Newsletter: Essential California: Arrests by police are plummeting, but why?

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Monday, April 3, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Arrests plummet

Police across California in 2015 recorded the lowest number of arrests in nearly 50 years. Some in law enforcement say the decline is due to diminished manpower and changes in the criminal justice system. Others say officers have lost motivation in the face of increased scrutiny by the public. Los Angeles Times

Falling down

Once middle class, she hung on as long as she could. Now she and her two dogs live in a car in Carlsbad. Steve Lopez tells her story. Los Angeles Times

Traffic deaths rise

L.A. officials have vowed to dramatically reduce traffic deaths in the city. Despite the new campaign, fatalities involving drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are on the rise, sparking questions and alarm. Los Angeles Times

Hot, hot, hot

Created in California by Vietnamese immigrants, Sriracha is trying its luck in Vietnam. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Reinventing the mall: Malls around the country are struggling with declining traffic and the rise of online shopping. But the Westfield mall in Arcadia is an exception to the rule thanks to a focus on Asian retailers, trendy eateries and upscale service. Los Angeles Times

Refinery battle: Elected officials and community activists say the use of a hazardous chemical at the troubled Torrance Refining Co. should be eliminated after repeated fires and explosions at the facility in recent years. Los Angeles Times

Car war: The very Echo Park note you write when your neighbor hasn’t moved his car off the street in months. The Eastsider

Homeless help: With billions of dollars at the ready, how much headway can L.A. make on homelessness? LA Observed

Access debate: The Hollywood sign access battle is about to heat up. On April 18, the Beachwood Drive gate to Hollywood sign trail will close. Los Angeles Times

Suburban king: Orange County’s master builder looks back at what he created. Orange County Register

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Movie plug: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told a top government ethics official that he should not have publicly plugged “The Lego Batman Move” — a film in which he has a financial stake — and promised to “exercise greater caution” in the future. Los Angeles Times

Election daze: Yes, there’s another election in L.A. on Tuesday. Here’s everything you need to know and why it matters. Los Angeles Times

Common ground: Beyond the rhetoric and anger, there is room for common ground on immigration — if we try. Sacramento Bee

Fighting back: California’s game plan to block Trump at the border. The American Prospect

Hairy lesson: Does Rep. Maxine Waters’ response to Bill O’Reilly over his comments about her hair offer a broader lesson for Democrats in the Trump era? Quartz

Home support: Despite facing heavy criticism in Washington for his handling of the Trump-Russia inquiry, Rep. Devin Nunes has plenty of support back home in Tulare. CNN

CRIME AND COURTS

Cameras off: Police now wear body cameras, but they don’t always have them turned on when they open fire. Since the Los Angeles Police Department launched its ambitious 7,000-camera deployment in August 2015, there have been at least four shootings in which officers didn’t have their cameras on at the time, according to an L.A. Times review of LAPD statements and reports. Los Angeles Times

Court changes: If a November ballot measure to speed up executions goes into effect, the California Supreme Court will have to decide hundreds of death penalty appeals in rapid succession. That mandate would turn the state’s highest court into what analysts say would be “a death penalty court,” forced for years to devote about 90% of its time to capital appeals. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CLIMATE

Bugging: Long-legged bugs that look like mosquitoes on steroids are the first wave in what’s expected to be a prolonged inundation of insects this year in California. Experts said heavy winter precipitation has fueled plant growth not seen since at least 2005, and that in turn should produce bumper crops of butterflies, moths, beetles, mosquitoes and even subterranean termites. San Diego Union-Tribune

River’s edge: The awesome story of how water from the Colorado River arrives at our tap. The New Yorker

Dam secrets: Officials refuse to release key records about the design and safety of the Oroville Dam, despite a near catastrophe there this year. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Inspirations: Varun Soni is an unusual college chaplain. He is a Hindu. He has a law degree. He is one the few non-Christians to be head chaplain at an American university. And he doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about God. He talks about bringing people together — a message that is timely given how splintered and segmented college campuses can be. Los Angeles Times

Nose for new: From L.A. to Tehran, nose jobs are a rite of passage and a quiet rebellion for many Persian women. Los Angeles Times

Play ball: The “ultimate” guide to Dodger Stadium. Curbed Los Angeles

Master designs: Frank Gehry didn’t design the Getty. But many of the master architect’s papers and designs will be housed there, in what is seen as a major coup. New York Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: Partly cloudy in the mid-70s. San Diego: Sunny in the low 70s. Bay Area: Clear in the 60s, rain later in the week. Sacramento: Mid-70s, rain later in the week. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This week’s birthdays for those who’ve made a mark in California: actress Doris Day (April 3, 1922), L.A. City Councilman Paul Koretz (April 3, 1955), Gov. Jerry Brown (April 7, 1938) and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (April 7, 1939).

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.