Results tagged “westwood”

There goes traffic. Wilshire Boulevard is closed in the Westwood area for a half-mile stretch between Comstock to the east and Warner to west because of two suspicious backpacks, according to reports. [Update, 3:35 p.m.: Traffic has opened back up on Wilshire, but the investigation is still ongoing. The bomb squad was called out earlier, but their status is unknown at this point.]

       

Last week the beautifully restyled pool area of Westwood's sleek W hotel was the backdrop for two nights of tequila tasting and cocktails. The event was part of Sauza's campaign to introduce three newly designed bottles for the expanded line of three Tres Generaciones triple distilled 100% blue agave Tequilas.

The current timetable has the first subway trains hitting the Westwood/UCLA area by 2036. Buy then, we might all be in flying cars, jet packs or just working from home instead of commuting. Frustrated with the timeline for a project that in theory could take five years if funded upfront, Villaraigosa called for the Westside Extension to be completed by the time he was 66, or 10 years from now, reports the LA Times. "I’m 56 now,” he said. “We are here today to make sure that it gets built before I am 66.” He wants local government agencies to put their aside and work together to get it expedited. He's been a staunch supporter of the Subway to the Sea concept, but that language has since been dropped. Still, he's fighting very hard to hit Westwood/UCLA in much speedier timeline than proposed.

     

Joe Moshe, reportedly the suspect involved in yesterday's all-day standoff in Westwood, had called 911 on Wednesday "threatening to blow the White House," the LAPD explained in a statement released last night.

The man standing off with police in Westwood since 10:30 a.m. was arrested without incident more than eight hours later when police approached the vehicle and pulled him out. He is reportedly Joe Moshe, 56, of Westchester.

The police standoff that has lasted since mid morning has yet to end outside the Federal Building in Westwood. Veteran Avenue is closed south of Wilshire Boulevard after the suspect led police on a pursuit from his Westchester neighborhood where they and the Secret Service were seeking him on a warrant for reportedly making threats against the White House.

Since this morning, police have been in a standoff with a pursuit suspect wanted on a warrant, reportedly over threats to the White House and possibly other charges. The chase began in Westchester around 10 a.m., heading north on the 405 freeway before entering the Westwood neighborhood when the car entered the driveway of the Federal Building at Wilshire and Veteran. Once there, police blocked him in and he has been refusing to leave the car since Veteran Avenue is closed down near Wilshire and a nearby apartment building was evacuated as a precautionary measure. The bomb squad was called out earlier and at 1:45 p.m., the SWAT Team from downtown was deployed to the scene, according to the LAPD. An armored personal vehicle, which is used when a suspect may have heavier weaponry, was also deployed to the front of the car. UPDATE, 5 p.m.: Standoff still ongoing, suspect possibly identified. UPDATE, 7:45 p.m.: The suspect has been arrested.

A police pursuit that began in Westchester has ended in a standoff between the suspect and police outside the federal building in Westwood. Officers from Pacific Division attempted to detain the suspect on a warrant when he fled in a Volkswagen, prompting the pursuit around 10 a.m. The suspect reportedly has made threats against the White House and the Secret Service is apparently involved, according to the LA Times. Veteran Avenue has been shut down near Wilshire and a nearby apartment building has been evacuated. UPDATE, 2:15 p.m.: The SWAT team has been deployed. UPDATE, 5 p.m.: Standoff still ongoing, suspect possibly identified. UPDATE, 7:45 p.m.: The suspect has been arrested.

A year ago, the LA Times was predicting a major comeback of sorts for Westwood, the Los Angeles neighborhood most associated with UCLA. But if the comeback is to involve classic movie houses, the comeback looks grim. This week the Mann Festival closed down, and preservationists are on standby, prepared to battle the possible loss of the Mann's Village and Bruin, according to the Times.

Protesters upset over recent elections in Iran waved flags, marched, shouted, and made a scene without fear of government reprisal.

UCLA's end of term, near-nude right-of-passage, The Undie Run (mucho LAist coverage) went off this week. In this video, the stripped-down co-eds can be seen jogging in fleshy unison, like a Discovery Channel special on the salmon migration. LA Times reporter, and LAist contributor, Adam Rose, doing his best Melissa Rivers, wondered "who are you wearing?" An anonymous source told LAist that only one intoxicated person attended this event. However, that party-fouler does not appear in this video. No way.

