All of the must-read news about the Golden State in one place.
Hi, I’m Mike McPhate, a former California correspondent for the New York Times. I survey more than 100 news and social media sites daily, then send you a tightly crafted email with only the most informative and delightful bits.
Each weekday at about 6 a.m., you’ll get an email like this.
Good morning. It’s Thursday, April 2.
- An ominous sign for California’s wildfire outlook.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom faulted for calling critics gay.
- And Sonoma County candidate is caught lying about age.
Statewide
1.
“This is going to be an ugly summer.”
California’s Sierra Nevada snowpack normally reaches its peak around April 1. But after an extremely warm March, state engineers on Wednesday found no measurable snow in a survey of a key location near Lake Tahoe. Across the entire mountain range, the snowpack stood at just 18% of average for the date, the second-lowest reading on record. The data bodes ill for California’s wildfire outlook. Jim Drennan, the fire chief in South Lake Tahoe, said it already feels like summer in the mountains. “It’s pretty bizarre up here right now.” CalMatters | S.F. Chronicle
2.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has embraced a new form of attack on political opponents: calling them gay. Last week, his press office’s X account said conservative commentator Benny Johnson’s team was Grindr’s “biggest users.” Earlier, the account suggested Scott Bessent, the first openly gay Treasury secretary, finds Newsom “hot.” Former Democratic Rep. Barney Frank, who was once the most prominent openly gay politician in the country, said Newsom was using “sexual orientation as an accusation.” Them, an LGBTQ+ publication, said his posts “are, frankly, homophobic.” N.Y. Times
3.
“Completely dysfunctional.”
“The worst of all scenarios.”
“All the makings of a debacle.”
Barely a month before the start of mail voting in the primary election for California governor, a sprawling field of candidates threatens to split the vote and hand victory to a Republican. Politico reports: “For Democrats … it wouldn’t just mean ceding California’s role as a national leader in progressive policymaking. The lack of a top-of-the-ticket standard bearer could also suppress turnout and cost the party House seats, squandering Democrats’ victory last year in a hard-fought gerrymandering campaign.”
Northern California
4.
Less than 24 hours after qualifying for the ballot, a candidate for Sonoma County supervisor found herself confessing to a lie: Shelina Moreda was not 38 years old, as she claimed in a March 12 interview. Asked about records showing her to be 44 years old, Moreda called the line of questioning “misogynistic” and complained to a female reporter about “a lack of women protecting each other in our society.” Press Democrat
5.
Bay Area-based technologists and populists in Washington are forming a new political alliance to halt what they believe is artificial intelligence’s potential to annihilate humanity. One of their most important champions is Sen. Bernie Sanders. “I know there have been a lot of science fiction novels and movies about how the robots and the AI and the computers rebel against human control,” he said. “But these guys no longer think that this is science fiction.” Politico Magazine
- “This is the end of the world.” Silicon Valley therapists say AI workers are coming to them with alarming levels of existential despair. S.F. Standard
6.
Allbirds, an eco-friendly shoe company founded in San Francisco, was valued at $4 billion when it went public in 2021. This week, the company struck a deal to sell itself for $39 million, or less than 1% of its peak valuation. Allbirds rode high on Silicon Valley hype, betting that consumers would pay a premium for products made from materials like eucalyptus tree pulp. “Sustainability,” noted one analyst, “comes way down the batting order behind factors like style, price and comfort.” Wall Street Journal | L.A. Times
7.
Chris Espinosa is Apple’s longest-tenured employee. In 1976, when he was just 14 years old, Espinosa became employee No. 8, recruited by Steve Jobs to write computer programs for the Apple II. On Wednesday, Apple turned 50. In the intervening years, Espinosa has watched the company grow from a garage startup into a roughly $4 trillion behemoth. Through the ups and downs, he had no college degree and no experience beyond Apple. He figured: “I was here when we turned the lights on. I might as well stick around until we turn the lights off.” N.Y. Times
8.
“Insane.”
A gas station along the Big Sur coast was charging $9.40 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas this week. Gorda Gas is notorious for expensive prices, which the station owner blames on the cost of running generators in an isolated area that lacks electricity. Lately, the Iran war has pushed prices to levels not seen since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. The statewide average on Wednesday was $5.89 a gallon, up more than $1 since February. KSBW
Southern California
9.
An Imperial Valley farmer accused of killing his estranged wife stood to gain control of a $200 million trust in the event of her death, newly released court documents showed. Prosecutors say Michael Abatti drove to Arizona on Nov. 20 and shot Kerri Ann Abatti in the middle of the night. Three days later, he tried to kill himself, telling emergency responders that he was despondent over “an incident involving his wife” and that his kids were “going through stuff,” an affidavit said. L.A. Times
10.
On Dec. 28, Bobby Ray Patton Jr. was moaning loudly in his cell at the Vista Detention Facility, according to the findings of a watchdog board. Patton, 46, was being treated for suspected pneumonia. “I can’t breathe,” he said. A deputy looked into his cell. “Please help me,” Patton said. Instead of rendering aid, the deputy walked away and turned off his body camera. Patton died less than three hours later. The watchdog called the deputy’s behavior criminal. The sheriff said she has no intention of pursuing charges. S.D. Union-Tribune
11.
Marcus Ubungen, a fine art photographer, had a cosy home in Altadena. His family knew the librarian by name, and they borrowed and lent things to neighbors. They imagined living there for a long time. Then their home burned to the ground on Jan. 8, 2025. Long after the news crews left, Ubungen felt compelled to photograph the area. His hope: “To turn something devastating into something beautiful and cared for.” Analog Forever published a series of Ubungen’s Altadena photos.
- See more of Ubungen’s work.
12.
Each year, on the day before Easter, people are invited to bring their pets to the “Blessing of the Animals” on Los Angeles’ Olvera Street. In recent years, the unusual Catholic custom has been dominated by domesticated creatures such as bichons, bunnies, and cockatiels. But the festival, which dates back more than 800 years, was originally aimed at farm animals, offering fertility and good health. LIFE magazine’s Peter Stackpole chronicled the Olvera Street gathering in 1949, when goats and donkeys mingled among the dogs and cats. See the photos. 👉 Google Arts & Culture
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