Zach Behrens

But don't get too excited as it's just one step in a long process that's almost completed. Although the timetable (.pdf) for the Gold Line now include eastside extension stations, they've been left blank. What a tease! Yesterday, Metro officials announced that regular testing of the Gold Line's extension would commence on Sunday. An opening could come as soon as early November....

Dry brush = a fire's fuel | Photo by Caveman 92223 via Flickr Yesterday it was a fire weather watch, but today the National Weather Service upgraded those warnings into Red Flags. Temperatures will not be as warm as last week, but high winds and low humidity are concerning officials over potential for wildfires. "The Santa Ynez range and downwind coastal sections of Santa Barbara County will be the first to experience the dry...

One day after submitting paperwork to explore a run for Governor, Attorney General Jerry Brown has been challenged by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to debate in all 11 media markets in California. “Our state is in need of real reform—we have a broken system that must be fixed,” said Newsom in a statement. “And now that there are two candidates for governor, we owe the Democratic voters of California an opportunity to compare...

>It has been all but official until now. Attorney General and former Governor Jerry Brown filed papers for the "Brown for Governor 2010 Exploratory Committee." The move allows him fundraise more aggressively as he decides whether or not to run for the state's top position. The 71-year-old Brown, who already has raised more campaign money than Democratic opponent, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, may not decide to run until next year.

In downtown Los Angeles | Photo by Scani - Salina Canizales via LAist Feautred Photos on Flickr With all the tsunami talk, what's the difference between an advisory, currently in effect for Los Angeles County beaches, and watches/warnings? Some valets are still illegally marking spaces as valet only. Out with one movie theatre in downtown, in with another. Another fire in the Inland Empire was determined to be arson Homeless advocates began protesting during...

In light of today's tsunami advisory, L.A. County lifeguards will close beaches at 8 p.m., one hour before waves are expected to gain in height. City officials with Parks and Recreation were unsure if the Venice Boardwalk would close, but facilities close at 7 p.m. with most businesses shutting doors around that time. A spokesperson at Councilmember Bill Rosendahl's office said he hoped the new skatepark, scheduled to open this weekend, won't be damaged.

More details about former President Clinton's visit to Los Angeles in support of San Francisco Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom. The pair will visit Los Angeles City College on Monday, October 5th before heading off to a fundraiser for Newsom's campaign. At LACC, they will tour the new LEED-certified Science and Technology Building and talk to faculty and students about education for green technology jobs, including those in solar installation, weatherization and...

Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. will help unveil 28 new solar-powered light poles at North Hollywood Park tonight. It is being touted as a green energy and safety improvement for the park, which abuts the east side of the 170 Freeway. At night, portions of the park are extremely dark as very little light bleeds in from the surrounding neighborhood. The Department of Recreation and Parks says the poles were installed with city...

Photo by northwestgangs via Flickr Today the Los Angeles City Council will consider a new city ordinance that would require all buildings--yes, residential homes, too--to be anti-graffiti coated from the ground to at least nine feet. However, owners may choose to skip the requirement as long as they sign an agreement that any graffiti on their building will be removed within seven days, according to the Daily News. That's a good exception because the...

Photo by Paraflyer via Flickr A state report on restructure California's tax system is due today and the Associated Press, which obtained an early copy, has found that bold changes are recommended, prompting a large amount of skepticism. The AP explains some: Since the tax system was established in the 1930s, when farms and factories drove the economy, the state's tax policies have not kept up with the technology and service industries that now...

Photo by Caveman 92223 via Flickr The temperatures have been great so far this week, but they might be slightly spoiled as Santa Ana winds pick up beginning Wednesday night and last through Friday. "Humidities will be dropping through the day Wednesday and by Wednesday night into Thursday many areas of Southwest California will be experiencing a combination of gusty Santa Ana winds and humidities at or below 15 percent," the National Weather Service...

Fully contained yesterday, the Guiberson Fire burned through some 17,500 acres, injuring 10, destroying one outbuilding and costing nearly $10 million. On Sunday, the Advanced Land Imager on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite caught this false-color image of the fire area by using "shortwave infrared light to increase the contrast between burned and unburned land."