Ninth Circuit Court allows immigrants who had reached border to apply for asylum
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "Six months after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deny U.S. asylum to virtually all Central Americans at the Mexican border, a federal appeals court lifted the ban Thursday for thousands of immigrants who had already reached the border when the policy was announced in July.
The policy affects migrants from the violence-racked nations of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. The administration had made them ineligible for asylum unless they had unsuccessfully applied for it in Mexico or another country they had passed through on their way to the United States. The government later reached an agreement with Guatemala to send Honduran and Salvadoran asylum-seekers to Guatemala, which has a minimal asylum system.
A federal judge in San Francisco blocked the asylum ban a week after it was announced, saying U.S. immigration law allows migrants fleeing persecution in their homeland to apply for asylum regardless of the route they had traveled. But the Supreme Court suspended the judge’s injunctionin September in a 7-2 decision that leaves the ban in effect while it is being challenged in lower courts."
‘Public charge’ policy chills immigrants
From SCOTT SORIANO in Capitol Weekly: "In two 5-4 decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court – one in late January, the other on Feb. 21 — the high court affirmed President Donald Trump’s effort to change long-standing policy and punish immigrants who obtain public services by denying them green cards and a path to citizenship.
"The new policy directly affects a relatively small number of immigrants.
But those who provide services to immigrants and those who advocate on their behalf say the change has a chilling effect on the greater immigrant community, including those who have become naturalized citizens. The new rule went into effect on Feb. 24."
Sacramento County declares public health emergency amid COVID-19
Sac Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON/DARRELL SMITH: "Sacramento County declared both a public health emergency and a local emergency Thursday, assuring that its public health team will receive the funding and appropriate resources to respond to the new coronavirus.
“Our intent in proclaiming a state of emergency in response to the spread of COVID-19 is to ensure uninterrupted access to the resources necessary to keep people as safe as possible and lessen disease transmission,” said Supervisor Phil Serna, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “The proclamation should not be considered a reason for elevated concern; in fact, it is quite the opposite as it helps us in our mission to contain the virus.”
Sacramento County has reported three confirmed cases of coronavirus, and one of those has recovered. The local proclamation follows the Wednesday announcement by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that he was declaring a state of emergency. Local governments will qualify for expanded federal and state funding only if they make these proclamations."
READ MORE related to COVID-19: California directs some health insurers to waive co-pays, deductibles for coronavirus tests -- Sac Bee's SOPHIA BOLLAG/WES VENTEICHER; $80 for hand sanitizer? California warns businesses against coronavirus price gouging -- Sac Bee's ANDREW SHEELER; Quarantined workers would be protected from retaliation under proposed California law -- Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER; Grand Princess: Test results on 45 passengers expected Friday after dramatic helicopter mission -- The Chronicle's PETER FIMRITE/ANNA BAUMAN/ALEJANDRO SERRANO
California officials demand changes to LA voting after election day chaos
LA Times's JOHN MYERS/DAKOTA SMITH/JAMES RAINEY: "California’s chief elections officer lashed out Thursday at the series of election day mishaps in Los Angeles County, demanding that local officials mail ballots to each of the county’s 5.5 million voters for the November election.
“I’m beyond frustrated and disappointed in what I saw on Tuesday, and I’m committed to making sure it doesn’t happen again,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. “Clearly, voters deserve better.”
L.A. County’s rollout of its long-awaited voting system — including new ballot-marking machines and regional vote centers used in lieu of neighborhood polling places — was marred by reports of broken devices and wait times of three hours or longer. Many of the voters standing in long lines were angry that they had no other way to cast a ballot in the statewide presidential primary. Los Angeles County was given special treatment under a 2016 state election law, allowing officials to close polling places without mailing a ballot to every voter."
To help Californians endure fire-related power cutoffs, state ponders new rules for utilities
From CalMatters' JULIE CART: "California authorities have attacked the state’s wildfire crisis from every imaginable angle, but one of the most stubborn problems involves what happens when fire risk is high and utility companies shut off power so their equipment doesn’t spark a blaze.
