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California’s Worst Drought on Record Spells Trouble for Classic Green Lawns

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California’s Worst Drought on Record Spells Trouble for Classic Green Lawns


CALABASAS, Calif.—This rich Los Angeles suburb is famed for its movie star residents and meticulously landscaped properties. After a crackdown on water use, it’s now gaining renown for having a number of the brownest lawns in America.

“My youngsters are asking me, what goes flawed with this grass?” mentioned Siran Galstian, whose as soon as verdant garden is dying. “I’ve tears in my eyes, as a result of I like the grass they usually like enjoying in it.”

Inexperienced lawns have been a mainstay of Southern California since water was first piped in from distant mountains over a century in the past and reworked the semiarid area into an oasis. Popularized in TV exhibits from “The Beverly Hillbillies” to “Maintaining Up With the Kardashians,” lush lawns are so ubiquitous that the odor of freshly mowed grass and fizzing sound of sprinklers are as acquainted because the countless solar.

After two severe droughts prior to now decade, the traditional grass garden is below assault. Within the present drought—an extension of the worst in centuries within the American West—regulators are severe about reining in water use.

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The bottom rainfall on file this yr, on prime of hotter temperatures fueled partly by the results of local weather change, have left the state’s reservoirs lower than half full. Lethal, huge wildfires in recent times have been devastating to properties and pure areas across the state.

To assist stretch provides, the California Division of Water Assets in March reduce shipments to cities by 95% for the second yr in a row. The division manages the water provide that comes from the Sierra Nevada snowpack, and is accountable for a lot of the distribution of water saved in reservoirs across the state. A number of layers of federal, state and native companies additionally handle the use and distribution of water, which in some areas additionally comes from different sources, such because the Colorado River and groundwater.

Contrasting lawns at neighboring properties in Westlake Village, Calif., in Might.
Drought-friendly crops at a house in Agoura Hills, Calif.

Contrasting lawns at neighboring properties in Westlake Village, Calif., in Might. Proper, drought-friendly crops at a house in Agoura Hills, Calif.

Some water districts have resorted to deploying “water cops,” as they’re recognized by some residents, to nab flagrant offenders of latest rationing restrictions, which successfully starve lawns of water.

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Nowhere are the restrictions tighter than the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, which relies upon virtually completely on water from reservoirs. The district’s service space covers 77,000 residents in Calabasas and surrounding communities nestled within the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the northwest nook of Los Angeles County. Outside watering has been decreased to sooner or later per week for a most of eight minutes.

Grass that doesn’t obtain water a minimal of three days per week will go dormant or die, mentioned Bharat Shah, proprietor of Colourful Gardens Heart in Agoura Hills, Calif., the place revenues to this point this yr have fallen 50% from the identical time in 2021. He mentioned the shortage of garden water, in flip, imperils the bushes in yards, growing each the ambient warmth of a neighborhood in addition to its hearth threat.

“Plus, have you ever ever seen a house with out a garden?” Mr. Shah mentioned. “It doesn’t look good.”

Water cops armed with notepads and cameras patrol for scofflaws, driving previous gated enclaves with $30 million properties the place the likes of Will Smith and Drake reside, documenting violations. They search for indicators of waste—akin to deep inexperienced lawns or trickling water on curbs—and reply to complaints from clients, mentioned district spokesman Mike McNutt.

Mr. McNutt mentioned month-to-month utilization is formally calculated by digital meter readings. Repeated use above a property’s water finances, which relies on the quantity within the family and acreage, requires escalating fines, culminating within the final punishment: short-term shut off of a buyer’s out of doors irrigation.

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“I do know no person is keen on enforcement, and I’ll simply say we’re not keen on it both,” David Pedersen, common supervisor of the district, mentioned at a digital city corridor in Might to elucidate the restrictions. “However this can be a essential a part of what we do.”

