The earthquake in Chile was larger than the one that hit in Haiti last month, but the preparation of the country stopped it from being a catastrophic match. [More...]
<b><font color="#ff1493">LISTEN:</font> </b> California schools ranked as the lowest five percent of the state's persistently low-achieving schools will be required to execute an intervention model to receive any new federal money.
Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Israel to try and re-ignite peace talks. But an Israeli decision could bring more trouble than Biden bargained for. [More...]
President Obama, calling for an up-or-down vote on health care reform, wants Congress to have a health care bill on his desk by the end of the month..
[More...]
American and Iraqi officials praised the elections held over the weekend when Iraqi voters defied threats from insurgents and bombings which killed 38 civilians.
[More...]
Gold Line riders waiting for trains in Pasadena experience an unacceptable level of noise, a 2004 study said. After six years of study and planning, Metro is installing a $1.3 million fix to bring relief to riders' ears.
[More...]
Last month, the Department of Cultural Affairs was spared from having almost its entire budget slashed. But with the city now looking to cut 4,000 jobs and shrink its deficit, the arts in L.A. are under threat from landing on the chopping block again.
[More...]
What began as a California state-designated 'Day of Action' has turned into a nationwide movement in support of public education. [More...]
Protesters holding signs saying 'Save Our Children Tax The Rich' gathered in downtown L.A. today. [More...]
Chanting for their peers to walk out of classes, around 800 protesters stormed into buildings, rallied down hallways and entered classrooms. When they finished a loop around campus, they marched into the streets, blocking four lanes of traffic.
[More...]
WATCH: Protesters from across Southern California converged in downtown L.A. to protest educational cutbacks. Teachers, students and concerned citizens spoke out.
[More...]
Hundreds of students protested Thursday on the University of California, Riverside campus, chanting for more funding for California's education system. [More...]
Students at CSUN walked out of class in protest of education cuts during their school's March 4 'Day of Action.' [More...]
A Youtube video compilation of the nationwide protests against cuts in public education compiled by Neon Tommy. [More...]
An estimated 1,000 students were involved with the on-campus protest that forced UC Santa Cruz to shut down. [More...]
INTERACTIVE MAP: As thousands of protesters rallied in support of affordable education, student-run media was there to cover the protests as they happened. We have a round-up of the coverage. [More...]
Thousands of people are coming out in full force to support public education. [More...]
The 'Day of Action' has spread from California to 32 states, as students and others protest cuts to public education. [More...]
Kick starting a national 'Day of Action' for public education, a coalition of teachers unions, parents and students gathered at Farmdale Elementary School in Los Angeles to announce the day's events. [More...]
Students, staff, and faculty across California will take part in a 'Day of Action' Thursday to support increased state investment in public education. Significant hurdles stand in their way. [More...]
Students from California and across the nation are preparing to protest what they believe are unworkable school conditions. From raising costs to slashing budgets, many students believe education is being hung out to dry. [More...]
Police and protesters take precautions in run-up to state-wide protests against public education cuts and fee hikes.
[More...]
LISTEN: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced a citywide campaign aimed to implore Angelenos to file the 2010 Federal Census form that will be arriving in mailboxes this month. [More...]
Brown vies to become the oldest Governor in California history. As the uncontested Democratic candidate, he will await the winner of the Republican's Whitman-Poizner race.
[More...]
President Obama said Tuesday that he would include some Republican ideas to his Health Care bill. Some of the suggestions were proposals to root out Medicare fraud, reduce medical malpractice lawsuits and others. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: Many of those seeking assistance from Riverside food banks have never asked for food before, but high unemployment and massive foreclosure rates have led them to local charities for help.
[More...]
California Attorney General Jerry Brown, 71,formally entered the race as the only Democratic candidate for governor today.
[More...]
School and Census officials are encouraging the Latino community in L.A. to participate in the 2010 census before census forms begin to arrive in local mailboxes. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: On March 4, thousands of students, teachers and education workers are expected to protest cuts to education and social services across Los Angeles and throughout the state. [More...]
The death toll from Saturday's 8.8 quake in Chile has risen to 732 as rescuers respond to buried survivors and the military imposes curfews to stop looting. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: As hit-and-run victim Ed Magos lay in recovery, Beck renewed his commitment to better training about bicycle laws for LAPD officers and better protection for riders. [More...]
Democrats have signaled they plan to pass health care legislation using a parliamentary rule that requires only a simple majority. [More...]
Twitter has become the primary source for covering the 7th largest quake in history. [More...]
Teachers, students, parents and alumni gathered to voice their outrage with plans to restructure Fremont High School that will require school employees to reapply for their jobs after the end of the current school year. [More...]
Parents and the the front-runner for state superintendent garner a not-so-perfect attendance record at a schools discussion in downtown L.A. [More...]
Protesters at UC Berkeley burned trash cans and clashed with police after a protest against fee hikes and budget cuts turned violent.
[More...]
Sea World will restart its killer whale shows this weekend; the displays were suspended after a whale killed a veteran trainer Wednesday.
[More...]
SLIDESHOW: The city's department of transportation has proposed shutting 11 bus lines, including the Dash C, to close a multimillion dollar budget deficit. [More...]
