Suppressed fed report shows how Trump water plan would endanger California salmon
LA Times's BETTINA BOXALL: "Federal officials suppressed a lengthy environmental document that details how one of California’s unique salmon runs would be imperiled by Trump administration plans to deliver more water to Central Valley farms."
"The July 1 assessment, obtained by The Times, outlines how proposed changes in government water operations would harm several species protected by the Endangered Species Act, including perilously low populations of winter-run salmon, as well as steelhead trout and killer whales, which feed on salmon."
"But the 1,123-page document was never released."
READ MORE related to Energy & Environment: Two more carmakers may dump Trump for CA's emissions tarkgets, Newsom says -- The Chronicle's ALEXEI KOSEFF; SFO's plastic water bottle ban draws mixed reactions on first day -- The Chronicle's MELIA RUSSELL
Complaints of biased curriculum may sideline California's ethnic studies push
The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER: "Jorge Pacheco says he can understand why some students of color feel lost in the public education system."
"He says he grew up believing that a person of his background — he is of Asian, Latino and indigenous Maya descent — wasn’t destined to go far. He rarely learned about people like him in class and almost flunked out of high school."
READ MORE related to Education: Fewer disabled students enrolled at California charter schools, teachers union study says -- Sacramento Bee's SOPHIA BOLLAG/HANNAH WILEY
California Weekly's Top 100: Ten years and counting
STAFF: "A lot has changed in California politics over the last ten years. We have gone from a novice celebrity governor to a seasoned hand to our first Gen X executive. We’ve seen record budget deficits and record surpluses. We have transitioned to a plurality Latino state and have seen the gap between haves and have-nots grow larger than ever before."
"During that time, Capitol Weekly has changed, too. We’ve gone from ‘that print rag that publishes everyone’s salary’ to ‘that Web site that publishes the list."
"Ahh, the list."
Dem vs. Dem fight over gay-sex bill brings homophobia accusations
The Chronicle's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "The race for a state Senate seat in the Central Valley has erupted into battle over allegedly homophobic attacks involving a bill carried by a San Francisco lawmaker."
"Equality California, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group, is urging Democrats to rescind their endorsements of Modesto City Councilman Mani Grewal, whom the organization accuses of “engaging in a blatantly homophobic campaign” against his openly lesbian opponent, Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, a Democrat from Stockton."
"Grewal has falsely claimed that a state bill sponsored by Equality California to eliminate the discrepancy in how gay and straight young adults are punished for having sex with a minor would let adults who abuse preteens avoid registering as sex offenders. The LGBT organization took particular offense to a Grewal campaign ad that suggests the bill would protect “adults who molest our children."
Earthquake early-warning sensors being expanded to high-risk areas in California/Nevada
LA Times's RONG-GONG LIN II: "An infusion of federal funding will help expand or strengthen the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake early-warning system around Lake Tahoe, Death Valley, Mammoth and Bishop."
"The University of Nevada, Reno, which runs the seismic network in eastern California, will use $1 million from the USGS to upgrade obsolete seismic sensors in Death Valley and the Mammoth and Bishop areas. The funding also will boost seismic networks in the Lake Tahoe and Truckee areas, where communications systems can be damaged in severe winters, said Graham Kent, director of the university’s Nevada Seismological Laboratory."
"Eastern California and Nevada carry significant seismic risk. The Death Valley fault system, which stretches east of Bishop down to the southern reaches of Death Valley National Park, is capable of generating a quake of roughly magnitude 7.8, Kent said. The Las Vegas area would suffer damage if such a powerful quake occurred and the fault ruptured toward the southeast and toward the city, Kent said."
Thousands of retired state workers are getting checks in the mail. Here's why
Sacramento Bee's WES VENTEICHER: "\Surprise checks that have been arriving at the doors of California state retirees can be traced to a 2012 class action lawsuit over late pay."
"Former state workers who retired between November 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011 have been receiving checks of up to $14,500 this month, said Sacramento attorney William Kershaw, who represented the retirees in the suit."
"The checks started going out Aug. 6 after the case settled for $6.8 million last fall, Kershaw said. He said 2,064 former state workers who weren’t promptly paid when they retired in the five-month window from 2010 to 2011 are receiving them."
Clock ticking on dispute over vaccination exemptions
JOAQUIN ROMERO in Capitol Weekly: "Federal officials suppressed a lengthy environmental document that details how one of California’s unique salmon runs would be imperiled by Trump administration plans to deliver more water to Central Valley farms."
"The July 1 assessment, obtained by The Times, outlines how proposed changes in government water operations would harm several species protected by the Endangered Species Act, including perilously low populations of winter-run salmon, as well as steelhead trout and killer whales, which feed on salmon."
"But the 1,123-page document was never released."
Nunes serves McClatchy with lawsuit four months after announcing complaint
Sacramento Bee's KATE IRBY: "Rep. Devin Nunes on Monday served the McClatchy company with a lawsuit he announced four months ago alleging that news articles it published defamed him in the months leading up to his closer-than-usual re-election in 2018"
"Nunes, R-Tulare, filed the lawsuit in Virginia’s Albemarle County Circuit Court on April 8. It followed a similar lawsuit he filed in Virginia against San Francisco-based Twitter, a Republican political strategist and two parody social media accounts written by anonymous authors."
