It may be Halloween, but it is also the anniversary of a major environmental bill that affected close to 9.2 million acres of California desert back in 1994. The California Desert Protection Act brought us two national parks, one national preserve, millions of acres of federal wilderness areas, as well as other special areas from Death Valley to the Mexico border.
When Daylight Time ends on Halloween, most may interpret the regained hour as more of a treat (although those who forget to change their clocks and watches might find its a bit of a trick come morning). So don't forget: Overnight we "fall back" an hour. Though most of us keep time by cellphones and other devices that do the switching for us, our bodies and good old fashioned wall-clocks, watches, and kitchen appliance displays will need that bit of nudging to move from 2 a.m. back to 1 a.m. again Sunday morning. This is the third year since the official end date for Daylight Time was moved to the first Sunday in November. Don't forget! That extra hour of sleep might come in handy depending on how hard you party tonight.
Sometimes one wonders what life would be like if certain events had never occurred. How many championships would the Lakers have won if they had never left Minneapolis? What would John Wooden have done if he had given up on coaching after his first year at UCLA? Would the Beatles have mattered had they never come to America? Interesting questions, but we'll never know the answers.
--La Peer Drive eastbound turn lane onto Santa Monica Boulevard, from 3 p.m. through 7 a.m. Sunday.
The race towards MLS Cup 2009 got underway last Thursday night in Seattle, where coincidentally, it will also end on November 22nd.
MLB announced today that Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier was named 2009 MLB Clutch Performer of the Year. The award voted on by fans recognizes the player who performed the best when the game was on the line.
Watch out, folks! As always, never, never, never, never drink and drive. Halloween weekend is no exception and the LAPD is keeping an eye out. Over at Sunset and HIghland, a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint will be set up tonight between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 127 driving under the influence-related and 989 hit and run traffic collisions in the Hollywood area.
It may be a temporary move from NYC, but the frontman of The Strokes is loving our city. He tells the New York Times: “It’s fun; I won’t lie. L.A.’s kind of, like, seven really cool towns. It’s so laid-back. If you go in the right spot, you can walk around, and you don’t need a car. It’s a lot easier to eat healthy. And the weather!” (via torrmoz)
Saturday is big. It’s really big. Everyone seems to know it. ESPN’s College GameDay is going to be there. Oregon’s newest bastardized uniform creation (carbon fiber helmets and “steel” pants) will be there. A capacity crowd at Autzen Stadium will be there.
Despite his aggressive campaign full of neighborhood town halls across the state, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced this afternoon that he has dropped out of the race for California Governor. He was the only major name running for the position but his fundraising and poll numbers lagged behind Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has yet to officially announce a run for Governor. Gavin's statement is below:
The LAPD officers who used "questionable tactics" in their response to protesters on the 2007 May Day immigration march will not be prosecuted, reports the LA Times. The LAPD investigated the incident in which video footage showed police firing rubber bullets into the crowd Park May Day Melee. Their report reviewed the actions of 30 officers and "blamed poor leadership and overly aggressive tactics", but prosecutors were unable to "establish that any particular officer's actions were unreasonable or without lawful necessity in light of the tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving circumstances." Nineteen officers faced punishment last year, and earlier this year $12.85 million was awarded to victims injured in the protest.
Surely you have noticed the cool new blue lane lights on the 110 Freeway delineating the transition lane to the 5 North (see a video embedded below). The lighted pavement markers, or Smart-stud systems, are a way to finally stop all of those jerks from sneaking into the front of the line when we have all been waiting patiently in line for the 5 North like good citizens. Plus they make your night-time drive more psychedelic, like you are at the laserium.
Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson are the focus of separate investigations by the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct , reports KPCC. Waters stands accused of arranging a meeting between Treasury officials and an association representing minority banks, one of which she owned stock in. Richardson may have "improperly profited" when she lost her Sacramento home to foreclosure, sold it to a third party and later reacquired it.
Parking at Santa Monica's 3d Street Promenade might get a little more expensive under a plan the city council is exploring, says the Santa Monica Daily Press:
When the first internet transmission happened, there was no celebration. In fact, the guys behind it back on October 29th, 1969 (40 years and one day ago), invented the internet and called it a night. That's because at the time, they had no idea that their solution to an annoying problem would start changing the world years later. In case you missed it, NPR yesterday did a fascinating report on the events leading up to the birth of ARPANET:
Travion Terrett Ford, 25, was sentenced Thursday to prison for 2nd degree murder in the fatal stabbing of a USC student in September of last year. Bryan Richard Frost, 23, was walking with two other students early morning on the September 18th near 28th Street and Orchard Avenue when Ford apparently approached and an argument turned fight. Frost was killed by his stabbing wounds.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa tomorrow is expected to announce his plans in building support for something he calls the "30/10" push to accelerate Measure R transit projects--the voted in half cent sales tax increase--from being completed in 30 years to 10 years.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently slipped in an embedded and hidden "fuck you" in a veto message to San Francisco Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and now the San Francisco Chronicle is taking a stab back. A hidden message in their in-print editorial today reads "Grow Up Girlie Man." And maybe the state's frat boy squad can get back to work now. (h/t LAObserved)
You know those mobile billboard trailers that line streets for days at a time, taking up parking and generally looking ugly fugly? While the city can't outright ban them, they can enforce the 72-hour parking ordinance, which states that vehicles and trailer parked in the same spot for more than that time can be towed.
A claim that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya and not in Hawaii was dismissed in a Santa Ana U.S. District Court today, reports the LA Times. California attorney Orly Taitz, who apparently is the leader of the "birther" movement, has tried several times to challenge Obama's natural born citizenship with no luck. She's lost in many lower courts and was fined by a federal judge in Georgia for using the legal system for “political rhetoric and insults."
![LAPD Goes on Citywide Tactical Alert after Synagogue Shooting [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/synagogue-shooting_restrict_width_110.jpg)
An early morning shooting at a North Hollywood synagogue has set in motion a series of precautionary actions just in case the incident was part of a larger plan. The LAPD is now on a citywide tactical alert, the Operations Center has been activated at a Level One and the FBI has joined into the investigation. Police say they are increasing patrols around "critical Jewish sites in their areas" and has alertet all Jewish day schools and synagogues of the incident.
