Author: Shelby Grad

At least 170 Los Angeles County Probation Department employees have
committed misconduct — including cases of excessive force and abuse —
but have so far escaped punishment because there is not enough staff to
mete out discipline, officials said Tuesday.





"We have too many cases and not enough staff," interim chief Cal
Remington said in an interview with The Times. "I’m not happy with the
time it takes to complete an investigation and determine the
discipline."





Department investigations have concluded that the employees committed
misconduct and should face discipline ranging from written reprimands
to terminations, Remington said. Of the 170 employees, most are sworn
officers and about half the cases involved allegations of abuse of
juvenile probationers. Most of the employees remain on the job, and it
was unclear if they ultimately would be punished.

The disclosures come after a Times story revealed that juvenile
probation officers in recent years have been convicted of crimes or
disciplined for inappropriate conduct involving current or former
probationers, including several cases of officers molesting or beating
youths in their care.

Read the full story here.

Read The Times’ investigation here.

–Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Richard Winton

A stun gun found at the Jackson family compound in Encino drew the attention of county child welfare officials.

Officials from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services visited the home Tuesday — reportedly to check on a report of a stun gun possessed by a child. But Katherine Jackson’s attorney, Adam Streisand,  released a statement saying there was no danger posed to anyone, including Michael Jackson’s three children, who live with their grandmother.

"Two weeks ago, Jermaine Jackson’s 13-year old son, Jaafar, who lives
with his mother Alejandra at the home of Mrs. Katherine Jackson, received a
package with a stun gun he ordered online,” the statement said. "Jaafar opened the package alone in his bathroom and tested it
on a piece of paper."

According to the statement, Katherine Jackson and a security official heard the sound, went into the bathroom and confiscated the gun. Streisand said none of Michael Jackson’s children were ever in any danger from the weapon.

 "All of the kids are happy, healthy and wonderful and that is Mrs.
Jackson’s only objective and concern,” Streisand said.

It’s unclear what day the stun gun was discovered. County officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

–Shelby Grad

Photo: Jackson’s children at the pop star’s memorial. Credit: Los Angeles Times

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday against Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and other Los Angeles County officials, ordering them not to discipline or discriminate against prosecutors for belonging to the union that represents hundreds of local deputy district attorneys.

The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II, came in a lawsuit filed by the Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys alleging that Cooley and others demoted, transferred and gave mediocre performance reviews to prosecutors as part of an anti-union campaign.

County lawyers disputed the claims, saying the union was using the lawsuit to get the upper hand in contract negotiations.

But Wright concluded the union would likely win its case, saying evidence established retaliation against union members “that is both striking and rampant.”

The judge wrote that the county did not dispute allegations that Cooley instructed one prosecutor to “undermine” or interfere with the union and that the prosecutor was demoted when he refused. 

Wright also noted that several other union board members complained they had been transferred to lesser assignments against their will. And the judge found that the county was improperly charging union members more than it charges non-members for medical coverage.

–Jack Leonard

When prolific Israeli burglar Na’aman Diller died of cancer in 2003, he left his widow a collection of more than 100 priceless artifacts of decidedly questionable origin.

They included rare clocks, manuscripts, paintings and an item billed as “the world’s most expensive watch”: a gold and rock crystal pocket watch made for French Queen Marie Antoinette in the 18th century.

All the items had allegedly been stolen during a storied heist at Jerusalem’s L.A. Mayer Museum of Islamic Art back in 1983.
But that didn’t stop Diller’s widow, Nili Shamrat, 64, of Tarzana, from trying to sell the treasures back to the art museum no questions asked, authorities said.

Her effort to sell the booty put in motion a lengthy international investigation that ended a few weeks ago when Shamrat was sentenced to five years of probation and 300 hours of community service for receiving the property. 

The California state insurance commissioner’s office announced the end of the case Tuesday, adding that most of the valuables have been sent back to the museum.


Diller was a well-known burglar who operated in Israel and Europe in the 1960s and early 1970s. He met Shamrat in Tel Aviv in 1970, and the two dated until he went to prison in 1972. Shamrat moved to the Los Angeles area soon after that. They married in Tel Aviv in 2003 and it was then, investigators said, that Diller confided in her about the heist that he had pulled off 20 years before, willing her his entire estate.

Together they removed the stolen clocks from Diller’s apartment and stored them in a safe deposit box under her name, according to state investigators. After his death, Shamrat retrieved the stolen clocks from safe deposit boxes throughout Europe and hired an attorney to help sell them, investigators said.

