California Today: Democratic Angst Could Lead California to Change Its Primary Rules

May 11, 2026, 6:31 a.m. Pacific time

Today’s Top Story

Caroline Brehman/Associated Press

Democratic Angst Could Lead California to Change Its Primary Rules

The prospect of Democrats getting shut out of the general election for governor has spurred an effort to eliminate the state’s “top-two” open primary approach.

Search at a Home for Kristin Smart’s Remains Ends Without a Recovery

A new lead brought investigators back to a property just south of San Luis Obispo, Calif., tied to the family of the man convicted of killing Ms. Smart, a student, 30 years ago.

‘Trump-Hating Liberal’ vs. ‘RINO’: 2 California Republicans Fight for MAGA Voters

Forced to fight for political survival because of redistricting, Ken Calvert and Young Kim, both Republicans, are accusing each other of being insufficiently MAGA.

Meta’s Embrace of A.I. Is Making Its Employees Miserable

As it adapts to the artificial intelligence era, the company is pushing many of its 78,000 workers to use the technology, and preparing to lay some of them off.

Jury Finds City of L.A. Not Liable in 2021 Police Shooting of Teen Girl

The death of Valentina Orellana-Peralta, a 14-year-old bystander, occurred at a store where the police were responding to reports of an assault.

Top Padres Prospect Self-Deported to Mexico After Plea Related to Human Smuggling

Humberto Cruz, one of the San Diego Padres’ top pitching prospects, pleaded guilty in November to a federal misdemeanor related to a human smuggling operation in southern Arizona, according to court documents reviewed by The Athletic.

A Respected Artist Gains Wider Recognition

Michael Joo is appearing in multiple shows, from New York and the San Francisco Bay Area to a Mediterranean island and Venice.

Maps: Earthquakes Shake Southern California

A cluster of earthquakes have struck near the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday, including ones with a 4.5 and 4.7 magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Edith Eva Eger, Psychologist Who Barely Survived Auschwitz, Dies at 98

Her time in concentration camps brought her an understanding of humanity that helped her treat her patients.

Today’s Extreme Weather

CITY

RISK TYPES

Bakersfield

Unhealthy heat

Los Angeles

Unhealthy heat

Fresno

Unhealthy heat

Sacramento

Unhealthy heat

Stockton

Unhealthy heat

Risk

Some

High

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Tune in Today: Ezra Klein Moderates Forum for California Gubernatorial Candidates

California is one of the country’s least affordable states for housing, despite years of legislators passing bills to reduce red tape and build more. The Times Opinion columnist Ezra Klein is asking Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Antonio Villaraigosa, the top Democratic candidates for governor, how they plan to make progress on the issue. Watch the livestream today at 4:15 p.m. Pacific time here.