Cason Gilmer, who leads a workforce of subject customer-service representatives within the Las Virgenes water district, photographed an tackle in The Oaks after seeing water runoff.

Between Dec. 1, when obligatory restrictions began, and July 1, warning notices have been despatched to five,551 households—roughly 1 / 4 of the district’s clients.

As of July 14, circulation restriction gadgets, which reduce off the flexibility to water lawns, have been positioned on 40 properties whereas one other 2,150 or so clients have been notified they face the identical penalty.

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On Might 26, a real-estate belief that owns Kim Kardashian’s seven-bedroom Tuscan mansion in Hidden Hills was notified that its out of doors irrigation might be turned off after receiving a number of violations for exceeding the property’s month-to-month water finances, in response to the district’s public data.

A spokeswoman for Ms. Kardashian mentioned the truth star’s belief wasn’t conscious of that shut-off discover, however mentioned the district had used flawed info to calculate her finances at each that property and a smaller one cited for related violations. She mentioned Ms. Kardashian’s workers spent weeks discovering and repairing a leak that had brought on some extra use. In June, the spokeswoman mentioned, the properties have been below their budgets.

“As quickly because the restrictions have been made throughout the world, everybody together with Ms. Kardashian, has labored extremely exhausting to reduce their utilization which…can’t be completed in a single day,” mentioned the spokeswoman.

District data present an $18 million house that Hollywood motion star Sylvester Stallone shares along with his spouse, Jennifer Flavin, was 351% over its water finances in Might. His lawyer mentioned in a written assertion that the couple have let their grasses die however want water to maintain greater than 500 mature bushes alive. The couple has notified native officers about the issue and are awaiting additional directions, in response to lawyer Martin Singer.

District officers say they’re working with each Ms. Kardashian and Mr. Stallone.

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Eliminating grass lawns is seen as a number one technique to preserve, since out of doors irrigation accounts for as much as 85% of city water use, in response to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which distributes water to districts within the area.

“The concept of getting these lush inexperienced carpets that take in treasured water as a badge of honor needs to be a badge of disgrace,” mentioned Felicia Marcus, former director of the State Water Assets Management Board, one other entity that regulates water use in California.

Native crops, akin to drought-resistant sage and California poppies, use as much as 70% much less water than grass, in response to estimates by water companies.

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Above and beneath, John and Margaret Mueller’s yard in Calabasas, Calif. They’ve landscaped with native crops to assist cut back water use.

“A garden is traditional, however I attempt to inform individuals you may nonetheless have a whole lot of shade,” mentioned Calabasas resident John Mueller in his yard, the place flowering shrubs together with California lilacs have changed the grass he and his spouse took out two years in the past.

Defenders of the normal garden say such excessive steps aren’t essential. “The truth is turf unnecessarily will get a foul rap,” mentioned Sandra Giarde, govt director of the California Panorama Contractors Affiliation. “Primary, individuals critically over-water turf. Perhaps you cease overwatering and make this work for everyone.”

The anti-grass motion has unfold throughout the American West over the previous 20 years, and has intensified with a drought regarded as greater than any prior to now 1,200 years, in response to analysis revealed earlier this yr by a workforce, together with a federal local weather scientist, who analyzed historic tree rings.

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In Las Vegas, grass lawns have decreased sharply on residential properties in that point, changed by native crops akin to desert marigold. A lot of the change has been funded by a program during which the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas has paid $270 million in rebates to switch 205 million sq. ft of grass. Authorities estimate that has saved a complete of 163 billion gallons—or sufficient to satisfy the area’s water wants for one yr.

Companies have been pushed to do their half as neighboring Lake Mead shrank to its lowest stage on file. In 2021, the Nevada Legislature handed a regulation requiring most house owners of properties apart from single-family properties to take away their grass by 2026. “That is grass that’s ornamental—the one particular person strolling on it’s pushing a garden mower,” mentioned Bronson Mack, spokesman for the water authority.

The motion expanded in California through the state’s final drought 5 years in the past, when Metropolitan, which handles water that serves 19 million individuals in Southern California, started an analogous turf alternative program. Practically 200 million sq. ft has been yanked out since then, in response to Metropolitan, for a saving of greater than seven billion gallons a yr, or sufficient water for Anaheim, Calif.

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Low ranges on the Castaic Lake reservoir in Los Angeles County in Might.



Photograph:

Mario Tama/Getty Photos

The Moulton Niguel Water District, which serves an space in southern Orange County, tried the water cop strategy throughout a 2009-10 drought however dropped it after 18 months, mentioned common supervisor Joone Kim-Lopez. “It didn’t work,” Ms. Kim-Lopez mentioned. “Prospects felt like they didn’t need to be advised what to do.”

As an alternative, Moulton Niguel, which isn’t below the identical rationing as Las Virgenes, put clients on a water finances and charged greater costs in the event that they went over. Ms. Kim-Lopez mentioned 90% of its clients have stayed inside their budgets, and lots of have used district rebates to switch practically 6 million sq. ft of turf.

On July 13, Mayor Eric Garcetti introduced that the town of Los Angeles had achieved its all-time lowest water use for June after inspectors started waste patrols. On July 1, a brand new restrict went into impact on out of doors watering, permitting it two days per week from three.

Laurence Springer, a utility providers specialist for the Los Angeles Division of Water and Energy, was on patrol within the metropolis’s Mid-Wilshire district one morning in late Might as he helped unfold the phrase on the brand new guidelines within the metropolis. He stopped to take photographs of moist pavement subsequent to a inexperienced garden, a violation of guidelines towards extra irrigation.

“You’ll be able to see some runoff on the sidewalk,” Mr. Springer mentioned, bending all the way down to take a better look. “It could be some damaged water sprinklers.”

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Laurence Springer, who works for the Los Angeles water division, factors out irrigation sorts and water runoff on his route within the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood in Might.

The resident of the house, Juliette Avigdor, hurried outdoors to ask what was flawed. When Mr. Springer advised her there was proof of extra water use, she mentioned she was a renter after which pointed at a neighbor’s house throughout the road the place she had seen runoff. The inspector let each events off with a warning. “We don’t need to cite individuals, we need to educate,” Mr. Springer mentioned.

Cason Gilmer leads a workforce of seven subject customer-service representatives within the Las Virgenes district who’ve been patrolling for violators for months—officers choose the phrase “water waste patrols” as an alternative of “water cops.”

Carrying denims and a blue work shirt along with his title on it, Mr. Gilmer, 36, labored in a store making bike elements earlier than taking this job 4 years in the past. Previous to enforcement being added to their tasks, the inspectors made home calls to assist discover leaks and in any other case gave water-saving ideas.

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“Now my youngsters assume I’m the good man,” he mentioned with fun.

Mr. Mueller exhibits crops to Mr. Gilmer at his house.

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Water runoff in entrance of a house in The Oaks.

Mr. Gilmer mentioned he and his workforce do every thing they’ll to get voluntary compliance. One proprietor of a four-bedroom house in Westlake Village, Calif., mentioned he initially reacted with anger when he bought a discover from the district that his house confronted a water shut off. He fired a letter again, saying he and his spouse had already completed lots to preserve, together with having little grass.

The house owner cooled down after the district provided to present him time to determine the place the waste was coming from. It turned out the sprinklers weren’t correctly adjusted, and after they have been mounted the district dropped the shut-off menace. On a follow-up go to in early June, Mr. Gilmer checked the water meter once more and found proof of a tiny leak.

“I see a few sixteenth of a gallon motion within the meter,” Mr. Gilmer, peering down into a gap on the sidewalk, referred to as out to the house owner. “Hmm,” he answered. “I’m wondering what might be leaking?” It turned out to be a rest room, which Mr. Gilmer mentioned has now been mounted.

