Sherman Oaks and South LA made national news yesterday when a Los Angeles native, now based in Oregon, became the latest decried author who penned a fraudulent memoir. Yes, Margaret Seltzer grew up in the Valley, no Margaret B. Jones (her non de plume) did not gangbang in South Central as her book said.
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A clear, crisp early spring morning greeted the participants in this year's LA Marathon, and the runners are filling our city's streets.
If you cannot make it to hear the amazing jazz vocalist, Julia Fordham, at The Roxy tonight, opening up at Hotel Cafe tonight is Tiffany Randol, who we caught at one of <strong>Alex & Sam's Tangier shows. The front woman of NYC based glam rock band, Valeze, has now gone solo singer/songwriter style, making Los Angeles her second home, and is bringing out a new sound that is more folk-acoustic-pop than anything. The LA newbie can belt out her lyrics like a pro and her body and hips swing as if the music has seduced her in some kind of trance. Later at the Hotel Cafe, one of acoustic favs plays his last night of the Hotel Cafe residency -- stay for Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies. ~ Z.B.
- An investigation by the Daily News found that, as the DWP has increased rates they continue to issue cars to more than 100 employees who are free to take them home. Proponents of the program say the cost of the vehicles is offset by the tax breaks the department receives from the hybrids they drive. Other people say, You're shitting me, right? Stop wasting my money.
- The LA Times had their own investigation party too. The paper found that about 33,000 state inmates served longer than they should have because they were not given all the time off they earned for good behavior and for working in prison. Hey, those license plates don't make themselves.
- In a scene straight out of "Ferris Beuler's Day Off," a valet crashed a Corvette during a joy ride Friday night in Van Nuys. Uh, what country do you think this is?
- A dead body was found on the 10 freeway this morning. Authorities say the body was already dead when they arrived and there is no truth to the rumor that it was Hillary Clinton's campaign.
- Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training last week and position players are due to arrive at camp soon. Let the season of sports writing begin. Tony Jackson shows you why you shouldn't mind the fact that the Dodgers don't have Don Mattingly as their hitting coach and Bill Plaschke writes lovingly of Matt Kemp: "He gets a plate full of catfish nuggets. I get a side dish of insight." How many days of this crap will we be forced to endure?
- Tomorrow is Presidents' Day. How will you celebrate? It won't be at these places, which will be closed tomorrow.
- Also closing tomorrow is the Kanye contest on LAist. Enter to win tix to what could be the second best show of the year (Radiohead is reportedly coming to L.A. in August).
*Updates as of 10:53am: The LA Times is now reporting: "Witnesses described a man approximately 64 years old leaping from the Wilton Place crossing over the northbound Hollywood Freeway near Sunset Boulevard at about 8:30 a.m."
A man jumped to his death from the 101 North overpass at Sunset Boulevard this morning; reports are coming in from Sigalert.com that traffic is badly snarled. LAist spoke to a witness at the scene who was caught in traffic only moments after the incident; the witness attested that as of 9:00am, the CHP has shut down three out of five lanes of traffic.
"Lost" fans couldn't be happier to hear some great news this Valentine's Day: the show's producers have promised to complete five more episodes for this season, on top of the eight already on ABC's broadcast slate.
Harry Morton, son of famed Hard Rock hotelier Peter Morton, is no longer content with opening crudely-named margarita bars. No, the Li-Lo-lovin' entrepreneur has decided to purchase the infamous Sunset Strip club The Viper Room: with plans to franchise, of course. While the Viper Room has only been a part of the Strip since 1993, it immediately rocketed to infamy when River Phoenix collapsed and died of a heroin overdose outside the club in the fall of that same year.
An Op-Ed follow up to this morning's news...
Some productions may start up again on Monday, however, as showrunners prepare to relaunch filming. How fast episodic television series will return to air will depend on how many scripts were left unfilmed prior to the start of the strike; those that completed filming of all their scripts will need to get their writers back at the keyboards before the cameras can roll again.
The LA Times has just confirmed the rumor that the 9 million dollar statue of Kwame Brown has just been traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, along with 2007 first round draft pick Javaris Crittenton and 2008 and 2010 first round picks. In exchange, the Lakers are picking up the way more competent Pau Gasol. This could do a lot to energize the Lakers, who lost the first of their nine games on the road last night by ONE POINT after rallying back from a 17-point deficit.
Now with John Edwards out of the picture, Hillary and Barack only have eyes and one-liners for each other. Watch them duke it out during the Democratic candidates debate tonight with friends and bloggers in the comfort of CineSpace (because really, you don’t want to be anywhere near Hollywood and Highland). RSVP at RSVP@gatherinc.com.
Photo by ~db~ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
As revitalization takes place throughout LA's downtown area, many are seeking to extend the developments and improvements to the Broadway area, which is home to many majestic and historic theaters, once the crown jewels of our city's movie palaces. "Among the most prized treasures of the area are Broadway's twelve historic movie palaces, which in their heyday evoked - and often surpassed - the magic of stage and screen," explains Historic Downtown LA.
When the chips are down and you need cash to settle up some legal matters, unloading some real estate is a good move.
The LA Improv Dance Festival exploded onto the downtown scene last week with classes and jams from Tuesday on though the weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, audiences were treated to some amazing performances by the workshop faculty and local dancers/improvisers. I was lucky enough to get there on Friday night for the In-Site Collaboration Performance.
Fans of the LA Rams weren't known to be fans of team owner Georgia Frontiere, who moved the NFL football franchise to her hometown of St Louis in 1995. The woman who took over ownership of the team in 1979 from her sixth husband, Carroll Rosenbloom, when he died by drowning, died yesterday at the age of 80 after a long-fought battle against breast cancer. Frontiere had been hospitalized for months prior to her death.
Two weeks ago, local singer/songwriter Inara George (MySpace) and her band The Bird And The Bee performed as the headliner at Detroit Bar (MySpace) in Costa Mesa.
Two weeks ago, local band Rocket (MySpace), recently profiled by The LA Times' Kevin Bronson, performed at The Viper Room in West Hollywood.
Two weeks ago, locals The Airborne Toxic Event (MySpace), declared one of three bands to watch by The LA Times' Kevin Bronson, performed the first of five shows for their January residency at Spaceland (MySpace) in Silver Lake.
It sounds like the plot of a Charlton Heston film from the 70's, but the possibility of meat from cloned livestock has become a reality.
Richard Knerr June 30, 1925 - January 14, 2008
The LA Phil's richly-curated Concrete Frequency festival is capping two weeks of events with a special show featuring Cornelius and Plaid tomorrow night at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Yesterday the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved additional steps for Project 50, a three year pilot program that will help get some of the most vulnerable people living on skid row into permanent housing.
Rain rain has gone away...so Tuesday we'll go out to play. Here's what's going on around town tonight:

What I'm Thankful For