Saturday Afternoon News Roundup
Joel Kurtzman was named the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for California's 2nd Congressional District, earning a yearlong display of his photograph in the U.S. Capitol before it is sealed in a time capsule for 250 years.
The annual nationwide high school visual art competition, which began in 1982, is organized by the U.S. House of Representatives and recognizes and encourages artistic talent in each congressional district.
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Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, was welcomed to view his winning photograph "Golden Hour Fog" in the Capitol gallery. The photograph will remain on display for one year alongside winning entries from congressional districts across the country.
In addition to its Capitol display, the photograph will be included in the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule, a collection of contributions from all 50 states and U.S. territories commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary. The capsule will remain sealed until 2276, when it is scheduled to be opened during celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Time was also a significant theme in Kurtzman's winning image, in which he captures fog moving across Bolinas Ridge on Mount Tamalpais at sunset.
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Specially treated male mosquitoes that keep their female mates from laying eggs will be released in Antioch starting next month, health officials said Friday.
The strategy is an attempt to reduce the population of invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that have turned up for three consecutive years in Antioch, according to the Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District.
The mosquitoes are dangerous because they can transmit diseases like Zika, dengue fever and yellow fever, the district said.
A pilot project beginning July 7 will release male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that have been treated with Wolbachia bacteria.
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The bacteria occur naturally and don't affect humans or pets because male mosquitoes can't bite, according to the district.
The males expose females to the bacteria, which causes them to lay eggs that don't hatch.
The release of the Wolbachia-treated male mosquitoes will come "in a small area of Antioch weekly from July through October with the goal of reducing the number of wild mosquitoes over time," the district said.
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The Stockton City Council has approved an ordinance regulating the use of facial coverings when they are used to conceal a person's identity in ways that provoke fear, intimidation, threats, or violence.
The measure, approved by the council this week, will take effect in 30 days and will be enforced by the Stockton Police Department, the council said.
The ordinance includes exemptions for religious practices, medical needs, workplace safety, cultural activities, and other lawful uses, according to city officials.
Vice Mayor Jason Lee, who introduced the proposal after months of research and community discussions, said the measure aims to improve public safety while protecting individual rights.
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BART will operate single-track service between Downtown Berkeley and MacArthur stations starting at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, as crews complete scheduled rail replacement work.
Delays are expected to range between 20-30 minutes for BART passengers traveling across the East Bay and no transfers will happen between Berryessa-bound and San Francisco International Airport-destined trains except for the final trip of the night.
Longer transfer wait times are expected at MacArthur and Bay Fair BART stations. Temporary signage will be in place to direct travelers to the correct platforms when single tracking starts.
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The single tracking will help create a "safe work zone" for crews who will work to replace over 4,000 feet of rail. Work will begin at 10:30 p.m. until regular BART service resumes early Sunday morning.
BART will open at 8 a.m. on Sunday and run 5-line morning train services to accommodate the increased number of passengers expected to participate in Downtown San Francisco's Pride parade and celebrations. No impact is expected from the overnight rail work.
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California has launched what state officials describe as the nation's first public dashboard to track potential job losses linked to artificial intelligence, part of an effort to monitor how the technology is affecting the workforce.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the California AI-Unemployment Tracker on Thursday, saying the online tool will provide monthly updates to identify possible AI-related job displacement, a press release issued by the governor's office noted.
An initial analysis accompanying the dashboard found no evidence of widespread AI-related increases in unemployment claims statewide, according to Gov. Newsom's office.
However, researchers reported higher claims among some college-educated workers in occupations with high AI exposure and in the San Francisco Bay Area following the 2022 public release of ChatGPT-3.5, the report said.
The tracker was created under an executive order signed by Newsom directing state agencies to prepare workers, businesses, and communities for the economic effects of artificial intelligence.
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Both eastbound lanes of the Caldecott Tunnel shutdown Friday just after 11 a.m. following a vehicle fire, with California Highway Patrol urging drivers to seek alternate routes due to heavy traffic.
The California Highway Patrol, Oakland Fire Department, and Moraga Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire inside Bore 2 of the Caldecott Tunnel which left no injuries. Bore 1 reopened just before noon, but officers are waiting for a tow truck to help clear out the damaged vehicle.
Sergeant Kevin Johnson with the California Highway Patrol said the vehicle stalled after experiencing a mechanical failure in the middle of the tunnel. Johnson said the fire departments requested both tunnels be shut down so crews could access the fire through doors that connect the road.
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Bore 1 has reopened, but Bore 2 remains closed without an estimated time of reopening, according to the California Highway Patrol.
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