On an earlier patrol sooner or later in late Might, Mr. Gilmer steered his van previous the gated entrance of The Oaks, an ultra-exclusive group in Calabasas with properties working as excessive as $30 million. He stopped to {photograph} algae rising on the curb beneath a garden at a house valued on Zillow at $5 million. “I’ve seen worse, however this isn’t good,” mentioned Mr. Gilmer, who left a door hanger discover. Residents are given a deadline to get the issue mounted, and the inspectors return to examine.

He and the opposite inspectors ship documentation of waste to Ursula Bosson, the district’s customer-service supervisor, who dispatches written notices, assesses fines and opinions buyer appeals. The overwhelming majority of consumers transfer to rapidly resolve the issue, she mentioned, though she added feelings can get excessive.

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“I get yelled at typically,” Ms. Bosson mentioned, “however I don’t take it personally.”

The Oaks neighborhood.

Write to Jim Carlton at jim.carlton@wsj.com

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California

2 dead, 3 injured in shooting in Louisville’s California neighborhood

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2 dead, 3 injured in shooting in Louisville’s California neighborhood


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Two men are dead and three others injured in a mass shooting in the California neighborhood Saturday night, Louisville Metro Police said.

Second Division officers initially found four men with gunshot wounds in the 2200 block of Garland Avenue when they arrived at 7:30 p.m., LMPD spokesperson John Bradley said in a statement.

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Two men were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital for treatment. As of Sunday, one man was in “critical but stable condition,” while the other was in stable condition, Bradley said.

A fifth man was later found in the area, Bradley said Sunday. He was also taken to UofL Hospital, but his condition was unknown.

Police had not located a suspect Saturday night. LMPD’s homicide unit is investigating, Bradley said. Anyone with information about the shooting could call LMPD’s anonymous tip line at 502-574-5673.

The two men who died have not yet been identified.

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

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This story has been updated to add video. 



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California man beheaded his 1-year-old son with a knife, authorities say

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California man beheaded his 1-year-old son with a knife, authorities say


SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A man has been arrested on suspicion of beheading his 1-year-old son, Northern California authorities said.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Friday that deputies responding to an early morning family disturbance call found a woman outside a home who told deputies that her husband Andrey Demskiy, 28, assaulted her and her mother.

Deputies forced their way into the house in northern Sacramento County when they learned Demskiy was inside with the boy. As they took him into custody, they found a “severed child’s head” in the bedroom where Demskiy was detained.

Detectives said Demskiy used a knife to behead his son after his wife and mother-in-law left the house, according to the statement. He was in custody and ineligible for bail, and was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

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The sheriff’s department and the county public defenders office did not respond to emails seeking information on whether Demskiy had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.



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Protests Swept California Campuses Last Year. Schools Are Now Blocking Them | KQED

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Protests Swept California Campuses Last Year. Schools Are Now Blocking Them | KQED


At UC Santa Cruz, police arrested one student who was using a megaphone during a demonstration on Oct. 7, according to an eyewitness who spoke to LookOut Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office public arrest reports show one person was arrested on the Santa Cruz campus for obstruction of a public officer and battery without injury that day.

While no arrests were made, Pomona College has suspended 12 students for the remainder of the 2024–25 academic year following an Oct. 7 demonstration in which they entered, damaged and vandalized a restricted building, according to the student newspaper. The college also banned dozens of students from the four other campuses of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium that includes Pomona.

Private colleges have implemented their own policy changes. Pomona College now requires students and faculty to swipe their ID cards to enter academic buildings. Since last semester, students and visitors entering USC are also required to show a school or photo ID.

Some students are still facing charges from last year’s protests

Few charges have been filed after UCLA’s encampment made headlines in April when counterprotesters led an attack on encampment protesters while law enforcement did not intervene for several hours. The following day, 254 people were arrested on charges related to the protest encampment. In October, two additional people were also arrested for participating in the counter-protester violence.

