2016 marks one of the deadliest years for law enforcement in the past century after a spate of retaliatory-styled attacks leaves many officers dead or injured since the Dallas shooting 10 days ago.
Erica Evans and Razzan Nakhlawi reporting for L.A. Times write: "When five police officers were killed and nine wounded in an attack during a protest march in Dallas on July 7, it rattled the nation."
"Ten days later, three officers were killed and three injured in Baton Rouge, La., as they were responding to a call about a suspicious person with an assault rifle."
"Between the two attacks, law enforcement officers from Georgia to Michigan were shot in incidents that drew far less attention but have added to the growing sense that it’s a dangerous time to be a cop."
SEE MORE in Public Safety: What we know about Gavin Eugene Long, the Baton Rouge Shooter -- Jaweed Kaleem and Frank Shyong with L.A. Times; Police shootings evoke tears, sympathy at Blue Lives Matter rally -- Stephen Magagnini with Sacramento Bee; Once one of the nation's most powerful cops, is ex-L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca headed to prison? -- Joel Rubin with L.A. Times; She's the mom of four black men, a former L.A. Cop and a major skeptic of 'justifiable' police shootings -- Robin Abcarian with L.A. Times .
And while violence continues to ramp up nationally, Donald Trump is trying to figure out the best possible strategy to capitalize on it by campaigning on safety.
L.A. Times' Cathleen Decker writes: "The day before Republicans were to open a convention meant to serve as a fresh opportunity to redefine Donald Trump, organizers had to delay their long-awaited preview of the gathering so as not to collide with President Obama’s remarks to the nation about yet another shocking act of violence."
"This time it was in Baton Rouge, La., where three police officers were shot dead Sunday morning. When the GOP briefing began, the first topic was Baton Rouge."
"Across Cleveland, worries about violence led the head of the local police union to ask Ohio Gov. John Kasich to rescind the right of gun owners to openly carry weapons near the convention areas. Kasich said that under state law, he did not have the power to limit firearms, which were in evidence Sunday."
A new generation of social activists protesting for change could see Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ movements coalesce into a single force as both groups continue to fight for similar rights.
Sacramento Bee's Ryan Lillis writes: "The morning after 49 people were massacred inside an Orlando, Fla., gay nightclub last month, some in the Sacramento LGBT community began organizing a vigil here."
"A vigil was not going to be enough,” said Tre Borden, an artistic consultant. “We needed to organize something more substantial."
"Instead, Borden and others organized a rally attended by politicians and hundreds of others on 20th Street. It was a powerful display."
And in case you missed it this weekend, a group in the Turkish military attempted to wrest control from President Erdogan for his increasing support of introducing Islamic Law into Turkish policy -- which resulted in a failed coup and many dead.
Roy Gutman reporting for L.A. Times: "Rebel commandos barged into an Aegean resort hotel with a key mission: capture Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan."
"He had been vacationing there. At first, the soldiers couldn’t find his villa. When they finally did, the president was long gone. The soldiers were at least an hour late."
"They took a top presidential aide hostage as well as two bodyguards. But Erdogan was already on a jet."
SEE MORE related to the Turkish Coup: Turkey's Erdogan 'cleanses' security forces with iron fist after failed coup -- Angela Dewan with CNN; EU urges Turkey's Erdogan to show restraint as thousands arrested after coup -- Shawn Price and Andrew V. Pestano with UPI; At height of Turkish coup bid, rebel jets had Erdogan's plane in their sights -- Humeyra Pamuk and Orhan Coskun with Reuters; Turkey will pay high price for stability -- Swaha Pattanaik with Reuters.
Too many children in a classroom and only one teacher to instruct them has long been an educational issue in California, and now Sacramento is attempting a new course of action that will install more classrooms and reduce class size.
Sac Bee's Loretta Kalb reports: "Sacramento City Unified elementary schools are seeing a mini building boom in a reversal for a district that closed seven campuses in 2013."
"The school district is dramatically reducing class sizes for K-3 students this fall and expects to open 75 more classrooms by the time students return from summer vacation. Across the district, workers are relocating portable classrooms, laying new electrical lines and preparing campuses for the fall."
"All K-3 classrooms in the district will average 24 students per teacher, the state’s target. That will drop from the previous averages of 29 to 32 students per class."
SEE MORE in Education: Berkeley lab helps develop largest 3-D map of galaxies -- Harini Shyamsundar with Daily Californian.
And in environmental news, U.C. Berkeley has just received a three-year, $20 million grant to research the impacts of climate change on the processes that govern water quality and availability from the Upper Colorado River Basin.
Simmone Shah in Daily Californian reports: "Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory received $20 million from the Department of Energy last week to lead a three-year research project in the Upper Colorado River Basin, where they will study the processes that influence water availability and water quality as a result of climate change."
"The project — called the Watershed Function Scientific Focus Area — is a collaboration led by Berkeley Lab of more than 60 researchers from five different institutions. By the end of the study, Kenneth Williams, the deputy lead of the project, hopes they will have a firm understanding of the impact of climate disturbances or disturbance events on the flow of water and nutrients."
"Because climate change has been causing snow to melt earlier and earlier, the researchers hope to understand how plants and microorganisms adapt. They aim to determine whether plants grow earlier in the season and for longer times or continue to use water and release nutrients in the way they always have."
And now from our "Gotta catch em all!" file ...
If you've been attuned to the world of phone apps lately, than you're already well aware of the latest craze, Pokemon GO. Well, one man has decided to make the experience memorable for kids diving into the game -- by leaving 3D printed replicas of the lovable creatures hidden outside for kids to find on their hunts.
Mirror.co.uk: "A man has decided to create a lasting memory for Pokémon GO fans - and is leaving real-life 3D printed models around for them to pick up on their treasure hunt."
"Matthew Beaman was so taken with gamers' enthusiasm for tracking the little pocket monsters that he decided to create real solid Bulbasaurs, Spearows and Pikachus."
"The 36-year-old has then been depositing the little creatures at Pokestops around Ilfracombe, Devon where he lives, offering fans a souvenir that'll last off-screen."