The UCSD party that mocked Compton residents raises the bigger issue of racism on college campuses. [More...]
After a Chinese company decides not to buy the Hummer brand, GM gives production of the vehicles the axe. Poor sales have forced GM to cut back, and with the rise in gas prices, less people are buying gas-guzzling Hummers.
[More...]
Torrential rains caused major flooding and landslides on the island of Madeira Saturday. The landslides sent trees and debris onto streets, and destroyed buildings. [More...]
Live broadcast of Obama's healthcare summit gives public access to the discussion -- both friendly and hostile. The summit, which met in Washington, D.C., brought Republicans and Democrats together to debate the issue. [More...]
WATCH: On warm, sunny days after a big rain storm, it's hard to stay out of the water. But, it takes about three days for debris and harmful pathogens washed into the ocean from the street gutters to filter out of the water.
[More...]
WATCH: 'We're in the process of reinventing ourselves economically,' says Ventura mayor Bill Fulton. The city recently adopted $11 million in budget cuts, but Fulton remains optimistic that Ventura will one day become a prosperous and stable city. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: Plans are under way for a light-rail system from Culver City to Santa Monica. But some residents who live along the seven-mile line do not favor the project. [More...]
Females in Hollywood continue to be as significantly marginalized,
hyper-sexualized and underrepresented as they were 30 years ago,
reports a USC study released this week.
[More...]
At Thursday's summit Obama will try to use the media to explain his health care bill to the American people. His message could be met with differing opinions. [More...]
Democrats avoided a filibuster of the jobs bill with some Republican support [More...]
LISTEN: 'Profit above Patient' and 'Anthem Doesn't Care' were slogans of Tuesday's protest in Woodland Hills against Anthem Blue Cross's increased premiums that will affect nearly 800,000 individual policy holders. [More...]
2010 may be the year that L.A.'s growing bicycle community finally has the full attention of city officials as several bike advocacy groups begin meetings with LAPD leaders.
[More...]
More than 100 people packed the Pio Pico Women's Club Monday to discuss the second phase of the Eastside Transit Corridor, a light-rail project that will expand the Gold Line Eastside Extension to cities farther east of Los Angeles. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: Living in the midst of a car-crazy city, a group of like-minded Angelenos have chosen to forgo a life fueled
by gasoline and consumerism and carve out a small eco-neighborhood
where neighbors work together to reduce their impact on the planet.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa continued his efforts to close the city's budget gap
Monday, ordering that the Department of
Neighborhood Empowerment be merged into another city agency.
[More...]
SLIDESHOW: For decades, Venice Beach has been an eclectic center of art, music and the care-free spirit of the Beat Generation. But both the future of this Southern California icon and those who call it home are changing. [More...]
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said thousands of job cuts can be avoided if city employee unions, including police and fire, accept wage cuts. [More...]
City Council voted Thursday to keep funding for Neighborhood Councils, but how councils spend the money is in danger.
[More...]
The new L.A. County Chief Probation Officer has been credited with turning around probation in Alameda County. Can he do it in the largest probation department in the world? [More...]
The man who crashed a plane into a building housing IRS offices is believed to have written a suicide note that expresses anger at the government. At point the note reads, "...there isn't enough therapy in the world that can fix what is really broken." [More...]
A recently-passed marijuana ordinance may close up to 500 medical marijuana dispensaries and place restrictions on the dispensaries that remain open.
[More...]
Eight of the 10 Americans held on suspicion of kidnapping Haitian children were released Wednesday after a judge determined there was insufficient evidence.
[More...]
Karen Bass announced her candidacy Wednesday to take over retiring Rep. Diane Watson's seat in the 33rd Congressional District. [More...]
Employees at Disney hotels protested in front of Walt Disney Studios and Disneyland this week to bring attention to a dispute over health care benefits. Some of the workers fasted for as long as a week.
[More...]
Food regulators have targeted non-pasteurized cheese due to its links to several illnesses that can result in death. [More...]
L.A. is one of many cities interested in a new high-speed fiber optic network. [More...]
U.S. troops encountered snipers during the fifth day of fighting against insurgents in Helmand province, Afghanistan. [More...]
L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca unveiled a new policy aimed at reducing deputy-involved shootings. The department's answer to a recent spike in such shootings, the policy would encourage deputies contain suspects, while waiting for back up rather than giving chase.
The $8 billion effort, which is the first nuclear power project to break ground in the U.S. in three decades, will fund two reactors in Burke, GA.
[More...]
Neighborhood Council supporters voiced their strong desires to see the local systems remain in place. A special session voted not to cut their budgets in half, but the discussion won't end there. [More...]
Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh announced that he will not run for re-election. Bayh stunned his party members, and adding more fuel to the belief that the midterm elections could be a big win for Republicans. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: A candidate for the Culver City Council called for the elimination of red-light cameras Monday, while drivers urged him on.
The California Dream of a state that offers quality education, housing, government, environment and jobs has been interrupted. In partnership with KCET's SoCal Connected, reporters from Annenberg's News 21 team are reporting around Southern California to find out what happened and where we're headed. [More...]
Douglas Guthrie says that, despite real challenges, mixed-income housing is a viable solution for the L.A. housing crisis. [More...]
