Category: California

By Sonia Fernandez / The Current – UC Santa Barbara / June 22, 2026

A study conducted by UC Santa Barbara researchers and collaborators has found that California has lost more than half of its coastal dune systems. The researchers’ assessment — the first of its kind for the California coast — estimates that 60% of dune systems that existed from 1850 have been lost, due to a combination of urban development, land-use changes and erosion.

“There are major implications of this loss for the California coast, including reduced habitats for plants, insects and other invertebrates, birds and small mammals,” said the paper’s lead author, postdoctoral researcher and physical geographer Tim Baxter. “Importantly, we also lose coastal protections against storms and sea level rise.”

This assessment, one of the largest and most detailed inventories of coastal sand dunes ever produced, is published in the journal Earth’s Future.

Feds Proposal to allow Cyanide poison bombs, hound hunting and trapping impacts San Diego’s public lands

By Renée Owens / EastCountyMagazine / June 19, 2026

San Diego County residents should be aware that a little-known federal proposal is sneaking under the radar, one that will have serious local and national consequences. Why is it such a secret? It could be because the new rule’s creators want it to be adopted quickly before the majority of Americans understand what a harmful precedent it sets.

On May 27 the Trump administration announced a proposed rule to massively increase hunting and fishing throughout over 2.5 million acres of public wild lands, 95 percent of the entire National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It expands not only refuge access but also targets species lists, seasons, bag limits, and allowed methods for hunting and fishing, and promotes a discretionary approach that is based not on science but on appeasement of a few powerful lobbies. To add to the chaos is a clause in the fine print that removes bans on lead ammunition and fishing tackle — protections fought for by scientists for decades – and reopens doors nationwide for hound hunting, traps, bait, and poisons, despite mounting bans on their use due to unambiguous evidence of their cruelty. This on the heels of deep cuts in USFWS staff and funding.

By Dave Maass / Electronic Frontier Foundation EFF / June 2, 2026

People around the world are pushing back against the mass surveillance that undermines privacy and free expression for everyone.

One of the people who joined the fight for digital rights is EFF client Will Freeman. Will created the website DeFlock.me to reveal the dangers of automated license plate readers (ALPRs)—cameras that collect location data on every vehicle they see and upload that to a massive nationwide police database. Deflock.me turns the tables by enlisting ordinary people to track the locations of tens of thousands of ALPR cameras.

But when the police spy-tech company Flock Safety went after Will’s website with legal threats citing trademark law, he saw it for what it was: an attempt to silence critics and dim the light on mass surveillance.

With the clarity of the morning after, the California Primary results of 2026 show that Xavier Becerra — the top Democrat in the slugfest that was the gubernatorial race — will be the first Mexican-American to be elected governor of the state. This will be the first time since 1846 when the last Mexican governor, Pio Pico, fled to Baja as American military forces swarmed into Alta California after war between the U.S. and Mexico began.

A bold assertion? Just look at the numbers. Steve Hilton, the top Republican, received 27.8% of the total vote to Becerra’s 25.4%. But if one adds up the percentages for Tom Steyer, Katie Porter and Mike Mahan — you get 28.3%, and coupled with Becerra’s, you have 53.7% of the vote available for Xavier. That smashes Hilton even with Bianco’s numbers — a total of 39.1%. (A Republican has not won a state-wide race in California for years.)

Absent some unforeseen upset or crisis or calamity, Becerra will journey to the General Election in November — and win it.

This victory 6 months away will result in the first Mexican-American elected as governor for California — the first time since the state has been in the Union.

VOTE TODAY

VOTE TODAY

With Election Day upon us and uncertainty in the governor’s race, let’s recap some common election questions to prepare you.

[Go here for all links from below, at Times of San Diego]

Why are so many people running for governor?
It’s a wide-open field in part because the big names in the Democratic Party — former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla — passed on running for governor. Democratic voters in early spring appeared to be coalescing behind former Rep. Eric Swalwell, but he withdrew from the race following allegations of sexual misconduct.

By Corey Washington / Patch San Diego / May 31, 2026

Just days before voters will cast their ballots in California’s contentious primary election, a record 23.1 million Californians have already registered to vote, according to figures released on Friday by the Secretary of State’s Office.

The latest Report of Registration, released by Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, found that 23,155,447 eligible Californians were registered to vote as of May 18, the highest total in state history.

“California’s record voter registration numbers show that our democracy is alive and well, powered by millions of Californians who are excited to take part in shaping both the future and values that strengthen our state,” Weber said in a statement. “Our voters are not only staying engaged, they are stepping forward with purpose.”

Democrats continue to make up the largest share of the state’s electorate, with nearly 10.4 million registered voters, or 44.9 percent of the total. Republicans account for about 5.8 million voters, or 24.96 percent, while 5.28 million voters, or 22.82 percent, are registered with no party preference.

