Zach Behrens

Metro is estimating that 1,000 people a night took advantage of Metro's late-night subway service pilot program last Fall and Winter. For six weekends, Metro extended service on the Red Line until 3 a.m. at the behest of the business community who helped pay for the majority of the program. "Because Metro does not have turnstiles to track exact ridership, the numbers presented came from a survey conducted on Friday, December 12, and Saturday,...

Roberto Lopez was shot by a stray bullet on Tuesday evening as he walked on the sidewalk with his sister. This morning, police announced they've got a suspect. In addition to the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce accepting donations on behalf of the family, a charitable fund, known as the Roberto Lopez, Jr. Memorial Fund (Acct.# 8046493014), is being managed by Wells Fargo Bank. Those wishing to make donations may go to any Wells...

You must have a valid driver's license to be the CEO of Metro, LA County's transit agency. They posted the job application on their website, LA Times' Steve Hymon finds. Last month, CEO Roger Snoble announced that he would be stepping down when a replacement was hired, which could be you. Good luck!...

It's always been a way to make some extra cash in Los Angeles. Get your home listed with location scouting agencies and someday a film crew will come to you and pay you for the use of your house. Now that time are tough, more people want in, even if it means some porno action, which can earn up to $5,000 a day (stain fee?). The good news is that the money you earn...

Howard Astorga, 25, an alleged gang member, was arrested for the Monday shooting death of 4-year-old Robert Lopez. Astorga "is a recently paroled convict who has served prison time for firearms, narcotics and other offenses," Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz said, per the Associated Press. On Tuesday, Lopez was walking just two doors from his house between Echo Park and downtown with his sister when a bullet meant for another alleged gang member fatally hit...

Ojai is one of the most quaint and nice little hidden away Southern California towns. Known to us primarily for the most excellently produced Ojai Music Festival (some of the best classical programming mixed with a weekend trip/bed & breakfast), the artsy village is nestled in its own valley north of the 126 highway and just east of Ventura. Today, the city of Ojai announced they are rebuilding Libbey Bowl, where the internationally renown...

That's how bad the budget is. State Controller John Chiang today announced that he will have to delay $3-plus billion payments, including state income tax refunds, health, welfare, education and other programs. "With no signs of an economic recovery in sight, it is critical that the Governor and the Legislature enact a sound budget solution that provides much-needed cash by February 1," Chiang's website stated. "If not, the State will be $346 million in...

Photo: manmadepants As one side of the city deals with importing water, even as they face a possible water rationing situation, another deals with exporting the water. The City’s Bureau of Sanitation is in charge of wastewater, which is the focus of City Controller Laura Chick's most recent audit (.pdf) on performance and efficiency. As usual... "There are issues, however, uncovered in my audit regarding a lack of 21st Century business practices and efficiencies,...

So Santa Monica was getting ready to ban plastic bags earlier this week when the plastic bag industry with their ridiculous website, savetheplasticbag.com (what is with that Obama picture they're using?), threatened to sue them, writes GreenLAGirl. The problem was that Santa Monica did not do an environmental impact report so the City Council deferred action until that was done. City staff said that shouldn't push back the date of banning plastic bags since...

An Amtrak train bound for Los Angeles partially derailed this afternoon as it left Chicago's union station, making it the third coast city's second train incident of the day. None of the 116 passengers aboard the Southwest Chief train were hurt after "two sets of wheels came off the tracks as the train was departing around 3:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m. PST)," reported the Associated Press. "The train was traveling at a slow speed." Update:...

Comedian Johnny Knoxville, legally known as John Philip Clapp, was detained this morning at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as he went through security. "Clapp was processing through passenger security screening when a Transportation Security Administration officer saw the image of a hand-grenade in his carry-on bag," an LAX statement read. "Airport Police and the Los Angeles Police Department Bomb Squad were called, and it was determined the hand-grenade had no explosives or firing...

In what is the third train related death in a week, "authorities say a woman is dead after a Union Pacific freight train crashed into her sport utility vehicle on railroad tracks in Palmdale." Last weekend, two women died in separate incidents in Burbank and Chatsworth when they were hit by Metrolink and Amtrak trains, respectively....