California resident Shannon Johnson lives a few blocks from Imperial Beach’s turquoise water and waves of “perfect little curls” — but Johnson and her two young children haven’t stepped foot on the sand in a year.
“Every time we go by the beach they’re asking, ‘Is it going to be clean? When are they going to fix it?’” said Johnson, 45, a former activist with the Surfrider Foundation, who has been living in Imperial Beach, a small coastal city of 26,000 people 20 minutes from San Diego, since 2010.
Heavy metals, toxic chemicals and bacteria including E. coli have been detected in the water, according to a San Diego State University report released last month. Researchers called the contamination “a public health crisis.” It has resulted in over 700 consecutive days of beach closures, leaving residents like Johnson feeling confined indoors with no end in sight.
Flooding through Mexico’s Tijuana River brings sewage into Imperial Beach, California, which has led to 700 days of beach closures.
Advertisement
Prebys Foundation
Over the last five years, over 100 billion gallons of untreated sewage have flowed through Mexico’s Tijuana River and into the Pacific Ocean at the shores of the seaside town, contaminating the air, water and soil and posing environmental and public health hazards.
In addition to concerns about exposure to contaminants, another factor stemming from the sewage is causing residents to stay inside: “It’s the worst smell. It gets into your lungs. It gets into your clothes. It’s disgusting,” Johnson said.
Aging sewage plants and an “unbearable stink”
The sewage issue isn’t new— concerns about contamination of the Tijuana River date at least to the 1930’s — but the problem has worsened over the years. [“60 Minutes” reported on the problem in 2020 — watch more in the video player above.]
At the crux of it is two aging wastewater plants on either side of the U.S.-Mexico border: the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant and the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant. The former, situated in San Diego County, was constructed in the late 1990s to accommodate the influx of sewage from the growing population in Baja California, Mexico.
Advertisement
“Dangerous pathogens and chemicals in contaminated waters pose a spectrum of short and long-term health risks, spanning gastrointestinal issues to neurological disorders,” according to the SDSU report.
The plant has become overwhelmed as the population increased to over 3 million, as of 2020, and is ill-equipped to handle extreme weather events like Hurricane Hilary in 2023, which exacerbated existing issues with the plant’s infrastructure. On Jan. 11, Mexico marked the start of its rehabilitation efforts at the San Antonio de los Buenos Wastewater Treatment Plant in Tijuana, which releases millions of gallons of sewage a day into the Pacific Ocean. The country agreed to invest $33 million into replacing the decrepit plant and has also contributed $50 million toward the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Sewage seeps into Imperial Beach, a California beach city, through Mexico’s Tijuana River causing beach closures and upending residents’ lives.
Prebys Foundation
In 2022, $300 million in federal funding was designated towards rehabilitating the plant, inspiring optimism among some residents. Marvel Harrison, 67, a psychologist who moved to Imperial Beach in 2020 with her retired husband, said they felt relieved when they learned about the funding.
Advertisement
But since then, the plant has racked up $150 million in repairs, prolonging expansion efforts and prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom to ask Congress for an additional $310 million.
For Harrison and her husband, their future in Imperial Beach hinges on a timely solution. In 2015, the couple began the process of building their home on the water, investing in pricey features like custom windows to incorporate an indoor-outdoor living space. Now, nearly a decade later, the windows remain shut and they contemplate moving.
Marvel Harrison, 67, a psychologist who moved to Imperial Beach in 2020 with her retired husband, has concerns about the sewage seeping into their town.
Marvel Harrison
“I find myself looking at other places we might be able to live. And that’s really disheartening given that this is where and how we wanted to be in retirement,” she said, noting that being in their sixties, “it’s not like we can wait.”
Advertisement
Johnson has been faced with a similar choice. Despite her husband’s family having roots in Imperial Beach stretching back to the 1950s, she said they often look at other options. “You live here to be outside, and we can’t really go outside and feel comfortable and safe,” she said.
In a collection of letters from community members compiled by Harrison calling on elected officials to take action, one resident described the stink as “akin to being trapped in a portable toilet” — a smell so strong it wakes you up at night.
Potential health impacts reach beyond the stench
But the air carries more than just a stench. A recent study found evidence of coastal water pollution from the Tijuana River in sea spray aerosol capable of potentially diffusing far enough to reach places like schools and homes that wouldn’t otherwise be touched by the contamination. The implications of contamination by air are not yet known and need further study, according to the SDSU report, leaving some members of the community grappling for answers.
Johnson, who said she has health issues and has had two unexplained pulmonary embolisms, worries about whether the environment could be a contributing factor. “In the back of my mind, I’m like, does that have something to do with the air that I’m breathing?”
