ReportWire

Tag: California

  • Eric Swalwell could run for California governor

    [ad_1]

    There’s growing buzz that East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell is considering a run for California governor, but political experts note he would be joining a crowded field.

    Swalwell’s office did not immediately return NBC Bay Area’s calls, but there are growing hints he’s running to succeed current Gov. Gavin Newsom next year, and there’s growing speculation he will make his announcement Thursday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

    “Swalwell offers an interesting case, particularly for Democrats because a lot of this is going to go back to the impeachment days,” political analyst Larry Gerston said.

    Gerston said being on President Donald Trump’s bad side is a badge of honor in California for Swalwell, and it’s a plus if he’s trying a run for governor.

    Swalwell would join a list of 11 people formally vying for the governor’s seat. That list includes former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

    Gerston said the fact that U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla decided not to run opens the door for other candidates.

    “Yes, it opens it up for others because, had Padilla chosen to run, I think he would have been the overwhelming favorite,” Gerston said. “U.S. senator, wide recognition, Latino.”

    Gerston said the list will only grow, with rumors that Congressman Ro Khanna might also enter the race, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon on the Republican side.

    “It’s early, but when you’re running in a state with almost 40 million people, it’s never early enough, in a sense,” Gerston said.

    The top two vote getters in the June primary, whether Republican or Democrat, will face each other next November in a race with huge implications.

    [ad_2]

    Damian Trujillo

    Source link

  • Flood and snow advisories in place as another storm hits Southern California

    [ad_1]

    After an atmospheric river brought mudslides, debris flows, toppled trees and flooding to Southern California over the weekend, another colder storm began hitting the region on Monday. Weather officials in response issued flood and snow advisories for parts of the region urging people to stay safe.

    Besides the advisories, a flash flood warning was in place for parts of northern LA County until 9 p.m. Monday including Pasadena, Altadena, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Monrovia and Azusa.

    A “pretty notable” atmospheric river landed over the region this weekend, along with some damage, bringing one to six inches of rain across Southern California, according to meteorologists with the National Weather Service.

    “For November standards, it’s not too common for us to get an atmospheric river of the potency that we got. Usually, it’s more common that we would receive an atmospheric river that would give us a few inches of rain anywhere between December and March,” said NWS Meteorologist Sebastian Westerink.

    Usually Southern California receives about an inch of rain by this point in the year. Rain levels are currently above average, according to Westerink. The amount of rain SoCal has received at this point in the fall ranges from over an inch up to five inches of rain.

    Despite flood advisories issued Monday, many areas saw only light rain, but enough to dampen streets heading into the afternoon commute.

    Forecasters said the rain would continue to fall into late Monday night, “with decreasing showers continuing into Tuesday.”

    “Behind the front (Monday night) and Tuesday, an unstable and showery pattern will prevail as the upper low drops southward,” according to the NWS. “By Tuesday evening, rainfall totals with this system are expected to range from half an inch to one inch for coastal/valley areas with one to two inches for the foothills and mountains.

    Rainfall rates through Tuesday are expected to generally be under half an inch per hour and will generate nuisance flooding across the area. But forecasters warned that isolated pockets could see rain rates of about an inch per hour, which could trigger more serious flooding and debris flows. A dusting of snow was also possible along the Grapevine stretch of Interstate 5 on Tuesday morning.

    “Along with the rain and snow, thunderstorms will be a risk … through Tuesday. As the upper low drops southward today, a cold and unstable air mass will bring a threat of thunderstorms to all areas. On Tuesday, the threat of thunderstorms looks to be confined to LA county as well as interior sections of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties,” the NWS said.

    The storm system was expected to be out of the area by late Tuesday, with the area getting a respite from the rain on Wednesday. But another storm system was expected to arrive in the Los Angeles area by Thursday afternoon.

    Forecasters said that system could drop another quarter- to three-quarters of an inch of rain.

    The National Weather Service also issued a Winter Weather advisory on Monday afternoon for the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains that will be in effect until 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Two to five inches of snow is expected to fall at elevations above 6,000 feet. Areas around 5,500 feet elevation could also see some powder. The affected towns  include Running Springs, Big Bear and Wrightwood. Drivers were advised to proceed with caution.

    [ad_2]

    Ryanne Mena, City News Service

    Source link

  • Catch the dazzling Leonid meteor shower

    [ad_1]

    The Leonid meteor shower is one of the most famous and historically significant celestial events, occurring every November, with tons of meteors available to view.

    What You Need To Know

    • Meteors appear to radiate from a point within the constellation Leo

    • Best viewing hours are between midnight and dawn
    • The Leonids are known to feature fast-moving meteors



    We’re lucky enough to witness this celestial show from now until Nov. 20. This meteor shower is caused by Earth’s passage through the dusty trail left behind by the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. This small comet orbits the Sun roughly every 33 years, creating a river of cosmic stardust in its wake.

    How to see the shower

    The best time to look is typically in the hours after midnight and before dawn when the constellation Leo climbs highest in the eastern sky. The shower is active throughout this month, but its peak usually occurs around Nov. 18. Below is a forecast loop of cloud cover through early morning of the 21st. 

    For optimal viewing, find a location far from city lights, lie flat on your back, and simply look up, allowing about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark. 

    Science behind the shower

    The Leonids are renowned for their exceptional speed, clocking in at around 158,000 mph, making them one of the fastest annual meteor showers. This high velocity directly results from the comet’s orbit, going around the Sun in the opposite direction to Earth.

    Because the comet’s debris hits our atmosphere nearly head-on, the resulting flashes are typically bright and leave behind glowing trails or produce colorful fireballs. These meteors appear brighter than the brightest stars and the planet Venus.

    Even in a typical year, when observers might see a modest rate of 10 to 20 meteors per hour, the sheer intensity of the Leonids ensures a captivating display.

    Why this shower is so special

    The Leonids are in a class of their own among other meteor showers for the sheer volume of meteors to see. While most meteor showers are consistent year over year, the Leonids are capable of bursts of activity where the rate of visible meteors skyrockets to over 1,000 per hour.

    This phenomenon occurs approximately every 33 years, coinciding with the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle’s closest approach to the Sun. During these rare events, Earth passes through a particularly dense, fresh debris field. Historically, these storms have been awesome, with the 1833 and 1966 events being among the most famous, where meteors “fell like rain.”

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    [ad_2]

    Meteorologist Nathan Harrington

    Source link

  • Catch the dazzling Leonid meteor shower

    [ad_1]

    The Leonid meteor shower is one of the most famous and historically significant celestial events, occurring every November, with tons of meteors available to view.

    What You Need To Know

    • Meteors appear to radiate from a point within the constellation Leo

    • Best viewing hours are between midnight and dawn
    • The Leonids are known to feature fast-moving meteors



    We’re lucky enough to witness this celestial show from now until Nov. 20. This meteor shower is caused by Earth’s passage through the dusty trail left behind by the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. This small comet orbits the Sun roughly every 33 years, creating a river of cosmic stardust in its wake.

    How to see the shower

    The best time to look is typically in the hours after midnight and before dawn when the constellation Leo climbs highest in the eastern sky. The shower is active throughout this month, but its peak usually occurs around Nov. 18. Below is a forecast loop of cloud cover through early morning of the 21st. 

    For optimal viewing, find a location far from city lights, lie flat on your back, and simply look up, allowing about 30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark. 

    Science behind the shower

    The Leonids are renowned for their exceptional speed, clocking in at around 158,000 mph, making them one of the fastest annual meteor showers. This high velocity directly results from the comet’s orbit, going around the Sun in the opposite direction to Earth.

    Because the comet’s debris hits our atmosphere nearly head-on, the resulting flashes are typically bright and leave behind glowing trails or produce colorful fireballs. These meteors appear brighter than the brightest stars and the planet Venus.

    Even in a typical year, when observers might see a modest rate of 10 to 20 meteors per hour, the sheer intensity of the Leonids ensures a captivating display.

    Why this shower is so special

    The Leonids are in a class of their own among other meteor showers for the sheer volume of meteors to see. While most meteor showers are consistent year over year, the Leonids are capable of bursts of activity where the rate of visible meteors skyrockets to over 1,000 per hour.

    This phenomenon occurs approximately every 33 years, coinciding with the comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle’s closest approach to the Sun. During these rare events, Earth passes through a particularly dense, fresh debris field. Historically, these storms have been awesome, with the 1833 and 1966 events being among the most famous, where meteors “fell like rain.”

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    [ad_2]

    Meteorologist Nathan Harrington

    Source link

  • Justice Department sues to block laws restricting masked, unidentified law enforcement officers in California

    [ad_1]

    SACRAMENTO — The U.S. Department of Justice sued California on Monday to block newly passed laws that prohibit law enforcement officials, including federal immigration agents, from wearing masks and that require them to identify themselves.

    The laws, passed by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, came in the wake of the Trump administration’s immigration raids in California, when masked, unidentified federal officers jumped out of vehicles this summer as part of the president’s mass deportation program.

    Atty. Gen. Pamela Bondi said the laws were unconsitutional and endanger federal officers.

    “California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents,” Bondi said in a statement. “These laws cannot stand.”

    The governor recently signed Senate Bill 627, which bans federal officers from wearing masks during enforcement duties, and Senate Bill 805, which requires federal officers without a uniform to visibly display their name or badge number during operations. Both measures were introduced as a response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids that are often conducted by masked agents in plainclothes and unmarked cars.

    The lawsuit, which names the state of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta as defendants, asserts the laws are unconstitutional as only the federal government has the authority to control its agents and any requirements about their uniforms. It further argued that federal agents need to conceal their identities at times due to the nature of their work.

    “Given the personal threats and violence that agents face, federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an extra layer of security,” the lawsuit states. “Denying federal agencies and officers that choice would chill federal law enforcement and deter applicants for law enforcement positions.”

    Federal agents will not comply with either law, the lawsuit states.

    “The Federal Government would be harmed if forced to comply with either Act, and also faces harm from the real threat of criminal liability for noncompliance,” the lawsuit states. “Accordingly, the challenged laws are invalid under the Supremacy Clause and their application to the Federal Government should be preliminarily and permanently enjoined.”

    Newsom previously said it was unacceptable for “secret police” to grab people off the streets, and that the new laws were needed to help the public differentiate between imposters and legitimate federal law officers.

    The governor, however, acknowledged the legislation could use more clarifications about safety gear and other exemptions. He directed lawmakers to work on a follow-up bill next year.

    In a Monday statement, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who introduced SB 627, said the FBI recently warned that “secret police tactics” are undermining public safety.

    “Despite what these would-be authoritarians claim, no one is above the law,” said Wiener. “We’ll see you in court.”

    [ad_2]

    Katie King

    Source link

  • California rejoins fight over Nazi-looted painting held by Spanish museum

    [ad_1]

    California is once again fighting in federal court for a Jewish family’s right to have a precious Impressionist painting returned to them by a Spanish museum nearly 90 years after it was looted by the Nazis.

    The state is also defending its own authority to legally require art and other stolen treasures to be returned to other victims with ties to the state, even in disputes that stretch far beyond its borders.

    The state has repeatedly weighed in on the case since the Cassirer family first filed it while living in San Diego in 2005. Last year, California passed a new law designed to bolster the legal rights of the Cassirers and other families in the state to recover valuable property stolen from them in acts of genocide or political persecution.

