Outtakes from the CD-14 City Council Campaign Trial

Permits? Who needs stinking permits when using illicit billboard locations to promote the re-election of the PLUM Committee (which oversees Billboards) Chair and CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar?

With 100 Billboards in CD 14, its hard to turn away without viewing some sort of "Re-elect Jose Huizar for City Council Message".

Read more »

Politicians with Billboards?

When communities are fighting billboards do we want to vote for candidates who put them up?

Krekorian's Biden/Kinnock Moment

It was a seminal moment of the 1988 Presidential campaign when now Vice President and then Democratic Senator Joe Biden plagiarized a speech originally given by Neil Kinnock, a member of the British Labour Party. Biden was later discovered to have "borrowed" from speeches by Robert Kennedy and others. Needless to say, Biden was forced to abandon his campaign for the Democratic nomination that year.

Since politicians are always spinning, it's not unexpected that we find them re-inventing portions of their personal narrative. Both President Obama and Governor Romney were accused of such during the now shuttered 2012 campaign. 

How interesting it is though, when we find an elected official creating out of whole cloth, letters and comments from "constituents," when often these very communications are used quite frequently to document or gauge where stakeholders' views are on a certain pressing issue.

Which brings us to Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Krekorian.

PURE IMAGINATION:
City Council Member Paul Krekorian

The latest kerfuffle to hit the Second District rep involves his monthly column "Ask Paul" which runs in  various editions of Patch, an online newspaper of sorts that targets hyper-local news and issues.

Krekorian was recently using his latest column to gin up support for a controversial plan addressing billboards in Los Angeles - and to deflect criticism from billboard critics of Krekorian's plan away from the Council Member himself. 

Cupcakes, anyone?
Jeremy Oberstein,
Krekorian Spin-meister

According to a story by Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News, Krekorian's column (actually written by longtime communications director and former journalist, Jeremy Oberstein) referred to a Studio City resident who questioned the plan but praised Krekorian's "integrity."  Turns out, not only the question but the "resident" was a fabrication created by Oberstein.

Krekorian's office had claimed that the voter in question is a "composite" of the many types of comments they receive. 

Following the discovery, the editors of Patch removed the original story with an explanation and allowed the Krekorian team to publish raw comments they claim their office has received on the billboards plan.

In the meantime, Krekorian has found himself coming under fire from many sources, including long-time anti-billboard activist Dennis Hathaway who was dubious of Krekorian's plan to begin with and was of the mind that Krekorian was shilling for the billboard industry, not really responding to his constituents' concerns on how to address the problem.

The Council Member's misstep even caught the attention of famed blogger and gadfly, John Walsh, who offered to stage a "Fake Letters to Paul" contest, offering, in his usual flamboyant fashion, the winner "First Booby Prize is Breakfast with Paul Krekorian. Second Booby Prize is Breakfast and Lunch with Paul Krekorian and Third Booby Prize is Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Paul Krekorian."

Los Angeles continues to remain fun!

Friday Free for All

More after the jump...

Read more »

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

Mayor Villaraigosa's Deputy Chief of Staff Jimmy Blackman - a longtime part of the Mayor's inner circle - is leaving reportedly to "spend time with his family." What we're hearing is that Blackman was pushed - by new Villaraigosa point man Austin Beutner.

Councilman Eric Garcetti is throwing some red meat to the anti-billboard NIMBY wackos by seeking to ban supergraphics in Hollywood however the business community is fighting back. If there is a place in LA that is suited for this type of signage that creates a district where economic activity could benefit all of LA it is Hollywood. Someone please explain that to the Birkenstock wearing, soy milk swilling BANANAs who don't care if LA goes into the economic crap hole.

Apparently folks Downtown are more concerned about what restaurants get big rankings in the Downtown News than anything else.

Attorneys for the Hare Krishnas have succeeded in getting blocked at least for now of an LA City law that would have prevented them from soliciting at LAX. However putting a nativity scene on public property is still considered to be something akin to pornography.

Have a complaint about a tow truck company in the City of LA? The LAPD has a new hotline you can dial up to turn them in.

