News

• Burbank's Bob Hope Airport's ranking among airports of its size dropped from 12th to 15th in a national passenger survey.
• Over at LAX today, a Southwest Airlines flight turned around and landed safely when they began to experience engine problems shortly after takeoff en route to San Jose.
• Did actress Brittany Murphy take all but 11 of the 120 Vicodin pills she picked up by prescription just over a week before her death?

The LAPD will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. tonight on Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Califa Street and Marylee Street in Woodland Hills. "During this year, residents residing in the Topanga Area endured 19 driving under the influence-related and 99 hit and run traffic collisions," explains an LAPD release. As always, the goal of these operations is not to give intoxicated drivers the chance to plan a detour, but rather to "educate the community to use designated drivers and not drink and drive." more ›

As expected, the North American West Coast is seeing some tsunami activity following this morning's deadly 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Chile. At around midday those in beach communities in Southern California began to see a change in the Pacific as a series of surges hit the shoreline. The activity is hard to uniformly predict, however we're largely looking to experience 2-4 foot surges for a period of about two hours. more ›

While here in Los Angeles and the greater Southern California area are anticipating Pacific wave activity as a result of today's early morning devastating 8.8 quake off the coast of Chile, many are working diligently reach loved ones in South America and regions under more serious tsunami warnings. Additionally, many here might be interested in ways to help out in the relief and recovery in Chile, and as a result, Google has just launched a Crisis Response portal where you can donate funds to the American Red Cross and UNICEF, get updates from news sources, and locate loved ones. To follow relief efforts and opportunities for aid, you can also follow the Red Cross on Twitter. more ›

The massive early-morning quake off the coast of Chile has dozens of Pacific-bordering nations on alert as the shifting of plates are causing tsunami conditions in the water. The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued an advisory for the North American West Coast, though it is important to note that while the effects can be dangerous, they are not expected to be devastating here:

Tsunami Advisory means that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near the water is imminent or expected. Significant, widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory. Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.

MLS 2010 action kicks off in exactly 4 weeks, at least on paper. While all the teams are busy sharpening their skills through their respective pre-season camps, a bigger issue is taking prominence. more ›

The rainstorm that settled in over Southern California overnight and early this morning has been "dumping steady rain," and has caused the "flooding [of] some roads but so far causing no major mudslides," according to LA Now. About .8 of an inch of rainfall was logged by 4 a.m. in downtown, however we can expect "1-2 inches of rain before the storm moves out" tonight. more ›

A tsunami advisory has been issued for the California coast this morning following the overnight magnitude-8.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile, according to the LA Times. "An advisory means there may be strong currents, but that widespread inundation is not expected to occur." more ›

Microquakes have been shaking the Coso Junction area of Eastern Central California all week, but it wasn't until tonight when more noticeable ones struck. A light 4.1 earthquake struck at 10:22 p.m., followed by two minor shakers--a 3.8 at 11:10 p.m. and a 3.4 at 11:21 p.m. more ›

• California, as in the state government, has new rules guiding employees on the use of Twitter and other social media outlets. For example, here's Rule No. 8: "Users shall not utilize tools or techniques to spoof, masquerade, or assume any identity or credentials except for legitimate law enforcement purposes, or for other legitimate State purposes as defined in agency policy."
• 11 state-owned office buildings around California, including the Ronald Reagon building in downtown L.A., are up for sale. It could bring in $2 billion to help with the state's $20 billion budget shortfall.
• "Van Nuys Airport will phase-out noisy jets over a seven-year period under an ordinance approved today by the Los Angeles City Council."

The LAPD is doing their weekly DUI Checkpoint and tonight's is in Echo Park. Specifically, it will be held on Glendale Boulevard between Effie and Berkely from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. There have already been 13 driving under the influence-related and 116 hit and run traffic collisions in the Northeast Police division this year. more ›

Haiti isn't making headlines as much as they were earlier this month, but widespread problems continue. Basics like food and electricity continue to be a problem, despite an outpouring of donations from around the world. Up to $15 billion may be needed and the fundraisers continue. Here are a few that caught our eye... more ›

Los Angeles has the Office of the Controller, an elected position that is the city's fiscal and performance watchdog. If you're doing something wrong, you might be caught and called out publicly after an audit. A recent internal county audit finds that some Supervisors control policy decisions behind the scenes. That report, however, was not made publicly available and it took the LA Times some work to obtain it. "County officials initially declined to release the audit, but after extensive conversations with The Times, the report was released late Thursday," said the paper, which put up a blog post today in preview of a more in depth article on Sunday. more ›

Senator John McCain made a jingoistic off-cuff joke during President Obama's health summit yesterday. "There's two examples right now of medical malpractice reform that is working. One's called California, the other called -- called Texas," he said. "I won't talk about California, because the Arizonans hate California, because they've stolen our water," he said before going on about Texas. more ›

L.A. City Councilmember Tom LaBonge certainly thinks so. At yesterday's Metro Board Meeting, which he is temporarily appointed to, LaBonge entered a verbal motion in an effort to extend rail service on already existing track to 6th Street in the Arts District. more ›

The list of California’s largest unpaid sales and use tax delinquencies was updated today with the addition of 22 names, which consisted of people mostly from Southern California. Altogether, the newly listed debtors owe a total of $27 million. Since 2007, the state's Board of Equalization has been mandated by state law to post online a list of the largest 250 tax delinquencies--in total, they owe a combined amount of $302 million--of more than $100,000 in tax... more ›

Police are reportedly looking for a Mercedes Benz that is suspected of fatally hitting a middle school student as she boarded a school bus, according to KTLA. The incident happened around 7:20 a.m., says the LAPD, which will hold an 11 a.m. news conference at the incident's location at Sunset and Cliffwood in Brentwood. A source tells us the victim was a student at Harvard Westlake's Middle School campus. more ›

It would be nice if Lt. Governor candidate (and L.A. City Councilmember) Janice Hahn focused on issues rather than attacking possible candidate (and San Francisco Mayor) Gavin Newsom. Of course, the political theatre that it has become is drawing attention to a race that no one ever pays attention to and in the end, that may be the genius behind it all. It also brings more attention to Hahn, herself, who would be otherwise unknown to the rest of the state if Newsom decides to enter. more ›

Plans for a streetcar in downtown Los Angeles are moving along. The nonprofit charged with the project earlier this month applied for $25 million from a federal "urban circulator" grant. That course of action prompted the Metro board yesterday to take charge and become the lead agency for the environmental review, a document needed in order to proceed with the project. more ›

That's a good amount of money, but you're not going to raise millions by April 14th at that rate. According to the folks at the Trust for Public Land, which is trying to save the Hollywood Sign's neighboring property, Cahuenga Peak, from sale to a private developer who could build a handful of homes, they still have a long way to go until they hit $12.5 million. more ›

AOL is launching a new neighborhood news service called Patch. It's hyper-local to the core, as they just hired a full time editor to live and breath Manhattan Beach day in, day out. Soon they'll launch a Redondo Beach version and so on, apparently. This type of reporting is much needed and if successful like Eric Richardson's blogdowntown, where city council agendas are scrutinized and development news is broke, this will be exciting. Kevin Roderick at LA Observed, however, has a note of caution: "the difficult trick on coverage of small cities is to be knowledgeable without becoming a tool of the city officials, politicians and community leaders who care more about favorable coverage and avoidance of controversy than about accuracy or independence." Currently a feature piece on the MB portal is a piece about parking meter rate hikes. more ›

• And it has arrived: The annual 99 Things to Eat in L.A. Before You Die is out. Read it, live it.
• Actor Andrew Koenig, who played the role of Boner on the show "Growing Pains" was found dead in a Vancouver Park today after being reported missing last week. His dad said it was suicide.
• You've got education and you've got skills. But like many Angelenos, you're still out of a job.

When downtown's Bob Hope Patriotic Hall opens in 2012, it will not only be home to L.A. County’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, but also to three of Kent Twitchell's latest murals, the county's Arts Commission announced today. The works will celebrate lost murals by Helen Lundeberg, which were painted in 1942 during the Works Progress Administration and later destroyed after placed in storage in a neighboring building that was subsequently demolished. more ›

If a 4,000-acre solar power project in San Bernardino County makes it through all of its approvals, over $1 billion is waiting in the wings, courtesy of the federal government. BrightSource Energy is working towards just that in the Ivanpah Valley and if successful, it will be the first solar power plant in California's desert in 20 years. It would create an estimated 1,000 union construction jobs (86 permanent ones) bringing in $400 million in state and local tax revenues and eventually powering some 140,000 homes. more ›

For the oversharers out there, here's one reason not to tweet out your location, Foursquare publicly or otherwise locate yourself on various other social networks. NPR reports: "A new Web site called PleaseRobMe.com has drawn attention to the issue by repurposing posts from foursquare, a social networking site that lets people share the latest about their whereabouts. PleaseRobMe demonstrates that it's easy for anyone to find out you're not at home — and therefore, are presenting an 'opportunity' for burglary." more ›

Rodney Alcala, the one-time "Dating Game" contestant back in the late 1970s, was convicted today in the killings of an Orange County girl and four Los Angeles area women, according the LA Times. Alcala, who represented himself during the trial, has twice been convicted and sentenced to death for the slaying of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe... more ›

Will the world witness Los Angeles' inability to regulate illegal signage on Oscar day? Just a day after city attorneys filed sweeping lawsuits against supergraphics across the city, a new one has appeared on the First National Bank Building, just down the red carpet from where the Oscars will take place on March 7th, says Dennis Hathaway at Ban Billboard Blight. "The supergraphic that went up two days ago without any permits is made of vinyl and attached to the building with eyebolts and cables, a method that has aroused the ire of historic preservationists" he said. The company responsible for the ad, iMedia, says the building will get two digital billboards and that an ad on Oscars night will cost $216,000. more ›

Yesterday during the meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, alternatives to laying off up to 4,000 employees was discussed. But in order to see those results, the mantra of "sharing the sacrifice" reared its head again. LA Times' Steve Lopez poses the question: "Would you take a pay cut to save your co-workers' jobs?" A 10% cut to a worker paid $50,000 a year would mean $5,000 less annually. If that happens, it won't be the first time many city employees have taken a cut. more ›

Not too long after city officials told a pair of Silver Lake residents that Phil Lumbang's popular "Hello!" mural must come down, a different mural in downtown's official Gallery Row neighborhood is targeted for removal today. Los Angeles artist Emmeric James Konrad's mural at the Down and Out Bar on Spring Street prompted a complaint, which alerted city officials to the illegal mural. more ›

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Get ready, Hollywood. Trader Joe's Hollywood & Vine location--more specifically, at 1600 North Vine--is scheduled to open sometime this year. This morning, LAist reader Shamara Jones caught a temporary sign being installed. "Super exciting!" she wrote in an e-mail. more ›

The LA Weekly says "Councilman Tom LaBonge registered his own dog this week after voicing an objection to a successful City Council motion to have animal services workers go after unregistered canines in the city." For LaBonge, it is a civil liberties issue. The motion at hand lets the Department of Animal Services work with the Department of Water and Power, which "maintains a customer database of households with dogs so that meter readers and other DWP personnel can be aware of any animal issues when they are visiting a property." With the information from DWP, Animal Services employees can cross check records to see if people are paying their license fees. The move is expected to garner $3.6 million for city coffers. more ›

The controversial issue of increasing the speed limit along Riverside Drive between the Burbank border and Van Nuys Boulevard in Sherman Oaks was approved by a L.A. City Council committee in a 2 to 1 vote yesterday. The proposal, which will up the limit from 35 to 40 m.p.h., will be considered by the full City Council on March 5th. more ›

The ExpressLanes project, which someday will allow solo car drivers to share carpool lanes for a price along the 110 and 10 freeways, could be delayed when the Metro Board votes on a request to do so today. At issue is the 10 Freeway between the 605 and 710 freeways. Unlike the 110 Freeway, the 10 doesn't have two carpool, or hot, lanes. If Metro is given time to add one of these lanes, the ExpressLanes project would be more successful when it debuts. The project is a federally funded pilot project and the federal government has approved the time extension. more ›

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is in Washington D.C. and spent yesterday lobbying the feds and congress about the "Subway to the Sea." He wants it built in 10 years, but local funding could not support that timeline. However, in about 30 years, thanks to half-cent sales tax generated by Measure R, the funding will be there. more ›

Senator Barbara Boxer, along with Foster Farms, yesterday called on the USDA to take a closer look at misleading labeling practices of chicken. These days, that "all natural" label could mean just that, or it could mean sodium-injected, a sexy practice called plumping. Chicken labeled “natural” can contain up to 500 percent more sodium than truly natural, no saltwater added, fresh chicken. Despite the trickery on the packaging, reading the nutrition label would also clue people in. more ›

• One more kid for Octomom Nadya Suleman? She says yes, but...she's waiting to get married.
• Authorities have confirmed that a young woman who committed suicide in her car in Castaic had been reported missing from West Covina.
• General Motors announced today that they are going to put an end to their Hummer brand; they've been trying to sell it off for years, but with no success.

