Good morning. It’s Thursday, Aug. 4.
- Protesters halt housing project at Berkeley’s People’s Park.
- Cougar is photographed killing feral donkey in Death Valley.
- And San Bernardino County gets serious about secession.
Statewide
1.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday called on Hollywood to bring film and television productions back to California from states such as Georgia and Oklahoma that are restricting abortion access. He simultaneously endorsed $1.65 billion in new TV and movie tax credits. Addressing the left-leaning industry, he said: “You have a responsibility to take stock of your values — and those of your employees — when doing business in those states.” Hollywood Reporter | L.A. Times
2.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan turned out to be more controversial in Washington than in Taipei. The BBC described the exuberant local reaction to her arrival as a “lovefest.” Ingrid Ho, of Taipei, told a reporter: “The more unhappy the [Chinese Communist Party] is, the happier I am. Pelosi coming may mean all kinds of consequences but in the moment, the excitement outweighs reason.” Washington Post | N.Y. Times
Now that Pelosi is gone, the real crisis may be starting. Experts worry that Chinese military drills could amount to a blockade of the island. South China Morning Post | Wall Street Journal
3.
Researchers captured the first photos of feral donkeys falling prey to mountain lions in Death Valley National Park. Officials have pushed to eliminate the nonnative burros, arguing that they have no known predators. In a new study disproving that claim, the authors evoke the last Ice Age, when North America was a land of large predators and large prey. “This study documents the return of a lost ecological interaction — but with different characters,” said Dr. Mairin Balisi. Science
4.
“There’s 29,000 people in the ballpark and a million butterflies.”
“A lot of people in the ballpark now are starting to see the pitches with their hearts.”
“He is one out away from the promised land.”
As people recalled the life of Vin Scully on Wednesday, many shared his classic radio narration of the final inning of Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax’s perfect game on Sept. 9, 1965. His extemporaneous remarks have been described as pure baseball literature. Listen here. 👉 MLB/YouTube (~8 mins)
Northern California
5.
Protesters broke through a chain fence and forced a halt to work on a student housing project in Berkeley’s historic People’s Park on Wednesday. Chanting “Whose park? People’s Park,” the activists ransacked equipment, threw objects at workers, and faced off with about 100 police officers, officials said. UC Berkeley, which owns the property, responded by pausing construction. Activists vowed to stay put in the park. Berkeleyside | KQED
6.
When Paul Pelosi was asked for identification at the scene of a crash near the town of Yountville on May 28, he handed the officer his driver’s license along with an “11-99 Foundation” card, court records showed. The foundation is the California Highway Patrol charity. Pelosi, 82, the husband of Nancy Pelosi, pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence charges on Wednesday. A.P. | CNN
7.
Brooke Jenkins’ installation as San Francisco district attorney was seen as a rebuke of the perceived leniency of her predecessor, Chesa Boudin. On Wednesday, she gave the most concrete sign to date of how her approach will differ, announcing that she had revoked 30 plea deal offers with defendants accused of selling fentanyl. “On my watch, the DA’s office is going to take these cases seriously,” she said. SF Standard | S.F. Examiner
8.
Since burning to the ground in 2018, Paradise has issued more than 2,000 building permits. While some have used non-combustible material, wood-frame homes remain far more popular. Sheri Palade, a real estate agent, said buyers are unperturbed by fire danger: “Well, if they don’t live where there’s wildfire, they live where there’s hurricanes, or they live where there’s floods.” A Vice video team paid a visit to Paradise. YouTube (~10 mins)
Southern California
9.
The right-wing think tank The Claremont Institute believes the country is in a cultural civil war. The chairman of its board, Thomas Klingenstein, put it this way: “If it’s true that the country is as divided as we think it is, and if the situation is as dire, it’s very important for conservatives to understand this. Because if you’re actually in a war, even if it’s a cold war, you behave differently. You’re less inclined to compromise. You’re more aggressive. In war, you don’t negotiate until you’ve won.” N.Y. Times Magazine
10.
A group of golfers led by Phil Mickelson filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, challenging their suspensions for joining the Saudi breakaway LIV Golf circuit. Mickelson, of San Diego, has faced a backlash for associating with Saudi Arabia, which is accused of trying to launder its grim human rights reputation. Tiger Woods is among the critics, and it was revealed this week how much he left on the table when he declined an offer to join the league: in the “neighborhood” of $700 million. Wall Street Journal | Washington Post
11.
San Bernardino County leaders are taking secession seriously. On Wednesday, supervisors voted 4-0 to put a measure on the November ballot that asks voters whether the county should pursue secession as a last resort in response to neglect from the state. Jack Pitney, a government professor at Claremont McKenna College, pointed out one of many problems with the plan. As members of the 51st state, residents would no longer be entitled to in-state tuition at California’s public universities. Press-Enterprise
12.
Architectural Digest’s principal focus is design and architecture — but it’s really about the celebrity home tours. Here are a few of the most popular tours of the last decade in California:
- Dakota Johnson: “I love limes.” “Actually, I’m allergic to limes.” Johnson herself is the best part of the tour of her Hollywood home, fibbing at one point about her love of limes.
- Maria Sharapova: The tennis star’s minimalist home in Los Angeles has soaring concrete walls and a bowling alley in the basement.
- Nyjah Huston: Perched on a ridge above Laguna Beach, the skateboarder’s home has an unbelievable living room view of the ocean.
- John Stamos: “Everything is sturdy and funky and cool — like me.” The “Full House” star’s lavish two-bedroom home in Beverly Hills somehow has a lived-in feel.
- Wiz Khalifa: The rapper equipped the game room in his Los Angeles mansion with a pool table and dedicated weed bar.
Correction:
An item in Wednesday’s newsletter misspelled the name of a state park. It’s Montana de Oro State Park, not Montana de Pro State Park.
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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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