Newsletter: Essential California: Let’s buy a mountain

Good morning. It is Thursday, Oct. 15. Oops — a car drove onto an LAX runway as a jet was preparing for takeoff. Here's what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Teacher fired

The Los Angeles Board of Education moved this week to fire a nationally recognized teacher after an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. Details of the allegations against Rafe Esquith were not released, but LAUSD officials have said the investigation included claims that Esquith touched minors before and during his 30-year career. Esquith has denied any wrongdoing and has a lawsuit pending against the school district. Los Angeles Times

Missing the mark

When the expansion of the China Shipping terminal at the Port of Los Angeles was OKd, port officials agreed to 52 pollution-reduction measures. Now, more than a decade later, many of those measures have not been met, according to a document released by the port. “The revelation stunned environmentalists and community groups, who say it raises questions about how much the port has truly cleaned up what has been hailed as the first ‘green’ container terminal in the world.” Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT

Washing dishes: Put down the plastic knife — it’s OK to use the real stuff again in Fort Bragg. City officials backed off a proposal that required restaurants to use disposable plates, cups and utensils to save water on washing dishes. Now, the practice will just be “encouraged.” Los Angeles Times

Storm preparations: L.A. County officials are mapping out homeless encampments in riverbeds in preparation for El Niño. The Board of Supervisors will spend $900,000 to extend the hours of winter shelters and is expected to vote in favor of opening up more beds to people who may be vulnerable to the elements. Los Angeles Times

So much for conservation: In San Francisco’s Holly Court Public Housing Project, a bathtub faucet ran 24 hours a day for two months despite the tenant’s desperate calls to the city. Finally, the pressure in the pipe built up and pushed water out through a hose connected to the washing machine. That’s when Starnisha Bryant’s apartment flooded. So much for water conservation. ABC 7

L.A. AT LARGE

The man who stopped Target: Attorney Robert Silverstein is responsible for upending three major Hollywood projects that judges declared did not meet local or state requirements. The neighborhood was represented by Eric Garcetti before he became the city’s mayor. “He certainly has been a source of tremendous frustration from community groups I represent because he's advocated for irresponsible density when our infrastructure is bursting at the seams, and when he has shown such a disregard for the rule of law,” Silverstein said. Los Angeles Times

Let’s buy a mountain: Fed up with battling developers in their own backyard, a coalition of Laurel Canyon residents and wildlife advocates wants to buy part of a mountain so that it can never be turned into housing. The group needs $1.6 million to buy the 17 acres that stretch from Lookout Mountain Avenue to Stanley Hills Drive. Los Angeles Times

Health problems: Tenor Placido Domingo, who also serves as general director of the Los Angeles Opera, was hospitalized in New York for gallbladder problems. He was in town to conduct the Metropolitan Opera's production of "Tosca.” Los Angeles Times

The year was 1945: After Irvin Kipper fought in World War II, and spent more than seven months in a prisoner of war camp, he decided to do something “pleasant.” He opened Kip’s Toyland at Third and Fairfax, and this year, the store celebrated its 70th birthday. Kipper, now 99, can still be seen around the store with his son and now his granddaughter behind the counter, writes Steve Lopez. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Insurance options: California is already tackling the issue of providing healthcare to immigrants who are here illegally. At this week’s Democratic debate, presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said she supports those efforts. “I want to support states that are expanding healthcare and including undocumented children and others. I want to open up the opportunity for immigrants to be able to buy into the exchanges under the Affordable Care Act,” she said. Los Angeles Times

Flight restrictions: The city of Los Angeles has new rules on where and how personal drones may be flown. Pilots must keep their drones certain distances away from airports and other people. Violators could face a $1,000 fine or six months in jail. Los Angeles Times

Get attention: If you want to get the attention of your member of Congress, social media is the way to go, according to one survey. But the legislative correspondent for Rep. Jackie Speier says snail mail, like a well-worded letter, can also be effective. “It is really cool when you get physical mail. Especially, they tend to be the cuter mail. So we’ll get ... a bunch of Girl Scouts writing in about bees,” said James Pollack. Marketplace

CRIME AND COURTS

Critical condition: Former Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom had taken cocaine and 10 doses of a Viagra-like medication in the days before he was found unconscious inside a Las Vegas-area brothel, a Nevada sheriff said. Odom remains in a Nevada hospital, surrounded by some of his former NBA teammates and estranged wife Khloe Kardashian. Los Angeles Times

Money questions: The president of the Deputy Sheriffs’ Assn. of San Diego County stepped down after questions on how the union’s funds were spent. “There was an issue relating to following the rules and verifying expenses when approving the credit card payments,” according to minutes from the group’s Sept. 10 meeting. Matt Clay remains employed as a deputy sheriff. San Diego Union-Tribune

Pulled back in: For six years, the FBI ran Operation Whitesuit in San Francisco. Confidential informants infiltrated Chinatown, and that’s when they met Shrimp Boy, otherwise known as Kwok Cheung Chow. Though he had spent nearly two decades in jail, Shrimp Boy says he was on the road to a new life when federal agents busted down his door and arrested him. New York Times Magazine

LAPD settlement: The family of a woman who was kicked by an LAPD officer and then later died will receive a $2.5 million settlement from the city. It was three years ago that Officer Mary O'Callaghan hit and kicked a handcuffed Alesia Thomas as the officer pushed her into the back of a patrol car. O’Callaghan was later convicted of assault under the color of authority. Los Angeles Times

Reforming the system: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited inmates at San Quentin State Prison who are learning how to code. The visit was part of his campaign to reform the state’s prison system. For what it’s worth, Facebook job applications do not ask applicants about their criminal records. “We can’t jail our way to a just society, and our current system isn’t working,” he wrote in a Facebook post. Fusion 

EDUCATION

Harassment allegation: A well-known astronomer at UC Berkeley stepped down after allegations of sexual harassment from several students. Now, some are questioning whether university officials showed Geoffrey Marcy too much leniency in not taking action sooner. Los Angeles Times

Yes means yes: For many teenagers, figuring out dating and sex can be confusing or embarrassing. In California, there’s now the added burden of understanding affirmative consent. “What does that mean — you have to say ‘yes’ every 10 minutes?” one 16-year-old asked. New York Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Western Americana: A photograph of Billy the Kid that sold for $2 along with some other images at a Fresno junk store could be worth as much as $5 million. Los Angeles Times

Covering up: With pornography just a click away, there’s no thrill in seeing Playboy’s naked centerfold. However, columnist Robin Abcarian notes that most people have a Playboy story, like when her parents bought a Mexican beach shack only to find the ceiling papered in nudes from the magazine. Los Angeles Times

Rough waters: Six swimmers made the journey from San Nicolas Island back to Rancho Palos Verdes. The 70-mile journey took 33 hours, 37 minutes, 26 seconds. New York Times

Old is new, again: Why do many Angelenos want to see Pershing Square returned to its look from 100 years ago? A newly restored video from 1916 sheds some light on the park project. Curbed LA

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego has a chance of thunderstorms. Highs are expected to reach 79. Los Angeles could also experience a thunderstorm as temperatures reach 83 degrees. Riverside will have thunderstorms and 86 degrees. San Francisco will be partly sunny with a high of 70.

AND FINALLY

Today's California Memory comes from Constance Condit:

“In the '50s, road trips were a great way to spend time. My Dad would load us into the family car, and off we would go into light traffic to explore some special place he or Mom had read about. This was spontaneous, and we always had Army surplus camping gear so we could camp. So much fun to take off with no effort.”

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.