To avert the confusion, inconvenience and safety and health issues that many residents experienced in last year’s widespread cutoffs, regulators are now finalizing rules for how power companies should curtail service, inform the public and safeguard communities in such situations.
They are considering asking utilities to improve their websites, provide real-time outage updates, help create community centers where vulnerable people can seek refuge and stage dry runs to practice such changes before the start of high fire season."
As DST approaches, one California lawmaker wants to make it permanent
Sac Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "When Californians set their clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time this Sunday, one California lawmaker argues the change should be permanent.
Assemblyman Kansen Chu, D-San Jose, on Thursday introduced a resolution calling on Congress and President Donald Trump to allow California to switch to permanent Daylight Saving Time.
That’s in line with what a majority of Californians want. In 2018, they voted to approve Proposition 7, giving the Legislature permission to make the switch to Daylight Saving Time permanent, provided Congress is on board."
Capitol Weekly Podcast: Warren out – what now? Paul Mitchell opines
From the Capitol Weekly Staff: "With former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg and today’s departure of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic primary is now a contest between two septuagenarian career politicians from the northeast — who’da thunk?"
Bankrupt PG&E wants to pay bonuses to California executives and staff. Here's how much
Sac Bee's DALE KASLER: "PG&E Corp., struggling to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy, wants to pay as much as $453 million in bonuses to thousands of executives and employees.
The utility asked a bankruptcy judge Thursday for permission to renew its bonus plan for 2020, saying in court filings that the payouts are needed to help the company implement its “broad vision of a transformed PG&E.”
It characterized the proposed payments not as bonuses but as “incentive based compensation plans” that puts a portion of employees’ pay at risk and is designed to keep them focused on meeting safety and other important targets. PG&E — driven into bankruptcy by billions of dollars in liabilities from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires — said it has revamped the plan to make the payouts heavily weighted toward safety."
Can Biden cut into Sanders' California lead? At least 3.3 million ballots remain uncounted
Sac Bee's BRYAN ANDERSON: "California may not have been the resounding victory Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had hoped for heading into Super Tuesday.
While The Associated Press declared him the winner of California’s Democratic presidential primary election shortly after the polls closed, at least 3.3 million ballots remain uncounted, according to the first report from counties to the Secretary of State’s office Thursday evening. Counties will receive more mail-in ballots on Friday.
A sizable chunk of those outstanding votes could go to former Vice President Joe Biden, which has kept CNN and NBC News from calling the race for Sanders."
Elizabeth Warren couldn't get there. Is it because she's a woman?
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s departure from the presidential race Thursday won’t just have an impact on who the Democratic nominee will be. It will have cultural reverberations as well.
Once again, America will not elect a female president this year. Instead, the Democrats’ choice is down to two white men in their 70s, one of whom will face off in November against another white man in his 70s.
Some women and advocates say Warren’s gender played a part in her candidacy’s demise."
Embattled Planning Commissioner Dennis Richards resigns in wake of lawsuit
The Chronicle's J.K. DINEEN: "Embattled Planning Commissioner Dennis Richards, who sued the Department of Building Inspection last month, has resigned.
The resignation comes a few weeks after Richards filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection, alleging officials revoked permits on a building he co-owns to retaliate for his criticism of the department.
In a letter of resignation, Richards said that it was “time to pass the torch to new commissioners.”
SF public defender Mano Raju, DA Chesa Boudin, condemn ICE courthouse arrest
The Chronicle's TATIANA SANCHEZ/EVAN SERNOFFSKY: "Federal immigration agents arrested a man in front of San Francisco’s Hall of Justice this week, prompting outrage from the city’s public defender and district attorney.
The man, identified only as a San Francisco resident, was in front of the criminal courthouse at 850 Bryant St., on his way to a hearing, when agents took him into custody on Tuesday, according to the public defender’s office and the man’s attorney, Emi MacLean.
MacLean declined to name the man on Thursday or give details about his arrest but said he’s detained at the Mesa Verde Detention Facility in Bakersfield."
