Auto news on Youtube Feb 2 2019

As Southern California storms move in, residents brace for floods and mudflows Los Angeles Times

With a major storm system expected to move into the area overnight Friday, residents of Southern California were bracing for potential floods and mudflows in areas made vulnerable by last years furious wildfires.

Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were expected in Los Angeles County, which was set to be drenched by up to 3 inches of rain overnight, according to the National Weather Service. Flash flood warnings had also been issued for parts of Orange County and the Inland Empire affected by the last year.

This is the one where you want to stay home, said Lisa Phillips of the National Weather Service in Oxnard. The impacts were looking at are downed trees, travel delays and possible shallow debris flows.

The storm was forecast to dump up to 7 inches of rain in mountain areas, and the weather service warned of possible snowfalls in mountain passes.

Mandatory evacuation orders had been issued Friday for parts of Ventura County that were ravaged by the , and residents of sections of Malibu also were advised to leave. Riverside County officials told people living in the burn areas affected by the Holy and to evacuate late Friday, while it was still safe to do so.

Homes in or near burn areas are at risk of debris flows. Intense rain may cause debris flows, which are deadly, fast moving landslides. There is also a risk of flooding, mud flow, rock fall and other landslides during and immediately after rain. Residents are reminded to maintain vigilance and always take personal responsibility for their safety, the warning read. Now is the time to GET READY for potential evacuations.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office also issued evacuation orders for swaths of homes in the Thomas, Whittier and Sherpa fire burn areas, the agency said on Twitter.

Farther north, the National Park Service warned visitors to Yosemite of possible road closures and strongly advised drivers to bring tire chains in the event of snowfall or other winter weather conditions.

Locally, officials in Burbank issued voluntary evacuation orders for residents of Country Club Drive above Via Montana, beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday and continuing through at least 4 p.m. Flash flood warnings had been issued for much of Los Angeles County, and meteorologists warned that coastal flooding could start about 7:30 a.m.

The storm system due on Friday night was the second of three expected to hit the area this weekend.

On Thursday, hail, rain and thunder pelted the area, causing some debris flows along the Pacific Coast Highway. A New York bound flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after it was struck by lightning Thursday morning,

A separate lightning strike caused a power outage at the Chevron refinery Thursday.

Times staff writers Alejandra Reyes Verde, Ruben Vives and Ben Poston contributed to this report.

For more infomation >> As Southern California storms move in, residents brace for floods and mudflows Los Angeles Times - Duration: 2:33.

-------------------------------------------

Man takes steak and walks out of California restaurant - Duration: 0:59.

For more infomation >> Man takes steak and walks out of California restaurant - Duration: 0:59.

-------------------------------------------

Powerful storm move into Southern California as residents brace for floods and mudflows - Duration: 6:48.

What has been billed as a major storm moved into Southern Calfornia on Saturday, with residents bracing for potential floods and mudflows in areas made vulnerable by last year's furious wildfires

 The storm began to batter Santa Barbara County on Saturday morning, with intense bursts of rain and wind that forecasters said topped 80 mph

The Los Angeles region was seeing lighter rain that promised to get more intense as the day progressed

Advertisement >  Wind gusts of up to 60 mph and overnight rainfall totals of up to 3 inches were expected in L

A. County, according to the National Weather Service. Flash flood warnings had also been issued for parts of Orange County and the Inland Empire affected by the Holy fire last year

 This is "the one where you want to stay home," said Lisa Phillips of the National Weather Service in Oxnard

"The impacts we're looking at are downed trees, travel delays and possible shallow debris flows

"  The storm was forecast to dump up to 7 inches of rain in mountain areas, and the weather service warned of possible heavy snow in mountain passes

'Stay home': Monster storm to hit Friday night. Here are warnings, timing, expected impact By Hannah Fry, Ruben Vives and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde Feb 01, 2019 | 4:20 PM  Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Friday for parts of Ventura County that were ravaged by the Woolsey fire, and residents of sections of Malibu also were advised to leave

Riverside County officials told people living in the burn areas affected by the Holy and Cranston fires to evacuate late Friday, while it was still safe to do so

 "Homes in or near burn areas are at risk of debris flows. Intense rain may cause debris flows, which are deadly, fast-moving landslides

There is also a risk of flooding, mud flow, rock fall and other landslides during and immediately after rain

Residents are reminded to maintain vigilance and always take personal responsibility for their safety," the warning read

"Now is the time to GET READY for potential evacuations."  The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office also issued evacuation orders for swaths of homes in the Thomas, Whittier and Sherpa fire burn areas, the agency said on Twitter

