Remember last when in 2007 a major LAUSD computer glitch caused thousands of teachers to go without a paycheck while other teachers, including former ones six feet under, got paid extra? That's all fixed now, but the school district is still seeking $9.4 million from 2,400 current and former employees.
LA Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke wrote an article describing the lackluster reaction of Laker Nation last night as Pau Gasol made his first appearance of the season. Coming off a hamstring injury that sidelined the Spaniard for the first eleven games of the season, Gasol was back to his usual self, contributing 24 points and 13 rebounds in a 108-93 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
This morning Oprah Winfrey spoke about stopping her show in September 2011, reports Chicagoist. There's no mention of what's next, such as the rumors of moving to Los Angeles to produce a show on her OWN network, but speculation will continue.
Our favorite recent piece of guerilla public art--that giant fork placed, well, at a fork in the road--will be the site of a food drive this weekend, says the LA Times. Benefitting the Union Station Homeless Services, volunteers will collect nonperishable food at the fork, located at Pasadena and St. John avenues, both days this weekend, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sculpture was a birthday present/prank for Bob Stane, founder of the Ice House comedy club and current owner of the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Stane always thought it would be funny if someone did that and his wish was granted by his friends. Now people want to see the piece be a permanent part of the city's public art collection.
Come New Year's Eve, motorcross superstar Travis Pastrana will attempt to break the world record for longest jump in a car. He plans on jumping 171 feet from a pier in Long Beach Harbor onto a barge. "Everyone always jokes about launching off a pier and Red Bull was able to pull it together where we have a barge to land on, which I think is going to be absolutely insane," he told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Because of the jump's location, it should be viewable from a variety of angles.
UCLA is no stranger to Taser Gun use. After a horrible video in 2006 surfaced of a student, who was already retrained by officers, being tasered several times, the school suffered a good amount of drama and settled with the student for $220,000.
Last New Year's Eve, the San Francisco Area rung in the New Year with a bad start. A police officer working for the BART transit system shot and killed an unarmed man already restrained and facing down on the ground. Now that former cop, 27-year-old Johannes Mehserle stands trial for murder.
Although California added some 25,700 jobs last month, the state's unemployment rate increased three-tenths to 12.5%. That puts the state with the fourth highest rate and as one of thirteen above the national average of 10.2%. The addition of jobs is a first since April 2008. In October 2008, California's rate stood at 8%.
LA Lakers defeat Chicago Bulls 108-93. In Pau Gasol’s first game with the Lakers this season, the team looked completely different. It helped that Gasol played like he missed no time scoring six of the Lakers’ first seven points. He led all scorers with 24 points and 13 rebounds. It did cut into Andrew Bynum’s numbers a little who scored 11 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. Kobe Bryant scored 21 points overtaking Kareem Adbul-Jabbar for second place in franchise scoring in the process. The Lakers dominated the paint and played a very balanced game.
It was a busy, loud and raucous day at UCLA as emotions ran high before and after a vote to increase tuition by 32 percent. Shortly before 1 p.m., the Board of UC Regents voted in favor of the increase, with only one dissenting vote from student regent Jesse Bernal. The extra money will help reduce layoffs, stop course reductions and put money away for financial aid.
So Oprah will officially announce tomorrow that her show is coming to an end in September 2011. So much for the rumors of Oprah moving her show to Los Angeles... Or is it that after her show is over, she'll do a new one based here on the Oprah Winfrey Network?
As Thanksgiving approaches, the airports fill up. Officials at LAX today are warning passengers of the expected increased traffic at the airport for a ten day period, beginning tomorrow. Of those ten, the three busiest are expected to be tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 25; and Sunday, Nov. 29 because "airlines are forecasting passenger load factors approaching 80 percent on most flights and some flights fully booked."
Okay, it's time to stop munching on that mac and cheese. On the heels of a major makeover to the Los Angeles Marathon route , two new half marathons for Los Angeles were announced today by separate companies. Come this January, the 13.1 Los Angeles Marathon will run through the Westside and next October, the popular Rock n' Roll Marathon will make a debut in Los Angeles, replacing the City of Angels Half Marathon.
The blog LA Eastside has designed some fake signs (online only) for new Eastside Extension of Metro's Gold Line. Needless to say, it's causing some controversy within the comments section of the post as well as apparently prompting confused calls from riders to Metro. So what does Metro do? They blog:
Today, for the most part, is much more peaceful than yesterday's protest about the move to increase tuition at University of California by 32%. Yesterday, when 14 were arrested (up from the 8 we reported) and one reportedly tasered, was a bit more out of control (see some photos)--here is one video showing that at the front lines (man, that one bicycle cop is sure angry).
It's official, protests be damned, the controversial tuition hike has been approved by the Board of UC Regents, according to a live report on KCAL9. The 32% increase, which would begin by Fall, will add $2,500 to tuition, bringing it over $10,000.
As UC Regents meet for a vote on increasing University of California tuition by 32%, Attorney General Jerrry Brown said today that a state panel has the authority to cut the pay of state Senators and Assemblymembers by 18 percent, which would cut pay from $116,208 to $95,291 in December 2010, according to the Sacramento Bee. At issue was if Senate salaries could be cut mid-term, which Brown said was within the law. But still undetermined is if benefits can be cut.
Don't worry, yesterday's appearance of eyebrowless bald men in black suits and fedoras is just a viral marketing campaign, but it's one of the more creative and fun ones, worthy of attention.
Alexandra Forbes Kerry, 36, was arrested early this morning in Hollywood for allegedly driving while drunk. Pulled over for a traffic stop around 12:40 a.m., Kerry failed a field sobriety test, but refused to take a preliminary alcohol screening test in the field, leading to her arrest and booking at the local area station. "Cops took her to the station and then conducted a formal blood alcohol test which showed a level of .06," explained TMZ.
!['Significant Delays' at LAX Expected at Noon after Computer Glitch [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/flight-delays-lax_restrict_width_110.jpg)
A problem, although now fixed, with the system that collects airlines' flight plans is causing numerous flight cancellations and delays across the country today.
Things got a bit nutty this morning when students reportedly "stormed" and "took over" a building at UCLA in protest of the imminent UC Board of Regents' vote to increase tuition up to 32%. About 30 students raided Campbell Hall barricading the doors with chains and bike locks, said the LA Times.
KNBC's lead morning reporter, Robert Kovacik shared this humorous fact today: "#Canoga Park: #Marijuana growing site found 25 ft from the back door of the #LAPD Topanga station. Topanga townhall w/ Beck scheduled Thurs." No doubt, cops were tipped off to the smell.
No surprise here, but a vote on the proposed of Los Angeles' medical marijuana ordinance was delayed until next week. There was much discussion at this morning's meeting about how sales is being interpreted within the state law in addition to several proposed changes that must be reviewed by the city attorney's office.
Following yesterday's Finance Committee approval, today the California State University Board of Trustees voted in favor of the 2010-11 budget calling for $884 million in funding from the state, reports LA Now.
Despite a recommendation from a city council committee (.pdf) to once again run trains into the wee hours of night, late-night subway service this holiday season will not happen. The culprit? The economy, of course.
