Zach Behrens

Two deaths in LA County initially listed as caused by pneumonia could actually be swine flu. "Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said his office would collect specimens from the deceased and send them to the county public health department, which would determine whether either person died from the swine flu," said the LA Times. If in fact these were related to the disease, the deaths would be the first caused by it in the United...

He also says "there is no need for alarm." Today's declaration of a state of emergency will quicken government response and aid in limiting Swine Flu's spread as quickly as possible. "[It] sets in motion a series of administrative actions, including ordering all agencies to coordinate with public health officials as needed," the Associated Press explained. Additionally, a local state of emergency was declared today by the LA County Board of Supervisors....

A view from the top of Mount Boney within the National Recreation Area | Photo by Randy Son Of Robert Although President Bush visited the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in 2003, he never gave funding for land acquisition during his presidency. Now President Obama "has proposed spending $420 million next year to buy land for national parks, forests and wildlife refuges, and to help states fund parks and recreation projects," reports the...

The Happy Hollows at Sunset Junction 2008 (more photos here) | Photo by Koga/LAist Not content with how the organizers of Sunset Junction have handled themselves over the past few years, two business owners are sending around a petition to make the festival go away. "Please understand that many of us love what the Sunset Junction once stood for- 'celebrating the diversity of the neighborhood!' wrote Joe Keeper of Bar Keeper in an e-mail...

Developer New Century is not thrilled about today's announcement about their property being placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. In fact, they've already sent two press releases, picked up by Curbed LA. The first one partially here: "We are disappointed to see the Century Plaza Hotel politicized in this way, particularly at a time when the City of Los Angeles is suffering from extreme...

Los Angeles, meet the 761 Metro Rapid. The CNG-fueled bus takes you right to the front gates of the Getty from either Westwood or Sherman Oaks. Round trip? $2.50 or $5 if you're transferring from another bus. Why start taking the bus? Well, the Getty is raising the parking rate once again, this time to $15. "The Getty likes to call itself a museum accessible to the whole city, but it's starting to sound...

After leading the nation's 5th largest Sheriff's Department (second largest in California), Former Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona today was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for his involvement in large law enforcement corruption scandal. He was convicted of the charge in January, but was acquitted of various other charges such as conspiracy. His lawyers said he will likely appeal any ruling that is not probation and will request he remain...

The LA County Coroner's office told a group of reporters at 1:30 p.m. that they have "no confirmed swine flu cases at this time." Two recent deaths were reported this morning as possibly related to the disease. After test results, the Coroner's Office said one of the deaths is definitely not swine flu and the other one is inconclusive at this time. However, at a public meeting with the LA County Board of Supervisors,...

Photo by Ed Fuentes/blogdowntown Metro has done it again and this time broken a record for Los Angeles. Yesterday they unveiled the largest solar panel installation within the City of Los Angeles on top of their Support Services Center--basically a bus maintenance facility--in downtown. The 6,720 individual solar panels will generate 1.2 megawatt, or 1,200 kilowatts, of power. The agency estimates it will save $550,000 on the annual $1.1 million energy bill. That means...

Carmen Trutanich Top Sheriff Lee Baca had endorsed both candidates Jack Weiss and Carmen Trutanich for LA City Attorney, but today he only supports one. “I can no longer remain silent about the reckless disregard for the truth that Jack Weiss has brought to this race," Baca said in a statement distributed by the Trutanich camp. "Mr. Weiss’s latest television commercial is desperate and an insult to the principles of the American legal system,...

Facing budget concerns, non-emergency healthcare for illegal immigrants had been cut from the budgets of a few Northern California counties. Emergency room access will still be available and that's part of the concern--some fear that issues that could have been prevented through routine healthcare will worsen sending more people to emergency rooms. This is definitely starting another battle between immigration camps. Here in Los Angeles County, despite upcoming deficits, there are no plans to...

That just may happen, if a new company gets control of the famous, now docked, ship. From the Press Telegram: "Another development company hopes to buy the Queen Mary and has grand plans for the ship - restoring it to seaworthiness and turning it once again into a luxury ocean liner. Is that plan a pipe dream - one in a seemingly endless series of plans and proposals for the Queen Mary that never...