Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Jan. 16.
- Companies struggle as solar installations plummet.
- Activists install guerrilla benches at East Bay bus stops.
- And a road trip to Modoc County’s hidden hot springs.
Statewide
1.
Last April, California regulators sharply cut incentives for rooftop solar, arguing in part that they were too generous. In the months that followed, installations plunged as much as 85%, a research firm found. The market crash has forced some companies to reevaluate doing business in the state. San Francisco’s Sunrun eliminated about 2,000 jobs. “It’s very unfortunate from the perspective that it is at a time when the planet’s on fire,” said Mary Powell, Sunrun’s chief executive. N.Y. Times
2.
Republican candidates have repeatedly evoked a favorite boogeyman in their quest for the presidency: Californians. Nikki Haley told voters that the prospect of a Kamala Harris presidency “should send a chill up every American spine.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in what was meant as a withering insult, called Haley more liberal than Gov. Gavin Newsom. Dan Schnur, a professor of politics at USC, suggested that President Biden “isn’t as motivating a villain.” “So the Republican candidates are essentially running a negative campaign against California.” L.A. Times
- As former President Trump won the Iowa caucuses Monday, a new poll showed that his support among California Republicans has deepened. Some 66% now say they will vote for him, up from 57% in October. Mercury News
3.
After several failed attempts to legalize psychedelics in California, lawmakers are now embracing narrower approaches. One bill expected to be introduced soon would legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy. During a hearing on another measure to study psychedelic therapy last week, Assemblymember Marie Waldron noted that California faces “a severe mental health crisis.” “These therapies have the potential to save countless lives,” she said. L.A. Times
4.
Gustavo Arellano, who overcame admittedly lousy penmanship to become a celebrated columnist, said the state’s new cursive mandate in schools is “California liberalism at its worst.”
“In California, chronic absenteeism is more than twice the pre-pandemic rate. On state tests, more than half of K-12 students don’t meet standards in math and reading. Of all the issues our children have to deal with today, a forced return to cursive is what our legislators think they need?” L.A. Times
Northern California
5.
A single-engine airplane with two people aboard plunged into the sea shortly after taking off from Half Moon Bay Airport Sunday evening, authorities said on Monday. A woman’s body was found in the water Monday morning. Melissa Richter, a witness who was dining at a nearby restaurant, said she heard the plane’s engine sputtering “like you hear in the movies when a plane is about to crash.” KTVU | KGO
- Independent reporter Matthew Keys, citing unnamed sources, identified the victims as a young couple, recently engaged to be married. @MatthewKeysLive
6.
When Mingwei Samuel saw a picture of a man with chronic pain sitting on a curb while waiting for a bus, he hauled a bench he built to the stop and hitched it to the bus stop sign last month. The guerrilla installation was a hit, grabbing the attention of the local press and government. He’s since followed up with four more benches in what’s been called a “seating insurgency.” “The benchings will continue until morale improves,” Samuel said. Berkeleyside
7.
A group of San Francisco tenants frustrated by cockroaches, vermin, mold and other problems are using a radical tactic to challenge their landlord: they are simply refusing to pay rent. Such rent strikes are rising around the country as corporate owners increasingly buy up apartments and fail to take care of the units, activists say. “Most tenants these days don’t know their landlords. They’re nameless, faceless LLCs,” said Tara Raghuveer, director of the Homes Guarantee campaign. “Naming and shaming doesn’t work.” N.Y. Times
8.
Way out in California’s remote northeastern corner is a little resort where each room has a private soaking tub fed by the area’s geothermal hot springs. Surprise Valley Hot Springs put the tubs outside so guests can also enjoy the cosmos amid some of the darkest skies anywhere. The state’s tourism arm recommended the resort as part of a seven-stop road trip through picturesque Modoc County. Visit California
- “It’s surprisingly beautiful out here.” The travel reporter John Bartell paid a visit a couple years ago. ABC10
Southern California
9.
“Succession,” “The Bear,” and “Beef” were the big winners at the 75th Emmy Awards Monday night. FX’s “The Bear,” about an oddball Chicago restaurant, won 10 awards overall — the most of any show — including best comedy. HBO’s “Succession,” about a feuding media dynasty, claimed best drama, television’s most prestigious prize, and swept nearly all the major acting awards for drama. “Beef,” a Netflix dark comedy, won best limited series and acting awards for Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. A.P. | Wall Street Journal
- The full list of winners. 👉 Hollywood Reporter
- Quinta Brunson. Sarah Snook. Issa Rae. See red carpet looks. 👉 NPR
10.
Kristin Jeannette-Meyers was a star TV reporter in the 1990s, covering the blockbuster legal sagas of the day for CourtTV and CBS News. Then she disappeared. Last summer, Jeannette-Meyers was found dead in a dilapidated home in Los Angeles. She was 55. A coroner’s investigator noted the body’s decomposed state, writing, “It is unknown the last time the decedent was known to be alive.” The L.A. Times told the story of a promising life derailed by mental illness, opioids, and loneliness.
11.
Late Friday night, a wrong-way driver hit a man crossing the street in the San Fernando Valley community of Pacoima, police said. As he tried to get to his feet, a second vehicle hit him. Then a third vehicle ran him over. The victim, described only as a Latino man in his late 20s or early 30s, died. None of the three drivers stopped. The authorities offered $50,000 for information leading to an arrest. KTLA | KCAL News
12.
A pair of travel vloggers sent a drone over a pair of geoglyphs on a bare hillside near Joshua Tree National Park. The stone artworks were created in 2008 by Andrew Rogers, an Australian sculpturist who has installed more than 50 of the land art projects all over the world. Rogers has said the symbol is meant to evoke human striving. YouTube (~8 mins)
- Take a photo tour of Rogers’ sculptures. 👉 Google Arts & Culture
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