Averting government shutdown, Congress approves temporary funding through the holidays
AP, STEPHEN GROVES: "Ending the threat of a government shutdown until after the holidays, Congress gave final approval Wednesday night to a temporary government funding package that pushes a confrontation over the federal budget into the new year.
The Senate met into the night to pass the bill with an 87-11 tally and send it to President Joe Biden for his signature one day after it passed the House on an overwhelming bipartisan vote. It provides a funding patch into next year, when the House and Senate will be forced to confront — and somehow overcome — their considerable differences over what funding levels should be."
Biden calls Xi a ‘dictator’ following joint agreement to curb fentanyl production
The Chronicle, JOE GAROFOLI: "China and the U.S. will increase cooperation to crack down on the manufacture and export of fentanyl — the opioid fueling overdose deaths in San Francisco and nationwide — under a deal struck Wednesday during the meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Woodside.
Counter-narcotics law enforcement officials from both countries will work more closely to stop the export of the source material used to make the deadly opioid, Biden told reporters after meeting with Xi for four hours Wednesday at the Filoli Estate in San Mateo County, a century-old estate originally built for a gold rush baron. Nationally, it is likely best known as the setting for the 1980s TV show “Dynasty.”"
Biden and Xi, meeting in Silicon Valley, promise to work to avoid U.S.-China conflict
LA Times, COURTNEY SUBRAMANIAN, TRACY WILKINSON, LAUREL ROSENHALL, KEVIN RECTOR: "Breaking a yearlong silence between them, President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met Wednesday in Silicon Valley and vowed to reduce tensions in the world’s most important bilateral relationship.
Among other things, they agreed to resume military communications and impede the flow of deadly fentanyl from China."
A human blockade and a punch to the face: APEC protest turns violent in downtown S.F.
The Chronicle, ROLAND LI: "A mass of protesters blocked the intersection of San Francisco’s Fifth and Mission streets on Wednesday morning as a man in a blue jacket approached.
He was attempting to exit the security zone for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, but the protesters had other ideas, shoving him backward and screaming “F— you!”"
Chart of bill signing messages
Capitol Weekly, CHRIS MICHELI: "In reviewing gubernatorial signing messages over the past two decades, I compiled the following chart of bills that have signing messages. The chart includes the session year, the Governor, the bill number and author, and the subject of the bill. This chart includes 19 years’ worth of signing messages by three Governors:"
California state scientists strike, demand equal pay
CALMatters, RACHEL BECKER: "Hundreds of scientists working for the state of California to protect water supplies, respond to oil spills, study wildlife and track foodborne outbreaks marched in Sacramento today in what’s being called the first-ever strike by state civil servants.
Today was the first day of a three-day “Defiance for Science” rolling strike by more than 4,000 rank-and-file state scientists, who are seeking to close pay gaps with their counterparts in local, federal and other parts of state government."
David DePape trial: Paul Pelosi attacker’s fate rests on this defense from his lawyers
The Chronicle, ANNIE VAINSHTEIN: "Attorneys defending David DePape attempted to walk a fine line in their closing arguments to jurors Wednesday — much as they’ve done throughout their client’s federal trial for attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer last year.
DePape’s attorneys conceded from the outset that the 43-year-old smashed Paul Pelosi’s head with a hammer in the small hours of Oct. 28, 2022. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Paul Pelosi’s wife, was speaker of the House at the time and in Washington, D.C., when DePape shattered a window to enter the home."
California gas prices likely to drop by end of the year. Here’s what a gallon might cost
Sacramento Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "$4.50, maybe $4.25.
That’s how low a regular gallon of gasoline could cost in California by the end of the year, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which tracks price trends."
Rain falls across California as thunderstorm threat grows. More storms forecast into weekend
LA Times, GRACE TOOHEY: "Rain moved into Southern California Wednesday as back-to-back storms dancing off the coastline are forecast to bring successive rounds of precipitation into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Though widespread, intense rainfall is not expected, the rain across Los Angeles County could further exacerbate traffic issues as a portion of the 10 Freeway in downtown L.A. remains shut down after a fire last weekend."
L.A. County reports first flu death of season, renews call for residents to get vaccinated
LA Times, ANTHONY DE LEON: "Los Angeles County has confirmed its first flu death of the season, and with the bulk of the season still ahead, health officials are reminding residents to get vaccinated.
The person who died was elderly and had multiple underlying health conditions, according to the county Department of Public Health. There was no record of the person being vaccinated for flu this season, officials added."
UC pledges $7 million to address Islamophobia, antisemitism on campuses
EdSource, MICHAEL BURKE: "The University of California is committing $7 million to address what officials called “acts of bigotry, intolerance, and intimidation,” including incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism, that have occurred over the past several weeks on its campuses, where tensions are high because of the Israel-Hamas war.
Michael Drake, UC’s systemwide president, announced the funding during the board of regents meeting Wednesday and said it would go toward emergency mental health resources, new educational programs and additional training for leadership, faculty and staff."
READ MORE -- UC regents tackle free speech, safety concerns amid Israel-Palestine conflict -- CALMatters, MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN
Boosting student success after Covid is a team effort, panel says
EdSource, MALLIKA SESHADRI: "Two years after California schools reopened their classrooms to in-person instruction following the Covid-19 pandemic, students continue to struggle – both academically and emotionally.
Both of these factors are deeply connected and recovery requires a team effort, according to panelists at the EdSource round table Nov. 15 discussion, “Reenergizing learning: Strategies for getting beyond stagnant test scores.”
Target crime-plagued store closures will erase hundreds of Bay Area jobs
BANG*Mercury News, GEORGE AVALOS: "Target’s decision to close three crime-plagued stores will erase hundreds of jobs in the Bay Area, state filings show.
The big-box retailer has decided to permanently shut down three Bay Area stores, located in Oakland, Pittsburg and San Francisco, in the wake of thefts and crimes that afflicted the trio of retail sites."
‘It’s just heartbreaking.’ For Palestinian American businesses, a time of harassment — and support
LA Times, MARISA GERBER, RONALD D. WHITE: "Last week, Fatmah Muhammad answered a phone call from someone who appeared to be an inquisitive customer.
He knew she was Palestinian American, the caller said, and he was interested in placing an order from her company, Knafeh Queens, which specializes in a sweet-and-savory dessert she learned to make from her mother."
Under the 10 Freeway: Immigrant businesses scraped by while landlord dodged Caltrans
LA Times, RACHEL URANGA, MATT HAMILTON, RUBEN VIVES: "For more than a decade, Rudy Serafin showed up to his makeshift office underneath the 10 Freeway as the sun came out and the roar of the morning commute shook the ground below his feet.
With a generator, his cellphone and a portable toilet, the 49-year-old immigrant from Michoacán, Mexico, worked alongside a dozen others operating small businesses in spaces they rented between the concrete columns holding up the interstate. They were mechanics, truckers, garment suppliers, recyclers and pallet distributors, struggling to get by in the region’s economy. They paid rent to a Calabasas businessman who leased the land from Caltrans and, according to court records filed by the agency, illegally sublet it to them at far higher rates."
