Looks like the Academy Awards don't have the same in with Mother Nature and the big meteorologist in the sky the way the Tournament of Roses Parade does. It's a wet Sunday morning in the city known around the world for its perpetual sunshine, and when everyone's tuned into the 80th Annual Academy Awards this afternoon, the ugly truth will be revealed: It rains in Los Angeles! And it's probably going to keep raining. Cbs2.com......

Photo © Copyright 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos Pool on Flickr It might be Oscar season here in LA, but it's also still rainy season. LAist Featured Photos Pool contributor Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) caught some shots of the setup going on at the Kodak Theatre in preparation for Sunday's big night. Think Mother Nature will dare to rain on Hollywood's most glamorous red carpet parade tomorrow?......

Photo © Copyright 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr One of the gunmen involved in yesterday's Glassell Park shootout has been identified as a member of the Avenues gang. Daniel Ivan Leon was killed by police following his participation in a fatal drive-by shooting that claimed one life. Ok, so there wasn't anyone jumping onto the 110 Freeway today, but there was a police pursuit on the......

Rollin' out the Red Carpet |Photo © Copyright 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos Pool on Flickr The 80th Annual Academy Awards are this weekend and it's time to break out the ballots and play the at-home game, which is probably second only in fun to making booze-enhanced color commentary from the couch for the red carpet arrivals. (We'll leave you to your own devices on that one.) So let's......

Obama and Clinton onstage last week in Hollywood | Photo © 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (sundogg) via LAist Featured Photos Pool Everyone's a songwriter when there's something big going on. YouTube is busting at the seams with song parodies of candidates and campaigns; some mourn for better choices, some simply sing their support, and some poke lots of fun at the candidates' foibles. Recently a couple of professional songwriters were asked by Weekend America......

Projected Nevada Democratic caucus winner Hillary Clinton campaigned here in California this week, visiting supporters gathered at CSUN As the results of today's caucuses--including one being held at Caesar's Palace--in Nevada continue to stream in, most are projecting Senator Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney the winners of the Democratic and Republican races, respectively. The LA Times is reporting that "with 78% of the precincts reporting, Clinton had about 51% of the vote and Obama 45%.......

Turns out "Economic Roundtable" talks really happen at round tables. They also happen in the backyard of a campaign supporter in Van Nuys, in the case of this week's visit from Democratic Presidential nominee-hopeful Barack Obama. The Illinois Senator held the discussion a the home of Mimi Vitello, and was apparently not daunted by the large rake that rested against the wall behind him. LAist Featured Photos pool contributor Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) captured......

Frequent LAist Featured Photos Pool contributer Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) shares with us this incredible shot from yesterday of the efforts to locate a young boy who went missing in the waters off Point Mugu. He explains:Jan 12, 2008 - Point Mugu , CA, USA - A search and rescue diver jumps from a Ventura County Fire Dept helicopter to continue recovery efforts for the body of a 17-year-old boy who was swept off......

Hollywood's honorary mayor, Johnny Grant, passed away Wednesday night. LAist Featured Photos photographer, Jonathan Alcorn, visits his Hollywood Walk of Fame Star:Flowers on the star of Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant beneath the Kodak Theatre during a memorial held by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant has died of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles on Jan 9,,2008. He was found by police in his room at the Roosevelt Hotel......

The 21-year-old man who caused the insane and deadly crash that killed two early Saturday morning in Hollywood at Highland and Sunset has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving. Speaking of crashes and cars, a Los Angeles Airport Police officer crashed his squad car into a car that was stopped at the scene of another accident. The vehicle's lights were off. No one was hurt and the officers canine partner, a......

A simple description for a simple moment from LAist Featured Photos contributer Jonathan Alcorn: "A man watches the glow of dusk from the sand berms at Venice Beach on December 23, 2007." In what can be a rather harried and stressful time of year, it's nice to remember to take a moment to be calm, indeed. Photo by Jonathan Alcorn (Sundogg) via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr......

LAist Featured Photos contributer Jonathan Alcorn talks about this photo he took in September. "The Venice sign has returned to Windward Avenue after being taken down in the 1940's. It is a copy of the historical Venice sign that hung across Windward Avenue, a block from the entrance to Venice Beach. The effort to bring back the sign was secured by a beautification grant from the City of Los Angeles for the project in......

LAist Featured Photos contributer Jonathan Alcorn caught this scene in Compton on Saturday: "In an effort to reduce violence, 156 guns were collected by Los Angeles County Sheriff's representatives in Compton during the first three days of an annual exchange program, officials said today. People turning in guns to sheriff's personnel receive $50 gift cards for use at Best Buy, Home Depot, Ralphs or Target. Gift cards worth $100 were given for each of......

The LA Times is reporting this morning that "the big waves predicted for Southern California beaches failed to materialize Tuesday afternoon." Photographer Jonathan Alcorn, an LAist Featured Photos contributer on Flickr, shot these large waves yesterday in El Segundo at El Porto. These surfers seem to be riding waves in that 7-12 ft. range the Times predicted yesterday morning. Hrmmmmm? Yes, throughout the region waves were not as high as many hoped to be,......

By the end of yesterday morning, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Michael Balzary, popularly known as Flea, sent a text message saying his home "had burnt to a crisp," according to the LA Times.Michael Balzary, a.k.a. Flea, had purchased a home for more than $10 million in Malibu last year, but the house that burned was another he owned in the hills west of Corral Canyon. That French country-style home is listed for sale......

Some more updates to the Mudslide that happened earlier today on Forest Lawn Drive. An estimated 27,000 DWP customers lost power due to rain and lightning. And the rain only seemed to hit hard in select parts of the Los Angeles area. And because of all this rain dumping crazy stuff into the ocean, stay away for at least three days. "Why am I consistently one of the only white people riding the bus......

About the above photo by Jonathan Alcorn: "Sept 15 2007 Los Angeles, CA - A firefighter was injured in a fire that broke out tonight in a single-story commercial building in East Los Angeles and produced a plume of smoke visible throughout the Los Angeles basin, a fire official said. The fire was reported at 6:17 p.m. at 2840 E. Olympic Blvd. and extinguished after an hour and 45 minutes." Don't forget to enter......