News

A Van Nuys couple was arrested early this morning after California Highway Patrol officers pursued a man in a ski mask who allegedly had just robbed an IHOP in Encino. Officers used a PIT maneuver--that's when you spin a fleeing car out of control--to capture the two after a short pursuit. What officers say they didn't know, according to the LAPD, is that there were two children, aged 4 and 6, in the back seat. more ›

Should this be one of those "that's so L.A." moments or a "why wasn't this done years ago" moments? For those of you who always carry plastic and never cash, this should be convenient, at least when you visit Nancy Silverton, Mario Batalli & Joe Bastlanich's Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza restaurants. more ›

Word on the street via a neighborhood watch in the Valley is that at least one house received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The man on the phone said the customer's bill was not paid--the customer said it was. Upon calling the LADWP themselves, a representative said there was no record of an outbound phone call and that, in general, accounts past due notifications are made using an automated system. In the past, we've seen fake LADWP workers steal bikes and attempt burglaries. more ›

For those who like to travel--and come on, don't we all?--today is the day to pick a city and go, go, go! United, Jet Blue and Virgin are all offering some nice deals to get out of Los Angeles. $39 will get you to San Francisco or Seattle on United and with $30 more, Virgin will do the same to Seattle. Plenty of more deals, thanks to the info at Cheap Flights. more ›

A spike in daytime residential burglaries on the Westside during October had detectives scratching their heads. That was until October 16th when a fingerprint from a recovered cell phone taken in a Santa Monica burglary led back to parolee Daniel Perez. Later that day, another burglary in West Los Angeles was connected to Perez. more ›

Citing injuries from his solo car crash on Friday, Tiger Woods has bowed out of the 2009 Chevron World Challenge, an event that benefits his namesake charity and scheduled to begin tomorrow in Thousand Oaks. Friday's incident was the lynchpin for a series of news about Woods' personal life, something he rather keep private. more ›

Three boys have been arrested, following an ongoing investigation of a series of attacks against redheaded classmates November 20th at a Calabasas school, abc7 is reporting. 7 students, four girls and three boys, were victims of "Kick a Ginger Day" attacks at A.E. Wright Middle School. A LA County shefiff's spokesman said "Two 12-year-olds were arrested for suspicion of misdemeanor battery, and a 13-year-old was booked for misdemeanor cyberbullying." The attacks are thought have have sprung from a plot point in a 2005 South Park episode, and propagated online via a Facebook group advocating redheads be targeted. more ›

Earlier this year, as part of a talk about food and community held at the California Endowment, we learned about the teens in South Los Angeles in a group called HEAC who had been working with Market Makeovers. Their mission is to encourage their peers to try snacking on healthier, fresh alternatives to chips and candy bars, and to help owners of area corner stores convert the space to make the healthy options more appealing and accessible to the clientele. more ›

Los Angeles may have lost its bid to Chicago for the 2016 Olympics (not that they won, anyway), but two City Councilmembers would like to see the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup come here, should the U.S. be selected as the host country. 27 U.S. cities are considered potential host venues--the Rose Bowl in Pasadena was a venue in 1994--but that doesn't mean Los Angeles is a shoe-in. more ›

You probably didn't feel it, but if you did, you weren't dreaming it. A magnitude 2.4 microearthquake struck 11 miles southwest of downtown in the Hawthorne-Lennox area at 2:41 a.m. There have been no reports of damage or injuries, just a bunch of people on Twitter freaking out. These little shakers happen everyday and are nothing to worry about. However, they are a good reminder to get prepared. more ›

Onlookers gathered on multiple levels of the Beverly Center to watch the holiday-themed acrobatics of "Hunky Santa and the Candy Cane Girls," yesterday witnessed a 26-year-old female performer take a nasty fall from her suspended metal hoop. The aerialist "managed to turn herself right side up before falling into a video projection cube and injuring her wrist and pelvis. She was not wearing a harness, and there were no nets to break her fall," according to LA Now. more ›

Weekend winds brought rocks and debris down the mountainsides up on Angeles Crest, which meant that this morning motorists eager to resume their commute on portions of the Highway that have been closed since late-August have to wait until the danger has passed, according to LA Now. more ›

• More of the same... A water main break in Highland Park wreaked the usual havoc.
• A trick so old its been made fun of on "The Simpsons"... A fake sweepstakes pulled in some gullible criminals in La Mirada.
• Another elderly driver accident. This time an LAPD officer was the victim in Van Nuys.

Before I start talking about real football, I have to get a word in about last night’s awful football game that was played in the Coliseum. While Bruins fans are bitching about that last touchdown pass and Trojan fans are rebutting with, “Well you shouldn’t have taken that timeout,” all of that is moot. more ›

Up-and-down, rollercoaster, frustrating; those are some of the words that would aptly describe Chivas USA's 2009 campaign. more ›

LA Kings defeat Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 (SO). Goalie Jonathan Quick’s 32 saves kept the Kings in the game taking it to the shootout. Wayne Simmonds scored a goal 2:41 in the second period for the Kings while Jonathan Toews tied it for the Blackhawks with a power play goal 6:56 into the third period. In the overtime period Chicago had plenty of chances especially ending the period with a power play opportunity, but Quick did his job to help give the Kings the three points. Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson scored in the shootout while Quick stopped two Chicago attempts. more ›

A minor 3.1 earthquake struck near Loma Linda shortly before 11 p.m. While the immediate Los Angeles area has been relatively quiet--just a with few microquakes here and there--San Bernardino County has been active with 3.0-range shakers this month. Other active areas in Southern California have been around San Clemente Island and the US-Mexico border near Mexicali. more ›

• Oops, it happened again: A water main break in the wee hours caused flooding, street closures, this time on Oakwood Ave near Normandie.
• Black Friday, black eyes? Fights in two SoCal Walmarts broke out during the shopping madness yesterday.
• The man accused of kidnapping and murdering teen Lily Burk could have been hauled in on a third strike violation a couple of years back, had prosecutors known of his record.

