News

As the feds try to acquire a large chunk of Malibu real estate to protect it from development, Pepperdine University has donated 72 acres of pristine Santa Monica Mountains habitat above Pacific Coast Highway to the state. The newly obtained Little Las Flores Canyon will connect to Tuna Canyon Park and will provide a continuos wildlife corridor to Topanga State Park. "It features a deep canyon system formed by Little Las Flores Creek, massive sandstone outcrops with numerous ledges and pinnacles for roosting and nesting of owls, hawks, eagles, and ravens, and various reptiles," reads a description from County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavky's Office. "The terrain also includes coastal Southern California plant communities including sycamore riparian woodland, coastal sage scrub and native grasslands." more ›

Hollywood auction house Profiles in History is running two separate auctions today and tomorrow, but both have some killer and, well, out there stuff. more ›

It was only 1976 when Swine Flu was something on everybody's mind. But hey, back then, there was no Twitter. Uh oh! more ›

The Owens Valley, some 250 miles away, may be steeped in controversial Los Angeles history because of our water aqueduct, but it is a little less known for its role during World War II. The small town of Manzanar became one of the ten detainee military-style camps where Japanese American citizens and resident Japanese aliens were sent. Another one was in Newell, California with the rest in other states. Locally, Santa Anita was an assembly site "where Japanese Americans were sent in preparation for eventual removal from the Pacific Coast," says the Japanese American National Museum. more ›

You know the saying, it goes something like this: "statistics speak for themselves." So when LA Weekly's Patrick Range McDonald got sick of hearing the Mayor and LAPD Chief William Bratton claim crime levels were down to 1956 levels year after year, he decided to do his own statistics gathering finding that no, Los Angeles is really not living in the 50s still. Here's some of what we learned: more ›

A 72-year-old man suspected of raping and killing at least 30 women was arrested last month for the killing of one woman who was part of a serial spree that lasted around 15 years. John F. Thomas was matched to an old case via DNA after police began swabbing registered sex offenders. Thomas, who went to prison in 1978 for a rape in Pasadena, had two waves of rape-killings. The first was on the Westside before he was caught. After serving time, he moved to Chino and another wave began in Claremont. Through all this, Thomas was never connected or suspected by police, despite leaving 20 survivors. After he was arrested, more DNA results came in connecting him to four other deaths. Thomas would prey on older woman living alone. He would rape and strangle them and leave a pillow or blanket over their faces. more ›

Is Bill Clinton's former crisis consultant Lanny Davis telling Jane Harman to rub off her latest controversy by poking fun at it publicly? Last week she participated in a 5K race where the Southbay Congresswoman named her team "Tapped Out," a reference to a scandal where her phone was tapped by the NSA. Allegedly, she helped two Israeli agents involved in an espionage case in exchange for another agent to lobby Nancy Pelosi to choose Harman as the chair of the all powerful House Intelligence Committee. Harman denies the allegations and is calling for the release of the transcripts from the wiretapped call. more ›

There are still no confirmed cases of swine flu in LA County, but over at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, one comrade has fallen sick and 30 that were around him socially have also been quarantined just in case. The marine in question, who had not been to Mexico, is doing well and seems to be improving. Back to LA County, one student at CSULB is listed as a "probable" swine flu case, but test results will not be in until tomorrow. In Ventura County, the first two confirmed cases were announced in Oxnard. more ›

Your elected state representative might be looking at a 10% pay cut. | Pedestrian friendly standards have been set for downtown by the city. | On Friday, it's May Day, which means Marches. For downtown, there are five rolling through. If you're traveling around there, we'd advise taking rail. more ›

The notorious Bay Area killer (but in suspected in the LA Region, too) was allegedly named today. Earning him the worst father of the century award, Guy Ward Hendrickson, who lived in Orange County (however, reports do not indicate when), died in 1993 from cancer and took his daughter with him on his killings. That's all according the said daughter Deborah Perez who stepped forward today to preempt a soon-to-be announced theory from a Sacramento investigator. Whether she's delusional herself or not, that has yet to be seen but SFist has their own theories. more ›

Who the hell is Allegiant Air? Whoever they are, they are making Southwest look expensive. In the latest of airfare wars, this company is offering $18 roundtrips between Los Angeles and Monterey. And all on larger jets that seat 130-150 people--no scary puddlejumpers, according to a travel tipster. So where's the catch? They only offer flights on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and this blogger found that despite the low advertised prices, all the add-ons and convenience fees add up to quite the bill. For fun, we test booked a flight in May for 2 adults: the total price, when all was said and done, was $110.40 to $140.40, depending if you chose "priority boarding" or not. Check what you're in for before you hit that "confirm purchase button." If you do make a trip up to the beautiful area, the airport is only a few minutes away from downtown Monterey, 15 minutes from Carmel and 45 minutes from Big Sur and Santa Cruz. Check out our recent road trip to there. (Via the BlogMonterey, the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau's blog) more ›

Today marks the President's first 100 days in office. A lot has happened, but Obama is cautiously optimistic. "I'm pleased with the progress we've made but I'm not satisfied," he said today. "I'm confident in the future but I'm not content with the present." more ›

State of the Air report. However, we are still number one for ozone badness. more ›

At yesterday's city council meeting, a nearly unanimous vote prompted a half million dollar study on whether the city should sell its parking meters and six city parking garages to help fill massive budget gaps. The one councilman who stood up for common sense was the Northwest Valley's Greig Smith. "We're selling property at the bottom of the market. What a stupid idea," he said. "If we were stockbrokers, we'd be in jail with Bernie Madoff for this kind of scheme. This is foolhardy economics." Will JP Morgan Chase own Los Angeles' meters someday soon? The parking lots in question include Hollywood & Highland complex, Pershing Square and the Cinerama Dome. more ›

Rodney King’s near-death plunge to infamy began with a twelve-pack of malt liquor. King’s intoxicated, high-speed driving on March 3, 1991 united him a group of Los Angeles Police Department officers. Their boots, billy clubs, and Taser, would beat the 25 year-old King into the history books. more ›

New York Times says it best: "The gross domestic product shrank at an annual rate of 6.1 percent from January through March after a 6.3 percent decline in the fourth quarter of 2008. Not since 1958 have Americans experienced such a sharp contraction over six months." Basically, companies are just not buying. Is there a silver lining? "But on Wall Street, investors barely flinched at the worse-than-expected decline in economic output. Stock markets rallied 2 percent in midday trading as two big media and entertainment companies beat earnings expectations and analysts upgraded their outlook on bank profits." more ›

A nearly 2-year-old boy from Mexico City died Monday night in Houston while visiting relatives. He first began showing symptoms on April 8th, four days after he arrived into the states. Dr. Richard Besser, the acting head of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention said today that " it's too soon to tell how fast the swine flu virus is spreading. He said it's too soon to speculate as to whether the virus would become a nationwide problem, and that he doesn't believe the flu strain has become more dangerous." The CDC reports 14 confirmed cases of the strain in California. more ›

If only car pools lanes would be as easy as taking a bucket of paint and making some new lines. But adding 10 miles of car pool lane to the northbound 405 Freeway between the 10 and 101 freeways means widening it and $1 billion in funding. Homeowners in Sherman Oaks have already received notices that the state is taking their land, but the state is running into the economy. more ›

In the American Lung Association's latest "State of the Air," it's no surprise Los Angeles County fails. For 2008, Los Angeles had 185 orange days (unhealthy for sensitive populations), 55 red days (unhealthy for all of us) and 11 purple days (very unhealthy). In fact, Los Angeles made all 6 top 25 lists for most polluted and at-risk with various factors. On the clean county lists, many northern and eastern California counties made it, including Santa Barbara and San Francisco. Today, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to counter the report touting "improvements to Los Angeles air quality" at a mid-morning press conference. more ›

LA Dodgers defeat San Francisco Giants 5-3. In the past when the Dodgers would lose a stretch of games they could look to Brad Penny or Derek Lowe and be pretty assured they would win. Chad Billingsley is starting to look like that this season for the Dodgers despite not getting a decision in his 7 1/3 innings pitched. The Giants would score the game tying run in the eighth inning on a bases loaded walk with Jonathan Broxton pitching to deny Bills the win. But true to form the Dodgers MVPs came through in the ninth inning with Manny Ramirez doubling, taking third on a wild pitch and scoring after Russell Martin struck out on an Andre Ethier double. Matt Kemp would emerge from his slump to hit a triple to right field scoring Ethier for the insurance run. Will Ohman would get the save pitching a perfect ninth. As Vin Scully pointed out with nine hits, nine walks and two errors the Dodgers should have scored more runs. But a win is a win. more ›

• StylistLA survey: Wear or not wear a surgical mask when traveling through LAX?
• Twitter is fun and all the rage these days (of course you're following LAist, right?), but are you twittering too much? We consumers are a funny breed - using then abusing every new trend until they're left lifeless on the ground, then we're off to feed again. "If you’re bragging about a book you wrote, or telling the Twittersphere that you own two houses, you might be Tweeting Too Hard," says LASnark.
• The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council has declared East Hollywood a "Pedestrian Oriented Community." David Bell, President of EHNC board, said "We're excited to declare East Hollywood a Pedestrian Oriented Community and we're looking forward to working with our neighbors to make our vision of a walkable, livable community a reality."
• The "Newlywed Bandits" were sentenced to his & her prison terms of 78 & 51 months, respectively, today for robbing 5 banks in a three week span back in 2007. Though not married, the dastardly duo were nicknamed the "Newlywed Bandits" by an FBI agent during their arraignment because they "shared romantic gazes into each other's eyes and smiled a lot."
• The LA Times has cut yet another service. In a surprising move, they are cutting the country's biggest non-profit teen newspaper, L.A. Youth. L.A. Youth needs to raise $50,000 to stay afloat, LA Observed (to whom we owe linkage of this article) is donating $100. Are you on board to donate?
• Don't worry about more urban growth anytime soon. As long as the cute and stealthy, Tehachapi slender salamander is around, nobody's building anything.
• Venice residents, particularly in the Oakwood section, be wary of opening your door for young salesmen. Recently, groups of African American boys between the ages of 14 - 16 have been reportedly posing as selling magazine subscriptions, but have assaulted and robbed the residents instead.
• Sad news from the LA Philharmonic today... Steven Witser, Principal Trombone of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack in Pasadena last night. “The shock of Steve’s sudden and unexpected death has robbed us of one of our most beloved and respected musicians," lamented Deborah Borda, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in a statement. "Steve had been with the LA Philharmonic for just under two years and had made a tremendous impact on all of us in that time. He was not only a wonderful player, but a great friend and colleague and very active in the organization. He will be deeply missed." ()

It's been building up over some time. Bicyclists vs. the LAPD. Each situation gaining media attention is different, but one thing has been a constant--riders feel prejudiced by the police in general. Then comes today when a large group of 20 or so cyclists show up to the regularly little-attended Police Commission meeting talking about last Friday's incident between a hummer and a group of cyclists and the general treatment they receive when dealing with police. Now this: "the Inspector General's office will investigate last week's attack and police policies and write official reports and make recommendations to the LAPD," reported Damien Newton at StreetsblogLA. more ›

As a supplement to Michael's kick ass gallery, below is a summary of the Grand Prix weekend events. more ›

Developer New Century is not thrilled about today's announcement about their property being placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. In fact, they've already sent two press releases, picked up by Curbed LA. The first one partially here: "We are disappointed to see the Century Plaza Hotel politicized in this way, particularly at a time when the City of Los Angeles is suffering from extreme economic hardship and is in dire need of new jobs. The naming of the hotel as an historic place is not supported by the facts. The building is less than 50 years old and does not qualify for consideration under stringent criteria for historic designation of a building of this recent age. [This fact is addressed in that LA Times story]." more ›

The LA County Coroner's office told a group of reporters at 1:30 p.m. that they have "no confirmed swine flu cases at this time." Two recent deaths were reported this morning as possibly related to the disease. After test results, the Coroner's Office said one of the deaths is definitely not swine flu and the other one is inconclusive at this time. However, at a public meeting with the LA County Board of Supervisors, County Health Director Dr. Jonathan Fielding says to expect Swine Flu in LA County. He recommends that you wash your hands often. So far, there have been no deaths in the United States. more ›

He also says "there is no need for alarm." Today's declaration of a state of emergency will quicken government response and aid in limiting Swine Flu's spread as quickly as possible. "[It] sets in motion a series of administrative actions, including ordering all agencies to coordinate with public health officials as needed," the Associated Press explained. Additionally, a local state of emergency was declared today by the LA County Board of Supervisors. more ›

Two deaths in LA County initially listed as caused by pneumonia could actually be swine flu. "Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said his office would collect specimens from the deceased and send them to the county public health department, which would determine whether either person died from the swine flu," said the LA Times. If in fact these were related to the disease, the deaths would be the first caused by it in the United States. The deceased are two men, a 33-year-old from Long Beach and a 45-year-old from La Mirada. more ›

Although President Bush visited the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in 2003, he never gave funding for land acquisition during his presidency. Now President Obama "has proposed spending $420 million next year to buy land for national parks, forests and wildlife refuges, and to help states fund parks and recreation projects," reports the LA Times. more ›

Los Angeles, meet the 761 Metro Rapid. The CNG-fueled bus takes you right to the front gates of the Getty from either Westwood or Sherman Oaks. Round trip? $2.50 or $5 if you're transferring from another bus. Why start taking the bus? Well, the Getty is raising the parking rate once again, this time to $15. "The Getty likes to call itself a museum accessible to the whole city, but it's starting to sound more like a Bel-Air hilltop institution," sniped Kevin Roderick at LA Observed. Nevertheless, the economy has got everyone in a crunch and this is the second time in a year that the fee has gone up. Museum admission will remain free and the parking fee increase also affects the Getty Villa location. more ›

Not content with how the organizers of Sunset Junction have handled themselves over the past few years, two business owners are sending around a petition to make the festival go away. more ›

If the new owners of the Century Plaza Hotel, currently operating as a Hyatt Regency, get their way, it will soon be razed for two 600-foot towers for commercial, hotel and residential occupation. But those dreams may have just been slashed. Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Los Angeles Conservancy will name the landmark on their annual America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list, which highlights important examples of the nation's architectural, cultural and natural heritage that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage. more ›

Metro has done it again and this time broken a record for Los Angeles. Yesterday they unveiled the largest solar panel installation within the City of Los Angeles on top of their Support Services Center--basically a bus maintenance facility--in downtown. more ›

LA Lakers defeat Utah Jazz 107-96. When the Lakers led by 22 points, it really did look like the Lakers would shut the door on the Jazz. But it wouldn't be a Laker win without the opponent making a comeback, wouldn't it? The Jazz's second unit made a strong comeback in the fourth quarter cutting it down to six points late the in quarter mostly due to the effort of backup guard Ronnie Price. Well that and the Lakers refusal to play defense down the stretch. But once the starters came back in with five minutes left in the game, they clamped down a gave the Lakers the victory. Kobe Bryant was his usual self with 31 points and Lamar Odom was a complete beast with 26 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers win the series four games to one and will face the winner of the Houston Rockets - Portland Trail Blazers series. more ›

• Not to steal all the hype from the Swine Flu, but mosquitoes in LA have tested positive for the West Nile virus.
• A 14-year-old has been arrested for the stabbing death of a 16-year-old over the weekend at an Ojai party.
• Remember last year when cars were overflowing at the Port of Long Beach Now Port Hueneme in Ventura County is filled to capacity.
• Pig N'Whistle has been an LA mainstay for the better part of a century now, and there's still hope they might open (or, rather, re-open) in DTLA, says blogdowntown.
• It's back to work for Jay Leno. The comedian resumed his Tonight Show duties today after being hospitalized for dehydration last week.
• SoCal Connected has photographic evidence of Councilman Ed Reyes wading in the LA River.
• Verizon mobile customers who lament not being able to get an iPhone, next year could be your year!
• What every person who has longed to say: "Let’s do it Charles Manson’s way," via Thrillist: Ron Jeremy's Guide to the Valley.