Since this morning, one block of Wilshire Boulevard has been closed to traffic. Police were alerted at 8 a.m. to a suspicious bag left on the 3600 block of Wilshire, prompting the usual response by the LAPD--close the area down, send out the bomb squad. Officer Rosario Herrera said there is no word when the street will be reopened.
This is one trend we hope to see spread around Los Angeles. Hopefully Arnaud Ozharun, owner of Natural Mind Beauty & Beyond on Sunset Boulevard, can inspire the city. After working with the city through permitting issues, it looks like Ozharun will be able to start planting soon, finds Jesus Sanchez at The Eastsider LA. Some 20,000 plants will cover the wall, now donned in soft purple fabric where thousands of seeds will be planted. "It will be like Amazonia," said Ozharun. Related: Good Ideas for Los Angeles: Vertical Gardens from a Chinatown Company
Tomorrow, politicians and the media will test out the new 6-mile Gold Line Eastside Extension, but not before Metro's in-house media, former LA Times reporter Steve Hymon and transit blogger Fred Dennstedt, took a ride. In a post, they shared notes with the public.
Hello, People's Republic! Santa Monica this week passed a new law banning cat declawing within city limits, reports the Santa Monica Daily Press. When it goes into effect in December, the city will be the second in California with such a ban. West Hollywood already has the law on the books and as of January 1st, 2010, a state law will go into effect restricting cities from making such a ban.
Two men were shot as they headed into a North Hollywood temple for morning prayer early today. It was about 6:20 a.m. when the two Jewish men in their 30s were approached by a man who pulled a gun, which jammed at first, according to the LA Times. The men were shot in the lower torso and are listed in stable condition. Police do not believe it is a robbery and are investigating it as a hate crime. The synagogue is the Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic synagogue on the 12000 block of Sylvan Street. UPDATE: A man has been detained by police, but it is unknown if he is a suspect. Patrols have been kicked up around other synagogues as they determine of this was a solo or group effort.
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Other than their celebrity, what do Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, Brian Austin Green, Ashley Tisdale and Megan Fox all have in common. They were all victims of burglaries apparently committed by the same group, mostly made up of teens.
But not to fear, if Huy Fong Foods Inc. leaves Rosemead, they won't be leaving the Los Angeles metro. As the Asian rooster-labled hot sauce grows more popular (they were grossing over 10 million a year back in 2005), Huy Fong is looking for a larger facility and has found one in Irwindale, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. We firmly believe this concoction of jalapeños, garlic, sugar, salt and vinegar is a staple in every home. It's just so ammmaaaaaazzzzing.
Earlier this month the Wende Musuem installed 8 segments of the Berlin Wall in front of LACMA on Wilshire Blvd. This marks the longest stretch of the wall currently standing outside of Berlin. On November 8th, the 20th anniversary of the wall's falling will be commemorated via an event put on by the Wall Project, and more panels will be added to fully block Wilshire Blvd. Following an evening of activities and entertainment, at midnight the wall will be toppled, marking the anniversary, which will be broadcast live on German television.
Metro is using their new blog the right way--with timely updates. From today: "The Gold Line is currently shut down between Highland Park and Southwest Museum stations. At about 1:15 p.m. an umbrella from a neighboring residence blew onto city power lines above train tracks, creating a potentially dangrous situation for the trains beneath. DWP, Fire Department and Metro officials are on the scene. Metro riders are advised to use either Metro bus lines 81 or 83 or to take the Gold Line to either Highland Park or Southwest Museum station and board buses that are shuttling passengers between the two stations. We’ll be posting updates as they occur." UPDATE: Trains are running on a single track, expect 10-15 min delays this afternoon, says the LA Times.
Yesterday, state park officials began announcing plans for budget-saving reductions that begin Sunday. Some parks, including ones in the L.A. area, would lose lifeguards and see fewer hours or days of operation. However, Angeles District Superintendent Ron Schafer is mum on the details of said cuts. "We're working on plans that might help us avoid service reductions all together," he said over the phone, noting details should come next week. Local parks will operate as normal until then and hopefully after.
LA Times columnist Steve Lopez teased us Monday about his adventure of getting recommendation approved for medical marijuana by a gynecologist and today his experience was told in full. An excerpt: I stood to show him where my back hurts. He asked me to bend down, and I demonstrated that I couldn't touch my toes, but I don't think he could see that. He hadn't moved from his seat. I pointed again to my lower back and asked if there were a disc that low.
About 33,400 customers previously without power are good to go, now the LADWP has some 9,400 to go, as of 9 a.m. this morning. Other than isolated incidents here and there, the utility is reporting that 2,348 customers in Hollywood, 1,757 in Mar Vista and 1,031 in Northridge remain without power.
Limited supplies of the in-demand H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine are forcing the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to be very strict in deciding who can get the preventative treatment at area clinics, reports the Daily Breeze. Thousands of people hoping to ward off the infectious virus have swarmed clinics and special vaccination events, however now individuals "not deemed at risk for swine flu are being asked to stay away from county-run vaccination clinics until more supplies become available."
Sounds like a tame enough idea: Print up some t-shirts with the school mascot running and make a slogan out of one of those 800 numbers that uses words instead of digits. Only one of the parents from Linda Vista Elementary School in Yorba Linda decided to give the presumably made-up number a whirl and found that number was something else entirely, according to the Pasadena Star-News...
Books on tape? Podcasts? Daydreaming? Favorite albums? Drivers who commute out of the Inland Empire have the most time on their hands to fill while making long treks to their workplace, according to recent census data. "The data said the commute is almost 42 minutes for workers from Lake Elsinore. For Riverside County, the commute is 31.6 minutes...
Northridge: 1, 476There have been multiple reports of damage to buildings and due to fallen trees all over the city. At about 7 last night a tree fell onto the Pilgrim Community Church in South Los Angeles and as a result the "building has been red-tagged," reports abc7, noting that a tree fell onto a parked car at Burbank Boulevard and Topanga Canyon as well, and another in Long Beach. "In Pacoima, a camper broke the fall of a tree, and a Jack in the Box sign flew off at Sherman Way and Coldwater Canyon in North Hollywood."
