Four Measures Qualify for November Ballot

California’s billionaires would pay a one-time tax of up to 5% on certain assets under one of four measures that qualified for California’s Nov. 3 ballot this week.

Most of the revenue would go to health care, with the remainder supporting food assistance and education-related programs. The tax would apply to individuals and trusts with assets exceeding $1 billion.

The health care workers union SEIU-UHW backs the proposal, while Gov. Gavin Newsom and gubernatorial hopefuls Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton oppose it, arguing it could drive wealthy residents and businesses out of California.

The other measures would expand rideshare companies’ liability for sexual misconduct and require new safety measures, streamline environmental reviews for many development projects, and limit certain auto accident damage awards and attorneys’ fees. All four qualified after exceeding signature requirements and are scheduled for certification by June 25 unless withdrawn.

California Home Prices Hit Record

California’s median home price climbed to a record $930,260 in May, marking its second consecutive monthly high, the California Association of Realtors reported.

The statewide median rose 2.3% from April and 3.1% from a year earlier as a record share of million-dollar sales shifted the market toward higher-priced homes while inventory remained tight.

Sales climbed 5.1% from a year ago, the strongest annual gain in eight months, though they slipped 3.1% from April.

The Bay Area set its own record, with a median single-family home price of $1.45 million. San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties all posted median prices above $2 million.

California Makes Historic Parks Free

California is offering free admission to more than 30 state historic parks through the end of 2026 with a special-edition Historian Passport.

Offered in recognition of Juneteenth and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the passport normally costs $50 and admits up to four people and can be downloaded through July 6 with a free ReserveCalifornia account.

Participating sites span the state, from Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, where the 1848 gold discovery sparked the Gold Rush, to Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park, California’s oldest continuously used Chinese temple.

The pass also includes Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, a town founded, financed and governed by black pioneers in 1908. State Parks Director Armando Quintero said he hopes the program introduces more Californians to the state’s historic sites and encourages return visits.

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➤ Corning: The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians is building a $54 million solar-and-battery microgrid aimed at achieving tribal energy independence and wildfire resilience. The project, expected to be energized in early 2027, will be among the nation’s largest tribal microgrid developments. (More)

➤ Fairfield: The City Council voted 5-1 to appoint former Vice Mayor Rick Vaccaro as interim mayor through the Nov. 3 election, filling the seat left by Catherine Moy, who abruptly resigned June 9 amid an investigation into her residency. (More)

➤ Humboldt County: California Trout received a $4 million state grant to restore the Cannibal Island Unit in the lower Eel River estuary, reconnecting tidal flows and restoring habitat for coho salmon and other wildlife. Construction is set to begin in 2027. (More)

➤ Siskiyou County: CAL FIRE determined the causes of two June wildfires, blaming the Quartz Fire on an electrical source and the Oberlin Fire on farm equipment operated in hot, dry conditions. Officials urged residents to maintain equipment and keep it clear of dry vegetation. (More)

➤ San Francisco: A homeowner’s winning entry in Supervisor Alan Wong’s “dumb laws” contest is prompting the city to align its ceiling-height rule with the state’s lower standard. The six-inch change could let residents legalize in-law units, basement units, and ADUs. (More)

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➤ Selma: The arraignment of Bruce Lion, an heir to Selma-based Lion Raisins, was delayed for a second straight day after he refused to leave his jail cell, prompting a judge to order him brought to court by force. Lion was arrested in Pacific Palisades after videos showed him making antisemitic remarks. (More)

➤ Tulare County: A man hijacked an ambulance after it dropped off a patient at an Adventist Health hospital, then sped down Highway 99 before crashing at Rosedale Highway in Bakersfield. The paramedic escaped unharmed, and the suspect was taken into custody. (More)

➤ Yosemite: Conservationists inspected the health of the Grizzly Giant in Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove amid concerns about bark beetle activity, which researchers say can signal drought stress in giant sequoias. Initial tests suggested the tree remains healthy. (More)

➤ Bakersfield: Kern County sued the city over a five-year sewer rate increase set to begin July 1, arguing it improperly folds stormwater costs into sewer rates in violation of Proposition 218. The plan raises annual rates from $247 to $475, eventually reaching $875 by 2030. (More)

➤ Carmel: City officials delayed a $292,000 tourism marketing allocation after residents raised concerns about worsening traffic, congestion, and parking shortages. The City Council will revisit the funding request in July after further talks with tourism promoters. (More)

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➤ Los Angeles: Former firefighters union secretary Adam Walker was charged with grand theft and forgery after prosecutors said he transferred nearly $83,000 from the union’s charitable foundation into his personal accounts. (More)

