Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It is Saturday, Oct. 29.
Here’s a look at the top stories of the last week
Paul Pelosi, the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was “violently” attacked. An intruder broke into the couple’s San Francisco home early Friday in what a law enforcement source said appeared to be a targeted attack. The source told The Times that Paul Pelosi, 82, was attacked with a hammer. According to another source, during the attack the assailant shouted, “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” Paul Pelosi underwent surgery for a skull fracture and injuries to his right arm and hands. Full coverage here.
Hospitals around the state are seeing more babies sick with RSV. At least three major California children’s hospitals say they have experienced either a strain or a stretching of resources because of the respiratory illness affecting babies. The increase in RSV comes amid a rise in other respiratory illnesses in California, including the flu.
The LAPD launched a criminal investigation into the source of leaked racist recordings. According to Police Chief Michel Moore, the investigation was requested by those at the center of the maelstrom around the audio: former City Council President Nury Martinez and Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León, as well as former L.A. County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera. On Wednesday, the City Council voted unanimously to censure Martinez, Cedillo and De León, adding to the public pressure to get the latter two to resign.
Gov. Gavin Newsom ripped into Valero’s 500% rise in profit amid soaring gas prices. The governor renewed his call for a price-gouging penalty “to put these profits back in the pockets of Californians.”
Meanwhile, some of the world’s largest oil companies are selling assets and beginning to pull out of California. Even with strong cash flow in the short term, producers have more to gain from offloading wells and the associated liability — chiefly expensive environmental cleanup — than from pumping more oil and gas, experts say. “This is the kind of deal you see when an industry is in its twilight,” said an official with a nonprofit focused on sustainability in companies and markets.
The average number of newly reported daily MPX cases has fallen dramatically in the state. Vaccinations and treatment have been effective in slowing the spread of the virus in California. San Francisco health officials reiterated that MPX remained a public health concern as it continued to circulate, and urged higher-risk people to complete the two-dose inoculation regimen.
Mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time since 2002, chilling the housing market. It was just last month that rates climbed above 6%for the first time in 14 years. Although rates are still below the historical average of 7.76%, the sudden change has upended the market. In some markets, home prices are falling but not fast enough to balance out the rising interest rates.
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