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Selected items of news and notes from the media, our in box and other LA Observed sources. Posted some days, often in the morning.
Federal investigators with Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping the LAFD investigate the origin of the spectacular downtown fire that devoured the under-construction Da Vinci apartment complex beside the 110 freeway. All lanes did not finally open until this morning. Caltrans photo LAT, KPCC
What is Da Vinci developer Geoff Palmer's vision for DTLA? Los Angeles Magazine
Sony employees will be briefed by the FBI on Wednesday about the recent cyberattack on the studio, Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Michael Lynton told the staff in a memo. Hollywood Reporter
Pivot TV has canceled its signature nightly program, "TakePart Live," hosted by Meghan McCain, Jacob Soboroff and Baratunde Thurston. Capital NY
How Mayor Garcetti brought Kinkisharyo and labor together to save the project to build 175 rail cars for the Expo, Gold and Crenshaw lines in Palmdale. Capital and Main
The drought that has gripped California for three years is mainly the result of naturally occurring phenomena -- the natural variability of the atmosphere ocean system -- according to a study sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. KPCC
There's a special election in the South Los Angeles area today to choose a state Senate successor to Roderick Wright. LAT, AP
Both sides in the New Republic meltdown are wrong about the magazine. LAT/Hiltzik
Mitt Romney's tweets had to be approved by 22 people during the 2012 election. The Verge
The pass rate on the California Bar Exam fell below 50 percent this year. AP
Zocalo's "10 best books we read this year." Zocalo Public Square
A large Cheesecake Factory will take over the the third floor of Santa Monica Place in March, replacing La Sandia and Zengo. Eater LA
Somebody angry about the Latinization of L.A. just wrote to tell me he fears the city itself might wind up with a "Hispanic sounding name"
— ChristopherHawthorne (@HawthorneLAT) December 8, 2014