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News and notes are hidden after the jump. Also see today's Mark Lacter morning headlines at LA Biz Observed, and follow Mark and Kevin on Twitter.
- Sgt. James Crowley, the white Massachusetts police officer who arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, is due to appear today at the Fraternal Order of Police convention in Long Beach. LAT
- The state Legislature returns today from a three-week recess. LAT, Chronicle
- City Hall's budget deal is in jeopardy as plans to get union concessions falter and contract talks with police and firefighters grow increasingly acrimonious. LAT
- City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is keeping something of a low profile, Rick Orlov says, and Councilwoman Janice Hahn is looking at a possible run for Lieutenant Governor. DN/Tipoffs
- Willie Brown speculates that Robert Hertzberg could emerge as Gov. Schwarzenegger's appointee for Lieutenant Governor if John Garamendi wins the Norcal congressional seat he is seeking. SF Chronicle
- Michael Jackson will be buried Aug. 29 at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, his father says. LAT
- Former Valley activist and candidate Arline Mathews is the subject of today's Column One over her concern about the rapist who may get out prison after 22 years. LAT
- How that big free health care clinic at the Forum in Inglewood came together with help from record executive Jerry Moss.LAT
- The number of retired L.A. County employees receiving pensions of $100,000 a year or more has nearly tripled from 1,198 in 2004 to 3,096 today, DN
- The Port of Los Angeles has retained Atlanta-based lobbyists The Gephardt Group to push for changes in the status of truckers at the port. LABJ
- The City Council delayed a vote on fee waivers for private events until after its annual two-week summer recess. DN, DN
- An update in the controversy over U.S. District judge Manuel Real. LAT
- Betty Pleasant, distraught at Chief Bratton's plan to leave the LAPD, says she's mad as hell over "the black community’s loss of the one city official it could trust." The Wave
- The Huffington Post announced a new collaboration with Facebook called HuffPost Social News.
- The September fashion magazines are much skimpier than last year, signaling more bad ad news. WSJ
- Former LA Weekly and CityBeat writer Matthew Fleischer is writing the L.A. Flaneur blog for True/Slant.
- Science writer and USC Annenberg professor K.C. Cole is on KPCC with Larry Mantle at 11:40 a.m. to talk about her book "Something Incredibly Wonderful Happens: Frank Oppenheimer and the World He Made Up."
- Local hero obituaries: Ernst Katz, founder of the Junior Philharmonic Orchestra, and Mary B. Henry, civil rights activist.