He can't run for Governor again, and his Austrian birth means the Presidency is out of the question, but Arnold Schwarzenegger told reporters in Europe yesterday that he won't be vying for votes once his term is up in 2010, according to an Associated Press report. While traveling in Milan, the actor-turned-Governator said "I have never labeled myself as a politician, so I am not going to run for anything else."
As protests and arrests take place outside, a UC Board of Regents' committee approved a large tuition increase at UCLA today, reports KNX1070. The move sends a two-tiered tuition increase proposal to the full board of regents, which meets tomorrow. If approved, students will see a 32 percent increase at UC campuses by next fall. Why is this all happening? The state budget blows, read background here.
UCLA Campus Police have arrested 8 protesters who were part of a crowd of hundreds gathered in Westwood to express dismay at possible fee hikes being discussed during the Regents meeting, reports KTLA. Those arrested allegedly "repeatedly interrupted" the meeting and were "booked for unlawful assembly." Protesters locked arms and sang "We Shall Overcome" as the officers approached the crowd.
Nearly 300 Californians, including a 7-year-old in Fontana last week, have died of H1N1 while some 5,000 others have been hospitalized. News reports show people trying to sell spots or fake pregnancies in vaccination clinic lines while other studies indicate a lot of people are not even trying to seek help.
Although two City Council committees voted down a draft ordinance on regulating medical marijuana, the full board is expected to discuss the matter during today's 10 a.m. meeting. District and City Attorneys Steve Cooley and Carmen Trutanich interpret pot sales to be illegal under state law, but the council, along with everyone else, seem to be leaning towards passing a law that allows for sales, as long as you have a legal license to purchase the drug for medicinal purposes.
This week both voting bodies in charge of the University of California and the California State University systems are voting on budget plans for the 2010-11 school year, and both include ambitious requests to the state of California for hundreds of millions of dollars apiece to restore crippling budget cuts and, in fact, increase funding.
For $1,000, two artists, with the help of 50 volunteers, were able to install this mosaic public art piece in Redondo Beach. Found by the pier, the staircase links condominiums to a bikeway above the International Boardwalk, says the Daily Breeze. The artists are Patti Linnett and Debbie Collette, both based in Redondo. It's a great touch to the community and a nice creative way to beautify an area. Reminds us of the pubilc art recently put up on a staircase in Franklin Hills. And who can forget the recent fork in the road in Pasadena?
Billions taken healthcare and education, a 32 percent hike under consideration in the University system, the list could go on. The big question is, after this year, what more is there to cut?
After firefighters doused a boat burning two miles off the coast of Venice Beach, officials are scratching their heads, trying to figure out where the people aboard are. First reported around 4:45 p.m. yesterday, the 20-foot powerboat was seen aflame, sending a column of smoke into the air. A witness report suggests that two people were on the boat and a search is in progress for them. The boat, named "The Casey Lynn," is registered to a 30-year-old Woodland Hills man out of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. According to KTLA, he was going through marital problems.
She's that familiar voice--love it or hate it--that appears every six month at KCRW pledge drives asking you to subscribe. First a consultant, but quickly hired as KCRW's General Manager, Ruth Seymour has seen KCRW grow tremendously over the past 32 years. Yet all good things comes to an end. Last night she announced that she's moving on, with plans to retire in February.
Found above Travis Barker's store, The Fast Life, at West 3rd and Crescent Heights is a new billboard. It's "in loving memory" of DJ AM, who died in August of a drug overdose. Last year, AM and Barker survived a plane crash that left the store's manager, Chris Baker, dead. A sidewalk memorial was set up in front of the store after that.
So why have so many water main breaks and leaks in the past few months? If you look at the above chart, it appears that there is nothing unusual other than the attention given to them. Nevertheless, the public pressure is on and rightfully so.
Five minor earthquakes rattled the southern end of the Salton Sea this afternoon; this, after a series of quakes in the last few days. The mini quake swarm, of sorts, began 2:25 p.m. and continued through 3:07 p.m. near Obsidian Butte. Three of them were over 3.0 magnitude. Nothing to freak out about, but always a good reminder to be prepared. Also: A 2.1 microquake was felt off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura at 2:47 p.m.
A symposium held at Sci-Arc this last weekend featured winners of a recent locally-focused transit design competition. Adam Christian at his blog, Urban Insights takes note of the 2nd place winners, the Fletcher Studio, who "proposed urban agricultural villages that would convert freeway embankments into terraced hillsides. Affiliated bungalow housing would be built alongside. These developments would be a new source of 'green' jobs, employing farmers on a rotating, seasonal basis." With some 527 miles of freeway, there is about 960 acres of unused land that could be made into workable space. That's a much better iday than these bogus freeway flower advertisements. (Thanks, Streetsblog, Curbed!)
The Dutch have an idea that's good for debate here at home. A proposal would tax the miles driven on a car instead of the current taxes levied on roads and new car purchases. Specifically, "the plan proposes an average tax of $.07 per mile, with fees higher during rush hour and for commercial vehicles," says Live Earth. "It would use GPS systems installed in each car to track mileage and automatically bill drivers. The goal, the Dutch government says, is to cut traffic by 15% and reduce transport emissions by 10%."
The people of Los Angeles and L.A. County have elected themselves a hot mess. District Attorney Steve Cooley and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich--both elected by the public--believe most all medical marijuana dispensaries are illegal. That's because their interpretation of state law is that marijuana cannot be just sold to those with licenses, but distributed to members of a nonprofit collective of people who carry licenses.
The Gold Line may have been slammed with people for Sunday's grand opening, but reality sets in this week. One big question is the daily ridership, which is expected to be a low 13,000 riders each day between East LA and Union Station, says the LA Times. However, that's not to say it's one piece of the larger puzzle--once the Regional Connector is built, the usefulness of all downtown-bound light rail routes should increase exceptionally.
Chivas USA 'keeper Zach Thornton is going to need to make more room on his mantel. On Monday, the veteran 'keeper was named to the 2009 MLS Best XI roster following a stellar campaign in which he registered a personal best Goals Against Average (GAA) of 0.87. His league best GAA was well complemented by the 12 shutouts he amassed throughout the season -- also tops in MLS. Thornton first earned the award in 1998 when he helped the Chicago Fire win the MLS Cup.
Shortly after confirming Charlie Beck as the new Chief of Police, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to ban cat declawing within city limits, joining a group of other cities such as West Hollywood, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. A state law that will go into effect in 2010 will ban cities from banning declawing, hence why so many cities are seeing these new laws. "Given all the problems in California and the state taking money and property taxes from us...
With a unanimous vote by the Los Angeles City Council and after over an hour of questioning, Chief-designate Charlie Beck was confirmed as the 55th Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department at 10:08 a.m. Mayor Villaraigosa then swore him into office. Congrats and it's time to get to work!
The Los Angeles City Council right now is in the process of confirming LAPD Chief-designate Charlie Beck (you can tune in on Channel 35). Councilmembers are asking him questions before officially confirming him as Chief.
