Students Return to Phone-Free Classrooms

Every California school district must now limit or ban student cellphone use during the school day under a statewide law now in effect as students return to class this month.

The Phone-Free Schools Act required every school district, charter school and county office of education to adopt a policy by July 1 for the 2026-27 school year. The measure aims to reduce classroom distractions and screen-driven anxiety.

In the Central Valley, Central Unified will lock elementary students’ phones in classroom lockboxes and use Yondr pouches at its middle and high schools, joining Madera and Fresno Unified. Students unlock the pouches at dismissal.

The law requires districts to review their policies every five years. Los Angeles Unified adopted its own cellphone ban in 2024, before the statewide requirement took effect.

OpenAI Settles Hiring Discrimination Case

San Francisco-based OpenAI agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle Justice Department allegations that it favored temporary visa holders over U.S. workers when filling technology jobs.

The Civil Rights Division alleged the ChatGPT maker and its subsidiary, Statsig Inc., violated the Immigration and Nationality Act during green-card sponsorship known as PERM recruitment. Investigators said OpenAI kept those openings off its public careers page while posting other jobs there.

It also required mailed paper applications and, in some cases, ran late-night radio ads, steps the department said discouraged U.S. applicants. Fewer than 10 jobs were involved.

“It is illegal to discriminate against U.S. workers by preferring temporary visa holders for jobs,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. OpenAI will pay $1.2 million in penalties and establish a $2 million fund for potential back pay to eligible workers.

OpenAI said it disagreed with the department’s findings but settled to resolve the matter and continue its PERM program.

New Deep-Sea Species Found Offshore

Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discovered a new deep-sea species with glowing, tadpole-shaped lures during an expedition to the Channel Islands.

The creature is a type of Erenna siphonophore, a translucent, worm-like relative of the jellyfish, found roughly 6,500 feet below the surface. Its tentacles dangle branches tipped with bioluminescent dots that it wiggles to draw in prey.

Lead scientist Steven Haddock said the team first took it for a familiar siphonophore until a closer look at the lures changed their minds. Each one, he said, looked “like a tadpole“ with a round head, two eye-like dots, and a long, wiggly tail.

The distinctive lures likely help the species attract a different kind of fish than its relatives, allowing several siphonophore species to share the same stretch of ocean. The team is holding off on releasing photos until it finishes documenting the find.

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➤ Calaveras County: Calaveras Unified closed all 10 of its schools Wednesday as a precaution because of poor air quality and shifting winds from the Gann Fire. The county declared a local state of emergency. (More)

➤ Sacramento: The California State Fair wrapped up its final summer run, and next year it moves to the fall, running Sept. 17 through Oct. 3, to avoid the summer heat. Organizers said the change returns the fair to its historic fall schedule for the first time since 2009. (More)

➤ Alameda County: Supervisors voted 3-2 to delay a ballot measure that would gradually raise the minimum wage to $30 an hour in unincorporated areas, with the largest employers reaching that level by 2030. The board ordered an economic impact study, saying it wanted more time to assess the proposal’s effects. (See Details)

➤ San Bruno: Police are urging residents to monitor their bank and credit accounts after a robbery at the San Bruno post office, now under investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Anyone who recently mailed items there or used South San Francisco collection boxes served by that post office may be affected. (More)

➤ Shasta Lake: The state’s largest reservoir is one of three Northern California reservoirs, along with Oroville and Trinity, on a national ranking of U.S. lakes losing the most water to drought. Oroville swung from a 2021 record low to near-full this spring. (See List)

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➤ Fresno: The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Central California Health Care System earned a five-star quality rating, the highest possible, in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 2026 hospital quality report. (More)

➤ Avenal: Three months after voters recalled them, four Avenal City Council members are still serving after rejecting the election results. Attorney General Rob Bonta has authorized a lawsuit that could force them from office. (More)

➤ Santa Cruz: Two 17-year-olds were arrested in Ceres after gunfire in a parking lot across from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Monday night briefly locked down the park. No one was hurt. (More)

➤ Madera Community Hospital says a two-day network breach in May 2025 may have exposed the personal data of more than 150,000 people. The hospital is notifying affected individuals after reporting the breach to federal officials this year. (See Details)

➤ Salinas: Monterey County animal welfare officials and police are investigating after a viral video appeared to show a bull being kicked and stomped after throwing a rider at the Salinas Sports Complex. Investigators said those responsible could face misdemeanor or felony charges. (More)

