Julie Johnson

Sebastopol business Soft Medicine Sanctuary closes

Owners announced Saturday will be the business’ final day after the wellness collective said it had ousted its founding majority owner amid allegations of abuse and financial concerns.

L.A. firefighter testifies that Lachman fire was not fully put out when crews were ordered to leave Scott Pike was assigned to pick up the hoses from the Lachman fire. But he said he saw about five areas that were still smoking.

www.latimes.com/california/s...

Famed chef Thomas Keller criticizes Bay Area town’s plan to build workforce housing The battle over affordable housing is ramping up in one of the toniest corners of the Bay Area, and Wine Country’s most celebrated chef — French Laundry’s Thomas Keller — has weighed in.

The battle over affordable housing is ramping up in one of the toniest corners of the Bay Area, and Wine Country’s most celebrated chef — French Laundry’s Thomas Keller — has weighed in.

This Bay Area school district faces the worst financial crisis in California (it’s not SFUSD) This Bay Area school district is making sweeping cuts in a bid to end its budget crisis and prevent a state takeover. “They need to cut back immediately — they need to stop spending money.”

Schools across California are struggling financially and closing campuses. But this Bay Area district's cash crisis is among the worst
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

here's a gift link to @nitasha.bsky.social's story, which shows just how forcefully Musk is pushing sexual content, including sexual abuse and harassment content—including of children.

Justice Dept. Opens Civil Rights Investigation Into ICE Killing of Alex Pretti: Minnesota Live Updates Trump administration officials had originally said the investigation into the death of Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse, was going to be a narrow “use-of-force” inquiry led by the Homeland Security Department.

Breaking News: In a reversal, the Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Follow live updates.

Breaking on MS NOW:

Career DOJ prosecutors in both Minnesota and Los Angeles refused to be involved in charging Don Lemon and the other journalists who covered the Minneapolis church protests.

The prosecutors believe the evidence does not support the charges, per @carolleonnig.bsky.social.

AP reporter describes federal officers pushing journalists back to car as they documented operation Immigration enforcement operations and confrontations with activists continued Wednesday morning in Minneapolis and St.

Tom Homan said there were still 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota and called it a "theater," using the language of war. Here's one AP reporter's account of ICE/federal agent actions toward U.S. citizens just yesterday, Jan. 28. apnews.com/video/ap-rep...

Judge in Minnesota Says ICE Has Violated Nearly 100 Court Orders

ICE has violated judicial orders 96 times in Minnesota alone: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/u...

Hi @mspdawg.bsky.social lovely aurora photos from a while back. Get in touch via signal?

“The court’s patience is at an end."

Primer on tactical gases used in Minneapolis. Is your city next?

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara: "People have had enough. This is the third shooting in less than 3 weeks. The MPD went the entire year last year recovering about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds of violent offenders, and we didn't shoot anyone ... this is not sustainable."

People in winter clothes at a vigil for Alex Pretti. One person in a medical mask and gloves holds a poster that says JUSTICE FOR ALEX PRETTI. A headline reads: "Alex Pretti, the Man Killed by Agents, Was a Nurse and U.S. Citizen" Photo by David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents on Saturday, was a registered nurse who worked in the ICU at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis. “He wanted to be helpful, to help humanity and have a career that was a force of good in the world,” a colleague said. trib.al/0Yb3jXF

‘Call a Republican’: Tech startup tries high-stakes social experiment connecting liberal S.F. and Texas Matter Neuroscience believes the country’s most liberal and conservative cities can talk to each other. They just needed to install a telephone.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/c...

Solar panels for renters? Californians test plug-in models popular in Europe A Bay Area solar nonprofit estimates that a set of plug-in solar panels can save renters $500 annually on energy bills.

Solar panels for renters? Californians test plug-in models already popular in Europe—In just one week with backyard solar panels, a routine energy report from their utility said Royal’s family slashed the amount of energy… www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti... @jjreport.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com

Church organ tuning records mirror our warming climate The records appear to reflect climate change, as well as the increased heating of churches in winter

NEW: Organ tuners have been leaving temperature and humidity records in little-known books for decades. 🎹

They reveal how temperatures inside churches have changed over time due to climate change and increased heating.

