Newsletter: Anxieties among immigrants run high

Good morning. It is Saturday, Feb. 11. Here’s what you don’t want to miss this weekend:

TOP STORIES

Fearing the worst: Arrests by federal immigration officials, coupled with Internet hoaxes about deportation checkpoints, have stoked growing anxiety in California’s immigrant communities. It’s sparking a debate about whether some immigration advocates are going too far in sounding the alarms and what the role of public officials and agencies should be. Los Angeles Times

Trump and pot: Donald Trump has shocked the marijuana industry in California and beyond into a state of high alert at a time it had planned to be gliding into unbridled growth. Los Angeles Times

An epic problem: Inside the battle to save the mighty Oroville Dam — the nation’s tallest — after the spillway partially collapsed amid heavy rains. Los Angeles Times

Left in the cold: Someone dumped 14 plastic tubs containing a multitude of cats — some of which were pregnant — outside a popular feline sanctuary in Central California. Los Angeles Times

Venice over NYC: To some, Tommy Hilfiger stole the thunder of snowy New York Fashion Week with a glitzy fashion production at Venice Beach. New York Times

Resort upgrades: Just as snow is finally returning to the mountains, the owners of two big local ski resorts announced major improvement projects. Los Angeles Times

Losing business: The weeks-long road closure of Ortega Highway — a key route between the Inland Empire and Orange County — has merchants worried about staying alive. Orange County Register

Family ties: Does L.A. know what it’s getting as the Spanos family move its sports empire north from San Diego? San Diego Union-Tribune

GOP player? San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has emerged as the fair-haired favorite of California Republicans desperate for a serious candidate to run for governor in 2018, when term limits finally end the Jerry Brown era. Los Angeles Times

Preservation battle: The ugly political backstory of Parker Center, the Midcentury Modern masterpiece that served as LAPD headquarters for decades, might prevent it from being preserved. Curbed Los Angeles

Farmer worries: Some farmers in the Central Valley who supported Trump now fear his policies might mean fewer foreign farm workers. New York Times

THIS WEEK’S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. A BART janitor’s big payday. KTVU

2. Whole Foods is suddenly struggling. Bloomberg

3 .Why Californians pay so much for electricity. Los Angeles Times

4. A foster father with a lot to give. Los Angeles Times

5. A California water project could benefit from Trump. McClatchy

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK’S GREAT READS

No rules: When developers want to build more than zoning laws allow, L.A. planners almost always say yes, a Times analysis finds. The high volume of these amendments has eroded the role of zoning regulations as a true guide to what development is allowed across Los Angeles. By frequently permitting larger and denser projects, the city has frustrated some residents who erroneously believed the established zoning rules dictated what could be built in their neighborhoods. Los Angeles Times

Mars or bust: Inside the quixotic quest of civilians to make the trek to Mars — a journey mapped out by big names like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos as well as lesser-known names who meet at Los Angeles hotels to plan and dream. California Sunday Magazine

Apple design: As Apple completes its massive new campus in Cupertino, a critical examination about whether the computer maker deserves its reputation as a design innovator. “Apple has great design is the biggest myth in technology today.” The Atlantic

LOOKING AHEAD

Sunday: The 59th Grammy Awards at Staples Center.

Sunday: The “Run to Remember” race to honor fallen first responders is held at the Grove.

Friday: Former Los Angeles mayors Richard Riordan, James Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa talk about the city’s future at UCLA.

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad.