California gas prices could drop below $4 a gallon, experts say. Here’s when it’s likely
Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "Gasoline prices in California appear headed under $4 a gallon, probably by the end of the month.
“$3.99 is absolutely in the cards right now,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks prices. “There’s not much that can get in the way of this locomotive of falling prices in California.”
Business economic expert Gokce Soydemir agreed."
Bay Area national lab to announce major breakthrough in quest for carbon-free energy
The Chronicle, SAM WHITING: "Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have reportedly made a breakthrough in the critical search to create clean energy through fusion.x
According to reports, the process they’ve developed produces carbon-free power, something that has been an elusive goal of nuclear scientists since the 1950s.
The discovery was expected to be announced at a news conference Tuesday morning, led by U.S. Secretary of Energy Janet Granholm and Jill Hruby of the National Nuclear Security Administration in Washington, D.C."
Two of the closest legislative races in California history are finally over. Here’s who won
The Chronicle, SOPHIA BOLLAG: "The Democratic candidate in one of the tightest races in California conceded on Monday, allowing the final member of the state Legislature to be sworn in.
Palm Springs Mayor Christy Holstege conceded Monday to Republican legislative staffer Greg Wallis in Assembly District 47. Wallis on Monday became the final member of the 2023-34 Legislature to be sworn in."
Ballot blockade: California industries rely on referenda to stop laws
CALMatters, BEN CHRISTOPHER/JEANNE KUANG: "For a reported cost of just more than $4 million, California’s fast food industry may have bought itself a two-year reprieve from one of the most contentious state labor laws in recent memory.
Last week, a coalition led by the International Franchise Association and national business groups announced it had collected enough signatures to qualify a referendum for the 2024 ballot. If at least 623,212 of the 1 million-plus submitted signatures are valid, that would give voters the opportunity to overturn a first-in-the-nation law that would create a state council to set wages and other workplace standards for a large swath of California’s burger-flipping, taco-hawking industry.
The 2024 election is still nearly two years and many millions of dollars away, but the likely qualification of the referendum constitutes its own victory for the franchisees: It would buy them some valuable time."
California responding to cybersecurity ‘intrusion’ at state budget department
The Chronicle, SOPHIA BOLLAG: "Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is responding to a cybersecurity “intrusion” at the department that oversees the state budget, the administration announced Monday.
The administration is “actively responding to a cybersecurity incident” at the California Department of Finance, according to a statement from the California Cybersecurity Integration Center, which coordinates cybersecurity work across state government agencies."
Newsom slams Republicans for blocking immigration reform on visit to Mexican border
LA Times, TARYN LUNA/HAMED ALEAZIZ: "While visiting a state-funded migrant center that provides services to asylum seekers near the Imperial County border with Mexico on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized Republicans in Congress for politicizing immigration while failing to support comprehensive reforms.
Due to the lack of federal support, the governor said the state has spent nearly $1 billion working with nonprofits to provide immigrants released from federal detention with health screenings, temporary shelter and help connecting with sponsors over the last three years at nine facilities in Imperial, San Diego and Riverside counties.
“With the respect to the federal government, we’ve been doing their job for the last few years at scale,” Newsom said. “But we cannot continue to absorb that responsibility.”"
Mayor’s new emergency order runs up against an unresolved problem: chaos at City Hall
LA Times, DAVID ZAHNISER/DAKOTA SMITH/BENJAMIN ORESKES/JULIA WICK: "It was the first major policy announcement from the new administration of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass — a declaration of a state of emergency aimed at providing immediate relief to thousands of unhoused residents.
That declaration needs a City Council vote on Tuesday before going into effect, a simple enough task in a quieter political moment. Except the council has one meeting left until mid-January, and has been struggling to conduct its business amid a scandal surrounding Councilmember Kevin de León.
De León faces a furor over his participation in a conversation featuring racist remarks and, more recently, a violent incident involving protesters at an Eastside toy giveaway, which has only intensified the powder keg atmosphere at City Hall. He plans to attend Tuesday’s meeting, all but guaranteeing there will be a show of force from demonstrators who have demanded that all council meetings be canceled until he steps down."
How San Jose Mayor-elect Mahan plans to reach big goals in shortened term
BANG*Mercury News, JOHN WOOLFOLK: "Not even a month after his narrow win over a more-seasoned and better-funded opponent, San Jose Mayor-elect Matt Mahan was served the kind of humble pie that could complicate his leadership of America’s 10th largest city.