–Tony Barboza

Photo: Mayer Museum

Arclight Cinemas is opening a new location … in Pasadena.

The premium movie-house operation — which started in Hollywood and now has a location in Sherman Oaks, will move into the Paseo Pasadena cinemas on Colorado Boulevard.

LAist reported back in December about the rumored expansion. The movie chain denied it at the time but Tuesday said in a statement: "The conversion of the Pacific Paseo Theater in the Paseo Colorado center will give our many Pasadena area members the ArcLight experience right at their doorstep."

Pasadena already has another premium movie chain in town: Gold Class Cinemas — with meals and fancy chairs — is a few blocks away.

— Shelby Grad

Photo: Arclight

The Smithsonian Museum says it doesn’t want the suit O.J. Simpson wore when he was acquitted of murder charges — scuttling a compromised reached Monday in the long-running custody case.

"The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will not be
collecting O.J. Simpson’s suit," the museum said in a statement. "The decision was made by the museum’s
curators together with the director."

Fred Goldman, Ron’s father, filed the lawsuit
against
Simpson and his former agent, Mike Gilbert, who allegedly has possession
of the suit. In 1997, a civil jury found Simpson liable for the two deaths and
ordered him to pay $33.5 million to the
victims’ relatives. Fred Goldman is still trying to collect the money. 

On Monday, Gilbert and Goldman agreed to
donate the suit to the Smithsonian Institution. It’s unclear what will happen to the suit now.

Simpson, 62, is in jail, serving time for a botched robbery
in Las Vegas to allegedly retrieve some of his personal sports
memorabilia.

— Shelby Grad

Photo: O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder charges in 1997.
Credit: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times

The father of a San Diego teen missing since last week said this morning that he believes she is still alive despite the arrest of a sex offender in connection with her disappearance.

Chelsea King, 17, a high school senior, went for a jog
Thursday on the hilly trails around Lake Hodges in northern San Diego
County and has not been seen since.

"Until I hear differently, I believe she’s alive," father Brent King told CBS News Tuesday morning.

The King family, along with hundreds
of law enforcement authorities and volunteers, plan to continue their search today for the blond, blue-eyed girl. But their hopes of finding her alive dimmed
after police arrested a registered sex offender Sunday evening outside
a Mexican restaurant near the popular recreational area.

The suspect, John Albert Gardner III,
30, was arrested on suspicion of murder and rape after investigators
found several pieces of unspecified evidence. Gardner, 6 feet 2 and weighing 230 pounds, pleaded guilty in 2000 to molestation
charges involving a 13-year-old girl.





A psychiatrist at the time recommended that Gardner be given the
maximum sentence, which was at least 10 years in prison. San Diego County
prosecutors recommended a six-year term. "It is my opinion that [the
defendant would be a continued danger to underage [girls] in the
community," said the psychiatrist in the court documents.





Authorities were not sure Monday how much time Gardner actually served
in prison. According to the Megan’s Law website, he lives in Lake
Elsinore in Riverside County, but was visiting his mother in San Diego
County last week. At the time of his arrest, Gardner’s pants were damp,
authorities said.





It was not clear Monday if Gardner was providing any information
regarding Chelsea’s whereabouts. Authorities were focused on the 14
miles of shoreline of the shallow lake, where FBI dive teams on rafts
scoured the murky water. Hundreds more volunteers searched the desolate
trails winding around the lake.





"It’s rugged terrain: sloughs, rocks, vegetation, hills. It’s not easy,
but it’s not deterring them," said Jan Caldwell, a spokesman for the
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.





Friends and relatives described Chelsea as an outgoing overachiever
with a passion for literature who had been accepted to several
colleges. She played French horn for the San Diego Youth Symphony and
tutored other students.





Her parents, who live in a gated community, didn’t like her to jog
alone. It was one of the few rules they had to set for their daughter.
"They wanted her to study less and have more fun," Mikkelson said.

–Richard Marosi in San Diego

Photo: Volunteers examine a backpack discovered near Lake Hodges. Friends and
relatives described Chelsea as an outgoing overachiever with a passion
for literature who had been accepted to several colleges. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

According to the Associated Press, Gilbert and Goldman have agreed to donate the suit to the Smithsonian Institution.

It’s not entirely clear whether the museum wants the suit.

“This is a mandatory settlement to attempt to resolve who owns the
suit and who has the right to the suit,” Ronald Slates, Simpson’s
lawyer, told The Times on Monday morning. He could not immediately be reached for comment this afternoon.

