News

Chivas USA preseason camp kicked off earlier this week in preparation of the upcoming 2010 MLS campaign. At the helm is first year coach Martin Vasquez, who took over the position from Preki Radosavljevic shortly after the close of the 2009 season. more ›

• Republican Governor-hopeful Meg Whitman is cutting her association with Santa Clarita Councilman Bob Kellar, aka the "proud racist."
• A gang member has been sentenced to death for a 2004 murder in Riverside.
• It was a water main break that caused the streets to flood in Culver City earlier today.

• Precedent setting? "A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday ordered an Eagle Rock medical marijuana dispensary to stop selling weed and, in a first for a California judge, ruled that retail sales of the drug are not permitted under state law," says the LA Weekly.
• If you've never watched an episode of Huell Howser, this Sunday's episode might be the one to start with: Huell visits In-n-Out's headquarters, its "university" and kitchen.
• The now-defunct Circuit City property where Hollywood, Sunset, Hillhurst and Virgil all meet is being used by Children's Hospital for overflow parking. No word yet on what's going to happen to the building.

Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is reality that many of us have to face. To that end, LAist will be highlighting various things to do during the holiday weekend, whether it be Friday the 12th, Saturday the 13th or Sunday, Valentine's Day. We began the series with the Zombie Prom and yesterday, brought you a laid back four-course dinner with Frysmith at the Verdugo Bar in Glassell Park. Today, we head downtown. more ›

One has to wonder that if politics are involved with a current mid-year budget report, expected to be offiically released this afternoon, that in part examines 1,000 city hall layoffs as a budget solution. The City Attorney Office could see 100 members of his office go while the Mayor and City Council offices see a zero reduction and the City Attorney himself is ready to fight it, according to the LA Times. more ›

On Sunday, February 28, Dodgers Stadium will host a collegiate doubleheader featuring Los Angeles’ two largest schools. The inaugural Dodgertown Classic will feature USC's and UCLA's baseball clubs throwing down the gauntlet. The second match pits two out-of-towners on the neutral field, Vanderbilt and Oklathoma State. Advanced tickets are only $5 and allow entrance to both games. In an unheard of move, parking at Dodger Stadium is free. more ›

It may seem like it, but parking enforcement officers are not everywhere. Who is everywhere, however, is the public. And in the Valley, one of the most complained about quality of life issues are mobile billboards, specifically ones sitting atop unhitched trailers. So why not educate the already-exasperated residents on how to spot illegal mobile advertisements and report them? more ›

Controversy is brewing in Silver Lake over a mural by Phil Lumbang on a private residence, Jesus Sanchez at EastsiderLA is finding. Most everyone loves the artwork, but one neighborhood complained to the city which in turn said it was illegal, asking for homeowners Amy Seidenwurm and Russell Bates to take it down. Councilman Eric Garcetti likes the mural and is seeing what can be done. Meanwhile, Lumbang makes a great point: "I guess the deal is you can't have a mural on private residential property or some bs like that. I guess it's on the same guide lines as shop keepers maintaining a clean facade with no graffiti." The mural must be removed by March 1st and is being enforced under the city's outdoor advertisement law. more ›

One study has found that texting is about the same, if not worse, than driving drunk, but a recent study looking into cell phone bans--the ones where you can't put the phone to your ear--are not working. “We can’t even see a blip in the data," one researcher said about the results, which shows no difference in crashes occurring before and after bans, according to a blog on Cars.com. Yes, cell phone-to-the-ear use went down, the study found, but no difference in crashes were found. Perhaps this will lead to a study about talking on ear pieces while driving. Perhaps, not. The study was conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute, an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety more ›

Bad news for one of the region's major cultural players: Pasadena Playhouse employees learned yesterday that come February 7th, after the final performance of the current staged production, they will be out of a job, according to the LA Times. With $500,000 in bills in addition to $1.5 million owed in loans have leaders looking into the possibility of bankruptcy. Although there is $6 million in their possession, that money can only be used for refurbishing the building. The theatre opened in 1917. more ›

Back in December, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case between the city of Los Angeles and Fuel Outdoor, a billboard company responsible for many of the poster-sized signs at corners all over Los Angeles. At issue was a 2002 city off-site sign ban, which meant Fuel signs were in violation. They challenged the city and lost in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. more ›

An 18-year-old man was arrested earlier this week for robbing a 5-year-old of a gold chain necklace. Back on January 4th, German Palma allegedly rode his bicycle by the boy, yanking off a gold chain around his neck. "It is clear from video that the force of the suspect’s actions was violent enough to lift the victim up off the ground and drag him along the sidewalk," the LAPD explained in a press release in early January. more ›

The ever-progressive city of Long Beach is always trying ways to get people to diversify they way they travel around. For cyclists, sharrows and bicycle boxes have been improvements to the city infrastructure and since last Summer, they've been partnering with restaurants for a First Fridays type of event where bicycle commuters get lunch discounts at a number of local restaurants. more ›

A preliminary version of a report that details over 1,000 layoffs will be released today by city officials. According to the Daily News, here are some of how the 1,003 layoffs could go, which doesn't affect the staffs of the Mayor's or City Council: more ›

When they banned cat declawing, it was a first. Now West Hollywood is looking to do something that looks like another first: banning the sale of cats and dogs, according to WeHoNews. The proposed bill, “could be the beginning of the end of puppy mills and it's happening in West Hollywood, one of the most progressive cities on animal welfare issues," said resident Ed Buck, Director of Social Compassion in Legislation. As the websites explains: "The ordinance stems from an investigation of a West Hollywood pet store, Elite Animals near Hancock and Santa Monica Boulevard, which uncovered evidence they allegedly sold puppy mill dogs." more ›

• Sad. The mentally disabled man who allegedly attempted to rob a Monrovia bank yesterday may have been tricked into doing the crime and may be a victim himself.
• The plan to replace Ross Dress for Less on West 3rd Street with the proposed 300-Unit 13-Story Casden Project is drawing criticism from neighborhood leaders.
• Blogger GreenLAGirl on Twitter today recommended supporting the Preferred Alternative for the Expo light rail line coming to Santa Monica.

One of Charles Manson's associates convicted with two counts of first-degree murder was recommended for parole today. The decision by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Board of Parole Hearings comes for 67-year-old Bruce Davis after spending 38 years in jail, the majority of it without incidents prompting discipline. more ›

Although the rescue of a dog in the LA River last week was national (and controversial) news, the Spanish-speaking owners had no idea how much of a superstar their dog had become. "It didn't get a lot of play on Spanish-language TV," an Animal Control director told the LA Times. Spikey (or Vernon as he was nicknamed by firefighters) was airlifted by firefighters last Thursday and will remain under quarantine until next Tuesday because he bit his rescuer. Spikey's "brother" was also picked up the same day when found wandering the streets. It appears a gate was left open in the yard. more ›

After debating speed limit increases, the Transportation Committee of the L.A. City Council yesterday heard an update on the pilot car sharing program currently going on at USC and UCLA with ZipCar. The verdict: it's a success. more ›

At today's official announcement of high speed rail funds given to various states, including here in California, in Tampa, Florida, President Barack Obama turned to train lover Vice President Joe Biden--he used to ride 250 miles a day--and asked, "Now, Joe, in terms of the high-speed rail here, do you have something specific to say?" more ›

"Supporters of legalized marijuana announced today that they have gathered about 700,000 signatures for their initiative, virtually guaranteeing voters will see it on the November ballot," says the LA Times. And when and if it wins, will it be a boon for tourism? more ›

A comedy club ticketing business, Laughstub.com, will be laughing all the way to the Skirball Center on Thursday, as winner of the "Wild card" competition for a Showoff spot at Twiistup 7. more ›

Is Long Beach is getting hipper by the day? Via the LA Times: "At a time when cities are cutting expenses across the board, Long Beach has raised $17 million in state and federal grants to improve its bike system through traffic improvements, education and bike share programs. In the next six months, the city will be resurfacing 20 miles of streets to include new bike lanes, part of a plan that includes painting and paving more than 100 miles of bike infrastructure." There's been a 29% increase in cyclists on 2nd Street since that green stripe sharrow lane was put in. more ›

Los Angeles' fascination with street food, from the real taco trucks to the recent gourmet Twittering food trucks (new word, Twiteatery?), will all be found in one spot come February 13th when the Los Angeles Street Food Fest makes its debut at LA Center Studios. more ›

Although gas was about 40-cents cheaper the year before, gasoline demand last October declined 0.4 percent when Californians used 1.246 billion gallons of gasoline compared to 1.252 billion gallons the same month in 2008, according to a state report released today. That percentage difference means about a $27 million difference in taxes collected by the state. "The October decrease in consumption is the first decline in six months," said the California State Board of Equalization. "The previous five months showed small increases in consumption when compared to last year." Use of Diesel, which generally follows economic activity during a recession, was down by 11.1%. more ›

After years of construction that has changed the face of the famous Hollywood and Vine corner, W Hollywood Hotel & Residences finally opens to the public today, meaning more local jobs--about 600 in total--servicing the 305 large studio’s and one bedroom hotel suites, 143 luxury residences and other amenities such as food, drink and spa. more ›

The re-burgenoning historic Central Avenue today will get a boost today when a constituent services center-bassically a satellite L.A. city hall--opens up at East 43rd Street. The Silver LEED-certified, $15-million, 9,000 square-foot building--formally a factory space--will house city departments like the Community Development Department and Building and Safety, field offices for 9th District Councilmember Jan Perry, a 1,500 square foot auditorium style community room and a kitchen that will host farmers market classes. more ›

A division of the L.A. Conservation Corps called the L.A. River Keepers combine classroom environmental education with outdoor work to help clean and green the waterway. In a year period, the young adult group has removed some 400,000 lbs trash and debris from the river, 26,000 square feet of invasive plants and 27,000 square feet of graffiti. Later this morning, Councilmember Ed Reyes and the American Chemistry Council will announce a $100,000 contribution to the program. The money is definitely a good thing, but it should be noted that the ACC created an arm called the Progressive Bag Affiliates, "created to fight municipal ordinances banning plastic grocery bags," according to SourceWatch. You can hear the ACC speak against Malibu banning bags on KCRW here. more ›

The Obama Administration is set to award California with $2.35 billion in federal passenger rail stimulus funds today, with most all going towards high speed rail. The money is earmarked for four HSR segments--locally to the Los Angeles to Anaheim alignment--and for upgrades to the Pacific Surfliner route between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. more ›

• 34 new parks for Los Angeles? Politicians are seeking the funding.
• The school district in Riverside County that banned a dictionary because it defined "oral sex" has quickly reversed the decision.
• Fans of Henry's might be happy that a Sprouts Market is opening up in Culver City.

The proposal to increase speed limits on two Valley streets was stalled by the City Council's Transportation committee this afternoon after concerns were brought up by the public and politicians alike. "I've got serious concerns with moving this forward," stated Councilman Paul Koretz, whose district includes the two streets in question, Riverside Drive and Chandler Boulevard, which could be raised to 40 and 45 miles per hour, respectively. more ›

For an already delayed project, this can't be good. The Los Angeles Police Commission has revoked a permit allowing the Expo Line Construction Authority to work on the rail line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, citing noise that is impacting neighborhood's quality of life. Via the LA Times: "Richard Thorpe, chief executive of the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, the organization tasked with building the line, said the 24-hour permit was important to speed up the project. If the construction authority doesn’t have such a permit, Thorpe said, contractors would be forced to shut down some streets and intersections during the day when there is generally heavy traffic." more ›

Los Angeles could be seeing some neighborhoods with bicycle rental kiosks in the near future, perhaps Hollywood, Koreatown, downtown and around the USC campus. For over a year, the City Council has been interested in exploring bicycle sharing programs that have been seen in Paris, Montreal, Washington D.C. and in Denver at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. more ›

As the gay marriage debate continues in the courts and within communities, a newly introduced bill by State Senator Mark Leno may win over church leaders who are opposed to same-sex unions. The Civil Marriage Religious Freedom Act, SB 906, will affirm that no clergy member will be forced under law to perform any civil marriage that is against his or her belief system. “While we know religious freedom is protected under our Constitution, this legislation eliminates any confusion or doubt under state law, reaffirming that no member of clergy or church will be penalized for refusing to solemnize marriages that violate their religious tenets,” Leno said. more ›

"The culture of the car is going to end now!" exclaimed Councilman Bill Rosendahl at today's City Council meeting about his ordinance to protect cyclists from harassment on the streets of Los Angeles. "The purpose of this ordinance is to protect cyclists in a way that they haven't been protected before. The LAPD hasn't been part of the solution, but sometimes has been part of the problem... By end of March, I want an ordinance that has teeth in it." And with an unanimous vote, the move to continue developing the ordinance was approved. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck is scheduled to meet with cyclists at a Transportation Committee meeting on February 24th. more ›

Week 3 of the federal case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, continues on today with the defense--the sponsors of the initiative---presenting their case. Here's what each legal team is saying about the case: Plaintiffs via e-mail (pro gay marriage): "The trial is culminating with the defendants' own witnesses making the plaintiffs' case, and crumbling under cross examination." more ›

Last night two off-duty LAPD officers were arrested in Whittier and booked "on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon," according to KFWB. The officers, whose names cannot by law be released, were allegedly drinking when they became engaged in a fight outside the Panera Bread Bakery Cafe at the Whittwood Town Center. more ›

Here's one motion that has been going through the halls of L.A.'s City Hall quietly, without much notice. Former LAPD Chief and South L.A. Councilman Bernard Parks wants the city attorney draft up an ordinance banning the sale of tobacco within 1,000 feet of schools. And it wouldn't just be for new businesses, it would restrict current ones, too: "If an ordinance grandfathers existing tobacco retailers, the hours of operations/sales should include, but not limited, to prohibit sales during school hours, hours when students are walking to school, and hours when students are walking home from school," reads the motion, which goes before the Council today. more ›

Santa Clarita Councilman Bob Kellar was the focal point of attendees and demonstrators at last night's City Hall meeting, after the local leader referred to himself as a "proud racist" at a public event two weeks ago, reports the Daily News (see the video below). more ›

If all goes to plan at today's regularly scheduled meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, the massive backlog of DNA rape kits sitting on LAPD shelves--around 7,500 in Fall 2008--should be eliminated by June. A motion introduced by Council President Eric Garcetti and to be vote upon this morning seeks to hire and outsource enough personnel to complete the Spring-time goal. more ›

• The big cultural news these days is the possibility that philanthropist Eli Broad's art museum will be built downtown on Grand Avenue. However, nothing is in stone yet.
• Following a lawsuit here in Los Angeles, eHarmony is now letting gays and lesbians do the online dating thing via their service.
• Neighborhood politics can get whacky: the President of the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council was not charged with assault--he allegedly came after a fellow board member like a sumo wrestler--after a City Attorney hearing yesterday.

