Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

LA Bridges, the City's boondoggle of an anti-gang effort is coming to an end.  The LA Times says "good riddance" to the program.  Citing the cause of the failure of the program the Times said that  City Council members "made sure city contracts went to their supporters, and second, they landed L.A. Bridges programs for their own districts, whether they needed them or not." Isn't that the problem in general with anything the City Council brings forth? This should give pause to anyone who is considering voting for Janice Hahn's gang tax this fall.



Potential Mayoral candidate Zev Yaroslavsky rides the subway with the Former Fishwrap of Record's Steve Hymon.  Zev is now taking public transit himself a few times a week and is more in favor of subways than he used to be.  He has some concerns about the transportation sales tax that may be on the November ballot but is adamant that money raised be spent primarily on the Westside.



A gay blog says that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's gay agenda could both help and hurt him in the race for Governor of California.  His early championing of gay marriage and other civil rights for homosexuals will help propel him in the Democratic primary in key party constituencies.  However should Newsom be nominated Republicans will surely exploit the "San Francisco Agenda" statewide; and the Mayor's alcoholism and relationship troubles will also haunt him.



New teen mom Jamie Lynn Spears says motherhood is "so much fun!" The 17 year old celebrity who gave birth to a daughter last month is living with the baby daddy and child in Mississippi.  Spears told OK Magazine "I love taking care of her. It is so much fun. I just want to hug her and kiss her, and I'm happy all the time!"

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Releasing it late Friday thinking you might not notice (but we can run it first thing Monday morning of course), the City of Los Angeles paid nearly one quarter of a million dollars to for a junket to Israel attended by Mayor Villaraigosa, staffers, Council Members and several local community and business leaders. The Mayor defended the cost of the trip saying that he learned much about airport security in Israel and told the LA Times "I think the taxpayers of Los Angeles can go to bed knowing that the mayor of Los Angeles is doing everything he can to secure our airport and protect . . . the safety of the people of the city."

The City Council will soon be voting on a Hollywood condo development near the legendary Capitol Records building. The City Planning Commission has approved the project but Capitol and it's parent, EMI have filed an appeal as construction will temporary halt recording and potentially damage the famous studios at the site where records have been cut by everyone from Nat King Cole to Green Day. The clowns at the City Council really need to re-think this one. This would be like building condos next to The Louvre.

The Daily News opines that the Los Angeles Unified School District has two Superintendents, one the actual Superintendent Admiral David Brewer who they call a figurehead; the other Deputy Superintendent Ray Cortines who actually runs the show. The problem is we're paying big bucks for both.

The City has worked out a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers to offer shuttle service from Union Station to Dodger Stadium, providing public transit to the ballpark for the first time in several years. The City will pick up the $70,000 price tag for the service which will start after the All-Star break and the Dodgers will cover the costs of marketing. The City is hoping for an average of 1000 riders per home game.

Britney Spears is now an aunt! Marking the latest chapter in a saga of a fabulously wealthy yet still white trash family, the pop diva's 17 year old sister Jaime-Lynn on Thursday gave birth to a daughter - Maddie Briann - in Mississippi. Auntie Brit was on hand but has since returned home to Los Angeles to terrorize the freeways.

Your Britney Spears Report

Ashlee Simpson decided to slam Britney. When asked by a British paper if she had too many "Britney Spears," a euphemism for "beer and alcohol," Simpson said she had too many "trashy girls."

Mario Lopez claims that rumors that he and his girlfriend - hottie Marina Smirnoff - broke up are untrue and are Britney's fault. Not sure what his logic is there except for tons of rumors that's he allegedly banged Britney before.

Britney is seeking custody of 17 year old sister Jamie Lynn's unborn child having told reporters that “It’s about family unity and cohesiveness. That’s how I was brought up. I can’t speak for Jamie Lynn; I don’t really know how she was brought up. But I do know that those are my values, and nothing that anyone can say is going to change them.” (Okay just kidding; it's a joke from the Serious Celebrity News Network.)

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

A FoxNews report on a gang member who claims he has been paid by Councilmember Janice Hahn for "gang intervention programs" is creating a huge buzz around City Hall. The gang member who has been arrested for issues ranging from indecent exposure to possession of marijuana and said that Hahn assisted him in getting out of jail. Now the individual has been convicted to life in prison in a rape case. Some community activists are calling for District Attorney Steve Cooley to investigate Hahn's actions and gang intervention projects funding. The report also details other gang members who have received gang intervention funds and police officers who claim that these gang members bragged about their city funding and laugh at Hahn for the irony of it all.

Those who wish Jamiel Shaw, Sr. would stop crusading in favor of Jamiel's Law and against Special Order 40 protection for gang members are getting more desperate. First off, as we reported here in an exclusive interview on the Sister City, the father of an innocent youth allegedly murdered by an illegal alien gang member said he had been "offered a better paying job" in order to give up the campaign for Jamiel's Law. Now, Shaw has told KFI's John and Ken that District Attorney prosecutors have threatened to paint a very different picture of his son's life who was not a gang member.

Hal Netkin chronicles Council Member Dennis Zine's flip flops on Special Order 40 over the years. I remember several years ago attending a Community Police Advisory Board meeting when Zine was still head of the Police Protective League. At the time Zine called for the elimination of Special Order 40 as one way police officers would be able to fight gang crime.

Gloria Molina is going against taco truck operators in unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County, including East Los Angeles. However Molina has found a gabacho led effort to save the trucks which dispense delicious regional specialties and often server as community gathering spots for Latin immigrants wishing a brief reconnection with the old country.

Britney Spears left her LA home to return to her native Kentwood, Louisiana for her 17 year old sister's baby shower. This is the first time that Spears had visited her hometown since 2006.

The Mayor's Arts, Gossip and Culture Report

The blogger at Art's Place - Art - took his first trip to the Renee and Henry Segerstron Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, the new venue for classical music behind the Orange Curtain. Though he finds the acoustics roughly equivalent to the Walt Disney Concert Hall but Art says "the view up top is spectacularly more grand and democratic at Disney Hall, with the hall's elegant bowl shape and the crazy organ at the back of the stage. And the chairs at Disney don't squeak." No, but they probably have more legroom at the Segerstron, right Joe?

Britney Spears' 17 year old sister Jamie Lynn is five months pregnant and getting married soon, so what did her fiance Casey Aldridge do? He asked his future sister-in-law's previous husband for financial advice. What did Kevin Federline tell Casey? Watch out for the mother-in-law. Well, duh!

Having received the blessing from Neil Patrick "Doogie Howser, MD" Harris for another guest shot on his CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother, Britney Spears wants script approval on the show. Yea, she'll be asked back.

The Daily Trojan picks the four best sushi places in LA, but they left one off the list - Miyako in the NoHo Arts District (yea in the Valley). Miyako has the best value, with tasty sushi and some of the most amazing service. The usual chefs, Keho and Sam, along with server Nita have managed to mix awesome sushi (and once in a while they surprise you with some awesome secret roll, none of which I can tell you about) in an environment somewhat like Cheers.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

Personal Trainer Jack Witt at the NoHo Metro Station - Photo by Mayor Sam

Walter Moore asks who said "Members of violent transnational gangs often prey on our immigrant communities here in the United States, only to return to their home countries to commit more violent crime there." No, it wasn't Doug McIntyre, Mayor Sam or Kevin James. It was none other than Mayor Villaraigosa. All the more reason to support Jamiel's Law since a tool is needed to fight illegal gangs who almost exclusively prey on the poor, including law-abiding illegal aliens.

Illegals Kill Freely, While Good Kids Die is the title of a blog post at Yahoo. The poster, Thundercat, makes a good point. Some Clowncilmembers are more concerned with paparazzi than gangs. A bit extreme but when you examine the priorities of the Council by looking at their actions, how can you come to a different conclusion?

The news for fishwraps continues to get worse. Newspaper Death Watch reports that the number of newsroom journalists employed has sunk to a near 25 year low. The LA BLOOMBERG TIMES will likely report quarterly revenue losses of up to 5%. And Ron Kaye quit the Daily News.

The DWP plans to dump hundreds of thousands of ping pong type balls in the Silver Lake Reservoir. The idea is to trick birds into thinking it's not a lake. But one blogger wonders if soaking the reservoir in plastic is any better than letting the birds shit in it. As well as hiding the lake from people as well.

