Law Enforcement

LAPD raids 2 medical marijuana dispensaries in Woodland Hills; 3 arrested, $40K seized
Two days before the Los Angeles City Council is slated to consider a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries, police announced they had raided two clinics in Woodland Hills, arresting three people and seizing more than $40,000 in cash. Capt. Tom Brascia, commander for the Topanga area, said about 65 pounds of packaged marijuana and live plants were found at two shops on Ventura Boulevard and a house during searches Tuesday afternoon.
Los Angeles Daily News

Two dead in gun battle on Los Angeles street
Two apparent bystanders were killed by stray bullets from a running gun battle between two gang members, Los Angeles police said. The shooting was reported shortly after noon Wednesday near the intersection of 6th Avenue and West Pico Boulevard, according to LAPD spokesman Bruce Borihahn. Police said they had arrested at least one man who was involved in the shooting. His name was not immediately released. Wilshire Division patrol officers responded to a "shots heard" call. When they arrived, they found two people suffering from gunshot wounds, Borihahn said.
Los Angeles Times

Transient charged in string of South L.A. sexual assaults
A man arrested on suspicion of committing a string of rapes in South Los Angeles, including an attack that left a woman with severe injuries, was charged Wednesday with several felony counts, including attempted murder. Allen Phillip Crews, 22, also faces charges including assault with intent to commit a felony, sexual penetration by a foreign object and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. Crews, a transient, faces up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.
Los Angeles Days

Stockton slide to bankruptcy measured in more funerals
Salvador Cervantes was about to set up a booth with other vendors at the Stockton Flea Market where he sells jewelry when two gunmen demanded his car keys. One fired a shot, Salvador said, and he dropped the keys. The men sped off in his SUV, leaving his 74-year-old father, Ignacio, bleeding to death on the ground from a gunshot wound. He was number 25. The killing was one of 29 homicides in Stockton, California, so far this year, following a record 58 in 2011, as the city's slide toward insolvency cut police strength.
Bloomberg

In deal, taggers don't have to pay L.A. millions for graffiti cleanup
Former members of the Metro Transit Assassins tagging crew will not have to pay the city of Los Angeles millions of dollars for vandalism cleanup but will be subject to some of the same restrictions placed on gang members under an agreement reached with the city attorney. The settlement was announced Wednesday, the resolution of a landmark lawsuit against the taggers that sought to restrict their behavior and force them to pay $1.2 million in penalties and $3.7 million in damages for "500 documented incidents of graffiti vandalism."
Los Angeles Times

On the death of Rodney King
It's shocking to learn that anyone has died at the age of 47, but truth be told, in some cases it's not quite as shocking as in others. Rodney King's death was surprising, but not entirely so. It often seemed as though King had been arrested or otherwise contacted by most police officers in Southern California, but this was an experience that escaped me. I knew him only from press reports and interviews, some of these coming recently on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots that most commonly bear his name.
Jack Dunphy/Ricochet

Traffic

Legislation

Lawmakers move to allow sports betting in California
Betting that either Congress or the U.S. Supreme Court will remove the federal obstacle that bars the activity nearly everywhere except in Nevada, the Legislature is moving toward positioning California to allow betting on sports events. Advancing a bill that passed the Senate with only two dissenting votes in May, an Assembly committee on Wednesday gave bipartisan support to a measure that would give card clubs, horse racing tracks and Indian casinos the ability to add sports betting if the state is given the authority to do so.
Ventura County Star

Pensions

Five things to consider before cutting pension benefits
The message from voters about public pension plans is clear: They're ready to cut the retirement benefits of police, firefighters, teachers and other state and municipal workers. The latest indicators include the failed recall of Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin - which started with his efforts to cut pensions - and referendums in San Jose and San Diego, where voters overwhelmingly backed pension reform measures. But - before we continue swinging the axe - here are five things to keep in mind about public sector pensions.
Reuters

City Government

L.A. City Council OK's new district maps; lawsuit to follow
New political boundaries for the Los Angeles City Council were adopted on Wednesday, amid accusations of political maneuvering and expectations that critics will file a lawsuit challenging the new lines. The council voted 13-2 for the new maps, after rejecting a plea by Council members Bernard Parks and Jan Perry to allow a group of community members to testify against the maps. "This was pure politics," Parks said after the vote.
Los Angeles Daily News

Collective Bargaining