The wind yesterday afternoon came in strong, running amok through Southland streets, making a mess of palm fronds and zapping the power our for tens of thousands.
When Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger saved state parks from closing, it didn't mean he saved them from service cuts. Today, state park officials announced how they would deal with a $14.2 million budget cut: Superintendents for each district (for example, many of L.A.'s nearby parks are in the Angeles District, beaches in the OC and Ventura County are in the Orange Coast and Channel Coast districts, respectively) had to share the sacrifice and find cuts on a park-by-park basis.
I’ll admit it. I’ve been pretty down since the final out of the NLCS. I simply could not shake my visions of Joe Torre sadly sipping his Bigelow green tea, Matt Kemp listening to sad early 90s R&B love ballads (in my mind it's Toni Braxton) and Andre Ethier staring dejectedly out the window of his plane back to Arizona.
The road to legalizing marijuana for all in California takes another step tomorrow. The California Assembly Public Safety Committee tomorrow will hold an informational hearing "on the implications of taxing and regulating marijuana similarly to alcoholic beverages," according to a press release from Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), chair of the committee and author of the legislation.
We've seen our fair share of aggressive behavior while taking the Red Line, but this video, taken between Hollywood and Highland and Universal City, is pretty disgusting. Sure the kids are acting like total brats and rudely harassing the woman (called the "crackhead" in this video), but does one of them deserve mace in the eye?
Relative newcomers Black Gold are on tour with Girl in a Coma and will be hitting The Troubadour in West Hollywood this Sunday night. The Brooklyn-based duo hooked up after touring with Panic! at the Disco!, M. Ward, Ambulance LTD, and Rachael Yamagata, among others. Since their debut album in January, the group has been busy, releasing two EPs and a remix album in August.
In 1993, after reading a book about homelessness, LA-resident Agnes Stevenson started teaching kids in a park in Santa Monica. From this book she learned that hundreds of thousands of children in the US do not attend school due to homelessness. And School on Wheels was born.
From compost at Griffith Park to Silver Lake Salvage to amazing raw desserts at Cru, Your Daily Thread has put together a nice Neighborhood Green Guide "to navigate what is green, local, sustainable, organic and/or handmade in the areas of Atwater Village, Echo Park, Los Feliz and Silver Lake." The daily local green e-mail newsletter says more neighborhood guides are on the way. We hope they do downtown or the Southeast Valley next.
On the agenda today for the City Council is consideration of a proposal that will "replace the city government's crash-prone e-mail system with a Google-based application," according to the Daily News. The impetus behind what some view as a costly or belated upgrade is the fact that the system they currently use, GroupWise, is often down and unreliable.
A Los Angeles city council committee will look into the long-delayed outdoor smoking ban draft ordinance this morning. If approved, it will then move on to the full city council where if passed, the ban will go into affect after a six-month education campaign. Basically, the ban says no smoking--unless you're just walking by--within 10 feet of an established outdoor dining area (think restaurants and cafes with sidewalk dining or outdoor food courts).
The National Weather Service says those hot temperatures from yesterday are just so... yesterday. A high wind warning will go into effect at 11 a.m., lasting 24-hours and bringing in nippier temperatures through tomorrow before they pick up again Thursday. In some areas of L.A. County, gusts of wind today could get up to 70 miles per hour. Temperatures in the immediate Los Angeles area today are expected to see highs in the high 60s to mid 70s. So wrap up in a scarf and don't forget your sandals.
It's a big night for downtown Los Angeles, more specifically L.A. Live. 6 p.m.: "This Is It," the Michael Jackson documentary, premieres (some wonder if some movie premieres will move from Hollywood to downtown. The movie 2012 will premiere here next week.). | 7 p.m.: Lakers and Clippers open basketball season at the Staples Center | 9 p.m.: L.A. Live's newest addition, Regal Cinemas opens to the public.
Traffic is still jammed on the 5 Freeway in Burbank after a big crash shortly before 6 a.m. this morning. A truck jackknifed, going through or over the center divider while hitting several cars in the process. The truck's cab caught fire, but injuries so far are reported to be minor to moderate, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Chatsworth is Los Angeles. San Fernando is not. Hollywood is Los Angeles. West Hollywood is Not. Venice is Los Angeles. Marina del Rey is not. Studio City is Los Angeles. Culver City is not. Yesterday, NPR's All Things Considered decided to inform listeners about their NPR West studio's location, interviewing the very proud Andrew Weissman, mayor of Culver City
After being caught by TMZ in another gotcha moment yesterday--she parked in a red curb zone for an hour--California's First Lady Maria Shriver quickly apologized: "I regret that I made a mistake. I take responsability for it," Shriver said in a statement. Cue end of story.
Yeah, it definitely feels like that. And if you do get into the club, some health insurance providers punish you for getting older. And that makes some sense until you you find out "older" means 28 years old, necessitating a near 50 percent increase in monthly payments. But we digress.
The Amtrak Surfliner departed San Diego 10:35 a.m. last Saturday -- right on time. But Train 571, a weekend-only train filled with families and weekend adventurers, never made it to its final destination -- Union Station, LA.
In an expose about TV news ratings, Variety's Michael Schneider digs into the current landscape, finding some interesting results: "According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 52% of the public say they watch local TV news -- down from 64% in 1998. NBC affiliates in particular have been stung this fall; due to its low-rated 'Jay Leno Show' lead-in at 10 p.m., Los Angeles' KNBC has seen its late news drop 25% so far this fall in the adults 25-54 demo (the preferred measurement for local news)." KABC has dropped 17% for its 11 p.m. newscast, but KCBS is up 20%," perhaps in part because of parent CBS' strong primetime performance" and the duopoly with KCAL9.
This Trader Joe's-inpsired cookbook has been out since 2008, but when spotted on a bookstore shelf last night, we got a bit giddy inside. It's L.A.'s favorite grocery store (based on the amount of comments Trader Joe's posts receive), so maybe this will be our favorite cookbook. So far, we're loving it.
TMZ's latest Maria Shriver gotcha moment was published today after they observed her park an Escalade for one hour in a red zone while going to the doctor's office in Santa Monica. Miraculously, the aggressive parking enforcement people did not catch this.
