Essential: How a jet from LAX was accidentally sent toward Mt. Wilson

[Essential California] Essential California [Send to friend] | [Open in browser] Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Dec. 21. Here’s what’s happening in California: TOP STORIES Bad flight path The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a frightening incident last Friday at LAX. Air traffic controllers accidentally directed a jet to fly in the wrong direction and toward another aircraft. The controller told the “pilot to make a left turn to a 180-degree heading. She meant to tell the pilot to make a right turn to a 180-degree heading,” the FAA said. The error was quickly corrected, but many questions remain. [Los Angeles Times] Sudden losses Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people appear to have been wrongly dropped from Medi-Cal, the state’s healthcare program for low-income and disabled Californians, and have struggled to regain coverage and see their doctors. The patients say they turned in their renewal paperwork on time to L.A. County officials but lost coverage anyway.[Los Angeles Times] Legal drama More details are beginning to emerge in what is expected to be L.A.’s most sensational murder trial in years. After coming to suspect Robert Durst in the execution-style slaying of writer Susan Berman, the Los Angeles Police Department was forced to make a swift arrest of the real estate scion because of an HBO miniseries, prosecutors said. During an interview with prosecutors, Durst said he was high on meth during those infamous interviews for the show. [Los Angeles Times] ADVERTISEMENT L.A. STORIES Future debate: Silver Lake, which has been dry and dusty for some time, is about to be refilled with water. This milestone has intensified a larger debate about the future of the landmark area. Some want minor improvements, while others see an irresistible opportunity to create an expansive recreational park for the city of Los Angeles. [Los Angeles Times] L.A. to S.F.: LAPD Deputy Chief William "Bill" Scott, the department’s highest-ranking African American officer, has been appointed chief of the San Francisco Police Department after recent scandals involving racist texting among Bay Area officers. [Los Angeles Times] Heightened security: Los Angeles authorities are stepping up security at shopping areas, farmers markets and other large gathering places after the Berlin Christmas market truck attack that killed 12 people this week. [Los Angeles Times] Stripped down: Five “standout” restaurants located in L.A. strip malls, and a defense of the much maligned shopping centers. “I lived in, and loved, Los Angeles for about nine years, so I can get away with saying this: Very little is more Los Angeles than a strip mall. These asphalt-dominated bastions of cheapness and parking sum up so much about what I love and hate about the city.” [New York Times] Tree questions: Hours before a tree fell on wedding attendees, killing a woman, Whittier park officials had checked the area for tree hazards but found none. [San Gabriel Valley Tribune] Freeway signs: Los Angeles spent $1.6 billion widening the 405 Freeway. Was it worth it? [New York Times] POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Embassy row: “Calexit,” the long-shot effort to have California exit the union, at least is getting entertaining. California gained an embassy in Russia last weekend, at least in the eyes of those who have promised to seek a statewide vote on secession. Next stop: the United Nations! [Los Angeles Times] He’s out: A Huntington Beach planning commissioner resigned after facing a public backlash for comments he made online denigrating Islam. Michael Hoskinson declared: "I think Islam is definitely a threat. I don't call it a religion at all." [Los Angeles Times] Freshman class: The University of California received more than 171,000 freshman applications for fall 2017, marking a new record with gains across all racial and ethnic groups. [Los Angeles Times] Freeway sale: In the 1950s and 1960s, Caltrans began buying empty lots, houses and apartments along the planned route of the 710 Freeway extension between Pasadena and Alhambra. Now, with that freeway unlikely to be built, transportation officials have begun the painstaking process of selling hundreds. [Los Angeles Times] CRIME AND COURTS Tragic end: The body of a nurse and former reality show contestant was found Tuesday in a shallow grave at a Lennox home, and police arrested a man on suspicion of her murder, authorities said. Lisa Marie Naegle, who appeared on the E! reality show “Bridalplasty,” went missing after attending a birthday party Saturday night. [Los Angeles Times] Oakland battle: The finger-pointing in the wake of the catastrophic Oakland warehouse fire continues. Lawyers representing Derick Ion Almena, the manager of the Ghost Ship warehouse, say negligence on the part of city officials was to blame for a fire that killed 36 people this month, and not their client. [Los Angeles Times] Corruption claims: Less than three weeks after his swearing-in, a member of the Tijuana City Council was behind bars in San Diego on money laundering charges. [Los Angeles Times] Death penalty plan: The California Supreme Court has halted implementation of a voter-approved measure intended to speed up the appeals process for death row inmates. The court put Proposition 66 on hold on Tuesday to give it time to consider a lawsuit challenging the measure. [Los Angeles Times] Working conditions: Walt Disney Co. and Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. are among the companies that have agreed to stop on-call shift scheduling that requires employees to call work before a scheduled shift to find out if they have to work that day. [Los Angeles Times] DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Needles of ice: How cold and icy has it been in the Sierra foothills? Cold enough to create "needle ice.” Says one professor: "This is the result of some really cool geochemistry.” [SF Gate] Tunnel battle: A state hearing on the very controversial delta tunnel brought a caravan of farmers driving tractors to the meeting. They called the officials on hand to take testimony “the grim reaper,” “the assassin squad” and “domestic terrorists.” [Fresno Bee] ADVERTISEMENT CALIFORNIA CULTURE Going strong: Hollywood is a town for the young and the beautiful. But legends like Betty White, Don Rickles, Dick Van Dyke, Norman Lear and more show you can keep working into your 90s, and beyond. [The Hollywood Reporter] Smartest house: Is it a surprise that Mark Zuckerberg’s Palo Alto pad might be the smartest of smart homes? One reason: A robotic butler he calls Jarvis (apparently not named for Prop. 13 author Howard Jarvis). [Vanity Fair] Bye, San Diego? The owner of the San Diego Chargers said he’s closer to moving to Los Angeles. This could end a long saga for San Diego, where some are saying: Just go already! [San Diego Union-Tribune] Thanks but no thanks: Hollywood liberals are being vocal about their displeasure with Donald Trump and the election results. But does this really help the cause? “Yes, you can get millions of people to watch your video. But does that actually persuade them to change their votes to your preferred candidate, or turn out to vote when they would otherwise have stayed home?” [Washington Post] In a brown paper bag: Yes, there is a bar in Hollywood that charges $15 for a 40 oz. bottle of Colt 45. [LAist] CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: Cloudy with highs in the mid- to low 70s. San Diego: Cloudy with highs in the low 70s. San Francisco and Sacramento: Sunny with highs in the high 50s. AND FINALLY Today’s California memory comes from Geraldine Gauer: “I have fond memories of growing up in San Francisco in the ’50s and especially Christmas with all the fishing boats with colored lights on their masts and homes on Marina Boulevard with Bay windows showcasing spectacular lighted Christmas trees. And there was Normandy Lane and the tree at the City of Paris and the Emporium windows on Market — a Christmas fantasy for children and adults. It was magic.” 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 [Shelby Grad]. [Email][Twitter][Facebook] [Sign up for Newsletters] | [Privacy Policy] | [Unsubscribe] | Copyright © 2016 Los Angeles Times | 202 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012. | 1-800-LA-TIMES