July 1, 2023

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A brutal heatwave is expected to last through Labor Day weekend. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

By Kevinisha Walker Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It is Saturday, July 1. Here’s a look at the top stories of the last week How to stay cool and safe during California’s first heat wave of the summer. The next few days in Southern California will be very, very hot. And it’s just the start of what is anticipated to be a sweltering summer. Newsom’s pestering of ‘sixth grade bully’ DeSantis seeps into presidential race. Aides to Newsom and DeSantis agree that there’s no greater political dichotomy at the moment than California and Florida, and their governors. But at least for now, the rivalry benefits one man more than the other. Can’t find Sriracha? Here’s why the shortage is a sign of our harsh climate reality. Blame the drought in Mexico. The shortages that have persisted for the last year is part of a phenomenon that experts warn will become much more common on a warming planet. Democrats walk off California Senate floor after Republicans honor Richard Grenell for Pride Month. Grenell, who is gay, has repeatedly espoused right-wing disinformation and has called Trump “the most pro-gay president ever.” The unorthodox quest to find Kristin Smart’s body, the last piece of an enduring mystery. Paul Flores, who was the last person seen with Smart as the two walked toward her dormitory after a Memorial Day weekend party, was convicted in October of murdering her in 1996. But her body has never been found. Three men are on a quest to find where her body is buried using an experimental technology known as soil vapor sampling.