California to Sue over Mail Ballots

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday lifted a lower court’s block on parts of President Trump’s order restricting who can receive mail-in ballots in California and 22 other states.

The justices split 6-3 along ideological lines, ruling that the states lacked standing because the order had not yet harmed them. The decision is provisional and does not resolve whether the order is lawful.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said California will sue again to block the new rules, saying every eligible voter in the state receives a mail-in ballot.

The administration casts the order as an election-integrity measure aimed at keeping noncitizens from voting, while the 23 challenging states argue the Constitution gives states and Congress the power to run elections. The court’s three liberal justices dissented, and further legal challenges are expected.

Lawmakers Push Bills to Lower Power Costs

California Democrats are pushing a package of bills aimed at lowering electricity costs ahead of an Aug. 31 legislative deadline, as the state’s second-highest power rates run nearly double the national average.

One measure from Sen. Josh Becker would let home batteries and smart thermostats compete with traditional power sources to improve grid reliability. Another, from Assemblymember Chris Ward, would require regulators to place greater value on community solar and battery storage and could ease regulatory barriers for homeowners with existing rooftop solar.

Ward said the changes would expand solar access for renters and low-income families who cannot put panels on their own roofs. A third bill, from Sen. Scott Wiener, targets barriers to plug-in balcony solar.

Republicans question whether the measures will actually lower bills. State Sen. Tony Strickland said families already stretched thin “can’t afford these policies” and argued the policies could make California less affordable and drive residents out of state.

Newsom Lists His Fair Oaks Estate

Gov. Gavin Newsom has listed his family’s Fair Oaks estate near Sacramento for $7.5 million as he prepares to leave office in January 2027.

The roughly 12,700-square-foot home on Tobia Way sits on 8.2 acres with a pool, tennis court and a 5,000-bottle wine cellar. The Newsoms bought it in 2018 for about $3.9 million.

Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said the family began shifting to Marin County in 2024, buying a home there for their children’s schooling, and called the sale “the next step in that transition.” Newsom is termed out.

California does not provide its governor with a residence, and Newsom is the third straight governor to split time between Sacramento and another home. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, commuted from Oakland and Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, from Los Angeles. The $7.5 million asking price is unusual for the Sacramento suburbs, where there have been few sales above $5 million in the past five years.

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➤ San Francisco: Newly obtained video appears to show a Muni operator asleep moments before two empty trains collided July 31 near the San Francisco Zoo, shattering window glass. No one was hurt, and transit officials initially blamed operator error caused by fatigue. (See Video)

➤ Elk Grove: A 71-year-old man has filed a civil lawsuit against Amazon after surveillance video showed a uniformed delivery driver following him into a gas station and punching him in a dispute over a parking spot. The driver faces felony battery and elder-abuse charges. (See Video)

➤ San Mateo County: The new 6-mile Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail opened Monday, giving the public access to part of the Peninsula Watershed off Highway 35. A free annual permit is required, and gates are open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (More)

➤ Trinity County: California Highway Patrol warned parents after finding brightly colored tablets resembling children’s vitamins that tested positive for methamphetamine. Officers urged families to keep medications secured and teach kids not to eat unfamiliar candy or vitamins. (See Photos)

➤ Paradise: Noble Orchards marked 106 years Monday by opening a rebuilt cold-storage facility, a milestone in its long recovery from the 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed 11 of the orchard’s buildings. Co-owner Jim Noble said the rebuild took 7 1/2 years. (Read Story)

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➤ Fresno: Sentencing for Jia Bei Zhu, convicted of running an illegal Reedley lab that sold more than 1 million fake COVID-19 tests and once housed a freezer labeled “Ebola,” was delayed to Oct. 26, giving his defense an opportunity to seek a new trial. He could face nearly 30 years in prison. (More)

➤ Stockton: Desiree Lynch withdrew from the City Council District 5 race Monday, five days after her arrest on five felony counts, including perjury and filing a false declaration of candidacy. Prosecutors say she claimed a District 5 address, including a cocktail lounge, while living outside the district. (More)

➤ Avenal: A Kings County judge issued a final order Monday requiring four recalled city council members, including Mayor Alvaro Preciado, to step down, ending a months-long standoff. Voters ousted them in an April recall election, but the officials refused to leave and the city argued the election was invalid. (More)

➤ Bakersfield: Police confirmed the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Levi Brown at Independence High School Friday was gang-related. A 15-year-old was arrested, and six others were later arrested with guns, masks, and gloves amid concerns about retaliation. (More)

➤ Arroyo Grande: Warm spring weather pushed Talley Vineyards’ Pinot Noir harvest roughly six weeks early, starting July 24, the earliest in winery records. Owner Brian Talley said the early harvest trend was widespread across Edna Valley. (Read Story)