A slew of city and county agencies are coming together tonight to meet with residents of neighborhoods near the four major wildfires of the past two years (Sayre, Sessnon, Marek, and Station fires). Tonight is the first in a series of town halls about having a readiness and evacuation. When it rained briefly last week, there were mudslides. So it's safe to say, they are likely not to be the last. Maps will be given out where flood or debris flows might go. Tonight's 6 p.m. meeting is at Northeast Valley City Hall (17747 Foothill Boulevard, Tujunga 91402).
A little dispute is happening in Orange County near the L.A. County border. Residents are starting to get sick of the over-and-over-again mentality of once again widening a freeway (two lanes this year, another two in ten years). The problem is along the 405 Freeway between Irvine and the L.A. County border where 300,000 people commute daily.
Although the big news is the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the coast of British Columbia at 7:30 a.m., the Inland Empire received another minor quake as well. Likely an aftershock, a minor 3.0 shaker struck at 5:21 a.m. in the same spot as yesterday's light 4.6 quake. It was located in Searles Valley, some 23 miles southeast of Ridgecrest. It is the fifth earthquake 3.0 or stronger in the last few days.
A man was shot in the leg this morning, south of Ventura Boulevard in the hills, by a man in a ski mask. Circumstances around the 5:49 a.m. shooting are sketchy, but the 35-year-old man's injury is minor as the bullet grazed him. Apparently, the shooting took place inside a home on the 3400 block of Longridge. Police are continuing to investigate this incident.
LA Kings defeat Florida Panthers 4-3 (SO). Jack Johnson shoots the winning goal in the shootout as the Kings notch a victory in their last two games on the road for a winning road trip going 3-2-0. The Panthers came out in the second period scoring two goals within two minutes. Johnson would get the Kings in the game with a power play goal halfway in the second period. After Jarrett Stoll knocked evened the game in the third period on a power play goal, the Lightning had a power play opportunity. Randy Jones helped to kill the penalty by scoring a short handed goal for the Kings to take the lead with seconds left in the power play. The win gives the Kings 28 points, second most in the Western Conference.
A proposed medical marijuana ordinance for Los Angeles has failed to garner a majority of votes. Today, two committees rejected the fifth proposal submitted in a year and a half time, this one drafted by the recently-elected City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. Proponents of medical marijuana threatened to sue if this draft went through and the majority of councilmembers agreed that it was too prohibitive. The full council could still take up the issue as early as Wednesday, says the LA Times. Around 1,000 dispensaries are within Los Angeles city limits.
The rumors floating around the interent this morning were sadly true. Former host of MTV's Remote Control died suddenly over the weekend. The cause of the 52-year-old Santa Monica resident's death is still unknown, but on Saturday evening he "complained of a headache and flu-like symptoms" to a friend, saying "he was going to take something and would see a doctor as soon as possible," according to the New York Times. The next day he was found dead.
We may have not been feeling them directly here in Los Angeles, but the ground is shaking somewhat east of us. Since Saturday evening, three earthquakes have rattled the Inland Empire, first in Riverside County (3.3), again this morning east of Temecula (3.6) and then this afternoon more northward in San Bernardino County (4.6). Yesterday, there was a 4.3 magnitude quake near San Nicolas Island, which is one of two Channel Islands controlled by the Military. 3.0 and 4.0 magnitude quakes are categorized as "minor" and "light," respectively.
A fire that broke out shortly before 11:30 a.m. has burned about 10 acres off Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano area. It's expected to grow, say fire officials, because of various downed power lines due to the tractor crash and the fires direction, which is uphill. No structures appear to be threatened, reports the OC Register.
The long-awaited Silver Lake Branch Library is finally open. With hundreds packing it in at the grand opening ceremony this morning, the library soon cleared out leaving room for families in the kids corner, internet surfers, locals looking for books and at least one guy blogging on LAist (yes, there is WiFi here and outlets for laptop power).
A small fire that erupted near the Skirball Center was knockedown by Los Angeles Firefigthers this morning. The one-half acre fire was located near the northbound 405 Freeway exit at Skirball Center Drive. 50 firefighters in the air and ground responded to the fire, first reported after 10 a.m.
Considering the lines at Union Station yesterday, you would think there was a new death-defying adrenaline-inducing roller coster. That's not even close, but the excitement was just as intense, if not a lot more.
If the weather cooperates, it's going to be a good night for looking into the skies. "The annual Leonid Meteor Shower reaches its traditional peak between midnight at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17 as seen from the west coast," explained Anthony Cook at the Griffith Observatory's weekly Sky Report. "About one Leonid every two or three minutes is expected. The earth may pass through enhanced streams of particles during the following afternoon, possibly providing Asia with an even better show, and may make the shower worthwhile to watch again from here between midnight and 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the 18th."
A city report (.pdf) released Friday shows that costs for the Michael Jackson public memorial service were more than originally thought, which was $1.4 million. The actual cost, according to the new report, was $3.4 million. That's $1.2 million for straight time salary costs (mostly police) and $2 million for overtime salary costs and expenses (once again, most for police).
The Sayre Fire broke out late in the night on November 14th, 2008, and burned for several days in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and into Santa Clarita, ravaging across thousands of acres and destroying nearly 500 homes in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar alone. This community became emblematic of the Sayre Fire; officials like Mayor Villaraigosa and Governor Schwarzenegger addressed the scared residents while speaking to the media, authorities worked diligently to account for all the residents, and many wondered if poor water pressure could have contributed to the high number of homes lost.
The fifth draft of Los Angeles' proposed medical marijuana ordinance (the first draft was submitted in April of 2008) will be discussed at a joint city council meeting this morning at 8:30 a.m. Since 4th draft, which we saw in late October, was released, some changes have been made. Most notably, the City Attorney's office "deleted the unnecessary requirement that collective members provide their names to the City as part of the registration process," says a letter to the City Council. "Their names will continue to be maintained in the collective's own books and records."
As reported a couple weeks ago, Silver Lake is getting a library and that day is today. It will mark the 72nd branch for the city and was built to Gold LEED standards. Throughout the building, quotes from notable Silver Lake residents don the walls in a site-speciic public art project. A grand opening ceremony is set for 10 a.m.
"Trev got that bling 2nite!!! Now we bout 2 hit these streets," said Los Angeles Dodger Matt Kemp via Twitter. The center fielder added, via Twitter, "Bling!!!" Apparently Kemp, a recent winner of a Golden Glove and Silver Slugger award, and Trevor Ariza, the former Los Angeles Laker, now Houston Rocket, are partying it up somewhere and Kemp's impressed.
Houston Rockets defeat LA Lakers 101-91. Rockets guard Aaron Brook blistered the Lakers for a career high 33 points as the Rockets ran circles around the Lakers and their sloppy offense. Ron Artest led the Lakers with 22 points while Andrew Bynum scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant had a human game with 18 points. The Rockets, despite their tallest player barely clearing Prince sans platforms, out-rebounded the Lakers 60-38. That will do you in.
Yesterday Ohio State printed their ticket to the Rose Bowl with their 27-24 win in overtime over Iowa, but who will they be facing? That is a question that no one has had to ask in the last four years.
