Richard Riordan briefly in hospital with chest pain

Former mayor Richard Riordan spent Tuesday night at St. John's for observation and tests after calling the paramedics because of dizziness and chest pains, the LA Weekly's Gene Maddaus reports. Riordan was released the next day and says he did not have a heart attack. He did have one last December. "They figure it was indigestion," Riordan, 82, is quoted saying of this week's health issue.

Saturday's LA Weekly item says that Riordan joked with the paramedics about his push to reform city pensions, including those of the LAFD. ("You guys are gonna hate me over this...") Meanwhile, a statement from Riordan says he may not actually debate the president of the Police Protective League on the pension issue, as his campaign originally agreed. The issue will be debated, Riordan said in a statement, but not necessarily by him, or with police union head Tyler Izen.