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➤ Riverside County: The California Supreme Court weighed Monday whether Sheriff Chad Bianco must return 650,000 ballots he seized from a 2025 special election over a complaint officials called unfounded. Bianco calls the ballots evidence, while Attorney General Rob Bonta says he had no authority to take them. (More)

➤ Los Angeles: The family of Christopher Garcia, 16, who died after a 2024 high school football injury, sued the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging unsafe conditions. The district said medical staff were on site. (See Details)

➤ Palmdale: A jury found Kevin Cataneo Salazar guilty of murdering Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer in a 2023 ambush. Jurors return today to decide whether Salazar was legally insane at the time. (More)

➤ Long Beach: About 420 Cal State Long Beach students and staff were displaced after the new La Playa residence hall wasn’t ready for Sunday’s move-in. The university is providing nearby hotels, shuttles, and meals but hasn’t set a date for the building to open. (See Details)

➤ Tarzana: A Ring camera captured a bear crossing paths with two coyotes in a neighborhood near the 101 Freeway. The larger coyote repeatedly confronted the bear while staying near the smaller one, and the bear eventually moved off. (See Video)

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➤ DraftKings launched its predictions platform in California, sidestepping the state’s sports betting ban by offering federally regulated event contracts instead of traditional wagers. California voters rejected two sports betting measures in 2022. (More)

➤ The Sacramento Kings will wear a jersey band this season honoring Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman, who died in June at 79. Adelman led Sacramento to eight straight playoff appearances and a franchise-record 395 regular-season wins. (More)

➤ Loop Neighborhood Markets, a Northern California convenience store chain, signed a season-long sponsorship deal with Cal Athletics that includes digital media, social content, and NIL opportunities with Cal student-athletes. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | WNBA | Tennis | Little League World Series

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➤ California companies have raised about $366 billion in venture capital since the start of 2026, more than three times the other 49 states combined. The record surge has been driven largely by artificial intelligence companies and massive funding deals. (See Details)

➤ Disneyland Resort broke ground Monday on a new parking and transportation hub in Anaheim. The project will add more than 6,000 spaces and a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard. No opening date was announced. (More)

➤ Santa Cruz Guitar Company, the boutique maker founded in 1976 and played by legends from Tony Rice to Eric Clapton, is marking its 50th year. Founder Richard Hoover’s company has produced more than 20,000 handcrafted guitars and is celebrating with concerts and a run of anniversary models. (Read Story)

➤ GKN Aerospace will establish a $100 million claims fund after a May chemical-tank emergency forced more than 50,000 people to evacuate. The Garden Grove plant could resume manufacturing Sept. 28 under required safety conditions. (More)

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Founders Matt McKean and Joseph Witherspoon are on the path to commercializing a technology that extracts valuable resources (like jet fuel and diesel) from coal without burning it. For their team at Frontieras, it’s an opportunity to address up to $2.1 trillion worth of annual markets. 

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➤ Birch Aquarium in San Diego has put two juvenile red octopuses on display, believed to be among the first of their species ever raised in captivity. They hatched 10 months ago from eggs the size of a grain of rice. In the wild, only about 1% survive to adulthood. (More)

➤ California State Parks Foundation opened its 2026 photo contest, inviting anyone to submit free entries taken at any of the state’s 280 parks. Photographers can enter up to three shots in each of five categories, and winners earn a free membership and a spot in the foundation’s 2028 calendar. (See Details)

➤ A 12-year-old Ukrainian refugee in Alameda turned his front yard into a neighborhood chess stop, playing about 150 games last summer. Max Tsebrii offers every opponent a homemade cookie and says the games have helped him make friends and find community. (Read Story)

➤ California’s desert was at the heart of the world’s largest military training ground, where more than 1 million U.S. soldiers prepared for World War II combat. Eight decades later, stone camp outlines, unit symbols, and a hill where Gen. George Patton watched tank drills still mark the desert. (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. 

➤ Ten of America’s most trusted breakfasts, ranked worst to best for your long-term health. (See List)

➤ Ghislaine Maxwell pointed to newly released Epstein files in her push for freedom, but a federal judge rejected every claim. (Hear Episode)

➤ United Airlines is planning what it calls its largest expansion ever, adding flights to eight cities that no other US carrier serves nonstop. (See Cities)

What’s your favorite Dolly Parton hit song?

1. Jolene
2. I Will Always Love You
3. 9 to 5
4. Coat of Many Colors
5. Islands in the Stream
6. Here You Come Again
7. Other (reply to let us know)

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you hop in one of Archer’s air taxis to skip LA traffic?

1. No thanks, I’ll drive: 28%
2. Maybe someday: 26%
3. Only if it’s proven safe: 24%
4. Sign me up: 22%

Standing 134 feet tall along Interstate 15 on the road to Las Vegas, the World’s Tallest Thermometer honors the blistering 134-degree record once logged in nearby Death Valley. In what small California desert town does it stand?

Show me the answer