Newsletter: Family reunions at the border fence

Good morning. It is Saturday, Sept. 17. Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Meeting spot: A metal fence between San Diego and Tijuana is a popular spot for family reunions. Every week, hundreds of people separated by immigration policy travel here. Now there’s a petition to create a spot where family members can give a hug and a kiss. But the Border Patrol opposes efforts to make the border security less restrictive. Los Angeles Times

Job growth: California had a net gain of 63,100 jobs last month, according to data from the Employment Development Department. But those jobs aren’t spread across the state evenly. “It reflects what we have seen for some time — the disconnect between our urban areas and the Central Valley and other inland areas,” said Michael Bernick, an attorney at Sedgwick, a San Francisco firm. Los Angeles Times

Transit options: An estimated 800 tech buses move 34,000 passengers through the Bay Area every day. “The hatred of the buses, which are operated by around 35 different companies, goes hand-in-hand with other gentrification-fueled unrest in the area, most notably over housing prices.” CityLab

Wealthiest area: The median income in Silicon Valley is $102,000, according to the latest census figures. It’s the wealthiest place in America. Vice

Raising red flags: The battle over Mark Zuckerberg’s Palo Alto mansion. Mercury News

On the streets: The city of Long Beach is grappling with the growing homeless population in Belmont Shore. But even when individuals ask for help, progress can be slow. “I try every day and it’s hard. I’m not going to say it’s not. It’s rough,” said Brandon Devitt-Arlee, who has been “houseless” for five years. Long Beach Press-Telegram

Stately sale: Actor Tony Curtis sold the Owlwood estate in Holmby Hills to Sonny and Cher in the 1970s. And now it’s gone to a real estate developer for $90 million. The 10-acre property includes a 12,200-square-foot house, two guesthouses, a swimming pool and tennis court. Wall Street Journal

Take the 10 to the 405: Comedian Bill Hader explains how the “Californians” became a staple sketch on “Saturday Night Live.” YouTube

THIS WEEK’S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. Raymond Lee Jennings spent 11 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Why was he charged in the first place? Los Angeles Times

2. Federal judges are moving into their new “cube” in downtown L.A. The Real Deal

3. What is life like after leaving Scientology? Los Angeles Times

4. Here he’s known as inmate 1027820, but you may know him as O.J. Simpson. Los Angeles Times

5. Check out Santa Monica’s brightly painted crosswalks. Curbed LA

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK’S GREAT READS

Broadcasting live: Unarius, a California UFO cult, was known for its out-of-this-world public access programming in the 1980s. It will host its 33rd annual Interplanetary Conclave of Light next month. The event includes a tour of a future alien landing site. Atlas Obscura

Modern architecture: Calabasas’ first subdivision wasn’t cookie cutter by any means. It was an avant garde modernist space for artists. Curbed LA

Back again: After decades as a foreign correspondent, one reporter returns to San Francisco to find a country that doesn’t much resemble the one he left in the 1980s. “It seems a terrible statement about my home country that my children will encounter homelessness and mental illness much more vividly in the wealthiest nation in the world than they did in Thailand, where we previously lived.” New York Times

Flip or flop: The city’s hottest real estate market is the neighborhood just west of USC, specifically Jefferson Park and West Adams. The whole scene resembles the last real estate bubble. “Flippers are active, bidding wars are common and sales prices have topped last decade’s bubble — a threshold surpassed by only certain neighborhoods, including the Westside and gentrifying neighborhoods in Northeast Los Angeles.” Los Angeles Times

LOOKING AHEAD

Sunday: Television’s biggest stars will gather in Los Angeles for the Emmys; back in L.A., the Rams host their inaugural regular-season home game at the Coliseum; the East Los Angeles Mexican Independence Day and Parade will be held.

Thursday: The Downtown Film Festival Los Angeles gets underway.

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.