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News, notes and observations from LA Observed and selected media sources. Sometimes daily, often in the morning.
This should force an immediate halt to the re-confirmation of Chief Charlie Beck for hearings, but won't: the LAPD under-counted at least 1,200 aggregated assaults, the LA Times found, casting doubt on the trend of historic-low crime rates. LAT
Former mayoral candidate and talk show host Kevin James is now a City Hall defender as president of the Board of Public Works, distressing some former backers. LAT
South LA school board candidates George McKenna and Alex Johnson on "News Conference," separately. NBC 4 | Plus: 5 differences between them. LA Weekly
Councilman Jose Huizar on Friday proposed a full-time coordinator or "czar" to oversee homeless programs in the city. LAT
City Hall softball game leaves some electeds hurting. Plus more. Rick Orlov's Tipoff/DN
Sacramento is debating whether to regular the removal of groundwater for the first time. LAT, Mercury News
Maureen Dowd is moving to the New York Times Magazine as a staff writer, while continuing to write her Sunday opinion column. Romenesko
ESPN suspended radio host and boxing analyst Max Kellerman, it seems, for saying on ESPN LA's "Mason & Ireland" that he had once slapped a girlfriend. NY Daily News
Southern California needs another all-sports radio station like the ozone layer needs another hole. But it's getting one in KFWB. Hoffarth/DN
Liev Schreiber will play former Boston Globe editor Marty Baron in a movie about the Globe’s clergy abuse probe. Deadline
Paul McCartney rocks sold out Dodger Stadium. DN
The Archway Studio and Theater is leaving the Arts District building that once housed Al's Bar in part because no one can find parking around there anymore. Downtown News
