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Curated news, notes and observations most weekdays from LA Observed.
The LA Times revived the City Hall controversy over uninspected older concrete buildings with a big Sunday package saying that more than 1,000 old unreinforced buildings in Los Angeles "may be at risk of collapsing in a major earthquake." The story acknowledged a lack of complete data, saying in most cases the paper could not know for certain if a building was actually at risk or had already been retrofitted. LAT
Now Mayor Eric Garcetti is making the rounds of the business groups that endorsed Wendy Greuel, such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association. Rick Orlov's Tipoff/DN
California is spending nearly $15 million to build 10 hydrogen fueling stations, even though just 227 hydrogen-powered vehicles exist in the state today. LAT
When then-councilman Arthur K. Snyder invented Via Marisol to try and play down the community name of Hermon. KCET
The City Council on Tuesday is poised to approve its second neighborhood-specific set of restrictions on the size of single-family homes, this time to limit "McMansions" in the Beverly Grove area. Land Use LA
Deconstructing the Center for Investigative Reporting "hit piece" on Assembly Speaker John Pérez. FrontiersLA
USC got sweet terms on the LA Coliseum, but the deal solved a classic California problem: too many entities in charge. Zocalo
Film and TV shoots get shut down on federal lands such as Angeles National Forest. KPCC
UC President Janet Napolitano got a mixed reception Friday during her first official visit to UCLA. LAT
How ride-sharing cars pick up riders at LAX despite rules against it. Daily Breeze
KPCC's just-concluded fall pledge drive came with a new sound: no promises of free gifts in exchange for donating.
Ray Suarez, a senior correspondent for the "PBS NewsHour" since 1999 and one of the most visible Latino journalists on mainstream television, is leaving the program in two weeks. Prince-isms, Current.org
Politico co-founder and executive editor Jim VandeHei will take over as president and CEO of both Politico and Capital New York. NYT, Politico
LA Times Washington reporter Richard A. Serrano has a new book out: "Last of the Blue and Gray: Old Men, Stolen Glory, and the Mystery That Outlived the Civil War." Amazon.com
Nice Steve Lopez column from "an oasis of music and wine" in the hills high above Ensenada in Mexico's Baja California. LAT
Joe Piasecki, a reporter in the Times Community News realm, takes over today as the new editor of The Argonaut, which is now part of Southland Publishing. Argonaut
Oscar Hijuelos, a son of Cuban immigrants to the U.S. whose 1989 novel "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" made him the first Latino to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, died Saturday after collapsing on a Manhattan tennis court. He was 62. LAT, NYT
The International Herald Tribune will on Tuesday become The International New York Times. NYT
A dry ice "bomb" in a plastic bottle exploded in an employee restroom of Terminal 2 at LAX on Sunday, causing authorities to shut down security screening and delay flight departures. Arrivals were also affected as the transfer of baggage was halted temporarily. NBC, Daily Breeze, AP
USC strengthens security with more cameras, closer ties with LAPD. KPCC
October rain causes weird first flush at Santa Monica Beach. SM Mirror
Hugh Jackman benefit in Hollywood raised $1.85 million for the Motion Picture & Television Fund. LAT
Richard Montoya takes LA tale 'Water & Power' from stage to screen. LAT
Hank Sims, a prolific TV announcer who worked a lot for Quinn-Martin Productions and did the Academy Awards from 1961-1988, died in August at age 90 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Emmys.com
USC will meet Notre Dame on a new field of battle — the ice hockey arena — for the first time in South Bend this month. USC Ice Hockey.com
Stu Grimson is a former hockey enforcer with the Ducks and Kings, now retired.
Back in the OC as the #NHLDucks celebrate their 20th. Which means more importantly ... In N Out Burger pic.twitter.com/Alrx6zBtyo
— Stu Grimson (@asgrimson) October 13, 2013
