California Today: Two Blue States That Will Determine Control of Congress

Today's top stories from California.

October 16, 2024, 9:31 a.m. Eastern time Good morning. Here are the top stories from across California and the region, selected for you by Times editors. Today's Top Story Samuel Corum for The New York Times Audio | Two Blue States That Will Determine Control of Congress New York and California have become unlikely focal points in the fight for control of the House. 32 MIN LISTEN | Listen now More California News A Pro-Trump Ad Looks to Turn Harris's Record as a Prosecutor Against Her The spot from one of the biggest super PACs backing Donald Trump portrays Kamala Harris as a radical leftist, especially on crime — channeling a G.O.P. law-and-order message that dates back to Nixon. That Plastic Skeleton Can't Be Your Plus 1, Police Tell Car Pool Lane Users A California Highway Patrol officer in the San Jose area recently cited a driver who used a Halloween-themed ruse to drive in a high-occupancy-vehicle lane. $2 Million Homes in California A 1924 Spanish Revival house in Los Angeles, a 1962 midcentury-modern house in San Rafael, and a recently remodeled 1916 house in Oakland. A Day in the Life of Tim Heidecker, Glendale Dad Years after making his name with the sketch comedy series "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!", he's singing wry ballads and watching the kids. Once Known for Death Row, San Quentin Hosts a Star-Studded Film Festival The California prison used to house some of the state's most violent criminals, but has become more known lately for creative pursuits. The Painter Titus Kaphar Wanted a Bigger Canvas, So He Made a Film His first feature, "Exhibiting Forgiveness," which opens Oct. 18, features paintings now on view at Gagosian in Los Angeles. California Rejects Bid for More Frequent SpaceX Launches A commission denied a request to increase the number of rocket launches on the state's central coast, citing environmental concerns. Trump Hits Coachella, Campaigning Once Again in a Blue State The former president took a detour from the battleground states to hold a rally in the California desert, where temperatures hovered near 100 degrees. Local Conditions Look up the heat index in your area using The Times's heat tracker. See active fires using The Times's wildfire tracker. Today's Recipe Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Cheesy Chile Crisp White Beans By Melissa Clark 25 mintues Makes 4 servings Play a Game The Mini Crossword Solve this bite-sized puzzle in just a few minutes. Spelling Bee How many words can you make with 7 letters? Wordle Guess the 5-letter word with 6 chances. See all our games Sign up for Your Places: Extreme Weather. Get notified about extreme weather before it happens with custom alerts for places in the U.S. you choose. Get it in your inbox Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for California Today from The New York Times. To stop receiving California Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018