Good news for motorists needing access to roads in the Angeles National Forest that have been closed since late-August due to the massive Station Fire. "Parts of the Angeles Forest Highway, Angeles Crest Highway and Big Tujunga Canyon and Upper Big Tujunga Canyon roads [...] will be reopened about 5 a.m. Monday," according to the Daily News. more ›

Just in case your turkey-mashed potato-pumpkin pie haze yesterday kept you from digesting info about this weekend's street closures in Hollywood this weekend, we offer you this little reminder. more ›

Director Roman Polanski is expected to be released on bail from a Swiss prison, and will be living in an Alpine chalet equipped with extensive security mechanisms, reports LA Now. The 76-year-old French citizen has been held in Switzerland since his arrest in late September on a warrant from Los Angeles associated with a 1977 rape case. more ›

Black Friday burnout? Couch Potato syndrome? If you are thinking about escaping the clutches of Los Angeles, the folks at Mammoth Mountain would be happy to see you. Early this morning @MammothMountain Tweeted: "12" of fresh snow at Main Lodge this morning; more snow expected throughout the day!" This is thanks to the blustery weather system that crept down the state overnight and brought a little (early) winter white to our mountain sides. more ›

The LA Times is reporting that veteran sportswriter Mike Penner, 52, was found dead in his Los Angeles home. Suicide was the suspected cause of death. more ›

Inmate #34 at the Ventura Co. Jail has found a rather enterprising way to share his tales from the big house. Up until Friday, Pulp Fiction screenwriter Roger Avary, sentenced in a drunk driving manslaughter case that resulted in the loss of his friend and injuries to his wife, was part of a prison furlough program, but has since been returned to lockup. The writer is "Tweeting about his experiences," reports the Daily Breeze. more ›

The 2009 MLS campaign came to a close last Sunday when Real Salt Lake claimed its first MLS Cup in Seattle after defeating the Galaxy 5 - 4 in a penalty kick shootout. A few days later, Galaxy players and coaching staff met one last time before players were officially released for their vacation break and now seems to be the appropriate time to review the blue-and-gold's season. more ›

LA Clippers defeat Detroit Pistons 104-96. Chris Kaman in front of his family in Detroit scored 26 points missing only two field goal attempts paving the way for a Clippers road victory over the Pistons. Baron Davis scored 25 points while Al Thornton added 19. The Clippers defense held the Pistons to 40% shooting and nine blocked shots bringing their losing streak to seven. It probably would have helped the Pistons if they had Ben Gordon who was out with a sprained ankle. This was the Clippers first win in Detroit since February 19, 2001. more ›

Okay, seriously: This weather calls for "WTF?!" First we got word it was going to be sunny, hot, and windy for Thanksgiving (it was) with lots of ash stirred up from the recent Station Fire. more ›

WESH Channel 2 of Orlando Florida is reporting that Tiger Woods was treated for facial lacerations and released from Health Central Hospital around 3 pm EST. Woods hit a fire hydrant and his neighbor's tree from his driveway with his 2009 black Escalade around 2:30 am EST where an investigation and charges are pending where alcohol was not involved. more ›

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Tiger Woods,33, has been seriously injured in a car accident outside his home just outside of Orlando, Fl in Isleworth. Woods was transported to Health Central hospital in Ocoee, Fl after hitting a fire hydrant then drove into a tree on his neighbor's property. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, alcohol was not involved, however an investigation is still pending. No word on what condition Woods is in now. Some reports have him released from the hospital. More on this as information comes in. more ›

It's a holiday weekend, and like most weekends, the LAPD is out to yank drunk drivers off the streets. This weekend they've got two DUI checkpoints, scheduled for 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Tonight the LAPD will be on North Fairfax Avenue at Melrose Avenue [map]. Saturday night they're at South Figueroa Street at West 33rd Street [map]. more ›

It was one week ago that students at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas responded to a posting on Facebook by beating up at least 7 of their redheaded classmates as part of "Kick a Ginger Day," a pseudo-event thought to be inspired by a 2005 South Park episode. more ›

This week, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commented that he believes the City Council should work to create parameters that would "limit the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city," according to CBS2. He believes the current count of 8-900 is too high, and talk among the Council is to aim to cap "dispensaries at between 70 and 200." more ›

Starting tomorrow and lasting through Monday, several streets in Hollywood will have closures and parking restrictions due to Sunday's Hollywood Christmas Parade. more ›

Last night, the President and First Lady welcomed guests to the White House's first state dinner of the Obama administration, and the event was occasion to show off the bounty harvested from their garden. On the menu were items like "potato and eggplant salad with White House-grown arugula, and entrees that included roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney, chick peas and okra, or a meal of green curry prawns," according to TreeHugger. more ›

A total of 7 students from A.E. Wright Middle School are now reporting they were victims of attacks last Friday on what was known as "Kick a Ginger Day," LA Now is reporting. Investigations into the first reported incidents indicate "at least four redheaded girls and three boys are believed to have been victims of the so-called ginger attacks at a Calabasas middle school that authorities believe were inspired by a Facebook message." The message is thought to have stemmed from a 2005 episode of South Park. "Detectives have identified eight boys at the school as formal subjects of the investigation," however so far there have been no arrests. more ›

A brush fire that broke out yesterday afternoon in Anaheim Hills is now reported as being 15 percent contained, according to CBS2. Gusty Santa Ana winds helped bush the blaze through "60 acres of Southern California hills before firefighters reduced it Wednesday to a smoldering -- but still dangerous -- black scar." While no homes are threatened and no evacuations ordered, the Orange County Fire Authority still caution that the 50 mph winds expected later today could resurrect the flames. Full containment should happen on Thanksgiving Day, when throughout the Southland we can expect unseasonably warm temps and more hot winds. more ›

Mascot wars are on in full force. "UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton says the statue in Bruin Square was splashed with red and gold paint sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning," according to the Star-News. The painters had to "cut through a protective tarp to vandalize the statue," which sits in the middle of UCLA's Westwood campus. Campus police are investigating the case, and authorities "say the prank is being treated as a felony vandalism investigation," reports LA Now. Across town USC students are standing guard of their Tommy Trojan statue, which is also wrapped up for protection. The rival schools face off on the football field on Saturday. more ›

LAPD detectives have released photos of 22-year-old Keith Nichols, a South Los Angeles man they believe has committed "at least four sexual battery assaults against young women while posing as a Vibe Magazine photographer," according to a press release. more ›

As part of a tradition that goes back to the late 1940s, President Barack Obama, along with daughters Malia and Sasha, this morning in Washington "pardoned two turkeys that are heading to Disneyland, where they will star in a parade and live out their days," reports the OC Register. more ›

The good people of Goldstar, who can hook you up with discounted tickets to some amazing local concerts, plays, shows, and events, have a quick and easy way for us to help out people who might not have access to a sumptuous feast tomorrow, and we don't have to spend a fortune or even leave our computer. From their website:

As part of Goldstar's effort to give back to the community this Thanksgiving, we are partnering with the Union Station Homeless Services to help promote their Thanksgiving Dinner in the Park and solicit donations on their behalf. more ›

Los Angeles County wants residents to stop using plastic grocery bags, "or at least recycle them," which is what's behind their just-launched "Brag About Your Bag" program, according to CBS2. more ›

