CATTING AROUND: Scruffy the cat slept late...

CATTING AROUND: Scruffy the cat slept late Thursday morning. No wonder. . . . She had quite a night Wednesday. What with all those sledgehammers and pick-axes tearing apart a retaining wall she was wedged in, Scruffy must have wondered which was worse . . . her predicament or the racket. By 3:30 a.m., Scruffy was freed . . . and none the worse for wear, reported her owner, Scott Mitchell of North Hollywood, above, with Scruffy. Mitchell said he knew something was amiss when the always-hungry feline failed to come home for dinner.

INSURANCE SCAM: Details of the alleged statewide insurance kickback scheme were described Thursday (D1), and there’s a Valley angle. . . . At least 10 of Hollywood-based Maimonides Health Center’s more than 100 chiropractic clinics had Valley addresses, an FBI investigator said. The center allegedly paid kickbacks for clients and overbilled insurance companies.

FALLOUT: Looks as if Assemblywoman Paula Boland, (R-Granada Hills) is eyeing the state Senate seat now held by fellow Republican state Sen. Newt Russell of Glendale. The seat will open up in 1996 . . . just the time that Boland has to give up her Assembly seat because of term limits. Boland, meanwhile, has her hands full shepherding the Los Angeles Unified School District breakup ballot initiative. She’s also figuring out what to do in her new role as head of the Assembly Public Safety Committee. . . . Details in this week’s Political Briefing (B5).

SIGN OF FALL: It’s sweater weather at the Van Nuys courthouse . . . at least for murder defendant Lyle Menendez. The elder Menendez brother apparently couldn’t resist reverting to sartorial type by donning a maroon crew neck to court Thursday. So much for the theory that “the boys” have nixed the sweater look they favored during their first murder trial. This time they seem to have opted for a more mature shirt and tie look . . . a style that Lyle’s baby brother, Erik, stuck with on Thursday, as jury selection continued (B4).

TONIGHT: Sticky Fingers and Sheer Heart Attack perform their tributes to the Rolling Stones and Queen, respectively, starting at 10 at Pelican’s Retreat, 24454 Calabasas Road, Calabasas. $5 cover. Information: (818) 222-1155.