Matt Vannucci

"Christmas Tree" Photo by sfxeric via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr You think you spend too much time at work? I bet your hours spent in-office pails in comparison to the Mayor of El Monte. Blanca Figueroa says she keeps late nights because, "the mayor's work is never done," but her City Council members suspect her of living in her office because her home is not livable. The Council actually voted on Dec....

"Morals" Photo by ~db~ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Are you involved in a discreet affair through Ashley Madison, need $1,000, and willing to appear on the KTLA morning news with Ashley Madison's President, Noel Biderman? Yeah, LA Observed doesn't believe it either. In "they probably won't even notice it's gone" news - CHP officer, Joshua Wendall Blackburn, 33, of Murrieta was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison...

"Drip" Photo by Tyler S. Andrews via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Nothing gets Anderson, CA KFC employees more turned on than kitchen sinks. Good thing they took provocative photos with the sinks so we can see how they celebrate. A Huntington Beach alcohol and drug rehab facility has offered to take in Amy Winehouse and her Blake for free. They promise protection from the paparazzi and her own recording studio as well....

"Economy Meats" Photo by ~db~ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr We have all been cutting corners due to the recession, but UK residents are taking it to a new level - buying up "offal" or "variety meat" because of it's affordability. How about you, what have you done that's a little off-kilter to cut costs? A wildfire is burning in Newbury Park creeping towards the 101 Freeway. A group of women were...

"Inaugural 09 Hotel Madness..." Photo by dbking We all had opinions on the election night dress, but did you notice the booty? ""OMG, her butt is humongous!" went a typical comment on one African-American online forum, and while it isn't humongous, per se, "it is a solid, round, black, class-A boo-tay," says former L.A. Times columnist Erin Aubry Kaplan on Salon, through LA Observed. You think you're smarter than most Americans, right? Do you...

"Starbucks/Tower Records" Photo by Lisa Borodkin The above photo was taken today at the Virgin Megastore on Sunset/Crescent Heights. Just when you thought Starbucks was on the defense, they're back and staking claim on real estate formerly occupied by the beloved Virgin Megastore. Redondo is following the lead of it's sister to the north, Santa Monica, in having an ice skating rink for the winter season. The Redondo rink called "Seaside Ice" will open...

"Simon, in the Bathtub" Photo by Plankton 4:20 via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr The SNL cast just got a little more "toilet seat down" with the addition of two new female cast members - Michaela Watkins and Abby Elliott (Chris's daughter). Gothamist was right, questioning why Lorne didn't adopt a Michelle Obama look-alike, but now that MADtv got canceled, the funny-pool just got a little more crowded. A Hawthorne youth center...

"MALIBU" Photo by Nuno_Oliveira via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Cloverfield fans rejoice! Gothamist has a map of NYC showing exactly what parts of the city were destroyed by the monster. Better late than never! All of the rockers that got into heavy metal for the money must have been misunderstood. All of the money is in scrap metal thievery, not noodling solo's at the Whisky. LA scrap metal thieves have been...

Photo by jtstrathdee via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr The Governator is looking for some extra cash to pad California's budget deficit, and he's planning to get it from you. Schwarzenegger unveiled a plan to raise taxes by 1 1/2 cents on the dollar (that means tax would be 10.25%!!!), impose a 5-cent-per-drink tax on alcohol and a $12 increase in vehicle registration fees. Hold onto your wallet though, Republicans said they're...

"VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! OBAMA!" Photo by suckafuck via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Election, Election, Election, it's all we've heard lately, right? Are you as exhausted of all the politicking as B-Side Blog, who did a "Top 5 Things He's Looking Forward To Now That He's Voted." Number 1 might hit home. Rain, nor sleet, nor being unconscious stopped one Compton man from voting today. Poll worker Herdon Shelnut was passing out...