 Farther north, the National Park Service warned visitors to Yosemite of possible road closures and strongly advised drivers to bring tire chains in the event of snowfall or other winter weather conditions

 Locally, officials in Burbank issued voluntary evacuation orders for residents of Country Club Drive above Via Montana, beginning at 5 a

m. Saturday and continuing through at least 4 p.m. Flash flood warnings had been issued for much of Los Angeles County, and meteorologists warned that coastal flooding could start about 7:30 a

m.  The storm system that moved in overnight is the second of three forecasters say will roll through the area this weekend

 On Thursday, hail, rain and thunder pelted were reported in Southern California, causing some debris flows along the Pacific Coast Highway

A New York-bound flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after it was struck by lightning Thursday morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration

 A separate lightning strike caused a power outage at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo on Thursday

 Times staff writers Alejandra Reyes-Verde, Ruben Vives and Ben Poston contributed to this report

For more infomation >> Powerful storm move into Southern California as residents brace for floods and mudflows - Duration: 6:48.

-------------------------------------------

Northern California Anti-Trafficking - The Melvin Baldwin Greene Case - Duration: 10:44.

PLEASE VISIT: WWW.NCATCOALITION.COM

For more infomation >> Northern California Anti-Trafficking - The Melvin Baldwin Greene Case - Duration: 10:44.

-------------------------------------------

VW T6 California - Duration: 1:25.

For more infomation >> VW T6 California - Duration: 1:25.

-------------------------------------------

Despite an emphasis on inmate rehab, California recidivism rate is 'stubbornly high' - Duration: 11:01.

California set ambitious new goals in 2012 to help state inmates transition into society and infused the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with more funding to fulfill the mandate

But a state audit released Thursday found corrections officials have failed to connect many prisoners with services, monitor rehabilitation programs and keep people away from incarceration

 State auditors said poor administrative practices resulted in 62% of 24,000 inmates leaving state prisons without having those needs met in fiscal year 2017

And recidivism, the rate at which people commit a subsequent crime within three years out of custody, has remained "stubbornly high," according to the audit — averaging 50% over the past decade — even as the state inmate population has dropped

Advertisement >  Cognitive behavioral therapy programs have been developed to correct an inmate's patterns of thinking and behavior, and can include classes on substance abuse, anger management and family relationships

Inmates in those programs "recidivated at about the same rate as inmates who did not complete the programs," State Auditor Elaine Howle wrote in the report

"These results are serious enough to highlight an urgent need for corrections to take a more active and meaningful role in ensuring that these programs are effective

"  The analysis began with data from fiscal year 2014 and tracked inmates over several years, a time period that corrections officials said predated the significant expansion of programs

 Vicky Waters, a corrections spokeswoman, said the department is taking the auditor's findings seriously and has been working to implement most of the recommendations, which include addressing longstanding staff vacancies and evaluating existing mechanisms to analyze offenders' needs

 "The department is committed to building a strong model to measure our rehabilitative programs consistently and to continue enhancing public safety by ensuring our inmates have the skills and resources they need for a successful transition back to their communities," Waters said in a written statement

 But the audit, requested by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), has raised concerns among state lawmakers and criminal justice reform groups that over the last two decades have worked to shift the focus of state corrections toward rehabilitation

Jones-Sawyer, chairman of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, said he and other lawmakers are discussing ways legislative committees could provide better oversight moving forward and want to bring in outside academic experts to improve failing programs

 Not all of the audit's results were negative, he said, pointing to findings that show some programs have been successful, particularly when coupled with community-based services for inmates upon release

He said he asked Howle to undertake the audit after hearing anecdotal concerns about the shift to rehabilitation from opponents of that move

 "I wanted some fact-based information on what was working and what wasn't working, plus the voters of California have decided that we are going to expand money on rehabilitation," he said

"I just want to make sure we are doing it right."  Former Gov. Jerry Brown initiated efforts to reshape the state's criminal justice system after a 2011 ruling by the U

S. Supreme Court upheld the release of some 46,000 state prison inmates after years of overcrowding

 In 2012, the state corrections department released a blueprint to improve conditions and increase access to rehabilitation programs

Corrections officials have since expanded cognitive behavioral therapy programs, vocational training and education to all 36 California prisons and have seen their budget for such initiatives rise from $234 million five years ago to $298 million in the fiscal year that ends in July, according to the state audit

 Under Proposition 57, which voters approved in 2016 to overhaul the state's parole system, prisoners can now receive more credits toward their sentences for participating and completing the programs

