False Positive Complicates Lettuce Recall

The FDA now says a Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce sample that had tested positive for the Cyclospora parasite was a false positive, though the company’s iceberg lettuce recall remains in force.

FDA lab experts re-reviewed the result, concluded it did not reflect true contamination, and said there are currently no confirmed positive product tests.

Salinas-based Taylor Farms pulled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17 after federal investigators linked the company to a five-state Cyclospora outbreak involving shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell locations.

The outbreak has sickened more than 1,600 people across those states and led to 94 hospitalizations, with no deaths reported. California health officials say the state is not seeing an outbreak, with cases running within the normal range this year.

Judge Tosses Key Sable Oil Claims

A federal judge has dismissed takings claims by Sable Offshore and ExxonMobil alleging Santa Barbara County illegally seized their property by refusing to transfer permits for the Santa Ynez oil operation.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee found Sable held no vested right to the permits and dismissed the company’s takings claim as resting on a “unilateral expectation,” granting motions from the county and the Environmental Defense Center. ExxonMobil’s similar claim was dismissed with leave to amend.

Sable is seeking more than $100 million in damages, arguing the county unlawfully withheld the permit transfers.

The fight traces to the supervisors’ 3-1 vote last December against handing Sable the permits for three offshore platforms, three pipelines, and the Las Flores Canyon processing plant tied to the 2015 Refugio oil spill.

Seven Firefighters Hurt on Brook Fire

Seven members of a Cal Fire Vina Helitack crew were injured Saturday while fighting the Brook Fire in the rugged hills east of Redding.

All seven were taken to local hospitals with burn injuries. Six suffered minor injuries, while one sustained a moderate injury and was undergoing further evaluation. Cal Fire has deployed a Serious Accident Review Team to investigate what happened.

The fire broke out Saturday afternoon near Bella Vista in Shasta County’s Jones Valley and grew to more than 500 acres by Sunday, with roughly 650 firefighters working in steep, remote terrain.

Air tankers dropped retardant as the fire threatened homes, and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office had lifted most evacuation orders by Sunday.

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Airstream Hitched Its Iconic Trailer to an Emerging Hospitality Giant

For decades, Airstream defined American adventure. A silver trailer. The open road. It was synonymous with freedom, design excellence, comfort, and the romance of the outdoors.

It’s why Airstream partnered with AutoCamp to redefine the new era of American adventure. 

Through this exclusive partnership, AutoCamp guests stay near iconic outdoor destinations like Yosemite, Sequoia, and Joshua Tree in custom-designed, boutique Airstream trailers. And by redefining how people enjoy the outdoors, they’ve earned $150M+ in lifetime property-level revenue since inception, hosting 1M+ happy campers.

Airstream isn’t the only company noticing, either. AutoCamp also secured an exclusive Hilton Hotels partnership granting direct access to 190M+ Honors members.

No competitor can replicate this model. Now retail investors can get in before AutoCamp scales from 700+ rooms to 10,000+ within the next decade. Become an early-stage AutoCamp shareholder today.

➤ Sausalito: New City Manager Elaine Forbes, 53, was arrested on a felony burglary charge, less than three weeks after taking office. Authorities have not released details of the alleged burglary. Her family says she is experiencing a mental health crisis. (See Details)

➤ San Francisco: A United Airlines counter agent allegedly told San Ramon passenger Julio Varela, a naturalized U.S. citizen, “Maybe we should call ICE on you” during a July 14 ticketing dispute. United says it is investigating. (See Video)

➤ El Dorado County: Firefighters stopped the forward spread of a 95-acre vegetation fire near Pilot Hill after it threatened several homes. All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted, and crews remained on scene to extinguish hotspots as containment reached 50%. (More)

➤ Bay Area: BART brought back 10-car trains during peak commute hours on its busy Red and Yellow lines starting Monday, part of a schedule overhaul meant to ease crowding before a new systemwide schedule takes effect Aug. 10. (See Details)

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➤ Fresno: Mayor Jerry Dyer’s revised Southeast Development Area plan returns to the Planning Commission on Aug. 19 and could receive council approval Aug. 27. The proposal would rezone 9,000 acres of mostly farmland for up to 45,000 homes, and a coalition of about 20 groups and two school boards opposes it. (See Details)

➤ Central Valley: Cal Fire’s Fire Innovation Unit field-tested fully autonomous firefighting drones last week in partnership with the nonprofit FireWERX and drone maker Seneca. Each drone carries about 20 gallons of water, and officials say a five-drone swarm could reach steep terrain that ground crews struggle to access. (Watch)

➤ Bakersfield: A city pavement project on Hageman Road began Monday and will bring lane reductions and closures between Old Farm Road and Calloway Drive and between Coffee Road and Knudsen Drive, through Jan. 6. The city urges drivers to plan alternate routes. (See Details)

➤ Fresno County: A countywide network outage Monday disrupted internet access and limited services across multiple departments, with no estimated time for repairs. Officials said phone service was intermittent, though many offices remained open with reduced operations. (More)

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➤ West Hollywood: Los Angeles water officials still cannot say when Sunset Boulevard will fully reopen after a 110-year-old water main burst last week, spilling 17 million gallons of water that damaged nearby homes, businesses, and other properties. Crews have installed a new pipe section and are pressure-testing the line. (More)

