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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
AP Photo/Rob Carr
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.
AP Photo/Rob Carr
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].
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.
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."
Starting tomorrow and lasting through Monday, several streets in Hollywood will have closures and parking restrictions due to Sunday's Hollywood Christmas Parade.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.Continue reading "$10 and A Few Mouse Clicks = A Meal for 5 People Tomorrow"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
![Brush Fire Breaks Out in the Anaheim Hills [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/fire-anaheim-hills_restrict_width_110.jpg)
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.
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.
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."
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.
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).
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.
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."
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.
View KTLA Season of Sharing Dropoff Locations 2009 in a larger map
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.Because of the heavy traffic typical of the area, detectives believe there may have been witnesses to the crime, and are encouraging them to come forward to help piece together the case. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Wilshire Area Homicide Detectives, Detectives Frank Carrillo or Javier Hernandez at (213) 473-0446, or send tips via text or online.
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.
The City, County, LAPD and others have been holding a series of community meetings in wildfire-scorn areas that could soon be affected by damaging and sometimes deadly debris flows and flooding that tend to happen on rainy days. Four recent fire areas are concerning officials: the Sayre, Sessnon, Marek, and Station fires. If you live in those areas and want to go, the meeting is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Olive Vista Middle School Gymnasium (14600 Tyler Street, Sylmar 91342).
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
'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.
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.
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!
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.
Remember last when in 2007 a major LAUSD computer glitch caused thousands of teachers to go without a paycheck while other teachers, including former ones six feet under, got paid extra? That's all fixed now, but the school district is still seeking $9.4 million from 2,400 current and former employees.
LA Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke wrote an article describing the lackluster reaction of Laker Nation last night as Pau Gasol made his first appearance of the season. Coming off a hamstring injury that sidelined the Spaniard for the first eleven games of the season, Gasol was back to his usual self, contributing 24 points and 13 rebounds in a 108-93 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
This morning Oprah Winfrey spoke about stopping her show in September 2011, reports Chicagoist. There's no mention of what's next, such as the rumors of moving to Los Angeles to produce a show on her OWN network, but speculation will continue.
Our favorite recent piece of guerilla public art--that giant fork placed, well, at a fork in the road--will be the site of a food drive this weekend, says the LA Times. Benefitting the Union Station Homeless Services, volunteers will collect nonperishable food at the fork, located at Pasadena and St. John avenues, both days this weekend, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sculpture was a birthday present/prank for Bob Stane, founder of the Ice House comedy club and current owner of the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Stane always thought it would be funny if someone did that and his wish was granted by his friends. Now people want to see the piece be a permanent part of the city's public art collection.
Come New Year's Eve, motorcross superstar Travis Pastrana will attempt to break the world record for longest jump in a car. He plans on jumping 171 feet from a pier in Long Beach Harbor onto a barge. "Everyone always jokes about launching off a pier and Red Bull was able to pull it together where we have a barge to land on, which I think is going to be absolutely insane," he told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Because of the jump's location, it should be viewable from a variety of angles.
UCLA is no stranger to Taser Gun use. After a horrible video in 2006 surfaced of a student, who was already retrained by officers, being tasered several times, the school suffered a good amount of drama and settled with the student for $220,000.
Last New Year's Eve, the San Francisco Area rung in the New Year with a bad start. A police officer working for the BART transit system shot and killed an unarmed man already restrained and facing down on the ground. Now that former cop, 27-year-old Johannes Mehserle stands trial for murder.
Although California added some 25,700 jobs last month, the state's unemployment rate increased three-tenths to 12.5%. That puts the state with the fourth highest rate and as one of thirteen above the national average of 10.2%. The addition of jobs is a first since April 2008. In October 2008, California's rate stood at 8%.
LA Lakers defeat Chicago Bulls 108-93. In Pau Gasol’s first game with the Lakers this season, the team looked completely different. It helped that Gasol played like he missed no time scoring six of the Lakers’ first seven points. He led all scorers with 24 points and 13 rebounds. It did cut into Andrew Bynum’s numbers a little who scored 11 points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. Kobe Bryant scored 21 points overtaking Kareem Adbul-Jabbar for second place in franchise scoring in the process. The Lakers dominated the paint and played a very balanced game.
It was a busy, loud and raucous day at UCLA as emotions ran high before and after a vote to increase tuition by 32 percent. Shortly before 1 p.m., the Board of UC Regents voted in favor of the increase, with only one dissenting vote from student regent Jesse Bernal. The extra money will help reduce layoffs, stop course reductions and put money away for financial aid.
