Newsletter: Essential California: Hyperloop passes first hyped test
Good morning. It is Thursday, May 12. A 12-by-5-foot sinkhole opened up in San Francisco thanks to a broken sewer line. “Holy moly — this is insane,” said one onlooker. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
Private meetings
The chairman of the California Coastal Commission on Wednesday asked the agency’s attorney to determine whether he should recuse himself from voting on a massive development along the Orange County coast after he held two unreported private meetings with project representatives. “I will be ever more cautious going forward. I apologize to the public, the commission and the applicants themselves,” said Steve Kinsey. Los Angeles Times
Snooze of a debate
This week’s debate among five candidates running for Sen. Barbara Boxer’s seat left a lot to be desired, writes Cathleen Decker. There was little drama and little opportunity for the candidates to engage in a real, spirited discussion. “In a longer or looser debate, or one that probed ideological distinctions between members of the same party, the candidates onstage might have had a chance to make themselves more fully known to the Californians who will judge them,” she writes. Los Angeles Times
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Water quality: San Diego’s inland watersheds have fair to poor water quality, and it’s all because of the drought. The lack of rain means stream functions are impaired and that worsens the quality of the water. “The Tijuana River area registered the worst water quality because of raw sewage and trash that flows into the waterway during wet weather.” San Diego Union-Tribune
New crop: Is quinoa the new kale for California farmers? “The mispronounced and misunderstood miracle food has acquired a lot of political baggage for such a small seed.” Los Angeles Times
L.A. AT LARGE
Personal essay: Director Woody Allen and his new film are being celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival, but in a new essay, his son Ronan Farrow examines the role that Hollywood elites and journalists play in whitewashing Allen’s history of molestation allegations. “It means having those tough newsroom conversations, making the case for burning bridges with powerful public figures. It means going up against angry fans and angry publicists,” he writes. The Hollywood Reporter
Insane market: The Los Angeles housing market is so out of control that potential buyers have taken to writing letters and sending pictures to sellers. And even then, some buyers find themselves up against 60 other bidders in up-and-coming neighborhoods. “What are you going to do? That’s the game out here,” says one potential buyer. 89.3 KPCC
Gay in L.A.: When it comes to West Hollywood and Silver Lake, which “gayborhood” reigns supreme? Two new Web series show the similarities and differences of gay culture in L.A. “It’s like comparing apples and oranges. Or twunks and bears. Or the Sharks and the Jets.” LA Weekly
Celebrity tours: TMZ and Starline Tours are getting divorced. The two Hollywood giants teamed up six years ago to provide tours showing where celebrities’ live, party and get into trouble. An attorney for TMZ says the bus company violated their contract — something that Starline Tours denies. Los Angeles Times
App culture: Apps are transforming life in Los Angeles. Aspiring actors no longer wait tables; they drive for Uber. “Perhaps you can’t walk out of your front door and get some eggs for your organic chocolate-soufflé recipe, as you could in New York, but a dozen services will bring them to you in just under an hour.” Vanity Fair
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
On the streets: Authorities cleared out 100 people in a homeless encampment over the 101 Freeway in San Francisco. Only a handful went to shelters; most are believed to have moved onto other encampments. SFist
End of life: Beginning June 9, terminally ill patients in California may request prescriptions for life-ending drugs. This Q&A breaks down just how the new law will work. Los Angeles Times
CRIME AND COURTS
Gang culture: Hector Becerra remembers what it was like when gangs — and the drugs and violence that followed them — were on almost every corner of his Boyle Heights neighborhood in the ‘80s. “Murder will never go out of business, but one can imagine that some of the people who died back when Jesse and I were very young maybe wouldn’t have now,” he writes. Los Angeles Times
Abuse case: A girl who was sexually abused by her Diamond Bar middle school teacher was awarded an $8-million judgment. A jury found officials with the Pomona Unified School District repeatedly missed red flags about the behavior of teacher Steven Andrews, who is now serving more than 15 years in prison for having sex with the then-14-year-old girl. Los Angeles Times
Gender discrimination: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is widening its investigation into gender discrimination in Hollywood. Studio executives, producers, agents, actors and male directors are all being interviewed by authorities, according to sources families with the investigation. Los Angeles Times
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Hype on hyperloop: Hyperloop is Elon Musk’s vision for a supersonic transportation system in California. On Wednesday, the project reached a milestone as crews were able to propel a sled 100 yards at half its eventual speed. Los Angeles Times
Surfing diplomacy: An Orange County surf instructor says he is headed to North Korea. Lamberto Lo has taught the sport to billionaires and transients and now he’s going to the secretive country to introduce the sport. “Surfing is going to be a bridge between nations,” he says. Orange County Register
Fitting in: Some riders at Universal’s Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey are finding the ride’s seats to be too small. “The walk of shame is an embarrassing experience. I’ve been there many times. It’s disheartening,” said Mike Galvan, author of the “Big Boy’s Guide to Roller Coasters.” Los Angeles Times
Got my eye on you: Riley Curry, daughter of Golden State Warrior Steph Curry, continues to be adorable and steal the spotlight from her famous father. SFist
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Diego will have clouds and a high of 73 degrees. Los Angeles’ clouds will break away for sunshine and a high of 80 degrees. Riverside will be sunny and 93 degrees. San Francisco will have fog as temperatures reach a high of 67 degrees. It will be sunny and 89 in Sacramento.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Penny Fleming Young:
“When my father came home from WWII in the summer of ‘45, we packed our worldly possessions into the Woody and drove from the Tucson desert to a ‘tourist court’ in Daly City, Calif. There we were sequestered while my father studied to pass the California bar, at which time we completed our journey by moving to Twin Peaks in San Francisco, and I entered kindergarten. After time, finances became more strained, so we reluctantly put our beloved Woody up for sale. Imagine the surprise and embarrassment of the buyers as we relinquished to them our only living room furniture, the car seats, before they could drive away! Fond 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.
