Newsletter: Essential California: ‘Shrimp Boy’ gets life in prison in San Francisco case
Good morning. It is Friday, Aug. 5. The “Forever Marilyn” sculpture could be back in Palm Springs this fall. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
No jail time
Two concert promoters accused in an bribery and embezzlement scheme involving the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will avoid jail time after prosecutors admitted they mishandled evidence — again. Pasquale Rotella pleaded no contest Thursday to a misdemeanor conflict-of-interest count and agreed to pay $150,000 and serve three years of probation. Reza Gerami will accept a similar deal on Friday and pay restitution of $30,000. “You guys are just tripping over your feet and falling on your faces,” Judge Kathleen Kennedy told prosecutors. Los Angeles Times
Saving the world
Gov. Jerry Brown took steps Thursday to start raising money for a 2018 ballot initiative on climate change. SB 32 would shore up the state’s cap-and-trade program, a key part of the state’s climate change policy. But with the bill’s future looking uncertain, the governor’s aides say the program will be extended “one way or another.” Los Angeles Times
Life in prison
The head of a San Francisco Chinatown fraternal organization was sentenced to life in prison for murder and other charges related to a massive corruption case that led to the arrest of then-state Sen. Leland Yee. In January, Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow was found guilty of 162 felony counts, including racketeering, robbery and aiding and abetting the laundering of drug money. “Chow was a wolf in sheep’s clothing for years — not even true to himself,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo. Los Angeles Times
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L.A. AT LARGE
Protecting the neighborhood: Boyle Heights’ fight over gentrification has become activist versus artist. “The confrontation between Self Help Graphics and the brash, uncompromising activists was stunning.” Los Angeles Times
Living by a landmark: A new documentary highlights the concerns of Beachwood Canyon residents whose neighborhood has been overrun with tourists trying to get to the Hollywood sign. One fed-up neighbor goes so far as to suggest the sign be moved. “Put it somewhere ... give them this letter. Let them touch it and feel it,” she said. Curbed LA
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Mayor arrested: Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva was arrested Thursday at his youth camp on suspicion of playing strip poker with minors and providing alcohol to underage kids. Silva, who was released on $20,000 bail, denies the allegations. Last fall, federal agents confiscated Silva’s cellphone and two laptops as he returned from China. It’s just the latest controversy involving the mayor. Los Angeles Times
Fight over weed: The Yes on Proposition 64 campaign wants a judge to delete or amend the arguments their opponents plan to include in pamphlets to voters. The campaign believes the arguments, signed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen President Doug Villars, are misleading and/or false. A spokesman for the No on Prop. 64 campaign said the group will challenge those assertions. Los Angeles Times
CRIME AND COURTS
A fight, then an arrest: Witnesses say an argument broke out when an older white man on a BART train started harassing an African American man and his pregnant girlfriend. The man then called the police and told them Michael Smith, 22, was armed. Cellphone video shows Smith being punched in the face by a BART officer while struggling during an arrest. Smith, who did not have a weapon, pleaded not guilty to battery on a peace officer. “Rather than investigating the situation, they simply assumed Mr. Smith was guilty and acted accordingly,” said Public Defender Jeff Adachi. SFGate
Anonymous tipster: Police spent 16 years looking for murder suspect Samuel Calvario. They captured him after an anonymous woman left a voicemail that she had seen his picture on a “most wanted list” and knew where to find him. Calvario is accused of killing a 31-year-old man who tried to intervene in an argument between the suspect and his girlfriend. Los Angeles Times
Violent environment: This story captures what it means to grow up in a world, in this case Stockton, surrounded by poverty and violence. “There was nothing Rocky could do to hide his pedigree — the scars of his past are right there for anyone to see, in his tattoos, his speech, his demeanor.” California Sunday Magazine
Short and to the point: Judge Alex Kozinski on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has had enough. He’s fed up with attorneys who file “chubby briefs.” “This encourages disdain for our rules and penalizes lawyers” who comply, he wrote in an opinion. Los Angeles Times
Discrimination lawsuit: The LAPD officers who fatally shot Ezell Ford in South Los Angeles are now suing the city, alleging they’ve been racially discriminated against in the wake of the 2014 shooting. Officers Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas say that although they did not commit misconduct, they’ve been denied advancement through the LAPD ranks. A spokesman for the city declined to comment. Los Angeles Times
BUSINESS
Work, work, work: Hard work is the only way companies can succeed in Silicon Valley, says Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer. If you visit a co-working space on a Saturday, “I can tell you which start-ups will succeed, without even knowing what they do. Being there on the weekend is a huge indicator of success, mostly because these companies just don’t happen,” she says. Bloomberg
New platform: Brands are flocking to Snapchat as a new advertising platform. Customizable geofilters and “lenses” are key to that strategy. “When you know content will disappear, you want to interact with it in that moment,” said Diana Hong-Elsey, vice president for global digital marketing at Tiffany’s, which just introduced a logo that lets customers add flying hearts (in Tiffany blue) to their pictures and videos. New York Times
HEALTH
Zika pregnancies: Two California babies were born with microcephaly after their mothers were infected with the Zika virus while traveling abroad. Health officials declined to release any information about the mothers and babies — where they live or which countries the mothers visited. The state has seen 114 cases of travel-related Zika. Los Angeles Times
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Saved by wine: Columnist Robin Abcarian traveled to Bernardus Winery in the Cachaguas Valley to see how one estate manager Matt Shea protects his grapes from the Soberanes Fire. “A vineyard is probably the most defensible space, ever. I’ve got 35 acres of dirt with green vines. To be in the center of that would be the safest place in Cachagua,” he says. Los Angeles Times
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Baseball fans: Matt Kemp has played in Los Angeles and San Diego. He’s now on his way to the Atlanta Braves and had this to say: “I’ve never really played in a baseball town before. So, I am excited about that.” Really, Matt? Really? San Diego Union-Tribune
Keep the light on: A history lesson on the lighthouses of Los Angeles. Curbed LA
Go outside: California and its role in inventing camping (thanks John Muir). New York Times
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
Sacramento will be sunny with a high of 90 degrees. San Francisco will have low clouds and a high of 67. There will be low clouds and a high of 93 degrees in Riverside. Los Angeles will have some clouds as temperatures reach 81 degrees. San Diego will have clouds and a high of 77.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Paul Bellotti:
“I noticed a snippet in today’s column about nobody walking in L.A. Growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, my very good friend and I walked everywhere. Starting in the Mar Vista/Culver City area we walked to the Forum in Inglewood, beaches from Manhattan to Venice, and on one especially adventurous stroll to Tarzana in the San Fernando Valley via the Sepulveda Pass. I can’t imagine a better way to fully embrace and appreciate the beauty of the City of Angels.”
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.