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➤ Los Angeles County: Health officials are warning swimmers to stay out of the water near Venice Pier, Santa Monica Pier, and Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, among five affected beach areas, after samples showed bacteria above state safety limits. (See Details)

➤ Ramona: Yolanda Marodi pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally stabbing her wife, Cal Fire Capt. Rebecca “Becky” Marodi, 49, in their Ramona home in 2025. It was her second conviction for killing a spouse. She faces 36 years to life. (More)

➤ Orange: A 22-year-old driver suffered a medical emergency, lost control of his Tesla just before midnight, and plowed through a concrete wall and down a 20-foot embankment into several Orange townhomes. Residents were home, but no one was hurt. (More)

➤ San Diego: After two dramatic rescues, police and lifeguards are cracking down on illegal cliff-jumping at Sunset Cliffs, issuing more than 300 warnings and 18 citations. Jumping into the ocean from more than 5 feet up can bring a fine of up to $500 or jail time. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: LAX will receive $289 million in federal infrastructure funding to build a new terminal access road under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Infrastructure Grants program. (More)

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➤ USC was the state’s only football program to make the preseason Coaches Poll, coming in at No. 14. UCLA, Cal, and Stanford were all left out. (More)

➤ Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith has restarted baseball activities after an inflamed disc in his neck sidelined him in early June. Manager Dave Roberts said the timeline remains unclear: “We’re sort of back at square one. I just don’t know how long that ramp up will take.” (More)

➤ The Los Angeles Angels parted ways with Jorge Soler this week after failing to find a trade partner before the deadline. The 2021 World Series MVP struggled at the plate this season and was designated for assignment. (More)

➤ The NBA players’ union opened a players-only performance center in Playa Vista this week, housed in the facility the Clippers vacated when they moved to Intuit Dome. The 24/7 hub will host twice-weekly organized offseason runs for NBA players. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Soccer | Little League Softball World Series

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➤ TikTok agreed to settle three test lawsuits in Los Angeles brought by teens who allege the platform’s addictive design harmed their mental health. Terms are confidential. Cases against Meta, YouTube and Snapchat are set for trial in October. (More)

➤ Two months into a new permit law targeting suspected stolen goods, San Francisco has issued 396 warnings and 52 citations in the Mission District. Thirty-three vendors are now permitted, and police say no one has been arrested as enforcement focuses on compliance. (See Details)

➤ California-based Electronic Arts has completed its $55 billion buyout by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, ending its run as a public company. The record private equity deal could reshape the video game giant. (More)

➤ One of the nation’s oldest Taco Bell restaurants, Santa Barbara’s first location on Milpas Street, has closed for a renovation inspired by its original 1960s design. The 1966 restaurant is one of only a handful of original Taco Bell buildings still operating. (See Details)

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➤ Mission Trails saw another mountain lion encounter when a hiker jogging the Suycott Valley Trail came face-to-face with the big cat about 5 feet off the path, one of several sightings there lately. He threw up his arms and roared, holding eye contact. (See Video)

➤ UC Santa Barbara earned 4.5 stars in Money‘s 2026 Best Colleges ratings, which evaluated more than 700 schools on academic quality, affordability, and graduate outcomes. All nine UC undergraduate campuses received 4.5 or 5 stars. (See Details)

➤ Therapy dogs have roamed the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport terminal for two years now under the SBPaws program, which sends certified dogs to calm anxious travelers. What began as a 2024 pilot now has 12 dogs, each with a handler. (See 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:

➤ Do you think adult children owe their aging parents care? Tune in to hear both sides of the debate. (Hear Debate)

➤ German authorities scrambled a bomb disposal robot after an explosive-laden drone was found beside a Ukrainian cargo plane. (Hear Episode)

➤ Investigators are searching for answers after a famous influencer was shot and killed in public while livestreaming. (Listen Now)

California’s State Fair is leaving summer behind, shifting to a cooler September–October run starting in 2027. What’s your verdict?

1. Smart call, the heat is brutal
2. Bummer, it’s a summer tradition
3. Either way, I’ll still go
4. I don’t attend the fair

Yesterday’s Results:

Which California scenic drive is at the top of your list?

1. Highway 1 through Big Sur: 24%
2. Pacific Coast Highway: 22%
3. Highway 395: 20%
4. Tioga Road: 17%
5. Something else: 17%

In what Southern California city did Glen Bell open the very first Taco Bell in 1962?

Show me the answer