For the latest installment of the "Vice Guide to Travel" series, filmmakers Shane Smith and Andy Capper of Vice literally went where no one else has been: West Point in Monrovia, Liberia, "one of the worst slums in Liberia, which makes it one of the worst in West Africa, which makes it one of the worst in the world". The result is a raw, in-your-face and harrowing look at this country ridden with years civil war and poverty. more ›

For the second year in a row, indie-pop group Saint Motel is hosting a Valentine's Zombie Prom at The Roxy. Think about it, it's a great excuse to do Halloween all over again and if you're a lucky little undead couple, you might win the zombie prom king and queen costume competition after some "bloodthirsty" libations on the drink special menu. The band will be joined by Young The Giant (formerly The Jakes), Chasing Kings and Links, all while zombie themed visuals take over the famous Sunset Strip venue. more ›

A shootout between police and three suspects this morning prompted the LAPD to shut down an area of Boyle Heights as they began a manhunt. Still reportedly ongoing in the area around Cesar Chavez and Soto, police are searching for three male hispanics, approximately 24 to 27 years old, according to the LAPD. At 11:53 a.m., undercover officers from the city of Huntington Park--it's unknown why they were in L.A. city limits--observed the suspects engage in a burglary. The suspects shot at the officers, who in turn shot back. No one was hit, but the suspects escaped on foot. more ›

First proposed in December by Councilman Bill Rosendahl, the motion seeking a cyclist anti-harassment ordinance is on deck for tomorrow morning's L.A. City Council meeting. Two routes (err, proposals on how to tackle the issue) are up for grabs, as proposed by two separate committees, explains Damien Newton at StreetsblogLA: "The basic difference between the two? The process spelled out by the Transportation Committee is a two-step process, first an ordinance is created, then voted on by the Council. The one by Public Safety adds a third step at the beginning: first a report on possible ordinances is created, then an ordinance is written, then the Council votes." more ›

Back in November 2008, Glynn Johnson, a former LA County Assistant Fire Chief, was accused of beating a puppy with his fists and a 12-pound rock after he was bit. He was returning the canine back to neighbors in his Riverside County neighborhood when the incident happened. Karley, a mixed breed shepherd, was later euthanized. Johnson and neighbors had a long-standing feud over various issues and animal groups pressured the District Attorney to prosecute Johnson, who was found guilty of animal cruelty and using a deadly weapon today, according to the LA Times. Lawyers for Johnson said that, six months-old or not, Karley was big enough to do damage. more ›

On the heels of the long-awaited passage of an ordinance for medical marijuana dispensaries, the LAPD this afternoon released a press release seeking the public's help in a shooting and robbery at a facility in Northridge. more ›

In a 9-3 vote, the Los Angeles City Council this morning approved the long-fought-over medical marijuana ordinance, despite protests from members of the public on both sides. During public comment, advocates for medical marijuana threatened to bring lawsuits while advocates for limiting the facilities questioned how the city would afford enforcement. more ›

The insurmountable budget shortfall for the city of Los Angeles received another reality check today. City Controller Wendy Greuel today released her Bugedtary Cash Flow report one month early. "Traditionally, I report to you on March 1st of the year but the situation we are facing is so dire, I am compelled to update you now so that urgent action can be taken immediately," she wrote. more ›

Here's a alert for calorie-minded sensibilities. The Grilled Cheese Truck this afternoon will make an appearance at the Frosted Cupcakery in Hollywood today (would suggesting grilled cheese cupcakes be taking it too far). The brick and mortar sweets shop at Highland and Lexington has about six parking spots, making it a possible future location for regular truck appearances (it's the streets where trucks and police sometimes don't get along), according to owners. The truck will be there from noon to 2 p.m. today. Find out about all food trucks in LA here. more ›

Now that the defense is presenting their case to legitimize Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, things are getting extremely interesting. Here's what happened yesterday in the courtroom, as told by each sides' legal teams. more ›

At its 10 a.m. meeting, the Los Angles City Council is scheduled to put the medical marijuana issue to rest. The new ordinance, which regulates dispensaries on a variety of issues such as location, hours of operation and security, must be considered two times and today is that second time. Although the over two-year debate is coming to an end, some advocates of access have threatened to bring lawsuits to the city, citing how the new code contradicts state law. more ›

A weak system sitting off the coast right now could bring the Los Angeles area some light rain, possibly a half inch to one inch, for a few hours this afternoon. San Luis Obispo is already getting a little wet, but Santa Barbara so far is dry, according to a spokesperson at the National Weather Service. High temperatures today throughout the metro region will hover around 60 with lows dipping to around 50. In the mountain areas, three to six inches could fall on 6,000 feet elevation and above. At this time, no evacuations for foothill burn areas have been called for. more ›

USC Broadcast Journalism student Matt Schrader, who brought us an expose on street sweeping parking tickets when the streets were not being swept, is at it again, this time working the streets to find the final word on advertisements placed on your car. more ›

Remember back in 2008 when that well-produced creepy video came out, prompting numerous worldwide protests of the Church of Scientology? Since then, that energy and zeal to oppose the church has died down and yesterday the Church scored a point when a Nebraska man agreed to plead guilty in a Los Angeles federal court, according to the LA Times. Brian Thomas Mettenbrink, 20, admitted to engaging in a cyber attack that took down the Church's websites. He will enter into a plea next week. more ›

• Charles Samuel, the transient accused of killing 17-year-old Lily Burk last summer has been ordered to stand trial. This morning coroner's testimony regarding the autopsy revealed her body showed signs of a violent struggle.
• Nadya Suleman's octuplets turn 1 today, but "OctoMom" and her life are still fodder for the tabloids, and much scrutiny.
• All that rain last week, and more on the way...but we're still in a drought.

Things have calmed down weather-wise (did you go for a hike yet?) and we're hearing of only a few areas without service. Southern California Edison, which experienced 676,587 outages last week, is only reporting down service in mountain and rural areas where lines are in rough terrain and other hard to reach areas. Lake Arrowhead, Blythe and Forest Falls remain without power, but should have it restored by tomorrow morning. More locally, the LADWP has not reported any outages via Twitter since Friday. more ›

When a City Council panel met last week met to discuss state legislation the city would like to sponsor or support, transportation staff said they were seeking the ability to boot vehicles after three unpaid tickets (or at least four) instead of current legal limit of five. Although that was approved, Councilmember Dennis Zine was disappointed to see one of his district issues not addressed: mobile billboards. more ›

Los Angeles transportation officials and police are continuing their effort to increase speed limits throughout the city, once again with community groups in opposition, citing pedestrian and cyclist safety as well as the general threat to a neighborhood's quality of life. At this week's Transportation Committee meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, discussions will surround raising the speed limits on Chandler Boulevard, Riverside Drive and Beverly Glen Boulevard. more ›

Yes, it's true. A notable European wants to succeed Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, an Austrian. Prince Frederic von Anhalt, who came here from Germany and became a citizen when he married Zsa Zsa Gabor, says he is a gubernatorial candidate, according to the LA Times. "When I came to California 26 years ago, we had the 'good life.' We were prosperous; people had jobs, affordable homes and money to spend," he said in a statement. "The economy was great. I loved the state so much that I decided to make my home here, marry and become a citizen." The announcement is coming in the form of a billboard somewhere on Sunset Blvd. today. more ›

Concerned about the dominance LiveNation and Ticketmaster would have if allowed to merge when a plan was announced last year, California Attorney General Jerry Brown and 16 others states initially opposed such an idea. "Without serious competition, concert-goers will inevitably pay more for concert tickets," Brown said today in a statement. "With this merger agreement, we're taking an important step to ensure a more competitive market for concert-ticket sales." more ›

As downtown continues to grow as a dense residential neighborhood, so has bicycle usage, which in turn has had a downside: increased bicycle theft. 2009 saw a 63% increase in thefts in the neighborhood and 2010 was looking no different. But police this past weekend may have helped put a stop to that increasing neighborhood crime trend after arresting men involved in a theft ring. more ›

The case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, continues today in a federal district court. The plaintiffs (pro gay marriage) are expected to rest their case with documents and videos that reinforce points made during the first two weeks of trial. As for Friday, here's what happened and what each side is saying, per the plaintiff legal team and the defendants: more ›

The world's biggest concert promoter and ticketing service are now okayed to be one giant-ass company. The deal was approved today, despite opposition over such a game-changing move, by the Department of Justice. One of opponents was Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which owns L.A. Live. The rumor is that Live Nation agreed to sell some of its venues to AEG in exchange for them dropping their arguments of the merger. more ›

In a field poll published yesterday in the Sacramento Bee, 59% of people statewide believe that California's government is worse than before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took office, with only 7% of registered voters indicating they believe the actor-turned-politician has left "California government in better shape than he found it." more ›

Today the LA Lakers will be meeting President Obama at the White House in honor of their last season NBA championship win, according to the Daily News. Heading to the nation's capital is the team, along with Coach Phil Jackson and Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson, all of whom will join President Obama for a ceremony in the White House's Palm Room. more ›

Late Thursday Radiohead announced that it would perform a charity show benefiting the survivors of the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti. The tickets were made available via a Ticketmaster auction which ended with a final minimum bid of $475 (meaning many secured their tickets for $450). Some went above and beyond as the proceeds were going to Oxfam America's Haiti Relief Fund and the high bid was $2,000 per ticket (for either 2 or 4 tickets), according to the band. more ›

Thousands of rape kits waiting to be DNA tested and the ominous threat that 40,000 prisoners will be released onto the streets are expected to be dominating issues at today's Public Safety Committee of the Los Angeles City Council. more ›

The "B" in the word budget takes on so much more than its usual banal meaning these days for Los Angeles officials. The looming possibility of a billion dollar deficit within a few years and the predictions that the city will file for bankruptcy this Spring have brought such a boring subject into a bothersome, yet breathtaking light. more ›

• While it rained a lot last week, it didn't rain as much as it did in January 2008 or 2005. (Now, 1943 is a whole other story...)
• The former treasurer of the Little League in Torrance has been charged with stealing over $100k from the organization's coffers.
• A school district in Riverside County has removed a dictionary from its shelves...because it contains a definition for the term 'oral sex.'

Honduras defeated the U.S. Men's National Team last night by a score of 3 - 1 in front of 18,626 fans at the Home Depot Center -- the largest crowd ever for a Nats friendly at the Home Depot Center. more ›

• The sun came out today, and dried up all the rain, but it's not the itsy-bitsy spider we're talking about getting back to work, it's the work to cleanup the storm mess that's underway.
• 5 people were injured overnight in a crash in Van Nuys that involved two possibly drunk drivers.
• 16-year-old Thousand Oaks resident Abby Sunderland headed off to sail around the world today; she could wind up being the youngest person to make the voyage, and taking the title from her big brother.

Thought this week of stormy weather was one for the record books? Turns out that on this day 67 years ago was the real record-setter. "The greatest daily rainfall recorded in California was 26.12 inches on January 23, 1943 at Hoegees near Mt. Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains. Fifteen other stations reported over 20 inches in two days from the same storm. Forty-five others reported 70 percent of the average annual rainfall in two days," explains the almighty Wikipedia (citing Historic Rainstorms in California by James Goodridge). As we heralded today's glorious return of SoCal sunshine we mentioned that between Tuesday-Friday the San Gabriel dam logged 6.37 inches of rainfall. A mere drop in the bucket compared to those 1943 numbers, hmm? more ›

June 11th, 2010. That is the date soccer fans throughout the world are eagerly awaiting. more ›

After a week of violent storms that brought heavy rains, hail, and the threat of great destruction to Los Angeles, and snow to local mountains, today we're getting a reprieve from the wet weather. Rainfall totals reveal just how soaked we were, as reported by KTLA: "Between 10 Tuesday night and 5p.m. Friday, rainfall was measured at 6.37 inches at the San Gabriel Dam; 4.41 inches at Sepulveda Canyon at Mulholland; 4.38 inches in Newhall; 3.41 inches in Long Beach; 3.40 inches in Van Nuys; 3.38 inches at the Hollywood Reservoir; 3.23 inches in Bel Air; and 2.53 inches in downtown Los Angeles." But the sun will last at least through the weekend, and while there is a weaker storm system due to arrive in Southern California Monday or Tuesday, it may in fact miss the LA-area entirely. more ›

• Weather Reporting Wins: Was the ski-mask armed robbery at the Tiffany's in Century City on Tuesday underplayed in the media? asks LA Observed.
• All that damage to to Long Beach this week came at the price of $3 million.
• Beverly Hills and Santa Monica have been discussed, but is downtown on the plate for Eli Broad's anticipated art museum?