Despite near universal satisfaction with his performance amongst his constituents, Council Member Paul Krekorian still hasn't won over one detractor. Phil Jennerjahn's latest screed rips Krekorian with near Zuma Dogg like passion.

And finally it's been a time for anniversaries lately. Congratulations to the always excellent Village to Village Blog which marked it's first anniversary this week.

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

What's your favorite taco?

The City of LA has once again voted to violate it's boycott of Arizona approving a contract with SuperShuttle which has an office in the Grand Canyon State.  In the meantime, despite the boycott and controversy surrounding AB 1070, research by an independent marketing group shows hotel bookings are actually up in Phoenix and Scottsdale the last two months.  The controversial law goes into effect Thursday and while detractors of the law are hopeful Judge Susan Bolton will issue an injunction against the law before then supporters see hope that the jurist may uphold most if not all of it's provisions.

Billboard wackos may not want to click the link below!

Read more »

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

Blog away dum dums.

The LA City Council is going to ask for a tax that even a NIMBY could love but it doesn't mean it should be passed. The Clowncil has voted to place a measure on the November ballot that would tax billboards and supergraphics. Though the city is pleading poverty Mark Reddick, President of the Del Rey Neighborhood Council, makes a good point - “We don’t have a revenue problem in the city; we have a spending problem.” Reddick is absolutely right and at some point most of the rest of you will get it.

Clowncilman Greig Smith voted against LA's goofy boycott of Arizona but was wishy washy when asked why.  Not so with County Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Don Knabe who oppose a similar LA County boycott of Arizona.  Antonovich did not mince words calling the boycott "Stupid."  Perhaps Antonovich and Knabe are concerned about the economic impact of a boycott of LA and it's tourist attractions; San Diego lost several million dollars in hotel bookings from Arizona residents when that city only passed a condemnation of Arizona and not quite a boycott. With Arizonans gearing up for a counter-boycott of Los Angeles and other cities those considering sticking their nose into Arizona's business (especially when California already has an identical law on the books to Arizona's) might think twice.

Bloated mush-mouth Clowncilman Paul Koretz compared Arizona's anti-illegal immigration laws to Nazi Germany and caught a lot of heat for it.  But here's something about Nazi Germany Koretz may want to remember as he is cheerleading banning the carrying of unconcealed weapons in public.  It was in Nazi Germany that Hitler required all citizens to register their guns and banned Jews from owning weapons, just before they were loaded on boxcars and hauled to the ovens.  Koretz should think twice and consider that the second amendment is there for a reason.

The former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro is being turned into a "Great Park" a enormous public space that will create a park twice the size of New York's Central Park.  Now efforts are underway to turn part of the park into a massive urban farm.  Maybe that's a good idea for the Grand Avenue Park in Downtown LA, given how many hungry people we have in LA.  It would be funny to see Eli Broad in overalls don't you think?

This may be bad news for the Republican and Democratic parties: Californians are fleeing both parties in record numbers  20% of voters in the Golden State have registered as decline to state.

If your home is in a hillside area its time to soon to clear the brush around your property.  The LAFD News and Information Blog has great information including how to hire a professional to clear the brush and how the inspection process works.

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???

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

 

While the battle between Carmen Trutanich, Jan Perry and AEG over the expense of the City for the memorial service for Michael Jackson continues one Los Angeles resident has stepped up in a unique way.  Jose F. Vallejo has filed a $3.3 million lawsuit against the Jackson estate claiming as a taxpayer he has standing to make the case.  Should Vallejo be successful any judgment awarded by the Court would go to the City general fund.

 

SLAP happy plan checking NIMBYs in Los Angeles go apoplectic over billboard advertising but the City of West Hollywood is considering a plan that might put a little cha-ching into the City coffers.  The owner of a building on Beverly Boulevard is offering WeHo $20K a month for the next twenty years, as well as some free public improvements, to hang supergraphics on two sides of the property. 

