Newsletter: Essential California: Boom times for the 5 Freeway corridor, for better or worse

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, Sept. 26, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Deal for new city fuels development boom in northern L.A. County

One of Southern California’s longest-running and ugliest development battles ended in a historic truce Monday when environmental groups agreed to a deal that will allow a new city of 58,000 residents to rise in the Santa Clarita Valley. Newhall Ranch will join other large developments in the works along the 5 Freeway corridor that together are likely to transform one of the last undeveloped sections of Los Angeles County. To the north, developers built a massive outlet mall and are planning a housing and resort project at Tejon Ranch. Los Angeles Times

Anaheim isn’t Mickey Mousing around anymore

For the first time in memory, Anaheim city officials are taking on Disney and demanding more from the Happiest Place on Earth. That puts the Burbank company in an unfamiliar position. For decades, it has been able to secure incentives, subsidies, rebates and tax protections from the city that experts say, in total, would be worth more than $1 billion, according to public policy experts who have reviewed the agreements. Los Angeles Times

L.A.’s pot plan has some in the marijuana world worried

Los Angeles lawmakers tentatively backed a sweeping set of proposed regulations for businesses that grow, sell, process and distribute marijuana, the next step toward giving cannabis the stamp of local legitimacy. But industry groups said that recent changes to the proposed rules would force existing marijuana growers and manufacturers to shut down. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

USC controversy: The Medical Board of California has suspended the license of former USC medical school dean Carmen Puliafito pending a final decision on his fitness to practice medicine. Los Angeles Times

West Nile toll: Los Angeles County health officials warned residents Monday to protect themselves against the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus, as the number of people killed by the disease in L.A. County this year reached seven. Los Angeles Times

Cinema scandal: Inside the scandal rocking Cinefamily. Can the beloved movie junkie institution be saved? LA Weekly

No parking: Santa Monica got rid of some parking requirements on new development in its downtown area. Is the city onto something bigger? Los Angeles Times

On the street: Moving images of being homeless in L.A. Daily News

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Labor pains: Antonio Villaraigosa launched his political career as a union organizer in Los Angeles. As mayor, he became one of labor’s biggest foes during the economic downturn. Now, in the race for governor, he will have to deal with the repercussions. Los Angeles Times

UCI money: The troubling questions raised by a $200-million gift to UC Irvine’s medical schools. Los Angeles Times

LAUSD conundrum: The leaders of the Los Angeles Unified School District have some tough decisions ahead now that Ref Rodriguez, who is facing felony charges, has stepped down as school board president. Los Angeles Times

You’re out, kid: Yes, expulsion from preschool is a thing. And here is what some people say we need to do about it. SCPR

Farewell, Republicans? Is the land that invented Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan about to turn its back on the GOP? CNN

CRIME AND COURTS

Walled off: Preparations for the border wall in San Diego continue, but a lot of what’s going on is top-secret. San Diego Union-Tribune

Vandalism: A 25-year-old woman was arrested Friday on suspicion of smearing paint across a statue of Christopher Columbus in San Jose’s City Hall. It was the latest backlash against a symbol that many have criticized as an endorsement of genocide and white supremacy. Los Angeles Times

New evidence: A second video of a fatal officer-involved shooting in Huntington Beach shows the man trying to punch the police officer. Los Angeles Times

THE ENVIRONMENT

Orange County fire: A fast-moving wildfire near the Anaheim-Corona border triggered mandatory evacuations for as many as 1,500 residents Monday evening as flames crept up on homes about a mile away, officials said. Los Angeles Times

Walking away: Can new hiking trails bring more tourists to Catalina Island? Officials are hoping so. Daily Breeze

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Modern simplicity: A tribute to the A-frame house, which is seeing a revival in California and beyond. “There is this nostalgic idea of going to the cabin and playing board games and everyone being in the same room together.” Curbed Los Angeles

Hey, bartender: Deep inside the darkness and red leather of Musso & Frank’s, you can get cocktails from the man some say is the longest-serving bartender in L.A. After 50 years behind the bar, whom does he miss? Raymond Burr. Charles Bukowski. Gore Vidal. LAist

Community support: A fundraiser has generated $88,000 for a bacon-wrapped hot dog vendor whose money was confiscated by a UC Berkeley police officer. Los Angeles Times

Big money: So how super-charged is the Bay Area economy? Fueled by tech, it’s growing at nearly triple the rate as the U.S. as a whole. But just try to afford an apartment. SF Gate

Plus: A legendary San Francisco cafe that draws boldface names is closing. Blame high rents. SF Gate

And: One expert on Silicon Valley’s land rush: “The overall dynamic is something I’ve never seen before. I’m referring to a sustained, really ridiculously low level of inventory — not just kind of low, but ridiculously low.” Mercury News

The meaning of free speech: Milo Yiannopoulos came to UC Berkeley, said virtually nothing, cost the university a bundle in security, and left. But columnist Robin Abcarian said his free speech Kabuki did spark some interesting conversations. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: Sunny and 86. San Diego: Sunny and 79. San Francisco area: Sunny and 79. Sacramento: Sunny and 92. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Lou Bartolini:

“I was born in the Bayview District of San Francisco in the early ’30s. It also was called ‘Butcher Town,’ for until after the end of WWII the then-existing slaughter and packing houses were in full operation. On a warm summer day, the strong and pungent aroma that filtered through the air surrounded the entire neighborhood, even though you were in the limits of a major city. Reminiscent of what you experience when driving by Hanford on a hot summer day. It was a neighborhood with a kaleidoscope of recently or newly arrived immigrants from throughout the European world on their way to citizenship.”

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 Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.