Zach Behrens

After a hot mess of a meeting between the L.A. City Council, AEG and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich's office, the council unanimously approved sign permits for AEG. Attorneys with Trutanich say this action, an exception as they put it, will open the city up to more lawsuit fodder from the billboard industry. They're probably right. Nevertheless, this particular drama has ended, setting the path for the opening of Regal Cinemas, which will play the...

The Yellow-Legged Frog is one of the endangered species found within the Angeles National Forest. With the Station Fire now past and mudslides a concern, U.S. Fish and Wildlife service officials are relocating some of the frogs until their home is more stable, reports the Pasadena Star News. Other endangered species in the forest include the unarmored threespine stickleback (it's a fish), the Arroyo toad and the Santa Ana suckerfish. LAist covered the frogs...

The Governor's Office is webcasting the live the press conference where Schwarzenegger will sign legislation exempting developers from environmental laws, which has delayed the project. The Governor's office calls the project a "green project." Although today's legislation will pave way for this "shovel-ready" and "privately financed" project (that they say will bring 18,000 jobs), the LA Times notes that developers Majestic Realty might have trouble getting "construction loans amid the credit crunch."...

At the Pershing Square Station | Photo by delara-photos via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Metro is expected to pass the Long Range Transportation Plan at this mornings meeting, which began at 9:30 a.m. As Streetsblogger Damien Newton explains, the plan "will cement the timeline for local funding from Measure R for projects and allow the agency to apply for Federal and State funds." Basically, if voted upon, the document will be the guiding...

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting a 1-acre fire near the neighborhood of Tujunga in the Northeast Valley. First reported at 5:09 p.m. from the 6300 block of Day Street, the fire is burning in steep rugged terrain. Over the phone, LAFD Spokesman Brian Humphrey says the nearest home to flames is about one mile away, therefore no evacuations have been ordered. Assigned to the fire are about 80 fire personnel on the...

Although it has not been officially announced, LAist has learned that the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race will go through at least two Southern California cities next year during its new date in May. Downtown Los Angeles and the cities of Thousand Oaks (home to the sponsor, Amgen), Agoura Hills, Westlake will play host to the race's fifth year. The full route is expected to be announced tomorrow morning at a series of events throughout the state, but organizers are encouraging fans of the race to follow four Twitter accounts tomorrow morning to be up to date on the latest news.

In response recent promises of strict medical marijuana enforcement from City Attorney Carmen Trutanich and District Attorney Steve Cooley, the Marijuana Policy Project quickly hired an an independent firm to poll L.A. County voters on the issue. No surprises here, 74 percent support the California's medical marijuana law with 54 percent in support of marijuana being legalized for all, just the way Governor Schwarzenegger wants it....

Riders emerge from a tunnel in Angeles National Forest in a stage between Santa Clarita and Pasadena in the 2009 tour (see more of our favorite 2009 photos here) |AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez As we noted yesterday, downtown Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills will be hosts for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California (it will also include a stage from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake). Announced this morning, here is the full...

Photo by alexbcthompson via Flickr Big operation in South L.A. this morning. The LAPD along with the FBI conducted an 18-month investigation leading up to todays sweep called Operation 40 Ounces to Freedom. 46 of the 75 gang members sought have been arrested, according to ABC7. They were wanted on various charges including drugs, gun sales, extortion and other violent crimes. "They are a nuisance in the community. They have a vice grip on...

Seen at a tea party protest in Washington D.C. | Photo by Street Protest TV via Flickr Watch out, they're back. On Sunday the latest in Tea Party protests will hit Los Angeles as part of another bus tour across the country. The traveling two-plus week event, which will be in its first day, promises to "highlight some of the worst offenders in Congress who have voted for higher spending, higher taxes, and government...

One of the six similarly-themed sculptures at the new LAPD headquarters | Photo by Eric Richardson/blogdowntown The new abstract public art at the Police Administration Building in downtown is garnering some nice discussion and attention, as all good art should. Artist Peter Shelton tells blogdowntown that the six "beasts of burden" should have viewers making up their own stories as to what they are. And people are: ink splots, cow splat, blobs, pigs, butts...

E-mails obtained by the LA Times indicate that director Roman Polanski is likely to be extradited to the U.S. to face sentencing in his thirty-year-old child sex case. “While the Swiss officials cannot speak for the judge, the extradition will likely be ordered based upon the facts submitted in our papers,” read an e-mail between two employees in the district attorney's office from two weeks ago. That package may have also included information about...