In the biggest sex abuse settlement in U.S. history, some claim they were paid to sue
LAT, REBECCA ELLIS: "Every day, some of L.A.’s poorest residents line up outside the county benefits office in South Central, weaving their way through a swarm of salesmen hawking deals that feel too good to be true.
Would you like $15 for a quick blood pressure exam? A free phone? Perhaps, $2 for a COVID swab?"
H-1B visa fees, tariffs, a stake in Intel? How Silicon Valley has fared under Trump
CALMatters, LEVI SUMAGAYSAY: "In exchange for its embrace of Trump 2.0, Silicon Valley has received a grab bag of policies that some experts worry could hurt the U.S. tech industry in the long run.
On the one hand, corporate tax rates will stay low and the cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence sectors can count on less stringent regulations. On the other hand, tech companies are facing higher costs because of tariffs on many goods, the threat of 100% tariffs on semiconductors and new H-1B visa fees."
City, county, join lawsuit asking court to bar White House from withholding disaster funding
Times of SD, STAFF: "The city and county of San Diego have filed a lawsuit with more than two dozen local governments, mostly in California, challenging the Trump administration.
The suit, the latest in a series of actions filed by state and municipal agencies, accuses the White House of attempting to place unlawful conditions on emergency and disaster preparedness funds."
Supervisor pondering run for treasurer-tax collector as board narrows field for temporary fill-in
Times of SD, JENNIFER VIGIL: "San Diego County supervisors are set to choose a temporary successor to former Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister from a group of four finalists.
Residents also will get a chance to question them during an Oct. 30 public forum before a decision is made in November."
AB 1043: A balanced approach to protecting children online (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly, BAMBY SALCEDO: "California stands at a crossroads. Assembly Bill 1043, the Digital Age Assurance Act, sits on Governor Newsom’s desk awaiting his signature. This landmark legislation represents our best opportunity to protect children online while preserving the digital lifelines that LGBTQ+ youth depend on for survival and support.
The journey to this moment has been long and challenging. I want to thank Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks for her tireless leadership in championing this thoughtful approach to online safety. Throughout the legislative process, Assemblywoman Wicks listened to diverse voices, including organizations like The TransLatin@ Coalition, to ensure that AB 1043 would protect all children without sacrificing the online communities that serve as sanctuaries for vulnerable youth."
Trump has late-night shows in his crosshairs. ‘SNL’ has long been a target of his ire
LAT, KAITLYN HUAMANI: "President Trump has said many things about “Saturday Night Live” over the years. Few of them are favorable, highlighting his disdain for the late-night sketch comedy show, though his previous stints as host would suggest otherwise.
The president hosted the show in 2004 and in 2015, shortly after announcing his first run for president. The decision to have him host “SNL” in 2015 was controversial at the time, but NBC’s top brass defended the move, citing his front-runner status among Republicans and the high ratings it produced. “At the end of the day, he was on the show for 11 minutes and ... it wasn’t like the Earth fell off its axis,” said then-NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt during the Television Critics Assn. press tour in 2016. He would later call Trump “toxic” and “demented.”"
Trump’s bumbling, bizarre National Guard stunt in Portland offers lessons for the Bay Area
Chronicle, JOE GAROFOLI: "President Donald Trump’s order to deploy 200 National Guard troops to a nonexistent “war zone” in Portland offers a grim preview of the potential chaos, bluster and fear that awaits the Bay Area should Trump follow through on his promise to make a similar deployment in Northern California.
Portland activists say their experience also offers lessons for Bay Area communities bracing for troops to arrive eventually, if Trump follows through on his threats. This weekend, several Bay Area activist organizations and the Alameda Labor Council are hosting a training in Oakland to develop “our noncooperation civil resistance strategy to defeat authoritarianism,” according to organizers. Strategically preparing for the onslaught could blunt the fear and harassment of immigrants and other marginalized communities that has marked other Trump-ordered deployments in Los Angeles and Washington."
READ MORE -- ‘War-ravaged’ Portland hits back on Trump — with crochet, chicken costumes and farmers markets -- LAT, JESSICA GARRISON
The GOP says the Obamacare subsidies at the center of the shutdown are unimportant. Millions of Americans would disagree (OP-ED)
LAT, MICHAEL HILTZIK: "Republicans on Capitol Hill and at the White House have been working assiduously to belittle the concerns of Democrats about healthcare subsidies that are scheduled to expire at the end of this year and have become the central issue provoking the government shutdown that began Wednesday morning.
Democrats thus far have held fast to their demand that the subsidies be extended as a condition of their voting for the GOP’s budget plan. But their position has been wildly misrepresented by the GOP."
Foreign language, international studies funding cut for Title VI grants
EdSource, VANI SANGANERIA: "The U.S. Department of Education has cut funds for foreign language and international studies for the current academic year, according to a report by The Daily Californian.
