Schwarzenegger at a Democratic fundraiser, the coming initiative war and that South L.A. woman is still missing in Malibu Canyon. Those items and more after the jump. Remember, Mark Lacter remains off today.

• Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared at the San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee's Onward to Victory Gala fundraiser. Capitol Weekly
• Three weeks after Mitrice Richardson apparently vanished in Malibu Canyon, the South L.A. woman is still missing but detectives sound convinced she has not met with foul play. LAT
• An all-out initiative war over taxes is looming for the November 2010 election, Joel Fox argues. Fox & Hounds Daily, Capitol Weekly
• The latest case of a neighborhood council official misusing city funds prompted David Demerjian, head of the district attorney's Public Integrity Division, to say "I can't believe the city hands out credit cards like this -- it's incredible." LAT
• The City Council is considering a series of tax breaks and other perks, including free parking, to keep Hollywood productions in the city. LAT
• San Fernando City Administrator Jose Pulido became the fourth top-level official of the small city to resign in recent months. DN
• L.A. County sheriff's deputy James Mee will not face charges for allegedly calling TMZ to leak news about Mel Gibson's arrest in Malibu in 2006. LAT
• Former Los Angeles musician Exene Cervenka is back in Southern California and living in Orange County after a four-year stint in Missouri. LA Weekly
• The revamped Westfield Culver City mall, formerly the Fox Hills Mall, opens today. LAT
• Occasional New York Times stringer Ana Facio Contreras contributed a post on tension over street vendors in Boyle Heights to The Eastsider LA.
• The future can soon be foretold in Santa Monica. Agenda item
• Former KPCC reporter Doualy Xaykaothao, based in South Korea, has been reporting from Sumatra on the earthquake toll. NPR
• Gourmet was more than a magazine. NPR
• Geneva Overholser explains USC Annenberg's new name as the School for Communication & Journalism. OJR
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will kick off a graffiti removal effort in the Los Angeles River channel on Thursday at 8:45 a.m. at the 6th Street entrance to the L.A. River, along the north side of the 6th Street bridge.
• For Gustavo Arellano's talk today at a speaker series at the state Public Utilities Commission downtown, the invitation warns: "Please note that Gustavo falls into the 'politically incorrect' category of humorist. If this type of humor offends - perhaps this speaker is not for you."
• LAT book reviewer Sarah Weinman began a new column called The Criminalist for Barnes & Noble Review. The Knowledgeable Blogger
• LA Observed columnist Bill Boyarsky discusses and signs "Inventing L.A.: The Chandlers and Their Times" at Diesel Books in the Brentwood Country Mart at 7 p.m. Info