Here's yet another boondoggle the City is considering - putting a park over the 101 Freeway through Hollywood.  Just to speak to the cost is one thing, the safety is a bigger issue.  If the park goes Nimitz Freeway in the next big earthquake or little kids get cancer from diesel fumes who is going to pay?

Here's yet another rumor from an extremely reliable source.  Southern California ICE spokesflack Virginia Kice allegedly employed an illegal immigrant for years but fired her upon getting the ICE job. Shades of the Clinton cabinet!

Jay Leno may be coming back to late night, perhaps even to the Tonight Show.  With Leno's 10 pm show performing poorly in ratings, as well as the Conan O'Brien Tonight Show, NBC TV affiliates are screaming bloody murder.  Daily Variety reports NBC has confirmed that Leno has been offered either a half hour show at 11:35 daily or to just take the Tonight Show back. 

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

The LA City Council has issued its first official dis to City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. The Clowncil has ruled that, despite Nuch's protests, that the owner of LA Live, AEG, has the right to put up signage that was part of the original project before the Clowncil's neurotic and confused anti-billboard legislation went into place.  Ever the showman, Nuch is now threatening to prosecute and jail city officials if the billboards go up.  Unbelievable.  This is not the "change" I could believe in supporting Nuch. (Remember the idea in the campaign was he would go after gangs and crooked politicians not billboards, Michael Jackson and pot) With gang crime and violence through the roof and jobs leaving LA in droves Nuch's #1 priority is going after pot and billboards.And the slap-happy AARP who has the time for this nonsense (most of us have jobs and families) is cheering him on from the sidelines.  You'd think it was 1959, not 2009.  Nuch seriously man go after the gang violence and the political corruption.  The Rotary Club just doesn't have the votes it used to.

Still no word from Chris Essel on her event supporting Armenian Holocaust deniers.  We'd surely let this go but the Essel supporters are continuing to diminish this historical event and tragedy that has been acknowledged by everyone from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama. In the meantime, Essel pals around with former candidate Frank Sheftel having roasted corn and petting llamas at a street fair.  To divert the issue the Essel team pushes a four month old story with no confirmed basis nor legs to Phil Jennerjahn posted here on the blog.  Though I've gone on record as supporting the candidacy of Paul Krekorian I am personally shocked at how the Essel campaign has handled - and bungled - such a sensitive issue and has yet to apologize for insulting a group of people whose numbers are significant in the district.

With the goofiness coming from Nuch, Essel and others its refreshing and a bit ironic to see Mayor Villaraigosa stepping up as the distinguished statesman of LA politics.  While Nuch pushes the retired suburban crank agenda the Mayor is at least giving lip service to the NUMBER ONE ISSUE that is truly facing Los Angeles - the exodus of business and the lack of jobs.  If the Mayor is truly serious here and he is willing to pursue a series of reforms proposed by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce we may be on to something.  Stay tuned.

The Downtown News' Jon Regardie does it again, this time with a clever and fun Halloween themed piece about the happenings at City Hall.  He left out one bit, and that is the final scene where Mayor Sam, Joe B, Solomon and Phil J pilot an ecto-plasm charged 72 foot high statue of Joe Friday through Downtown, while blaring Randy Newman's "I Love LA" over loudspeakers and spraying evil spirit "Bratto" with enough slime to force him forever into a painting to be hung at the new LAPD headquarters.

I've lost count.  Another DWP water main break Sunday, this time in Laurel Canyon. Thirty homes went without water and minor street damage occured.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

"Vendido"

Photo by Ted Soqui, LA Weekly

 Chalk up a victory for the billboard wackos.  A federal judge has upheld for a now the City Council's ban on billboards and supergraphics despite the fact most real people don't care. Despite the setback for Liberty Media Corp. a City Attorney's office official says that the case could eventually go forward.  Additionally another 20 lawsuits against the city are pending.  How much will that cost and are the billboard wackos prepared to pony up?

Tired of illegal dumping and other reportable to 311 woes in your neighborhood? If you have an Apple iPhone, Curbed LA reports you can use the device to snap photos and upload the complaint directly to City computers.  The CitySource app can read your GPS position and easily tag the issue for City action.

