Today: Illicit Waters and a Harrowing Return. A White Christmas in SoCal? It Was No Dream.

Dec. 26, 2016 5 AM PT

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

TOP STORIES

Illicit Waters and a Harrowing Return

In Mexico, they’re known as the extra-continentales, or non-Latin Americans. By the thousands, they’ve been arriving from Asia, Africa and Haiti by crossing the Rio Suchiate from Guatemala and into Chiapas state. Most are given 20 days to leave Mexico, and that means heading north in an attempt to enter the U.S. But what happens when they get there? Foreign correspondent Shashank Bengali introduces us to some who lost that gamble and were detained and sent back to Asia, in the final installment of our series about this unprecedented migration.

A White Christmas in SoCal? It Was No Dream

At last: Just in time for Christmas, two storms brought snow to the mountains and helped make December the wettest in Los Angeles in six years with more than 4 inches of rain. That’s 265% above normal, and some experts think the storms could portend wetter weather ahead. But along with a bit of drought relief, the storms flooded streets and shut down the Grapevine.

The D.A. in the Hot Seat

“You’re a race traitor,” one woman screamed. “A betrayal, an accomplice to murder.” That was the scene when Jackie Lacey showed up at a recent town hall meeting in South L.A. As the county’s first black district attorney, she is being pressured to be more aggressive in prosecuting police officers who use force against civilians, especially African Americans. Her latest test involves whether to file charges in two high-profile killings of black men by police. Here’s how her own experiences growing up in L.A. have shaped her approach.

It’s More Difficult for Los Angeles to Play Itself

L.A. has long been fighting against runaway productions as other states and countries offer incentives for filming. But there’s a new challenge for those choosing to stay: The rapid development of downtown and Hollywood is making it more difficult to shoot at retro locations. Some old buildings are disappearing; at others, the aesthetics are changing. (Think of the hipsterization of Grand Central Market.) And with more businesses and residents involved, getting a permit is more complicated.

He Had Some Faith in the Sound

“Careless Whisper.” “Freedom.” “Last Christmas.” As a member of Wham! and as a solo artist, George Michael was an influential part of the 1980s and ’90s pop soundtrack. Then, his life fell into turmoil, including a long contract battle and an arrest in a Beverly Hills restroom, before a comeback. Along the way, Michael — who died at age 53 — always had something to say about society and spirituality.

Year in Review: Along the Shore, It’s No Time to Coast

The year 2016 marked the 40th anniversary of California’s Coastal Act, designed to protect the coast for the benefit of marine and land habitats and the enjoyment of everyone. It was also a time of upheaval at the Coastal Commission. Columnist Steve Lopez looks back at a rocky year along the California coastline, one that included his trip along all of its 1,100 miles. It’s part of our continuing year in review.

MORE FROM OUR YEAR IN REVIEW

-- A year of terrible loss: Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Prince, Antonin Scalia and so many other notable figures who died.

-- Notes on a truly Shakespearean year: An enlightened boldness brought out the best in the Bard, writes Times theater critic Charles McNulty.

-- Our top business stories: Medical scopes, superbugs and Elon Musk’s year of setbacks.

-- Ten Los Angeles records that helped define the year.

CALIFORNIA

-- Communities across L.A. came together to share Christmas morning with thousands of homeless people.

-- A Santa Monica synagogue was vandalized at the start of Hanukkah.

-- State Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris has filed new pimping and money-laundering charges against the operators of Backpage.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- Carrie Fisher spent Christmas in intensive care at UCLA Medical Center two days after suffering a “cardiac episode” during a flight from London to Los Angeles.

-- “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” remains a force at the box office.

-- The A&E network says it is pulling a reality show about the Ku Klux Klan after executives discovered that outside producers for the series paid members of the group for their participation.

-- Pharrell Williams got in touch with the feminine to help chronicle NASA’s forgotten heroines in the film “Hidden Figures.”

-- Despite the title, the MOCA exhibition “Rick Owens: Furniture” has someone else as its creative force: Owens’ wife and business partner, Michèle Lamy.

NATION-WORLD

-- Donald Trump says he is dissolving his foundation, which claimed to raise money for charitable causes but has been accused of improperly using funds.

-- Officials say there appear to be no survivors after a Russian military plane carrying members of a renowned Cold War-era musical ensemble crashed into the Black Sea.

-- Analysis: A U.N. resolution condemning Israel’s settlement-building could backfire.

-- Attacks by Boko Haram are likely to continue even though it has lost its last stronghold in Nigeria.

-- Buckingham Palace says a heavy cold kept Queen Elizabeth II from attending the traditional Christmas morning church service, a cornerstone of the royal family’s Christmas celebrations.

-- Valerie Jarrett, the “first friend” in the Obama White House, reflects on the last eight years.

BUSINESS

-- Uber has moved a fleet of self-driving vehicles to Arizona after California insisted it apply for a permit for testing them.

-- One key to airline profitability is quickly getting a plane back in the air. Here’s a minute-by-minute look at how that happens.

-- This artificial Christmas tree company has Silicon Valley written all over it.

SPORTS

-- Why hasn’t horse racing gotten rid of the “show” bet?

-- The Times’ Southern California player of the year in high school football is ...

OPINION

-- Old downtown L.A. had heart, especially during Christmas.

-- “Special snowflake” is the Triscuit of insults. Banish it in 2017.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- In the former Yugoslavia, mariachi music with lyrics in Serbo-Croatian was a big hit. (Roads and Kingdoms)

-- A professor says learning another language can increase one’s tolerance of ambiguity. (The Conversation)

-- How red and green came to symbolize Christmas. (NPR)

ONLY IN L.A.

Jim Hardy played for USC in the 1932 Rose Bowl against Tulane. He hasn’t missed attending a Rose Bowl game in Pasadena since. Eighty-four times. Yes, he did miss one year: 1942, when the game was played in North Carolina because of fears of Japanese bombing. You can guess what he has planned for Jan. 2. Not only that, “I can still punt and make it turn over,” he says. “And I can still throw a tight spiral.”

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.

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