On Saturday, over 5,000 groups from around the world gathered for the International Day of Climate Action in an effort to bring attention to the Copenhagen Climate Talks ,scheduled for December when the Kyoto Treaty will be replaced (big question, will the U.S. sign it?).
After weeks of drool-worthy anticipation, it's official: The Grilled Cheese Truck gets rolling tomorrow night at The Brig in Venice. The announcement came down overnight via Twitter: "Well, THE WAIT IS OVER AND IT'S TIME TO MELT! Who's busy Tuesday evening? Meet us on the westside....? CheesyMac&Rib w/ some tots anyone?" Of course, in typical 140-character's worth fashion, the details have been rolling out bit(e) by bit(e): "Here's the deal.World famous Brig to host our unveiling Tuesday night @830 til 1015 so we leave and make room for Kogi @1030. Short & sweet."
Can't wait to read about this in his next column!
The Department of Energy today released a list of awardees to receive stimulus funds for research on energy. 37 projects around the country were chosen because of their potential to "change the way we use and produce energy," the department said. Seven of those projects are in the state, two in Southern California.
Unfortunately, sewage spills in the Long Beach area are all too often. The latest began this weekend when a sewage line began to leak on Saturday night. The waste entered the storm drain system and headed towards Shoreline Village at the mouth of the L.A. River.
What a memorable year it has been for L.A. area soccer fans. It all started back in February with the will he/won't he? (stay in Italy) saga of David Beckham. Attention would once again be drawn to him upon his return to MLS in July, but in between, Chivas USA and the Galaxy were busy making their own headlines.
Figures are in this morning for newspaper circulation nationwide, and the numbers reflect the downward trend symptomatic of a changing media landscape. Here in Los Angeles, the Times' circulation for a six-month period ending September 30th, "was at 657,467 for the Monday-Friday run," notes LA Observed, which shows an 11.05% drop from the same period for 2008.
Metro this morning finally announced the long-awaited opening of the Gold Line's Eastside Extension between downtown Los Angeles to East L.A. After the traditional inaugural ride with government officials and media in tow the day before, the six-mile line will be open to the public with free rides on Sunday, November 15th.
Swept up in the good time-y vibes surely prevalent during last night's heavily-touted U2 concert at the Rose Bowl, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took a couple of opportunities to share his exuberance over the occasion via Twitter. Villaraigosa and his girlfriend, KTLA reporter Lu Parker, were among the approximately 96,000 fans who packed the Pasadena stadium to see one of the last engagements in the rock band's "360 Tour" with support from the Black Eyed Peas.
A 2 - 0 victory over San Jose Earthquakes last night at the Home Depot Center clinched the Western Conference Title for the Galaxy for the first time since 2002.
The Los Angeles Police Department's new home in Downtown is a state-of-the-art facility that has been the topic of much praise and scrutiny since construction began in 2007. Today, however, the building, which has yet to be graced with an official name, will be opened in a public ceremony helmed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and outgoing Chief William Bratton. "At the 10 a.m. ceremony, Bratton will welcome the public to tour the new building," notes abc7, which is thought to be the most expensive and modern police facility in the country.
MLS regular season play ends this weekend and with a single game left for both the Galaxy and Chivas USA, their respective playoff seedings and opponents are yet to be determined.
The largest mass of sand dunes in California just became more accessible with the opening of a new road today. The Bureau of Land Management opened the newly constructed Wash Road in the Imperial Sand Dunes near the southeastern corner of the state. The 15 MPH corridor, which leads to camp sites, parallels a road on a Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way no longer accessible to the public.
The LAPD is setting up two sobriety & drivers license checkpoints this weekend. As always, just don't drink and drive and you'll be fine. Between 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. tonight, police will set a checkpoint up on Figueroa Street between 8th and 9th streets. Tomorrow in Cahuenga Pass between Hollywood and the Universal City area, a checkpoint will be set up...
Police have set up a large perimeter in the Carthay Circle neighborhood as they search for an armed suspect thought to be hiding in the area. Shots were fired around 2:20 p.m. and at this point, there are no reported victims, according to LAPD's media relations. The perimeter is focused in the area around Fairfax and Olympic.
KABC-TV is reporting a shooting death in front of a Van Nuys apartment building that has left one person dead. Two suspects, one reported to be a female, were apparently seen running eastbond on Vanowen towards Sepulveda. LAPD Media Relations has few details at the moment. Also: The Los Angeles Fire Depatment is reporting the death of a man in his 60's who was apparently was killed in a trash compactor at 8201 N. Woodley Ave., near the Van Nuys Airport.
If your plans for tonight included hanging out around the Coliseum or USC, you might want to change them, unless of course, you have a pair of running shoes in the trunk of your car. At the stroke of midnight, runners will hit the pavement on the streets adjacent to the Coliseum and USC to participate in the worldwide running phenomena known as the Nike+ Human Race.
After a hot mess of a meeting between the L.A. City Council, AEG and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich's office, the council unanimously approved sign permits for AEG. Attorneys with Trutanich say this action, an exception as they put it, will open the city up to more lawsuit fodder from the billboard industry. They're probably right. Nevertheless, this particular drama has ended, setting the path for the opening of Regal Cinemas, which will play the Michael Jackson film "This is It" on all 14 screens. Eric Richardson at blogdowntown live blogged the trainwreck of a meeting--see all the drama here.
Last week Thursday, Devin Petelski was driving in Venice when her car and an LAPD vehicle collided. She and the two officers were sent to the hospital where she died two days later. The officer driving the car suffered a fractured hand and lacerations to his elbow while the other officer was treated for abrasions and general pain.
Irvine's effort to turn the former 4,700-acre El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into the 21st Century's famed park just got a major boost. $65.5 million in construction projects were approved yesterday, paving the way for facilities to open in 2010 and 11.
The Yellow-Legged Frog is one of the endangered species found within the Angeles National Forest. With the Station Fire now past and mudslides a concern, U.S. Fish and Wildlife service officials are relocating some of the frogs until their home is more stable, reports the Pasadena Star News. Other endangered species in the forest include the unarmored threespine stickleback (it's a fish), the Arroyo toad and the Santa Ana suckerfish. LAist covered the frogs last December.
