Law Enforcement

Shooting leaves one dead, one wounded in South L.A.
Police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead and another wounded in South Los Angeles late Friday. Police said the shooting in the 6300 block of Brynhurst Avenue took place about 11:35 p.m. The victims, both in their 20s, were in front of a house when two men walked up and one opened fire, police said. One man died at the scene; the other was taken to a local hospital.
Los Angeles Times

Investigation of Westchester double homicide continues
Los Angeles police detectives Saturday continued to search for the killers of two men at a Westchester apartment complex. Officers were called to the apartments on the 5700 block of West Centinela Boulevard about 6 p.m. Thursday, according to a police report. They found the two victims on a walkway between apartment buildings. Another man, possibly wounded in the attack, is also being sought in the case.
Los Angeles Times

Police to enforce no sitting, sleeping rule on Skid Row after cleanup
The LAPD will begin strictly enforcing sidewalk rules in Skid Row after the multi-week cleanup of the area is finished, in an attempt to get the neighborhood "back on track," according to LAPD Capt. Horace Frank. Once the streets are cleaned, police will work to maintain them by ticketing and arresting those who are sitting or sleeping on the sidewalk between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., or storing property there.
Blogdowntown

Reseda man arrested in 2010 murder outside North Hollywood McDonald's
Los Angeles police have arrested a 27-year-old Reseda man in connection with a shooting that left one man dead and another seriously wounded outside a North Hollywood McDonald's. Karen Gary Katabyan was arrested Thursday afternoon in Reseda and booked on suspicion of murder, said Detective Mark O'Donnell of the LAPD North Hollywood Division. Katabyan was alleged to have been present during the Dec. 6, 2010, shooting in North Hollywood. Police have identified his cousin as the primary suspect.
Los Angeles Daily News

Seven arrested in Section 8 housing scheme
A massive alleged scheme involving Section 8 housing vouchers has resulted in at least seven arrests, city housing and Los Angeles Police Department officials said Friday. The alleged scheme unfolded after an individual approached a housing officer and offered bribes for Section 8 housing vouchers last December, according to Annie Kim, spokeswoman for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. The vouchers reduce rents for low-income families, elderly and disabled persons.
Los Angeles Daily News

Swastikas, 'white power' marked on Baldwin Hills garages
Los Angeles police are investigating a hate crime in Baldwin Hills after vandals drew swastikas and wrote "white power" on a handful of garage doors Friday night. The suspects used a marker to write on several garage doors in the 4500 block of Don Miguel about 11:15 p.m., a sergeant with the LAPD's Southwest Station said. Each of the doors had a swastika, but one read "white power." All of the residents are black, he said. The sergeant said the vandalism was unusual for the neighborhood and there had been no similar events recently.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

Villaraigosa blocks board's nominee for head of pension system
In the latest sign of tension between Los Angeles City Hall and its pension systems, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Friday blocked a high-level city official from becoming the newest head of the city's public safety retirement fund. The nine-member Fire and Police Pensions board, which oversees a $14.2-billion system that delivers benefits to retired officers and firefighters, selected William Raggio last month as the system's newest executive director.
Los Angeles Times

Traffic

Traffic troubles near Wilshire Boulevard and 405 Freeway ramps may be biblical
Some are calling it the "Rampture," others "Ramp Jam." But there's no disagreement that Los Angeles' next big freeway shutdown will be a long and serious headache. Saturday drivers in west Los Angeles were the first to feel the effects of the project, in which eight ramps connecting Wilshire Boulevard and Interstate 405 - one of the nation's busiest streets and one of its busiest freeways - will be demolished and rebuilt.
Los Angeles Daily News

City Election 2013

Assemblyman Mike Feuer to remain in L.A. city attorney race, Councilman Paul Krekorian considering run
Assemblyman Mike Feuer said Friday he has decided to remain in the race for city attorney, regardless of the plans of the incumbent, Carmen Trutanich. Last year, Feuer, D-Los Angeles, indicated he did not want to challenge Trutanich for the job. But Feuer, a former councilman who also ran for city attorney a decade ago, said Friday he has re-evaluated his options and decided to remain in the race even though Trutanich has announced his own plans for re-election. "I announced my plans last year and I have decided to stay in the race," Feuer said.
Los Angeles Daily News

Municipal Budgets

Vote Tuesday could send Stockton to bankruptcy court
Stockton is broke. After years of bad budget decisions based on an overly rosy reading of the economy, Stockton - population 292,000 in 2010 - this week faces the ignominy of becoming the largest city in America ever to file for bankruptcy. The City Council has scheduled a vote Tuesday on an austerity program that the city could carry out while in Chapter 9 bankruptcy reorganization, which would provide protection from creditors while it renegotiates its debts. Plans are to slash retired employees' health benefits, and perhaps eliminate them altogether; end city bond payments, and restructure labor agreements.
Sacramento Bee