California Today: Readers share why they love living in the golden state

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The view from Richmond, the diversity of Los Angeles and the stunningly green hills in spring are a few reasons to call California home, readers say.

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May 9, 2024

	By Soumya Karlamangla

It’s Thursday. Readers share why they love living in the Golden State. Plus, U.S.C. tries to save its graduation.

A person walks on a grassy hill that has a view of San Francisco’s skyline and the bay.

Mount Tamalpais State Park can offer a clear view of downtown San Francisco. Peter DaSilva for The New York Times

Nothing is a better pick-me-up than the sweet emails I receive from readers about why they love living in their corner of California.

We’ve been publishing these notes for more than two years, and together they offer delightful tributes to all parts of our state. We’re adding more, lightly edited, to our collection today.

You can email me your own California love letter to [email protected]. Enjoy.

“Recently, I had the opportunity to share with my friend’s teenage daughter my favorite spot in California. It’s a peaceful nook in the foothills of Richmond where I used to go to reflect when I was her age. Despite Richmond’s negative image in the news, I loved growing up there. I would go to our backyard and gaze out over the city of Richmond, then across to Mount Tamalpais, the tip of the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally to the panoramic view of San Francisco. To me, those views represented endless possibilities, and they inspired me to explore the world.” — Olga Villanueva, Berkeley

“I grew up in Washington State — a beautiful place, but gray and rainy most of the year. Each summer, my glamorous aunt would come up for a visit — with her acerbic wit and great stories about San Diego. Occasionally, she would also bring my towheaded surfer-boy cousins, who were older than the rest of us, and cooler than anyone I had ever met. My entire life, I talked about moving to California when I grew up. I did, and was lucky to get a room in the beautiful Hollywood Hills home of a friend for my first months (what I would call a very soft landing). I have been in my beloved city for over 25 years now. The weather is perfect, the diversity of the city is valued and unique, and the landscape is like a dream.” — Jeff Jumisko, Los Angeles

“As a native Californian who has lived here my entire 72 years, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The natural beauty is unbeatable — we have it all. Ocean, lakes, farmlands, deserts, stunning mountains, wild rivers and the vast Central Valley. Rolling hills that are stunningly green in spring, and golden in summer; majestic heritage oak trees; diverse evergreens; towering mighty redwoods. In Sacramento, the flowers take turns on center stage through the seasons, with gorgeous camellias, tulips, azaleas, dogwood trees, colorful crepe myrtles and abundant roses.” — Diana Halpenny, Sacramento

“My introduction to California came in 1965 when I was en route to Japan, and ultimately Vietnam, compliments of the United States Marine Corps. As a young man who had grown up in rural Arkansas, I was apart from my wife and young son for a questionable cause. While housed in bachelor officers’ quarters on Treasure Island, I heard for the first time Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” The song was special as I heard it innumerable times on Armed Forces Radio along with many other homesick Marines. Some 35 years later, my wife and I moved to Santa Monica, and five years later, San Francisco, where we overlook the Bay Bridge from our apartment.” — George Proctor, San Francisco

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times .

A sea of students, some masked, hold signs, including one that has a picture of Asna Tabassum.

U.S.C. students protested the canceled valedictorian address of Asna Tabassum. Aude Guerrucci/Reuters

The rest of the news

Customers of BetterHelp, an online counseling and therapy platform based in California, have begun receiving refund notices related to a $7.8 million privacy settlement, The Associated Press reports.

The State Supreme Court appeared reluctant on Wednesday to remove from the November ballot a measure that would require all new taxes or tax increases to be approved by voters, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Pete McCloskey, a California congressman who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against President Richard Nixon in 1972, died on Wednesday at his home in Winters, west of Sacramento. He was 96.

