Updating Sunday . .   

Authorities identify suspected gunman in Lunar New Year mass shooting -- Authorities have identified the man responsible for a deadly shooting inside a Monterey Park dance studio as 72-year-old Hemet resident Huu Can Tran. Tran died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a strip mall parking lot, law enforcement sources said. “We still are not clear on the motive,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. “The investigation continues … we want to know how something this awful can happen.” Summer Lin, Jeong Park, Rebecca Ellis, Richard Winton, Libor Jany , Rong-gong Lin II, Julia Wick, Hayley Smith, Debbie Truong, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Motive remains a mystery after suspected gunman in Lunar New Year mass shooting found dead -- A deadly mass shooting inside a Monterey Park dance studio led authorities to Torrance on Sunday, where the suspected gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a strip mall parking lot, law enforcement sources said. Summer Lin, Jeong Park, Rebecca Ellis, Richard Winton, Libor Jany , Rong-gong Lin II, Julia Wick, Hayley Smith, Debbie Truong, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Driver found dead after authorities breach van linked to Lunar New Year mass shooting -- At least two bullet holes had been visible in the driver’s-side window in the moments prior to their approach, and the driver appeared to be slumped over the steering wheel. Multiple law enforcement sources told The Times that the driver had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Summer Lin, Jeong Park, Rebecca Ellis, Richard Winton, Libor Jany , Rong-gong Lin II, Julia Wick, Hayley Smith, Debbie Truong, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Authorities breach van linked to Lunar New Year mass shooting; driver dead -- Authorities have breached a white van in Torrance that they believe is connected to the gunman who opened fire at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring 10 others. Summer Lin, Jeong Park, Rebecca Ellis, Richard Winton, Libor Jany , Rong-gong Lin II, Julia Wick, Hayley Smith, Debbie Truong, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

After Monterey Park shooting, gunman targeted Alhambra dance studio, sources say -- Authorities believe that after opening fire at a Monterey Park dance studio Saturday night, the Lunar New Year gunman went to a second dance facility not far away in Alhambra, law enforcement officials said. No one was hurt at Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio in Alhambra, the sources said, but there was a physical altercation and the man left in a white van. Richard Winton, Julia Wick in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Standoff in Torrance as police find van linked to gunman in Lunar New Year mass shootings -- Police have located a white van they believe is connected to the gunman who opened fire at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring 10 others. Summer Lin, Jeong Park, Rebecca Ellis, Richard Winton, Libor Jany , Rong-gong Lin II, Julia Wick, Hayley Smith, Debbie Truong, Grace Toohey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Gunman still on the loose after 10 killed in mass shooting in Monterey Park dance studio -- The gunman who opened fire at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring 10 others, remained on the loose Sunday morning, authorities said. Summer Lin, Jeong Park, Rebecca Ellis, Richard Winton, Libor Jany , Rong-gong Lin Ii, Julia Wick, Hayley Smith in the Los Angeles Times$ Andrew Dalton, Jae C. Hong Associated Press Josh Cain in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Erica Werner, Reis Thebault, Marisa Iati, Brittany Shammas, Maham Javaid, Kelly Kasulis Cho, Leo Sands and Annabelle Timsit in the Washington Post$ Vik Jolly, Isabella Kwai and Jin Yu Young in the New York Times$ Scott Calvert and Michael Wright in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/22/23

Photos: Gunman still on the loose after 10 killed in mass shooting in Monterey Park dance studio -- The gunman who opened fire at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park on Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring 10 others, remained at large Sunday morning, authorities said. The photos are in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Monterey Park mass shooting: How Bay Area officials are responding -- The Bay Area on Sunday morning woke up to the news of a mass shooting in Southern California that left 10 people dead and at least 10 others injured, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Jessica Flores in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/23

‘My heart is broken’: Lawmakers swiftly respond to Monterey Park mass shooting -- While law officers were still searching for the shooter and no determination has been made on whether it was a hate crime, lawmakers were calling for vigilance given a rise in racist incidents directed at the Asian community in recent years. Ryan Carter, Kaitlyn Schallhorn in the Orange County Register -- 1/22/23

Policy and Politics  

Voters turn sharply against Kevin de León, favor recall, poll finds -- Voters in Councilman Kevin de León’s district have little confidence in him, and as a scandal involving racist comments continues to dog him, a majority want him to resign, a new Los Angeles Times poll shows. Rachel Uranga, Melissa Gomez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Seiler: Katie Porter’s Senate bid scrambles Orange County races -- Porter’s run opens up her 47th District to a successor. According to the secretary of state, in the newly redistricted 47th, last year Democrats made up 34.42% of registered voters to 34.15% Republicans. A slight Democratic advantage, but basically a wash. No party preference was 24.8%. John Seiler in the Orange County Register -- 1/22/23

McManus: Biden said the pandemic is over, but the pandemic won’t cooperate -- Three years after the United States logged its first case of COVID-19, the pandemic has slipped off the front pages and seemingly out of public consciousness. Doyle McManus in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Gas  

