Law Enforcement

Skateboarding into victimhood superstardom
Oh how comforting is the mantle of victimhood, how rosy and flattering is the light that so often shines on those who wear it. And how willing are some to shine that light no matter how tenuous the claim to victimhood may be. On August 18, Ronald Weekley Jr., a 20-year-old student at Xavier University, was skateboarding outside his home in Venice, Calif., when he was arrested by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Jack Dunphy/Pajamas Media

Occupy San Fernando Valley camps at Van Nuys home to protest eviction
A handful of supporters of Occupy San Fernando Valley continued to sit outside a Van Nuys home Monday, protesting the eviction of the residents. Sgt. Robert Ward at the Los Angeles police Van Nuys station said the gathering was peaceful and there had been no complaints. He heard about it only through calls from reporters. On a website and Facebook page, the Occupy group called the event on Leadwell Street, which began Saturday, an "Eviction BBQ/Going Away Party."
Los Angeles Daily News

LAPD: Older model Hondas, Toyotas being stolen from Sylmar, Panorama City
Vehicle thefts are plaguing Sylmar and Panorama City, with Hondas and Toyotas the top targets, a Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant said Monday. One-third of the vehicle thefts in the LAPD's Mission Division occur between midnight and 6 a.m., according to Lt. Paul Vernon. The Mission Division also includes North Hills, Mission Hills and Arleta. Vernon said 88 percent of the thefts occur on a street or a parking lot and 83 percent of all cars taken are more than 10 years old.
City News Service

Man who allegedly opened fire on construction workers from Hollywood apartment complex arrested
A man allegedly opened fire on a group of construction workers from a Hollywood apartment complex Monday, prompting a massive police search of the area and disrupting already heavy rush-hour traffic. There were no reports of injuries in the shooting, which was reported at 3:30 p.m. near Leland Way and Steward Street just south of Sunset Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspect, who allegedly wielded a shotgun in a third-story apartment, was taken into custody around 5 p.m., police said.
City News Service

Los Angeles-area sports fans told to mind their manners
Ball games and sporting events across Los Angeles on Monday just got nice. No more cussing out the refs. No more knocking back too many beers. No more shoving matches with out-of-town fans. In an effort to make ball games from Angel to Dodger stadiums safer and more family friendly, teams across the Southland laid down the nation's first uniform rulebook for fans. Break any of its 10 commandments, officials said, and you're either out on your ear - or you'll be sent to jail.
Los Angeles Daily News

Deutsche Bank executive alleges abuse by LAPD officers
By sunrise, the bank executive was laid up in the hospital, his face swollen, the result of a late-night confrontation with two LAPD officers in Highland Park. That much, everyone agrees on. But nearly everything else that happened that May night to Brian C. Mulligan, a managing director and vice chairman at Deutsche Bank, remains in dispute. The officers said they had to use force to subdue a snarling, thrashing man who arched his back, waved his arms, stiffened his fingers like claws and charged them on a residential street, according to a police report viewed by The Times.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

California public pension reform legislation deadline looms
Lawmakers have a deadline to send pension reform legislation to Gov. Jerry Brown by Friday. The buzz around the Capitol is that Democrats met through the weekend, but as of this morning it looks like specific terms are still being debated. There's no bill language in place. The special committee charged with delivering legislation is primed to meet relatively quickly, but it probably won't convene until tomorrow to vote on a bill package.
Sacramento Bee

Legislation

Jerry Brown approves new rules on child car seats
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation requiring workers to discuss child-safe car seats when releasing children from hospitals or other medical centers. The governor's office announced Brown's signature on Monday. State law requires the use of safety seats for children 8 years or younger, or less than 4 feet, 9 inches tall. So when a child meeting that description is discharged, workers will need to provide their parent or guardian with contact information for organizations that can help inspect and install child safety seats.
Los Angeles Times

California lawmakers pave way for more L.A. County bike lanes
California legislators shot down proposals for sweeping changes to California's environmental-protection laws this month, but one environmental bill benefiting Los Angeles County bicyclists made it through to the governor's desk. Lawmakers approved AB 2245, which would exempt hundreds of miles of proposed bikeways from the California Environmental Quality Act. The bill was introduced to help the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which plans to add 832 miles of new bike lanes in the coming years and would benefit from streamlining the environmental-review process.
Los Angeles Times

City Government

L.A. takes steps to launch sidewalk-repair survey
Across the street from the Hollywood Trader Joe's, the sidewalk is so buckled that a small briefcase could be stored underneath the concrete. A second, in Boyle Heights, juts so high above the curb that it could be a skateboard ramp. A third, on Hoover Street in Silver Lake, has so many cracks it looks more like a mosaic than a public walkway. Los Angeles has made zero progress in recent years in reducing the $1.5-billion backlog of repairs to its battered, broken and buckled sidewalks.
Los Angeles Times

L.A. panel to consider AEG's proposed downtown NFL stadium on Sept. 13
Developer Anschutz Entertainment Group will soon face scrutiny from a key city panel over its proposed football stadium. The City Planning Commission is slated to consider the downtown stadium and renovated Convention Center on Sept. 13, AEG officials said Monday. AEG is seeking approval to build a 78,000 seat stadium and new Convention Center hall near its existing Staples Center site in downtown.
Los Angeles Daily News