Fired Oakland police chief announces plan to sue city
The Chronicle's MEGAN CASSIDY: "Former Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick continued a weeklong media tour in which she has unloaded criticism on political adversaries who got her fired by announcing Thursday she intends to file a lawsuit against the city.
Joined by Howard Jordan, who preceded her as chief of Oakland’s force, as well as City Councilman Noel Gallo, Kirkpatrick took direct aim at the department’s longtime federal monitor, Robert Warshaw.
Warshaw, appointed to monitor the department’s progress on court-ordered reforms after a police abuse scandal and 2003 lawsuit settlement, has come under mounting scrutiny in recent months. On Thursday, Kirkpatrick alleged the federal monitor is more concerned about continuing to get paychecks from Oakland than helping the department achieve federal compliance."
Sacramento hit with new Stephon Clark suit
Sac Bee's SAM STANTON: "The legacy of the fatal March 2018 police shooting of Stephon Clark continues to haunt Sacramento, with a new lawsuit filed in federal court alleging a city bicycle officer broke a protester’s leg last year by ramming her with his bike during a march in the Fabulous 40s neighborhood.
Brandy Wood filed suit late Wednesday alleging her leg was broken without provocation during a March 4, 2019, demonstration in East Sacramento and that she was then taken to jail and left for hours without medical care.
The demonstration, which resulted in the arrest of 84 protestersand some reporters who were there to cover it in the upscale East Sacramento neighborhood, were protesting the decision two days earlier by District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert not to charge officers in the Clark shooting."
SF homeless chief to take over city's troubled encampment street operation
The Chronicle's KEVIN FAGAN/HEATHER KNIGHT: "Jeff Kositsky, who helped create San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing when he was picked as its first director in 2016, is leaving his post to take charge of the city’s front-line team tackling its homelessness crisis on the streets.
Kositsky said he’s ready for a change, and the Healthy Streets Operation Center — a joint venture of city departments including Kositsky’s and police — has slipped badly over the past year in its mission of moving people into housing and shelter and clearing out nuisance camps and behavior. His last day at the homelessness department will be March 21.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve done, and I’m as optimistic as I was the day I took the job,” Kositsky told The Chronicle. “This work is not easy, it takes time, but we’re making forward progress."
Publishing staff walk out in protest of Woody Allen's upcoming memoir
LA Times's DORANY PINEDA: "Just days after Hachette Book Group announced a forthcoming memoir by Woody Allen, staff at Little, Brown and Co. staged a walkout in protest of the book and in support of its vocal critics, Ronan and Dylan Farrow. Employees from the imprints Basic, Orbit, Forever and Hachette Books also walked out.
On Thursday, staff members announced they were walking out of the Hachette New York offices in protest of Allen’s autobiography, scheduled to publish April 7. A Times staff member who had emailed the Hachette imprint received an autoreply informing her of the walkout with the message: “We stand with Ronan and Dylan Farrow and survivors of sexual assault.”
According to an account in the New York Post, members of the staff went to the Human Resources department of Hachette on Thursday afternoon to lodge a complaint, prompting CEO Michael Pietsch to announce a town hall meeting. Instead, a broad swath of the editorial staff staged the walkout."
Judge sharply rebukes AG Barr's handling of Mueller report
AP: "A federal judge on Thursday sharply rebuked Attorney General William Barr’s handling of the special counsel’s Russia report, saying Barr had made “misleading public statements” to spin the investigation’s findings in favor of President Trump and had shown a “lack of candor.”
U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton delivered the criticism in a 23-page order in which he directed the Justice Department to provide him with an unredacted version of the report so that he could decide if any additional information from the document could be publicly disclosed.
The scolding was unusually blunt, with Walton saying Barr had appeared to make a “calculated attempt” to influence public opinion about the report in ways favorable to Trump. The rebuke tapped into lingering criticism of Barr, from Democrats in Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller himself, that he had misrepresented some of the investigation’s most damning findings."
