Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa caused by private electrical system, not PG&E, Cal Fire says
Sacramento Bee's MICHAEL MCGOUGH/TONY BIZJAK/DALE KASLER/RYAN SABALOW/SOPHIA BOLLAG: "For more than a year, lawyers representing wildfire survivors have been suing PG&E over the Tubbs Fire — at the time the deadliest in California history."
"On Thursday, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. was exonerated, a rare victory for a utility facing bankruptcy over a staggering number of wildfire lawsuits."
"California fire investigators concluded the Tubbs Fire, which swept through Sonoma and Napa counties in October 2017, was caused by an electrical problem on private property. After more than a year of investigation, Cal Fire said investigators did not find any violations of state law."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: 'Woodpeckered so damn bad': Cal Fire IDs privately owned pole for Tubbs Fire ignition, PG&E cleared -- BANG's MATTHIAS GAFNI/JULIA PRODIS SULEK/GEORGE AVALOS; PG&E board must be ousted amid wildfire woes: big investor -- BANG's GEORGE AVALOS; Fur trapping was once the heart of California's economy. A new bill could ban it. -- Sacramento Bee's ANDREW SHEELER; Getting SF set for a major quake: City aims to get a solid plan ready -- The Chronicle's DOMINIC FRACASSA
California Republican Party gets even smaller: A GOP lawmaker defects to the Democrats
Sacramento Bee's SOPHIA BOLLAG: "California Republicans suffered yet another loss Thursday when one of their Assembly members defected to the Democrats."
"Democrats celebrated with a victorious news conference Thursday morning, grinning and cheering as Assemblyman Brian Maienschein of San Diego announced his decision."
"“As the Republican Party has drifted further right, I and my votes have shifted to the left,” he said. “I can either keep fighting to change the Republican party, or I can fight for my constituents."
Harris' role in Trump resistance may matter more than her thin Senate record
Sacramento Bee's EMILY CADEI/KATE IRBY: "Minutes after announcing she wanted to be president Monday, California Sen. Kamala Harris started facing a question likely to dog her throughout her White House run."
"What qualifies you to be commander-in-chief?” “Good Morning America” co-anchor George Stephanopoulos asked."
"Fellow co-anchor Robin Roberts quickly followed up, observing that the Democratic lawmaker, had “only two years in Washington."
READ MORE related to Harris 2020: How a SF cop-killing case could haunt Kamala Harris -- The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI; Oakland employee's email from Kamala Harris campaign may run afoul of ethics laws - The Chronicle's KIMBERLY VEKLEROV
Appeals court upholds ruling dismissing Issa defamation lawsuit
Union-Tribune's GREG MORAN: "A state appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that threw out a libel lawsuit filed by former Rep. Darrell Issa against his 2016 re-election opponent over two campaign commercials aired in the last weeks of the tight race."
"In a unanimous ruling, a three-judge panel affirmed a March 2017 ruling by San Diego Superior Court Judge Richard E.L. Strauss that dismissed the suit under the state’s anti-SLAPP law, a measure designed to stop lawsuits that were brought in order to dissuade people from voicing critical opinions on public issues."
"Issa, a Vista Republican, initially sought $10 million in the suit. He defeated Democrat Doug Applegate by 1,621 votes in the 2016 election, the closest congressional race in the country. Issa did not seek re-election in 2018 and was nominated in September to be director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency by President Donald Trump."
Is Weedmaps legal? Service lists unlicensed pot shops, raising questions that could touch many tech companies
OC Register's BROOKE STAGGS: "It’s been eleven months since California cannabis officials told Weedmaps, the popular online directory that helps consumers find marijuana shops, to stop listing stores that aren’t licensed."
"It’s also been about eleven months since Weedmaps essentially told the state to pound sand; that it would continue taking ads from all comers. And the ongoing difference of opinion between state and company could affect the cannabis industry — and other technology companies — going forward."
"The squabble, indirectly, is also why Gary White feels hoodwinked."
Supes appear set to relax sanctuary law for accused rapist, but doubts persist
The Chronicle's DOMINIC FRACASSA/TATIANA SANCHEZ: "The Board of Supervisors appeared set to relax the city’s sanctuary law to allow the extradition from Canada of a driver for a ride-hailing service charged with raping an unconscious woman in San Francisco, even as immigration advocates and one supervisor questioned the move."
"It’s a slippery slope,” said Bill Hing, a law professor at the University of San Francisco and longtime social justice advocate. “You can’t be making exceptions on a case-by-case basis."
"I’m sympathetic to the victim and the people who want justice, but this is too big of a price to pay,” he added."
READ MORE related to Immigration: US officials to start pushing asylum seekers back across the border -- LA Times's MOLLY OTOOLE/KATE LINTHICUM; H-1B: India-linked staffing companies claim a victory in legal fight -- BANG's ETHAN BARON
California legislators fast-track bill to ensure patients get pain meds
Sacramento Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON: "Concerned that patients are having trouble getting critically needed medications, California Assembly members Jim Cooper and Evan Low are moving to give regulators and medical boards more time to make changes to prescription forms that were supposed to go into effect Jan. 1."
"In a Jan. 14 article, The Sacramento Bee revealed that doctors statewide were having trouble getting their prescriptions filled for patients who needed pain medications, even for patients who had just had surgery. The problem was occurring, doctors said, because printing companies and doctors didn’t have the advance notice needed to make newly mandated changes to prescription pads."
"There’s often unintended consequences with legislation,” said Skyler Wonnacott, a spokesman for Cooper. “Once it’s implemented, we start to find out how it’s affecting people, and obviously this is affecting many patients, and a lot of people need their medications. I read your story, and there was a patient who wasn’t able to get his pain meds right after he’d had surgery. We want to ensure patients have access to the prescriptions they need."
