Iranian drones hit the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, while hundreds are reported dead in Iran
LAT, JON GAMBRELL/ELENA BECATOROS/SAMY MAGDY: "Iran expanded its targets Tuesday, striking the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia as Washington began to pull many staff out of the Middle East. The U.S. and Israel battered Iran with airstrikes in what President Donald Trump suggested was just the start of a war that has severely disrupted the world’s supply of oil and gas, international shipping, and air travel.
The conflict escalated further on its fourth day, with Israel sending new ground troops into Lebanon and explosions ringing out in Iran’s capital. Hundreds of people have been killed, the vast majority in Iran."
California must let schools out transgender students to parents, U.S. Supreme Court rules
CHRONICLE, BOB EGELKO: "California must allow teachers in its public schools to notify parents that their child identifies as transgender, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, rejecting a state policy that a lower court had upheld.
“Those policies cut out the primary protectors of children’s best interests: their parents,” the court’s conservative majority wrote in a 6-3 ruling. A federal judge’s order requiring parental notification “promotes child safety by guaranteeing fit parents a role in some of the most consequential decisions in their children’s lives.”
Newsom threatens California counties for failing to use his new mental health court
CALMATTERS, MARISA KENDALL: ""Frustrated by the slow adoption of one of his signature efforts to get Californians with severe mental illness off the streets, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday threatened to take funding from counties he said aren’t doing enough.
Newsom called out 10 counties that he said are underperforming when it comes to CARE Court – a program he launched in 2023 that uses the courts to get people into mental health treatment. Counties that “haven’t gotten it done” in his view are: Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Yolo, Monterey and Fresno.
LAT, SEEMA MEHTA: "Fearing the prospect of a Republican winning California’s gubernatorial race, state Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks on Tuesday urged his party’s candidates who lack a viable path to victory to drop out.
“It is imperative that every candidate honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign,” Hicks wrote in an open letter to the politicians vying to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. “I recognize my suggestions are hard for many to contemplate and may be even viewed as overly harsh by some.”"
Vulnerable Republicans in California’s redrawn congressional districts back war in Iran
LAT, KEVIN RECTOR: "California Republicans facing tough reelection fights in this year’s midterm elections have lined up in support of President Trump’s war on Iran, which polling suggests is not popular.
They include Republicans whose chances of reelection were already diminished by the passage by voters in November of Proposition 50, which gave Democrats in Sacramento the authority to redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democratic candidates."
Exclusive: Tech entrepreneur challenges Ro Khanna as billionaire tax fight heats up
CHRONICLE, ALEXEI KOSEFF: "The brewing political battle over a proposed billionaire tax in California has opened a front in a Bay Area House race, where Rep. Ro Khanna has drawn an intraparty challenger hoping to ride Silicon Valley’s anger with the progressive Santa Clara Democrat.
Ethan Agarwal, a 40-year-old former tech entrepreneur and Democrat, on Tuesday launched a bid to oust Khanna from his South Bay seat after five terms. In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, Agarwal said Khanna has become too focused on a national agenda and lost touch with the values of his community, the home of tech giants including Apple and the wealthiest congressional district in the country."
Special Episode: A conversation on housing with Asm. Buffy Wicks
CAPITOL WEEKLY, STAFF: "CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: This Special Episode of the Capitol Weekly Podcast was recorded live at A Conference on Housing, which was held in Sacramento on Tuesday, February 24, 2026."
Meet the insurance commissioner candidates: Stacy Korsgaden
CAPITOL WEEKLY, STAFF: "Capitol Weekly recently asked a half dozen insurance commissioner candidates to answer a set of identical questions regarding how they would approach this incredibly important and challenging job. The candidates – Sen. Ben Allen, former Sen. Steven Bradford, California Working Families Party executive director Jane Kim, Insurance agent Stacy Korsgaden, Los Angeles school teacher Lalo Vargas and financial analyst Patrick Wolff – all submitted their answers, which we will be presenting individually in alphabetical order by last name. In recent weeks we have featured answers from Sen. Ben Allen, former Sen. Steven Bradford and California Working Families Party executive director Jane Kim. This week we bring you the answers provided to us by insurance agent Stacy Korsgaden."
