Capitol Basement

Post-redistricting clamber

2026-03-09T09:57:10Z

Candidates scramble, one quits, after redistricting shakes up California’s congressional races

LAT, NICOLE NIXON: "Two years after Huntington Beach residents voted to effectively ban Pride flags from being displayed on city property, the conservative coastal city could be represented by a gay member of Congress and outspoken critic of President Trump — Rep. Robert Garcia.

That twist of fate came after last year’s unprecedented mid-decade rejiggering of California’s congressional districts."

Khamenei’s son is selected as Iran’s supreme leader; 7th U.S. service member killed

LAT, ANA EBALLOS/KEVIN RECTOR: "The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran entered its ninth day Sunday with no clear path toward de-escalation, as the U.S. announced a seventh American service member had been killed and Iranian state TV reported the selection of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son as his successor.

Meanwhile, the price of oil surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time in 3½ years."

READ MORE -- Crude oil prices surpass $100 a barrel as the Iran war impedes production and shipping -- LAT, ALEX VEIGA/ELAINE KURTENBACH; ‘What is the mission?’ With Iran, California military families fear another ‘forever war’ -- LAT, ALE WIGGLESWORTH/HAILEY BRANSON-POTTS/HANNAH FRY

The field is set: Meet the candidates officially running for California governor

CALMATTERS, YUE STELLA YU: "It’s official: Eight Democrats and two Republicans say they have filed paperwork for the June 2 primary ballot in the California governor’s race, setting up a wide-open contest in which two Republicans who have consistently led in polls could shut out all other Democrats.

Here are the 10 candidates:"

GOP Rep. Darrell Issa to retire rather than run in redrawn San Diego district

CALMATTERS, NADIA LATHAN: "Longtime Republican Rep. Darrell Issa will not seek reelection, he announced Friday.

His decision comes four months after his San Diego-area congressional district was redrawn to favor Democrats, and shortly after San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican, filed papers to run in the same district."

Newsom’s fight with Trump and RFK Jr. on public health

LAT, ANGELA HART: "California Gov. Gavin Newsom has positioned himself as a national public health leader by staking out science-backed policies in contrast with the Trump administration.

After Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez for refusing what her lawyers called “the dangerous politicization of science,” Newsom hired her to help modernize California’s public health system. He also gave a job to Debra Houry, the agency’s former chief science and medical officer, who had resigned in protest hours after Monarez’s firing."

Special Episode: Housing – Innovations and New Ideas (PODCAST)

CAPITOL WEEKLY, STAFF: "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."

It was John Wayne’s political club. Now it’s spending millions on online influence

CALMATTERS, COLIN LECHER: "A conservative organization with decades of influence in California has quietly turned attention, and millions of dollars, to a national initiative of right-leaning news operations, records show.

The Lincoln Club was established in the early 1960s by a group of California business leaders. Since then, it’s been a quiet but formidable force in state and local politics, pushing right-leaning causes and candidates."

California governor pushes for permanent state funding of community schools

EDSOURCE, LASHERICA THORNTON: "In late February, students at Coarsegold Elementary School in Madera County roamed around a classroom that’s like no other on campus.

One student jumped on a mini-trampoline, releasing pent-up energy. Others settled into a rocking chair or on beanbags to read books. Another wore headphones as she constructed blocks."

California lawsuit asks judge to halt billions for school repairs until state commits to grant it equitably

EDSOURCE, JOHN FENSTERWALD: "Attorneys for parents and students in school districts with unsafe, unhealthy and inadequate facilities that say they can’t afford to fix asked the Alameda County Superior Court on Friday to freeze $3 billion in state funding for building repairs until the court has ruled on their lawsuit challenging the state’s funding system.

The motion for an injunction argues that the state’s funding formula “shortchanges” property-poor districts, condemning children to subpar school buildings."

