10,500 people packed into the Crenshaw Christian Faith Dome this morning for a very special service for fallen LAPD SWAT Officer Randal Simmons. Police officers from as far as Canada have come to Los Angeles to honor him. More waited outside and people began to gather on the streets along the procession route. Media watcher, Kevin Roderick at LA Observed pointed out this morning as he liveblogged the funeral that "every network owned TV station......

*UPDATE: Saturday, 2:45 p.m.* 3 people are now confirmed dead in the aftermath of Friday's avalanches -- LAT. *UPDATE: Friday, 8:50 p.m.*One person was killed and at least one other was missing after avalanches struck near the town of Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains. The victim, 23-year-old Michael McKay, was an employee of the Mountain High Resort ski patrol. Around noon, an avalanche struck as McKay and two friends were skiing in the backcountry......

Yesterday we wrote about the high speed car chase that started in Burbank, got hot as it sped up 5 at speeds over 100 mph, then ended on the 138 eastbound. The pursuit ended somewhat anti-climatically when the driver ran out of gas, pulled over, and surrendered without incident. Thankfully KCAL anchor David Gonzales brought a little funny to the letdown of an ending. Gonzales of course being the gentleman who last month delightfully......

One thing that separates LA from the rest of the world are our televised high-speed vehicle pursuits. Glendale PD tried to pull over a man in a white pickup truck a little over an ago. The driver peaced-out and floored it north onto the 5 freeway. Here we are now at 2:27 pm and KCAL's SKY9 is all over it. Speeds have reached above 100 miles per hour. What's most interesting is that the......

LA has always been a stronghold for weathermen. We've had Fritz, Dallas Raines, Johnny Mountain, Christopher Nance... even Garth Kemp has made a dent out here. Did we miss any? But lately we've noticed that there have been a few weather-women who have brought pleasant little smiles to our faces as they find new ways to tell us it's going to be sunny and mild here in LA. On the top of the list......

While watching the KCAL local noon news today, we saw that they did a story about a trend in England about mini pigs. Yes, we know... how dare the local LA tv channel do a story about something OUTSIDE OF LA... but it happens, and we tell you it happens but you ignore us. Whatever. Anyways, the beautiful Mia Lee delivered the lil story about the lil pigs and David Gonzales busted with a......

The party is over in apartment 269 after Irvine cops acting on complaints from neighbors discovered a small brothel in the OC. One woman was charged with pimping and two were popped for whoring via Craigslist - at bare bottom rates. The three woman, all Los Angeles residents, allegedly advertised their services on Craigslist.com, and met the men in a two-bedroom unit at the Villa Coronado apartment homes in Irvine, authorities said. Kyung Ah......

KCBS and its KCAL affiliate picked up seven awards at the Los Angeles Emmy Awards last night, with the award for live coverage of an unannounced event going to the team for the Esperanza fire. Let's all share in a joyous chorus of "Hell yeah!!": teen drivers may be barred from using cell phones while driving, under state legislation passed today. And while we're at it, give another whoop of joy for the resignation......

Of course Supervisor Yvonne Braithwaite-Burke lives in her district. Or maybe not. (Los Angeles Times) Nicole Richie appears at the Glendale courthouse, reporter gets elbowed in the head (East of the 5/Daily News). As for Nicole, she gets 4 days in jail. (KCAL) Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out, Paris. The Hilton heiress' Hollywood home is for sale. (Curbed LA) How much do you love your botox?......

Dear LAist, I come here every day and sometimes I read something that isn't even happening in LA. What gives? Curious in Culver City Dear Curious, Like the city of LA itself, LAist is influenced by news and events all over the world. True, we specialize in bringing you the news of the greatest city in the world, Los Angeles, but sometimes we will tell you how stinky Florida is, how great Las Vegas......

A Word or 56+/-: I guess Tuesday's are Ida Lupinow filmfests on TCM - why, god why? How about a Terry Thomas filmfest for effssake? If you want to watch new stuff tonight you'll have to head over to PBS. And hey, Colbert has a "surprise guest that rhymes with Steagle" tonight. Bugsy Siegel? Tonight - Tuesday - June 12th, 2007 Dodgers @ Jays (KCAL, 4:00 p.m.) Astros @ Angels (Fox Sports, 7:30 p.m.)......

Some bonus coverage from last night's fire story. According to KCAL news (home of the Dodgers!), last night a large building at 2028 14th St. (between Olympic and Pico) in Santa Monica went up in flames. Apparently the company makes CDs which smell really really horrible when they burn. At one point the 2nd floor of the building collapsed and the firefighters were evacuated; one firefighter is reported to be injured (get well soon!).......

A Word or 39: It feels like Wednesdays are going to be the night with new programming this time of year. It feels like it, but it doesn't look like it since not much of this stuff is watchable. Hidden Palms?? For effsake. Tonight - Wednesday - June 13th, 2007 Mets @ Dodgers (PRIME, 7:00 p.m.) Hidden Palms (the CW, 8:00 p.m.) Country club party time The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest......

A Word or 100+: Ooops, I missed the Tonys, malhereusement. If there's a pick tonight, other than arena football, then it's the US version of Creature Comforts on CBS at 8:00 p.m. (from the creator of Wallace and Gromit). I love the UK version but my kids have a hard time with the various British accents and some of the various topics - I know it's a lot to ask for but I'm hoping......

