LA Observed archive
for July 2013

If you don't find what you want here, check another month or search below.

LA freeway system redrawn as a subway map

losangeleshighwaymap-stone.jpg Designer Peter Dunn re-envisioned the Los Angeles area freeways and mounted a Kickstarter campaign that raised enough money to print the map on 36-inch by 24-inch heavy stock. He explains inside.

Steve Chacon, longtime ABC 7 photographer was 58

steve-chacon.jpg The Channel 7 photojournalist popular among his colleagues and the LA press corps died Wednesday about two weeks after suffering a stroke. "Great guy, friendly and fair," Mayor Garcetti said by tweet.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 7.31.13

Thumbnail image for james-garcetti-on-phones.jpg Kevin James confirmed in spite of all those racist and dumb things he used to say. New ride-sharing services should stay. Social workers to be fired over 8-year-old's death. The bummer of the TAP card. Galanter on the City Council's future. Filner story du jour. New bestsellers in SoCal. A reporter expecting twins and another who doesn't eat meat. Plus more.

Eileen Brennan, Emmy winner was 80

eileen-brennan-1971-nyt.jpg Brennan, who grew up in Los Angeles, won an Obie Award for "Little Mary Sunshine" [title fixed] and was memorable in "The Last Picture Show." But it's her role as Capt. Doreen Lewis in "Private Benjamin" that many will remember most.

Dodgers no longer fear the Beard: they sign ex-Giant (video)

brian-wilson-beard-hair.jpg For LA fans, Brian Wilson used to be the despised symbol of the San Francisco Giants. Now he wears blue.

Cheryl Boone Isaacs elected president of Oscars academy

cheryl-boone-isaacs-grab.jpg The veteran Hollywood marketing executive is the academy's first black president and the third woman to hold the post, after Bette Davis and Fay Kanin.

Al Jazeera America names reporters in LA and elsewhere

jennifer-london-occupy-la.jpg The Los Angeles correspondent is Jennifer London, formerly with NBC News, MSNBC and KCET. The network launches Aug. 20. Full list inside.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.30.13

Thumbnail image for theforum.jpg Plans for the Forum, Garcetti's pothole agenda, West Hollywood bars versus Russian vodka and more.

Women at the Daily Journal warned to dress better *

federal-courthouse.jpg A dress code memo went out Monday at the Los Angeles Daily Journal reminding the inmates to dress professionally. While the reminders are not specifically addressed to women, the warnings seem clearly targeted. No spaghetti straps. No midriffs. Crop pants, yes. Capris, no.

LA Times is hiring: editorial writer

latentrance.jpg The Times' opinion side posted an opening Monday for a member of the editorial board, a fancy way of saying the person will write editorials and help decide positions

NPR's Scott Simon tweets his mother's final days

scottsimon-twitter.jpg If you have been following Scott Simon's touching hospital-bed tweets — and it seems that many have been — there is one more you will want to read. You can click it inside.

LAT ties Piolin split to sexual harassment accusations

piolin-promo.jpg Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo's mysterious departure from Spanish-language airwaves last week "came after a writer and performer on his nationally syndicated program accused him of sexual harassment," the LA Times says. Piolin's side says it's a troubled employee making malicious and false claims.

Mike Taugher, water reporter and spokesman was 50

mike-taugher-cct.jpg One of the state's top water journalists until he joined the Brown Administration, Taugher was spokesman for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. He died while snorkeling off Maui.

LA deputy sheriff charged with on-duty rape, bribes and more

Thumbnail image for sheriff-car-lao.jpg Sheriff's deputy Jose Rigaberto Sanchez, 28, was arrested Monday evening and charged with eleven felonies including sexual penetration under the color of authority, rape under fear or duress, and soliciting a bribe from his alleged victims. The crimes were alleged to have occurred in Palmdale in 2010.

Frank Gehry still lives in a Wilshire-centric Los Angeles

disney-hall-front-red-car-l.jpg Forget Downtown. Gehry still agrees with his pitch of ten years ago: MOCA and the cathedral should be on Wilshire Boulevard and his signature Walt Disney Hall should have been built in Westwood (or further west.)

Morning Buzz: Monday 7.29.13

chinatown-bldg.jpg Feinstein calls on San Diego mayor to leave. Garcetti to groundbreak a fire station. Cindy Montañez's consultant "bewildered" by loss. Two more VPs at KCET. Weekend chatter about the sheriff and his jails issue. Lopez highlights burglaries in Cheviot Hills. And changes in Chinatown, plus more.

Mick Farren, rocker and writer dies on stage at 69 *

mick-farren-citybeat.jpg Farren, founder and lead singer of The Deviants, wrote for the LA Reader and City Beat before returning to England in 2010. He collapsed Saturday night while performing with the band in London.

Naming rights to Pantages Theatre are in play

pantages-inside.jpg For the first time in 83 years, one of Los Angeles' "rarest naming rights assets" is available. All media references to the Theatre will carry your brand name, the pitch promises investors.