Some Southern California cities fine residents for watering their lawns too much during drought conditions.

But in Orange, city officials are locked in a legal battle with a couple accused of violating city ordinances for removing their lawn, which they did to save water.

The dispute began two years ago, when Quan and Angelina Ha tore out the grass in their frontyard. In drought-plagued Southern California, the couple reasoned, the lush grass soaked up tens of thousands of gallons of water – and hundreds of dollars – each year.

Quan and Angelina thought they were doing something good for the environment.

“We’ve got a newborn, so we want to start worrying about her future,” said Quan Ha, an IT manager for Kelley Bluebook. 

But city officials informed the Has that they were violating several city laws that require residents to cover significant ports of their front lawns with live ground cover. On Tuesday, the two are scheduled to appear in Orange County Superior Court to challenge a lawsuit the city filed against them.
They are fighting City Hall, saying their yard looks fine.

Soon after the city complained about the yard, they covered the dirt with wood chips, with help from neighbor Dennis Cleek.

“It’s their yard, it’s not overgrown with weeds, it’s not an eyesore,” said Cleek, whose own yard boasts fruit and avocado trees. “We should be able to have our yards look the way we want them to.”

But city officials determined the fix was not acceptable, saying city codes require that 40% of the yard be landscaped predominantly with live plants.

“Compliance — that’s all we’ve ever wanted,” explained City Atty. Wayne Winthers.
Last summer, the couple tried to appease the city by building a fence around the yard and planting drought-resistant greenery – lavender, rosemary, horsetail and pittosporum, among others.
They sent a photo to city officials in October but say they received no response.

A few months later, they heard from the city, which said their landscaping still did not comply with city standards.

“They put up a nice fence but [the photo] didn’t show anything about how they had complied with code, as far as the frontyard goes,” Winthers said, “nor did it include a site plan.”

At the end of January, the Has received a letter from the city informing them they had been charged with with misdemeanor code violations and must appear in court.

“It’s just funny that we pay our taxes to the city and the city is now prosecuting us with our own money,” Quan Ha said. “Doesn’t it waste funds to go back and fourth in court, rather than sending pictures, e-mails and having phone conversations?”

Winthers said he hoped the city could work out a compromise with the couple. “We know times are tough, but we’re willing to work with them; we’d be more than happy to,” he said.

Meanwhile, the couple said there had been one bright spot: They reduced their water usage from from 299,221 gallons in 2007 to 58,348 gallons in 2009.

— Amina Khan

There are many in L.A. who think there are far too many billboards and supergraphics dotting the landscape.

But when one businessman was accused of illegally erecting a supergraphic on Hollywood Boulevard, the city attorney’s office didn’t mess around.

Officials jailed Kayvan Setareh, 49, of Pacific Palisades on $1-million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon.

Setareh is accused of three
misdemeanor city code violations, two of them related to the city sign
law —

and as a result, the high bail amount has raised eyebrows.

The arrest was an unusually aggressive move by Trutanich and comes less
than a week after the city attorney filed a separate lawsuit involving
more than a dozen other supergraphics scattered across the city. Just
days after that lawsuit was filed, workers used bolts and wire to wrap
the new ad around the face of a 1928 office building on the northeast
corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

"The days of lax and inconsistent enforcement of billboard and outdoor
advertising laws in this city are over," Trutanich said in a
statement.

What do you think about Trutanich’s action? Is he finally cracking down? Or it this overkill? Share your view.

Photo: Kayvan Setareh was arrested after a supergraphic was plastered on the First National Bank building in Hollywood. Credit: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

The National Weather Service is warning of high surf at west- and northwest-facing beaches, producing waves on eight to 10 feet with swells as high as 12 feet.

Officials said the high surf could cause dangerous rip currents and beach erosion.

High surf on Sunday morning caused some problems on some San Diego County and Orange County beaches.

Water flooded Pacific Coast Highway near the
main entrance to Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington Beach Police Lt.
Mike Reynolds said. Sand and ocean debris blocked the roadways and the
southbound lanes were shut down.

Flooding occurred in Sunset Beach near Anderson Street, forcing that section of
the highway to close. There was also some street flooding in Seal Beach.

In San Diego, Ocean Beach Pier was closed when waves tore off a piece of its railing.

