LA CityBeat's first issue is online now and includes a cover story (with photo of Osama Bin Laden) in which the LAPD's newscaster-turned-terrorism expert John Miller is turned loose to argue that Los Angeles is a target and, naturally, he needs a bunch more staff. Balance comes from former chief Bernard Parks, who says additional anti-terrorism cops aren't necessary. Also in the issue: A quick take on the Hahn-council battle over new cops [see the posting below], a story on the Glendale cops, and a story on toxic problems at the former Rocketdyne site in the Valley that also has been covered in the sister publication, Pasadena Weekly. Andy Klein reviews Hollywood Homicide and there is a place in the template for Jill Stewart's Capitol Punishment column, even though she told L.A. Observed she won't be writing for the paper. There's no masthead on the site, so we'll have to get the paper to see who else is involved.

[Update: The site is evolving through the day -- first day jitters. They took down the Stewart spot and added a Valley Boy column by Erik Himmelsbach, whose point of view I can find nothing to disagree with. In fact it'll be going up at The Valley Observed.]