For the record - Feb. 6, 2010

Foster care: The headline for an article in Friday’s Section A about foster care in Los Angeles County incorrectly said county child welfare officials planned to “end” an emphasis on family over foster care. As the story reported, Department of Children and Family Services Director Trish Ploehn told a reporter last week that such reunifications would not happen as frequently as in the past until new reforms were in place to ensure safety. The county still plans to reunite or preserve families whenever possible.

‘Tea party’ convention: A news brief about the “tea party” convention in the Jan. 29 Section A said that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was receiving a $100,000 fee to speak. The brief also should have said that Palin has said she will donate the fee to conservative causes.

Grandparents’ ordeal: A photo caption accompanying an article in Friday’s Section A about the struggles of Gilbert and Irene Reyes to visit with the child of their slain son, Alex, said that their son was killed by his wife’s grandfather. He was killed by his wife’s grandmother.

McSorley’s Old Ale House: An article in Sunday’s Section A about the literary side of McSorley’s Old Ale House, the oldest bar in New York City, said that Joseph Mitchell had written a New York Times article about McSorley’s in 1913. Mitchell did not write the article, which was published without a byline.

Pluto: An article in Friday’s Section A about the changing color of Pluto said that Caltech astronomer Mike Brown was part of the team reporting its findings about the dwarf planet. Brown was not involved in the research.

Redistricting: An article in the Feb. 4 LATExtra section about California’s new redistricting commission said the state auditor’s office awarded a $1.3 million contract to Ogilvy Public Relations for minority outreach. The story should have noted that the outreach contract is also intended to bring political, geographic, gender and sexual-orientation diversity to the commission.

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