Newsletter: This Orange County crew will watch the polls for voter fraud

Good morning. It’s Monday, Nov. 7. Still trying to sort out all those propositions before election day? Take a look at our guide. Here’s what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Poll watching or intimidation?

In Orange County, a small group of mostly white residents is heeding Donald Trump‘s call to be on the lookout for voter fraud. An inside look at their motivations and fears, and whether their actions could prevent some from voting. Los Angeles Times

They’re with her

While the presidential race remains tight nationwide, Hillary Clinton has managed to pull together disparate factions in California. The state’s Democratic and independent voters have come home to Clinton, sharply boosting her popularity and giving her a commanding lead in the nation’s most populous state, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. Los Angeles Times

Tunnel vision

Southern California’s rugged mountains, hills and valleys are among the region’s most cherished features. But the topography has proved a serious barrier to traffic flow as the Southland has grown, dividing key commuting routes and creating chronically congested choke points. Now, as part of Measure M, planners have a bold plan to tunnel under the Sepulveda Pass, L.A.’s most notorious traffic mess. But tunneling is very expensive and pretty risky. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Southeast L.A. County is excited about getting a rail line under Measure M. But some are angry at waiting until at least 2041. “God knows, I’ll probably be dead,” one resident said. Los Angeles Times

L.A. AT LARGE

Did you vote? Early voting in areas of Los Angeles is becoming popular, and like so many trendy L.A. things, a scene. On Saturday alone, more than 8,000 Angelenos cast ballots. So far, more than 25,000 people have voted early in L.A. County. Los Angeles Times

Shipping news: The struggling shipping industry is hitting the mega-ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach very hard. Now, the nation’s two largest ports are fighting for an increasingly smaller share of the pie, and that has big implications for the local economy. Press-Telegram

Hidden benefits? Deep inside L.A.’s ballot measure to reform the Department of Water and Power is a provision that would allow the agency’s ratepayer advocate to be reappointed to a second five-year term in his $276,000-a-year job and double the minimum budget of his small department. A look at how the provision got there and whether it was mishandled. Los Angeles Times

Art battle: A hate-crime investigation into graffiti attacking “white art” in Boyle Heights has sparked new protests. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Disability rights: How people with disabilities are viewing this election, and what they hope to gain. Pacific Standard

Senate scramble: California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez spent their final Sunday before election day crisscrossing Southern California. Harris is the front-runner in the Democrat-versus-Democrat contest to succeed Sen. Barbara Boxer. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Power of the pulpit: Inside Gangland Redemption Ministries, a Fresno church that is trying to bring gang members to God. “With this mob looking upon Jesus with rage and ridicule, Jesus goes out like a ‘G’ – full of grace – and he drops the mike and he gives up his spirit.” Fresno Bee

Job change: Why Fullerton’s police chief is going to Disneyland. Orange County Register

CALIFORNIA ELECTION IDEAS

Steve Lopez: An election of money and misery: By the numbers. Los Angeles Times

Meghan Daum: Hillary Clinton would be our first female president. So why aren’t women celebrating? Los Angeles Times

George Skelton: Why Jerry Brown has taken center stage this election season. Los Angeles Times

Dan Morain: In an ugly, dispiriting election cycle, here are some winners, losers and some signs of hope. Sacramento Bee

Orange County Register: Once one of America’s most conservative (and libertarian-leaning) newspapers, the Register on Sunday declined to make an endorsement on its editorial page. None of the candidates, it said, measured up. Orange County Register

Robin Abcarian: Spending time with people trying to get out the vote proves inspiring at the end of an ugly election. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Sing it: How the makers of the musical movie “La La Land” tried to bring out the whimsical side of the city. But is a SigAlert really a cause for song and dance? Los Angeles Times

Novel tribute: Harry Bosch, one of L.A.’s most beloved fictional detectives, has his own tribute to Vin Scully in a new book. Mystery Scene

Haunting: The ghosts of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Curbed San Francisco

Photo diary: Youth Orchestra Los Angeles recently completed its first tour, a 10th-anniversary road trip that took the kids from Northridge to Visalia, Fresno and finally Oakland, where they filled the Paramount Theatre for a concert conducted by Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel. Los Angeles Times

CALFORNIA ALMANAC

After a weekend marked by fog along the coast, Southern California will warm up this week, with temperatures approaching the 90s by Thursday. Today, Los Angeles will hit a high of 80 degrees. In Sacramento, it will be partly cloudy and 72. San Francisco will reach a high of 69 degrees.

AND FINALLY

This week’s birthdays for notable Californians:

Chef Gordon Ramsay (Nov. 8, 1966), Lakers vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss (Nov. 9, 1959), UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero (Nov. 10, 1951), U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (Nov. 11, 1940), L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson (Nov. 11, 1951) and late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel (Nov. 13, 1967).

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.