Today marks the end of a nearly 20-year battle over creating a landfill, purportedly the largest in the world, next door to Joshua Tree National Park. The Department of the Interior today announced they will not appeal a 9th Circuit Court decision to ban a public lands be exchange with a company that wanted to create the Eagle Mountain landfill, which would be filled by 20,000 tons of trash from L.A. County via train six days a week for 117 years. “Secretary [Ken] Salazar made the right decision to protect our national treasure--Joshua Tree National Park-- from a literal mountain of trash,” said Mike Cipra of the National Park Conservation Association. “Los Angeles’ future garbage disposal needs can be offset with existing landfills and increased recycling.” more ›

Some businesses are so excited to receive customer feedback that they put up signs asking patrons to leave a rating on the popular website Yelp. Sometimes questioned for their dubious methods, Yelpers these days can have a profound impact on a business' success or failure. more ›

Introduced today by L.A.-based State Senator, Senate Bill 1255 seeks to bar the sales of sugar-sweetened sports drinks in public schools during school hours. “When California barred the sale of sugar-sweetened soda in 2004, the law did not apply to sugar-sweetened sports drinks. We need to close the loophole and make state law consistent,” said Padilla, noting that California has one of the fastest rates of increase in obesity of any state in the nation. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in support of the bill. more ›

Just one day after the Los Angeles Unified School District voted in favor of the plan to give control of struggling schools to non-profits, a lawsuit filed against the LAUSD by the ACLU is focused on layoffs at three schools--two of which are operated by Mayor Villaraigosa's non-profit "Partnership" program. more ›

A supposed taped radio conversation between a Los Angeles Fire Department paramedic and a UCLA Medical Center staffmember about Michael Jackson's arrival on the day he died appears to be a fake. "We have a male, 50. Pop star Michael Jackson. Unresponsive, no pulse. Tried to resuscitate him. Unsuccessful. We are en route," the male voice said, according to CNN. more ›

Once again, a Miss California USA contestant is causing controversy and it's not just her anti-gay views, which are in line with former Miss California Carrie Prejean. Lauren Ashley, 23, has been claiming herself as Miss Beverly Hills, but the city of Beverly Hills says they do not sponsor a beauty pageant or have any association with Miss California USA, according to the LA Times. Furthermore, the city says she lives in Pasadena. more ›

A last-minute community meeting yesterday in response to Monday's shooting and slow LAPD response times in Silver Lake's Sunset Junction district brought out the crowds. About 50 concerned stakeholders attended and were left with hopes that the neighborhood's fear of an upward crime trend would soon be reversed. more ›

A project five years in the making finally became reality this morning when the Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market opened its doors to the public for the first time at the corner of Central and Adams in South Los Angeles. On hand to cut the ribbon and speak about the significance of the neighborhood having access to fresh and affordable food were City Councilmember Jan Perry, Vice President & General Counsel for Fresh & Easy Mary Kaspar, Store Manager Aaron Davis, and a number of local officials and professionals. more ›

Finally. There have been various food truck-related websites and iPhone apps introduced to us over the past few months, but none of them satisfied our taste for real-time data until now. truxmap is a Google Maps mashup pinpointing the locations and times of where trucks are right now, where they'll be later and where they have been. And yes, there's a mobile version. They do, however, have one small warning: "Our program is 99.9% effective, but to be completely sure of a marker's accuracy simply visit that truck's Twitter page." Time to eat! more ›

Every week, we bring you seven reasons to love Los Angeles, and today's video is just one more. Angelenos spoiled when it comes to music, as evident by the plethora of music going on every single night in the city... more ›

Cyclists are fuming after charges are not being filed in a case where a hit and run incident left a cyclist in the hospital. If you remember from when we first posted about this, witnesses said the driver got of her porsche, looked at him and left. She later went to the police station, apparently saying she thought she hit something. Although the police let her walk, they later sent the case to both the District Attorney and City Attorney, both which declined to file charges, according to the cyclist's lawyer. "In this case the LAPD isn't to blame," said LA Streetsblog's Damien Newton. more ›

UCLA students, pay attention. Comedy.com, the popular portal for all that is funny, is offering a great opportunity to whomever can prove they are the funniest Bruin. In addition to bragging rights, the winner will also get an opportunity to earn some cash and college credits (read: paid internship) while being dubbed the official Comedy.com UCLA correspondent. Work by said individual will be featured on the site's college channel on a daily basis as they fill in the rest of the Internet world on the funny happenings occurring on the Westwood campus. more ›

Marla Jo Fisher at the Orange County Register says "that Sunday is supposed to be the lowest tide of the winter," meaning access for tide pool exploration should be at its prime. more ›

To date, Caltech has earned themselves 82 awards from the year-old American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, totaling more than $33 million and supporting 93 jobs, the school announced today. The money has gone towards studies on how to reduce jet noise, an upgrade to the Southern California Seismic Network, a catalog of jellyfish DNA and the California High School Cosmic Ray Observatory (CHICOS) program, which provides high school students access to cosmic ray research, among other programs. "We're grateful to have this opportunity to advance research designed to benefit the entire country," said says Caltech president Jean-Lou Chameau in a statement. more ›

Much to the chagrin of 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom fans, teen pregnancy in California is plummeting. Fast. "Figures released by the Department of Public Health on Monday found that about 35 babies were born for every 1,000 females... more ›

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The Oscars are more than a week away, but preparations that affect Hollywood Boulevard and the surrounding area are already underway and have been since last week. Currently, there's not much of an impact, but as the big day approaches, we'll be seeing more closures. Above are the basic sheets provided by the Academy. If you want very detailed listings of the closures, check our their PDF. more ›

Is this why the price of tickets to games are increasing? LA Times sports columnist Michael Hiltzik today rails on Frank and Jamie McCourt--now divorcd--for not paying state and federal taxes on the $108 million they've made over the the last four years. He dives into their lifestyle (such as the eight homes they own) and notes, "the point is not to begrudge the McCourts these luxuries. The point is to question why we as taxpayers should subsidize them." more ›

It's cloudy out there today and that could mean rain, or at least a 20% chance of it this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. By tonight, the chances are upped to 50%. Temperatures today will remain in the lower 60s. more ›

There's the old (and incorrect) adage "lightning never strikes the same place." Maybe we can now add another wrong one: "man never gets struck by a train twice." Yesterday morning, a man was hit by a Metrolink train in Laguna Niguel. He wasn't hurt too badly--hand and arm injuries--but police are scratching their heads because he's the same guy who was hit by the commuter rail line two weeks ago. "That's a bit peculiar," said an Irvine Police Lieutenant. more ›

• Let's go Dodgers... Now the lowest priced ticket at games will be $15, thanks to recent price hikes.
• Downtown's king of bars, Cedd Moses, is nearing the debut of his latest venture, Las Perlas, which will feature tequila and mezcal.
• City operated child care facilities will take a blow due to the budget crisis.

From protests and pipe bombs comes the latest in the escalating drama between animal activists and UCLA researchers that use animals in their experiments: protesting at the schools of researcher's children. "Activists plan on legally leafleting the school in order to educate fellow students what their classmate’s father does for a living..." more ›

The first Dodger Bobblehead night of the 2010 baseball season will feature Andre Ethier on May 18 against the Houston Astros. On June 8, the tiny plastic figure will be bullpen big man, Brox The Ox, Jonathan Broxton. The James Loney Bobblehead will be given away for free on July 20. Matt Kemp will be the season's final bobblehead on August 17. Single-game tickets go on sale March 6. more ›

A new project called the “Creative Science Studio” or CS2, co-sponsored by the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the National Science Foundation (NSF), aims to connect scientists with filmmakers to “inspire mass media audiences about science..." more ›

As expected, the last of the three top financial credit agencies today action on Los Angeles' credit rating, downgrading it. The move by Standard and Poor's follows Fitch's downgrade in November and Moody Investors Service's "negative" financial outlook last week, the latter which prompted the beginning of 3,000 job eliminations... more ›

Shots rang out in Silver Lake yesterday afternoon. The suspects and intended targets fled safely, but residents are clearly shocked. "It took 20 minutes for LAPD Rampart Division to show up after four 911 calls," says a flyer about tonight's meeting in response to the recent escalation in violence around Sunset Junction... more ›

Last Saturday, local history nerds got a chance to tour the closed Fox Inglewood as part of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation's monthly free tours program. Built in 1949 and designed by architect S. Charles Lee, the beautiful theatre has fallen into crumbles over the years and is currently on the auction block. Preservationists want it saved and the city of Inglewood is working on a bid. more ›

Jesus Sanchez at The Eastsider LA points out that the city could save money by offering free admittance to high school dances instead of the $1,000 reward given to those who tip off officials to taggers that are successfully prosecuted. At Eagle Rock High School, three taggers have been turned in by fellow students, who received free tickets. We'd argue that if more teens new about the $1,000 reward, the tagger culture would suffer a major blow. more ›

Supergraphics, those humongous advertising sheets that cover the sides of buildings and covering windows, are the focus of a major move today by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. 27 defendants are named in a civil law enforcement action seeking an injunction, penalties and other remedies for erecting illegal supergraphics, violating... more ›

Several calls came into the California Highway Patrol this morning reporting a skateboarder on the 405 Freeway in the Costa Mesa area... more ›

The LAPD is on the lookout for a armed robbery suspect who they say, in a press release called "Armed Robbery Suspect Dressed for Success", "appeared to be dressed more for a job interview, than a robbery." The incident took place on February 5th around 7 p.m. when the suspect walked into a business on the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard in the Country Club Park neighborhood and robbed it. The man is described as black, 28 to 30 years old, 6 foot tall and 200 pounds. He had well groomed short hair, a trimmed mustache and wore a gray jacket, red shirt, black tie and pants. Tips can be called into (213) 382-9493 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 during off hours. more ›

As California's largest for-profit health insurer comes under fire for raising premiums an average of 25%--up to 39% for some--the state's Insurance Commissioner yesterday released findings that the company has broken the law at least 700 times. more ›

When a City Controller does an audit, the results are usually scathing, finding millions in waste. Today, Wendy Greuel announced that an audit of purchasing controls within Los Angeles' Supply Management System (SMS), where $500 million is spent on goods, was "working well." She still, however, found a few loopholes: "126 City employees with SMS access rights have been terminated from the City, and more than 50 individuals have duplicate SMS user IDs," she pointed out, adding that "some employees share SMS User IDs." Both could leave the city susceptible to wasteful spending. more ›

Yesterday, after launching a video attack on Mayor Gavin Newsom--it pointed out that he doesn't know what the Lt. Governor's job entails--candidate Janice Hahn... more ›

A series of six arsons over the past two weeks have Santa Monica police on the lookout for a possible serial arsonist, officials announced yesterday. Three vehicles, two shrubs and one trash bin have been lit on fire, mostly along 3rd and 2nd... more ›

• Wife of slain Olympian shot-putter claims she killed her husband after suffering years of abuse at his hand.
• The Dalai Lama shared his message of peace with a crowd gathered to hear him yesterday at Universal City.
• Officials in Long Beach are seeking backing for a plan to improve the Gerald Desmond Bridge, which is similar to the one that collapsed in Minnesota in 2007, killing 13 and injuring 145 people.

We've seen this before--bacon scrawled on some wall or object on the street--and it makes us wonder if this is some performance artist mocking or making a comment on taggers who take their work so seriously they're willing to kill over it. Tagging, "bacon!" or otherwise, is bad for neighborhoods and the city economy (perhaps you could say it's good for cultural/political debate if done right), but real bacon is something Angelenos are willing to have a heart attack for. more ›

With L.A. Live in place and the recent opening of the J.W. Marriott (the hotel includes convention space inside), Los Angeles could be a prime candidate for Comic-Con's new home. That is, if rumors are true regarding the famous convention that draws some 126,000 people. The convention's contract with San Diego expires in 2012 and locals are scrambling to keep it from moving to Anaheim, Las Vegas or Los Angeles. The Comic-Con board is expected to make a decision next month. more ›

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom hasn't even announced his rumored candidacy for Lt. Governor, but candidate and Los Angeles City Councilmember Janice Hahn isn't taking any chances. Today her campaign released a cute attack video... more ›

In a continuing effort to solve Los Angeles' massive budget deficit, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the consolidation of two city departments, which would save the city $2 million annually with the elimination of 27 positions. The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which oversees neighborhood councils, will be combined with the Community Development Department. more ›

Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger went on the defense for the president yesterday, calling out Republican's hypocrisy when it came to the stimulus package. more ›

A $1.25-billion expansion project at Los Angeles International Airport gets underway today as officials are scheduled to break ground for "one of the largest public works projects in the history of Los Angeles," according to cbs2. more ›

• Actor Andrew Koenig (he played Boner on ) has been reported missing in Vancouver. He was last seen on 2/14, and didn't get on his scheduled flight back to the US.
• A young girl was abducted from an MTA bus early this morning, but was located shortly after and her alleged kidnapper arrested.
• Authorities in Riverside are working to determine how a severely wounded man wound up left alone in a ditch.

Gung hay fat choy! Are you ready for the Year of the Tiger? As part of the celebration to welcome in the Chinese New Year the annual Golden Dragon Parade filled the streets of Chinatown yesterday... more ›

• An off-duty officer and a robbery suspect exchanged gunfire early this morning in Torrance.
• The Dalai Lama will make his first large-scale speaking appearance in L.A. since 2006 tomorrow at an event at Universal City's Gibson Ampitheatre.
• A peak in the Santa Monica Mountains has been re-named to honor its onetime settler in place of its former name--long-considered a racial slur.

