Saturday Hotsheet

We've all been waiting for "The Big One" earthquake on the San Andreas Fault for some time now.  New studies show that there may have been more large quakes on the fault in past centuries than previously thought.  The last one was in 1857. Better start getting ready.

From the "Noone Cares" department: Eli Broad says he didn't tell Zev Yaroslavsky that he was for sure bringing his museum to Downtown LA.



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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. 

Earthquake To Hit LA This Weekend?

Apparently this guy has been right before. Whether he's right or not, it isn't a bad idea to prepare yourself whether it's now or later.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

Scientists are concerned that a swarm of small quakes near the Salton Sea on lesser faults leading to the San Andreas could potentially be transfering the energy that could fuel "the big one." Graham Kent, a research geophysicist at UC San Diego told the LA Times that the recent quakes are "a flashing yellow light that tells you to be prepared and to spend some time trying to understand the significance."

A battle underway by some residents in Van Nuys that want to rebrand as Sherman Oaks.  Read more about it here.

Despite orders from the Mayor to stop it and condemnations from City Controller Laura Chick over City deparments including the DWP ordering bottled water on the City's dime Police Chief William Bratton is defending his purchases of bottled water.  If the water is solely for emergencies and for officers in the field that's one thing.  We at the Sister City would like to know if the LAPD is using bottled water for management meetings or other purposes not directly benefitting the officers.  You can email us or call the hotline above if you have evidence of such.

Is Governor Schwarzenegger considering a run for the Republican nomination for US Senate next year? CBS says the signs are out there.  I would assume however the Republican nominee should actually be a Republican however.

Northridge Quake: 15 Years Later

Can you believe it was 15 years ago this morning that a 6.7 magnitude quake with an epicenter near the interesection of Saticoy and Reseda Boulevard in Reseda struck. Seventy-two people died as a result of the earthquake with more than 9,000 injured. In addition, the earthquake caused an estimated $20 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

Where were you when the quake happened? What are your memories? Do you think we are better or worse prepared for a similar disaster than we were 15 years ago?

Below are some vintage newsclips from the day's events.

Did you feel it?

Preliminary 5.0 in San Bernardino.

Haiku: Wong's Wang Wrung

Here's an afternoon haiku for those who are tired of the media losin' it over a nothing earthquake:

Bonaventure girls.
Hot "Rub & Tug" services.
For Leland & Troy.

From your friends at http://www.noblehaiku.blogspot.com/

Temblor!

5.8 shaker hits at Chino Hills. I was on the phone with a client who said "I have to go; there's an earthquake!"

Where were you? Did your cell phone work? Nope, mine didn't. Is LA ready for a bigger one?

From the LA Times:

The quake interrupted a meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, causing the 27-story City Hall to sway just as Councilman Dennis Zine was criticizing a plan to increase trash fees.

"Earthquake! Earthquake! We've got an earthquake," said Zine, as members of the audience began to cry out. "It's still happening."

From Ron Kaye:

GOD WILL GET THEM: STRONG EARTHQUAKE JARS L.A. AS COUNCIL VOTES ON OUTRAGEOUS HIKE IN TRASH FEE

By

Ron Kaye

Quake hit at 11:45 a.m. and reported to measure about 5.8 on the Richter Scale, which is quite strong but probably not deadly. It lasted about 30 seconds with strong rolls that intensified and was centered in the Chino Hills, 29 miles east of L.A. City Hall.

Council members made a few jokes and continued to talk nonsense. Tom LaBonge finally suggested they discuss evacuation plans to save their lives in case there's another temblor.

From Fox11:

After the shaking subsided, the Los Angeles City Council opted to take a 10- to 15-minute break during its regular Tuesday meeting, but City Hall was not evacuated. The building's elevators automatically shut down and remained inoperable at least an hour after the quake.

A lengthy public hearing by the council on trash fees was interrupted by the earthquake.

City Councilman Dennis Zine was speaking in opposition to the fees when the quake shook the council chamber.

"Well with those earth-quaking comments I'm going to vote no on this," Zine said. "My comments already shook the earth so I think I'm done."

With Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on vacation and City Council President Eric Garcetti attending naval training, Greuel is the acting mayor. She left the council meeting to receive a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center.

"This building is very safe, don't panic," Councilman Greig Smith said after the shaking stopped.