So Oprah will officially announce tomorrow that her show is coming to an end in September 2011. So much for the rumors of Oprah moving her show to Los Angeles... Or is it that after her show is over, she'll do a new one based here on the Oprah Winfrey Network?
As Thanksgiving approaches, the airports fill up. Officials at LAX today are warning passengers of the expected increased traffic at the airport for a ten day period, beginning tomorrow. Of those ten, the three busiest are expected to be tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 25; and Sunday, Nov. 29 because "airlines are forecasting passenger load factors approaching 80 percent on most flights and some flights fully booked."
Okay, it's time to stop munching on that mac and cheese. On the heels of a major makeover to the Los Angeles Marathon route , two new half marathons for Los Angeles were announced today by separate companies. Come this January, the 13.1 Los Angeles Marathon will run through the Westside and next October, the popular Rock n' Roll Marathon will make a debut in Los Angeles, replacing the City of Angels Half Marathon.
The blog LA Eastside has designed some fake signs (online only) for new Eastside Extension of Metro's Gold Line. Needless to say, it's causing some controversy within the comments section of the post as well as apparently prompting confused calls from riders to Metro. So what does Metro do? They blog:
Today, for the most part, is much more peaceful than yesterday's protest about the move to increase tuition at University of California by 32%. Yesterday, when 14 were arrested (up from the 8 we reported) and one reportedly tasered, was a bit more out of control (see some photos)--here is one video showing that at the front lines (man, that one bicycle cop is sure angry).
It's official, protests be damned, the controversial tuition hike has been approved by the Board of UC Regents, according to a live report on KCAL9. The 32% increase, which would begin by Fall, will add $2,500 to tuition, bringing it over $10,000.
As UC Regents meet for a vote on increasing University of California tuition by 32%, Attorney General Jerrry Brown said today that a state panel has the authority to cut the pay of state Senators and Assemblymembers by 18 percent, which would cut pay from $116,208 to $95,291 in December 2010, according to the Sacramento Bee. At issue was if Senate salaries could be cut mid-term, which Brown said was within the law. But still undetermined is if benefits can be cut.
Don't worry, yesterday's appearance of eyebrowless bald men in black suits and fedoras is just a viral marketing campaign, but it's one of the more creative and fun ones, worthy of attention.
Alexandra Forbes Kerry, 36, was arrested early this morning in Hollywood for allegedly driving while drunk. Pulled over for a traffic stop around 12:40 a.m., Kerry failed a field sobriety test, but refused to take a preliminary alcohol screening test in the field, leading to her arrest and booking at the local area station. "Cops took her to the station and then conducted a formal blood alcohol test which showed a level of .06," explained TMZ.
!['Significant Delays' at LAX Expected at Noon after Computer Glitch [Updated]](http://laist.com/attachments/la_zach/flight-delays-lax_restrict_width_110.jpg)
A problem, although now fixed, with the system that collects airlines' flight plans is causing numerous flight cancellations and delays across the country today.
Things got a bit nutty this morning when students reportedly "stormed" and "took over" a building at UCLA in protest of the imminent UC Board of Regents' vote to increase tuition up to 32%. About 30 students raided Campbell Hall barricading the doors with chains and bike locks, said the LA Times.
KNBC's lead morning reporter, Robert Kovacik shared this humorous fact today: "#Canoga Park: #Marijuana growing site found 25 ft from the back door of the #LAPD Topanga station. Topanga townhall w/ Beck scheduled Thurs." No doubt, cops were tipped off to the smell.
No surprise here, but a vote on the proposed of Los Angeles' medical marijuana ordinance was delayed until next week. There was much discussion at this morning's meeting about how sales is being interpreted within the state law in addition to several proposed changes that must be reviewed by the city attorney's office.
Following yesterday's Finance Committee approval, today the California State University Board of Trustees voted in favor of the 2010-11 budget calling for $884 million in funding from the state, reports LA Now.
Despite a recommendation from a city council committee (.pdf) to once again run trains into the wee hours of night, late-night subway service this holiday season will not happen. The culprit? The economy, of course.
He can't run for Governor again, and his Austrian birth means the Presidency is out of the question, but Arnold Schwarzenegger told reporters in Europe yesterday that he won't be vying for votes once his term is up in 2010, according to an Associated Press report. While traveling in Milan, the actor-turned-Governator said "I have never labeled myself as a politician, so I am not going to run for anything else."
As protests and arrests take place outside, a UC Board of Regents' committee approved a large tuition increase at UCLA today, reports KNX1070. The move sends a two-tiered tuition increase proposal to the full board of regents, which meets tomorrow. If approved, students will see a 32 percent increase at UC campuses by next fall. Why is this all happening? The state budget blows, read background here.