Tomorrow will mark the running of the 2nd Annual Pasadena Marathon. Runners, walkers, and cyclists will take part in multiple event offerings in the streets of LA County's beautiful Rose City, which of course means a great opportunity to be outside and active and sharing an experience with the community, and also some road closures, detours, and parking restrictions. more ›

Wildflower season is about to begin, and to keep apprised of where you can see what around Southern and even Central California (for you road trippers) the Theodore Payne Foundation will once again run their Wildflower Hotline. more ›

As many expected, Santa Monica College named and their Board of Trustees approved Jennifer Ferro as General Manager of 89.9 KCRW, the campus' public radio station and NPR affiliate. Ferro, the station's current Assistant GM, replaces Ruth Seymour, who announced her retirement last November. Seymour's last day on the job is February 26th, marking the end of her over 32 years at the station and an undeniable force in KCRW's rise to prominence in the local and national stage. more ›

Yesterday's rainstorm did not yield the anticipated downpours, which spared the burn-scarred and now water-logged hillsides of Foothill communities like La Cañada-Flintridge and La Crescenta from further destruction. Evacuation orders for "146 homes in La Cañada-Flintridge and 46 homes in La Crescenta" were issued on Friday, but lifted yesterday after the storm system passed, reports KTLA. Just about a half-inch of rain fell Friday night, and while we could see some scattered showers, we aren't expecting rain again until tomorrow night. Roads closed in the Station Fire burn areas "will reopen after the threat of rain has passed and safety inspections of the roadways are completed." more ›

A 51 year-old woman was killed yesterday by a Metro Blue Line on the 1700 block of Century near Graham in the Watts area, according to the LA Times. It appears she was trying to cross the track, although the exact details of the incident are unknown. LAFD spokesman Devin Gales reports that the victim was struck by a southbound train and thrown several feet before becoming trapped beneath the train when it managed to come to a stop. more ›

• Here are 12 chances to see the space station between Saturday and Wednesday from Orange County (but it will pretty much work from anywhere in Southern California).
• Chef Kerry Simon sits down to talk about his new restaurant, LA Market, which is on the first floor of the recently opened J.W. Marriott.
• A NFL stadium next to Dodgers Stadium?

Another weekend, another two DUI checkpoints. Find one tonight in the Pico del Mar neighborhood in South L.A. and another one tomorrow in Harvard Heights around Vermont and Pico. Stay safe out there! more ›

Watch out commuters. As rain approaches, the city this afternoon shut down Mulholland Drive where last week a portion of the road succumbed to a large eroding hole. Both directions between Bowmont and Skyline drives are closed indefinitely as the weather could further damage the roadway. more ›

When the going gets rough... Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today took the initiative to shut down two city departments, slashing 52 positions and saving $3.2 million from the city's coffers, currently suffering a $212-million budget shortfall. The affected departments are Environmental Affairs (EAD) and Human Services. more ›

The Gold Line Eastside Extension just opened last November, but Metro is already working on extending the line even further from its East L.A. terminus (and not to be confused with the Gold Line's Foothill Extension, which will break ground this summer continuing it east from Pasadena). Someday, L.A. County residents could be hitting the rails to South El Monte or down to Whittier. more ›

As part of their monthly series of free tours at historic venues, the L.A. Historic Theatre Foundation tomorrow heads to Inglewood to check out The Academy and Fox Inglewood, both built by architect S. Charles Lee in 1939 and 1949, respectively. more ›

It was thanks to the Spider Survey at the Natural History Museum that we know Brown Widows live in California. Before then, when it was discovered by a young student on a museum field trip in Torrance around 2001, there was no official record of it. The lesson of that discovery is that scientists can't be everywhere, but the public at-large can be. more ›

It's been nearly a week of shaky ground out in the San Bernardino County city of Redlands. Since Wednesday, when we counted around 75 small quakes since the previous Saturday, there's been around 40 more quakes of varying, but inconsequential sizes, including a few over 3.0, which the USGS takes slightly more seriously on their listings by marking them in a bolded red. A 11:53 a.m. there was a light 3.4 earthquake, followed by a 3.3 a minute later. Then at 11:57, another 3.3, among a handful of other microquakes. Update: Apparently, there was a 3.6 quake at 11:56 a.m. that went unreported on USGS' site until 12:45 p.m. more ›

Fans of Fresh & Easy might be getting a store near them soon. Next week, two stores will open with three more openings in early April, the company announced today. Of particular note will be the Central and Adams location in South Los Angeles... more ›

The Los Angeles City Attorneys office today will file two misdemeanor counts against actor Sean Penn, according to TMZ. Back in October, Penn was captured on video--of course--kicking a paparazzo in Brentwood, apparently breaking the pap's camera. If found guilty, jail time could be up to 1.5 years. You can watch the video here. more ›

Next time L.A. Lakers Kobe Bryant's shoes are within sight, take a close look at his laces. Why? It could be one of those occasions on which Bryant wears his special (RED) branded laces. more ›

After complaints and concerns about plans to run place above ground in downtown, the option to put the regional connector underground was approved for study by a Metro committee yesterday, reports blogdowntown. The connector is a critical missing link for public transit commuters and would combine the Blue and Gold lines and the Expo and Gold Line Extension lines. To stay within budget, however, the underground option may mean one less station. The study must next be approved by the full Metro board. more ›

80 initiatives and referenda and are out and about around the state with advocates trying to collect enough signatures so they can qualify for an upcoming election ballot. You might see people at farmers markets asking you to support... more ›

It might be KCRW that gets all the buzz, but it's KUSC that gets the top ratings. The most recent Arbitron ratings show that the classical station earns the top public radio station in the country spot because of the "average number of listeners and individuals who tune in during the week," finds LA Observed. It's the first time the station ranked number one in both categories. more ›

A UC Berkeley study released earlier this week has found that a gradual decrease in fog over the last one hundred years could put redwood trees in danger and make summers warmer and longer. Researchers, however, are not concluding that this... more ›

When El Monte Assistant Principal Bobby Salcedo was kidnapped and later executed in Mexico during the holidays, LAist's phone rang--someone had a story idea for us. "Would you like to write a story about kidnap and ransom insurance?" more ›

About 200 La Canada Flintridge residents in a high-risk mudslide area were warned last night of evacuation orders that would go into affect this afternoon. Two storm cells are expected to hit this weekend, with the first one intensifying this evening. A second storm is expected to hit this Sunday night. more ›

• Like walking and exploring L.A.? Metblogs' Will Campbell is organizing a 15 mile walk along Jefferson and Adams boulevards in early March. Join him!
• A new El Cholo is slated to open in downtown's South Park neighborhood.
• Can the Gay Press Maintain Objectivity (and Should It)? asks LGBT reporter Karen Ocamb.

The state senate today passed a bill that would impose a sales tax on Amazon.com and other online purchases, which would raise $107 million annually, according to the Sacramento Bee. Governor Schwarzenegger said he would veto the measure when it was introduced last year and Overstock.com threatened to pull its affiliate program, which provides income to California residents, if the tax was approved. more ›

As expected, San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has reintroduced his bill to legalize marijuana after it failed to meet legal deadlines during the last legislative session. Like before, "the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act (AB 2254) would create a regulatory structure similar to that used for beer, wine and liquor, permitting taxed sales to adults while barring sales to or possession by those under 21," according to Ammiano's office. more ›

In addition to the 1,000 city worker layoffs already being discussed, the Los Angeles City Council today took action to add 3,000 more workers to that list after a financial firm yesterday downgraded the city's financial outlook from "stable" to "negative," according to the LA Times. The city is facing a $212-million deficit and a $484 one next fiscal year beginning in July. more ›

From lawsuits to raids, around 20 local marijuana dispensaries today were subject of various law enforcement activities. As the DEA served a search warrant to Organica Collective in Culver City this morning, the Los Angeles City Attorney's office announced the filing of lawsuits against three medical marijuana dispensaries, including Organica, which has been subject of raids in the past. more ›

Nevermind that the 30 year vision of regional transportation includes bridging the San Fernando Valley with the L.A. Basin via rail or rapid transit, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is dreaming of a two-story 405 freeway. more ›

The growing popularity of gastropubs in Los Angeles has forced the hands of Laurel Tavern owners to expand hours. That's a good thing, considering this popular Studio City pub is packed, even when it's pouring rain out and even if it's a Sunday or Tuesday night. Now the tavern is opening daily at noon for lunch and, of course, some good beer, including the Pasadena based Craftsman. The lunch menu includes serrano ham with apples, chorizo slider, steamed mussels and a lot more. Here at LAist, we're partial to their amazing grilled cheese. more ›

When it comes to L.A. County's overall health, it sits in the middle of 56 California counties studied for a recent report, according to the LA Times. Orange County made the top ten. more ›

One can take Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or Coast Starlight to San Luis Obispo, but flying in and out of there--whether it's between L.A. or elsewhere on the west coast-- is limited and quite pricey. The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced a $500,000 grant to help the city improve air service with the goal to "bring competitive, low-fare service to the community, improve connectivity among intrastate markets, and increase access to markets in the Pacific Northwest." more ›

Google is starting to experiment with broadband services and L.A. wants in, according to USC's NeonTommy. "They've opened this up to everyone, but we're actively pursuing a deal," said Kevin Crawford, the deputy director of L.A.'s Information Tech... more ›

Transitions between three freeways have been affected this morning after a large landslide brought large boulders and dirt into lanes. Calls began to pour into California Highway Patrol offices around 8:38 a.m. this morning alerting officials to the problem. There is a full closure of the eastbound I-10 to northbound SR-57 transition road in the San Dimas/Pomona area. "This closure is also affecting the transition from the northbound SR-71 to northbound SR-57," said the CHP, which notes that no cars are trapped under the debris. Caltrans is en route to assist with the closure, which will remain in effect until further notice. more ›

There was an uncomfortable moment for U.S. Supreme Court judges during President Barack Obama's State of the Union a few weeks ago. "Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said... more ›

The weather has been absolutely beautiful this week. Too bad the weekend is not expected to be the same. "It looks to be a good one coming through," said Bill Hoffer, a National Weather Service spokesperson, noting that a few storm cells are headed our way, beginning tomorrow and possibly lasting through next Wednesday. more ›

It's not just the Hollywood Sign that's threatened, movie studios are having their own kind of trouble these days. "With three major entertainment properties openly on the block, and another independent studio quietly made available for sale, Hollywood -- once the sexiest of high-priced baubles -- faces a glut of supply and a dearth of demand," notes Sharon Waxman on her The Wrap. MGM, Miramax, Summit Media and Starz Media are all up for grabs, but who is buying these days? "As the industry continues to consolidate -- with NBC-Universal bought by Comcast, and Marvel and DreamWorks bought up by Disney -- the number of cash-rich customers cruising the boulevard seems to dwindle with every passing month." more ›

On Christmas night last year, a 15-year-old girl was walking by Echo Park Lake when she was approached my an older man who somehow got her to a secluded area of the park to rape her. Today, police are releasing a composite sketch of him in addition to surveillance video that caught him at a nearby liqour store (watch it below). more ›

• On the one-year anniversary of the Recovery Act, Gov. Schwarzenegger touts that California received more funding than any other state.
• An update to an earlier story about the Corvette owner who died showing a car to a prospective buyer. She was identified as 29-year-old Amy Thomas, a mother of four in Laguna Hills.
• Is former Dodgers pitcher Eric Gagne making a comeback?

Fans of documentaries like Food, Inc., The Cove, The Inconvenient Truth and movies like Good Night and Good Luck, Syriana and The Soloist might not know they were all produced under a company called Participant Media. And it's that company that recently launched a new social action network called TakePart, which aims to be, in our words, the Google of Do Gooding and the Yelp of Volunteering. more ›

In 2008, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department had nine deputy-involved shootings. But for reasons unclear, that number increased to 16 in 2009, despite lower crime trends. For those reasons, Sheriff Lee Baca was expected today to gave a new deadly force guidelines to officers. more ›

Citing delays in fixing the deficit, Los Angeles' financial outlook was downgraded from stable to negative by a major Wall Street financial credit service today, finds the LA Times. This comes at city leaders try to figure out how to fill in a $212-million budget gap with an expected $484-million one expected next fiscal year. Moody’s Investors Service's downgrade could mean the lowering of the city's credit rating, which would increase the cost of borrowing money for the city. Fitch Ratings downgraded the city last November and the other major credit rating agency, Standard & Poor's, has not made any public decisions. more ›

When daytime soap "All My Children" relocated to Los Angeles from New York City to save money on production costs, it was a big plus for the local economy. So to celebrate, the show arranged to have the city's two top politicos to make guest appearances. more ›

Three employees of Tesla Motors were killed today in a twin-engine plane crash that took place shortly after takeoff this morning above East Palo Alto, according to the Daily Breeze. more ›

Around 75 small earthquakes have struck the Redlands area since last Saturday, when a light 4.1 earthquake shook the area. Today, the quakes continued with a 3.5 magnitude shaker at 1:35 p.m. More locally, a 2.0 quake also struck the Malibu area at 7:30 a.m. this morning. As always, each little quake is hopefully a reminder to get prepared because not all quakes will be so small. more ›

It may be Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's goal to not layoff police officers, but attrition and budget cuts to overtime have the department struggling to meet its staffing goals. Chief Charlie Beck today said to the LA Times that he's in the process of transferring 350 officers from specialized units to patrol duty. more ›

Unofficial word went around yesterday that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will be running for Lt. Governor, but the former gubernatorial candidate, however, said he's not announcing anything yet. If he does, in fact, announce the move between now and last day to file in the next few weeks, he'll be facing L.A. City Councilmember Janice Hahn, who announced her candidacy in December. more ›