 But state auditors said that for years corrections officials have failed to properly evaluate whether the initiatives are working

And they found a significant portion of programs' areas of study were not based on evidence that shows they have a positive influence on offenders or can cut their chances of getting arrested once out of custody

 The state audit also found corrections officials have not appropriately placed inmates on waiting lists for some classes and have failed to match others with those that best address their needs

 "Although [the corrections department] plans to coordinate with external researchers to conduct a performance evaluation of the rehabilitation programs over the course of the next two years, [it] has taken no formal steps to initiate this process," the report found

 Lenore Anderson, executive director for Californians for Safety and Justice, which advocates for polices to reduce the prison population and increase services for inmates, said the results were not surprising after having "multiple decades of a behemoth prison system devoid of a focus on rehabilitation

" Advertisement >  But they should place new urgency on that focus, she said

 "I am grateful there is this much attention to ensuring that we are reaching that goal," she said

"It is a good thing that there is a microscope on this.… What is clear to me from this report is that we have a long way to go

"  Not all were satisfied with the findings. Members of community nonprofits said the report lacked an understanding of their work and the strides they have made to help people adjust to life outside of prison once released

 Caitlin Dunklee, a coordinator with Transformative In-Prison Workgroup, which represents 35 organizations working in state prisons, said auditors used only one marker to measure success — recidivism — without capturing broader societal failures

That an inmate might receive six months of substance abuse classes but struggle to find housing and reoffend may not be an indicator that the classes weren't effective, she said

 "We have demonstration of our success," she said of the advances made by the groups she represents

"But unfortunately, it wasn't reflected in this auditor's report." More stories from Jazmine Ulloa »

For more infomation >> Despite an emphasis on inmate rehab, California recidivism rate is 'stubbornly high' - Duration: 11:01.

-------------------------------------------

HOT | Flood Watches, Evacuation Orders as Storm Hits California NBC Bay Area - Duration: 1:48.

HOT | Flood Watches, Evacuation Orders as Storm Hits California NBC Bay Area

Pouring Rain and Strong Winds Rip Through the Bay Area

Link to this video

Embed this video

More videos 1 of 9

As strong rain and winds continue ripping through the Bay Area, businesses and first responders are bracing for impact. Chief Meteorologist Jeff Ranieri Cheryl Hurd reports.

A powerful storm descending on California Saturday threatened flooding in the entire San Francisco Bay Area and areas stripped bare by devastating wildfires.

The storm that began moving in Friday night was expected to bring up to 4 inches of rain in some areas, winds gusting to 80 mph in the mountains, 10 foot waves and several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada and other mountain ranges.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Saturday morning for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and much of the Central Coast.

"Heavy rainfall over a short amount of time will likely overwhelm storm drains and result in flooding of low lying urban areas. Also, expect rapid rises on small streams and creeks" which could overflow, the weather service warned.

Evacuations were ordered or recommended for many areas of Northern and Southern California that were hit by wildfires in recent months. Authorities fear that an inch of rain an hour could send fire debris, mud and boulders sluicing down denuded hillsides.

In Malibu, where a fire last year destroyed many homes, Vidette Bell had her front door and garage barricaded with sandbags even before a previous storm hit.

"I paid dollar 3,000 to have these sandbags delivered," Bell told KCAL TV on Friday. "I didn"t want to have my house survive a fire and then get invaded with mud."

In the Holy Jim fire area southeast of Los Angeles, where an August wildfire scoured tens of thousands of acres in the Cleveland National Forest, volunteers using heavy equipment removed debris and deepened a creek bed to help prevent flooding.

"In the last two days we"ve been able to move 19 dump trucks worth of debris from the creek bed and reinforce some of the walls here," Keith Kothlow of Team Rubicon, a veteran led disaster response organization, told KABC TV.

Santa Barbara County ordered evacuations of residents in designated debris flow risk areas near the Thomas, Whittier and Sherpa fire scars. Nearby residents were urged to also consider leaving.

It has only been a little over a year since a downpour on the huge Thomas Fire burn scar unleashed a massive debris flow that destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes in the seaside community of Montecito.

The disaster killed 21 people, and two others have never been found.

The weather service issued flash flood watches for areas burned by the Mendocino Complex, Camp and Carr wildfires in Northern California.

Winter storm warnings went into effect in the Sierra Nevada along with avalanche warnings on the Nevada side of the range. The Sierra is already loaded with snow from a series of storms in January. The weather service said areas could see accumulations of up to 10 feet over the next few days as a series of storms blew through.