The LA City Nerd is back, and is now spreading his (or her?) savvy via Twitter. Today's pre-Turkey Day tidbit is a reminder that there might not be such a thing as a free lunch, but you don't have to be playing Monopoly to score free parking: "On Thursday (tomorrow), park for free at meters and ignore street sweeping parking restrictions in the City!" Of course, being that it is a national holiday, most of the places you'd normally be headed to will be closed. Still...that's one day when the meters won't gobble, gobble, gobble your spare change. more ›

Today's LA Times offers "a cautionary tale" about the sin of gluttony and the perils of indigestion. In a chapter easily culled from the teachings of "When a Word to the Wise Isn't Always Sufficient," tomorrow's likely feasting can be the cause of great intestinal woes, and the bread-and-butter of area emergency rooms. more ›

With our Thanksgiving-week weather forecast calling for high temps and Santa Ana winds we're also finding that our air is full of "ash and dust from areas burned by recent wildfires [which] is being blown across Los Angeles County," according to CBS2. more ›

LA Lakers defeat NY Knicks 100-90. The Knicks lead the Lakers 41-40 with a little more than three minutes left in the first half. The Lakers then realized they were bigger than the Knicks and went on to lead by as much as 24 points in the third quarter. Kobe Bryant scored a respectable 34 points in which considering 34 points respectable would usually be audacious. Pau Gasol added 11 points and 16 rebounds while Ron Artest scored 17. The bench came in for the fourth period also known as garbage time while the Knicks rallied to make the rout look innocuous in the box score. With Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, George Lopez and Mrs. Lamar Odom to watch the destruction, the Lakers are now tied with the Phoenix Suns for best record in the West. more ›

Scores of people left Disneyland disappointed tonight because the fireworks show was canceled. There was good reason for that--a brushfire has broken out in the Anaheim Hills. The wind-driven 5-acre blaze has shut down the 241 Tollroad between the 91 Freeway and Santiago Canyon Road. more ›

• Yesterday's fatal broad-daylight skid row shooting may have been part of a narcotics deal gone awry, with the victim's son the intended target.
• OC Officials to Gov. Schwarzenegger: Don't sell the OC Fairgrounds!
• TMZ to Gov. Schwarzenegger: Where's your front license plate?

She's baaaaaaack! OctoMom Nadya Suleman has found a way to make headlines again: The documentary on her and her brood of 14 has aired in the UK and will soon air in the US. Now she's having her reasoning for not selectively reducing the number of embryos she was carrying as part of her pregnancy with her nearly-year-old octuplets serve as the latest soundbite to make its media rounds, thanks to an appearance today on Good Morning America. more ›

Kids at A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas hopped on the bandwagon fueled by a Facebook group posting that declared last Friday "Kick a Ginger Day." more ›

Some radio stations have already busted out the crooning sounds of Christmas tunes (KOST, I'm looking at you) and it's been a few weeks now that lots of shops have had red-and-green decorations for sale and on display, but we're not even at Thanksgiving yet. Looks like our weather won't get the chance to play catch up, either. "You won't need a crackling fire or a sweater this Thanksgiving," jokes LA Now. more ›

In its 14th year, the LA DWP's annual Holiday Light Festival will take place inside Griffith Park from December 3-30th. The event is starting later this year, however, so that "you can linger over your Thanksgiving turkey," the DWP explains in a press release. No matter when you make it down, however, you can take a look at the one-mile stretch of Zoo Drive bedecked with over one million energy-efficient LED lights set up in their usual displays aimed at "showcasing the uniqueness of the City of Los Angeles" (for the uninitiated, read: shaped like city landmarks). more ›

The LAPD arrested 26-year-old South LA resident Michelle Cato yesterday following a brutal daylight shooting that took place outside Marshal House on South San Julian Street. "The victim, a 38-year-old woman, died at the Los Angeles County - USC Medical Center about one hour after the shooting," explains an LAPD press release. more ›

Today in their regular meeting the LA City Council "will consider provisions to a proposed medical marijuana ordinance they have struggled with for two years," according to CBS2. In a vote postponed from last week, the Council will discuss how to handle the city's many dispensaries. "Among the possibilities are capping the number of dispensaries and creating a tax that could help boost the city's depleted coffers." more ›

41-year-old Los Angeles-based musician Matthew Roberts (sometimes Robert) is making headlines here and in the UK for claiming convicted killer Charles Manson is his father. The New Rising Son singer "told the U.K.'s Sun newspaper that he tracked down his mother who told him she was a Manson follower in 1967 when the killer raped her. He was born the next year," reports the LA Weekly. more ›

View KTLA Season of Sharing Dropoff Locations 2009 in a larger map more ›

LA Clippers defeat Minnesota Timberwolves 91-87. In reference to their suspension for Friday night’s game, Clippers play-by-play announcer Ralph Lawler after describing Timberwolves backup forward Nathan Jawai’s play told his partner Mike Smith, “And I’m not going to ask where Jawai is from.” The Clippers started out lackadaisical while the Wolves were shooting over 50% to start off the game. But as the game went on, that shooting percentage went down while the Clippers found the energy thanks to Al Thornton who had a monster game with 31 points on 11-for-16 shooting with 10 rebounds. Baron Davis did not have a single point in the game going into the final seconds. In the final minute with only a 89-87 lead Baron drove to the hoop for a layup with 8.5 seconds left in the game, his first score being perhaps the most crucial. With the back-to-back win giving the Clippers a 6-9 record, the T-Wolves remain with only one win. more ›

• Gov. Schwarzenegger has announced he will appoint Republican state Sen. Abel Maldonado to fill the vacated Lieutenant Governor position. The Governor revealed his choice while appearing on tonight's Jay Leno Show.
• In other position-filling news, new LAPD Chief Charlie Beck named his leadership team today.
• Cuts, cuts, and cuts approved today by the Orange County Transit Authority's Board of Directors. Expect route elimination and shortenings.

Vehicle Description: 1970’s Pinto, hatchback, 2-door, orange with white stripe, tinted windows, green interior and tan seat covers.The LAPD ask anyone with information to contact 800 Task Force Detectives, Robbery-Homicide Division; to call the 24-hour, toll-free number at 877 LAPD 247; send anonymous a text tip by texting LAPD & message to CRIMES (274637); or submit a tip online. more ›

It started with one fateful slap: In 1989 actress Zsa Zsa Gabor delivered a swift smack to the Beverly Hills Police officer who pulled her over during a traffic stop. As part of her sentence Gabor was sentenced to perform community service at the Vera Davis McClendon Youth & Family Center. But the 92-year-old Gabor didn't end her affiliation with the family center when she put in her time. "After completing her service, she and her husband began buying 200 frozen turkeys for delivery to the charity each Thanksgiving," according to the Daily News. more ›

In the era of social media, even the media itself needs to be given guidelines. Los Angeles Times staffers who make use of Twitter have been given updated directions on their use of social media tools in conjunction with their jobs, according to the Huffington Post. This most recent update to guidelines includes reminders to focus on the significance of integrity, professionalism, lack of privacy, and the expression of partisan views. more ›