The family of Melody Ross, the popular 16-year-old honors student and athlete who was fatally shot by gangmembers while attending her high school Homecoming last October, has filed a claim both against the Long Beach Unified School District and the city, reports LBPost.com. "The cliam at least in part holds the school district accountable on the grounds that 'respondent [LBUSD] failed to provide adequate security precautions for the large-scale event,'" said the local news blog. The district has rejected the claim and lawyers will next file a lawsuit. A similar claim was filed against the city for, in part, “allowing the Long Beach Police Department to abandon its assignment at the game.” more ›

For Angelenos who are not paying attention to the city's current fiscal crisis, they might start feeling it... literally. We're talking about potholes. Speaking to the urgency of laying off 1,000 or more city hall workers, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa yesterday served up the harsh realities that could be waiting for us. more ›

During a test drive with a prospective buyer, a woman in her 20s crashed her Corvette into a tree and died, according to the OC Register. The victim was driving her 2003 gray Corvette in Laguna Hills at around 8:15 this morning when she lost control following a turn onto Mill Creek Drive, when the vehicle "skidded sideways, its driver's side door slamming into a tree. The car then apparently spun around before banging into another tree 20 feet onward." The impact left the windshield shattered and the driver's door hanging on a hinge, in addition to front-end and roof damage. The passenger, a 28-year-old man, "was taken to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo to be treated" for injuries described as "not life-threatening." more ›

Prince Frederic von Anhalt, Zsa Zsa Gabor's eighth husband, is expected to officially file papers to run for Governor today, according to KPCC. Once completed, expect to start seeing his "Return the Good Life to California" campaign that includes a variety of ways to solving the state's budget woes. more ›

The 878-room JW Marriott Hotel on the campus of LA Live opened Monday night, as scheduled. With plans first unveiled in June 2006, the opening of the venue signals a likely sea change in how people experience visits to next door's Staples Center, as well as in LA's ability to draw revenue from tourism and conventions. more ›

First Silver Lake, then Venice and by the midsummer, Pasadena, the Chicago-based coffee company announced today. The exact location is still secret, but Intelligentsia CEO Doug Zell tells the LA Times the look and feel will be "very, very different in a way that hasn't been done in the U.S. yet for a coffeehouse. We want to continue to push the boundaries of the coffee making process." more ›

This morning the federal government announced funding (.pdf) for recovery act transportation projects around the country, including one in the Los Angeles region. It's not sexy like the funding Tucson, New Orleans, Dallas and Portland got for streetcars, but one it's important for the local economy. more ›

Senator Dianne Feinstein confirmed yesterday that she will not make a bid for Governor of California on the Democratic ticket, according to the Sausage Factory. Her official decision confirms the likelihood that "Attorney General Jerry Brown will be the party's nominee." Her spokesman indicated that Feinstein, 76, "alled Brown Tuesday morning to tell him she would not be running." more ›

Disneyland might earn that title if people actually lived in the castle, but a recent happiness study, based on the "life evaluation" of cities--job opportunities, personal finances, physical health, moods, emotions, and communities--has concluded that the West is the best. No major big cities like Los Angeles made the top ten list, but four California ones did: Oxnard-Ventura (#10), San Jose-Sunnyvale (#7), Santa Barbara-Santa Maria (#6) and Santa Rosa-Petaluma (#5). Honolulu came in third and Boulder, where in Stephen King's The Stand the good people were told to go, came in first. more ›

Doctors who work in emergency rooms and in private hospitals will receive less compensation from Los Angeles County for their work with the uninsured, reports CBS2. more ›

A resolution to support a ballot initiative that would fully fund state parks, thus protecting them from budget raids that prompt closures, failed to garner support from a L.A. City Council committee (.pdf) yesterday afternoon. At issue for Councilmembers Dennis Zine and Tony Cardenas were the fees associated with the proposal. more ›

• How much do you love Santa Monica? The tourism board launched a lovefest of a blog about itself on Valentine's Day.
• Accused of shooting her husband Dave Laut, a former Olympic shot-putter, Jane Laut today pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges.
• R.I.P. Knack lead singer Doug Fieger, who wrote and sung "My Sharona," died of cancer on Sunday. Speaking of which, meet the real Sharona, a local real estate agent.

Take a look at the Hollywood Sign and you'll notice it's back to normal. Today, Trust for Public Land officials ended its awareness campaign, which had the sign covered with "SAVE THE PEAK," announcing that almost $2 million has been raised since the beginning of last week (about $1 million was raised since Thursday, when the campaign officially began). more ›

L.A. needs more engagement like this and from all sides of the gameboard. The newly elected Councilman Paul Krekorian is now publishing a policy blog, which is meant "to enhance what should be the free flow of policy discussions as it concerns the city’s second City Council district and the rest of Los Angeles." To that end, Krekorian's Education and Neighborhoods Committee meeting today is being liveblogged. more ›

This was not a good weekend for Southwest Airlines. Beyond the Kevin Smith incident, in which the director was ousted from an Oakland to Burbank flight for apparently not fitting in his seat Saturday evening, a plane of theirs avoided a crash the same day, according to a KNX1070 e-mail alert: "KNX 1070 has learned that Southwest flight 2534 with 85 people on board this Saturday was on a collision course with another plane because, according to the FAA, the Southwest jet was in the wrong place. The 737 took emergency actions resulting in two flight attendants being injured one with a broken shoulder." Add: The LA Times says the Burbank-bound Southwest jet was on a collision course with a small private plane and executed an evasive maneuver. more ›

In the debate between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the L.A. City Council about what to cut, police has become a major issue. That's because pubic safety takes 70% of the city's general fund, which pays for basic city services, leaving the rest up for grabs. "How can you fix a problem in the hundreds of millions with only 30% of the pie?" one might ask. more ›

A skull found by a hiker in Griffth Park last night has prompted an investigation by police and coroners, according to various news sources. A hiker found it on a steep trail around 5:25 p.m. Not knowing it was animal or human, the hiker alerted authorities, who later determined it was the latter. It could be up to two years old, KABC-TV reported. The coroner's office will remain the lead investigator in the case to determine if the cause of death was natural, accidental or homicide. more ›

In 1892, psychologist William James wrote: "So we have the paradox of a man shamed to death because he is only the second pugilist or the second oarsman in the world. That he is able to beat the whole population of the globe minus one is nothing; he has 'pitted' himself to beat that one; and as long as he doesn't do that nothing else counts..." more ›

What will Los Angeles look like if we don't survive the current fiscal crisis? Or perhaps the question should be, what will Los Angeles look like several months from now due to thousands of layoffs? Last week, KCET's SoCal Connected recapped the budget shortfall, currently above $200 million--and when the new fiscal year begins on July 1st, the deficit shoots up to over $400 million. more ›

As of 11:09 a.m. the Los Angles Fire Department is reporting approximately four separate grass fires near Getty Center Drive and the northbound 405 freeway. The cause is unknown and no injuries have been reported, thus far. Update: The fires were extinguished in 31 minutes. more ›

If you read LAist, you know DUI checkpoints are almost a weekly activity for the LAPD. Now a new report by the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley with California Watch has revealed the operations to be profitable for cities... more ›

As discussed two weeks ago here on LAist, the West Hollywood City Council tonight will vote again, likely passing an ordinance to ban the sale of cats and dogs within city limits. By law, ordinances must be voted upon twice at separate meetings. The ban seeks to eliminate the demand for puppy mill and kitten factory bred companion pets. For a deeper look into the ordinance, check out LAist's basic analysis of the ban here. more ›

16 more miles of bicycle lanes and a system of "emphasized bikeways," among other improvements in Pasadena's bicycle plan, will be released to the public next week, according to the Pasadena Star. Although cycling advocate Joe Linton of C.I.C.L.E. calls the plan "mild" when compared to Long Beach's recent strides, Pasadena is considering one interesting, yet possibly controversial, option: more ›

Our favorite historial shipwreck (not that they are good) is the SS Winfield Scott, which crashed into Anacapa Island in 1853. Today you can go scuba diving an hour off the coast of Ventura and still find gold, but you can't touch it as the wreck is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A little closer to L.A. are the rocky shores in the South Bay where over 10 shipwrecks have occurred and are featured in an interactive map by the Daily Breeze. Of note is the Dominator, which came too close to the Palos Verdes Peninsula shore and sank as 10,000 witnesses watched from land. You can see the map here. more ›

Local fans of ABC's long-running soap All My Children will see a familiar face on today's episode: City Council President Eric Garcetti. And that's not the Pine Valley City Council we're talking about. Garcetti is one of two LA political bigwigs... more ›

A 40-year-old man was killed yesterday morning when a van struck and dragged him several feet in Compton, according to KTLA. Immediately after, the driver got out, checked what happened and got back into his vehicle, possibly a grey or silver 1990s Ford Aerostar van, fleeing the scene as witnesses and a surveillance camera saw what happened. Those witnesses also said the driver, described as an African American male, possibly 7-feet tall, was on his cellphone when he ran a red light at Compton Blvd. and Dwight Ave. The cyclist, said to be a father of five, was said to be crossing Compton on a green light. more ›

The largest urban national park is partly within Los Angeles, yet so many don't know it. Perhaps one of the reasons can be blamed on where the National Park Service set up its visitor center and headquarters 11 years ago this week: in Thousand Oaks. Take a look at the over 153,000 acres that make up the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, which basically spans the range from Runyon Canyon in Hollywood to the beaches of Malibu, and you'll see that the suburban Conejo Valley floor is not ideal. more ›

If you thought Westfield was the king of malls, then watch out for Simon Property Group's latest offer of $10 billion to buy the struggling and bankrupt General Growth Properties, which was announced today. If the offer is accepted, Simon would grow from more than 300 U.S malls to 550 of them, making them the largest mall owner in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal. Locally, General owns the Northridge Fashion Center, Burbank Town Center, Glendale Galleria and Fallbrook Center. Simon owns numerous properties, mostly on the outskirts of the Los Angels region including Ontario Mills, Camarillo Premium Outlets, The Block at Orange and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. more ›

At 8 a.m., LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines is scheduled to give his State of the District speech, outlining four strategies, including a funding model that gives money to schools based on each student's needs, according to the LA Times. more ›

• Four homes in an Anaheim Hills neighborhood that are at risk of sliding are set to be demolished; Caltrans bought out the owners of these and 8 other previously demolished homes.
• An Apple Valley woman allegedly stabbed her male roomie in his face with a butcher knife yesterday.
• A fire in a strip mall at Olympic and Main damaged a restaurant, but there were no injuries.

For something as minor as a leak on Coldwater Canyon Avenue last Thursday, the LADWP sure brought out a small army of workers, equipment, traffic cones and electronic signage to make sure it was fixed. And fixed it was. more ›

A study published recently indicates that Angelenos who live near freeways " experience a hardening of the arteries that leads to heart disease and strokes at twice the rate of those who live farther away," according to the LAT's Greenspace blog. more ›

There's a good chance when voters hit the booths on Election Day next November, Californians will be asked to add an $18 vehicle license fee when they pay their annual DMV registration. If passed, the debate over funding state parks would be over, as the fee would guarantee the system of 278 parks an adequate and stable funding source to survive. As an added bonus, the initiative would end parking fees at state parks, meaning those who often take advantage of them will see a considerable amount of savings. Tomorrow, a City Council committee is poised to pass a resolution supporting the initiative, with a staff analysis recommending its approval. If passed, it will moved to the full Council and then to the Mayor. more ›

Why does the LADWP send two bills to customers--one for electric and one for water? Why do bills include unexplained code numbers? Why is internet banking and billing not encouraged to save paper? That's what Councilmember Jan Perry is asking in a motion that will be discussed in a hearing tomorrow during a committee meeting (.pdf). "The DWP should fully examine its billing procedures and seek improvements," she wrote. "The DWP may encourage greater efficiency in its billing system, including better understanding of the bills and related information by its customers, and a reduction in costs." more ›

Looks like the Stadium to Sea route is a popular one. The L.A. Marathon, which can hold 25,000 runners, is 80% sold out, officials announced today. With over a month before race day, it's likely to reach 100% in just a few weeks. We’re confident we’re going to sell out and strongly encourage those who are training for the race but have not yet registered to do so immediately so they’re not turned-away,” said race president, Russ Pillar. In previous years--and like in many other marathons--a third of registrations happen the week of the race. "That’s not going to be an option this time,” Pillar warned. more ›

The complete details of this year's 800-mile Tour of California were released last week, showing off the details for the final three stages, set in the Los Angeles area. Stages 6 through 8 will race from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake [Update: this is now Palmdale to Big Bear], downtown L.A. and in the Santa Monica Mountains between Agoura Hills and Thousand Oaks, home to Amgen, the race's sponsor. more ›

Floyd Landis, the cyclist who was stripped of his Tour de France victory in 2006 is being sought after an international warrant was issued for his arrest, according to Reuters. He stands accused of hacking a laboratory computer in France where his doping tests were housed in an attempt to prove the anti-doping agency wrong. "It seems that (Landis) made all he could to enter into our computer system to try to prove the laboratory was wrong. He showed many documents he got by hacking to numerous sporting instances," said an anti-doping official. "The judge traced a network of hackers back to the ringleader." Before the 2006 Tour de France, Landis won the first Tour of California. more ›

The storms last week aided in eroding of the westbound lanes of Mulholland Drive just east of Coldwater Canyon Avenue, shutting down lanes between the avenue and Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Now the cash-strapped city of Los Angeles is seeking an estimated $600,000 for emergency repairs, says the LA Times. more ›

A new state law allowing parents to reform schools themselves that went into effect last week is already being used in L.A.'s Sunlund-Tujunga neighborhood, finds the Daily News. Mount Gleason Middle School could see all its teachers and administration fired and have it turned over to a charter operator, if a majority of parents sign a petition. "Parents are the ones who pay taxes, they are the consumers and they cannot wait for manana," said state Sen. Gloria Romero of L.A., who authored the reform bill. Although Gleason has been ID's has an extremely under-performing school, officials are concerned organized parents at good schools could use the law as well in a "witch hunt" manner. more ›

• The wife of an Olympian shot-putter was arrested in the case of her husband's homicide.
• Where's Kobe? The Lakers superstar did not appear as scheduled at an All-Star party that included lingerie models as part of the attraction.
• Pasadena's legendary Doo Dah Parade has named its first-ever male Queen. He'll preside over the festivities in May.

