California

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California Can Use Its Redrawn US House Map

Federal panel rules in favor of the state, though GOP plans to appeal

(Newser) - California can use a new voter-approved US House map that is designed to boost Democrats in the 2026 midterms, a federal three-judge panel ruled Wednesday. In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel in Los Angeles denied requests from state Republicans and the US Justice Department to block the map from...

X Limits Grok After Backlash Over Deepfakes

Move follows global backlash and California probe into AI deepfakes

(Newser) - Elon Musk's AI chatbot is getting a new dress code. X said its Grok AI model will no longer let users alter photos of real people to make them appear in skimpy or suggestive outfits, after mounting alarm over sexually explicit deepfakes in the US, UK, and elsewhere, the...

LA to Repeal Law Threatening Jail for Playing Catch

Council vote targets decades-old ban on ball games in streets, parks

(Newser) - An odd law in Los Angeles bans playing catch or kicking a soccer ball on many city streets, sidewalks, even in many public parks—but perhaps not for long. City council voted unanimously Tuesday to direct the city attorney to draft a repeal of Municipal Code Section 56.16, on...

Death Toll in California Mushroom Poisonings Hits 3

Cluster of cases sits at 35 so far

(Newser) - The death toll in a cluster of mushroom poisonings in California has risen to three, the New York Times reports. The latest death was reported in Sonoma County last week; since November, at least 35 people have been sickened. In addition to the fatalities, three victims have required liver transplants,...

Newsom Pledges to Block Billionaire Wealth-Tax Initiative

California governor warns levy could drive wealthy residents, revenue out of state

(Newser) - California's governor is drawing a hard line against a new tax on billionaires, even though it may land on the ballot without him. Gavin Newsom said he has been quietly working to block a proposed one-time 5% tax on residents with more than $1 billion in assets, vowing to...

Op-Ed: California Billionaires Need to Suck It Up

Writer argues that a proposed 5% tax on their net worth is a fair request

(Newser) - If it gets enough signatures, a California measure calling for billionaires to pay a one-time tax of 5% of their net worth will be on the ballot this fall. Most of the uber-rich oppose the idea, not surprisingly, but so do some Democrats including Gov. Gavin Newsom, who fear an...

Storms Push California Out of Drought Conditions
There's No Drought in California
Jan 10, 2026 11:50 AM CST

There's No Drought in California

Heavy rains and variable climate patterns drive state to milestone not seen since 2000

(Newser) - For the first time in a generation, not a single patch of California is considered dry. Newly released federal data show the state is entirely free of drought and even "abnormally dry" conditions, something the US Drought Monitor said hasn't happened since December 2000. Meteorologist Drew Tuma noted...

Home Alone Actor Daniel Stern Cited in Prostitution Raid

The 68-year-old was busted in Ventura County hotel raid, California police say

(Newser) - Home Alone actor Daniel Stern is facing a misdemeanor citation in Southern California linked to an alleged attempt to pay for sex. Authorities in Ventura County say Stern was cited on Dec. 10 in Camarillo, California, for allegedly soliciting prostitution, according to police records obtained by TMZ . The incident reportedly...

Google's Founders Appear to Be Cutting California Ties

As a big tax looms, their business interests are uprooting, and Page bought 2 Miami mansions

(Newser) - Larry Page appears to be voting with his real-estate portfolio. The Google co-founder and longtime California resident has quietly bought a pair of estates in Miami for a combined $173.4 million, reports the Wall Street Journal . The move comes ahead of a proposed one-time tax on billionaires in California...

Amid 'Operational Chaos,' Judge Rules on Child Care Grants

Federal court says Trump administration can't block those subsidies, others—at least for now

(Newser) - A federal judge ruled Friday that President Trump's administration can't block federal money for child care subsidies and other programs aimed at supporting low-income families with children from flowing to five Democratic-led states, at least for now. California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York argued that a policy...

Homeowner Finally Boots Bear From Crawl Space

Wildlife group clears out ursine intruder from underneath Ken Johnson's California residence

(Newser) - For one Southern California homeowner, the thumping under the floorboards has finally stopped—and it wasn't pipes. Ken Johnson of Altadena says a 550-pound black bear that slipped into the crawl space beneath his house just before Thanksgiving was finally evicted this week, ending more than a month of...

In Final State of the State, Newsom Targets Trump

He says California is a contrast to president's 'carnival of chaos'

(Newser) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state must stand up to Republican President Donald Trump's "assault on our values," using his final State of the State address Thursday to contrast his state as a bulwark against what he called a chaotic federal government. The Democrat, who is...

California Reports First Drop in Street Homelessness for Years

Newsom plans to highlight progress in his final State of the State address

(Newser) - California's governor is seizing on a rare piece of good news in a problem that has dogged his entire tenure. Gavin Newsom plans to use his State of the State address on Thursday to highlight a 9% drop in the number of people sleeping outdoors in California between 2024...

Drifter's Crimes of Infanticide Were 'Pure Evil'

Paul Allen Perez convicted of multiple counts of murder related to deaths of his 5 children

(Newser) - A California drifter has been convicted of killing five of his own infants over the course of a decade, according to reports. A Yolo County jury on Tuesday found 63-year-old Paul Allen Perez guilty of one count of first-degree murder, three counts of second-degree murder, and one count of assault...

San Diego Is Suing the Feds Over Border Activity

Lawsuit claims razor wire installation on city property damaged protected habitat

(Newser) - Federal border tactics are colliding with local land rules in San Diego—literally, according to a new lawsuit. The city filed suit Monday against multiple federal agencies, accusing them of trespassing on city-owned conservation land in Marron Valley to build razor-wire fencing without permission. The complaint says about a dozen...

Snowmobiler Dies After Being Buried in California Avalanche

Man was found buried in Sierra Nevada mountains

(Newser) - An avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada on Monday buried a snowmobiler in snow and killed him, authorities said. Rescuers responded after a 911 call around 2:20pm reported a possible avalanche near Johnson Peak and Castle Peak in Truckee, the AP reports. The snowmobiler was initially reported missing but...

California Weighs One-Time 5% Tax on Billionaires

Levy on assets of the state's 255 billionaires would largely fund health care

(Newser) - California voters may soon be asked whether to tap the fortunes of roughly 255 billionaires in a one-time bid to shore up health and social programs. A proposed ballot initiative would impose a 5% tax on the assets—not income—of California-based billionaires in 2027, potentially generating "tens of...

California Clears Roads After King Tides

Heavy rain causes flooding and rescues, with more storms in the forecast

(Newser) - Crews removed mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were on the way after downpours and high tides caused flooding, road closures, and rescues of people trapped in cars. Five northern counties remained under a flood watch, with up to three inches of rain possible...

Famous TV Bros Try to Sell $70M Estate With an AI Video

Fantasy trailer by Altmans for California mansion aims to emulate Game of Thrones vibe

(Newser) - Selling a $70 million estate apparently now comes with dragons. In a bid to move a 20-acre Santa Barbara County mansion that's lingered on and off the market since 2019, owner and real-estate developer Patrick Nesbitt turned to artificial intelligence—first to pick his agents, then to market the...

Shift in Story of 3 Hikers Found Dead on Mount Baldy

Sheriff's department say 2 bodies from different group were found during search for injured teen

(Newser) - The AP says it erroneously reported Tuesday that three hikers found dead near a trail on Mount Baldy were companions. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department says that after rescue teams responded to a call Monday about an injured 19-year-old hiker on the mountain east of Los Angeles, they...

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