    On Monday, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office filed a motion to intervene in the Cassirer case directly in order to defend that law. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation — which is owned by Spain and holds the Camille Pissarro masterpiece — has claimed that the law is unconstitutional and should therefore be ignored.

    Bonta, in a statement to The Times, said the law is “about fairness, moral — and legal — responsibility, and doing what’s right,” and the state will defend it in court.

    “There is nothing that can undo the horrors and loss experienced by individuals during the Holocaust. But there is something we can do — that California has done — to return what was stolen back to survivors and their families and bring them some measure of justice and healing,” Bonta said. “As attorney general, my job is to defend the laws of California, and I intend to do so here.”

    Bonta said his office “has supported the Cassirers’ quest for justice for two decades,” and “will continue to fight with them for the rightful return of this invaluable family heirloom.”

    Thaddeus J. Stauber, an attorney for the museum, did not answer questions from The Times. Bonta’s office said Stauber did not oppose its intervening in the case.

    Sam Dubbin, the Cassirers’ longtime attorney, thanked Bonta’s office for “intervening in this case again to defend California’s interests in protecting the integrity of the art market and the rights of stolen-property victims.”

    “California law has always provided strong protections for the victims of stolen property and stolen art in particular, which the Legislature has consistently reinforced,” Dubbin said.

    The state bucked the powerful U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals by passing the law last year. The appellate court found in a ruling in January 2024 that the painting was lawfully owned by the Spanish museum.

    Bonta’s latest move ratchets up the intrigue surrounding the 20-year-old case, which is being watched around the globe for its potential implications in the high-stakes world of looted art litigation.

    The painting in question — Pissarro’s “Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon. Effect of Rain” — is estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars. Both sides acknowledge it was stolen from Lilly Cassirer Neubauer by the Nazis in 1939, after she agreed in desperation to surrender it to a Nazi appraiser in exchange for a visa to flee Germany at the dawn of World War II.

    The attention surrounding the case, and its potential to set new precedent in international law, likely makes the painting even more valuable.

    After World War II, Lilly received compensation for the painting from the German government, but the family never relinquished its right to the masterpiece — which at the time was considered lost. What she was paid was a fraction of the current estimated worth.

    In the decades that followed, Lilly’s grandson Claude Cassirer — who had also survived the Holocaust — moved with his family to San Diego.

    In 2000, Claude made the shocking discovery that the painting was not lost to time after all, but part of a vast art collection that Spain had acquired from the late Baron Hans Heinrich von Thyssen-Bornemisza, the scion of a German industrialist family with ties to Adolf Hitler’s regime. Spain restored an early 19th century palace near the Prado Museum in Madrid in order to house the collection as the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza.

    Claude asked the museum to return the painting to his family. It refused. He sued in U.S. federal court in 2005. The case has been moving through the courts ever since.

    California passed its new law in response to the 9th Circuit ruling last year that held state law at the time required it to apply an archaic Spanish law. That measure dictates that the title to stolen goods passes legitimately to a new owner over time, if that owner wasn’t aware the goods were stolen when they acquired them — which the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection has argued makes its ownership of the painting legally sound.

    In September 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the new law during a small gathering with the families of Holocaust survivors at the Holocaust Museum LA. Lilly’s great-grandson and Claude’s son David Cassirer, who now lives in Colorado, was there, praising the state’s lawmakers for “taking a definitive stand in favor of the true owners of stolen art.”

    In March, the Supreme Court in a brief order ruled that the 9th Circuit must reconsider its ruling in light of California’s new law.

    In September, the Thyssen-Bournemisza Collection filed a motion asking the appellate court to rule in its favor once more. It put forward multiple arguments, but among them was that California’s new law was “constitutionally indefensible” and deprived the museum of its due process rights.

    “Under binding Supreme Court precedent, a State may not, by legislative fiat, reopen time-barred claims and transfer property whose ownership is already vested,” the museum argued.

    It said the U.S., under federal law, “does not seek to impose its property laws or the property laws of its own states on other foreign sovereigns, but rather expressly acknowledges that different legal traditions and systems must be taken into account to facilitate just and fair solutions with regard to Nazi-looted art cases.”

    It said California’s law takes an “aggressive approach” that “disrupts the federal government’s efforts to maintain uniformity and amicable relations with foreign nations,” and “stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of federal policy.”

    David Cassirer, the lead plaintiff in the case since Claude’s death in 2010, argued the opposite in his own filing to the court.

    Cassirer argued that California’s new law requires an outcome in his favor — which he said would also happen to be in line with “moral commitments made by the United States and governments worldwide, including Spain, to Nazi victims and their families.”

    “It is undisputed that California substantive law mandates the award of title here to the Cassirer family, as Lilly’s heirs, of which Plaintiff David Cassirer is the last surviving member,” Cassirer’s attorneys wrote.

    They wrote that California law holds that “a thief cannot convey good title to stolen works of art,” and therefore requires the return of the painting to Cassirer.

    Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), who sponsored the bill in the Legislature, praised Bonta for stepping in to defend the law — which he called “part of a decades-long quest for justice and is rooted in the belief that California must stand on the right side of history.”

    [ad_2]

    Kevin Rector

    Source link

  • Man Charged With Murder in Shooting of Oakland Football Coach and ‘Last Chance U’ Star John Beam

    [ad_1]

    OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A 27-year-old man was charged Monday with murder in the shooting death of celebrated former football coach John Beam, who died Friday after being shot on the junior college campus in Oakland where he worked.

    Cedric Irving also faces enhancement charges alleging he personally fired a gun that caused great bodily injury and that the victim was particularly vulnerable, possibly due to age, according to the charging complaint.