A car crash brought a police pursuit, and the lives of the two fleeing suspects, to an end overnight, reports the Huffington Post. According to a vendor running a street-corner Valentine's Day gifts and novelties stand near Downtown, the two men stole cash and gift baskets, then fled to a nearby car. The authorities located the vehicle, and the suspects gave chase. However, during the pursuit "the suspects crashed into a parked vehicle and were thrown from the car. Both were pronounced dead at the scene." more ›

• Some Eichler homes in the Valley have been awarded preservation status.
• We talked about Chinese New Year today, but tomorrow also marks the start of Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration.
• A tree trimmer fell to his death this morning working in a palm tree in Pasadena.

For a while there yesterday we were worried the efforts to raise awareness about development near the historic Hollywood sign was going to get stalled on a semi-comical near-typo when the mission to transform the giant letters via a banner reading "Save the Peak" for some time read "SAVEYPOOD." But the task is finally done, and now the message is, at least visually and grammatically, clear. more ›

Rocker and protest music revivalist Tom Morello, also known as the Nightwatchman, will be playing a free show today at 3 p.m. in the streets adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel to draw attention to hospitality workers who have been on a water-only fast since February 9. The workers are fasting to draw attention to health and safety conditions for workers at the Disney resort and to the 2-year contract dispute with the union. more ›

In order to save jobs and money, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent, Ramon Cortines, is proposing reducing the school year by six days, according a press release issued by the District. more ›

A fallen eucalyptus tree was responsible for cutting off power overnight in the area atop Laurel Canyon near Lookout Mountain Avenue, according to KTLA. In response to the multiple calls regarding power outages firefighters expected to find a car crash on the scene, but when they arrived saw "a sizable tree" blocking the whole street, which had "broke[n] two wooden utility poles and knocked out a transformer when it fell." About 2,000 DWP customers were affected, but as crews worked to restore power, as of now only about 700 people remain without electricity, according to the LADWP. Full power is expected to be restored by mid-morning. more ›

• Now we're going to have to eat out seven days a week: "From street food to upscale dining, LA is the best place in the world to eat now," says Jonathan Gold (via LA Observed)
• The less-talked about, yet threatened Santa Clara River between Santa Clarita and Ventura just got a boost in protection from development.
• It's not just the Chinese, but the Koreans, too, who are interested in our High Speed Rail project.

If you decide to drive drunk this weekend, make you're only drunk on love. As usual, the LAPD is out looking for the overly inebriated and they often set up checkpoints to spread that message. Tonight, a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint will be found on Vermont Blvd. between Hollywood and Sunset from 8 p.m and 3 a.m. (yes, right near the Red Line subway). The LAPD Northeast Area endured 116 driving under the influence-related and 1,187 hit and run traffic collisions in 2009 alone. Also: there will be a checkpoint tomorrow in South L.A. on Figueroa between West Jefferson Boulevard and 33rd Street from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. more ›

With SAVE THE PEAK replacing the Hollywood Sign temporarily over the next few days, it's a good time to bring up a list of where to best view it from. We're big fans of staring at it from Hollyridge Drive, but... more ›

A controversial resolution supporting federal funding of a $30 million, nearly 2-mile bike path north of Santa Monica was approved today by the L.A. City Council... more ›

The Emmy award winning SoCal Connected, which airs Thursday nights on KCET, produced this web video that was posted on Wednesday. Good points all around, but it should be noted some City Councilmembers have... more ›

Just in time for awards season, the Four Seasons Hotel on Doheny Drive has completed a $33 million dollar renovation. The new posh decor is sure to please the actors, producers, musicians and other high rollers, who count on the Four Seasons for impeccable 5 Star service and accommodations. more ›

Chivas USA departed for Guadalajara on Thursday morning for a week long training session in which they will face Irapuato and Club Universidad de Guadalajara before heading back to Los Angeles. Forward Maicon Santos, however, will not be amongst those travelling south of the border with the team. more ›

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is not willing to risk the city's insolvency so he's becoming more aggressive with fixing the more-than $200 million budget problem, saying he's willing to triple the number of proposed layoffs, up to 2,000 more... more ›

There's nothing wrong with encouraging and supporting your local farmers markets and community supported agriculture programs, but urban foraging can be harmful, sometimes deadly, if you don't know what you're doing (if you do, you can make a wonderful salad). Apparently, students at Marshall High believe a local, yet poisonous, flower called Angels Trumpet has hallucinogenic properties and are eating the flower while walking to and from school, reports The Eastsider LA via the LAPD. "Could be true," the police said in a newsletter, "or their bodies are reacting to the poisonous toxins they ingested." Just take Dramamine, one website suggests. more ›

Talk about bad timing. The day the city-at-large learned that the owner of Phillipe's died was the same day health inspectors responded to complaints of a cockroach investigation and closed it for 48 hours. William "Bill" Binder, 94, died of natural causes on January 28th, but word didn't surface until this past Wednesday when his obituary popped up in the news. more ›

As The Hollywood Sign transforms to read "SAVE THE PEAK," an awareness campaign to bring attention to the pending sale of 138 acres next door (will it stay open space or become a development?), the sign is temporarily reading funny things like "SALLYWOOD." In the meantime, the LA Times has a nice photo gallery of unofficial transformations like "CALTECH" and "HOLLYWeeD." more ›

• LAUSD Superindentent Ramone Cortines made $150,000 last year from a company that has profited $16 million from the school district.
• The inventor of the Frisbee, originally called the "Whirlo-Way" and "Pluto Platter," died on Tuesday.
• A "first of its kind in the world," the L.A. County Sheriff's Department have bought a ship for screening cargo vessels at the L.A and Long Beach ports. They also bought a radiation-detecting helicopter.

Word quickly spread on Twitter this afternoon after a person committed suicide in front of the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center. At 3:10 p.m., police were notified of someone attempting to commit suicide by jumping from the... more ›

The Hollywood Sign today began its transformation into "Save the Peak," a campaign to raise awareness and money (you can donate here, even if it's $5) for the land to the West of the sign, which is currently up for sale. $6.3 million has already been secured by the Trust for Public Land, but another $6.2 must be raised by April 15th or the property could go to developers, who would have the option to build luxury homes on the 138 acres atop and around Cahuenga Peak, which offers 360 views of the Los Angeles region. more ›

As of noon today, two flower bouquets sat in front of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen's store on Melrose Avenue. While his name wasn't at the forefront of pop culture talk, his work was (think Gucci, among many other fashion trends seen worn by stars). The Washington Post today gives good sense of that in the opening of his obituary: more ›

Although the Obama Administration stopped Bush-style immigration raids, a different tactic was used to deter illegal immigrants working in the U.S.: forced sackings. American Apparel with it's "Legalize L.A." slogan was one of the first to see this type of "raid" and had to let go around 1,800 people. more ›

The Santa Monica Food Truck lot is history for now, but thanks to a downtown property owner, a food truck association is testing out the neighborhood for three days this week. Beginning today to 4 p.m., five trucks are serving food in the Arts District at Alameda and Traction. more ›

As far as we can tell, no action on the anticipated Hollywood Sign change for today has happened yet (we're hearing around 3 p.m.). However, Eric Spillman at KTLA shared a photo on Twitter of graffiti on the first "L" of the Hollywood Sign. "Noticed it this morning," he said before tweeting out the photo (biggify here, you can see it on the bottom corner of the "L"). We're curious how it got there, considering the intense security--cameras, motion sensors, an on-duty officer--surrounding the sign. Officials at the city's General Services Police Department (not the LAPD), were not aware of it. "Sadly this does happen from time to time," explained a Hollywood Sign Trust spokesperson. "We have a crew of painters who take care of these things." more ›

Traffic became more hellish than usual yesterday afternoon when two canyon routes suffered after Mulholland Drive was shut down due to a washed out road. This morning, Cora Jackson Fossett at the city's Department of Public Works explains what happened in an e-mail: more ›

Wiley Drake, a Southern Baptist Pastor in Buena Park, is one of those people trying via legal means to oust President Barack Obama from office, contending he's not a natural born citizen. And that's after he dropped praying for the President's death, saying he now rather see Obama face charges. But other politicians and places are still within Drake's rada like Haiti, which apparently made a deal with Satan, and Congressman John Murtha, who recently passed away. more ›

When Fire Chief Tracy Pansini went on a temporary medical leave last summer, Ray Krakowski was placed in his spot as Acting Chief. Soon after, however, the leave was was extended until it was decided that Pansini would retire, just four years after entering the job. “Now the time has come to embark on a new life direction that certainly involves spending more time with family and friends," Pansini said in a statement. more ›

Threatened with demolition in late 2008 and named as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2009, the Century Plaza Hotel was saved, it was announced today. Owners Next Century Associates had proposed a project that would end in the demolition of the hotel to make way for a mixed use project comprising hotel, residential, office, retail, public plazas, and open space, raising red flags for preservationists. more ›

After telling people not to drink and drive Super Bowl weekend, Riverside Police Chief Russ Leach on Monday crashed his own city-owned car into a fire hydrant, leading people to believe he was the one driving impaired. Today he blamed medication for making him "disoriented," but suspicions surfaced earlier this week when the city was hush-hush about the incident. They said it was a non-injury collision, but it put him on medical leave. Additionally, the California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the crash, was told about the crash a day and a half later. Leach had his own officers take the report and no suspicion of impairment was noted. more ›

29-yaer-old Rashaun Williams was a single mother living in Lancaster working as a home health aide and crossing guard. That was until she couldn't work anymore after she, as an innocent bystander, was shot in both legs last July in South L.A., according to the LA Times. more ›

• At least some of it will (is expected to) open this year. The Expo Line's first phase, which will go between downtown and Culver City, is behind schedule.
• Congresswoman Diane Watson announced her retirement today and Assemblymemember Karen Bass announced that she'll be running for the seat.
• Will it ever be cool again? MySpace CEO Owen Van Natta stepped down today. That's just nine months after he took the new gig after leaving a high level position at Facebook.

In a campaign video starring a flock of sheep with one interloper that will scare the bejeebus out of you (or at least make you think twice about what animal you count to help you sleep at night) Carly Fiorina has come out the (pasture) gate... more ›

"Fellow Angelenos, do NOT take Laurel Canyon right now, it's not moving at all," warned Jeremy Fall on Twitter this afternoon. He's not the only one, either. Apparently, a portion of Mulholland was washed out between Laurel Canyon and Coldwater Canyon, according to a posting on LADOT's website, which was posted around 4 p.m. today. Therefore, westbound Mulholland Drive is shut down between the two canyon routes that connect the Valley to the basin. Traffic Control officers are stationed along both roads, according to the the department's dispatch. more ›

All you Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars lovers, take note. "There is a possibility that product with Use by Dates/ Lot Codes 16JUL10H2 and 17JUL10HI may cause a serious food-borne illness," says the grocer's website. "As a precaution, all of the product has been removed from sale and has been destroyed. To date, we have received no reports of illness related to this product." The Daily News says that "food-borne illness" is salmonella. If you have one of these boxes, take it back to get a refund or to exchange it for a sick free one! more ›

Interesting. According to chatter on Facebook, the news and sports copy desks at the Ventura County Star are moving to Corpus Chrisi, says to Kevin Roderick at LA Observed. The 15 to 20 local editors and designers will likely lose their jobs in future months and will have the opportunity to apply for their jobs out in Texas. "This also means, of course, that the local flavor of Ventura will be applied in the Lone Star state," notes Roderick. more ›

There's some damn good mac and cheese in this town. From Hugo's to The Kitchen to Edendale Grill, there's an endless amount to feast on, and every restaurateur offers their own unique take on the deliciously gooey comfort food. Tomorrow Los Angeles gets more-- actually, a lot more. Brought to us by the owners of Larkin's in Eagle Rock, Mac & Cheeza will soft launch tomorrow during during the downtown art walk, reports Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. Find them at 223 W. 8th St between 7 and 11 p.m. Warning: Cash only tomorrow night. more ›

An immigrant rights' group has filed formal complaints against Santa Clarita Councilman Bob Kellar for remarks he made last month during an anti-illegal immigration rally, according to LA Now. The LA-based Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition sent letters to state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging Kellar "breached the public’s trust... more ›

It's something Mayor Villaraigosa has been ragging on and now Controller Greuel is jumping in on the action... more ›

"There just aren't unlimited options here," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told the L.A. City Council when he visited for a two-hour Q&A session. "We can't continue to say no to everything. We can't say no to layoffs, no to furloughs, no to department eliminations. . . . The fact is we can't sustain this business model." more ›

Residents of the Foothill communities whose sodden hillsides threatened to give can go home now, although the threat of mudslides still looms, KTLA is reporting. "Authorities canceled evacuation orders for La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, Soledad Canyon and Aliso Canyon around 8:00" this morning. Evacuations in Sierra Madre were lifted last night. more ›

The man who ensured Phillipe's had a new life on Alameda Street has died, according to the LA Times. William "Bill" Binder, 94, came to run Phillipe's by way of marriage, when he wed "Beverly Martin in 1944. Her father, Frank, had purchased Philippe's with his two brothers in 1927 from original owner Philippe Mathieu." more ›

• Los Angeles Magazine's CityThink project looks to our future and they're kicking off the newly formed think tank with a free short film competition that you're encouraged to enter.
• Of the 20 ways to spot a hipster, according to a piece of paper seen in an Echo Park laundromat, reason #5: "Complain about parking when its there [sic] fault there's no more parking."
• A student who interrupted the Israeli ambassador to the United States at a UC Irvine event Monday evening was arrested after he stood up and said “Michael Oren, propagating murder is not an expression of free speech." 10 others throughout the night who similarly interrupted the event were also arrested.