This past week, the City Council rejected Mahan’s plea to fill a pair of open council seats — including his — with a special election. Instead, councilmembers will use their power to appoint replacements for Mahan and another departing councilmember.
That’s a blow to the new mayor, who just won more votes than his rival Cindy Chavez in both those council districts, meaning an election likely would have seated Mahan supporters. Instead, the seats will be filled by a council whose new and returning members largely backed Mahan’s opponent."
‘Why I Did Not Resign’: Gil Cedillo suggests he’s a victim of ‘cancel culture’
LA Times, JULIA WICK: "Just hours after his City Council term ended, Gil Cedillo released a three-page letter Monday titled “Why I Did Not Resign,” in which he shares his thoughts about the racist conversation and leak scandal that tarred his final months in office.
Cedillo disappeared from the public stage in mid-October, shortly after The Times reported on the inflammatory backroom conversation, with his spokesperson repeatedly telling reporters that the veteran politician was “at a place of reflection.”
Cedillo was one of four high-profile participants in the secretly recorded October 2021 conversation, which centered on Los Angeles’ once-a-decade redistricting process and included racist and derogatory comments about a rainbow coalition of groups."
The deadline for Californians to claim COVID sick pay is nearing — here’s what to know
The Chronicle, ANNIE VAINSHTEIN: "With the onset of winter, increasingly immune-evasive coronavirus subvariants are driving a new COVID-19 surge in California, and rising cases and hospitalizations bring the potential for more disruptions to work and other responsibilities.
However, it’s not too late for Californians to claim COVID sick pay, which state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom have extended through the end of the year — and it’s important to start your claim before it expires."
One Bay Area county moves into ‘high’ COVID tier, triggering new mask guidelines
The Chronicle, AIDIN VAZIRI: "COVID-19 community levels continue to rise across the U.S., with 14% of Americans now living in a region classified in the “high” tier Friday, based on hospitalization and case metrics used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the Bay Area, Santa Clara County became the first in the region to slip back into the “high” tier, for which the CDC recommends people wear a high-quality mask or respirator in public spaces and counsels those who are high-risk to consider avoiding nonessential indoor public activities."
COVID in California: New weekly infections among kids are up nearly 50%
The Chronicle, AIDIN VAZIRI/RITA BEAMISH: "The latest emerging subvariants of the coronavirus are better than others at skipping around vaccine immunity -- but that doesn’t mean it is useless to get the latest booster, experts say. With infection levels once again climbing to the government’s higher tiers, mask guidance is shifting again, although mandates are not as high and widespread on the agenda these days. Dr. Anthony Fauci, in a message aimed at the next generation of scientists, rued that the fight against COVID-19 “has been hindered by the profound political divisiveness in our society.”"
Tahoe snow makes for ‘best Christmas holiday conditions’ in years
The Chronicle, GREGORY THOMAS: "The storms that doused the Bay Area over the weekend delivered between 3 and 4 feet of snow across the Lake Tahoe-Truckee landscape — a welcome sign for eager skiers as well as those fretting about the long-running California drought.
Donner Pass received 48.8 inches of snow in a 48-hour period over the weekend and 68.7 inches in total last week, according to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, the region's snowfall data authority. The entire Sierra snowpack is about 223% of average for this time of year, according to the state Department of Water Resources.
The snow lab reported “calm and dry conditions” on Monday and said “it's looking like we'll stay dry for the foreseeable future.”"
Dry days ahead for rest of the week after weekend storm ‘puts a dent’ in California drought
BANG*Mercury News, AUSTIN TURNER: "Though the clear, sun-light filled skies Monday were preceded by a gusty, wet and snowy storm in parts of Northern California, the weekend’s rainfalls may have only been a “drop in the bucket” — albeit a “bigger drop” — when it comes combating to California’s drought.
Weekend rainfall numbers exceeded one inch in most Bay Area cities, with many clearing the two inch mark. Areas of San Jose received about two inches, while Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, a peak in the Diablo Range, was closed Sunday due to snow accumulation.
Parts of the East Bay, including Danville, Dublin and San Ramon, received nearly three inches of rain over the weekend. Rainfall numbers vaulted past five inches in parts of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The high 72-hour totals were promising for the drought-ridden state."
