Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
News, notes and observations from LA Observed and selected media sources. Sometimes daily, often in the morning.
Nine people were arrested in raids targeting locations in downtown LA's fashion district and Bel-Air, in a crackdown on money laundering to Mexican narco cartels. $75 million in cash was seized. LAT, LA Weekly, LAR
Sentencing for former City Councilman Richard Alarcón and his wife, Flora, was delayed Wednesday amid the couple’s request for a new trial. The DA wants Alarcon to spend 180 days in jail for the voter fraud convictions over his residence claims. DN, Courthouse News
Manuel Figueras, a field deputy to former City Councilman Richard Alarcón, faces a civil trial next month over his hitting and killing a pedestrian while driving a city car in North Hollywood in 2012. DN
The city Department of Building and Safety revoked the construction permits for a hilltop house in Bel-Air that neighbors contend has destabilized the slope. LAT
The Los Angeles Unified School District took steps this week to enforce rules under which emails are deleted after one year, raising concerns about whether important public records would be destroyed in the process. LAT
Former White House press secretary Jay Carney joined CNN as a political commentator, beginning with last night's response to President Obama's speech on Iraq.
Tough opening night for Carney as a CNN commentator.
— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) September 11, 2014
Vanity Fair declares a very shallow list of "News Disrupters" VF
An Alex Cohen interview on "Take Two" was positively Seussian. KPCC
Zocalo Public Square is expounding by hiring an associate editor, an external relations manager and an outreach coordinator.
The new, tiresome culture of outrage. Meghan Daum column/LAT
A progress report on the re-do of the old Hall of Justice in Downtown. Brigham Yen
A large mixed-use project is coming to the shuttered Walker-Buerge car dealership on Santa Monica Boulevard in West LA. Curbed
A bear and her cub took to a tree in a residential section of Monrovia. DN
The story behind the LAPD’s new sexy squad cars. Los Angeles Mag
A body dump in 2010 haunts the LAPD, but no connection to other murdered women is seen. LA Weekly, LAR
Surveillance video shows burglars in action at Bel-Air home. KTLA
A South Florida man has been arrested for his alleged role in a smuggling venture that brought Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig out of Cuba, according to court records. AP
A tribute to the 343 #FDNY members lost 13 years ago tomorrow. May we never forget. http://t.co/i1Fyk6jFZ0
— FDNY (@FDNY) September 10, 2014