Teachers in East Bay school district to strike Monday

CHRONICLE, DAVID HERNANDEZ: "Dublin teachers planned to strike Monday after their union and the school district failed to reach a labor agreement Sunday.

Dublin Unified School District sites were expected to remain open on an adjusted schedule during the strike, with administrators and guest teachers planning to supervise students, according to the district. Meals, sports and special education services were expected to continue, as well."

S.F. built teachers affordable housing. But many make too much money to live there

CHRONICLE, JILL TUCKER: "City and school leaders predicted a decade ago if they built affordable housing for educators in San Francisco, teachers would come — and stay.

After several years of planning and construction, their dream became reality in late 2024 with construction complete on a 135-unit apartment complex built in the Sunset neighborhood near the beach. Following a lottery and lengthy application process, it’s now filled with residents."

Striking weather contrast to hit West Coast, with gobs of snow and record heat

CHRONICLE, ANTHONY EDWARDS: "A striking weather contrast is expected to unfold across the West Coast in mid-March as buckets of rain and feet of mountain snow are on tap for the Pacific Northwest, while true summerlike heat is anticipated in California.

Monthly temperature records may be threatened in Yosemite National Park, while Mount Rainier National Park contends with its wettest March in years."

California has 40,000 affordable housing units ready to break ground. One setback is holding them up

CALMATTERS, BEN CHRISTOPHER: "The apartment building planned on East Morris Avenue in Modesto is exactly the kind of thing that California’s political leaders want to see a whole lot more of: The project promises 44 units of affordable housing — half reserved for people without homes. It’s received zoning approval, weathered public feedback, earned the support of local elected officials and sits beside a busy bus line. Once built, the project promises on-site mental health services, job training and Zumba classes.

What the project lacks is money."

Oakland mass shooting: Slain woman was a ‘deeply cherished’ teacher, artist

CHRONICLE, ANNA BAUMAN: "A 33-year-old woman who died Saturday in a mass shooting at a bar in downtown Oakland was a local teacher and creative artist who was dedicated to living out her Christian faith, friends and co-workers said.

Latetia Bobo and a 25-year-old man were fatally shot and five other people were injured by gunfire around 3:30 a.m. at a nightclub on 14th Street near Broadway that media reports have identified as EZ’s Lounge. The Oakland Police Department has not confirmed the identity of any victim or released details about the circumstances of the shooting."

Caltrain may ban bikes with child seats. Parents say it could upend their commutes

CHRONICLE, RACHEL SWAN: "When Matt Sorgenfrei boarded a southbound Caltrain to work last week, he faced a stern warning from the conductor.

Sorgenfrei hadn’t cheated on his fare. He wasn’t barefoot or shirtless, nor was he blaring music through a loud speaker. But he did carry an item that would soon be banned from the rail system: a small e-bike with a child’s bucket seat in back."

After his crash killed a child, the DMV renewed his license – then it hid his records

CALMATTERS, ROBERT LEWIS: "Placer County prosecutors wanted any information the California Department of Motor Vehicles had on Kostas Linardos, who drove a three-ton pickup truck at high speed into the back of a sedan in late 2022, killing a toddler.

The district attorney’s office, which charged Linardos with felony vehicular manslaughter, already obtained records showing he had at least 16 traffic violations — including speeding, reckless driving and street racing — and was in at least four collisions before the fatal crash, court records show."

Where are different parking tickets most common in San Francisco? See the map

CHRONICLE, DANIELLE ECHEVERRIA: "If you’re a resident of San Francisco’s Financial District, Marina or North Beach, you’re the most likely to see a parking ticket adorning the cars stopped in your neighborhood, according to a Chronicle analysis.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency keeps data on the location of every parking ticket it issues. The Chronicle geolocated the more than one million tickets handed out last year into each of the city’s analysis neighborhoods. That made it possible to answer: Which neighborhoods get the most tickets — and which kinds?"