LADOT may slash services and raise fares to erase a $23 million deficit. The department will start holding public meetings on the matter Tuesday.
[More...]
SLIDESHOW: A consortium of preservation foundations and city agencies is working to raise enough money to purchase land near the Hollywood Sign to ensure luxury homes aren't built around it. [More...]
The Iranian president's speech brought a big crowd of protesters that was quickly controlled by security forces. [More...]
WATCH: Mayor Villaraigosa called Thursday for an additional 1,000 layoffs of city employees, citing a projected budget deficit of $1.8 billion. [More...]
The congresswoman announced she would not be running for another term in June. [More...]
Carly Fiorina attempts to give her Senate campaign a shot in the arm. From Demon Sheep to an assertion that California should declare bankruptcy, the former Hewlett Packard CEO has made waves in the press in the past two weeks. [More...]
City Council refers proposed budget cuts to a committee, giving the system time before an official vote. [More...]
Tom Campbell used to be known as a pragmatic economist and former Congressman. Now he's mostly known as the subject of a strange political ad and the California GOP Senate candidate that can connect with Tea Party voters. [More...]
LISTEN: Alfred Lomas is the creator of the controversial LA Gang Tours, which takes tourists around South Los Angeles to see areas associated with gangs. Lomas says he wants to use the tour service to provide money and jobs for the community. Not everyone in South L.A. is buying it.
[More...]
Obama met with leaders of both parties Tuesday. He was optimistic that a favorable jobs bill will be passed soon by both houses of Congress. [More...]
Members from the L.A. rescue team sent to aid victims of last month's earthquake tell of the catastrophe in the region. Many called it the worst disaster they had ever seen. [More...]
SLIDESHOWS: Every day thousands of Los Angeles commuters take the bus from downtown to Santa Monica. The construction of a subway line, although far-off and not yet finalized, would re-write public transportation policy for Los Angeles' west side. [More...]
Jackson's doctor faces a criminal trial after prosecutors charged him for involuntary manslaughter, blaming him for the pop singer's death. [More...]
An estimated 40 students participated in a bake sale to encourage Boeing to clean up waste at its Santa Susana Field Laboratory. [More...]
Paradise Valley residents continued to clean up their mud-damaged homes before an expected storm hits Tuesday. [More...]
How an Echo Park publicist changed political art, and how the politics of art changed him. [More...]
Even though California still faces a shortage of nurses, up to 40 percent of nursing school graduates will be unable to find jobs [More...]
In a last ditch attempt to encourage attendance at Tuesday's City Council meeting, neighborhood council members spent Monday blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking and e-mailing their listservs in hopes of preserving the system's funding program. [More...]
A high school friend of Molly Hightower, a young volunteer killed in Haiti's devastating earthquake, organized a vigil on the University of Southern California's campus to honor Hightower.
[More...]
City Controller Wendy Greuel faced members of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition who demanded answers. [More...]
WATCH: Los Angeles attorneys filed the first L.A. County lawsuit against Toyota in a case involving a fatal 'sudden acceleration' crash of a Toyota car not included in the current recall. [More...]
State legislation blocked some city declawing bans from going into effect. But the cities are fighting back.
[More...]
The Board of Directors of the Exposition Construction Authority gave the go-ahead Thursday to the light rail line that will run from Culver City to Santa Monica. [More...]
Plant trees or LED's? The South Coast Air Quality Management District will debate Friday how best to use the El Segundo refinery's environmental mitigation money. [More...]
City Councilman Richard Alarcon's job is at risk as he faces possible felony charges over where he's been living the past few years.
[More...]
A report released Thursday by the Civil Rights Project says whites are over-represented and Latinos are under-represented in charter schools across the Western U.S. [More...]
In 3 years, the spending from same-sex couples on weddings and tourism will generate more than $63.8 million for state and local governments, according to a study released last year.
[More...]
Hundreds of bloggers on the left and right launched a web campaign to institutionalize the televised give-and-take sessions between Obama and Congress.
[More...]
Judge Jim Gray, a longstanding conservative and former Orange County Superior Court judge, says he enthusiastically supports the proposed California initiative to legalize and tax marijuana. [More...]
An 11-hour budget and finance meeting ended with three departments on the chopping block. The City Administrative Officer's mid-year report suggested the dissolution of the departments to help solve the city's budget woes. [More...]
The Budget and Finance Committee approved a motion to cut neighborhood council funding in half after an 11-hour session. [More...]
A vote to decide who will run 30 L.A. Unified schools begins Tuesday, but final approval does not rest in voters' hands. [More...]
WATCH: Hear what President Obama has to say about health care, the deficit, his $3.8 trillion budget released today, and more. [More...]
Some in the citywide Neighborhood Council system are worried a few bad actors might bring deep budget cuts upon a system of thousands of devoted volunteers that is already stretched thin. [More...]
HOMICIDE REPORT: Neon Tommy, in collaboration with the L.A. Times homicide blog, reports how a family is coping after one brother accidentally took the life of another. [More...]
VIDEO: Republicans invite President Obama to speak at the House GOP's two-day conference. Watch how the boxing match unfolded. [More...]
The Los Angeles Unified School District pushed 49 families out of their homes to build a new elementary school in Echo Park. Construction began on the school last year and is expected to last until fall 2011.
