Starting to fill in nicely
Steve Harvey's latest column of quirky bitsBrown's tax plan has the lead, Garcetti's toughness issue, Orlov's Tipoff, new 9/11 book by ex-LA Times reporters, the old Mary Pickford studios in West Hollywood endangered and chatting with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Plus: City Hall is closed for Cesar Chavez Day.
City of Los Angeles offices, animal shelters and libraries are closed today for observance on Cesar Chavez Day. States offices and schools and some courts will close for the holiday on Friday.
Gov. Jerry Brown's ballot proposal to increase the sales tax a quarter percent and add an income tax surcharge on upper incomes to raise more money for schools and balance the state's budget starts with 64% support among California voters, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. LAT
California Republicans already have donated more than $26.6 million to their party's presidential campaign, some to more than one candidate. California Watch
Jim Newton wonders if Eric Garcetti is "tough enough" to be mayor, then listens as Garcetti addresses the question. LAT op-ed
Rick Orlov's Tipoff: Fire Chief Brian Cummings' predicament, Herb Wesson roast, gadflies at City Hall and more. DN
Cummings resumed releasing public information on fire department emergency responses. City Maven
Also: The Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles sent a joint letter to Cummings condemning the fire department's self-imposed restrictions on public information.
Valley-area congressmen Howard "Buck" McKeon and Elton Gallegly, not just Howard Berman, paid family members for political work, according to a watchdog report issued recently. DN
A new book by former Los Angeles Times terrorism reporters Josh Meyer and Terry McDermott, "The Hunt for KSM: Inside the Pursuit and Takedown of the Real 9/11 Mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed," is out. Hachette
Patt Morrison Q-and-A's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar about his new children's book, "What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors." LAT op-ed
New owners of The Lot at Santa Monica Boulevard and Formosa plan to demolish the 1927 Pickford Building and the 1932 Goldwyn Building, and eventually more buildings at the former Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks studio. LAT
Landmark Theatres has agreed to repair the vertical neon sign on the Rialto Theater in South Pasadena. LAT
The LAUSD's Academic Decathlon says it needs to find $400,000 in order to continue. DN
Streets through the Sepulveda Dam Basin were closed during Sunday's rains storm.