Lunch Time Briefs on the Los Angeles Political Machine for Monday ** Tentative Deal between Supermarkets and grocery workers.

Los Angeles Times Editor at Large Jim Newton.

** The sometime enabler of the "LA Antonio Times Era" of press release journalism Jim Newton, leaves the holding (and sometime shooting zones) fields of Mayor Villaraigosa's Summer Night Lights Program and goes in search of parents who want to pull the trigger on failing schools.

** LA Times City Hall Scribe reports that City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has filed a multi-million dollar suit against Beverly Hills based Sky Tag Graphics and its President Michael McNeilly, for illegally wrapping 17 buildings with towering super-graphic advertisements. Of interest in the filing are the co-defendants Legacy Partners and the CIM Group.

** Ron Kaye has the bloggin saga of Sacramento's reigning political bully who shares DNA with a certain Los Angeles Mayor.

** Latest update on the potential Supermarket Strike, is that both sides have reached a tentative deal as just reported on the noontime news from KFI. Many local politicos were out and about showing support for the workers. But the buzz from among average citizens was that the grocery worker's timing was not right. 

Your Thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14  

Supermarket Strike May Hit LA; Ralphs Will Close For Duration

The United Food and Commercial Workers union - which represents workers at Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons stores - have given a required 72 hour notice to cancel an existing contract and could walk off the job Sunday night.

The supermarkets and union officials continue to negotiate with the hope of averting a strike.  A spokesperson for Ralphs told Sign On San Diego that should the workers strike, the chain will close all stores for business for an undefined period.

The Los Angeles Times notes that the last major supermarket job action lasted 141 days, back in 2003. At that time the now defunct HOWS boutique supermarket chain, which was not part of the strike, claims it made significant profits from sales driven by customers not willing to cross picket lines.

Lucky Is Back!

An old friend is back in Southern California shaking up the local supermarket landscape somewhat. Over the years, a number of supermarket mergers have seen the loss of familiar nameplates. Now yet another merger is leading to the return of a popular retailer.

Sometime back, the Alberston's chain acquired the popular discount chain, Lucky. Albertsons sold some locations and converted the remainder to the Albertsons brand. Now, some stores are being rebranded as Lucky.

This resurrection is due to Albertsons acquisition by the Supervalu chain and their desire to head off a challenge by another chain to use the Lucky trademark. Albertsons' new brand strategy is to upscale their stores in desirable markets and re-introduce the Lucky name and outlet supermarket concept in middle and lower income neighborhoods.

Now, will they bring back Stephanie Edwards for their commercials?