[More...]
Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina stuck to boilerplate GOP issues In a roundtable with USC students: smaller government and lowering the federal deficit. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: Mostly liberal and supportive of the president, attendees at L.A. area State of the Union watch parties ended the night rejuvenated by Obama's messages. [More...]
VIDEO: Latinos gathered downtown to watch the State of the Union were disappointed as immigration got short changed in Obama's speech. [More...]
Obama's State of the Union address shows that science may play a big role in future plans.
[More...]
VIDEO: Two longtime Obama supporters and one recent convert gave Obama high marks for his speech. All three loved the talk of non-partisanship.
[More...]
It was a good night for President Barack Obama. His poll numbers, which had begun to take a dip in recent weeks, seemed to bounce back in the immediate afterglow of the his first State of the Union Address. [More...]
Q + A: Political analyst Gordon Stables told Neon Tommy's Callie Schweitzer that President Obama's State of the Union was notable for its emphasis on jobs over health care reform and his focus on results over pushing a generic democrat agenda. [More...]
Watch along with Neon Tommy editors as we analyze the President's first official State of the Union. [More...]
HOMICIDE REPORT: Neon Tommy, in collaboration with the L.A. Times, tells the tragic story of Charles Montgomery, shot several times in the upper body in the middle of a Friday afternoon. Police believe it was gang related. [More...]
<b><font color="#ff1493">AUDIO SLIDESHOW:</font>President Obama campaigned on a platform of change. Some question whether he's changed anything for the good, or anything at all.</b> [More...]
Obama's State of the Union Wednesday could be a pivot point in the President's first term. Engaging middle-class voters is his priority, but it shouldn't be everything. [More...]
QUIZ: The State of the Union has become a yearly pomp and circumstance show: clapping, fans, constant television coverage, even a drinking game associated with the event. Everyone from journalists to political junkies to history teachers think they know everything about the State of the Union. How much do you know? [More...]
L.A. City Council passed an ordinance that could put several hundred medical marijuana dispensaries out of business. [More...]
The Los Angeles City Council is expected to request Wednesday that the city attorney begin drafting an ordinance that prohibits the sale of tobacco within 1,000 feet of schools. [More...]
Two days out from his first State of the Union speech, President Obama attempted Monday to renew his focus on soothing the frustrations of middle-class voters. [More...]
Bicyclists in Pico-Union may have one less thing to worry about. The area will get new bike racks in response to a recent rash of stolen cycles. [More...]
Swine flu has hit California Latinos and blacks hardest, but the reason is economic, not cultural. [More...]
The fourth winter storm in as many days is expected to bring up to three inches of rain Thursday, with severe thunderstorms and even hail. More than 1,000 homes in the foothills are under mandatory evacuation orders. Officials urge homeowners who receive an evacuation order to leave their homes. [More...]
Angelenos will now have to light up 10 feet away from restaurants with outdoor patios after the City Council banned smoking in outdoor dining areas Tuesday. [More...]
Republicans shocked Democrats across the country as G.O.P candidate Scott Brown won a special election to fill Ted Kennedy's Massachusetts Senate seat. The victory destroyed the Democrats 60-40 filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. [More...]
For six years, Mr. Fish fired back at the establishment with his political cartoons in LA Weekly. But when his contract ticked to an end, the mag did nothing. And let him go.
As Rev. Jean-Renaud Guillaume tries to comfort his Haitian congregation at the Full Gospel Apostolic Church of God, he himself silently copes with the loss of his own family members and friends. [More...]
An estimated 45,000 people showed up to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy at the 25th annual Kingdom Day Parade in South Los Angeles. [More...]
Calif. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Van Nuys Middle School Monday morning in support of MLK's Day of Service sponsored in part by L.A. Works. [More...]
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning at 12:15 this
afternoon for the areas burned up by the Station and Morris fires last
year. Mud 2 feet deep is starting to cover on a road in Tujunga.
[More...]
Five days after a devastating earthquake turned much of Haiti's capital to rubble, residents of Port-au-Prince gathered outside of the city's cathedral Sunday to pray for relief. Meanwhile, the world continues to rush to the aid of the stricken country by air, sea, and text message. [More...]
Techies gather at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to help improve Haitian relief efforts. [More...]
Nine years after its release, the freedom to watch movies with imagery like "Amores Perros" is in danger. A case currently being reviewed by the Supreme Court could make movies with these types of depictions illegal [More...]
The Los Angeles firefighters defended their title as undefeated broomball champs during a benefit game against the L.A. Derby Dolls on Thursday.
[More...]
A Caribbean restaurant in Echo Park was the place for Haitians and Haitian Americans in Los Angeles to grieve, donate and show support for each other Thursday night. [More...]
Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Bernard had been mortally wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade and AP photographer Julie Jacobson, just yards away, was there to capture his last moments of consciousness. Should she have put the camera down?
[More...]
When one fashion house went too far in Photoshopping its models and was mocked for it, it hid behind copyright law to silence the critics. The squabble between PhotoshopDisasters.com and Ralph Lauren epitomizes how corporations can cover up the online images they don't want you to see. [More...]
