Judge rejects California attorney general’s effort to investigate GOP ballot boxes
From JOHN MYERS, LAT: "A Sacramento judge refused Wednesday to order the California Republican Party to disclose information about its ballot drop box program to state officials, rejecting an argument by Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra that the investigation was essential to ensuring ballots are being properly handled.
The decision by Judge David I. Brown does not prevent Becerra and Secretary of State Alex Padilla from returning to court over the matter but marks a significant victory for GOP officials who have insisted their ballot collection campaign is following state election law.
A one-page form signed by Brown says there is “no immediate harm or irreparable injury” to the state in the Republican Party’s refusal to comply with a subpoena seeking information about voters whose ballots have been collected and the locations of the private drop boxes in communities across the state."
California tax revenue billions higher than expected, thanks in part to federal help
Sac Bee's SOPHIA BOLLAG: "From July through September, California collected $8.7 billion more in tax revenue than anticipated, according to the state’s Department of Finance, a bright sign amid a year of devastating economic news.
The numbers reflect the positive effect of federal aid, which came in the form of one-time $1,200 checks for individuals and weekly $600 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments for people who lost jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak. They are also partly from taxes on 2019 income, when the economy was booming.
Additionally, the numbers are higher than expected in part because the pandemic has not hurt high wage earners particularly hard, many of whom have kept their jobs and continued to work from home. California’s budget relies heavily on the state’s highest earners because of the state’s progressive income taxes."
Religious California state job applicant lost offer over 'loyalty oath,' lawsuit says
Sac Bee's SAM STANTON: "To keep your state job, do you owe more loyalty to your employer than your God?
That’s a question Brianna Bolden-Hardge wants a federal court to decide in a lawsuit filed in Sacramento this week that claims the State Controller’s Office rescinded a job offer to her because of her religious beliefs.
Bolden-Hardge, a 31-year-old mother of two who has worked for the state in various jobs since 2016, says she faced illegal discrimination when she was offered a job working in the payroll department of the Controller’s Office in the summer of 2017."
PG&E limits planned shut-offs but more winds are predicted for Bay Area
The Chronicle's NORA MISHANEC/SHWANIKA NARAYAN: "Strong winds died down in the North Bay hills and the Diablo mountains early Wednesday morning, but were expected to regain their intensity overnight, a development that meteorologists warned would lead to critical fire conditions.
In response to the forecasted flurry of winds — gusts that could damage electrical equipment and start new fires — Pacific Gas & Electric Co. began cutting power to about 37,000 customers Wednesday, though most would not see outages until Thursday morning.
The announcement of the utility’s plans led to a run on generators in some areas. PG&E had raised its forecast from “watch” to “warning” Wednesday, making the outages all but a certainty, but cut the number of customers potentially affected by 31% based on shifting conditions."
LA hires law firm to investigate sexual misconduct claims involving Garcetti advisor
LA Times's RICHARD WINTON/DAKOTA SMITH: "The city of Los Angeles has hired an outside law firm to investigate allegations that Rick Jacobs, a longtime political consultant to Mayor Eric Garcetti, sexually harassed an L.A. police officer who served as a bodyguard for Garcetti.
Word of the hiring comes as new accusations of misconduct by Jacobs surfaced this week.
“Our office has retained an outside investigator to do an independent investigation,” Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for City Atty. Mike Feuer, said Wednesday. He declined to provide any further details."
Two-in-five Californians have doubts about safety of COVID-19 vaccine, survey says
Sac Bee's HANNAH WILEY: "Even as the world anxiously awaits a vaccine to end the COVID-19 pandemic, 40% of Californians remain unconvinced they would get immunized if a shot was available today, a new survey released Wednesday found.
One-in-five Californians said they would “probably not” and another 20% said they would “definitely not” get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Public Policy Institute of California survey of 1,701 adult residents.
About two-thirds of respondents said they were concerned that a vaccine against the coronavirus was being rushed."
LA County to ease some coronavirus rules, though a wide reopening remains elusive
LA Times's LUKE MONEY: "Although Los Angeles County remains rooted in the most restrictive tier of California’s coronavirus reopening road map, officials this week announced plans to relax some requirements on businesses to bring the county’s standards in line with wider state guidelines.
The changes — expected this week — will allow family entertainment centers to open outdoors; eliminate a requirement that customers at wineries and breweries make reservations; and remove the food requirement for wineries.
“I hope this provides much-needed relief and respite for residents who are looking for some activities outside of their homes,” Kathryn Barger, chairwoman of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, said during a briefing Wednesday."
READ MORE related to Pandemic: Yolo County puts numerical cap on social gatherings in amended COVID-19 health order -- Sac Bee's MICHAEL MCGOUGH
Democrats to boycott Barrett vote, Senate GOP pushes ahead
AP's LISA MASCARO/MARY CLARE JALONICK: "Senate Democrats are set to boycott voting on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett at the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, but there is little they can do to prevent Republicans from rushing to confirm President Donald Trump's pick before Election Day.
The Judiciary Committee, which is controlled by Republicans, is expected to change the rules if necessary to recommend Barrett's nomination to the full Senate. Senators are planning a rare weekend session to secure her confirmation on Monday.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced the planned boycott in a speech late Wednesday on the Senate floor."
