Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR
AP: "President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aiming to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR as he alleged “bias” in the broadcasters’ reporting.
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and further requires that that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. The White House, in a social media posting announcing the signing, said the outlets “receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.’”"
Spending on lobbying firms tops $66M through first quarter of 2025
Capitol Weekly, BRIAN JOSEPH: "Special interests, or as the California Secretary of State calls them “lobbyist employers,” paid lobbying firms more than $66 million to lobby state government in the first quarter of 2025, according to a Capitol Weekly analysis of lobbying firm reports.
As we always note in these quarterly stories, that number doesn’t include the total spent on all lobbying during the first quarter of the 2025-26 legislative cycle, as lobbying firm disclosure reports don’t include wages and expenses for in-house lobbyists."
California’s biggest reservoir reaches capacity for third straight year
The Chronicle, KURTIS ALEXANDER: "California’s largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, reached capacity this week, marking the third straight year it has filled or nearly filled with water.
The run of big water years at the reservoir reflects the unusual string of wet winters the state has experienced, and it bodes well for water supplies this year across California."
Guidance for drafting a California criminal or penal statute
Capitol Weekly, CHRIS MICHELI: "Drafting criminal or penal code statutes is an important undertaking for any bill drafter because of the consequences for those who violate such statutes and because courts strictly construe these types of statutes. As a result, those who draft criminal laws must have taken a number of issues under consideration.
Valuable guidance for drafting criminal or penal statutes is provided by Athabasca University, Canada, in its Graduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting program. They suggest a number of factors to consider, such as ensuring that legislation does not violate any fundamental right or freedom guaranteed under the state or federal constitution, as well as specific items, such as the following:"
Democratic lawmakers are trying to ramp up defiance to Trump. Is it enough?
The Chronicle, SHIRA STEIN: "Democratic voters think their representatives have been too meek in fighting President Donald Trump and Republicans, but some seemed to take a more aggressive approach this week.
“People want to see Democrats fighting for them,” said Tory Gavito, president of donor and strategist hub Way to Win. “These systems aren’t working; they’re not working for the majority of Americans. So, they want to see fighters.”"
Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee announces key appointments to address public safety and economy
The Chronicle, SARAH RAVANI: "Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee announced Friday a transition team of politicians, business leaders, philanthropists, attorneys and nonprofit heads that will help her lead the city when she takes office.
The group is made up of 16 people, including Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, Keith Carson, a retired Alameda County supervisor, Quinn Delaney, founder of the Akonadi Foundation, and Carrie Owen Plietz, regional president for Kaiser Permanente Northern California."
Oakland’s finance director resigns amid financial woes
The Chronicle, SARAH RAVANI: "Oakland’s finance director has resigned, city officials confirmed Thursday, just days before the interim mayor releases his two-year budget proposal as the city grapples with financial challenges and awaits the swearing in of Barbara Lee as the next mayor.
Erin Roseman, who was hired in 2021 under former Mayor Libby Schaaf, has been leading the city’s effort to address a massive budget deficit in its general purpose fund, which pays for fire and police among other services. Her last day will be June 15 — several weeks after the city adopts the next biennial budget, according to Jestin Johnson, the city administrator."
In leaked memo, Alameda County prosecutors call office’s approach to welfare fraud ‘extortion’
The Chronicle, MEGAN CASSIDY: "A pair of Alameda County district attorneys who were in charge of welfare fraud prosecutions said their office practiced a form of “extortion” in these cases, leveraging the fear of criminal charges to collect money from suspects.
In an internal memo obtained by the Chronicle, the prosecutors said problems had arisen after the District Attorney’s Office, in 2021, assumed responsibility for probing public-assistance fraud allegations, a task previously handled by the county’s social services agency."
7 million people have Alzheimer’s. Why is the Trump administration derailing research?
LAT, STEVE LOPEZ: "Dr. Charles DeCarli, co-director of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Research Center, got the news in a call from a colleague on March 24.
“Your study was terminated.”"
New MWD policy could be revolutionary (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly, BRUCE REZNIK: "The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California recently adopted what could be a revolutionary policy. Metropolitan’s new Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water will “provide the roadmap that will guide [the agency’s] future capital investments” in this era of climate extremes, potentially upending how we have managed water since William Mulholland famously extorted, “There it is, Take it!” in 1913.
Metropolitan is the water wholesaler for 19 million Southern Californians. It’s the 800-pound gorilla in any project that transports water long distances to power the showers, water the lawns, and fill the drinking glasses of residents from the Mexican border north to Ventura County. The agency was formed in 1928 to import water from the Colorado River to support growing southern California communities, later expanding to bring in even more water from Northern California through the State Water Project."
Thanks to the Trump slump, Florida and other states are moving to eviscerate child labor protections
LAT, MICHAEL HILTZIK: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has discovered a problem with the anti-immigration policies that once made him a GOP star. Luckily he has a solution.
The problem is that chasing immigrant workers out of his state created a labor shortage in some of its most important industries, such as construction, agriculture and tourism."
California lawmakers kill bid to force HOAs to follow open meeting laws
CALMatters, RYAN SABALOW: "Republican Assemblymember Joe Patterson says a woman slowly drives by his Placer County home about once a week and takes pictures.
She’s not an angry constituent or a stalker. He said she’s a representative from his homeowners’ association gathering evidence to make sure the exterior of Patterson’s home complies with its strict rules."
In a bid to blunt gentrification after fire in Altadena, nonprofits look to buy burned lots
LAT, ANDREW KHOURI: "Eshele Williams always believed she’d eventually own the home she rented in Altadena’s historic Janes Village neighborhood.
The 1920s cottage was where she brought her son Brayden home from the hospital and where she held backyard parties for birthdays or whatever anniversary family and friends wanted to celebrate. Her mom lived a block away; her three sisters weren’t much further."
Security cameras are coming to Altadena to combat surge in thefts. Some residents say it’s not enough
LAT, CLARA HARTER: "New security cameras are arriving in Altadena as law enforcement attempts to stem skyrocketing rates of residential burglary in the fire-ravaged community, but some residents fear that won’t be enough to keep thieves away.
From Jan. 1 to April 15, the number of residential burglaries reported in the Altadena area was up about 450% compared with the same period in 2024, according to data from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. For months, thieves have preyed on vulnerable homes in the abandoned community — ripping up copper pipes, smashing windows and doors, and stealing appliances, jewelry, power tools, instruments and even an Emmy award."
How the Aryan Brotherhood used O.C. punk rockers to grow beyond prison walls
LAT, MATTHEW ORMSETH: "Two men lay in a dark street in Pomona.
The gunshot wounds made clear how they died. Their tattoos offered clues about how they lived: Swastikas. Lightning bolts. Iron crosses. The words “Blood and Honor” and “Death Squad.”"
‘I’m going to die’: After frantic 911 calls, LAPD initially missed victims killed inside their homes
LAT, RICHARD WINTON: "Over the weekend, Menashe Hidra’s body was found inside his fifth-floor Valley Village apartment after an assailantbroke into a neighboring unit, jumped from the balcony to his and attacked. The assailant appeared to leave bloody handprints on an outside wall during their escape.
That same day, Aleksandre Modebadze was found beaten to death inside his Woodland Hills home after a woman called 911 to report an attack."
