California has a new plan for allocating its water, and it means less for farmers
Sacramento Bee's DALE KASLER: "State regulators proposed sweeping changes in the allocation of California's water Friday, leaving more water in Northern California's major rivers to help ailing fish populations — and giving less to farming and human consumption."
"By limiting water sent to cities and farms and keeping more for fish, the proposal by the State Water Resources Control Board's staff likely will ignite a round of lawsuits and political squabbles. Critics immediately pounced on the plan, saying it will take some of the nation's most fertile farmland out of production and harm the Central Valley economy."
"But the state board said more water must be devoted to fish to prevent environmental disaster. Several major species of fish are nearing extinction, and increasing river flows will help them survive, the board said."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: Should we hide the locations of Earth's greatest trees? -- The Chronicle's ROBERT EARLE HOWELLS; SF would face new limits under state water proposal -- The Chronicle's KURTIS ALEXANDER; The Tri-State compact that could destroy the Great Salt Lake -- Water Deeply's EMMA PENROD
Trump's claim that California is soft on crime comes as the state moves away from injunctions, once key to the war on gangs
LA Times's JAMES QUEALLY: "Recent court orders prohibiting police in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California from enforcing gang injunctions are prompting law enforcement leaders to rethink how they employ the tool that for decades was considered a critical weapon in the state’s war on gangs."
"The shift away from the injunctions, which can severely restrict a suspected gang member’s movements, relationships and even clothing choice in certain neighborhoods, comes amid growing criticism that they are overly broad and often ensnare people who have a tenuous connection to gang life. At the same time, gang crime has sharply declined since its peak in the 1990s, leading some law enforcement officials to question if the court orders are still needed."
"Police in Long Beach stopped enforcing injunctions against roughly 850 suspected gang members in March, just days after a federal judge ordered the Los Angeles Police Department to do the same. In the last few months, Orange County prosecutors sent letters to more than 200 people releasing them from the conditions imposed by local injunctions, according to records reviewed by The Times."
Fed bill to reinstate Siskiyou-area tribe draws fire
LISA RENNER in Capitol Weekly: "A controversial bill to reinstate federal tribal recognition to a long defunct Siskiyou County American Indian rancheria is stalled in the House of Representatives amid questions about the group’s authenticity and motivations."
"House Resolution 3535, sponsored by Congress Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, would reinstate federal recognition to Ruffey Rancheria, a home for “landless Indians” in Etna approved in 1907 and terminated by Congress some 50 years later. LaMalfa’s major political donors include numerous tribal and gambling interests."
"If approved, the bill would allow tribal members to claim 441 acres in Siskiyou County that they could use to potentially build a casino and claim water rights without regard to local land-use laws. Siskiyou County supports the bill."
Farrell calls for Breed to have clear field in next year's mayor race
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "Mayor Mark Farrell, who six months ago bested London Breed in the bid to be interim mayor, is now calling for the opposition to stand down and allow Mayor-elect Breed to run unopposed next year."
"Breed scored 36.7 of the first-place votes in the June special election, followed by former state Sen. Mark Leno who received 24.4 percent of the first place voters, and Supervisor Jane Kim who received 24.2 percent."
"In the final ranked-choice roll up, Breed eked out a 50.5 percent win over Leno’s 49.4 percent."
Breed to burnish her policy cred soon after taking office as SF mayor
The Chronicle's MATIER & ROSS: "After her midweek swearing-in, one of Mayor London Breed’s first acts will be hosting a daylong policy summit involving some 200 supporters on Saturday at Hastings Law School."
"London is not known as a policy wonk, and they are trying create some substance around her,” says one source taking part in the summit."
"The idea is to replicate some of the big idea policy priorities promoted by former Mayor Gavin Newsom, who made his mark with his Care Not Cash homeless services program, same-sex marriages and other issues."
Pawnee Fire now 100 percent contained: NorCal fires update
Sacramento Bee's JORDAN CUTLER-TIETJEN/CASSIE DICKMAN: "Temperatures were still hot, winds remained fierce and terrain was making firefighting tricky across much of Northern California on Sunday."
"Straddling the California-Oregon border, the Klamathon Fire grew by almost 40 percent overnight. It's the first California wildfire to kill a civilian since last December."
