ABC drops ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ indefinitely over host’s Charlie Kirk remarks
LAT, STEPHEN BATTAGLIO: "Walt Disney Co.-owned broadcaster ABC said it is pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely following sharp backlash over the host’s remarks about slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The move comes after station owner Nexstar Media Group said it would yank the show from its ABC affiliate stations as a result of the comments."
Newsom blasts ‘spineless’ ABC for pulling Jimmy Kimmel over Charlie Kirk remarks
Chronicle, AIDIN VAZIRI: "Disney said it will pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely” after Nexstar Media, one of the nation’s largest media companies, announced it would stop airing the late-night program. The decision followed Kimmel’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and drew swift criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and other political leaders.
Nexstar, which owns or partners with dozens of ABC affiliates, said Wednesday, Sept. 17, that its stations would preempt the show “for the foreseeable future, beginning with tonight’s broadcast.”"
Did Adam Schiff leak classified material in an effort to hurt Trump? He says no
Sac Bee, DAVID LIGHTMAN: ""House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan kept the war between Sen. Adam Schiff and FBI Director Kash Patel going strong Wednesday, bringing up a long-simmering allegation that Schiff leaked classified information that could hurt President Donald Trump.
Schiff emphatically denied the claim."
California Republicans hated independent redistricting commissions — until Prop 50
Chronicle, SOPHIA BOLLAG: "In July, as California lawmakers mulled a bill to make Merced County adopt an independent redistricting commission to draw the lines for its county supervisor districts, one Republican spoke up.
“If they think gerrymandering is going away with independent redistricting committees, that’s not happening,” Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, said during a hearing on the bill. “I don’t support any of these anymore,” he added, referring to bills to require independent commissions."
‘These are not normal times’: Why Alex Padilla changed his tune on nonpartisan redistricting
CALMatters, JIM NEWTON: "As a United States senator, Alex Padilla does not have much personally at stake in the congressional redistricting skirmish now sweeping through Texas, California and potentially other parts of the union. He represents a whole state, the nation’s most populous, so district boundaries do not affect his electorate.
But Padilla, a quietly influential member of his party and of the Senate, is invested in the struggle for power and advantage underway in Washington. He is a committed critic of President Donald Trump. Padilla’s attempts to stand up for the immigrants who undergird the life and culture of California crested in a memorable confrontation earlier this year when he showed up at a news conference hosted by Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem, only to be wrestled to the ground by federal officers."
These rural Californians want to secede. Newsom’s maps would pair them with Bay Area liberals
CALMatters, JEANNE KUANG: "Over several rivers and through even more woods, flags advocating secession from California flutter above hills dotted with cattle, which outnumber people at least sixfold.
This ranching region with a libertarian streak might have more in common with Texas than the San Francisco Bay Area."
AB 268: A new reason to celebrate?
Capitol Weekly, ACSAH LEMMA: "Gov. Gavin Newsom will soon get to decide if a new state holiday will be coming to California.
Assembly Bill 268, authored by Assemblymembers Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) and Darshana Patel (D-San Diego County), would add Diwali, a holiday celebrated by Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains to the roster of California holiday celebrations that includes the likes of Cesar Chavez Day and Native American Day."
GOP threatens clamp down on social media after Charlie Kirk suspect allegedly confessed on Discord
LAT, JENNY JARVIE/SALVADOR HERNANDEZ/RICHARD WINTON: "Just before Tyler Robinson turned himself in for the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, authorities say he appeared to leave a trail of incriminating messages on the online gaming platform Discord.
At first, his messages were playful. When a friend on a group chat noticed his likeness to the skinny white man in the grainy photos released by the FBI of the Utah Valley University shooting suspect — asking Robinson “wya,” an abbreviation of “where you at?” — Robinson was quick to joke: “My doppelganger is trying to get me in trouble.”"
Trump administration moves to make U.S. citizenship harder with revised civics test
LAT, KEVIN RECTOR: "The Trump administration moved again Wednesday to make it harder to gain U.S. citizenship, announcing a slate of changes to the core civics test that immigrants must pass to be naturalized.
The changes would expand the number of questions immigrants need to be prepared to answer, and increase the number of questions they must answer correctly in order to pass."
