Lindsay William-Ross

Once again, Metro will be offering free rides on all their bus and rail lines for travelers on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Take advantage of the free fare program between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. on the nights/early mornings of December 24th-25th and December 31st-January 1st.

Photo by country_boy_shane via Flickr Three men were struck and killed last night by an Amtrak train traveling through Commerce, according to LA Now. Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are working to determine what the unidentified victims were doing on the tracks, specifically " on an area of the tracks where there was no room for pedestrians." Currently the Sheriff's Department acknowledges that any theory about why the men were walking...

You can enjoy one more day of flip-flop and cut-offs weather, but you might want to dust off the umbrella and remember where you stored your lightweight jacket, because rain is coming to Los Angeles. The National Weather Service is forecasting a mostly sunny Tuesday, however we can expect some drizzle in the region after around 10 p.m. that's going to hang around into Wednesday morning.

Today in Extra, Extra: A new job for the old head of LA County's DCFS, parking versus produce and the HFM, Monopoly for Monrovians, some predictions for Coachella and more news of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

OC Shoppers may soon be calling The Block at Orange by another name, but not everyone thinks the whole idea is so sweet. The OC Register points to a poll opened last week by their Retail Blog, which includes 74 suggested monikers for the shopping mecca. Some (mostly tongue-in-cheek) suggestions include: The Slice of Orange, Sell Block O, Teen Hangout of Orange, Orange You Glad It's Half Price?, New Kids on the Block at Orange, For Those Who Can't Afford to Shop at South Coast Plaza, We went downhill after Virgin Records closed at Orange, and The Outlet Formerly Known as the Block at Orange (among many, many more).

Photo by www.voteJoeC.com via Flickr A shooting that took place Sunday afternoon in Long Beach took the life of 35-year-old Douglas Zerby, a man who appeared intoxicated and as if he were holding a weapon to police who ultimate shot and killed the man, according to CBS2. Zerby was actually holding a "black pistol-grip water nozzle," which a 9-1-1 caller mistakenly identified as a gun. An apartment resident had contacted authorities when Zerby was...

Did you know that an average Californian uses 500 to 600 plastic bags each year? For those still toting groceries and other sundries in plastic from the store to the car to the house, Thursday offers an opportunity to convert to a plastic bag-free life. A Day Without a Bag is an annual event aimed at promoting awareness of the harm single-use plastic bags cause the environment, and to encourage consumers to trade their plastic for eco-friendly reusable bags.

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting via email alert that a man has been hit by a Red Line subway at the Hollywood and Vine station. Very little information is available right now; the LAFD states: "One male conscious w/severe trauma after being struck by subway train." An updated alert explains that currently "Extrication by firefighters underway for 'minimal' entrapment of patient 'still on tracks.'" UPDATE 3:45 PM: The man has been removed...

Despite being a revenue flop, the Police Commission has accepted LAPD Chief Charlie Beck's recommendation and voted unanimously that the city continue its red light camera program, according to CBS2. A recent audit shows that the program is generating citations, however over $7 million owed from those tickets has gone unpaid. Commission President John Mack, however, believes the program is not about its money-generating potential, but rather being a tool for improving public safety....

A San Clemente toddler accidentally ran over her father with a pickup truck last night, according to the OC Register. While the 41-year-old dad was working on the truck, he set his 2-year-old daughter down in the cab. He stepped in front of the vehicle, and she grabbed the gear, sending the truck lurching forward. Luckily the child was not hurt, and the father sustained only minor injuries to his leg....

Convicted and imprisoned for his role in the 1969 murder of Gary Hinman, onetime Manson Family member and Spahn Ranch resident Robert "Bobby" Beausoleil, 63, was once again denied parole yesterday, according to Chatsworth Patch. Though sentenced to death in 1970, Beausoleil's sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1972, and like all other Manson followers, has been continually denied release. As part of Monday's two-member panel of the California Board of Parole Hearings, Beausoleil was issued a denial that runs five years, keeping him behind bars until at least 2015.

Gas prices in March 2008. We're not there yet. Yet. (Photo by Sundogg via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr) Fueling up is getting more expensive by the week, and our gas prices in Southern California have "hit levels not seen in more than two years," explains the Los Angeles Business Journal. Prices went up about a dime from the previous week, with the average price per gallon in the L.A.-Long Beach area...