Last month, 23 Members of Congress voiced their support in a letter to the Department of Transportation for a high speed rail project in California to be funded through the federal Recovery Act. Today, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein (both D-CA) and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) wrote to President Barack Obama to echo their support of this request, according to a press release from Senator Boxer. more ›

Gobble Gobble Give began ten years ago, when Echo Park's Barry Walker set out to cook and deliver Turkey Day meals to the homeless in his neighborhood. Now every year he's joined by others who want to help out, and the event is not only growing each year, but continuing to demonstrate how powerful a community can be in creating change. For this Thanksgiving, Gobble Gobble Give is looking for volunteers on every level who can give food, money, or clothing and those who can donate their time on Turkey day by cooking, warming, packaging and delivering food to the homeless in Echo Park and Downtown LA. Every little bit helps those in need! more ›

A woman thought to be in her 60s was hit and killed by an Amtrak train this morning near Doran Street and San Fernando Road, according to the Glendale News-Press. "Witnesses report that the woman was pushing a shopping cart along San Fernando Road when she approached the tracks at about 11:30 a.m. The Amtrak engineer rang the horn several times, but [the victim allegedly] didn’t stop." She was struck by the train after she stumbled onto the tracks. "Amtrak passengers remained onboard the train while police and fire investigated the grisly scene." As a result trains in the area experienced delays, and passengers were put on buses to get around the scene of the fatal accident. more ›

The Thanksgiving holiday may find locals and their out-of-town guests alike taking in the beautiful outdoors as afforded to us with places like the historic Griffith Park and other wilderness recreation areas here in Los Angeles. more ›

Randy Bresnik blasted off into space on Atlantis just last Monday, but this weekend his life changed in a whole new way. Back in Houston, Bresnik's wife Rebecca gave birth to a baby girl, Abigail Mae, "just hours after the astronaut's first-ever spacewalk," reports KTLA. more ›

Really? Is Southern California that deprived of football that people are scurrying to make season ticket requests before the proposed NFL stadium in the city of Industry has even broke ground or a team is announced? That's what James Wagner, the NFL stadium beat writer for the San Gabriel Tribune is reporting, via stadium developers, Majestic Realty. more ›

A late-morning shooting in San Pedro yesterday left a 17-year-old dead--he was shot in the head--and police closing down a neighborhood in search of suspects. By evening, police had two suspects in custody. The incident took place on the 1800 block of Cabrillo Avenue near 17th Street. more ›

LAPD Detectives are hoping witnesses will come forward with information about a shooting that took place in broad daylight at 2:35 Sunday afternoon near the busy intersection of South La Brea Avenue and Olympic Boulevard, according to a press release. The incident took place as follows:

18-year-old Juan Segura was walking along the sidewalk in the 1000 block of South La Brea Avenue when a car pulled alongside of him and his friend and at least one of the car’s occupants opened fire on them. Segura was hit by the gunfire and collapsed on the sidewalk. He was transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles City Fire Department personnel and pronounced dead a short time later. Segura’s friend was not injured.

Construction this weekend to connect Blue Line and Expo Line track seems to have caused a problem and trains are now being delayed. The LA Times reports that some commuters might be facing up to a 40 minute delay between the Washington and 7th/Metro stations, with buses bridging commuters to al stations between. more ›

more ›

Last week a judge ordered the murder case of a BART cop shooting an unarmed man in the back to downtown Los Angeles. A YouTube video showing the incident was the leading factor community anger. Then over the weekend, another BART cop incident was caught and put on YouTube. Basically, it shows a cop pushing a drunk man against a window--unfortunately, he pushed him through the window. Did the cop have bad luck with a fragile window or was that too much aggression? more ›

Real Salt Lake defeats LA Galaxy 1-1, 5-4 PK. 120 minutes couldn’t decide who would win the MLS Cup, so they went to penalty kicks. In penalties Galaxy captain Landon Donovan waited to kick in the fourth round. He inexplicably missed the shot way over the crossbar. While Josh Saunders was able to save Andy Williams’ kick in the fifth round, if Donovan had made his kick the Galaxy would have been crowned. The Galaxy owned Salt Lake in the first half culminating in Mike Magee’s goal in the 41st minute assisted by Donovan and David Beckham. Salt Lake took over in the second half with a score in the 64th minute by former Galaxy player Robbie Findley. The game was noted for injuries with Salt Lake’s Javier Morales leaving the game after a hit by Beckham and Will Johnson leaving after one half from food poisoning. Galaxy keeper Donovan Ricketts left in the 66th minute after a collision becoming the first keeper to leave the MLS Cup final. more ›

more ›

Every college football fan in the Best Coast in America has heard the same thing over and over again: the Pac-10 is not real football. During the baseball season, Orlando Hudson and Juan Pierre echoed that sentiment very loudly one Saturday in the Dodger clubhouse during an LSU-Georgia game. more ›

The Galaxy and Real Salt Lake prevailed through their respective conference final match ups last week to advance to today's MLS Cup Final being played in Seattle. more ›

• Another water main break to report: This one today in Stevenson Ranch also caused a sinkhole.
• 5 freshmen boys from Long Beach's Poly High have been arrested on charges of groping female students during a lunch break last week.
• It "takes a village" it seems to work on saving the Century Plaza Hotel.

The Station Fire began on August 26th along the roadside in the Angeles National Forest above the community of La Cañada-Flintridge, and soon after its fiery grip held the city in its clutches, authorities deemed the start point a crime scene and launched an arson investigation. But so far there isn't much to stoke the embers of the case, as it were, thanks to a lack of information about the incident. more ›

'Tis the season to give thanks for what so many of us have, and to take some time, effort, and, if possible, funds to help out those who may be less fortunate. Right now organizations focused on feeding those who are in need are in need of donations from those who can afford to spare, and this includes our local LA Regional Foodbank. more ›

Today's the day: The Great L.A. Walk, organized by Mike & Maria of Franklin Avenue, departs at 9 a.m. sharp from the Shrine Auditorium in Downtown, and will take participants on a 14-mile "urban hike" all the way to the water's edge via Adams and Washington. more ›

• A Lomita man was stopped at LAX trying to smuggle in... Lizards. No small thing since the little green guys were worth over $8000.
• Ten kids aged 6 months to 17 years-old were put into protective services after a drug bust sent four adults to jail.
• A Thousand Oaks man was arrested for paying teenagers to spit and slap him... among other things. He hooked up with the kids via MySpace and met them to trade spit for cash. Yikes...