Marketing Makeover

2026-03-06T09:55:38Z

Newsom planning $19-million push to polish California’s national image

LAT, MELODY GUTIERREZ: "Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to spend $19 million promoting California and dispelling “myths driven by misinformation and political rhetoric” in a marketing campaign that would run through the final months of his administration as he weighs a potential run for president.

The new contract, which is in the bidding process, comes as Newsom’s political future and national standing are closely tied to how voters view California’s economy, crime and quality of life — issues that have become central to attacks from President Trump and conservative media outlets."

A podcaster gave Newsom a gun. Are California laws keeping him from taking it home?

CALMATTERS, RYAN SABALOW: "Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed some of the country’s toughest gun-control laws, but he had nothing but nice things to say to a conservative podcaster who gave him a new handgun as a gift last year.

“Brother, this is fabulous,” Newsom told the host, Shawn Ryan, last summer. “The last thing people would expect is that I respect this gift. … I’m not anti-gun at all,” Newsom said."

Would Sacramento voters send a Republican to Congress? Kevin Kiley is betting on it

CALMATTERS, MAYA C. MILLER: "After months of suspense, deliberation and a game-show-style process of elimination, Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley has finally chosen a district in which to seek reelection.

The two-term congressman from Roseville announced this week that he will file paperwork to run for the Sacramento-area 6th Congressional District after California’s Proposition 50 dramatically reshaped his current district into a solid pickup for Democrats."

California, 23 other states sue Trump over new tariffs

CALMATTERS, LEVI SUMAGAYSAY: "California and 23 other mostly Democratic states on Thursday sued the Trump administration over its new justification for the president’s wide-ranging tariffs.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta is co-leading the lawsuit with the attorneys general of Oregon, Arizona and New York. They say President Donald Trump’s use of Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — which he invoked after the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20 ruled that his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act was unconstitutional — is also illegal."

Senators demand return of deported California DACA recipient

LAT, ANDREA CASTILLO: "Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called for the Department of Homeland Security to return a California woman with DACA who was recently deported a day after her green card interview.

DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is the Obama-era program that since 2012 has shielded certain immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation and allowed them to work legally."

Napa man indicted for allegedly threatening to kill senior Trump official

CHRONICLE, ANNA BAUMAN: "A Napa man was indicted in February for allegedly threatening to kill a senior Trump official in dozens of emails sent to the official’s ex-wife last year, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

Prosecutors said Haddow Mills, 64, found a public email address for the official’s ex-wife and in May 2025 began sending a flurry of threatening and harassing emails, such as “I will hunt you down. I am not kidding. Watch your back bitch.”"

Billionaire Ron Burkle accuses his political power-broker protégé of multimillion-dollar fraud

LAT, CLARA HARTER: "Billionaire Ronald Burkle is suing political power-broker Darius Anderson, accusing his former protégé and friend of cheating him out of millions of dollars.

Burkle alleges that Anderson used the billionaire’s network and a seed investment to build a powerful lobbying firm — only to later divert Burkle’s share of the profits to himself. The legal feud marks a dramatic falling-out between Anderson and his longtime mentor Burkle, who was the best man at Anderson’s wedding."

2 men arrested after allegedly attacking S.F. Mayor Lurie’s bodyguards

CHRONICLE, ALDO TOLEDO: "Two men were arrested Thursday after they allegedly attacked San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie’s security detail near the Tenderloin.

Lurie was unharmed in what the head of San Francisco’s police union described as a “violent incident.” Mission Local reported that one of the mayor’s bodyguards was “left bleeding from the back of his head” after the incident, which the news outlet said happened after a group of people blocked the black sport utility vehicle that Lurie uses regularly."

L.A. feds ramp up use of ‘doxxing’ charges as anti-ICE protesters fear chilling effect

LAT, JAMES QUEALLY: "The masked protesters screaming at a federal agent outside his home was the type of scene Trump administration officials had long feared.

