Dangerous Heat Grips Southern California

A heat advisory covering much of inland Southern California remains in effect as the season’s first major heat wave continues. An advisory from San Luis Obispo County through Los Angeles County runs through 8 p.m. today, while some areas farther south have been extended into next week.

The hottest readings are in the deserts, where an extreme heat warning also runs through 8 p.m. today, with highs up to 115 degrees. Inland valley temperatures should fall to the low 90s by the weekend.

As the heat drove residents to the coast this week, Los Angeles County health officials told swimmers to stay out of the water at several beaches, including the Santa Monica Pier and Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey, citing elevated bacteria levels.

Cooler, more humid air arrives over the weekend, with forecasters expecting a chance of showers and even thunderstorms on Sunday. An extreme heat watch remains posted through July 16.

Illegal Cannabis Seizures Top $1.3 Billion

California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth over $104 million across 10 counties between April and June.

The haul pushed the total value of cannabis seized since the state launched the task force in 2022 past $1.3 billion, with more than 841,000 pounds seized overall. Officers also eradicated nearly 90,000 plants and made 24 arrests during the quarter.

The largest operation ran from May 14 to June 3 across Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties, where authorities served 26 search warrants and eradicated roughly 24,000 plants. Kern County accounted for the biggest haul overall, with more than 25,000 pounds destroyed.

State wildlife officials said illegal grow sites frequently use banned pesticides that harm fish and wildlife and produce untested cannabis that can reach consumers.

Man Sentenced in UCLA Manuscript Heist

A Fremont man who replaced rare Chinese manuscripts from UCLA’s library with fakes was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to a felony charge of theft of major artwork.

Prosecutors said Jeffrey Ying, 39, checked out manuscripts that were too valuable for regular circulation, took them home, and returned “dummy” copies in their place. He then often traveled to and from China within days of the thefts.

Ying used aliases including “Jason Wang” and “Alan Fujimori” to reserve the works, and library staff traced the missing manuscripts to one of those false names. A search of his Brentwood hotel room turned up blank manuscripts, pre-made labels, and a fake California ID.

Ying stole more than $215,000 worth of books and manuscripts between December 2024 and July 2025, including a 17th-century Qing dynasty manuscript. His sentence was later amended to time served, a year of home confinement, and three years of supervised release.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Oakland: Mayor Barbara Lee appointed James Beere as Oakland’s permanent police chief after he served in the role on an interim basis. A 29-year veteran of the department, Beere’s appointment will be formally introduced to the City Council on July 17 before a swearing-in ceremony. (More)

➤ San Francisco: A former Potrero Hill church youth group leader was convicted Wednesday of sexually assaulting two teenage boys he met through the congregation nearly a decade ago. He remains out of custody pending sentencing in September. (More)

➤ San Jose: Developer Prologis is planning a 500,000-square-foot data center on Silver Creek Valley Road in South San Jose. The proposed three-story building would include 30,000 square feet of office space. No construction timeline has been set, and the company says it will limit the impact on neighbors. (More)

➤ Marysville: A herd of escaped goats turned up along a levee beside Union Pacific tracks north of Marysville on Wednesday, prompting the California Highway Patrol to warn the railroad of a possible hazard. The herd was last seen heading toward Ellis Road. (More)

➤ Sacramento: Beneath Stage Nine Entertainment in Old Sacramento sits a hidden Disney gallery, the “Underground Vault” on K Street. Down a spiral staircase, collectors find memorabilia worth tens of thousands of dollars, including a $32,000 animatronic frame used for human characters at Disneyland attractions. (More)

Enjoy reading The California Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ Fresno City Council candidate Rob Fuentes resigned as an assistant U.S. attorney after criticism over ICE cases assigned to him while he campaigned to abolish the agency. He says he was pushed out and is resisting calls to quit a community college board. (More)

➤ Salinas: A new report from home-security company Reolink ranked Salinas the eighth most dangerous city in California, citing 2023 FBI data showing about 6.5 violent crimes and 31 property crimes per 1,000 residents. (More)

➤ Bakersfield: Hundreds lined up Wednesday for the estate sale at the late John Giumarra Jr.’s 10,000-square-foot home near Bakersfield Country Club, described by veteran shoppers as one of the biggest the city has seen. The Giumarras, a prominent farming family, had lived there since 1974. The sale runs through Sunday. (More)

➤ Santa Barbara: A busy summer travel season is filling hotels and generating millions in bed-tax revenue that helps fund city services. Collections have been running ahead of budget for most of the fiscal year, city finance officials say. (More)

➤ Monterey: HBO is developing a true-crime series starring Geena Davis about Dorothea Puente, the Sacramento boarding-house operator who murdered tenants in the 1980s. Puente’s trial was moved to Monterey County because of extensive pretrial publicity before she was convicted in 1993. (More)

Enjoy reading The California Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ San Diego: The city has closed 13 of Mission Bay’s 28 public restrooms as part of budget cuts, along with half the portable toilets on Fiesta Island. Officials say the closures will reduce operating costs. A city map directs visitors to the remaining open facilities. (More)

➤ Lakeside: An 8-year-old boy is accused of breaking into a pet store and stealing a pregnant sand boa. Deputies found him nearby, the snake was returned unharmed, and the child was taken to Children’s Hospital as a precaution. (More)

➤ Beverly Hills: Three women, ages 60, 65, and 75, were cited for vandalism after police said they used glue to post political signs on city-owned utility boxes. Police said the women were cited for less than $400 and released. (More)

➤ Pacific Palisades: Palisades Village will reopen Aug. 15, about 18 months after the January 2025 Palisades Fire. The open-air shopping center was largely spared by the flames but remained closed as the surrounding community recovered. Longtime shops like Loomey’s Toys are set to return. (More)

➤ San Diego: Waymo says its cars are now ready to drive themselves without a human backup after months of testing in neighborhoods including Pacific Beach and Point Loma. Rides are available to employees now, with public service planned soon. (More)

Enjoy reading The California Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.

