Newsletter: Essential California: Fox dealing with another sexual harassment scandal

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, July 4, and here’s what’s happening across California on this Independence Day:

TOP STORIES

Another scandal for Fox

Fox finds itself in the center of yet another sexual harassment case. The company announced Monday that it had fired its head of sports programming, Jamie Horowitz, in West Los Angeles amid allegations of harassment. Fox Sports is an arm of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox media company, which has been struggling to contain allegations of sexual harassment for nearly a year. Two big names, Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly, left amid investigations. Los Angeles Times

Three-strikes ruling

The California Supreme Court gave judges broad authority to decline to trim sentences for inmates who qualify for reductions under a 2012 ballot measure intended to reform the state’s tough three-strikes sentencing law. The decision aimed to resolve questions posed by two initiatives in recent years to reduce the population of the state’s overburdened prison system. Los Angeles Times

Fish tales

The drought may be over, and rivers and lakes are filling, but that’s not necessarily good news for California’s recreational fishing world. Los Angeles Times

Lurid case

Capping a murder mystery, a Los Angeles jury convicted a drug dealer Monday of voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of his wife’s lover — a 20th Century Fox executive whose body was found in the desert more than two years after he disappeared. The jury, however, found John Creech not guilty of more serious charges, including first- and second-degree murder. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Big One buster: It may not be a sexy home improvement. But bolting your house to its foundation makes a lot of sense in earthquake country, says columnist Steve Lopez. Los Angeles Times

Paper sold: The Antelope Valley Press, a feisty family-owned newspaper serving the Lancaster and Palmdale area, is being sold. Los Angeles Daily News

Big money: In what is being described as the richest land deal ever in Malibu, a developer is spending $50 million on land for a tract of mega-mansions. The Real Deal

Pod commute: Elon Musk’s idea of digging under L.A. to unclog the community is coming into a little more focus. Is it all about pod travel? Curbed Los Angeles

History noir: How Raymond Chandler’s “The Big Sleep” captured a growing, turbulent L.A. KPCC

July 4 guide: Looking for fireworks shows? Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Up North: President Trump finds love in the far northern pocket of California, which feels alienated from the rest of the Golden State. New York Times

Plus: Why Trump still hasn’t made it out for a visit to California. New York Times

Harris goes on offense: California Sen. Kamala Harris employed subtlety and a sledgehammer on Monday during a set of Southern California appearances meant to rally supporters against President Trump and his Republican allies in Congress. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Father’s plea: A South Pasadena man accused of killing his 5-year-old son, whose remains were found recently at a Santa Barbara County recreation area, pleaded not guilty Monday to murder. Los Angeles Times

Internet star mourned: YouTube star and TV host Stevie Ryan died on Saturday in what the Los Angeles County coroner’s office has determined was a suicide. Los Angeles Times

Rising tide: California is seeing an increase in hate crimes. There were 931 incidents in 2016, an 11.2% spike over 2015, the state Department of Justice reported Monday. Los Angeles Times

THE ENVIRONMENT

Danger zone: The human toll from California’s dangerous river conditions climbed again last weekend after authorities reported a boy drowned, another person was missing and the bodies of two others were pulled from swift, cold waters in the Sacramento and Central valleys. Los Angeles Times

California battles: Gov. Jerry Brown has become a global spokesman for fighting climate change. But he still faces battles back in California. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Religious change: Big changes might be in the offing for Pastor Greg Laurie and his massive Harvest Christian Fellowship. Orange County Register

Going home: Seven World War II relics — engraved wooden sticks belonging to Shigenori Nishikaichi, a pilot who died in the war — recently went home to Japan, thanks to a campaign launched by a San Diego man. San Diego Union-Tribune

Silicon Valley’s man problem: Venture capital firms, long dominated by male leadership, have slowly added more women to their ranks after a high-profile gender discrimination trial in 2015. Whether changes brought on by the latest series of revelations prove substantive and long-lasting remains far from certain. Los Angeles Times

Reversal of fortune: For one man in San Francisco, the path from homelessness to a six-figure salary. San Francisco Chronicle

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento: lots of sun Tuesday and Wednesday. San Francisco area: mostly sunny Tuesday and Wednesday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Maria Spielberger:

“When I was 13 years old, I arrived in San Francisco Bay, from Mexico, July 4, 1964. I was sad and scared; in a new country, spoke no English, away from my parents and siblings. My happiness started when I was taken to a Baptist church to learn English, before school started. I had my first doughnut, tried my first English word, ate ice cream at the ice cream truck, where I met an African American person for the first time — and the ice cream was glorious! I feel blessed to have been raised, educated, and married in the greatest country in the world!”

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.