Cynthia Raygoza, Ashleigh Brown and Sandra Samane followed a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer from the downtown L.A. Metropolitan Detention Center to his Baldwin Park residence last August. The off-duty ICE agent’s unmasked face and the name of the street he lived on were broadcast to more than 50,000 followers on a livestream from the popular “ice_out_ofla” Instagram account."

The neuro disease rat lungworm has reached California

LAT, SUSANNE RUST: "A disease that can cause neurological illness and meningitis in people, rat lungworm, has been found in wild opposums, rats and a zoo animal in San Diego County, indicating its establishment in California for the first time.

Researchers reported their findings in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The authors, who include veterinarians, researchers and wildlife biologists, urged physicians and other healthcare workers in the region to consider lungworm infection when patients come in with nervous system disorders."

Was ‘The Pitt’ inspired by a Bay Area disaster? Latest plot twist has striking parallels

CHRONICLE, PETER HARTLAUB: "The HBO medical drama “The Pitt” ended on a cliffhanger tonight that might send a jolt of recognition through Bay Area television viewers.

The show’s ripped-from-the-headlines twist has striking similarities to a real-life tragedy that occurred in Concord three decades ago. This article will include spoilers for the end of Season 2, Episode 9, which aired Thursday, March 5."

California colleges spend millions on faulty AI systems: ‘The chatbot is outdated’

CALMATTERS, MARTIN ROMERO: "California community college districts are spending millions of dollars on artificial intelligence-powered chatbots intended to help students navigate admissions, financial aid and campus services.

However, they struggle to consistently provide clear and accurate answers, leaving students frustrated and seeking help from others on unofficial social media channels."

One Sacramento school district on strike, another could walk out next week

EDSOURCE, DIANA LAMBERT: "Two Sacramento school districts could have teachers on strike next week if they can’t come to terms with teachers over salary, benefits and classroom conditions.

Twin Rivers Unified School District teachers went on strike Thursday, and teachers in the adjacent Natomas Unified announced they will go on strike on Tuesday."

Why this college president came out of retirement to help East Los Angeles navigate the Trump era

EDSOURCE, MICHAEL BURKE: "After working more than 50 years in higher education, including stints as president of Los Angeles Mission College and Moreno Valley College, Monte Perez was enjoying retirement in 2024. That’s when he received a call from Francisco Rodriguez, then the chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District.

Rodriguez wanted to know if Perez, 78, was willing to step in as the interim president of East Los Angeles College, the district’s largest college."

Is California’s ski season deadlier than usual? Here’s why we don’t know

CALMATTERS, RACHEL BECKER: "It’s been a deadly winter on California’s slopes, but the state has no idea how bad it really is.

In February alone, a 21-year-old skier was found dead on a black diamond at Northstar California. Witnesses reported another skier trailed blood down a Mammoth Mountain run. A fatal collision at Northstar followed yet another death within less than two weeks — and that’s before a catastrophic avalanche killed nine backcountry skiers near Lake Tahoe."

San Francisco could hit 80 degrees this weekend in rare March warm spell

CHRONICLE, GREG PORTER: "Get ready for a taste of summer in March. A favorable offshore wind pattern will send temperatures soaring over the weekend, with downtown San Francisco having a shot at reaching 80 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday.

If an 80-degree day happens, it would be the earliest the city has reached that mark since 2004, when it hit 81 degrees on March 10. And if the city somehow reached 80 degrees on both days, it would mark an even rarer occurrence. The last time the city had two consecutive 80 degree days in March was in 2011."

Employers cut a surprising 92,000 jobs last month as the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%

LAT, PAUL WISEMAN: "American employers unexpectedly cut 92,000 jobs last month, a sign that the labor market remains under strain. The unemployment rate blipped up to 4.4%.

The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring deteriorated from January, when companies, nonprofits and government agencies added a healthy 126,000 jobs. Economists had expected 60,000 new jobs in February."

Hundreds of applications, no jobs and AI competition: California’s brutal tech work landscape

LAT, QUEENIE WONG: "Laid-off tech worker Joseph Tinner has spent almost a year hunting for a job. It has been a depressing crash course on the sea change in Silicon Valley.

