The Brief

Todd Nelson could feel it coming on. And he began to run. He was going dark again, retreating to a place where he would curl into a fetal position with his thumb in his mouth, watching from behind closed eyes as his personal reel of horror unspooled. Sights and sounds from three decades of firefighting cued up — shrieks from behind an impenetrable wall of flame, limbs severed in car accidents and the eyes of the terrified and the dead he was meant to save.

Nelson was running on the Foresthill Bridge, the highest in California, fleeing cops and firefighters after his wife reported that he was suicidal. He hurdled a concrete barrier and straddled the railing of the bridge in the Sierra Nevada foothills, staring down at a large rock 730 feet below. As the rescuers closed in, Nelson leaned precariously over the chasm. His strategy — making the fatal plunge appear accidental, allowing his family to collect his life insurance.

It was not Nelson’s first suicide attempt — the former Cal Fire captain had tried to take his life many times before. But that 2021 ordeal, which led to an involuntary 72-hour psychiatric hold, something in him shifted. He was ready to admit that he had a problem and seek medical help.

The incident began the firefighter’s arduous, years-long journey toward wellness, threaded through a bureaucratic labyrinth strewn with more obstacles than he’d ever encountered on a California wildfire: finding qualified medical help, battling an insurance company to pay for it and navigating the tangled morass of California’s workers’ comp. All without going broke or returning to his dark place.

No one tracks how many of Cal Fire’s 12,000 firefighters and other employees suffer from mental health problems, but department leaders say post traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts have become a silent epidemic at the agency responsible for fighting California’s increasingly erratic and destructive wildfires. In an online survey of wildland firefighters nationwide, about a third reported considering suicide and nearly 40% said they had colleagues who had committed suicide; many also reported depression and anxiety.

California’s workers’ comp — which is supposed to help people get medical treatment for workplace illnesses and injuries — can be a nightmare for firefighters and other first responders with PTSD.

Claims filed by firefighters and law enforcement officers are more likely to involve PTSD than claims by the average worker in California — and they have been denied more often than claims for other medical conditions, according to the research institute RAND.

From 2008 to 2019 in California, workers’ comp officials denied PTSD claims filed by firefighters and other first responders at more than twice the rate of their other work-related conditions, such as back injuries and pneumonia, RAND reported. About a quarter of firefighters’ 1,000 PTSD claims were denied, a higher rate than for PTSD claims from other California workers.

“It’s a fail-first system. You have to get a broken leg to show you are in need of support. With mental illness, we are constantly having to prove to everybody why we were ill. You have to get to the point of suicide,” said Jessica Cruz, the California chief executive officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Jennifer Alexander, Nelson’s therapist, said patients in acute crisis simply don’t have the mental capacity to ride herd on stubborn workers’ comp claims. Alexander said she was once on hold for more than six hours with Cal Fire’s mental health provider attempting to get one of her bills paid, and she has waited years to get paid for treating firefighters.  

“People give up. It’s a battle… They are not fully functional,” said Alexander, who for 21 years has specialized in treating first responders with trauma and PTSD and has spent an estimated 25,000 hours treating them. “You are not talking about healthy individuals who can sit on the phone for hours.”

Cal Fire firefighters and other workers also have trouble finding qualified therapists, especially outside major cities in rural areas, where many are based. In 2021, less than half of people with a mental illness in the U.S. were able to access timely care. Therapists are reluctant to take workers’ comp, or sometimes any type of insurance. because they often have to wait months or years to be reimbursed.

Therapist Jennifer Alexander listens to Nelson during a treatment session. She called workers’ comp a “total system breakdown.”

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Cristian Gonzalez

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CalMatters

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Michael Dworsky, a senior economist at the research institute RAND and one of the study’s project leaders, called workers’ comp “challenging and bureaucratic.”

“Even if the claim is accepted, there can be disputes about the medical necessity of individual bills. Just because your claim is accepted, doesn’t mean you are done fighting with the insurance company,” he said.

A presumption of pain but still a tangled web

Employers in California must provide workers’ comp insurance that will pay for medical costs when a worker is injured on the job. But in reality, workers’ comp, which serves 16 million Californians, can be ungainly, confusing and, sometimes, no help at all. The system, administered by the state Department of Industrial Relations, is massive: In 2022 almost 750,000 workers’ comp claims were filed statewide.

