California Policy and Politics Sunday

New Hampshire Dems question what Newsom has to offer -- Gavin Newsom packed town halls and drew cheers from swarms of Democrats with his promise of a “blue tsunami” in the midterms. But as he raced across this early primary state on Saturday, some of New Hampshire’s most plugged-in Democrats were already questioning what more, exactly, the California governor has to offer. Tyler Katzenberger Politico -- 10/17/26

‘He’s everywhere’: This California Republican wants to make his party relevant again -- San Diego Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is building a statewide conservative operation outside the California Republican Party, pitching himself as a leader who can restore GOP influence in deep-blue California. His chief campaign vehicle is Proposition 39, which would require identification when voting. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/18/26

Mayoral candidate Raman was once a firm ‘no’ on the Olympics. She remains a skeptic -- When she ran for City Council in 2020, Nithya Raman gave a clear “no” when asked if she supported the Olympics coming to Los Angeles. Raman says her goal now is to ensure the city is protected financially, but Mayor Bass — her rival in the Nov. 3 election — contends that Raman’s stance threatens to “squander a chance to deliver real, lasting benefits to our city.” James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/18/26

At least 9 California federal lawmakers targeted in nationwide mail threat -- At least nine federal lawmakers from California, including Sen. Alex Padilla, are among the dozens of elected officials and state election offices nationwide that have received suspicious letters containing a white powdery substance, prompting police responses and evacuations. Laurence Darmiento in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

 

California spent over $1 billion subsidizing clean transit. Accusations of fraud and waste followed -- Although officials have described the program as a “resounding success,” state authorities have launched an investigation into an EV manufacturer that allegedly received nearly $1 million in public funds for “vehicles that did not exist,” according to a ruling in a civil case involving the manufacturer. Tony Briscoe and Sandhya Kambhampati in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/18/26

A truck company founder was indicted for fraud. California still paid $50 million for its vehicles -- Nikola Corp.’s former CEO was indicted for fraud. His company’s vehicles were the most heavily subsidized in California’s $1-billion clean truck incentive program on average. Tony Briscoe in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/18/26

 

‘No Kings’ protests mobilize across California as activists push for early voter turnout -- Hundreds of protesters, many saying they’re fed up with the current state of the U.S. government, gathered in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon as part of the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations calling for early voter turnout in the upcoming Nov. 3 midterm elections. Karen Garcia, Melissa Gomez, Andrew J. Campa and Corinne Purtill in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

‘Hands off our elections’: No Kings events mobilize voters in Bay Area, nationwide -- With the November midterm elections weeks away, thousands of people mobilized around the Bay Area and across the nation Saturday for the fourth No Kings day of action, this time stressing the importance of voting. Matthias Gafni, Brooke Park, Warren Pederson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

Barabak: Despite a blue tide, this Democratic governor is fighting to survive -- In Oregon, a progressive bastion, widespread voter discontent puts incumbent Tina Kotek on the defensive against Republican Christine Drazan. Though favored to win, Kotek’s struggle shows the perils of incumbency this angry election season. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/18/26

 

Fire evacuation orders lifted for most of L.A., Orange counties -- The Norte fire has burned more than 570 acres and damaged homes in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano as firefighters battle Southern California blazes. Tony Briscoe, Christopher Goffard and Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

San Diego utility had a power line outage near ignition point of Norte fire -- San Diego Gas & Electric equipment experienced an outage near the origin of the Norte fire in San Clemente two minutes before the blaze broke out, according to an online post on the company’s website on Friday. Tony Saavedra in the Orange County Register$ -- 10/17/26

Climate

Will El Niño deliver a big Sierra snow season? These are the detailed projections -- A historically strong El Niño is overwhelmingly predicted to bring a wet winter to California. But new data suggests the Sierra Nevada snow outlook is more complicated, and not a guaranteed bonanza. Greg Porter in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

After devastating flooding almost a decade ago, is San Jose prepared for a ‘Super El Niño?’ -- As the region heads into what could be a record-setting winter, officials are moving to fortify creeks and tighten emergency response. Ryan Macasero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/18/26

Lopez: It’s been a great romance, but it’s time to rethink our relationship with the California coast -- The California Coastal Act just turned 50, balancing sensible development with conservation and public access. Homes were thrashed by waves in Long Beach last week, and Newport Beach had flooding. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

Rent

Making $100K? Here’s how much of the S.F. rental market you can afford -- Less than a third of rentals — about 31% — in the San Francisco metropolitan area are affordable on the six-figure income, according to a recent analysis by real estate company Zillow. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/18/26

Guns

‘No one is exempt’: Marin vigil memorializes victims of gun violence -- Days after a retired San Francisco deputy police chief and her daughter were killed in a double murder-suicide, more than 30 people memorialized victims of gun violence during a silent vigil in Mill Valley. Warren Pederson in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

Gas

Why are California gas prices so much higher than in Hawaii? -- While Hawaii is an actual group of islands, California is its own island when it comes to fuel, according to experts. The state has no pipelines to bring in oil from other mainland states, and it requires a specialized gasoline blend that no other state uses. Saul Pink in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

Also

‘Disturbing,’ ‘disappointing’: Juvenile justice oversight is diminishing across California, to advocates’ alarm -- Circumstances between counties differ, but the consequences can be similar: Civilian boards charged with overseeing juvenile courts, detention and foster homes have been compromised, disempowered or all but eliminated. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 10/18/26

Socializing at College Is So Fraught It Requires Paperwork Before Partying -- To get into a party at Stanford University, students are often asked to recite a “consent pledge” aloud. The pledge, read off a large sign, reminds partygoers that consent can be revoked at any time, and includes a promise to hold others accountable. Roshan Fernandez in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/18/26

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Trump approval hits record low, handing Democrats a clear midterm edge -- The president’s approval is at 33 percent, with 66 percent disapproving and just over half saying they disapprove strongly. Meanwhile, midterm support for Democrats is rising. Dan Balz and Scott Clement in the Washington Post$ -- 10/18/26

Poll finds jump in Republicans who say Trump is enriching himself -- About one-third of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents now hold that view, up from about one-fifth a year ago, a Post-ABC-Ipsos poll finds. Meryl Kornfield and Lydia Sidhom in the Washington Post$ -- 10/18/26

The High-Stakes Job of Trump’s White House Physician -- Dr. Sean Barbabella is tasked with staying no more than three minutes away from the oldest president ever elected. Annie Linskey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/17/26

Trump Offers Putin Economic Relief in Hopes That Russia Will Return the Favor -- The Trump administration is ignoring the will of Congress and waiving new Russia sanctions amid fears that high energy prices will cost Republicans in next month’s elections. Alan Rappeport in the New York Times$ -- 10/17/26

Trump’s waiver of sanctions on Russia stirs bipartisan outrage -- Lawmakers, including several Republicans, said the move by President Donald Trump was reckless and a gift to Vladimir Putin. Victoria Craw and Natalia Abbakumova in the Washington Post$ -- 10/17/26

Trump Endorses Netanyahu as Best U.S. Partner in Tight Israeli Election -- President Trump endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday, giving the embattled Israeli leader a boost nine days before a hard-fought parliamentary election. Tyler Pager and Aaron Boxerman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/18/26

 

California Policy and Politics Saturday

SoCal braces for more Santa Ana winds as fire destroys homes in Orange County -- The Norte fire burned more than 460 acres in south Orange County, destroying six homes and prompting evacuation orders for about 6,000 homes as firefighters struggled with zero containment. Santa Ana winds and heat fueled the blaze and threatened more fires, though forecasters said the strongest winds were easing; crews also battled blazes near Camp Pendleton and in Malibu. Iris Kwok, Ruben Vives, Karen Garcia and Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

 

California Says D.O.J. System for Identifying Noncitizens Is Sloppy -- Officials said that they received thousands of names lacking critical identifying information like Social Security numbers, and that many of the names were paired with California addresses over which they had no jurisdiction. Shawn Hubler and Nicholas Nehamas in the New York Times$ Kevin Rector in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

 

What does ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on Prop 40 really mean? It depends on your votes on two other props -- That’s because Props 41 and 42, which never mention billionaires but are backed by some of the state’s wealthiest residents, are also on the ballot and have provisions that conflict with Prop 40. (Props 41 and 42 do not conflict with each other.) Under the California Constitution, if two conflicting measures on the same ballot both pass with more than 50% of the vote, the one that gets the most “yes” votes prevails. Kathleen Pender in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

Tech helped make California unaffordable. Now it’s paying to fix it -- Major tech companies are now contributing millions of dollars to support California ballot initiatives aimed at lowering residents’ housing and transportation expenses. The giving is particularly notable coming from an industry that has often been blamed for exacerbating income disparities in the state. Aaron Mak Politico -- 10/17/26

LA28

City Controller subpoenas financial records from ’28 Olympic organizers -- Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia issued a legal demand Friday for the organizers of the 2028 Summer Olympics to disclose more information about the organization’s finances — including bank statements, detailed plans for venue construction and the size of contracts with outside vendors. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

Water

Arizona escalates water war, intervening in lawsuit over federal Colorado River cuts -- In a sign of rising tensions over the water-starved Colorado River, Arizona has joined Nevada in suing the Trump administration for imposing major water cutbacks across the Southwest. Ian James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

Workplace

California’s move to block SEIU Local 1000 state worker strike likely to fail -- Next week’s strike appears to be moving ahead. The Public Employment Relations Board on Friday sided with SEIU Local 1000 by expressing its intent to deny the state’s request to block the strike. Corey Schmidt in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/17/26

South Bay is a bright spot in California’s latest jobs report -- Adjusted for seasonal volatility, the Bay Area lost 1,000 jobs last month, while California shed 9,300, the state Employment Development Department reported Friday. The South Bay, however, added 1,100 positions, a slowdown from gains of 4,300 in July and 4,400 in August, according to EDD data. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/17/26

41 Roseville railyard workers, families sue Union Pacific over cancer, toxic exposure -- Forty-one current and former workers at Union Pacific’s Roseville railyard, including 11 who have died, were named in six lawsuits filed Wednesday alleging the railroad failed to protect employees from toxic substances that caused cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other serious illnesses. Madison Smalstig in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/17/26

Can Sacramento become a chip hub? Business leaders make their pitch to global firms -- Sacramento business officials — energized by a string of recent investments by semiconductor companies here — pitched the region to an international group of industry representatives on Friday, making the case that the capital region is a strong competitor for more research, design and manufacturing sites. Annika Merrilees in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/17/26

The Silicon Valley Job That Demands Three Years of 24/7 Hustle -- The job requirements are straightforward if not hellacious: Work at the office in person from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Be available “around-the-clock,” including nights and weekends if needed. Oh, and you must maintain this schedule for three years. Katherine Bindley and Chip Cutter in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/17/26

Marketplace

California winegrowers pulled up almost 10% of the state’s vineyards last year. Is it enough? -- Wine sales have plummeted alongside the United States’ overall rate of alcohol consumption, which has spent two straight years at a historic low. Left with a years-long grape surplus that’s forced growers to spend money farming grapes that they can’t sell, many see vine removal as their only financial option. Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

AI

How Culver City is quietly emerging as a new mecca for AI filmmaking -- The companies tout new creative possibilities, using generative tools for everything from short-form crime shows to commercials and film effects. But unions and many Hollywood workers fear AI will take jobs, even as studios explore hybrid productions and secure protections against fully synthetic performers. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

As San Jose presents draft rules for data centers, many still call for a moratorium -- As the city of San Jose presented its draft standards on data centers to the public for the first time Thursday evening, dozens of residents demanded an immediate pause or moratorium on the sites amid growing environmental, public health and quality-of-life concerns. Ryan Macasero in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/17/26

Anthropic quietly pitches its own AI safety bill to lawmakers -- The draft proposal would limit the circumstances in which the government could block the release of an advanced model and preempt some state AI safety laws. Owen Dahlkamp Politico -- 10/17/26

Education

New USC President Beong-Soo Kim faces high stakes: Trust, Trump and Trojan football -- Eyo-Dae Kim and Susan Kim attended the University of Southern California decades ago, two international students with little money and no family in the U.S. On Friday, their son, Beong-Soo Kim, stood before an Alumni Park crowd and was formally installed as the 13th president of their alma mater. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

Also

‘Who else are you supposed to call?’ Sonoma sheriff accused of ignoring warnings before murder-suicide -- The legal guardians raising three children orphaned in a murder-suicide involving a Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy have accused law enforcement of worsening a dangerous situation. Julie Johnson, Annie Vainshtein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/17/26

$10 a Gallon at This Gas Station by the Sea -- A gallon of premium unleaded gas was going for $9.999 — the highest number many pump displays allow. (Gorda does not sell diesel, which would be even more expensive, because truckers avoid the area.) It was an outrageous figure even in a state where the average price per gallon at the time hovered around $6, the steepest in the nation. Corina Knoll, Brandon Tauszik in the New York Times$ -- 10/17/26

Luna, a 10-year-old Jack Russell, just survived a month loose in Yellowstone National Park -- A California couple reunited with their 10-year-old dog Luna on Wednesday, wrapping up a more than a monthlong Yellowstone wilderness survival tour that included avoiding bears and coyotes while locating enough sustenance and shelter. Andrew J. Campa in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

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Trump’s team is in chaos as midterms enter final stretch -- Trump’s press secretary, Katie Zacharia, resigned Friday, her fifth day on the job. Public anxiety over corruption in government under the Trump administration has surpassed the economy as the top concern of voters, according a Fox News poll. Michael Wilner in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/17/26

Trump’s election fraud task force is going after the people who investigated him -- The White House task force that President Donald Trump charged with uncovering evidence of election fraud hasn’t produced any. Instead, it has shifted to releasing records that his administration is using to help build a public case against officials who investigated him. Isaac Arnsdorf and Perry Stein in the Washington Post$ -- 10/17/26

Trump signs executive order waiving sanctions against Russia -- The decision drew searing criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis calling it “beyond irresponsible." Victoria Craw and Natalia Abbakumova in the Washington Post$ -- 10/17/26