A $2.1 million program to synchronize lights in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Torrance has been completed, L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe announced today. As part of the County's Traffic Signal Synchronization Program to enhance traffic flow, long-swaths of three streets should have better coordinated timing of signals. Those streets are... more ›

In light of First Lady Michelle Obama's new childhood obesity campaign, it's a good time to look beyond the plethora of farmers markets and check out some CSAs, otherwise known as Community Supported Agriculture. The basic concept goes like this, as explained by Local Harvest, a Santa Cruz-based website: more ›

Nevermind the city budget crisis, let's remember the city's law that was enacted last Summer: no use of sprinklers except for Mondays and Thursdays and not between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The LA Times today notes sprinklers on "full blast" on the 5100 block of Venice Boulevard in Mid-City. Someone must have be on furlough today. more ›

Along with her proposal to tax oil drilling in Los Angeles, Councilmember Janice Hahn last week submitted a motion to tax the cultivation of medical marijuana. It's in an effort to help bring in revenue to the city, which currently is facing a budget crisis. more ›

During a rare Northern California appearance on Monday, the increasingly bizarre and camera-whorish Sarah Palin opened her mouth, with self-consciously controversial results. It all happened at a media-banned logging conference in Redding, a town of 90,000 north of Sacramento, the former VP candidate "called studies supporting global climate change a 'bunch of snake oil science,'" reported Associated Press, who forked over $74 to attend the spectacle. more ›

On Thursday, a new food truck lot will open in downtown's Arts District, the first attempt at a lot since one was shut down last month in Santa Monica. Like Santa Monica, there's no telling how successful or not it will be. "I don't know if this is going to be a prime location. It's all just sort of wild-eyed guessing at this point," said Matt Geller of SoCal Mobile Food Vendors Association to Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. Geller also says his group is working with the Downtown Art Walk to address food truck issues that have arisen between them and businesses and the LAPD. By March, food trucks might be found in private truck spaces on the outskirts of the event. more ›

As thousands of people flocked to Denny's for free, yet not ideally healthy, meals this morning, First Lady Michelle Obama launched LetsMove.gov, a campaign to change the way we raise our children. more ›

We've seen it time after time. Someone approaches a tagger in action and they get shot, usually fatally. The LAPD recommends getting out of harms way and calling 911, but when former Crips gang member Ronald L. Barron saw a tagger spray painting on Sunday evening on Pico Boulevard, he approached him. There was good reason for that, however, as Barron had transformed his life, becoming a gang outreach and intervention worker. more ›

As the L.A. City Council tried to save 1,000 jobs by planning to spend 30 days to find alternatives, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa put his foot down and said now is the time, citing that everyday without a solvent budget means four more threatened jobs. The list includes 60 sworn firefighters, 15 custodians, 15 IT systems analysts, 26 tree surgeon assistants (and 16 of their supervisors), 60 library messenger clerks, 20 librarians and 59 child care associates, to name a few. You can see the whole list here (.pdf), which was posted by CityWatchLA. The Mayor is scheduled to testify about the budget cuts and other measures at today's City Council meeting at 11:15 a.m. more ›

When Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last week announced 1,000 layoffs, he ruffled some City Councilmembers' feathers when he added a request for some $40 million in off-budget pet project accounts. While he doesn't have power to force the Council to hand over the money, it was last week's press conference that pushed the issue into the media spotlight. more ›

At a meeting of the L.A. City Council Budget panel on Monday, Councilman Bill Rosendahl enquired about the reality of ever seeing the $72 million in taxes owed from the city's top debtor, Prestige Parking. What he heard back was not ideal. more ›

With the sale of 138 acres next to the Hollywood Sign pending $6.3 million in donations, the iconic sign is expected to change wording as an appeal to the community, and perhaps the world... more ›

Citing the incoming storm and risk of mudslides, county officials tonight warned foothill residents in Station Fire burn areas that mandatory evacuation orders will go into effect tomorrow morning. By 10 a.m., residents of over 500 homes (.pdf) must vacate their La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge, and Acton neighborhoods, according to an alert stated. more ›

• A small experimental plane crashed today in San Bernardino County, killing a man and woman.
• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be one of the last few torchbearers on the relay leading up to the opening of the Vancouver Olympics.
• Actor Charlie Sheen (whose car mysteriously tumbled down a hillside last week) was charged in Colorado with 3 felonies in relation to an alleged assault on his wife on Christmas in Aspen.

L.A. County health officials have closed the area around Lunada Bay off the coast of Palos Verdes Estates due to a sewage spill that occurred this afternoon. 100,000 gallons spilled onto the streets at Via Rivera and Paseo Lunado around 3:30 p.m. after a sewage pipe collapsed, resulting in effluence flowing into the Bay. The flow of sewage has been stopped by sanitation officials and cleanup is in progress. The advisory to stay away from nearby waters will be in effect for at least 72 hours, pending test results that measure the bacteria level in the ocean water. more ›

[Update: Hollywood Sign Expected to Read 'Save the Peak' on Thursday. Read about it here.] more ›

Now that Conrad Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, Michael Jackson's autopsy report has been released, listing “acute propofol intoxication” administered by another person as the cause of death, according to the report via the LA Times. The amount of propofol used was equivalent to a major surgery, it said. more ›

Here's a little factoid update: Over the last year, Los Angeles has submitted 148 applications to the federal government, seeking a total of $1.5 billion in stimulus money. Of that, they've seen $591 million come in from 81 different grants, it was announced at a city council committee meeting last week. No grants are being submitted this week, but officials are awaiting a big announcement about some transportation grants, in which the city applied for $81 million. The city has a website dedicated to recovery money, but it's not very helpful. more ›

Over the last week, the L.A. Bike Working Group has been releasing their vision of how the city should be connected for cyclists. It's a plan in opposition of the Los Angeles' current and official draft master plan for biking, which since the beginning has been steeped in controversy. more ›

As expected, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has formally filed charges in Superior Court against 56-year-old Conrad Murray, the doctor who administered a fatal dose of propofol to popstar Michael Jackson last summer, reports LA Now. The complaint implicates Murray for acting “without due caution and circumspection," thereby playing a key role in the singer's death. The charges are the result of a 7-month homicide investigation that focused intently on the role the Nevada and Texas-based cardiologist with financial woes played in Jackson's care and ultimate demise. Murray, who turned himself in as pre-arranged this morning, was spotted by TMZ photographers leisurely reading the morning paper in an L.A. cafe prior to his arrest. more ›

The rain is headed back and the National Weather Service is expecting it to hit the Los Angeles area beginning tomorrow, persisting through the night. That could mean another half to one-inch in the coastal and valley areas and up to 1.5 inches in the foothills and lower elevations of the mountains, which means more concern for mudslide prone areas. At higher elevations, snow levels are expected to drop drastically between 3,500 to 4,000 feet tomorrow afternoon and then as low as 2,000 feet overnight. That means the Grapevine could be facing a possible closure in addition to some snowball fights on the Antelope Valley floor. There's also a slight chance of rain on Friday. Otherwise, expect clear skies with highs in 60s and lows in the upper 40s throughout the week. more ›

o lease 10 city parking garages for 50 years or not? That is one of the current big financial questions, which the LA Times explores today. At issue is the $212-million budget shortfall that officials want to solve mostly with money from the reserve fund... more ›

Michael Jackson's physician, Conrad Murray, is expected to be charged today in L.A. in a criminal case in conjunction with the music star's sudden death last summer, according to LA Now. Initially speculation indicated Murray, 56, would be arrested and charged late last week, however the specifics of how the action would play out were uncertain. more ›

• A Gold Line train and a car collided this morning in Highland Park, but thankfully no one was injured.
• A Delta baggage handler was questioned and released at LAX yesterday morning after he allegedly ran from a security screener and returning barefoot to pick up his belongings.
• The David Beckham soccer academy was quietly shut down in December, and the superstar is looking to create another program that isn't affiliated with a sole location, like the now defunct one in Carson.

Guy McCarthy of Watershed News shared with us these images he took yesterday morning of the mudslide damage in the Paradise Valley neighborhood of La Cañada-Flintridge on Ocean View Boulevard and Manistee Drive. more ›

With the Super Bowl comes revelry that often involves alcohol, and in response the Los Angeles Police Department has been working hard this weekend to increase enforcement activities aimed at putting a stop to dangerous driving. Sobriety checkpoints have been running all weekend, and today the LAPD will be conducting what they're calling "a DUI saturation patrol," according to a press release, adding that the "LAPD encourages everyone to support their favorite team and enjoy the company of friends and family, but to always drink responsibility and use a designated driver." As a sobering reminder, those determined to have been driving while intoxicated will face "heavy fines and jail time." more ›

Tonight is closing night for "Camelot" and the theatre in which it's been running. The Pasadena Playhouse is closing its doors following tonight's performance, thanks to about $3 million in debt, reports KTLA. more ›

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger got an up-close and personal look today at the damage to homes, vehicles and property in the northern portion of Ocean View Boulevard in La Cañada-Flintridge sustained during massive mudslides and debris flow that erupted in the early morning hours of Saturday. more ›

Which music dominates the L.A. radio airwaves? Some folks might be surprised to learn that regional Mexican outlets like La Nueva 101.9 FM have long dominated the scene. The phenomena dates back a good 15 years when La X 97.9 FM (now La Raza) broke into the top spot in the ratings, a first for a Spanish language station. Since then, the popularity of such stations has only grown, a reflection of not only the increasing Spanish speaking Latino population in the area, but also the appeal of the music. more ›

• It seems CA Assembly Speaker Karen Bass is looking to enter the race to take the place of Diane Watson as the Rep. for CA-33, who has begun to tell people she won't be running for re-election.
• How has the arts scene changed in Pasadena in recent years? Today's LA Times takes a look.
• The 38-year-old surfer who lost his life in the massive waves brought on by last month's serious rainstorms was remembered in Newport.

Although many areas in SoCal might currently be experiencing some blue skies and a welcome break in the rain, we are still in the midst of a weather system that continues to impact homes, roads, and residents all over the greater Los Angeles area. more ›

At around 2 p.m., a large tree surrendered itself to the weather, falling to the ground and blocking access along Angus Street at Micheltorena, a few blocks from the neighborhood's Trader Joe's. No injuries to humans or cars were sustained... more ›

This video posted today by Melrose Action shows some of the businesses who were affected by floodwaters rushing through the streets due to backed up drains that filled quickly when heavy rains fell rapidly. more ›

Mandatory evacuation orders are in place now for the northern portion of Sierra Madre "where hillsides are saturated and officials fear mudslides could occur as another band of heavy rain bears down on the San Gabriel Mountains," according to LA Now. Being ordered out are residents who live on all streets above Churchill and Canyon Crest; all streets above Brookside and Sturtevant; all streets above Lotus Lane at Camillo; and the private sections of Auburn Avenue above Elm Street. An evacuation center has been established at the Community Recreation Center (611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.) and crews are on the scene working to set up structures that can possibly deflect oncoming debris. more ›

Photos taken this morning showing some of the property damaged by the mudslides and debris flows that took place in the early morning hours at the top of Ocean View Boulevard in La Cañada-Flintridge [map]. The hillsides, burned by last summer's Station Fire, were saturated by heavy rain, and at least one catch basin in the area overflowed. Residents describe being awoken by thunderous noise and witnessing walls of water and mud cascading through their community and homes. No one was injured, and residents are evacuating with the help of Los Angeles County Firefighters. more ›

Venice's Equator Books has been a welcoming independent option for book lovers on Abbot Kinney for over five years, but now they have announced that this weekend they are closing their doors for good. In an announcement sent out by email and posted on their website, the bookstore's owners are asking their customers to come by and make a last purchase from their collection of rare, vintage, and specialty books or vinyl:

To our friends, customers, family: more ›

While there are some clearing conditions now in the skies above Los Angeles, a night and morning of heavy rains has caused serious damage to homes and property as well as created hazardous road conditions all over the area. Road closures include the 2 Freeway which is closes from 2 mi east of the 210 in La Cañada-Flintridge to Islip Saddle (LA Co.); SR 27/Topanga Canyon Blvd closed from SR 1 to Topanga Canyon Road; and the transition road from the SB 110 Freeway to the NB 101 Freeway near downtown LA (due to flooding). Many mountain roads and surface streets are also closed and/or flooded and many accidents have been reported.

