, according to Steinberg."
"This brings relief from some very anxious moments for many, many parents and students,” Aguilar said."
In NorCal fires, weed goes up in smoke
From Capitol Weekly's CHUCK MCFADDEN: "It’s being called the Wine Country Fire, but the fatal October fires that blackened nearly 200,000 acres across Northern California might also be called the Cannabis Country Fire."
"The latest estimates from the California Department of Insurance are that the fires overall resulted in damaging or destroying more than 14,700 homes, 728 businesses, and more than 3,600 private autos, commercials vehicles, agricultural equipment and watercraft."
"Total damage has hit $3.3 billion and counting. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says the figure is sure to grow as more insurance claims come in. Forty-two people died. While most of the coverage has focused on damage to the losses of homes, business structures and the wine industry, marijuana growers were also hit hard."
GOP sees prospective gas-tax election fight as oasis in California desert
Chronicle's JOHN WILDERMUTH: "When the price of gas went up 12-cents last week, thanks to a Democrat-backed state transportation bill, California Republicans responded with reproachful head shaking and murmurs of concern for those who will be paying higher prices."
"We’re overburdened with taxes in California,” said Sue Caro, chairwoman of the Alameda County Republican Party and a state party official. “This just makes life more expensive, especially for low- and middle-income residents and seniors."
"But behind the scenes there was likely backslapping and high fives as GOP officials beamed at the prospect of putting a gas tax repeal initiative on the November 2018 ballot that could bring out droves of tax-hating Republican voters."
READ MORE related to Transportation: 3-person carpool lanes may be extended on Bay Area highways -- The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN; Sacramento gas prices rose 16 cents a gallon in the first week of the gas tax hike -- Sacramnento Bee's MARK GLOVER
If LA County health department can shut down restaurants, why not air polluters? Leaders want to know
Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM: "Does Los Angeles County’s public health department have the authority to shut down a facility that emits toxic substances into the air?"
"That’s the question two members from the Board of Supervisors want answered Tuesday as they ask county department leaders to look into the public health director’s role when it comes to companies that produce unhealthy chemicals."
"In their motion, supervisors Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger note that the department of public health has authority under state law “to assess, investigate, and shut down restaurants or food facilities when they present a serious public health hazard."
Voters to decide pot, rent control issues in low-key Tuesday election
The Chronicle's PETER FIMRITE: "A mellow off-year election could get an intriguing boost Tuesday when voters in two Bay Area cities consider marijuana taxation measures — but for those uninspired by ganja, local ballots also will feature rent control, an urban growth boundary and a school parcel tax."
"Voters in the cities of Pacifica and Cotati will decide whether to levy taxes on the gross receipts at cannabis dispensaries. The measures, both called Measure G, would raise an estimated $360,000 in Pacifica and $300,000 in Cotati, but the new taxes would also likely jack up the price of cannabis for consumers."
"The two cities are among a very few Bay Area communities going to the polls Tuesday, including several cities in Sonoma County where recent fires and a decision to accept only mail-in ballots are expected to result in an exceedingly low turnout."
READ MORE related to Cannabis: Marijuana taxes, rent control make waves in Pacific -- The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI
Trump wrong to blame mass killings on illness, rather than guns, experts say
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "President Trump on Monday attributed the slaughter of 26 people in a Texas church — the nation’s third mass killing in five weeks — to “a mental health problem,” saying it wasn’t a “guns situation."
“He’s wrong on two counts,” said Michael Stone, professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University and author of “The Anatomy of Evil,” who has studied 360 of the most notorious mass murders of the past century. “It is a gun issue. And there are very few mass murderers who are certifiably crazy."
"Critics say blaming mass killings on “mental health problems” is not only medically inaccurate, it is politically disingenuous — a “fig leaf,” to make it appear that Trump is doing something about gun violence."
