Saying goodbye

In case you're counting, there's only one week left until termed-out lawmakers leave the Capitol. Sacramento Bee.

Many of the more colorful characters are departing, from Bonnie "Hot Blooded" Garcia to Lloyd "Spay and Neuter" Levine to Nicole "My Office Is Across the Street" Parra to Fabian "Louis Vuitton" Núñez to Todd "Doghouse Dwelling" Spitzer to Carole "Car Collision" Migden.

Here at Capitol Alert, we'll miss them all -- and the bounty of content they've provided.

Still, legislative leaders seem determined not to have missing them begin just yet, continuing to hold out hope for some type of budget accord with a tentative Tuesday floor session.