Newsletter: Essential California: How early did the terrorists plot?

Good morning. It is Thursday, Dec. 10. I’m Nita Lelyveld, writer of City Beat features, filling in to give Shelby Grad and Alice Walton a breather. Important reminder to L.A. County homeowners:  Your property taxes must be postmarked by today to avoid a penalty. The following one-line item ran on this paper’s front page on this day in 1886: “There’s mighty little unoccupied land in Los Angeles county, outside of the mountain sides.” Here's what's happening:

TOP STORIES

Planning ahead

FBI Director James Comey said Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the couple responsible for the San Bernardino shooting, began making plans for a terrorist attack before they got engaged and she came to the United States. Los Angeles Times 

Rapid response

Water from the overhead sprinklers created rivers of blood. The air smelled of gunpowder. A medic embedded in a SWAT team, the first to arrive on the scene of the San Bernardino shooting, describes how he didn’t pause but got right to work helping victims, all his training kicking in. Los Angeles Times 

Unfolding story

You can get complete coverage here. Of note: An audio timeline of police communications from the attack and aftermath. "He’s still firing rounds," a police dispatcher tells officers in the first few moments. Los Angeles Times 

Walk to fly

A new, privately funded $120-million bridge lets travelers walk from the United States into Tijuana International Airport. It costs $18 each way and is staffed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. Reporter Richard Marosi describes it as “a rare convenience along an international boundary better known for maddening and unpredictable bottlenecks.” Los Angeles Times 

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Droughts to come: California remains under drought conditions despite all the El Niño talk.  The state’s chief water official says -- much like Israel -- we need to change our thinking and policies permanently, instead of counting on salvation from rainy days ahead. NBC Bay Area 

Shelter from the storm: L.A.’s elected leaders on Wednesday allocated $12.4 million for emergency housing for the homeless and laid out steps to protect people living in the streets and in riverbeds during the expected El Niño. Los Angeles Times

L.A. AT  LARGE

Ho ho ho: Where to watch Christmas movies on the big screen in L.A. LAist 

What is odd? A tour of the one-of-a-kind Museum of Jurassic Technology, which you should visit if you never have. KCET 

Cuban commute: Do you have a hankering to see Havana? Weekly LAX-to-Cuba charter flights start Saturday. Los Angeles Times  

Out in force: “Star Wars” fans of the most devoted variety already are camped at the door of the TCL Chinese Theatre Imax, waiting for the Dec. 17 showing of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Los Angeles Times  

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Big settlement: The L.A. City Council agreed Wednesday to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged that the city knowingly ignored the dangers of a North Hollywood intersection in which two sisters were hit by a car crossing the street. The collision killed a 12-year-old and left her sister, then 10, a quadriplegic. Los Angeles Times  

Toxic text? The head of the state’s toxics control agency disciplines two scientists for emails containing racially derogatory content. Los Angeles Times  

CRIME AND COURTS

San Bernardino backlash? The Sikh Center in Buena Park was vandalized Sunday. Walls were hit with gang graffiti and someone scrawled “ISIS” on the truck of a member of the community. Los Angeles Times  

On video: Authorities said a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation employee is under investigation after she was filmed ridiculing a Bay Area Muslim man and threw an umbrella and coffee at him. Rasheed Albeshari and his friends were playing volleyball and praying at a park. Los Angeles Times

Morning gunfire: In a quiet Burbank neighborhood, a resident and a gardener were shot at about 7:20 a.m. Wednesday. Burbank Leader  

CALIFORNIA COMMENTARY

Not so fond farewell: Robin Abcarian has some thoughts on Kobe Bryant: "I won’t be sad to see him go.... I haven’t really enjoyed watching him for years. And I know I am not the only woman who feels that way." Los Angeles Times

Skid row sojourn: In which Mr. Lopez (Steve) and Mr. Ayers (Nathaniel) attend a performance of Handel’s "Messiah" at the Midnight Mission. Los Angeles Times  

Trump timing: That Donald Trump’s “bombast about blocking the entry of foreign Muslims into America came on Pearl Harbor Day,” George Skelton writes, was “coincidental but clueless,” “ironic and insensitive.” Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

L.A. lit: For your holiday shopping list perhaps? A selection of books by L.A. authors. L.A. Weekly 

Claw and order: San Diego cracks down on sushi joints serving “lobster rolls” without any lobster in them. Los Angeles Times 

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego and Los Angeles will be partly cloudy and 66 degrees. San Francisco will have showers and hit 62 degrees. In Eureka, it will be rainy and 55 degrees.  

AND  FINALLY

Today's California Memory comes from Edward Nash:

"I thought a huge fire was engulfing the forest around L.A. as I drove down Cajon Pass after graduating college from Montana State in June 1967. As I descended, I kept looking for the firetrucks racing around fighting this huge fire. To my amazement, I never saw any. My fellow drivers seemed unaffected. I couldn't imagine. Then, it dawned on me ... smog."

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.)