Digital now drives the graphics department at LA Times

graphics-form-times.jpg The new "director of data visualization" informs the newsroom that requests to create digital graphics for the Times website will have priority over graphics for the print newspaper. "Digital first" is the catch phrase — and the lede if you are still a paying customer of the Times.

Sports scribes abuzz with speculation about TJ Simers

simers-howard-grab.jpg Just what the acerbic sports columnist's current status with the LA Times is, no one who knows is saying. But he reportedly has a potentially climactic second meeting with the top editor and an HR rep scheduled for Tuesday.

Even the umpire loves Vin Scully (video)

scully-ovation-grab.jpg On Vin Scully Bobblehead Night at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, the sellout crowd gave Mister Los Angeles a standing ovation. Check out the home plate ump (and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.)

Puig adds 'walk-off home run' to his baseball card (video)

puig-walkoff-celebration.jpg The Dodgers came up in the 11th inning Sunday having scored no runs all day — and having set the franchise record for strikeouts in a single game. The first two LA batters made out, then rookie Yasiel Puig blasted the second pitch he saw into the left field bleachers. Game over.

Preserving LA's sprawl: a panel discussion

sfv-sprawl.jpg On Saturday morning I'm taking part in an LA Conservancy panel on suburbanization and sprawl in Woodland Hills. It's part of the Curating the City: Modern Architecture in L.A. series, which itself is included in Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A. Info inside.

Filner rejects calls to resign, says he'll get therapy

filner-vosd.jpg San Diego Mayor Bob Filner continued today to hang on to the last remaining threads of his all-but-dead political life. The San Diego Democratic committee and DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz added their calls that he resign.

Morning Buzz: Friday 7.26.13

thigh-ads-japan.jpg Garcetti tested right away by Brian D'Arcy. West Nile and plague in local animals (again). A change at LA School Report. A new bookstore kind of thingy in Westwood. The Guardian looks at the Register experiment. Another nice tribute to Janette Williams. Media obits on Art Ginsburg, plus ads on thighs in Tokyo. And much more.

Literary LA documentary falls short of Kickstarter goal

larb-logo-red.jpg The campaign expired yesterday with just $1,268 pledged, far short of the $23,000 sought.

Boing Boing's Xeni Jardin updates her cancer

Thumbnail image for xeni-jardin-finger.jpg It has been nineteen months since Xeni Jardin, the LA-based journalist who is one of the core editors at Boing Boing, disclosed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Nice piece today in the LA Weekly on where she is these days.

South LA homicide detective: what do you want to know?

ChristopherBarling-guardian.jpg LAPD detective Christopher Barling is the homicide supervisor for the 77th Street station in South Los Angeles — which has 250 open homicide cases. He agreed to "open up about his life and his work" with online readers of the UK newspaper The Guardian.

Scottish Rite Temple on Wilshire to become private art museum

scottish-rite-curbed.jpg Maurice and Paul Marciano of the Guess Inc. jeans empire paid $8 million for the Millard Sheets-designed venue. They plan to renovate and use it to collect their art, with occasional public showings.

LA Times shuffles Sacto and DC bureaus a bit

Thumbnail image for latimes-sign-sideview.jpg The Los Angeles Times has made official what we noted back on June 18: Phil Willon has moved from the Riverside bureau to be the interim bureau chief in Sacramento. Plus more moves in Sacto and Washington.

Nury Martinez named caretaker of 6th council district

Thumbnail image for nury-martinez-campaign.jpg This move on Wednesday by the City Council means that Martinez can handle some business for the council district in the Valley, before she is formally sworn in as the new council member. Also: how she won.

Photo gallery of Spain train crash: at least 79 dead

elpais-train-paredes.jpg El Pais has online video of yesterday's train crash at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, and a gallery of photos that is not for the squeamish.

Jacob Soboroff leaves HuffPost Live

jacob-soboroff-huffpost.jpg Soboroff was one of the original hosts for HuffPost Live at the studios in Beverly Hills, and he now becomes the network's third host to leave in two months. He announced yesterday that he will be starting a new gig "in TV land" on Friday, with details to come.

Art Ginsburg, deli owner was 78 *

art-ginsburg-fb.jpg Art Ginsburg was the proprietor of Art's Deli in Studio City, which has been a politics, community and Valleywood hangout for decades. The deli will be closed Friday.

Video revisit: McManus & Morgan fine art papers

mcmanus-morgan-papers.jpg McManus & Morgan just reached its 90th year in the Westlake district — reason enough to re-post my favorite LA video of 2011.

The Dodgers are just turning into a good story

dodgers-toronto-espnla-grab.jpg The Dodgers won again tonight in Toronto, but it's how they did it that is something to talk about. They now have their longest streak of road wins since Brooklyn.

