Anyone attending No Kings Day in San Francisco. The protest starts at 11:30 Dolores Park and marches to the Civic center. BlueSky people can group at Dolores & 18th. You can register online - SF No Kings Day or just show up.

After half a century, California legislators on the verge of overhauling a landmark environmental law Two bills endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom would be the most transformative changes to the California Environmental Quality Act in generations, experts said. Lawmakers hope reforms will unleash a wave of...

California legislators are on the verge of overhauling a landmark environmental law www.latimes.com/homeless-hou... @liamjdillon.com @latimes.com

Trump administration revokes guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortions The Trump administration has announced that it is revoking guidance to the nation’s hospitals that directed them to provide emergency abortions to women when they are necessary to stabilize their medi...

1/2 Misogynist Trump just rescinded Biden’s emergency abortion protections under EMTALA. This is a death sentence. More women will die in ERs because hospitals are no longer required to provide life-saving abortions. Trump made it easier to turn patients away.
tinyurl.com/ER-Abortion

Here Are the Nearly 2,500 Medical Research Grants Canceled or Delayed by Trump (Gift Article) Some cuts have been starkly visible, but the country’s medical grant-making machinery has also radically transformed outside the public eye.

Gift link to a must-read from my colleagues.

"I think people should know that research that they probably would support is being canceled," said Eden Tanner, who lost a grant to work on a new glioblastoma treatment. "I would like to cure brain cancer. I think that's not particularly controversial."

Williamson Act helps rich companies but not small Fresno farms Williamson Act benefits large out-of-state interests more than smaller, family farms in Fresno County and the rest of California.

Is California's Williamson Act a giveaway to Fresno County’s wealthiest landowners? fresnoland.org/2025/02/18/w...

Noem says she is comfortable with Musk having access to Americans’ personal data | CNN Politics Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem told CNN’s Dana Bash that she has no problem with Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team having access to Americans’ personal data...

After telling CNN that Americans "can't trust the government anymore," DHS Sec Kristi Noem says she is comfortable with Musk having access to Americans’ personal data

www.cnn.com/2025/02/09/p...

Lies and misinformation threaten California’s future. When will lawmakers stand up for the truthtellers? The L.A. fires showed how essential local journalism remains to public safety. And yet newsrooms are in jeopardy of dissolving without political support.

Lies and misinformation threaten CA’s future. When will lawmakers stand up for the truthtellers? The LA fires showed how essential local journalism is to public safety. And yet newsrooms are in jeopardy of dissolving without political support www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/edit...

Newsom bows to 'hierarchy of needs' in detente with Trump A former leader of the anti-Trump resistance, Newsom said he had a productive meeting at the White House with the president on disaster aid for fire-ravaged Los Angeles.

"Gov. Gavin Newsom’s more than 90-minute meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office Wednesday once again displayed the governor’s willingness to cede his leadership of the resistance — at least for now." www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

I keep waiting for tough questions from the press in these photo ops...not hearing them challenge him, call him out on many false statements -- or demand answers on unprecedented moves by Elon Musk. Do your job, people.

Elon Musk’s Blitz Shakes U.S. Government as He Sweeps Through Agencies The billionaire is creating major upheaval as his team sweeps through agencies, in what has been an extraordinary flexing of power by a private individual.

Musk, the world’s richest man, is sweeping through the federal government as a singular force, creating major upheaval as he looks to put an ideological stamp on the bureaucracy and rid the system of those who he and the president deride as “the deep state.” Gifted. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/u...

Oakland to lay off nearly 100 city workers in ‘hard but necessary’ cuts When the dust settles, roughly 100 people will be affected, either through layoffs or position bumps.

Where is Oakland laying off nearly 100 city workers in ‘hard but necessary’ cuts? The two depts we residents can least afford it: public works and police. www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/01/31/o...

Trump may be planning a sharp, extended conflict with California, experts say - Berkeley News Donald Trump does not hide his disdain for California and its perceived progressive values. Now UC Berkeley analysts say he may be planning an offensive against the state that extends from public heal...

"Donald Trump does not hide his disdain for California and its perceived progressive values. Now UC Berkeley analysts say he may be planning an offensive against the state that extends from public health and climate to immigration, energy and education."
news.berkeley.edu/2025/01/10/t...

"A mass purge of field agents, the front line investigators in
@FBI cases, signals "an even greater escalation of what has become a startling pattern of retribution — & would contradict pledges to avoid such action" by Trump’s nominees to lead FBI & DOJ, per washingtonpost.com

Trump Admin Emails Air Traffic Controllers: Quit Your Jobs Federal employees were told they could use their paid time off to explore “dream destinations” before quitting.

