Newsletter: Essential California: Nipsey Hussle’s brother on his final moments

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday, April 5, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The caller on the other end of Samiel Asghedom’s phone was panicked but clear. His younger brother — known to the world as rapper Nipsey Hussle, but to Samiel as just Nip — had been shot. It was Sunday afternoon — hours before hundreds of mourners would descend on South Los Angeles to remember a man known as much for his boastful music as for his humble contributions to his community. And days before a man named Eric Holder would be charged with murder. Samiel jumped into his car. He arrived at the Marathon Clothing store minutes after a gunman fired multiple rounds into Nip, but before the paramedics pulled up. The time when life can precariously slip into death. Los Angeles Times

Charged: Eric Holder, the 29-year-old aspiring rapper who is accused of fatally shooting Hussle, was charged in a criminal complaint Thursday with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. His attorney is Chris Darden, best known as one of the prosecutors during the O.J. Simpson trial. Los Angeles Times

And: There are growing questions about the woman who drove the suspected gunman’s getaway car. Los Angeles Times

Big fight brewing between two power institutions

In the months since voters elected Alex Villanueva as L.A. County sheriff, the relationship between the Board of Supervisors and the sheriff has turned antagonistic. The catalyst was Villanueva’s decision during his first weeks on the job to reinstate Caren Carl Mandoyan, a deputy who was fired after being accused of domestic violence and lying to internal investigators. Now the battle could have big implications on how the department and supervisors work together. Los Angeles Times

In court: Mondoyan has filed a lawsuit against law enforcement officials and county leaders alleging they withheld his pay and are unfairly trying to push him out of the department. Los Angeles Times

No easy answers

The 23 horses that have died at Santa Anita Park over the last three months have again shown that making the sport safer is a complicated proposition, with track officials scrambling to address a variety of issues. The racing surface has come under scrutiny, as have the use of whips, the effect of an unusually wet winter and an assortment of medications commonly used on thoroughbreds. Veterinary experts wonder if trainers in Southern California, if not the entire nation, need to rethink their methods. Los Angeles Times

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L.A. STORIES

Troublesome times: Why the Gay Men’s Chorus of L.A. is singing for survival. Los Angeles Times

Tenor Gary Hayashi rehearses with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

What’s cooking: California’s next frontier in fighting climate change: your kitchen stove. Los Angeles Times

Not going to take it anymore: An unhappy Marriott rewards points customer is leading a revolt. Los Angeles Times

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Warning: President Trump backed off his threat to close the border with Mexico, one day before he travels to California to highlight what he is calling an immigration crisis. Los Angeles Times

New biz: The wife of convicted drug kingpin “El Chapo” is launching a clothing brand — called El Chapo Guzman. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Madam Speaker: Trump is showing surprising deference to his top political adversary, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as he feels pressure to fulfill a signature election promise — approval of a revised trade deal with Mexico and Canada. Los Angeles Times

In Sacramento: A state tax to clean up toxic drinking water has lawmakers jumpy. Los Angeles Times

He’s said to be running: Rep. Eric Swalwell of the Bay Area is running for president on gun safety. The Atlantic

Not a good look: “When the Senate took contentious votes this week on a disaster aid package to help California rebuild after wildfires, Sen. Kamala Harris was in Sacramento — courting the support of labor unions for her presidential campaign.” Politico

CRIME AND COURTS

Reading between the lines: Why California’s proposed law on deadly police force isn’t as tough as it seems. Los Angeles Times

In Berkeley: An engineer has been charged with attempted murder in the poisoning of one of his colleagues over several months, according to prosecutors. Los Angeles Times

Another suit: San Diego County has sued the Trump administration, challenging in federal court its decision to end the “safe release” policy for asylum seekers last October. San Diego Union-Tribune

Tough story: Pregnant prison guards say California forces them to choose: their jobs or their babies. Sacramento Bee

THE ENVIRONMENT

Swamp creature? “A previously undisclosed invoice indicates that David Bernhardt, President Trump’s choice to lead the Interior Department, continued to lobby for a major client several months after he filed official papers saying that he had ended his lobbying activities.” New York Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Halo’d walls? Long Beach plans to woo the Angels baseball team, and an arena might be demolished. Los Angeles Times

Going deep: For the last 148 years, Yosemite’s Lyell Glacier has taught us about the Earth — how it was created, where it was going, and now, how it might end. California Sunday Magazine

Real estate talk: Selling your home? These features fetch top dollar. San Francisco Chronicle

The horror! The “I Like Scary Movies” pop-up gives you nightmares by putting you inside horror classics. LAist

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: Partly cloudy, 67, Friday. Partly cloudy, 69, Saturday. San Diego: Partly cloudy, 65, Friday. Cloudy, 67, Saturday. San Francisco area: Rainy, 59, Friday. Showers, 61, Saturday. San Jose: Showers, 63, Friday. Cloudy, 67, Saturday. Sacramento: Showers, 61, Friday. Showers, 64, Saturday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Igor Solar:

“Sometime around 1986, because of school history lessons, my younger son became aware of the fabulous discovery in the American River that resulted in the 1849 California Gold Rush. The knowledge of the momentous circumstances when James Marshall found gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, and the mass migration that ensued, filled him with excitement and historic interest. His curiosity came to be nearly obsessive, thus in the following school break, we retraced the steps of the 49ers by taking the trip from Canada to Coloma to visit the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park and the actual spot where Marshall first discovered gold in 1848. The excitement of the California Gold Rush is still in our 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 Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.