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Scott Wiener's AI chatbot controversy, explained

The campaign experiment became a warning about the political risks of generative AI.

News

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="State Sen. Scott Wiener&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/10/22/scott-wiener-pelosi-congress-run" data-vars-content-id="7d625565-55c0-4aca-813b-445d017ce701" data-vars-headline="Scott Wiener&#x27;s AI chatbot controversy, explained" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/10/22/scott-wiener-pelosi-congress-run" target="_self">State Sen. Scott Wiener&#x27;s</a> AI chatbot targeting congressional rival <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Connie Chan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/11/20/connie-chan-pelosi-congress-race" data-vars-content-id="7d625565-55c0-4aca-813b-445d017ce701" data-vars-headline="Scott Wiener&#x27;s AI chatbot controversy, explained" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/11/20/connie-chan-pelosi-congress-race" target="_self">Connie Chan</a> was meant to turn her record into an interactive campaign attack.<ul><li>Instead, it&#x27;s become a case study in what happens when campaigns hand a generative AI system an opponent&#x27;s identity and then promptly lose control over what it says.</li></ul>

Slow your roll, it's SF Friday News Quiz time

As the immortal Stringer Bell once said, "we back up."

Like the tides or the rising sun, we return once again for your Friday SF news quiz.<ul><li>To quote the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="immortal Stringer Bell" data-vars-click-url="https://youtu.be/N1zbqn1VorI?si=E9ykrkIIfVRkirVA" data-vars-content-id="34981859-b0c4-4d31-a1b4-f5b4b5a50b88" data-vars-headline="Slow your roll, it&#x27;s SF Friday News Quiz time" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://youtu.be/N1zbqn1VorI?si=E9ykrkIIfVRkirVA" target="_blank">immortal Stringer Bell</a>: &quot;I want you to put the word out there that we back up. You understand me? We back up.&quot;</li><li>Indeed, the news quiz is always back up.</li></ul>Click on in and test those smarts.

Bay Bridge overnight lane closures begin this week

Crews will close eastbound lanes overnight Sunday through Thursday into October.

Transit

If you&#x27;re heading home late from a Giants game, concert or overnight shift, expect slower trips across the Bay Bridge for the next couple of months.State of play: Caltrans began on Monday closing four eastbound lanes overnight on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge so crews can paint the underside of the upper deck and make structural repairs.

Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years

The storied tattoo parlor isn't closing — it's moving around the corner.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Black Heart Tattoo" data-vars-click-url="https://www.blackhearttattoosf.com/" data-vars-content-id="6f586784-8996-46cd-b51b-2541491e89a2" data-vars-headline="Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.blackhearttattoosf.com/" target="_blank">Black Heart Tattoo</a>, the storied San Francisco shop where nearly every inch of wall space is covered in decades of flash, oddball art and memorabilia, is packing up after 22 years.<ul><li>But don&#x27;t panic: It isn&#x27;t closing.</li></ul>Driving the news: The<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" shop&#x27;s last day" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbiw5ALg3yh/" data-vars-content-id="6f586784-8996-46cd-b51b-2541491e89a2" data-vars-headline="Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbiw5ALg3yh/" target="_blank"> shop&#x27;s last day</a> at its longtime Valencia Street home is Saturday. Owners <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jeff Rassier" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/jeffrassier/" data-vars-content-id="6f586784-8996-46cd-b51b-2541491e89a2" data-vars-headline="Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/jeffrassier/" target="_blank">Jeff Rassier</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Scott Sylvia" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/scsylvia/" data-vars-content-id="6f586784-8996-46cd-b51b-2541491e89a2" data-vars-headline="Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/scsylvia/" target="_blank">Scott Sylvia</a> plan to reopen Sept. 1 at 49 Duboce Ave. — just around the corner.<ul><li>&quot;We would have never done this,&quot; Rassier told Axios. &quot;We loved our location.&quot;</li></ul><figure><img alt="Triptych: left shows a tattoo shop with &quot;BlackHeart Tattoo&quot; sign and art; middle strip of photos of two bearded men smiling; right wall filled with tattoo art, posters, and a flamingo statue." height="1080" id="42172af3-d4ef-4791-9fa9-e82b5eb5c933" src="https://images.axios.com/5o2V3o-gkhI4R3_sV-_CcGXZp58=/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg" width="1920" srcset="https://images.axios.com/uzeU3VkLALqTdP2TRyV-jQI82Sg=/0x0:1920x1080/1920x1080/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=1920 1920w, https://images.axios.com/_SQLQzwYlcqdKa0Vt-qJZnAIHGg=/0x0:1920x1080/1600x900/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=1600 1600w, https://images.axios.com/MdKNJ86EKbL2hpnHJbs1sSH_vpM=/0x0:1920x1080/1366x768/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=1366 1366w, https://images.axios.com/P8CZ2bmOJrlplceMoX6NfLeBN-0=/0x0:1920x1080/1024x576/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=1024 1024w, https://images.axios.com/1dkBCQcgncRZerzBwxN5GEMdQdQ=/0x0:1920x1080/768x432/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=768 768w, https://images.axios.com/oyIBRyae5CqjLdS0yGJA9ryb_rA=/0x0:1920x1080/640x360/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=640 640w, https://images.axios.com/IzxbmOr_5rH9RAowfv9Q2TpjCy8=/0x0:1920x1080/320x180/2026/08/14/1786741477219.jpeg?w=320 320w"/><figcaption>Amid all the art you&#x27;ll find a photo booth pic of Jeff Rassier (left) and Scott Sylvia. Photos: Nadia Lopez/Axios</figcaption></figure>State of play: Rassier said they decided to move after the landlord sought retroactive rent increases after not having raised it in a decade. The owners then found a new storefront a few blocks away.<ul><li>Packing up has underscored just how much history they&#x27;re leaving behind.</li><li>&quot;Every corner has something,&quot; Sylvia said of finding old signs and other remnants from the shop&#x27;s past.</li></ul>Between the lines: Black Heart was founded by four established tattooers in 2004 as an artist-run alternative to more conventional shops of that time, with an emphasis on the art rather than profits, Rassier said.<ul><li>Over the years, its roster has included artists specializing in everything from Japanese work to traditional and black-and-gray. The shop itself is crowded and colorful, with walls of hand-painted flash and relics accumulated over decades.</li><li>&quot;The legacy is more important than the finances,&quot; Rassier said, adding that the goal was always to have great artists &quot;making art together.