Extra, Extra

Photo by Nuno Oliveira via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

• An intersection in North Hollywood was shut down when a truck carrying liquid oxygen overturned and spilled the chemicals into the street. The HazMat squad came in and cleaned up and only minor injuries related to the accident were reported.
  
• A last gasp effort to gather the uncounted votes may not be enough to affect the Proposition 8 outcome. Many late mail-in and provisional ballots are yet to be counted, but the margin seems to be out of reach.
  
• Searching for money anywhere it can, LA is turning toward some new meters and parking stations in Downtown to scrape for more change. There is even talk of *gasp* paying for parking after 6PM!
  
• A mountain lion in Arcadia made the fatal mistake of charging a police officer after attacking and killing a resident's dog. The Department of Fish and Game are investigating the shooting. No word if Arcadia Police will also investigate.
  
• Bad News: You know that LAX leads the nation in lost luggage. Worse News: The LAPD have arrested two baggage handlers for stealing items from passengers' luggage. A search of their homes found over 270 stolen items including purses, cameras, computers and around $10,000 in cash.
  
• Many crime lab units, including the LAPD's didn't use all the money provided them by the US Justice Department for analyzing DNA. As a result, their federal funding was cut. Not good since there is a huge backlog of cases that require DNA testing... many of them rape cases.
  
• Finally, in these tough economic times, manufacturers are trying to cut costs anyway they can. Peanut butter, soap, TP and other grocery items are shrinking ever so slightly while the prices remain the same. Nickel and diming the consumers adds up...