Voter turnout in the recent CD2 election was abysmally low as are most City elections. One solution may be to follow the lead of cities like Burbank and states like Oregon who conduct elections by mail only.  Though LA's City Clerk has recomended this move for some time, the Clowncil has been relucatant to consider it.  Always on top of things City Councilman Bill "Open Shirt" Rosendahl told Rick Orlov "I really regret the low turnout, but that's what happens in these elections when there is so little media attention." Yea, it's the media's fault Bill.


As DWP infrastructure continues to crumble, more signs of the coming appocalypse following years of shoddy management and stealing from the utility by the City Council.  A short power outage of unknown origin hit Downtown LA Monday striking many skyscrapers causing stuck elevators and the like. Then, another water main broke, this time in the Miracle Mile discontinuing service to about four dozen homes.

And finally things continue to get curiouser in the recent defacing of a mural of Mayor Villaraigosa in East Hollywood.  As previously noted here on the blog, vandals splashed the face of the Mayor with red paint and scrawled on the sidewalk below the mural "This is Our Town."  LA Weekly photographer Ted Soqui revisited the mural last Friday and see that someone has painted the word vendido on the Mayor's shirt collar, a term that is Spanish for "sell-out" or "Uncle Tom."  The Weekly reports that the red paint and "our town" remain but "vendido" has since been removed.

Billboards and Rape

This is one of those things were you write about something based on a conversation with one person without spending a lot of time hounding the usual suspects firsts for independent verification.  But its compelling enough to toss it out there since it appears to be a rumor with growing legs.

I spoke a while ago with Zuma Dogg and he tells me a fascinating story.  Apparently Building and Safety General Manager Andrew Adelman was about to go forward with going after shady illegal billboards.  Next Adelman is allegedly told by the Mayor "I know you raped a woman." The next thing you know Adelman is a suspect in a rape case.

Stay tuned.

Morning Briefs and Outtakes on Bratton, Bratton and some other News

" You talking about me ??"

One can gauge the inpact of LAPD Chief Bill Bratton on the city's "body politics" by the amount of column inches devoted to his surprise resignation.

** Homeboy Industries founder Father Greg Boyle calls LAPD Chief Bill Bratton "LA best Police Chief" .

** LA Times Op-Ed by James Q. Wilson: "Goodbye to the Chief".

** LA Times Editorial: William Bratton: "A Top Cop".

** LA Weekly's Jill Stewart: "Who Will Replace Bill Bratton as LAPD Chief ??".

** Crime on the rise in Bratton's Los Felix Neighborhood ?? Los Felix Ledger via Eastsider LA.

** LAPD Officer "Jack Dunphy" in Nation Review Online: "Farewell to the Chief".

** LA Daily News: "Rank-and-file cops offer mixed review of Chief Bratton".

** LA Daily News Editorial: "Thanks, Chief".

** Ron Kaye's LA: "Bratton Quits".

** Witness LA's Celeste Fremon: "Bill Bratton Resigns as Chief".

Other News:

** Ron Kaye reports on the unethical assault upon LACERS General Manager Sally Choi by the Unions and City Council members for stating the truth about the cost of Early Retirement Package.

** Billboards are in the news again via LA Times David Zahniser.

** Who's plane was use to bring home reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee from the "Peoples Paradise of North Korea" ?? Leave it to ex. President Bill Clinton to follow the money.

** City Controller Wendy Greuel to "woman up" for Chris Essel to replace her in CD-2 at a 10:45 AM photo op.

Breaking News Parking enforcement just ticketed all the cars at the Wendy-Essel press conferenc. Time for a Freedom of Information request to see which city assigned vehicles were ticketed and who they are assingned to. Do the tax payers have to pay the tickets as well?

TICKET GATE????????

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

Vacation Hot Sheet

BREAKING: City Council quorum was lost today when Mike Hunt: African American Klansman and jackass-at-large refused to remove his white sheet during public comment. Unfortunate that Mr. Hunt appears to have gotten exactly what he wanted with his stupid behavior. He's apparently done this before.
--------------------------------------------

Mayor Sam is on vacation, leaving us burros alone to play with the toy while he's gone.

