Morning Buzz: Monday 10.27.08

LAT circulation down another 5%, to 739,147 daily and 1,055,076 Sunday. Looks like sub-million Sunday circulation is a sad but definite possibility. Several other papers lost 10% or more. Editor & Publisher
The Times is running a seven-part series on the history of the LAPD's once notorious, but long-gone Gangster Squad that reporter Paul Lieberman began working on in 1992. LAT
Mayor Villaraigosa's $2.3 million campaign kitty gets the attention of editor Jon Regardie, who writes "Villaraigosa is building up a war chest for an election in which it's virtually impossible for him to lose. Already backed by labor and business groups, and with no significant opponent signed on (the closest thing to a competitor, Walter Moore, finished sixth when he ran for mayor in 2005...), Villaraigosa would need a Herculean effort to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." Downtown News
Chasing the Rick Caruso running for mayor boomlet. LAT, Rick Orlov
For every $1 raised by Mark Ridley-Thomas's campaign for the Board of Supervisors, unions have raised nearly $9 for a separate campaign on his behalf. LAT
The daughter of the late Assembly Speaker Jess Unruh is running for a water board seat in the South Bay, using the once-famous name in a fashion. Daily Breeze
Agencies shouldn't spend public money to tell you how to vote. LAT editorial
The Internet domain for the Patterico Pontifications politics blog was transferred and auctioned off in a billing and renewal snafu, forcing Patrick Frey to move temporarily to Patterico.net and launch a campaign to get his domain back. Patterico
AIDS Healthcare Foundation had an 8 am press conference scheduled to make hay about Sarah Palin citing an Alaska store called "Out of the Closet," not part of the foundation's chain of thrift shops. Patt Morrison, AHF
TV reporter John Schwada blogs about the pain of college essay season. Fox 11