Former Bell leaders pressed to cop to more crimes

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Prosecutors are reportedly offering maximum four year prison terms to former Bell City Council members who were convicted of stealing taxpayer money last year – less time than they are currently facing. But first the former city leaders will have to plead guilty to additional charges. As it stands, Oscar Hernandez, Teresa Jacobo, Victor Bello, George Cole and George Mirabal are facing up to eight years in prison. If they refuse the plea deal, all five will be retried on charges that left the first jury deadlocked, and could get even more time.

tanakaDid former L.A. County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka play a bigger role than he’s disclosed in the handling of a jail inmate who was working as an FBI informant? A new report suggests that he might have. The L.A. Times says it’s obtained an internal Sheriff’s Department email that states that Tanaka or his direct subordinates were supposed to be present whenever the inmate was moved. Tanaka resigned from the department last year but is now running to replace the retired Lee Baca as L.A. sheriff. Seven current and former deputies – but not Tanaka – have been charged with hindering the FBI investigation.

concretepourWorkers on what’s to become the tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi set a record in downtown L.A. for the biggest continuous concrete pour. Folks from Guinness World Records were on hand to confirm the feat. Between about 5 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 Sunday morning, crews poured more than 21,000 thousand cubic yards of concrete as they laid the foundation for the new Wilshire Grand building. It took more than 2,000 truck trips to move all that concrete.

Military fighter jets intercepted several aircraft that entered restricted airspace near Rancho Mirage over the weekend during President Obama’s visit to the area. None of the planes had proper clearances or communications, says the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. Private aircraft are prohibited from entering a restricted flight zone in a 10 mile radius over Sunnylands, in Rancho Mirage. That’s the Annenberg Foundation estate where the President has been staying.

priusThe fuel-sipping Toyota Prius was the best-selling vehicle in the state in 2013, according to the California New Car Dealers Association, with more than 70,000 models leaving sales lots and showrooms. The Prius was followed by the Honda Civic compact sedan, also known for its green image. Nationally, the Prius ranks just 16th in sales. The best selling vehicle in much of the rest of America is Ford’s F-Series truck.