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DOJ Charges 28 California Residents With Voting-Related Crimes Amid Trump’s Voter Fraud Push

The effort by the Trump administration comes as it wages a broader fight with California officials over voter rolls.

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Oct 19 • 3:51 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
High-end sports car spontaneously ignites in police storage after crash that killed OC influencer

The wreckage of a 2019 McLaren involved in the fatal crash that killed two people in Orange County spontaneously caught fire while in storage.

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Oct 19 • 2:59 PM EDT • Sports • latimes.com
Netflix film chief Dan Lin is out as streamer shuffles executive ranks

Netflix's film chief Dan Lin has left the company after the streamer conducted massive layoffs.

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Oct 19 • 1:36 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
This Week: Politics 101, 20th Street Bikeway, Muni Trivia

Here is a list of events this week. Monday/Tonight! SF Politics 101 with Joel Engardio. Learn how local politics shaped San Francisco. Monday/tonight, October 19, 5:30-6:45 p.m. SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, S.F. Wednesday 20th Street Protected Bikeway Ribbon Cutting. The Oakland Department of Transportation, city officials, Bike East Bay and other community partners will celebrate the completion of the 19th Street BART to Lake Merritt Urban Greenway. Wednesday, October 21, 1:30 p.m. 400 Thomas L Berkley Way, Oakland. Thursday 2026 Silver SPUR Awards. This SPUR event brings together elected officials and business, civic, and philanthropic leaders to celebrate four individuals and their contributions. Thursday, October 22, 4-7:30 p.m. Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA, 700 Howard Street, S.F. Get tickets here. Friday Woman and Non-Binary Morning Ride. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for a socially distanced bike ride for women and nonbinary cyclists. Friday, October 23, 7:15-8:45 a.m. McLaren Lodge, 501 Stanyan Street, S.F. Friday Muni Trivia Night. Bring your friends or come solo and make some new ones. Friday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. Standard Deviant Brewing, Pier 70, suite 195, 1070 Maryland Street, S.F. RSVP here. Saturday Fifth Annual Firefighter Family Ride. Join SFFD, SF Safe Routes to School, and the SF Bicycle Coalition for a fun, low-stress bike ride through one of the city’s most beautiful routes. Saturday, October 24, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Panhandle Park Blacktop (Fell & Ashbury) to JFK Promenade (Whale’s Tail). Sunday Canvas for No on Prop G. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to canvas for No on ‘G’ to save Sunset Dunes Park. Sunday, October 25, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Marina Blvd & Laguna Street, S.F. Got an event we should know about? Drop us a line.

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Oct 19 • 11:38 AM EDT • Politics • sf.streetsblog.org
CIM hosts staff health, benefits fair

California Institution for Men (CIM) in Chino recently hosted its annual Employee Health and Benefits Fair.

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Oct 19 • 11:36 AM EDT • Health • cdcr.ca.gov
'Other Desert Cities' review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus debuts Broadway

A revival of Jon Robin Baitz's 'Other Desert Cities,' directed by John Benjamin Hickey, opens at Broadway's Hudson Theatre with a cast that includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris and Allison Janney.

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Oct 19 • 11:24 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
New murder trial ordered over juror's mental health crisis in 9th Circuit

A man's convictions for a killing on the waters off California's coast were vacated by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco on Thursday…

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Oct 19 • 11:19 AM EDT • Health • abajournal.com
California's proposition 40 aims to fund health care via wealth tax

California's Proposition 40 proposes a one-time 5% tax on billionaires to fund Medi-Cal, schools and food assistance programs.

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Oct 19 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • mustangnews.net
Alignment Health Plan and Astrana Health Partner to Expand Access to Trusted Local Care for California Seniors

New collaboration expands access to multilingual, community-based care across seven Northern and Southern California counties

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Oct 19 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • globenewswire.com
More than 2 dozen charged in California sweep targeting noncitizen voters

The arrests also reflect a further escalation in a simmering voter roll fight

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Oct 19 • 10:53 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Justice Department charges more than 2 dozen in California sweep targeting noncitizen voters

Federal authorities are arresting more than two dozen foreign nationals in California who authorities said have illegally registered and voted in U.S. elections | KCBS All News 106.9FM and 740AM

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Oct 19 • 10:46 AM EDT • Politics • audacy.com
Expert ‘bat wranglers’ put GPS trackers on California’s bats

These winged mammals can cover a lot of ground during their seasonal migrations.

