Cortines in charge

Moving quickly and in unison to appoint a new public schools chief, the Los Angeles board of education Tuesday named Senior Deputy Superintendent Ramon "Ray" Cortines to head the nation's second-largest school district.George B. Sanchez in the Daily News.

The widely anticipated 7-0 decision came just a week after a divided board ousted Superintendent David Brewer III in a 5-2 vote that followed several days of contentious squabbling among board members.

Cortines will essentially get paid the same $250,000 salary he earns now, agreeing Tuesday to a three-year contract worth $750,000.