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Curated news, notes and observations most weekdays from LA Observed.
If Antonio Villaraigosa is to do anything for his new employer Herbalife, he'll have to go against old friend and former Speaker Fabian Nunez, retained by hedge fund manager Bill Ackman to "put a spotlight" on Herbalife's business practices. Gene Maddaus at LA Weekly (which did the graphic)
Amid mounting tension between LA Unified’s top administrators and the school board, Mayor Eric Garcetti expressed support Monday for Superintendent John Deasy and said he plans to meet with both sides in order to ensure the district’s academic progress doesn’t falter. DN
Two city councilmen are calling for a delay in one of former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s final initiatives, a plan to streamline the city permitting process by merging the Planning and Building & Safety departments. DN
Warner Bros. has picked up the feature rights to A. Scott Berg’s new biogrphy of Woodrow Wilson and set it up with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way banner as a potential starring vehicle for the “Great Gatsby” actor. Variety
A lawsuit filed almost four months ago by Ed Asner and others alleging that SAG-AFTRA has operated its foreign royalties iprogrsm improperly is moving slowly towards a hearing in federal court on Oct. 7. THR
None of the LA Sheriff’s Department’s top brass will be fired or even demoted for instigating what a blue ribbon commission had described as a “culture of violence” against inmates at county jails — instead, several of these managers have gone into early retirement and are now collecting pensions. DN
Sgt. Miguel Lopez is an LAPD gang detective in Hollenbeck. When he's off-duty at night, he hunts ghosts. Daily Beast
As thousands of unsuspecting drivers in Los Angeles County are victimized by auto insurance fraud each year, District Attorney Jackie Lacey says her office will be going after those who cause crashes to rake in a big payday. DN, KTLA
Mary McNamara writes, "Here's the highest praise I can pay a three-part, six-hour documentary series on anything: I sat down to watch 'Latino Americans,' which premieres Tuesday on PBS, in its entirety with grim determination. When I was done, I couldn't stop talking about it." LAT
The population of Boyle Heights is more than 90 percent Latino, aging and about 72 percent renters. Pat Brown Institute
Burbank is worried it might have a 'Mansionization' problem. Atlantic Cities
More local birders are spotting blue-footed boobies since our report last week. KPCC, Audublog
The Dodgers lost again, that's now four in a row and 9 of 12. Matt Kemp returned as a pinch hitter and struck out to end the game. ESPN
Jackie Lomax, a rock musician from Liverpool who became part of the LA music scene, as well as the maitre d' at the Cat & Fiddle in Hollywood, died in England at age 69. LAT
Rabbi Philip Berg, the founder of the Kabbalah Centre, which attracted celebrity followers and controversy with its New Age and financially lucrative presentation of ancient Jewish mysticism, has died at age 84 or 86. LAT
Tuesday Trivia: Did you know chickens help us battle mosquitoes? http://t.co/B6le8QpdvW
— Vector Control (@GLACVCD) September 17, 2013
