California Today: A Fearful Phone Call and a Frantic Search Preceded Mosque Shooting
Today's top stories from California.
The New York Times
California Today
May 19, 2026, 6:31 a.m. Pacific time

Today’s Top Story

More California News

What to Know About the San Diego Mosque Shooting

Three men were killed in the attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Two teenage suspects were found dead in a car nearby, police said.

Fire Activity Slows in Southern California Blaze That Has Forced Evacuations

More than 33,000 people remain under evacuation orders after a brush fire broke out in Simi Valley, Calif.

Elon Musk Loses $150 Billion Suit Against OpenAI and Sam Altman

A nine-member jury found that Mr. Musk had waited too long to sue. The setback for the tech mogul frees OpenAI to continue in the artificial intelligence race.

L.A. County Response to Altadena Fire Was Not Biased, Report Finds

An examination of the disaster commissioned by the county concluded that its efforts were muddled and chaotic, but said that it had not discriminated against Black residents.

Pelosi Endorses San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan to Succeed Her

Representative Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, broke her silence on Monday about the race to succeed her and endorsed Connie Chan, a San Francisco official.

A Sailor Shot Distress Flares. Now a California Island Is Burning.

The shipwrecked man was rescued from Channel Islands National Park, but the flares set off a 14,600-acre fire that has burned park buildings, forced evacuations and threatened rare Torrey pines.

Silicon Valley’s Answer to Declining Male Fertility? Sperm Racing.

A San Francisco biotech start-up races sex cells on tiny tracks. Can an internet joke become a serious business?

Is This Beach Town the Perfect Getaway From L.A.?

Ninety minutes north of the city and next to pricey Montecito, laid-back Carpinteria has surfers, seals and miles of beach to walk.

Today’s Extreme Weather

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Today's Recipe

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David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Taverna Salad

By Lidey Heuck

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

9,290

45 minutes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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