    The mandatory minimum for first degree murder is 25 years to life. Conviction on a charge that he personally discharged the firearm resulting in death also carries a sentence of 25 years to life.

    Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson is set to speak Monday afternoon on the charges. Irving, who is being held without bail, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday. The Alameda County Public Defender’s Office said it has not been appointed to represent Irving and declined comment.

    Beam was a giant in the local community, a father figure who forged deep relationships with his players while fielding a team that regularly competed for championships. The Netflix docuseries “Last Chance U” focused on Beam and the Laney Eagles in its 2020 season. He’d most recently been serving as the school’s athletic director after retiring from coaching last year.

    Officers arrived at Laney College before noon Thursday to find Beam, 66, wounded at the athletics field house. He was treated at a hospital, but died the following day from his injuries.

    Irving was arrested at a commuter rail station just after 3 a.m. Friday. He was carrying the firearm used to shoot Beam, and he admitted to carrying out the shooting, according to the probable cause document.

    Oakland Assistant Chief James Beere said the suspect went on campus for a “specific reason” but did not elaborate. “This was a very targeted incident,” he said at a Friday news conference.

    Beere did not say how the two men knew each other but said the Irving was known to hang around the Laney campus. Irving’s brother told the San Francisco Chronicle that Irving had lost his job as a security guard after an altercation and was facing eviction at home.

    Beam joined Laney College in 2004 as a running backs coach and became head coach in 2012, winning two league titles. According to his biography on the college’s website, at least 20 of his players went on to the NFL.

    His shooting came a day after a student was shot at Oakland’s Skyline High School. The student is in stable condition. Beam had previously worked at Skyline High School, and the suspect in that shooting had played football there after Beam had already left for another job.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

    Photos You Should See – Oct. 2025

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Why are birds perching on only 1 set of power lines in Newark?

    [ad_1]

    DEAR JOAN: There is something that I have noticed for years, and I finally decided to ask the only expert I know.

    [ad_2]

    Joan Morris, Correspondent

    Source link

  • Housing advocate Rae Huang announces candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles

    [ad_1]

    LOS ANGELES — Community organizer and minister Rae Huang formally announced her candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles on Sunday, offering voters an option to the left of Mayor Karen Bass and potentially complicating prospects for Bass avoiding a runoff.

    “This campaign is not about me,” the 43-year-old Huang said Sunday afternoon at Arts District Brewing Co. in downtown Los Angeles. “It is about us, all of us, all Angelenos, it is about the future that we will and must build together this new season for our city.

    “In this new season, we are going to make housing affordable for all. We are going to make transit free, safe and fast. We are going to make sure that wages and work are dignified.”

    Huang is deputy director of Housing Now California, a coalition of over 150 organizations that fights tenant displacement. She is also a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and if elected would be Los Angeles’ first Asian-American mayor.

    Huang is a long shot to win with little name recognition or political experience, but if her campaign gains traction she could siphon enough votes from Bass to keep the mayor from a majority in the June 2 primary. If no candidate receives over 50%, the top two finishers will meet in a runoff in November.

    Bass has drawn criticism for her handling of the devastating Palisades fire in January. When the fire broke out Bass was in Ghana as part of the four-member presidential delegation attending the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama as president.

    Bass has also drawn criticism for not doing enough to address high housing costs.

    Doug Herman, a spokesperson for the Bass campaign, told City News Service in an email that “Under Mayor Bass’ leadership, there has been unprecedented progress on the issues that matter most to Angelenos.”

    “Homelessness has declined for the first time in two consecutive years, neighborhoods are safer with significant drops in crime, and the Palisades fire recovery continues far ahead of pace with the fastest recovery and rebuilding in California history,” Herman said.

    “In addition, there was no better defender of Los Angeles than Mayor Karen Bass when Trump’s ICE raids started and we won a court ruling to help stop the illegal raids and unconstitutional arrests. That’s what we need to move Los Angeles forward.”

    Former LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner declared his candidacy on Oct. 13.

    “Rev. Huang and I share many concerns about the direction of Los Angeles, including our city’s lack of affordable housing. I look forward to getting to know her during the campaign ahead,” Beutner told City News Service on Sunday.

    The 72-year-old Bass, a former congresswoman and Assembly speaker and a onetime community organizer herself, defeated businessman Rick Caruso in 2022 to become mayor.

    Caruso has not announced whether he will run for mayor again in 2026.

    [ad_2]

    City News Service

    Source link

  • Draymond Green explains heated interaction with heckling fan during Warriors-Pelicans

    [ad_1]

    NEW ORLEANS – Draymond Green had a contentious second-quarter discussion with a heckling courtside fan Sunday night in the Warriors’ win over the Pelicans, apparently due to the fan’s reference to a WNBA All-Star.

    Standing at his locker at Smoothie King Arena after the win, Green explained that a fan on the baseline repeatedly called him a “woman.” Green then confronted the man with 2:02 remaining in the first half. Official Courtney Kirkland kept Green and the fan separated.

    “It was a good joke at first, but you can’t call me a woman,” Green said. “I’ve got four kids and one on the way. He got quiet, though, so it’s fine.”

    Green, 35, added that the fan “didn’t say much else” once Green got closer.

    Though the Warriors star declined to specify whose name the fan was using, the Associated Press reported that the fan, who identified himself to the AP as Sam Green, was calling him “Angel Reese.”

    Reese was a record-breaking rebounder at nearby LSU and has become a polarizing figure in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky while playing at an All-Star level. The fan told the AP that he made his verbal jab because Draymond Green had several rebounds but had not attempted many shots yet in the game, and that the Warriors player threatened to punch him if the taunts continued.