UCLA Campus Police have arrested 8 protesters who were part of a crowd of hundreds gathered in Westwood to express dismay at possible fee hikes being discussed during the Regents meeting, reports KTLA. Those arrested allegedly "repeatedly interrupted" the meeting and were "booked for unlawful assembly." Protesters locked arms and sang "We Shall Overcome" as the officers approached the crowd.
Nearly 300 Californians, including a 7-year-old in Fontana last week, have died of H1N1 while some 5,000 others have been hospitalized. News reports show people trying to sell spots or fake pregnancies in vaccination clinic lines while other studies indicate a lot of people are not even trying to seek help.
Although two City Council committees voted down a draft ordinance on regulating medical marijuana, the full board is expected to discuss the matter during today's 10 a.m. meeting. District and City Attorneys Steve Cooley and Carmen Trutanich interpret pot sales to be illegal under state law, but the council, along with everyone else, seem to be leaning towards passing a law that allows for sales, as long as you have a legal license to purchase the drug for medicinal purposes.
This week both voting bodies in charge of the University of California and the California State University systems are voting on budget plans for the 2010-11 school year, and both include ambitious requests to the state of California for hundreds of millions of dollars apiece to restore crippling budget cuts and, in fact, increase funding.
For $1,000, two artists, with the help of 50 volunteers, were able to install this mosaic public art piece in Redondo Beach. Found by the pier, the staircase links condominiums to a bikeway above the International Boardwalk, says the Daily Breeze. The artists are Patti Linnett and Debbie Collette, both based in Redondo. It's a great touch to the community and a nice creative way to beautify an area. Reminds us of the pubilc art recently put up on a staircase in Franklin Hills. And who can forget the recent fork in the road in Pasadena?
Billions taken healthcare and education, a 32 percent hike under consideration in the University system, the list could go on. The big question is, after this year, what more is there to cut?
After firefighters doused a boat burning two miles off the coast of Venice Beach, officials are scratching their heads, trying to figure out where the people aboard are. First reported around 4:45 p.m. yesterday, the 20-foot powerboat was seen aflame, sending a column of smoke into the air. A witness report suggests that two people were on the boat and a search is in progress for them. The boat, named "The Casey Lynn," is registered to a 30-year-old Woodland Hills man out of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. According to KTLA, he was going through marital problems.
She's that familiar voice--love it or hate it--that appears every six month at KCRW pledge drives asking you to subscribe. First a consultant, but quickly hired as KCRW's General Manager, Ruth Seymour has seen KCRW grow tremendously over the past 32 years. Yet all good things comes to an end. Last night she announced that she's moving on, with plans to retire in February.
Found above Travis Barker's store, The Fast Life, at West 3rd and Crescent Heights is a new billboard. It's "in loving memory" of DJ AM, who died in August of a drug overdose. Last year, AM and Barker survived a plane crash that left the store's manager, Chris Baker, dead. A sidewalk memorial was set up in front of the store after that.
So why have so many water main breaks and leaks in the past few months? If you look at the above chart, it appears that there is nothing unusual other than the attention given to them. Nevertheless, the public pressure is on and rightfully so.
Five minor earthquakes rattled the southern end of the Salton Sea this afternoon; this, after a series of quakes in the last few days. The mini quake swarm, of sorts, began 2:25 p.m. and continued through 3:07 p.m. near Obsidian Butte. Three of them were over 3.0 magnitude. Nothing to freak out about, but always a good reminder to be prepared. Also: A 2.1 microquake was felt off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura at 2:47 p.m.
A symposium held at Sci-Arc this last weekend featured winners of a recent locally-focused transit design competition. Adam Christian at his blog, Urban Insights takes note of the 2nd place winners, the Fletcher Studio, who "proposed urban agricultural villages that would convert freeway embankments into terraced hillsides. Affiliated bungalow housing would be built alongside. These developments would be a new source of 'green' jobs, employing farmers on a rotating, seasonal basis." With some 527 miles of freeway, there is about 960 acres of unused land that could be made into workable space. That's a much better iday than these bogus freeway flower advertisements. (Thanks, Streetsblog, Curbed!)
The Dutch have an idea that's good for debate here at home. A proposal would tax the miles driven on a car instead of the current taxes levied on roads and new car purchases. Specifically, "the plan proposes an average tax of $.07 per mile, with fees higher during rush hour and for commercial vehicles," says Live Earth. "It would use GPS systems installed in each car to track mileage and automatically bill drivers. The goal, the Dutch government says, is to cut traffic by 15% and reduce transport emissions by 10%."
