Newsletter: Today: A Charged Atmosphere in D.C.
Washington is rife with speculation over an expected indictment stemming from the inquiry into Russian election meddling. Here are the stories you shouldn’t miss today:
TOP STORIES
A Charged Atmosphere in D.C.
Tax overhaul, anyone? That was supposed to be the focus this week in Washington. But over the weekend, the talk was all about reports that a federal grand jury has approved its first indictment in the Russian election meddling investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. At the same time, President Trump unleashed a flurry of tweets about “phony Trump/Russia… ‘collusion,’ which doesn’t exist” and continued to accuse Democrats and Hillary Clinton of misdeeds. One sure thing amid all the speculation: Things will get uglier.
Canary in a Montana Coal Mine
No one disputes that the West’s newest and largest underground coal mine in Montana is in decline. The fight is: Why? The Trump administration says “regulation and red tape” are the reasons and that under its policies, “the war on American energy is over.” Environmental groups say the modern-day market has shown that renewable energy is where the future lies. Both sides are geared up for a momentous battle that could have implications for hard-rock mining, oil and gas, timber harvesting and irrigated agriculture.
How to Break Hollywood’s ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ Club
You don’t have to read the studies to know Hollywood is male-dominated, but at least a couple of numbers bear repeating: Of the 100 top-grossing movies released last year, only five were directed by women, according to USC research, and men created 75% of the TV shows in the 2014-15 TV season. How much of that patriarchy has helped enable abuse in the industry? “From the very top, you have this imbalance,” said Cathy Schulman, an Oscar-winning film producer. “And that situation allows bias to creep in, and from bias you get prejudice, and from prejudice you get discrimination.”
Sacramento Speaks Out: #MeToo
The downfall of Harvey Weinstein has brought to light allegations of sexual harassment from virtually all corners of society in recent weeks. California’s state Capitol is no exception. More than 300 women have signed an open letter raising the alarm about sexism and harassment, and the stories that have emerged are harrowing. “Sexual bullies of both parties have always plagued politics,” columnist George Skelton writes. “But now, thankfully, more women are boldly speaking out.”
What Is the World Series Coming to?
Crazy. Epic. Juiced? There were a lot of words to describe Game 5 of the World Series, which lasted 5 hours and 17 minutes and had seven home runs, bringing the series total to a record 22 amid accusations that something was not right with the baseballs. The game had controversy too, and not just all those pitches that were called strikes: A lot of fans were upset Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel won’t be serving his suspension until next season for having directed a racist gesture at Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish in a previous game. In the end, the Astros won 13-12 in 10 innings on Sunday, and now take a 3-2 series lead into Tuesday’s Game 6 at Dodger Stadium.
More From the World Series
-- Columnist Bill Plaschke says fright night came early for the Dodgers, who will be haunted by all their blown leads.
-- The Dodgers asked five-time All-Star Adrian Gonzalez to spend the rest of the postseason as a spectator rather than a participant in pregame workouts and meetings.
OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND
-- The wildfires in Northern California have wiped out some pot farmers, who must rebuild without banks or insurance.
-- Priest sex abuse and Hollywood sexual harassment scandals: Columnist Steve Lopez looks at cultures of cover-up, cruelty and corruption.
-- In California the opioid crisis, though still bleak, has been less severe. Experts aren’t sure why.
-- Why Republicans could help send Dianne Feinstein back to Washington, even if they can’t stand her.
-- Too many tourists: Crowding is a big headache at national parks and theme parks.
MUST-WATCH VIDEO
-- Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw talks about his start in Game 5, and Yasiel Puig has a promise to fans.
-- Film composer Tyler Bates demonstrates the GuitarViol, a cross between a guitar and a violin, which he’s used for projects such as “300” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
-- In our food crawl series, we join the man behind Howlin’ Ray’s, the Nashville hot chicken restaurant in Chinatown with the crazy lines, as he samples food from three fried chicken restaurants around L.A.
CALIFORNIA
-- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has announced he won’t run for governor.
-- Incidences of looting are continuing in the aftermath of the deadly fires that swept through Northern California this month.
-- Health officials said Friday that at least 230 people in L.A. County have fallen sick with West Nile this year and 17 of them have died.
-- When a woman was fatally hit by a truck, the CHP recommended a felony hit-and-run charge. The L.A. County district attorney’s office filed only a misdemeanor count. Now, her daughter is seeking justice.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- Kevin Spacey issued a public apology to actor Anthony Rapp, who said Spacey made a sexual advance when Rapp was 14 years old.
-- The surviving members of Linkin Park played a moving tribute to their late singer, Chester Bennington, at the Hollywood Bowl.
-- Jay-Z opened his North American tour in Anaheim with his song “Kill Jay Z,” a vivid takedown of the unfeeling philanderer he says he became in recent years.
-- Because of rent increases and evictions, downtown L.A.’s Arts District could soon find itself with few artists living within its borders.
CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD
“Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special bulletin from the Intercontinental Radio News.” On the night before Halloween in 1938, Orson Welles’ radio broadcast “War of the Worlds” set off a panic among some listeners (as this 2013 story explains). They believed Martians had overrun the town of Grover’s Mill, N.J. Imagine if Twitter had existed then.
NATION-WORLD
-- The head of Puerto Rico’s power company says the agency will cancel its $300-million contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings amid increased scrutiny of the tiny Montana company’s role in restoring the island’s power system after Hurricane Maria.
-- Catalonia’s ousted president could face arrest today, as Spain’s central government moves to tighten its hold on the restive region.
-- Iran has not stopped building missiles and has no intention of doing so, President Hassan Rouhani said, three days after the House of Representatives approved legislation for new sanctions on Tehran.
-- Argentina has banned abortion in most cases. So why is its abortion rate far higher than that of the U.S.?
BUSINESS
-- Many Republican lawmakers say residents of lower-tax states subsidize those in California and other high-tax states. The data show it’s the other way around, and it could get worse for Californians if the state and local tax deduction is eliminated.
-- Sales of Day of the Dead merchandise have become such a part of the Halloween retail juggernaut that some observers see it as cultural appropriation and crass commercialism run amok.
SPORTS
-- The Chargers took a stupefying step backward in their mistake-filled loss to the New England Patriots.
-- What’s behind the Kings’ resurgence on the hockey rink? It could be the freedom to operate under new general manager Rob Blake.
OPINION
-- Los Angeles is facing a Willie Horton moment.
-- It’s getting clearer: The connection between diet and cancer points to sugar and carbs.
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- Former Vice President Joe Biden looks back at 2016 and won’t rule out a run for president in 2020. (Vanity Fair)
-- Retired Speaker of the House John A. Boehner talks about how American politics got so divided and much more. (Politico)
-- An excerpt from the book “How Not to Get Rich: The Financial Misadventures of Mark Twain.” (Paris Review)
ONLY IN CALIFORNIA
How do you know Halloween is approaching in Southern California? It could be the turn in the weather (finally!), or the giant oil tank painted as a pumpkin in Wilmington. But in Newport Beach, you know it when you see handmaids, astronauts and Donald Trump taking to their surfboards.
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