California Governor Gavin Newsom just announced that he will order an independent review to investigate why firefighters ran out of water so quickly while battling the currently ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. In a letter to several local officials, he declared that the public “need[s] answers to how that happened.” [Los Angeles Times]Donna, a beloved elephant who spent decades at the Oakland Zoo, died suddenly on Christmas Eve. Donna lived at the Oakland Zoo from 1990 until 2023, when she was moved to a sanctuary in Tennessee to stave off concerns that she might become lonely following the death of another elephant that she was very close with. [Chronicle]San Francisco is sending 22 firefighters to help put out the L.A. wildfires. [X]The Biden administration just implemented a sweeping measure protecting hundreds of thousands of immigrants from deportation for the next 18 months. [New York Times]A 42-year-old woman was recently arrested after attempting to steal a cart full of items, collectively worth about $700, from a Target in Colma. [KRON]Local community leaders and residents in West Oakland are urging city officials to combat illegal dumping and garbage fires on Wood Street more intensely, a problem that they say poses a substantial public safety risk. [KTVU]
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