Good morning. It’s Tuesday, and we’re reading about how the poppy became California’s state flower. Also: This is our last newsletter until returning to school in August. Thank you to all of you who read our work every morning.

We’d recommend subscribing to the Los Angeles Times’ “Today’s Headlines” or CalMatter’s “WhatMatters” if you’re looking for similar newsletters over the summer. Onto the five USC, LA and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Hollywood’s film and television writers went on strike Tuesday, setting up a mammoth clash between the 11,500 screenwriters and major film studios. Broadly, the writers are calling for more compensation and significant restrictions on the use of generative artificial intelligence. When the writers last went on strike for 100 days in 2007, the LA economy lost an estimated $2.1 billion.

2.

Students at universities across California are sponsoring a bill that would require colleges to offer free transportation to sexual assault forensic exams. An analysis by a social justice group found that the average University of California student must travel nearly 12 miles to complete such an exam, a discouraging distance for an already reluctant survivor.

3.

Despite warming temperatures, 80% of California’s historic snowpack is yet to melt — likely because it hasn’t been quite as hot as expected. Experts say the melt should start in earnest around late May, bad news for the already water-logged Central Valley which will bear the brunt of the flooding.

4.

California is suing the city of Elk Grove, which is just south of Sacramento, for allegedly breaking the law in declining to fast-track a housing development for homeless people while simultaneously approving a similar market-rate development. The fight between Gov. Gavin Newsom and Elk Grove is yet another extension of Newsom’s long history of aggressive intervention in local homelessness and housing policy.

5.

Mayor Karen Bass is facing pushback from city officials who want more funding for the LA Animal Services department. Bass’ proposed $31.7 million budget for the department — an 18% increase from this fiscal year — is still far short of the requested $42 million. The budget-strained department suffers from a staffing shortage that leads to inadequate care for animals.

You’re all caught up. Thanks for reading Morning, Trojan, and good luck on your finals. Anna Hsu copy edited this newsletter.

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