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Oct 19 • 9:00 AM EDT • Science • popsci.com
New district lines will test if Lodi can help U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui fend off upstart Mai Vang

California's newly redrawn 7th congressional district pits the veteran congresswoman against a Sacramento City Councilmember.

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Oct 19 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • stocktonia.org
Column: CEQA needs reform, but not like this

When does positive reform become negative regression?

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Oct 19 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
VOTE: What is your biggest fall health question?

News4 NBC Reno covers news, sports, weather and traffic for the Reno, Nevada area including Sparks, Carson City, Virginia City, Silver City, Stagecoach, Silver Springs, Sun Valley, Cold Springs, Spanish Springs and Fenley, Nevada and Truckee and Tahoe City, California.

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Oct 19 • 8:57 AM EDT • Health • mynews4.com
The Brockman Gallery is celebrated in new LACMA exhibition

The Brockman Gallery, founded by brothers Alonzo and Dale Brockman Davis after the Watts rebellion, became a community hub for multicultural experimentation in art. That legacy is explored in a new exhibition at LACMA.

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Oct 19 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Why Disney is courting creators to builder a deeper bond with fans

Disney is one of the many entertainment giants already investing big in the creator economy. Here's how it plans to scale its efforts.

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Oct 19 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
'You Can See Everything' just become a major player in the Oscar race

Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim's experimental portrait of Elizabeth Holmes is the kind of phenomenon that even the pickiest awards voters will need to pay heed to.

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Oct 19 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
The real reason it's going to take a while to know who won in some midterm races

Hint: It's not only because California counts slowly.

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Oct 19 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • kosu.org
LIVE: Avenged Sevenfold at Brisbane Entertainment Centre -

18 October 2026 - Brisbane Entertainment Centre - words by Lucas Bell - pictures by Isis Totora It’s been 4621 days since the California rockers Avenged Sevenfold have graced a stage in Brisbane. Off the back of Soundwave 2014, no one anticipated the second billed band of the festival would take over 12 years to

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Oct 19 • 3:57 AM EDT • Entertainment • thelivewire.com.au
Endeavour Reservations Launch: California Science Center expansion debuts this November

Advance reservations for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center, will be available beginning Wednesday, Oct. 21 ,

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Oct 19 • 3:00 AM EDT • Science • ladowntownnews.com
County Proposes Faster, Simpler Planning Permits for Homes and Businesses

(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – The County of Santa Barbara is proposing changes to make planning permits faster, simpler and less costly for residents and

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Oct 18 • 11:52 PM EDT • Business • independent.com
Newsom makes NH stop to support Democrats

California Gov. Newsom joined New Hampshire Congressman Chris Pappas on the campaign trail Saturday to rally volunteers and supporters across the Granite State.

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Oct 18 • 5:30 PM EDT • Politics • unionleader.com
Newsom announces mental health support for USS Abraham Lincoln sailors

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced expanded mental health support for Sailors and Marines returning to San Diego following a 321-day deployment on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

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Oct 18 • 5:10 PM EDT • Health • fox5sandiego.com
Cindy Crawford breaks silence on death of son Presley Gerber

The supermodel and actress shared a heartfelt Instagram post about her son Presley Gerber who died at 27 last month. His death remains under investigation.

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Oct 18 • 3:52 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Congo’s fast-moving Ebola outbreak spreads to eighth province

The Ebola outbreak in Congo, the deadliest ever recorded in the country, has spread to an eighth province.

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Oct 18 • 2:18 PM EDT • Health • latimes.com
LA super-commuter Angelique Khieu catches a flight to work across California

A super commuter working in tech sales regularly travels by plane from Los Angeles to San Francisco just to get ready for work by 8:30 a.m.

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Oct 18 • 11:38 AM EDT • Technology • yahoo.com
LA super-commuter Angelique Khieu catches a flight to work across California
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Oct 18 • 11:38 AM EDT • Technology • nypost.com
Netflix reports box office numbers for first time with 'La Bola Negra'

Netflix reported box office figures for the first time this weekend, with its theatrical release of the Spanish-language queer drama, "La Bola Negra."

