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Newsletter: Today: Clinton and Trump Need More Likes. Scandals in Commerce and OC.

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I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

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Clinton and Trump Need More Likes

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It’s not about you, dear voter. It’s about them. The negative feelings that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are generating among the electorate have resulted in a relatively high number of voters saying they are undecided or flirting with third-party candidates. At this point in an election cycle, it’s customary for fewer than 1 in 10 voters to be up in the air. Not so this time: Polls show about 1 in 5 voters are noncommittal, or so they claim. Here’s how that could swing the results in November.

More Politics

-- Clinton and Trump each fielded questions at a “commander-in-chief forum” moderated by Matt Lauer, whose performance was much critiqued.

-- Trump doesn’t want to talk about his “birther” comments, but Mike Pence speaks up.

-- A conservative California mega-donor gave more than $100,000 to Libertarian Gary Johnson’s presidential campaign.

He Was the OC’s ‘Ticket Fixer’

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Juan Lopez Jr. worked as a clerk in Orange County Superior Court, but authorities say he had another line of income on the side: taking bribes from drunk drivers, speeders and red-light runners and, in exchange, forging records to favorably close out their cases. In all, Lopez is accused of fixing 1,034 cases over roughly five years. Read the indictment here.

Why No One Fights City Hall in Commerce

The city of Commerce offers recreation facilities, rent subsidies for the elderly and even vacation cabins in the San Bernardino Mountains for its inhabitants. But it is also facing government scandals, just the way neighbors such as Bell and Maywood have. Why haven’t locals banded together to watch city politics more closely? Read on.

It Ended Up Living Long and Prospering

Today is big Throwback Thursday for “Star Trek” fans: On this date in 1966, the original series premiered on America’s televisions. Though it only lasted three seasons, “Star Trek” spawned a franchise that has lived long and prospered for five decades. Here’s our look back at why the show boldly went to the Vasquez Rocks in the Santa Clarita Valley to create strange new worlds, plus our guide to all things “Trek.”

Why Apple Axed Its Headphone Jack

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Even older than “Star Trek” is the 3.5-millimeter audio jack, a constant amid the evolution of gadgets from the portable radio to the MP3 player and beyond. It won’t disappear from electronics overnight, but tech experts say that Apple’s move to eliminate the jack from its new iPhone 7 smartphones is a big step toward its extinction. The end goal: a cord-free life.

CALIFORNIA

-- After a marathon day of testimony, the California Coastal Commission rejected the proposed Newport Banning Ranch development.

-- Four Oakland police officers will be fired and seven others suspended without pay for their roles in a sexual misconduct scandal.

-- Yosemite officials announced the addition of 400 acres to the national park, its biggest expansion in 70 years.

-- A housing option at Cal State L.A. is attracting a lot of attention, starting with its name: the Halisi Scholars Black Living-Learning Community.

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HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- Pamela Adlon’s new sitcom, “Better Things,” makes the best out of everyday moments.

-- Here are 30 movies that Times critic Justin Chang can’t wait to see (or see again) at the Toronto Film Festival.

-- You may know Daveed Diggs from his turn in the musical “Hamilton,” but did you know about his experimental rap trio called Clipping?

-- Britney Spears and her team opted for tradition with the release of her latest album, “Glory.”

-- The Hammer Museum is aiming to make its free digital archives a game changer.

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NATION-WORLD

-- Three military veterans once involved in the U.S. drone program have thrown their support behind a Yemeni man’s legal fight to obtain details about why his family members were killed in a 2012 strike.

-- Police say Darren Seals, a black activist who protested in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014, was found shot to death in a burning vehicle.

-- Meet the two California congresswomen who are behind the new Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights.

-- Iran’s president said Muslims should punish Saudi Arabia for last year’s stampede at Mecca, which killed hundreds of people during hajj.

-- While Americans fight over transgender rights, a Canadian province has a simple fix for ID cards: an X.

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BUSINESS

-- Uber drivers who have banded together to take the ride-hailing company to court may have to shift strategies and settle for smaller payouts.

-- A judgment against CashCall Inc. raises questions about the validity of loans from other online lenders.

SPORTS

-- Are you ready for some football? The NFL season starts tonight with a rematch of the Super Bowl contenders.

-- No. 6-seeded Kei Nishikori defeated No. 2 Andy Murray in a five-set thriller at the U.S. Open. But what was that weird sound in the fourth set?

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OPINION

-- The VA and its neighbors in West L.A. have started helping homeless vets. When will Congress do its part?

-- A high school senior wonders: Why can’t college admissions offices tell it like it is?

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- A commentary on the history behind the pipeline protest at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. (The New Yorker)

-- The world according to Bruce Springsteen. (Vanity Fair)

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-- Did Chinese culture spring from ancient Egypt? The suggestion is stirring controversy, to say the least. (Foreign Policy)

ONLY IN L.A.

Bob Geren is the Dodgers’ bench coach, but to get to work, he doesn’t ride the pine — he rides a bike. He’s never late, given that he likes to arrive by noon for 7 p.m. games. It is 15 miles from Pasadena, though, and the last leg is uphill. Good thing Dodger Stadium has a shower.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.

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