Morning Buzz: Thursday 3.27.08

Should Marcus Allen be CAO?

Daily News editorial says no, citing Allen's crossover from city service to lobbyist: "Allen's experience aside, he is a questionable choice to fill this important job in a time of financial crisis....Allen might still possess the integrity for which he was once so admired, but his association with these lobbying interests will haunt him and the city - where insiders already hold too much sway." DN

Daily News also against zoo fees hike

Plans to increase admission at the L.A. Zoo by 40% leads the Daily News to write an editorial that says "Kids are easy targets. They are too young to realize they're having to pay for the grown-ups' failures. And even if they do put it together, they can't vote." DN

Commie Girl comes north

When Steve Lowery takes over as editor as CityBeat, the paper will also tap District Weekly for new arts editor Rebecca Schoenkopf. She also is a former OC Weekly staffer and columnist, and the author of the forthcoming "Commie Girl in the OC" from Verso Books.

Feinstein questions corruption unit disbanding

Sen. Dianne Feinstein wrote a letter asking Atty. Gen. Michael Mukasey to explain the recent disbanding of a high-profile unit in the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles that specialized in prosecuting public corruption cases. Feinstein said she read about the shake-up in news accounts. LAT

Lefsetz profiled in WashPost

Influential music industry analyst Bob Lefsetz of the Lefsetz Letter "is something like Jim Cramer with a country-music obsession and a distaste for the synthetic drums of Top 40 pop. Basically, he comes off as kind of a nut," writes J. Freedom du Lac. WashPost

Molina gets roasted

Supervisor Gloria Molina is the target of tonight's annual political roast for diabetes put on by lobbyist Arnie Berghoff and friends.