Updating . . .

California Policy and Politics Friday

California voters overhaul recall elections, pass Democratic-backed Prop. 5 -- The recall process will now take place in two parts: Voters will first decide in an election whether an official should be removed from office. If successful, they’ll vote again in a follow-up election on who should replace the recalled official. Under the previous system, voters were asked both questions at the same time. Kate Wolffe Calmatters Ben Paviour in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/13/26

Newsom says he’ll decide on presidential run in ‘early January’ -- His comments, made while in Turkey at the Conference of the Parties climate meetings, put his timetable for an announcement in line with the end of his term governing California in early January. That timeline reflects what could become a quickly-developing field of contenders early next year. Blake Jones Politico -- 11/13/26

Newsom’s commutations request invokes victims’ praise, anguish as prosecutors vow to sue -- Two competing camps of victims’ rights advocates have emerged to pressure Gov. Gavin Newsom as the California Supreme Court weighs his request to grant blanket commutation to the 548 people on death row before he leaves office in two months. Liam Russell in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/13/26

Another Winner From the Midterms: Crusaders Against Insurance Companies -- California’s incoming insurance commissioner wants to impose profit caps on home and auto insurers. Jean Eaglesham and Laura J. Nelson in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/13/26

Bass says her election defeat was part of a national wave, with voters demanding change -- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Thursday that she views her defeat in the Nov. 3 election as part of a much larger political phenomenon, with voters across the nation demanding change at every level of government. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

Newsom names Nancy Pelosi, Barry Bonds, Robin Williams to California Hall of Fame -- The list includes a total of 18 Californians selected by the governor and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, for their contributions to film, viticulture, sports, dining, art, literature, music, education, politics and business. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

Interior secretary skips Presidio Trust meeting as residents hound board about park’s future -- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met privately with the Presidio Trust’s new Trump-appointed board Thursday, then was absent from its first in-person meeting that became a largely one-way exchange as residents pressed trustees about the future of San Francisco’s self-funded national park. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

 

Hollywood’s tax credit push runs into a post-midterm wall -- Congressional Republicans are still regrouping from their losses, raising questions about their appetite for legislating in the final weeks of the year — especially on a federal film and television production tax break that would benefit an industry the party has long viewed as an adversary. Daniel Miller and Bernie Becker Politico -- 11/13/26

Jensen Huang is out at Nvidia. What his exit means for the Bay Area AI industry -- His absence has fueled speculation that competitors Google and Amazon, who have invested in the development of their own chips, could use this opportunity to cut into Nvidia’s market share. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

AI

Even business-friendly Vernon is souring against data centers -- Just south of downtown L.A., the anti-data center pushback has reached Vernon, amidst pressure from LAUSD and neighbors over diesel pollution. Blanca Begert in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

Climate

Fearmongering or fair warning? A fierce debate over how bad California’s El Niño winter will get -- For all the concerns about a historic El Niño fueling epic storms striking California this winter, there is still a surprising amount of debate among experts about how bad it will actually be. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

El Niño: Record ocean temperatures and big waves have arrived, with winter’s first storms coming this week -- Unusually warm ocean waters and elevated sea levels are increasing California’s coastal flooding risk as El Niño strengthens, scientists said Thursday, with dangerous surf and the Bay Area’s first substantial rain of the season arriving this weekend. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/13/26

The historic El Niño is bringing huge waves — and could reshape California beaches -- The California coast could see its highest waves in years Saturday, when 30-foot breakers slam against shores from Crescent City to San Francisco to Big Sur. Waves as high as 50 feet could crash at Mavericks near Half Moon Bay. Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

Paddleboarder disappears off Sausalito as Bay Area faces dangerous surf -- Rescue crews were searching Thursday afternoon for a person who disappeared from a paddleboard about 100 yards offshore near Sausalito, as the Bay Area coast faces hazardous surf conditions. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

Housing

What happens when real estate agents have split allegiances -- A Sonoma County lawsuit alleges that one of northern California’s largest real estate brokerages shunted buyers into “dual agency” contracts. Ben Christopher Calmatters -- 11/13/26