&quot;</li></ul><figure><img alt="Colorful tattoo studio filled with framed flash art on walls and front counter; hanging lanterns, a neon sign, a bicycle, and a large potted plant on the right as artists work in the back." height="3213" id="60fda61b-428e-4db4-b514-e4ba591ef030" src="https://images.axios.com/HWZ_TCdneysorEK7IAEgyEhSbkw=/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg" width="5712" srcset="https://images.axios.com/gf_KCMc2q-_e-3Yi5BoaGfxrpv8=/0x0:5712x3213/1920x1080/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=1920 1920w, https://images.axios.com/IZFhq4ysh8tL__AebuM5g2wFQtk=/0x0:5712x3213/1600x900/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=1600 1600w, https://images.axios.com/6_iRFzz6iUgzrgRQz8Ydah5uiRM=/0x0:5712x3213/1366x768/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=1366 1366w, https://images.axios.com/7htXsR4T54Ea-IiESbJ6dU6BGNg=/0x0:5712x3213/1024x576/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=1024 1024w, https://images.axios.com/aAQ6MOZJ4kQefLp5ymL-3VF2rEY=/0x0:5712x3213/768x432/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=768 768w, https://images.axios.com/E1o32s7GTGoHkuBHstuUtspVRPE=/0x0:5712x3213/640x360/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=640 640w, https://images.axios.com/VsZQpccdLiLQyvz71neLCVs5F9c=/0x0:5712x3213/320x180/2026/08/14/1786741414847.jpeg?w=320 320w"/><figcaption>Flash for days. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios</figcaption></figure>Reality check: Preserving that legacy comes at a price.<ul><li>Rassier estimates the move and buildout will cost roughly $100,000, while Sylvia said rent will rise by about $2,600 a month.</li><li>And despite moving just 150 yards, the shop has had to navigate the city&#x27;s planning, zoning and health approval process again while racing to minimize downtime for the roughly 14 people who make their living there.</li></ul>The big picture: Tattooing has transformed from the outsider subculture Rassier and Sylvia entered decades ago into a mainstream profession, but the economics of running a tattoo shop have gotten tougher.<ul><li>Both owners said the industry is in a slowdown, with more tattooers competing for customers and younger clients gravitating toward smaller pieces instead of the elaborate large-scale work popular with previous generations.</li><li>At the same time, Sylvia said high rents, permitting costs, insurance and other expenses make storefront shops particularly expensive to operate, while some tattooers have shifted toward smaller private studios with less overhead.</li></ul><figure><img alt="Triptych scene inside a tattoo shop: left wall with colorful flash sheets, middle close-up of a black-and-gray floral forearm tattoo, right a tattoo artist works on a woman amid framed art in a red room and a yellow sign." height="1080" id="f23739a3-9d5a-4b33-8e84-fa7de05cde4e" src="https://images.axios.com/sYUtrWoqtLY5cjEfvmrl8rTd480=/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg" width="1920" srcset="https://images.axios.com/zj_bUxG22KJXUDN704zrnLO9Q4I=/0x0:1920x1080/1920x1080/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=1920 1920w, https://images.axios.com/weP8ddFZFaHvFxwjF8wuEVXtiyE=/0x0:1920x1080/1600x900/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=1600 1600w, https://images.axios.com/ipKSblDPTy6SBxzrlCAY_vZxGnU=/0x0:1920x1080/1366x768/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=1366 1366w, https://images.axios.com/-KtjGAgBPh1LNbKdKlY4HvwY_qg=/0x0:1920x1080/1024x576/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=1024 1024w, https://images.axios.com/vSG_KqBdJre3h8yhGmLuIKabnKo=/0x0:1920x1080/768x432/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=768 768w, https://images.axios.com/Ke9ETHnz3--4x4M4kp5F1RdHQA0=/0x0:1920x1080/640x360/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=640 640w, https://images.axios.com/iCqBXtuE8lBxsCUSAVZ1Jv5qLnE=/0x0:1920x1080/320x180/2026/08/14/1786742036829.jpeg?w=320 320w"/><figcaption>More art, Nadia&#x27;s fresh tattoo and an artist figuring out placement on a client. Photos: Nadia Lopez/Axios</figcaption></figure>What&#x27;s next: The new shop will have more room for resident and guest artists, plus a facade that&#x27;s considerably harder to miss — <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="painted" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbvpl02lZ2y/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" data-vars-content-id="6f586784-8996-46cd-b51b-2541491e89a2" data-vars-headline="Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbvpl02lZ2y/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" target="_blank">painted</a> in a screaming hot pink, with the logo stretched across in enormous black letters.<ul><li>&quot;We just painted the shop like a fucking circus, so you can&#x27;t miss it,&quot; Sylvia joked.</li><li>&quot;Everyone&#x27;s pitching in and it&#x27;s kind of bringing us all together again,&quot; Rassier added. &quot;It&#x27;s exciting.&quot;</li></ul>💭 My thought bubble: I&#x27;ve been tattooed at Black Heart by artist <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Derick Montez" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/derickmontez/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="6f586784-8996-46cd-b51b-2541491e89a2" data-vars-headline="Black Heart Tattoo leaves Valencia Street after 22 years" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/derickmontez/?hl=en" target="_blank">Derick Montez</a>, so it&#x27;s a bittersweet farewell for me as well. But in a city where beloved places too often close for good, staying in the neighborhood feels like a win.

