They Took Their Pay Raise in Stride

Don’t know if you heard, but L.A.’s City Council members are going to be granted a 3% pay raise--their second hike in three months--bringing their salaries up to $110,612.

Did they find the news inspiring? On Friday, the day after the raises were announced, only nine of the 15 members showed up for the council meeting--short of the 10 members required for a quorum. So the session was adjourned early. Nothing like getting a head start on the weekend!

*

LANGUAGE, PLEASE! A naughty marquee in Santa Monica caught the eye of Steven Mandell (see photo). But why the limit on the number of gift certificates?

*

ANYTHING SMALLER? Bill Dashiell of L.A. said a friend “found a store that carries more than $20 in change” (see accompanying). Dashiell asked: “Who’s on the $10,000 bill anyway?”

*

LIST OF THE DAY: The latest sightings of strange ads and other printed matter, submitted by Only in L.A.’s guerrilla band of copy readers:

* A striptease joint that features “exiting” singles, sent by Bob Crawford, who says the place must really appeal to Stage Door Johnnies.

* A dog that has been “spade,” from Vaino Hoffren .

* A sale of a horse-drawn “hearst,” from P. James).

* An English breakfast on “Sat and Sin,” from Bob Hirsch and Dennis Koran.

* Invitation for a church musical that says: “For more information call St. John the Baptist. . . . “ (Rita Millard).

* A truck door that states, “RIVER CARRIES NO CASH,” from Bryan Hunt. If it’s the L.A. River, there is not much water, either.

* A Carpinteria newspaper story that declares, “Clothing on the beach is not an option,” from Leslie Westbrook. Can you at least wear sunglasses?

*

ANOTHER REASON TO STAY OFF THE FIRE WATER: The other day the column ran a photo of a “Domestic Cold Water” label on a pipe. Turns out it was not an instance of a Westside building bragging about the vintage it serves, as I had guessed (possibly without thinking it through).

Bob Beberfall, of Peck/Jones Construction, explains that “per the plumbing code, all water mains must be marked and show direction of flow.” Drinking water is marked “Domestic,” while “Industrial” is used for mechanical systems such as the air-conditioning. Beberfall noted that there’s a third pipe designation that is not for cocktail parties but to prevent the building from burning down--”Fire Water.”

*

RED-HANDED: Ten years ago today, The Times reported what was believed to have been the first (and possibly only) pomegranate attack on an L.A. motorist. The victim, tow-truck driver Michael Shesterkin, chased down his assailant, who was a passenger in a flatbed truck. According to the California Highway Patrol, Shesterkin, a big, burly man, then hooked up the truck and towed it to the CHP’s Santa Fe Springs office. The throwing hand of the alleged pomegranate-pelter was stained red, officers said.

miscelLAny:

Unenthused with the city of Long Beach’s puzzling new advertising slogan--”Opposites Attract”--Press-Telegram columnist Tom Hennessy asked readers for substitute suggestions. They ranged from the serious, such as “California’s Riviera” and “Long Beach: Don’t Tell Everybody,” to the sarcastic, including “Wonder Where the Navy Went,” “Long Beach: Beats the H--- Out of Pacoima” and “Long Beach: It Could Be Worse.” It’s a city of exiting singles too.

*

Steve Harvey can be reached by phone at (213) 237-7083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com and by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053.