Newsom Commutes All 548 Death Sentences

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday he is commuting the sentences of all 548 people on California’s death row to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The commutations would clear what Newsom called the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere. For inmates with multiple felony convictions, the California Supreme Court must sign off.

Newsom, who imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019, said state-sanctioned killing was “incompatible with California’s values.” The state last carried out an execution in 2006.

Victims’ groups and prosecutors condemned the decision, noting that California voters rejected abolishing the death penalty in 2016 and that juries had imposed the sentences. The decision does not repeal California’s death penalty, meaning prosecutors can still seek it in future cases.

Prop 50 Maps Fuel Democrat Gains

Democrat Richard Pan unseated Rep. Kevin Kiley, a Republican-turned-independent, on Tuesday in a redrawn Sacramento-area district.

Pan was projected to win with 57.5% of the vote to Kiley’s 42.5%, one of five seats California Democrats targeted when voters approved Proposition 50 in November 2025 to redraw the state’s congressional map. The flips helped Democrats capture the U.S. House, according to network projections.

Democrats cast Prop 50 as a counter to Trump-backed Republican redistricting in Texas and other states. Republicans argued the new map was unconstitutional, and the state GOP filed a lawsuit the morning after voters approved the measure in November 2025.

The results put California’s nine-member Republican House delegation on track to fall to four or fewer, with Democrats flipping at least five Republican-held seats under the new maps. Supporters credited the redraw with energizing voters, while critics questioned whether it was needed given the national wave of Democrat victories.

Bay Area Eases Gas Water Heater Rule

Bay Area air regulators voted 16-1 Wednesday, with one abstention, to delay the region’s first phaseout of gas water heaters by a year, to January 2028.

The standard, part of a rule limiting water-heater emissions since 1992, applies only when an owner replaces a unit, which must then meet a zero-nitrogen-oxides standard unless exempt, typically requiring an electric heat pump. Board Chair Lynda Hopkins said the changes address concerns raised by homeowners about the cost and difficulty of switching to electric water heaters.

The district estimates the revised rule will prevent up to 16 premature deaths and 21 new asthma cases a year, though exemptions could cut the originally projected pollution reductions roughly in half. Property-owner groups call it a burden, noting a heat pump costs about $3,500 more to install than a gas water heater.

District officials cast the delay and exemptions as an affordability fix, giving owners with older electrical panels, cramped closets, or lower incomes a path to continue installing gas models.

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➤ San Francisco: Attorney Harmeet Dhillon resigned as head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division following Tuesday’s midterm elections. The former Trump adviser reportedly plans to return to her San Francisco law practice. (See Details)

➤ Santa Rosa: Fire officials reported 13 arrests tied to suspected arson during the 2026 wildfire season. At least 39 of more than 50 vegetation fires were deemed suspicious. The city ended its wildfire season Wednesday but urged continued caution. (More)

➤ Oakland: Police are investigating the reported theft of six pallets of Nvidia chips worth $11.4 million. The shipment vanished Aug. 29 while being transported from Oakland to Fort Worth, Texas. No arrests have been announced. (More)

➤ Santa Clara County: A jury ordered a woman to pay $8 million to the family of an 11-year-old autistic boy she had sued as a “public nuisance.” The court tossed her suit in September, then jurors backed the family’s claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress. (More)

➤ El Cerrito: Police are investigating a high school football team over hazing allegations involving assault and sexual battery among players, with incidents reportedly spanning September 2024 to October 2026. About 22 people are suspected, and detectives expect several arrests. (More)

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➤ Stockton: Desiree Lynch, who withdrew from the District 5 City Council race after facing six felony charges, leads incumbent Brando Villapudua in early returns. Her attorney says she won’t serve if elected, leaving questions about who will fill the seat. (See Details)

➤ Santa Barbara County: Caltrans begins a $1 million project today to clear brush along 40 miles of Highway 154, from the Highway 101 junction to just west of Highway 192, to reduce wildfire risk. Drivers should expect weekday delays of up to 15 minutes. (More)

➤ Fresno County: The Board of Supervisors faces major turnover after Tuesday’s election, with two supervisors projected to win state legislative seats. One departure will trigger a special election next spring. (More)

➤ San Luis Obispo County: Sentencing for former Arroyo Grande mayoral candidate Gaea Powell, convicted on eight election-related counts, has been delayed again. A judge appointed a new attorney and rescheduled sentencing for Dec. 16. (More)

➤ Clovis: Police warn of holiday package thefts across Fresno County after one woman had six wedding dresses stolen from her porch. Officers recommend P.O. boxes, pickup lockers, and security cameras to protect deliveries. (More)