    “It was a little unnerving,” said Sam Green, who insisted that he did not use profanity toward the Warriors’ four-time NBA champion.

    Ushers were seen speaking with the fan after the incident, but he was allowed to remain in his seat for the rest of the game.

    Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he did not know exactly what happened during the incident, but was not bothered by Draymond Green chatting with the fan.

    [ad_2]

    Joseph Dycus

    Source link

  • 2 deaths in California blamed on heavy rain that sparked flooding

    [ad_1]



    2 deaths in California blamed on heavy rain that sparked flooding – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    Parts of California saw a month’s worth of rain in one day, and two deaths are being blamed on the heavy rainfall and the flooding it triggered. Andrew Kozak has more.

    [ad_2]
    Source link

  • Newsom, Bass Abandoned LA as It Burned | RealClearPolitics

    [ad_1]

    A new film about the Palisades Fire shows Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass touring the Pacific Palisades as it burns, with firefighters ignoring the blaze, a powerful reminder that the fira€¦

    [ad_2]

    Joel Pollak, New York Post

    Source link

  • Bay Area residents win more than half a million dollars in Powerball

    [ad_1]

    Two Bay Area residents won more than half a million dollars each playing the Powerball Lottery on Saturday night, officials said.

    The two winning tickets, which selected five correct numbers, were each worth $609,497, according to the California Lottery.

    [ad_2]

    Caelyn Pender

    Source link

  • After nearly three years, these Bay Area cities still lack a state-approved housing plan

    [ad_1]

    Nearly three years after the state’s deadline, a Bay Area county and three cities across the region still haven’t finalized their state-mandated housing plans, leaving them vulnerable to fines, loss of grant funding and the dreaded “builder’s remedy,” which can cost them control over land use decisions.

    San Mateo County and the cities of Half Moon Bay, Belvedere and Clayton have yet to secure state approval for their plans, which were due by Jan. 31, 2023.

    Every eight years, local governments across California are required to submit the plans, known as housing elements, which serve as roadmaps for how cities and counties aim to permit a specific number of homes across a range of affordability levels.

    Following decades of sluggish development and skyrocketing housing costs, state officials have significantly increased the homebuilding targets for most jurisdictions — and added new penalties for those failing to complete their plans on time.

    In total, the Bay Area’s 110 local governments are responsible for adding 441,000 new homes between 2023 and 2031, up from 187,990 in the previous eight-year cycle. So far, the region is far behind schedule in meeting the ambitious new goal, in part because of high interest rates and other market forces.

    Despite the threat of stricter penalties, housing advocates say the few remaining municipalities without completed housing elements appear to lack a sense of urgency in obtaining the state’s sign-off.

    “They’re mostly small and wealthy jurisdictions that probably feel they don’t have any obligation and that they can hire enough lawyers to get out of whatever obligation the state imposes on them,” said Matt Regan, a housing policy expert with the Bay Area Council, a pro-business group.

    Some local officials rejected the claim, saying they’ve worked closely with regulators to finalize the complex plans, which are typically hundreds of pages and outline a broad range of housing policies and practices.

    “There hasn’t been any foot-dragging happening in the city of Half Moon Bay,” said Leslie Lacko, community development director with the city.

    Earlier this month, the San Mateo County coastal city adopted a fifth draft of its plan to update policies on accessory dwelling units and other concerns from regulators. The city aims to submit the plan to the state officials this month.

    Since phasing in the new housing element rules, the state has only pursued serious penalties against a handful of cities, primarily in Southern California, for failing to secure approval for their plans. In 2023, state officials sued Hunnigton Beach, which has openly flouted the housing element process, putting it at risk of potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly fines.

    The state’s Housing and Community Development department did not provide a response to questions about whether the state would seek to impose penalties against any Bay Area jurisdictions.

    Still, Bay Area communities that were late submitting their housing plans have been subject to the builder’s remedy, a provision in state law that allows developers to push through massive housing projects that exceed local zoning limits. Local governments are only required to accept such projects during periods when the state determines their housing elements are out of compliance.

    As of last year, cities and counties across the region had received at least 98 builder’s remedy proposals, totaling more than 13,000 units. Despite a flurry of headline-grabbing applications and the subsequent uproar from suburbanites that the builder’s remedy would “Manhattan-ize” their communities, it remains unclear how many projects have actually broken ground.

    In Belvedere, however, one developer used the threat of a large builder’s remedy proposal to persuade local officials last year to approve a smaller, 40-unit duplex project along the affluent Marin County city’s waterfront.

    Even so, Belvedere has yet to complete its housing element. In September, regulators sent the city a letter urging it to complete a required rezoning process to allow for more housing, a key aspect of its plan. The letter also reminded the city about potential fines and penalties for noncompliance, including ineligibility for certain state housing and transportation grants.

    [ad_2]

    Ethan Varian

    Source link

  • Commentary: Front-runner or flash in the pan? Sizing up Newsom, 2028

    [ad_1]

    The 2028 presidential election is more than 1,000 days away, but you’d hardly know it from all the speculation and anticipation that’s swirling from Sacramento to the Washington Beltway.

    Standing at the center of attention is California Gov. Gavin Newsom, fresh off his big victory on Proposition 50, the backatcha ballot measure that gerrymandered the state’s congressional map to boost Democrats and offset a power grab by Texas Republicans.

    Newsom is bidding for the White House, and has been doing so for the better part of a year, though he won’t say so out loud. Is Newsom the Democratic front-runner or a mere flash in the pan?

    Times columnists Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak disagree on Newsom’s presidential prospects, and more. Here the two hash out some of their differences.

