Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
San Bruno residents smelled gas for days, another tragic shooting in Rampart, Bell not the first corrupt city, why City Hall contracts get so political and Marilyn Monroe's home sells. Plus more, including Variety sues the Vandals, inside.
- Residents of San Bruno reported a gas leak to PG&E in the days before last night's big explosion and fire, which so far has officially killed four. Bay Citizen
- Another shooting in the Rampart area this week has struck a community chord, that of former gang member and Homeboy Industries worker Irvin Panameno, 19. Witness LA
- The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into possible civil rights violations in Bell, focusing in part on allegations that the city improperly used towing fees and other city fines to generate revenues. LAT
- Corruption in the small L.A. County cities didn't start with Bell, says former Times reporter Victor Valle, chairman of the ethnic studies department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and "author of a new book that explores the seamy underside of California small-town government." LAT
- For the first time, local businesses would be given preferential treatment when bidding for contracts with the city of Los Angeles under a proposed ordinance unveiled Thursday. DN
- It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that the process of awarding lucrative contracts, such as the golf cart concessions at the city’s seven golf courses and the food concessions at LAX, have devolved into time-consuming, convoluted, and messy fights, says former City Hall official Greg Nelson. CityWatch
- Tattoos and the art of tattooing are "forms of pure expression fully protected by the 1st Amendment," a U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel said Thursday in ruling that a Hermosa Beach ban on tattoo parlors is unconstitutional. LAT, Daily Breeze, AP
- The District Attorney's Office is investigating allegations that Sunder Ramani, a candidate running for a state Assembly seat in the 43rd district, doesn't live in the district representing the east San Fernando Valley. DN
- Two people killed by a Metrolink train in Orange County yesterday appear to have been sleeping in the tracks. LAT
- LACMA's role in restoring the Watts Towers has hit a snag over insurance. LAT
- Land-development power couple Frederick and Laurie Samitaur-Smith have big plans for the Eric Owen Moss-designed art tower they built at National and Hayden streets in Culver City. LA Weekly
- Daily Variety sued the punk band he Vandals, whose bass player is lawyer and former radio host Joe Escalante. THR, Romenesko
- Marilyn Monroe's former home on Helena Drive in Brentwood sold for $3.85 million, above asking price. Curbed LA
- Bill Kling, the founder of Minnesota Public Radio and CEO of American Public Media Group, says he will step down in 2011. Romenesko
- Paul Thornton, the Web producer for the L.A. Times editorial pages, was named letters editor. Readers' Rep