UC Irvine and San Diego Impacted by Faculty Strike Over Protests

A rolling strike by unionized academic workers upset about the University of California’s response to pro-Palestinian protests at various campuses will spread to three more campuses next week, including UC Irvine, union officials said Friday. According United Auto Workers Local 4811, workers will hit the picket lines Monday morning at UC San Diego and UC […]

LA City Council Will Fly Progress Pride Flag

The Los Angeles City Council Friday approved a new policy that will allow for the Progress Pride Flag to be raised in the Civic Center and other facilities to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Council members voted 12-0 in favor of amending the city’s current policy to allow them to fly the Pride Flag for the […]

Former Providence Medical Employee Drops Her Lawsuit Over Mandatory COVID Vax

A former employee at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank has dropped her lawsuit against parent company Providence Health & Services, in which she maintained she was harassed and forced to quit in 2022 after applying to be excused on religious grounds from the hospital’s mandatory employee coronavirus vaccination policy. Amanda Castaneda’s Los Angeles […]

Topanga Canyon Blvd. to Reopen Sunday After Storm Closure

A critical stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard that has been closed since early March due to storm-triggered mud and debris flows will reopen on Sunday, about 90 days ahead of schedule. Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement Friday with a short video posted on social media. “Some good news to report,” Newsom said. “Topanga Canyon […]

Sheriffs Search for Compton Shooter

A man was shot to death Friday in Compton. The fatal shooting occurred around 6:25 a.m. Friday in the 2200 block of West 153rd Street, near Bursch Elementary School, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The victim, who authorities described as a 30- to 35-year-old Black man, suffered gunshot wounds to the upper […]

Bar to Increase Safety Measures After Johnny Wactor’s Fatal Shooting

Owners of the downtown Los Angeles bar/restaurant where actor Johnny Wactor worked as a bartender — and which he and a co-worker were leaving when the former “General Hospital” regular was fatally shot — said Friday they are looking for ways to improve safety for employees. Wactor, 37, was shot early last Saturday near Hope […]

Notable LA Art Dealer Convicted of Federal Embezzlement Charges

A noted Los Angeles art dealer was found guilty Friday of embezzling more than $260,000 from the bankruptcy estate of Ace Gallery, a Miracle Mile-based art gallery, while acting as the estate’s trustee and custodian. Douglas J. Chrismas, 80, of the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, was found guilty in downtown Los Angeles of three […]

Sunitha Menon Appointed as Executive LA Director of LGBTQ+ Commission

Sunitha Menon, the former managing director of operations at Equality California, will serve as the executive director of Los Angeles County first-ever LGBTQ+ Commission, officials announced Friday. The Board of Supervisors recently appointed Menon as executive director of the commission, where she is expected to review, recommend and propose policies, budgets, legislation and programs impacting […]

SFV Man Suspected of Links to White Supremacist Group Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges

A San Fernando Valley man suspected of having links to a violent white supremacist group pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Kris Drakakis, 42, entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to two federal counts: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the […]

Person Fatally Struck by Metro Train in South Los Angeles

A person was fatally struck by a Metro A (Blue) Line train Friday in South Los Angeles. Firefighters were sent to the 4400 block of South Long Beach Avenue, at or near the train station at Vernon Avenue, around 1:45 p.m. to remove a body that was trapped underneath the train, according to the Los […]

Chinese Nationals Arrested for Alleged $12.3M Apple Device Fraud

Five Chinese nationals are scheduled to be arraigned Friday in downtown Los Angeles on federal charges alleging they operated a counterfeit Apple Inc. device scheme that included the fraudulent returns of thousands of bogus iPhones, iPads, and other products at stores throughout Southern California. Prosecutors said the scheme cost Apple at least $12.3 million in […]