As rain and snow continue to drop on the Southern California region, old power outages get fixed and new ones occur. The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power reported some 700 outages after 3 p.m. and as of 4 p.m., Southern California Edison had 15,342 customers without power. The hardest hit areas serviced by Edison are Yucaipa (3,150 customers), Blythe (2,174), Shaver Lake (935), Forest Falls (925), Idyllwild, (498) and Ventura (467). more ›

Los Angeles County Fire Officials late this afternoon lifted evacuations for more foothill neighborhoods. All of La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge and Acton are no longer under evacuation orders, save for one property on Haskell and specific properties in the Paradise Valley area of La Canada Flintridge and Heffner Road in Acton. more ›

"I choose to insist on the integrity of the judicial system that he appear. The motion is denied," ruled L.A. Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza today in court about a request to sentence director Roman Polanski in absentia. A lawyer for Polanski said Espinoza's ruling was media influced. "Why should he show up? For what -- a show? ... The case gets down to one question: Should a promise of a judicial officer of this court be honored?" asked Chad Hummel. more ›

No joke, via Craisglist via Curbed LA & @takesunset: "A new Reality Show is casting Silver Lake's rich, wealthy, hipster GUYS and GIRLS 21-30 whose personal style is homeless chic: Guys with beards, ratty hair and raggedy yet stylish clothing - and Girls dressed in fashionable, vintage hippie-type garb accessorized with large sunglasses and oversized tote bags. You must be incredibly involved in the Silver Lake social scene, enjoy a sensational nightlife Silver Lake style and be very outspoken with a vivacious personality. You must also hang with a racially diverse, intriguing group of friends who all live in Silver Lake..." Will it go hand in hand with the related HBO show in development? more ›

Los Angeles officials have lifted evacuation orders for most all city residents in the Sunland and Tujunga neighborhoods of the Northeast Valley. Only one home is still under mandatory evacuation orders. more ›

It's not just local news, this is national news (MSNBC, FOX News and Headline News are airing it). The Los Angeles Fire Department is currently trying to rescue a dog near the 26th Street bridge near the Los Angeles-Vernon border. The black canine was sitting in the river looking up at rescuers, but once they entered and got near it, it ran away. It's being webcasted live by Fox. Update: The dog airlifted out of the river and placed on a bridge. "That was surreal," said BuckeyeGirlLA on Twitter. Yes, that was, indeed, surreal. more ›

NASA has been monitoring the storm from above and has released two satellite images from earlier this week. The first one shown above is from Wednesday via NASA's Aqua satellite. "Over the Pacific Ocean and the California coast, clouds assume the shape of a giant apostrophe, looking vaguely like a hurricane missing most of its center," the agency explains. "The storm's shape suggests a low-pressure system drawing in strong winds from nearby areas. Patches of clear sky allow glimpses of California’s Central Valley and Baja California." more ›

The worst of the storms have passed, but rain continues to put a damper on utility service. Between the L.A. Department of Water and Power and Southern California Edison, over 16,000 are without power. In Los Angeles, the LADWP is reporting 2,600 without power. For Edison, 13,835 customers are without service. more ›

The humongous project to widen the 405 Freeway between the 10 and 101 was delayed this week because of the rain. Now that things appear to be calming, Caltrans has released their anticipated construction schedule for the next several days. Pending weather, here are some of the highlights: more ›

It's nice when a city understands that the chaos of a storm severely affects people and that moving your car to avoid a ticket might not be the reality. This morning, the city of Long Beach's media officer sent this out: "The City of Long Beach is requesting that you post this information online as soon as possible, in the hopes of still reaching people. No Street Sweeping Tickets will be Issued on Friday, Jan. 22." more ›

Boy, was yesterday a doozy in the case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Yesterday, one of the official sponsors of the initiative was brought up to the stand as well as another expert from the plaintiff's side. Here's a little recap, per the plaintiff legal team: more ›

• The California Supreme Court struck down limits on medical marijuana possession today, meaning patients can possess as much as they reasonably need.
• Plans for a new gastropub and a Hooters are afloat for the South Park neighborhood, across from the Staples Center, in downtown.
• New places to eat! The restaurants at the new W Hotel Hollywood are expected to open next week.

The LADWP is reporting 4,100 without power and SoCal Edison has 31,338 without power with the hardest hit areas, as follows: Westlake Village, 2,591 customers; Wildomar, 2,353 customers; Lake Elsinore, 2,009 customers; Blythe, 1,745 customers; Norwalk, 1,752 customers; Corona, 1,560 customers; Pico Rivera, 1,441 customers. more ›

Running desperately low on the rare blood type, health officials in Antelope Valley put out an urgent call for O-negative blood donors yesterday. "The blood bank is experiencing a significant increase in the number of patients requiring this rare blood type," the AV Hospital Blood Donor Center stated in an e-mail appeal. "Due to an ongoing regional shortage of type O-negative blood we have been unable to obtain additional replacement units from outside suppliers." more ›

Ongoing power outages continue across the Southland this afternoon as the worst of the storm hits. As of the last updates released by utilities, about 13,000 customers are without power between the L.A Department of Water & Power and Southern California Edison. more ›

If going to the DMV wasn't enough of a headache, it got worse today when the system went down statewide. "We had connectivity issues," said Jan Mendoza, a public information officer with the agency. "It could be something with the phone company, it's all we know at the moment." more ›

If you live or work in Long Beach, the second largest city in Los Angeles County, this post is for you. The city has released an update about the storm and its effects around town. From facility closures to flooding to sandbags, all the information is below. more ›

If you live or work in the city of Los Angeles, this post is for you. Mayor Villaraigosa's office has collated all the information regarding the storm as it relates to the city. Evacuations, streets closures and other pertinent information is all below. more ›

Utility crews across Southern California have been working tirelessly to return power to customers throughout these three storms. The L.A. Department of Water reported 1,700 outages at 10 a.m., half the amount reported earlier in the morning. more ›

22 miles off the coast of Long Beach, thousands of Avalon residents are enduring the storm just like millions of people on the mainland. Boat service has been canceled for two days and a rock slide damaged one building on Tuesday. more ›

Yesterday's storm is still with us today, bringing us more of the same, possibly with worse weather conditions as our low pressure system--meaning we're more susceptible to inclement weather--continues to drop, nearing the a record set back on January 27th in 1988. Because of the heightened intensity, there is more chance of tornadoes and water spouts off the coast... and, of course, pouring rain, mudslides and all the other weather-related drama. more ›

And that's bad news for the city of Los Angeles and its budget deficit, which is expected to hit one billion in a few years. That 16% decline equals $186 million lost when held next to estimates, which were expected to only decline by 6%, reported the LA Times. "And overall tax revenue has declined by double digits for four quarters straight," reported the paper, which recieved an e-mail from the City's Administrative Officer saying “The city hasn’t seen this since the Great Depression.” A letter circulating in City Hall suggests layoffs for 1,000 employees. more ›

Here we are on day 8 of the federal court case challenging Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Lots has happened outside the case--Cindy McCain siding with the plaintiffs, Prop 8 experts dropping, all which we'll get to soon--but here is a wrap up of yesterday and what's happening today, per the plaintiff's legal team: more ›

And so it ends. Around 1 a.m. this morning, Late Night Show host Conan O'Brien and NBC signed a deal, getting him around $32 million and some $12 million for his staff. Tomorrow night is is last show, but his deal allows him to go back on TV eight months from now. Jay Leno will return on March 1st with a show from 11:35 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. After that, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" will air from 12:35 to 1:35 a.m. Tomorrow night, Conan will say goodbye--at least temporarily--with guests Will Ferrell, Tom Hanks, and musical guest Neil Young. more ›

Investigators concluded this morning that witness statements were unreliable and that, based on evidence, the Metrolink engineer ran the red light, putting the train on a head-on collision course with a Union Pacific train, according to the LA Times. more ›

Amid the process of letting 2,400 city of Los Angeles employees retire early--a move to help save a dwindling city budget--a draft internal letter obtained by the Los Angeles Times indicates plans to sack at least 1,000 employees. "Revenues are significantly lower than original projections and we are prepared to make tough decisions, including layoffs and cuts in less-essential city services to our constituents," notes the letter, referring to tax revenues. more ›

The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to meet this morning to discuss and finalize an 18-month investigation into the causes that factored into the 2008 head-on crash between a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train that left 25 dead and 135 injured. more ›

• Despite the controversy, congratulations is due to Westwood, which is close to having a Neighborhood Council... finally.
• The 710 Freeway once again was flooded today.
• Hollywood continues to grow. A new hotel at Hollywood and Cahuenga boulevards was approved today.

Some 3,400 LADWP customers scattered throughout the city are currently without service, about half of the number earlier this afternoon. However, the number of Southern California Edison customers across the region without service has increased by around 8,000. The hardest hit areas include Lake Arrowhead (3,142), Orange (1,805), Huntington Beach (1,571), Baldwin Park (1,253), Altadena (1,125) and Compton (870). "SCE is continuing to prioritize repairs so that customers who have been without power the longest will have service restored first," the utility said in a statement. more ›

LAist Sports Editor Jimmy Bramlett monitored the rainfall today in San Pedro. "It was pouring like a bitch," he said of the experience, which has been shared across the region this week. Over at 4th and Grand, where major flooding occurred yesterday, the scene was relatively calm shortly before 5 p.m. more ›

In addition to Long Beach, Santa Monica is offering sand bags to residents. Via an advisory from the city: "The City of Santa Monica has sand bags available for residents who request them to mitigate the effects of unfavorable weather conditions. Sand bags can be requested by calling the Public Works Department - Street Maintenance Division at (310) 458-4991. The Public Works Street Maintenance Division is located at 2500 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica." more ›

The Los Angeles Conservancy has just launched a "Neighborhoods" section of their website that integrates information about historic districts in LA County with a Google map. "With nearly 100 locally designated historic neighborhoods in sixteen cities across the county, these districts represent a range of architectural styles and are an important part of the historic fabric of Greater Los Angeles," explains a press release about the endeavor. more ›

A flash flood warning has been set for the burn areas in the San Gabriel Mountains where the Station and Morris fires burned last summer. "Rain gage reports indicate that rates have exceeded both one and three hour rainfall thresholds..." more ›

Rains yesterday caused San Pedro and harbor area streets to flood, sending some residents to a Red Cross shelter for the night and prompting elected officials to ask "why?" more ›

The storm today has knocked out power to thousands throughout Southern California, from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles to Orange County and beyond. Here's the breakdown of the latest. more ›

There are over 1000 homes in the Station Fire burn area that are under mandatory evacuation orders this afternoon as a third severe winter storm pounds down on Southern California and poses a very serious threat of mudslides and debris flow. more ›

The California Highway Patrol this afternoon has closed a portion of the 5 freeway in both directions in the Grapevine due to snow. "Snow is sticking to the roadway from Frazier Mountain Park to one mile south of Gorman making travel hazardous at this time," an advisory stated. "Northbound I-5 has been closed at Vista Del Lago and southbound I-5 has been closed at the Grapevine. Escorts are not being provided at this time and a decision on when to reopen the roadway has not been made." more ›

After banning smoking near outdoor dining areas, the Los Angeles City Council this morning took on the issue of breastfeeding at work. No, there's nothing wrong or illegal about doing it on the job at a desk, but state law does encourage employers to set up a private area so women feel more comfortable. more ›

During an intense wave of this third massive winter storm to pass through the Los Angeles area, two planes approaching Bob Hope Airport were struck by lightning this morning, according to KTLA. The aircraft were both Southwest Airlines, one of which was arriving from Oakland and the other from Sacramento. "The incidents happened sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.," reports a Southwest representative. The planes landed safely, and the airline is still working to determine if the aircraft were damaged. Two passengers "aboard the Oakland flight had some kind of medical complaints and were taken to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center for treatment." more ›

In a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles City Council this morning approved a new city ordinance banning smoking near outdoor dining areas. It will go into effect 30 days after Mayor Villaraigosa signs it, beginning a one-year educational grace period before going into full force, likely in February of 2011. more ›

As mandatory evacuations are underway, the County of Los Angeles this morning announced various shelters where pets and livestock can be sheltered. From Baldwin Park to the desert valleys to the West Valley, all the info is below. more ›

As the third storm begins to hit the Southland, Long Beach and other areas are still recovering from three days of rain. Yesterday, harbor cities and neighborhoods got hit hard, with Long Beach receiving plenty of rain and flooding, whether it be on city streets or the 710 Freeway. If you're a resident, remember there are free sandbags and sand available via the city. Then, once the storms pass, it will be time to clean up and possibly look at the success of a new (and still uncompleted) drain project in West Long Beach that kept a traditionally flooded neighborhood relatively dry. more ›

The Federal trial challenging Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is already in session this morning. Here's some of what happened yesterday, via the plaintiff's legal team: more ›

LAPD detectives arrested the man they'd nicknamed the "Stun-Gun Bandit" during the course of an investigation yesterday, according to a news release. Lester Robert Evans, 68, was on parole for a bank robbery, and has been tied to a December boutique robbery during which "the suspect was captured on video shocking the young clerk with a stun gun." more ›

Homes in the City of Glendale located high in the hills in the La Crescenta area have been ordered evacuated as a third serious rainstorm descends on Southern California, LA Now is reporting. 340 homes are at risk from flash floods, and residents "have been told to leave their homes by 9 a.m." more ›

• KPCC did a nice profile on a Southern California musician who says Martin Luther King Jr.'s words inspire her environmentalism and songs.
• State politics your thing? Good news! The LA Times has a new blog just for that.
• The downtown area is looking at a handful of future park facilities.

