UC Berkeley law school dean, academic leaders urge SCOTUS to ban Trump from 2024 ballots
The Chronicle, BOB EGELKO: "As the Supreme Court prepares to decide whether former President Donald Trump can be barred from this year’s ballot for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, UC Berkeley Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and other legal scholars are disputing Trump’s argument that his disqualification would violate his freedom of speech and the rights of his supporters.
“Trump’s violent, incendiary speech calling on others to violate the law is not the kind of speech afforded First Amendment protection,” according to a court filing Tuesday by Chemerinsky and other academic leaders. They included Lee Bollinger, former president of Columbia University, Martha Minow, former dean of Harvard Law School, and First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams."
Two Democrats battle to keep Katie Porter’s Orange County U.S. House seat blue
LAT, HANNAH FRY: "Armed with a whiteboard and a penchant for grilling corporate executives during congressional hearings, Rep. Katie Porter quickly emerged as an apostle for Democrats in Orange County.
But despite spending millions on her campaign and having a national profile, she won reelection in 2022 by only a sliver. Now, with Porter running for Senate, two top Democratic contenders — state Sen. Dave Min and Joanna Weiss — have emerged for her seat. Former GOP Assemblyman Scott Baugh is the presumptive favorite among Orange County Republicans in the race, but he still faces a challenge in the primary from Max Ukropina."
Standard features of initiative measures
Capito Weekly, CHRIS MICHELI: "There are a number of provisions that are commonly contained today in proposed initiative measures. California Constitution Article II provides for this important form of direct democracy. Section 8(a) provides: “The initiative is the power of the electors to propose statutes and amendments to the Constitution and to adopt or reject them.”
When drafting initiative measures, there are several instances of standard language contained in those initiative measures. This article takes a brief look at several examples of that standardized language:"
Competing values at play in addressing sex trafficking
Capitol Weekly, BRIAN JOSEPH, RICH EHISEN: "Almost a year ago, San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen made headlines for introducing a resolution asking state lawmakers to introduce their own bill to legalize sex work in California.
The supervisor’s controversial proposal came in response to complaints about an increase in sex workers strolling on Capp Street. Barricades were erected in February 2023 in the hopes that it would discourage johns from soliciting prostitutes in the Mission District."
Brian Joseph on Sex Trafficking, SB 14 and more (PODCAST)
Capitol weekly, STAFF: "January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Over the course of several Capitol Weekly stories this month, reporter Brian Joseph explores the nuances of this horrific crime, its cultural influences and possible reform options. He joined us today to talk about “The Life,” the intersection of Pimp culture and Pop culture, Sen. Shannon Grove’s SB 14, one of last year’s most controversial bills, and more. Plus, hosts Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster take a look at a busy “Worst Week.”"
S.F. politicians file police reports in response to tech exec’s threatening social media post
The Chronicle, ALDO TOLEDO: "Two San Francisco supervisors said they received disturbing mailers to their homes Tuesday afternoon wishing “a slow and painful death for you and your loved ones,” referencing the profanity-laced social media post by Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan that led to police reports and calls for heightened security.
Progressive Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Dean Preston both told the Chronicle they received the threatening piece of mail at their residences."
Here’s where California’s snowpack stands with winter half over
The Chronicle, KURTIS ALEXANDER: "California has received barely half of the snow it typically gets by this point in winter, reinforcing concerns of a “snow drought” as the wet season moves into its second half and time grows shorter to produce cold, powder-producing storms.
State water officials reported 52% of average snowpack across California’s high country in the second snow survey of the year on Tuesday, a day before a major storm was forecast to bear down on the state and at least slightly improve prospects for the season, particularly in the southern Sierra Nevada. Another big storm is expected to arrive Sunday."
Bay Area storm: These are the active weather warnings right now
The Chronicle, JACK LEE: "The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch and wind alerts for the Bay Area as a strong storm arrives late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
“We’re looking at the potential for moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the region,” said Alexis Clouser, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Bay Area office. “If you’re going to be outside tomorrow, you’re going to get wet.”"
Bill would let therapists and social workers decide when to confine mentally ill Californians
CALMatters, RYAN SABALOW: "A mother’s hug was on California Sen. Aisha Wahab’s mind when she authored a controversial state bill that would allow social workers and therapists to decide when to confine someone against their will so they can be treated for mental illness.
Wahab was once a member of the Hayward City Council, and she’d just voted to create a local program that would send medical and mental health professionals to certain 911 calls, in an effort to reduce police officers interacting as much with mentally ill people."
Why TB cases are rising in California after decades of decline
BANG*Mercury News, LISA M. KRIEGER: "Once known as consumption, the disease that killed Eleanor Roosevelt, Frederic Chopin and all five of the sisters Bronte, tuberculosis is often viewed as a bygone threat.
But there is an uptick in new California illnesses after years of decline, with the number of cases in the Golden State increasing from 1,704 in 2020 to 1,848 in 2022."
LAUSD considers limiting charter co-locations on vulnerable campuses
EdSource, MALLIKA SESHADRI: "The Los Angeles Unified School District school board drew a mix of gratitude and frustration from communities throughout the region during its discussion of a policy that prevents charter schools from sharing a campus with its 100 priority schools, Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) schools and community schools. The California Charter Schools Association (CCSA), along with charter supporters, said the board policy was discriminatory and threatened lawsuits against the district.
