Zach Behrens

Tonight is the second of two community meetings Sunset Strip Music Festival organizers are outreaching the immediate surrounding community about the first ever street closure of the Sunset Strip for a day long music festival. On Saturday, September 12 for 24 hours starting at 7 a.m., the famous drag will be shut down from Doheny to San Vicente. The first meeting bought out less than a dozen people, who were "amazingly positive," according to Nic Adler, owner of The Roxy and one of the festival organizers. He said no access to homes will be completely cut off, but most questions were geared to those basic type of logistics.

Silvia Mardini was last seen on Friday. Then on Saturday, she sent text messages to her family indicating that she was in danger, the Los Angeles Police Department announced today in hopes that the public could help locate her. Mardini was seen Friday running errand around 6 p.m. driving her silver 2003 Ford Focus, 4-door, license number 5DQM267. She's described as white, with dark brown hair, brown eyes, 5 ft. 5 in. tall and weighs about 120 lbs.

A straw poll posted within a Daily News story today is asking readers if they would use the "subway to the sea" of not. So far, with only around 200 votes as of this writing, it's a split vote. Earlier today, the poll indicated losing results for subway ridership. Posting to his Facebook page, former LA Times transportation reporter Steve Hymon notes that "if most of those readers are from the Valley (perhaps a dubious presumption), it's impressive that 48% would ride."

It's rare that we hear thunder out here, so it could be a nice change as long as lightening strikes do not start fires. The National Weather Service is reporting the possibility of thunderstorms in Southern California beginning this afternoon: "The threat of thunderstorm activity will begin this afternoon across the mountains and Antelope Valley. As upper level disturbances rotate across the region, the threat of showers and thunderstorms will spread to the entire...

To once again bring attention to the massive budget cuts of state parks, the California State Parks Foundation has declared the next two weekends to be those of advocacy. "The Save Our State Parks (SOS) Campaign is holding 'I ♥ State Parks' weekends of action from now through Labor Day to unite state parks supporters," the nonprofit announced. "Events will take place in many state parks throughout California and online. The 'I ♥ State...

Photo by honeybeejen via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's goal of 10,000 officers on the force is nearing reality, reports the Daily News. Although the LAPD's website states there are 10,004 sworn officers, officials are not celebrating yet. That's because veteran officers are retiring at a rate of 40 a month. With only 10% of applicants making the cut (and then they're off to six months of training), building the department...

Photo by guamafro via Flickr Around 6:30 a.m., a North Hills Walgreens on the 15300 block of Nordhoff was involved in an armed robbery. The suspects fled--there could be up to four of them--and police caught up with at least one of them, who began an hour long standoff as he refused to come down from a warehouse roof in Van Nuys. Up there, he paced back and forth talking on his cell phone...

Found in Eagle Rock | Photo by sadjeans via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr There's always the popular and monthly Downtown Art Walk (2nd Thursday of the month) and tonight is the first Downtown Fashion Walk. Enjoy! The Nom Nom Truck, a Vietnamese Taco Truck, has finally hit the Westside and Eater LA has a little reader report from the sidelines. LA Weekly digs into the sex scandal allegedly involving Andrew Adelman, who oversees...

Ouch. No wonder it's tough to find a job in Los Angeles. July's unemployment numbers for the state are not looking too good. 11.9% is, once again, a record high, according to the LA Times. A few months back in may it was a record breaking 11.5% and then 11.6% in June. California lost 35,800 jobs last month (and 760,000 over the last year), which is more than any other state. That ties us...

An 8-inch cast iron pipe began leaking water into the streets of Hollywood and West Hollywood this afternoon, prompting street damage and minimal closures. At 3:37 p.m., LADWP was notified of the leak and immediately began work to shut down the water and repair the pipe at 1042 North Vista in Los Angeles, just south of Santa Monica Blvd. Some customers may have their service shut off and at least one building's subterranean garage...

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Ryan Jenkins, the missing husband of Jasmine Fiore. He was reportedly last seen in Bellingham, Washington and is thought to have walked over the border into Canada. TMZ says police obtained a "Ramey Warrant," which they explain to be "an arrest warrant that allows police to bypass the D.A. and go directly to the judge... In order to get a Ramey Warrant, police must prove...

Photo: wools How many times have you placed something you don't need anymore on the sidewalk hoping it will disappear someday soon? A fridge? A bed? A mattress? A desk? If you didn't call 3-1-1 to request a free bukly item pickup, that's illegal dumping, which can be punishable with high fines or some jail time. The Department of Public Works reported today that in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year (that...