Court Orders Sheriff to Return Ballots

The California Supreme Court unanimously ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to return approximately 650,000 ballots his deputies seized from a 2025 special election.

The justices called the February seizure “unlawful,” ruling that voted ballots must stay with election officials even during a criminal probe. The ballots came from the vote on Proposition 50, the redistricting measure that reshaped California’s congressional map in Democrats’ favor.

Bianco said he opened a criminal investigation after a citizens group flagged a possible vote discrepancy, and his attorney argued the ballots are “evidence.” The county registrar had called the complaint a misreading of preliminary counts.

Attorney General Rob Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project had sued to force the ballots’ return, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Saturday aimed at preventing similar ballot seizures. Bianco did not immediately comment on the ruling.

Groups Sue over Sable Pipeline Permit

The Environmental Defense Center and several conservation groups filed a federal lawsuit this week challenging the special permit covering Sable Offshore’s onshore Central Coast oil pipelines.

The suit landed as Sable excavates 12 locations where inspections flagged potential corrosion. The company calls the work “validation digs,” required under a federal permit and overseen by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

One of the lines was involved in the 2015 Refugio oil spill. Sable says restarting the system could lower gas prices and shore up California’s energy supply.

Separately, Santa Barbara County supervisors voted 3-1 to oppose the “Hunt Amendment,” a defense-bill provision that could let the federal government acquire land easements along the pipeline route. The Senate’s version leaves it out.

Oceanside Dig Unearths ‘Thunder Beast’ Fossils

City crews working on an infrastructure project in Oceanside unearthed fossil bones that could be more than 40 million years old.

The limb bones, ribs, and other fragments found about 12 feet down turned up in the Santiago Formation, sedimentary rock exposed across northern San Diego County. Paleontologists on site excavated them for study.

Paleontologist Joseph El Adli said the size and shape point to one of two extinct families: the horned “thunder beasts,” or “swamp rhinos,” some of which were semi-aquatic.

The fossils were encased in plaster and moved to a lab, where they’ll be cleaned and likely added to a museum collection. The city is keeping the dig site secret to protect it.

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➤ Butte County: The county’s farms posted $702.7 million in gross production value for 2025, up $113.7 million from the year before. English walnuts led at $178 million, followed by rice at $164 million, and almonds at $144.7 million. Together, the three crops accounted for about 84% of the overall increase. (See Report)

➤ Stanford: The university used AI to alter a promotional image, replacing a hispanic student with an AI-generated black woman and changing other students’ appearances. Stanford said the alterations violated its own AI policy, removed the banners, and is providing additional staff training. (More)

➤ Sausalito: A November ballot measure, Measure X, is dividing the coastal town over development of its Marinship waterfront. Backers say it would streamline outdated rules, while opponents warn of bigger buildings, more traffic, and changes to Sausalito’s character. (More)

➤ Bay Area: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, convicted of defrauding investors in the failed Silicon Valley blood-testing startup, is set to move from a Texas prison to an Austin-area halfway house on Aug. 23, 2027. Her projected release from federal custody remains Feb. 22, 2030. (More)

➤ San Jose: Prosecutors say there may be more victims after a man allegedly confessed to killing two people and led officers to two bodies along the Guadalupe River. He knew one victim, while the second killing appears to have been random. A deputy DA said there was no apparent motive. (More)

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➤ Morro Bay: A Navy contractor’s Hawker Hunter jet crashed about six miles offshore Tuesday after the pilot reported losing engine thrust. He ejected, was rescued by a Navy helicopter, and hospitalized in good condition. (More)

➤ Yosemite: Ryan George, a 19-year-old Santa Rosa Junior College wrestler, died after reportedly slipping and falling while hiking with friends near Illilouette Falls. He had competed at a Sacramento tournament two days earlier. His coach remembered him as “always smiling, always encouraging.” (More)

➤ Stockton: Four alleged Varrio Mojado Sureño gang members were federally indicted after a months-long gun and drug trafficking investigation. Authorities recovered about 75 firearms, including ghost guns and machine-gun conversion devices. (More)

➤ San Benito County: Supervisors declared a local emergency ahead of a potentially historic El Niño winter, following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide declaration. The move lets crews clear creeks and culverts faster ahead of possible flooding. (More)

➤ Capitola: A sea lion knocked paddleboarder Heather Gray into the water Tuesday, grabbed her hair and bit her hands, feet, and arms before she escaped. The webcam-caught attack required tetanus and rabies shots. Gray suspects toxic algae may be to blame. (More)

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➤ Long Beach: The city declared a local emergency as Hurricane Polo could send damaging swells toward a Peninsula shoreline already battered by Hurricane Marie. The declaration lets officials rush repairs and shift crews before potentially dangerous surf arrives early next week. (More)

➤ Chatsworth: Bailee Rios pleaded not guilty Thursday to two counts of second-degree murder and other charges stemming from a Metro bus crash that killed two people and injured five. Prosecutors say she was driving under the influence of drugs when her SUV hit the bus. Rios remains jailed on $4.1 million bail. (More)

➤ San Diego: Eight Navy members with the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group attempted suicide during its extended deployment, the acting Navy secretary told a senator. No deaths resulted. Families raised concerns about shortages and 286 days without a port call. The San Diego-based carrier is now heading home. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: LAX’s long-delayed Automated People Mover may not open until Jan. 6, 2027, after previously targeting October. The $3.3 billion system still must complete testing and final reviews before carrying passengers, and even the new date is not guaranteed. (More)

➤ Coronado: County crews will begin spraying pesticide mist across about 6,000 lots today to combat a West Nile virus hot spot. San Diego County has logged 11 human cases, its most in a decade, including at least three in Coronado. (More)

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➤ Lawrence Tanter died at 76 after serving 43 seasons as the Los Angeles Lakers’ public address announcer. His voice accompanied 10 NBA championships before he retired in June. (More)

➤ Cal hosts Clemson tonight in the schools’ first meeting as ACC opponents. Both enter 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. (See Preview)

➤ Puka Nacua’s injury kept the Los Angeles Rams receiver out of Wednesday’s jog-through, and coach Sean McVay said he is “not making great progress” toward playing Sunday against Denver. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | MLB | WNBA | NHL | Golf | Soccer

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➤ Walmart agreed to pay $16 million to settle allegations by prosecutors in seven California counties that it sold infant formula past its use-by date and expired over-the-counter drugs. The retailer must also adopt an enhanced expired-product compliance and employee training program. (More)

➤ Meta unveiled new Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses and showcased its recently launched AI agent, Muse, at its Connect conference at the company’s Menlo Park headquarters. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also pushed back against calls by rival companies to slow advanced AI development. The audio glasses start at $349 and arrive in October. (More)

➤ Gundlach Bundschu, the Sonoma winery founded in 1858 and billed as California’s oldest continually family-owned winery, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid declining wine demand and heavy debt. Its tasting room will remain open during restructuring as the sixth-generation owners seek a new investor. (More)

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Genius Gadgets: The 37 That Actually Earn Their Keep

Smart shoppers know the secret: the best gadgets earn their keep. These 37 picks prove it. They aren’t gimmicks or dust collectors, they’re practical innovations that deliver real value every single day.

Whether you’re organizing your space, upgrading your routine, or getting a head start on gifts, this list highlights what’s genuinely worth buying right now. The catch? These popular items are selling faster than anticipated, so availability won’t last.

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➤ Honey, the 100-pound pig who was surrendered when her owner could no longer keep her, found a new home within minutes of Pasadena Humane’s adoption plea. Staff called the friendly swine “as sweet as her name,” but warned pigs need special care and aren’t legal in every city. (Read Story)

➤ The Kern County Fair opened in Bakersfield for a 12-day run through Oct. 4, packing the fairgrounds with carnival rides, animals, concerts, and fair food. This year’s schedule includes nightly concerts, carnival attractions, and ticket deals for the annual Central Valley fair. (See Details)

➤ Highway 140, the roughly 100-mile route carrying travelers from the San Joaquin Valley through Mariposa to Yosemite’s western entrance, is marking its 100th birthday. Completed in 1926, the highway traces its roots to a wagon road dating back to 1895. (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. 

➤ Researchers tracking some of the world’s last hunter-gatherers say one overlooked factor may control the human sleep cycle. (Hear Details)

➤ Narcotics investigators are looking into two student deaths at Ole Miss as reported druggings spread fear across campus. (Listen Now)

➤ One reporter tried a $499 high-tech health scan and left with news her doctors had missed. (Hear Story)

How careful are you about the use-by dates on food in your cupboards?

1. I toss it the day it expires
2. I go by look and smell
3. I fear no expiration date

Yesterday’s Results:

Were you a fan of The Love Boat?

1. Caught it now and then: 44%
2. Never missed an episode: 31%
3. Not my show: 25%

After a giant sequoia fell across a road in Sequoia National Park in 1937, crews carved a hole through its trunk instead of removing it. What popular drive-through attraction did they create?

Show me the answer