Pasadena is throwing its first community-wide book festival all day today at Central Park, just down the street (south) from Old Town Pasadena. I'll be meeting readers and signing some books at the Angel City Press booth from noon to 2 p.m. Stop by and have a chat. LitFest Pasadena, which is free, goes from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Donna Myrow, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit that publishes LA Youth, emails: "We've received $187,000 from individual donors. Fundraising continues and the presses roll next week [on] the May-June issue." Statement from her inside.

in June, the rebuilding of the Wilshire Boulevard on- and off-ramps will begin a year-long traffic disruption in one of the nation's congested spots that will be so majorly disruptive it's being called The Rampture. We've been warning you this was coming. In case you were hoping it would just go away, it didn't.

State wildlife biologist Richard Shinn snapped spotted OR7 on Tuesday in California's Modoc County and snapped the first known color photo of the male gray wolf that crossed over from Oregon in December, becoming California's only documented free-ranging wolf since the 1920s. "He appeared very healthy," said a state wildlife specialist.

This is the official transcript from the White House of what President Obama said from the stage at last night's Democratic fundraiser at George Clooney's home in Studio City.

The Los Angeles woman who everyone in the media seems to be talking about this week is Jamie Lynne Grumet, a 26-year-old mother of two and also a lactation consultant and breastfeeding advocate. She blogs about breastfeeding, mothering and "attachment parenting" at I am Not the Babysitter, but the site seems to be down. Not surprising, given the emotional frenzies sparked by her still breastfeeding her soon-to-be four-year-old son, and Time putting them on the cover in such a provocative pose.

The Lakers had another chance to close out the Nuggets and advance to the next round of the NBA playoffs. Didn't happen: 113-96 final.

President Obama told the guests at tonight's Democratic Party fundraiser in Studio City that his comments yesterday on completing his move into the yes column on same-sex marriage were "a logical extension of what America is supposed to be." Plus notes on who attended, what else Obama said during his 19-minute talk.

Rep. Howard Berman, not Brad Sherman, was invited to meet the president's helicopter at Bob Hope Airport this evening in Burbank. Berman then was swept into the car with Obama and got to discuss the weighty matters of state — or perhaps the Wolfgang Puck menu — on the drive to George Clooney's house for the big fundraiser in Studio City. I'll score that as a major point for Berman.

If I were a betting man, or a Valley commuter hoping to avoid tonight's presidential motorcade traffic snarl, I would avoid the route between Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and Studio City as the clock approaches 7 p.m.

Memorial Day will be extra special in the city of West Hollywood. The city that almost makes sport of ticketing parking violators will go easy on some of its citizens for the holiday.

Click to view the latest weekly photo for LA Observed by Gary Leonard.

Santa Monica's city hall and the Ocean Avenue landmark Chez Jay are not playing well together. The city is developing the parcel around Chez Jay into a park and wants a restaurant that will point inward to the park — not out to the street — and will serve healthier fare than the steaks and stuff drinks that Chez Jay's current patrons like.

The Kings open Sunday evening in Arizona. Tonight, Fox Sports West will re-air the two most memorable games from the only time the Kings ever made it to the third round of the Stanley Cup finals before.

Steve Wasserman, the former longtime books editor at the Los Angeles Times (back in the years when the paper had a Sunday book review section), is giving up the agenting game to become a full-time editor at large for Yale University Press. His first acquisition for Yale is "an intimate history of rock ‘n’ roll" by Greil Marcus.

The Register's news mob swarm of the Angels' season opener worked so well that they're doing it again next month when Disney's California Adventure relaunches.

Studio City braces for Obama, Clippers can't clinch, more bad sheriff's deputies, Time Warner Cable's new sports channels, Magic Johnson's veto power over Frank McCourt's parking lots and more.

The latest cartoon by Steve Greenberg. Click to view bigger.

Some recent political analysis had Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his call for a Democratic Party platform plank supporting gay marriage posing a potential problem for President Barack Obama. I'm not sure it really did pose such a problem then, but Obama has put it out in front of the voters now, for better or worse.

Manuel Anthony Ramos, a ten-year veteran of the Fullerton Police Department, will be the first Orange County police officer to stand trial on a murder charge for his actions while in uniform. A judge ruled today that enough evidence of a crime was presented at a preliminary hearing for Ramos, 38, to face trial on charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian, who represents Studio City, says he has been told that the area south of Ventura Boulevard around Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Fryman Canyon will be pretty much a mess between 8 and 10 p.m. on Thursday. He also confirms that President Obama will stay overnight in Beverly Hills, as on recent trips.

Robert Caro's latest biographical installment on the late president Lyndon Baines Johnson shot to the top of this week's hardcover nonfiction list of the best sellers in Southern California independent bookstores. "Deadlocked" by Charlaine Harris tops the hardcover fiction list, while "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James continues to hold the top of the trade paperback list. (And others in the series the next two spots.) Books and authors page

Live Talks Los Angeles is hosting a May 15 conversation with rocker Gregg Allman. His new memoir is "My Cross to Bear." He will be interviewed by music journalist Alan Light. Tickets are set aside for LA Observed readers.

Profits booming but tax collections aren't, LAUSD requires even worst students to pass college prep courses, Hahn gets Times endorsement, trouble at KCET's production partner, LACMA apologizes to breastfeeding mom, and "Follies" opens tonight at the Ahmanson.

President Obama returns to Los Angeles on Thursday to separate more Democrats from their $40,000. He's going to George Clooney's house in Studio City's Fryman Canyon, but how he will get there nobody's saying. The president will overnight somewhere in the LA area — back in Beverly Hills or does a new hotel get to host Obama this time?

