Extra Extra: Big Rigs, Big Corruption, and Big Bond

• Those who believe we shouldn't be covering Orange County, cover your eyes for a few seconds: okay! O.C. Sheriff Mike Carona, his wife, and many others used the Sheriff's office as a cover to accept gifts, loans, and other compensation totalling $350,000. Carona has been indicted on ten separate federal counts of corruption.
• That big rig crash on the 405 at La Tijera was a real doozy -- the accident wasn't cleaned up until this afternoon, and as we approach rush hour, traffic in the area appears to only be getting worse.
• So the weather (and the winds) are behaving for now, but that doesn't mean firefighters aren't still working hard to prevent any further disaster -- "This is a window of opportunity we have to take."
• Why isn't there another Metro stop between the North Hollywood station and the Universal City station? BloggingLA asks MTA this very interesting question, and gets back a definitive answer: "Simply stated the cost would prohibitive." Well, jeez!
• Steven D. Levitt (you know, one of the Freakonomics guys) visited Los Angeles. Upon closer inspection, the tired old Blackberry cliche he uses is gently self-chiding, instead of the usual "Los Angeles superficial celebrity plastic blah blah!" shtick visitors usually rely upon to explicate the Great Problem of Us.
• New Malick flick? The gods of Golden Hour Lighting are smiling down on us! THR is reporting that principal photography is set to begin in March, Heath Ledger and Sean Penn to star.
• The historic and beloved La Fonda restaurant, home to mariachi acts since 1959, is closing its Wilshire location: the owner has said he has plans to reopen downtown sometime in the near future.
• James Bond kicks some paparazzi butt! Okay, it was just Pierce Brosnan, who got kicked in the stomach after starting a scuffle with some photogs while the actor was out with his kids in Malibu last week.
• Are lower electricity rates for the Valley in the works? After suffering through one of the hottest summers on record (110-degree temperatures being an everyday occurance), is it fair for the Valley to get a break on those air conditioning bills?

Photo of a Scarface Impala Engine Compartment by mil8 via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr