Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 12.11.12

Politics and government

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to Mexico to help investigate the plane crash that killed singer Jenni Rivera. U.S. authorities are also looking into the history of the plane's owner, Starwood Management of Las Vegas, which had another one of its planes seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration in September. AP

Albert Abrams, the former president of the city's neighborhood councils commission who once admitted he "was watching myself from a distance watching" child porn, and who claimed a tumor made him do it, was sentenced to 7 years behind bars on Monday in a plea deal with the feds. LA Weekly, CNS, LAO

The DA's office admitted Monday that its prosecutors erred in allowing a suspect — now accused in the killing of four people in Northridge — to receive drug treatment instead of prison time during a September court hearing. LAT

City Hall officials are pressing for a major cost-cutting change at the Fire Department's troubled 911 call handling center despite a top commander's warning that making the move is too risky and would jeopardize public safety. LAT

The L.A. County Federation of Labor, one of the biggest sources of power in L.A. elections, has decided not to endorse in the first round of the L.A. mayor's race, according to multiple sources. LA Weekly

The Times is against the city writing $63 tickets for parking at broken meters. LAT editorial

A Casden mixed-use development proposed for the Expo Line station on Sepulveda Boulevard hit a few political snags. Curbed LA


Media and media people

Robert M. Parker Jr. is stepping down as editor in chief of the Wine Advocate, the influential newsletter he started in 1978 with a loan from his mom. Daily Dish

After 126 years, The Sporting News is printing its last magazine but will remain online. Sherman Report

Humble beginnings at Disney Comics for Sony CEO Michael Lynton. Bob Foster

The LA Times catches on to the trendy row that has been developing along Rose Avenue in Venice. LAT

Former Current TV producer-editor Euna Lee, who had been held captive in North Korea, has completed the graduate documentary film program at Columbia University. Fishbowl LA, LA Observed

Media tweet of the day, from LA Times columnist David Lazarus: "E! News credits 'sources' with breaking news that Kim Kardashian's cat has died. Seriously."


More

fed-courthouse-design-som.jpgChicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill will design the federal courthouse to be built (if ever) in the pit at 1st and Broadway downtown where a state office building used to stand. Here's the design. Curbed LA

Highway deaths in the U.S. last year fell to their lowest level since 1949 but the number of bicyclists and pedestrians dying on America's roads continued to rise, federal safety regulators said Monday. LAT

Brandon Lincoln Woodard, a 31-year-old student at University of West Los Angeles Law School, was fatally shot in the back of the head while walking on West 58th Street near 7th Avenue in New York. The broad daylight murder is being viewed as an execution. Gothamist


More by Kevin Roderick:
'In on merit' at USC
Read the memo: LA Times hires again
Read the memo: LA Times losing big on search traffic
Google taking over LA's deadest shopping mall
Gustavo Arellano, many others join LA Times staff
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
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Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14