TODAY’S ESSENTIAL NEWS
» Bruce’s Beach Officially Sold Back to L.A. County for $20 Million The sale became official Monday in the culmination of a victory won after a long fight to return the beach back to its original Black owners. The state’s return of Bruce’s Beach back to the Bruce family last summer was celebrated as a victory for reparations for African Americans— the land seized by eminent domain from Charles and Willa Bruce nine decades ago as they endured racism in Manhattan Beach. But some are criticizing the family’s decision to sell the land back to LA County for $20,000,000. [NBC]
» Costa Mesa Police Launch Investigation Into Alleged Racial Profiling During A Traffic Stop The Costa Mesa police department has launched an investigation after a 22-year-old man from San Diego alleged an officer used racially-charged language during a traffic stop last week. The driver Abdullahi Aden, who is Black, said he was pulled over for having tinted windows near South Coast Plaza. A passenger in Aden’s car taped the interaction and posted it on TikTok. During the stop, Aden mentioned that he went to the “No. 1 public university.” The officer replied “What? Prison?” [CBS]
» Michael Jackson’s Nephew Jaafar Jackson to Portray Him in Upcoming Biopic The film will take on the musician’s life and career and will be produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody), John Branca and John McClain, who are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. There is no information yet surrounding the release date and how much of Michael’s life the biopic will dive into. [Billboard]
» Great White Sharks Are Gathering Off The SoCal Coast The population of Great White sharks is exploding off the Southern California coast. Researchers from the Cal State Long Beach Shark Lab said there may be as many as 40 juvenile white sharks just 50 feet from shore at some of the most popular beaches in SoCal.Researchers call it a shark nursery, one of several along the Southern California shore. [ABC]
» Cold Weather Arrives In Southern California, Bringing Snow To The Mountains Cold weather moved into Southern California on Sunday, bringing rain, cloudy skies and snowfall in the mountains. The weather that swept in from the north was forecast to drop 6 to 10 inches of snow at elevations above 5,000 feet in the San Gabriel Mountains, and as much as a foot of snow at high elevations in the mountains in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. The National Weather Service said the cold weather would bring snow at elevations as low as 2,500 feet, and could leave up to 2 inches on mountain passes including the Grapevine on Interstate 5. Forecasters warned the snow could make for slippery driving on roads in the mountains. [L.A. Times]
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TOP STORIES FROM L.A. MAG
Filmmaker Soraya Simi Finds a New Beginning After Angela Madsen Drowning Tragedy
Mid-morning on a day this past October, California-based filmmaker, writer, and photographer Soraya Simi met a group of over 50 people at Seal Beach Pier. She brought her camera and started filming what ensued.
The gathering was meant to be a paddle out to honor Angela Madsen, the three-time Paralympian and Marine veteran who sought to become the first paraplegic person and the oldest woman to row the Pacific Ocean. Madsen, who took the bronze in the shot put at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, had reached out to Simi after seeing a short film on sailing that Simi had directed while studying at USC film school. It was 2019. The two had never met but she wanted Simi to help her tell her story.
