Deputies accused of being in secret societies cost LA County taxpayers $55M, records show
LA Times's ALENE TCHEKMEDYIAN: "Los Angeles County has paid out roughly $55 million in settlements in cases in which sheriff’s deputies were alleged to belong to a secret society, records obtained by The Times show, illuminating the entrenched nature of a subculture that has plagued the Sheriff’s Department for years.
The figure comes from a list that includes payouts in dozens of lawsuits and claims involving deputies associated with tattooed groups accused of glorifying an aggressive style of policing. The report, prepared by L.A. County attorneys, lists nearly 60 cases, some of them still pending, and names eight specific cliques.
The county has paid out nearly $21 million in cases that began in the last 10 years alone, according to the document."
READ MORE related to Police, Prisons, Protests & Public Safety: Two sheriff's clerks sue SF, claiming racial discrimination -- The Chronicle's DOMINIC FRACASSA
Census facing uncertainty, hostile president
LANA SCHWARTZ in Capitol Weekly: "Every 10 years since the 18th century, the United States has counted noses. A lot is riding on this decennial tally. It affects the way federal funding is distributed and it can have a dramatic impact on the boundaries — and number — of political districts.
This time around, California’s congressional seats are on shaky ground. But the uncertainty stems as much from President Trump’s actions as the long-awaited 2020 census numbers, which have been delayed because of the pandemic.
California, the nation’s most populous state with about 39.5 million people through 2019, has 53 House seats. But the state had a net migration loss in 2019 of about 200,000. States’ seats in the House of Representatives, which is capped at 435 voting members, depend on population counts."
Coronavirus test result data may be flawed, top health official says
LA Times's COLLEEN SHALBY: "A steep decline in California’s coronavirus infection rate announced this week by Gov. Gavin Newson may not be accurate, according to the state’s top public health official who said Tuesday that the state’s data system used to process COVID-19 test results is marred with technical issues.
The problems have caused delays in analyzing test results and cast doubt on Newsom’s announcement Monday of a 21.2% decline in the seven-day average rate for positive infections compared with the average from the week before.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said that “the seven-day positivity rate is absolutely affected” by the issue. It’s unclear to what extent and for how long cases have been undercounted, and how this situation differs from the more routine delays when test reporting lags over weekends."
READ MORE related to Pandemic: Is California undercounting coronavirus cases? Major tech glitch hampering data collection -- The Chronicle's AIDIN VAZIRI; California undercounting COVID-19 cases due to 'serious' technical issue, counties say -- Sac Bee's MICHAEL MCGOUGH/TONY BIZJAK/SOPHIA BOLLAG; Coronavirus outbreak reaches California state hospital with first 2 patient deaths -- Sac Bee's WES VENTEICHER
Caltrain saved? Officials reach a deal to place measure on ballot that could avert a shutdown
The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "A tentative deal in the do-or-die dispute over a three-county sales tax measure to keep Caltrain running appears to be on track — just in time to make the November ballot after weeks of political stops and starts. Santa Clara County supervisors approved the last-minute proposal Tuesday, and other key votes are expected to happen this week.
The deal would allow a ballot measure on a 1/8-cent sales tax increase to help fund Caltrain to be placed before voters in San Mateo, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties in November. The measure needs the consent of each of the counties, its transportation agencies and the Caltrain board by Friday to make the fall ballot.
Caltrain officials have said in recent weeks that the 156-year-old commuter rail service was in danger of shutting down if the measure, which aims to raise $100 million a year, didn’t go before voters and win approval. With Caltrain ridership plunging by 95% during the pandemic, the tax measure became a lifeline, railroad officials said."
Feds add more charges against Ed Buck, including drug distribution and enticing prostitution
LA Times's MATT HAMILTON: "Ed Buck, who was indicted last year in connection with the overdose deaths of two Black men in his West Hollywood apartment, now faces four additional charges for allegedly distributing drugs over nearly a decade and enticing two people to travel to California for prostitution.
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment Tuesday, expanding upon allegations that Buck, a once prominent Democratic Party donor, provided the drugs that led to the 2017 overdose of Gemmel Moore and the 2019 overdose of Timothy Dean.
