CHICAGO — Sarah Palin said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that it's heartbreaking to see the road that Levi Johnston, the father of her grandson, has taken and that the soon-to-be Playgirl model hasn't seen his baby in awhile.

In an episode aired yesterday, the women also talked about the controversy surrounding Palin's possible appearance on the show last year and touched on whether the former Alaska governor planned to run for president in 2012.

Palin's book, "Going Rogue," will be released today, and she begins a book tour tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Mich. The new memoir doesn't mention Johnston, who has sparred repeatedly with his former mother-in-law-to-be. Johnston and Palin's daughter Bristol Palin have a son, Tripp.

L.A. INSISTS ON JACKSON SERVICE REPAYMENT

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles city attorney still plans to seek reimbursement of the $3 million the city spent for the Michael Jackson memorial, a spokesman said yesterday, despite an audit concluding the event pumped more dollars into the local economy.

The July 7 memorial at Staples Center was a $4 million boon for local hotels, restaurants and other businesses, according to the report released Friday from the city's chief legislative analyst and city administrative officer. The City Council's Public Safety Committee is expected to review the report next week.

A spokesman for City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said Trutanich is committed to seeking reimbursement from Staples owner Anschutz Entertainment Group.

CHIEF 'FOOLISH' BUT NOT A THIEF, LAWYER SAYS

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio — A police chief on trial in Ohio acknowledges that he joked with paparazzi about working with them to snoop on the woman who carried twins for celebrity couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.

The lawyer representing suspended Chief Barry Carpenter said during opening arguments yesterday that Carpenter was "foolish," but that he never stole anything from the woman's home.

A state prosecutor told jurors that Carpenter used his position as chief in Martins Ferry, Ohio, where surrogate Michelle Ross lived, to exploit someone's personal and intimate privacy. Carpenter and police chief Chad Dojack of Bridgeport have pleaded not guilty to scheming to sell items from the house to celebrity photographers.

PAPARAZZI PAIR ORDERED AWAY FROM RICHIE

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved Nicole Richie's petition for a three-year restraining order against the paparazzi after a court hearing yesterday. Eduardo Arrivabene and Ivon Emilio Melo Miguel agreed to stay 50 yards from the television personality.

Richie blames the men for causing a car crash in Beverly Hills last month and says she's frightened for her and her children's safety. Her two children with rocker Joel Madden weren't in the car at the time.