The former product instructor from the San Francisco Bay Area has ridden the tech wave throughout his career, easily jumping from Verizon to Fitbit to Workday. Since losing his job early last year, the 59-year-old has hit a wall."

Jaylen Brown video sparks furor over how Beverly Hills police treat Black people

LAT, HANNAH FRY: "Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was in the middle of a brand event at a Beverly Hills mansion on Valentine’s Day when police showed up.

It was 7 p.m., and the music for the event — an invite-only gathering for his 741 Performance brand — had long been silent. Brown came down to talk to an officer, expressing confusion at why police had been called."

BART is turning parking lots into housing. Will 700 new units help its fiscal crisis?

CHRONICLE, J.K. DINEEN: "BART’s future may be up in the air amid a devastating budget outlook but one thing is certain: The next wave of housing development on the transit agency’s vast parking lots is coming down the track.

El Cerrito elected officials and BART leaders gathered Thursday to celebrate the start of construction on a mixed-income modular development that will eventually transform six-and-a-half acres of surface parking lots into 734 units, including about 290 affordable homes. Once built out, the project could add 1,500 new residents into a post-war bedroom community with a population of about 26,000."

Mismanaging Medicaid

2026-03-05T10:06:29Z

Trump’s Medicaid work mandate could kick thousands of homeless Californians off coverage

CALMATTERS, KRISTEN HWANG: "On a brisk January morning, physician assistant Brett Feldman searched the streets of Los Angeles for patients, knocking on car windows and peering into tents. It was the day after a winter storm had doused the city, and many of the unhoused people Feldman usually treats had moved to find somewhere dry.

Feldman leads the street medicine team at the USC Keck School of Medicine, providing primary care to thousands of L.A.’s homeless individuals. Many have chronic conditions, mental health disorders, wounds or other medical issues; they need health care desperately."

California’s next insurance commissioner will have ‘brutal’ balancing act

CALMATTERS, LEVI SUMAGAYSAY: "In November, Californians will vote for “the second-hardest job in the state behind the governor.”

That’s according to someone who has held the job twice: John Garamendi, who was the state’s first elected insurance commissioner in the 1990s and served again in the early 2000s. Garamendi, now a U.S. congressman, said the commissioner job is “complex, hard, detailed work.”"

Ticketmaster in the crosshairs again over California legislation

CAPITOL WEEKLY, BRIAN JOSEPH: "Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation are once again neck deep in state legislation they contend would protect consumers but which critics say is really aimed at furthering their monopoly over live event ticketing in California and the United States.

In late January, the Assembly passed AB 1349 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) to ban resellers from listing tickets they don’t actually have, a practice known as speculative ticketing. A week later, in early February, Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), introduced AB 1720, a spot bill intended to cap the resale price of concert tickets at no more than 10 percent above their face value, including fees."

Ranking California high schools: These public schools outperform on UC admissions

CHRONICLE, HANNA ZAKHARENKO: "One common yardstick for a California high school is how well it helps students gain admission to the most selective University of California campuses. But judging schools by raw admission rates alone can be misleading. Schools that enroll larger shares of students from high-income families and fewer students with disabilities, for example, tend to send more students to UC campuses regardless of school quality.

So the Chronicle’s new ranking asks a more nuanced question: How many more students receive UC admissions than would be expected given a school’s demographics?"

How college students can earn $10,000 for making a difference in CA communities

CALMATTERS, BRITTANY OCEGUERA: "For college students seeking a job that fits around their academic schedules, and the opportunity to do meaningful work in their communities, a popular state program offers both.

Since it launched in 2022, the state program known as College Corps has been paying college students for community service work. And it has become so popular that only 30% of students who apply get a position."