After leading the nation's 5th largest Sheriff's Department (second largest in California), Former Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona today was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his involvement in large law enforcement corruption scandal. He was convicted of the charge in January, but was acquitted of various other charges such as conspiracy. His lawyers said he will likely appeal any ruling that is not probation and will request he remain free during the appeal process. Carona was once a rising star in GOP politics and was expected to do well in Sacramento. more ›

Palos Verdes' Natalie Pack suffers from an acute case of foot-in-mouth syndrome, as evidenced by her airtime on this season of America's Next Top Model. The 20-year-old contestant let fly with some gems that had locals--and anyone who doesn't have a stomach for snobbish observations--wincing. "'I'm sorry I live in a nice community and you don't,' Pack told a girl who called her a snob for not washing post-Thanksgiving dishes," references the Daily Breeze, pointing to another PV Peninsula shout-out: "I'm from Palos Verdes. It's a really wealthy community. ... I feel like these [other contestants] are just whack." more ›

A Catholic elementary school in Claremont has canceled classes for Tuesday because one student is being tested for swine flu. The first grader from Our Lady of the Assumption visited Mexico early last week and is now showing flu-like symptoms. more ›

This past weekend at an Earth Day cleanup in the Valley, a few teenage boys came upon a rattlesnake while picking up trash. Unfortunately, the overzealous teens killed it, something you're not supposed to do (as the San Diego Zoo says, "these beautiful animals are important to the environment because they control rodent populations.") more ›

While hovering helicopters are commonplace for Angelenos, folks in downtown Manhattan (understandably) are wary when they see low-flying planes. And that's what happened this morning: They spotted a low-flying plane being tailed by fighter jets. Some buildings were evacuated while others told employees they were staying put—and then the FAA explained "the Defense Department is conducting a photo op that involves deploying two F-16s and escorting a Boeing 747 in the vicinity of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty... the maneuver was not an emergency and was coordinated in advance with the FAA and state and local officials." (The Boening 747 was one of the planes that the President uses, but President Obama was not on board.) Of course, the warning from NYC government came right at the same time as the maneuver, not in advance, because the feds apparently didn't want the flight to be disclosed. So, this is clearly a Department of Defense FAIL, right? Update: NYC Mayor Bloomberg is "furious" (apparently he didn't know about the flyover!) and now t he White House has apologized. more ›

There have been plenty of suspect cases of Swine Flu in California, but only six have been confirmed, none of those Los Angeles County. However, health officials are investigating the first possible case in Claremont. more ›

Facing budget concerns, non-emergency healthcare for illegal immigrants had been cut from the budgets of a few Northern California counties. Emergency room access will still be available and that's part of the concern--some fear that issues that could have been prevented through routine healthcare will worsen sending more people to emergency rooms. This is definitely starting another battle between immigration camps. Here in Los Angeles County, despite upcoming deficits, there are no plans to cut the program for illegal immigrants. more ›

That just may happen, if a new company gets control of the famous, now docked, ship. From the Press Telegram: "Another development company hopes to buy the Queen Mary and has grand plans for the ship - restoring it to seaworthiness and turning it once again into a luxury ocean liner. Is that plan a pipe dream - one in a seemingly endless series of plans and proposals for the Queen Mary that never came to fruition - or would city leaders actually consider selling the vessel that has been a symbol of Long Beach for more than four decades?" more ›

The Los Angeles region is a behemoth, but the reality of it is that we are all connected. Garbage left on city streets ends up in storm drains, which carries it to the ocean. The water gets polluted, the animals get poisoned, the people get ill, the beaches close and none of it ends well. more ›

As if the swing flu epidemic wasn't enough. A strong 6.0 earthquake struck south of Mexico City this morning. So far, there are no reports of deaths, major injuries or damage. People, who were asked to stay away from common areas and to wear masks, were forced out of their buildings and into the crowded streets. more ›

Early Friday morning in downtown one bicyclist was sent to the hospital overnight after he had an incursion with a Hummer. That same vehicle ran over three bicycles a few minutes later. more ›

Along with the world-class Indy Cars there were other races, including the Firestone Indy Lights, Team Drifting, Speed World Challenge and the American Le Mans Series that pits state-of-the-art BMW's, Acuras, Porsches etc. against one another. Huge crowds filled the stands on Sunday for the final event and were treated to some beautiful weather and intense competition as Dario Franchitti's Target car took the big prize. more ›

KTLA's Weather Blog is calling today an "unusually cool," which should continue through Wednesday. "After the marine layer clouds dissipate, partly cloudy skies will be with us for the remainder of the day. Temperatures are going to continue below normal, ranging from the lower 60’s at the beaches to the lower 70’s in the warmer valleys." And tomorrow, some areas will get a little morning drizzle. more ›

As of yesterday morning, only 20 cases of Swine Flu have been reported in the US, with 7 of those cases in California. However, there have been no cases logged in either Los Angeles or Orange counties, and local officials want to get the word out that they are working to prevent the infection from spreading. more ›

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Atiba Harris scored his second goal of the year to open the scoring for Chivas USA in a tough victory over the hoops last night at the Home Depot Center. more ›

• Another local bank gets shut down by the FDIC. This time it's the First Bank of Beverly Hills, which happens to have its HQ in...Calabasas.
• A bicyclist remains in "grave condition" following a hit-and-run accident last night in Anaheim. The unidentified 55-year-old male rider was struck by a 1969 white El Camino, and police are looking for the driver.
• Local "Mommy Blogger" Heather Spohr, whose baby girl died suddenly earlier this month, spoke today at the March of Dimes event today in Exposition Park.
• The LA Times has posted their obit for the late Bill Barnes, the UCLA coach who died Thursday at the age of 91.
• Demonstrators came from out of state to join in protest against a Newport Beach High School's production of the musical Rent.
• Rickey the Pirate, a homeless resident of Downtown for 30 years, moved into his first real home in three decades this week, according to blogdowntown.
• If you enjoy using Craigslist to help hook you up with some hot action, rest assured they are not going to take away the site's "Erotic" section.
• The folks at Metblogs offer us a look at the restroom art of the Gates of India, in the third installation of their occasional series.

Malibu has had a longtime struggle with water quality in the area; the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board say "old septic tanks lea[k] sewage into the ocean, Malibu Creek and Lagoon," according to an AP report published on abc7.com. Residents, however, fear that converting to sewer lines "would result in unrestrained development." more ›

Actress Bea Arthur, known best for her iconic television turns as The Golden Girls' Dorothy Zbornak and the titular Maude, has died, the Associated Press is reporting. She was 86. "Arthur died peacefully at her Los Angeles home with her family at her side, family spokesman Dan Watt said. She had cancer, Watt said, declining to give further details." more ›

Last night around 9:30 p.m., as a group of women stood outside the Ocean Avenue apartment building where a party was taking place, "a man dressed in all black opened fire," and struck two women who are thought to be between the ages of 30-40, according to cbs.com. The victims were taken to the hospital, and as of this morning one remained listed in serious condition and is having surgery for her injuries. "Police don't have a motive for the shooting and are now combing the area for a gunman." He is "described only as a male dressed in black," who "may have fled in a small, white car," reports MyFoxLA. more ›

The league leading Chivas USA suffered their first lost of the season last Wednesday night in Toronto, but the team remains perfect at the friendly confines of the Home Depot Center in Carson. more ›

Does $40 million in hidden treasure lay next to the 101 Freeway in the Cahuenga Pass? Some believe it, so KTLA tagged along with two treasure hunters in this fun video. more ›

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On April 12, two men, Tommie Hayes and Kevin "K.K." Cohen, were, killed at the LAMP Lodge on Skid Row. The 42-year old Cohen had worked on The Soloist. According to Participant Media's blog, "Cohen was an extra in The Soloist and he helped to make the movie an accurate depiction of the day-to-day life on Skid Row". Cohen's death occurred just week before the movie's release and the premiere was dedicated to him. According to the LAPD, there were two Male suspects, both Hispanic, 30-40 years old (pdf). more ›

Amid controversy over canceling a spay and neuter fee waiver program, LA's Department of Animal Service's General Manager has resigned. “I thank Ed Boks for his years of service," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in a statement. "Under his leadership, this City has revamped the way we treat and care for our pets and animals. The ‘no kill’ policy has become a central component of our animal services strategy. Pet adoptions are up and shelters have expanded at a rapid rate. And ‘spay and neuter’ has become more than just a call to action; it is the law in Los Angeles." more ›

The data from the FAA has been released showing that there have were 944 bird strikes at LAX between 1990 and 2008. Most all of those incident resulted in little or no damage, according to the LA Times. more ›

Now that Coachella is over, the heat wave can be done with its pretty self. This weekend across the immediate Los Angeles region, we're looking at high 60s today and tomorrow and low 70s on Sunday. Today, there's a strong marine layer in the basin that should stick around all day, but clear up in the Valley by afternoon and throughout the city by nightfall. Expect more strong marine layers on Saturday and Sunday mornings as well with afternoon clearing. Lows this weekend will be in the upper 40s and lower 50s and no rain is expected. more ›

A lot people jokingly talk about how lame Lake Mead can be. That's because Lake Mead's web url goes like this: www.nps.org/lame, a product of the National Park Service's naming policy (take the first two letters of the first two words--they actually did change the nickname of Carlsbad Caverns National Park). Anyway, the truly lame thing that is happening these days for the popular destinations for Southern Californians is that the water levels are going down, prompting the closure of at least two marinas and costing the park $11 million to adjust to the new lower levels, which is 14-feet below last year’s lowest point. This is all happening because the snow pack in the Rockies wasn't so great this year, which means less water down the Colorado River, which eventually means less water in general for Southern California. more ›

How silly can things get? Yesterday instead of choosing either or, the Metro Board approved both names for the new Gold Line portion due to open this summer. Take your pick: Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension or la Linea de Oro, Edward R. Roybal. At some point in the future, they will decide what to call the Expo Line, which hasn't officially been named yet. Some would like it to be called the Rose Line. Anyway, this definitely caused some heated debate in yesterday's comment section. more ›

On April 5th, this little guy was born at the LA Zoo. So congrats to his parents, Neema and Artimus. "Able to stand shortly after birth, calves can grow four feet during their first year. When full grown, giraffes can reach a height of 18 feet, making them tallest land mammal," says the Zoo. "Native to Kenya and Tanzania, giraffes can reach a speed of 35 miles per hour. Their kicks are so powerful that they’re capable of decapitating a lion (ouch!). Giraffes communicate with one another through posturing, movement, the way they carry their tails, retreat and sometimes vocalization, which can include moos, bellows and whistles." more ›

• A 3.8 magnitude earthquake shook Yorba Linda shortly before 5 p.m. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
• George Oldfield, 72, a longtime Riverside resident will compete this week at the 36th annual International Whistlers Convention in Louisburg, North Carolina. This is his sixth convention and the fourth time competing (last year he was a finalist). "He plans to whistle the country song "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue," because his 91-year-old mother-in-law requested it."
• Are you practicing Twitter-quette? Oh yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to use Twitter. You better recognize!
• Some dude was doing the "laser pointer thing" at jet pilots, interfering with their landing and now he might go to jail for up to 20 years. Dana Christian Welch, 37, was convicted of shining a handheld laser at passenger jets at John Wayne Airport the night of May 21, 2008. Really, buddy?
• The ASPCA is holding the first annual Wag ‘Wag-n-Walk’ this Saturday in Venice. Dog owners and their dogs are welcome to come down and do the 1.5 mile dog walk then stick around for all kinds of other festivities.
• A 72-year-old Costa Mesa man was arrested for allegedly robbing the Wachovia bank located at 3201 Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach. He brandished a gun during a robbery and Police found him at the bar (where else?) a short time after.
• Early this morning a commuter bus caught fire on the 101 near Calabasas and 30 people were treated for minor smoke inhalation.
• Deneshio Samuel Lankford, 22, of Long Beach is being arrained on Friday for the 100mph car crash he caused in 2007 that left two dead. He is charged with "two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act with gross negligence and faces a maximum sentence of seven years and four months in state prison if convicted."

On last week's episode of Southland, the new LAPD crime drama, officers brought out their bean bag shotgun to subdue a suspect. Did NBC stretch reality in this situation? No, they didn't--this is standard protocol and something we've seen used a few times when car chases come to an end. more ›

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TV show host Jay Leno fell ill today and was checked into the hospital prompting the 'Tonight Show' to be canceled. It was not immediately known what caused his illness (food poisoning is rumored), but he reportedly checked himself into the hospital and is recuperating. Animal trainer Jules Sylvester and actor Ryan Reynolds and the band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy were to appear, according to LAist's TV Junkie column. A rerun will air instead. more ›

There's a tiny restaurant row between Laurel Canyon and Carpenter in Studio City. From Laurel Tavern to Arb Pizza and Vegan Plate to LaLa's Argentine Grill, among many others, there is plenty to choose from. But there's nothing like dining on the sidewalk next to a busy seven lane artery (that includes parking lanes)--nothing like it because it's not a very satisfying experience. more ›

After five very long months, nude dancing finally returns to the Sunset Strip tonight. The Body Shop, which was heavily damaged as a result of an electrical fire, will open its doors and dusts off the poles for the first time since that December 4th blaze. more ›

There is something so completely odd, yet refreshing, about running up and down the stairs at the Hollywood Bowl during daytime hours. In a place you're used to sharing with 17,000 other people, being there completely alone--not even a security guard in sight--made us realize that this is one of Hollywood's biggest secrets (Read Part 1 of this series, The Hidden Staircases of Hollywood Heights, which are right next door). more ›

Remember Craby Joe's? It's "the 1933 Main Street dive bar made famous by Charles Bukowski," as blogdowntown explains. A new bar is slated to open there called Haven, which is owned by Fairfax Partners, the group behind Crown Bar and Winston's in West Hollywood and The Dime on Fairfax. Here's some background info on Craby Joe's when it closed in December 2007. more ›

County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Gloria Molina wants to offiicially rename the Edward R. Roybal Gold Line Eastside Extension to its direct Spanish translation: la linea de oro, Edward R. Roybal. That's because the communities it serves are more than 95% Latino. The Metro board will vote on the matter today, a couple months short of the line's expected grand opening. more ›

Iconic L.A. radio personality Rick Dees is once again absent from the Southern California radio waves. Dees' departure came due to a change in ownership of his most recent employer Movin' 93.9 FM which took effect late last week. Regardless, many will always remember his many years of great work at KIIS-FM, especially during the 80's. L.A. radio won't be the same without him, but it is unlikely he is gone forever. While the news of the change is bad news for Movin'/Rick Dees fans (and Rick Dees), it may serve the local Spanish language radio market quite well, perhaps helping ignite some competition. more ›

Long standing programs to help low-income individuals and families save money on their utility bills and to purchase energy-efficient appliances and equipment are not totally being taken advantage of by 900,000 Californians. That's why this week utility companies like Southern California Edison and LADWP are making an effort to push these programs. Basically, if your total household has a total income of less than a certain amount, you're eligible (see a chart and info here). And it's not based on last year's tax returns or any of that--if you recently lost your job, then your income is zero. Qualifying people can receive a 20 percent discount on their utility bills for electricity and gas. Another program will install energy-efficient appliances and equipment at no cost to eligible customers. And hey renters, this is for you, too. more ›

Toronto FC midfielder Amado El Lobo Guevara scored the only goal last night at BMO Field in Toronto as the Reds ended Chivas USA's undefeated streak. El Lobo managed to gain control of a loose ball in the Chivas USA six-yard box after teammate Danny Dichio headed a failed clearance attempt towards goal. The Chivas USA defense was unable to clear the resulting bouncing ball and Guevara made no mistake about putting it past Chivas USA 'keeper Zach Thorton. more ›

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From tonight to Friday morning, a busy section of Hollywood Boulevard will be closed for a Depeche Mode concert. The band is doing double duty, performing a live taped show for the Jimmy Kimmel Show in anticipation of their new album and show , but also promoting the revitalization of Hollywood and Vine where the new W Hotel will be completed this fall. 10,000 people are expected to show, 7,000 of who already have tickets. You reportedly do not need them to see the show, just be aware of possible riots. The show is at 5 p.m. on Thursday. more ›

Over a half million dollars in pay raises for State Democrat and Republican Assembly staffers have been canceled amidst media and public pressure that broke yesterday afternoon. “I absolutely don’t want the people who oppose public education and who want to drown government in a bathtub to use this as some sort of club against the responsible, urgently needed ballot initiatives Californians will be voting on,” Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) said at a news conference this afternoon, noting that the issue was becoming a distraction to her campaign for tax increase measures on the May 19th ballot. more ›

An e-mail sent out from an online ticketing vendor today advertised this year's Sunset Junction, but city officials say no street closure and event permits have been granted to the festival. TicketWeb lists admission for the popular and longstanding event at $15 each day for August 22nd and 23rd confusing attendees who thought the festival was gone or should be free of charge. more ›

As part of the stimulus bill, $750 million was committed to National Parks across the country and California gets 13% of those funds, $10 million of which that will go locally for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, which extends from Runyon Canyon in Hollywood to the Pacific Ocean in Malibu (read LAist's dossier of the area here). more ›

Today is Earth Day, but many of us are pledging to continue, or take on endeavors and habits that will make every day more green. If you're curious about solar power, and if it's the right step for you to take for your home or business, the LA County SolarMap and website can help you make your decision. more ›

In the streets of Los Angeles millions of connections are made, be it with a friendly gesture or flirty smile. Yet often times fear gets in the way and connections go unrealized as a person passes up a conversation to continue with their day, only to end up thinking, “What if?” Enter Craigslist Missed Connections, where individuals put up posts detailing random interactions they’ve had with others, ultimately hoping it will catch the person’s eye and a relationship can be made. more ›

The blogosphere is abuzz about the latest CIA report released showing that waterboarding, a form of torture, was the reason officials were able to thwart a terrorist attack in Los Angeles. LA Times gives the low down: more ›