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Oct 18 • 11:31 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
California gas prices remain high as global and local factors collide

California's high gas prices are being driven by a combination of global events and decades of state policies, according to Jodie Muller, the President and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association.

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Oct 18 • 11:27 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com
Early ballots and how campaigns are using AI with Optiq Data Co-Founder Cole Patterson

Cole Patterson, co-founder of Optiq Data, shared his insight into how political campaigns in California are using artificial intelligence and provided a look at early ballot numbers ahead of the November election.

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Oct 18 • 11:25 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com
California Politics 360 full episode | California, US government clash over voter rolls

The Trump administration sued California election officials this week. They asked a judge to block the state from counting mail-in ballots from people the federal government has identified as “likely” non-citizens until their status can be confirmed.

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Oct 18 • 11:25 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com
Voter roll fight in California ramps up weeks before election

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli defended the Trump administration's lawsuit against California election officials, alleging that 20,000 non-citizens who are documented immigrants are registered to vote and have received mail-in ballots, just weeks before the upcoming election.

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Oct 18 • 11:25 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com
Malia Cohen explains why she should be reelected State Controller

California State Controller Malia Cohen is seeking reelection for an office that is responsible for the state's checkbook at a time when voters across the nation are focused on waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer money.

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Oct 18 • 11:25 AM EDT • Politics • kcra.com
Inside California Politics

(Inside California Politics) — This week on Inside California Politics, host Nikki Laurenzo speaks with State Senator Catherine Blakespear about Proposition 45, which would amend the California Env…

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Oct 18 • 10:00 AM EDT • Politics • fox40.com
Woman allegedly hit business owner with a closed fist when he tried to stop robbery

News4 NBC Reno covers news, sports, weather and traffic for the Reno, Nevada area including Sparks, Carson City, Virginia City, Silver City, Stagecoach, Silver Springs, Sun Valley, Cold Springs, Spanish Springs and Fenley, Nevada and Truckee and Tahoe City, California.

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Oct 18 • 9:30 AM EDT • Business • mynews4.com
To fix California, make its politicians afraid to lose

The state has the nation’s largest homeless population and some of its most expensive housing — yet incumbents rarely pay a price. A slew of new parties is the answer.

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Oct 18 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • sfstandard.com
Contributor: How much would Becerra's healthcare promises cost the state? Not even he knows

The Democratic candidate is campaigning on making California affordable. That's why the missing numbers matter.

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Oct 18 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • latimes.com
'He's everywhere': Carl DeMaio's push to make the GOP relevant again

Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, a conservative from San Diego County, has become a prominent voice for state Republicans. His vehicle this election is Proposition 39, the voter ID measure.

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Oct 18 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Trump's immigration crackdown tests Republicans' hold on Texas voters

The race between Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton is hotly contested and enormously expensive, with total ad spending topping $500 million.

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Oct 18 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Oregon's governor struggles for reelection despite blue tide

In Oregon, a progressive bastion, voter discontent has incumbent Tina Kotek on the defensive. Her struggle shows the perils of incumbency this angry election season.

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Oct 18 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
House Speaker Mike Johnson draws on faith as he fights to hold the Republican majority

Speaker Mike Johnson says he believes Republicans will hold on to their House majority on election day and defy a surge of Democratic momentum in the final stretch of the midterm campaign

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Oct 18 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Pols & Politics: Could the Minogue-Healey polls signal an upset?

GOP rival Mike Minogue won the two debates by a country mile over Gov. Maura Healey — according to two Herald online polls. Plus: California Gov. Gavin Newsom to stump for Healey

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Oct 18 • 5:16 AM EDT • Politics • bostonherald.com
Uber driver struggles with gas costs in Southern California

Matthew Guerrero, an Uber driver in Southern California, discusses the financial challenges of driving, impacted by high gas costs and low tips.

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Oct 18 • 5:05 AM EDT • Business • businessinsider.com
Sutter Health hosts Breast Cancer Panel

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Sutter Health hosted a breast cancer panel this week in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Sutter Health Greater Central

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Oct 18 • 2:55 AM EDT • Health • keyt.com
Miley Cyrus makes a comeback of sorts at the Hollywood Bowl

The musician and actor played her first full headlining show in years Friday night at the Hollywood Bowl.

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Oct 17 • 4:03 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
California's billionaire tax promises healthcare relief. The fine print is murkier

It’s unclear how much money Prop. 40 would raise, how quickly the funding would become available, and how lawmakers would spend it.

