Newsletter: Today: Michigan Feels the Bern. Good night, George Martin.

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

TOP STORIES

Michigan Feels the Bern

Bernie Sanders won an upset victory over Hillary Clinton in the surprisingly close Democratic primary in Michigan, a state where he invested heavily and which his advisors called a “critical showdown.” Polls had shown Clinton with a double-digit lead in the state. Donald Trump won the GOP contests in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii, underscoring his dominance in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination. Complete results from Tuesday’s contests.

Air Quality Board Fight Moves to Legislature

State legislative leaders will try to wrest control of the board of Southern California’s air-quality regulator from a new conservative majority that fired the agency’s executive director last week and reaffirmed an industry-friendly approach to cleaning dirty air. State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León said he would push legislation to add three members to the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, including a public health expert and two environmental justice representatives from communities suffering from pollution.

A Nimble, Formidable Threat in Somalia

The Shabab has been nothing if not resourceful in striking at American allies and interests in East Africa. The Somali terrorist group constantly changes tactics and targets, attacking airplanes, beach restaurants, hotels and military bases in the last few months alone. On Saturday, U.S. warplanes and drones hit back hard, killing at least 150 fighters at the group’s main operations center. By taking the fight to the Shabab, U.S. officials hope to prop up the Somali government. But their hopes were measured: the Shabab has withstood previous blows.

The Fifth Beatle

As arranger, orchestrator and occasional player later in their career, George Martin was responsible for some of the landmark moments of ‘60s rock and nearly all of the Beatles’ recordings. He died Tuesday at age 90 at home in his sleep. Read more about his life and how he had an indispensable role with the Beatles.

Revisiting Slavery

Americans have always had a complicated relationship with Hollywood depictions of slavery. Still the difficult topic is hardly new to the big and small screens. Now there’s a dramatic shift in portrayals of slavery in popular culture. A flurry of slavery-related projects coming soon to theaters and TV has a new emphasis: showing empowerment over adversity.

CALIFORNIA

-- So far this year, killings in L.A. have risen 27.5%, compared with the same period last year, as violent crime continues to rise.

-- Patrons of the San Jose public library system have racked up $6.8 million in late fines. That’s a lot of pennies.

-- Speaking of libraries, here’s a little history about our own. Meet L.A.’s first female head librarian — a teenager who settled bar bets and worked to get women the right to vote.

-- Pedestrian deaths in California rose 7% in the first half of 2015.

-- While some Angelenos find catharsis in flailing away at Donald Trump piñatas, others would rather give the Republican presidential candidate a hug. Columnist Steve Lopez talked to them.

NATION-WORLD

-- On a wide, muddy beach in Bangladesh, scores of commercial boats make their final call to port in the world’s largest and least-regulated ship-breaking industry.

-- Dogs that would normally be curled up on a couch or gleefully ripping into garbage hear the call of the wild a few times each winter around Mt. Hood, Ore., where a nonprofit club organizes distinctly non-Iditarod sledding.

-- China may officially be an atheist state, but it is regulating Buddhist reincarnation as the Dalai Lama enters his twilight years with no successor in sight.

-- Several human rights and refugee groups have called the EU-Turkey plan to keep migrants from arriving on Europe’s shores deeply immoral and possibly illegal.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- You will probably never again own a new album by Kanye West. Still, if it makes you feel better, you can rent his software.

-- Is Maggie Nelson a critic, a memoirist or a poet? She and Sasha Frere-Jones discuss writing and form.

BUSINESS

-- Facebook is hoping to break into live-event streaming with Thursday night NFL games.

-- Michael Hiltzik writes that 2016 is shaping up to be the year of ransomware — and the FBI isn’t helping.

SPORTS

-- The Lakers are taking a long look at standout LSU freshman Ben Simmons. Lots of other people are looking too.

-- One day after tennis star Maria Sharapova revealed that she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open, sponsors Nike, Porsche and TAG Heuer began to distance themselves from her.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- Avid crossword puzzle aficionados raised accusations that the editor of one of the most widely syndicated puzzles in the nation was a plagiarist. FiveThirtyEight investigated and found that Timothy Parker had “edited more than 60 individual puzzles that copy elements from New York Times puzzles.” Other puzzles were “nearly verbatim” copies of puzzles he’d previously edited. Parker stepped back from his role this week, at least temporarily.

-- Do you own your e-books? The struggling Barnes & Noble Nook business suggests that you do not. Barnes & Nobles is exiting the British market and has told customers that its British Nook store will cease operation. The book seller said it was trying “to ensure that you have continued access to the vast majority of your purchased Nook Books at no new cost to you.” In other words, customers in the U.K. can’t be sure they’ll be able to read e-books they already paid for. (The Register)

ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

Skiers rejoice! The scenic ski resort Mammoth Lakes got hit with eight feet of new snow in recent days. So far this season, the mountain has a total snowfall of 308 inches, with a base of 110 inches at the Main Lodge. That means the ski season may be the longest in recent memory for the hard-hit-by-the-drought California ski destination.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.