Good morning. It’s Thursday, March 12.
- Officials see no imminent threat of attack from Iran.
- Study finds “forever chemicals” in California produce.
- And Alysa Liu manages the demands of superstardom.
Statewide
1.
State and local officials said they were unaware of any imminent threats to California on Wednesday after the FBI warned that Iran wanted to launch drone attacks against the West Coast. John Cohen, a former head of intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security, said California should prepare: “We know Iran has an extensive presence in Mexico and South America. They have relationships, they have the drones, and now they have the incentive to conduct attacks.” Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was aware of the reports and that California elevated its security posture when the war began. “Drone issues have been always top of mind,” he said. N.Y. Times | ABC News | L.A. Times
- In a separate warning, an agency affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened attacks on U.S. tech company assets in the Middle East, including those of Google and Nvidia. Al Jazeera
2.
Researchers found that nearly 40% of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables in California have residues of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to cancer and other diseases. PFAS have become increasingly common in agricultural pesticides despite concerns about their persistence. “This is an emerging threat,” said Nathan Donley, environmental health science director for the Center for Biological Diversity. “PFAS pesticides went from being the exception to now they’re the rule.” L.A. Times | KPBS
- It’s virtually impossible to eliminate PFAS from your diet. But there are a few steps you can take. N.Y. Times
3.
Rep. Eric Swalwell on Wednesday accused rival gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer of putting his family’s life at risk by publicizing his East Bay home address. “I receive hundreds of death threats every year,” Swalwell wrote. “My children are not allowed in the yard. That’s why my address is private.” Steyer sought to challenge Swalwell’s eligibility to run for governor by accusing him of living in California “on paper only.” In response, Swalwell recently filed a sworn declaration from his landlord attesting to his residency. Sacramento Bee | CBS News
4.
The conservative columnist George Will argued that Democrats who imagine a President Gavin Newsom are kidding themselves:
“Newsom’s nonstop flaying of Trump is neither brave, nor interesting, nor pertinent: Elections are about the future, which does not include Trump. Newsom’s Trump fixation panders to obsessed progressives, but identification with them is Newsom’s problem. He should try saying something — anything — surprising or witty.” Washington Post
Northern California
5.
News of a physical altercation between a man and a bodyguard for San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie last Thursday took a turn a day later when new video showed that the bodyguard had initiated the violence, shoving 44-year-old Tony Phillips to the ground. Prosecutors charged Phillips with assault on a police officer anyway. On Wednesday, a judge finally weighed in. Judge Sylvia Husing portrayed Phillips as the victim and released him from jail. “He was violently assaulted,” she said. Mission Local | S.F. Chronicle
6.
After an investigation concluded that the CEO of Silicon Valley’s largest water agency, Rick Callender, sexually harassed female subordinates, the agency’s board voted to pay him $520,000 to resign, reasoning that the move would avoid even costlier litigation. Staff members exploded in anger over the payout. During a packed hearing on Tuesday, one of Callender’s accusers rose to share her feelings of betrayal, identifying herself publicly for the first time. “I now know why women choose to leave their jobs quietly,” said Velia Mariscal. Mercury News | San José Spotlight
7.
Planned Parenthood’s Northern California clinics recently announced plans to tiptoe into the lucrative world of cosmetic procedures. Faced with federal cuts, the abortion provider’s Sacramento clinic has already started offering Botox injections. Demand has been strong, said Dr. Laura Dalton, the chief medical operating officer for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. “I think, actually, aesthetics is an alignment with what Planned Parenthood stands for,” she said. “Planned Parenthood stands for bodily autonomy.” N.Y. Times
8.
“It’s about an hour into the first stop of Liu’s three-day media tour, which began at the ‘Today’ show. She arrived just shy of 7 a.m., with a black puff coat and a black scarf. Liu got into town the night before after a five-hour drive from Massachusetts, where she kept her commitment and did three shows for The Skating Club of Boston. And Nike kept her up past 1 a.m. with a stylist, choosing outfits for her appearances. Still, Liu showed up smiling like a sunny Friday afternoon. No coffee. No energy drink. She doesn’t need either. Her bubbliness brews internally.”
The New York Times followed America’s newest darling, Alysa Liu, on her media tour and found the figure skater as delightful in person as she is on the ice.
- Oakland is scheduled to host Liu’s homecoming celebration today, starting at noon. NBC Bay Area planned to stream it live on YouTube.
9.
In 2021, Katelin Holloway and Ben Ramirez tapped into their savings to buy their dream home in San Francisco, with five bedrooms and a bright, airy living room. It turned out to be too good to be true. At some point before they bought it, the building had been converted from several apartments into a single home — without a permit. Under pressure from tenant rights groups, the city is demanding the home be sliced into four units. “We just want to live here,” said Ramirez, bereft. “We bought this place with hopes that it would be this forever, generational home.” S.F. Chronicle
10.
There’s a banana stand in San Francisco’s Dolores Park that charges $10 a banana. Granted, they come dipped in dark chocolate and draped with toppings such as coconut, granola, banana chips, Nutella, and peanut butter. But still, $10? Reporter Astrid Kane set out to uncover how the price could possibly be justified. S.F. Standard
Southern California
11.
René Redzepi, the celebrated chef and founder of the the vastly influential Copenhagen restaurant Noma, announced Thursday that he would step down following accusations that he inflicted physical and psychological violence on the staff for years. The allegations, detailed in a March 7 investigation by the New York Times, led to a protest in Los Angeles, where Redzepi was poised to begin a 16-week residency on Wednesday with lunches and dinners priced at $1,500 per seat. At least some diners, arriving in SUVs with tinted windows, kept their reservations. N.Y. Times | L.A. Times
12.
In the Westside of Los Angeles, home to the largest concentration of Iranians outside the motherland, the war in Iran remains popular nearly two weeks after the bombing began on Feb. 28. Persian markets, kebab shops, and bookstores are festooned with Iran’s pre-revolution Lion and Sun flag. Photos of Iranians alongside the words “Murdered by Islamic Regime of Iran” hang from light poles. A poster in the front window of Naab Café exhorts: “Make Iran Great Again.” Bloomberg and the Financial Times both wrote about the view from Tehrangeles.
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