Housing Bills Head to Newsom’s Desk

California lawmakers sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a package of housing bills as the legislative session closed, addressing zoning, permitting, local housing rules, and development near transit.

The centerpiece, SB 677 from state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, would limit certain appeals of subdivision maps and allow the state treasurer to provide some approvals needed for affordable-housing bond financing when local governments fail to act.

A separate bill, AB 2074, would require qualifying major transit cities to designate regional transit hub districts for denser housing and direct the California Housing Finance Agency to study construction-loan and financing options for housing built there.

Not all Democrats were on board with Wiener’s earlier transit-housing push. Seven Senate Democrats joined Republicans to oppose an earlier version of SB 677, with Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, raising concerns about increased traffic and reduced parking in lower-density communities.

Teen Indicted in Mosque Shooting

A North Carolina grand jury indicted 17-year-old Sarah Lindsay Santiago on three counts of murder and a conspiracy count for allegedly aiding the two teenagers who killed three men at the Islamic Center of San Diego in May.

District Attorney Jim O’Neill said Santiago worked with shooters Caleb Vazquez and Cain Clark to record and disseminate a livestream of the attack and publish their manifesto afterward. She mailed Vazquez a Black Sun patch, a symbol associated with neo-Nazi and white nationalist groups, which he wore during the shooting.

The two gunmen opened fire at the center in Clairemont on May 18, then killed themselves in a car nearby. Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad were killed while confronting the shooters, actions authorities said helped protect 140 students sheltering at the Islamic school inside the complex.

Santiago, of Winston-Salem, was arrested Aug. 27 and will be tried as an adult due to the terrorism-related nature of the case. She is held without bail, with her next hearing set for Sept. 21.

Fremont Named America’s Happiest City

Fremont was named the happiest city in America for 2026, once again topping WalletHub’s national rankings.

California placed several cities near the top of the ranking of 182 cities: Fremont scored 74.09, with Irvine at No. 8, San Jose at No. 10, San Francisco at No. 17, and San Diego at No. 21.

Fremont also ranked highest in the nation for life satisfaction and fifth-highest for life expectancy, and about 80% of its households earn more than $75,000. A WalletHub analyst noted that added income lifts happiness only up to roughly $75,000 a year.

The distinction comes with a caveat: Fremont’s cost of living runs about 2.2 times the national average, a hurdle for average earners even in the state’s happiest cities.

Flying together with our sponsor

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice, but recent headlines about parasites and contaminants have many families taking a closer look at how they clean their produce.

PuriProduce uses a simple water-based cleaning process designed to help lift surface residues from fruits and vegetables without harsh chemicals. Give yourself extra peace of mind before every meal and help your family enjoy cleaner, fresher produce with every bite.

LEARN MORE

➤ Shasta County: A new state requirement that took effect Sept. 1 means concealed-carry permit holders must submit Live Scan fingerprints to renew. Local renewals carry an extra $25 fee. (More)

➤ Also Shasta County: Gov. Newsom directed state officials to try to block former Colorado clerk Tina Peters from transferring her parole supervision to California amid plans to bring her into the Shasta County Elections Office. Peters was convicted over a 2021 breach of her county’s election system. (More)

➤ Placer County: Christopher Perry, 38, of Rocklin became the ninth person charged in an alleged plot to attack the June White House UFC event. Prosecutors indicted him on gun and records-destruction charges, saying an encrypted chat group he participated in also discussed attacks on California data centers. (More)

➤ San Francisco: District Attorney Brooke Jenkins detailed new charges from a summer task force targeting organized retail theft, including five people accused of stealing more than $32,000 from a South of Market REI. Others were arrested at Safeway, Whole Foods, and Target, and for allegedly reselling stolen goods. (See Details)

➤ Citrus Heights: A Tesla wall battery caught fire inside a garbage truck Monday, drawing a hazardous-materials response from Sacramento Metro Fire. Firefighters unloaded the truck to extinguish the flames. (More)

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

➤ Yosemite: The Interior Department denied a report that officials were considering a Yosemite land swap with a Nevada developer for an access road, calling it “simply not true.” The developer’s attorney pitched the road as pro-environmental. (More)

➤ Porterville: A plane carrying four doctors from the Bay Area to perform surgery overran the runway and crashed near Porterville Municipal Airport. The two pilots and four doctors aboard evacuated safely, and federal aviation officials will investigate. (See Details)

➤ Kern County: Two lawsuits accuse leaders of Bakersfield health nonprofit Clinica Sierra Vista of financial irregularities and retaliation against employees who raised concerns, including a disputed $5.8 million expense entry. The clinic denies wrongdoing and says its investigation found no misconduct. (See Details)

➤ Fresno County: Thieves stripped every historical plaque from the Billy Creek Guard Station Museum area at Huntington Lake, including a marker honoring the crew of a B-24 bomber that crashed into the lake more than 80 years ago. Museum managers are urging scrap dealers to watch for the stolen plaques. (More)

➤ Pismo Beach: Police arrested Los Angeles resident Cortlan Jarrod Soles on suspicion of felony arson in connection with Sunday’s Brava Fire. The blaze burned 9.5 acres and was fully contained by Monday morning, with no evacuation warnings or orders issued. Soles is being held on $100,000 bail. (More)

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

➤ Southern California: Tropical Storm Marie could strengthen into a hurricane as it moves north, with some models bringing it close to the coast. Forecasters say large waves and strong rip currents are likely over Labor Day, while heavy rain and flooding remain a lower-probability threat. (See Details)

➤ Simi Valley: More than 80 million pounds of rotting food from Lineage’s fire-hit Boyle Heights warehouse were hauled to the Simi Valley Landfill, where the stench drew 20-plus complaints and a violation. Waste Management expects no more deliveries. (See Details)