This hip L.A. neighborhood is installing emergency sirens to warn of ICE raids

LAT, SALVADOR HERNANDEZ: "Communities have used loud sirens to warn people about approaching storms, tsunamis and tornadoes, but now some activists in Los Angeles are using sirens to warn about immigration agents.

Since President Trump took office, Los Angeles communities have seen a stark increase in the number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, targeting business districts and neighborhoods, and some community groups have responded by looking for ways to alert residents."

Who pays for AI’s power? California watchdog urges new data center rules

CALMATTERS, ALEJANDRO LAZO: "If you’re worried about data centers and AI inflating your electricity bill, you’re not alone.

A California watchdog released a report Tuesday urging policymakers to act fast on the state’s fast-growing data-center industry – before soaring electricity demand from artificial intelligence lands on the bills of ordinary households."

How our AI bots are ignoring their programming and giving hackers superpowers

LAT, NILESH CHRISTOPHER: "Welcome to the age of AI hacking, in which the right prompts make amateurs into master hackers.

A group of cybercriminals recently used off-the-shelf artificial intelligence chatbots to steal data on nearly 200 million taxpayers. The bots provided the code and ready-to-execute plans to bypass firewalls."

An inside-slider pattern is reshaping California weather. Here’s what to expect

CHRONICLE, GREG PORTER: "’Tis the season for inside sliders, and not just because the World Baseball Classic is upon us. A long-awaited weather change has finally come to California. An inconspicuous cold front swept through the Bay Area on Wednesday, ushering in sunshine, gusty winds and promises of a weekend warmup with temperatures easily rising into the 70s region-wide.

The atmospheric reconfiguration will also help to generate a low pressure system that is cut off from the normal jet stream flow, unofficially called an “inside slider,” so named for its trajectory which takes it down the spine of central California before moving west towards the coast."

California grocery store wine scheme: Executives at top distributor charged with bribery

CHRONICLE, ALDO TOLEDO: "Executives at the nation’s largest alcohol distributor, Southern Glazer’s, engineered a sprawling multiyear bribery scheme to control which wines were offered on the shelves of hundreds of supermarkets across California, according to a federal indictment made public Wednesday.

A federal grand jury this week in Oakland indicted five high-level Southern Glazer’s employees and one Napa-based wine supplier, alleging they participated in a bribery scheme over about eight years to secure product placement at Albertsons-owned stores and later falsified records to evade authorities."

Solar energy for renters has taken off in 10 states. Not in California

LAT, BLANCA BLEGERT: "The tiny town of West Goshen, Calif., was exactly the kind of place that community solar was designed for.

Near Visalia, most of its 500 residents live in mobile homes, where companies won’t install rooftop panels without a solid foundation. And until recently, they used propane for heating and cooking, with price fluctuations in the winter posing hardships for low-income families."

Why California cops and firefighters are pushing for a new perk on top of their pensions

CALMATTERS, ADAM ASHTON: "A full career as a California Highway Patrol officer or a Cal Fire firefighter often ends with a six-figure pension that provides a comfortable retirement after countless hours spent in harm’s way.

This year, the unions that represent CHP officers and state firefighters are seeking a different end-of-career incentive: The opportunity to accumulate one big check in addition to that annual pension."

A BART police officer made a bigoted AI deepfake about a Sikh colleague. What happens next?

CHRONICLE, SUSIE NEILSON/DEMIAN BULWA: "In a brief video that circulated over the holidays among officers of the BART police force, the department’s chief pins a badge on a beaming young officer wearing the turban of his Sikh faith. Ominous music plays in the background, and it soon becomes clear why: The chief removes the turban, turns it over and discovers a semiautomatic pistol inside. The newly hired officer is no longer smiling.

In those six seconds, it’s not immediately clear that the video — which depicts a real BART officer and the actual BART chief, Kevin Franklin — is a fake made with generative AI."