The people of Los Angeles and L.A. County have elected themselves a hot mess. District Attorney Steve Cooley and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich--both elected by the public--believe most all medical marijuana dispensaries are illegal. That's because their interpretation of state law is that marijuana cannot be just sold to those with licenses, but distributed to members of a nonprofit collective of people who carry licenses.
The Gold Line may have been slammed with people for Sunday's grand opening, but reality sets in this week. One big question is the daily ridership, which is expected to be a low 13,000 riders each day between East LA and Union Station, says the LA Times. However, that's not to say it's one piece of the larger puzzle--once the Regional Connector is built, the usefulness of all downtown-bound light rail routes should increase exceptionally.
Chivas USA 'keeper Zach Thornton is going to need to make more room on his mantel. On Monday, the veteran 'keeper was named to the 2009 MLS Best XI roster following a stellar campaign in which he registered a personal best Goals Against Average (GAA) of 0.87. His league best GAA was well complemented by the 12 shutouts he amassed throughout the season -- also tops in MLS. Thornton first earned the award in 1998 when he helped the Chicago Fire win the MLS Cup.
Shortly after confirming Charlie Beck as the new Chief of Police, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to ban cat declawing within city limits, joining a group of other cities such as West Hollywood, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. A state law that will go into effect in 2010 will ban cities from banning declawing, hence why so many cities are seeing these new laws. "Given all the problems in California and the state taking money and property taxes from us...
With a unanimous vote by the Los Angeles City Council and after over an hour of questioning, Chief-designate Charlie Beck was confirmed as the 55th Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department at 10:08 a.m. Mayor Villaraigosa then swore him into office. Congrats and it's time to get to work!
The Los Angeles City Council right now is in the process of confirming LAPD Chief-designate Charlie Beck (you can tune in on Channel 35). Councilmembers are asking him questions before officially confirming him as Chief.
A slew of city and county agencies are coming together tonight to meet with residents of neighborhoods near the four major wildfires of the past two years (Sayre, Sessnon, Marek, and Station fires). Tonight is the first in a series of town halls about having a readiness and evacuation. When it rained briefly last week, there were mudslides. So it's safe to say, they are likely not to be the last. Maps will be given out where flood or debris flows might go. Tonight's 6 p.m. meeting is at Northeast Valley City Hall (17747 Foothill Boulevard, Tujunga 91402).
A little dispute is happening in Orange County near the L.A. County border. Residents are starting to get sick of the over-and-over-again mentality of once again widening a freeway (two lanes this year, another two in ten years). The problem is along the 405 Freeway between Irvine and the L.A. County border where 300,000 people commute daily.
Although the big news is the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the coast of British Columbia at 7:30 a.m., the Inland Empire received another minor quake as well. Likely an aftershock, a minor 3.0 shaker struck at 5:21 a.m. in the same spot as yesterday's light 4.6 quake. It was located in Searles Valley, some 23 miles southeast of Ridgecrest. It is the fifth earthquake 3.0 or stronger in the last few days.
A man was shot in the leg this morning, south of Ventura Boulevard in the hills, by a man in a ski mask. Circumstances around the 5:49 a.m. shooting are sketchy, but the 35-year-old man's injury is minor as the bullet grazed him. Apparently, the shooting took place inside a home on the 3400 block of Longridge. Police are continuing to investigate this incident.
LA Kings defeat Florida Panthers 4-3 (SO). Jack Johnson shoots the winning goal in the shootout as the Kings notch a victory in their last two games on the road for a winning road trip going 3-2-0. The Panthers came out in the second period scoring two goals within two minutes. Johnson would get the Kings in the game with a power play goal halfway in the second period. After Jarrett Stoll knocked evened the game in the third period on a power play goal, the Lightning had a power play opportunity. Randy Jones helped to kill the penalty by scoring a short handed goal for the Kings to take the lead with seconds left in the power play. The win gives the Kings 28 points, second most in the Western Conference.
A proposed medical marijuana ordinance for Los Angeles has failed to garner a majority of votes. Today, two committees rejected the fifth proposal submitted in a year and a half time, this one drafted by the recently-elected City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. Proponents of medical marijuana threatened to sue if this draft went through and the majority of councilmembers agreed that it was too prohibitive. The full council could still take up the issue as early as Wednesday, says the LA Times. Around 1,000 dispensaries are within Los Angeles city limits.
