Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Full load after the jump, and I do mean a full load.
News
Baca's press turns
The sheriff "goes his own way" says an LAT story that reports Baca was counseled before releasing Paris Hilton that the media impact would be "a firestorm, and it will be worldwide." Baca also addresses (sort of) the Scientology whispers. Editorial writer Robert Greene gave deeper perspective on Baca in Sunday Opinion.
Orlov column
Bad week for Antonio and Rocky, but legit stories. DN
Shrum book soiree
Democratic campaign guru Robert Shrum signed No Excuses: Concessions of a Serial Campaigner at the Holmby Hills home of David Bohnett and Tom Gregory for a crowd that included Warren Beatty, Arianna Huffington, Kathleen Brown, Bill Carrick, Joe Scott, Mickey Kaus, Ana Garcia, Steve Oney, Alan Arkatov, David Abel and Brenda Levin and plenty of talk about the newly interesting Civic Center political scene.
Haefele on Weiss recall effort
In the LAT Sunday Opinion section.
Next: Maywood
The southeast cities corruption tour moves into Maywood with the story of a tow truck operator called "Tony Bravo" whose real name is Tooradj Khosroabadi. LAT
Tarzana wants transit village
Shops, restaurants and more are desired around the Reseda Boulevard Orange Line station. DN
Pasadena orchestras to merge
The Pasadena Symphony, founded in 1928, and the 15-year-old Pasadena POPS Orchestra will combine operations and fundraising but maintain separate performance schedules under a plan to be announced today. Star-News
Noted
New commentator at KCRW
Actor/writer Iris Bahr will do satirical commentary about modern life from the vantage point of various fictional characters, starting today with "Svetlana," Russian prostitute to the stars. Social Studies will air weekly on Mondays at 4:44 pm.
L.A.'s snake whisperers
Jennifer Steinhauer reports in the NYT on local services that will get rid of your rattlesnakes.
Throughout Los Angeles, there are a handful of people who have a deep adoration for limbless reptiles, and are willing, in fact eager, to remove them from the property of others. Armed with cloth gloves, a large plastic bin and a snake hook, which looks like a giant dental tool, they snoop under rocks and peek through piles of wood.
“We remove them, release them and give them another chance to go on with their lives,” said Jason McElroy, the owner of Southern California Snake Removal.
Mr. McElroy, who charges $125 a visit, documents his catches on his Web site, socalsnakeremoval.com. This is where you will find a pair of Southern Pacific rattlesnakes taken from Sherman Oaks, copulating at the time of removal.
The only downside to the job is getting insurance. “Most people hang up on you,” Mr. McElroy lamented. “I had to go through 20 insurance companies. I think it is because it costs like $200,000 to treat a snake bite.”
Suge Knight helps the Washington Post
Suge will appear for a live chat on the WashPost website at 9 am our time to talk about his new reality TV show, Death Row Records and Sunday's profile of him in the pages of the Post.
Ceasefire!
Ceasefire! Bridging the Political Divide, the first conference hosted by the newly established Center on Communication Leadership at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, opens tonight with an address by New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Among the speakers are Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, former governor Gray Davis and journalists Margaret Carlson, Jay Carney, Michael Kinsley, Lawrence O’Donnell, Juan Williams and Judy Woodruff. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gives Tuesday's keynote speech. Info
East L.A. cityhood
Jon Beaupre guest-hosts for Larry Mantle on KPCC's "Airtalk" and discusses the latest East Los Angeles incorporation effort with Sandor Winger of the Local Agency Formation Commission. 10:30 am, 89.3 FM
New book festival in town
The first Leimert Park Village Book Fair on June 30 will honor the late author Bebe Moore Campbell and include as panelists Lynell George, Karen Grigsby Bates, Paula Woods, Jervey Tervalon, John Singleton, Gary Phillips and others.
Nice book mention
How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table by LAT food columnist Russ Parsons turned up in last week's New York Times.
Water blog
Aquafornia's subtitle is the Southern California water blog.
All in the family
Hilary Armstrong and Sascha Rice are shooting a documentary film on their grandfather, former Gov. Edmund G. (Pat) Brown. They hope to have it out before the 2008 election. Their website.
Champlin to get a star
Retired Times critic and arts editor Charles Champlin joins the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 3.
Missed a few!
The list of local pro football teams we posted at SoCal Sports Observed omitted the women's squads of the 1970s and 80s. Here they are.
