Newsletter: Essential California: Why are these freeway lights burning all day long?

Good morning. It is Wednesday, Sept. 9. Northern California’s Lagunitas Brewing Co. hit the big time. Beer giant Heineken just acquired a 50% stake in the company. Here's what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Publisher ousted

Clashing visions for the future of the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune appear to have led to Austin Beutner’s firing as the newspapers’ publisher. Beutner was at the helm for just over a year before he was let go by Tribune Publishing CEO Jack Griffin. Timothy E. Ryan will take over as the new publisher. He has led the Baltimore Sun, another Tribune property, since 2007. Los Angeles Times

Harmful air

New measurements find people living near the 60 Freeway in Ontario are breathing in the worst air in Southern California. According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, lung-damaging soot there exceeds federal health standards. “We can't reroute the freeway. We can't cut down on the traffic. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place,� said one neighbor. Los Angeles Times

High expectations

The forgettable Disneyland ride Luigi’s Flying Tires may serve as a cautionary tale for the designers of the park’s new Star Wars attractions. “Despite huge investments made by the nation's $55-billion theme parks industry on focus groups, surveys and engineering studies, new attractions can still turn out to be flops, forcing park executives to spend even more for replacements.� Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT

No water: East Porterville is a community plagued by poverty. Now, it’s facing additional challenges brought on by a total lack of water. “After years of drought, the nearby Tule River has diminished to a trickle and the underground water table has sunk as more and more farmers rely on groundwater.� Mother Jones

Need to know: Did you know that California has two wildfire seasons? And all that smoke can prove to be a real public health hazard? Those are among the 10 facts you should know about wildfires. KCET

Mixed messages: Residents in the community of Altadena dedicated themselves to conserving water and scrimping on the outdoor landscaping. It came as a surprise then, when the local fire chief sent residents letters asking that they not go overboard on the conservation efforts. The reason: wildfires. NBC 4

L.A. AT LARGE

Bubblegum, instead: The city of Los Angeles wants to join San Francisco in outlawing all tobacco products, including chewing tobacco, at sports venues. “Smokeless tobacco use in the great American pastime is way past its time,� said Councilman Jose Huizar. Los Angeles Times

Dial 1, then … : The Los Angeles area is running out of phone numbers with the 323 prefix. The Public Utilities Commission will soon issue new phone numbers with the 213 area code. Your area code might say something about you, whether you’re 310 or 818. So, which is the best one to have? 89.3 KPCC

Students hacked: The personal information of 80,000 students at eight Cal State campuses was exposed in a data hack. The breach actually occurred with We End Violence, a company that provides an online course on sexual harassment. A forensic firm hired by the college system is investigating. Los Angeles Times

Trick lights: Graffiti has convinced the faux beaux-arts gas lights along the Pasadena Freeway that it is perpetually night. That means the streetlamps have been running 24 hours a day. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Climate change: Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders are reworking the details of sweeping climate change legislation. The negotiations could help the governor pick up support from skeptical Democrats in the state Assembly. “There are a number of proposals floating around. That’s what negotiations are all about,� said a spokesman for the governor. Los Angeles Times

Bills, bills, bills: As the final days of the state Legislature’s session come to a close, 300 bills are awaiting action. This posting will keep you up to date. Los Angeles Times

Universal access: Are ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft doing enough to accommodate disabled riders with wheelchairs or seeing-eye dogs? That’s the question for regulators as they look into whether the companies are complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The apps “really are ahead of their time, when it comes to transportation innovation. I love that. But you can’t leave people behind,� said Ruthee Goldkorn, a Los Angeles-area disability advocate. Los Angeles Times

Five years later: That’s how long it’s been since the San Bruno blast killed eight people and left 58 more injured. “In a way, I can’t believe it’s been so long. I’ve still got some processing to do about everything, but I think I’ve finally accepted what happened,� said one of the men who was injured in the explosion. Ultimately, PG&E was forced to pay $1.6 billion in state penalties and costs. San Francisco Chronicle

CRIME AND COURTS

Chain of evidence: Authorities cannot force Facebook and Twitter to turn over the communications between a victim and witness in a San Francisco murder trial, according to a decision by the 1st District Court of Appeal. Attorneys for the social media companies argued that the federal right to privacy trumped a defendant's right to the material. San Jose Mercury-News

Cyclist arrested: A cyclist with Critical Mass was arrested by San Francisco police for allegedly blocking the way of a motorist and then bashing the woman’s car with a U-lock. The incident was caught on video. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Don’t touch: A squirrel discovered last month at Lake Tahoe tested positive for the plague. Earlier this summer, two visitors to Yosemite National Park also contracted the plague. Los Angeles Times

Complicated dish: Yum — it’s the L.A. guide to moles. Los Angeles Magazine

GOLDEN STATE PERSPECTIVES

Stunning defense: A lawyer for the Los Angeles Unified School said in court that a 14-year-old girl who had been sexually abused by a teacher was partly responsible because she had engaged in the relationship willingly. A new law in California will soon bar such an objectionable defense in future civil trials involving the alleged sexual abuse of minors, but The Times editorial board says the LAUSD shouldn’t need legislation to prevent it from committing such an obvious moral outrage. Los Angeles Times

Police data: Are cops killing more people than they used to? Are some officers racist? Given several recent killings of unarmed African Americans, many people might answer “yes,� but that’s dangerous conjecture without solid data to back it up, says The Times editorial board. With facts in such short supply, the board says two data-gathering efforts in California deserve support from lawmakers and police. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Be careful in Riverside, where the mercury is expected to reach 104.  Los Angeles will be hot at 97. San Diego is going to be partly sunny and 89 degrees. San Francisco is expected to be mostly sunny and top out at 83 degrees.

AND FINALLY

Today's California Memory comes from Susan Kinnevy:

"1969, driving to California from New Jersey. Arby’s in Hollywood, Charles Manson and sunshine. We were so very young."

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.