Andy Sternberg

AEG has selected global architecture, planning and design firm Gensler to take the lead on the Farmers Field project, a large sports complex slated for construction at current site of West Hall of the L.A. Convention Center. Though it has no experience with NFL stadiums, Gensler is already familiar with the area having designed another L.A. Live cornerstone, the J.W. Marriott hotel and Ritz Carlton Residences.

Hah! The Oxford Dictionary got all hot with acronyms AND decided to take a swipe at our fine metropolis in the latest update to its bible of acceptable words and modern-day definitions. Setting the record straight once and for all and undoubtedly breaking the hearts of lovers of lollipops the world over, Oxford Dictionaries verified that LOL does indeed stand for "laughing out loud."

American Apparel CEO Dov Charney was hit with a fresh round of sexual assault allegations in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in L.A. County Superior Court. The suit was filed by former American Apparel employee Kimbra Lo and three other women. In the complaint, Lo claimed that after Charney invited her to his bedroom to talk about a job. When she arrived, he appeared dressed only in a towel, undressed her and tried to have sex. Lo claims she tried to resist but was afraid and that Charney tried to take photographs.

The fourteenth amendment states it clearly: A person born on U.S. soil is a full-fledged citizen subject to state and federal law. This direct path to citizenship lends itself to a shady business model that has prompted the city of San Gabriel to shut down at least one converted townhouse with 10 newborns and 12 Chinese nationals citing building code violations.

Laguna Beach City Council voted unanimously to prohibit downhill skateboarding on the seaside community's gnarliest streets. A handful of tweens took over the front row of Tuesday's city council session with signs reading "Support Freedom: skateboarding is not a crime." But after pleading for open roads for three hours, they left totally un-stoked.

The leader of a human smuggling ring with ties the Avenues street gang was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison this week. Eduardo "Tito" Alvarez-Marquez, 37, of Glassell Park, was sentenced by United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez. The 25-year sentence is one of the longest prison terms ever imposed locally in an "alien smuggling case."

Have some fun and do some good with your Thursday night! It's Twestival time and that means Tweetups and gatherings are taking place in cities around the world on one night. This year, each local Twestival benefits a local organization. Twestival Los Angeles is raising money for L.A. Team Mentoring, which provides team-based mentoring programs to enrich, enliven and guide middle school students growing up in challenging urban environments.

Mayor Villaraigosa will join local Congressional leaders and celebrity activists in a rally opposing federal budget cuts at Federal Plaza downtown this afternoon. Organizers are expecting thousands to attend the 2:30 p.m. protest and rally against H.R.1, the House Appropriations act that would potentially cut $61 billion from the federal budget. Get your rally caps on because it's ON this afternoon -- rain... or clouds...

It's been over three years since Jan Perry's proposed moratorium on fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles was approved. And today Bernard Parks estimates that 70 percent of the dining options in his district offer unhealthy fast food. But who's to tell you what you can and cannot eat?

Day one of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament offered up a few upsets and nearly marked the departure of all local entries as UCLA nearly gave away its ticket to the second round, squandering a massive lead to Michigan State. Malcolm Lee (16 points), Tyler Honeycutt (pictured, 16 points), and Reeves Nelson (12 points, 10 rebounds) led a balanced UCLA attack. Center Joshua Smith added 14.

An armed man was shot and killed by a retired Burbank police officer during a robbery attempt at a McDonald's in Sunland on Friday. The shooting occurred at 10:47 a.m. when the man walked into the restaurant at Foothill Boulevard and Woodward Avenue and attempted to rob the clerks at gunpoint, according to LAPD.

A 29-year-old maintenance worker for the City of Costa Mesa jumped to his death from the roof of the five-story City Hall building this afternoon, according to police. The man, a city employee for four-and-a-half years, was called into work at 2:30 p.m. to receive his layoff notice despite being at home nursing a broken ankle, according to the OC Register.