Newsletter: Essential California: This California city can’t save water

Good morning. It is Monday, Oct. 5. Actor Tom Cruise is looking to sell his Beverly Hills mansion for a cool $50 million. Here's what is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Renovation projects

When Los Angeles put in its bid for the 2024 Olympics, officials estimated spending $1 billion on a village for the athletes. Building that project on Piggyback Yard along the L.A. River could also be a major boost for river restoration. But for that to happen, a lot of variables need to fall into place. Los Angeles Times

Police data

A new law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown will require police officers to collect data on the perceived race and ethnicity of Californians they stop. Law enforcement agencies will also be required to provide annual reports on how often uses of force result in injury or death. The data collection will not begin until March 1, 2018. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT

Laws on turf: A reminder that a new state law prohibits homeowners associations from fining residents who rip out their lawns or install drought-tolerant plants. Los Angeles Times

Conservation goals: When the San Jose Water Co. imposed water restrictions in the late 1980s, officials were inundated with complaints. This time around, officials recalculated how much water homeowners needed to save in the drought. The result: just 2,720 appeals from customers who want to use more water. San Jose Mercury-News

Thirsty chickens: According to state water officials, the city of Livingston did the worst job of conserving water in the drought. City officials say Foster Farms is to blame. It uses two-thirds of the city’s annual water supply. The plant uses 4 million to 5 million gallons of water every day. Reuters

Limited resources: Few places represent California’s tension between growth and resources as much as the Coachella Valley. “Since the drought began four years ago, six major developments have been approved that will add more than 30,000 homes and retail shops. Not a single recent development proposal has been killed because of water worries.” Daily Breeze 

L.A. AT LARGE

Lion? Big deal: Columnist Steve Lopez paid a visit to a house in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors are complaining about a couple who invite young, attractive women to live with them while they teach them about philosophy. They’ve also thrown ragers that featured a caged lion and sushi that's served on women's bodies. “So the guy had a lion. Big deal,” said the developer who rents the house to Bastian and Maria Yotta. Los Angeles Times

Airport ride: The FlyAway is extending service to Long Beach. The bus will run from the Long Beach Transit Gallery to LAX beginning in December. Fares will be $7 for the first six months of operations. Curbed LA

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Closing shop: High Bridge Arms is the last gun store in San Francisco. Now, the shop is closing, and its manager says it's because of the city’s politics. “This is the city that defended gay marriage and fights for unpopular causes like medical marijuana. Where’s my support?” said Steve Alcairo. Associated Press

Ivory sales: A new law tightens the restrictions on the purchase and selling of ivory in California. An earlier law allowed ivory sales if the ivory was obtained before 1977. That loophole made the law difficult to endorse because authorities often had a difficult time dating pieces of ivory. Los Angeles Times

Donald versus Donald: Orange County’s Donald Bren bet on California real estate and it made him wealthier than the brash Donald Trump, whose fortune is built on real estate and casinos. “Bren, who’s been on the Forbes list every year since its inception in 1982, was ranked as the 30th wealthiest American – and owner of the nation’s biggest personal real estate fortune – with a net worth of $15.2 billion.” Orange County Register

CRIME AND COURTS

Troubling tale: What made psychiatrist Joel Dreyer turn from being a devoted family man to one of the biggest prescription drug dealers in Riverside County? California Sunday Magazine

Tribal pieces: A Mono County doctor is facing 21 charges for allegedly looting Native American artifacts from tribal and public lands. Jonathan Bourne, 59, is scheduled to be arraigned today in Fresno. Authorities launched a yearlong investigation into Bourne after pictures of him digging a wooden bow out of a High Sierra glacier were posted to a hiking group’s website. Los Angeles Times 

Deputies arrested: Two sheriff’s deputies in Santa Clara County were arrested, one on suspicion of accessing the confidential records of people he knew and the other on suspicion of worker’s compensation fraud. Both deputies were placed on paid leave. SFGate

No charges: There’s a long history of trying to use diplomatic immunity to get out of scraps. “Individuals with absolute immunity are off the hook for just about any crime — from jaywalking to murder. However, in high-profile cases, the country that sent the envoy will often waive the diplomat's right to be protected.” Los Angeles Times 

EDUCATION

Letter of recommendation: UC Berkeley is breaking with tradition and asking some incoming freshmen to submit letters of recommendation. Unlike most private, and some public, schools, the University of California system generally has not asked for recommendations in its main undergraduate applications. Los Angeles Times 

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Return home: Tortoises have returned to the Marine base in Twentynine Palms. Nine years ago, the Marine Corps and UCLA started the effort to repopulate the area after the tortoises had been decimated by lizards, ravens and coyotes. “Attempts to reintroduce the desert tortoise - the state reptile of California - at other military bases have not gone as planned. Many were found pecked to death (biologists call young tortoises 'walking ravioli') or crushed by vehicles.” Los Angeles Times

Mouse house: Disney introduced a new annual pass that will go for $1,049. The Disney Signature Plus won’t have any blackout dates. Park officials will also offer an annual pass for $849, which is good for about 350 days out of the year. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego will be cloudy with a chance of showers and a high of 75. Riverside will have clouds and rain. Highs are expected to reach 74 degrees. Los Angeles will be 74 with possible rain. It will be sunny and 70 in San Francisco.

AND FINALLY

This week’s birthdays for notable Californians:

Attorney Mark Geragos (Oct. 5, 1957), commentator Earl Ofari Hutchinson (Oct. 8, 1945), singer Bruno Mars (Oct. 8, 1985), Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (Oct. 10, 1967), host Mario Lopez (Oct. 10, 1973).

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.