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Mayor Eric Garcetti started his annual two-week Navy reserve training period, his office said. "He will also carry out his duties as Mayor, including his pursuit of the best possible DWP employee contract. Due to his naval service, public events will be limited during this period." LAT, Sausage Factory
Garcetti went public last night with his campaign to reform the DWP, speaking to neighborhood council activists and calling on Angelenos to support him by signing an online petition entitled "Fix DWP!" LAT
Garcetti has chosen a former Santa Ana schools superintendent and Obama administration education official, Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, as his top education advisor, a key appointment in his evolving relationship with the Los Angeles Unified School District. LAT, LA School Report, KPCC
Garcetti named another of his so-called independent campaign fundraisers to a city post: Samantha Millman to the Central Area Planning Commission. DN
The 10 Most Interesting Moments of Eric Garcetti’s First 50 Days. Downtown News/Regardie
The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote Tuesday to nominate Assistant Assessor Sharon Moller to take over as chief deputy assessor and de facto head of the department. Santos Kreimann, who had held the post since Noguez went on leave, moved to a position in the county's chief executive office Monday. LAT
Three months after California Gov. Jerry Brown and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval reached an agreement on the governance of the basin surrounding Lake Tahoe, the governors praised the accord here Monday, and Brown fired back at environmentalists who fear it will lead to more development. Sacto Bee, LAT
In an apparent about-face, San Francisco Fire Department officials said Monday they will revisit restrictions on firefighters' use of helmet-mounted cameras after concluding that footage from the Asiana Airlines crash showed the value of the devices. SF Chronicle
Texas Gov. Rick Perry will address hundreds of activists in the nation’s biggest state GOP in October as the headliner at the California Republican Party convention in Anaheim. SF Chronicle
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner and his legal opponents held all-day settlement talks Monday involving the top officials in San Diego, while a recall effort remained in full swing and a group of supporters rallied outside City Hall to urge Filner to stay in office. The talks center on the harassment lawsuit filed by attorney Gloria Allred on behalf of former mayoral aide Irene McCormack Jackson. U-T San Diego, LAT
Once over very lightly with new LA councilman Curren Price. Los Angeles
Jill Abramson of the New York Times sits for a Q&A with Michael Kinsley. New Republic
Also: Kinsley suggests all of the Tribune papers be merged into a national newspaper to rival the New York Times. "Most of the heavy lifting, in terms of national and international coverage, would probably be supplied by Los Angeles Times journalists." New Republic
O.C. Register owner Aaron Kushner bets heavily on print. LAT
By Jason Felch
Press-Telegram columnist Tim Grobaty writes about the arrival of the Register's new Long Beach paper, tries to look on the bright side. P-T
Why the arrival of Al Jazeera America today matters. Baltimore Sun
The company that owns the Santa Monica Mirror bought the Brentwood News. Mirror
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says the state's prison realignment program, AB 109, is costing his department $18.1 million this year and forcing officers to diver to checking on ex-cons. KPCC
Lois Goodman, the tennis referee cleared of killing her husband, sued the city, the LAPD and the county coroner. LAT
5 Cities Buy More Than Half of All Electric Vehicles in the U.S. Wired
Faced with job complaints, Loyola Law School accepting fewer students. LAT
The Petersen Automotive Museum's renovations could carry a $20-million price tag and add 15,000 feet of display space. LAT
From the LA Times' film critic:
without great fanfare, "20 Feet From Stardom" has become the year's top grossing doc. People just like it. http://t.co/AN1npnpUwG
— Kenneth Turan (@KennethTuran) August 16, 2013
