Biden delivers solemn call to defend democracy as he lays out his reasons for quitting race
AP's ZEKE MILLER, SEUNG MIN KIM, WILL WEISSERT: "President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Insisting that “the defense of democracy is more important than any title,” Biden used his first public address since his announcement Sunday that he was stepping aside to deliver an implicit repudiation of former President Donald Trump. He did not directly call out Trump, whom he has called an existential threat to democracy. The 10-minute address also gave Biden a chance to try to shape how history will remember his one and only term in office."
‘Prosecuting’ Donald Trump: How Kamala Harris’ DA background shapes her campaign style
Sacramento Bee's NICOLE NIXON, DAVID LIGHTMAN: "The presidential election features a tough prosecutor versus an unrepentant felon.
Vice President Kamala Harris, a former district attorney and attorney general, will know how to dig in and raise serious, pointed, tough questions about former President Donald Trump’s 34 felony convictions."
Column: Kamala Harris is still the underdog against Trump. These three things could change that
LAT's DAVID LAUTER: "Almost everything has gone right for Vice President Kamala Harris in the initial days of her sudden presidential campaign — rapid consolidation of support from party officials, a massive surge in financial contributions and a burst of enthusiasm among party activists that has swept aside the despair that had enveloped many Democrats.
Yet Harris remains the underdog in the race against former President Trump, at least in terms of winning the states needed for an electoral college majority."
Better know a flack: the Capitol’s best and worst press reps
Capitol Weekly's RICH EHISEN: "Reporters and government press representatives are sometimes like lions and hyenas – major parts of the same ecosystem, but neither is very fond of the other.
That said, not every dealing between us and them (whichever camp you are in) has to be an exercise in misery."
CA120: Pour one out for the pollsters
Capitol Weekly's PAUL MITCHELL: "Over the past three weeks the presidential election has been in more chaos than ever in my lifetime. We had what was objectively the worst presidential debate performance in US history, followed by a presidential assassination attempt, then a Republican convention and naming of the Republican Vice Presidential candidate, followed by the Democratic presumptive nominee, and sitting president, dropping out.
More than once I’ve heard my pollster clients exclaim, “well, I guess we have to go back out into the field” as the ground seemed to shift under their feet."
Fast-moving Park fire explodes in Butte County, forcing overnight evacuations
LAT's JOSEPH SERNA: "A wind-driven fire in Butte County exploded overnight, triggering evacuations as it ballooned to more than 45,000 acres.
The Park fire started about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday north of Chico in Bidwell Park and grew exponentially over the next few hours as it raced north parallel to Highway 99 and into Tehama County."
READ MORE -- Park Fire near Chico explodes to more than 45,000 acres, becoming largest in California this year -- The Chronicle's JORDAN PARKER, ANTHONY EDWARDS
California wildfires close more than 100 miles of Pacific Crest Trail
The Chronicle's GREGORY THOMAS: "The smattering of wildfires burning along the West Coast have shut down approximately 250 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, wreaking havoc on the plans of thousands of thru-hikers trekking the famous footpath this season.
As of Wednesday, more than 10 fires were burning on or near the famous 2,650-mile hiking route, which traces mountain ranges through California, Oregon and Washington. Those include several conflagrations in California, thought to be inflamed by heat waves rolling through the state this month, that have caused about 110 miles of the trail to close."
Which Silicon Valley power players are jumping in to back Kamala Harris — and which are holding off
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "Some deep-pocketed Silicon Valley donors who were ditching President Joe Biden’s campaign are coming into the fold now that Vice President Kamala Harris is likely to lead the Democratic ticket.
“A lot has changed in 48 hours. There’s a real momentum shift in Silicon Valley,” Aaron Levie, CEO of Palo Alto-based Box and a Democratic donor, posted on X Tuesday. “It’s worth being cautiously optimistic, but Harris has a clear opening to drive a more pro business, pro tech, and less chaotic platform that works for the 21st century than the alternative path.”"
