Zach Behrens

At the Day of Decision Protest in May 2009 (see more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist For the first time, after asking the question in surveys for over 10 years, the Public Policy Institute of California has found that Californians are more likely to favor gay marriage than oppose it. "Today, a record high 49 percent of likely voters favor same-sex marriage and 45 percent oppose it," the report stated. "Support among...

Remember when CBS2 investigated crashes at intersections where red light cameras were installed? Their report concluded that incidents were up, citing the number of rear-end crashes when drivers stopped earlier than expected at yellow lights. But that report was faulty, in our opinion, ignoring the fact that red light cameras are not to blame, but people who tailgating are. It also said the lights were cash cows, which may have been true then, but...

The Japanese Garden at Huntington Gardens | Photo by delara-photos via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Calling all science nerds: Friday and Saturday will be "JPL Climate Day 2010" at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Suge Knight is being sought after a rapper was attacked and robbed by 10 men in Woodland Hills. Get your walking shoes. The 15-mile Jefferson/Adams walk is this Saturday. The Venice Community Garden is coming soon! The death of the...

A recent study found L.A.'s literacy rank at 62 out of 75 cities | Photo by Matt McGrath Photography via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr At yesterday's City Council meeting, City Librarian Martin Gomez said that although the library is seeing an increase in visitors--17 million people last year--and circulation--18 million items--that the budget could no longer sustain the department's system of 74 libraries and 1132 positions. The library's budget, which is...

Do you love L.A.'s public transit system? | Photo by stephenfalk via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Oh, this should be good. On his "Which Way, L.A.?" program tonight, KCRW host Warren Olney will talk to LA Times business columnist David Lazarus, who today slammed Metro and other public transit agencies with his pieced titled, "L.A. mass transit agencies make only a token effort to get people onboard." Lazarus's main gripe is about transfers,...

A Metro committee Thursday is poised to vote on a move that would fully fund the first of two phases extending the Gold Line along the 210 Freeway. If the $690 million transfer is approved, Phase IIA would extend the light rail line 11.3 miles from Pasadena to Azusa, mostly along the 210 freeway, by 2014. There would be six stops in the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, and Azusa. The vote is...

We've had a couple tsunami scares in Los Angeles over the past year, most recently with the earthquake in Chile, but it potentially could happen here with devastating effects. Now the recently released series of inundation maps covering the most vulnerable areas of California's coast (here are the L.A. maps) have been released in conjunction with Tsunami Awareness & Preparedness Week, thanks to the California Geological Survey along with California Emergency Management Agency and...

In the race for California's Attorney General, one of L.A.'s top politicians has chosen to support San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris. "District Attorney Kamala Harris has a proven record of innovation and success, demonstrating that the best way to keep our communities safe is to be both tough and smart on crime," L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti said. Harris most recently made headlines when she told the Sacramento Bee that she does...

Will the Hollywood Sign get new neighbor in the form of luxury homes or will the land to the left of the "H" be preserved and become part of Griffith Park? That depends on fundraising efforts by the Trust for Public Land, which struck a $12.5 million deal with the land owners to pay up by April 14th. If the money is not in hand by then, the land goes back on the market,...

For the second year in a row, Los Angeles earns number eight in a poll of worst tax procrastinating cities, according to Turbo Tax, which apparently has been keeping score for the last nine years. San Diego came in at seven and San Francisco at five. You've got three weeks until April 15th, so however you do it, good luck!...

Now that red light cameras are costing Los Angeles money--to the tune of $100,00 a month--instead of generating income, or at least being revenue neutral, a L.A. City Council panel yesterday "reluctantly" approved a short 3-month contract extension with the company that operates them, says the Daily News. Since their installation, the LAPD says there have been no fatalities at the 32 camera-intersections (but accidents are up, mainly because people can't drive) and they...

A proposal to create a Business Improvement District (BID) in Echo Park heads to a City Council committee (.pdf) this afternoon. Submitted by Councilman Eric Garcetti in January, it "would serve the local business community by providing increased security, homeless services, beautification, and streetscape maintenance. Establishment of the BID is expected to revitalize the local economy and is a positive step towards neighborhood renewal." Not everyone is on board, though. The Eastsider LA spoke...