Saturday Hotsheet

The City Clowncil can't decide if it wants to ban billboards or tax them.  Herb Wesson is pushing for a tax on advertising that could generate $50 million a year.

Five of six medical marijuana dispensaries in Atwater Village will close when City officials begin to enforce new laws on the pot shops.  The lucky winner in AW? Oaksterdam University reportedly America's first "cannabis college."

We reported all kinds of worrisome troubles in the operation of San Franciso's police department and Attorney General's office under the administration of Gavin Newsom.  Now his Lt Governor primary challenger Janice Hahn has issued an attack ad taking Newsom to task.

The wife of LA Dodgers' owner Frank McCourt - Jamie McCourt - has won the right to over $600,000 per month in spousal support in the McCourt's messy and public divorce.  The whole thing might be good news for a Cougar cub who allegedly once showed great interest in the MILFy new ex-Mrs. McCourt.

And finally what is this all about? Mayor Villaraigosa birthers???

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on the Local Political Scene

"Splitsville for Dodgers Owner's Frank and Jamie McCourt"

As the waning pre-dawn darkness gives ways to a "Dodger Blue Sky Day" in Los Angeles, Dodger fans and local observers are speculating on the future of the Dodgers franchise, in the wake of the news that team owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie have separated, from the LA Times.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie, the team's chief executive, have separated, raising questions about the potential effect of their rift on the ownership of the franchise as the Dodgers prepare to start the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies today at Dodger Stadium.

The McCourts, who have dual homes in West LA and Malibu, have not been seen together in public in recent weeks which cause speculation on the status of their marriage. During the recent playoff series with the St. Louis Cardinals, the McCourts sat in separate rows in their normal location on the field level of Dodger Stadium.

The separations of the McCourts also will have an affect on the proposed entertainment and retail complex that was to be built in the parking area beyond the outfield of the stadium. It was the McCourt's vision to revamp their Dodger Stadium property into a year-round entertainment, retail, and sports destination.

Frank McCourt, in seeking support for his plans at Dodger Stadium, has build relationships with local politicians such as County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, State Assemblyman Kevin De Leon and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is an frequent guest in McCourt's stadium box. The relationship between Frank McCourt and Mayor Villaraigosa has grown to the point where McCourt was an invitee to water speculator and "pal of Villar". Keith Brackpool's Birthday party for Mayor Villaraigosa. Some would say that too much contact with Mayor Villaraigosa can be harmful for your marriage, who knows??

But for Jamie McCourt, if her separation from husband Frank leads to divorce, we have someone in mind for her who may have shown supposed "feelings" in the past. But that is only speculation.

** Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal reports that divorce is the final recourse and it may get nasty.

OTHER NEWS:

** File this story under the continuing "War on Domestic Terrorists". LA Weekly's Christine Pelizek has a must read on the human price of our continuing battles against street gangs. "The Assassination of Deputy Abel Escalante" details the role of the Mexican Mafia and their Avenues Gang allies in the cold-blooded murder of Los Angeles Sheriff Deputy Abel Escalante.

** "Pensiongate 09" makes its return to the pages of the "Old Gray Westside Hag on Spring Street". The Times reports that CalPERS is investigating $50 millions dollars in fees paid to Arvco Financial Ventures, headed by Alfred Villalobos. Villalobos was an Deputy Mayor for five months in 1993, during the reign of Mayor Richard Riordan.

** LA Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald reports on the efforts of LA City Councilman's Koretz, Smith and Parks, in "slicing and carving" budgetary pieces from the LAPD and the verbal retorts from out-going LAPD Chief Bill Bratton.

** Another day and a DWP water main gives away again. This time on Sunset Blvd.

** Attention Dodgers fans, because of today's game start time, it is recommended that you arrive 2.5 hours early if you have tickets. Plus, is "gridlock" coming to local sports events courtesy of Los Angeles budget woes??

** And we leave you with this. What City Council "Chief of Staff" would place calls to constituents on Saturdays and accuse them of being bloggers??

Your thoughts...........................

Villaraigosa Diddles While LA Burns

Hat tip to LAist.

Community activists like Joe B are rounding up refugees and horses, other volunteers are providing aid to victims and supporting our brave firefighters.

Yet where was Mayor Villaraigosa while LA burned?

For sure, the "11/100 Mayor" showed up on the scene just in time for a photo opp and the 5:00 news.

So where was the Mayor tonight?

On the scene? At shelters comforting victims? In the City's Emergency Operations Center? At Getty House with several news channels on and his cell phone on his lap? Headed to King Taco in Montebello to pick up some grub for the LAFD?

Nope.

Our "concerned" Mayor was at Game Four of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium, "celebrating" in the private luxury suite of Dodger owners Frank and Jaime McCourt (Frank you need to watch these local politicians around your wife ).

And he left just in time to have a press conference for the 11:00 p.m. news.



By the way, the Dodgers lost.

And County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky stayed on the scene all day.

DODGERS GET MANNY RAMIREZ from RED SOX

and Haikula gets her first Mayor Sam scoop!

(not counting the newspapers, which both SUCK ASS!)

Manny is the guy on the right, in case you're a Rams or Raiders fan who doesn't know baseball as well as I do. At any rate, it'll be fun to watch Manny's whopping home runs.

But be careful of what you wish for. The Boston Globe (why couldn't the McCourts make a trade to bring the GLOBE to LA?) has a great pictorial entitled "Manny Being Manny" which means that Ramirez is a slugger, but also a wackadoo.

Who wants to bet that Mayor Mirthala-Retardo is cutting short his fishing trip to welcome Manny to LA and claim credit for it?

Dodgers get their Star with Politicos in tow

Props to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization for being honor on their 50th Anniversary in Los Angeles with a "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Owners Frank and Jamie McCourt were front and center for the festivities with the likes of Ron "The Penguin" Cey, Jamie Jarrin, Vin Scully, current players, and our "UNCLE TOMMY LASORDA".

No signs of anyone from the O'Malley Family in the audience, maybe that has to do with the current state of affairs at Chavez Ravine on the field.

But leave it to some of our local politicos to sniff out a prime "photo op" and insert themself into the proceedings.

In the photo above "Mayoral Candidate??" City Council President Eric Garcetti, is flanked by "Closet Republican" State Senator Mark Ridley- Thomas, who Frank McCourt endorsed for Board of Supervisor, and Assemblyman Kevin De Leon, who may have some "latent feelings" for one of the McCourts as stated by a previous poster.

Your thoughts appreciated.