Southern California

U.S.C. is trying to manage its “train wreck” of a graduation as speakers pull out of ceremonies, security is bolstered and some professors are pushing for the valedictorian, whose speech was canceled, to give an address.
The university’s academic senate voted on Wednesday to censure Carol Folt, the president of U.S.C., over her handling of weeks of turmoil.
Police officials at U.C.L.A. say that some of the pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested on campus this week had tools to help them occupy a campus building.
A 14-year-old girl was charged in the fatal shooting of an anti-sex-trafficking activist’s daughter, who was killed in March in South L.A., The Los Angeles Times reports.
The owners of the house where Marilyn Monroe lived and died sued Los Angeles, accusing the city of engaging in “backroom machinations” to give the house landmark protection from demolition.

Northern California

Enikia Ford Morthel, the superintendent of the Berkeley public schools, testified in Washington on Wednesday that while there had been some incidents, “antisemitism is not pervasive in Berkeley Unified School District.”

WHAT WE’RE EATING

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

French Potato Salad

By David Tanis

1 hour 20 minutes, plus cooling time

Makes 6 generous servings

A backyard pool with a bear in the water and two bear cubs by the side of the pool.

Ricky Martinez

And before you go, some good news

A family of bears recently hopped into a pool in Monrovia to take a swim, The Guardian reports. Rick Martinez and his partner, Brian Gordon, have spotted bears on their property before, usually to explore the backyard.

Martinez told The Guardian that he expected to see more bear families crossing through their yard over the summer. “This is their land,” he said. “They are used to coming through here. We have healthy boundaries with them. If they’re outside, we stay inside. We let them do their thing, we admire them.”

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya

P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword.

Halina Bennet and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].