The Associated Press is suing Shepard Fairey, the creator of the famed 'Hope' poster distributed during the 2008 primaries, for copyright infringement. The AP claims Fairey didn't have the right to use Obama's photo in his work. Fairey disagrees.
[More...]
From waiting weeks for that money shot, to being elbowed, cursed at and demeaned, the paparazzo job is far from dull. [More...]
A new California law prohibits people from publishing or selling media that someone had to violate privacy laws to produce. In other words, starting this month, it might get tougher for tabloid magazines to get their famous photos.
[More...]
Despite reporting the lowest rates of violent crime in decades, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck say they still have too many gang members on the streets. They hope a new Gang Intervention Academy will help change that. [More...]
At the Beverly Hills jail, well-heeled ne'er-do-wells can opt to pay for much, much swankier accommodations, including comfy common rooms and TV on whatever channel they want to watch. [More...]
In his final State of the State address, Schwarzenegger announces a plan to improve the economy, calls for tax and budget reforms, and promises to stop the bleeding of California's public education system. [More...]
WATCH: Nearly 30 percent of students enrolled in LAUSD English learner programs are not reclassified by eighth grade, according to a recent USC study. And the high school drop out rate for these students is high. The question is: What can be done about it? [More...]
More than three quarters of the buildings in Manchester Square are gone, demolished and replaced by long fields of grass surrounded by chain link fence. The question is, why?
[More...]
WATCH: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other officials announced the city expects to recycle 80,000 Christmas trees after the winter holidays. Here's how you can go green with your tree. [More...]
Mayor Villaraigosa and Port of Los Angeles officials maintain that their Clean Truck Program has reduced emissions 70 percent in one year. A Neon Tommy investigation found that a dirty truck shell game raises questions about the remarkable claim.
[More...]
Outside at recess, Hudson students breathe the worst air in Long Beach, and it sends them clamoring to the school nurse's office for their inhalers. There are so many inhalers that the nurse has a separate cabinet for them.
[More...]
The Port of Long Beach recently settled with the American Trucking Association, loosening requirements for port truck drivers under the Clean Trucks Program. Environmental groups worry this will make clean engine standards harder to enforce.
[More...]
'Tell Mr. Krikorian to stick to what he knows and get the fuck out of the Christmas tree business before he has more problems than we know what to do with,' threatened one Christmas tree lot owner to another. 'Tis the season to be jolly?
[More...]
SLIDESHOW: Documents and emails obtained by Neon Tommy from the L.A. Metropolitan Transportation Authority help explain the months-long delay of the opening of the Gold Line East L.A. extension and contain harsh words from L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina. [More...]
Q + A: NASA has announced that since October 2003, "the aquifers for California's primary agricultural region--the Central Valley--and its major mountain water source--the Sierra Nevadas--have lost nearly enough water combined to fill Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir." [More...]
WATCH: The economy has impacted one local charity. Donations to the pet food bank are down, and the owner is finding it harder to get enough kibble to deliver to local shelters and rescues. [More...]
Editorial cartoonists have always been a rare breed. Newspapers have threatened to thin the herd even further with round after round of staff cuts. So far however, cartoonists are proving resilient, finding new ways to practice their craft.
[More...]
A Communist Vietnamese flag flying at USC disturbs some Vietnamese-Americans, who say it raises memories of the brutal North Vietnam regime that once employed forced labor, kidnapping and even murder. They want to see the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage flag instead.
[More...]
WATCH: California's new energy mandate requires the state's utilities to use alternative sources like solar and wind for one-third of its power by 2020, but missing infrastructure and unclear regulations are preventing wind turbines from being installed in the breeziest spots. [More...]
Folks from all over L.A. lined up to trade their weapons for gift cards (valued from $50-200) at the annual exchange program hosted by the Compton Sheriff's Dept. [More...]
When Steve Hymon was laid off from the L.A. Times last March, he realized he'd become 'a fat-ass journalist.' Now, he's back in shape and blogging for the MTA -- but he still drives a 2007 Subaru Outback to work every morning. [More...]
WATCH: The state's CalWORKS program seeks to provide assistance to low income residents, while also mandating some work or education. See how it works and meet one family benefiting from the public service. [More...]
Q+A: Eric Garcetti talks about hipsters, LA's missing stimulus money, and his plans for 2013. [More...]
The Metropolitan Transit Authority is weighing light rail against expanding the existing bus system. [More...]
The L.A. County District Attorney wants a Maywood city councilman removed from office for violating a state law that prohibits local officials from holding two public offices. [More...]
Former chancellor Marshall Drummond threatened to sue the Los Angeles Community College District before board members handed him nearly a half-million dollars to leave his job this summer, the district's lawyer revealed Thursday. [More...]
Q & A: Charles Johnson talks about his break with the right, his evolving views, and why, if he had to do it all over again, he'd vote for Obama. [More...]
VIDEO: Juanita Juarez couldn't walk or talk, but she knew how to laugh and she happily laughed for much of her 15 years of life. [More...]
LISTEN: The storied Martin Luther King Jr. hospital in Willowbrook goes back to the mid-1960s when it was opened in the wake of the Watts riots. After closing as a hospital under a dark cloud in 2007, the hospital is close to reopening. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: As the all-in-one reporter/editor/publisher behind blogdowntown.com, Eric Richardson covers the area better than any other media outlet. And so far, he hasn't been paid to do it. [More...]
