Lindsay William-Ross

When's Phil's Diner, a neighborhood ol' reliable greasy spoon from the 1920s, was hoisted into its new position on Lankershim Boulevard adjacent to what would become a Laemmle's multiplex, the future looked bright for the restored rail-car restaurant. But last weekend, Phil's Diner redux closed its doors, and the owners are left with a lot of hindsight and debt.

A photo of Andre Turner, the employee who opened fire on his colleagues at Southern California Edison in Irwindale on Friday, has been made public. Turner, 48, fatally shot Henry Serrano, 56, and Robert Lindsay, 53, and wounded Abhay Pimpale, 38, and Angela Alvarez, 46.

16-year-old Wilson High honors student Melody Ross was the unintended victim of a drive-by shooting outside her Long Beach school in October 2009. Today, her killer, 18-year-old gang member Tom Love Vinson, was sentence to 155 years and six months to life in state prison for the teen's death.

Actress Brittany Murphy's death rocked Hollywood and the headlines in December 2009, and just five months later, her husband Simon Monjack also died suddenly. Now Murphy's mother is claiming toxic mold found in the couple's home is what really killed them.

Students who get into the California Institute of Technology, aka Caltech, you have really, truly, seriously earned some bragging rights. Based on data collected by The Business Journals On Numbers, Caltech was not only deemed to be the most selective in its respective region, but it is also the most selective university in the nation based on admission rates and entrance-exam scores.

Allegations of animal abuse prompted an investigation into the elephant rides offered at the Santa Ana Zoo, and now several months after video purporting to show that abuse came to light, the Zoo has announced they will no longer offer elephant rides.

If you can get out of work (or your jammies) NOW you may still have time to hit the road, or, better yet, catch a flight, up to the Sacramento area, where in a town called Orangevale, one medical marijuana dispensary is giving out free pot today.

In a ranty-style self-described "love letter" to New York City, writer Laura L.M. Hill uses Los Angeles--well, her weird, limited version of it--to complain about how hotels are currently doing business. The target of her ire is a new hotel that touts to its guests the need to never leave the property, because the amenities on-site are so terrific.

A gunman opened fire this afternoon at an office building in Irwindale which houses offices of Southern California Edison. According to reports from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the gunman wounded a man and a woman, and there may be more victims.

The runoff election between Joe Buscaino and Warren Furutani to fill the vacated Los Angeles City Council district 15 seat takes place on January 17, but if voters were looking to the former seat holder, U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro), for her endorsement, they're going to have to keep looking. Hahn says she won't endorse either.

Students in the California State University system have been burdened with tuition hikes year after year recently, and one CSU Los Angeles grad student tried to take legal action to seek an injunction against the most recent fee increase.

The Wildlife Waystation in the Angeles National Forest has announced the death of Booie the Chimpanzee, the 44-year-old animal who came to the facility with a smoking addiction and a profound love of sweets.