Andy Sternberg

After weeks of speculation, Tangier will shut its doors for the final time Saturday night. It is not known what will replace the restaurant/bar at 2138 Hillhurst, which is in escrow, according to the Daily Dish. Singer-songwriter Brandon Schott (LAist review) will perform the final set in Tangier Saturday night. Click here for more posts about Tangier....

Screenshot of radar showing rain and snow at 6:24 a.m. via weather.com. Are we in for a wet, wet winter ala 2005 or will we see wildfires again in January? You can consult Dallas Raines or even a pig spleen but you likely won't get an accurate answer. One thing's for sure: It's been raining all morning. Mountain High is padded with 6-10 inches of fresh snow, up to a foot is forecast for...

National Public Radio is cutting two daily shows and the majority of its Culver City-based NPR West staff as part of companywide layoffs and program cuts announced today. Both Day to Day and News and Notes will go off the air March 20 and the 34 journalists working on the shows -- and 30 more NPR employees companywide -- will lose their jobs....

Considering the dour state of local gossip blogs predicting who's next to be laid off, how many years OJ will spend in the pen, and the latest word on a SAG strike, we're glad to hear that a fresh LA gossip blog is set to hit the interwebz next week. Ubiquitous Flip-cam wielding LA tech scenester Sean Percival announced that Lalawag -- a snarky tech blog playing off of Silicon Valley's Valleywag -- should launch...

Folks watch a home burn in the hills above Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday Nov. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Phil Klein) At least 100 residences were destroyed by an uncontained brush fire that was spotted in the Montecito hills northeast of Santa Barbara around 6 p.m Thursday and up to 1,200 more remain threatened, according to officials. Firefighters from as far as Orange County and San Luis Obispo were reporting to the scene of the...

Today's rally and protest over the passage of Proposition 8 has spilled into the streets of West LA and Westwood leading to erratic closures. The 405 north and south exit ramps are closed at Santa Monica Blvd, which remains a parking lot. The protest began at the Mormon temple at 2 p.m. where the crowd swelled into the thousands before taking to the streets. The protesters marched westbound from the Mormon temple to Veteran, then...

Hundreds of people gathered for a 2 p.m. press conference at the Mormon temple on Santa Monica Blvd. at Overland (map) where LA Gay & Lesbian Center CEO Lorri L. Jean announced the launch of a new website, http://invalidateprop8.org/. The site is soliciting donations to fight Proposition 8, which passed on Tuesday, effectively banning same sex marriage in California. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints raised more than $15 million in support...

A Red Flag Warning is in effect for much of LA and Ventura Counties until Friday at 6 p.m. according to the National Weather Service (all areas colored fuchsia in the map at right). LA City Red Flag parking restrictions are not in effect. Winds with gusts up to 50 mph (especially in passes and canyons) combined low humidity and warm temperatures mean that "critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now... or will shortly."...

An LAist reader caught some disturbing signage while videoing her vote today at The Aroma of Jesus Mission Church on Pico:the church had put up the sign weeks ago and had lots of literature "left around"...not sure if they should host polls again!After lodging complaints, a "very nice" poll volunteer removed the signs. If you see anything bizarre, illegal, or otherwise noteworthy let us know. If any issues at a polling station require urgent attention,...

Light rain will continue through the morning. Bright side: we need rain. LA is headed into 2009 facing the most severe drought conditions in 15 years, according to the Metropolitan Water District: Expecting another dry winter, state water officials warned Thursday they can deliver just 15 percent of what local water agencies have requested for 2009, raising the possibility of water rationing in the Los Angeles area. "Hope for the best and prepare for the...