➤ San Diego: The California Coastal Commission approved San Diego’s plan for overnight gates, closing hours, and time-limited parking at 35 coastal lots from La Jolla to Ocean Beach. The city cited rising nighttime crime and an increase in people living in vehicles. (More)

➤ Altadena: More than 400 residents packed a town hall to protest plans for multi-unit housing on lots where homes burned in the Eaton Fire. The crowd gasped after learning developers had purchased 49% of properties sold in the burn zone. (More)

➤ San Diego: Lawsuits involving the San Diego Police Department have cost the city more than $116 million since fiscal year 2017, including a record $42 million in fiscal 2026 alone. City council members are pressing police leaders on accountability and training to reduce future misconduct claims. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: City police and federal drug agents carried out another sweep of MacArthur Park as part of an ongoing campaign against what authorities describe as an open-air fentanyl and methamphetamine market. At least six people were taken into custody. (More)

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➤ Türkiye and Paraguay meet today at 8 p.m. at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, with both nations seeking their first World Cup points after opening-match losses and facing early pressure in Group D. (More)

➤ The San Jose Sharks acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring and the No. 27 pick from Buffalo, trading down from No. 20 in next week’s NHL Draft to bolster a blue line that has been a top offseason priority. (More)

➤ NASCAR heads to San Diego this weekend for the first-ever Anduril 250 at Naval Base Coronado, a points-paying Cup Series race on a 3.4-mile temporary street course built inside an active military base. (More)

➤ The Warriors rank 16th, Kings 29th, Clippers 21st, and Lakers 12th in NBC Sports Bay Area’s post-NBA Finals power rankings ahead of next week’s NBA Draft. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | WNBA | Golf

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➤ Allbirds completed its pivot from shoes to artificial intelligence, rebranding the San Francisco company as Smartbird and naming former Amazon executive Nadia Carlsten as CEO. The stock jumped 39% on the news. (More)

➤ T&T Supermarket, Canada’s largest Asian grocery chain, opened its first California store Thursday at San Jose’s Westgate Center, a 50,000-square-foot location. More stores are planned in San Francisco and Millbrae. (More)

➤ North Fork Mono Casino is hiring more than 1,500 workers ahead of its planned fall opening in Madera. The casino is recruiting for positions ranging from gaming and hospitality to security, maintenance and management as construction nears completion. (More)

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➤ Chino’s 91708 ZIP code is the fastest-growing in the country, with housing stock up 1,318% and population up 402% between 2014 and 2023, according to a RentCafe analysis. Irvine’s 92618 and Los Angeles’ 90094 (Playa Vista) also ranked among the nation’s 20 fastest-growing ZIP codes. (More)

➤ Disneyland must retire Autopia’s gas-powered engines by Feb. 1, 2027, under a settlement with the California Air Resources Board. The Tomorrowland attraction, which has operated with combustion-engine vehicles since Disneyland opened in 1955, is being converted to electric. (More)

➤ San Diego Hardware traces its roots to 1892 and spent more than a century on Fifth Avenue as downtown San Diego grew around it. The family-owned business moved to Kearny Mesa in 2006 after 114 years in the city’s historic core. (More)

➤ Carlsbad’s Lilo, a 24-seat chef’s counter inside a former boogie board factory, was named the best restaurant in America by Robb Report. The Michelin-starred spot, which opened in April 2025, earned its star just weeks after debuting. (More)

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➤ The flip phone is making a comeback, and this time it is built to keep you off your phone. (Hear Details)

➤ Several high-ranking Trump officials have adopted the same diet, and one credits it with reversing a heart condition. (Hear Episode)

➤ A Los Angeles warehouse fire released hazardous gas and smoke, forcing air quality warnings across the region. (Listen Now)

California’s free Historian Passport opens 30-plus state historic parks through year’s end. Which would you visit first?

1. Marshall Gold Discovery
2. Weaverville Joss House
3. Colonel Allensworth
4. Somewhere else on the list
5. None

Yesterday’s Results:

Picture this: a developer offers you a generous price for your land to build a data center. Do you sell?

1. No way, not in my backyard: 28%
2. Maybe, for the right price: 26%
3. Yes, take the money: 23%
4. If the community agreed: 23%

San Francisco’s Olympic Club, where Jack Fleck upset Ben Hogan in 1955, is known for swallowing front-runners. Which golfer blew a seven-stroke final-round lead there to lose the 1966 U.S. Open?

Show me the answer