Sunset Boulevard ramp off 405 to close for four months

sunset_off-ramp-graphic.jpg Just when you thought the endless 405 freeway upgrade project was becoming manageable and some of the quote unquote upgrades were opening for use, the freeway gods play a little joke.

KTVU fires at least three producers over Asiana names

Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for ktvu-racist-names.jpg Oakland Fox affiliate KTVU has reportedly dismissed at least three veteran producers after an internal investigation into how the station's news anchor read obviously fake names on the air, calling them the pilots of the Asiana Airlines flight that crashed at San Francisco's airport this month.

Deitch resignation from MOCA is now official *

moca-plaza-store.jpg Jeffrey Deitch formally informed the Museum of Contemporary Art board at today's meeting that he will be leaving as director. Joel Wachs is on the search committee.

Madeleine Brand joining KCRW for new daily show

Thumbnail image for mbrand-crop.jpg Former KPCC morning host Madeleine Brand will host the first new daily show to be created at KCRW since the launch of "To the Point" in 2001. Email from GM Jennifer Ferro inside.

KUSC will broadcast from the beach on Fridays

kusc-on-the-beach.jpg Rich Capparela won't have to drive downtown anymore for his Friday afternoon show on the classical music station at 91.5 FM. "KUSC at the Beach" will air from a studio in his beach-view condo in Santa Monica.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 7.24.13

thr-cover-clinton-casey.jpg Republican winning state race. Best tweet of the Anthony Weiner episode. Redevelopment money flowing back to LA County. Studying the LA River. THR's philanthropy issue. New gig for Todd Purdum. A new bestselling book in LA and CicLAvia returns Oct. 6.

And the woman on the City Council will be...Nury Martinez *

nury-martinez-campaign.jpg Martinez defeated Cindy Montanez tonight for the vacant seat on the Los Angeles City Council — in a battle of former San Fernando City Council members who represent rival factions of Northeast Valley Democrats. That's a 30-point swing from the primary election results.

Humpback whales nearly make divers their lunch (video)

whales-vs-divers.jpg Close call for some guys diving near Souza Rock off the Central California coast.

Jeffrey Deitch appears to be out at MOCA

jeffrey-deitch-nymag.jpg After a report last night by Tom Christie that MOCA has formed a search committee, media outlets are confirming that an announcement of Deitch's exit is imminent.
Pandora_Opens_The_Box.jpg Big story for Celeste Fremon's small volunteer, but respected and aggressive, LA investigative news site.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.23.13

piolin-promo.jpg Piolin dropped by Univision without explanation. Villaraigosa still gets LAPD protection and car. Voters in the Valley elect a new City Council woman. San Diego mayor's ex-spokeswoman adds to complaints against him. Millennium opponents score a point. Scientology hiring investigative reporters. Plus Janette Williams, longtime Star-News staffer, dies.

Advice for Garcetti from Raphael Sonenshein

garcetti-mv-marta-evry.jpg Sonenshein, head of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, helps new Mayor Eric Garcetti prioritize his to-do list in a light take for Los Angeles Magazine's CityThink blog.

Dodgers move into first place

soohoo-dodgers-blimp.jpg Well, what do you know. The Dodgers have climbed back from the depths of last place and tonight lead the National League West, after beating Toronto 14-5.

Bullwinkle statue moved off Sunset Strip perch *

bullwinkle-sunset.jpg Bullwinkle held Rocky the flying squirrel in his hand outside the former home of Jay Ward Productions — right across Sunset Boulevard from the Chateau Marmont — since 1961. The statue has been removed for repairs by DreamWorks.

This time they got him: Ryan Braun suspended for the year

ryan-braun-mvp-ped-suspension.jpg After winning the MVP award in 2011 over the Dodgers' Matt Kemp, Braun successfully appealed a 50-game suspension over a positive testosterone test. Perhaps he should not have been quite so sanctimonious about getting away with it back then. He's gone for the rest of this season.

Dennis Farina, cop turned actor was 69

dennis-farina.jpg Dennis Farina was a police officer and detective in Chicago for 18 years before he turned full-time to acting — playing mostly, but not solely, cops or gangsters.

Guardian website has an off button for royal baby coverage

guardian-screen-shot-royal-baby.jpg The Guardian in the U.K. realizes that a lot of its readers are hanging on every tidbit of news about the forthcoming child that would become third in line to the British throne— and that a lot of its readers also think it's all crap.

Morning Buzz: Monday 7.22.13

tny-i-before-e.jpg Briefcase investigated outside City Hall. Mayior Garcetti's early learning curve. Whither Wendy Greuel. David Shuster to Al Jazeera. The New Yorker fact-checks but maybe doesn't proofread so well. LAPD officers hurt making u-turn. No flights to Arcata-Eureka. Plus LA prostitutes, a Blondie photo exhibit and the Duchess of Cambridge is officially in labor.