California insurance crisis spreads beyond wildfire communities

Premiums have risen 84% since 2020, while more homeowners turn to FAIR Plan coverage.

The share of California homes insured through the state&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FAIR Plan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cfpnet.com/" data-vars-content-id="8b5f86e8-6044-4d98-a7fc-1c3fe94e3ed7" data-vars-headline="California insurance crisis spreads beyond wildfire communities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cfpnet.com/" target="_blank">FAIR Plan</a> — a pricey insurer of last resort — has surged to roughly 5%, up from less than 2% in 2020, per a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new Stanford study" data-vars-click-url="https://woods.stanford.edu/news/californias-home-insurance-crisis-spreading-beyond-wildfire-country" data-vars-content-id="8b5f86e8-6044-4d98-a7fc-1c3fe94e3ed7" data-vars-headline="California insurance crisis spreads beyond wildfire communities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://woods.stanford.edu/news/californias-home-insurance-crisis-spreading-beyond-wildfire-country" target="_blank">new Stanford study</a> released this week.Why it matters: The jump suggests <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="California&#x27;s insurance crisis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-home-insurance-real-estate-crisis/" data-vars-content-id="8b5f86e8-6044-4d98-a7fc-1c3fe94e3ed7" data-vars-headline="California insurance crisis spreads beyond wildfire communities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-home-insurance-real-estate-crisis/" target="_blank">California&#x27;s insurance crisis</a> is spreading well <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="beyond wildfire-prone communities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-18/even-low-risk-homes-are-caught-up-in-californias-insurance-crisis" data-vars-content-id="8b5f86e8-6044-4d98-a7fc-1c3fe94e3ed7" data-vars-headline="California insurance crisis spreads beyond wildfire communities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-03-18/even-low-risk-homes-are-caught-up-in-californias-insurance-crisis" target="_blank">beyond wildfire-prone communities</a> as private insurers continue to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="pull back coverage" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/01/14/california-fires-worsen-insurance-risk" data-vars-content-id="8b5f86e8-6044-4d98-a7fc-1c3fe94e3ed7" data-vars-headline="California insurance crisis spreads beyond wildfire communities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-francisco/2025/01/14/california-fires-worsen-insurance-risk" target="_self">pull back coverage</a> and raise costs across the state.

How to keep your dog safe during coyote pupping season

Pupping season brings more sightings and defensive behavior.

Environment

It&#x27;s peak pupping season in San Francisco, which means more visible and territorial coyotes guarding their baby-filled dens.Why it matters: Pupping season can lead to more sightings — especially in and around parks — and tense encounters with dogs, which coyotes see as potential threats.

Yosemite drops reservations amid mounting environmental, traffic concerns

The rollback follows a nationwide push to widen park access despite staffing losses.

Bay Area campers planning a trip to Yosemite National Park this summer may need to brace for bigger crowds — the park is scrapping its reservation requirement for 2026.Why it matters: The policy shift marks a departure from when timed-entry reservations were used to manage overcrowding at one of the nation&#x27;s most popular parks, known for its stunning waterfalls and granite cliffs.

Mountain lion captured after prowling Pacific Heights

The two-year-old cougar was hiding in a crevice between apartments.

A young mountain lion spotted near Lafayette Park in Pacific Heights earlier this week has been found and captured — welcome news for dog owners and anyone who prefers their evening walks free of surprise maulings.Driving the news: Law enforcement and wildlife officials Tuesday morning safely<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" apprehended and tranquilized" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kqed.org/news/12071216/san-francisco-mountain-lion-is-tranquilized-as-officials-work-to-capture-the-cougar" data-vars-content-id="4424c5b0-3374-42ac-951f-6fc870386944" data-vars-headline="Mountain lion captured after prowling Pacific Heights" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kqed.org/news/12071216/san-francisco-mountain-lion-is-tranquilized-as-officials-work-to-capture-the-cougar" target="_blank"> apprehended and tranquilized</a> the<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" two-year-old cougar" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/mountain-lion-pacific-heights-21316657.php" data-vars-content-id="4424c5b0-3374-42ac-951f-6fc870386944" data-vars-headline="Mountain lion captured after prowling Pacific Heights" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/mountain-lion-pacific-heights-21316657.php" target="_blank"> two-year-old cougar</a>, who was hiding in a crevice between two apartment buildings on California Street.

