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Curated news, notes and observations most weekdays from LA Observed.
Governor Jerry Brown made a rare visit to southeast Los Angeles County on Monday for an unveiling of plans for a new casino building in Hawaiian Gardens, a 1-square-mile city bordering Orange County. It was the second time in little more than a month that the governor has been on hand to celebrate a local casino project, even though he doesn't often make public appearances. The casino is a donor. LAT, KPCC
Supervisors Yaroslavsky and Antonovich called Monday for an independent probe of the sheriff's hiring practices in response to a Times investigation that revealed dozens of officers were hired despite histories of serious misconduct. LAT
Republican Assembly candidate Susan Shelley wants a recount of the Nov. 19 election results that gave Democrat Matt Dababneh a victory by 329 votes out of more than 29,000 cast in a district largely in the San Fernando Valley. LAT, DN, KPCC
Former state Sen. Tony Strickland has taken an official step to run in the congressional district represented by Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon if the Republican retires. LAT
An LA Superior Court judge ordered Palmdale to hold a new, by-district election for its four City Council posts. LAT, DN, KPCC, LA Weekly
Ricardo Sanchez, the morning radio host on KLAX known as "El Mandril," has been off the ait for a month and the reason is murky. It could be a contract dispute or it could be an investigation into ratings tampering. LAT
Univision Communications and KSCA-FM unveiled a new Spanish-language morning show, "El Bueno, la Mala y el Feo" (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), to fill the radio slot formerly held by El Piolin. LAT
Riverside Press-Enterprise editor Nels Jensen announced on Facebook that he is out of the job. Michael Coronado, who covered numerous beats as a reporter for The Press-Enterprise and then became a key editor at the Orange County Register, is the new editor. P-E
Sheriff’s officials said Monday they are focusing on excessive speed as a primary cause of the fiery solo car crash that killed actor Paul Walker and race car driver Roger Rodas in Valencia on Saturday. DN, LA Weekly
Less than a day after “Fast and Furious” actor Paul Walker died in a fiery car crash, a small shrine of glowing candles appeared on the sidewalk in front of the Angeleno Heights home that appeared in the first movie of the series. Eastsider LA
There was a dispute yesterday over the DA's use of the pool media feed at the OC trial of the officers involved in the Kelly Thomas death. OC Weekly
Opinion editor Mariel Garza bemoans the nonfunctioning Caltrans freeway sensors that leave traffic apps so inaccurate. DN
Surf Air, the tiny airline that sells ‘all you can fly’ passes for as low as $1,350 per month, will start service later this month to Hawthorne Municipal Airport near LAX. LA Airspace
Downtown developer Izek Shomof discusses his plans for a multi-use community at the site of the Boyle Heights Sears store. Curbed, ABC 7
Research calls into question the historical tale that Earle C. Anthony installed the first neon sign in the U.S. on his LA Packard dealership in 1923. LAT