'A Parallelogram' opens at the Mark Taper

marin-ireland-parallelogram8.jpg This is the actor with SoCal roots whose face you are seeing around town on posters for "A Parallelogram" — Marin Ireland, a Tony nominee in 2009 in her first role on Broadway in Neil LaBute's play "Reasons to be Pretty," and an actor who pops in pretty much everything she is in. The cast with her sparkles.

How ABC and ESPN lured Nate Silver from the New York Times *

nate-silver-no-glasses.jpg Politico has some terrific detail on the year-long negotiations aimed at keeping data analyst-blogger Nate Silver at the New York Times — and on what the Disney-owned ESPN and ABC offered to reel him in. Silver's role at ABC will be more extensive than first reported.
helen-thomas-press-corps-lbj.jpg Thomas, who died today at age 92, was the dean of the White House press corps. In 2007 she spoke with Jacob Soboroff about women's equality and being a trailblazer.

Nate Silver and FiveThirtyEight leaving NYT for ESPN

nate-silver-480.jpg Silver will be a regular on the Keith Olbermann show and contribute to ABC News during political seasons, according to the NYT's Brian Stelter.

Kanye West pursues, attacks pap at LAX (video)

kanye-west-pap-lax-tmz.jpg A video posted this afternoon at TMZ.com shows music star Kanye West leaving the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX and going after a paparazzo who was peppering him with questions on the sidewalk. The LAPD is investigating as a felony, the site says.

Bear chews the fat over backyard fence in Arcadia

black-bear-arcadia-rmg-news.jpg Another California black bear comes down into a foothills backyard, this time in Arcadia. Sure looks right at home. Bigger pic inside.

NYT's Jim Risen vows to take prison over revealing source

james-risen-grab.jpg A divided federal appeals court in Virginia ruled today that Pulitzer-winning New York Times reporter Jim Risen must testify in the criminal trial of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA staffer who the government charged under the Espionage Act with leaking classified material to Risen for his 2006 book, “State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration." A previous judge had said the First Amendment protects reporters such as Risen.
obama-on-race-grab.jpg President Barack Obama appeared in the White House press briefing room today to talk unannounced about race, addressing the topic at this depth for the first time as president. Video and transcript inside.

Morning Buzz: Friday 7.19.13

cbs-twc-ad.jpg CBS says its shows may go off the air. LA Review of Books vs NY Review of Books. Tess Vigeland on leaving Marketplace. Aaron Kushner sued. More media moves in Long Beach. Feds want to talk to Baca's spokesman. Malibu now lets volunteers write parking tickets (!). Plus LA after Trayvon in the New Yorker and those car sales by the Petersen Museum. And more.

Westwood and LAPD gird for protester 'fun run' this evening *

streetsc-lindbrook+westwood.jpg The LAPD has warned businesses in Westwood Village that mayhem is possible tonight when pro-Trayvon Martin protesters target the neighborhood. Protesters are expected to gather at Wilshire and Veteran about 6:30.

Garcetti puts Bonin, Krekorian on MTA board

expo-line-supports-billings.jpg The march of appointments by new Mayor Eric Garcetti continues. He names two city councilmen to the Metro board, plus activist "Jackie" Dupont-Walker.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 7.18.13

house-of-cards-small.jpg Netflix makes a mark on the Emmys. Prison officials get even. Who didn't vote in the city election. The promise of Compton's new mayor. Another Mexican journalist killed. American Journalism Review drops print. How Kim Masters' mom escaped the Nazis. Jewish Journal interviews Jeffrey Katzenberg. Plus more.

Model for SI cover featured in the Times died last month

si-cover-1017.jpg Dolores Greer died at age 81 on the same day that reporter Bob Pool interviewed an autograph collector who was trying to find her. She was a busy fashion model in 1960 Los Angeles.

Watch from the cockpit: Lufthansa pilots land A-380 at SFO *

sfo-landing-lufthansa-grab.jpg Since the Asiana Airlines crash at San Francisco International Airport, there has been a lot of curiosity about the landing approach at SFO. You come in low over water — many times I have wondered if we were a little too close to the bay. Video inside.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 7.17.13

Thumbnail image for ktvu-racist-names.jpg Garcetti's early test (and thin schedule.) LAX chief argues for her job. Villaraigosa gets a private-sector gig. Replacing the old men's jail. LAPD chief tweets. An LAT columnist quits. Dan Brown still leads the bestseller list. Nancy Silverton in Italy. Plus changes for Arclight members and more.

Puig with Chris Brown at the Playboy Mansion

puig-brown-playboy.jpg Yasiel Puig is already getting around town quite well. Nice friends: he posed at the Playboy Mansion with Chris Brown, whose probation for assaulting Rihanna was just revoked.

Young marauders hit Hollywood, at least 14 detained *

hollywood_rampage_law.jpg Swarms of about 40 young men and women ran down Hollywood Boulevard Tuesday night, grabbing merchandise and attacking shop keepers and tourists. Police responded en masse but most of the youths got away. Video inside.