Yesterday the City Council approved allowing a section of Van Nuys to become part of Sherman Oaks with only Huizar and Cardenas opposing the motion. LAist blogger Steven Rosenberg, now finding himself a resident of Sherman Oaks, doesn't feel too positive about the controversial switch.

LA County Supervisor Antonovich wants the Los Angeles Opera to discontinue the Ring Festival L.A. planned for next year. Antonovich wants Wagner's pieces replaced, calling Richard Wagner a “Nazi composer.” That the Third Reich usurped a great deal of Wagner's Norse mythology and symbolism for their own propaganda is not in question. The question is whether the adoption of someone's work by an entity should permanently taint or label the work. Wagner himself was hardly a Nazi by definition, having died in 1883.

City planning commissioners are stumping for a renewal of their influential and manipulative positions today in council. How many of them are relatives of councilmembers, high profile developers, union leaders? These guys just passed major new electronic billboards for the Convention Center during the City's moratorium on new billboards, ticking off the new City Attorney. Do you think they should be reappointed?

Judging by the number of people berating the City Council for paying for the Michael Jackson event, the public is still pissed off at the Mayor for his perceived arrogance regarding who should pay for the City's huge public safety response. Who do you think should pay for it? The Los Angeles Business Journal is taking a poll.

Cindy Miscikowski returns to the City loony bin with her appointment to the Harbor Commission. Good? Bad? Deja vu?

Nominations are open for the "Bloggin 5150 Troll" award. Your pick?

Early Morning Briefs and Outtakes......

"Landslide Koretz" meet "Councilman Koretz".

That is what Paul Koretz with verbage crafted by Parke Skelton, wants you to believe, as stated in his "victory declaration".

"Although we have been told that there are still approximately 100 ballots left to count, we can now safely claim victory," the Koretz campaign said. "Once these ballots are counted, and the election is certified, we will update the website."

But leave it to Paul and Parke to have their backup plan in place....

To defend our lead through the vote counting process, we have hired election law expert Stephen Kaufman and his firm. This means we need to raise funds again to pay the cost of this effort, which could go as high as $20,000. This is an extension of the General election campaign so the same contribution limits apply with a maximum $500 per person limit—so if one has already given the maximum ($500 per person) then no more can be contributed to this effort. If someone is a new contributor to the General election, then they can give the full $500. Anyone who has already contributed to the General election, but has not donated the $500 maximum, can contribute the difference up to the $500 limit.

We have to raise this within the next week. Anything anyone can do to contribute or raise funds will be a huge help!

Thanks,

Paul

News Galore on Prop 8.

That is if you were reading the LA Times Website "LA Now", as the scribes went on with "post y post y post" on yesterday's California Supreme Court ruling upholding Prop 8.

Then there was this about Billboards.

When things look dicey, politicians at City Hall have a time-tested strategy: punt. So, faced with criticism from business leaders and neighborhood councils, the Los Angeles City Council put off a vote on the complicated overhaul of its sign ordinance, agreeing to wait until after July 1 to make a decision -- after City Atty.-elect Carmen Trutanich is seated.

FREEDOM AND FREE ENTERPRISE!!

Your Thoughts.......

Open Thread for Mond... errr, Tuesday

Long weekend comes to a close today with OBama's nomination for the Supreme Court earlier and the announcement of the California Supreme Court's decision on Prop 8 at 10am.

Locally, we have signs signs everywhere signs on the City Clowncil agenda.

Ron Kaye has the details of serious election irregularities in the CD 5 runoff.

And Matt Dowd is still speaking in public comment this morning.


BREAKING: Looks like Prop 8 stands, but existing marriages remain valid. Nothing too surprising, sadly.

From Mayor Sam via Twitter: Prop 8 Rally in Downtown LA Today 6PM. Meet at Pershing Sq. 532 S. Olive St.

Via Twitter: AWESOME via @johncoulthart Prop 8 decision protest blocking traffic in SF: http://bit.ly/15IWWW


Opine away.... dum dums?

