Zach Behrens

Smoke from the Station Fire seen last month | Photo by Brad Herman via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Officials this morning extended the expected full containment of the Station Fire from this Saturday to Tuesday, citing an increase in hotter and drier weather. "We're expecting humidity to go down, temperatures to go up and wit the normal flow of down canyon winds mixed with dry fuel, we decided to push containment back a...

For the second time in recent months, a car has crashed through a building at 7th and Flower, reports Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. This morning's two-vehicle crash sent a white Camry halfway into the restaurant Wokano at 818 W. 7th Street after it appears one of the vehicles ran a red light. The crash, which sent both drivers to the hospital, occurred around 5:45 a.m., but was cleaned up with streets open by 7:30...

No details are publicly available until the plan is ratified by union members, but today the City Council took action that reverses this week's earlier decision to cut nearly 1,000 jobs and institute 26 days of furloughs that would help the city fight a $405 million budget shortfall. Instead, the Coalition of L.A. City Unions gave up $78 million in "hard concessions" and will have to contribute an extra .37 percent of paychecks towards...

Anza-Borrego State Park | Photo: °Florian Not only was the federal government concerned about the pending closure of state parks earlier this summer, but a memo obtained by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility says there are a handful of more problems if closures happen. A list of those closures is is expected to be released sometime next week. The memo from state attorneys says the potential problems could cost the state money, including...

The 13-year-old El Monte boy who allegedly started the Morris Fire was charged today with two felony counts, arson and recklessly causing a fire to a forest or structure, according to KNX1070. He is not in custody, but will be arraigned on November 17th in Pomona Juvenile Court. The Morris Fire began on Tuesday, August 25th in the Angeles National Forest above Azusa and Glendora. It burned through some 2,168 acres and has been...

From 11.9 percent in July to 12.2 percent in August, todays announcement of last month's unemployment rate has California breaking records, once again The number rose in 27 states last month, 14 of which that are in double digits. Three other states--Michigan, Nevada and Rhode Island--have higher rates than California. And experts predict that the numbers will continue to increase as the year goes on before they flatline. Nationally, unemployment rose to 9.7 percent...

An early morning house fire claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy and three dogs in the Reseda neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. Firefighters reported to 18424 West Saticoy Street at 2:35 a.m., knocking the fire down in 13 minutes, according to Melissa Kelley of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The blaze was supposedly contained to just one room of the house, but Kelley said there was no information regarding his parents or if they were even home. An investigation is pending, but officials said that there were no smoke detectors in the home.

Are you following doctor's orders this year? “This year both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu virus will be circulating throughout the United States,” said Dr. Gil Chavez, acting chief deputy director of the California Department of Public Health, in a statement today. “I encourage Californians to get a seasonal flu shot now and an H1N1 flu shot when it becomes available later this fall. The seasonal flu shot will not protect you...

As officials announced last night, the 250-square mile Station Fire remains at 93 percent contained and in light of predicted fire-friendly weather, they hope they do not lose control of a couple hot spots still being mopped up by crews. "The remaining work is extremely difficult due to steep and rugged terrain," a Forest Service statement read. "In the area of Mt. Wilson, fire activity remains active and smoke may be seen in the area east of Mt. Wilson to Devore as undergrowth burns away and crews work to extinguish hot spots in this very rugged area," the statement continued.

In a very matter-of-fact phone call to a Westminister emergency dispatcher yesterday morning, 38-year-old Thuy Le said she had stabbed her two daughters and herself, asking if authorities were coming to her aid, according to the OC Register. They did, finding a bloody room in Le's cousin's home, where the Le family had been spending the night. It was after 6 a.m. when her cousin, Toan Pham and his wife, were awakened by their...

Smoke hovers above the San Gabriel Mountains | Photo by Curiouser via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr U.S. Forest Service officials announced tonight that the Station Fire is now contained at 93 percent, up two points since this morning. However, the size of the fire remains at 160,557 acres, roughly 250 square miles. Crews are monitoring a couple hot spots, making sure they do not flare up into super conflagrations that could once again...

After three decades of dreaming and planning, it looks like the federal government is finally paying attention to an expensive MagLev train line that would carry passengers between Las Vegas and Anaheim at speeds up to 300 miles per hour along the 270-mile route. The Federal Railroad Administration will give $45 million in congressional earmarked dollars to the first phase of the route, which will go from Las Vegas to the state border in...