Her children, ages 9 and 10, attend elementary school near the river valley, where the smell can be especially strong. “They’re like, ‘Why is it so smelly? Is it safe?’” Johnson said. “I’m like, yeah, I guess so. What am I supposed to tell them?”
Advertisement
Flooding in Imperial Beach, California due to aging waste treatment plants.
Prebys Foundation
In some cases, residents’ concerns have led to lifestyle changes beyond being unable to enjoy the beach.
Harrison, who said her community is in a state of “chronic angst,” thinks twice before inviting guests to stay at her house out of concern for potential health impacts. She said sewage is a constant topic of conversation within her social circles.
“As much as the stink permeates the air, the topic permeates the stress and anxiety of everybody’s life here,” she said.
Advertisement
Another reminder of the sewage’s impact is its effect on wildlife. Bottlenose dolphins, increasingly found stranded in San Diego, are believed to have died from sepsis caused by a bacteria sometimes found in contaminated water. According to the SDSU report, the dolphins “serve as sentinels for the risk of possible human exposures to dangerous bacteria.”
Among the more pressing health threats to emerge from the sewage, according to the report, are human and livestock diseases from Mexico that have been eradicated in California, and antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
“There is a potential for both short- and long-term health risks associated with exposure, which really underscores the need for more comprehensive monitoring and research,” Dr. Paula Stigler Granados, one of the report’s lead authors, said in a recent news conference.
Imperial Beach has been hit by a wave of complications from the sewage. But for Johnson, the goal is simple: “I just want to see this resolved so that my kids can go back to the way it’s supposed to be and be able to enjoy the beach.”
4.6 earthquake jolts Northern California awake, residents report shaking homes for miles
Advertisement
READY… ACCORDING TO THE MONTEREY COUNTY OF EMERGENCY SERVICES THERE’S ONLY BEEN 429 EARTHQUAKES IN OUR AREA THAT ARE ABOVE A 4.0 MAGNITUDE. BUT OFFICIALS AND EXPERTS SAY IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THE NEXT BIG ONE. NOW TO PREPARE YOU CAN SIGN UP WITH YOUR COUNTY’S EMERGENCY SERVICES ALERTS BY GOING ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD THIS APP CALLED MYSHAKE. IF A QUAKE ABOVE 4.5 MAGNITUDE HITS CALIFORNIA, YOU CAN GET AN ALERT A FEW SECONDS YOU FEEL IT IN YOUR AREA. THAT DEPENDS ON HOW CLOSE YOUR ARE TO THE EPICENTER. IT WILL REMIND YOU WHAT TO DO AND ALLOWS YOU TO SHARE AND SEE WHAT DAMAGES HAVE BEEN REPORTED NEAR YOU. NOW DOWNLOADING SOME SORT OF ALERT SYSTEM IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US LIVING NEAR THE COAST. I SPOKE WITH SANTA CRUZ COUNTY’S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND THEY HAD FOUR REMINDERS: FIRST ONE – PREP YOUR LIVING SPACE. TRY TO AVOID PLACING BOOKSHELVES AND BIG FURNITURE NEAR ENTRY WAYS THAT COULD FALL AND BLOCK DURING AN EARTHQUAKE. SECONDLY – LIKE FOR ANY NATURAL DISASTER: HAVE A PLAN. WHEN IT COMES TO AN EARTHQUAKE, UTILITIES LIKE YOUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM MAY NOT WORK. THIRD – MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GO BAG PREPPED WITH YOUR FOOD, WATER, CASH… AND THE LAST ONE: PUT ALL YOUR ESSENTIAL IDENTITY AND HEALTH DOCUMENTS IN ONE PLACE SO YOU CAN JUST GRAB IT AND GO. THE BIGGEST EARTHQUAKE TO HIT OUR NECK OF THE WOODS WAS THE LOMA PRIETA QUAKE IN 1989. THAT CLOCKE
Advertisement
4.6 earthquake jolts Northern California awake, residents report shaking homes for miles
Updated: 9:36 AM CDT Apr 2, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
Advertisement
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Northern California early Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, with many saying they felt their homes shake for a few seconds in a 100-mile stretch, including San Francisco. The quake hit at 1:41 a.m. PST east-southeast of Boulder Creek, the USGS said. It had a depth of 6.7 miles. Boulder Creek, which has about 5,000 people, is about 65 miles southeast of San Francisco.Some residents said they were first awakened by earthquake alerts on their phones, then felt their beds and windows shake. Some items were knocked off store shelves in Boulder Creek.The shaking was felt in other parts of the Central Coast, including Marina, where at least one resident said they felt slight shaking and were awakened by it.The National Tsunami Warning Center said there is no tsunami danger from the earthquake. No damage or injuries were immediately reported.