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<div style="display:none;font-size:1px;color:#fff;line-height:1px;max-height:0;max-width:0;opacity:0;overflow:hidden">The view from Richmond, the diversity of Los Angeles and the stunningly green hills in spring are a few reasons to call California home, readers say.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom:15px"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/california-today" title="California Today"><img src="https://static.nytimes.com/email-images/N-CaliforniaToday%402x.png" alt="California Today" class="css-p8oerp" style="width:300px" width="300"></a></div>
<p style="width:100%;margin-bottom:0;font:12px/12px georgia,serif">May 9, 2024</p>
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<td style="padding:0 9px 0 0;box-sizing:content-box;vertical-align:middle;width:45px" width="45" valign="middle"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/soumya-karlamangla"><img src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/08/02/reader-center/author-soumya-karlamangla/author-soumya-karlamangla-blogSmallThumb-v2.png" alt="Author Headshot" style="width:45px;height:45px;border-radius:100%" width="45" height="45"></a></td>
<td style="padding:0;box-sizing:content-box;vertical-align:middle" valign="middle"><p style="font:13px/18px arial,sans-serif;letter-spacing:.2px;color:#000;font:600 13px/18px arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:3px">By <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/soumya-karlamangla" class="css-1ckldco" style="color:inherit;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px solid #ccc">Soumya Karlamangla</a></p></td>
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<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span style="font-style:italic">It’s Thursday. Readers share why they love living in the Golden State. Plus, U.S.C. tries to save its graduation.</span></p>
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<tr><td><img width="600" height="480" class="css-1ytstr3" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/05/09/multimedia/09californiatoday-ca-mfzj/09californiatoday-ca-mfzj-jumbo.jpg" alt="A person walks on a grassy hill that has a view of San Francisco’s skyline and the bay." style="width:100%;height:auto;display:block;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:8px"></td></tr>
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<span style="color:#666;font:normal 14px georgia,serif">Mount Tamalpais State Park can offer a clear view of downtown San Francisco. </span><span style="margin:0;font:11px/11px georgia,serif;color:#888;letter-spacing:.01em">Peter DaSilva for The New York Times</span>
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<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>Nothing is a better pick-me-up than the sweet emails I receive from readers about why they love living in their corner of California.</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>We’ve been </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/29/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">publishing</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">these</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">notes</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">for</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">more</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">than</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/18/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">two</a><span> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/05/us/california-love-letters.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">years</a><span>, and together they offer delightful tributes to all parts of our state. We’re adding more, lightly edited, to our collection today.</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>You can email me your own California love letter to [email protected]. Enjoy.</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>“Recently, I had the opportunity to share with my friend’s teenage daughter my favorite spot in California. It’s a peaceful nook in the foothills of Richmond where I used to go to reflect when I was her age. Despite Richmond’s negative image in the news, I loved growing up there. I would go to our backyard and gaze out over the city of Richmond, then across to Mount Tamalpais, the tip of the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally to the panoramic view of San Francisco. To me, those views represented endless possibilities, and they inspired me to explore the world.” — </span><span style="font-style:italic">Olga Villanueva, Berkeley</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>“I grew up in Washington State — a beautiful place, but gray and rainy most of the year. Each summer, my glamorous aunt would come up for a visit — with her acerbic wit and great stories about San Diego. Occasionally, she would also bring my towheaded surfer-boy cousins, who were older than the rest of us, and cooler than anyone I had ever met. My entire life, I talked about moving to California when I grew up. I did, and was lucky to get a room in the beautiful Hollywood Hills home of a friend for my first months (what I would call a very soft landing). I have been in my beloved city for over 25 years now. The weather is perfect, the diversity of the city is valued and unique, and the landscape is like a dream.” — </span><span style="font-style:italic">Jeff Jumisko, Los Angeles</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>“As a native Californian who has lived here my entire 72 years, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The natural beauty is unbeatable — we have it all. Ocean, lakes, farmlands, deserts, stunning mountains, wild rivers and the vast Central Valley. Rolling hills that are stunningly green in spring, and golden in summer; majestic heritage oak trees; diverse evergreens; towering mighty redwoods. In Sacramento, the flowers take turns on center stage through the seasons, with gorgeous camellias, tulips, azaleas, dogwood trees, colorful crepe myrtles and abundant roses.” — </span><span style="font-style:italic">Diana Halpenny, Sacramento</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>“My introduction to California came in 1965 when I was en route to Japan, and ultimately Vietnam, compliments of the United States Marine Corps. As a young man who had grown up in rural Arkansas, I was apart from my wife and young son for a questionable cause. While housed in bachelor officers’ quarters on Treasure Island, I heard for the first time Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” The song was special as I heard it innumerable times on Armed Forces Radio along with many other homesick Marines. Some 35 years later, my wife and I moved to Santa Monica, and five years later, San Francisco, where we overlook the Bay Bridge from our apartment.” — </span><span style="font-style:italic">George Proctor, San Francisco</span></p>
