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California Policy and Politics Tuesday
Inside the Stockton banquet hall where kids were slaughtered, parents return to a scene of horror -- The sun was beginning to set Sunday when members of a Stockton family pulled open the metal door of a banquet hall that a day earlier had been the venue for a 2-year-old’s birthday party — a joyful affair that ended in violence and heartbreak. Inside, the family confronted a scene of horror. Jessica Garrison and Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
Gavin Newsom orders Capitol flags at half-staff following Stockton mass shooting -- Flags at the California state Capitol in Sacramento will fly at half-staff, Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted Monday afternoon. His proclamation came two days after a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in Stockton that killed at least four people, including three children, and wounded 11 other people. Graham Womack in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/02/25
Is Latino support for Trump waning in California? What Prop. 50 results tell us -- Latino voters were one of the biggest swing voting blocs in last month’s Prop. 50 special election, which some political observers say represents a bellwether for President Trump’s waning support among California’s largest demographic group. Marina Peña in the Fresno Bee -- 12/02/25
OpenAI Completed Its Conversion. A New Ballot Initiative Seeks to Reverse It -- A coalition that tried and failed to block OpenAI’s conversion earlier this year is back with a new tactic: a California ballot initiative aimed at reining in the startup’s power. Keach Hagey in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/02/25
Guns
9th Circuit revives California law requiring background checks for ammo purchases -- California’s requirement of background checks for buyers of firearms ammunition was revived Monday, at least for now, when a federal appeals court blocked an earlier ruling that the 2019 law was unconstitutional. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/02/25
Oil
The Texas Oil Mogul at War With California Over an Offshore Bounty -- James Flores, chief of Sable Offshore, stands to make millions if he can reboot oil platforms off the coast of Santa Barbara. Benoît Morenne in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/02/25
Wildfire
‘A personal embarrassment’: Why fire agencies keep failing to put out blazes that later turn disastrous -- Firefighters knew the charred skeleton of a tractor was still smoking when they left the valley floor in Ventura County last year, but didn’t think it posed any danger. Richard Winton and Hannah Fry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
Workplace
With new bids, Warner Bros. Discovery looks to narrow the auction field -- Monday marks the deadline for a second round of proposals, which Warner’s board members anticipate will bring sweetened bids from the three rivals vying for the prize. Comcast, Paramount and Netflix each submitted initial nonbinding offers last month, forming the auction’s floor. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
Netflix Makes Majority Cash Bid for Warner Discovery -- Netflix has sweetened its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery in a second round of bids as it tries to outdo rival Paramount. Joe Flint, Lauren Thomas and Dave Michaels in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/02/25
Four Seasons San Francisco sold to Blackstone in $130 million deal -- A major real estate player is doubling down on San Francisco, marking another sign of momentum in the city’s uneven but accelerating hospitality rebound. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/02/25
Marketplace
L.A. County offering cash back for shopping local through new gift card program -- Los Angeles County is giving consumers a way to get more bang for their buck this holiday season by offering extra cash with a new digital gift card to shop locally. Sandra McDonald in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
Housing
‘Affordability is the biggest constraint’: San Diego home prices fall for 4th month -- San Diego was among more than half of U.S. cities with falling home prices in September. Phillip Molnar in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 12/02/25
Mayor Lurie’s ‘Family Zoning’ housing plan is one step closer to being approved -- Mayor Daniel Lurie’s sweeping “Family Zoning” plan to allow taller and denser buildings across much of San Francisco’s western and northern neighborhoods is headed to a final vote on Tuesday after the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee approved it Monday afternoon. J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/02/25
Water
California announces 10% water supply to start the new water year -- The initial number is based on current weather and water conditions, how much water is stored in reservoirs and the assumption that the rest of the year could be drier than normal, the state agency said. Chaewon Chung in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/02/25
HIV
‘Is this my last pill ever?’ UCSF therapy offers patients a hint at a cure for HIV -- Seven people with HIV were able to control the virus without medication for several months — and in one case for more than a year — after undergoing complex immune therapy at UCSF, results that scientists say could be a critical step in eradicating an infection that’s killed tens of millions globally. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/02/25
Also
Before-and-after images from space: Tule fog smothers a huge swath of California -- California’s Central Valley has been enshrouded in mist for more than a week thanks to the area’s infamous tule fog. Terry Castleman in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
Flying without a Real ID or passport? It’ll cost you $45 soon -- Airline travelers who attempt to pass through security checkpoints without a Real ID will be subject to the Transportation Security Administration’s new security screening program and pay a new fee of $45. Karen Garcia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
