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Newsletter: Today: Thanksgiving in Vegas. University of Yelp.

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I'm Davan Maharaj, editor of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don't want you to miss on this Thanksgiving Day.

TOP STORIES

Forget the Turkey, Pass the Dim Sum

It's become an annual pilgrimage for many Asian American families in the Southern California: Hit Las Vegas for Thanksgiving weekend. Enough with being chained to a stove, when hotel deals, buffets, shopping, gambling and shows all beckon. Here's why it's become a big deal — and why some would rather stay at home.

Imprison Fewer People? Great! But How?

It's one of the few things presidential candidates from both sides of the aisle can agree on: The U.S. imprisons too many people. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Rand Paul and Gov. Chris Christie have all spoken out against the nation's high incarceration rate. What it would take to lower it? That's where the campaigns struggle.

University of Yelp

From farm to table to university: The rise of foodie culture is transforming classrooms, labs and gardens in American higher education. About 30 colleges and universities now offer degrees or minors in interdisciplinary food studies, including new programs this fall at UC Berkeley, the University of the Pacific and Syracuse University. Read on to see how food culture is now a topic for scholarship

A 'Magical City' Under Siege

They left their heart in Ocotlan. Now, immigrants in Southern California are saying a prayer for the city in Mexico's Jalisco state. The gruesome drug violence that has plagued much of the country has moved into the area only in recent years. In today's Great Read, see how people are balancing idyllic memories with some harsh hometown realities.

Questioning the Chairman

Paramount Pictures. CBS. MTV. Sumner Redstone's media empire stretches wide and far. But a lawsuit filed by his former girlfriend alleges that the 92-year-old is mentally impaired and unable to make his own decisions. Though it's a fight about his healthcare directive, it's raising questions about his role as executive chairman of two major Hollywood corporations.

CALIFORNIA

-- Native Americans mark Thanksgiving with mixed feelings, and a meal on L.A.'s skid row.

-- The state's hard-hit water districts will get a chance to ask regulators for relief.

-- The bullet train faces new scrutiny after the release of a report predicting higher costs. 

-- Despite the state budget surplus, unions are eyeing tax increases.

NATION-WORLD

-- Russia deploys missiles in Syria, as a pilot denies straying into Turkish airspace.

-- President Obama says there is no specific, credible threat of a terrorist attack in the U.S.

-- Pope Francis calls for unity and links terror to poverty as he launches an Africa tour.

-- From despised rodent to beloved icon, Texas Panhandle prairie dogs put on a show.

-- South Africa's guru for the benefits of saturated fat faces a hearing.

BUSINESS

-- What does that Thanksgiving meal cost?

-- Target and other retailers brace for a holiday shopping onslaught.

-- A yawning gap between luxury and regular beds.

SPORTS

-- Walk-off wisdom from Bill Dwyre: His final column.

-- Chris Erskine: ESPN's decision to reduce Brent Musburger's national airtime has a cost.

ENTERTAINMENT

-- Director Peter Sohn brought a natural touch to the once-troubled "Good Dinosaur."

-- Your guide to Thanksgiving moviegoing.

-- Eagles of Death Metal to Vice: "Our friends went there to see rock 'n' roll and died."

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- It turns out wild turkeys don't like the wild. (The Atlantic)

-- "How the Mitres Have Fallen": What should British bishops wear on their heads? (The Guardian)

-- National Geographic explores the world of Salafist Muslims in Egypt.

ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

Don't try this at home — or on the road. After a stretch of Vasquez Canyon Road near Santa Clarita began to buckle in epic fashion, some skateboarders decided it would be fun to use it as a skate park. "It's dangerous and no one should be there," a public works spokesman says. See for yourself why this is no place for nosegrinds, ollies or Top Guns.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.

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