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Good morning. It’s Tuesday, March 12.
- Growing doubts over harm reduction in San Francisco.
- Plane parachute saves family in Lost Coast crash.
- And wildflowers erupt in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Statewide
1.
Last year, Rep. Katie Porter angered Democratic Party loyalists last when she jumped into the U.S. Senate contest before Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced plans to exit. Now, in an era of election trutherism, she is infuriating her own party again by insisting that her loss resulted from a “rigged” race. “The bookends of her ill-fated campaign are quintessentially Katie Porter: allergic to political niceties, relishing a fight with the old guard and then punching the gas on her messy minivan as she peels out of the D.C. swamp — possibly for good,” wrote Politico.
- Columnist Jennifer Rubin: “Never, ever question results of a democratic election.” Washington Post
2.
Other election updates:
- Polls had suggested California’s mental-health ballot measure, Proposition 1, was a sure thing. But as of late Monday, it was hanging on with 50.3% of the vote. A N.Y. Times explainer cited low turnout, confusing language, and the role of Steve Garvey voters.
- California is home to 10 of the House’s most hotly contested swing districts. That makes its importance in the fight for Congress “one of the few things on which Republicans and Democrats can agree,” wrote reporter Julia Wick. L.A. Times
- Fresno County voters soundly rejected a measure to affirm local control over place names. The proposal grew out of anger over the federal government’s renaming of Squaw Valley because of its derogatory connotations. Ballotpedia
3.
The IRS requires that charitable foundations give away 5% of their assets every year. An analysis found that Elon Musk’s foundation has consistently fallen short of that bar — and the money it does give away has been largely self-serving. Among the targets of the Musk Foundation’s charity: a school built for his own children and an impoverished Texas community that Musk hoped to placate after one of his rockets exploded and showered the area with twisted metal. N.Y. Times
Northern California
4.
“It is making things worse.”
In 2000, San Francisco officially embraced the once underground idea of harm reduction, a public health model that eschews drug abstinence in favor of helping addicts survive, giving out clean needles and safe places to inject. After 24 years, the city now appears ready to abandon the policy, with all three leading mayoral contenders pledging to crack down on illegal drug use. The change reflects a shift in the public mood: a poll last year found that 69% of residents support arresting people who use drugs in public. S.F. Examiner
5.
“All Mexico is in mourning.”
Hundreds of mourners filled an auditorium in the San Joaquin Valley on Saturday for a funeral mass where seven steel caskets were arrayed with the bodies of farmworkers killed in a Feb. 23 head-on road collision. Armando Ochoa, the former bishop of the Diocese of Fresno, oversaw the service at Kerman High School, which was attended by lawmakers and other dignitaries. Families of the men remembered them as people who sang, worked hard, dreamed of better lives, and bought toys for young relatives. Fresno Bee
6.
An innovative parachute system carried a distressed airplane into the forest along the Lost Coast on Friday, likely saving its occupants, the authorities said. After the small aircraft lost power, the pilot, flying with his wife and 2-year-old daughter, deployed a whole-plane parachute, ending up with only minor cuts, officials said. The parachute was developed for Cirrus Aviation planes after the company’s founder barely survived a midair collision. Since their introduction in 1999, they’ve been reported to save more than 250 lives. Redheaded Blackbelt | CBS News
7.
Roughly 300 Jewish students and faculty members marched silently across UC Berkeley Monday demanding safety for Jews two weeks after an angry mob stormed a talk by an Israeli attorney on campus. The marchers carried a banner that read “Liberate the Gate,” a reference to a pro-Palestinian protest that has blocked the main gate into campus for months. “Today we march to reclaim our place as rightful members of the community,” said Ethan Katz, a history professor. Berkeleyside | Jewish News
- Berkeley professor Ron Hassner also staged a protest: Last Friday, he dragged a mattress into his office and vowed not to leave until campus leaders take action against antisemitic intimidation. KGO
8.
The tallest clock and bell tower in the Western hemisphere rises from the campus of UC Berkeley. Built in 1914, Sather Tower stands 307 feet, just 8 feet shy of London’s Big Ben. Three times a day during the school week — at 7:50 a.m., 12 p.m., and 6 p.m. — the campus echoes with the sound of the carillon, 61 giant bells, played by a live musician. The travel reporter John Bartell visited the observation deck atop the tower — and so can you for the price of a $5 ticket. YouTube/ABC10
Southern California
9.
With grocery prices up 25% over the last four years, food insecurity is on the rise among older adults. According to the AARP, one in 10 seniors is now at risk of going hungry. The columnist Steve Lopez asked Southern California seniors about their strategies to get by. Shardreata Moore said she uses coupons to buy $7.99 footlong subs from Subway, which she cuts into thirds for three meals. Ann Picanza said she goes from store to store armed with coupons, seeking bargains as if on a treasure hunt. L.A. Times
10.
“The sound was like a thundering locomotive. Ink mist and paper dust flew through the air. Margins of error were unforgiving.”
Reporter Thomas Curwen wrote evocatively about the last run of the Los Angeles Times’ storied downtown printing facility as production is outsourced to Riverside. L.A. Times
11.
A three-legged coyote in the area around Joshua Tree National Park has become a local celebrity. Sightings of the animal, known as Tripod, sometimes stop traffic, and its likeness graces a downtown mural. “Tripod probably is our most famous resident — not to put down any of our local politicians,” said Michael Vamstad, the park’s wildlife ecologist. But that creates a dangerous situation: People have been feeding the coyote, which has gotten so comfortable around humans that it’s walking up to cars to beg. L.A. Times
12.
California’s springtime transformation from brown to green never gets old. New satellite photos have revealed a fabulous display, with streaks of emerald green alongside brilliant white mountains, thanks to this year’s copious rain and snow. From ground level, the Southern California desert holds another treat: an explosion of wildflowers. Below, photographer Sicco Rood shared some recent captures from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
A note from Mike:
Thanks so much for the warm notes yesterday. I couldn’t respond to them all, but I read every one. Our little one is fine. The doctor said no screens for at least 48 hours to let her heal, which we’re all abiding by in solidarity (outside of work). It’s a nice break.
Thanks for reading!
The California Sun is written by Mike McPhate, a former California correspondent for the New York Times.
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