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From the LA Times:

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Beating of Black Suspect Puts Bratton's Race Inroads to Test
The televised police beating of a black suspected car thief last week will test two years of efforts by LAPD Chief William J. Bratton to win over the city's African Americans.
<full story>

For Foster Youths, Grants Fill the Education Gap
A federal program helps students between 14 and 21 make the transition to self-sufficiency.
<full story>

Valley Cityhood Leaders Back Hertzberg for Mayor
Call it the revenge of the secessionists. Two years after Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn headed the campaign that defeated San Fernando Valley's bid for cityhood, leaders of the breakaway effort are lining up to back former state Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg to unseat the incumbent.
<full story>

Helping Young Single Mothers -- and the Babies They'll Raise
Through counseling and training, Black Infant Health Program battles some sobering trends.
<full story>

State Residents Favor Inmate Rehab
Most Californians also believe a lack of life skills is a big factor in recidivism, survey finds.
<full story>

EDITORIAL
Let Baca Go to the Voters
Supervisors should guarantee his initiative a place on the ballot. Public safety is at stake.
<full story>

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From the Daily News:

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Maybe Los Angeles has learned to just all get along
The all-too-eerie similarities raised all-too-familiar fears last week with the televised coverage of the LAPD arrest and beating of Stanley Miller in Compton.
<full story>

Signature drive aims to keep cross on county seal
With backing from churches, talk-radio hosts and the county Republican Party, San Fernando Valley activist David R. Hernandez has led a campaign to give Los Angeles County voters a chance to overrule the Board of Supervisors and allow a tiny cross to remain on the county seal.
<full story>

City Hall's priorities
Remember last year's fight over the Los Angeles city budget? The controversy was whether the city could afford to hire some 320 new cops for the badly understaffed Los Angeles Police Department. Ultimately, city leaders decided no, it couldn't.
<full story>
<.