California Moves to Ban Quartz Countertops

California regulators have drafted an emergency rule that would make the state the first to ban fabricating and installing engineered-stone countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica.

The move follows a surge in silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by the silica dust released when workers cut the slabs. State health officials have confirmed 644 cases as of September 2026, including 35 deaths.

Manufacturers such as Cosentino oppose the ban, arguing the product is safe when shops follow dust-control rules and that noncompliant fabricators are to blame. Regulators and doctors counter that existing safeguards have failed to stop the disease.

A public comment period on the draft closed Sept. 30, and the state’s standards board is expected to consider the rule as soon as this month. Australia banned the material in 2024. 

Nine Charged in Pomona Mafia Scheme

Prosecutors have charged nine people in an alleged Mexican Mafia-linked plot to extort and kill a man in Pomona over a perceived debt.

The FBI says the man was placed on an “86” list that barred him from Pomona and the gang’s illegal casinos under threat of death, and his vehicle was taken. When he was spotted driving there in July, a gunman allegedly fired 12 to 15 rounds at his vehicle.

Afterward, gang associates allegedly demanded $2,000 to lift the threat and return the vehicle. Search warrants later turned up about $200,000 in cash, methamphetamine, and 11 firearms with missing or obliterated serial numbers.

Six defendants were arrested Wednesday, two remain at large, and one was already in custody. An FBI task force based at the Pomona Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department ran the investigation.

California Growers Tear Out Vineyards

California grape growers are pulling out vines while winery owners put properties up for sale as the state’s $84 billion wine industry slumps.

Wine sales have fallen more than 20% over five years, and growers have taken roughly a quarter of the state’s vineyard acreage out of production. About half of this year’s crop entered harvest without contracts with buyers.

Baby boomers who drove the market are aging out, and younger drinkers are buying less wine. Tariffs and a Canadian boycott of American wine have cut exports, compounding the industry’s troubles.

In Lodi, one of the state’s most productive grape regions, growers are pulling out vineyards and turning to other crops. Industry experts say there’s little evidence the market has bottomed out.

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Petaluma: Two people died Wednesday when a small plane crashed near Petaluma Municipal Airport shortly after taking off at 10:37 a.m. Witnesses said it circled before crashing and catching fire near Rooster Run Golf Course. (More)

➤ San Francisco: Some vote-by-mail packets arrived with torn outer envelopes ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Officials said ballots remain valid if all four cards and the return envelope are intact. The Postal Service said the envelopes were torn during machine processing and switched to manual processing. (More)

➤ Healdsburg: A high school student was arrested after allegedly driving more than 90 mph while fleeing police during an unsanctioned “Fugitive Game,” authorities said. (More)

➤ Berkeley: Bill Harris, a former member of the Symbionese Liberation Army who helped kidnap newspaper heiress Patty Hearst in 1974, has died at 81. Harris served about eight years in prison for his role in the kidnapping. (More)

➤ Sacramento: Caltrans has scheduled nightly closures on Interstate 5 near Sacramento International Airport for pavement repairs. Northbound lanes will close Oct. 11-31, followed by southbound lanes Nov. 1-20, from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Drivers should expect delays and use posted detours. (More)

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

➤ Central Coast: PG&E has proposed burying nearly 500 miles of power lines in high-fire-risk areas to reduce wildfires and outages. The plan awaits state regulatory approval. (More)

➤ Carmel-by-the-Sea: Residents must update their voter registrations after the city assigned street addresses for the first time in over a century. The change won’t affect voting in November. (See Details)

➤ Central Valley: Reports of increased ICE activity have sparked protests and concerns, with Mendota schools reporting 130 more student absences Wednesday than the previous week. (More)

➤ Santa Barbara: The city council advanced rules banning short-term rentals in most inland residential neighborhoods. Final approval is expected Oct. 27, with licensing starting in January. (More)

➤ San Luis Obispo: Volunteers are nearing completion of the new Backburn Trail, a four-mile hiking route through Reservoir Canyon Open Space offering sweeping views of the Central Coast. The trail is expected to be finished by year’s end. (More)

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

➤ Southern California: Triple-digit heat is expected to give way to cooler temperatures and rain this weekend, with up to 1.5 inches possible in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains. (See Details)

➤ Los Angeles: Authorities arrested 21 suspected drug dealers Thursday in “Operation Save Skid Row.” The crackdown involved 44 search warrants across L.A. County, with 28 people facing drug charges and multiple drug seizures. (More)

➤ Also Los Angeles: Four astronauts safely splashed down off the coast Thursday morning aboard a SpaceX capsule after nearly eight months aboard the International Space Station. The NASA Crew-12 mission included scientific research and four spacewalks. (More)

➤ San Diego: A Mission Beach chef was arrested Tuesday after allegedly spending 14 years on the run from kidnapping and assault charges in Iowa. Brian Anthony Williams, 50, had worked under an alias at a local restaurant for about a decade and now awaits extradition. (See Details)

