The city of West Hollywood is considering several proposals to limit cigarette sales including one potential regulation that would ban sales of smokes within 600 feet of a school. Another proposed ban looks to eliminate smoking outdoors, including on patios at nightclubs, bars and restaurants, reports KTLA. On Monday, city council is scheduled to meet and discuss the proposals. One neighborhood group has their own plans to meet up before the council meeting to hold a "happy hour protest party" at Fiesta Cantina on Santa Monica Boulevard in opposition to the proposed outdoor smoking ban. more ›

As the year comes to a close, the lists of what went down this year are ever-plentiful. One list that caught our attention is LA Weekly's Top 10 Los Angeles Bans of 2010, which takes a look at all the things that stopped being legal in our city this year. From fast food bans, plastic bag bans, pet shop bans and smoking on your own patio bans, Los Angeles got a serious dose of "no" this year - all under the guise of making things safer for Angelenos. But are all these bans good for us? more ›

As Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting cheers from some in the environmental community for backing down from offshore drilling, he's not winning those fans over his latest veto. This afternoon he decided against a bill that would ban smoking in state parks and beaches. more ›

After a stall on Thursday in the Assembly, a vote held yesterday saw the approval in the state legislature of SB 4, which outlaws smoking in California's state parks, according to the LA Times. more ›

A bill banning smoking in all 279 California state parks failed in the Assembly today, falling just 5 votes short of passing, according to abc7. The issue is not entirely snuffed out, however, as the absence of several lawmakers expected to vote in approval were absent from the session today, and a new vote will be held, possibly as soon as Monday. The bill, by Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D) of Long Beach, passed the state Senate, and, if passed, would be landmark legislation regarding public smoking and state-run land. more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

href="http://londonist.com/2008/01/6_years_on_amne.php">Amnesty International bringing Guantanamo Bay to the American embassy to raise the profile of the continuing campaign to close the detention center.

An article from the Daily News takes a look at the toll the 6-month old smoking ban in Burbank is taking on its local workers, most of whom are flummoxed by the fact that a smoke break means breaking the law. According to the article, one local businessman "Barry Kessler, 48, owner of a downtown jewelry store bearing his family name, has led the charge against the anti-smoking ordinance. In the coming weeks he plans to bring together business owners and petition the council to ease up on smokers." more ›

George Bush issued the fourth veto of his presidency today, nixing a bill that would have provided insurance to poor children. Bush said the program was too costly, apparently cool with the fact that the Iraq war now costs over $455-billion. That's B for billion. And B for Bitch. Curbed LA takes a gander at a new development planned for West LA. In as much as the structure looks like a monument to cubism,... more ›

Photo by S:U:P:E:R:M:O:D via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
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It's starting to feel a little like Fall: an "unseasonably strong and cold storm system" is headed our way. Bundle up! How green was Burning Man this year? Elsa Wenzel from CNet's News.com explains her perspective: "As a first-time Burner, I've finally shaken the playa dust from my shoes and mind to conclude that it was perhaps the most and the least eco-friendly mega-event I've attended." With a name like Inland Empire, you deserve... more ›

43 people suspected of being members of the Eastside Pain Bloods gang were arrested by more than 400 police officers in predawn raids yesterday. More staff cuts coming at the Daily News: zone coverage of Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley to be eliminated. Yikes! How much did Tony spend to help get his three candidates onto the school board? The L.A. City Council has just approved a ban on smoking in city parks.... more ›

While SFist cringed at the fatal dose of crime littering the Bay Area, it found solace in Hillary Clinton's San Francisco campaign headquarters opening, which featured loads of exposed mammary glands. In other news, SF Taxi Commission ruled that Satan's cab must keep its (in)famous medallion number, 666; and in an un-fashion-forward frenzy, San Francisco Fashion Week (chortle) bars bloggers from covering and getting smashed at their shows and parties, respectively. Also, they found a picture displaying the woes of cruising in a tacky limo on the streets of San Francisco. more ›

There's so much going on across the Ist-a-Verse that it's almost impossible to keep track these days. Fortunately, we do it so you don't have to! more ›

Between fake terrorist alerts and scandals big and small, this just might be the Best Best of the -ists ever. We're exhausted just thinking about it. more ›

Texas is thawing, the Northeast is freezing, and a sort of natural order seems almost restored to the Ist-A-Verse. Almost. more ›

With the passage of the Santa Monica smoking ban, I thought it was time to write a how-do-ya-do from my new home on the road, Buenos Aires. Yeah, I'm still officially an LAist correspondent (I slept my way out of getting invited to the parties, so they don't know I'm gone) but for the time being, my party's taken a drift southbound, and I can't say I'm sorry. more ›

- Last week Santa Monica extended its tyrannical smoking ban to now include restaurant patios, bus stops, ATMs and movie theater lines(!); now Burbank wants to further restrict freedoms. Why not grow a pair and just ban the sales of smokes? Oh thats right, you like the taxes you collect on them. - LA Daily News - CBS wants you to know that Terry Lee Shields, 350 lb., accused child molester, of Anaheim, 51... more ›

Somehow, the world of -ists managed to make it through the week despite news that Jen & Vince broke up. more ›

a debate falls in the forest Steve Westly and Phil Angelides tusseled in their final debate yesterday in San Francisco; they'll face off in the June 6 Democratic Primary. They're both pro-environment, pro-choice and anti-Arnold. In case you missed it, you can listen: the whole thing is archived at KPCC. more ›

The panic comes after Christina Ricci + boyfriend were spotted at a recent Spaceland show. more ›