Newsletter: Essential California: Is the state’s climate policy in jeopardy?
Good morning. It is Wednesday, June 15. Just one California restaurant made it onto the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The honor went to Saison in San Francisco. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
Climate control
Gov. Jerry Brown and the state Legislature are preparing for fight over the future of California’s climate change programs. The linchpin of those programs — cap and trade — has been mired in political, legal and financial problems. “Analysts suggested that legal uncertainty around cap and trade has damaged faith in a system that, like other markets, requires investors’ confidence to operate smoothly.” Los Angeles Times
Deadly fire
There was a horrific discovery Tuesday in the Westlake district. Fire officials found five bodies in a burnt-out office building. All five appeared to be transients. Witnesses said they had noticed homeless people living in the building. An arson suspect was arrested at the scene. Los Angeles Times
Public trust
What can the Oakland Police Department do to rebuild public trust as it faces an ongoing investigation into sexual misconduct? A City Council committee backed a proposal Tuesday to create an independent police commission, though the measure is expected to face strong opposition from the Oakland Police Officers’ Assn. if it makes it to the ballot. Oakland officers are accused of having sex with a young prostitute; some of those activities are alleged to have taken place when the woman was a minor. “This isn’t what the vast majority of those wearing the blue uniform think or act like,” said police union President Barry Donelan. Los Angeles Times
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
It’s a scorcher: The heat is on. Temperatures are expected to climb Friday and peak on Monday, with the valleys ranging from 110 to 118 degrees. Monday is also the summer solstice. Curbed LA
Dirty water: Coffee and mud. That’s what water looks like when it comes out of the taps in Compton. City officials blame the discoloration on sediments that have built up in Compton’s cast-iron pipes. NBC 4
L.A. AT LARGE
Legal fees: Los Angeles will pay $822,000 to homeless individuals whose property was seized and destroyed by city employees. The City Council agreed to pay $125,000 in legal fees in a different case involving a protest on skid row. “The payouts add to a growing tab for the legal tug-of-war over homelessness in Los Angeles.” Los Angeles Times
Helping the homeless: Rabbi Marv Gross is retiring from Union Station Homeless Services in Pasadena after more than 20 years on the job. “I think there is a determination to try to significantly reduce homelessness in Pasadena, and part of that credit I know belongs to us,” Gross said. 89.3 KPCC
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Defining the crime: What is rape? Two members of the California Legislature say the state’s definition is out of date. Assemblywomen Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) and Susan Eggman (D-Stockton) want to expand the definition to include “penetration” of any kind without consent. The women were motivated by the high-profile case of former Stanford student Brock Turner. Los Angeles Times
State of emergency: The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday in support of a state declaration of emergency on California’s homeless crisis. Such a declaration could provide more money and resources to address the problem. “If an earthquake or flood suddenly left tens of thousands of individuals homeless, the County and State would not hesitate to act swiftly and decisively. Although the causes may be different, the impact is the same,” Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl wrote. Los Angeles Times
Development needed: Oakland is reaching capacity and could desperately use new construction in the downtown area, but investors are leery. “In addition to Oakland’s lackluster track record of commercial development, the city has a reputation for crime and poverty that sets financial backers on edge.” CityLab
Building support: The November election to fill Sen. Barbara Boxer’s seat will be between two Democrats. So, what will Republican voters do? Two-thirds say they won’t vote in that race, according to the new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. Of the Republicans who do plan to cast a ballot, more side with state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris than Rep. Loretta Sanchez. Los Angeles Times
CRIME AND COURTS
Charges filed: The Indiana man who police say was headed to the West Hollywood gay pride parade with a car full of weapons and ammunition was formally charged Tuesday and held on $2 million bail. James Wesley Howell, 20, was charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor. According to a court filing, in addition to the weapons and explosive chemicals, Howell had a black hood, a taser, handcuffs, a Buck knife, a security badge and additional ammunition for the guns. Los Angeles Times
Sounds familiar? Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin found themselves in a downtown courtroom Tuesday as a copyright trial over their classic “Stairway to Heaven” got underway. At issue is whether the musicians took the song’s opening passage from the L.A. rock group Spirit. At stake are millions of dollars in royalties that could go to the estate of Randy Craig Wolfe, a.k.a. Randy California. Los Angeles Times
Hate speech: A pastor at a Sacramento Baptist church is defending a sermon in which he praised the killing of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida and called the victims pedophiles and predators. “All I’m saying is that when people die who deserve to die, it’s not a tragedy,” said Roger Jimenez. Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Future of the company: Viacom board members say they want to meet with Sumner Redstone, but they’re being thwarted at every opportunity. The 93-year-old media mogul made a visit to Paramount Pictures last week but did not get out of his car. “The letter comes amid speculation that the Redstones are preparing to shake up the Viacom board.” Los Angeles Times
Bad idea: The owners of Special Ed’s Brewery in Galt are getting death threats from people offended by the business’ name and slogans like “Take the short bus to special beer.” The brewery was also promoting Back of the Bus Brown Ale. “It wasn’t made out to attack anyone. It wasn’t meant to make fun of special needs people,” said co-owner Cheryl Mason. Sacramento Bee
Art imitating life: To make HBO’s “Silicon Valley” feel authentic, the show’s creators turn to … Silicon Valley. “This kind of back-channel relationship — satirists texting casually with the satirized — is a departure from much of comedic history.” The New Yorker
Welcome to the future: Explore Third L.A. That’s what experts like Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne are calling a Los Angeles that moves beyond cars and sprawl. Curbed LA
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Francisco will be mostly sunny and 63. Sacramento is expected to see showers as temperatures reach a high of 73. Los Angeles will be cloudy and 73. In Riverside, clouds will make way for sun as temperatures reach 82 degrees. In San Diego, there will be low clouds and a high of 71.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Leslie Lacko:
“I grew up in Yorba Linda. In the late ’70s and early ’80s my friends and I would walk to school on a bike and horse trail that took us past orange groves. Occasionally, an orange fight would break out — something like a snowball fight, but it leaves you sticky. The orange groves have all been developed for housing now, but some areas along the trail remain bordered with a row of orange trees. When we visit, my San Francisco-raised children love to pet the horses along the trail and collect oranges to make juice.”
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.
