Wildfires ravage Northern California, new evacuations ordered
From NORA MISHANEC, MEGAN CASSIDY and MATTHIAS GAFNI: "A new round of ferocious wildfires engulfed more of Northern California on Tuesday, nipping at the heels of last month’s lightning-sparked siege that already drained statewide resources and leveled more than 3,000 structures around the Bay Area.
Fire crews had almost fully beaten back the CZU, LNU and SCU complex blazes when the latest threats roared in during Labor Day weekend. Once again, Californians in threatened towns were ordered to leave their homes and rush to safety as extreme winds and punishing heat drove existing fires and fueled new ones.
In all, 24 wildfires were burning in California on Tuesday. Cal Fire said that compared with last year, California has seen over 2,650 more fires and a nearly 2,000% increase in the acres burned year-to-date."
READ MORE related to Wildfire Season: It doesn't happen very often: Two 'Type 1' firefighter teams are battling the Creek Fire -- Sac Bee's NADIA LOPEZ; Evacuations ordered in Fork Fire as blaze grows in Eldorado National Forest -- Sac Bee's MICHAEL MCGOUGH; 'Like a bomb' -- winds fuel destructive Northwest blazes -- AP's NICHOLAS K GERANIOS/ANDREW SELSKY; Wildfires ravage NorCal, new evacuations ordered -- The Chronicle's NORA MISHANEC/MEGAN CASSIDY/MATTHIAS GAFNI; More than 100 hikers, campers flown out by helicopter as flames advance -- LA Times's LUKE MONEY/THOMAS CURWEN/HARRIET RYAN/ALEX WIGGLESWORTH; Bobcat Fire keeps growing, and winds could push it into Monrovia, Arcadia and other foothill communities -- LA Times's HAYLEY SMITH/JOSEPH SERNA/RUBEN VIVES
In legislative shuffle, California prioritizes safety gear and sick leave during crisis
The Chronicle's RACHEL BLUTH/ANGELA HART/SAMANTHA YOUNG: "California lawmakers convened this year with big plans to tackle soaring health care costs, expand health insurance coverage, and improve treatment for mental health and addiction.
But the pandemic abruptly reoriented their priorities, forcing them to grasp for legislative solutions to the virus ripping through the state.
Legislative deliberations this year were defined by quarantined lawmakers, emergency recesses and chaotic video voting — plus a late-night partisan dustup that led to the death of dozens of bills by the time lawmakers gaveled out early Tuesday morning. Nonetheless, legislators managed to send Gov. Gavin Newsom nearly 430 bills, roughly 40% of the number they’d send in a typical year, according to Sacramento lobbyist Chris Micheli."
California's air quality is the worst in the nation right now. How to protect yourself
Sac Bee's MONICA VAUGHAN: "Californians are experiencing the worst air quality in the nation Tuesday, as wildfires across the West produce dangerous levels of smoke that can damage developing lungs and increase risk of heart attack and stroke.
Over a million acres in the state are on fire or have recently burned, according to a CalFire incident map. Those send plumes of thick smoke wafting across large regions of California and neighboring states.
Air quality monitors have registered levels of particulate matter and ozone that are unhealthy or hazardous to public health, with more Californians experiencing dangerous concentrations of air pollution than residents of any other state in the nation, based on United States Environmental Protective Agency maps on AirNow.gov."
READ MORE related to Air/Climate/Environment: Air quality reaches hazardous levels in Sacramento. It's not just from wildfires -- Sac Bee's MOLLY BURKE/MICHAEL MCGOUGH; Aggressive winds feared as California battles biggest wildfire season -- LA Times's LUKE MONEY/JOSEPH SERNA/DAKOTA SMITH/THOMAS CURWEN
Here's when PG&E customers in public safety power shutoffs will have electricity again
Sac Bee's ROSALIO AHUMADA: "About 167,000 Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers who have been without electricity due to the utility’s public safety power shutoffs are expected to have their power restored by Wednesday evening.
Mark Quinlan, PG&E’s incident commander, said they expect see widespread “all-clear” declarations by Wednesday morning, when dangerous wind speed is expected to die down. But it will likely take another 12 hours before power can be restored for all customers.
Once the “all-clears” are given, PG&E crews in aircraft need to inspect power lines and make any needed repairs before service can be restored. Quinlan said damage to power lines and extensive repairs could delay PG&E’s restoration timelines, but he said he was “confident” all customers will see their power restored by nightfall Wednesday."