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The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is pursuing three felony cases against individuals arrested at UCLA in relation to violence during last spring’s protests.

Meanwhile, the city attorney’s office is reviewing 93 misdemeanor cases from USC and 210 from UCLA, according to information it provided to CalMatters last month.

Lilyan Zwirzina, a junior at Cal Poly Humboldt, was among the students arrested in the early morning of April 30 following protesters occupying a campus building and ignoring orders to disperse from the university. Law enforcement took her to Humboldt County Correctional Facility, where she faced four misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest. Zwirzina thought she’d have to cancel her study abroad semester, which conflicted with the court date she was given.

“I was pretty frustrated and kind of freaked out,” Zwirzina said. Authorities dropped the charges against her in July.

Pro-Palestinian protesters demand police officers go home during a protest outside of Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata on April 22, 2024. (Mark McKenna/CalMatters)

The Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office didn’t pursue charges against 27 of the 39 people arrested, citing insufficient evidence. The 12 remaining cases were referred to the Cal Poly Humboldt Police Department for investigation. Those cases remain under investigation, according to the university.

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For 13 people, including students, arrested at Stanford University in June, the Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen has not pressed charges as of Nov. 20, according to information his office provided CalMatters.

Elsewhere across the state, some district attorneys are pursuing misdemeanor and felony charges against student protesters. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer is pursuing misdemeanor charges against 50 people, including two UCI professors, a teaching assistant, and 26 students, stemming from a protest at UC Irvine on Oct. 22, 2023. Charges include failure to disperse, resisting arrest and vandalism.

At Pomona College, 19 students were arrested on April 5 on charges of trespassing after some protesters entered and refused to leave an administrative building. Students arrested either had their cases dismissed or have accepted community service in lieu of further legal action. James Gutierrez, the attorney representing the arrested students, said he asked that the college drop charges against its students, citing their right to protest the use of paid tuition dollars.

“They are righteously demanding that their colleges, the ones they pay tuition to and housing fees and pour a lot of money into, that that university or college stop investing in companies that are directly supporting this genocide and indirectly supporting it,” he said.

Students fight back against campus protest policies

As administrators face the challenge of applying protest policies more uniformly and swiftly, the truer test of California public higher education institutions’ protest rules will be playing out in court.

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In one already resolved case, UC leadership agreed in August to comply with a court order requiring the campus to end programs or events that exclude Jewish students. A federal judge ruled some Jewish students in support of Israel who were blocked from entering the encampment had their religious liberties violated — though some Jewish students did participate in UCLA’s protest encampment.

Now, students have filed at least two lawsuits against their campuses and the UC system for violating their rights while ending student encampments last spring. In September, ACLU NorCal filed suits against the UC and UC Santa Cruz for not providing students due process when they immediately barred arrested students from returning to campus.

“Those students should have gotten a hearing, an opportunity to defend themselves or to explain themselves, and the school would have shown evidence of why they created a risk of disturbance on campus,” Chessie Thacher, senior staff attorney at ACLU of Northern California, said.

UC Santa Cruz spokesperson Scott Hernandez-Jason said the university “appreciates the court’s careful deliberation” and that the university “is committed to upholding the right to free expression while also protecting the safety of its campus community.”

In October, ACLU SoCal filed lawsuits on behalf of two students and two faculty members against the UC and UCLA, alleging the actions the university took to break down the encampment violated their free speech rights.

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UCLA spokesperson Ricardo Vazquez told CalMatters via email that the university would respond in court and that UCLA “fully supports community members expressing their First Amendment rights in ways that do not violate the law, our policies, jeopardize community safety, or disrupt the functioning of the university.”

“The encampment that arose on campus this spring became a focal point for violence, a disruption to campus, and was in violation of the law,” Vazquez said in the email statement. “These conditions necessitated its removal.”





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