— Shelby Grad

Photo: A surfer goes airborne over the top of a big wave in Newport Beach just south of the 28th Street  jetty. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

More breaking news in L.A. Now: 

Lawyers to try to sort out who gets O.J. Simpson’s suit

Search continues in San Diego County for missing 17-year-old girl

Schwarzenegger condemns ‘intolerable acts of racism’ at UC San Diego, other campuses

San Diego County sheriff’s deputy killed in crash

Man is arrested in San Diego teen’s disappearance

10-hour Tarzana standoff ends with man’s arrest

No tsunami, but winter tides enough to flood Pacific Coast Highway

A series of racial and religion controversies involving UC campuses — including the "Compton Cookout" party and a noose found at UC San Diego — has been met with concern by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“I am deeply troubled by the horrific incidents that recently took place on various campuses of the University of California system," the governor said in a statement. "The acts of racism and intolerance that we have witnessed are completely unacceptable and I join with the University of California President, Chancellors and student leaders in condemning these terrible incidents."

A UC San Diego student admitted Friday to hanging a rope noose from
a campus library bookcase in an act that triggered more protests at a
school already roiled by recent racially charged incidents.

Angry
students stormed and occupied the office
of UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox.

On Feb. 15, an off-campus party, described as a "Compton Cookout,"
mocked Black History Month, leading to large student protests. A few
days later, a campus satirical group defended the party and used a
derogatory term about blacks on a campus television show.

At UC Irvine, 11 students were arrested last month for disrupting a speech by the
Israeli ambassador. A New York City-based Zionist group quickly urged college-bound
students to drop UC Irvine as a consideration and asked donors to
rethink their pledges. A leading Muslim civil rights group asked that
charges be dropped against the protesters — even though charges have
not been filed.

In his statement, Schwarzenegger did not cite specific incidents but said he was "condemning the intolerable acts of racism and incivility that recently
occurred on multiple campuses in the University of California higher
education system."

"There is no excuse for this kind of behavior in our system of higher education or anywhere else and it will not be tolerated," he said.

— Shelby Grad

Photo: UC San Diego grad student Michael Navarro chants with his fellow students during a rally against racial intolerance after a noose was found dangling from a light fixture on the seventh floor of Geisel Library last month. Credit: Nelvin Cepeda / San Diego Union Tribune

L.A. authorities today continued their investigation into the apparent suicide of Michael Blosil, the 18-year-old son of entertainer Marie Osmond.

Details about the case — including where he died — remain unclear.

Los Angeles Police Department officials told KTLA News that officers responded to a report of a suicide at the 900 block of South Flower Street about 10 p.m. Friday. Traffic in that area was diverted during the investigation, but more details were not immediately available.

That location is near the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Tammy Nguyen,
a student at the institute, said Blosil attended the school, majoring in
apparel manufacturing. Nguyen said that she gathered with other
students at the lobby of the Met, an apartment building at Flower and
9th streets, Friday night, and that she saw Blosil’s body covered with
a white sheet on the sidewalk.

“Everyone was in shock,” Nguyen said. Blosil lived on the eighth floor.

Blosil’s death was being investigated by the Los
Angeles County coroner’s office, said coroner’s Lt. Brian Elias.

Osmond, 50, said in a statement, “My
family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our
dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this
difficult time.”

Osmond
is best known for the ABC variety show “Donny & Marie” in the late
1970s, in which she starred with her brother. She and her brother
have performed on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” and now have a variety show at the Flamingo Showroom in Las Vegas.

— Rong-Gong Lin II

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: More details on this case, as well as photos from a memorial in downtown L.A., from The Times’ Christie D’Zurilla at the Ministry of Gossip.

Photo: AP

Saturday’s storm turned out to be a real soaker, dumping more than 2 inches of rain in some parts of the region.

According to the National Weather Service, Claremont, Santa Anita and the Eaton Dam area each got more than 2 inches of rain. Long Beach, Santa Monica, Burbank, Bel-Air and Whittier got well over 1 inch.

Southern California should see sunny conditions for the next few days. But there is a 30% chance of rain on Wednesday.

Even the most skeptical meteorologists and climatologists now agree
that El Niño is alive and kicking and that Southern California should
have, at long last, a wetter-than-average winter. And the rains could
stretch well into spring.

"February is the wettest month on
average, and we can get some pretty significant storms in March, and
maybe some in April," said Eric Boldt, a meteorologist for the National
Weather Service in Oxnard.

— Shelby Grad

Photo: Preparations in foothills. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

A flash-flood warning was issued for Southern California burn areas this afternoon as a band of intense rain cells moved into the region, capable of producing more than an inch of rain an hour.

