All 12 California Republicans back Rep. Jim Jordan, who again falls short in bid for Speaker
Sacramento Bee, GILLIAN BRASSIL, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "All 12 California Republicans stood Wednesday behind Rep. Jim Jordan, whose second bid for Speaker of the House of Representatives fell well short of the required 217 votes.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Oroville, had voted for ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Tuesday on the first ballot but switched to Jordan, R-Ohio, this time."
Newsom signs landmark corporate carbon disclosure bills. Now what?
Capitol Weekly, LOLA WATTS: "California has taken another step in its effort to confront the looming threat of climate change.
On October 7th Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 253, a first in the nation bill that will require public carbon disclosures from large corporations – defined as those “with total annual revenues in excess of $1 billion” – that do business in California."
‘Back of the line again’: California’s broadband plan deprioritized underserved regions, advocates say
CALMatters, ALEJANDRA REYES-VELARDE: "In November 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the first 18 projects in the state’s plan to build a public broadband infrastructure system which would help bridge the digital divide between those who have access to high speed internet and those who don’t. That list included underserved communities of Southeast and South Los Angeles, Oakland and the Coachella Valley.
The plan is part of a “once-in-a-lifetime,” $6 billion state and federal investment, which includes $3.8 billion to build a backbone network of high-capacity fiber lines throughout the state, state officials said."
Trump attorney Sidney Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
CNN, MARSHALL COHEN: "Former Donald Trump attorney Sidney Powell has pleaded guilty in the Georgia election subversion case, one day before her trial was set to start.
Fulton County prosecutors are recommending a sentence of six years probation. Powell will also be required to testify at future trials and write an apology letter to the citizens of Georgia."
Major labor group makes endorsement in Sacramento mayor race, sparking criticism from opponent
Sac Bee, THERESA CLIFT: "The Sacramento Central Labor Council has endorsed Kevin McCarty for mayor, prompting a fight to heat up between two of the other candidates.
McCarty, a former council member and current assemblyman, announced the high profile endorsement Thursday on social media."
Biden wraps up visit to wartime Israel with a warning against being ‘consumed’ by rage
AP, AAMER MADHANI, COLLEEN LONG: "President Biden said Wednesday that Israel had agreed to allow humanitarian assistance to begin flowing into Gaza from Egypt, with the understanding that it would be subject to inspections and that it should go to civilians and not Hamas militants.
In remarks from Tel Aviv, where the president had gone to show support for Israel after the brutal and deadly attack by Hamas militants that killed roughly 1,400 people, Biden cautioned the nation against all-consuming rage."
Israel continues deadly Gaza bombing campaign after Biden’s visit
AP, NAJIB JOBAIN, SAMYA KULLAB, RAVI NESSMAN: "Israeli airstrikes pounded locations across the Gaza Strip early Thursday, a day after President Biden’s visit to Israel to show his support and to broker a deal for humanitarian aid to enter the coastal enclave.
In the nearly two weeks since a devastating Hamas rampage in southern Israel, the Israeli military has relentlessly attacked Gaza in response. Even after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate the northern part of Gaza and head to what it called “safe zones” in the south, strikes continued overnight throughout the densely populated territory."
What do Hamas and Israel see as the endgame? What would ‘victory’ look like?
LA Times, LAURA KING, NABIH BULOS: "Israeli troops and armor are massed on the periphery of the Gaza Strip. Hamas fighters, ensconced in tunnels deep beneath the ravaged coastal enclave, boast that they stand ready to inflict huge losses on invaders.
A potential ground offensive in Gaza, which Israeli leaders have signaled could begin at any time against the militant group Hamas, poses a perhaps unanswerable question for both sides: What would victory even look like?"
‘Therapy is like going to the dentist’: Alex Padilla shares family’s struggles as mental health caucus launches
The Chronicle, SHIRA STEIN: "On their first date, California Sen. Alex Padilla and his wife, Angela, were waiting to order food when she said she needed to tell him something. Over the next few hours, she shared what it was like growing up with a mom who had “struggled with hospitals and doctors and insurance over the years” because of her mental health.
By the time the check came, Padilla said he told Angela, “I can imagine this is difficult for the family, it can be pretty sensitive. We’re just getting to know each other; trust me, I can be discreet.”"
California weighs ending climate credits for cow poop
CALMatters, ALEJANDRO LAZO: "As California seeks to lead the nation on battling climate change, perhaps no debate is more fraught than the one over climate credits for cow poop.
More than a decade ago, California helped spark a boom in biofuels — produced from plants or animal waste — with its first-of-its-kind Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The program forces carbon-intensive fuel companies to pay for cleaner burning transportation fuels."
The Northern California earthquake was not a test of the MyShake app. That’s due to happen Thursday
The Chronicle, CLARE FONSTEIN: "When phones across Northern California buzzed Wednesday morning with the warning of a major earthquake in Sacramento County (soon revised down to a 4.2 magnitude), some people thought it was a drill.
It wasn’t — but by coincidence, an annual earthquake drill is scheduled to happen on Thursday."
These Bay Area cities could reach record-breaking temperatures today
The Chronicle, ANTHONY EDWARDS: "A strong high-pressure system is pushing down on the atmosphere over the Bay Area, squashing the marine layer and reducing the sea breeze to a trickle.
