Law Enforcement

Two dead, one injured in back-to-back South Los Angeles shootings
Two shootings - one involving fatalities - and an unusually high volume of calls prompted the Los Angeles Police Department to put its South Bureau on modified tactical alert Monday afternoon, a department spokeswoman said. The first shooting occurred at 2 p.m. at Vermont and Florence avenues in South Los Angeles, according to Officer Jane Kim. One victim died at the scene and a second died at an area hospital, she said.
Los Angeles Times

Man, 30, murdered after being shot multiple times by 2 gunman in South LA
Authorities said that a 30-year-old man was murdered in South Los Angeles Sunday morning in an attack in which two gunmen shot him multiple times. The victim was found just after 2:45 a.m. at 54th Street and Western Avenue, said Sgt. Jeff Vach of the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Station. The unidentified man was found in the rear of a location, suffering from multiple gunshots wounds to the head, torso and arms.
CBS LA

Two motorcyclists shot and wounded on 60 Freeway, authorities say
Los Angeles police and county sheriff's officials are investigating shootings that wounded two motorcyclists riding on the 60 Freeway. One victim, a 39-year-old man, was shot six times in the back while riding on the freeway at Lorena Street at 11:40 p.m. Friday, said Sgt. Michael Morisseau of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollenbeck Division. The man was transported to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he was in critical condition, Morisseau said.
Los Angeles Times

Slaying probe uncovers reports of terrifying nighttime street pursuits
The young women were driving to a late-night party in Sylmar when one noticed a large sport utility vehicle on their tail. They tried to lose the SUV, but it kept following. Terrified, the women drove to a San Fernando Valley police station to report the incident. The SUV drove away. Detectives now believe the women were indeed being stalked - and, in fact, that the Aug. 10 incident marked the beginning of a 14-day stretch in which Los Angeles-area motorists were followed and sometimes shot at by a man police have labeled a serial killer.
Los Angeles Times

Made in America fest winds down with arrests but no major issues
The Made in America festival at Los Angeles' Grand Park came to a close Sunday night with a performance by rapper Kanye West, after a day marked by scorching heat but no major security issues. The second day of the festival drew a slightly larger crowd than the first, with more than 37,000 tickets scanned. As of 9:30 p.m., police and sheriff's deputies had arrested four people Sunday on felony charges including parole violation and narcotics possession, and 10 on misdemeanor charges, Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Andrew Neiman said.
Los Angeles Times

Children's library opens at LAPD Devonshire Station
The lobby of the Los Angeles Police Department's Devonshire Station now has an area where children can pick up books for free. The "Little Free Library" at 10250 Etiwanda Ave. in Northridge was unveiled Thursday. Capt. Robert Moreno read a book to children participating in the Police Activities League Supporters program. He and other officers wore fake mustaches to celebrate the opening of the Western-themed reading area.
Post-Periodical

Courts

Public cannot see extensive license plate database kept by LAPD, LASD, judge rules
A superior court judge blocked the release of a law enforcement database containing millions of Angelenos' license plates this week as the information could allow stalkers and criminals to track victims and police patrols, according to his ruling. In a decision obtained Thursday, Judge James Chalfant agreed with the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's refusal to supply a week's worth of automated license plate reader (ALPR) data to the American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontier Foundation.
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

New Law

New state bike law require 3-foot buffer between cyclists, vehicles
As more bicyclists take to the streets, the number of frustrated motorists unaccustomed to sharing the road also is growing, prompting a new term for the conflict - bikelash. Now the state has enacted a new law that goes into effect Sept. 16 that seeks to codify the common sense and courtesy drivers should display that mandates a 3-foot buffer between cyclists and vehicles. Motorists soon will be required to ensure that distance exists before they attempt to pass a cyclist, or they must wait until there is enough room to pass.
Torrance Daily Breeze

Legislation

Isla Vista-inspired gun restraining orders sent to Jerry Brown
Days after the families of those killed in the Isla Vista shooting pleaded for action, California lawmakers sent to Gov. Jerry Brown's desk a measure that allows parents to obtain a restraining order barring gun use for someone displaying mental instability. Assembly Bill 1014 was the state's central response to the gun violence near UC Santa Barbara in May in which Elliot Rodger, 22, killed six students after posting violent tirades online and worrying his parents to the point they called police to check on him. The Assembly approved the measure 47-25.
Sacramento Bee

City Government

Garcetti calls for boosting minimum wage to $13.25 after three years
Leading a Labor Day rally at a park in South Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed on Monday creating a minimum wage in Los Angeles that would reach $13.25 after three years. Garcetti was backed by billionaire businessman Eli Broad, County Federation of Labor chief Maria Elena Durazo and seven members of the City Council, who will have to approve the increase.
Los Angeles Times

Infrastructure cracks as Los Angeles defers repairs
With each day, it seems, another accident illustrates the cost of deferred maintenance on public works, while offering a frustrating reminder to this cash-strained municipality of the daunting task it faces in dealing with the estimated $8.1 billion it would take to do the necessary repairs. The city's total annual budget is about $26 billion. The sheer size of Los Angeles, its reliance on the automobile and, perhaps most important, the stringent voter-imposed restrictions on the government's ability to raise taxes have turned the region into a symbol of the nation's infrastructure woes.
New York Times

City Hall East to be renamed for former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn
For more than 70 years, the Hahn family name has been synonymous with local politics and government. The county Hall of Administration is named after former Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, who served 40 years beginning in 1952. His son, James Hahn, picked up the mantle and became city controller, city attorney and mayor before losing an election and then becoming a Superior Court judge. To honor him, City Hall East will be named after James Hahn on Thursday.
Los Angeles Daily News