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Hey kids, it's Jack Valenti Day in Los Angeles. The former head of the movie-rating and politico-lobbying MPAA gets the key to the city from Mayor Villaraigosa in the council chambers at 10:30 am. Real business will have to wait. Also...
| Today's front pages |
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♦ Page Six says that pressure from Mike Ovitz, Ron Burkle and Schwarzenegger's tabloid protector David Pecker may have led to Radar magazine losing its financial backing.
♦ A letter from 149 Animal Services employees complained that Mayor Villaraigosa caved to radical activists in firing general manager Guerdon Stuckey: "Continued empowerment of these terrorists will only serve for them to step up their terrorist activities against department employees." LAT, DN
♦ The Exposition light rail line takes a big step forward, but among the questions left open is whether it would go underground by USC.
♦ Losanjealous remembers the Cal Worthington TV commercials of old.
♦ The Arden Realty sale is still being worked out with two contending buyers, Roger Vincent reports in the Times.
♦ The skyscraper at 5900 Wilshire Boulevard still known as People's Bank tower—home to Los Angeles and Ciudad magazines, as well as CityBeat—was sold to Wayne Ratkovich and Prudential Real Estate Advisers. Ratkovich, who previously rehabbed the Pellissier building and Wiltern Theatre at Wilshire and Western, plans to fix up the place to reduce the 30% vacancy rate.♦ "Last Looks: The Ambassador Hotel" is an exhibit of photos taken this year by Hollywood location managers and students from the Jefferson High School Academy of Film and Theatre Arts. The pictures will be on view until January 13 in City Hall East outside the 8th floor office of City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Today's LAT has a story.
♦ Depression-era murals by Stanton Macdonald-Wright that were removed from the Santa Monica Library in the 1960s are being mounted in the new library due to open in January.
♦ Yesterday was moving day for Mack Reed of LAVoice.org. Goodbye Westside, hello Silver Lake.
♦ In L.A. today: The Police Protective League hosts its annual holiday schmoozefest with local politicos this evening at Union Station. Around the edge of the room, detectives with deadpan looks will observe the glad-handing and wonder what am I doing here?