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12:01 AM, May 15, 2008
After all those strangely symmetrical supermarket lemons, this photo of a stand at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market is a treat. So much variety in size and shape and color, all tumbled together in a show of abundance.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo:
Schvenger / Your Scene
6:11 PM, May 14, 2008
 The California Supreme Court will rule on gay marriage tomorrow. LAT
A greyhound adoption diary is on Unleashed.
Check out the lovely redesign at California Authors.
L.A.'s coldest crime cases of the century. Mean Streets
Reaction to fabulist James Frey's shot at redemption. Jacket Copy
LOVE the jacaranda photo from Just Above Sunset. (It's the bottom photo on the page. And thanks to LAO for the link.)
San Bernardino County supes say no to letting sex offenders drive ice cream trucks. LAT
Fox TV report on L.A. Councilwoman Janice Hahn and gangs is flawed, says the Daily Breeze .
A developer proposes a huge housing project on the site of a former munitions plant. Daily News The Signal
Are they grains of sand or works of art? Both -- and we found them thanks to Funny Pages 2.0.
A new chancellor is to be named at UC Riverside. Press Enterprise
A stable place: Norco named as the No. 1 hometown for horses. Daily Bulletin
-- Veronique de Turenne & Jesus Sanchez
Illustration: Tribune Media Services
5:59 PM, May 14, 2008
Antonio Villaraigosa's former deputy chief of staff, Marcus Allen, who the mayor had tapped to be his No. 1 financial guru, has abruptly withdrawn his name from consideration, David Zahnizer reports: Marcus Allen sent a letter to the mayor withdrawing his name from consideration to become the next City Administrative Officer. Although Allen publicly said he was doing so for "personal and professional reasons," he had come under fire in recent weeks from several council members, who questioned his request for a $290,000 annual salary in the middle of a budget crisis.
Councilwoman Janice Hahn called the nomination "problematic" earlier this week, pointing out that Allen has spent the past year working for two high-profile lobbyists with an array of City Hall clients.
Allen's announcement came just as a council committee put the final touches on Villaraigosa's budget. But with Allen out of the picture, there is currently no one to oversee that budget, which goes into effect on July 1.
Maybe Sacramento's soon-to-be-free Budget Nun would consider pitching in?
--Veronique de Turenne
5:21 PM, May 14, 2008
Apparently the definition of "perfect" in the panty business has changed "slightly,'' notes Sylvia Propes of Long Beach.
Get more Steve Harvey in his column, "Only in LA".
5:03 PM, May 14, 2008
An undisclosed buyer purchased the Kaufmann House, designed by Los Angeles architect Richard Neutra, at an auction this week. The modernist home was built in 1946 in Palm Springs. David Keeps has the full story.
-- Jesus Sanchez
4:36 PM, May 14, 2008
 Public tours of the Watts Towers will be restricted beginning Monday for nearly a year to repair rain and wind damage sustained during the storms of 2004-05. The $569,000 project will target damage to the nearly 100-foot-high central tower, which will be encased in scaffolding until repairs are completed, officials tell The Times' Lynell George.
“The rain and the wind cause cracks to open up," said city historic curator Virgina Kazor. “If there is damage beneath the decorative layer, it will be carefully removed and the steel replaced.”
The towers, created by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia over a period of more than 30 years, were virtually off limits from 1994 to 2002 to retrofit the landmark following the Northridge earthquake. This current repair job, however, is scheduled to be completed by next February.
Meanwhile, the grounds, including the Watts Towers Art Center, will remain open and visitors will be able to tour the perimeter outside the security fencing. Read the full story for details.
-- Jesus Sanchez
Photo: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times
3:49 PM, May 14, 2008
OK, first of all, there was a "Nikki the Nymph I"?
Seems ex-Trojan Sean Morrison filed a lawsuit against UVC Inc. and Heatwave Entertainment, producers of the aforementioned "Nikki the Nymph 2", claiming they got him drunk enough at a frat house that he inadvertently wound up as a non-participating extra in the hard-core porn film, CNS reports. A representative for the producers was not immediately available for comment. The video at issue is “Nikki the Nymph 2.” According to the lawsuit, Morrison, then 20, and a friend were invited by the producers to attend a party at a fraternity house in 2002.
“Once inside, defendants furnished alcohol to (Morrison) and continued to provide (Morrison) alcohol so as to impair his senses,” his suit alleges.
Shortly thereafter, the video makers “introduced several females and males to the party for the purpose of engaging in live sex acts with one another,” according to the plaintiff’s court papers.
Morrison and others were asked to watch and encourage the video performers while they had sex, according to his suit. Morrison claims he was never told that he was himself being taped while drinking alcohol, watching the performers and rooting for them.
Morrison, who claims invasion of privacy and false and misleading advertising, wound up in the film's print and Internet ad campaigns as well. And, discretion being the better part of valor, that's all we've got to say about that.
