Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
29 LAPD officers may face May Day melee charges
LAPD officials will submit a report naming 29 officers responsible for 72 different allegations to the District Attorney's Office and the FBI for review next week. In addition, the report lists 139 additional allegations that cannot be tied to specific officers. DN
Laura Chick surgery for breast cancer
City Controller Laura Chick revealed she had a mastectomy and breast reconstructive surgery earlier this month as part of ongoing treatment for breast cancer. Chick, 63, kept her illness private for months while undergoing surgeries to remove cancer cells. When those failed to eradicate the disease, she decided to have a mastectomy Jan. 8 and says she is now cancer-free. DN
O'Shea vs. Hiller
Times editor Jim O'Shea's demand for a budget increase to cover the campaigns and Olympics this year "was a regrettable and unnecessary line drawn in the sand," publisher David Hiller says. "It is wildly unrealistic to consider a budget increase at a time when revenue is falling." As for O'Shea's departing blast, Hiller says "His views are heartfelt and idealistic, but Jim seemed to be writing more for the history books than the future." WashPost
Ledger autopsy doesn't show cause of death
It will take ten days for the tests to come in that could determine what he had taken. AP
Hillary selling a seat at L.A. debate
Contribute enough to the Clinton campaign before Saturday night and you can sit in the Kodak Theatre at the Jan. 31 CNN-LAT-Politico debate between the Democrats. Top of the Ticket
Economic stimulus plan for L.A.
Mayor Villaraigosa and his Los Angeles Economy and Jobs Committee will unveil a package of proposed steps called Building a World-Class City for the 21st Century at 9 am in the mayor's conference room. Chairman Russell Goldsmith, CEO of City National Bank, will then explain the plan at 10:20 am on "Larry Mantle's Airtalk" on KPCC. LAEJC, Airtalk
I-5 slammed by snow flurries in Tejon Pass
Driving could be troublesome all day at the top of the Grapevine. DN
Rocky start to fiscal year
City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo acknowledges his office has spent almost all of his annual budget for outside counsel, even though the fiscal year is only half over, the Daily Journal reported Tuesday (but which I got to late.) The City Council already has a tab of $1.49 million in outstanding legal bills to pay, and Delgadillo's office says there could be another $3.2 million bill by the end of the fiscal year June 30.
Supes drop plastic bag ban
Board of Supervisors opts for a voluntary program discouraging the use of plastic shopping bags. If major reductions don't happen by 2013, then a formal ban may occur. LAT, DN
Not much of an authority
The Southern California Regional Airport Authority that Mayor Villaraigosa re-created has been treading water for over a year, rarely meeting, and some members think it could be killed soon. LABJ
Crime conference at USC
Celeste Fremon covers the first day of the Institute for Justice and Journalism conference at Witness LA. I'm on a media panel there this afternoon.
Caltech to create space studies center
Caltech has received an eight-year, $24-million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to establish a space studies institute dedicated to developing a new generation of space missions and research. LAT
Huizar at Princeton
Councilman José Huizar delivered the keynote address at the Martin Luther King Day celebration at his alma mater, where is a trustee. Princeton News
Riding around Downtown with Julius Shulman
Josh Spencer got to do just that on a double-decker bus, taking photos. Blogdowntown
High praise for L.A. baseball blogs
ESPN scribe Peter Gammons, inventor of the Sunday baseball notes column, gets reflective during an island vacation to Nevis and gives a shout out to Rich Lederer's Baseball Analysts and Jon Weisman's Dodger Thoughts. Jon got face time recently with general manager Ned Colletti.
Jeff Levy moves to KRLA
The computer advice guy who used to be at KNX and KFI has moved to Sunday afternoons 2-4 pm on AM 870 and AM 590. JeffLevy.com