• Governor Gavin Newsom is meeting with state and local leaders, including SFPD Chief Bill Scott, in Los Angeles today to discuss the state's retail-theft problem. Even though viral videos have painted a picture of broad lawlessness, Scott points out that retail robberies were actually down last year. [KTVU]
• The Southern California couple whose gender reveal party sparked the El Dorado Fire last year has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The fire led to the death of 39-year-old firefighter Charles Morton. [Associated Press]
• Salesforce's $27.7 billion acquisition of Slack, announced in December, just passed its last regulatory hurdle, and the deal is now complete. CEO Marc Benioff says Salesforce will "rebuild all of its technology" to become "Slack-first." [SF Business Times]
• A rally is happening outside Uber's Mission Bay headquarters today, with some drivers for Uber and Lyft on strike all day to protest their inability to negotiate higher wages or better working conditions. [Mission Local]
• The search continues for missing Berkeley runner Philip Kreycik, 12 days on. [KRON4]
• New research suggests harmful health effects can stem from even brief exposure to wildfire smoke, including lead poisoning and respiratory ailments. [Chronicle]
• The U.S. women's soccer team is already out at the Olympics, having been beaten by Sweden in the first round. [CNN]
• Republicans in the Senate are threatening to block a vote on Biden's infrastructure bill today with a filibuster, saying they need more time. [Associated Press]

Photo: Kevin Wolf