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Speaker John Perez has his sights set on lieutenant governor when his lifespan in the Assembly expires in two years. But so too does state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg. Bee
Some Republicans are recruiting former lawmaker Jim Brulte to take over as chairman of the state party. Bee
Sheriff Lee Baca has reversed his support for a controversial deportation program, announcing Wednesday that he will not comply with federal requests to detain suspected illegal immigrants arrested in low-level crimes. LAT
Plus: Sensible move, says editorial in LAT
Baca says he would need at least $34 million to beef up supervision at county jails and implement other reforms sought by the Commission on Jail Violence to prevent deputies from abusing inmates. DN
Andrea Alarcon's rise and fall. Richie Duchon in LA Weekly
UCLA's environmental institute offers a citywide plan for sustainability in Los Angeles and calls on mayoral candidates to sign a pledge to meet the goals, but will they sign? LAT, UCLA Newsroom, Which Way LA?
Republican Kevin James and his outside run for mayor of Los Angeles. LAT
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has joined the Committee to Fix the Debt, "thus completing his transformation from firebrand Chicano organizer to servant of the plutocracy." LA Weekly
Two more low-level Coliseum Commission employees were charged with financial misdeeds. LAT
The Daily Journal promoted federal courts reporter Ben Adlin to associate editor.
Patch has a new president and CEO: Steven Kalin, previously chief operating officer of Westwood One and president of Metro Traffic. Yahoo
Ray Bradbury Square will be dedicated today at 2 p.m. outside the Central Library at the intersection of 5th and Flower streets. Scheduled speakers include actor Joe Mantegna and family members.
Joel Bellman on the mystery of Stanley Kubrick. Cultural Weekly
Michael Kinsley comes out as a Downtown Abbey addict who probably watches bootleg episodes before they air on PBS. LAT op-ed
The lead suspect in the fatal shootings of four people in Northridge promised a judge in September that he would stay away from guns when he was placed on probation for a methamphetamine charge, according to court records. DN
Nearly one out of two car accidents in Los Angeles involves a hit-and-run, says Simone Wilson at LA Weekly
AEG's Tim Leiweke has had a good year, says sports columnist Bill Plaschke (fixed: not Dwyre.) LAT
First African Methodist Episcopal Church has filed a lawsuit against its former pastor, the Rev. John J. Hunter, and his wife, Denise, over church finances. LAT
The mere prospect of an NFL team returning to Southern California has set off an ancillary brawl in Pasadena. NYT
The rise and fall of Lenny Dykstra. Newsday
Tech weird guy John McAfee was arrested bu Guatemala authorities for entering the country illegally. He requested asylum from Belize, but Belize said he's not wanted there and is free to travel where he wishes. AP
John E. Kobara, executive VP and COO of the California Community Foundation, says in a Q&A that individual giving has returned to about the level of 2007. City Think
Here's a set of nice photos of work on the Expo Line extension across the Westside, from ExpoLine Fan's photostream on Flickr.
