Billionaire Tax Heads to November Ballot

A healthcare workers’ union submitted more than 1.5 million signatures to put a one-time 5% tax on California’s wealthiest residents, more than 200 billionaires, before voters in November.

The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act would direct revenue largely to healthcare, including Medi-Cal, as well as K-12 schools, community colleges, and CalFresh. Backers frame it as a response to federal Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s recent spending plan.

Union chief of staff Suzanne Jimenez said billionaires can afford to contribute more, arguing the ultra-wealthy have benefited while hospitals and clinics face cuts and closures.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated $57 million to Building a Better California, a political action committee opposing the measure that has raised more than $90 million from fewer than a dozen donors.

Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes the measure, while Rep. Ro Khanna supports it.

Trump Cuts Deal on Coast Wind Project

The Trump administration agreed Monday to pay Golden State Wind roughly $120 million to abandon a floating offshore wind project off Morro Bay on California’s Central Coast.

The refund comes with a catch: Golden State Wind must invest the same amount in U.S. oil and gas, energy infrastructure, or Gulf Coast LNG projects to recover the money.

The lease was slated for a 2-gigawatt wind farm capable of powering more than 1 million homes.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said offshore wind developers were “sold a product in 2022 that was only viable when propped up by massive taxpayer subsidies.”

The deal follows a roughly $1 billion March deal with TotalEnergies and a $765 million Bluepoint Wind deal off New York and New Jersey announced Monday.

Oceantic Network senior VP Sal Salustro said consumers “will continue to bear the cost of an administration choosing which energy sources are allowed to succeed.”

Court Sequesters Ballots in Avenal Recall

A California appeals court Monday ordered Kings County to sequester ballots in Avenal’s Tuesday recall election targeting four of the city’s five council members.

The recall targets Mayor Alvaro Preciado and three city council members, driven by concerns over transparency and accountability and heightened by a boxing tournament at an unfinished community center.

Kings County’s fire chief had deemed the building unsafe. When city leaders went ahead with the event, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to declare a public safety emergency and end the county’s fire services contract with the city.

Recall organizer Dalilah Barajas said, “It was the lack of transparency, the lack of accountability,” and alleged misuse of funds.

City Manager Antony Lopez says the recall violates election code because it wasn’t started with the city clerk. A Hanford judge rejected the city’s injunction last week.

Ballots will be sequestered and counting paused pending further order from the appeals court.

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➤ Elk Grove: A hot air balloon crashed into Sky River Casino Monday after an unplanned launch due to strong winds. The basket tilted nearly 90 degrees with the pilot inside before landing in a field. No injuries were reported. (See Video)

➤ San Francisco: Crews began removal Monday of the 710-ton Vaillancourt Fountain at Embarcadero Plaza, citing structural deterioration, asbestos, and lead hazards. The 1971 sculpture’s $4 million removal will take several months, as preservationists seek an emergency court stay to halt the project. (See Details)

➤ Humboldt County: A 35-year-old woman from McKinleyville called 911 and texted authorities from a gas station bathroom in Blue Lake early on April 23 after being kidnapped from her home, deputies said. Timothy Richard Long, 46, was arrested on charges of kidnapping, violating a domestic violence order, and violating probation. (More)

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➤ Fresno: Richard Best, 72, was sentenced to three years in prison and $2 million in restitution for stealing $4.8 million in canola from international food processors between 2015 and 2017. Co-defendant Shawn Sawa received 18 months in December. (See Details)

➤ Clovis: Police ordered Five Diamonds Motorcycle Club members to leave Saturday’s Rodeo Parade or remove their patches, raising First Amendment questions. Officers called the parade a private event, prohibiting gang-related clothing, but the club denies gang ties and is considering legal action. (See Video)

➤ Bakersfield: Brent Stratton takes over as Bakersfield’s police chief on Friday, succeeding Greg Terry, who retires Thursday after nearly six years leading the department. A 22-year veteran, Stratton was sworn in last week and plans to focus on crime reduction and rebuilding community trust. (See Details)

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➤ Rancho Cucamonga: The FBI is searching for NaiPing Hou, 74, missing since March 2025 and believed kidnapped in a scheme tied to his family’s cryptocurrency wealth. More than $1 million was drained from his accounts to buy gold and crypto. His family is offering a $250,000 reward. (More)

➤ San Diego: Federal prosecutors announced the arrest of Eugenio Dario Molina-Lopez, alleged head of Guatemala’s Los Huistas drug trafficking group. The 61-year-old, known as “Don Dario,” once had a $10 million State Department bounty and pleaded not guilty Friday to cocaine conspiracy charges carrying a possible life sentence. (See Details)

➤ Catalina Island: A woman died Monday after falling from the balcony of her stateroom aboard the Carnival Firenze while the ship was near Catalina Island. The FBI is investigating, and the woman’s identity has not been released. (More)

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➤ The Anaheim Ducks lost 4-1 in Game 5 last night after Lukas Dostal was pulled for allowing three early goals, but still lead the series 3-2 with a chance to clinch at home in Game 6 tomorrow night in Anaheim. (More)

➤ Lakers guard Austin Reaves is listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s closeout game against Houston after missing multiple games in the series with an oblique strain. (More)

➤ Quarterback Ty Simpson revealed he had a secret pre-draft meeting with the Los Angeles Rams, with the team keeping their interest quiet ahead of selecting him. (More)

➤ San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller saw his streak of 34 scoreless innings end against the Cubs after a controversial fair-ball ruling. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | NHL | MLB | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer

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➤ Cali Rays Sourdough Deli now runs five former West Coast Sourdough locations in the Central Valley after a rebrand tied to franchisee fallout and a lawsuit by founder Karndeep Uppal, who says he was pushed out in 2024. Seven remain under the original name. (See Details)

➤ California accounts for 22 of the 25 highest-paying U.S. metro areas for registered nurses, according to a University of West Alabama study. San Jose leads at $189,880, followed by San Francisco at $178,450 and Vallejo at $175,620, with a national mean of $98,430. (See Details)

➤ Placer County visitor spending hit a record $1.57 billion in 2025, a 4.1% increase that outpaced California’s statewide tourism growth of 1.7%, according to Visit Placer data. Tourism supported nearly 16,000 local jobs and generated $137.5 million in state and local tax revenue. (More)

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➤ Rattlesnake season is in full swing across Southern California, with experts flagging Malibu Creek State Park, Joshua Tree, and the San Bernardino National Forest as top encounter zones. Officials advise hikers to stick to marked trails and wear high-coverage boots. (See Details)

➤ Attorney General Rob Bonta warned Californians about counterfeit tickets and scams targeting LA28 Olympic ticket buyers. Over 4 million tickets were sold in the first drop, and officials urged buyers to use authorized vendors and avoid risky payment methods. (See Details)

➤ Pier 39 in San Francisco has a 2,000-pound resident named Chonkers, a Steller sea lion who has been staying for over a month, much longer than typical visits. He’s about twice the size of regular California sea lions and is often spotted between 7 and 9 a.m. (See Video)

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What’s your favorite Michelle Pfeiffer movie?

1. Scarface (1983)
2. The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
3. Batman Returns (1992)
4. Dangerous Minds (1995)
5. Something else (reply to tell us)
6. None

Yesterday’s Results:

Where do you fall on assembling IKEA furniture?

1. Skip IKEA entirely: 27%
2. By the book: 24%
3. Wing it from the picture: 18%
4. Outsource it: 16%
5. Pay for assembly: 15%

Which two California rivers meet near downtown Sacramento?

Show me the answer