    Barabak: So is the presidential race over, Anita? Should I just spend the next few years backpacking and snowboarding in the Sierra and return in January 2029 to watch Newsom iterate, meet the moment and, with intentionality, be sworn in as our nation’s 48th president?

    Chabria: You should definitely spend as much time in the Sierra as possible, but I have no idea if Newsom will be elected president in 2028 or not. That’s about a million light-years away in political terms. But I think he has a shot, and is the front-runner for the nomination right now. He’s set himself up as the quick-to-punch foil to President Trump, and increasingly as the leader of the Democratic Party. Last week, he visited Brazil for a climate summit that Trump ghosted, making Newsom the American presence.

    And in a recent (albeit small) poll, in a hypothetical race against JD Vance, the current Republican favorite, Newsom lead by three points. Though, unexpectedly, respondents still picked Kamala Harris as their choice for the nomination.

    To me, that shows he’s popular across the country. But you’ve warned that Californians have a tough time pulling voters in other states. Do you think his Golden State roots will kill off his contender status?

    Barabak: I make no predictions. I’m smart enough to know that I’m not smart enough to know. And, after 2016 and the election of Trump, the words “can’t,” “not,” “won’t,” “never ever” are permanently stricken from my political vocabulary.

    That said, I wouldn’t stake more than a penny — which may eventually be worth something, as they’re phased out of our currency — on Newsom’s chances.

    Look, I yield to no one in my love of California. (And I’ve got the Golden State tats to prove it.) But I’m mindful of how the rest of the country views the state and those politicians who bear a California return address. You can be sure whoever runs against Newsom — and I’m talking about his fellow Democrats, not just Republicans — will have a great deal to say about the state’s much-higher-than-elsewhere housing, grocery and gas prices and our shameful rates of poverty and homelessness.

    Not a great look for Newsom, especially when affordability is all the political rage these days.

    And while I understand the governor’s appeal — Fight! Fight! Fight! — I liken it to the fleeting fancy that, for a time, made attorney, convicted swindler and rhetorical battering ram Michael Avenatti seriously discussed as a Democratic presidential contender. At a certain point — and we’re still years away — people will assess the candidates with their head, not viscera.

    As for the polling, ask Edmund Muskie, Gary Hart or Hillary Clinton how much those soundings matter at this exceedingly early stage of a presidential race. Well, you can’t ask Muskie, because the former Maine senator is dead. But all three were early front-runners who failed to win the Democratic nomination.

    Chabria: I don’t argue the historical case against the Golden State, but I will argue that these are different days. People don’t vote with their heads. Fight me on that.

    They vote on charisma, tribalism, and maybe some hope and fear. They vote on issues as social media explains them. They vote on memes.

    There no reality in which our next president is rationally evaluated on their record — our current president has a criminal one and that didn’t make a difference.

    But I do think, as we’ve talked about ad nauseam, that democracy is in peril. Trump has threatened to run for a third term and recently lamented that his Cabinet doesn’t show him the same kind of fear that Chinese President Xi Jinping gets from his top advisers. And Vance, should he get the chance to run, has made it clear he’s a Christian nationalist who would like to deport nearly every immigrant he can catch, legal or not.

    Being a Californian may not be the drawback it’s historically been, especially if Trump’s authoritarianism continues and this state remains the symbol of resistance.

    But our governor does have an immediate scandal to contend with. His former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, was just arrested on federal corruption charges. Do you think that hurts him?

    Barabak: It shouldn’t.

    There’s no evidence of wrongdoing on Newsom’s part. His opponents will try the guilt-by-association thing. Some already have. But unless something damning surfaces, there’s no reason the governor should be punished for the alleged wrongdoing of Williamson or others charged in the case.

    But let’s go back to 2028 and the presidential race. I think one of our fundamental disagreements is that I believe people do very much evaluate a candidate’s ideas and records. Not in granular fashion, or the way some chin-stroking political scientist might. But voters do want to know how and whether a candidate can materially improve their lives.

    There are, of course, a great many who’d reflexively support Donald Trump, or Donald Duck for that matter, if he’s the Republican nominee. Same goes for Democrats who’d vote for Gavin Newsom or Gavin Floyd, if either were the party’s nominee. (While Newsom played baseball in college, Floyd pitched 13 seasons in the major leagues, so he’s got that advantage over the governor.)

    But I’m talking about those voters who are up for grabs — the ones who decide competitive races — who make a very rational decision based on their lives and livelihoods and which candidate they believe will benefit them most.

    Granted, the dynamic is a bit different in a primary contest. But even then, we’ve seen time and again the whole dated/married phenomenon. As in 2004, when a lot of Democrats “dated” Howard Dean early in the primary season but “married” John Kerry. I see electability — as in the perception of which Democrat can win the general election — being right up there alongside affordability when it comes time for primary voters to make their 2028 pick.

    Chabria: No doubt affordability will be a huge issue, especially if consumer confidence continues to plummet. And we are sure to hear criticisms of California, many of which are fair, as you point out. Housing costs too much, homelessness remains intractable.

    But these are also problems across the United States, and require deeper fixes than even this economically powerful state can handle alone. More than past record, future vision is going to matter. What’s the plan?

    It can’t be vague tax credits or even student loan forgiveness. We need a concrete vision for an economy that brings not just more of the basics like homes, but the kind of long-term economic stability — higher wages, good schools, living-wage jobs — that makes the middle class stronger and attainable.

    The Democrat who can lay out that vision while simultaneously continuing to battle the authoritarian creep currently eating our democracy will, in my humble opinion, be the one voters choose, regardless of origin story. After all, it was that message of change with hope that gave us President Obama, another candidate many considered a long shot at first.

    Mark, are there any 2028 prospects you’re keeping a particularly close eye on?

