California Policy and Politics Saturday

As crews battle hazardous fire on cargo ship, shelter-in-place order lifted for San Pedro, Wilmington -- A shelter-in-place order was lifted Saturday morning for San Pedro and Wilmington due to a massive and stubborn blaze involving hazardous materials on a cargo ship, authorities said. Clara Harter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

L.A. firefighters propose hike in sales tax to pay for new stations, equipment and more -- Los Angeles firefighters union proposes a half-cent perpetual sales tax to raise hundreds of millions annually for the fire department. The measure could, over time, fund dozens of new fire stations, purchase equipment, and expand the department by nearly 1,000 firefighters if approved. Noah Goldberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

LAFD records show no sign of ‘cold trailing’ again at Lachman fire, as interim chief had claimed -- The Times has obtained records that call into question the LAFD’s statements about how thoroughly firefighters mopped up the Jan. 1 Lachman fire in the days before it reignited into the Palisades fire. Alene Tchekmedyian and Paul Pringle in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

 

California’s second-largest home insurer seeks rate increase, lifts cap on new policies -- Farmers Insurance Group — the second largest home insurer in California — is lifting its cap on the amount of new homeowners policies it will write in the state effective immediately. The announcement comes as the insurer asks the California Department of Insurance to approve a 6.99% rate increase on homeowners across the state, according to the company. Megan Fan Munce in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

 

‘He’s not my friend’: AG Rob Bonta denies close ties to family at center of East Bay corruption case -- In interviews with the Chronicle and other media outlets, California Attorney General Rob Bonta offered his most thorough accounting yet of his links to an East Bay FBI probe and its players. Megan Cassidy, Sophia Bollag in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Pondering a run for governor, Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta faces questions about legal spending -- California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta is reconsidering a gubernatorial run as Kamala Harris and Alex Padilla are not in the race, saying the contest’s contours have fundamentally changed. The state’s top law enforcement official faces scrutiny over nearly $500,000 in campaign funds spent on private lawyers. Seema Mehta and Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

 

An L.A. man was detained in an immigration raid. No one knows where he is -- A Mexican immigrant detained during an immigration raid in South L.A. has disappeared. Six weeks later, his family still hasn’t found him. Homeland Security says he was never in custody, but a witness says he suffered a medical emergency at a detention facility. Andrea Castillo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

Trump admin moves to resume sharing Medicaid data with ICE -- The Trump administration on Friday informed a federal judge it intends to resume giving immigration officials access to personal information about Medicaid recipients from 22 states, over objections from Democratic state attorneys general. Tyler Katzenberger and Josh Gerstein Politico -- 11/22/25

The college dreams of 80,000 undocumented California students threatened by Trump suit -- Trump sued California alleging in-state tuition and financial aid programs for undocumented students are illegal, raising concerns among the 80,000 such students. Universities say their tuition policies follow the law. California will fight the suit in court. Students worry the lawsuit, if successful, will make college unaffordable. Jaweed Kaleem in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

Wildfire

The first home has been rebuilt in the wake of the Palisades Fire -- Less than a year after 6,822 structures burned in the Palisades Fire, the first rebuilding project has reached the finish line in Pacific Palisades: a two-story showcase home located at 915 Kagawa St. Jack Flemming in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

Housing

Newport Beach to put housing plan ballot measure before voters next November -- Newport Beach voters will have an opportunity to reject a state-approved housing plan passed by the City Council in favor of an alternative that calls for fewer units to be built in the coastal city. Gabriel San Román in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

20,000 new homes, 14 new parks and one new trolley station: Clairemont blueprint clears key hurdle -- An aggressive plan to add nearly 20,000 potential new homes to Clairemont over the next 30 years got a key green light Friday when the City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee unanimously approved it. David Garrick in the San Diego Union Tribune$ -- 11/22/25

Workplace

Farmworkers sue Trump administration in California over threat to wages -- The United Farm Workers, along with more than a dozen additional farmworkers, are suing the Trump administration in California over a new Labor Department rule they argue will “undercut and adversely affect” wages paid to U.S. workers. Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

‘Hearing the bombs drop’: Verizon confirms more than 13,000 job cuts -- Verizon employees received confirmation this week of what many had feared: The company is cutting more than 13% of its workforce, part of a sweeping overhaul meant to reshape the telecom giant for artificial intelligence. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Kaiser

Kaiser Permanente disbanded 8-person California security team amid concerns about of illegal searches -- Kaiser Permanente disbanded an eight-person security team working from Oakland to Los Angeles amid allegations that its leader obtained information from a confidential law enforcement database, according to recently obtained internal police records and a whistleblower. Jakob Rodgers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 11/22/25