SF's new smart bins aim to make battery recycling easier

You can now drop off devices with lithium batteries at eight locations across the city.

San Francisco has launched one of the first automated public battery recycling systems in the U.S., rolling out smart drop-off bins that accept all mixed lithium-ion batteries and battery-embedded devices without manual sorting.Why it matters: Battery-embedded products, such as phones and laptops, are notoriously hard to recycle safely, and mishandling lithium-ion batteries can trigger fires. The new effort aims to reduce landfill waste while improving fire safety and material recovery in an increasingly battery-dependent economy.

California faces highest wildfire smoke death count in U.S.

The grim findings are among the strongest evidence on record of the harmful effects of climate change, the study's authors say.

California is projected to see more deaths than any other state due to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="wildfire smoke" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/41762218.145/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2xvY2FsL3NlYXR0bGUvMjAyNS8wMS8wOS93aWxkZmlyZS1zbW9rZS1kZW1lbnRpYS1zdHVkeT91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c2VuZHRvX2xvY2FsbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/673d6f07cfc5ece025011323Bd504b8c1" data-vars-content-id="79cf7cdd-1620-410a-bde5-c7ffbcad5d5b" data-vars-headline="California faces highest wildfire smoke death count in U.S." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/41762218.145/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2xvY2FsL3NlYXR0bGUvMjAyNS8wMS8wOS93aWxkZmlyZS1zbW9rZS1kZW1lbnRpYS1zdHVkeT91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c2VuZHRvX2xvY2FsbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/673d6f07cfc5ece025011323Bd504b8c1" target="_self">wildfire smoke</a> by midcentury — part of a nationwide surge that could claim tens of thousands of lives annually without protective measures, a new study warns.Why it matters: The grim findings are among the strongest evidence on record of the harmful effects of climate change, the study&#x27;s authors say.

California faces intensifying wildfire season as blazes spread statewide

Thousands of fires have burned more than 500,000 acres this year.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wildfire season" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/41447270.80/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2xvY2FsL3BvcnRsYW5kL3dpbGRmaXJlcz91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c2VuZHRvX2xvY2FsbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/673d6f07cfc5ece025011323B818bb085" data-vars-content-id="458f9777-c186-4dcb-9d2a-3b4560c02ac9" data-vars-headline="California faces intensifying wildfire season as blazes spread statewide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/41447270.80/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2xvY2FsL3BvcnRsYW5kL3dpbGRmaXJlcz91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249c2VuZHRvX2xvY2FsbmV3c2xldHRlcnRlc3Qmc3RyZWFtPXRvcA/673d6f07cfc5ece025011323B818bb085" target="_self">Wildfire season</a> is raging across much of California, with blazes closing off some national forests and prompting evacuations.State of play: 6,844 wildfires have burned across the state since January, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Cal Fire" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents" data-vars-content-id="458f9777-c186-4dcb-9d2a-3b4560c02ac9" data-vars-headline="California faces intensifying wildfire season as blazes spread statewide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents" target="_blank">Cal Fire</a>, with 517,341 acres burned so far this year — already half of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nearly 1.1 million" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024" data-vars-content-id="458f9777-c186-4dcb-9d2a-3b4560c02ac9" data-vars-headline="California faces intensifying wildfire season as blazes spread statewide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024" target="_blank">nearly 1.1 million</a> acres scorched in 2024.