In the process to make L.A. Live a reality, AEG has been going through the city for permits and approvals for eight years. Now with a moratorium on billboards upheld by a judge, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is fighting the installation of six digital billboards at the new 14-screen Regal Cinemas theatre, set to open on Wednesday. Today, the LA Times editorial board chimes in on the issue:
For an airport that looks horrible, operates terribly and still has no train connection, who would be surprised at the latest poll results? Based on an online survey taken by 14,000 members and world travelers of Priority Pass, LAX came in number three behind London's Heathrow Airport and Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.
A video of a San Bernardino police officer striking a man with his baton multiple times as he lays on the ground with another officer on top of him has surfaced on the net and has been picked up by TV stations.
UCLA officials are reporting that the 20-year-old female student who was stabbed and slashed earlier this month was released from the hospital on Sunday. The unidentified junior biochemistry major was said to be in "good condition."
Richard Ramirez, better known as the Night Stalker, sits on death row for 13 murders in Southern California from two decades ago, but that number might change as police in San Francisco identified him as a suspect in a cold case murder today. DNA has connected him and a possible second and unknown suspect to the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in April 1984, two months before his first known murder in Los Angeles' Glassell Park neighborhood.
For those who plan on getting the H1N1 vaccine and fit into the priority group categories, but don't have insurance, are underinsured or could just use a free dose, rotating free clinics in Los Angeles County open tomorrow. Only a handful are open each day, rotating in different parts of the region.
And the War of Words over use of taxpayer money for the Michael Jackson memorial continues.... “If going after your money is being a bully, then I’m a bully; I have no problem doing that,” City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said in speech to members of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce at City Hall. “We wasted a lot of dough on the Michael Jackson memorial. We wasted a lot of money."
Sport Illustrated's Jon Heyman is reporting that Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has fired his soon-to-be ex-wife Jamie McCourt as CEO of the team in the last two days. Both are expected to fight long and hard for control of the team. The first shots of the divorce has now commenced. Let's get the popcorn ready.
In a unanimous vote, the Metro Board approved the Long Range Transportation Plan this afternoon. The document will guide transit planning in Los Angeles County for the next 30 years. One amendment was introduced and ultimately approved as well. Among a number of changes it brought, the most notable is a commitment to try to open the Gold Line Foothill Extension from Pasadena to Azusa before 2017.
After a heartbreaking loss, it’s best to take a giant step back. It’s best to look at a failure against the backdrop of the season as a whole. The first conclusion I reached was, “At least we aren’t Washington Nationals fans”.
A volunteer opportunity for those who can handle the adrenaline: "Ventura County Search and Rescue East Valley Team 3 (VCSAR 3) is comprised of highly dedicated and skilled volunteers who are able to respond to wilderness emergencies in Ventura County. VCSAR 3 team members are extensively trained in search techniques, technical rope rescue, tracking, swiftwater rescue, communications, winter operations, urban search and rescue, and search management."
In response recent promises of strict medical marijuana enforcement from City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and District Attorney Steve Cooley, the Marijuana Policy Project quickly hired an an independent firm to poll L.A. County voters on the issue. No surprises here, 74 percent support the California's medical marijuana law with 54 percent in support of marijuana being legalized for all, just the way Governor Schwarzenegger wants it.
As we noted yesterday, downtown Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills will be hosts for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California (it will also include a stage from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake). Announced this morning, here is the full route and all of its 750-mile glory:
Metro is expected to pass the Long Range Transportation Plan at this mornings meeting, which began at 9:30 a.m. As Streetsblogger Damien Newton explains, the plan "will cement the timeline for local funding from Measure R for projects and allow the agency to apply for Federal and State funds." Basically, if voted upon, the document will be the guiding force for the development of transit in L.A. for years to come.
The Governor's Office is webcasting the live the press conference where Schwarzenegger will sign legislation exempting developers from environmental laws, which has delayed the project. The Governor's office calls the project a "green project." Although today's legislation will pave way for this "shovel-ready" and "privately financed" project (that they say will bring 18,000 jobs), the LA Times notes that developers Majestic Realty might have trouble getting "construction loans amid the credit crunch."
A big fight has been brewing between City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and AEG, which owns L.A. Live in downtown. Earlier this summer, Trutanich came to a city council meetings and announced that there were "civil and criminal aspects" with tax payer money being used for the Michael Jackson Memorial. He was mum in public about said crimes, but AEG President Tim Leiweke alleges the City Attorney has been bullying the company around, according to a big story in the L.A. Times today.
Big operation in South L.A. this morning. The LAPD along with the FBI conducted an 18-month investigation leading up to todays sweep called Operation 40 Ounces to Freedom. 46 of the 75 gang members sought have been arrested, according to ABC7.
For the second consecutive season, the Dodgers fall to the Phillies in the NLCS in five games. All that remains of a season filled with promise and optimism is a pool of disappointment.
Watch out, they're back. On Sunday the latest in Tea Party protests will hit Los Angeles as part of another bus tour across the country. The traveling two-plus week event, which will be in its first day, promises to "highlight some of the worst offenders in Congress who have voted for higher spending, higher taxes, and government intervention in the lives of American families and businesses," according to its website. Continued: "Let’s stand up and stop the bailouts, cap and trade, out-of-control spending, government-run healthcare, and higher taxes! We’re back and determined to take our country back!"
![Small Brush Fire Ignites Near Angeles Nat'l Forest in Tujunga [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/day-fire-tujunga_restrict_width_110.jpg)
The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting a 1-acre fire near the neighborhood of Tujunga in the Northeast Valley. First reported at 5:09 p.m. from the 6300 block of Day Street, the fire is burning in steep rugged terrain. Over the phone, LAFD Spokesman Brian Humphrey says the nearest home to flames is about one mile away, therefore no evacuations have been ordered.
City Attorney Carmen Trutanich wants the City Council to pass the latest proposed ordinance aimed at regulating medical marijuana dispensaries (you can read that ordinance in full, embedded below).
Although it has not been officially announced, LAist has learned that the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race will go through at least two Southern California cities next year during its new date in May. Downtown Los Angeles and the cities of Thousand Oaks (home to the sponsor, Amgen), Agoura Hills, Westlake will play host to the race's fifth year. The full route is expected to be announced tomorrow morning at a series of events throughout the state, but organizers are encouraging fans of the race to follow four Twitter accounts tomorrow morning to be up to date on the latest news.
