Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for Studio City, Westlake and other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 10 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Four neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Studio City was the most unusual: five reports compared with a weekly average of 1.2 over the last three months. Westlake topped the list of six neighborhoods with property crime alerts. It recorded 46 property crimes compared with its weekly average of 33.0 over the last three months.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD testing electric motorcycles
They're quiet, lightweight and eco-friendly. Never words used to describe a police cruiser - or even the Los Angeles Police Department's fleet of Harley-Davidson and BMW motorcycles. But the LAPD is now testing two versions of electric motorcycles that are all three of the above. Specially equipped for law enforcement use, both can be charged for as little as $1 a day.
Los Angeles Daily News

Beck should end fight over impounds: Editorial
Better late than never, it is high time for Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck to drop his stubborn defense of a year-and-a-half-old policy that defied California law by allowing many people caught driving without licenses to avoid having their cars impounded. Not only was Beck's policy, a directive called Special Order 7, struck down last month by a Superior Court judge. But much of the flimsy rationale for the policy will vanish soon because of a state law, signed Thursday by Gov. Jerry Brown, allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses.
Los Angeles Daily News

Suspect identified in wild motorcycle pursuit
The motorcyclist who led law enforcement authorities on a wild pursuit Wednesday afternoon has been identified by police as 50-year-old John Madrigal of East Los Angeles. The pursuit occurred on the 101 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley, continuing on surface streets across downtown Los Angeles and the Eastside. Television news footage showed a man being detained at an Auto Zone store about 5:30 p.m. on Whittier Boulevard near Indiana Avenue.
Los Angeles Times

New Laws & Legislation

Jerry Brown signs bill giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants
Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Thursday granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, reversing his position on an issue legislative Democrats have pressed for years. Brown signed the bill at a ceremony in Los Angeles,the state's largest media market. The legislation is the latest in a series of victories for undocumented immigrants in California.
Sacramento Bee

Jerry Brown OKs change to drug-law definition of 'transporting'
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation easing penalties for people accused of carrying illegal drugs for their own use in California, his office announced Thursday. Assembly Bill 721, by Assemblyman Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, will change the definition of "transporting" a drug to mean transporting it for sale, eliminating prosecutors' ability to bring an additional charge against someone who might otherwise be accused only of possession.
Sacramento Bee

Advocates urge Gov. Jerry Brown to veto gun bills
With Gov. Jerry Brown days away from deciding the fate of a stack of gun bills, Second Amendment advocates on Thursday delivered to the governor's office about 67,000 signed letters imploring him to veto the 14 prospective laws. "California already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation and these 14 measures are particularly onerous," said Craig DeLuz, a legislative advocate for the California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees.
Sacramento Bee

Traffic

Road conditions in L.A. region judged worst in country
The roads in Greater Los Angeles are the most deteriorated in the United States, costing drivers more than $800 a year, according to a national transportation analysis released Thursday. Los Angeles-Santa Ana-Long Beach ranks first among cities with more than 500,000 residents for the percentage of roads in poor condition and the annual cost to drivers, according to TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that studies transportation data and issues.
Los Angeles Times

CicLAvia organizers expect 150,000 people Sunday in heart of L.A.
CicLAvia, Los Angeles' marquee event for pedestrians and cyclists, takes place again this Sunday in the heart of L.A. Previous versions of the event have drawn as many as 100,000 people to streets that are blocked off to motor vehicles. Organizers say they expect 150,000 to participate in Sunday's event, which is set to run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 7.5 miles of city streets. The closed roadways will reach west to MacArthur Park, east to Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights and north to Chinatown.
Los Angeles Times

City Government

Garcetti travels to New York City for mayoral meeting and fundraising
Mayor Eric Garcetti plans to leave Los Angeles for a quick weekend trip to New York City, where he will meet with mayors from around the country. The occasion is a conference on urban innovations: "City Lab: Urban Solutions for Global Challenges." It will cover a range of topics of keen interest to L.A.'s new mayor, most notably some new ideas on bringing high-tech efficiency and environmental sustainability to city governments.
Los Angeles Times

CD 4 race for LaBonge's seat filling up
Five candidates have already filed paperwork necessary to run for the Los Angeles City Council 4 (CD4) seat opening in 2015 with an election that is still 17 months away. Immediately following the Sept. 3rd opening of the fundraising window for the 2015 municipal elections, the current CD4 councilmember Tom LaBonge's chief-of-staff Carolyn Ramsay filed papers stating her intent to run for the seat of which her boss will be termed out. As well, Teddy Davis, an attorney from Los Feliz, and Tara Bannister, a vice president for the National Apartment Assoc., both filed their paperwork that same day. Following soon after were Steve Veres, a Community College District Trustee and district director for state Sen. Kevin de León (D-Hollywood), and Joan Pelico, chief of staff to Los Angeles City Council District 5 representative Paul Kortez.
Las Feliz Ledger