Good morning. It’s Tuesday, April 16.
- California sues Huntington Beach over voter ID law.
- Alameda County district attorney to face recall vote.
- And USC cancels speech by pro-Palestinian valedictorian.
Statewide
1.
California sued Huntington Beach on Monday over a new city law that requires photo identification to vote in municipal elections, calling it “flatly illegal.” In the March 5 primary, 53% of Huntington Beach voters approved the ID requirement, a step Republicans have argued is needed to prevent fraud. Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, said the measure conflicts with state law. “Not only is it a solution in search of a problem, laws like these are harmful to California voters,” she said. Huntington Beach officials vowed to fight. CalMatters | Voice of OC
2.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has not held a press conference in weeks and postponed his State of the State indefinitely, sat for an interview with the Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich. A few memorable bits:
- Newsom has fashioned himself a presidential super-surrogate, Leibovich wrote. “But being a super-surrogate requires performative humility, subordinating one’s own ambition to the candidate’s. Not something that comes naturally to Newsom.”
- Newsom said he tried to build a rapport with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but got nowhere. “Complete asshole,” Newsom said.
- Leibovich on the ties of California’s ruling families: “Bill Newsom, Gavin’s father, was a well-connected Bay Area judge — appointed to the bench by Jerry Brown — whose sister was married to the brother of Pelosi’s husband, Paul.” The Atlantic
3.
A growing number of once-modest California towns are vaulting into the ranks of communities with median home values of more than $1 million. California is now home to 210 so-called “million-dollar cities,” 12 more than a year ago — almost all of them located along the coast. Some of the newest additions include: Placentia, Tustin, Thousand Oaks, San Luis Obispo, and Pleasant Hill. See a map of California’s “million-dollar cities.” 👉 L.A. Times
4.
The Sarlacc pit of the “Star Wars” universe, in which a beast’s gaping barbed mouth awaits victims at the bottom of a sandy crater, is almost too terrifying to contemplate. But its real life counterpart can be found devouring prey all over California. Antlions, commonly called doodlebugs, dig pits in dry areas such as roadsides and river banks then wait at the bottom until a hapless ant tumbles in. At that point, as scholars of the dark side might observe, there is no escaping destiny. The artist John Muir Laws drew a great illustration. 👉 Bay Nature
Northern California
5.
Alameda County’s district attorney, Pamela Price, will face a recall election after county officials confirmed Monday that her opponents had gathered enough signatures to trigger the vote. Price, a progressive who pledged to “disrupt the system,” faced public frustration as violent crimes and property offenses soared by double digits in Oakland. Her experience mirrors that of San Francisco’s ousted district attorney, Chesa Boudin, another candidate opposed by the establishment who quickly drew accusations of being soft on crime. Politico | Mercury News
6.
Protesters shut down traffic in both directions on the Golden Gate Bridge and Interstate 880 in Oakland for several hours Monday, part of what organizers called an “economic blockade in solidarity with Palestine.” Dozens of protesters stopped their vehicles on the Golden Gate span, while the protesters in Oakland chained themselves to drums of cement. Motorists told reporters they missed meetings and medical appointments. “Everyone’s just mad,” said commuter Aung Zin. The CHP said 38 people were arrested. KGO | East Bay Times
- Later on Monday, about 50 pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Tesla factory in Fremont. Police shot at them with pepper balls. KRON | @ZakSNews
7.
The Bureau of Prisons announced the permanent closure of a troubled federal women’s prison in the East Bay on Monday. Abuse was so rampant at the Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin, one investigation found, that employees took to calling it “the rape club.” In a statement, Colette Peters, the director of the Bureau of Prisons, said that despite “unprecedented steps” to reform the facility, it “is not meeting expected standards.” N.Y. Times | A.P.
8.
In 2016, the San Francisco artist Wendy MacNaughton’s aunt was dying. She sketched her every day at her bedside at the Zen Hospice Project Guest House. The experience inspired MacNaughton to publish a remarkable little book, “How to Say Goodbye,” featuring soulful drawings of the hospice’s residents alongside bits of wisdom from caregivers. The Marginalian
Southern California
9.
The University of Southern California said on Monday that it would bar an undergraduate valedictorian from giving a speech at its May graduation ceremony, citing threats over her pro-Palestinian views. “There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement,” said USC Provost Andrew T. Guzman. Academics and free-speech proponents condemned the move, which is a first in the school’s history. The valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, accused USC of capitulating to a heckler’s veto. “I am surprised that my own university — my home for four years — has abandoned me,” she wrote. L.A. Times | Daily Trojan
10.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on the “Rust” movie set where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed, faced sentencing in a New Mexico courtroom on Monday. Hutchins’ mother spoke: “Time does not heal … It gets worse and worse,” she said. Gutierrez-Reed, 26, sobbed. She addressed the judge: “I beg you please don’t give me more time.” Finally, the judge handed down the sentence: 18 months in prison, the maximum allowed. “But for you,” she explained, “Ms. Hutchins would be alive, a husband would have his partner, and a little boy would have his mother.” N.Y. Times | CBS News
- See the judge’s sentencing remarks. 👉 CNN/YouTube
11.
The Justice Department is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, accusing the Ticketmaster parent of using its market dominance to undermine competition, the Wall Street Journal reported. Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 despite fears that it would compel venues to use its new ticketing arm. The specific claims were unclear, but the federal authorities have been investigating the entertainment giant, based in Beverly Hills, for years. Wall Street Journal | Bloomberg
12.
San Diego leaders called for stronger border enforcement after a viral video showed a motor boat loaded with migrants navigate between surfers and speed onto the beach in the affluent suburb of Carlsbad on Saturday. At least 16 people could be seen hopping from the beached vessel and darting to the street, where an awaiting SUV took some away. San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican, called a news conference: “We cannot have people just rushing on boats onto our shores and going into neighborhoods.” KGTV | Reuters
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