1812: A major earthquake struck Southern California, destroying the church at Mission San Juan Capistrano and damaging the San Gabriel Mission. 1873: J. R. Toberman, Mayor approved a franchise for a street railway which have a run "commencing at Temple and Spring Streets, and along Spring to First; First to Fort Street, (now Broadway); Fort Street to Fourth Street, Fourth to Hill Street, on Hill to Fifth Street; on Fifth to Olive Street; on......

On June 19, 2000 I was staying at the Radisson Hotel across the street from USC, visiting campus for my freshman orientation. About two miles north on Figueroa Street that night, Kobe Bryant was winning his first championship with the Lakers. I didn't get much sleep. The impromptu parade of cars (Benzos, Civics, low riders, it didn't matter) made my hotel their turnaround point before they looped back to the Staples Center. I've lived in......

"Danielson: A Family Movie" Laemmle Grande 4-Plex, 345 Figueroa Street, Downtown LA special engagement, showing thru Thursday You're doing ok when you've got Steve Albini inviting you to a rock festival that he's curating. You're doing ok when you're straightforwardly hurling your Christian agenda on a cynical young hipster crowd and they can only stand and watch and smile, in awe, and think of David Byrne and Frank Black, and how the Polyphonic Spree......

If you see the LA City Council around any of these intersections, may we suggest that you honk if you're horny. According to CBS2, they've got the green light to put digital cams in 22 intersections and these 22 are on their radar. -- Griffin Avenue and North Main Street -- Beverly Boulevard and Western Avenue -- Broadway and Vernon Avenue -- Arlington Avenue and Venice Boulevard -- Balboa Boulevard and Vanowen Street --......

SFist was there for the 4.4 Earthquake in the Bay Area, which is a good reason to visit The L.A. Times' EQ coverage archive. LA City Beat combs through the West Valley and finds that it's not so bad. They even talk up Follow Your Heart, which we mentioned last week. That plus Figueroa Street, 818 movies and ‘What is your favorite, secret treasure of Los Angeles?’ LA Weekly reports on the convictions of......

Recently we checked out downtown's noted Ciudad, and had a generally enjoyable time. Bottom line: good food, great drinks, and uneven service at times. Despite the drawbacks of our experience, this bright and colorful spot draws raves from devotees, most of whom give the enthusiastic thumbs up to their cocktail hour offerings. In a move that seems on par with many local restaurants' initiation of specialty nights to fill tables (Jar's Mozzarella Mondays, for......

Daniel Hernandez publishes another rockin' story, "The Punk Rock Kids in the Hall," in the Los Angeles Times about Ramona Hall in Highland Park, which offers kids after-school music education classes and encourages them to perform in their own rock bands. Raul Martinez can't help but smile. Since 2000, when he started teaching guitar at Ramona Hall on North Figueroa Street, he has built a veritable farm for budding roqueros in northeast Los Angeles.......

The Los Angeles Downtown News reports that the Figueroa Corridor Partnership Business Improvement District (FCPBID) has added permanent banners to light poles lining Figueroa Street, ultimately gracing poles on Figueroa Street, Vermont Avenue, Flower Street, Jefferson Boulevard, Washington Boulevard, 23rd Street and Exposition Boulevard. This news also answers a question we've always harbored about the banner system in LA. Apparently, the the traditional canvas banners that usually grace city light poles have to be......

Get your holiday shopping done early at the annual African Marketplace & Cultural Faire this week. Saturdays & Sundays, August 28, 29 and Labor Day Weekend, September 4, 5 & 6 10:00 AM–9:00 PM Location: Exposition Park, in front of the LA Sports Arena Address: 3939 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles (Martin Luther King Boulevard & Figueroa)......