These public documents are hidden from view. Two California lawmakers want to change that
CALMATTERS, RYAN SABALOW: "Two California lawmakers are trying to open up legislative documents that are technically public records, but difficult for even the most seasoned Capitol insiders to access.
The documents are letters registered lobbyists and advocacy groups send the Legislature to support or oppose bills. CalMatters has been seeking greater access to them for more than a year."
CALMATTERS, BYRHONDA LYONS: "It was a successful year for Angelique Friend. The entrepreneur was at the pinnacle of her profession in Ventura County. State records show she was overseeing $20 million of her clients’ assets and directing a sizable chunk of that money back into her own household.
As the 2022 holiday season approached, Friend celebrated in style and shared the snapshots on her company’s Facebook page."
Firefighters oppose single-staircase, multi-level dwellings
CAPITOL WEEKLY, CHRIS RAMIREZ: "Numerous fire departments expressed opposition to relaxing building codes in the Office of State Fire Marshal’s report, published Monday, that examines the safety of apartment buildings three or more stories tall. They argue that eliminating an exit way could pose a risk to both residents and first responders in the event of an emergency.
The findings of the report, published two months past its deadline, deliver a blow to lawmakers, who sought to reduce housing construction costs and maximize the number of units in future developments — when they’re next able to. Legislators and local lawmakers cannot revise building codes for the next five years, as part of a statewide effort to expedite housing development."
READ MORE -- California’s fire safety regulators are finally out with a ‘single stair’ report. They don’t love the idea -- CALMATTERS, BEN CHRISTOPHER
FBI scrutiny of Carvalho, LAUSD began with tip from N.Y. prosecutors examining fraud at AI firm
LAT, RICHARD WINTON/HOWARD BLUME: "The investigation that led to last week’s FBI raid at the home and office of schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho stemmed from a referral more than a year ago from New York prosecutors working a criminal fraud case involving a technology company with a Los Angeles Unified School District contract that went bust, according to sources familiar with the inquiry.
It was not until last week that the extent of the inquiry became public. The sources said grand jury subpoenas have been issued to individuals in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where Carvalho served as superintendent before coming to L.A. in 2022. The subpoenas seek records from the district’s inspector general and the former Foundation for New Education Initiatives, according to a source familiar with the case."
LAUSD is now accountable for high-dosage tutoring as settlement is approved
EDSOURCE, MALLIKA SESHADRI: "The Los Angeles Unified School District is officially on the hook for providing high-dosage tutoring to students after a judge approved a settlement reached last fall.
After being accused of denying students their right to equitable education during pandemic shutdowns, the district must now provide 100,000 students — more than a quarter of the district’s TK-12 students — with three years of high-dosage tutoring under a court-approved settlement, amounting to more than 10 million hours. District staff and outside vendors will provide students with a mix of virtual and in-person sessions."
Bay Area in for weather whiplash as dry winds wipe away humidity
CHRONICLE, ANTHONY EDWARDS: ""Humid, foggy and, at times, rainy weather that dominated the Bay Area for the past week is about to undergo a major change — but not before two more days of damp conditions.
Widespread fog is expected Tuesday morning, and it will be slow to clear along the coast, if it does at all. Inland areas should see some sun by late morning before a mainly clear afternoon.
California national park is seeing best flowers since 2016 superbloom
CHRONICLE, JACK LEE: "Death Valley National Park is experiencing its best wildflower bloom since the famed 2016 superbloom that brought carpets of color to the valley. Already the park is a riot of yellows and purples — and more is to come.
“Low-elevation flowers are blooming throughout the park and will likely persist until mid-late March, depending on the weather,” the park wrote on its website. “Higher elevations will have blooms April-June.”"
LAT, GRACE TOOHEY: "On top of devastating losses and rebuilding and insurance claim headaches, survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles County firestorms have faced an increasingly existential threat to their communities: large investment firms buying up burned lots, which many worry will forever change the fabric of their treasured neighborhoods.
Many worry that new corporate owners will rebuild in ways that will price out locals, especially in Altadena’s historically Black community, favor short-term rental properties instead of permanent residents and abandon the character that has long defined locally owned homes."