After taking a couple of weeks off, we mixed it up again. Gene Maddaus, from the LA Weekly, and Seema Mehta, from the LA Times, offered their insights.
LA City Councilman Jose Huizar has admitted to having an affair with a former aide, after she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him.
His former office employee Francine Godoy claims he waged a “campaign of retaliation” against her after she turned down requests for “sexual favors.”
Godoy says Huizar suggested last year that she run for a seat on the Los Angeles Community College District board.
After she agreed to do so, she claims Huizar insisted on sex in exchange for his support of her campaign.
A statement from Huizar’s attorney says the councilmember is, quote, “shocked and surprised by the claims in the lawsuit” and that they are, quote, “absolutely false and malicious.”
The Huizar affair isn’t the only alleged sexual harassment issue at City Hall. A lawsuit’s now been filed against Councilman Mitch Englander’s Chief of Staff.
Meanwhile, an LA Times analysis reports more than 1,000 old concrete buildings in Los Angeles and hundreds more throughout the county may be at risk of collapsing in a major earthquake. With researchers reportedly withholding a partial list of vulnerable buildings from Los Angeles city officials.
This week, Mayor Eric Garcetti says he wants to appoint an Earthquake Czar, and take – these are his words not mine — “some very concrete steps” toward quake preparedness.
Los Angeles International Airport officials have changed their policy on how dry ice is discarded from planes, after a baggage handler allegedly planted bombs of 20 ounce bottles filled with the cooling material.
28-year old Dicarlo Bennett is being held today on $1 (M) million bond after pleading NOT guilty to two felony counts at an LA Superior Court hearing this week.
Airport officials plan to meet with law enforcement authorities to look at other potential security enhancements at the airport – which is one of the world’s busiest.
In this week’s Mixer Elixir, the Dodgers don’t really have a mascot. Unless you count Vin Scully, or the ball that whizzes up past the word Dodgers in the logo. Bill Shaikin of the LA Times this week asks whether they should.
The reason it came up is because of a stunt that somebody played at the stadium. A bear, a big jump, some cheers and elated fans… and he was banned for six months.
Which is pretty much the off-season.