One of LA's best ideas is about to get a little more pricier. Beginning August 1st, LAX FlyAway one-way tickets between Union Station/Van Nuys and LAX will raise one dollar to $7 to further close the gap between revenues and expenses. Westwood to LAX and back will remain at $5 each way.

The Los Angeles Fire Department had two larger events during the 11 a.m. hour this morning. The first was near Silver Lake on Fletcher near Riverside Dr. where about one half acre of grass and brush burned near structures, but firefighters were able to knock it down in just less than 20 minutes at 11:43 a.m. No one was injured and no buildings were damaged. On Westwood Blvd. near the 10 Freeway, a car crash left one person dead, four injured and two or three dogs with unknown injuries. Three people, including the deceased, were trapped in their vehicle before units arrived on scene to rescue them.

Every winter, many Angelenos get excited by the novelty of heading downtown to Pershing Square and lacing up their ice skates and gliding along (or falling down on) the rink set up during the holiday season. If you spend enough time in Los Angeles eventually you'll hear someone say their weekend plans include "going to the snow," as if cold weather was a destination. And though we may crank up our heat on some chilly wintry nights, we still wear flip flops on our feet with scarves around our necks around here. So it's actually quite fitting to know that once upon a time, when UCLA's roots were barely sinking into the grounds of a blossoming area called Westwood, there was an outdoor skating rink open year-round for pros and amateurs alike.

The man whose body was found near the 405 Freeway on Friday has been identified as being that of Thomas Francis Leamy, a 59-year-old patient of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center who left against medical advice. Leamy reportedly walked out of the hospital "a few days ago when told he was suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease," reports abc7.com. The man "still had an electrode from a heart monitor attached to his chest" when he was found in some bushes near Wilshire Boulevard and the 405 Freeway. Leamy's family had reported him missing. His body was found by a pedestrian, who contacted the California Highway Patrol, but later "was arrested for refusing to identify himself and being on the freeway illegally."

Yesterday morning at around 11:30, a pedestrian told the California Highway Patrol they had found a dead body off "the ramps at the southwest corner of the Wilshire Boulevard interchange, within sight of the Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles Medical Center," according to abc7.com. Initial reports "indicated that the man may have recently been released from a hospital," although there has been no confirmation of that as of yet. The man appears to be in his 60s. The case is being investigated by the Los Angeles County coroner's office and the CHP.

ANSWER LA will be holding a march tomorrow, partially on Wilshire Blvd., that will wrap around Westwood Village streets and stage at the Federal Building. Let GAZA Live, as they are calling it, is part of a larger National Day of Protest with other events planned throughout Southern California.

What recession? Of all places, the little village that could is getting a little more useful and livable. Trader Joe's at Weyburn and Glendon already had its grand opening last month, but wait, the kids were preoccupied with finals/undie run/winter break meaning no matter how much you love the joe, it's just wasn't not good timing. Solutions? Ahem. Have another grand opening, reports the Daily Bruin. Next door It’s a Grind Coffee House should open mid January and New Jersey based sandwich shop Jersey Mike’s is expected to open tomorrow.

                            

Although the Undie Run has been around since 2002 (in lieu of the Midnight Yell), major media outlets really didn't start to catch on until a few years ago. Last night, ESPN, NBC, FOX News and four LA Times staffers (Adam Rose produced a great video for them) were seen at the event. LAist has covered the event since 2006 so here is some of last night mixed up with the best of since '06:

Traffic got off to a slow star this afternon after some abandoned luggage left near Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards were reported to police. That prompted them to close down the area causing word to quickly spread among evacuated employees and passerbys that it was a bomb scare. But the LAPD said there were no threats and it was only luggage. "We get a lot of those," said Officer Lee.

"The Los Angeles Mormon Temple in Westwood, which was the target of recent protests by opponents of Proposition 8, has been closed because temple employees received an envelope filled with an unidentified white powdery substance, according to a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," reports ABC7 who says a similar letter was sent to the Salt Lake City Mormon temple. UPDATE, 5:32 pm: NBC4 says this is an FBI investigation and people are sheltered in place inside the temple. UPDATE #2, 6:00 p.m.: NBC4 reports that the situation is over and the powder is not harmful.

