.Tuesday Must Reads: Supreme Court Appears Divided Over Gay Marriage; EBMUD To Buy More Water as Supplies Dwindle

Stories you shouldn’t miss:

1. The US Supreme Court appeared to be deeply divided over whether to legalize gay marriage nationwide during oral arguments this morning, The New York Times$ reports. The four liberal justices — Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor — seemed ready to overturn the remaining state bans on gay nuptials. Justice Anthony Kennedy appears to be the swing vote, and at times seemed to agree both with arguments for and against gay marriage.

2. East Bay MUD is poised to spend $25 million on additional water supplies from Northern California irrigation districts located in the Sacramento Valley, the CoCo Times$ reports. Rice farmers in those districts are fallowing their fields during the drought and so have extra water to sell. East Bay MUD’s water supplies are dwindling as the state enters its fourth year of drought.

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3. Anti-police violence demonstrators rioted in Baltimore last night in response to the death of Freddie Gray, a Black man whose spine was severed while in Baltimore police custody, the AP reports (via the Chron). Baltimore’s police chief is Anthony Batts, the former chief of OPD.

4. Dockworkers plan to shut down the Port of Oakland on Friday, May 1, in response to police violence nationwide, the SF Business Times$ reports (h/t Rough & Tumble). The May Day protest is expected draw massive demonstrations around the country.

5. And frustrations are deepening in Nepal following the huge 7.8 earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people, The New York Times$ reports. Residents in the affected areas say help is not coming fast enough.