As both the University of California and Cal State public school systems look at fee increases as the state budget dwindes into super red deficit numbers, Prop 8 protests won't be the only ones going on. From the LA Times: "Lucero Chavez, president of the systemwide UC Student Assn., predicted more protests ahead because students are angry about fees growing so much year after year. 'I think we saw in the voter turnout [in the......

Today around 12:30 p.m. at Nogales High School in La Puente, a call came into 9-1-1 -- there was a gun on campus. Sheriff Deputies responded and found out it was a prank. "Apparently unsupervised students in a classroom there called 9-1-1 to report someone with a gun," reported Frank Girardot of CrimeScene Blog, which covers San Gabriel Valley area crimes. He says at least two students were in custody. One week ago today, a......

Four Los Angeles area schools went into lockdown yesterday, the one thought to have the most potential danger in Pasadena at Blair International Baccalaureate Magnet School. An early morning report by a student saying someone had a gun prompted a lockdown that lasted throughout the day. Later in the day, police detained one male juvenile for questioning, but no further details have been released. The Pasadena Star News reported students inside the school "got on......

The Daily Breeze is reporting that police were searching earlier this morning for a possible gunman at California State Dominguez Hills in Carson: Two students apparently reported around 8:30 a.m. they saw a gunman carrying an AK-47 assault rifle and wearing a green jacket and no shirt, according to news reports. The alleged gunman may have also had additional canisters of ammunition around his waist and he was headed toward Lacorte Hall, an building of......

What's more shocking: Kids in LAUSD high schools are apathetic towards their education, or LAUSD high schools aren't providing students with enough assistance in moving them towards post-secondary education? According to a report released Monday, a multitude of LAUSD high school students are coming up close--but not close enough--to qualify for admission to schools in the UC and CSU systems. The LA Times explains that the "report is a snapshot of 20 high schools......

"LA Colors" by Adamina via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr . Good news [for democracy] Voter registration for Tuesday's election is about 700,000 higher than during the last California presidential primary four years ago. Bad news [for politicos] Some county elections officials project that roughly 20 percent of the ballots might not be tallied until Wednesday or later. Good news [for Obama] The Ill Sen. received the nod of approval from the largest......

Here at LAist, we really love local folk music, especially The Hollow Trees. In fact, we love them so much that we've interviewed them three times: a little ">over a year ago, then in May about Stagecoach (the roots version of Coachella) and this last December. We'll spare any in depth analysis this morning, but will just say if you're looking for things to do late this morning, whether your a parent or babysitting some......

If you want to do something else tonight besides the mind-numbing seventh season opener of American Idol, here are a few options: WORDS Nobel Prizewinner Mohammad Yunus has a conversation with Rick Wartzman, director of the Drucker Institute, Claremont Graduate University (and former editor of the Los Angeles Times' West) on "Creating a World without Poverty." The evening will focus on questions like: "What if you could harness the power of the free market......

For those who say you can't put a price on education, California's governor and UC and CSU officials say you're dead wrong. In fact, not only can you put a price on it, you can hike the price, making undergraduate education in the state increasingly more expensive. The LA Times is reporting that if Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposed new budget goes into effect, most student fees [will] rise by 10% at the 23-campus Cal State system......

Rain, rain, don't go away, don't come again another day! Wet weather is on its way. And not a moment too soon for some portions of the city. A lack of water in the Valley might slow growth: "West San Fernando Valley Councilman Dennis Zine said he called for the mandatory water conservation in new development after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's plea for voluntary water saving was largely ignored by Angelenos." You know all that......

Tribune Company CEO Dennis FitzSimons will be stepping down at the end of the year, letting Chicago businessman Sam Zell take over the company. The Tribune Company owns the Los Angeles Times. President Bush signed a huge Energy Bill yesterday, in hopes of "reducing our dependence on oil, confronting global climate change, expanding the production of renewable fuels and giving future generations of our country a nation that is stronger, cleaner and more secure."......

