Gunman Convicted in Trader Joe’s Standoff

A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday convicted Gene Atkins of 40 felony counts in the 2018 Silver Lake Trader Joe’s standoff but acquitted him of first-degree murder in the death of the store’s assistant manager.

Assistant manager Melyda Corado, 27, was struck by a Los Angeles police officer’s bullet as Atkins exchanged gunfire with police outside the store. Prosecutors charged him with her murder, arguing he set the deadly chain of events in motion.

That day, prosecutors said, Atkins shot his grandmother and a teenage girl, then led police to the Silver Lake store, where he held about two dozen people hostage. Jurors convicted him of attempted murder, assault on officers, and other felony charges.

Jurors deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction on a second-degree murder count, and the judge set a June 26 hearing as prosecutors weigh a retrial. The city paid Corado’s family $9.5 million in a 2024 wrongful-death settlement.

Prop 50 Maps Get First Test

Republican Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim both advanced from the June 2 primary and will face each other in November after the state’s new maps drew them into the same district.

The vote was the first under Proposition 50, the Newsom-backed map voters approved last November to help Democrats flip up to five Republican seats and counter President Trump’s redistricting push in Texas. Republicans opposed it as a power grab that overrode the state’s independent redistricting commission.

In the Central Valley, Republican Rep. David Valadao, a dairy farmer who voted to impeach Trump after Jan. 6, advanced in a seat the redraw made bluer, where Democrats hope to make gains.

In San Francisco, the seat being vacated by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi produced an all-Democratic runoff between Scott Wiener and Connie Chan. California’s 52 House seats could help decide control of the chamber.

Man Fights Off Bear with Hatchet

A man fought off an attacking black bear with the blunt end of a hatchet after it bit and clawed a woman outside their home in the Old Mammoth area of Mammoth Lakes.

The woman had run outside around 6 a.m. to stop the 70-pound bear from fighting her dogs, and it turned on her, according to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department. When the man came out to help, the bear went after him too.

The woman grabbed a water bottle and struck the bear until the man broke free, then he ran inside for the hatchet. He struck the animal multiple times, critically injuring it and stopping the confrontation.

The couple drove themselves to Mammoth Hospital and are expected to recover, as are their dogs. Wildlife officers later determined the 17-month-old bear posed a public safety threat and euthanized it.

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➤ Martinez: FBI agents searched the Contra Costa County Assessor’s Office and the homes of Assessor Gus Kramer and Assistant Assessor Vince Robb on Tuesday. Kramer denied wrongdoing as authorities declined to discuss the investigation. (See Details)

➤ Fairfield: Mayor Catherine “Cat” Moy resigned Tuesday, hours before a City Council meeting on whether to continue a probe into her residency. An outside report found insufficient evidence she did not live in Fairfield. Vice Mayor Pam Bertani will take over. (More)

➤ Glenn County: The Sheriff’s Office will stop providing law enforcement services to the City of Willows on June 30 after the two sides couldn’t agree on a new contract. Willows pays about $2.3 million a year, but the county says it absorbs nearly $1 million more to cover the city. (See Details)

➤ San Francisco: The U.S. Justice Department opened a review of San Francisco Unified and three Monterey County districts over policies involving sexual orientation, gender identity, and parental opt-out rights. State law requires those topics in sex education and allows parents to opt out. (More)

➤ Madera: Federal officials warned Madera Community Hospital and Visalia’s Kaweah Health Rehabilitation Hospital, among more than 500 hospitals nationwide, to provide clearer pricing information for medical services or face fines of up to $2 million annually. (See Details)

➤ Santa Barbara: A new WalletHub study ranked Santa Barbara the least affordable U.S. city to buy a home, marking the second straight year it finished last. The median home price is about $1.9 million, more than double the statewide average and nearly five times the national one. (See Details)

➤ Fresno and Madera counties switched to a survey-based homeless count this year, with preliminary figures showing 1,619 unsheltered and 1,635 sheltered people. Officials say the new approach provides deeper information about how people became homeless and what services they need, helping agencies better target resources. (More)