Pelosi endorses democratic socialist Dean Preston in S.F. supervisor race
The Chronicle's ALDO TOLEDO, J.D. MORRIS: "Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday she is endorsing Supervisor Dean Preston in his re-election campaign, a valuable boost ahead of the November election.
Preston, the sole democratic socialist on the Board of Supervisors and a longtime foe of moderates and Mayor London Breed, is running against two moderate candidates to represent the Haight, Alamo Square and Tenderloin neighborhoods. The Tenderloin has been ground zero for the city’s crackdown on the open-air drug use and drug dealing, often pitting Preston against Breed."
S.F. Democratic Party gives sole endorsement to Mayor London Breed in mayoral race
The Chronicle's ALDO TOLEDO: "The San Francisco Democratic Party on Wednesday gave its sole endorsement to Mayor London Breed in the city’s hotly contested mayoral race, and backed moderate candidates for six open Board of Supervisors seats.
During a meeting announcing long-awaited candidate endorsements in the mayoral and Board of Supervisors races on Wednesday, 21 members of the body chose to endorse Breed for the November race against four other major candidates, including Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safaí, former mayor and supervisor Mark Farrell and Levi’s heir and nonprofit founder Daniel Lurie."
How California teen Chloe Cole emerged as a leader of the ‘detransition’ movement — and a right-wing icon
LAT's MACKENZIE MAYS: "Wearing pigtails, a pleated skirt and a furry heart-shaped purse, Chloe Cole bounced up the steps of the California Capitol this spring, leaned into a microphone and insisted that transgender children don’t exist.
For the dainty 19-year-old, to erase transgender children is to erase a part of her past."
California indoor heat rule put on fast track
CALMatters's LYNN LA: "After years of delay, a new California regulation to protect indoor workers from extreme heat is now in effect.
A workplace safety board approved the rule in late June, and asked other state administrative agencies to fast-track putting it on the books. The rule went into effect Tuesday as another wave of triple-digit days sweeps through parts of the state. Worker advocates had been concerned that without the sped-up process, the rule wouldn’t be official until October."
Huge California dam removal project ahead of schedule — with historic return of wildlife to follow
The Chronicle's KURTIS ALEXANDER: "The nation’s largest dam-removal project is moving along faster than planned, with the demolition work on the Klamath River, near the California-Oregon border, due to wrap up as soon as next month – and salmon expected to make their long-awaited return soon after.
Following months of blasting and drilling, three large hydroelectric dams slated for dismantling this year are close to being cleared out of the river channel while a smaller fourth dam was taken out last fall."
Premiums for Covered California insurance will go up in 2025. Here’s how much
CALMatters's ANA B. IBARRA: "Premiums for health insurance sold through the state’s marketplace will increase by nearly 8% in 2025, Covered California officials announced Wednesday.
That’s a smaller increase than this year’s 10% hike, which was the biggest jump in Covered California insurance costs since 2018."
California map shows where insurance nonrenewals for homes are the worst
The Chronicle's MEGAN FAN MUNCE, SRIHARSHA DEVULAPALLI: "The tales of California homeowners losing their insurance are ubiquitous, stretching from rural Mariposa County to the middle of San Francisco. But which areas are facing the worst of California’s insurance crisis?
The answer is: predominantly regions where densely packed forests or open grasslands put residents at high risk of losing their homes to destructive wildfires."
Cooldown to bring Northern California much-needed relief from historic July heat
The Chronicle's ANTHONY EDWARDS: "Cooler weather is on the horizon for much of the Bay Area, marking an end to a marathon heat wave.
A mammoth high-pressure system over the West will begin to weaken Thursday, resulting in a 5- to 10-degree cooldown for much of the Bay Area. On Friday, a push of marine air will rush through the Golden Gate and the delta. Another 10- to 15-degree temperature drop will follow as a cool breeze hits the Tri-Valley that will also travel to the Santa Clara and Sacramento valleys in the afternoon."
Mastering Medicare, part 1: What you need to know before enrollment, from A to D and more
Sacramento Bee's ALLISON PALMER: "Navigating the world of Medicare can be complex to say the least, but understanding the main differences among Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D is essential for making informed decisions about your health care coverage.
We spoke with Alex Uhm, VP, general manager of Medicare at Blue Shield of California, to break down the basics and get valuable insights into the enrollment process including important dates, common misconceptions and recent changes."
One of California’s largest wine companies has filed for bankruptcy
The Chronicle's JESS LANDER: "Vintage Wine Estates, one of America’s largest wine conglomerates, has filed for bankruptcy.
The Santa Rosa company, which went public in 2020 and has shown signs of distress for many months, also announced its intention to voluntarily delist from the stock market. After debuting at $9.68, Vintage’s bid price fell below $1 last year and has remained under 20 cents since the beginning of June."
California and Hawaii lead charge against deep-sea mining of critical metals
LAT's SUSANNE RUST: "As the global energy transition stokes demand for critical minerals, the International Seabed Authority has been meeting in Jamaica to debate the future of deep-sea mining, and whether the industry can begin scraping the ocean’s floor for battery metals.
The discussions come amid heavy criticism from from environmental groups, who say the risk of damaging sea life is too great."
He saw his daughter fall from Half Dome. He says safety changes could prevent more tragedies
LAT's HANNAH FRY: "Grace Rohloff was an athlete who had traversed precariously narrow trails leading up to Angels Landing in Zion National Park, hiked the Grand Canyon and trekked across mountains in Sedona. Her dad, Jonathan Rohloff, was often by her side.
Half Dome in Yosemite National Park had been a bucket list hike for the pair."
At what age is it OK to leave a child alone in California? Here’s what the law says
Sacramento Bee's JACQUELINE PINEDO, SARAH LINN: "Finding day care for your child can be expensive and difficult, especially in California.
You might be wondering if your kid can stay home alone in the Golden State."
When California housing regulators beef with voters, who wins?
CALMatters's BEN CHRISTOPHER: "In November, voters in Eureka will decide whether to scrap a housing development plan that was approved by California housing regulators in 2020 — and, in the process, risk thumbing their noses at Sacramento.
City planners in the Humboldt County town have spent years figuring out how to lay the ground for nearly 1,000 new units by the end of the decade, a quota they’ve been assigned by California’s Housing and Community Development Department. A key pillar of the city’s plan is to convert a dozen of the city’s public parking lots into affordable housing projects."
Ballot battles, lawsuits and a ticked off millionaire: What’s behind Eureka’s parking lot war?
CALMatters's BEN CHRISTOPHER: "Long before irate local business owners began descending on public meetings, before opponents filed four environmental lawsuits warning of snarled traffic and rampant crime, and before a local finance tycoon with a penchant for political controversy decided to fund a ballot measure campaign that would upend everything, city officials in Eureka thought their proposal was a real no-brainer: Turn some city-owned parking lots into affordable housing.
Hugging Humboldt County’s Lost Coast some 280 miles north of San Francisco and 150 miles west of Redding, Eureka is strapped for places to live. The county has more homeless people per capita than anywhere else in the state, with a disproportionate share living on the street — a problem that’s especially conspicuous in downtown Eureka. Like every California city and county, Eureka is also on the hook under state law to scrounge up space for new housing. The downtown economy could use a little goosing too."
End of an era: Southwest Airlines will end open seating, introduce red-eye flights
LAT's JENNY JARVIE: "For the first time since it was founded more than half a century ago, Southwest Airlines will assign seats — a shift that will allow the low-fare, no-frills company to meet evolving customer preferences and charge more money for premium seats.
The Dallas-based airline will also start to offer overnight, red-eye flights, starting on Valentine’s Day 2025, in five markets including Los Angeles, Baltimore and Nashville."
