No permission slips needed for sex education in California schools, despite GOP effort
Sac Bee's HANNAH WILEY: "California Democrats blocked a contentious bill on Wednesday that would have required parents to sign permission slips for their younger kids to attend sex education classes in school."
"Today, sex education instruction is required “at least once” for middle and high school students. School districts are also allowed to teach sex education for younger students in kindergarten through 6th grade."
"But parents can opt their younger kids out of the sex education and HIV-prevention curriculum offered in California public schools under the California Healthy Youth Act. Students attend those classes unless their parents intervene."
Freezing temps, snow and possible thunderstorms on tap for Bay Area
The Chronicle's ALEJANDRO SERRANO: "Near-freezing temperatures, wind and rain across the Bay Area on Thursday could include snow at peak elevations and thunderstorms elsewhere, complicating commutes by the end of the week."
"Several communities recorded temperatures in the 30s early Wednesday, including a brisk 30 degrees in Santa Rosa, and conditions are expected to get even cooler as a cold front moves into the region, according to the National Weather Service."
"Showers were projected to start in the North Bay around 10 p.m. Wednesday and increase through the night as the storm moved south."
Top priority for Californians heading into 2020 primary? Homelessness
Sac Bee's BRYAN ANDERSON: "Californians are increasingly concerned about the state’s housing and homelessness crisis, according to a new poll released Wednesday night by the Public Policy Institute of California."
"The poll finds a plurality of Democrats, Republicans and Independents likely to vote in the state’s March 3, 2020 primary election in agreement that homelessness is the most important issue for Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers to work on in 2020. Twenty-one percent of Democrats and Independents called it the top issue, compared to 29 percent of Republicans."
"Housing affordability and the environment were the next highest priorities for likely Democratic primary voters, while Republicans were more concerned about immigration and taxes."
Prosecuting Trump: Zoe Lofgren key part of House team for impeachment
The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER: "Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose was already assured of a role in the nation’s all-consuming political drama as she walked through a Capitol hallway Wednesday evening with six other House Democrats to deliver the impeachment case against President Trump to the Senate."
"Earlier in the day, Lofgren and her colleagues were named by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the House’s impeachment managers, the prosecutors who will try to persuade two-thirds of the Republican-controlled Senate that Trump should be removed from office."
"The managers delivered the case after the House voted along party lines to forward the two impeachment articles for trial. Pelosi, D-San Francisco, signed the articles and handed out ceremonial pens to Lofgren and other Democrats."
READ MORE related to Impeachment Managers: A closer look at the 7 House managers in Trump's Senate trial -- LA Times's SARAH D WIRE
USC questioned whether Lori Loughlin's daughters were really athletes a year before admissions scandal
LA Times's MATTHEW ORMSETH: "In March 2018, several high schools contacted USC, puzzled that certain students were being admitted as recruited athletes. Los Angeles’ Marymount High School, attended by actress Lori Loughlin’s two daughters, “doesn’t think either of the students are serious crew participants,” a USC employee wrote in an email."
"Donna Heinel, the third-ranking administrator in USC’s athletic department, was asked to investigate. She reported back the next day: Loughlin’s younger daughter rowed for a “competitive” club and USC’s coach “thinks she has talent,” she wrote."
"A year later, Heinel was arrested and charged with arranging dozens of deals to sneak unqualified students into USC, including Loughlin’s daughters. Prosecutors disclosed emails on Tuesday showing Heinel was tasked with investigating the very fraud she allegedly perpetrated."
2019 was the second-warmest year on record, NASA and NOAA say
LA Times's AMINA KHAN: "In a time of climate anxiety, 2019 was the second-warmest year since scientists began taking temperatures in 1880, government scientists announced Wednesday."
"The near-record temperatures cemented the last decade’s title as the warmest in modern human history, according to data from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Each of the last five years was among the five warmest years on record, NASA said."
"The steady increase in land and ocean temperatures around the world has been fueled by greenhouse gas emissions since the onset of the Industrial Revolution."
READ MORE related to Environment: Scientists were stumped when seabirds started dying. Now they have answers -- LA Times's JENNIFER LU
State to spend $2M on anti-smoking outdoors campaign
Sac Bee's ANDREW SHEELER: "The State of California wants to spend $2 million to remind you that it is against the law to smoke in state parks and beaches."
"The California Department of Parks and Recreation issued a budget request in order to bring the state into compliance with Senate Bill 8, which bans smoking and vaping at state parks and beaches."
"If you’re caught, it’s a $25 fine."
How the Sanders-Warren feud could reshape the Democratic race
LA Times's MARK Z BARABAK/JANET HOOK: "With a pointed snub — a refusal to shake Bernie Sanders’ hand on the debate stage — Elizabeth Warren escalated a feud on the political left that threatens to harm both candidates and undermine their common cause in the final days before the presidential balloting begins in Iowa."
"Supporters of the two Democratic hopefuls hurled insults and fresh attacks Wednesday while progressive leaders sought to bring about peace, fearing an outcome — the elevation of a comparative moderate like Joe Biden — that none of the antagonists wish to see."
"Every minute spent talking about the drama between these two people might end up with a Democratic nominee worse for millions of people,” said Adam Green, a Warren supporter who is co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “Both sides know that."
'Ok Boomer' just made its SCOTUS debut. But why was it brought up?
Sac Bee's MAYA EARLS: "The newest Generation Z comeback “OK Boomer” found its way to the Supreme Court on Wednesday."
"The court was hearing a case about federal employees and unlawful age discrimination when Chief Justice John Roberts asked whether someone could take legal action if a hiring person, presumably younger, used the phrase toward an applicant."
"Laughter broke out, CNN reported, as this was likely the first time “OK Boomer” was heard in the historic courtroom."
