Montorio says he was 'surprised' at firing

New boss Russ Stanton walked in on Friday and summarily fired the Times managing editor for features. "It was really quite brief and to the point. There was no emotionalism, no hostility and bitterness," Montorio says. Here's his exit email from previously. NYO

Inside the beef recall

The vegan Humane Society operative who filmed inside Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. called the illegal use of "downer" cattle — animals that can't walk to slaughter — blatant. Though there was no health risk behind the recall of 143 million pounds of beef, downers are more likely to have Mad Cow. LAT interview.

Supt. Brewer still has no inner team

Jaime Regalado, director of the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs, says "What it looks like is a crisis. It's a year and a half later and he is still talking about the same thing - putting a team together - and he doesn't have a senior staff yet." DN

Ridley-Thomas picks up law enforcement unions

You knew the Police Protective League wasn't going to support Bernard Parks. Mark Ridley-Thomas will announce the endorsement, and that of ALADS and the probation officers, at 10:30 am in front of the Lennox Sheriff’s Station.

LAT catches up on port trucks

Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners is expected to vote today on whether to continue using independent truckers, walking away from a joint effort with the Port of LA. The P-T, Breeze and other port watchers had it last week. LAT

Firebomb thrown at Jewish campus in Valley

A Molotov cocktail thrown at a building at the Bernard Milken Jewish Community Campus in West Hills early this morning is being investigated as a hate crime. DN wires

Variety launches 'The Biz'

Variety.com/thebiz is billed as the first social networking website for the entertainment business...."an online community for media professionals who can, among other things, search for jobs, pitch projects and exchange ideas. It also will serve as a venue for job recruiters..." Variety

Weisberg book

Author Jacob Weisberg is in town and will read from "The Bush Tragedy" tonight at a cocktail party hosted by Arianna Huffington and Deborah Needleman, editor of Conde Nast's Domino magazine, at Chez Huffington.

Everything, and more, about Columbia journalism

Nicholas Lemann, dean of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, accidentally sent his students his own self-evaluation. It was intended for his boss and lays out the case for giving him a second term. The whole thing — it's long — is at Romenesko.

One way to celebrate Presidents Day

Jason Burns at Metroblogging took a shot at connecting every U.S. president to Los Angeles in some manner. And he did it. MBLA

Headmaster to leave Crossroads

Roger Weaver has led the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences for 15 years. LAT