Good morning. It’s Monday, June 5.
- California says Florida flew migrants to Sacramento.
- Catholic dioceses face thousands of child sex lawsuits.
- Sharks a common neighbor in Southern California waters.
Statewide
1.
“We’re confident it was Florida.”
California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, said on Sunday that Florida was behind the arrival of 16 immigrants from Venezuela and Colombia at a Sacramento church late Friday. He cited documents in the migrants’ possession indicating that their flight aboard a chartered jet was arranged by Vertol Systems, an aviation firm with ties to Republican leaders in Florida. Vertol also flew migrants to Martha’s Vineyard last fall. Bonta said he may pursue criminal charges. “State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice,” he said. “It is immoral and disgusting.” A.P. | L.A. Times
2.
Normally, the size of your utility bills depends on how much electricity, water, and gas you use. California is about to challenge that system: “A new state law will require its three investor-owned utilities to charge customers fees for electricity based not only on how much electricity they use, but also on how much money they make,” the Washington Post reported. The proposed changes are already sparking a backlash.
3.
Mandating the HPV vaccine for schoolchildren seemed like an easy call for Democrats in deep-blue California. But a bill to do so was thwarted by an anti-vaccine movement that grew more organized during the pandemic. Even some educators have resisted the measure. “Toxic, pandemic-era battles over immunizations and school closures have made vaccine politics radioactive. … schools are wary of wading back into the fight,” Politico reported.
4.
At least four of California’s 12 Roman Catholic dioceses have either filed for bankruptcy or are considering the move after a 2019 state law extended the statute of limitations for claims of childhood sex abuse, unleashing more than 3,000 lawsuits. “This financial challenge is unlike anything we have faced before,” said Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto. Dan McNevin, a survivors advocate, said the bankruptcy filings are a bid to halt discovery and dodge paying victims. “They want to avoid a jury,” he said. Religion News Service
Northern California
5.
Frustrated over a growing population of people living in RVs, the Bay Area city of Fremont placed dozens of boulders along a road to deter them in 2020. On May 12, a motorist died after crashing into the boulders. Police said alcohol was a factor, but critics of the boulder installation say the city deserves blame. “They created a minefield,” said Kelly Abreu, a local activist. Mercury News
6.
In an opinion piece critical of San Francisco leadership, the UCLA economist Lee Ohanian noted that the city’s residential values had fallen about 16.7% since their 2022 peak, compared to a 3.3% decline nationally. That means San Francisco homeowners lost a staggering $260 billion more in home value than they would have if the city kept pace with the rest of the country. Hoover Institute
7.
The 2020 Zogg fire killed four people and destroyed more than 200 structures across Shasta and Tehama counties after a gray pine fell on a PG&E electric line. Victims had hoped to see executives from the utility company stand trial on manslaughter charges. Instead, a judge dismissed the charges last week and PG&E agreed to a $50 million settlement. No one, aside from perhaps PG&E, seems to be happy with the resolution. The Guardian called it “the reckoning that wasn’t.”
8.
In 2019, Oliser Aguilar — 17 years old, penniless, and unable to speak English — set off on foot from his Guatemalan village, determined to make it to the Bay Area where he had an uncle. Four years later, Aguilar just graduated high school in San Francisco with nearly fluent English and a 3.95 grade point average. Daniela Funes, a school counselor, said she planned to forgo mascara at his graduation ceremony because she would be crying too hard. “He is exceptional,” she said. S.F. Chronicle
Southern California
9.
On Jan. 3, Los Angeles police officers used a Taser to stun Keenan Anderson for an agonizing 42 seconds as he screamed out, “Help me, please.” He died hours later. In a report released Friday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner attributed Anderson’s death to an enlarged heart and cocaine use, but added that “the manner of death is undetermined.” Carl Douglas, a lawyer for Anderson’s family, said the findings won’t change their plans to sue the city. “Had officers chosen not to tase Mr. Anderson repeatedly on the back side of his heart, he would still be alive today,” he said. L.A. Times | NPR
10.
The labor leader Dolores Huerta has joined a movement calling for the removal of a downtown San Diego statue of former mayor and Gov. Pete Wilson. Wilson was a champion of Proposition 187, which sought to end essential services to unauthorized immigrants in 1994. “He instigated a lot of hatred against undocumented people and against Hispanics in general,” Huerta said. City leaders have noted that the statue, life-sized and bronze, sits on private property and they have no say in whether it stays. S.D. Union-Tribune
11.
If you have gone into the ocean off the coast of Santa Barbara or San Diego recently, chances are good that you swam near a great white shark. According to drone observations during a two-year study, juvenile white sharks and people were found swimming together 97% of the time at two spots where the animals congregated. Christopher Lowe, director of Cal State Long Beach’s Shark Lab, said the findings are a reminder of how rare shark attacks are. L.A. Times
- See a typical encounter between a surfer and shark from last summer. 👉 TheMalibuArtist/YouTube
12.
When Henry Huntington moved his library of rare books from New York to his ranch in Southern California, critics grumbled: Surely the works belonged in a more conventional capital of culture. But while on a trip through Europe, Huntington wrote home: “I have seen no nicer place than the ranch.” Thanks to his conviction, Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens became one of the West Coast’s most exquisite cultural destinations — 200 acres of lush gardens, art galleries, and libraries. The oasis was recommended as a key stop in a travel feature on “36 Hours in Los Angeles.” N.Y. Times
A short photo tour of Huntington’s garden. 👇
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