PG&E says Tuesday was the worst single day for Bay Area outages in almost 3 decades
THE CHRONICLE, SAM WHITING: "On Wednesday morning the storms had broken, the sky had lifted to reveal a brilliant blue but thousands of Bay Area residents were still without power.
As of 10 a.m., Pacific Gas & Electric Co. reported that 83,049 customers in the South Bay and 40,014 on the Peninsula were still lacking electricity from a storm that started overnight Monday and continued through Tuesday.
By noon the situation had improved slightly but just under 80,000 were still without power in the South Bay and just under 35,000 without power on the Peninsula."
Gov. Newsom surveys Monterey County Pajaro flood damage as crews scramble to reopen Highway 1
BANG*MERCURY NEWS, JOHN WOOLFOLK, ALDO TOLEDO: "Gov. Gavin Newsom surveyed extensive flood damage Wednesday caused by the massive Pajaro River levee breach as residents demanded to know when they could return home and Caltrans announced plans to fully reopen heavily traveled Highway 1 by Thursday.
“To see the devastation, to see what I’ve seen … we are very, very cognizant about the work ahead of us,” Newsom said, adding that the state “stands ready” to provide aid.
Although crews working around the clock had managed to temporarily patch the 365-foot breach in the inundated farming town of Pajaro, 1,700 residents who have been blocked from going back to their homes and businesses grew increasingly impatient since floodwaters have mostly receded. Dozens of people gathered at the Main Street bridge over the river between Watsonville and Pajaro and complained about the ongoing evacuation orders."
Newsom unveils details of plan to cap oil company profits
THE CHRONICLE, DUSTIN GARDINER: "After months of closed-door negotiations, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced long-awaited details of his proposal to fight California’s high gas prices by capping the profits of oil companies and fining those who exceed those limits.
The crux of the governor’s updated plan: Let state energy regulators make the rules.
“What we’re asking for is simple: transparency and accountability to drive the oil industry out of the shadows,” Newsom said in a statement. “Now it’s time to choose whether to stand with California families or with Big Oil in our fight to make them play by the rules.”"
California deals with surging rivers, sliding rocks and flooded towns as storm passes
LA TIMES, RUBEN VIVES, SUSANNE RUST, TERRY CASTLEMAN, HAYLEY SMITH: "Surging rivers. Sliding rocks. Flooded towns.
The 11th atmospheric river storm of the season left a trail of soggy misery in California as it broke decades-old rainfall records and breached levees this week.
In the Tulare County city of Porterville, residents on both sides of the Tule River were ordered to evacuate Wednesday morning as levels rose at Lake Success, sending water running over the spillway at Schafer Dam."
Bay Area works to power back up after 97 mph winds whipped up during ‘atmospheric river’ storm
BANG*MERCURY NEWS, RICK HURD, AUSTIN TURNER: "Maddie Long waited in line to get coffee in Concord. Then she waited in a second line, for a table, with scores of other people looking for precious power outlets.
“We’re waiting for a spot to open up so I can get online here and get some work done,” she said. “I’m visiting my family, and I can’t get anything done. All the power is out.”
Tens of thousands of Pacific Gas & Electric customers awoke to dark homes Wednesday, a day after another atmospheric river storm pummeled the region. In this case, the storm was characterized more by the wind than the rain, with gusts of 97 mph recorded in Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties, according to the National Weather Service."
Break from wet weather continues across the Bay Area. How long will it last?
THE CHRONICLE, GERRY DIAZ: "Comfortable weather is underway across Northern California as residents in the Bay Area wake up to another day of sunny skies, warm temperatures and light winds. This recent shift in the weather pattern started after Tuesday’s atmospheric river ran dry. Since then, drier conditions have settled across the Golden State and are slated to continue into early Friday morning.
But it’s looking like the dry and quiet weather will peter out by Friday afternoon and into Sunday as moisture from the Pacific Ocean streams back toward the West Coast.
Given how wet the pattern was during the first half of the month, it’s safe to say that parts of the Bay Area will see showers as early as Friday. Those chances will be limited to the coastline and a few hillsides, but they’ll gradually expand to some towns and cities closer to San Francisco Bay by Saturday and become more widespread Sunday."
After homes flood in Tulare County, decision to pave over creek for new houses draws blame
LA TIMES, TERRY CASTLEMAN: "After the rain stopped Wednesday afternoon, the prevailing sounds in northwest Woodlake were those of rushing water and gas generators.
