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I'm fixing to wind down for a week or so of vacation and light posting — yes, right in the middle of a runoff campaign for mayor. Today's Morning Buzz will be a short stack.
The last three months have the driest opening of the year on record in the Sierra Nevada, leaving the snowpack at about half of normal. LAT
City Council President Herb Wesson revealed the members of his committee headed by Mickey Kantor to study city budget issues: mostly political insiders with a lean toward Wendy Greuel supporters. LAT, DN, LA Weekly, Citywatch
Despite a last-minute intervention by Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti, the city's Planning Commission moved forward Thursday with a bold development project that could add two towering skyscrapers to the Hollywood skyline. LAT
NPR is dropping "Talk of the Nation" and partnering with WBUR in Boston on an expanded "Here and Now." Host Neal Conan will leave the network. NPR will continue to distribute “Science Friday with Ira Flatow.” NPR, NYT
The OC Register website will institute a full paywall in April, says OC Weekly
Charles Apple displays and discusses the recent redesign of the Daily News print paper. Copydesk.org
LA Times City Hall reporter Kate Linthicum on Twitter: "Very sad to hear about the death of Alex Renteria, who worked @ City Hall's Homeboy Diner. I wrote about him in 2011."
Mayor Villaraigosa endorsed John Choi in the 13th council district runoff.
Kevin James asked his supporters to tell him who if anyone he should endorse in the mayoral primary. Sausage Factory
Councilman Bernard Parks endorsed Ana Cubas in the 9th council district race.
Joe Mathews will write a new weekly California column for Zocalo Public Square that will be syndicated in newspapers around the state. Release
This week a jury awarded 19-year old William Fetters $1,127,600 in medical bills and damages for pain and suffering, after the Palmdale teen was shot on May 10, 2009 by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy, Scott Sorrow. Witness LA
Crawdaddy magazine founder Paul Williams, "often credited for helping establish the field of rock music criticism in the mid-1960s," died Wednesday at age 64 from complications related to a 1995 bicycle accident. LAT
