California House Democrats seek to tie Trump to conservatives’ controversial Project 2025
LAT's ANDREA CASTILLO: "California House Democrats — seeking to connect former President Trump to the ultra-conservative policy blueprint Project 2025 — will hold a public hearing Tuesday to lay out “its devastating impact on hardworking American taxpayers.”
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) founded the Stop Project 2025 Task Force in June, designating it a “central hub” for preempting what members see as a “right-wing plot to undermine democracy.”"
Special Episode: 2024 Election Preview with Rusty Hicks and Asm. James Gallagher
Capitol Weekly's PODCAST: "On Wednesday, September 11, 2024, Capitol Weekly hosted the California Ballot Forum: 2024 Election Preview.
Today’s episode presents The Keynote for this event: A look at California’s congressional and legislative races, with California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks and Assemblymember James Gallagher, moderated by Rich Ehisen of Capitol Weekly."
Mark Hamill, Jane Fonda, J.J. Abrams urge Gov. Newsom to sign AI safety bill
LAT's WENDY LEE: "More than 125 Hollywood actors, directors, producers, music artists and entertainment industry leaders have added their names to a letter released Tuesday urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill that would require developers of advanced artificial intelligence models to have safety measures in place to prevent catastrophes.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and passed by the California Legislature, would require developers to share their safety plans with the state’s attorney general, who could hold them liable if AI models they directly control were to cause harm or imminent threat to public safety."
An upscale retirement community is cracking down on free speech after a pickleball brawl over Trump
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "Growing dissent at the upscale Contra Costa County senior community of Rossmoor offers a chilling preview of where our country is headed if we can’t start discussing our political differences civilly. Inflamed by a fistfight between two women on the pickleball court at the 55-and-over community, the tensions have escalated to include complaints of an authoritarian crackdown on free speech — including restrictions on public demonstrations on its lush grounds and on political commentary in the Rossmoor News.
Some residents say more than their free speech is being impinged. They call the restrictions “infantilizing” for an age group whose members can be sensitive about being told what to do and what’s best for them. For them, the new rules are akin to taking the free speech keys from Grandma and Grandpa, decades after this generation’s seniors used them to transform society during the Civil Rights era."
Janet Jackson faces backlash for questioning Kamala Harris’ race: ‘She’s not Black’
The Chronicle's AIDIN VAZIRI: "Janet Jackson faced backlash this weekend after questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity and suggesting potential chaos in the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
In an interview with the Guardian, published Saturday, Sept. 21, journalist Nosheen Iqbal inquired about the pop star’s views on America’s prospective first Black female president in Harris."
Desperate California wine growers are slashing prices on grapes. No one is buying
The Chronicle's JESS LANDER: "For the first time in three decades, Lisa Graul hasn’t been able to sell her coveted Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which she farms with her husband at their home in Calistoga. Her existing contracts with wineries expired this year and weren’t renewed, so she has slashed her pricing in a desperate attempt to lure in some buyers before harvest’s end — from her typical $9,500 per ton to $2,500.
“Even that is negotiable,” she said. “We just want to make our expenses back at this point.”"
Climate protesters arrested outside Kamala Harris’ Brentwood home
LAT's SAMMY ROTH: "Two climate change activists were arrested in front of Vice President Kamala Harris’ Brentwood home Monday, during the final moments of a Sunrise Movement protest in which more than a dozen activists urged the Democratic presidential nominee to stop promoting fossil fuel drilling and release a detailed climate plan.
The protest came a few weeks after Harris bragged during a debate against former President Trump that the U.S. has “increased domestic gas production to historic levels” under President Biden — and as three wildfires scorch Southern California. Together, the Airport, Bridge and Line fires have burned more than 117,000 acres."
‘Southerly surge’ to begin cooling trend in these Bay Area cities
The Chronicle's ANTHONY EDWARDS: "Monday was San Francisco’s hottest day so far this year but the heat is not expected to last. Tuesday will mark the beginning of a cooling trend as the ocean breeze resumes, dropping temperatures as much as 10 degrees along the coast.
This wind shift, known as a southerly surge, is being triggered by movement of the high-pressure system just north of the Bay Area. On Monday, clockwise-spinning winds around the high-pressure system resulted in weak easterly winds in San Francisco, preventing the chilly ocean air from cooling off downtown and allowing the temperature to reach 88 degrees. But the high-pressure system is expected to push into Nevada on Tuesday, allowing the natural air conditioning to resume."
Virus that can cause paralysis in children is on the rise in California: A few safeguards
LAT's CLARA HARTER: "A respiratory virus that in rare cases can cause polio-like paralysis in children is on the rise in California and across the nation, according to wastewater analyses.
Enterovirus D68 was detected in 207 out of 268 samples taken from wastewater sites across the nation in the last 10 days, says the nonprofit WastewaterSCAN."
California orders schools to restrict cellphone use amid student distractions, anxiety
LAT's JAWEED KALEEM, HOWARD BLUME: "Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed a bill into law that will require California school districts to restrict or ban student cellphone use, thrusting the state with the largest K-12 population in the nation into the forefront of a growing movement to get distracted students off their devices in the classroom and focused on learning.
The law, called the Phone-Free Schools Act, requires California’s 1,000 school districts, charter schools and county education offices to draft student cellphone policies by July 1, 2026. It leaves it up to local schools whether students should be banned from using cellphones altogether. But the law requires schools to restrict phone use in order to “support pupil learning and well-being.”"
New law will require annual report on chronic absences among incarcerated students
EdSource's BETTY MARQUEZ ROSALES: "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2176 into law, requiring the state office overseeing the juvenile justice system to develop an annual report on chronic absences among students enrolled in the system’s court schools. It was authored by Assemblymember Marc Berman and signed into law on Sunday.
