Mixer: Isla Vista, one week later, and an election on the way

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Nick Welsh reports for the Santa Barbara Independent and Seema Mehta is with the Los Angeles Times. Both joined us this week for their perspectives.

Santa Barbara Sheriff’s deputies who conducted a welfare check on Elliot Rodger less than a month before his deadly rampage in Isla Vista knew of disturbing videos that he posted, but didn’t watch them after determining he was not a threat to himself or others.

Rodger posted at least 22 videos on YouTube, including a final recording the night of the attack, which outlined in chilling terms what he was planning.

 YouTube took that video down citing a terms-of-service violation.

Of the other 21 videos still on the site, none are overtly suicidal or violent. But a family spokesman said Rodger’s mother became alarmed last month after viewing her son’s YouTube videos.

She notified his therapist, who then called health officials, who then in turn notified the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.

Meanwhile, a grieving father whose son was killed in the UC Santa Barbara shootings says he never set out to become a face of the gun-control movement.

Richard Martinez, the father of Christopher, one of the victims, is a former hunter and military policeman who says he realizes there is a need to possess firearms, but believes there must be a political and bipartisan solution to the wave of mass shootings.

He maintains politicians have done nothing, and says he doesn’t want to hear any sympathy greetings from any one of them until they call to tell him they’ve done something.

Also here in Southern California, a look at the race for the race for the 1st and 3rd Districts of the Los Angeles County Supervisors seat, to replace Gloria Molina and Zev Yaroslavsky, respectively.

In the 3rd, Bobby Shriver has widened his fundraising lead in that race. The former Santa Monica Mayor raised more than $1 million during the past two months, including $700,000 of his own cash.

While Shriver has more money, West Hollywood Council Member John Duran is racking up the endorsements from Eric Garcetti and Gloria Molina, and the Los Angeles Times.

Former Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich, former TV producer Eric Preven, environmentalist Douglas Fay, a math tutor — Yuval Daniel Kremer, and lighting technician Rudy Melendez are also running.

In the 1st District, former US Labor Secretary Hilda Solis has a wide fundraising and polling advantage going into Tuesday’s election. She faces El Monte City Councilman Juventino Gomez and Long Beach School District law enforcement officer April Saucedo Hood.

And the hammering on the Republican side of the gubernatorial primary keeps on between Tea Party favorite and Lake Arrowhead Assemblyman Tim Donnelly and more moderate former Treasury official Neel Kashkari. Donnelly has the poll numbers; Kashkari has more endorsements from the Republican mainstream (Condoleezza Rice, Darrell Issa).

But no matter, people aren’t paying much attention in this off-year election. Turnout is expected to be very low.

More information about voting is here.