California Today: With Term Winding Down, Pelosi Tries to Anoint a Successor

August 28, 2026, 6:31 a.m. Pacific time

Today’s Top Story

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With Term Winding Down, Pelosi Tries to Anoint a Successor

Representative Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, has been working hard on behalf of Connie Chan, a San Francisco supervisor with a relatively low profile in California.

Los Angeles Mayor, Stung in Debate, Eases Street Vending Crackdown

Mayor Karen Bass said food vendors discourage restaurant patrons, mentioning them alongside homeless encampments. Her opponent, Nithya Raman, said vendors should be brought into the system.

Weather Could Hinder Firefighting Efforts Around Big Sur

A red flag warning was issued for much of Friday along California’s Central Coast, where multiple fires have burned this month.

As A.I. Money Floods the Market, San Francisco Renters Weigh Buyouts

Landlords are offering renters in rent-controlled apartments tens of thousands of dollars to leave their homes. For many, it’s not enough.

Climber Stranded for Hours on 6-Inch Rock Ledge Before Rescue

Racing against the darkness, rescuers in California on Saturday saved a man who had become stranded on a ledge perched atop a soaring peak on the Sierra Nevada.

She Filmed the Towers That Morning. 25 Years Later, She Finally Watched.

Thuc Nguyen filmed the World Trade Center attack from the fire escape of her Chinatown apartment. For many years, she avoided looking at the footage.

California Lawmakers Pass Plug-In Solar Bill

Legislatures in nearly a dozen states have voted to legalize use of the technology, which can help homeowners reduce their rising electricity costs.

A Fine Press Makes Beautiful Books the (Very) Old-Fashioned Way

In the heart of tech-mad San Francisco, Arion Press makes some of the world’s most sought-after dead-tree artifacts, including a new riff on the Declaration of Independence.