The rumors floating around the interent this morning were sadly true. Former host of MTV's Remote Control died suddenly over the weekend. The cause of the 52-year-old Santa Monica resident's death is still unknown, but on Saturday evening he "complained of a headache and flu-like symptoms" to a friend, saying "he was going to take something and would see a doctor as soon as possible," according to the New York Times. The next day he was found dead.
We may have not been feeling them directly here in Los Angeles, but the ground is shaking somewhat east of us. Since Saturday evening, three earthquakes have rattled the Inland Empire, first in Riverside County (3.3), again this morning east of Temecula (3.6) and then this afternoon more northward in San Bernardino County (4.6). Yesterday, there was a 4.3 magnitude quake near San Nicolas Island, which is one of two Channel Islands controlled by the Military. 3.0 and 4.0 magnitude quakes are categorized as "minor" and "light," respectively.
A fire that broke out shortly before 11:30 a.m. has burned about 10 acres off Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano area. It's expected to grow, say fire officials, because of various downed power lines due to the tractor crash and the fires direction, which is uphill. No structures appear to be threatened, reports the OC Register.
The long-awaited Silver Lake Branch Library is finally open. With hundreds packing it in at the grand opening ceremony this morning, the library soon cleared out leaving room for families in the kids corner, internet surfers, locals looking for books and at least one guy blogging on LAist (yes, there is WiFi here and outlets for laptop power).
A small fire that erupted near the Skirball Center was knockedown by Los Angeles Firefigthers this morning. The one-half acre fire was located near the northbound 405 Freeway exit at Skirball Center Drive. 50 firefighters in the air and ground responded to the fire, first reported after 10 a.m.
Considering the lines at Union Station yesterday, you would think there was a new death-defying adrenaline-inducing roller coster. That's not even close, but the excitement was just as intense, if not a lot more.
If the weather cooperates, it's going to be a good night for looking into the skies. "The annual Leonid Meteor Shower reaches its traditional peak between midnight at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17 as seen from the west coast," explained Anthony Cook at the Griffith Observatory's weekly Sky Report. "About one Leonid every two or three minutes is expected. The earth may pass through enhanced streams of particles during the following afternoon, possibly providing Asia with an even better show, and may make the shower worthwhile to watch again from here between midnight and 5 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the 18th."
A city report (.pdf) released Friday shows that costs for the Michael Jackson public memorial service were more than originally thought, which was $1.4 million. The actual cost, according to the new report, was $3.4 million. That's $1.2 million for straight time salary costs (mostly police) and $2 million for overtime salary costs and expenses (once again, most for police).
The Sayre Fire broke out late in the night on November 14th, 2008, and burned for several days in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and into Santa Clarita, ravaging across thousands of acres and destroying nearly 500 homes in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar alone. This community became emblematic of the Sayre Fire; officials like Mayor Villaraigosa and Governor Schwarzenegger addressed the scared residents while speaking to the media, authorities worked diligently to account for all the residents, and many wondered if poor water pressure could have contributed to the high number of homes lost.
The fifth draft of Los Angeles' proposed medical marijuana ordinance (the first draft was submitted in April of 2008) will be discussed at a joint city council meeting this morning at 8:30 a.m. Since 4th draft, which we saw in late October, was released, some changes have been made. Most notably, the City Attorney's office "deleted the unnecessary requirement that collective members provide their names to the City as part of the registration process," says a letter to the City Council. "Their names will continue to be maintained in the collective's own books and records."
As reported a couple weeks ago, Silver Lake is getting a library and that day is today. It will mark the 72nd branch for the city and was built to Gold LEED standards. Throughout the building, quotes from notable Silver Lake residents don the walls in a site-speciic public art project. A grand opening ceremony is set for 10 a.m.
"Trev got that bling 2nite!!! Now we bout 2 hit these streets," said Los Angeles Dodger Matt Kemp via Twitter. The center fielder added, via Twitter, "Bling!!!" Apparently Kemp, a recent winner of a Golden Glove and Silver Slugger award, and Trevor Ariza, the former Los Angeles Laker, now Houston Rocket, are partying it up somewhere and Kemp's impressed.
Houston Rockets defeat LA Lakers 101-91. Rockets guard Aaron Brook blistered the Lakers for a career high 33 points as the Rockets ran circles around the Lakers and their sloppy offense. Ron Artest led the Lakers with 22 points while Andrew Bynum scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant had a human game with 18 points. The Rockets, despite their tallest player barely clearing Prince sans platforms, out-rebounded the Lakers 60-38. That will do you in.
Yesterday Ohio State printed their ticket to the Rose Bowl with their 27-24 win in overtime over Iowa, but who will they be facing? That is a question that no one has had to ask in the last four years.
