Monday Must Reads: Peaceful Protesters Again Defy Mayor’s Ban; Wealthy Californians Balk at Water Cutbacks

Stories you shouldn’t miss:

1. Peaceful demonstrators again defied Mayor Libby Schaaf’s ban on nighttime street protests on Friday, as they took over the streets around Lake Merritt for an anti-police-violence march. The Chron reports that the march followed a vigil in honor of the slaying of Demouria Hogg, a thirty-year-old man who was killed by police near Lakeshore Avenue earlier this month. Police allowed the protesters to march after nightfall and did not attempt to enforce the mayor’s ban — the second time that has occurred in the past week.

2. Wealthy state residents, especially in Southern California, are balking at mandatory water cutbacks, the Washington Post$ reports. Wealthy Californians may just choose to pay penalties rather than slash water usage in the drought.

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3. The state, meanwhile, is forcing cutbacks on water use by senior water rights holders in the Central Valley — the first time that’s happened in forty years, the LA Times$ reports. Typically, senior water rights holders in the state — those who have held rights prior to 1914 — have been able to avoid water cutbacks during dry periods.

4. The Oakland City Council is slated to select a developer to renovate the old Kaiser Center on Lake Merritt, the Chron$ reports. The two development teams that are vying to refurbish and reopen the center are Orton Development, which redeveloped the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, and Creative Development Partners, which also wants to build a fifteen-story hotel next to the center.

5. And the Golden State Warriors are on the cusp of winning their first title in forty years, after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers Game 5 last night in Oakland. The Warriors now lead the best-of-seven series, three games to two, and Game 6 is Tuesday night in Cleveland.