A roundup of the top stories in California this week, plus links to some good reads for your weekend.
Supreme Court allows California schools to out trans students
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious parents who challenged California state policies barring public-school teachers from outing trans students to their parents. California policies required teachers to get students’ consent before disclosing their transgender status or pronoun preferences. The court’s conservative majority granted an emergency request by the group of parents, saying that the state’s policies likely violate their rights to raise their children in accordance with their religious beliefs. The three liberal justices on the court dissented to the shadow docket ruling.
(Source: New York Times)
Little-known respiratory virus on the rise in NorCal
Cases of human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, are on the rise all across Northern California. The virus infects the nose, throat and lungs, and typically has symptoms similar to the common cold. There is no vaccine and no standard treatment plan for HMPV. Data from WastewaterSCAN shows “high concentrations” of the virus in Sacramento, Davis, San Francisco, Marin, Vallejo, Napa, Novato and Santa Rosa.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HMPV “can cause upper and lower respiratory illness in people of all ages, especially in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.” It can lead to complications such as asthma attacks, middle ear infections, fever and croup.
(Source: Sacramento Bee)
Death Valley celebrates wildflower superbloom
Death Valley National Park is experiencing “the best bloom year since 2016.” A wide variety of wildflower species are blooming throughout the park, covering its usually barren landscape into striking sweeps of color — gold, purple, pink and white. Blooms at lower elevations are predicted to stick around for a few more weeks. At higher elevations, impressive blooms are expected in April and June. According to Popular Science, superblooms generally occur once a decade in Death Valley, resulting from the right combination of rain, wind and cool winters. Spring is peak visitation season in Death Valley and the superbloom is expected to bring big crowds.
(Source: Death Valley National Park)
Governor announces vacant LA buildings will become mental health & housing communities
Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the groundbreaking of Los Angeles County Care Community, a state-of-the-art behavioral health campus that will transform six vacant buildings into a unified mental health and housing community providing 162 housing and treatment beds.
The project is supported by a $65 million investment through the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act under Proposition 1. The effort advances Mental Health for All, California’s initiative to build a stronger behavioral health system. This comes as Governor Newsom announced earlier this week $291 million in funding for housing and behavioral health services statewide, and California’s recent 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness.
(Source: gov.ca.gov)
AG exposes bay area tax evasion scheme involving luxury vehicles registered out of state
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA), today announced charges against 14 individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to evade the reporting of over $20 million in luxury vehicles purchases in order to avoid payment of over $1.8 million in taxes to the state of California. The individuals were charged in a 56-count complaint with conspiracy, filing false sales tax returns, failing to file tax returns, perjury, and money laundering.
A 2024 investigation by DMV, CDTFA, and the California Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed a scheme stretching back to 2018, in which the defendants, working individually and in concert with each other, prepared and submitted false CDTFA forms, DMV forms, and bills of lading, indicating that vehicles were purchased for use outside California. However, none of the vehicles were shipped or used outside of California — they were delivered, driven, and stored within the state. The vehicles included a $1.8 million McLaren Elva, $1.5 million Porsche 918 Spyder, and $1.26 million Ferrari F12TDF, among others.
(Source: oag.ca.gov)
A few good reads for your weekend:
- In California, About the Only Way to Get a House Is to Inherit One (Wall Street Journal): Nearly one in five property transfers in California last year was via inheritance, setting a record for the state. This is double the national share of property transfers by inheritance.
- Cougars Listed As Threatened: Mountain lion populations in Central Coast, Southern California fall under endangered species protection (VC Reporter): On Feb. 12, the California Fish and Game Commission listed six distinct groups of mountain lions as “threatened” on the California Endangered Species List. A wildlife biologist discusses the decision and its likely effects for the future of the cougars.
- The struggle for the soul of Union Square (The San Francisco Standard): San Francisco’s landmark Union Square was a thriving shopping district and then a pandemic-era ghost town, more recently on the rebound. What does a detailed study by the nonprofit SF New Deal say about its uncertain future?
Legoland California’s new space-themed Lego Galaxy is now open
Lego Galaxy, a brand-new space-themed land, opened at Legoland California today. It features an indoor family coaster — the resort’s first new roller coaster in nearly 20 years — plus two other new attractions, a toddler play zone and themed food and shopping.