Buck, 65, now faces a total of nine counts in federal court. He also faces additional charges in state court in connection with similar allegations of running a drug den."
What to do about rent: California running out of time to avoid catastrophic wave of evictions
The Chronicle's ALEXEI KOSEFF: "The California Legislature has less than a month left in its pandemic-shortened session to deal with one of the state’s worst economic crises in decades, and there’s no greater emergency than what to do about the rent.
Millions of residents who lost their jobs this spring as the state shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus now fear they will lose their homes as well. One in 7 tenants in California did not pay rent on time last month, according a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, and nearly 1 in 6 doesn’t expect to pay on time in August either.
Several bills are moving through the Legislature to prevent what many worry could be a wave of evictions, potentially compounding California’s crippling homelessness crisis. But landlord groups and tenant advocates are divided, raising financial, legal and logistical concerns over the competing approaches."
'We made a big mistake': How ex-CalPERS board member and his wife contracted COVID-19
KHN's SAMANTHA YOUNG in Sac Bee: "The tweet Richard Costigan posted July 23 was bluntly honest: “We tried our best to limit exposure to #COVID19 but we slipped up somewhere.”
Costigan tweeted while waiting anxiously in the parking lot of a hospital outside Sacramento. The veteran Republican political consultant had just dropped his wife, Gloria, off at the emergency room. He wasn’t allowed to go in with her.
“My wife is in the #ER as she can’t catch her breath. She has been having severe coughing fits that won’t stop. We tried out best to limit exposure to @COVID19 but we slipped up somewhere. I am coughing as well. This is nasty, I am waiting in the parking lot.”
LA County DA Jackie Lacey's husband charged with assault in gun-waving incident
LA Times's JAMES QUEALLY: "The husband of Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey has been charged with multiple counts of assault in connection with a March incident recorded on video in which he waved a gun at protesters outside the couple’s Granada Hills home, according to court filings made public Tuesday.
The California attorney general’s office filed three counts of misdemeanor assault with a firearm against David Lacey on Monday, records show. Lacey had been under investigation for several months after video surfaced of him brandishing a handgun on his doorstep on March 2.
An arraignment is scheduled for Aug.13, the attorney general’s office said. David Lacey is not currently in police custody, a representative for the district attorney’s reelection campaign said."
Davis furloughs employees one day a month as COVID-19 pandemic squeezes city budget
Sac Bee's ALEXANDRA YOON-HENDRICKS: "The city of Davis will furlough all its employees one day a month starting Aug. 14, as officials scramble to make up for huge revenue shortfalls caused by coronavirus pandemic.
The furloughs, which will run from August to February, will save the city about $1 million. City Hall will be closed for services during furloughed days.
“Residents may notice a delay in service because of furlough days,” City Manager Mike Webb said in a statement. “However, the City, as always, will strive to uphold excellent customer service standards.”"
Sac City Council to place 'strong mayor' measure on November ballot
Sac Bee's THERESA CLIFT: "Sacramento voters will decide in November whether the city should overhaul its system of government to make the mayor the most powerful position.
The Sacramento City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday to place the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, with Councilmen Jeff Harris, Larry Carr and Allen Warren voting against it.
Those council members said placing the measure on the ballot with little advanced notice during a pandemic prevented the public input needed for such a big decision."
Deadly deer disease found in Northern California. Officials say there's an easy way to help
Sac Bee's MARIA HEETER: "An outbreak of a disease sickening and killing deer in at least five counties across the state has prompted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ask residents to refrain from feeding wild animals and to report potential cases to the department.
Adenovirus hemorrhagic disease, which causes widespread death in deer and has no cure or vaccine, has been found in Napa, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Tehama and Yolo counties. The disease is not known to affect people, pets or domestic livestock.
The disease can leave deer dead, often by water, without any obvious symptoms. Sick deer may drool or foam at the mouth. They also might experience diarrhea, vomiting or seizures. Deer fawns experience the highest death rates following infection, though the disease can significantly impact deer populations overall."
