Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Thursday 11.14.13

Curated news, notes and observations most weekdays from LA Observed.

Politics and government

gatto-home-kpcc.jpgThe father of Assemblyman Mike Gatto was found shot to death last njght in the family's home in Silver Lake. Joseph Gatto, 78, was found slumped over a desk in the 2800 block of Bright Lane. The home appeared to be ransacked. Police are investigating. Assemblyman Gatto is due in from Sacramento this morning. LAT, KPCC, AP

State Sen. Ronald S. Calderon, under investigation by the FBI on suspicion that he accepted bribes, accused federal authorities Wednesday of trying to smear him for refusing to wear a wire in a sting operation against two other senators. LAT, Bee, John Myers, KPCC

Calderon blasted Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia for organizing a media op by local officials calling on him to resign, saying "what has happened to me could happen to anyone in public office." Bee, LAT, KPCC

University of California President Janet Napolitano on Wednesday proposed freezing undergraduate tuition for the 2014-15 academic year, a move she said will give officials time to consider overhauling the UC's tuition system. Bee, LAT

Tutor-Saliba Corp. says it is being sued over the botched runway job at LAX as part of a "witch hunt" and blamed poor maintenance by LAX workers for the deteriorating pavement. LAT

Jersey boy Raphael Sonenshein ponders his home state’s governor. Jewish Journal


Media and books

The KNBC studios in Burbank were briefly evacuated Wednesday evening after a bomb threat. LAT

Willow Bay stroked Wallis Annenberg in a Q&A session at the inaugural Women A.R.E Summit in Los Angeles. "Annenberg -- the force behind the Annenberg Community Beach House, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and the Annenberg Space for Photography, just to name a few -- has truly changed lives for the better. Here are some excerpts from my conversation with one of the truly great women of Los Angeles." Huffington Post

zoobiquity-chinese.jpg"Zoobiquity" by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers has been translated into Chinese.

KCETLink raised $8,615 on Kickstarter to develop a definitive resource guide about California wildlife for KCET’s newly launched online ReWild initiative.

From journalist Hans Laetz in Malibu: "I've formed - with the help of some neighbors -- two nonprofit corporations. And we yesterday filed applications and engineering support at the Federal Communications Commission for allocation and authority to operate FM 99.1 at Malibu and FM 97.5 at Zuma Beach. We'll find out if we win the grants in three months. Does anyone knows who can sell me some tote bags?" Via Facebook

The San Francisco Chronicle is either shutting down its stand-alone Food and Wine section or increasing its coverage or both. NYT

The Weather Channel is trying a novel approach to turn around some flagging ratings: It is reemphasizing weather. AP


Courts and cops

Bishop Edward R. Turner, a South LA pastor who makes $105,000 a year as a field deputy for Sheriff Lee Baca, was relieved of duty and is the subject of an internal affairs investigation after officials learned he owns a South Los Angeles property that houses a medical marijuana shop. LAT

James “Whitey” Bulger was sentenced to life in prison on multiple counts of murder and racketeering. LAT


More news, notes and observations

The flood of writing about and coverage of the Los Angeles Aqueduct centenary "reeks of the disease that might be called 'Los Angeles exceptionalism,' the notion that this is a place different from all the rest, as if skullduggery or deception or imported water makes L.A. unique," argues Joe Mathews. Zocalo

As Los Lobos turns 40, bandmates reflect on a trippy ride. LAT

Ground-breaking was held -- finally -- for the Museum of Neon Art's new home in Glendale. MONA moved out of its downtown LA home two years ago. News-Press, DN

The archives of Ed Ruscha will reside at the University of Texas at Austin, whose Harry Ransom Center has acquired the artist's personal collection of documents, photographs and sketches. LAT

One World Trade Center in New York was named the tallest building in the U.S., displacing the Willis Tower in Chicago. LAT

Someone is posting inspirational Post-its around Berkeley. Berkeleyside

The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw won his second Cy Young Award for the best pitcher in the National League. AP

Shirley Mitchell, the last surviving adult cast member of "I Love Lucy," — she played Lucy's friend Marion Strong — died Nov. 11 of heart failure at her condominium in Westwood. She was 94. Hollywood Reporter

Former Raiders tight end Todd Christensen died Wednesday from complications during liver transplant surgery. He was 57. ESPN


Tweet of the day


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
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Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14