Good morning. It’s Monday, April 8.
- Black market cannabis is still thriving in California.
- United Farm Workers is accused of tricking workers.
- And forecasts call for cloud-free skies on eclipse day.
Statewide
1.
It’s been more than seven years since California voters legalized recreational marijuana, and the black market is still larger than the legal one. Industry sources say the reason is plain: California made it too hard to get licensed, while failing to sufficiently police illegal sales. “Most jurisdictions … were very reluctant to do any kind of enforcement on cannabis,” said Bill Jones, head of enforcement for California’s Department of Cannabis Control. “It really created an air of impunity, and the unlicensed activity really skyrocketed.” NPR
2.
In past elections, Chris Inclan, 39, has supported Jill Stein, Andrew Yang, and Donald Trump.
Alex Klett, 33, voted for Trump in 2016, then, in 2020, wrote in Kanye West.
Jaclyn Aldrich, 43, has never cast a presidential ballot, trusting no one.
Now all three voters are all enthusiastic supporters of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The columnist Michelle Goldberg met Kennedy fans at an Oakland rally and came away convinced that he is attracting “alienated political eccentrics who in the past have gravitated to Trump.” N.Y. Times
3.
PG&E handed out higher compensation to its top boss and other executives in 2023 at a time of soaring customer bills, a new regulatory filing showed. CEO Patricia Poppe earned $17 million in 2023, up from $14 million the year before. Mark Toney, a utility reform advocate, said customers should be angry: “If they have enough to provide their executives with millions of dollars in raises because of record-breaking profits then they can provide rate relief to millions of captive customers who can no longer afford to pay their monthly utility bills.” Mercury News
4.
Eclipse day is here. In California, the moon will obscure only part of the sun — ranging from nearly 60% at the southern border to 25% in the far north — but the view should be largely clear. Forecasts called for few clouds across the state on Monday. The timing will vary by up to 10 minutes, depending on location: starting around 10:15 a.m., peaking at about 11:15 a.m., and ending by about 12:15 p.m. See weather forecast maps. 👉 N.Y. Times | Weather Channel
- Find the timing and sun coverage for your city. 👉 NASA
- Follow a mile-by-mile map of the total eclipse. 👉 Washington Post
- Here are three ways to view the eclipse if you don’t have glasses. 👉 Washington Post
Northern California
5.
Beth Bourne is the chair of her local chapter of the right-wing group Moms for Liberty and the mother of a transgender college freshman who no longer speaks to her. As Bourne has embraced a crusade against what she believes is the indoctrination of schoolchildren into identifying as trans, she has found herself estranged from family, friends, and neighbors in liberal Davis. No one called on her birthday, she told a reporter through tears. “Maybe one day she’ll forgive me,” Bourne said of her child. “But, like, I can’t, I can’t just be quiet with what’s going on.” Sacramento Bee
6.
For years, Point Reyes National Seashore has been riven by a conflict between dairy ranchers and environmentalists over the fate of the preserve’s tule elk. Conservationists want the wild animals to roam freely; ranchers want them confined behind fences. In a new development, the Nature Conservancy is now mediating between the two sides. No one involved in the negotiations is talking publicly, but Albert Straus, a milk buyer, expressed worry: “We just found out a few weeks ago that The Nature Conservancy is working with the park to remove all the ranches and dairies out of Point Reyes, to buy out their leases.” Press Democrat
7.
One way to think of San Francisco is as an urban outpost in the middle of redwood country. Draw a line out of the city on a map and there’s a good chance you’ll run into a redwood forest in fewer than 20 miles. Outdoors writer Tom Stienstra once compiled his favorite 10 trips into the redwoods in the Bay Area, including little-known Wunderlich County Park in Woodside, pictured above. “Here,” he once wrote, “you gain access to a world where your senses come alive.” Tomstienstra.com
Southern California
8.
Last month, United Farm Workers was certified as the organizing union for employees at Kern County’s Wonderful Nurseries, the nation’s largest grapevine nursery, after 51% of workers signed authorization cards. But within days Wonderful accused the union of using $600 in federal relief as bait to trick farmworkers into signing the authorization cards — and dozens of workers are backing up the explosive allegation. At a rally, they carried signs that read: “We don’t want a union! Listen to our voices. Don’t ignore us.” L.A. Times | Fresno Bee
9.
Pro-Palestinian protesters have been gathering outside the Santa Ana home of Rep. Lou Correa, bellowing through megaphones as early as 6:30 a.m. He asked the City Council to pass an emergency ordinance requiring activists to stay 300 feet away from private residences. The proposal failed to pass. “Look, I’m an elected,” Correa said. “I get it. But why is it in the neighborhood? Why is it the family? Why is it my neighbors? That’s what I don’t understand.” The N.Y. Times wrote about how Gaza protesters are making life difficult for Democratic leaders.
- Police made 20 arrests after student protesters stormed and occupied the president’s office at Pomona College on Friday. L.A. Times
10.
A veteran San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy was living a double life with an outlaw biker gang, the authorities said. Deputy Christopher Bingham, 45, was arrested last Thursday after an investigation found that he had been riding with members of the Mongols motorcycle gang. A search of his home found Mongols paraphernalia, silencers, and about 160 firearms, including a stolen shotgun, officials said. “The actions of this deputy are alarming and inexcusable,” Sheriff Shannon Dicus said. Whittier Daily News
11.
Law enforcement has said little about the Easter Sunday heist of up to $30 million from a San Fernando Valley warehouse, leaving it to outside experts to speculate how it unfolded. Scott Selby, co-author of “Flawless: Inside the Largest Diamond Heist in History,” said it had the markings of a sophisticated crew. “It’s very possible that this case could go unsolved,” he said. John McEarchan, a former FBI agent, agreed, but said the thieves now face a quandary: “This is a lot of money. I use the analogy: We have stolen the circus elephant; where do you hide it. There aren’t many places this amount of cash can go.” L.A. Times | NY Post
12.
The visibility of Los Angeles’ street gangs has waned since their 1980s and ’90s heyday — a shift attributed to gentrification, infighting, and law enforcement strategies that drove gang members indoors. But some groups still thrive. The photographer Sean Stanley gained rare access to document what he calls the “real people, places, and events that go on in LA.” Sean-Stanley.com | Lens Culture
- Explore a map of Los Angeles gangs in 2024. 👉 Google Maps
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The California Sun is written by Mike McPhate, a former California correspondent for the New York Times.
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