California's Beaches Face Uncertain Future

Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, February 3, 2025…

• With more than 800 miles of coastline, you’d think that one problem the Golden State wouldn’t have to worry about having enough sand — beach sand. But up and down the coast, many beach cities, like San Clemente in Orange County, are facing a growing problem: their sand is disappearing.
• Many federal workers in California are suspicious of the Trump administration’s offer of pay and benefits, in return for resigning from civil service. 
• Thousands of people demonstrated in downtown L.A. on Sunday against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and threats to deport millions of people.

Sand In Short Supply For Many Of California’s Beaches

Coastal erosion has been washing away San Clemente’s beaches for years. In fact, a sales tax increase was on November’s ballot that would have helped pay for sand replenishment in the Orange County city. It barely failed after not getting the necessary 66.7% of the vote. And there’s already a push to get another tax measure on the ballot.

“People love the beach. People are always going to love the beach. And we’re losing our beaches,” said San Clemente’s coastal administrator Leslea Meyerhoff. When she says  San Clemente is “losing” its beaches, Meyerhoff means they’re shrinking, with waves and currents scouring sand off the city beaches faster than it can be naturally replenished.

Climate change and rising sea levels play a big role. But UC Irvine Professor Brett Sanders, a coastal engineering expert, said there’s more to it. “We built dams all across the California coast. And the strategy behind the dams, in most areas, was either to provide flood control for downstream communities, in some cases to provide water supply,” Sanders said. “But the dams have now blocked the natural supply of sediment that the coastline needs to be healthy. And now we’re seeing rates of beach erosion.”

Suspicion, Anger Grow Among California Federal Employees Over Trump’s Resignation Proposal

Workers at several federal agencies in California expressed deep suspicion, trepidation and concern about a Trump administration offer to resign from civil service in exchange for months of current pay and benefits and not having to work in person.

As President Donald Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk seek to quickly downsize the federal workforce, emotions among civil servants have ranged from defiance to frustration and anger, and Democrats and labor leaders have urged caution.

Three California-based employees at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of Labor and the Environmental Protection Agency — who spoke with KQED on condition of anonymity because they fear being fired — said they and co-workers were not accepting the so-called deferred resignation offer. The deadline to opt in is Feb. 6. “Nobody is taking the bait,” said a Department of Labor employee during a lunch break. “I enjoy being able to protect workers, and I’m not going to — for a few months of paid work — give up a job that I love.”

Thousands In LA Protest Trump’s Immigration Policies

A large group of people protesting President Trump’s immigration policies blocked traffic on the Hollywood (101) Freeway on Sunday. The crowd grew to a few thousand people who marched to City Hall, before many walked onto the freeway near the Alameda Street exit.

Footage from the scene showed more than a thousand boisterous protesters walking on both sides of the freeway shortly after noon, many carrying U.S. or Mexico flags or signs assailing ICE. The Los Angeles Police Department called it a peaceful demonstration.

Demonstrators blocked the freeway again early Sunday night. But LAPD said, no arrests were made.