California Policy and Politics Saturday

Two fires break out in Southern California amid Santa Ana winds, triggering evacuations -- The Springs fire near Moreno Valley exploded Friday afternoon, triggering mandatory evacuations around Lake Perris. Santa Ana winds with gusts up to 50 mph are fueling the fire’s rapid spread through an area with highly flammable “flashy fuel.” Fire crews deployed two air tankers, 23 engines, two helicopters and bulldozers Friday, with additional resources requested as evacuation orders remained in effect. Salvador Hernandez and Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/26

‘Abysmal’: Trump’s budget cites L.A. homelessness agency as he proposes housing cuts -- President Trump is singling out the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority as a cautionary tale about Democratic mismanagement of publicly funded programs, using it to justify proposed cuts to homeless assistance services across the country. Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/26

Who makes what: The incomes of California’s governor candidates, revealed -- Thanks to a 2019 law, candidates for California governor must submit tax returns for the last five years. That paperwork gives voters a rare glimpse into the personal finances of 10 candidates — eight Democrats and two Republicans — vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of the June 2 top-two primary. Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/4/26

Gas is $10 a gallon at a Big Sur station. The owner explains why his prices can’t go higher -- Gorda by the Sea, a hamlet in Big Sur, has only one gas station, with prices maxed out at $9.99 because the pumps can’t charge more The station owner says he charges so much because gasoline-powered generators run the entire hamlet. Salvador Hernandez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/26

Trump asks Congress for $152 million to start rebuilding Alcatraz prison -- Rep. Nancy Pelosi said Friday she would attempt to block Trump’s ‘stupid’ proposal. How long the project could take or what the total cost could be are not clear. Justine McDaniel in the Los Angeles Times$ Soumya Karlamangla and Heather Knight in the New York Times$ -- 4/4/26

Report finds group hit by deadly Sierra avalanche skirted basic safety practice -- A new report on the deadliest avalanche in California history — which killed nine backcountry skiers and guides in February near Lake Tahoe — found that a guided group deviated from basic safety practices in crossing slide-prone terrain close together despite a warning that avalanches were expected. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/4/26

Housing

California considering novel idea to boost factory-built housing -- To encourage housing developers to build more homes inside factories, which supporters say could result in more affordable housing, the state might get into the construction insurance business. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 4/4/26

Street

$500,000 in stolen catalytic converters seized in L.A. County theft ring bust -- The nine-month investigation expanded after Baldwin Park noticed a surge in thefts; police tracked stolen converters from a South L.A. buyer to a Norwalk storage facility. Fedor Zarkhin in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/26

‘Beautiful family’ shattered as Pomona couple expecting first child killed in police pursuit -- A Pomona couple days away from welcoming their baby died when a suspect’s vehicle crashed into theirs during a police pursuit they weren’t involved in. The driver faces three murder charges, including in the death of the unborn child, and is being held on $6-million bail. Cierra Morgan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/26

POTUS 47

Trump plans spending $377M on executive residence renovations – plus $174M more -- The fiscal 2027 budget shows a jump — from $39 million to $377 million — for renovations to the White House living space and possibly other areas. Ben Johansen Politico -- 4/4/26

White House Seeks $1.5 Trillion for Defense in New Budget Request -- The huge proposed increase would be partly offset by steep cuts to domestic programs, some of which the Trump administration describes as wasteful. Tony Romm in the New York Times$ -- 4/4/26

Trump’s 2027 budget would cut billions from clean energy and climate programs while boosting military spending -- Trump’s 2027 budget proposal targets what the administration calls the “Green New Scam” through budget cuts to energy and environment programs. Proposed cuts include $15 billion for clean energy programs and about half the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/4/26

What We Know About the U.S. Jets That Crashed in the Mideast -- An F-15E Strike Eagle was lost to enemy fire and an A-10 Warthog crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, officials said. A rescue helicopter was also fired upon. Neil Vigdor in the New York Times$ -- 4/4/26

Iran Uses Asymmetric Warfare to Inflict Pain From a Weakened Position -- Iran’s downing of two U.S. warplanes is the most striking evidence yet that, despite enormous military losses, Tehran can still significantly raise the cost of continuing the conflict for the U.S. and Israel. David S. Cloud and Shelby Holliday in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/4/26

Hegseth Says U.S. Troops Are Fighting for Jesus. The Pope Disagrees -- In sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s calls for Christian prayers for the war effort, Pope Leo XIV says military domination is “entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.” Motoko Rich in the New York Times$ -- 4/4/26