Borrowing from a previous resolution, the proposed new policy encourages the district to avoid co-location offers that “compromise district schools’ capacity to serve neighborhood children” and that “result in grade span arrangements that negatively impact student safety and build charter school pipelines that actively deter students from attending District schools.”"
Advice from former superintendents on retaining those still on the job
EdSource, BETTY MARQUEZ ROSALES: "Dedicated mentorship, training for potential superintendents, and trust-building are some of the solutions to curb the growing number of superintendents in California who are leaving the job, according to panelists at Tuesday’s EdSource roundtable discussion, “Superintendents are quitting: What can be done to keep them?”
Some of the most cited reasons for exiting the profession include polarizing politics, division over the effects of the pandemic-related school closures, and stress."
Huge Oakland business launches new safety measures for employees amid concerns about rising crime
The Chronicle, RACHEL SWAN: "Another large Oakland business has launched new safety measures for employees — including escorts to and from BART stations — amid rising fears of crime downtown.
Representatives of Clorox, the cleaning product manufacturer that opened its global headquarters in Oakland 110 years ago, said they have hired uniformed security guards to chaperone employees to the office from BART stations, parking garages, restaurants and coffee shops."
Just do what? Man arrested after $5 million worth of Nike gear found in warehouse
LAT, TERRY CASTLEMAN: "In most cases, Nike tells customers to “just do it.” However, when it comes to stealing the brand’s merchandise, the company might advise otherwise.
On Saturday, Los Angeles Police Department detectives, Nike officials and other investigators found “thousands of pairs of stolen Nike shoes, clothing, accessories, and unique prototypes” at a Hawthorne warehouse, according to an LAPD statement."
Marijuana dispute led to desert massacre in San Bernardino that killed 6
LAT, KAREN GARCIA, NOAH GOLDBERG, SUMMER LIN: "Five men have been arrested in a gruesome multiple slaying in a remote part of the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County. Six men were fatally shot — and four of them were also severely burned — in Tuesday’s incident, authorities say. Their bodies were left scattered amid the desert landscape.
The motive behind the violence was a dispute over marijuana, investigators say. Possible connections to cartel activity are being explored."
It’s the home insurer of last resort for many Californians. Demand has surged — but so have delays
The Chronicle, CLARE FONSTEIN: "Around 8:30 a.m. each weekday, an employee with Santa Rosa-based Sadler & Company Insurance Brokers Inc. calls California’s backstop insurer, hoping that by 4 p.m. they will come off hold and can speak with someone.
It’s emblematic of problems at the FAIR Plan, California’s fire insurer of last resort, where response times have dramatically slowed, partly due to new software, even as demand has ramped up."
The Bay Area is set to receive more than $190 million in new federal homelessness funding. Is it enough?
BANG*Mercury News, ETHAN VARIAN: "The federal government is giving Bay Area counties another $191 million to combat homelessness, part of what officials describe as a “historic” nationwide investment, but some advocates say it amounts to a drop in the bucket.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this week announced almost $3.2 billion in grants for thousands of homeless housing sites and service programs across the country. That includes $53.8 million for San Francisco, $51.5 million for Alameda County, $39.5 million for Santa Clara County, $19.3 million for Contra Costa County and $14.6 million for San Mateo County. Napa, Sonoma, Marin and Solano counties also will receive funding. The agency awarded the money based largely on how well county agencies are working together to end homelessness."
They’re getting $1,000 a month for 3 years. How guaranteed income is changing lives in L.A. County
CALMatters, ALEJANDRE REYES-VELARDE: "For years, Kipp Kahlia felt stuck. The Long Beach guitarist used to tour the country with reggae artists. But 20 years ago, after contracting intestinal parasites on a trip abroad, Kahlia had to take a step back from gigging.
Her health deteriorated and visits to doctors drained her savings. Recently she decided to start a business performing social justice songs at events. But with no extra funds or time, she had to pause the venture."
‘A partner that never sleeps’: Surveillance towers extend Border Patrol’s California reach
CALMatters, WENDY FRY: "As California grapples with how much in state funds it should be spending on migrant humanitarian aid at its southern border, the U.S. federal government is pouring money into expanding its already extensive surveillance capabilities there.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to spend about $67.8 million acquiring 277 new surveillance towers and upgrading 191 existing towers along the entire 2,000-mile-long border over the next 14 years, the most recent federal contracts show. The agency has received more than $700 million in funding for surveillance since fiscal year 2017, according to a 2021 report by the Office of Inspector General."
‘I would absolutely not fly a Max airplane’: Ex-Boeing manager raises alarm on jets returning to service
LAT, KIERA FELDMAN: "Last weekend Alaska Airlines and United Airlines resumed flying some of their Boeing Max 9 planes, all of which were grounded after a door panel on a Max 9 blew out in midair Jan. 5.
Although airlines, regulators and Boeing maintain that the planes are safe after a federally approved inspection and maintenance process, critics argue that serious questions remain about the long-troubled Maxes. The Max 8 had two crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people."
