Zach Behrens

This was not a good weekend for Southwest Airlines. Beyond the Kevin Smith incident, in which the director was ousted from an Oakland to Burbank flight for apparently not fitting in his seat Saturday evening, a plane of theirs avoided a crash the same day, according to a KNX1070 e-mail alert: "KNX 1070 has learned that Southwest flight 2534 with 85 people on board this Saturday was on a collision course with another plane...

As discussed two weeks ago here on LAist, the West Hollywood City Council tonight will vote again, likely passing an ordinance to ban the sale of cats and dogs within city limits. By law, ordinances must be voted upon twice at separate meetings. The ban seeks to eliminate the demand for puppy mill and kitten factory bred companion pets. For a deeper look into the ordinance, check out LAist's basic analysis of the ban...

Not part of the official plan by any means: biking from Pasadena to Downtown L.A. via the Arroyo | Photo by Benjamin Page via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr 16 more miles of bicycle lanes and a system of "emphasized bikeways," among other improvements in Pasadena's bicycle plan, will be released to the public next week, according to the Pasadena Star. Although cycling advocate Joe Linton of C.I.C.L.E. calls the plan "mild" when compared...

Crews work to fix a water line leak on Coldwater Canyon, just south of Ventura Blvd. last Thursday night | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist For something as minor as a leak on Coldwater Canyon Avenue last Thursday, the LADWP sure brought out a small army of workers, equipment, traffic cones and electronic signage to make sure it was fixed. And fixed it was. A 1-inch line leak was caused by a power crew working...

A skull found by a hiker in Griffth Park last night has prompted an investigation by police and coroners, according to various news sources. A hiker found it on a steep trail around 5:25 p.m. Not knowing it was animal or human, the hiker alerted authorities, who later determined it was the latter. It could be up to two years old, KABC-TV reported. The coroner's office will remain the lead investigator in the case...

As of 11:09 a.m. the Los Angles Fire Department is reporting approximately four separate grass fires near Getty Center Drive and the northbound 405 freeway. The cause is unknown and no injuries have been reported, thus far. Update: The fires were extinguished in 31 minutes....

Our favorite historial shipwreck (not that they are good) is the SS Winfield Scott, which crashed into Anacapa Island in 1853. Today you can go scuba diving an hour off the coast of Ventura and still find gold, but you can't touch it as the wreck is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A little closer to L.A. are the rocky shores in the South Bay where over 10 shipwrecks have occurred...

A 40-year-old man was killed yesterday morning when a van struck and dragged him several feet in Compton, according to KTLA. Immediately after, the driver got out, checked what happened and got back into his vehicle, possibly a grey or silver 1990s Ford Aerostar van, fleeing the scene as witnesses and a surveillance camera saw what happened. Those witnesses also said the driver, described as an African American male, possibly 7-feet tall, was on...

At 8 a.m., LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines is scheduled to give his State of the District speech, outlining four strategies, including a funding model that gives money to schools based on each student's needs, according to the LA Times. "Per-pupil" budgeting gives individual schools more independence when it comes to financial decisions. "Wherever that student enrolls, the money follows. Then the school decides how to spend that money," explains the Times. "The concept is...

There's a good chance when voters hit the booths on Election Day next November, Californians will be asked to add an $18 vehicle license fee when they pay their annual DMV registration. If passed, the debate over funding state parks would be over, as the fee would guarantee the system of 278 parks an adequate and stable funding source to survive. As an added bonus, the initiative would end parking fees at state parks,...

Looks like the Stadium to Sea route is a popular one. The L.A. Marathon, which can hold 25,000 runners, is 80% sold out, officials announced today. With over a month before race day, it's likely to reach 100% in just a few weeks. We’re confident we’re going to sell out and strongly encourage those who are training for the race but have not yet registered to do so immediately so they’re not turned-away,” said...

Photo by polaroid-girl via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr The storms last week aided in eroding of the westbound lanes of Mulholland Drive just east of Coldwater Canyon Avenue, shutting down lanes between the avenue and Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Now the cash-strapped city of Los Angeles is seeking an estimated $600,000 for emergency repairs, says the LA Times. The question is where will that money come from? While there is the option of dipping...