READ MORE related to Health: Steep hikes in long-term care premiums jolting many consumers -- Sacramento Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON; AG's attempt to block hospital sales is about 'power and control,' Santa Clara County CEO says -- BANG's THY VO
Outcome of LA teachers' strike crucial for labor movement nationally
EdSource's LOUIS FREEDBERG: "The stakes for the teachers’ strike in Los Angeles were exceptionally high, not only for the local adversaries in the battle but also for the labor movement in California and nationally."
"The reason: the strike came at a time when labor unions were supposedly weakened by the Supreme Court’s decision last June in the Janus vs. AFSCME case, ruling that workers do not have to pay mandatory union fees even if a union represents them at the bargaining table."
"It was a strike that United Teachers Los Angeles, representing over 30,000 teachers, had to win by delivering on the key demands they put on the table: not only higher salaries but a range of support services intended to improve working conditions and students’ academic outcomes."
READ MORE related to Education: At LAUSD, behind the smiles, deep rifts remain after strike. At some campuses, 'It's the elephant in the room' -- LA Daily News's ARIELLA PLACHTA
Drones help find homeless before annual count; police say claims of homeless sweeps unfounded
Union-Tribune's GARY WARTH: "While area law enforcement agencies are making an effort to include more homeless people in this year’s point-in-time count, some are accusing San Diego police of trying to decrease the number in one neighborhood."
"Homeless advocate Michael McConnell took to Twitter and Facebook this past week with claims that police were cracking down on homeless people in East Village in anticipation of the annual count scheduled for early Friday morning."
READ MORE related to Housing & Homelessness: Bay Area housing gets $500 million boost, with launch of region's largest fund -- BANG's MARISA KENDALL
California leads the nation in innovation spending
Valley Tribune's KEVIN SMITH: "Anyone remotely tuned into California’s business climate knows the place is teeming with innovation."
"And a new report from Business.org shows there’s plenty of money pouring into those creative ideas. Drawing upon National Science Foundation data on research and development spending in 2016 — the most recent year for which numbers are available — the study found that California far outpaces others U.S. states. In fact, the Golden State accounted for 31 percent of the nation’s overall R&D spending."
Government shutdown delays, disrupts environmental studies
AP's JOHN FLESHER/TAMMY WEBBER: "The rainwater collection system is broken at the environmental research station on a remote, rocky Pacific island off the California coast. So is a crane used to hoist small boats in and out of the water. A two-year supply of diesel fuel for the power generators is almost gone."
"U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel ordinarily would help with such problems. But they haven't been around since the partial federal government shutdown began a month ago, forcing researchers with the nonprofit Point Blue Conservation Science to rely on volunteers to haul bottled water and 5-gallon (18-liter) jugs of diesel to the Farallon Islands National Refuge, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from San Francisco."
"Still, the scientists are pressing on with their long-running study of elephant seals during the crucial winter breeding season. They tag and monitor the lumbering creatures, whose numbers are recovering after being hunted to near-extinction, and study how warming oceans could affect them."
READ MORE related to Shutdown Showdown: First the Senate rejected two spending bills. Then McConnell went to work -- Sacramento Bee's LESLEY CLARK; Federal workers react to Trump's grocery remarks: 'That's not how supermarkets work' -- The Chronicle's STEVE RUBENSTEIN; How the shutdown is hitting federal courts and law enforcement in California -- LA Times's MAURA DOLAN/JOEL RUBIN; No rent money? No problem. Property management firm gives furloughed federal workers a break -- OC Register's MARILYN KALFUS
Cohen, Senate panel agree on Feb. 12 interview
AP: "The Latest on President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, being issued a subpoena to appear before a Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election (all times local):"
"8:45 p.m."
"President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and a Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election have agreed on a Feb. 12 interview date."
Trump ally Stone faces seven charges
BBC: "Trump ally Roger Stone charged with seven counts in Mueller probe, including obstruction and witness-tampering"
"This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version."
READ MORE related to KremlinGate: Trump ally Roger Stone arrested on seven charges -- The Guardian's PAUL OWEN; Roger Stone, longtime Trump political advisor, is arrested -- LA Times's CHRIS MEGERIAN; Paul Manafort due in court to face allegations of lying to prosecutors -- LA Times's CHRIS MEGERIAN
Warren to propose new 'wealth tax' on richest Americans, economist says
LA Times's JEFF STEIN/CHRISTOPHER INGRAHAM: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) will propose a new annual "wealth tax" on Americans with more than $50 million in assets, according to an economist advising her on the plan, as Democratic leaders advance increasingly aggressive strategies to reverse the nation's soaring wealth inequality."
"Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman, two left-leaning economists at UC Berkeley, have been advising Warren on a proposal to levy a 2% wealth tax on Americans with assets above $50 million and a 3% wealth tax on those who have more than $1 billion, according to Saez. Warren announced earlier this month that she has formed an exploratory committee to run for president."
"The tax would raise $2.75 trillion over a 10-year period from about 75,000 families, or less than 0.1% of U.S. households, Saez said."
Ukraine's ex-president is convicted of treason
NYT's ANDREW E. KRAMER: "Former President Viktor F. Yanukovych committed treason by inviting Russia to invade Ukraine and reverse a pro-Western revolution that ousted him from power, a court in Kiev ruled on Thursday, sentencing Mr. Yanukovych to 13 years in prison."
"The former president is a widely reviled figure in Ukraine for his over-the-top corruption — he lived in a palace with a private zoo — and because the police shot dozens of antigovernment demonstrators during an uprising in 2014. He has also been widely characterized in Ukraine and the West as pro-Russia — and even as a puppet of the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin."
"The court’s ruling was the first to formally determine that Mr. Yanukovych was serving Russian interests while president of Ukraine."