➤ Corona: Former Charles Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel, 78, has again been recommended for parole after more than five decades in prison for the 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who previously blocked her parole, can still reverse the decision. (See Details)

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

➤ Veronica Burton’s deep 3-pointer with 41 seconds left put the Golden State Valkyries ahead for good in an 83-81 win over the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, leaving them one win from the WNBA Finals. Game 3 is tonight. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, the Valkyries became the first WNBA team to top $100 million in regular-season revenue. Golden State has sold out 47 straight games at San Francisco’s Chase Center. (More)

➤ The Los Angeles Dodgers eliminated the Atlanta Braves to set up an NLCS rematch with the Milwaukee Brewers, who ended the San Diego Padres’ season. Los Angeles swept Milwaukee in last year’s NLCS. (See Preview)

➤ Jeanie Buss’ five siblings filed formal opposition to her bid to block the sale of the family’s remaining 17.8% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. The sale would cost her the team governorship. (More)

➤ High school football powerhouses St. John Bosco and Orange Lutheran will square off tonight in a Trinity League showdown. St. John Bosco hammered Lutheran 48-0 last season before the Lancers pulled off a shocking postseason upset. (More)

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

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ A Natural Way to Eliminate Nail Fungus–For Good Orivelle precision pen offers a natural, non-invasive method for addressing fungal activity in the nail area. The majority of users report fast progress and appreciate that it doesn’t sting, burn, or trigger unwanted reactions. Learn More

➤ Souplantation plans to return to Orange County in 2027, marking a comeback for the self-serve salad-and-soup buffet chain that shut down all its locations during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. (More)

➤ Robot Entertainment Kombat, a San Francisco startup that stages robot cage fights, was ordered to stop unlicensed human-versus-robot matches after holding bouts without state approval. The order followed a viral video of an influencer battling a 6-foot-tall robot. (More)

➤ Developer Allotrope Cellulosic wants to build a roughly $550 million biorefinery at a former Roseburg sawmill site near Anderson, turning wood waste into renewable fuels. The Shasta County project could generate about 200 permanent direct and indirect jobs but isn’t yet financed or permitted. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Tired of unwanted pests invading your home? Nixo Pest uses innovative tri-signal technology combining ultrasonic, electromagnetic, and bionic frequency pulses to help repel mice, rats, roaches, and other household pests. Simply plug it in for continuous, chemical-free operation. Get 40% off today, backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee.

Flying together with our sponsor

Unlocking America’s $665M ‘Tungsten Queen’

The U.S. is racing to rebuild a critical mineral supply chain. Tungsten is essential to the military, but China controls 84% of the global supply. 

So the government is phasing out tungsten imports from adversaries and growing the domestic supply. That’s a serious opportunity in America, and United States Tungsten is taking advantage. 

They’re reviving what was once America’s largest tungsten facility, home to $665M+ worth of minerals at today’s prices. 

The going rate’s already up by 500% in the past year. And this is a rare chance for you to invest in a proven asset.

But you only have until midnight PT to make the most of it. Invest in United States Tungsten before tonight’s deadline to qualify for up to 23% in bonus shares.

➤ San Francisco was named the second-best big city in the U.S. for the second year running in Condé Nast Traveler‘s Readers’ Choice Awards, finishing behind Chicago. Nearly 800,000 readers participated in the survey. Oakland landed at No. 6, and San Francisco International Airport ranked among the country’s best. (More)

➤ Rescued as a chick in Goleta, a great horned owl was released back into the wild at Rancho Tajiguas on the Gaviota Coast after about five months at the Ojai Raptor Center. The ranch is considered a biodiversity hot spot. (Read Story)

➤ Jellyfish sightings are rising at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach, possibly fueled by warmer ocean waters linked to El Niño. The warm waters may also be attracting subtropical species, including a hammerhead shark near Malibu and a whale shark offshore. Experts say the influx is temporary. (See Details)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Journey to Patmos, the island where John wrote the Book of Revelation, and explore the real history behind three of its seven churches. Times of Fire brings ancient prophecy to life through archaeology, history, and Scripture—free to watch from RevelationMedia.

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

➤ More than 60 million children have been automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts, no parental sign-up required. (Hear Details)

➤ The USS Abraham Lincoln is home after a 321-day deployment that raised alarms over shortages and sailor mental health. (Podcast Available)

➤ One of New York’s best-known nightclubs is threatening permanent bans for anyone caught carrying smart glasses inside. (Listen Now)

If you got the chance, would you go to space?

1. In a heartbeat
2. Maybe, I’d think about it
3. Not for me

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever spotted a black bear in the wild?

1. Yes, up close: 33%
2. Yes, from a safe distance: 32%
3. Never, and fine with that: 23%
4. Never, but I’d like to: 12%

Rising more than 10,000 feet above the Los Angeles Basin, what is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains?

Show me the answer