Sierra snowpack level lowest ever for late January

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California finally got some badly needed rain, and a bit more is expected this weekend. But it won’t be nearly enough to quench the thirst of drought-parched California. State officials say snow levels are 12 percent of normal – the lowest they’ve been at this time of year in half-a-century of record keeping. Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders are working on an emergency $600 million bill to fund new water projects.

For the first time in more than 15 years, L.A. County has a new Sheriff. John Scott was sworn in yesterday by L.A. County Supervisors. He’ll serve on an interim basis until a permanent replacement for Lee Baca is elected in the fall. Scott says he’ll work to restore public confidence in an agency that has been hit with numerous scandals.

GREUELFormer L.A. City Controller Wendy Greuel is the first high-profile candidate to jump into the race for the Westside Congressional seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Representative Henry Waxman. Greuel, who lost the L.A. mayor’s race to Eric Garcetti last year, lives outside the 33rd Congressional District, but she says she plans to move into it soon. Unlike state legislators in California, members of Congress are not required to live in the districts they represent. Meanwhile, another Democrat, State Sen. Ted Lieu, is expected to announce today whether he’ll run for Waxman’s seat.

marcieedwardsAnaheim City Manager Marcie Edwards will be first woman to head the L.A. Department of Water and Power. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Edwards as his choice to replace DWP manager Ron Nichols, who held the position for three years, longer than anyone else in the last dozen years. His resignation came amid an investigation into two trusts that received more that $40 million in ratepayer money from the DWP. Edwards has strong ties to the DWP: It’s where her father and grandfather both worked.

HOLLYWOODPARKThe billionaire owner of the St. Louis Rams football team has purchased a large parking lot in Inglewood – fueling speculation that he may try to build a stadium there and move the team back to L.A. The L.A. Times says Stan Kroenke quietly bought 60-acres between the Forum and the now-defunct Hollywood Park. The Rams left L.A. for St. Louis before the 1995 season. The team has been trying in vain to work out a new stadium deal in St. Louis and can leave its current stadium after next season.