Villaraigosa names Chris Essel to run CRA

Going with loyalty, I guess. Mayor Antontio Villaraigosa today named defeated City Council candidate Christine Essel to be the top executive of the Community Redevelopment Agency. She's a former senior vice president of government and community affairs for Paramount Pictures and had been an airport commissioner for Villaraigosa. Leading up to her run for office in the Valley, Essel was board chair of the Central City Association in 2007 and 08. She lost the council race to Paul Krekorian despite heavy spending on her behalf by downtown interests.