-- Veronique de Turenne
2:35 PM, May 14, 2008
During his few months in Iraq, Marine Cpl. Miguel Guzman of Norwalk earned a reputation as a dedicated and top-notch mechanic. This month, about half way through his tour of duty, the 21-year-old was killed along with three other Marines after a bomb struck their Humvee.
This morning, more than 300 relatives and friends gathered in Whittier to praise and mourn Guzman in English and Spanish during funeral services, reports The Times' Francisco Vara-Orta: A handful of Marines consoled Guzman's parents, Jose and Rosalba, handing them the flag draped over their son's casket and telling them in Spanish their son was awarded the Purple Heart.
While the family resisted breakdowns in crying during the funeral, both male and female relatives cried openly at the burial site, with Guzman's eldest brother, Jose Jr., kissing the casket and whispering "I love you" in Spanish.
Vara-Orta and Tony Perry are working on a full story.
-- Jesus Sanchez
Photo: Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times
1:57 PM, May 14, 2008
When Aaron Sonderleiter and Chris Rutherford created Save Our Taco Trucks, it was a spur-of-the-moment response to a new law that targets catering trucks that linger too long in one place. But the site and its rallying cry, "Carne Asada is Not a Crime," hit a nerve. LA. locals waged a war of words, while news organizations throughout the country weighed in on those wacky Angelenos and their tacos.
Now, with more then 8,000 signatures on the petition and the law set to kick in at midnight tonight, we thought we'd ask the taco guys about their quest to save the trucks. Here's Chris, answering the questions.
LA Now: How did the save-the-taco-trucks campaign go?
Chris: Extremely well. We’ve received approximately 8,000 signatures and been reported on by Hoy, La Opinion, Time, the N.Y. Times, L.A. Times, Reuters, the local NBC affiliate, Latino 96.3, and KROQ 106.7 just to name a few. It remains to be seen whether this will help nudge the supervisors towards repealing the ordinance.
LA Now: Did any of the County Supes respond?
Chris: No. We’ve heard anecdotally a number of defenses: “Not enough signees are from my district,” “It’s just a bunch of hipsters who think slumming it up is cool,” “They don’t really understand the issues,” etc. I have to emphasize that the only direct correspondence with the supervisors has been a form letter from Gloria Molina’s office that we’ve received (twice now) which I am generous in describing as misleading. We posted both her letter, and our response here.
LA Now: Why the silence?
(Continued after the jump)
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times
12:47 PM, May 14, 2008
Basir Beria's kites connect him to a vanished world -- Afghanistan before the war and horror. Joe Mozingo's lovely story is here.
--Veronique de Turenne
Video: Katy Newton / Los Angeles Times
12:19 PM, May 14, 2008
Hospitals that drop off patients on the streets of Los Angeles could face fines of up to $25,000 and three years of probation under an ordinance passed this afternoon by the Los Angeles City Council. Until now, prosecutors said that the most they could do in many cases was file civil suits against hospitals and other healthcare facilities that have been found to leave patients, often homeless and destitute, on skid row and at other locations. The big change under the new law is that patient-dumping is now a criminal misdemeanor, said the Times' Cara Mia DiMassa, who is working on a full story.
The ordinance, which will need a second vote before becoming official, was proposed in the wake of numerous high-profile cases of hospitals dropping off homeless and mentally ill patients on skid row. Los Angeles prosecutors have looked into 50 dumping cases since 2005.
The most recent case happened earlier this month when a Costa Mesa hospital allegedly drove a mentally ill patient more than 40 miles to downtown Los Angeles, where he was left near the Union Rescue Mission.
-- Jesus Sanchez
11:44 AM, May 14, 2008
Inglewood police will hold a press conference today to give out info about Sunday's killing of an unarmed man.... Police in Orange arrest an L.A. County sheriff's deputy on suspicion of molesting a 15-year-old girl he's related to.... A Palmdale math teacher at Knight High School is being held on suspicion of having sex with a former student.... Two separate shootings leave two men dead in Pacoima.... Did a woman really sic her dog on a postal worker? (who, btw, happens to be a former Olympian).... Police search for three men who used guns in a carjacking in Pasadena.... A high-speed chase ends in gunfire in Covina.... Two men suspected of robbing a credit union in Buena Park are arrested.... A 10-day manhunt ended when a 16-year-old suspected of killing a parolee in San Bernardino surrendered to police.... The killing of an Oxnard man is thought to be gang-related.... A brush fire in Ventura burned just a quarter-acre before firefighters put it out.
--Veronique de Turenne
11:05 AM, May 14, 2008
The wildfire on Mt. Baldy -- now named the Big Horn fire -- has grown from 30 acres yesterday morning to more than 300 acres today, Francisco Vara-Orta reports. Stiff winds have grounded planes that drop flame retardants, but four of the five water-dropping helicopters on the scene are at work today. More details in the full story.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times
10:42 AM, May 14, 2008
 Former U.S. Secretary of State and longtime Los Angeles resident Warren Christopher has been known as a savvy attorney, prominent civic leader and globe-trotting statesman. But a wimp? That's apparently how Christopher comes across in an upcoming HBO movie about the Florida ballot recount during the 2000 presidential election.
