Democratic civil war, Comic-Con's flight and fighting immunization doubters

Saturday | January 24, 2015

Welcome to Essential California, our weekly newsletter. I'm California Editor Shelby Grad.

California's Democratic Civil War To hear the pundits tell it, the race to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer is shaping up to be something of a civil war on the Democratic side, pitting Northern California's Kamala Harris against Southern California's Antonio Villaraigosa. The outcome could be historic because Harris, California's attorney general, would be the state's first black U.S. senator and former Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa the first Latino. Villaraigosa would enter the race with what many consider a solid record as mayor. But the politics and demographics of California put him at a disadvantage. "Latino voters are ascendant, and Los Angeles is the population center of the state, so it seems a local candidate should have a leg up in any statewide contest," Times political editor Cathleen Decker wrote. "But this is the confounding reality: Horrible voter turnout in Southern California -- and particularly in Los Angeles -- puts locals at a distinct disadvantage compared with Democrats from Northern California." Times political writer Michael Finnegan writes that Villaraigosa would have to build strong support in the Southland to top Harris, who has a potent base in the heart of the liberal Bay Area. "A key task for Villaraigosa would be image rebuilding. His turbulent personal life -- his marriage ended after an affair with a local TV newscaster -- harmed his public standing while he was mayor."

Comic-Con, Football and San Diego San Diego is already dealing with an NFL team that might bolt. Now Comic-Con, the wildly popular entertainment event that has called San Diego home for 40 years, is talking about leaving. As with the fate of the Chargers, the Comic-Con battle has to do with expensive city infrastructure. Comic-Con needs more space, and the city has vowed to expand its convention center. But that $520-million project has stalled. City leaders say they will get the expansion done (they are also trying to help build a new NFL stadium). How big are the stakes? Said the head of San Diego's tourism board: "For us, Comic-Con is our Super Bowl." Speaking of the NFL, the fine print of the plan to bring the Rams to Inglewood is a little more complex than officials have let on.

Fighting Immunization Doubters Health officials have felt powerless against parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated. But as the Disneyland measles outbreak continues to spread, they have found a new weapon. Orange County's Health Care Agency ordered two dozen students without proof of immunization to stay home from Huntington Beach High School for three weeks after an infected student was identified there. The county says it will take the same action if measles cases are found at other schools. At the same time, a Times analysis found that for the first time in 12 years, the number of California parents who cite personal beliefs in refusing to vaccinate their kindergartners dropped in 2014. Experts credit a new state law that requires a signature from a healthcare provider saying the parents have been counseled on the risks of rejecting vaccinations. Still, the number of "personal beliefs" vaccine exemptions is significantly higher than two decades ago.

And Here Are Some Great Reads for Your Weekend:

-- Chinese visitors to California seem to have a more glowing view of the Golden State than many residents. -- How boring, grimy downtown Los Angeles became hip, shiny #dtla. -- Ever wonder why there are so many digital billboards in L.A., despite all the neighborhood outcry? A story of money, politicians and influence. -- A drone carrying drugs crashed this week near the U.S.-Mexico border. But drones are not expected to become the tool of choice for smugglers. -- Death with dignity is again a front-burner issue in California, and Steve Lopez explains why the stakes are personal. -- In Napa, Robin Abcarian finds that as foie gras returns to the menu, so do the uncomfortable truths about how those fine meals get to our dinner table. -- To fight City Hall, is it more effective to whisper in the corridors of power or shout during street protests? -- "Atmospheric river" is joining El Niño, La Niña, the cutoff low and the Catalina eddy as meteorological terms we need to know (especially if we like rain). -- Off the California Coast, the Coast Guard plays a cat-and-mouse game ofcatching smugglers of different stripes. -- More people take mass transit when gasoline prices rise. But the core ridership stays even after prices drop. -- Why has California fallen behind the rest of the nation in manufacturing job gains?