SF archbishop responds to Pope Francis' endorsement of same-sex civil unions
The Chronicle's LAUREN HERNANDEZ: "The archbishop of San Francisco, who has long vocalized his opposition to same-sex marriage, doubled down on Wednesday in response to Pope Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions.
Pope Francis, in a new documentary, stopped short of supporting marriage of same-sex couples, a right that is legal in the state of California and across the United States. In “Francesco,” a documentary that premiered Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival, the pope said, “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” according to Associated Press reports.
“You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this,” Pope Francis said. “What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”"
Trying to come back in final debate with Biden, Trump is a captive of his own information bubble
LA Times's DAVID LAUTER: "President Trump enters his second and final debate with Joe Biden facing a daunting task made vastly more difficult by his own actions.
Trump trails Biden in national polling averages by around 10 percentage points — a more lopsided race than any in a generation. The task of climbing back into contention is made harder by another number: More than 40 million Americans already have voted — likely well over a quarter of the eventual total. Voters who reported having cast their ballots favored Biden 65% to 34% as of the start of this week, according to the USC Dornsife poll’s tracking of the race.
The large number of early voters leaves Trump with a shrinking pool of people to potentially persuade — assuming persuasion is his goal.
Bay Area health experts weigh in on Joe Biden's coronavirus plan
The Chronicle's ERIN ALLDAY: "If he wins the election, Joe Biden’s pandemic plan calls for rejoining the World Health Organization and thrusting federal public health agencies that have been largely sidelined under the current administration back into the spotlight.
That would be his first day in the White House, his campaign says. The next steps of his response, laid out in detail on his campaign website, include massively ramping up testing, increasing production of health care equipment like ventilators, and promoting widespread use of face coverings.
Biden’s agenda does not call for new economic shutdowns, despite repeated assertions by his Republican opposition that he would lock down the country. Instead, Biden calls for a cautious reopening that suggests the fastest path to recovery is controlling the spread of the virus with all the public health tools in the U.S. arsenal."
Support for Trump grows slightly among California Latinos, new poll shows
Sac Bee's KIM BOJORQUEZ: "A third of likely Latino voters in California say they support President Donald Trump, nearly the same percentage as likely white voters, according to a Public Policy Institute of California survey released Wednesday night.
In September, 64% of likely Latino voters said they would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden, while 25% said they would vote for Trump.
In this newly released October survey, 57% of likely Latino voters said they would vote for Biden, 33% for Trump."
California voters divided over business property tax measure Prop 15, poll finds
Sac Bee's SOPHIA BOLLAG: "Two weeks ahead of election day, voters are closely divided over a measure that would increase property taxes for large businesses, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll that found 49% of likely voters support the measure.
The fight over Proposition 15 has become one of the most prominent of the election cycle, with business groups opposing it and unions advocating for it
It would dramatically overhaul the state’s property tax system, which currently taxes all property based on purchase price. Proposition 15 would change that for businesses with more than $3 million in commercial or industrial property, which would be taxed at market rate under the measure."
Is the election stressing you out? You're not alone in the Bay Area. Here's how to cope
The Chronicle's ANNIE VAINSHTEIN: "Losing cell reception was the “aha” moment for San Francisco resident Armand Domalewski: The moment he realized the impending presidential election was making him sick.
When his phone came unmoored from the internet during a recent trip, he immediately felt the difference in his chest — it felt looser, more airy. The headaches that had plagued him for months momentarily disappeared. So did the random bouts of nausea.
Domalewski’s anxiety about the election had reached new heights when life was already challenging enough. He had recently been laid off. The stress of the coronavirus pandemic was magnified by his partner’s struggles with asthma, and they two were fighting more often than usual. He felt like he was on a constant state of alert."
Traveling from California to Hawaii during coronavirus? Here's what you need to know
The Chronicle's TOVIN LAPAN: "Hawaii has officially rebooted its coronavirus travel restrictions — meaning it’s far easier to travel there now.
Since late March, the coronavirus pandemic and a mandatory two-week quarantine for out-of-state arrivals has crashed the Hawaiian tourism industry, the economic engine of the Aloha State.
Tourism was down 69% through August. After seeing a record 10.4 million visitors in 2019, the pandemic broadsided the island chain with a devastating blow. Hawaii’s unemployment rate in September was 15%, the highest in the nation. Now, with the testing program, there’s hope for an economic rebound."
Iran and Russia have attempted to inflcuence the US election, officials say
LA Times's CHRIS MEGERIAN: "Iran and Russia have obtained voter registration information and are sending disinformation to Americans ahead of election day, the leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies including the FBI warned on Wednesday night.
The announcement was made during a brief and hastily announced news conference, and it was another reminder of the shadow game that surrounds this year’s presidential campaign. Intelligence officials, federal law enforcement and social media companies have been playing cat-and-mouse with foreign governments that want to tilt the political playing field in their interest or simply create more division in an already hotly partisan atmosphere.
John Ratcliffe, the national intelligence director, said Iran and Russia want to “cause confusion, sow chaos and undermine your confidence in American democracy.”"
