Zach Behrens

Photo by T Michael Kim via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Utility crews across Southern California have been working tirelessly to return power to customers throughout these three storms. The L.A. Department of Water reported 1,700 outages at 10 a.m., half the amount reported earlier in the morning. Southern California Edison said they had 6,986 customers without service. Hardest hit areas served by Edison include Running Springs (442 customers), Valencia (938), Rowland Heights (517),...

Hollywood & Highland | Photo by therealquarrygirl via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Despite the controversy, congratulations is due to Westwood, which is close to having a Neighborhood Council... finally. The 710 Freeway once again was flooded today. Hollywood continues to grow. A new hotel at Hollywood and Cahuenga boulevards was approved today. Differing opinions: activists are responding to the DASH cuts and hikes recommended by LADOT. Matt Mason at LA Metblogs reminds us...

Some 3,400 LADWP customers scattered throughout the city are currently without service, about half of the number earlier this afternoon. However, the number of Southern California Edison customers across the region without service has increased by around 8,000. The hardest hit areas include Lake Arrowhead (3,142), Orange (1,805), Huntington Beach (1,571), Baldwin Park (1,253), Altadena (1,125) and Compton (870). "SCE is continuing to prioritize repairs so that customers who have been without power the...

In addition to Long Beach, Santa Monica is offering sand bags to residents. Via an advisory from the city: "The City of Santa Monica has sand bags available for residents who request them to mitigate the effects of unfavorable weather conditions. Sand bags can be requested by calling the Public Works Department - Street Maintenance Division at (310) 458-4991. The Public Works Street Maintenance Division is located at 2500 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica."...

The storm over the San Fernando Valley | Photo by denisetaylor☼ via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Yesterday's storm is still with us today, bringing us more of the same, possibly with worse weather conditions as our low pressure system--meaning we're more susceptible to inclement weather--continues to drop, nearing the a record set back on January 27th in 1988. Because of the heightened intensity, there is more chance of tornadoes and water spouts off...

The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to meet this morning to discuss and finalize an 18-month investigation into the causes that factored into the 2008 head-on crash between a Metrolink commuter train and a Union Pacific freight train that left 25 dead and 135 injured.

And that's bad news for the city of Los Angeles and its budget deficit, which is expected to hit one billion in a few years. That 16% decline equals $186 million lost when held next to estimates, which were expected to only decline by 6%, reported the LA Times. "And overall tax revenue has declined by double digits for four quarters straight," reported the paper, which recieved an e-mail from the City's Administrative Officer...

L.A. City Hall | Photo: sirimiri via LAist Featured Photos/Flickr Amid the process of letting 2,400 city of Los Angeles employees retire early--a move to help save a dwindling city budget--a draft internal letter obtained by the Los Angeles Times indicates plans to sack at least 1,000 employees. "Revenues are significantly lower than original projections and we are prepared to make tough decisions, including layoffs and cuts in less-essential city services to our constituents,"...

And so it ends. Around 1 a.m. this morning, Late Night Show host Conan O'Brien and NBC signed a deal, getting him around $32 million and some $12 million for his staff. Tomorrow night is is last show, but his deal allows him to go back on TV eight months from now. Jay Leno will return on March 1st with a show from 11:35 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. After that, "Late Night with Jimmy...

Investigators concluded this morning that witness statements were unreliable and that, based on evidence, the Metrolink engineer ran the red light, putting the train on a head-on collision course with a Union Pacific train, according to the LA Times. "The Metrolink train passes the signal at Topanga; it is displaying a red stop indication," explains a detailed animation of the collision, which can be seen on the National Trasportation Safey Board's website. "Phone records...

Photo by stephenfalk via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr In a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles City Council this morning approved a new city ordinance banning smoking near outdoor dining areas. It will go into effect 30 days after Mayor Villaraigosa signs it, beginning a one-year educational grace period before going into full force, likely in February of 2011. The ban creates a 10-foot perimeter around stationary outdoor dining areas--think patios adjacent to a...

Photo by Daquella manera via Flickr After banning smoking near outdoor dining areas, the Los Angeles City Council this morning took on the issue of breastfeeding at work. No, there's nothing wrong or illegal about doing it on the job at a desk, but state law does encourage employers to set up a private area so women feel more comfortable. Introduced by City Councilmember Tony Cardenas last August during World Breastfeeding Week, his motion...