Flu is killing more people than COVID in California, health officials say. What’s going on?
CAMILA PEDROSA, SacBee: "More people are dying from the flu in California than from COVID-19, according to the California Department of Public Health. The state is experiencing an unusually high number of influenza cases during the 2024-2025 respiratory season, state health agency data show, leading to a worrying trend in flu-related deaths.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital in Sacramento has seen “five or 10 times more influenza (patients) than COVID (patients)” in 2025 alone, according to Dr. Dean Blumberg, the hospital’s chief of pediatric infectious diseases."
Trump administration backtracks on eliminating thousands of national parks employees
LAT, JACK DOLAN: "Following a loud public outcry about job cuts at the National Park Service — and a relentless media campaign from outdoors enthusiasts across the country — it looks like the Trump administration has reconsidered.
A plan to eliminate thousands of seasonal workers at the beloved federal agency appears to have been reversed."
READ MORE -- ‘I’m really scared for the future of wildlife’: How national park layoffs could impact Yosemite -- The Chronicle, KURTIS ALEXANDER
Real estate losses from fires top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23-million mansions
LAT, DOUG SMITH/SANDHYA KAMBHAMPATI: "Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being rebuilt, a Times analysis shows.
The analysis, comparing Cal Fire’s assessments of buildings destroyed and damaged with Los Angeles County Assessor parcel records, gives new perspective to the extent of the toll on the two communities. The fires destroyed structures on 56% of all the properties making up the Pacific Palisades. Nearly half of properties in Altadena were destroyed."
Protesters, elected officials take action to halt flow of toxic debris to local landfills
LAT, TONY BRISCOE: "Kelly Martino stood in front of the thundering hood of a Freightliner semi-truck hauling waste from the Palisades fire, determined to block it from entering the Calabasas Landfill.
Martino was among the several dozen people who protested at the site Monday, concerned that the ash, debris and soil being carted to the landfill might be potentially toxic."
More than half of California is ‘abnormally dry’ after rains. Which areas are hit hardest?
FERNANDA GALEN, SacBee: "Drought conditions in California improved after a series of atmospheric river-fueled rain storms swept through the state. However, more than half of the state was “abnormally dry” as of Thursday, Feb. 20, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
As of Thursday, areas of “moderate drought” could be found in Central California, including parts of Fresno, Kern, Madera and Merced counties, the Drought Monitor said, as well as San Bernardino County in Southern California."
Here’s how La Niña could impact California’s weather this spring
The Chronicle, JACK LEE: "The Climate Prediction Center’s latest outlooks for March and upcoming spring months call for wetter-than-average weather in the northernmost parts of California and drier-than-average conditions in the southeast. The pattern is consistent with what’s expected for La Niña, which typically brings drier-than-normal winters for the southern tier of the United States and wetter-than-normal conditions to the Pacific Northwest.
For much of California, forecasters declared equal chances for below-normal, near-normal or above-normal precipitation."
Capitol Briefs: Bills, budgets and Bigfoot
Capitol Weekly, STAFF: "Today is the bill introduction deadline in each legislative chamber, and even though each lawmaker has been limited to 35 bill intros this year – down from 50 last year – there will be plenty of measures for legislators to ponder the rest of this session. With that in mind, here is a (very) small sampling of bills introduced this week alone.
AB 794 – A bill authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) that would require the California State Water Board to adopt and enforce state-level regulations on so-called “forever chemicals,” also known as PFAS."
Federal prosecutor threatens California congressman for criticizing Elon Musk
The Chronicle, RACHEL SWAN: "A federal prosecutor and President Donald Trump ally who made it his mission to safeguard DOGE has escalated his scrutiny of officials who criticize the agency’s leader, Elon Musk, in a letter to a California congressman this week.
Edward Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., cited concerns about Rep. Robert Garcia’s opposition to Musk in a live television interview."
PBS and NPR on edge over FCC letter and Trump budget scrutiny
LAT, STEPHEN BATTAGLIO: "Forty years ago, the Reagan administration told PBS to find ways to increase funding for public television outside of taxpayer dollars.
It did."
FAFSA priority deadline is near: What UC, CSU applicants and students need to know
The Chronicle, JESSICA ROY: "Are you or your high school senior planning to attend a University of California or California State University school this fall? A major deadline is coming up.
The priority deadline to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for UC and CSU schools usually falls on March 2. Because that date is a Sunday this year, the deadline is the next day — March 3."
California has third-highest home prices per square foot in US. What can you get for $300K?
CAMILA PEDROSA, SacBee: "California has some of the highest home prices per square foot in the nation, according to GoBankingRates. The personal finance website published a list of “How Much House Does $300K, $400K and $500K Buy You in Every State” on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
The site ranked all 50 states in the United States on a housing cost-of-living index, which is based on the number of square feet you can purchase at the three different six-figure price points."
California’s controversial new fuel rules rejected by state legal office
ALEJANDRO LAZO, CalMatters: "In a surprising twist, California’s controversial new fuel standard — a key part of its effort to replace fossil fuels — has been rejected by the state agency that reviews the legality of state regulations.
The fuel standard enacted by the Air Resources Board last year was the subject of a rancorous debate, largely because it will potentially increase the price of gasoline and diesel fuels by an unknown amount."
This California law was supposed to end single-family zoning. Three years later, it’s ‘just symbolic’
The Chronicle, CHRISTIAN LEONARD: "When it went into effect in 2022, Senate Bill 9 was hailed as one of the biggest — and most controversial — housing laws in years. Observers called it the end of single-family zoning in California, with the law essentially legalizing duplexes in large swaths of the state’s suburbs. Combined with its lot split provision, SB 9 let homeowners turn one home into as many as four.
But three years later, California’s suburbs largely look the same as they did before SB 9 — prompting legislators, including state Sen. Scott Wiener, to take a swing at tweaking it."
California regulators suggest ending rooftop solar subsidies for homeowners
The Chronicle, JULIE JOHNSON: "Rooftop solar is facing another test in California.
Two years after the state slashed incentives for households with rooftop solar panels, regulators are recommending the state end solar subsidies paid for through utility bills."
No new ADUs here: When California law and homeowner association rules collide
BEN CHRISTOPHER, CalMatters: "Adam Hardesty insists he wanted to do everything by the book. Before moving forward with his plans to convert the garage of his three-story condo into a ground-floor apartment, he canvassed local architects and engineers to make sure a kitchenette, a bedroom and a bathroom could all be packed safely and legally into just 373 square feet.
He pored over local zoning maps, checked with the city of Carlsbad and got himself a building permit."
Two major California home insurers to raise rates later this year, affecting 666,000 customers
The Chronicle, MEGAN FAN MUNCE: "Regulators have given two major insurers the OK to begin raising rates for 660,000 customers starting later this year.
Mercury General, the fifth largest home insurer in the state, will begin raising rates in late March for its 579,300 homeowners, condo owners and dwelling rental policyholders by an average of 12% for homeowners (less for condo and rentals), filings with the California Department of Insurance show. And those who get their homeowners insurance through Safeco, a subsidiary of fourth-largest insurer Liberty Mutual, will see rates rise by an average of 7.2% in May. About 86,700 customers are affected."
S.F. is cracking down on chaotic streets. But are the problems getting pushed into one neighborhood?
The Chronicle, MAGGIE ANGST/JD MORRIS: "The scene at San Francisco’s gritty 16th and Mission streets evolved on a recent Friday from relative calm to undeniable chaos.
In what’s become a predictable pattern, the BART plaza at the intersection was sparsely populated around 2 p.m. as a trio of police officers stood guard because of a city moratorium meant to prevent people from selling stolen goods."
