California Today: California Laws That Go Into Effect on Jan. 1

Today's top stories from California.

January 2, 2025, 9:30 a.m. Eastern time Good morning. Here are the top stories from across California and the region, selected for you by Times editors. Today's Top Story Philip Cheung for The New York Times California Laws That Go Into Effect on Jan. 1 Lawmakers passed hundreds of bills in 2024, addressing issues including shoplifting, marijuana and artificial intelligence. Here are some of the key measures that begin New Year's Day. Read more More California News 'It Ends With Us' Actor and Director and His Publicists Sue The Times for Libel Justin Baldoni claims that The Times defamed him and his team in an article about the actress Blake Lively's allegations that she had been the victim of a smear campaign. The States Restricting Guns and Legalizing Marijuana in the New Year Other state laws going into effect in 2025 will boost wages, restrict social media for children and make insulin cheaper. A Mountain Lion Attacked My Nephews. What Could Have Stopped It? As dangerous encounters in California continue to rise, local residents and wildlife experts are trying to figure out how humans and big cats can coexist. For Those Who Don't Trust Tap, There's 'Raw Water' Untreated water enthusiasts swear by natural springs. Their movement has parallels with raw milk drinkers and vaccine skeptics. Map: 4.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern California View the location of the quake's epicenter and shake area. Fire-Friendly Weather Predicted for Parts of the High Plains and Southern California Forecasters warned of a "critical" wildfire risk on Monday in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. The Number of Murders Kept Falling This Year, but Fear of Crime Persists Crime was a talking point on the presidential campaign trail. But after a spike during the pandemic, murders have been dropping steadily, including in big cities like Chicago and San Francisco. Man Dies After Helping His Family Flee Christmas Morning House Fire Steven Weatherford ran upstairs to wake his father and two aunts as a fire engulfed their home in Oakland, Calif. He later died of smoke inhalation, the authorities said. Local Conditions Look up the heat index in your area using The Times's heat tracker. See active fires using The Times's wildfire tracker. Today's Recipe Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Apple Tart By Samantha Seneviratne 2 hours, plus cooling Makes One (9-inch) tart, 8 servings Play a Game The Mini Crossword Solve this bite-sized puzzle in just a few minutes. Spelling Bee How many words can you make with 7 letters? Wordle Guess the 5-letter word with 6 chances. See all our games Sign up for Your Places: Extreme Weather. Get notified about extreme weather before it happens with custom alerts for places in the U.S. you choose. Get it in your inbox Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for California Today from The New York Times. To stop receiving California Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018