Lindsay William-Ross

Illegal guerrilla marketing or graffiti art? Photo courtesy of NoHoArtsDistrict Valley Village's Barbara Black wanted to support young artists, so she commissioned a mural painted by 10 North Hollywood High School students for the 75-foot fence on her property. Yesterday afternoon, Black, with the help of other artists and friends, whitewashed the artwork in order to comply with the City of Los Angeles' ruling that the mural was illegal advertising. Not long after the...

At the 2010 Pie Contest (L. William-Ross/LAist) Right now this is just your "save the date" heads up, since few details are available: The 3rd Annual KCRW Pie Contest will be happening on September 18th at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Specifics about where at the venue, what time, and who the judges will be have not been announced yet, though the station promises another slice of fun, with the contest, "great...

Photo by mondolind via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr If you are a renter, and looking to move in the coming months, some encouraging news: Rents between now and the end of next year are expected to decline by an estimate 3.2 percent, according to the 2011 USC Casden Multifamily Forecast, a report released today by the school's Lusk Center. Here's the Casden's breakdown of key LA County info: * In 2010,...

If ever there was an evening to knock back a brew or two, it's tonight, in observance of the unofficial "holiday" of New Beer's Eve. Say what? "On the evening of April 6, people lined up outside breweries and taverns, waiting for midnight when they would be able to legally purchase beer for the first time in over 13 years. Since then, the night of April 6 has been referred to as 'New Beer's Eve.'"

Photo by NewsSpy via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr During a planned press conference held late yesterday afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department shared photographs of women they believe could be additional victims of serial killer Lonnie Franklin, Jr, known as the Grim Sleeper. The LAPD have been using photographs collected at Franklin's home to determine how many other potential victims he may have had. He has already been indicted for the...

The city's red light cameras will keep clicking in our intersections for the next three months, as the Los Angeles Police Commission approved an extension for the expiring contract with their vendor last night, according to the Daily News. At issue, however, remains a resolution to the "conflicting reports" offered up about the red light camera program's impact on drivers' safety and behavior. A negative report called "Safer Streets in Los Angeles" has recently...

A 21-year-old Studio City-based talent manager and his company have been charged with seven misdemeanor counts stemming from allegations he was running an "advance-fee talent scheme" that put kids at risk of harm, according to the City Attorney's office. Nicholas Roses and his Roses Entertainment Group face "three counts of operating an advance-fee talent representation service, one count of failing to file the proper $50,000 bond with the State Labor Commission, and one count...

In tonight's Extra, Extra we've got 118 people in a giant bubble, teens and their hookahs, high paid execs, and a Councilman's chickens, along with some more news bites of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Photo by foodwoolf via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Federal Election Day could become a holiday in California, and to get the process going, Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced today that Roy Benson, the proponent of a new initiative, can begin collecting petition signatures for his measure. Although our state Elections Code (Section 14000) stipulates that employees must be granted two hours of paid time, at the start or end of...

Photo by somegeekintn via Flickr If you're hoarding masses of excess prescription pills and aren't sure of when or how to just get rid of them, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is ready to serve you. On Saturday, April 30th, they will be hosting their second National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day at sites throughout Southern California. The service is anonymous and free, no questions asked--just show up and drop off all those pills you...

In today's manic Monday Extra, Extra we've got highly-paid ballplayers, teens without jobs, more 737s going into inspection, a "cookie radar," and more news bites of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

The Los Angeles Police Department are prepping a news conference for later this afternoon during which they intend to provide details and images of eight more women would could be linked to the Grim Sleeper killer, Lonnie Franklin, Jr. According to a news advisory sent out by the LAPD, at 4 p.m. today LAPD "[d]etectives will be giving an update to the ongoing investigation and will provide information related to the focus of the investigation against Franklin..."