By TRÂN NGUYỄN and SOPHIE AUSTIN, Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Democrats are making a partisan push to draw new congressional districts and reshape the state’s U.S. House representation in their favor, but to pull it off, lawmakers returning to the Capitol on Monday face a tight deadline and must still win voters’ approval.

Limits on federal immigration raids and advancing racial justice efforts are also among the hundreds of proposals the Legislature will vote on before the session ends in September.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead for lawmakers in their last month in session:

New political maps

Lawmakers are expected to spend the first week back after summer break advancing the new congressional map at the urging of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The new map aims at winning Democrats five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms and is a direct response to President Donald Trump’s efforts to redraw Texas’ map to help Republicans retain their control of the U.S. House.

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So far, California is the only state beyond Texas that has officially waded into the redistricting fight, although others have signaled they might launch their own efforts.

California Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both chambers, unveiled the new map Friday. State lawmakers in both houses will hold hearings on the map and vote to put it to voters in a special election in November.

If voters agree, the new map would replace the one drawn by an independent commission that took effect in 2022. The new map would only take effect if Texas or another Republican-led state moves forward with their own mid-decade redistricting and would remain through the 2030 elections.

Democrats said they will return the map-making power to the commission after the next census. The current effort is to save democracy and counter Trump’s agenda, they said.

State Republicans vowed to legally challenge the effort, arguing that voters in 2010 already voted to remove partisan influence from how maps are drawn.

Climate change

State lawmakers are contending with how to balance meeting the state’s climate goals with lowering utility and gas prices. Those discussions have been colored by the planned closures of two oil refineries that account for nearly 18% of the state’s refining capacity, according to air regulators.

The Legislature will have to respond to those concerns when it debates whether to reauthorize the state’s cap-and-trade program, which is set to expire in 2030. The program allows large greenhouse gas emitters to buy allowances from the state equivalent to what they plan to emit. Over time, fewer allowances are made available with the goal of spurring companies to pollute less.

A large portion of revenues from the program goes into a fund that helps pay for climate, affordable housing and transportation projects. The program also funds a credit that Californians receive twice a year on their utility bills.

Newsom wants lawmakers to extend the program through 2045, commit $1 billion annually from the fund for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project and set aside $1.5 billion a year for state fire response.

Many environmental groups want the state to update the program by ending free allowances for industrial emitters, ensuring low-income households receive a higher credit on their utility bills, and ending or strengthening an offset program that helps companies comply by supporting projects aimed at reducing planet-warming emissions.

Response to mass immigration raids

Lawmakers will vote on a host of proposals introduced in response to the escalation of federal immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles and across the state. That includes legislation that would make it a misdemeanor for local, state and federal law enforcement officers to cover their faces while conducting official business.

The proposal makes exceptions for officers wearing a medical grade mask, coverings designed to protect against exposure to smoke during a wildfire, and other protective gear used by SWAT officers while performing their duties. Proponents said the measure would boost transparency and public trust in law enforcement while also preventing people from trying to impersonate law enforcement.

Opponents, including law enforcement, said the bill would disrupt local undercover operations without addressing the issue because California doesn’t have authority over federal agents.

Another proposal would require law enforcement to identify themselves during official business.

State Democrats are also championing several proposals that would limit immigration agents without warrants from entering school campuses, hospitals and homeless or domestic violence shelters.

Racial justice

A first-in-the-nation state task force released a report in 2023 with more than 100 recommendations for how the state should repair historic wrongdoings against Black Californians descended from enslaved people.

The California Legislative Black Caucus introduced a reparations package last year inspired by that work, but the measures did not include direct payments for descendants, and the most ambitious proposals were blocked.

The caucus introduced another package this year aimed at offering redress to Black Californians.

One of the bills would authorize universities to give admissions priority to descendants of enslaved people. Another would ensure 10% of funds from a state program providing loans to first-time homebuyers goes to descendants. A third would allow the state to set aside $6 million to fund research by California State University on how to confirm residents’ eligibility for any reparations programs.

