Latest on Michael Jackson plans

Kevin Roderick • July 5 2009 1:37 PM

They're talking now about a private family funeral at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, with no motorcade through the city. Cops will have their hands full with Tuesday's Staples Center memorial, which requires one of those 17,500 free tickets. The lucky people among the 1.6 million that registered through the Staples Center website should be notified by 8 p.m. today. They will get instructions on how to pick up their tickets tomorrow, when they also will have a wristband affixed that they must wear overnight. Even then, 6,500 of the tickets will be for the Nokia Theatre across the street. The LAPD is asking people not to come if they don't have tickets — they won't get within blocks of the arena. My KCRW commentary that aired Friday was taped before the plans became clearer.

Also: NBC announced today it would join ABC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and E! Entertainment in airing Tuesday's Staples Center event live.

More: Celebrity culture

12:19 AM Sat | City Hall wedding bells

7:24 PM Fri | Angeleno celebrates 10 years

6:59 PM Fri | Be the hardest-working reporter in L.A.

5:59 PM Fri | Manny not going anywhere

5:46 PM Fri | 60% don't want to vote again on marriage

Go to LA Observed

Mega-mortgages

8:44 AM Sat | Bev Hills billionaire Ron Burkle has $56 million in loans against his two houses. The McCourts have borrowed $28 million on their properties.

Go to LA BIZ

'Sire of Wilshire' is back on the air

TJ Sullivan | Steve Jones, the self-proclaimed Sire of Wilshire (a nod to the physical address of his former home at Indie 103.1 FM), is back on the air!

"Ass, Cash or Grass" - I used to be a Swinger

Erika Schickel | She gaped at me like I was living history -- Miss Jane Pittman come to put her withered lips to the "Young Only" fountain straw of ageism.

Contributors • RSS feed

A union gumshoe

As newspapers and television pull back from investigative reporting, foundations and other organizations are beginning to fill the void. One of the most interesting is Accountable California, a project of Local 721 of the Service Employees International Union.

Frugality form

Thinking more about buying less.

Signs of Saturday: No dumping

This drains to the ocean.