"The topography near the County Fire continued to give fire crews trouble, but the largest blaze of the season hadn't grown significantly in a few days. The Pawnee Fire was 100 percent contained as of Sunday evening."
READ MORE related to Fire Season: Firefighters make significant progress in wildfires burning across SoCal -- LA Times's ANDREA CASTILLO/AMINA KHAN/GALE HOLLAND
Jorgito's journey: Young boy, taken from mother, on solo trip through 4 states in 6 months
The Chronicle's KAREN DE SA: "At 5:30 a.m., barely dawn, they came for Jorgito."
"It was December, and he and his mother had spent three days detained at the U.S. border near San Luis, Ariz."
"Immigration authorities assigned the 4-year-old boy an alien number. He was screened and given a notice to appear for removal proceedings. He stamped the government forms using his gumdrop-size thumbprint."
Berkeley boy was 'Patient X' in first FDA-approved medicine derived from cannabis
The Chronicle's LIZZIE JOHNSON: "They called him Patient X."
"The Berkeley boy had his first epileptic seizure when he was 4, and after that, they kept coming, up to 100 a day. His desperate parents tried a barrage of two dozen medications, plus a high-fat medical diet and autoimmune therapy."
"But nothing worked — not until a British company let him try a marijuana-based drug."
'They frames me': On death row for decades, Kevin Cooper pushes for new DNA tests in Chino Hills murders
Northwestern University Students MICHELLE GALLIANI/MATT ZDUN/KELLEY CZAJKA/JULIETTE JOHNSON/OLIVIA KORHONEN/AYSHA SALTER-VOLZ/MARTIN L OPPEGAARD/LILA REYNOLDS/BIANCA SANCHEZ/HANGDA ZHANG: "In a tiny visitors cell at San Quentin State Prison, Kevin Cooper makes a pitch for his innocence — an argument that, after three decades on death row and endless legal battles, suddenly has new life."
"In 1983, he was a convicted burglar and prison escapee accused of hacking two adults and two children to death in San Bernardino County. He was convicted and sentenced to death. His supporters claim in a clemency petition that he was framed by sheriff’s deputies, undone by poor defense lawyers and railroaded by racism."
“They framed me because I was framable,” says Cooper, now 60, his graying hair falling from cornrows to the nape of his neck. With countless letters to reporters and media interviews over the years, he has skillfully attracted public attention to a case that prosecutors and the courts have long considered closed."
Trump admin takes another swipe at 'Obamacare'
AP's RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR: "The Trump administration said Saturday it's freezing payments under an "Obamacare" program that protects insurers with sicker patients from financial losses, a move expected to add to premium increases next year."
"At stake are billions in payments to insurers with sicker customers."
"In a weekend announcement, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said the administration is acting because of conflicting court ruling in lawsuits filed by some smaller insurers who question whether they are being fairly treated under the program."
READ MORE related to POTUS45/KremlinGate: Back doors, tunnel help Supreme Court nominees stay secret -- AP's JESSICA GRESKO; After talks, NKorea accuses US of 'gangster-like' demands -- AP's MATTHEW LEE; Trump has 'outsourced' his SCOTUS picks to this conservative group -- The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO; Democrats' long-shot plan to stop Trump's SCOTUS pick -- LA Times's SARAH D WIRE
4 rescued from Thai cave in risky op; 9 remain inside
AP's TASSANEE VEJPONGSA/KAWEEWIT KAEWJINDA: "Expert divers Sunday rescued four of 12 boys from a flooded cave in northern Thailand where they were trapped with their soccer coach for more than two weeks, as a dangerous and complicated operation unfolded amid heavy rain and the threat of rising water underground."
"Eight boys and the coach remained inside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave as authorities paused the international effort to replenish air tanks along the treacherous exit route."
"Extracting everyone could take up to four days, but the initial success raised hopes that could be done."
READ MORE related to Misc/Special Interest: Fighting time and high waters, divers prepare to rescue second group of boys from Thailand cave -- LA Times's SHASHANK BENGALI/GEORGE STYLLIS; Death toll from floods climbs to 100, Japanese government says -- AP; Brazil's judges duel over whether to release former President Lula from prison -- LA Times's JILL LANGLOIS; Police open murder investigation after woman poisoned with nerve agent in England dies -- AP
