Recycling Law Could Raise Grocery Prices

California’s packaging law, SB 54, starts billing producers as early as next month, and dairy makers warn the fees could reach grocery shoppers.

The law, passed in 2022, makes companies financially responsible for the packaging they sell after it is thrown away and requires them to phase out materials that can’t be reused, recycled, or composted. It covers most packaged goods, from strawberries to cosmetics.

The dairy industry says it stands to be among the hardest hit, warning that milk and cheese prices could climb and some processors could close because their packaging can’t meet the rules.

CalRecycle, the state recycling agency, projects a far smaller hit—$57 to $190 more per household a year—and says the program returns about 2.5 times its cost in benefits.

The law now faces lawsuits from two directions: 17 Republican-led states call it too burdensome, while environmental groups say it was weakened during implementation.

California Sues to Block Paramount-Warner Deal

California and 11 other states sued Monday to block Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Led by Attorney General Rob Bonta and filed in federal court in Northern California, the lawsuit argues the deal violates antitrust law by combining major rival film studios and television businesses. It would place CBS, MTV, and BET under the same corporate umbrella as CNN, TNT, and other Warner Bros. Discovery networks.

Bonta said the merger would mean “higher prices, lower quality, and less content” for viewers, movie theaters, and cable distributors.

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has said the deal would honor the legacies of both studios while building a next-generation media company. The U.S. Justice Department cleared the merger in June, concluding it was not likely to harm competition or consumers, and Warner Bros. shareholders approved the transaction in April.

Hawthorne Firm’s Space Mirror Wins Approval

Federal regulators have cleared a Hawthorne company to test a satellite that would reflect sunlight onto parts of Earth after nightfall.

The Federal Communications Commission licensed Reflect Orbital to launch Eärendil-1, a satellite about the size of a dorm refrigerator that will unfurl a mirror nearly 60 feet wide in low Earth orbit about 400 miles above the planet.

The company says the mirrors could illuminate disaster zones, extend solar power generation after sunset, and brighten work sites at night, and it eventually wants tens of thousands in orbit.

Astronomers and wildlife experts objected, warning the reflected light could disrupt telescopes, confuse migrating animals, and interfere with human sleep.

“It’s terrifying to me that one country can change the night sky for everybody in the world,” said astronomer Samantha Lawler.

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➤ Sierra County: An unauthorized drone briefly grounded firefighting aircraft over the Elephant Fire, delaying aerial suppression of the 6,436-acre wildfire in Lassen County. Authorities identified a suspected operator, and the case could lead to criminal charges. (More)

➤ San Francisco Bay: A coastal flood advisory remains in effect through Thursday morning as unusually warm Pacific waters and sea level rise push tides up to 1.7 feet above normal. Minor flooding is possible in low-lying areas around the San Francisco and San Pablo bays, including parts of the Embarcadero. (More)

➤ Silicon Valley: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Rep. Ro Khanna’s account of being detained in the West Bank, blaming “delinquents” and saying lawbreakers are taken to court. Khanna, D-Calif., disputed Israel’s account and is calling for an investigation into the settlers involved. (More)

➤ Oakland: Three men from an Oakland robbery crew will stand trial for murder after a judge found enough evidence last week. Prosecutors say the group drove to Los Angeles and shot fitness influencer Miguel Aguilar, 43, during a 2024 follow-home robbery at his Bel-Air house. He later died from his injuries. (See Details)

➤ San Francisco: Rows of tents that sprang up in the Financial District looked like a new homeless camp, but the tents were empty. It turned out to be a movie set for a Netflix thriller directed by actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. (More)

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➤ Delano: The family of Ivan Garza, 25, a former Kennedy High football standout, suspects foul play after he was fatally struck by a car last week. Police call it a tragic accident and say the driver stayed at the scene, but relatives dispute that account. (More)

➤ Fresno High, the city’s oldest high school at 137 years, has lost about a fifth of its students over the past decade, roughly 462 students, the steepest decline of any comprehensive high school in the district. Officials cite shifting boundaries, magnet-school competition, and falling birthrates among the reasons. (Read Story)

➤ Buellton: The former Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant off Highway 101 is set for demolition after city leaders removed its historic landmark status. The famed roadside restaurant, known for its split pea soup, closed in 2024 and has since fallen into disrepair. (More)

