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Morning Buzz: Wednesday 1.31.07
Looks like there's a deal on the living wage controversy at LAX hotels. And sexual predators in Long Beach? Click for the whole neatly arranged and hidden-away Morning Buzz.
Starters
Deportation case against Palestinians tossed
In January 1987, federal agents arrested seven Palestinians and a Kenyan women, accused them of promoting communism and attempted to deport them. On Monday, Immigration Judge Bruce J. Einhorn dismissed the government's deportation case against two of the men, Khader Musa Hamide and Michel Ibrahim Shehadeh, for the fourth time. This time, the rejection was complete — and strongly worded. Daily Journal, Times
"The attenuation of these proceedings is a festering wound on the body of these respondents, and an embarrassment on the rule of law."
Long Beach attack victims get say in court
Two of the three white women beaten by black girls are expected to address the judge today. P-T
Politics
Deal on living wage
Mayor Villaraigosa, key City Council members and representatives of labor and the chamber of commerce will hold a news conference to "make an announcement regarding the Living Wage Ordinance affecting Los Angeles International Airport-area hotels," 9:30 am in the mayor's conference room. The Times says there is a deal to rescind the ordinance imposing a living wage, but ensure the $10.64 minimum pay. LAT, DN
Judge tough on Dowie
Federal judge Gary Feess said that while Doug Dowie ran Fleishman-Hillard's L.A. office, he was "extremely calculating" and showed "a degree of cynicism that's beyond what I typically see." Probation officials recommended 24 months in prison for Dowie but the judge gave him 42, even though the former head of the DWP, David Wiggs, wrote a letter saying that Dowie had simply made mistakes. John Stodder's 15-month sentence was less than the probation officials urged and much less than prosecutors sought. The judge recommended incarceration in a low-security federal prison camp in Southern California. Both are to report to custody at noon March 30. LAT, Daily News
Mauk spurns L.A. County by phone
Thomas Mauk rescinded his acceptance of the CAO job after getting a sweetened offer to remain in Orange County. LAT, DN. Also, a Times editorial channels Casey Stengel and asks can't anyone at the Hall of Administration play this game?
Much ado about not much
A group representing just a few thousand of the 34,000 dining establishments in Los Angeles County agreed to voluntarily phase out trans fat, sparking a flurry of media coverage. LAT, DN
Symbolism 101
Councilwoman Wendy Greuel has ordered her office staffers to find an alternative to the solo-driver commute at least one day each week. DN
Media
Long Beach sex pervs star on 'Predator'
A sting conducted last September in Long Beach airs on tonight's installment of Dateline NBC's popular "To Catch a Predator." P-T
Baquet stories
The New York Times weighs in with a staff story on its new Washington bureau chief. Dean Baquet, the ex-LAT editor, was named yesterday, displacing Phil Taubman, who will get the honorific of associate editor and report on national security from Northern California along with his wife, NYT environment report Felicity Barringer.
Mr. Baquet, 50, said in an interview that he had met with Eli Broad and Ronald Burkle, two Los Angeles billionaires who have put in a bid for the Tribune Company. He said that the conversations were casual and that he had kept his personal distance, thinking he might someday be in the delicate position of directing news coverage of them as owners of the paper. He also said that he had not met with David Geffen, another Los Angeles mogul, who has made an offer for The Los Angeles Times.
As the decision over new ownership at the Tribune Company began to stretch out, Mr. Baquet said he began itching to get back into a newsroom, having been out of a job for almost three months. He added that his decision to leave Los Angeles should not be seen as a signal that he had “inside information” about the fate of The Los Angeles Times or that he had lost faith in its future.
“This is a personal decision for me,” he said. “This has been a long time for me to be outside a newsroom, and it’s starting to make me nuts. I wish the L.A. Times the best. I love it.” He added, “This is not a signal to run for the doors.”
Great idea!
Perhaps LAist liked our readers survey. The blog is conducting its own using SurveyMonkey. Readers from South L.A. or Eastside communities may have to get creative, since the only Los Angeles-area residence options on the survey are the Valley, Westside, Hollywood, Long Beach or Silver Lake-Los Feliz-Echo Park. LAist, by the way, also has audio of Times publisher David Hiller recently at USC.
Q-and-A with Ken Levine
Fishbowl LA debuts a new 20 questions feature with the writer and blogger.
Physical Los Angeles
Fox bulldozers ordered to stop at VA
Neighbors blew the whistle on unpermitted grading by Fox studio on the Department of Veterans Affairs campus near Westwood. The federal grounds only date from 1888. LAT
Noted
Crenshaw loses its last car dealer
Erin Aubry Kaplan addresses the end of an era.
Kulak's Woodshed may stay open
Kulak has applied for a parking variance to settle his dispute in the Valley with former porn star Jeff Stryker. DN
Police beat
850 claims of racial profiling by LAPD
And not a single complaint sustained. The police commission wants to know what's up. LAT
© 2003-2008 • About LA Observed • Contact the editor
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| Erin Kaplan responds
Here’s a way city hall can strong arm the Dodgers into paying at least part of the cost of providing public transportation to the stadium during baseball season.
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