On the town’s edge in Tulare County, northeast of Visalia, dozens of houses had flooded repeatedly since early Friday as more storms slammed California.
A new development was cut off from existing homes by a river of brown water a foot deep and 10 feet wide, coursing around signs reading “Sold” and “Ready to Move In!” before hitting a main street and being channeled to a natural creek bed."
As South Lake Tahoe storm crushes homes, some go to dangerous lengths to remove snow from roofs
THE CHRONICLE, MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "South Lake Tahoe, a city that usually yearns for massive, cold storms to cover its celebrated ski slopes, has had enough.
A parade of punishing winter storms has dumped historic amounts of snow on the city of just over 21,000, clogging their streets, collapsing roofs, cutting off electricity and disrupting much of ordinary life as locals wait for the snow and rain to break.
As the latest atmospheric river storm swept across the Sierra Nevada on Tuesday, bringing three-tenths of an inch of rain instead of snow, many South Lake Tahoe residents said they’re ready for summer."
Dramatic drone photos show where land gave way under cliffside residences in San Clemente
LA TIMES, CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ: "Four San Clemente buildings were yellow-tagged Wednesday after a landslide that followed heavy rains.
The Orange County Fire Authority evacuated three apartment buildings Wednesday morning due to the slide in the 1500 block of Buena Vista.
A fourth building was evacuated by Wednesday afternoon."
Bay Area will end sales of gas furnaces and water heaters. Here’s what it means for you
THE CHRONICLE, CLAIRE HAO: "If you live in the Bay Area and your natural gas-powered water heater stops working after 2027, you will be required to install an electric model instead.
Bay Area regulators voted Wednesday to adopt rules to phase out the sale and installation of natural-gas furnaces and water heaters over the next eight years, one of the most ambitious plans in the country to replace gas appliances with electric alternatives.
The rules, approved by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, are meant to reduce air pollution from some of the worst home-appliance offenders. The main pollutants targeted are nitrogen oxides, or NOx, which can cause acid rain and smog as well as increase risk for asthma and other respiratory diseases."
The $1.3 billion plan to fill the last empty pier on S.F.’s Embarcadero may get a boost from the state
THE CHRONICLE, JOHN KING: "Ever since the freight terminal atop Piers 30 and 32 was consumed by flames in 1984, the Port of San Francisco has been stymied in its efforts to revive the potentially spectacular 13-acre site along the Embarcadero.
Now, two years into at least the fourth serious redevelopment effort, the city might get a boost from the state legislature.
A bill introduced Wednesday morning by State Sen. Scott Weiner would ensure that if the latest development proposal reaches the California State Lands Commission — the ultimate watchdog over development proposals on such waterfront sites — the commission would be authorized to give the green light to developers. That $1.3 billion proposal includes a large amount of private office space above the water, a use that currently is not allowed."
Plans to build a massive, floating pool on the San Francisco Bay get legislative boost
BANG*MERCURY NEWS, MARISA KENDALL: "The Bay Area is one step closer to getting its first public floating pool, though challenges remain for the waterfront development just south of the Bay Bridge.
Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, proposed legislation Wednesday authorizing construction of a heated, Olympic-sized pool that would float on the San Francisco Bay, surrounded by retail space, offices and housing.
Because the site of the proposed project — Piers 30-32 — is owned by the state, a developer can’t build there without special legislative approval. But even if Wiener’s Senate Bill 273 bill passes, the project still must get a green light from the city, the state and several other agencies."
Oakland mayor takes first steps to plug $350 million budget hole
THE CHRONICLE, SARAH RAVANI: "Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said Wednesday that the city will freeze hiring in certain departments, including her own office and the city’s violence prevention unit, as she starts trying to close a projected budget deficit of nearly $350 million over the next two years.
Thao’s office did not say how much money the hiring freeze is expected to save. It will not affect the police, fire, planning and building, housing or transportation departments, city officials said.
Oakland hopes to avoid future layoffs, city officials said, as the gap between outlays and income for its general purpose fund is forecast to approach $187 million in fiscal year 2023-2024 and nearly $162 million in fiscal year 2024-2025. The general purpose fund pays for police, fire and other essential services."
S.F. Mayor Breed’s police overtime push passes first hurdle after fiery debate
THE CHRONICLE, MALLORY MOENCH: "San Francisco Mayor London Breed’s push to spend $25 million on police overtime will head to the Board of Supervisors next week after a committee Wednesday unanimously gave it the green light, though not without heated debate.
