Essential California: California tells Uber to slam on the brakes

Good morning. It is Thursday, July 16. Cheerleaders for California's sports teams are now entitled to minimum wage, sick leave and other benefits, thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Here's what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

More questions

Now that video footage showing Gardena police shooting and killing an unarmed man has been released, some experts say the tactics used by the officers were questionable. "It is hard to see what threat was posed to these officers," said Geoffrey Alpert, a University of South Carolina professor of criminology who studies police tactics and shootings. "It doesn't look good in terms of the training of these officers." Los Angeles Times

No charges

Hundreds of protesters were arrested by police last fall when they took to the streets of Los Angeles to voice their outrage over the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Those arrests were made even though there was little violence and no looting or burning of storefronts. Now, the city attorney's office says that of the 323 protesters who were arrested, only 27 have been charged with a crime. Los Angeles Times

Call a cab

Uber should be suspended from operating in California and fined $7.3 million after its parent company failed to provide data required under a 2013 law that allowed the ride-hailing company to do business, an administrative judge ruled. An Uber spokeswoman said the company would appeal the decision. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT

New landscaping: The California Water Commission approved new rules Wednesday that will severely limit how much water can be used for landscaping new developments. Small patches of grass will be allowed for new residential properties, but at commercial and industrial spaces, grass will essentially be banned. Los Angeles Times

Water school: The city of Santa Cruz has set strict water limits — 60 gallons per person per day. Residents who exceed that amount can face hefty fines. But there's a get-out-of-jail-free card they can use one time by attending water school, writes columnist Robin Abcarian. Los Angeles Times

Water for intoxicants: It stands to reason that it takes a fair amount of water to make wine and beer, but it turns out that a marijuana plant needs about 6 gallons of water a day to survive. That wasn't a problem when Californians were growing a few pot plants at home, but production has ramped up in the Emerald Triangle of Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties. Nautilus

What, me worry? Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti says he's not stressed about California's prospects for surviving the drought. "I think there's this deep, dark desire for people — whether it's fires, riots, earthquakes or droughts — that California somehow is on the verge of just being destroyed and broken off," he said. "We never let a crisis go to waste." MSNBC

L.A. AT LARGE

Higher wages: Speaking in Washington, D.C., Garcetti said cities should follow the lead of Los Angeles and increase the minimum wage, though maybe not to the $15-an-hour threshold. "Different economies need different levels. The cost of living is different and you need to cater to what works for your city," Garcetti said. Wall Street Journal

House hunters: The answer as to why many people are leaving Los Angeles is fairly straightforward: It is too expensive for a middle-class family to buy a house, which is what many Angelenos associate with "having it all." In the future, more families may find themselves building a life in an apartment. LA Weekly

Ticket sales: The Hollywood box office is on track to have a record year. Some experts predict that ticket sales could top $11 billion. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Political fundraising: Rep. Loretta Sanchez has raised $1.1 million for her U.S. Senate bid, according to her latest campaign finance report. In contrast, her Democratic rival, state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, raised nearly $3 million. There are two Republicans in the race. Assemblyman Rocky Chavez raised $60,350, while reports for former state GOP Chairman Tom Del Beccaro weren't immediately available. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Disgusting conditions: You might want to look at this after breakfast. A photo gallery shows that the San Francisco district attorney's office continues to be housed in a building plagued with rodents, asbestos and urine. Be careful where you sit. SFGate (photo gallery)

Police settlement: The family of an 18-year-old man who was fatally shot in the back by Riverside County sheriff's deputies while he was handcuffed and on the ground will receive a $500,000 settlement. The family of Lamon Khiry Haslip moved to settle their wrongful-death lawsuit arising from the December 2012 shooting. Los Angeles Times

HOUSING

Safety requirements: It has been a month since an apartment balcony collapsed in Berkeley, killing six people and injuring several more. Measures passed this week will require balconies there to be inspected every three years, and new balconies must be built with rot-proof wood or steel. Los Angeles Times

Party time: This shouldn't be much of a surprise — the most expensive home in Beverly Hills is also its biggest party house. What else would you expect when the mansion comes with a candy room, vodka and tequila bars, and a replica of James Dean's motorcycle? Curbed LA

Soaring rents: The average asking rent in Orange County's large apartment complexes is at an all-time high of $1,848 a month. Silicon Valley continues to be the most expensive part of the state, with an average rent of $2,584 a month. Orange County Register

HEALTH

Old wounds: In the 1970s, when white feminists marched for reproductive rights, they were talking about abortion and elective sterilization. But it was Chicana feminists who brought attention to another aspect of the discussion — forced sterilizations. That's what happened to immigrant women at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. A new film revisits the issue. KCET

SPORTS

Rising star: He's only 23, but some are already asking whether Mike Trout is the greatest player the Angels have ever had. He's the first player in All-Star game history to win consecutive MVP awards. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Corporate espionage: Did a SeaWorld employee go undercover with the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals? That's what PETA officials allege. The group has repeatedly protested the park's treatment of killer whales. San Diego Union-Tribune

Awards season: Emmy nominations will come out today, but the announcement will arrive three hours later than usual. That's because the show's producers believe that social media is a more important tool for spreading the news than the more traditional East Coast morning TV shows. Los Angeles Times

Food talk: For more than 15 years, Los Angeles chef Evan Kleiman has been the voice of KCRW's "Good Food," the public radio program that examines every aspect of food. "Her investigation into the notion of culinary authenticity is ongoing, an often imperceptible hum beneath her weekly on-air conversations with chefs, restaurant critics, and food writers." Eater LA

Culinary history: A look at how Chinese food became popular in California, from urban Chinatowns to wealthier suburbs. "Discrimination and outright racism drove many of them to establish independent businesses, including laundries and … restaurants." New York Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

It will be a cloudy start to the day from the Bay Area to San Diego. Highs will reach 80 in Los Angeles, 93 in Riverside, 75 in San Diego and 74 in San Francisco.

AND FINALLY

Tips from a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer on how to snap the best iPhone pictures at Disneyland, from the Orange County Register.

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