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Oct 17 • 4:00 PM EDT • Health • timesofsandiego.com
Newsom offers mental health support for USS Abraham Lincoln sailors

Sailors and Marines who recently returned from an extended deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln were offered mental health services Saturday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

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Oct 17 • 3:56 PM EDT • Health • 10news.com
Los Retros frontman Mauri Tapia charged with unlawful acts on a child

Mauri Tapia, frontman of SoCal indie rock act Los Retros, has been charged with four felony counts of unlawful acts with a child under 10.

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Oct 17 • 2:43 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Steve Hilton bets California is ready for something different in the governor's office

Steve Hilton is taking his campaign for governor across California, arguing for change in a state long dominated by Democrats.

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Oct 17 • 1:30 PM EDT • Politics • timesofsandiego.com
Trump's decision to waive Russian sanctions outrages Congress, but no quick counter seen

President Trump’s abrupt decision to waive sanctions on Russia is drawing outrage and concern from members of Congress

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Oct 17 • 11:31 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Erika Lust discusses her new book 'Lust'

Erika Lust on her new book about sex, power and the internet. Plus, we visit an Echo Park bookstore.

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Oct 17 • 11:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Heat reduces photosynthesis in California redwoods

California redwoods reduce photosynthesis at high temperatures, which may affect their long-term survival and forests’ capacity to store atmospheric carbon.

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Oct 17 • 10:52 AM EDT • Science • ua.news
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Microplastics and water create free radicals, new study finds

When water comes into contact with plastic surfaces, a key chemical reaction does take place, new research indicates.

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Oct 17 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • latimes.com
California redwoods are struggling in the heat — and it's not clear how much damage is being done

When temperatures rise, California redwoods slow down their rate of photosynthesis, a discovery that could have implications for the long-term survival of the iconic species.

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Oct 17 • 7:45 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com
Week in Politics: Trump's Russian diesel deal update; why the DOJ is suing California

We look at where things are in the deal President Trump says he made to import Russian diesel, plus the reason why the Justice Department is suing California.

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Oct 17 • 7:43 AM EDT • Politics • npr.org
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Rabies reports are rising in California. Experts can’t explain why

Rabies reports are up across the U.S., including in one greater Bay Area county where human exposures to rabid animals have tripled, prompting a local advisory to stay away from sick creatures.

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Oct 17 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • sfchronicle.com
Big assertions, sharp exchanges, little clarity define DOJ election battle with California

In the last week, Justice Department and California elections officials have been locked in a contentious standoff over alleged election fraud.

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Oct 17 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Mark Ruffalo calls Gavin Newsom's billionaire tax stance 'disqualifying' ahead of California vote

Mark Ruffalo slammed Gavin Newsom for opposing California's billionaire wealth tax, calling it "disqualifying" for anyone with ambitions for higher office.

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Oct 17 • 5:16 AM EDT • Business • foxbusiness.com
California teachers once had fully paid health coverage. Now they're rallying over premiums

"While your income isn't changing, your purchasing power has absolutely fallen."

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Oct 16 • 10:37 PM EDT • Health • yahoo.com
California Proposition 4 would allow public funding for political campaigns
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Oct 16 • 9:37 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
California Prop. 4 would allow political campaigns to be publicly funded. Here's what to know.
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Oct 16 • 9:29 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
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Springville businesses fear festival losses amid SCE power shutoff

Southern California Edison power safety shutoffs left Springville businesses concerned about communication and potential losses.

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Oct 16 • 9:25 PM EDT • Business • abc30.com
Provo businesses hoping for tourism spike from Notre Dame-BYU football game

Irish fans exploring Provo's Center Street Friday afternoon said they had traveled from places like Connecticut, Ohio and California to catch the big game.

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Oct 16 • 9:24 PM EDT • Business • ksl.com
Sean Combs transferred to new prison after perks report, head injury

Sean Combs was transferred on Friday to FCI Allenwood, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, following allegations of special prison perks and a head injury at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey.

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Oct 16 • 8:13 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
DOJ says California officials who process ballots from suspected noncitizens risk prosecution

The Trump administration is escalating its fight with California ahead of next month's midterm election, warning that local officials who process and tabulate ballots submitted by suspected noncitizen voters are putting themselves at risk of criminal investigation and potential prosecution.

