California

Southern California sky is lit up by Valentine’s Day SpaceX launch

Published

2 weeks ago

February 15, 2026

Southern California sky is lit up by Valentine’s Day SpaceX launch

Southern Californians out on Saturday night for Valentine’s Day took a break from staring longingly into each other’s eyes to gaze at something else: a SpaceX rocket blazing across the early evening Southland sky.

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday night from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket carried 24 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit, according to the company.

Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet provider, has launched about 11,000 Starlink broadband satellites into space since 2019, using its workhorse Falcon 9.

At 7:03 p.m., SpaceX posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that the 24 Starlink satellites had successfully been deployed.

SpaceX said on its launch page that residents in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties might experience one or more sonic booms during the launch, a phenomenon that has long upset residents and raised concerns about the booms’ effect on nearby endangered species.

SpaceX has three more launches scheduled from Vandenberg this month, the next expected to take place Wednesday, according to the company’s site.

This was the fourth SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg this month.

The Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket. After its stage separation process Saturday night, the rocket’s first stage will land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean, according to the company.

“Love is in the air,” one X user quipped, “and so is Falcon 9.”

Times staff writer Laurence Darmiento contributed to this report.

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California

Preliminary magnitude 3.3 earthquake strikes near San Ramon, USGS says

Published

6 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Preliminary magnitude 3.3 earthquake strikes near San Ramon, USGS says

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KGO) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.4 struck near San Ramon at 11:21 p.m. Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

USGS said the tremor was about 8.4 km in depth.

According to the Geological Survey, people typically report feeling earthquakes larger than about magnitude 2.5.

The closer to the surface an earthquake occurs, the more ground shaking and potential damage it will cause.

No injuries have been reported.

This is the latest quake in San Ramon, which has seen multiple strings of tremors in the past several months.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

MAP: Significant San Francisco Bay Area fault lines and strong earthquakes
Zoom in on the map below and compare where you live to the significant faults and where strong earthquakes have struck in the Bay Area.

Stay with ABC7 News for the latest details on this developing story.

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California

More SoCal rallies for and against military action in Iran expected on Sunday and Monday

Published

18 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

More SoCal rallies for and against military action in Iran expected on Sunday and Monday

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Worshippers across Los Angeles were met with an increased law enforcement presence on Sunday as police and sheriff’s deputies stepped up patrols outside mosques, synagogues and cultural landmarks following the strikes on Iran.

Local officials said there are no credible threats to Southern California, but the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department heightened visibility as a precaution to ensure communities stay safe.

More demonstrations tied to the attack on Iran are expected Sunday and Monday. Several protests were held across Southern California on Saturday.

READ MORE | Rallies for and against military action in Iran draw demonstrators across Southern California

While Iranian-Americans celebrated in Westwood, protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles to oppose the Trump administration’s attacks against Iran.

While some groups gathered in downtown Los Angeles to protest the strikes, others assembled in Westwood to celebrate “the fall of the Ayotollah,” according to organizers.

Authorities said they will continue monitoring events as the region prepares for additional gatherings in the days ahead.

This is a developing story. This article will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.

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