Supervisor Connie Chan successfully introduced an amendment, proposed by the mayor's office, to bring down the original request by $2 million after the department was able to save money in non-personnel costs.
Breed needs eight votes from the full board to spend the money on top of the department’s $714 million budget this fiscal year. If the votes hold, the spending is expected to win support at the full board next week. The mayor has said that without the overtime funding, the department will not be able to maintain current staffing levels on the streets because it’s struggling to fill vacant officer positions."
Stunning viral video shows California farmers launching truck into levee to stop flooding
THE CHRONICLE, KURTIS ALEXANDER: "A viral video that circulated among California farmers this week, showing two pricey pickup trucks sacrificed to plug a hole in a levee, reveals the drastic measures that some in the agricultural community are taking to protect fields from flooding.
The recent storms, amid a historically wet winter, have caused rivers and streams to rise and sometimes spill their banks, threatening farmland in many parts of the state, including the highly productive southern San Joaquin Valley.
From Bakersfield to Fresno, growers -- and in some cases entire communities -- are working continuously to clear debris from creeks and canals to keep the waterways from backing up and reinforcing levees to safeguard orchards, vineyards and row crops."
Seeking justice: CalVCB’s forced or involuntary sterilization compensation program
CAPITOL WEEKLY, SETH SANDRONSKY: "Moonlight Pulido, 58, is a formerly incarcerated Native woman held at Valley State Prison for Women from 1996 to 2022. While imprisoned there, she had what was supposed to be a routine pap smear from a Dr. Heinrich with the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation in late summer 2005. He subsequently told Moonlight that she had two growths that had the potential to turn into cancer.
“Cancer was scary for me,” Moonlight says, “because my son had cancer at the age of 12. The doctor asked me if I would be willing to have the growths removed. I said yes, thinking that this would be a life-saving procedure, without a thought that the doctor would do something other than that. Later, I was in the hospital for three days, feeling unwell with unusual body sensations such as sweat drenching my body.” Something was wrong.
Then Moonlight had an exam for a dressing change with a woman nurse. What she learned about what the male doctor did was a bombshell. He had performed a full hysterectomy on her, according to the nurse."
Massive three-day LAUSD teacher and staff strike set for Tuesday, closing all schools
LA TIMES, HOWARD BLUME, ANDREW J. CAMPA: "A three-day strike that would shut down Los Angeles public schools is scheduled to start Tuesday, union leaders announced Wednesday during a massive downtown rally by the district’s two largest employee groups.
L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho on Wednesday urged union leadership to negotiate “around the clock” to avert the strike, which he said would further harm more than 420,000 students trying to recover academically and emotionally from the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced them into remote learning for more than year.
Union leaders responded that they are looking out for the long-term interest of students as well as workers through their demands for higher pay and improved working and learning conditions."
LAUSD says it can meet ‘24/7’ with union to avoid three-day strike and school shutdowns
LA TIMES, HOWARD BLUME: "Los Angeles schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho said Wednesday morning that he and district negotiators are prepared to meet around the clock to avert a planned three-day strike by unions representing teachers and campus support staff.
His public invitation comes as the school system’s two largest employee unions prepare for a joint rally Wednesday afternoon at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. At the rally, union leaders have said they will announce the date of the strike, which could be scheduled for as early as next week.
The strike would shut down schools attended by more than 420,000 students,"
UC approves housing projects but goals for new beds may be too ‘optimistic’
EDSOURCE, MICHAEL BURKE: "Responding to the severe housing shortage facing its students, the University of California’s board of regents on Wednesday approved plans for residential projects that would add nearly 8,000 beds across five campuses.
But those beds are still years from being available to students and a top UC official said the plans may be overly optimistic in some cases, given the challenges that come with building new housing, including lawsuits that seek to stop projects.
The projects that were advanced Wednesday by the regents’ finance committee include more than 3,000 beds at UC Santa Cruz and more than 2,400 at UC San Diego. Projects were also approved at UCLA, UC Irvine and UC Riverside. Approval by the full board is expected Thursday."
Winds, rain, flooding close dozens of schools serving more than 100,000 students in California
EDSOURCE, JOHN FENSTERWALD: "California’s 11th atmospheric river storm, whose stiff winds and pelting rain downed electric lines, churned mudslides and sent rivers and streams over their banks, also shut down at least 178 schools serving 102,000 students, the California Department of Education reported.