An “acid bomb” is capable of a 300-foot blast radius. So why did a 12-year-old bring one to school today in the OC? Cal State Northridge (CSUN) is building a 1,700-seat, performing arts center and just received their largest donation of one million from Attorney and civic leader David Fleming and his wife, Jean. Oh noes! Charlize Theron's home got robbed last week! Save up those quarters, DASH will not be accepting Metro passes......

Lisa Glatt, professor of creative writing at Cal State Long Beach, is on her way to the big time - and we couldn't be happier for her. Glatt's novel, A Girl Becomes a Comma Like That, has been optioned by Andrew Wagner. We're a big fan of Lisa's because whenever we see her at a local reading, she commands the room with her intense stories and mordant wit. It doesn't matter who she reads with,......

The courts once again sided with the Bush administration in its warrantless spy tapping program. This time, the liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to rule against the government in its handling of the war on terror. Somewhere, Abbie Hoffman is crying. Following an incident at Cal State Fullerton, in which nooses appeared on a clothesline at an anti-hate rally, civil rights leaders are calling for a federal investigation. College officials quickly took......

Following a flap from an LA Times article that found 60,000 LAUSD students attend school within 500 feet of a freeway, the school district is looking into ways it can reduce the health hazards for kids close to pollution-filled freeways. Maybe the school district can use the $53 million in funds they're trying to recoup to build domes over playgrounds. Thousands of birds and an immeasurable amount of fish have died as a result......

Bloc Party, Justice, Satellite Party, Kinky, Comedians of Comedy, Turbonegro, Teddybears, The Raveonettes, Shout Out Louds, Autolux, Celebrity Skin, others @ Detour Festival Dengue Fever, Mia Doi Todd, Chuchito Valdes, The Pity Party, others @ Eagle Rock Music Festival Kenny Burrell, The Pete Escovedo Family Orchestra (with Sheila E.), others @ Jazz at Drew Natalie Cole, Sheryl Lee Ralph, RuPaul, Linda Hopkins, Loretta Devine, Ann Nesby, Deniece Williams, Jennifer Holliday, others @ Divas Simply......

George Bush issued the fourth veto of his presidency today, nixing a bill that would have provided insurance to poor children. Bush said the program was too costly, apparently cool with the fact that the Iraq war now costs over $455-billion. That's B for billion. And B for Bitch. Curbed LA takes a gander at a new development planned for West LA. In as much as the structure looks like a monument to cubism,......

Los Angeles is cleaning up after a wet weekend that drenched the southland and knocked out power to thousands. Want asthma? LAUSD is building seven new schools near freeways, despite scientific studies saying such construction could damage the children's lungs. Huell Howser is here. That's amazing! The city's neighborhood councils could be in for some major changes. Maybe now, you'll actually understand what they are. A Los Angeles man suspected of shooting his pregnant girlfriend......

The Long Beach Blues Festival On Saturday and Sunday, Sept 1st and 2nd, the Long Beach Blues Festival at Cal State Long Beach will celebrate its 28th year. The Juke Joint stage provides music between sets on the main stage. Although event producer, station KKJZ 88.1 FM, is now operated by Global Jazz, Inc. they are continuing the tradition. Music starts at 10:15am and ends at 6pm. On Saturday, the lineup includes Buddy Guy, Dr.......

Northridge has become famous for Cal State University Northridge, and infamous for the Northridge quake. In reality, the earthquake's epicenter was beneath Reseda. Although the San Fernando Valley is very particular about each neighborhood's boundaries, the history of one area sometimes bleeds over into the next. It would be easy to paint the Valley with a single brush. But that would be a gross oversimplification. What makes Northridge stand out from its neighbors? Its......

The Brazilians and everyone else that love the intense sport of Jiu-Jitsu have gathered in Long Beach this weekend for the 2007 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Matches will continue through this weekend at Cal State University Long Beach.......

