Newsletter: The immigration battle continues in court
The Lucerne Valley Mustangs refuse to quit, a week in the life of P‑22, Senate rebukes Elizabeth Warren, and judges sharply question attorneys for both sides on Trump’s travel ban.
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Feb. 8, and here’s what’s happening across California:
TOP STORIES
For the record:
9:39 p.m. May 8, 2024An earlier version of this article said batteries from a manufacturer in Vernon are expected to power Tesla vehicles. They are not expected to power Teslas.
Immigration battle continues
Now that the hearing concerning whether to reverse a stay of President Donald Trump’s immigration restrictions is over, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals says it will make a decision “as soon as possible.” The panel of three judges prodded lawyers from both sides Tuesday afternoon and appeared skeptical of the Trump administration’s arguments. Los Angeles Times
Big cat in town
Griffith Park is known for its observatory and its wild animals like P-22, who shares the reserve with millions of tourists and locals alike. Los Angeles Times
Disney in the doldrums
Walt Disney Co. head honcho Robert Iger left open the chance that he might stay as the head of the entertainment behemoth even after his contract expires next year. The company’s first-quarter profits dropped 14% from last year, though that was still ahead of analysts’ estimates. Los Angeles Times
The battery boon
They’re making batteries — in Vernon, of all places. Here’s the story of how a local manufacturer is on the forefront of the rapidly growing market for lithium batteries. These batteries are expected to power countless electric cars as this industry explodes. Los Angeles Times
L.A. STORIES
Lead alert: Increased levels of lead in the blood of 6,000 California workers in munitions, manufacturing and other industries could cause serious health problems. This revelation is part of a new report from the state’s public health agency. California Healthline
Diabetes crisis: Doctors in San Bernardino County are scrambling to solve an ever urgent diabetes crisis. At one hospital, nearly 70% of all patients who show up are diabetic, and the mortality rate from the disease is the second highest of any California county. San Bernardino Sun
Sad scene: A San Bernardino County man was charged with more than four dozen animal cruelty counts after authorities said tens of thousands of hens were found living in inhumane conditions and laying eggs among dead birds. Los Angeles Times
Charges filed: Prosecutors filed murder charges Tuesday against three people suspected of setting one of the deadliest arson fires in Los Angeles history, an apartment blaze that killed 10 people in 1993. Los Angeles Times
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Garcetti gets the Obama nod: Fresh off vacationing in the British Virgin Islands with Richard Branson, former President Barack Obama is endorsing Mayor Eric Garcetti in his re-election bid. Los Angeles Times
Crowded field of candidates: At least 21 people are now running to fill state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra’s old seat. The first round of the run-off will take place April 4. Los Angeles Times
Embattled chief: The chief of the Oakland Fire Department, who was criticized after the Ghost Ship fire last year, has gone on leave. San Francisco Chronicle
$$$$: At least $680 million was spent by legislative candidates, ballot measure campaigns and independent groups in California during the 2016 campaign cycle. Sacramento Bee
Covered California enrollment up: Even as Donald Trump commits to gutting Obamacare, California’s state healthcare exchange reported increased enrollment. San Francisco Business Times
CRIME AND COURTS
Murder-suicide in Ventura: After fatally shooting his girlfriend, a former prosecutor and retired judge was involved in an hours-long standoff with Ventura county SWAT before taking his own life. Los Angeles Times
Drunk driving tragedy: Authorities say an Adelanto man has died and his pregnant wife has lost her unborn baby after an intoxicated man with two prior DUI convictions slammed into their vehicle early Tuesday morning. Los Angeles Times
Trouble in the clink: Looking the other way can get you in trouble. Prosecutors have charged an L.A. County jail guard with assault, accusing him of walking away at the request of another inmate so an inmate could be beaten. Later the guard allegedly refused to assist the inmate with medical help. Los Angeles Times
Hate incidents: In less than three weeks there have been three anti-Islam incidents in the Sacramento region. The latest occurred over the weekend, when perpetrators left a package of pork tenderloins on the doorstep of an apartment where Muslims live. Sacramento Bee
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Sun’s up: “California led the country with 100,050 solar jobs in 2016, according to a report released Tuesday by the nonprofit Solar Foundation.” The Desert Sun
Waste not, want not: The drought may be over, but a wastewater treatment authority that serves large parts of the high desert is still getting tagged for wasting money. Los Angeles Times
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
An expensive trip: Going to the beach is supposed to be easy and cheap, but a recent study from UCLA shows that those hidden expenses really add up and are preventing lower-income Californians from enjoying the waves. “The average cost of a one-day visit to the beach was $22, not including parking or food, according to the study. Staying in beach towns costs an average $605 for a four-day stay, and three-quarters of the 1,100 people polled said the cost of an overnight stay was unaffordable.” Daily Breeze
Rivera returns to L.A.: Two Diego Rivera masterpieces, including his 1915 “Zapatista Landscape,” are now on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as part of an exhibition about Rivera and Picasso. Los Angeles Times
Not on the road again: Willie Nelson has canceled three shows he was scheduled to play in Bakersfield because of sickness. Associated Press
Watch: Check out the latest Visit California commercial, which features Magic Johnson, actress Anna Faris and San Francisco chef Corey Lee. Eater San Francisco
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
Los Angeles area: Mostly cloudy with highs in the low 70s. San Diego: Partly cloudy with highs in the low 70s. San Francisco area: Showers cloudy with highs in the low 60s. Sacramento: Rain with highs in the low 60s. More weather is here.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California memory comes from Don Burgess:
“In the fall of 1971, I arrived in L.A. from Washington, D.C., for a temporary work assignment. A few months later, the position was made permanent. My family and I packed up and departed D.C. for California with a wintry stop in our home state of Kansas to visit parents. There, my wife, daughter and father came down with the flu. Only my mother and I were delivered from the crud. The day I returned to California, the Kansas City airport temperature was 15 degrees. Later that day, when I stepped out of LAX, it was sunny and 70 degrees. I said to myself, ‘I am now a Californian!’ ”
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 Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad.