An ad hoc panel charged with analyzing Los Angeles' approach to youth violence recommended on Monday the city create a permanent agency devoted to curbing gang activity. [More...]
Reporters for Neon Tommy filed a public records request to obtain the contract and separation agreement for Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Marshall Drummond. [More...]
The seven-member board of the Los Angeles Community College
District paid Chancellor Marshall Drummond nearly a
half-million dollars to quietly leave office.
[More...]
UCLA students react to the 32-percent fee increase that UC Regents approved last week for the entire University of California system. [More...]
VIDEO: Protests continued at UC Santa Cruz over the weekend after the University of California Board of Regents voted to raise fees by 32 percent. [More...]
ESPN reporter Erin Andrews' alleged stalker was ordered under house arrest by a judge at a pretrial hearing. His bail was set at $100,000.
[More...]
WATCH: L.A. County has netted close to $18 million in fake purses, DVDs, clothes and more in the largest crackdown of counterfeit goods in the county's history. [More...]
LISTEN: African American churches in South Los Angeles allege they have been defrauded by companies offering video technology. Attorney General Jerry Brown has launched an investigation. [More...]
Overall reported hate crimes in Los Angeles County dropped by 4 percent in 2008, but hate crimes based on sexual orientation jumps 21 percent. [More...]
Three months ago, turnstiles, so common in subway stations around the world, started cropping up at Los Angeles stations as part of a pilot project. Now, the financial feasibility of the turnstile program remains in question.
[More...]
WATCH: Ocean water contaminated by runoff storm drains and leaky sewage systems beach those enjoying California's surf. [More...]
Drex Heikes' name elicits compliments from the LA Weekly's fiercest critics. The new editor outlines his plan to reinvigorate the once-foundering organization.
[More...]LISTEN: LAPD Chief of Detectives Charlie Beck was unanimously confirmed as the new police chief Tuesday morning by the L.A. City Council. [More...]
A former aerospace engineer with a history of mental illness who carjacked and decapitated a Los Angeles Airport police officer four years ago was found guilty of first-degree murder Monday. [More...]
UPDATE:Going against the advice of the Los Angeles city attorney, two City Council panels Monday amended a proposed pot dispensary ordinance to allow for the sale of medical marijuana. [More...]
VIDEO: Calling it a landmark feat, East L.A. resident Rachel Santos said the arrival of the Gold Line means she can finally shop where she wants and enjoy time with family members in other parts of the city. [More...]
Neon Tommy wants top elected officials to ask the L.A. County Department of Public Health some questions about its response to the H1N1 virus. [More...]
LISTEN: As President Obama prepares to announce his decision about how to deploy troops in Afghanistan, Annenberg Radio News is recording and listening to conversations between veterans and their friends and family. [More...]
WATCH: About 600 students at L.A. Trade Tech College are making a bet that green construction skills will help them weather the tough economy. [More...]
A scantily clad, body painted, PETA demonstrator and others held signs outside Al Gore's book signing in Hollywood Thursday. They wanted the former Vice President and global warming activist to know that raising animals for food is tough on the environment. [More...]
WATCH: Not all prison inmates are locked in a cell. In the Malibu Hills a group of female inmates are doing some surprising work. [More...]
LISTEN: Leroy has been struggling as a homeless, single father for over a month. He entered the Union Rescue Mission one week ago. [More...]
LISTEN: L.A. County counts its homeless population every two years. Well the numbers are in, and it seems homelessness is way down. But the report has shocked and confused homeless activists and service providers who have seen increased demand for services during the recession. Some are outraged. [More...]
LISTEN: A podcast of opinion on national politics from Neon Tommy Senior Editors, Hillel Aron, Olga Khazan and Richie Duchon. [More...]
LISTEN: Reporter Callie Schweitzer requests an interview with Jonathan Fielding, L.A. County's Director of Public Health. [More...]
VIDEO: John Walsh's crusade against the LA subway soldiers on. But has his time passed? [More...]
LISTEN: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released a report saying a light rail line is the best choice for a new transit system in the Crenshaw Corridor. Critics says a rapid bus system would be faster and cheaper. [More...]
LISTEN: A complicated court battle between the L.A. City Attorney and the City Controller will continue for at least another week. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Mark Mooney has delayed a decision until he sees the City Council's next move. [More...]
Charlie Beck, nominated to be Los Angeles' next police chief, said he would continue the progress former Chief Bill Bratton made but would differ by giving more local control to divisions.
[More...]This special report on swine flu in Los Angeles County includes profiles of swine flu victims, research into the legality of withholding death certificates from the public, an interactive map, and an in-depth look at how health department officials in Los Angeles and across the country are responding to this crisis. [More...]
L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti wants to know why Los Angeles lost a number of competitive project grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. [More...]
With 361 days until the gubernatorial election, California voters are unhappy, unmotivated and weary, according to a survey conducted by the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. [More...]
The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board took historic steps in mandating a ban on the exclusive community's septic systems, long accused of causing pollution to the area's beaches and waters. [More...]