BOULDER CREEK, Calif. —
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Northern California early Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, with many saying they felt their homes shake for a few seconds in a 100-mile stretch, including San Francisco.
Advertisement
The quake hit at 1:41 a.m. PST east-southeast of Boulder Creek, the USGS said. It had a depth of 6.7 miles. Boulder Creek, which has about 5,000 people, is about 65 miles southeast of San Francisco.
Some residents said they were first awakened by earthquake alerts on their phones, then felt their beds and windows shake. Some items were knocked off store shelves in Boulder Creek.
The shaking was felt in other parts of the Central Coast, including Marina, where at least one resident said they felt slight shaking and were awakened by it.
Advertisement
The National Tsunami Warning Center said there is no tsunami danger from the earthquake.
No damage or injuries were immediately reported.
Advertisement
`;
}
function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
var iframeId = ‘weather-iframe-‘ + containerId;
var iframe = document.getElementById(iframeId);
if (iframe && iframe.src) {
var originalSrc = iframe.src;
iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
}
function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;
Advertisement
function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-tab-id]’).forEach(function(tab) {
tab.classList.remove(‘open’);
tab.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘false’);
});
var targetContent = container.querySelector(‘[data-content-id=”‘ + tabName + ‘”]’);
if (targetContent) {
targetContent.style.display = ‘block’;
targetContent.removeAttribute(‘hidden’);
}
}
function loadWeatherData() {
// If weather data is already being loaded, wait for it
if (window.weatherDataPromise) {
window.weatherDataPromise.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
}
});
return;
}
Advertisement
var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };
try {
var storedLocations = localStorage.getItem(‘hrst.zip.history’);
if (storedLocations) {
var locations = JSON.parse(storedLocations);
if (locations && locations.length > 0) {
location = locations[0];
}
}
} catch (e) {}
var apiUrl = (window.DEWY_HOSTNAME || ”) + ‘/api/v1/weather/full/’ + location.zip;
if (window.fetch) {
window.weatherDataPromise = fetch(apiUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var article = container.closest(‘.article–wrapper’);
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
return data;
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.error(‘Error loading weather:’, error);
// Reset to unknown background on error
updateWeatherBackground(‘unknown’);
});
}
}
function updateWeatherAlertsBar(weatherData) {
var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
if (!weatherWatchHeader) return;
Advertisement
var weatherWatchText = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-text’);
var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);
if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
}
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.kcci.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘mobile-weather’, “https://www.kcci.com/alerts”);”);
}
} else {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
var initialOnclick = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’);
if (initialHref) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, initialHref);
}
if (initialOnclick) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, initialOnclick);
}
}
}
}
function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}
var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
if (iconEl && weatherData.current.icon_name) {
iconEl.className=”weather-grid–current-icon weather-current-icon icon icon-weather-” + weatherData.current.icon_name;
}
Advertisement
var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
if (skyEl) {
skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
skyEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, ‘Current condition: ‘ + skyValue);
}
var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
if (feelsEl) {
feelsEl.textContent = feelsLikeValue + ‘°F’;
feelsEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}
var weatherContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-temp-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
var summary = ‘Current temperature ‘ + tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit, ‘ +
skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}
function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
var visibleItems = isWeatherBoxV2 ? 6 : 5;
if (weatherData.hourly) {
var hourlyContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-hourly-forecast’);
if (hourlyContainer) {
var html=””;
var maxHours = Math.min(visibleItems, weatherData.hourly.length);
for (var i = 0; i 0 ? currentIndex – 1 : tabs.length – 1;
tabs[prevIndex].focus();
break;
case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex
`;
}
function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
var iframeId = ‘weather-iframe-‘ + containerId;
var iframe = document.getElementById(iframeId);
if (iframe && iframe.src) {
var originalSrc = iframe.src;
iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
}
Advertisement
function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;
function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-tab-id]’).forEach(function(tab) {
tab.classList.remove(‘open’);
tab.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘false’);
});
var targetContent = container.querySelector(‘[data-content-id=”‘ + tabName + ‘”]’);
if (targetContent) {
targetContent.style.display = ‘block’;
targetContent.removeAttribute(‘hidden’);
}
}
Advertisement
function loadWeatherData() {
// If weather data is already being loaded, wait for it
if (window.weatherDataPromise) {
window.weatherDataPromise.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
}
});
return;
}
var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };
try {
var storedLocations = localStorage.getItem(‘hrst.zip.history’);
if (storedLocations) {
var locations = JSON.parse(storedLocations);
if (locations && locations.length > 0) {
location = locations[0];
}
}
} catch (e) {}
var apiUrl = (window.DEWY_HOSTNAME || ”) + ‘/api/v1/weather/full/’ + location.zip;
