Newsletter: Essential California: A doctor’s murder conviction

Good morning. It is Saturday, Oct. 31. Here's what you don't want to miss this Halloween weekend:

TOP STORIES

Murder conviction: A Rowland Heights doctor was convicted of second-degree murder Friday for the overdose deaths of three patients. Dr. Hsiu-Ying "Lisa" Tseng was accused of missing red flags in patients who should not have received prescriptions. "She wrote them a prescription for the very thing they're addicted to. She shoved them over that cliff," a prosecutor said. Los Angeles Times

Water fines: The cities of Beverly Hills, Indio and Redlands and the Coachella Valley Water District are facing financial penalties for failing to conserve enough water. Californians cut their urban water use 26% in September, dropping below the saving levels seen in July and August. "To those who aren't [saving], and are wasting water, I'd say yes, you should be ashamed of yourselves," said Cris Carrigan, director of the Office of Enforcement of the State Water Resources Control Board. Los Angeles Times

Cutting back: Citing health issues, USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said he has stepped down from the College Football Playoff committee. At the Oct. 17 game against Notre Dame, Haden became lightheaded and had to visit a hospital before flying back to Los Angeles. "I am reluctant to step down, but my doctors advised me to reduce my traveling," he said in a statement. Los Angeles Times

NFL moves: Fans are filing into meeting spaces in Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis, pleading with NFL executives not to move their teams. "For them, I think it was very cathartic, and you heard that in their voices in three cities," said Eric Grubman, NFL executive vice president. Los Angeles Times

Mobility proposal: South Los Angeles is getting a new path for cyclists and pedestrians. Metro officials will convert rarely used railroad tracks along Slauson Avenue into a path that connects the Blue, Silver and Crenshaw transit lines. The agency just received a $15-million grant for the project, though an additional $19.3 million in state and local funds is needed. LAist

Local history: As Seal Beach celebrates its 100th birthday, historian D.J. Waldie reflects on the city's origins. "Seal Beach was a kind of border town, a comfortable distance from the big cities of Long Beach and Santa Ana, with the petty corruption and lax policing that keep bars and border towns wide open," he writes. KCET

Second banana: Character actor Al Molinaro, who played the owner of Arnold's Drive-In in the TV sitcom "Happy Days," died Friday in Glendale. He was 96.

Adult costumes: How did Halloween costumes become so risque? Leg Avenue, a business once focused on tights and leggings, found success in turning lingerie and short skirts into costumes for adults. "We brought the sexy in," said the company's Amy Tsai. Los Angeles Times

Party time: With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, you can expect a flood of trick-or-treaters and late-night parties. If you're at one of those parties, don't forget to choose a designated driver or call a cab. Los Angeles Times

Daylight saving time: When you awake from your sugar coma, don't forget to set your clocks back an hour. Los Angeles Times

THIS WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES IN ESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA

1. She was described as the "worst kid ever." So what happened to Stephanie Valdivia when she was released from Camp Scott, a detention camp for the most serious female juvenile offenders? Los Angeles Times

2. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen was living the good life with a hot tub in his dorm room. Sadly, he made the mistake of posting photos of it to social media, and university officials stepped in. LAist

3. Producer Jeffrey Katzenberg walked away from a Beverly Hills crash with a shattered wrist and arm. Still, he thanked Elon Musk and the Tesla for saving his life. Hollywood Reporter

4. Angelenos said goodbye to the 6th Street Bridge with food, music and fireworks. Los Angeles Times

5. In this essay, ESPN commentator Doug Glanville describes landing at LAX and having a cab driver refuse to give him a ride. The Atlantic

ICYMI, HERE ARE THIS WEEK'S GREAT READS

Magic superstar: He's huge in China. Hollywood-based illusionist Franz Harary may not have much name recognition here, but in Macau he's headlining at a new $3.2-billion casino. "Right now, in Macau, this part of the planet, I pretty much control the market and there's no one else who does what I do, thank God," he said. Los Angeles Times

Captured in verse: Syrians are capturing the horrors of war through poetry. "The poems flow in slipstreams of syllables, beats and rhythms composed by writers, doctors, mothers, activists and Syrians who live abroad but are compelled to articulate the suffering in their ancestral land." Los Angeles Times

LOOKING AHEAD

Monday: Snoopy will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wednesday: The LAUSD will begin hosting Special Olympics School Games.

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.