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

The City Council votes on Bernard Parks motion to name the new LAPD headquarters, Parker Center, after former LAPD Chief William Parker, namesake of the previous facility.  Parks' efforts have enraged some in the African American community who hold that Parker was a racist who oppressed minorites during his reign as Chief.  Blogger Jasmyne Cannick - who previously bestowed her "Negro Please" award on Parks - will be on hand to oppose the motion and perhaps support a suggestion by Council Member Richard Alarcon to name the building after former Mayor Tom Bradley.  No matter what the name ultimately turns out to be Mayor V wants to have a big party to celebrate and you know what that involves!

Another endorsment for Carmen Trutanich as the Metropolitan News-Enterprise throws it's support behind him for City Attorney.  The MNE says LA hasn't had a decent City Attorney since the days of Burt Pines who helmed the office during the first two terms of Mayor Bradley, going back nearly 30 years.  The paper posits that if Jack Weiss were elected "it is unlikely there would be a change in the office for the better," and that Trutanich would perform "the job with distinction."

Here's an idea that will make the anti-billboard wackos toss their cookies: State Senator Roderick Wright wants to turn over electric signage on California's freeways to private companies who would display Amber Alerts, traffic notices and advertisements.  In my view this is a dumb and potentially dangerous idea - and the signs are on public property hence it is up to government to dedcide.  Speaking of billboard wackos, chief wacko himself Dennis Hathaway - who apparently sees the signs as a greater  threat than gang violence, fast food or plastic shopping bags - wants you to decide on the billboard issue.  He's asked me to post one of his most recent screeds for your perusal.  And to be fair here is a pro-signage analysis by an architect as well as poll results that show that most average folks don't give two twits about billboards.

The state is broke and Arnold has shady tax increases on the ballot but that doesn't stop Assembly Speaker Karen Bass from offering pay raises to her staff.  Capitol Weekly notes that Bass' chief of staff Nolice Edwards who was making $140,000 a year is now earning nearly $200,000 annually.  How many of you pull down that kind of dough?

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

When you're the incoming Controller and de facto fiscal watchdog for the City of Los Angeles is it concerning that said individual has a campaign that is in debt? Wendy Greuel is asking you for a donation to help pay off her unpaid campaign bills.

The DWP plans to mount a major campaign to encourage Angelenos to reduce water use in advance of the pending water shortage.  Why not hire Zuma Dogg as a spokesman?

City Attorney candidate Carmen Trutanich has issued a plan for increased security at the Port of Los Angeles.  Trutanich has called for a number of reforms saying, “As Los Angeles City Attorney, I will have a responsibility to see that everything that can be done is being done to protect this critically important resource to our regional and national economy."

Further in-depth reporting of School Board Member Tamar Galatzan's train wreck of a "town hall meeting" in Northridge Monday night via the Beckford Parents Blog.


If you thought the Clowncil's steps to put Measure B on the ballot was a rushed, under the radar, shady effort, here's another one worthy of a citizens' alert: The Mayor is quietly planning to outsource LA's parking meters in exchange for a big upfront payoff. 
 
If you're looking to attend a tax day Tea Party protest, here's a list of several in and around Los Angeles County.


Despite the hooting and hollering from the billboard wackos who think that supergraphics and vinyl are the biggest threat since Osama Bin Laden, a poll by a group of USC students finds that Fifth District voters - considered to be ground zero for billboard-wack-aphobia - do not consider signage to be a major issue.  Reacting to the poll, candidate David Vahedi said “I’m actually shocked by that."  Get outside the bubble folks and you won't be shocked.  Most folks in LA are concerned about crime and jobs.

Big debate amongst readers at CurbedLA over whether or not it makes sense to buy a condo in a bankrupt development.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

I guess it's one thing for City employees to buy bottled water on the City's dime when the DWP supposedly has perfectly good tap water; it's the height of hubris for the Los Angeles County Supervisors to pay someone to peel the brand name labels off water the County purchases and affix a County label to them.  Who's boneheaded idea was this? Zev's?