if (window.fetch) {
window.weatherDataPromise = fetch(apiUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var article = container.closest(‘.article–wrapper’);
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
return data;
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.error(‘Error loading weather:’, error);
// Reset to unknown background on error
updateWeatherBackground(‘unknown’);
});
}
}
Advertisement
function updateWeatherAlertsBar(weatherData) {
var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
if (!weatherWatchHeader) return;
var weatherWatchText = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-text’);
var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);
if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
}
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.kcci.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘sidelist-weather’, “https://www.kcci.com/alerts”);”);
}
} else {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
var initialOnclick = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’);
if (initialHref) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, initialHref);
}
if (initialOnclick) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, initialOnclick);
}
}
}
}
function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}
Advertisement
var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
if (iconEl && weatherData.current.icon_name) {
iconEl.className=”weather-grid–current-icon weather-current-icon icon icon-weather-” + weatherData.current.icon_name;
}
var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
if (skyEl) {
skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
skyEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, ‘Current condition: ‘ + skyValue);
}
var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
if (feelsEl) {
feelsEl.textContent = feelsLikeValue + ‘°F’;
feelsEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}
var weatherContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-temp-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
var summary = ‘Current temperature ‘ + tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit, ‘ +
skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}
function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
var visibleItems = isWeatherBoxV2 ? 6 : 5;
if (weatherData.hourly) {
var hourlyContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-hourly-forecast’);
if (hourlyContainer) {
var html=””;
var maxHours = Math.min(visibleItems, weatherData.hourly.length);
for (var i = 0; i 0 ? currentIndex – 1 : tabs.length – 1;
tabs[prevIndex].focus();
break;
case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex
Just days after Northern California saw a stretch of record high temperatures, the high Sierra Nevada is once again getting snow.
Chain controls went up on Interstate 80 in the Sierra early Wednesday morning.
As of 7 a.m., controls are in effect westbound from the Donner Lake Interchange to Rainbow. On the eastbound side, chain controls are in effect from Kingvale to Truckee.
Advertisement
Highway 50 is not seeing any restrictions at this time.
Other major Sierra roads seeing chain controls Wednesday include Highways 4, 49 and 88.
Wednesday also marks the day California’s Department of Water Resources will conduct its fourth snow survey of the season. As of Monday, the statewide snowpack is at about 18% of average.
FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Preparations are underway for a major bipartisan gubernatorial candidate forum set for Wednesday at Fresno State, where several high-profile candidates for California governor will make their case to voters.
The event is expected to spotlight issues impacting not only the Central Valley but also communities across the state, with a strong focus on affordability, agriculture, and water policy.
Confirmed candidates scheduled to appear include:
Xavier Becerra, attorney and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Chad Bianco, Riverside County sheriff
Steve Hilton, author and Fox News contributor
Matt Mahan, San Jose mayor
Katie Porter, former U.S. representative
Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor
The forum will be moderated by Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes and former State Assemblymember Kristin Olsen, who say their goal is to ensure Central Valley concerns remain front and center.
“There are so many issues related to affordability right now, energy costs, housing costs, regulatory costs, even food prices,” Olsen said. “These are real challenges affecting families, farmers, and farm workers in the Central Valley. We want to make sure candidates clearly explain how they’ll address them if elected.”
Advertisement
Moderators say they are prepared to press candidates for direct answers.
“That will be our challenge,” Olsen said. “We’ll clearly lay out expectations for candid responses, and if someone doesn’t answer the question, we’ll follow up.”
Mendes emphasized the importance of water policy, a critical issue for the region’s agricultural economy, noting that many statewide candidates may lack a full understanding of how California’s water systems operate.
“A lot of candidates don’t fully understand water movement in this state, how storage works, or the difference between surface water and groundwater,” Mendes said.
He added that keeping candidates focused may be one of the biggest challenges during the forum.
Advertisement
“We might have to stop them and remind them to answer the question instead of running out the clock,” Mendes said.
Mendes, who is a registered republican, and Olsen, who has since switched from republican to no party preference, have both moderated in the past, though this marks their first time moderating a gubernatorial forum.
They stressed that their approach will be firm but nonpartisan.
“This isn’t about being partisan, it’s about answering the questions,” Mendes said.
Organizers say hosting the forum in Fresno is intentional, aiming to elevate issues specific to the San Joaquin Valley — a region they say is often overlooked in statewide political discussions.
Advertisement
The forum is scheduled to run from noon to 1:30 p.m. and is sponsored by 30 agricultural associations statewide. It will be streamed live on the FOX26 YouTube page.