After plenty of mandatory evacuations prompted by the Station Fire last September, some 489 homes in fire-scorched areas will once again go under mandatory evacuation orders tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., affecting neighborhoods La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, unincorporated areas of Glendale and the City of Glendale. more ›

Heavy rains mixed with an electrical problem at Caltrans pump houses caused flooding in at least one area of the 710 freeway at Willow Street today. Crews are currently working to restore electricity to relieve the flooding, but Caltrans officials cannot sat when all lanes will be opened. more ›

It's been a chaotic couple of days here in Southern California and after the current storm, another one is expected. Today there has been tornado warnings and sightings, high winds and power outages, and flooding and mudslides. Above are photos representing some of that. Stay safe out there! more ›

One of the oldest neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley, Northridge, is getting its due respect beginning tonight. Once the "horse capitol of the West," the neighborhood later transformed, becoming the quintessential example of America's suburb with its California ranch style homes and as home to one of the state's premiere Cal State colleges. more ›

Long Beach along with other harbor cities and neighborhoods got hit hard with today's storm. In an advisory from the city of Long Beach, officials are urging residents and businesses to prepare for more storms: "The City of Long Beach is providing sand and bags for residents to make their own sandbags. The public may pick up sand at four fire stations (listed below) and the City’s Public Service Yard. Sand bags are being provided at all neighborhood fire stations." more ›

In an 11-3 vote, the Los Angeles City Council today approved the first reading of a proposed Medical Marijuana ordinance that would regulate dispensaries through a set of various municipal codes. Today's vote finalized one of the remaining debated issues: how close should a facility be to sensitive uses such as schools and churches and how close to residential homes. more ›

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting street flooding in San Pedro and other southernmost areas of the city. They "are experiencing severe stormwater impact at this time," the department tweeted. "Motorists are advised to avoid routine travel in the area." more ›

Even the city's central hub of political activity is not safe from the rain. As the Los Angeles City Council debated medical marijuana this afternoon, the room went dark--emergency lights went on--followed by thunder that shook the building and brought out laughter in the chambers. more ›

A waterspout was spotted off Seal Beach and two tornado warnings were issued as severe storm cells rolled in off the Pacific this afternoon. At 12:45 p.m. a tornado warning was issued for Orange County until 1:30 p.m. (extended to 2 p.m.) as the National Weather Service reported a storm cell heading northeast toward the Newport / Huntington Beach coast. more ›

Yesterday, photographer and bridge blogger David Kimbrough headed to the Fletcher Street Bridge to take some photos of the river. But what he found was quite unexpected. In his own words, he tells us what happened: more ›

Maybe we should move beyond the donut indulging cop stereotype. Amid news of Taco Bell founder Glen W. Bell's death, the LA Weekly finds that the first Taco Bell franchise went to an LAPD officer in 1964. That officer was one of the five motorcycle cops who opened franchises in the 60s. Five more soon got into the business and one of them, a former officer and current reserve, owns 21 Taco Bells. Random Taco Bell Fact: Local Chef (also known for appearing on Top Chef), Stefan Richter, once planted seeds found in a Taco Bell hot sauce packet. Now he has a "beautiful Taco Bell tree full of peppers." more ›

You would think that if you were among the highest paid city politicans in the country--around $170,000 annually--showing up for a pubic meeting on time would be a priority. That, however, is often not the case. Exasperated with starting City Council meetings late time after time, City Council President Eric Garcetti this morning let it be known how he will enforce the rules for the rest of the year. more ›

Everyone bitches about the 405, but seriously, the 101 is the city's hidden monster. See, the 405 you can at least expect to suck. The 101, on the other hand, plays tricks on you, being all perfect at times and then a total suck face other times. The Daily Beast released today a list of America's 75 worst commutes, and lo and behold, the Hollywood Freeway is ranked as the country's worst commute. more ›

Current law: don't pay five parking tickets, you get booted and/or towed. Possible future law? Don't pay three or four parking tickets, you get booted and/or towed. The latter is the dream of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, according to a 2009-10 State Legislative Program packet submitted to a City Council committee for consideration later this afternoon. more ›

The holiday weekend over and the Federal trial against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is back in its second week. The plaintiffs are still calling in witness experts and here's who is expected today and tomorrow, in order of appearance: Jerry Sanders, the current Republican Mayor and former Police Chief of the City of San Diego who is the father of a lesbian daughter. He will testify about his decision, as Mayor, to support the City of San Diego’s participation in an amicus brief advocating against the exclusion of same-sex couples... more ›

Amid the chaos at today's Conan O'Brien rally at Universal Studios was this gem of a moment. "Two martial-arts guys dressed as Jay and Conan had a battle royale, with a full-on Jackie Chan-style choreographed routine," described Kampy in the LAist comments section about the rally. more ›

• The critical eye of the Mayor Sam blog is taking a break, having announced over the weekend they feel it's time for a hiatus.
• Today's heavy rainstorm has forced the cancellation of horse racing at Santa Anita Track.
• More rainstorm fallout--or "fall down"--as a tree fell on a man today in Woodland Hills.

The first of three expected storms has passed and with not too much incident, considering this was one of the harder rains the Los Angeles area has seen in awhile. However, the worst has yet to come. Here's what's happening out on the streets, per the LAFD: more ›

Considering this was quite a large storm, power outage numbers for the city of Los Angeles aren't that crazy when compared to past storms. Of course, if you were one of the ones without power (like us), it's never fun. Here are the areas with large power outages, per the LADWP: more ›

Around three to four hundred hardcore Conan O'Brien fans braved the drenching rain to rally for the Tonight Show outside Universal Studios this afternoon. "Jay Leno sucks!" the crowd chanted in between screaming at passing by cars as horns were honked. Packed to capacity, people spilled out onto Lankershim Boulevard before police calmed and spread the crowd out. more ›

This afternoon Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa held a press conference to address concerns about the city's emergency agencies and the response to today's heavy and dangerous rainstorms. more ›

A flash flood warning was issued today for hillside communities and burn areas of the Station and Morris fires, as residents continued to shore up tenuous hillsides with sandbags and prepare for possible evacuations. "Residents and motorists are advised to be alert to flash flooding and debris flows, which may block roads and culverts," abc7 is reporting. During a live KTLA news broadcast at 1:45 p.m. the LA Sheriff's were on the streets of La Cañada in the burn area and confirmed they were conducting mandatory evacuations of the area. more ›

The team of Los Angeles County search & rescue specialists deployed to Haiti have already rescued a handful of people from the rubble. The trip has been an opportunity for L.A. County to catch up with the LAFD in entering Web 2.0 with a new Twitter account and Facebook page, which has been mostly keeping residents up to date with the rescue efforts, but also some local information bout the current rainstorm. more ›

Since 12 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department has been called in for 475 incidents (as of publish, it's probably around 500). Traffic collisions, flooding and other trouble caused by the rain (and every day events like medical calls) are part of that number. On average, there are 1,100 incidents per day, so this is nothing unusual for a rainy day, according to LAFD officials. more ›

After the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a video feed and YouTube uploads of the Federal Prop 8 trial, one Los Angeles man has found a way around it. "Freelance journalist and filmmaker John Ireland, who's based in Los Angeles and regularly examines gay rights issues, will produce a daily re-enactment of the Proposition 8 federal trial and post it on YouTube, starting this week," reported the LA Weekly over the weekend. "The U.S. Supreme Court probably never saw this coming," noted Queer Town writer Patrick Range McDonald. more ›

Los Angeles has earned $586 million dollars from the American Recovery Investment Act (you know, the Stimulus Package?), according to city officials speaking at a city council committee meeting last Friday. more ›

It's raining cats and dogs, but some 1,575 people are confirmed as a "Yes" to attending the Rally for CoCo!--as in Conan O'Brien--on Facebook via the I'm With COCO Facebook page, which has quickly garnered over 300,000 fans internationally. more ›

The rain came in a bit earlier than most expected it to yesterday afternoon, and lasted through the night. Now the National Weather Service has issued a special statement regarding the likelihood we'll face strong thunderstorms across Southwestern California this afternoon and tonight. more ›

In a candid interview published in today's LA Times, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa shares his reasons for his current well-being, citing changes to his diet, personal life, and career. more ›

• The Port of L.A. could soon be the proud owners of some zero-emission trucks built here in Whittier.
• One teen was killed and another wounded last night in what appears to be a gang-related shooting at a party in Maywood.
• This is the kind of news that might give you a headache: Johnson & Johnson have issued a massive recall of Tylenol, Motrin, and St. John's Aspirin.

With many local eateries and retailers looking to help out the relief efforts for Haiti, Heath Ceramics has joined the ranks and has two ways to shop and donate over the three-day weekend. In addition to donating 25% of sales from their Sausalito, LA & online stores to Architecture for Humanity’s earthquake reconstruction efforts in Haiti, if you visit the Los Angeles location you can purchase a $10 raffle ticket to win a ceramic piece by Adam Silverman (pictured) and 100% of proceeds go to Architecture for Humanity in Haiti. more ›

The company that owns nine Los Angeles-area newspapers, including the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, The Daily Breeze and the Pasadena Star-News will be filing "a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy" according to the OC Register. Affiliated Media Inc. announced their plan to reorganize yesterday, and that "the holding company’s lenders have agreed to swap debt for equity." As part of the deal their debt will be reduced "from $930 million to $165 million." Affiliated's CEO said the solution is part of their "search for a new model that reflects the realities of today’s changing newspaper environment," and gives them "breathing space to create a new model for the newspapers [they] publish.” more ›

An earthquake described by one authority as "a mild jolt" shook things up this morning in the Inland Empire, according to cbs2. The 4.3 magnitude quake hit at 4:03 a.m. and was centered "about 3 miles west-northwest of Beaumont," in the San Gorgonio Pass, which is 12 miles east of Moreno Valley and 71 miles east of Los Angeles, an area born of the San Andreas Fault system itself. So far there have been no reports of damage. Earlier this week a 4.3 quake rattled on the Banning branch of the same large fault system. more ›

Thursday's MLS SuperDraft in Philadelphia gave MLS fans plenty to look forward to for the upcoming 2010 season. more ›

Mark Williamson is not a nutjob, although when I saw videos of him parading in Times Square trying to break the “Jets Curse” it’s hard not to think he has a screw loose (or two). more ›

• Hey, LAist won the "Best News Blog" title in LA Weekly's Los Angeles Web Awards!! Thank you for your continued support of us! As always, we are only as strong as our awesome volunteer writers and your participation. That said, we can't be everywhere on the streets, so remember to send us tips to our tips e-mail box and we'll see if we can follow up! Thanks again!
• For those interested in the 405 widening project and the Subway to the Sea may be interested in these two public meetings.
• Having tried this tea before, we agree: GreenLAGirl tries out some biodynamic tea and reports back saying "the greenest green tea I’ve tasted is also the tastiest!"
• Now that former Assemblyman Paul Krekorian is a Los Angeles Councilman, his seat is vacant and a special election is set for April 13th.

Members of Los Angeles County Urban Search and Rescue Team arrived in Haiti yesterday and are at work, helping locate and free trapped victims of Tuesday's devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake. more ›

The Obama Administration this week made changes to how applications to the federal government's major transportation grant program, New Starts, will be evaluated. For Los Angeles, this could be a game changing move. more ›

Last night, California for Haiti raised $14,000 at TiGeorges' Chicken restaurant for the relief efforts in Haiti. About 300, including plenty of local news, came out to the Echo Park eatery to raise money, donate goods, sort fact from rumor, eat chicken, watch the news, and collect contact information for those wanting to help. The turnout was so overwhelming the kitchen briefly ran out of food, but resumed after announcements until the last plate was served. more ›

If 2008 was said to be a bad year in filming, the statistics for 2009 are even worse, 19 percent worse. Film L.A., the non profit contracted by the city of Los Angeles to handle permits, reported 37,979 permitted production days in 2009, according to The Wrap. To compare, 2008 had 47,117 film days (to explain, each on-location shoot that is not on studio property is a film day. If in one day, NCIS is filming in downtown, a commercial is being shot at the harbor and out in the Valley, CSI is filming, that would be three film days). more ›

L.A. Councilmember José Huizar and his wife, Richelle Rios, were ecstatic at the birth of their baby girl, Aviana Rose, who was born at 11 a.m. this morning. She weighed in at 8 lbs, 1 ounce and measured 20 inches and is reported to be healthy. Aviana is the fourth child in the family, joining siblings Emilia, 8, Isabella, 5 and Simón Luis, 23 months. Huizar represents parts of downtown, northeast L.A. and the eastside. more ›

An issue raised years ago has resurfaced once again as neighbors of Councilmember Richard Alarcón say they haven't seen him around in recent months. Such accusations have led to an investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, according to the LA Times. Two search warrants were served earlier this week to homes owned by Alarcon's wife--one within his Council District 7 and another in Council District 2. Both homes are in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. more ›

In the federal trial challenging the legality of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, testimony today by a professor from Cambridge University suggested couples, gay or not, can raise equally healthy children. "We have a substantial body of evidence documenting that a child being raised by same-sex parents are just as likely to be well-adjusted as children raised by heterosexual parents," testified Dr. Michael Lamb, a Professor and Head of the Department of Social and Developmental Psychology at Cambridge. more ›

Enjoy the last couple days of sun and dry weather, folks, because it's going rainy next week. Expected to begin Sunday evening, and lasting through Thursday, four to eight inches of rain is predict to soak the Los Angeles coasts and valley areas. And the foothills and mountains could get it worse with a predicted eight to 16 inches, according to Jamie Meier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. As for this weekend, partly cloudy skies will accompany temperatures in the 70s on Saturday and low to mid 60s on Sunday. more ›

When will secret shows actually be secret and not announced? But we digress. For Spoon fans, here's some good news, via The Scenester's Twitter: "Spoon (@SpoonTheBand) will be playing a "secret show" at El Cid on Monday! Tickets on sale today. Details: http://tinyurl.com/SpoonElCid". Tickets go on sale at noon today. Also: The Coachella line-up is expected to be announced on KROQ's Kevin & Bean show on Tuesday morning. more ›

Did the Prop 8 campaign subconsciously admit that gay marriage really isn't that big of a deal? The Courage Campaign this week launched their a live blog covering the trial, designed with a touch of parody, mocking the Prop 8 logo, made up of a man, a woman and two children. Courage Campaign turned it into a lesbian couple with two children. more ›

Bicycle activist and blogger Stephen Box yesterday recounted a hit and run that last week left a cyclist in the hospital. Here's what happened: more ›

Things are getting interesting in Lawndale (for once!). Years ago the city spent millions on redeveloping Hawthorne Boulevard. That included adding garlic plants to the medians, which was not only part of the project's cost, it cost residents and shoppers to endure an unpleasant stink. Nevertheless, the city council is now looking into spending $35,000 to have the plants removed. more ›

Jian Hong Li, 39, was charged yesterday with the murder of Hideko Oyama, the 74-year-old manager of the Chetwood Hotel in the Toy District of downtown Los Angeles. After staying at the hotel for a month, Li allegedly killed Oyama with a meat cleaver in an attempted robbery on January 5th. Later that day, a tourist found her with a slash to her neck. more ›

Today will mark the end of the first week of the federal trial challenging Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Here's quick recap from yesterday and a list of who is expected to take the stand today. As always, the Courage Campaign's live blog has been a great source for the trial. more ›

It’s clear that Benoit Denizet-Lewis loves the gays and the kids. We talked for about 40 minutes on Sunday about his book American Voyeur: Dispatches from the Far Reaches of Modern Life, and he notes a recurring theme of fitting in particularly in the gay culture. more ›

• In an effort to save California's budget, Schwarzenegger has instructed that the Orange County Fairgrounds be sold. The highest bid was $56.5 million, but the state was hoping for $96 million to $180 million.
• Will they have to join AFTRA? Mayor Villaraigosa and City Council President Eric Garcetti to guest star on All My Children.
• In addition to our story about sharrows (and bicycle sharing), Damien Newton at Streetsblog LA takes aim at the ridiculousness surrounding the bureaucratic process to get them painted on the road.

