Newsletter: Essential California: Heads up on the Big One

Good morning. It is Thursday, Feb. 4. It looks like San Francisco’s politicians are taking a pass on the Super Bowl. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Earthquake warnings

An early-warning system could give Californians seconds to prepare for a major earthquake. Despite early successes for the program, though, a full rollout has been stymied by fights over who should pay the tab. California wants the federal government to pay for the system rather than dipping into the state’s general fund. “We have a feasible plan on the table. But if people don’t want to fund that, then we just have to go back and see what could be done for less,” said John Vidale, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. “Is it really worth cutting the corners like that?” Los Angeles Times

Changing of the guard

Mogul Sumner Redstone resigned his post as executive chairman at broadcasting giant CBS Corp. There’s been a lot of speculation about the health of the 92-year-old, who has not participated in a corporate event since 2014 and who has difficulty with his speech. CBS chief executive Les Moonves was elected chairman of the board Wednesday. A showdown at Viacom looms, though. Los Angeles Times

Priest impersonation

A man who, police allege, traveled throughout Southern California pretending to be a priest was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of grand theft. Erwin Mena is accused of swindling parishioners out thousands of dollars. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles actually keeps a list of fake priests. As of Sept. 1, there were 95 names on the list — including Mena’s. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Dam proposal: Officials with California, Oregon and the federal government are working together to remove hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River despite barriers thrown up by Congress. “For the first time, we have all the key parties on dam removal … shoulder to shoulder going to (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) to request decommissioning,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael). Los Angeles Times

Rising waters: New computer systems are expected to help the Bay Area predict, rather than simply respond to, flooding caused by the El Niño rains. Residents can choose to receive email or text notifications two hours in advance of an overflow. “Our work is based on models. We’ll need to ‘ground truth’ it,” said Len Materman of San Francisquito Creek’s Joint Powers Authority. San Jose Mercury-News

Life in SoCal: With El Niño here, a look at what happens to the Southern California ecosystem after the rain stops. It turns out a cast of characters emerges: rare snails, poisonous mushrooms and slug-like molds. Zócalo Public Square

L.A. AT LARGE

Petroleum chief: The city code says that Los Angeles, which has hundreds of oil and gas wells, should have one full-time person in charge of petroleum, but for years, that role has remained unfilled. Now, council President Herb Wesson says it’s time to get someone into that job. “While community activists stress the possible benefits for neighborhood groups, others say having a knowledgeable person serving in the position could also protect the industry from bogus complaints.” Los Angeles Times

Look both ways: Los Angeles County is the deadliest place in America for pedestrians, according to one survey. In 2014, 281 were killed. And the country’s worst intersection for walkers, the report says, is in Redondo Beach. LA Weekly

Environmental justice: The gas leak in Aliso Canyon has left Porter Ranch residents temporarily sick, but the symptoms they’re experiencing are no different from what low-income Angelenos in Wilmington and South L.A. have had for years. So why is one community receiving so much attention and help while others go without? “Residents around the various drill sites have approached the city during different times, asking for better conditions, asking for environmental impact analyses, and their efforts have been mostly futile,” according to one attorney. CityLab

Back in the ‘90s: With the O.J. Simpson miniseries on television, L.A. is having a flashback to a different city. LA Review of Books

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Campaign funds: A former treasurer for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher was arrested on suspicion of embezzling $200,000 from the congressman. Jack Wenpo Wu was also accused of taking $80,000 from a former employer. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Moral character: There are high standards for anyone who wants to practice law in California. So how did a woman pass the bar just two years after police say she aided her then-husband, who is accused in a grisly torture plot? Authorities say Cortney Shegerian helped her then-husband Hossein Nayeri conduct surveillance on a man who was later abducted and mutilated, and that she poisoned hamburger meat that was intended for a dog. Los Angeles Times

Behind bars: A man who was kept in police custody after a case of mistaken identity may sue Los Angeles County and the Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. Mario A. Garcia was booked after law enforcement mistook him for another Mario Garcia with the same birthday, even though that man was 9 inches shorter, 40 pounds lighter and had a different middle name. Los Angeles Times

Harassment settlement: The former executive assistant to former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner will receive a $667,000 settlement from the city to settle her sexual harassment lawsuit. Benelia Santos-Hunter accused the politician of more than two dozen incidents. “There was compelling evidence she was a victim of sexual harassment,” said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. San Diego Union-Tribune

Money from kids: The former treasurer of a youth soccer league in Fullerton was arrested on suspicion of stealing more than $174,000 from the group. Laura Zellerbach is accused of money laundering, forgery of records, grand theft, misappropriation of property and embezzlement, authorities said. Orange County Register

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Out in nature: Here are 10 must-do activities in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Los Angeles Times

Up above: Don’t expect a lot of drone footage from the Super Bowl this weekend in Silicon Valley. Officials are working overtime to keep drones grounded. Los Angeles Times

Slow erosion: These photos show the destruction of Pacifica’s coastal bluffs through the years. SFGate

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Riverside and Los Angeles will both be mostly sunny and 69. In San Diego, it will be sunny and 68 degrees. It will be partly sunny and 58 in Sacramento. San Francisco will be partly sunny and 57 degrees.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Roger Power:

“I arrived in Riverside on the Union Pacific Railroad in 1953 at age 10. We rented a nice cottage in the Arlington neighborhood at a time when almost all of Riverside and San Bernardino counties were full of orange groves — thousands upon thousands of acres. At certain times of the year, after dark when things were still, you could walk outside and fill your lungs with the most beautiful scent of orange blossoms imaginable. A special treat to hold in memory.”

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (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 and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.