Zach Behrens

Metrolink today is previewing one of their new 117 Crash Energy Management (CEM)-enabled cars. After the deadly 2005 Metrolink crash in Glendale that left 11 dead, officials began looking into safer cars. The 2008 crash that left 25 dead in Chatsworth only reemphasized that need for safety. The cars are supposedly reduce the impact with "unique collision-absorption technology" and are a first for the country, which is garnering praise from federal officials. Other safety...

There's a plethora of hiking trails surrounding Los Angeles, but not all of them allow dogs. For the most part, local state parks don't allow pooches while local city, federal and other quasi-government agencies do. Today, the LA Times launches an online interactive feature that shows off around 20 great hiking spots where dogs can tag along. It includes some of our favorites like Sandstone Peak and obvious local favorites like Runyon Canyon and...

For years, Apple used this corner at Santa Monica and Highland for a massively large supergraphic | Photo by reader Josh Have you noticed any new supergraphics around town? How about walls that usually carry supergraphics that are now blank. LAist reader Josh this morning took the above photo and asked "for as long as I can remember there's been an ad for Apple's latest iDevice covered the north face of this building. Is...

Because every government agency needs an unused deep fryer | Photo by davidburn via Flickr If city hall is going to buy stuff, they should use it, right? A survey of taxpayer-funded purchases more turned up some interesting results, City Controller Wendy Greuel has found. In her latest audit, which will be released later today, she finds that many purchased items are misplaced or have gone completely missing, according to a sneak peek of...

New electric car company moves to town, congress to try to stop gratuitous airline fees, distracted driving kills everyday, LAPD bicycle racks, Hugh Hefner on do gooding, thoughts on if the Dodgers boycotted Arizona and more.

In an e-mail newsletter, Councilmember Paul Krekorian today reminds us of a project that is four months from breaking ground in Valley Glen. Developers will take a series of now-vacant apartments and turn them into mixed use project, including 100,000 square feet of restaurants and retail, 30,000 feet for a sports club and 100 luxury residential units. But first, there will be facade remodeling of the CVS and Vallerta Market at the Victory Plaza...

According to the USGS, a 5.0 earthquake struck the Napa area at 12:43 p.m. But numerous Twitter users in the area are saying they didn't feel anything. "Apparently we just had a 5.0 earthquake. I didn't feel a thing," said fogcitywriter. In fact, other than news agencies reporting it, Twitter is eerily silent on any ground shaking. Oh, mysteries... Update: And the USGS is quick to say it was a false report. Let's hope...

Last night on Jay Leno, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was asked if he would run for President if the law were to be changed. "Without any doubt," he said. But as the Associated Press explains, that's not a likely scenario: "Any amendment to the Constitution must be approved by two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, and then be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures."...

CBS2 aired their big investigative report exposing a few LADWP workers apparently drinking on the job, drinking and driving a city truck and visiting a strip club. Reporter David Goldstein did approach the workers for comment. "What do you think the mayor is going to say about this, Santiago? I'm going to show him the tape." "I don't give a (expletive) what u do," Santiago replied. LADWP officials are investigating. The transcript of the...

A sketch of the suspect (CSULB) At a rally at Cal State University Long Beach yesterday, the transgender man who was attacked on campus earlier this month said the suspect carved the words "it" into his chest. "For those of you who don't know why 'it' is such a derogatory term, it takes away a person's humanity. It takes away their personhood. It makes them less than human," Colle Carpenter he said at a...

In Eagle Rock | Photo by dreamyshade via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Will California's High Speed Rail project put the route underneath Dodger Stadium? It's getting easier to get a film permit--and for police to arrest you for interrupting a shoot. All about Long Beach Airports big construction plans. Could be good news for cities: a ballot measure to be decided upon in November could stop the state from taking money from local...

That threat of a 39% rate hike won't happen after all, or at least for now. Anthem Blue Cross withdrew their application to raise rates today after their reasoning to raise them was found to be flawed (its parent company yesterday also posted a 51 percent increase in profits in the first quarter of 2010). "An independent investigation found that WellPoint based these excessive rate increases on faulty assumptions and inaccurate data," explained California...