Today is the long-awaited launch of the Gold Line's Eastside Extension, which links Downtown's historic Union Station via light rail to Little Tokyo, Mariachi Plaza, and heart of East Los Angeles, ending at Atlantic. To celebrate, rides from one end of the Gold Line to the other are free today, and there are four events that include food and music from the communities scheduled to happen at or near stations along the line
Yes, you're not crazy, there was an earthquake, albeit minor, in Riverside County. The 3.3 magnitude quake struck at 11:54 p.m., 5 miles west of Beaumont, according to the United States Geological Survey. About the above map: Withs some funding from the federal stimulus package, the USGS is exploring the world's fastest (and unofficial) newswire, Twitter.
Stanford Cardinal defeat USC Trojans 55-21. It wasn’t incredulous to think Stanford could beat USC at home. They did it two years ago as a 41-point underdog. But no one thought it would be this epic. On homecoming day, the Trojans gave up the most points in their 121-year history to Stanford. The Trojans turned the ball over twice in the first quarter resulting in two touchdowns for the Cardinal. Using their power running game fuelled by Toby Gerhart the Cardinal responded each time the Trojans cut the lead to seven...
It was just a year ago that wealthy philanthropist Eli Broad came to save the day at MOCA by offering the museum a much-needed bailout to help keep it on its feet. By summer, however, the Broad Foundation had begun to chatter publicly about future cultural endeavors, namely a museum of contemporary art of their own. At the time, "Broad said that the museum 'is going to happen' and that it's merely a matter of timing," reported the LA Times. Broad was enthused about having the space in 90210: "Our first choice is the Beverly Hills site."
Galaxy midfielder David Beckham put in a strong performance to help the blue-and-gold capture the Western Conference title for a sixth time in club history and the first since 2002. Veteran defender Gregg Berhalter and team captain Landon Donovan provided all the scoring on the night, literally at the eleventh hour, to take a 2 - 0 victory over the visiting Houston Dynamo.
Denver Nuggets defeat LA Lakers 105-79. After keeping the game close in the first half, the Lakers were outscored by the Nuggets 29-8 in the third quarter to seal their fate. While Carmelo Anthony was seemingly contained thanks to foul problems in the first half, he exploded in the third quarter scoring 12 points while making the game a laugher. Both Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant scored 19 points while Bynum grabbed 15 rebounds.
The National Weather Service this afternoon issued a fire weather watch for portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties between Sunday morning and Monday evening. That's because of the potential of high winds and very low humidities, they say.
Streetsblogger Damien Newton and other public transit advocates took an unofficial (bike) ride today, examining safety issues surrounding the soon-to-open Gold Line Eastside Extension. In their opinion, they found various issues, including problems at the Little Tokyo and Indiana stations, pedestrian signal timing that worsened the further East the line went and the most interesting fact of all, how $4.5 million allocated for safety won't be spent until next year. To that, Newton asks an honest question: "if all the safety improvements aren't going to be done for a couple of months, why are we opening the station in two days?"
As with every weekend (and weekday), police are out to catch drunk drivers. Tonight, we know of two sobriety check points: one in Del Rey and another in Pasadena. From 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., the LAPD will hold a Sobriety & Drivers License Checkpoint at Lincoln Blvd and Maxella Ave at the border of the L.A. city neighborhood Del Rey and unincorporated Marina Del Rey. The LAPD's Pacific Area has experienced 108 DUI-related crashes and 963 hit and runs so far this year.
As of 3 p.m., Jeremy Swan's attempt to break the world record for "most tattoos done in 24 hours" was around half way there with about 400 tats completed. He needs to complete over 802 tattoos total. Although hundreds poured in to his Silver Lake-based Broken Art Tattoo at midnight, the rate of people coming in during this morning slowed significantly. However, this afternoon, progress picked up and is expected to continue as night settles. If you want to get one yourself, there's still time--you just need to be inked before midnight. See photos from around midnight here.
Shots rang out early this morning in Sherman Oaks outside Smiles Nightclub on Ventura near Woodman Avenue. Minutes before 2 a.m., a man standing outside was confronted by two other men and a fight broke out. The victim was shot in the head and is in critical condition. Using a surveillance photo, police believe the man pictured here might be the suspect, who was last seen entering the passenger side of a getaway car described as a late- model, light-color Honda or Toyota that headed west on Ventura.
LAist gained a new Twitter follower today and it was blast from the past. It was the mysterious and clandestine LA City Nerd, who some think is a current City Councilmember and others think is just a nerdy couch-historian, shut down his/her popular blog sometime ago. Hopefully this means more fun nerdy facts about the city are to come. LAist has interviewed the Nerd a few times here, here and here.
Back in 1996, four German tourists vanished in Death Valley National Park on a blistering 120-degree day. After months of searching, their minivan was found in a ravine, but there was no sign of the group, which included two boys aged 4 and 10. Since there have been no breaks in the case, which has been a long-standing mystery for the park.
If you've ever seen the stickers on buses or around stations and bus benches asking "Who is John Scott?" the mystery is over. He is 74-year-old John Scott (yeah, he has a website) of Los Angeles, the oldest tagger (specifically, a slap tagger because they are stickers) caught by LA County Sheriff's Deputies, finds the LA Times. He was arrested this morning, ending a seven-month mystery, at the 7th/Metro Station in downtown after putting up a sticker.
A short burst of rain last night--two inches in 5 minutes around 11 p.m.--caused a mudslide to enter into a La Canada Flintridge neighborhood, damaging six homes and some vehicles. No one was hurt, but it did demonstrate to everyone that when the rain comes, evacuations might be a good idea.
As the two hotels and condos prepare to open at L.A. Live (all in one building), Eric Richardson at blogdowntown sat down with the building's Director of Food and Beverage to get some details. What's known so far is enough to get foodies excited. There will be two "signature" restaurants with yet-to-be-named celebrity chefs. The ground floor will be home to L.A. Market while the other restaurant will live on the 24th floor. There will also be a cocktail room called the Mixing Room. And add to that a lobby lounge and poolside bar named Glance and Ion, respectively.
What a difference a year makes. At this same time last year, the Galaxy was lamenting another disappointing season while watching New York and Columbus work their way to the MLS Cup Final to be played in their own backyard.
Two to three hundred truckers are currently making their way up the 710 Freeway towards city hall in protest of "new environmental fees at the ports that they say threaten their livelihoods," according to the LA Times [Update: they have arrived to downtown]. Specially, they are protesting container fees for the Clean Truck Program, which has been law for over a year.
The Gold Line's Eastside Extension is opening this Sunday, allowing for car-free travel between East L.A. and Union Station. Here's a look at the timetable (.pdf).