BART

BART’s San Jose extension is getting more expensive. Officials may change the plan -- He attributed the financial strain to tariffs and the war in Iran, which have jolted prices for diesel and core construction materials such as steel and concrete. Labor expenses are also rising and adding strain for monumental infrastructure projects like this one. VTA has not yet released a new cost estimate for the BART extension. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/13/26

 

Troubled LAX people mover drops further into junk bond status as key deadline nears -- The rating on $1.2 billion in bonds for the Skylink people mover train has plunged four notches, from BB to B- since July, moving the project deeper into junk bond territory. The downgrade by Fitch Ratings reflects heightened concerns that the city’s airport department will default on the debt. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/13/26

Education

Left-leaning California school board candidates ride ‘blue tsunami’ to big leads in local races -- In Orange Unified, four moderate incumbents fended off conservative challengers. Unofficial results show progressive candidates ahead in several races in the Inland Empire. Thomas Peele EdSource -- 11/13/26

Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra says he wants to improve childcare, fueling high expectations -- As California’s next governor, Xavier Becerra will inherit a childcare system that remains unaffordable for many families and financially unstable for many providers. Betty Márquez Rosales EdSource -- 11/13/26

Also

Walters: By emptying death row, Newsom broke a promise and disregarded the will of voters -- Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to commute the death sentences of 548 inmates just weeks before he leaves office is the latest episode in California’s 70-year-long political, legal and philosophical debate over capital punishment. Dan Walters Calmatters -- 11/13/26

POTUS 47

Lutnick Fights for His Job as Trump Aides Blame Him for Nvidia Fallout -- As the fallout from Jensen Huang’s affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence source continues to consume the West Wing, some of President Trump’s top advisers have started shifting blame for the political mess toward one man: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Brian Schwartz, Meridith McGraw and Josh Dawsey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/13/26

Trump’s top economic advisers clash over Lutnick’s handling of Nvidia -- Singapore’s Megaspeed is at the heart of former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s spy-sex scandal. The Commerce Department had been investigating if Megaspeed breached U.S. export restrictions. Ian Duncan, Isaac Arnsdorf, Nancy Cook and Riley Beggin in the Washington Post$ -- 11/13/26

 

California Policy and Politics Thursday

‘They will try anything’: China’s expanding spy network across California -- California has long been a pivotal espionage hub for China. Intelligence experts say that Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang’s extramarital affair with a suspected Chinese spy shows that Beijing leaders are ramping up their network of spies and assets across the state. Richard Winton and Jenny Jarvie in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns after his affair raises national security concerns -- Huang faced growing calls to resign after his affair with a Chinese businesswoman who reportedly was also acting as a spy for Beijing. His troubles compounded late Wednesday after media reports said Huang had another extramarital affair with an Nvidia employee who reported to him. Kelvin Chan Associated Press Robbie Whelan, Josh Dawsey and Amrith Ramkumar in the Wall Street Journal$ Miriam Waldvogel, Nancy Cook and Ian Duncan in the Washington Post$ -- 11/12/26

 

Targeted by Trump, L.A. County took action to speed up counting votes. Officials say it worked -- One week after polls closed, L.A. County had processed about 99% of nearly 3.2 million ballots, outpacing itself in past elections and other large counties. Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

These Californians missed an important vote on Pete Hegseth impeachment — here’s why -- Three California House members missed a procedural vote on a House resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his military actions at the Pentagon, including Nancy Pelosi. Hannah Wiley in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/12/26

After historic losses, California GOP faces a fight over its future -- California Republican Party Chair Corrin Rankin says she will not seek reelection next year, days after sweeping GOP losses in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The party is projected to lose at least eight Assembly seats and half its congressional delegation, leaving Republicans with their smallest state legislative presence since the 1870s. Seema Mehta and Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

How a broad coalition outspent industry allies, defeated permitting measure Prop. 45 -- Going into the summer, it appeared the groups behind Proposition 45 were prepared to spend heavily to sell their message that affordability for Californians was best achieved through streamlining environmental permitting for a range of building projects. Andrew Graham in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/12/26

