Newsletter: Essential California: Hollywood’s dollars go to Clinton

Good morning. It is Saturday, Oct. 24. Here's what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Hollywood as ATM: When the entertainment community donates to a presidential candidate, 9 of every 10 dollars goes to Hillary Rodham Clinton. The figures shouldn't be surprising. Hollywood similarly embraced Bill Clinton, at least financially, when he was in office. "Compared with the Clinton campaign megaplex, her competition feels more like a smaller boutique theater: less lavishly star-studded but with some recognizable names." Los Angeles Times

Helping the homeless: What's the best way to spend $100 million toward the goal of ending homelessness? Seven advocates weigh in. "The sometimes cynical folks who live outside our soup kitchen wonder, after all the community forums and strategy studies are done and policing of the homeless gets its share of the money, when will they get theirs?" writes Jeff Dietrich with Los Angeles Catholic Worker. Los Angeles Times

Political longevity: Assemblyman Anthony Rendon will be the next Assembly speaker, and thanks to a change in term limits, the Democrat from Lakewood could be the longest-serving politician in that position since Willie Brown 20 years ago. "Longer terms and steady leadership could have a calming affect on the Capitol, allowing lawmakers to settle into the responsibility of their positions rather than plotting their next political move." CALmatters

In your face: In less than two weeks, San Francisco voters will weigh in on Proposition F, which would regulate short-term rentals from firms like Airbnb. As part of its campaign against the measure, Airbnb put up a series of controversial billboards and bus ads that suggested how city departments could use the tax dollars generated by its users. The company's CEO has since apologized for the ads. SFist

Tracking the pack: The alpha female of the Shasta wolf pack in Northern California is originally from Oregon, according to scientists who studied the wolf's DNA. Gray wolves are protected under the California Endangered Species Act. The new wolf pack was first spotted in August. KCET

Got guilt? Your choice of milk has moved beyond skim versus 2%. Consumers can now reach for milk made from almonds, soy, coconuts, hazelnuts and hemp. The California drought, however, has put drinkers of almond milk on the defensive, given how much water it takes to grow the nut. "On the dairy-versus-almonds thing, if you're so passionate, just drink your coffee black," said Anya Fernald, chief executive of Belcampo. The New Yorker

Real estate tussle: The battle between singer Katy Perry and five Catholic nuns over a Los Feliz property rages on. "Katy Perry represents everything we don't believe in. It would be a sin to sell to her," Sister Catherine Rose Holzman said. Billboard

Body art: Football players at UCLA and USC talk about how their tattoos represent their cultures and hometowns, in separate Los Angeles Times videos.

THIS WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. A list of all the things you'll learn about San Francisco once you move to the city. SFGate

2. Los Angeles is known for reinventing itself, so is it any wonder that some of the city's most famous mansions have been lost to history (or development)? Curbed LA

3. Get ready to make your mouth water — it's Jonathan Gold's picks for the best burritos in L.A. Los Angeles Times

4. Toward the end of his life, actor Mickey Rooney spoke out about elder abuse. However, it's only now, more than a year after his death, that the full extent of the abuse he suffered, allegedly at the hands of his wife and one of her sons, has been made public. Hollywood Reporter

5. In San Francisco, you don't have to spend a lot of money to have one of the city's best meals. Here are Michelin's picks for cheap eats. Bloomberg

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK'S GREAT READS

Trusted guide: No blind runner has ever run 100 meters as fast as David Brown. By his side is guide Jerome Avery. When they run, they're connected by a four-inch tether. "There was no doubt in our minds after that. Yeah, this was going to be a lifetime match," Brown said. Los Angeles Times

Life on the street: Empathy mixed with fear. That captures the relationship between store owners in Sylmar and the homeless men and women who live around their strip mall. While employees leave food for the homeless and regularly check in on their medical problems, the mall also hired a security guard to clear out the area. Los Angeles Times

Preparing for battle: In Russia, young adults are embracing military culture by practicing their knife skills and timing how quickly they can assemble an AK-47. The activities are part of clubs sprouting up around the country. "The military has been experiencing a renaissance in recent years as the government spends billions to modernize and looks to its upcoming conscripts to fend off Western enemies the Kremlin sees as encroaching on Russian borders." Los Angeles Times

LOOKING AHEAD

Monday: The Coachella Valley Water District will hold a hearing in Palm Desert to talk about how best to meet the state's conservation requirements.

Wednesday: Local Republicans will meet at China Palace in Newport Beach to watch the GOP presidential debate.

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.