Results tagged “losangeles”

Shortly after confirming Charlie Beck as the new Chief of Police, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to ban cat declawing within city limits, joining a group of other cities such as West Hollywood, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. A state law that will go into effect in 2010 will ban cities from banning declawing, hence why so many cities are seeing these new laws. "Given all the problems in California and the state taking money and property taxes from us...

The City says no, that intersections with red light cameras are not more dangerous with them, pointing out that red light runner crashes are down. That may be true, but an investigative report by CBS2 finds that accidents are up at most of the red-light camera intersections if you include crashes caused by people stopping earlier than expected to avoid running a red light.

The 20th Anniversary for the falling of the Berlin Wall was a big deal here in Los Angeles, a sister city of Berlin's. Thanks to the Wende Museum of the Cold War, Wilshire Boulevard last night was bisected by the 60-foot L.A. Wall, donned with images by such artists as Shepard Fairey and Thierry Noir, who began painting the Berlin Wall in 1984.

When the two hotels and Ritz Carlton residences open at L.A. Live next year, that's not the end for development at the mega sports and entertainment complex in downtown. The Downtown News finds that AEG has submitted some big plans. It includes "332,618 square feet of office space and a 269,182-square-foot broadcasting studio that could accommodate a nationwide cable television network, a 275-room hotel and a 25-story residential building with 65 units adjacent to the L.A. Live campus." Currently, L.A. Live is home to two stage venues, the Grammy Museum, a movie theatre and various restaurants.

The wind yesterday afternoon came in strong, running amok through Southland streets, making a mess of palm fronds and zapping the power our for tens of thousands.

Have you seen this yet? If not, don't worry. But just in case you need to hear Adam Goldberg explain how restaurants in Silver Lake suck (dude, we dig Edendale Grill's Secret 3-Cheese Delight, savvy?) and how Franklin Avenue is difficult to cross, here you go. Thankfully, Goldberg admits his bitching consists of "bourgeois problems" and that this is all in good fun. The vid is in promotion of his NYC-based flick called (untitled).

Maybe the greatest thing about Grizzly Bear, the thing that everyone should know, is this: They are totally enigmatic and impossible to pin down. Of course, this is what makes them difficult to write about and even more difficult to consider what it is that makes this foursome so appealing.

A superior court judge today told Los Angeles city officials in a preliminary injunction that they were the ones breaking the law, not a medical marijuana dispensary that was told it could not operate under a 2007 moratorium--since extended twice--banning new medical marijuana facilities.

White House leaders are coming to Los Angeles on Sunday to continue his tour for his National HIV/AIDS Community Discussion. "These Discussions, hosted by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), offer the public a chance to provide input as the White House works to fulfill the President’s pledge to develop a National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)," explains a White House press release.

The first round of clinics for free H1N1 vaccinations will open their doors next week Friday, LA County Public Health officials announced today. "This is so residents all over the county that don't have access to health insurance or providers can get vaccinated," said Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, LA County's Health Officer, this morning in a telephone press conference.

According to Chris Myers on Fox Sports Radio on the "Myers and Hartman Show", Myers spoke with NFL insiders saying the Oakland Raiders are the front-runners for moving to Los Angeles. With the proposed Los Angeles Stadium going through the final hurdles before becoming a reality, talk of the NFL returning to Los Angeles after a 15-year absence is starting to be more than rumors. But the Raiders? Make of that what you will.

As part of the proposed network of high speed trains in California, a route from Los Angeles to San Diego could go b-line eastward through into the Inland Empire instead of taking the traditional Amtrak Surfliner route down the coast. Such a trip would take 1 hour and 18 minutes. There are lots of public meetings this month about transit and a series about this project will start up next week.

The first batch of H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccinations have arrived in Los Angeles County, health officials announced at a noon press conference today. 92,000 doses are here with larger shipments expected in coming weeks. By the end of the month, 1 to 1.5 million doses should be in local clinics and doctors' offices.

The 48-year-old was sitting with his wife and one of their young sons in a small theater at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills. Both of the boys looked fidgety. On screen was the U.S. premier of "Kings Ransom," a documentary scheduled to air on ESPN next week as part of a series celebrating the network's 30th anniversary. Future releases include a look at the relationship between the NFL's Raiders and gangster rap culture, directed by Ice Cube.

In light of today's tsunami advisory, L.A. County lifeguards will close beaches at 8 p.m., one hour before waves are expected to gain in height. City officials with Parks and Recreation were unsure if the Venice Boardwalk would close, but facilities close at 7 p.m. with most businesses shutting doors around that time. A spokesperson at Councilmember Bill Rosendahl's office said he hoped the new skatepark, scheduled to open this weekend, won't be damaged.

   

An 8.0 earthquake in American Samoa this morning prompted a tsunami watch in Hawaii and a tsunami advisory for coastal areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. [Update: Beaches in LA County will close at 8 p.m., more info here]

More details about former President Clinton's visit to Los Angeles in support of San Francisco Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom. The pair will visit Los Angeles City College on Monday, October 5th before heading off to a fundraiser for Newsom's campaign.

