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News, notes and observations from LA Observed and selected media sources. Sometimes daily, often in the morning.
The northbound carpool lane on the I-405 freeway through Sepulveda Pass — the official reason for the $1 billion, many-year Westside traffic upheaval — now has an opening date of Friday, May 23. ZevWeb
City Hall's 3-1-1 service hotline makes callers wait longer than in other cities -- many callers simply hang up -- and the cost for each answered call is higher, according to an audit by Controller Ron Galperin. LAT, KPCC
Voices of the California drought from the San Joaquin Valley. Tumblr
Zoltan Pali, one of the architects hired to work on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' future museum, has left the high-profile project. LAT
Oops: A campaign mailer has state Sen. Kevin De León running for the Assembly, not reelection to the Senate. LAT
New York mayor Bill de Blasio is hosting a fundraiser next week for Wendy Greuel's congressional race. THR
The way in which people travel to, from and around the San Fernando Valley will significantly transform over the next three decades. LA Register
The New York Times review of Ruth Reichl's first novel is not friendly to the paper's (and the LAT's) former restaurant critic and food editor. "A gauzy ode to the liberating virtues of pleasure, glazed with warmth and uplift, so feebly written and idea free that it will make you wonder if the energy we’ve been putting into food these last few decades hasn’t made us each lose, on average, a dozen I.Q. points...” Los Angeles, NYT
The Washington Post has added 50 new journalists so far this year. Huffington Post
Ted Mitchell, the former president of Occidental College, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as undersecretary of the Department of Education, in charge of issues affecting colleges and universities. LAT
Robert F. Erburu, the last chairman of Times Mirror Co. to have close ties to the Chandler family that owned the LA Times, died at home in Santa Barbara at age 83. LAT obit
The Kings lost 4-3 to the Ducks and now, after winning the first two games of the series, could be eliminated in the next game. LAT
Reuters wants to keep stories under 500 words. Editor takes 1174 to explain why. http://t.co/mKgpdGCp01
— Sam Jacobs (@sampjacobs) May 12, 2014One thing you've got to say about hipsters - the pickles are excellent.
— jonathan gold (@thejgold) May 12, 2014Lenticular over L.A....
This is one of the most dramatic lenticular clouds that I have caught over Los… http://t.co/jxeSXAy7tp
— Rick Dickert (@RICKatFOX) May 12, 2014