Friday, May 1, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1991, Oakland’s Rickey Henderson stole his 939th base at the Coliseum, passing Lou Brock as baseball’s all-time leader. The game was stopped for eight minutes as his mother and Brock joined him on the field. He told the crowd, “Lou Brock is the symbol of great basestealing, but today, I am the greatest of all time.”

A skydiver dropped into a mayor’s State of the City speech before he walked onstage to Mission Impossible music, which is certainly one way to make an entrance. See how it all played out below in Southern California.

Big news! We’re excited to announce that beginning tomorrow, The California Flyover will be expanding to a seven-day-a-week schedule, adding Saturday and Sunday editions every weekend going forward. Let us know what you think about the new weekend editions by replying to this email.

One year ago, we hit “record” on something new, and it’s grown into something incredible. Today, The Flyover Podcast reaches more than 1.4 million listeners each month, delivering clear, direct, and unbiased coverage of the stories that matter most. What started as a simple idea is now part of daily routines across the country, and we couldn’t have done it without you. As we head into year two, we’re excited to bring you new content, new formats, and new ways to stay informed. We’re just getting started. Tune in to today’s Podcast Extra stories, featuring a new form of “genetic cholesterol” that could become the next big breakthrough in preventing heart attacks. Listen here.

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Lawmakers Reshape Newsom Education Plan

The Assembly Education Committee rewrote Gov. Gavin Newsom’s K-12 governance overhaul last week, advancing AB 2117, which would shift day-to-day control of California’s Department of Education away from the elected superintendent and into an appointed role, while redefining the superintendent as an oversight figure.

The amended bill agrees with Newsom that a new education commissioner should run the Department of Education. But the rewrite, authored by San Diego Assembly members Darshana Patel and David Alvarez, would empower the elected superintendent as an independent evaluator of state education programs.

Alvarez called the changes “a significantly strengthened version” of Newsom’s plan, adding accountability measures recommended by the Legislative Analyst’s Office and a PACE governance study. The California Federation of Teachers and California School Employees Association oppose the bill as a power grab.

The rewrite also expands legislative influence over education governance, including changes to State Board of Education appointments and requiring confirmation of the commissioner. All six major candidates running to succeed Tony Thurmond as state superintendent oppose shrinking the office. AB 2117 next heads to Assembly Appropriations, then the Senate.

Oakland Diocese to Close 13 Churches

The Diocese of Oakland will close 13 East Bay Catholic church sites under a consolidation plan announced Wednesday by Bishop Michael Barber.

Barber attributed the move to a sharp drop in Mass attendance and Catholic school enrollment since the early 2010s, along with what he called an “all-time low” of priests assigned to the diocese’s 80 parishes. The closures span Oakland, Alameda, Fremont, Crockett, Walnut Creek, and Castro Valley.

The diocese serves 550,000 Catholics across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. It also faces ongoing financial strain from 330 lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse by clergy, which prompted its 2023 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Barber framed the closures as a turn toward “missionary work,” telling parishioners, “The status quo is not sustainable nor is it serving God’s people.” Affected congregations will be welcomed at neighboring parishes.

Groundwater Reports Due From Valley Farmers

Today marks the first deadline for farmers in Kings and parts of Tulare counties to report groundwater pumping under stepped-up enforcement of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

Growers must register and meter each well at $300 and pay $20 per acre-foot pumped, with growers under 20 acre-feet and not exporting groundwater excluded. The state placed the Tulare Lake and Tule subbasins on probation in 2024 for failing to halt rampant land subsidence.

The state Water Resources Control Board’s reporting platform, GEARS, has drawn widespread complaints from growers about its usability and temporarily went offline earlier this month. One Tule River-area resources manager said only four of his 50 attempted landowner uploads went through.

“Most of our landowners are earnestly trying to comply, but it is not working,” Travis Millwee, who manages two local irrigation groundwater agencies, said. Growers warn that major reporting gaps are likely on Day 1.

