Health Fraud Sentencing: An Orange County man was sentenced to 30 years in federal court for a $270M Medi-Cal prescription drug scam, prosecutors say. AI in Finance: OpenAI rolled out a financial tool for investment bankers and launched ChatGPT for financial services, pushing deeper into enterprise work. Weather Risk: NOAA says this El Niño could be the strongest on record, with a 75% chance of historic strength and a 90% shot at a very strong event this fall and winter. Food Manufacturing Deal: Revolution Foods acquired Ardella’s, a 50-year Southern California food maker, aiming to expand menu and production for school meals and other channels. Public Safety & Commuting: A deadly 5 Freeway pileup near Norwalk shut down southbound lanes overnight and snarled the Thursday commute. Politics & Housing Oversight: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stepped down from LAHSA’s board amid scrutiny of financial controls. Local Community Preservation: Palo Alto’s oldest Black church, University AME Zion, won a $400K grant to repair its 1920s foundation. Energy & Supply Chains: Reports blaming data centers for Colorado River drought were challenged by water officials, who point to long-term climate trends instead.