Newsletter: Essential California: S.F. vs. L.A.

Good morning. It is Saturday, Sept. 19. Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Vulnerable residents: Lake County has an aging population, but authorities weren’t prepared to help evacuate those senior citizens as the devastating Valley Fire took off. Of the seniors who were able to get out, many arrived at shelters without their wheelchairs or medications. “Deputies went door-to-door in some areas and called out orders on a mobile public address system, but not everywhere.” Los Angeles Times

Park deaths: Six wilderness explorers from Southern California were killed in a flash flood in Zion National Park this week. A seventh person was also killed. “You can go from water up to your ankles to almost to the top of the canyon. A wall of water is what you’d see coming. It can happen really suddenly,” said park spokeswoman Jin Prugsawan. Los Angeles Times

Cliff sentencing: A 53-year-old man convicted of throwing his 4-year-old daughter off a cliff in Rancho Palos Verdes will spend the rest of his life in prison. Cameron Brown was convicted of first degree murder in May, after two previous juries deadlocked over whether Brown intentionally threw his daughter or whether her death was the result of a tragic accident. Prosecutors alleged Brown committed the crime to avoid paying child support. Los Angeles Times

Pedestrian safety: The city of San Francisco found a way to get more drivers to yield to pedestrians and avoid collisions. The campaign included bus ads and billboards, handing out pamphlets, and stepping up enforcement at crosswalks. “This could result in hundreds of avoided collisions, some of which might have caused injuries or deaths,” said Ed Reiskin of the Municipal Transportation Agency. City Lab

Airport renovations: Changes to construction orders on the international terminal at LAX added an additional $414 million to the total cost of the project. That’s the finding of Controller Ron Galperin. Ultimately, work on the Tom Bradley International Terminal exceeded $1 billion. Los Angeles Times

Finding community: Columnist Sandy Banks explores the idea that shopping malls are playing the role of community, making Angelenos feels connected in a big city. “Desperate to lure visitors in an era of online commerce and busy personal lives, they are becoming ‘lifestyle destinations’ now,” she writes. Los Angeles Times

Planning restrictions: Chain stores could soon face new restrictions in the city of West Hollywood. Two city council members want to restrict big retailers in favor of independent, locally owned businesses, similar to measures taken in San Francisco and Malibu. The move is opposed by the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. WEHOville

Tale of two cities: Back in the 1970s, San Francisco and Los Angeles were pretty similar cities. So, why have they gone in such different directions in the last four decades? That’s the question explored in a new book,  “The Rise and Fall of Urban Economies: Lessons From San Francisco and Los Angeles.” SF Gate

Celebrating history: The 6th Street Viaduct, which will be torn down after 83 years of service, is getting something of a wake from Art Share L.A. The group is hosting an exhibit featuring 78 works that pay tribute to the bridge. “I love the bridge. I travel over it frequently. I wanted to do something to commemorate it,” said Dale Youngman, curator of the show. Los Angeles Times

The Emmys will be handed out on Sunday. Join the Los Angeles Times as our entertainment reporters live-blog the ceremony beginning at 2:30 p.m. PDT.

THIS WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. Columnist Steve Lopez reflects on how a “road diet” has affected his Silver Lake neighborhood. Los Angeles Times

2. The Los Angeles River stretches 51 miles. One reporter tried to bike the entire length of the river, which resulted in a less-than-satisfactory experience. L.A. Weekly

3. What is this wet stuff falling from the sky? Rain … in L.A.? BuzzFeed

4. Diplomatic immunity. That was the defense one man gave Beverly Hills police when they responded to reports of a race between exotic cars in a quiet neighborhood. Los Angeles Times

5. In honor of the reopening of Clifton's Cafeteria, take a trip down memory lane and see the restaurant’s appearances in film and television. Los Angeles Magazine

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK'S GREAT READS

Surf’s up: Surfing has taken hold at one Russian beach on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Some surfers even compare the spot to California. “There are three stereotypes that I fight against. People think there are no good waves in Russia, that the water is too cold, and that you can't get a wetsuit or board here,” said one local. Los Angeles Times

Where are we? Guatemala City is divided into 25 zones as a way to give shape to the sprawling urban landscape. But zones 20, 22 and 23 are missing. What happened? Los Angeles Times

LOOKING AHEAD

Sunday: The Broad museum in downtown L.A. opens to the public; the Emmy Awards will be held at the Microsoft Theater.

Monday: Mission San Juan Capistrano will honor the canonization of its founder, Father Junipero Serra.

Tuesday: Yom Kippur will begin at sundown; it is also National Voter Registration Day.

Thursday: Knott's Scary Farm will begin its annual Halloween celebration.

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.