Hurricane Karina Churns Up SoCal Surf

Hurricane Karina, churning far out in the Pacific, is kicking up dangerous surf along Southern California’s coast this week.

Forecasters warned of dangerous rip currents and breaking waves up to 6 feet along Ventura and Los Angeles county beaches, with the elevated surf lingering into midweek.

Karina sat more than 1,000 miles west-southwest of Baja California’s southern tip, moving away from land and weakening after strengthening to Category 4. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

Karina is not expected to threaten land directly, but its swells are expected to continue spreading northward toward Southern California through midweek.

Prop 38 Seeks $8.4 Billion Bond

Proposition 38 asks California voters this November to approve $8.4 billion in bonds for immunology and immunotherapy research.

About half the money would go to a single University of California-affiliated nonprofit institute selected by the California Department of Public Health, while the other half would fund competitive grants to public and nonprofit researchers. At least $4.2 billion must target cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates repayment at $500 million to $600 million a year for about 20 years. Treatments developed through the research and sold in California would generally have to be offered at a 20% discount.

Supporters, including billionaire institute co-founder Gary Michelson, pitch it as a way to keep medical research funded amid instability in federal funding. Critics counter that the measure’s narrowly tailored criteria appear written to steer roughly $4 billion to one institute Michelson helped found.

Plaskett Fire Surges Along Big Sur

The Plaskett Fire has grown to nearly 27,000 acres along the Big Sur coast, overtaking the nearby Timber Fire in acreage and forcing new evacuations.

The blaze remained 1% contained Monday after breaking out Aug. 26 south of the Timber Fire. Steep terrain and thick vegetation have complicated firefighting efforts.

The fire has pushed toward Highway 1, where nearly 54 miles of the highway are closed. The nearby Timber Fire has grown to 25,190 acres and was 22% contained Monday.

Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect for several areas, with shelters open in Carmel and Cambria.

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➤ Marin County: Two men who set out on an overnight canoe trip to see the glowing bioluminescence in Tomales Bay were found dead Sunday, both wearing life jackets. Emergency responders said the area is notoriously dangerous, and investigators have not determined how the men ended up in the water. (More)

➤ Shasta and Butte Counties: Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville, California’s two largest reservoirs, landed on a national list of U.S. reservoirs closest to being refilled. Both hit full capacity in May 2025 for a third straight year, a sharp turnaround from 2021, when drought left houseboats sitting on blocks at Oroville. (Read Story)

➤ Humboldt County: An 89-year-old father has set up a $400,000 reward trust to solve his son’s killing after decades of searching for answers. Half is offered to locate Chris Giauque’s remains and half for the arrest and prosecution of his killer. The trust will remain in place through at least 2030. (See Details)

➤ Davis: Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton pitched tax cuts from a truck bed at a Yolo County block party, telling roughly 200 attendees he would end California’s high-speed rail project and redirect the savings toward lower taxes and freeway upkeep. He faces Democrat Xavier Becerra in November. (More)

➤ North State: For the first time since the 2018 Ranch Fire burned it down, High Glade Lookout in Mendocino National Forest is staffed again. Rebuilt with federal disaster funds, the tower, originally a 1930s structure, has two lookouts back to spotting smoke and radioing crews in the remote area around Clear Lake. (Read Story)

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➤ Central Coast: Hazy skies, red sunsets, and the smell of smoke have settled over southern San Luis Obispo County as the Timber and Plaskett fires burn to the north in Monterey County. Residents reported ash and smoky conditions, while air quality dropped into the moderate range. (See Details)

➤ Fresno County: A judge ruled Measure S, a proposed transportation sales tax, can appear on the Nov. 3 ballot after a legal dispute between the county and state. The proposed tax would replace the half-cent Measure C transportation tax. The parties have until Sept. 3 to appeal. (See Details)

➤ Kings County: Ten people were arrested in a firearms trafficking investigation dubbed Operation “Blue Trigger.” Authorities executed 10 search warrants and recovered 32 firearms, including shotguns, AR-15s, and handguns. Seven adults and three teenagers were taken into custody. (See Details)

➤ Merced: A horse ranch that serves local children is asking for help after thieves hit it three times in three days. Owner Karen Kiil is seeking community support following the repeated break-ins. (See Details)

➤ Fresno: Sixty-eight veterans departed Fresno on Central Valley Honor Flight No. 35 for Washington, D.C. The group will visit veterans memorials, tour the Capitol, and attend the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. The public is invited to welcome them home Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Fresno Yosemite International Airport. (See Details)