READ MORE related to Climate/Environment: Rare, giant bluefin tuna off Half Moon Bay have turned the fishing world upside down -- The Chronicle's TOM STIENSTRA
Inside 'Immigration Nation,' the Netflix docuseries ICE didn't want you to see
LA Times's YVONNE VILLARREAL: "Early in the first episode of new docuseries “Immigration Nation,” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official pulls out his phone and records a video inside the agency’s New York City office, where a lone immigrant sits inside the processing room. It’s the start of a weeklong operation to arrest undocumented immigrants.
“Just making sure ... I thought there was an op today,” the official says sarcastically, at one point looking at the documentary camera, before sending the video to supervisors with a gleeful chuckle.
It’s one of many fly-on-the-wall moments captured in the six-part Netflix series that gives a rare inside look at the machinery of ICE and the bureaucratic maze of the country’s immigration system."
UC Davis wins $190K grant to help K-12 teachers educate on Chinese American history
Sac Bee's ASHLEY WONG: "A University of California, Davis history workshop won a six-figure grant to improve K-12 education on California’s Chinese American history.
The $190,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant, which was won last week, went to a program called “Building Community in California: The Chinese American Experience” which will educate 72 teachers in K-12 public schools nationwide on California’s Chinese American history and help them design curriculum for their students.
The workshop will be run by UC Davis’ The History Project, which trains K-12 teachers in the Sacramento area. It will be led by Dr. Robyn Rodriguez, UC Davis Asian American studies department chair, and Stacey Greer, director of The History Project."
READ MORE related to Education: No school opening waivers will be considered, LA County says, citing high COVID-19 rates -- LA Times's NINA AGRAWAL; A Peninsula school district is offering pandemic day care for working families. Not everyone can afford it -- The Chronicle's MALLORY MOENCH; 'Pandemic pods' present health risks, too. Experts offer safety tips for kids, parents, teachers -- The Chronicle's ANNIE VAINSHTEIN; California's elementary-school reopening rules may favor private schools, charters -- The Chronicle's DUSTIN GARDINER
Sausalito confronts historic inequities as it considers affordable housing on waterfront
The Chronicle's JK DINEEN: "For 32 years Sausalito has used strict zoning restrictions to protect its scrappy industrial waterfront, banning both housing and offices in the 225-acre Marinship district, which stretches for about a mile north of downtown.
And, for the most part, it’s worked. Instead of expensive condos and trinket-filled tourist shops, Marinship remains a place where vessels are hauled out and repaired, houseboats built, sails sewn and outboard motors tuned up. Hundreds of maritime workers and artists live and toil on the water, a world apart from the glass towers visible across the bay.
But with the Black Lives Matter movement forcing cities to confront historic racial, social and economic inequality, Sausalito officials are debating whether some land in Marinship might be appropriate for low-income or senior housing. In July, during a contentious, eight-hour meeting that focused on both racial justice and a new, 20-year general plan — a state-mandated document meant to guide development — the City Council voted 4-1 to erase language that barred land-based housing there."
California prosecutors to NFL: Take down your Stephon Clark PSA
Sac Bee's SAM STANTON: "A week after the National Football League released a public service announcement about the killing of Stephon Clark as part of an anti-racism campaign, California prosecutors are asking the league to pull the video because they say it “misrepresents the facts” about Clark’s March 2018 shooting death at the hands of Sacramento police.
The 94-second video is narrated by Se’Quette Clark, Stephon’s mother, lauding her son and describing some of the changes in law enforcement policy in Sacramento and California since Clark, an unarmed 22-year-old Black man, was killed by two officers who later said they thought he was holding a handgun.
“What the world lost was a living example of someone doing the right thing in their day-to-day life,” Se’Quette Clark says on the video."
Massive Beirut blast kills at least 100 people and injures thousands more
LA Times's NABIH BULOS: "Residents of Beirut awoke to a scene of utter devastation Wednesday, a day after a massive explosion at the port sent shock waves across the Lebanese capital, killing at least 100 people and wounding thousands.
Smoke was still rising from the port, where huge mounds of grain gushed from hollowed-out silos. Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out.
George Kettaneh, an official with the Lebanese Red Cross said at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 were wounded. Kettaneh said the toll could rise further."