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<span style="color:#666;font:normal 14px georgia,serif">U.S.C. students protested the canceled valedictorian address of Asna Tabassum. </span><span style="margin:0;font:11px/11px georgia,serif;color:#888;letter-spacing:.01em">Aude Guerrucci/Reuters</span>
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<h2 style="color:#000;font:400 25px/32.5px georgia,serif;margin:0 0 10px"><span>The rest of the news</span></h2>
<div style="margin:0 auto;max-width:600px;width:100%"><table><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0 0 5px"><ul class="css-14t63jt" style="color:#333;font:10px georgia,serif;text-align:left;padding-left:50px"><li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">Customers of BetterHelp, an online counseling and therapy platform based in California, </span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/betterhelp-ftc-data-privacy-settlement-payments-779419226dcbcd18d63be9381e1f2369" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">have begun receiving refund notices</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle"> related to a $7.8 million privacy settlement, The Associated Press reports.</span>
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<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">The State Supreme Court appeared reluctant on Wednesday to remove from the November ballot </span><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/california-tax-ballot-19445263.php" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">a measure that would require all new taxes or tax increases to be approved by voters</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.</span>
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<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">Pete McCloskey, a California congressman who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against President Richard Nixon in 1972, died on Wednesday at his home in Winters, west of Sacramento. </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/politics/pete-mccloskey-dead.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">He was 96</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">.</span>
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<h3 style="color:#000;font:400 20px/27.5px georgia,serif;margin:0 0 10px"><span style="font-weight:700">Southern California</span></h3>
<div style="margin:0 auto;max-width:600px;width:100%"><table><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0 0 5px"><ul class="css-14t63jt" style="color:#333;font:10px georgia,serif;text-align:left;padding-left:50px">
<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">U.S.C. is </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/usc-graduation-protests.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">trying to manage its “train wreck” of a graduation</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle"> as speakers pull out of ceremonies, security is bolstered and some professors are pushing for the valedictorian, whose speech was canceled, to give an address.</span>
</li>
<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">The university’s academic senate </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/university-of-southern-california-carol-folt-censure.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">voted on Wednesday to censure Carol Folt</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">, the president of U.S.C., over her handling of weeks of turmoil.</span>
</li>
<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">Police officials at U.C.L.A. say that some of the pro-Palestinian protesters who were </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/ucla-activist-arrest-pipes.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">arrested on campus this week</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle"> had tools to help them occupy a campus building.</span>
</li>
<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">A 14-year-old girl was charged in the </span><a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-08/14-year-old-girl-charged-with-south-l-a-murder" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">fatal shooting</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle"> of an anti-sex-trafficking activist’s daughter, who was killed in March in South L.A., The Los Angeles Times reports.</span>
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<li style="margin:0 0 10px 0;line-height:27.5px">
<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">The owners of the house where Marilyn Monroe lived and died </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/marilyn-monroe-house-lawsuit-los-angeles.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">sued Los Angeles</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">, accusing the city of engaging in “backroom machinations” to give the house landmark protection from demolition.</span>