It was good times this morning as the sexy women of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls and hunky men of the Los Angeles Fire Department met in downtown's Pershing Square for a broomball brawl on the park's winter ice skating rink. The game was a fundraiser for the LAFD Widows, Orphan and Disabled Fireman’s Fund. more ›

Mobile billboards, whether the trucks with a sole purpose of parking an advertisement on a street or an unhitched trailed left on the side of the road, are a topic of exasperation to many around Los Angeles. So much so, the city is looking into the possibility of banning the tactic outright. more ›

As mentioned yesterday, Los Angeles was awarded $7.5 million in stimulus money to increase broadband access in the city. Now here are more details: via L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti's blog: "The funds will allow us to install more than 2,600 public computer workstations, provide broadband connection at 72 computer center sites, expand WiFi networks at places such as parks and community centers, deploy portable wireless training stations, and upgrade networks used to connect thousands of computers to the Internet." more ›

Now here's a creative (and green) approach to adding some magic to a street. Recently installed street lamps on AEG's L.A. Live campus in downtown are something straight from pop culture. more ›

Worthy of Tweet of the Day status. Via @RedCross: "We are now confirming you have donated $5 million to Red Cross earthquake relief efforts in #Haiti by texting "haiti" to 90999. Amazing." Earlier Today: LA and OC Search & Rescue Teams Heading to Haiti and a fundraiser in Echo Park tonight. more ›

Earlier this week, it was learned that, faced with steep budget cuts, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation is planning dramatic cuts to its transit service programs. Under consideration is jettisoning 11 bus lines from the DASH and Commuter Express services, doubling the quarter-fare to fifty-cents and other cuts to Cityride and charter buses. more ›

TMZ is reporting, via unnamed sources, the predicted inevitable: "Jay Leno has made a new deal with NBC, which gives him 'The Tonight Show' from 11:35 - 12:35." And as Conan said earlier this week, he's not willing to move to a later spot. Shows taking Leno's 10 p.m. spot will be Law & Order, Parenthood, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Marriage Ref (a Jerry Seinfeld show) and Dateline NBC, Monday through Friday, respectively, according to The Wrap. Expect more coverage and details in future TV Junkie posts. UPDATE: Unnamed sources tell The Hollywood Reporter TMZ is wrong. more ›

Los Angeles County Assessor Rick Auerbach today announced that he will retire in March, leaving his elected post a few months early after serving for 10 years. “I never thought of myself primarily as a political figure, even though voters have honored me with their trust in three elections,” Auerbach said in a statement. “I have long felt that I would know when it was time to retire and turn this job over to the next generation and that time is now." Auerbach recommends that his Assistant Assessor, Robert Quon, be appointed to run the department as the election approaches in June. Quon will not run for office. The Accessor's job is to deal with all taxable property in the County. more ›

Back in October 2008, then-Los Angeles City Councilmember Wendy Greuel asked the city to explore bicycle sharing, similar to what is seen in Paris, Washington D.C. and at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. A report on the progress of that request was finally made at yesterday's City Council Transportation Committee. more ›

City Controller Wendy Greuel is at it again and this morning released a report showing off more wasteful spending in the city. With over 40,000 phone lines totaling $7.2 million a year in phone calls, she looked at phone call policies and if there is proper oversight in the justification employees making calls. Some findings her office released in a teaser are as follows: more ›

Nearly two years after a motion set forth by Council President Eric Garcetti, a pilot program to bring sharrows--street markings educating bicyclists and drivers on sharing the road--could become a reality. Installation of the street markings could begin February 2nd and be completed by May, provided all funders sign contracts allowing city employees to begin work, it was learned a Los Angeles City Council Transportation Meeting yesterday. more ›

Following murmurings earlier this week, former Congressman Tom Campbell has officially announced he is withdrawing from the Republican gubernatorial race and intends to challenge Barbara Boxer (D) for her Senate seat come fall, reports KESQ. In a video released today, Campbell remarks that the "change" that began in DC last year is not what California needs or wants, and targets "irresponsible growth in spending" driving our state and country into debt. more ›

Aid from the US is mobilizing and heading to Haiti to help the earthquake-ravaged nation with search and rescue operations, and teams from both Los Angeles and Orange counties are part of the effort. more ›

It's the fourth day of the federal Prop 8 trial and more experts brought in by the plaintiffs (two gay couples) will go on the stand. Here's a quick recap of yesterday, thanks to the Courage Campaign's live blog: more ›

LA Lakers defeat Dallas Mavericks 100-95. Well the Lakers didn’t heed my suggestion in resting players. Kobe, Ron Artest and Sasha Vujacic played. The starting front court each had a double-double with Andrew Bynum getting 22 points and 11 boards, Lamar Odom with 18 points and 14 rebounds and Ron Artest with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Farmar also came up big with 12 crucial points leading the bench while Kobe was sitting out most of the game. While Dirk Nowitzki got his 20,000th point, the 34th player in NBA history to do so, the Lakers became the first NBA franchise to get their 3,000th victory. While the Lakers did look to have the game in the bag, the Mavs managed to tie the game at 95-95 with 42 seconds left in the game. But Kobe, even ailing, made a clutch jumper from the right elbow as the shot clock was expiring. Despite playing some bad defense, the Lakers did manage to make the lead stick. more ›

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• Possibly big trouble in Glendale: "Three men, including an Iranian-born chemical engineer living in Glendale, have been charged in a scheme to smuggle sophisticated industrial components into Iran that could be used in the development of a nuclear weapon, authorities said Wednesday".
• Anti-gang activist Alex Sanchez was granted bail today after a judge changed his mind. Sanchez stands accused of going back to the streets and conspiring to commit some serious crimes, say the feds.

I found myself reading Scott Wolf’s tweets yesterday. That’s how strange the USC head coaching job search had become. I realized I was actually interested in his nonsensical flip-flopping and reporting of false leads. I spent the day instant messaging my friends with ties to Heritage Hall along with LAist Sports Editor Jimmy Bramlett, seeing who had heard what. more ›

In the introduction to his second book American Voyeur: Dispatches from the Far Reaches of Modern Life Benoit Denizet-Lewis writes, “And although I have written about sports, for the most part I’ve gravitated toward chronicling the lives of people who are ignored, misunderstood, stereotyped, or outside the mainstream.” more ›

It is now becoming apparent why Dr. William Tam, a defendant-intervener and official proponent of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, wanted to be excused from the trial. He stated that he feared for his life and family in his request to the court last Friday. Today during the redirect examination of Yale Professor George Chauncey (he's an expert on gay discrimination) by San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart, the video taped deposition (from December 1st, 2009) of Tam was shown. Here are some selections: more ›

With all the nonsense going on at Heritage Hall, it has been very easy to overlook the Lakers. After all it’s the middle of the NBA season that really doesn’t get heated up until March. Hell just win at a steady clip and no one in LA will notice. more ›

In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court today voted to indefinitely blocked cameras from the federal Prop 8 trial, currently in its third day, the Associated Press is reporting. The two lower courts approved a live feed to selected court houses outside of San Francisco, including an approved a delayed YouTube feed by district court Judge Vaughn Walker. Gay marriage advocates said it would bring transparency to the trial, but case defendants, the backers of Proposition 8, feared the exposure would scare witnesses away. more ›

Instead of passing an ordinance regulating medical marijuana today, an embattled Los Angeles City Council instructed the City Attorney's office to write up two versions of the law. At issue is how to restrict the 137 legal dispensaries in neighborhoods--how many feet should they be from sensitive uses like schools and parks and how many feet should thy be from residences? more ›

It's easy to indulge in casual stereotyping, and to accuse the opponents of gay marriage of "bigotry," "homophobia," "a stunning lack of historical knowledge" or "total failure to show basic decency." You might even point out that their arguments against the legality of gay marriage "don't make any fucking sense." But friends, that kind of rhetoric is just the same old hatred rearing its ugly head, hatred which America's political left must finally admit to, and confront. more ›

Speaking of the recent Kogi BBQ growth and drama of losing the person who developed its Twitter strategy, let's step back to last week's Wall Street Journal article on the king of mobile food trucks. Specifically, buried at the bottom, is this amazing fact: "Mr. Choi says that in its first year of operation, Kogi grossed about $2 million from check averages of roughly $13 a person. Mr. Choi earns a $90,000 salary; a manager on each truck earns about $38,000. Profit margins are around 20%, which has enabled Mr. Choi and the Mangueras to put money aside for a restaurant." Wow. An estimated 65 food trucks are now on the road (you can see many of them on our master list) and we're curious which ones can achieve similar results in the future. more ›

On Monday, the state's Legislative Analyst’s Office released its report on California's planned $42.6-billion state high-speed rail network. Concerns included ridership, income, risk assessment and a backup plan in case ridership can't support operation. more ›

Over two years in the making, Los Angeles is still without an ordinance regulating medical marijuana dispensaries. Today, the City Council is slated to discuss and possibly vote on the plan. The current question for members is if dispensaries should be 500 or 1,000 feet from one another and other types of places like schools, parks, libraries, churches, childcare facilities and youth centers, reported the LA Times. At a meeting in Dcember, the Council requested an analysis to determine the effects of such a restriction on the 137 dispensaries deemed legal by the council last month. According to that document (.pdf), several communities like Venice and Silver Lake would have no collectives if restrictions were approved. more ›

Wouldn't it be nice if one day it rained in Los Angeles and it wouldn't mean the government telling residents to stay away from beaches because of pollution? As with every time it rains, County Health Officer Jonathan E. Fielding cautions residents who are planning on visiting beaches and going in the water. Specifically, the concern is around discharging storm drains, creeks, and rivers where bacteria, debris, trash, and other public health hazards from city streets and mountain areas are likely to enter the ocean. more ›

Police have nabbed and booked a suspect in last week's murder of 74-year-old Hideko Oyama, a manager at the Chetwood Hotel in downtown's Toy District. She was found stabbed to death on January 5th after an apparent robbery. more ›

The third day of proceedings in the federal Prop 8 trial is already in session. Here's a quick recap of yesterday based on the Courage Campaign's live blog: more ›

Obama's Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, is in town today to help announce a $7.5 million Recovery act investment to increase broadband access in the city. "The investment will help bridge the technological divide and improve access to job and computer training and educational opportunities," an advisory explained. Details of how the money will be used should be announced later today. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will all be present at the press conference, which is taking place this afternoon at the South Los Angeles WorkSource Center. more ›

Sometimes, the news will not wait for your cloud-based EPK. more ›

As I type this up at 9:00 pm, Ed Orgeron is at Heritage Hall looking at video of recruits mere hours after becoming recruiting coordinator for USC. Again. more ›

• Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell has dropped out of the race, leaving former eBay CEO Meg Whitman and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner in the game.
• "Federal railroad officials today unveiled regulations for equipping the nation’s freight and passenger trains with automated braking systems required by Congress after the deadly 2008 Metrolink crash in Chatsworth."
• At the famous Hollywood & Vine intersection: 2,600 square feet of ground floor retail below five levels of parking (and in walking distance of a subway stop).

The group of schools on the site of famous Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard where Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 will be named in his honor, the LAUSD Board of Education decided today. The move had been in the works for a long time and was voted upon unanimously. more ›

ESPN.com is reporting that USC has hired Tennessee Volunteers and for Trojans offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin to replace Pete Carroll as head coach of the football team. ESPNLosAngeles.com's Arash Markazi is also reporting that Kiffin will bring defensive coordinator and father Monte Kiffin and defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron. more ›

Since 1970, the Bodhi Tree Bookstore, a Melrose Avenue staple, has been an information center for spirituality-related information. But times have changed and the store which used to have a staff of 100 is preparing to close its doors in a years time, reports the LA Weekly. "Twenty years ago we felt like it was an expanding situation," said Co-Owner Stan Madson. "We were concerned the store was getting too big. We had a staff of 100. Publishing was expanding. Spirituality was expanding. But what changed was that the market became widely dispersed." Also closing in the very near future is the nearby Borders Bookstore on La Cienega. more ›

Just three hours after the large 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti just before 2 p.m. PST, Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel are already mobilizing in case they are needed to fly out and offer aid. The 72-member team, made up of Urban Search and Rescue specialists, is referred to as California Task Force 2 (CA-TF2). more ›

A beach closure was ordered for Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach after hundreds of gallons of sewage spilled into it this morning. The spill occurred a couple blocks away at 3rd Street and Granada Avenue, but sewage entered the storm drain system and reached the lagoon. more ›

Legalizing marijuana would bring the state about $1.4 billion, according to a state analysis. Now compare that to this: "California could reap an economic boon worth $16 billion by legalizing its 1.8 million undocumented adult Latino immigrants," reported the LA Times based on a USC study released today. Some disagree with that number, citing the public services offered to citizens, which USC admittedly did not study. And then add this: "the study was released at a kickoff rally in Los Angeles to renew lobbying efforts for legalization, more worker and family visas and other elements of comprehensive immigration reform," said the paper. more ›

On Saturday night there was a 6.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Northern California. Today at 1:53 p.m. PST there was a 7.0 magnitude quake in Haiti. more ›

U.S. Soccer and the U.S. World Cup 2018/2022 Bidding Committee this afternoon announced a list of 18 potential host cities across the country. Included in this list are Los Angeles and San Diego, with the former offering the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and Rose Bowl as possible venues that meet FIFA requirements for staging World Cup matches. more ›

The Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien brouhaha is getting hotter and messier. Today Conan said if the Tonight Show is moved to 12:05 a.m., he will step aside. Here's a portion of his statement addressed to the "People of Earth," as seen on the New York Times.: more ›

Another huge step was taken this morning in the effort to legalize marijuana beyond the current medical-use constraints. The California Assembly's Public Safety Committee voted 4 to 3 to approve A.B. 390, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, which is the legislation that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. more ›

To smoke outdoors or not smoke outdoors? That's the controversial question and some fighting words among people. As West Hollywood begins to follow in the footsteps of Los Angeles, which is close to completing its own law banning outdoor smoking around restaurants, the WeHo News this week published an article about the science, or lack thereof, of studying the effects of second hand smoke near outdoor patios. more ›

We once heard someone say finding a new apartment every year or so is a "Los Angeles thing to do." True or not, apartment hunting is a big business here--from Westside Rentals to various other pay websites to the free Craigslist where free rent can be found, provided you're willing to throw in some spanking and leather here and there. more ›

Yesterday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced a new player in his office who will focus on revamping and retooling Los Angeles' ways in economic development, business attraction and retention and job creation. Austin Beutner, founder of the private equity firm Evercore Partners and former partner at the large investment firm, the Blackstone Group, will become the city's first Deputy Mayor and Chief Executive for Economic and Business Policy, reporting directly to the Mayor and earning $1, yes $1, a year. more ›

Protectmarriage.com last night sent out an e-mail following up on the first day of the trial over Prop 8, which the group sponsored and ultimately won, banning gay marriage in California. The letter, written by Executive Director Ron Prentice, is quite revealing, especially this paragraph: more ›

When the new LAPD Police Administration Building opened last Fall, a park was gifted to the community. But it wasn't too long before it was blocked off to the public for two weeks to make way for a Los Angeles Police Foundation gala. When all was said and done, the equipment used ruined the grass, leaving it brown and muddy during wet weather. Eric Richardson at blogdowntown has been following the lack of progress, finding that repairs should start with a few weeks at the expense of the foundation. Also, the palm trees are not doing so well, but police, who are in charge of the park rather than Parks & Rec, say that's a separate issue. more ›

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck is continuing his appearances at public meet and greets with his first in the new year. The public is invited to a community a forum tonight in Boyle Heights and participate in an "interactive question and answer session," the department announced today. It takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bishop Mora Salesian College Preparatory at 960 South Soto Street. UPDATE: The event is tonight, not tomorrow. more ›

As the second day of the trial moves forward, let's quickly look back at yesterday's proceedings, based on the Courage Campaign's live blog: more ›

The historic fight over gay marriage began a new chapter yesterday, as the federal trial over Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, saw its first day. Some of the first words heard were of Ted Olson, a major conservative figure who was President George Bush's appointed United States Solicitor General and lawyer in Bush v. Gore. Despite his background, the California raised and educated lawyer has sided with the right for same-sex marriage. more ›

• Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who struck two kids late last month on Main at 43rd; the crime was captured on video.
• Has Michael Jackson's death certificate been "quietly amended" to reflect a cause of death related to propofol and homicide?
• A man was struck and killed this morning by a Metrolink train in the city of Orange.

A little news from the other coast. Both of New Jersey's state houses voted to legalize medical marijuana, letting the state become the sole dealer. Gov. Jon Corzine is expected to sign it before leaving office next Tuesday, reports Gothamist. more ›

And for the third suspicious package of the day, the UCLA Police Department this afternoon shut down three levels of Parking Structure 8 after they were notified of a "suspicious briefcase placed behind a trash can on the top level," according to an UCLA advisory. The walkways just west of Spaulding Field and those south of parking structure are also closed. Traffic is blocked along Strathmore Drive between Westwood Plaza and Gayley Avenue. The LAPD's bomb squad was requested at 12:55 p.m. and is currently investigating, according to the LAPD. Earlier, a suspicious device was detonated in Universal City and an investigation near Sunset and Fairfax is ongoing. *UPDATE, 2:40 p.m.: And the situation has been cleared. "Sometimes a briefcase is...just a briefcase," UCLA's newsroom tweeted. more ›

Although Judge Walker received hundreds of thousands of public comments (to be exact, there were 138,542 in favor and 32 opposed) to broadcasting the Federal Prop 8 trial, people across the country were denied that opportunity after the Supreme Court this morning blocked taping until at least Wednesday when a final decision would be made. However, The Courage Campaign, which supports gay marriage, is live blogging from the courthouse. If you know of any live blogs covering the trial from the other side of the table, let us know. more ›

Yahoo! Sports writers Jason Cole and Charles Robinson are reporting that former USC Trojans running back Reggie Bush met with NCAA investigators prior to the 2009 NFL season after investigators spent more than three years trying to get him to talk. As expected he denied that he and his family took $300,000 worth of extra benefits while he was playing for the Trojans in 2004 and 2005. more ›

As the historic Prop 8 trial takes place in a federal courthouse in San Francisco, another historic hearing will be going on in Sacramento tomorrow morning. The California Assembly’s Public Safety Committee will conduct a hearing and vote on A.B. 390, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, which is the legislation that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. more ›

A suspicious package found on the 7800 block of Sunset Boulevard was reported to police at 11:09 a.m. this morning, according to the LAPD. The investigation is ongoing with the bomb squad en route. Various streets around the area are shut down. Earlier today, a suspicious device was detonated in Universal City. (thanks for the tip, @juliabetley!). *UPDATE, 5:08 p.m.: The suspicious package, actually an empty suitcase, was cleared around 3:30 p.m. more ›

The City Attorney's office was instructed to recommend options for the creation of a bicyclist anti-harassment ordinance after discussion at the City Council's Public Safety Committee this morning. "Most of what you asked for is already within the law or the state jurisdiction," said committee chair Greig Smith, explaining that the city has limited authority over vehicle codes. more ›

With a projected budget deficit of $350 million over next ten years and a $23 Million projected deficit in the next fiscal year, the city's Department of Transportation is being forced to seriously look at their operations. Part of that includes the management of their transit services like DASH and Commuter Express where massive cuts are being proposed. more ›

A good LA Times editorial today takes a stab at directing city leadership into focused action as final decisions for next fiscal year's city budget (and deficit) near within the coming months. The Times acknowledges something we all know: Los Angeles is poorly run and we need a complete vision and a back-up plan. "Such strategizing doesn't come naturally to most politicians, and there's no shame in that, as long as they recognize their shortcomings and call for support. There is expertise in-house, if only city management -- the elected officials -- would listen. If not, maybe before contracting out the parking meters, they ought to contract out for some long-term thinking," the paper said. more ›

Caltrans has issued a retraction to last week's notice about nightly closures on the 405 Freeway. Initially, the agency said they would begin work tonight, but now work will begin Wednesday evening with full northbound closures Wednesday though Friday. more ›

As expected, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley announced that he has taken formal steps to make a run for California's Attorney General by forming an Exploratory Committee. “Many people from law enforcement and throughout the political spectrum are urging me to run for Attorney General,” he said in a statemetn this morning. “I am proud of my crime fighting record as District Attorney. As a career prosecutor and District Attorney of Los Angeles County I have the experience and drive to be California’s top law enforcement officer." Most recently, however, he's stepped on shaky ground with many liberals, siding with City Attorney Carmen Trutanich on Medical Marijuana, vowing to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries. more ›

With the help of the public, the LAPD was able to take into custody the suspect they'd characterized as "desperate and reckless" whom they sought in conjunction with a crime spree Saturday morning that involved multiple attempted and successful car thefts and other criminal activities in the West Valley area. more ›

Commuters attempting to travel in the Universal City area early this morning were faced with rail and road closures due to police activity. During a routine traffic stop conducted around 3 a.m. authorities discovered what they labeled a "suspicious device" inside a Scion being driven by a motorist pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving, according to KTLA. A search uncovered the device that "appeared to be a pipe bomb" and "described as a bunch of fireworks taped together." A robot retrieved the device and the bomb squad detonated it safely. Lankershim Blvd, the 101 and area off-ramps, and the Red Line's Universal City stop were closed, but were reopened at around 7 a.m. more ›

The Supreme Court has just announced they are blocking the video recording and broadcast of the controversial same-sex marriage trial set to begin later today in San Francisco, according to an AP report. The court has said they will not permit video to be broadcast on YouTube, even with a tape delay, because the justices need more time to consider the matter. The blocking holds until at least Wednesday. Those opposed to the video broadcast believe cameras will affect witness testimony. Previously: Prop 8 Proponents Ask Supreme Court to Block Camera Coverage; 9th Circuit Says Cameras Allowed in Prop 8 Trial Courtroom more ›

It's January 11th, 8:30 a.m. and the historic case challenging Proposition 8 is just beginning in San Francisco with opening statements followed by testimony from the plaintiffs, who are two couples that were denied marriage licenses because of Proposition 8. A lot has happened since same-sex marriage was legalized in California back on May 15, 2008; so let's recap and dive into the case. more ›

The Daily News' "Inside USC" writer Scott Wolf is reporting that USC head football coach Pete Carroll has turned in his resignation to USC. Carroll is expected to accept the job as Seattle Seahawks head coach tomorrow. more ›

• Residents of NorCal spent today cleaning up after yesterday's 6.5 earthquake.
• A fire late last night in Inglewood caused damage at Morningside High School.
• An 84-year-old woman was found dead inside her Anaheim home, possibly the result of murder.

Santa Monica's mayor Ken Genser died yesterday as a result of "multiple complications" stemming from his October 30th 2009 admittance into the hospital, explains the city's official website, noting that Genser, 59, "passed away peacefully [...] with family and close friends by his side." more ›

The black BMW 650 whisking actress Lindsay Lohan out of the area behind the Hotel Cafe last night struck one of the members of the paparazzi swarming the vehicle, then fled the scene, according to KTLA. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. on the 1600 block of North Cahuenga Boulevard, when Lohan and her two assistants entered the vehicle that then exited from "the narrow alley behind the club." Witnesses report seeing the car surrounded by paparazzi, then one of them being struck, with a female assistant at the wheel. Lohan's "car sped away and never came back," leaving "a 220-pound male [who] was treated at the scene" for his injured wrist and leg. Police are still investigating the incident and hope to identify the driver. more ›

The best way to control rumors most often is to confront them head-on, which NBC has done today via NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin, who revealed just this morning that Jay Leno's "nightly prime-time show will end with the beginning of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12," reports KTLA. According to Gaspin, Leno is being courted for an 11:35 p.m. half-hour slot, thereby bumping Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon back a half-hour, however it's "not a done deal," adding he "hopes to have NBC's late-night lineup cleared up by the beginning of the Olympics." Gaspin remarked that it was the NBC affiliates who were not satisfied with the Leno "experiment," which prompted the mid-season shakeup. The news came during NBC's segment of the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena. more ›

The LAPD have released information and a map detailing an early-morning crime spree conducted by one man yesterday morning through the Valley and into the hills around Sepulveda Boulevard in the hopes the public can help identify the suspect. more ›

• The search for Mitrice Richardson drew 300 volunteers to Malibu Canyon today, but the woman remains missing.
• A 7-year-old boy was stabbed to death last night in Long Beach.
• RIP Art Clokey, the animator behind Gumby. He died yesterday at age 88.

Yesterday the Los Angeles Fire Department released the audio recording of the 911 call made by Brittany Murphy's mother when she found the actress collapsed in her home last month, reports LA Now. more ›

Authorities in Big Bear are searching for the suspect in a hit-and-run incident that took place on the slopes of Bear Mountain Ski Resort and left a nine-year-old girl injured, according to cbs2. The collision took place Saturday January 2nd at approximately 1 p.m. "The suspect is described as a white male between 25-30 years old, and approximately 5'10" - 6'2" tall. He was reportedly wearing a black and white jacket, black pants and using a black snowboard." The girl was treated for "a compound fracture to her femur and several wounds to her face." Anyone who maybe able to help with locating or identifying the suspect are asked to contact the Big Bear Sheriff's Station at (909) 866-0100 or by placing an anonymous call to WE-TIP at (800) 78-CRIME. more ›

After losing the bid to block cameras from the Prop 8 trial twice, supporters of the measure that banned gay marriage in California have submitted a last-minute emergency application to the Supreme Court asking Justice Kennedy to block the cameras. more ›

The LAPD continues its emphasis on getting intoxicated drivers off the street, and to aid in that aim is operating a DUI checkpoint tonight from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Cahuenga Boulevard West and Broadlawn Drive in North Hollywood. According to the LAPD North Hollywood-area residents logged 181 driving under the influence-related and 1,203 hit and run traffic collisions. While making arrests is one goal of this and other checkpoints, public education is an additional aim, which is why all those passing through the checkpoint will talk with an officer who will explain the purpose of the program. Though you may opt to navigate around this location, the LAPD may have other unannounced checkpoints set up tonight. Be safe! more ›

On Christmas Eve hikers making their way through the Angeles National Forest near mile marker 19.36 of the Angeles Forest Highway found a human skull, and alerted authorities, who then launched an investigation of the area. Searching through terrain recently ravaged by the Station Fire, deputies from the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station found a second skull just two days later. more ›

Following Judge Vaughn R. Walker's decision to allow a court-run camera tape the Prop 8 trial for a delayed upload to YouTube, supporters of the measure that banned gay marriage tried to delay the trial, citing how the move violated federal court rules and would intimidate witnesses called to the stand. more ›

LA Times' Gary Klein and Sam Farmer are reporting that USC football head coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks are close to a deal worth $7 million a year for five years that would also make Carroll president. Daily News' Scott Wolf is reporting the only question remaining is how much power Carroll will have in the Seahawks organization. more ›

• L.A.'s next Mayor? "I know if I'm going to run, I'll need to make a decision this year," Grove and Americana Developer Rick Caruso tells the Huffington Post.
• Kogi BBQ's brick and mortar location on Overland Avenue revealed.
• Looking to buy a place of your own? The Roosevelt in downtown will be hosting a condo auction on Valentines Day.

