Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Jan. 10.
- Biggest snow storm of winter takes aim at California.
- Fresno embraces bullet train as symbol of revival.
- And Los Angeles Times editor announces abrupt exit.
Statewide
1.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for a crackdown on retail theft, even as he resists pressure to reconsider Proposition 47, the 2014 ballot measure that reduced penalties for drug and property crimes. Under Newsom’s framework, announced Tuesday, new categories of crime would be established for “professional” offenders who steal with intent to sell. That may not go far enough for some Democrats who are on the defensive amid rising public anxiety about crime. Several lawmakers have already introduced bills to roll back Prop 47. Politico | Mercury News
2.
Forecasters said the biggest snow storm so far this winter would pound the Sierra and Klamath ranges on Wednesday, with accumulation of up to 3 inches an hour and gusts up to 50 mph. Fresh snow could pile up as high as 3 feet at upper elevations. “There is even a chance of thundersnow, when lightning strikes occur during heavy snowfall,” wrote meteorologist Anthony Edwards. The valleys and coasts were expected to see significant rain with possible flooding along shorelines thanks to king tides. S.F. Chronicle | L.A. Times
3.
To hear it from many in the political class, California’s high-speed rail project is a textbook boondoggle. But in communities along the route’s Central Valley corridor, the bullet train is a symbol of transformation, wrote journalist Yousef Baig in a commentary based on interviews from the region. Morgan Doizaki, a seafood seller in Fresno’s Chinatown, said he looked forward to his historic district becoming a destination. “You’re going to see a lot of Fresno, Fresno, Fresno, Fresno, and it’s going to keep happening,” Doizaki said. “It’s our time right now.” CalMatters
4.
Beavers once abounded in California’s waterways before being hunted to near extinction during the European-American fur trade that began in the 1600s. Until recently, California viewed the buck-toothed rodents with apprehension, allowing them to be killed as a nuisance. That changed under policies adopted in 2022 that elevated the animal’s status to something of a hero in the battle against climate change. Beavers, their fans say, are finally getting recognition for what they are: some of the world’s greatest ecosystem engineers, creating wetlands that buffer flooding and provide habitat for other species. Bay Nature
- See video of the first release of beavers in California waters in 75 years. 👉 CDFW (3 mins)
Northern California
5.
A 17-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of murder after four bodies were found in a neighborhood in Reedley, a city 15 miles outside of Fresno. Police disclosed little but said there were signs of forced entry and burglary at the home where three of the bodies, including two men and a woman, were found on Saturday. The fourth victim, a man, was discovered in a garage next door on Tuesday. “This is a very quiet neighborhood in general, so this is very, very strange,” Reedley Police Chief Joe Garza told a local broadcaster. Fresno Bee | FOX26
6.
San Francisco offers the most lucrative entry-level job in law enforcement of any big U.S. city: $112,398 a year for recruits with no experience. Yet in a city known for sky-high housing costs and negative views of police, enrollment is plunging. Last year, the police academy graduated 26 officers, the lowest tally in a decade. The city’s police force is now roughly 500 officers short of full staffing. “We are bending over backwards,” said Patrick McCormick, the police department’s head of hiring. Bloomberg
7.
San Francisco on Tuesday became the largest U.S. city to approve a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. The City Hall chambers erupted in cheers after the vote, 8-3, prompting Board President Aaron Peskin to demand order. “We’ve got work to do,” he hollered. Few matters before the board have ever elicited more passion. “I know this resolution, some people think it’s not going to do anything,” said Supervisor Ahsha Safai. “It will allow some people in our communities to feel heard and seen for the very first time.” L.A. Times | SFist
8.
The youngest City Council member ever elected in Berkeley quit on Tuesday, citing a campaign of “harassment, stalking and threats” from residents. “I have been in a perpetual state of stress and exhaustion for as long as I can remember,” Rigel Robinson wrote. Elected at the age of 22 in 2018, Robinson embraced a pro-building stance, backing efforts to eliminate single-family zoning and increase density. Much of the vitriol, he said, came in response to his support for the development of student housing at People’s Park. Berkeleyside | East Bay Times
9.
Fadi Sckak, a business student at San Jose State, could barely sleep knowing his mother was trapped in Gaza. His father had already died after being shot in the leg. In an act of desperation late last month, he contacted the news media to make a public plea for help. He was connected with a group of American military veterans who specialize in humanitarian evacuations from war zones. They were moved by his story. The Washington Post reconstructed the extraordinary rescue operation, executed deep in bombed-out Gaza, that followed.
Southern California
10.
Kevin Merida, the executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, announced Tuesday that he would step down after less than three years in the job. Merida, a news veteran highly regarded in the industry, said multiple factors contributed to his exit, including differences with owner Patrick Soon-Shiong over “how journalism should be practiced.” Sources told the N.Y. Times that the Soon-Shiong family had clashed with Merida over his decision to restrict reporters who had signed a letter criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza. Soon-Shiong said the decision was not a factor in the editor’s departure. N.Y. Times | L.A. Times
11.
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday ruled against a Southern California family that sought to force a Spanish museum to return a $30 million painting stolen from their ancestors by the Nazis in 1939. The court concluded that the dispute must be resolved under the laws of Spain, where most of the events took place. The 1897 painting, “Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain,” moved through the art world for years before ending up in Madrid’s Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, which celebrated the new ruling. A lawyer for the family said the decision “gives a green light to looters around the world.” L.A. Times | S.F. Chronicle
12.
California sees port trucks as key to its green revolution. Trucking is an outsize source of carbon emissions, and electric trucks on the market today can manage the distance from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — the nation’s busiest hub for container cargo. On Jan. 1, a pioneering California rule went into effect that requires all new trucks bought for use in the state’s ports to be zero-emission. While the trucking industry has grumbled over the law, residents near the ports are hopeful for the first time in years. “Nobody opens their windows,” Nancy Gonzalez said of the pollution. “Nobody.” N.Y. Times
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