When a firefighter requests coverage for medical treatment, insurance adjusters review the case to determine if it’s medically necessary. If the claim is denied, delayed or modified, a patient may request an independent medical review by so-called “ghost doctors” who review the case.

Systemwide in California, patients who appeal their denied workers’ comp claims, don’t fare well: Last year 3,238 appeals for mental health claims were filed, but workers’ comp officials rejected three-quarters of them, about the same as the 10-year average, according to data from the Department of Industrial Relations requested by CalMatters. (Agency officials said they could not provide data on claims from first responders.)

For decades, the California Legislature has wrestled with how to fix workers’ comp — in one year alone lawmakers proposed nearly two dozen bills.

In 2020 lawmakers took a major step, adding a legal shortcut or “presumption” to the state labor code, stipulating that firefighters and other first responders are considered at high risk for PTSD in the course of doing their job.

That means first responders no longer carry the burden of proving their illness is work-related. However, a claims adjuster can still question the diagnosis or assert that the trauma was caused by other factors, such as military service or family events. A law enacted last year extended the presumption to 2029.

When you're leading the polls, everyone takes their shots. Xavier Becerra found that out Thursday night as six gubernatorial rivals ganged up on him in the final debate before California's primary — attacking everything from his ethics to his ideas to his choice of political consultants.

It was their last chance to make a personal appeal to California voters ahead of the June 2 election to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom.

While the San Francisco debate was calmer than the brawls in the last few meet-ups, everyone’s target was the Democratic frontrunner Becerra.

These are five takeaways:

Becerra was the one to beat:

Opponents piled on with anything that might stick, from his acceptance of a campaign contribution from Chevron to his failure to answer questions at a housing forum last week to fraud in the hospice system while Becerra was secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration.

But the Becerra weakness du jour was the guilty plea earlier Thursday of his former political strategist Dana Williamson, who admitted to conspiring with Becerra’s former longtime chief of staff to steal money from his campaign account.

Opponents were unified in their skepticism about Becerra’s repeated claims that he wasn’t involved. Despite the plea deal that did not accuse him, Democratic rival Katie Porter went so far as to say he could still be implicated in the case.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a moderate backed by tech leaders, went out of his way to call Becerra the “embodiment of the status quo” in Sacramento.

Several candidates attacked Becerra over his lack of a funding plan for his ideas, including Porter, who pulled out a makeshift whiteboard in a callback to her signature move in Congress.

“What is Mr. Becerra’s revenue plan?” she pressed.

The former health secretary took a page out of Newsom’s book, pointing to an idea to restrict some corporations’ use of tax credits.

Newsom proposed that earlier in the day as part of his state budget.

Once lagging in polls and fundraising, Becerra has surged since ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out in early April over sexual assault allegations, offering Democratic voters a familiar face who’s held public office for decades and who frequently talks about fighting with Trump.

And he made the most of it:

Becerra appeared pleased with the attention.

“This is what happens when you take the lead in the polls,” he said. “They all come at you.”

Republican frontrunner Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, quickly jumped in to correct him: Hilton is leading, per some polls. (Accounting for margins of error, both candidates are essentially tied.)

But Becerra used the moment to try to shut the door on the Williamson scandal, touting a statement from the prosecutor’s office Thursday saying that “no candidate running for governor has been implicated” in the case.

Former Becerra political strategist Dana Williamson arrives for a hearing in Sacramento on May 14, 2026.

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Fred Greaves

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CalMatters

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Earlier in the week, he refused to answer when a reporter asked if he was sure Williamson couldn’t connect him to the case. Asked Thursday if he could guarantee the case wouldn’t be a “distraction” if he advances to November, he responded, “I can.”

Mahan looks to separate from Republicans:

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has made a name for himself as a moderate Democrat willing to take on his own party. That has included his early support for Prop. 36, the tough-on-crime ballot measure that Newsom and the party opposed in 2024 but which voters passed overwhelmingly, and his campaign proposals to tie pay to performance in the public sector that rankle organized labor.

But on TV in a state where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans and Trump is anathema, he sought to clarify that he’s not a Republican.

“I’m going to offer something different,” he said. “Not MAGA and not more of the same.”

Mahan appeared to relish his spats with Hilton, taking care to point out Hilton’s association with Trump and his former employer, Fox News. Mahan criticized the Republican’s plan to expand California suburbs by building on undeveloped land as likely to drive up carbon emissions, and attacked him over rumors he was pushed out of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s government.

