Looking good for Kamala Harris, not so much for Karen Bass, California poll shows

LOS ANGELES — California voters have sharply differing views over two of the state’s most prominent Democrats, according to a new poll.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to decide by the end of the summer whether she runs for California governor in 2026, has near universal name recognition among California voters, and 50% view her favorably, according to a survey by the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.

In contrast, California voters, notably residents of the city of Los Angeles, are more likely to view Mayor Karen Bass unfavorably. In the aftermath of the devastating fires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades earlier this year and criticism of the city’s response, Bass’ approval ratings are dire among Angelenos, who are overwhelmingly Democratic. Voters’ unhappiness with the mayor could create difficulties for her reelection campaign next year if the mood persists.

“When you’re underwater and almost universally known — 82% of voters can offer an opinion of Bass in Los Angeles city — one of the hardest things to overcome is an accumulated negative image,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the IGS poll.

—Los Angeles Times

Chaos erupts as crowd swarms ICE agents detaining woman in Massachusetts

Two people were arrested and a family ripped asunder in Worcester, Massachusetts, when a crowd swarmed federal immigration agents as they snatched a woman ahead of Mother’s Day.

One of those arrested was the woman’s 16-year-old daughter, who was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after she tried to block the vehicle her mother was in, while cradling her baby niece in her arms. Also arrested was Worcester School Committee candidate Ashley Spring, 38, who allegedly threw an unknown liquid at an officer, among other offenses. Both were later released, the Boston Herald reported.

About a thousand people gathered at the city green on Sunday to protest the arrest and the manner in which it was carried out. More rallies are set for Tuesday, WCVB-TV reported.

The chaos erupted Thursday when more than two dozen people surrounded agents as they apprehended the woman, whom ICE later identified as “violent criminal illegal alien Ferreira de Oliveira.”

—New York Daily News

Will Texas keep kicking students out of school for vaping?

DALLAS — For two years, Texas schools have taken a hard line on vaping: If students are caught with an e-cigarette on campus, state law requires them to be removed to a disciplinary alternative school.

What has resulted is a spike in children kicked out of school and pushback from educators, politicians and public health officials. Now state lawmakers are debating whether to ease up — or double down.

Vaping is a serious concern in schools, Wylie Indepenent School District chief of staff Jessica Branch told lawmakers during a Senate education committee meeting. But the strict punishment dictated during the last legislative session resulted in “unnecessary removals” to the off-campus Disciplinary Alternative Education Program, or DAEP.

“When students are removed from their classrooms, they lose valuable instruction time with their teachers of record, educators who know their learning styles, needs and goals,” she said.

—The Dallas Morning News

Trump’s Ukraine push comes to a head with challenge to Putin

President Donald Trump’s effort to secure peace in Ukraine is reaching a decisive moment with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy challenging Russian leader Vladimir Putin to engage in talks this week.

Following a weekend of hectic diplomacy, Zelenskyy said he will travel to Istanbul on May 15 where Putin has proposed direct negotiations between the two countries.

But the fragile process is surrounded by doubts and unresolved disputes — Zelenskyy and his European allies have insisted that Russia begins a 30-day ceasefire Monday and have threatened a dramatic increase in sanctions if Putin refuses. They say that the U.S. would join that effort although Trump himself has been more guarded in his public comments and Putin has ignored their demands.

“I will be in Turkey this Thursday,” Zelenskyy said late Sunday in his daily address to Ukrainians. “I hope that this time, Putin won’t be looking for excuses as to why he can’t make it. We are ready to talk, to end this war.”

—Bloomberg News