Update: The beach was found safe and was opened as of 3:30 p.m. 3 million gallons of tertiary wastewater were accidently released into the ocean yesterday prompting officials to close the water at Inner and Outer Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. Tertiary wastewater has already undergone treatment to remove harmful waste products, but may be still dangerous. “We are asking people to avoid entering or swimming in the ocean in the area immediately surrounding Inner and Outer Cabrillo Beach,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “Our first priority is to protect the health and safety of the people who visit the beach and water areas. Once we determine bacteria levels in the water do not pose a threat to the public’s health, we will remove the beach closure.” The water is being tested this morning and if found to be okay, the beach will reopen around noon. Want to see what happens when you do swim in nasty water? This guy now has a pacemaker: more ›

One boy died this morning after being struck by a Metrolink Train outside Riverside. Train 702 was traveling toward Riverside from Los Angeles when it caught up with two boys trespassing and cutting across the tracks around 7:30 a.m. The other boy survived. As of 9:20 a.m. the train was still out of service, but buses were being used to bridge riders. more ›

After being denied a compassionate release last July, Susan Atkins may have one more shot at freedom. Atkins comes up for her 18th bid for parole May 28. more ›

When the banking industry tried to justify their expensive habits they do for employees to President Obama last month, he gave them a stern warning: "Be careful how you make those statements, gentlemen. The public isn't buying that. My administration is the only thing between you and the pitchforks." more ›

Now that San Francisco Mayor Twitter Master Gavin Newsom is officially running for Governor, he's heading South to Los Angeles and San Diego today for visits to two green companies (it's Earth Day, after all). At noon, he'll be in West LA with Marmol Radziner and Associates, an architecture firm that builds "green" prefab homes. Newsom will tour their design spaces and one of their "cutting edge" homes. Later, he'll be in San Diego touring a a renewable energy's laboratory. more ›

The heat wave comes to a cooler calm today, but yesterday was still a scorcher for some. Here's the breakdown from the National Weather Service: more ›

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• It's friggin hot and you don't have A/C - here's a few ways to keep it cool.
• Some mannequin's have nipples and that's not okay with grandmothers. A mannequin in the window at Tilly's in Huntington beach left one grandmother "outraged" by the obvious areola. Tilly's was quick to apologize and give her a 20% off-one-item coupon.
• if you got picked on in high school and want to get even at your high school reunion, you might want to follow the lead of Andrea Wachner from Palos Verdes. Wachner hired a stripper to go to her 10 year reunion in her place who explained to everyone that she suffered from amnesia, got plastic surgery and is now a stripper. All the while, Wachner is in the other room feeding her muse lines and filming classmates reactions for a documentary.
• The bank bailout was supposed to encourage banks to lend us more money, but in March, they gave out even less loans than they did in February. Turns out, some banks won't even lend to themselves to finish construction projects.
• Anyone on the 605 last night see a car going the wrong way in the carpool lane? LA Observed has direct reporting from the "without-incident" scene.
• Let's take a break from the news of the world and, just for fun, check out some funny street signs from The Infrastructurist.
• Police need your help finding who stabbed a Pasadena man last night. The unidentified man was able to stumble to a passerby and get to the hospital by paramedic, but later died from his injuries.

How much of a meta dork is Gavin Newsom? His communications director Nate Ballard twittered two photos of Gavin twittering his gubernatorial announcement this morning. more ›

Scratch William Parker's name from the idea list, or so said the LAPD Commission today, who voted to oppose to name the new LAPD headquarters with his name, which stirs up a controversial racist past. more ›

LA City Council today approved the third phase of a water conservation ordinance aimed a reducing the consumption of this bitch-thirsty city. Soon, residents and businesses may only water their lawns and other landscaping on Mondays and Thursdays. An earlier phase, which prohibited watering between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. remains in effect. The new restriction begins on June 1st. more ›

If the economy was bad, a broken stove used for baking their famous pumpkin bread didn't help one bit (as posted a couple years ago on LAist, the recipe is below). So earlier this month the nuns at the Monastery of the Angels let the neighborhood know that if they couldn't afford to be there anymore, just under the Hollywood Sign, that their four-acre property might be sliced up and developed into condos. more ›

As of noon, the National Weather Service is reporting numbers that basically say "get thee to a beach!" Here's the breakdown: more ›

The Los Angeles Fire Department had two larger events during the 11 a.m. hour this morning. The first was near Silver Lake on Fletcher near Riverside Dr. where about one half acre of grass and brush burned near structures, but firefighters were able to knock it down in just less than 20 minutes at 11:43 a.m. No one was injured and no buildings were damaged. On Westwood Blvd. near the 10 Freeway, a car crash left one person dead, four injured and two or three dogs with unknown injuries. Three people, including the deceased, were trapped in their vehicle before units arrived on scene to rescue them. more ›

So the big one strikes. Your home is destroyed and you need shelter, but where do you go? The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles has 80 relief containers across the region just in case emergency shelters are needed (just keep in mind, a shelter area could be destroyed in an earthquake, too). It's all part of their ongoing and long-term Catastrophic Disaster Plan, which aims to build capacity to feed and shelter 250,000 people. more ›

A USC Annenberg School reporting project was one of eight community journalism initiatives to be awarded $25,000 in grant money from the Knight Foundation's New Voices program, the Institute for Interactive Journalism announced today. more ›

Official Sample Ballot booklets for the May 19th election began their journey yesterday to homes of voters. “Every registered voter in the County will receive an Official Sample Ballot booklet prior to Election Day,” said LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan. “Sample Ballots contain important information to help ensure that voters are able to successfully cast their ballot, either by mail, or at their neighborhood polling place.” This also means you can start the process to vote by mail. You must request those ballots by Tuesday, May 12th. more ›

Last Tuesday, Leslie Taplin, a Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC) volunteer and founding member, was tragically killed in a freeway accident. blogdowntown first reported on the story and a read through the comments tells the story of a remarkable woman who dedicated countless efforts to bringing positive change to the downtown community. more ›

"It’s official. Today, I became a candidate for governor because California needs a new direction," wrote San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in an e-mail blast today. "In San Francisco, we’re showing what can be accomplished when we stop looking back and start looking for solutions," Newsom said. "We are the first, and still the only, city in America implementing universal health care. We’re proving what you already knew - it is less expensive to keep people well than it is to treat their sicknesses." more ›

According to her friends Phillipe Marcade, Bebe Buell, and Legs McNeil, Sable Starr passed away in her sleep last Friday of cancer. She was 51 years old. Her death has not yet been confirmed by official sources, but those closest to her have been posting tributes to her since yesterday on the internet. Most people learned the sad news in a posting on Legs McNeil's Facebook, which was in response to an email sent to him from Phillippe Marcade. McNeil has given LAist permission to reprint the email, which said, "Hi Legs, Sweet Sable died of cancer, in her sleep, last friday night. I (sic) taledk to her boyfriend Bill this morning....We'll miss her dearly. Phil" more ›

As Los Angeles gears up for the 2010 census, a recent USC study has found that California's adult population will soon shift from a majority of non-natives to natives,. which has political, educational and economical implications. They are products of the school system, for better or for worse," said one of the principal study authors who pointed out that natives would more likely vote in higher taxes to see a better return in education funding. more ›

Remember to dot your "I's" and cross your "T's." A mansion in unincorporated Chatsworth that sustained $3 millions in fire damage early yesterday morning had an outdated phone number attached to its alarm system. Starting last Saturday, two days before the fire, any local calls made within the 818 area code required 1-818 before dialing local numbers because of the new 747 area code overlay. The auto call to alert the local fire department never made it, which may have caused a delay in their arrival. Because the home was inside a gated community and initially there was low water pressure, firefighter's response times attack on the fire was additionally delayed. All four occupants of the house escaped safely and one firefighter broke his ankle. more ›

Although it is all hearsay at this point, the New York Times (and, well, the whole Internet) is abuzz about Southbay Congresswoman Jane Harman's alleged involvement in aiding two lobbyists in exchange for becoming the the all powerful chair of the House Intelligence Committee. Pro-Israel lobbyists Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee were under investigation and eventually indicted for violating the World War I-era Espionage Act for apparently sharing high level Iran and Iraq information. Harman, who was reportedly caught up in some NSA wiretapping, was trying to get them lenient treatment in exchange for her committee chairmanship. If she came through with her end of the bargain, an Israeli agent would lobby Nancy Pelosi to appoint her to head the committee. Well, that's one take on it and if you listen to Jeff Stein, who broke the story in Congresional Quarterly, talk to Warren Olney on KCRW, you'll hear his take. more ›

Years old records were broken for the second day in the row yesterday. Here's how it broke down, according to preliminary results from the National Weather Service: more ›

With the death of a fan at Angel Stadium during their opening day and the stabbing of a fan at the Dodger's home opener, Steve Mason and John Ireland have been talking about the issue of safety on their radio show on ESPN Radio AM 710. They have bandied about solutions such as more security in the parking lot to prevent drinking in the parking lots, getting rid of alcohol sales in the stadiums and even raising ticket prices to price the jerks out. more ›

• The grand jury handed down indictments against two animal rights activists who targeted UCLA researchers and the POM juice company on charges of conspiracy, stalking and other crimes.
• 300 guns were traded in for gift cards in Hawaiian Gardens over the weekend, in a Sheriff-sponsored event aimed at reducing gun violence.
• MIss California says she's against gay marriage, but her sister is for it.
• LACMA's Blog has a Q&A up with John Bowsher, Director of Special Installations at the museum, and he talks about his job, and upcoming installations.
• The President of the UC expressed his gratitude for the $268 million in federal stimulus funds that have just been released to help the system of universities.
• Blogdowntown has their eye on this Sunday's 20th annual Fiesta Broadway.
• It's not open in time for today's 420 "celebration" but Curbed LA steers readers to news from the Atwater Village Newbie, who reports a vacant spot in the area is going to open as a medical marijuana pharmacy.
• They've been chewing on this for a couple of days now over at Chowhound, and have come up with a pretty good list of "old school" "red booth" LA restaurants. Did your favorite get a nod?

"Empowering Africa's first ladies is an innovative approach to bettering the lives of millions of Africans," said Chairman Ted Alemayhu of the LA-based US Doctors for Africa about today's health summit at the Skirball Museum. "The summit will pair these leaders with U.S. experts, key political figures and important organizations to create ongoing partnerships." more ›

Beloved Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully will be inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Las Vegas tomorrow. The National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame honors one radio and one television broadcaster every year. more ›

"They say nobody walks in LA, but many people cross Sunset Blvd. at Portia everyday. This new signalized crosswalk will make it safer for them when they do," Council President Eric Garcetti said today at a news conference introducing Echo Park's new pedestrian friendly feature. more ›

It reached 99 degrees in downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach and Woodland Hills this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Going further than that, Fullerton and Palm Springs each broke into triple digits. For the most part, valleys, inland and even some beachside areas remained in the low to high 90s. Today's ultraviolet index level is 10, which means "a fair skinned person could suffer a sunburn in about four minutes if not protected," the Service warns. Stay cool and use that sunscreen! more ›

"The need for shared responsibility and shared sacrifice isn't just rhetoric, it's reality,'' Villaraigosa said today about his $7.04 billion budget for the next fiscal year. Today's proposed budget, which is 1% less than last year's, should eliminate the $530 million deficit the city could incur. more ›

He beat it with a sledgehammer, took a chainsaw to its head and fed it to his dogs. Jack Ziniuk, 64, of Anza in the 909 951 was arrested today for felony animal cruelty. “He told us he was having an argument with his neighbors and some dogs had attacked his horse but when deputies got out there they found the horse already dead,” a Riverside County Sheriff’s said to the LA Times. “He essentially admitted that he did it and that no dogs had attacked the horse.” Ziniuk has a long list of animal related violations, but each citation was never enough for officials to legally take away his animals. By the paper's count, he has at least 33 dogs, eight puppies, 10 goats, peacocks and geese, which will be taken care of by two other men that live on the property. more ›

The 2009 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced today, and LA Times Metro staff writers Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart were named as awardees in the category of Explanatory Reporting. The duo were behind the series "Big Burn," which examined the "growth and cost of wildfires." The category seeks material that "illuminates a significant and complex subject, demonstrating mastery of the subject, lucid writing and clear presentation, in print or online or both," and the committee hailed Boxall and Cart's work as "fresh and painstaking." more ›

By the 1960s, America's bird and national symbol could not be found on any of the eight Channel Islands where it had made home before the arrival of humans. Twenty years before, the practice of pouring DDT into the ocean off Palos Verdes Peninsula, mostly at the hands of the Montrose Chemical Corporation, became a 30 year practice resulting in those chemicals going up the marine food chain into Bald Eagles, whose main diet consist of fish. No, it didn't kill the bald eagles, but it was to their eggs--too thin and fragile due to the chemical intrusion, they were easily crushed before the chicks would hatch. Eventually, with no birth cycle, Bald Eagles were gone. more ›

Charity Navigator released their list of the country's 10 Most Inefficient charitable groups, naming two Orange County groups as some of the best for being worst. The ranking looks at the percentage of money spent versus the amount of money actually put towards supporting the cause, and those listed "spend more than $0.50 to raise each dollar in support, making them four times less efficient than the average charity. This inefficiency forces them to devote more than 40% of their budgets to fundraising, limiting the difference they can make with your dollars." more ›

Earlier this year, Council President Eric Garcetti's office hosted a bicycle rack competition for artists to design bicycle racks for East Hollywood. Today, after city and community input, Melrose Hills artist Forester Rudolph and his SpokesQuotes design were announced as the winner. more ›

Los Angeles just isn't a football city, some might say, and now that includes Arena Football as well. "The Los Angeles Avengers announced Sunday they have terminated their participation in the Arena Football League after playing nine seasons at Staples Center," reports the Press-Telegram. more ›

A study released last week ranks American cities in terms of job growth, and groups the results based on the size of the city. And when it comes to the country's "Large" cities, out of 66, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metro Division ranks a discouraging #56 (and 279 out of all 336 cities nationwide). more ›

They begin moving next month and by the end of the year, the new LAPD headquarters next to the LA Times building should be open for business. But one thing that's not settled yet is what to name it, or if it even needs one at all. One name being considered is transferring the same one from the current one: Parker Center, named after the controversial and racist Chief William Parker from the 1950s. "Parker does not warrant similar commemoration at the new headquarters, scheduled to open by the end of the year," the LA Times editorial board opined today. "The City Council should reject the misguided proposal to name the building for him. It needs no moniker at all, and certainly not that of this complicated and flawed chief." The safest naming bet is this one: Police Administration Building. more ›

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will release his proposed budget later this morning promising to to close the $530 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year (July '09 through June '10) all while continuing to build the LAPD and preventing layoffs--up to 2,800 by his estimates--by asking employees to share the sacrifice. more ›

Yesterday broke records and today it's expected to get hotter, breaking triple digits again, in some areas such as inland-valleys. Some predicted highs are 94 for LAX, 96 for Burbank, 97 for downtown, 98 in Long Beach, 101 in Anaheim and 97 in Woodland Hills and Pasadena. Cooler temps should come to the coastal areas tomorrow with widespread cooling on Wednesday or Thursday. more ›

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Two weeks and 12 games into the 2009 season and the Dodgers are looking better than expected. I say this, of course, in full knowledge that all games have been against the other NL West teams. more ›

The Daily News has published their analysis of LAFD salaries and overtime pay, and the results might have some folks feeling burned. The report shows that overtime pay has risen 60% in the past ten years with a personnel increase of only 17% (to 3, 586 firefighters), and "there is no real effort to rein in the expense despite the city's budget crisis." more ›

A 50-year-old male was struck and killed early this morning by a hit-and-run driver, according to KTLA. The victim was riding on North Glendale Boulevard near Sunset Boulevard at around 1 this morning when he was hit by a silver-colored Mitsubishi. He was pinned against a car, according to reports, and a witness provided the vehicle's license plate number, although both that information and the deceased's name have not been made public. more ›

Newcomer Chukwudi Chijindu scored his first MLS career goal last night to help Chivas USA secure a 2 - 0 victory over the visiting Seattle Sounders FC at the Home Depot Center. more ›

• An Orange County teenager and her boyfriend have been arrested for the murder of the girl's mother.
• The parents of the man accused of killing Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others in a horrific car accident last week say their son is an alcoholic, but "not a monster."
• LA-based blogger Mark Horvath (of Hardly Normal) visited a homeless shelter in San Luis Obispo, and shared the story on Whrrl.
• Mercedes Marquez, the City of LA's housing department's general manager since 2004, has been appointed Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• If you're looking to play resident tourist (staycation, anyone?) how about Venice Beach? Yo! Venice! passes on a Travel Channel video about the area's history, including the canals.
• Rockers Don Henley and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' guitarist Mike Campbell have filed suit against Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) for his use of their song "Boys of Summer" in a recent campaign video.
• In the "Age of Oversharing," LA Times columnist Meghan Daum wonders if only twits Tweet.
• And we think we have an answer for Daum, btw. You see, LAist Tweets, and we're at Coachella and the Grand Prix this weekend, so if you're into twits...or tweets...or...well, anyhow. You know.

