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Curated news, notes and observations most weekdays from LA Observed.
State Sen. Ron Calderon is taking a paid leave of absence to fight federal corruption charges. End of the Democrats' supermajority for now. LAT, AP, Bee
Political math toughens for Democrats as Calderon takes leave. John Myers
Gov. Jerry Brown on “Meet the Press” Sunday expressed mild concern about too many people getting stoned on pot. Bee
Two top commanders who oversaw hiring and training at the Los Angeles Fire Department have been reassigned after officials learned their sons advanced during a recruitment process that has come under scrutiny at City Hall. LAT
Eli Broad and Rick Caruso support a mandated higher minimum wage for workers in Los Angeles. LAT
A dozen candidates say they are running for county assessor, but on-leave incumbent John Noguez is not among them. LAT
Mayor Garcetti won't be in D.C. with the chamber of commerce, and Dennis Zine has no plans to run for anything. Rick Orlov's Tipoff/DN
Barry Sanders, president of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, is ramping up talk of Los Angeles getting the 2024 games. DN
Venture capital investor Tim Draper's initiative to break California into six states "glosses over so many complexities that the first question he often gets asked by interviewers is whether he's actually serious. Let's just say that he sure sounds sincere." Michael Hiltzik/LAT
The New York Times' 1853 coverage of the kidnapping of Solomon Northrup [sic]. NYT
Vanity Fair editor and Oscars party host Graydon Carter is the last magazine impresario. NYT
Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki ("Gravity") has an Instagram feed "which turns out to be one of the most intimately curated and visually arresting galleries currently in circulation on the social network—a collection of unidentified images by the greatest cinematographer in the game hiding in plain sight." Slate
There are signs of an El Nino condition forming in the lower Pacific, and that could be generally good for precipitation in California. LAT
12 Stunning Then-and-Now Photos From California's Historic Drought. PolicyMic
8 Secrets You Learn Being an Uber Driver in Los Angeles. Curbed, GQ
Outlaws Bar & Grille, a fixture in Playa del Rey since 1984, closed for business — a signal, according to some residents, of further changes to come in the neighborhood. Argonaut
Boston's Emerson College has opened its Thom Mayne-designed, 10-story Sunset Boulevard campus in Hollywood. LAT, Media kit
Remembering the legendary Palomino Club of North Hollywood. KCET Departures
CBS LA weather caster Evelyn Taft:
“@weatherjosh: @EvelynTaft congrats on the new weather watcher!!!!!” Thanks Josh!! Born right in the middle of the big storm too!!
— Evelyn Taft (@EvelynTaft) March 3, 2014