SF's summer chill is breaking decades-old records

As the rest of the country heats up, San Francisco is stuck in the 50s under thick, chilly fog.

San Francisco is in the grip of one of its chilliest summers in recent history, matching temperatures <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="not seen since 1982" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/NWSBayArea/status/1949409122530504955" data-vars-content-id="f517f861-3f37-440d-9d80-3795c2f38859" data-vars-headline="SF&#x27;s summer chill is breaking decades-old records" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/NWSBayArea/status/1949409122530504955" target="_blank">not seen since 1982</a>. The big picture: The city is no stranger to cold and foggy summers — often the source of laughs when tourists arrive unprepared — though this year&#x27;s prolonged cold spell has surprised even longtime locals.

SF considers natural gas ban in major building revamps

Gas use in buildings makes up 44% of San Francisco's total carbon emissions.

San Francisco is moving to eliminate natural gas in buildings that undergo major revamps as part of a broader push to curb carbon emissions.Why it matters: San Francisco can&#x27;t meet its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2040 net-zero goal" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfclimateplan.org/" data-vars-content-id="e4912c7f-556e-4511-b67b-215c59f48dcd" data-vars-headline="SF considers natural gas ban in major building revamps" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfclimateplan.org/" target="_blank">2040 net-zero goal</a> without phasing out gas use in buildings, which <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="accounts for 44%" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfenvironment.org/carbonfootprint" data-vars-content-id="e4912c7f-556e-4511-b67b-215c59f48dcd" data-vars-headline="SF considers natural gas ban in major building revamps" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfenvironment.org/carbonfootprint" target="_blank">accounts for 44%</a> of the city&#x27;s carbon emissions.

Controversial land bill faces rewrite after public backlash

More than 250 million acres across the West could be for sale under the current proposal.

Politics

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) says he&#x27;s revising a proposal to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sell millions of acres of public land" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2025/06/23/mike-lee-public-land-sale" data-vars-content-id="b17f972a-eebd-4ab0-8853-1e8f130c1a02" data-vars-headline="Controversial land bill faces rewrite after public backlash" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2025/06/23/mike-lee-public-land-sale" target="_self">sell millions of acres of public land</a> to housing developers after backlash from outdoor rec enthusiasts, Axios&#x27; Erin Alberty reports.State of play: Across California, land around Mount Shasta, Big Sur, Mendocino, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Eastern Sierra" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/california-public-lands-could-sell-highest-bidder-20384049.php" data-vars-content-id="b17f972a-eebd-4ab0-8853-1e8f130c1a02" data-vars-headline="Controversial land bill faces rewrite after public backlash" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/california-public-lands-could-sell-highest-bidder-20384049.php" target="_blank">the Eastern Sierra</a> and along the Pacific Crest Trail could be eligible for sale under the current draft, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a recent analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/40382019.82/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2lsZGVybmVzcy5vcmcvYXJ0aWNsZXMvbWVkaWEtcmVzb3VyY2VzLzI1MC1taWxsaW9uLWFjcmVzLXB1YmxpYy1sYW5kcy1lbGlnaWJsZS1zYWxlLXNlbnItYnVkZ2V0LXJlY29uY2lsaWF0aW9uLXBhY2thZ2U_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/673d6f07cfc5ece025011323Bf032b9d1" data-vars-content-id="b17f972a-eebd-4ab0-8853-1e8f130c1a02" data-vars-headline="Controversial land bill faces rewrite after public backlash" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/40382019.82/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2lsZGVybmVzcy5vcmcvYXJ0aWNsZXMvbWVkaWEtcmVzb3VyY2VzLzI1MC1taWxsaW9uLWFjcmVzLXB1YmxpYy1sYW5kcy1lbGlnaWJsZS1zYWxlLXNlbnItYnVkZ2V0LXJlY29uY2lsaWF0aW9uLXBhY2thZ2U_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/673d6f07cfc5ece025011323Bf032b9d1" target="_self">a recent analysis</a> by a conservation nonprofit.

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