Transportation and political activist John Walsh likes to cite the movie Volcano. Released in 1997, the film invokes many of the fears that John has to this day- racial divisions, a powerful MTA that answers to no one, corrupt developers, and of course, bizarre geological conditions. It's as if the movie sprang forth spontaneously from Walsh's subconscious. And indeed, he thinks one of the characters might even have been based off of him. The only problem is, Volcano screenwriters Billy Ray and Jerome Armstrong have never heard of John Walsh. [More...]
More than 150 East Los Angeles residents packed the El Sereno Senior Center Thursday night to meet Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's top pick to succeed outgoing chief Bill Bratton. [More...]
WATCH: A backlog of about one million claims at the Veterans Affairs department and rising homelessness among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suggest the federal government is struggling to support veterans returning from action overseas. [More...]
Anthony worked at a Toyota dealership before he died of swine flu. The week he went into the hospital, he was named "Employee of the Month." [More...]
More than 100 members of the Rodriguez family packed the stands of Dodger stadium on July 18. They gathered not only to cheer their favorite team to victory but also to celebrate the life of a lost loved one. [More...]
Olivia Cater loved having company flood her home and loved laughing. She loved holidays, including Halloween when she would climb on chairs to hang spider webs and fill the house with pumpkins. [More...]
Alexis Maestaz had a happy social life, attending birthday parties and visiting school friends. Her mother says Alexis was always ready to make a new friend. [More...]
Who is dying of the swine flu? It's a simple question, but the answer has been hard to come by: Many counties across California and the nation are refusing to grant public records requests for death certificates of H1N1 victims. [More...]
Bipolar and homeless, Karen Wright's life ended when she contracted swine flu. [More...]
EXCLUSIVE: Neon Tommy reporters analyzed 44 death records of swine flu victims and interviewed family members, public health officials and doctors to see what the dozens of deaths suggest about the patterns of the illness and who remains most at risk. [More...]
WATCH: This project aims to tell the stories of victims of swine flu in Los Angeles County, from the first death in May to whenever the crisis ends. Our goal is to put a human face on the epidemic and help the public evaluate the performance of health officials in addressing it. [More...]
Jennifer Martinez was slowly working toward a degree in nursing at Citrus College. She also lovingly fulfilled her roles as a mother, daughter and sister. [More...]
Daniel Hernandez was highly active, and enjoyed playing soccer and basketball at school. His Down Syndrome made it difficult for him to speak in complete sentences, but his family learned to talk with him through a mix of words and sign language. [More...]
Neon Tommy reporters requested death certificates from 12 counties in California. Included are the documents we received from Los Angeles, Fresno and Sacramento counties. [More...]
This special report on swine flu in Los Angeles County includes profiles of some swine flu victims, research into the legality of withholding death certificates from the public, copies of the certificates provided to Neon Tommy, an interactive map detailing where swine flu has struck in L.A. County, and an in-depth look at how health department officials in Los Angeles and across the country are responding to this crisis. [More...]
Measure EE will raise $6 million over five years for the Culver City School District. The district has lost $6 million in just the past two years when California cut back funding. [More...]
LISTEN: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa selects Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck to run third-largest police department in the nation. [More...]
USC President Steven B. Sample formally announced his retirement, which will be effective next fall. [More...]
WATCH: An estimated 350,000 revelers descended upon West Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard Saturday night for the annual West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnival. [More...]
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has pulled out of the race for Governor of California, citing his commitment to his family and his current job. In other Calif. political news, a member of Attorney General Jerry Brown's staff acknowledged he improperly taped reporters' phone calls. [More...]
Q & A: Councilman Tom LaBonge tells Neon Tommy he's for the Subway to the Sea and other subways; he thinks hipsters are OK when they're nice to their neighbors; and he supports a constitutional convention to re-tool California's government. [More...]
One little misprint in a job advertisement opened L.A. County Coroner's Office's Craig Harvey to a life of murder, suicide, NCIS - and no regrets about his career path. [More...]
It looks like the public will finally get a glimpse of records documenting the problems that forced the five-month delay of the Gold Line Eastside Extension opening. [More...]
First Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell served as the LAPD's second-in-command for seven years under Bill Bratton. After being named one of three finalists Tuesday evening, he is now in line for the top spot.
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VIDEO: Pasadena teacher Tyler Hester has a numbers problem. He teaches 198 seventh and eighth graders, but his classroom library contains only about 100 novels. But he's got a plan, and it's working. [More...]
SLIDESHOW: Still without a name, the brand new $437 million LAPD headquarters downtown is officially open for business and the public got it's first look today. [More...]
The L.A. City Council has roundly rejected threats from City Attorney Carmen Trutanich regarding permits for billboards on a new L.A. Live movie theater. [More...]
Six weeks ago, a Neon Tommy reporter started her journey of finding out why the opening of the Gold Line Eastside Extension was delayed. She was repeatedly denied requests to see inspection records. [More...]
This is the second in a series of surprise visits by Neon Tommy staff writers to the field offices of some of L.A.'s state legislators. Our goal is to see what goes on in a two-hour period on a routine day. Sometimes, as in the case of State Sen. Gloria Romero, unexpected events disrupt a quiet morning.
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Some L.A. cyclist advocacy groups want the city's revised bicycle plan to have a grander focus and a Cyclist's Bill of Rights.