Lowering the voting age

2026-03-04T10:28:59Z

Kamala Harris advocates lowering the voting age to 16 at Oakland event

CHRONICLE, SARA DINATALE: "Former Vice President Kamala Harris urged voters to help Democrats take control of Congress in the midterm elections and warned that voting rights could be imperiled under President Donald Trump at a book tour stop in Oakland on Tuesday.

Harris said she is worried about voters’ rights and access to the ballot. She fears the Supreme Court will soon gut the Voting Rights Act and its protections against racial discrimination, and that a Trump-backed bill in Congress to sharply curtail access to voting will disenfranchise millions."

Sen. Padilla preps for Trump trying to seize control of elections via emergency order

CHRONICLE, KEVIN RECTOR: "Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) is preparing for President Trump to declare a national emergency in order to seize control of this year’s midterm elections from the states, including by bracing his Senate colleagues for a vote in which they would be forced to either co-sign on the power grab or resist it.

In the wake of reporting last week that conservative activists with connections to the White House were circulating such an order, Padilla sent a letter to his Senate colleagues Friday stating that any such order would be “wildly illegal and unconstitutional,” and would no doubt face “extremely strict scrutiny” in the courts."

Republicans blame Carl DeMaio for party division as his group rakes in millions

CALMATTERS, NADIA LATHAN: "It was the first meeting of the new year and local Republicans, from senior leaders to right-wing influencers, were gathered at a suburban San Diego church to discuss who the party should endorse in the June primary.

Insults and personal attacks flew between a local GOP activist and Assemblymember Carl DeMaio for more than an hour as party members argued over how to tally their votes. Then, finally, came the results: No one would receive an endorsement, not even a candidate for the seat currently held by the Republican leader of the state Senate."

Hegseth says U.S. is ‘accelerating’ war on Iran, but strike at Turkey won’t trigger NATO

LAT, KEVIN RECTOR: "The U.S. war effort against Iran was “accelerating” as American and Israeli forces fought for control of Iranian airspace and pressed farther inland to seek and destroy Iranian missile capabilities, top U.S. officials said Wednesday.

“Four days in, we have only just begun to fight,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth."

How a last-minute deal doomed California’s ban on masked ICE agents

LAT, SONJA SHARP: "The judge was perplexed.

“Why were state law enforcement officers excluded?” U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder wanted to know."

What the Supreme Court ruling on gender identity means for students, parents, and schools

LAT, HOWARD BLUME: "The Supreme Court’s ruling Monday affirming the right of parents to know about their child’s gender identity at school has left California educators with complicated questions about how to protect the sometimes competing rights of students, school employees and family members.

The Supreme Court decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta, while falling short of explicitly deciding the case, will have a sweeping impact because the court majority strongly agreed with a lower court’s interpretation of parent rights that differs from common practice in California."

‘Shocking’: What Supreme Court ruling on transgender policy means for California students

CALMATTERS, CAROLYN JONES: "Advocates for transgender youth vowed to keep fighting Wednesday after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked — at least temporarily — a California policy protecting the privacy of transgender students in K-12 schools.

The court ruled in favor of a group of parents near San Diego who argued that the state’s policy violates their right to religious freedom and due process. The policy barred school districts from requiring teachers to “out” transgender students to their parents, unless the students gave permission."

Lowell High math teacher on leave after quizzes prompt allegations of fat-shaming, sexist content

CHRONICLE, JILL TUCKER: "A San Francisco math teacher was on indefinite leave Monday after administrators learned he required his students to solve quiz problems about a “fat kid” punted in the air and the monetary cost of dating girls based on their weight or “sexy points.”

Lowell High School Principal Jan Bautista notified families just after 5:30 p.m. that teacher Tom Chan “needed to go on leave” and there was no return date known, with coverage of his classes pending. She asked the community to respect his privacy at this time."

How one Cal State campus is trying to break out of a doom loop of declining enrollment

CALMATTERS, MIKHAIL ZINSHTEYN: "The first first day of fall semester for a university freshman is often stressful. Not for Vanessa Menera, an 18-year-old who’s the first in her family to attend college.

