A roundup of the top stories in California this week, plus links to some good reads for your weekend.
Lake Tahoe avalanche is the deadliest in modern California history
Eight skiers were killed by an avalanche near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday. A group of 15 skiers, including four guides, were near the end of a three-day backcountry expedition below the 9,100-foot Castle Peak when the avalanche occurred. Six survivors were rescued after using emergency beacons and the iPhone Emergency SOS feature. One skier remains missing, presumed dead. Due to severe weather, rescue workers have been unable to retrieve the bodies of those who died. The tragic event is the deadliest avalanche in modern California history, with its death toll surpassing the seven killed by the 1982 Alpine Meadows avalanche.
(Source: New York Times)
Governor Newsom calls for tariff refunds following Supreme Court ruling against Trump
Governor Gavin Newsom today called on the Trump Administration to immediately issue refund checks — with interest — to American families and businesses after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs were illegal.
“Time to pay the piper, Donald. These tariffs were nothing more than an illegal cash grab that drove up prices and hurt working families, so you could wreck longstanding alliances and extort them. Every dollar unlawfully taken must be refunded immediately — with interest. Cough up!” – Governor Gavin Newsom
The first state to challenge Trump’s illegal tariffs, California led the nation in suing over Trump’s abuse of power, filing suit in April 2025 to stop tariffs imposed without congressional approval. The lawsuit argued Trump’s use of emergency powers was unlawful, economically reckless, and unconstitutional.
In today’s ruling in related cases, the Supreme Court agreed — ruling that federal law does not give the President unchecked authority to impose sweeping tariffs and rejecting Trump’s attempt to bypass Congress and unilaterally raise taxes on the American people.
(Source: gov.ca.gov)
Federal judge protects desert tortoises from off-road vehicles in California’s western Mojave
A federal judge has prohibited off-road vehicle use in critical habitat for desert tortoises in California’s western Mojave Desert, protecting more than 2,200 miles of proposed routes across 1 million acres of conservation lands. The decision follows an earlier ruling that the Bureau of Land Management unlawfully approved a vast network of off-road vehicle routes.
Friday’s ruling to protect conservation lands in the California Desert Conservation Area from off-road vehicles follows an October 2024 decision that the Bureau of Land Management violated the Federal Land Policy and Management Act by designating off-road vehicle routes on public lands without considering damage to resources. The judge ruled that the BLM also violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to consider harm to threatened and endangered species and their critical habitats, including desert tortoises and Lane Mountain milkvetch.
(Source: Center for Biological Diversity)
Fourth measles case confirmed in Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating a confirmed case of measles in a resident who recently traveled internationally and visited several LA County public locations while infectious. This is the fourth case of measles reported by Public Health in 2026.
The department is warning of potential exposure at LAX Airport. This traveler arrived on Singapore Airlines Flight #0038 at the LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal on Feb. 9. People who were at Terminal B on February 9 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:40 p.m. may have been exposed to the measles virus. Additional potential exposure locations include a Burger King and 7-Eleven in Montebello. For additional details visit publichealth.lacounty.gov.
As measles outbreaks continue to occur both in the United States and internationally, Public Health urges everyone to ensure they are fully protected from measles before traveling and take recommended precautions.
For updated measles activity in California, visit the CDPH Measles web page.
California reports continuing decline in sexually transmitted infections
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that the number of reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in California decreased for the third consecutive year. The state’s latest data, covering the period from 2023 to 2024, showed a decrease in the number of people infected with chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and congenital syphilis in California. Of important significance, California maternal syphilis rates decreased by 19 percent from 2022-2024, while national rates increased a total of 28 percent.
“Investments in local health department and community efforts, along with recent innovations in STI prevention, such as doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP) and point-of-care diagnostics, have played a critical role in reducing infections,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “We must keep this momentum going and reach people where they are, expand access to screening and treatment, and ensure addressing STIs remains a top health priority. Sexually active individuals should talk to their health care providers about testing for STIs.”
Learn about STIs and how to reduce your risk. Visit go.cdph.ca.gov/sti. For more information on STDs in California, visit www.std.ca.gov.
A few good reads for your weekend:
- Tour the National Museum of African American History and Culture From Home to Celebrate Black History Month (Smithsonian Magazine): To celebrate Black History Month and the 10th anniversary of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the museum is releasing a new souvenir book that showcases some of the most important items in its collection. You don’t need to travel to DC, because this excerpt shows you five of those items. Among them are a stunning ball gown, a quilted portrait of Harriet Tubman and a collection of pinback buttons worn by Civil Rights Movement activists.
- Athletes keep breaking records — and they may never stop (Big Think): With every Olympic Games, the question arises of whether humans have reached peak performance. The ceiling keeps rising as human athletic performances have yet to plateau. This story delves into the biological and technological reasons for this phenomenon.
- This form of mental exercise may cut dementia risk for decades (NPR): Studies on an experiment launched in the 1990s have concluded that certain forms of brain training might stave off Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia for at least 20 years.