Port Problems. The strike crippling the ports of L.A. and Long Beach has not escaped the attention of President Barack Obama. A spokesman says the president is urging the parties to keep negotiating and to find a solution as quickly as possible. With the economic toll mounting, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa reportedly met with both sides late last night to press for a compromise. The strike by clerical workers with the International Longshore and Warehouse union began a week ago today. AP
Murder scene. L.A. City Councilman Mitchell Englander says a Northridge home where four people were found shot to death was an illegal boarding house – and he’s calling for stricter enforcement. The owner, who lives at the residence, disputed that characterization. Police believe as many as 17 people were living in the house. They found filthy conditions, with mattresses lining the floors and make-shift campsites in the backyard. Two men and two women were found dead outside the home yesterday. No arrests have been made. L.A. Daily News
Straight and narrow. A federal judge says California can’t enforce a first-of-it’s-kind ban on therapy designed to change the sexual orientation of gay and lesbian minors, at least against three plaintiffs in a lawsuit. The judge cited a threat to the First Amendment rights of therapists who engage in what’s often called “conversion therapy.” Gay rights groups and some mental health professionals say the therapy poses a danger to young people. A trial is pending. AP
Getting warmer. UCLA researchers have completed a six-month study of climate change in L.A. with a list of recommendations about how to deal with rising temperatures. The 85-page report is intended to spur discussion of environmental issues in the upcoming mayoral election. Among its recommendations: a car-sharing program with zero emission vehicles, greater reliance on public transportation, increased use of recycled water and green zones in communities like Pacoima and Boyle Heights that would attract new, green businesses. L.A. Daily News
Track back. Old-style street cars appear to be a step closer to returning to downtown Los Angeles. Preliminary results from a special election indicate that downtown residents and business owners have approved a plan to create an assessment district to finance the project. L.A. officials also plan to apply for federal grants to help cover the project’s estimated $125 million price tag. The proposed route covers 10 blocks along Broadway, as well as L.A. Live and parts of the financial district. L.A. Times
200 million pounds. Walt Disney Co. has been ordered to pay the British creators of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” $319 million in a case that highlighted Hollywood’s questionable accounting practices. Disney had appealed a $269 million verdict two years ago. A panel of federal judges upheld the original verdict and ordered Disney to pay $50 million interest. “Millionaire” was a big hit for Disney’s ABC network, but the company’s books showed it ran a $73 million deficit. Hollywood Reporter