Last year, she arrived 15 minutes early to her first fall class with an internship and campus job already in tow, plus a mental map of Cal State University Dominguez Hills, a sprawling, nearly 350-acre institution in the Los Angeles area’s South Bay."

Pavement is undermining LA’s future

CAPITOL WEEKLY, DEBORAH BLOOME: "For much of the 20th century, Los Angeles—like many other American cities—measured progress in miles of pavement. Pavement had a starring role in the California dream, palm trees swaying above wide boulevards, and sun glinting off the open road. That seduction helped build a metropolis, but in sealing over the soil and shade, we buried the very resilience the city now needs. As Los Angeles endures intense rainstorms this week, overrunning neighborhoods and turning streets into rivers, the costs of that vision are impossible to ignore. Today, those same hard surfaces trap heat, worsen flooding, and strain our communities, which means we have to rethink what counts as progress. The goal isn’t to erase pavement; it’s to make our communities more livable.

Pavement created many problems for Los Angeles, damaging ecosystems and neighborhoods. But removing it where it no longer serves a purpose offers a rare chance to ease several pressures at once. By making pavement’s hidden costs visible, Los Angeles can begin to depave its way toward becoming a more sustainable, regenerative, and livable region."

A cold front is just the beginning of California’s windy stretch

CHRONICLE, ANTHONY EDWARDS: "Windy weather will pick up Wednesday and won’t let up for days across parts of California.

The breezes won’t be accompanied by lashing rain or heavy snow. Rather, they’ll be a much drier variety, stemming from a low-pressure system paralleling the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. That system will eventually cut off from the guiding winds from the jet stream and spin off Point Conception this weekend."

California’s heralded wine industry is running dry — here’s why

LAT, IRIS KWOK: "Winery owner Stuart Spencer estimates that he left about 50 tons of grapes to rot on vines in Lodi, Calif., last fall, as harvesting and processing them would cost more than they were worth.

“We’re doing our best to keep our head above water,” said Spencer, the owner of St. Amant Winery and executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission."

L.A. cannabis businesses owe $400 million. The city may get only $30 million

LAT, SANDRA MCDONALD: "Los Angeles cannabis businesses that owe back taxes wouldn’t have to pay late fees and interest under an “amnesty” program proposed by the City Council.

To qualify, the businesses would have to pay their city taxes within three years."

After rash of overdose deaths, L.A. banned sales of kratom. Some say they lost lifeline for pain and opioid withdrawal

LAT, KAREN GARCIA: "Nearly four months ago, Los Angeles County banned the sale of kratom, as well as 7-OH, the synthetic version of the alkaloid that is its active ingredient. The idea was to put an end to what at the time seemed like a rash of overdose deaths related to the drug.

It’s too soon to tell whether kratom-related deaths have dissipated as a result — or, really, whether there was ever actually an epidemic to begin with. But many L.A. residents had become reliant on kratom as something of a panacea for debilitating pain and opioid withdrawal symptoms, and the new rules have made it harder for them to find what they say has been a lifesaving drug."

S.F.’s first sober homeless shelter is close to capacity. Could more follow?

CHRONICLE, LUCY HODGMAN: "Julian Elmore felt like a “lost soul” when he moved into San Francisco’s first sober homeless shelter last fall.

The 34-year-old moved to Marin County with his then-husband a decade ago, where he found a calling as a florist. But that life slipped away from Elmore after his marriage ended and his mother died, plunging him into long bouts of depression that he self-medicated with heavy drinking. In July, he found himself in a homeless shelter for the first time."

Warpath

2026-03-03T10:32:58Z

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.

Fearing GOP win, California’s Democratic leader urges unviable party candidates for governor to drop out

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."

She directed $2.7 million from her elderly clients to her husband’s company. The judge approved every penny

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.”"

Investors keep buying up burned lots in Altadena, Pacific Palisades. Could Congress limit such sales?

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."