A woman who calls herself an "environmental health inspector" is posing as a member of the Pasadena Public Health Department and running a scam on local businesses. The impostor has reportedly been approaching local restaurants, "claiming to be there to inspect their premises for safety violations in exchange for cash payment," according to a city press release. more ›

Last month at the Vendy Awards, the judges selected Nina Garcia, the Breed Street vendor of Nina's Food in East L.A. as the best in show among her esteemed peers. more ›

Fallout from the massive Westland/Hallmark meat recall scandal continues to affect Southland restaurants, stretching from San Diego to Ventura County. The California Department of Public Health has released a document listing every food purveyor which has purchased the recalled beef -- and at 59+ pages, it's a doozy. Chances are very good you have purchased or ingested some of Westland/Hallmark's product at some point, since markets and restaurants across the city are represented. more ›

• "A very, very good night for Barack Obama just got better," the LA Times said after it reported that the winner of the South Carolina Primary was on the receiving end of two Kennedy endorsements; Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama this morning in the NY Times and Sen. Ted Kennedy issued his endorsement later in the day.
• Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton moved on from South Carolina and defended critics of her husband's campaigning, saying, "everybody just needs to take a deep breath. We need to be focusing on what's important in the lives of Americans."
• The Federal Government isn't making too many friends these days and a new rule along the borders might not change that. People crossing the border must now prove they are a U.S. citizen, eschewing the long standing policy of orally declaring your citizenship. I fear this does not spell the end of those fabled Tijuana donkey shows.
• "I'm in a totally happy place," said former Dodger Mike Lieberthal explaining why he decided to retire yesterday. The Dodgers declined the option on the two-time all star and valley boy who was last year's back up to Russell Martin.
• Good news, foodies: the Daily News found that the number of restaurants who have received a C from the Department of Health has declined dramatically since inspections began a decade ago, while the number of eateries with an A have increased 40 percent from last year. I'm sure this doesn't include taco trucks, but, hey, ignorance is bliss.
• Rains continued Sunday, dumping as much as 4 inches on the Southland. Downtown record about 10 inches, eons more than the 1.65 inches Downtown received at this time last year. Don't freak out, L.A. drivers, the storm might taper off by this evening, forecasters say.
• In case you missed it, LAist had a big week. A few highlights: the Neighborhood Project continued with a look at Country Club Park;
• To Catch a Predator bait Dani Miura was interviewed and;
• The Roman Catholic Archdiocese has sold off their 3424 Wilshire Boulevard Archdiocesan Catholic Center to Jamison Properties for $31 million to raise money for the hundreds of outstanding sexual abuse lawsuits. An interesting debate in the comments section ensued.
• We have a big week ahead with some big name interviews, great music reviews and continued news, politics and art greatness

No! This just can't be happening! I scrupulously avoid reading anything published by the LA County Department of Health, because otherwise I would never be able to eat anywhere ever again. Unfortunately, my friend Donna just alerted me to the fact that Doughboy's, provider of our red velvet cake fix, made the Health Department's Food Facility Closure List for the period 05/31/2007 through 08/31/2007. Due to vermin infestation. Quelle horreur ! In reality, I... more ›

In the latest news of people being dumb at UCLA come the students. Yes, the students who decided to live in an ultra dense area of the city with a car and knowingly rent an apartment without a parking space or buy a space on the sidewalk. But they're not fully at fault here: Landlords Ah, yes. Our favorite type of people. The people who are allowed to run the place we live in... more ›

Today is World AIDS Day, and while LAist firmly believes the world should be focused on AIDS as much as humanly possible every day, we're glad December 1st is set aside to remind us all that AIDS continues to affect us globally and locally. Here in LA there are many events taking place in honor of the day. This morning the LA County Public Health Department's Office of AIDS Programs & Policy held a gathering at Dorothy Chandler Pavillion which led into a special balloon launch ceremony at 10:00 a.m. held in memory of those we have lost to HIV/AIDS. more ›