Newsletter: Essential California: Landmarks in ashes, and of memory, confront fire victims in a traumatized Ventura

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It is Saturday, Dec. 23. Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

After the fire: Two weeks after the Thomas fire, nearly everyone in Ventura has a story to tell. With more than 500 homes lost and 27,000 residents evacuated, no one is a stranger to this disaster. They turn to one another in restaurants and diners, checkout lines and the post office and share their stories as if words could lay a foundation for their new lives. Initially they asked, “Did you lose your home?” Now it’s, “How are you doing?” in an understanding that possessions matter less than concerns of the heart. Los Angeles Times

Plus: As the Thomas fire raged in the hills above the seaside town of Oxnard, the shops were empty and the streets were silent. Winds had pushed smoke down from the blaze, shrouding buildings, cars and trees with a thick layer of white ash that was dangerous to breathe without respirators, according to public health officials. But in the vast strawberry fields outside town, work continued as usual. Los Angeles Times

The biggest: The Thomas fire on Friday became California’s largest wildfire on record. Los Angeles Times

Plot foiled: The FBI said a Modesto man who espoused support for Islamic State planned a Christmas suicide attack on San Francisco’s Pier 39, a popular tourist destination. Los Angeles Times

Look, up in the sky: What was that light show above L.A. on Friday night that stopped traffic and sparked both alarm and curiosity? It was SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Los Angeles Times

A pioneer: March Fong Eu, who was five times elected as California’s secretary of state, the first woman in that position and the first Chinese American to hold a constitutional office in California, has died at age 95. Los Angeles Times

No vote: Eighteen of California’s 53 House members voted no on an $81-billion disaster aid package Thursday, which includes funds for California’s recent wildfires. Los Angeles Times

Charged: A former Riverside County sheriff’s deputy was charged with murdering his ex-girlfriend’s lover, authorities said Friday. Los Angeles Times

Sad tale: The Los Angeles Zoo has euthanized its herd of Nubian ibex after determining the goats were infected with a highly contagious and incurable strain of herpes. Los Angeles Times

Water fight: Nestle, which sells Arrowhead bottled water, may have to stop taking millions of gallons of water from Southern California’s San Bernardino National Forest because state regulators concluded it lacks valid permits. Associated Press

Days of yore: Check out these vintage photos of Christmases past in Los Angeles. Curbed Los Angeles

THIS WEEK’S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. Multimillion-dollar homes in the Montecito area were reduced to ashes by the Thomas fire. Los Angeles Times

2. Now that the tax overhaul has passed, here are five moves to consider before year’s end. Los Angeles Times

3. A quick look at some of the biggest tax changes for Californians. Los Angeles Times

4. How the Mario Batali and Ken Friedman sexual harassment allegations are affecting their L.A. restaurants. Los Angeles Times

5. Hollywood producer Gary Goddard is accused of sexual misconduct by eight former child actors Los Angeles Times

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK’S GREAT READS

Archaeology as blood sport: When the scientific journal Nature published in April an article arguing that a mastodon site in San Diego was more than 130,000 years old, it created a firestorm in the world of American archaeology. Los Angeles Times

A year later: A year after a tamale disaster left hundreds of customers steamed, a Downey store is seeking redemption. Los Angeles Times

How to get away with bankruptcy fraud: “Los Angeles is the nation’s hub for bankruptcy crime. Scammers prey on struggling homeowners with little fear of getting caught, because criminal enforcement of bankruptcy laws is rare.” ProPublica

Interesting trend: “Real estate professionals call [them] ‘Hispennials.’ The label, a mash-up of Hispanics and millennials, defines a group of consumers, aged 20 to 36, which the housing industry is eagerly courting.” Orange County Register

Another problem: “All the Money in the World” hits theaters after Kevin Spacey was replaced in the film just weeks earlier. It details the 1973 kidnapping of Paul Getty III — and takes the position that Getty was not complicit in the crime. Now, a relative of the kidnappers has come forward to allege that the film gets it wrong. Variety

Funny music: How has Downey native “Weird Al” Yankovic managed to stay relevant all these years? Slate

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.