Last look at Van Nuys location
Tricks and treats of 'Deceptive Practice'OK, the holiday is over. Click below for the Morning Buzz.
News
VA highrise ban deleted from bill
The White House threatened a veto if a prohibition against commercial development of the veteran's campus between Westwood and Brentwood was not removed. LAT
Wesson might challenge Garcetti
Rick Orlov sets up the possible fight for the post of City Council president, and also notes that Villaraigosa campaign aide Michael Trujillo is going to work for Sen. Hillary Clinton as California field director for her presidential campaign.
Ducks win 3-2
Three more wins to the Stanley Cup, if it comes to that. LAT
Change at The Planning Report
Josh Stephens is leaving as editor to travel and bask in the professional glow that results from joining the list of alumni who edited The Planning Report and its sister pubs. James Brasuell ascends to editor of TPR, the Metro Investment Report and the new VerdeXchange News, which covers climate change and environmental issues.
Killer of KPFK reporter gets death
Michael Taylor personally and professionally opposed capital punishment, but the California Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for his murderer. Met News
Noted
Ghost writing the Times memos?
A blogger for the U.K. Guardian thinks that L.A. Times editor Jim O'Shea got help from his corporate minders on the buyout memo that we posted last week here at LA Observed. The blogger, Roy Greenslade, is a journalism professor at City University in London and a former editor of the Daily Mirror.
I was particularly struck by the euphemistic corporate goobledegook employed by the editor, Jim O'Shea, in his explanatory letter to staff. I couldn't really believe a journalist had written such guff. Then I realised that other people must have been at O'Shea's shoulder as he wrote...
Layoff jitters
After seeing friends get laid off and with the newsroom swept out by buyouts, employees of the Times' marketing department were understandably shaken by the subject line of their boss's email last Friday:
From: O'Loughlin, John
Subject: Hit the Road
Across the entire dept, there has been some great work this past week. If at all possible, try to make an early exit today; can you commit to hit the road by 2PM LATEST? Have a great weekend. JTO
John T. O'Loughlin
Wendy McCaw goes after Lou Cannon
She's mad about the journo's criticism of her News-Mess up in Santa Barbara, says the SB Independent.
Roy Ringer, editorial writer was 88
The former L.A. Times editorial writer and speech writer for Gov. Pat Brown died in Santa Monica. Here's an interview by Rip Rense with Ringer and his wife, Vivian, about their days at the original L.A. Daily News.
