Four in the morning

1. The inaugural edition of the Santa Clarita Valley Independent is out today. SCV Talk columnist Jeff Wilson takes note:

It’s been a long time since I felt excitement over a newspaper.

Matter of fact, I don’t remember the last time I felt that way about a newspaper, or more accurately, about the state of the newspaper industry. For years now we’ve gotten used to newspapers downsizing, laying off, even closing all around us, and it’s been downright depressing.

But not today. Today we got a brand new newspaper, and how many communities in America can say that?

(h/t LA Observed)

2. Census data show a huge decline in Mexican immigration into the United States. New York Times

3. Budgets woes are rattling cages across the state (SJMN). Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to lay off 5,000 workers from the state rolls (SacBee), LAUSD teachers protest over pink slips outside district headquarters (LA Times) and Calbuzz lines up buyers for the coming California state fire sale (Calbuzz).

4. Nieman Lab takes a look at newspaper advertising 2.0 at the New York Times. Neiman Lab