Fire Emergencies Rage on across California

The Lost Fire in Kern County has exploded to 7,500 acres and is just 5% contained, with evacuation orders still in effect for communities 35 miles west of Bakersfield.

Wind-driven flames spread aggressively overnight, pushing spot fires ahead of the main blaze.

Meanwhile, a massive cold storage warehouse fire in Boyle Heights flared up again Friday, sending black and white smoke billowing over Los Angeles.

A joint arson investigation is underway, and a smoke advisory remains in effect for parts of downtown L.A. and the San Gabriel Valley.

California Gas Drops by 55 Cents

Chinese Ship Checks on Solo Rower Mid-Pacific

A 31-year-old California woman rowing solo across the Pacific drew a worried radio call from a Chinese cargo ship captain mid-ocean.

The captain, worried she was in distress, radioed to check on her, then asked for her email so he could follow up in 20 days to make sure she made it safely.

Kelsey Pfendler set out May 21 in a 24-foot fiberglass boat, rowing up to 18 hours a day on four hours of sleep, surviving hallucinations the first week and battling westerly headwinds.

She’s currently 500 miles ahead of the women’s world record pace, and is now more than halfway through her 2,400-mile Monterey-to-Hawaii crossing, on track to set a world record. Track her progress here.

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➤ Oakland: Blue Shield of California mistakenly sent letters to more than 730 Northern California Medicare members telling them their coverage had ended. The insurer says no coverage was actually affected, and apology letters are on the way. (More)

➤ Oroville: Butte County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 73-year-old man on drug charges after a traffic stop turned up multiple illegal drugs. (More)

➤ Burney: A 2.2-magnitude earthquake struck nearby on Friday. The quake was too small to cause damage but was recorded by USGS sensors about 4 miles south of town. (More)

➤ Santa Cruz: A drone operator saved a surfer by revving his drone’s motors to alert him to a shark circling just below. A drone video captured the whole tense encounter. (See Video)

➤ Madera: The new King Husein School is going with “Royals” as its mascot and blue and gold colors in a nod to its namesake donor when it opens this fall, serving 550 students. (More)

➤ Fresno: Investor demand is driving unusually quick sales of smaller multifamily properties across the Central Valley, with limited inventory keeping prices firm in well-located neighborhoods. (More)

➤ South: A major heat wave is headed for the region next week, with triple-digit temperatures expected in some parts and an extreme heat watch issued for parts of Los Angeles County Tuesday through Thursday. (See Forecast)

➤ San Diego: City Council approved rule changes making it easier to build affordable housing in coastal neighborhoods. Critics warn the added density will reduce beach parking and public access. (More) 

➤ Los Angeles: Comedian Carlos Mencia was arrested and charged with 12 felony counts of tax evasion after allegedly hiding $8.7 million in income. The Los Angeles District Attorney called him “one of California’s biggest tax scofflaws.” (More)

➤ Shane van Gisbergen won the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado. Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Steve Letarte will call Sunday’s race from the bridge of the USS Carl Vinson. (See Grid)

➤ The U.S. secured the top spot in Group D after Paraguay’s win over Turkey on Friday, setting up a July 1 Round of 32 matchup against a to-be-determined third-place team at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, Belgium and Iran face off today in a Group G match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with the Belgians entering as heavy favorites. The match will air on FS1. (More)

➤ Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani missed Friday’s game while on paternity leave, though he wasn’t placed on MLB’s paternity list and was expected to return this weekend. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: World Cup | MLB | College World Series | U.S. Open | WNBA

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➤ The world’s first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pizzeria opened Saturday in Santa Monica, serving New York-style slices in a 3,000-square-foot underground-themed restaurant. (See Video)

➤ A Madera animal rescue is celebrating the birth of a baby camel named Benjamin. He’s named after Benjamin Button because staffers say he has “a little old man face.” (See Benjamin)

➤ Tickets for Disney California Adventure’s Oogie Boogie Bash went on sale Thursday, and the Oct. 31 finale ($199) sold out within hours, four months before the party starts. (More)

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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, straight from the heart of the country. Clicking the link will take you directly to these stories:

➤ A strong market helped retirement savers reach a major milestone. (Hear More)

➤ Washington launched a new UFO task force and promised more answers. (Listen Now)

➤  JD Vance revealed the wardrobe expectations inside President Trump’s White House. (Podcast Available)

Would you try the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pizzeria?

1. Absolutely
2. Maybe if I’m in town
3. No, not interested

Yesterday’s Results:

Should state employees have the right to work from home?

1. No: 71%
2. Yes: 29%

In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act protecting which California valley, helping establish the first U.S. effort to preserve a wilderness area for public use?

Show me the answer