To find out current traffic conditions where you are or where you need to be, check one or more of the following frequently-updated websites:
• City of LA Traffic Conditions
• California Dept. of Transportation Roads (Search by Route #)
• California Dept. of Transportation (Updated Hourly)

Heavy rain overnight and into this morning has wrecked havoc on the burned and now over-burdened hillsides in areas affected by last summer's Station Fire. At least 7 homes have been reported destroyed in the Pickens Canyon area of La Crescenta [map] after a catch basin was overrun with debris flow, as well as damage to vehicles along Ocean View Boulevard, according to LA Now and KTLA. more ›

• Oh, shucks! Soon, you might not be able to carry your gun into Starbucks.
• Good news for Silver Lake: That annoying digital billboard has been turned off.
• KCRW is in its final days of their bi-annual pledge drive. Here's a video of what it looks like at the station with all those volunteers working the phones.

Below the collections of artifacts from around the world, dinosaur bones and historical displays that make up most of the Natural History Museum is a room full of living things. You can still find bones, rocks and artifacts in the Discovery Center, found tucked in the museum's basement, but it's in this interactive room where living animals make their home. From exotic reptiles to turtles and snakes, it's where the public can learn about, not just animals from around the world, but local wildlife. more ›

But it looks like it's just an accident this time. One vehicle went 20 feet down the cliff off Mulholland Drive at Laurel Canyon Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. "Occupant out. No injuries at this time," they tweeted. more ›

Our mothership Gothamist posted earlier today that Isiah Thomas might be given the keys to the Clippers. According to Jeff Goodman at Fox Sports, the Clippers reached out to Thomas to be head coach, general manager and president. more ›

In the same vicinity where Charlie Sheen's car went off the cliffside early this morning, apparently after it was stolen, another car this afternoon has been found, appearing to suffer the same fate. At 1:41 p.m., a Bentley found over the side of the road at 13832 Mulholland Drive was reported to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Like when Sheen's car was found, there were no victims or injuries to report. more ›

It's often hidden from our eyes, but the Los Angeles area is the third largest oil field in the country. You can find hidden oil rigs at The Farmers Market, the Beverly Center and other well known spots. And for such a lucrative business, no taxes are levied upon them, despite years of budget belt tightening across the state. more ›

Yes, they are. Local news blogger Erin Holness at News Me Baby became frustrated enough with those PODS (Portable On Demand Storage) that she researched the legality of them on Los Angeles streets. "Those god-damned PODS," she bemoaned. "As if parking wasn't hard enough, some lazy neighbor has had one of those PODS delivered to the curb outside their building/house. The POD takes up at least 1.5 legitimate parking spots and it sits there FOREVER." more ›

On Wednesday morning a team of LAPD and probation officers, along with Councilman Dennis Zine and the Department of Children and Family Services, conducted tagger probation compliance check operation. 11 West Valley homes of subjects who were on probation, with search and seizure conditions, for graffiti and related vandalism offenses were checked and one person was netted. more ›

To give more access to the city's widespread public, the L.A. City Council began holding meetings in the Valley on the first Friday of the month. But now, with the city's dire budget situation, those meetings are canceled until at least the new fiscal year, Councilman Dennis Zine announced this morning during today's meeting in Van Nuys. more ›

LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines, who is paid $250,000 a year (it should be $300,000, but he voluntary staved off $50,000 for budget reasons), is once again leading by example by taking his furlough day next Monday. “How can I ask LAUSD employees to take what amounts to a pay cut if I am not willing to share the sacrifice?" he said. "These are dire times. The savings accrued from furlough days are needed to keep deeper cuts away from students and the classroom." more ›

Why did hundreds of giant squid all of the sudden appear off the coast of Orange County last Friday? The Daily News looks into what this could mean about the environment: "Some say they move north in search of a food source. Other scientists say the temperatures in the waters near the equator have increased due to global warming. As a result, the squid head north and have been spotted in the past as far as Alaska. 'Oxygen-depleted waters have increased off our coast in the last few years,' [said Dale] Sweetnam, [a senior marine biologist for the California Department of Fish & Game senior marine biologist for the California Department of Fish & Game]. 'There's a concern from our standpoint because the jumbo squid are voracious eaters. They do eat through a lot of fisheries, such as rockfish and actually market squid.'" more ›

Perhaps you could file this under the list of the many symptoms contributing to Los Angeles' budget crisis, now hovering around $218 million with 1,000 jobs to be eliminated. On Today's City Council agenda, Council President Eric Garcetti has a motion requesting $6,766 for the "Glendale Boulevard and Brunswick Avenue Urban Forestry Christmas Light Installation" in Atwater Village. more ›

The Angeles Crest Highway is closed and will be through the end of March and today the County is closing other foothill roads within the Station Fire area at nooon, the Department of Public Works has announced. "The segment of Big Tujunga Canyon Road, from the Los Angeles City limit to Vogel Flats Road, will remain open to residents and construction crews. However, the road will be closely monitored during the storm and subject to closure if conditions warrant," an advisory stated. "The remainder of Big Tujunga Canyon Road, the Angeles Forest Highway, and Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road, will close to all traffic except emergency vehicles." more ›

Charlie Sheen reported his car missing early this morning and it was found, via OnStar, below 300 feet below a cliff off Mulholland Drive. When police and fire arrived to the vehicle off the 13300 block of Mulholland, not too far from Sheen's home near the Mulholland and Beverly Glen intersection, no one was found inside or nearby. more ›

The second phase of a project to bring light rail from downtown to Santa Monica cleared a huge hurdle today when its construction authority board approved a final environmental impact document and chose a route. Preliminary engineering can now begin followed by design and construction, which will could commence later this year. more ›

• With an involuntary manslaughter charge expected to be filed (and possibly other charges), Michael Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, is said to be in negotiations with prosecution to surrender himself on Friday.
• Holiday Killer: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has won the right to cut Lincoln's Birthday and Columbus Day from state workers' list of paid holidays."
• Some guy in a motorcycle helmet has been robbing banks since the summer of 2008 in the Long Beach and Harbor area.

The Blue Line is notoriously known as most accident prone train in the city, if not the nation. Incidents involving cars and pedestrians make headlines quite often. In fact, the problem was enough to push Metro, L.A. County Sheriff's Deputies and LAPD to go on a public safety awareness campaign today, meaning they saturated an area of the light rail line and cited violator after violator. more ›

After the L.A. City Council failed to close a $212 million budget shortfall during a marathon-length meeting yesterday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took action, directing the elimination of 1,000 positions among other moves. "If we have to choose between funding firefighters and police officers or continuing to operate golf courses and parking meters across Los Angeles, I choose public safety and I will do everything possible to protect those priorities," he said. more ›

At least one person was injured this afternoon in what witnesses tell police was a drive by shooting. Around 3:25 p.m., shots rang out on the 5000 block of Caspar Avenue in Eagle Rock near the local library branch, according to the LAPD. Somehow the victim ended up at the library. The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed one ambulance and transferred at least one person to a local hospital. more ›

Hey Super Bowl fans, don't get too crazy and start driving this weekend. The LAPD will setting up sobriety checkpoints Friday and Saturday nights, culminating in a DUI saturation patrol on Sunday. In an unusual move, the department did not announce any of the checkpoint's locations. On New Year's Eve, Chief Charlie Beck told LAist he supports the publication of locations, but said the department doesn't always have to. "I think that the publicity surrounding these things is so important that if you give a couple of locations, that's fine," he said. Stay safe and sober out there! more ›

With the opening of a new green and satellite L.A. city hall in South L.A. last week comes the re-opening of the Central Avenue Farmer's Market, which by all appearances seems to be a bigger and badder operation. A kitchen built inside the new city facility means freshly prepared foods and cooking classes to be hosted at the the market in addition to the market operator, SEE-LA (they operate the big Hollywood Farmers Market and Farmers Kitchen, too), be working with a federally funded state program to bring more fresh food to families. more ›

In what appears to be an aftershock to the 6.5 quake in January, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Eureka, Ferndale and other Northern California coastal cities at 12:20 p.m. today. The January 9th quake caused quake some damage, but no injuries. As always, big earthquakes are good reminders to prepare for when one happens here. more ›

There's still more rain to come, says the National Weather Service, which predicts a real chance of rain by Friday afternoon and evening, persisting through the night and into Saturday morning with a chance of thunderstorms. As for today, expect mostly cloudy skies and cool temperatures--highs in the low 60s. About 1 to 2 inches of rain in the coastal/valley areas and 2 to 4 in the foothills/mountains are predicted to fall. As for snow, it's good news for boarders: the snow level should drop to 7,000 feet on Friday and then to 4,500 on Saturday. Over a foot is expected at resort level, with less than 6 inches below 6,000 feet, probably sparing the Grapevine from closure. more ›

As far as we know, they don't Twitter, but this is a savvy old-school complement to the growing stock of food trucks out there. The Miracle Bookmobile, which travels around the state accepting donations and giving away and books for free is currently in Los Angeles and will be making a scheduled appearance at Barnsdall Arts Park, according to Lucinda Michele at Metblogs. more ›

The causes of death were diabetic ketoacidosis for Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson and pneumonia for actor Brittany Murphy, according to reports released by the Los Angeles County Coroner this morning. While Johnson's death, which occurred on January 5th, was listed as natural, Murphy's was a little more involved. more ›

The Biking Working Group yesterday continued to release their vision of a city Backbone Bikeway by releasing a map of the San Fernando Valley. The system, created in response to the official, yet controversial, bicycle draft plan for Los Angeles, is supposed to act as the most basic way of bicycle travel throughout the city. more ›

By the end of Wednesday's marathon session of the Los Angeles City Council, where the budget crisis was being attacked head on, elected officials had taken action on several items, saving the city $6 million of the $218 million deficit. A small but good amount of money, but insignificant as the group also added $10 million in costs, reported the LA Times. more ›

Remember last August, right as the national healthcare reform debate was getting a bit wild, when a huge free medical checkup event set up for a week at The Forum in Inglewood? Well, they're coming back in April from the 24th through May 4th--this time at the Coliseum. The Coliseum Commission yesterday, at the request of L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, voted unanimously to waive rental fees for use of the Sports Arena for Remote Area Medical's return. more ›

• Gov. Schwarzenegger's pick for Lt. Governor could change off-shore drilling in Santa Barbara County.
• L.A. Councilmember Jose Huizar wants more clarity in state law regarding medical marijuana.
• In California: "​The number of women who have died from complications related to their pregnancies has tripled from 1996 to 2006."

With mountain lions, bears, coyotes and bobcats as parts of the daily Southern California life, it's easy to forget the ocean is a bounty of wildlife. This week, a few interesting stories have surfaced. more ›

Is this a true change in standpoint from our leadership? The beginning of a culture shift? Today, the L.A. Department of Transportation General Manager, Rita Robinson, aka MobilityMaven on Twitter, tweeted a warning to drivers: "Drivers - plz watch the road- be aware of cyclists. LADOT wrking w/LAPD & cyclists on road conditions/safety. Educ of drivers is crucial." Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa then retweeted it and followed it up with this: "I'm directing @MobilityMaven to work with the LAPD, LADOT and the cycling community to make our streets safe for cyclists." more ›

Hoping to oust Senator Barbara Boxer (D) from her long-held seat, Carly Fiorina (R) has released a video biography in the hopes Californians want to get to know this "5'6" fireball." more ›

He lost the bid to become the top LAPD cop, but he won out in L.A. County's second largest city. LAPD Deputy Chief Jim McDonnell will become Chief of Police for Long Beach, it was announced today. McDonnell, 50, is a 29-year veteran of the LAPD and served as the second-in-command under former Chief William Bratton. “I’m honored to be chosen for this position, and I will do everything in my power to make Long Beach the safest large city in the United States,” he said, putting him in competition with Mayor Antonio Villaragosa, who shares the same goal (but who doesn't, really?). Last October, Long Beach's Chief, Anthony Batts, resigned to be the Chief of Police in Oakland. more ›

When the Obama Administration yesterday released the list of transit projects set for federal funding, Los Angeles was missing. Hartford Connecticut and Oakland received funds for bus rapid transit. San Francisco got some dough for a subway. Other rail funding went to Hawaii, Minnesota and Colorado. Even San Bernardino and Riverside were funded for projects (see the full list here). more ›

The big day is tomorrow. The Expo Line's construction authority board is scheduled to vote on the second phase, which will bring the line from Culver City to Santa Monica (the first phase between downtown and Culver City is already under construction). The vote could go a variety of ways, including being voted down--meaning no train--to what's expected: the route as seen in the photo above. more ›

That amount of savings is more than laying off 1,000 non-police city hall jobs, which would save the city $65 million. The proposed cuts to police translates to "canceling plans for hiring 103 officers and laying off 616 probationary officers in the academy and the department," according to the LA Times. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council last year vowed to keep policing levels current at 9,963, but a budget crisis--now $218 million--is making that promise more difficult to keep. more ›

One way to save some or all of the 1,000 employees threatened to lose their job under a current proposal to help save Los Angeles' current $208-million budget shortfall is to transfer them to open jobs in proprietary revenue-generating departments like the Airport, Port and LADWP. Speaking to that, Councilmember Janice Hahn suggested taking that move seriously, calling for a "major Match.com" service to quickly transfer employees. Over 300 vacant positions have been identified, says Hahn. more ›