Below freezing temperatures and sun in Sacramento forecast this week. Here’s the latest
Sac Bee, HANH TRUONG: "Sacramento is getting some much-missed sun after getting drenched from storms over the weekend — but nighttime temperatures are headed to below freezing.
Rain poured over the city Saturday, and according to the National Weather Service, resulted in 1.68 inches of precipitation. While the showers have mostly stopped in the area, if you’re driving farther out, into the Sierra Nevada, expect snow from the weekend and how that affects your trip."
Will California keep up its climate momentum?
CALMatters, EMILY HOEVEN: "California has climate action on the mind.
This week state lawmakers, senior officials in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration and prominent environmental leaders are representing California at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, Canada — an appearance that could make a splash on the world stage as Newsom continues to tout his climate credentials.
That’s because California is the first and only U.S. state to be an official observer at the convention and it could help fill a leadership void at the federal level, Mary Creasman, CEO of the California Environmental Voters’ Education Fund, told me Sunday. Creasman said the group, which is leading the California delegation, raised money from the Resources Legacy Fund to cover lawmakers’ trip to the convention."
P-22, L.A.'s celebrity mountain lion, captured in the backyard of a Los Feliz home
LA Times, CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ/LAURA J. NELSON/NATHAN SOLIS: "More than a decade after crossing the 405 and 101 freeways to reach his longtime home in Griffith Park, the celebrity mountain lion P-22 made a far less glamorous journey Monday, carried out of a Los Feliz backyard in a blanket by scientists who had sedated him for medical testing.
The aging cougar is in stable condition and will undergo further evaluation, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and National Park Service said Monday evening. Officials said they had received an anonymous report Sunday that P-22 had been hit by a car but did not provide more details on his condition.
They did not say whether they planned to release P-22 in Griffith Park or elsewhere. The agencies said in a joint statement that they had “already been in contact with leading institutions for animal care and rehabilitation centers.”"
Hikers may soon get trail linking two large South County parks
BANG*Mercury News, GABRIEL GRESCHLER: "Backpackers, horseback riders and bicyclists trekking through the Santa Cruz Mountains could soon zoom between two large parks on the southernmost edge of Santa Clara County.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors will vote on what is set to ultimately become a multi-use trail connection between Uvas Reservoir County Park to the north and Mt. Madonna County Park to the south. The trail rights for the 735 acres of land sandwiched between the two parks — roughly five times the size of the county’s fairgrounds — will cost the county $1.25 million.
The trail would wriggle through the roughly 5 mile north to the south gap, connecting 5,622 acres of county parkland altogether. It’s completion date is unknown, according to the county."
Chico State professor's colleague said he talked of mass shooting last year and buying a weapon
EdSource, THOMAS PEELE/DANIEL REIDEL: "Chico State professor David Stachura told a colleague last year that he had bought a weapon and hollow-point bullets and spoke of committing a mass shooting on campus, the colleague, a lecturer, said during a campus Zoom meeting Monday afternoon.
“He told me, ‘If I wanted you guys dead, you’d be dead. I am a doer,’” Betsey Tamietti, a biology department lecturer, said on a call with over 600 students and faculty members. “’If I do go on a shooting spree, maybe I’ll pass your office. I am not sure,’” Tamietti said Stachura told her. She said he threatened her not to ‘“become part of the problem”’ and not to tell anyone “or you are going to regret it.’”
It was not immediately clear when he made the threats Tamietti alleged at the meeting."
Study: Paid family leave in California keeps women in jobs
CALMatters, GRACE GEDYE: "If you work in California and your sister is undergoing cancer treatments, or your spouse gets knee surgery, you might be able to get paid while you take time off work to care for them.
It’s a less well-known part of California’s paid family leave benefit, which also covers new parents who leave work to care for and bond with their babies. Although the number of Californians, especially women, using paid leave for reasons beyond new babies has soared in the past two decades, still roughly six times more use paid family leave to care for new children than use it to take care of seriously ill family members.
While there’s broad support for giving new parents paid time off — a benefit that doesn’t exist across the U.S. — there’s less consensus around paid leave to care for ill family members. At the same time, research on the effects of paid family leave for anyone besides new parents has been limited."
Musk's Twitter dissolves Trust and Safety Council
AP, MATT O'BRIEN/BARBARA ORTUTAY: "Elon Musk's Twitter has dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of nearly 100 independent civil, human rights and other organizations that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm and other problems on the platform.
