Campbell, 55, filed papers last week to form an "exploratory committee" for governor, which allows him to begin raising money for a potential bid. He joins two other GOP moderates from Silicon Valley - state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former eBay chief Meg Whitman - among Republicans who have expressed interest in running.
On the Democratic side, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General and former Gov. Jerry Brown, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi are likely or possible contenders to succeed Schwarzenegger, who is termed out of office in 2011.
The 7 percent increase pushes the county assessment rolls to $1.1 trillion and marks the second year assessments have topped that pricey milestone, Assessor Rick Auerbach said.
The rise also marks more than a decade of consecutive increases in assessed values of county residential and commercial properties, although the rate of increase is down from 9.3 percent the prior year.
Los Angeles-based Tower General Contractors was selected Monday to restore the white stucco skin on all four arches, which will finally bring the Theme Building back to the historic look made famous in movies and television shows.
Forbes.com recently highlighted the nation's 10 most fuel-efficient neighborhoods and LA's own Koreatown made the list.
What makes K-Town the choice for conscientious gas consumers? There are good transit options on Wilshire Boulevard. And there's lots of shops, restaurants and services accessible by foot so you can leave the car at home. Forbes estimates a Koreatown resident could save as much as 25 percent on his or her transportation costs, compared to other L.A. communities.
]]>The single mother from Newhall would pick up cakes, desserts and frozen soup donated to the pantry from the Olive Garden, in addition to the standard staples of milk, bread and canned vegetables.
"When I started coming here, they gave me more food," said Diaz, who has received food donations for the last 10 months. "I noticed in the last couple of months, it has been less."
With food prices soaring, food pantries across Southern California and the nation find themselves facing record demand for their services.
You'll recall that in the last gubernatorial election, the Democrats put up Phil Angelides as their candidate, and he turned out to be a real snoozer. Angelides is bright, likable and very boring.
]]>That hope is gleaned from four reports released late last month showing sales have increased for four consecutive months. And there is a strong indication that June's sales will increase from May.
Before a market can recover, it has to find a bottom. Maybe we've seen it.
"Probably by the end of the year we will start to see some stability in the (county's) housing market," said Jack Kyser, vice president and chief economist of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.
But several months later, McCain has been all but an absentee candidate in the Southland, prompting the popular blog LAist to wonder after his recent campaign swing into other parts of the state: "Why did John McCain avoid Los Angeles?"
It is the same question of the McCain operation that has been asked even by some of his followers in the San Fernando Valley - especially as the local Barack Obama grass-roots campaign in recent weeks has regularly scheduled bake sales, house parties, voter registration drives and other activities.
Despite a six-year-old ban on new billboards, activists say Los Angeles' streets, sidewalks and buildings have more advertising than ever. Kerry Cavanaugh in the Daily News.
Court rulings, legal settlements, rampant disregard for the restrictions and weak enforcement have crippled L.A.'s attempts to limit signs and prohibit illegal signs.
There are at least 10,000 billboards in L.A., and as many as one-third of them are illegal. Plus, there are increasing numbers of supergraphic ads that swathe the sides of buildings and minibillboard advertisements line sidewallks.
]]>Two hundred thirty-two years after the Founding Fathers signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence, Oscar Gonzales and a handful of officials and community leaders launched their own independence drive Friday to create the city of East Los Angeles.
"East Los Angeles has been an ATM machine for the rest of the county," said Gonzales, president of East Los Angeles Residents Association.
The Harbor Commission last month voted to approve the scope of work with the Rogers Group and Hill and Knowlton to develop a public outreach and education program to promote its new Clean Air Action Plan.Daily News.
The firms also would develop additional efforts, and create an informational program to help the port get more federal funds for its programs.
Both firms were selected after responding to requests for proposals.
The Rogers Group will be paid up to $750,000 for a three-year contract and Hill and Knowlton will be paid $600,000 for its three-year agreement.
In March, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa held a press conference to say he was going to eliminate 767 city jobs - more than 1 percent of the nearly 50,000 citywide work force - and warned that layoffs were almost certain.
But while city officials did cut funding in the budget for nearly 700 city jobs, virtually all of the displaced workers have been able to move into vacant positions.