Trump administration increasingly places immigrants in solitary confinement, report finds
LAT, ANDREA CASTILLO: "Use of solitary confinement in immigration detention is soaring under the Trump administration, according to a report published Wednesday by Physicians for Human Rights using federal data and records obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed at least 10,588 people in solitary confinement from April 2024 to May 2025, the report found. Contributors also included experts from Harvard University’s Peeler Immigration Lab and Harvard Law School."
From policy to practice: California’s next step in the opioid fight
Capitol Weekly, TERRY MARTIN: "California has made national headlines for its leadership in confronting the opioid crisis. Governor Gavin Newsom has been clear about the state’s commitment: “We have an all-hands-on-deck strategy focused on preventing tragedy, connecting people with treatment, and prioritizing harm reduction strategies.” These words reflect the kind of comprehensive, evidence-based approach that has the potential to save thousands of lives.
Yet on the ground, Medi-Cal’s practices tell a different story—one that threatens to undermine the very progress California has pledged to lead."
California releases its own vaccine recommendations as RFK shifts federal policy
CALMatters, ANA B. IBARRA/KRISTEN HWANG: "In anticipation of restrictive federal immunization rules, state health officials issued their own vaccination guidelines on Wednesday, recommending that all Californians 6 months and older who want protection from the COVID-19 virus get this season’s updated vaccine.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials released the recommendations as part of the state’s newly formed health alliance with Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. Leading medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, informed the recommendations, according to the state’s announcement. Simultaneously, Newsom signed Assembly Bill 144, which among several things, requires insurance plans to cover the vaccines the state endorses."
Newsom to decide on health care proposals targeting insulin prices, privacy rights and more
CALMatters, KRISTEN HWANG/ANA B. IBARRA: "Several health care bills are now on the governor’s desk, aiming to improve access for Californians who can’t afford prescription drugs, shorten delays to medical decisions, and address threats to personal privacy.
This year, California lawmakers backed at least half a dozen bills that would change how consumers access drugs and health care – and set new protections for their medical privacy. Opponents of some of these efforts say more regulations will only make health care more expensive, while advocates say consumers need protection from the federal government and from powerful industry lobbies that drive up costs."
Can this proposed S.F. homeless shelter help fentanyl users stay in treatment?
Chronicle, MAGGIE ANGST: "San Francisco is looking to relocate a tiny cabin village for homeless people and test out a new program model to keep those addicted to fentanyl in treatment.
San Francisco’s homelessness department submitted a permit application last week to relocate a recently shuttered, 60-unit tiny cabin site near the Mission’s 16th Street BART Station to 428 11th St. in the South of Market neighborhood. At the new location, officials are considering piloting a new recovery-based housing model that would give those struggling with opioid addiction a shelter bed if they agree to initiate a long-lasting, injectable form of medication-assisted treatment, according to Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who represents SoMa."
State lawmakers seek $23 billion in science bonds to counter Trump cuts
EdSource, MICHAEL BURKE: "To counter President Donald Trump’s cuts to scientific research at California universities, state lawmakers are proposing a $23 billion bond issue to fund such work at campus labs, hospitals and industry.
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Assemblymember José Luis Solache Jr., D-Lynwood, have introduced Senate Bill 607. If approved by lawmakers, it would place a measure on the November 2026 ballot to create the California Foundation for Science and Health Research and fund it with $23 billion in bonds. If approved by state voters, the foundation would award grants and loans to public and private universities as well as research companies and health care organizations to help with advances in cancer treatment and climate science, among many other topics."
Which California colleges are the best investment? Here’s how they compare to other schools
Chronicle, HANNAH ZAKHARENKO/NAMI SUMIDA: "When it comes to affordability and long-term payoff, California’s public universities are some of the best in the country.
According to a 2025 analysis by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, attending a University of California or California State University campus yields a higher return on investment than the typical public university in the rest of the country. After 10 years, the study found that a graduate of the typical UC or CSU school will see an ROI of $247,000, while it is only $178,000 in the rest of the country."
Ethnic studies was supposed to start in California schools. What happened?
CALMatters, CAROLYN JONES: "This fall, every high school in California was supposed to offer ethnic studies — a one-semester class focused on the struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities.