Rose Bowl

Should they stay or should they go? UCLA greats weigh in on the Rose Bowl debate -- Going into what could be UCLA’s last home game ever at its century-old stadium Saturday night, some with deep ties to the school say they understand each of the dueling perspectives in the debate over a possible move to SoFi Stadium. Ben Bolch in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

Marketplace

Two of S.F.’s biggest hotels sell for $408 million — a nearly 75% drop in value from 2016 -- Parc 55 and Hilton San Francisco Union Square, two of the city’s biggest hotels, have sold for $408 million after a two-year marketing effort following their foreclosure. Roland Li in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Homeless

L.A. County seeks to slash funding for some homeless services amid budget trouble -- Faced with a large budget gap, Los Angeles County on Thursday released a spending plan that slashes funding for some homeless services and could reverse progress made in getting people off the streets. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

Stinson Beach

Bay Area’s ultra-wealthy keep buying homes in this beach town — despite doomsday forecast -- Stinson Beach, beloved for its long strip of white sand and seaside cottages, was just named one of the nation’s most expensive markets for homebuyers. It may not last forever, however, as climate change is due to bring the surf ever higher, claiming more of the beach with each decade. Tara Duggan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Bird Flu

Washington state resident dies of new H5N5 form of bird flu -- Officials from the Washington State Department of Health did not release the person’s name, age or gender. According to a news release from Grays Harbor County health officials last week, the person was considered “older” and had underlying health conditions. Their symptoms included a high fever, confusion and trouble breathing. Susanne Rust in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

Street

DHS officers enter East Bay elementary school, serve subpoena seeking info about a former student -- Two Department of Homeland Security officers served a Hayward elementary school with a subpoena Friday morning seeking information about a former student, according to district officials. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Waymo

Waymo secures approval to expand driverless service across much of California -- The Department of Motor Vehicles has approved a sweeping enlargement of Waymo’s driverless operating territory, a move that could soon allow the company’s robotaxis to travel everywhere from Wine Country tasting rooms to the streets of Sacramento and the sprawling communities between Los Angeles and San Diego. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Also

Kamala Harris makes surprise visit to Jack White’s Third Man Records in Nashville -- The visit was unannounced, but word of Kamala Harris’s stop at Third Man Records traveled fast. Aidin Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 11/22/25

Consumers are spending $22 more a month on average for streaming services. Why do prices keep rising? -- U.S. households now spend an average of $70 monthly on streaming services, up $22 from a year ago as major platforms raise prices. Many consumers are growing frustrated with price hikes, with roughly one-third cutting streaming subscriptions in recent months due to financial concerns. Wendy Lee in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

‘Superman’ comic found in a California attic sells for record $9.12 million at auction -- It’s a bird, it’s a plane ... it’s a Superman comic beyond most of our price range! A pristine copy of “Superman” No. 1 sold for $9.12 million at Heritage Auctions on Thursday, making it the most expensive comic book ever sold at auction. Tracy Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 11/22/25

POTUS 47

White House blew past legal concerns in deadly strikes on drug boats -- The Trump administration sidestepped skeptical lawyers across national security agencies as it pursued a military campaign against alleged narcotraffickers, officials say. Ellen Nakashima, Warren P. Strobel and Alex Horton in the Washington Post$ -- 11/22/25

Alito lets Texas reinstate gerrymandered House map that could give GOP 5 more seats -- Texas’ redrawn GOP-friendly congressional districts are back, for now. Justice Samuel Alito temporarily restored the state’s new map — expected to net Republicans up to five seats in the 2026 midterms — while the Supreme Court weighs a lower court’s decision to toss that map altogether. Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney Politico -- 11/22/25

Trump, Mamdani make love — not war -- A high-stakes White House meeting between President Donald Trump and mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani turned into a lovefest — with both men heaping populist praise on each other for pursuing ways to address the cost of living. Nick Reisman and Joe Anuta Politico -- 11/22/25

‘Fascist’? ‘Communist’? For an Afternoon, They Were Just 2 Guys From Queens -- There was one moment in particular when Zohran Mamdani seemed like he might have bit off a little more than he could chew by making his lonely pilgrimage down to the lion’s den that is President Trump’s blinged-out Oval Office. Shawn McCreesh in the New York Times$ Natalie Allison in the Washington Post$ -- 11/22/25

Marjorie Taylor Greene Says She Plans to Resign in January -- Ms. Greene, who was elected in 2020, had positioned herself as a die-hard Trump supporter until a series of recent ruptures with the president, who recently unendorsed her. Annie Karni in the New York Times$ Kadia Goba, Mariana Alfaro and Hannah Knowles in the Washington Post$ -- 11/22/25

What to Know About the Nearly 10% Climb in a Key Medicare Expense for 2026 -- The rapidly rising premium for Part B, which covers retirees’ outpatient services, reflects the fast pace of growth for health care costs nationally. Mark Miller in the New York Times$ -- 11/22/25