Deadliest attack of the Iraq war claims at least 250 lives and as many as 500. Want to learn more about the local opportunities and challenges presented by global warming? Check out the Global Warming Forum at Cal State LA tomorrow from 9 AM to 3 PM. Progress made in improving California's public school system stalled this year after two years of promising gains. The L.A. City Council says no dice to Home Depot's......

Dodgers 4, Blue Jays 3, 10 - It was a strange interleague game against Toronto. Brad Penny allowed one run in 7 and 2/3 innings, but got no decision. Takashi Saito blew the save, but didn't lose the game. Rudy Saenez only faced one batter, but it was enough for the win. Olmedo Saenz finally won it with a two-run blast in the bottom of the tenth. Angels 10, Cardinals 6 - The Halos hung......

Last night, Zócalo L.A. hosted a panel discussion at the Central Library to explore the question, “Who Really Runs L.A.?” The discussion, moderated by Mariel Garza of the Los Angeles Daily News, featured panelists Kerman Maddox, who works for public affairs consulting firm Dakota Communications; L.A. Weekly city hall reporter David Zahniser; political scientist and Director of Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State L.A. Jaime Regalado; and Los Angeles Magazine writer......

Monday Jonathan Lethem discusses You Don’t Love Me Yet 7pm @ Central Library (one!) Susan Diamond signs What Goes Around 7pm @ Dutton’s Tuesday Joe Boyd presents White Bicycles: Making Music in the 60s 7pm @ Book Soup Jonathan Lethem presents You Don’t Love Me Yet 7pm @ Vroman’s (two!) Dani Shapiro signs Black & White 7pm @ Dutton’s Etgar Keret reads The Nimrod Flipout 7:30pm @ Skirball Cultural Center Wednesday Natsuo Kirino presents......

Oh Mel, oh Mel, oh Mel. What the fuck is your problem, you crotchety man? They sent your derelict ancestors to Australia for a reason, but apparently yours forgot to pack soap. At a late-night screening at Cal State Northridge Thursday, Alicia Estrada, assistant professor of Latin American Studies at CSUN, pressed Mr. Mel Gibson on what she felt was an inaccurate portrayal of Mayan culture in his latest bloody flick, Apocalypto. She reportedly wondered......

Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb @ Pepperdine's Smothers Theater Sebadoh, The Bent Moustache @ Spaceland Saccharine Trust @ Mr. T's Bowl My Chemical Romance, Rise Against @ The Forum Billy Vera & the Beaters @ Rusty's Surf Ranch Michael Crawford @ Long Beach Terrace Theater Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Cal State Northridge B-Side Players, Destani Wolf, Debi Nova @ Roxy Menomena, Bon Savants, The Parson Red Heads @ The Echo Do Make Say Think,......

About once a month here in LA there will be a night of rock that is perfect. A night where you really should do yourself a favor and take advantage of the overflowing monkey cup of killer tunes happening in our own backyard. A night so filled with great music that if you don't go outside and listen to the music you should really ask yourself why you a) read this blog b) have......

- Ray Liotta arrested and charged with DUI after crashing into two parked cars in the Palisades - AP - Feds begin investigating the two recent suspicious church fires - CBS2 - Even though there are three Black stars favored to win Oscars, is the Academy still stiffing African-Americans? - Reuters - The popularity of Junior ROTC in area high schools is dropping fast - LA Times - Cal State Fullerton student/Apple Store employee......

M. Ward, Victoria Williams @ El Rey Dengue Fever @ Temple Bar Morrissey @ Pasadena Civic Auditorium Gladys Knight @ Gibson The Monolators, Repeater, The Friends of Dennis Wilson @ Mr. T's Bowl KRS-One @ The Knitting Factory Ladysmith Black Mambazo @ Cal State Long Beach Pierre de Reeder @ The Mint Margaret Cho @ Largo Mose Allison @ The Jazz Bakery Ron Sexsmith, Annie Stela @ The Troubadour G Love & Special Sauce,......