On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed into law a controversial measure that makes the issuing of permits for adult film productions linked to the production company's compliance with mandatory use of condoms by their performers. So what's next? more ›

Los Angeles has become the first city in the nation requiring adult film actors to use condoms while on set. City Council voted 9-1 favoring the proposed ordinance today. In addition to requiring adult film actors to practice safe sex, the ordinance will also force production companies to pay a film permit fee. The fee will pay for inspections enforced by the city. more ›

In a preliminary vote taken today, the Los Angeles City Council has voted 11-1 in favor of an ordinance put forth that would require actors in adult films wear condoms. Adherence to the ordinance would be a condition of film companies receiving filming permits. more ›

Pasadena, California has long claimed the rights of creation to the almighty American cheeseburger (yes, someone "invented" draping a beef patty with cheese), and now they are rallying cheeseburger eaters to come, dine, digest, and vote for the city's best during Pasadena Cheeseburger Week. more ›

Three area food spots--a cart, a truck, and a restaurant--have been named finalists for the 6th annual Libby Awards, given by the youth division of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The Libby Awards (short for "liberation") honor animal-friendly people and products. more ›

The full Metro Board of Directors are getting together Thursday for their regular monthly meeting, and included on the agenda is changing the name of six Metro stations. more ›

The Occupy L.A. resolution, which was introduced by Councilmembers Richard Alarcon and Bill Rosendahl on Wednesday, October 5, will be voted on this Wednesday, October 12. The resolution is #33 on the agenda for Wednesday's 10am meeting at L.A. City Hall. more ›

Grocery workers negotiating for a better health care plan have rejected a proposal by the management of Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons. Supermarket chains may come back with a better offer, the Orange County Register Reports. If not, union members could decide to give immediate notice to strike and then walk out 72 hours later. more ›

Ballots are being cast today and tomorrow by unionized grocery workers from the big local chains and a strike could be authorized as a result. "Depending on the outcome of this vote, a strike could happen as early as next week," notes ABC7. The issue remains the employees' health care plan, and its monthly cost. more ›

Food truck fans, we just realized that The Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race" is hosting an online contest to find "America's Favorite" food truck. We already know SoCal champions the Golden State's food truck scene, and judging by the stacked food truck icons on the site's map, we are the California mecca. more ›

Huntington Beach City Council members - including Connie Boardman, Devin Dwyer and Joe Shaw - voted 4 to 3 on Monday for the city to enact an ordinance banning single-use plastic bags, reports Huntington Beach Independent. more ›

Future Los Angeles voters may have the pleasure (or displeasure) of weighing in on a measure regulating condom use in adult films. Former adult performers - including two infected with HIV while working in the porn industry - join forces with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) this morning to host a press conference on the new L.A. City ballot initiative. more ›

It was a unanimous set of "aye" votes at around Noon today by the Los Angeles City Council that helped the plans to put an NFL stadium on the L.A. Live campus in Downtown L.A. to move forward. more ›

Governor Brown inked the National Popular Vote bill today that would award all of California's 55 Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote in presidential elections, reports CBS LA. Guaranteeing the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the entire country, the bill preserves the Electoral College while "ensuring that every vote in every state will matter in every presidential election." more ›

SoCal Best Beach Campaign will award the top three Southern California beaches with $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 respectively, as voted by the people. Funds will aid in beach clean-up, lifeguard support and maintenance efforts. more ›

Here in California, grapes are a cash crop as they are turned into bottles of wine--booze that is taxed and regulated by the government. Now the "Regulate Marijuana Like Wine Act of 2012," is asking that the state treat another prolific crop--pot--like wine, and make some money off it while regulating it like we do with alcohol. more ›

Special elections aren't cheap, but Council District 15 needs one to replace Janice Hahn, who was sworn in yesterday as the Congresswoman from California's 36th District. The L.A. City Council debated mightily about the $1.5 million price tag for a special election to replace the departed councilwoman, but they did manage to set a couple of dates, reports the Daily News. more ›

