California
Have some down time? Check out the revamped L.A. Times games
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Sunday. I’m your host, Andrew J. Campa. Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend:
Check out our games
One of America’s enduring traditions is waking up on Sundays to complete the local newspaper’s crossword puzzle. The scene is often an individual or a couple in pajamas, sipping coffee or tea and tapping on their tables or chairs with a pencil as they ponder.
It’s an act that dates back to 1913, when the former New York World newspaper is believed to have run the first crossword puzzle.
While the Los Angeles Times boasts a robust Daily Crossword, its newly revamped Games section has so much more to offer.
There’s new takes on old classics and stalwarts, along with an emphasis from the Games team to draw 21st century subscribers more in favor of digital innovations. And they’re all free.
Let’s take a quick peak.
Wordflower
The L.A. Times’ newest addition to the Games family, “Wordflower,” has a familiar feel for fans of the New York Times’ wildly popular “Spelling Bee.”
Challenge yourself each day to find words of four or more letters using the letter at the center of the flower. Advance based on the quantity and length of words you find. Can you make it to Golden Poppy?
We love “Wordflower,” and we think you will too for some of its features.
For instance, “Wordflower” features a timer not seen in similar versions, and you don’t have to toggle between screens to see what words you’ve already selected.
Maybe most important, “Wordflower” places the total number of words needed to be found in an obvious place the player can see.
Daily Crossword
Play the nation’s oldest newspaper crossword free every day, and challenge friends to beat your time.
Check back each day for a new puzzle and to browse our recent archive.
The upgraded crossword enables the user to play in a larger and easier-to-use setting, which is mobile friendly for those who want to play on the go.
The puzzle is published every day at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
Mini Crossword
Challenge yourself daily with a free mini version of the classic crossword puzzle.
Can you solve the Mini in minutes — or seconds? Play a new puzzle every day or browse the archive.
Sudoku
Test your savvy with a new classic numbers puzzle every day, and come back daily for more free puzzles.
You can start on easy mode and ride your way up four levels to expert.
Conquered expert mode? Try Impossible Sudoku for the ultimate challenge.
Word Search
Speaking of classics, unwind by hunting for words on the day’s themed list.
They’re hidden horizontally, vertically, diagonally and backward.
Come back daily for a new theme or to browse the recent archive.
News Quiz
Hopefully, you’re already familiar with our popular news quiz.
This is where your range, from pop culture to history, science and current affairs, gets challenged.
Test your knowledge and memory of this week’s stories with 10 California-leaning multiple-choice questions about the week in news — straight from our quizmaster.
There are plenty more games to check out here. Have fun!
The week’s biggest stories
(Nic Coury / Associated Press)
Climate change, weather and animal news
Crime, courts and policing
Holiday heartbreak and elation
USC, Dodgers and other sports highlights
More big stories
Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.
Column One
Column One is The Times’ home for narrative and long-form journalism. Here’s a great piece from this week:
(Courtesy of Albert Sanders/Courtesy of Albert Sanders)
Albert Sanders Jr., the boy with the big dreams and the bigger drive, was scared. He was angry. Worried. He wanted to become a lawyer, to wow courtrooms just like Ben Matlock and Perry Mason did on his family’s clunky console TV. But in 1994, when he was 14, that dream suddenly seemed beyond reach, hence the anger and worry.
More great reads
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your weekend
It’s Sunday Funday, featuring Justine Lupe.
(Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by Jon Kopaloff / WireImage)
Going out
Staying in
L.A. Affairs
Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.
(Lili Todd / For The Times)
Through first dates and internships, there was always that one sushi shop in Pasadena. It’s where they celebrated birthdays and green card arrivals. It’s where she found calm during high times and anxiety, and where they celebrated anniversaries. Now, more than seven years into their relationship, the shop has served an unexpected monument to their love.
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Carlos Lozano, news editor
Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
California
California’s gubernatorial race heats up as Newsom’s term nears end, with many contenders
FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — In just over a year, Gavin Newsom’s term as California’s governor will come to an end, capping off nearly eight years in office.
Now the question is – who will take over once he steps down?
We spoke to political scientist Nathan Monroe about what could be one of Californias most unpredictable gubernatorial races yet.
With Governor Gavin Newsom’s term ending, the race to replace him begins.
This race will determine who leads the worlds fifth largest economy at a time when California is facing issues such as housing and affordability.
Californias next gubernatorial election is shaping up to be crowded – and for the first time in years – there’s no incumbent on the ballot.
“You say, well, just which democrat is going to win, right? Like, sort of republicans don’t have a shot. But what we have to keep in mind, right, is that the rules of elections matter. And in California, we have the top two primary system,” said Nathan Monroe, a Political Science Professor at UC Merced.
More than a dozen candidates are vying for the spot.
On the democratic side, contenders include former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier barrera, former U.S. Representative Katie Porter, Representative Eric Swalwell, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and former State Controller Betty Yee.
Political experts say the size of the field could make turnout and name recognition decisive and could lead to unexpected results in the primary.
“But if you divide that pie up by just two, and you divide the democratic pie up, which is admittedly a larger pie, by 7 or 8, the concern you get here is that democrats are going to lose out on even running to the general election. So even though there might be more democratic votes to be found in California for governor, they might not have a shot to cast those ballots for a democrat on the general election ballot,” said Monroe.
Monroe says party leaders may need to step in soon.
“I think the concern has to be among voters and I’m sure among the party leaders, so to speak, right, the party leaders sort of amorphously, is that they’ve got to figure out a way to delicately, you know, assure some candidates out of the race and figure out which candidates those should be and figure out how to manage those personalities and try to coordinate all the things that go in and around a gubernatorial election,” said Monroe.
On the Republican side, former Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Fox News contributor Steve Hilton.
With just a few months from the midterm elections, Monroe says both parties need to organize.
“What’s happening behind the scenes for the parties to try to coordinate themselves to make sure that the field that they offer to voters in June is a field that gives them the best chance for their best candidate to go forward to the general election,” said Monroe.
The primary election is set for June, with the general election in December.
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain and high tides believed to be the most severe in two decades caused flooding in parts of Northern California on Saturday, prompting road closures and rescues of residents trapped in their cars.
Roadways through a 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch from the Sausalito area to San Rafael were flooded after a downpour coincided with record-breaking “ King Tides,” Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said.
No injuries were reported but authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in floodwater as high as three and four feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters), he said.
“There is a lot of water in the roadways,” Dobbins said, adding the tides were reportedly the highest in more than two decades. “Along with heavy rains, it just created the perfect storm for flooding on the streets.”
Authorities in the communities near San Francisco asked residents to stay home wherever possible until waters recede. Some residents kayaked along what normally would be city streets. Others waded out in water that passed their knees.
A flood warning was in place for the San Francisco area until 2 p.m. Saturday and an advisory until 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in San Francisco.
King Tides occur when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment and the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.
10:06 PM: Police are arriving at the scene of a two-vehicle crash reported at California/Dakota, with at least two people hurt.
11:06 PM: Police have just reopened the street. We went to the scene after a report that one vehicle had ended up on the lawn of a church – First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – is on the southwest corner – but all we could see was one vehicle on the sidewalk. We’re following up with SFD regarding the people who were hurt.
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