Jacques Barzaghi spotted in Oakland, Poizner comes under pressure, Newsom still undecided, changing the sheriff's rules of engagement and some media people in the news. After the jump, as usual.
- Old Jerry Brown crony Jacques Barzaghi has been sighted on the streets of Oakland after years outside the country. SF Chronicle
- Meg Whitman called Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's time in office "not good." Capitol Alert
- Whitman backers are pressing Steve Poizner to drop out of the Republican race for governor. LAT
- Gavin Newsom filed paperwork that would let run for lieutenant governor, but said he hasn't decided and won't have to say for sure until March 12. LAT, SF Chronicle, Fox & Hounds
- Los Angeles will no longer enforce limits on how much money corporations and unions can directly give in city elections, bowing to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that found such caps unconstitutional. LAT
- The city of Los Angeles is "actively pursuing a deal" with Google for its new high-speed broadband service. NeonTommy
- Sheriff Lee Baca on Wednesday ordered deputies to be more cautious -- and call for backup -- when pursuing armed suspects, based on recommendations that followed a rash of shootings. LAT
- The Daily Beast's list of 25 most influential journalists on the left includes Jon Stewart, Arianna Huffington and Jane Hamsher. Daily Beast
- Sheryl Crow will open for the Dalai Lama Gibson Amphitheatre on Feb. 21 LAT
- Longtime sportswriter and columnist David Lassen blogs about being laid off by the Ventura County Star. Via Paul Oberjuerge
- Author and journalist Chip Jacobs has signed with New Horizon Press to write "The Ascension of Jerry: Murder, Mayhem and Redemption in Late-1970's Los Angeles."
- Ken Doctor, who blogs about the media's future at Content Bridges, has a new book out. "Newsonomics: Twelve Trends That Will Shape the News You Get." Gary Scott
- Meghan Daum praises the larger sizes of the female athletes at the Winter Olympics. LAT Op-Ed
- The Doo Dah Parade is moving to East Pasadena from Old Town. Pasadena Weekly
- Dave Bryan, the longtime political reporter for CBS2 and KCAL9, will receive the L.A. Press Club’s Joseph M. Quinn Award for lifetime achievement on June 27. Anne Garrels of NPR will get the 2010 Daniel Pearl Award for courage in journalism.
- Dan Neil, formerly of the L.A. Times (10:44 a.m.) and Karen Bass (11:07) guest with Larry Mantle on "Airtalk" on KPCC.
- David Bohnett, board chairman of the LA Philharmonic; Alan M. Schwartz, president of the board of Royce Center Circle; and Maria Bell, co-chair of MOCA, talk about supporting the arts in a recession on "Patt Morrison," KPCC at 1:30 p.m.
- On "The Treatment" Elvis Mitchell hosts writer/director Geoffrey Fletcher, whose debut adapted screenplay is for "Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire," at 2:30 p.m. on KCRW.
- Mitchell also will host a KCRW Presents conversation with director James Cameron about "Avatar" to benefit the Natural Resources Defense Council, on Monday at the Zanuck Theatre on the Fox studio lot. Info