The West’s ‘Climate Mayors’ call for federal help as Colorado River flows decline
LAT, IAN JAMES: "A group of mayors representing cities across the West is calling for the federal government and state leaders to rally around efforts to help the region address water scarcity as climate change takes a toll on the Colorado River and other vital water sources.
The bipartisan group Climate Mayors outlined a series of proposals for the Trump administration and state governments in a document released this week, saying federal and state involvement and financial support will be essential as cities seek to advance solutions including new infrastructure and water-saving initiatives."
Can Gavin Newsom regain control of Guard? Appeals court hears arguments
SacBee, SHARON BERNSTEIN: "Lawyers for California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday attempted to re-gain the upper hand in their legal fight with the Trump administration over the president’s decision to deploy the state’s National Guard in response to protests in Los Angeles over the objections of the governor.
The two sides faced off before a three-judge federal appeals panel in San Francisco, Newsom arguing that Trump’s move amounted to a “terrifying” assault on democracy, while the president’s lawyers said Trump had the authority to take control of the guard under federal law."
California Republicans hate government ‘overreach.’ Most are quiet on Trump’s military in LA
CALMatters, YUE STELLA YU: "When is it OK for a president to use military forces on civilians in a state over the objections of their governor?
When that governor is Gavin Newsom, California Republican leaders say."
What we know so far about how Trump’s deportation effort is unfolding in the Bay Area
The Chronicle, SARAH RAVANI/MEGAN CASSIDY: "As of last month, Carolina’s quest for asylum from violence in her indigenous Guatemalan community seemed to be on track. The mother of two, who only speaks her native K’iche’ language, had recently completed a check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and was living with her family in Contra Costa County.
Then she received a surprise message on her ICE smartphone app."
Can undocumented immigrants vote? Fact-checking Trump’s false accusations of voting fraud in L.A.
LAT, KAREN GARCIA: "After nearly a week of protests in Los Angeles against recent federal immigration enforcement sweeps in the city, President Trump doubled down on his administration’s efforts to detain and deport immigrants without documentation, claiming they are a key voting bloc in Democratic cities.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Los Angeles and “other such cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use illegal aliens to expand their voter base, cheat in elections, and grow the welfare state, robbing good paying jobs and benefits from hardworking American citizens.”"
California’s 2025 wildfire season was already going to be dangerous. Trump has made it worse
LAT, HAYLEY SMITH: "As California continues to reel from the historic firestorm that decimated portions of Los Angeles in January, the state is now facing the prospect of an exceptionally active wildfire season fueled by hot, dry conditions. It may not be ready: Experts say sweeping changes at federal agencies that play key roles in California’s wildfire preparation and response could make a challenging season even worse.
The latest forecast from the National Interagency Fire Center calls for above-normal fire activity across much of California and the Northwest through September. The government outlook warns of “significant fire potential” in Northern California, the Sierra Nevada and several of the state’s coastal areas due largely to a pronounced warm and dry trend."
Ensuring AI is democratic by design (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly, CHRIS LEHANE: "The story of the Digital Age is one of rapid innovation, with people quickly adopting new tools while institutions meant to ensure everyone shares in the benefits often lag behind.
AI continues to advance at astonishing speed. More than 500 million people around the world—including 80,000 developers representing the next wave of business being built here in California—already use ChatGPT to learn, discover and innovate in ways once thought impossible."
Supreme Court upholds red-state laws that ban hormones for transgender teens
LAT, DAVID SAVAGE: 'The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that states may ban hormone treatments for transgender teens, rejecting the claim that such gender-based discrimination is unconstitutional.
In a 6-3 decision, the justices said states are generally free to decide on proper standards of medical care, particularly when health experts are divided."
California prison union strikes $600 million contract with Newsom that includes furloughs
CALMatters, NIGEL DUARA: "The union representing 25,000 California prison guards struck a deal for a new contract that gives Gov. Gavin Newsom some financial relief in the short term but includes a mix of bonuses and raises that would kick in over the next three years.
