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California Policy and Politics Monday
The 2028 Presidential ‘Shadow Primary’ Descends on the Midterms -- Gov. Gavin Newsom of California spent his Saturday weaving through New Hampshire, campaigning with midterm candidates as he faced questions about his presidential ambitions. Next weekend, former Vice President Kamala Harris, who is weighing another White House bid, plans to be in the state with the Democratic Senate nominee. And days after that, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, who is also considering a run, will appear there, too. Evan Gorelick in the New York Times$ -- 10/19/26
California officials who process ballots from suspected noncitizens risk prosecution, US warns -- The Trump administration is escalating its fight with California ahead of next month’s midterm election, warning that local officials who process and tabulate ballots submitted by suspected noncitizen voters are putting themselves at risk of criminal investigation and potential prosecution. Eric Tucker Associated Press -- 10/19/26
A California town’s beaches are washing away. Can its residents turn the tide? -- San Clemente is one of southern California’s most picture-perfect beach towns – a capital of American surf culture since the 1950s. In two years, 2028 Olympic surfers will compete at Lower Trestles, a world-class surfing beach. Lois Beckett in The Guardian -- 10/19/26
Southern California fires ease as Santa Ana winds die down. But rain could bring new risks -- Strong Santa Ana winds that fueled a rash of wildfires in Southern California have abated, and crews were turning a corner Sunday on the blazes that closed highways, damaged a military base and destroyed multimillion-dollar homes. But an incoming storm system could pose new risks for the region as crews continue to brace for more wild weather this fall. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26
Marketplace
Can art help bring downtown San Francisco back? Mid-Market festival makes its case -- ‘We are the Broadway of the West Coast,’ Supervisor Bilal Mahmood told a UN Plaza crowd at Market Street Arts & Theater Festival. Lily Janiak in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 10/19/26
Workplace
Scores of women, teen workers were groped, grabbed at this restaurant chain, feds say -- California-based Il Fornaio will pay $3 million to settle an EEOC lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment and retaliation affecting at least 100 female employees, many of them teenagers. Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26
AI
Anthropic commits 5% of its stock to a new ‘public benefit’ fund -- Anthropic said Sunday it is committing 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit” fund, with the fund’s worth potentially increasing as its shares grow in value. The shares will go to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity within the company. Associated Press -- 10/19/26
Also
Serial rapist and cosmetics heir is free. San Gabriel Valley community is outraged, mayor says -- Andrew Stuart Luster, the great-grandson of Max Factor, was convicted in 2003 on 86 felony counts of poisoning, rape, sodomy and oral copulation of unconscious victims. A jury viewed video he made of himself engaging in sexual acts with women rendered unconscious by GHB, the so-called date-rape drug. Suhauna Hussain in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/19/26
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Putin Floats a Summit With Trump and Xi to Discuss Ukraine Deal -- Ukraine’s Zelensky would not be included in the proposed talks, as Russia’s leader seeks to negotiate an end to the conflict that favors Moscow. Lingling Wei, Alex Lear, Thomas Grove and Josh Dawsey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/19/26
On the Campaign Trail, Trump Tries to Outrun a Bad Week in Washington -- President Trump continued to sell himself as the Republican Party’s savior as he crisscrossed the country in recent days, making it clear in words and sheer presence that this midterm election is about him. But back in the nation’s capital, Mr. Trump’s White House was consumed by dramas that reinforced why polls show that his presidency itself has become a drag on Republican tickets. Tyler Pager in the New York Times$ -- 10/19/26
The Race Is On for Trump Staffers to Hire Lawyers in Case Democrats Win Midterms -- Trump administration officials are lawyering up. From cabinet secretaries to midlevel staffers, people who work for President Trump are calling law firms in search of legal advice as they brace for an avalanche of investigations next year if Democrats take one or both houses of Congress in the midterms. Lydia Wheeler, Meridith McGraw and Louise Radnofsky in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/19/26
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 -- 10/18/26
‘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