February 12, 2022

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It is Saturday, Feb. 12. Here’s a look at the top stories of the last week California will ease mask requirements. The state plans to lift its mandate for vaccinated people in indoor public places next week. Following the announcement, officials in most of the San Francisco Bay Area said they will lift local rules next week, but Los Angeles County officials are proceeding at a slower pace. State lawmakers approve new COVID-19 sick pay. The legislation, passed Monday and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, provides most workers with up to two weeks of COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave, a move policymakers hope will slow the spread of the coronavirus across the state. Single-payer healthcare effort is dead, but not gone. For decades, Democrats at the state Capitol have tried and failed to transition single-payer from a widely shared ideology to a policy. Then politics get in the way. Oscar nominations are here. Hollywood soldiered on with one of its most hallowed traditions Tuesday morning, unveiling nominations for the 94th Academy Awards. Voters found plenty worth celebrating from the last year, especially on streaming services. — Here’s the full list of nominees; see how they match up with our predictions. — After two years of a pandemic, is it any wonder that family dominates the Oscar nods? — There were surprises and there were snubs, including Lady Gaga and Alana Haim. ‘We no longer have a fire season. We have a fire year.’ Driven by unseasonable heat and gusty Santa Ana winds, two Southern California fires Thursday brought acrid smoke, evacuation orders and flaming fronts — harbingers of a difficult fire year for the parched region.Horrific allegations of racism prompt California lawsuit against Tesla. Black workers were subject to daily racist slurs at Tesla’s California plant, California’s civil rights agency said in a lawsuit filed against the company Thursday. Football sent Inglewood home prices and rents skyrocketing. Inglewood was one of the most affordable places to buy a home in Los Angeles County. But after the Rams relocated there, some longtime Black and Latino residents have been priced out. A tale of two Koreatowns. On the surface, Koreatown’s 6th Street appears to be thriving, with trendy restaurants, bars and big brands from South Korea. But at more traditional Korean restaurants, sharp revenue drops are the norm as older customers stay home. Trevor Bauer will not face criminal charges. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office announced Tuesday it would not charge the Dodgers pitcherafter reviewing a Pasadena police investigation into allegations of sexual assault. However, the decision doesn’t mean he is cleared to rejoin the team.