Which Way, L.A.?

Hertzberg Gives Villaraigosa 'Grand Slam' of Endorsements

On Monday, Magic Johnson endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa. Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times poll showed the Councilman with a lead of 53% to 35%. Today, Bob Hertzberg added his name to Bernard Parks and Richard Alarc-n, giving Villaraigosa a clean sweep of also-rans in last month's mayoral primary. Meantime, the LA Weekly hit the streets today with an article that opens "the closer we get to election day the more insubstantial everything about the mayor-s race becomes." We get reaction to a week of bad news for incumbent Jim Hahn from his senior strategist, and hear whether LA likes politicians who put them to sleep from the author of the Weekly article and a web blogger who worked on the Bradley and Riordan mayoral campaigns. Making News: Murder Charges for Teen in Baseball Bat Attack A 13 year-old Palmdale boy is has been charged with the murder of another Pony League player who was struck with a baseball bat. Hundreds of people in the grieving community turned out for a memorial to mourn 15 year-old Jeremy Rourke. Chuck Bostwick, editor of the Antelope Valley Edition of the Los Angeles Daily News, has more on the story that has shocked Palmdale. Reporter's Notebook: Federal Judge Reverses Ban on Ephedra The herb Ephedra has been promoted for weight loss, increased energy and improved athletic performance, but deaths, heart attacks, strokes and seizures led the National Football League, NCAA and International Olympic Committee to ban it. The Food and Drug Administration banned it, too, but today, a federal court in Utah said that was going too far. Angie Welling of the Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City says the decision caught everyone off guard.