Newsletter: Today: The Mystery of Enrique Marquez Jr. Trump’s Chaos Theory.

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

TOP STORIES

The Mystery of Enrique Marquez Jr.

To some, Enrique Marquez Jr. was a goofy guy who played the ukulele, cracked up at his own jokes and had a melancholic streak. In a criminal complaint, he’s described as a methodical wannabe terrorist who planned an attack on a college and freeway with Syed Rizwan Farook, bought the rifles in the San Bernardino shootings and entered a sham marriage. How did he manage to keep it all hidden? His acquaintances recount some warnings.

Donald Trump’s Chaos Theory

He’s brash, quick to insult and boasts of making appearances “with no notes, no nothing.” For rival Jeb Bush, Donald Trump is a “chaos candidate.” And yet the more groups Trump offends, his popularity has grown. In this analysis, Michael Finnegan looks at how Trump’s campaign is less chaotic and more calculated than it looks.

As the Las Vegas Review-Journal Turns

American journalism has taken some strange turns in recent years, but few have been more unusual than the sale of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson initially tried to remain anonymous when he bought the paper, until his own newsroom broke the first detailed account exposing him as the mystery buyer. Since then, back-and-forth front-page editorials have left readers wondering who is in charge.

Start Up the Moving Vans in Porter Ranch

72 hours. That’s how long Southern California Gas Co. was given to find temporary housing for Porter Ranch residents who want to escape the fumes of a natural gas leak. It’s a monumental task, given that more than 2,600 families are awaiting such a move. Here’s the latest.

Understand Europe’s biggest migration crisis in more than half a century. Hear how the San Bernardino attack played out in 911 calls. Chart L.A.’s most dangerous intersections — and its aging pipes. Take a virtual-reality tour of Mars’ Gale Crater. Watch Ronda Rousey break down her victories. And plan how to win an Oscar. This is just a sampling of the data visualization and graphics work The Times delivered online in 2015. Explore it all here.

CALIFORNIA

-- On its first day at LAX, the ride-hailing firm Lyft gets off to a slow start.

-- Healthcare providers will soon be using a more secure database aimed at combating drug abuse.

-- Black Lives Matter activists shut down the 405 Freeway on a busy travel day.

-- The luxury Edition hotel project in West Hollywood gets $260 million in financing.

NATION-WORLD

-- A Texas sheriff vows to find “affluenza” fugitive Ethan Couch, who killed four while driving drunk.

-- California’s top talkers: Which congressman spoke the most in 2015?

-- Behind the Taliban onslaught in Afghanistan.

-- Sixty-seven hours after a landslide in China, a survivor is pulled from the rubble.

-- Turkey and Israel are in talks to return to normal relations.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg talk about parenting skills and doing pull-ups.

-- A new “Point Break” film brings seriousness to a camp classic.

-- How Alejandro G. Iñárritu filmed the bear attack in “The Revenant.”

-- TV review: Christmas with “Dr. Who” and “Call the Midwife” delivers suspense and tizzies.

-- The worst pop music moments of 2015: Madonna, Omni, Meghan Trainor and more.

-- Opera review: A fresh recording of “The Long Christmas Dinner” serves plenty to be thankful for.

BUSINESS

-- A ninth driver death is linked to an exploding Takata airbag; Honda extends a recall to 127,000 CR-Vs.

-- Have gift cards reached a saturation point? An expert weighs in.

SPORTS

-- USC at the Holiday Bowl will be an open audition for young coaches under Clay Helton.

-- Listen up, L.A.: Rio de Janeiro’s mayor shares advice on the Olympics.

-- What was the biggest L.A. sports story in 2015? Vote in our poll.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Somalia, Tajikistan and Brunei ban Christmas celebrations. (The Guardian)

-- The science behind Rudolph’s red nose and reindeer vision. (Frontiers for Young Minds)

-- Reuters reports on a onetime fire eater who recruits Mexican workers to work at carnivals.

ONLY IN L.A.

Ruth Moore lived for helping others. She raised four children, sent “plates down the street” to feed older neighbors and was a community organizer. In 1965, after the Watts riots, she held her first Christmas party for neighborhood children who might otherwise have had no holiday celebration. Moore’s gone now, but the gathering marked its 50th anniversary this week. Read on to see how her daughter kept the party going.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.