    Barabak: I’m taking things one election at a time, starting with the 2026 midterms, which include an open-seat race for governor here in California. The results in November 2026 will go a long way toward shaping the dynamic in November 2028. That said, there’s no shortage of Democrats eyeing the race — too many to list here. Will the number surpass the 29 major Democrats who ran in 2020? We’ll see.

    I do agree with you that, to stand any chance of winning in 2028, whomever Democrats nominate will have to offer some serious and substantive ideas on how to make people’s lives materially better. Imperiled democracy and scary authoritarianism aside, it’s still the economy, stupid.

    Which brings us full circle, back to our gallivanting governor. He may be winning fans and building his national fundraising base with his snippy memes and zippy Trump put-downs. But even if he gets past the built-in anti-California bias among so many voters outside our blessed state, he’s not going to snark his way to the White House.

    I’d wager more than a penny on that.

    [ad_2]

    Anita Chabria, Mark Z. Barabak

    Source link

  • FAA lifts order slashing flights

    [ad_1]

    The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday it is lifting all restrictions on commercial flights that were imposed at 40 major airports during the country’s longest government shutdown.

    What You Need To Know

    • FAA lifts restrictions on commercial flights at 40 major airports

    • Airlines can resume regular flight schedules on Monday at 6 a.m. EST

    • The restrictions were due to staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities during the government shutdown


    Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the agency said.

    The announcement was made in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

    Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands of flights across the country.

    Impacted airports included large hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

    The flight cuts started at 4% and later grew to 6% before the FAA on Friday rolled the restrictions back to 3%, citing continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing since the record 43-day shutdown ended.

    The FAA statement said an FAA safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.”

    The statement said the FAA “is aware of reports of non-compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options.” It did not elaborate.

    Cancellations hit their highest point Nov. 9, when airlines cut more than 2,900 flights because of the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages and severe weather in parts of the country. But conditions began to improve throughout the week as more controllers returned to work amid news that Congress was close to a deal to end the shutdown. That progress also prompted the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases.

    The agency had initially aimed for a 10% reduction in flights. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said worrisome safety data showed the move was necessary to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities as the shutdown entered its second month and flight disruptions began to pile up.

    Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees who had to continue working without pay throughout the shutdown. They missed two paychecks during the impasse.

    Duffy hasn’t shared the specific safety data that prompted the cuts, but he cited reports during the shutdown of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.

    Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.

    [ad_2]

    Associated Press

    Source link

  • Cities and states are turning to AI to improve road safety

    [ad_1]

    As America’s aging roads fall further behind on much-needed repairs, cities and states are turning to artificial intelligence to spot the worst hazards and decide which fixes should come first.

    Hawaii officials, for example, are giving away 1,000 dashboard cameras as they try to reverse a recent spike in traffic fatalities. The cameras will use AI to automate inspections of guardrails, road signs and pavement markings, instantly discerning between minor problems and emergencies that warrant sending a maintenance crew.

    “This is not something where it’s looked at once a month and then they sit down and figure out where they’re going to put their vans,” said Richard Browning, chief commercial officer at Nextbase, which developed the dashcams and imagery platform for Hawaii.

    After San Jose, California, started mounting cameras on street sweepers, city staff confirmed the system correctly identified potholes 97% of the time. Now they’re expanding the effort to parking enforcement vehicles.

    Texas, where there are more roadway lane miles than the next two states combined, is less than a year into a massive AI plan that uses cameras as well as cellphone data from drivers who enroll to improve safety.

    Other states use the technology to inspect street signs or build annual reports about road congestion.

    Every guardrail, every day

    Hawaii drivers over the next few weeks will be able to sign up for a free dashcam valued at $499 under the “Eyes on the Road” campaign, which was piloted on service vehicles in 2021 before being paused due to wildfires.

    Roger Chen, a University of Hawaii associate professor of engineering who is helping facilitate the program, said the state faces unique challenges in maintaining its outdated roadway infrastructure.

    “Equipment has to be shipped to the island,” Chen said. “There’s a space constraint and a topography constraint they have to deal with, so it’s not an easy problem.”

    Although the program also monitors such things as street debris and faded paint on lane lines, the companies behind the technology particularly tout its ability to detect damaged guardrails.

    “They’re analyzing all guardrails in their state, every single day,” said Mark Pittman, CEO of Blyncsy, which combines the dashboard feeds with mapping software to analyze road conditions.

    Hawaii transportation officials are well aware of the risks that can stem from broken guardrails. Last year, the state reached a $3.9 million settlement with the family of a driver who was killed in 2020 after slamming into a guardrail that had been damaged in a crash 18 months earlier but never repaired.

    In October, Hawaii recorded its 106th traffic fatality of 2025 — more than all of 2024. It’s unclear how many of the deaths were related to road problems, but Chen said the grim trend underscores the timeliness of the dashboard program.

    Building a larger AI database

    San Jose has reported strong early success in identifying potholes and road debris just by mounting cameras on a few street sweepers and parking enforcement vehicles.

    But Mayor Matt Mahan, a Democrat who founded two tech startups before entering politics, said the effort will be much more effective if cities contribute their images to a shared AI database. The system can recognize a road problem that it has seen before — even if it happened somewhere else, Mahan said.

    “It sees, ‘Oh, that actually is a cardboard box wedged between those two parked vehicles, and that counts as debris on a roadway,’” Mahan said. “We could wait five years for that to happen here, or maybe we have it at our fingertips.”

    San Jose officials helped establish the GovAI Coalition, which went public in March 2024 for governments to share best practices and eventually data. Other local governments in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas and Washington, as well as the state of Colorado, are members.

    Some solutions are simple

    Not all AI approaches to improving road safety require cameras.

