Catch Me Up: Daily news roundup for July 30, 2025

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This Daily News Roundup for the 24 hours from 4:00 PM Tuesday 7/29 to 4:00 PM Wednesday 7/30 is based on news articles created by Bay City News reporters and editors. We prompted ChatGPT to analyze the articles produced by our staff and to choose 5 stories to highlight. Then we used ElevenLabs and other tools to help us convert the text into audio based on the voice of Leslie Katz, one of our Bay City News editors. This content was verified by a human editor.

Hello, and welcome to Bay City News for Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Here is a look at some of the top stories from across the region.

We begin with an update on a potential natural disaster: The National Weather Service on Wednesday morning canceled a tsunami advisory for the Bay Area and Central Coast. The advisory, which was issued Tuesday evening following an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, remains in effect for Humboldt and Del Norte counties in Northern California. Tsunami activity was detected in Crescent City and Humboldt Bay around 12:45 a.m. Wednesday, reaching Monterey at 12:50 a.m. and San Francisco at 1:12 a.m. No major damage has been reported, and the San Francisco Bay Ferry system operated normally throughout the event. Despite the cancellation for our immediate region, the National Weather Service advises that the ocean will continue to be dynamic and dangerous, with strong currents possible, and urges continued awareness near coastal areas.

Shifting our focus to San Francisco, Mayor Daniel Lurie on Tuesday signed legislation aimed at addressing vehicular homelessness and expanding housing options. The new law enforces a 24/7 two-hour parking limit on large vehicles citywide. To support this initiative, San Francisco will allocate $13 million over the next two fiscal years for rapid rehousing subsidies, a large vehicle cash buyback program, outreach teams, and enforcement resources. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved the legislation on July 22, with a 9-2 vote. While Mayor Lurie stated the legislation combines “compassion with accountability” by offering “real options for raising kids safely and with dignity,” critics like the Coalition on Homelessness argue it’s a “draconian policy” that forces vehicle residents to compete for limited city housing offers. The coalition believes it would be more sensible to open safe parking lots and prioritize housing for those already on the streets.

Meanwhile, former Vice President and Bay Area native Kamala Harris announced on Wednesday that she will not be running for California governor in next year’s election. Harris, who was the Democratic nominee for president in 2024 but lost to Republican Donald Trump, had been rumored as a potential candidate to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is termed out of office in 2026. In a statement, Harris said she has spent the past six months “reflecting on this moment in our nation’s history, and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people.” She confirmed that “for now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office,” and looks forward to helping elect Democrats nationwide.

In other San Francisco news, residents should prepare for weeks of road closures in Golden Gate Park as a series of concerts kicks off this weekend. The Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary celebration features Dead & Company performing three shows this Friday through Sunday at the Polo Fields. The following weekend, from Aug. 8 to Aug. 10, the annual Outside Lands Music Festival will take place, followed by another concert on Aug. 15 featuring Zach Bryan. These consecutive weekends of events will lead to shutdowns of several streets and park entrances. John F. Kennedy Drive, between Transverse Drive and 36th Avenue, will be closed to cars from Tuesday until Aug. 18, with pedestrian and bicyclist restrictions in certain sections during this time. Public access will be limited, and several north and south side park entrances will be blocked off on show days. Mayor Daniel Lurie anticipates hundreds of thousands of people will attend, so expect significant traffic delays throughout the city.

Shifting our focus to San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan has expressed alignment with President Donald Trump’s approach to homelessness, emphasizing getting unhoused individuals off the streets and into treatment centers. Last Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order prioritizing funding for cities that prohibit homeless encampments and public drug use, while directing more aid to outpatient treatment programs, and ending the “housing first” model which does not mandate sobriety or treatment. Mayor Mahan has already implemented policies such as arresting homeless individuals who repeatedly refuse shelter, with the stated aim of directing them into the county’s behavioral court system or treatment, though county leaders dispute this pathway. Critics, including Sandy Perry of the South Bay Community Land Trust, argue that this approach criminalizes unhoused people and diverts funds from permanent affordable housing, which they say is the root cause of homelessness. Despite increased encampment sweeps, San Jose’s overall homeless population has slightly risen to 6,503 residents, even as the unsheltered population has decreased.

Finally, some news from BART. Train service in the East Bay resumed on Wednesday afternoon after a grass fire near the tracks caused a shutdown. The disruption was reported around 1:10 p.m., affecting service between the Hayward and Union City stations. BART spokesperson Chris Filippi stated the fire occurred near the agency’s Hayward Maintenance Complex. By shortly after 2 p.m., BART was in the process of restoring normal service, with the cause of the fire currently under investigation. During the closure, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit buses provided alternative transportation for riders between the affected stations.

And those are some of the top stories we’re following. Thank you for joining us for Bay City News.