The group Santa Monicans for Non-Smoking Renters Rights want their City Council to take a current no smoking law one step further. Earlier this year, the group successfully proposed that smoking be banned from common areas in apartment and condo complexes, according to the Lookout News, via LA Now. Now they want the ban to include some apartment and condo unit patios and balconies since "the smoke is pulled into neighboring units because of the difference in air pressure." In essence, this idea would make complexes have smoking and non-smoking sections. It's like a restaurant, back in the day. A Calabasas law that will go into affect in 2012 will designate 80% of units as non-smoking, notes the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Douglas Ring, a name known around City Hall, was found dead today in his Brentwood home. Preliminary results seem to indicate his death was a suicide, but the official cause is pending a final coroner's report, according to the LA Times. The 65-year-old developer and lawyer is the husband of former City Councilmember and current President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, Cindy Miscikowski. He is credited with leading the rebuild effort behind Central Library and was a major contributor to the growth of MOCA and other art institutions.
LA Lakers defeat Phoenix Suns 121-102. With both teams having only one loss in the Western Conference, this was supposed to be a very good game, but the Lakers decided to make it a laugher. With the Lakers leading 65-55 in the third quarter, they went on a 15-0 run to quash any hope for the Suns in making this a close game. Andrew Bynum in his first game back from sitting two games out with a bad elbow scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Kobe Bryant added 29 points. Josh Powell and Shannon Brown came off the bench impressively with Powell scoring 14 points in 19 minutes and Brown scoring 10 points in 15 minutes. Also their 78 points in the paint is the most since March 2000.However the Lakers 38.9% free throw shooting and 15 turnovers are causes for concern. With this victory head coach Phil Jackson is now 1,048-436 tying Larry Brown for fifth in NBA victories.
As the Downtown Art Walk grew in popularity over the past year, so did unrelated activities like a large craft show and, of course, food trucks. Well, it looks like Main Street, which has turned into food truck alley on the second Thursday of the month, will remain empty of some trucks.
One lawsuit won, some 20 to go. A federal judge sided with Los Angeles in the never-ending battle over billboards this week. It was one of the three lawsuits filed by World Wide Rush, which "argued that it had a right to erect new signs or supergraphics because it requested permits during a four-month period in late 2008" when no ban was in effect, explained the LA Times. "Under the company’s logic, their applications were wrongly denied — therefore they should have a right to put up new supergraphics or signs now even though the city has a ban in place." But Judge Audrey B. Collins said companies can't install signs if no permits were issues. And in any case, it was unclear if the city had actually denied the permits.
More details are coming out about the unfortunate murder in Mid-City last night in which a woman was murdered by her estranged boyfriend. According to an LAPD statement, 30-year-old Flor Medrano flagged down officers on patrol yesterday evening after she was threatened and assaulted the day before.
With the opening of the Gold Line Eastside Extension this Sunday, it's been quite the foodie fever here on the internetz. It's almost feels as if the six miles between Union Station and East L.A. never existed. Nevertheless, the laying down of light rail tracks means people are ready to explore the tastes and wonders there are to offer and with no car in tow. Here's what others are saying.
Superheroes have feelings, too. Anger is sometimes one of them. Such was the case yesterday when Spiderman--one of three working Hollywood Blvd. for tips--lashed out and allegedly assaulted another person, according to the LA Times. It's not the only incident for Superheroes. Once, Freddy Krueger allegedly stabbed someone. And Chewbacca headbutted a guy. Add to that, the following aggressive begging arrests: Mr. Incredible, Elmo the Muppet and "the dark-hooded character from the movie 'Scream.'"
In an unusual and unfortuante story, a woman who arrived at police station around midnight to file a domestic violence report died soon after officers gave her a ride home, says the LA Times. After dropping her off at her apartment, near Pico and Cochran in Mid-City, officers stayed outside filling out a crime report inside their patrol car. At the same time, the woman was attacked by the man inside the apartment. Screams were heard and someone ran outside to inform police of the attack. Once inside, officers found the man stabbing the woman and shot him. Both were taken to the hospital where they died. Update: The Times follows up, exploring "how woman under police protection was slain with officers nearby."
In what is being described as "a major bloodbath," 80 employees between Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and London have been cut from Current's payrolls, reports SFist via Techcrunch. Current says, however, that it is not a cost-cutting move, rather a result of less in-house programming and more outsourced productions. That's not to say all in-house has been cut, television production and programming development will be consolidated "under one roof in Los Angeles with new facilities at LA Center Studios," says the company, which is having its most profitable year since their launch.
Just as one project on the 405 Freeway completes, another one is set to begin. A $1 billion project--partially funded by bonds--will take 10 northbound miles--between the 10 and 101 freeways--and bring car pool lanes to them, saving 10 minutes of travel time in the Sepulveda Pass, according to the Daily News.
Why won't Dr. Jonathan Fielding answer basic questions about H1N1? Reporters at USC's journalism project, Neon Tommy, have done a fantastic job investigating the epidemic disease. Fielding apparently declined to go on KCRW's Which Way, L.A.? Tuesday night to engage in a conversation with Neon's Callie Schweitzer (however, he did speak with host Warren Olney), who in turn published an open letter to Fielding.
There's another event to add to tonight's festivities at the Downtown Art Walk and its at the LAPD's Central Division police station on 6th Street. LAPD Captain Blake Chow and other officials are hosting a open house for the community, which will include a guided tour of the station, live entertainment, demonstrations and a mini food festival of sorts that they are calling a "taste of downtown."
Sheriff's Deputies in Palmdale on patrol got a whiff of marijuana yesterday evening and in a good moment of Sherlock Holmes, followed the smell to a house. What did they find? About 400 plants, occupying 70% of the home, with lighting, watering and ventilation systems, found the Daily News. On man was detained immediately.
Few details right now, but KABC-TV has reported that heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson has gotten into some scuffle with the paparazzi at LAX (wrong guy to harass?). It happened around 4:45 p.m. Unsubstantiated, but one person tweeted: "Mike Tyson just got arrested outside United terminal 7 LAX for punching one of the paparazzi!"
Police are calling a man who has robbed at least 13 places, mostly in South L.A., the "Left-Handed Eyeglass" Bandit. That name comes from his usual M.O.: he walks into a business, pulls out a small caliber revolver, holds wit with his left hand and demands money before leaving. He's described as an African America in his 30s, about 160 to 190 pounds and 5 foot 10 inches, according to police. And in addition to his sinistral tendencies, he also wears glasses.
As part of the large car-free photography exhibit at the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, a series of panels are being run in conjnction. Tonight at 6 p.m. Green LA Girl and others will discuss how to live a car-less or car-free lifestyle. Then at 7 p.m. a panel discussion with D.J. Waldie will explore the social, spatial, and psychological aspects of walking in Los Angeles.
That's local geography according to Hollywood film editing, at least. Michael Schneider at Franklin Avenue has been following ABC's FlashFoward closely, debunking the show's geography with real geography, which is always amusing. "The two characters in this car had been downtown at the Coroner's Office. They found a clue and decided to head to Silver Lake. So they drive... down Fairfax, in front of the old Johnie's at Wilshire and Fairfax," he writes. Later, trick-or-treating in the West Valley quickly turns into a scene at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary. Also, in this world of L.A., there is no MTA, it's the UTA, as in Urban Transit Authority.