    Massachusetts-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics launched a system called StreetVision that uses cellphone data to identify risky driving behavior. The company works with state transportation departments to pinpoint where specific road conditions are fueling those dangers.

    Ryan McMahon, the company’s senior vice president of strategy & corporate development, was attending a conference in Washington, D.C., when he noticed the StreetVision software was showing a massive number of vehicles braking aggressively on a nearby road.

    The reason: a bush was obstructing a stop sign, which drivers weren’t seeing until the last second.

    “What we’re looking at is the accumulation of events,” McMahon said. “That brought me to an infrastructure problem, and the solution to the infrastructure problem was a pair of garden shears.”

    Texas officials have been using StreetVision and various other AI tools to address safety concerns. The approach was particularly helpful recently when they scanned 250,000 lane miles (402,000 kilometers) to identify old street signs long overdue for replacement.

    “If something was installed 10 or 15 years ago and the work order was on paper, God help you trying to find that in the digits somewhere,” said Jim Markham, who deals with crash data for the Texas Department of Transportation. “Having AI that can go through and screen for that is a force multiplier that basically allows us to look wider and further much faster than we could just driving stuff around.”

    Autonomous vehicles are next

    Experts in AI-based road safety techniques say what’s being done now is largely just a stepping stone for a time when a large proportion of vehicles on the road will be driverless.

    Pittman, the Blyncsy CEO who has worked on the Hawaii dashcam program, predicts that within eight years almost every new vehicle — with or without a driver — will come with a camera.

    “How do we see our roadways today from the perspective of grandma in a Buick but also Elon and his Tesla?” Pittman said. “This is really important nuance for departments of transportation and city agencies. They’re now building infrastructure for humans and automated drivers alike, and they need to start bridging that divide.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • CCS, NCS football playoffs: Best of Saturday’s first round

    [ad_1]

    Saturday’s games

    CCS Open Division/Division I

    No. 1 Archbishop Riordan 42, No. 8 Salinas 9

    The Crusaders scored 28 points in the first quarter and didn’t look back in a rout of Salinas at home. Despite having four touchdowns called back because of penalties, the San Francisco school had no problem moving the ball against the Cowboys. The lead grew insurmountable in the second half as a running clock initiated in the third quarter. Riordan (10-0) will play Serra (7-4) for the Open Division title next week. – Nathan Canilao

    No. 2 Serra 29, No. 7 Archbishop Mitty 13

    The Padres rushed for 312 yards and shut down Mitty’s offensive attack to cruise to a 16-point win at home. Speedy receiver Charlie Walsh led Serra with a rushing and a receiving score. Kicker Saul Marks knocked in three field goals and Serra’s defense forced three turnovers.S Serra will get a rematch with Riordan – after falling to the Crusaders in the WCAL regular season finale – in the Open Division finals next week. Nathan Canilao was in San Mateo and has the story here.

    CCS Division II

    No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral 34, No. 7 Wilcox 21

    After trailing by two at halftime, the Fightin’ Irish took over the game behind a second-half surge to down visiting Wilcox at City College of San Francisco. Three second half touchdowns from quarterback Michael Sargent charged SHC’s offense, and the San Francisco school’s defense held Wilcox to just one score in the final two periods to seal the win. SHC (5-6) will host another South Bay powerhouse in undefeated Santa Teresa (11-0) next week. – Nathan Canilao

    No. 4 Menlo School 17, No. 5 The King’s Academy 7

    Menlo earned a hard-fought postseason win, defeating TKA at home. Quarterback Jack Freehill threw a touchdown pass to Chuck Wynn and Trevor van der Pyl’s 82-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter sealed the win for Menlo. Dylan O’ Malley rounded out Menlo’s scoring with a 27-yard first-quarter field goal. Quarterback Jaiden Flores to wide receiver Ricky Gutierrez was the only score TKA had on Saturday. Menlo (9-2) will travel to top-seeded St. Ignatius next week for its semifinal game. TKA ends its season 9-2. – Nathan Canilao

    CCS Division V

    No. 2 Sobrato 28, No. 7 Santa Cruz 17

    Sobrato advanced to the Division V semifinals after defeating Santa Cruz at home. Junior running back Brady Lennon led the way with rushing touchdowns from 35 and 10 yards. Jacob Sorrentino had a 75-yard touchdown grab and senior Jacob Kimerer had a 65-yard touchdown run. Sobrato improved to 7-4 and will host Terra Nova (8-3) next week. 

    NCS Division V

    No. 3 Salesian 38, No. 6 Northgate 33 

    Quarterback Izeah Buchanan tossed four touchdown passes to lead the Pride to a win over Northgate at home. Basketball star Carlton Perrilliat Jr. caught two touchdown passes while Joseph Tarin had two receiving scores of his own as Salesian will advance to the section semifinals at Ferndale next Saturday. Senior Jahlil Lindsey had a 95-yard scoop-and-score and kicker Roberto Mora knocked in a 27-yard field goal to round out the scoring for Salesian. Northgate (5-6) ends its 2025 season one game under .500. – Nathan Canilao

    [ad_2]

    Nathan Canilao

    Source link

  • Couple walking through every U.S. state aims to find common ground among Americans

    [ad_1]



    Couple walking through every U.S. state aims to find common ground among Americans – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    A couple walked 12,000 miles through all 50 states. What started as a simple adventure to see America’s beauty turned into a mission to connect a divided country. Brady Halbleib has the story.

    [ad_2]
    Source link

  • Rainstorm pummels California, triggering flash flood warnings, evacuation orders

    [ad_1]

    Flash flood warnings expanded on Saturday as rain hit wide swaths of California amid fears that the atmospheric river will intensify. Andres Gutierrez has the latest details.

    [ad_2]

    Source link