➤ Cambria: An updated management plan for Fiscalini Ranch Preserve has won approval, paving the way for trail, boardwalk, and accessibility improvements. The plan also calls for removing invasive plants and restoring native vegetation, with projects funded through grants and partnerships. (More)

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➤ Sun Valley: A fire early Sunday destroyed El Compadre, a market known for helping struggling customers. Officials are investigating possible arson after surveillance video appeared to show a man pushing a bottle through the mail slot minutes before the blaze. (More)

➤ Southern California: Triple-digit heat and monsoonal humidity are baking the region as an Extreme Heat Watch remains in effect through Thursday. The weather is also raising wildfire concerns, with crews continuing to monitor the Summit Fire near Wrightwood. (More)

➤ Imperial Beach: Cross-border sewage from the Tijuana River has kept the shoreline closed for much of the past three years, forcing YMCA Camp Surf, founded in 1969, to bus kids 40 minutes north to Mission Beach to surf. The pollution has also disrupted local junior lifeguard programs and other beach activities. (Read Story)

➤ Culver City: The city council is weighing whether to extend a moratorium on new drive-thrus and possibly ban them for good, a move that could block a proposed In-N-Out, which would be the city’s first new drive-thru restaurant since 1997. Neighbors cite traffic and safety concerns near a school. (More)

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➤ The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed guard Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million maximum contract, keeping him with the team through the 2029-30 season. (More)

➤ Three Los Angeles Dodgers will be in the starting lineup tonight for the National League All-Star team. On the American League side, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout will bat leadoff and play center field. (More)

➤ California colleges saw 60 players get selected on Day 2 of the MLB Draft. Cal Poly led all schools with seven picks. (See Results)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: WNBA

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➤ Ditto, a dating service founded by former UC Berkeley students, uses AI instead of swiping to match college students based on their interests, then creates a personalized date itinerary for each couple. The company now operates at nine California campuses and says it has arranged more than 12,000 dates. (More)

➤ Gordon Ramsay opened The Carnaby, a British-themed restaurant at Anaheim’s Downtown Disney, above Earl of Sandwich. The London-inspired spot serves dishes including Beef Wellington, fish and chips, and sticky toffee pudding, with breakfast and lunch service planned in the coming months. (More)

➤ Topgolf and a 10-acre public waterfront park could reshape San Diego’s East Harbor Island under a port redevelopment now in environmental review. Officials opened public comment on the draft report through Aug. 24. No part of the plan has been approved. (More)

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➤ Six new K-9s joined the California Highway Patrol after graduating in West Sacramento, including the agency’s first-ever springer Spaniel. The class also includes Dutch shepherds, a German shepherd, and Belgian Malinois, with the dogs assigned to narcotics, explosives, and patrol duties across the state. (More)

➤ A Santa Barbara history feature looks back at a 1926 newspaper account recalling one of the first automobiles to climb San Marcos Pass, offering a glimpse of the rough roads and adventurous spirit of California’s earliest motorists. (Read Story)

➤ Two corpse flowers began blooming hours apart Sunday at The Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino, creating a rare double show. Nicknamed Odorysseus and Odora, the giant Sumatran titan arums give off a rotten-flesh stink for just a day or two before closing back up. (See Details)

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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. Clicking the links will take you directly to these stories:

➤ How can you make your phone battery last significantly longer without buying a new device? (Hear More)

➤ Homeless encampments have taken over 12 blocks near a popular New York City museum, and workers say the city has stopped clearing them. (Hear Episode)

➤ A fire tore through a crowded bar in Thailand this weekend, killing dozens. (Listen Now)

What’s your favorite classic British dish?

1. Beef Wellington
2. Fish and chips
3. Bangers and mash
4. Sticky toffee pudding
5. Nothing for me, thank you
6. Other (reply to tell us)

Yesterday’s Results:

What’s the best game on The Price Is Right?

1. I don’t like The Price Is Right: 19%
2. Spinning the Big Wheel: 18%
3. Plinko: 17%
4. Cliff Hangers: 16%
5. Punch-a-Bunch: 15%
6. Other (reply to tell us): 15%

The roadside landmark Pea Soup Andersen’s is known for its two cartoon mascots, the pea-splitting chefs Hap-Pea and Pea-Wee. The artist who redrew them in 1944 was described as being trained at which famous Hollywood studio?

Show me the answer