READ MORE related to American Gun Violence Epidemic: Texas gunman's long slide to mass murder began when he attacked his own family -- LA Times' JENNY JARVIE; What explains US mass shootings? International comparisons suggest an answer -- NY Times' MAX FISHER/JOSH KELLER; Air Force says it failed to follow procedures, allowing Texas church shooter to obtain firearms -- WaPo's ALEX HORTON; Steve Kerr says gun violence a public-health issue -- The Chronicle's CONNOR LETOURNEAU; Texas authorities: We won't mention shooter's name again -- AP's ANDREW DALTON; Texas church gunman sent hostile text messages before attack -- AP; Sacramento faith leaders prepare congregants to cope with Texas church killings -- Sacramento Bee's STEPHEN MAGAGNINI
SF Mayor Ed Lee's poll numbers hit rock bottom
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "If poll numbers were grades, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee would be at the bottom of the class.""Lee, whose second term has been haunted by growing traffic congestion, homeless encampments and skyrocketing rents, scored a 30 percent job approval rating in a recent Public Policy Polling survey."
"Lee, whose second term has been haunted by growing traffic congestion, homeless encampments and skyrocketing rents, scored a 30 percent job approval rating in a recent Public Policy Polling survey."
"Lee’s negatives were at 50 percent, with 19 percent unsure."
Paradise Papers spotlight Apple's tax strategies amid GOP push to cut corporate rates
NY Times' DON LEE: "For years, Apple and other multinational firms have faced inquiries from government authorities about tactics they employed to lower their tax bills."
"Now, new published reports show just how some of these global corporations tapped elite tax specialists to devise clever strategies, including island havens and secretive shell companies, to avoid paying billions of dollars into government coffers."
"The disclosures contained in the so-called Paradise Papers — documents and corporate records primarily from Bermuda-based law firm Appleby — immediately added fuel to the debate over the GOP’s tax proposal released last week, which includes slashing the corporate tax rate to 20% from 35%."
Where do Southern California's House Republicans stand on tax reform?
Daily News' JEFF HORSEMAN: "The ads, fair or not, would go like this: “Californians – Republican Congressman (insert name here) voted to raise your taxes and take away your health care!"
"It’s a Democratic attack coming to your mailbox, TV and radio in 2018 if Southern California’s House Republicans, after unanimously voting in May to repeal Obamacare, support a tax reform bill that takes away deductions frequently used by California taxpayers."
"Establishment Republicans have already voted for a budget that would raise taxes on millions of middle-class families in order to give tax breaks to millionaires and overseas corporations that will increase the deficit by over a trillion dollars,” said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Drew Godinich."
Mueller investigation likely to probe Gates' moonlighting as movie producer
McClatchyDC's BEN WIEDER/PETER STONE: "Rick Gates, indicted last week with his former boss and mentor Paul Manafort in the special counsel investigation of Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election, is best known as a political consultant and lobbyist. In tandem with Manafort, he raked in tens of millions from Ukrainian and Russian oligarchs and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian political party. And when Manafort chaired Donald Trump's bid for the White House, Gates was his deputy."
"Less well known is his sideline as a Hollywood producer. Gates has been involved in a handful of films, including this year’s Walk of Fame, which starred Clint Eastwood’s son Scott."
"Some of Gates’ colleagues in those Tinseltown endeavors, however, have run into trouble with the law. Gates — who, with Manafort, was charged with money laundering and failing to disclose foreign banks accounts in the first public indictments to emerge from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe — was listed as providing backing for several films whose other producers have been accused of defrauding investors of millions of dollars."
READ MORE related to KremlinGate: Another Trump campaign aide acknowledges meeting senior Russian officials in mid-2016 -- LA Times' DAVID S. CLOUD
California homeowners could get a tax break to capture rainwater in their backyards
LA Times' MINA CORPUZ: "It was raining and Judy Adler had a broken gutter. What could have been a simple repair turned into an effort to capture rain and use it for her backyard pond. Since late 2009, Adler has collected up to 11,000 gallons of rain annually at her Walnut Creek home."
"This is doable,” she said. “This is Tinker Toy stuff."
"More people could follow in Adler’s steps under a bill in the California Legislature. The proposal, which would encourage homeowners to collect rainwater, could make its way onto the 2018 statewide ballot."
Trump admin ending protections for thousands of Nicaraguan migrants, defers decision on Hondurans
LA Times' JOSEPH TANFANI/CINDY CARCAMO: "The Trump administration said Monday it will end a special program that for years has protected more than 5,000 Nicaraguans against deportation, but stopped short of ending similar protections for immigrants from Hondurans or other countries."
"While the announcement means that the Nicaraguans who now enjoy so-called temporary protected status, or TPS, will become vulnerable to deportation in roughly 14 months, the decision was less severe than feared by immigration advocates."
