Morning Buzz: Thursday 4.9.09

• The city is pondering a raise in the speed limits on some Valley streets, including a stretch of Zelzah Avenue where at least seven pedestrians have been hit in recent months. Story has some good background on how speeds are set and where cops can't use radar. DN
• The Los Angeles City Council still spends $1 million a year on ceremonial scrolls prepared by a calligrapher. LA Weekly
• Times Op-Ed columnist Rosa Brooks is giving up her writing gigs to work at the Pentagon as an advisor to the undersecretary of Defense for policy. Column
• Los Angeles County workers have sold real estate documents for cash, stolen property tax payments and taken money for work they never did, according to a new fraud hotline report. DN
• Guess Jeans co-founder Georges Marciano says he's running for governor as an independent. Capitol Alert
• Hollywood Hamilton, a personality on KIIS-FM from 1986-1992, returns to local radio April 13 in afternoon drive slot on 104.3 FM. Gary Lycan/Register
• Former LAT investigative reporter Chuck Neubauer is joining the Washington Times. Fishbowl LA
• Former San Francisco Chronicle Washington reporter Zachary Coile is switching over to communications director for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer. Chronicle
• When the L.A. Times doctored photos of Charlton Heston to add a shirt. Daily Mirror
• Fabio Ficano, director of government affairs for AnsaldoBreda, will address the May 2 meeting of Southern California Transit Advocates at Angelus Plaza downtown.
• Mayor Villaraigosa gives his State of the City address next Tuesday at the Balqon Electric Truck Factory on 240th St. in Harbor City. I believe that's the highest numbered street ever mentioned on LA Observed.
• New York Times columnist James Flanigan discusses "Smile Southern California, You're the Center of the Universe: The Economy and People of a Global Region" on KPCC's "Airtalk" with Larry Mantle at 11:30 a.m.
• Robert Hofler, senior editor at Variety, discusses his new book "The Movie That Changed My Life" on KPCC's "Patt Morrison" at 2:40 p.m.

LA Biz Observed headlines