Newsletter: Today: Trump, Clinton and the Power of Perception. The ‘No Cost’ Pension Deal That Costs Billions.

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss today.

TOP STORIES

Trump, Clinton and the Power of Perception

Which candidate do you think will win the presidential race? For the first time, Donald Trump is significantly eroding Hillary Clinton’s lead on that key question in the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. The perceptual shift, in turn, could affect voter turnout for both candidates. With the first debate one week away, take a look at the latest numbers provoking anxiety among liberal Democrats.

More Politics

— Trump’s rejection of climate science clashes with the reality of the sea level rise in Florida.

— Trump’s “birther” falsehoods continue to roil the presidential race.

A Sense of Unease After Three Attacks

An explosion that injured 29 in New York. The stabbing of nine people in Minnesota, for which Islamic State claimed responsibility. A pipe bomb that canceled a charity run in New Jersey. A suspicious device exploded by the bomb squad in Elizabeth, N.J., early Monday. Investigators are looking into all four but that didn’t stop the political bickering from starting almost immediately. Here is the latest on the attacks.

The ‘No Cost’ Pension Deal That Costs Billions

The pension deal for state employees that California Gov. Gray Davis signed in 1999 was sold on the idea that it wouldn’t cost taxpayers an extra dime. Since then, reality has intervened — big time. This year alone, those pensions will cost taxpayers $5.4 billion, according to the state. How did we get here, and would Davis have agreed to it in hindsight? Read the first part of our pension crisis series, a partnership of The Times, CALmattters and Capital Public Radio. Or watch this video for the 90-second version.

The Emmys Touch That Dial

This year’s Emmys had a bit of everything: several awards for “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”; repeat winners in “Game of Thrones” and “Veep” for top drama and comedy series; first-time acting honors for Tatiana Maslany of “Orphan Black” and Rami Malek of “Mr. Robot”; peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; and even a dash of Jeb! More than anything, Times TV critic Mary McNamara writes, the awards reflected the changing nature of television.

More Emmy Awards

-- Sarah Paulson, who played Marcia Clark in “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” thanked and apologized to the former prosecutor in a moment that crystallized the new perspectives Hollywood has given on the landmark case. Later, Clark’s name was engraved onto Paulson’s statuette.

-- Diversity was at the forefront too, showcasing television’s move toward a more realistic, representative mix of shows.

For Every Point the Rams Scored, It Cost $20 to Park

It wasn’t pretty, but the Rams upset the Seattle Seahawks 9-3 in their first home game back in L.A. One would hope that made the cost of parking near the Coliseum worthwhile. After all, lot operators were asking for up to $180 for a single spot without tailgating privileges. Will the high cost of parking get fans to abandon their cars and take public transit to the games?

OUR MUST-READS FROM THE WEEKEND

— This election is tough to watch for Ronald Reagan’s four-time campaign manager. Steve Lopez caught up with him.

— The border fence between San Diego and Tijuana has become a magnet for family reunions. Just don’t try to hug.

— The largely working-class neighborhoods west of USC have become some of the hottest real estate markets in the city.

— What’s the biggest challenge in opening up a national museum about African American history? How to talk about slavery.

— Facing a deadline, this South L.A. high school hustled to boost enrollment by three students.

— The Crystal Cathedral gets a big makeover as the Catholic Church takes over.

— Bigger in Texas: After one high school built a $60-million football stadium, a rival district is planning one for nearly $70 million.

CALIFORNIA

— Two-thirds of Californians support Gov. Jerry Brown’s effort to offer early release to more prison inmates, according to the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.

— San Francisco wonders: Who was the little girl who died around 1870 and whose casket was found earlier this year?

— Man versus machine: L.A. sheriff’s deputies used a robot to snatch a rifle from a barricaded suspect and end a standoff last week.

— George Skelton: Proposition 53 is a ballot measure Gov. Brown hates, but it’s one voters should love.

NATION-WORLD

— Three brothers, one of them a former Border Patrol agent, are accused of a cartel drug trafficking conspiracy that left a decapitated corpse floating off the Texas coast.

— States across the Southeast are experiencing sharp jumps in gas prices after a major gasoline pipeline ruptured in central Alabama.

— Vladimir Putin’s ruling party easily outdistanced its rivals in Russia’s parliamentary elections, but it was a lackluster victory.

— Waging war on Islamic State: The first battle is for hearts and minds.

— Treatments for kids with leukemia have improved so much that it is no longer the deadliest childhood cancer in the U.S., according to the CDC.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

— Times theater critic Charles McNulty remembers the genius of Edward Albee, the three-time Pulitzer-winning playwright and author of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” who died at age 88.

— “Snowden” is just the start: A number of films this year examine our fractured political climate and who we are as a country.

— The election is on everyone’s mind as South Coast Repertory presents the plays “All the Way” and “District Merchants.”

— “The Sound of Music” actress Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in the movie, has died at age 73.

— A black boy and a Barbie named Kenya: Why Ava DuVernay’s TV drama “Queen Sugar” goes where many African American stories won’t.

— At 75, Placido Domingo brings the sound and fury to L.A. Opera’s “Macbeth.”

BUSINESS

— The Fed is meeting this week to consider a small increase in interest rates, but if history is any indication, the chances of it going through are low right before an election.

— The Hanjin bankruptcy is a sign that the shipping industry may be reaching a crisis point.

— California added a net 63,100 jobs last month; the state accounted for 42% of all U.S. job growth in the period.

SPORTS

— Bill Plaschke: USC Trojans, seriously, what is your deal?

— A far-fetched family reunion: If only Corey and Kyle Seager could end up together on the Dodgers.

OPINION

— It’s time to legalize and regulate marijuana in California. Yes on Proposition 64.

— A UC professor says: Go ahead, curse in front of your kids.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

— An oral history of what it was like on 9/11 aboard Air Force One, “the safest and most dangerous place in the world at the exact same time.” (Politico)

— Rap mogul Russell Simmons: “Protest never comes at the hour of convenience.” (The Undefeated)

— The Banggai cardinalfish is popular with aquarium enthusiasts and is in danger of disappearing from the wild. (National Geographic)

ONLY IN L.A.

You can’t rush art. Just ask Tom Knechtel, who belongs to a group of L.A. artists dubbed the Slowest Painters in Town, a.k.a. SPIT. After his plan to be a toy maker didn’t pan out, Knechtel decided to give art a try. Now, he paints and draws using techniques inspired by the Renaissance, Indian miniatures and mysticism. See why one gallerist calls him “the Vermeer of Los Angeles.”

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.