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<h3 style="color:#000;font:400 20px/27.5px georgia,serif;margin:0 0 10px"><span style="font-weight:700">Northern California</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">Enikia Ford Morthel, the superintendent of the Berkeley public schools, </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/house-gop-public-school-leaders-antisemitism.html" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle">testified in Washington</a><span style="font-size:17px;line-height:25px;vertical-align:middle"> on Wednesday that while there had been some incidents, “antisemitism is not pervasive in Berkeley Unified School District.”</span>
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<tr><td style="padding:7px 0 20px;text-align:left"><p class="css-1k0bizo" style="letter-spacing:.4px;font:700 17px/25px arial,sans-serif;color:#000;margin:0">WHAT WE’RE EATING</p></td></tr>
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<a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025380-french-potato-salad" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none;display:block"></a><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:100%"><tbody>
<tr><td><img width="600" class="css-1gq6wps" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/05/08/multimedia/08TANISrex-potato-jtph/08TANISrex-potato-jtph-videoLarge.jpg" alt style="width:100%;height:auto;display:block;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:5px"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="css-dz4dhe" style="text-align:right;width:100%;padding-bottom:10px;line-height:14px" width="100%" align="right"><span style="margin:0;font:11px/11px georgia,serif;color:#888;letter-spacing:.01em">David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.</span></td></tr>
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<h3 class="css-ho8fyn" style="color:#000;margin:0;padding:0 0 5px;font:700 24px/30px georgia,serif">French Potato Salad</h3>
<p class="css-1aoxbjl" style="margin:7px 0 0 0;color:#000;font:600 14px/20px arial,sans-serif">By David Tanis</p>
<p style="color:#333;font:400 14px/20px arial,sans-serif;margin:0">1 hour 20 minutes, plus cooling time</p>
<p style="color:#333;font:400 14px/20px arial,sans-serif;margin:0">Makes 6 generous servings</p>
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<tr><td><img width="600" height="680" class="css-1jxjpzi" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/05/09/multimedia/09californiatoday-bears/09californiatoday-bears-jumbo.png" alt="A backyard pool with a bear in the water and two bear cubs by the side of the pool. " style="width:100%;height:auto;display:block;padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:5px"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="css-dz4dhe" style="text-align:right;width:100%;padding-bottom:10px;line-height:14px" width="100%" align="right"><span style="margin:0;font:11px/11px georgia,serif;color:#888;letter-spacing:.01em">Ricky Martinez</span></td></tr>
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<h2 style="color:#000;font:400 25px/32.5px georgia,serif;margin:0 0 10px"><span>And before you go, some good news</span></h2>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>A family of bears recently hopped into a pool in Monrovia to </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/07/bears-house-pool-los-angeles-california" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline">take a swim</a><span>, The Guardian reports. Rick Martinez and his partner, Brian Gordon, have spotted bears on their property before, usually to explore the backyard.</span></p>
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<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span>Martinez told The Guardian that he expected to see more bear families crossing through their yard over the summer. “This is their land,” he said. “They are used to coming through here. We have healthy boundaries with them. If they’re outside, we stay inside. We let them do their thing, we admire them.”</span></p>
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<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span style="font-style:italic;font-weight:700">Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><span style="font-style:italic">P.S. Here’s </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/mini" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-style:italic">today’s Mini Crossword</a><span style="font-style:italic">.</span></p>
<p style="margin:0 0 15px;font:14px/17.5px georgia,serif;color:#333"><span>Halina Bennet and </span><span>Briana Scalia</span><span> contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected].</span></p>
<p style="font:normal 17px/25px georgia,serif;color:#333;margin:0 0 15px"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/california-today" class="css-sdwaa1" style="color:#286ed0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;font-style:italic">Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox</a><span style="font-style:italic">.</span></p>
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California Today: Readers share why they love living in the golden state
The view from Richmond, the diversity of Los Angeles and the stunningly green hills in spring are a few reasons to call California home, readers say.
View in browser (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/4EKP5tnHqKreWgqorcQcUA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP4Q_AWh0dHBzOi8vbWVzc2FnaW5nLWN1c3RvbS1uZXdzbGV0dGVycy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS9keW5hbWljL3JlbmRlcj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00OSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jYV8yMDI0MDUwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMjI4MjUmaXNWaWV3SW5Ccm93c2VyPXRydWUmbmw9Y2FsaWZvcm5pYS10b2RheSZwYWlkX3JlZ2k9MCZyZWdpX2lkPTI0NDg0MjQ5NSZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2NjExOCZ0ZT0xJnVyaT1ueXQlM0ElMkYlMkZuZXdzbGV0dGVyJTJGZmZkMDFmMGEtNWMwYi01NDIzLTgyZjQtN2UyMmNiMGIwZjAzJnVzZXJfaWQ9ODM4M2VlMWFlMjQzNjg1MDQ3NmFkNTk5ZDNkMTQyMDlXA255dEIKZjPzzzxm1yUvTVIZb2xpdmlhbXVycGh5NDA5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) nytimes.com (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/JaJvUB-2hwiIxNXynVDEIw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0S1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD)

