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In addition to the newsy posts below about Nissan and Chief Bratton, here are some morning nuggets...
♦ The City Council approved an unusual tax-exempt bond scheme that could be worth $8 million to a certain private Catholic high school. Oh by the way, Mayor Villaraigosa's son attends Loyola. The ACLU is not amused.
♦ Steve Lopez has a new name for the Valley busway: Orange Crush. The final toll Wednesday was seventeen injuries.
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♦ S. Irene Virbila's review of Literati II today doesn't mention that the space at Wilshire and Bundy in West Los Angeles was a Koo Koo Roo until three of the restaurant's workers were murdered on the street outside in 2002, probably in a gang retaliation shooting. Not that she should have—I'm just saying...
♦ The Lakers won their season opener in OT in Denver. One game in and Kobe and Phil are still talking. They debut at Staples Center tonight against Phoenix. It has been noticed that the Times' Lakers bloggers have been linking a lot to stories in the Daily News. Good for them. In other news, I'll only say this once: the Clippers also won.
♦ Anne-Marie O'Connor has replaced Scott Martelle on the Times' book features beat. He had a Media Dish piece in yesterday's Food section on the ethical questions swirling around Esquire critic John Mariani's list of the nation's "20 Best New Restaurants," including Providence and Ortolan here. Seems he eats on the restaurants' dime, sometimes at the chefs' invitation.
♦ I'm told that New Times editorial honcho Mike Lacey and LA Weekly editor Laurie Ochoa finally sat down Wednesday—alone. They were supposed to meet last Friday, but instead New Times business-side honcho Jim Larkin and Village Voice boss David Schneiderman came to town and met with the Weekly's publisher Beth Sestanovich. Gossip is they asked her to stay on for now.
♦ The LA Weekly can't bring itself to endorse Herb Wesson for the City Council, but goes for Jose Huizar in the 14th district. Earlier in the week, the Downtown News threw up its hands and said you decide between Huizar and Nick Pacheco. Ex-councilman Richard Alatorre also dodges in a Q-and-A with CityBeat's Dean Kuipers.
♦ Fishbowl LA says its Claude Brodesser was first out with the Hollywood news that agent and Endeavor partner John Lesher is jumping to Paramount Pictures. The blog didn't have the title, but Variety, Claudia Eller at the LAT and David M. Halbfinger at the NYT say he will be president of Paramount Classics.