In focus: Staff photos from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1

Pershing Square shines in an evening tableau. The city is about to take the scalpel again to the repeatedly renovated square -- this time, to better serve the residential population that has moved to downtown Los Angeles. Plans call for more grass, less concrete and perhaps space for residents' dogs to run.

Pershing Square shines in an evening tableau. The city is about to take the scalpel again to the repeatedly renovated square -- this time, to better serve the residential population that has moved to downtown Los Angeles. Plans call for more grass, less concrete and perhaps space for residents’ dogs to run.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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WIF - Laguna Beach

Tami Halle of the Orange County Health Care Agency uses a 10-foot pole to collect water samples at Aliso Beach. Four miles of shoreline in Laguna Beach were closed after 580,000 gallons of raw sewage gushed from a pump station early Wednesday. Officials were hoping to reopen the beaches after collecting a few days of clean samples.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

WIF - Baron Davis

Baron Davis looks to make something happen in his regular season debut as an L.A. Clipper as he leaves his feet between the Lakers’ Lamar Odom, left, and Andrew Bynum. Davis scored 11 points on four-for-13 shooting as he and the Clips fell to their opposing Staples Center residents, 117-79.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

WIF - zombies

Dancers dressed as zombies show their moves at the Hollywood & Highland complex in a 25th-anniversary tribute to Michael Jackson’s legendary “Thriller” music video.  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

WIF - pumpkins

Peggy Hannan of Santa Monica manages to balance a raft of pumpkins at the farmers market in Santa Monica. For $5, a customer could grab as many pumpkins as possible and carry them down a 25-foot walkway.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

WIF - USC

Five USC defenders, including linebackers Brian Cushing (10) and Malcolm Smith (6), converge to bring down Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Trojans held the Wildcats to a season-low 188 yards in winning the Pacific 10 Conference game, 17-10, in Tucson.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

WIF - Will Rogers Learning Community

Second-graders at the Will Rogers Learning Community -- from left, Monica Gonzalez, Jeremy Peterson and Eddy Martinez, all 7 -- tend to the garden as the Santa Monica elementary school took part in unveiling a fresh fruit and vegetable snack program aimed at combating obesity.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

WIF - tent

Robert Millan, 11, exits a tent in front of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s headquarters, where teachers, parents and students from Dolores Street Elementary School held a sleepover protest calling for the removal of Principal Anna Barraza. Robert attended Dolores last year and his brother Raymond, 8, goes there now.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)