Newsletter: Essential California: A fight over land for veterans

Good morning. It is Tuesday, March 1. Google’s self-driving cars aren’t perfect. An accident report finds one of the cars struck a bus in Mountain View as it attempted to change lanes. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Inside foster care

Several years ago, L.A. County officials opened two waiting rooms for young people placed into the foster care system. But rather than providing a safe and temporary space for children with no place to go, the rooms turned into makeshift shelters that made young people vulnerable to sex trafficking. Now, the waiting rooms will be shut down. “The failure of the waiting rooms underscores how difficult it is for L.A. County to find homes for foster youth at a time when the number of vacant beds is declining.” Los Angeles Times

Competency case

A trial over the mental competency of media mogul Sumner Redstone will be allowed to move forward. Judge David J. Cowan denied a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the businessman’s former companion Manuela Herzer. “We are confident that when the court has evaluated the evidence it will determine that Mr. Redstone had capacity to change his healthcare directive and that Ms. Herzer should have no role in his life whatsoever,” said Gabrielle Vidal, an attorney for Redstone. Los Angeles Times

The VA’s land

The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to turn its West L.A. land back over to veterans and their needs. Doing so will require kicking out some nonveteran groups, such as the city of Los Angeles and the Brentwood School. “They’ve all lobbied up and lawyered up. They saw the plan, they know the veterans want the land back, and they’re talking now,” said Vincent Kane, special assistant to VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Hot, hot, hot: So much for El Niño’s record rains. By one measure, it was the hottest February on record with an average high of 77.5 degrees. “The atmosphere is chaotic and has a certain randomness to it,” said Nicholas A. Bond, a research meteorologist at the University of Washington. Los Angeles Times

Little fish: California’s fishermen want locals to embrace herring, a tiny fish that often finds its way into overseas markets. This means customers will have to get used to fish with flavor and bones. “We live in one of the most progressive, conservation-oriented cities in the country, and virtually no one is utilizing this healthy, sustainable resource that’s right in their backyard,” said Geoff Shester, California campaign director for the marine protection group Oceana. NPR

L.A. AT LARGE

Concerts in the park: The Greek Theatre has a new general manager in charge of bookings. Can you attract concertgoers without angering nearby residents? “If they can make the venue more profitable, these funds can be pumped back into the parks system to bankroll additional park rangers, new shuttle services and other improvements.” LA Weekly

A legend passes: Radio personality Charlie Tuna has died at the age of 71. During his career, he may have worked as a morning personality for more stations and formats than anyone else in L.A. radio history. “His crystalline baritone introduced musicians and hit records to radio listeners across Southern California for nearly half a century.” Los Angeles Times

Modern rail: Plans are in the works to modify classic Red Cars so they can run on light-rail tracks near the waterfront in San Pedro. Tentative plans have the line running from the Los Angeles Maritime Museum at 6th Street and Harbor Boulevard to the southern end of Ports O’ Call. Daily Breeze

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Standing trial: There has been a dramatic increase in mental competency cases in Los Angeles County, and no one — attorneys, judges, doctors — is quite sure why. From 2010 to 2015, the number of cases increased from 944 to 3,528. “I think it’s a sign that we urgently need to embrace the mental health diversion program,” said Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Police response: Criticism is mounting against the Anaheim police and the way the agency handled a weekend rally hosted by the Ku Klux Klan. There did not appear to be uniformed police at the start of the event, but video showed them arriving after klan members were swarmed by counter-protesters. Los Angeles Times

Targeted violence: Los Angeles County officials believe there has been an increase in hate crimes against Muslims and people mistaken for Muslims. Eleven such crimes were reported in November and December of last year. Los Angeles Times

K-9 units: Police agencies in Orange County are expanding the use of police dogs. A typical dog costs $10,000 and then requires five weeks and $4,000 in specialized training. “Just like kids learn at a different rate, dogs learn at a different rate,” said Anaheim Police Sgt. Ray Drabek. Orange County Register

BUSINESS

Let the air out: There are more signs that the bubble is about to burst in Silicon Valley. In the last month, Fidelity has written down more than a dozen investments in the tech space. There’s a funding slowdown, and in January, there were no IPOs of a tech company for the first time since September 2011. Vanity Fair

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Happy Birthday: Lorna Deshane was born in 1932 and just celebrated her 21st birthday. The Orange County native is a “leapean.” “The leap year birthday has been the best thing in my life. Every four years is very special,” she said. Orange County Register

Homegrown talent: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is getting flak for saying he grew up in East Los Angeles, an area that “represents culture, hardship and ethnic roots that are hard-earned.” The Oscar winner grew up in Echo Park, East Hollywood and Los Feliz, none of which could be described as East L.A. LA Weekly

Art project: The Griffith Park Teahouse has found a second life in San Pedro. The art piece is on Knoll Hill with the consent of the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Department of Cultural Affairs. It will open to the public on Saturday. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Francisco will have a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 65. Sacramento will have clouds before the sun comes out and temperatures reach 73 degrees. In Los Angeles, the morning will bring fog. Later in the day, the sun will come out and highs are expected to reach 81. Riverside will be mostly sunny and 86. San Diego will have sun and a high of 76.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Wendy Forsch:

“My husband and I relocated to Westlake Village in the summer of 1997. We were totally unprepared for that winter’s El Niño rains. I remember seeing sand bags for the first time when I had to step over them to get into my ground-floor office in Ventura. It was a wet welcome to California, but it was far better than the snow and ice we left behind in New York.”

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.