Audit: L.A. is sitting on millions in funds
via News by editor@dailynews.com (Daily News) on 8/27/08
The Los Angeles Department of Public Works is sitting on millions of dollars that could be moved to other city programs, a new audit revealed Wednesday.
Labor Department reportedly joins investigation of SEIU payments
via Los Angeles Times - Print Edition on 8/28/08
U.S. authorities are examining hundreds of thousands of dollars paid by the union and a related charity to firms owned by relatives of the Los Angeles local's president, sources say. A growing financial scandal in the 2-million-member Service Employees International Union has prompted a federal criminal investigation into the labor organization's largest California local, sources familiar with the probe say.
Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday
via Mayor Sam's Sister City - Home of Los Angeles Politics by noreply@blogger.com (Michael Higby) on 8/28/08
Yesterday we reported that Mayor Villaraigosa has been spending his time hanging around the hotel lobby (though he did get to sit behind President Clinton during Hillary Clinton's speech) during the Democratic National Convention in Denver; if you were wondering how Council President Eric Garcetti...[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
NAKED CITY, a daily news report
via Ron Kaye L.A. by Ron Kaye on 8/28/08
Let's have a party -- millions in small change found lying around City Hall. If your house is like mine, there's little boxes here and there with coins lying around that could add up to enough for a pizza or something on a rainy day. Imagine how much is lying around City Hall? $3.8 million is the number City Controller Laura Chick came up with. And she only looked at about half the pots of money in one department, Public Works, when there's 700 special funds hiding the public's money in various departments.
California Cities Leading the Nation in Job Losses, High Unemployment
via CaliforniaCityNews.org by Madrid on 8/28/08
Here's a list no city wants to lead... the US Dept of Labor has released city-by-city unemployment rates across the country, and El Centro "topped" it, with a disquieting 23.3% unemployment rate.
And more bad news for Calfiornia Cities, the largest job losses also occured in SoCal. The Los Angeles area lost 45,000 jobs, "leading" the nation, and Riverside was second with 26,000 positions lost.
Ugh. Read more from Reuters here.
Caltrain considers raising fares to cover fuel
via SFGate: Top News Stories by rgordon@sfchronicle.com (Rachel Gordon) on 8/28/08
Caltrain commuters, many of whom were lured out of their cars to save money at the gas pump, may be paying higher fares to help offset the commuter rail agency's own rising fuel costs. In April 2007, when Caltrain last raised fares, a gallon of diesel fuel to...
S.F. gives teen drug suspect to immigration
via SFGate: Top News Stories by jvanderbeken@sfchronicle.com (Jaxon Van Derbeken) on 8/28/08
A San Francisco court's ruling that a 14-year-old drug suspect from Honduras should be considered an abandoned youth - entitled to shelter rather than deportation - was thwarted Wednesday when the city turned him over to federal immigration authorities....
LA Daily Blog...THE WEEK, SO FAR
via Zuma's LA Daily Blog by zumadogg@gmail.com (zuma dogg) on 8/27/08
Again, with City Council on hiatus, and Zuma Dogg with nothing but time to blog around the clock, it HAS INDEED been a blog storm this week with the added DNC convention coverage, on top of all the...Go to LADailyBlog.com for full story.
Labor Department reportedly joins investigation of SEIU payments
via Los Angeles Times - Top News on 8/28/08
U.S. authorities are examining hundreds of thousands of dollars paid by the union and a related charity to firms owned by relatives of the Los Angeles local's president, sources say. A growing financial scandal in the 2-million-member Service Employees International Union has prompted a federal criminal investigation into the labor organization's largest California local, sources familiar with the probe say.
California delegation misses roll call
via L.A. Times - Politics on 8/28/08
The state takes a pass simply because a tally of its 441 delegate votes wasn't completed when the state's name was called. Also: Boos for the Boston Red Sox; Barack Obama joins precedent-setters. The mystery of why the California Democratic delegation, despite having a chance to do so, didn't publicly announce its preferences in the roll call that led to the historic nomination of Barack Obama for president has been solved.
California tribes seek to ban slot-like bingo machines
via Los Angeles Times - Top News on 8/28/08
They say their rights are being violated by charities that raise millions with the electronic devices. The Assembly passes a bill that would outlaw the machines. Rich, politically powerful Indian tribes are pushing California legislators to outlaw some casino competition: slot-like bingo machines that generate millions of dollars for high school sports teams, the blind and disabled.
Eat Up! Taco Truck Ordinance Struck Down By Judge
via CBS 2 - KCAL 9 - Los Angeles - Southern California - LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports on 8/27/08
A judge has struck down a Los Angeles County ordinance that requires taco truck operators to move their wagons every hour or face up to six months in jail. Superior Court Judge Dennis Aichroth ruled Wednesday that the law, adopted earlier this year, "is too ambiguous to enforce" and also conflicts with the state's vehicle code.
Text of Bill Clinton and Joe Biden Speeches from DNC
via Zuma's LA Daily Blog by zumadogg@gmail.com (zuma dogg) on 8/27/08
Click here for text of Bill Clinton's speechHere is the prepared text of the speech given by former President Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO: Bill...Go to LADailyBlog.com for full story.
McCain to reveal VP pick Friday
via MSNBC.com: Top MSNBC Headlines on 8/27/08
NYT: Senator John McCain has decided on his running mate, two Republican strategists in contact with Mr. McCain’s campaign said Wednesday.
