Rick Orlov, Veteran Daily News City Hall Reporter, Dead at 66

MILESTONE-(Ed Note: Rick Orlov was a friend, a genuine journalist and a good guy. He will be missed.-Ken Draper)  Rick Orlov, a veteran Los Angeles Daily News reporter who covered City Hall for almost 30 years and whose diligent pursuit of unraveling the complexities of local politics earned him the respect of all who knew or read him, died today of complications from diabetes. 

He was 66. 

Orlov was born in Chicago, lived in Indianapolis as a young boy and moved to Encino with his family when he was 12. A graduate of Birmingham High School where he was a competitive swimmer, Orlov attended and earned a journalism degree at what is now California State University Northridge. Orlov always wanted to be a journalist, said his sister Joanne Levy. 

He began working at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1978. After a few years as an assistant city editor, Orlov requested to be moved back to a reporting position. He returned to reporting to cover local politics in 1988. He covered five mayors. 

“He had a career he loved,” she said. “I know that he was very well respected by local politicians. We were all proud of him. It was nice to see that side of his life, how respected he was and how he knew everybody in the city.” 

Plans for a memorial service are pending, Levy said. 

A public memorial for Orlov also is being planned by the Daily News. Details will be announced soon.

 

(Reach the author at [email protected]  Posted originally at dailynews.com) 

-cw

 

 

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 10

Pub: Feb 3, 2015