In a letter to more than 50 universities that receive Title VI grant funds for Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS) and National Resource Centers, the DOE stated that the funds were “inconsistent” with the “best interest of the Federal Government.” These grants had a year remaining and funded underrepresented language learning, fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students and part of staff salaries at some universities."
International students in California grapple with fear of deportation, visa applications
EdSource, CSJC: "For many international students in California, college life these days is a balancing act between staying on top of homework and exam demands while avoiding Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and situations that could lead to detention and deportation.
Social media investigations, instances of visa revocations, arbitrary travel delays, and even arrest and deportation because of the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies make international students feel vulnerable."
Charlie Kirk fallout hits California schools, where 20 teachers face discipline over posts
CALMatters, CAROLYN JONES: "At least 20 teachers in California’s K-12 schools are facing disciplinary action after they made derogatory comments about right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assasination last month.
Most of the disciplinary investigations are based on comments that teachers made on social media during non-working hours, a possible violation of their right to free speech, said David Goldberg, president of the California Teachers Association, the state’s largest teachers union."
Exclusive: SFUSD will open its first new school in two decades next year, despite falling enrollment
Chronicle, JILL TUCKER: "San Francisco will open a new public school next fall, the first in 20 years and likely the last for the foreseeable future given declining enrollment, nonetheless offering families on the city’s burgeoning east side a sleek, four-story structure eventually enrolling up to 448 pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students.
District officials Thursday officially announced the August 2026 opening of Mission Bay School, with seats initially available for pre-K, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten, and the subsequent grade levels phased in by 2032, officials said."
New solar battery program aims to lower costs for San Diego County residents
Times of SD, STAFF: "San Diego Community Power Wednesday announced a program intended to make solar power more affordable for thousands of San Diego County residents while strengthening the region’s power grid.
SDCP, a not-for-profit public agency providing power to nearly a million customers in the county, said its new Solar Battery Savings program is backed by nearly $55 million over the next five years. Some of that funding is dedicated to provide extra financial assistance to purchase solar panels in historically underserved communities."
Sunshine, clear skies return to Bay Area with breezier, drier weather ahead
Chronicle, ANTHONY EDWARDS: "Wet weather didn’t materialize quite as forecast across the Bay Area on Wednesday, as showers were lighter and less widespread than predicted, but Thursday will provide one more shot at rain.
A slow-moving cold front could squeeze out light showers in the morning, most likely over the South Bay. But as this week already proved, early-season rainfall is tricky to forecast, and many areas may end up without a drop."
Does the $33K refund belong to you? County’s unclaimed money deadline nears
Times of SD, STAFF: "San Diego County residents have just five days remaining to claim any of the county’s $1.139 million in unclaimed money before it is rolled into the general fund.
The smallest of the available refunds is $15, while the largest is $33,261.31."
New California law restricts HOA fines to $100 per violation, giving homeowners a break
CALMatters, NADIA LATHAN: "An ornate balcony or quirky garage door might be in reach for more Californians as homeowners associations across the state are being forced to govern without the power of exorbitant fees to enforce regulations.
Millions of California residents could get a break if they violate their homeowners association rules due to a new law that caps fines at $100, down from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Amid an affordability crisis, lawmakers and groups that represent homeowners have characterized the cap, which took effect July 1, as protecting the pocketbooks of middle- and low-income residents. However, HOA boards worry the new restriction will limit their authority to enforce rules."
County approves Harmony Grove and Elfin Grove development despite residents’ concerns
Times of SD, STAFF: "The county Board of Supervisors Wednesday unanimously approved a proposed housing development in the communities of Harmony Grove and Elfin Forest.
They did so following a nearly four-hour hearing in which they heard opposition from some residents concerned about a lack of evacuation points during possible wildfires."
Which homeless shelters have open beds? Advocates say botched data make it hard to know
LAT, ANDREW KHOURI/DOUG SMITH: "In early August, data from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority showed only two out of 88 beds at an East Hollywood homeless shelter were occupied, a shockingly low rate in a county where some 47,000 sleep on the streets.
There’s just one big problem, according to the nonprofit PATH, which operates the shelter. The data were dead wrong. Path’s internal data showed 84 beds were filled."
California driver’s licenses just got a redesign — here’s what changed
Chronicle, AIDIN VAZIRI: "California drivers will notice a fresh look the next time they renew their license or identification card.
The Department of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday began issuing redesigned cards that highlight the state’s landscapes while adding new security protections."
‘Breaking Bad’ actor will not be charged in parking dispute, prosecutors say
LAT, CHRISTOPHER BUCHANAN: "Actor and former “Breaking Bad” antagonist Raymond Cruz will not be charged after his car wash confrontation, authorities say.
Cruz was held in police custody for five hours last month after three women accused the actor of intentionally spraying them with water while washing his car in front of his Silver Lake home."