Attention classical music fans. The Ojai Music Festival today announced exciting programming highlights for next year June, all picked by composer/conductor and the this year's music director, George Benjamin. “Ojai’s tradition of inviting a different music director for each season guarantees variety and vitality across festivals," said Artistic Director Thomas W. Morris....
Dodgers centerfielder Matt Kemp and second baseman Orlando Hudson won the National League Gold Gloves for their respective positions. This is the first Gold Glove for Kemp and fourth for Hudson becoming the first Dodgers duo to win the Gold Glove since Cesar Izturis at shortstop and Steve Finley in centerfield in 2004. Kemp led all center fielders and ranked third among outfielders with 14 outfield assists. Kemp becomes the second everyday Dodger center fielder to win the award. Willie Davis took home the award three straight years from 1971-1973. Congratulations guys!
Matt Kemp
The LAPD today released photos and information on 30-year-old Miguel Angel Herrera, who is suspected of horrendous crimes against his girlfriend on Halloween night. He allegedly restrained her, punched her, cut her with a knife, whipped her with an electrical cord and worst of all, raped and poured acid on her before letting her drive away. Why was Herrera so angry? She arrived at his place late. “This incident appears to be an isolated incident and it is believed that it’s not related to any other assaults in the area,” said Detective Eloy Ochoa. Still, Herrera is still on the lose and was last seen driving a red Nissan, Titan pick-up truck license plate number 8-K-5-5-4-6-9.
Just in time for downtown's most popular event tomorrow evening, the new 2nd Street Park at the Police Administration Building has finally reopened after a two-week closure for a private police foundation fundraiser. Unfortunately, it now looks terrible. "Its grass may look as if a season of football has been played on it," described Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. So who gets to pay for the reseeding and landscaping?
As Los Angeles prepares to dive into their own pot law, Long Beach is already taking it head on. Last night they voted to make some changes to a proposed medical marijuana ordinance, loosening some restrictions, before finalizing the law. "The changes included, among others, allowing collectives in mixed-use areas; removing prohibitions against having collectives within 1,000 feet of libraries and parks; improving patient privacy issues so as to not identify every member of a collective; giving a grace period for existing collectives to comply once the law goes into effect; and allowing collective patients to grow marijuana in their homes," reports the Press Telegram.
First the Station Fire, then the threat of mudslides, now a bear roaming the streets? La Crescenta residents can't seem to get a break from being in danger these days. Last night several "residents reported seeing a large black bear roaming through an apartment complex" on the 4300 block of Ocean View Boulevard, reports the Pasadena Star-News.
Remember that draft ordinance submitted to City Council last month (read a copy of it here and scroll down)? Well, it's finally going to a city council committee where it will be vetted, questioned, possibly changed and more next Monday, according to the Daily News. Once and if passed out of committee, it will move to the full city council for a vote.
Students seeking admission to any of the California State University's 23 campuses may find they'll have to make other plans in the coming academic years, since the system intends to go ahead with their plan to reduce enrollment "by 40,000 students over the next two years to contend with a $564-million budget cut for the 2009-10 fiscal year," reports the LA Times.
Today is Veteran's Day, when the US pauses and asks we remember those who have served the country. Here's some of what you can expect today as part of the holiday. Public Services Government offices, agencies, banks, courts, post offices, and several schools are closed. Trash pick up in Los Angeles will operate as usual and Metro-operated buses and trains, Metrolink trains and Foothill Transit will run on a normal schedule.
The way things are going now, being on California's death row seems cozier than a life term without possibility of parole, the LA Times finds. On death row, you get a single cell, good telephone access and "exclusive control over the television, CD player or other diversions in their cells," among other perks. What about that whole death penalty part? A four-year-old moratorium has stopped the practice, at least for now. And in any case, since 1977, 13 executions have occurred while 71 condemned prisoners died by other causes. 685 are currently on death row, making the state's death row population the largest in the country.
The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and three other Nielsen-owned trade publications will be sold to News Communications Inc., sources tell Sharon Waxman at The Wrap. A spokesman for Nielsen is not commenting on the matter. Other publications to reportedly be sold include Adweek, Brandweek and Mediaweek. Owned by James Finkelstein, News Communications owns the “Who’s Who” publications and Washington, D.C.-based trade, The Hill.
Face it, throughout much of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana region, walking is not always a pleasant experience. And although we already know this, it's also not that safe either, finds a new report, released by two transportation groups with the help of other organizations like AARP. Here are a few statistics:
The state is already looking at a $5 to $7 billion budget deficit for this fiscal year. Next year, another $7 billion. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will reveal his solutions in January, but today answered questions from the press, according to the LA Times. “I think there will be across-the-board cuts again. We are not going to go and pick and choose [ between programs]. I think that we always have to go and cut across the board."
I don’t want to beat a dead horse. Frankly, I don’t want to beat any horses. I do, however, feel a deep need to perform my civic duty and illuminate some additional reasons for the swift and generous resigning of Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp to long term contracts.
A recent article in the Los Angeles Times claims that the rate of homelessness in L.A. County has dropped 38% since 2007. Despite the somewhat promising numbers, Los Angeles continues to sustain the largest homeless population in the United States, along with the unfortunate status as “homelessness capital” of the country. In the face of this dire situation stands a robust little warrior, the two-year-old non-profit organization Imagine LA, whose central idea is to match each of the 8,000 homeless families in Los Angeles with one of its 8,000 faith communities.
Tomorrow is the 83rd Anniversary of the numbered highway system that gave birth to Route 66, among others. In honor of that, the long-debated ending point of the famed auto-passage will find itself at the Santa Monica Pier in a 9 a.m. ceremony with a parade 66 vintage cars and motorbikes (it begins at Santa Monica and Lincoln) and the unveiling of a replica of the "End of the Trail" sign.
Some exciting news, if it comes true, via Damien Newton at StreetsblogLA. The Mayor's office has indicated that Ciclovia may be coming to Los Angeles in early 2010. What is that? "For the uninitiated, the city of Bogota put on the first Ciclovia decades ago by closing several of its main streets to cars and opening them to pedestrians and cyclists on Sundays," explains Newton. "Over the years, a culture developed around these gigantic street parties. Citizens literally pack the streets taking their bikes, joining group exercises and dances or just taking a walk free from the interference of the automobile."
An in-depth look into stimulus money (or the lack thereof) coming into Los Angeles reveals that the nation's 2nd biggest city is losing out. For example, the graph to the right shows transportation and infrastructure funding via grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). New York City is the big win and San Diego is slightly edging out Los Angeles.
Lakers and UCLA great Kareem Adbul-Jabbar is fighting a rare type of leukemia. Diagnosed in December, he is taking oral medication, seeing his specialist every other month and getting his blood analyzed regularly to fight the leukemia. He has a Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia where blood and bone marrow produces cancerous cells. Despite the stigma of the word "leukemia" many patients who are treated for chronic myeloid leukemia can control the disease without it advancing and should be able to lead a normal productive life. Abdul-Jabbar said the disease should not interfere with his work as special coach for the Lakers. Best wishes to the Captain. 
