Good morning -- here's what's happening 9.04.08

Happy Birthday, Los Angeles -- you're 227 today!

Did you feel that? Probably not. An earthquake hit San Bernardino early this morning, but at 3.3, it was pretty small and no injuries or damage was reported.

What many Californians are feeling, though, are the results of the longest budget standoff ever. It's affecting everyone from kidney patients in need of dialysis to independent contractors about to go bankrupt because they can't get paid. It's a mess with no end in sight.

So what has the Legislature done? A bit of tinkering with the state's flawed health care system but, thanks to aggressively lobbying by docs and insurance companies, coupled with gridlock caused by feuding  Democrats,  lots of widespread problems remain.

Another battle in the quest for cupcake domination as Sprinkles sues Sprinkled Pink, a competitor in Montecito, for trademark infringement.

John Sanford Todd, who designed Lakewood and pretty much invented the "contract city," has died.

An elevator mechanic at LAX has been arrested on suspicion of helping illegal immigrants gain entry to the U.S. by helping them avoid authorities as they left the airline terminal.

Meanwhile, a San Diego police officer is accused of helping drug traffickers in Mexico by passing along inside  info on investigations. Nice, huh?

A (mostly) rave review for Bob Dylan's show in Santa Monica.

In a world where newspapers are shrinking, we run an appreciation of the late voiceover artist, Don LaFontaine, written by Hank Stuever of the Washington Post.

--Veronique de Turenne