Newsom in May signaled that he’d be asking state worker unions to delay raises when he announced a budget proposal to close a $12 billion deficit. He was seeking $767 million in savings from public employee unions."
How state workers convinced one department to reverse return-to-office order
Sac Bee, WILLIAM MELHADO: "In the immediate aftermath of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement that public employees would be back in office four days a week in July, many of the elected officials who have independent control over their agencies, like the Attorney General’s Office or the State Controller’s Office, held off on making abrupt changes to their telework policies.
But State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, one of eight constitutional officers, was quick to jump into alignment with the governor in March. Thurmond said California educators were back to teaching in-person since the beginning of the pandemic and Department of Education’s 1,400 employees, many of whom work hybrid schedules, should also be coming into offices four days a week."
S.F. union members arrested after halting City Hall meeting with rowdy protest
The Chronicle, ALDO TOLEDO: "Police handcuffed and removed 11 union workers disrupting a San Francisco City Hall meeting Tuesday in a protest against Mayor Daniel Lurie’s proposed budget, which they said unfairly targets workers and critical services, organizers told the Chronicle.
About 100 demonstrators chanted loudly, forcing the Board of Supervisors to go on recess about 30 minutes into its 2 p.m. regular meeting. Protesters continued for nearly two hours before police warned them to leave and then started detaining some demonstrators. The board resumed its meeting around 4 p.m."
West Nile virus is back in California. How to keep mosquitoes from invading your home
SacBee, VERPONICA GFERNANDEZ-ALVARADO: "Mosquitoes are buzzing again — and some are carrying West Nile virus.
Local health agencies have already found virus-positive mosquitoes in Sacramento, Kern, Tulare, and Santa Clara counties, according to the California West Nile Virus program. No human cases have been reported yet this year, but health officials say now is the time to act."
A California county may lose its only hospital. How a dispute over roads is endangering it
CALMatters, ANA B. IBARRA: "A debate over roads may cost Glenn County its only emergency room.
Glenn Medical Center, a 25-bed hospital in the rural agricultural town of Willows, north of Sacramento, is about to lose its “critical access” title. Without it, administrators say the hospital couldn’t afford to stay open because it would lose its increased Medicare reimbursements and regulatory flexibilities."
Crews stop forward progress on Bonanza Fire near Shingle Springs after evacuations
SacBee, ROSALIO AHUMADA: "A fast-moving wildfire that erupted Tuesday afternoon in El Dorado County prompted evacuations southeast of Shingle Springs and knocked out power to nearly 2,000 customers before crews stopped its forward progress.
The Bonanza Fire burned about 181 acres, Cal Fire’s Amador-El Dorado Unit said in a 9 p.m. update. Containment reached 10% after firefighters deployed air tankers and ground crews to hold the line near Bonanza Auto Road and Hollandview Drive."
As California cuts funding, can churches support Sacramento’s homeless?
Sac Bee, JACK RODRIQUEZ-VARS: "Standing in the middle of 11th Street with a reflective neon-green vest, Marilynn Fairgood looked more like a crossing guard than a church volunteer. Fairgood runs the Brown Bag Lunch program at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, which distributes free sack lunches to Sacramento’s homeless population four days a week. Earlier this month, she scanned the line, which extended down and beyond K Street, to ensur
Muni is cutting service on five S.F. bus lines. Here’s when the changes go live
The Chronicle, RACHEL SWAN: "Beginning Saturday, transportation officials in San Francisco will cut service along five bus lines, consolidating two of them and ending the other three routes at Market Street.
Once the changes take effect, the 6-Haight-Parnassus and 21-Hayes buses will combine to form the 6-Hayes-Parnassus. Buses on this new route will loop back at the Market and Hyde Street stop near Civic Center. On weekdays, the 5-Fulton and 9-San Bruno will also turn around at Market, an adjustment Muni made because each of them have parallel lines that are largely redundant."