READ MORE related to Power Outages/Rolling Blackouts: New PG&E shut-offs escalate California's record-setting wildfire season -- The Chronicle's JD MORRIS/MICHAEL WILLIAMS; Why does California's power grids keep flirting with disaster? We've got answers -- LA Times's SAMMY ROTH
Thousands rallied at the Capitol, but CHP didn't enforce pandemic rules. Here's why
Sac Bee's MICHAEL MCGOUGH: "Part rally, part concert and part worship session, the gathering that brought thousands to the west steps of California’s Capitol building over Labor Day weekend flew in the face of pandemic-related mask and social distancing requirements, as seen in photos and video clips circulating online.
Yet the “Let Us Worship” event in Sacramento was permitted by state law enforcement, and it proceeded for its full allotted time slot of 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday. The California Highway Patrol, the law enforcement body with jurisdiction of the Capitol grounds and in charge of granting event permits there, chose not to intervene to disperse the crowd or enforce state-issued social distancing rules.
What happened?"
READ MORE related to Pandemic: Latinos make up 71% of coronavirus cases in largely white Marin County. Will new equity efforts help? -- The Chronicle's TATIANA SANCHEZ; Illness pauses UK coronavirus vaccine trial as UCSF enrolls 1K Bay Area volunteers -- The Chronicle's PETER FIMRITE; As COVID-19 risk dips, OC gets OK to reopen indoor restaurants, movie theaters -- LA Times's COLLEEN SHALBY
No stimulus checks for Americans in slimmed-down GOP coronavirus relief package
LA Times's JENNIFER HABERKORN: "Senate Republicans plan to vote later this week on another economic relief package for Americans dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, but the slimmed-down plan — which does not include new checks for individuals — is already a deal-breaker for Democrats, ensuring that the stalemate will continue.
The Republican proposal would restore enhanced unemployment benefits through Dec. 27 but halves the amount to $300 per week. It would also provide funding for schools and childcare centers, a new round of the popular Paycheck Protection Program and liability protections for businesses.
The $500-billion plan is far less than the minimum $2.2 trillion that Democrats want to spend on a new package, and even less generous than the $1-trillion plan Republicans unveiled just weeks ago."
Clippers given final approval to buy land needed for arena in Inglewood
LA Times's ANDREW GREIF: "Construction of a proposed Clippers arena in Inglewood moved closer to reality Tuesday after Inglewood’s City Council unanimously approved the sale of 13 parcels of publicly owned land to the developers of the proposed arena.
Murphy’s Bowl LLC, the Clippers-controlled company leading the development, said the $66.25 million it is paying for the land will be shared among the city, the Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles World Airports and other local entities such as the Inglewood Unified School District. Twenty-two of the 28 acres within the Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Complex’s proposed footprint were owned by the city.
The budget for the arena complex is $1.8 billion, according to a disposition and development agreement prepared by the city for Tuesday’s vote. It will be privately financed, primarily by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, the wealthiest owner of a professional sports franchise in North America."
BART adding more trains during peak commute hours
The Chronicle's MALLORY MOENCH: "BART is adding trains during peak commute times on multiple lines starting Sept. 14 after six months of pandemic cut-backs.
Public transit emptied out under shelter-in-place orders, with BART reporting 82% ridership below baseline on Monday. In response, the agency ran trains less frequently, started service later and ended it earlier as it struggled for revenue and its own survival. Following the release last month of a Bay Area transit safety plan that sought to lure back riders, BART is now upping service to reflect current ridership levels, agency officials said Tuesday.
On weekdays, BART is adding trains at 15-minute frequencies on these lines: Antioch-SFO/Millbrae, Richmond-Millbrae, and Berryessa/North San Jose-Daly City during the busiest commute hours in the peak direction of travel. On the weekends, trains will run every 30 minutes, slightly farther spaced apart than the current schedule, with some beginning earlier than the current start of 8 a.m."
Trump, recasting a dubious record, declares himself 'the great environmentalist'
LA Times's ELI STOKOLS/CHRIS MEGERIAN: "President Trump signed a largely symbolic proclamation Tuesday urging Congress to expand a moratorium on oil and gas drilling off America’s southeastern coastline, touting his controversial environmental record in a state in the crosshairs of climate change and electoral politics.
Since taking office, Trump has shredded dozens of environmental protections, dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change and tapped energy lobbyists to lead the agencies entrusted with safeguarding the country’s natural resources, but he dramatically recast his record in an effort to woo environmentally minded voters.
“Number one since Teddy Roosevelt. Who would have thought? Trump is the great environmentalist,” he said before urging Congress to extend a ban on selling new leases along Florida’s Gulf Coast as well as a moratorium along the state’s Atlantic coast and the shorelines of Georgia and South Carolina."