As with every weekend, the LAPD is out to nab drunkards off the streets. This weekend's DUI checkpoint, scheduled for 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., is in Sherman Oaks, just south of the 101 Freeway on Van Nuys Boulevard at Hortense. The Van Nuys Division, which serves Sherman Oaks, has seen 102 driving under the influence-related traffic collisions and 1,008 hit and runs. Stay safe out there and don't drink and drive! more ›

A woman in her 50s died this afternoon after she was struck by a northbound Metro Blue Line train in Watts. The incident, which occurred at 1:20 p.m. is being investigated by Sheriff's Deputies. Trains were delayed by 15 minutes and are now running on schedule. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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%. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• An elderly woman took her motorized wheelchair... on the freeway... IN THE WRONG DIRECTION... as her husband was chasing behind her... AND SURVIVED. You can't make this stuff up.
• A teenager was sentenced to 82 years to life for the murder of a 14 year old girl who wasn't even the intended target. He was 16 at the time of the crime.
• The long wait for a high school in Castaic is now one step shorter thanks to a decision to test two sites for "environmental impact".

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? more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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: more ›

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). more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

A problem, although now fixed, with the system that collects airlines' flight plans is causing numerous flight cancellations and delays across the country today. more ›

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. more ›

• A woman was rescued from a ravine off Mulholland Drive and Laurel Canyon after her car dove off a cliff! Yikes!
• Own a BMW? Live on the Westside? Then take extra care when leaving your car!
• With California in a state of crisis and no real Democratic challenger for Governor, some people are wondering if Jerry Brown is the ANTI-Obama?

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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? more ›

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? more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• The 245-acre wildfire in San Juan Capistrano is nearly contained.
• What will become of downtown's Harlem Alley? Give your input on Thursday.
• What's the latest in Measure R funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects?

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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!) more ›

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%." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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... more ›

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! more ›

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. more ›

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). more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• A homeless man from Venice has been found guilty for the 2005 murder of an LAX police officer.
• Sweet fake gone sour: Turns out what authorities in Irvine thought was a bomb Friday was actually a melon.
• It's become de rigeur if you're notorious in the news to offer headline-makers big bucks to star in an adult film. Looks like it's ousted Miss California USA Carrie Prejean's turn.

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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). more ›

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. more ›

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. 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." more ›

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). more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

"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. more ›

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. more ›

• The two teen shooters charged with the death of a Long Beach honor student will be tried as adults.
• Two more smaller earthquakes rumbled under the ocean just off the California coast. A 4.5 quake was followed minutes later by a 3.6 magnitude shaker. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
• Thousands of fans are clogging the Westwood streets for the new "Twilight" movie premier. Great times...

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. more ›

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 more ›

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. more ›

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... more ›

• A small plane made a fiery crash landing in Rosemead around 4:30 this afternoon. It's believed the aircraft hit a light pole, but not any buildings.
• A Blue Line Train crashed into a car left on the tracks near the Vernon Avenue Station last night. The car's owner had planned to commit suicide but changed his mind, and turned himself in after the crash.
• Things are going from bad to worse at the LAUSD: Superintendent Cortines is cautioning employees they will face furloughs and pay cuts next year or else up to 8,500 layoffs due to a $400+ million budget shortfall.

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• Dailiy News gives Townhouse Kitchen + Bar, a new restaurant in the Sherman Oaks Galleria, three stars.
• Police are looking for a man that has robbed at least seven stores in the Long Beach and Lakewood. Can you identify him?
• Phew! "Metrolink Riders Safe From Price Increase -- For Now."

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. more ›

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?" more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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). more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• Good news for UCLA students: Westwood will soon be seeing a Barney's Beanery in the neighborhood.
• A car free future? A study funded by the city of Los Angeles looks into the "last mile" problem, which is "is a term created to describe the barrier many car commuters feel to taking transit or other options to single-passenger vehicle commuting."
• Continuing on that theme, Green LA Girl recaps last night's car free panel at the 18th Street Arts Center

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. more ›

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 ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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.'" more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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!" more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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.... more ›

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! more ›

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. more ›

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? more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• Which population group is not getting vaccinated for H1N1? It appears to be African Americans. In South L.A., where 33% of the population is African American, records indicate that more Asians (less than 2% of the pop.) are coming in for vaccinations.
• You probably didn't feel it, but a magnitude-2.4 earthquake four miles north of Yorba Linda struck late this morning.
• The Downtown Art Walk's executive director stepped down on Monday, just days before this month's event.

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: more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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? more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

• The Chief of the Burbank Police Department has announced he's stepping down, just weeks after the FBI launched an investigation into the force he leads.
• Detectives in Santa Clarita are working to determine if the badly-decomposed remains found behind a strip mall today are those of a young woman recently reported missing.
• And another corpse mystery...this one of a man thought to be in his 30s found near Melrose and Vine in Hollywood.

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: more ›

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) more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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... more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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... more ›

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. more ›

• A police chase might have turned up a man linked to three unsolved murders. The suspect is being held on $3 million bail.
• After robbing neighbors, burglars were tracked by police back to their garage where they were found sleeping with the evidence.
• Its that time of year... People can receive gift cards for turning in their guns... and GRENADES???

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

• A man in his 60s died last night in Long Beach after being struck by a van while riding a bicycle near Magnolia and 6th.
• A recent LA Times/USC poll shows that most California voters aren't planning on getting the H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccination.
• Good news for Burbank newshounds; your local paper, the Burbank Leader, has announced they're expanding their coverage.

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. more ›

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." more ›

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." more ›

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." more ›

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. more ›

more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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! more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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." more ›

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?" more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

The New York Times nailed it this morning when they said "For Americans who wake up each morning thinking about their job hunt, Friday’s unemployment report offered little reassurance that their search would soon pay off, even as the broader economy showed signs of strengthening." That's because nationwide, unemployment in October shot up to 10.2 percent, a 26-year record high. 190,000 jobs were lost with the largest amount found in the construction industry. more ›

Tonight's episode of SoCal Connected on KCET will air an episode detailing how some South LA residents are being forced to pay thousands of dollars because they are in some so-called new flood zone, as determined by the all-mighty FEMA. more ›

He's been called a hero, even a stud, and now he's the Grand Marshal of the Rose Parade. Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger was the man at the helm when his US Airways jet with 155 people aboard landed in New York City's Hudson River earlier this year. He has nearly 600,000 fans on Facebook and gave Hugh Jackman a good run for his money in a TMZ "Who'd you rather do" contest. And despite his fame out East, he's actually from California. more ›

What a crazy story! Via the LA Times: "When U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the Port of Los Angeles opened a shipping container bound for the Netherlands, they discovered a 1965 Volkswagen bus stolen in Washington state 35 years ago." more ›