➤ Belgium’s World Cup team asked FIFA for a new training facility after reportedly finding the pitch at Loyola Marymount University did not meet minimum requirements. The team asked to train at the LA Galaxy’s facility instead. (More) 

➤ Meanwhile, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood hosts the World Cup quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium today. Kickoff is at noon. (How to Watch) 

➤ Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett was unanimously voted the NFL’s top pass rusher in ESPN’s annual survey of executives, coaches, and scouts after his offseason trade from the Browns. (More) 

➤ Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike and guard Kelsey Plum were both named WNBA All-Star reserves this week. It is the 11th selection for former Stanford standout Ogwumike, tying Diana Taurasi for the second most in league history. (More)

➤ Phil Regan, a former Dodgers All-Star reliever nicknamed “The Vulture” by Sandy Koufax for his knack for picking up late-inning wins, died this week at 89. Regan went 14-1 for the 1966 NL champion Dodgers and spent nearly five decades coaching and scouting after retiring as a player. (More)

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

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Elon’s New Currency (BUY NOW) It’s bigger than SpaceX… xAI… or anything Tesla is working on. And it could launch a $480 trillion disruption, thanks to a massive rollout that’s already begun all over America. Because Elon’s new move targets the biggest market of them all… He’s now launching a CURRENCY system. Here’s exactly what to buy to profit.

➤ Hollywood Burbank Airport’s new $1.3 billion terminal is set to open Oct. 13. The new, larger terminal will feature 14 gates, 14 restaurants, a new parking structure, and indoor baggage claim. (More)

➤ Hot Dog on a Stick, the corn dog and lemonade chain founded in 1946 at Santa Monica’s Muscle Beach, has been bought out of bankruptcy by an affiliate of Amazing Brands. The new owner plans to expand the 80-year-old, 44-location chain nationwide. (More)

➤ A ballot measure headed to San Francisco voters in November would take a first step toward the nation’s first city-run public bank, aimed at funding affordable housing, small businesses, and green projects. Supervisors advanced it on a 9-2 vote. (More)

➤ Rick Caruso, the developer behind Montecito’s Rosewood Miramar Beach resort, is opening a private golf and social club this fall in Thousand Oaks. The Miramar Lake Club will feature an 18-hole, par-3 course designed by Jack Nicklaus and an 18,000-square-foot clubhouse. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Why 1000s Are Replacing Their Pillows With This “Cervical Decompression” Breakthrough. Your pillow is destroying your neck… but VelaSleep can fix it! Our Cervical Decompression Design™ gently applies targeted traction to relieve pressure, restore alignment, and support your neck & spine all night long. (Read More)

Flying together with our sponsor

This Metal’s Price Went Up 170%

No, not gold. Lithium. Prices more than doubled from last June to this one, spurring a modern-day “white gold” rush driven by AI, energy, and more.

With demand growing 5X by 2040, a major opportunity’s emerging. No wonder 50,000+ people have  invested in EnergyX.

Their patented tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods, in days instead of months. That combination of technological prowess and market demand earned an investment from General Motors.

In the past 24 months, EnergyX has raised ~$100 million from retail investors, formed a first-of-its-kind lithium agreement with the U.S. Army, and Eni, Italy’s largest oil company, just signed an agreement to invest up to $225 million.

Now they’re preparing to unlock ~15 million+ tons of lithium. Invest in EnergyX before the 7/16 deadline.

➤ Benny, a Disneyland security dog, retired this week after six years on the job at the Anaheim theme park. The nearly 9-year-old canine celebrated with his first hot dog after leaving his strict working diet and will spend retirement with his handler, Kevin, and Kevin’s other dog. (More)

➤ Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park rewards a short, steep climb with one of the Sierra’s finest views. A staircase of a few hundred steps, cut into the granite dome above the Generals Highway, switchbacks to a 360-degree summit with views of the Great Western Divide. (More)

➤ A Clovis toddler born at just 24 weeks is competing for Hasbro’s Toddler of the Year title after overcoming a life-threatening stay in the NICU. His family hopes his story inspires other parents facing similar challenges. (More)

➤ Two baby raccoons briefly stole the show at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night, spotted scampering below the outfield wall padding before staff safely retrieved them. Their viral cameo came the same night Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career home run. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Insane 100,000 Point Bonus Hits Market. Hands Down One Of The Best Travel Cards. Right now there’s a travel card with one of the strongest welcome bonuses we’ve seen in a while. Hit the spending requirement in your first few months and you could earn points worth over a thousand dollars toward travel, on top of elevated rewards on travel, dining, streaming, and groceries. Our experts named it a top pick for a reason. Offers this big don’t tend to last forever, and some people hear about them too late. (Click here to see this card our experts picked.)

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

➤ The Justice Department has threatened criminal charges against election officials in all fifty states who let noncitizens vote. (Hear Details)

➤ More than 30 people were hospitalized in Maryland when a transit bus slammed into a building, setting off a chain of crashes. (Hear Episode)

➤ These household objects are negatively impacting your Wi-Fi connection. (Listen Now)

Are you an estate sale person?

1. Love them
2. Once in a while
3. Not for me
4. I’d rather host one than shop

Yesterday’s Results:

A Foster City restaurant went viral for warning it’s “not a playground” and charging parents when their kids break something. What do you think?

1. Great idea: 34%
2. Reasonable: 28%
3. A little harsh: 19%
4. Goes too far: 19%

Hollywood Burbank Airport, which is opening a new terminal this fall, was named in honor of which beloved comedian from 2003 until a 2017 rebrand?

Show me the answer