Some reparations advocates say the proposals fall short. They say many of the measures are ways to delay implementing one of the task force’s key recommendations: direct compensation to descendants of slavery.

The documentary “Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan” on Netflix examines the pivotal role “The Ed Sullivan Show” played in spotlighting Black music and culture to TV audiences at a time when segregation was still the norm.

In a clip discussing his Sunday night variety show, which ran on CBS from 1948 to 1971, Sullivan keeps his intentions clear and to the point: “It seemed to me, if you’re using public air(waves), the least you can do — or TV can do — in return for this high privilege was to try to do something to bring people a little closer together.”

Sullivan died in 1974 and sometimes in the film his voice is drawn from television interviews he gave over the years. But sometimes it’s courtesy of artificial intelligence — a synthetic recreation — that gives literal voice to the columns and articles he wrote over the years. I have an ethical problem with this choice. Plenty of documentary projects before the advent of AI handled this by simply hiring a talented actor to voice the written words of their subjects. It’s the more honest choice and it doesn’t detract from the end result. I wish filmmakers embraced that instead.

But otherwise “Sunday Best,” from director Sacha Jenkins (who died this past May), is a fine effort that explores Sullivan’s commitment to pushing back against network forces, sponsors and other interested parties who were opposed to the presence — the celebration, really — of Black people on the show.

Sullivan’s influence predates all but the boomer generation, and though I’ve seen clips, I don’t think I’ve ever watched an episode all the way through. My ideas around him were vague and uninformed, mostly of the stiff host tolerating the younger acts. But that impression is inaccurate and undersells his own taste; instead of the reluctant old fogie, he was keeping his finger on the pulse of pop culture and handpicked every entertainer who appeared on his show. Watching his talents more closely here, I have a real appreciation for what he was doing — and how he did it — during a period of profound social change in the U.S.

The documentary also offers an opportunity to think through the impact the show had at the time, compared to our current era, where the closest equivalent — the late-night talk show — has lost so much of its cultural relevancy when it comes to showcasing performers to a broad audience.

Sullivan’s path to TV fame was unintentional. He began as a print journalist in sports. Years later, he would note: “Sports writers get to be very critical and observant. They can tell you what makes a certain ballplayer click.” Maybe he used some of those same skills when it came to identifying which acts he wanted on his show.

Segregation never sat well with him. Using the verbiage of the era, he recalls that when he played baseball in high school, “there were Negros in the league and some fellows said they would actually not play against a Negro. I always resented (those classmates) very deeply because the Irish had gone through that when we first came.” His parents knew bigotry was wrong. “They weren’t broad-minded, they were just sensible,” is how he puts it.

Later, as a sports writer, he covered a college football game played in New York, where the northern school benched its one Black player to appease their opponents from Georgia. Sullivan was disgusted, so he wrote about it. What a shameful state of affairs this is, of a player “risking his neck for a school that will turn around and bench him because the University of Georgia asks that the color line be drawn.” Sullivan did not mince words: “If a New York City university allows the Mason-Dixon line to be erected in the center of its playing field, then that New York City university should disband its football season for all time.”

He was eventually reassigned from sports to Broadway — the film doesn’t explore why, or if that column was the reason — and though Sullivan was unfamiliar with the new beat, it eventually led to gala hosting opportunities, which paved the way for his career in television. He got terrible reviews at first; he wasn’t a natural in front of the camera. Not that it mattered.  “I never thought I was the attraction. I just keep looking for the best thing to put on the show.” And that included Black talent. The prevailing idea at the time that “Negro performers should be barred from TV shows on which white performers appear is both stupid and vicious,” he said.

Fifty years after it went off the air, “The Ed Sullivan Show” is maybe most famous  for appearances by Elvis Presley and The Beatles. But the list of Black musical acts Sullivan featured is long and notable, with “Sunday Best” including clips of Bo Diddley, James Brown, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes.