Mayor Villaraigosa wants to plant a million trees in Los Angeles.  He just planted another 55.  According to the LA Weekly, at the current rate, Villaraigosa will have planted his million trees sometime by the 2020s, well past his time as Mayor.  In the meantime, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is well ahead of schedule in his tree plantings.

Westside White Guy didn't get his invite.  Mayor Villaraigosa held a birthday party bash for former California Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown (to get Willie's endorsment for Governor?) at Getty House recently. WWG assumes the Times didn't get an invitation either or forgot about because (GASP!) America's Favorite Suburban Crank had to read about the party in the San Francisco Chronicle.  Kevin, the question to ask is not what did the Los Angeles Times know and when did they know it but were any public resources expended on this non-City business event?

What was loaded on the iPod that President Obama gave Britain's Queen Elizabeth? Besides some photos of past visits to the US by Her Majesty, a greatest hits of oratory by The One, himself.

Efforts to rebrand a portion of Van Nuys as Sherman Oaks do not appear to be picking up much support outside the group behind the campaign.  Besides opposition from both the Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys Neighborhood Councils, Van Nuys based Councilmember Tony Cardenas is against it.  The area's other Council Member, Wendy Greuel is remaining neutral.  At a recent community event, I heard whispers that rebranding effort leader, LA's solution in search of a problem, Laurette Healey, is rumored to be using the effort to jump into the race to replace Greuel who will become City Controller in July.

LA Times archictecture critic Christopher Hawthorne is the first person to frame the billboard issue in a rational light.  While Hawthorne views that the city's policy is broken and that much signage is often schlock he does not see billboards as the latest scourge since Al Quaeda or Rock of Love Bus with Brett Michaels as do a small but very vocal band of billboard wackos.  Hawthorne also makes a point that I've made to local activitsts that crime and other issues in our city far outweigh the singage hysteria, which is refreshing.

Franklin Avenue picks up on Mickey Kaus' bizarre plea for someone to bankroll a Westside newspaper. I thought we had that, it's called the LA Times? And if you want a myopic Westside view that is more immediate than fishwrap, you can always find it here.  The Westside wants a newspaper? Yea, people in Hell want ice water.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

Zuma Dogg notes a startling item buried in Wednesday's City Council agenda. According to Mr. Dogg "if measures are not taken, 56% of the city's general fund, 56% of every L.A. City dollar, will have to go to cover the city employee's pension and retirement funds." Zuma accuses officials charged with investing employee pensions of playing "fast and loose with the city taxpayer money" and that actions of the Mayor caused the funds to lose $7 billion in the last year, leading to what one unnamed Council Member calls "Armageddon." Say what you want about Zuma Dogg, but he's been consistently right in his financial predictions. Read more at Zuma Times.


Dueling polls and press releases Wednesday from both the Carmen Trutanich and Jack Weiss City Attorney campaigns.  Both campaigns have wildly different interpretations of where the race currently stands.  Still the view of many political watchers is that Weiss is in trouble.

LA Weekly has a good article on the latest in the billboard fight with a handy-dandy map tool to see if (gasp!) billboards are coming to your hood.  Noting that none other than uber-planning geek Mike Woo - the man who wanted to ban parking in LA - is taking up the billboard cause because his tony hood got a digital model.  Really folks, there are far more serious issues in LA right now.

It wasn't that long ago that folks were tired of Police Chief Daryl Gates and his years long hold on the office that led to a reform that was at the heart of the Christopher  Commission's recommendations in the wake of the Rodney King beating.  But now Herb Wesson thinks we should have an imperial police chief and wants to extend William Bratton's term beyond the two five year terms currently in place.  On the other hand a leader of the union that represents police officers wants to explore the idea of making police chief an elected office, much like the LA County Sheriff.

A swarm of earthquakes on the Salton Sea has some geologists wondering if these temblors could trigger a massive shaker - The Big One - on the San Andreas.  No one knows for sure but one "quake predictor" is prognosticating a terramoto for LA by sometime this weekend - not quite on the level of the Big One but reaching Northridge Quake territory.