Library fights, a MAGA plaque, an ex-NFL player in handcuffs. This must be Huntington Beach

Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

• This Huntington Beach library saga update is overdue.
• Killing 166 million birds hasn’t helped poultry farmers stop H5N1. Is there a better way?
• This hidden L.A. stargazing party is ‘more interesting than going to a bar.’
• And here’s today’s e-newspaper.

O.C.’s most controversial library just got another chapter of drama

The story of the library-centered culture battle in Huntington Beach is still being written.

The latest chapter involves a pair of citizen initiatives that would give city residents the power to repeal a parent/guardian children’s book review board and deny any future attempts to privatize the public library, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. There’s also a controversial plaque and a defiant former NFL player in handcuffs.

It’s the latest clash between the beach city’s full-throated MAGA council and a coalition of parents, library supporters and LGTBQ+ advocates who accuse the government body of trying to ban books and politicize what they say should be an inclusive, apolitical institution.

Eric Silkenson, left, applauds for over 100 people who march in protest of proposed plans to privatize the Huntington Beach librariy and create a children’s book review board.

(Eric Licas / Daily Pilot)

Here’s a recap of what’s happening and what’s next.

Last April, the majority conservative City Council voted to establish a parent/guardian children’s book review board. Members of the panel would have “sole discretion” to flag and review children’s books proposed for purchase by library staff or already in the library’s collection to decide if they meet “community standards.”

The majority of the 21-member panel — made up of three appointees for each City Council member — determines what those “community standards” would be, according to the ordinance. Unapproved books would not be purchased or, for those already in the library, sold or donated.

That same month, the council majority also considered a proposal to privatize the library. That effort was dropped soon after amid vocal public opposition.

The review board was championed by then-Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, who has accused library staff of “infecting our children with obscenity or pornography.”

In an interview last month, she told me her goal is to ensure that children aren’t exposed to sexually inappropriate books.

“If there’s one issue that should bring us all together it’s protecting our children,” she said, accusing her critics of being divisive.

Those critics have argued the effort is disingenuous and aimed at limiting access to books written to highlight marginalized groups as part of MAGA’s broader culture war.

The saga became another lightning rod in a city that’s grown accustomed to political thunderstorms. Librarians said they felt vilified by some residents who called them pedophiles and groomers in public and online. One senior librarian resigned, citing a lack of support from city leaders.

Rhonda Bolton, a former City Council member who lost her seat in last year’s election, said security measures at the library had to be adjusted “because there was concern about the personal safety of some of the librarians.”

She was one of the council’s last left-leaning, minority block and opposed the conservative majority’s library-related actions, which she views as a hypocritical, “handy distraction” from serious governance issues, including accusations that officials mishandled a multimillion-dollar settlement with the organizer of the city’s annual air show.

“For people who claim to be enemies of big government, I just found all of this to be really pretty silly and funny,” she said.

The review board has not actually been formed yet. If the council does decide to move forward with the panel — even with its fate likely up to voters — the city could face more legal challenges.

In November, the First Amendment Coalition and ACLU sent a letter to the city council, writing that the review board “will impose an unconstitutional censorship regime on the public’s right to access library books and materials protected by the First Amendment.” Also last year, Gov. Newsom signed the Freedom to Read Act, which effectively bans book bans. Huntington Beach’s city attorney vowed to fight the state in court.

Van Der Mark, now a councilwoman (the mayoral role rotates among the council), and fellow councilmembers argue it’s unfair to equate the review board with book banning. But a vocal group of library advocates contend that’s exactly what would happen.

“This review board would have absolute authority on what books are even acquired… when these 21 people read it, if they don’t like it, it’s given away to charity or other libraries,” said Carol Daus, a board member of Friends of the Huntington Beach Public Library. “That essentially is book banning when you’re not making a book accessible to readers who might want it.”

A 30-year resident of Huntington Beach, Daus told me the library became an unwilling “political football” in a culture war that librarians and the vast majority of residents wanted no part in.

“Huntington Beach residents, whether they’re Republicans or Democrats [or] independents, they love our library and they never thought anything was wrong with it to begin with,” she said.

Daus joined the petition effort led by Protect Huntington Beach, which started gathering signatures last year to put both library-related issues on the ballot. The Orange County Registrar of Voters determined both proposed measures had collected the 13,247 valid signatures required to qualify.

That leaves the City Council with a few options, as my colleague Matt Szabo, who’s been reporting on the saga for the Daily Pilot, explained:

“The council can either adopt the initiatives as written, set a date for a special election or put the issues on the ballot for the general election in 2026.”

During last week’s boisterous council meeting, the council unanimously approved a motion that calls on city staff to draft a resolution in the next 30 days to put the issue to voters, though the council did not clarify if it would be for an earlier special election or held until November 2026.

But that decision followed accusations from Van Der Mark and other council members that petition gatherers had lied to residents in order to get their signatures. Last month, the city emailed a survey to some residents, asking if they’d been misled into signing. Petition supporters view it as an undemocratic effort to invalidate the petitions.

As for evidence of the alleged deception, Matt reported this last month:

“Dom McGee, who was recently appointed to the Huntington Beach Planning Commission by Van Der Mark… shared a video time-stamped from September, which contains an eight-minute interaction between him and a signature-gathering volunteer. In it, McGee asks several times about removing books from the library, with the volunteer responding in the affirmative that books had been banned rather than simply moved.”

In an email, I asked Councilmember Van Der Mark if the city planned to release the results of that survey or if she could share any details from it, but she did not respond directly to the question.

