Zach Behrens

U.S. "drug czar" Gil Kerlikowske was at the Pasadena Recovery Center today to hold a press conference about the the federal government's opposition to Prop 19, the ballot measure that would legalize marijuana in California. In attendance was Dr. Drew Pinksy. What did he have to say? NBCLA caught up with and grabbed this soundbite: "I do not have a strong opinion about prop 19 -- that is really for the voters to decide --...

AP Photo/Jeff Chiu The Federal Appeals Court today announced that oral arguments for the appeal of Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California, will be heard at 10 a.m. on December 6th. Prop 8 backers are appealing a lower court desicion from August where Judge Vaughn Walker's August struck the voter-approved initiative down, calling it unconstitutional. The American Foundation for Equal Rights, which filed a lawsuit against the state to fight Prop 8,...

Senator Jenny Oropeza (D - Long Beach) has died, according to the Sacramento Bee. The 53-year-old was diagnosed with a blood clot in her abdomen earlier this year and had been largely missing from the floor since. She was an State Assemblymember from 2000 to 2006, when she was elected to the Senate. Before that she was a member of the Long Beach School Board and Long Beach City Council. R.I.P. Jenny Oropeza....

As usual, it's a tight race when it comes to polls between Democratic U.S. Senate incumbent Barbara Boxer and former Republican and Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. The latest poll from the Public Policy Institute of California (see results for the gubernatorial race and Prop 19) shows Boxer at 43% and Fiorina at 38%, with 17% undecided. The margin of error is up to 3.5%. Previous PPIC polls showed an even tighter race, but always...

It's art mixed with tasty do gooding. The 5th Annual Canstruction is now on display, showing off the work of seven teams of architects, designers, builders, and engineers who took canned food to build structures meant for feeding instead of housing. After November 6th when the exhibit ends, the 10,000 or so cans will go to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. “The Foodbank is grateful for the design community’s support,” said Michael Flood, president and...

Once again, Democrat and Attorney General Jerry Brown is leading Republican and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman in the race for California's Governor. The latest poll, compliments of the Public Policy Institute of California, has found that Brown leads Whitman by eight points, or 44% to 36%, with 16% undecided. The margin of error is up to ±3.5%. In a previous PPIC poll from September, the candidates were neck and neck: 38% for Whitman...

Actor Danny Glover, left, singer Melissa Etheridge, center, and actor/comedian Hal Sparks take part in a news conference in support of California's Proposition 19 to regulate, control and tax marijuana (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Well, the word "bud" is in Buddha. Today, organizers of Saturday's first-ever Buddhafest held a press conference in which celebrities and other big names spoke in favor of Proposition 19, the November 2nd ballot measure to legalize marijuana. “I don’t want...

The same poll that said Jerry Brown has an eight point lead over Meg Whitman also says Prop 19, which would legalize marijuana, will lose. It found that 44% of likely voters are for it while 49% are against it, leaving 7% undecided. "This is an 8-point drop in support since September (52% yes, 41% no, 7% undecided). Support has declined among Democrats (56% today, 63% September), dropped sharply among independents (40% today, 65%...

Cabrillo Beach in San Padro | Photo by airbutchie via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Safety vs. appearance: Curbed LA is investigating "a long-standing, but far-from-universally embraced Los Angeles building code that requires all buildings 75 feet and taller to have a helicopter landing pad." Reacting to the City Attorney and LAPD having two journalists smoke dope and drive under the influence, Streetsblog LA's Damien Newton points to real studies on the issue. A...

What's a West Hollywood Halloween season without some political displays? Couple ChadMichael Morrisette and Mito Aviles, who made national headlines when their 2008 display included an effigy of Sarah Palin, are at it again and this year it's about the Catholic church. The scene is made up of "soulless parishioners" surrounding the Pope, who is leading the church on a crusade against equality. In a sense, this is an extension of their "forces of evil"...