California Court Caps Pension Cashouts

The California Supreme Court ruled that county employees may count only the vacation hours their contracts allow them to cash out during a calendar year toward pension calculations.

The case involved retired Ventura County Counsel Leroy Smith, who cashed out 240 hours during his final 12 months, although his contract limited annual cashouts to 200 hours.

Justices said workers could effectively double their pensionable vacation cashouts by timing them across two calendar years. The ruling applies to county-run retirement systems outside CalPERS and CalSTRS.

Informant Pleads Guilty in Thao Case

Federal prosecutors revealed that Mario Juarez, a key informant in the corruption case against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery.

Juarez is expected to testify at the October trial about alleged no-show jobs, political payments, and secret recordings involving politicians, according to court filings.

Prosecutors also allege Thao shared confidential city information and accepted political benefits. Thao and the other defendants have pleaded not guilty.

President Trump to Honor Teen Lifeguard

President Trump invited a 16-year-old California lifeguard to the White House after video of his Santa Cruz ocean rescue went viral.

The teen battled powerful waves at Seabright State Beach, holding onto a 10-year-old boy until another lifeguard helped bring them safely ashore. More than 25 rescues occurred Saturday.

“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor. Very brave, he deserves it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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➤ San Francisco: Officials identified a Sacramento woman as the third victim of the Alcatraz boat tragedy, while one passenger remains missing. (More)

➤ Vacaville: Officials confirmed invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes near downtown and urged residents to remove standing water and report daytime-biting mosquitoes. (More)

➤ Sacramento Valley: Heavy groundwater pumping during the 2020-2022 drought permanently reduced aquifer storage and caused land to sink by as much as 1 foot per year. (More)

➤ Bay Area: Jewish day school enrollment remained nearly flat in the West while rising 7.5% across North America, with tuition and stagnant regional population growth cited as factors. (More)

➤ Monterey County: Winegrape harvest began up to four weeks early after a mild winter and warm spring, with growers reporting promising fruit across several vineyards. (More)

➤ Fresno: A man was arrested on suspicion of DUI after parking over a curb outside a news station and yelling about a report the station said it never published. (More)

➤ Earlimart: Residents have lacked reliable running water for about two weeks after holes were found in a town well; repairs are expected by Friday. (More)

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➤ Los Angeles County: A rattlesnake bit a barefoot woman tending roses, and three failed 911 calls forced her husband to rush her to a hospital for antivenom. (See Video)

➤ Orange County: Hurricane Genevieve is expected to send a powerful south swell toward local beaches this week, bringing dangerous rip currents as the US Open of Surfing continues in Huntington Beach. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: Two spectators were seriously injured during a street takeover, and neighbors say similar events occur almost monthly despite repeated police complaints. (More)

➤ San Bernardino County: A kidnapping victim exited a stolen vehicle during a pursuit that ended when the suspect crashed during a PIT maneuver and was airlifted. (More)

➤ A Dodgers fan is suing the team for negligence after a cell phone fell off an upper-deck railing and struck him in the head in 2024. He is seeking at least $100,000 in damages. (More)

➤ Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko said he has regained sensation from his feet to his knees, four weeks after breaking his back in a collision with a teammate during a Double-A game in Texas. The 24-year-old second-round pick had spinal surgery to repair a fractured vertebra after lying motionless on the field for 10 minutes. (More)

➤ A new ESPN podcast features audio of Ippei Mizuhara impersonating Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani on a bank call to authorize a $200,000 transfer to an illegal bookmaker. Mizuhara is serving a 57-month federal sentence after admitting to stealing nearly $17 million from the Dodgers star while serving as his interpreter. (More) 

➤ Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and all of the California-based teams are reportedly included in his preferred destinations. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | Tennis | WNBA

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➤ Clarion Partners acquired Clearwater at Sonoma Hills, a 94-unit Rohnert Park senior community offering assisted living and memory care for up to 100 residents. (More)

➤ The Bascom Group bought Buena Park’s 183-unit Castlewood Park Apartments for $53.1 million, marking the city’s largest multifamily sale, with $9.6 million in upgrades planned. (More)

➤ The Sacramento City Council is scheduled to consider the first step toward creating a financing district for infrastructure and affordable housing at the former ARCO Arena site. (More)

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➤ A Monterey moon tree grown from a seed that orbited aboard Apollo 14 turns 50, while a newer space-traveled sequoia grows in Greenfield. (More)

➤ Brad Pitt was reportedly spotted at Bud’s in Carmel’s La Playa Hotel, near the historic home he purchased in Carmel Highlands for $40 million in 2022. (More)

➤ Four Chilean flamingo chicks hatched at the San Francisco Zoo, marking the flock’s first successful hatchings in nine years, with more eggs still incubating. (See Photos)

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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:

➤ Your dreams follow hidden rules, and scientists just uncovered what actually controls them every night. (Hear Details)

➤ Air Force One has scrapped its decades-old look for new colors. (Hear Episode)

➤ Birds are struggling to stay hydrated in extreme heat, and you can help by adding this one common freezer staple to your feeder. (Listen Now)

Which California wildlife encounter would excite you most?

1. Whale watching
2. Seeing sea otters
3. Spotting a black bear
4. Seeing elephant seals
5. Other, hit reply to tell us

Yesterday’s Results:

Which classic Disney movie would you rewatch first?

1. The Jungle Book: 16%
2. Cinderella: 15%
3. Alice in Wonderland: 14%
4. Peter Pan: 14%
5. I don’t like Disney classics: 14%
6. Other, hit reply to tell us: 14%
7. Sleeping Beauty: 13%

Frank Zamboni built the first successful ice-resurfacing machine in 1949 at his skating rink, called Iceland. In what Southern California city did he do it?

Show me the answer