All articles tagged with #california
Three people, including a security guard, were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and two teenage suspects were found dead in a vehicle; the incident is being investigated as a hate crime with FBI involvement and ongoing updates from local authorities.
A brush fire dubbed the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley has grown to more than 700 acres with no containment, triggering mandatory evacuations across several SIMI zones. A temporary evacuation point was set at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park, and shelters were opened for small and large animals. Nearby schools evacuated students to Simi Valley High School, while the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was evacuated. Firefighters are deploying air and ground resources as offshore Santa Ana winds, expected to persist with gusts, influence fire behavior; officials say conditions should ease by late afternoon with another wind round anticipated Tuesday.
A wind-driven brush fire in Simi Valley, known as the Sandy Fire, burned at least one home and another structure, spread across about 184 acres, and triggered evacuation orders for southern Simi Valley and parts of northern Thousand Oaks. With 0% containment as of early afternoon, crews battled the blaze as dry Santa Ana winds gusted 25–40 mph and offshore winds were forecast to ease later, signaling a precarious firefight ahead.
Los Angeles confirms its fifth measles case of the year tied to a May 14 flight into LAX, with health officials urging exposed travelers to verify vaccination status and monitor for symptoms as public health workers trace additional exposure sites; nationwide, measles outbreaks continue to rise. In California politics, several insurance-commissioner candidates call for greater state involvement, including public insurers, state disaster reinsurance, and backstops, sparking debate over feasibility and costs. A feature from The LA Local highlights Gen Z’s growing knit-night scene at Inglewood’s Knitting Tree as a welcome offline community space. A campus-focused report notes Turning Point USA chapters expanding across California campuses, fueling tensions with liberal groups. Rounding out LAist’s digest are weekly events and culture picks—art hangs, hikes, Pub Choir, and more—previewing pre-Olympic-season offerings.
A Long Beach high school surfer, William Frey, is suing the Long Beach Unified School District, alleging he was beaten by Wilson High surf teammates in April 2025, threatened with death, and harassed on campus; the suit says administrators failed to protect him and did not adequately enforce safety measures after a restraining order, with video of the attack and ongoing threats cited. Frey has relocated, and the suit seeks damages to be determined at trial.
New research shows California’s data centers are expanding into water-stressed regions while public data on their water use remains scarce due to reporting gaps and narrow environmental reviews. Planning documents often lack clear details about water consumption, and water providers rarely disclose usage. Lawmakers are reintroducing bills to require disclosure to water suppliers and local governments, but face industry opposition. Experts say transparent measurement is essential as the industry grows and competes for limited water resources.
The Trump administration’s proposed 10-year plan could slash annual Colorado River deliveries to Arizona, California and Nevada by up to 3 million acre-feet (as much as 40%), with reductions evaluated biennially and final decisions due in June. Cuts would be guided by the river’s priority under the 1922 Colorado River Compact, potentially hitting the Central Arizona Project hard. The plan arises amid severe drought and ongoing disputes with upper-basin states, and follows separate voluntary-reduction proposals by the lower-basin states that require federal cooperation to take effect.
The City of Long Beach canceled its annual Pride Festival after determining organizers failed to submit the required safety documentation in time, though the Pride Parade is still scheduled for Sunday. The city had attempted to issue a permit and even considered a shortened event but could not complete safety reviews without essential information. Refunds were promised for participating vendors, while organizers criticized the decision as a blow to the LGBTQ+ community.
A California Department of Justice report finds six detainees died in California ICE detention centers over the past year as crowding and limited medical staffing strained care, with four deaths at Adelanto and two at Imperial Regional Detention Facility. Inspectors describe poor conditions, including inadequate mental health care, cold temperatures, and sanitation issues, amid a more than 150% increase in detainee population. The facilities are run by private companies under ICE contracts, which defend adherence to detention standards, while the report notes rollbacks of civil-rights protections under the Trump administration.
A California Assembly appropriations committee advanced the Protect Our Games Act, which would require digital game publishers to offer refunds or updated versions to keep games playable after online services end, and to notify players 60 days before shutdown; the measure would apply to paid games sold in California on or after January 1, 2027, with exemptions for completely free games and subscription-only titles. The bill, championed by Stop Killing Games and opposed by the Entertainment Software Association, still must clear both legislative chambers and gain the governor’s signature, and faces licensing and IP considerations that opponents argue could be problematic.
A 90-minute CBS televised debate on May 14 will feature Republican candidates Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton and Democratic contenders Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, and Antonio Villaraigosa (with Tony Thurmond invited but not yet confirmed). The program runs 5:30–7:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. pre-show) and will be broadcast on CBS stations and streamed on the networks’ digital platforms as undecided voters hear candidates address housing, affordability, public safety, climate, education and healthcare ahead of the June 2 primary.
A California judge ruled that the long-running Kars4Kids jingle constitutes false advertising and ordered the charity to stop airing it in California within 30 days, require disclosures of its religious affiliation and geographic focus, and pay $250 restitution to a plaintiff; the ruling notes the ad's framing can create an unfair playing field for local charities and underscores that funds largely go to Oorah, which uses donations for Israel-based programs, including a building purchase.
The Trump administration is suspending about $1.1 billion in California’s Medicaid home-health program (IHSS) over fraud concerns—a claim California says has little supporting evidence and attributes to growth in caseloads and wages. The action could disrupt services for hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities, and an additional $200 million in administrative claims is also being withheld. California emphasizes safeguards and oversight, while advocates warn of harm amid a broader fraud crackdown and a related six‑month hospice enrollment moratorium, with no clear timeline for funds to be released.
The sixth and final California governor debate produced no decisive momentum: polls show no candidate breaking into a clear lead, and analysts say the field remains wide open with Becerra the main target of attacks, Steyer and Hilton as the other viable contenders, Porter delivering a clearer policy voice but too late to shift the race, and Mahan/Bianco largely underwhelming. The exchange underscored a nostalgic, recycled campaign tone and left Californians with limited clarity about a path forward, making consultants the likely winners and voters the losers.
California officials condemned the White House’s withholding of roughly $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements as political retaliation, while Vice President JD Vance and CMS Administrator Oz cited fraud flags in the state’s Medicaid records. Democrats warned the move harms patients and providers and signaled potential legal challenges, as Newsom highlighted in-home care programs’ savings and GOP criticisms of federal funding cuts. The action follows a recent anti-fraud crackdown in Los Angeles on hospice and home-health facilities.