Morning Buzz: Wednesday 1.28.09

An Australian family that was refused entry at LAX despite holding visitor visas says in the Aussie press it was treated badly by U.S. officials and urges visitors not to come here. LAT
The Sheriff's Department has at least 800 untested rape evidence kits in cases where there are no suspects. LAT
We see ourselves in Billy the elephant's eyes, writes Kevin Modesti. The fate of the zoo's elephant enclosure hits the City Council today. DN
Southwest and Virgin America are in a fare war for flights from Orange County to San Francisco, charging as little as $49. LAT
County supervisors voted Tuesday to set aside $2 million to build a $4.5million county television studio, with only Gloria Molina opposed. DN
Steve Lopez says the mayor should debate Walter Moore and says of the challenger, "in person, his arguments are less strident and somewhat more nuanced, and for every thoroughly wrong-headed thought, he's got two or three decent if incomplete ones." Steve Lopez column
Councilman Bill Rosendahl says in a letter to constituents that "modernizing Tom Bradley [International Terminal] will allow us to raise the cost of operating at LAX, making Ontario a more attractive option for airlines."
The City Council's transportation committee has an item today about the $600,000 cost of the Dodger Stadium shuttle and the team's refusal to pay any of the cost.
A potential juror was charged with perjury and jailed on $100,000 bail for not disclosing previous felony convictions on his jury form and in discussions with the judge in a murder trial. LAT
BREATHE LA will unveil its "Green Salon Series" for 2009 at a 9:30 press conference in the City Hall media room featuring, among others, Ray Gonzales formerly of KTLA.
Former L.A. Times editor and reporter Stu Silverstein is now director of public affairs at Build-LACCD, the building arm of the Los Angeles Community College District.
UCLA law professor and prolific blogger Eugene Volokh calls himself "kind of a conservative-ish libertarian with a little bit of liberal thrown in at times." UCLA Magazine
Retired Lakers great Jerry West will write his autobiography, "an honest and thorough account of my life and career, which, at times, have been completely improbable and against all odds," with Jonathan Coleman for Little, Brown. Also, Edward Jay Epstein sold "The Hollywood Economist," called a Freakonomics-like critique of the movie industry, to Melville House for publication in 2010. Publishers Lunch
KTLA Morning News anchor Asha Blake does the emcee honors at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce dinner at L.A. Live on Thursday night.
Billie Jean King's Women's Sports Foundation will honor Dick Ebersol — and feature a performance by Elton John — at its April 1 dinner at the Beverly Hilton. WSF

Mark Lacter | Native Intelligence
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