Newsletter: Essential California: On Memorial Day, a look at the week ahead

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Monday, May 27, and here’s a quick look at the week ahead:

Today is Memorial Day. Fallen soldiers and their families will be recognized in ceremonies across the country. Here in California, major events include San Francisco’s annual Memorial Day commemoration in the Presidio and a ceremony at Los Angeles’ National Cemetery with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Rep. Ted Lieu.

On Tuesday, 2020 U.S. presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris will appear on an MSNBC town hall.

On Wednesday, a livestreamed dedication ceremony will be held for Disneyland’s much-hyped Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction. The tourist destination itself will open Friday.

(See also: “Everything to know about Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” in the Los Angeles Times)

On Thursday, the NBA Finals will begin with the Bay Area’s own Golden State Warriors facing off against the Toronto Raptors.

Also Thursday: Uber will report its first-quarter earnings, which could be interesting after the ride-hailing giant’s lackluster IPO.

The California Democratic Party convention begins in San Francisco on Friday. A host of 2020 Democratic presidential candidates — including Sens. Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro — will be in attendance.

Friday also marks an important legislative deadline in Sacramento. It’s the last day for the Assembly and Senate to pass or reject bills introduced in their respective chambers, meaning lawmakers will be scrambling to push bills through their house of origin before the end of the week. Expect to see plenty of action in the state Capitol this week, as a number of high-profile bills are awaiting votes. (And a quick reminder: Anything that “passes” this week still has to go through the whole process in the other house.)

And now, here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The corruption case against USC associate head basketball coach Tony Bland shows what the government had — and didn’t. Los Angeles Times

Another horse died over the weekend at Santa Anita. Twenty six thoroughbreds have died at the track since Dec. 26. Los Angeles Times

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L.A. STORIES

The Transit Oriented Communities program allows for large housing development projects near transit lines — if developers keep some units affordable for people of lower incomes. Los Angeles is flooded with proposals from developers who want to participate. Los Angeles Times

A 102-year-old woman’s eviction threat has sparked help from former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a new investigation. Los Angeles Times

Summer is almost here, and these are L.A.’s 13 best beaches — mapped and ranked. Curbed LA

See also: The 15 things to do in L.A. before the end of summer, according to L.A. Times staff. Los Angeles Times

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POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Here’s a look at where California’s cannabis tax money goes, a year and a half into legal recreational sales. Mercury News

Plus: Oakland’s groundbreaking cannabis equity program is showing modest results so far, but critics say it’s not living up to its promise. San Francisco Chronicle

Four years after Fresno County leaders earmarked nearly $6 million to meet the healthcare needs of poor residents, only a fraction of the money has been spent. Center for Health Reporting

CRIME AND COURTS

San Francisco police commissioners are defending Police Chief Bill Scott after the head of the rank-and-file officers union called for Scott’s resignation over a police raid on a freelance journalist. San Francisco Chronicle

THE ENVIRONMENT

Lake Tahoe’s cobalt blue waters are seen Aug. 31, 2016. The clarity of the lake improved dramatically last year after plummeting the previous year.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The clarity of Lake Tahoe’s cobalt blue waters improved dramatically in 2018. Los Angeles Times

Late-season wet weather in Northern California has left the Sierra with higher-than-normal snowpack levels and pushed several reservoirs toward full capacity. Sacramento Bee

Plus: Thanks to record snowfall, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area will stay open to skiers and snowboarders into August. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

In Bakersfield, a changing Buck Owens Boulevard remains a cultural crossroads. Bakersfield Californian

Southern California United Methodist congregations are on the brink of schism over the national church’s stance on homosexuality. Orange County Register

Chuck McCully, a former Fresno Unified School District superintendent “who did a lot to save Fresno Unified not once, but twice,” has died at 81. Fresno Bee

BART, the San Francisco Bay Area transit system, picked a Twitter fight with Elon Musk over tunnels. SF Gate

A bygone San Fernando Valley cemetery’s newfound death certificates shed light on an immigrant past. The documents were found by a researcher. Los Angeles Daily News

A former Salinas farmworker has earned his bachelor’s degree with honors at age 58. Salinas Californian

A small-town California city manager headed to visit his father’s grave May 14. He hasn’t been seen since, and police are scrambling for answers. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: sunny, 66. San Diego: partly sunny, 64. San Francisco: partly sunny, 61. San Jose: cloudy, 64. Sacramento: partly sunny, 71. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This week’s birthdays for those who made a mark in California: actor-director and former Carmel mayor Clint Eastwood (May 31, 1930), Cal State Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley (May 31, 1947), former L.A. County supervisor Gloria Molina (May 31, 1948) and actor Morgan Freeman (June 1, 1937).

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (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, ideas and unrelated book recommendations to Julia Wick. Follow her on Twitter @Sherlyholmes.