May 9, 2024

By Soumya Karlamangla (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/AM-ZeyquGeKTfomKrt6eGA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvc291bXlhLWthcmxhbWFuZ2xhP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD)
It’s Thursday. Readers share why they love living in the Golden State. Plus, U.S.C. tries to save its graduation.
Mount Tamalpais State Park can offer a clear view of downtown San Francisco. Peter DaSilva for The New York Times Nothing is a better pick-me-up than the sweet emails I receive from readers about why they love living in their corner of California. We’ve been publishing (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/LtDHRyawT22sz45WTR1L7Q~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMy8yOS91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) these (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/PoW-bv_mgG0VOQI8pwg1jw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMi8xNC91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) notes (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/ieFwPHoVXE205ufjQGZKog~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wMS8zMC91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) for (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/-hyM4KhTn0dSdfhwRV2F_g~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMS8wMi91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) more (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/kJvXMTzzX6epfYnXUQ1mrg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wOS8xNS91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) than (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/aQnF2q6Mwk_XxGLOqmGEeQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wOC8wOC91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) two (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/Q__UTUJSjgx7cE8FGJ1JwA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wNS8xOC91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) years (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/8d5vDlA93zptzBkj939cFQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8wNC8wNS91cy9jYWxpZm9ybmlhLWxvdmUtbGV0dGVycy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) , and together they offer delightful tributes to all parts of our state. We’re adding more, lightly edited, to our collection today. You can email me your own California love letter to [email protected]. Enjoy. “Recently, I had the opportunity to share with my friend’s teenage daughter my favorite spot in California. It’s a peaceful nook in the foothills of Richmond where I used to go to reflect when I was her age. Despite Richmond’s negative image in the news, I loved growing up there. I would go to our backyard and gaze out over the city of Richmond, then across to Mount Tamalpais, the tip of the Golden Gate Bridge, and finally to the panoramic view of San Francisco. To me, those views represented endless possibilities, and they inspired me to explore the world.” — Olga Villanueva, Berkeley “I grew up in Washington State — a beautiful place, but gray and rainy most of the year. Each summer, my glamorous aunt would come up for a visit — with her acerbic wit and great stories about San Diego. Occasionally, she would also bring my towheaded surfer-boy cousins, who were older than the rest of us, and cooler than anyone I had ever met. My entire life, I talked about moving to California when I grew up. I did, and was lucky to get a room in the beautiful Hollywood Hills home of a friend for my first months (what I would call a very soft landing). I have been in my beloved city for over 25 years now. The weather is perfect, the diversity of the city is valued and unique, and the landscape is like a dream.” — Jeff Jumisko, Los Angeles “As a native Californian who has lived here my entire 72 years, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. The natural beauty is unbeatable — we have it all. Ocean, lakes, farmlands, deserts, stunning mountains, wild rivers and the vast Central Valley. Rolling hills that are stunningly green in spring, and golden in summer; majestic heritage oak trees; diverse evergreens; towering mighty redwoods. In Sacramento, the flowers take turns on center stage through the seasons, with gorgeous camellias, tulips, azaleas, dogwood trees, colorful crepe myrtles and abundant roses.” — Diana Halpenny, Sacramento “My introduction to California came in 1965 when I was en route to Japan, and ultimately Vietnam, compliments of the United States Marine Corps. As a young man who had grown up in rural Arkansas, I was apart from my wife and young son for a questionable cause. While housed in bachelor officers’ quarters on Treasure Island, I heard for the first time Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” The song was special as I heard it innumerable times on Armed Forces Radio along with many other homesick Marines. Some 35 years later, my wife and I moved to Santa Monica, and five years later, San Francisco, where we overlook the Bay Bridge from our apartment.” — George Proctor, San Francisco

