Studio City

A two-year campaign that has drawn record spending will see either the first woman or the first Jew elected as Los Angeles mayor. But despite those milestones, candidates Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti sped around the city Sunday trying to avoid another distinction: drawing the lowest turnout for an open mayoral seat in modern history. The two candidates reached out to voters in churches, at a pizza parlor and in a bowling alley on a long day of campaigning - their last extended opportunity to connect directly to voters before Tuesday's election.

After an especially contentious campaign, Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich conceded to challenger Mike Feuer late Tuesday, while attorney Ron Galperin was leading City Councilman Dennis Zine in partial returns for another citywide office, controller. From his jampacked party at a home in Hancock Park, Feuer said he was gratified by the "tremendous outpouring of support" he found as he campaigned in communities across the city. He promised to bring a "new level of connection" between the city attorney's office and L.A.'s neighborhoods.

One of the most pleasurable experiences of my life was to have known J.J. "Bad Boy" Jones, the traditional blues guitarist-singer (obituary, Jan. 24). He brought my son, a talented -- but green -- white drummer, into his "The Bad Boys" band, gave him his first gig and enriched his life forever. We owe him much. He had soul. Winfield C. Goulden Studio City

A two-year campaign that has drawn record spending will see either the first woman or the first Jew elected as Los Angeles mayor. But despite those milestones, candidates Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti sped around the city Sunday trying to avoid another distinction: drawing the lowest turnout for an open mayoral seat in modern history. The two candidates reached out to voters in churches, at a pizza parlor and in a bowling alley on a long day of campaigning - their last extended opportunity to connect directly to voters before Tuesday's election.

A new mailer sent out by Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel's allies to Latino voters that strongly suggests voting for her will result in an increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour drew sharp criticism from her rival Monday. In addition to the mailer, labor members supporting Greuel drove through Latino neighborhoods over the weekend broadcasting a song, "La Wendy," with the same message. Greuel's opponent, Councilman Eric Garcetti, called the efforts a "cynical attempt to buy votes" and "give false hope to people who are struggling to make ends meet.

Last year is dwindling in the rear-view mirror, tumbling down the memory hole, shuffling off to the Valhalla of Used Eras to await the whimsical verdict of the nostalgia gods. A serious year in many respects, a time when San Fernando Valley residents were left dazed by streaks of crime, felt the heat of a catastrophic fire, and elected their guy mayor of Los Angeles.

A man suspected in a deadly car-to-car shooting in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip was arrested Thursday at a Studio City apartment complex, bringing an end to a weeklong manhunt. Los Angeles police and FBI agents surrounded the suburban apartment complex in the 4100 block of Arch Drive about noon and ordered Ammar Harris to surrender. Officers said there was a woman inside the apartment where he was holed up; she was not arrested. Harris, 26, is being held on suspicion of murder and is expected to be extradited back to Nevada.

The day after Eric Garcetti won a spot in the May runoff for Los Angeles mayor, the city councilman turned his focus to African Americans in South Los Angeles, campaigning in Leimert Park with comedian D.L. Hughley. "In too many of our communities, especially communities of color, we still have way too much crime," Garcetti told the audience. "We still have too many gunshots, too few opportunities for our young people. " A day later, Garcetti rival Wendy Greuel, the city controller, announced that one of the city's premier black clergymen, Rev. Cecil "Chip" Murray, was backing her. "Chip Murray has redefined what it means to be a faith leader in Los Angeles," she said of the former pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Downtown Los Angeles isn't the most hospitable place for dandies. The knot of business towers and lofts, saturated with mass-market or Santee Alley-style emporiums, is a wasteland for upscale retail. "It's criminal," sniffed Matthew Allnatt of the absence of a chic men's store in the area. He would know. Allnatt is the impeccably dressed chief operating officer at the Jonathan Club, an elite high-society hub that has been downtown for 118 years. Some of Los Angeles' most influential residents are members.

Two-time Olympic diving champion Sammy Lee, who had been missing after leaving his Huntington Beach home, was found in Pico Rivera Tuesday night, police said. The 92-year-old Lee, who suffers from dementia, drove from Huntington Beach to Mojave to Studio City, was found by authorities in Pico Rivera, Lt. Gary Faust of the Huntington Beach Police Department told The Times. Faust said there were no immediate details on Lee's condition. Lee, who gained fame as a platform diver, also has a history of heart problems, according to police.