The city bills the new parking meters as smarter and cooler. For drivers, though, they foretell some expensive lessons in how you can't cheat technology. Get ready for more tickets.

World Peace says he was "over-excited" when he smashed the head of James Harden of the Oklahama City Thunder. Officials of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health are forgiving of their very public partner.

A former newshand at KFWB, Buhler moved into the Christian broadcasting side of radio in 1980. He did his final "Talk From the Heart" show on KBRT/740 AM in Costa Mesa last Sept. 16 due to advancing cancer of the pancreas.

Kobe Bryant almost single-handedly brought the Lakers back from a big deficit in the final minutes of tonight's game at Staples Center, sinking three-pointers one after another. But Denver hung on to win 102-99 and stay alive in the best-of-seven playoff series. Game 6 is in Denver on Thursday.

The online newspaper WeHo News apparently shut down March 1 and now has returned. The hiatus was due to founder and editor Ryan Gierach checking himself into residential rehab to quit drinking.

Prosecutors allege that former Glendale city councilman John Drayman embezzled between $304,000 and $880,000 from the weekly farmers market in Montrose, and filed false tax returns that did not reflect his true income.

An LA media person sent this along. Ms. magazine is looking to hire an associate editor to work in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Times is taking its newly vacant position of books editor in a somewhat new direction — emphasizing knowledge of pop culture and adding a focus on "California and the West" to the editor's job. The title is even being redefined to as "Books and Culture Editor."

The latest cartoon by Steve Greenberg. Click to view bigger.

Word got out this morning that Austin Beutner was telling friends and supporters that his quest to become mayor of Los Angeles next year was over. Mark Lacter had an item earlier at LA Biz Observed. Here's Beutner's statement this afternoon.

Yes, the long wait is over. We now know what the bathrooms will look like when the Hollywood Bowl season opens. Courtesy of ZevWeb.

Sheriff's stories, Valley Republicans, what Charles Dickens would think of LA transit, missing Fox executive, inside LA Youth, an LAT vet jumps to the New York Times and the Kings will play Phoenix. Plus more inside.

The creator of "Where the Wild Things Are" and other dark children's fantasy books died Tuesday at a hospital in Danbury, Conn. "Where the Wild Things Are," published in 1963, became one of the bestselling children's books of all time. Here he is with Stephen Colbert.

The Clippers beat the Grizzlies in overtime on Monday night at Staples Center — 101-97 was the final score. One more win and the Clippers will reach the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Parking fines in Los Angeles are already way disproportionate to the crime, but in his desperation to balance his budget Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is planning to ask for the sixth increase in his time in office. Is it a policy move because parking violations are becoming some kind of civic nuisance? Uh, no. It's about money — and parking after the street sweeper comes could cost you a day's pay.

I haven't posted much about this Orange County case, in which a homeless man was beaten so severely at police hands that he died, but the video of what happened to Kelly Thomas was released today. Thomas's pleas for his dad to help him are what may get to you. Warning: the video and audio are graphic.

It's not just Lara Logan. The presence of Anderson Cooper probably helps too. But it's an interesting ratings trend. "The oldest newsmagazine on television," writes Brian Stelter in the New York Times, "might have figured out how to halt the aging process."

The Inglewood artist died over the weekend, just a week after the opening of the Expo Line, which features his artwork in the Crenshaw station. The MTA joined friends on Facebook in announcing his death.

John Fenton came to Metrolink about two years ago, after the disastrous crash of a Metrolink train and a freight train in Chatsworth. He said Monday he is stepping down for family and professional reasons to become the chief executive officer of Patriot Rail Corp.

Jon Thurber, the Los Angeles Times book editor since 2010, is leaving the paper at the end of the summer. He's one of the few remaining 40-year employees. The note from editor Davan Maharaj is silent on what Thurber may be going off to do, or on the future of the books staff. Read the memo inside.

In "one of the most competitive congressional races in recent history," the Daily News editorial is asking voters to cast ballots for Democrat Howard Berman and Republican Susan Shelley. That leaves out the Valley's other big congressional incumbent, Brad Sherman. Here's what they say in this morning's editorial.

A supposedly independent committee that is spending money on behalf of Rep. Howard Berman in the big San Fernando Valley showdown is too close to the congressman, says the campaign of rival Rep. Brad Sherman.

A rash of lawmaker arrests, stadium vs Port of LA, Chief Beck and the police commission, mythical fireballs at Beverly Hills High School, the Lakers win and much more for a Monday.

Fidel Lopez was dragged from his truck, beaten and nearly killed at Florence and Normandie just minutes after the same bad luck fell on Reginald Denny, the afternoon of April 29, 1992. Lopez had gasoline poured over him as he lay on the ground and was saved from death by a pastor who told the attackers they would have to kill him too. Lopez has not been seen in the media much since then, so Times columnist Steve Lopez tracked him down. Wasn't easy.

When Giovanni Ramirez attended the first game at Dodger Stadium in April — his first ever — fans asked for his autograph or to take a picture with him. A television crew taped an interview. "Of the all the 56,000 fans who bought tickets for opening day at Dodger Stadium," writes J.P. Hoonstra in the Daily News, " it's possible that none were treated as well" as Ramirez.

Pujols went 111 at-bats into his 10-year, $240-million new life in the American League before finally clubbing a home run on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim. It was the longest homerless drought in his career. When he got back to the dugout, his Angels teammates were nowhere to be found.

The LA Kings' amazing playoff run continues. They swept out the St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon, winning 3-1, and are now 8-1 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings are going to the third round, the Western Conference finals, for the first time since Wayne Gretzky led the team in 1993. Inside: Photo of Phil Anschutz at the game, ticket info for round three, video of the handshake.