Today is the long-awaited launch of the Gold Line's Eastside Extension, which links Downtown's historic Union Station via light rail to Little Tokyo, Mariachi Plaza, and heart of East Los Angeles, ending at Atlantic. To celebrate, rides from one end of the Gold Line to the other are free today, and there are four events that include food and music from the communities scheduled to happen at or near stations along the line
Yes, you're not crazy, there was an earthquake, albeit minor, in Riverside County. The 3.3 magnitude quake struck at 11:54 p.m., 5 miles west of Beaumont, according to the United States Geological Survey. About the above map: Withs some funding from the federal stimulus package, the USGS is exploring the world's fastest (and unofficial) newswire, Twitter.
Stanford Cardinal defeat USC Trojans 55-21. It wasn’t incredulous to think Stanford could beat USC at home. They did it two years ago as a 41-point underdog. But no one thought it would be this epic. On homecoming day, the Trojans gave up the most points in their 121-year history to Stanford. The Trojans turned the ball over twice in the first quarter resulting in two touchdowns for the Cardinal. Using their power running game fuelled by Toby Gerhart the Cardinal responded each time the Trojans cut the lead to seven...
It was just a year ago that wealthy philanthropist Eli Broad came to save the day at MOCA by offering the museum a much-needed bailout to help keep it on its feet. By summer, however, the Broad Foundation had begun to chatter publicly about future cultural endeavors, namely a museum of contemporary art of their own. At the time, "Broad said that the museum 'is going to happen' and that it's merely a matter of timing," reported the LA Times. Broad was enthused about having the space in 90210: "Our first choice is the Beverly Hills site."
Galaxy midfielder David Beckham put in a strong performance to help the blue-and-gold capture the Western Conference title for a sixth time in club history and the first since 2002. Veteran defender Gregg Berhalter and team captain Landon Donovan provided all the scoring on the night, literally at the eleventh hour, to take a 2 - 0 victory over the visiting Houston Dynamo.
Denver Nuggets defeat LA Lakers 105-79. After keeping the game close in the first half, the Lakers were outscored by the Nuggets 29-8 in the third quarter to seal their fate. While Carmelo Anthony was seemingly contained thanks to foul problems in the first half, he exploded in the third quarter scoring 12 points while making the game a laugher. Both Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant scored 19 points while Bynum grabbed 15 rebounds.
The National Weather Service this afternoon issued a fire weather watch for portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties between Sunday morning and Monday evening. That's because of the potential of high winds and very low humidities, they say.
Streetsblogger Damien Newton and other public transit advocates took an unofficial (bike) ride today, examining safety issues surrounding the soon-to-open Gold Line Eastside Extension. In their opinion, they found various issues, including problems at the Little Tokyo and Indiana stations, pedestrian signal timing that worsened the further East the line went and the most interesting fact of all, how $4.5 million allocated for safety won't be spent until next year. To that, Newton asks an honest question: "if all the safety improvements aren't going to be done for a couple of months, why are we opening the station in two days?"
As with every weekend (and weekday), police are out to catch drunk drivers. Tonight, we know of two sobriety check points: one in Del Rey and another in Pasadena. From 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., the LAPD will hold a Sobriety & Drivers License Checkpoint at Lincoln Blvd and Maxella Ave at the border of the L.A. city neighborhood Del Rey and unincorporated Marina Del Rey. The LAPD's Pacific Area has experienced 108 DUI-related crashes and 963 hit and runs so far this year.
As of 3 p.m., Jeremy Swan's attempt to break the world record for "most tattoos done in 24 hours" was around half way there with about 400 tats completed. He needs to complete over 802 tattoos total. Although hundreds poured in to his Silver Lake-based Broken Art Tattoo at midnight, the rate of people coming in during this morning slowed significantly. However, this afternoon, progress picked up and is expected to continue as night settles. If you want to get one yourself, there's still time--you just need to be inked before midnight. See photos from around midnight here.
Shots rang out early this morning in Sherman Oaks outside Smiles Nightclub on Ventura near Woodman Avenue. Minutes before 2 a.m., a man standing outside was confronted by two other men and a fight broke out. The victim was shot in the head and is in critical condition. Using a surveillance photo, police believe the man pictured here might be the suspect, who was last seen entering the passenger side of a getaway car described as a late- model, light-color Honda or Toyota that headed west on Ventura.