Street-Hassle has put up a gate and gone the moderated route too. Pretty soon a wacko group of commenters will have nowhere to go.

We told you it was coming up. David Markland covers the going ons at a Barack Obama delegate caucus here in North Hollywood Sunday (David how come you didn't call me up after to meet up for a glass of wine at HOWS?)

The former Doogie Howser, MD star Neil Patrick Harris clarifies his comments about the notion of Britney Spears joining his current television series, How I Met Your Mother as a regular or recurring character. He's all for her joining the cast, he just wants to make it real clear it's a quality show. Proving genetics is a real science, Britney's 16 year old embarazada sister Jamie Lynn, who is definitely showing at seven months, decided to take a ride on an all terrain vehicle. Nice.

The Ten Dumbest Moves of 2007

We made this list last year; so its time once again to list the Dumbest Moves of the Year. Here, in not necessarily any particular order is the top ten:

1. Home Depot's lame, half assed astro-turfing in Sunland-Tujunga.
2. Jan Perry trying to ban fast food in South Central.
3. Rocky Delgadillo and his wife's reported inability to register and insure their cars, show up on warrants and use staffers for personal errands.
4. Politicians wasting water.
5. The Tennie Pierce settlement.
6. Antonio banging Mithala.
7. Mayor Sam falling for trick by AV spinners on story of Antonio, Jr. drinking on the beach.
8. Pomona City Attorney Arnold Alavarez-Glassman sending a cease and desist letter to The Foothill Cities Blog.
9. Jamie Lynn Spears getting herself knocked up at the age of 16.
10. Dennis Zine showing up the Gay Parade in full leather attire.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Wednesday

Joseph Mailander has what could be the photo of the year, certainly the best photo of a government vehicle since this one, that is an LAPD patrol car reportedly parked in front of Mayor Villaraigosa's Mount Washington home for several days. Amazingly, the members of the spin zone have managed to convince themselves its not a police car, its not there and it never happened. Keep repeating that mantra kids!

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Tuesday the Los Angeles City Council voted to have the Los Angeles City Clerk take over running the elections for Neighborhood Councils. Generally in favor of the idea but wanting to delay it a bit was Councilman Bill "Open Shirt" Rosendahl who told reporters "You don't need to make a decision today and shove it down the throats of my neighborhood councils.'' Wow. Really?

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The Coliseum Commission meets Wednesday to try and come up with a relatively acceptable plan that will convince USC to stay in the historic stadium and not move to the Rose Bowl. So far the Commission's counter-offers have yet to satisfy USC's concerns as to whether or not needed renovations to the facility will be made.

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Thursday is the long anticipated "Day Without A Bag." Proving he's ready to celebrate, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will appear Wednesday on KCRW Radio at 1:00 p.m. to kick off the big day.

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David Hernandez reports that Ted Hayes - convicted of trespassing in the Mayor's Office - was refused by the Judge in the case to allow him to serve time in jail. Hernandez is behind a campaign to draft the longtime homeless activist Hayes to run against controversial Congresswoman Maxine Waters for her 35th District seat.

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The Downtown News agrees that Angelenos should be allowed to hail cabs just like in New York, San Francisco, Chicago or any other real city in America. And it needs to be done to provide the cabbies market incentive to pick up short hop fares by removing the stupid fare zones where folks can currently grab a taxi.

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Some are accusing Carson City Clowncilman turned Assembly candidate Mike Gipson of trying to bribe voters with a chance to win free gift cards at Target if they presented a ballot stub to his campaign office (thank God it wasn't Home Depot) but Gipson claims it was just an effort to turn out the vote. State officials say the move is legal; though probably skirts the spirit of the law. Didn't matter, Gipson lost the special election for the Democratic nomination to LA Community College Trustee Warren Furutani (get ready - open College board seat - line up candidates!)

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Is this any surprise? Her older sister drives around with her infant child on her lap; now 16 year old actress Jamie Lynn Spears will disclose to Ok! Magazine that she is 12 weeks pregnant.

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And finally, don't forget to RSVP for our Holiday Party on Saturday and to vote in the 2007 Mayor Sam Awards.