Numerous areas of the state were under warnings for high winds, some that could potentially knock down trees and power lines.

Two cold weather systems will follow on Sunday and Monday, bringing additional widespread showers and snow, forecasters said.

+ showMoreText +

For more infomation >> HOT | Flood Watches, Evacuation Orders as Storm Hits California NBC Bay Area - Duration: 1:48.

-------------------------------------------

The Latest Flooding closes key Southern California highway The Sacramento Bee - Duration: 4:18.

The Latest Flooding closes key Southern California highway The Sacramento Bee

February 02, 2019 10:29 AM

The Latest on California storms all times local :

The state transportation agency has closed a key Southern California highway because of flooding after a powerful storm dropped more than a half inch 1.27 centimeters of rain in five minutes.

Caltrans says several miles of U.S 101 is shut Saturday in Santa Barbara County because of water and mud in lanes. The highway is a vital route between Los Angeles and parts north and west.

For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today.

Nearby neighborhoods in wildfire burn areas are under mandatory evacuation orders because of the high risk of debris flows.

Its the same area where mud and boulders came down in heavy rain just over a year ago. That disaster in January 2018 killed 21 people, and two others have never been found.

The second storm in three days is flooding roads and bringing down trees across the region.

Authorities say a volunteer member of a sheriffs search and rescue team was struck by a vehicle and killed after stopping to help at the scene of a highway traffic collision during heavy rain in Southern California.

Ventura County sheriffs Sgt. Eric Buschow says several people, including two other members of the team, were hurt in the two crashes Saturday on Interstate 5.

Buschow says the team was heading for a training exercise when it stopped to provide aid in the Pyramid Lake area of Los Angeles County. He says another vehicle plowed into them.

Officials didnt immediately say whether the collisions were weather related. A powerful storm has flooded roadways throughout the region.

Forecasters say up to a half inch 1.27 centimeters of rain was recorded in five minutes in some areas.

The second in a string of powerful storms is battering California, bringing down trees, flooding roadways and prompting evacuations in wildfire burn areas where intense downpours could loosen bare hillsides and cause mudslides.

Forecasters said Saturday that a wind gust in Santa Barbara County topped 80 mph 128 kph as the storm moved south.

Flash flood watches and wind warnings were issued for the southern part of the state after being lifted in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Motorists were urged to avoid travel in mountain areas where heavy snow is expected.

The National Weather Service says some sections of greater Los Angeles could see 4 inches 10 centimeters of rain before the system loses steam.

It will be followed by additional — though less powerful — storms into next week.

A powerful storm sweeping California has prompted flash flood watches and evacuations in areas stripped bare by devastating wildfires.

The storm that began moving in Friday night is expected to bring up to 4 inches of rain in some areas, winds gusting to 80 mph, 10 foot waves and up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada.

A flash flood watch is in place through Saturday morning for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and much of the Central Coast.

Evacuations have been ordered or recommended for many areas of Northern and Southern California that were hit by wildfires in recent months. Authorities fear that an inch of rain an hour could send fire debris, mud and boulders sluicing down denuded hillsides.

The National Weather Service says more rain and snow could arrive with cold weather systems on Sunday and Monday.

February 02, 2019 05:00 AM

Sunday is Super Bowl LIII and the governors of California and Massachusetts have made a friendly football wager. Will Gavin Newsom wear Patriot colors? Will Charlie Baker don a Rams jersey?

For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today.

Real time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

For more infomation >> The Latest Flooding closes key Southern California highway The Sacramento Bee - Duration: 4:18.

-------------------------------------------

HOT | Flood watches, evacuation orders as storm hits California The Sacramento Bee - Duration: 3:28.

HOT | Flood watches, evacuation orders as storm hits California The Sacramento Bee

February 01, 2019 09:24 PM

A powerful storm descending on California Saturday threatened flooding in the entire San Francisco Bay Area and areas stripped bare by devastating wildfires.

The storm that began moving in Friday night was expected to bring up to 4 inches of rain in some areas, winds gusting to 80 mph in the mountains, 10 foot waves and several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada and other mountain ranges.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Saturday morning for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and much of the Central Coast.

"Heavy rainfall over a short amount of time will likely overwhelm storm drains and result in flooding of low lying urban areas. Also, expect rapid rises on small streams and creeks" which could overflow, the weather service warned.

For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today.

