So, you're the mayor of the nation's second-largest city and you just threatened to shut it down two days a week to try to save enough money to meet your payroll.

While that immediate threat has passed, what do you say to residents in your annual State of the City address?

It's difficult, aides to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa say as they prepare to craft a message that is both realistic on where the city stands today and offers a glimmer of hope that the dark days of the recession soon will be over.

Unlike past events, the mayor plans to keep this year's speech, scheduled for April 20, within the Civic Center area and at a time - about 4 p.m. - that will allow City Council members to attend. The plan calls for holding the event at the new Police Administration Building across from City Hall.

The mayor will upstage himself later in the week when he releases his budget for the coming year, which is expected to detail further cuts, layoffs and furloughs that will be needed to balance spending.

One organization preparing for a fight with City Hall on the budget is the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

Although its members have been largely exempt from most of the cutbacks over the past year, police union officials have started a campaign to let the public know they have been affected.

A loss of overtime and reductions in civilian workers in the LAPD means officers are staying home or doing desk jobs instead of patrol work.

"It is a myth that the LAPD has been exempt from budget cuts due to the city's financial crisis," league President Paul M. Weber said.

"The impacts are very real, as officers are forced to stay at home because of overtime concerns and fill in for furloughed civilians or vacant civilian jobs."

The Protective League estimates there are 200 officers a day doing desk work, which is equal to 60 patrol cars.

How's this for stability: Beginning next week, the Department of Water and Power will have had four general managers in the past four years.

Ron Deaton had been serving as GM, until he was stricken with a heart attack while on vacation. He was replaced by David Nahai, who had been serving as president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

Nahai had strong environmental credentials, but he was unable to get along with the City Council and submitted his resignation about a year after being appointed.

Nahai was replaced with interim General Manager S. David Freeman - who had served as head of the utility under former Mayor Richard Riordan.

Villaraigosa is expected to name the new GM this week.

The California Democratic Party returns to Los Angeles next week for the first time in five years with its annual convention.

Most of the event is devoted to bolstering the morale of the party faithful behind Attorney General Jerry Brown and his run for governor against billionaire Meg Whitman, and Sen. Barbara Boxer for her expected race against mega-millionaire Carly Fiorina.

Most of the big speeches are expected on Saturday - although no major Obama administration folks are expected to be on hand. (That will come on Monday when Obama comes out for a Boxer fundraiser.)

With comic superheroes flying over downtown Los Angeles, LA Inc. has begun its organized drive in competing with Anaheim to bring Comic Con to the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The popular convention, based in San Diego for years, announced it is looking for a new home beginning in 2013.

In direct competition with Anaheim, the Los Angeles folks have created their own Facebook page to try to send a message to bring the event here. It can be reached at facebook.com/comicon2013.