POTUS 47
Hegseth Ordered a Lethal Attack but Not the Killing of Survivors, Officials Say -- The Trump administration on Monday defended the legality of a Sept. 2 attack on a boat in the Caribbean Sea as calls grew in Congress to examine whether a follow-up missile strike that killed survivors amounted to a crime. Charlie Savage, Julian E. Barnes, Eric Schmitt and John Ismay in the New York Times$ -- 12/02/25
Hegseth, with White House help, tries to distance himself from boat strike fallout -- As Congress vows accountability, the Trump administration emphasized it was a top military commander — not the defense secretary — who directed the engagement. Noah Robertson and Tara Copp in the Washington Post$ -- 12/02/25
For Trump, Hegseth’s Take-No-Prisoners Approach Is a Growing Liability -- Investigations are mounting into the legality of strikes that have killed scores of people in the waters off Venezuela. David E. Sanger and Helene Cooper in the New York Times$ -- 12/02/25
Trump weighs options on Venezuela strikes amid congressional alarm -- The Trump administration is facing sharp scrutiny this week over its approach to Venezuela after turning its focus to the beleaguered nation, weighing U.S. military strikes against a Latin American state for the first time in more than 35 years. Michael Wilner, Ana Ceballos, Kate Linthicum and Patrick J. McDonnell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/02/25
Trump’s Crackdown in Wake of Shooting Blocks Legal Pathways for Migrants -- The new measures represent some of the most significant changes to immigration policy since President Trump returned to the White House. Hamed Aleaziz, Jazmine Ulloa and Allison McCann in the New York Times$ -- 12/02/25
As Trump Deepens Immigration Crackdown, Even Long-Held Exceptions Disappear -- President Trump’s latest changes to the immigration system affect communities that traditionally have been considered special cases. Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Hamed Aleaziz in the New York Times$ -- 12/02/25
A Surprise When Your Package Arrives: You Have to Pay the Tariff -- Kim Batten, a physical therapist from Oakland, Calif., bought a trench coat earlier this year from a Dutch retailer for $456, a price that was a little above her budget. Peter Eavis in the New York Times$ -- 12/02/25
A pared-back White House Christmas — with a Trump Lego portrait -- If the call across the land is for a more maximalist Christmas, first lady Melania Trump did not heed it. In her first holiday back in charge of White House decor, she presented a straightforward, even understated — at least by White House standards — look on a tour that has been halved in size. Rachel Kurzius in the Washington Post$ -- 12/02/25
California Policy and Politics Monday
‘No parent should have to bury their child’: Stockton mourns mass shooting deaths; no arrests yet -- The people who died at the mass shooting at a children’s birthday party in Stockton on Saturday ranged in age from 8 to 21, according to a spokesperson for the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office. Anna Bauman, Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/1/25
Hundreds attend vigil following Stockton mass shooting, call to end gun violence -- Hundreds of people showed up for the vigil, which was held on Thornton Road, near the site of the mass shooting, to call for an end to gun violence in Stockton. Kathleen Quinn and Graham Womack in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 12/1/25
Young California Democrats are challenging veteran House members in safe blue seats -- The recent retirements of Nancy Pelosi and other longtime House Democrats have led to more calls for aging members to pass the torch. Incumbents argue their experience is crucial as the executive branch is upending the balance of power in Washington. Maya C. Miller Calmatters -- 12/01/25
Skelton: A Republican California governor? It’s possible, but a long shot -- Maybe we’ve all been wrong — we political junkies. Because it is possible, after all, for a Republican to be elected California governor next year. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/01/25
S.F. Mayor Lurie taps Sunset native and former City Hall aide for supervisor -- San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has tapped community college trustee Alan Wong to be the Sunset District’s new city supervisor, concluding a closely watched appointment process that became a politically fraught test for the mayor’s administration in recent weeks. J.D. Morris, Alyce McFadden, Lucy Hodgman in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/1/25
Here are 15 new laws that Californians must start following in 2026 -- California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom approved more than 900 new laws this year, including measures aimed at countering the influence of President Donald Trump, lowering drug costs and requiring landlords to maintain refrigerators and stoves in apartments. Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/01/25
ICE
L.A. County supervisors are set to ban masks worn by ICE agents. Can they win a battle with Trump? -- The move follows intensified immigration raids since June, with masked agents detaining residents and raising concerns about impersonation and lack of due process. L.A. County counsel Dawyn R. Harrison said the ordinance “would most likely be challenged on the supremacy clause,” which holds that federal law supersedes state and local law. Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/01/25
‘They still need care’: Why California migrant workers are avoiding medical clinics -- Fearful of sharing sensitive information, California farmworkers began staying away from mobile medical clinics after President Trump took office. “There’s a lot of distrust,” said a doctor who works with them. Larry Valenzuela Calmatters -- 12/01/25