As the Valley joined Los Angeles as a whole this decade with Latinos becoming the majority, another recent census study shows that children of immigrants are the majority statewide when it comes to those under 18, reports the LA Weekly. "Don't tell the producers of The Hills or any of the other youth-oriented television shows that seem to portray people of color as background noise in California," they said, also adding this note: "The changes could also mean greater disparities between the politics of older white voters and those of younger minorities at the polls." more ›

The LAPD's weekly weekend presence on the streets to deter drunk driving will be no stranger in 2010. Tonight, a DUI Checkpoint will be located in the Hollywood area at Fairfax and Melrose from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Last year, the surrounding area experienced, 120 driving under the influence-related and 1,185 hit and run traffic collisions. As noted by LAPD Chief Charlie Beck in an interview with LAist, the department is under no legal pretense to announce checkpoints to the public. That means other checkpoints could be out there, or maybe not. Stay safe, everyone! more ›

As part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget proposal, which includes offshore oil drilling to fund state parks, he included an idea that would enable cameras at intersections not just catch red light violators, but speeders, too. If passed, cities and counties would be able to install a speed sensor, says the LA Times. "Those whizzing by the detectors up to 15 mph above the limit would have to fork over $225 per violation," the paper said. "Those going faster than that would pay $325 under the plan." more ›

For once, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid out a budget proposal that does not cut money from state parks. That sounds great, however, it's one of those tricky smoke and mirrors ideas--he'll fund state parks using offshore oil money, says Traci Verardo-Torres of the California State Parks Foundation. more ›

A today's Metrolink Board of Directors meeting, a handful of train lines to Orange County and the Inland Empire were cut, according to transit advocate Ken Ruben, who attended the meeting. Four Saturday and two Sunday trains were cut from the Inland Empire-Orange County Line, leaving one round trip train on each weekend day.The Orange County line lost half of its trains, leave four on each weekend day. The move saves the agencies over $1 million over the next two fiscal years. more ›

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Twitter that USC football head coach Pete Carroll could be filling the recently vacated head coaching position at the Seattle Seahawks saying that it is expected to happen. more ›

Justice is served. "Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington called the case a 'wake-up call' to motorists and cyclists and urged local government to provide riders with more bike lanes," the LA Times reported. "He said he believed that [Dr. Christopher] Thompson had shown a lack of remorse during the case and that the victims were particularly vulnerable while riding their bicycles." Thompson purposely slammed on his brakes while driving on Mandeville Canyon Road in Brentwood on the Fourth of July in 2008. Two cyclists were injured, one of them went through the back window of his car. Damien Newton at Streetsblog LA says the sentence is only partially served. "This case needs to be a wake up call to a city who's attitude towards cyclist safety is cavalier at best," he wrote. more ›

Last year, Crumbs released an Elvis cupcake, complete with fried peanut butter, in honor of his birthday, which is today. This year, along with the traditional laying of flowers at his Hollywood star, the Grammy Museum is opening a photography exhibit featuring pictures of the king in 1956 when he was 21. more ›

Next week, Metro will begin doing seismic tests in some Westside neighborhoods as they prepare to build the "Subway to the Sea" project, reports the agency's blog. Work will begin Monday and last for four nights. more ›

The ever-expanding neighborhood market that is Fresh & Easy appears to be preparing to open a store in Encino. California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control records released today indicate the market's application for a beer & wine license. more ›

Unchanged from November, last month's unemployment numbers kept at 10 percent as the nation lost 85,000 jobs. Also, underemployment grew from 17.2 to 17.3 percent. "To put this number in perspective, employment declined 139,000 in September and 127,000 in October," explained Christina Romer, the White House Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. "So, in a broad sense the trend toward moderating job loss is continuing. This trend is particularly obvious in the quarterly pattern: average monthly job loss was 691,000 in the first quarter of 2009, 428,000 in the second quarter, 199,000 in the third quarter, and 69,000 in the fourth quarter." more ›

It was early New Year's Eve day when 33-year-old Bobby Salcedo, an El Monte assistant principal and school board member, was kidnapped and shot execution style while visiting the central Mexican city of Gomez Palacio. The Mountain View High School graduate and assistant principal had no connections to narcotics trafficking, but one or two of the six others killed with him may have. Five more people in the city were also killed execution style that night. more ›

Jay Leno confronted rumors of his show getting canceled or moved back to the 11:30 spot with, of course, meta-network jokes tonight. Last we heard was that NBC is committed to keeping the late-night host, but that might mean pushing Conan O'Brien, who just moved to Los Angeles to take Leno's spot, out of the way--translation: move to a later spot or completely off the station. TMZ alleges that NBC has given O'Brien a choice in the matter. more ›

• Getty director Michael Brand announced his plans to resign today.
• In two separate incidents, in which four were arrested, explosive devices were safely detonated in Long Beach and the Northeast Valley.
• The Daily News suggests trying out veganism for 21 days.

The two-plus year, $8.9-million project along Sepulveda Boulevard in Westchester has finally been completed, officials announced today. As one of the main access routes to LAX, Sepulveda in Westchester was (and sometimes still can be) a headache for commuters, travelers and locals. The project between Lincoln and Howard Hughes Parkway brought improved sidewalks, landscaped medians, upgraded streetlights, new shrubbery, 193 new trees, a storm drain and catch basins. It also widened the street to three lanes in each direction with a street parking lane in the business district. more ›

It didn't take long for the recently elected 2nd District Councilmember Paul Krekorian to start work the moment he was confirmed last Tuesday. He quickly introduced a motion "that would call for tougher development restrictions and seek to limit the scope of SB 1818," the state law that strips local municipal zoning codes and allows higher density with less restrictions (watch this great video example), on a project within his district, according to OurLA. more ›

When you're a park poor city with little room to designate more park space, where do you go? You build one on top of a freeway. Well, that's the vision of community and politicians a like and tonight is the Friends of the Hollywood Central Park's annual gala. more ›

When Speaker-Elect John Perez is officially confirmed as the Assembly's Speaker in coming month, he will be the first openly gay man to take the role. The freshman Assemblymember represents a portion of Los Angeles and is Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's cousin. Interestingly enough, the last time the speakership had contested in a floor vote was in 1998 when Villaraigosa was elected to become speaker (harbinger for Perez?), notes the LA Times. more ›

Selbert Perkins Design, the design firm that created the LAX Gateway glass pylon project, developed all the interior and exterior graphics for the BCS Championship Game tonight. In partnership with the Tournament of Roses for 11 years, the design firm also designed the game tickets, programs, credentials, VIP cards, etc. more ›

Yeah, after this morning's rumors, now we're hearing this alleged scenario, via TMZ: "Jay Leno is going back to his 11:30 PM time slot, and it's looking like Conan O'Brien is the odd man out ... sources tell TMZ. We've learned Jay's 10:00 PM show will go on hiatus February 1. After the Olympics, Jay will take back his 11:30 PM time slot. What has not been decided -- whether Jay's show will be a half hour, followed by Conan, or whether Jay's show will be an hour and NBC says sayonara to Mr. O'Brien. We're told Jay and Conan have both been told of the changes. As for Jay, interestingly, he'll get what he always wanted -- his 11:30 PM time slot." This would confirm, at least, NBC's denial of Leno being canceled. more ›

Remember last October when the LAPD's union busted the department for storing confidential files in common spaces like hallways and parking garages with no security (see photos here)? Documents with social security numbers, serial numbers, search warrants, arrestee booking information and more was there for the taking. Even some boxes were marked “Evidence” and “Analyzed Evidence." more ›

No one wants to wait 30 years for the much needed transit projects currently being planned. As voters, we've already approved Measure R, which increased our sales tax, to help pay for major transit infrastructure, but that's not enough if we want more trains now (or really soon). That's why the City Council has asked the proposed National Infrastructure Development Bank to advance money to Metro for the Westside Subway and other Measure R projects, according to the Daily News. Of course, that bank needs to become a reality first. more ›

First Walt Disney's grandson in the West Valley, now Ronald Reagan's in the East Valley. 31-year-old Cameron Reagan was arrested last night when an alarm was tripped at his family's Sherman Oaks home on the 4700 block of Allott Avenue, according to the LA Times. Police arrived to find a somewhat-inebriated Reagan who was “very uncooperative," leading to his arrested for resisting arrest. He was booked at the Van Nuys Station and was held on $10,000 bail. more ›

After months of media coverage about the lack of interest by police in the missing status of Mitrice Richardson, a major search by the LAPD and Sheriff's Department is scheduled for this weekend, reports the Malibu Surfside News, via LAObserved. Richardson, "who was preparing to begin substitute teaching and doctoral work in clinical psychology," went missing in the early hours of September 17th after an incident that led to her arrest in Malibu the night before. Based on the way she acted that day, her booking photo and writings later found in her car, family and experts said she may have been suffering from a mental breakdown or sorts. more ›

The Associated Press joined forces with Petside.com to find out which pet was more popular. Dogs won, overwhelmingly. "74 percent of people like dogs a lot, and only 41 percent like cats a lot," the newswire reported. And just to be a factoid nerd, let's remember that Chihuahuas named Princess are the most common name-breed combo found in Los Angeles County, according to LA Times' dog database. more ›

In a case oddly reminiscent of model Jasmine Fiore, 26-year-old Paula Sladewski was found "burned beyond recognition" inside a Miami trash bin Sunday night, according to the LA Times. The Rancho Cucamonga model was traveling with her boyfriend, who told police they got separated at a club before he reported her as missing on Monday. Her boyfriend, 34-year-old Kevin Klym, and her apparently got into a fight at the club when the bouncer kicked him out, according to the Miami New Times. He took a taxi back to the hotel, leaving her inside. more ›

Shocking but not surprising news. Word is spreading that, according to industry blog FTVlive.com, the Jay Leno Show is being canceled by NBC. Leno's nightly 10 p.m. slot has caused a lot of trouble for the network such as forcing it to cancel shows like Southland (luckily, TNT picked it up) and tank ratings, which in turn has affected subsequent newscasts. "Citing anonymous sources, the site said executives have not yet decided when to pull the show or what may replace it," reported FOX Business. UPDATE: Sources are saying Leno may move back to 11:30 p.m., but what about Conan?! more ›

Last week it was announced that beginning January 12th and lasting three years, Caltrans and Metro would be embarking on the final phases of putting in a carpool lane, among other freeway fixes, between the 10 and 101. Caltrans this week announced specifics about what to expect next week and it is a full nighttime closure. more ›

LA Clippers defeat LA Lakers 102-91. Tenth time’s the charm. After the Lakers had defeated the Clippers for nine straight games, the Clippers wouldn’t take it anymore. While Baron Davis led the Clippers with 25 points and 10 assists, the Clippers distributed the ball very well with five players in double-digit scoring. Chris Kaman won the battle of the bigs against Andrew Bynum with 21 points, 14 boards and two assists. While the Clippers held a lead for most of the game, the Lakers came back to tie the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With the game tied at 83-83 with seven minutes remaining, the Clippers went on a 19-8 run to end the game. Those who are surprised the Clippers beat the Lakers haven’t watched a Clippers game. While they’re not great, they play all four quarters. more ›

Clippers television commentator Mike Smith and a business partner has been charged by the Orange County District Attorney for criminal theft for allegedly conning a retired school teacher to put up his paid-off home as collateral for a failed $735,000 loan for a failed development project. more ›

• A taxpayer has filed a $3.3 million suit against the Michael Jackson estate on behalf of the city to recover public money spent on the event.
• The ever changing face of downtown: Hollywood's Pig n' Whistle is moving closer to seeing its original downtown location again.
• An update to this morning's post on Roman Polanski. He asked to be sentenced in absentia.

Another suspicious envelope, the fifth in three days, has been found on the University of California, Irvine campus today, according to KCAL-TV. Four envelopes, all postmarked from Idaho, carrying a white powder and with the message "black death" written on it, were found on Monday and Tuesday and were all addressed to women, says the LA Times. In all cases, the powder was found to be harmless. more ›

"It is mind boggling that we have continued to drive crime down in the numbers and we've done it in no small part because of the men and women of this police department," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at today's press conference discussing 2009 crime statistics. "We're still the most under policed big city police department in the United States of America," he said, referring to Los Angeles' size of force--just under 10,000 officers--and size of coverage--456 square miles. more ›

Yesterday a patron at the Chetwood Hotel (411 E. 4th Street) in the Toy District neighborhood of Downtown discovered the business' elderly manager bleeding in her second-floor office on the property, however the woman, 74-year old Hideko Oyama, died shortly after in the hospital. Now authorities are working to determine a motive in the case while pursuing other leads. more ›

Airport security is a hot-button topic today, and with LAX serving as a major international hub how we keep travelers safe is getting much attention. While local officials like Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are lauding the facility for its level of security, as recently as last month several "LAX security workers were fired [...] after they were allegedly discovered to have been using drugs," notes LA Daily, following a CBS2 report on the subject. more ›

Judge Vaughn R. Walker split the baby today and decided to let the trial against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, be videotaped by the court and uploaded to YouTube later in the day, according to the LA Times. more ›

Netflix and Warner Brothers today announced a new deal with means good and bad news. The bad first: customers seeking new Warner Brothers DVD releases will have to wait 28 days until the rentals are available. The catch? Well, Warner Bros. wants people to buy DVDs instead of rent them and other movie studios are likely to follow suit with a similar deal. Any good news here? Possibly. "Both companies would like you to know that the deal also guarantees that Warner Bros. will add more direct-to-video and streaming titles to the Netflix collection," says Mashable. That, however, doesn't guarantee all titles, just "more." more ›

If you thought you could save some bucks and whoop it up at Disneyland on your next birthday thanks to the theme park's freebie, you're too late. As the OC Register's OC Deals Blog reminds us, "the last day you could go to Disneyland for free on your birthday was Dec. 31." more ›

A series of vehicle burglaries in the Manhattan Beach area recently have prompted local authorities to caution shoppers at the Apple Store at the Manhattan Beach Village Mall to not leave their purchases in their vehicles after leaving the store. Since September police have determined that the burglars have watched customers exiting the store with new computers and then seized the opportunity to break in to the vehicles once drivers have left the Mall and driven to other locations and left the computer unattended in the parked car. The Manhattan Beach PD is working on solving these crimes, and are reminding shoppers not to leave pricey goods unattended in cars, no matter how far from the place of purchase you go or if the vehicle is locked. more ›

Lame duck Governor Schwarzenegger today will give his last State of the State speech and it won't be sexy. Faced with a $20.7 billion deficit and 12.3% unemployment, he will hopefully lay out plans that will truly put California back on the right track. Here's out the San Francisco Chronicle recaps the past 12 months: "The state issued IOUs to vendors and taxpayers; halted construction of thousands of projects for months..." more ›

Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker of the U.S. District Court in Northern California today will hear testimony from both sides about letting cameras into the courtroom in the case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Walker is expected to make a decision on Friday, after receiving public input via letters and petitions (we posted about one yesterday). more ›

The Santa Monica Daily Press spoke to city hall officials about the closure of the new popular food truck lot on Santa Monica and 14th. Here's what Kate Vernez, assistant to the city manager, said: "Basically, this was a non-permited use of the food truck [vendors] on that lot,"she said, adding that organizers never approached city hall about the lot and land use rules were being circumvented. "What we're doing now is we're researching the code to see if there's any type of permit" that can be used to let the lot continue operation. more ›

Director Roman Polanski remains under house arrest in a Swiss town, having already pledged to fight his extradition to the United States to face sentencing in a 32-year-old case. Today, however, lawyers are scheduled to meet here in Los Angeles to continue discussing what "future legal moves that could resolve the marathon prosecution," according to the Daily News. This type of meeting is called a "status conference" and will be heard by Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza. more ›

• Improvements to come? "California lawmakers are moving closer to education reforms sought by the Obama administration, giving the state a shot at $700 million in federal money."
• Traffic Alert! Sigalert has been sold to Westwood One.
• A Facebook big wig donated a $2 million to Attorney General Jerry Brown's campaign for governor. The Grove and Americana developer Rick Caruso is also helping raise money for Brown.

