Guest Contributor

Attempting to match such iconic landmarks as New York’s Central Park or Chicago’s Millennium Park is no small feat, yet the city of Santa Monica is doing just that with an expansive park overlooking the ocean. City staff unveiled the near-finalized design for the Santa Monica Civic Center Parks combining three varied site plans and input from hundreds of residents since last July.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim great and Southern California native Garret Anderson has called the curtain on his 17-year playing career after being unable to find work as a 38 year-old free agent. ‘Wait, Garret Anderson played 17 years of Major League Baseball?’ Yes. And don’t be ashamed if you only remember a handful of them.

It’s no secret that the LA fashion scene has been experiencing a bit of a renaissance lately. From feature exhibitions at FIDM, MOCA and LACMA to the rebirth of GenArt, the celebration of style is back in a big way. The spotlight continues this Saturday, March 12th, as Project Ethos celebrates local artistry with their bi-annual showcase of emerging talent.

First Fridays at the Natural History Museum have been running 8 years strong, and the folks in charge continue to keep programming fresh and interesting every time, even for the regulars. This month, Dr. Janet Kubler conducted a lecture on biomimicry and explained how it can give humans ideas for improvements of our daily life. For example, the inspiration for velcro came from burrs sticking to a man’s socks. Hopefully in the future we can harness the organizational skills of a swarm of locusts to clear up some traffic on the 405.

Magic is an awesome cat! He is 6 years old and came to Stray Cat Alliance because his previous owner passed away. He is very loving and accustomed to being in a loving home. He enjoys cuddling with his human companion and is a purr machine. Magic’s favorite toy is a feather ball and he loves to sit in your lap and be petted and brushed.

Now is not the time for Anglenos to breathe a sigh of relief. In fact, after Forbes released a report yesterday naming Los Angeles the sixth most toxic city in America, they might want to hold their breath altogether. While it is no secret that Los Angeles faces a pollution problem, many residents may not realize just how many toxic elements they are exposed to on a daily basis.

It snowed last weekend in Los Angeles (okay, in outer LA), and if that’s not a sign of the end times I don’t know what is. Actually, it’s just a sign of shifting weather patterns and maybe global warming, but crazy weather is a good reminder that the potential for natural disaster is ever looming.

Pixar and Disney animator, director and filmmaker John Lasseter received a lifetime achievement award at Shorts International’s first annual Short Awards in West Hollywood on Friday. The award was presented to Lasseter for his achievements in short filmmaking, which includes all projects under 40 minutes-or-less.

This week's pets are from the Volunteers of Burbank Animal Shelter, a 501(c)(3) animal service agency that is devoted to providing medical, social, behavioral and financial care for animals at risk and determined to eliminate animal homelessness in the Burbank community.

As staff anxiety builds, LAUSD teachers are left wondering whether they'll be filing report cards, or unemployment documents come next school year. To close the $400 million budget shortfall, Los Angeles school officials' most recent plan is to layoff 5,000 teachers and other staff members. In times of uncertainty, one must wonder how teachers keep ambitions high, spirits up-beat, and their own anxieties quiet while the kids are listening.