Extra, Extra: Free the Prisoners, Save the Poles!

• Trying to avert a state fiscal disaster, Gov. Schwarzenator is considering major cuts to the state budget that could result in the release of tens of thousands of inmates and $1.4 billion in cuts to schools, among other things. But he might meet some resistance from advocacy groups who object to the deep cuts. Boys and Girls, looks like we gonna have a good ol fashioned Sac town brouhaha.
  
• You guys remember Boy Meets World? You remember Cory Matthews' girlfriend/wife Topanga Lawrence? The real life Topanga, Danielle Fishel, was arrested on drunk driving charges in Newport Beach this morning.
  
• A craigslist.org prostitution ring netted 37 people in the San Gabriel Valley this week. You know, I totally missed the Prostitution category on Craigslist. Had I known it was there...
  
• A new Texas law that goes into effect Jan. 1 will levy a $5 "pole tax" against customers who visit strip joints in the Lone Star State. Most of the money will go to rape victims, but some strippers are crying foul, saying customers will be driven away and that it's unconstitutional. Yup, when all else fails, cloak yourself in the goodness of free speech.
  
• In the wake of scandals and general nefariousness amongst some narcos, the LAPD gang and narcotics unit will be required to disclose their financial information. But some are like, this shit ain't gonna work. “If I am a corrupt cop," one officer said. "I can tell you, I am not putting the money I steal into my checking account.”
  
• Perry Kucinich, brother of Democratic presidential candidate Dennis, was found dead in his apartment this week in Cleveland. Perry was slightly less proactive than his progressive brother. He once attempted to rob a bank in Cleveland while his brother was mayor of the city.
  
• What was the most underreported humanitarian crisis of 2007? If you guessed the crisis in Somalia, you know your stuff. "As violence in Somalia escalated this year to some of the worst levels in over 15 years, both assistance for and attention to one of the most challenging and acute humanitarian situations in the world seemed to wane," Doctors Without Borders said.
  

Photo by ~db~ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr