Lindsay William-Ross

A male volunteer at the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen took a few hits to the face with a metal pipe Monday afternoon, after he stepped in to stop a fight between a female volunteer and a soup-seeking guest, says to the Daily Pilot. Joseph Athelstan Patterson, 61, pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of "assault with a deadly weapon, battery with serious bodily injury and misdemeanor criminal threats." Patterson allegedly took "a 2-foot piece...

The victim of what was likely a gang-related shooting last night in South Los Angeles managed to drive himself several blocks with a wound in the face, according to the Daily Breeze. The man, whose identity has not been released, drove his vehicle to the border of Inglewood, where he met paramedics and the police. He was then treated for "injuries that were not considered life- threatening" at an area hospital. The LAPD's 77th...

In tonight's Hump Day Extra, Extra we've got fewer babies havin' babies, transit execs with big paychecks, an unlikely school sponsor, and more news bites of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Ilya Salkind Producer Ilya Salkind, whose screen credits include the 'Superman' movie franchise, is thought to have gone missing in his native Mexico, after failing to return to his dentist's office, according to NBC Los Angeles. Salkind, 63, was last heard from by associates in Los Angeles on Sunday evening, January 30th, and concerned friends have since set up a website with information. His friends believe that on Monday, January 31, Salkind left the...

Photo by melloveschallah via Flickr Jeffrey Henderson of Redondo Beach got a house call from the California Highway Patrol to talk about his being the victim in a road rage incident, but he wound up being the alleged perp in a home growing marijuana operation, according to KTLA. Following up on the January 7th road rage episode, the CHP found over 600 marijuana plants and other paraphernalia at the home Henderson was renting. He...

Photo by STERLINGDAVISPHOTO via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Is there a spot in the city of Los Angeles that you think would benefit from having a bike rack? The Eastsider explains that "anyone can recommend a bike rack location," and, if the city agrees with the choice, the rack goes in. The newly-installed inverted U-rack outside Silver Lake's Serifos is one example of a need being expressed, and met--although the shop...

The Chinese community in Los Angeles is preparing the usher in the Year of the Rabbit tomorrow, and the festivities begin tonight and carry on for several days. Midnight temple ceremony, the Golden Dragon Parade, a two-day festival in Chinatown, a big fancy feast, special cupcakes and more can be a part of your Lunar New Year celebration in Los Angeles.

Photo by delara-photos via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr A toddler lost his finger yesterday in a harrowing escalator accident at the Van Nuys Courthouse. The Los Angeles Fire Department break down the grisly incident, in which a 17-month-old boy had his left index finger lopped off "in the comb-and-groove of the foot tread at or near the lowest ('arrival') level of the machinery." Bystanders flipped the emergency stop switch, but the...

It's hard out there for a deity (Photo by nopantsboy via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr) There's G-rated, and then there's G-O-D, and for one local fifth grader, his love of the latter wasn't welcome in the school's talent show. The Chatsworth kid wanted to perform an interpretive dance to the Christian pop hit "We Shine," but was told by administrators at Superior Street Elementary that he'd have to go back to...

In today's Extra, Extra we've got smog-eating roofs, Chik-fil-A hatin' the gays (sort of?), the LAUSD's big bad bureaucracy, a chance to win tickets to see Dispatch, and more news bites of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

It's a miracle! The Superior Street Elementary student who was told he could not perform an interpretive dance to a Christian pop song because the lyrics made numerous references to Jesus has been told the show will go on...with him in it. Following a lawsuit filed on his behalf by a coalition of Christian attorneys, school officials managed to work things out. LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines issued the following statement today: “The Los Angeles...

The LAPD, DEA, and ATF joined forces early this morning to conduct dozens of arrests of members of the 38th Street Gang gang, as part of a massive indictment against the criminal organization on federal charges, according to the Department of Justice. 800 officers arrested a total of 57 people, of which 37 are defendants named in the indictment.