Zach Behrens

AP Photo/Matt Sayles Two officers have been placed on paid leave as a probe continues into how a battered photo of Rihanna was leaked to TMZ, according to four unnamed sources speaking to the LA Times. In the early morning hours before the Grammys last February, Chris Brown threatened and assaulted Rihanna, his girlfriend, after a dispute. About a week and a half later, TMZ posted a leaked police photo of Rihanna showing cuts...

Photo: Eye of Brad The Station Fire has burned through 160,557 acres, about 250 square miles, and is 77 percent contained, officials with the Angeles National Forest announced this morning. The blaze, which began on August 26th, has cost about $82 million to fight. Full containment is expected next Tuesday, which means costs will still rise, possibly to $100 million, according to the LA Times. The federal government is expected to pick up most...

A muddy Coldwater Canyon and Ventura intersection | Photo by Gamma Infinity via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr After a week of repairs, Coldwater Canyon is expected to reopen late tomorrow afternoon, the Daily News reports. The pipe has been fixed and the street has been backfilled by the Department of Water and Power. Now the Bureau of Street Services is reconstructing the street, which should be finished tomorrow. The near 100-year-old trunkline, which...

The Salton Sea State Recreation Area | Photo by craigkirk via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr On Tuesday, the State Assembly passed Senate Bill 679, meant to protect the state park system and ensure that lands used as state parks cannot be used for non-park purposes without providing substitute lands. "The least we can do is not dismantle the system," explained Traci Verardo-Torres with the California State Parks Foundation, a sponsor of the bill....

Last year, 40 people died statewide on roadways patrolled by the California Highway Patrol during Labor Day weekend. This year the number plummeted to 12 with 9 of those victims found not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. “Wearing a seat belt needs to become a habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Buckle up every trip, every time. It may save your life or the life...

Jeff Miller, left, takes the oath of office at the swearing-in ceremony for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session | Photo via Jeff Miller's state website Assembly Speaker Karen Bass today removed Assemblyman Jeff Miller (R-Corona) from his Ethics Committee post after he listened to Mike Duvall discuss two sexual trysts, one allegedly with an energy lobbyist. Miller, who was blurred out in the video first shown by KCAL9 on Tuesday night, said he does not...

Photo by Alan Light via Flickr The Emmys are still over a week away, but the time to start thinking about the Oscars is now. Beginning Monday at noon and continuing for about a week, anyone from around the world may enter into a random drawing for one of the 700 available seats at the 82nd Academy Awards red carpet (we sat there last year, here are our photos). Those who apply may register...

Only one region of Los Angeles County--communities directly on the San Gabriel Mountains--is still adversely affected by smoke from the Station Fire, officials announced today. That means residents previously plagued with daily warnings about air quality can breath in with a sign of relief. Yesterday, air quality in the San Gabriel Valley was so bad, that the LA County Department of Public Health the air was bad for everyone, not just sensitive individual (i.e.,...

The Bluff Fire that began around 9:30 a.m. this morning north of Banning has spread rapidly, prompting an aggressive assault from the ground and air from CalFire and Riverside County fire officials. Two County firefighters suffered heat-related injuries, according to the Daily Bulletin. The blaze, which is suspected of starting in a shed, has been 10 percent contained. No home have been damaged or are threatened at the present time. "It's pretty much (burning...

A fire that began around 10 a.m. has grown to 70 acres near the Riverside County town of Banning, north of the 10 Freeway, east of the 60. No communities are currently threatned, according to authorities at the San Bernardino National Forest. Apparently, the fire began near Mias Canyon Road in a shed on a farm, reported KESQ, an ABC affiliate in the Palm Springs area. riv fire capt fernando herrera, 951 940 6985-->...

Oh, this is good. FOX has landed a deal with talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres to become the newest American Idol judge, replacing Paula Abdul who quit the reality show this summer over salary issues. “I’m thrilled to be the new judge on American Idol,” said DeGeneres in Fox's news release, via The Wrap. ”I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a...

So Orange County Assemblyman Michael Duvall (R-Yorba Linda) yesterday resigned after being caught on video telling sordid tales of his alleged affairs. Apparently, those were just stories, he said in a statement: "I want to make it clear that my decision to resign is in no way an admission that I had an affair or affairs. My offense was engaging in inappropriate story-telling and I regret my language and choice of words.