Newsletter: Essential California: Silicon Valley rallies against Donald Trump
Good morning. It is Tuesday, May 24. Here’s what is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
In Little Saigon
Latinos and Vietnamese transformed the demographics of Central Orange County over the last two decades. Increasingly, Latinos are now working in Little Saigon’s booming shopping and dining district, in some cases learning Vietnamese to get ahead. But few get past the ground floor. Los Angeles Times
Tech and politics
Silicon Valley is uniting around one thing: They don’t like the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Many in the tech capital believe the businessman doesn’t understand or appreciate how their work fits into the global economy. “At least [Hillary] Clinton is not going to go in and burn the place down. But Trump comes in, and God knows what happens,” said Reed Galen, a GOP consultant who advises tech companies. Los Angeles Times
Younger voters
There are more young voters on the rolls this year in California. But who will they vote for? And will they even vote? Los Angeles Times
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Water wars: Lake Mead is at its lowest point since it began filling behind the Hoover Dam in 1935. That has water officials in California, Arizona and Nevada scrambling to make up for the lost water supply. Los Angeles Times
L.A. AT LARGE
Transit woes: That didn’t take long. Commuters excited to ride the new Metro Expo Line extension found a driver had crashed through a barrier and on to the at-grade tracks Monday morning, prompting Metro to bring in buses before the light rail line could get back on track. “I’ve always said commuting here is a soul-sucking endeavor,” said one commuter. Los Angeles Times
Ready, set, go: The race is on between the automobile and the new Metro Expo Line train. Wall Street Journal
Gas leak cleanup: L.A. County health officials ordered the Southern California Gas Co. to stop cleaning homes in the Porter Ranch area Sunday. Health reps determined the utility’s contractors were not properly trained or equipped to clean homes affected by the gas leak at Aliso Canyon. “The work will not resume until SoCal Gas provides necessary assurance that it can carry out the cleaning in compliance with the Public Health protocol,” according to a statement from the health department. Los Angeles Times
Business of news: Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong is now the second-largest shareholder of Tribune Publishing, the parent company of the Los Angeles Times. The news came the same day that Tribune Publishing rejected the Gannett Co.’s second bid for the company. By bringing Soon-Shiong on board, the company’s CEO Michael Ferro may have effectively ended the possibility that Tribune Publishing will be sold. Los Angeles Times
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Knowing your rights: Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer says his office will go after crisis pregnancy centers that are not complying with a state law requiring them to tell women about their reproductive rights. The Reproductive Fact Act requires licensed facilities to tell pregnant women the state offers free or low-cost contraception, abortion and prenatal care. An investigation by the National Abortion Rights Action League found many centers gave women medically inaccurate information about abortion and its ramifications. Los Angeles Times
Senate endorsement: Gov. Jerry Brown endorsed state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris in her bid for the U.S. Senate. The announcement was a blow to Rep. Loretta Sanchez, the other Democrat in the June 7 primary. For what it’s worth, Brown and Harris share the same political consultants. Los Angeles Times
Opposing weed: The California branch of the Teamsters union opposes the state ballot initiative to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The labor group’s truck drivers and warehouse employees say they’re concerned about how the drug would be transported and distributed. “We favor a highly regulated and tiered model of distribution, similar to the way alcohol is regulated, where there’s an independent distributor that doesn’t grow or sell marijuana,” said a lobbyist for the group. BuzzFeed
Pet safety: A proposed state bill would allow Californians to break car windows and free dogs that appear to be overheating. To draw attention to the bill, three Republican lawmakers spent 21 minutes in a hot car. “These owners, they just don’t realize how hot it can get, and I wanted to create legislation that enables us to be proactive,” said Assemblyman Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga). Sacramento Bee
CRIME AND COURTS
Police shootings: Between 2000 and 2015, San Francisco police officers were involved in 95 shootings, 40 of which were fatal. Most of those shot by officers were armed, according to police records. “We’re trying to figure out what we can do in terms of de-escalation (training), time and distance, anything to not have more officer-involved shootings,” police Chief Greg Suhr said before his resignation. San Francisco Chronicle
Dirty apartments: The city of San Francisco is suing a landlord over his rodent- and feces-infested units in Nob Hill and the Richmond District. Other problems included gas leaks, broken windows, lead paint and mold. “This is an egregious set of violations,” said City Atty. Dennis Herrera. SFGate
Revenge killing: A 45-year-old man pleaded guilty Monday to helping kill an Orange County man in 1995. Shannon Ray Gries allegedly took part in the death of Gonzalo Ramirez after a friend accused the victim of raping her. Gries is expected to be sentenced in July. He could face 25 years to life in prison. Los Angeles Times
Tough road: In shelters along the southern border, migrants and deportees sleep side by side. “Both groups of migrants underscore why people flee Mexico and neighboring poor and violent Central American countries and what happens to them after they are deported.” Desert Sun
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Crossing the border: Columnist Robin Abcarian’s Uber ride from San Diego to Tijuana never even got out of the driveway. From not having the right app to not having the right driver, the whole experience was an epic failure. Los Angeles Times
Cute pursuit: Officers with the California Highway Patrol were engaged in one of the “slowest pursuits ever” this weekend when they tried to corral a gaggle of baby geese off the eastbound I-80 in Berkeley. “We returned them to their natural habitat. Nobody was taken into custody,” said CHP Officer Sean Wilkenfeld. Los Angeles Times
Beer in the land of wine: Stone Brewing of Escondido will expand to Napa by opening a taproom and restaurant in the iconic Borreo Building. “Not only is it literally made of stone, it’s one of downtown’s most iconic links to the 19th century and a landmark that’s been vacant for the past 15 years,” said Greg Koch, Stone CEO and co-founder. San Diego Union-Tribune
Off the beaten path: Meet the residents of Darwin, a small Mojave Desert town without stores, paved roads, streetlights or sewers. Vimeo
Income inequality: The income gap between the rich and poor in Orange County is widening. “The 90th percentile of Orange County families earned 11 times more than the 10th percentile in 2014: $203,000 a year, compared with $18,000.” Orange County Register
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Francisco will have clouds and a high of 61 degrees. Sacramento will have a high of 75 with the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms. There will be low clouds in Los Angeles as temperatures reach a high of 69. Riverside will have clouds and a high of 69. San Diego will be 68 degrees and cloudy.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Beth Anselmi:
“I moved to California from Chicago in 1986. Among the many wonders of California to a native Midwesterner was the incredible winter weather. During that first year, we frequently checked out a date-stamping Polaroid camera from the local library so we could take pictures of ourselves doing things in winter that couldn’t be dreamed of from the snow drifts back East. My favorite remains a trip to a remote beach in January where we were treated to a mother whale and her calf relaxing only a few yards from shore. We were mesmerized and I knew I was home.”
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.
