In California: Residents are fleeing the Golden State as cost of living continues to climb

Gabrielle Canon here, filling in for Arlene Martinez for the next couple days on the In California newsletter. PSA: Like this news? You can sign up here to make sure you get the latest. Now, onto the news.  

We have officially been in 2020 for a week and it's clear the holidays are over. Doubt it? Tuesday's headlines include news that Californians continue to flee high prices, Iranian Americans in L.A. are grappling with the escalating tensions with the U.S., and someone may have stolen a bunch of llamas in Riverside County. 

But first, a moment of silence for Mandalorian, a 1-year-old sea lion who had to be euthanized after rescuers found her with two gunshot wounds. And, she's not alone. The L.A. Times has the heartbreaking story of this troubling trend. 

“These are disgusting and intentional acts, many of which are premeditated,” Peter Chang, chief executive of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach told The Times. “We know there are many out there that feel like they are competing with the sea lions for the same resources. However, there’s a pathway for us to cohabitate with these precious marine mammals, and shooting them is not the way.”

And later, a history lesson on the Mexican-American war in Escondido — or at the very least a fun spot to stop if you find yourself near San Diego on Hwy 78. 

The new California dream is a ticket out of town

Most Californians have anecdotal evidence that people are leaving the state. They have seen their friend-groups dwindle, or seen U-hauls heading north or east. But now, the flight from unsustainably high costs is showing up in state growth statistics. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, middle and lower-class Californians are fleeing the state in droves. In a three-month period alone, more than 28,190 left the Bay Area, where the median-priced home costs around $1.5 million. San Francisco took the top spot in places people are leaving, but across the state, those making less than $100,000 are hitting the road. Still, the state has seen an influx of people making $100,000 and above. 

Iranian Americans react to Soleimani's assassination 

A large number of Iranian Americans live in Los Angeles and many are now grappling with complicated feelings after President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike that assassinated Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Some shared that they aren't mourning his death but are concerned about the consequences. Many others were fearful about speaking publicly about it.

"We don't know what's happening, or what's going to happen next," Roxanne Mirzaee told USA Today. More than 25 others declined to talk to reporters, concerned that it could put their family members still living abroad at greater risk, or create divides between families. 

While it's unclear what will happen next, hostilities have already escalated. Today, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq, the Pentagon confirmed.

Read this story for their reactions, but if you need background on how we got here, check this explainer. 

What else we are reading

• California lawmakers are considering a state-level Green New Deal, modeled on the proposal outlined by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — but perhaps even broader.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom has relied heavily on global consulting firm McKinsey & Co., the Sacramento Bee reports, and that is raising eyebrows. 
• Berkeley may have been the first city to ban natural gas in newly built homes, but some cities that are following the liberal California bastion's lead are going even further. 
• A crisis is continuing in California state prisons as a record number of prisoners are committing suicide. For the first time since the state began tracking in 1990, the suicide rate has topped 30 for every 100,000 in 2019. 

Also today: Protesters disrupt housing bill press conference

In Oakland, the California city that's seen the steepest rise in homelessness in the past two years — up roughly 47% — and where housing prices continue to skyrocket, protesters crashed a press conference Tuesday to demand more be done. They faced off with state Sen. Scott Wiener, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, and other officials speaking at an event to highlight Senate Bill 50, a proposal to increase housing density and allow construction of more mid-rise apartment buildings. This is the third year Wiener has introduced the legislation — it failed twice before — and the new version seeks to appease critics' concerns that it will lead to more gentrification, or take local control away from cities. 

For what you need to know about SB 50, here's an excellent explainer from CalMatters.

More #llamadrama: two dozen suspected stolen

After a break-in at an exotic animal farm in Southern California, roughly two dozen llamas may be on the loose. The lock was cut on a fence at the 14-acre farm, Riverside County Sheriff's Department authorities discovered, after deputies received an early morning call about "numerous llamas and emus walking on Orange Avenue," the department said. 

The officers were able to wrangle some of them back into confinement, but many of the animals remain unaccounted for — and they are worth $1.6 million. 

An investigation is ongoing. Let's hope these llamas find their way to safety. (And maybe that they are discovered during waking hours so the Internet will be rewarded with another wonderful llama chase).

Californians face long waits for worker's comp

Medical evaluations are typically required when someone injured on the job files for worker's compensation — but in California, there aren't enough physicians serving as experts for the state's program. That means some injured people are forced to wait months or even years to get the help they need. 

Part of the issue is pay. The state has not upped the pay schedule for these Qualified Medical Evaluators in over a decade, according to a report from the first-ever state audit of the California Division of Workers' Compensation.

“It’s affecting real workers, and if something is not being done correctly, they need to fix it,” Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio, a Democrat from Baldwin Park, told CalMatters, calling for the department to take it seriously.  

I will send you on your way with a fun travel tip from John R. Beyer, who recently found himself near an old battle site from the Mexican-American War while visiting friends in Escondido. One mile east, off Highway 78 past the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Beyer and his wife encountered the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park, and a "fount of knowledge concerning the history," from a worker named Gil. 

"Gil regaled us with tales from every moment of the battle, but he ended up offering a rather poetic take on the war itself," Beyer writes.

“You know, many people don’t talk about the Mexican-American War in school. Certainly not this battle,” he said. “It’s a chapter in both our histories that doesn’t put us in any positive light. It really was a battle of greed and power from both sides of the border. There really were no clear winners — especially here on this battlefield.”

The 285-acre park includes a sculpture garden called "Queen Califia's Magic Circle" and an afternoon traveling through time, but it is only open on weekends. 

That's all for me tonight! Don't forget to subscribe if someone sent this your way. You can sign up here to make sure you get the latest on California from across the USA Today Network in your inbox every evening, Monday through Friday. 

In California is a roundup of news compiled from across USA TODAY Network newsrooms. Also contributing: LA Times, Capital Public Radio, The Sacramento Bee, New York Times,