AP Photo/Orlin Wagner
The City says no, that intersections with red light cameras are not more dangerous with them, pointing out that red light runner crashes are down. That may be true, but an investigative report by CBS2 finds that accidents are up at most of the red-light camera intersections if you include crashes caused by people stopping earlier than expected to avoid running a red light.
One year ago this Thursday, the Freeway Complex fire broke out. The 30,305-acre fire destroyed 314 homes. Two years ago this past Sunday, the Santiago Fire ignited, eventually burning through 28,517 acres and destroying 14 homes.
This is local government at its finest, folks. Last year when then-City Countroller Laura Chick tried to audit then-City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, a lawsuit against Chick was brought forth. At issue? Chick wanted to audit the City Attorney's workers compensation program, but Delgadillo balked, throwing a lawsuit in the way. More broadly, the question being asked in the lawsuit, does the elected City Controller have the power to audit another elected official?
Metro staff yesterday recommended that the Crenshaw Corridor be light rail, not a rapid bus line. This comes after urging of many, including County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who represents the area.
But LAX won't be one of them. Through January 15, 2010, 47 airports nationwide--that includes Burbank and San Diego--will have free WiFi. However, you can pay if you want. "The holidays are about giving and we hope that you can continue to spread holiday cheer by making a donation via Google Checkout to any of the participating non-profits," says the search engine giant. "At the end of the program, Google will match donations made via participating WiFi networks, up to a maximum of $250,000."
Chicago Blackhawks defeat LA Kings 4-1. The Kings are reeling now losing two straight games in regulation after going 6-0-2. Penalty killing literally killed the Kings as they held strong for two periods holding a 1-1 tie. Third period power play goals by Troy Brouwer and Jonathan Toews blew the game open for the Blackhawks giving them an overall 73-72-21 lead all-time against the Kings. They Kings managed only 18 shots on goal all game including a paltry two shots in the third period. Anze Kopitar managed the only goal for the Kings in the second period giving him a league-leading 28 points making him the player to watch in the league. The loss leaves the four points behind the San Jose Sharks for the division and conference lead.
Although the massively large Station Fire was fully contained last month, it still burns in the Angeles National Forest. That may be confusing, but we'll back up to the common definitions of containment and control, as given by officials in most fire updates to the public:
James Wagner, a journalist over at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune tweeted this gem of a local fact today: "LA County to appoint Buzz Aldrin as Honorary Consul General to the Moon. No joke. LA County/Moon relations will now be better than ever." Don't believe it? It's on tomorrow's agenda (.pdf)
Galaxy forward Landon Donovan converted a penalty kick at the 73rd minute to give the blue-and-gold the edge over in-stadium rivals Chivas USA last night and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Local sex and relationships blogger AV Flox has launched a new naughty site, appropriately called Sex and the 405. It's tagline: "What your newspaper would look like if it had a sex section."
Out in Pomona, police arrested four young men who burglarized a home Friday night and left a trail of shoe prints that aided police in their quick capture. They were found nearby, "sleeping in a garage stacked with the stolen property, and with some of the ill-gotten goods in their pockets," according to ABC7. Items from other possible burglaries were also found. The four will be arraigned tomorrow.
As Los Angeles fumbles around with the latest proposed medical marijuana ordinance, the Long Beach City Council is set to examine its own tomorrow. If passed, the law would limit where dispensaries may be located, hours of operation, how it can be distributed and records of every member, according to the Long Beach Press Telegram.
Clippers' center Chris Kaman was named Western Conference player of the week for games played from November 2 to November 8. In three games played he averaged 24.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2 blocks. The 7-foot 265 pound center has been a disappointment due to injuries after signing a contract following the Clippers playoff run in 2005-2006. However when healthy he did show glimpses of what he could contribute. Coming into this season Kaman has been healthy and fit. After starting off the season 0-4, Kaman has been a contributing factor for the Clippers being 3-4. They face the freefalling New Orleans Hornets at Staples Center tonight.
Since the announcement last week, Charlie Beck's position as L.A.'s top cop was all done save for a couple official steps, one of which was completed today. The City Council's Public Safety Committee unanimously approved him, turning the matter over the full council for a vote. However, that likely won't happen until next week because the group is on recess until next week.
Photo rights advocate blogger Shawn, otherwise known as discarted, recently was taking photos inside the Hollywood/Western Metro Station when two L.A. County Sheriff's approached him. Shawn, who always wears a video camera, caught his whole 25-minute ordeal and uploaded it to YouTube yesterday (an abbreviated version is posted above), sparking off some good debate on photographer's rights vs. public safety.
Commuter rail service Metrolink is considering a fare increase to be implemented at the start of the new year, reports the Daily News. "The five-county Metrolink agency board is scheduled to meet Friday to decide whether to hike ticket prices for tens of thousands of daily passengers by as much as 6 percent."
Apparently, a 76 Station in Sherman Oaks has been dispensing messages to customers for some 10 years now. "t’s not the cheapest gas in town, but it’s clearly the most articulate," said blogger Lucinda Michele, who posted about it on Los Angeles. Metblogs. Adding to that, a commenter wished that life had more cheerful easter eggs like this, hidden all around." So do we, so do we...
Legendary Bay Area restaurateur, chef, cookbook author, and educational garden advocate Alice Waters is in town today to take part in the launch of the first Los Angeles branch of her Chez Panisse Foundation's Edible Schoolyard.
Carpool lanes added to the Southbound 405 Freeway as part of a $167 million project were opened up this weekend, in the hopes this will relieve some congestion on the road. "Caltrans workers Saturday took out barricades on the southbound 405 freeway's carpool lanes from the Interstate 10 Freeway interchange south to the 90 Freeway," explains CBS2, adding that the last step was to replace the surfacing material in the center divider.
This morning, as the countdown clock to the 2010 LA Marathon declares there's 131 days until the big event, the official "Stadium to the Sea" course map was released. Beginning at Dodger Stadium, this brand new route takes participants and their supporters through some of Los Angeles' iconic and familiar-the-world-over city and county sights and neighborhoods, including El Pueblo, City Hall, and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown...
The 20th Anniversary for the falling of the Berlin Wall was a big deal here in Los Angeles, a sister city of Berlin's. Thanks to the Wende Museum of the Cold War, Wilshire Boulevard last night was bisected by the 60-foot L.A. Wall, donned with images by such artists as Shepard Fairey and Thierry Noir, who began painting the Berlin Wall in 1984.
As Adam Rose pointed out on his twitter it was schadenfreude yesterday with losing being the cool thing to do. Losses by Iowa, Notre Dame, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State and LSU made it almost seem trendy. By looking at the rankings it’s easy to think college football is having a down year, but the rankings are only part of the story. There have been great games all weekend long with teams looking evenly matched. Whether that’s due to parity or mediocrity does not diminish the excitement.
Come Monday morning, only one L.A. side will remain in the hunt for MLS Cup 2009. The fortunate team that will continue its trek will be determined later this afternoon at the Home Depot Center when the Galaxy and Chivas USA close out the first-ever SuperClásico playoff series.
She did it. It took a shade over two minutes, 2:00.62 to be exact, but Zenyatta became the first mare or filly to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in an improbable come-from-behind fashion that was indeed a classic.
