Newsletter: Today: In the Motor City, Trump Looks for a Jump-Start. Excuse Me, Do You Speak Q’anjob’al?

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

TOP STORIES

In the Motor City, Trump Looks for a Jump-Start

Like many Republicans, Donald Trump wants to cut taxes. Unlike the GOP majority in Congress, he wants to dump trade agreements and spend a lot on railways, bridges and the like. That’s how he plans to “jump-start America,” as he outlined in a speech in Detroit. It also left some economists scratching their heads as to how the numbers could ever add up. Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, has been touting a long list of priorities if she wins: massive infrastructure investment, immigration reform, debt-free college, equal pay for women and much more. Which promises would she keep?

More Politics

-- Fifty top GOP security advisors warn Trump is “dangerous” in an open letter.

-- A former CIA officer and Republican policy advisor launches an independent presidential bid against Trump.

-- A look behind how presidential debates are scheduled: Can they be rigged?

Politics Aside, Obamacare Appears to Help the Poor

Trump wants to get rid of it. Clinton wants to build on it. Six years after it passed, Obamacare is still a political flashpoint. A new study shows it is improving poor patients’ access to medical care in states that have used the law to expand Medicaid. And it may pay off down the road. But will it change the politics? Unlikely.

The World’s Newest Nation on the Brink Again

South Sudan became a country only five years ago. In 2015, a civil war there ended after killing 50,000 people and displacing millions. But peace has been short-lived. Now, the country is once again on the brink of a war with ethnic undertones. Those who survived the last one tell of atrocities — many of them committed by government troops loyal to the president. Here are their heart-wrenching stories.

Michael Phelps’ Best Turn Wasn’t in the Water

The world’s most famous swimmer has earned 23 Olympic medals and endorsements galore. He’s also had run-ins with trouble. But finally, at the Games in Rio, Michael Phelps seems comfortable being himself. The turning point? Being cited for driving under the influence in 2014. After that, he says, he put his life back together. The crowning glory: In May, he became a father.

Excuse Me, Do You Speak Q’anjob’al?

If you can answer the question “Tzet x’i a kul?” with a hearty “watx,” there’s a job for you as a court interpreter. An influx of immigrants from Central America has created great demand for people who can translate Mayan languages. The shortage has delayed immigration proceedings and caused some asylum seekers to be deported. Read on for more about a linguistic conundrum — and a translation of our little dialogue above.

CALIFORNIA

-- A woman who had a bear killed says she was trying to protect her kids, but she’s facing a backlash.

-- Black Lives Matter activists handed City Hall a petition calling for the firing of LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.

-- The Pilot fire in San Bernardino County has spread to nearly 6,300 acres, triggering evacuations.

-- Lack of power: The state’s regional electricity grid plan is being put on hold.

NATION-WORLD

-- A Muslim boy who was arrested for building a clock says his family was forced to leave the U.S. for safety.

-- Georgia’s NAACP and others allege a violation of the Voting Rights Act in a racially diverse county.

-- Alabama’s chief justice will face an ethics trial in a case over same-sex marriage ruling.

-- A breakaway Taliban faction claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Pakistan hospital.

-- Gunmen have abducted two professors, an American and an Australian, in Kabul.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- NBC wants “Ghostbusters” star Leslie Jones to join its Olympics coverage, thanks to her tweets.

-- Theater review: Seduced by Ayad Akhtar’s “Junk,” the new play that picks apart Wall Street’s playbook.

-- With “Sausage Party,” Seth Rogen and Michael Cera are reveling in the profane.

-- Hulu’s free streaming service is winding down.

BUSINESS

-- Delta’s computer outage highlights the airline industry’s vulnerability.

-- Workers at some of Southern California’s largest grocery chains are voting on a new contract.

SPORTS

-- There’s no place like home as UCLA football opens training camp in Westwood.

-- The Angels’ Mike Trout is emulating his idol Ken Griffey Jr., and not just between the lines.

OPINION

-- “I was a Minuteman III nuclear launch officer. Take it from me: We can’t let Trump become president.”

-- It may be time to worry about the D.A.’s public corruption unit.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- What’s behind the social breakdown among low-income whites in America? (ProPublica)

-- Olympic posters show the modern history of the Games. (The Week)

-- How a Chinese tourist lost his wallet and wound up in a German refugee center. (The Guardian)

ONLY IN L.A.

Dee Snider of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister knows how to rock. His new granddaughter apparently knows how to roll — on the freeway. She was born Sunday on the 405, as her parents were on the way to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center from the San Fernando Valley. Dad took a video in the car to prove it.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.