Newsletter: Today: A Bigger Plot and a Hard Drive in a Lake?

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

A Bigger Plot and a Hard Drive in a Lake?

The San Bernardino shooters tried to destroy their digital devices before being killed, but the electronic equipment is still providing some clues. Federal sources say they believe the couple was planning a larger assault. More information could come from a hard drive, which investigators looked for in a lake. The latest is here.

The Farooks: Turmoil Behind Closed Doors

The Farook family came from modest means. The brothers were a study in contrasts — one extroverted, one introverted. Life at home was turbulent, according to court records. Take a glimpse into the upbringing of Syed Rizwan Farook. Los Angeles Times

Democrats and Gun Control

Gun control has long been a kind of third rail for Democratic presidential contenders: Look but don’t touch. Now, especially in the last week, they’re aggressively advocating new gun laws. What changed? Public opinion hasn’t. The political calculus has.

This Year the Real Drama Is ... Awards Season

By now, the marathon race to the Oscars in February usually has a couple of clear-cut front-runners — even if the public hasn’t seen them in theaters. Not so this time around. “There’s not a film this year that people really have a crush on,” one awards consultant says. Here's why.

She Didn't Want to Be a 'White Madam'

She was a liberal white lawyer in South Africa known for doing pro bono work for poor black people. But during a home invasion robbery, she took on the apartheid-era role of "white madam" to push back against the black gunmen. That experience changed her, but not in the way you might think: "I started reaching out to people of color in a way I hadn’t before."

CALIFORNIA

-- Families are struggling to cope with the closure of the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino.

-- The doomsday governor: Jerry Brown goes deep on climate change and other global threats.

-- U2's the Edge gets state approval to build five homes on a Malibu ridge.

-- Here's who is being considered to lead the L.A. Unified School District.

NATION-WORLD

-- The Pacific Northwest sees the wettest start to an El Niño season.

-- The Air Force wants to spend $3 billion over five years to add drone pilots and bases.

-- Justice Antonin Scalia is under fire for his comments during an affirmative action argument.

-- After terror attacks, Muslim women say headscarves have made them targets for harassment.

-- The No Child Left Behind Act is history. Meet the Every Student Succeeds Act.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- Golden Globes: See who's nominated in film and TV with the complete list of nominees.

-- Could this be the year Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins some awards?

-- Movie review: "The Big Short" somehow makes the 2008 housing collapse entertaining.

-- TV review: "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors" is clear and misty-eyed at once.

-- Q&A with Harrison Ford on "Star Wars": "Maybe I just ran out of money," he deadpans.

-- Carolina Miranda recommends seven art shows to see in L.A. this week and lists many more.

-- Derring-do in a steampunk world: This Cirque du Soleil show is so "Kurios."

BUSINESS

-- Dow Chemical and DuPont announced Friday they've agreed to merge into a company worth $130 billion.

-- Attention, shoppers: California's Lemon Law helps protect pricey consumer electronics too.

-- Electric car maker Faraday Future will build a $1-billion plant in North Las Vegas.

-- Why Chanel paid $13,217 a square foot for a Rodeo Drive store.

SPORTS

-- The Dodgers have made few moves but will try to rebuild their advantage over rivals.

-- Life lessons from the world of high school football.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Why are business schools teaching literature classes? (The Baffler)

-- The consequences of Jamaica's crumbling water infrastructure. (CityLab)

-- Opinion: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writes about Donald Trump. (Time)

ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

He led a group of American Indian protesters occupying Alcatraz Island in 1969. His fans included Bob Dylan, Robert Redford and Bonnie Raitt. The FBI had a 17,000-page dossier on him. And poetry was the only way he could deal with tragedy. Now, activist John Trudell has died at age 69. Read on for more about a classic counterculture figure.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.