Zach Behrens

An annual $15 vehicle fee proposed by a state budget committee yesterday could save 80% of state parks currently threatened to be closed amidst the budget crisis. The Ventura County Star explains: Under the plan, all motorists would pay a $15 surcharge on the license fees they pay each year to register their vehicles. The surcharge would yield about $220 million — enough to keep parks open, allow anyone with a California license to enter and park for free at state parks and leave enough left over to make some debt payments on outstanding park bonds.

Several lanes remain closed on the southbound 405 freeway as police search for burglary suspect who hid in a storm drain near the Roscoe on- and off-ramps. The suspects--one was arrested--were apparently trying steal copper wiring from a nearby warehouse when someone reported the burglary, according to the LAPD. The closure began around 3 a.m., snarling morning traffic on one of the busiest freeways in the world....

Photo by GarySe7en via the LAist Feathred Photos pool on Flickr Tomorrow's City Council Transportation Committee meeting has an agenda full of bicycle (.pdf) issues including the master plan, LAPD and a revival of the bicycle license. The latter is one of the more peculiar items because city council just recently squashed its existence. Now a new motion is trying to have it come back. Vaguely written, it goes like this: I MOVE that...

We've heard about the Lakers badness that went down last night. Sometimes it's the worst of the group that makes up the most of the news coverage. Good news doesn't bleed, but it's still good news. One project the city runs that we would like to highlight is the Community Beautification Grants program (they have a blog, too) Over 930 projects have been completed in partnership with the community across the city since 1998. 540 of those projects can be seen on an interactive Google map (it's a big web page, we warn thee). Projects range from murals to gardens to playgrounds.

Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton were apparently spotted touring a "privately-sited $8 million 4-bed, 4.5-bath compound with a detached guest house, 4-car garage and beautiful ocean view." That particular home has already been sold, but there are plenty of other high class homes fit for a Prince in town. Before her death, his mother Princess Diana reportedly paid a deposit on a home in Paradise Cove....

The official Lakers parade on Wednesday will cost $2 million, split evenly between the city and the Lakers. Of course, with the city scrapping every nickel and dime to save the city budget, the politicians are coming under fire. The LA Police Protective League is not happy and rightfully so considering employees citywide are being forced on furloughs and some will be laid off. "At a time of financial crisis, when the public expects...

If you can't seem to understand that you shouldn't drink and drive, this weekend you might learn your lesson. In fact the LAPD is conducting a DUI checkpoint in such a high traffic and popular spot tomorrow evening, we're sure it's going to end with a lot of people in jail for the evening (hint: take the Red Line). And tonight in two South LA and in the Harbor area, the LAPD will be...

Thousands of teachers are still going to lose their job at the end of the month, but at least 500 of them are saved. "Many of the teachers who were at risk of losing their jobs, as well as their supporters, camped out overnight at LAUSD headquarters in downtown L.A. to protest the proposed layoffs," says CBS2, who received the layoff information from LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines exclusively.

Apparently, the ballot initiative that passed last November to make cages more livable for farm animals, notably chickens and hens, is confusing farmers. The Assn. of California Egg Farmers says the prop guides space via a “broad principle” but not much detail more than that, says the LA Times. And now there is more legislation about eggs from Assemblyman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael). He wants eggs imported to the state to be produced under...

Via dbking on Flickr This summer marks the 40th anniversary of Woodstock and across the nation, museums will be opening exhibits about the famous event. The Grammy Museum downtown is taking a new twist and when their exhibit opens this August, it will be through the eyes of festival goers--the people's history of Woodstock, in a sense. "We’re asking people who attended Woodstock or were involved in any way to help us put the...

At 4th and Main in downtown, construction makes progress | Photo by rebelsciences via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr The latest on having Pedicabs operate in the city? After a meeting combing over the proposed rules, Transportation Commissioners continued the item until next month after asking for changes on some of the more ridiculous items like dress code and helmets for passengers. Schwarzenegger: Give me a budget on time or I'm shutting...

Last night's win already caused people to run amok in East LA. And even though Sunday night's game is in Orlando, should the Lakers win the Championship, the LAPD and LA County Sheriff's say they are prepared, citing the win 2000 when 11 people were arrested and close to a million dollars in damage was caused on downtown streets. Yeah, police cars were torched....