Law Enforcement

Downtown L.A. erupts into violence during ArtWalk
Demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at LAPD officers as police and protesters squared off in downtown Los Angeles late Thursday night. At least 10 arrests were made and two officers were injured. The confrontation began after the Occupy L.A. movement urged supporters to gather at a monthly event called ArtWalk. Demonstrators arrived to protest the apparent arrest of people who had written on the sidewalk with chalk during previous events.
KTLA

Victim's niece, 59, arrested in death of LAPD mom
Police say they've arrested a 59-year-old woman in connection with the shooting death of the mother of a Los Angeles Police Department training officer. Police spokeswoman Karen Rayner says Barbara Jean Davenport, the victim's niece, was arrested Wednesday and is being held on $1 million bail on suspicion of murder. Seventy-nine-year-old Cleo Hughes was found dead June 3 by her son, an LAPD officer who was alarmed when he was not able to reach her by phone.
Associated Press

Ventura Boulevard vandalism suspect arrested in Beverly Hills
An arrest has been made in a series of vandalism attacks that damaged buildings along Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley. LAPD West Valley investigators arrested Michael Steven Poret, who they say used marbles, bolts and BBs in his attacks. They also recovered a sling shot, BB guns, including one with a scope, and both legal and illegal weapons from his home. Investigators believe that Poret is behind scores of windows busted in a crime spree that started seven months ago.
ABC7

LAPD pursuit ends in two crashes in Inglewood
A Thursday morning police pursuit ended in Inglewood after a suspected car thief's vehicle slammed into a pickup and minivan, sending two people to the hospital with minor injuries. The chase began when Los Angeles police officers spotted a reported stolen vehicle about 7:20 a.m. near Imperial Highway and South Central Boulevard, police spokesman Richard French said. It ended less than an hour later after the suspected car thief led police on a high-speed chase along the 105 Freeway before turning onto Crenshaw Boulevard.
Los Angeles Times

22 pounds of marijuana, steroids, Oxycodone pills found at Woodland Hills dispensary, Reseda home
A 31-year-old Los Angeles resident was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of possession for sales of marijuana after police discovered 22 pounds of marijuana, along with steroids and Oxycodone pills, at a Woodland Hills dispensary and a Reseda home. Corey Plank was arrested after detectives from the Topanga Area Narcotics Enforcement Details served search warrants on the dispensary on the 21600 block of Ventura Boulevard and the home in the 7700 block of Tampa Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.
Los Angeles Times

San Bernardino police chief: Current police staffing not at 'adequate levels'
Both police and fire services have already been strained by the city's budget situation and will likely suffer more as a result of a bankruptcy filing, the chiefs of the two departments said Thursday. But they will continue to protect the city, Police Chief Rob Handy and acting Fire Chief Paul Drasil emphasized at a press conference Thursday. "We have 458 qualified men and women with a very strong tradition of honor, integrity and service," Handy said. "That will continue."
Los Angeles Daily News

FBI copyright warning coming to more videos, books, etc.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is giving more authors, software makers, video and filmmakers the right to use the FBI seal and copyright warning that appears on many movie DVDs at the moment. Until now, companies wanting to use the seal as part of anti-pirating warnings had to be part of big industry associations, like the Motion Picture Association of America or the Recording Industry Association of America. But in a final regulation set to appear in Friday's Federal Register, the FBI is OKing use of the apparently widely-coveted seal-and-warning combo on virtually any copyrighted work.
Politico

Municipal Finance

Bills, few options mean bankruptcy for Calif. city
They cut spending, sold assets and even asked public employees to take a financial hit. But budget woes still mounted for San Bernardino city officials. And by the beginning of this week, vendors hadn't been paid and cash was running out to make payroll, threatening to shut down the city. That prompted elected officials in the city of 210,000 people to make the sudden move of authorizing the city attorney to seek federal bankruptcy protection, becoming the third California city poised to do so in less than two weeks.
Associated Press

Pensions

5 myths about public employee pensions
There's an oft repeated myth being fed by many that claims the defined benefit pension plans available to most public employees are going bankrupt. While a new report by the Pew Center for the States feeds those myths, Pew's research paints a false picture of pensions. Here are five oft-peddled myths about public pensions followed by the facts.
Huffington Post

City Government

Key L.A. panel recommends against big-box ban in Chinatown
A key city panel voted Thursday to oppose a plan to ban large chain stores in Los Angeles' Chinatown, despite pressure from labor-allied groups who are fighting Wal-Mart's effort to expand in the area. On a 5-2 vote, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission adopted a recommendation opposing the ban from the City Planning Department, which found it would not conform to city policies. The Planning Department also said the ban was not needed because there has not been a proliferation of new chain stores in the area.
Los Angeles Times