News - latimes.com

Budget panel finds way to delay 200 layoffs

By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

An additional $5.8 million in property taxes, plus cuts in city departments and outside consultants would yield $16 million in total savings.

A Los Angeles City Council committee came up with a plan Tuesday to avoid laying off more than 200 city workers at least until Jan. 1, thanks in part to a last-minute discovery of new tax revenues.

Homeless man's mother settles with Fullerton over his death

By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Cathy Thomas will receive $1 million from the city. Her son Kelly died after a violent confrontation with six police officers. The agreement does not resolve a claim filed by the victim's father, Ron.

The mother of a mentally ill homeless man who died after he was beaten by Fullerton police has reached a settlement with the city that will pay her $1 million, officials announced Tuesday evening.

Assessor corruption probe widening, indictments expected, D.A. says

By Jack Dolan and Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

L.A. County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley also accuses the union representing assessor's office workers of interfering with the investigation.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said Tuesday that the corruption investigation of Assessor John Noguez has grown to include multiple targets and that he intends to seek grand jury indictments in the near future.

Ready to blaze a trail for tax hike

Steve Lopez — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Molly Munger says her plan to raise $10 billion a year through income taxes is a Band-Aid, but she's prepared to fight for children and schools.

In March, when I wrote that the tax increase proposals by Gov. Jerry Brown and civil rights attorney Molly Munger were unimaginative if not doomed, I got an email from Munger.

Assessor corruption probe widening, grand jury expected, D.A. says

Jack Dolan and Ruben Vives — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:02:00 PDT

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said on Tuesday that the corruption investigation of Assessor John Noguez has grown to include other individuals and that he intends to seek grand jury indictments in the near future.

Company wants to tap Mojave's public lands for Southland water

By Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Cadiz Inc. could realize $1 billion to $2 billion in revenue over the plan's 50-year life. Opponents say public resources are being used for private profit.

CADIZ, Calif. – Three decades ago a group of businessmen pored over NASA satellite imagery as part of a worldwide hunt for large groundwater reserves they could tap to grow desert crops. They found the signs they were looking for here in the sun-blasted mountain ranges and creosote-freckled valleys of the Mojave Desert, 200 miles east of Los Angeles.

General Motors to pull ads from Facebook

By Jerry Hirsch and Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:54:00 PDT

GM's decision to stop its paid advertising on Facebook comes as investors have been weighing revenue prospects on the social networking site.

General Motors Co.plans to pull its paid advertising from Facebook Inc. after the nation's largest automaker determined its ads on the social network had little effect on consumers.

Assisted suicide or a show of love?

By Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Alan Purdy, 88, sat by while his beloved Margaret, 84 and in unrelieved pain, killed herself. San Diego County authorities arrested him, but the issue is tough for everyone involved.

SAN MARCOS, Calif. —When paramedics arrived at the Purdy home March 20, Margaret was seated in her favorite chair in the living room. The morning sunshine streamed in through a picture window that overlooked a valley. A plastic bag was over her head, tied securely at the neck.

S&P issues warning on California finances

By Chris Megerian — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:16:00 PDT

The ratings agency Standard & Poor's warned on Tuesday that it could downgrade California's financial outlook if lawmakers don't pass a credible budget plan this year.

Romney calls Obama's economics 'morally wrong' in Iowa

By Maeve Reston — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:13:00 PDT

DES MOINES – Returning to the state that launched Barack Obama’s path to the presidency, Mitt Romney went on offense Tuesday, accusing his rival of carelessly driving the country into "a financial crisis of both debt and spending that threaten what it means to be an American."