Newsletter: Why did this retired teacher get a $12,836 bill from the Department of Water and Power?

Good morning. It is Wednesday, Oct. 5. Here is a list of what you might not know about Koreatown. And here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Fight over transparency

Hoping to curb the spread of misinformation, the Los Angeles Police Department released surveillance video Tuesday that captured part of a chase that led to the deadly shooting of an 18-year-old man. The video appears to show Carnell Snell Jr. running through a strip mall parking lot with a gun in his hand. Over the weekend, protesters questioned the LAPD’s assertion that Snell was armed when he was shot by officers. “I don’t care if he had a gun because life matters,” said Melina Abdullah, an organizer with the Black Lives Matter movement. Los Angeles Times

Massive bill

Something funny is going on with a retired schoolteacher’s water bills in Northridge. Typically, Velma Matthews’ bills from the Department of Water and Power are about $500 for every two-month billing period, she says. But in July, she received one for more than $12,000. And in September, she got an even bigger surprise, writes columnist Steve Lopez. Los Angeles Times

An appreciation

Many Angelenos had never heard of Gordon Davidson, but he did much to change the way the world viewed L.A. and how L.A. viewed itself. Los Angeles Times

L.A. AT LARGE

Wheels on the bus: Yes, it’s possible to be car-free in Los Angeles when you have a toddler. “She knows that if we are going to the playground, the farmers’ market, the library, the doctor, we’re walking. In our house, the car is the exception.” Curbed LA

Tourist destination: Souvenir carts have been cleared away from the front of TCL Chinese Theatre. A documentarian posted a picture to Facebook last week that showed the kiosks covering the famous handprints, footprints and signatures of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Hollywood Reporter

Storage site: A former printing press for La Opinión could soon be turned into storage for the homeless. The property could accommodate showers and 500 storage bins. Urbanize LA

Architectural treasures: A walk through Los Angeles’ Art Deco history. New York Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

New leadership: Rep. Loretta Sanchez has a new campaign manager for the final stretch of her U.S. Senate campaign. Maria Unzueta is expected to lead the campaign through Nov. 8. Los Angeles Times

Campaign ad: A new ad from congressional candidate and retired Marine Col. Douglas Applegate slams Rep. Darrell Issa for his comments on providing financial aid to the first responders of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A spokesman for the Republican lawmaker says his statements were taken out of context. Los Angeles Times

Hey kids: Hollywood and D.C. meet up again for this PSA on preventing sexual assault on college campuses. Vice President Joe Biden makes a special appearance. Funny or Die

Housing the homeless: A report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California states Orange County has enough to money to house all of its homeless residents. “If the county does not allocate significant local funds to the issue, homelessness will continue indefinitely,” according to the report. Orange County Register

CRIME AND COURTS

Deputy shooting: An L.A. County sheriff’s deputy shot a man at an Expo Line station in Santa Monica on Tuesday. The man, who officials said had two knives, was wounded. Los Angeles Times

Change of venue: Former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca wants his federal trial moved out of Los Angeles County. In new court papers, Baca says he believes he cannot get a fair trial here. “Based on the constant, inflammatory, and far-reaching media coverage surrounding this matter, a trial within the Central District of California, particularly within Los Angeles County, will violate Mr. Baca’s due process rights,” a court motion says. Daily News

Religious freedom: United Poultry Concerns is asking a federal judge in Orange County to stop the kosher slaughter of chickens during a Jewish ritual. Kapparot is performed by some Orthodox communities between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. During a ceremony, a chicken is swung over someone’s head and then slaughtered. Orange County Register

BUSINESS

Bankruptcy filing: The San Diego-based company that owns Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The reorganization will include the closure of 20 to 30 restaurants. San Diego Union-Tribune

Government funding: When Silicon Valley says no, some innovators turn to the federal government. “There is a lot more experimental tolerance in the government,” said Brandon Borko, who is working on swarm technology thanks to the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Bloomberg

No privacy: Yahoo Inc. reportedly built a computer program that allowed the U.S. government to scan users’ emails for a specific phrase. “Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer’s decision to obey the demand apparently led to a major security hole in Yahoo’s email system, which frustrated the company’s security chief enough that he soon defected to Facebook.” Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Sounds like trouble: Earthquakes are terrifying when you feel them. But listening to them is another matter. Take California’s 7.3 Landers quake back in 1992. “The recording begins with a rumble so thunderous it overwhelms the other activity captured by the seismogram.” California Sunday Magazine

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Early detection: In a new essay, actor Ben Stiller reveals he had prostate cancer two years ago. He now has a clean bill of health, which he attributes to early detection via the PSA test. “What I had  —  and I’m healthy today because of it  —  was a thoughtful internist who felt like I was around the age to start checking my PSA level, and discussed it with me,” he writes. Medium

Money, money, money: A new ranking of the wealthiest people in Orange County. Orange County Register

Worth a thousand words: New photos that show homeless individuals using drugs are causing a stir in San Francisco. SFGate

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Sacramento will be 74 and mostly sunny. San Francisco will have some clouds and a high of 68. It will be mostly sunny and 78 in Los Angeles. Riverside will be sunny with a high of 81. San Diego will have low clouds and a high of 74.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California Memory comes from Doug Culver:

“Gov. Pat Brown was visiting Hollywood as part of his 1962 reelection campaign. For hours, cars with speakers on the roof drove up and down La Brea Avenue loudly announcing, ‘Gov. Brown will be at Oakwood and La Brea at noon!’ My mother, oblivious to all this, was making her regular run to Tops Market at Oakwood and La Brea to refill my Dad’s liquor cabinet. She was there with her cart full of beer and booze when Gov. Brown walked in. He took one look at her, he took one look at her full cart and in his booming college debate champion voice, shouted, ‘There’s a woman I need to meet, and I need to meet her RIGHT NOW.’ My mom may have been embarrassed, but she did vote for him.”

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.)

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