Newsletter: Essential California: UC Davis chancellor resigns

Good morning. It is Wednesday, Aug. 10. Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors played golf with President Obama on Martha’s Vineyard. What did you do on your summer vacation? Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Chancellor resigns

UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi resigned Tuesday after a three-month investigation into the misuse of student funds and allegations of nepotism. Her attorney said the investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing and Katehi will remain chancellor emeritus and a university faculty member. However, a spokeswoman for the university system said Katehi had “exercised poor judgment, not been candid with university leadership, and violated multiple university policies.” Los Angeles Times

More students graduating

The Los Angeles Unified School District saw a 75% graduation rate this year, up from 72.2% in 2015. The news comes as the district has implemented tougher academic requirements. In December, it appeared that half of LAUSD seniors were in danger of not graduating, so district officials offered online classes and additional support as part of “credit recovery.” Critics have wondered whether those efforts were successful because of lowered standards. Los Angeles Times

Mistaken identity

A 27-year-old man shot and killed last month by a sheriff’s deputy was not the carjacking suspect police were looking for, authorities said. Donnell Thompson’s family plans to sue Los Angeles County over the shooting. “When you killed my brother, you killed me,” said the victim’s sister Matrice Stanley. Los Angeles Times

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L.A. AT LARGE

Undercharged: As many as 60,000 customers may have been under-billed thanks to faulty devices on automatic gas meters, according to the Southern California Gas Co. The utility estimates 1% of 5.5 million meters had devices that did not accurately reflect how much gas customers were using. However, rules set out by the Public Utilities Commission limit how much money SoCal Gas may be able to recoup from customers who received the low bills. Los Angeles Times

Mouse in the house: Don’t eat your breakfast when you watch this video. A mouse was spotted in the produce section of an El Super in Covina. It was bagged and carted away, and anyone who purchased fruits and vegetables at the store on Aug. 7 can return them for a full refund. LAist

Charm offensive: Mayor Eric Garcetti is in Rio de Janeiro to woo members of the International Olympic Committee and persuade them to host the 2024 Games in Los Angeles. “The guy is a rock star, absolute rock star,” said Larry Probst, chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee and an IOC member. USA Today

Gold line: Metro is tapping into the Olympic spirit to build up some goodwill. Gold medalists will be at Metro stops over the next two weeks to meet fans and take pictures. It’s all part of an effort to build support for a half-cent sales tax proposal to fund new transit projects. Curbed LA

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Out of a hat: A rare thing happened at the La Quinta City Council meeting last week. Three of the five members had to recuse themselves from a decision. That triggered Section 18705 of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations in order to get a quorum. Desert Sun

Transit mess: The relocation of Highway 99 in Fresno is a key part of the state’s bullet train project, and now the work is over budget and behind schedule. “Work has been held up by litigation over obtaining rights to private property, the same issue that has contributed to a more than a two-year delay in building the first 29 miles of rail in the Central Valley.” Los Angeles Times

Guilty verdict: Pacific Gas & Electric Co. was found guilty Tuesday of violating pipeline safety regulations before a deadly blast in San Bruno six years ago. Several days into jury deliberations, prosecutors said they would not seek a potential $562-million fine against the utility. Instead, PG&E could face a $3-million fine. Associated Press

Lost pets: In Solano County, animal shelters are using facial recognition software to match lost dogs with their owners. The technology is 98% accurate and will soon be available for cats. SFGate

CRIME AND COURTS

Quiet plea: An LAPD officer who faced a felony assault charge for kicking and punching a man during a 2014 arrest reached a plea deal with prosecutors that will allow him to avoid jail time. Under the deal, if Officer Richard Garcia completes community service and makes a $500 donation, he’ll be able to replace his felony with a misdemeanor charge. “It’s not fair to the community that anybody coming into the community mistreats someone and gets a slap on the wrist,” said Mac Shorty, the chair of the Watts Neighborhood Council. Los Angeles Times

Back in custody: The man known as the “Pillowcase Rapist” is back in custody. When serial rapist Christopher Hubbart was released into the Lake Los Angeles community two years ago, his freedom came with 16 pages’ worth of restrictions and rules. Now he’s back in Coalinga State Hospital for violating the terms of his release. Hubbart admitted to assaulting dozens of women in the 1970s and ‘80s. Los Angeles Times

Pay up: A Los Angeles County judge issued an arrest warrant for rapper Tyga on Tuesday after he failed to show up for a hearing in the lawsuit brought by his former landlord. Tyga has yet to pay a $480,000 judgement that was ordered after he broke his lease and left a Malibu mansion in need of repairs. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Out of the water: Kern County authorities want people to stay away from Lake Ming. Samples show there are harmful levels of bacteria in the water. “Issuing a no contact advisory is a preventative measure. We will continue to test and monitor bacteria levels,” said Matt Constantine, director of Kern County Public Health Services. ABC Bakersfield

Harmful toxins: A study out of UC San Diego finds condors near Big Sur have been exposed to toxins linked with the thinning of eggshells. About 40% of breeding-age birds have been exposed to DDE, which is a form of the pesticide DDT. “We can infer that the reproductive failure in (coastal) birds in Central California is from DDT,” said Carolyn Kurle, co-author of the study and a researcher at UC San Diego. San Diego Union-Tribune

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

From left to right: Here are the 24 things West Coasters learn when they move to the East Coast. BuzzFeed

Day in the life: Curt Robinson has operated BART trains for 17 years. “We challenge our knowledge everyday because the tracks change every day,” he says in a new video. San Francisco Chronicle

Good work, Mom: The daughter-in-law of heavy-metal rocker Dee Snider delivered her own baby in the passenger seat of a car as it zoomed down the 405 Freeway. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego will have low clouds and a high of 76 degrees. Los Angeles will have a high of 80 degrees. Riverside will have clouds and a high of 92. San Francisco will have clouds as temperatures reach 68 degrees. Sacramento will be sunny and 94.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Christy Willman:

“I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley in the 1960s. The area still had a rural ambience. I spent my childhood playing in the orange grove behind my house. The fragrance of the orange blossoms was incredibly sweet. The soil was rich and black and wonderful. There is nothing like a freshly picked Valencia orange. Funny how the smells of childhood stay with us. I think it is why I love flowers and gardening on a sunny California day.”

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.