Newsletter: Essential California: Californians are risking their health

Good morning. It is Thursday, March 10. Animals at the Los Angeles Zoo are really getting into selfies. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Health warning

More than half the adults in California have diabetes or pre-diabetes, according to researchers at UCLA. The biggest problem with pre-diabetes, which occurs when blood glucose levels are higher than normal, is that most people don’t know they have the condition. “This study is a barometer that’s telling us that the storm is coming,” said Harold Goldstein, head of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. Los Angeles Times

Paying respects

Visitors are making their way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley to say goodbye to former First Lady Nancy Reagan. “Presidents and first ladies give an awful lot to us. This is our chance to show our respect and say goodbye. That’s why people come out,” said one mourner. A private funeral is scheduled for Friday. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Land grab: The Metropolitan Water District purchased four islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The land could be used for fish and wildlife habitats or to provide access to construction of the delta tunnel system. The purchase price was in the $200-million range. Los Angeles Times

Make it rain: For the first time since 2002, the Department of Public Works used cloud seeding Monday to boost water supplies. “The generators shoot silver iodide into the clouds, creating ice particles. Water vapor freezes onto those particles, which fall as rain.” City News Service

L.A. AT LARGE

Not over yet: Now that the gas leak in Aliso Canyon has been sealed, thousands of families are moving back to their Porter Ranch homes. But there are still lingering effects. Hundreds of people are still feeling sick. And a neighborhood park was shut down after oil residue was discovered on the play equipment. Los Angeles Times

Moving forward: Employees with San Bernardino County’s Environmental Health Services are trying to find ways to move forward from last year’s deadly shooting that left 14 dead and 22 injured. That includes a total renovation of their county office. “Pretty much make everything as new and as different as possible so that it doesn’t look, smell or feel like it did before,” said David Wert, the county’s public information officer. 89.3 KPCC

Take a hike: The new Metro Gold Line route can take you to some great hikes at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Curbed LA

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Brown lives matter: Why do Latinos in the U.S. seem to have a “rage deficit”? Writer Héctor Tobar has this idea: “We hear the voice of our mothers saying, ‘Mijos, you only demean yourself if you lash back at an insult.’” Instead of marching in the streets, many young Latinos are going to school, working full time and looking for political candidates who support immigration reform. New York Times

Secret meeting: Silicon Valley’s tech giants met with top members of the Republican establishment this weekend to talk about Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. “The business mogul’s greatest weakness, according to [Karl] Rove, was that voters have a very hard time envisioning him as ‘presidential’ and as somebody their children should look up to.” Huffington Post

Harsh words: A West Hollywood city councilman is calling out one of his colleagues for what he sees as inappropriate behavior for an elected official. At a meeting Monday night, Councilman John D’Amico said he frequently sees Councilman John Duran “trolling on Grindr for men” during council meetings and public events. The comments followed the council’s decision to pay $500,000 to Duran’s former deputy, who accused his boss of sexual harassment. Duran acknowledged the two had a relationship but denied any wrongdoing. WEHOville

CRIME AND COURTS

Arrested and charged: Three people were arrested and charged with kidnapping a 20-year-old woman for the purposes of sexually exploiting her. The woman was “viciously assaulted” by two men who then posted pictures of her to Backpage.com. “The level of sophistication, the expediency with which they provided her with a nickname and moniker for the purposes of sexual exploitation … this was something that was very, very familiar to this trio, and very, very disconcerting to us,” said Capt. Merrill Ladenheim with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Los Angeles Times

Deputy’s arrests: A sheriff’s deputy from El Dorado County who was already on paid administrative leave was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving for the third time in as many months. Deputy John Anthony Broadfoot was arrested by CHP officers Friday in the Shingle Springs area. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Buy you a drink: Newport and Costa Mesa may be the “drunkest” cities in Orange County. The rankings are based on the number of bars, pubs, wineries and liquor stores per capita. Los Angeles Times

Music great: Here’s the late Beatles producer George Martin driving through Los Angeles and talking about “God Only Knows” with Brian Wilson. Los Angeles Times

You’re fired: When a Los Angeles Times reporter wrote about Donald Trump and Trump University, the billionaire called up the paper to rant that the work was “inaccurate and libelous” and written by a “nasty guy” and “third-rate reporter.” Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Sacramento will have rain and a high of 62 degrees. San Francisco will be rainy with a high of 61. Los Angeles will be sunny with a high of 75. In Riverside, it will be partly sunny and 79. San Diego will start out with some fog and then have sunshine as temperatures reach 69.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Martha Goudey:

“I moved away from my native Golden State … traffic, smog, and possible earthquakes as my reasons. I had an orange tree and a front yard view of the purple and pink sunsets over the Pacific, but I packed a U-Haul and moved to Central Washington state mid-winter 1992. I was sure I had moved to the downside of heaven. I love Washington now, but I miss the chaparral covered hills, the blue Pacific, whales spouting offshore, pelicans gliding above the waves, dolphins playing in the surf, hot Santa Anas, mild rainy winters and the smell of saltwater.”

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.