Zach Behrens

The teenager arrested on suspicion of setting at least 14 fires in the Yucaipa area has been charged with setting two of them, reports the LA Times. One of the fires was in the Crafton Hills area. The total acreage burned under the fires allegedly set by 16-year-old Ricky Sean Lukacs is around 1,000....

2010 is bringing about some good prospects, including deals to bring you entertainment all year long. The Roxy in West Hollywood yesterday launched Club Rox, a new limited $100 program that gets you into any show at The Roxy and the upstairs On the Rox as long as they are not a private event or a non-ticketed show. "This is our way of showing our appreciation for all of our loyal customers and new patrons we’ve met this past year," the venue's blog explained...

Over a two-year period, Los Angeles increased revenues from red light enforcement cameras from $200,000 to $400,000. The culprit? A recent doubling in fines for running red lights when making a right turn. The LA Times explains: The change, based on a legal recommendation from the city attorney, affects thousands of motorists each year who make rolling right turns against red lights -- known as "California stops." According to Los Angeles Police Department estimates...

LAPD traffic detectives are seeking the public’s help with additional information that could help explain the cause of yesterday's traffic collision which involved two cars and a Mertolink train. As the LAPD tells it, here's what happened:

Los Angeles Attorney Dolly Gee today became the first Chinese-American woman in U.S. history to serve as a federal district court judge when the Senate confirmed as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of California. “Dolly Gee has an exemplary record and she will be an outstanding addition to the federal bench," said Senator Barbara Boxer, who recommended to President Barack Obama that Gee be nominated. "As a daughter of immigrants from rural China, she personifies the American dream. She used her position as a prominent attorney in Los Angeles to promote racial tolerance..."

Photo by Symic via Flickr In a contentious fight that some say will define West Hollywood, the City Council Monday night took the first steps toward banning smoking (.pdf), voting to "direct the City Attorney to draft a comprehensive ordinance prohibiting smoking in outdoor patios and open air spaces at restaurants, bars and other establishments with common outdoor patios or open air spaces." If passed, it would put the city in line with Los...

Just in case you didn't know, here's how parking works tomorrow. The city of Los Angeles does not enforce certain parking regulations on national holidays like Christmas and New Year's Day. Here's how it works, via LADOT (.pdf)

Between the storms | Photo by bill90814 via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Department store windows are a big deal in some cities around Christmas time, including Los Angeles of yesteryear. More on why cyclists should continue taking a stand against DWP's Festival of Lights. Sarah Palin on Twitter yesterday questioned if "death panels back in?" the national health care debate. "With Los Angeles County and most of its 88 cities struggling with double-digit...

The man charged with leading the office that investigates complaints and use of force incidents along with auditing the Los Angeles Police Department yesterday was nominated by President Barack Obama to be a United States Attorney. André Birotte, Jr. has been L.A.'s Inspector General since 2003, joining the office two years prior. “These men and women have not only the legal experience and aptitude, but the commitment to public service to make exemplary United...

Meet LAist intern Thruxton. He's way cool (another photo here). | Photo by Fire Monkey Fish via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr It's windy (here's why) and it's expected to last though the night. Quaint. Snow birds were spotted along the Los Angeles River this morning. It's been quiet since the large riot at House of Blues on the Sunset Strip until last night when three men attacked Sheriff's Deputies. Watch what the first...

Those large white-and-asphalt/concrete barred crosswalks are starting to appear in some places around Los Angeles, reports Damien Newton at Streetsblog. Whether this is a new policy or a pilot project, we're unsure, but it's definitely a positive step towards pedestrian safety. A tipster to Newton shares his thoughts on a new one at Manchester and Sepulveda: "I observed the new crosswalks for about 15 minutes last week during evening rush hour and it seems...

Did you ever have that sinking feeling that factory around the corner was a dirty polluter? Maybe they were caught and fined by the Environmental Protection Agency, which today released its annual map of violations across the country. It's a bit hard to understand case files, but it's easy to find locations of violations with the Google Map tool. Additionally, only 90 percent of facilities subject to enforcement were mapped. "EPA did not map...