➤ Los Angeles County: Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2 coaster remains closed after two riders suffered serious brain injuries in July, including one who needed part of her skull removed. A judge also set a 2027 trial over a separate 2020 injury. (See Details)

➤ Santa Monica: Digital billboards are returning after nearly 40 years, with as many as 16 possible. Some residents say they’re too bright, while the city says they could generate millions in annual revenue. (See Details)

➤ Los Angeles: Neighbors below Mulholland Drive say an abandoned, graffiti-covered home has become a magnet for trespassers and parties, raising fears about drug use and fires. Residents said repeated calls to police and to Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman have gone nowhere. (More)

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

➤ Rams owner Stan Kroenke agreed Tuesday to buy the Los Angeles Angels from longtime owner Arte Moreno in a deal valuing the team at a record $4 billion. The sale still needs MLB approval and is expected to close in early 2027. (More)

➤ UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond and replaced him with former Lakers executive Tim Harris, who will work pro bono, as the department faces $241 million in deficits over seven years. (More)

➤ Ethan Salas, the Padres’ 20-year-old top prospect, was called up Tuesday after hitting .326 in Triple-A. If he catches, he’d be MLB’s youngest catcher since Pudge Rodriguez in 1991. (More)

➤ Justin Buzzard, a 47-year-old father of three, suited up on defense for San Jose City College, realizing a dream three decades after injuries ended his college football hopes. Nicknamed “O.G.” by teammates, he helped set up a sack late in the Jaguars’ loss to College of the Redwoods. (Read Story)

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

Flying together with our sponsor

➤  Ready to take the next step toward your weight-loss goals? TrimRx connects eligible patients with licensed medical providers for personalized weight-management care, including access to GLP-1 treatments when appropriate. Complete an online consultation from home, explore your treatment options, and get ongoing support throughout your weight-loss journey.

➤ PG&E and Edison International plunged after California lawmakers moved ahead with a wildfire-liability bill lacking protections Gov. Gavin Newsom sought for utilities. Edison fell about 23% Monday, while the utilities said they had lost more than $20 billion in market value since Thursday. (More)

➤ A federal tax break for Hollywood is being pushed by President Trump to keep film and TV production in the U.S., with Trump calling Hollywood a “Complete and Total Disaster” on Truth Social. More than 40,000 production jobs have left Los Angeles since 2022. LA Mayor Karen Bass backed the push. (More)

➤ John Ternus became Apple’s new CEO on Tuesday, succeeding Tim Cook after a 15-year run during which the Cupertino company’s value rose to $4.6 trillion. The former hardware chief inherits a company racing to catch up on AI and will debut the newest iPhone at an upcoming event at Apple’s headquarters. (More)

➤ Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell sued Anthropic in California federal court, alleging the AI company illegally used copyrighted songs and lyrics to train its Claude models and seeking up to $150,000 per work. Anthropic said it disagrees with the claims and will defend itself in court. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The new Sonic Glow Water Pick Labor Day Sale is here, making now a great time to upgrade your oral-care routine for less. This easy-to-use water flosser helps remove food and debris from between teeth and along the gumline. Shop the Labor Day savings before this limited-time offer ends. (LEARN MORE)

Flying together with our sponsor

Protect you and your family. Give your fruits and vegetables a deeper clean with PuriProduce. Using a simple water-and-salt cleaning cycle, this compact, hands-free device helps clean produce in just minutes, no scrubbing required. Perfect for busy kitchens, it makes meal prep quicker, easier, and more convenient.

LEARN MORE

➤ Kevin the Peacock has charmed Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood, where residents put up crossing signs and pooled money for vet bills after he was injured. Named for the bird in Up, Kevin has become a neighborhood fixture. (Read Story)

➤ Customs officers in Los Angeles found live bugs inside orange-flavored Tic Tac containers shipped from Australia. “Plot twist: those weren’t breath mints!” the agency wrote, sharing photos of what appeared to be ants inside the containers. (See Photos)

➤ Two Amtrak routes let California travelers swap Highway 1 traffic for ocean views by rail: the 351-mile Pacific Surfliner (San Diego to San Luis Obispo) and the Coast Starlight (Los Angeles to Seattle), whose best coastal views come between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. (Read Story)

➤ San Francisco firefighters freed a wild green parrot whose head got wedged between pieces of glass on a third-floor balcony Sunday. Crews lowered a ladder from the roof and slid it loose. Released unharmed, the bird may belong to the city’s famous Telegraph Hill flock. (See Photos)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Tackle tough outdoor messes without dragging out a bulky pressure washer. WashUpGo delivers up to 970 PSI of cordless cleaning power and draws water from virtually any source. Lightweight and rechargeable, it’s built for cleaning cars, patios, furniture, boats, RVs, windows, and more, wherever the mess happens. (LEARN MORE)

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Buying these seven things before you retire could save you thousands, but the clock is ticking. (See List)

➤ Federal officials say a monthlong immigration sweep across New York netted thousands of arrests, including a number of violent criminals. (Hear Details)

➤ A Lake Tahoe swimmer needed nearly 40 stitches after an otter pulled her underwater and wouldn’t let go. (Hear Story)

What matters most in making a place a great place to live?

1. Affordable cost of living
2. Good weather
3. A short commute
4. Friendly neighbors
5. Access to the outdoors
6. Other (reply to let us know)

Yesterday’s Results:

At the airport, what matters most to you?

1. Quick, short security lines: 50%
2. Just get me to the gate: 32%
3. Cheap, easy parking: 8%
4. Good food and shops: 5%
5. Other: 5%

In 1915, a silent-film legend shot The Tramp at a movie studio in Fremont’s Niles district. Who was he?

Show me the answer