Monday, October 19, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1968, the Golden Gate Bridge became the first bridge in the world to collect tolls in only one direction, charging drivers only when heading south into San Francisco. Northbound crossings have been toll-free ever since.

The filmmakers behind a new thriller have found a rather unusual setting: the belly of an 80-foot whale. As we report below, the movie was filmed in Monterey County, bringing a welcome boost to the local economy while showcasing some spectacular underwater scenery.

While we’re on the subject of movies, what’s one film you never get tired of watching, no matter how many times you’ve seen it? Hit reply and let us know.

The most important places in American history aren’t where you think. Some of the moments that shaped this country happened in towns with one stoplight, a single gas station, and a tumbleweed rolling across Main Street. Do you ever wonder where the Cold War got its name? Which town spent three years officially not existing while it helped win a world war? Or where the most famous invention in American history finally got off the ground? One of these towns could be in your state, and you may have even driven through it without knowing what happened there. On today’s episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 small towns that changed American history. Tune in here!

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State Auditor Faults Medi-Cal Oversight

California’s Department of Health Care Services has not researched or investigated more than 26,000 of the roughly 28,000 Medi-Cal providers flagged by one of its own screening tools as highest-risk for improper billing, according to a new state auditor’s assessment.

Those providers billed at least $12 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year, according to the auditor’s report, which cited inadequate oversight as another reason for the agency’s “high-risk” designation. Medi-Cal covers about 14 million residents and pays out roughly $200 billion a year.

The report cited a medical-transport provider that billed more than $11 million and claimed trips for 35 riders in a single day, including nine trips that alone would have required more than 3,000 miles in one vehicle.

The department disputed the findings, calling the assessment incomplete and saying it relied on isolated anecdotes while ignoring broader evidence of effective oversight. It points to a program-integrity operation with more than 700 positions dedicated to combating fraud, waste, and abuse. The agency’s original high-risk designation dates to 2007.

U.S. Warns California Over Noncitizen Ballots

The U.S. Justice Department has warned that local California election officials who process or tabulate ballots from suspected noncitizen voters could face criminal investigation and prosecution.

The warning, in a letter from acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter, followed a lawsuit seeking to block California from counting mail ballots from people on a list of 20,000 individuals the federal government identified as likely noncitizens until their eligibility can be verified. Officials were first given 48 hours to review the list.

McCotter wrote that noncitizen voting in a federal election is a federal crime and that “knowingly facilitating such conduct is equally unlawful.”

California officials pushed back, with Secretary of State Shirley Weber saying the government had provided no evidence to support its claims and Attorney General Rob Bonta criticizing the demand. The state mails ballots to all registered voters.

Placerville Man Stops Oregon Gunman

The bystander who pursued and fatally shot the gunman at a Bend, Oregon, elementary school last week is originally from Placerville, his Sacramento mother says.

Kenda Freeman identified her son as Kaylub Giamanco, 36, a contractor and father of two children who attend Silver Rail Elementary. Driving home on his lunch break, he grabbed his gun, pursued the 16-year-old into the school, crawling through a broken window, and shot him, she said.

The attack killed three children and a teacher and wounded another child and teacher, authorities said. Police said the gunman appeared to be targeting a special needs classroom. Law enforcement sources said he used a shotgun his mother had bought.

Freeman said her son called afterward: “I looked at him point-blank, and I shot and killed him.” His actions drew praise from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, but Freeman said her son was struggling with the lives he couldn’t save.

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➤ Bay Area: Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta received suspicious envelopes at their district offices Friday amid a nationwide investigation into threatening mailings to congressional and election offices. Both substances were deemed harmless. (See Details)

➤ Fairfield: A 22-year-old Sacramento driver told investigators he was asleep with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system engaged when his car blew through a lane closure on eastbound I-80 and crashed into a California Highway Patrol car, seriously injuring two officers. (See Video)

➤ Berkeley: Voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve Measure AA, which would double the city’s tax on sugary-drink distributors from 1 cent to 2 cents per ounce and dedicate revenue to health and nutrition programs. Berkeley voters approved the nation’s first soda tax in 2014. (See Details)

➤ San Francisco: A Singapore Airlines flight turned back over the Pacific after an unruly passenger disrupted the trip, landing at SFO nearly nine hours after takeoff Wednesday. A new crew flew the plane to Singapore later that night. (See Details)

➤ Clarksburg: The Delta town’s historic 1883 schoolhouse is now open as a community and cultural space following a restoration funded by local donors and a Delta Conservancy grant. The project also aims to establish a Delta Welcome Center. (Read Story)

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➤ Lemoore: Navy strike-fighter squadrons returned to Naval Air Station Lemoore after a 322-day deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, marking a long-awaited homecoming to California’s Central Valley. (See Photos)

➤ Hollister: City employees laid off last week, including 10 police department workers, have been asked to return temporarily. The layoffs have sparked calls for City Manager Ana Cortez’s removal, with the city council scheduled to review her performance today. (See Details)

