Jessica P. Ogilvie

What would Guns N' Roses have been without Slash? No windy "November Rain" solo, no classic strains at the beginning of "Sweet Child O' Mine"... And yet, in a lawsuit, former GN'R frontman Axl Rose claims that he was wronged by Activision Blizzard Inc., the makers of Guitar Hero III, when they reneged on a promise to leave out the legendary guitar player in images of the band used during the video game's depiction of the song "Welcome to the Jungle."

In tonight's Extra, Extra, Smokey the Bear makes his way to your plate in the form of a burger, Mel Gibson reaches a plea deal, a baby owl dies, and schools in the U.S. aren't doing so great. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Erin Brockovich, the consumer advocate made famous by a 2000 movie named after her and starring Julia Roberts in the title role, is back in Hinkley, CA, testing the town's waters for toxic chemicals at the scene of the original crime. Brockovich, who was played by Julia Roberts in the film, led the charge in building a lawsuit against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company after discovering that the company had been leaking toxic chemicals into the water of Hinkley, a small community in San Bernadino County.

For those among us who watched "Jaws" at too young an age and have lingering terror about the ocean because of it, some good news: researchers at UC Davis found that there are fewer great white sharks living off the California coast than they expected. According to the Daily News, biologists navigated small boats into waters believed to be heavily populated by great whites and counted 131, by taking identifying pictures of each shark's unique dorsal fin.

For students who didn't prepare well enough for today's standardized tests, this morning's gas leak in Santa Ana might have been the answer to their frantic, early-morning prayers. KABC reports that a backhoe operator severed a natural gas line this morning, forcing Century High School to hold students in classrooms.

In what appears to be one of the less medically-sound ideas of late, a Chicago man who's training for the LA Marathon is eating at least three McDonald's meals a day in an effort to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities. According to KNBC, Joe D'Amico is subsisting on all McDonald's, all the time, starting each morning with pancakes, OJ and an egg McMuffin.

During the year or so that many couples take to plan their nuptials, low on the to-do list tends to be figuring out a back-up plan in case the bride or groom comes down with a debilitating illness that requires them to be quarantined. Well, that might be the next niche in the wedding industry, after the experiences of one Orange County pair.

Mike Starr, who played bass for rock group Alice in Chains and was later featured on the TV show "Celebrity Rehab," has died. He was 44. E! Online reports that Starr was found dead in Salt Lake City, Utah, and that the cause of his death remains unknown. Alice in Chains was formed in the mid 1980's under the original name of Diamond Lie, with Starr on bass, guitarist Jerry Cantrell, drummer Sean Kinney and singer Layne Staley.

A five-year-old boy from Rancho Palos Verdes who has been missing since 2009 has been found safe -- although malnourished -- and brought home, reports the Daily Breeze. Shalomiel Sol-El had been living with his maternal grandparents prior to his abduction. He had been removed from the custody of his parents, Ausar Allah-El and Serenity Sol-El, after they refused to seek medical attention for him.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, the Americana will grow, Bob Barker makes a big donation, pot shops are being closed, and kids like cartoons. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa began holding meetings today to get public input about a proposed football stadium in downtown Los Angeles, reports the LA Times. Separately, stadium developer AEG announced yesterday that it will begin what is expected to be a year-long process of drafting an environmental impact plan. The proposed stadium, which was recently named Farmer's Field after AEG reached a deal for naming rights with Farmer's Insurance, would be on the LA Live campus.

In today's Extra, Extra, a new tech center for Downey, LA schools stiffed $40 million, the ten best breakfast burritos are named, and Mardi Gras recipes abound. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.