Jessica P. Ogilvie

After their car fell 400 feet over the edge of a cliff in Malibu, three passengers were injured and one was killed, reports the Ventura County Star. Rescue workers got a call about the accident from California Highway Patrol at around 3:35 a.m.

Something is rotten in the state of Orange County, because as hate crimes and incidents overall are going down, they are on the rise against blacks and Muslims. According to a report released today by the Orange County Human Relations Commission, 56 hate crimes took place last year, and nearly a third of them targeted blacks.

Casseroles may be considered a cold-weather dish, but that doesn't mean that we SoCal-ers won't be devastated by the fact that pans made by Martha Stewart to cook the traditional meal are being recalled. The Martha Stewart Collection Enamel Cast Iron Casseroles, which were sold at Macy's, posed burn and laceration hazards (how gauche, Martha), according to a statement released by the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Things just continue to get worse for the Fullerton Police Department. Six officers are currently being investigated in the high-profile beating of Kelly Thomas by Fullerton police officers, the injuries from which ultimately resulted in his death, and now several other officers are being accused of arresting an innocent man, jailing him and then falsely charging him with crimes, reports My FOX LA.

Sex work is nearly inextricable from the fabric of Los Angeles. Our county contains the so-called porn capital of the world, rock legends have commemorated our dancing girls, and our city government is highly engaged in the behind-the-scene goings-on of adult films.

Does religious imagery have a place alongside state highways? Some in San Diego think not, and have requested that three giant crosses that were erected on a hillside be taken down, according to CBS News. The crosses are located on Inspiration Point, which is inside a city-owned park called Presidio Park.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, the Red Hot Chili Peppers give fans a surprise, Newt Gingrich shows up in SoCal, a drug house burns, and a burned house sells. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

A judge had some harsh words for Erik Alvarez, a former Long Beach police detective who was sentenced today for having sex with an underage female relative, reports the Long Beach Press-Telegram. After ruling that Alvarez, 42, will serve two years in state prison and must register as a sex offender, Judge Jon Ferguson told him, "You destroyed a family. You destroyed a young life."

Not too long ago, we questioned the logic of trying to take a loaded gun onto an airplane when former Clippers star Darius Miles allegedly tried to do just that. But now, it looks like Miles wasn't alone in his unique way of thinking.

Someone on the west side is really trying to take the fun out of the nightlife. A reader sent us the above picture, and let us know that the sign popped up on her neighbor's yard in the Olypmic/La Brea area last night. In case you can't tell, it admonishes bystanders who might be inclined to indulge in prostitutes (or be prostitutes themselves), drugs, drinking, shooting or stabbing people, and even good old-fashioned loitering.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, DTLA's hostess club employees fire back at their old bosses, hot air balloons have rights, too, a 15-foot house could be yours, and Kobe Bryant practices denial. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Ever wonder just how much those tasked with running the city are raking in? Well, City Controller Wendy Greuel, spooked by the scandal in Bell, has released the salaries of L.A.'s highest paid city employees, reports CBS News. The highest paid person is much more low-profile than you might expect: Gina Marie Lindsey, the general manager of the Los Angeles World Airports, who earns $326,856 a year.