February 13, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Friends of late reporter Rick Orlov gather at Los Angeles City Hall

Orlov, who covered City Hall for the Daily News for nearly 30 years, died Feb. 2 at age 66 from complications of diabetes. (Thinkstock)
Orlov, who covered City Hall for the Daily News for nearly 30 years, died Feb. 2 at age 66 from complications of diabetes. (Thinkstock)

Friends, fellow reporters and politicians gathered at Los Angeles City Hall today to honor longtime Daily News reporter Rick Orlov in the council chamber where he spent countless hours documenting the business of the city.

Orlov, who covered City Hall for the Daily News for nearly 30 years, died Feb. 2 at age 66 from complications of diabetes.

“I knew he was going to pack this joint,” his former Daily News colleague Dennis McCarthy said, after surveying the standing room-only audience inside the council chamber, where a public memorial in his honor was held.

McCarthy and many others noted the importance of City Hall and the council chamber to Orlov, whose final byline — written while he was in a hospital room — was published on the day he died.

“This was his home away from home,” McCarthy said, “but more importantly, what Rick would want us all to know is that this is the people’s home.”

Daily News Executive Editor Michael Anastasi said he encouraged Orlov to slow down and “smell the roses” after learning that he was continuing to file stories from his hospital room.

But “covering City Hall, talking to the leaders of our city, talking to their staff members, filing four stories, for Rick, that was smelling the roses,” Anastasi said.

While reporters noted their late colleague’s kindness — with Daily News Managing Editor Carolina Garcia saying he was “humble, sweet, honest, a mentor” and a “reporter to his core” — some city leaders said they got a tougher version of Orlov.

Former City Controller Wendy Greuel noted that Orlov would sometimes roll his eyes and mutter under his breath, “What an idiot,” whenever he felt a public official said something “stupid.”

“That happened more times than we’d liked to admit,” Greuel said.

Many noted that Orlov’s Monday morning Tipoff column was a must-read for both City Hall observers and insiders.

Mayor Eric Garcetti, who called Orlov a “mensch,” said his “columns were as important as the columns that hold up this room, or at City Hall.”

The mayor noted that Orlov was the “quickest interview in the world” and rarely suffered long-windedness from city officials. Orlov taught him to never “try to soften things around the edges and to always be concise,” Garcetti said.

Before settling into his City Hall beat, Orlov distinguished himself by covering major crime stories about the “Night Stalker” and “Hillside Strangler” serial murder cases, Garcia said.

On one occasion, Orlov negotiated the surrender of a murder suspect, but not before he netted a 20-minute interview with the man, Garcia said.

Orlov worked at a prodigious pace, filing multiple stories a day that turned out to always be “spot-on,” and he was considered to have the “best rolodex in the business,” Garcia said.

“On a personal note I will miss my friend,” Garcia said. “The city of Los Angeles will miss the dean of City Hall.”

Born in Chicago, Orlov spent his early years in Indianapolis before moving to Encino with his family when he was 12 years old.

He attended Birmingham High School and earned a journalism degree from what is now called Cal State Northridge.

He started working for the Daily News in 1978 and did a stint as an assistant city editor, but returned — at his request — to reporting on local politics in 1988.

 

Related Posts

Here are Your Last Minute Ideas if You Still Haven’t Planned Your Valentine’s Day Date

February 13, 2025

February 13, 2025

Luscious Cookies, Delightful Drinks, Full Dinners at Home or In House, We’ve Got Them Okay, maybe you have been a...

Beloved Baldwin Hills Family-Owned Restaurant Post & Beam to Close After 13 Years

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Community Icon Shuts Doors as Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Redevelopment  In yet another loss for the Los Angeles culinary community,...

Santa Monica Hotel Event Space Offers Affordability, Accessibility

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Elevate Your Events with Versatile Venues and Exceptional Service Coastal stays and eclectic event spaces don’t have to be expensive....

Flour Pizzeria & Cafe to Bring Brooklyn-Style Pizza to Brentwood This Week

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Family-Owned Favorite from the Palisades to Open on San Vicente  Flour Pizzeria & Cafe, a restaurant from Pacific Palisades run...

(Video) The Willows Students Bring a 50-Foot Dragon to Life Through Art and Teamwork

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Kristy Acero, The Willows DK-4th Grade Art teacher, led her students in a large-scale, collaborative project, with each grade creating...

ART& 2025: NeueHouse Unveils Inspiring Lineup Celebrating Feminine Leadership

February 12, 2025

February 12, 2025

Four-Day Event in Venice Beach Explores Creativity, Activism, and Cultural Impact NeueHouse has unveiled the schedule for ART& 2025, a...

LA Attorney Who Represented Rodney King Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion Scheme

February 11, 2025

February 11, 2025

Milton C. Grimes Ordered To Serve Time in Prison and Pay Restitution Milton C. Grimes, a longtime Los Angeles attorney,...

Canned Tuna Pulled from Shelves Over Botulism Contamination Risk

February 11, 2025

February 11, 2025

El Segundo Seafood Company Issues Voluntary Recall Through FDA Tri-Union Seafoods has issued a voluntary recall of certain canned tuna...

Powerful Storm to Bring Heavy Rains, Possible Debris Flow to Los Angeles

February 11, 2025

February 11, 2025

Officials Warn of Risks, Urge Residents to Prepare for Severe Weather A Pacific storm system is expected to bring widespread...

Retailers Impose Egg Purchase Restrictions as Supply Chain Disruptions Cause Concern

February 10, 2025

February 10, 2025

Egg Limits Are Back – What’s Causing the Shortage? Retailers across the United States, including Costco and Trader Joe’s, have...

Donate Blood, Save Lives: Culver City Hosts Valentine’s Week Drive

February 10, 2025

February 10, 2025

Urgent Need for Donors as Red Cross Faces Critical Blood Shortages As Valentine’s Day approaches, the Culver City Police Department...

New Bill Targets Crime in Disaster Zones – Here’s What You Need to Know

February 10, 2025

February 10, 2025

Lawmakers Push for Tougher Penalties To Protect Vulnerable Communities California lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at cracking down...

What about are you protected from future wildfires?

February 9, 2025

February 9, 2025

Our hearts go out to all those impacted by the recent wildfires and Santa Ana windstorms in Southern California. We...

Actor Will Arnett Lists Stunning Beverly Hills-Area Home for $22.5 Million

February 9, 2025

February 9, 2025

Comedy Star’s Modern Farmhouse Features Custom Podcast Studio Actor and comedian Will Arnett is selling his modern farmhouse-style home near...

Shore Hotel Remains Sustainability Leader

February 9, 2025

February 9, 2025

By Susan Payne On track to open its new coastal-inspired restaurant, Shore Hotel has excited new offerings and initiatives this...