“I attacked the extremes on both sides,” Mahan said after the debate.

Mahan was the only Democrat not to say on stage that he would support any of the other Democrats if they advanced to November and he didn’t, instead naming fellow moderate former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, because “mayors get things done.”

Later, he wavered, first saying “it depends” when asked if he would support another Democrat, clarifying, “I would vote for a fellow Democrat against a Republican.”

Everyone but Hilton would restrict chatbots:

When moderators asked a lightning-round “yes or no” question on whether the state should more strictly regulate artificial intelligence chatbots that interact with children, the candidates appeared united across party lines.

Democrats in the state Capitol this year are already pursuing stricter chatbot regulations after advocates decried a law Newsom signed last year as too weak. Steyer promoted his brother’s influential work on the topic.

In contrast, Hilton hesitated, then refused to answer yes or no, saying “it’s not as simple as that” and expressing a desire not to over-regulate the industry.

“It’s not the right way to discuss a very important and serious issue,” he said as opponents and moderators tried to pin him down. “It causes problems that are unintended.”

Hilton moved to California from the United Kingdom to Silicon Valley in 2012 to join his wife Rachel Whetstone, a prominent tech executive.

Republicans boost each other:

Even before the moderators asked the candidates who else they would support if they didn’t make it onto the November ballot, the two Republicans were already practically high-fiving.

In previous debates, interviews and TV ads the two have attacked each other, but by Thursday they were often referencing each other’s points.

“Only two of us actually represent real change,” Hilton said of himself and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

With numerous Democrats competing for liberal support, Hilton has consistently led in the polls. While he and Bianco have previously declined to specifically endorse the other, the only realistic way for a Republican to win in blue California is for both Republicans to come in Nos. 1 and 2 and shut Democrats out of the general election.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday agreed to draft a law banning higher-powered electric bikes from all city sidewalks, saying they pose a threat to pedestrians and should be used elsewhere.

The ban, proposed by Councilmember Daryl Supernaw, would still allow slower e-bikes that max out at 20 mph on residential sidewalks, but Class 3 e-bikes, which are capable of speeds up to 28 mph, wouldn’t be allowed on any sidewalks.

The originally proposed ban would have also extended to the city’s multi-use pathways, such as the shoreline path and those along the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers, as well as those that cut through El Dorado and Heartwell Parks, but the council agreed to scale back that proposal for now and reconsider in six months.

Councilmember Megan Kerr said a blanket ban would unfairly penalize those who ride the higher-powered Class 3 e-bikes on paths to ferry children and their belongings to work or home. She urged the body to pause adoption until a later date, to allow the city to gather data and recommend which paths should be exempt.

“I hesitate to go to the most restrictive in this moment when we can step up to more restrictive as we get additional information,” Kerr said. “I would hate to limit a safe form of travel for folks with a blanket that we’re not so sure about.”

The ordinance follows the growing prevalence of electronic bikes and motorcycles, and complaints about their use on sidewalks and footpaths, where an increasing number of pedestrians worry about being struck.

Supernaw brought the item forward in October, after being inundated with complaints about dangerous riding along the San Gabriel River pathway.

“I didn’t realize it could devolve to where it is now,” he said. “It certainly didn’t get better on its own.”

Electric bikes, motorcycles and dirt bikes have surged in popularity in recent years, especially among teenagers who see them as a new means of freedom and adrenaline.

But the vehicles’ high speeds come with real dangers. From 2023 to 2025, Long Beach Memorial Hospital’s trauma department alone has seen 168 e-bike-related injuries.

Edna Transon, a nurse and program manager at MemorialCare, said their trauma bay has seen a spike in serious injuries — skull fractures, brain damage, broken ribs and lacerations — that require multiple surgeries and longer recovery times.

“They’re not scrapes, they’re not bumps, they’re not bruises, they’re not even a regular fracture, they’re way more serious,” Transon said. “You’ve seen loss of legs, loss of life.”

City and hospital data show that a large number of riders are teens, especially those aged 10 to 17, though those coming into trauma bays — riders and pedestrians alike — are as young as 5 and old as 92.

Most of the effort to regulate e-bikes has been fought at the state level and in schools. Under California law, e-bikes and e-motorcycles are separately classified by motor power, top speed and whether the bike has working pedals. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, which go up to 20 mph, don’t require licenses or insurance, while Class 3 riders need to be at least 16.

