Long Beach races to protect homes as surf erodes the coast
High surf and tides driven by recent storms have battered Long Beach’s Peninsula, washing away sand, flooding streets and damaging beachfront properties; officials have marked at least 13 homes unsafe to occupy. City crews reinforced the bulkhead, rebuilt sand berms and placed 1,000 sandbags, while residents also improvised defenses against waves reaching their homes. City Manager Tom Modica said the city has spent more than $1 million in emergency costs so far and is developing a seven-part plan for near- and long-term resilience while seeking outside funding.
Saltwater-flooded electric vehicles can remain a fire hazard
After coastal flooding in Southern California, the Laguna Beach Fire Department warned that saltwater can damage lithium-ion batteries in electric and hybrid vehicles, e-bikes and scooters. Damaged batteries may ignite days or even weeks after exposure, meaning the danger can persist after floodwaters recede. The warning adds a safety concern for residents and responders dealing with storm-related flooding.
Bike Fire prompts evacuations in Santa Clarita
The fast-moving Bike Fire began near Ravenhill Road in northwest Los Angeles County on Sunday and grew to about 230 acres by mid-afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Times. Officials issued evacuation orders and warnings as Los Angeles County Fire and the U.S. Forest Service responded. The fire was described as erratic, and evacuations remained in place as crews worked to contain it.
Newsom vetoes bills on tribal water rights and sacred sites
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed two bills sought by California tribes days after signing a law formalizing a state apology for historical harms against Native peoples. One measure would have required state agencies to address water inequities affecting tribes and provided for mediation over water projects in ancestral territories; the other would have limited state interference with tribal religious practices and sacred sites on state land. Newsom said the water bill’s implementation was unclear and warned the sacred-sites measure could have far-reaching effects on state operations. Tribal leaders said the vetoes leave them excluded from decisions affecting ancestral waters and sacred places.
California voters to consider public financing of political campaigns
Proposition 4 would overturn current California law that bars state and local governments from creating public financing programs for political campaigns. If approved, it would allow governments to establish such programs. The measure is part of the state’s election-season debate over how campaigns are funded and the role of public money in elections.
San Diego races turn on costs, political alliances and surveillance
Campaign mailers in San Diego’s 48th Congressional District race show Democrat Marni von Wilpert and Republican Jim Desmond focusing heavily on affordability, with attacks also invoking taxes, fees and President Donald Trump. In the open state Senate contest, former City Attorney Mara Elliott and Kristie Bruce-Layne have faced attacks from labor groups and exchanged ideological accusations. In a City Council District 2 race, messaging has framed the contest around whether ties to Trump or Mayor Todd Gloria are the bigger liability; one independent expenditure also claimed candidate Bailey opposed Flock license-plate cameras, though the report found his stated position was to seek tighter oversight and shorter data retention.
AI companies welcome a hands-off federal approach as safety concerns persist
At San Francisco tech events, founders and investors praised the Trump administration’s opposition to strict AI regulation, with speakers pointing to opportunities in defense and security systems. The administration’s voluntary safety pact asks advanced AI labs to establish internal safety protocols and monitoring teams, but the agreement offers no detailed enforcement framework. The debate sharpened after three OpenAI researchers said they had been fired and a former safety-team leader warned that voluntary commitments are no substitute for law as AI systems advance quickly.
Some Bay Area tech workers are reconsidering unions amid AI and political concerns
Workers and organizers say rapid AI development, job-displacement concerns and the social effects of technology are prompting some Silicon Valley employees to engage more with labor organizing. A Google product manager told KQED that he joined the Tech Workers Coalition after becoming concerned about how technology is used, while the Bay Area group has organized around issues including AI and surveillance cameras. The shift challenges a longstanding industry culture of high compensation and individual advancement that has kept many white-collar tech employees distant from organized labor.