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➤ Burbank: Hollywood Burbank Airport is giving the public a first look at its new terminal before it opens in October. Volunteers can sign up for a Sept. 19 passenger simulation, where they’ll take a mock trip from parking to the gate and provide feedback on the new facility. (See Details)

➤ Los Angeles: Mayor Karen Bass’ campaign launched a “No Show Nithya” website targeting challenger Nithya Raman, claiming she missed 2,966 City Council votes since taking office in 2020, about 1 in 7. (More)

➤ Ventura County: A 37-year-old Oxnard man escaped with only minor injuries after his Honda Accord veered off Pacific Coast Highway near Mugu Rock and tumbled 75 feet down a cliff to the rocky shoreline early Sunday. Crews found him conscious and still in the driver’s seat. (See Details)

➤ South Los Angeles: A Superior supermarket in the Florence neighborhood was left ransacked after about 20 people smashed a window and streamed in early Sunday, hauling off merchandise and alcohol. The looting followed a street takeover that shut Manchester and San Pedro. Three employees hid upstairs. One person is in custody. (More)

➤ San Clemente: Owners at the 198-unit Villa Moura condo complex are fighting a sudden $26,000-per-unit emergency assessment to replace roofs, which some say could force them from their homes. They’re moving to recall the HOA board and argue the work is deferred maintenance, not an emergency requiring the surprise charge. (See Details)

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➤ NFL Roster Cutdowns saw the 49ers and Chargers finalize their initial rosters Sunday, with San Francisco moving on from quarterback Adrian Martinez and Los Angeles releasing veteran punter JK Scott among its cuts. (See Details)

➤ Midway Rising, San Diego’s plan for a new sports arena, 4,250 homes and nearly 15 acres of parks, cleared a hurdle Sunday when lawmakers passed a bill that would shield it from potential environmental lawsuits if signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Critics called the last-minute carveout a favor to a politically connected developer. (See Details)

➤ NFL Power Rankings put the Los Angeles Rams at No. 1 in ESPN’s preseason rankings, with the San Francisco 49ers at No. 9 and the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 14. (See Details)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: U.S. Open | MLB | Soccer

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➤ Goop Kitchen, Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness food brand, opened its first sit-down restaurant Monday at One Paseo in Del Mar, moving beyond its pickup-and-delivery model. The new location offers indoor and outdoor seating and serves the chain’s menu made without gluten, seed oils, processed additives, refined sugars, or corn. (Read Story)

➤ Napa Valley grape growers are leaving unsold fruit to rot as California’s wine industry slumps. A Silicon Valley Bank report found about half of the state’s wineries are unprofitable, and the industry lost $1.2 billion in revenue in 2025 amid falling demand and a generational drop in wine drinking. (See Details)

➤ Universal Studios Hollywood will open its Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster Sept. 16, adding a major attraction tied to Universal’s $7 billion film franchise. The 72-mph ride arrives as Fast & Furious marks its 25th anniversary. (Read Story)

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➤ Kaiser Permanente Oakland threw an “Enchanted Forest” prom for dozens of teen patients who missed their own while going through surgeries and serious medical treatment. Hospital staff and volunteers supplied the formalwear, hair, makeup, and a grand entrance, transforming part of the hospital into a prom venue. (Read Story)

➤ Steve Jobs’ eighth-grade science project sold for $34,375 at auction this month. The 1968 project, which explored a silicon-controlled rectifier and included a handmade display, had been kept for decades by Jobs’ stepbrother after Jobs declined to take it back. (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. 

➤ How do you start your morning? Research shows how 10 popular habits stack up, and which one is the best. (See Ranking)

➤ Regulators say Amazon secretly inflated ad prices for years, with the added costs quietly reaching everyday shoppers. (Hear Details)

➤ Prediction market Kalshi has permanently banned George Santos after accusing the former congressman of suspicious State of the Union trades. (Listen Now)

At the airport, what matters most to you?

1. Quick, short security lines
2. Good food and shops
3. Cheap, easy parking
4. Just get me to the gate
5. Other (reply to let us know)

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you think you could survive on Survivor?

1. I’ll watch from the couch: 57%
2. I’d last a while: 19%
3. First one voted out: 15%
4. I’d win it all: 9%

California’s first millionaire built a hot-springs resort at the head of Napa Valley and, as legend has it, fumbled his own toast, accidentally naming the town we call Calistoga. What had he meant to say?

Show me the answer