California Today: Palo Alto Confronts Billionaires Over Their Housing Compounds

December 19, 2025, 6:31 a.m. Pacific time

Today’s Top Story

Loren Elliott for The New York Times

Palo Alto Confronts Billionaires Over Their Housing Compounds

The Silicon Valley college town has changed drastically as Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page and other tech founders have scooped up multiple properties.

U.S. Will Pay $450,000 to Wildfire Fighters With Cancer

They will be eligible for a one-time payment as well as college tuition for their children. The effort is part of a legislative push to address the dangers of working in toxic smoke.

Trump Administration Tries to Stop Some Immigrants From Driving Trucks

The Transportation Department said the new rules were intended to make roads safer, but there’s no data to suggest that immigrants cause more truck accidents.

The Junior Congressman Who’s Pushing Republicans on Epstein

The top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, Representative Robert Garcia has brought aggressive tactics and reality-show flair to investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to President Trump.

The Reiners Struggled With Their Son’s Addiction. These Families Can Relate.

Nick Reiner, charged with murdering his parents, Rob and Michele Singer Reiner, spent much of his life battling drug addiction, an affliction that millions of Americans face.