• It's official: At least four giant sequoia groves — home to some of the largest trees on this planet — have begun burning. On-site fire crews are still holding ground at Giant Forest and around the General Sherman Tree, but other swaths of the iconic trees have begun burning from the KNP Complex fire; some of the affected trees, however, were successfully wrapped in protective aluminum foil prior to wildfires entering their forests; giant sequoias and other redwoods are evolutionarily designed to handle the heat from wildfires, but the intensity and regularity of these blazes continues threatening their survival. [Mercury News]
• A "coyote awareness education" program began in Moraga today after five people were apparently attacked by the wild canines over the past eight months. [ABC7]
• The finding of lost husky puppy took an interesting turn... when it was discovered that the owner of the young dog was connected to an earlier. Mountain View park shooting. [KRON4]
• A 15-year-old boy shot and killed his 26-year-old sister in East San Jose Wednesday night; the boy said "I'm sorry" to his mother after being booked into the City's juvenile hall on suspicion of manslaughter. [KPIX]
• Snail Bar and Soul Slice are just a few restos among this month's most-notable new eateries in the East Bay. [Oaklandside]
• Speaking of worthwhile restaurants and watering holes: Dine and sip at any one of these institutions — that just so happen to double as urban jungles. [Eater SF]
• Here's your reminder that Flower Piano is underway at Golden Gate Park this weekend and into early next week. [Hoodline]
• In what feels like a never-ending game of musical chairs played between the CDC, FDA, and WHO, the advisory panel for the aforementioned drug administration agency is now officially recommending supplemental doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for the elderly and immunocompromised. [New York Times]

Photo: Getty Images/Scott_Walton