Newsletter: Essential California: Gov. Brown’s life-or-death decision

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Monday, July 9, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Gov. Jerry Brown must soon decide the fate of Kevin Cooper, 60, who has been on death row for decades, even as the evidence used to convict him of four murders has been called into question. Brown, who has issued far more pardons than any modern predecessor in California, must confront two central questions: How sure does the state have to be to put a man to death? How sure can it be that Cooper committed this crime? Los Angeles Times

What family separation looks like

Most weekday mornings, hundreds of children who were separated from their parents at the border are driven in unmarked cars and vans from foster homes across New York to a building in East Harlem. “They cry, but you just have to give them more love and attention,” says one foster mom. The Trump administration has stopped separating children from their parents at the border, but the ordeal of separation continues to play out across the country, perhaps no place more so than in New York City and its suburbs, where at least 350 to 600 children have been sent, according to estimates by city and consular officials. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Fewer people were caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in June than in the previous three months, the first time the number of arrivals decreased in 2018. Los Angeles Times

And: ICE heats up the midterm debate over immigration. Los Angeles Times

Weekend heat and weekend fires

Firefighters in Santa Barbara County continued mop-up operations after battling a wildfire that destroyed about 20 structures, prompting hundreds of evacuations in Goleta over the weekend amid a brutal heat wave. The Holiday fire was 80% contained Sunday, with full containment expected by Wednesday, said Mike Eliason, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. He said 10 homes were destroyed and three damaged; another nine structures were destroyed. Los Angeles Times

Plus: “The deadly Klamathon fire burning along the Oregon-California border continued to devour acreage through the weekend, tearing through 30,500 acres by Sunday morning and threatening hundreds of homes as well as livestock and wildlife areas in rural counties.” San Francisco Chronicle

Amazing! “A Southern California couple who lost their home in a wildfire made a new happy memory Sunday amid the ashes when they found what was left of the wife’s wedding and engagement rings.” Associated Press

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Eric Durtschi searches through the rubble for personal belongings after his rental home was destroyed by wildfire in Goleta.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )

L.A. STORIES

So cool: From Sinatra to the Spellings, California’s oldest moving company has thrived by remaining discreet. Los Angeles Times

Some advice: Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue plans to meet with Lakers coaches Luke Walton and Brian Shaw to discuss coaching LeBron James. Los Angeles Times

Readers respond: How has language shaped your world? Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Scoop! L.A. Trade-Tech administrators received $157,000 for work they failed to justify, an investigation finds. Los Angeles Times

The reality: With a new, more conservative Supreme Court in the offing, abortion may soon return to the national political debate, but it’s largely settled in California. Los Angeles Times

Ballot measure wars: In the two weeks since an initiative qualified that would repeal an increase to the gas tax, construction companies, labor groups and civic organizations have poured $3.7 million into a campaign against Proposition 6, campaign records show. Los Angeles Times

He said what?! “A television report with newly obtained video and documents raised new questions Friday about the San Francisco Fire Department’s response to the deadly Asiana Airlines crash five years ago this day.” Mercury News

CRIME AND COURTS

The big picture: Recent court orders prohibiting police in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California from enforcing gang injunctions are prompting law enforcement leaders to rethink how they employ the tool that for decades was considered a crucial weapon in the state’s war on gangs. Los Angeles Times

What happened to the Salomons? In 1982, a family disappeared from their San Fernando Valley home. Los Angeles Magazine

Worried: Residents have been shaken after the fatal shooting of an Irvine father at Malibu Creek State Park. Orange County Register

In Sherman Oaks: “A former NBA and UCLA basketball player who barricaded himself inside a Sherman Oaks residence after allegedly firing a gun at police was found dead early Saturday, police say.” ABC 7

More allegations: After start-up founder Rachel Danae Vachata sued influential Silicon Valley venture capitalist Lucio Lanza, alleging he groped and sexually harassed her, three more women have accused him of similar behavior. He has denied the allegations. Mercury News

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

At the box office: “Ant-Man and the Wasp” skittered to the top, while “Incredibles 2” leaped past $500 million. Los Angeles Times

Bourdain’s estate: Globe-trotting chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain was worth $1.2 million when he died last month and left most of the estate to his 11-year-old daughter, according to court papers. Los Angeles Times

Talking baseball: The All-Star team rosters are out, and they include Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and pitcher Kenley Jansen. Los Angeles Times

History lesson: “How Old Hollywood and starchitecture built Santa Monica’s Gold Coast.” Curbed LA

Beautiful: “Reading Joan Didion in California restaurants.” Medium

Making waves: “Change is coming to HBO, now that it is part of the AT&T corporate family. That much was clear to the 150 employees who attended a recent town hall meeting at the network’s headquarters in Midtown Manhattan.” New York Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: Partly cloudy, 92, Monday. Partly cloudy, 90, Tuesday. San Diego: Partly cloudy, 81, Monday and Tuesday. San Francisco area: Cloudy, 72, Monday. Sunny, 72, Tuesday. Sacramento: Sunny, 98, Monday. Sunny, 99, Tuesday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This week’s birthdays for those who made a mark in California: O.J. Simpson (July 9, 1947), Tom Hanks (July 9, 1956) and Rep. Tom McClintock (July 10, 1956).

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 Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.