Even the robbers are older in Hidden Hills

hidden-hills-entrance.jpg A 75-year-old man wearing an unlikely wig posed as a Los Angeles County sheriff's official to invade a woman's home in the gated community. He came armed but deputies were able to capture him safely.

Tribune names 'president of real estate,' could sell Times home

latimes-building-aerial-tig.jpg The Los Angeles Times headquarters in downtown LA will be owned separately from the newspaper — or sold — under the Tribune's new strategy. That makes the paper worth even less to a prospective buyer.

Olbermann, Regis getting new sports shows

keith-olbermann-variety.jpg Two former Los Angeles TV guys who went on to national media fame are getting new television shows, but you'll only find them deep on your cable grid.

CBS 2 photog covering Leimert Park: 'It felt dangerous'

garcetti-beck-leimert-befrank.jpg Bryan Frank, who posts pics of the scene last night, regrets not being there when reporter Dave Bryan and photographer Scott Torrens were assaulted. Mayor Garcetti urges peaceful protest tonight.

Kudos to Desert Sun on Swedish amnesia victim story

ek-boatwright-desertsun.jpg Palm Springs newspaper does the work to answer many questions about Michael Boatwright, aka Johan Ek. He's a 61-year-old Navy vet and wanderer.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.16.13

pizza-sign-nbc.jpg 5 freeway fully open, whatever happened to Gavin Newsom, Nury Martinez says she was abused, San Diego mayor's critics offer details, head of Zetas in jail in Mexico, the media's sad shills for "Newsroom," the curse of Jenny McCarthy and more.
For the third night in a row, the LAPD has put its officers on citywide tactical alert status to deal with protesters in the streets. 14 were arrested and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says enforcement will be stricter starting Tuesday.

Caltrans opens two lanes of northbound 5 freeway

caltrans-i5-tanker-chassis.jpg Caltrans officials were able to open two northbound lanes of I-5 at the interchange with the 2 freeway in Elysian Valley in time for today's afternoon commute. The rest of I-5 may open Tuesday, but the tunnel beneath connecting the northbound 2 to the northbound I-5 is closed indefinitely.

Mayor Garcetti decides to return to Los Angeles after all *

Thumbnail image for garcetti-elect-mobbed-gary.jpg Mayor Eric Garcetti's office announced this morning that the boss will be returning to Los Angeles several days early, "out of an abundance of caution." He also offers to help "resolve" a protest supporter's ticket.

Morning Buzz: Monday 7.15.13

cindy_montanez_nury_martinez_dn.jpg Protests cool overnight. Roderick Wright hits up Sacramento interests for defense funds. Jim Newton takes leave from LA Times. Cindy Montanez vs. Nury Martinez in battle of ex-allies. Asiana Airlines suing KTVU. How the Koch brothers fight back against the media. Cirque du Soleil to resume in Vegas. Yasiel Puig signs with marketing firm. Plus more.

First test: Mayor Garcetti is out of the city, but where?

beck-villaraigosa-occupynight.jpg Mayor Eric Garcetti's whereabouts as his police department is on tactical alert are not publicly known. The press schedule released to the media says only that he will be gone at least through Friday, July 19, ending up in Washington.

Kerri Walsh Jennings without bikini (and with baby)

kerri-walsh-nude-espn.jpg SoCal is well represented, as usual, in ESPN The Magazine's annual Body Issue celebrating the fact that the editors got a bunch of gorgeous-bodied athletes to strip naked — again. The LA royalty of the nudes is Olympic champion and mother of three Kerri Walsh Jennings, who used the promotional buzz to announce her comeback with a new partner.

Gomez book on immigration called 'an intellectual train wreck'

AB-jose-Gomez.jpeg Archbishop Jose Gomez steps into the national debate on immigration reform in his new book. He reminds people that this land was Catholic and Spanish-speaking before it was American, but Daily News columnist Tim Rutten calls the work strange and confounding.

Selected weekend reading from around the web

Thumbnail image for brigham-wrestlers.jpg Esquire's Charles Pierce on what George Zimmerman can do now, the LA Times on the Eastside Calderons, SI's Rick Reilly on the LA Clippers, and two former Herald Examiner sports scribes reconnect.

Protesters blocking Hollywood and Highland

elmo-protesters-twitter.jpg The lede stories on the 11 o'clock news in Los Angeles are from protests of the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case in Florida. A crowd of maybe 100 or so was occupying the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, encircled by LAPD officers. The group then began to move east on Hollywood Boulevard.
gas-fire-river-frogtown-anthea.jpg The northbound Interstate 5 freeway near Dodger Stadium, and half the southbound lanes plus the connectors to the 2 Freeway, will likely be closed for Monday's morning commute. That's because of possible structural damage to the freeway by Saturday's fire from a gasoline tanker crash.

Trayvon Martin protest spills onto Santa Monica Freeway

sm-freeway-protest-71413.jpg Marchers upset over the not guilty verdict in the Florida trial of George Zimmerman entered the 10 freeway at Crenshaw Boulevard this evening and briefly blocked traffic in both directions. On nearby streets, LA police have fired beanbag rounds on at least one group of protesters.

LA's incredible shrinking Sunday newspaper *

lat-front-71413.jpg An LA Observed reader who has been watching the Los Angeles Times for decades — some of that time from sensitive perches inside the building — says today's Sunday LAT was the smallest in his memory. He found 60 pages of content, or 136 pages less than in the New York Times he also received at home here in SoCal.

KNX reporter hit by LAPD beanbag at Trayvon Martin protest*

claudia-p-bruise.jpg Claudia Peschiutta of KNX Newsradio was covering a protest over the George Zimmerman verdict last night on Crenshaw Boulevard when she was hit by a bean bag fired by an LAPD officer. Yes, she tweets, it hurts.

Becoming LA opens at Natural History Museum

downtown-model-nhmla.jpg The Natural History Museum unveils to the public the new and much-anticipated Becoming LA exhibit hall on Sunday. It's must-see for students of Los Angeles history, but it should be interesting for just about anyone.

Cynthia Fox out at KLOS after 10 years *

cynthia-fox-ringo-kcet.jpg Fox has been spinning the tunes on FM radio in Los Angeles since the KMET days. She has been cleansed from the KLOS website, apparently.

Wow: Watch TV anchor read prank names for Asiana pilots

ktvu-racist-names.jpg You know it's bad when the most surprising thing isn't that the station aired the names. First, the NTSB confirmed them. Watch the video.

Garcetti appoints Kevin James to plum job at City Hall

james-garcetti-on-phones.jpg Mayor Garcetti announced his most interesting appointments so far. In addition to Kevin James and Matt Szabo on the public works board, he named former Pasadena mayor Rick Cole as deputy mayor for innovation and the budget.

Scientology watchers atwitter about defection of Leah Remini

Leah_Remini.jpg Actress Leah Remini has reportedly quit the Church of Scientology over its treatment of her and of members who stray from the party line, and in the circles of defectors and journalists who watch the church she's a big one. She reportedly was pulling away ever since an encounter with creepy church president David Miscavige at the 2006 wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes near Rome.

World Peace: out

artest-kimmel.jpg In praise of Metta World Peace, cut by the Lakers on Thursday to save a bundle under the NBA's luxury tax. Video memory inside: "I've got Wheaties!"

Garcetti jokes that HuffPost should buy the LA Times

garcetti-huffpo-live-grab.jpg Eric Garcetti knows his audience: When on HuffPost Live... Watch the whole interview here.

LA Times editor: arts coverage not diminished

davan-maharaj.jpg Davan Maharaj, the editor of the Los Angeles Times, responded last evening to the Southern California museum directors who emailed a complaint yesterday about the firing of arts reporter Jori Finkel, who was laid off recently. Read Maharaj's response inside.

Arun Rath named host of NPR's newly LA-based weekend show

Arun_Rath_Headshot.jpg Arun Rath has won the derby and will be the host when the NPR newsmagazine "Weekend All Things Considered" starts airing from Culver City in September. Rath is a senior reporter for "Frontline" on PBS and "The World" at WGBH in Boston.

Morning Buzz: Thursday 7.11.13

project_runway_one_sheet.jpg Crips and Bloods in NYT Magazine. How much did race factor in City Council districts? Garcetti pledges new approach to diversity. KCET to air more Japanese news. Project Runway's nude billboard won't fly in LA. Bill Simmons on the Lakers. Bill Plaschke on Yasiel Puig. Plus more.

LA Times buy not a priority, says a Koch brother

charles-koch-wichita.jpg Buying Tribune newspapers is not on the front burner -- but possible, says the head of Koch Industries.
moon-zappa-valley-girl-grab.jpg It's '80s night at LA Observed. Moon Zappa does the full version of her odd little hit with father Frank, "Valley Girl," on "Solid Gold." Yes, the Zappas were Valley people.

Manny Ramirez cuts his hair to play again

mannybald-yahoo-sports.jpg Manny hit a homer the other night for Round Rock in the Pacific Coast League, and when he took off his cap, not only were the dreadlocks gone — he was bald. He must really want to get back to the big leagues.

Museum directors protest layoff of LA Times arts reporter

Thumbnail image for jroi-finkel-salcido-zocalo.jpg In a letter to editor Davan Maharaj, the heads of the Getty, Hammer, LACMA and a dozen other institutions call for reinstating the position that was occupied by arts reporter Jori Finkel.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 7.10.13

chinese-girl-crash-law.jpg Chinese girls who died in Flight 214 crash are mourned back home. Obama bundler in Hollywood gets a gig. Villaraigosa now a centrist. Joel Wachs calls Mayor Garcetti "most intelligent person in that office in my lifetime." The Bill Rosendahl I know. A response on that Silicon Valley story. KCSN confirms our Harry Shearer news. Why Yasiel Puig won't talk to the media, and more.

LA Times, other Tribune papers to become a separate company

latimes-sign-sideview.jpg Tribune Company announced today that it will spin off the newspapers it owns, including the Los Angeles Times. All of the other assets, including real estate, would stay with Tribune. This does not preclude a sale of the Times down the road.

Register formally announces Long Beach expansion

long-beach-register-proto.jpg Everybody else was talking about it, and now the Orange County Register is ready to spill the beans: the paper is starting a Long Beach edition to publish six days a week starting Aug. 19.

Giving up lanes on Broadway is national news

broadway-plan-illo.jpg The Atlantic Cities observed last week that it was remarkable Los Angeles is thinking of narrowing Broadway's busy stretch downtown to three lanes as part of a plan to make the street more pedestrian friendly.

Tacos catch up to burgers on Google search

in-n-out-westwood.jpg It used to be that Google users searched more often for burgers than for tacos. That's not really true in 2013, at least not all the time. LA Taco does the analysis.

Meet LA County's new coroner - not yet a celeb

coroner-mark-fajardo.jpg Mark Fajardo, who grew up on the Eastside as the son of a deputy sheriff, is ready for all that coroner to the stars stuff. As ready as anyone can be. Good luck, dude.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.9.13

lapd-car-bullet-holes.jpg What pilots are saying about Asiana flight 214. Why did so many evacuees take their carry-on bags? Up to 30,000 California inmates refused meals. Garcetti says some department heads will go. VICA wants back in. A new candidate for county Supe. Amazon begins raising prices. Off-duty Hawthorne police sergeant dies. Robbery at pot shop in Reseda leads to gun battle. Leimert Park property starts turning over. Matt Kemp back on the DL. And more.

Mercedes will move into shuttered Boeing plant in Long Beach

Mercedes-Benz USA has leased more than one million square feet at the former Boeing 717 plant in East Long Beach that closed in 2006. It's being called a landmark deal in the local real estate market.

Harry Shearer's 'Le Show' lands on KCSN

Thumbnail image for harry-shearer-thumb.jpg The mostly music radio station at Cal State Northridge, FM 88.5, will be the over-the-air outlet in Los Angeles for "Le Show," Harry Shearer's long-running weekend program.

Silicon Valley, then and now

palo-alto-dt.jpg In the opening of a piece that is mostly about Silicon Valley techheads venturing into politics, the New Yorker's George Packer describes the changes being wrought in San Francisco and the peninsula communities south of the city by the new wealth of Silicon Valley's current occupants. Interesting, stark contrasts observed by a local.

Transcript: Scully tells a batting out of order story

puig-sandoval-att-park.jpg We have a new example of Vin Scully showing why he's a Los Angeles treasure. Plus: LA Observed takes a trip to the ballpark in San Francisco.

Morning Buzz: Monday 7.8.13

Heather-Havrilesky-aeon.jpg Garcetti kisses up to Hollywood. Newton and Orlov columns. Greuel talked up for county Supe. The Wrap promotes a new executive editor. Heather Havrilesky on being 43. Sinai Temple and gay marriage. Casey Wasserman profiled and much more for the first day back from the holiday weekend.

Sheriff's blotter: Bear in vacant house in Bradbury

bear-sedated-bradbury.jpg Deputies responded to a report of a bear roaming inside a vacant house. The report proved to be true.

Watch video of SFO plane crash shot by Dodgers fan

Flight214-suntimes.jpg CNN posted video of the Asiana crash at San Francisco Airport provided by a man who was recording the landing from about a mile across the bay. It shows the flight from Korea approaching too low with its nose in the air, then the tail hitting the ground and the plane careening out of control in a cloud of smoke. Plus: Stupid (at best) Chicago headline.

Jet from Korea crashes at SFO, tweets say most people OK *

asian-plane-paul-chinn.jpg An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 arriving from Seoul with 291 people aboard crashed at San Francisco International Airport about 11:30 a.m. Most of the passengers got off the plane safely, according to tweets.

Dwight Howard is leaving the building

dwight-howard-leaves-grab.png After one mostly disappointing season with the Lakers, Dwight Howard confirmed on Friday that he is leaving Los Angeles to play for the Houston Rockets. He says that Kobe and Mike D'Antoni aren't the reasons he is taking millions less to play in Texas. But, well.

Boom profiles Hidden LA's Lynn Garrett

lynn-garrett-boom.jpg In the current issue of Boom, Lynell George explores the civic and online phenomenon that is Hidden LA. Plus some observations about Boom, the journal from UC Press that wants to be the California magazine we never had.

This may be LA's oldest palm tree

oldest-palm-tree.jpg There is reason to believe this solitary fan palm near the Coliseum on the edge of Exposition Park is the oldest palm tree in the city. History writer Nathan Masters has tracked the tree through a series of moves.

Coast Guard crew remembers Yasiel Puig

the-vigilant-uscg.jpg Puig spent almost two weeks with the cutter crew that picked him up at sea last year — and that sent him back to Cuba. Within two months, he had successfully defected to Mexico. Today, he was named the National League's player of the month — and he got another hit.

Tom Bergin's on Fairfax to close for good on Sunday

tom-bergins-interior.jpg it's surprising and unsettling when LA institutions, even the unofficial ones, suddenly vanish from the scene. The Irish-style tavern announced today on its Facebook page that it will close at the end of business on Sunday.

Morning Buzz: Wednesday 7.3.13

inferno-cover.jpg Garcetti calls runaway production an emergency. Yaroslavsky lauds Villaraigosa on transit. Wesson and Vladovic chosen. No more tickets at broken meters? Dog shooting by Hawthorne PD. Eli Broad on teacher training. Media notes, the top book in SoCal stores, Puig homers again and Milton Bradley sent to jail.

Garcetti adds Jan Perry to the new team *

zineperrynuch.jpg Perry was only out of a job for one day. Garcetti makes a bunch of other appointments as well. The whole list is inside.

Advice to Eric Garcetti from a friend and former aide

garcetti-lastagenda-gary.jpg Josh Joy Kamensky helped stage Eric Garcetti's first campaign for office out of his Silver Lake apartment. As an OG, and as a writer who can be amusing, he offers some suggestions to the new mayor.

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 7.2.13

amy-nicholson.jpg Day one of the Garcetti era. And day two. Who is Garcetti? When did he become Jewish? Unlocking the doors, literally, at City Hall. Iger won't run for governor. Lessons for Texas in California politics. Amy Nicholson named VVM film critic. KPCC advertising for an enviro correspondent. The Register's plan for Long Beach. And more.

Two more towers planned for the heart of Hollywood

palladium-towers-curbed.jpg These new towers would be built on the parking lots around the Hollywood Palladium near Sunset and Vine. "Holy shit," says Curbed LA, "there have been rumors about some kind of development at the site of the Hollywood Palladium for ages now, but here they finally are, for real....two big-ass towers."

Jennifer Bjorklund back on NBC 4 air from Prescott (video)

bjorklund-prescott-grab.jpg The former anchor and reporter showed up today on the tough story of the 19 firefighters who died in Arizona. You can almost hear the cheering for her from Channel 4 friends on Facebook.

135 degrees in Death Valley: 'Eyeballs were burning'

death-valley-135-degrees.jpg Kevin Martin, the blogging weatherman who took his mother (and her car) to Death Valley on Sunday, said he found temperatures a few degrees higher than the official reading of 129 degrees recognized by the National Weather Service. His thermometer read 135.5 degrees at Badwater Basin, the low point of North America. But there's no official NWS station there.
vicki-curry-fb.jpg Villaraigosa's press secretary joins the Garcetti administration. City Attorney Mike Feuer announces some key appointments.

Morning Buzz: Monday 7.1.13

aditi-roy.jpg Mayor Garcetti's schedule today. Newton on the mayor and DWP. New state tax adds 3.5 cents to every gallon of gas today. Tribune buys TV stations. Aditi Roy joins ABC News in LA. Soledad O'Brien signs on with Al Jazeera America. And more.

Another photographer loves LA

lloyd-ziff-nyt-la-exposures.jpg Lloyd Ziff is a former magazine design director who is working on a book of 40 years of his photographs of Los Angeles and New York. "I was a child in Beverly Hills in the 1950s, and L.A. was being built right before my dazzled eyes."
navajo-auditions.jpg A casting call for Navajo speakers who could voice the key parts brought out people like Marvin Yellowhair, 54, who calls himself a “born Darth Vader." The 34-year-old mom selected to play Princess Leia had never seen "Star Wars," but decided to channel her own mother's sarcasm in the part. Star Wars in Navajo debuts this week.

In honor of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (video)

Santa-Monica-Civic-Auditorium-oscars.jpg Oscars ceremonies, Roller Games, cat shows and school concerts are part of the auditorium's legacy, but it's the T.A.M.I Show in 1964 that might be the most enduring memory — at least on film. And no performance measures up to James Brown's.
Clinton fundraises in LA
kermit-la-brea-closer.jpg Jim Henson Studios on La Brea became a presidential campaign stop on Thursday.
Brown declares disaster area
porter-ranch-sign.jpgThe natural gas leak above Porter Ranch now qualifies for various government actions. Story
Wet coyote
wet-coyote-vdt.jpgSpotted between the storms at Here in Malibu.
Performing arts with cheer
guys-dolls-kevin-parry.jpgDonna Perlmutter closes out 2015 with productions downtown and on the Westside.
Junkyard down
upick-firetruck-560.jpgAfter 53 years, Sun Valley's Aadlen Brothers and U-Pick Parts cleans out. Photos