Tomorrow, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the bill that will exempt developers of the proposed NFL stadium from some environmental laws, reports James Wagner at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Once the law goes into affect, Ed Roski's Majestic Realty will be able to break ground on the 600-acre project, which has been delayed a year and one half.
After wiping out 100 percent of domestic violence funds in the state budget over the summer, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to sign a bill tomorrow that will restore funding.
This weekend is the big two-day music festival and cannabis expo at the San Manuel Amphitheater and police are ready to make arrests. Cypress Hills, Slipnot, Deftones among many other bands are playing alongside the Cannibus Cup, Medical Marijuana Expo and 4:20 Movie Night. In a statement, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department warns against any recreational use of the drug. "Further, there is no provision in the law for the use of marijuana while operating a motor vehicle, whether someone possesses a doctor's recommendation for the drug or not."
There's a little controversy brewing up in San Francisco about the naming of neighborhoods and New York-like acronyms. One of the grittier neighborhoods called the Western Addition has been unofficially renamed by real estate agents to be called NoPa, or North of Panhadle.
It's very common for reporters to cross the line and become communicators for agencies they once reported on and investigated. Today comes the news that Metro is launching their blog (finally!) with two notable names behind it. From the LA Times is Steve Hymon, the paper's former transit reporter. And from the blogLAsphere is Fred Camino, the downtown resident who created the blog MetroRiderLA. It's called The Source and Metro says it "is your window into what's happening at" the agency. "We'll be writing about agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles."
This week, the Metro Transportation Library debuted an impressive set of historical maps depicting transit lines and proposals for routes and systems. Among the multiple versions of our current subway system and systems long come and gone is a proposed monorail from 1960, the transit vision for LA in 1974, the map produced based on the Kelker-Deleuw study of 1925 (when the city's first subway was built), and a map from the time when the Red Line was called the Orange Line.
A second water main break occurred last night in the Hollywood Hills, a few miles drive east from an earlier break. LADWP crews cleared the "slow leak" break on Packwood Trail off Mulholland Drive by 2:30 a.m., more ethan four hours after the break was reported. Earlier on Tuesday, a break prompted the closure of Mulholland Drive in the Sherman Oaks and Bel-Air Crest areas. Two others were reported in South L.A.
E-mails obtained by the LA Times indicate that director Roman Polanski is likely to be extradited to the U.S. to face sentencing in his thirty-year-old child sex case. “While the Swiss officials cannot speak for the judge, the extradition will likely be ordered based upon the facts submitted in our papers,” read an e-mail between two employees in the district attorney's office from two weeks ago. That package may have also included information about judicial misconduct, as alleged by Polanski ad his lawyers and requested by Swiss officials.
The swine flu-releated death of a 4-year-old boy in Santa Barbara over the weekend has some worried as large shipments of vaccine has yet to arrive to the coastal county. This comes as the CDC today announced statistics about the age populations most affected by H1N1. 53 percent of the hospitalizations are people 25 years and younger while 39 percent are people aged 25 to 64 and 7 percent are 65 plus. Today's catch phrase is that this is a "young persons disease."
Following the arrest of Alfonzo Landa earlier this month, officials today announced the identify of 23-year-old Ricardo Hernandez. A $50,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of those involved was announced in late September, a couple days after the murder.
A warning, of sorts, came from a delegation of local members of congress today. Two mainstream media headlines begin to the tell the story. From this morning, the Pasadena Star News: 14 SoCal congressional leaders call for prioritizing Gold Line And this afternoon from the LA Times: Mayor's effort to fast-track Westside subway faces challenge
The body of 42-year-old Zoltan Tombol was found today after a couple days of searching in the Cleveland National Forest. Tombol, an L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy described as being in in exquisite shape, went missing Sunday night when he went hiking. Officials have been mum about any speculation to the cause of death, but when his truck was found yesterday, there were no signs of foul play. An autopsy will be performed tomorrow.
The suspected arsonist in the Old Fire that scorched some 90,000 acres of the San Bernardino Mountains was indicted by a jury on 5 counts of murder today. Six people died and 1,000 homes were lost in the October 2003 blaze. Months later on a rainy Christmas day, 14 people died when debris flows swept through a Church camp.
There are some staff changes happening at the Times this week. Tina Daunt, who wrote at the paper for 20 years, is among an unknown number of people laid off. Last night, she wrote on her blog:
Thanks to a U2 concert at the Rose Bowl this Sunday evening, train service will be extended into the wee hours of Monday morning. 100,000 people are expected to descend upon the stadium and officials with the Rose Bowl and Live Nation--both which paid for the extended service--are encouraging fans to take public transit.
Landon Donovan, star forward for the L.A. Galaxy and U.S. Men's National Team, has been named 2009 Honda Player of the Year for his achievements with the U.S. Men's National Team. It is the sixth time the speedy forward has won the award after first earning it in 2002. It was further announced that his dominance throughout these years has also earned him a second award: Honda Player of Decade. Congratulations to Landon!
16-year-old Natalie Innocenzi from Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy became the 92nd Rose Queen, officials with Tournament of Roses announced this morning. 1,000 girls tried out with only seven making it to the Royal Court. Innocenzi will ride on the Macy's Float during the festivities on New Year's Day.
Fearing that she would turn him in, Joe Saenz kidnapped, raped and murdered the mother of his child, leaving her body at his grandma's house. That was in 1998, just days after he killed two rival gang members on the Eastside.
Dodgers
The Dodgers and their general manager Ned Colletti agreed to a contract extention the Dodgers announced today. The terms of the contract extension has not been announced yet. In the midst of the McCourts' impending divorce it is just one sign of reassurance for the Dodger faithful. Colletti is the first Dodger general manager to see his teams reach the playoffs three times in four seasons, and is one of three active general managers to do so in his first four seasons: New York Yankee's Brian Cashman and Boston Red Sox Theo Epstein being the other two.
Welcome to National Primate Liberation Week, which a UCLA press release describes as "when extremists typically post and distribute misleading or false information about animal research."