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Oct 16 • 7:30 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Geese shred Hollywood Forever (and Dodger fan egos) at their three-night stand in L.A.

Cameron Winter had one last knife to twist for the Dodger faithful in the audience at Hollywood Forever on Thursday night.

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Oct 16 • 5:55 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Timothy Busfield child sex abuse charges thrown out, judge orders

A New Mexico judge tosses out the multiple child sex abuse charges that actor Timothy Busfield had been facing.

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Oct 16 • 5:45 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
California falls short on Medi-Cal fraud, state report says - The Business Journal California auditor flags Medi-Cal fraud oversight concerns

California's state auditor raises concerns about Medi-Cal fraud oversight, citing millions in questionable claims and thousands of high-risk providers not under investigation.

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Oct 16 • 5:07 PM EDT • Business • thebusinessjournal.com
Trump's team is in chaos as midterms enter final stretch

A White House that has enjoyed relative stability over the past two years has returned to a state of disarray that characterized much of Trump's early political career.

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Oct 16 • 4:26 PM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
In 'Bucks County, USA,' a community torn apart by politics tries to heal

The five-part docuseries on PBS, co-directed by Robert May and Barry Levinson, aims to find common ground between community members in a purple county in Pennsylvania.

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Oct 16 • 3:32 PM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Billy Joel can't drive or perform following brain disorder diagnosis

Billy Joel shared health updates following his 2025 brain disorder diagnosis, stating that he has to take “a series of tests” before being able to tour and drive again.

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Oct 16 • 3:03 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
David Surkamp dead: Pavlov's Dog lead singer was 74

Rock band Pavlov's Dog is mourning the loss of singer-songwriter and lead vocalist David Surkamp, who died Monday at age 74.

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Oct 16 • 1:34 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Kaley Cuoco welcomes 2nd daughter with Tom Pelphrey, reveals name

Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey attend the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

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Oct 16 • 12:30 PM EDT • Entertainment • kmaland.com
Alliance for Health releases H.R. 1 predictions | The Pajaronian

About one in three people who rely on Santa Cruz County Alliance Medi-Cal—25,000 people—will lose benefits by the end of 2028, said Central California Alliance for Health CEO Michael Schrader.

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Oct 16 • 12:09 PM EDT • Health • pajaronian.com
Wildfires, heat waves and access to care among health-related problems facing Californians

The latest annual California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) offers a more precise look at how the 2025 wildfires affected Californians’ health and well-being. The data also reveal trends in the health of immigrants, low-income individuals, and transgender and gender-expansive communities. The 2025 CHIS data show: 500,000 more California adults said their mental health was harmed...

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Oct 16 • 11:35 AM EDT • Health • ssrs.com
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Can AI solve our mental health access problem?

Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.

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Oct 16 • 10:32 AM EDT • Health • yourlocalepidemiologistca.substack.com
Big Tech and Big Business are spending millions to block progressives on the California ballot

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. With less than three weeks until Election Day, outside groups are pouring millions of dollars into two types of state legislative races: purple districts featuring a Democrat and a Republican, and safely Democratic districts featuring Democrats of different ideological stripes. Political action committees […]

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Oct 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Business • rwcpulse.com
California falls short on Medi-Cal fraud, state report says

The program serves 14 million Californians and pays out $200 billion a year. State health officials dispute the findings.

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Oct 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • calmatters.org
Republicans are spending millions to oust a Democrat who won by 187 votes. Should he worry?

Adam Gray won California’s closest House race by 187 votes in 2024. Now, Republicans are spending millions trying to reclaim the Central Valley seat.

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Oct 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Big Tech and Big Business are spending millions to block progressives on the California ballot

Groups funded by Meta, Google, and cryptocurrency billionaires have spent millions trying to sway voters, especially in races with two Democrats on the ballot

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Oct 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Two of California's most powerful politicians still haven't weighed in on Prop 40

Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi have yet to weigh in on the most divisive ballot measure before California voters: Prop 40, likely for the same reason that Gavin Newsom opposes the measure.

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Oct 16 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Adam Schiff Warns AI-Generated Political Ads Are Making It Harder to Know What’s Real Ahead of Midterm Elections: 'Congress Can't Afford to Sit on the Sidelines'

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) warned that deceptive artificial intelligence-generated political advertisements could mislead voters and interfere with elections, urging Congress to address the growing t...