LAist gained a new Twitter follower today and it was blast from the past. It was the mysterious and clandestine LA City Nerd, who some think is a current City Councilmember and others think is just a nerdy couch-historian, shut down his/her popular blog sometime ago. Hopefully this means more fun nerdy facts about the city are to come. LAist has interviewed the Nerd a few times here, here and here.
Back in 1996, four German tourists vanished in Death Valley National Park on a blistering 120-degree day. After months of searching, their minivan was found in a ravine, but there was no sign of the group, which included two boys aged 4 and 10. Since there have been no breaks in the case, which has been a long-standing mystery for the park.
If you've ever seen the stickers on buses or around stations and bus benches asking "Who is John Scott?" the mystery is over. He is 74-year-old John Scott (yeah, he has a website) of Los Angeles, the oldest tagger (specifically, a slap tagger because they are stickers) caught by LA County Sheriff's Deputies, finds the LA Times. He was arrested this morning, ending a seven-month mystery, at the 7th/Metro Station in downtown after putting up a sticker.
A short burst of rain last night--two inches in 5 minutes around 11 p.m.--caused a mudslide to enter into a La Canada Flintridge neighborhood, damaging six homes and some vehicles. No one was hurt, but it did demonstrate to everyone that when the rain comes, evacuations might be a good idea.
As the two hotels and condos prepare to open at L.A. Live (all in one building), Eric Richardson at blogdowntown sat down with the building's Director of Food and Beverage to get some details. What's known so far is enough to get foodies excited. There will be two "signature" restaurants with yet-to-be-named celebrity chefs. The ground floor will be home to L.A. Market while the other restaurant will live on the 24th floor. There will also be a cocktail room called the Mixing Room. And add to that a lobby lounge and poolside bar named Glance and Ion, respectively.
What a difference a year makes. At this same time last year, the Galaxy was lamenting another disappointing season while watching New York and Columbus work their way to the MLS Cup Final to be played in their own backyard.
Two to three hundred truckers are currently making their way up the 710 Freeway towards city hall in protest of "new environmental fees at the ports that they say threaten their livelihoods," according to the LA Times [Update: they have arrived to downtown]. Specially, they are protesting container fees for the Clean Truck Program, which has been law for over a year.
The Gold Line's Eastside Extension is opening this Sunday, allowing for car-free travel between East L.A. and Union Station. Here's a look at the timetable (.pdf).
The group Santa Monicans for Non-Smoking Renters Rights want their City Council to take a current no smoking law one step further. Earlier this year, the group successfully proposed that smoking be banned from common areas in apartment and condo complexes, according to the Lookout News, via LA Now. Now they want the ban to include some apartment and condo unit patios and balconies since "the smoke is pulled into neighboring units because of the difference in air pressure." In essence, this idea would make complexes have smoking and non-smoking sections. It's like a restaurant, back in the day. A Calabasas law that will go into affect in 2012 will designate 80% of units as non-smoking, notes the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Douglas Ring, a name known around City Hall, was found dead today in his Brentwood home. Preliminary results seem to indicate his death was a suicide, but the official cause is pending a final coroner's report, according to the LA Times. The 65-year-old developer and lawyer is the husband of former City Councilmember and current President of the Board of Harbor Commissioners, Cindy Miscikowski. He is credited with leading the rebuild effort behind Central Library and was a major contributor to the growth of MOCA and other art institutions.
LA Lakers defeat Phoenix Suns 121-102. With both teams having only one loss in the Western Conference, this was supposed to be a very good game, but the Lakers decided to make it a laugher. With the Lakers leading 65-55 in the third quarter, they went on a 15-0 run to quash any hope for the Suns in making this a close game. Andrew Bynum in his first game back from sitting two games out with a bad elbow scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Kobe Bryant added 29 points. Josh Powell and Shannon Brown came off the bench impressively with Powell scoring 14 points in 19 minutes and Brown scoring 10 points in 15 minutes. Also their 78 points in the paint is the most since March 2000.However the Lakers 38.9% free throw shooting and 15 turnovers are causes for concern. With this victory head coach Phil Jackson is now 1,048-436 tying Larry Brown for fifth in NBA victories.
As the Downtown Art Walk grew in popularity over the past year, so did unrelated activities like a large craft show and, of course, food trucks. Well, it looks like Main Street, which has turned into food truck alley on the second Thursday of the month, will remain empty of some trucks.
One lawsuit won, some 20 to go. A federal judge sided with Los Angeles in the never-ending battle over billboards this week. It was one of the three lawsuits filed by World Wide Rush, which "argued that it had a right to erect new signs or supergraphics because it requested permits during a four-month period in late 2008" when no ban was in effect, explained the LA Times. "Under the company’s logic, their applications were wrongly denied — therefore they should have a right to put up new supergraphics or signs now even though the city has a ban in place." But Judge Audrey B. Collins said companies can't install signs if no permits were issues. And in any case, it was unclear if the city had actually denied the permits.
