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Little Fire Expands to 700 Acres Near Pleasanton

A wildfire dubbed the Little Fire south of Pleasanton rapidly spread from its start before 3 p.m. to about 150 acres by 4 p.m., triggering multiple evacuation orders across several zones and prompting crews from Cal Fire, Alameda County Fire, and the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department to respond.

18 sources

Photo: United States Congress / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Johnson backs ban on lawmakers dating Hill staff

House Speaker Mike Johnson backs expanding the prohibition on romantic or sexual relationships between lawmakers and Capitol Hill staff as part of broader efforts to tighten House workplace rules amid ongoing misconduct scandals. A bipartisan task force is weighing a broader package of recommendations, including a potential ban on relationships with staff outside a member’s office, citing power imbalances and the need for rules similar to corporate America.

8 sources

Photo: Johnmaxmena2 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Yankees-Pirates bench-clearing altercation over pitch clock

The Yankees beat the Pirates 8-5 as Jose Caballero’s late-pitch-clock routine provoked Dennis Santana into a confrontation, prompting benches and bullpens to clear. The incident highlights ongoing tensions around the pitch clock since 2023, with Caballero having prior delays and Santana offering his perspective, while Jazz Chisholm Jr. supplied two homers in the win.

5 sources

DOJ alleges UC San Diego med school bias

The Justice Department finds that UC San Diego School of Medicine used race-based methods in admissions, including a shadow application process and race proxies, to preferentially admit Black and Hispanic applicants, violating Title VI and the 2023 Students for Fair Admissions ruling. The agency plans to monitor compliance, pursue settlements where violations are found, and notes this aligns with ongoing federal scrutiny of diversity policies in higher education during the current administration.

8 sources