Newsletter: Essential California: Emmy nominations show we still care about O.J. Simpson case
Good morning. It is Friday, July 15. Ice cream is delicious (that’s an indisputable fact). For those Angelenos who say “no thanks” to animal products, these are the best vegan ice cream shops. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
Caught on tape
The chief of the Fresno Police Department took the rare step of releasing body-camera footage that shows the shooting of an unarmed 19-year-old man. Chief Jerry Dyer said that while it’s disturbing to watch, he hoped the footage would answer why officers opened fire on Dylan Noble. The release has highlighted the debate over when body-camera footage should be made public. Los Angeles Times
Trial of the century
The big haul of Emmy nominations for “The People v. O.J. Simpson” is just the latest indication about how much the L.A. murder case from the 1990s still captivates culture today. “I think we are in a very different place,” says former L.A. Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti. “There’s understanding that wasn’t there 20 years ago.” Los Angeles Times
Not in my backyard
The Los Angeles Planning Commission approved new rules designed to stop “mansionization.” The changes would eliminate loopholes in existing rules that allow big, boxy homes to take over neighborhoods. The decision now goes to a City Council committee. Los Angeles Times
STORIES TO WATCH TODAY…
-- Local law enforcement reaction to the truck attack in Nice, France, that killed dozens. Over the years, police have talked about how to deal with terrorists who use vehicles as a weapon.
-- Any movement in Congress’ efforts to pass drought legislation.
-- The role of renewable resources in our energy policy is the topic of a Los Angeles Times event in Santa Monica.
Readers, we always love hearing from you. You can keep up with Alice and Shelby during the day on Twitter. Follow @TheCityMaven and @ShelbyGrad.
L.A. AT LARGE
Author dies: California writer Carolyn See died Wednesday at age 82. “Others looked at California as a cliché, a broken dream, a joke. Carolyn looked at the same California and saw redemption,” said author and critic Jonathan Kirsch. Los Angeles Times
Injury report: It was really just a matter of time, right? A woman sued building owner OUE Skyspace LLC after she broke her ankle on the glass slide outside the U.S. Bank Tower. In her lawsuit, the 57-year-old tourist said the slide doesn’t allow riders to slow down when they reach the bottom. City News Service
Fighting change: Boyle Heights activists would like it if the art galleries would please leave their neighborhood. Many believe the galleries are step one of gentrification. “How many homes and how many jobs do we lose? Each gallery that opens in our community makes our community a luxury zone,” said resident Ana Hernandez. LA Weekly
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Legalize it: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Salinas to build support for Proposition 64, which would legalize recreational marijuana use in California. “I believe people can support (full) legalization without supporting the use of marijuana,” he said. The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the state could save $100 million if authorities don’t have to arrest and prosecute pot users. The Californian
Death of a politician: State Sen. Sharon Runner died Thursday as a result of respiratory complications. In 2012, the Republican underwent a double lung transplant. “Sharon Runner’s life was one of service. Sharon was committed to the people of her community and our great state,” said Jim Brulte, the chairman of California Republican Party. Los Angeles Times
Harassment allegation: Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones is accused of making unwanted advances to a subordinate deputy more than a decade ago. The details were contained in a lawsuit brought by four women who said they were discriminated against. Jones denied the allegations. Sacramento Bee
CRIME AND COURTS
Keep your eyes open: Here is a daily reminder to pay attention to your surroundings. In San Diego County, two men fell off a cliff as they played “Pokémon Go.” In Anaheim, a player was in a park about 12:30 a.m. when he was stabbed by a group of men. And in San Luis Obispo, the game identified a sober-living facility that houses sex offenders as a stop. Los Angeles Times
Police sketch: Homicide investigators in San Diego released a sketch of the man they believe is responsible for killing three homeless men. Police say the suspect they’re looking for is between the ages of 35 and 50 and has a large chin and prominent eyes. A fourth homeless man was critically injured in an attack. San Diego Union-Tribune
Abuse allegation: Three children between the ages of 5 and 7 were left in the Mojave Desert without shoes or water as punishment by their parents, according to police. They were outside alone for about 45 minutes before they were discovered by a passerby. The children’s mother and boyfriend were arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse. Los Angeles Times
Roaming eye: A mob beat up a man in Dolores Park after he checked out the girlfriend of one of the attackers, police said. The crowd hit and kicked the man, who suffered head wounds and cuts. SFGate
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Conserve, please: Santa Monica’s chief sustainability officer says his city will stay in drought mode. “It’s time to finally acknowledge that droughts in the American West aren’t short-term nuisances — they are the new normal,” writes Dean Kubani. Los Angeles Times
TECH AND ENTERTAINMENT
Revolution will be streamed: Is Facebook ready to police the live streams of 1.65 billion users? “You need the judgment of someone looking at the content and bringing in context, and even in those situations they can get it wrong,” said Blagica Bottigliero, a vice president at ModSquad. Bloomberg
What’s a “unicorn”? The tech community has isolated itself from the rest of California and nowhere is that clearer than in their speech, writes Joe Mathews. “At root, though, the language barrier is a monument to Silicon Valley’s sense of self-importance … Silicon Valley’s fondness for inventing new language tracks with its self-image as a place that is changing the world,” he writes. Zócalo Public Square
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Diversity in history: California schools are getting closer to adopting a curriculum that incorporates LGBT history. “We are proud to represent a diverse state, and we are proud that this framework reflects the state that we serve,” said Lauryn Wild, a Southern California curriculum specialist. Associated Press
Out to sea: Wally the dead whale keeps washing up on the shore of Orange County. Six times now crews have towed the animal’s body out into the water only to have it make its way back to the beach. At this point, even sharks aren’t interested in Wally. “I think it’s way too decomposed,” said one lifeguard. Orange County Register
Names and places: How do Instagram filters get their names? Mainly free association. Hefe for Hefeweizen. Valencia for Valencia Street in the Mission District. The Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood and Vine: These photographs capture the grittiness of Hollywood in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Mashable
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Diego will be mostly sunny and 76 degrees. Riverside will be sunny and 95. There will be low clouds and a high of 81 in Los Angeles. It’ll be sunny and 100 degrees in Sacramento. San Francisco will have clouds and a high of 71.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Richard W. Kruse:
“It was 1959. I was 9 years old, and my family moved from Waterbury, Connecticut, to Montclair in the Pomona Valley. Our valley was still covered with orange and lemon groves. One of my fondest memories is, when the wind from the west would pick up in the late afternoon, the scent of orange and lemon blossoms would fill the air and blanket the whole valley. However, the next 10 years I saw grove after grove being torn out and replaced with houses. Sadly, I became a witness to the end of the Citrus Belt.”
For the record: Yesterday’s newsletter said the city of Anaheim would give Disney $267 million in tax rebates over the next 10 years. It should have said 20 years.
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.
