Zach Behrens

Bobby Salcedo was well known in El Monte. The 33-year-old Mountain View High School graduate was an assistant principal and school board member before he was kidnapped and shot execution style on New Year's Day in Gomez Palacio, Mexico. Now signs along the 60 Freeway between Monterey Park and Rosemead mark the porition as the Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo Memorial Highway, according to the Whittier Daily News. "We have all been touched by Bobby's story...

A rendering of the development area from 2005 | See a larger image of this here. Eli Broad may be bringing his museum to Grand Avenue and a new civic center park may be underway, but the massive $3 billion Grand Avenue Project is not going to start in 2011 as planned. Developer Related Cos. wants a two-year extension on the start date, saying that obtaining financing in this weak economy is not panning...

An El Mac x Retna mural | Photo by i_hate_my_screen_name via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr How did the LA Times break the city of Bell salary scandal story? Neon Tommy's Paresh Dave details two reporters' story. 13 people were arrested at today's Janitors for Justice protest in Century City. 14%: That's the average amount the health insurance premium with Anthem Blue Cross will increase under their new and state-approved rate hike. Yet another...

Deputies stand on KIngs Road Thursday evening | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist The three men found shot dead in a West Hollywood apartment Thursday night have been identified, coroners officials announced today. The victims include brothers 27-year-old Pirooz Moussazadeh and 38-year-old Shahriar Moussazadeh, according to the LA Times. The third victim was 27-year-old Bernard Khalili. Detectives are working off few clues, do not know a motive and there have been no arrests. Deputies were...

Renderings for Drake Park in Long Beach | Photo via city of Long Beach Planned to go aside the Los Angles River, Long Beach's proposed expansion of Drake Park would include a boardwalk, community gardens, wetlands, recreation fields and more. This week the city revealed renderings of the project and announced funding for the next big step, the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), before construction can begin. LBPost, which detailed the park section by section,...

Alyson Huber In wake of the city of Bell sky high salary scandal, everyone wants more transparency. State controller John Chiang will post all city and county salaries from around the state online in November, but to get elected state officials to post their own salaries, as well as their staffs', that's a harder proposition. Here's what happening, per the LA Times: The pay-disclosure bill causing trouble is by Assemblywoman Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado...

Design plans for the Sunset & Western Target project (via CurbedLA Target is not just taking heat for its large political donation to an anti-gay candidate, its plan to bring a store to Hollywood and Western has drawn enough fire that it's going back to the drawing board, despite approval by the L.A. City Council in June. Facing lawsuits, the company will develop en environmental impact report (EIR), which was never done for the...

A previous Janitors for Justice protest | Photo via SEIU Local 1877 The group Janitors for Justice are planning a large protest for this afternoon in the middle of Century City. Avenue of the Stars, and likely other surrounding streets, is expected to be shut down around 1 p.m., lasting through around 3 p.m. (However, the LAPD is prepared for a noon to 6 p.m. shut down if needed). At issue for the SEIU...

Photo by Archie Tucker via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr August 26th is the one-year anniversary of the massive months-long Station Fire. Here's what people are doing to protect the Angeles National Forest. An inquiry into a complaint alleged that L.A. City Councilman Bernard C. Parks had falsified candidacy and voter documents during his unsuccessful run for L.A. County Supervisor has been closed by the District Attorney's Office. Criminal charges will not be filed...

Photo by Lord Jim via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr It's street political activism at its best and we're sure many of you agree with this sign that covers a Los Angeles city meter found by LAist Featured Photos contributor Lord Jim. "Stop Feeding Your Government, What Have They Done to Feed You?" reads the sign that shows a fist inside the mouth of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. But no matter how one feels about...

Photo by Djenan via Flickr In its 3 p.m. broadcast today, KCAL 9 showed footage of pouring rain and flash flooding in Lake Elsinore. Meteorologist Henry DiCarlo said the storm cell was producing two to four inches per hour. That's quite a difference from the clear blue skies and extreme heat we're feeling here in the immediate Los Angeles area. But that's not all regarding the rain. The National Weather Service this afternoon issued...

Photo by AlishaV via Flickr A crackdown of people allegedly using handicap placards to get free parking at meters led to 18 citations from the Department of Motor Vehicles. The sting took place around the Van Nuys Government Center on Tuesday, reported the Daily News. DMV officials told the paper they were surprised how many people they caught during their six-hour sting. They are considered misdemeanor citations that can cost between $500 and $1000....