LA Observed archive
for April 2016

If you don't find what you want here, check another month or search below.

Steve Greenberg cartoon: The Detesteds?

qqxsgCruzFiorina.jpg Old friend of LA Observed Steve Greenberg offers up this take on Ted Cruz and his new running mate.

Sadly for LAT, this might be worst Tribune yet

michael-ferro-grafic-chicago-mag.jpg Ferro might be the illegitimate offspring of Sam Zell and former Freedom Communications CEO Aaron Kushner.

Beware: Ferro has magical plans for LA Times

michael-ferro-yt.jpg More revenue than you've ever seen. Artificial intelligence. Revolutionize the strategy. Piece of cake.

Would Gannett dish off LA Times to a local buyer?

latimes-sign-sideview.jpg Sounds like mostly wishful thinking, since the prospect of Gannett management won't cause much excitement.

LA Weekly's Maddaus to Variety and more media notes

broad-iris-corner.jpg Larry Mantle on his friend Steve Julian. New post for Nicco Mele. The Broad gets a category on tonight's "Jeopardy." And a lot more.

Garry Shandling memorial was 'funny, sad, perfect'

garry-shandling-gq.jpg 900 or so friends gathered Sunday night at the Wilshire Ebell.

Gannett makes overture to buy Tribune Publishing*

latimes-bldg-from-corner.jpg The parent of the LA Times says it didn't seek the offer and isn't for sale, but is "thoroughly evaluating the proposal."

Steve Julian, 57, KPCC's morning host since 2000*

steve-julian-kpcc.png KPCC posted a little while ago that Julian, the station's longtime morning host, has died of brain cancer.

National questions about Mitrice Richardson and LASD

mitricerichardson.jpg Newsweek goes long on an exploration of the mysteries about Richardson and the LA Sheriff's Department.

Filthy McNasty, LA club owner of lore

filthy-and-friends.jpg The original Filthy McNasty's occupied the Sunset Strip spot now the Viper Room. He also ran FM Station in the Valley.

Bernie's first time on TV: 'Looks like the village idiot'

bernie-sanders-in-1972.png The time was 1972. Sanders says, "I would never vote for a bum like that!”

Two newspapers, two approaches to Pulitzer brags

lat-pulitzer-grab-320.jpg The LA Times turns its most valuable website acreage over to its own Pulitzer Prize, while the Washington Post stays with news of more interest to non-journalists.

LA Times wins Pulitzer for coverage of San Bernardino shootings*

Pulitzer-Prize-logo.jpg The Times swarmed the story from the start and the effort pays off.

New leak over the weekend above Porter Ranch

porter-ranch-gas-well.jpg The amount of gas and oil to escape was small, but everyone is jittery.

Auto junk yard burns Sunday in the Valley

Pick-your-arts-fire-lafd-Rick-McClure.jpg Afternoon fire at Pick Your Part required 150 firefighters to knock down.

Wife gets restraining order on LA area lawmaker

roger-hernandez-susan-rubio.jpg Assemblyman Roger Hernandez is accused of domestic abuse by his wife, a Baldwin Park City Council member.

For first time, panel urges parole of Leslie Van Houten

van-houten-in-jail-color.jpg Before the former Charles Manson follower could actually get parole, the full state parole board and Gov. Jerry Brown would have to approve.

Kobe goes out with 60 points and a Lakers win

kobe-magic-nbae.jpg In his final game, Bryant scores the most in the NBA this season and the most ever in a farewell. He ends 20 years as a Laker at #3 all-time in points.

Brian Lowry to CNN and more media notes

brian-lowry-deadline.jpg Job moves, hires, book news, awards and other items I've been saving up on the media beat.

Register land already flipped, making papers a real bargain

oc-register-bldg.jpg After sale of the real estate, the net cost for buying the OC Register and Riverside's Press-Enterprise is just $15.8 million.

Dodger Stadium gets a new street and address

dodger-stadium-address.jpg Change of Elysian Park Avenue to Vin Scully Avenue opens the home season -- Scully's 67th and final year.

Esteban Nuñez serves less than six years for manslaughter

esteban-nunez-prison-mug.jpg Son of the former Assembly speaker got out of prison Sunday thanks to act by then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Last shuttle fuel tank sailing toward LA

fuel-tank-gilgarcetti.jpg ET-94 towers 15 stories high and will be displayed at the California Science Center.

Obama returns Thursday, Trump (not) here Friday*

la-traffic-file-art.jpg There's good news and bad news for Westside drivers in the president's schedule of fundraiser appearances this trip.

Merle Haggard, 79, dies in his tour bus on his birthday

merle-haggard-tny.jpg "Maybe the greatest combination country singer and songwriter of his generation," Robert Hilburn said today.

Paul Tanaka convicted in sheriff's jail scandal

paul-tanaka-vidgrab.jpg The disgraced former undersheriff could face 15 years in prison when sentenced for conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

LA losing its native black widow spiders

brown-widow-kcet.jpg Brown widow spiders from Africa are becoming the region's dominant venomous spider.

Steve Julian and love in the digital age

steve-julian-felicia-friesema-myrow2.jpg Checking in on the KPCC morning host, who is under hospice care for a brain tumor, and his wife Felicia.

LAT photographer charged by Ventura County

ricardo-dearatanha-lat.jpg Ricardo DeAratanha was charged Tuesday with misdemeanor resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer when he was confronted during the Nancy Reagan funeral in Simi Valley.

Board of Supervisors will soon lean more solidly left

hall-of-admin-sign.jpg The first liberal 4-1 majority looks almost certain after this year's elections.

Tom Hennessy, 80: Retired Press-Telegram columnist

tom-hennessy-twitter.jpg Hennessy spent 27 years as the staff columnist at the Long Beach Press-Telegram, and another six years writing occasional pieces.

LAT: Trump 'least popular politician in three decades'

donald-trump-tux.jpg Women really, really detest the Republican frontrunner, who polls worse than Dick Cheney or George H.W. Bush at their lowest.

Register formally changes hands and editor is out

ocregister-newsroom-nyt-ma.jpg The new owners are meeting the staff in a town hall session this morning. More than 70 were laid off yesterday.
Clinton fundraises in LA
kermit-la-brea-closer.jpg Jim Henson Studios on La Brea became a presidential campaign stop on Thursday.
Brown declares disaster area
porter-ranch-sign.jpgThe natural gas leak above Porter Ranch now qualifies for various government actions. Story
Wet coyote
wet-coyote-vdt.jpgSpotted between the storms at Here in Malibu.
Performing arts with cheer
guys-dolls-kevin-parry.jpgDonna Perlmutter closes out 2015 with productions downtown and on the Westside.
Junkyard down
upick-firetruck-560.jpgAfter 53 years, Sun Valley's Aadlen Brothers and U-Pick Parts cleans out. Photos