El Niño Emergency: Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency as a potentially historic El Niño strengthens, directing agencies to stage flood gear, prep roads and equipment, ready the National Guard, and speed permits for flood and landslide work. Paramount-Warner Merger: California AG Rob Bonta announced a settlement with Paramount Skydance and 11 other states, clearing the way for the roughly $110B Warner Bros. Discovery deal, with commitments including at least $1.5B more in U.S. film production over five years. Data Center Costs: Newsom signed SB 1168 to stop data centers from driving utility rate hikes, while a separate data-center law package requires facilities to cover more grid, generation, and wildfire-related costs. Plastic Pollution Fund: Newsom vetoed SB 1180, which would have reshaped spending rules for the SB 54 plastic pollution mitigation fund, saying it could complicate implementation. Wildfire Payout Pressure: Wildfire survivors in Santa Rosa urged Newsom to sign a bill addressing unpaid compensation tied to PG&E-related fires. Local Governance & Crime: South Lake Tahoe’s political class is facing multiple felony cases across the CA-NV line, including a federal wire fraud charge against former mayor Tamara Wallace. Tesla Trial: A Tesla racial discrimination trial begins in Alameda County over alleged workplace segregation, slurs, and retaliation. Consumer Watch: SoCal homeowners report a garage-door overcharging scam after “tune-up” ads led to huge repair bills. Wildlife Conservation: Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific is releasing more than 1,000 endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs back into the wild.