Dreamforce Opens as AI Warnings Mount

Dreamforce, Salesforce’s annual conference, opens today at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, where more than 43,000 people are expected as leaders in the AI industry publicly urge a slowdown.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, whose San Francisco company builds the Claude chatbot, argued in a Saturday essay that developers must “slow the pace” at which AI models become more capable.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said companies should coordinate on safety without waiting for legislation, adding that development “should be slower than it otherwise could be.” Two former Anthropic safety researchers recently warned that AI’s risks to humanity were getting too little attention.

Many attendees are focused on the opportunities instead. A headline talk between Salesforce chief Marc Benioff and Altman on advancing the AI frontier is among the conference’s most anticipated sessions.

Officer Fired over Flock Camera Misuse

San Jose police fired an officer who used his personal phone to pull Flock license plate camera data, then gave a relative the location that helped the relative track down a domestic violence accuser.

Police Chief Paul Joseph, who disclosed the firing Friday, called it “a betrayal of the public trust.” The department put the officer on leave, opened a criminal investigation, referred the case to the district attorney, and fired him.

Neither man has been criminally charged. A legal analyst said state law covering misuse of confidential criminal databases may not clearly apply because the officer was authorized to access the Flock system. His case was sent to California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training for a decertification investigation, which could strip him of his police certification.

Several Bay Area cities, including Santa Cruz and Mountain View, have dropped their Flock contracts this year, and the ACLU and Electronic Frontier Foundation are suing San Jose, alleging the system’s warrantless tracking violates constitutional rights.

‘Cat in the Hat’ Threats Spread

A social media trend that often uses AI-generated images of Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat to imply threats against schools has spread to California, prompting police responses from the North State to Southern California.

In Baldwin Park, police said they are reviewing “concerning” posts that referenced local schools and named specific students and staff, warning that threats will not be dismissed as pranks.

In Redding, a school resource officer said some parents panicked and wanted to pull their children from class. He warned that students can be arrested if posts cross the line into criminal threats, even if they claim they were joking.

In Kern County, the Taft Union High School District said it found no credible threat but added security as a precaution and kept classes on schedule. The district said it was working with law enforcement as students attended school as usual.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Oakland: BART permanently removed 240 of roughly 440 parking spaces at West Oakland station for a 240-unit affordable housing project. About 200 spaces remain, with commuters told to park elsewhere. (More)

➤ Vacaville: Bruce Davis, a Charles Manson follower convicted in two 1969 killings, died Friday at the California Medical Facility. Denied parole for decades under governors of both parties, he had admitted helping kill Gary Hinman and Donald “Shorty” Shea. (More)

➤ Discovery Bay: The Coast Guard is searching for Alan Wright Wokas after his 20-foot Moomba boat was found abandoned Friday on Old River with the engine off, stereo playing, and keys and a cellphone aboard. (More)

➤ Davis: Cheeto, the orange tabby who has held court outside the UC Davis physics building since 2011, is recovering after a health scare sent him to the veterinary hospital. A fundraiser for his care has raised more than $15,000. (Read Story)

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

➤ Big Sur: Highway 1 fully reopened Monday morning, restoring direct travel between Cambria and Carmel after closures tied to the Timber and Plaskett fires. Drivers are told to stay alert for emergency vehicles and ongoing fire operations. (More)

➤ San Luis Obispo County: Sheriff’s detectives arrested 10 people in a drug-sales investigation involving alleged activity benefiting the Nipomo 13 street gang, seizing 2.2 kilograms of cocaine worth about $220,000, 25 firearms, and more than $60,000 in cash. (See Details)

➤ Santa Cruz County: A person survived a 25-to-30-foot fall off a cliff south of Panther Beach on Sunday, landing on a rock shelf. A Cal Fire helicopter hoisted them to the bluffs, and a Stanford Life Flight flew them to a hospital in stable condition. (More)

➤ Santa Barbara: Two-time Jeopardy! Masters champion Yogesh Raut directed a $100,000 charitable award to Direct Relief, the Santa Barbara humanitarian group that provides medical aid during disasters and health emergencies worldwide. (Read Story)

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

➤ Los Angeles: Police cited about 70 riders and impounded about 70 minibikes after a Sunday takeover of the 6th Street Bridge, where participants did donuts, wheelies, and weaved through traffic. Riders were as young as 13, and some parents rode alongside their children. (See Details)

➤ Also Los Angeles: The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily paused some flights into LAX Monday morning because of staffing constraints at Southern California TRACON, which manages air traffic across much of the region. It was not immediately clear how many flights were affected. (More)