City Councilwoman and Democrat Janice Hahn has defeated Republican small business owner Craig Huey in the runoff election to fill the vacant Congressional District 36 seat. Hahn brought in 54.56% of the vote, leaving Huey with 45.44%. The battle was "hard fought," says the L.A. Times, however, the New York Times calls not just Hahn's win, but the entire race kind of weaksauce, comparing it to another runoff in their neck of the woods. more ›

Tomorrow's Congressional District 36 Special General Election is expected to be a close race to fill the vacancy for Congresswoman Jane Harman's unexpired two-year term. Harman resigned on February 28, 2011; her term expires at midnight on January 3, 2013. Voters must choose between two candidates - Democrat Janice Hahn, Local City Councilwoman and Republican Craig Huey, Small Business Owner. more ›

The Los Angeles Police Commission is ready to toss out the city's current red light camera and ticketing program, but nothing is final until the Los Angeles City Council has their say via a vote. Today that vote was postponed until early next week, when more Council members will be present to participate. more ›

June 15th is the day the State Budget gets voted on by our legislators, and as that day nears, Governor Jerry Brown has taken to YouTube with a video message about what he wants to do, and what he needs to happen to get it done. more ›

With 83.2% approval, members of United Teachers Los Angeles voted in favor of a new, 1-year contract that includes temporary salary reductions, but spares thousands of jobs, union representatives announced this weekend, according to the LA Times. In all, 40,000 union members were eligible to vote -- 20,429 members voted in favor of the agreement, 4,127 voted against it. more ›

After several days of tabulation, the results of the May 17th City of Los Angeles General Municipal Election have been finalized, and wins declared in the two runoff education contests that brought (a few) people to the polls. The final results in both contests were the same as forecast on Election Night. more ›

Voters had their say in the City and County of Los Angeles yesterday in a trio of close contests. In the City's General Municipal Election, a pair of education runoffs saw narrow triumphs for the Board of Education District 5 seat in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Community College's 5th Seat. In California's 36th Congressional District, a Republican candidate has upset the Democratic apple cart, giving an L.A. City Councilperson a run for her money in the bid to replace the departed Jane Harman. more ›

Ring, ring! Civic duty is calling, Angelenos! Today is a City of Los Angeles General Municipal Election day. Polls are open today from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Information about today's election, as well as polling places, and, later today, poll results, are available online via the City Clerk's Election page. more ›

Forget about March Madness. For L.A.'s taqueria tacomaniacs, March is Taco Madness. It's LA TACO's annual bracketed showdown that pits 32 tacos against one another and at the mercy of the voters (that's you!) to narrow it down to one mighty victor. LA TACO explains that they "used a panel of TACO experts combined with reader submissions to rank the top 32 taco outlets in the city." more ›

Using "xxx" as a handy euphemism or stand-in term for "adult-oriented" material is a contemporary common practice, and today could be the day that "xxx" goes to the web. Well, there's plenty of "xxx" on the web already, but this is a specific decision that is being made today in San Francisco to create the ".xxx" domain to readily identify "mature" content on the 'net. A vote is slated for today by The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), explains Fishbowl LA. more ›

A reminder today from City Clerk June Lagmay that if you want to have your say in the March 8 Primary Nominating Election, today is the last day to register to vote. That means if you've hit the big 1-8 lately, or moved, you've got to get your info in today in order to hit the polls next month. more ›

Sometimes to get a handle on Los Angeles' geographic sprawl, you have to draw it yourself. That's exactly what Amoeba employee and blogger Eric Brightwell has done with his colorful, Sharpie-drawn maps of LA and Orange County neighborhoods and cities. more ›

Estimates from the camp to complete the count in the race for California's Attorney General post indicate that as of yesterday there were around 130,000-220,000 ballots left to count, and San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris (D) remains in the lead This morning, City Council President Eric Garcetti, who has been monitoring the count closely, and keeping a detailed log of the count and contest via a Facebook note, says he is calling it for Harris, and shares the statistical breakdown that is leading him to this proclamation. more ›