Mayor Bass Fires LAFD Fire Chief Crowley, Names Deputy Villanueva Interim Chief

Mayor Karen Bass fired Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley Friday — citing what the mayor called failures in leadership ahead of the January windstorm that led to the deadly Palisades Fire, as well as what Bass said was Crowley’s refusal to conduct an after-action report. Bass appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a […]

DA Hochman Denies Menendez Brothers’ Bid for New Trial

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Friday his office will oppose a motion by defense attorneys seeking a new trial for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving life in prison without parole for the 1989 shotgun slayings of their parents in Beverly Hills. “The people believe it should be denied,” Hochman said […]

Van Nuys G-Line Station Closes for Three Years

The Van Nuys Station of the Metro G Line rapid bus that traverses the San Fernando Valley closed Friday for three years as work begins on an ambitious project to improve travel times and safety, in part by building a series of bridges on the busway. The parking lot at the station — located on […]

Missing Senior Woman Located in Long Beach

An 86-year-old woman with cognitive issues who went missing early Friday has been located. The Long Beach Police Department reported about 11:30 a.m. that Juliana E. Montoya was found safe and unharmed in the city of Long Beach. She was previously last seen about 2:30 a.m. Friday walking away from her residence in the 3000 […]

LAPD Officer Hospitalized After Sustaining Injuries in Car Chase Crash

A Los Angeles Police Department officer was hospitalized after a crash on the Ventura (101) Freeway during a high-speed pursuit of a group of burglary suspects in Van Nuys before sunrise Friday. Officers from the LAPD’s Van Nuys Division responded to a burglary-in-progress call about 3:15 a.m. Friday at a business located at 15355 Sherman […]

Man Sentenced Nearly 300 Years for Molesting 7 Sons of Family Friends

A 58-year-old man was sentenced Friday to 293 years to life in prison for molesting seven sons of Orange County families who believed him to be a friend. Alex Mauricio Padilla Beltran was convicted Nov. 19 of 23 felony charges related to sexual assaults on the seven boys. In total, prosecutors allege 11 victims, but […]

Man Hit, Robbed at Culver City ATM

Culver City police Friday were investigating a holdup at an ATM in which two suspects repeatedly punched a victim and took $400 at gunpoint. The robbery occurred about 11:40 p.m. Thursday in the 5500 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, south of Sawtelle Boulevard, according to a Culver City Police Department statement. A man had just withdrawn […]

Pepperdine Sues Netflix, Warner Brothers for Trademark Infringement in Mindy Kaling Comedy

Pepperdine University has filed suit against Netflix and Warner Bros. for trademark infringement, alleging in federal court that Mindy Kaling’s new comedy series “Running Point” intentionally centers on a fictional basketball team that strongly resembles the university’s actual squad, according to court papers obtained Friday. In the suit, filed Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, Pepperdine […]

Man Sentenced Almost 30 Years for Pop Smoke’s Murder

The final person charged in connection with the Hollywood Hills killing of rap artist Pop Smoke in 2020 was sentenced Friday to 29 years in state prison. Corey Walker, who was 19 at the time of the killing, pleaded guilty Feb. 5 in downtown Los Angeles to voluntary manslaughter and two counts of home-invasion robbery. […]

CHP Continues Search for Suspect Who Threw Rocks at Drivers on 110, 10 Freeways

California Highway Patrol officers are searching Friday for the suspect who threw rocks or other projectiles at two drivers traveling on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway. CHP officers responded at 11:40 p.m. Thursday to the junction of the westbound 10 Freeway and the southbound Harbor (110) Freeway where they found the black Ranger in the […]

Riverside Sheriff Speaks in Favor of ‘Sanctuary City’ Overhaul Bill

Calling it essential for public safety, the state Senate minority leader and other advocates, including Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, unveiled a proposed overhaul of California’s “sanctuary state” law Friday. Speaking at a news conference in downtown San Diego, Sen. Brian Jones, R-San Diego, said Senate Bill 554 would do two things — protect the […]