Hot weather is expected all the way to the coast Thursday, with highs in the mid-80s in Half Moon Bay, lower 90s in San Francisco and Oakland and mid-90s in Santa Rosa and San Jose. Numerous high temperature records are expected to be matched or surpassed."
Californians need more healthcare accessibility, not less (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly, ARIEANA CASTELLANOS: "A pending bill in the state legislature could prevent thousands of state residents from receiving the health care they so desperately need.
The bill in question, AB 1011, will make it extremely difficult for the most vulnerable Californians to receive care referrals from their doctors and social care workers, all so one technology company can gain a manufactured industry advantage."
Silicon Valley tech executive gets 8 years in prison for COVID fraud scheme
The Chronicle, AIDIN VAZIRI: "The president of a Silicon Valley medical technology company was sentenced on Wednesday to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $24 million in restitution for his involvement in a $77 million fraud scheme related to coronavirus testing, federal prosecutors said.
Mark Schena, 60, who served as president of Arrayit Corporation, a biomedical company in Sunnyvale, was charged with conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, securities fraud and paying illegal kickbacks."
READ MORE -- Silicon Valley tech CEO sentenced to 8 years in prison following COVID and allergy test fraud scandal -- BANG*Mercury News, AUSTIN TURNER
Strapped down: Psychiatric patients are restrained at sky-high rates at this L.A. hospital
LA Times, BEN POSTON, EMILY ALPERT REYES: "When he came home from the hospital, Marcelus Laidler began to wet the bed. His mother noticed he seemed leery, questioning everything she did.
His ankles and wrists bore scars — the result, he said, of repeatedly being strapped to a bed with restraints at Los Angeles General Medical Center."
Flat test scores leave California far behind pre-Covid levels of achievement
EdSource, JOHN FENSTERWALD, DANIEL J. LEWIS: "In the second year fully back in school after remote learning, California school districts made negligible progress overall in reversing the steep declines in test scores that have lingered since Covid struck in 2020.
There was a slight improvement in math while English language arts declined a smidgeon, and the wide proficiency gap between Black and Latino students and whites and Asians showed little change."
READ MORE -- California student test scores change little from last year’s low -- CALMatters, CAROLYN JONES/ERICA YEE
CSU students sound off on impact of upcoming tuition increase
EdSource, AYA MIKBEL, ABBIE PHILLIPS, NOAH LYONS, OLIVIA KEELER, ARABEL MYER: "With the September decision by the trustees of California State University to raise tuition rates at its 23 campuses, the California Student Journalism Corps asked fellow students how this increase would impact them.
Students at four California State University campuses were asked:"
Two UC Berkeley professors have clashed on Israel-Palestine. War led them to a joint message
The Chronicle, ROBIN BULER: "Ron Hassner sat in front of his computer last Wednesday feeling a combination of stress, pain and determination. The day prior, unsettling events had taken place on the campus of UC Berkeley, where Hassner, a professor of political science, directs the Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies.
A collection of primarily Jewish students had gathered on the steps of Sproul Plaza to read the names of the people who had been killed and kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel. But during the ceremony — which echoed a practice common to remember victims of the Holocaust — they were confronted by a group of anti-Israel peers."
What does it take to be in top 1% of California earners? Here’s the minimum income
Sacramento Bee, CORTLYNN STARK, THE SUM: "The top households in the United States earn about eight times as much as the median household. To make the top 1% in California, residents have to earn even more.
That’s according to a 2023 report from SmartAsset, a financial advice website."
Sacramento forced to use money from general fund to pay off Golden 1 Center bonds. Here’s why
Sacramento Bee, RANDY DIAMOND: "The city of Sacramento’s plans to use parking revenue to pay off $273 million in construction bonds for Golden 1 Center has developed funding cracks, forcing officials to use money from the city’s general fund, a pot of money that also pays for homelessness services, libraries and parks.
The problem: Too many empty spaces in Sacramento’s five garages, a continuing hangover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This has forced the city of Sacramento to divert from its $771 million general fund more than $5.7 million over the past two years to pay off the construction bonds."
Charts show how California crime trends compare to rest of U.S.
The Chronicle, SUSIE NEILSON: "California’s violent crime rate increased for the second year in a row in 2022, while violence in the U.S. overall declined. But the state’s property crime increased only modestly and in line with the rest of the country.
These findings come from the FBI’s latest annual release of crime data collected via its Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system, which collects data from law enforcement agencies across the country."
Why tiny homes will remain part of California’s homelessness equation for years
CALMatters, JEANNE KUNG: "Despite moving in to her new digs just a month ago, Darlene Pizarro and her white dog, Angel, are already regulars at the local dog run.
Pizarro’s new place is not quite a city neighborhood and where she lives isn’t quite a home, but a tiny home, one of 94 city-funded units for the homeless at that lot. But Pizarro, who last lived as a squatter in an abandoned house, was relieved to be there."
California has 11 of largest housing shortages in US, study says
OC Register, JONATHAN LANSNER: "The Golden State’s high housing costs are often tied to construction failing to keep pace with population and economic growth.
Here’s the 11 biggest homebuilding deficits in the state, ranked by their shortfall’s share of local housing supply …"
