Newsletter: Essential California Week in Review: L.A. County’s mask mandate is off

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It is Saturday, July 30.

Here’s a look at the top stories of the last week

Mask mandate is off. Los Angeles County will not reinstitute a universal indoor public mask mandate, which would have taken effect Friday, after marked improvements in the region’s coronavirus case and hospitalization rates.

Inside a deadly attack at a San Pedro park. Days after two people were killed and seven injured in a shooting Sunday at San Pedro’s Peck Park, authorities released new details about the violent incident amid festering concerns from residents over park safety and accountability.

Oak fire is the largest fire so far this season. The blaze reached 19,191 acres Thursday, though firefighters appeared to be gaining an upper hand. The fire’s first 24 hours saw explosive growth and extreme conditions, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency for Mariposa County. More:

• A grim return for evacuated residents. Will their homes still be there?
• The presence of a self-described militia whose members handed out food and offered help to evacuees has raised concerns.

A night on the 6th Street Viaduct. The newly opened bridge has become a must-see and must-experience location. The antics ramped up to such extremes — from drag races to a man giving a haircut — that the cops shut down the artery four nights in a week.

California drought official quits, blasting Newsom. After 10 years on the California State Water Resources Control Board, Max Gomberg says he no longer believes Gov. Gavin Newsom and his administration are willing to pursue the sorts of transformational changes necessary.

Cal State agreed to keep sexual harassment findings under wraps. Two professors denied the claims, but investigations conducted by the San Marcos campus Title IX office concluded the professors had engaged in egregious sexual harassment and misconduct in violation of university policy. Instead of pursuing disciplinary action, however, the university agreed to generous settlements.

Strawberry fields may not be forever. Could robots help? Some see them as the only way that an industry sitting on the intersecting fault lines of climate change, water rights, labor struggles, land use and chemical regulation can adapt and survive.

Elon Musk abandoned the plan, but locals are picking it up. The tech billionaire pitched the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority on a tunnel that would whisk riders to Ontario International Airport in just a few minutes. He’s backed out, but that isn’t stopping officials.

Chief justice of California Supreme Court won’t seek second term. Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye will not seek reelection after her term concludes next year. Her departure will mean a third appointment to the state’s high court for Gov. Gavin Newsom if he wins reelection.

Homeless people wait as L.A. lets vouchers go unused. The vast majority of the more than 3,000 people and families who have received federal emergency vouchers in L.A. remain in limbo. Although the housing authority has distributed all of its vouchers, it has had little success getting recipients into permanent housing.

ICYMI, here are this week’s great reads

How a cringey Costco surfboard sparked a ‘foamie’ revolution. Riding a soft-top board used to be like surfing under a giant neon sign declaring there was a beginner in the lineup. Now, a new crop of surfboard companies are selling higher-performance soft-top boards that everyone from weekend warriors to pro surfers is willing to be seen on.

Housing slowdown? Looming recession? Not for the ultra-rich. As condos have grown in size and extravagance, their price tags have soared. There are currently 10 publicly listed condos for sale in Los Angeles for $10 million and up, and many more in development, ushering in a new trend in residential opulence in the city.

Americans are flooding Mexico City. Some locals want them gone. In recent years, a growing number of tourists and remote workers have flooded Mexico’s capital and left a scent of new-wave imperialism. The influx, which has accelerated in the pandemic and is likely to continue as inflation rises, is transforming some of the city’s most treasured neighborhoods.

Today’s week-in-review newsletter was curated by Laura Blasey. Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.