Sforza: Here’s why your gas bills are so much higher right now -- None of us lives in Hearst Castle. Yet my natural gas bill shot from $44 to nearly $300 in the span of two months. Kay Kearney’s is projected to hit $368 in January — more than three times what she paid this time last year. And Burl Estes is staring down a $397 tab for having the audacity to keep warm. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 1/22/23

Street  

‘I am afraid to live here’: How a massacre in a small California town named Goshen shocked the country -- The slaying of six people, including an infant, highlights how parts of the San Joaquin Valley have become some of the most violent places in California. Ruben Vives, Rachel Uranga, Robert J. Lopez, Jessica Garrison, Genaro Molina in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Oakland mayor says no decision made yet on police chief’s future -- Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao affirmed Saturday that an investigation is under way into Police Chief LaRonne Armstrong, two days after she placed him on paid administrative leave following a report released Wednesday that found the police department mishandled two misconduct cases. Danielle Echeverria, Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/23

Oakland police have faced scandals and controversies for two decades. Here’s a look back -- The Oakland Police Department’s troubled history spans more than 20 years and nearly a dozen police chiefs over the same period. Sarah Ravani in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/23

New report affirming Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper’s guilt hasn’t put doubts about the case to rest -- Kevin Cooper’s death sentence for the 1983 murders of a married couple and two children in San Bernardino County is probably the most contentious capital case in California. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/23

Rain Train  

Newsom budget would cut some money for flood protection -- Multiple flood protection projects in California are on hold after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting their funding to help cover a $22.5 billion budget deficit — a decision disappointing environmental advocates as weeks of powerful storms have caused widespread flooding that damaged homes and washed away roads. Adam Beam Associated Press -- 1/22/23

A 100-foot tree smashed a Sacramento family’s home. How will they pay for the damage? -- Even those who don’t live on the economic edge face years of recovery as they grapple with how to repair homes, cars and communities. Maya Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 1/22/23

Also . . .   

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin marries longtime love on 93rd birthday -- Astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin announced on Facebook that he has married his “longtime love” in a small ceremony in Los Angeles. Aldrin, who made history along with Neil Armstrong as the first humans to set foot on the surface of the moon, said the wedding took place on Friday, which was his 93rd birthday. Associated Press -- 1/22/23

Lopez: His long wonderful life is an inspiration, but aging means compromise, and it’s expensive --Morrie Markoff didn’t respond right away when I emailed him recently, which made me worry a bit. So, I reached out to his son, Steve Markoff, who reassured me that his father was fine. And about to celebrate his 109th birthday. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Southern California life expectancy shows huge gaps based on race, gender, county -- Consider the projected lifespans for two babies born in Southern California during the first year of the pandemic: One, a Black boy in San Bernardino County, had a life expectancy of 70.2 years, according to 2020 data collected by the California Department of Public Health. The other, an Asian girl born in Los Angeles County, could expect to live exactly 89 years. Andre Mouchard in the Orange County Register -- 1/22/23

 

California Policy and Politics Sunday  

Dueling rallies on abortion highlight tensions on Roe v. Wade’s 50th anniversary -- The 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade prompted a tense standoff at San Francisco’s Civic Center on Saturday afternoon, as demonstrators on both sides of the abortion debate attempted to shout over one another, separated by a phalanx of police officers. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/23

L.A. on the Record: When will we see Mayor Karen Bass’ appointees? -- One of the most potent ways a new L.A. mayor can put their stamp on city government early in their term is by selecting a new slate of appointees to oversee the LAPD, the Department of Water and Power, the region’s transit system, city animal shelters, street repairs and many other services. For now, those panels remain filled with scores of commissioners selected by former Mayor Eric Garcetti. David Zahniser, Julia Wick, Benjamin Oreskes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

California's recent storms were historic. Here's why they could get much worse -- Storms have dumped historic amounts of rain and snow on California over the past month. But in the not-so-distant future, winter storms in the Western U.S. could get bigger and more intense as greenhouse gas emissions warm the planet, a new study reported Thursday in Nature Climate Change. Jack Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/22/23

Navy christens massive ship bearing name of legendary Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren -- Earl Warren, the late Supreme Court Chief Justice who presided over society-shaking civil rights changes in the 1950s and 60s, including ending racial segregation in public schools, was honored Saturday in San Diego by the Navy which christened a 746-foot fuel ship in his name. Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 1/22/23

Walters: Transit ridership falters, posing a ‘fiscal cliff’ -- California wants more people to use public transit for transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but ridership is down and transit systems face a “fiscal cliff.” Dan Walters CalMatters -- 1/22/23

Street  

Mourners pay their respects to slain Riverside County sheriff’s deputy -- The Riverside County sheriff’s deputy who was shot and killed on Jan. 13 was honored Saturday morning at a funeral service where he was remembered as an exceptionally kind and dedicated public servant. Adam Elmahrek in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

Also . . .   