Last month, State Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert to retailers, parents and manufacturers that warned of the current laws and pending legislation around the devices. At his prodding, Amazon last week also announced it would stop selling higher-powered e-bikes in California.

But the danger around the bikes has prompted nearby cities, counties and school districts to take strong stances against their usage, especially around Class 3 e-bikes.

A bicyclist rides along the Los Angeles River out of Downtown Long Beach Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

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Brandon Richardson

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Long Beach Post

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San Diego bans all e-bikes on sidewalks and near businesses, and requires riders to be at least 13. Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach prohibit Class 3 e-bikes on their beach bike paths and often require riders to power down the motor or walk their bikes in high-traffic areas near the piers.

Starting next year, elementary and middle school students at the Newport-Mesa Unified School District are banned from commuting on e-bikes, following a school board vote last month. School districts in Palos Verdes and Redondo Beach require safety courses for students.

And Huntington Beach, which bans e-bikes on sidewalks and requires riders to dismount in some areas downtown, has used child endangerment statutes to go after the parents of minors who injure or kill someone with e-motos or overpowered e-bikes.

Long Beach police say they have limited enforcement options for law-flouting cyclists and won’t pursue riders for a simple traffic violation, saying a serious crime needs to have been committed.

LBPD Commander Shaleana Benson said the department is capable of using a drone to follow cyclists until officers can either divert them from a high-traffic area or issue them citations and potentially impound the bike if it can go over 20 mph.

But police say they would rather help start a diversion program, citing data that a large swathe of problematic riders are teenagers at local schools. But they said that would require new funding and additional staffing. City officials also warn they can only control where these bikes are used, and cannot outright ban their sale, classification and power limits.

“A lot of things are being tested out right now,” said Paul Van Dyk, a city traffic engineer with Long Beach Public Works.

You can find Long Beach’s current bike, e-scooter and pedestrian laws here.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Eight FIFA World Cup games will come to Inglewood this summer, each with tens of thousands of fans and, presumably, a flood of traffic. 

If you live in Inglewood or the surrounding communities, it takes just a few minutes to sign up for email alerts from the city of Inglewood ahead of potential traffic-inducing events.

Here’s how it’s done, step-by-step.

1. Start here at the city of Inglewood’s online Alert Center. 
2. Select “Notify Me” 
3. Click “Notify Me Sign In” 
4. Create an account, if you don’t have one, or sign in. 
5. Return to the “Notify Me” page and scroll to the “Alert Center” section
6. Select the mail icon to receive alerts by email. Confirm your email.  
7. Select the phone icon to receive alerts by text. Confirm your phone number. 
8. Enjoy being in the know.

If you want to know when to avoid driving but don’t want to sign up for alerts, here are the dates and kick-off times for the eight matches. 

Group Stage:

• Friday, June 12, at 6 p.m.: USA v. Paraguay 
• Monday, June 15, at  6 p.m.: Iran vs. New Zealand 
• Thursday, June 18, at  12 p.m.: Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Sunday, June 2,1 at 12 p.m.: Belgium vs. Iran 
• Thursday, June 25, at 7 p.m. Türkiye vs. USA

Round of 32: 

• Sunday, June 28, at 12 p.m.: Group A runners-up vs. Group B runners-up
• Thursday, July 2, at 12 p.m.: Group H winners vs. Group J runners-up

Quarterfinal:

• Friday, July 10, at 12 p.m.: Winner match 93 vs. Winner match 94

May gray skies will continue to keep the mornings on the cooler side, but come later this afternoon we'll see some sunshine and slightly warmer temps.

High temperatures along the beaches will stay in the mid 60s to around 70 degrees, and reach the lower 70s for the inland coast.

For the valleys, temperatures will reach the upper 70s. Meanwhile the Inland Empire will see highs up to 83 degrees.

Coachella Valley will see highs from 95 to 100 degrees.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the National Weather Service is forecasting high surf and dangerous rip currents for nearby beaches.

Come Saturday afternoon around 3:00, Ventura County will be under a high surf advisory. That will last until 9 a.m. Monday. Waves could be five to eight feet tall.

Meanwhile, the Malibu coast and L.A. County beaches will see dangerous rip currents and breaking waves starting Saturday evening through Monday morning. Swimmers, surfers and beach goers should be careful.