Our Zack Jerome against David Schoenfield’s article on 1980s Los Angeles sports vs. 2000s Boston sports. The folks at Bostonist decided to rebut Zack’s argument sport-by-sport.

The long-awaited final draft bicycle plan, all 212 pages, was released by the Department of Transportation today. This comes after last May when bikeway maps from the plan were released, causing an array of emotions from cyclists across the city. Now that the complete plan is available, we're sure that more criticisms and praises will be heard.

Sometimes I wish I had a job at ESPN. This wish stems from the hope of saving something I love. I grew up with ESPN. I watched it evolve from amateur hour. Remember Charlie Steiner being a Sportscenter host long before calling games for the Yankees and Dodgers? Remember how he’d spontaneously burst into uncontrollable laughter sometimes like Adam Sandler did during SNL skits with Chris Farley?

It's safe to say that weed shops are more common than Pinkberry and Starbucks. Thanks to the LA Times, we know that there's about five "collectives" within a five-minute walk of us (how about you?). And look, the people in the Valley can't complain that their not getting their fair share. In fact, one neighborhood prosecutor told the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council earlier this summer that the LAPD's Van Nuys Division had the most dispensaries than any other in the city. Here are some other interesting facts, via the Times:

The L.A. City Clerk is reminding residents of Council District 2--that's Sherman Oaks through Shadow Hills--to register by Tuesday in order to participate in the September 22 special election to fill the seat vacated by Wendy Greuel, who left to become City Controller.

[Update, 4:55 p.m.: All Station Fire mandatory evacuations have been lifted in La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta except one area, says Bruce Quintelier of the Forest Service. The area still under an evacuation order is north of Markridge between Pennsylvania and Lowell with a voluntary evacuation from Santa Carlotta to Markridge between Pennsylvania and Lowell. See a map below]

A new study says that Los Angeles is the number one city for sensitive guys -- in where they (we?) can be found and where that sensitive side can best be showcased. Actually, we share the top position. The City of (Sensitive) Angels tied with San Francisco. With six additional Golden State cities filling out the study’s top fifteen, California kicked the less-sensitive butt’s of forty nine other states. Orange County (Anaheim/Santa Ana) came in at number eight.

       

Sun-drenched hipsters meet local families as they collide onto Sunset Junction for indie music and danger dogs. Day one photos.

An 8-inch cast iron pipe began leaking water into the streets of Hollywood and West Hollywood this afternoon, prompting street damage and minimal closures. At 3:37 p.m., LADWP was notified of the leak and immediately began work to shut down the water and repair the pipe at 1042 North Vista in Los Angeles, just south of Santa Monica Blvd. Some customers may have their service shut off and at least one building's subterranean garage is affected, according to LADWP officials. Water was seen running surrounding streets such as Willoughby and Martel, according to LAist Lifestyle Editor Julie Wolfson who drove through the area. The cause of the leak is currently not known.

Although the original source of the controversial Obama poster appears to be a student in Chicago (he made the joker face and posted it on Flickr. Then someone apparently mashed it up with the word "socialism"), a conservative radio talk show has exploited the posters further making a contest out of it. The posters were first noted in Los Angeles back in April and received widespread attention beginning August 3rd. Seeing an opportunity, talk show host Alex Jones began a contest encouraging people to put up more posters. The poster had "Democrats and Obamanoids going ballistic," his website said. Some of Jones' posters--with his website address on one version--have appeared in San Francisco, but around 500 appeared in a Florida town leading to the questioning of at least one teenager. Previously: Shepard Fairey Opines on Obama Socialism Posters.

        

What do you do when your female lead singer parts ways with your band and you have big gigs on already booked? No matter what, the show must go on -- and that’s exactly what West Indian Girl is doing. On Friday, the band played at L.A.’s House of Blues without the vocal stylings of former frontwoman Mariqueen Maandig; instead, Tiki Lewis filled in for the night. As they begin their rigorous hunt for a new female vocalist throughout the greater Los Angeles area, the remaining members of West Indian Girl - Amy White, Robert James, Mark Lewis and Francis Ten-- still need someone to step in for the interim.

For the first time since 2002, the Los Angeles city council today voted to ban new billboards and supergraphics. Take note, this is not a moratorium like in the past, this is a b-a-n. The last time such an action was approved, the city ended up in years of litigation--some of still ongoing--thanks to a pile of lawsuits from the billboard industry who have reportedly installed thousands of illegal billboards in the meantime. Those same folks and a good number of their lobbyists who showed at today's meeting still oppose this and warn of constitutional rights being diminished. A lawyer representing the Roosevelt Hotel said the "ordinance has significant constitutional issues, and would have a legal challenge against it on constitutional grounds for substantive due process, procedural due process, and vague and ambiguous grounds." The ban also the conversion of billboards to digital ones and commercial signs visible from freeways.

With crime significantly down and the consent decree lifted, the man who said he likes to fix things and not maintain them is stepping down, according to sources to the Los Angeles Times. Although no official announcement has been made and aides to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa say they are not savvy to the announcement, the Times says. The 61-year-old who recently put his Los Feliz home on the market will next head up a private security firm.