Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Curated news, notes and observations most weekdays from LA Observed.
Kevin James is not just on the Board of Public Works — he was elected president of the board by Mayor Garcetti's appointees. DN
Los Angeles "will soon find out if Garcetti has the backbone and political chops to do what he was elected to do and rein in the costs of the Department of Water and Power." Daily News editorial
City Hall dropped the policy of ticketing cars that park at broken meters. Now you just have to observe the time limits, but can park if the meter has been jammed or broken. We'll see if they start getting purposely jammed again. LAT, DN
Wendy Greuel ended the mayoral campaign with more than $518,000 in outstanding campaign debts, including $130,000 owed to consultant John Shallman, and not including a $100,000 personal loan near the end. LAT
Antonio Villaraigosa will receive a city pension of $8,115 per month, or $97,380 for the year, officials with the Los Angeles City Employee Retirement System announced Wednesday. DN
An overwhelming majority of Californians believe the state should act to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new Public Policy Institute of California poll. Bee
Gov. Jerry Brown polls well and reports a sizable campaign war chest. John Myers
Kamala D. Harris raised more than $1.7 million for future campaigns during the first half of 2013 and has $2.7 million in the bank. Gavin Newsom, not so much. LAT
The first meeting of the county's Child Protection Commission is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room. It will live stream here.
The DWP changed its lenient sick day policy after hearing from City Hall, but now requires a doctor's note if you even stay home with the flu for more than two days. LAT, KPCC
Should Los Angeles allow murals on single-family houses? Curbed
Loic Hostetter, the managing editor of the UCLA Daily Bruin, has been a summer intern at the Sacramento Bee and wrote an essay for the paper on why he sees a future for himself in the media: "Stories of newsroom layoffs and turmoil surrounding the American newspaper industry have become familiar to prospective journalists. But even with the persistent, joking advice to 'get out while you can,' it's a warning I continue to ignore." Bee
The Bakersfield Californian laid off its only two photo editors. Romenesko
Kristen Stewart told a paparazzo stalking her in Glendale to fuck off. TMZ video
Journalist and historian Jon Wiener, author of "I Told You So: Gore Vidal Talks Politics," marks the one-year anniversary of Vidal's death with a piece on the most interesting things in his FBI file. The Nation
KCETLink and Japan International Broadcasting announced the programming line-up for NHK World TV, the digital channel that debuts in Southern California on August 5. NHK World
Photos of "Take Two" hosts A Martinez and Alex Cohen as awkward teenagers. KPCC
Remembering Mike Taugher, the California environmental journalist who died last week while snorkeling in Maui. KCET
Confidential personnel records from five Catholic religious orders were turned over to victims of sexual abuse Wednesday in the first wave of a court-ordered public disclosure expected to shed light on the role the groups, operating independently of the L.A. Archdiocese, played in the region’s clergy molestation scandal. LAT, DN
Former redevelopment official Donald Spivack discusses why he thinks the future Ace Hotel is the most important project coming to the Broadway district. Los Angeles
Today is Joan Jett Day in West Hollywood and she talks about growing up on the Sunset Strip. LA Weekly
New renderings for the makeover of Redondo Beach Pier. Curbed LA
LA Times reporter Joel Rubin:
Hey, @TheGroveLA, thanks for drawing a few thousand people into the most congested part of the city at rush hour for a boy band concert.
— Joel Rubin (@joelrubin) August 1, 2013
LA Weekly reporter Dennis Romero:
Going to use the word 'hipster' in every story. Without fail it pisses off hipsters, who comment and tweet and read. Excellent.
— Dennis Romero (@dennisjromero) July 31, 2013
