Newsletter: Essential California: 1 in 10 Cal State students is homeless
Good morning. It is Tuesday, June 21. A new luxury retreat in Malibu has a few rules — no television, no cellphones, no junk food and no alcohol. The price for such an escape: $10,000 for seven days. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:
TOP STORIES
Housing crisis
The Los Angeles city attorney is going after property owners who evicted tenants and converted the units into rentals for Airbnb. The official allegation is that the owners are operating rent-controlled apartments as hotel units. City Atty. Mike Feuer’s action is seen as a sign the city will more aggressively go after landlords who break L.A. laws during its housing crisis. Los Angeles Times
Room and board
One in 10 Cal State students is homeless and 1 in 5 doesn’t have enough food, according to a new study. “We’re going to find solutions that we can take to scale,” said Chancellor Timothy P. White. Cal State is the largest public university system in America. Los Angeles Times
Caught on tape
While public sentiment favoring transparency in policing has departments embracing body and dash cameras to ensure better scrutiny, state lawmakers under pressure from law enforcement unions are considering legislation giving officers a means to block or at least to delay the release of the videos. Los Angeles Times
DROUGHT AND CLIMATE
Record heat: Palm Springs set a new record yesterday when temperatures reached 122 degrees. The previous record high of 118 degrees was set in 1929. “People die out here every year,” said Ceej Juarez, who provides information about hiking at the Agua Caliente Indian reservation. Los Angeles Times
Wildfires: Two fires broke out in Azusa and Duarte and forced people to evacuate from their homes. A canyon prevented the fires from merging into one massive blaze. Smoke from the fires could be seen across the region. Los Angeles Times
Science behind the heat: What is the deal with this heat wave? Whatever happened to May Gray and June Gloom? “As you might remember from 8th-grade science, an increase in pressure leads to an increase in temperature,” said Bill Patzert, a climatologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Los Angeles Times
L.A. AT LARGE
Affordable housing: Snapchat’s latest property acquisition in the Venice area is a 25-unit apartment building. Is the tech start-up providing housing for its employees? It could be a big draw for talent that’s having a difficult time finding affordable rentals in Los Angeles. Curbed LA
Recall issued: The Jeep that killed “Star Trek” actor Anton Yelchin early Sunday morning was recently recalled after federal regulators found the vehicle’s gear shift could confuse drivers and cause the car to roll away, according to government records. Police said Yelchin died after his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward down his driveway and pinned him between a metal gate and a brick pillar. Los Angeles Times
Political favors: Mayor Eric Garcetti got quite a bit of attention last week when his name appeared on a list of possible vice presidential candidates for the Clinton campaign. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he was being considered for the job. “A political strategist familiar with Clinton’s campaign, who requested anonymity, told the Southern California News Group that Clinton’s team lets names be floated as possible VP picks as a reward for his or her support.” LA Observed
Eye for design: Here’s a question likely to rile up Angelenos: What is the ugliest building in L.A.? Curbed LA
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Technical difficulties: Apple says it won’t give money or support to the Republican National Convention this year because of presumptive nominee Donald Trump’s comments on women, minorities and immigrants. The decision is seen as a sign of the widening schism between Silicon Valley and the Trump campaign. Politico
Expensive mystery: Power surges that knocked BART rail cars out of service have so far cost the transit agency $2 million. Despite all that spending, transit officials don’t know what caused the mysterious problem. San Francisco Chronicle
Higher office: Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will announce in November whether he’s running for governor of California. “I think I’ve made it pretty clear what I want to do,” he said. Los Angeles Times
CRIME AND COURTS
Behind bars: Unabomber Ted Kaczynski says a California man (“some creep”) has been impersonating him in letters to reporters. And he has some choice words for the journalists who fell for the scam. “Many journalists are too stupid or too lazy to take such precautions so they’ve been duped by the aforesaid creep,” he writes. BuzzFeed
Car thefts: Thieves are stealing catalytic converters off cars in Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. “The whole world gets into recycling but this brings its dark shade of crime,” said Sgt. Jerry Johnson with the Alhambra Police Department. Daily Breeze
Juvenile hall: The L.A. County district attorney’s office is investigating the alleged beating of a minor at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar. The incident at the hands of staff members was captured on video. “We have zero tolerance of mistreatment of juveniles in custody, and we hold our staff to a high standard,” said interim probation Chief Cal Remington. Los Angeles Times
Community policing: At Compton Avenue Elementary, girls who did not have a father or mentor to take to the school’s father-daughter dance received special “dates” — LAPD officers. “This event is really non-traditional for a cop. It’s officers partnering with young dads in this community who traditionally were afraid of the police or had negative interactions with the police,” said LAPD Sgt. Emada Tingirides. Dateline NBC
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
From a Chinese proverb: This is the story of a young Orange County man who found love and success half a world away. Orange County Register
Pop, fizz: L.A. writers may be to thank (or blame) for the rise of LaCroix sparkling water. “If you want to be written about, win over a bunch of writers.” Vox
Morning commute: Where do San Francisco employees live? Pretty far out, as this animated map shows. SFist
Grocery store revolution: Is 365 by Whole Foods enough to compete with Trader Joe’s and Aldi for young customers? “Whole Foods is a victim of its own success: It got shoppers to buy fresh groceries instead of stuffing their freezers. But that meant they were going to the store more often, so they wanted to get out faster, without having to choose among 100 olive oils.” Bloomberg
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Diego will be partly sunny and 85. It will be sunny and 108 in Riverside. Los Angeles will be partly sunny with a high of 87. Sacramento is expected to have a high of 100 degrees. San Francisco will have clear skies and a high of 73.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California Memory comes from Eric Petosky:
“In 1992, my military stepfather received orders to what was once Castle Air Force Base in Atwater. Having spent most of my 15 years in sleepy northern Michigan, I was anxious about moving. After arriving, three shocks opened my eyes to this amazing new world. The triple-digit heat was like a blast furnace compared to the frigid north. People were speaking Spanish outside a classroom. Palm trees were not just for television. The diversity and beauty captivated me, and I decided the Golden State would be my home after I finished my own military career. No regrets at all.”
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.
