Good morning. Yesterday, we wrote about a large brawl in a Torrance mall involving dozens of juveniles — and how similar fights broke out in movie theaters across the country.

Officials say those fights were likely linked to steeply discounted ticket prices offered on National Cinema Day, which was Sunday. Similar fights broke out last year.

We find the explanation pretty depressing, because it essentially means that any large group of youths in public spaces are prone to stab each other and put police officers in chokeholds. Now, onto the five (other) USC, Los Angeles and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

California’s wildland firefighters are being exposed to increasingly dangerous levels of smoke and pollutants as fire seasons grow longer and more intense. Many believe that’s causing them to contract — and ultimately die from — serious diseases like cancer. State and federal fire officials have done little to secure better protections for their workers on the fire line, and in fact only recently began testing respirators specifically designed for backcountry firefighting.

2.

Mark Ridley Thomas, the disgraced former LA politician, was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison and a $30,000 fine Monday for seven felony corruption charges. While on the county Board of Supervisors, Ridley-Thomas supported a county contract favorable to USC in exchange for a full scholarship and faculty job for his son. He also funneled money from one of his political funds through USC to a fund operated by his son.

3.

State Sen. Mike McGuire was elected as the next leader of the California Senate, succeeding Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins — the first woman and openly gay lawmaker to hold the post — who terms out next year. McGuire, a moderate Democrat who hails from the North Coast, positioned himself as a bridge between an outgoing class of veteran legislators and a wave of newer members.

4.

A jury awarded the mother of a man killed by LA Police Department officers in 2017 more than $23 million Friday. Jurors found that the officers used negligent and excessive force when they shot and killed Jesse Murillo, a 32-year-old navy veteran. The LA County District Attorney’s Office previously declined to file charges against the officers, contending they had reason to believe Murillo was running toward them with a weapon.

5.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Chino Valley Unified School District in a bid to halt a new requirement that forces school staff to notify parents when their child asks to use a name or pronouns that differ from what’s on their birth certificate. Bonta, who called the policy a “forced outing” of transgender students, is also seeking to stop three other districts looking to follow Chino Valley’s example.

You’re all caught up. Thanks for reading Morning, Trojan, and have a good day. Anna Hsu copy edited this newsletter.

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