Jackie Wilson singing “Lonely Teardrops” is a standout and a fascinating example of a singer taking the stage alone, without any visible musicians behind him. No dancers, set, or props either. You don’t really see that kind of thing today, and it’s remarkable how he establishes a presence with nothing more than his voice and charisma.

“Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan” — 3 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: Netflix

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.

A 68-year-old man from St. Paul died in a single-vehicle crash in Chisago County over the weekend.

Thomas Richard Davison was driving a Nissan Juke south on Interstate 35 in Harris at 11:57 a.m. Saturday. “The Juke left the roadway toward the median and rolled multiple times,” according to a Minnesota State Patrol report.

Davison, who the State Patrol said was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene.

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President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day an official national holiday back in 1894 to honor the contributions and achievements of American workers. I doubt that the president foresaw that down the road, Americans would embrace the occasion by firing up their grills. On the day that marks the end of summer, many celebrate with a backdrop of succulent meats and seductive smoke.

We savor dishes that sing to barbecue lovers’ souls. We celebrate the magic of manipulating flame and fuel. We devour with gusto. Here are three meat-centric grilled entrees designed for hungry revelers on Labor Day 2025.

Mojo-Marinated Pork Tenderloin sits on a bed of baby greens – accompanied with rice-black bean medley and sliced oranges. (Photo by Nick Koon, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Grilled Mojo Pork Tenderloins

Steven Raichlen, grilling guru, cookbook author, and TV show host, says pork is particularly delicious with any marinade with a fruity component. He says the general rule of thumb is to use a marinade with leaner cuts of pork (such as loin or tenderloin), and a dry rub with fattier cuts.

In a long-ago interview, I asked him about his Mojo Marinade, pronouncing it MO-joe, just like film character Austin Powers. He told me I could increase my cool factor if I called it MO-hoe. But no matter how it’s pronounced, this classic Caribbean mixture turns pork tenderloins into delicacies. The mixture combines citrus juices, oil, garlic and herbs. Half is used as a marinade. The other half is set aside to use as a sauce.

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil

8 large cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise

1 teaspoon ground cumin or more to taste

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint

2 to 3 pork tenderloins (1 1/2 pounds total)

2 large sweet onions cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

For serving: 1 navel orange, peeled, sectioned with membranes removed or peeled and sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare Mojo: Heat oil in deep saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cumin; cook until garlic is fragrant and pale golden color, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let garlic brown too much or it will be bitter. Cautiously add lime and orange juice (it may sputter, so stand back). Cautiously add salt, pepper, oregano and water. Stir and bring sauce to boil. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and/or cumin if needed. Cool to room temperature. Add cilantro.

2, Trim tenderloins of silverskin (sinew on exterior), if present. Place in single layer in nonreactive 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Pour half of the cooled Mojo over pork and marinate, covered, in refrigerator at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, turning occasionally to insure even marinating. Refrigerate remaining Mojo to serve as a sauce.

3. Preheat grill (if using gas, preheat to high). Remove pork from marinade and discard marinade (keeping reserved marinade for sauce). Brush and oil grill grate. Arrange tenderloins on grill. Brush onion with some of the reserved Mojo, skewer them crosswise on bamboo skewers or toothpicks. Place on grill. Grill pork and onions until cooked to taste. The meat will take 3 to 4 minutes on each of its 4 sides, 12 to 16 minutes in all for medium. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of meat. The internal temperature should be about 155 to 160 degrees.

4. Onions should be nicely charred after about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer meat to cutting board and let it rest for 3 minutes. Slice tenderloins crosswise on the diagonal. Fan out slices on plates or platter and top with onions (removed from skewers). Spoon the reserved mojo and garnish with orange segments or slices. Serve.

