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Where Bill Clinton and Antonio Villaraigosa were when the lights went out in Brentwood last night, plus Southwest goes kid unfriendly, a new Times feature on mundane things and a new Los Angeles editor for Curbed LA.
(I originally mislabeled this as Friday's buzz. No Ph.d required to analyze that...)
Fundraiser by candlelight
Last night's Hillary Clinton funder in Brentwood, with Bill Clinton as the star attraction, went dark due to a power failure. Hovering in the candle glow were Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — defending the DWP, no doubt — plus Ron Burkle, Steve Bing, Jerry Zucker, Frank and Carol Biondi and Gary Ross, among others. The former president spoke around the pool with flashlights turned on him. CAA's David O'Connor and his wife, Lona Williams, hosted. Wilshire & Washington
Kids no longer board first on Southwest
Families with children under five who don't get there in time to board with the A group will now get on before B and C, rather than first. Disabled passengers will still get special pre-boarding status. Apparently people complained about families going ahead, but let's see how they like boarding at the same time as car seats, diaper bags etc. LAT
Spector judge may change the rules
With the jury deadlocked, Judge Larry Paul Fidler is considering new instructions that would let them consider a manslaughter conviction. "I've never heard of it," said Loyola Law School professor Stanley Goldman. LAT, DN
O.J. to be arraigned in Las Vegas
His attorney, Yale Galanter, is now based in Miami. but used to be the husband of L.A. City Council member Jan Perry. (No, he did not. My mistake.)
#1 for traffic again
A Texas study fingers the L.A. area as the worst and says we spend an average of b72 hours a year stuck in rush-hour congestion, but a SCAG official says "I would not make policy decisions based on their data, period." LAT, DN
Times reporter does average things
LAT staffer William Lobdell has launched a new video feature on LATimes.com where he does things plenty of people already do, but he writes about doing it too. First he was a lifeguard at Huntington Beach; next up include taking a photo of a star in Beverly Hills, delivering a Sunday church sermon and getting a Botox treatment. They call it Living Vicariously in L.A.
Islamic groups sue FBI
The Southern California organizations and the ACLU want to force release of documents about alleged surveillance following the Sept. 11 attacks. LAT
Random drug testing for Britney Spears
Court orders twice a week testing and parent coaching, but lets her keep 50% custody of her children with Kevin Federline. LAT
No change at WGA
Patric Verrone was reelected president of the Writer's Guild, along with his slate. LAT
New editor of Curbed LA
Dakota Smith, who had been contributing editor, gets the title of Los Angeles editor and is now listed first. Curbed LA
Cal State Long Beach paper may go online only
Blogged discussion from Darleene Powells.
Erika Schickel Op-Ed
The Native Intelligence contributor writes as a mom that "the school year is but two weeks old and I'm already burned out....Having school-age children today is a full-time job. Just to get your kid enrolled requires reams of paperwork and forms. Then there's the insane ritual of "back-to-school shopping" to get the kids new backpacks, even though last year's are still perfectly good." LAT