Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for Beverly Crest and 10 other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 11 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Eight neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Beverly Crest was the most unusual, recording three reports compared with a weekly average of 0.2 over the last three months. Broadway-Manchester topped the list of three neighborhoods with property crime alerts.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD sends surge of officers to downtown
Amid growing concerns that recent gains in Downtown public safety are at risk, the Los Angeles Police Department on Monday transferred more than 40 officers to Central Division. The move marks the largest infusion of police resources to Central Division since the Safer Cities Initiative sent 50 additional officers to focus on Skid Row crime in 2006. That effort is largely credited for reducing crime in Downtown by 36% since 2005.
Downtown News

'Teardrop' rapist targeted teen girls, some going to school, LAPD says
Officials said 11 of the "teardrop" rapist's 28 known victims were teenage girls -- including some who were walking to school. "He quickly corrals them into a yard nearby. If anyone comes he flees," Johnson said. "He is generally calm." On Tuesday, police announced DNA evidence indicates the attacker is prowling the streets again after an apparent seven-year break.
Los Angeles Times

Police release video of West L.A. bus beating; suspect sought
A bus rider is in critical condition after a fight on a bus, and the LAPD is asking for the public's help finding the suspect. Police have released a new video of the fight, which happened aboard a Santa Monica Big Blue Bus on the evening of April 5th. The bus was traveling in the area of Westwood Boulevard and Rochester Avenue in West Los Angeles. The security video shows the victim, Luis Contreras, boarding the bus. An altercation then ensues with another rider.
KTLA

Man charged in Reseda girlfriend's killing
A 21-year-old man was charged Wednesday with murdering his girlfriend at her Reseda apartment in February. James Howard Jr. was scheduled to be arraigned today in Van Nuys Superior Court in connection with the slaying of Sharilit Matthews. Authorities said the woman's family and friends contacted police after not being able to contact the 41-year-old woman for about a week.
Los Angeles Daily News

LAPD alert: Missing girl last seen in Van Nuys
The family of Nicole Jacqueline Hernandez and the LAPD are asking for the public's help in locating Nicole, who was last seen on Tuesday at about 7:30 a.m., when she was dropped off at Vista Middle School, 15040 Roscoe Blvd, Van Nuys. Nicole is a female Hispanic, 12 years old, with shoulder length black hair, brown eyes, 5 feet 1 inch tall, weighing 107 pounds with a slim build.
Sherman Oaks Patch

$50,000 reward proposed to catch "painter's mask" robbers
City Councilman Tony Cardenas proposed Wednesday a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects wearing "painter's masks" who have committed take over style robberies in auto parts stores and pharmacies in North Hollywood, San Pedro and Hollywood. The occurrences started back in November and December of last year. Most recently, similar robberies occurred on Jan. 13, Feb. 16 and Feb. 17.
Los Angeles Daily News

Emergency Preparedness

Earthquake warning system is running in Los Angeles, but only a few are hooked up
What if we were to tell you that L.A. has an earthquake warning system that pretty much works, but that only a few folks will get the precious alerts? It's true. The U.S. Geological Survey's prototype "Shake Alert" system has been running since January. It can theoretically warn you as much as 90 seconds before the Big One hits.
LA Weekly

Immigration

Supreme Court hints OK on Ariz. immigration law
Bucking the Obama administration, Supreme Court justices seemed to find little trouble Wednesday with major parts of Arizona's tough immigration law that require police to check the legal status of people they stop for other reasons. But the fate of other provisions that make Arizona state crimes out of immigration violations was unclear in the court's final argument of the term.
Associated Press

Prisons

California prison plan praised by Senate leader Darrell Steinberg
The state's plan for an extensive overhaul of its long-troubled prison system got a thumbs-up from Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) on Wednesday. "I think it's very good," he said. "It's one of the great achievements of the first year of the Brown administration." Officials on Monday detailed a plan to reduce prison spending, close a prison in Norco, bring inmates back from out-of-state private facilities and end federal court oversight of inmate healthcare.
Los Angeles Times

City Government

LA 'flying pretty blind' on elimination of business tax
The timeline to eliminate the city of Los Angeles' business tax has increased from five years to 15 years, and despite all of the reports on the subject, one Los Angeles city councilman today said they are "flying pretty blind" in creating the new policy. Los Angeles businesses pay what is called a "gross receipts tax," which is anywhere from $1.01 per $1,000 to $5.07 per $1,000 of sales, regardless of actual profit. The tax is frequently cited as an example of the city's unfriendly business environment.
Southern California Public Radio

State Budget

Analyst predicts state budget gap "a few billion dollars" worse
With state revenues slowing to a trickle as the end of April draws near, the state's top fiscal analyst said late Wednesday that California could be "a few billion dollars" shy of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget projections through June 2013. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said total personal income tax collections would likely be more than $2 billion below Brown's expectation of $9.4 billion for the month.
Sacramento Bee