➤ Irvine: Two people died early Sunday when a McLaren sped from a green light, lost control, and slammed into a tree, splitting apart and catching fire. Relatives identified one victim as James Wehr, co-founder of the weekly South OC Cars and Coffee show. (More)

➤ Victor Valley: The high school suspended its entire football team and coaching staff for a week over unsportsmanlike conduct toward Apple Valley High School and its fans during Friday’s rivalry game. The suspension forces the team to forfeit its next game. (More)

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

 ➤ Sports Illustrated’s latest NFL power rankings put the Rams at No. 4, the 49ers at No. 9 and the Chargers at No. 19. San Francisco climbed after upsetting Los Angeles in Week 1, while the Chargers slid after a loss to Arizona. (More)

➤ Steve Ballmer dropped the Clippers’ fight against the NBA and paid a $30 million fine after a salary-cap probe involving Kawhi Leonard, apologizing for the “distraction and distress.” The penalties also suspend the owner a year and cost five first-round picks. (More)

➤ Rafael Devers is done for the year, the Giants said, after San Francisco placed its slugger on the 60-day injured list with a core muscle injury that may require surgery. He led the team with 37 homers and 98 RBIs. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | MLB | Soccer

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Coffee vs Hot Cacao vs Green Tea:  Which of these hot drinks was proven in a study boost stem cells by 220% in 30 days?  Billionaires drop 6 figures on stem cell therapy, but this hot drink costs 50 cents a day and boosts anti-aging stem cells improving heart health, blood pressure, and longevity.

➤ Oracle, founded in Santa Clara, reportedly began another round of layoffs Monday, cutting an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 jobs as it trims payroll while spending heavily on AI infrastructure. The cuts come on top of about 21,000 jobs eliminated this year. (Read Story)

➤ Rize Up Bakery opened its first public cafe inside its SoMa warehouse in San Francisco, four years after plans began and following setbacks including a theft, fire, and flood damage. The sourdough shop now serves toast, grilled cheese, and pastries while customers can watch bakers work. (Read Story)

➤ Rainbow Grocery, the worker-owned co-op in San Francisco, launched an online concert series filmed in its produce aisle. The first Under the Rainbow episode posted Sept. 2, with new sets planned every other week. (Watch)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ The market’s next big opportunity could be hiding in plain sight. InvestorPlace’s experts are sharing their latest research to help investors identify promising trends, stocks, and strategies before they become mainstream. Discover what they’re watching now and get the insights you need to make more informed investment decisions.

Flying together with our sponsor

Make every purchase count toward your next trip with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. Earn unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on everyday purchases with no annual fee, plus 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 within your first three months.

You’ll also get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. See why FinanceBuzz recommends VentureOne for travelers looking to earn rewards without an annual fee.

➤ Bob Mackie, the California-born designer who dressed Cher, Carol Burnett, and Diana Ross and won nine Emmys over a 60-year career, died Monday at 87. His work stretched from Hollywood and Broadway to a line of outfits for Barbie. (Read Story)

➤ Tucked into the Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County, Lake Sherwood is an exclusive community of about 660 homes surrounding a private lake and golf course. The lake was featured in the 1922 film Robin Hood, inspiring the Lake Sherwood name. (Read Story)

➤ Fall color peaks at Calaveras Big Trees State Park off Highway 4 near Arnold, where dogwoods turn red and pink beneath thousand-year-old sequoias in late October and early November. Day use runs $10 per vehicle. (Read Story)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Something is hiding inside your joints right now… destroying them from within. Day after day, it damages the slippery cushion protecting your bones… until standing, bending, even taking a single step feels like it’s grinding your joints raw with every move. But researchers discovered ONE nutrient that flushes out this hidden “joint killer.” Discover it and reclaim the smooth, pain-free movement you thought was gone forever.

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

➤ These 10 ways to save money could put thousands back in your pocket. (Hear List)

➤ Owning a car now costs thousands a year beyond the loan payment, and one expense is climbing fastest. (Hear Details)

➤ Celine Dion returned to the stage after years of silence forced by an incurable neurological disorder. (Listen Now)

Which California NFL team are you rooting for this season?

1. Rams
2. 49ers
3. Chargers
4. Not an NFL fan
5. Another team (reply to tell us who)

Yesterday’s Results:

Could you see yourself living on a houseboat?

1. Maybe as a vacation: 35%
2. No thanks: 29%
3. Absolutely, sign me up: 18%
4. Only if it never left the dock: 11%
5. I already do: 7%

Which single California county produces the most of the state’s crude?

Show me the answer