According to the National Weather Service, the cells will "likely cause flash flooding and debris flows" in the foothill areas that were burned during last year’s massive Station fire. Those areas — which stretch from Tujunga to La Canada Flintridge — saw a mudslides early this month that damaged several homes.

The warning is scheduled to last until at least 5:45 p.m. Another warning was issued for Azusa and Glendora.

[Updated at 6:14 p.m. The flash-flood warnings expired, and officials reported no major mudslides in burn areas.]

[Updated at 3:55 p.m.: The rains caused traffic problems and localized street flooding Saturday. According to the California Highway Patrol, some lanes on the 10 Freeway east of Covina were briefly shut down by a mudslide.]

This morning, steady rains hit the area, but there were no reports of mudslides or damage.

Officials said they hoped the brief respite during the mid-morning allowed water levels in two large catch basins to diminish.

Bob
Spencer, chief of public affairs for L.A. County Public Works, said the
basins — the Mullaly and Pickens — have less capacity after the
storm front that poured steady rain beginning in the early morning.

He
said the Mullaly catch basin is more than 50% full. He did not know about
the Pickens basin but said there was potential for both to reach
capacity, which could lead to mud and debris overflowing into
neighborhood streets, mainly in the Paradise Valley area.

"It’s pretty serious," Spencer said. "The hills are extremely saturated."

Fire
Capt. Mark Savage of the Los Angeles County Fire Department said 224
homes have been evacuated from La Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta.

At
least 64 homes were in the Paradise Valley area, but despite the
mandatory evacuations, some residents refused to leave. Still, Savage
said residents should rethink their decisions and leave their homes
while they can.

"Our spotters saw signs of mud and debris flow issues," Savage said. "But we got a break right when things were picking up."

— Ruben Vives in La Canada Flintridge and Rong-Gong Lin II in Los Angeles

Photo:  A view of downtown Los Angeles from the 5500 block of Castle Rock Drive in La Canada Flintridge.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Waves generated from a tsunami hit the Southern California coast Saturday afternoon — with little damage or drama.

While hundreds of people went to local beaches to watch the surge, the waves were difficult to detect for many.

The National Weather Service said there was a 2.2-foot surge in Santa Monica and a 3-foot surge in Ventura. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department reported minor damage at Ventura Harbor from several buoys washing away.

No other damage of any significance in Southern California has been reported.

Los Angeles County fire officials said they were not warning people to
stay off beaches because they did not expect waves to rise more than 3
feet. The surges occurred during low tide, lessening the chances of problems.

The advisory was issued after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck about 200 miles southwest of Santiago, Chile, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Some witnesses on the Southern California coast said they noticed the tide receding — which usually marks the beginning of a tsunami event. But they did not detect a major waves coming ashore after that.

–Rong-Gong Lin II and Shelby Grad

Map: This image shows the projected maximum heights in centimeters of tsunami waves as they spread from Chile across the Pacific Ocean. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The tsunami advisory issued for the California coast predicts wave fluctuations of up to 2 feet, but officials said most people won’t notice the difference.

According to a bulletin from the National Weather Service, the fluctuation will last about 30 minutes beginning after 12 p.m. in San Diego and La Jolla, then moving north. The warning covers San Pedro at about 12:15 p.m., Santa Monica at 12:25 p.m. and Santa Barbara at 12:31 p.m.

The massive earthquake that struck near the coast of central Chile has prompted the advisory. Forecasters said widespread inundation is not expected, and officials don’t believe there is a major threat of damage.

The NWS urged residents to stay away from the ocean through the
early afternoon as a precaution, though forecasters stressed they don’t
expect damage. "Wave fluctuation" of 2 feet or less is possible at
Santa Monica Pier around 12:25 p.m.

"The Coast Guard strongly
encourages waterfront users to take extra precautions in preparation
for the possibility of a surge, to include securing vessel mooring
arrangements and possible sources of pollution," according to a U.S.
Geological Survey statement.

Another tsunami warning was issued last year after a large quake in the South Pacific prompted some lifeguards to clear local beaches. But there was no damage, and most people at the beach could not detect any changes.

The advisory was issued after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck about 200 miles southwest of Santiago, Chile, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. 

— Ruben Vives and Shelby Grad

A new storm moved into Southern California early Saturday morning, dumping steady rain, flooding some roads but so far causing no major mudslides.

