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“Ultra rare” and endangered sperm whale pod spotted off California coast in “once a year” opportunity

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“Ultra rare” and endangered sperm whale pod spotted off California coast in “once a year” opportunity


Those who were out on the water off Orange County, California, recently may have seen an “ultra rare” and “seriously awesome” sighting. A local boating crew has reported seeing a small pod of sperm whales, an endangered species that the crew says is rarely seen in the area off Laguna Beach. 

Crew members with Newport Coastal Adventure first reported the whales on June 4, saying they saw three of the animals feeding. 

“This is something that might happen once a year if you are lucky,” the company wrote on Facebook. “Our top notch crew did a great job spotting and tracking these rare creatures into the sunset allowing 3 boat loads of passengers to experience a ‘bucket list’ sighting.” 

Then they saw them again just days later, when a crew left Newport Harbor around 4:45 p.m. They had been looking for a blue whale, but instead saw “45 degree angled spouts, blowing off the head of several sperm whales.” Those spouts are the animals’ blowholes, they said, which are known for having a “unique placement…on the side of the head.” 

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At that time, all the whales seemed to be eating in different spots and weren’t spending much time on the ocean’s surface. But when they finished, the whale trio got together to provide “an awesome show of flukes high in the air,” crewmembers said. 

SPERM WHALE STORYTIME! On Saturday and Sunday we had an encounter with a group of 3 very rare whales. Our last Adventure…

Posted by Newport Coastal Adventure on Wednesday, June 7, 2023

That sighting prompted them to go out to the area again the following day. And it was during that excursion that they got another sense of the massive creatures. Using a specialized hydrophone, they picked up the sounds of sperm whales communicating, about 30 miles out from Newport Beach. 

Based on their recordings and location, the crew determined the whales had traveled more than 20 miles from where they were seen the evening prior. 

Before these events, the last time Newport Coastal Adventure crewmembers saw sperm whales was in November of 2022. 

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“These animals spend most of their time very far from shore, and are only rarely seen within range of trips departing from Newport Beach,” they said. “Newport Coastal Adventure has a track record in recent years utilizing hydrophone equipment to successfully track down what some say is the world’s loudest animal.” 

Captain Dave’s, a marine life tour operator in Dana Point, California, says that these whales are in the region year-round, but it’s not often that they emerge in such a spectacle that was recently observed.

“Because of their love for deep sea diving in offshore waters, their visits are very rare and extremely special,” the operator’s website says.  

Sperm whales – the largest species of toothed whales – are considered endangered, according to NOAA Fisheries, with roughly 2,000 whales estimated to live off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington. Their status stems from nearly two centuries of being hunted, from 1800 to 1987, during which time the commercial whaling industry “nearly decimated” the species’ entire population, NOAA says. 

Whaling is not a threat to the animals anymore, the agency said, but the populations are “still recovering” worldwide. And while whaling is not the biggest threat anymore – they still face several other issues. Vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, ocean noise, pollution, oil spills and climate change remain their biggest threats. 

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California Shelves Repeal of 1950 Housing Law That Stoked Racial Tension | KQED

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California Shelves Repeal of 1950 Housing Law That Stoked Racial Tension | KQED


“While SCA 2 was one of many efforts to help address the housing crisis, the November’s ballot will be very crowded, and reaching voters will be difficult and expensive,” Allen said in a statement. “In addition, the legislature recently passed my SB 469, which substantially addresses some of the most significant concerns about how Article 34 might be impacting housing production.”

SB 469 clarifies that the use of state affordable housing dollars does not trigger Article 34’s requirement for voter approval. Allen said his focus is on determining whether these efforts are “making a significant dent in addressing the problem,” adding that quickly building more affordable housing is a priority.

Backed by the California Real Estate Association, the forerunner to the current California Association of Realtors, Article 34 was first adopted by voters in 1950. Realtors played on voters’ fears that affordable housing would lead to greater racial integration of exclusively white neighborhoods.