Attacks on ICE up 1,000%? Trump administration claim not backed up by court records -- Thousands of pages of court records reviewed by The Times indicate that percentage is misleading, with the majority of the alleged assaults resulting in no injuries. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla has said the White House is using questionable statistics to “encourage even more brutal immigration enforcement operations.” James Queally, Brittny Mejia and Vanessa Martínez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/01/25
Why are California’s Indian truck drivers disappearing during the holiday rush? -- Outside of tech, medicine, and family businesses, truck driving is one of the largest sources of employment for the Indian diaspora in America. Indian truckers say they are being unfairly targeted after a horrific accident triggered extra scrutiny of migrant drivers and tighter regulations. Nilesh Christopher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/01/25
Wildfire
What is the first house rebuilt after the wildfires in Los Angeles? It’s complicated -- Furor erupted when Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass celebrated a home owned by a homebuilder company, not a homeowner, as the first to be completed. Liam Dillon Politico -- 12/01/25
Downtown SF
S.F. offered $1 million tax break to companies moving offices downtown. No one has used it -- Whatever the reason, the lack of any obvious results from the tax break underscore the difficulties San Francisco has faced as it tries to revive its lackluster downtown, a cornerstone of the city’s economy that remains a far cry from its pre-pandemic vibrancy. J.D. Morris in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 12/01/25
Education
Fewer international students are coming to the U.S. What this means for California -- The number of new international students enrolling in college in the U.S. is dropping. Their losses will be felt beyond classrooms, as foreign students in particular drive scientific research and advancement. As the state with the most international students, California will likely feel the biggest impact. Aliza Imran and Kahani Malhotra Calmatters Kevinisha Walker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/01/25
San Diego universities forge ahead with optimism and anxiety to shape new AI-literate workforce -- Will the boom in artificial intelligence become as transformative as the internet, or will it go poof in a stock market crash like the dot-com frenzy? Or is something else far different in store? Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 12/1/25
Trump administration science assault slams major Bay Area economic engine, threatens ‘amazing innovations’ -- Veteran Bay Area biomedical CEO Paul Hastings had to lay off five dozen employees at his company earlier this year, thanks, he said, to what he described as the Trump administration’s attacks on universities, science and medical-research funding, he said. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/1/25
Possible strike in East Bay school district reflects statewide tensions -- Along with at least a half dozen school districts in California, the West Contra Costa Unified School District is struggling to break an impasse in labor negotiations with teachers at a time of declining enrollments and rising costs for both schools and employees. Louis Freedberg EdSource -- 12/01/25
Also
Altadena resident stunned by bear living under home: ‘It roared from underneath the house’ -- Kenneth Johnson first noticed signs of an uninvited guest living under his Altadena home earlier this year. Jasmine Mendez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 12/01/25
I tested 80 Uber and Lyft rides and found a powerful way to save -- The other morning, Uber wanted $77 to get me across San Francisco during rush hour. Lyft wanted $49. Same route, same moment. Geoffrey A. Fowler in the Washington Post$ -- 12/01/25
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Congress Opens Inquiries After Report That U.S. Targeted Boat-Strike Survivors -- Lawmakers from both parties say events as described in a Washington Post article, if accurate, might amount to war crimes. Michelle Hackman in the Wall Street Journal$ Michael Gold in the New York Times$ -- 12/1/25
Trump says Hegseth told him he didn’t order killing of boat crew -- The president also said he would not have wanted a second strike on a boat allegedly carrying drugs, which occurred after U.S. forces realized the initial attack left two survivors, as The Post reported. Mariana Alfaro, Alex Horton and Noah Robertson in the Washington Post$ -- 12/1/25
GOP faces a familiar dilemma: What to do about Obamacare? -- Republican leaders have found themselves in a familiar place: pledging to make major changes to the Affordable Care Act, citing rising health care costs and a looming deadline — but far from agreeing on how to do it. Dan Diamond, Riley Beggin and Jacob Bogage in the Washington Post$ -- 12/01/25
Gen Z Shoppers Aren’t Spending Like Retailers Need Them To -- More than any other generation, young adults are tightening their year-end spending budgets and shelling out less for gifts, survey data shows. That is a problem for retailers and brands that look to Generation Z—a group that runs from teens to late-20-somethings—to drive shopping trends and boost spending steadily as they earn bigger paychecks. Jennifer Williams in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 12/1/25
Haunted by History, Japanese Americans Fight Trump’s Immigration Crackdown -- Japanese Americans are seeing parallels between the government’s incarceration of their families during World War II and the current detention of Latinos. Jill Cowan in the New York Times$ -- 12/1/25
Is Theranos fraudster Elizabeth Holmes angling for a pardon from President Trump? -- The convicted fraudster’s account on social media platform X has in recent months repeatedly claimed innocence, and posted a steady stream of comments and content aligned with Trump and his Make America Great Again movement. Ethan Baron in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 12/1/25