Santa Monica police today released the names of the four suspects allegedly involved in Tuesday night's murder. Patrick Dwight Birdsong Jr, 18; Norman Lovan Cole, 33; Sean Alex Mermer, 29; and a male juvenile were all booked on murder, attempted murder and "promoting of a street gang." Cole and Mermer were also charged with violating parole. more ›

Our sister blog Chicagoist is reporting that Oprah might be moving her show to Los Angeles. That's via Deadline Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke, who doesn't name a source. If true, then Oprah could be here by 2011 and the show would air on her own channel, ending syndication. But Oprah's people say no decisions have been made yet. This would also mean she'll be closer to her Montecito home near Santa Barbara. more ›

This morning it was Vietnamese-fusion and now we're talking Japanese-fusion. After a soft-opening in October that ended last night, Grub Street gives a heads up to this Saturday's opening of Agura in West Hollywood. more ›

The Gold Line's Eastside Extension is opening on November 15th, but how does one get to the light rail line? Other than the big connections at Union Station (Red Line, etc), what other bus lines connect to it? more ›

lad in Caltrans uniforms a few nights ago, a group of people installed a 12-foot wooden carved fork where Pasadena Avenueu splits at, well, a fork in the road, with St. John Avenue (see a map here). Who did this awesome piece of art and why? "It turns out the fork is an elaborate - and expensive - birthday prank in honor of the 75th birthday of Bob Stane, founder of the Ice House comedy club, who now owns the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena," reports the Pasadena Star News. And the group would like to see it stay there permanently, but that will be up to the Caltrans, which owns the small parcel of land and the city. more ›

In an attempt to attract the thousands of USC students ready to spend money in downtown, AEG is funding a free weekend shuttle between the campus and the entertainment complex. more ›

DNA evidence from a double murder 12 years ago has been linked to a suspect who is currently in a California prison. Back in September of 1997, the stabbing murders of 57-year-old Nancy Boehm and her mentally impaired 23-year-old son Shawn occurred in their North Hollywood home on the 5700 block of Riverton Avenue. Without any leads, the case remained unsolved. more ›

LA Lakers defeat Houston Rockets 103-102 (OT). Kobe Bryant scored 41 points, his 98th career game with over 40 points and Andrew Bynum scored 17 points and 17 rebounds as the Lakers clung on for the win. As in the playoffs last season, the Lakers allowed the Rockets easy points in the paint. However they managed to play good defense at the end of the overtime period to take out the Rockets. This was the first game for Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza facing their former teams. Both scored 15 points. Here's a very telling stat for the Lakers that should be of concern. Derek Fisher in 34 minutes scored 0 points going 0-for-5 from the field. Now for some good news. Pau Gasol could return to the starting lineup on Friday in Memphis. more ›

• The new LAPD chief Beck has a leadership style starkly different from the outgoing chief Bratton.
• A new law that was supposed to help shed light on tragic cases of abuse, neglect and death of children has fallen woefully short of its intended goals.
• A new report found that holes in the system of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation caused a failure to properly supervise Phillip Garrido, allowing him to keep his alleged kidnap victim undiscovered.

No, downtown does not have a bunch of crunchy cheezeball souvenir shops, superheroes or stars embedded in the sidewalk. It does, however, have a convenient spot for movie premieres along the relatively unknown Georgia Street. Such an unremarkable name, but one that means less impacts to neighbors, traffic and, well, a movie studio's wallet. more ›

A shooting that left one man dead last night in a Santa Monica park led to the arrest of multiple suspects. At around 8:52 p.m. last night, two suspects approached and began shooting at a group of four people in Virginia Park on Pico Boulevard, a few blocks from Santa Monica College. Three people escaped safely, but 20-year-old Richard Juarez was killed. The Santa Monica Police Department this afternoon announced that four suspects are in custody. more ›

Thousands of rape kits still remain untested, finds a follow-up to a year-old audit that revealed some 7,500 rape kits sat untested on the shelves of LAPD labs. City Controller Wendy Greuel plans to release the the full findings tomorrow morning. Her office said today that the backlog has been reduced to 65%. However, Greuel says the Department’s record keeping is inconsistent, making it difficult to give entirely accurate numbers. In early October, it was reported that 3,157 kits were left to go with the full backlog completion due in the summer of 2011. more ›

If “Mad Men” has taught us anything, it’s that advertising is all about the client and the product. But a “Mad Man” for the technology age urges ad firms to put the Don Draper era behind them and consider the consumer in a new manner: through the lens and the interactive venue of today’s social media tools. more ›

Pacifica Radio KPFK, the Cahuenga Pass-based progressive radio station (also 98.7 FM Santa Barbara), today announced some big changes to stay relevant to to L.A. and Southern California audiences. Morning, noontime and afternoons will now carry daily shows with news shows covering local to international topics as well as economic and environmental ones. more ›

There was no such luck for San Francisco this year, but the Abbey Food & Bar in West Hollywood beat out popular gay spots in Rio, London, Amsterdam, Chicago and Montreal this week in a contest put on by MTV's Logo Channel. Other winners in the TripOutGayTravel awards include New York City (best U.S. destination), the Wynn Las Vegas (best ultimate luxury/hotel resort) and the W Hotels (best hotel chain). Party on, WeHo. more ›

The World Series isn't over yet, but that hasn't stopped the exciting Dodgers offseason from getting a little head start. Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla apparently shot himself in the right leg in his home country of Nicaragua today. more ›

Following up on last week's news that the Orso space was going through some changes, the New York Times today dives in, examining the Hollywood power lunch spots of today and yesterday while explaining Orso's demise: Named for a dog that once befriended Mr. Allen in Venice, Orso was hurt when the Creative Artists Agency and International Creative Management moved into Century City office towers... more ›

The state legislature early this morning finally passed a big water package that will bring an $11.1 billion bond to voters next year. In part, "it sets aside $3 billion for new storage and $2 billion for ecosystem restoration in the delta," explains the LA Times. "It would fund recycling and groundwater cleanup important to Southern California, pay for Salton Sea restoration and watershed projects on the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers. There is money for drought relief, Lake Tahoe, a dam removal project on the Klamath River in Northern California and Sierra foothill communities." The bond has split environmental groups. Some, like the NRDC and the Environmental Defense Fund, like it. Others, such as the Sierra Club, do not. more ›

It's really happening. After two years of threats to close state parks, groups, including the California State Parks Foundation, have gotten together to put their own measure on the ballot. "We're done trying to convince them," the Foundation said in a e-mail newsletter this morning referencing politicians. "We're taking our case to the people." more ›

We've got a former eBay CEO and conservative Meg Whitman running for Governor and today we find that another tech CEO from the right is making the move for public office. Former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina will announce this morning her run for the Senate, according to the LA Times. She will face Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) in the Republican primary. The winner of that will face incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in next year's November election. If Boxer wins, it will be her fourth term. more ›

One year ago tonight, thousands of disappointed voters hit the streets to protest the passing of Prop 8 which banned gay marriage in California. Tonight, people will gather again. more ›

While elections locally weren't exactly a topic around town, they were nationally and the outcomes are still relevant to Los Angeles and California. One year after Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, Maine faced a similar fate. After the state's assembly and governor approved gay marriage earlier this year, the voter-initiated Question 1 was placed on the ballot asking "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?" Question 1 passed with XX% of the vote. more ›

• Again? The reopening of King hospital may be pushed back to 2013.
• We've seen the loss of mailboxes, but will L.A. lose 19 post offices?
• Today was the busiest day for the free L.A. County H1N1 clinics.

A park planned along the L.A. River between the Los Feliz/Silver Lake area and Atwater Village jumped another hurdle today when the LADWP Board of Water and Power Commissioners gave its stamp of approval, something that was needed since the property lies within a LADWP transmission line right of way. more ›

The town hall train has already taken off with three community meetings set up in order to introduce Beck to the public. As noted earlier, one meeting will take place this afternoon in South L.A. Then tomorrow, the public can attend a meeting in the Valley and in El Sereno on Thursday. Details are below. more ›

It's an uncertain time for Dodger fans. To put things lightly, there are some questions about the ownership. It is not clear who will maintain control of the club. It is not clear what the payroll of the club will be. Despite falling two years a row to the Phillies in the NLCS, the reality is the Dodgers are blossoming into a very good baseball team. I am going on the record in saying I don't want the progression to end. We have miles left in our legs. more ›

It appears that this afternoon's fast-moving fire in Diamond Bar was not caused intentionally, but by a pickup truck that had a small fire its bed. One story is that an burning debris was flying out of the bed of the truck, unbeknownst to the driver and passenger. Another is that a faulty cadyilac converter was sending sparks out from under the truck, according to KCAL-TV. Nevertheless, the truck and people inside have been detained by LA County Sheriff's Deputies. more ›

This morning, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced he will tap Deputy Chief Charlie Beck as the newest head of the LAPD. While we all wish him luck, we are simply dumbstruck by the uncanny and positively eerie resemblance to Mr. Magnum, P.I. himself. Coincidence or underhanded push to increase film production in Los Angeles?
more ›

A large fire this afternoon is burning right next to homes in Diamond Bar, about one-half mile from the 60 freeway, reports KABC-TV. It began around 11:45 a.m. Because there are several different start points, the word "arson" is being thrown around a lot, but not by officials. There are no evacuations at this point and no reports of damage or injuries. Update: The cause of the fires might be from a pickup truck. More info here. more ›

When you go to the Tam O'Shanter Inn, Five Crowns or Lawry's, there should be a good mix of men and women servers. After a gender discrimination complaint was filed in 2003, Lawry's stopped a policy dating back to 1938 in which women were the preferred gender to hire. Despite the change in policy, the case went forward to federal court. The Pasadena-based company will pay out more than $1 million, half of which that will go to men who were denied jobs based on their gender," says the LA Times. The other money will go towards discrimination training and a public awareness campaign. more ›

With runaway production affecting the local economy, Los Angeles wants filming to come back home. Last month, the city council adopted a motion that brought 19 ideas to the table that would hopefully entice more local filming. One of those tasks was to identify the ten hardest places to film in. And in record time--less than a month, that's saying something for a city report--that list was just released. more ›

We're a joke, so it's time to laugh at ourselves, California. Last night the Colbert Report took on Schwarzenegger, making fun of our Governor's adorable breakfast photo on Twitter and his letter to Assemblyman Tom Ammiano that contained a hidden "fuck you." more ›

On December 8th, voters in L.A.'s Council District 2 (from Sherman Oaks to the Northeast Valley) will hit the polls to elect a new councilmember. The Mayor Sam blog digs into the latest filings for the two candidates, finding some notable patterns for each. more ›

78-year-old Mong Kim Tran does not like getting pulled over. Via the Daily Breeze, here's the craziness that took place last week: "When he was told he was getting a speeding ticket, Tran came within three inches of the officer's face and began screaming... When the officer told Tran to back off, Tran took a fighting stance, and struck the officer twice with a closed fist and then kicked the officer in the groin... The officer pushed Tran back to the ground and handcuffed him. Tran sat on the curb while paramedics responded. As more officers arrived, Tran again stood up and kicked the officer in the groin." more ›

USC Broadcast Journalism student Matt Schrader has spent the last three months investigating parking tickets issued for violating street sweeping hours. He finds that tickets are often given on days when sweepers never come by. No surprise there. more ›

Mojava-based Masten Space Systems yesterday won $1 million in the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, funded by NASA "as an incentive to spur development of technology by space entrepreneurs," according to the AP. Teams this past weekend had to fly robotic robots that would rise 160-plus feet, travel in the air for at least 180 seconds, land on a rocky landing pad and then fly back to the starting point. more ›

On the heels of West Hollywood and Santa Monica, Los Angeles councilmembers will consider banning the practice of declawing. "Declawing is not a simple cosmetic procedure akin to a manicure or a pedicure," says the motion, authored by Councilmember Paul Koretz and Bill Rosendahl. more ›

Today is the big day. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will name our new Chief of Police. Per former Chief William Bratton's recommendation, the new LAPD leader is from within the department. The candidates are Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Charlie Beck, Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell and Deputy Chief Michel Moore. more ›

• A California nurses' union says they won't strike since they got the Swine Flu protections they sought written into their contracts.
• LA Observed notes that "ten members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association have lost their gigs in the last 18 months." That leaves 11 full timers. Yikes.
• What stinks in the South OC? It's just the algae bloom.

Two wins and two draws. That was the net result of this year's first weekend of MLS playoff action. Oddly enough, the victories were registered by the two lowest seeded teams vying for MLS Cup 2009. Real Salt Lake defeated the Columbus Crew by a score of 1 - 0 on Saturday night and the New England Revolution pulled out a 2 - 1 victory over the Chicago Fire on Sunday afternoon, just ahead of the Chivas USA - Galaxy clash at the Home Depot Center which ended in a 2 - 2 draw. more ›

When Los Angeles' 72nd library branch opens in two weeks, it will be the first for Silver Lake. Located near the corner of Silver Lake and Glendale boulevards, the 13,600-square-foot facility was built to Gold LEED standards and includes new technology not seen before in L.A.'s system. more ›

Has it been a year already? The "Eastside's" most loved/hated bar, Stinkers Truck Stop, will celebrate its one-year anniversary this Sunday evening with drink specials and swag including, wait for it, air-fresheners and hats. For those who remember, an LAist post last year about the bar became quite heated in the comments section. One year later, we're curious if this place is still ironic. more ›

