Good morning. It’s Thursday, April 10.
- President Trump threatens state climate policies.
- Rocker’s wife accused of attempted murder in L.A.
- And the 12 best uncrowded campgrounds in California.
Statewide
1.
President Trump ordered the Justice Department to block all “burdensome and ideologically motivated ‘climate change’ or energy policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security.” The directive, signed on Tuesday, singled out California’s cap-and-trade program, the signature climate initiative that imposes a statewide cap on carbon dioxide emissions while allowing companies to buy and sell pollution credits. Gov. Gavin Newsom said California’s climate initiatives “won’t be derailed by a glorified press release masquerading as an executive order.” CalMatters | L.A. Times
2.
An unreliable drug test used by California prison officials for several months last year produced as many as 5,000 false positives, a data analysis by a law firm showed. The errant tests, caused by a substituted chemical, had profound consequences for inmates as parole boards cited them in decisions to slow the path to freedom — potentially adding extra years behind bars. Officials acknowledged the problem, yet declined to clear people’s records, wrote The Guardian
3.
In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom essentially ripped up the deal to decommission Diablo Canyon, the last nuclear plant in California. “Some would say it’s the righteous and right climate decision,” he said at the time. Surprisingly, the reaction from much of the general public was a shrug. Journalist Elizabeth Kolbert wrote about the new book “Atomic Dreams: The New Nuclear Evangelists and the Fight for the Future of Energy,” which chronicles how nuclear power came to be rebranded as a climate savior. New Yorker
4.
People are going to puzzling lengths to get their hands on mini canvas tote bags at Trader Joe’s stores. On Tuesday, the California grocer began selling a limited run of the bags in pastel colors for $2.99, prompting customers to camp out in front of stores hours before opening time. Kevin Burgoon, an employee at a Trader Joe’s in Sacramento, said the line stretched for roughly 150 people when his store opened: “I just thought it was crazy.” SFGATE | N.Y. Times
5.
John Muir once said that the Sierra Nevada, which translates to snowy mountains, might more aptly be called the Range of Light, speculating that more sunshine bathes its slopes than any other range. The region’s climate and topography have produced flora of fantastic color, diversity, and abundance. While wildflower guides tend to direct visitors to California’s valleys and coasts, the Sierra hosts more than half of the state’s native species. Some, like the bombastic Kelley’s Lily, pictured above, climb to eye level. Karen Wiese, author of the field guide “Sierra Nevada Wildflowers,” offered her picks for the seven best Sierra wildflower walks.
6.
A campground ensconced in dense old-growth forest along the Smith River.
An Eastern Sierra spot where campsites include their own spring-fed hot tubs.
And a hideaway tucked into the red sandstone cliffs of the Mojave Desert.
Outside magazine created a great list of “12 best campgrounds in California to ditch the crowds.”
Northern California
7.
U.S. lawmakers from both parties have pressured the Trump administration to place stricter curbs on the sale of a powerful artificial intelligence chip, Nvidia’s H20, in China, warning that Beijing could bolster its AI and military capabilities. Exports controls were expected to roll out any day. But the administration reversed course after Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, attended a $1 million-a-head dinner at Mar-a-Lago last week, sources said. The change, one source said, came after Huang promised additional U.S. investments in data centers. NPR
8.
A little-known Bay Area startup that promises to make more than 200,000 futuristic robots within a few years is setting off an investor frenzy in private markets. Founded in 2022, Figure AI had no revenue last year. In recent weeks, it has sought funding at a valuation that would make it more valuable than Ford while predicting $9 billion in revenue by 2029. Analysts say the buzz surrounding the startup signals intensifying interest in robots that look and move like humans. Wall Street Journal
- Figure AI’s robots are spooky. 👉 YouTube
9.
President Trump’s tariffs could mean more expensive iPhones. But the long-term goal, administration officials say, is to reshore high-tech manufacturing, including the skilled manpower and facilities of China that Apple has relied upon to make its devices. So the Wall Street Journal assembled a panel of experts to find out how hard it would be for Apple to bring iPhone production to the U.S. “The short answer? It’s easier to teach a bald eagle to use a screwdriver,” the newspaper reported.
10.
A giant sculpture of a naked woman arrived in San Francisco this week. Known as “R-Evolution,” the 45-foot-tall, 16-ton steel mesh statue was created by Petaluma artist Marco Cochrane and debuted at Burning Man in 2015. The plan is for her to stand near the Ferry Building, a tourist hot spot, for six months and possibly longer. A passerby, Rany Hanna, said the artwork seemed fitting. “It feels very modern, an AI type of thing,” he said. “Like a humanoid.” S.F. Chronicle
Southern California
11.
Jillian Shriner, an author and the wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, was shot by Los Angeles police and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on Tuesday after she pointed a gun at officers, the authorities said. The arrest followed a chaotic series of events that began with a hit-and-run on the 134 Freeway. Police tracked a suspect to Shriner’s neighborhood, where they encountered her outside with a gun drawn, they said. Shriner, 51, later told police that she was defending her home from suspects running through the neighborhood. When ordered to drop the weapon, however, she refused, police said. CBS News | L.A. Times
12.
“You were my best friend”
“It’s not the same without you.”
“I hope y’all make it to heaven. I’m sorry I didn’t make it.”
A documentary filmmaker and his partner put stickers on working pay phones around Los Angeles inviting people to make a free call to a recorded line to “say goodbye.” It’s called the Goodbye Line, and people are calling. The anonymous messages, which are posted on social media, “are snapshots of grief, and our desire to connect, but also audio logs of loneliness in Los Angeles,” the Los Angeles Times wrote.
- Hear messages on the Goodbye Line.
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