➤ Central Coast: Common murres are washing ashore in record numbers, with more than 800 seabirds taken in for rehabilitation since Sept. 1. Experts say El Niño’s unusually warm ocean waters are making food harder to find. (See Details)

➤ Bakersfield: A woman accused of vandalizing the Kern County Veterans Memorial and a county building, causing thousands in damage, has been committed to a state psychiatric hospital for up to two years. (More)

➤ Monterey County: The new thriller Whalefall, filmed across the county, follows a diver trapped inside an 80-foot whale. The production brought nearly $930,000 in local spending and showcases the region’s underwater scenery. (See Details)

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➤ San Clemente: The Norte Fire burned 570 acres and damaged or destroyed at least six homes. Evacuation orders were lifted Saturday, though some areas remained closed. The fire was 25% contained Saturday evening, with its cause under investigation. (See Details)

➤ Crenshaw: Two reported stabbings near Saturday’s Taste of Soul festival prompted a citywide police alert, which was later lifted. Organizers said the violence did not disrupt the popular street festival. (See Details)

➤ Glendora: Andrew Luster, heir to the Max Factor fortune, was released after serving 20 years for drugging and raping three women. The city’s mayor condemned his release and demanded answers from state officials. (More)

➤ Baja California: A boat carrying 27 people capsized off Mexico’s coast Friday. Sixteen Mexican nationals were rescued, some with suspected shark bites, while 11 remain missing. Authorities are investigating possible human smuggling. (See Details)

➤ Los Angeles: Beong-Soo Kim was installed as USC’s 13th president and first Asian American leader. The son of Korean immigrants who attended USC, Kim plans to strengthen industry ties and promote independent thinking. (See Details)

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➤ The Los Angeles Rams fell to 2-4 with an 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Los Angeles took the lead with 47 seconds left before Chad Ryland’s 43-yard field goal as time expired. (More)

➤ The Los Angeles Chargers fell to 0-6 with a 22-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Justin Herbert threw for 204 yards and an interception as Los Angeles managed 259 yards of total offense. (More)

➤ UCLA climbed three spots to No. 9 in the latest AP Top 25 after improving to 6-0, while USC moved up three spots to No. 16. (See Full Rankings)

➤ Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons tore his right Achilles tendon during practice Sunday and will undergo surgery. The three-time NBA All-Star signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with Sacramento in September and faces an estimated 10-month recovery. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the court before the national anthem at Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday, returning immediately afterward. (More)

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➤ The most important moments in American history didn’t all happen in Philadelphia or Boston. Some happened in towns you’ve never even heard of. (Tune in here)

In the latest episode of Flyover Focus, we count down 10 small towns that changed American history. These are towns where wars ended, legends were born, and modern technology took off. We are talking about moments that shaped the entire country, tucked away on rural country roads. How many of these stories do you actually know?

In case you missed it, last week’s Flyover Focus counted down 10 things you should stop paying for. How many are still quietly draining your bank account every month? (Watch Now)

➤ Trader Joe’s plans to open four new California stores in Anaheim Hills, Leucadia, Riverbank, and San Diego. All are listed as “opening soon,” though exact dates remain unannounced. (See List)

➤ California workers pay an average of $9,148 annually toward employer-sponsored family health insurance, more than $2,200 above the national average, according to a new study. The state ranks sixth nationwide for premium growth over the past decade. (More)

➤ Il Fornaio, the upscale Italian restaurant chain, will pay $3 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment and retaliation affecting at least 100 female employees, many of them teenagers, at its California restaurants. (See Details)

➤ San Jose-based Archer Aviation is in final-stage FAA testing of its electric air taxi, which could turn 60- to 90-minute drives into 10-minute flights at prices comparable to premium Uber rides. (See Details)

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➤ Relics of St. Francis have arrived in San Francisco for a rare public display during the saint’s 800th jubilee year. The free exhibit opened Friday and will run for six weeks, marking the collection’s first trip outside Italy. (See Details)

➤ A Santa Barbara earthquake hero is being remembered 100 years after receiving a medal for shutting off the city’s gas supply during the devastating 1925 quake. Henry F. Ketz will be honored at a Nov. 4 historical event. (More)

➤ The 80th annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival brought live music, food trucks, and a clam chowder cook-off to the city over the weekend. The tradition dates back to 1946, when Pismo Beach was incorporated. (More)

➤ An emu on the loose caused a stir in Santa Cruz last week after wandering into traffic near 17th Avenue. Highway patrol officers responded to multiple reports before the bird’s owner arrived to help round up the runaway pet. (See Photos)

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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.

➤ An Air Force officer died after falling from the Alamodome rafters while rappelling onto the field before Saturday’s UTSA-Navy game. (Hear More)

➤ A truck drove through a crowd at a youth soccer game in Wichita, killing a 6-year-old boy and a man. The driver was released without charges. (Listen Now)

➤ Modern reruns of the infamous 1961 Yale shock experiment still find most people obey, and researchers now know why disobeying is so hard. (Tune In)