Zach Behrens

“If there’s one thing all of us can agree on, it’s that taxpayers should not have to pay for the mistakes of Wall Street. This amendment will make clear that taxpayers will never again be on the hook to bail out failing financial firms," California Senator Barbara Boxer said today about her amendment to the Wall Street reform legislation. “The debacle on Wall Street spread through the economy, led to painful job losses, home...

"The Dukes of Hazzard" star Catherine Bach--she played Daisy Duke--apparently called police this morning saying her husband had shot and killed himself at their Encino home. When paramedics arrived to the home around 11:30 a.m. on the 15900 block of Woodvale Road, Lopez was already dead. Police are investigating it as a possible suicide. Peter Lopez, one of Michael Jackson's music attorneys, married Bach in 1990 and had two children with her. In 1998,...

The LA Times is reporting a small change in Arizona's controversial immigration law: "Lawmakers Thursday night changed the language to require scrutiny only of people who police stop, detain or arrest. They also changed a section of the bill that barred officers from 'solely' using race as grounds for suspecting someone is in the country illegally." Proponents say the change not won't lead to racial profiling. Opponents say race will still be involved and...

Photo by LA Wad via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Following in the steps of Los Angeles, West Hollywood councilmembers on Monday will consider an ordinance "denouncing Arizona's anti-immigration law." “For 25 years, the City of West Hollywood has stood at the forefront of supporting human rights,” said Councilmember Lindsey Horvath, the resolution's author. “As a beacon for all those who have sought refuge, West Hollywood cannot be silent. We must send a loud...

The Rivers of America at Disneyland | Photo by Ack Ook via Flickr When Disney workers drained the Rivers of America in January, they discovered some unusual items, just like they did in 2003 when a toaster and bottle of rum was found. Among the items found this year were hundreds of cell phones and walkie talkies, plastic swords and a half of a canoe from Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoe ride, according to the...

People are chatting, drinking coffee, working on their computers--just business as usual at M Street Coffee in Sherman Oaks. And then there's music celebrities Brandy and R Jay, surrounded by three cameraman, talking about respect, music...

Silver Lake is not in the Eastside | Photo by Atwater Village Newbie via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Fed up with those who erroneously label Silver Lake, Echo Park and other so-called hipster neighborhoods as in within the Eastside, and left with no general sobriquet for the area, Curbed LA is calling for submissions for its regional renaming (basically, the real Eastside is east of the L.A. River, but it always seems to...

Photo by guamafro via Flickr An apparent phoned-in bomb threat prompted USC officials and LAPD to close a portion of the campus and surrounding streets down this afternoon. Although sources tell the LA Times it was believed to be a false report, officials had to act with precaution and shut down areas while searching for the apparent bomb. A suspicious package was located in the Leavey Library building. "The bomb threat at USC came...

Closing arguments in the federal case challenging Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, will be heard sometime in June. Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker threw out June 16th as a possible date, but an exact date and time will be determined once attorneys and the court hash out their schedules. As for when a decision will be announced, it's up to Walker discretion. He could announce his decision five minutes or five...

Even before the recent gourmet food truck craze, there was an estimated 4,000 taco trucks operating in Los Angeles county. That number dwarfs the 90 or so trucks (complete list here!) that dominate water cooler talk these days, but imagine, if you will, living in a city without taco or gourmet trucks? Welcome to Chicago, where LAist's sister site is examining the movement to legalize preparing food on a truck. Currently, there's one truck...

When Conan O'Brien took over for Jay Leno, he and his team all moved from New York City to here. Now without a network job and a new show coming to TBS, where is he going? At his stage show last Saturday--coincidentally at the Gibson Amphitheater, just a few hundred yards away from his old studio--he said he's staying in Los Angeles. That news was announced earlier this month, but by gaging the audience's...

A bag left at a Chase Bank in Westwood prompted the closure of the immediate area and a bomb squad response late this morning. At 11:43 a.m., the LAPD was notified of the bag, which was left at the bank by a customer who did not return to pick it up. As of 1:25 p.m., streets in the area were shut down, according to Officer Gregory Beck. "Traffic is awful," bemoaned one Twitter user....