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Selected items from the media, our in box and other LA Observed sources. Posted occasionally — often in the morning.
July was the warmest month on Earth in the 136 years that people have been keeping track, NOAA says. LAT
An electrical explosion last night in the office building at 811 Wilshire Blvd. has knocked out power in several downtown buildings, shutting the offices of the LA Community College District for the day. CNS
Here's Los Angeles's plan for running the Greek Theatre itself. Curbed
LAPD urges officers to be community guardians, not warriors on crime. LAT
Parents who don't want to vaccinate their children admit that can end relationships. But many still want California voters to overturn a new law requiring childhood vaccinations in the interests of public health. KCRW
Compton's mayor Aja Brown and council members have been illegally boosting their salaries for years by paying themselves for commission meetings that sometimes lasted only about a minute, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said. LAT
Detectives with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department plan to present evidence next week that could lead to a misdemeanor manslaughter charge for Caitlyn Jenner. Authorities believe Jenner was traveling at an unsafe speed last February when her Escalade struck the car of Kim Howe and pushed it into oncoming traffic. LAT
Jose Antonio Vargas, the LA Times editor called "the most well known illegal immigrant in the country," got hit with a federal income tax lien this year and wrote a check for $48,000 to cover it. Red Alert Politics, Facebook
The tally of women who have accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault now stands at 50. Salon
Organizers of the Best of the West journalism contest admitted that judges "had not seen a fourth of the entries because of an error in the processing of entries in our contest software." Note
Joe Domanick’s "Blue: The LAPD and the Battle to Redeem American Policing" tackles the troubled history of policing in LA and beyond. KPCC
Former Glendale News-Press city editor and columnist Dave Silva has medical issues. GoFundMe
Silicon Beach — as people call the startup scene in Venice and Santa Monica — "has evolved from a trumped-up trend story to a very real phenomenon." California Sunday Magazine
As another club closes, Sunset Strip’s evolution continues. NYT
The official reopening of Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria on Sept. 21 will be a fundraising benefit for the Los Angeles Conservancy. Info
Westfield Corp. will spend $800 million to make over its Century City mall. The goal is to make it more of a “lifestyle center,” similar to the Grove shopping mall, by adding more restaurants, including Eataly, and outdoor spaces. LAT
A march against gentrification by "outsiders" in Highland Park. Eastern Group
Volunteers will begin launching thousands of hand painted vinyl balls into the lake at MacArthur Park today as part of a large-scale public arts installation, Spheres of MacArthur Park, spearheaded by a local arts organization. CNS
Plus: Langer's will stay open until 7 p.m. this Saturday for the event.
Photographer Trevor Brightman walked the 15-mile length of Pico Boulevard, inspired by Jonathan Gold's old story about getting the ethnic food bug by riding the bus along Pico. LAist
The Dodgers' A.J. Ellis does a first-person guest column on being the backup catcher this season. ESPN.com
At least I don't have to say "Deez Nuts" at 11pm. Someone else drew that straw tonight.
— Marc Brown (@ABC7Marc) August 20, 2015Not talking about the guys who don't shower: creepy bugs infest burning man http://t.co/iDvihclPxN via @LAWeeklyNews pic.twitter.com/zoOZFb2JjI
— Jill Stewart (@jillstewart) August 20, 2015We walk the San Andreas Fault before breakfast #Thrillseekers @ San Andreas Fault Line https://t.co/VUktTbCFPC
— Maeve Reston (@MaeveReston) August 21, 2015Have you guys heard the latest on that news story nobody directly involved can afford to understand?
— Colin Marshall (@colinmarshall) August 21, 2015