The bill also authorizes the state office, known as the Office of Youth and Community Restoration, to investigate the reasons for chronic absences at schools where the rates are 15% or higher and provide technical assistance to schools to address those reasons."
Big drop in enrollment of low-income undocumented students at California’s public universities (Q&A)
EdSource's AMY DIPIERRO: "The number of low-income undocumented students newly enrolled in the University of California and California State University plummeted 50% between 2016-17 and 2022-23, according to a study released this month.
The study by William C. Kidder of the UCLA Civil Rights Project and Kevin R. Johnson of the UC Davis School of Law comes at a moment of heightened debate about policy proposals aimed at defraying the cost of college for undocumented students, who are not eligible for federal Pell Grants and often lack legal work permits. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday vetoed Assembly Bill 2586, which would have cleared the way for undocumented students to take on-campus jobs at the state’s public colleges and universities."
Sacramento to vote on $52.7M spending plan for youth resources. What will the money do?
Sacramento Bee's CATHIE ANDERSON: "The Sacramento City Council will vote Tuesday on a five-year pending plan for $52.7 million in Measure L funds set aside for investments in youth and children.
Approved by voters in November 2022, Measure L allocated 40% of revenue generated from taxes on cannabis operations to positive youth development and violence prevention. It also created a planning and oversight commission composed of one voter from each of the city’s nine districts, and that commission worked in tandem with the Sacramento Youth Commission to develop the strategic plan."
‘Maybe something falls through’: A’s greats from ’80s bash team’s move to Sacramento
The Chronicle's JOHN SHEA, SUSAN SLUSSER: "Like fans and players of the Oakland Athletics across generations, the Bash Brothers-era A’s are sad the team is being pulled out of Oakland, especially those who grew up in the area, such as Dave Stewart from Oakland, Dennis Eckersley from Fremont and Carney Lansford from Santa Clara.
Dave Stewart: “Shoot, I was a kid here. We used to sneak into games. One time, three of us tried to get an autograph on a ball from Rick Monday, and he told us to go home because there was school the next day. We were in the bleachers out in right field, and Reggie Jackson knew we snuck in and gave us a bunch of s— , saying, ‘You don’t have any business being in here. Old Man Finley’s going to put you out of the stadium.’ My cousin said to Reggie, ‘Shoot, Old Man Finley couldn’t keep us from getting in here. How’s he going to put us out?’"
Tony Robbins was reeling from backlash. Then came an unlikely ally: Stanford
The Chronicle's SUSIE NEILSON: "Tony Robbins was having a rough year.
It was 2019, and the venerated motivational speaker and life coach was already reeling from backlash for saying women were using the #MeToo movement to gain “significance.” Now Buzzfeed News was publishing a multi-part investigation into allegations that he had, during his in-person events, groped women and belittled abuse survivors."
Exclusive: S.F. appoints a new top tourism official. Here are her priorities
The Chronicle's ROLAND LI: "San Francisco has a new top tourism official: Anna Marie Presutti, a hotel industry veteran and 23-year resident of the city.
Presutti had been serving as interim president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association since May after the abrupt departure of her predecessor, Scott Beck. The nonprofit, which is the city’s official tourism marketing organization, voted to make her appointment permanent after a nationwide search. She is the first woman to lead the organization, which was founded in 1909.'"
HUD gave $10-million tenant organizing grant to L.A. landlord who tenants say blocked their organizing
LAT's LIAM DILLON: "For nine months, Nash Stabolito has tried to organize a tenant union with fellow residents of his Skid Row single-room occupancy hotel and nearby properties owned by his landlord. In his building, the Baltimore Hotel, Stabolito has photos of cockroach droppings lining doors, mold-like spores dotting walls and a dead rat in a neighbor’s room. Tenants at the other SROs have had similar complaints. Working collectively, Stabolito believes, residents could better their conditions.
But Stabolito said that his landlord, the nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has stymied the unionization efforts. The foundation, he said, has stopped him from handing out fliers, blocked union meetings in the buildings and refused to respond to requests for repairs he’s filed on behalf of other residents."
Governor Gavin Newsom signs bills enhancing penalties for sideshows
Sacramento Bee's WILLIAM MELHADO: "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills on Monday aimed at cracking down on street takeovers by empowering law enforcement to seize vehicles of drivers engaged in illegal activities.
“Sideshows are reckless, criminal activities that endanger our communities. We have seen too many people killed or hurt at these events,” Newsom said annoucing the new laws."
Exclusive: Gun used in shooting of 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall was recently purchased — in another state
The Chronicle's MEGAN CASSIDY, SUSIE NEILSON: "The gun that a teenager allegedly used to fire a bullet through the chest of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall on a Union Square sidewalk was a semiautomatic pistol purchased legally in Phoenix seven months earlier, the Chronicle has learned.
The weapon recovered from the scene, a law enforcement source said, was a .40-caliber Glock 23, a handgun that is popular among police agencies, is advertised as easy to conceal and retails for about $500."
He told followers he was the son of God. She helped get him arrested on sex trafficking charges
LAT's NOAH GOLDBERG: "It was New Year’s Eve 1999 in a Davao City compound, and Arlene Stone was convinced the world was going to end. Jesus Christ was going to come down from a cloud, and she would go to heaven along with the other members of her religious group.
That’s what Stone said she and others in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ had been told by their spiritual leader, Apollo Quiboloy, known by his followers as the “Appointed Son of God” or “Owner of the Universe.” Stone had followed Quiboloy’s teachings since she joined his group in 1991 as a young teen. She believed him."