Since 2 a.m. this morning, thee more pipes have burst, prompting more road closures, reports the LA Times. One burst on Mulholland Drive between Coldwater and Beverly Glen--another two broke in South LA at 83rd and Wall streets and Florence and Van Ness avenues. Yesterday afternoon, an LADWP water leak closed a portion of Rinaldi Street in Porter Ranch. So far, no conclusive word on why these are happening at such a destructive rate.
Remember how Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took two vacations over the summer? First there was one to Iceland and then another to Africa. That bugged KTLA's Eric Spillman enough to go digging for costs, if any, to taxpayers.
The Dodgers lost yesterday, giving the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the series, but if our boys in blue win tomorrow, the playoff series comes back to Los Angeles for games on Friday and if need be, on Saturday. That said, Dodgers officials today are releasing 6,000 tickets for the two potential games. The cheapest tickets go for $51. Go, go Dodgers!
LAX officials yesterday finalized plans for the fourth FlyAway route that will take passengers to and from Irvine. Beginning November 16th, the one-way 50-mile trip will cost $25 for adults (they won't accept cash, credit or debit only). Each fare allows for two students 8th grade and under to ride for free. Children under five also ride free.
Big, but not surprising news snuck out yesterday about the 250-square mile Station Fire. After a cold front and a few days of rain, containment finally reached 100 percent last Friday evening.
One stinking out. That’s all the Dodgers needed. The Dodgers had closer Jonathan Broxton who has been one of the more reliable players they had to hold a slim 4-3 lead. He came in the eighth inning to get out of a two-on, two-out jam and got Jayson Werth to fly out to right field. Good going so far.
As city staff gears up for a series of public meetings seeking input on the draft master bicycle plan for Los Angeles, cyclists are coming together, advocating for the process to be extended into 2010. "The plan is 6 months late, and we only have six weeks to submit comments?" noted Dr. Alex Thompson on his bicycle blog the day it was released.
Mother Nature is taunting us as she does best. After an earlier-than-expected season opening for Mammoth Mountain on Friday, officials had to close the popular skiing spot down as warmer temperatures made a return. "After a big storm earlier this week and great skiing and riding on Friday, record breaking warm temperatures rolled in, wreaking havoc on our snow in the process," a statement from the resort read. However, a storm in the near future could bring back the snow and lower temperatures.
Stephanie Pratt can add one more dubious claim to fame to her resume after an early Sunday morning arrest that took place outside a Hollywood nightclub, according to On The Red Carpet. Pratt, 23, the blonde fashion-student and sibling of the notoriously unlikeable Spencer Pratt (one half of the "Speidi" duo comprised of him and his starlet wife Heidi; LAist Interview) was "booked at the Van Nuys jail" and "released a few hours later after posting $5,000 bail."
In a seven game series, the winning team needs four victories to advance to the next round. Although the Phillies hold only a 2-1 series advantage, make no mistake: Tonight is a must-win for this Dodgers squad. Following last night’s public execution of Hiroki Kuroda, the Boys in Blue are reeling.
The office supply store, which first purchased the naming rights to the Staples Center in 1997, has scored a deal with AEG to keep their name on LA's busiest arena in perpetuity. The original agreement was $100 million for a mere 20 years. Exact terms of the new arrangement have not been disclosed. It's the first time a major-market arena has inked a lifetime deal.
A superior court judge today told Los Angeles city officials in a preliminary injunction that they were the ones breaking the law, not a medical marijuana dispensary that was told it could not operate under a 2007 moratorium--since extended twice--banning new medical marijuana facilities.
Cliff Lee started. Cliff Lee pitched. Cliff Lee conquered. On the upside the Dodgers didn't waste a good start by a starting pitcher. Phillies lead 2-1 in the NLCS, and the sky isn't falling.
Yesterday morning, authorities in Larimer County, Colorado, revealed that they are pursuing a criminal investigation of Thursday's "Balloon Boy" incident, when the Heene family allegedly led the Sheriff's Department, the media, and stunned viewers all over the world, to believe their 6-year-old son Falcon was drifting over the countryside in a home-made weather balloon. While no charges have been filed yet, patriarch Richard Heene could face a hefty laundry list of accusations, including several felonies.
Social security numbers, evidence, witness information and more are stored in a parking structure accessible by civilian employees and some visitors at the LAPD's Southwest Division. Over at the Northeast Division, more of the same near the employee main entrance.
In a major switch from the Bush Administration, Attorney General Eric Holder in a memo today told agencies in 14 states to stop prioritizing raids and cases against those who comply with state medical marijuana laws. It's not a good use of time, the three-page legal memo said, urging that criminals should be the focus of any efforts.
Friday's Freshman-Sophomore football game between Hollywood High School and West Adams Prep ended abruptly when player Spencer Juarez collapsed on the sidelines, with just two minutes of play left. The game was halted, and paramedics were called to transport the teen to Children's Hospital. Teammates say "Juarez had just taken a hit, and as he was jogging back to the sidelines, he fell over," but just what caused the student to collapse...
A 21-year-old man was killed in Northridge yesterday when a vehicle pulled up and began opening fire, possibly mistaking the victim for someone else. About one half hour earlier, two groups of black males got into a verbal dispute at the corner of White Oak Avenue and Lassen Street. One group fled when they realized the other group was armed with handguns. Most ran across the street to take cover on a church's grounds.
Times might be tough, but at LAX, making good use of the aging Tom Bradley International Terminal is proving to be tougher. Today, the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners are "expected to approve $1.13 billion in construction contracts to revitalize facilities for international travelers at Los Angeles International Airport and build new gates to accommodate the next generation of large commercial planes," according to LA Now.
The 25th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles gets underway officially at 10 o'clock this morning, but streets in West Hollywood are already closed to drivers and will remain so for a large portion of the day. If your travels today are in the vicinity, plan some alternate routes. Here's the route map to show you where to go to cheer on the walkers--or what part of town to avoid today.
A Hollywood High School football player died yesterday afternoon after being hospitalized when he collapsed during Friday night's game against West Adams Prep, according to LA Now.
Set pieces prove costly last night for Chivas USA and they are forced to settle for a 2 - 2 tie against the lowly San Jose Earthquakes. "It was a weird game, I thought. We started well, we got ourselves a goal. We were sensing that any second we would score the second, then for a second we fall asleep, on a free kick and the game is tied 1 - 1," said Head Coach Preki Radosavljevic. Preki's comments were on the mark.