More details are coming out about the unfortunate murder in Mid-City last night in which a woman was murdered by her estranged boyfriend. According to an LAPD statement, 30-year-old Flor Medrano flagged down officers on patrol yesterday evening after she was threatened and assaulted the day before.
With the opening of the Gold Line Eastside Extension this Sunday, it's been quite the foodie fever here on the internetz. It's almost feels as if the six miles between Union Station and East L.A. never existed. Nevertheless, the laying down of light rail tracks means people are ready to explore the tastes and wonders there are to offer and with no car in tow. Here's what others are saying.
Superheroes have feelings, too. Anger is sometimes one of them. Such was the case yesterday when Spiderman--one of three working Hollywood Blvd. for tips--lashed out and allegedly assaulted another person, according to the LA Times. It's not the only incident for Superheroes. Once, Freddy Krueger allegedly stabbed someone. And Chewbacca headbutted a guy. Add to that, the following aggressive begging arrests: Mr. Incredible, Elmo the Muppet and "the dark-hooded character from the movie 'Scream.'"
In an unusual and unfortuante story, a woman who arrived at police station around midnight to file a domestic violence report died soon after officers gave her a ride home, says the LA Times. After dropping her off at her apartment, near Pico and Cochran in Mid-City, officers stayed outside filling out a crime report inside their patrol car. At the same time, the woman was attacked by the man inside the apartment. Screams were heard and someone ran outside to inform police of the attack. Once inside, officers found the man stabbing the woman and shot him. Both were taken to the hospital where they died. Update: The Times follows up, exploring "how woman under police protection was slain with officers nearby."
In what is being described as "a major bloodbath," 80 employees between Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and London have been cut from Current's payrolls, reports SFist via Techcrunch. Current says, however, that it is not a cost-cutting move, rather a result of less in-house programming and more outsourced productions. That's not to say all in-house has been cut, television production and programming development will be consolidated "under one roof in Los Angeles with new facilities at LA Center Studios," says the company, which is having its most profitable year since their launch.
Just as one project on the 405 Freeway completes, another one is set to begin. A $1 billion project--partially funded by bonds--will take 10 northbound miles--between the 10 and 101 freeways--and bring car pool lanes to them, saving 10 minutes of travel time in the Sepulveda Pass, according to the Daily News.
Why won't Dr. Jonathan Fielding answer basic questions about H1N1? Reporters at USC's journalism project, Neon Tommy, have done a fantastic job investigating the epidemic disease. Fielding apparently declined to go on KCRW's Which Way, L.A.? Tuesday night to engage in a conversation with Neon's Callie Schweitzer (however, he did speak with host Warren Olney), who in turn published an open letter to Fielding.
There's another event to add to tonight's festivities at the Downtown Art Walk and its at the LAPD's Central Division police station on 6th Street. LAPD Captain Blake Chow and other officials are hosting a open house for the community, which will include a guided tour of the station, live entertainment, demonstrations and a mini food festival of sorts that they are calling a "taste of downtown."
Sheriff's Deputies in Palmdale on patrol got a whiff of marijuana yesterday evening and in a good moment of Sherlock Holmes, followed the smell to a house. What did they find? About 400 plants, occupying 70% of the home, with lighting, watering and ventilation systems, found the Daily News. On man was detained immediately.
Few details right now, but KABC-TV has reported that heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson has gotten into some scuffle with the paparazzi at LAX (wrong guy to harass?). It happened around 4:45 p.m. Unsubstantiated, but one person tweeted: "Mike Tyson just got arrested outside United terminal 7 LAX for punching one of the paparazzi!"
Police are calling a man who has robbed at least 13 places, mostly in South L.A., the "Left-Handed Eyeglass" Bandit. That name comes from his usual M.O.: he walks into a business, pulls out a small caliber revolver, holds wit with his left hand and demands money before leaving. He's described as an African America in his 30s, about 160 to 190 pounds and 5 foot 10 inches, according to police. And in addition to his sinistral tendencies, he also wears glasses.
We Got Yer Holiday Spirit Right Here
Sweeten Your Online Shopping: Compartes 'Brown Friday' Sale
Local High Schooler Launches 'Hug a Ginger Day' Campaign
Eat My Blog: Blogger Bake Sale Will Benefit LA Foodbank
Midnight Movie: Patton Oswalt's 'Christmas Shoes'
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