Uber's new policies could encourage discrimination, advocates fear
The Chronicle's CAROLYN SAID: "Advocates for minorities and low-income people fear that Uber’s recent overhaul of its ride processes could lead to discrimination against people traveling to neighborhoods some drivers perceive as less desirable."
"Drivers can now decline to take passengers to San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point or East Oakland, for instance — areas already underserved by transportation."
"Uber last week gave California drivers much more autonomy, including the ability to know every ride’s destination in advance and to reject ride requests without penalty. The changes are Uber’s attempt to shield itself from being forced to reclassify drivers as employees under the state’s new gig-work law, AB5, but some outside groups say the overhaul creates conditions for prejudicial treatment."
Sacramento may allow 10 new pot shops to address city's dispensary inequity
Sac Bee's THERESA CLIFT: "Sacramento is poised to allow 10 new cannabis dispensaries in an effort to fix long-standing equity issues in the city’s retail pot market."
"Of the city’s 30 dispensaries, none are owned by black men and women, demographics that were disproportionately arrested during the War on Drugs, Malaki Amen, executive director of the California Urban Partnership, has said."
"To address that, the City Council in 2018 approved the creation of the Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) program. For those who meet certain income, zip code and other requirements, the program waives thousands of dollars in fees and prioritizes applicants for permits."
Radio call to LAX tower raises questions about jet fuel dump over school
LA Times's HANNAH FRY/COLLEEN SHALBY/MATT STILES: "A Delta Air Lines pilot was roughly five minutes into a flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Shanghai on Tuesday when he radioed the control tower that he was having problems with the right engine on the jetliner."
"A controller asks whether he needs to return to the airport immediately or to “hold to burn fuel.” The pilot responds that they’ve “got it back under control,” will slow down, stay out of terrain and turn back to the airport."
"OK, so you don’t need to hold to dump fuel or anything like that?” he asks the pilot. The pilot responds: “Negative."
SF advocates, police commissioners want fewer officers responding to homeless
The Chronicle's TRISHA THADANI: "As a last resort, Rene Colorado says, he calls 911 at least two times a day — nearly every day — from his restaurant in the Tenderloin, asking for help with an aggressive mentally ill homeless person outside his door."
"He said he always calls the Homeless Outreach Team first, but they seldom respond fast enough. That leaves him with no choice, he said, but to call the police."
"The police are stretched thin and doing what they can. So, rightfully, when they come to respond to a homeless person, they are frustrated,” said Colorado, executive director of the Tenderloin Merchants Association. “But I either call the police or have to close the restaurant for the day."
Pier 1 to close 11 Bay Area stores
The Chronicle's SHWANIKA NARAYAN: "Pier 1 Imports plans to close 11 of 16 stores in the Bay Area, employees confirmed to The Chronicle."
"Stores in Colma, Cupertino, Fremont, Los Gatos, Napa, Novato, Redwood City, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Rafael and Walnut Creek are set to close. The closures will begin in February and may run through April, employees at various locations said when reached by phone."
"Amid reports it is considering a bankruptcy filing, the Fort Worth, Texas, home goods retailer announced last week that it would close up to 450 stores, nearly half of its locations, across the country in the coming weeks, though it did not provide a list of locations. The company had 4,000 employees as of March."
Beloved Sacramento judge Peter Mering passes away at 89
Sac Bee's DARRELL SMITH: "Before retiring, Judge Peter Mering was a beloved citizen-jurist who moved from private practice and the public defenders’ ranks to serve for more than two decades in Sacramento County’s municipal, superior and juvenile courts."
"Mering died Dec. 13, 2019, after a brief illness. He was 89."
"Friends on the Sacramento Superior Court bench remembered Mering as a judicial Everyman, even-handed, fair – and universally respected."
"Trump had knowledge of Ukraine pressure"
AP's MICHAEL BIESECKER/MARY CLARE JALONICK/ERIC TUCKER: "A close associate of President Donald Trump's personal lawyer says he delivered an ultimatum in May to the incoming president of Ukraine that no senior U.S. officials would attend his inauguration and all American aid to the war-torn country would be withheld if an investigation into Joe Biden wasn't announced."
"Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, made several potentially explosive claims in a televised interview Wednesday night with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. The day after Parnas said he delivered the message, the U.S. State Department announced that Vice President Mike Pence would no longer be attending the inauguration of Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskiy."
"Parnas alleged that Trump ordered Pence to stay away at the behest of Giuliani to send a clear message to the incoming Ukrainian administration that they needed to take seriously the demand for an investigation into Biden, a Democratic presidential candidate seen as a potential threat to Trump's 2020 reelection."
House leaders march Trump impeachment articles to the Senate
AP's LISA MASCARO: "In a dramatic procession across the U.S. Capitol, House Democrats carried the formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate late Wednesday, setting the stage for only the third trial to remove a president in American history."
"Trump complained anew it was all a “hoax,” even as fresh details emerged about his efforts in Ukraine."
"The ceremonial pomp and protocol by the lawmakers prosecuting the case against Trump moved the impeachment out of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Democratic-run House to the Republican-majority Senate, where the president’s team is mounting a defense aiming for swift acquittal."
Australian firefighters save world's last remaining 'dinosaur trees'
AP: "Specialist firefighters have saved the world’s last remaining wild stand of a prehistoric tree from wildfires that razed forests west of Sydney, officials said Thursday."
"Firefighters winched themselves from helicopters to reach the cluster of fewer than 200 Wollemi pines in a remote gorge in the Blue Mountains a week before a massive wildlife bore down, National Parks and Wildlife Service Director David Crust said."
"The firefighters set up an irrigation system to keep the so-called dinosaur trees moist and pumped water daily from the gorge as the blaze that had burned out of control for more than two month edged closer."
