Thursday Sunrise Hotsheet

Pray for Peace in the Barrios, Ramona Gardens mural

Our dear leader, Mayor Sam, is away on a fact-finding mission, so I’m on Thursday hotsheet duty. Let’s jump right in, shall we?

The Sister City has learned that the two surviving male accomplices in a botched taxi robbery have confessed to investigators, but that Hollenbeck Detectives have yet to present their case to the District Attorney's office. The bizarre details have reportedly left many in the City Terrace community wondering how the two deceased girls found themselves involved in a violent robbery, and ultimately through a car windshield.

Pedro Espinoza, the alleged killer of Jamiel Shaw Jr., pleaded not guilty in L.A. Superior Court Wednesday. Anita and Jamiel Shaw Sr. were among those in attendance:

"It was hard seeing the alleged killer of my son," Jamiel Shaw Sr. said outside the courtroom, wearing a T-shirt with his son's photograph.

"It felt good to see him behind the bars," he added. "He's entitled to a fair trial. So are we."

We’ve hammered City Hall pretty hard for flouting its legal responsibility to cooperate with federal immigration law. I think it’s also worth pointing out how clearly the facts of this case illustrate the magnitude of the problem we face as a nation, thanks to years of willful neglect by Presidents Bush and Clinton—whose failure to secure the U.S.-Mexico border invited Espinoza’s parents to cross with a four year old son. As an adult, with no legal status, Espinoza had little future beyond the cash economy, and no home in Mexico to return to. Today, he’s out of the shadows and hopefully off the streets for good.

Walter Moore tells me that Jamiel’s family is actively seeking a sponsor for Jamiel’s Law on City Council. Obvious starting points would be CDs 8, 9, and 10—although I suppose we can count Herb Wesson out—Zuma Dogg hears that Mayor Villaraigosa is on an arm-twisting campaign to replace Eric Garcetti with Wesson as Council President.

Without your consent, L.A. City Council voted yesterday to raises your taxes—oops, fees... I mean, rates—again. The rate hikes will begin this summer and supposedly be used to upgrade aging infrastructure. No talk of first examining the surpluses DWP currently funnels into the General Fund. I guess that’s what you call “hush money,” y'all.

And finally, Pasadena may ban smoking. Probably a smart move to offset the additional carbon my vehicle now produces waiting on half-empty Gold Line trains and massive road construction projects that never seem to have actual workers on premises.

You Love a Parade

JM, Christmas: Unpleasant Guy on Stilts on Pleasant Residential Street near Hollywood & Highland, 12.25.07 / click to enlarge

Joseph Mailander a guy in la • elsewhere • email

If you're wondering about Stephanie Edwards: No.

Two-thousand-six in the rain was her last year working the Rose Parade for KTLA. Dour Bob and Bubbly Michaela will be working the Rose Parade for KTLA next Tuesday. No more Steph on New Year's no more. Life just hasn't been the same for any of us since Lucky's became Albertson's anyway. It's small consolation to be able to watch Cal Poly building its float at the station's website.

And why hasn't the DooDah Parade registered yet? Because this year, it's on January 20. Please recommend to the non-authorities that Zuma Dogg be Grand Marshal. Maybe he's not available or willing, but to me it seems a natural.

BTW, this year the DooDah parade disorganizers promise that all the participants must submit to drug tests, and must test positive.

Speaking of doo dahs on parade, a few of you wondered who this guy Jonathan, who I photographed standing by his trusty Kawasaki in front of Jan's on Beverly, was. It's Jonathan Shaw, counterculture writer / schlock-artist / metaphysician. His myspace page is here. No doubt he's male, but I really doubt he's been 20 for a while.

USC considering a move to the Rose Bowl ?

Allow for this thought, would the University of Southern California, aka USC, leave the Coliseum for the Rose Bowl ?

Before you dismiss outright this question, consider the fact that USC and one of the historically inept public commission, the Coliseum Commission, have been deadlock on a future lease agreement for USC Football.

This impasse has the University engaging Pasadena about playing future home games in the Rose Bowl as early as Fall of 2008. The deadlock between the University and the Coliseum Commission centers around the lease proposal by USC to be the "feature tenant" in exchange for a 10 year lease deal that would see USC commit $100 million dollars toward stadium renovations. The University also wants the exclusive rights to market the Coliseum for events such as concerts and other special events.

The Coliseum Commission for their part are clinging to some forlorn hope that the NFL will listen to the likes of Councilman Bernard Parks and relocate a team to the historic stadium. Thus do not want to give USC the "feature role" at this time.

It is this type of "myopic vision and foresight" that chased the formerly "Los Angeles Rams" to Anaheim in 1979. UCLA then lefted for Pasadena soon after. Then after luring Nate Holden's favorite team , the Oakland Raiders south in 1982, cause Al Davis to take $9 Million to look at some Gravel Pit in Irwindale and scamper back to the Bay area in 1995.

If USC were to leave the Coliseum for Pasadena, this would deal a potentially fatal blow to the revitalization of the "Figueroa Corridor".

So for all sports fans and especially the "Trojan Family", will USC "fight on" in the Coliseum ? Or will the Coliseum Commission solidify itself as the "Champion of Ineptness" ?

Mid-morning update: "Open Letter from USC AD Mike Garrett"

I think that "Gravel Pit" in Irwindale is still avalible

Afternoon Update: USC- Rose Bowl Talks involve 1-year deal

The Call by Mayor Sam

Zuma Dogg's inside sources once again prove to be right, Monday morning KABC Radio will announce the return of Dodgers baseball to their airwaves in 2008. KABC was the radio home of LA's major league franchise for many years. In recent airs, the games aired on KFWB. Pre-emption of the Mark Levin radio show during home games could mean additional listeners for Kevin James on KRLA AM; away games will cut into the hours of Larry Elder and Al Rantel sending listeners to Mark "Mr. K" Germain on KTLK AM. Hell don't wait for Dodger baseball, tune into Mark's and Kevin's shows both tonight!

In other radio news, Franklin Avenue reports that veteran former KABC broadcaster Michael Jackson is returning to the airwaves on a new talk station that also resurrects the legendary KGIL callsign at its original location of 1260. Talkradio fans remember that KGIL was a great talk station that once featured hosts such as KTLA newsman Bill Smith and the late John Swaney.

At the same time FA covers rumors that morning talk jock Don Imus could return to the airwaves in LA, possibly on KABC. Lets put 790 on notice - IF you remove Doug McIntyre and replace him with Don Imus I will NEVER listen to KABC again and will do everything possible via this ever popular blog to encourage others do to the same. Your stupid losses of Mark Germain and Kevin James has vastly cut down the time I listen to your station, lets not make any more dumb mistakes.

More stuff after the jump...

I predicted - and will continue to - that Al Gore's head is too big to not run for President. Al himself hasn't ruled it out; at the same time a number of major leave efforts are underway to draft the man who invented the internet to run for President in 2008.

Here's an instance where a Clowncil is going to piss off someone no matter what they do. The Beijing government of China plans to enter a float in the 2008 Rose Parade. The City of Pasadena's Human Relations Committee has urged that the City take a strong position on the communist government's poor human rights record. On the other hand Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogard would prefer the Council not take a position; obstensibly not to piss off the powerful Tournament of Roses Association (as well as most likely George Bush, American companies doing business in China as well as Beijing itself). On the other hand human rights activists and local Chinese immigrants who suffered at the hand of the goverment are adamant a stand be taken. Stay tuned.

According to a political quiz, I am a Libertarian.