As Bob Hoge reported, California Gov. Gavin Newsom left the state for parts unknown Thursday, a day after belatedly declaring a State of Emergency in 18 of the state’s counties due to record-breaking snowfall resulted in massive power outages and food shortages where roads were buried under many feet of snow.

In some counties, people have been without power or snowed in, unable to leave their homes, for more than 10 days. As conditions have predictably worsened and even mainstream media outlets in the state are reporting that promised help has not arrived, speculation about Newsom’s whereabouts has gotten much louder. Late Sunday morning, about the time Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was preparing to take the stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Newsom’s press office announced that Newsom had returned, and that he’d been on a ‘personal trip’ in Baja California, Mexico.

Newsom was on a personal trip in Baja California, per a spokesperson.

— Emily Hoeven (@emily_hoeven) March 5, 2023

Newsom’s press office didn’t elaborate on where in Baja California — which is a state, not a city — Newsom was, but it *is* the state in which Cabo San Lucas is located. When Newsom and his family went missing over Thanksgiving week 2021, they were in Cabo vacationing at the $29,000/night dacha of a Russian oligarch, so it’s not a stretch to speculate that he might have been in Cabo again.

(Newsom also went missing in October 2021, and his whereabouts were unknown until RedState spotted him in photos in Vogue magazine from Big Oil heiress Ivy Getty’s lavish San Francisco wedding, which was officiated by Nancy Pelosi.)

Meanwhile, according to people involved with rescue efforts in the San Bernardino County mountain communities (Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, and more), at least one person was found dead in their home Sunday. Many homes have snow drifts so tall that residents cannot see out the first floor windows (or even second floor), so as crews go door-to-door checking on residents  it’s likely that more people will be found dead.

On Friday, San Bernardino Sheriff blocked 6 pvt helicopters from landing and threatened pilots with criminal citation even though he doesn't have authority over them. Now there is allegedly a CA Gov memo allowing pvt helicopters to land but sources say no one has actually seen it

— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) March 5, 2023

Hey @GavinNewsom when your constituents have to resort to this to try to get food and life-saving supplies, you have utterly failed. Are you ignoring them b/c San Bernardino County voted to secede in November?
(photo credit @abc7) pic.twitter.com/dAdqXXdfoO

— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) March 5, 2023

Additional information on the situation in San Bernardino County is still coming in from sources on the ground, and RedState’s currently working on a more detailed article chronicling the unnecessary suffering.

In Northern California’s Mendocino County, some residents, particularly senior citizens, have been stuck in their homes for more than 10 days and there’s no power or cell service still, and have probably started running short on supplies if they’ve survived this long.

Crazy stuff going on in NorCal due to the storms. Seniors stuck in their houses for 10+ days because they can't get through the snow levels in mountainous areas of #Mendocino County. No power or cell service still. #CAwx 1/3

— Sarah Stierch 🔥💁🏻‍♀️ 🌻 (@Sarah_Stierch) March 5, 2023

And in Humboldt County, north of Sacramento, CAL FIRE, the US Coast Guard, and the local Sheriff’s Department have coordinated to make hay drops for cattle in rural areas since ranchers haven’t been able to get out to feed them.

Literally people without power for two weeks in rural, isolated areas where not everyone has the wealth for solar, snow removal, etc. No cell phone service still. Gas is running out for many. I hope no one dies. PG&E must fix this. It is not right. 3/3

— Sarah Stierch 🔥💁🏻‍♀️ 🌻 (@Sarah_Stierch) March 5, 2023

The emergency declaration signed Wednesday provided for the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to mobilize the National Guard to support rescue/relief efforts, but as of Saturday people in San Bernardino County were still desperately waiting for that promised help.