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Former Sen. John Edwards' trial begins today in North Carolina. The federal government argues that nearly a million dollars that two wealthy donors gave to Edwards constitute illegal campaign contributions, not aid from friends trying to help him hide the affair with Rielle Hunter. NYT
LAPD, city have changed since the riots, book festival panel agrees. LAT
Earlez Grille survived the LA Riots and thrives today. KPCC News
David Kipen reviews books on the riots. KPCC
Rodney King, author, speaks. LAT, NYT Magazine
The Jewish Journal hosted a panel discussion on the riots that became fairly heated. JJ
KJLH-FM’s "Front Page" hosted by Dominique DiPrima begins two weeks of special programming today from 4:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. with members of the original 1992 gang cease fire agreement.
AT&T's power in Sacramento. LAT
Survey: Nobody knows nuthin' or cares about the 2013 race for city attorney. Rick Orlov's Tipoff/DN
The Blue Line, Los Angeles County's oldest and most-used light-rail system, has been breaking down with alarming frequency. LAT
The LA Times editorialized against costly and pointless roadblocks" to the subway by the city of Beverly Hills.
Feature story on Jeremy Bernard, the first openly gay White House social secretary, "who raised tens of millions of dollars in Los Angeles gay circles for Mr. Obama in 2008." NYT
Linda Serrato announced she is leaving as deputy communication director for Parent Revolution to California press secretary for the Obama reelection campaign.
Documentary filmmakers can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the producer and director Lee Storey on Thursday won her case against the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in the United States Tax Court. Storey went to court after the Internal Revenue Service tried to disallow her deduction of expenses incurred while making and marketing the film “Smile ‘Til It Hurts: The Up With People Story.” NYT
A reader writes in: "Am I the only one who noted KCAL's absurd coverage of Rodney King's appearance in a live shot late Saturday afternoon? The standup said nothing about the Times or the Festival of Books. The station only mentioned that King spoke at 'USC.'"
Music Man Murray, and filmmaker Richard Parks, on NPR this weekend. Previously on LA Observed
While "Saving Face," the documentary on doctors helping Pakistan's acid attack victims, recently won an Oscar, legitimate heroes work unlauded every day to enable the afflicted to return to society with confidence. The National
Rebecca Mieliwocki, a seventh-grade English students at Luther Burbank Middle School in Burbank, was named as National Teacher of the Year and will appear Tuesday at the White House. DN
The University of Southern California’s School of Theatre will become the USC School of Dramatic Arts on July 1.
The West Valley celebrated its Day of the Horse. DN
On this day in 1969, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was sentenced to death for the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard. California death sentences were later changed to life in prison when the capital punishment law was invalidated. The voters subsequently approved a new law that is in effect today.
Nicholas King, an actor who helped buy and preserve the Watts Towers in the 1950s and 60s, died at 79. LAT