As part of a city-wide, Mayor-back, and City Council-approved plan that went into effect more than a month ago, parking meter rates in San Pedro got a significant hike--in fact, the rates quadrupled, and the applicable time extended into evening hours. This left not only motorists flustered, but merchants as well, who are already facing a decline in revenue thanks to the economy. more ›

Now that the real NBA season has started, those Laker flowers have started to bloom. At the Dodger game Friday night the evidence of the germination was seen as several cars were seen with the Laker flags flying. more ›

Yesterday evening, authorities took the second suspect into custody in connection with the recent hit-and-run accident that killed one USC student and left another seriously injured. 32-year-old Josue Luna was found "attempting to cross into the U.S. from the Mexican border when a computer alerted Border Patrol agents that he was wanted by the Los Angeles Police Department," according to an LAPD press release issued today. Agents from the LAPD fugitive unit "picked up Luna and transported him to 77th Division Jail for booking." Luna posted bail at noon today. His wife, Claudia Cabrera, 30, was arrested for her role in the accident that took the life Adrianna Bachan, 19, and injured Marcus Garfinkle, 18. Cabrera pleaded not guilty to the charges of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run driving on April 6th. A memorial service for Bachan was held the following day. more ›

Residents of Malibu are up in arms about U2 guitarist The Edge (nee David Evans) and his plans "to build five luxury homes in [the] hills" they believe "would devastate the area," according to On the Red Carpet. more ›

This weekend may go down as the first annual Southern California Soccer Weekend due to the breadth of options available to fans. Quite an impressive feat in many ways, especially considering the status of the sport in the U.S. a mere 15 years ago when MLS didn't even exist. more ›

• Due to the statewide drought, the LA City Council today approved new water rates to encourage conservation. If you use a lot of water, watch out, your bill will soon be higher if you don't start using less.
• A vegan cupcake shop from New York City will be opening a storefront on 6th Street in downtown. However, that news comes as another New York based store, City Bakery, confirms it will be shutting down its Brentwood location.
• "For all his green talk en route to the White House, President Barack Obama remains a cipher on one of the most critical environmental and economic issues facing California: whether to expand drilling for oil and gas off the coast for the first time in a generation."
• LAist is at Coachella and also updating via Twitter. Follow us at @LAist!
• This weekend is Esa-Pekka Salonen's last for conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The New York Times takes note.
• Parents are not happy that Burger King likes square butts (and they cannot lie). That's enough for Franklin Ave. to name it as his Press Release of the Day.
• What are you doing this Earth Day weekend? Green LA Girl has a good list.
• StreetsblogLA interviews Hillary Norton from FAST, otherwise known as Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic.
• LA County Sheriff's Deputies are being arrested for alcohol related offenses more often. In 2005, 24 such cases were on the books, but in 2008, there were 70.
• The latest from the Wildflower Hotline, compliments of the Theodore Payne Foundation, tells us to check out nearby sites such as Vasquez Rocks, the Mishe Mokwa Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains and the Descanso Gardens, which is "awash with color" in its native plant section.

A portion of Sunset Boulevard will be closed tonight for street resurfacing, a first in 30 years for this stretch of street. The full closure will be from 8 p.m. tonight to 10 a.m. Saturday morning between Highland and La Brea avenues. more ›

After more than nine months of working without a contract, the Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers--they represent the studios--today announced that they have reached a tentative agreement. "Details of the agreement covering television programs and motion pictures will not be disclosed prior to review by the SAG national board of directors this Sunday," says SAG. If approved, it will be sent to members for ratification. more ›

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On Monday, a new pedestrian crosswalk with a flashing overhead yellow light will be debuted on Sunset Boulevard at Portia Street. In a recent citywide study to find where higher than average pedestrian accidents occur, this one was identified and pushed for by the city's volunteer citizen Pedestrian Advisory Committee. The crosswalk is currently installed, but the flashing lights will be turned on Monday morning when Councilman Eric Garcetti and others flip the switch. more ›

If you're in the Valley, you'll be dialing 11 numbers to reach your next door neighbor beginning tomorrow when the 747 area code lands. "The 747 area code is only the third overlay in the history of California, where a fourth will take effect later this year in a region stretching from San Diego County to Bishop," notes the Glendale News-Press. The most recent overlay in the Los Angeles area involved the tony 310 area code when 424 was overlayed in 2006. That state has 29 area codes in total. more ›

It wasn't the $25,000 the LAPD spent to help Britney Spears get to the hospital last year, but the La Habra police department estimates that more than $4,000 in resources have been used to help Octomom Nadya Suleman. Specifically, $4,000 has been spent on overtime for officers, but other costs such as responding to calls were not factored, says the Pasadena Star News. "Virtually all police services are free to residents of the community," said Cindy Knapp, spokeswoman for the La Habra Police Department. "There are no legal provisions or paths for cost recovery under the specific circumstances or service provided to the Sulemans at this point." Police began to help Suleman after she brought home the first two babies and was swarmed by paparazzi (see the crazy video here). more ›

Last week the fifth and final White House Regional Forum on Health Reform took place at the California Endowment in downtown Los Angeles. Speakers included California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes, Childrens Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman, and the event was moderated by Dr Mehmet Oz who appears regularly on the Oprah show. A preselected audience shared personal stories, and some questions were chosen from those submitted at the Obama administration's Health Reform site. more ›

An estimated 5,400 deaths a year in Southern California are attributed to environmental factors and air pollution, but little alarm over that fact has been raised. Today, that changes. more ›

The Ladies Professional Golf Association last year began suspending players if they could not speak English proficiently. "The policy was based on the premise that language fluency in speeches and media interviews was critical to the sport's promotion," the LA Times explained. Well, that pissed off one politician who proposed a new law that was passed by the State Senate yesterday and next moves on to the Assembly floor. Opponents said this was a dangerous move citing that civil rights lawsuits could pile up if customers felt they did not receive good service. However, the law lets businesses can turn away customers if English is required for "business necessities" such as safety communications. more ›

And these numbers are expected to continue to rise through the summer. 62,100 jobs were lost last month, pushing the state's unemployment from 10.6% to the current 11.2%, the highest since 1976 when the U.S. Government began keeping records. Over the last year, 637,400 jobs have been lost. The western states represent the worst job loss region with 9.8%, more than a point higher than the national average, which is 8.5%. more ›

It's going to get quite hotter this weekend with temperatures reaching into the 90s on Saturday in Coachella and on Sunday in Los Angeles. more ›

A second victim has died in the triple murder-suicide that took place at the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center just before noon yesterday. Kelly Hales, 56, of Redondo Beach was in grave condition and passed away six hours after the incident. more ›

LA Dodgers defeat San Francisco Giants 7-2. The week is always rosier when the Dodgers sweep the Giants. Eric Stults getting another start in the placed of injured Hiroki Kuroda went five innings giving up two runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts. It's really hard to follow Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw who combined for 24 strikeouts in the first two games of the series. But the bullpen atoned for Wednesday's game with James McDonald, Ronald Belisario and Will Ohman combined for four scoreless innings. So far the pitching is holding up better than expected. more ›

• Steve Rocco, was found guilty today for stealing a ketchup bottle from a Chapman University cafeteria. Rocco stated,"this is not over," as he left the courtroom. Let's hope that it is over, because it has already cost taxpayers thousands of dollars!
• LAist's own "Recession Obsessed," Caleb Bacon, explained his motives for finding eats on the cheap to The Daily Bruin. With a name like Bacon, you know the guy's the go-to for food recommendations. If you have no idea what any of this means, check here, here, and here.
• LA Metblogs suggests just cutting to the chase with Obama's high speed rail plans and creating a train between LA and NYC.
• Three women were allegedly sexually assaulted last night at USC's Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The Fraternity has been suspended by the university during the investigation.
• A 3-alarm fire broke out last night at the South Pasadena Public Works Department Yard. Fire fighters were able to contain the blaze from spreading but damages are estimated to be around $1 million.
• Police released a sketch of a man who stabbed and killed a man in Northridge on Saturday night. Police are seeking to secure a reward for anyone who comes forward with information.
• When you're stuck in Coachella traffic this weekend, take a little stop in Cabazon instead of sitting in the car. There's some worth wile things to do that will kill a few hours of time.
• TRAFFIC ADVISORY - - SOUTHBOUND SEPULVEDA TUNNEL TO BE PARTIALLY CLOSED TOMORROW. The southbound Sepulveda Tunnel will close lanes 2 and 3 tomorrow starting at 9 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. Lane 1 will remain open. Motorists exiting Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will not have access to Sepulveda Boulevard and the eastbound I-105 onramp.Motorists exiting LAX should expect some delays. The eastbound I-105 can be accessed via east Century Boulevard to Aviation Boulevard heading south. The closure will not affect the northbound Sepulveda lanes. The closure is due to cleaning by Los Angeles Street Services.

The gunman who killed himself and one other, also gravely wounding another, was about to start his shift at the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center before opening fire shortly before noon today. more ›

Here in Los Angeles, the non profit charged with conserving most of Catalina Island's 76 square miles is not exactly one you hear about every day. But who knew that the Catalina Island Conservancy has been producing a daily environmental podcast for over three years now that is broadcast on over 225 radio stations across the country? They're short and sweet, fact checked by two scientists and speak to the group's larger mission of the environement--after all, as they say, we are all on an island. more ›

newly minted US Attorney General Eric Holder articulation of the Obama administration's position on medicinal marijuana: Tepidly hands-off. They will no longer raid or prosecute Medical marijuana distributors who are in full compliance with their state's laws governing such activity. Of course, that’s the crucial distinction. Normal criminal penalties will apply for recreational distribution and use, except, maybe not! So far, no official opinion has been offered on Massachusetts' recent decriminalization law (or others pending like it), so it remains to be seen how the Obama administration will choose to act. Marijuana remains illegal on the federal level, but, if their stance on medical herb is any indication, we might see a patchwork legalization/decriminalization legal framework, which means, of course, state by state by state. more ›

At approximately 11:40 a.m., a gunman entered a lobby of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and opened fire. A source told the LA Times that "the gunman first shot a pharmacy manager several times in the head. He then ran through the hospital wielding at least two guns, searching for a second man. He eventually caught up with that man and shot him multiple times in the head and neck, the source said. The gunman then told onlookers to go away, the source said, and fatally shot himself." UPDATE: More info here. more ›

"Downtown has become a really hot place to play. I thought I would never live to see the day, but as this downturn continues we are seeing more restaurants open, more nightclubs open, and they are doing just fine, thank you very much." That's Carol Schatz, head of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID), speaking yesterday about the latest survey about downtown. Because census data focuses on residents and not workers and visitors and the last since the last census was in 2000, before the growth boom began, this survey tracked a variety of people, reported blogdowntown. "We want to be able to use this data to attract more business, and in particular retail to serve our growing residential population and ... our existing employee population," Schatz said. Now, if only they could get a Trader Joes. more ›

The California Supreme Court is rumored to announce their ruling on the fate of gay marriage as early as Monday. But as they figure things out, New York Governor David Paterson yesterday introduced legislation to legalize same-sex marriage. "There is clearly a problem in that those individuals who are gay or lesbian who would live in a civil union are still not entitled to somewhere between 1,250 and 1,300 civil protections" that are afforded to married couples, he said. A similar same-sex marriage bill was knocked down in the New York state Senate in 2007 when former Gov. Eliot Spitzer brought it to the table. more ›

Was it Spring Break or was this some kind of educational experience? Yesterday, thousands of people prodded by FOX News and other media outlets fanned out across the country to protest taxes, the stimulus and the bailout. A few hundred with their kids in tow made it to Glendale City Hall. more ›

In an interview with KCBS radio in the Bay Area, John Madden announced his retirement saying, "It's time." The 73-year old was the color commentator opposite Al Michaels for NBC's Sunday Night Football for the past three seasons. Prior to that he worked for ABC's Monday Night Football also opposite Michaels but is probably best known for his stints with CBS and Fox working alongside Pat Summerall. Prior to his broadcasting career he coached the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1979 winning Super Bowl XI in 1976. more ›

Ten high speed rail corridors were identified today by the White House, including one that is already well on its way in California. Comparing his plan to President Eisenhower's Interstate highway system, President Obama said “My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America. We must start developing clean, energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for centuries to come... High-speed rail is long-overdue, and this plan lets American travelers know that they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed cars on the highways.” more ›

On April 4th, it was halftime during an NCAA game so Gary Norris and two friends headed to the park across the street to shoot some hoops. He put his belongings, including an iPod to the side of the court while they played. At some point, two young men in their teens or early 20s walked up and took his iPod, which prompted Norris to jog after them to a nearby alley where one of the suspects turned around and shot him. "They shot him in cold blood," his roommate told the Long Beach Press Telegram. "They're animals. They do what they need to do to get their way." Norris moved to Long Beach less than a year ago to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering from USC. After the Houston native graduated, he became an engineer for Mercedes-Benz. more ›

Today and yesterday, Orange County residents within 50 miles of Camp Pendleton might be feeling some shaking sensations, but they won't be an earthquake (well, unless an earthquake actually happens). “F-18s will be dropping up to 500 pounds of high explosive munitions into the Whiskey and Zulu impact areas," an advisory from the marine base says. Additionally, other units will be mortar live firing of high explosive munitions from 6 a.m. to midnight. “Depending on atmospheric conditions, the sound of the explosions may be amplified and heard up to 50 miles away.” more ›

A newer model motor home caught fire last night around 1:20 a.m. leaving one man dead in South LA. Firefighters quickly arrived to 6050 Gramercy Place in the Cantebury Knolls neighborhood and extinguished the fire within ten minutes. Upon inspection, a charred body was found inside. The cause of the fire is under investigation. more ›

LA Dodgers defeat San Francisco Giants 5-4. Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw had the best outing of his young career going seven innings giving up only one run on one hit (a homer by catcher Bengie Molina) on one walk with 13 strikeouts. His 13 Ks were the most by a Dodger lefty since Fernando Valenzuela in 1987. As fabulous as Kershaw was, that's how bad the bullpen and offense was denying him the win. The Dodgers got three walks and two singles in the first inning yet only plated one run. In fact they stranded five runners on base in the first two innings. In the eighth inning, Hong-Chih Kuo and Ronald Belisario combined to give up three runs in relief to give the Giants their first lead of the series. But the Dodgers fight back culminating in James Loney's walk-off walk in the bottom of the ninth. A great win, but still very disappointing for Kershaw not to get the decision despite his great performance. more ›

At approximately 7:24 p.m., a suspicious package outside the CNN building at Sunset and Vine was reported to the LAPD prompting the closure of surrounding streets and nearby stores such as Amoeba Records. Sunset was shut down between Wilcox and Ivar and Cahunega from Selma to De Longpre. Word spread on Twitter that the incident was a "bomb threat," but officials with LAPD Media Relations emphasized it was a suspicious package and no threat had been made. more ›

Goin to Coachella? Of course you are. If you need a ride out there, Greyhound is offering rides for $39. | OC cosemetic shops are now on alert after incidents involving bad checks from two women receiving Botox injections. This after earlier incidents involving the "SoCal Boob Bandit". more ›

When Richard Bohannan went outside his Chino house last night to go to the front yard mailbox, he never came back. A car hit and killed him before it fled the scene. His 13-year-old son that was with him was not hurt and this morning California Highway Patrol officers impounded a car parked nearby that is likely the suspect's vehicle. more ›

Forget worrying about what you've packed in that suitcase you have to shell out a few extra bucks for; if you've packed on too many pounds and want to fly on United, you could be headed for shelling out a second seat's worth. The airline is now enforcing a policy that stipulates that "passengers who are unable to fit into a single seat; are unable to properly fasten their safety belt [using a single seatbelt extender; and/or] are unable to put the seat's armrests down, will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat," according to cbs2. more ›

A priest at Santa Monica Catholic Church made an unpleasant discovery just before Easter Sunday services were due to begin last weekend: Their 55-year-old statue of the Virgin Mary had been decapitated. The marble Mary has previously been the target of vandals, when in 2002 her hands and feet were removed by vandals, reports the LA Weekly. Worshippers were "shocked" according to a live report from the Church, where the statue has been draped in plastic and people have left flowers in tribute. Police are treating the beheading as a hate crime because of the significance of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic faith. Santa Monica Catholic Church is where Gov. Arnold Schwarzegger frequently attends services. more ›

As President Barack Obama announced plans to overhaul the tax code in order to make it a simpler process to deal with, protests spread across the country today with anti-tax tea parties of sorts. A few hundred reportedly protested in Glendale this afternoon and more events are planned for the Santa Monica Pier and the Van Nuys Civic Center. Down in Orange County, around 1,000 people are protesting outside a courthouse in Santa Ana. more ›

After yesterday's local board vote that reduced water supplies in Southern California by 10%, $260 million from the Department of the Interior will go to projects in the state that should expand water supplies, repair aging water infrastructure, and help mitigate the effects of the drought. “President Obama’s economic recovery plan will not only create jobs on basic water infrastructure projects, but it will help address both the short- and long-term water supply challenges the Golden State is facing," said Secretary Ken Salazar. "From boosting water supplies and improving conservation to improving safety at our dams, these shovel-ready projects will make a real and immediate difference in the lives of farmers, businesses, Native American Tribes and communities across California.” Most projects--some are listed below--focus in Northern California where water is transferred to whet the appetites of Southern Californians. more ›

