Wildfires Flare Across Seven Counties

Wildfires broke out across at least seven California counties Sunday as a late-March heat wave heightened concerns from the Oregon border to San Diego.

The Mesa Fire ignited in San Bernardino County, new blazes erupted in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, and a vegetation fire forced evacuations of commercial businesses in Santee in San Diego County. The Hollow Fire burned on private land in Merced County.

Near the Oregon border, the Kellogg Fire in Del Norte County and the Salmon Fire in Siskiyou County added to the tally. 

The early-season surge comes as a historic March heat wave and rapid loss of mountain snowpack are pushing the state toward fire conditions weeks ahead of schedule.

Marine Indicted in Missile Theft

A Camp Pendleton Marine has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly stealing a Javelin missile system and ammunition from the base and selling them in Arizona.

Cpl. Andrew Paul Amarillas, 23, worked as an ammunition technician at the School of Infantry-West, where he had access to restricted military weapons and explosives. Prosecutors say the thefts occurred between February 2022 and November 2025.

Court documents include text messages Amarillas allegedly sent to co-conspirators. “[J]ust [got] some javs and some other ones[.],” he wrote in August, saying he had two launchers they might want to look at.

Federal agents recovered one Javelin system and seized ammunition from an Arizona home, but prosecutors say as many as 2 million rounds of M855 ammunition may still be unaccounted for. Amarillas pleaded not guilty last week in Phoenix and is being held without bail.

Fresno County May Sue Itself

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors is threatening to sue its own assessor-recorder over his interpretation of a state law governing real estate transaction fees.

Under Senate Bill 2, Fresno County Assessor-Recorder Paul Dictos applies a $75 recording fee to each individual parcel in a transaction, meaning large land sales can generate fees in the tens of thousands of dollars. Most county recorders cap the charge at $225, depending on how they interpret the law. A county spokesperson told GV Wire that officials are not aware of another instance of a county suing itself.

Dictos said his interpretation has generated $54 million for the state’s affordable housing programs, with about $35 million returned to fund projects in Mendota, Sanger, and Reedley. Supervisors voted unanimously to send Dictos a demand letter and pursue litigation after approving a $10,000 refund claim from a Bakersfield attorney.

A court ruling could set statewide precedent on how all 58 counties collect the fee. Neither Attorney General Rob Bonta nor State Controller Malia Cohen has weighed in.

Once upon a time, we had to make lists and physically go to stores when we needed things. Sometimes we’d have to go to several stores or even shopping malls for what we needed. Then one day, out of the heavens, came Amazon.

For many of us, free shipping and access to exclusive shows and movies are enough reasons to fork over $14.99 per month for Prime. But if those reasons haven’t been enough to entice you to join Prime, maybe some of these lesser-known incentives will tempt you to sign up.

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➤ Sacramento: A big rig hauling 50,000 pounds of packaged meat struck another vehicle, then jackknifed and caught fire on the connector ramp from westbound Business 80 to westbound Highway 50 in Downtown Sacramento early Sunday. Part of the truck dangled over the railing. All involved were accounted for, and officials did not provide a reopening timeline. (More)

➤ San Francisco: Police and California Highway Patrol officers stopped 85 cyclists from a planned takeover of the Bay Bridge Saturday after the group rode the wrong way up the Harrison Street off-ramp toward the lower deck. All 85 were cited and had their bikes confiscated. (More)

➤ Oakland: Dozens gathered at Lake Merritt Sunday for a candlelight vigil for Amy Hillyard, 52, co-owner of Farley’s Coffee, who has been missing since March 25. California Highway Patrol issued an endangered missing advisory due to a medical condition, and approximately 200 volunteers have joined the search. (More)

➤ Vandenberg Space Force Base: SpaceX launched 119 payloads into orbit early Monday on its Transporter-16 rideshare mission during a launch window that opened at 3:20 a.m. The first-stage booster landed on a droneship in the Pacific about eight and a half minutes later. (More)

➤ Avenal: The Kings County Board of Supervisors voted Saturday unanimously to terminate its fire services contract with Avenal after a dispute over the safety of a community center event venue. City officials say the move puts more than 13,000 residents at risk. (More)

➤ Huron: Fresno County Ag Task Force detectives arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with a copper wire theft that caused about $40,000 in damage to a farm, recovering three firearms, including a ghost gun and an AR-style rifle. He was out on bail from a prior wire theft case. (More)

➤ San Diego County: About 13,000 residents will lose CalFresh food benefits starting April 1 under federal law changes limiting eligibility for certain non-citizens, including asylees, refugees, and others. The San Diego Food Bank says it is bracing for a surge in demand. (More)

➤ Imperial Beach: Students near the Tijuana River are reporting headaches, rashes, and breathing problems tied to cross-border sewage pollution. Hydrogen sulfide levels last week spiked to more than 15 times California’s standard. (More)

➤ Los Angeles County: A 30-year-old sheriff’s deputy, Levi Vargas, died during the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup relay race this past weekend, a 120-mile law enforcement run through the Mojave Desert. (More)

➤ An independent investigation found the 49ers’ Santa Clara training facility safe, per general manager John Lynch, dismissing a theory that linked a nearby electrical substation to the team’s rash of injuries. (More)

➤ UCLA women’s basketball player Lauren Betts was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Sacramento 2 Regional after leading the Bruins past Duke in the NCAA women’s tournament. (More)

➤ The Golden State Warriors reportedly explored a trade for Kawhi Leonard from the LA Clippers earlier this season, but no deal materialized. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | NHL | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | Tennis

➤ The Federal Aviation Administration says it may take enforcement action against California over how the state spends jet fuel tax revenue. At least $650 million in federal funding for eight airports, including SFO, LAX, and Sacramento, is pending as the dispute continues. (More)

➤ Fourteen of the 25 least-affordable U.S. counties are in California, according to a recent housing report. In Orange County, monthly housing costs consume 88% of typical wages; in Los Angeles County, 66%. Median home prices fell year over year in several large California counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, and Sacramento. (See Report)

➤ Cole’s French Dip, one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles, closed Sunday after 118 years, the same day Echo Park’s Taix shuttered after 99 years. Cole’s owners cited rising costs and declining business, while Taix is closing as its property is redeveloped. (More)

Maximize your Amazon Prime benefits beyond free shipping. Explore lesser-known perks such as early access to lightning deals, exclusive deals across various categories, free access to podcasts and music, and RXPass for generic medications. Here are all nine perks you should be using!

➤ San Francisco was named the healthiest city in America in WalletHub’s 2026 ranking of 182 cities, with San Diego second. The study measured factors including health care access, food, fitness, and green space. (See List)

➤ Farmworkers Day is being observed for the first time today after California lawmakers unanimously renamed the March 31 holiday formerly known as César Chávez Day. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill last week, and the change took effect immediately. (More)

➤ The San Diego County Fair surprised 14 Little Free Library creators across the county with official Best of Show ribbons and free tickets to kick off its 2026 “Once Upon a Fair” literacy theme. Honorees ranged from a VW bus-shaped library in Carlsbad to one painted by neurodivergent artists in Hillcrest. (More)

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Yesterday’s Results:

How many television streaming services do you pay for?

1. Four or more: 31%
2. None, back to cable: 28%
3. Two or three: 23%
4. One: 18%

What branch of the military originally built Vandenberg Space Force Base as a training base during World War II?

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