Newsletter: Los Angeles is ready to embrace a new future

Good morning. It is Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11. She’s got a fantastic sweater and even better dance moves. This woman looked like she had a great time at the Warriors game. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Future of L.A.

Mayor Eric Garcetti’s vision for Los Angeles is coming into clearer focus after voters approved measures to build new transit lines and housing for the homeless. Garcetti now has billions of dollars to put toward more mass transit, housing for the homeless and other issues. But as he seeks reelection, there are a few darker clouds — rising crime and rents among them. Los Angeles Times

Crime and punishment

Many looked to California this week to see if the time had come to overturn the death penalty. Instead, voters appeared to back a measure that would speed up the process. “California voters have spoken loud and clear that they want to keep the death penalty intact,” Sacramento County Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert said in a statement. “This is the ninth time California voters have voted in favor of keeping the death penalty for the most heinous killers.” Los Angeles Times

Lost funds

Audits show Los Angeles County likely lost $6 million in tax revenue because officials did not adequately monitor the lease with the operator of the L.A. County fairgrounds. The finding comes after months of scrutiny by The Times over high salaries and other issues involving the Los Angeles County Fair Assn., which for decades has operated the sprawling recreation and business complex in Pomona. Los Angeles Times

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L.A. AT LARGE

Taking it to the streets: Thousands of people flooded the streets of downtown Los Angeles chanting, carrying signs and at one point burning a papier-mâché head of Donald Trump on the steps of City Hall. But it was the decision to block traffic on the 101 Freeway that concerned city officials most. Mayor Eric Garcetti said he supported peaceful demonstrations but said demonstrators need to be respectful and safe. Los Angeles Times

A resolution: Ending a long environmental battle, Orange County tollway officials agreed in a legal settlement to preserve San Onofre State Beach and withdraw their approval of a six-lane highway through the popular park. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Gubernatorial run: This was a long time coming: Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is running for governor. Villaraigosa said his campaign will focus on building up the middle class, improving public schools and investing in infrastructure. “I’m going to reach out to unions, to business, to every interest group in every part of the state. Because my candidacy is about the public interest,” he said. Los Angeles Times

Saving the Earth: Gov. Jerry Brown is calling for unity in the wake of Tuesday’s election, but not at the expense of California’s values. “We will protect the precious rights of our people and continue to confront the existential threat of our time — devastating climate change,” he said in a statement. Los Angeles Times

We’re outta here: Is there going to be a Calexit? “Yes California” is backing a constitutional exit from the rest of the country. “California is more economically powerful than France and has a population larger than Poland. Point-by-point, California compares and competes with countries, not just the 49 other states,” according to the campaign. CNN

Making sense of it all: Columnist Robin Abcarian went to Berkeley and found young people are feeling a lot of rage and grief after Tuesday’s election. “It’s hard for adults not to take these losses personally. So imagine how much harder it is for the teenagers and young adults who have been through cataclysmic social upheaval in the past couple of years,” she writes. Los Angeles Times

New developments: NIMBYs lost in Tuesday’s election. Via the ballot, voters in Southern California embraced public transit and dense development. “I think they’re loud people, but they’re not as politically powerful or numerous as we sometimes think,” said urban planner Shane Phillips. LA Weekly

CRIME AND COURTS

Singled out: Muslim and Latino students in California reported a number of incidents Wednesday that they believe are related to the election of Donald Trump. “We are unequivocally committed to supporting all members of our community. That is who we are. It is a core strength and part of our DNA,” according to a statement from the chancellor of the California State University system and the president of the California State Student Assn. Los Angeles Times

Student targeted: A 19-year-old woman at San Jose State University says a man tried to yank her hijab off. “It happened a day after Trump was announced as president-elect. If it was for another reason, it’s such a weird coincidence,” said Esra Altun. Mercury News

‘Rehab Mogul’ arrested: Chris Bathum was arrested on multiple charges of fraud, money laundering, grand theft and sexual assault after a yearlong investigation. Bathum owns a chain of 20 sober-living homes and outpatient clinics. LA Weekly

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Put away the umbrella: La Niña could bring California a dry winter, but its exact effect is unclear. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Beauty out there: How Death Valley remains so hot, so dry but still so vibrantly alive. “The valley shimmered with myriad points of color, as if Georges Seurat had touched up a Georgia O’Keeffe.” The New Yorker

Information flow: Did Facebook and Twitter help Trump win the presidency? Don’t be so fast to credit (or blame) Silicon Valley. BuzzFeed

What’s the future? But the election of Trump may force the people behind publishing platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to rethink their role in media. “Our democracy has a lot of problems, but there are few things that could impact it for the better more than Facebook starting to care — really care — about the truthfulness of the news that its users share and take in,” said Joshua Benton with Nieman Lab. The Atlantic

Remembering the past: Twenty-two boxes of Oskar Schindler’s papers have ended up at Chapman University’s Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education. Orange County Register

Let’s chill: It’s been a long week. If you’re in San Francisco, maybe treat yourself to one of these Bloody Marys this weekend. SFist

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

It will be 82 and sunny in San Diego. In Los Angeles, it will be 86 and sunny. Riverside will be 88 and sunny. San Francisco will have sun and a high of 71. Sacramento will have fog in the morning and later a high of 75.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Amy Lamon:

“I was born and raised in Palm Springs back in the ’70s. I grew up there when it was still pretty ‘dead.’ All shops and restaurants would close in August, so downtown really became a ghost town. What I remember and loved the most were the sand dunes. … They were everywhere. We would roll down them sideways, similar to how others would roll in snow, and we’d make sand angels. Those were special days!”

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 Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.