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U.S.C. students protested the canceled valedictorian address of Asna Tabassum. Aude Guerrucci/Reuters The rest of the news
Customers of BetterHelp, an online counseling and therapy platform based in California, have begun receiving refund notices (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/Mw-0ifjVaZJCtAmjTg40DA~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP4QIAWh0dHBzOi8vYXBuZXdzLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlL2JldHRlcmhlbHAtZnRjLWRhdGEtcHJpdmFjeS1zZXR0bGVtZW50LXBheW1lbnRzLTc3OTQxOTIyNmRjYmNkMThkNjNiZTkzODFlMWYyMzY5P2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) related to a $7.8 million privacy settlement, The Associated Press reports.
The State Supreme Court appeared reluctant on Wednesday to remove from the November ballot a measure that would require all new taxes or tax increases to be approved by voters (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/y9wChrQn3U4sum-57QyHGw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzL2FydGljbGUvY2FsaWZvcm5pYS10YXgtYmFsbG90LTE5NDQ1MjYzLnBocD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00OSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jYV8yMDI0MDUwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMjI4MjUmbmw9Y2FsaWZvcm5pYS10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTI0NDg0MjQ5NSZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2NjExOCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9ODM4M2VlMWFlMjQzNjg1MDQ3NmFkNTk5ZDNkMTQyMDlXA255dEIKZjPzzzxm1yUvTVIZb2xpdmlhbXVycGh5NDA5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) , The San Francisco Chronicle reports. Pete McCloskey, a California congressman who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against President Richard Nixon in 1972, died on Wednesday at his home in Winters, west of Sacramento. He was 96 (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/YRAfVgSjvFq_ieSfmVer2A~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wNS8wOC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy9wZXRlLW1jY2xvc2tleS1kZWFkLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDkmZW1jPWVkaXRfY2FfMjAyNDA1MDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTIyODI1Jm5sPWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD0yNDQ4NDI0OTUmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjYxMTgmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTgzODNlZTFhZTI0MzY4NTA0NzZhZDU5OWQzZDE0MjA5VwNueXRCCmYz8888ZtclL01SGW9saXZpYW11cnBoeTQwOUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) Southern California
U.S.C. is trying to manage its “train wreck” of a graduation (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/jCG_CUheYH4Z_Qb_K9P_ZQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wNS8wOC91cy91c2MtZ3JhZHVhdGlvbi1wcm90ZXN0cy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) as speakers pull out of ceremonies, security is bolstered and some professors are pushing for the valedictorian, whose speech was canceled, to give an address. The university’s academic senate voted on Wednesday to censure Carol Folt (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/WcD2mop4uOLLwVqAK9uNcg~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0T8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wNS8wOC91cy91bml2ZXJzaXR5LW9mLXNvdXRoZXJuLWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtY2Fyb2wtZm9sdC1jZW5zdXJlLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDkmZW1jPWVkaXRfY2FfMjAyNDA1MDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTIyODI1Jm5sPWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD0yNDQ4NDI0OTUmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjYxMTgmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTgzODNlZTFhZTI0MzY4NTA0NzZhZDU5OWQzZDE0MjA5VwNueXRCCmYz8888ZtclL01SGW9saXZpYW11cnBoeTQwOUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) , the president of U.S.C., over her handling of weeks of turmoil. Police officials at U.C.L.A. say that some of the pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested on campus this week (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/llDOBNpsYDVH5VQMTNRKIw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wNS8wOC91cy91Y2xhLWFjdGl2aXN0LWFycmVzdC1waXBlcy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) had tools to help them occupy a campus building. A 14-year-old girl was charged in the fatal shooting (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/KqaBQVAcXQBv8iyAaia0kw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0T_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGF0aW1lcy5jb20vY2FsaWZvcm5pYS9zdG9yeS8yMDI0LTA1LTA4LzE0LXllYXItb2xkLWdpcmwtY2hhcmdlZC13aXRoLXNvdXRoLWwtYS1tdXJkZXI_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDkmZW1jPWVkaXRfY2FfMjAyNDA1MDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTIyODI1Jm5sPWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD0yNDQ4NDI0OTUmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjYxMTgmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTgzODNlZTFhZTI0MzY4NTA0NzZhZDU5OWQzZDE0MjA5VwNueXRCCmYz8888ZtclL01SGW9saXZpYW11cnBoeTQwOUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) of an anti-sex-trafficking activist’s daughter, who was killed in March in South L.A., The Los Angeles Times reports. The owners of the house where Marilyn Monroe lived and died sued Los Angeles (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/5UPIrMkEsgKwr5oIy_CFBw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wNS8wOC91cy9tYXJpbHluLW1vbnJvZS1ob3VzZS1sYXdzdWl0LWxvcy1hbmdlbGVzLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDkmZW1jPWVkaXRfY2FfMjAyNDA1MDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTIyODI1Jm5sPWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD0yNDQ4NDI0OTUmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjYxMTgmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTgzODNlZTFhZTI0MzY4NTA0NzZhZDU5OWQzZDE0MjA5VwNueXRCCmYz8888ZtclL01SGW9saXZpYW11cnBoeTQwOUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) , accusing the city of engaging in “backroom machinations” to give the house landmark protection from demolition. Northern California
Enikia Ford Morthel, the superintendent of the Berkeley public schools, testified in Washington (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/SB4EFtDn1aJpJy2dqaLNag~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0T0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyNC8wNS8wOC91cy9ob3VzZS1nb3AtcHVibGljLXNjaG9vbC1sZWFkZXJzLWFudGlzZW1pdGlzbS5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTQ5JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NhXzIwMjQwNTA5Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTEyMjgyNSZubD1jYWxpZm9ybmlhLXRvZGF5JnJlZ2lfaWQ9MjQ0ODQyNDk1JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9MTY2MTE4JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD04MzgzZWUxYWUyNDM2ODUwNDc2YWQ1OTlkM2QxNDIwOVcDbnl0QgpmM_PPPGbXJS9NUhlvbGl2aWFtdXJwaHk0MDlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAD) on Wednesday that while there had been some incidents, “antisemitism is not pervasive in Berkeley Unified School District.”

