Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Murdoch denies LAT interest

Top of the news

Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life by cycling's governing body Monday. “Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten in cycling,” UCI president Pat McQuaid said at a news conference. AP


Politics and government

With the last presidential debate tonight, new polls show the race in a dead heat or with Mitt Romney leading. But the gender gap is as wide as ever, says FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver: "If only women voted, President Obama would be on track for a landslide re-election." NYT

The LA Times endorsed President Obama. Editorial

The Central Coast congressional race between Democrat Lois Capps and Republican Abel Maldonado "has turned unexpectedly close, in one of the clearest signs that changes in California's election system may begin to favor centrist candidates." WSJ

It could be that few people in LA County care whether porn actors wear condoms, and thus won't vote on Measure B. LAT

The Daily News endorsed Alan Jackson for DA. DN editorial

Richard Riordan's potential pension reform measure for next year's ballot complicates the mayoral race since the context is "dominated by three City Hall incumbents, each of them beholden in some way to labor." Jim Newton/LAT

After years of talking about, the city and county fire departments have yet to share 911 calls so that people who live near the Los Angeles city limits get help quickly. A Times investigation finds long delays for some emergencies. LAT

Rick Orlov of the Daily News announces at his Sausage Factory blog that "we are switching over to a new host this week and there might be some gaps in posting. Check twitter.com/rickorlov for periodic updates."
Plus: In Monday's Tipoff, looking ahead to fill the City Council seats of Tony Cardenas and Ed Reyes. DN

James Acevedo, the developer who has been a political kingmaker in the Valley in the past, has become controversial in the city of El Monte. DN

LAPD chief Charlie Beck in the Zocalo green room: Q: Do you encounter much traffic? A: "Almost none."


Media and books

"Reports that News Corp. is in discussions with Tribune or the L.A. Times are wholly inaccurate,” said Julie Henderson, a spokeswoman for Rupert Murdoch's company, after the LAT's story on Friday. Bloomberg

The production of "Argo" spent spent $31 million in the Los Angeles region in 2011, Warner Bros. said. The film was shot in part at a VA medical building in North Hills, a mansion in Hancock Park and the Ontario International Airport. Company Town

It's tough to be bashful when you’re a pornography titan like Larry Flynt, who eats just about every day at the Four Seasons. Same table, same waitress. NYT

heather-john-fogarty.jpgQ&A with Heather John Fogarty, the food blogger and former editor for Bon Appetit and Los Angeles Times Magazine. StoryPorter.com


More

Thousands of U.S.-born children now live throughout Mexico as a result of deportation of a family member: "Disoriented by cultural differences and often unable to speak the language, they often struggle, clinging to one another in a society that views them with a mix of envy and pity." LAT

What has happened in LA to the image of MOCA director Jeffrey Deitch "is a tale worthy of a prime-time soap. There are white hats and black hats, high-minded cultural ideals pitted against putative populist evil, pop and ivory-tower cultures caught in fierce contention. The only thing lacking is a walk-on by Larry Hagman." NYT

Happy Hour classical music concerts at Silverlake Lounge. Classical Revolution

Benjamin Millepied's LA Dance Project is a giant step for dance in LA. NYT

The last airport in the San Gabriel Valley, in El Monte, "faces a cloudy future." LAT

Russell Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who became an actor, died early Monday at his ranch in in Porcupine, S.D., an Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman said. He was 72. AP


More by Kevin Roderick:
'In on merit' at USC
Read the memo: LA Times hires again
Read the memo: LA Times losing big on search traffic
Google taking over LA's deadest shopping mall
Gustavo Arellano, many others join LA Times staff
Recent Morning Buzz stories on LA Observed:
Thursday news and notes
A little bit of mid-week reading
A few links from a few different places
Let's talk about anything but the weather
A few links from here and there
A couple of links from a couple of places
A bit of news from a few places
Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14