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News, notes and observations from LA Observed and selected media sources. Sometimes daily, often in the morning.
Legislation to bump the state's film tax credit pool up to $400 million passed a state Senate committee and looks headed for passage. LAT, DN, Variety, LA Weekly
The executive officer of the State Mining and Geology Board agrees with developers that there are no active earthquake faults underneath several prominent Hollywood projects, including the site of the proposed Millennium Hollywood skyscrapers. LAT
Police Commission president Steven Soboroff said he expects a thorough LAPD investigation of Monday evening's shooting of Ezell Ford, 25, who was walking on 65th Street in the Florence area when confronted by two officers, who say he tried to grab one of the officers' weapons. Family members say he was unarmed, mentally challenged and lying on the ground when shot. They plan to sue. LAT, LA Weekly, NYT, KPCC
The city Ethics Commission voted Thursday to recommend that the City Council look at using cash prizes to lure more people to vote in Los Angeles elections. LAT, KPCC
As LA Times publisher, Austin Beutner holds "a perfect starting point for what could be a 'management buyout' of the Times — and maybe more properties," says Ken Doctor. Plus Register and LANG speculation, and the Tribune Publishing CEO's suit against Aaron Kushner. Nieman Journalism Lab
Chuck Todd replaces David Gregory as the host of "Meet the Press." NYT, Washington Post
Tracy Wilkinson of the LA Times is a winner of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism's Maria Moors Cabot Prizes for outstanding reporting on Latin America and the Caribbean. Columbia
Asked on Facebook: "Who in this group remembers when KNXT (KCBS) hired psychologists to 'improve' the newscast anchored by Sandy Hill and Patrick Emory?"
Jonathan Gold talks about the history of the LA food scene, and his connection to the Sunday Hollywood Farmers Market, in a profile. Town & Country
The Hamburger Hamlet in Sherman Oaks will reopen this month under the management of the owners of Killer Shrimp. Eater
With attendance flat and profit lagging, Sea World San Diego announced it would nearly double the size of the tanks where the park's ten captive orcas are kept. LAT, AP
"Junípero Serra: California’s Founding Father" by Stephen W. Hackel "is a thorough, rigorously researched historical document. But it is also a myopic one, confined to the chronology of Serra’s life and more concerned with sacrament than with statecraft." LA Review of Books
A nice piece on the life of the late Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis. The Hardball Times
My sign language for the #405 freeway 😝 pic.twitter.com/IyncLSiLej
— elizabeth espinosa (@e_espinosa) August 14, 2014