➤ Madera County: Construction has begun on a $130 million widening of Highway 41, the largest transportation improvement project in county history. The 4.6-mile stretch from Avenue 10½ to Avenue 15 will expand to four lanes by May 2028, and officials have launched a website with updates on closures, delays, and construction progress. (More)

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➤ Garden Grove: The FBI served a search warrant at GKN Aerospace on Wednesday, weeks after a chemical-tank crisis forced mass evacuations. Agents are seeking chemical samples, safety records, risk analyses and employee complaints. (See Details)

➤ Laguna Beach: Crews are searching for an adolescent girl swept into the ocean near Treasure Island Beach on Tuesday evening, when a mother and her two children were caught in a powerful south swell. Bystanders pulled the mother and one child to safety. (More)

➤ San Diego: The City Council voted unanimously to pass a 2026-27 budget addressing a $118 million structural deficit. Mayor Todd Gloria’s revisions preserved some library and recreation hours and restored part of the city’s arts funding, drawing new revenue from hotel taxes and golf-course rents. (See Details)

➤ Calabasas: Jason Feinman was sentenced to 27 months in prison for running an illegal offshore gambling website, laundering the proceeds, and evading taxes on more than $4 million in income, the Justice Department said. He had pleaded guilty to the three felonies. (More)

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➤ The 2026 World Cup is projected to generate nearly $1 billion in economic impact for California. SoFi Stadium hosts its first match of the tournament tomorrow when the U.S. opens against Paraguay. (More)

➤ Multiple athletes from California—including LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, and Steph Curry—made TIME’s 2026 list of most influential sports figures. (See List)

➤ The San Jose Sharks will hold their annual prospect scrimmage on July 2 at Tech CU Arena, giving fans a first look at the organization’s top young talent ahead of the 2026-27 season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | Soccer | WNBA

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➤ The Oakland Athletic Club, the popular Oakland sports bar that closed in February, reopens today under new local ownership, just in time for World Cup crowds. (More)

➤ More than 1,800 victims of a Southern California mortgage-relief scam will receive nearly $3 million in refunds after operators falsely promised lower payments and foreclosure protection. Elders and veterans were among the hardest hit. (More)

➤ Walmart and drone partner Wing will expand drone delivery to San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area as part of a seven-market rollout. The tethered drones lower packages into yards or driveways, though a launch date has not been announced. (See Details)

➤ California’s fight over remote work is escalating ahead of a July 1 return-to-office mandate for most state employees, with opponents launching a Sacramento billboard campaign while unions pursue legislation and legal challenges. (More)

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➤ The 22nd annual Lavender Festival is underway at 123 Farm in Cherry Valley through July 19, featuring lavender fields nearing peak bloom, lavender-inspired treats, live music, and daily essential oil distillation demonstrations. (See Details)

➤ Bay Area swimmer Catherine Breed, 33, plans to set out next month to become the first person to swim California’s entire coastline, covering about 900 miles from the Oregon border to Mexico with support from a crew aboard a sailboat. (More)

➤ Parachute Bakery, a newcomer in San Francisco’s Ferry Building, was named the city’s top croissant maker by Frenchly, a magazine focused on French culture and cuisine, less than a year after opening. Bonjour Bakehouse finished second, while Compagnon Bakery placed third. (See Details)

➤ Big Bear’s famous bald eaglets, Sandy and Luna, are nearing their first flight. The chicks of beloved nest-cam pair Jackie and Shadow are now past nine weeks old, flapping, hopping, and building strength as fledging approaches, watched by fans worldwide. (More)

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Big Bear’s bald eaglets Sandy and Luna are nearing their first flight. Have you tuned into the live nest cam?

1. Yes, I’m a regular viewer
2. I’ve peeked once or twice
3. No, but I’ll check it out now
4. No, not my thing

Yesterday’s Results:

Do you have a garden this year?

1. Not this year: 30%
2. Yes, in full swing: 27%
3. Just a few pots: 24%
4. Planning to get started: 19%

The United States is hosting the World Cup again in 2026. The last time it did, in 1994, the tournament’s final was played at which historic California stadium?

Show me the answer