Newsletter: Essential California: Trump’s mixed message on DACA frustrates ‘Dreamers’ and foes of illegal immigration

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, July 25, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Afraid and uncertain about the future

Ever since Donald Trump was elected, Melody Klingenfuss has known her time in the United States could be limited. The 23-year-old has temporary immigration relief under President Obama’s landmark Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which seemed imperiled amid Trump’s vowed crackdown on illegal immigration. But instead of clear policy, Klingenfuss and thousands of other DACA recipients have faced mixed messages, contradictory leaks and a lack of clarity about their future. Inside the administration, there has been talk of deportations, only to have the president himself sound a less dire tone. Los Angeles Times

Buffett’s big moves

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy subsidiary has gobbled up utilities and natural gas pipelines and tapped into clean energy production, including from Southern California’s abundant geothermal resources. Buffett’s organization is pushing for a regional approach to delivering electricity throughout the West, with the operator of California’s electricity grid at the control switch. Los Angeles Times

Schiff gets a nickname from Trump

President Trump on Monday morning criticized the Democratic leader of the House investigation into Russian attempts to interfere with the 2016 election, calling Burbank Rep. Adam Schiff “sleazy” and “biased.” Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Kershaw on the mend: Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw exited Sunday’s game against Atlanta with tightness in his lower back. The initial prognosis for Kershaw’s time on the disabled list is four to six weeks. Los Angeles Times

They’ll make their own database: After a court ruled that a list of 300 problematic L.A. County sheriff’s deputies was secret, an advocacy group has started its own online database of officers with histories of misconduct. Los Angeles Times

More homes: Newhall Ranch is the biggest housing project in development in Los Angeles County and is moving forward after recently winning key approvals, but what does it mean for the housing crisis? KPCC

Must watch: This drone video captures some incredible scenes of L.A. landmarks as well as offbeat locations. LAist

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Speaking out: An ICE field agent, increasingly frustrated by the direction of the agency under President Trump, decided to speak out. The New Yorker

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

A fight for the California Democratic Party: Kimberly Ellis, who narrowly lost the race to lead California’s Democratic Party, announced Monday that she planned to appeal a party committee’s affirmation of the election results two days ago, a potential precursor to a lawsuit. Los Angeles Times

A lonely battle: Rep. Barbara Lee is fighting back at Republican efforts to quell her push for a speedy new war authorization bill. The Hill

Making the roads safer: Nearly 20 years ago, Assemblyman Jim Frazier lost his daughter in a fatal car accident. Now he’s trying to pass legislation that would require new drivers under 21 years old to take lessons and adhere to driving restrictions during their first year on the road. Sacramento Bee

Just the facts: Southern California fact-checking site Snopes.com is asking readers to save the advertising-funded sleuthing service, which is in dire financial straits. The company is seeking donations through a GoFundMe campaign, which raised upward of $130,000 of its $500,000 goal in a matter of hours. The service has gotten much attention in the Trump “fake news” era. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Durst in court: Robert Durst — the idiosyncratic real estate tycoon accused of murdering his best friend to silence her — was in a Los Angeles court Monday to hear more witnesses, including a longtime friend, testify for the prosecution. Los Angeles Times

Live-streaming a fatal crash: An 18-year-old woman was arrested Friday in Central California after recording a live video of a crash that left her sister dead, her family said. Los Angeles Times

Duff is burglarized: Detectives were investigating yet another home burglary targeting a celebrity. This time, police say, actress Hilary Duff was the victim. Los Angeles Times

Outrage in Perris: This flower lady has become an unlikely rallying cry for police justice in the Inland Empire. People Chica

Recovery center in bankruptcy: In a stunning turnaround for the once-prosperous addiction recovery center, Costa Mesa’s Solid Landings has filed for federal bankruptcy protection. Orange County Register

THE ENVIRONMENT

Fire is under control: Firefighters on Monday were mopping up a pair of wildfires in Southern California that briefly threatened homes in La Verne and Lucerne Valley, authorities said. Los Angeles Times

Get ready: As glaciers melt amid the heat of a warming planet, scientists predict that coastal communities in the United States could eventually experience flooding from higher tides. Los Angeles Times

Risk at play: Santa Ana children play in places with high levels of lead. ThinkProgress

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Tax credits galore! “Captain Marvel,” the upcoming superhero movie starring Brie Larson as the title character, will receive more than $20 million in tax credits to film in California, making it the first Marvel Comics movie to shoot primarily in-state since 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Los Angeles Times

A dialect coach: It’s the job of Samara Bay to make sure that actors and actresses in Hollywood sound right for the role they’re playing. As Peak TV has exploded, there’s a growing global supply of acting talent that needs to be coached on how to correctly pronounce things. New York Times

Cool place to go: Be sure to check out the Prince restaurant in Koreatown, which might be recognizable from movies and television shows such as “Chinatown” and “Mad Men.” Curbed LA

Nostalgia abounds: Here are some of writer Sarah Fritsche’s favorite dishes from Bay Area restaurants that have closed. San Francisco Chronicle

Not a dry heat: This California dude learned to stop worrying and embrace India’s monsoon season. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: partly cloudy Tuesday, sunny Wednesday. San Diego and San Francisco areas: partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday. Sacramento: sunny Tuesday and Wednesday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Sean Gallagher:

“I was born and raised in Cambria right next to Highway 1, the most beautiful road in the world. Building it was a nightmare, and keeping it open all the time was hellish. Convicts from the local prison hewed it from living rock and the locals kept it open, often at a heavy price. One of the latter, Ernest ‘Skinner’ Pierce, was a local abalone diver like my pop. A man known for keeping his wits about him, he was an excellent diver and an even better hunter. One lovely day in 1983, after a slide had closed the road, which would take a year to open, Pierce was working his tractor moving earth when a second slide took him and his tractor into the deep blue below. They never found either. The next time you drive its meandering beautiful route, give a shout out to Skinner. He was a man who gave everything to the road, which the local paper said ‘exists at the whim of nature.’ ”

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.