Los Angeles-based artist Shepard Fairey might be left with only his "hope" when it comes to the suit and counter-suit battles being waged in court right now regarding his iconic adaptation of a photograph of Barack Obama for use in his 2008 Presidential campaign.
A standoff that began at around 10:40 last night ended just before 6 this morning outside an apartment building in North Hollywood where a man who'd been believed to have shot his wife was holed up. LAPD officers and members of the SWAT team and bomb squad units were "met by neighbor Nick Wilcox, who told them some bullets came through his apartment wall," at the building on the 6500 block of Simpson Avenue, according to KTLA.
MLS regular season play ends next Sunday, but although both L.A. sides have already secured a playoff spot, much is still left to be settled between themselves and the Houson Dynamo.
For seven innings, game two of the National League Championship Series was a game played to Renoir-esque beauty. For the players in the game and the diehard fans, the beauty of this pitcher’s duel couldn’t fully be appreciated. But from afar it was a complete piece of art. But the Dodgers stayed persistent and used the ugly strokes painted by the Phillies reliever and defense to come away with a 2-1 victory tying up the series 1-1.
The pop-up museum that is Environmentaland is going away after Wednesday. It's a nicely done and unique project by Global Inheritance. The interactive museum (or theme park, as they describe) has stuff like bikes that you pedal to create different kinds of energy, a design your own recycling bin area and a taste test that let's you see the difference between sustainable and regular food.
Curbed LA caught the installation of some panels from the Berlin Wall at 5900 Wilshire Blvd., across from LACMA: "The exhibition is part of Culver City-based Wende Museum's commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Wall... When finished (a total of 10 panels will go up), the exhibition will constitute the largest concentration of Berlin Wall panels outside of Europe."
![White House Staff Coming to Hollywood on Sunday, Here's How to Join Them [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/obama-aids-los-angeles_restrict_width_110.jpg)
White House leaders are coming to Los Angeles on Sunday to continue his tour for his National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion. "These Discussions, hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), offer the public a chance to provide input as the White House works to fulfill the President’s pledge to develop a National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)," explains a White House press release.
USC's digital online news website Neon Tommy began a new series today called Democracy in Action where reporters visit field offices of L.A.'s state legislators. "Our goal is to see what goes on in a two-hour period on a routine day," they explain. For the first post, Jessica Flores visited Assemblyman Mike Davis' field office, finding that the simplest of questions were the hardest to find answers to. Perhaps this is just one of the many symptoms why Sacramento is fucked:
So apparently the Heene family made an attempt for the Hollywood life (and that's besides their appearance on ABC's Wife Swap). They rented a Burbank home from June 2006 until June 2007, according to Carrie Cavalier, who met the father, Richard Heene, when she was hired to take his headshots.
After Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger slashed 100 percent of funding for domestic violence programs in California, shelters began making plans to cut services or worse, shut doors. In Santa Clairta, the local shelter laid off some employees and moved offices to save on rent.
For those who travel the 10 freeway in the wee hours of the morning, take note. Caltrans will be closing westbound lanes between Puente Avenue and the 605 Freeway (map) all next week. Specifically, between 11:59 p.m. and 4 a.m. Monday through Friday. It's for the $114-million HOV lane project, which is expected to be finished in winter 2012. When done, the car pool lanes will whisk passengers between the 605 and Puente Avenue in both directions.
For four days, 74-year-old Mostafa Mahmoud Zayed was seen slumped over his balcony in Marina del Rey. Neighbors, who saw him on Monday, didn't think much of it--it was a dummy for Halloween, after all.
A Thursday night water main break in the Hollywood Hills left about 20 people without water through this morning, reports the Daily News. The six-inch main burst in the Mount Olympus area in the Hollywood Hills affecting about 20 customers. No streets were closed.
Although his paintings were allegedly stolen fro his westside home last month, Richard L. Weisman waived the $25 million he could have gotten under his insurance policy, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Since taking office, President Obama has visited Los Angeles a couple of times, but today is his first San Francisco visit. Tonight will be a National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion at UCSF, which offers a chance for the public to provide input on combatting the disease. The White House says that more than 56,000 new HIV infections occurs each year in the U.S. Obama has three goals in his effort to...
The Dodgers walked seven Phillies, four of which would end up scoring. Offensively the Dodgers went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and leaving 10 runners on base while the Phillies went 3-for-5 with RISP with five runners left of base. Mistakes hurt teams more in the postseason. All of that was evident in the Phillies 8-6 victory over the Dodgers in the game one slugfest of the National League Championship Series.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was on tonight's episode of Jeopardy and interestingly enough, a full category was dedicated to his alma mater, UCLA. To say the least, he got a little too excited when answering the first question. Good times, good times.
![Uncomfortable Moment: 'Balloon Boy' Tells CNN They 'Did this for a Show' [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/ballfam_restrict_width_110.png)
In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, "Balloon Boy" Falcon Heene was asked why he didn't come out from the garage attic when his parents called for him. In response, the 6-year-old said, "Um. You guys said that, hrm, we did this for a show."
The first National League playoff game has just begun and while tens of thousands of eyeballs are glued to the game right now, there are plenty who are not. Maybe they don't care or maybe they are waiting to watch it on Tivo at home. And if you're part of the latter group, some digital billboards might ruin it all for you.
When you write lyrics that say, in essence, that "faggots" should "get up and run" because "they have to die," it's fair to say people will get upset. Adding that you will shoot them in the head and "burn them up bad" doesn't help either. But that's part of Buju Banton's “Boom, Bye Bye” song, which has prompted gay rights groups to effectively pressure promoters to cancel 16 concerts across the country.
It has been a long wait for Dodger fans. The Phillies pushed the Dodgers around last year in the 2008 NLCS. Philadelphia made short work of the Boys in Blue, sending them home in just five games. And it wasn't that close.
We Got Yer Holiday Spirit Right Here
Eat My Blog: Blogger Bake Sale Will Benefit LA Foodbank
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Simply Wrong Food: IHOP's Holiday Pancakes
Galaxy 2009 Season Recap
DVD Review: Kobe Doin' Work
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