"Nunes also is suing four Californians who last year sought to prevent him from calling himself a farmer on ballots sent to California voters. Nunes won the challenge and was described on ballots as a congressman and farmer."
OP-ED: More work needed on state's drinking water crisis
MARY CREASMAN in Capitol Weekly: "California has a drinking water crisis. More than 1 million people in California lack access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water. Four hundred schools in our state have lead contamination in their drinking water. About 300 public water systems in our state are not in compliance with drinking water standards. This is a public health and environmental crisis."
"In late July, Governor Newsom signed a law that will establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. Starting next year and for the next ten years, this fund will provide $130 million in funding for cleaning up drinking water systems, including many rural areas that lack funding for ongoing operations and maintenance.
"I appreciate the leadership of our Governor and legislature on this issue. They’ve walked the walk when it comes to clean water and pushed for policy solutions that will protect our most vulnerable residents. But the work is not done."
Sanders' famed $27 donors are split in 2020's sprawling Democratic field
LA Times's SEEMA MEHTA/ANTHONY PESCE/MALOY MOORE: "Small-dollar donors made Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid one of the most successful insurgent campaigns in Democratic Party history, allowing him to be competitive with establishment favorite Hillary Clinton."
"But in the 2020 race, nearly 1.7 million, or more than 80%, of the donors who fueled his earlier run have stayed on the sidelines, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance disclosures through June 30."
"The 2016 donors who are contributing this election cycle have given more than $32 million to the Democratic field. More than $16.2 million of that went to Sanders, making up about 45% of the money he has raised. But nearly as much went to his rivals, a sign of how split Democrats are as they try to figure out the best candidate to take on President Trump."
GOP doubles down on winning back its lost California congressional seats
The Chronicle's JOHN WILDERMUTH: "If there were any doubts about just how important California is to Republican congressional hopes in 2020, the first round of the GOP’s “Young Guns” program should put them to rest."
"More than a quarter of the 43 top-level candidates announced by the National Republican Congressional Committee to receive help from the GOP are from California, all challenging Democrats who snatched up Republican-held seats in November."
"Bakersfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, said in the announcement that the party is “recruiting the best to compete in 2020” and pledged they would have “the resources they need to win."
'Super commuters' not slowing down in California. Lack of housing to blame
Sac Bee's MICHAEL FINCH II: "The majority of Californians drive to work, but an increasing number face commutes well over an hour-long to reach jobs in larger cities. For now, at least, the rise of the super commuter is not slowing down, according to an analysis of census data by Apartment List."
"In 2017, 41 out of 58 counties saw at least moderate growth in the share of the workforce traveling longer than 90 minutes to get the work compared to 8 years prior."
"Contra Costa, Solano, San Benito, Alameda, Merced and Mono counties saw the largest jumps."
Hundreds of guns come into Cali from Nevada. Lawmakers want to stop it
LA Times's PATRICK MCGREEVY: "Alarmed that the gun used in a mass shooting in Gilroy was bought legally in Nevada, two dozen California legislators on Wednesday asked their counterparts in the neighboring state to meet this fall to discuss strengthening restrictions on firearms."
"The unusual proposal was made in a letter to Nevada State Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, who is a Democrat, and the Democrat-controlled Legislature just weeks after a 19-year-old resident of that state opened fire at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Northern California, killing three people and wounding 13."
"While California has enacted numerous gun safety measures, this tragedy underscores the need for California to work closely with neighboring states to close loopholes and advance common sense gun safety measures,” said the letter signed by 27 Democratic legislators including Assembly members Jesse Gabriel of Encino, Reginald Jones-Sawyer of Los Angeles and Buffy Wicks of Oakland."
READ MORE related to Gun VIolence Pandemic: Hunreds of guns come into California from Nevada. Lawamakers want them to stop -- LA Times's BETTINA BOXALL
Lobster tail and fine wine: How California county fair workers misused taxpayer money
Sacramento Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "California county fair employees used their employer’s credit cards to spend tens of thousands of dollars on unauthorized travel, lavish meals and alcohol, according to a newly released report from the State Auditor’s Office."
"The report, titled “Gross Mismanagement Led to the Misuse of State Resources and Multiple Violations of State Laws” details a list of violations committed by employees of a district agricultural association, which is an independently funded operation overseen by the California Department of Food and Agriculture."
"The auditor’s report did not name the district agricultural association where state money was misused. A spokeswoman for the auditor’s office said that the association name was being withheld to protect the anonymity of whistleblowers."
Businesses hiring real SF cops on OT to keep crime down, employees safe
The Chronicle's PHIL MATIER: "Salesforce Tower, Ross Dress for Less and other downtown San Francisco corporations and businesses are shelling out millions of dollars to pay off-duty police officers to work as private security guards. The reasons? The city’s growing property crime problem and the safety of their workers."
"It goes hand in hand with the homeless problem and the drug epidemic in the city,” said retired San Francisco Police Officers Association President Martin Halloran."
READ MORE related to Prisons & Public Safety: With pension burden climbing, CHP agrees to delay some raises -- Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER
