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California Policy and Politics Sunday
L.A. firefighters help rescue Venezuela quake victim buried for 8 days -- Relying on hand tools instead of heavy machinery, firefighters tunneled through unstable debris to rescue a security guard trapped for eight days. The operation was a testament to the growing effectiveness of a multinational coalition of urban search-and-rescue squads. Mery Mogollón, Patrick J. McDonnell, Carlos Becerra in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/26
On America’s 250th birthday, U.S. soccer team of immigrants embodies founders’ dreams --Nearly half of the U.S. soccer players who made an inspiring run to the World Cup Round of 16 are dual-nationals, embodying the American dream on the Fourth of July. Kevin Baxter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/26
Fans scram: Fireworks head into the stands at BMO stadium after Angel City FC match -- A post-game fireworks show went awry at BMO Stadium on Friday night, when fireworks set off on the playing pitch sent flares streaming into the stands, forcing fans to scatter to safety. Paige St. John and Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/26
Paul Pelosi faces possible hit-and-run charge in Napa County crash -- Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s huband Paul Pelosi was accused of crashing his convertible into a parked vehicle in Yountville on Friday. Alexandra Del Rosario in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/26
AT&T wins early approval to end landline service for 184,000 California households -- AT&T has won an early federal victory in its bid to end traditional landline service for 184,000 California households, escalating a fight with state regulators and alarming customers who say copper-wire phones remain a lifeline during fires, storms and earthquakes. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 7/5/26
Garofoli: No housing is being built in God’s backyard despite new state law -- The San Francisco Archdiocese, which owes $400 million to sexual assault victims after a recent settlement, needs money. So does the Oakland archdiocese, which is about to close 13 East Bay parishes as it buckles under the pressure of an estimated $100 million to $500 million of liabilities, largely from what it owes in sexual assault settlements. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/5/26
Barabak: Happy Birthday, America! You’ve weathered another rough year -- War, inflation and presidential grifting mark an Independence Day best put in the past. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/26
Arellano: Mission San Juan Capistrano is also turning 250. It has lessons for America -- If a historical reckoning can happen in Mission San Juan Capistrano, it can happen anywhere. As we mark 250 years of this country, we need to push for more of these reckonings. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/5/26
Conservatives rage over re-funding of Planned Parenthood -- Planned Parenthood’s beleaguered network of clinics will regain access to hundreds of millions in Medicaid funding this weekend — the fallout of Republicans’ failure to pass an extension of the one-year defunding provision they approved last year. Alice Miranda Ollstein Politico -- 7/5/26
DOGE self-deletes on July 4th. The grand experiment fell apart long before that -- Tech mogul Elon Musk’s band of Silicon Valley disruptors have already moved on as DOGE’s charter is scheduled to expire. Kevin Bogardus and Scott Waldman Politico -- 7/5/26
For America’s 250th, Trump Hosts a Celebration and Derides His Foes -- A centerpiece address for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration devoted time to American history, but had all the hallmarks of a Trump rally. Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ Natalie Allison and Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in the Washington Post$ Steven Sloan, Michelle L. Price Associated Press -- 7/5/26
Democrats Clash With Trump, as Political Tensions Rise on America’s 250th -- Gavin Newsom and Wes Moore, potential 2028 contenders, cast President Trump’s record as a betrayal of American ideals, while the president disparaged their party as extreme. Tim Balk in the New York Times$ -- 7/5/26
Trump Wants a New Air Force One in His Presidential Library. It’s Not a Done Deal -- He faces numerous obstacles, however, from future presidents who might need to use the jet, Democratic politicians who are determined to stop him and the logistical challenges of cramming the hulking jumbo jet into his planned skyscraper in the middle of a dense city. Marcus Weisgerber in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/5/26
Trump Administration Rolls Back Dozens of Gun Regulations -- The Trump administration is scrapping more than three dozen firearms regulations, abandoning a crackdown on illegal sales, restoring gun rights to some people with mental illness and loosening oversight of private weapons transactions. Aishvarya Kavi in the New York Times$ -- 7/5/26
What Does It Cost to Take Over Madison Square Garden? -- There are also miscellaneous costs — lighting, sound, catering, flowers, decorations, labor — which could push the total tab for the wedding up to a very conservative estimate of $10 to $12 million, said Ms. Stewart. Just the audio and visuals component, if there is a show, could reach $1 million, she said. Alisha Haridasani Gupta, Ishani Desai, Maria Cramer and Maia Coleman in the New York Times$ -- 7/5/26
California Policy and Politics Saturday
The Founders Are Why America Is Rich. That Legacy Is at Risk. -- Checks, balances and trust in personal agency made the U.S. a haven for entrepreneurs and wealth creation. Greg Ip in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 7/4/26
China-backed AI tool behind fake Brad Pitt fight making Hollywood inroads -- Backed by low prices and striking realism, Chinese AI video tools such as Seedance are luring independent filmmakers in Cannes and L.A., reshaping workflows and fueling hybrid productions. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/4/26
Want an AI-proof job? New research says you may be safer at companies embracing the technology -- As workers around the world worry about being replaced by artificial intelligence, two recent studies have shown how humanity’s competition and collaboration with bots in the office are evolving. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/4/26
How the FIFA World Cup is providing a boost for L.A. businesses -- Last year, Beig’s Beverly Hills-based company, Dioz Group, won a $2.5 million contract with On Location, FIFA’s hospitality partner, to design, manufacture and distribute uniforms for all employees working at FIFA World Cup venues this summer. Annika Duneja in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/4/26
The World Cup’s big winner so far: Bay Area businesses -- Hotels, restaurants and bars, both in the South Bay and San Francisco, have been flooded by tens of thousands of fans looking to dine, shop and party. The winning U.S. match against Bosnia-Herzegovina drew massive crowds Wednesday, both at the stadium and throughout dozens of local watch parties. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/4/26
After Trump axed federal employees running climate site, thousands crowdfund its comeback -- Federal employees who were axed during waves of cuts by the Trump administration have fought back against the dismantling of a key climate science website, Climate.gov, and put up a new site, Climate.us, that can now do everything the original did. Mack Baysinger in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/4/26
Top science research jobs lack diversity. A California college program aims to curb that -- The climate of STEM higher education programs can be unwelcoming for some minority populations. A state-funded program is trying to change that by providing mentors, relationship-building and financial assistance to California college students. Brittany Oceguera Calmatters -- 7/4/26
Gas prices are high for July 4. California’s price-gouging fixes are still on the shelf -- California’s gasoline watchdog found Chevron stations charged the highest average price of any major brand tracked in late May. A new lawsuit and new bills are pushing the state’s gas-price debate beyond refineries, toward retail pricing, algorithms and brand contracts. Alejandro Lazo Calmatters -- 7/4/26
Housing
It’s not just S.F. anymore — rents are rising across the Bay Area -- Rents in Oakland, which until just recently had plunged further than in any other major U.S. city, are now climbing again — and faster than anywhere else except San Francisco. Christian Leonard in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 7/4/26
Also
Arellano: The sad inevitability of Justice Alito’s birthright citizenship dissent -- In 1913, Antonino Alati left southern Italy to find a better life in a land where many people regarded him as little better than scum. Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 7/4/26
POTUS 47
How Trump took over America’s 250th -- America turns 250 on Saturday. But the celebration Americans will see isn’t quite the one organizers spent the last decade planning. Sophia Cai Politico -- 7/4/26
Trump Targets Not Just Georgia’s Vote, but Also Trust in Elections -- The president has sent 260 F.B.I. analysts to Georgia, repeating his baseless claims of fraud in 2020. But critics say the intention is to undermine overall confidence in the electoral process. Zolan Kanno-Youngs in the New York Times$ -- 7/4/26
At Mount Rushmore, Trump Veers From Patriotism to ‘Communism’ -- Four months before tough midterm elections, President Trump used the backdrop of Mount Rushmore one night before the nation’s 250th birthday to characterize his political opponents as “godless,” “evil” communists. Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ -- 7/4/26