California's top stories of 2018, political and otherwise
From ANDREW HEELER, Sacramento Bee: "A blue tsunami knocked out the California GOP. California Democrats fought President Donald Trump on Twitter and in court. Gov. Jerry Brown stockpiled an “unprecedented” state surplus as he readied his retirement move to the family ranch."
"Those stories and more stand out in what was a year of nonstop news in California politics. Here’s our entirely subjective list of the past year’s biggest stories, and a nod to some of the ones that will shape 2019."
READ MORE about the coming year: 2019 shapes up as an other big political year -- DAN WALTERS, CALmatters
Elizabeth Warren enters the 2020 race for president
From the NYT's ASTEAD W. HERNDON and ALEXANDER BURNS: "Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat and a sharp critic of big banks and unregulated capitalism, entered the 2020 race for president on Monday, becoming the first major candidate in what is likely to be a long and crowded primary marked by ideological and generational divisions in a Democratic Party desperate to beat President Trump."
"In an 8:30 a.m. email to supporters on New Year’s Eve — 13 months before the first votes will be cast in the Iowa caucuses — Ms. Warren said she was forming an exploratory committee, which allows her to raise money and fill key staff positions before a formal kickoff of her presidential bid. Ms. Warren also released a video that leaned on the populist, anti-Wall Street themes that are sure to be central to her campaign message."
Origin of virus that hobbled newspapers still unclear
AP: "The origins of a suspected computer attack that disrupted the Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing newspapers remained unclear Sunday after causing delivery delays and being brought to the attention of federal investigators."
"San Diego Union-Tribune Publisher Jeff Light described the incident as "what now seems to have been a malicious attack on the company by computer hackers" in a message posted to the newspaper's website. He told readers the disruption had mostly seemed to have been brought under control."
"The suspected attack prevented the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun and other papers from publishing paid death notices and classified ads Saturday. But Tribune Publishing has said no news websites were affected and no customer information was compromised."
Two men arrested after stealing FEMA trailers meant for Camp Fire victims, police say
Sacramento Bee's DAVID BUSTAMANTE: "Two men were arrested on Friday on suspicion of attempting to steal two travel trailers purchased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Camp Fire victims who lost their homes, according to a news release from the Redding Police Department."
"Officials said that Wayne Jerome Bergman, 58, of Bella Vista and Zachary Adam Crouchley, 40, of Bella Vista came to the attention of police after a witness reported early Friday that they saw a a white Chevy SUV pulling one of the trailers off the lot of the Reddwingwood Mobile Home and RV Park in Redding."
"Responding officers found another trailer missing as well. Both were valued at approximately $30,000."
Speaking of the Camp Fire, the state AG's office says PG&E could be criminally culpable
From DALE KASLER at the SacBee: "Pacific Gas & Electric Co. could be prosecuted for murder, manslaughter or lesser criminal charges if investigators determine that “reckless operation” of its power equipment caused any of Northern California’s deadly wildfires in the past two years, California’s attorney general says."
"Attorney General Xavier Becerra, in an opinion submitted to a federal judge overseeing the criminal case following PG&E’s fatal 2010 natural-gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, outlined a variety of scenarios under which the embattled utility could face criminal charges in the Camp Fire or other deadly blazes since 2017."
"The legal brief submitted by Becerra’s office said prosecutors would have to gauge PG&E’s “mental state” before determining which charges, if any, to bring. The charges would range from murder to a misdemeanor negligence charge, according to the brief."
READ MORE about PG&E: Criminal charges against PG&E possible if utility is found responsible for recent wildfires, prosecutors say -- ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN, Chronicle
A home of Hollywood’s iconic Golden Age movie mogul Jack Warner, is up for sale
From the Press Enterprise’s MARILYN KALFUS: “A Palm Springs home originally built for Hollywood tycoon Jack Warner, co-founder of Warner Bros., is selling for $3.495 million.”
"The seven-bedroom property is located in Old Las Palmas, a historic neighborhood whose residents have included Samuel Goldwyn, Clark Gable, Carol Lombard, Kirk Douglas, Lucille Ball and Liberace. The home’s interior designer was onetime silent film star William “Billy” Haines, who created grandiose spaces for Sunnylands, Walter and Leonore Annenberg’s famed, 200-acre winter home in Rancho Mirage that became a gathering spot for world leaders.”
“Built in 1958, the Warner property underwent a $1 million, two-year renovation in 2010, restoring it to its original midcentury modern style. Many of the features were preserved, the agents say, including solid brass doorknobs, 200-year-old French wallpaper and a travertine fireplace. The half-acre setting also offers guest quarters with two master suites and a wet bar fronting the large swimming pool.”
San Diego water authorities slammed for taking five tribes to court
From RY RIVARD, the Voice of San Diego: “The San Diego County Water Authority tried to interfere with the delivery of water to five local Indian tribes based on illegal actions and illogical arguments, a former federal judge has ruled.”
Last year, five San Diego Indian tribes got back the rights to water taken from them a century ago. In response, the San Diego County Water Authority this spring blamed the tribes for cutting into its bottom line and sued them for $2 million.”
“The County Water Authority and the tribes argued in front of Oliver Wanger, a retired judge who hears arbitration disputes for the American Arbitration Association. Arbitration is a private legal system used to resolve disputes.”
She says sheriff's deputies injured her at the jail, leaving her with a broken tooth and split lip
Sacramento Bee's ALEXANDRA YOON-HENDRICKS/MOLLY SULLIVAN: "A woman arrested for domestic assault claims in a federal lawsuit a Sacramento County deputy sheriff smashed her head in the wall during the booking process, breaking a tooth and splitting her lip."
"The civil rights lawsuit, filed Dec. 20 by Davisha Mitchell, 27, is seeking damages and medical expenses for injuries Mitchell said she received in Sheriff’s Department custody more than a year ago. Court documents say Mitchell suffered a concussion, chipped tooth, bloody lip and mouth, and abrasions and contusions to her body."
"Sacramento County counsel and the Sheriff’s Department declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation."
Trump’s promise of a wall may not be fulfilled as advertised
McClatchy's ZEKE MILLER: "Three confidantes of President Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating that the president's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised."
"Trump sparked fervent chants of "Build that wall!" at rallies before and after his election and more recently cited a lack of funding for a border wall as the reason for partially shutting down the government. At times the president has also waved off the idea that the wall could be any kind of barrier."
"However, White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration."