CAR issued a formal apology in 2022 for its past support of Article 34, with association President Otto Catrina condemning the actions and vowing to address the legacy of its “discriminatory policies and practices.”

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The organization “remains a strong supporter of the repeal of Article 34 … which adds unnecessary hurdles and costs to the creation of affordable housing,” CAR spokesperson Sanjay Wagle said in a statement.

Wagle noted that a majority of Californians support repealing the provision but cited research showing a voter education campaign would be needed to explain the article’s effects.

“The cost of such a campaign in an election year with so many initiatives on the ballot made this campaign more costly and difficult, thus making it more logical to pursue a repeal on a future ballot,” Wagle wrote. “We thank Sen. Allen and Sen. Wiener for their efforts on this repeal effort and look forward to working [with] them and other stakeholders on this issue in the future.”





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California Quarterback Commits to Penn State’s 2026 Recruiting Class

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California Quarterback Commits to Penn State’s 2026 Recruiting Class


Though Penn State has been busily filling its 2025 recruiting class in June, the program hasn’t stopped looking ahead. The Nittany Lions on Tuesday received a commitment from 4-star California quarterback Troy Huhn, who became the second player in Penn State football’s 2026 recruiting class.

Huhn (6-4, 205 pounds) will be a junior at Mission Hills High, just north of San Diego. He threw for 1,623 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. Huhn quickly built a strong offer sheet that included Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Auburn and Notre Dame, among many others. Huhn took an unofficial visits to Ohio State and Penn State in June, committing to the Nittany Lions two weeks after his trip.

Huhn is the 2026 recruiting class’ 10th-rated quarterback prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite, and a top-15 player in California. On3 ranks Huhn highest among the major recruiting services, slotting him at No. 60 nationally and sixth at quarterback.

Huhn, who committed to Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien, spent time with head coach James Franklin during his unofficial visit. He told Sean Fitz of Blue-White Illustrated that Franklin made an impression.

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“Coach O’Brien was great, but really my main thing when I was getting out there was to have more time with coach Franklin. They definitely gave that to me,” Huhn said in his interview with Blue-White Illustrated. “I really felt the love from coach Franklin. He’s very business, he’s awesome, he’s a funny guy. My mom loves him, he loves my mom. That relationship with him is now a lot better and I’m glad I got to spend that time with him.”

Huhn joins Harrisburg athlete Messiah Mickens on the ground floor of Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class. Mickens committed to Penn State in August 2023. Penn State had been recruiting several 2026 quarterbacks alongside Huhn. One of their targets, Dia Bell, recently committed to Texas.

Huhn’s commitment continued a prolific stretch for the Nittany Lions. Franklin and his staff have received commitments from five players in a four-day stretch. Four of them committed to Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class.

The most recent 2025 commitment belonged to Max Granville, a 4-star prospect from Texas and first-team all-state honoree as a junior. Granville, who will be a senior at Fort Bend Christian Academy, is rated as a 4-star linebacker according to the 247Sports Composite. However, the 6-3, 220-pound Granville projects at defensive end and was recruited by Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes. Granville chose Penn State after making an official visit to State College earlier in June. He also visited USC, Texas A&M and Oklahoma in June and took an official visit to Baylor in April.

Penn State opens the 2024 football season Aug. 31 at West Virginia. The game is scheduled for a noon kickoff on FOX.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.





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Butte County issues evacuation orders for Apache wildfire

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Butte County issues evacuation orders for Apache wildfire


(FOX40.COM) — An evacuation order is in effect for areas of Butte County amid a wildfire, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, BCSO issued an evacuation order for the Apache Fire on the south side of Grubbs Road between Crossa Country Road and Alta Arosa Drive in zones 884 and 885. Shortly after, evacuation orders were also issued for all of zone 884, 865, 866, 868, and 869. For information about zone locations click or tap here.

An evacuation warning was also issued for zones 867 and 883.

At 9:45 p.m., the Apache Fire has burned through 466 acres, according to Cal Fire. By 10:30 p.m. it reached more than 650 acres.

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For more information visit www.buttecounty.net, or call (833) 512-5378.



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