The upcoming holidays are about giving, and for many of us that means both giving gifts to our loved ones and to those in need. One way to help out in both areas comes via Chicago-based retailer CB2, who opened up a branch of their home decor store in a segment of the onetime Virgin Megastore space at 8000 Sunset this April.
One week ago, 16-year-old Wilson High student Melody Ross was with her friends, watching the school's Homecoming football game. Last night the team observed a moment of silence in her honor, as Ross was gunned down minutes after she exited the Long Beach school's stadium. At last night's game students wrote MR on their cheeks, the team turned the school's "W" on their helmets upside down to make an "M" in their classmates honor, and attendees faced upped security, according to the Press-Telegram. Earlier that day in a Long Beach court Tom Love Vinson and Daivion Davis, both 16-year-old gang members, found themselves charged as adults; the Deputy DA said the charges are as a result of the "seriousness of the crime" and the fact that it was gang-related, notes LA Now. Ross was an innocent bystander; two young men who were wounded "may have been the intended targets."
Yesterday was yet another Friday on which the state's DMV offices were closed down, thanks to Executive Order S-13-09--a furlough mandate launched in July that sees the department darkened for the first three Fridays of each month. However, do a little figuring with the calendar, and yesterday kicked off a long string of Fridays when the DMV just won't be an option for motorists. "[F]actoring in upcoming holidays on top of those mandated furlough days, Friday marked the start of a 12-week stretch in which DMV offices will be closed for business every Friday," reports the Daily Breeze, which "means that the next Friday employees will be on the job - and that motorists can get their licenses and vehicle registrations renewed - won't come until Jan. 29."
Last night during rush hour an MTA bus collided with a private vehicle near 1959 N. Glendale Boulevard and the 2 Freeway. "According to Officer Gregory Baek of the Los Angeles Police Department, the No. 92 bus was driving northbound just before the freeway ramp when the accident occurred," explains LA Now. As a result, 19 people suffered injuries, of which 10 "were taken to the hospital," and of those, one "was reported to be in critical condition," according to CBS2. The other nine injuries were described as being "as minor to moderate." Police are currently investigating the cause of the crash, however Sgt. Gregory Hoyte of the Central Traffic Division notes that "the driver seemed to have lost control of the bus and hit the middle divider [also going Northbound on the road] and another object before crashing into the car."
Injuries tend to have a yin-yang effect on professional athletes, sometimes they are good, other times, not. For Chivas USA 'keeper Zach Thornton, injuries opened the door to opportunities this year which he may not have had otherwise.
When the two hotels and Ritz Carlton residences open at L.A. Live next year, that's not the end for development at the mega sports and entertainment complex in downtown. The Downtown News finds that AEG has submitted some big plans. It includes "332,618 square feet of office space and a 269,182-square-foot broadcasting studio that could accommodate a nationwide cable television network, a 275-room hotel and a 25-story residential building with 65 units adjacent to the L.A. Live campus." Currently, L.A. Live is home to two stage venues, the Grammy Museum, a movie theatre and various restaurants.
Sean MacPherson, the man behind some of L.A.'s most popular bars, announced today that his Hollywood-Los Feliz-Silver Lake neighborhood hang, the Good Luck Bar, will celebrate its 15th birthday later this month. On Thursday, November 19, DJ Travis Keller and Chinese burlesque dancers will entertain patrons as they guzzle down $5.00 Stolichnaya, Sailor Jerry, Cazadores, or Jack Daniel's cocktails and selected beers for $2.00 beers (plus: Kogi BBQ will be outside). In 1994, MacPherson took over the space, formerly a Mexican transvestite bar, and based it on his favorite Chinatown bar, Yee Mee Loo, which closed its doors after 40 years. Nearby: 'Ironic Hipster Bar' Stinkers to Celebrate 1 Year on Sunday.
The holiday season always means more and more DUI checkpoints. With thousands of hit-and-runs and drinking-related crashes so far this year, the LAPD has two Sobriety & Drivers License Checkpoints set up for the weekend. The first is tonight 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. at West Florence Avenue and South Main Street in South L.A. Then tomorrow from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., a checkpoint will be set up on Figueroa between 7th and 8th in downtown. Stay safe out there!
The LAPD is on the lookout for a man who impersonates a police officer and robs them. He's struck at least four times--twice in the Rampart area and once in Olympic and Pacific--over the last couple of months in various neighborhoods around the city. Usually operating in the late morning or early afternoon, he approaches victims dressed as a plain clothes police officer, complete with badge and gun. He'll search the victim and remove cash and wallets.
The world of horse racing is still a bit sexist. The girls don’t really have a place with the boys, or so they say. Hopefully five-year old Zenyatta will prove them all wrong in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic tomorrow at Santa Anita Park to become the first filly or mare to win the Classic since its inception in 1984. Winner of the last two Lady’s Secret Stakes and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, she has won all 13 races with a total purse of over $2.7 million.
If you get the sense a war between L.A. and SF is brewing over the weekend, here what's actually happening: "On November 8 and 9, 2009, military flight training exercises will occur in and around the greater Los Angeles area," the LAPD said a statement today. "The military operation will be routine proficiency flight training exercises. Training sites have been carefully selected so that activities will not interfere with the daily routines of the community. Training will occur after 5 p.m. each day and will be generally in Central and West Valley Areas."
Frustrated with a new (and slower) traffic pattern, one LAist reader earlier this week wrote us an e-mail: "Over the past week I’ve noticed a sharp increase in Eastbound traffic between Bundy and Overland during the morning rush hour, almost doubling the Santa Monica-Century City commute time," he noted. "Any idea as to why this might be? Have they reprogrammed the signals in the area? Perhaps the one at Sawtelle or Sepulveda?"
Not the most humorous interview, but Stephen Colbert last night got Bratton to explain his "Broken Windows Theory," which was applied here in L.A., and how he's going to apply it to his new private security gig.
It's been a week of mourning in Long Beach after the death of 16-year-old Melody Ross between last week's Homecoming football game and dance at Wilson High School. She was an innocent bystander when two alleged 16-year-old gangmembers shot bullets into a crowd meant for two men who were wounded. Those teens were identified today--Tom Love Vinson and Daivion Davis--because they were charged as adults, according to the LA Times.
The next in a series of community town halls with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, featuring the new LAPD Chief, will be on the Westside next week. On Tuesday when Charlie Beck was chosen, meetings were immediately scheduled for that day in South L.A., followed by one in the Valley on Wednesday and one yesterday in El Sereno.
When the city tried to regulate digital billboards earlier this decade, the advertising industry brought on the lawsuits. Out of one big cases, CBS Corp.'s Outdoor division and Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. landed a major settlement in 2006: 800 billboards could be converted into digital ones.
UCLA Students Take Over Building in Protest of Fee Increase Vote
Jason Segel Sings His Phone Number at the Swell Season Last Night
BART Cop Murder Trial to Move to Downtown L.A., Lawyer Predicts More L.A. Riots
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Bouchon Amuses Our Bouches
Midnight Movie: VICE Explores LA's Hidden Urban Oil Wells
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