Newsletter: Essential California: Why is the L.A. school superintendent absent?

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday, Oct. 27, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Why is the L.A. school superintendent absent?

The first response to the rumors about Michelle King was: Everything is fine. Then word came that the Los Angeles school superintendent would be back at her desk within days. Then that estimate was extended by a month. Now the leader of the nation’s second-largest school system, already out for six weeks, has told staff that she will not return to her post before January as she recovers from an unspecified medical procedure. Business at L.A. Unified is moving ahead under acting Supt. Vivian Ekchian, but King’s prolonged, mysterious absence has added one more element of uncertainty and instability to a turbulent year. Los Angeles Times

It’s time for Game 3

The Dodgers are hoping to turn the page in Houston tonight after a gut-wrenching Game 2 loss that left the World Series tied at a game apiece. Here’s what Manager Dave Roberts is thinking. Los Angeles Times

Amazing story: 102 year-old-actor Norman Lloyd, who watched Babe Ruth split his pants on a slide, attended his first World Series game since 1926 on Wednesday. Los Angeles Times

What happened? After Game 1 of the World Series wrapped up, Pasadena police responded to a disturbance at the bar of the Langham Hotel involving Houston Astros management and other hotel patrons, Pasadena Police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said. Los Angeles Times

Plus: In today’s era of corporate globalization, there’s no such thing as a simple World Series bet, as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti discovered this week. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Weinstein versus Weinstein Co.: Harvey Weinstein on Thursday sued his namesake company for documents — including emails and his personnel file — that he says can be used to defend himself and the studio he co-founded. Los Angeles Times

After Las Vegas: The Los Angeles Police Protective League has thrown its support behind a national effort to ban certain gun accessories like “bump stocks” and encourage police and pro sports teams to work together to improve encounters between officers and residents. Los Angeles Times

Charges filed: Federal prosecutors have charged three Pomona police officers in the beating of an unarmed teenager, accusing the men of lying to cover up the assault. Los Angeles Times

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Scary incident: A vehicle drove into a group of protesters outside Republican Rep. Ed Royce’s office in Brea on Thursday afternoon, but no injuries were immediately reported. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Padilla backs Newsom: Secretary of State Alex Padilla, the highest-ranking Latino in a statewide elected position in California, endorsed Gavin Newsom for governor on Thursday. Los Angeles Times

Very interesting: Newport Beach will use Bluetooth technology in an effort to improve traffic flow. The City Council agreed Tuesday night to buy a traffic monitoring system that, in several locations around town, will ping signals off Bluetooth-enabled equipment such as cellphones and in-car hands-free devices, building a real-time profile of motorists’ routes and travel times. Los Angeles Times

Remember this? “Two years after the largest methane blowout in U.S. history, residents in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles are still in the dark about the long-term effects on their health.” Vice News

Gearing for a disaster: “PG&E has been aggressively urging state regulators to make it easier for the company to charge ratepayers — rather than its shareholders — for lawsuits, firefighting expenses and other costs when its power lines and other electrical equipment cause wildfires.” Mercury News

CRIME AND COURTS

Family sues: A lawsuit filed on behalf of the widow and children of a UC Davis official who killed himself in October 2015 after being accused of sexual harassment blames the university for driving him to suicide. Los Angeles Times

The latest: Sherri Papini’s husband hopes that sketches of kidnapping suspects lead to their capture. Los Angeles Times

Major investigation: USA Today “examined California labor commissioner and court cases filed by more than 1,100 port truck drivers and traced the outcomes for almost 60 companies found by the courts to have violated the law. At least a dozen have so far avoided all or most of their labor judgments after shifting assets into new business names.” USA Today

THE ENVIRONMENT

Fire, fire, everywhere: Firefighters were battling a fast-moving brush fire Thursday in the Cleveland National Forest. The blaze had burned more than 100 acres off South Main Divide Road west of Wildomar and Lake Elsinore. Authorities say a motorcycle crash ignited the fire. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Disney plans: The Disneyland Resort has shelved plans for a new transportation hub on the eastern edge of the Anaheim property and will build a 6,500-space parking structure near its shopping district. The new parking structure will be built on land used for a surface parking lot adjacent to the massive Mickey & Friends parking garage, just north of the Downtown Disney shopping district. Los Angeles Times

The many moods of ...: They say there’s no change of seasons in California. “They” are wrong. At least, that’s what the Irvine Museum, and its latest exhibition, “Moods of California,” will have you believe. Through Feb. 8, the museum is presenting 39 paintings that capture the Golden State in various seasonal states, as well as its different ecological regions. Los Angeles Times

Sad story: After the Tubbs fire, Raiders great Cliff Branch is saying goodbye to Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Fostering understanding: “There is no other exhibit like this. This is the largest and probably only exhibition of artifacts, art and culture demonstrating the experience of foster care from a youth’s perspective.” It’s on display at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History through the end of the year. KQED

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: Sunny, 87, Friday. Sunny, 89, Saturday. San Diego: Sunny, 82, Friday. Sunny, 79, Saturday. San Francisco area: Sunny, 74, Friday. Sunny, 65, Saturday. Sacramento: Sunny, 86, Friday. Sunny, 85, Friday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Vic Pentz:

“One of the little-known unintended consequences of Fernandomania at Dodger Stadium was a crisis in the bathrooms. Of course, beer flows freely at Dodger games. The grand tradition of our national pastime is to heed nature’s call when one’s own team is out in the field. But Fernandomania played havoc with tradition. With Fernando racking up his record string of scoreless innings, all 50,000 people hung on every pitch. At the end of each inning, with the last Dodger out, there would be an inevitable stampede to stand in a hopelessly long line at the restroom. I remember shouts of highly descriptive public expressions of agony. Then, as the next inning was approaching, I saw desperate fans resorting to some of the most amazingly creative problem solving I’ve ever seen — before or since. Desperate times do indeed call for desperate measures!”

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.