Trump’s interior secretary expected to attend Presidio board meeting in S.F. -- Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is expected to take a seat at the table as the Presidio Trust’s new, Trump-appointed board meets in person for the first time Thursday. Laura Waxmann in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/12/26

L.A. sales taxes will go up, but the time it takes firefighters to respond may go down -- Retail sales taxes in Los Angeles will rise to 10.75% early next year with voter approval of Measure FD on the Nov. 3 city ballot. Itzel Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

Workplace

Cancer institute backed by Larry Ellison plans major layoffs in Los Angeles -- The Los Angeles-based research center, led by its founding chief executive and oncologist, David Agus, plans to permanently lay off 88 employees in January, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed Nov. 4. Ella Chakarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

AI

SMUD defers data center policy move after residents call for stronger deterrents -- The Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s policy committee on Wednesday deferred a vote on its strategy for responding to large data center proposals, after dozens of people called for stronger deterrents against such developments than the utility’s staff had proposed. Annika Merrilees in the Sacramento Bee$ Felicia Alvarez KVIE Abridged -- 11/12/26

Climate

California’s coast is eroding, but beachfront homes are still worth millions. Will El Niño change that? -- Coastal homeowners are facing soaring insurance costs and growing flood risks, but oceanfront properties still command huge prices. The hazards are sharpening a bigger debate: whether public resources should be used to protect private homes in fragile areas. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

Bay Area flood risk maps: See which areas face the greatest dangers -- Flooding can look very different depending on where you live in the Bay Area. In some spots, high tides submerge roadways and disrupt commutes. Elsewhere, heavy downpours overwhelm storm drains, sending water into streets and homes. Jack Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/12/26

Education

California teachers urge 3-year pause on AI use in K-8 schools -- The California Federation of Teachers on Wednesday urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to order a three-year pause on artificial intelligence in K-8 public school classrooms, citing concerns that schools are adopting AI tools without adequate protections for students and educators. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 11/12/26

Black teachers say students call them the N-word. LAUSD vows to teach them not to -- After Black teachers described repeated use of the N-word by students — and inadequate responses — the Los Angeles school board unanimously approved new measures to address hate speech. The plan calls for student counseling, staff training and improved incident reporting. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

These part-time California profs found a way to make $400K -- Thirty classes. Over 1,100 students. That’s the current workload of ethnic studies professor Thien Huong Ninh Villarreal, who holds full-time teaching jobs at both San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton and Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. Adam Echelman Calmatters -- 11/12/26

Street

This California county holds half the state’s violent sex offenders. Is there a better way to house them? -- As a San Diego judge weighs placing two sexually violent predators in a rural neighborhood, a county supervisor offers a new plan to better house these offenders. Deborah Brennan Calmatters -- 11/12/26

Also

What’s the deal with those massive, eerily lifelike sculptures of swimmers on Rodeo Drive? -- Ten monumental, hyperrealistic sculptures by 81-year-old artist Carole Feuerman now line Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, bringing her first major outdoor exhibition on the West Coast to a world-famous shopping street. Laura Zornosa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26

POTUS 47

Huang’s Coziness With Trump Wasn’t Enough to Save Him From Spying Scandal -- For nearly two years, Jensen Huang enjoyed direct access to President Trump and vast influence over America’s AI policy. Even still, Huang has been unable to head off a deepening scandal involving an affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence source that has now prompted Nvidia’s board to make preparations for his ouster. Amrith Ramkumar, Brian Schwartz, Robbie Whelan and Alexander Ward in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 11/12/26

Trump Says He’s Pulling Vance Off Iran Talks to Focus on Fraud Campaign -- The announcement on social media deepened questions about what the president’s plan is to end the war. “We don’t need a deal with Iran,” he wrote. Luke Broadwater in the New York Times$ Michael Birnbaum in the Washington Post$ -- 11/12/26

White House warns of criminal inquiries into House Democrats who investigate Trump -- The White House’s top lawyer said House Democrats could be criminally investigated if they launch investigations without a ‘legitimate legislative purpose.’ Rep. Robert Garcia accused the White House of infringing on the panel’s constitutionally protected right to conduct congressional oversight. Ana Ceballos in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/12/26