LISTEN: Now that the Obama administration has signaled it does not plan to prosecute medical marijuana that is legal under state law, we ask what it might mean to go a step further. [More...]
LISTEN: Community leaders say the groundbreaking for a new LAUSD elementary school in South L.A. is overdue. But they are happy construction has officially begun. [More...]
On Monday, 160 administrators and counselors fanned out around Los Angeles tracking down dropouts from Fremont, Fairfax, Polytechnic and Wilson high schools during the school district's inaugural Student Recovery Day. [More...]
Starting January, an effort to spend $18 million of city funds more efficiently could leave service gaps in some communities.
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Meg Whitman is the most popular Republican candidate in a field of candidates who are still largely unknown to voters. On Saturday, she sought to mobilize female political leaders from across the state in an effort to build momentum against opponents Tom Campbell and Steve Poizner.
[More...]Despite much opposition from pro-gun groups, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 962, a bill that will regulate ammunition sales throughout the state. [More...]
This is the first in a series of surprise visits by Neon Tommy staff writers to the field offices of some of L.A.'s state legislators. Our goal is to see what goes on in a two-hour period on a routine day.
[More...]
Steven Mikulan adapted with the times during his 25 years with LA Weekly. Last week, his time was up. [More...]
Results of a Field Poll released Wednesday suggest that while Californians may be open to reforming their constitution, there is little agreement on what specific changes need to be made or how to make them. [More...]
Weeks after the Station Fire burned 250 square miles, Los Angeles County now braces for potential flash floods and mudslides as the fall's first rains rolled into the area Tuesday.
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Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Monday he supports a City Council proposal to suspend police officer hiring until the end of this year, as part of an effort to close a $400 million city budget deficit.
[More...]Ballooning pensions and cutbacks to city payroll of 2,400 workers anger representatives at a special weekend session at Los Angeles City Hall. [More...]
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy is still at risk for administrative penalties even after being cleared of criminal charges for allegedly leaking details of his 2006 DUI arrest of actor Mel Gibson. [More...]
President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize today. Shhh, don't tell the committee he's waging a war in Afghanistan and thinking of making it bigger. There was a very large, deadly bombing in Pakistan. The Dodgers and Angels fared well last night. And NASA says it wants some ice from the moon. [More...]
L.A. City Council passed an ordinance to streamline social service delivery in the city and add greater oversight. It's now headed for the Mayor's desk to be signed. [More...]
Félix Gutiérrez, professor of journalism at USC Annenberg, recently curated and exhibit titled Voices for Justice: 200 Years of Latino Newspapers in the United States. Gutiérrez spoke to Neon Tommy about the history and future of Latino press and more. [More...]
Democrats got a huge boost Wednesday in their effort to pass health care reform. Spoiler alert: it will actually save money and insure more people. A small earthquake hit off the SoCal coast. Whitman talks specifics with the OC Register. And, hold on to your seats, the FHA, a government entity, looks like it's setting up another housing bubble. Yes, like the one that started the global economic meltdown. Really? [More...]
The size of the LAPD has survived another round of negotiations and debate in a special joint City Council committee meeting to determine how to trim the department's budget amid a $400 million city budget deficit. [More...]
USC Annenberg journalism director Geneva Overholser says the school's new name is about declaring the university as a place for reinventing journalism. [More...]
Three LAPD officer reportedly perjured themselves on the stand and have now been formally charged. GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman claims she remembers voting in the 1980's. Obama calls for action in Guinea. And the city of Long Beach approves a large development deal with Boeing.
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LISTEN:It's no coincidence a new federal mandate to make federal agencies more environmentally friendly looks a lot like the Green L.A. program, launched in 2007. Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley headed up both initiatives. [More...]
LISTEN:Host Pete Griffin talks to the new Director of Community Outreach for Department of Education, South Los Angeles community organizer Alberto Retana. [More...]
LISTEN:There are as many fast-food chains in South L.A. as in wealthier areas of L.A. County. So what's causing a higher rate of obesity in South L.A.? Too much high-calorie food and not enough large supermarkets with fresh produce, a new study shows. [More...]
The L.A. Metro Transportation Authority presented several alternatives to a controversial Bus Rapid Transit system along Wilshire Boulevard west of downtown. [More...]
With eight months to go, but trailing in the most recent polls, San Francisco Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom got a big boost of support Monday from Former President Clinton. [More...]
Obama has issued an executive order to green up the federal government, thanks in big part to a former L.A. deputy mayor. The latest wildfire looks like it is headed for containment. Brett Favre set a new record. And Roski loses more than $1 billion, but says football is still on its way back to L.A. [More...]
To keep kids out of the revolving door of juvenile justice, advocates like the Youth Justice Coalition are calling for the rehabilitation of communities as a whole to aid Los Angeles' youth. [More...]
The Iranian president's ID card indicates Jewish roots. The FTC says shilling bloggers must disclose any payments. California could be forced to pay back billions of dollars it already allocated in fixing this year's budget. President Bill Clinton is in L.A. to endorse San Francisco's mayor for governor. The Supreme Court plans to take the field today with a new member on the diamond. And you thought you paid for your kid's college a long time ago, but now the state is saying sorry, think again. [More...]