Every Saturday at 10:30 am. San Diego Climate Mobilization Coalition Meetings.  June 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th.
Every Saturday 10 am – 12 pm Peace Vigil for Palestine:
Every Sunday 1:30 pm – 3:15 pm Otay Mesa Vigil Otay Mesa Detention Center

June 1st Monday 12 pm – 1 pm Interfaith Vigil for Earth Justice Event by Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice  U.S. District Court building
June 2nd Tuesday — Primary Vote Day

June 3rd 10 am – 3:45 pm Youth Summit Recommended by MidCity Can
June 3rd, 17th and 24th Wednesdays 4 pm – 5:15 pm Resist Trump Flash Banner Action –
June 4th Thursday 6 pm – 8 pm  Women+ In Green & Green Drinks Mixer
June 4th Thursday 5 pm Online film Premiere of “An Ordinary Insanity” Recommended by Peace San Diego

By Kurt Johnston / UCSD The Guardian / May 26, 2026

1. FIFA ‘Americanizes’ the game

In about two weeks, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will host the most bizarre World Cup that FIFA has ever organized. Yes, that includes Benito Mussolini’s personal propaganda tournament in 1934, Vladimir Putin’s personal propaganda tournament in 2018, and the Qatari regime’s personal propaganda tournament in 2022. Take a bow, Gianni Infantino.

FIFA is billing the 2026 edition of the world’s biggest sporting event — soon to be President Donald Trump’s personal propaganda tournament — as an overdue expansion of the beautiful game. The month-long spectacle will span three host countries, increasing to 48 participants for the first time in World Cup history. It will instead be remembered for a number of other first-time inclusions that threaten the sport’s integrity.

Most egregiously, all matches will be paused for mid-half water breaks.

A Conservancy Would Offset City’s Budget Cuts to Mission Bay; Prevent Closure of Public Restrooms

by Dave Schwab / Beach & Bay Press / May 19, 2026

Bradley Schnell has an idea for how to maintain city-owned structures and services around Mission Bay Park during these trying fiscal times: create a nonprofit conservancy.

The owner-CEO of Mission Bay Beach Club (formerly the Mission Bay Visitor Information Center) at 2688 E. Mission Bay Drive, Schnell has initiated a process to do exactly that.

Land conservancies are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits operating exclusively for charitable purposes and cannot distribute profits to private individuals. Their tax-exempt status allows the conservancy to receive tax-deductible donations and hold conservation easements in perpetuity.

Schnell’s effort to establish a Mission Bay Park Conservancy seeks to offset deep cuts proposed in the city’s FY2027 proposed budget.

A conservancy would accomplish a number of purposes including preventing 13 Mission Bay restrooms from closing

By Zain Khan / Yahoo Finances New York Post  / May 4, 202

State Farm is in crisis mode in California as officials look to slap it with massive fines and suspend its license over the handling of the deadly 2025 Palisades Fire.

The California Department of Insurance issued a damning verdict on the state’s largest insurer after an investigation into its actions towards customers following the inferno.

The probe, released in part on Monday, found a staggering 398 violations of state law in 114 of the 220 sample claims it looked into.

Among the key findings was claims were not investigated or resolved within required timelines, payouts were unreasonably low and policyholders were frequently reassigned to different adjusters — creating confusion some described as “adjuster roulette.”

Smoke damage claims, which made up nearly half of all complaints, were also mishandled, with delays, denials and missing explanations cited by investigators.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said Monday: “Wildfire survivors came to us for help, and we followed the facts.

By Judge Runston “Tony” Maino

There are 61 people running for Governor. This includes one of the most interesting candidates, one Eric Swalwell,  who has decided to not run due to unfounded allegations made against him, namely his Peter Problem.

The first thing I noticed was the interesting names of some of the candidates: Living for God and Country Demott and Barrack D. Obama Shaw. These are real names and not AKAs.

More interesting than the names are the candidates’ statements as to why they wish to be Governor and what vision they have for California. Clean water, affordable housing, leadership, affordable health care and on and on with the usual buzz words.

I found it interesting that many of the candidates are going to abolish ICE, forgetting, or maybe not knowing, that ICE is a federal function and the California governor, legislature, and judiciary cannot abolish ICE.

But I digress. If you will spare me a few moments I will go over some of the more colorful statements from some of the candidates.

By Sean Bothwell / Guest contributor LA Times / April 30, 2026 

The marine ecosystem along Southern California’s coastline is in crisis. Sea surface temperatures are hitting record highs, rivaling the devastating marine heat wave known as “the Blob” that wreaked havoc on West Coast fisheries and ecosystems a decade ago.

Scientists from NOAA, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources are warning that a developing El Niño could intensify conditions further. There are steps we can take that would relieve the pressure on these already stressed waters, and it’s past time for California lawmakers and regulators to act.

Last year, harmful algal blooms led to the illnesses and deaths of hundreds of sea lions, dolphins and seabirds off Southern California. Further north, Dungeness crab shells are dissolving in acidic waters. Fish populations and marine mammals are struggling to survive in growing oxygen-depleted zones that can stretch 50 miles from the coast. Warming ocean temperatures are accelerating all of it.

The critical factor contributing to this crisis within our control is nutrient pollution from wastewater discharges and agricultural runoff.