FBI to Napa wineries: Cheers!

The reason for the federal action is not known, but many of the wineries and vintners named in the subpoena have links to or have donated money to Alfredo Pedroza, an embattled politician who was at the center of a vineyard development controversy."

California Prison Drug Overdoses Surge Again After Early Treatment Success

DON THOMPSON, Kaiser Health News: "Drug overdose deaths in California state prisons rebounded to near record levels last year even as corrections officials touted the state’s intervention methods as a model for prisons and jails across the United States.

At least 59 prisoners died of overdoses last year, according to a KFF Health News analysis of deaths in custody data the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is required to report under a new state law. That’s more than double the number who died of overdoses in each of 2020 (23) and 2021 (24)."

Spending on lobbying firms topped $303 million in 2023

BRIAN JOSEPH, Capitol Weekly: "Lobbyist employers, otherwise known as special interests, paid firms a little more than $77 million to lobby California state government in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to a Capitol Weekly analysis of lobbying firm reports.

That figure doesn’t include all of the funds spent on lobbying during the fourth quarter. Lobbying firm disclosure reports don’t include wages and expenses for in-house lobbyists, for example."

Judith Blackwell, the former employee, sued Ma in 2021, alleging the treasurer had exposed herself and crawled into bed with Blackwell when they shared rooms at a hotel and a rental property."

Sweeping new LAUSD policy to restrict charter school locations; advocates threaten to sue

HOWARD BLUME, LA Times: "The struggle between traditional and charter schools intensified Tuesday when a narrow Los Angeles school board majority passed a sweeping policy that will limit when charters can operate on district-owned campuses.

Access to public school campuses for charter schools is guaranteed under state law — and charter advocates immediately threatened to sue over the new restrictions."

Newsom’s top education advisor bares his mental health struggle: ‘You’re not alone’

TERESA WATANABAE, LA Times: "Six months into his first year in high school, he dropped out. For more than a year, he isolated himself in his Huntington Beach bedroom where he became addicted to video games and anonymously vented his anger online with racist and misogynistic screeds, haunted by suicidal thoughts and fantasies about hurting others. His health deteriorated as he binged on pepperoni pizza, grew obese and developed terrible rashes.

Then Ben Chida ventured out of his room."

Multimillion-dollar homes on the edge after landslide crumbles O.C. cliff

HANNAH FRY, LA Times: "The three multimillion-dollar estates perched high on the edge of a Dana Point bluff boast some of the most magnificent views in Orange County: unobstructed panoramas of the crystal blue Pacific, boats moored in the harbor and, on a clear day, Santa Catalina.

But back-to-back rainstorms have prompted fresh concerns about the homes on the aptly named Scenic Drive. The same steep cliff that falls away under the properties — giving them the illusion of being on the edge of the Earth — has withered under the atmospheric river precipitation that pounded Southern California last week. A portion of the cliff leading up to the blufftop homes washed away in the torrent."

It’s the only store for dozens of miles. PG&E’s latest rate hikes could put it out of business

JUSTO ROBLES, CalMatters: "Twelve years ago, when Tammy and Tim Babcock saw businesses closing in rural northeast California and families moving to bigger cities, they purchased the Big Valley Market in Bieber, with the hope of revitalizing the dying town. 

Since then their grocery store has become crucial to the day-to-day lives of residents in the surrounding communities, especially to the 200 or so people living in Bieber, about 250 miles north of Sacramento. But the store is struggling to survive. Tammy and Tim Babcock blame recent rate increases in their electric bill. 

Are Californians getting their bang for their buck with law enforcement?

SacBee Capitol Alert: "Despite receiving billions of dollars in funding — including more than $25 billion in 2022 — California police are solving few crimes. That’s the finding of a new report from the Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice, a nonprofit dedicated to researching and advocating for criminal justice reform.

The report, which can be read here, shows that the statewide overall “clearance rate” — crimes resulting in an arrest being made — was 13.2% in 2022. The clearance rate for property crimes was even lower, at 7.2%, while violent crimes were cleared by law enforcement 41% of the time, according to the report."

Measles reappears in California as post-pandemic travel picks up

CATHERINE HO, Chronicle: "Measles is once again on the rise, and doctors should be on the lookout for symptoms as more unvaccinated people travel and potentially bring the highly contagious disease back from countries where it is more common and then pass it onto unvaccinated individuals here, California state epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan said Tuesday.