Wednesday’s total may include additional schools, once the closure numbers are in from Southern California, which felt the tail end of the storm into Wednesday.
As much as six inches of rain were expected in the foothills of the San Bernardino and Santa Ana mountains. Flood watches were in effect Tuesday night from the Moreno Valley to Huntington Beach. About 336,000 electric customers in the state were without power Tuesday evening."
Employee charged with lying about Stanford University rapes that shook campus
BANG*MERCURY NEWS, ROBERT SALONGA, JAKOB RODGERS: "A Stanford University employee who authorities say twice reported last year that she was viciously dragged out of sight on campus and raped — touching off panic about a serial predator — is now accused of fabricating the claims in a revenge plot against a co-worker.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has charged Jennifer Ann Gries, 25, of Santa Clara, with two felony counts of perjury and two misdemeanor counts of making a false crime report.
In a statement, District Attorney Jeff Rosen called the allegations against Gries “a rare and deeply destructive crime” that affects “legitimate sexual assault victims who wonder if they will be believed.” Assistant DA Terry Harman, who is overseeing the prosecution, echoed that idea."
Campus community assembles to raise more than $12 million for students, programs
DAILY CALIFORNIAN, HUGO KWOK: "In the 24 hours known as the Big Give, more than 14,000 donors contributed more than $12 million to UC Berkeley students and programs. This year’s Big Give highlighted not only the power of the campus community, but it also emphasized the importance of philanthropy in the face of ever-dwindling state funding, as well as the lengths people are willing to go to win.
When it was first launched in 2014, the goal of Big Give was to provide students the opportunity to give back to their academic departments during Big Game week, according to campus spokesperson Elizabeth Costello. Two years into the tradition, however, the tables turned and campus invited student groups to raise money for their own causes, 34 of which seized the opportunity. In that year, Big Give brought in $11.6 million, more than double what they had raised in the years prior.
The 2018-19 fundraising event brought in two big changes: Big Give was moved to its current time on the second Thursday of March and campus created a leaderboard for student organizations and club sports that remains to this day, Costello said."
UC Regents discuss plans to mitigate housing crisis, worker wages, pass measures in March meeting
DAILY CALIFORNIAN, KAYLA SIM: "The UC Board of Regents convened Wednesday morning at the UCSF Mission Bay center for a two-day long meeting and discussed the UC-wide student housing crisis, worker wages and more.
First on the agenda was the board meeting, which consisted of a 30 minute public comment period made by undergraduates, graduate students, workers and community members from various UC campuses.
Among the public commenters, some were concerned regarding UC’s job transparency and wage fairness, or an alleged lack thereof."
Increased minimum wages may benefit small businesses, study co-authored at UC Berkeley finds
THE CHRONICLE, JOEL UMANZOR: "Governments raising the minimum wage may actually benefit small businesses and generally do not result in job reductions, according to a study co-authored by a UC Berkeley economist.
The study, according to Michael Reich, chair of UC Berkeley’s Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics, is the first to examine the impact of higher minimum wages on small, low-wage businesses such as restaurants, grocery and retail stores, and child-care operations.
“A minimum wage increase doesn’t kill jobs,” Reich said. “It kills job vacancies, not jobs. The higher wage makes it easier to recruit workers and retain them. Turnover rates go down. Other research shows that those workers are likely to be a little more productive as well.”"
‘They’re all just pack animals’: Silicon Valley Bank collapse highlights tech hypocrisy, experts say
THE CHRONICLE, CAROLYN SAID: "Silicon Valley tycoons are famously libertarian. They want the government to keep its paws out of their business so they can conjure tech wizardry free from stifling regulations.
But when tech needs help — whether it’s special tax breaks or laws shielding internet companies from lawsuits — suddenly it’s a different story.
That played out in real time last week with the implosion of Silicon Valley Bank, where companies large and small had parked millions of dollars — far above the $250,000 backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp."
S.F.-based First Republic Bank exploring potential sale, Bloomberg report says
THE CHRONICLE, JOEL UMANZOR: "San Francisco-based First Republic Bank is exploring strategic options including a sale after the lender's credit rating was downgraded Wednesday by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, according to a report from Bloomberg citing sources close to matter.
The bank is expecting to draw interest from larger rivals, sources told Bloomberg, although no decision has been reached and the bank could choose to remain independent.
Stock in the bank also fell 21% Wednesday in New York trading, according to the New York Stock Exchange."
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