Good morning. It’s Tuesday, and we’re getting excited about California’s northern lights. Onto the five USC, Los Angeles and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers from Nevada and California called on the Biden administration to fast-track funds for a private company to build a high-speed rail line connecting LA and Las Vegas. Electric-powered trains could potentially cut the travel time in half, carrying passengers at speeds of nearly 200 mph.

2.

A rogue shower head in Birnkrant Residential College flooded adjacent dorm rooms and seeped water through the bathroom floor and into the building’s lobby. Separately, Everybody’s Kitchen, the dining hall next to Birnkrant, will be closed for several days while maintenance crews fix a clogged drainpipe. The two incidents are unrelated.

3.

Two San Bernardino police officers who shot and killed a Black man last July had histories of alleged excessive force. One shot a minor who was holding a gun and failed to quickly summon medical assistance. The other allegedly beat a suspect who was already on the ground following orders, then pressured him to lie about how he sustained his injuries. Both officers’ names were released for the first time just this week.

4.

Gov. Gavin Newson announced that he’ll allocate more than $690 million to fund 28 public transportation projects in disadvantaged communities across areas including San Diego, Sacramento and Santa Cruz. The new funding will conclude the first step in a state initiative to expand passenger rail service throughout California.

5.

The Oakland Unified School District is on the verge of a strike. Its teachers union is seeking to imitate a maneuver pulled off by its LA counterpart in March, alleging that the school district is engaging in bad-faith negotiating practices — a move that could let the union fast-track its way to a strike. The school district, which is California’s 11th largest, is seeking an injunction claiming that the union is not following procedural steps and that the strike would be illegal.

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

3630 Watt Way, ANN 102, Los Angeles, CA 90089.