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State budget already in trouble, bullet train gets even more expensive, remapping politics at county, dinner at Rupert's, an ovation for "The Help," and invoking God to get through the news. Plus good news from Bryan Stow's hospital room.
California's budget already is showing signs of trouble less than seven weeks after it was enacted, as taxes and other revenue fell short by 10 percent of the state's projected income for July, Controller John Chiang said Tuesday. AP, LAT, Chronicle, Bee
For the second time since voters approved California's massive bullet train project, the state on Tuesday raised the total price tag for the first stretch by several billion dollars. Mercury
Supervisor Don Knabe fought back against proposed Latino redistricting that would move his base with an ethnic coalition of his own, plus other map politics. LAT, Daily Breeze, KPCC News, DN
Sean Harrigan, Mayor Villaraigosa's appointee as president of the Fire and Police Pensions board from 2006-2009, wants the city to reimburse his legal costs for fighting a Security and Exchange Commission investigation. LAT
In "something of a Hail Mary move in the hope of finding some way to rebuild the crumbling support" for county probation chief Donald Blevins, the Probation Commission is scheduled to vote today to “affirm confidence" in his management. Witness LA
The list of candidates in the 15th council district keeps changing. Daily Breeze
The city of Carson plans to spend thousands of dollars to reorder the names of its elected leaders as they appear on several signs posted around town. Daily Breeze
It's a summer tradition at News Corp. Top Los Angeles-based entertainment executives, along with their spouses, mingle with members of the company's board of directors for an elegant dinner at Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch's Benedict Canyon home. Company Town
The Hollywood Reporter's Matt Belloni took in the academy's premiere of "The Help" and tweeted that it got a big ovation: "Looks like we've got our first real Oscar contender." Twitter
Channel 5 anchor Cher Calvin sent a faith-based tweet before last night's show on KTLA: "Dear God, please let me make it through the 10 pm news cast tonight ... considering how sick I feel.. and that I am anchoring solo. Thank u." Twitter
The whole shaky Shaquille O'Neal kidnapping case was thrown out of court. LAT
LAPD officers were involved in more use-of-force incidents in the first half of 2011 than during the comparable period last year, due, in part to the early release of parolees, officials said. DN
Bryan Stow's family says the Dodger Stadium beating victim lifted his limbs in response to commands and blew kisses to his sister. Suppor4BryanStow.com
A new study from the University of Southern California finds that the cool waters off the coast of Los Angeles are acting as a carbon sink by sequestering more carbon than other parts of the world’s oceans. Climate Watch
UCLA's library acquired the historical records of the L.A. Unified School District, previously the city schools, dating back to the 1800s. UCLA Newsroom
About 150 unruly cyclists, some of whom may have been drinking, held up traffic in Playa del Rey, and six were given citations. L.A. Now, DN wires