Newsletter: Essential California: Jurors recommend death for ‘Grim Sleeper’ killer

Good morning. It is Tuesday, June 7, and it’s election day in California. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Death row

The man known at the “Grim Sleeper” should be executed for killing at least nine women and one teenage girl, a jury decided Monday. Lonnie David Franklin Jr., 63, was convicted last month of committing 10 murders between 1985 and 2007, and authorities believe he is responsible for more. “We got what we came to get,” said Porter Alexander Jr., whose daughter Alicia was killed at age 18. Los Angeles Times

Prison overcrowding

The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for a November ballot measure that could reduce the state’s prison population. Under the proposal, nonviolent inmates could be released early if they behave behind bars. Los Angeles Times

Rape culture

The case of Brock Turner continues to capture interest across the Internet. Days after a 12-page statement from the victim in the rape case was released, an impact statement from the assailant’s father has surfaced. In it, he describes what his son lost after being convicted of three felonies. “These verdicts have broken and shattered him and our family in so many ways. His life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve,” said Dan Turner. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Conservation goals: California cut its water usage in April by 26% compared with the same period in 2013. “We will be watching closely to make sure that water agencies continue to prioritize the conservation habits their customers have adopted,” said Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. Sacramento Bee

L.A. AT LARGE

Off the market: The Playboy Mansion is on the verge of being sold to financier Daren Metropoulos for more than $100 million. Metropoulos bought the home next to the famous mansion in 2009. Playboy’s Hugh Hefner will be allowed to live in the home for the rest of his life. When he dies, Metropoulos plans to connect the two properties. Bloomberg

Rules of engagement: Media mogul Sumner Redstone may have just killed Viacom’s plan to sell off Paramount Pictures. The conglomerate’s bylaws were revised, and now any sale of Paramount must have the unanimous approval of the company’s board of directors. A representative for Viacom dismissed the bylaw changes as “illegitimate” and “invalid.” Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Plea deal: Former state Assemblyman Tom Calderon agreed to plead guilty to one count of money laundering in exchange for a prison sentence that is no longer than 12 months. In the agreement, Calderon admitted that he and his brother, then-state Sen. Ron Calderon, hid bribe money by laundering it through his business. Los Angeles Times

Freedom of expression: Was 9-year-old Logan Autry forced to remove his Donald Trump “Make America Great Again” cap at school? “It’s my favorite hat. The 1st Amendment says I can wear my hat,” he said. Los Angeles Times

Ballot confusion: Loyola Law professor Jessica Levinson talks about the confusion that some decline-to-state voters may experience at the polls today. Independent voters who want to vote in the Democratic, Libertarian or American Independent primaries will have to request such ballots at the polls. NBC 4

CRIME AND COURTS

Medical fraud: A Newport Beach man admitted to participating in a major fraud scheme in which doctors received kickbacks in exchange for surgical references, federal authorities said. Michael R. Drobot faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in November. Authorities say doctors were illegally paid to send patients to Pacific Hospital in Long Beach, which resulted in $600 million in fraudulent billing. Most of that money came from workers’ compensation insurance. Los Angeles Times

DUI arrest: Roger Clinton, brother-in-law to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, was picked up on suspicion of drunk driving in Redondo Beach on Sunday. Authorities said a motorist called police after observing an erratic driver southbound on Pacific Coast Highway. Clinton was released on $15,000 bond. Los Angeles Times

Two dead: Police are looking for the perpetrators responsible for killing two men in separate cases Sunday. One man was shot to death about 2 a.m. in the South of Market neighborhood. Five hours later, a second man was stabbed near 16th and Mission streets. SFGate

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Opting out: Stephen Curry won’t be playing in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. He cited ankle and knee injuries as the reasons why he’s opting out. Curry and the Golden State Warriors are two wins away from a second straight NBA championship. Los Angeles Times

Economic woes: When asked about the economy at the Miss USA pageant, Miss California USA gave a less than coherent answer and was widely mocked for the response. Nadia Mejia later defended herself by saying she prayed to God and he responded, “It’ll take longer than 30 seconds to answer that babe.” Sacramento Bee

Buzz, buzz: Beehives are going missing in Northern California. During the peak of pollination season, 1,734 hives were stolen. “Bee brokers who arrange contracts between beekeepers and almond growers are discovering that there are not enough beehives to go around, driving up demand, rental costs — and thefts.” KQED

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Sacramento will be sunny with a high of 91. San Francisco will have low clouds and a high of 68 degrees. Los Angeles will have clouds in the morning as temperatures reach 74 degrees. It will be mostly sunny and 88 in Riverside. San Diego will have clouds and a high of 71.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Dennis Repasi:

“I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. When Disneyland opened in 1955, my parents took me for a cross-country trip to visit the park. When I got back to school in the fall, I told the teacher that we had taken this trip, and she flat out told me that wasn’t possible. (Back then people just didn’t make those kinds of trips very often.) I went home crushed. My mother came in to speak with the teacher and show them my scrapbook and their pictures. My teacher apologized to me, and I was then the center of show-and-tell for many weeks. The teacher and my mother became lifelong friends. We later moved to California, and have been here since.”

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 Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.