Newsletter: Essential California: Illegal drugs flow to death row

Good morning. It is Wednesday, Aug. 24. A baby guanaco, known as a chulengo, born at the San Francisco Zoo took her first steps Saturday just hours after she arrived. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Flow of drugs

On San Quentin’s death row, security is taken seriously. Inmates and their cells are routinely searched. Group activities are restricted. And the condemned spend most of their time alone. Yet illegal drugs are still flowing. Between 2010 and 2015, six inmates died with drugs in their systems and eight more had non-fatal overdoses. Los Angeles Times

Around the neighborhood

Yes, there are the views, the swimming pools and the great room. But increasingly, people in L.A. are putting a premium on walkability. Home buyers are willing to pay $3,260 — or nearly a percent more — for a little extra walkability than they would for the same home in a less pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, a study says. Los Angeles Times

Climate change bill

The state Assembly approved a bill Tuesday that toughens greenhouse gas emission standards in California. SB 32, which still requires approval from the Senate, could cut emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. “It represents a new chapter of the state’s climate policy,” said Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella). Los Angeles Times

Realities of governance

If elected, would Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump really deport 11 million people who are in the country illegally? Many are skeptical of the plans, which could disrupt the economy, tear apart families and potentially violate civil rights on a massive scale. The right-leaning think tank American Action Forum estimates such an operation would cost $300 billion. Los Angeles Times

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L.A. AT LARGE

Through the lens: Does this collection of photos show the real Los Angeles? Some believe so. “They were the only ones I’ve ever seen that captured that sense of Los Angeles, to me. The unidealized Los Angeles. The real L.A. that I knew.” New York Times

Business dispute: There’s a new hotel war brewing in Beverly Hills. The Beverly Hilton is opposing plans from China’s Dalian Wanda Group to open a hotel at Santa Monica Boulevard and Merv Griffin Way. “The citizens are left with these two economic giants fighting with one another,” said Lou Lipofsky, vice president of the Beverly Hills North Homeowners Assn. Variety

State of emergency: The Los Angeles City Council is supporting a state bill to declare homelessness a statewide emergency. Gov. Jerry Brown rejected a similar request from the Board of Supervisors in June. And he rejected such a suggestion from Mayor Eric Garcetti in advance of the El Niño storm system. Los Angeles Times

Getting around: Pasadena officials are setting out to make their city more bike-friendly. That means building designated bike lanes and introducing a bike-share program. “We think these streets can handle the traffic, they’re just going to have to behave differently,” said Rich Dilluvio, the pedestrian and bicycle coordinator for Pasadena’s Complete Streets Division. Pasadena Star-News

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Campaign war chest: In the Silicon Valley primary, Hillary Clinton is killing Donald Trump. And that means a lot of money for the Democrats. CNN Money

No free lunch: Hanging out with Hillary Clinton isn’t cheap. The Democratic presidential candidate picked up an expected $5 million Monday night at the home of entertainment mogul Haim Saban and an additional $3.34 million at a luncheon hosted by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. Rounding out Clinton’s fundraising swing through California was a cocktail party with Magic Johnson and events in Laguna Beach and the Bay Area. Los Angeles Times

Debate? [Silence...]: Rep. Loretta Sanchez is reportedly ducking a debate with state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, her opponent in November’s race for an open U.S. Senate seat. “It’s not just disappointing — it’s completely disingenuous,” said a consultant for Harris. Sacramento Bee

New development: The Anaheim Planning Commission signed off on plans for a $450-million development across from Angel Stadium. The LT Platinum Center is opposed by reps for the Angels. The City Council is expected to vote on the project in October. Orange County Register

CRIME AND COURTS

Police relations: The LAPD is creating a new program to better communicate with the families of people killed by police officers. “These deaths, no matter what the circumstances, are tragic for the deceased’s loved ones, friends and community. I believe there is more we can and should do,” said Police Commission President Matt Johnson. Los Angeles Times

Shots, then a chase: A group of poachers illegally hunting in Humboldt County shot at a game warden last weekend, authorities said. The warden, who was not injured, spotted the group about 1 a.m. Sunday, 30 miles southeast of Eureka. The poachers led the warden on a chase, which ended when they crashed into a tree, and then fled on foot. Los Angeles Times

Bill stalls: Once again, California lawmakers have failed to pass any major bills on police body cameras. A bill that would have allowed the families of police officers to prevent the release of footage that shows their deaths stalled in committee. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

State of fire: The Blue Cut fire has been fully contained, but four other large fires continue to burn through the state. Los Angeles Times

DNA results: What you can learn by trapping lizards in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Verge

EDUCATION

Lay off the booze: When Stanford student Brock Turner was sentenced for sexually assaulting a woman on campus, he blamed his actions on a “party culture” that included heavy drinking. A new university policy will ban hard alcohol at undergraduate parties because of the “dangers that arise from that misuse.” Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Summer read: “Rule of Capture” might be the L.A. mystery read of the summer. The book is set in 1928 L.A. and brings together Hollywood glamour, civic corruption and minority rights on the eve of the Great Depression. LA Review of Books

Pay the toll: Orange County’s love-’em-or-hate-’em toll roads, which looked like a financial basket case a few years ago, are roaring back to life. Orange County Register

No thanks: When author Truman Capote died in 1984, his ashes were split between his partner and Joanne Carson, the ex-wife of “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson. Joanne Carson’s estate is now auctioning off the remains. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego will have low clouds as temperatures reach a high of 78 degrees. Riverside will have lots of sunshine and a high of 94 degrees. It will be sunny and 84 in Los Angeles. Sacramento will be sunny and 90. There will be low clouds and a high of 67 in San Francisco.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Lauren Cohen:

“I moved to L.A. on the day Elvis died. The first people to greet me were the flower children at LAX. There was no TSA in the ’70s so they could come right up to the gate. I lived in an apartment in the Mid-Wilshire District before it was known as Koreatown. I sometimes took walks on the grounds of the Ambassador Hotel, or spent my Saturdays at the grand, old Art Deco Bullock’s department store on Wilshire Boulevard. Their tea room served delicious cucumber sandwiches.”

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.