Voters to Decide 14 Measures This Fall

California voters will weigh 14 statewide ballot measures in November, capping a week of last-minute deal-making that pulled several high-profile proposals before Thursday’s filing deadline.

The ballot’s marquee fight is a union-backed initiative that would impose a one-time 5% tax on the wealth of roughly 200 California billionaires, with 90% of the revenue earmarked for Medi-Cal and 10% split between education and food assistance. Opponents, led by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, placed two countermeasures on the same ballot designed to neutralize the tax if it passes.

Also on the ballot: an $11.2 billion affordable housing bond, a voter ID requirement, and a measure to make existing high-income tax rates permanent.

Palisades Fire Arson Trial Ends in Mistrial

A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the arson case against the man accused of sparking the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire after jurors said they could not reach a unanimous verdict, with 10 members leaning toward acquittal and 2 determined to convict.

Judge Anne Hwang ordered Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, to remain in custody pending a retrial set for Oct. 19. Prosecutors vowed to press forward, with the U.S. attorney saying the evidence is “strong” and that they “fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts.” Defense attorney Steve Haney called the 10-2 split a “pretty resounding indication” of his client’s innocence.

The Palisades Fire killed 12 people and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures.

Arrest Made in 1999 Balboa Park Murder

San Diego detectives arrested a Georgia prison inmate this month for the 1999 strangling death of a 23-year-old woman whose body was found by golfers near a Balboa Park golf course, cracking a cold case that went unsolved for 27 years.

Christopher Creek, 52, was serving time at Dodge State Prison in Chester, Georgia, for an unrelated offense when cold case investigators linked him to the murder of Diane Ayres through a reexamination of forensic evidence. He was extradited to San Diego on Tuesday and arraigned Thursday, where he pleaded not guilty.

Ayres had left her South Park apartment to go out for the evening on Sept. 4, 1999, and never came home.

➤ Willits: A 5.6-magnitude earthquake, the strongest to hit Mendocino County since 1940, damaged at least two buildings including a Grocery Outlet on Wednesday, and six minor injuries reported. Power has since been restored. (See Video)

➤ Placerville: A convicted child predator who faked his own death to avoid an 18-year prison sentence for crimes against an 11-year-old girl was booked into El Dorado County Jail on Thursday, nearly 10 months after the FBI arrested him hiding at an Arizona Airbnb. (More)

➤ Oakland: Police towed boats, issued citations, and tagged dozens of vessels during a crackdown on illegal anchoring in the Oakland Estuary, after a rowing club warned that derelict boats and alleged criminal activity had made its public docks unsafe for youth camps. (More)

➤ Paso Robles: Police identified a suspect in the Wednesday afternoon robbery of a Wells Fargo branch on Spring Street, but Ernesto Noriega Cisneros remained at large as of Thursday, and anyone with information is asked to call the Paso Robles Police Department at 805-237-6464. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: Seismologist Lucy Jones says the fault behind the deadly Venezuela earthquakes closely mirrors Southern California’s San Andreas, warning that a major rupture at the Cajon Pass could knock out freeways, rail lines, water systems, and power across the region. (More)

➤ Palm Springs: City leaders voted to extend overnight hours at the Access Center to shelter unhoused residents from dangerous summer heat, at an estimated annual cost of $172,000, with staff directed to explore a round-the-clock option. (More)

➤ Irvine: The Great Park, a $1 billion outdoor project on a former military base that will be larger than New York’s Central Park, will begin charging parking fees ranging from $2 to $40, with the city projecting the move will generate up to $5 million annually to help close a budget gap. (More)

➤ Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and LA Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani were both nominated for best male athlete at the 2026 ESPYS. Ohtani picked up two additional nods as well, for best MLB player and best single-game performance. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, UCLA softball’s Megan Grant—who set the NCAA single-season home run record this year—was nominated for best record-breaking performance at the 2026 ESPYS. (More)

➤ The Golden State Warriors signed a jersey patch deal with AI cloud company Iren that’s worth more than $50 million per year, making it the richest sponsorship in North American team sports history. (More)

➤ LA Clippers second-round pick Narcisse Ngoy announced he’ll honor his commitment to play at Auburn next season rather than join the NBA. The Clippers will retain his draft rights should he choose to leave Auburn after next season. (More)

➤ A California man has filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that Facebook and Instagram displayed illegal sports betting ads to users in the state, where online sports betting is not legal. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA | Golf

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Big Money Gets In Pre-IPO in AI

AI stocks now make up about 45% of the S&P 500. But the biggest breakout gains often happen because investors got in before companies went public.

In AI, big money increasingly moves sooner. In 2025, 67% of private-stage investments were in AI companies, up from 9% in 2022. But those opportunities are almost always reserved for the 1%.

Restaurant robotics pioneer Miso Robotics isn’t, and 44K+ everyday folks like you have already joined big money players like Ecolab as investors.

Miso’s Flippy Fry Station AI restaurant kitchen robot has logged 200K+ hours in kitchens across the $1T fast-food industry. Its tech is used by big-name customers like White Castle, Jersey Mike’s, Cinnabon, and more. And Miso just acquired 300+ patents from a food robotics early-mover that raised $450 million.

Flippy alone represents a $4B/year revenue opportunity in the US. Invest before Miso hits its $2.5M raise target for June. Hurry for bonus shares.

➤ A South Lake Tahoe bear is going viral after a viewer caught it doing something so unexpectedly human on camera that people are comparing it to Yogi Bear. (See Video)

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ A new study found one specific diet could lower dementia risk by up to 30%, even for those with early Alzheimer’s markers. Learn which foods are the most helpful. (Hear More)

➤ A new note sent to TMZ claims to have video of a suspect with Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother, Nancy, on what the sender called “probably her last” day alive. (Tune in here)

➤  The prosecutor in the Charlie Kirk murder case was found in contempt for violating a judge’s gag order. (Podcast Available)

Have you ever encountered a bear in California?

1. Yes
2. No

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever hiked Yosemite’s Mist Trail to the top of Vernal Fall?

1. Not a Hiker: 33%
2. Never but I want to: 24%
3. Yes, made it to the top: 23%
4. Part of the way: 20%

The world’s first motel opened in 1925 in a Central Coast town chosen because it sat roughly midway between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Which California city was it?

Show me the answer