Evacuations were ordered or recommended for many areas of Northern and Southern California that were hit by wildfires in recent months. Authorities fear that an inch of rain an hour could send fire debris, mud and boulders sluicing down denuded hillsides.

In Malibu, where a fire last year destroyed many homes, Vidette Bell had her front door and garage barricaded with sandbags even before a previous storm hit.

"I paid dollar 3,000 to have these sandbags delivered," Bell told KCAL TV on Friday. "I didnt want to have my house survive a fire and then get invaded with mud."

In the Holy Jim fire area southeast of Los Angeles, where an August wildfire scoured tens of thousands of acres in the Cleveland National Forest, volunteers using heavy equipment removed debris and deepened a creek bed to help prevent flooding.

"In the last two days weve been able to move 19 dump trucks worth of debris from the creek bed and reinforce some of the walls here," Keith Kothlow of Team Rubicon, a veteran led disaster response organization, told KABC TV.

Santa Barbara County ordered evacuations of residents in designated debris flow risk areas near the Thomas, Whittier and Sherpa fire scars. Nearby residents were urged to also consider leaving.

It has only been a little over a year since a downpour on the huge Thomas Fire burn scar unleashed a massive debris flow that destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes in the seaside community of Montecito.

The disaster killed 21 people, and two others have never been found.

The weather service issued flash flood watches for areas burned by the Mendocino Complex, Camp and Carr wildfires in Northern California.

Winter storm warnings went into effect in the Sierra Nevada along with avalanche warnings on the Nevada side of the range. The Sierra is already loaded with snow from a series of storms in January. The weather service said areas could see accumulations of up to 10 feet over the next few days as a series of storms blew through.

Numerous areas of the state were under warnings for high winds, some that could potentially knock down trees and power lines.

Two cold weather systems will follow on Sunday and Monday, bringing additional widespread showers and snow, forecasters said.

February 02, 2019 03:00 AM

A fight broke out over dollar 1 billion in debris removal contracts California gave for the Camp Fire cleanup. Five companies that did not win contracts filed notice with the state they will protest the bidding and choosing process.

For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today.

Real time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

For more infomation >> HOT | Flood watches, evacuation orders as storm hits California The Sacramento Bee - Duration: 3:28.

-------------------------------------------

HOT | Flood Watches, Evacuation Orders As Storm Hits California - Duration: 4:01.

HOT | Flood Watches, Evacuation Orders As Storm Hits California

SAN FRANCISCO—A powerful storm descending on California on Feb. 2, threatened flooding in the entire San Francisco Bay Area and areas stripped bare by devastating wildfires.

The storm that began moving in Friday night was expected to bring up to 4 inches of rain in some areas, winds gusting to 80 mph in the mountains, 10 foot waves and several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada and other mountain ranges.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch through Saturday morning for the entire San Francisco Bay Area and much of the Central Coast.

Heavy rainfall over a short amount of time will likely overwhelm storm drains and result in flooding of low lying urban areas. Also, expect rapid rises on small streams and creeks which could overflow, the weather service warned.

Evacuations were ordered or recommended for many areas of Northern and Southern California that were hit by wildfires in recent months. Authorities fear that an inch of rain an hour could send fire debris, mud and boulders sluicing down denuded hillsides.

In Malibu, where a fire last year destroyed many homes, Vidette Bell had her front door and garage barricaded with sandbags even before a previous storm hit.

I paid dollar 3,000 to have these sandbags delivered, Bell told KCAL TV on Friday. I didnt want to have my house survive a fire and then get invaded with mud.

In the Holy Jim fire area southeast of Los Angeles, where an August wildfire scoured tens of thousands of acres in the Cleveland National Forest, volunteers using heavy equipment removed debris and deepened a creek bed to help prevent flooding.

The strongest West Coast storm of the season so far will batter California with heavy rain and damaging winds this weekend. Timing and impacts:

— The Weather Channel @weatherchannel

In the last two days weve been able to move 19 dump trucks worth of debris from the creek bed and reinforce some of the walls here, Keith Kothlow of Team Rubicon, a veteran led disaster response organization, told KABC TV.

Santa Barbara County ordered evacuations of residents in designated debris flow risk areas near the Thomas, Whittier and Sherpa fire scars. Nearby residents were urged to also consider leaving.

Big storm hitting California today good news when it rains in Cali.

— Michael Ventrice @MJVentrice

It has only been a little over a year since a downpour on the huge Thomas Fire burn scar unleashed a massive debris flow that destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes in the seaside community of Montecito.

The disaster killed 21 people, and two others have never been found.

Big storm sets sights on California, evacuations ordered.

