California Policy and Politics Sunday

Why Paramount’s Warner Bros. deal suddenly looks less certain -- Paramount’s $111-billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, once touted as a sure thing, has been abruptly delayed as California and other states mount an aggressive antitrust challenge. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

A powerful union, the billionaire tax and an alleged bargaining chip -- There are questions about whether the controversial leader of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West intended for the billionaire tax to go on the ballot, or if it was designed as a leverage play to expand his union. Taryn Luna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

Justice Kennedy reflects on his time deciding the Constitution’s promise of liberty and equality -- Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the Supreme Court’s most influential member prior to his retirement, has watched quietly for eight years as a new conservative majority took charge. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

 

Silicon Valley Splits Over Closing the Borders to Chinese A.I. -- Anthropic and OpenAI are clashing with the rest of the tech industry over whether “open-source” models from China should be freely available or restricted. Mike Isaac, Kate Conger, Ana Swanson and Meaghan Tobin in the New York Times$ -- 7/26/26

AI Chatbots Know How to Make Deadly Biological Weapons. Some Will Teach You -- AI companies play a cat-and-mouse game, trying to boost the capabilities of their creations while scrambling to block answers to dangerous queries. Georgia Wells and Amrith Ramkumar in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/26/26

 

‘It feels like it never ends — the evil’: Pasadena demonstrators protest ICE shootings -- Approximately 50 demonstrators gathered Saturday morning in Pasadena as part of a national action to honor lives lost during immigration enforcement operations and in detention centers during the Trump administration. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

Street homelessness went up in Los Angeles. In Nithya Raman’s district, it was nearly cut in half -- Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is running for mayor against incumbent Karen Bass, seized on significant decreases in street homelessness in her district Friday while blasting increases citywide. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

Barabak: His nickname was ‘Satan.’ His political influence was immense -- Every election produces a campaign strategist whose victory bestows upon them, for at least a little while, the unofficial title of reigning political genius. James Carville, Karl Rove, David Axelrod and Stephen K. Bannon have all worn the crown. For many years, and many election cycles, California’s reigning political genius was Clint Reilly. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

 

California will soon get a massive heat wave. Here are the details -- The hottest weather in two years is expected across much of California as July ends and August begins. Anthony Edwards in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/26/26

Hospices worry patients will be unfairly punished amid fraud crisis -- Mark Vantrease, a terminally ill Vietnam War veteran, receives hospice care at home in Novato, California, amid concerns over hospice fraud. The Trump administration's allegations of fraud have led to increased oversight and a moratorium on new hospice enrollments. Experts warn that these measures could harm legitimate providers and patients. California has implemented emergency regulations to combat fraud. Laurie Udesky KFF Health News in the Washington Post$ -- 7/26/26

Marketplace

Has In-N-Out finally met its match? One California city is fighting drive-thrus -- Culver City is pushing back against a proposed In-N-Out mega drive-through at a notorious intersection, citing traffic, pollution and safety concerns near a nearby elementary school. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

Housing

Wealthy Bay Area cities are making progress on housing goals — but they’re almost all ADUs -- California officials and housing advocates have portrayed accessory dwelling units as a much-needed component of the supply of new homes. In some parts of the Bay Area, they’re all that’s coming. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/26/26

For years these sites hosted well-known San Diego businesses. Now they’ll be home to high-rise housing -- The landscape of San Diego is being transformed by a new trend: Tall apartment buildings are replacing what were once well-recognized businesses like Fry’s in Serra Mesa, Perry’s Cafe near Old Town and a Rite Aid in Hillcrest. David Garrick in the San Diego Union Tribune -- 7/26/26

Street

Mural at site of Jewish temple that burned in Eaton fire vandalized with swastikas, antisemitic graffiti -- Authorities are investigating a hate crime after a beloved Pasadena mural was vandalized this week with an antisemitic message and swastikas. Jasmine Mendez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

Also

Lopez: In L.A.’s underground, the public servants are 80, 90 and 100. It’s tough getting old -- A 36-inch water pipe burst July 17, creating a sinkhole and sending 17 million gallons of water rushing through the streets. The DWP is replacing about 45 miles annually of deteriorating water lines, with the new pipes built to last up to 150 years. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/26/26

California will pay you to buy your first EV — but not every model qualifies -- If the pain of filling up has you pondering the potential cost savings of an electric car, great news: California has a new rebate program that will make it less expensive for people to buy or lease their first zero-emission vehicle. Jessica Roy in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/26/26

POTUS 47

Trump Holds Off on Major Escalation Against Iran as Advisers Raise Concerns -- President Trump has set aside, at least for now, plans to sharply escalate the American military assault against Iran, with particular concern that intensifying the war could dangerously drain the Pentagon’s already diminished stockpile of Patriot antimissile interceptors and other air defense munitions in the Middle East. Eric Schmitt and Jonathan Swan in the New York Times$ -- 7/26/26

Trump Seems Trapped by Iran War, Even as He Wields the World’s Biggest Hammer -- A president who thought there were no limits to his power has discovered several, leaving him more frustrated and erratic. David E. Sanger in the New York Times$ -- 7/26/26

Lowered Number of Troop Deaths on Pentagon Site Upsets Military Families -- A change in the count of those killed as a result of the war in Iran has some veterans, military families and lawmakers expressing outrage and calling for more transparency from the Pentagon. Earlier this week, the Pentagon had reported on its website that 18 service members had been killed, but that number was later lowered to 14. Tim Arango, Georgia Gee and Pooja Salhotra in the New York Times$ -- 7/26/26