Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Thursday 5.9.13

Politics and Campaign 2013

The original contract on the 405 freeway widening project called for completion at the end of this month. Work is at least a year behind, and transportation officials are studying who's responsible and how to cover the additional cost. LAT

A California law that created an agency to oversee national health care reforms granted it sweeping authority to conceal spending on the contractors that will perform most of its functions, creating a barrier from public disclosure that stands out nationwide. Associated Press

SEIU Local 721 has sponsored a new 30-second independent ad for Wendy Greuel that goes up today. It pushes her as the first woman mayor. YouTube

Real estate developer Juri Ripinsky, who is featured in a new attack advertisement launched by Greuel, is weighing legal action over the television spot, his attorney said. DN

Greuel will appear with Mark Ridley-Thomas, Dolores Huerta and Bill Rosendahl at 1:30 p.m. on the City Hall steps. Garcetti has an 11 a.m. media op at the Las Palmas Senior Center in Hollywood.

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich was knocked down — can he get back up and keep job? LA Weekly

Former City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo endorsed Trutanich on Wednesday.

Why are women practically non-existent on the LA City Council? LA Weekly

Why are there so few Asian Americans in LA politics? KPCC

Mayor Villaraigosa appointed Robert “Bud” Ovrom, the head of the Building and Safety Department, to be Interim Executive Director of the Convention Center and nominated him for the permanent position.

The Los Angeles Business Journal now says that its unbylined endorsement of Garcetti was by publisher Matt Toledo and editor Charles Crumpley. An early online version carried Crumpley's byline.

Mickey Kantor made reference to presidential campaign speculation about Hillary Clinton when he introduced her last night at the Beverly Wilshire. LAT

The City Council on Wednesday approved the controversial 183-acre rail yard to serve the harbor, "setting the stage for possible court challenges alleging violations of environmental and civil rights laws." LAT, DN

The overseers of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum concealed from the public independent reports of lax financial controls and widespread spending abuses at the taxpayer-owned stadium that included sloppy accounting of hot dog sales and excessive perks for managers, records show. LAT


Media and books

Muerto-Mouse-Web.jpgLalo Alcaraz cartoon on that lame Disney attempt to trademark the term Dia de los Muertos: Muerto Mouse. Pocho.com

The two top editors of the Village Voice, Will Bourne and Jessica Lustig, quit today rather than carry out an order to cut 5 positions from the 20-person staff. NYT

Regarding that much-panned Meghan O'Rourke New Yorker piece on leaving Los Angeles, former NYT bureau chief Jennifer Steinhauer tweets: "Short timers in LA see only trees, hear only helicopters. Stay on and fall in love with the light & Jidori chicken." Plus: a Daily News editorial

"Marketplace" does a story on its office conference room. Marketplace

LitFest Pasadena returns on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Pasadena's Central Park. Info

Listicle: 8 ways LA could have been completely different. BuzzFeed

Patch sites in the area are getting a new look and more blogs. The same note is running on several Patches: here's the one for Echo Park - Silver Lake.

Construction photos of the new Channel 11 news set. Fox 11


More news, notes and observations

Four immigration officials were charged with bribery and fraud. LAT

Thumbnail image for variety-sign-300.jpgOfficials of LACMA are moving from the museum grounds to the 14th and 15th floors of the office tower across the street at 5900 Wilshire, which still have the Variety sign at the top. LAT

A small tornado touched down Monday in Bakersfield and was caught on video. KTLA

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority approved spending $327,000 over the next three years on a contract that will position Bob Hope Airport as the official airport of the Rose Bowl. Burbank Leader

Ed Fuentes' guide to tonight's Downtown Art Walk. KCET


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