Newsletter: Essential California: Donald Trump lands in Golden State
Good morning. It is Friday, April 29. Did you leave your raw porterhouse steak on a BART train? Chances are you won’t want it now. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
Campaign trail
Donald Trump was in Orange County on Thursday, underscoring the state’s importance in his path to the GOP presidential nomination. At a Costa Mesa rally, he highlighted his hard-line views on illegal immigration and torture. Outside the fairgrounds, protesters blocked traffic and clashed with police. The state’s Republican convention starts in Burlingame today. Los Angeles Times
On leave
The question on the UC Davis campus today is: How could a brilliant woman like Chancellor Linda Katehi stumble so badly? She is on administrative leave after a string of embarrassing episodes — including accepting two paid board positions and attempting to erase an incident from the university’s history. “Her mixed record of accomplishments and missteps have sharply divided the campus, with some calling for her resignation and others stoutly defending her.” Los Angeles Times
San Bernardino investigation
Three people were taken into custody Thursday, including the brother of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook, on suspicion of marriage fraud. Authorities say Syed Raheel Farook helped Mariya Chernykh, his sister-in-law, fake a marriage to Enrique Marquez Jr., who has been accused of supplying weapons for the Dec. 2 attack. Tatiana Farook was also arrested. “We owe the victims, and the entire community of San Bernardino, a thorough investigation that uncovers all criminal activity surrounding these events,” said U.S. Atty. Eileen M. Decker. Los Angeles Times
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Issuing fines: Los Angeles’ water wasters will soon face stiffer penalties. Under a new program, the Department of Water and Power will be able to fine customers between $1,000 and $40,000 for “unreasonable use” of water during elevated stages of a drought. Los Angeles Times
L.A. AT LARGE
Animal control: Crews are removing that dead whale on the San Onofre State Beach, and it appears their warnings worked — few observers showed up to watch the process. Those who did seemed to enjoy the show. “To witness this scene, these are things to tell the grandchildren,” said Steve Netherby. Los Angeles TImes
Food fight: Cafe Gratitude is one of the most popular vegan restaurants in Los Angeles, so imagine the shock some customers felt over the news that the husband-and-wife team behind the chain was slaughtering animals on a Northern California farm for their own consumption after 40 years of vegetarianism. Now, that shock has turned to anger and death threats. “It saddens me that the choices we made in the privacy of our home would lead people to feel so betrayed that it’s elevated to threats on our lives,” said Matthew Engelhart. Hollywood Reporter
Not a drop to drink: The zanja system brought water to Los Angeles for more than 100 years. It was shut down in 1904. So what happened? Curbed LA
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
How do you really feel? Former House Speaker John Boehner has some thoughts on GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz: “Lucifer in the flesh.” Those comments came during a talk at Stanford University. He also acknowledged his relationship with Donald Trump. “Texting buddies.” Stanford Daily, Rolling Stone
Trump’s guy: The man in charge of Donald Trump’s victory in California has yet to speak to the presidential candidate. But Tim Clark is hard at work. One of his strategies is to get independents to switch their voter registration back to Republican so they can vote in the June 7 primary. “All the models that the (Ted) Cruz people have, all the models that the (John) Kasich people have, we’re blowing them up right now by changing the population of who is available to vote,” he said. The Guardian
Familiar names: California loves political dynasties. There are now more children of legislators in the state Legislature than at any other point in the last 100 years. “Someone gets into a fortuitous position and part of the spoils of that are that they can pass it on,” said Jason Synder, an assistant professor at the University of Utah. CALmatters
Get out: Responding to complaints from residents, officials in San Diego spent $57,000 to install jagged rocks under one freeway overpass to prevent homeless individuals from setting up camp on the sidewalks. Advocates for the homeless say the city should be focused on shelters, not barriers. Anecdotal evidence suggests the move has forced homeless men and women deeper into residential neighborhoods. San Diego Union-Tribune
Just another day: A resolution to declare May 6 “John Wayne Day” was voted down after African American and Latino members of the state Assembly accused the actor of being a racist. “The orthodoxy of political correctness has prevailed,” said Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach). Sacramento Bee
CRIME AND COURTS
Claim of innocence: “I didn’t kill Susan Berman.” That’s what Robert Durst has to say for himself after he was sentenced on weapons charges in New Orleans — a move that will allow him to return to Los Angeles, where he’s wanted for the 2000 murder of his friend. “I’d rather be going to California on my own, but I’m anxious to get to trial to prove I didn’t kill Susan Berman,” said Durst, who was the subject of the HBO documentary “The Jinx.” Los Angeles Times
Drinking and driving: Records show South Los Angeles had the most LAPD DUI checkpoints in 2015. The Westside — Westwood, Bel-Air, Century City — didn’t have one. “It’s not that we’re avoiding West L.A. We’re trying to address a bigger problem elsewhere,” said LAPD Officer Don Inman. LA Weekly
Brothers in custody: Two brothers were arrested in Northern California and booked on suspicion of murdering their parents. Hasib Golamrabbi, 22, and his 17-year-old brother are being held without bail. Shamima and Golam Rabbi were found shot to death in their San Jose home. Next to their bodies was a cryptic note: “Sorry, my first kill was clumsy.” San Francisco Chronicle
BUSINESS
Pay day: Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong was the highest-paid CEO in America last year. The medical doctor earned a $329.7-million pay package last year at NantKwest Inc., a cancer-research firm. Bloomberg
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Father and son: Clippers coach Doc Rivers and his son, Austin Rivers — who is also one of his players, don’t have a typical relationship. “He doesn’t really share his life outside of basketball with me. He and I don’t know each other like that,” said Austin Rivers. ESPN
What’s so funny: Patti Davis doesn’t see anything funny about the news comedian Will Ferrell will play her father, the late President Ronald Reagan, and his experience with Alzheimer’s Disease. “Perhaps for your comedy you would like to visit some dementia facilities. I have — I didn’t find anything comedic there,” she writes. Daily Beast
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
Sacramento will be mostly sunny with a high of 79. San Francisco will have low clouds as temperatures reach 65 degrees. Riverside will have low clouds and a high of 76. In Los Angeles, there will be clouds as temperatures reach 76 degrees. San Diego will have clouds and sunshine with a high of 70.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Hashim Sayeed:
“The year was July 1988 when I moved to California. Being an avid tennis player at 17, I used to play in the afternoon with my cousin and I couldn’t understand why I had trouble breathing until later I realized how bad the smog levels were at that time. Today I’m very grateful to enjoy the clean air and scenic mountain views on most mornings as a result of stricter government regulations that have made California a better place to live for your future generations.”
If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)
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.