"Not only did the administration defer a decision on the status of some 86,000 Honduran immigrants, but officials from the Department of Homeland Security said the administration would support action by Congress to find a permanent solution that could allow them and other protected migrants to stay."
Airbnb restrictions could cost LA thousands of jobs and millions in revenue
Daily News' KEVIN SMITH: "Local cities grappling with how exactly they want to respond to the short-term rentals popping up by the hundreds — a surge made possible through technology companies such as Airbnb and other startups — have to consider whether new rules to govern hosts could end up choking off an economic boon for their communities."
"A Los Angeles Economic Development Council report — commissioned by Airbnb just as several of the region’s largest cities are considering such ordinances — said hosts booking guests through that company alone generated more than $900 million in visitor spending in the county from May 2016 through April 2017."
"That study also claimed the spending by those visitors at outlet malls, high-end retail destinations and amusement parks supported thousands of jobs."
Reported rapes at CSUN nearly tripled in 2016, report says. Here's what else it shows
Daily News' BRENDA GAZZAR: "Fourteen rapes were reported in Cal State Northridge’s jurisdiction in 2016, nearly three times the figure reported the previous year, according to the university’s annual security report."
"Nearly all of the 14 rapes reported last year — which includes four that allegedly occurred in 2015 and one in 2014 — occurred in campus residential facilities, according to the CSUN report and university officials."
"In contrast, five rapes were reported in 2015 and two were reported in 2014."
Valley LAPD captain says department underreported violent crime stats despite her sounding alarm
Daily News' STAFF: "A San Fernando Valley Los Angeles Police Department captain on Monday publicly detailed what she alleges is the department’s systematic pattern of underreporting crime statistics."
"LAPD Capt. Lillian Carranza, who is assigned to the Van Nuys station, said inaccuracies in reporting violent crimes were discovered and never fixed, the result being under-reporting that allegedly has a significant effect on how police fight crime in L.A."
"In her claim against the city, Carranza said the underreporting was widespread in the department, ranging from the LAPD’s Foothill and Mission divisions to its Central and Pacific divisions."
LA County taking a new approach to help homeless who are severely mentally ill
Daily News' SUSAN ABRAM: " The homeless man was naked when Santiago Reyes found him lying on a Pasadena street."
"He had fallen off his wheelchair in the rain as Reyes, an outreach worker who knew the man’s mental-health history, called everyone he could for help. 9-1-1. The county. The city. Cop friends."
"The paramedics wouldn’t consider him gravely disabled,” Reyes said, recalling how difficult it was that day to find help, to connect the man to services."
Supreme Court lets decision stand in EA's $11 million Madden copycat case
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to reinstate a San Francisco federal jury’s verdict of $11 million in damages and interest to the programmer of the original “John Madden Football” video game, who accused the marketer of copying his work in later versions of the best-selling game."
"Jurors awarded nearly $4 million in damages and more than $7 million in interest in July 2013 to programmer Robin Antonick, who sued Electronic Arts Inc. for allegedly copying his programming in games sold from 1990 through 1996. The verdict could have led to larger damages against the company for later versions of the game, which reaped billions of dollars in revenues, if jurors had found that those, too, had been lifted from Antonick’s work."
"But U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who presided over the trial, overturned the verdict in January 2014, saying jurors never actually compared Antonick’s work or his source codes with the later games and thus lacked evidence of illegal copying."
Saudi Arabia charges Iran with 'act of war,' raising threat of military clash
NY Times' DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK: "Saudi Arabia charged Monday that a missile fired at its capital from Yemen over the weekend was an “act of war” by Iran, in the sharpest escalation in nearly three decades of mounting hostility between the two regional rivals."
“We see this as an act of war,” the Saudi foreign minister, Adel Jubair, said in an interview on CNN. “Iran cannot lob missiles at Saudi cities and towns and expect us not to take steps.”
"The accusation, which Iran denied, came a day after a wave of arrests in Saudi Arabia that appeared to complete the consolidation of power by the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, 32. Taken together, the two actions signaled a new aggressiveness by the prince both at home and abroad, as well as a new and more dangerous stage in the Saudi cold war with Iran for dominance in the region."
READ MORE related to International: Saudi Arabia's Game of Thrones: Who got caught in the widening corruption crackdown? -- LA Times' ALEXANDRA ZAVIS/NABIH BULOS
