Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.24.13

Politics and Campaign 2013

The two women shot at by LAPD officers in the South Bay during the Christopher Dorner manhunt agreed to a $4.2 million settlement with the city. LAT, NBC4, ABC7, DN, LA Weekly

LA Times police beat reporter Joel Rubin's tweet on the settlement: "Odd. Why so much when injuries were slight?"

Prosecutors filed dozens of new criminal charges against Assessor John Noguez, one of his former top aides and a tax consultant. LAT, DN

Wendy Greuel stepped up her campaign attacks on rival Eric Garcetti, repeating ethical accusations brought up at Monday night's televised debate and adding a new one — that Garcetti accepted thousands in donations at a fundraiser hosted by an ex-felon. Garcetti called the Emily's List hit piece on him sexist. LAT, LA Weekly, KPCC

Journalist Patrick Range McDonald doesn't want Garcetti to continue in the Navy Reserve. LA Weekly

City worker unions power the pro-Wendy Greuel Working Californians PAC. KPCC

lariver-sign-zevweb.jpgNBCUniversal has agreed to put $13.5 million into an effort to revitalize the Los Angeles River and complete a miles-long stretch of the river bikeway, as part of the deal to allow major development at the studio in Universal City. “It’s huge,” said Eric Bruins, planning and policy director for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Zevweb, LAT

Nearly three years after he was indicted on voter fraud and perjury charges, state Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) is scheduled to stand trial starting July 15. LAT

The DWP announced that Coldwater Canyon Avenue in Studio City is ready to reopen after a month-long closure for major work on a water main. Left turn restrictions at Ventura Boulevard will remain in effect until June.

With Ontario threatening to sue for control of LA/Ontario International Airport, Los Angeles council members were warned by the city’s top administrator on Tuesday that it could be in for a long legal battle before a resolution is reached. DN

Media, media people and books

The New York Times updated its policies on use of “illegal immigrant” in stories: writers can still use the phrase for “someone who enters, lives in or works in the United States without proper legal authorization,” but they are encouraged to “consider alternatives when appropriate to explain the specific circumstances of the person in question, or to focus on actions.” NYT

lamag-cover-513.jpgIn Los Angeles Magazine for May: A profile of Father Gregory Boyle, Mark Lacter's column on tech in Playa Vista, Dave Gardetta on Las Vegas, Anne Taylor Fleming and Peter Rainer about films about Los Angeles, Jessica Pare of "Mad Men" and a sushi guide — plus more. Editor's note

"Life After Life" by Kate Atkinson leads "Gone Girl" for the most-bought bestseller in Southern California independent bookstores. "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg is back in the #1 spot in nonfiction. The paperback bestsellers are "The Great Gatsby," "Wild" and "A Game of Thrones." Indiebound

LA journalist John Stodder on Facebook: "I'm paying the LA Times for access to its website. But they are rude. I understand the idea of pre-roll ads for videos. But the Times auto-plays the video ad even if all you're doing is reading the text story. And it hides the pause button until you scroll over the area where you think it might be. This forces you to listen to at least 3-4 seconds of the ad. But one of the reasons I like *reading* is that the experience is a quiet one. Will the Koch brothers fix this problem?"

Sigma Delta Chi award winners include LA Times photographer Rick Loomis, NBC 4's Olsen Ebright, Melissa Pamer, Samantha Tata and Vikki Vargas for online reporting, Lance Orozco of KCLU and NPR's Ina Jaffe, Quinn O’Toole and Steven Drummond. SPJ, NBC 4

National Headliner awards for Liz O. Baylen and Mary Vignoles of the LA Times, and former LAT reporter Ann O'Neill now at CNN's website. Winners

The 6th annual LA Media Reform Summit is Saturday at Occidental College. Info


More news, observations and reading

Bailey Street along the eastern edge of Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights will get a new look and a new name honoring Mexican ranchera singer Lucha Reyes. The Eastsider LA

Three instances in which Southern California legal cases made multiracial civil rights history. KCET.org

Reese Witherspoon's full arrest report from Atlanta. LAT

One of those annual data-driven press releases that claims to measure traffic congestion once again says LA drivers spend the most time stuck in traffic. Yawn. LAT

“Unlikely Friends,” a documentary about forgiveness between criminals and their victims by filmmaker Leslie Neale, has a benefit screening on Saturday. Witness LA

His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, worldwide spiritual leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, will visit the West Coast for the first time in May and speak May 11 at the Montage in Beverly Hills.

Downtown developer Omni Group, now building a mixed-use tower at 888 Olive, may erect four additional mixed-use towers nearby. Globe Street

Writer and retired teacher Manuel H. Rodriguez remembers his $2 a month Catholic education at South LA's St. Columbkille School for boys and girls. Zocalo

The Schwarzenegger Institute at USC will host a forum on immigration reform April 30 with Se. John MCCain, Vicente Fox and others. USC

Allan Arbus, the film, stage and television actor best known for his recurring role as psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Freedman on the 1970s TV series "MASH," died Friday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 95. Arbus had once been married to the late photographer Diane Arbus. LAT


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
A bit of news from a few places
Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14