Newsletter: Essential California: Guess who’s leading America’s environmental movement

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday, June 2 and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Trump, the Paris accords and California’s resistance

President Trump’s decision to exit the Paris climate change accord leaves California as a center of the environmental resistance in America. Gov. Jerry Brown leaves for China at a time when his voice as an American politician pushing to fight global warming is more sought after than ever. Los Angeles Times

Plus:

--Environmentalists aren’t the only ones outraged over President Trump’s decision to have the U.S. walk away from the Paris accord on global warming. Health experts are pretty dismayed as well. Los Angeles Times

-- “His effort is misguided. I would even say, this is an insane move by this president,” said Jerry Brown. Los Angeles Times

-- Tesla’s Elon Musk and Disney’s Robert Iger both said they were resigning from White House advisory councils after President Trump’s move. Los Angeles Times

--Is this good politics for Trump? Maybe, says Max Boot. Los Angeles Times

Homeless crisis: Pledges of help from City Hall still fall short

Confronted with surging homelessness, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and several City Council members gathered at City Hall’s steps in September 2015 to declare that the situation had turned into a crisis. They pledged to spend more than $100 million to aid those living in encampments and shelters, despite uncertainty over where the funds would come from. But nearly two years later, some of that money hasn’t been spent. Los Angeles Times

Plus: The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported Wednesday that 6,000 homeless young people were counted across L.A. County in January, a 61% increase over the 2016 total. All the youth shelters have waiting lists and affordable housing is tough to find, even with a rent voucher. “The system is overwhelmed,” one official said. Los Angeles Times

Bitter harvest

Farm workers in California are confronting hostility, and trouble finding housing — at a time when growers need them more than ever. People “love the strawberries, but they don’t like the farmworkers,” said Lucas Zucker, policy and communication director for Central Coast United for a Sustainable Economy, a labor advocacy group in Ventura. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Big dig: Welcome to the deepest point in L.A.’s growing subway system. Here, the tunnel-boring machine Angeli broke through a wall of dirt in downtown Los Angeles and achieved a major milestone in the massive downtown subway project. Los Angeles Times

End of an era: Furniture retailer Dearden’s, one of Southern California’s oldest businesses, said Thursday that it will close its eight stores and wind down operations over the coming weeks. Founded in 1909, the Los Angeles-based chain sold furniture, appliances and other home goods to a predominantly lower-income Latino clientele. Los Angeles Times

Harping: William Close is stringing a downtown Los Angeles skyscraper. As the inventor of the Earth Harp, which holds the Guinness World Record for being the longest stringed instrument, he knows the task well. Los Angeles Times

Crashing down: The House of Blues, once one of the hottest spots on the Sunset Strip, met the wrecking ball on Thursday, a symbol of changing tastes and rising land values. Curbed Los Angeles

Ghost mall: Sign of the times: At an abandoned Macy’s inside a Woodland Hills shopping center, the U.S. Post Office is opening up. Daily News

Past life: The L.A. arts district is one of the hottest real estate markets in America. But there are also some pollution issues left over from its days as the industrial district. LA Weekly

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Saving time: Lawmakers in the state Assembly approved an effort on Thursday that could end with California voters scrapping the biannual tradition of moving their clocks ahead or behind by an hour. Los Angeles Times

Road to victory? Will the Democrats’ bid to retake Congress begin here in California? New York Times

Feeling down in Trumpland: From immigration to healthcare, Californians are taking a grim view of many Trump policies, and the whole situation depresses them, according to a new poll. KQED

Travel agent: This guy will help conservatives sick of California move to Texas. Orange County Register

CRIME AND COURTS

Social media mess: It never pays to make impetuous comments on social media — at least not when you’re a judge. That’s the lesson Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeff Ferguson learned this week when he was publicly admonished by the Commission on Judicial Performance for posting a disparaging comment on Facebook about a prosecutor who was running for judicial office. Los Angeles Times

Pokemon attack: A 57-year-old man caught a seven-year prison sentence Wednesday for assaulting a teen who was trying to catch virtual monsters. Jayson Lingen pleaded no contest to one count of assault with a deadly weapon Wednesday, after he smashed a metal pole over the head of a teenage “Pokemon Go” player in Long Beach last year. Los Angeles Times

THE ENVIRONMENT

Snow summer: The latest evidence that snow angels have smiled on the Sierra this season? Mammoth Mountain will stay open into August. The massive resort has remained running that late only one time before, in 1995. Los Angeles Times

Lining up: If you want to hike Half Dome this summer, start making plans. The cables that guide hikers the last 400 feet to the top of the Yosemite high point will be in place starting Friday. The lottery for a hiking permit for the popular rock face has started too. Los Angeles Times

Dam woes: Don’t expect quick answers to the mystery of why the Oroville Dam spillway failed. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Diner too far? A “Saved by the Bell”-themed diner is coming to L.A., whether you want it or not. LAist

Harry power: Harry Potter helped Universal Studios record a big boost in attendance last year. Disneyland, meanwhile, saw attendance slip slightly. Daily News

Big rent: Yes, this Newport Beach luxury apartment will set you back $9,000 a month. Orange County Register

Don’t mess with us: When a New Yorker cartoonist had some fun with L.A.’s beloved Trader Joe. San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Name of game: It’s not every day they rename a neighborhood in San Francisco. SF Gate

From above: This cool video shows the Northern California ghost town of Bodie from space. LAist

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: sunny with highs in the upper 70s. San Diego: partly cloudy with highs in the lower 70s. San Francisco area: sunny with highs in the upper 60s. Sacramento: sunny with highs in the low 90s. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Sandy Quinn:

“I was raised in the San Fernando Valley during the ’50s, and my time at North Hollywood High was full of good friends and fun. Our hangout almost every night for years was Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake. We sat at the same table and had a Big Boy, cherry Coke and fries. Several of my high school pals recently decided to relive those carefree times and we had lunch at Bob’s, sitting at the same table and again had a Big Boy, cherry Coke and fries. I am thankful to have been raised in the Valley during those 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 Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.