The council had been scheduled to meet with Twitter representatives on Monday night. But Twitter informed the group via email that it was disbanding it shortly before the meeting was to take place, according to multiple members.
The council members, who provided images of the email from Twitter to The Associated Press, spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fears of retaliation."
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in Bahamas after U.S. authorities file criminal charges
LA Times, ANDREA CHANG: "Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried has been arrested in the Bahamas and will be extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges stemming from the sudden implosion of his cryptocurrency exchange last month.
Authorities in the Bahamas made the arrest after receiving notice from the U.S. that it had filed charges against the 30-year-old and probably would request his extradition, the nation’s government said Monday afternoon.
“The Bahamas and the United States have a shared interest in holding accountable all individuals associated with FTX who may have betrayed the public trust and broken the law,” Prime Minister Philip Davis said in a statement."
S.F. renter gets highest buyout so far this year and third highest of all-time
The Chronicle, ADRIANA REZAL: "On August 20, 2022, two San Francisco tenants were paid $410,000 to leave their Pacific Heights apartment. This is the highest buyout agreement paid out to renters so far this year and the third highest of all-time.
This mega-buyout comes amid a spike in buyout payment. Through August, 2022 has seen the largest amount spent on buyout agreements on record (updated data is only available through August 2022)."
Alameda deputy pleads not guilty to ‘execution style’ killing in East Bay
The Chronicle, MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "The Alameda County sheriff’s deputy accused of murdering a married couple “execution style” in their Dublin home in September after becoming entangled in a love triangle entered a not-guilty plea in Alameda County Superior County Superior Court Monday morning.
Devin Williams, Jr., 24, appeared behind a window in the courtroom in the East County Hall of Justice as his attorney, Marvin Lew, who entered the not-guilty plea on Williams’ behalf. Lew also obtained permission for his client to leave the Alameda County jail, accompanied by deputies, for an unspecified forensic examination."
Virginia sheriff defends removal of items from deputy’s home after California triple homicide
LA Times, ERIN B. LOGAN/SUMMER LIN: "A Virginia sheriff says that he ordered two of his deputies to search the home of a colleague who killed three people in California, and insists they acted to protect the public.
Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis also says he told Riverside police, who are leading the investigation into “catfishing” cop Austin Lee Edwards, about his deputies’ Nov. 25 search of Edwards’ home.
The official search of the home happened on Nov. 26, the morning after the Washington County deputies were videotaped on Edwards’ property."
Sheriff’s helicopter that was forced down airlifted from Sacramento County crash site
Sac Bee, ROSALIO AHUMADA: "The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office STAR V helicopter was airlifted from its landing spot southeast of Rancho Cordova to a waiting trailer a day after making an emergency landing.
The airlift was arranged to pull the EuroCopter EC120B from the southeast Sacramento County field for repairs after it made a “hard landing.” The open space, pelted by rain through the weekend, made access to the plane difficult because of muddy conditions. The helicopter landed upright on its skids, which sustained some minor damage.
About 1:45 p.m., a UH-1H Huey helicopter from A&P Helicopters from Richvale hoisted the sheriff’s aircraft a few yards away to a trailer after its rotor blades were removed. The aircraft will be transported to a repair facility."
Richmond, former capital of the Confederacy, removes its last public Confederate monument
AP, DENISE LAVOIE: "The city of Richmond — the capital of the Confederacy for most of the Civil War — has removed its last public Confederate statue.
Richmond removed its other Confederate monuments amid the racial justice protests that followed the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. But efforts to remove the statue of Confederate Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill, which sits in the middle of a busy intersection, near a school, where traffic accidents are frequent, were more complicated because Hill’s remains were interred beneath it.
It took just minutes to free the statue from the base Monday morning, before a crane using yellow straps looped under the statue’s arms lifted it onto a bed of tires on a flatbed truck."
Kevin Kiley doesn’t pay attention to latest Trump controversies. Here’s why
Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "“I know it’s been a story. I honestly don’t really know the details. I haven’t been paying attention to it.”
That was one of Rep.-elect Kevin Kiley’s comments when asked by The Bee for his reaction to former President Donald Trump’s dinner with rapper Ye, who has been making anti-Semitic remarks, as well as a white supremacist who attended.
Kiley, who Trump endorsed for Congress, was also asked about Trump’s suggestion that part of the Constitution be terminated."
