Lindsay William-Ross

Charell Charlie's "HOPE" image (Facebook) To counter plans by a Florida pastor to burn copies of the Koran, a local peace activist is organizing a silent protest which calls for people to "Wear a Hijab or Kufi" to show tolerance for those of the Muslim faith. Whittier Area Peace and Justice Coalition member Charell W. Charlie has put together the event, which will be held Saturday afternoon at The Grove. Charlie will be joined...

The meeting was set up for Wednesday night to discuss the weekend's fatal shooting of a day-laborer who was allegedly threatening people with a knife. During the meeting, Beck "was heckled and booed by many in the crowd of about 300." Beck asked for calm and respect in order to facilitate a productive discussion, however shouts from the crowd calling the LAPD "killers" and "assassins" among other outbursts, forced Beck to "step away from the microphone."

Two teenagers are dead and a third has been hospitalized after the trio were struck by a Metrolink train in Mission Viejo, according to cbs2. "Metrolink train 603 heading from Oceanside to Los Angeles struck three people on tracks under the Alicia Parkway overcrossing at 6:06 a.m.," agency spokeswoman Angie Starr told the press. Two died on scene, and the third, a female, was "hospitalized for moderate injuries," noted Orange County Fire Authority spokesman...

Photo by Joits via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr An inbound flight at Los Angeles International Airport was thought to have a bomb on board after a threat was found in the lavatory, reports The Daily Breeze. A Thai Airways flight from Bangkok landed on time at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday night, but was immediately subject to inspection by a bomb squad. The threats were written on the mirror in a lavatory on...

Authorities in Thousand Oaks are calling swastikas and other "racist graffiti" found in Thousand Oaks yesterday a "hate crime," reports the Ventura County Star. According to Sheriff’s Capt. Frank O’Hanlon, residents in one neighborhood "discovered swastikas and the words “white power” spray painted on several garage doors, cars and electrical transformers," in the area Tuesday morning. A crew was called in to begin erasing the vandals' marks as the investigation was underway....

Surveillance image (FBI) The FBI and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are working to identify a man they've dubbed the "Balding Bandit," who is responsible for three bank robberies. During each robbery, the white male in his fifties with a receding hairline passes a note to the teller in which he makes his demand for the cash and says he has a weapon. The three robberies all took place in La Mirada. He...

Graphic by R. Narins (Chicks With Knives) You don't have to be Peter Piper to pick up some pickled anything this weekend, thanks to the supper club duo Chicks With Knives, who are running Perishable: A Pop-Up Pickle Shop in Downtown at Starry Kitchen on Sunday. Did you know you can pickle just about any veggie or fruit? Learn some tips and techniques via cooking demo, and sample some inspiring bites the Chicks are...

Photo by melissssaf via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr As many as 27 Long Beach police officers could soon lose their jobs due to budget cuts. A woman who worked as a clerk at a La Habra community center has been convicted of stealing over $70k from her employer. Steven Slater, the former JetBlue employee who made his infamous exit from his job, will undergo a mental evaluation in hopes of striking...

Magnolia's FNO cupcake (Photo: BBPR) Magnolia, the newest bakery to join the ranks of LA's many popular cupcake shops, will run their first-ever pop-up shop this Friday from 6-10 PM at Fred Segal as part of Fashion's Night Out. During the evening, the Ron Herman section of the store will be home to a mini Magnolia bakery selling cupcakes, cookies, and bars. The pop-up spot will also include a cupcake icing station where Magnolia...

A section of beach in San Clemente during the daytime (Photo by °Florian via Flickr) 17 men and three women, all from Mexico, were stopped and arrested by border agents at around 3 a.m. today when they attempted to cross into the United States illegally via sea, reports LA Now. The 20 would-be illegal immigrants came ashore at Calafia State Beach in San Clemente via boat. "When the small craft the immigrants were riding...

(Photo by James Calder // www.jamescalder.com) DCist had a busy week: they provided up-to-the-minute information on a gunman who held hostages at the Discovery Communications building in Silver Spring, recapped the Restoring Honor rally in photographs and liveblogged a high-profile debate between the city's two leading candidates for mayor. Philyist had a busy week, first celebrating its relaunch, complete with new look, and then finding a way to make 90210 Day relevant. LAist wondered...

Photo by Purple Blossom via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr "I just had the most delicious Tri-tip flatbread pizza everrrrrrr!" exclaims LAist Featured Photos pool contributor Purple Blossom about a recent visit to Valencia's Tri-Tipps. "This was our first time to that restaurant. We also had tritip taco..and they're good too! The beef was so moist, tender and flavorful. The service is so nice and friendly. Definitely a favorite place." Submit your...