Stop by Valley Beth Shalom in Encino for services and you might spot Congressman Howard Berman sitting in one aisle and Congressman Brad Sherman a few seats away. Dakota Smith in the Daily News,

Both men attend the synagogue, one of a handful of things the veteran politicians have in common. They are also well-liked, Democrats - and fighting for the same seat in a highly competitive 30th Congressional District race.

But that's where the similarities end, say friends and colleagues.

More than one-fourth of Los Angeles Unified's continuation high schools may be shuttered next year as a cost-cutting move, shrinking a program seen as a last resort for students at risk of dropping out.Barbara Jones in the Daily News.

Continuation schools on the campuses of North Hollywood High and Taft High in Woodland Hills are among 13 that would be closed under a plan to save the district $6.5 million.

From her storefront on Tujunga Avenue in Studio City, shop owner Ann Booth frequently sees traffic officers nab parking scofflaws. Dakota Smith in the Daily News,

Shoppers and diners often neglect the one-hour meters on this quaint stretch, according to Booth, making it a popular spot for the city's ticket writers.

"They're always writing tickets," Booth said. "It seems like they come every two minutes."

The office of Attorney General Kamala Harris on Thursday rejected a request by City Attorney Carmen Trutanich to investigate his missing personnel files at the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
"Our office has reviewed this matter and determined that no further action is warranted at this time," Harris said in a statement.
Trutanich had requested the inquiry, saying he was concerned political games were being played with his files, which could have contained information about a shooting incident with gang members when he worked for the District Attorney's office.
There was no immediate reaction from Trutanich.

**
Trutanich campaign manager John Shallman said they understood why Harris would not get involved so close to an election.
"However, the substance of Mr. Trutanich's complaint stands," Shallman said. "All personnel file requests go through the Chief Deputy DA. The Chief Deputy DA, who has a history of playing politics inside the office, is running against Mr.
Trutanich. Mr. Trutanich's personnel file is missing. Those are the
facts."

Two of the candidates for District Attorney on June 5 began their television campaigns this week, with Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson both emphasizing their tough on gang crime approach.
Trutanich, using many of the images from his City Attorney commercials two years ago, also discusses the need to try to keep young people from getting in gangs with after school and diversion programs.
Jackson, likewise talks of his years as a prosecutor and having put dozens of gang members behind bars. Also, he said, he has been working to modernize the District Attorney's Office with new programs.
Prior to the release of his commercial, Jackson has released a number of YouTube commercials touting his experience.

There'll be slap shots and slam dunks, cycling and strikeouts. Susan Abram and C.J. Lin in the Daily News.

And, most of all, crowds and cars. Lots and lots of 'em.

Angelenos are gearing up for one of the most jampacked weekends in local sports history, with three teams in playoff competition at home, a major cycling tour and a handful of other events that will draw crowds - all within a few blocks of downtown.

District Attorney Steve Cooley said today County Assessor John Noguez -- whose office is the target of a corruption probe -- should resign. City News Service in the Daily News.

When asked if he had concerns about Noguez continuing to work as assessor, Cooley told reporters, "Yes, I do. I don't think he should be there."

"In my view, he should resign in light of everything that's come out publicly and because it's interfering with the discharge of that important office's critical functions," the county's top prosecutor said. "And I think that a change over there is entirely appropriate so that some changes in personnel and other reforms can be implemented to restore the integrity of the organization."

A proposal for a "gentle" ban on medical marijuana clinics brought out some hardball politics at the Los Angeles City Council Wednesday. Daily News.

The proposal would close dispensaries but allow patients to grow their own marijuana or share it through collectives. But a final decision was postponed after the ban was sent back to the council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee for further study.

A clearly angry Councilman Jose Huizar, who has been trying to ban dispensaries, complained the council was "playing games" to avoid a decision on his controversial proposal.

A shortage of houses for sale in the San Fernando Valley is triggering bidding wars, quick sales and an investor feeding frenzy, according to real estate agents.Gregory J. Wilcox in the Daily News,

With prices low after the market crash, more homeowners are reluctant to sell - and with banks still stinging from the foreclosure crisis, financing is harder to come by.

At the same time, the lower prices and rates are luring more buyers into the market. The result: Not nearly enough homes are on the market to satisfy the demands of a growing pool of homebuyers and investors, driving prices back up and limiting selection.

The Los Angeles Police Department will absorb the General Services police and security officers under a plan approved Tuesday. Dakota Smith in the Daily News,

The City Council voted unanimously to consolidate the two agencies, transferring the 220 officers and security guards from General Services to the LAPD.

With the move, the LAPD will take on the work of General Services police: patrolling libraries, City Hall offices and other city facilities.

City employees who would have lost their jobs under Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's 2012-13 budget received a temporary lifeline Tuesday after a key city committee voted to delay layoffs until next year.Dakota Smith in the Daily News,

The Budget and Finance Committee voted to fund until Jan. 1, 2013 the 209 positions targeted for layoffs in the mayor's budget.

The move was aided by improved revenue estimates in the latest budget projections, and additional cuts elsewhere in the city.

An expert hired to overhaul the Los Angeles Fire Department's emergency response time data collection method told the civilian Fire Commission Tuesday that the current system is flawed and data on response times cannot be trusted. Daily News,

Jeffrey Godown, a recognized expert in developing computer response tracking systems, said he has been unable to reconcile the times reported by the LAFD's newest system installed in 2009.

"If we can't get the response times right, we're going to have issues as far as credibility," said Godown, who previously worked with the Los Angeles Police Department's CompStat crime tracking system. "Right now, we have to fix the response time issues and that's what I'm extremely concerned about."

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday proposed deeper cuts to safety net programs, higher education, courts and other critical government programs to close a projected budget deficit that has grown to $15.7 billion - nearly double his January estimate. Christine Villacorte in the Daily News.

Brown said he wants to cover much of the shortfall by temporarily raising income taxes on the wealthiest Californians and boosting sales taxes.

However, if voters reject those tax measures on the November ballot, he said he'll pull the trigger on an additional $6 billion in cuts to K-12 education and public safety.

A divided Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council approved Monday night a 399-unit apartment development planned next to the 405-101 freeway interchange. Dakota Smith in the Daily News.

The council voted 7-3 to back the Il Villaggio Toscano development, which would bring an eight-story apartment building with 1,206 parking spaces and numerous stores to property bordered by Sepulveda Boulevard, Camarillo Street and the two freeways.

Developer Rick Caruso has been named "Master Entrepreneur of the Year," by ernst and Young.
"Rick has made an indelible imprint on the Los Angeles landscape, creating a new breed of shopping and entertainment destinations enjoyed by families from every corner of Los Angeles and throughout the world," said Patrick Niemann managing partner for Ernst & Young LLP's Greater Los Angeles practice.
Caruso, who is said to be still considering a run for mayor in 2013, is the developer of the Grove shopping center.
Other winners in the past include Magic Johnson, Alfred E. Mann, James Power and John E. Anderson.