Good morning. It’s Wednesday, July 23.
- The “hype man” behind L.A.’s immigration raids.
- Muir Woods removes historical text from signs.
- And Burning Man nonprofit faces a financial cliff.
Statewide
1.
The men in camouflage, masks, and military gear storming California car washes and Home Depots aren’t from ICE. They are Border Patrol tactical teams trained to hunt drug smugglers in remote mountains and desert. The man calling the shots is Gregory Bovino. Of 20 Border Patrol officials with the title of sector chief, he’s the only one cradling a tricked-out M4 rifle in his social media profile photo, above. Other agency veterans think it’s ridiculous. The Atlantic profiled “the hype man of Trump’s mass deportations.”
2.
“I think if Texas actually moves forward and does this, that California has no choice but to respond.”
“I think it’s certainly something that should be on the table.”
“We can’t let Texas go unanswered.”
After Texas moved to redraw its congressional districts to pick up Republican seats on Monday, several California lawmakers said they were prepared to set scruples aside and match the power grab on behalf of Democrats. Spectrum News | Axios
3.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from Silicon Valley, sponsored legislation to force the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Esther Kim Varet, a Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Young Kim in Orange County, planned an advertisement questioning why Kim voted to “HIDE the list?”
And Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who earlier called the discourse around Epstein a distraction, demanded that the Trump administration “release the files.”
The Epstein affair, once largely confined to conspiratorial corners of the internet, has become a cause célèbre among California Democrats hoping to retake the House. Politico
4.
Manzanitas are one of California’s most quietly extraordinary plants. Expertly adapted to a dry climate, the shrub commonly retains its old branches, growing around dead tissue to conserve water. Older specimens are often more dead than alive, with stripes of smooth red bark appearing like dripped candle wax along gray branches. For that reason, some nature lovers view the manzanita as a metaphor, in which the dying sustains the living. The journalist Erik Olsen wrote about “California’s sculptured survivors.” California Curated
Northern California
5.
In the years following World War II, Russell City was a haven for Black and Latino families in the East Bay, known for its vibrant clubbing and art scene. But by 1966, it was bulldozed to make way for an industrial park, displacing roughly 1,400 inhabitants. Nearly 60 years later, government leaders are now trying to atone. On Tuesday, Alameda County supervisors approved $750,000 in reparations funds for former residents. The city Hayward pledged to kick in another $250,000. KQED
6.
The National Park Service last week removed language from signs at Muir Woods National Monument that highlighted the Indigenous history of the land and the role women played in preserving the forest. The text had been added to interpretive signs in 2021 as part of an initiative to tell a more complete history. Its removal came after President Trump ordered national parks and historic sites to remove materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans.” The 19th | N.Y. Times
7.
Burning Man has a cult following, billionaire devotees, and dozens of offshoot events. Yet the San Francisco nonprofit that runs the art party in the Nevada desert is struggling to stay afloat. After last year’s gathering, the organization’s revenue was on track to fall $20 million short of expenses. That’s in part because Burning Man has been handcuffed by its own guiding philosophy, which forbids “commodification.” Any hint of moneymaking actions triggers furious pushback from Burners. Bloomberg
8.
On Monday, Giants starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong landed only six strikes in 25 pitches, walking four batters and recording no outs before being pulled. For perspective on how bad it was, here is the New York Times’ Grant Brisbee:
“It was an absolute catastrophe that shouldn’t be topped for years, if not decades. … but it wasn’t just the outcome that was disastrous. It was also how the batters walked. Some of the pitches didn’t even appear on MLB’s Gameday app, as they were too far away from the plate for the lasers to catch. He threw a curveball that curved less than any curveball you’ll ever see again.” Mercury News | S.F. Chronicle
Southern California
9.
The man accused of killing an “American Idol” executive and her husband in their Encino home called 911 before fleeing the crime scene, officials revealed, raising questions about why the authorities only discovered the bodies four days later. During the call on July 10, a person was heard saying, “Please don’t shoot me,” records showed. A neighbor also called 911, reporting a break-in at the home. The authorities sent officers and a helicopter to the address but left after failing to access the residence. L.A. Times | KTLA
10.
Javier Diaz Santana, 32, is deaf and mute. He’s lived in the U.S. since the age of 5 and has permission to work here under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He has no criminal history. None of that stopped ICE agents from arresting Santana during a June 13 raid on the suburban L.A. car wash where he works, detaining him for weeks with no opportunity to communicate with his lawyer or family. Asked about the case, the Department of Homeland Security responded: “Deferred action does not confer any form of legal status in this country.” L.A. Times
11.
On Monday, the California Sun included an architecture video on a gorgeous historic home in La Cañada Flintridge. It caught the attention of Zeke Lunder, a wildfire and fuels-management expert, who noted the home’s location along a thickly wooded canyon at the edge of the San Gabriel Mountains. In a reaction video for his wildfire information publication The Lookout, Lunder alternated between horror and incredulity. “This is like living surrounded with gas cans in a neighborhood with lots of arsonists,” he said. YouTube
12.
Late one night last week, Steven Arboleda happened upon a giant yellow doll splayed on the sidewalk outside a donut shop in Long Beach. He rightly recognized it would be a hit on the Reddit forum known as Accidental Renaissance, which celebrates photos that resemble Renaissance-style art. Members of the group said it looked like a movie poster. Others felt sorry for the doll. Reddit
Correction
Tuesday’s newsletter misstated how many peacocks remained on the grounds of a California Delta hotel following a heist of the birds. Only four could be found, not all but four.
The California Sun, PO Box 6868, Los Osos, CA 93412
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