WHAT WE’RE EATING
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
French Potato Salad
By David Tanis
1 hour 20 minutes, plus cooling time
Makes 6 generous servings
Ricky Martinez And before you go, some good news A family of bears recently hopped into a pool in Monrovia to take a swim (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/GUNccaXi0ml9BQb1ETvXIw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0T8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3VzLW5ld3MvYXJ0aWNsZS8yMDI0L21heS8wNy9iZWFycy1ob3VzZS1wb29sLWxvcy1hbmdlbGVzLWNhbGlmb3JuaWE_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDkmZW1jPWVkaXRfY2FfMjAyNDA1MDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTIyODI1Jm5sPWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD0yNDQ4NDI0OTUmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjYxMTgmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTgzODNlZTFhZTI0MzY4NTA0NzZhZDU5OWQzZDE0MjA5VwNueXRCCmYz8888ZtclL01SGW9saXZpYW11cnBoeTQwOUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) , The Guardian reports. Rick Martinez and his partner, Brian Gordon, have spotted bears on their property before, usually to explore the backyard.

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Martinez told The Guardian that he expected to see more bear families crossing through their yard over the summer. “This is their land,” he said. “They are used to coming through here. We have healthy boundaries with them. If they’re outside, we stay inside. We let them do their thing, we admire them.”
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/XgBIRYm_S55dSPvVETz5ug~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY3Jvc3N3b3Jkcy9nYW1lL21pbmk_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NDkmZW1jPWVkaXRfY2FfMjAyNDA1MDkmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MTIyODI1Jm5sPWNhbGlmb3JuaWEtdG9kYXkmcmVnaV9pZD0yNDQ4NDI0OTUmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNjYxMTgmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTgzODNlZTFhZTI0MzY4NTA0NzZhZDU5OWQzZDE0MjA5VwNueXRCCmYz8888ZtclL01SGW9saXZpYW11cnBoeTQwOUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~) Halina Bennet and Briana Scalia contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at [email protected]. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox (https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/eMaUwzR_-ydrG4vOpvtiBw~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRoH1TzP0TRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vbmV3c2xldHRlcnMvY2FsaWZvcm5pYS10b2RheT9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD00OSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jYV8yMDI0MDUwOSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0xMjI4MjUmbmw9Y2FsaWZvcm5pYS10b2RheSZyZWdpX2lkPTI0NDg0MjQ5NSZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE2NjExOCZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9ODM4M2VlMWFlMjQzNjg1MDQ3NmFkNTk5ZDNkMTQyMDlXA255dEIKZjPzzzxm1yUvTVIZb2xpdmlhbXVycGh5NDA5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~)

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Subject Line: California Today: Readers share why they love living in the golden state
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