Newsletter: How the Super Tuesday picture has changed

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Monday, March 2, and here’s a quick look at the week ahead:

California and 13 other states will vote on Super Tuesday, with roughly 40% of total delegate allocation at stake in the Democratic presidential primary.

[See also: “Everything you need to know about California’s 2020 primary election” in the Los Angeles Times]

Also Tuesday: The winner of the 2020 Pritzker Prize, the highest honor in the field of architecture, will be announced.

“Hillary,” that Hillary Clinton documentary everyone has been talking about, will begin streaming Friday on Hulu.

Daylight-saving time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday. Remember to “spring forward” and not “fall back” while resetting your clocks.

Also Sunday: the 2020 Los Angeles Marathon, which begins at Dodger Stadium and ends in Santa Monica.

And now, here’s what’s happening across California:

Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the Democratic presidential race Sunday, ending an improbable and historic campaign that cemented the gay former South Bend, Ind., mayor as one of the party’s young stars, but which struggled with the candidate’s short political resume and his lack of popularity with voters of color. He was the second candidate to drop out this weekend ahead of Super Tuesday — California billionaire Tom Steyer ended his campaign Saturday after a disappointing finish in the South Carolina primary. Los Angeles Times

Plus: Californians who already voted for Buttigieg or Steyer probably want a do-over. The law says you’re out of luck. Los Angeles Times

Five new coronavirus cases in California: Two healthcare workers at a hospital in Solano County have contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus after being exposed to a patient who was initially admitted there, while three more people were diagnosed with the virus in Santa Clara County, officials announced Sunday.

In addition to more than 60 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. linked to travel abroad, officials have announced that at least 10 people appear to have contracted the virus in their communities. An outbreak at a long-term care facility in Washington state is expected to push that total higher in the coming days, officials said. Los Angeles Times

More on the coronavirus:

• Could the coronavirus hit California’s homeless population? Health officials are worried. Los Angeles Times
• Hundreds marched through San Francisco’s Chinatown in an anti-discrimination rally Saturday. The neighborhood has seen foot traffic plummet as misinformation and fear about the coronavirus spreads. SFGate
• Los Angeles’ Chinatown has also seen growing fear drive away customers in recent weeks, jeopardizing long-established businesses. Los Angeles Times
• Here’s where coronavirus cases have been reported in California: A county-by-county look. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Netflix is launching an L.A. comedy festival. Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer, Ali Wong and David Letterman are among headliners for the Netflix Is a Joke Fest, set for April 27-May 3 across Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times

How Disney’s Bob Iger went from underrated CEO to Hollywood royalty. Critics once dismissed him as a former TV weatherman who lacked the spark and vision to follow his larger-than-life boss, Michael Eisner, not to mention the company’s founder, Walt Disney. Los Angeles Times

What some of the best chefs in L.A. are buying at your local grocery store. Karoun Dairies packaged string cheese with caraway seeds (available at Ralphs and your local Middle Eastern market) to apparently make the “perfect snack,” according to no less a source than Nancy Silverton. Los Angeles Times

Can Sen. Bernie Sanders’ revolution be localized? This is the first time in at least a century that L.A.’s municipal election has been timed to coincide with the state’s presidential primary, and these progressive L.A. candidates hope that the Sanders surge will help them in their down-ballot races. Los Angeles Times

“When homeless people lose their possessions, they end up further from leaving the streets.” In life on the street, your things offer a sense of solace, and losing them — whether by theft or by city cleanup — can be a devastating setback. Los Angeles Times

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

A federal appeals court temporarily blocked President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, before suspending its own order later that same day. The Remain in Mexico policy is one of several the administration has put in place to prevent migrants from coming into the country at the southern border. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

A crowded primary for former Rep. Katie Hill’s congressional district exposes party rifts: The 12-candidate race will probably lead to a May 12 runoff election that could serve as a bellwether for Democrats’ ability to maintain control of the House. Los Angeles Times

Among those running in the primary for Rep. Katie Hill’s former congressional seat in California’s 25th Congressional District are from left, Mike Garcia, former Rep. Steve Knight, George Papadopoulos, Cenk Uyger and Assemblywoman Christy Smith.

(Associated Press)

CRIME AND COURTS

Five years after “The Jinx,” Robert Durst’s fate will rest with 12 jurors. Here’s how the jury was selected in the millionaire’s murder trial. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Pour out some “Two Buck Chuck” for Trader Joe’s founder Joe Coulombe, who died Friday at 89. Describing his target customers as “the overeducated and the underpaid,” the retail visionary built a cult-like following with his specialty food stores. Los Angeles Times

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is in negotiations with the owner of the Forum to purchase the Inglewood arena, according to a person familiar with the talks who is not authorized to speak publicly. Purchasing the Forum would remove one big obstacle in Ballmer’s pursuit of his proposed arena for the Clippers. Los Angeles Times

Attention Central Coast bibliophiles: San Luis Obispo County’s biggest book sale of the year is coming. San Luis Obispo Tribune

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles: sunny, 74. San Diego: partly sunny, 64. San Francisco: sunny, 70. San Jose: sunny, 71. Fresno: sunny, 67. Sacramento: windy, 71. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

This week’s birthdays for those who made a mark in California:

Rep. Paul Cook (March 3, 1943), state Treasurer Fiona Ma (March 4, 1966), actor-activist Rob Reiner (March 6, 1947), former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal (March 6, 1972), Rep. Juan Vargas (March 7, 1961), author Bret Easton Ellis (March 7, 1964) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (March 8, 1941).

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints, ideas and unrelated book recommendations to Julia Wick. Follow her on Twitter @Sherlyholmes.