Walter Moore

Until 19 months ago, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Walter Moore was not the slightest bit interested in city government. To him, it dealt with the dull and quotidian. As he put it: "Sewage pipes, sidewalks, streets -- who cares?" Then in July 2003, the Westchester lawyer read that Mayor James K. Hahn wanted to spend $9 billion to modernize Los Angeles International Airport. This affected him in an unusual way. He became angry -- and then he became engrossed.

In the early positioning in the race to succeed Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, most of the political energy is being generated by two candidates who are fighting for long-shot status. Developer Rick Caruso and investment banker Austin Beutner both want to be regarded as the preeminent candidate appealing to Republicans in the race, a mixed blessing in one of the nation's most stalwartly Democratic cities. Why would anyone want to be a Republican standard-bearer in a city where you could fire a cannon down Broadway at rush hour and not put a single Republican at risk?

It's Tuesday night and Walter Moore, candidate for Los Angeles mayor, is on the air and taking calls. Ripping the record of the current officeholder, Antonio Villaraigosa, consumes a major chunk of his hour with KABC-AM's John Phillips. "Ask yourself, how would the city be different if it were expressly run by developers, gangs and the nation of Mexico? You'd be hard pressed to come up with any policy changes," Moore tells listeners. The often caustic world of L.A.

It's Tuesday night and Walter Moore, candidate for Los Angeles mayor, is on the air and taking calls. Ripping the record of the current officeholder, Antonio Villaraigosa, consumes a major chunk of his hour with KABC-AM's John Phillips. "Ask yourself, how would the city be different if it were expressly run by developers, gangs and the nation of Mexico? You'd be hard pressed to come up with any policy changes," Moore tells listeners. The often caustic world of L.A.

Re "GOP Candidate Makes Some Waves," Feb. 28: Many thanks for giving my favorite candidate some coverage. I, like so many other Angelenos, are sick to death of career politicians -- they no sooner get into office and they begin raising money for their next job. It seems that nobody has a fighting chance at all of being elected unless he becomes the errand boy for special interests. An honest person doesn't have a chance. I'm voting for Walter Moore. Dorothy Garven Los Angeles

In the early positioning in the race to succeed Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, most of the political energy is being generated by two candidates who are fighting for long-shot status. Developer Rick Caruso and investment banker Austin Beutner both want to be regarded as the preeminent candidate appealing to Republicans in the race, a mixed blessing in one of the nation's most stalwartly Democratic cities. Why would anyone want to be a Republican standard-bearer in a city where you could fire a cannon down Broadway at rush hour and not put a single Republican at risk?

If anyone ever considered it a problem UCLA has two quarterbacks good enough to start, they can rethink that now. Consider Arizona State. After star quarterback Andrew Walter left the game because of a right ankle injury in the first half, Arizona State was left with freshman Sam Keller, who had thrown only 12 passes in his career. "It was unfortunate for Arizona State to lose their starting quarterback," UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell said. "I have been there when we lost ours."

When his hot-air balloon with "God Is Love" emblazoned on the side succumbed to desert rot, Leonard Knight knew he needed a better way to spread the good news. So he decided to paint a few biblical phrases on a hilly mound near the broken truck he calls home in a gravelly and desolate Imperial County squatters' encampment known as Slab City. That was seven years ago. Knight, 62, has been painting brightly colored religious messages and soothing pastoral scenes ever since.

A $1,000 limit on direct contributions to candidates for mayor of Los Angeles was lifted Tuesday after Walter Moore, a little-known Republican candidate, loaned his campaign $100,000. Moore, a 45-year-old attorney, said he chose to make a substantial investment of personal funds because reporters would not treat him as a serious candidate in the absence of a campaign war chest. "I don't think it's right," he said. "It doesn't matter that you graduated from Princeton ...

Mayoral candidate Walter Moore has qualified for city matching funds and collected a $43,000 check for his campaign. Moore is one of the nine candidates challenging Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in the city's March 3 primary election, and the only one to raise enough in campaign contributions to qualify for city matching funds. Candidates must raise at least $150,000 in contributions of $500 or less from individuals to qualify. Moore had raised close to $203,000 as of Jan. 17 and had spent all of it, records show.

Re "GOP Candidate Makes Some Waves," Feb. 28: Many thanks for giving my favorite candidate some coverage. I, like so many other Angelenos, are sick to death of career politicians -- they no sooner get into office and they begin raising money for their next job. It seems that nobody has a fighting chance at all of being elected unless he becomes the errand boy for special interests. An honest person doesn't have a chance. I'm voting for Walter Moore. Dorothy Garven Los Angeles

Until 19 months ago, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Walter Moore was not the slightest bit interested in city government. To him, it dealt with the dull and quotidian. As he put it: "Sewage pipes, sidewalks, streets -- who cares?" Then in July 2003, the Westchester lawyer read that Mayor James K. Hahn wanted to spend $9 billion to modernize Los Angeles International Airport. This affected him in an unusual way. He became angry -- and then he became engrossed.

A $1,000 limit on direct contributions to candidates for mayor of Los Angeles was lifted Tuesday after Walter Moore, a little-known Republican candidate, loaned his campaign $100,000. Moore, a 45-year-old attorney, said he chose to make a substantial investment of personal funds because reporters would not treat him as a serious candidate in the absence of a campaign war chest. "I don't think it's right," he said. "It doesn't matter that you graduated from Princeton ...

If anyone ever considered it a problem UCLA has two quarterbacks good enough to start, they can rethink that now. Consider Arizona State. After star quarterback Andrew Walter left the game because of a right ankle injury in the first half, Arizona State was left with freshman Sam Keller, who had thrown only 12 passes in his career. "It was unfortunate for Arizona State to lose their starting quarterback," UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell said. "I have been there when we lost ours."

After endorsing Jim Hahn for mayor in 2001 and 2005, the Central City Assn. has decided to come out early and back incumbent Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in his 2009 reelection bid. "We think he has brought new energy to the city," said Carol Schatz, president of the business advocacy group whose members include some major Hollywood studios. "He has been able to bring some transportation dollars here. He supports the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles." Thus far, Villaraigosa faces no major opposition.

Campaign aides to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Friday that his 2009 reelection campaign has collected $2.3 million, an amount likely to scare away all but the most well-financed challengers. Villaraigosa political strategist Ace Smith said the total shows "overwhelming support for the mayor's leadership in taking on the city's biggest challenges." Billionaire shopping mall developer Rick Caruso, a prolific Republican fundraiser, said last summer that he was considering a challenge to the mayor.