A collection of gossip, scuttlebutt, and odds and ends from our reporters' notebooks.

WHO’S THE BOSS? Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is, at least to Oakland County Circuit Court challengers Deborah Carley and William Rollstin. Therefore, it wasn’t a stop-the-presses moment when BS … (nevermind, let’s pick a different fun nickname) ahem, Tooti Schuette, a GOP darling, endorsed the pair over incumbent Oakland County Circuit Court Judges Phyllis McMillen, Denise Langford Morris, Leo Bowman, Wendy Potts, and Michael Warren. No big whoop, sources say — dCarley and Billston have racked up exactly one major endorsement compared to what effectively is a Who’s Who of Oakland County Political Backers notched by the five currently robed ones. Plus, you know, there’s that whole funding issue — yada yada yada, over $2 million flowing into the circuit court race benefiting Carley and Rollstin — which our Spinal Column Newsweekly cohorts detail to great extent in the County section of today’s SCN.

RETURN OF THE LBP: He’s baaaaaccckkk … We’re pretty sure. Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s team said LBP would return to his office yesterday, Tuesday, Oct. 30 after sustaining serious injuries — a broken hip, leg, ankle, and five ribs, and broken wrists, not to mention a head laceration — in an Aug. 10 traffic accident in Auburn Hills in which he was an unrestrained passenger. “I’m looking forward to getting back behind my desk where I can work on county business firsthand,” said Patterson, who admitted he is “still on the mend.” Good to hear that you’re back in action, Brooks. Don’t forget the seatbelt!

PSST… WATERFORD RESIDENTS: Have you received what is, for all intents and purposes, an unsigned letter recently boo-hooing the township Police Department’s efforts to get a 1.95-mill special assessment district passed in perpetuity on Nov. 6? And also blasting township Supervisor Carl Solden and Democratic township clerk candidate Teresa Fortino? Any idea who is circulating that missive — which the CAPITALIZATION POLICE say needs to CHILL THE HECK OUT WITH THE ALL-CAPS NON-SENSE — to township residents? We have some suspicions, but let’s stick with what we know — or, perhaps, what we don’t know. It’s signed by a group called Waterford Residents for Accountable Politicians (WRAP), which is kind of cute, but isn’t a registered political action committee of any sort, a review of records show. It also raises against Fortino allegations brought up in the primary election by her Democratic opponent about residency … (“Do we need a LIAR as our next CLERK (At best she is an OPPORTUNIST”). See what we mean about the all-caps malarkey? It also says that Solden is concerned only about himself, which simply ain’t true (“In 3 terms and 12 years he has NOT suffered any cuts — and continues to protect CARL SOLDEN. He claims to be a Democrat, but his true party affiliation is limited to CARL.”) Republican Trustee Anthony Bartolotta, who has been vocally opposed to the SAD, stressed he had nothing to do with sending the letter. “I got it in an anonymous e-mail. I have no idea (who’s behind it) whatsoever … Somebody’s really mad. I had nothing to do with it, and I’m not affiliated with it.” Cool beans, Anthony. Solden, on the other hand, has his suspicions about the scribe(s) responsible, but declined to say. “It’s a worthless document, as far as I’m concerned … It’s all lies and garbage. It’s election time and people have their inklings to do stuff like this. Put your name on it and stand up for it. I was a police officer for 32 years, and you can’t even call it hearsay. It’s garbage.” SNAP, er, snap!