Good morning. It’s Friday, Sept. 16.
- Gavin Newsom buys pro-choice billboards in red states.
- Rare September storm could help extinguish wildfires.
- And the stylish Yosemite rock climbers of the 1970s.
Statewide
1.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Thursday that will force apps like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to adopt safeguards for Californians under 18. The landmark measure could have far-reaching consequences as companies introduce age verification and other changes to services nationwide, rather than treat minors in California differently. The tech industry opposed the legislation, calling it vague and overly broad. Wall Street Journal | A.P.
2.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that he had rented billboards in seven states with abortion bans, inviting women to visit California’s new abortion services website. “Need an abortion? California is here to help,” reads one billboard. The campaign was certain to inflame Newsom’s ongoing battle with red state governors. “It is very interesting to see Governor Newsom’s 2024 primary campaign extend to Mississippi,” said Cory Custer, a spokesman for Gov. Tate Reeves. Washington Post | S.F. Chronicle
3.
A typhoon churning through the Pacific is expected to set off a chain reaction that will push a storm into California starting Saturday. Forecasters said the rare September storm would bring copious rain and cooler-than-average temperatures across parched central and northern California through early next week, perhaps even soaking the destructive Mosquito fire near Lake Tahoe. S.F. Chronicle | Washington Post
4.
Two buses carrying more than 100 migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border arrived early Thursday outside the home of Vice President Kamala Harris in residential Washington. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott later tweeted: “We’re sending migrants to her backyard to call on the Biden Administration to do its job & secure the border.” The stunt was part of an escalating political drama in which Republican governors have sent thousands of migrants to Democratic strongholds, causing chaos in unsuspecting cities. Texas Tribune | A.P.
5.
On this week’s California Sun Podcast, host Jeff Schechtman talks with Katherine Blunt, a Wall Street Journal reporter and author of the new book “California Burning.” Blunt talked about the problem of a public utility, such as PG&E, that is owned by private investors: They make no money on maintenance work. Theoretically, they should aim to balance private interests and the public good, she said. “But it’s also easy for that balance to get off kilter.”
Northern California
6.
“Finally, the time came to release the first two condors into the wild. A3 inched his way to the open gate and then pushed off, like a child diving into the deep end for the first time. A2 was a little more hesitant, standing at the open gate for a few seconds before following his companion in flight.”
The Washington Post published an inspiring video interactive on the return of California condors to Northern California after a 130-year absence.
7.
Bob Tillman owned a laundromat in San Francisco that he wanted to replace with apartments. Eight years, numerous community meetings, and a legal challenge later, the lot remains empty. San Francisco’s average building cost is higher than anywhere in the world. But it’s the politics that drives many developers away. “It’s basically mafia government,” Tillman said. “People doing shakedowns of various sorts.” SF Standard
8.
In 1990, San Francisco was roughly 10.9% Black. By 2021, that figure fell to 5.7%. Megan Rose Dickey, whose grandfather began practicing dentistry in the Fillmore District when it was known as “Harlem of the West,” wrote about how the city of her birth has changed: “It can feel lonely being one of the few Black people in the city, but San Francisco is my home.” Axios
9.
In the 1970s, a group of Yosemite rock climbers known as the Stonemasters pushed the frontiers of the sport with numerous first ascents. But they were more than elite athletes. They made rock climbing the most stylish sport of the decade with their white painter pants, shaggy locks, and headbands. Timeline and GQ have some great photos.
Southern California
10.
A former USC dean agreed to plead guilty to bribing the longtime politician Mark Ridley-Thomas when he served on the Los Angeles County board of supervisors in 2018. Marilyn Louise Flynn will admit to arranging a $100,000 payment to a nonprofit controlled by Ridley-Thomas’ son in exchange for a lucrative USC contract with the county. Ridley-Thomas, now a Los Angeles city councilman, is set to go to trial in November on charges of bribery, fraud, and conspiracy. L.A. Times | Courthouse News Service
11.
In Joshua Tree, the median home price jumped 82% between 2020 and 2022. In Twentynine Palms, it went up 70%. And in Landers, it jumped 94%. Young people can no longer afford housing, and longtime residents say the quirky spirit of the community is dying. “The cowboy hats that I see now, they look brand new,” said Alejandra Escobar. “They don’t look worn-in… That’s the best way I can put it: this town used to feel worn-in, and now it feels sparkling new.” The Guardian
In case you missed it
12.
Five items that got big views over the past week:
- While fog isn’t unique to California, few places are so deeply associated with its ethereal movements, wrote John Branch. Some scientists now say it is fading away as the world warms. N.Y. Times
- After a deadly hit-and-run in Crescent City in 2018, the case quickly went cold. Then police analyzed Google data for which mobile devices passed through the area at the time of the killing, leading to a critical break. Reporters investigated the growing use of geofence warrants in California. USA Today
- While Tim Sgrignoli and his girlfriend were hiking near Santa Barbara on Sept. 4, she fell ill from the heat. Their plan was for her to wait in the shade while he ventured off to find help. She was ultimately rescued. Sgrignoli was found dead four days later. L.A. Times
- On Aug. 3, a group of farmworkers set off on foot from Delano, near Bakersfield, on a 24-day walk to Sacramento. The goal: pressure Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill making labor organizing easier. Zaydee Sanchez produced a powerful photo essay. High Country News
- Sally Schmitt and her husband, Don, founded the French Laundry in 1970. After the restaurant changed hands in 1994, the chef Thomas Keller made it famous, overshadowing the Schmitts’ tenure. But Sally was a pioneer in California cuisine. A new short documentary about her is titled “The Best Chef in the World.” N.Y. Times (~20 mins)
Correction
Thursday’s newsletter misspelled the name of a town in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It’s Ben Lomond, not Ben Lomand.
Thanks for reading!
The California Sun is written by Mike McPhate, a former California correspondent for the New York Times.
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