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➤ Los Angeles: Mayor Karen Bass conceded Thursday to Councilmember Nithya Raman, two days after the election. Raman led by nearly 35,000 votes with 76% of the expected vote counted. Bass congratulated her opponent and pledged a smooth transition. (More)

➤ Long Beach: Rep. Robert Garcia, the incoming House Oversight Committee chair, outlined four planned investigations into the Trump administration and warned officials to “lawyer up.” He pointed to Democrats’ midterm wins as a mandate. (More)

➤ Echo Park: A police helicopter narrowly avoided a midair collision with a Navy helicopter over Echo Park on Tuesday, prompting an angry warning from the police pilot. The Navy said its crew was conducting a joint training exercise. (More)

➤ San Diego: A group led by attorney Genevieve Jones-Wright has launched an effort to recall Mayor Todd Gloria, alleging he has mismanaged housing, homelessness, and city finances. Gloria, who has two years left in his term, did not immediately comment. (More)

➤ San Pedro: The Vincent Thomas Bridge closes this weekend for a $750 million rehabilitation expected to last roughly 16 months, rerouting the 53,000 vehicles a day that cross between San Pedro and Terminal Island. The 1963 span is getting a new deck and upgraded seismic sensors. (More)

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➤ The Los Angeles Rams lost cornerback Jaylen Watson for the season to shoulder surgery, but star defensive lineman Myles Garrett returned to practice for the first time since knee surgery. (More)

➤ California’s high school football playoffs open tonight, with state championship bowl games set for Dec. 11-12. Unbeaten Santa Margarita and Sierra Canyon lead the Southern Section’s Division 1 field. (See Brackets)

➤ The Los Angeles Angels haven’t interviewed anyone for their general manager job, interim GM John Mozeliak said, with plans to ramp up the search after MLB owners vote on Stan Kroenke’s purchase of the team. (More)

➤ Hideo Nomo was scheduled to receive the Asian Hall of Fame’s inaugural Sports Pioneer Medal in Los Angeles from former Los Angeles Dodgers president Peter O’Malley. Nomo is credited with helping pave the way for generations of Japanese major leaguers. (See Details)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | NHL | NBA | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Disney is testing AI-powered robots that could one day direct guests to parking spots at its theme parks. The autonomous robots, powered by technology from startup FieldAI, were shown off at the company’s annual accelerator demo day. (More)

➤ T&T Supermarket, the Canada-based Asian grocery chain, opened its first San Francisco store on Geary Boulevard on Thursday, its second in the Bay Area. The location debuts exclusives like a City Hall mousse cake. (More)

➤ Apple is quietly trimming the internal AI budget it gives employees, cutting some engineers’ daily spending cap from $300 to $200 as part of a cost-cutting push, Bloomberg reported. The pullback by the Cupertino company comes as AI-related chip stocks tumble. (More)

➤ Canva, the Australian design company with a San Francisco campus, is restructuring roles affecting 1,271 employees, about 22% of its workforce. CEO Melanie Perkins called it the hardest moment in Canva’s 13-year history. (More)

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➤ Five San Diego County restaurants made OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2026, based on millions of verified diner reviews and reservation data: Callie, Cesarina, Cowboy Star, and LEILA in San Diego, plus Lilo in Carlsbad. (See List)

➤ Sacramento campaign signs are getting a second life as art through a Saturday collection drive that turns discarded political signs into materials for artists, teachers, and crafters. (Read Story)

➤ A broken Lake Tahoe souvenir bag sparked an unlikely friendship after a Pollock Pines woman mailed replacements to a family in the UK. The two strangers stayed in touch, sharing stories and support across the Atlantic. (Read Story)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Diagnosed peanut allergies may not be allergies at all, new research suggests, prompting calls for retesting. (Hear Story)

➤ Unions joined France’s escalating student protests with a nationwide strike Thursday, as the government deployed 70,000 police. (Listen Now)

➤ British actor/commentator Russell Brand has been convicted of rape and sexual assault in London, with a judge warning of significant prison time. (Hear Details)

Have you ever stayed in touch with a stranger you met by chance?

1. Yes, we’re still in touch
2. For a while, then we drifted
3. No, but I’d be open to it
4. No, I keep to myself
5. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

Have you ever been to a championship parade or big sports celebration?

1. Not my kind of thing: 67%
2. Yes, I’ve been in the crowd: 16%
3. No, but I’d love to: 10%
4. A few over the years: 7%

The Vincent Thomas Bridge linking San Pedro and Terminal Island has been a Los Angeles Harbor landmark since 1963. What U.S. engineering first did it achieve when it opened?

Show me the answer