Christopher was a top advisor to former Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore and a key player in the Florida election battle portrayed in "Recount," which debuts on the cable network May 25. In an interview with the New York Times, Christopher, who is played by actor John Hurt (pictured at top), said he was taken aback by the dramatization's portrayal of him (based on excerpts) as weak and ineffective: “I was stunned by the excerpt,” he said in an interview. “Much of what the author has written about me is pure fiction. It contained events that never occurred, words I never spoke and decisions attributed to me that I never made.”
Even James A. Baker III, the chief Republican advisor involved in the recall, said he knows that his Democratic rival "was not as wimpish as it makes him appear."
 Screenwriter Danny Strong defended the film and the portrayal of Christopher. While other people depicted in the film were sent scripts to review, Christopher received none in advance. He actually learned of the film through his tailor, who was asked to re-create one of the former secretary of state's suits for the film.
Early reviews of "Recount" have been favorable. "A thoroughly engaging, first-rate political drama,” said Jeffrey Wells on huffingtonpost.com. But, as for Christopher, the reviewer warns that he is portrayed "as one of the great all-time wimps."
-- Jesus Sanchez
Photo: HBO
9:35 AM, May 14, 2008
Here's the latest plan on the table to erase California's (deep breath) $17.2 billion worth of red ink: borrow against future profits of the state lottery. If things work as planned, that could add as much as $15 billion in three years.
But here's the catch: If things fall apart, this deal calls for our state sales tax to go up one penny in order to cover the loss. Let Evan Halper and Jordan Rau explain: The lottery proposal, according to [spokesman Matt] David, would come before voters as
early as November and hinges on administration estimates that
California could borrow against future profits to generate as much as
$15 billion over three years.
The governor also will propose changes to the lottery intended to
lure more gamblers, such as increasing payouts and updating the games
offered by the state to include blackjack and poker themes.
Under the plan, if voters rejected the borrowing, or if the proposal
fell through for any other reason -- such as lawsuits or lack of a
viable lender -- state sales taxes would automatically increase by 1
cent to cover the loss.
The sales tax increase would stay in effect until the state's finances
were out of the red, for up to three years. A 1-cent sales tax increase
would generate roughly $6 billion per year, according to state
statistics.
Are Republicans screaming? Yes, quite loudly, some of them. Gambling interests, whose business could shrink as the state lottery is expanded, aren't exactly thrilled either. Democrats say they'll wait and see, but think the state needs even more cash than the lottery idea can offer.
You know we're nowhere near hearing the end of this, so catch up on the details in the full story.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Associated Press
7:59 AM, May 14, 2008
Talk about printing money. Five guys who used an ink-jet printer to make millions of dollars of fake money were nabbed yesterday, one of the biggest SoCal counterfeiting operations ever, authorities say. Seized at the homes -- more than $7 million in $20s, paper, printers, and Aqua Net. That's right -- when you coat money with hairspray, those counterfeit-detecting pens don't work. Scott Glover has the real details on the counterfeit money story.
The Getty Trust cuts 114 jobs to pump up the budget of the core arts program by 25 percent. Anne-Marie O'Connor explains how the museum might change.
Want to make $100k a year? Consider a job in law enforcement in the OC where, thanks to overtime, two-thirds of sworn deputies in the Sheriff's Department made six figures last year. Stuart Pfeifer and Christine Hanley have the details.
No more training new recruits at L.A. Sheriff's Department, where one instructor was giving his students tests and the answers to the questions. Yeah, state investigators caught that, and some other no-nos, so Sheriff Lee Baca has put an end to new recruit training for now. Details from Richard Winton.
Malibu becomes the latest city to ban plastic bags, Tami Abdollah reports.
We're a bunch of pessimists -- 81% of Americans think the economy is in the toilet for the long haul. Tom Petruno runs the numbers.
Leonardo DiCaprio as James Bond creator Ian Fleming? Jay A. Fernandez says it could be in the works.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photos: Los Angeles Times
12:01 AM, May 14, 2008
A reader shares the view looking from Hollywood toward downtown on one of those misty, hazy days we had this week. I love that flag stretched out in the left of the frame, just a hint of wind and movement.
--Veronique de Turenne
Photo: Dan Simpson / Your Scene
5:44 PM, May 13, 2008
 That's Assemblywoman Karen Bass on the right, hugging her stepdaughter, Yvette Lechuga, as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger applauds. Bass was sworn in as speaker of the California Assembly at the Capitol in Sacramento. She is the first African American woman to serve as Assembly speaker.
Thieves hit 11 JC Penney stores and make off with $2.5 million in gold. L.A. Times
Save the honey bees — eat free ice cream today. LAist
Hillary is now a noun. LA MetBlogs
The Governator goes to Torrance. Daily Breeze
A historic mural is vandalized in Inglewood. Wave Newspapers
A JetBlue passenger sues for being forced to sit on a toilet on a San Diego-New York flight. AP
—Veronique de Turenne & Jesus Sanchez
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