— FOX 11 Los Angeles @FOXLA

The weather service issued flash flood watches for areas burned by the Mendocino Complex, Camp and Carr wildfires in Northern California.

Winter storm warnings went into effect in the Sierra Nevada along with avalanche warnings on the Nevada side of the range. The Sierra is already loaded with snow from a series of storms in January. The weather service said areas could see accumulations of up to 10 feet over the next few days as a series of storms blew through.

Storm likely to bring heavy rainfall, snow, hurricane force wind gusts to California

— CBS News @CBSNews

Numerous areas of the state were under warnings for high winds, some that could potentially knock down trees and power lines.

Two cold weather systems will follow on Sunday and Monday, bringing additional widespread showers and snow, forecasters said.

For more infomation >> HOT | Flood Watches, Evacuation Orders As Storm Hits California - Duration: 4:01.

-------------------------------------------

California Automobile Museum - Duration: 2:31.

For more infomation >> California Automobile Museum - Duration: 2:31.

-------------------------------------------

California Exodus: Are some people fed up with the 'Golden State'? - Duration: 2:56.

For more infomation >> California Exodus: Are some people fed up with the 'Golden State'? - Duration: 2:56.

-------------------------------------------

California restaurant owner bans customers wearing MAGA hats - Duration: 4:04.

For more infomation >> California restaurant owner bans customers wearing MAGA hats - Duration: 4:04.

-------------------------------------------

Why one of California's most influential donors stepped off the sidelines for Kamala Harris - Duration: 7:01.

It did not take a lot of coaxing and lobbying and pleading to bring San Francisco philanthropist Susie Tompkins Buell, one of the most influential Democratic fundraisers in California, off the sidelines of the party's presidential primary

 It happened much the way it did when the 76-year-old co-founder of clothing makers Esprit and North Face jumped into presidential politics for the first time 28 years ago

Back then, a chance meeting with Bill Clinton inspired her. She wrote a $100,000 check on the spot

Advertisement >  On Sunday, Buell attended the rally Sen. Kamala Harris held in Oakland, and once again she was inspired, Buell said

Her gut was her guide: Harris would be getting her backing.  On Friday, Buell, who had been avoiding choosing among presidential hopefuls in a race in which she has ties with several of the candidates, announced to her associates and friends that she was throwing her formidable support behind Harris

 Buell's decision set off considerable comment in political circles, in part because it powerfully refutes persistent speculation that Hillary Clinton, despite all evidence to the contrary, was harboring ambitions of jumping into the race

 Buell is one of Clinton's closest friends. If there were any chance she were going to run, Buell wouldn't be enlisting with someone else

 "I have not spoken to Hillary about it, but there is no doubt in my mind that she is not going to run," said Buell

"She is not. I would know about it if she was."  If Buell's enthusiasm for Harris develops into anything close to what she devoted to the Clintons, this could be a significant moment for the senator

Buell donated $15 million to the Clintons over the more than two decades that she's been associated with them

 More significant for this campaign — at a time when voter distaste for big checks has candidates swearing them off — are the millions more Buell has helped raise by holding events and drawing on her extensive network of activists and influencers

 Going into this campaign season, "I had wanted to pace myself," Buell said in an interview Friday afternoon

"I went to her roll out Sunday assuming it was going to be informative, and I was just going to hold steady about waiting this out

But I was just taken with her. I thought, 'This is exactly what we need.'" The latest look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington »  Buell has long known Harris, and had supported her Senate campaign, but she said that the personal relationship is not what swayed her

 "She is a local person, and I know her, but that is not why I am doing this," Buell said

 Despite her enthusiasm for Harris, Buell said jumping back into presidential politics is bittersweet

"It has been hard for me because of my relationship with Hillary," she said. "I don't think they get any better than her

But I am extremely enthusiastic."  Buell's backing is certain to bolster a fundraising operation by Harris that has already emerged as a powerhouse

The senator reported raising $1.5 million from 38,000 donors in her first 24 hours as a candidate, a one-day small-donor haul that matched the record set by Vermont Sen

Bernie Sanders in 2016.  Other candidates this cycle have avoided sharing their fundraising figures, which they are not required by law to report until March

 But a disclosure on Friday by the fundraising platform ActBlue did have a tally of the money raised by Massachusetts Sen

Elizabeth Warren from Dec. 31, the day she launched. Her online donations totaled just under $300,000 by midnight, suggesting the Harris launch considerably outpaced hers in dollars raised

Advertisement > More stories from Evan Halper »