About $6.5 billion in taxes go unpaid each year in California, which could pay the salary for every high school teacher in the state, Dan Simon reported in a CBS/KCAL live report about the delinquent taxpayers list that was released last week. That list included Sinbad, Burt Reynolds and Dionne Warwick, but the man who topped it with nearly $10 million in unpaid taxes is a Northern Californian investor and landlord Winson T Lee--he admitted to Simon that he hadn't filed in ten to fifteen years and likened his delinquency to an "illness" (too much paperwork, he said). Also: Nationwide, around $300 billion in taxes go unpaid each year, which is half of the defense budget. That number is expected to grow this year. more ›

Nadya Suleman wants to cash in on her media bestowed sobriquet "Octomom" for products such as clothing and for use on Television, according to documents obtained by The Smoking Gun. She filed two applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week, costing her $825. Also, records show that of all streets names in the world, she happens to live on Madonna Lane in La Habra. more ›

Does your company encourage leadership, transparency, democracy and creativity in the workplace? Do your co-workers participate in company decisions on an ongoing basis? WorldBlu -- a social enterprise that champions the ideas of "organizational democracy" -- compiled its list of the forty most democratic companies in the world based on questions like these. more ›

It's a day of reckoning, a day of doom, and, for a lucky few with refunds due, a day of joy. Be it what it may, today is Tax Day, and if you are a procrastinator, you might be just putting the finishing touches on your 1040 and getting ready to sign that payment check. If you aren't submitting your taxes online, rest assured there are a few post offices in the area who are ready to handle your last-minute (and we mean last minute!) tax-mailing needs. The USPS is keeping a handful of locations open until midnight so they can collect and postmark your taxes, including Airport Station near LAX, the Pasadena Main Post Office, and the Van Nuys Main Post Office. You can call 1-800-ASK-USPS to find out about the hours of your nearest Post Office, or check a complete listing of extended hours and service limits online here. Happy Tax Day! more ›

What would Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison think about a star on Hollywood Boulevard? "It’s a bunch of old bollocks," actor Eric Idle said channeling Harrison. more ›

It was as close to a split as a panel of 7 can get: In a 4-3 vote, the LAUSD Board of Education voted late yesterday afternoon to approve layoffs that will affect thousands of teachers and other district staff. more ›

A group has sued the federal government for disseminating inaccurate information about medical marijuana. The LA Times points out that although the Obama administration has stated "that science should be guiding government judgments in controversial matters of medicine and technology, not the prevailing political mood," a federal lawyer told the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday that marijuana "has no currently accepted medical use." By law, the government is not allowed to publish false information. more ›

“I think we’re going to have to make some lifestyle changes...particularly how we use water outside,” said Bob Yamada, water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority before yesterday's decision by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) to cut water supplies by 10% to agencies such as San Diego, Long Beach and Los Angeles. more ›

The politics of the proposed overnight parking districts in Venice is getting nasty. Mean spirited notes are being placed on residents' cars and doors that threaten action against them over junky-looking cars parked on the street, unkempt lawns or barking dogs. One letter obtained by the LA Times read: more ›

LA Lakers defeat Utah Jazz 125-112. All day the talk had been whether the Lakers should tank the game so as to try and avoid the Jazz in the first round. All of that was put to rest as the Lakers made a statement against the short-handed Jazz with a flurry of assists. The 39 assists was the most by a Lakers team at the Staples Center. The starters looked great, the bench looked great. It was just a great showing for a team getting ready for the real season to start. The Lakers 65 wins in the regular season is the third best in franchise history tied with the 1986-1987 team that went on to defeat the Boston Celtics four games to two in the NBA Finals. The Lakers will face the Jazz in the first round of the playoffs. more ›

• You can't call it "chicken," and now you can't call it "fried." KFC is now grillin' up the "C" in KFC.
• There's only one thing holding up the banishment of plastic bags from the land - plastic legal tape thrown on the cause by... the plastic industry.
• Yeah.... so you're paycheck to paycheck and it's getting old. Consumerist presents some easy ways to save money. Just do these 112 things.
• Here we go... it might be time to start saving water. We don't want to go to 'Stage 2.'
• Great headline of the day - "Shia LeBeouf to High-Five No More"
• Things are not looking good at Variety magazine. Parent company Reed Business Information is cutting 7% of the staff including Variety executive editor Michael Speier. RBI CEO Tad Smith cautioned employees "to be prepared in your personal lives if we need you to take 5-10 unpaid days off this year."
• Last week, John Chong went on a shooting spree at a Roman Catholic Korean retreat killing one woman and wounding her husband. He will be charged with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder as early as Tuesday.

Although TV host Huell Howser is a local to Los Angeles, the man loves all of California. Yesterday he disclosed to the California State Parks Foundation that his favorite state park hike is through Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwood State Park, which compliments the nearby Redwood National Park in Northern California: more ›

Starting at 3:30, the annual ceremonies for the State of the City will begin at the Balqon Electric Truck Factory in the Harbor area. It will be aired live on Channel 35 and on its website. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's speech probably will begin around 4 p.m., according to his office. The LA Times suspects the speech will focus on green jobs, considering its setting. more ›

Yesterday, a city council committee was presented with a report (.pdf) on the benefits of privatizing city owned parking meters. Such as a move--Chicago already is doing this--could solve the city's budget crisis, which is looking to be over $500 million. "It’s not like we’re going to wake up tomorrow and the city will have handed over control of its parking meters," Damien Newton at StreetsblogLA notes. "However, because the city is looking to collect a one-shot fee to plug a budget whole for the next two budget years; unless someone stands up to fight the proposal we could end up seeing a rushed process that is all about the city’s short-term budget needs. Such a deal could leave Los Angeles with another significant hurdle to bringing the kind of transportation reform the city really needs." more ›

Today and tomorrow's ultraviolet index level in Los Angeles is 7, which means a person could be sunburned in 7-8 minutes of exposure to the sun. Everyday, the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center releases the next day's UV levels and as we approach summer, these numbers have been climbing out of the low and moderate levels towards the high. "There are two prices to pay for overexposure to UV radiation: a severe sun burn following an intense short term overexposure, and the more serious skin cancers developing after long term overexposure," the Service explains. "Melanoma, the more deadly of the two types of skin cancer occurs when the patient has been subjected to several intense short term overexposures." If UV levels reach 10 or beyond, it could take four minutes to develop a sunburn. more ›

Yesterday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano toured LAX and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with local officials to her side asking to money to upgrade security infrastructure in the area. more ›

"Not only is the current statewide Republican registration of 31% a historic low, but for the first time there is not a single congressional, state senate or assembly district that has a majority Republican registration," finds Fox and Hounds Daily, a blog about the state's politics and business. Is this a sign of the times or because more people are deciding to register as "Decline to State" or was this predictable when assembly districts were gerrymandered in 2001? Maybe that theory of three Californian states is now dissipating. (h/t, LA Observed). more ›

The most heated a neighborhood council meeting will get is usually is over new development. This week, two neighborhood councils are heavily advertising meetings about projects going into their neighborhoods. Tonight, the Studio City Neighborhood Council's Land Use Committee checks in on a large development at Ventura and Colfax that will include 254 units and 5,000 square feet of retail/commercial space. And in Silver Lake, they are urging community members to come out Saturday morning to meet with the developer and architect of a 94 unit building at Santa Monica and Sanborn. more ›

Compared to last year's first quarter, film production shoots are down 56.3%, but thanks to last year's writers strike, TV shoots was given a boost with a 76.4% increase. However, the Hollywood Reporter has sobering news about all of this: "after factoring in a 34.2% drop in recession-battered commercial shoots -- first-quarter location filming in L.A. was virtually stagnant, increasing by 0.7% year-over-year." Feature Film production in Los Angeles also drastically went down to its lowest levels since at least 1993 when film days were first tracked. Tomorrow, a City Council committee will look at the filming services contract. Of note, a new draft of the contract "removes most of the specific language regarding how far in advance surveying and notification requests must be done," reports blogdowntown. more ›

Of the 184 dog breeds registered with LA County by pet owners, the Obama family choice breed one of the less popluar around town and likely across the nation. But that's probably going to change. more ›

When you see a patrol car speeding by with its lights and sirens blaring, that's a Code 3 call, otherwise known as someone or something is in danger right now. It's these cases when officers can break the law by speeding and running red lights. But there's an old school rule on the books: in general, when responding to emergencies, only one unit is allowed to go Code 3 and all other cars must come via street law. Obviously, that doesn't help in situations when more units are needed immediately. more ›

With all the unfortunate buzz going around about hit and run incidents these days, the LAPD today is asking for help with three older cases from late last year that left people dead. Rewards of $50,000 each are being offered for the following: more ›

Before I start the recaps, Monday was another sad day for baseball. First word came out that legendary Phillies play-by-play broadcaster Harry Kalas passed away after collapsing in the broadcasting booth in Washington, DC while preparing for the Phillies game against the Nationals. Starting in 1965 as the voice of the Houston Astros, Kalas joined the Phillies in 1971. He also was the narrator of NFL Films since 1975 and did voiceover for "Inside the NFL" from 1977 to 2008. Kalas' deep baritone voice called the biggest moments in Phillies history culminating in Brad Lidge's final strikeout in the World Series last season. Kalas was 73. more ›

Sometimes idiot fans know how to take the luster off a historic day at Dodger Stadium. According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, after the game a fan was stabbed in the arm in the parking lot about an hour after the game. The wounds are not life threatening. more ›

• The driver of the runaway truck that plowed through a La Cañada-Flintridge intersection and into a bookstore, killing 2, pleaded not guilty today to vehicular manslaughter.
• Protesters in the OC 'mourned' the death of public transit today in a mock funeral procession outside Orange County Transportation Authority headquarters.
• Many reveled as the Dodgers played their season opener in Chavez Ravine. The LA Times profiles the man who's responsible for making--and keeping--those grounds so green.
• What does SoCal burger joint In-N-Out have in common with 9 other successful business? Lord knows...
• "Guess" who'll be running for Governor of California as an Independent in 2010?
• Congrats to the 14 University of California students awarded prestigious Guggenheim fellowships.
• Zoom in on news and events near you without "traditional" media--that's the M.O. of hyperlocal websites that have caught the New York Times' attention.
• So did the soon-to-be-ex Mrs. Gibson list "Because he is a total a-hole" as her grounds for divorce?

The front man of Jane's Addiction, Porno For Pyros, Satellite Party and a number of other side projects celebrated his 50th birthday with a rock 'n roll blow out at the Mirage in Las Vegas Saturday night. It was a who's who of Hollywood and Rock N Roll with Deborah Harry, Bill Morrison, Tom Morello, Billy Idol, Juliette Lewis, Sen Dog, Bobo (both of Cypress Hill) and many more in attendance. Check out the flyer with all the guests for the complete list. more ›

A 2-year-old toddler was killed Saturday afternoon when he was struck by a Yukon GMC truck in the parking lot of a car wash in the Koreatown area. Luis Rojas and his 24-year-old brother were standing near their car when Rojas ran around the passenger side of the car to the back when he was hit by the 2003 Yukon. He was transported to the hospital by where he died shortly after his arrival. "There have been no arrests, and no arrests are anticipated, in this case," said the LAPD in a statement. "It is being investigated as a tragic accident." more ›

Waiting lists for popular community gardens can be years long, but many have grown weary of waiting. As 21st Century "Victory Gardens" have come into vogue in our yards, in our neighborhoods, at our schools, at our state capitol, and on the White House lawn, many would-be green thumbs want to get their hands dirty and their veggies and flowers growing. more ›

Following a morning meeting held between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Board of Education members Monica Garcia and Yolie Flores-Aguilar, and parents and teachers, the LAUSD has just announced they will "drop a proposal to lay off as many as 1,900 permanent teachers," LA Now reports. The move spares permanent teachers at elementary schools, who will still have to deal with increased class sizes and other shortfalls in support and services. Although the news is encouraging for some, teachers at middle and high schools in the district still face layoffs, as do thousands of other employees. The issue of the budget cuts and layoffs will be on the agenda for tomorrow's regularly scheduled Board meeting, but following today's meeting and announcement, "Supt. Ramon C. Cortines and school board president Monica Garcia insisted that they will continue to work to minimize the number of layoffs, even if the board approves them as a precaution." more ›

A jury today found music producer Phil Spector guilty of second-degree murder. He stood accused for the death of Lana Clarkson, 40, who was found shot to death in his home in Alhambra in 2003. His first trial in 2007 ended in jury deadlock. A sentencing hearing, which could lead to at least 18 years in jail, has been set for May 29th more ›

The Santa Ana Host Lions Club hosts the inaugural Fred Walker Cup charity soccer tournament on Saturday, April 18th at Century High School in Santa Ana. more ›

A few have wrote in asking what the heck that was about. Don't worry, there's no need to grab your nuclear fallout suit, it was just in celebration of home opening day at Dodger Stadium, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department in an alert. They play the San Francisco Giants. Go Blue! more ›

A gas station chain primarily serving truck fleets has been sued by California for violating underground fuel storage laws for years. "TravelCenters of America has knowingly and repeatedly disregarded California's underground fuel storage laws for years," Attorney General Brown said in a statement today. "This has put the Inland Empire's scarce groundwater supplies at serious risk of contamination." Brown's legal complaint in the suit include the company's failing to manage hazardous waste containers and not having audible/visual alarm systems for monitoring. TravelCenters responded to the suit, offering more than a dozen legal theories as to why the law does not apply, the State Attorney's office said. This includes claims that the law is unconstitutional, is pre-empted by federal law, and violates due process. more ›

Before she goes off to Sacramento to work under Schwarzenegger later this month, City Controller Laura Chick today released another scathing audit (.pdf) bringing to light another major city inefficiency. “There is no way that the City of Los Angeles can keep up with serving the needs of the people when it takes an average of 135 days (4 ½ months) and a minimum of a dozen steps to hire one person, and that’s just the reactionary part it takes to fill a vacancy. But anticipating public and workforce needs is not part of the picture,” she said in a statement. She goes on to describe that there is no strategy to efficiently hire new employees and that city hall insiders often get extra points on their applications just for serving the city the longest, even if they are not qualified. more ›

After some nine days and 32 hours of deliberations, the jury presiding over the Phil Spector trial have come to a verdict, which will be announced at 1:30 p.m. "Spector faces at least 18 years in prison if convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Lana Clarkson, an actress shot in the legendary music producer’s Alhambra mansion six years ago," reported the LA Times. "A lesser charge, involuntary manslaughter, carries two to four years in prison... The panel of six men and six women includes three gun owners, seven people who reported knowing someone who committed suicide and one man who said he was a fan of Spector." more ›

"We're not a travelogue, we're not a nature fim, we're not a recomendation on which lodge to stay in. It's the story how this place got started," a zealous Ken Burns said of his upcoming twelve hour documentary on the National Parks. He and his crew have spent what many dream about: six years of traveling the country from National Park to National Park exploring some of the country's most beautiful and historically and culturally significant places. more ›

Legendary adult film star Marilyn Chambers was found dead inside her Santa Clarita home yesterday, according to an AVN business report. Chambers, just days shy of her 57th birthday, was found by her teenage daughter, McKenna; the cause of death remains unknown and an autopsy is due to be performed, although early rumors speculate it was an overdose of pills and alcohol. Chambers made a name for herself in the 1970s and 80s, most notably in the "Private Fantasies" series of adult films, but was also known as having once been the model on the Ivory Soap box, which was referenced in many of her movies. In recent years, Chambers tried to run for public office as either a write-in alternate or on the Personal Choice Party ticket. She had been living in the mobile home in Santa Clarita where she was found yesterday for the past several months. more ›

Last year "staycation" was a buzzword for many, as people's budgets tightened and plans to travel were curtailed by gas prices and soaring airfares. As summer looms, many travel industry professionals believe this year it will be another year of folks opting to spend their vacations at home. Today's Daily News takes a look at the phenomenon, and finds that for the time being, "staycations" are here to stay. more ›

A house fire claimed the life of an elderly man early this morning in Brentwood. The fire, which was first reported at 3:38 a.m. at 12026 Benmore Terrace, was knocked down in 28 minutes after "an aggressive and well coordinated fight on the blaze," described LA Fire Department Spokesman Brian Humphrey. Once out, firefighters began to search the 3,234 sq. foot two story residence where they found the man who was declared dead on the scene. No one else was hurt, but the 1953 structure sustained an estimated $1.5 million in damage with $250,000 contents lost. The incident remains an active fire and police investigation. more ›

With one day left before the LAUSD Board is due to vote on the postponed motion for thousands of layoffs district-wide at their regularly scheduled meeting, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to meet later this morning with teachers and parents to talk about ways to avoid the ax falling so mightily. more ›

Locke High School in South LA has been shut down after a 16-year-old male student was shot and wounded shortly before 8 a.m. Police set up a perimeter around the school, located at 325 East 111th Street near Watts, as they search for a suspect who they believe is a 17-year-old male. The victim was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Police believe the incident is gang related. more ›

Last week, the blogosphere and Twitterverse watched with baited breath as 17-month-old Maddie Spohr was rushed to the hospital after falling ill. People all over the world knew Maddie because her mother, Heather, is a "Mommy Blogger," having chronicled the short life of her infant online via a blog and Twitter, since her premature birth in November 2007. more ›

