Emma G. Gallegos

California has a dark history of sterilizing at least 20,000 people who were deemed too poor, too drunk, too promiscuous, too criminal or too feebleminded to reproduce between 1909 and 1964. But a recent investigation finds that even in the 21st century, some female inmates are still being pressured to undergo tubal tubal ligation.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, fewer pets are getting killed in L.A., Chinatown proceeds cautiously and a profile of Hidden L.A.'s Lynn Garrett. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports. You can also find us on Pinterest, Storify, Foursquare, and Instagram (laistpics).

Colorado resident Jonathan Rice got hooked on heat-running in 1996 when he visited Death Valley and went on a run in the, well, deathly heat.

For reasons that are not immediately obvious, John Mayer always seems to land the pop star du jour. And right now Katy Perry seems to have it pretty bad for him.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, it the beginning of a new era in Los Angeles politics, Jenny from the block is sorry about singing to a dictator and Jessica Simpson gave birth. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports. You can also find us on Pinterest, Storify, Foursquare, and Instagram (laistpics).

West Hollywood is celebrating the return of same-sex wedding by offering free wedding ceremonies to same-sex couples on Monday. We're guessing there will be a glut of same-sex couples who haven't been able to marry in California since Proposition 8 passed five years ago, so get there early: ceremonies will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

An 80-year-old man shot himself in the head after driving to a Woodland Hills fire station Saturday evening. The "distraught" man drove up to the station's front apron and shot himself while he was still in the car.

A former police chief and city manager of Westminster has been identified as the victim of a fatal biking crash in Orange County Friday morning. James Mitchell Waller, 53, of Mission Viejo was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck from behind while biking on Laguna Beach Road.

Death Valley lived up to its name when it hit a scorching 128 degrees yesterday. It was so hot that someone from the National Park Service decided to try to fry an egg in the heat—and it worked.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, Eric Garcetti is sworn in, public pools get an inspection (or, uh, don't) and Lena Dunham pokes fun at Miley Cyrus' latest. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports. You can also find us on Pinterest, Storify, Foursquare, and Instagram (laistpics).

It might take a second, but once you see what's lurking under this bus bench, you can't unsee it. This photo of an unsuspecting woman playing with her phone was taken shortly before 9 a.m. recently in Palms at the intersection of Sepulveda Blvd. and Charnock Road.

Yesterday was the first day that fireworks went on sale in California, and they'll be on sale until July 6 at noon. But they're not legal everywhere in the state. In fact, it's illegal to both buy and set off fireworks in Los Angeles city limits, and you could face a $1,000 fine or six months in jail for setting off even smaller fireworks.