Andy Sternberg

Mel Gibson walked out of the LAX Courthouse a free and innocent man this afternoon, according to his lawyer and California law, thanks to what's known as a "West Plea." In other words, Gibson agreed to take punishment -- but no jail time -- in return for not admitting guilt...

Last night at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Slow Food Los Angeles and Area 23a presented a screening of the documentary Ingredients, which was followed by a panel featuring some of L.A.'s most respected voices in the farming and food community. Written and directed by Robert Bates, Ingredients focuses on the concept that establishing relationships and buying locally from independent farmers can foster positive social and economic change while providing fantastic health benefits.

The Los Angeles County Urban Search and Rescue team is headed to Japan following one of the biggest earthquakes in recorded history. Hundreds are feared dead after an 8.9 earthquake and tsunami generating powerful waves as high as 23 feet rattled northeastern Japan (our full coverage here and here.

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, one of 14 Japanese baseball players on 2010 Major League rosters, still hasn't heard from his brother. His wife and children live with him in L.A. but he is concerned about several friends from Sendai, where hundreds of bodies are reported to have washed ashore following the tsunami. "I started looking at the pictures, and the pictures got worse and worse," Kuroda told ESPN through a...

Our sister site SFist flagged live video from Santa Cruz showing boat damage resulting from the violent swells created by the tsunami generated by the mega 8.9-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan nearly 12 hours ago. As we reported earlier and overnight, damaging waves and currents are forecast to continue through the morning north of Santa Barbara where a Tsunami Warning remains in effect. Areas south of Point Concepcion are experiencing...

Nurses at Kaiser Permanente LA Medical Center left frustrated after meeting with hospital management one week after staging a protest on Sunset Blvd. amid a contract dispute. The nurses, members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) threatened to strike again should collective bargaining negotiations continue to drag on. The Union is demanding safer staffing by hospital management to protect patient care. Kaiser came in "woefully unprepared" to the meeting, according to a...

It's now more than 13 hours since a massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake off the northeastern coast of Japan spawned a tsunami. The first effects of the tsunami are now being seen in Northern California. By 9:00 a.m. there will be a slight increase in the swell in Southern California. The waves may not be huge, but if you've ever experienced the undertow -- imagine a series of waves coming ashore at speeds up to 500 mph. In other words: no need to panic, just don't go to the beach.

March Madness is here. And no, we're not talking about Charlie Sheen. It's tournament time, sports fans. And whether or not you're truly a college basketball fan, you'll only have 3 days next week to fill out your brackets between Sunday night, when the round of 64 is announced and Thursday morning when half of your office is empty and everyone's at the bar and not just because its St. Patrick's Day.

Charlie Sheen is suing Warner Bros. and "Two and a Half Men" co-creator Chuck Lorre for $100 million plus punitive damages. In the suit Sheen alleges that Lorre wanted him fired even before he went batshit crazypants all over the teevees, satellites and internets.

The rumors were looking good. And then it was off. But around 11 p.m. as a line snaked around the Airliner in Lincoln Heights, Radiohead's Thom Yorke had literally no choice but to show up for an hourlong DJ set. It was the first public appearance of any member of Radiohead since the February 18th release of The King of Limbs. Might there be a Coachella appearance in some form or fashion from Yorke and crew?