Newsletter: Essential California: Devin Nunes: Attacked in Washington, a hero in the Central Valley

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, April 4, and here’s what’s happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Center stage

The two views of Rep. Devin Nunes are impossible to reconcile, not that many in his district are trying to. In a region where troubles often take the form of drought or pestilence, his longtime constituents greet Nunes’ high-profile, controversial role in the Russia-Trump investigation with a shrug, their faith in him undiminished. Los Angeles Times

Immigration and driving

A California law giving immigrants here illegally the ability to get driver’s licenses appears to have helped decrease hit-and-run accidents, according to a Stanford University study released Monday. The controversial law, part of a larger effort by state officials to provide rights and services to California residents in the country illegally, resulted in more than 850,000 people getting driver’s licenses since the law took effect in 2015. Los Angeles Times

Still flying

Actor Harrison Ford will not face any discipline by the Federal Aviation Administration for narrowly missing a jetliner and mistakenly landing on a taxiway two months ago at John Wayne Airport. The mishap got national attention because officials said it could have been a deadly mistake. But investigators concluded Ford’s history did not call for severe action. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Dodger … Burger? Everything you need to know about opening day at Dodger Stadium (the score is the least of it). Perhaps the most interesting: How does the Dodger Burger taste? Los Angeles Times

Plus: In some ways, Dodger Stadium is a model for how to build a ballpark. Los Angeles Times

Rising in the Valley: A massive mini-city topped by high-rise buildings is planned for Metro’s North Hollywood station. It would be spread over 15 acres and include several developments. Urbanize LA

College closes: Westech College, a for-profit trade school whose three campuses are in Southern California, has suddenly closed, citing money problems. Los Angeles Times

Flashpoint revisited: Twenty-five years after the L.A. riots, one photographer recalls the danger and chaos at Florence and Normandie. LA Weekly

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Walled off: A preview of what some of the designs for President Trump’s border wall might look like. Some look like prison walls, others have design touches like mosaic tiles. One includes a monorail. San Diego Union-Tribune

Visa drama: The annual H-1B lottery for skilled workers began Monday amid concerns that President Trump and congressional Republicans will dramatically decrease the flow of workers in Silicon Valley. Mercury News

Helping those in need: How California is trying to level the playing field for students in low-income areas. The Center for Public Integrity

Waters winning: Sharon Stone has come to the defense of Rep. Maxine Waters, whose hair was mocked last week by Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. The newsman later apologized, but the incident has raised Waters’ profile even more. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Sen. Dianne Feinstein says “no” on Judge Neil M. Gorsuch. Los Angeles Times

Climate clash: The legal battles between California and President Trump over environmental policies are starting to pile up. State Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra is joining with his counterparts in other states to accuse the U.S. Department of Energy of unlawfully delaying new efficiency standards. Becerra and nine other attorneys general filed a notice that they’re prepared to sue within 60 days if the federal government doesn’t implement standards on portable air conditioners, walk-in coolers and other equipment. Los Angeles Times

Election day: More than half the candidates in today’s election in L.A.’s 34th Congressional District are women. It’s the first congressional race in the nation since Donald Trump was elected president. Los Angeles Times

Reality sets in: The Trump-Schwarzenegger feud is heating up, and it’s shifting from TV ratings to actual policy. Sacramento Bee

CRIME AND COURTS

Legal limbo: Roman Polanski was denied in his latest bid to resolve his 40-year-old statutory rape case. That means the famed director is likely to remain out of the U.S. Los Angeles Times

Brothers, separated: The heart-wrenching story of twin boys, separated by fate, bad luck and the court system. Orange County Register

Brutal beating: Two men trying to earn their way into a San Pedro street gang may have been behind the vicious beating of a star high school baseball player. The player remains in a coma, and police stress he was an innocent victim, not part of a gang. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CLIMATE

Bees attack: A colony of bees turned on their keeper, killed a dog and terrorized a Central Valley neighborhood. Los Angeles Times

Bear views: Wildlife enthusiasts around the world now can follow the daily journey of Yosemite National Park’s black bears, tracking the animals online as they lope up steep canyons and cross vast distances in search of food and mates. Los Angeles Times

More bears here: The drought might be over, but Southern California should continue to see bears roaming down from the foothills looking for food and swimming in those infinity pools. Daily News

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Art icon: Looking back at the refined tastes of J. Patrice Marandel, who just retired as chief curator of European painting and sculpture at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, ending a 24-year career there. Los Angeles Times

Trashed: Dolores Park in San Francisco has become one of the city’s most popular meeting spots, and that is causing an explosion of trash. This weekend, parkgoers left enough to fill 460 bags. SF Gate

Vandalism for fun and politics: A short history of Hollywood sign pranks. LAist

Looking the part: Along Gallery Row in downtown L.A.’s Arts District, it’s not just about the art on the walls but what the gallery patrons are wearing. New York Times

Oakland wins by losing? The exit of the Raiders from Oakland is a huge loss for both fans and many workers — but for taxpayers, the team’s move to Las Vegas might be a godsend. Wall Street Journal

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: Partly cloudy this week, with rains possible Friday. San Diego: Partly cloudy, highs in the mid-60s to low 70s. Bay Area: Partly cloudy this week, rain by Thursday. Sacramento: Warm through Friday, when rains arrive. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Today’s California memory comes from Milton Randle:

“My first visit to California was January 1979. We were a five-man band seeking to make it in the rock ’n’ roll jungle of Los Angeles. We drove cross-country from Vermont. As we passed through the verdant hills in the mid-afternoon sunlight, we knew we had arrived in the promised land. I did not know then how rare the sight of those green hills would be, given Southern California’s tenuous relationship with the rain. The band did not make it. Those hills are so often brown. Those hills are green now due to the recent rains and restore my optimism.”

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 Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.