Newsletter: Essential California: Cracking down on pimps

Happy (or sad) Black Friday. If you're looking for the holiday spirit, go to Santa Ana. Someone stole a special wheelchair used by a 4-year-old girl born without legs. But the community is rallying to help her. Here’s what’s going on in California today:

TOP STORIES

Targeting pimps

Los Angeles prosecutors are in the midst of major shift in the way they deal with prostitution. Armed with a new law, the district attorney is filing much more serious human trafficking charges against some pimps. At the same time, officials are viewing prostitutes more as victims than criminals. Los Angeles Times

Law school woes

The bar exam pass rate in California has fallen below 47%, adding to the woes facing some law schools. They are struggling to find students, and those who graduate are having trouble finding jobs. Some say the pass rate might drop further in coming years. Los Angeles Times

Black Thursday

To the dismay of some, holiday shopping began in earnest on Thanksgiving Day. Big retailers have a lot riding on the next month, which brings in about 40% of total revenue. Experts predict sales will rise 3.7% this year to $630.5 billion. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Freezing up north: Wintry conditions continue in Northern California, where much of the region was under a freeze watch through Friday. The cold weather is more good news for the state’s drought-battered ski industry, which so far has seen a strong season thanks to a series of Sierra snowstorms. Los Angeles Times

Christmas tree drought? Will the next big test of the drought be our Christmas trees? Some consumers say they are more likely to buy an artificial tree this year to avoid the little watering that’s required. There is also debate about whether there will be a tree shortage because of the drought in the Northwest. Christian Science Monitor

Wine country: Across the state's wine regions, vineyards are taking measures to keep their topsoil in place through what may be the first very wet winter in more than four years. It could also lead to higher wine prices down the line. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Cyclist for hire: L.A.’s burgeoning bike culture has hit another milestone: There is now a bike-based courier service delivering food and other supplies across Northeast Los Angeles. One target customer base: car-less millennials. The Eastsider

Across the border: For more than 100 years, celebrations have been held on both sides of the border each fall in honor of the Mexican city of Ocotlan. But today a shadow hangs over the city, and the people in Southern California who love it. Los Angeles Times

Making Trump hats: Those Donald Trump “Make America Great Again” caps are made in a factory in Carson. Hear what the immigrant workers say about their task. To them, it’s just a job. Los Angeles Times

Disconnect: Managing cellphones has become quite a challenge for school administrators. One technique used by some Los Angeles teachers: putting confiscated cellphones in paper bags. Los Angeles Times

Rachel, Monica brave the 405: Yes, “Friends” would have been a far different show if it had been set in L.A. instead of New York. “Chandler would have gotten stuck in an ATM during an earthquake, not a blackout.” BuzzFeed

CRIME AND COURTS

Escaping in a cab: Another bizarre police pursuit with a twist. After leading authorities on a chase, four suspects made a run for it at the Costa Mesa/Fountain Valley border. Two were caught. But witnesses said two others appeared to get away in a taxi cab. Orange County Register

Family drama: The ugly saga involving the death of radio legend Casey Kasem is headed to court. Three of Kasem’s children and his brother sued his widow, accusing her of neglecting his medical care and hastening his 2014 death. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

The biggest guessing game in Hollywood: How big will the opening-day box office be for the new "Star Wars" movie? Many predict an opening in the range of $175 million to $200 million. But as excitement builds, some now think it could be much higher. Los Angeles Times

Such a deal: Here’s some market pricing. You can get a seat for a 49ers game for $25. But it costs $57 to park. SFGate

Heritage preservation: There is a new push to save disappearing Chicano murals in Orange County. OC Weekly

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

The fall feel continues: Partly cloudy skies with highs in the mid 60s and lows in the 40s across the L.A. area. San Francisco will be sunny with a high of 59. San Diego will have scattered showers and a high of 62.

AND FINALLY

Today's California Memory comes from James Bruno:

"In 1941, I was a 13-year-old 'health nut' from the Midwest visiting my older sister at 82nd and Vermont. She gave me a large shopping bag and a dime to go to the farmers market on the corner of Manchester and Vermont to buy one dozen grapefruit. She said I could keep the nickel change. Well, I bought not one, but two dozen grapefruit and thought this must be the 'promised land.' A few years later, I made this my lifetime home."

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 Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.