Question of Mental Competency of Bishop O’Connell’s Murder Suspect

A doubt was declared Thursday about the mental competency of the man accused of gunning down Los Angeles Catholic Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell at his home in Hacienda Heights last year. Carlos Medina’s attorney, Pedro Cortes, expressed concerns about his client’s mental competency on the day a hearing was scheduled to begin to determine if […]

Rising Wind and Rising Temps, Here Come the Santa Anas!

Santa Ana winds are expected to whip through the Southland Friday and Saturday, pushing temperatures upward and raising concerns about possible wildfires. “By mid to late morning Friday the strongest winds will be in the usual Santa Ana-prone areas, which includes the Highway 14 corridor from Acton to Fillmore, including the surrounding San Gabriel Mountains, […]

Missing Whittier Teen Boy Found

A 13-year-old boy who went missing from the Whittier area has been found, authorities announced Thursday. Wyatt Hernandez had been last seen about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday near the 1100 block of Bexley Drive, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported. He has since be located, sheriff’s officials said Thursday. No additional details were released about […]

Annual SoCal Earthquake Drill Exacted at Schools, Businesses

People in government offices, businesses and schools throughout the Southland stopped everything for a minute Thursday to “drop, cover and hold on” during a statewide earthquake preparedness drill, now in its 16th year. The Great California ShakeOut of 2024 was held at 10:17 a.m. “What we do to prepare now, before the next big earthquake, […]

Downey Space Shuttle Mock-Ups Released

It never went into space, but a full-size original space shuttle design prototype built in 1972 as part of Rockwell International’s ultimately successful bid to build NASA’s shuttles made a momentous journey — in pieces — along a Downey street Thursday as it was moved to a renovation facility ahead of its planned display in […]

Malibu Discuss PCH Safety on Anniversary of Pepperdine Students’ Deaths

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic deaths of four Pepperdine students fatally struck on Pacific Coast Highway as they strolled to an event, and Friday the city of Malibu will host a news conference to discuss initiatives implemented over the past year to improve safety on PCH. Pepperdine seniors Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, […]

Long Beach Pro Poker Player Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Illegal Betting

A professional poker player from Long Beach pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges of money laundering and running an illegal sports betting operation. Damien LeForbes, 43, is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 23 in downtown Los Angeles. He faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross […]

Alleged Metro Train Stabber Pleads Not Guilty

A 46-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing a woman on a Metro train in the Studio City area pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder and robbery charges. Elliott Tramel Nowden is scheduled to return to court in downtown Los Angeles on Jan. 24, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if […]

Fatal Hit-and-Run in South LA

Police were continuing to seek public help Thursday in locating a hit-and-run driver who killed a 53-year-old woman in South Los Angeles. The collision occurred on Jan. 6 at around 9:20 p.m., when a white Toyota Corolla traveling west on 60th Street was struck by a white BMW being driven north on Broadway at a […]

50 Pounds of Fentanyl Discovered in DTLA, One Arrested

A 28-year-old man was arrested during an undercover drug investigation in the downtown area, and investigators subsequently seized more than 50 pounds of fentanyl while serving a search warrant in South Los Angeles, police said Thursday. Jose Alberto Soto was arrested Wednesday during the undercover operation, and he was booked on suspicion of selling fentanyl, […]

Woman Fatally Shot in La Puente

Sheriff’s homicide detectives Thursday were investigating the fatal shooting of a woman in La Puente. The shooting was reported at 11:43 p.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of Fickewirth Avenue, east of North Hacienda Avenue, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported. “Deputies located a female in the front yard of a residence suffering from […]