California Policy and Politics Monday

El Niño could bring highest sea levels ever recorded to the California coast -- It’s the latest effect forecast for what’s expected to be an historically strong event, one forecasters warn could also lash Southern California with powerful rain and broil both land and sea with punishing heat waves. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/10/26

Part of California suddenly sank — and it’s irreversible -- The Sacramento Valley, which helps drive California’s nation-leading agricultural economy, has seen so much groundwater pumping that the valley floor has recently sunk by as much as a foot and a half in a year, new research shows. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/10/26

An oil field became California’s first carbon vault. Who’s responsible if something goes wrong? -- California’s first commercial carbon-storage project is operating even though the state has yet to adopt rules required by law, 19 months after a key deadline. The oil company could collect billions in public incentives, while environmentalists and oil companies argue about how far the rules should go. Alejandro Lazo Calmatters -- 8/10/26

 

Judge blocks MAGA voter restrictions in conservative California county -- Shasta County’s Measure B, a voter-supported local initiative to enact extreme restrictions on who can vote and how votes are counted, was paused Friday by a local judge’s issuance of a preliminary injunction. Raheem Hosseini in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 8/10/26

Pelosi unleashes her political machine in fight to replace her -- The former speaker is mobilizing her political network to stop Scott Wiener, a prominent California state senator, from succeeding her. Dustin Gardiner Politico -- 8/10/26

Your guide to the California governor’s race: Xavier Becerra vs. Steve Hilton -- The two have similar origin stories as the sons of working-class immigrants — both even worked construction jobs to earn money as teenagers — but they have vastly different visions for California’s future. Nicole Nixon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/10/26

As Barrera and Shaw compete to lead California schools, their school board histories offer hints of their plans -- The two school board presidents — one a longtime San Diego Unified leader, the other elected in Riverside County during the pandemic — offer diverging visions for public education. Jemma Stephenson in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 8/10/26

 

How California’s hospice industry spiraled out of control — and cost millions in fraud -- A quiet change in California law in 2018 unleashed a deluge of new hospices and spurred millions of dollars in Medicare fraud that state and federal authorities are still trying to unwind. Jason Henry in the Orange County Register$ -- 8/10/26

Bay Area city declares state of emergency over malicious cyberattack -- Suisun City declared a state of emergency Saturday after a cyberattack struck critical public safety operations, including its 911 dispatch system, according to city officials. Anna Bauman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ Stephen Battaglio in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/10/26

Marketplace

Is social media addiction real? Law and science collide in blockbuster federal suit -- Meta is facing its biggest court challenge yet over allegations its products harm kids. Attorneys for the company have argued that legal claims against it should fail because social media addiction has not been formally recognized by the medical community. California and three other states are leading a lawsuit that seeks more than $1 trillion in damages. Sonja Sharp in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/10/26

Workplace

Netflix says its doubling down on L.A. — even as it expands in New Jersey -- Netflix says Los Angeles remains its home base, with 47 productions shooting here in 2026 — even as it builds a $1-billion, 12-soundstage complex in New Jersey. Cerys Davies and Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/10/26

Would you trust your boss with data about your brain? California moves to regulate neurotech -- Brain sensors are advancing, and California companies, lawmakers and unions are jockeying to shape how the resulting data can be used. Khari Johnson Calmatters -- 8/10/26

Housing

The Bruising Race to Rent in San Francisco Goes Into Overdrive -- San Francisco’s housing market was already a demolition derby for renters. The artificial-intelligence boom has pushed the bruising race for housing into overdrive—a lack of supply is colliding with sky-high AI salaries. Katherine Bindley and Will Parker in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 8/10/26

Street

If you don’t hear the siren, police are sure you’ll feel the Rumbler -- The Los Angeles Police department announced its intention to install the low frequency Rumbler siren into 20 black-and-white vehicles before a larger expansion gets underway. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 8/10/26

AI

A.I. Agents Are Taking Entire Online Courses for Cheating Students -- With simple commands — “log in and complete my quiz” — a student can unleash what is, essentially, an imitation of themselves. Agents can watch lecture videos, take tests, write papers and chat with classmates about reading assignments. Dana Goldstein and Alan Blinder in the New York Times$ -- 8/10/26

They said they would build AI safely. Then it went rogue -- Staff members at ChatGPT maker OpenAI didn’t notice for weeks after their AI systems made a chilling leap this spring. Instead of answering questions designed to test their cybersecurity capabilities, a group of AI models began colluding on how to cheat, the company said, setting up a secret internal message board where they swapped notes and ideas. Gerrit De Vynck in the Washington Post$ -- 8/10/26

POTUS 47

Iran, Holding Firm to Strait, Steers Trump Back to June Deal -- The Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s best leverage to get Washington to release Iran’s frozen assets, lift economic sanctions and end its naval blockade. Steven Erlanger in the New York Times$ -- 8/10/26

Iran Insists Strait Will Stay Closed Until U.S. Agrees to Demands --Iran said on Monday that any deal with Oman on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not lead to the waterway being fully reopened and that the route would remain closed until the United States agreed to demands including lifting a naval blockade. Aurelien Breeden in the New York Times$ -- 8/10/26