Now there’s the plaque.

Van Der Mark said she suggested commemorating the library’s 50th anniversary with a plaque to be placed outside the Central Branch. “The design was developed through a collaboration of suggestions from both council members and residents,” she later told me.

The design, unanimously approved by the council last week includes a line with the words “Magical Alluring Galvanizing Adventurous” to describe the library. Below that it states: “Through hope and change, our nation has built back better to the golden age of Making America Great Again.”

Critics view it as a blatant political stunt that tarnishes the library’s ideal as an apolitical institution. Residents railed against the plaque during the public comment period, including Chris Kluwe, a former NFL punter for the Minnesota Vikings. Kluwe criticized MAGA as “explicitly a nazi movement” before approaching the dais and being arrested for what he called “peaceful civil disobedience.”

Chris Kluwe was arrested at a Huntington Beach City Council meeting.

(Courtesy of Protect Huntington Beach video )

For Daus, the plaque is “noise in the background” while she and other advocates are focused on getting their initiatives on the ballot — this year or next. All the while, she said support for the library and its staff has grown.

“That wouldn’t have happened if this hadn’t taken place,” Daus said. “People are willing to fight to protect this library.”

Today’s top stories

Chickens stand in their cages at a farm in Iowa.

(Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)

Killing 166 million birds hasn’t helped poultry farmers stop H5N1. Is there a better way?

• Strategies such as targeted depopulation, vaccinations, and even the relocation of wetlands and bodies of water are being considered as alternatives.
• Yet there is still strong support for mass culling, which is seen as humane, cost-effective and more likely to prevent the virus from jumping to humans.

Kern County immigration raid offers glimpse into new reality for California farmworkers

• Three former officials with the Biden administration said Border Patrol Chief Agent Gregory Bovino “went rogue” with the January raids.
• Advocates on the scene said the operation indiscriminately targeted Latino farmworkers commuting from the fields along California Route 99 and day laborers soliciting work in the parking lots of big box stores. They estimate close to 200 people were detained.

Thousands of UC healthcare and research employees go on strike

• The planned three-day strike comes amid strained negotiations between the 10-campus UC system and University Professional and Technical Employees-CWA Local 9119, the union representing nearly 20,000 employees.
• The strike could affect operations at hospitals and clinics as well as research on a wide array of medical, climate and other issues.

What else is going on

• Newsom launches another podcast and teases conversations with ‘MAGA’ leaders.
• The Trump administration plans to require undocumented immigrants to join registry or face jail and fines.
• Newsom orders the parole board to assess public safety risk of freeing the Menendez brothers.
• California and the federal government are set to increase water deliveries after storms.
• Gene Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, was found dead with his wife and dog in his Santa Fe home.
• ‘I don’t want to die!’ Cal Fire captain begged for mercy during slaying captured on video, officials say.
• Michelle Trachtenberg, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Gossip Girl’ actor, has died at 39.

Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.

Commentary and opinions

• Forget the pundits — here’s what film critic Amy Nicholson thinks ought to win at the Oscars. And what should have gotten a chance.
• If Trump loved families, he wouldn’t cut Medicaid, columnist Anita Chabria writes.
• It’s stunning but true. Luka Doncic and LeBron James can lead the Lakers to an NBA title, writes columnist Bill Plaschke.
• Washington is having a ‘break glass’ moment. Columnist Jackie Calmes asks, where are the emergency responders?

This morning’s must reads

Background actor Scott Perry at the Los Angeles Union Background Actors Awards in February.

(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Don’t call them ‘extras.’ For one night, Hollywood’s background actors are the real stars. For seven years, background actors have been recognizing their own at the annual Los Angeles Union Background Actors Awards. The Blurries are, at times, tongue-in-cheek, as presenters poked fun at Hollywood and themselves, but the humor belies a more serious point — these are actors who desire respect, both from their colleagues and the industry.

Other must reads

• Mexican fashion designers say Trump tariffs would be devastating.

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

For your downtime

A view of Meditation Mount in Ojai.

(Lou Mora/For The Times)

Going out

• ⛰️Looking to calm your mind? 6 places in Ojai to meditate, recharge and find peace.
• 🔭This hidden L.A. stargazing party is ‘more interesting than going to a bar.’
• 🎤Wu-Tang Clan has announced its final North American tour, hitting the Crypto.com Arena on June 22, along with California stops in Ontario, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento.
• 🥾Join the L.A. Times on a winter hike in Elysian Park.
  

Staying in

• 📕Forget thought crime. People are incarcerated for dream crime in this near-future novel.
• 🏀In ‘Running Point’ — now streaming on Netflix — Kate Hudson gets having to prove yourself, like Lakers boss Jeanie Buss.
• 🥧 Here’s a recipe for Quarter Sheets’ grapefruit pie.
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

A question for you: Who should win best actor and best actress at The Oscars?

You told us your favorite picks for best picture. Now we want to know who should win in the best actor and best actress categories.

Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally ... from our archives

Gloria Gaynor backstage at the 62nd Grammy Awards in 2020.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

On Feb. 27, 1980, Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” became the first and final Grammy for Best Disco Recording.

But as The Times’ former music critic Robert Hilburn wrote in 2000, the recording wasn’t all good news for Gaynor because its blockbuster success led much of the pop world to think of her as a one-hit wonder.

For the record: Yesterday’s newsletter referred to the geological feature in our photo of the day as “Titan Canyon.” It is Titus Canyon.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.