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Oct 16 • 7:30 AM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Ohtani's health, salary cap, Mark Walter loom large for Dodgers

Major League Baseball is heading toward a turbulent offseason. There are four major things the Dodgers must address if they want to get back to the top.

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Oct 16 • 7:00 AM EDT • Health • latimes.com
Preview: Bruins continue California swing in Anaheim

More California dreaming?

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Oct 16 • 7:00 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Harris, Pelosi still haven't weighed in on California's Prop 40

Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi have yet to weigh in on the most divisive ballot measure before California voters: Prop 40, likely for the same reason that Gavin Newsom opposes the measure.

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Oct 16 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • sfchronicle.com
Why America’s Political Divide Is Also an Economic Divide

Plus, the Justice Department sued California to block mail-in ballots from 20,000 people, and Trump nixed the planned livestream of a military execution.

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Oct 16 • 6:59 AM EDT • Politics • wsj.com
Column: Mel's Drive-In is more than a building or a business

Mel's Drive-In is too essential to the identity of Route 66 to be torn down for the creation of 138 apartments.

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Oct 16 • 6:02 AM EDT • Business • latimes.com
IAMA Theatre Company's 'Bobby Robotowitz' tackles AI in your home

Amy Rosoff and James Luster star in IAMA Theatre Company's play with InHouse Theatre, 'Bobby Robotowitz,' directed by Casey Stangl and written by Matt Schatz.

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Oct 16 • 6:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Hiltzik: The politics of wealth taxes

The billionaires' attack on California's wealth tax initiative shows why it's needed.

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Oct 16 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • latimes.com
Should California taxpayers chip in to fund political campaigns? Prop 4 lets you decide

Proposition 4 would lift a ban that prohibits state and most local candidates from using public funding for their political campaigns. Proponents argue the mechanism helps more candidates run for office, but opponents are skeptical.

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Oct 16 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • lookout.co
The Kelly Clarkson bird saga continues. Molly is worth $15 million

Kelly Clarkson accused Art of Play of disrespecting her and denying her the sale of a hand-cranked singing automata bird. Store owners set a new $15 million price tag following social media frenzy.

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Oct 15 • 8:06 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Annual UCLA survey responses cover public health issues, including housing, heat

A growing number of Californians are experiencing extreme heat and other climate-related events, according to UCLA’s annual California Health Interview Survey released Thursday. The percentage of adults who reported that they or a household member personally experienced wildfires in the past two years more than doubled – increasing from 2.9 million to 6.5 million from 2024 to 2025, according to the report.

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Oct 15 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • dailybruin.com
Flu activity begins rising in Central California as health officials urge vaccination

New data published by Epic Research reports that flu rates are off to their earliest start post-pandemic.

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Oct 15 • 7:48 PM EDT • Health • abc30.com
Wildfires, heat, food insecurity, lack of medical care affect Californians’ health: UCLA survey

Nearly 30% of LA County adults said they or members of their households experienced wildfires during the previous two years, up from 6.6% in the previous survey.

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Oct 15 • 7:16 PM EDT • Health • dailynews.com
Essayli on Trump administration suing California

The Trump administration is now suing our state

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Oct 15 • 6:55 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumnews1.com
A day after Netflix's major layoffs, Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria leaves

Netflix on Thursday said its Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria is leaving the company and named former Disney executive Peter Rice as her replacement.

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Oct 15 • 6:09 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Trump sues California over allegations of noncitizens registering to vote

The Trump administration is demanding records from Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties as it looks for instances of noncitizens voting

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Oct 15 • 5:51 PM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Comedian Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa is wondering what comes next

Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa turns his immigrant experience and anger into comedy. Now, with that pressure easing, he’s wondering what comes next.

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Oct 15 • 5:26 PM EDT • Entertainment • latimes.com
Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe appears in political PSA on political differences

KRCG offers coverage of news, sports, weather and local events in the Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri area, including the communities of New Bloomfield, Shaw, Boonville, Ashland, Hallsville, Sturgeon, Centralia, Mexico, Auxvasse, Fulton, California, Tipton, Eldon, Wardsville, Westphalia and Sedalia, Missouri.

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Oct 15 • 4:55 PM EDT • Politics • krcgtv.com