California

Southern California may not get a superbloom this year, she said, but we do have a good chance of seeing spectacular “fire followers,” native flowers that typically emerge after a wildfire such as native snap dragons, dense stands of lupine, whispering bells and one of the most eagerly anticipated, the deep pink, lavender, white and yellow Plummer’s mariposa lily, a species that is endemic to the SoCal. (On Instagram, San Francisco Bay Area-based naturalist Damon Tighe posted some breathtaking photos of the flowers he took in 2022.)

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal includes no money for a fund formed last year to boost the state’s local newsrooms, casting doubt on whether a heralded effort to help California journalists will amount to anything and how serious Newsom is about supporting the struggling industry.

It’s a significant walkback from an August 2024 deal between state leaders and Google in which they agreed to jointly spend $175 million over five years to fund local journalism.

As of [2024], California had 1.5 news outlets for every 100,000 residents, ranking 45th among all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Between 2013 and 2024, the number of newspaper journalists in California dropped by more than half.

To make matters worse, Congress last year voted to strip public broadcast stations nationwide of federal funding, putting dozens of stations across California in peril. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a national nonprofit that has funded public media since 1967, announced its dissolution due to the funding cuts last week.

Sidewalk vendors can now apply to receive a free, health-code-compliant food vending cart through a new program launched in a partnership between the county and the city of Los Angeles.

The Bay Area has now recorded two measles cases in the first weeks of 2026 — an early test of whether the highly vaccinated region can keep the virus from gaining ground.

cross-posted from: https://piefed.social/c/privacy/p/1624573/california-residents-can-demand-the-deletion-of-personal-data-from-500-data-brokers-wit

If you are a resident of California, the state now has a portal where you can demand deletion of your personal data from 500+ registered data brokers with a single request form, for free.

https://consumer.drop.privacy.ca.gov/

https://hachyderm.io/@evacide/115823137786391729

Note: aside from this thread, there is also further discussion in the linked Mastodon toot.

DATE/TIME: December 29, 2025 at 10:00 p.m.

INCIDENT: Temporary Closure Order Issued for San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Mt. Baldy 
     
LOCATION: Mt. Baldy
 
SUMMARY: To protect natural resources and provide for public safety, the U.S. Forest Service has issued a temporary closure and prohibition order affecting portions of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, including the Mt. Baldy Closure Area.

This Order is effective from December 29, 2025, at 10:00 p.m. until December 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

The Mt. Baldy closure begins at the intersection of Mount Baldy Road and Glendora Ridge Road in Section 30, Township 1 North, Range 8 West, San Bernardino Base and Meridian (SBBM); then continues due west to Section 22, Township 1 North, Range 8 West, SBBM; then continues due north through the summit of Iron Mountain in Section 3, Township 2 North, Range 8 West, SBBM, to Section 27, Township 2 North, Range 8 West, SBBM; then continues due east through the summit of Pine Mountain in Section 30, Township 2 North, Range 8 West, SBBM, to the Angeles National Forest congressional boundary in Section 28, Township 2 North, Range 7 West, SBBM; then continues south along the Angeles National Forest congressional boundary through the summit of Timber Mountain in Section 23, Township 1 North, Range 7 West, SBBM, to Section 27, Township 1 North, Range 8 West, SBBM. 

“The tragic loss of life on Mt. Baldy and repeated rescue responses highlight how dangerous current conditions are, even for experienced hikers. Weather and terrain conditions remain extremely dangerous and unpredictable, posing a significant risk to both the public and Search and Rescue personnel. The temporary closure of Mt. Baldy trails is necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives. The public is urged to respect the closure and avoid the area until it is safe to reopen.” Sheriff Shannon Dicus

Members of the public are required to comply with all posted closure signs and directions from Forest Service personnel. These temporary restrictions are necessary to reduce risk to visitors and to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources. A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department advises all subjects to refrain from traveling to or recreating in the Mt. Baldy area for the duration of the closure. Public cooperation is essential to ensure the safety of visitors and rescue personnel and to support ongoing public safety operations.

Refer: Captain J. McChristian

Station: Fontana

Phone No. (909)356-6767

SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department

Address/Location
SBSD - Headquarters
655 E 3rd St
San Bernardino, CA 92408

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 909-387-3700