Good morning. It’s Tuesday, June 9.
| • | Officials describe gutsy takedown of deputy’s suspected killer. |
| • | The crusade to save one of America’s most iconic species. |
| • | And the outdoor wonders of California’s Central Valley. |
Police violence protests
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The state Assembly held its first full session since going into recess in March.
Rich Pedroncelli/A.P.
California legislators on Monday introduced a package of police reforms that would make it illegal statewide to use a dangerous neck hold that blocks blood flow to the brain. The proposal appears to go further than any other state. A.P. | L.A. Times
Also on Monday, San Jose restricted rubber bullets and Los Angeles halted carotid holds, while the Riverside County sheriff’s union warned against inventing problems to be fixed.
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Protests continued across the state on Monday. In Oakland, a rally was held demanding justice for Erik Salgado, a 23-year-old who was fatally shot by California Highway Patrol officers on Saturday. At the time, Salgado was said to be behind the wheel of a vehicle stolen from a San Leandro car dealership. “Erik was a good daddy. He was a good brother,” Salgado’s sister told a crowd. KQED | S.F. Chronicle
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Following the example of Washington, D.C., three city blocks in downtown Oakland were painted with giant yellow letters reading “Black Lives Matter,” pictured above. Hundreds of people, including Mayor Libby Schaaf, showed up with paintbrushes to help pull off the art project. SFGate.com | SFist
A similar display was added in front of Sacramento’s Capitol Mall last Friday. @bamr_theartist/Instagram
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Other developments:
| • | During a protest in Imperial Beach, a man was captured on video sucker punching a black protester from behind. Officials asked that it be investigated as a hate crime. kpbs | City News Service |
| • | Last week, Humboldt County’s sheriff said he had gotten reports that antifa was in town for protests. Evidence now suggests it was all a hoax. Lost Coast Outpost |
| • | This PBS headline was shared widely online Monday: “San Francisco may stop hiring cops with records of misconduct.” A common reader response: Why on earth hasn’t it already? PBS |
Coronavirus
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There were reports of surging coronavirus cases in a number of places across California. An outbreak at a prison in Riverside County ranked as the worst to hit the California prison system to date, growing from zero cases to 993 in three weeks. In Los Angeles, the transmission rate climbed, a development officials blamed on reopening businesses. It’s possible the number of intensive care beds could fall short in the next few weeks, they said. L.A. Times | Desert Sun
See trackers of cases in California, the U.S., and worldwide.
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Pacific Theatres’ Cinerama Dome on March 19 after Los Angeles ordered the closure of businesses.
AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Movie theaters across most of California can begin opening as early as Friday as long as they limit theater capacity to 25 percent, under new state guidelines. The industry is hoping for at least the semblance of a summer season, banking heavily on films like Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” and Disney’s “Mulan” to bring audiences back. Hollywood Reporter | Deadline
Also reopening: Yosemite. The national park will open its gates Thursday after more than two months on lockdown. Fresno Bee | A.P.
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Other developments:
| • | California released new guidelines for public schools in the fall. Everything will be different, with temperature checks, extensive hand washing, physical distancing, and face coverings. CalMatters | EdSource |
| • | If you’ve been to a protest, you should get tested, health officials said. “I do think there is a potential, unfortunately, for this to be a seeding event,” a CDC official said. (Here’s testing information). L.A. Times | S.F. Chronicle |
| • | The N95 masks from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $1 billion deal with a Chinese company finally won federal approval. That means 150 million masks will soon be on the way to California. A.P. | Sacramento Bee |
Statewide
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Steven Carrillo, the suspect accused of killing a Santa Cruz deputy over the weekend, was captured after a gutsy takedown by a local resident. Armed with a rifle, Carrillo had ordered the man to hand over his car keys, police said. He did. Then, as Carrillo turned around, the man tackled him, wrestled his weapons away, and pinned him to the ground. The man asked not to be named, Santa Cruz Sheriff Jim Hart said. “It was a remarkable, remarkable, heroic thing that that resident did.” Mercury News | A.P.
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Mayor Eric Garcetti delivered his State of the City address in Los Angeles on April 19.
Marcus Yam/L.A. Times via Getty Images
The Washington Post published a profile of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. A man with national ambitions, Garcetti has emerged as something of a “soulful technocrat” as he tries to not only to vanquish the coronavirus, but to reimagine the Los Angeles that might emerge from its devastation. “We’re also seeing a spiritual moment when we need each other,” Garcetti said, “and we’re willing to do things faster and bigger than we’ve ever done before.” Washington Post
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At an immigration detention center in Adelanto, a protest dubbed “Free Our People” turned violent on Sunday. Officials said more than 40 vehicles were damaged and as many as six windows smashed. An American flag was burned and the slogans “Brown Lives Matter” and “Abolish ICE” were scrawled on a facility sign. Officers fired rubber bullets in response. Victorville Daily Press | Victor Valley News
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Monarch butterflies in Pismo Beach.
Long read: Here are 9,000 beautifully written words on the crusade to save the monarch butterfly, one of America’s most iconic species. Among the memorable bits:
| • | The monarch is an extraordinary athlete, migrating 6,000 miles a year on wings thinner than tissue paper. |
| • | Experts worry that efforts to hand-rear the butterfly may be doing more harm than good, introducing weak genes into a struggling population. |
| • | Asked about her work with monarchs on the Central Coast, a conservationist said, “I feel like I’m recording the end of something, and in twenty years people won’t even know that there used to be monarchs here.” Atavist Magazine |
California wonders
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As California emerges from its Covid-19 lockdown, the Sun is curating recommendations from outdoors experts of their top 5 not-to-be-missed day outings in each of nine California regions. On Friday, John Soares kicked things off with his picks for the state’s “far north.”
Next up: the Central Valley region — stretching from the southern San Joaquin Valley up to the Sacramento Valley — with recommendations from the California travel junkie Josh McNair. Here they are in no particular order.
Red Rock Canyon State Park is a geological wonder about 80 miles east of Bakersfield.
Red Rock Canyon State Park, in Kern County, features lots of unique rock formations in stunning red hues. The park has miles of hiking trails and a campground, and is a great place to go for wildflowers in the spring.
John Muir once called Kings Canyon grander than Yosemite Valley.
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This park is home to many of the largest trees in the world, and it is a fantastic place to explore with both General Grant and General Sherman groves. Also, the hike to Moro Rock will get the blood pumping and has some great views.
The Kern River is a rafter’s delight.
The Kern River is a popular destination for white water rafting in Southern California. It has many different water classes, from easy to difficult, and there are even options for multi-day adventures.
Bass Lake has been described as a smaller version of Lake Tahoe.
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4. Bass Lake
South of Yosemite National Park, Bass Lake is a destination itself with lots of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and kayaking. The 5-mile long lake is situated in a forested area and is excellent for a weekend of relaxation or adventure.
Phantom Falls is a moody waterfall located deep within a nature reserve near Chico.
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Phantom Falls is a nice hike in Butte County, near Chico, that features a stunning, seasonal waterfall. While it is only really flowing in the spring, it is a sight to see as it cascades down into a vast valley. Plus, you can head into Chico and go to Sierra Nevada Brewery after the hike.
Josh McNair is the author of the excellent travel website California Through My Lens.
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