LACo Board of Supervisors Formally Condemns Ukrainian Conflict

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a motion Tuesday formally condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and urging federal elected leaders to take steps ensuring support and protection of Ukrainian immigrants and refugees. “Over the last several days we have witnessed the incredible strength, bravery, and unwavering patriotism of the Ukrainian people,” Supervisor […]

LA City Council Confirms First Female LAFD Chief

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday unanimously confirmed the appointment of Deputy Chief Kristin Crowley to be the first woman to lead the Los Angeles Fire Department. The appointment is effective March 26, when Chief Ralph Terrazas is scheduled to retire. “I think it’s so fitting for this nomination to come to council today, on […]

Fire Damages Fourplex in Mid-Wilshire Area; Person Injured

A fire damaged a fourplex in the Mid-Wilshire area Tuesday, and a person suffered burn injuries, authorities said. Firefighters sent to the 1300 block of South Crenshaw Boulevard at 7:19 a.m. extinguished the flames in 15 minutes, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. A person, described only as an adult, suffered burn injuries and was […]

LAPD Officers Now Required To Explain `Pretextual’ Stops

The Los Angeles Police Commission updated its policy on so-called “pretextual stops” Tuesday to discipline officers — beginning with additional training — if they don’t articulate in the moment why a traffic or other minor violation escalates into a criminal investigation. The Los Angeles Police Department defines a pretextual stop as one in which officers […]

LA Police Commission Seeks Report On Bomb Squad Training Deficiencies

The city’s Police Commission voted Tuesday to have the Office of the Inspector General draft a comprehensive report on the LAPD’s bomb squad training following a report that found problems with staffing, training and supervision during the detonation of a cache of illegal fireworks in South Los Angeles that caused a huge explosion, displacing numerous […]

LA County Health Director: Indoor Mask Mandate Could be Lifted Friday

Los Angeles County’s much-debated COVID-19 indoor mask-wearing mandate could be lifted by Friday, according to the public health director, aligning the county with the state’s action that took effect Tuesday. The move would mean Los Angeles County will no longer require people to wear masks at indoor businesses. The county is one of the final […]

Los Angeles County Reports Another 58 COVID Deaths

Another 58 COVID-19 deaths were reported in Los Angeles County Tuesday, while the number of virus-positive patients in county hospitals inched slightly upward after weeks of steady decline. According to state figures, there were 927 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Tuesday, up from 916 on Monday. Of those patients, 174 were being treated […]

LA City Council Approves Motions Aimed At Combating Illegal Dumping

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved components of a plan aimed at reducing illegal dumping throughout the city, including by shortening the time it takes to deploy cleanup teams when a report is made about excess trash and debris. “The city of Los Angeles is facing a crisis when it comes to trash, bulky […]

LA Supervisors Advance Creation of Department to Oversee Justice Reform Effort

Hoping to further its goal of overhauling the county’s justice system and ultimately closing the Men’s Central Jail, the county Board of Supervisors moved forward Tuesday with the creation of a department to centralize various programs enacted over the past few years to develop incarceration alternatives while expanding community services to divert people out of […]

LA City Council Members Introduce Condemnation Of Putin

Five Los Angeles City Council members introduced a resolution Tuesday to strongly condemn “the egregious actions of President Vladimir Putin for ordering the invasion of Ukraine.” The resolution further includes a call for international or federal divestment of all holdings from and investments in Russia and condemns Putin’s actions or that of any country that […]

Orange County’s COVID Rates Continue Declining

Orange County’s COVID-19 rates continued trending down while hospitalizations tied to the virus remained level, according to data released Tuesday by the Orange County Health Care Agency. The number of COVID-positive patients in Orange County hospitals ticked up from 230 on Monday to 233, while the number of those patients in intensive care dropped from […]