LACP.org
.........
NEWS of the Day - December 21, 2004
on some LACP issues of interest

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEWS of the Day - December 21, 2004
on some issues of interest to the community policing and neighborhood activist

EDITOR'S NOTE: The following group of articles from local newspapers and other sources constitutes but a small percentage of the information available to the community policing and neighborhood activist public. It is by no means meant to cover every possible issue of interest, nor is it meant to convey any particular point of view ...

We present this simply as a convenience to our readership ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the LA Times:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

D.A. Opens Inquiry on Donations
Prosecutors seek source of campaign money funneled to Hahn and two allies by developers.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hahn21dec21,1,7790619.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Library Gets a Warm Welcome
Hundreds crowd the opening of the Hyde Park branch, the latest product of the city's $278-million improvement plan.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-library21dec21,1,4067864.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Alarcon Proposes Contributions Limit
State Sen. Richard Alarcon, a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, launched an initiative drive Monday to ban city contractors and developers from contributing more than $100 to city candidates.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-alarcon21dec21,1,5518837.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Gadfly's Messages Tout Moore for Mayor
The underground war to influence the Los Angeles mayor's race is starting with automated phone calls from a conservative gadfly who is touting little-known Republican candidate Walter Moore.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-phone21dec21,1,2461565.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Former Carson Mayor Sentenced in Bribery Case
Daryl Sweeney receives nearly six years in prison for serving as the ringleader in a scandal involving millions in municipal contracts.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-carson21dec21,1,4743874.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Terror Suspects' Charges Reinstated
A federal appeals court on Monday reinstated charges against seven Los Angeles-area residents accused of raising money for an Iranian opposition group that the State Department had designated as terrorist.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-appeal21dec21,1,2913448.story?coll=la-headlines-california

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the Daily News:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


GAO says feds near blunder on courthouse or else
WASHINGTON -- The new federal courthouse complex in downtown Los Angeles will cost $100 million more than expected and won't solve the headaches of working in separate buildings that judges, lawyers and employees have long complained about, according to a new government audit released Monday.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~2609765,00.html

New off-site lot at LAX gets drivers off beaten path or else
With Christmas and New Year's creating back-to-back three-day weekends, a record number of travelers will celebrate the holidays by getting out of town, experts said Monday.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609931,00.html

Symbolic win for county
Now-discarded seal becomes hot collectors' item
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609869,00.html

Hahn speaks to Valley VOTE
Mayor offers conciliatory message
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2610014,00.html

Mayor's office staged forum or, with a squeeze
Mayor James Hahn's office drummed up support for his latest tax-hike plan to hire more cops by orchestrating a news event with community groups and providing talking points for their speakers, according to documents obtained by the Daily News under a public-records request.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609856,00.html

Dozen arrested in insurance scam
Investigators arrested more than a dozen Los Angeles residents believed to be involved in a "swoop and squat" fraud ring that has cost auto insurers $1.5 million over the past year, authorities said Monday.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609702,00.html

Campaign begins to get ethics bill on May ballot
Saying Los Angeles needs to address the perception of a corrupt City Hall, state Sen. Richard Alarcon launched a ballot-measure effort Monday to ban political donations from firms seeking city contracts.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609598,00.html

A sign of the cross miraculously reappears
Is it divine intervention or just a government goof?
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609775,00.html

Grandparents fill the GAP
Gus Bracamonte looked tired. At 67, the former construction union worker never thought he'd be spending Sunday morning trying to keep up with five grandkids as they raced around at a Christmas party in a Northridge skating rink.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609672,00.html

Hahn touts environmental record before debate
Ahead of tonight's second mayoral debate, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn touted his administration's commitment to cleaning the environment by moving to convert the city's vehicle fleet to alternative fuels.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E2609635,00.html


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From other sources:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


From the LAPD
Detectives Seek The Public's Help
http://www.lapdonline.org/press_releases/2004/12/pr04617.htm

Multiple Agency Cocaine Bust

http://www.lapdonline.org/press_releases/2004/12/pr04621.htm

From the Department of Homeland Security
2004 Holiday Season Travel Tips
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a few tips to make your travel experience during the 2004-2005 winter season more enjoyable. The suggestions below will help expedite your screening process at the airport checkpoints.
http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=183&content=09000519800e12f4

.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Click below to find out how
to go to and sign up for the various online
newspapers and news sources listed:


LA Times

Daily News

LAPDonline

.