These middlemen say they keep drug prices low. California lawmakers don’t buy it
CALMatters's KRISTEN HWANG: "It’s no secret that prescription drugs are unaffordable for many Californians. In just five years, spending on prescription drugs ballooned from $8.7 billion to $12.1 billion, an increase of 39%, according to the most recent state data.
Consumer advocates and health economists are placing some of the blame on pharmaceutical middlemen, which they say needlessly drive up costs by tacking on fees and withholding discounts as profit. It’s a problem that has plagued regulators across the country. This week, California lawmakers are set to vote on first-time regulations aimed at curtailing their tactics."
California lawmakers vote to ban legacy admissions at universities like Stanford
Sacramento Bee's ANDREEW SHEELER, STEPHEN HOBBS: "California lawmakers on Tuesday voted to put a stop to “legacy” admissions at private universities, but it’s unclear whether Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign it into law.
The State Senate voted 26-5 to approve Assembly Bill 1780, by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, sending the bill to Newsom’s desk. Opposing the bill were GOP Sens. Marie Alvarado-Gil, Brian Jones, Roger Niello, Kelly Seyarto and Scott Wilk. The bill previously passed out of the State Assembly, 55-0."
Capitol Briefs: Bills on the move and some legislative stats
Capitol Weekly's STAFF: "In the latest edition of Capitol Briefs, we showcase movement on a handful of measures flying under the radar and share some interesting legislative stats compiled by lobbyist and regular Capitol Weekly contributor Chris Micheli.
New law allows health officials to inspect private detention facilities: Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 1132, a bill that allows county health officers the authority to enter and inspect private detention facilities, including six for profit detention facilities in California."
Largest dam removal in U.S. history nears completion, reviving hopes for California salmon
LAT's IAN JAMES: "Excavators clawed at the remnants of Iron Gate Dam, clattering loudly as they unloaded tons of earth and rock into dump trucks.
Nine miles upriver, machinery tore into the foundation of a second dam, Copco No. 1, carving away some of the last fragments of the sloping concrete barrier that once towered above the Klamath River."
Towards compassionate coexistence with rodents, rat poison is not the solution
REBECCA M., GOOLEY, PhD in CAPITOL WEEKLY: "My Washington DC apartment had many rat neighbors.
The alleyway where all the neighborhood trash was collected had open lid trash receptacles and was poorly maintained. It was unsurprising, at least to me, there would be occasional rat sightings. When my neighbors started complaining, I suggested we clean up the alleyway."
‘It feels like a fortress.’ California students return to college amid tighter security over protests
LAT's JAWEED KALEEM: "When Lawrence Sung returned to USC this week, he encountered a campus starkly different from that one he’s come to know over the last three years.
In place of open gates for public access, students lined up, waiting for staff to scan their IDs. Once inside, new signs warn of a possible “secondary verification screening” and “bags and personal items subject to inspection.”"
‘A hugely flawed system.’ Teachers flag safety problems for kids on film sets
LAT's STACY PERMAN: "On a sweltering hot Saturday morning in early July, nearly 1,000 Civil War reenactors in full period regalia, along with cannons, muskets and bayonets, converged on the grounds of Daniel Lady Farm in Gettysburg, Pa. to commemorate the 161st anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Also there was a film crew and several actors who came to shoot scenes for Oscar winning director Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming Netflix feature. The historic reenactment was to be used as a backdrop."
UC Berkeley’s new chancellor tackles financial, political tumult at flagship campus
The Chronicle's NANETTE ASIMOV: "UC Berkeley’s new chancellor walked among students arriving on campus by the hundreds the other day, vigorously shaking hands, posing for photos and sharing wisdom about how to settle in at the sprawling public university.
But what most energized Richard Lyons on move-in day wasn’t the warm sunshine or students’ surprise at seeing the campus chief stroll by in jeans and sneakers. It was the chance to spread the gospel that helped the former business school dean land the top job in the first place."
UC Berkeley’s new chancellor plans to ‘question the status quo’ as he takes over
LAT's TERESA WATANABE: "UC Berkeley may be best known as the birthplace of the student free speech movement and for its ranking as one of the world’s top public research universities.
But as incoming Chancellor Rich Lyons kicked off the new school year last week, he leaned into a less well-known standing: It is the world’s No. 1 university when it comes to producing venture-funded start-ups founded by undergraduate alumni."
LAUSD’s 100 priority schools show support for equity, but some say program isn’t enough
EdSource's MALLIKA SESHADRI: "Thomas Jefferson High School has a rich history.
It is one of the oldest schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District — established more than a century ago — and lies in Central Avenue, which used to be called “Little Harlem” during the 1920s and 1930s."
Disney’s new mega-neighborhood is taking shape in the California desert. Some locals are dubious
LAT's JACK FLEMMING: "Mickey Mouse is making his way to the Coachella Valley — whether locals want him there or not.
In Rancho Mirage, the Walt Disney Co. is making progress on an ambitious development that promises to sprinkle some Disney magic into real estate. Dubbed Cotino, the master-planned community is the first of the entertainment giant’s “Storyliving” projects, designed for home buyers who want to bring Disney deeper into their everyday lives."
S.F. eats dinner earlier than any other major U.S. city, study confirms
The Chronicle's MARIO CORTEZ: "San Francisco is one of the best food cities in the United States. That is, as long as you plan on an early bird special.
According to one new report, whose findings echo years of anecdotal complaints about the difficulty of finding a hot meal after 9 p.m. in this town, San Francisco is the worst major city in the country for late-night dining."
The six fire-, flood- and storm-prone cities where billionaires love to buy homes
LAT's JACK FLEMMING: "Rising interest rates. Natural disasters. There are a host of reasons not to buy a home in the current real estate market — particularly in certain areas. But the ultra-rich are unfazed.
As most of the market recovers from its pandemic hangover, megamansions in some cities have been immune to the slowdown. Across the country, billionaires are still spending tens of millions of dollars on homes, despite traditional logic telling them to park their money elsewhere."
Homelessness in this part of San Francisco is soaring. What’s at play?
The Chronicle's MAGGIE ANGST: "Kenia Briseno was renting an apartment in Bayview-Hunters Point and working for San Francisco Bay Ferry three years ago when she said “everything collapsed at once.”
Briseno, 40, said she got divorced, lost her job, became homeless and shortly thereafter, began using methamphetamine."
This 1995 ‘Star Trek’ episode predicted a 2024 San Francisco crisis with uncanny accuracy
The Chronicle's PETER HARTLAUB: "The date is August 30, 2024, in San Francisco, and city leaders have decided it’s time to show tough love.
Unhoused residents are forced into shelters, setting up “Sanctuary Districts” where they’re told they can find a room and apply for jobs. The city’s wealthiest citizens are driving political decisions, supporting police sweeps that clear tents from city streets. And with fewer visible homeless, officials declare the mission accomplished."
