California's senior inmates may see early release.
Sacramento Bee's JIM MILLER: "Some elderly prison inmates would become eligible for parole sooner under a proposed November 2018 ballot measure cleared to begin gathering signatures Thursday."
"The measure, sponsored by Pasadena attorney Charles W. Funaro II, would create the Elderly Parole Program. California prison inmates who are 80 or older, have served at least 10 years behind bars, have not been sentenced to death or life without possibility of parole, and who are not covered by parole prohibitions imposed by other ballot measures, would be eligible for parole."
"California’s existing elderly parole process followed a federal court’s 2014 order requiring the state to reduce its prison population. Inmates 60 or older, who have served at least 25 years of their sentences, are eligible. During the 2015-16 fiscal year, the state held 658 elderly parole hearings and granted parole to 154 inmates."
Speaking of the elderly: Well-known science writer and journalism icon David Perlman hangs up his hat.
The Chronicle: "As David Perlman prepares to leave daily journalism — an option the 98-year-old would brush aside with jokes even a year ago — there’s deserved attention to his legacy as a science reporter."
"His early coverage of AIDS. His plainspoken mastery of topics from earthquakes to evolution and space exploration. A procession of honors so lengthy that such organizations as the American Geophysical Union have named awards after him."
"But, for those of us who know him as a co-worker, the true measure of Perlman is this: He embodies everything that a journalist should be."
Trump's immigration hardline won't find any enforcement in Stockton.
Sacramento Bee's HANNAH KNOWLES: "Stockton officials said the city will not change its policies toward undocumented immigrants following U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement Thursday morning that cities will not receive resources from a federal public safety program unless they cooperate with federal immigration enforcement."
"But city officials also said the city doesn’t anticipate losing any federal assistance."
"Stockton police Chief Eric Jones said he believes his department meets the standards set out by Sessions to participate in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Public Safety Partnership. Jones also suggested the Police Department would not have changed its policies even if called on to do so as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration."
Down in LA, a lot of money is at stake in the dispute over immigration enforcement.
From the LA Daily News' Brenda Gazzar: "Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell says he has been lobbying President Donald Trump’s administration to avoid potentially losing out on as much as $132 million in federal law enforcement grants over the next three years due to the department’s immigration policies."
"During recent trips to Washington D.C., McDonnell said he has met with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly — now Trump’s chief of staff — as well as Congress members to urge against any restrictions or cuts to future federal grants."
"The Trump administration has begun cracking down on so-called “sanctuary” jurisdictions that it says protect undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes while undermining the nation’s laws."
Liberalism may be at odds with populism, but Gavin Newsom embraces his left leaning politics.
Sacramento Bee's CHRISTOPHER CADELAGO: "Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor running to succeed Jerry Brown, was nearly an hour into his town hall meeting late Wednesday when someone asked about protecting the planet."
"I was the guy who brought you the plastic bag ban in San Francisco,” the former mayor told the graying Roseville audience gathered in a community center 100 miles outside his progressive city."
"You thought gay marriage was controversial,” Newsom added to sustained laughter, “we required composting in San Francisco. That was controversial. They had garbage police out there checking in my cans to make sure the egg shells were in the appropriate bin.”
The bipartisan divide appears to have started the mending process after months of post-election feuding.
Sacramento Bee's LESLEY CLARK: "There’s one big difference between the push to repeal Obamacare and Congress’s new tax-reform effort: Republicans and Democrats are talking to each other."
"And that could make all the difference in the world."
"After seven months of almost no legislative accomplishments, the GOP is turning to its next agenda item – an overhaul of the nation’s tax code. But unlike the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act — a process hidden from public view and absent of Democratic input — rewriting the tax code is already showing signs of joint effort."
READ MORE related to Beltway/Kremlingate: Congress demands ethics disclosures from Trump White House -- McClatchy DC's MATTHEW SCHOFIELD; Diplomats laughing at Trump over leaked Mexico transcript -- McClatchy DC's FRANCO ORDONEZ; Mueller works with grand jury as senators try to protect his inquiry -- McClatchy DC's MATTHEW SCHOFIELD
Traditional remedial education is out the door at CSU campuses starting next year.
Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "Aiming to help thousands of students who get sidetracked in developmental courses that don’t count toward their degrees, California State University will do away next year with traditional remedial education."
"In an executive order issued Wednesday night, Chancellor Timothy White directed the 23-campus system to overhaul by fall 2018 its curriculum for students found to be unprepared for college-level English and math. About 39 percent of CSU’s incoming freshmen, or 25,000 students, are required to take remedial classes for no credit before they can begin their general education."
"University officials argue this is no longer the right approach in an era of mounting concerns over college affordability. They have already undertaken an ambitious plan to more than double four-year graduation rates to 40 percent by 2025."
Covered California will see another rate hike this year.
Sacramento Bee's JIM MILLER: "Under preliminary Obamacare rates announced by Covered California, premiums on exchange plans will rise by an average of 5.7 percent in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties."
"That’s less than half of the statewide average of 12.5 percent, and consumers could virtually avoid an increase altogether if they shop around."
"But in 22 counties stretching from Del Norte to Tuolumne, premiums on plans sold through the exchange are set to increase by an average of 33.2 percent. Residents who switch plans can save a little, but still face an average hike of about 29 percent."
A techspert hailed for thwarting the WannaCry cyberterrorism attack may be responsible for unleashing a different attack of his own creation.
LA Times' PARESH DAVE/RICHARD WINTON: "A widely celebrated cybersecurity researcher was indicted on charges of developing software that has stolen banking credentials from an untold number of people, prosecutors said Thursday."
"Marcus Hutchins, 22, who works for the Los Angeles security firm Kryptos Logic, was praised in May for his role in slowing the spread of ransomware called WannaCry that was locking files on computers around the world."