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Luis Javier Fernandez-Garcia has given new meaning to the term "panty raid." The 30-year-old man was caught burglarizing a young woman's apartment in Pasadena in the wee hours of Saturday morning when she arrived home with a male companion, LA Now reports. Fernandez-Garcia fled on foot; when he was caught and handed over to Pasadena Police, they discovered he was wearing the young woman's lingerie, which he had stolen from her bedroom. According to the authorities, the skivvies were the only items stolen from the apartment on Garfield Avenue. "This is not your normal type of burglary," remarked an officer. more ›

A man in his 20s died from wounds sustained during a stabbing attack that took place late last night near Corbin Avenue and Nordhoff Street in Northridge, according to abc7. The incident happened following a dispute, and occurred outside a party that was being held near the Cal State Northridge campus. In addition to the young man who died on scene, another man was sent to the hospital for treatment for his injuries. No information regarding suspects or motive has been released. more ›

Working at a fast-food Chinese eatery in Valenica is probably not tops for thrills, unless you've got a little secret stashed away on the job. Such was the case for Diego Ortiz of Santa Clarita, who "was arrested Friday and charged with making pictures of female co-workers undressing in a restroom" at the Hungry Ninja in Valencia, explains the Signal. Ortiz was busted "after a female co-worker discovered a cell phone video camera hidden in the employee's restroom and made a report at the Sheriff's station." Ortiz had stashed the camera "in a box behind a pinhole," according to the authorities. He has been released and is awaiting his court appearance. more ›

Chivas USA and the Galaxy battled to a tie in a physical game last night as the first installment of the Honda SuperClásico series played out at the Home Depot Center. more ›

You've got to love professional athletes with Twitter accounts. Lamar Odom has gotten in on the action and created a scavenger hunt. You have to take seven pictures of yourself outdoors. RT @RealLamarOdom: more ›

Photo by dtaylor123 via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
• A 60-foot whale was found dead in the Los Angeles Harbor yesterday.
• The Angels paused before the start of last night's game to honor pitcher Nick Adenhart, who was killed in a tragic car accident this week.
• Some famous faces were among the many volunteers who were helping feed the homeless yesterday in Downtown to honor Good Friday.
• A shooting at a Rosemead motel party early this morning left 2 dead and 3 wounded.
• A pair of savvy OC entrepreneurs are behind a college textbook rental service that's being hailed as the Netflix of school books.
• Public records reveal that state senator Gil Cedillo of Los Angeles "spent more than $125,000 gathered from campaign donors over the last six years on shopping excursions, gourmet meals, entertainment and upscale hotels around the globe,"--expenditures he says were relevant to his job and campaign.
• Heads up if you're headed to or through Alhambra tomorrow via the 10 freeway, as Caltrans will have lanes and ramps shut down for road work.
• LA Unleashed reminds us that our city's animal shelters have their hands full with kittens this time of year that desperately need good homes to go to.

When MOCA found itself in financial trouble last year, Eli Broad was one of the first to offer up assistance. Now, the LA-based philanthropist has committed to contribute almost half a million dollars to help arts programs in public schools...in New York, according to the LA Times. more ›

Having and raising a child can be a joyous thing, but it can also cost a small fortune. And in this unstable economy, many families are opting to do a bit more planning when it comes to prospective parenthood. "In Southern California, Planned Parenthood says that compared with last year’s first quarter, requests for vasectomies were up more than 30 percent in the first three months of this year at its clinics in San Diego and Riverside Counties, where 64 of the procedures were done," today's New York Times reports. more ›

California's Department of Public Health and the California Conference of Local Health Officers released their annual report on the state of our health late this week, and it looks like "Los Angeles County residents are less likely to die of lung cancer, suicide or car crashes than residents of most other California counties - but more likely to die from heart disease and diabetes, according to the Daily News. In fact, our county "ranked 48 out of 58 in deaths from heart disease and 46 in diabetes." more ›

It all started with a blogger: Last week news broke that budget airline JetBlue was thinking of pulling out of Long Beach Airport (LGB) after their CEO said as much to the blogger behind Crankyflier.com. Although formal meetings are on the books for LGB's Director, Mario Rodriguez, and JetBlue CEO Dave Barger back east later this month, the pair wound up having an impromptu lunch at In-N-Out Burger on Thursday. more ›

It just takes one "anonymous tipster" to make gossip go viral these days, which is precisely what happened yesterday when celeb scandal-mongers TMZ passed on a report that came from the California Highway Patrol's own website regarding a "possible fatality" at the home of rapper Snoop Dogg that read: "The word is 'Snoop Doggy Dogg has the dead body of his wife in his basement"--a story which grew wings and spread like an STD at a frat house in seconds flat. Snoop, nee Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr, and his wife, Shante Taylor, have had their share of squabbles, but the rapper's manager has come forward to say that the story is "ridiculous." TMZ, classy lot that they are, added this parting thought to the item: "So this is either really funny ... or really, really, really messed up." Really? Recently, LAist chatted with Snoop about his own quirky sense of humor. more ›

Five years ago, Chivas USA began MLS play and the L.A. derby versus the Galaxy -- known as the Honda SuperClásico -- was born. more ›

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The two most contested local battles on the May 19th ballot will be over City Attorney and the seat for Council District 5, which roams from the Westside to the Valley. In the latest reporting period for campaign contributions and expenses, which ended April 4th, the money races are neck and neck, found the LA Times. more ›

It's been a tough few weeks in Los Angeles. There's been too many incidents, alcohol related or not, involving cars and pedestrians. And it just so happens that the LAPD will be setting up a sobriety checkpoint tonight just West of the Staples Center and LA Live on Olympic Blvd. at Blaine Street from 7:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. In the last three months, a higher than normal amount of traffic collisions have occurred near that intersection, according to the LAPD. Have a good time tonight, just stay safe, everyone! more ›

As expected, readers and writers alike were not happy about yesterday's NBC fake news story advertisement paired with horizontal ad on the front page of the Times. Around 100 newsroom staff apparently signed this petition: more ›

The description of American urban city streets printed in GOOD Magazine pretty much sums up Los Angeles: more ›

Chris Tolles is the CEO of Topix.com, a website that aggregates content about cities and neighborhoods. At last week's Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, he spoke to us about letting people be engaged in their local news and how the site has been especially usefulness in small markets--think Ventura or Barstow. You can check out the Los Angeles version of the site here and find Tolles on Twitter at @tolles. more ›

We're still looking at a slight chance of showers until midnight. After that, expect partly cloudy skies and some wind throughout the weekend. Day time highs will range from the 60s to low 70s along the coasts and into the valleys, according to the National Weather Service. And because Palm Springs will be crazy with The White Party all weekend long, here's what's going on there: slight chances of rain mixed in with thunderstorms today with 20% for showers tomorrow. Daytime highs will be in the 70s. more ›

For nearly a year, livable streets activists have been at arms over the actions of Los Angeles officials raising speed limits in the Valley. The city is required by state law to evaluate street speeds and adjust the limits if they want police to be able to use radar guns. Basically, if the study of a street finds that 85% of drivers are speeding, the city must raise the limit. The problem is, the law doesn't consider the public safety of pedestrians or those who live on or near the street. more ›

A list of 250 of the state's top tax delinquents includes three notable names. Burt Reynolds owes $225,000, but Warwick and Sinbad earn much higher spots on the list with amounts totally $2.18 million and $2.5 million, respectively. Ouch! The LA Times made a database, go see if your rich friends made the grade! more ›

So far, so good? Or maybe not? New Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Ramon Cortines has entered into his job at a tough time while facing a $718 million budget deficit--that's a bigger red number than the city of Los Angeles. Cortines was once the interim superintendent back in 2000 and he drafted up plans he is only getting to implement this time around: "Its central office would be lean; decisions would be made on campus by teachers and principals; communities would play a key role in boosting neighborhood schools," the Daily News lists in a nice profile of him. Of course, that looks good on paper, but the process to get there is not without controversy, especially from the infamous teachers union. more ›

A chase that began around 12:30 a.m. shortly came to its end with an officer involved shooting that left the woman dead a half hour later. "The woman, who at times traveled up to speeds of more than 100 mph and rammed into police cruisers, was pronounced dead at the scene," reported the LA Times. An 18-month-year-old child in the backseat during the chase was not killed, but there are no reports on its condition. more ›

LA Lakers defeat Denver Nuggets 116-102. Andrew Bynum played in his first game for the Lakers since being injured in January in Memphis posting up 16 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes played. All in all not a bad return for the big guy. Meanwhile Pau Gasol gobbled everything in the paint scoring 27 points while grabbing 19 rebounds, 11 of which were of the offense variety. Kobe Bryant did his thing with 33 points and the Lakers are within 1/2 a game of the Cleveland Cavaliers. more ›

• Los Angeles - we keep our surplus of fossils in covered crates outside.
• Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants you to trade in your guns for groceries.
• Manhattan Beach just got a little more exciting. A sculpture garden will be added beginning this summer and "some with moving parts, are the first batch to be included in a garden that city leaders hope will continue evolving through the years."
• Who says we have homogeneous beliefs in our communities? Inglewood is facing a number of election runoffs, one for city council and few for seats on the Board of Education.
• Playing games could make you money. SoCal is sending 8 people to compete in the National Monopoly Championships in Washington, D.C. If one of them wins there, they're headed to Vegas to compete to be World Champ.
• Jack Wrangler, the "first gay porn star" has died at the age of 62. The cause of death was complications from emphysema. "Although he performed in both gay and straight adult films, he was always open about his homosexuality and considered a hero of the Gay Liberation movement."
• Looking for a good weekend trip? Four hours to the north, there are some good deals up at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in the classy Wuksachi Lodge. It's pretty exciting up there right now as they just announced that 75 caves have been discovered in the last ten years giving the two parks more than 260. But what's not so cool? Verizon wants a cell phone tower among the sequoia trees.
• Police are looking for gunmen who shot and killed two teens in Harbor City last night. The shooting appears to be gang related.
• Last chance to be entered to win the Silver Level Membership from the Premiere Marquee Club! Free shows are the bestest!

The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power is working to restore power that was knocked out shortly before lunch in Sherman Oaks today. It was caused by a by a falling tree limb and 2,600 customers are affected. "Crews are on site working to repair it as quickly as possible," Spokeswoman Stephanie Interaino said over the phone. However, she had no estimate when power would be back. Crews had repaired the initial damage done by the tree, but when they tried to reenergize the grid it did not work prompting them to figure out what else was damaged. more ›

"There must be a believer out there, one with both the foresight and resources to keep our city from becoming a wasteland of corporate chain stores, uninspired conformity and heartless mediocrity, and we think saving Equator Books would be a very good place to start," wrote Max Wheeler, part-owner of Equator, on the Huffington Post yesterday. more ›

It takes about an hour from the nation's second largest city to drive the 101 Freeway to the Ventura Harbor. With another hour by boat and you're inside one of the less visited National Parks in the country. Welcome to Channel Islands National Park, a group of five protected islands that represent what California looked like before modern humans developed the land, although some of the islands are in recovery after early century farming and other harms to the ecosystem. more ›

Sometimes all it takes is a little frontloaded technology to dissipate bureaucratic systems. Today, President Barack Obama and Secretaries Gates and Shinseki announced the creation of a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record. That means health care records will be maintained in the same place when an individual enters the military with the Department of the Defense and later leaves and comes under the care of the Department of Veteran Affairs. Currently, no system streamlines the transition which undoubtedly is a frustrating process for those who served our country. The full White House press release is below: more ›

By law, if police want to use radar guns on streets, cities must measure the average speed cars are going, regardless of posted limits, every 7 to 10 years. If they find that 15% of vehicles are illegally going over the speed limit, the city must increase the limit to allow for radar use. That's what's been happening for nearly a year in the Valley, angering residents and activists who have brought the issue to City Councilmembers who in turn are beginning to show disapproval of the system, too. more ›

A 22-year-old Riverside man was allegedly drunk when he ran a red light hitting a sports car and killing three people, including the Angels' rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart. Andrew Thomas Gallo of Riverside will be charged with felony driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter, according to the LA Times. Gallo fled from the red minivan he was driving on foot and was found by police a mile away. more ›

Angels VP of Communications in a press conference this morning said in light of the death of rookie starting pitcher Nick Adenhart, tonight's A's-Angels game scheduled to start at 7:20 will be postponed at a later date to be determined. more ›

In the past 24 hours, thirteen mircroquakes and one minor quake have struck the Salton Sea area where over 400 little quakes have shook the ground in the last month. That minor one, a 3.5 magnitude shaker, happened yesterday afternoon around 3 p.m. Athough, the number of quakes have calmed, "Seismologist Kate Hutton of the California Institute of Technology said it will take a fair amount of quiet time before scientists can declare the swarm over," reported the Press Telegram in Long Beach. more ›

A father in a custody dispute over his 10-year-old child forcefully took the boy from his school last week and the two of them have not been seen since. more ›

What once use to be a skyline of cranes, a sure sign of a neighborhood coming back, has now dwindled down to the last one. The construction crane at Concerto, a new condo development at 9th and Figueroa, was taken down yesterday leaving LA Live's long-necked machine as it completes glass work on the Ritz-Carlton tower. For blogdowntown's Eric Richardson, there's nothing wrong with this picture: "Of course, that's not exactly a bad thing. The cranes come down as construction projects complete, and their dwindling numbers simply mean that the projects started during the recent boom are nearing their opening dates." Now, with low interest rates and a cheaper market, it's time to fill those new homes. more ›

After her daughter died in a hit-and-run accident a couple weeks ago, the family is moving on, but not back to Santa Barbara. "The intersection [at Jefferson and Hoover] where [Adriana] Bachan was killed is notoriously treacherous for pedestrians, and her mother said she’s on a mission to see that the area’s safety is improved. She said she’d like to see a pedestrian bridge constructed," Santa Barabra's Noozhawk reported. Damien Newton at StreetsblogLA notes the reality of these situations: "While it's more than inspiring to see a family try and turn a tragedy into something positive, it's also a sad statement that the only time people focus on the deadly conditions pedestrians face is when someone dies and their survivors demand it." more ›

The times are tough and today it reared its ugly head on the front page of the LA Times. An L-shaped ad with a thick black border surrounds a traditional ad and some clearly marked fake editorial content (in a different font, no less) sits in the lower left hand corner, notes freelance journalist Charles Apple on his blog. more ›

Los Angeles has been in a large deficit for the past year--this year it could up to $530 million--forcing City Council to raise parking meter fees, citations and cut or delude city programs. However, that hasn't stopped them spending $1 million each year on "hand-inked calligraphy scrolls that bestow commendations on everyday folk, celebrities and supporters," the LA Weekly finds: more ›

Just hours after playing a game last night, Nick Adenhart and two others died when a mini van ran a red light in Fullerton shortly after midnight. Another person from the vehicle remains in the hospital. The driver of the mini van fled the scene, but was caught and arrested a mile away by police. A passenger in that vehicle was also taken to the hospital. more ›

LA Dodgers defeat LA Dodgers 5-2. Chad Billingsley had a rough fifth inning walking the first three batters and somehow getting out with only two runs. But Bills came back in the sixth inning getting the meat of the Padres order, Brian Giles, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Kouzmanoff, out in order. Manny Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double and three RBIs, and Casey Blake got his first hit of the season - a solo home run in the second inning to left field. After that fifth inning, the Dodgers took the lead after the Manny double bringing Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson home. Manny would score when James Loney singled to right. A note: the Dodger bullpen has not given up a run so far this season. more ›

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A new budget proposal from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has alarmed individuals and families locally and throughout the nation. The "$534 billion budget proposal represents a 'fundamental overhaul' in defense acquisition and reflects a shift in priorities from fighting conventional wars to the newer threats U.S. forces face from insurgents in places such as Afghanistan," explained National Public Radio in last night's broadcast. more ›

A proposed LADWP rate hike on customers who do not conserve water was unanimously rejected by the LA City Council today. If passed, the proposal would have gone in effect this summer forcing users to reduce usage to under a certain amount (on average, 15% less) or have significantly higher rates. The council's consensus was that they had not enough time to fully study the motion. "City water department officials say that 85% of single-family homeowners and 94% of low-income residents would not see an increase in their water rate or would even pay less under the proposed ordinance," reported the LA Times. more ›

A motion introduced by three City Councilmembers today will lift a ban that forced the Los Angeles Marathon this year to be held on a Monday holiday instead of a Sunday to avoid conflicts with religious groups. With not many choices at hand, Marathon organizers went with Memorial Day, which predictably proved difficult with low participation, limited broadcast availability and complaints from runners. more ›

Late Monday morning, a 6-year-old boy and his teenage brother were in a crosswalk on Florence Avenue near Figueroa when a vehicle struck the boy seriously injuring him. As the 15-year-old brother tried to note the driver's license plate on his cell phone, the man got out of his car and unsuccessfully tried to take the cell phone before fleeing the scene. Luckily, the brother got the license plate and description. The suspect’s car is a gold, four-door, 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass with 22-inch chrome rims, California license plate 2DBL949. The suspect has been described as a Black male in his early- to mid-20s, about five feet six inches tall, with a slender build and tattoos on the side of his face, neck and arms. The boy just had surgery yesterday for a fractured femur and other serious injuries, according to Detective Free of the LAPD's South Traffic Division. more ›