A shooting suspect has been in pursuit by the LAPD for the last hour and a half. Driving a silver pick up truck and circling the city of Los Angeles, the suspect is allegedly responsible for a shooting in Tijunaga. Dozens of police in cruisers and helicopters.are following him as he drives on the 5, 10, 110, 101, and other freeways. KCAL 9 has been broadcasting the chase and they're streaming that broadcast online.......

A Word or 54 (or so): I know that there are some folks who are happy to be getting a few new episodes of the doomed Studio 60 - enjoy it while you can. Funny how there is no cohesive letter-writing campaign to save that one, at least not a campaign that is getting any press. Tonight - Thursday - June 7th, 2007 Dodgers @ Padres (KCAL, 7:00 p.m.) Pirate Master (CBS, 8:00 p.m.)......

A Word or 77 (or so): ABC has a lineup of new episodes and shows tonight - bucking the other networks, with the exception of Fox and the CW, who were always trend-buckers [hey, I said "buckers" ok, you dirty-minded individuals]. You might have also seen on the AP that the kids are trying to keep Jericho on the air - if CBS doesn't want to run it, they should sell it. I always......

A Word or 53: Idol and Lost finish up tonight. Am pleased to see Apolo win DWTS - 24 ended with a 'blah' and as you can see we have very little in the way of new programming. Enjoy the unending Dukefest on TCM. I guess this time of year is why we have baseball to watch. Tonight - Wednesday - May 23, 2007 John Wayne's 100th Birthday (TCM, ALL DAY) Nothing but John......

A Word or 10: Intercity baseball rivalry tonight - check it. Have a great weekend! Tonight - Friday - May 18, 2007 Dodgers @ Angels (KCAL, 8:00 p.m.) That's the Way It Is: Celebrating Cronkite at 90 (CBS, 8:00 p.m.) The last great newsman turns 90. Dateline NBC (NBC, 8:00 p.m.) More exploitive garbage. The Henry Rollins Show (IFC, 8:00 p.m.) Joan Jett(!!); The Blood Brothers perform America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC, 8:00 p.m.)......

A Word or 146: It was fun to watch Molly Shannon on SNL. In general it was a great broadcast and she was just as funny now as she was then but who could really care about Linkin Park? Less fun is reading about the continuing poor decision-making by the networks in their upcoming program development. NBC is trying to cover all it's bases milking Heroes, their only good horse in the running, by creating......

125 firefighters and five water-dropping helicopters are attacking a fire that is being fanned by 10 MPH winds. Captain Antoine McKnight was on KCAL news a few minutes ago saying that approximately 30 acres have burned. The Griffith Park Zoo, the golf course, the observatory, the boys camp, the merry-go-round, the magnet school, the Gene Autry museum have all been evacuated. Later when pushed by KCAL anchors, he pushed the estimate of damage to......

A Word or 10: I hope Jon Stewart rips Tenet a new one tonight. Tonight - Tuesday - May 8, 2007 Indians @ Angels (KCAL, 7:00 p.m.) NCIS/The Unit (CBS, 8-10:00 p.m.) Murder victim found in taxi, Jenny discovers a "secret"/The team is having past mission infractions investigated Dateline NBC (NBC, 8:00 p.m.) NBC exploits families looking for loved ones Gilmore Girls/Veronica Mars (the CW, 8-10:00 p.m.) Rory's graduation party/Verionica investigates the disappearance of......

A Word or 89(approx): One thing I didn't mention over the weekend was Sunday's SNL In the '90s because I thought it woudl suck. I was right. First, why did it take them 7 years to come up with this 2 hours of dreck? Second, the equal emphasis of the (pathetic) music acts and the comedy was a mistake - the show is an hour and a half with 2 songs in it, the......

A Word or 4 dozen : Somehow I totally missed posting that the Shield was on last night and again it was good. I think one would be hard-pressed to find more raw and compelling performances on any other show available on the networks or basic cable. Being a former SF resident, I haven't been able to get enough of Conan's broadcast from the Orpheum theater on Market Street- too bad that's still bum-junkie......

The Lakers head into a must win game tonight in Phoenix (7:30 on KCAL 9 or TNT) with many fans and pundits thinking this is more a nationally televised execution than a playoff game. Look at the reports from yesterday’s Laker practice and the same feeling seems to have washed over the team. Not to worry though Laker fans, you’ve got Phil Jackson’s amazing motivational tools: “I did tell them that they had the brainpower......

A Word or 49: Iggy Pop redeems Jimmy Kimmel tonight. For petessake when is the stupid 'house' gimmick ever gonna end on House? (new one tonight) I'm rockin' the slot with the Shield tonight though - now that Vic seems to be in the clear perhaps we're just back to some stellar violence. Today - Tuesday - April 24th, 2007 Rita Hayworth Marathon (TCM, 5- p.m.) Starting with Pal Joey, then Salome, etc. Check......

A Word Or 55: I'm Tivo-ing Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe from 24) on Conan tonight because it's the only new TV worth watching. Did you know Mary Lynn used to be David Cross' girlfriend? Did you know she's starring in a full-length comedy show at the Steve Allen Theater? Go see her Sunday, Apr. 15 @ 8:00pm, it's like $5 or $10 or something, pocket change. Also, after losing an hour of my life......