Newsletter: Essential California: Shrimp Boy is convicted

Good morning. It is Saturday, Jan. 9. Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Guilty verdict: Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow was convicted on 162 counts Friday, including racketeering and murder, following two days of jury deliberations. Chow was arrested after federal agents conducted a lengthy undercover investigation that also touched then-state Sen. Leland Yee, who later pleaded guilty to racketeering. Attorneys for Chow maintained their client’s innocence. Los Angeles Times

Clean up efforts: As part of an agreement intended to reduce emissions and odors from the gas leak in Aliso Canyon, Southern California Gas Co. will capture and incinerate some of the natural gas as soon as next week. The effort “should help mitigate to some extent the foul odors and also will destroy the methane, but they’re not going to be able to capture all the gas that’s leaking,” said Sam Atwood, a spokesman with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Los Angeles Times

Guests of honor: San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan and San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon will be guests at President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday. The two were at the forefront of the investigation into the Dec. 2 shooting at the Inland Regional Center. “They have made us all so proud, and I look forward to seeing them in Washington and to continue working together to help our community rebuild and recover,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-San Bernardino), who is bringing the two as his guests. San Bernardino Sun

One term: L.A. City Councilman Felipe Fuentes will not run for reelection when his first term is up. The decision to leave the city council is an unusual one — he’s the first politician in at least 20 years to step down after a single term of office. “I know that I will be 46 years old when I finish this term, and I want to write a new chapter, try a new career,” Fuentes said. His term will end in 2017. Los Angeles Times

Rec and parks: Take 360-degree tours of the smallest parks in the city of Los Angeles. One is just 706 square feet. Los Angeles Times

THIS WEEK’S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. El Niño showed up this week and brought with it heavy rains and flooding. Here are the 13 craziest images from the storms. Curbed LA

2. This is what El Niño storms do: They arrive back-to-back-to-back. “El Niño storms: it’s steady, not spectacular. But it’s relentless,” said Bill Patzert, climatologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. Los Angeles Times

3. The Los Angeles River came back to life this week. Los Angeles Times

4. What was this guy thinking, driving his Lamborghini through a flooded intersection? CityLab

5. One driver’s frightening crash off the Angeles Crest Highway was captured by his dashboard camera. YouTube

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK’S GREAT READS

Endangered species: In Mongolia, officials with the World Wildlife Fund want to protect the elusive snow leopard from an encroaching population. “An explosion in the number of horses, cattle, sheep and goats has set off a war between nomads and wildlife. To herders, snow leopard attacks on their animals are common and can cost them thousands of dollars.” Los Angeles Times

LOOKING AHEAD

Sunday: The Golden Globe Awards will be held in Beverly Hills.

Tuesday: The Orange County Board of Supervisors will select a new president of the board.

Saturday: The fourth annual Pelican Days Festival will be held at the Salton Sea.

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.