Newsletter: Essential California: L.A. Mayor Garcetti spreads the political wealth

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Thursday, Aug. 30, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The Democratic Midterm Victory Fund is L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti’s most ambitious fundraising endeavor yet to help his party — and his national profile as he considers a long-shot bid for the White House. The committee had raised $673,000 through late June, according to a Times analysis of the most recent filings. It’s one of the most concrete efforts by the mayor to expand his political presence beyond California. Will it make friends who will help him in 2020? Los Angeles Times

Not so fast

Property owners for decades have fought to keep Hollister Ranch largely to themselves — and earlier this year it seemed they had won. But mounting public outrage has fueled multiple new efforts to open one of California’s most pristine stretches of coastline. Los Angeles Times

Sacramento a go-go

It’s been a frantic week in Sacramento as lawmakers try to push through legislation that could change California in profound ways. Here’s a rundown of the last-minute actions:

Guns: Lawmakers sent the governor a bill that would raise the minimum age for buying long guns in the state from 18 to 21. Los Angeles Times

Wildfires: A bipartisan group of California lawmakers proposed on Tuesday to spend $1 billion to clear fire-prone trees and brush from across the state over the next five years while providing new relief for utility companies that have said wildfire costs could lead them to bankruptcy. Los Angeles Times

Bail: One day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation overhauling the state’s money bail system, the California bail industry is fighting back. A coalition of bail industry associations, crime victims groups and other opponents have launched a voter referendum drive in an attempt to block the implementation of the new law. Los Angeles Times

Climate change: A plan that would put the state on a path to phase out fossil fuels by 2045 is now on Brown’s desk. Los Angeles Times

Paint: A last-minute proposal for a deal in the California Legislature on cleaning up lead paint in homes across the state has failed. Los Angeles Times

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L.A. STORIES

Update: Dr. George Tyndall, the USC gynecologist accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of students, has given up his medical license temporarily as he confronts a police investigation and a barrage of lawsuits. Los Angeles Times

Plus: The diverse group charged with selecting USC’s next president includes a former Goldman Sachs executive, a prominent social worker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and the founding CEO of the nation’s largest health benefits company. Los Angeles Times

Has a ring to it: People in South L.A. like the idea of renaming Rodeo Road after former President Obama. “It’s the merging of a historic president [and] street with an iconic black community,� one said. Los Angeles Times

The GOAT: The goats of the Angeles Crest Creamery are some of L.A.’s most unsung food heroes. LAist

Looking up: Long Beach is considering a plan for a 40-story tower, which would be the city’s tallest. It’s part of a tower-building boom in the shoreline downtown. Curbed Los Angeles

Jobs, jobs, jobs: The L.A. metro area’s job growth continues to lag far behind that of other big cities. Bloomberg

CRIME AND COURTS

Emotional day: The Pomona Police Department provided a special escort to the son of a fallen officer on the boy’s first day of school. San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Piece of the Rock: Some amazing photos of what Alcatraz looked like when it was a real prison. San Francisco Chronicle

What’s going on? The proliferation of white nationalist stickers in one North Bay town causes alarm and a police investigation. Press Democrat

Help is hours away: In rural areas, calling 911 means a long wait. Sacramento Bee

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Postponed: Republican congressional candidate Omar Navarro’s meeting with the FBI about a fake letter he posted to social media about his opponent, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), has been moved to next week, he said Wednesday. Los Angeles Times

Back in business: Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is joining the board of publicly traded cannabis company MedMen, marking his return to the business world following a resounding defeat in June’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

It’s an art: Making soba by hand has made this Bay Area chef something of a legend. San Francisco Chronicle

Wed in the woods: In California, camping and weddings get married. New York Times

Makes you think: How the design of schools and other childhood landmarks effects how we view the world as adults. Los Angeles Times

Here we go again: Elon Musk returned to a controversial — and some would say counterproductive — topic, launching a new round of tweets implying that the rescuer of children in a Thai cave he accused of being a pedophile might actually be one. Los Angeles Times

Giving ’em away: The Taper has an idea to lure more young people to the theater: Free tickets. Los Angeles Downtown News

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: partly cloudy, 86, Thursday and Friday. San Diego: sunny, 82, Thursday and Friday. San Francisco area: partly cloudy, 66, Thursday; partly cloudy, 68, Friday. San Jose: partly cloudy, 75, Thursday; partly cloudy, 80, Friday. Sacramento: partly cloudy, 81, Thursday; sunny, 90, Friday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from David Fierro:

“I am now living in Florida, but memories of my native California are as rich as the Golden State. Family picnics at Irvine Park and stealing oranges from the once ubiquitous groves; going from desert to snowcaps on the Palm Springs tramway; first snow at Big Bear; an introduction to art at Huntington Library; the night sky at Griffith Park Observatory; a burger at Tommy’s; doughnuts from Winchell’s; Dodger Dogs; Vin Scully’s voice on the radio; chocolate makers on Ghirardelli Square; the smell of seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf; whale watching in Monterey Bay; Lake Tahoe; and the majestic redwoods and cliffs along the northern coast. This is the California I love and miss.�

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.