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➤ Oakland: A federal judge denied a motion by former Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants to suppress evidence in their corruption case, rejecting claims of investigative misconduct. Thao and the others, who face bribery, fraud, and conspiracy-related charges, are scheduled to go to trial Oct. 19. (More)

➤ Santa Cruz: The city held a partial reopening of its Municipal Wharf on Wednesday, 16 months after a December 2024 storm tore out a 150-foot section and forced the rescue of three city workers. The rebuilt 1,100-square-foot section leaves the wharf about 150 feet short of its original 1914 terminus. (See Details)

➤ San Francisco: A new analysis says the “CEO tax” on the June 2 ballot, Proposition D, would push consumer prices up 0.1% to 0.2%, according to opponents. Supporters say the measure, targeting large companies with wide executive-to-worker pay gaps, would raise over $300 million for city services. (More)

➤ Sacramento: A proposed $1.7 billion city budget would close a $66.2 million deficit by eliminating 46 filled positions and nearly 100 vacant jobs, though officials say some employees may shift into open roles. Police and firefighters are spared, with the budget due for approval by June 9. (More)

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➤ Central Coast: Gas prices on the Central Coast have topped $6 per gallon, and local bus ridership is rising. Transit officials report a nearly 13% increase in riders as higher fuel and living costs push more people to cheaper alternatives. (More)

➤ Kern County: County officials estimate up to 50,000 residents could be affected and risk losing Medi-Cal coverage and CalFresh benefits under HR 1, the federal law that tightens eligibility requirements and adds work and reporting rules. (More)

➤ Fresno: Several Central Valley high schools were placed on lockdown Wednesday after a series of bomb threats that authorities determined were hoaxes. Reedley High School, Fresno High School, Bullard High School, and Clovis High School were searched by police and given the all-clear with no injuries. (More)

➤ San Joaquin County: Officials declared an emergency over invasive golden mussels spreading through the Delta, clogging infrastructure and threatening wildlife. The fast-reproducing species is expanding statewide, raising environmental and cost concerns. (See Details)

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➤ La Jolla: Philanthropists Ernest and Evelyn Rady have committed $75 million to Scripps Health, prompting the renaming of its recently opened eight-floor inpatient tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla to Rady Tower. (More)

➤ Inglewood: The City Council approved $6.28 million for police body-worn cameras, drones, license-plate readers, and in-car video, with rollout planned ahead of the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. (More)

➤ Chula Vista: Mayor John McCann opened his State of the City address earlier this week with a skydiver landing near the Elite Athlete Training Center, then strode onstage in a tuxedo to Mission Impossible theme music. McCann is running for re-election. (More)

➤ Huntington Beach: Lifeguards spotted a 9-to-10-foot great white shark feeding on a sea lion carcass off Sunset Beach Wednesday morning, prompting a 48-hour closure of the surrounding two-mile stretch of water. No injuries to beachgoers were reported. (More)

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➤ The Anaheim Ducks beat Edmonton 5-2 to clinch the series, getting a goal and two assists from Leo Carlsson as they advanced to the second round for the first time since 2017. (More)

➤ A new study ranked Cathedral High School in San Diego as California’s best high school for athletes, followed by St. John Bosco in Bellflower and Archbishop Mitty in San Jose. (See List)

➤ USC women’s water polo beat Cal 10-9 to win the program’s eighth NCAA championship. Goalkeeper Anna Reed made a career-high 14 saves. (More)

➤ Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr met with ownership this week to discuss his future with the team. Both sides remain undecided on whether he should return next season. (More)

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➤ Jet fuel shipments from Asia to California have fallen to a decade low as the Iran war disrupts global supply. With two refineries closed since October, Los Angeles jet fuel prices hit $4.78 a gallon, the highest in the U.S. Airlines including United, Delta, and Norse Atlantic have cut some flights as fuel costs rise. (More)

➤ California lawmakers say they’ve secured up to $9 million in federal aid for peach growers after a major Del Monte processing plant in Modesto shut down, leaving farmers without a market for their crops. (More)

➤ About $400 million in unused Middle Class Tax Refund debit card funds expired yesterday under a state deadline. Californians were issued the cards starting in 2022 for inflation relief payments ranging from $200 to $1,050 based on income, filing status and household size. (More)

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➤ Studio City’s Brady Bunch house, recently granted historic status by the Los Angeles City Council, opens to the public May 11 with semiprivate “The Brady Experience” tours through retro-renovated rooms recreating the sitcom’s interiors. (More)

➤ Matilda Torres High School senior Jose Mendez of Madera will represent California at the national SkillsUSA competition in Georgia this June after winning first place in the criminal justice category at the state finals in Ontario. (More)

➤ Merced County’s new bear statue, carved from a dying 100-year-old tree at Courthouse Park by Dos Palos sculptor Tommy McCarty, is inviting public name submissions through May 31. (See Photos)

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