CA Sues 23andMe Over Data Breach

California sued Chrome Holding Co.—formerly known as 23andMe—Thursday for failing to protect the genetic data of 855,000 state residents in a 2023 breach.

Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit alleges the company delayed notifying victims, downplayed the severity of the attack, and failed to properly disclose the breach to consumers.

23andMe went bankrupt and was acquired by the private equity firm now operating as Chrome Holding. Bonta argued the successor company cannot escape accountability for what he called one of the most consequential genetic privacy failures in U.S. history.

The suit seeks penalties and protections for affected Californians—genetic data revealing ancestry, health predispositions, and biological relatives was exposed in the breach.

Central Valley Gets Its First Med School

University of the Pacific announced plans Thursday to open the Central Valley’s first MD-granting medical school at its Stockton campus in fall 2030.

The school will be built around a new 100,000-square-foot medical education facility in partnership with Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center, aiming to train doctors who will stay and practice in the Valley.

The Central Valley stretches 250 miles and holds no existing MD program—residents face some of the worst health outcomes in California, including the highest rates of preventable hospitalizations and the lowest physician-to-patient ratios in the state.

The school still needs accreditation approval, but backers say the combination of UOP’s existing health sciences infrastructure and Dignity Health’s clinical network gives it a strong foundation to open on schedule.

Rancho Cucamonga Kid Wins Spelling Bee

Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga won the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday in Washington in one of the most dramatic finishes in the competition’s 101-year history.

Parikh correctly spelled 32 words in 90 seconds during a spell-off tiebreaker against Ishaan Gupta, 12, of New Jersey—who spelled 25 words—making it only the third time in the bee’s history the format was needed.

The victory was a comeback story: Parikh had finished 89th and third in previous competitions, missed last year’s event entirely, and nearly faltered in Thursday’s main competition before the tiebreaker gave him a second chance.

His winning word was bromocriptine—a polypeptide alkaloid that mimics the activity of dopamine—which Parikh spelled correctly after calmly requesting the definition and language of origin.

➤ San Francisco: An unusual late-May storm dropped nearly a month’s worth of rain on the city Thursday while burying the Sierra Nevada in fresh snow—keeping Mammoth Mountain open into June. (More)

➤ San Joaquin County: An invasive glassy-winged sharpshooter—a pest that spreads a bacterial disease lethal to grapevines—was found on plants sold at Northern California Costco locations, triggering emergency alerts and raising concern for the state’s multibillion-dollar wine industry. (More)

➤ Bay Area: Health officials are tracking rising rotavirus levels heading into summer, with infectious disease experts warning the stomach illness—most dangerous for young children and the elderly—is circulating at elevated concentrations. (More)

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➤ Pismo Beach: The Central Coast beach town was ranked the best beach in California by USA Today, praised for its wide sandy expanse, boardwalk, and easy access to neighboring Avila Beach and Grover Beach. (More)

➤ Friant: The small Fresno County community along the San Joaquin River has seen 150% housing growth and ranks among California’s fastest-growing communities—driven by its rural character and proximity to Fresno, according to a new RentCafe analysis. (More)

➤ Sacramento: California lawmakers face a bill-or-kill deadline today to advance or shelve hundreds of proposed laws for 2026, including housing reforms, climate measures, and legislation responding to federal funding cuts. (More)

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➤ Los Gatos: Shannon O’Connor—the “Party Mom” convicted of hosting alcohol-fueled, sexualized parties for teenagers—was sentenced Thursday to 35 years in prison in Santa Clara County Superior Court, exceeding what some victims’ families had expected. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: Most of California’s $2.5 billion wildfire relief fund remains unspent months after the Eaton and Palisades fires, an NBC LA investigation found—with some money redirected to CHP operations at protests rather than fire victims. (More)

➤ Inland Empire: Family members are searching for Aurora Brunner, 13, and Lexi Boykin, 14, who have been missing for nearly two weeks from Southern California. Authorities are asking for public help in locating the girls. (More)

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➤ Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua spoke publicly after completing rehab this offseason, saying “it’s OK to ask for support.” Nacua faces a civil lawsuit over an alleged New Year’s Eve incident and is pursuing a defamation claim in response. (More)

➤ 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said he’s “pretty far along” in his ACL recovery and expects to be ready for training camp. The 49ers ranked last in the NFL with just 20 sacks last season without him. (More)

➤ UCLA pitcher Angel Cervantes went viral for the tiny plastic triceratops he keeps on the mound while pitching. He threw five shutout innings in the Bruins’ Big Ten tournament championship win over Oregon with the dinosaur watching over. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NBA | WNBA | NCAASB | Baseball | Soccer

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China’s 60% Grip on Lithium Is Breaking

A domestic lithium producer backed by General Motors just announced plans for its second U.S. facility. This Utah project will sit atop approximately 2.4 million tons of lithium. Now, investors can claim an early-stage stake. 

Here’s the bigger picture.

China controls 60% of the world’s lithium. But as demand for high-tech innovations like AI and EVs continues to grow, America needs its own reliable supply fast. The window to profit from what comes next is open.

America holds the world’s 5th-largest lithium reserves, and they’ve barely been touched. EnergyX is changing that with patented technology that recovers up to 3X more lithium than conventional methods.

In a world reliant on lithium for batteries, electric vehicles, and grid storage, a domestic lithium supply is critical. Invest in EnergyX today.

➤ Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind is now at The Broad in Los Angeles, and Barnsdall Art Park’s summer wine series returns this weekend—a full slate of art, outdoor culture, and food events stretches across California. (More)

➤ Palisades Library is holding its first book sale since the January 2025 fires, after volunteers spent months rebuilding the collection—a quiet but meaningful milestone of recovery for the Pacific Palisades community. (More)

➤ A debut “Art Meets Storytelling” event in Bakersfield will bring live art, music, dance, photography, and local history to the historic Fairfax Grange dance hall on Monday, celebrating Kern County’s creative spirit and the Bakersfield Sound. (More)

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The California June primary is days away. Which issue matters most to you in picking the next governor?

1. Housing costs and affordability
2. Water, wildfires, and climate
3. Jobs and business climate
4. Homelessness and public safety
5. State vs. federal government

Yesterday’s Results:

Do political ads sway your vote?

1. Yes, they help me decide – 13 %
2. No, I tune them out – 31 %
3. Only if a candidate is new to me- 16% 
4. They turn me off entirely – 27 %
5. Other (reply to tell us) – 13 %

University of the Pacific just announced the Central Valley’s first medical school, opening in Stockton in 2030. UOP has its main Stockton campus—but the school also has notable campuses in two other California cities. Name one of them.

Show me the answer