Lisa Brenner

Tonight's soaking-wet edition of Extra, Extra includes falling cars, home-grown jobs, Michael Jackson Juilliard, hamburger history, island wine, Santa's digital footprint and magnets to throw at jerk drivers.

Photo by Michael Zampelli via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr The National Weather Service has reported minor mudslides, rock slides and flooding all over Southern California roads, however "Caltrans has so far been able to clean up the problems quickly," reports LA Now. The 71 Chino Valley Freeway in Pomona was closed at Valley Blvd. in both directions due to heavy flooding beginning at 7:45 a.m., and 355 traffic collisions were reported to...

Photo by calvinfleming via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr A historic 65-31 Senate vote approving a bill that repeals the policy of "don't ask, don't tell" on Saturday means that gay and lesbian military personell will be able to serve openly without punishment, once President Obama signs the measure into law next week. More than 13,500 Americans have been dismissed from military since the law went into effect in 1993, reports the LA...

Photo by melissssaf via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Due to heavy rainfall, an advisory has been issued by the County of Los Angeles Public Health department for all LA county beaches until Monday, December 20 at 12 p.m. Officials are cautioning residents (and we imagine everyone else, too) planning to visit Los Angeles County beaches to be careful swimming / surfing / frolicking in ocean waters near discharging storm drains, creeks, and...

Photo by SKD's LA Street Scenes via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr While organizers negotiate terms of a possible compromise with the Los Angeles Film School over access to a parking garage, the Hollywood Farmers' Market has been given the green beans green light to continue operation for at least another 90 days. "Market officials won a 90-day extension of their street closure permit after Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti met with...

Photo by California CPA via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Three architectural firms, including Gensler, the firm that oversaw L.A. Live development, will strut their visions for AEG's new "L.A. Events Center" with a public unveiling of proposal renderings during a a press conference at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. According to blogdowntown, an initial cost analysis and briefing will be provided by ICON Venue Group, an owner's rep firm that's worked with AEG on...

Photo by Atwater Village Newbie via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Back to the Future at Universal Studios was the backdrop for the announcement on Monday by the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative about its plan to make the state ready for 1 million plug-in hybrid and battery-powered cars by the year 2020. Representatives of Tesla Motors, Pacific Gas & Electric, Better Place and public and private officials issued a report congratulating automakers,...

Tonight in Extra, Extra!! Get to know your local seafloor, the non-price of Darth Vader's car, Homeless protest targeting by police, Hit-and-run victims identified, Meteor shower is a-comin', Eelgrass gets grabby, and the Metrodome suffers from indoor avalanche syndrome.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has confirmed that one person suffered minor burn injuries in a high-rise fire in Century City on Sunday afternoon, reports the LA TImes. The fire, first reported around 2:15 p.m., was contained to one unit on the 20th floor of 2170 Century Park East.

Photo by vvvracer via Flickr A ticket for the Clippers means three games in one tonight at Staples Center. Immediately following the regularly scheduled NBA Clippers vs Magic game, two dodgeball match-ups will defile the shiny floor of downtown's premiere sports palace with a retro lunge and pummel. The Staples Challenge follows the storied history of the "most decorated team" in the World Dodgeball Society, Reignballs Dodgeball Force, and their triumphant return to smashing...

An indoor marijuana farm went poof in Woodland Hills on Sunday but no one was harmed, according to a city fire official. The fire was first reported at 8:23 p.m. at a home on North Fallbrook Avenue and rescuers on the scene described heavy smoke. 27 firefighters responded to the call and the blaze was extinguished in nine minutes, reports the Daily News....

Cash-starved Los Angeles Unified School District may begin selling student eyeballs to the highest-bidding corporate sponsor. World, meet the Hollywood High Shredded Wheats! LAUSD will meet Tuesday to discuss overturning the district's ban on on-campus corporate advertising in order to raise funds via big biz sponsorship.