The National Weather Service said about .8 of an inch of rain had fallen in downtown Los Angeles as of 4 a.m., but officials expected 1-2 inches of rain before the storm moves out Saturday night.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood advisory for foothill areas burned during the Station Fire, which are prone to mudslides and flooding. The NWS also issued a high-surf advisory beginning at 1 p.m.

Steady rain is falling over the La Cañada Flintridge area, where a heavy storm earlier this month caused massive mudslides that damaged dozens of homes.

The debris basins, which collect muck before they can hit residential streets, appeared to be holding.

[Updated at 7:20 a.m.: Standing outside of her home with an umbrella and flashlight, Michele Barkin watched as firefighters drove into her cul de sac on her street to check on the basin that lies only a house away from hers.

"It’s been raining hard all night and I’m worried," she said.

Barkin said she was concerned that the bottom portion of the basin near her home would clog up and cause another overflow of mud. She said she has been keeping in touch with other neighbors through walkie talkies and e-mail.

Flooding closed a portion of the 710 Freeway at Florence Avenue.]

The Los Angeles County Fire Department has been patrolling the Paradise Valley area where mudslides hit.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also has been patrolling the area. Some evacuation orders have been issued, but many residents decided to stay in their homes.

The heaviest rain is forecast to occur through Saturday mid-morning, with scattered showers expected in the afternoon. Rains started falling around 2 a.m., with a top intensity of about a half-inch an hour.

Roads are closed in many parts of the Angeles National Forest. Snow levels are expected to drop to 5,000 feet.

There were reports of scattered road and freeway flooding, and officials were closing roads in the Sepulveda basin area.

— Ruben Vives in La Cañada Flintridge

[For the record: An earlier version of this post incorrectly referred to Paradise Valley as Pleasant Valley.]

Photo: Steve Brown places a sandbag at the K-rails in front
of his home on Ocean View Boulevard in La
Cañada Flintridge. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times



Map of storm activity in California. Credit: National Weather Service

Is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger the model in California?

The state’s information guru seems to think so, according to The Times’ Michael Rothfeld. Writing on PolitiCal, The Times’ California politics blog, Rothfeld says the state’s new  "Social Media Standard"  is designed to make sure employees don’t run amok.

"As with most technologies, there is a measure of risk that must be addressed and mitigated," the state’s chief Information officer, Teri Takai, wrote. Those risks are significant, according to Statewide Information Management Manual Section 66B: tweeting and facebooking can hamper employee productivity, strain Internet connections, cause "reputational risk to personnel, the agency, and the State," result in the leak of sensitive materials, introduce viruses into the "IT environment," and more.

As a shining example of how to do it right, Takai pointed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who she said had "used these communications channels with great success." Among the governor’s dynamic use of social media: a video mocking state lawmakers for debating about cow tails, a picture of a smiley face he made in his oatmeal with fruit, a photo of his Popeye-like biceps, and a video in which he brandished a big knife while proposing to cut the state budget.

The new standard doesn’t seem to leave room for such creativity by most state workers, who must follow an "acceptable use policy" and only use social media sites "to fulfill the business requirements." Only authorized users can participate, and some sites should be disabled to prevent "unnecessary functionality" such as instant messaging.

Read more about the new social media rules here.

Tell us what you think about it? Is the governor a Twitter god? Should the state regulate the way employees use social media?

CALIFORNIA POLITICS: Keep on top of all the latest California political news, from Sacramento deal-making to the Senate and governor’s races on PolitiCal, The Times’ California politics blog.

Both sides of Interstate 5 were closed this afternoon after officials discovered what appears to be a grenade on the roadway. [Updated at 2:15 p.m.: The grenade has been removed, and at least part of the freeway has reopened.]

The traffic backup was building on both sides of the freeway due to the closure, which occurred at Avenida Pico.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad was called in to assess the scene, and officials from the U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton were also being brought in to assist.

Traffic was being diverted onto surface streets.

CHP officer Eric Barnard said the call about the grenade came in around 11:15 p.m. The device, which has wires coming out of it, was found on the southbound side of the freeway.

"We don’t know its origin at this time," he said.

The bomb squad was preparing to detonate the device on the shoulder.

— Andrew Blankstein

More breaking news in L.A. Now:

Couple arrested after woman throws her boyfriend’s puppy into traffic

Audit finds L.A. County supervisors’ behind-the-scenes effort to control policy

Forecasters warn of mudslides, flooding from approaching storm

Police search for 2 cars after 13-year-old girl fatally hit in Brentwood