Remember last year when Dr. Christopher Thompson slammed on his breaks on Mandeville Canyon Road so bicyclists he apparently was annoyed with would crash into him? He was found guilty by a jury on all seven counts this afternoon. "Thompson was accused of assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving causing specified bodily injury, battery with serious bodily injury and mayhem," among other charges relating to two incidents, one of them being the July 4th, 2008 incident, according to VeloNews. Last week, the LA Times looked into the case, saying "bike riders see the case as a test of the system's support for their rights." Looks like the system was on their side this time. Congrats! more ›

Former Assemblyman Mike Duvall will not be investigated by the FBI after he was caught on tape telling stories--fairytales, allegedly--about have sex with a lobbyist. "No prosecutive action by the United States Attorney’s Office is warranted," an FBI statement read. The day the video aired on TV, Duvall resigned, calling his words "inappropriate storytelling.'' Meanwhile, Sempra lobbyist Heidi Dejong Barsuglia "is exploring legal remedies for the personal and professional damages caused by allegations that she had an affair with former lawmaker," reports the Sacramento Bee. more ›

It was the early morning on February 8th--Grammys night--when Chris Brown lashed out at his girlfriend Rihanna in Hancock Park. What exactly happened is unknown, but ABC says Rihanna will reveal publicly what happened on Good Morning America this Thursday and Friday (also on 20/20 on Friday evening) in an interview with Diane Sawyer. Brown eventually apologized publicly on YouTube after entering into a plea agreement. He was slapped with five years of probation and 180 days of community service. He also has to take a one-year domestic violence class and stay 50 yards away from Rihanna. more ›

Out in Granada Hills, 11-year-old Japhy Frolick rocked this iPhone costume, catching the attention of many in his neighborhood. His dad says three hours before trick-or-treating, he had no idea what he wanted to "be." Nice last minute idea! And below, a couple of Florida guys went all out and actually created life-size iPhone costumes with 42-ince LCD video screens that show what the costume wearer is doing on his phone. A video is below. more ›

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting major flooding on the 7000 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, near Sherman Way. It looks like a sheared fire hydrant, but it is reportedly a water main break. Water is shooting about 100 feet into the air and LADWP crews are on scene. [Update: the LADWP confirms that it is a water main break]. Streets on and around the major thoroughfare are closed down. more ›

A press release from the University of California today announced a new revolutionary program wherein tuition will be free. Pretty cool, right? Too bad it's a fake press release from a fake website mocking University President Mark G. Yudof and the Regents. Here's a fun little sample: more ›

On Halloween, some new tax rules began that will affect your next paycheck and so on. You'll see an additional 10 percent in state income taxes taken out, but not to fear, says the Sacramento Bee. Basically, the state is front-loading the coffers. An excerpt from their in-depth analysis to clarify: more ›

A night of dancing at a Halloween party turned into a trip to the hospital for Susie Medina this weekend. She and her husband thought it was a urinary problem related to a recent gastric bypass surgery. Boy, were they ever wrong... and surprised. more ›

Crime Mapping is a website that "automatically retrieves data from a records management system," and tracks and maps the information for the public to view, explains KTLA. The San Gabriel Police Department has joined with about two dozen California law enforcement agencies to make use of the Google-powered mapping site so that are residents "can now track crime trends in their neighborhoods." The service for San Gabriel launched today, and marks the first time a police department within Los Angeles County is making use of the service, which "requires no man-hours from police." more ›

With a $1 billion net income for the 3rd quarter, Ford is forecasting "solidly profitable" future by 2011. The AP reports: "The automaker said Monday earnings were fueled by U.S. market share gains, cost cuts and the Cash for Clunkers program, which drew flocks of buyers to showrooms this summer. Ford's shares rose 58 cents, or 8.3 percent, to $7.58 in pre-market trading." The company was the only Detroit automaker that did not receive government aid or go to bankruptcy court. more ›

Yesterday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa met with all three of the finalists for the position of Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, to replace William Bratton, who surrendered his star this weekend and is moving back to New York to work in the private sector. The three candidates all come from within the LAPD, a consideration that the departed Bratton and many Angelenos felt was essential to the future success of the department. Sunday's meetings were the second of the week between the three and the Mayor; Villaraigosa's "request to see them again appeared to indicate that the choice was not an easy one," notes the LA Times. more ›

Gunfire erupted outside Wilson High School in Long Beach at around 10 o'clock Friday night as about 200 students were inside the building enjoying their Homecoming dance. The bullets took the life of 16-year-old Melody Ross, a "popular honors student and athlete," and the "daughter of Cambodian immigrants," who died in hospital half an hour after the shooting, according to LA Now. Ross and friends had just left the Homecoming football game when the shots were fired. Police are working to determine who killed Ross and wounded two young men, but "said they have no suspects and no motive," and "don't have a description or many leads to go on." more ›

• Hope you all enjoyed your extra hour of sleep. Clocks were turned back as Daylight Savings came to an end.
• After seeing major improvements in academics and athletics under his watch, USC President Steven B. Sample will step down.
• After seeing major improvements in public relations and crime statistics under his watch, LAPD Chief Bill Bratton handed over his keys and stars in a ceremony for his "last act as a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department..."

Let me channel my inner Vic the Brick. "Trojan fans! One word: UY!" In a Saturday where all of the excitement was contained to the margins (Southern Miss-Houston; Miami (FL)-Wake Forest; Cal-Arizona State; Rutgers-UConn), all eyes were on USC and Oregon. And in the spotlight, the Trojan defense withered. more ›

Back in April of 2008 we remarked that the announcement of a new overlay area code--a code within an existing code area for use with new numbers when all previous numbers have been assigned--was "not a big deal." Okay, fine, so soon people in the 818 might have to accept a 747 area code, and everyone within the area would have to dial each other using all 10 digits. more ›

Chivas USA and the Galaxy will close out the first weekend of MLS playoff action this afternoon when they take the field at the Home Depot Center for their first ever playoff battle. The folks at Elias Sports Bureau dug up an interesting tidbit on the match, noting that today's match will mark the first time since 1944 that two U.S. professional sports franchises sharing the same home venue will face off against each other in a playoff series. more ›

The end of Daylight Savings Time means more than just gaining an extra hour of sleep. To many, it's changing out fire alarm batteries and checking up on earthquake supplies. And now with water and energy conservation as a big theme in L.A., the LADWP is advising the public to not forget about adjusting automatic sprinklers as it could save you a citation. And considering that sunset will be at 5 p.m. tonight, you might want to change your lighting timer. more ›

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting a large car crash, involving approximately 10 cars, on the southbound 101 freeway. The crash, which occurred around 1:40 a.m., has injured at least 10 patients, two who are reported to be in critical condition. A Sigalert was issued by 2:09 a.m by the California Highway Patrol. more ›