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Prisoner release on hold, Chief Beck changes his tune on pot clinics, praising Army Archerd and the Bodhi Tree, and much more in an extra-full, post-long weekend edition.
- The Supreme Court this morning put on hold the court-ordered release of 40,000 California prison inmates.
- There was quite a turnout at the Saban Theater on Wilshire Boulevard for a tribute to the late Daily Variety columnist Army Archerd, says Cynthia Littleton. Variety
- Migrating gray whales in the San Pedro Channel have company close to shore this year in humpback, blue and minke whales. Daily Breeze
- LAPD chief Charlie Beck has changed his tune on medical marijuana shops, saying now that the stats don't show they are a magnet for crime. Last year he testified "they are the hub of crime." LA Daily
- The Hollywood Freeway has the most congested commute in the U.S., based on the data and criteria used by, of all places, the Daily Beast.
- Mayor Villaraigosa and a bunch of other local mayors are heading to D.C. this week for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and Sheriff Lee Baca is heading east for the National Sheriff’s Association winter conference. KPCC
- The sheriff's department has agreed to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Sgt. Patrick Gomez, who claimed retaliation in the wake of his failed 2002 campaign for sheriff. DN
- Jerry Brown will announce his candidacy about the time filing opens officially on Feb. 15, says Joe Scott.
- Rep. Diane Watson, Mervyn Dymally, SCLC president Rev. Eric Lee and L.A. Sentinel owner Danny Bakewell endorsed Janice Hahn in the Democratic race for lieutenant governor.
- Deputy assessor Juan (John) Noguez, 45, also a Huntington Park city councilman for six years, is the front-runner to become the next L.A. County Assessor. Orlov/DN
- Politics blog Mayor Sam's Sister City is going on hiatus, blogger Michael Higby announced Sunday.
- Debate over starting a neighborhood council has "degenerated into an ugly spat over who should be the recognized voice of Westwood," says Martha Groves. LAT
- Malibu residents are fighting a proposal to house prison inmate firefighters burned out by the Station Fire at a local fire station. LAT
- Tim Conway Jr. begins this week in the 7 pm to 10 p.m. shift at KFI and says he fits better there than at his former FM radio home at KLSX: "[KFI is] a little more conservative . . . a little more directed at people with jobs." LAT
- KFWB growing pains: Roger Hedgecock is already gone from afternoon drive time, and Laura Ingraham may be the next to go — possibly replaced by Glenn Beck. LA Radio
- Former Editor & Publisher editor Greg Mitchell gives his side of how the publication was saved without him. Huffington Post
- A new satellite City Hall is set to open in South Los Angeles at East 43rd Street and Central Avenue. LAT
- Caltrans used innovative new lighting and signage to create a second transition lane during times of congestion from the northbound 110 to northbound I-5 near Dodger Stadium. LAT
- Former LA Weekly publisher Michael Sigman laments the possible end of the Bodhi Tree, writing "we can't recreate the magic of The Bodhi Tree, and thankfully it'll be around for the rest of the year so we can say our long goodbyes." Huffington Post
- Dana Goodyear talks to bestselling author Neil Gaiman in the current issue of The New Yorker.
- Former Dodger Jose Offerman was banned for life by the Dominican winter league for throwing a punch at an umpire during an argument. AP
- The second annual anarchists' book fair will be held Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood.