Newsletter: Essential: Can you find a good bagel in California?

Good morning. It is Friday, July 24. One writer -- a Californian! -- is taking a controversial stance and defending the hard-shell taco. Here's what is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Mentally ill inmates

The case of a woman who is looking at a life sentence for picking up an LAPD officer’s dropped baton and holding it in the air highlights the challenges of dealing with the mentally ill once they enter the criminal justice system. District Attorney Jackie Lacey is working on a plan that would train cops to de-escalate situations and provide mentally ill inmates with treatment rather than jail. In the meantime, the D.A.’s Office says it will review the case of Trishawn Cardessa Carey. Los Angeles Times

Cop sentenced

A Los Angeles police officer was sentenced to 36 months in jail for assaulting a South L.A. woman The assault on the 35-year-old woman, who later died, was captured on the dashboard camera of a squad car. In tearful testimony, the mother of Alesia Thomas said, “I have to ask God to help me learn how to forgive her,” referring to police officer Mary O’Callaghan. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT

Delta vs. Valley: Life in Rio Vista looks a lot different than it did when it was packed with workers picking pears and asparagus. “Now the Delta has an after-hours feeling. The islands are sinking, the levees are strained and the water is growing too salty for farming. About a quarter of the freshwater flow is diverted to the Central Valley for agriculture.” Los Angeles Times

Thunder, mudslide: Unusually wet thunderstorms near Yosemite National Park, likely the result of a brewing El Niño storm system, caused a mud and rock slide along Highway 140. It’s a big change from earlier in the year, when a lack of rainfall caused many of the park’s waterfalls to run dry. Los Angeles Times

Rate structure: The state Supreme Court will not hear arguments in a case that found cities cannot impose tiered water rates on high-use customers. Water utilities may continue to use the tiered structure if they can show that the higher rate is directly related to the delivery of water. San Jose Mercury News

Outdated operation: The permit that allows Nestle to pump water out of the San Bernardino National Forest for its bottled water operation expired in 1988. Records show there were calls for environmental reviews in the 1990s and 2000s but they never took place. “In explaining the nearly three decades of inaction on the permit, Forest Service officials have cited a heavy workload of other priorities, wildfires and floods, a tight budget and limited staffing.” Desert Sun

L.A. AT LARGE

Little change: The Department of Water and Power has done little to change the practices of two nonprofits that overpaid administrators and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel. Officials inside City Hall, however, argue that it’s too soon to expect major changes to the Joint Training and Joint Safety institutes. Los Angeles Times

Opening ceremony: In a new interview, California’s former first lady Maria Shriver talks about her mother’s motivation in creating the Special Olympics. She says Eunice Kennedy Shriver did it to help the intellectually disabled and to make a name for herself in a large, competitive family. The games will be held in Los Angeles, with Saturday’s opening ceremony at the Memorial Coliseum getting a three-hour block on ESPN. Grantland

Historic city: To visit the suburb of Montebello is to take a step back into history. In 1771, the Spanish Franciscans built the second mission in Alta California here. It was a battle site in the Mexican-American War back in 1847. And William Mulholland helped to build the water system. He also named the town. KCET

Jumping death: A Southern California BASE jumper fell to his death Tuesday in Kemaliye, Turkey. Ian Flanders was on his third leap of the day when his foot began tangled in part of his parachute. He’s the third BASE jumper to die in as many months. Los Angeles Times

Tiny parks: This map shows more than 30 once-vacant lots that were turned into pocket parks. The effort was started by then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in 2012. Curbed LA

COURTS AND CRIMES

Gun show:  Gun dealers are circling in Pacific Palisades after 1,500 firearms, many in mint condition, were found in a dead man’s home. The dealers will have to wait a while. Police are running background checks on the weapons. Los Angeles Times

Unusual criminal: In Orange County, a retired LAPD detective was arrested for allegedly robbing five banks. Before his capture 70-year-old Randolph Bruce Adair was known as the Snowbird Bandit. Los Angeles Times

BUSINESS

European regulations: Six Hollywood studios and Sky UK are accused of preventing customers from accessing U.S. movies and television programs in Europe. The antitrust case is part of a broader effort by European regulators to prohibit geo-blocking. Los Angeles Times

Reimagining denim: In San Francisco, Levi’s is trying to reengineer denim so that it appeals to a culture that has shifted toward “athleisure” and in particular yoga pants. “We’re scrambling. I mean, there is a big difference between the product that we’ve got on the floor today and what the consumer is looking for. And we just flat-out missed it,” said company CEO Chip Bergh. Bloomberg

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

What’s in a name: It’s one thing for California lawmakers to suggest that the Golden State be wiped of any reference to Confederate leaders, but what if you’re a person who lives in a place like Ft. Bragg? “Changing town names based on the misdeeds of namesakes can get pretty dicey. California is rife with towns named for 19th century men who slaughtered and enslaved native populations,” writes columnist Robin Abcarian. Los Angeles Times

Bagel search: A bagel with schmear can be a delicious breakfast. But why is it so difficult to find a good bagel in California? “Makes you wonder if the problem is really cultural, if California bagel bakers are too hooked on innovation and culinary self-expression for the bagel’s good.” New York Times Magazine

Shoe icon: The man behind the platform shoes of the 1970s has died at 92. Fred Slatten’s shoes were worn by the likes of Diana Ross, Elton John and Sonny and Cher. Los Angeles Times

New reels: From smog to snowfall to Shirley Temple, it’s eight vintage film clips of Los Angeles. Time Out Los Angeles

GOLDEN STATE PERSPECTIVES

Housing affordability: Since the 1970s, Los Angeles has gained a million more residents than it planned for. If the city wants to cede its title as the least affordable city in the nation, it will have to embrace growth and density, starting with the low-rise buildings and strip malls cluttering its major boulevards, writes architect and urban designer Gregory D. Morrow. Los Angeles Times

A sound study: The geologists hired by the developer behind the Millennium Hollywood project say the proposed buildings likely would not be sitting on an active fault zone. They appear to have done diligent, honest work, says The Times’ editorial board, but why is the city basing its decision to green-light the project on work paid for by Millennium Hollywood’s developers? Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Francisco will start with clouds and later reach a high of 69 degrees. Riverside will have sun and 91 degrees. Los Angeles will have sunshine and 84 degrees. San Diego will start with low clouds and then have sunshine and 81 degrees.

AND FINALLY

Experts are becoming more optimistic that El Niño will bring rain to Northern California this fall. That’s making one “weatherman” very, very excited.

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.