                     

Thursday's protest and march against the passing of Proposition 8 stirred many emotions and reactions from those involved, those in agreement, and those who are happy to have seen the controversial proposition--which amends the state Constitution to define marriage as limited to being between a man and a woman--pass, even by a slim margin. While the discussion continues about the ramifications of this proposition passing, the next steps for those who oppose the measure, how the voting population arrived at their choice on the issue, and what will become of the marriages of those same-sex couples who were married between May and November, the current movement has been concentrated on rallies, marches, and protests.

Today's rally and protest over the passage of Proposition 8 has spilled into the streets of West LA and Westwood leading to erratic closures. The 405 north and south exit ramps are closed at Santa Monica Blvd, which remains a parking lot. The protest began at the Mormon temple at 2 p.m. where the crowd swelled into the thousands before taking to the streets. The protesters marched westbound from the Mormon temple to Veteran, then east on Wilshire to Santa Monica where a gathering continues outside the Mormon temple.

No, it's now some city plan or anything official... yet. A large group of cyclists are going to ride tomorrow from the Eastside to the Westside in an experiment that's in search of a more bike friendly city. From their Facebook event page: "We will be transforming several square blocks into a mini bike town. Simply ride your bike around the area meandering up and down every street. Make stops to patronize businesses, enjoy parks, and chat with other riders. It will be like a Midnight Ridazz stop on every corner." And for those who live on the Westside, StreetsblogLA reports that a group of cyclists will ride from Venice to Westwood.

       

A group of UCLA students, under the auspices of Bruins for Traffic Relief, hit the streets last Friday to garner support for Measure R, the countywide ballot initiative that would raise the sales tax a half-cent in order to raise an estimated $40 billion for transit over the next 30 years. "As the largest trip-attractor on the Westside, with a daytime population of 55,000, UCLA stands to greatly benefit from new transportation options on the Westside," e-mails Juan Matute, an urban planning student and director of the UCLA Sustainable Resource Center.

After a series of robberies by three suspects around the North Village area of Westwood Village, UCLA campus police saturated the area with undercover officers eventually witnessing a street robbery in progress. "We caught the suspects with a little bit of luck and a little bit of experience,” UCPD Sergeant Robert De Francesco told the Daily Bruin. Both UCPD and LAPD believe the suspects are responsible for at least 13 robberies in the area since October 1st. Add: Two robbery suspects were arrested today near USC for trespassing.

The always convenient FlyAway buses that whisk passengers from Van Nuys, Union Station and Westwood Village to LAX and back is not making its revenue back and some city officials would like to see that happen. Although ridership increased 30% in 2007 with some 1.3 million passengers, the system lost $9.5 million in the last fiscal year. Therefore, the Board of Airport Commissioner may vote to increase the fare a dollar or two from the current $4 to $6 price (fare dependent on where you're coming from). Earlier this summer, the morning service schedule from Union Station was bulked up due the popularity of the buses.

Two young men are suspected of robbing one person and attempting to rob two others near UCLA campus yesterday evening between 5:55 and 6:35 p.m. The first robbery attempt happened on Levering Avenue near Glenrock Avenue followed by a robbery on Strathmore Drive west of Landfair Avenue about 20 minutes later. At around 6:35 p.m., they attempted to rob someone on Glenrock Avenue north of Levering Avenue. The two males are estimated to be 18 and 24 years of age with at least one of them carrying a gun in his waistband.

A few minutes before 8:00 p.m. last night, a small 3.0 earthquake shook the Westside. The quake, located two miles north of El Segundo caused no reported damage, but a cat might have jumped and tipped over a glass of milk or something. Nevertheless, each little microquake is a good reminder to think about preparing oneself for "the big one." One good way is to participate in The Great Southern California ShakeOut where 3.7 million people have already signed up to drop, cover and hold on November 13.

The Daily News got their hands dirty and visited Dr. Cappy Rothman, founder of the reportedly larger sperm bank in the world, California Cryobank. "Based in Westwood, he draws many students from UCLA, though USC also is a contributor. He has satellite depositories in Palo Alto, near Stanford, and in Cambridge, Mass., convenient to Harvard and MIT. 'We try to locate our collecting facilities close to universities that have bright donors,' Rothman said. His sperm bank sometimes runs ads in student newspapers to attract donors. The attraction: $75 per donation, a maximum of three per week. For the truly ambitious donor, shy on cash but brimming with outgoing sperm, that would add up to a maximum of $11,700 per year."