Phil Bronstein steps down as editor. Say what? [SFGate]Julius Castle closes amid allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, and lease issues. [Tablehopper]1015 gets a (much-needed) makeover, will feature live bands. Well, it's about time. [SF Weekly]Don't forget about the croc. [tehdely]Do you subscribe to sfnewsletter? [The Front Steps]An alcohol ban for all new businesses in North Beach? The Supes vote on what was surely a moment of clinical insanity tomorrow. [Eater]Sting nabs bomb maker in Fremont. Ka-fzzz.......

-- Alameda County judge tells Berkeley tree squatters, like the scrappy Ninjah and Stork here, to climb down. For good. [SFGate] -- Car crash on the 101 kills one, lands two in jail. [Examiner] -- And yet another death on the 101, this time by gunfire. Egads. [CBS5] -- Missing Sacto woman's cell traced to SF. "She drives a silver, small model Kia with the license plate 5WMU818," fyi. [KGO, via BCN] -- According......

It's on! Gavin Newsom's finally pulled the trigger (.pdf), and Ed Jew is out (at least for now). What odds do you have on poor beleagued Ed Jew lawyer Steven Gruel filing a request for reinstatement with the federal court later today? Being Ed Jew's lawyer has to be the worst job ever, except possibly being a nanny for Britney Spears. Here's the tidbits we have from today's news coverage: --Even Ed Jew's process server......

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--A guy jumped onto the field to say hi to Barry Bonds yesterday. Arrested, drunk. [The Chron photo pool, the Snitch.] --They're looking on the Oregon coast now for the missing Alameda County woman and her friend the priest. It's been three weeks. [The Chron.] --Alamo Square was cordoned off this afternoon after gunfire on McAllister Street hit a motorist in the head. [ABC 7.] --There were also shootings at Webster and Rose and Div......

And the layoffs begin -- a source tells us the first person to be let go from the Chronicle in their 25% reduction-in-staff campaign is managing editor Robert "Rosey" Rosenthal. We got the news confirmed by Friend of SFist and Chron Blogging/Interactive Editor Eve Batey, who says: It's no secret that we're losing at least 20 managers, but I was still shocked to hear that Rosey would be leaving. The instant rapport I had with......

Oh, Gavin. Is it that hard to find love while running a major American city? Here's our mayor at the SF Opera opening with reality TV star Erin Brodie. (Brodie apparently created a minor stir by wearing a knee-length skirt at the traditionally white-tie event.) Brodie, the daughter of Niner/PGA Golfer (and former Scientologist) John Brodie, made her "fame" as a two-time winner on NBC's For Love Or Money, taking home $2 million and boyfriend......

Total number of people pictured in the Chron's Symphony Opening Night article: 23. Number of people pictured whom we recognize: 6 (Gavin, Brittanie Mountz, Billy and Vanessa Getty, Yurie Pascarella (the hostess in last week's Swells) -- and an uncredited Catherine Bigelow!) Minority count: 4 (17%). Getty v. Traina: 5-2. Number of hats: 0. Years they've been having the Symphony Gala: 95. Stanlee Gatti count: 2. Number of chilly patrons in the tent: 740. Amount......

So Mayor Gavin Newsom can't be bothered to show up for a police commissioner meeting or deal with MUNI, the taxicab commission, or the Dept. of Building Inspection -- but he's so there for the SF Symphony Opening Gala! We all know Gavin loves the Stravinsky violin concerto. And who's Gavin's latest squeeze? The intriguingly-spelled Brittanie Mountz, who played women's lacrosse for Sonoma State. She discussed the importance of civic participation in the arts as......