➤ Cerritos: A customer with a concealed-carry permit fatally shot a knife-wielding man Sunday after he ran into Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, bolted through the kitchen and charged the armed patron despite orders to drop the knife. The shooter stayed and cooperated with deputies. (See Details)

➤ Newport Beach: Lifeguards made about 100 rescues Sunday as dangerous surf and rip currents hit Southern California beaches. A high surf advisory remains in effect through tonight, with waves of 4 to 7 feet and sets up to 8 feet expected along parts of the Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura County coastlines. (More)

➤ Orange County: An Uber rider filmed his driver appearing to sleep behind the wheel of a Tesla using Full Self-Driving during a trip from Yorba Linda to Santa Ana. The rider said Uber apologized but denied a refund, while Tesla says drivers using the system must remain attentive and ready to take control. (See Video)

➤ Los Angeles: Multiple street takeovers unfolded overnight Saturday across the LA area, with video showing cars doing donuts around a ring of fire, fireworks exploding, and crowds packing intersections in Carson and Wilmington. One burnout nearly sent a car into onlookers. Authorities released few details. (See Video)

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➤ The Warriors beat the Grizzlies 94-90 to win their first NBA Summer League title since 2013. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft, was named tournament MVP. (See Details)

➤ The Lakers signed former Nets forward Ziaire Williams to a one-year contract, bringing the Los Angeles native back home after two seasons in Brooklyn. The former No. 10 overall pick joins the Lakers after the Nets declined his team option, giving him a chance to earn a rotation role. (More)

➤ An incoming Fresno City College basketball player survived a life-threatening aortic dissection after reporting chest pain during practice. His family credited the team’s athletic trainer with recognizing the emergency and calling for help. (Read Story)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA

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➤ California was the 3rd-most-cited destination among Americans planning an out-of-state move, at 11%, behind Florida and Texas, a new Redfin survey found. Better weather overtook affordability as the top reason for relocating, cited by 22% of respondents. (See Details)

➤ A federal judge ordered Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery to halt their proposed $81 billion merger for at least two weeks while a lawsuit from 12 states, led by California, moves forward. The states argue the deal would reduce competition in Hollywood and limit consumer choice. (More)

➤ Grind and Unwind, a new San Francisco coffee and pastry shop, drew bad reviews and even vandalism after posting AI-generated photos of its menu items in the window. The owners said the images were a temporary sign for the touristy area. (See Details)

➤ The Alex Theatre in Glendale played its first feature film in more than 30 years last week, screening Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey through Aug. 6. The century-old downtown movie palace, a fixture since 1925, hopes to bring films back regularly. (Read Story)

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Why Hilton Hotels Opened Its Doors to This Hospitality Up-and-Comer

Hilton Hotels didn’t become a global hospitality giant by resisting change. When they see a category worth backing, they move.

So it didn’t take long for them to form a first-of-its-kind partnership with AutoCamp.

AutoCamp brings boutique hotel comfort to the great outdoors, transforming $732B in total addressable market. As the first outdoor lodging brand ever bookable on Hilton.com, their 700+ rooms are in front of 190M+ Hilton Honors members who can earn and redeem points on every stay. 

In addition to Hilton Hotels’ support, the model’s earned $150M+ in lifetime property-level revenue since inception, $300M+ in institutional backing, and an exclusive partnership with Airstream.

For investors, it’s a signal: some of the largest players in global hospitality and investing are watching outdoor lodging, and AutoCamp is who they chose. Before AutoCamp scales to 10,000+ rooms, become an early-stage shareholder.

➤ Jackie, matriarch of Big Bear’s bald eagle nest cam, is likely the injured eagle rescued from the lake this weekend. Friends of Big Bear Valley says she is being cared for after the San Dimas Raptor Rescue Team responded. (See Video)

➤ Comic-Con returns to the San Diego Convention Center this week, with preview night Wednesday and the main run Thursday through Sunday. Organizers released a full schedule featuring hundreds of panels, celebrity appearances, and fan events, along with free activations outside the convention center. (See Details)

➤ Clear Lake, in Lake County, is the oldest lake in North America, formed above an ancient volcanic system. Despite its name, the lake’s water is often murky. Settlers named it for the exceptionally clear air above it. (Read Story)

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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:

➤ New research found the low-calorie sweeteners hiding in everyday drinks may be quietly eroding your memory. (Hear Details)

➤ Health officials are working to trace the source of a deadly Legionnaires’ outbreak on New York’s Upper East Side. (Hear Episode)

➤ One of the most notorious figures in Mexico’s drug trade was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to forfeit billions. (Listen Now)

How often do you make it out to the movies these days?

1. Every chance I get
2. A few times a year
3. Only for the big ones
4. I wait for streaming

Yesterday’s Results:

Somewhere out in the universe, is there intelligent life besides us?

1. Yes, we’re not alone: 41%
2. I’m not sure: 31%
3. No, it’s just us: 28%

Clear Lake, the oldest lake in North America, sits in the shadow of a dormant volcano that towers over the Lake County skyline. What is the name of that volcano?

Show me the answer