"As of May 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was approximately 3,000 controllers short of its staffing targets, despite a surge in hiring efforts," per CNN. So who now will be monitoring the skies for the flying public??
www.thedailybeast.com/trump-admin-...

OMG if you live near or use @FlySFO, or any major Bay Area airport, this is alarming to say the least

Beginning Feb. 1, San Carlos Airport will have no air traffic controllers?? What could go wrong regarding serious potential dangers for busy flight paths at nearby @FlySFO..

Southern California’s largest water supplier fires general manager The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California replaced Adel Hagekhalil with Deven Upadhyay after an investigation into claims of harassment.

Southern California’s largest water supplier fires general manager

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California replaced Adel Hagekhalil with Deven Upadhyay after an investigation into claims of harassment.

UC, a top recipient of federal research funding, is concerned about Trump pause on grant reviews The University of California, the nation's top recipient of federal research funding in higher education, is raising questions and concerns about the Trump administration's pause in research grant rev...

University of California leaders are raising concerns about a temporary Trump administration pause on research grant reviews.
UC is the nation’s top higher education recipient of federal research funding.
www.latimes.com/california/s...

The Surveillance Tools That Could Power Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Border enforcement agencies have spent billions assembling surveillance tools to track and find people. These could be critical in President Trump’s immigration agenda.

The Tech Arsenal That Could Power Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Border — enforcement agencies have spent billions assembling surveillance tools to track and find people. These could be critical in President Trump’s immigration agenda. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/t...

Question of the Week: Where do I sign?

Justice Department issues freeze for civil rights division The directives halt ongoing civil rights cases and could jeopardize police reform agreements finalized in recent months in Minneapolis and Louisville.

Trump Justice Department has issued a freeze on the civil rights division, largely shutting it down for the time-being, halting all ongoing civil rights cases. (this would include environmental justice investigations).
“It’s beyond unusual—it’s unprecedented."
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Sold out. Feb. 8, Masonic Auditorium SF. Damn.

Trump pardons Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht Libertarian activists, who generally oppose criminal drug policies, argued the government overreached in building its case against Ross Ulbricht and the dark web marketplace Silk Road.

Ross Ulbricht of SF, founder of Silk Road -- "the most sophisticated & extensive criminal marketplace on the internet -- was arrested at the Glen Park branch of the SF Public Library. @GilDuran76 months ago wrote why a Trump pardon would be a terrible idea: www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...

Hotel booking sites caught overcharging travelers from Bay Area Popular hotel booking sites like Expedia and Hotels.com raise their prices substantially when San Franciscans use their online booking platforms.

WTF? Hotel booking sites caught overcharging travelers from Bay Area: On kayak.com, Bay Area user offered a room at Renaissance NY Times Square Hotel at $378/night...The same room "offered at $293 from Kansas City & Phoenix IP addresses." www.sfgate.com/travel/artic...

This is an insane lineup...

Yellen: Debt limit will be hit day after Trump’s inauguration Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Friday the nation will hit its debt ceiling the day after President Trump is inaugurated and that the agency will begin “extraordinary measures” to stave off th…

#BreakingNews

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday said the nation will hit its debt ceiling the day after President Trump is inaugurated, and that the agency will begin “extraordinary measures” to stave off the threat of a national default.

#DebtCeiling #Congress

The former Oakland Mayor “was released on a $50,000 bond. The judge..barred her from traveling outside the region, and Ms. Thao surrendered her passport.”
nytimes.com/2025/01/17/us/… via @NYTimes

Calif. Republicans weigh in on Trump allies’ calls for fire aid conditions The unusual debate puts California’s Republican lawmakers in a potentially perilous position, stuck between suffering constituents and the president-elect’s desires. And it presents another test of co...

CAGOP on Trump allies’ calls for fire aid conditions: The debate :puts CAGOP lawmakers in a potentially perilous position, stuck btwn suffering constituents & the president-elect’s desires. And it presents another test of congressional GOP loyalty to Trump." www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Indirect death toll from the L.A. fires may end up in the thousands » Yale Climate Connections The toxic smoke from the fires, combined with disruption to the economy, health care system, and mental health may lead to thousands of deaths over the coming years.

ALARMING: Indirect death toll from the L.A. fires may end up in the thousands yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/01/indi...

These Brands Are Giving Back to Los Angeles Wildfire-Relief Funds How to help out our friends in California

These Brands Are Donating Proceeds to Los Angeles Wildfire-Relief Funds nymag.com/strategist/a...