Lindsay William-Ross

Photo by Gary Winterboer via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr We're number one! But if you're gearing up to start cheering, don't hold your breath. In fact, you might want to reconsider breathing in at all. Why? Because according to the Environmental Protection Agency, we have the most toxic air in the country, reports cbs2. The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment is a report that ranks counties based on the risk of cancer...

...and by nuts we mean pistachios. The FDA is warning consumers not to eat pistachios that are from California Prime Produce and Orange County Orchards, which are the brands repacked by Orca Distribution West Inc., an Anaheim company, reports the OC Register. These pistachios may in fact be tainted with salmonella; Orca's involvement stems from an earlier recall of Setton Pistachio, another California distributor, who sent their nuts to Anaheim for repacking. Because "Orca...

The Mercado La Paloma (the Dove Marketplace) is a former sweatshop on South Grand Avenue, and is now serving as a community project aimed at supporting area small businesses, and providing the community with access to health, education, social, and arts resources. Tomorrow, Trekking L.A., the endeavor that facilitates local adventures in our global city, launches their season of events with an evening at the Mercado, with the help of GOOD Magazine. With your...

Photo: Fred Camino Groundbreaking is scheduled to take place this morning on Metro's Orange Line extension, which will expand the dedicated busway that currently runs from North Hollywood to Warner Center. The $215.6 million extension "is the very first project to begin construction under the new voter approved Measure R half-cent transportation sales tax," reports abc7. The extension will "extend four miles north from Canoga Station to the Chatsworth Metrolink Station," and feature four...

Sprinkles, Coolhaus, Let's Be Frank, the Green Truck, and Barbie's Q are some of the meals on wheels who'll be at Saturday's event This weekend is the return of the Dwell on Design conference and expo and one of the most exciting events on the schedule is Saturday's "A Night at the Movies." The evening includes screenings of two building-themed documentary films, and, for your tasting pleasure, the Square Meal on Wheels mobile "restaurant...

Photo by JZphotos via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Gettin' bigger in the 'bu: Malibu's City Hall is getting a new home. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have set up the Pitcher of the Year award in memory of Nick Adenhart, the pitcher who was killed early this season by a drunk driver. It's a trip down Rock n' Roll memory lane, aka Devonshire Downs, for one San Fernando Valley group....

Students at Liechty Middle School engaged in a silent protest during their graduation ceremony last week and it wound up costing them their diplomas. "The students turned their backs on graduation speaker Monica Garcia, LAUSD Board President, to express their displeasure to teacher layoffs and cutbacks," press materials explain.

A motorist driving on the streets of North Hollywood at around 2:15 this morning saw a body "laying near the curb" close to "the intersection of Satsuma Avenue and Vanowen Street," and made the 911 report, according to the Daily News. The victim, a Hispanic male in his 20s or 30s whose identity is being withheld until his next-of-kin is notified, was apparently struck and killed by a driver who did not remain on...

AP Photo/ Philip Scott Andrews LAist watched as the Lakers won the NBA championship then as people "celebrated" by vandalizing, looting, smashing, and burning things in Downtown L.A. Gothamist had its full of the controversial, from a scandalous Calvin Klein billboard (with threesome) to the killing of Canada geese, in the name of airline safety. Seattlest went 29 days without rain, and girls went feral and old men turned on each other. Torontoist staked...

Photo by hilisapie via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr The hottest tickets in town weren't for a concert, a comedian, or a sporting event, but rather Kennedy High's graduation. And that's hot as in forged. Yikes. Sharing is caring: How to garden in Los Angeles if you don't have a garden. Or, how to get your garden gardened if you don't have the time yourself. If youv'e got upcoming air travel plans,...

Part of Jenny Holzer's contribution to the "Women in the City" project (Photo by Lord Jim/Flickr) Last week during the 9th annual Americans for the Arts convention the Public Art Year in Review panel revealed their 40 picks for the best public art works in the United States from 2008, which includes projects from 32 cities in 15 states. Five of those works are right here in the Los Angeles area: Lawndale: Subdivisions by...

Photo by Lucy in LA via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Tomorrow marks the first day of summer, though our overcast skies tell another much gloomier story. Today happens to mark the day when several public City-operated swimming pools open up for the season. It also marks the launch of Operation Splash, a free "learn-to-swim project for area youth," run in partnership by the City of Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente, according...