Good morning. It’s Tuesday, May 23.
- Breakthrough deal reached on Colorado River cuts.
- An Athletics broadcaster is fired over racial slur.
- And Dodgers reinvite drag performers to Pride Night.
Statewide
1.
After a yearlong stalemate, the seven states that rely on the Colorado River announced a deal Monday to cut their water use. Under the terms of the proposal, Arizona, California, and Nevada would conserve an additional 3 million acre-feet of water through 2026, or about 13% of their total allotment. California, entitled to the largest share of water based on a century-old pact, would shoulder roughly half of those cuts, a historic reduction likely to require significant water restrictions for homes and farms. L.A. Times | A.P.
- Where’s all that water going? To grow food for cows, mostly. The N.Y. Times provided a breakdown.
2.
When transportation officials drew plans to widen Highway 395 in the Owens Valley, Indigenous tribes warned them of a buried kingdom. Now work crews have unearthed the remains of more than 30 human skeletons, many of them adorned with artifacts such as glass beads and arrowheads. Tribal leaders are demanding a halt to the project. “How many human remains must be unearthed before Caltrans decides it is time to respect our advice and perspective?” asked Sean Scruggs, of the Paiute Indians. L.A. Times
3.
Billions of microscopic seeds lay in the top layer of earth where the Sierra Nevada blends into the Mojave Desert. They can take years, even decades, to emerge as wildflowers. For botanists, the unusually wet winter has presented an exhilarating opportunity to find rare plants that might be saved from the brink of extinction. A reporter and photographer joined a hunt in a remote part of eastern Kern County. N.Y. Times
- “A truly thrilling find”: Researchers discovered thousands of rarely seen Santa Ynez groundstars on the Central Coast. L.A. Times | SFGATE
4.
One of the most popular tourist stops on the Central Coast is a downtown alley with walls covered by half-chewed gum. The origins of San Luis Obispo’s Bubblegum Alley are murky, but local historians believe it began as a prank by students in the 1950s and evolved into into a full-fledged landmark. Over the years, the sticky concoction has overtaken both walls, 15 feet high and 70 feet long. Some people find it beautiful, some gross. Some say it’s both. The Tribune
Northern California
5.
Farhad Manjoo argued that CEOs trying to get workers to return to the office are misdiagnosing the cause of their reluctance. Workers don’t hate the office; they hate the commute:
“For many, the pandemic-era shift to remote work proved that all the schlepping was unnecessary. They can’t unsee all the wasted time, and questioning their morality isn’t going to change that.” N.Y. Times
● ●
Bay Area workers have among the worst commutes anywhere. Below are reachability maps for London and San Francisco, depicting the areas within which a transit user could reach the cities in an hour or less. Look up your city. 👉 CommuteTimeMap.com
6.
During a live broadcast in Kansas City on May 5, Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper gushed: “We had a phenomenal day today. Negro league museum. And Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.” Except he didn’t say Negro. Kuiper later apologized on air for uttering what sounded very much like the n-word, describing it as a slip of the tongue. On Monday, NBC Sports California said it fired Kuiper, who has been calling A’s games for the last 20 years. In a statement, Kuiper reiterated his remorse, but portrayed the firing as heavy-handed. S.F. Chronicle | A.P.
7.
Among the new generation of weapons being used in Ukraine are “loitering munitions,” or drones carrying bombs. They lift off, use their own sensors to track targets, and hang out in the air until they drop their weapons. They are part of what one military historian called a “genuine military revolution.” And it’s being driven in part by start-ups in Silicon Valley. N.Y. Times
8.
Lab-grown meat is probably 25 times more energy intensive than traditional beef, a new UC Davis study found. The cultured meat industry, which has deep roots in the Bay Area, rose on the promise of an ethical alternative to meat raised for slaughter. But researchers found that the nutrient-dense broth used to grow animal cells must be highly refined, an energy-intensive process closer to pharmaceutical-grade production. “It’s not a panacea,” said author Edward Spang. S.F. Chronicle | Sacramento Bee
Southern California
9.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who faced a backlash for disinviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from a Pride Night celebration under pressure from Catholic groups, apologized to the drag performers on Monday and offered a fresh invitation. The baseball club, which has prided itself on inclusiveness since calling up Jackie Robinson in 1947, said the change of heart followed “much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities.” The Sisters accepted the invitation. L.A. Times | S.F. Chronicle
10.
As state lawmakers consider a bill that would decriminalize psychedelics, several Los Angeles County businesses are already openly selling psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms.” A reporter visited one shop along the coast where he browsed “mushroom-infused” liquids and “mushroom blend” gummies. A member of the Sheriff’s Department’s narcotics division said psychedelic mushroom sales have become common, if not openly advertised, at marijuana dispensaries. L.A. Times
11.
A former Los Angeles police officer accused of sexually assaulting four boys died while in custody on Saturday, law enforcement officials said on Monday. Paul Razo, 46, who was arrested on May 10 and charged with eight counts of lewd acts upon a child, was undergoing treatment “for a pre-existing medical condition,” officials said. A cause of death was not disclosed. L.A. Times | KABC
12.
☝️ Set out in the morning from Los Angeles, and you could be here by early evening. The adventure begins at Onion Valley Campground, perched at 9,200 feet above sea level in the Eastern Sierra about 30 miles northwest of Lone Pine. A 4-mile walk into the mountains puts you atop the crest demarcating the broad western and steep eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. From there, dozens of small alpine lakes spread out like jewels in every direction. Among them is Bullfrog Lake, pictured above. Modern Hiker | Hiking Project
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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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