Source: Adapted from “How to Grill” by Steven Raichlen (Workman, $19.95)

Indirect heat is used in Phil’s Smoked Chicken Thighs with mushroom spiked couscous. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Phil’s Smoked Chicken Thighs

Over the years, my husband, Phil McCullough, has been drawn by the magic of manipulating flame and fuel to create perfect smoked chicken on our Weber kettle barbecue. His goal was to create a luscious rendition that would fill the meat with just-right amounts of smoky taste, while leaving the flesh moist and tender beneath crisp mahogany-hued skin. The recipe has taken some twists and turns, with small tweaks in ingredients and techniques with each new bout at the barbecue.

I’m in charge of trimming and brining the bird. I use oh-so-clean kitchen shears to trim away excess fat from thighs, cutting off any fat-and-skin danglers that hang over the side or excessive fat on the underside. I soak them for one hour in a combination of cold water, kosher salt and sugar. After it brines for the first 25 minutes, I ask Phil to start the fire.  The results are magical.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Kettle-style charcoal grill, such as Weber’s

List of equipment listed in Step #1

4 large chunks hardwood, applewood preferred

3 quarts water

3/4 cup kosher salt

3/4 cup sugar

4 1/2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak wood chunks in water; set aside (weight them down with a plate if needed). Have ready an instant-read thermometer, a charcoal chimney starter (this eliminates the need for lighter fluid), long tongs, barbecue mitt, disposable small aluminum roasting pan (drip pan) with 2 cups of water, 2 quarts charcoal briquettes plus additional 2 cups, sheets of crumpled newspapers (not the food page), matches.

2. In a large ceramic or stainless steel bowl or pot, add 3 quarts cold water, salt and sugar; stir to dissolve. Trim chicken thighs: cut off excess fat and skin that hangs over the side (discard it). Add chicken to brine; stir. Cover and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes. Start charcoal in chimney starter after chicken has brined 25 minutes (see Step #3). After the brining is completed, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with oil and season with pepper.

3. For barbecue: Open bottom vent halfway. Open lid vent halfway. Remove the top rack. Place rack with rails for indirect grilling in place. Place crumbled newspapers in bottom of chimney starter and place it in center of barbecue. Fill top of chimney with 2 quarts of briquettes. Light newspapers. When coals at the top start to get gray, use barbecue mitt to pick up chimney by the handle and dump half in each side (leaving center empty). Place disposable roasting pan that contains 2 cups of water in center. Scatter 3 to 4 unheated briquettes on top of heated ones. Add wood chunks on top of the charcoal. Return top rack.

4. Place chicken thighs (skin side up) side by side across the center section over the drip pan. Cover with lid and cook 75 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. If in the process the smoke and fire seem to be diminishing, open the vents a little more using barbecue mitts and/or add more charcoal.

5. Transfer to platter and allow to rest 5 to 8 minutes.

Strips of rib-eye or New York steak are threaded on to skewers, dabbed with oil and sprinkled with rosemary before grilling. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)

Grilled Rosemary Steak Skewers with Parmesan Sauce

Cut into diagonal strips about a half-inch thick, and thread on skewers, these ribbons of rosemary scented steak are divine. The horseradish-spiked sauce plays an important role, offering savory and earthy notes of Parmesan cheese. The sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored airtight in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature before serving. Cookbook author Jill Silverman Hough suggests serving this dish with a Syrah.

Be sure to soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 10 minutes before use to prevent them from burning.

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use

1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds rib-eye or New York steaks, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch strips

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

8-inch bamboo skewers, about 18, soaked in water for at least 10 minutes

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium-small bowl, combine Parmesan, sour cream, cream, juice, horseradish, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.

2. Thread the steak onto skewers, one strip per skewer, leaving the meat relatively flat. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

3. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush grate with wire brush to clean. Grill the skewers to desired doneness, about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 minutes per side. Remove and allow to rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes. Serve with Parmesan sauce on the side.

Source: “100 Perfect Pairings” by Jill Silverman Hough (Wiley)

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