You think you’re chilly, L.A.? This part of California hit minus 27 degrees -- The mountainous area near Yosemite National Park — situated between Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe — is accustomed to cooler temperatures but since the two weeks of storms that hit California, it has been running about 30 degrees below its average low of 10 degrees for the time of year, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Fuentes. Colleen Shalby in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/22/23

 

Saturday Updates   

LAPD ban of ‘thin blue line’ flags is latest salvo in culture war -- LAPD Chief Michel Moore says the flag’s original meaning, police support, has been “hijacked” by extremist groups. Libor Jany in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

Arellano: May Jose Huizar’s fall be the end of the ‘Eastside politico’ -- When news broke this week that former Los Angeles Councilmember Jose Huizar was going to plead guilty to federal racketeering charges for his role in a corruption scandal that rocked Los Angeles politics, I immediately thought of “American Me.” Gustavo Arellano in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

Water district roiled by bitter infighting and criminal charges against general manager -- For years, the Central Basin Municipal Water District was seen as a poster child for government dysfunction: State auditors slammed the agency for questionable contracting practices, poor leadership and violating the law. Ian James, Dorany Pineda in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

The San Francisco Inquirer looks like local news. Here’s why politicians are furious with the site -- A New York consultant who reportedly published false news articles about political figures has created a website called the San Francisco Inquirer, which is designed as a local news site but appears to be an effort to pressure federal lawmakers into supporting the consultant’s client, a Bay Area-based tribe. Shira Stein in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/21/23

Dowd: Nancy Pelosi, Liberated and Loving It -- Won’t she still be a celebrity, even without her old title and big staff and wide balcony? “I was a woman of great power, and now I’ll be a woman of great influence,” she said. “Whatever that happens to be.” Maureen Dowd in the New York Times$ -- 1/21/23

Rain Train  

Storm flooding compounds misery for California farms and workers -- After a series of violent storms, California farmworkers must cope with flooded homes, dangerous job conditions and lost wages. Dorany Pineda, Brittny Mejia in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

California oysters are in short supply. Here’s why the rain is to blame -- Although the storms brought much-needed rain to the state, helping to refill reservoirs and soaking drought-stricken regions, the water runoff into places such as Morro and Tomales bays prompted oyster harvesters to pause operations for bacterial testing. Christian Martinez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

Struggling to find a Bay Area roofer after recent winter storms? You’re not alone -- Property owners with roof damage may need to wait weeks for repairs as local roofers are overwhelmed after the storms. Ethan Varian in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/21/23

California Storms Leave Billions of Dollars in Damage to Businesses, Homes and Infrastructure -- Weeks of heavy weather unleashed landslides, shattered rainfall records and hit industries from tourism to agriculture. Jim Carlton in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/21/23

California’s vineyards were thirsty. Historic rains were ‘a dream come true.’ -- This region’s vintners have been turning very little water into very good wine year after year during an unrelenting drought. Reis Thebault in the Washington Post$ -- 1/21/23

Street  

LAPD chief apologizes to family of former TV exec who accused ex-CBS boss of assault -- The LAPD was rattled last fall amid accusations that the former commander, Cory Palka, provided special treatment to Moonves when he was in charge of the LAPD’s Hollywood division. Palka allegedly worked to cover up Golden-Gottlieb’s sexual assault report in 2017 and 2018, according to a November report from New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

Workplace   

How Apple Has So Far Avoided Layoffs: Lean Hiring, No Free Lunches -- The world’s largest company has so far avoided the job cuts rippling through peers including Microsoft Corp., Google, Meta Platforms Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. Aaron Tilley in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 1/21/23

Homeless

Los Angeles is taking an aggressive approach to homelessness. How does it compare to San Francisco’s? -- The challenge for both regions is seeing long-term results in cities with affordable housing shortages, a fentanyl crisis, and challenges in treating people with mental illness who end up on the streets. Mallory Moench in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/21/23

Education  

Hackers penetrated LAUSD computers much earlier than previously known, district probe finds -- Instrusion into L.A. school district’s system began as early as July 31. Previously, officials spoke of attack that began and ended on Sept. 3. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

California sues 2 Sacramento landlords, alleges they discriminated against Section 8 tenant -- The lawsuit was filed against two Sacramento landlords, alleging they discriminating against a tenant, and chose to evict her for using federal assistant to pay rent. Sawsan Morrar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 1/21/23

CalTrain  

New $6.7 billion price tag makes Caltrain’s SF extension among costliest in the world -- Preparations for the final 1.3-mile leg — pushing trains to the city’s Salesforce Tower — are finally picking up speed after decades of on-and-off planning. But there’s one major hurdle: a new $6.7 billion price tag. Eliyahu Kamisher in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 1/21/23

Also . . .   

History is present: FDR’s floating White House bobs in the waters off Jack London Square -- The rains had finally let up, and I spent the other afternoon in Oakland at the head of the table where the president of the United States once sat, talking about Franklin D. Roosevelt, politics, and salt water. Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/21/23

S.F. Toiletgate: City is being gifted a free bathroom, but it’s still going to cost $1 million -- The Noe Valley Town Square will finally get a toilet that doesn’t cost $1.7 million. But the price tag for installing a free, donated bathroom could still be jarringly high. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 1/21/23