Andy Sternberg

Giovanni Ramirez, the suspect in the Bryan Stow Opening Day beating, appeared at LAPD headquarters to take two polygraph tests this week. Ramirez's lawyers insist their client is innocent and had never been to Dodger Stadium, and certainly not on March 31, when Stow, a Bay Area paramedic in town to see the Giants and Dodgers on opening day, was severely beaten in the Dodger Stadium parking lot.

Shaquille O'Neal's number 34 will eventually be the eighth number retired by the Lakers, according to team spokesman John Black. O'Neal announced his retirement on Wednesday via Twitter after 19 years in the NBA, including 8 seasons with the Lakers yielding 3 championships.

The L.A. Times made a big step toward boosting its bottom line without laying anybody off today. In fact, Los Angeles Times Media Group announced a significant hire, naming Emily Smith its first ever Senior Vice President of Digital.

52,000 first generation Priuses sold in the U.S., model year 2001 - 2003, are part of a global recall of 106,000 cars, Toyota announced on Wednesday. The voluntary recall will fix a steering problem that could make it difficult for drivers to maneuver the car when turning left.

DJ, jewelry auctioneer, amateur psychologist and Lakers forward Ron Artest stepped in front of a TMZ camera over the weekend to break up a fight between a man and a woman on Hollywood Blvd.

On June 21, KCRW is presenting MMJ live for 250 members and guests at The Village studios in West L.A. Tickets are available for $125 exclusively for KCRW members at 10 a.m. today. If you have any doubt about dropping the cash, clearly you are not aware that My Morning Jacket puts on as good a live show as any touring band today, as evidenced by last night's YouTube stream from Louisville, produced by Todd Haynes.

While we can leave the future of foreskin up to city government (thanks San Francisco and Santa Monica), it appears that what our children can and cannot do with their mobile devices while in class will be determined not on a case-by-case basis or by school principals but in Sacramento -- by the California State Legislature.

Community Coalition has a simple ask today: Give your vote on this Facebook page and Community Coalition could win a van to help transport after-school program participants to its center in South L.A. The contest runs until midnight and there are only a few other non-profits in the running (all ex-L.A.) so go on and give a click!

That quick drive to a Memorial Day Weekend getaway in Palm Springs was not so easy for some thanks to high winds and blowing sand leading to road closures across the Coachella Valley. Three major Palm Springs were closed at Whitewater Wash Saturday night as wind gusts up to 60 mph led to white-out conditions (see our video below).

Musicians including Paul Simon, Carlos Santana, and Herbie Hancock have signed a petition in protest of the recent Grammy category cuts, arguing that ethnic music will be unfairly and adversely affected.