Biden Heads to LA as Summit of the Americas Formally Begins Downtown

President Joe Biden arrived in Los Angeles Wednesday as the Summit of the Americas began its formal program of discussions among leaders from Western Hemisphere nations addressing issues ranging from immigration to climate change to COVID. The summit will continue through Friday at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with Biden serving as host of the […]

COVID-Related Hospitalizations Rise to 557 in LA County

The school year may be coming to an end, but Los Angeles County health officials reported more increases in COVID-19 cases among students and staff Wednesday, noting that the highest infection rate in the county is among teens aged 12 to 17. With a new infection rate of 762 per 100,000, the 12-to-17 age group […]

Garcetti, LA Civil Rights Hosts Roundtable With Mayors From Across Americas

Mayor Eric Garcetti and the city’s Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department hosted a panel discussion Wednesday with U.S. State Department officials and mayors from cities throughout the Americas to discuss violence prevention strategies as Los Angeles hosts this year’s Summit of the Americas. “Leaders from across the Americas have come together this week […]

Melvoin Cruises to LAUSD Board Reelection; Gonez Needs Runoff

Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education member Nick Melvoin easily won reelection, and while fellow incumbent Kelly Gonez bested a pair of opponents in Tuesday’s election, she was short of the mark needed to avoid a November runoff. Melvoin easily outpaced two challengers — electrical engineer Gentille Barkhardarian and teacher Tracey Schroeder — […]

Mitch O’Farrell Appears Headed for Runoff in LA Council Race

Los Angeles City Council members Gil Cedillo, Bob Blumenfield, Monica Rodriguez and Curren Price were on track to secure another term as primary results continued to come in Wednesday, while Councilman Mitch O’Farrell appeared headed for a runoff with labor organizer Hugo Soto-Martinez. It was not immediately clear how many provisional, questioned and late ballots […]

Villanueva Heads for November Runoff vs. Robert Luna for LA Sheriff

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s bid for a second term will move to a November runoff election against former Long Beach police Chief Robert Luna, with the pair topping a nine-candidate field in Tuesday’s election. As of 2 a.m. Wednesday, Villanueva had 258,808 votes, or 34.38%, to Luna’s 184,640 votes, or 24.53%. Over the […]

Air Conditioner Working? Southland in for a Hot Weekend

A heat wave was bearing down on the Southland Wednesday, promising several days of elevated temperatures and potentially dangerous conditions in some parts of the region through the weekend. “High pressure will build over southern California through the rest of this week bringing very warm and dry weather to interior areas, peaking on Friday and […]

Victims Object to Plea Deal for Megachurch’s Leader

A group of young women urged a judge Wednesday to either set aside a plea deal with the leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch — who pleaded guilty to three sex-related counts involving minors — or to sentence him to a longer state prison term. Naasón Joaquín García — the leader of La Luz del […]

LASD: Armed Man Arrested Following Barricade in San Pedro

A SWAT team arrested an armed man who was barricaded Wednesday in San Pedro, authorities said. Authorities went to the 100 block of South Gaffey Street at about 7 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The SWAT team was sent to the location to assist deputies from the Lomita Station in the […]

Leader of Mexico-Based Megachurch Sentenced to 16+ Years in Prison

The leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years and eight months in prison for sex crimes involving three underage girls, despite emotional testimony by victims who asked a judge to reject his plea deal with prosecutors or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. Naasón Joaquín García– the […]

Pilot of Crashed Plane in Critical Condition, Federal Investigation Underway

The pilot of a single-engine airplane that crashed and burned behind a Hemet home was in critical condition Wednesday, while federal investigators probed into what might have caused the accident. The victim, whose identity has not been released, suffered extensive burn and other injuries when the low-wing aircraft went down at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday […]