• Pope Francis has endorsed the idea of civil unions for same-sex couples in a new documentary. It is the most forthright the pope has been in his acceptance of homosexuality, and he said, "Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God." [Associated Press/ New York Times]
  • San Francisco firefighters early this morning performed a surf and cliff rescue at Battery Crosby, near Marshall's Beach. One individual had called for help there around 1:30 a.m. and was stuck on rocks in rough surf. [KTVU]
  • A California appeals court has ruled that the state prison system must release or transfer 50 percent of the inmates at San Quentin State Prison in order to prevent another COVID outbreak. It may be moot given that nearly half the inmates were already infected and 28 died, but the court said the prison's population can not exceed 1,775. [KRON4]
  • Voters in Florida and Alaska report receiving threatening emails saying "Vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you." The emails appear to have originated from a server in Estonia. [New York Times]
  • A 74-year-old homeless man was killed by a car while he was sleeping in a parking lot spot in Santa Clara. [Mercury News]
  • Bay Area officials are working to protect and secure ballot drop boxes. [KRON4]
  • Oakland is withdrawing from the FBI joint terrorism task force, at the urging of civil liberties advocates. [Mercury News]
  • The U.S. is poised to set new records for daily new COVID cases recorded as the pandemic is surging in dozens of states. [New York Times]

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