Yesterday, an oversight hearing was held at Joshua Tree National Park, to better understand the affects of climate change on our park system and suggested remediation by witnesses in the National Parks and wilderness fields. The event was hosted by the Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), as well as Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (CA-38). The location of Joshua Tree was chosen because of the threat posed to its namesake species by a warming climate. This subcommittee was designed to conduct a series of hearings to explore the role of federal lands in combating and adapting to climate change. more ›

Despite being up a man for the vast majority of the game, the Galaxy were unable to convert on any of their scoring opportunities in their U.S. Open Cup play-in game against the Colorado Rapids last night at the Home Depot Center. more ›

A third person has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 49-year-old Burbank woman that took place at her front door on February 25th, according to cbs2.com. Jasmine Voskian was shot and killed after she answered the door of her home in what is described as an upscale area in Burbank. more ›

Here's a group of Orthodox Jews blessing the sun this morning at La Brea and Oakwood. Why are they standing there? more ›

The new and higher water rates being considered by the LA City Council today are meant to encourage residents to conserve. Translation: if you don't conserve water by at least 15%, then you could be paying a much costlier bill. However, if you already conserve water, you will not be penalized for not conserving another 15%. more ›

The cities of Diamond Bar and Walnut are not exactly thrilled with Industry's plan for a a professional football stadium. But as of last night, Diamond Bar is dropping their objections after approving a settlement with Industry. They will get $20 million to deal with increased traffic from the stadium, $1 million for a middle school athletic field and $700,000 a year for community facilities as long as the stadium remains in operation, reported the Associated Press. A suit filed by Walnut to stop the construction is still pending. more ›

View 4/7/09 Microquake Locations in a larger map more ›

On April 1, 2009, at about 4:30 p.m., a 12-year-old girl was walking into an apartment complex on the 8500 block of Balboa Boulevard. As she neared the entrance gate in a small alcove of the complex, she was grabbed from behind by the suspect who sexually assaulted her. After the assault the suspect walked away. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man, 30 to 40-years of age, 5 ft. 6 in. tall with a thin build. With the help of the victim a Department Composite Sketch Artist was able to draw a likeness of the suspect. To Help: Devonshire Area Detectives are asking anyone with information about this crime to contact Detective Rene January at (818) 832-0609. During off-hours, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “Crimes” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous. more ›

LA Lakers defeat Sacramento Kings 122-104. I worried about this game a couple of weeks ago, and after falling behind 12 points in the first quarter it seemed justified. But the Lakers hung up 40 in the second quarter while only allowing the Kings to score 18, and they were on their way to a rout. Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 26 points and 12 rebounds while Kobe Bryant scored 22 points. Remember at the beginning of the decade when all that could heard at Arco Arena were cowbells and chants of "Beat LA"? Now they've been replaced with MVP chants to Kobe Bryant. So sad. The Lakers are now half a game behind Cleveland for the best overall record in the NBA. more ›

No that wasn't the neighbors getting it on again... A couple microquakes -- small earthquakes measuring 2.0 and 2.5 on the Richter scale -- rumbled through Silver Lake (at 7:47) and Echo Park (at 10:07) tonight. Didya feel it? Such microquakes are common along fault lines but we're reminded again that earthquakes will rock across the LAist vicinity (remember the Marina boomer earlier this year)? more ›

• Smoking is down 41% in California since the state enacted the California Tobacco Control Program 20 years ago. Even youth smoking is at 14.6%, one of the lowest rates in the nation. What gives? Is it mom & dad setting better examples, the in-our-face anti-tobacco campaigns, or just the steady decline of public places to puff?
• The campaign for city attorney is getting a little ridiculous: "Los Angeles city attorney candidate Jack Weiss’ campaign placed its own flattering headline Tuesday over a Los Angeles Times story posted on the campaign website, making it appear that the paper had declared Weiss the winner of the debate."
• If you're sick and tired of work, you're almost right. You're sick and tired work.
• There was some payback for real estater/super graphic abuser, Frank Rahban this weekend. Protesters who live near his super graphics around town brought one to his house and had a nice 'ol fashioned protest.
• Although they're cute and furry, think twice before buying a live bunny rabbit this Easter. Those little cutie-pie's often get turned over to shelter's by purchasers who don't think through what they're getting into.
• For those KCRW fans, Whole Foods Market stores in LA County and Orange County will donate 5% of net sales tomorrow to the radio station. It’s a good day to go shopping! Look for KCRW employees at the Santa Monica location interviewing people for their Facebook page.
• A tragic story out of South Los Angeles. This weekend a woman ran over an ex-boyfriend's girlfriend in her Land Rover, killing the 7 month old unborn child she was carrying. Charges are pending in the death of the unborn child and the woman is in stable condition.
• Contest Time! Win a Silver Level Membership for Tix to the Greek & Gibson Ampitheater. Head over here and tell us what concerts you'd pick.

Why did Los Angeles make Prevention Magazine's "25 Best Walking Cities" list? As they say, "once a cement pipe storage yard, the Augustus F. Hawkins Natural Park offers lush vegetation and paths for strolling on 8.5 acres right in the heart of the city." There's no doubt that this South LA park is a great public space, but it being the reason Los Angeles is number 14 seems a bit unscientific more ›

You probably know Kal Penn--at least by face--from cheesy contemporary "classics" such as Harold and Kumar go to White Castle and National Lampoon's Van Wilder. Penn, who worked on the Obama campaign, will now be the Associate Director in the Office of Public Liaison, acting as a bridge between the administration and the people, specifically those who are in arts and entertainment and Asian and Pacific Islander communities. more ›

"We will not be selling these kinds of ads as long as I remain the editor of this news paper," Daily Bruin Editor Anthony Pesce wrote in a note today. He's talking about the full-page ad for Haagen-Dazs wrapped around today's front page that was "specifically designed by a clever marketing department to fool you into thinking - if only for a few seconds - that my staff wrote the content that appeared on the front page." He and the newspaper's board--keep in mind, UCLA does not have a journalism department--talked about why the ad appeared in the first place: "The reality of our financial situation is grim, and the fact of the matter is that we would have been forced to cut thousands of dollars from an ever-tightening budget if we had not run this advertisement." Some staff tried to forfeit their pay in lieu of having the ad, but not everyone was able to take the cut. (Via LAObserved) more ›

There is a new Trader Joe's on the Sunset Strip at Crescent Heights in the old Virgin Megatore Complex. It's been open almost a month--since March 13th to be exact. more ›

Indie 103.1 went Spanish. 97.1 FM went Top 40. And last week Michael Schneider broke the news that "Movin 93.9" KMVN-FM will also flip to a Spanish format. Back in 2006 when 93.9 was KZLA, the country's biggest radio station, the owner decided to change it "to target young women with a new rhythmic format" and with Rick Dees manning the morning show, notes Schneider. "The switch, however, was a big bust. Listeners rejected the station -- which eventually dropped current songs and focused on more of an adult contemporary approach." Now that failed and come April 14th, Grupo Radio Centro will take control. As Pop & Hiss blogger Autumn Brown says, "the mausoleum for L.A. radio stations is getting awfully crowded this year." more ›

After last week's announcement of a two new commercial, hotel and residential towers by Korean Air, another Southern Korean firm has announced plans for a 43-story downtown skyscraper between Figueroa and Flower streets near the Convention Center, finds the LA Times. It is scheduled to be heard this week by the Los Angeles Planning Commission. And add to that this good news for foodies: As noted last week, the popular Silver Lake restaurant and bar, Malo, plans to open its second location sometime in 2010 below Seven Grand (appropriately at 7th and Grand) in the old Clifton’s Silver Spoon Cafeteria space. Hopefully that means dollar taco Mondays downtown, too. more ›

Four valley streets with proposed speed limit increases are scheduled to be voted on by the City Council tomorrow. This has livable streets activists up in arms as they ask how can vehicles legally gain more speed while pedestrians and bicyclists are put in more danger, especially in light of a slew of recent fatal pedestrian incidents. Damien Newton at StreetblogLA explains why there is an increase: "The LADOT and LAPD have conspired to raise the limits on these streets because of a state law that requires that the speed limit be set at the 85th percentile of traffic every couple of years for the police to be able to use radar. What has been left unexplained is why so many people are speeding on these roads if the police are using rader currently. Unless limits are being enforced, people will continue to speed no matter what the limit and the limit will rise every couple of years." Whether or not it is acceptable or not to raise speed limits, we'll leave to the transportation experts. What we feel the real problem here is the lack of plans to create a culture of pedestrian and cyclist awareness and respect for the law. more ›

Showers are predicted for tonight and into tomorrow morning, but they probably won't be big rain producers, according to the National Weather Service. Tomorrow and Thursday are expected to be dry until Friday when a larger storm could bring more rain during the day. The weekend is expected to be dry. Temperatures will bounce between the upper and lower sixties throughout the week. more ›

Facing a $530-million shortfall in the 2009-10 budget year, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa yesterday announced that city employees across the board need to take cuts or face massive layoffs. His yet-to-be-released budget proposal is said to possibly include privatizing the Los Angeles Convention Center and Los Angeles Zoo (we also hear wiping out Cultural Affairs). Some unions are pushing for early retirement, but the mayor wants to cut costs without dramatically affecting city services. The LA Times agreed with him in an editorial today: "In discussing his budget plans, Villaraigosa made clear that he is not stuck on any particular proposal so much as on the idea that dispersed sacrifices are better than concentrated pain. That's a humane and sensible approach that city employee unions would be wise to embrace." more ›

The peak bloom has already quickly come and gone at the California Poppy Reserve in Antelope Valley where crowds packed the park this past weekend. "All the wildflowers are fading quite suddenly," said the state's Poppy Reserve website on Sunday. "Although the rains seemed to come at the right time and drop the right amount, the bloom hadn't seemed to peak yet before it began fizzling out." more ›

Following the appearance of hit-and-run suspect Claudia Cabrera in court yesterday--she pleaded not guilty--the family of Adriana Bachan announced two memorial services, one in Los Angeles. Tonight's 7 p.m. service will be held at St. Anthony’s Croatian Catholic Church on 712 Grand Avenue. Tomorrow at 1 p.m., a service in Bachan's home town Santa Barbara will be held in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish at 1300 East Valley Road. more ›

LA City Council's new ad hoc Committee on Economic Recovery and Reinvestment met last week for the first time carefully deciding how stimulus will be handled. "At that meeting, we established a set of 9 guiding priorities by which we intend not only to fulfill the president’s vision for efficient allocation of the stimulus funds, but also to make Los Angeles the most accountable, transparent, and effective city in moving economic recovery programs forward," Council President Eric Garcetti wrote on his personal blog on his campaign website. With this transparency, he believes the city will get up to $1 billion. more ›

Writer and blogger Jay Bushman was passing by 3rd and Hill Streets this morning when he saw some police activity. "Just drove past a crime scene at 3rd & Hill. Dead body on the corner, covered by a sheet," he wrote on Twitter. The LAPD is handling this as a death investigation because there is no evidence of homicide yet. "Someone may have possibly fallen and hit their head," explained Officer Ana Aguirre. "It looks like it's possibly a transient." Update: Downtown News says it appears to be a suicide. more ›

Two baby golden lion tamarin monkeys were born last month at the Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park. Interestingly enough, this is the second time in 2009 that twins of this species have been born at the zoo--twins were also welcomed in January. more ›

On the heels of Iowa's ruling last week, now comes Vermont. "The Legislature voted to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry," reported the Associated Press. more ›

LA Dodgers defeat San Diego Padres 4-1. Manny Ramirez went 0-for-3 with a walk and scored a run in the third inning thanks in large part to an errant pick-off play by Padres ace Jake Peavy. The game started off on the right foot for the Dodgers when Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson led off the game with consecutive singles. Matt Kemp would close out the scoring with a towering home run to deep center field in the seventh inning. Kemp also robbed Jody Gerut of a line drive double when he made a diving catch into the sunlight in the sixth inning. Despite having a shaky spring, Jonathan Broxton smoked the ball by the last three Padres hitters striking out two for a perfect ninth. This marks the second time Peavy has lost to the Dodgers, the first since 2003 when Kevin Brown was the winning pitcher for the Dodgers. more ›

• Happy Birthday to the World's Oldest Person, Angeleno Gertrude Baines. She celebrated b-day #115 today in her convalescent home near Downtown.
• In El Monte, they're doing all they can to put that extra sparkle of appeal in bicycle riding by promoting the area's "Emerald Necklace."
• One of LA's gang-reduction programs is drawing praise for their success, but their screening process for participation is coming under scrutiny.
• A Temple City man caught a 51-year-old man trying to snap an upskirt shot of a teenage girl on Saturday. He punched the shutterbug, then held him until the cops arrived to make the arrest.
• Californians will soon vote on Prop 1C, but some wonder if no matter which way the vote goes, we're going to lose out.
• One of city's most loved residents had a lot of help celebrating his 83rd birthday this weekend.
• This weekend's deadly earthquake in Italy is a reason for Angelenos to be shaken up, as the death toll continues to rise. Let's all take a moment to be sure we're all prepared for the Big One here in L.A.
• LA Taco's Taco Madness 2009 has come to an end. The winner: Yuca's Tacos. (Don't forget to get a cheeseburger, too!)

Following up last week's conversation about Los Angeles' far flung suburb with KCET SoCal Connected correspondent John Ridley, here is the spot that aired. At one point, Robin Leach (you know him as the voice behind Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous) blamed President Barack Obama's mention of Vegas in the context of bailout money for the cancellation of 55 conferences. They have some extra videos, too, including the normally packed airplane from Burbank to Vegas: more ›

The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their 51st season in Los Angeles with a team that flies in the face of tradition. When you think about the all-time Dodgers you think Don Newcombe, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Eric Gagne - all pitchers. However this year the Dodgers' strength is in their bats with their arms being questionable. more ›

Commence humming the theme to ESPN's beloved SportsCenter...NOW. more ›

Ticketmaster has been served...with subpoenas. "Four government agencies in the U.S. and Canada, including the Justice Department, are investigating the West Hollywood company's activities in reselling concert tickets," explains LA Biz Observed. The inquiry is to uncover information pertaining to their work with ticket brokers, "including the names of every broker who resells tickets on its TicketsNow site." more ›

Chivas USA officially entered uncharted territories after the final whistle blew last night at the Home Depot Center. The 2 - 1 victory over defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew extends the red-and-white's winning streak to three and sets a new milestone for the club's best start. more ›

There's something very different about hiking on the interior of Catalina Island, something you can't get on the plethora of trails immediately surrounding Los Angeles. It's the deafening sound of silence--that ever-present rumble of freeways we are so used to on the mainland is no where to be heard on Catalina, where this past weekend a new 37.2 mile cross-island trail opened to the public. more ›

Under pressure from United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing educators working in the LAUSD, the Board of Education agreed on Tuesday during their regular meeting to postpone voting on proposed layoffs. The Board, in a gesture meant to show alignment with Superintendent Ramon Cortines, decided to pursue meetings and discussions of alternatives with bargaining units, and will bring the motion to the table once more on April 14th. more ›

As mentioned last week, a congressional subcommittee tomorrow will hold a hearing on the impact of climate change on National Parks in Twentynine Palms, CA. This is something that should be important to those living in the Los Angeles region because three major national parks units--Santa Monica Mountains, Channel Islands and Joshua Tree--are so close to millions of people. more ›

Phase Two of Metro's Gold Line Eastside Transit Corridor project is poised to move ahead into the community meeting phase, as plans to add on rail service extending the line from East Los Angeles to cities further east are in motion. more ›

19-year-old R&B singer Chris Brown will be appearing in court in Los Angeles this afternoon to enter his plea on felony assault charges, according to cbs2.com. The performer stands accused of "assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and making a criminal threat." The victim is his off-and-on girlfriend Rihanna, who has been keeping her distance from Brown in recent days, despite reports the couple were seen together vacationing and working on a duet a few weeks ago. The couple have been the subject of much scrutiny since the pre-Grammy night events whereupon Brown allegedly attacked Rihanna following a verbal dispute in a parked car. Because the crimes Brown stands accused of are felonies, he must appear in court in person today for arraignment. If convicted, he faces punishment ranging from probation to five years in prison. more ›

Four unrelated murders took place in Long Beach between Thursday and Saturday, making for a violent series of days in the city, the Press-Telegram is reporting. The most recent victim, 27-year-old Garrett Norris, who was playing basketball in Orizaba Park, and was shot at around 6:40 p.m. after "two male suspects tried to run off with his belongings." Norris chased his robbers into an alley when one turned around and fired at him; he "was pronounced dead at a hospital." more ›

Yesterday morning just before 10:30, 24-year-old Porche Davis, 8 months pregnant, was run over by the driver of a dark-colored Range Rover near East 102nd and Towne Avenue in South L.A., cbs2.com is reporting. As a result, Davis underwent an emergency C-section, and while "her baby was placed on life support," the child died yesterday evening. That same day, "Monica Macado, the driver of the Range Rover, turned herself into police." Police report there was some sort of dispute between the women; Davis' father claims "Macado is the baby's father ex-girlfriend and has had confrontations with his daughter before." He believes Macado acted out of rage or jealously. more ›