LAPD Detectives last night arrested a suspect in the murder of 59-year-old Ben Bradley, the theatre director and producer from the Fountain Theatre in East Hollywood. Bradley was found stabbed to death on Saturday in his Koreatown apartment Saturday night after not showing for a threatre rehearsal. Police at that time were working off few clues and thought it may have been a robbery gone awry. more ›

After conducting an autopsy on the body of Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson, who was found dead yesterday in her Los Angeles home, the L.A. County Coroner has deferred the cause of death, pending the receipt of toxicological tests and microscopic studies. No ruling will be made until results are back, which could take 6 to 8 weeks, but the coroner did say that the "anatomical findings show no evidence of trauma to the body." more ›

The 2000 census report for the San Fernando Valley was recently updated and shows some interesting changes. At the request of Congressman Brad Sherman, the Census Bureau updated the report using detailed data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) in order "to help community organizations, businesses, and government leaders make better-informed decisions affecting the Valley’s future... more ›

As HOWS Market in the NoHo Arts District takes a dive, the nearby popular Ralphs in Sherman Oaks at Ventura Boulevard and Hazeltine Avenue is looking to upgrade. The Kroger Company is looking to completely redo the property, turning the store it into a Fresh Fare, and adding a handful of other retail options (they could end up being restaurants, dry cleaners, a cell phone store, etc). more ›

We have to agree with the Courage Campaign on this one. This historic trial about Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, should be televised. From the organization's e-mail alert today: more ›

Two Orange County men who entered the home of an FBI agent to steal beer were sentenced to two years in prison. "The men entered the Yorba Linda home Nov. 18 through a partially opened garage door, the Orange County District Attorney's office said," explained the LA Times. "The FBI agent -- identified only as James M. -- entered the garage and identified himself as a law enforcement officer and ordered them to stop. The agent briefly struggled with one of the men before both fled in a car. James M. shot at the car as it drove away but neither man was injured." The two men never ended up with any beer, just cuffs when they were found soon after. more ›

Today, the Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to make their second and final vote on zoning changes to portions of the Glassell Park and Cypress Park communities. The problem? "Many in the Glassell Park and Cypress Park communities felt these areas had been long neglected from a planning perspective," explained Julie Wong of Council President Eric Garcetti's office. "This addresses some community concerns, including what they feel to be an over-saturation of auto-related businesses and fast food drive throughs." more ›

The LA Times today revealed a memo and information from sources about all the recent resignations and new hires within Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's administration. The most poignant fact, one that most people are likely to agree with, is this: a lack of follow-through on certain policy goals. more ›

Multiple sources are reporting that Angels and USC announcer Rory Markas has passed away at the age of 56 this morning of a possible heart attack. Markas had battled health problems in recent years including a blood clot to his brain in November 2008. Just being named the lead announcer for the Angels for this upcoming season, Markas announced games on virtually every team not named the Dodgers or Lakers in this city and worked as an on-air talent for CBS2, Fox 11 and KNX Newsradio 1070. more ›

LA Clippers defeat Portland Trail Blazers 105-95. Chris Kaman once again came up big with 20 points and Marcus Camby grabbed 15 boards to lead the Clippers over the infirmed Trail Blazers. Going into the fourth quarter the Clippers led by only four points. They went on an 18-6 run holding the Blazers scoreless for four minutes during that run. Kaman has been dominant this season scoring 20 or more points in 10 of his last 11 games. He is currently the Western Conference’s leading scoring center. more ›

Casey Johnson, a 30-year-old heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, was found dead today in her home in Los Angeles, according to KTLA. The socialite was known for making headlines for outrageous and often illegal activities, and just last month had announced her engagement to reality TV star Tila Tequila. Tequila remarked today on her Twitter account: "This is a very heartbreaking time for me. I just want some pricacy as I deal with the loss of my Fiance Casey Johnson. I'm heart is shredded." As recently as this evening as Tequila reported Johnson was in a coma, however media outlets and Tequila herself soon confirmed Johnson has died. more ›

• Sen. Gloria Romero lead the California State Senate in honoring the memory of El Monte civic leader Bobby Salcedo today; this evening a vigil will be held for him at his alma mater, Mountain View High.
• The California Medical Board has accused OctoMom Nadya Suleman's fertility doctor of negligence.
• Tuition might be skyrocketing, but both UCLA and UC Irvine made a national list of the 100 "best values" in public higher ed, at 13th and 20th ranking respectively.

Around 3 p.m., LAPD officers responded to the 4200 block of Ethel Avenue in Studio City, between Ventura Blvd. and the Los Angeles River. A "suspicious package" was reported, prompting street closures and a call to the bomb squad. No word yet on the outcome of the situation, according to LAPD officials. more ›

District Attorney Steve, who is considering a run for Attorney General, last week announced that no charges will be filed against the El Monte police officer who kicked a car chase suspect in the head, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The incident happened back in May after a dangerous police pursuit. At one point, Richard Rodriguez fled the car and became trapped in a backyard. Before officers arrived, he laid down on the ground, face down, with his arms spread out. The first arriving officer, George Fierro, kicked Rodriguez in the head, making the TV helicopter footage an instant hit on the internet. more ›

Love him or hate him, newly elected City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has definitely made a mark. He beat out Villaraigosa ally, former Councilman Jack Weiss, and quickly started rocking the boat--first with bringing up "criminal aspects" about the Michael Jackson memorial service (later being a bully to AEG) and most recently, his controversial proposals for medical marijuana dispensaries (during his inauguration, he did state he was "not here to win a popularity contest."). more ›

Things this weekend was just downright ugly. With NFL teams playing half-assed, USC’s self-flagellation and Pau Gasol going down with another hamstring injury for the Lakers, this weekend was just one long comedown from the high of the New Year. Those NFL games were perhaps the most unwatchable exhibitions seen in a long time. While some teams simply rested their starters after the first quarter, other teams fearing fan and media backlash experienced by the Colts last week left their starters in but used the most vanilla plays in their playbooks. Look at these scores: more ›

A 62-year-old woman lost her life when crossing the street in West Adams last night. Annette Marie Carter was struck by a car at Normandie Avenue and Adams Boulevard around 11 p.m. The driver, apparently in a black Toyota Corolla, fled the scene northbound on Normandie, according to the LAPD. "Hit and run killers pose a grave menace to South L.A. residents, “said Earl Ofari Hutchinson, President of L.A. Urban Policy Roundtable, in a statement urging the D.A. to toughen prosecutions of hit and run drivers.”A vigorous prosecution of hit and run killers will send the strong message that hit and run driving that result in death is murder and the penalties will be severe.” Detectives believe there may be front end damage to the car. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call detectives at (323) 290-6063 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 during after hours. more ›

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This Christmas, when a Nigerian man traveling into the US armed himself with explosives on his Detroit-bound Northwest flight, the hair-trigger reaction by airlines and airports and the TSA was to up security measures and to adjust policy for travelers entering the States from abroad. more ›

2009 has come and gone and many are thankful that it's gone. That's because 2010 signals, not only a new decade, but a new era for us. Before we get too overly excited about that, let's look back at last year and what it offered, from the good news and the bad news, the ridiculous and odd. The posts listed here reflect the most popular, as determined by you via comments and "likes." Enjoy and here's to a great 2010! more ›

After the Governor tried to raid public transit funds and was stopped by the courts, he's after the money again, but with a different shell game. As pointed out by Damien Newton at Streestblog LA, the LA Times reports that "the governor would eliminate the sales tax on gas and, at the same time, impose a new per-gallon excise tax. Drivers would pay about 5 cents less per gallon at the pump. The excise tax would not be subject to voter-approved spending requirements for public transit." Ouch. more ›

In early December, 52-year-old Robert Painter, a Canadian citizen living in Los Angeles, was hit by a driver while riding his bicycle on Laurel Canyon Boulevard in North Hollywood. The driver left the scene and Painter later died in the hospital (read more about the account on LAist's post). more ›

On New Year's Eve, LAPD's Valley Traffic Division hosted a party of its own in the NoHo Arts District. Located in the northbound traffic lanes on Lankershim Boulevard next to the Metro Red and Orange line stations was a license and sobriety checkpoint. New Year's revelers found themselves in slower than normal traffic as police stopped every fifth car (and any other suspicious ones) to check for a license and any signs of inebriation. more ›

It's been shaky down at the border with the biggest earthquake, a 5.8 magnitude one, occurring last week. The LA Times today notes that the region down at the border continues to shake, meaning only one thing, use of phrase "earthquake swarm." We've seen swarms before in 2009: One in Inyo County in early October and the most notable in March around the Salton Sea. more ›

In what appears to be a robbery turned deadly, the theatre community this weekend mourned the loss of award winning director and producer, Ben Bradley, of the Fountain Theatre. He was stabbed to death around 5:50 p.m. on Saturday evening in his Koreatown apartment on the 100 block of South New Hampshire, some two miles from the theatre in East Hollywood where he greeted audiences while also managing the box office, among working other various roles. more ›

The 405 freeway may be headed to three years of this kind of stuff, but the 10 and 605 freeways are getting some love, too. A $175 million project, expected to debut in winter of 2012, will bring carpool lanes in each direction of the 10 Freeway between the 605 and Puente Avenue. Caltrans warning to expect lane, ramp and even some full freeway closures through Saturday morning, mostly along the 605 this week. Also, $165 million worth of pavement work on the 10 will prompt various lane closures from downtown to Boyle Heights and a little beyond. Full details for both projects are after below. more ›

• Authorities in the Westlake District discovered a man in his 50s stabbed to death in his own apartment.
• A vigil has been scheduled for tomorrow night to honor Bobby Salcedo, the El Monte school official slain last week while on holiday in Mexico.
• Something stinks in Lawndale.

USC Trojans athletic director Mike Garrett announced self-sanctions on the the men's basketball program due to the OJ Mayo investigation today. Mayo with his affiliation with Rodney Guillory, who was deemed to be a booster under NCAA rules, was found to be ineligible for the 2007-2008 season, the only season he played for the Trojans. more ›

Airport officials at LAX have announced a significant change in their parking operations which is effective this month, LA Now is reporting. Parking Lot B, the long-term economy lot located at 111th Street and La Cienega Boulevard is slated to close permanently and public parking services once offered there will be "consolidated with other lots." more ›

• Respected El Monte civic leader Bobby Salcedo was among those gunned down late last week in Mexico.
• An intoxicated knife-wielding man was arrested yesterday when he attempted to climb a fence at LAX.
• A water main break caused a sinkhole to open up this morning near Sylmar High School.

The first homicide of 2010 was logged yesterday when the LAPD responded to a call Friday afternoon at a home in Watts. There they discovered the bodies of Jose and Paula Torres, both 44, a couple who died in an apparent murder-suicide, according to LA Now. It was their daughter who made the call after she discovered them shortly after 1 o'clock in the afternoon on New Year's Day. She reported that it was her father who shot her mother, then turned the gun on himself. Authorities are investigating the motive for the killing. more ›

The holiday weekend continues and the LAPD keeps setting up DUI Checkpoints in an attempt to discourage everyone from drinking and driving. There have been less fatal accidents since New Year's Eve, but more DUI arrest, reports the California Highway Patrol. Tonight, there will be one checkpoint located near the Staples Center because of a high occurrence of DUI related incidents in the last three months, explains the LAPD in a press release. The police do not have to announce checkpoints in advance to the media or public, so there could be more out there. Stay safe! more ›

An incident that took place last night in the unincorporated area of Avocado Heights in the San Gabriel Valley has left the LA County Sheriff’s Department seeking help in locating suspects who were engaged in a confrontation described as a "brawl," according to LA Now. more ›

The California Highway Patrol has released their figures following New Year's Eve and New Year's morning, and while the number of fatal accidents is lower than last year, there were more arrests made, according to an AP report published on abc7. There were "five fatal vehicle accidents" reported, which is "five fewer than last year," claiming five lives--of which one was a pregnant woman. However, the CHP "made 527 DUI arrests between New Year's evening and morning 2010, compared to 438 in 2009." Locally, the LAPD had several checkpoints set up to check for possible DUI conditions during the holiday and will continue to do so this and other weekends. more ›

Although the marching bands have put away their drums and trumpets and the princesses' crowns are resting on velvet pillows, there's still a chance for folks in the Los Angeles area to get an up-close look at the floats that traveled down Colorado Boulevard yesterday morning as part of the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade. The public is invited to check out the floats on display along Sierra Madre and Washington boulevards today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., according to KTLA. more ›

New Year's Eve has come and gone--with DUI arrests up but fewer fatal accidents along California's freeways compared to last year--but past experiences point toward the whole weekend being a scary one on the roads. That's why police are keeping up their strict and saturated presence on the streets through Sunday evening. more ›

Looks like Fox programming won't go to the wayside. Time Warner's Director of Digital Communication, @jeffTWC on Twitter tweeted: "Attn Time Warner Cable customers: We have a deal with Fox. Your programming is safe. Please RT" Fox programming was supposed to be cut for Time Warner Cable customers at midnight last night, but the two companies extended talks. At issue was that Fox wanted more money per subscriber. more ›

Everywhere you go, there’s a hell of a lot of sentimentality going on. Best of 2009 lists, best of the decade lists despite the fact that the decade doesn’t end until this year. It’s just a bunch of mushy nostalgia served to cheapen the events that actually happened. As Thom Yorke crooned on “Let Down” on OK Computer, “Don’t get sentimental it always ends up drivel.” more ›