Newsletter: Inside the fight over keeping police discipline private
Joe Davis, the new Dodgers announcer, is no Vin Scully -- but he’s not trying to be. Trump issues his first speech to a joint session of Congress, three killed in a small plane crash in Riverside, and apathy ahead of L.A.’s election.
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, March 1, and here’s what’s happening across California:
TOP STORIES
A changing council district
Few places hold as much importance in L.A.’s black history as Central Avenue, the birthplace of the West Coast jazz scene and a place of refuge for migrants fleeing the South for a better life. But now, Latinos outnumber blacks there, and the community’s council seat could end up going to a Latino. “This could be the turning point of the complete demise of African American political power in Los Angeles,” said political consultant and attorney Dermot Givens. Los Angeles Times
Police disciplinary records stay in dark
When a cop in California does something bad, it’s difficult to make public how he or she has been disciplined. Despite efforts to unwind some of the state’s strict protections against disclosing information about officer discipline, this secrecy is unlikely to change anytime soon. Los Angeles Times
Get what’s rightfully yours
There is $365 million in unclaimed life insurance benefits, and Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus explains how citizens who qualify can claim a piece of this pie. “Unfortunately, getting the word out that there’s a bunch of bucks looking for homes hasn’t been easy,” he writes. Los Angeles Times
L.A. STORIES
Plane crash update: When a small plane crashed near his home in Riverside, Daniel Hernandez heard a large blast and looked out the window only to see his neighbor’s home engulfed in flames. Three people have died and two women are in critical condition, authorities said. Los Angeles Times
Coyote tracker: There’s a new app that tracks coyote sightings in Southern California. It’s called Coyote Cacher, and the goal is to “provide researchers with needed data on urban coyote behavior while also keeping neighbors connected so nearby sightings can be shared via email alerts set up by ZIP code.” The Daily Breeze
Garcetti backslides on promise: In September, Mayor Eric Garcetti said he would prohibit planning commissioners from meeting privately with real estate developers or other outside parties. With the election a week away, Garcetti has yet to follow through on that promise. Los Angeles Times
IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER
On second thought: President Trump might be backing away from some of his most extreme threats to deport millions of people here illegally. He’s now talking about a big immigration reform effort, and that could be good news for Dreamers. ABC News
Big tent philosophy: Meet the San Diego woman who works to bring local refugees into San Diego’s political, cultural and economic mainstream. “At what point do we stop seeing them as a foreign group?” San Diego Union-Tribune
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Boldfaced name: Caltrans Superintendent Dave Wood has become an Internet sensation of sorts. His dispatches from the snowy summit of Donner Pass are often laced with humor, and his use of Twitter has endeared him to drivers on the sometimes treacherous roads of Interstate 80. Sacramento Bee
No naming rights: A plan to sell naming rights at Los Angeles County’s subway stations, bus stops and other transit properties has been overturned by the MTA’s board of directors. Los Angeles Times
Rohrabacher back in the news: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has been working with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff to help secure U.S. backing for a African alliance to defeat the terrorist group Boko Haram. Last year, Rohrabacher traveled to the Republic of Congo and met with the country’s controversial president at Abramoff’s behest. Politico
Fight at the airport: The competition to operate the private plane terminals at John Wayne Airport has turned nasty as allegations of price fixing, a bungled bidding process and impropriety have come to light. Orange County Register
CRIME AND COURTS
Officer identified: The LAPD officer who fired his gun during a fight with teenagers in Anaheim has been identified. The LAPD and Anaheim police are investigating the incident as residents and activists continue to criticize the officer’s actions. Los Angeles Times
High school scandal: A Northern California town has been rocked by scandal after an illicit nude video of a Concord High School administrator inside a locker room was made public on social media. KPIX
Talk about a tackle: Watch this video of a West Covina police officer taking down a baseball bat-wielding man who was standing outside the police station. National Post
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Dams under strain: Now that the state has been deluged by rain, state officials are searching for ways to ease the strain on the aging dams. One way to do this would be by moving some of the state’s 13,000 miles of levees back from rivers to create more floodplains. That way more water could be released from the dams without putting people at risk. New York Times
Cleaner air: The deluge of rain may have been the catalyst for mudslides and flooding, but it’s also been great for the air quality. KPCC
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
What’s California style? The notion of a California style is diverse as the state itself. But one California expat set out to define this relatively diffuse idea, and he found that “the easiest way to tap into California from afar is to wear it.” Racked
Inked up: Nathan Kostechko is a tattoo artist in Los Angeles, and he’s cultivated a style that allows his work to withstand the California sunshine. “I got into tattooing because it was a way to not do what everybody else was doing,” Kostechko says. LA Weekly
No more Shamu: Attendance at SeaWorld in San Diego continued to trend downward after years of criticism about the treatment of the animals there. The company announced that it was in the midst of reinventing its brand after it said it would end all breeding of orcas. San Diego Union-Tribune
Murder in San Fran: If you’re feeling morbid, check out this list of the 10 most infamous 20th century murders in San Francisco. SFist
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Diego, San Francisco area, Sacramento and Los Angeles area: sunny Wednesday and Thursday. More weather is here.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California memory comes from Brian Lawlar:
“My first trip to California was on May 19, 1975, when I flew into the old LAX on a nonstop TWA flight from Philadelphia; I got off the plane and was walking towards the baggage claim when I noticed Little Richard in a lime green leisure suit causing a polite disturbance at the ticket counter! My brother, who was parked illegally, came up, and I said, ‘There’s Little Richard.’ He said, ‘Good, just grab your bag, we’re out of here!’ Then he took me right to Chez Jay in Santa Monica where Robert Stack and his wife were sitting at the bar waiting for a table and could not have been nicer! I was hooked on the Golden State!”
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. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
