Newsletter: Essential California: Ambitious solar project coming to L.A.

Good morning. It is Saturday, April 30. Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Discriminatory sting: A Los Angeles Superior Court judge invalidated the arrest of a Long Beach man picked up for lewd conduct and indecent exposure while also criticizing the Long Beach Police Department’s practice of targeting gay men. Judge Halim Dhanidina found the department only used male undercover officers in lewd conduct stings. “It appears that the presence and tactics of the decoy officers actually caused the crimes to occur,” he said. Los Angeles Times

Renewable energy: A developer plans to build the nation’s largest rooftop solar array in Los Angeles to provide electricity to the city’s power grid. PermaCity will install a 16.4 megawatt system that will generate enough energy for 5,000 homes. The power will feed directly into the Department of Water and Power’s grid. Los Angeles Times

Undercover bust: Thirty-one people were indicted after an undercover investigation into drug sales in San Diego’s East Village. Arrests began in March and so far, 26 people have been taken into custody. “The presence of prevalent drug-dealing in a neighborhood invariably leads to an increase of other various crimes like robberies and theft,” said Dist. Atty. Bonnie Dumanis. San Diego Union-Tribune

Too dangerous: An inmate in Riverside County is so dangerous that sheriff’s officials believe he should not be face-to-face with another person — even his own legal counsel. Ernesto Salgado Martinez was convicted of killing a police officer in Arizona and is now preparing to go on trial for allegedly killing another cop in 1995. While in prison, he’s twice escaped, attacked prison guards and stabbed his cellmate. Desert Sun

Elderflower liqueur: The man who brought elderflower liqueur to the masses died in Santa Barbara at the age of 39. St-Germain was introduced in 2007 and is considered the “bartender’s ketchup.” Robert J. Cooper was a scion of the family that owns Charles Jacquin et Cie, though he had to leave the company to create the elderflower liqueur after his father rejected the idea. New York Times

Stopping harassment: Metro released a new video reminding passengers to report sexual harassment. It’s an important issue but one wouldn’t know that from the video’s low-production value. Curbed LA

Investment property: L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti spent $1.6 million on a new home that he and his wife plan to lease out for $5,000 a month. The property also includes two apartments, which rent for $2,000 a month. Los Angeles Times

Luuuuuuuke: Luke Walton is the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. The team announced the hire Friday. The ex-Lakers player was 39-4 as coach of the Golden State Warriors this year in Coach Steve Kerr’s absence. “We’re excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he’s going to start an outstanding coaching career,” said General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Los Angeles Times

THIS WEEK’S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. Here’s what to keep in mind if you move back to New York from Los Angeles. LA Weekly

2. The most influential person on the Coastal Commission isn’t a member of the body. She’s a lobbyist. Los Angeles Times

3. What do two doughnut shops in Silver Lake tell us about gentrification and the economy in Los Angeles? KCRW

4. Eating at this chop suey restaurant in Westlake is like going back in time. From the menu to the register to the booths. LA Weekly

5. The zanjas provided water to Los Angeles for more than 100 years but they went away in 1904. What happened? Curbed LA

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK’S GREAT READS

Trump’s wall: At Loyola Marymount University, students put up a wall to protest GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump. But rather than leading to a productive political conversation, the wall set off a wave of offensive speech on campus, writes columnist Steve Lopez. “The idea of social justice means to look after the downtrodden, the poor in spirit. ... For hate speech to occur on our campus is totally out of character,” said English professor Ruben Martinez. Los Angeles Times

Express yourself: Women are angry and they’re no longer afraid to show it, writes Mary McNamara. A wave of high-profile women, from Beyoncé to Samantha Bee, aren’t afraid to make their points by raising their voices to yell.” The b-word, of course, is cited in study after study about the different perceptions of male and female anger: Where men are considered ‘firm,’ women are seen as ‘controlling’ and worse,” McNamara writes. Los Angeles Times

Moving forward: The painful aftermath of the Paris terror attacks lingers for one Southern California family. Los Angeles Times

The voice: How Vin Scully became a calming voice in a city of anxiety. The Atlantic

Over the border: He lived illegally in California much of his life. Then he went back to Mexico to attain what many would call the American dream. Los Angeles Times

LOOKING AHEAD

Monday: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul will be at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum to sign books and talk about the presidential campaign; Prosecutors Against Gun Violence will host a two-day summit in Los Angeles on gun crimes.

Wednesday: The Pretend City Children’s Museum in Irvine will host a Star Wars celebration, “May the 4th be With You.”

Friday: Los Angeles City Hall will celebrate the life and music of Prince.

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.