Democrats wrap up in L.A. before Obama visits, LAT's in-house anti Obama blogger spins the trip, a letter from L.A. and Animal in the new New Yorker, a new blog and more.
- Covering the weekend's state Democratic convention in L.A. Rough & Tumble roundup
- Andrew Malcolm, the LAT's in-house anti-Obama blogger, spins today's visit: "Common Californians -- including the increasing 12.6% of whom are now unemployed -- will be unable to hear the president address the economy or mounting fears over his healthcare bill and its costs because his announced events on this West Coast trip Monday are political and closed to all but donors. Again." Top of the Ticket
- With Obama visiting today, remembering election night 2008 in Leimert Park Village. University Park Family
- No traveling show for this year's state of the city address. Mayor Villaraigosa delivers his speech on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Police Administration Building Auditorium just across 1st Street from City Hall. Orlov/Tipoffs
Plus: An LAT editorial advises the mayor to come clean on finances and "demonstrate that Los Angeles is being run by an experienced leader and accomplished negotiator capable of managing a city in crisis with steady hands and a cool head." - At about the same time as the state of the city, Staples Center will be unveiling a statue of Chick Hearn.
- The Librarians Guild protested budget cuts outside Getty House in the Windsor Square neighborhood. ABC 7
- MAPA, California's oldest Latino political organization, may be facing its last hurrah, a victim of its own success, says Tony Castro. DN
- A 15-year-old girl was elected to the South Robertson Neighborhood Council. LAT
- Former City Council candidate Robyn Ritter Simon started a blog for her 49th birthday, intending to chronicle the year leading up to 50.
- Actress Alyssa Price's short film "Pearl," told from the vantage point of her Prius, won Los Angeles magazine's Get L.A. film contest. James Song's F.L.A.S.H. won the audience vote. Winners
- In the Letter from L.A. in this week's New Yorker, Dana Goodyear visits with the chefs at Animal: "The restaurant’s staples are outrageous concoctions that might be called whimsical if they weren’t so rich: expertly prepared junk food made from exquisite ingredients." TNY
- Prescription holder and cancer survivor Adam Baer explores the L.A. medical marijuana scene for the Financial Times.
- Opera critic Carol Jean Delmar has a blog devotedf to protesting the Ring Festival being held in Los Angeles. RingFestLAProtest
- Dennis Wilen thinks the business reporters on KNX 1070 should refer to Wall Street as they, not we, in reporting the stock news. Voidmstr
- Reed Elsevier is closing 23 trade publications it was unable to sell, among them Construction Equipment, Restaurants & Institutions, Pro Builder and Building Design & Construction. Media Business
- Only about 600 people attended the public memorial for Jaime Escalante at the East Los Angeles College stadium.
- Bob Mieszerski, the former horse racing writer for the Los Angeles Times, was named director of publicity at Hollywood Park.
- Carol Burnett and Tim Conway guest with Patt Morrison on KPCC at 2:40 p.m.