A new scoop for The Reengineer!

www.thereengineer.pro/p/church-org...

California insurers slash wildfire claims with hidden rules California insurers use these hidden rules to slash wildfire payouts. Lawmakers are largely unaware.

NEW INVESTIGATION: Insurance companies use hidden rules to slash disaster survivors' payouts.

The @sfchronicle.com obtained hundreds of internal records showing how insurers including State Farm cut claims payments to LA fire victims.

Read more (gift link): tinyurl.com/y4fpza2p

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California is drafting new rules for wildfire smoke cleanup. Are home insurers calling the shots? A state-led task force assembled to issue smoke damage guidelines includes technical experts who have spent years helping insurers dispute consumers’ smoke-damage claims.

NEW: The CA Department of Insurance promised to craft "science-based" for smoke damage to make homes safe after fires.

But a @sfchronicle.com investigation found the committee writing the rules is slanted towards insurers' handpicked experts, raising concerns about survivors' safety.

Gift link:

Major S.F. Bay cleanup of long-defunct gas plant sites begins near Fisherman’s Wharf PG&E has begun removing contaminated mud in San Francisco Bay left behind from a long-defunct manufacturing plant, aiming to clean 10 acres between Piers 39 and 43.5.

Major S.F. Bay cleanup of long-defunct gas plant sites begins near Fisherman’s Wharf—The cleanup, which began in June after a decade of planning, is expected to continue… www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s... @jjreport.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com

A major California highway is sliding toward the sea. There is no quick fix In California’s far north, an audacious feat of highway engineering is crumbling toward the ocean. The fix is expected to cost upward of $3 billion.

A major California highway is sliding toward the sea. There is no quick fix—Finally, this summer, the state announced a proposed solution: Dig the longest tunnel in state history. www.sfchronicle.com/california/a... @jjreport.bsky.social @sfchronicle.com

A major California highway is sliding toward the sea. There is no quick fix In California’s far north, an audacious feat of highway engineering is crumbling toward the ocean. The fix is expected to cost upward of $3 billion.

What's a reasonable price tag to keep an entire California county -- even a tiny one -- connected to the rest of the state?
www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

Ah, I see it now. My tween is exploring a post-Dadaist form of chaos

Dozens of Northern California immigrants abruptly summoned to ICE office for weekend check-ins Several dozen people reported to the Stockton office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Saturday afternoon after receiving summons, immigrant advocates said.

BREAKING: Dozens of Northern California immigrants abruptly summoned to ICE office for weekend check-ins www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Meet the Bay Area pastor shot in the face with pepper ball at Coast Guard Island protest The Rev. Jorge Bautista was shot in the face by a pepper ball fired by a federal agent and became the face of a Bay Area protest over a looming federal immigration crackdown.

Rev. Jorge Bautista, a pastor at the College Heights United Church of Christ in San Mateo, felt called to join a prayer vigil in opposition to Trumps' immigration crackdown.

He later found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.

From @stjbs.bsky.social

www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Immigration enforcement ‘surge’ called off for rest of Bay Area Federal officials have called off a planned immigration enforcement action for the entire Bay Area.

www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Lurie speaking now: SF is on the rise. Detailing convo w DJT last night

“Militarized enforcement on our streets will not help”

Trump calls off planned federal ‘surge’ in S.F. but plans for Bay Area immigration crackdown unclear President Donald Trump said Thursday that he called off the planned federal deployment to the city after speaking with Mayor Daniel Lurie.

www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/art...

Protest of Bay Area immigration crackdown met with apparent stun grenades at Coast Guard base Law enforcement officials deployed what appeared to be stun grenades to break up a group of protesters attempting to block traffic to Coast Guard Island.

www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Exclusive: Major federal immigration operation headed to San Francisco Bay Area The Trump administration has dispatched more than 100 federal agents, including from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to Coast Guard Base Alameda and they’ll begin to arrive Thursday.

BREAKING via @mgafni.bsky.social
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...