But the class appears stalled, at least for now, after the state budget omitted funding for it and the increasingly polarized political climate dampened some districts’ appetite for anything that hints at controversy."
Flood watches issued across California as tropical-like weather arrives
Chronicle, GREG PORTER/ANTHONY EDWARDS: "Tropical moisture surging up the California coastline Wednesday afternoon is bringing rain to San Diego, isolated thunderstorms to the Central Coast and enhanced cloud cover in the Bay Area. It’s the beginning of what is anticipated to be an active 48 hours of weather across the state.
There is growing confidence that parts of California will get hit by heavy rain and thunderstorms Wednesday night through Friday evening, prompting the National Weather Service to issue flood watches."
California isn’t backing down on offshore wind power despite Trump cancellation
LAT, HAYLEY SMITH: "California’s ambitious plan to generate clean electricity from offshore wind suffered a considerable blow recently when the Trump administration canceled nearly half a billion dollars in federal funding for the state’s largest project. But industry insiders, experts and officials told The Times they aren’t slowing the pursuit of this up-and-coming technology.
The Golden State last year approved a landmark plan for developing 25 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2045. Five ocean leases have already been granted to energy companies off the coast of Humboldt and Morro Bay, with the potential to produce up to 10 gigawatts of electricity."
Edison details how much it plans to pay Eaton fire victims
LAT, MELODY PETERSEN: "Southern California Edison hasn’t accepted responsibility for igniting the Eaton fire, but it is now offering each victim who lost their home hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a draft of its planned compensation program.
The owner of a 1,500-square-foot home destroyed in the wildfire, given as an example in the company’s draft, would receive $900,000 to rebuild. In addition, the utility is offering that owner an additional $200,000 for agreeing to settle their claim directly with Edison."
California’s power grid faces potential reliability challenges (OP-ED)
Capitol Weekly, ALEC KHAJAG SARKISSIAN: "The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2025 Resource Adequacy Report is a critical moment of reflection for California’s electric grid. As our state leads the nation in clean energy adoption and grapples with rising electricity demand, the report discusses issues that Californians cannot afford to ignore. While California’s progress toward a cleaner and more resilient grid is real, the report signals that without sustained investment in reliable power sources, we could face serious reliability challenges by 2030.
California has made impressive strides in recent years. Thanks to aggressive investments in solar, wind, and battery storage, along with smart grid management, the state’s grid is stronger and better prepared to handle extreme weather than ever before. The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) recently reported no Flex Alerts during 2024’s extreme heat, signaling progress in balancing supply and demand. The extension of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant and new emergency reserves have further stabilized reliability while renewable projects and storage come online."
Wolf attacks on California cattle more than double despite state ‘strike team’
Sac Bee, SHARON BERNSTEIN: ""In the three months since California stationed game wardens and scientists to round-the-clock shifts to help ranchers stave off wolf attacks on cattle, the number of bloody incidents in the state’s Sierra Valley rangeland has more than doubled, data obtained by The Sacramento Bee shows.
The ongoing predation, sometimes killing several calves in a single night, is costing ranchers tens of thousands of dollars and leading to so much stress and discomfort that local officials recently held a training session on how to help residents deal with trauma from repeated wildlife attacks."
This waterfront park was a landfill. Now it’s one of the most unique hikes in the Bay Area
Chronicle, PETER HARTLAUB: "I’m about 100 yards into my first stroll into the Albany Bulb, and I already feel like I’m in a Terry Gilliam movie.
A tiny amphitheater made of multicolored stones appears, just big enough to seat a kindergarten class. Yards away, an enormous driftwood bench makes me feel like I’ve shrunk to hobbit-size. Small notes of motivation, inspiration and revolution are clothspinned to a birdcage-sized metal sculpture hanging from a tree. “To Do 2025: Resist Fascism,” one reads."
Deputy files lawsuit against Sacramento County Sheriff for discrimination
Sac Bee, EMMA HALL: "A Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office deputy has alleged he faced discrimination for his disability and was forced to either retire or resign, according to a civil lawsuit filed in Sacramento County Superior Court.
The lawsuit, filed by Deputy Johnny Her last month, alleges he faced retaliation and abuse from his supervisors. A history of email exchanges between Her and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office staff is included in the complaint."
