Good morning and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, August 24th. I’m justin ray
Radio talk show host Larry Elder has emerged as a leading GOP candidate trying to replace Democratic governor Gavin Newsom if he is removed. Elder, who calls himself “the Wise One of South Central,” is also an attorney, documentary filmmaker, and writer well known in GOP circles and who appears frequently on Fox News. But with his profile, so has his life.
As the recall race heats up, here’s a recap of moments from Elder’s past that have drawn attention lately.
-
The candidate’s former fiancée accused him of shooting her with a gun. In an article published by Politico, Alexandra Datig claims that during their stormy 18-month relationship, Elder once checked to see if his .45 pistol was loaded during a heated argument. “For a brief moment I believed that he was going to shoot me. I was scared for my life, “Datig told the Times, calling it” my Phil Spector, Lana Clarkson moment, “referring to the Hollywood record producer who fatally shot his companion.
“I’ve never brandished a gun at anyone,” Elder responded to the allegations. “These are lewd accusations.”
-
Elder’s derogatory remarks about women were targeted by his opponents in the race. In a 2000 column for Capitalism magazine, Elder said Democrats had an advantage over Republicans because they were supported by women and “women know less about politics, economics, and current affairs than men.”
Elder did not discuss the statement directly, but did claim on Twitter that “Calif. Dems are desperate and slander me and distort what I wrote in a column 21 years ago. “He added a link to the column and said,” Here is what I wrote, decide for yourself. “
-
Elder has been criticized for a decade-old clip recorded at a comedy club in which he repeatedly used the N-word, in an obvious impression of OJ Simpsons defense attorney F. Lee Bailey. KBLA morning presenter Dominique DiPrima, who had re-broadcast the KABC clip for the first time, said it was “like a black man doing blackface”.
In a statement emailed to The Times, Elder’s campaign said: “In knee-jerk rhetoric that is far too common today, [DiPrima] accuses Elder of spreading hatred because his views have long been at odds with hers. “
- In an interview with McClatchy’s California editorial boards, Elder said that “the ideal minimum wage is $ 0.” The comment was criticized during a recent recall election debate.
These are the main topics that are drawing attention, but Elder has shared views on abortion, climate change, and COVID-19 that are worth reviewing. Additionally, California regulators have opened an investigation to see if he has properly disclosed his sources of income, which you can read about here.
Re-election is scheduled for September 14th and voters are starting to receive their ballot papers in the mail. I found this voter guide helpful. It explains what your vote will mean and what different political parties are saying.
And now this is what happened in California.
Note: Some of the websites we link to may limit the number of stories you can access without a subscription.
Buy Luxury Buildings Then Cut Rent: A Housing Fix for California’s Middle Class? Hoping to address the lack of affordable housing in the state, some government agencies are buying buildings, mostly luxury homes, and doing the opposite of most homebuyers: cutting rents. The programs are aimed at middle-income workers – including police officers, teachers, and nurses – who earn too much to qualify for most traditional subsidized housing but who struggle to get a job close to where they work. Los Angeles times
A resident of Oceanaire, a luxury Long Beach apartment complex.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
LA STORIES
13 LA parking hacks everyone who drives here should know Parking in Los Angeles is all about luck and skill. So, save your time and money by learning these hacks about yellow curbs, green curbs, holiday rules, valet parking, and more. Los Angeles times
Breakthrough Infections Rise in LA County; young adults who are most likely to be infected with the coronavirus. As the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread, breakthrough infections creep in in Los Angeles County in fully vaccinated people, but vaccinated people generally remain well protected from hospitalization and death. Overall, of 5.1 million fully vaccinated LA Counties, 0.53% tested positive, 0.014% hospitalized, and 0.0013% – 68 people – have died. Los Angeles times
Our daily news podcast
If you are a fan of this newsletter, you will probably love our new daily podcast, The Times, hosted by columnist Gustavo Arellano along with reporters from our newsroom. Every weekday, it takes you beyond the headlines. Subscribe to Apple Podcasts and follow on Spotify.
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
US representative Matt Gaetz from Florida ran off to Southern California and married Ginger Luckey in a small ceremony on Catalina Island. Gaetz, 39, announced the wedding on Saturday on his personal Twitter page. He shouted, “I love my wife!” next to a photo of the couple. Vanity Fair reports that a former employee of Senator Rand Paul conducted the ceremony, which was attended by about 40 people. Gaetz is investigated in a sex trafficking investigation that led to a guilty admission by Joel Greenberg, a close friend and former Florida tax collector. Gaetz denies wrongdoing. WFLA
CRIME AND COURTS
At least 10 people have died in Sacramento County’s prisons since the pandemic began, but the sheriff only briefed the public about one. The omissions circumvent a long-standing practice across the country of informing the public if someone dies in law enforcement custody. “The likelihood that something can be called ‘natural death’ is too great, but it is actually preventable,” says Michele Deitch, prisons and prisons expert who teaches at the University of Texas at the Austin School of Law . “Any death in prison should be a cause for concern.” Sacramento Bee
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Diners are relying on reservations from restaurants in the Bay Area amid Delta variant concerns. Concerns about Delta appear to be changing diners’ behavior, Bay Area restaurant owners told the San Francisco Chronicle. Restaurants saw a significant decline in business and an increase in canceled reservations. OpenTable data shows that San Francisco restaurant visits are down 16% from July, with business just 66% below its 2019 level. According to the platform, this makes San Francisco one of the hardest hit gastronomy cities in the country. San Francisco Chronicle
A death at SeaWorld. A 6-year-old female killer whale, Amaya, died unexpectedly at SeaWorld San Diego, the park said. The orca showed signs of illness and prompted specialists to perform treatment. But her condition quickly deteriorated and she died last week. SeaWorld claims that it does not know the cause of death until after a medical examination, which can take weeks. San Diego Union Grandstand
CALIFORNIAN CULTURE
California’s job market was booming before the Delta variant caught on. Now employers fear for their companies – and for their employees. While the state has created a remarkable 100,000 jobs every month for six months, it has only restored 58% of the 2.7 million jobs lost due to COVID-19. “People woke up from hibernation,” said one economist. “But the Delta virus remains a wildcard. If another wave of the pandemic continues, economic growth will suffer. ”Los Angeles Times
Free online games
Get our free daily crossword, sudoku, word search and arcade games in our new game center at latimes.com/games.
CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
Los Angeles: 82, San Diego: 78, San Francisco: 64, San Jose: 77, Fresno: 95, Sacramento: 85.
Do something that makes you happy with a pink balloon.
AND FINALLY
Today’s California memory is from Elaine Masters:
In the 1970s I left my Upland home to go to college, but once a month I took the $ 10 red card from San Francisco to the Ontario Airport to see my boyfriend. I would return the Monday before class and remember a spring start as we turned over the Cucamonga vineyards. I had imagined them to be dry and desolate places. When I saw green carpets below me, I realized how fertile and powerful these mornings were. Revelation filled my heart with longing and brought me back to Southern California decades later.
If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (Please limit your story to 100 words.)
Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments to [email protected].