News Roundup, May 5

City
Local leaders against Prop 98 (Downtown News)
Judge halts Olympic/Pico One-Way Plan (LA Times)
LADWP asks citizens to reduce power usage and water usage. (LAist, LADWP, ABC7)
LA Public Library faces budget cuts. How you can help. (LAist, SaveLAPL)
City seeks to increase revenue by increasing street sweeping zones (LAist)

Miscellaneous
Candidate Filing Packet for Mid-City West Neighborhood Council elections (LACity.org)
Caleb Neelon painting on La Brea (LAist)

Events
MMAC Movie Night -- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind -- Wednesday, May 7, 8:00pm, Busby's
Information session for Mid-City West Community Council candidates: May 14, Hancock Park Elementary School auditorium, 6pm-8pm

ACTION
A letter from Jim O'Sullivan of the Miracle Mile Homeowners Association, about Density Bonus Ordinance lawsuit:

Denise
You may or may not have heard that a coalition was formed to fight SB 1818. We hired an Environmental Law firm, Chatten-Brown & Carstens and they filed on 4/14/08. So far we raised the funds for the retainer from Homeowner and Residential Groups (much faster that way) but I now what to broaden it out. We are still in the fundraising mode and we have arranged with the League of Residential Neighborhood Advocates (LRNA) to collect for us and issue a Tax exempt certificate from anyone who request it. We did this with an earlier issue and the result was fantastic. It allowed all stakeholders to become part of and have a stake in the legal action. Since your area would be a prime target for this new density bonus ordinance, with in my opinion devastating consequences I am asking you to forward this information to your group. They can send it far and wide. I am involved with some people in the Pico Union area who are also concerned about this ordinance.
I am attaching the filing and press release which tells the story.
We need to stick together and bring the City Council back to the table to craft a better ordinance or go the distance through the legal system with this issue. We can not afford to loose any more apartments anywhere in LA. Send tax exempt contributions to:

Leonard Hill
LRNA
4500 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90010