Bad news for traveling into the Angeles National Forest via the Angeles Crest Highway. After a week of rain in January, the artery between La Canada-Flintridge to Islip Saddle (at Highway 39) remains closed due to mud slides and washed away roads, according to the LA Times. It's expected to reopen up by late March. more ›

That's the question Alex Thompson at Westside Bikeside is asking. A proposal by two Los Angeles councilmembers seeks $30 million in federal money to extend the Marvin Braude Bike Path--the 19 mile beach bicycle path between the South Bay and near the Santa Monica-L.A. border--by two more miles to the north. For Thompson, this is a questionable priority. more ›

The controversial budget-saving move to cut $500,000 from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs grant program was saved this morning after a proposal to cut the Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel guests pay that), which funds the grants, was killed this morning during a City Council meeting. However, the department stands to lose nearly 50% of its staffing, currently at 63. 11 will leave due to the Early Retirement Incentive Program and another 16 could be axed if the proposed 1,000 citywide layoff plan passes. If that happens, Cultural Affairs will be left with 36 employees. more ›

Next Thursday, Downtown diners will be able to order up from a small set of food trucks parked at a designated lot, thanks to the organizational efforts of the SoCal Mobile Food Vendors Association, reports the Daily Dish. SoCal MFVA VP Matt Geller explains that the lot will be located at Alameda and Traction, and will have "ample parking," and "3-4 trucks daily." more ›

A Chinese bank is has agreed to loan $7 billion to help build a high speed train between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, according to the Las Vegas Sun, via Curbed LA. That's great, but there are hurdles, including the fact that the line was not funded in the latest round of stimulus money, in which California received $2.25 billion. However, if it does become a reality, Las Vegas will truly become L.A.'s far flung suburb. But, hey, Chinese bankers, what about some funding for the subway to the sea? Huh? more ›

As the City Council prepares to vote on laying off 1,000 employees in order to help save teh $208-million budget shortfall, Westside Councilmember Bill Rosendahl is unwilling to bend on one issue in particular: calligraphy, which is a $1 million affair at city hall. During Monday's budget hearing, he said "whatever we need to do to preserve it, I want to do." That's quite a shift from 2009 when he told the LA Weekly "if it comes down to fixing the pothole or giving out a certification, I’ll fix the pothole.” more ›

When it comes to condom use in the local porn business, Los Angeles County officials are opting to keep their hands to themselves. more ›

There's nothing sexy about a city government's budget, no matter how you color it. The city of Los Angeles is facing so much red ink--currently $208 million--it's going to start bleeding out onto the streets and into your daily life. And that's exactly why you should know what's going on. If pot holes annoy you, get ready for more of them. If slow police response times anger you, you might be waiting even longer in the near future. City services demand money and well, that money isn't there. more ›

The West Hollywood City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to ban the sale of cats and dogs Monday evening. However, although some are saying it's final, the city, per law, must vote and approve the ordinance a second time at its February 16th meeting, when it is expected to pass. The period between the first and second votes allows time for people who have a legal reason to contest the ordinance to file an action in court. The ban seeks to eliminate the demand for puppy mill and kitten factory bred companion pets. more ›

The city could soon be bringing in more much-needed revenue if they follow through on discussions to expand the current red light camera program, according to the LA Times. Over the next few months LA's motorists could see cameras added to "blocks of eight intersections at a time and eventually doubling the overall reach of the program to 64 intersections." more ›

"Drama in Sunset Junction. Police line up and lots of cop cars racing in circles up and down the streets," twittered Jeff Nicholas about his Silver Lake neighborhood last night. That's because around 7 p.m., a man's body was found in the middle of the 1100 block of Manzanita Street with a gun laying 15 feet away from him. It was first reported that he was possibly shot in the head, but ABC7 confirms "that the injury was not a gunshot wound." Nicholas later twittered "no gunshots heard around here." more ›

• What if community colleges gave out bachelor's degrees? It's being discussed up in Sacramento.
• If Michael Jackson's doctor is charged in the death of the pop star, he is prepared to surrender himself.
• Huell Howser appeared on The Simpsons last month and now the Staples center gets some cartoon love.

Hyperbole or not, Councilman Richard Alarcon was on a tear in today's city council meeting going after city staff (and perhaps himself in a round-a-bout way) for, what he says, was the easy way out of the budget mess: by proposing to layoff 1,000 employees. more ›

10 percent of the 1,000 city hall employees to be laid off in a current budget saving proposal are city attorneys. It's safe to say, like any employee with a threat to the job, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is not thrilled. So at last night's meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee, Chief Deputy City Attorney Bill Carter read a poignant statement on how losing city attorneys means costly unintended consequences. "Our office does not create liability, other departments do," he said. A portion of his statement is below: more ›

When the 2009 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Report (.pdf) was released last Fall, it said there was a 38% drop in homelessness in the county. But that didn't make sense to the shelters and non-profits that claimed their services were overwhelmed. And today, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank released a report furthering facts about an increase in services for the needy. more ›

While not originally under consideration this late in the game, a completely subterranean alternative is being added to the downtown regional connector project, which fills in a gap in light rail track, connecting the Blue, Gold and Expo lines. "Two plans currently under consideration both involve at-grade links to the existing Gold Line tracks, an option that the community has been consistently against since the project outreach first started in late 2007," explains Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. "The new alternative could add up to $200 million onto the project's price tag, which would then total roughly $1 billion." more ›

It was December 1999 when Ahmed Ressam was caught trying to smuggle explosives over the Canadian border with plans to detonate them at LAX on New Year's Eve. He was eventually sentenced to 22 years in prison by a Seattle judge, but that today was overturned by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The panel of judges said it was so lenient that it constituted as a procedural error and failure by the Seattle judge to adequately protect the public, according to the LA Times. The resentencing will be done by a different judge. more ›

As the city explores ways to sell the operation of public parking garages to private companies for 50 years--the city council today unanimously approved a move to further develop these plans--a recent report listing the top debtors reveals that parking operators owe the city close to $100 million in uncollected taxes. more ›

Reports out of El Salvador from earlier this year indicating that Salvadoran National Team member William Osael Romero was on the verge of being signed to an MLS contract have been confirmed Stateside. more ›

And, oh, he's only slept with three women. But don't worry, he has, according to him, " talent, stamina, endurance." Meet Markus Bestin, a former marine who was recently left homeless after a failed attempt in the porn industry. He's been gaining some buzz over the last couple weeks as Nevada's first legal male prostitute. more ›

After our post last week about fake signs enforcing illegal billboards, the LA Weekly speaks to the anonymous caper. Why isn't this being enforced, the Weekly asks. "The city claims it doesn't have the money to enforce [against illegal billboards]," the bandit explained. "Why don't they simply collect all the signs and make Fuel buy them back? That could help solve the budget problem and provide city jobs that are now under the axe." more ›

It's envisioned as a map "outlining a system of bikeways that will get you anywhere in the city" and it's not the one being currently done by city officials. Angered over the sloppy process that has become the now-controversial Los Angeles Bicycle Draft Plan, a group of bicycle community organizers called the Bike Working Group has come up with their own plan. more ›

Despite a U.S. judge's ruling that director Roman Polanski cannot be sentenced in absentia, his extradition from Switzerland could take up to a year, reports the LA Times: "After an extradition decision by the Swiss justice ministry, Mr. Polanski has the possibility of appealing to the Federal Criminal Court and then the Federal Supreme Court," a Swiss justice ministry official said. "It's hard to say how long [an appeal] would take, but it could be from several months to a year." Polanski was found guilty of having sex with a 13-year-old girl. more ›

To fill in a budget shortfall of $208 million ($485 million next fiscal year), many ideas about public-private partnerships have been floated. From selling the zoo and golf courses to the convention center, it's all on the talked about. One item, however, took a major step last night at meeting of the L.A. City Council's Budget & Finance Committee: privatizing ten parking garages (and future ones under construction and planned) for 50 years. [Update: After discussion, the full council approved moving forward with developing a draft request for qualifications.] more ›

Perhaps the most sobering news that came out of yesterday's 11-hour L.A. City Council budget committee session was a request to see a layoff plan that included police and firefighters. The current proposal to layoff 1,000 employees, which was not recommended by the committee late Monday evening, left public safety jobs off the table, but Councilman Bernard Parks, the former LAPD Chief, wanted to see the "grimmest picture" possible, according to the LA Times. The council is faced with a $208 million budget shortfall this year and will be up against a $484 million one come July 1st. more ›

Close to ten hours into a Los Angeles City Council budget committee meeting late Monday night, the money-saving move to layoff 1,000 employees was not approved, despite a $208 million budget deficit. At first, the layoffs were approved by Councilmembers Bernard Parks, Greig Smith and Bill Rosendahl with Paul Koretz and Jose Huizar against it, but Rosendahl quickly balked, siding against the layoffs. more ›

• The "frugal" CA Gov hopeful Jerry Brown has $12M in the bank in prep for his campaign. (Incidentally, Meg Whitman says she's willing to spend $100M.)
• Toyota is now ready to begin the work to fix the pedal issue on their many, many recalled models.
• The hearing in the case of the big-rig driver charged with vehicular manslaughter in last April's Angeles Crest Highway accident remains on hold while the court determines if the accused can be tried for murder.

A pursuit that began in Burbank via car ended up inside The Americana at Brand mall and residences where the suspect hid in the parking structure until apprehended by police. The crime for which three suspects were sought was a liquor store robbery that took place in Burbank late this morning, according to LA Now. more ›

It's 3:30 p.m. and the Los Angeles City Council's Budget and Finance Committee is in session. It sounds boring, but Los Angeles is facing a current $208 million budget shortfall and an expected $400 million shortfall come July, when the new fiscal year begins (and not to mention a $1 billion shortfall in future years). That could translate thousands of employee layoffs and basic city services not being done--think more potholes, less tree trimming, more sidewalks and streets in disrepair, unresolved dispute resolutions, crimes, civil and criminal, going un-prosecuted, unfunded arts grants, less disability services, lower parks staffing and lots more. more ›

Back in November 2008, jazz pianist John Osnes, also a pedestrian rights advocate, was walking across Hollywood Boulevard when Swedish rapper David Jassy's car edged into the crosswalk. Osnes struck his hand on the front of Jassy's car, which prompted Jassy to physically attack him before getting back in the car and fatally running him over. Jassy was found guilty today of second-degree murder and could face 15 years to life, according to the LA Times. more ›

As the Expo Line's first phase between downtown Los Angeles and Culver City gets closer to completion (despite it being over-budget and delayed), the building authority's board is set to vote on the second phase, which would connect the line from Culver City to Santa Monica, this Thursday afternoon. If they side with project staff's recommendation, as expected, they will approve a route known as LRT Alternative 2, which would go from Culver City towards the beach via a right of way until connecting with Colorado Boulevard in Santa Monica until 4th Street (it's the more northerly dashed line on the above image). more ›

With the Pasadena Playhouse set to close in seven days, ticketholders are still in the dark about the money they've spent on future shows. Now a coalition of theatres, with the L.A. Stage Alliance in the lead, are working towards a solution, according to Michael Seel of the Boston Court Theatre in Pasadena. They are looking for ways to "support the Pasadena Playhouse and its subscribers, either through offering tickets to upcoming productions or in other ways, soon to be determined," he wrote in an e-mail newsletter. "We believe in the vital importance of theatre in the lives of those who love it and we will do our best to allow Playhouse subscribers the opportunity to continue enjoying theatre while the Playhouse reorganizes. We'll have more details about this program soon and will share it with our members." more ›

It looks like June is when we'll see the groundbreaking for the MTA Gold Line's Foothill Extension, which will take the tracks from its current terminus in Pasadena to the Azusa/Glendora border, reports the Pasadena Star-News. more ›

As the process to fix Los Angeles' budget woes continues, today a City Council budget and finance committee will examine the recent mid-year and three-year fiscal reports and recommendations--you know, laying off 1,000 employees, etc--in addition to a major 400-page report on possible budget savings via public-private partnerships on city-owned parking structures. more ›

The move to ban the sale of cats and dogs in West Hollywood is a first, but that's nothing unusual. The recent spate of cat declawing bans in various cities around California--Los Angeles included--was something that began there and it seems to have invigorated some new energy. "West Hollywood can take the lead on this issue and help set the standard for Southern California city governments," reads the background analysis to the ban's proposal. more ›

Although the state said they would give $14.7 million in funding for the Orange Line extension in the West Valley, they've balked, forcing Metro to either delay the project or use their own money in the meantime. Last Thursday, the latter was chosen, in hope the state will honor the money in the future. more ›

Last fall we heard about plans Arnaud Ozharun, owner of Natural Mind Beauty & Beyond on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, had to convert the exterior of his business into a vertical garden. This weekend we caught some of the installation in process, as vibrant greenery was being set into small pockets all up and down the outside of the building--a total of 20,000 will eventually be in place in the vertical garden, which Ozharun said he hopes will look "like Amazonia." Head to Silver Lake and check it out! more ›

The case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, in federal court finished last week and it's safe to say, however may Judge Vaughn Walker rule, this is not the end. Appeals will definitely be made and all signs point indicate that it will be the backers of the Prop who will be making the appeal. Perhaps the writing was already on the wall during a pre-trial hearing when the Prop 8 folks asked for a summary judgement: more ›

A mid-year budget report addressed to Mayor Villaraigosa and the Los Angeles City Council last Friday evening had sobering, but not surprising news. Los Angeles is in deep financial trouble and it's going to take years to get out of it. more ›