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Last month, when President Barack Obama announced his town hall-style meeting in Los Angeles, thousands of locals scrambled, as directed, to enter their names in a lottery to win free tickets to the "public" event. But, while "it was free [...] it wasn't exactly public," points out the Daily News. more ›

The Galaxy battled back from an early deficit against the Colorado Rapids last night, but were unable to keep it together, losing by a score of 3 - 2 at the Home Depot Center. more ›

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Let's face it: Celebrities are people, too. People who...Twitter. The wherefores and hows of the issue notwithstanding, sometimes a 140 or less character Tweet is worth a thousand words. Or, if you are Sandie Guy and a fan of Demi Moore, it's worth your life. more ›

For a second time in less than a month, the Colorado Rapids will once again occupy the visitors locker rooms at the Home Depot Center. However, unlike two weeks ago when the Rapids visited L.A. to battle Chivas USA in their season opener, tonight they confront the Galaxy. more ›

• A wildfire broke out late this afternoon in Palm Springs burning two homes. more ›

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Watch out, Sacramento and local governments statewide! City Controller Laura Chick announced today she is leaving her Los Angeles post a few months early to become the "first-in-the-nation" Inspector General to oversee the use of federal economic stimulus funds given to the state and local municipalities. "I am coming to Sacramento to deter, detect and disclose any waste, fraud and abuse of these precious taxpayer dollars," she said in a prepared statement. She begins her new $175,000-a-year job on April 27th. Between then and July 1st when Controller-Elect Wendy Greuel takes office, Chick's top deputy, Rushmore Cervantes, will assume duties. more ›

Just days after Korean Air donated $160,000 to the Million Trees LA initiative, the company announced that they will be demolishing the company-owned Wilshire Grand Hotel and developing a $1 billion development that includes a new hotel, residential and offices. The plans for the complex at 7th and Grand are for a 60-story office building and 40-story hotel that will include 100 residences. "The Downtown office market hasn't seen any additions since the building boom of the 1980s," noted blogdowntown Editor Eric Richardson. more ›

After two truck crashes in six months time, the most recent leaving two dead and 12 critically injured, Caltrans has put a 90-day ban for trucks traveling on the Angeles Crest Highway. Five-axle vehicles traveling will be restricted from traveling between Angeles Forest Highway and the Foothill (210) Freeway. On Wednesday evening around 5:50 p.m., a truck driven by 43-year-old Marcos Costa barreled through an intersection in La Canada Flintridge killing a father and daughter. Last September, a similar incident left seven vehicles destroyed and one person injured when a truck slammed into a parking lot. The incident led to the city and residents asking Caltrans to make changes about trucks on the highway. Police say Costa ignored weight restriction warning signs before entering the highway. more ›

The Expo Construction Authority Board of Directors yesterday directed staff to pursue and study a route for the second phase of the Expo Line, which would go from Culver City to Santa Monica, according to StreetsblogLA. The approved route would continue along the existing Exposition right-of-way through before converging with Colorado Avenue where it will run towards the ocean and terminating near Santa Monica Place (check this map and follow most northward dotted lines). more ›

Carolyn Flowers' job is to run the country's largest bus operation and today, in addition to taking your questions, she'll talk about the federal stimulus, solar power, the Silver Line, the Orange Line and Measure R. It all starts at noon here and Streetsblogger Damien Newton advises that "the best way to have a substantive discussion is to submit tough questions." more ›

A Superior Court tentative ruling last week says that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power must pay back $30 million to customers after violating Prop 218, which says "the state Constitution bars municipal utilities from overcharging ratepayers for water and then using the surplus to pay for other city programs," according to the LA Times. The LADWP has been taking money and moving it to the city's general fund, which pays for various programs such as streets and police. If the ruling becomes final, the department will have to give customers refunds or credits on future bills. more ›

13.2 million people are now unemployed after some 663,000 jobs were cut last month. That leaves the national unemployment levels at 8.5%, or at 15.6% if you included underemployment after 423,000 jobs were rolled back from full-time to part-time. In total, that's 9 million jobs that were cut back with employees who desire full-time work. And despite everyone's desire to live the 4-Hour Work Week Tim Ferriss style, the nation's average a 33.2 hours work week is not supporting families. In February, LA County's unemployment rate was at 11% while the state's rate held at 10.5%. more ›

As the California Supreme Court decides the fate of gay marriage, the Iowa Supreme Court comes out stating that a same-sex ban on marriages violates the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians. The unanimous ruling "upheld a 2007 Polk County District Court judge's ruling that the law was unconstitutional," reported the Associated Press. more ›

Police this morning have announced that they have arrested a suspect in Sunday morning's hit and run that left one student dead and another injured. This comes one day after an anonymous donor added $100,000 to the award, already at $135,000. The accident happened early Sunday morning, as Adrianna Bachan, 19, and Marcus Garfinkle, 18, were walking across Jefferson at Hoover on their way home from a frat party and were struck by a driver who ran a red light. "According to a witness, the driver stopped the vehicle and a passenger got out of the vehicle to remove [Garfinkle] from the hood onto the ground," the LAPD said in a statement. "The passenger was described as a male Hispanic. The passenger got back into the suspect car and the driver drove eastbound on Jefferson Boulevard." Bachan died at the hospital and Garfinkle was listed in stable condition. more ›

LA Dodgers defeat LA Angels 6-2. It was so nice to be back at my summer manse especially seeing the Dodgers beat down the Angels.This game put me a little more at ease about the pitching situation after watching the boys in blue shut down an Angels offense that have been running on all cylinders during spring training. Randy Wolf gave up an unearned run on four hits in three innings while Ronald Belisario pitched two scoreless innings in relief. Recently acquired Will Ohman struck out Bobby Abreu, the only batter he faced, on three pitches. While Jonathan Broxton had a shaky outing closing things out, he did strike out a lefty which had been a problem in the past. Meanwhile the Dodger bats seemed to come alive with homers from Casey Blake and Andre Ethier. more ›

• "OK," is this the best named restaurant in LA?
• Behold a migration of beauty. Thousands of Painted Lady Butterflies have temporarily shacked up in the South Bay on their journey up North.
• All of the more eco-friendly travelers on Metrolink may see a hike of up to 5.5% in their fares. There also may be a cost associated with riders transferring to other transit services.
• Need to go to San Fran? Flights out of Long Beach are just $14 on Jet Blue. The catch: You gotta buy by today and fly by Apr. 8th.
• A Rancho Santa Margarita man will be arraigned for embezzling $147,000 from his employer, convincing wife #1 to foot the bill for the $147,000 restitution while getting money from his daughter's college tuition (who doesn't exist) from wife #2..... jeez, this is too hard to keep up with...
• The DWP General Manager, H. David Nahai, is being accused by Brian D'Arcy, who heads the DWP's 8,000-member employees union, of not being a friend of Measure B, "which would have required DWP employees to install solar panels across the city over the next five years." Environmentalists are rallying behind Nahai saying, "we all know his replacement would NOT be an environmentalist -- and without him we'd lose many gains."
• More food recalls due to salmonella. Dry spices being sold in SoCal stores are the next victim.

An anonymous donor has given $100,000 to the reward pot for last Sunday' fatal hit-and-run near USC, according to the LA Times. more ›

Contrary to rumors last night, Tim Floyd will stay on as head coach of the USC Trojans basketball team. Last night word was leaked that Floyd might be headed to the University of Arizona. With an 85-50 record over four seasons, Floyd led the Trojans to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances making it to the Sweet Sixteen in 2007. AP Photo/Jeff Lewis more ›

On the heels of a state climate report that said California will have "less water and more frequent and intense wildfires, heat waves and bad-air days throughout this century," a congressional field hearing next week near Joshua Tree National Park will take on similar issues. more ›

After yesterdays deadly crash that left two dead and twelve injured, the LA Times finds that a girl scout made a powerpoint presentation (part 1, part 2) for the city of La Canada Flintridge and Caltrans prompted by a similar crash last September that destroyed seven cars and injured one. The city also had been pressing for changes after the incident, but they said Caltrans kept on delaying a study. The girl scout, Malia Mailes, said Caltrans at first told her September's incident was isolated and did nothing until the city began to bring pressure to the state agency. "Now I want to try to see if Caltrans is going to do something to help our community solve this issue," she told the Times. "This accident was completely preventable, and if Caltrans had listened to the city's pleas, maybe this accident might not have happened." more ›

For the past few months, there's been a constant drone of Time Warner complaints that come our way. "Time-Warner has hit an all-time low. Despite the fact that both LAist and The Los Angeles Times has reported Bot attacks on the provider they absolutely refuse to 'fess-up' to the issue and credit me with a refund," a reader left in our anonymous tip box. Another tipster followed up with a complaint we experience daily at home. "Paying extra for Digital service and using their DVR box does nothing to improve things; DVR'd shows frequently have blips and sound drops. How is this company allowed to continue providing such sh*tty service to the 2nd largest media market in the country?!" It's true, at least for us at home where they happen consistently about every 15 minutes. Who else experiences this? more ›

"The more I think about the LADOT's new plan for the Olympic-West Pico-East project the more I think they may have gotten things backward," began Streetsblogger Damien Newton about the first public meeting for the project last night. "While the public is discussing what alternatives they would like to see studied, the LADOT is promoting a plan they've already written which would take away peak hour parking and re-time the traffic signals to increase vehicle flow between Fairfax and Sepulveda. In other words, we're being asked to provide alternatives for the LADOT to study that would compete with the alternative they've already developed." There are still two more meetings left tonight and next week if you want to weigh in. more ›

Even with Los Angeles' aggressive zero waste plan not in full effect yet, we still rank number five nationally in a study on America's Least Wasteful Cities. more ›

There have been a lot of deadly pedestrian deaths this past week making the news. USC, Fountain and La Brea, Highland Park, to name a few. Today, LAPD's Valley Traffic Division is out in force near California State University Northridge sending plain clothed cops into a marked crosswalk near Reseda and Deerborn and ticketing those who fail to yield. "Some of these motorists are not only failing to yield, they're slowing and then making a conscious decision to accelerate past the ped," exclaimed observer and activist Stephen Box on Twitter. more ›

Yesterday evening, the local United States Coast Guard Sector entered a new era of public information by launching a blog. This is "a revolution on how we deal with information management and the new social media, or some people call it, Web 2.0.," Admiral Thad W. Allen sternly said in a video. "We are not living in the same information environment we grew up in, it's critically important that senior leaders of the United States Coast Guard understand what technology is doing today, how it is changing, how we must change with it." more ›

Late-night revelers in downtown may have more options for affordable parking soon. A city council committee has approved yesterday cheaper later-night parking at Pershing Square. "The facility currently offers a flat rate of $6.60 for those entering after 5pm, but after 1am a new $15 charge is tacked on," explains Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. "The current proposal would extend the reduced rate until at least 2am." The original motion asks for the reduced rate to last until 4 a.m., but the Department of Recreation and Parks, which operates the garage, said the financial impact of an added $150,000 is too much. One community organization said even 2:30 or 3 a.m. would be a nice compromise. The issue will now head to the full council. more ›

A truck coming down from the San Bernardino Mountains on the Angeles Crest Highway last night during rush hour barreled down the road, missing a sharp turn onto a local street, crashing through an intersection striking several cars, killing a father and his daughter and injuring 12 others--three of which who are listed in critical condition--before slamming into a bookstore. more ›

LA Lakers defeat Milwaukee Bucks 104-98. The Lakers played another awful half of basketball but came back with effort in the second half to close out their seven game road trip with a win. They got stops on defense in the fourth quarter, but the Bucks made a late burst to come within three points with less than a minute remaining. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points while Pau Gasol had 15 points and Lamar Odom had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers have seven games remaining with road games at Sacramento and Portland - both teams they have troubles with on the road. more ›

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"While I fully support [marijuana's] use for medicinal purposes, why don't we regulate it like we do Lipitor or Viagra," Bratton said today at a media event unrelated to urging city council to expedite the new dispensary laws. "You can't buy those two without getting it through a legitimate pharmacy. If this drug is so important and so helpful, why is it not regulated like every other drug?" In September 2007, the city placed a year-long moratorium on new dispensaries while the city drafted new regulations on them. Twice, the city has extended the moratorium, which is still in effect. Clearly frustrated at the state law passed thirteen years ago by voters, Bratton exclaimed, "they pass a law, then they have no regulations as to how to enforce the darn thing and, as a result, we have hundreds of these locations selling drugs to every Tom, Dick and Harry." more ›

It's a sad day for a great TV news station. Anchor Paul Moyer announced that he will be retiring. "I have given Los Angeles my loyalty and my professional best, and if I was able to illuminate a dark and dangerous corner with an investigation, or communicate a complex story in a meaningful way, I have been more than repaid for my devotion to this remarkable city,'' he wrote in a memo. Moyer began his on air career in 1972 with KNBC and KABC for a little bit between. No date is set for his last broadcast, but he will be sorely missed. "Our personal bond of respect and affection for Paul will never diminish, and we thank him for everything he has done for our station and the industry," said News Director Bob Long. more ›

April 2010 is now one year away, and LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is hoping to inspire many Angelenos to take an active role in the Census due to take place. Today he was joined by City Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilmembers Wendy Greuel and Jose Huizar, director of the U.S. Census Bureau Los Angeles Regional Office Jamie Christy, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Taboo, member of the Black Eyed Peas, to launch the City of Los Angeles 2010 Census initiatives, according to a press release issued today. more ›

Today the LA City Council voted to approve adding $75,000 to the already-assembled $50,000 from USC and $10,000 from the LA County Board of Supervisors as reward in the case of the hit-and-run accident that took the life of one USC student and left another critically injured, according to abc7.com. The accident happened early Sunday morning, as Adrianna Bachan, 19, and Marcus Garfinkle, 18, were walking across Jefferson at Hoover on their way home from a frat party and were struck by a driver who ran a red light. "Bachan was killed, while Garfinkle was seriously injured. The driver stopped briefly at the scene, while his passenger got out and removed Garfinkle from the hood of their car. They fled the scene, leaving the victims on the street." Although there were witnesses, the suspect remains at large. "Police are looking for a black or charcoal, late '90s sedan, possibly a Honda Accord or a Toyota Corolla, with a cracked windshield and front end damage." more ›

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Eric Richardson at blogdowntown notes that everyone from coffeeshops to LA Live to condo buildings are on Twitter. What's missing from the list? The government entities in the region. No Councilmembers Jan Perry or Jose Huizar, no Community Redevelopment Agency, no neighborhood council, no LAPD Central Division. Considering the City Council mandated that all agencies explore Twitter, this could change soon. You can follow LAist on Twitter here. more ›

It's April 1st and that means a few things other than your taxes are due in 15 days. The state's sales tax increases today by 1%, meaning within the city of Los Angeles, we'll be paying 9.25%. That is, until July when Measure R kicks in lopping on another half cent, meaning we'll have a 9.75% sales tax. And wait, there's more: on the May 19th statewide special election ballot, Prop 1a asks us to extend higher taxes by one to two years beyond the 2011 expiration. For some other cities in LA County, their sales tax is getting close to 11%. more ›

Pasadena police have released the "blue book" report on the controversial officer involved shooting of parolee Leroy Jones earlier this year. Jones was killed in the back of his car with 11 bullets, seven of them in his back after two officers pulled him over and a struggle with a gun ensued, according to the Pasadena Star News. The report clears the officers saying the shooting was warranted. But Jones' family and civil rights leaders are disappointed in the report, citing the police still haven't released the video of the incident caught on the patrol car's dashboard camera and the police haven't addressed the contradicting statements made by the department after the incident. But taking it a step further, Pasadena's chief of police said that "in view of the concerns expressed by some in our community regarding the need for an independent review of this matter and in the interest of continuing to demonstrate full transparency, I have asked the Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review to take this matter under consideration." more ›

The difference between LAX and Burbank airports are obviously vast. At one you should arrive an hour or two early just to make sure you'll make it through all the lines. At the other, arriving 20 minutes before your flight is typical. more ›

An internal LAPD audit has found that 115 of the 178 officers in desk jobs that should be filled by lower paid civilians are fit and healthy enough to be out on the streets. That's "roughly equivalent to removing one or two patrol cars from each of the department's 21 stations -- a significant handicap for a police force that is far smaller per capita than those in other major American cities," reported the LA Times. But a hiring freeze to save the city money has left many crucial civilian positions unfilled and although the department has been able to get some exemptions such as jail guards and DNA analysts, 640 civilian police jobs are still vacant. Imagine an LAPD not strapped for human resources, not missing the support of 640 full time workers. more ›

Charlotte Bobcats defeat LA Lakers 94-84. I was afraid of this game knowing the Laker's troubles with the Bobcats. In fact the Lakers are only 6-8 against the Bobcats. The Lakers shot an abysmal 39% on a team where no one performed well. In fact they outshot the Bobcats 97-68. The Bobcats meanwhile become only the second team to beat the Lakers twice and are within one game of a playoff spot in the East. more ›