Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Thursday 11.17.11

Protesters blocking Figueroa St. this morning, Beck mellow on Occupy L.A. camp, more state budget cuts coming, court to rule on Prop. 8, Kovacik sues over Polo Lounge attack and more.

Also see Mark Lacter's morning headlines at LA Biz Observed.

Top of the news

Occupy LA followers and other protesters are marching through Downtown and sitting down on Figueroa around 4th and 5th streets. Arrests are likely.

"Marijuana use doesn't disturb me," LAPD chief Charlie Beck says of Occupy L.A. "The behavior of the group disturbs me, and the behavior of the group's been good." LA Weekly


Politics and politicos

Sluggish state revenue is "likely to trigger a new round of spending cuts that could mean a shorter school year and millions of dollars slashed from public universities, child care programs and services for the disabled, the Legislative Analyst's Office says." LAT

Coverage of the arrests of protesters at the Cal State University trustees meeting Wednesday in Long Beach. Daily 49er, LAT

At 10 a.m. the California Supreme Court is expected to announce its ruling on whether Prop. 8 backers have standing to sue.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has "a solid approval rating and double digit leads over a handful of hypothetical Republican opponents" in recent polling. "If Dianne Feinstein wants another term in the Senate it doesn't look like she will have too much trouble getting it." Public Policy Polling

A newly released statewide poll shows that "while large majorities of residents are angry... even downright depressed... about the funding of public colleges and universities, most are unwilling to pay any additional taxes to solve the problem." Capitol Notes

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced plans Wednesday to build 50 new pocket parks around Los Angeles over the next two years. DN

Three of the top contenders for mayor faced off for the first time to talk housing, jobs and renewable energy, questioned by Jim Newton. City Maven

LAUSD superintendent John Deasy and Christine Cooper of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation will be guests on the City Maven Radio Hour at 11 a.m. on LATalkRadio.com.


Media and media people

NBC 4 anchor Robert Kovacik has sued the Beverly Hills Hotel and the man who decked him in the Polo Lounge while he dined with "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband last Christmas Eve. The Wrap

LACMA goes Hollywood with Elvis Mitchell. LA Weekly

Leslie Unger, communications director for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2007, has resigned. Her last day is Dec. 2. The Wrap

Comedian Ricky Gervais will return as emcee of the Golden Globes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. announced Wednesday. LAT

Leslie Price is in and Lisa Boosin out as editor in chief of Racked L.A., says Style Section LA.

A public memorial service for Larry Allison, former editor of the Press-Telegram, is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Long Beach Convention Center. P-T


More

Adam Bear on living and renting in L.A., or rather, looking for a place to rent. NYT Opinionator

Michael Sigman on the secret saga of the world's first punk rock band. Huffington Post

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund holds its first Awards of Excellence event in Los Angeles tonight at Getty House, honoring U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr., Farmers Insurance VP Faye W. McClure, Dodgers legend Don Newcombe, actress and activist Holly Robinson Peete, and City National Bank.


More by Kevin Roderick:
Gustavo Arellano, many others join LA Times staff
Power out Monday across Malibu
Put Jamal Khashoggi Square outside the Saudi consulate on Sawtelle
Here's who the LA Times has newly hired*
LA Observed Notes: Clippers hire big-time writer, unfunny Emmys, editor memo at the Times and more
Recent Morning Buzz stories on LA Observed:
Thursday news and notes
A little bit of mid-week reading
A few links from a few different places
Let's talk about anything but the weather
A few links from here and there
A couple of links from a couple of places
A bit of news from a few places
Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14


 

LA Observed on Twitter