Law Enforcement

2 men sought in abduction of Northridge 10-year-old girl found in Woodland Hills
A 10-year-old Northridge girl who was reported missing when her mother noticed her bed empty about 3:30 a.m. was found nearly 12 hours later today about six miles from her home, and police later said they were looking for two men who had been involved in her abduction. Police were working from sketchy information provided by the girl. She did not know either of the two suspects, one of whom was described as being an 18-year-old man. She told police she was held in an abandoned home near her house and later a storage facility. She was then left off at a Kaiser Permanente's Woodland Hills Medical Center.
City News Service

'Brutal attack' by motorcyclists in Van Nuys, victim critical
Police sought witnesses Wednesday in what they called a "brutal attack" by a group of motorcyclists in Van Nuys that left the victim hospitalized in critical condition. The attack occurred in the 8300 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, near Roscoe Boulevard, about 4:15 p.m. on Sunday, police said. When paramedics and police arrived, they found a man on the ground who said that "several people attacked and beat him and then left the area on their motorcycles," according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.
City News Service

Limo driver involved in two crashes, one fatal
A limousine driver who was apparently involved in a hit-and-run collision Wednesday in Van Nuys was involved in a fatal accident shortly afterward half a mile away, authorities said. Sgt. Mike Zaboski of the Los Angeles Police Department said the Town Car-style limousine was first involved in a non-injury accident near Riverside Drive and Fulton Avenue. About 1:35 p.m., Zaboski said, the same driver was involved in a four-car crash at Fulton Avenue and Magnolia Boulevard.
Los Angeles Times

Jason Kies of La Crescenta charged with two attempted kidnappings of women in San Fernando Valley
Prosecutors have charged a La Crescenta-Montrose man with attempted kidnapping, assault and battery in a series of failed abductions of women in the San Fernando Valley. Jason M. Kies, 37, was in jail Wednesday on $2.2 million bail. Kies is scheduled to appear in court on April 8 after an arraignment was postponed Tuesday.
Los Angeles Daily News

Police Serve Narcotics Warrants in South L.A.
The LAPD and FBI agents served narcotics search warrants at multiple locations in South L.A. Wednesday morning. Sky5 was overhead at 55th and Broadway as authorities lined several people up along the fence of a home. Agents were at the scene in unmarked cars with drug-sniffing dogs. At least three people were taken away in handcuffs. Another home was also hit at 58th and Main, and at least one man was detained.
KTLA News

Dorner: Riverside defends rescinding $100,000 reward
Riverside's mayor on Wednesday defended the city's decision to pull back a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner. The LAPD says there's still enough for a $1-million payout, culled from various sources during the manhunt. Riverside rescinded its $100,000 contribution for information leading to Dorner's "arrest and conviction." Dorner was killed at the end of the standoff. "Because the conditions were not met, there will not be a payment of a reward by the city," Riverside spokeswoman Cindie Perry said last week.
Los Angeles Times

Prisons

California seeks end to federal oversight in its prisons
Eighteen years after losing control over mental health care in its prisons, California argued in a federal court here on Wednesday that it had made enough improvements to regain oversight. While conceding that the quality of care was not perfect, lawyers for the state said that California spent $400 million a year on mental health care in its prisons and that it met constitutional standards.
New York Times

Court experts pass Sierra prison, pending improvements
Federal experts on Tuesday gave a potentially passing grade to the inmate medical care provided at a California prison in Tuolumne County, the third state prison to get such a review, despite lapses in care and the suspected carbon monoxide poisoning death of an inmate firefighter. The latest evaluation concludes the Sierra Conservation Center will be providing adequate medical care once planned building improvements are made.
Los Angeles Times

City Government

NFL in L.A.: City Council wants a back-up plan for Convention Center renovation
Members of a City Council committee, saying they still hope to attract an NFL team but were concerned about what will happen if the effort fails, asked its staff Wednesday to begin exploring back-up plans for the Convention Center area in case a football stadium proposal falls through. An ad hoc committee overseeing the NFL stadium proposal wants the city to consult with policy researchers of the Urban Land Institute, a land use think tank, to study alternate ways of improving the Los Angeles Convention Center.
City News Service

City Election

In new attack, Wendy Greuel includes Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in L.A.'s 'failed' leadership
In her boldest attack yet, mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel Wednesday criticized the city's leaders, including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, for failing to bring economic growth to Los Angeles. The City Controller evoked the struggling city of Detroit, saying Los Angeles could see "streets of vacant buildings" if voters don't put her in office. "If Los Angeles is happy where we are today and likes the paralysis they're seeing at City Hall, vote for my opponent (Eric Garcetti)," Greuel said.
Los Angeles Daily News

Garcetti, Greuel step gingerly around city labor issues
Los Angeles union leaders had hoped the presence of two liberal Democrats in the race for mayor would produce a robust defense of the value of government, government employees and the positive effects public sector pay and benefits have on the broader economy. The realities of campaigning have largely precluded that, particularly in a city contending with persistent budget shortfalls and private-sector workers facing stagnant incomes, tax and fee increases, and a slow erosion of good-wage jobs.
Los Angeles Times