Newsletter: Essential California: Undocumented immigrants go silent out of fear
President Trump ordered an abrupt halt to America’s crusade against climate change. Wells Fargo will pay $110 million to settle lawsuits over unauthorized accounts. Snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada has brought beauty to the Owens Valley. When Trump w
Good morning and welcome to the Essential California newsletter! It’s Wednesday, March 29, and here’s what’s happening across California:
TOP STORIES
Stories of undocumented immigrants
With his online storytelling project, Miguel Luna created a movement for those in California illegally to tell their stories. Every person who participates would receive a black pin with the white letter “U” for undocumented on it. Then Donald J. Trump won the presidential election, and “everything changed. Much of the confidence immigrants without legal status had felt for years seemed to have been zapped overnight.” Los Angeles Times
Innocent man goes free
An innocent man was freed after spending 20 years behind bars for attempted murder in a Compton shooting that he didn’t commit. “Keep fighting,” Marco Contreras said in Spanish, moments after walking out of the courtroom. “Be patient and keep fighting.” Los Angeles Times
What to do for neediest who refuse help?
Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez contemplates what doctors and social workers should do when the neediest cases refuse help. Los Angeles Times
L.A. STORIES
Money back soon: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers will soon be able to recover their money from a landmark class-action settlement. This comes after an agreement was reached last year to resolve a lawsuit against the utility and the city concerning customers who were being overcharged. Los Angeles Times
Social media camp, anyone? This summer in Los Angeles, if you have a teenage son or daughter, they can sign up for a social media camp where they can learn how to become an “influencer.” Oh yeah, it costs $2,690. The Guardian
Lawsuit settled: Wells Fargo employees opened up to 2 million customer accounts without getting their permission, and the bank will pay $110 million to settle a class-action lawsuit concerning this conduct. The practice was first reported in a 2013 L.A. Times investigation. Los Angeles Times
IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER
ICE director speaks: Thomas D. Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, on Tuesday said federal immigration officials don’t target immigrants at churches or students at schools, nor they do seek out victims at hospitals or witnesses at courthouses. “We focus our resources first on those who are a national security threat and those who are a public safety threat,” he told a sometimes raucous crowd in Sacramento. Los Angeles Times
Fighting words: During a Monday speech, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, California’s chief justice, blasted President Trump saying that the rule of law was being “challenged” amid the administration’s immigration crackdown. Washington Post
Help on campus: At USC, professors are urging administrators to “take a stronger role helping immigrant and foreign students, faculty and employees fight Trump administration immigration policies.” KPCC
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Clean Power Plan scrapped: President Trump announced Tuesday that he’s scrapping the Clean Power Plan, but this change is expected to not affect California, even if its political leaders decry Trump’s actions. Los Angeles Times
Watch: Here’s what it might look like to go from L.A. to San Francisco in 30 minutes. BuzzFeed
Why Democrats dominate: California is dominated by Democrats, and it’s not just because of high rates of Latino and Asian immigration. California’s white population has become significantly more liberal over time as well. The American Interest
Faulty fire prevention systems: An Oakland building where four died in a fire on Monday lacked smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and sprinkler system. Associated Press
Plus: One of the fire’s victims was known as a helpful and sweet presence in the neighborhood. San Francisco Chronicle
CRIME AND COURTS
Videotape charges: California’s attorney general filed 15 felony charges against two antiabortion activists accused of secretly videotaping Planned Parenthood officials in an effort to discredit the organization. Los Angeles Times
Money for Prop. 47: California is gearing up to give $103 million in Prop. 47 grants for offender rehabilitation programs. The funding comes from the cost savings of having fewer nonviolent criminals being behind bars. Los Angeles Times
Body found in aqueduct: Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man whose body was found floating in the California Aqueduct in Hesperia, authorities said Tuesday. KTLA
Bull on the road: A runaway bull in the fast lane of state Highway 4 caused a six-car pileup. One car fatally struck the animal. KPIX 5
THE ENVIRONMENT
Magic dust: A new study has found that California’s sequoias are so large partially because of dust emanating from Asia’s Gobi Desert. This dust replenishes the soil nutrients that sustains these humongous trees. Popular Science
Seals on a beach: At the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary on California’s Central Coast, drones are freaking out the seals giving birth on the beach. KSBW
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Master artist, new medium: David Hockney’s art from Yosemite, as composed on an iPad. KQED
Looking back: Go on a tour of the L.A. filming locations from the movie “White Men Can’t Jump” 25 years later. LA Weekly
Clacking away: A documentary about one of the country’s last typewriter shops, which is in Berkeley, will be released this summer. The film will feature, among others, actor Tom Hanks, who is an avid collector of the machines. Variety
On the train again: President Trump has proposed a national budget that would terminate federal support for Amtrak’s long-distance train services. Here are some amazing photos from Amtrak’s California Zephyr, which runs from Emeryville to Chicago and takes 52 hours. The Denver Post
Symphony schedule released: The California Symphony has announced its 2017-18 season, and it includes performances of Mozart’s “Requiem,” Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 3 and Lemony Snicket’s “The Composer Is Dead.” The Mercury News
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
San Diego and Los Angeles area: sunny Wednesday and Thursday. San Francisco area: partly cloudy Wednesday, cloudy Thursday. Sacramento: partly cloudy Wednesday and Thursday. More weather is here.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California memory comes from Terry G Swift:
“I just read an ad for a travel company that would facilitate being able to complete the California Double, the feat of skiing and surfing in the same day. My brother and I did it years ago when we were in high school, with no planning. We lived in Alhambra, and it was Easter week. One night we decided that we would go skiing the next day at our closest resort, which was Mt. Baldy, about an hour and a half away. As it was springtime, it dawned a beautiful day with plenty of sun. We got to Mt. Baldy early and skied until noon, when it got very slushy. As we trudged back to the lodge, we decided to leave. As we started home, we remembered that several of our friends were staying in Newport Beach for the week. We altered our route and headed straight for the beach. We arrived there in the mid-afternoon and hung out on the beach and in the water for the rest of the day. A California Double, and we didn’t even know it!”
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.
