Weekend (and holiday) reads

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (at the home of attorney Bruce Broillet and his wife Norah) and Sen. Mark Warner are among the Democrats holding L.A. area fundraisers during the congressional recess. Sen. Barbara Boxer had an event planned at the home of Laurie David. Variety
People who live close to L.A. freeways were found to have twice the average progression of atherosclerosis, the thickening of artery walls that can lead to heart disease and stroke. LAT
Actor-director Kevin Smith was bounced from a Southwest flight to Burbank for being too large to fit in a single seat, after his usual double seat was unavailable. Tweet wars ensued. TMZ, The Wrap, Southwest.com
Retired CBS correspondent Murray Fromson's role in exposing official doubts about the Vietnam War was revisited in the obituary of Frederick C. Weyand, the former U.S. commander in Vietnam. NYT
Do electronic voters signatures fly on initiative petitions? We're about to find out. LAT Op-Ed
Before "American Idol," in L.A. there were "Hollywood Opportunity" and "Rocket to Stardom" — live shows in the 1950s that included appearances by Lenny Bruce and Phil Spector. LAT
Reviewing the Los Angeles radio and television career of Steve Edwards, host of "Good Day L.A." on Fox 11. LA Radio
Roberta Dos Santos Busby, the exotic dancer burned outside a Tarzana club last year, is a 28-year-old mother of two girls who has undergone 30 skin-graft operations and faces more than a dozen additional surgeries in the coming months. DN
JPL climatologist Bill Patzert talks to Patt Morrison about the recent L.A. weather and his belief that global warming is a dire threat. LAT
Some customers waited two hours just to get into the first LA Street Food Fest, a gathering of food trucks downtown. LAT, Eating LA
East Los Angeles transplant Aurora Anaya-Cerda has opened a bookstore in New York City's East Harlem area. LatinoLA
The widow of Olympic medalist Dave Laut was arrested for his 2009 murder. LAT
Doug Fieger, leader of the Los Angeles band The Knack that had a 1979 hit with "My Sharona," died of cancer in Woodland Hills at age 57. AP