In California: Harvey Weinstein indicted in L.A. as his New York sex crimes trial concludes

Gabrielle Canon | USA TODAY

Gabrielle Canon here, filling in for Arlene Martinez to kick off the first week back on the grind.

We've got a lot of new laws coming into effect in California, a new West Coast indictment for producer and alleged rapist Harvey Weinstein, and the story of an Oxnard man willing to use his leaf blower to do some good for his community.

But first, today is the 33rd anniversary of the first time scientists detected starlight from the birth of a galaxy — which was created 12 billion years earlier. The discovery, which refuted the largely held idea that all galaxies were created at the same time, happened right here in California.

″It’s probably the first forming galaxy we’ve seen, and if that’s right, galaxy formation is a much more extended process than heretofore imagined,″ Stanislav Djorgovski of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics told the Associated Press back in 1987. ″That’s something very new and changes our conception of how galaxies form,″ Djorgovski added.

Speaking of galaxies — one from a long time ago far far away — the film "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" has officially been deemed a member of the $100 Million Losers Club.

Harvey Weinstein indicted in Los Angeles

The movie mogul whose alleged sexual misconduct sparked the beginnings of the "Me Too" movement concluded his sex crimes trial in New York — and was immediately met with new indictments on the other coast, USA Today reports.

Weinstein has been charged with felony counts of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by use of force, and sexual battery by restraint, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced today.

“We believe the evidence will show that the defendant used his power and influence to gain access to his victims and then commit violent crimes against them,” Lacey said in a statement, adding that she commended the victims who spoke out and "bravely recounted what happened to them. It is my hope that all victims of sexual violence find strength and healing as they move forward.”

Hundreds of new California laws now in effect

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed more than 1,200 bills into law last year (!!) and while not all of them were rolled out on Jan.1, Californians — and others across the country — can expect to experience hundreds of big changes. From a landmark labor law directed to reign in employment misclassification in the gig economy (but sparking alarm in a vast array of industries) to the first major move toward privacy protection, the Ventura County Star's Megan Diskin has you covered, highlighting the most important changes that could impact your day-to-day.

On Jan 1 the California Consumer Privacy Act went into effect.



The #CCPA is a landmark #DataPrivacy law that puts power over your personal info back in your hands, not the companies that use your data.



For more about your rights under the CCPA: https://t.co/eeGsZm3SIJ pic.twitter.com/Nbl6RXht8i — Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) January 6, 2020

For a comprehensive look at all the new laws, also check out this great L.A. Times interactive here.

Ventura asks: Would you pay a climate change tax?

Across California, the effects of climate change are already being felt. From wild weather to worsening wildfires, officials are grappling with how to mitigate the risks — and how to pay for the damage.

Now, Ventura County Supervisors are asking voters if they'd be willing to help pick up the tab. In the coming weeks, a poll will be conducted in the county to gauge support for an uptick in the sales tax. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 last month to allocate up to $100,000 to a polling firm that will find out how popular a potential new ballot measure on the issue would be.

What else we are reading today

A more detailed look at the...um...penis fish that captured the nation's attention after a whooole lot of them turned up on a Northern California beach last month.

For years, Congress has neglected to finance the upkeep of cherished public lands — and America deserves better. Or so Pacific Crest Trail Association executive director and columnist Liz Bergeron says in this CALMatters commentary.

Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian-American diaspora, a community that is now grappling with the potential threat of an escalation in hostilities between the US and Iran. This story in the New York Times captures their reactions.

California lawmakers are returning to the capital with a long to-do list — topped by an ambitious proposal to start a $4.2 billion climate bond. The funds would help the state prepare for dangerous natural disasters including worsening wildfires.

Solar surges. Why are conservationists upset?

Over 1 million rooftops are now capturing sunshine for energy across California — but clean energy advocates are concerned that the state will still fall short of its ambitious goals. Now, alongside industry officials, they are arguing for solar farms in the desert.

Unfortunately, that's put them at odds with environmental groups who don't want to see the infrastructure placed in or near fragile ecosystems. The battles are expected to blow up this year as California attempts to reach zero-emission electricity by 2045.

"California has set some good and aggressive climate targets, and getting there is going to require breaking ground that hasn't been broken before," Shannon Eddy, executive director of the Large-Scale Solar Association told The Desert Sun. "It requires very important conversations about land use, conversations that are deep and profound and difficult. ... The whole world is facing these decisions on a macro level."

A man and his leafblower help Oxnard

Marvin Boos is kind of a local hero. The 76-year-old Oxnard resident watched as his community grappled with the effects of a slashed budget, which took a toll on parks and sidewalks. Graffiti removal workers were let go, along with 16 of the city's 52 groundskeepers. Something had to be done — and Boos decided he would do it.

Instead of struggling past the overgrown shrubbery like many of his neighbors, he decided to take matters into his own hands, literally. Armed with a rake, shovel, dustpan, and hand saw, he cleaned the streets himself.

That's all from me today, folks! I will be back tomorrow with more California news from across the USA TODAY Network. You'll probably want to subscribe (which you can do here) or if you already have, share this with a friend. We deliver direct to your inbox, Monday through Friday evening, keeping you up to speed on all things Golden State. See you tomorrow!

In California is a roundup of news compiled from across USA TODAY Network newsrooms. Also contributing: CALMatters, Los Angeles Times, KQED, New York Times, and PopScience.