A new mailer sent out by Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel's allies to Latino voters that strongly suggests voting for her will result in an increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour drew sharp criticism from her rival Monday. In addition to the mailer, labor members supporting Greuel drove through Latino neighborhoods over the weekend broadcasting a song, "La Wendy," with the same message. Greuel's opponent, Councilman Eric Garcetti, called the efforts a "cynical attempt to buy votes" and "give false hope to people who are struggling to make ends meet.

Agent Provocateur, 7961 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 653-0229 Faire Frou Frou, 13017 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 783-4970 Kiki de Montparnasse, 8481 Melrose Place, Los Angeles; (323) 951-9545 Only Hearts, 1407 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; (310) 393-3088 Panty Raid, 1953 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 668-1888

Goodbye Hogwarts, hello Universal Studios. After a bumpy 17-year process that once proposed developing thousands of homes on its famous Hollywood back lot, NBCUniversal won unanimous approval Tuesday from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for a plan that lets it expand its Universal Studios theme park. And a Harry Potter attraction is coming with it. Company executives said the "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," which will feature a re-creation of the Hogwarts Castle and other locations from the books and movies, will bring droves of visitors to the park.

After a bumpy 17-year process that once proposed developing thousands of homes on its famous Hollywood back lot, NBCUniversal won unanimous approval Tuesday from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for a plan that lets it expand its Universal Studios theme park. The $1.6-billion project will include nearly 2 million square feet in office and production space, a bike path along the adjacent Los Angeles River that would eventually allow cyclists to pedal to Studio City, and a Harry Potter-themed attraction.

A month before the May 21 Los Angeles mayoral runoff election , likely voters favor Eric Garcetti over Wendy Greuel by 50% to 40%,  according to a new USC Price/Los Angeles Times poll. The survey also found no sign of success for Greuel's effort to gain an edge among women by highlighting her potential to make history as the city's first female mayor. Female poll respondents said they preferred Garcetti by a margin of 50% to 41%. Latinos and younger respondents backed Garcetti by still wider margins.

Martin Johnson, lead singer and songwriter for Boys Like Girls, has put his Studio City home up for sale at a price of $1.1 million. The three-story contemporary, built in 1978, features vaulted ceilings, balconies, canyon views, two fireplaces, two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 2,681 square feet of living space. The more than quarter-acre lot contains fruit trees, a lawn and a hot tub. Boys Like Girls released a self-titled album in 2006, “Love Drunk” in 2009 and last year released “Crazy World.” Johnson has worked with Taylor Swift and Hannah Montana, among others, as a songwriter and producer.

Address: 3912 Big Oak Drive, Studio City 91604 Listed for: $799,000 Size: Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, 2,600 square feet Lot size: 0.12 acre Features: The remodeled Mediterranean, built in 1987, features a bonus room and a redwood deck with a spa. MLS ID: 11-562581 About the area: In the 91604 ZIP Code, based on 50 sales, the median price of previously owned homes in the...

Chi Dynasty Where: 12229 Ventura Blvd., Studio City When: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Price: Appetizers and soups, $2.75 to $15.75; entrees, $11.95 to $16.25 Contact: (818) 753-5300; http://www.chidynasty.com

Downtown Los Angeles isn't the most hospitable place for dandies. The knot of business towers and lofts, saturated with mass-market or Santee Alley-style emporiums, is a wasteland for upscale retail. "It's criminal," sniffed Matthew Allnatt of the absence of a chic men's store in the area. He would know. Allnatt is the impeccably dressed chief operating officer at the Jonathan Club, an elite high-society hub that has been downtown for 118 years. Some of Los Angeles' most influential residents are members.

A Beverly Hills estate that was once the home of comedian Joe E. Brown has sold for $5.56 million. Secured by walls and a gate, the 1930 Spanish Colonial Revival retains such original details as peg-and-groove oak floors, stenciled beam ceilings, colorful glazed tiles and wrought ironwork. The master suite features a sitting room and a balcony overlooking an inner courtyard. There are five bedrooms, five bathrooms and 7,157 square feet of living space. Brown, who died in 1973 at 81, lived in the house in 1931-38, according to the Pasadena-based Historic Resources Group.